Chapter 100

"The oasis is drying up," Oldman said calmly.

"If Shahav's only source of water dries up, people won't be able to live here. It will become a desolate place covered in sand like any other place."

"How did you find out?"

Oldman placed something resembling an hourglass on the table. Instead of sand, it contained water that was slowly flowing from the bottom to the top.

"A wizard of Ironblood showed me kindness in the early days of Shahav. He warned me that water here was scarce, so I should keep an eye on it."

"So it shows…" Seojin trailed off, observing the small amount of water left.

"Exactly, it indicates the remaining water level," Oldman confirmed.

Only thirty percent of the total water supply remained.

"Was it that easy to dry the oasis up?"

"It wasn't that large to begin with, but it's too late to turn back now."

"Can't you use magic? There are wizards who can control water."

"It's impossible," Oldman stated.

Water magic involved applying mana to the moisture in the atmosphere, so creating water out of nothing was impossible.

"So, you have no choice but to find a new water source. Have you made any agreements regarding that?"

"I asked every distinguished individual I knew, but you can guess the result."

"You failed?"

Oldman nodded. Seojin knew that finding another oasis, that wasn't too far away, in this giant desert would not be an easy job, no matter how skilled a player's scouting abilities were.

'Maybe they'll have to resort to brute force,' Seojin thought.

He didn't think it was impossible, but what mattered was time. There weren't that many players who would devote their time to this quest.

"Did Ironblood offer any assistance related to that issue?" Seojin asked.

"They said they'd assist us when needed, but it seems it's too late," Oldman replied.

In fact, he didn't expect any assistance from Ironblood anymore, and that was why he asked whenever he saw a competent adventurer. However, he couldn't help but feel a hint of regret that the situation changed like this.

Seojin nodded in understanding.

"I'll try."

"Thank you."

Encountered Main Quest!

Main Quest: To Wet the Dry Soil…

* Oldman Shahav has many concerns regarding the operation of his estate. In the dry desert, water is an indispensable resource, and the only oasis is gradually drying up.

* The future of Shahav is in your hands. Find a new oasis.

Basic Reward: Water Ring.

"A water ring?"

The basic reward seemed interestingly unique. Then, Oldman presented something.

"These will aid you in your quest."

Colored Water Ring.

* This Water Ring allows you to feel and handle the energy of water.

* No requirements to wear.

* Item is lended.

Moderately Worn Map.

* This map holds the records of 100 people's explorations. The 'X' indicates that searches have already been undertaken.

'This is the reward.'

Seojin immediately understood that the ring, which held a hint of blue, would be useful in hunting down a water source. It was currently borrowed, but he would be able to keep it once the quest was completed.

"What's this?" he asked, looking at the map that Oldman had given him.

"I've marked the areas that adventurers have explored so far. The parts painted in red are the areas we've already covered," Oldman explained.

Seojin examined the map, filled with various X marks clustered on a dense grid.

"There must have been quite a few adventurers," he remarked.

"It was a six-month-long project, so the numbers were large," Oldman replied.

Thanks to Oldman's sincerity, countless players had searched the desert for over a year. Nevertheless, Seojin returned the map to him.

"This is fine. Can I have the original map?" he asked.

"If you want, but I think it'll be helpful," Oldman replied.

"I don't think all of the adventurers were that sincere. Who knows if they missed the water," Seojin remarked.

"Do you mean you're starting from scratch?" Oldman questioned.

"Yes," Seojin affirmed.

"It will take a long time. You can't stay forever…" Oldman trailed off.

Seojin shook his head resolutely.

"I always get the job done. I won't leave Shahav until I find it."

Having received the quest, Seojin had erased the words"give up" from his mental dictionary. Although Oldman looked doubtful, Seojin was confident in his ability to prove himself with results.

"I'll be going. If I find anything, I'll report back to you," Seojin said as he attempted to leave.

Oldman stopped him.

"I searched for what you asked for."

"Any good news?" Seojin inquired.

The old man nodded.

"There was."

* * *

"A legend, he says," Seojin said, reflecting on the story Oldman had just told him after they parted ways.

The old lord had even requested the King to examine past records, including those of Shahav, to get a better understanding of what the Sleeping Desert looked like before Shahav existed. While there wasn't much information available, Oldman had managed to uncover a clue.

'He said it was unreliable, like a piece of myth,' Seojin thought to himself, certain that this was the truth.

After all, in this world, myths were often intertwined with history, and legends were stories about real heroes.

'So, it's a monster,' Seojin thought, realizing that the myth he had heard was about a monster that no one knew the name or shape of, except that it was catastrophic. However, like any other legend, a hero had emerged and sacrificed themselves to stop the monster.

"You said this place used to be a forest?" Seojin asked.

"Yayus, it wuz thuh largest forest in all uh Salevania."

"The largest forest?"

"It wuz recorded as thuh best place fahwar an elf tuh reside."

"Do you have any idea when that was?"

"It wuz at least fav hunnerd years ago."

Flappy exuded confidence. Seojin had no idea how much time had passed, and the idea of the Elf of Time still being alive seemed absurd, even though it was just game lore.

"Could it be possible that the Elf of Time is still alive?" Seojin asked.

"Yayus, it's possible. Thuh oldest Elf lived fahwar ate hunnerd years."

"So, their lifespan isn't the issue. Alright, let's go."

Seojin decided to put the monster problem on hold and focus on finding an oasis. His bet with Maya wasn't over, and everything he had done so far would be for naught if he failed this quest.

"Flappy," he called.

"May again? Yawl want may tuh fool around with thus dawgone dust in mah mouth?"

Flappy grumbled. Once more, the superior spirit would play a crucial role in his plans.

* * *

Sitting on the edge of the tallest building in Shahav, Maya gazed down at the adventurer with a gloomy expression.

"He won't find it," she muttered to herself, tapping her fingers nervously on the floor,"if it was possible, they would have found it long ago."

Maya had been in Shahav long before the adventurers arrived and she had witnessed Oldman's desperation to find a solution to the water shortage. Even the best adventurers had given up on finding a new water source. Every kingdom would have already expanded into the desert if it were that easy.

That was rational thinking, but Maya couldn't get close to Seojin like before or try to manipulate him. She had already realized that there was no point in doing so. Even Maya herself didn't know if there was another water source, so it was impossible to rig the quest even if she wanted to.

However, as she watched numerous monsters surround Seojin as he reached the corner of the hunting ground, Maya couldn't help but shout furiously,

"It's not fair at all!"

She knew that Seojin might really find the water source at this rate. Without hesitation, Maya jumped down from the rooftop and started running towards him.

* * *

White Lie

Stance: Cheeky Threat.

Effective: 11 minutes

"Tell me again, what should you do after finding water?"

"Kurrrr!"

"No, don't bury your head in the sand. Come back up if you hear water."

"Kurrrrrrrrrr."

"Excellent. Let's go, everyone!"

Following Seojin's command, monsters burrowed underground, creating a powerful tremor akin to an earthquake.

Sand moles, desert snakes, and ambushing spiders - the notorious monsters of Shahav were now obedient pets under Seojin's control.

'If only my skill duration was longer,' Seojin thought.

He had been considering that since accepting the quest from Oldman. With loa nger skill duration, the quest would have been much shorter.

"But it's not so bad. My three stances last for eleven minutes, allowing me to search for half an hour straight."

With Flappy keeping watch from above, Seojin didn't have to worry about following the monsters' movements.

Seojin wondered how long it would take. With only three grid squares covered in an hour, it would take ten hours to cover thirty grid squares. The dense grid on the map made the progress feel painfully slow, but Seojin was undeterred. He was a man of sheer will and determination, believing that no quest was impossible and that the greater the risk, the greater the reward. Giving up on this difficult quest would mean forfeiting the tremendous rewards that awaited him, and Seojin was not willing to resign himself to that fate.

"Oh, she's coming now."

As he waited, he spotted Maya approaching at breakneck speed, leaving a trail of sand in her wake.

"Sir!"

He thought it was about time. Seojin smiled and greeted her,

"Thought you'd never come."