Contrary to my belief, Lunaria was the first to voice her opinion. “Vocation, huh… But I thought yours is… Oh, so that’s the case.”

Wait… What do you mean by “so that’s the case,” Lunaria? Do you know the reason why I have two Vocations? I pondered deeply about the sentences that Lunaria uttered, but one thing was for sure. Lunaria knew about “Vocations.”

“Huh? What’s Vocation?” Tuilë tilted her head.

Most people living in this world after the apocalypse seemed to not be aware of the word “Vocation,” and attributed strange power that couldn’t be correlated with magic to be “miracle power” or something.

“Well…” I explained to Tuilë everything I knew regarding Vocations and since she had already heard similar things, she wasn’t surprised.

“Um, I believe that you’re not lying. But Maxim, you do know that Aquarine is surrounded by the red fog from all directions. On top of that, there are barriers that keep any terrifying monsters from approaching this place.”

“What Maxim said, although baseless, can’t be totally ruled out. Remember what I told you regarding the ‘Crimson Apocalypse’?” Lunaria supported my claim.

The horror that the information brought regarding that hadn’t yet left my mind… She was right. If what she said was the truth, then it might be a being that transcended this world, though it was highly unlikely to be “that.”

“In any case, there’s no use in figuring out who’s attacking Aquarine. What I want to hear is your opinion regarding this.” This was the most important; I didn’t want to make her do things that she wasn’t obliged to.

Tuilë didn’t even pause and declared, “Obviously, I’ll help!”

“Tuilë…”

“It may only be three years of me living here, but I already regard it as my second home… Seeing it destroyed just like that would be saddening.” She made strong eye contact with me, determined to do whatever it took to save Aquarine.

“I see.” I nodded my head; even I felt the same.

“I also don’t want to see this beautiful town get destroyed myself.” Lunaria voiced her opinion.

Tuilë frantically bobbed her head up and down in total agreement with Lunaria. “Yup, yup. Besides, it will be anticlimactic, am I right?”

Geez… But this was what I needed: to be on the same page.

With that resolved, I tapped [Yes] on the mission.

Mission: The Coming Storm

An abomination has its eyes on Aquarine and will soon bring carnage upon this land with its wicked army. Be prepared to the teeth to face them, be that building your own army or anything, as they are not your ordinary enemies.

Difficulty: B

Time Limit: 45 days

Remaining Time: 44 days 5 hours 57 minutes

Reward: Unable to measure

Failure: ???

Oh? So, the mission acceptance time is calculated in the remaining time as well… This was bad considering that I had one less day. Besides, what’s up with the “???” failure condition?

Ding!

Due to the high difficulty of the mission, it will be separated into several parts.

“Nghuh?” Stunned by the sudden notification, I checked the mission once again.

Mission: The Coming Storm

…

Sub Mission: Conquer the Divine Mushroom Cult (1)

To be able to face the abomination and its army with your measly strength, having total control over Aquarine is crucial. Be it through eradication or total submission, you must bring the Divine Mushroom Cult, the one that controls Aquarine, to its knees.

Difficulty: C+

Time Limit: 45 days

Remaining Time: 44 days 5 hours 57 minutes

Reward: The treasury of the Divine Mushroom Cult, some level of authority over Aquarine according to your contribution, and additional rewards depending on the actions you take

Failure: Death at the hands of the fanatic cultists

Hmm, a chain mission? No, most importantly…

“CONQUERING THE DIVINE MUSHROOM CULT??!! This mission is insane!!” I instinctively reached up and tugged at my hair as I wallowed in frustration.

Before I was able to think of anything else though, my line of reasoning was interrupted by the startled comments of both Tuilë and Lunaria.

“Psst, Miss Lunaria, does Maxxy like to daydream then abruptly burst into speaking nonsense while making a freaked-out expression?”

“Beats me.” Lunaria shrugged her shoulders and lifted her hands high, closing her eyes. “Sometimes, I don’t even know what’s going on in his goony head.”

“Hey! Can you two be more supportive?” Still, I shouldn’t have acted so exaggerated just now… I mean, I figured that anyone wouldn’t not freak out when tasked with such a daunting task.

“So? What’s with this ‘conquering the Divine Mushroom Cult’ about?” chimed Lunaria. “Are you finally losing it?”

“Right, what’s this all about, Maxim?” Tuilë chuckled, still believing that I was speaking nonsense.

“Well, I was thinking. If we want to face the calamity that will soon befall Aquarine, then wouldn’t it be right to take over its highest form of government?” Without the whole support of the inhabitants, we wouldn’t stand a chance against the enemy.

“That makes sense.” Tuilë held her chin in deep contemplation. “Informing them won’t work… with them being a bunch of weirdos who are on the verge of being lunatics.”

It appeared that Tuilë may have had a similar “experience” to when I encountered the cultist for the first time. Well, it was something for someone like Tuilë to call them “lunatics.”

“And? How are you going to do that?” Lunaria warned rationally, “Look, Tier 3 and above source users are big shots that you shouldn’t mess with.”

“I can vouch for that. Rumor has it that the cult leader is a Tier-4 source user.”

“If it is in the past, then I…” Lunaria hesitated and said, “Forget it.” Is this related to the restriction to her source level?

I sighed. “That’s the problem.”

If the descriptions of the mission were the only lead I could follow, then I was presented with two options: either through brute force or subtlety.

Thinking how to subdue the Divine Mushroom Cult through brute force wouldn’t bring any sort of advantages and only increase the difficulty even further. In layman’s terms, it would be an incredibly stupid idea.

Even I, who had achieved the pinnacle of Tier 1 as a source enhancer and source evoker, didn’t dare to face a Third Order head-on without the use of devious… I mean, clever tricks, let alone facing a Tier-4 source user. That would be suicide.

The entire time, I had been fighting mindless beasts, and I won using my weapons and wits, even when most of them were stronger. As such, what would happen if I were to face someone at a higher tier with superior weapons and tactics?

The result wouldn’t be pretty.

“Of course… What was I expecting of a C+ difficulty mission?” I mumbled in a low voice that only I could hear.

Lower difficulty didn’t mean that it was easier, it could be that it was just faster to be accomplished. The previous mission may have had a higher difficulty compared to the potential enemy it encompassed, but it was a particularly long mission that required arduous tasks to complete. In this case, conquering the Divine Mushroom Cult would pose a massive challenge.

Should I have given up on saving this town?

Doubts rose inside my heart, tethering on whether to be a hero or not. It wouldn’t be too late to pack up our things and get away from here as soon as possible. As for Tuilë… maybe she would understand once that she thought that this was anything but an impossible task.

No!

I immediately cast this thought aside. Something within me rejected the whole notion of doing that.

Besides, I shouldn’t give up before trying; it was better than not trying at all so that it didn’t end up like how I regretted losing that one chance to… Anyway, suppose that I failed to unite the whole of Aquarine, then that was that, and I could just escape as the last resort since I had an airship.

As if to give me hope, Lunaria shook her head and advised, “Then, how about infiltrating the Divine Mushroom Cult?”

“Know thy self and know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories. Lunaria, you’re a genius!” I cheered; it wasn’t as hopeless as I initially thought.

“Did you only realize it now? Of course, I am a genius.” She stood tall and let out a smug grin, even though, looking back, it was pretty much in hindsight.

“Mm, I don’t quite get it with what you two are getting at. That being said, all this talk must have made you two famished,” was what Tuilë said, though she was the one who was holding her tummy. “Maxxy, what’s with the promise you made?

“Uhh, which one?” A bad feeling arose within me over what she was trying to achieve.

“It’s about treating me to the most expensive dinner in town! You’re not going to renege, right?” She held the giant wrench over her shoulder like it was a stick, seeming ready to bash me with it if I were to play the oblivious.

Shoot. I thought she would forget about that… My poor wallet. I whined inwardly.

Wait, is it just me or is she threatening me with that wrench? Perhaps the real reason she made that thing was to bash someone’s head in. Even the battleax form of my source-bound weapon was not as massive and heavy as this wrench.

“…Alright, alright. I’ll treat you to the most expensive eatery in town, so please let me off the hook.” I had my both hands raised and continued, “You too, Lunaria. And since it’s still noon, then it’s gonna be lunch.”

“Oh my, how generous.”

To be completely honest, the remaining source crystals I had in hand were a measly fifteen. It felt as though I came back to square one again — to being poor.

***

As I made my way through the crowded thoroughfares with both Lunaria and Tuilë in tow, I smelled the familiar scent of damp earth and the gentle hum of activity that enveloped me in a sense of belonging. This was a place that held many memories and connections.

The town avenue sprawled out before me, revealing a labyrinthine network of streets and pathways that meandered through the expansive cavern. A giant fluorescent mushroom cast a gentle, ethereal glow and almost became the sole source of light of this place. Its shimmering radiance illuminated the way, guiding me through the familiar paths.

In Aquarine, every corner held a surprise, every interaction was incredibly profound. Strange musical notes resonated from hidden alcoves, captivating the senses with their haunting melodies. Artistic displays adorned the walls of the dome-like structures, showcasing abstract forms and vivid, otherworldly landscapes.

Laughter and conversation filled the air, a chorus of Fogland language and harmonious tones. The town denizens spoke with gestures and expressions that were both alien and strangely familiar, their communication transcending the boundaries of the spoken word.

Amidst the vibrancy and motion, there was a sense of unity and community. Despite their unique appearances and customs, the inhabitants of this town embraced their differences, creating solace and purpose amidst the apocalypse which was the red fog, and recognizing the beauty in the diversity that unfolded around them.

As I immersed myself, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder a second time. It would be a great shame if such a place were to be razed to the ground and be erased from existence.

Clenching my fist, I proclaimed, “So long as I have the means, I won’t let this place get destroyed.”