LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 14: Chapter Fourteen: Ingnored Task
The day began with the first rays of sunlight filtering through the dense canopy of trees. Terry stirred from his sleep, blinking against the golden hues of dawn. His thoughts, however, weren't as serene as the morning light.
---
System Notification:
Task Assigned: Destroy Clover Tuch, Demon Class A.
Time Limit: 72 hours.
Reward: 500 Points. Unlock: Shadow Absorption Ability.
Penalty for Failure: Stat reduction of 20% for seven days.
---
The words floated in the corner of his vision, glaring at him like a judgmental overseer. He had tried to push it aside, dismiss the task, and focus on the present. But the system's demands were relentless.
Clover Tuch was no ordinary demon. An A-class entity with a reputation steeped in terror, it was the kind of challenge only someone far stronger than Terry should consider. Yet here he was, faced with the expectation to confront it alone.
Not today, Terry thought firmly. He had no intention of throwing his life away.
---
Curl and Soden were already up by the time Terry joined them near the campfire. Soden was poking at the embers, a skewered piece of meat sizzling over the flames. Curl sat cross-legged on a rock, sharpening her blade with methodical precision.
"Morning," Terry said, sitting down across from them.
Soden grinned. "Morning, sleepyhead. Dreaming about freedom again?"
Curl shot him a warning glance, but Soden ignored it, his grin widening.
Terry chuckled dryly. "Something like that."
Curl's gaze shifted to Terry, her eyes sharp. "You've been distracted lately. Something on your mind?"
Terry hesitated, then shook his head. "Just thinking about everything we've been through. Missions, battles, all of it."
Curl snorted. "What else is there to think about? That's our life."
---
Terry leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Do you ever think it could be different? That we could do more than just survive?"
Curl's eyes narrowed, her sharpening motion pausing. "What do you mean?"
"Freedom," Terry said simply. "Do you ever think about it? What it would feel like to live without orders, without missions or systems controlling us?"
Soden let out a low whistle, sitting back with a smirk. "You're really diving into the deep stuff today, huh?"
Curl's expression hardened. "Freedom is a luxury we don't have. Dreaming about it is pointless."
"Is it?" Terry pressed. "What if there's a way to break free? To carve out a life where we're not bound by the systems or Mr. Wesdon's orders?"
Curl slammed her blade into its sheath, her movements sharp and deliberate. "And what would that life look like, Terry? Wandering aimlessly? Constantly hunted? You think the systems would just let us go? That Wesdon wouldn't find us? Wake up. Freedom isn't some fairy tale—it's a death sentence."
---
Terry refused to back down. "Maybe for some. But what if we were strong enough to fight back? To protect ourselves?"
Curl stood, her posture rigid. "You don't get it, do you? Strength doesn't matter. Power doesn't matter. The systems are bigger than all of us. They control everything. Even if you escaped Wesdon, you'd still be a slave to your system."
"Maybe," Terry admitted. "But I'd rather die fighting for something than live as a pawn."
Curl's lips thinned, her jaw clenching. "You'd die for nothing."
Soden, sensing the tension, raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, let's cool it down. We've got enough enemies without turning on each other."
Curl shot him a glare but didn't respond. She turned on her heel and walked away, disappearing into the forest.
---
Once Curl was out of earshot, Soden leaned closer to Terry, his tone curious. "So, what's really eating at you?"
Terry hesitated, the weight of the system's task pressing down on him. But he couldn't share it—not with Soden, and certainly not with Curl.
"Nothing," he said finally. "Just… thinking about the future."
Soden studied him for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, whatever it is, don't let it get you killed. Curl's a buzzkill, but she's not wrong about one thing: the systems don't mess around."
Terry nodded, his thoughts churning.
---
The rest of the day passed in tense silence. Curl returned to camp but avoided Terry, her expression guarded. Soden did his best to lighten the mood, but even his jokes felt half-hearted.
Terry busied himself with small tasks, trying to distract himself from the ticking timer in the corner of his vision.
** 48 hours remaining.**
He couldn't shake the feeling of failure, even though he knew facing Clover Tuch was impossible. The system's penalties loomed, but he pushed them aside. For now, survival was more important than a few lost stats.
---
That night, Terry's sleep was restless. He dreamed of chains wrapping around him, tightening with every movement
Terry struggled against the chains, but they only tightened, cutting into his skin. The dream shifted, and he saw Curl and Soden standing nearby, watching silently.
He woke with a start, his heart pounding. The camp was quiet, the fire reduced to embers. Curl and Soden were still asleep, their breaths steady.
Terry sat up, running a hand through his hair. "What am I even doing?" he muttered.
---
The next day dawned gray and overcast, the air heavy with tension. Curl and Soden were quiet, the argument from the day before still lingering.
As they prepared for their next mission, Terry couldn't help but glance at the system timer.
** 24 hours remaining.**
He shoved the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand. There was no point dwelling on a fight he wasn't going to take on.
---
As they walked, Terry broke the silence. "Do you think we'll ever get out of this?"
Soden raised an eyebrow. "Out of what?"
"All of it," Terry said. "The missions, the systems, Wesdon's control. Do you think we'll ever be free?"
Soden shrugged. "Maybe. But it won't be easy. And it won't come cheap."
Curl, who had been walking ahead, glanced back. "If you're smart, you'll stop asking those questions. They only lead to trouble."
---
By the time the sun set again, Terry had made his decision. He wasn't going to face Clover Tuch. The task was impossible, and the risk far outweighed the reward.
As the system's timer ticked down to zero, Terry felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension.
---
[System Notification:]
** Task Failed.
** Penalty Applied: Stat Reduction (20%) for 7 days.**
---
The words stung, but Terry ignored them. He could endure the penalty. What mattered was surviving to fight another day.
Curl and Soden didn't notice anything unusual, and Terry was careful not to let his frustration show. For now, his secret was safe, and his choice remained his own.
But as he lay awake that night, staring at the stars, Terry couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something far more dangerous.