Popular NPC in a Gender-Reversed Game-Chapter 90: When I Was Young

When they saw the quest window, the first emotion Chae-rin and Hanul felt was confusion.

They had never expected a quest to suddenly appear in such a situation.

But that feeling quickly faded, replaced by excitement on their faces.

It was clear to them that this was a lifeline—a chance to turn the tide.

‘This is it!’

At last, they had a way to help him properly. Not by forcing him to flee, but by fighting for a real solution.

Though the conditions for success looked extremely difficult, it seemed to be the only way they could assist him.

Without hesitation, they quickly hit the accept button and spoke with confidence.

“Don’t worry and just trust us! We’ll figure something out!”

“Yeah, seriously! Don’t worry, I’ll gather as many people as I can!”

They were visibly enthusiastic.

For them, this was one of the few opportunities where women could take the spotlight and shine.

They weren’t going to let it slip through their fingers.

But from Yor’s perspective, the whole situation was just baffling.

Since he possessed the “player’s vision,” he, too, had seen the quest pop up in real-time.

This only deepened his sense of unease.

The timing of the quest, its content—everything about it felt strange.

And it wasn’t just that.

Once again, the word “future calamity” had appeared in the rewards section.

This wasn’t Yor’s first time seeing this phrase.

When he had captured the Lemegeton follower Lian and handed him over, a similar reward had been listed.

At the time, he had dismissed it, thinking it was simply because his actions had revealed information about Lemegeton.

He assumed it had prevented some future harm and didn’t dwell on it further.

But now, this felt entirely different.

It was as if the quest itself was saying that Yor’s survival alone was critical.

‘...Huh.’

To be honest, Yor didn’t particularly like quests.

Every time one appeared, it reminded him that this place might really be a game.

But to him, this was undeniably reality.

Even if others insisted it was just a game, it wasn’t to him.

Questions stirred within him.

What did the system want from him?

How were these quests even generated in the first place?

‘...Never mind.’

Despite his curiosity, he set it aside for now. Survival was his priority.

One thing was clear—this was good news, a rare blessing.

“Alright, we’ll get going now.”

“Stay safe, okay?”

With those words, Chae-rin and Hanul left quietly, carrying a newfound sense of hope.

“Should we start recording the video right away?”

“Yeah, let’s film it and send it out immediately. I’ll add the subtitles.”

That evening, Chae-rin uploaded a simple, edited video to her YouTube channel.

[URGENT! Looking for Quest Participants! Anyone Welcome!]

The thumbnail was dramatic—white text on a black background, as if announcing something of critical importance.

The video itself was straightforward, inviting others to join her in the game to share the quest.

“Hello, everyone. I’ve received a very important quest...”

Over the course of her collaborations with Yor, her channel had grown to 700,000 subscribers.

As a result, the video quickly garnered views.

“It’s a tough quest. I know. The risks are high...”

Of course, the video’s contents also reached the NPCs, including the knight order.

Her growing notoriety among users, coupled with the controversial nature of the video, only fueled the intrigue.

Posting it might have put her at risk of being labeled an accomplice and arrested.

For all she knew, guards might already be searching for her and Hanul.

“But guys, aren’t we the kind of players who take on challenges headfirst when given a new option?”

Chae-rin didn’t care.

She had already prepared herself for this the moment she accepted the quest.

“If we fail, then fine—we’ll all just join Lemegeton together.”

With those final words, the video ended.

Emails started flooding her inbox almost immediately.

Huff...

In the depths of the forest, a man let out a deep sigh.

It was Railey, the captain of the Fourth Knight Division.

Having failed in their initial plan, anxiety crept into his thoughts.

Their original strategy had been to capture Yor in the first encounter.

Letting him escape into the Deep Layers had made things much more complicated.

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The knight order couldn’t pursue him easily into the Deep Layers.

There were too many obstacles, as they had already seen.

From the man-eating plants that suddenly sprang up to the high-ranking monsters drawn by the commotion, the dangers were countless.

And encountering creatures like the Forest Sovereign made matters far worse.

The last time they faced the Forest Sovereign, Yor had managed to wound it and force it to retreat, but only with the sacrifice of over ten knights.

Even for Railey, the creature was not something he could handle lightly.

For now, the extermination squad had set up a blockade around the outskirts of the Deep Layers, waiting to prevent Yor from sneaking out.

Thankfully, the monsters in the mid-layers were still manageable.

Wounded knights had been replaced with fresh reinforcements, ensuring the squad maintained its strength despite earlier losses.

‘Sigh, that’s why we needed to capture him back then...’

Railey sighed once more.

The problem was Yor’s bold decisions. Who would have expected him to ignore Railey’s sword and simply flee?

Despite their preparation, not everything had gone according to plan.

Now, it was time to devise a new strategy.

Railey’s decision was to maintain the blockade while slowly advancing into the Deep Layers.

“Move carefully. Take your time, and thoroughly clear any threats in the surroundings.”

They inspected the ground for man-eating plants and eliminated every monster they encountered.

Though this would take time, it was the only viable approach.

But there was another possibility.

That Yor wouldn’t be able to endure the Deep Layers and would come running out on his own.

Railey thought this was more likely.

To his knowledge, the Deep Layers were an unlivable place for humans.

Monsters that even the knight order struggled against lurked everywhere.

There was little sunlight, and finding proper food was nearly impossible.

Even monsters occasionally descended into the mid-layers for this very reason.

And there was no way Yor could sleep properly.

The monsters in the Deep Layers were highly intelligent and known to stage frequent night attacks.

Railey believed Yor had only two options: die in the Deep Layers or flee.

...However.

If Yor managed to survive all of this.

If he turned these experiences into the foundation of his growth—

‘Hmm...’

Railey chose not to dwell on that possibility for too long.

Day 8.

After Chae-rin and Hanul left, I began my preparations.

What kind of preparations? Preparations to survive.

I repaired my weapons as much as possible and counted my supply of holy water again.

I also made sure to pack Dantalion’s Ear and Seere’s Arm.

These rare items might prove useful at any moment.

Thankfully, my weapon pouch was spacious—I had invested a fortune in buying a large spatial bag in the past, and it was paying off now.

As I worked through my preparations, memories of yesterday’s conversation with them resurfaced.

The quest window. The brief exchange before they left.

“So, what’s your plan now?”

I would endure. If the enemy wanted a quick fight, I would drag it out as long as possible.

“We’ll gather people. But we’re not sure when the fight will start, so I’m worried we might not be able to join at the right time... Is there any way we can set a signal to let us know when to prepare?”

It was a valid point. Unlike them, with their access to the internet, I had no reliable means of communication.

While they would likely bring reinforcements when the battle began, there was always a chance they might not arrive in time.

So, I decided to set a signal in advance—when the battle would take place.

I told them to keep it secret for now.

I had already chosen the timing.

“The day after it rains.”

I didn’t know when that day would come, but with it being summer, I was certain the opportunity would arise eventually.

When the air was filled with the smell of wet earth, when my body was damp and uncomfortable from the rain, when the entire forest was shrouded in mist.

When the ground became soft and muddy, visibility was reduced, and movement was hindered.

It would undoubtedly be the worst possible conditions for a fight.

But that wouldn’t only apply to me.

If the conditions were equally unfavorable for everyone, it could turn into an opportunity for me.

Having finished my preparations, I got up and began walking.

My destination was deeper into the heart of the forest.

I had no intention of sitting idly until that day arrived.

I had already been beaten by them once. If I fought them in my current state, even with reinforcements, I might lose.

Not to mention they still had an ample supply of holy water.

I needed to become stronger than I was now.

“To be fair... I’ve had it too easy lately,” I muttered with a faint smile.

A memory from my childhood surfaced in my mind.

Not long after I had entered this forest,

when I had been forced deeper into the mid-layers to escape the occasional human intruders at the surface.

I recalled the desperate battles with monsters stronger than me and the times I barely survived, longing for a safe place to rest.

They weren’t exactly fond memories, but in hindsight, I had grown the most during those days.

When survival demanded I push forward, I became stronger.

Now wasn’t much different.

So I decided to return to that mindset, to the time when I was hungry, exhausted, and clinging to life.

“Huff... haa...”

I gripped my spear tightly, took a deep breath, and stepped further into the depths.

It wasn’t long before beasts, ignorant of their place, began to charge at me.