A Loophole in the Quest
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[Side Quest: Solve the Cube Puzzle]
Description: A mysterious cube puzzle from another world—a test of logic, patience, and dexterity. Solve the 3x3 Rubik's Cube by arranging the colors on each side within less than 1 minute. Only those with sharp wits and practiced hands can accomplish such a feat. Do you have what it takes?
Objective: Solve a 3x3 Rubik's Cube within 1 minute or less.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (Challenging)
Rewards: [20 SP]
Failure Penalty: None
[Accept] [Decline]
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The system, which had just generated the quest, stared at the new rewards in shock.
Just moments ago, the reward had been only 2 SP. But after following its Master's order and increasing the quest's complexity, the reward had increased tenfold. Still confused, the system analyzed the two quests, comparing them to understand the reason behind this drastic change.
Meanwhile, Eren looked at the new quest with a wide grin. feeling happy his guess had been correct.
Without hesitation, he accepted the quest.
---
[Quest Accepted!]
---
The Rubik's Cube in his hand suddenly floated into the air, spinning rapidly on its own as it scrambled itself. After a second, it landed back in his palm, and a new screen appeared before him.
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[Quest Begin]
[00:00:00]
[00:01:89]
[00:02:22]
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Seeing the timer had started, Eren casually began moving the sides of the Rubik's Cube. His hands moved slowly and calmly, as if he wasn't in a rush.
Meanwhile, the system had finished analyzing the drastic changes in the quest rewards.
What the system knew was that a quest's reward value was based on effort, monitoring, and complexity. The reward increased when one or more of these factors was higher.
But just now, when it's Master told it to increase the Complexity of the quest, the system thought the rewards value would increase by 6 or 10 SP. But the system was wrong, because there was something that the system didn't notice or realized when generating a quest. And that was...
There was a loophole in the Quest.
The system had previously explained that a quest's complexity was determined based on the general capabilities of the people in this world. In other words, it was measured by what the average person in this world could accomplish.
Meanwhile, effort and monitoring were based solely on the Master's current state and conditions.
If the task required a lot of effort from the Master, the difficulty would increase.
If the task involved more elements to monitor, the difficulty would rise further.
If the task was inherently complex, the difficulty would spike even more.
Of course, the system would never create a quest like that.
Normally, increasing just one or two of these factors was enough to raise the challenge. Even with one factor significantly higher, a quest wouldn't usually exceed a 3-star difficulty.
Yet, somehow, this quest had reached that level. it got wrong in its assumption.
Why?
Because Eren had exploited the complexity factor in the quest.
---
The system now understood the loophole.
Quest complexity was based on the general public of this world—and only this world.
If a task was something that the average person in this medieval fantasy world found difficult, then the system considered it a complex challenge.
And what was something entirely foreign to this world?
Modern objects
The Rubik's Cube wasn't just difficult—it was alien to the people of this world.
That single factor had caused the system to miscalculate, unintentionally inflating the reward value.
why did the system miscalculate? because it didn't check. the System was like the AI, with multiple functions, and one of it functions is the quest generator system (setting). the System didn't except that creating a complex quest using a Modern element would cheat the system.
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The System refocused its attention on Eren.
[00:52:27]
Eren's hands continued moving the cube with ease. His face remained neutral—no sign of deep focus or exertion. showing no Effort as he finished completing five sides, with one one side remain.
[00:56:63]
The system scanned its Master's condition—his breathing, his expression, his calmness. There was nothing to monitor except waiting the final result.
A few moments later, Eren placed the last piece into position.
[00:59:12]
---
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward: 20 SP Received]
---
The system had sacrificed 2 SP earlier, and now, its Master had earned back ten times that amount.
As the quest completion screen faded, Eren turned to look at the floating system screen, his face expressionless.
Then, he spoke.
"Generate the same quest again."
He paused, then added,
"And set the time limit to less than 50 seconds."
The system's screen trembled uncontrollably. if it had a human body, then it shiver.
Not from shock or fear...
But from excitement.
...
...
...
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[Quest: Solve the Cube Puzzle]
Description: —
Objective: Solve a 3x3 Rubik's Cube within less than 40 seconds
Difficulty: ★★★★☆ (Challenging)
Rewards: [30 SP]
Failure Penalty: None
[Accept] [Decline]
---
[00:39:18]
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward: 30 SP Received]
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[Current System Points: 754 SP.]
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[Quest: Solve the Cube Puzzle]
Description: —
Objective: Solve a 3x3 Rubik's Cube within less than 30 seconds
Difficulty: ★★★★☆ (Challenging)
Rewards: [35 SP]
Failure Penalty: None
[Accept] [Decline]
---
[00:29:83]
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward: 35 SP Received]
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[Current System Points: 754 SP.]
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[Quest: Solve the Cube Puzzle]
Objective: ..... less than 20 seconds
Difficulty: ★★★★★ (Challenging)
Rewards: [40 SP]
Failure Penalty: None
[Accept] [Decline]
---
[00:19:67]
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward Received]
-----
[Current System Points: 820 SP.]
-----
[Quest: Solve the Cube Puzzle]
Objective: ..... less than 10 seconds
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ (Hard)
Rewards: [50 SP]
Failure Penalty: None
[Accepted]
---
[00:09:56]
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward Received]
-----
[Current System Points: 866 SP.]
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[Quest: .... Cube Puzzle]
Objective: ..... less than 9 seconds
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Hard)
Rewards: [60 SP]
Failure Penalty: None
[Accepted]
---
[00:08:83]
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward Received]
-----
[Current System Points: 920 SP.]
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[Quest: .... Cube Puzzle]
Objective: less than 8 seconds
Rewards: [70 SP]
[Accepted]
---
[00:07:36]
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward Received]
-----
[Current System Points: 983 SP.]
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[Quest]
Objective: less than 7 seconds
Rewards: [80 SP]
---
[00:06:80]
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward Received]
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[Current System Points: 1,056 SP.]
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[Quest]
Objective: less than 6 seconds
Rewards: [90 SP]
---
[00:05:92]
[Quest Complete!]
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[Current System Points: 1,137 SP.]
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[Quest]
Objective: less than 5 seconds
Rewards: [100 SP]
---
[00:04:50]
[Quest Complete!]
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[Current System Points: 1,226 SP.]
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[Quest]
Objective: less than 4 seconds
Rewards: [110 SP]
---
[00:03:82]
-----
[Current System Points: 1,322 SP.]
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[Quest]
Less than 3 second.
Rewards: [130 SP]
---
[00:02:79]
-----
[Current System Points: 1,437 SP.]
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[Quest]
Less than 2 seconds.
Rewards: [150 SP]
---
[00:01:92]
[Current System Points: 1,569 SP.]
After completing what seemed to be his 15th or 16th quest, Eren finally stopped and began massaging his hands. The constant twisting and shifting of the Rubik's Cube had made his fingers numb. Despite his calm expression, the slight soreness in his hands was undeniable.
Meanwhile, the system remained in a state of bewilderment, utterly shocked by the absurd increase in its System Points.
.