Funny Mission!

"Dammit!" James cursed, the words escaping his lips with a mix of frustration and disbelief.

When the system pinged to announce the activation of the task, a surge of excitement filled him. After so long in a dormant state, it finally felt like he was getting a golden opportunity, a cheat code he had always dreamed of. But just as he started envisioning his rapid ascent to power, the system laid out the mission's details.

His smile faded beneath the mask, replaced by a grimace. It was as if he had been starved for days, only to have someone offer him a steaming bowl of rice, only to discover it was actually a bowl of burning coals.

Seeing the option to decline grayed out, the realization hit him hard: there was someone holding a gun to his head, compelling him to swallow those fiery coals whether he liked it or not.

"What's wrong?" Carmen's voice broke through his thoughts, a hint of concern lacing his words. He turned to inspect the strange stone statue dominating the hall. "This aura feels even more powerful than last time."

Ignoring Carmen, James focused on the relentless prompts filling his mind.

[Since the host has not chosen whether to accept the task for a long time, it will be automatically selected in 10 seconds. Countdown: 10... 9... 8...]

A smirk tugged at his lips despite the situation. "Like I'd willingly take this ridiculous mission. Do you really think I have a choice?"

[5... 4... 3... 2... 1... The host has automatically accepted the legendary hidden mission. Complete it within 6 hours or face failure. Countdown begins now...]

His heart sank. "Seriously?!" he thought. "A mid-level F demon tasked with taking down a top-level A demon? If I don't act, I'm dead anyway." A dull throbbing filled his head as he considered whether the issue lay with him or the absurd system.

"I must be losing it," he murmured, shaking his head. He clapped a hand on Carmen's shoulder, his expression a mix of resignation and urgency. "Listen, brother, my advice? Forget about what's inside and just run."

"Huh?" Carmen looked at him, bewildered, as if he had grown a second head. "We're not leaving empty-handed after coming this far!"

"Good luck, then!" James spread his arms in a dramatic farewell before sprinting toward the entrance that Carmen had blasted open. "Thanks to all your ancestors for leading me to this hellhole!" His voice echoed through the cave, a mixture of exasperation and dark humor.

As he stepped into the hall, James scanned the area for the weak F-grade monsters Carmen had mentioned. But his search yielded nothing. Instead, his gaze landed on the imposing stone statue at the center. It resembled a hulking adult figure with massive, fleshy wings, grotesque horns, and snail-like tentacles sprouting from its head.

The strange aura emanating from the statue was palpable, and he suspected that this was the demon mentioned in the mission.

Before the statue, three offerings lay scattered on the ground: a black spirit crystal glimmering ominously, a gray fang necklace that radiated a foreboding energy, and a delicate women's hairpin crafted from white jade.

James's heart raced. Each offering seemed to pulse with significance, and he felt the weight of the mission bearing down on him. Whatever lay ahead would test not only his strength but also his resolve.

James stepped cautiously toward the stone statue, stopping ten meters away. He stared at the figure, an unsettling feeling brewing in his gut. He sensed that crossing that invisible line might unleash something terrible.

"Hey!" A voice called out, pulling him from his thoughts. It was Carmen, gliding down the wall with flames swirling around his feet. His eyes lit up at the sight of the black spirit crystal. "Look at that!" He reached out eagerly, clearly ready to snatch it.

"Wait!" James shouted, a note of urgency in his tone. But Carmen was too quick; before James could take another breath, Carmen's hand had already shot forward, breaching that crucial ten-meter boundary.

Suddenly, the air shimmered, and a low-grade F-level alien materialized in front of the statue. It resembled a monkey, with huge, fleshy wings and piercing green eyes that locked onto Carmen's outstretched hand.

"No!" it screeched, a primal scream filled with rage. The creature lunged, sharp claws aimed directly at Carmen.

Bang! The impact was deafening. The monkey was jolted back, but Carmen was sent sprawling, as if a truck had hit him. He skidded across the ground, sparks flying from his body, finally coming to a stop dozens of meters away.

"Just one strike, and you can see the difference," James thought, heart racing. The monkey, undeterred, screamed again, its wings thrashing violently as it zeroed in on Carmen without a second thought for James.

"Brother James! Quick! Get those tributes! I'll hold it off!" Carmen shouted, determination etched on his face, even as he readied himself for another confrontation. "Once we're done, I only want the spirit crystal! The rest is yours!"

Watching his friend dive into battle, James felt a bitter smile tug at his lips. The monkey wasn't the main threat, and he sensed something even darker looming. But he had no choice; he needed to get closer to the statue to figure out what to do next.

"Oh, to hell with it. If I'm going to die, I'd rather it be by a great demon than by this ridiculous system," he muttered to himself. The countdown in his mind pressed on, the seconds slipping away like sand through his fingers.

With a determined breath, he extended his hand, not toward the tributes, but straight for the stone statue. Almost instantly, another flesh-winged monkey appeared, charging at him from the shadows.

Remembering Carmen's harsh lesson, James knew better than to confront it head-on. "Not today," he scoffed, sidestepping the creature's attack with a deft movement.

His eyes glowed with a fierce red light as he activated his fear skill, locking onto the monkey. "Just a low-grade F-level creature with less than fifty vitality," he murmured, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Let's see how you handle this."

"Harvest of Life!" he called out, unleashing a wave of energy. Red tendrils shot from the monkey, wrapping around his Scythe of Death before dissipating into nothingness. The creature's vibrant green eyes dulled, its body falling limp as it plummeted to the ground.

"What the—? Seconds?" Carmen gaped in disbelief as he watched James dispatch the monkey in one swift move. But his astonishment was short-lived; another flesh-winged monkey lunged at him, catching him off guard. It kicked him hard in the chest, sending him crashing into the stone wall with a resounding thud.

"Brother! Focus!" James shouted, urgency in his voice as he prepared for the next wave of chaos.