Chapter 230: Solemnise Defense Agency (3)
[Doppelganger Doll]
[Master Key]
[Mini-Mini Cookie]
After scouring the point shop until my eyes hurt, I selected these three items.
Total cost: 274,000 points.
Even though they were all one-to-three-use consumables, they were ridiculously expensive.
An SS-rank monster was worth a million points, so 300,000 points must be equivalent to at least an S-rank dungeon boss.
I really shouldn’t be overspending.
First, I purchased the Master Key. A small card key materialized in my hand.
[Master Key – A-rank
A key that can unlock any S-rank or lower lock without detection.
Uses: 3/3]
Even though it was an A-rank item, it was a consumable with only three uses. If it weren’t, it would’ve cost over a million points.
Next, I bought the Doppelganger Doll. This time, a round orb appeared in my palm.
[Doppelganger Doll – B-rank
Creates a doll that looks identical to the user and appears lifelike. Upon close inspection, minor discrepancies are noticeable.
S-rank and higher sensory abilities may detect it from a distance.
Duration: 1 day]
The more I looked at the point shop, the more impressive it seemed.
Sure, these kinds of miscellaneous items could be obtained as dungeon rewards, but they were random drops, and carrying every possible item was unrealistic.
Even Doppelganger Dolls occasionally dropped in A~B-rank dungeons, but they were usually just used as decoys in emergencies.
They weren’t worth much compared to their rank and just took up inventory space—so of course, I didn’t own any.
But right now, it was perfect.
A shop where I could instantly buy whatever item I needed, anytime, anywhere.
The point costs were high relative to item value, but considering the convenience, it was well worth it.
I wished I could use it outside of the dungeon too.
If I had enough points, I’d practically be invincible outside of combat.
The sheer number of schemes I could pull off…
Whoosh. I dramatically pulled the blanket up over my head.
“What are you doing?!”
The A-rank guard snapped at me, telling me not to try anything suspicious.
Before he could approach, I peeked just my eyes out from under the blanket and answered.
“It’s too bright. Better than turning off the lights, isn’t it? Not like you’d turn them off for me anyway.”
Then I dove back under the covers and activated the Doppelganger Doll.
As soon as the doll materialized, I used my stealth skill.
Feigning movement, I smoothly swapped places with the doll and slid under the bed.
“I’ll turn on the nightlight instead. Keep your head out of the blanket. I can also get you a sleep mask.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I’ll just sleep on my stomach. Turn on the nightlight, but don’t turn off the TV even if I fall asleep.”
While keeping up the conversation, I used the Master Key to unlock the necklace around my neck and fastened it onto the doll instead.
Then, I positioned the doll as naturally as possible, having it lie face-down.
With the blanket pulled up to its neck and the soft pillow supporting it, the fake would be difficult to distinguish unless closely inspected.
As expected of a high-quality item, it even made slight breathing movements.
The A-rank had started to approach but, seeing my head poking out, seemed reassured and switched to the nightlight.
Now, it would be even harder for them to realize the “sleeping me” was a fake.
They probably wouldn’t notice until morning.
Silently, I moved into the bathroom, which I had left slightly ajar earlier.
Careful not to make any noise, I put on Silent Prowler Shoes.
Then, to further enhance my stealth, I threw on a jacket.
With the TV blaring at a decent volume, even an A-rank wouldn’t notice me rustling around.
Once I finished gearing up, I looked up.
The bathroom’s ventilation shaft was in sight.
I wanted to avoid making any noise, so—though it was a bit wasteful—I used the Master Key again to silently remove the sealed panel.
A passage leading outside was revealed.
Of course, it wasn’t large enough for a human to pass through.
[Mini-Mini Cookie – S-rank
Shrinks an SS-rank or lower user—along with their equipped gear—to 1/10th their original size.
One-time use, lasts for 30 minutes.]
This single-use, 30-minute item had cost me the most points—just because it was S-rank.
‘But it’s worth it.’
After confirming there was no immediate movement outside, I ate the cookie.
A timer window appeared as my body shrank rapidly.
At max reduction, I was barely 20 centimeters tall.
Smaller than my phone, probably.
‘This feels weird.’
If it weren’t for the time limit, I’d give one to Noah.
With his miniaturization and phasing skills, he might even buy one himself.
I’d rather recommend combat or utility skills, though.
Thanks to the Golden Prowler Shoes, I walked up the wall with ease.
Rather than simply sticking to the surface, it truly felt like walking on solid ground.
I entered the ventilation shaft and followed the narrow passage.
Soon, I reached a fork.
Judging by the air and wind direction, the right side led outside.
‘No need to rush straight out.’
They wouldn’t realize I had escaped until morning.
Plus, Sigma and the S-rank guards had left the defense agency.
From the bits of information I had gathered, S-rank or higher monsters could be detected before they spawned.
Even in my original timeline, we could predict dungeon saturation before an outbreak—so it was probably a similar system here.
They could usually predict them anywhere from two days to nearly a week in advance.
Since there hadn’t been any warnings about S-rank or higher monsters appearing, Sigma and his S-rank guards normally wouldn’t have had to deploy.
‘But today was different.’
Due to the disk installation, an unpredictable SS-rank monster had spawned.
A once-in-a-lifetime anomaly.
Because of that, they had planned to conduct patrols for a while.
I felt a tiny bit guilty about adding more work to their already busy schedules.
Just a tiny bit.
Anyway, as long as Sigma—the only SS-rank—was out, I could move around without getting caught.
‘Of course, I can’t let my guard down.’
He could have stayed behind instead of leaving. I had to be extra careful.
I checked if there was anything worth taking with me—especially my hard-earned 100 million L and the items I had painstakingly shopped for!
Anything I couldn’t store in my inventory had been taken.
At least my ID and access pass had gone into my inventory since they were made from dungeon materials, but damn it, give me my card back, you bastard!
I turned away from the passage leading to fresh air and instead went down the opposite corridor. It connected to a hallway.
Since no one was there, I quietly removed the vent cover from the inside without using my key. Then, I climbed up to the ceiling and flattened myself against it.
‘I’ve only spent 270,000 points so far.’
It would be a shame not to spend at least 300,000 in Sigma’s honor.
With great generosity, I invested 200,000 points to purchase a gift set for him.
A modest token of appreciation—I sincerely hoped he’d enjoy it.
“That C-rank… what is he?”
“I heard he’s connected to the sudden appearance of the SS-rank monster.”
“No way. If it was that dangerous, they would’ve dealt with him immediately.”
Two A-ranks were walking through the hallway, talking about me.
I quietly followed them across the ceiling.
Since this world didn’t have dungeons, there weren’t even small portal gates.
Despite their strict security, their doors relied on card keys, passcodes, and biometric scans like iris and fingerprint recognition.
That meant I didn’t need to use my key—I just had to wait patiently and slip through when they opened a door.
‘I’ve explored most of the defense agency’s interior.’
Not all of it, of course.
The place was massive, and I didn’t need to check out residential areas, break rooms, or cafeterias.
I did, however, swipe some snacks they had prepared for late-night shifts.
There were plenty of vending machines, but I couldn’t use them without my card.
I quickly surveyed the outer living facilities while mapping possible escape routes, then returned to the agency’s core to investigate further.
Security was heavier around the main facilities, making it hard to move around unnoticed.
As expected, the area with the mana hole was completely inaccessible.
Not that I needed to go there anyway.
‘Since it’s nighttime and this is a military facility, the guards are all C-rank or higher, which makes things easier.’
Even if I got caught, I’d probably just lose some money—nothing too serious.
Still, I remained cautious, making sure Sigma or any S-ranks hadn’t returned yet, while tailing the A-ranks closely.
After they scanned their IDs and passed through three doors, they finally arrived at the place I had been dying to visit.
The Defense Agency’s High-Rank Guard Equipment Room.
One of the A-ranks grumbled about weapon repairs taking too long and having to retrieve a new one.
My ears perked up.
All my persistence had paid off.
“The equipment room has an inventory-sealing contract applied to the entire area,” the storage manager explained.
“Entering the room means you automatically agree to the contract, and it will take effect immediately.
The contract is lifted once you exit.
None of you have A-rank or higher curse resistance, right?”
So the inventory-sealing applied to the whole space, but it required an explanation and agreement to activate.
That meant A-rank or higher curse resistance made you immune to it.
I followed the A-ranks inside.
Consumable item storage was separate—this room only held equipment.
And since it was for high-ranking personnel, everything was A-rank or higher.
‘It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet.’
Suppressing my excitement, I carefully browsed through the selection.
The A-ranks quickly grabbed their pre-selected weapons and left, leaving me alone in the storage room.
No people, but plenty of security cameras.
Most of the weapons were A-rank.
There were occasional S-rank gear pieces, but nothing particularly mind-blowing.
They were better than market-bought items, but still.
‘After all this effort, this isn’t enough.’
For someone who got dragged around and practically tortured, I deserved better.
This couldn’t be everything.
Any truly valuable items were probably stored separately.
There had to be a hidden vault or a secret storage room.
I scanned the security cameras.
Most rooms had only one camera, with noticeable blind spots.
But one particular wall had three cameras pointed directly at it.
That was just begging me to check it out.
‘Not asking for much, just one SS-rank sword, please.’
Finding the entrance wouldn’t be difficult.
Obviously, it was locked.
I took out my Master Key, which had one use left.
Maybe I should’ve bought an extra—this thing was ridiculously useful.
I slowly ran the key along the heavily monitored wall.
Before long, a message appeared.
[S-rank or lower lock detected.
Would you like to use the key?]
I couldn’t hide the act of opening the door.
That meant I had to move fast once I went in.
Before opening the door, I quickly organized my inventory.
I moved to a camera blind spot and discarded anything unnecessary.
Sleeping bag… hmm.
Should I just toss it?
I could probably buy another one in Achates City.
Besides, I’d have to stay up all night while traveling to avoid monsters anyway.
Regretfully, I removed the sleeping bag and made extra space in my inventory.
Then, I opened the Point Shop again.
If I just grabbed everything and ran, security would tighten, and Sigma would hear about it.
That would make it easier for them to realize I had escaped.
[Glertod’s Replica Clay – S-rank
Perfectly copies an SS-rank or lower item, including its functionality.
After 30 minutes, the duplicate becomes a powerless model.
Single-use.]
Before the regression, this was a well-known and widely used consumable item.
It came in grades ranging from B to S, with the S-rank clay being especially valuable. It allowed hunters to use a perfect replica of an SS-rank weapon for 30 minutes, so most S-rank hunters carried at least one or two.
‘Expensive.’
I bought two S-rank clays for SS-rank items and five A-rank clays for S-rank or lower items.
There probably weren’t many SS-rank pieces here, but just in case, I kept the point shop window open for quick purchases.
Then, I approached the hidden door again and used the Master Key.
The key, having reached its limit, crumbled into dust, and the door clicked open.
I immediately rushed inside.
It was a much smaller room than the outer storage, lined with displayed equipment.
Before even looking, my hands moved automatically.
‘S-rank, S-rank—oh, SS-rank! S-rank, S-rank, S, S, S… another SS-rank!’
But where the hell were the swords?!
I quickly checked, but there wasn’t a single SS-rank weapon.
Well, it made sense. Weapons were likely stored in Sigma’s and the other S-ranks’ inventories.
The items here were just backups, so I couldn’t expect too much.
Still, this was more than good enough.
I didn’t have time to be picky.
I hastily swapped the real equipment for replicas and rushed out into the regular storage room—just as the door suddenly burst open.
“There’s no one here? Did the system malfunction?”
“Check it out!”
As the group of people flooded inside, I seized the chance to slip out.
By the time I reached the building’s exit, everything remained quiet—no alarm, no emergency alert.
It seemed they had dismissed it as a simple mechanical error.
Even if they reviewed the security footage later, they wouldn’t have clearly seen the switch.
And since all the items looked untouched, they probably wouldn’t bother doing a full inventory check anytime soon.
‘Well then, Sigma, let’s never see each other again.’
I’d generously forget about my 100 million L and stolen items.
I took one last glance at the defense agency before stepping into the eerily silent streets, where everyone had evacuated.
‘Everything’s still intact.’
After wandering a bit due to unfamiliar roads, I finally found the location where I had hidden my belongings.
My backpack was safe, and my foldable scooter was waiting for me in perfect condition.
I slung the backpack over my shoulders and unfolded the scooter.
This wasn’t just any scooter—it was a high-end model worth nearly ten million L.
Sturdy, incredibly fast, and capable of running for up to three days straight on a full charge.
It even had B-rank stealth features and could sync with the rider’s skills, making it almost an itemized vehicle.
‘I want to bring this back home too.’
If I had the skills, I’d steal some of this tech.
I should’ve brought Yu Myungwoo along.
I rode the scooter toward the city’s outer defense wall.
In the darkness, the towering structure came into view.
The wall itself didn’t have many security features, but to counter stealth-type monsters, it conducted a biometric scan of the surrounding area every 30 minutes.
I kept my distance and used binoculars to observe the watchtower.
After some time, I saw flashes of light from the tower.
They were scanning now.
I waited an extra ten minutes to be safe, then approached the wall.
After folding the scooter and carrying it, I scaled the wall as silently as possible.
Once I reached the top, I swiftly descended the other side.
The watchtower remained silent.
I moved far enough away before unfolding the scooter again and climbing on.
There was some interaction between cities, so a rough road connected them.
All I had to do was follow it.
‘I saved one life.’
Ideally, I’d reach Achates City using no more than two lives.
As long as I didn’t run into an SS-rank monster, I should be fine.
If Sigma had really been Seong Hyunjae, I could have reached another city safely, but that was out of the question now.
‘Once I meet Yuhyun, everything will go smoothly.’
Alpha had to be Yuhyun.
…Please, let it be my brother.
It would be nice if he welcomed me, saying he had a hard time.
The fact that Achates City didn’t seem to value its guards much was a concern, but an SS-rank was still an SS-rank.
They couldn’t be treated too badly.
Hoping that the next disk installation would go smoothly, I accelerated along the barely-formed road.