Level 8 - Tilted Playground (3)
The most important goal of this infiltration was capturing all three level 10s stationed here and turning them into my spoils for training. Even if I only conditioned these level 10s for now, the ones below them could mostly be reformed through education—that was the conclusion we'd reached.
"Three of them, huh? Originally, that included you, making four in total?"
"Yeah, they must've figured that many were needed for normal operations."
Once enough new level 10s were replenished, masters would be assigned primarily to those who'd been running this place. Thanks to this system, they were brainwashed into believing that after serving a master here, they could be chosen as a reward.
"Quite the confident setup. If it were me, I'd assign a master as the main command center running this joint."
"That's because this place is neutral."
Masters weren't just one person, of course, which led to inevitable power clashes and suspicions. That's why they stuck to this system to avoid contact before assignment.
"Huh, somehow that feels anticlimactic."
This shadowy group scheming to dominate and devour the world was paranoid and backstabbing each other inside. Their all-too-human behavior left me dumbfounded.
"That's how they all are. Anyway, I should've reached level 10 and been in that position originally..."
"But you escaped before hitting level 10 when you regressed."
"Yeah. Even after meeting the breakthrough conditions, I didn't reach level 10."
Still, with her future knowledge, she knew how to maximize her abilities. She stole a fragment of the Lance of Longinus—a holy relic stored in the U.S.—and turned it into a bullet. That bullet's power filled her level 10 firepower, she explained.
"...You stole that?"
"No one found out, so it's not a crime."
It is a crime, though? If they knew it was from our country, it could spark an international incident.
I got why she'd make such a powerful bullet, though. Her ability let her rewind time and reuse a single bullet infinitely, so making it from the ultimate material made sense. If only it weren't a stolen holy relic.
"It was my most prized possession from the start, so I absolutely needed it."
"Don't tell me in the future, I made it for you?"
"You provided the material, honey, and Unni Seola handled the crafting."
Future me was one crazy bastard. She'd gotten precise instructions from Seola beforehand, so she pulled it off flawlessly. Good thing no one caught on.
"So what was your level 10 sub-trait?"
"Regression."
The regression came with a one-time-use limit. That's why her sub-trait changed this time around, altering the breakthrough conditions.
Sounds plausible. I broke through under the same conditions as before her regression.
"Makes sense. I broke through with the same conditions as before your regression. ...Oh, looks like we're here."
Our escort led us mechanically into the facility. Thanks to my trait, she suspected nothing and went about her routine.
The real issue was the people we'd meet from here on...
"Still no problems."
"Okay, Am I the Only One Uncomfortable?"
Am I the Only One Uncomfortable?
I applied the trait every time someone entered my field of vision. Sure, if they spotted me from afar or via CCTV, it'd be game over...
But basically, no CCTV here.
That was part of why she survived after escaping. All communication used traits—no papers left behind.
The only thing identifying them is their tattoos?
Even if this place got busted, they'd designed it so their identities stayed hidden. Hence the common tattoo designs.
"And right now, no trait can monitor the whole facility at once..."
"Missed one on the left."
"Okay."
Even those with communication traits only came here for master assignments, following strict rules—including no basis for identifying masters. That's why even Gongju, who'd peeked via her ability, didn't know their identities.
"Pretty intense security."
"But that's what lets us remodel this place to our tastes. Lucky break."
True enough. Their paranoia created rules that would now backfire on them.
"Looks surprisingly ordinary."
"The design is basic, but every door has trait-based defense durability. No A-rank hunter could force one open."
That's why kids not yet high-level had no escape. Her time-related trait let her prank around, making her a special case.
Brainwashing even a tomboy like her? That's what made this place terrifying.
Our escort dropped us in the room without suspicion and left. Doors weren't locked here—that was the new normal.
"Why strip them completely naked?"
"To implant the idea that nudity isn't shameful. Took me ages to realize being naked was embarrassing."
They were grooming combat operatives covertly, so they stripped away anything hindering that. Seduction assassinations using their bodies were common, so no shame meant no acting interference.
"Makes sense."
This group had been at it for years. Now S-ranks flew around in bikini gear, making exposure normal for hunters. But back then, hunters wore clothes over equipment, and exposure was mortifying. Still was for non-hunters.
"This must be the rest area before forced awakenings... Yep, here it is."
"Eunseo...!"
"Eunhyuk oppa?"
Eunseo's eyes were swollen from crying as she ran to me. She clung on and burst into sobs, terrified.
She was usually sharp, but this situation broke her.
"It's okay. You know Yi Gongju the hunter, right? S-rank. She and I came to rescue you and all your friends from Hope Orphanage."
"Sniff, waaah...!"
"You're safe now. Everything's gonna be fine."
As Eunseo wailed, the other kids swarmed me, grabbing my clothes and crying. I checked—no one missing. Good.
"They've only dosed them once so far. Way below lethal levels, so they'll be fine. Rich kids even pay top dollar for a single dose."
"Heard about that."
Vague rumors of drugs boosting awakening odds, parents dosing kids. This was it?
"Stay put and be good. Bad people give painful shots here, but oppa's gonna stop them."
"...Okay!"
I calmed them as best I could and slipped out. Seeing them safe eased my mind a bit.
"They let them live communally until doses ramp up to dangerous levels, then isolate them one by one."
A gym full of small medical beds came into view. Imagining kids strapped there in agony made my blood boil again.
Calm down just to rage again? What a place.
"Dead ones go into that mana furnace—burned traceless. I remember freaking out and bawling when I learned that."
"They even brainwashed you into that?"
"Claimed burning there was sacred and blissful."
Amazing. The scariest part? Upper ranks brainwashed them into doing it with good intentions.
"Who's there? It's not activity time."
"Code 3142?"
"What? Code 3145? Where've you been... And who's that guy?"
Here, they got codes as names. Gongju was 3145; the woman we bumped into was one of the level 10s, Code 3142. Her black heart-Q tattoo on her lower belly caught my eye.
Sensing something off, 3142 sparked electricity at us, but Gongju fired first.
Bang!
The bullet's explosion engulfed 3142. As planned, I rushed in while the smoke blinded her.
"A system where only women awaken and get strong? Total Tilted Playground, right? Time to even the odds."
Tilted Playground
I felt it lock onto my surroundings. As vision cleared, 3142 froze mid-spark.
"Freeze. Do It For Me."
Do It For Me
"Wh-what!? My mana...! I can't move. What sorcery is this, you bastard...!"
"Ah, shut up."
"Gurk!?"
Her muttering annoyed me, so I slammed her lower belly tattoo hard. Who told her to let her guard down against a guy?
Next up, 3137 went down similarly—her mana cost made it easy. Thought she'd be tough as a tanky physical enhancer, but having 3142 hostage simplified it.
"Last one's 3141."
"The one we have to be most careful with, right?"
"Yeah, so we grabbed the other two first."
She was the only non-mana cost user. Stigmata formed on her body with mana, consumed for abilities.
"Heal-type, so manageable, but she can still attack."
Level 10—S-rank hunters—had A-rank combat power even if specialized non-combat.
"Some rat sneaking in? 3145, you traitor to the great masters' grace, falling this low."
"Bullshit. If it's grace, it'll save you too, 3141?"
Gongju fired as she finished. 3141 burned a stack to block; I positioned myself—reaching her but not Gongju, with escape routes secured.
I sealed 3141's mana with Tilted Playground. No more stack recovery. Drag the fight, exhaust her stacks, done.
Then, time to condition them into following me sans traits.
"What? My mana...! That guy!"
"Too late. Freeze. Do It For Me."
Do It For Me
She burned her last stacks charging me; I halted her and smashed her jaw as a warning.
"Guh...!"
"Okay, now we condition them one by one... But number names are a pain."
"Then give 'em nicknames, honey. They're your spoils anyway."
"Might as well."
I eyed their features, pondering, then pointed one by one as names hit me.
"Tummy-Tank, Body-Tank, Heal-Tank—how's that?"