Gacha Time (1)
I carefully retrieved the constellation relic glowing faintly from the altar, then swept the mana stones and drop items left by the bosses into my inventory.
"..."
After that, I just stood there staring at the two men's corpses sprawled on the floor.
I had to grab what was useful, but touching them felt... off somehow.
Then, as if sensing my unease, the scout drone buzzed over. It extended its mechanical arm and rummaged through their pockets for me, even picking up their usable gear and items.
"...Thanks."
Shhhk.
The drone shook its body in midair like a nod.
My expression stayed grim the whole way out of the dungeon and back to the train.
"Hoo..."
I didn't regret or feel guilty about ending human lives just moments ago. It had been too easy—killing people no different from monsters, something I'd never done before.
What twisted my gut was the premonition that I'd run into more humans like them from now on.
I let out a heavy sigh and boarded the train. The moment I opened the door to car 2, where the kids had evacuated to the living area...
"...Huh?"
The complicated thoughts weighing on my head lightened a bit.
In one corner of car 2 stood a small aquarium. Sua and Jiwoo were huddled on the floor around it, totally absorbed in something.
"Look at this."
"No, let's do it like this—"
Creeping closer, I saw they were drawing wonky facial expressions on the aquarium's clear glass wall with a water-based marker, bursting into laughter.
Inside floated Donggle, the marimo moss ball—my first "passenger," in a way. The kids were drawing expressions to overlap with wherever Donggle happened to be sitting still.
"Oppa, check this out!"
"This time, I'll draw a smiling face!"
No internet, no proper toys on the train. This was the peaceful entertainment the kids had cleverly come up with: playing with Donggle by matching expressions to the marimo.
Watching the siblings at play, memories overlapped naturally—me alone in the early days, killing time in front of Donggle.
I let my stiff lips curve into a smile and approached from behind.
"Whatcha up to?"
"Ah! Unnie!"
"Look at this!"
They proudly showed off the drawings on the tank. It warmed my heart, so I snapped a photo with my camera.
Checking the gallery, I realized how barren it all was—mostly shots of monsters, poison-fogged cities, the train. Photos taken for info or to share on the gallery.
I thought for a sec, then had the siblings stand by the tank and positioned the drones beside them too.
"Hm..."
Not bad. I took a few shots framing everyone, then we swapped—the kids insisted on taking pics of me. They snapped away at me, the drones, and Donggle. I took back my phone and scrolled through.
So this is what I look like now.
Since turning female, I'd avoided looking at myself consciously. Even washing up, I'd glance at mirrors sideways.
But seeing it in photos like this... finally, I could accept it.
...A bit late, though.
"Sua-ya, stay here and play with Donggle some more. Unnie's got something to check with Jiwoo."
"Okay!"
I ruffled Sua's hair, then headed back to the cockpit with Jiwoo and sank into my chair.
I pulled up the trade post in the gallery and messaged that I'd secured the relic—the orb—from earlier.
A response came right away.
Trade completed successfully!
Reward: Skill Enhancement Ticket x1 granted.
The One-Eyed Prophet expresses their gratitude to you.
Along with the messages, the orb vanished in a flash of light, and a sheet of shimmering golden parchment fluttered down from thin air—right onto my lap, no need to pick it up.
So this is a skill enhancement ticket. Before, I'd used stones to upgrade my skills, but I had no idea what the difference was with this parchment.
"Jiwoo-ya, come here for a sec?"
Jiwoo scampered over at my call. Without hesitation, I pulled out the ticket, unfurled it, and held it lightly toward him.
Apply enhancement ticket to target Lee Jiwoo?
[Y/N]
Luck (Lv.1) enhanced with Skill Enhancement Ticket.
Skill level increased.
Luck (Lv.1) → Luck (Lv.3)
A warm golden light softly wrapped around Jiwoo's body and faded. No visible changes, but the message showed a whopping two-level jump.
"Noona, my body feels all warm!"
"Yeah?"
I smiled and started up the train. Next stop: the vending machine spot in Daejeon I'd scouted on the gallery beforehand.
Once there, buy a skill random box and borrow Jiwoo's luck for some serious gacha rolling.
As the train rumbled toward the destination, I pulled out my smartphone and logged back into the gallery—to double-check the vending machine's exact location.
Scrolling, my eyes stopped on two info posts.
The first was about overseas.
Korea wasn't the only one plunged into this. Countries across the sea faced the same monster assaults, scrambling to build safe zones just like us.
No clue how they got the info, but the comments mostly went, "Knew it."
The second post related to me too.
The poster linked similar reports.
"My bad premonition nailed it."
The orcs at the department store entrance, leading hordes of trash mobs—it wasn't coincidence. If a high-rank dungeon broke, safe zones for humans could get swept away.
"Gotta clear 'em before that happens, huh."
Felt like trade posts begging for dungeon clears would spike soon. I clicked my tongue and pocketed my phone.
Right on cue, the train slowed, revealing a wrecked large mart's parking lot.
"Said it was around here somewh—"
Before I finished, a shhhk from car 2—the scout drone was already waiting at the door. Dutiful without being told.
"Take those and go."
I grinned and told it to grab the items and weapons from those two guys in the dungeon. The scout drone scooped them up and flew out.
Then, in the corner of my vision, I felt a weird gaze. The combat drone in the hangar stared enviously at the scout drone's retreating back.
Machines with no emotions, yet that pitiful look tugged at me with guilt.
"...I'll upgrade you too once I stockpile mana stones."
The combat drone nodded its camera lens up and down.
So that's what it wanted.
The drones were turning more like pet dogs by the day—I couldn't help a wry chuckle.
The trade items the scout took were the men's possessions. They had some solid gear. Their weapons had decent options per appraisal, but... creepy. Better to dump 'em quick.
"Found the vending machine already."
Scout range expanded a bit? It located the machine fast.
Soon, the drone returned after trading—those creepy items fetched a whopping 800 points. Used 'em to buy two random skill boxes right away.
"Jiwoo-ya, come here?"
I set down the two boxes from the drone, plus one leftover from constellation sponsors—three random skill boxes total—in front of Jiwoo.
"Whoa... Noona, I get to open all of 'em?"
"Yup. Go wild, no pressure."
Jiwoo gulped, nodded, and cautiously opened the first box.
◈ Temporarily boosts power right after dodging or blocking an enemy's attack.
Not bad. Fit my fighting style perfectly.
Jiwoo opened the second box quick. Another deep blue glow, new skill appeared.
◈ Proficiency with a weapon type rises faster the more you use it.
Hm... Kinda iffy. Had to test weapon proficiency gains myself later.
"Last box now."
Jiwoo's face flushed with excitement as he reached for the third.
The lid popped open—and unlike the prior blue glows, a fierce deep red light blazed, swallowing the whole cockpit.
Artisan's Touch: Permanently enhances performance of self-crafted items or adds special bonus options.
Reading the message as the red glare faded, I clenched my fist.
Jackpot?
Stoked since it was "special," I grabbed Jiwoo's hands—he was standing there dazed.
"Is it good?"
"Prolly...?"
I was happy for now, but how good exactly? Needed checking. Special skill, sure, but...
"...Yeah! Obviously good!"
"Phew..."
No clue, but to humor Jiwoo's hopes, I just went with the joy.