The Doppelganger's Seduction
I smashed the doorknob so no one else could enter. On the rooftop, I couldn't sense any other presence besides hers, nor could I pick up any scent. Yet that bold attitude of hers—what the hell was it about?
I kept my distance from the woman and studied her body carefully. I wasn't ogling her figure. Sure, her body was every bit as stunning as those Western lingerie models you'd see in fashion magazines, but right now, checking whether she was hiding anything took priority.
There were several items concealed on her body. I couldn't spot them all, but I managed to identify a few—like the handgun hidden beneath her underwear.
“What's wrong? Surprised? Hehe.”
Did she notice my gaze? The woman brought a finger to her lips and laughed.
“Do you know who I am?”
“Of course I do. Your name is Rin. You're twenty years old. Your race is werewolf. I don't know your tribe, but your sub-race is probably Black Fur? They say werewolves have an incredible sense of smell. You identified me by scent, didn't you? How perverted.”
Werewolf. In other words, werewolves are divided into several subspecies inside their race. They're mostly called sub-races. You know how it is—within the same species, there are detailed classifications. It's like that.
There are three werewolf sub-races in total. White Fang, which possesses large, sharp fangs and claws matching its name and boasts the highest offensive power among the three. Amber Eye, specialized in sensitive senses, agile movements, and the werewolf's special ability known as howling. And finally, Black Fur, which has the largest build, high resistance to magic, and exceptional regenerative abilities.
Distinguishing between the three isn't difficult. Each name contains a hint. White Fangs have large, snow-white fangs like sabers, while Amber Eyes have large, sharp amber-colored eyes. The other two sub-races have red eyes, except for Amber Eyes. And Black Furs, as the name suggests, have black fur. So if you have the basic knowledge, telling the three werewolf sub-races apart isn't hard.
Assuming you could see their appearance, that is.
Was something installed on that road? I hadn't sensed any presence or scent…
…Considering the president's personality, it's hard to believe they couldn't recover the black box. Then how?
“Looks like you're not familiar with the latest technology yet, darling?”
The woman raised her hand and pointed at the sky.
“These days, there are plenty of things flying in the sky besides airplanes, aren't there?”
“Drones!”
“Correct.”
The woman chuckled in amusement before continuing.
“And the reason I recognized you is thanks to the drone as well. You used perception deterrence magic, right?”
The woman closed her eyes and sniffed.
“It's probably Silver Smoke Herb.”
“……”
“Don't make that face. If I'd wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have lured you here. I could have handled it much more decisively.”
The woman smiled as she scanned the surroundings once.
“I chose a place with no eyes to see or ears to hear.”
“What do you want?”
“I already told you. Did you forget already?”
She extended her hand toward me.
“Come to us. We'll treat you well.”
“You're asking me to join a criminal organization?”
“Haven't you already committed plenty of crimes? Theft. Speeding. Driving without a license. Assault. Murder. And even cannibalism.”
The woman made a motion like a carnivore biting into prey.
“Chomp!”
Then she looked at me again and smiled.
“It won't be much different from what you've been doing. We can grant you a murder license and a cannibalism permit just like Black Star does.”
“If it's no different from before, why do I need to go there? Every new workplace has its own territorial bullshit.”
“Black Star will disappear. So will the Bloodycore clan behind it. And we plan to take their place. It's like poaching an employee from a company that's about to go under.”
She sounded extremely confident.
“I don't know about Black Star, but taking down Bloodycore won't be easy, will it?”
“If we deal with the master, the clan will collapse quickly. In Korea, there are only a few vampires including the Bloodycore clan's master, while we've already sent a significant number here. This battle is just a matter of time.”
“You're so confident, so why are you trying to recruit me? Is there a reason you need to go through this annoying hassle?”
Through our conversation, I realized I shouldn't let my guard down just because I couldn't sense any presence or scent. I glanced up at the sky, trying to locate the drone's position as I asked.
“Because you're too valuable a talent to simply kill. All of this was prepared for you.”
“That's high praise. Is that your personal judgment? Or your organization's behind you?”
“Both. Werewolves are an incredibly rare species, after all?”
That setting did exist. Werewolves were said to be far fewer in number compared to vampires or doppelgangers.
“And werewolves who cooperate with other races are even rarer.”
“So you're after me?”
The woman smiled sweetly.
“Is it me you're after? Or my skin?”
Doppelgangers are a mysterious race. Unlike vampires, who increase their numbers by turning humans through blood, or werewolves, who reproduce through sexual intercourse like other species, doppelgangers occur naturally.
The character creation screen in the game described doppelgangers like this:
Somewhere in the world, there is someone who looks exactly like you. Those who encounter this person by an extremely low chance are overcome with unbearable murderous intent, and as a result, they kill their counterpart. The one who secures uniqueness awakens as a doppelganger and receives a new identity. With the firm identity gained from a single murder, doppelgangers can maintain an unshakable sense of self even after transforming.
Just as the description suggests, the doppelgangers in Under the Blue Moon blend legendary elements with the image of doppelgangers from existing games. They're closer to a transformed variant of humans rather than beings from another world.
Doppelgangers cannot transform simply by seeing someone's appearance. To transform, they need a physical part of their target. Something like hair won't do. They need at least a piece of skin. That's why doppelgangers have multiple pieces of other people's skin transplanted onto their bodies.
The woman before me was the same. On her abdomen visible below her chest, various types of skin were stitched together. There seemed to be at least five different kinds. Thanks to that, I could immediately tell she was a doppelganger.
“You seem to know more about doppelgangers than I expected, darling. Did the Bloodycore master give you that information?”
I knew because I'd played the game by choosing a doppelganger character myself.
“Who knows. Either way, isn't studying your opponent the basics?”
“That's true. But even if I transformed into you, I wouldn't be able to draw out 100% of your power.”
The woman shook her head.
“Above all, the risk I'd have to take is too great, isn't it?”
Her eyes scanned me slowly from head to toe.
“Rather than attempting something so dangerous, seducing you with my body seems far more effective.”
She unbuttoned two buttons on her shirt as she spoke.
“How about it? If it were me.”
The woman's face changed. This time, she became a voluptuous milf who looked to be in her forties.
“In various forms.”
She transformed into a Latin American beauty with brown hair and skin so dark it matched, then
“I could give you the satisfaction of sleeping with several women in one night.”
She changed back into the female college student disguise she'd used at first, before finally returning to the blonde beauty.
“A threesome might be impossible, but I can make it feel similar.”
“That's quite… an attractive offer.”
“You think so?”
The woman giggled.
“However.”
However.
“I have no intention of falling for something like that.”
Joining the organization she belonged to—the Samgunhoe—carried too much risk. In Under the Blue Moon, no matter which character you played or which scenario you followed, there were organizations mentioned at minimum by name. Black Star and the Bloodycore clan behind it. And the Authentic Blood that had attacked Go Yu-jin was one of the prime examples.
The Bloodycore clan in particular was one of the largest and most powerful among vampire clans. Its members operated companies both big and small across various countries, exerting influence over society. It was practically part of the very background of the Under the Blue Moon world.
On the other hand, the organization called Samgunhoe was one I'd never heard of in my previous three playthroughs. It was highly likely to be an organization that only appeared in the werewolf route. In that case, it was probably a villainous faction limited to that specific scenario. Similar to the vampire hunter organizations that only appeared in the vampire route.
Betraying the Bloodycore clan to join such an organization was a gamble. What I'd gain was hard to predict, but what I'd lose was painfully obvious. Besides, being a villainous faction meant there was a high chance they'd eventually become hostile toward me, the player. It was far better to be enemies from the start than to get stabbed in the back later.
“On the other hand, if I secured you right now and dragged you away, I bet the president would be overjoyed.”
“Hehe. Do you really think you can?”
The woman spread both arms wide in a defenseless gesture.
“Why? You don't think you can? Do you really believe six measly drones could stop me?”
The drones might have weapons installed. The woman was also carrying several items including weapons. But at this distance, I was confident I could suppress her while dodging any bullets the drones might fire.
The woman laughed.
“Six? Wrong. It's eight. And what I trust isn't something like drones. I've already set things up so the police are swarming the area. If a commotion breaks out, they'll rush in immediately. A man and a woman. Me with multiple identities, and you belonging to Black Star. Which side would be in more trouble?”
Moreover.
The woman chuckled, then pulled out a cell phone from her pocket.
Beep beep beep beep—!
She pressed the buttons leisurely, and soon a ringtone sounded. After the call connected, she exchanged a few words in Chinese with the person on the other end, then held the phone up high enough for me to see the screen.
A video call was active, and on the screen was Go Yu-jin, asleep inside a large vehicle. Two men sat on either side of her.
“……!”
“How about it? There's a place prepared just for you. Won't you come with me? I'd be very sad if you refused.”
“Fucking bastard.”
After checking Rin's text, Go Yu-jin unconsciously muttered a curse, then quickly looked around to see if anyone had heard. Realizing no one was looking at her, she let out a sigh of relief and repeated the same words inside her head once more.
Fucking bastard.
Making her wait like this on a whim? Just where was he and what was he doing that he couldn't even manage his time properly?
Thanks to her massively swollen chest, Go Yu-jin had gone through all sorts of ordeals. Women had given her jealous glares, backbiting, and baseless rumors about whether those enormous breasts were even domestically produced or suspiciously foreign-made. Men, meanwhile, had always panted after her like dogs in heat, trying to win her favor. It was true that quite a few unpleasant incidents had occurred because of it.
Of course, it went without saying that the men's behavior had only accelerated the women's jealousy.
That's why Go Yu-jin had always avoided meeting people and shown herself as someone completely devoted to her studies. She had never missed a single lecture, let alone been late. She threw herself passionately into everything, including group projects, and when exams approached, she would stay in the library until late studying. She had turned down every single drinking invitation she'd received during that time.
That was how she'd painstakingly built her current image. The antisocial girl who only studied. But at the same time, rumors had spread among the men that if she ever dressed up or took her clothes off, she'd be no joke. Because of that, a few brave men had started approaching her to confirm the truth.
Places with lots of people are uncomfortable… Maybe I should hide away in the library. Yeah. Let's do that.
The moment she made that decision and tried to head toward the central library, two men waved at her from the other end of the hallway.
“Ah! Yu-jin!”
God fucking damn it.
One was a man with an idol-like tall, slender build and hair dyed a light yellow. The other had tanned skin and gave off the vibe of a thug. These were the pathetic guys who had been hitting on Go Yu-jin nonstop. Their outfits alone triggered physiological revulsion, but they were still seniors who held some influence within the department. If she treated them coldly, her carefully built image of a proper, well-behaved girl would surely crumble. The women entangled with them might spread even more malicious rumors.
“Hello, sunbaes.”
Go Yu-jin forced a smile and greeted the two men.
“Where are you going?” the yellow-haired one asked.
“Ah… well…”
“Are you going to your part-time job?”
“Then we'll give you a ride.”
That again?
Go Yu-jin, who had been about to politely decline, closed her mouth again. Their obvious intentions were plain to see. How could she not know? Whenever they were with her, their eyes kept darting toward her chest, thinking they weren't getting caught. If she said she was going to the library, they definitely wouldn't back off easily. They'd probably stick to her, asking what book she was reading or suggesting they study together.
Above all else.
If I'm with these bastards, it'll be hard to wait for that guy.
The fact that they were acquainted with Rin was significant. And not in a good way.
I should just shake them off moderately.
“Um… then could you walk me as far as the subway station?”
An unexpected acceptance.
“R-really?!”
The men, who had only ever been rejected until now, asked again with surprised faces. Go Yu-jin answered by giving a small, shy nod.
“Yes. Actually, I'm feeling a bit anxious right now…”
“Don't worry. We'll escort you all the way to your part-time job. It's a part-time shift today too, right?”
“Ah, no. No, it's not! I told the boss at my part-time job, and he said he'd come pick me up at the nearby station. So just to the station is enough.”
Of course, it was a lie. Once they reached the station, she'd get on the train in a way that didn't arouse their suspicion, get off after one or two stops, and then contact Rin to come pick her up. The same danger from last time might strike again.
Once we reach the station, I can just hide in the bathroom. No matter how crazy they are, they won't storm into the women's restroom.
The two men exchanged glances, communicating with their eyes, then nodded at each other. They turned back to Go Yu-jin.
“Alright.”
“Then we'll walk you there.”
“Thank you!”
After bowing, Go Yu-jin left the campus with the two men and headed toward the subway station. The men led her along what they claimed was a shortcut to the station. During the walk, the two men talked to her nonstop. Most of it wasn't even worth responding to—trivial things like what phone model she had or which idols she liked. Go Yu-jin kept walking while giving vague responses like “Ah, yes,” or “Wow, really?”
What annoying bastards.
“Ah. Now that I think about it, Yu-jin. Have you seen that? The magical girl Double Melon thing.”
The moment she heard those words, Go Yu-jin felt as if her heart had stopped for a second. She quickly composed her expression and asked back.
“Pardon? Ah, I'm sorry. I don't watch anime.”
“It's not anime.”
“It's trending on SNS and video sites these days.”
The tanned man took out his phone, tapped on it a few times, then played a video of Magical Girl Double Melon and showed it to her. On the screen, Magical Girl Double Melon, wearing a frilly, flashy outfit, was swinging a magic wand decorated with heart shapes and beating down dark-skinned foreigners. It was the kind of video that would make civic groups faint in horror.
“The voice too… it somehow seems a bit similar to you, Yu-jin?”
“Pardon? I don't see it.”
Go Yu-jin answered with a face that said she had no idea what they were talking about. There was no other way. This was the best option right now.
“Ah, I'm sorry. I think I need to hurry. Let's go quickly.”
She sped up her pace as she spoke, but then realized the surroundings were unnaturally quiet. Not a single person who should have been filling this street was visible.
“I think it matches, though.”
“I think so too. Double Melon. This is you, isn't it, Yu-jin?”
Men in black suits emerging from all over the alley. Every single one of them was radiating a dangerous aura. Go Yu-jin turned around with an anxious expression and looked at the two men. And she became certain. These two men were working with the men who had begun surrounding her.
“Won't you let us check once?”
“If we touch and compare, I think we'll know for sure.”