Growth: Proxy Clears
A simple check-in greeting came with a mention of the dungeons appearing without precursors, something I'd heard from the Dungeon Management Office staff.
"Is this serious enough for the Cheonma herself to investigate personally?"
If it warranted direct involvement from one of the nation's top powerhouses like the Cheonma, the situation seemed far graver than publicly known.
Gotta stay cautious, I thought, opening the attachment.
"7th-grade dungeon, Living Armor, main skill suspected to be Telekinesis. Hmm."
As expected, there weren't many monsters with skills. Skill-possessing ones mostly appeared in 7th-grade or higher dungeons, which were oddly scarce in the country. Thanks to that, we'd rebuilt the New Daehan Republic with relatively minimal losses even as half the world's nations fell—fortunate, but a real pain for my current needs.
"Plenty of useful skill monsters out there... but most are overseas, male, or lack any gender at all."
With our limited landmass, domestic dungeons were few, and female ones with skills even rarer. After filtering ruthlessly, a handful of candidates remained.
They were all solid, but one stood out.
"Doppelganger... Right, a higher mimic variant?"
Doppelganger. An amorphous monster like slimes, known as an advanced mimic with mimicry abilities. Its key trait: transforming into a target's appearance. Not just looks—it could partially replicate physical prowess and skills too. Higher-grade dungeon doppelgangers mimicked more faithfully.
Tricky enough already, but their scariest feature was separate: certain specimens copied memories too. Disguised as a party member, they'd infiltrate using those memories for natural conversation, lulling allies into false security before striking. Party strength irrelevant—total wipe potential made them notoriously dangerous.
The domestic Doppelganger dungeon fell into this category, rated 6th-grade for the risk.
[Transformation] skill or related racial ability suspected...
Honestly, Transformation didn't scream combat boon. Unless EX-rank like my Authority, it'd always be an inferior copy of the original's power.
But imagining what an onahole doppelganger could do flooded my mind with scenarios—I added it to candidates like a moth to flame.
Combat aside, way too versatile for onahole use.
"Anyone else would've thought the same."
Next dungeon: Betrayer's Cave, home of doppelgangers.
"Still, 6th-grade means I can't dive yet."
6th-grade bordered 5th-grade Tower-linked ones—huge gap from 7th. Monsters tougher, layouts trickier. Jeonghwa hadn't even hit 9th-grade promotion; solo-clearing 6th-grade with onaholes needed prep and more firepower.
"Gotta step up my game."
Like Jeonghwa farming 10th-grade clears for stats, I needed 8th-7th-grade runs for mine. Only way: grind diligently. Plan already set.
"Training first?"
Sent Han Se-ah a thank-you with extra requests, then started drilling my two onaholes for tomorrow's plan.
Next morning.
Jeonghwa and I hit another 10th-grade for her promotion quota.
"Huh? Where's Brina and Slami?"
She blinked at their absence.
"Just us today. They're on assignment."
"Assignment?"
"You'll see after."
We cleared smoothly, hitting our third for the day—quota done.
"One more push for 9th-grade exam? Skip training hall tomorrow, rest up."
Her 10th-grade stat gains neared cap. Fully supplemented, she'd handle 9th-grade fine—no exam worries.
"So, what'd you have Brina and Slami do?"
"Hold on... There."
All physical stats +1 as base reward.
Dungeon clear popped despite doing nothing—stats rose.
But it didn't stop.
All physical stats +1 as base reward.
Another, delayed—stats up again.
"Perfect. As planned."
Visible to Jeonghwa now, she gawked.
"Whoa? System bug? Rewards twice without even entering?"
I dismissed the window, grinning.
"Curious about Brina and Slami's job? This is it."
"...No way—they cleared dungeons?"
"Bingo."
My power outstripped my stats wildly: original skills, EX Authority onaholes grown to stage 4, acquired skills from feats. Unlike grueling Nuker's Maze, current me soloed 7th-grade easy.
Plus stage-4 Brina and Slami packed boss-level 7th-grade punch each, near-Super Regeneration with enough semen.
Equal footing? They'd crush 7th-grade. Judgment made, I'd drilled them yesterday at the training hall.
This morning, pre-Jeonghwa meetup, sent them into separate 7th-grades—slipped out entrances myself.
"Cleared without issues."
Invisibility on, checked their status windows.
Hm... Solo 7th-grade doable, but peer enemies mean heavy semen drain.
Prepped max: skipped Jeanne's growth shortcut, double-creampied each near-overfeed.
Reserves near-empty confirmed—needed gear ASAP.
Proper equipment, way more efficient hunts.
Current drain limited them to once daily.
Can't send to 8th-grade either.
Higher rewards outweighed multi low-grade runs, even at cost. For now, endure.
4-5 8th-grade clears worse than one 7th-grade. Semen burn accepted—my "work" was just onahole fun anyway.
Jeonghwa piped up, curious.
"Familiars solo-clearing... Normal?"
"Wasn't sure. Gut idea, tested today. Huge success."
"Dungeon office allowed it?"
"That worried me, but connections helped."
"Ah... Cheonma."
Recalling her guardianship, Jeonghwa nodded.
Quick reply let me test immediately.
Her instant fix post my training-hall text got Management Office approval for familiars-only entry.
"+1 all stats? Nowhere near cap."
"Yep. Hunter rank 6th-grade, but stats still low."
System matched difficulty to physical stats—my early-30s average left tons of 7th-grade gains.
Average 40 doable via 7th-grade.
Varies by base, but 7th-grade cap around 40. Diminishing returns near end, but three proxies? Quick max-out.
"But leaving familiars solo? Most can't stray far from summoner..."
Typical summons reverse-despawn afar: spirits like my old Sylph, alchemist golems, true summoner critters.
"S-rank, obviously possible."
Precisely EX Authority onaholes—living toys, not summons. S-rank excuse worked again.
Jeonghwa grumbled.
"Oppa can use his Unique Ability right away—lucky. Mine's A-rank, but no clue what it does..."
Her A-rank Man's Triumph Over Heaven still mysterious. Awakenings usually grant instincts—nope for hers.
"Don't rush it."