Factory District Infiltration
Near Gunsan, Parnello and I landed on the wild mountain owned by the Caliones. We immediately checked the map and hopped on the motorcycle we'd prepared nearby.
"I'll drive, young master. You ride behind me."
Parnello settled into the front seat as if it were the most natural thing in the world and donned his helmet. It suddenly hit me—I didn't even have a license right now.
"...Alright."
I needed time to sort my thoughts anyway, so I climbed on back without argument.
The bike was eerily quiet despite its blistering speed—likely due to some special treatment. It looked like one of those mana stone engine bikes from the game.
"Parnello. Any additional info from Latte?"
"Yes. Just her position and the villains chasing her. Nothing else has come in."
"...I see."
Something felt off. If this were the game, Parnello would have handled this mission solo, just like always. He'd rescue Latte, take out the other villains, and that would be that—no loose ends for the player. But in the game, joining the prison break event let you meet all the villains except Latte. That meant Parnello always failed, Latte died, and the villains all escaped successfully, no matter what.
"Parnello. Who is Latte, exactly?"
Why would my father send Parnello and me personally to rescue her? And why were the villains so desperate to catch her?
To understand that, I needed intel on this villain named Latte.
"...Latte, you mean?"
Parnello sounded surprised by the question, as if it were unexpected.
"Indeed, young master. You've hardly crossed paths with her."
Hardly crossed paths?
"...Latte's been with the Caliones since childhood. We've looked after her like family."
...What? One of the escaped villains grew up in the Calione family?
"How the hell did that happen...?"
"It's not much of a story. The boss simply took in an orphaned beggar from the streets."
"My father did?"
"Yes. As you know, back then, dungeons were popping up everywhere, monsters overrun the land, and countless people lost their lives. Orphans flooded the streets, so the boss founded an orphanage for them himself."
Everything Parnello was saying matched what I'd learned in my heir training.
"Latte was just a nobody kid back then, but she awakened at the orphanage and started training as an organization member. She's got deep roots with us."
"...So that's why we're rescuing her. She's family if she grew up in the Caliones."
"Exactly. We've watched her grow. Plus, her ability to control and communicate with rats has thwarted threats to the Caliones more than once."
But something still didn't add up with that explanation.
"Then why let her get sent to Niflheim in the first place?"
"That was... because she was perfect for infiltrating Niflheim."
According to Parnello, the Villain Union had been acting suspicious lately, so they'd sent a spy to Niflheim—the place with the most contact—to monitor them. She'd gathered intel but failed to slip away quietly during the escape, and now they were after her.
"So they still don't even know she's Calione?"
"Probably think she's just a spy from some rival outfit. Unless she talks, they won't know."
It was almost laughable. Did those idiots even realize they'd just made enemies of the Caliones?
Parnello slowed the bike as we neared the factory complex and parked it. The abandoned factories loomed under the orange streetlights, exuding a creepy vibe. We'd barely dismounted when a suspicious aura hit us.
"Looks like we've got a welcoming committee."
"Indeed. Too quiet for a place where someone's hiding from pursuers."
In a sprawl this big, searching should mean glimpses of movement, footsteps, voices—but the complex was unnaturally silent.
"Looks like they've got her."
"Seems that way."
If they were using her as bait or interrogating her, she'd be tied up somewhere.
"We should plan for all-out war."
"Then I'll take precautions."
Parnello hopped off, sat in front of the bike, and tinkered with something.
Whiiiirrr—
A faint blue glow pulsed across the bike's frame.
"Jamming device's active. No worries about their comms leaking out."
...I'd figured it wasn't a normal bike, but a comms jammer? Nice.
"Range?"
"Covers the whole complex with room to spare."
"Perfect."
Now we could clean house without tipping off the Villain Union that Caliones were involved.
Before entering, I slipped on [Midas's Gloves]. Parnello scanned the area and murmured softly.
"Sniper on the left warehouse, second floor. Four waiting on the right, first floor. Two snipers on the front warehouse roof. Interesting."
He'd pinpointed them with just a glance.
"I'll go straight in and smash their traps. Secure Latte in the meantime, young master?"
"Got it."
"Reliable as ever."
Parnello flashed a cold smile, drawing a knife in one hand and pistol in the other.
"See you on the other side, young master."
His figure vanished in an instant. Moments later, fear spiked massively from the second-floor warehouse—then vanished like a lie. One down by Parnello's hand.
"...He'll be fine on his own."
Parnello could have handled this solo. My job was key.
I slipped into the complex, dodging the enemies. The factories relied only on streetlights and moonlight, breathing out faint winds like a sleeping child.
"Hard to pinpoint with fear alone."
Time for another approach to find Latte.
If Parnello's path was the trap, she'd be nearby. A space mage would make this easy, but unregistered ones are rare. On our own, I'd have to find her manually.
Good thing I'd recently learned a method that didn't need one.
"Spread the aura, right."
I was confident at dispersing it—not so much condensing. With [Executor] boosting all stats 1.5x against organization enemies, and [Bloodline: Calione] powering up from the hidden numbers, I began spreading my aura slowly.
"Almost there if I focus a bit more."
I scattered it into the air like dust melting into moonlight, cotton candy dissolving in water—faint red aura over the widest area possible.
Slowly, the terrain mapped in my mind.
[Smart Lens effect activated.]
[Map displayed within aura range.]
I opened my eyes to the factory map unfolding before me—like ink blotting on paper, shapes emerging where my aura touched.
A legit map hack.
And then:
[Skill: Aura Sonar]
"Ha, finally got it."
First skill acquired since arriving in this world. I'd used special techniques before, but they were improvised—lacking the polish for system recognition. Makes sense; I'd been winging it till now.
Aura Sonar showed 15 enemies total, a few in dead zones—mix of villains and thugs. Three circling one figure...
This movement...
"—Found you."
I activated the skill built into my Maestro suit, Dis Pater: Deep Abyss Mystery Prison Fur.
Shhh—
My body was dyed black in an instant, like swallowed by darkness. Not just color—my presence faded completely.
'Better than expected.'
Hiding in shadows untouched by moonlight, I moved slowly. No signs they sensed me.
Then, a massive explosion rocked the factory Parnello had entered, smoke billowing up. Combat engaged over there.
With their eyes drawn that way, time to move fast.
The presumed Latte target was inside a two-story office building.
"Better go all out, just in case."
I fitted a silencer on [Al Capone's Tommy]. A quest reward from the academy—drastically muffled the gunfire.
Hollywood-level quiet with a sharp ping. Shame about the "Chicago Typewriter" nickname... but mission first.
Creeeak—
As I eased inside, a weird feeling hit. Why the explosion from Parnello's direction? He hadn't packed bombs.
Staying alert, I climbed the stairs—and spotted thin fishing line rigged across them.
"They've got every trick ready."
Didn't expect pranks at the entrance. Carefully stepping over, I reached the door and fired Aura Sonar again.
Everyone standing except one. So, kick the door and take control—
———!!
Something exploded, the door shattered, and I flew back.
"Oh? Thought we'd caught the rat, but here's another one!"
A sharp-faced woman burst through—white hair, piercing eyes, razor claws on both hands.
"Hey, kiddo?"
Villain Blanca.
My first face-to-face with her.