Chapter 15
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: 【Thief and Thief】
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Drip. The center of the golem that the massive orb had passed through no longer had any form. It was literally punched right through.
‘It didn’t even take six minutes.’
The golem, the dungeon’s boss, had fallen, and magic stones and items were scattered around it.
My brother shook off the blood flowing from his arm like it was nothing and stood up, heading toward the items. He picked up a potion from among them and poured it straight onto his own arm.
‘It’s not like he regressed like me, remembering the novel.’
How does he know so well? Isn’t a novel just words on a page? Had the novel developed in my brain into something I experienced firsthand without realizing it?
The blood on my brother’s arm had already stopped flowing, and a rusty bangle that looked nothing like the silver one from before came into view over his blotchy arm.
‘An item….’
Unconsciously, I picked up one of the dropped items that stood out precisely because it looked so ordinary.
A cube with a checkered pattern. The item I always carried. Seeing it like this brought a fresh wave of nostalgia. I never imagined I’d get it this way. Guess you live and learn.
“Ah.”
I suddenly remembered my brother was there and turned to look at him. His gaze was already fixed on me.
“Uh, that….”
“The magic stones and items? I don’t need them, so you take them.”
“Uh, is that okay?”
“Whether you sell them or I do, it’s all going to the same household anyway.”
“That’s true….”
“And it suits you well.”
With that, my brother strode toward me, picked up a few potions, and leisurely left the boss room.
“Uh—"
He was out the door before I could call him, and it closed shut without mercy.
“Novels really have everything….”
I spun the cube around in my hand.
It looked like a plain cube, but that was just its basic form. This item could change its shape freely and in fine detail—like a key or a dagger. Plus, it had the property of never falling off once its owner was designated.
‘And the inventory.’
Unlike Kim Seo-young sunbae’s or my brother’s watches, where you open a lid to retrieve things, this one automatically dispensed items from your hand.
‘My brother probably knows this item’s functions too.’
He clearly didn’t know everything, but he knew plenty.
As my thoughts started chaining together, one idea took root in my mind.
‘So, how much does my brother actually know?’
I was pondering deeply when a familiar voice came from somewhere.
“Ji-eon! You’re safe!”
A small hole big enough for a person to pass through appeared on the other side of the closed door. Kim Seo-young sunbae emerged from it, and as she stepped into the final boss room, the exit appeared.
“Uh… items? Don’t tell me you took down the final boss—”
“I ran into my brother.”
“What? That doesn’t make sense. Hunter Han Ji-un is in a different dungeon… Ah.”
“I’m not totally sure, but it seems like there was a dungeon glitch and they connected.”
“Must be. Those kinds of dungeons pop up sometimes.”
I pretended to examine the items curiously, picking them up, while Kim Seo-young sunbae gathered items and magic stones too, continuing.
“Anyway, glad you’re okay. Before we came in, it registered as an S-Rank dungeon. Lucky you met Hunter Han Ji-un.”
“Haha.”
“Items can sometimes be tucked in corners, so check carefully.”
“You take some too, sunbae.”
“They’re all yours.”
“Still, potions or something….”
“Nah, it’s fine.”
Take it all, she said, dumping all the items and magic stones she’d picked up into my arms.
“Alright, let’s head out. Things are probably chaotic outside since the dungeon rank changed.”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, before that, mind if I use one potion?”
“Sure.”
Kim Seo-young sunbae plucked a potion from my arms and dripped it onto the minor scratches on me.
“Better release the seal as soon as we’re out.”
“It’s my first time, and the pattern harmony isn’t perfect yet, so this should be fine, right?”
“No. S-Ranks are seen as so overwhelmingly strong they don’t get a single scratch, so showing up with pointless wounds will spark talk—like ‘provisional S-Rank was a fluke’ or ‘should’ve been A-Rank.’ Might as well go full S-Rank.”
“…True.”
At that, I silently let the dripping potion land on my wounds without protest.
Once the scratches faded somewhat, Kim Seo-young sunbae headed for the exit, saying it was time to go. I followed behind.
After that, the incident wrapped up smoothly. Normally, we couldn’t have tackled an S-Rank dungeon, but clearing one got me right on the cusp of official S-Rank status—something that would’ve taken ages otherwise.
Clink— The black-and-white bracelet on my wrist jingled as it moved. I’d changed the cube’s shape for easy carrying.
“Definitely convenient….”
Even if I appraised it, the shape-shifting wouldn’t register—only the inventory function would, so it didn’t reveal my hand. A handy item.
For reference, I got slapped with a two-week mandatory activity ban for overdoing it on an S-Rank dungeon from the start. My pattern needed time to harmonize anyway, so no need to raid dungeons for a while. Raiding didn’t make you stronger, and I had this one item—
“…Might as well.”
No plans this week anyway. Might as well catch up on stuff I’d been too lazy for. Plus, I had some questions.
‘Around… a week from now, I think.’
Time for an ant den sweep after ages.
♧♣♧
A week later, dark night. On a windy rooftop, my phone screen glowed faintly.
11:59. Then midnight.
I set the phone aside slightly and looked down. A few people were bustling about.
‘Always right on time.’
Well, same time slot, so obvious.
I pocketed the phone and waited. What big business could there be in a deserted neighborhood with no dungeon or residents? The best loot was usually where people gathered more than dungeons—especially in criminals’ lairs.
As I watched the bustling people, they all eventually filed into the building, leaving just one outside.
‘Now.’
Hop. I leaped down to the building below, pulling up my hood and slipping on the black mask hooked to my ear, then formed a scythe in my hand.
Partial activation. Without the item, it would’ve taken over a month. But applying the item again, I’d reached the partial activation stage without issue.
I landed lightly and brought the scythe blade straight to the man’s throat.
“Key.”
“…….”
The terrified man, trembling wordlessly, finally fumbled in his pocket. Hopefully a key, but sadly, people don’t give up that easily.
Ssssh— Pink gas sprayed onto his face.
“Guess you couldn’t see the mask in the dark.”
“Hic… H-heek.”
Even without the mask, it wouldn’t have worked on me. What it did work on was….
“I’ll borrow this.”
“Eek!”
I snatched the spray can from his hand and blasted the guy in front of me.
The man wobbled briefly before collapsing face-first. Who puts a civilian on guard duty? Probably the underlings too lazy to stand themselves.
“Suits me fine.”
Jingle. I grabbed the huge keyring from the unconscious guy’s waist and flung it aside randomly. Didn’t need it anyway—just to inconvenience the others.
I used the shape-shifting item in my hand to leisurely pick the lock. Busting in would draw crowds before I could loot, and they’d grab items and bolt.
“Ugh.”
Even a new building—couldn’t they clean?
I floated past drifting dust and headed straight to the room I remembered, grabbing items before they noticed. If I fought first, the small fry would swipe stuff in the meantime, so snag necessities upfront.
‘Thread, potions, oh, found it.’
I stuffed the thread into my hoodie pocket and inventoried the rest. As I turned to the next room.
“Which bastard is this!”
Bang! The door shattered open as over ten guys crammed into the room.
“…Ah.”
“Fuck! Guard’s passed out flat, so I come check, and a rat’s snuck in!”
“Uh, sorry, but you guys are the rats….”
“What, you little shit?”
No? They sneak in quiet places where no one’s around and hide.
“You know who I am and you’re mouthing off?”
“Rat bastard.”
“Hey, you little shit!”
Bang! As the rat bastard stepped forward, the floor cratered. Wrecking his own building….
“Scared now?”
“Where are the buff items here?”
Tossing the keys must’ve pissed them off. They didn’t come this fast before. Shouldn’t have done something new—lost out on gains.
‘The buff items were in the next room over.’
Tsk. I smacked my lips, eyeing beyond the door.
“You… fucking bastard! You’re dead today!”
“I’ve got plenty of lives. Just one per playthrough, though.”
Bang! The rat bastard charged noisily, swinging a fist. I dodged back, picking up a small vial I’d left unclaimed. Evading his punch, I uncapped it and shook out its contents onto my hand. Then flung it full-force at the rat bastard’s face.
“Argh! Shit… What the….”
“Huh. Rat—no, boss! That’s glitter sand!”
“What the fuck?!”
Colorful glitter sand. Byproduct from under dungeon rivers. Why do rat bastards have such cute stuff? Simple.
“Argh! Fuck!”
The rat bastard clawed at his face.
Glitter sand wounds itch like hell. So they probably kept it for torture.
“Damn you!”
“How’d you know? I’ve failed a ton.”
“Failed a ton? Ha! One of those who crashed hard, huh?”
“I get what you mean, but nah.”
One more thing: when I failed, you did too. World ended, after all.
This time, the rat bastard’s clothes shifted as he lunged. I pulled out the pocketed item and sprayed.
Ssssh— Pink gas again. He resisted a bit, then thud! Out cold.
Couldn’t draw my weapon. Hood and mask to hide identity—scythe would give me away. Enough time had passed; most knew my face now, including hunter-dodging rat bastards.
No need to hide forever, but no intention of advertising my deeds.
“…Anyone else wanna rush?”
They weren’t backing off—admirable, but time to let them flee for once. Too bad.
‘The rest are F-Rank or D-Rank.’
I shook the spray. Half remained, sloshing.
“…….”
Like always, better just put ’em to sleep.