I Think the 'Hall of Fame' Is a 4D Pocket

I think the Hall of Fame is a 4D pocket. Why? Because it has everything. So, doesn't that make my mom, who uses that 4D pocket, a DoraXMon? Yeah. This time too, I borrowed help from Mamaemon.

Miniaturization. A skill that shrinks the user's body down to the size of an ant. For reference, your stats shrink proportionally to your reduced body size.

What an utterly garbage skill. If it worked on enemies too, maybe it'd be different, but it doesn't.

The one redeeming feature of this trash skill?

"How the hell did you sneak in here?!"

"He said he'd tell you if you beat him and he survived."

It's perfect for covertly infiltrating specific locations, just like this.

In fact, I'd been hiding in the pocket of Lee Il-ho's suit from earlier, keeping out of sight.

If I hadn't, Mad Dog would've spotted me, gotten cold feet, and scrapped their plan to assassinate our team.

Sure, that would've gotten us past the immediate crisis, but long-term? Just a band-aid fix.

How'd they fall right into my expectations, you trash?

This joint operation to clear the blue gate had called in our Black Lion too.

Maybe because I'd been promoted to S-rank as a squad member, boosting the whole guild's status? Despite being a no-name minor guild, Black Lion got the honor of participating.

The problem? Mad Dog was on the participant guild list too.

From that moment, I had a bad feeling. Those guys would definitely use the last incident as an excuse for revenge.

And look. It played out exactly as predicted.

I asked in genuine curiosity.

"If you kill everyone who pisses you off even a little, how's the world supposed to keep turning?"

"Shut the f—!"

Kang Tae-sik yelled back in rage instead of answering. Guess it was all-out now.

But?

"What the hell are you waiting for, you idiots?! Rush 'em! What are you standing around for?!"

「……」

His subordinates just stood there like they'd swallowed honey.

I didn't even need Throw Eye to read their minds. Their faces said it all.

Kang Tae-sik turned to them in disbelief.

"N-no way. Are you seriously frozen just 'cause it's one guy? We've got ten heads here!"

"B-but, commander... he's S-rank..."

"Look at his fist on fire... like some cartoon character..."

"Shut your mouths! S-rank or not, fists don't care about ranks! If we all rush him at once, what can one guy do?!"

That's my mom. Always landing critical hits without batting an eye.

Tired of their cheap bickering, I snorted and spoke up.

"Then it's fair if we even the numbers, right?"

"What?"

"Attack."

I recited his line back at him. Elegantly, of course.

And with that—

Uwaaaah—!

The Black Lion squad behind me charged forward with a thunderous roar.

A total 180 from Mad Dog, who looked like drenched puppies shivering in fear!

I watched their charging backs with a satisfied smile.

I wasn't the only one grinning.

"...Yeah, nice and fair."

Kang Tae-sik twisted his lips in a sleazy smirk too.

Did he think he had a shot against my squad members, not me?

Finally, Mad Dog's idle team rushed to meet them.

Anyway—

"Well, you could force a spin on it as 'wise' if you tried..."

I trailed off faintly, eyes fixed on the two forces about to clash.

"Their real problem? They can't even tell who's strong and who's weak."

My smile deepened just as—

Kwaaaang—!

Black Lion and Mad Dog finally collided.

Skills flew wildly, weapons tangled in a chaotic melee for a moment.

At some point, I was still smiling, while Kang Tae-sik's face twisted like he'd eaten shit.

"Why are you floundering?! You morons!"

Anyone could see our side had the clear advantage—or at least matched them evenly.

Not just Kang Tae-sik watching; even Mad Dog's fighters in the thick of it must've been confused. Why were they, the major guild's first string, struggling against no-name scrubs?

Yeah, probably wondering that.

But I was surprised too.

"...Whoa. Better than expected?"

How could average C-rank Black Lion hold their own against A-B rank Mad Dog elites?

Our advantage... no.

'God Seongsu-nim bestowed his grace!'

The one and only unique skill held by that divine beast, Seongsu: Empowerment.

On his first day "at work," I'd ordered Seongsu to apply Empowerment to every combat player in Black Lion.

Empowered players get a high chance of +30% to all stats.

And these guys in the joint op? The aces hand-picked from Black Lion.

Plus the 30% stat balloon? 'At this point, they can hang with A and B-ranks easy.'

But I didn't think this pace would hold.

Even if average stats matched, real combat experience in life-or-death fights? Mad Dog crushed us there.

Long fight, and experience wins out.

But no way in hell!

"—Resentments."

I muttered darkly, raising my right arm high.

At that instant—

Saaak—.

A chilling energy swirled into my palm.

Ignore Mom's vibe-killing message after I finally built some tension.

Black Flame Dragon out of nowhere? Coincidentally, this isn't that.

A skill I'd gotten from taking down Kirius in Guro-gu recently.

In my past life, it was Choi Kwang-hyun's. Now it's mine.

As you can see, the gap between effect 1 and 2 is huge, so no clear grade... 'But effect 2 alone? EX-grade easy.'

Just look at Choi Kwang-hyun turning a national-treasure divine beast into a pet with one skill.

Anyway, effect 2 later...

Saaak—.

I spread the dark energy swirling over my hand across the area.

The eerie fog seeped into Mad Dog team members' noses and mouths without a trace.

"Sh—! What the hell is this?!"

"S-suddenly... my body's losing power..."

"Urk!"

Mad Dog team members panicked as they inhaled the resentment.

Seizing the gap, our team unleashed fiercer attacks.

Stabbing chests of stumbling foes, slashing vitals of pushed-back enemies.

The fragile balance shattered completely—in our favor.

"Th-this can't be..."

I glanced at the dazed Kang Tae-sik and smirked.

Oh dear. The real despair starts now.

"About time..."

I tuned my ears to the screams, cheers, and clashing metal from both sides, checking my watch.

Ten minutes since the fight started.

"Time for 'it' to react... But seriously, can I trust Mom on this?"

"Okay, okay. I believe you. Just testing. Hmm..."

I sharpened my senses, gauging the shift in the forest air.

...Yeah, the chill felt different now.

'Before, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was just plain cold...'

Now? Like electricity prickling my skin. Chills fits better.

After the scout report said this blue gate's dungeon was a 'frosty wasteland'—

Mom gave me one piece of 'info'...

Problem? Even this regressor had never heard it.

So I'd been half-doubting her until now, but... 'The forest vibe changed. It's going just like she said.'

Being a regressor doesn't mean I know everything. Mom's got thousands of times my experience.

Convinced, I issued orders via mic to all squad members.

"Disperse! As briefed, full speed out of the forest area. Got it?"

With the order—

Pabat—!

Squad members fighting Mad Dog scattered in perfect formation.

"Whew."

I whistled at the sight. Even prepped, reacting instantly mid-battle?

Were they this sharp in round one?

'Park Cheon-su was trash human-wise, but he had an eye for talent.'

I chuckled, thinking of our late ex-leader.

Meanwhile—

"Wh-what?!"

"Why're they bailing mid-fight...!"

"C-commander... what now?"

Seeing us pull back despite our edge, Mad Dog floundered.

I glanced at them and hurried to leave too.

'But first...!'

"Kyaa?!"

I reached out, snatching panicking Lee Ji-yoon from the chaos.

Her flustered voice came as she landed in my arms.

"Wh-what...?!"

"What do you mean what? Wanna stick around with those guys?"

Lee Ji-yoon went blank at my blunt words.

"N-no..."

"Then follow quietly. Hell, even if they beg you to stay, come with me."

"...What do you mean?"

"Stay there, you die."

"N-no way. Even if they're scum, they wouldn't kill a squad mate for disobeying once—"

"Not them killing you."

"...Huh?"

As Lee Ji-yoon blinked in confusion—

Haaaaah—!

Perfect timing. 'It' made its presence known.

Good. No need for long explanations.

A gloomy wail echoed across the forest as a system message popped up.

A purple dome burst from the ground, sealing the spot where we'd faced Mad Dog.

Probably the Forbidden Zone boundary.

Anyway.

'Holy crap. Mom nailed it.'

According to Mom's golden info...

Sometimes forests appear in the blue gate's frosty zone. Seem safe—no cold, no monsters—but 'make big noise for 10+ minutes, and the forest owner shows up.'

A forest owner rivaling the dungeon boss in power.

Here, it's the Living Armor.

'Not in the codex, so no clue on details...'

Anyway.

With Mom's tip, I'd lured our team into the forest on purpose, dragging Mad Dog here.

Let the owner handle them. Easy.

Putting onomatopoeia in the system message? How smug is she...

I stopped running, turned, and peered past the dome.

"Wh-what's that sound? Living Armor? Forbidden what?"

"S-something feels off..."

"C-commander..."

Clueless squad members looked desperately to Kang Tae-sik.

But what could he do? His face paled as he scanned around frantically.

Tension peaked—

Kwaaaa—!

Suddenly, a bloody whirlwind erupted at their center.

As it died down, clanking metal sounded, and it strolled out casually.

Blood-red armor, just like the whirlwind.

And... no need for more description.

Why?

"Th-the armor..."

"Moving on its own?!"

No wearer—just a full suit of 'body armor' floating ghost-like in the air.

A sight to make ghosts weep!

The bizarre scene stunned not just Mad Dog, but even Black Lion outside the dome.

I checked its info with Throw Eye.

Parasitizes the strongest to form a body?

No sooner had I read that—

Kwa-duk!

"Guhk...!?"

"Commander!"

The prowling Living Armor lunged at Kang Tae-sik like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the facehugger from Alien, latching on.

And...

Kwa-duduk—!

Kwa-duduk—!

"Keurk, guk...?!"

Forced into the armor, Kang Tae-sik's joints twisted as he gurgled.

Blood and flesh oozed from the armor's seams.

'...Good thing we bailed quick.'

Imagining that happening to me gave me chills down my neck.

Moments later.

Devoured head to toe in blood-red full plate, Kang Tae-sik emanated eerie menace.

His hollow gaze peeked through the helmet, slowly scanning Mad Dog...

Pa-geok—!

Then blitzed like light, smashing one squad member's head.

"Hiiik—?!"

At the merciless slaughter, the rest freaked—Lee Ji-yoon buried her face in my chest too.

Starting then—

Kwa-jik—!

Pa-geok—!

Wuduk—!

The blood-soaked armor rampaged in a frenzy.

I gently pried off the shuddering Lee Ji-yoon—who couldn't look—and handed her to nearby Lee Il-ho.

"Il-ho, take her and go ahead."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Wh-what about you, bro?"

"Me..."

I shifted my gaze to the rampaging Kang Tae-sik... no, Living Armor inside the dome.

Insane durability at a glance. Plus shape-shifting freely.

Most player gear's made from dead monster parts, so considering that...

Oh?

'Chance to score some solid armor here.'