Ayin

How long had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I been asleep?

Consciousness gradually rose to the surface, and my eyelids opened.

"Oh. You're awake?"

What greeted my eyes were my companions, clustered together and chatting among themselves.

"How long… was I out?"

"Hard to say? You were already sleeping by the time I got back."

"Where's Dokja?"

"We don't know either. That's what we've been talking about."

Dokja had gone outside and still hadn't returned.

Because I'd fallen asleep, I had no idea how much time had passed. I didn't know how long she'd spent out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there, or even whether she was in danger right now.

Haa… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠If only I had a skill like Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint at times like this…

Huh? Conditions? All of a sudden?

Management? Well, my attribute is Administrator, but…

I checked the skill with a puzzled mind.

In short, it was like a skill-ified version of the management systems from Limbus or Lobotomy.

I could check the status of my companions or subordinates, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠use Identities on them.

Honestly, the most important part was that I could equip Identities on other people.

By applying the Identity Equip skill to someone else, I could support those whose combat power was lacking.

Honestly, this is way too broken…

Right. Of course they wouldn't hand out something this good for free.

Honestly, the time limit wasn't much of a problem. I had no intention of leaving Identities on other people for long stretches anyway, and even with a limit, it wouldn't matter if the base combat power was high enough.

The real issue was something else.

'Twice the Enkephalin consumption.'

That alone created all sorts of restrictions. I wouldn't even be able to use high-grade Identities, and it made even mid-tier ones feel burdensome. An insane penalty.

Just the Pequod Captain Identity alone cost 30 Enkephalin. Slap that on someone else and 60 vanished in an instant.

For now, it was clearly a skill that was awkward to use.

"Still, at least checking status has no risk."

I immediately checked Kim Dokja's condition on the surface.

The poisoning was probably from the toxic fog on the surface.

Still, if she was in this condition, she should be back soo—

"Dokja-ssi!"

Speak of the devil.

"Where have you been all this time?! We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Huh? I clearly told Hayeon I was heading to the surface…"

"…Hayeon-ssi?"

"…I forgot to mention it."

Her gaze turned ice-cold in an instant.

What? People forget things sometimes, okay?

"…Haa. Anyway, I have something for everyone."

"Something to give us?"

"So basically…"

"This is the relic of some great historical figure, and it's an incredible item?"

Jung Heewon, still wrapped in the ragged cloak, repeated the claim in a dubious tone.

"Have you heard of Samyeongdaesa?"

"Who's that?"

"Ah! I know that one! I remember seeing it when I was studying for my Korean history certification."

Yoo Sangah raised a hand strung with prayer beads, explaining as if she were giving a presentation.

"A monk from the mid-Joseon period, right?"

"He fought the Japanese forces during the Imjin War and protected the Korean Peninsula… the Battle of Nowonpyeong and the Battle of Ugwandong!"

As expected, her credentials never failed her.

"Anyway, this item carries his power."

"…Really?"

"What? It's actually real?!"

"I figured it was worth a try, so I put my hands together in front of the Samyeongdaesa statue, and this fell from the sky."

"…You put your hands together? You?"

"Mouth."

"Yes."

That's not what you did. You smashed the statue to pieces and came back.

How can she lie with a completely straight face like that?

"…I believe Samyeongdaesa may have sent this for Korea's sake."

"Just like during the Imjin War, he may have passed down his relic this time as well… to save the nation once more."

"After all, Korea is facing a national crisis no different from back then."

"Ah…"

Don't be impressed.

Don't buy it.

You're seriously believing that? That blatantly obvious lie?

And why are you reacting like that?

You saw her smash the statue.

"In a world like this, something like that happening wouldn't be strange at all."

"Maybe Samyeongdaesa is one of the Constellations himself. Don't you think?"

"Samyeongdaesa…"

"Hmm… Samyeongdaesa, was it? I should remember that name."

No joke—this level of gaslighting put even the Captain to shame. Where the hell did that dazzling silver tongue come from?

Clutching my spinning head, I continued walking with the group.

"…Everyone, step back."

Finally.

Illusion Prison.

The first scenario that, however indirectly, revealed Kim Dokja's past.

"Illusion Prison? What's that supposed to be?"

The moment Jung Heewon finished speaking, a violent wind slammed into us from ahead.

Whoooosh—!

"Ugh…!"

"What the hell is this?! I'm gonna throw up!"

A sensation like being forcibly shoved into filthy water dragged my consciousness under.

And when I opened my eyes again—

A table lined with countless monitors.

A man operating a keyboard and mouse.

And on those countless screens… Lobotomy Corporation?

"We meet earlier than I expected."

The man who had been working the mouse turned his chair and met my eyes.

A white coat like a doctor's.

Hair as black as the night sky itself.

And brilliantly shining golden eyes.

I knew that man. I knew that figure.

The founder and Administrator of Lobotomy Corporation.

Ayin stood right before my eyes.