Han Tae-oh stumbled back to his room, his skin prickling with cold sweat. The Regressor, Lee Ji-hoon, wasn't just a threat; he was a forced co-worker. And tomorrow, that co-worker was going to take him into a Dungeon under the guise of "patrol."
He's going to use the dungeon environment to frame my death as an accident. A "treacherous Young Master" dying to a poorly guarded monster.
Tae-oh closed his eyes, his internal planning matrix already building. He couldn't fight S-Rank power, but he could audit the situation.
1. The Threat: Lee Ji-hoon (Regressor). Knows my future actions. C-Rank on paper, S-Rank in reality.
2. The Location: Forsaken Mines Gate (F-Rank). Known for tight, unstable corridors and Trap Monsters.
3. The Goal: Survive the next 24 hours.
Tae-oh immediately opened his System Shop. He had 100 VP, enough for one Tier 2 item. He ignored the flashy offensive skills—they required a combat rating he didn't possess. He needed a guarantee of survival.
He scanned the defensive tier, his analyst mind searching for the highest ROI (Return on Investment) in terms of pure, physical defense versus cost.
[Tier 2 Defense Skills]
1.Basic Mana Shield (300 VP): Creates a durable shield. (Too expensive)
2.Low-Grade Self-Healing Potion (150 VP): Recovers 10% HP. (Too expensive)
3.[Skill: Basic Evasion (100 VP)]: Increases agility and chance to dodge. (Affordable, but risky)
4.[Artifact: F-Rank Emergency Defense Vest (100 VP)]: Provides one-time protection from a fatal blow.
Tae-oh instantly selected the vest. "Buy F-Rank Emergency Defense Vest."
Why rely on my F-Rank body to dodge when I can buy a single-use insurance policy?
[Purchase Complete! F-Rank Emergency Defense Vest obtained.]
[Virtue Points (VP): 0]
He pulled the vest from the system's inventory. It looked like a ridiculously thin, tacky sports bra—not the heavy armor a hero would wear. He stuffed it under his shirt, sighing at the indignity.
Next, he needed intel on the location. He activated his Basic Audit skill and targeted a Guild database file detailing the Forsaken Mines Gate.
[Basic Audit (1/5 Uses): Identified Flaw: Unstable Ceiling Panel System.]
[Analysis: The Gate's ceiling is structurally compromised near the 4th intersection. Often used by Trap Monsters for surprise attacks.]
Aha. The Regressor will either lure me to the Trap Monsters or use the unstable ceiling himself.
Tae-oh began drawing a crude map on a notepad, charting the weakest points. His plan was simple: He wouldn't fight. He would simply manage the environment to keep himself and, accidentally, the Regressor's team, safe.
Just as he finished marking the ambush point, a polite knock came at his door. It was the C-Rank Hunter who would be the team's leader—a stern, by-the-book veteran named Park Hyun-woo.
"Young Master Han," Hyun-woo said stiffly. "We leave at dawn. The Regressor... Lee Ji-hoon, he sent me with specific instructions."
Hyun-woo handed Tae-oh a small, folded note.
Tae-oh opened it. The handwriting was sharp and menacing. It contained only two lines, a terrifying echo of their confrontation:
"Wear armor. Don't slow us down. The moment you become the traitor I remember, the only efficiency I'll be calculating is how fast your heart stops."
— Lee Ji-hoon.
Tae-oh crushed the note in his fist. He was now officially under the Regressor's command, forced into a deadly patrol, wearing a single-use bra, and armed with nothing but a glorified spreadsheet skill.
Fine. The Forsaken Mines are a flawed process. And I'm going to audit the hell out of them.
The clock was ticking toward dawn. The death flag was still in play, just personalized and carried by the True Hero himself.
This brings us to the final chapter of the launch sequence, where the confrontation and alliance will be forged.