Chapter 4

Chapter 4
I had previously published a strategy walkthrough for the Cola Area illegitimate-child path on the Safe Zone discussion boards. That did not signify that every piece of information I possessed had been written down there. My published guide indicated strictly that one needed to excavate the burial site and retrieve the personal possessions of Luna Moon. Any gamer arriving at this grave ahead of me would view those instructions and presume the item in question was simply her military identification tag.

Naturally, acquiring nothing more than the identification tag proved more than sufficient for any Asian youngster to gain recognition as the acknowledged bastard child. Commander Hayden, still consumed by remorse over deserting his former romantic partner and their offspring, would accept an Asian kid bearing Luna Moon’s belongings without deep suspicion. Yet, a specific detail required attention. The commander familiar to me existed merely as a programmed game variable, whereas the commander populating this reality might very well look upon a self-declared love child with a skeptical gaze.

Nonetheless, I was aware of an authentication token so flawless that even he could dispute its authenticity. The genuine keepsake Hayden had bestowed upon Luna Moon was not a military tag, but rather a band. A ring embedded with a piece of the space rock that had brought devastation to this civilization—a moonstone, crafted directly from that celestial debris. An artifact that could never be duplicated.

The motivation behind omitting it from the tutorial was a mere whim. The band rested inside the oral cavity of Luna Moon’s skeletal remains. She must have perished gripping it tightly between her jaws to ensure that subsequent tomb raiders would fail to strip it from her. Acknowledging it as the authentic token, I still chose to withhold it from my written instructions. The initial occasion I uncovered it, I employed it once and never again.

If anyone questioned why I had forced open the jawbone of a corpse when the identification tag alone should have sufficed, I possessed no satisfactory reply. I had not searched with deliberate intent. While turning the earth of the grave, moonlight struck the skeletal remains, and an object glittered between the clenched teeth. It caused a mild sense of unease, leading me to revisit this burial site during every subsequent playthrough of the Cola route. I paid my respects. I poured out alcoholic libations.

Within the Safe Zones, performing an identical action repeatedly grants a Title. How else could I have possibly accumulated such a designation? I bowed my head briefly and offered Luna Moon a quiet plea for forgiveness. I had never pushed matters to this extent while merely playing the software, but standing before an authentic skeleton provoked a strong sense that I ought to apologize properly.

“Pardon me for interrupting your slumber, Luna Moon. And accept my apologies in advance for impersonating your progeny. In exchange, should I secure the position of Hayden’s successor, I shall genuinely regard him as my parent, and I will exert every effort to survive the apocalypse.”

Once the prayer concluded, I reached toward the skeletal mouth, whereupon an unusual phenomenon occurred. The bones of Luna Moon seemed to ignite with illumination, and the band lifted itself out from the vacant cavities of her eye sockets. The moonstone positioned at its core, ordinarily emitting a subdued glint, flared with intense brilliance.

“Wh-what?”

An event of this nature had never transpired previously. Apprehensive that an observer might notice the luminosity and approach, I grabbed the ring within both palms to conceal the radiance. The precise moment it made contact with my skin, a soft murmur reached my senses.

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
You have taken one step closer to the secret of the apocalypse…….

Before I could process the occurrence, notifications began cascading across my field of vision.

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Partially unlocking the System.
An All-Zone Conqueror privilege exists. Would you like to check it?

When I conversed previously with RoomCorner Honey, I operated under the assumption that zero privileges existed. Both the System and the associated privileges undoubtedly demanded specific prerequisites to unlock. Why securing the band of Luna Moon served as one of those triggers remained unknown to me. First, I inspected which segments of the System had opened.

STATUS X
System Messages: Active
Character Info: Available
Inventory: Available
Chat: Locked

A messaging feature existed as well? Once that unlocks, would direct communication with fellow participants become possible? A notification blinked persistently, prompting me to examine the privilege. An urge drove me to investigate deeper into how much of the in-game System remained accessible, yet I proceeded.

Confirm.

The instant that thought crossed my mind, the notification expanded and the privilege specifications materialized.

PRIVILEGE UNLOCKED
Player Dopamine Addict, welcome to this world.
As the sole player to conquer every zone, Dopamine Addict is hereby granted Title Inheritance.

Oh.

The All-Zone Conqueror privilege constituted Title Inheritance. As I had noted previously, executing identical actions inside a Safe Zone generated a Title. Initiating a fresh playthrough reset statistics, abilities, and inventory items, but Titles alone persisted across resets. Their functional bonuses remained linked to the recurring conduct that earned them. Equipping Friend of Luna Moon, for instance, caused non-player characters sympathetic to Luna Moon to display significantly greater warmth toward you.

TITLE LIST
Friend of Luna Moon
Poison Specialist
Eternal Commander
Nemesis of the Goodman Family
Hero of the Subjugation Campaign

My meeting with the commander was scheduled for tomorrow, making Friend of Luna Moon the optimal choice to equip. Only a single Title could be active at any given moment. From the extensive roster, I activated Friend of Luna Moon. Completing a run without utilizing Titles might have offered its own entertainment… If whatever entity thrust us into this environment was distributing privileges of this nature to halt the apocalypse, perhaps its true desire was for us to succeed. Yet if this qualified as an All-Zone Conqueror privilege, it implied every other participant was forced to improvise entirely from the beginning.

I resolved to postpone pondering the motives behind whoever had manipulated us for a later time. The ring that had previously flared with intense brightness had reverted to its standard muted tone. Without giving it further consideration, I slid it onto my finger—which naturally proved far too loose for my hand—and at that exact second, a notification triggered.

BUFF ACTIVE
Friend of Luna Moon
Title effect applied to target.

That specific message surfaced solely when a non-player character influenced by the Title stood in close proximity. Nevertheless, the graveyard remained completely dead. The sole occupants present were myself and the skeletal remains of Luna Moon. I tilted my head sideways, slipped the band off, and placed it back onto my finger. The alert reappeared without exception.

BUFF ACTIVE
Friend of Luna Moon
Title effect applied to target.

An underlying sensation suggested something was amiss, but lingering any longer beside the tomb introduced the hazard of discovery during my return journey. If the Title bonus was actively applying, the individual nearby had to be an NPC favorably inclined toward me. I verified that the coffin lid rested securely in place, shoveled the dirt neatly over it once more, and departed from the burial grounds.

Had the individual who pilfered the identification tag already proceeded toward the commander’s estate? It brought me mild distress to realize I would be forced to eliminate from the premises, with my own hands, a destitute, sharp-sighted, diligent gamer who had simply followed an optimized guide. Tonight I would rest inside the ruined cathedral. At daybreak, I would present myself at the commander’s residence.

Two military guards stood post outside the entrance of the commander’s estate. Even so, gaining entry proved unproblematic, as Hayden had instructed them to grant access to anyone professing knowledge concerning Luna Moon. When I approached the primary gates, the guards exhibited no distinct wariness.

“Halt right there. What business brings you to the commander’s quarters?”

I recited the identical phrase I had utilized during my time playing the software.

“I understand His Excellency is searching for a specific woman and child. I possess information to share with him regarding that matter.”

“Hmm?”

The pair of sentries exchanged glances. They appeared less suspicious of me and more awkwardly put out.

“His Excellency did state that anyone possessing information regarding those two individuals should be permitted inside, regardless of social standing, but…”

“Circumstances have grown somewhat unusual. Yesterday, a young boy matching your age delivered the exact same statement and entered. Only…”

The guard cast a look around before dropping his tone.

“He has not emerged since. Something must have occurred inside… I would advise against entering at the moment.”

Oh? Were they genuinely concerned that I might step inside and never return? The difficulty level of this zone was low, leading the non-player characters to lean toward decency, but these two genuinely qualified as honorable soldiers. Even so, this confirmed that the identification-tag holder had indeed arrived ahead of me. In any event, the fact that the gamer preceding me had failed to reappear indicated that the illegitimate-child mechanic functioned within this reality as well. I had harbored a lingering dread that, unlike the virtual simulation, even possessing an authentic token might result in summary ejection.

There was no cause for further hesitation.

“I appreciate the caution, but that circumstance only reinforces my conviction that I must go inside. The youngster you referenced… I suspect he may be an acquaintance of mine.”

“Ah. Searching for a companion, then?”

The two guards maintained a somewhat anxious expression, yet as military personnel, they were bound to execute standing directives: admit any individual possessing knowledge of Luna Moon and her offspring. They nodded as though lacking any alternative, patted me down to check for concealed weapons or sharp objects, and unlatched the compact visitor’s wicket built into the edge of the primary doors.

unlike the previous night, the ring of Luna Moon no longer emitted illumination; it resembled inexpensive ornamentation. Although the oversized band hung loosely around my digit, the guards displayed zero genuine curiosity. The youngster who had preceded me likely passed through unchecked without anyone inspecting the military tag closely—dismissed merely as an early enlistee. The non-player characters populating this region possessed kind hearts, but their intellect remained generally limited.

Passing through the visitor’s gate, a directional marker guided visitors along a specific path. Following it brought me around to the rear section of the mansion, where a sentry stationed inside a compact booth started at the sight of me.

“…Bizarre. I never anticipated receiving a visitor this young two consecutive days.”

He was referencing the gamer from yesterday, then.

“Kid. What is your objective in visiting the commander’s residence?”

“I have information regarding the individuals His Excellency is seeking.”

The guard’s facial expression shifted into something peculiar.

“…So what the young master asserted was accurate. Someone actually arrived.”

That reaction diverged entirely from my expectations. Young master…? Someone actually… arrived? Did “young master” point to the participant who had gained entry yesterday?

The sentry motioned with his chin toward the interior.

“Step inside and wait. For reasons unknown to me, instructions were left not to simply turn you away.”

Evidently, the gamer who had acquired the military tag was awaiting other participants as well. I harbored personal curiosity regarding individuals other than RoomCorner Honey, prompting me to step inside without protest and await his arrival. However, the figures who entered the chamber did not consist of a single person. One was an Asian youngster featuring dark hair and dark eyes, matching my own appearance. The other was an Irish-appearing youth with reddish hair and freckles. The Irish counterpart already possessed sufficient physical build to make it difficult to credit that he had commenced at age ten.

CHARACTER INFO
Name: Anjeon8yeok
Title: None
Assigned Zone: Cola

* System not unlocked. Friend requests unavailable.

CHARACTER INFO
Name: TaejeongTaese Beyonce
Title: None
Assigned Zone: Cola

* System not unlocked. Friend requests unavailable.

I recognized both individuals. They had left commentary even upon my ultimate guide post. Both dropped into Cola… well, free Cola proved difficult to resist. Taejeong Taese Beyonce was one matter, but Anjeon8yeok? Hadn’t this individual claimed he read my walkthroughs strictly for entertainment? Why was he trailing my path instead of enlisting directly?

“Greetings.”

“You’re a player, right?”

I offered a nod, and Anjeon8yeok grinned as he appended,

“There is no need for caution. In case you were unaware, this location lacks a language patch, meaning if we converse in Korean, nobody here will suspect we originate outside this world.”

He shared details openly, presenting a sufficiently friendly demeanor toward fellow gamers.

“Why were you waiting for other participants?”

“You possess little patience, do you? That discussion can wait until after we complete our introductions.”

His remarks caused a realization to click into place. Their Systems remain locked, preventing them from viewing my status details. Under those circumstances, I could simply bluff precisely as I had done with RoomCorner Honey and claim the identity of T-balnom.

Or so I assumed.

“I shall go first, then.”

Anjeon8yeok parted his lips and uttered something completely unhinged.

“I am Dopamine Addict.”