Chapter 59: Travel Preparations

“Dam Da-on hasn’t changed,” Sa-on said, his expression and tone softening slightly.

“No need to worry. Brainstorming predicts no dangerous situations, and just in case, my skill’s protecting her.”

“You… have a protection skill?” Da-on asked.

“Who knows?” Sa-on grinned slyly. “Use Sage’s Eye to read my system profile.”

“…”

“What? Skill not working? Shame~ An S-rank like me, and you’re dying to know why it fails? Beg ‘Sa-on-nim, please tell me,’ and I might drop a hint.”

Da-on’s brow furrowed. Beyond worrying about Il-on, she despised Sa-on’s smug attitude. Se-on mirrored her expression of distaste.

Ion, however, spoke with his usual indifference. “It’s Shedding, right? A skill to create clones, even of others. The Onil I met was a clone, not the real body.”

“…”

“And since this Sa-on is a clone, Sage’s Eye doesn’t work. If I used it on your real body, I’d see your system profile.”

“…On-on, exposing my skill like that?” Sa-on sighed, like a kid whose prank failed. He’d be furious if anyone else revealed it, but with Ion, he couldn’t even get mad.

“Might as well spill yours too. Can’t be just me exposed.”

“…”

“Da-on’s skill is Sage’s Eye, Se-on’s is Lucky Decalcomania. What’s our On-on’s? You’ve only used ‘magic’ in fights… And joined the raid as Peter Argen—some camouflage skill?”

Sa-on’s small purple eyes gleamed with curiosity.

“No need to know. Get lost. We’ve got stuff to discuss,” Ion said.

As expected, Sa-on shrugged dramatically. “Fine, you three talk. Since my skill’s exposed, I’ll show it off.”

Sa-on’s body flashed purple, then collapsed into a pile of gray husks at the entrance, dissolving into invisible dust.

“Ugh, that’s his body husk? Gross,” Da-on grimaced, opening the door to air out.

The three maintenance faction orphans sat around the table again.

The teleportation crystal was one-way, so Ion couldn’t return from Idea on his own. The connection between Idea and Earth would open after the first exchange in Korea’s Yangsan Dungeon on November 4.

Ion would be stuck in Idea for about two months.

He briefed the orphans on two major events to expect on Earth in his absence:

1. October 10: Butterfly Mask’s attempt to assassinate Choi Jung-go.
2. Wendy Lowell, who vanished with a note, would return.

“I didn’t ask Sa-on which faction took Wendy since it’s unclear,” Ion said.

“Good call… Sa-on’s cunning, vile… untrustworthy. Always lying since we were kids…” Se-on muttered.

Se-on had suffered under Sa-on, who disliked him and subtly tormented him, framing him for things he didn’t do to get him scolded by Teacher.

“Shedding is just a skill to disguise lies as truth… Everything about him is fake…”

“Got a skill perfect for him,” Da-on nodded, sharing Se-on’s resentment.

Only Il-on and Ion got along with Sa-on—well, Ion one-sidedly.

“Keep looking for Wendy Lowell. No idea what they want with awakening methods, but they’ve got a scheme.”

“Got it. But is there really a specific awakening method beyond ‘intense emotional outburst’? What’s your take?” Da-on asked.

“Dunno…” Ion replied.

Wendy Lowell, working at a pharmaceutical company, researched if the awakening system responded to specific hormones. If true, a drug could awaken all humanity.

Ion doubted the system was that simple.

Se-on mumbled gloomily, “No matter the mechanism… if an awakening method is found and second awakenings are possible, I’d try for a new trait…”

“A new trait? Got a skill in mind?” Da-on asked.

“Something with carnivorous plants… My current skill doesn’t match my interests…”

Se-on’s skill, Lucky Decalcomania, copied the last skill he saw, with a chance to replicate it perfectly due to its ‘lucky’ nature. But with a cooldown over a day, it wasn’t practical for combat.

His C-rank awakening, the lowest among the known orphans (Yeo-on’s rank unknown), kept him from joining the Hunter Association’s awakened division.

“Da-on, your skill lets you spy on handsome guys, Sa-on’s is snake-related, Il-on’s tied to her love of deduction and psychology… Ion’s probably plant-based. Mine’s the only one unrelated to my interests…”

“Not entirely unrelated. You’ve always been good at copying others,” Da-on said.

“M-Me…? When…?”

“All the time, until Teacher died.”

“N-No, I never mimicked anyone…?”

“You did, without realizing.”

“…?”

“Ugh, forget it. No point talking with Eye-Se-on.”

Se-on had unconsciously copied Ion, Teacher’s favorite in a different way. Everyone—orphans and Teacher—knew, except Se-on.

He was that oblivious.

But his memory was exceptional, memorizing economic and mathematical texts to secure the Finance Team Leader role with top scores.

A Finance Team Leader in the Hunter industry might seem trivial, but in a system-driven world, money still ruled. Every faction’s insiders needed funds, and the Team Leader saw money flows invisible to regular staff or even executives.

“If a special awakening method exists, I’d try for a second trait too. Awakened or not, everyone will want that drug,” Da-on said.

“Yeah… If we figure it out, it’ll bring astronomical profits…” Se-on agreed.

Ion silently agreed. He had no greed for traits or skills, except one: an inventory.

After a brief tangent, the three refocused on preparing for major events before Ion’s trip.

Soon, they left the villa. Before getting into their cars, Se-on shyly smiled. “W-We should meet like this sometimes… It’s nice for bonding…”

“…”

“…”

Bonding? Where?

Even Ion was baffled by Se-on’s obliviousness.

“Dam Ion. Banana.”

“You ate this morning.”

“Five hours passed. Hungry.”

“Do bats normally eat every five hours?”

“I’m a chimera. Not a bat.”

“…”

“Banana. Hungry. Starving. Suffering.”

Ion sighed, grabbing a banana from the backseat basket. Peeling it, Baba pounced, chomping noisily.

“What if Idea has no bananas…?”

Post-orphan meeting, Ion prepared for Idea. Preparations were simple: a carrier-shaped planter and a large stroller to bring Sanse and his creatures.

The world buzzed with Peter Argen’s disappearance. Most assumed he used the teleportation crystal, but few knew the truth.

The orphans, and…

Bzzt—

“Geez, what a tiger,” Ion muttered.

“Tiger?”

“Never mind. Eat your banana.”

Ion answered the call.

-Hello, Master Ion. Long time no see.

Ryu.

Ryu, who gave Ion the Peter Argen identity, knew he was in Korea with the teleportation crystal.

Korea Branch Leader Sa Ji-un had resisted contacting Ion for days but finally caved.

“Yes, been a while,” Ion said.

-You know why I’m calling. I’ll cut to the chase. We want a stable, long-term information trade with you. We’ll meet any demands within our power.

They didn’t want to lose Ion, who knew things about the system and world others didn’t.

-We won’t bother you. To prove it, we’ll arrange a meeting with System Age’s Vice Leader at your convenience…

Meeting Vice Leader Age was essential. Ion’s ultimate goal in Age was the Leader, but that required both Vice Leaders’ approval.

The timing, however, was bad.

“Postpone the date. As you know, I’m unexpectedly traveling.”

-…A trip using the teleportation crystal?

“Maybe.”

-We heard it’s one-way and needs specific coordinates. Where are you going, how will you return, or do you not plan to? How’d you get the coordinates? I’m very curious.

‘Coordinates’ weren’t public knowledge.

As expected, Ryu had insider info. Someone from the seventeen-member raid sold it.

“You’re curious, but in two months, everyone will know. Just wait.”

-…You’ll return in two months. Understood.

Ryu, satisfied, didn’t press further or foolishly threaten to expose Ion as Peter Argen, hanging up politely.

The black market was less reliable than dealing with Ryu.

Chomp, chomp. Baba’s banana-eating was background noise.

“Hope they come out on time…”

Chomp?

“Just eat.”

Unable to enter a dungeon with no clear exit date, Ion trusted the September 1 noon promise.

Hugging Sanse, he closed his eyes to wait.

Minutes later, news arrived: Spec-1 Team had cleared their dungeon.