SWNOVELXO Chapter 18
Episode 18: First Nerf
Now, like Chaewon, my existence has disappeared from the glass world.
Since I used invisibility, my body was no longer reflected anywhere in the glass.
‘Okay. Now the problem is how to get into that room.’
【What? Where did you go? Am I sitting on an invisible chair right now? I can still feel it.】
Chaewon was amazed as she touched my head.
Just to be sure, I placed my hand against the glass wall, but since I hadn’t turned into a spirit, it was unfortunate that the wall didn’t pass through because my body was only transparent.
【Oh? Someone got off the elevator carrying a suspicious looking box!】
I shifted my gaze toward the direction of the elevator, hearing Chaewon’s words.
A woman in an all-black suit carrying pants entered from the direction of the elevator.
– Knock. Knock. Knock.
Without hesitation, she breezed past my location and was knocking to enter the office room where my ex-girlfriend, Yena, was.
She appears to be at least a B-grade skill level.
– “What is it?”
As soon as the woman knocked, an old voice I recognized came from inside the room.
“Yena, I brought that item.”
– “.. Come in quickly.”
The woman was trying to open the door.
This was clearly an excellent opportunity for me.
I pressed closely behind the woman, maintaining a distance that wouldn’t let our bodies touch.
– Click.
And when the door opened slightly, I quickly bent down and slipped through her arms.
【Whoa!.. Another person’s arm penetrated through my body… I really hate this feeling… I can’t get used to it…】
As soon as I entered the office, I pressed my body against the wall.
To prevent any unexpected physical contact.
If I were to be caught in the middle, it would become a serious problem.
Yena is an S-class.
With just her, being caught would mean death, and to make matters worse, the person carrying the box was also B-class.
For now, keeping my body hidden is the best option.
My intelligence stat is 5.
‘Invisibility lasts for 5 minutes multiplied by my intelligence stat, so I should last about 25 minutes…’
The woman carrying the white box who opened the door for me earlier seems to be a secretary.
Now that I look closely, she really looks like a secretary.
“Is it milk?”
“Yes.”
The secretary handed over the white box she was holding to Yena.
After receiving the box, Yena placed it silently on the desk.
And what she took out from that mysterious white box was…
【A, a syringe?】
‘What is this…? Did she have an injury? Wasn’t she just carrying milk?’
“Yang Secretary, please tell me about the incidents that happened while I was asleep.”
“Yes, Yena. First, the incident I will explain is the one that occurred during a D-class raid party.”
“What? An incident during a mere D-class raid party became a topic of discussion?”
‘A mere D-class…’
The woman referred to as Yang Secretary began to explain the incident that occurred during the D-class raid party.
That incident was when I gained the system.
To me, it was closer to a blessing than an accident.
“Right… Clearing a D-class raid party with an A-class. No, perhaps a gate boasting a higher rank is impossible.”
Yena seemed to be thinking for a moment.
“Yang Secretary, how many fatalities were reported?”
“You might be surprised to hear, but according to the information I gathered, there was only one.”
In reality, there were no fatalities.
The guys misreported that I died and filed a death report.
But that fact works in my favor.
It has made it easier for me to forge my identity.
The top hacker I know, Kim Seoyoon.
I only know one hacker, but since she meticulously forged my identity, no one recognizes me.
The potion that changes my appearance also plays a role.
“One fatality? Lucky for him to have come out alive. If the awakened person’s rank is merely D-class, that’s expected.”
In such times, one must remain calm.
The more rushed you are, the easier it is to mess things up.
There’s a saying, “Haste makes waste,” and it isn’t without reason.
“So, what about the deceased’s details?”
“Yes, I have simple information available. Should I show it to you?”
Yang Secretary said as she took out a USB.
“No. Just explain it verbally.”
Yena waved her hand dismissively as if she had a headache and supported her head with the other hand.
“Okay. The deceased’s name is Han Shiwoo. A 21-year-old male. It seems he worked as a D-class dealer without serving in the military and was a hunter for the country.”
“What..?”
“However, he wasn’t affiliated with the association…”
“Okay, that’s enough. You can leave now.”
Yang Secretary quietly nodded and exited the room.
– Thud.
– Swallow.
I unconsciously swallowed hard as the door closed tightly.
“Han Shiwoo… Was he destined to die so absurdly?”
Yena was looking out the window.
In this guild, the fountain plaza from that day is visible at a glance.
As her soliloquy echoed, memories from the past automatically surfaced in my mind.
– Click.
Afterward, Yena locked the only entrance and exit to the room.
In this closed space, there are now only two intellectual beings left—Yena and me.
– Rustle.
Yena rummaged through the white box that was on the desk.
Then, she took something out of the box and filled it in the syringe.
“I can’t afford to stay asleep for long, so I have to settle for this syringe, right…?”
Yena sat in her office chair.
She made herself comfortable and tilted her head towards the ceiling.
Sitting gracefully, she soon held the syringe and injected the needle into her vein, pushing the plunger down.
‘Is this some kind of drug?’
The substance that was being administered entered her body entirely.
When the hurriedly extracted needle exited, red blood quickly filled the space.
【What is this… Is she doing drugs?】
About 30 seconds later, Yena completely closed her eyes, her consciousness appearing to be on the brink of fading.
Seeing her like this, I slowly made my way towards the white box.
Inside, there was a black bag.
I took out the black bag and checked its contents.
What I discovered was drugs.
Specifically, it was a medical narcotic known as propofol.
Propofol is a general anesthetic that acts quickly for a short period, used in simple surgeries due to its minimal side effects in the medical field.
However, using propofol privately like this is illegal.
Moreover, abusing it can lead to addiction.
‘…It looks like she’s already addicted.’
Propofol is a white liquid, resembling milk.
‘So that’s why she asked if it was milk earlier.’
【She’s giving herself a milk injection.】
Yena, who had entered a voluntary state of anesthesia, presented me with a rare opportunity from heaven.
It seemed like things were really going well today.
I approached Yena.
As I drew nearer, her neck caught my gaze.
I stared intently at her neck.
I quickly formed my hands into a grip to choke Yena’s neck.
As I wrapped my hands around her neck, I could feel her slow pulse.
【Huh? What are you doing?!】
I could have killed Yena right here, but that was…
That was not what I wanted.
If I killed her now, in her anesthetized state, she wouldn’t feel any pain at all.
Instead, it would seem like a comfortable death.
And through the autopsy of her corpse, if my traces were discovered on her neck, I wouldn’t be able to escape harm.
Rather than walking such a difficult path, it would be better as I initially thought.
To continuously strangle her neck for a long time.
Not to die momentarily, gasping for breath like now.
I want you to slowly die as your neck is tightened.
‘Nerf.’
– Ding!
[The awakening ability of the currently contacted entity ‘Yena’ will gradually weaken over time.]
[Do you agree with this content?]
[Yes] / [No]
When this ability was first granted to me, such a choice was presented before me.
One thing is certain.
‘Yes.’
This binary choice has always brought me benefits.
– Ding!
[Contents are applied.]
[Within the next year, the reawakening ability will completely deplete.]
Personal matters have come to a close.
I might think it was more bland than I expected.
But ‘nerf’ is not all there is to it.
Like a deadly poison seeping into the body, its effect will strengthen over time, leading to a person’s ruin.
And what makes her more miserable after losing her abilities is…
My growth.
‘I’m looking forward to this.’
I shook my hands and began to rummage through the drawers of Yena’s desk, which was still anesthetized.
‘I feel like there’s some account I need to check regarding what I have to do.’
【Can’t you just go to the guild lobby and ask for that?】
Chaewon had a point.
‘You’re right, but I was too lazy to go there and ask.’
【Why would she have the gate clear logs in the first place?】
‘Think about it. Since she has a secretary, she’s likely to hold an executive position. If she has an executive position in the guild, then she surely must have the logs.’
【Is that so?】
‘Huh? Could this be it?’
After searching for a while, I finally found a document.
Upon a quick glance, it seemed to be a log containing various information.
I intended to take this along as I was about to leave.
【Hey, wait!】
‘What now?’
【Doesn’t it look like the document is just floating in mid-air?】
‘Oh, right.’
Then how did the black sword I’m carrying become transparent?
What about the clothes I’m wearing?
【I don’t know how you became invisible, but I guess whatever you’re holding or wearing also turns transparent together with you?】
‘Is that so? Anyway, I feel like the invisibility is about to wear off. What should I do?’
【Leave it to me.】
‘How?’
【First, hand me that document.】
I handed the document to Chaewon.
As soon as she received it, she stuffed the document into the cloth that wrapped the sword.
【There! Now it won’t be visible to others!】
‘How did you do that?’
This isn’t some Harry Potter’s invisible cloak.
I immediately opened the door and left.
Fortunately, it seemed no one saw the door opening.
【Now let’s hurry outside!】
I pressed the down button for the elevator when there was no one around.
The more I used invisibility, the more I felt like I was committing a crime.
Since the elevator was on the 30th floor, it arrived quickly after I had only pressed the button for a short time.
I pressed the button to go to the lobby.
Swish.
As soon as the elevator doors closed, the invisibility wore off.
As if time was being reversed, the shape of my body returned.
【But there are CCTV cameras in the elevator.】
‘Oh sh*t.’
**********
I hoped nothing had happened as I arrived at the lobby.
I spotted Harin standing with something in her hand in the lobby.
I ran towards her out of joy.
To secretly give her the logs I brought as well.
‘But it seems pointless since she can’t see anyway.’
【Oh? Hey, is that what that woman is holding…?】
Upon seeing what Harin was holding, my mind froze.
What she was holding was…
A white box.