Ex-level Player With the Greatest Civilization of All Time - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 49

“As expected, choosing this was the right call.”

[Special Assembly III]
– 10% chance of producing a Special Unit.
– 5% chance of producing a Hero-Grade Unit.

When I’d upgraded from level one to level two, the change was the addition of a probability for Hero-Grade units to appear.
And this time, upgrading from level two to level three brought probability adjustments.
The Special Unit appearance rate, which had been 5%, jumped to 10%.
The Hero-Grade Unit appearance rate, which had been 1%, shot up to 5%.
Enhancement events themselves aren’t common, but when you think about it, the yields are quite generous.
“Should I rinse off for a bit?”
The blood crusted across my skin was irritatingly sticky.
I’d stripped off my clothes and was standing under the shower when it happened.
Naia’s face appeared on-screen without warning.
I didn’t cover myself.
I was confident about the lower half.
But wasn’t she staring pretty intently?
I felt a flush of embarrassment and ended up covering myself anyway.
“What is it.”

『A large amount of blood has been detected on your discarded clothing. I am locating your wounds.』

“Don’t worry about that. It’s not my blood.”
I thought maybe she’d show some sign of relief.
Poof—
The screen cut out without a word.
“What do you expect from an AI anyway.”
I found myself longing for my family.
It had been what, two months since I’d last seen them?
“Ahh… that’s refreshing.”
I emerged clean and dried, then stopped short.
A cluster of familiar faces huddled together in the distance, their expressions grave as they held what looked like a serious meeting.
Sermin and Krail were there, along with Ar and Duldulie.
“What brings all of you here?”
Naia spoke to me.

『Your timing is fortuitous. We were just discussing countermeasures for what lies ahead.』

“Countermeasures?”

『I heard from the three of them that there was an assassin targeting your life, Successor.』

Ah, that.
But I’ve already drafted my own plan for that.
When I gave her that explanation and told her not to worry, Naia spoke again.

『Would it be possible for you to share it with me as well?』

“Share?”
There was nothing difficult about that.
There wasn’t any particular reason I needed to keep it secret.
“Sure, why not.”
I began by mentioning the Special Units among the Hunter Drones.
In fact, after the incident in Feronta,
I’d organized my thoughts on this matter since I didn’t know what Eclipse would think of me, and there was some overlap between that and the current problem and its solution.
“As you know, the Hunter Drone specializes in covert mobility and target assassination, so the Special Unit must naturally reflect those same characteristics, right?”
By now, mass production had already begun.
I was expecting it to appear within days.
The appearance probability had spiked considerably this time as well.
“Is there anything else?”
Krail asked, and I answered.
“There is, actually.”
To be precise, this incident had completely exposed a critical flaw in my abilities.
It seemed I’d been caught because of my broadcast habit—always retreating to a corner before appearing with the drone.
The most vulnerable moment, entering a Floor before summoning the drone, was a fundamental weakness that wouldn’t be resolved even if the Hunter Drone’s Special Unit appeared.
Because of this, I’d been turning over another solution in my mind: equipment.
“So I’m thinking of buying some gear while I’m at it.”
Something like Spirit-Imbued Leather Armor.
Hero-Grade or above—shoes, gloves, a belt, pauldrons, and three accessory slots.
If I had the money and time, I planned to fill all of them.
I still had enough capital for it anyway.
I thought this time Naia would surely feel reassured, so I finished speaking with confidence and surveyed the atmosphere, when I heard this question.

『It is insufficient.』

“Isn’t this enough?”

『Based on your earlier explanation, equipment that can definitively protect your body does command a high price, does it not?』

“That’s right.”
The Spirit-Imbued Leather Armor alone is limited to one use, with an extremely long cooldown.
And if Hero-Grade equipment is like that, naturally most equipment shares similar limitations.
There are a few active skills that grant temporary invulnerability, but only for a few seconds each.
Just a handful of seconds.
Naia was pointing out exactly that.
That equipping gear within limited capital wasn’t enough to feel truly safe.
‘But wouldn’t that be sufficient?’
I’m not a fool—if the first attack comes, I can always flee into the Gate and link up with my drones.
But Naia, apparently, disagreed.
She spoke with a serious expression.

『Successor.』

“Yes, what is it?”

『I present the AI’s optimal solution, fully applied to your current circumstances.』

“Tell me.”

『The present problem essentially stems from a safety gap created by forcing the existence of the Subspace to remain hidden. I understand your concerns, but I believe it may not be unwise to simply reveal the Subspace’s existence at this point.』

“As long as information about the City doesn’t leak… you’re saying I should open the Gate immediately after entering a Floor and link up with my drones?”

『Yes. In that case, the safety gap would essentially be eliminated almost completely.』

“But if that pattern repeats, eventually someone will try to slip into the Gate itself, won’t they?”
If that happened, it would ultimately be difficult to protect the City’s secrets.
This was the reason I’d been stubborn about it all along.

『You may call it arrogance if you wish, but given the City’s current military capacity, I am confident that anyone who tries to slip in through an opening will not leave alive.』

I felt her unwavering resolve never to let information about the City leak to the outside.
And if she spoke with such certainty, I found myself thinking it might actually be fine.
Hiding the very existence of the Subspace and the Gate had always been primarily about concealing a weakness in my abilities.
But now, conducting broadcasts had pushed that strategy to its limits, and keeping only the City’s secrets while abandoning the stubborn concealment of the Subspace didn’t seem like a bad option anymore.
Certainly, just that alone would reduce the cases of life-threatening situations like today’s considerably, as Naia said.
Once the Gate opens, it usually takes only a few seconds before Ar and Krail’s team, who are waiting on standby, join us.
“Then let’s do it that way.”
So I accepted Naia’s proposal.
No matter what anyone says, health and safety are the greatest assets.

“Thank you for accepting. Then, from now on, I am activating the Successor Safety Protocol for the City.”

It came alongside Naia’s words.
Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep—
A shrill alarm like a fire warning pierced the air, and shortly after.
Thud-thud-thud.
The City began to vibrate.
I looked out the window.
The nature of the commotion was simple.
Buildings shifted their positions as tower-like structures rose up throughout the City.
“There was something like this?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did we need to fight with drones when the Lava Hound attacked before?”
Bewildered that such a remarkable system had been sitting dormant in the unlit underground, I asked—and Naia replied.

“Maintenance and upkeep require considerable power. Additionally, power supply only began after we recently increased the City’s operational capacity, so the conditions were not favorable at that time. I ask for your understanding.”

Now that I think about it, when Naia was explaining in detail about the facilities being unlocked as operational capacity increased, I was too impatient to listen all the way through.

“And—”

“Is there something more you wanted to say?”

“Until the supply of the equipment you described earlier is complete, please refrain from Tower Climbing. I earnestly request this.”

“Got it.”

“Thank you.”

There it was—Naia’s way of dropping a hint.
I shook my head slowly.
“I said I understand.”

* * *

“Will this do?”
I issued the following order to Baek Jinseong.
To purchase equipment and accessories on my behalf.
I told him he could team up with Gangseong this time if he wanted.
Based on what I confirmed through the visual sensor feed of the Hunter Drone stationed at his residence, Baek Jinseong was delighted, taking it as his own task.
He, too, was clearly bothered by the warning signs flashing in my safety status.
“So it’s another extended vacation.”
Hero-Grade equipment, that is.
Finding Hero-Grade equipment with the specific additional skills I wanted was expected to take at least a month or more.
In the meantime, Tower Climbing was effectively blocked by circumstance.
“Well, we’re doing all this to eat and live anyway. Might as well enjoy it.”
While others were desperate to get rest, I decided to rest fully while I had the chance.

And barely ten days into this leisurely respite.
I hit a wall.
The cushy life I’d been leading in the Commander’s Chamber—gaming every day, watching movies—was already beginning to bore me.

“Doesn’t it suit your taste?”

Duldulie asked as I picked at lunch with moderate enthusiasm.
“Not at all—your cooking skill is beyond reproach.”

“You’re too kind.”

Duldulie flushed at my words.
Watching her, I found myself thinking the same thing I always did.
A person really does need to keep moving.
Staying cooped up at home, the energy drains away, and even the body grows sluggish.
“You don’t know how to block? Then you deserve to get hit!”
After finishing lunch and making my way to the living room, I found Ar and Sermin in the thick of a game.
While Ar’s skill had noticeably improved over time, this was Sermin’s first time playing.
After a few rounds of gleefully pounding him, she set down the controller.
“Phew….”
“Hey, why’d you do that? Just wait a sec—”
Ar took a sharp flick to the forehead and got dragged away by the scruff of his neck.
Ar probably hadn’t realized it.
So caught up in the joy of beating the older sister who usually only scolded him that he never stopped to think.
Fighting games, after all, are always practice for real-world chair shots.

“Pluto? You around?”

I called out into the empty air from the command center.
Pluto was a Special Unit Hunter Drone.
About a week ago, Special Assembly III had finally activated, bringing on our fourth Humanoid.
Timid and shy by nature, always lurking in the background—I’d barely seen his face a handful of times.
The last time was five days ago, maybe?

“Pluto was temporarily assigned to city duties. Shall I summon him back to the command center?”

“Never mind. I was thinking if he had nothing to do, we could take him along to help him warm up to us. Guess it can’t be helped.”

“Ah, so you’re planning to go out?”

“What—you trying to talk me out of it?”

“I have no authority to do so. Besides, I’d recommend going out, provided you avoid Tower Climbing. Extended isolation can take a psychological toll….”

“Alright, I get it.”
I cut off Naia before she could slip into her nagging mode.
“Anyway, I’m heading out for a bit.”

“Very well. Have a good trip.”

Maybe I should swing by the old house for once?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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