Becoming the Dystopia’s Blade Master –
0111.
The password was laughably easy.
But if you considered everything step by step, opening this archive was an insanely difficult feat.
From a gameplay perspective, just reaching the top floor was already a challenge.
Not only were there too many mutants inside the Wayris headquarters, but fatigue also built up continuously while climbing the stairs.
Next, you had to breach the top floor’s security systems. Without a survivor who had hacking-related traits or skills, you’d need high-powered explosives.
Of course, the explosion would draw nearby mutants and infected, leaving you surrounded.
Even if you broke through to the top floor, the problems didn’t end there.
Finding the archive hidden within the top floor was another ordeal.
And even if you found it, a twenty-digit password like this was waiting like a trap.
Without the password, entry was impossible.
True to Gale’s secret archive, hacking was tough, and blowing open the entrance wasn’t easy either.
Perhaps the strategy for raiding Gale’s archive was the greatest achievement of the collective intelligence of veteran players in the community.
‘And I was at the forefront of that.’
It was also the reason why a named player like Kyle Han was born.
Given that I had opened this archive hundreds, if not thousands, of times before, I wasn’t foolish enough to mess up the password just because the letters weren’t visible.
Even a drunk civilian could manage to input their front door passcode.
But regardless of that background…
The fact that I had opened this archive made my heart race.
Because the timing was different.
I had opened Gale’s archive right before the mutant outbreak.
And in an incredibly easy way.
I had sent all the bodyguards away for this exact situation.
And I had put Gale into hibernation, removing any obstacles.
The last remaining problem was…
Creak—
‘The androids, of course.’
Just before stepping into the opened archive, I glanced at the combat androids clad in ant-like exoskeletons.
It almost felt like they were staring back at me.
But this was just paranoia.
Deep down, I was certain they wouldn’t attack.
‘They didn’t react when I opened the door… I should be fine, right?’
The reason I was so confident they wouldn’t stop me was simple.
Though they seemed like mere machines without ego, these combat androids were equipped with basic situational analysis functions.
They had already assessed and processed this situation.
Which meant they would never choose to attack an intruder.
If they killed me—the intruder—the number of beings capable of saving Gale Wayris would decrease.
To them, Gale, the organic lifeform, was their top priority.
Everything else was secondary.
But then, wasn’t there a simple way to subdue and restrain me?
The reason they didn’t take such complex actions was simple:
A trigger had been activated.
‘If it’s not an android… it wouldn’t matter anyway.’
‘Like I said, aside from the androids here, you can take anything you want from Wayris.’
Those indifferent words Gale had casually thrown out—
And the analysis that he was favorably disposed toward me—
That became the trigger, introducing an error in their behavior.
I knew this from experience.
Though this was my first time facing these particular androids, my past encounters with countless others gave me a subtle confidence.
‘Even if they’re not as high-grade as these, I’ve seen plenty of similar models. When an android’s blind top priority overlaps with a secondary one, the secondary is always discarded.’
Because they were machines capable of calculating such complex relationships in real-time—
They hadn’t reacted even when the archive was opened.
But that was as far as it went.
If I stepped inside, they’d definitely respond to some degree.
“No faces… kinda creepy.”
Though my thoughts ran deep, my decision was swift.
Without hesitation, I stepped into the archive.
And, as expected, they reacted.
Warning. Intruder detected.
Warning. Intruder detected.
Warning. Intruder detected.
Warning. Intruder detected.
Warning. Intruder detected.
A chilling mechanical voice erupted simultaneously.
Something extended from their hands, aiming directly at me.
But that was it.
They didn’t stop my movement.
The androids simply stood there, hollow and unmoving.
“If you attack me now, you won’t be able to save Gale.”
If these had been humanoid androids instead of combat models—
Their response might have been different.
Unlike combat models, humanoids were programmed with thought processes closer to humans.
The fact that these were combat models was a blessing in disguise.
Thud— Thud—
Intrusion.
That was the right word for it.
As I stepped inside, the lights flickered on, illuminating Gale’s collection.
And right in front—a wooden chest.
“Of course. No way it wouldn’t be here.”
Beyond classic—borderline antique.
The reddish-brown chest alone looked incredibly valuable.
Opening it would grant me the Master Key, the ultimate cheat at the prologue stage that I had longed for.
Maybe that’s why my mouth felt dry.
I took a deep breath.
“Hah.”
Carefully, I lifted the lid.
Ding!
[Master Key]
‘Finally…’
A circular coin with intricate engravings.
The text floating in my vision confirmed it was the real deal.
No bigger than a 500-won coin.
This single coin was Gale’s Crown, capable of controlling all major facilities in the city.
As if entranced, I reached out.
And from behind me, a sharp alarm blared.
Warning. Step back.
Warning. Step back.
Warning. Step back.
Ignoring the alarms, my fingers touched the Master Key.
As if it had been waiting, the key morphed, wrapping around my finger in the form of a ring.
Ding!
[+Master Key]
No lengthy descriptions.
Just a single word: Master Key.
But the weight of that word was immense.
“First step—successfully taken.”
This wasn’t just a universal key to the city’s facilities.
It was possibility.
The horrific endings.
The chance to avoid them and reach a proper ending.
For the first time, I felt blood rushing through my entire body.
Not tension—but a strange excitement.
And so, my next actions were without hesitation.
“I’ll put this archive to good use.”
I scanned the surroundings.
Though the collection wasn’t vast, each item was extraordinary.
Gems of staggering size.
Masterpieces mentioned even in gameplay.
Wine that looked like it might be the last bottle in the world.
None of these caught my eye.
At the end of my gaze was a single sword.
Among the weapons mounted on the wall, the most unassuming one—a single greatsword—held my attention.
Absurdly plain and crude, this greatsword was the epitome of Gale’s eccentric taste.
[+Blade Series: Zero]
In the cyberpunk era, swords were little more than decorations.
But Gale had poured vast resources into crafting his personal collection.
Five weapons:
Zero, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Sigma.
Among them, the first—Zero—was here, in the top-floor archive of Wayris HQ.
A masterpiece forged by the will of the city’s king.
‘The unbreakable sword.’
Since firearms and explosives were my main weapons, using a greatsword as a secondary wasn’t ideal.
But if guns weren’t an option, nothing could match this.
A blade forged from Atom Alloy.
Atom Alloy was a metal with unmatched hardness, strength, toughness, and heat resistance—one of the few metals that could retain its form even in a nuclear explosion.
That was also why the sword looked so crude.
But the biggest reason I needed Zero was something else entirely.
“Even Gale couldn’t resist lightsabers.”
One of the few swords capable of coating its blade in plasma.
The conditions were strict, but the mere fact that it could unleash plasma made it an incredible weapon.
And the miniature fusion reactor that would make it possible was right here too.
[+Atomic Reactor (S+)]
No larger than a can of tuna.
Despite its size, the electricity this reactor produced was staggering.
Originally used as a power source for plasma guns and powered suits, reactors like this were rare, unique items.
And among them, this one had the highest output.
No wonder it stood out even in Gale’s archive.
‘This alone won’t be enough…’
But it was a damn good start.
No—under the condition of not using firearms, it was the best possible start.
Well, there was a slight disappointment.
To properly use these two, I still had a mountain of looting left to do.
I couldn’t just attach the reactor to Zero right away.
Once I obtained a powered suit, installed the reactor, and concentrated the energy to unleash plasma blades—
That process would be far more laborious than expected.
Looting was mostly done.
Still, just in case, I took a more thorough look around.
No matter how experienced, it was possible to miss something.
As I quickly skimmed through the archive in that brief moment—
“Huh, wait.”
Something caught my eye.
A lavishly decorated antique revolver in the corner was making its presence known.
“Hmm…”
Seeing it sparked a strange curiosity.
“Even if my Firearm Phobia Trait prevents me from using it properly, I should at least check if I can hold it, right?”
[Wayris 10th Anniversary Commemorative Plasma Revolver]
Firearm Phobia.
In the game, the moment the player picked up a gun, the screen would shake until they dropped it.
But now, maybe things were different?
Honestly, part of why I was even considering this was because the description—
‘Panic state when equipping firearms’—didn’t feel as impactful as it should.
‘Probably just a slight stress increase if I hold it for too long, right?’
If the penalty was really just a stress boost…
Couldn’t I use it in emergencies?
With that thought, my hand reached for the revolver’s grip.
And in that instant—
Ding!
[‘Firearm Phobia’ effect triggered.]
Ding!
[Panic State]
“Ugh…!”
Dizziness hit instantly.
Chills ran down my spine as cold sweat poured out.
Just as I was about to endure it a little longer—
“Cough—!”
Ding!
[Result: Stress +20]
[(Warning) Stress Level: 30]
I dropped the revolver immediately.
That brief experience made me give up fast.
No—maybe resignation was the right word.
*“Holding it once gave me +20 stress… Yeah, this is a no-go.”*
If I couldn’t even grip it, carrying it out would be impossible.
Maybe if I used a case without touching it directly—but there was no reason to, and no time for that either.
“That stings.”
Felt like an unnecessary loss.
Brushing off the bitter aftertaste, I stood up.
“Looting Wayris HQ… This should be enough.”
The Master Key.
The greatsword Zero.
The Atomic Reactor.
Even Gale’s glasses.
I had everything I needed.
