The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City

---

We rushed out of the building in a chaotic flurry.

“What the heck! No one should know about this place!”

“Someone got here before us!”

All the Violets were flabbergasted by the unexpected situation. Unit 7, who had been waiting in the dormitory, dove under the blankets, while Unit 8, from the library, sprinted to the corner of the restroom.

“It’s an emergency…!”

I leaned against the cold wall, struggling to organize my jumbled thoughts.

The attempt was a failure. Our mutual fears became tangled, only increasing the confusion. A collective monologue spilled out from the panicked Violets.

“Who could it be? Who took it?”

“Was there someone else who knew about this place? No way!”

Everyone opened their mouths amidst the clamor, exclaiming their astonishment one by one. After a while, as the noise drained away, people slowly started to lose energy.

Unit 2 finally managed to stand up and calmed us down.

“…Everyone, stay calm. First, we need to check if the inventory we took is the right one.”

I tried to check the bag I had brought earlier. But the bag was nowhere to be found.

“Where did it go?”

“I didn’t drop it! I was holding it tightly!”

“Let’s go back down to the basement and check again!”

At Unit 1’s words, everyone nodded quietly.

We slowly picked up our weapons and entered the derelict building again. As we passed the shattered door handle into the basement corridor, we spotted the place where we had removed the floor tiles.

Underneath the floor tiles we had torn up earlier, the bag from before lay there.

“We’re back here again.”

“Come, let’s take it out.”

Unit 6 picked up the bag and ran outside. After a moment, the bag plopped back down in the spot it originally occupied.

“It’s back again. What do we do now?”

I examined the status window once more. I confirmed the name [Multi-Dimensional Storage Bag]. Aside from the complex patterns and magic circles etched on it, it looked like an ordinary bag one could find anywhere.

I opened the bag and put a few rocks inside, then pulled them out again. It was just a regular bag. I could clearly see the items rolling around inside.

It sure didn’t work this way in the game.

“How do we use this?”

“What if we try spilling some Ether?”

As Unit 5 placed their palm against it and flowed Ether, suddenly, the magic circle lit up, and the bag began to vibrate on its own.

“Ahhh! What’s going on?!”

“Did I accidentally touch something wrong?!”

We stumbled back in surprise from the bag.

The bag shook and emitted light, illuminating the entirety of the basement. Then, it suddenly ascended into the air and transformed into a shining orb, bursting with a bang. Shards of light scattered above us like falling snow.

“It disappeared…”

“Unit 5! You idiot! How could you throw away a super powerful rare item like that?!”

“I didn’t expect this to happen!”

As we stared blankly at the empty space where the bag used to be, a translucent status window suddenly appeared before us.

-Ding!

[* The Multi-Dimensional Storage Bag is now bound to the user: Violet Dunhind Rugilinn.]

“See! I told you I was right!”

Unit 5 shrugged. The status window at least announced that we had become the owners of the bag.

“Items, go inside!”

I picked up a nearby can and shouted, and the rocks disappeared. Out of curiosity, the other Violets began yelling about various items, considering what to put inside. Everyone’s hands were empty.

It felt different from the teleportation ability of the clones.

“I guess we can pull things in and out of the bag as we wish.”

“It doesn’t seem like it’s tied to just one clone. It seems like it recognized ‘all of us’ as the owners of the bag.”

I wanted to check the contents of the bag. Instantly, I was able to perceive the items within along with the list.

[Stored Items: Chocolate Bar Wrappers x1, Rocks x3, Polaris Training One-Handed Sword (Arming Sword) x1, Brick Pieces x3···]

“Let’s get rid of the trash.”

Suddenly, junk poured out of thin air.

“I think what we were looking for is in here.”

“Where’s the other one?”

Now it was time to find one more bag.

We began tapping the floor around us with our weapons. At some point, a dull thud echoed from within.

Carefully, we inserted the blades of our weapons between the cracks in the tiles and found a black duffel bag that looked just like the one we had last time.

“Should we take this one too?”

One of the clones lifted the bag. As I decided to store it inside, the bag faded and then reappeared, bouncing back with a warning message.

[* Warning: You cannot store another Multi-Dimensional Storage Bag inside an existing Multi-Dimensional Storage Bag.]

When I tried emitting Ether to bind it, again, a warning message appeared.

[* Warning: This bag cannot be used as there is already a bound bag.]

We pondered over what to do with this extra bag.

“Even if we take it, it’ll just come back to the original spot like before. What should we do?”

“Let’s rip it so no one can use it!”

We tried stabbing it with our weapons and even used a lighter to set it on fire. The bag broke, then vanished, only to appear again in pristine condition.

“I think I get why whoever took it only took one.”

“It’s maddening. For now, let’s just bury it again.”

“Let’s cover it up too!”

We decided to put off handling the last remaining bag and just act as if nothing had happened. Since destroying it or taking it was impossible.

After returning the bag, we replaced the floor tiles we had left open and cleaned everything up.

We laid down discarded rags and plastic waste we had found nearby on top of the tiles. That way, it would just look like a messy spot, and hopefully no one would pay attention.

“Isn’t this a bit too hopeful?”

“After all, this place is one of the deepest corners of the dungeon. There shouldn’t be anyone else coming here but us.”

After tidying up, we prepared to head back. We traced our way back through the alleys of the ravine we had arrived from.

“This is strange. In the tutorial, we took all three bags…”

“I don’t know. We just had that event when we were in front of the building, and then we suddenly had our inventory,” I replied.

“Who could have taken it? The male dorm? The female dorm? Or perhaps another playable character? A possessor?”

Everyone chimed in briefly, but no clear answers emerged.

“Ugh… Let’s talk about who took the bag when we get back tomorrow.”

There was too much we didn’t know. The godforsaken game had ended prematurely for such a ridiculous reason. Without even updating individual character stories.

If the manager had smoothed over relations with the communists a bit more, I might have reincarnated without this much missing information.

I wanted to discuss it at length, but this place was a dungeon. We closed our mouths and ascended the sloped alley.

The way back was tough.

I hadn’t realized it on the way down, but climbing back up was exhausting. The similarly gray buildings erratically spread out often forced us to circle around the same spots.

“Graaah!”

“Scrags! Charge!”

Along the way up, we confronted the Scrags a few more times. These monsters, like goblins or orcs, appeared endlessly, probably due to their asexual reproduction. No matter how many we killed, they kept popping up.

In the game, palette-swapped Scrags often sprang from almost every dungeon, establishing them as highly adaptive creatures.

However, adaptability wasn’t exclusive to them.

“Defensive formation! Defensive formation!”

After a series of bloody battles, we grew accustomed to the fights. We mechanically repeated blocking the spear that got close with our shield and stabbing our sword’s energy into their vital spots.

When they tried to drag us down by holding onto our shields, we threw the shields aside and charged in with our hammers.

“Graaah!”

“Ugh!”

Every time one of our clones fell, four or five Scrags fell to the ground. When the tide of battle turned, they would panic and run away one by one, getting slaughtered.

[Level up!]

[Due to prolonged use, the mastery of the Unique Ability: Dynamic-Consciousness/Identity Linked Clone Technique has increased. The level of the Unique Ability has risen!]

“Wow! Level up!”

Winning bit by bit felt rewarding too.

“I’m getting used to the fighting. Dying doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore.”

“True. Let’s hurry on!”

After the battle, we dragged the corpses of the Scrags to one place. While their crude weapons, made from the wreckage of the city, were of little value, the bodies themselves held worth.

When I tried putting a Scrag’s corpse into the inventory as a test, it vanished without a trace.

“Got it!”

“It would’ve been nice if we could have gathered the ones we killed while coming down.”

“We took a wrong turn. Such a waste.”

After collecting about twenty of their corpses, we continued up the path.

After wandering for a while on the hill of buildings, we spotted a truck nearby. Around it, about ten hunters were doing something.

One was sitting on top of the truck, gesturing to the people below, while others stood guard. Someone was tying up the limbs of a captured Scrag.

“What’s that?”

“Let’s check it out.”

We huddled together and peered through the gaps in the walls below.

The hunters tied up all the limbs of the Scrag, then placed a loudspeaker to its mouth. Then, they began to stab it repeatedly with daggers. The creature screamed in pain.

“Graaah! Graah!”

Through the loudspeaker, the shriek echoed loudly. Soon, countless footsteps began to sound from all directions.

“Is this a group hunt?”

“That could be dangerous…”

Unit 3 raised a doubt. Our concerns soon became reality. A horde of at least a hundred Scrags swarmed into the alleys. The hunters were quickly surrounded.

“There are so many… We can’t tackle that scale yet.”

“Why are they making such a foolish move?”

We predicted their grim fate. With numbers like that, wouldn’t they be completely wiped out?

But then a twist occurred.

“What? What cheat are they using?”

“Are they insane?”

We were astounded by the unexpected scene. The nine hunters suddenly began slaughtering the horde of Scrags mercilessly!

As swords and axes imbued with energy swooshed, the Scrags fell as if being harvested by a scythe!

In an instant, the area was filled with the blood and corpses of the monsters.

“Graaah! Graaah!”

Of course, the Scrags attempted to fight back. A spear shot from one of them struck true into the side of a hunter who showed a gap.

-Thunk!

In a brief moment, sparks flew as the spear clanged against the hunter’s side. The tip didn’t embed in their body and rebounded.

“Is that Ether Protection…?”

The injured hunter, feeling the pain, retaliated by slashing down at the Scrag that had struck them. The Scrag turned into a squashed tomato.

Another counterattack followed. A few Scrag casters, mixed among the horde, raised their arms and fired energy blasts.

“I can’t dodge that…?”

-Bam!

“No! I blocked it!”

The hunters parried the incoming blasts with their swords. As we marveled at their skills, one hunter miscalculated and lost grip of his sword, tumbling to the ground.

Right then, a person watching from atop the truck pulled out a crossbow, as big as a rifle, and fired.

The bolts flew straight into the foreheads of the approaching Scrags. About a second after hitting their targets, the bolts exploded in blinding flashes.

“Did you see that? It blew up! Boom!”

“Amazing…”

As the casters prepared to fire once more, bolts continued to strike their heads. The heads of the fallen bodies rolled across the ground.

The Scrags, now leaderless, scurried every which way in panic, with only a few escaping to corners where the hunters’ blades and arrows couldn’t reach.

Once the slaughter was over, the hunters sheathed their weapons and began collecting the Scrag corpses to load onto the truck.

I heard a loud voice from the person who had been shooting crossbow bolts from atop the truck.

“What are they saying?”

“Let’s listen in!”

It turned out, a higher-up was reprimanding the lower-rank hunters.

“You lot, why are you so slow? How can it take you this long to take down a pack of low-level monsters?”

“We’ll fix it!”

“And who was the one that fell earlier? You! Can’t even block one measly bolt. Do I have to step in myself at my B-rank level?”

“I’m sorry!”

“This is why you’re all C-rank… Hey! What are you doing? Hurry up and pack them up! We need to meet the quota!”

We were shocked listening to the hunters’ conversation.

“Only ten of them swept away over a hundred Scrags just like that, and they’re not even A or B rank, but C rank?”

“If that’s the lowest rank, then… what’s our level?”

“Probably around D.”

D is the absolute rookie level for hunters — it’s equivalent to a trainee level in the army.

I sensed the reality and fell into a gloomy mood. Our levels seemed quite lacking still.

“I need to train hard from now on.”

“Let’s not just rely on numbers; let’s aim for qualitative improvement!”

We stood up and headed back toward the dungeon’s exit.

***

By the time we exited the Novaastia mine, the sun was setting. Even though it was evening, the area around the entrance of the dungeon was still filled with people. Bright lights lit up everywhere.

“I thought we’d be here for about two days, but it ended up being quicker than I thought.”

“Let’s regenerate quickly, leaving just the two of us. Once we sell the monster corpses, Unit 10 heads to the Brotherhood, and Unit 11 goes to the motel below the dungeon!”

“Got it!”

Twelve Violets had disappeared, leaving only two behind. We dumped all the Scrag corpses in a relatively less trafficked area and headed towards the clan’s purchasing depot.

“Student? What brings you here?”

“I heard I could sell monster corpses here!”

“Understood. Let’s have a look.”

I worried that they might underestimate me due to my youth, but the staff treated me fairly politely. We went together to the place where they stacked the corpses.

The staff members’ faces turned awkward.

“No… student. How did you bring all these monsters by yourself?… More importantly, why did you bring them here?”

“Eh heh…”

It turned out, before selling the captured monster corpses, there was a separate space near the dungeon entrance. I chuckled sheepishly after listening to their explanations.

After roughly counting, one of the staff inserted a flagged marker with a number into the pile of corpses. The staff received a call, promising to take care of calculations, then returned to the sales office.

A moment later, workers arrived, loading the monster corpses onto a trolley.

I saw a cylindrical machine, resembling a concrete mixer, spinning in the direction the workers headed. The corpses of the Scrags and other large and small monsters climbed onto a conveyor belt and fell into the machine.

The grinder rattled as it spun. The finely crushed remains of the monsters moved down another conveyor belt that emerged on the opposite side. A gust of wind carrying a horrendous stench swept over.

“Ugh…”

I barely managed to hold back a wave of nausea.

The remains of the monsters, traversing along the conveyor belt, entered into a large, complex machine that had multiple pipes hanging from it. Steam poured out from the top of the machine.

After a short while, a truck arrived and stopped at the machine’s opposite side. The machine’s door opened, and the processed black, round lumps cascaded into the truck.

“So that’s how Etherium is made.”

I got to witness the initial step of monster corpses becoming a valuable resource. Those lumps would soon head off to factories or reprocessing facilities to become a precious resource.

The monsters in this world didn’t provide mystical gems like the monsters from a fantasy world; their essence of Ether permeated through every organ, every drop of blood.

Thus, to utilize this power, the help of modern engineering is essential.

Monsters with unique and rare materials underwent separate processing, but the specially low-nutritional grade monsters were shattered whole, then refined through various procedures.

This way, a versatile resource known as Etherium could be birthed, capable of utilizing some of the Ether’s mysterious properties.

Once the staff completed their calculations, they returned, and I quickly confirmed that the payment had been deposited into my account.

“Totaling 350,000 credits. So that’s about 17,000 credits for each?”

“A cup of instant ramen we eat costs about 300 credits… I’m not sure if that’s good money.”

“It seems a bit low for how much effort we put in.”

How much was 1 credit in Korean won again? According to the official setting, one credit from the Crimson Scholar equaled one yen. It was curious how a Chinese game used yen instead of yuan.

“Anyway, let’s keep hunting steadily like today and save up money.”

Once the calculations were complete, that was the end of the formalities. We passed through the dungeon checkpoint and headed southwest.

-Back to classes starting tomorrow…-

Monday was approaching.