The atmosphere is tense, even though it's my room and we're just sitting in silence, exchanging glances.

Even Bunchy isn't eating—a rare sight. Sorey, usually unkempt, has trimmed his beard, making him look like a completely different person. Josh, on the other hand, sits with his mouth agape, utterly astonished.

"So, what do you guys think of the plan?" I ask, breaking the silence.

Bunchy leans forward, eyes narrowing. "Let me get this straight, Slimmy. You want us to help you infiltrate one of the kingdom’s research facilities, and you don’t even know for sure if your sister is there?"

I nod. "According to Tsukihana, one of their most well-known facilities is near the edge of the Gray Area."

Bunchy wipes sweat from his brow, his voice shaky. "Good..."

Josh slams his hand on the table, his disbelief palpable. "Good?! Are you guys out of your minds? That place is near the rich districts! There are tons of guards—what makes you think you can even get inside, let alone make it out alive?"

"No. Even though it's close to the Gray Area, the high-ups don’t care about anything outside of their pristine world. Their arrogance blinds them. But still, we’d be taking a huge risk—" Sorey suddenly stops, taking a deep breath before shaking his head. "You know what? I haven’t even agreed to this yet. Even if it's not in the Gray Area, that facility isn’t some run-down outpost—it’s heavily guarded. They’d chew us up and spit us out. Hell, dealing with the rats would be a walk in the park compared to this. Sorry, but count me out. I can’t go with you guys."

“Hmmm, he's right, Slimmy. What you’re saying is suicidal. Sorry.” Bunchy lowers his head.

Josh sighs heavily. "Look, I understand. One of your family members might be lost, but there has to be a better way."

"No problem, Josh. And you guys, I understand. I will go alone."

“Can’t you just find that Lars again?” Bunchy asks.

“I tried to, but it’s already been 12 days, and I just can’t wait any longer. Its… eating me alive, this wonder."

“Can you just be at peace? Look, you have a nice apartment now, and you know soon your sister will be fine, relax.”

“Relax? What I did these days, I only remember walking all day looking for Lars.”

"Fine, Daryn. If you want to do this, I’ll help you.” Josh says but then he suddenly changes his tone “But wait—I won’t go with you. However, near Section A, through the taverns, you can ask for the river. Near there, there’s a gnome city.”

“And?”

“Gnomes, especially the ones inside the capitol, know specific points of entry. Walking to the facility will take too long, but they know how to get in secretly.”

"Yeah, but I’m not sure… I kind of hate them… Last time I had a bad experience."

“Well, it’s them, or you lose days of work. The best we can do is tell Tenque you got sick.”

"Yeah… Tenque. He just came back. Now he’ll be even stricter with me."

I sigh, knowing what I have to do. "Well, okay. I’ll go tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Dude, you need to hurry," Sorey chimes in.

Before Everybody made up their mind bunchy again speaks and this time more calm.

Looks like Bunchy without a hamburger makes all the blood rush to his brain.

“Wait. I know you guys want to help, but Slimmy, this is not just risky—it’s outright stupid. You’re illegally entering a research facility. Think about the consequences.”

Good for him. Not good for me. Because his words are true, and I kind of hate that.

"I can’t just walk up and say hi, can I?" I ask incredulously.

"Well, no, but—"

"This is my choice, Bunchy. Don’t worry, guys. I’ve survived worse. Well, it’s good that you came here, but I’m leaving and coming back tomorrow."

Everyone leaves, and I know where to go first—the store I’ve been waiting for.

Taking a taxi costs more than I expect, but now I’m at the store near Section G.

"Engineering for Fun?"

I see the sign glowing with big, bright lights.

I step inside. The place is huge, filled with futuristic gadgets. Robots, swords, and high-tech gear line the shelves. Though everything looks interesting, the store feels like second-rate quality—the dust covering the displays makes that clear.

The atmosphere in the store is smelly, like cheap junk—good visuals, bad environment. But that also adds the flavor of cheap prices.

As I look around, I approach one of the shopkeepers, mentioning that I was recommended by Iwa. The shopkeeper calls for the manager, who apparently knew Iwa.

“So, you knew Iwa?” He asks.

“Yes, he and I worked in the coal mines together… You know what happened to him, right?”

The manager shakes his head, brushing away the sadness. “It’s so tragic. He was an old customer—a top-notch buyer.”

“Yeah he was smart and actually that was a little pain for me, but at the end I think some of his words resonate in me”

“Really?”

“Yes”

Of course, I couldn’t speak ill of him, especially considering he was friends with the manager. Honestly, I don’t remember much about Iwa, other than that he was always talking about the importance of leadership and something about carbon being everywhere. Those two words, "leadership" and "carbon," are the only things that really stuck in my mind.

“And well, I heard you guys have a good deal on magnetic boots,” I say.

“Yeah, sure,” he replies, pulling out a pair. They’re a little dirty, and compared to the ones I’ve used before, the difference in quality is clear.

“I don’t mind paying a little more. Do you have anything better?”

“Yeah, we have an exclusive deal. Come with me.”

He leads me through a backdoor into a storage area where workers are sorting through unopened packages. The manager signals to an employee to bring the magnetic boots.

While I wait, I can’t help but feel amazed at the operation here.

Packages everywheres and a lot of heavy lift work, by seeing some of them stretching their tongues reminds me of my old days.

“Alright, they’re bringing them out,” the manager says. “But why invest in something this expensive? These things aren’t cheap.”

“It’ll make the job easier, and they work as reliable transportation,”

“Yes, but due to their speed, no one really uses them for that. Too many accidents.”

“I’ll keep that in mind when I speed burst with them,” I chuckle.

The worker returns with the boots, and they look incredible—similar to the ones I’ve seen before, but something about them feels different.

“Ah, yes, this is the latest model for mining work,” the manager says. “Their flexibility allows you to move as if you’re in zero gravity, letting you pivot 180 degrees with ease. But wait—there’s more.”

He plays a video demonstration on a screen. The boots cling effortlessly to the ceiling, making it seem like the floor and ceiling have swapped places.

“Wow,” I say, genuinely impressed. “I want these. How much?”

“150 gold coins,” he replies with a smile.

The price makes me wince—that’s a lot of money. But I can’t deny the boots’ utility. My old pair has been invaluable, even helping me in combat. Upgrading seems like a worthwhile investment.

“But for you, a good discount—140 gold coins.”

After some hesitation, I hand over the coins. I barely have 50 golden coins left—I’m practically in debt with them. Looks like I’ll be eating air and water for the next two weeks.

“Thanks for the discount… and I hope your business goes well.”

“Call me Steve. And I hope to see you around, Daryn.”

One thing’s for sure—I won’t be coming back here for a while.

I slip on the boots, and they automatically adjust to my size, wrapping snugly around my feet like they actually care about me. The warmth seeps in, and suddenly, I feel it—I'm floating again.

A grin spreads across my face. The sensation is incredible, like skating in the air.

Without wasting any more time, I take off, racing straight for the forest. It’s time to find a gnome city.

----------------------------------------

Is already night and I don’t find the gnome city though I find small footprints on the floor.

Meaning they are really in the capital. I wonder why the capital did not do something about them.

The easy thing is done, found their area, hard thing to do now is to actually make them contact with me.

“GNOMES!” I scream with all my might, though it will be risky since there might be other creatures around. I don’t care. I have all the weapons I need in my backpack.

In all my whimps and lurking around I can see the flag and without much thinking I start kicking the trees around trying to catch the attention around

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A gnome emerges from behind a tree, his small face scrunching up in curiosity.

“Hello, stranger!” he says, eyeing me warily.

“I need your passage,” I reply, impatience growing.

The gnome raises an eyebrow. “So abrupt.”

“I already took a passage from another gnome. Parakiki doesn’t sound familiar?”

“Parakiki? He’s from the west side. But we’re not in the west, are we?” the gnome says, shaking his head.

I smirk. “No, but maybe we can be friends?”

The gnome laughs in disbelief. “Friends? You’re human.”

“I’m a human, and you’re a gnome. Am I saying anything that doesn’t make sense?”

The gnome hesitates before responding. “I can take you to my boss, but there’s a fee.”

“I don’t have any money,” I reply flatly.

“Well, then goodbye.”

Before he can react, I kick him, sending him flying back.

Without wasting any more time, I use my pickaxe to carve into the floor, digging my way through the underground city gates.

I am not sure if this is the right spot, but until the gnome comes back, I am pretty I will be inside by then.

A door

Swing

Swing

The door falls.

Inside, a group of gnomes sits around a table, playing a card game. They stop mid-game and stare at me as I enter, their expressions a mix of surprise and disbelief.

“Hello,” I say, trying to sound casual despite my heart racing.

Before I can take another step, my body freezes—telekinesis. The gnomes don’t even need to touch me.

A large gnome approaches, his arms crossed.

“Well, well, looks like we have someone with enough guts to get this far,” he says, teasing me. “But not enough guts to make it through tomorrow.”

“You must be the leader,” I say, sizing him up. “I can tell by your size.”

The gnome chuckles, but his tone grows serious. “I’m not the leader here. He is.”

He points to a much smaller gnome sitting at the table, who has a childlike appearance but sharp, wise eyes.

I blink in surprise. “He’s the leader?”

“Yep,” the large gnome confirms.

I shake my head. “I was just kidding earlier. Of course, I knew he was the leader.”

The small gnome doesn’t seem fazed by my sudden confidence. “So, you’re here to make deals?”

“I just want to use the passages to go to the capital section. Do you know that one near the center is a place like a hospital” I say, hoping they’ll understand.

The gnomes begin talking among themselves, muttering things I can hear and glancing at me every few seconds.

The bigger gnome snorts. “This guy’s funny! Let’s make him our pet!” The other gnomes chuckle and nod in agreement.

“Pet?” I sneer, my fists clenched. “I can kick your ass.”

The big gnome, who’s almost two-thirds of my size, steps forward with an arrogant grin.

“I want him as my pet,” he says.

The small gnome leader nods, his expression unreadable.

“How did we change the topic from going to the facility to being a pet?”

“Human, we have a passage to go there, but no gnome ever return from that place”

“But I am no gnome”

“Good. If you win, you can use our passage anytime you want,” the big gnome says. “But if you lose, you stay here forever as our pet. I think is a good deal”

“Yes I want a human pet, mine is already broken” says another gnome smaller and younger than the rest.

“Yes, son, but you have to be careful. Human pets are fragile,” the big gnome’s voice is calm, almost clinical, as he speaks those chilling words.

My eyes dart to the little gnome's hand. A collar, the metal gleaming coldly in the dim light. I follow his gaze, and what I see makes my blood run cold. On the floor, crawling painfully, is a figure—human, but barely recognizable.

The man’s head is shaved clean, his hair discarded like it never mattered. What really horrifies me, though, are the severed limbs—his forearms are gone from the elbows down, and his legs, from the knees to his toes, have been brutally removed. He drags his ruined body along the floor with pitiful, strained movements, the skin of his limbs raw and bloody where they used to be.

The sight strikes me like a physical blow. The man’s face, distorted with both pain and hopelessness, meets my gaze. His eyes—wide with terror—plead for mercy that will never come. His body is a broken shell of what it once was, reduced to crawling like an animal, a horrific reminder of what happens when you lose favor in this twisted place.

I checked his status—level 5, just like mine. It was risky, but I wasn’t backing down. It was free rides or being a pet. I’d made up my mind.

“Fine. What are the rules?” I asked, bracing myself.

The gnome leader waved his hand lazily, and suddenly, the biggest gnome slammed me into the wall with a force that left me gasping. He laughed, enjoying my pain as I struggled to get back on my feet.

“There are no rules,” the biggest gnome taunted, his telekinesis throwing me from one wall to another, as if I were nothing more than a ragdoll.

Each impact made my body feel heavier. My head spun from the constant force, but I wasn’t about to let him win. My mind raced, searching for an opening.

I can’t move my arms, and If I don’t do something I might break my back or worse bleed out internally.

I still can move my arms but Swinging my pickaxe will be useless, and throwing it away, I don’t think it will do anything besides giving him my weapon.

Then I saw it. A chance.

I had a single TNT stick from my mining shift, tucked in my backpack. Now How can I turn it on?

Think Fast

“Ah..”

Lamp

Lamp with tablecloth equals fire, and fire with tnt equal explosion

“Bingooooo”

The chances are low so even though the telekinesis is holding me up floating, I am trying to focus. If I fail this throw I will be a pet forever.

Focus.

Focus

I think I got the pattern, this gnome is thinking that skill only matters in a fight.

Also luck is important.

I swing my arm

“Huh?” The gnome realizes something is off with my movement

I have to hurry, now or never. The moment my momentum goes to the nearest to the table I will do it.

I throw it.

It threw the lamp and as planned occurred.

The gnome’s eyes widened as the TNT exploded, sending him into a coughing fit. I quickly reached for my mask, pulling it over my face just in time to avoid the toxic fumes. In the confusion, I move swiftly through the dust-filled air, locating the big gnome by the sound of his ragged breaths. I find him, weak and disoriented, and without hesitation, I rush forward, throwing punches with all my strength. His laughter falters, replaced by the sound of him gasping in pain as I pummel him. The fight isn’t clean, but it doesn’t need to be.

“Please... no more,” he begs, his voice strained.

I stop, my knuckles still throbbing from the blows. “So, you give up?” I ask, my voice low.

“Yes... but no more...” he whimpers, his pride shattered.

I stand above him, victorious but breathing heavily. The small gnome leader watches with a mix of surprise and grudging respect. “You won,” he says flatly. “You’ve earned the right to use our passage.”

“Wow, that was easy,” I mutter.

The leader approaches

“But human, if that place is of the same kind as yours, why can't you just go and roam free?”

“Because…”

I don’t know how to answer.

Things must be kept secret for a reason—whether the reason is good or bad, I don’t know. The facility is experimenting to cure people, and that’s good, but experimenting with Rika—that’s bad. But at the same time, they are helping her, and that’s good.

“Auch... damn my brain,” I mutter under my breath.

Suddenly, a notification flashes before my eyes.

From Caveman to Underground Man

Title Evolution: The Underground Man

Effect: You are now attuned to the primal instincts of creatures that thrive in underground passages. Skills inspired by earth-dwellers are now accessible. Grants a passive bonus of +10% stamina and +10% health points recovery when underground.

I blink as two skills materialize before me.

Basic Telekinesis: Mana 20.

The user can lift objects weighing up to 140 kg with their mind. Mana is consumed per target rather than over time. The user can control the body of an object, but the manipulation is limited to its extremities.

Command of Rodents: Passive

You can control underground rodents within your vicinity with your voice. This ability affects a maximum of 10 rodents at level 8 or lower. The control extends over an area of 6 meters in diameter and can influence their actions to scout, retrieve, or even attack.

I stare at the abilities in awe. These aren’t just useful—they’re game-changing. My mind races as I contemplate my next move. Telekinesis could give me an edge in physical tasks and combat, lifting heavy rocks, or even using the environment to my advantage. But Command of Rodents... that skill feels like something straight out of an underground fantasy. The ability to control creatures perfectly adapted to this world could give me a massive tactical advantage, whether for scouting, distraction, or gathering materials.

I hesitate. Both skills would serve me well, but the decision isn’t easy. The power of telekinesis could make me a force to be reckoned with in combat, but the rodent command feels like it taps directly into the underground environment where I work.

Which one should I choose?

Command of Rodents—it’s not glamorous, but it’s effective. Besides level 8 is beyond my level it would be good if I find rodents of that level to help me gain more experience. With this ability, even a cave filled with pests perhaps can become my domain. Rodents scurry to my bidding, their keen senses making navigation and resource-gathering easy.

The gnomes guide me to the rails.

“So the rails…”

“Yes, don’t worry you will get used to “

Taking the rail again in the dark

“I don’t think I will ever get-”

Before I finish my sentence the only thing I heard is that there is a shaft that I can press to come back and they will know. Besides that, I only feel the rush of air in my face again.

----------------------------------------

As I step outside, the trees and the looming facility come into view. I’m right next to the fences and wire walls.

"Damn… I thought I would be inside," I mutter under my breath.

I start humming, trying to think of what to do next.

"If I use my pickaxe to make a hole, I’ll probably make too much noise and get caught. But if I use my boots, they’ll obviously notice me," I grumble, frustration bubbling up inside.

I pace in circles, trying to calm myself. But the look of this place is giving me chills. It feels like a prison, with bright lights surrounding the area to spot any potential escapees. From the small towers, I can see gattling guns trained on the perimeter. My heart skips a beat, and I swallow hard, realizing this might be a really bad idea. A bullet in the leg is one thing, but getting riddled with holes in the chest? Not an option.

"What are you doing here?"

I jump, startled by the voice.

"What? Lars? What are you doing here?" I stammer.

"Working. Trying to keep people like you from doing something rash," Lars replies, her tone flat.

"You can’t stop me."

"I thought I told you that no one can save your sister."

"I convinced the priestess," I respond with a grin.

For the first time, her expression falters. Her eyes widen for a brief moment, as though the news hit her harder than expected.

"There’s no way," she says, disbelief creeping into her voice.

"Huh!? Yes, I did!" I shoot back, growing defensive.

"I couldn’t convince her, so how could you?" she mutters.

"Hmmm, have you ever seen your face in the mirror?"

"Sometimes,"

"Exactly."

Is like she doesn’t care about filling words, she is actually being focus on the important topics, making this conversation boring.

She is only looking at me, I don’t know if she is confused or waiting for me to say something.

"If you’re actually telling the truth, don’t tell me you came here to rescue your sister."

"Well, isn't it obvious."

“Don’t do anything reckless," she warns, letting out a small sigh. "I’ll get the paperwork for you, but it won’t be easy. It might take a couple of weeks. And I’ll personally send her to where you live."

“ And what if you can’t get the permit to take her out!” I say in a rush

“First, do not raise your voice to me. Second the facility 100% will listen my demands, so do not worry about anything, you trust me do you?”

“Ah… yes?”

“Good enough”

"So… I just wasted my time coming here?" I ask, feeling a little deflated.

"No, now I know you’re resilience"

"Resilient"

"That," she says simply.

I sigh. "Fine…"

I give her my address, hoping for the best.

So far she seems to fulfill her word, but I still that part of her presence is so unknown

" But know this—if she gets out and isn’t treated by the priestess, she’ll perish."

"I know," I reply, a little more at ease.

My curiosity started peaking in my head.

"And how do you know I was here? The guards didn’t even catch a glimpse of me."

"You’re inside a bound field I created. I can sense movements and sound. And I can see 360 degrees in that field. So anything you did, I’d know before you even tried."

I gulp, realizing just how much she knows.

“You are lucky I found you, else you would be dead as soon as you enter the place.”

“What do you mean?”

“The towers are things that unfocus the people but on the floor there are mines, one of them could make half of your body blow in pieces.”

“Thanks… “

“You did one thing good at least, never lose hope, but you must think cold in moments of desperation, else could be your last day on earth. “

“I know”

“Based on what I saw you from your, doesn’t looks like”

“I know, I know… but it was hard days” I sigh in defeat

"You know what? It’s late. It’s better if I go. But please don’t forget our deal."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Don’t call it a deal. I’m not promising anything. If I want to, I can help you, but don’t think for a second that I owe you anything," she says coldly.

I’m more surprised by her change in expression than her words.

"Fine. Thanks anyway."

I turn to leave the area, slipping on my magnetic boots.

I increase my speed, making my way out as quickly and quietly as I can.

The speed is on my face and I take with fun with it.

“Damn it”

I fall because of a tree.

“Damn… I am good with these boots, but I need more practice in closed places..” I mutter

I stand and keep floating with a rush forward.

Few times getting punch by the threes but the ease after the news of Lars make the pain go away easily.

“Damn this is fun.” I chuckle and I then laugh louder.

----------------------------------------

I arrive at my apartment, exhaustion weighing down on me. Dropping onto the sofa, I pull out my phone, idly scrolling—until a message from Tenque catches my eye.

My skin goes cold.

“Damn… the exam for the bulldozer.”

I had been so caught up in searching for Rika, drowning in stress and frustration, that I completely forgot about it.

The kingdom treats this exam like a special event, held only once every few months. And the next one? It’s almost two months away. If I miss this, I’ll have to wait even longer.

I sigh, shaking my head. No point in dwelling on what I’ve lost—I need to focus.

Grabbing my review book, I flip it open.

“Oh well… I guess reading it is.”

With that, I settle in, determined to prepare.

Now that I am really all the words getting into my head.

If I was hot head before maybe right now I wouldn't be here sleeping in my floor.

It bothers me, maybe I am too emotional.

"Well I have to stop thinking for now, I need to focus on the book"

After few minutes a threw the book away.

"I am so tired..."

I sigh knowing that I only have a towel to sleep as a bed, but at the same time happy to be alive.