The Author's POV

Exchanging glances with each other, two guards at the front of the car laughed out loud.

"Hahaha, who would've thought that you were the lucky bastard that got to catch the escapee, huh, Jerome?"

"Yeah, I'm fucking envious of you."

'So his name is Jerome.'

Listening to their conversation, I made a mental note to myself of every little detail. This was so that I could blend in better.

With my head still in between my legs, I responded.

"...mhm, you're absolutely right."

There were a total of ten people in the car, including 'my unit'. From the brief conversations, I was having with them, the name of the 19th unit captain was Jerome, he was 28 years old, and judging from how friendly they were being to me, I figured that he was someone popular.

The layout of the car was two seats at the front of the car, with five more seats leaning by the side of the vehicle.

Switching the conversation, one of the guards next to me spoke up.

"Man, who would've thought that the commander himself showed up."

"Yeah, just his aura alone almost made me piss my pants."

"Tell me about it...just imagine what Jerome must've gone through when questioned by him."

With my head still lowered, I made small talk as well. This was so that I didn't look too suspicious.

"Yeah, it was really nerve-wracking. I thought that I was in front of a tiger...just look at me, I'm so exhausted just from that exchange."

"Hahaha, You indeed look tired."

"Hahahahaha."

Laughter erupted in the car. I too laughed, but it was a fake one.

My mind was too preoccupied with other thoughts to care about whether it sounded genuine or not.

'...Six bombs, eight serum dosages, four health recovery potions, and eighteen mana recovery potions.'

If I had to count how many people I killed the past few hours or so, the headcount would be around the twenties.

Every time I killed someone, I would never forget to collect their dimensional space. In it, were many resources that could become extremely useful for me. Bombs and serum being prime examples.

Without them, I would've never have made it as far as I did.

'That aside, I'm still not in the clear though.'

A bitter smile appeared on my face.

My mana was currently at around 1/9 of what it should be.

Having depleted all of my mana from the stunt I pulled in order to escape the lab, I had a hard time recovering it to what it was before.

Despite the multiple mana recovery potions I chugged in, they were only the lowest grade, and thus I barely recovered anything. This was also the reason why I was only able to hold out for a couple of minutes when the commander came.

To make matters worse, with my mask now off, I had to be in this awkward position where I had my face in between my legs and arms. Fortunately, I was wearing a hat and thus they did not notice the fact that I wasn't bald like the 19th unit captain was.

Had I not thought of this beforehand, they would've realized that I wasn't him just because of the fact that I wasn't bald.

"Man, how long do we still have till we arrive?"

"20 more minutes. The road is a bit rough here so it'll take that much."

"Ahhh, I'm hungry."

'...20 minutes'

conversation the other guards were having, it became even more apparent to me just how big the Monolith domain was. Just the distance between the lab and the actual headquarters was 20

did they manage to keep it hidden for

best to act before

minutes to arrive, I opted to

the main reason was I was choosing to act late was because of my mana, it wasn't the only

in the direction of where the other cars were, I knew that things were

just had a

***

same time, in

next to him and noticing a small smirk at the edge

"Commander, is something wrong?"

Isaac and flashed his teeth. "Oh, I just

"Something funny?"

vehicle, Isaac noticed that

"...hur hur."

'subject 876' who was passed out on the ground, with an amused

behavior, Isaac involuntarily raised his

are

of answering, Commander Luther continued to trace

of his chin, he muttered

that he had he killed long ago and stored in his dimensional space...no that wouldn't work since he's alive? There also doesn't seem to be a mask, how

What?!" The captain's eyes opened widely. Pointing at the scarred man on the ground, he frustratedly asked. "A-re you suggesting

"Yes."

commander nodded

in the room. Not once did they doubt the identity of the scarred man before them. If not for their commander pointing it out,

thought took their

looking at the scarred man,

who is the one

the 19th

without the slightest bit of hesitation in his

right words to say.

unit captain by the side of his

"Did he though?"

"Yes!"

they only met briefly, Isaac did not find anything

he may have fooled you guys, he couldn't have fooled me. I've met Jerome a couple of times in the past, and I can tell you that it's not him. His face maybe, but..." Pausing and looking at everyone, Luther said. "His frame

to the commander's point, Isaac's brows knit as he muttered

mention it he did look a lot more skinny than

squads worked with

man with a bald head. That was

too long ago, a shocked looked appeared on Isaac's face as

it possible for him to have the same

876 to actually have a mask identical to that of Jerome in that short period of time made no sense. That was unless someone

that comes to mind is that this is the work of an artifact or that someone is helping him, but I'm

"An artifact?!"

"Yes."

now, the second possibility was the one that made more sense, but

of greed

an artifact, I really want to get my hands on

not have heard the commander's last words, Isaac hesitatingly asked. "...sir, but what if there is no artifact and

"Impossible."

Luther firmly replied.

makes you so

before entering the vehicle, I

"...and?"

There really

Taken aback, Isaac asked.

what made you think that he was an

so sure about the fact that

looked at Isaac dead in the eyes. "his unit members. The moment Jerome turned his

"What!?"