Duo Leveling LITRPG | Post Apocalyptic | SYSTEM-Chapter 210 - 281 - The Paradise Between Battles + 282

When he opened his eyes, gentle waves lapped at his ears, and warm air brushed across his face like a soft caress.

"…Mmm."

Still dazed, Jhin blinked slowly. A faint hum tickled his ears. A girl was bustling about nearby, moving quietly, humming to herself.

It was Aurora.

She was standing at a coffee machine—who knew where she'd gotten it—brewing fresh beans. The rich aroma of coffee mingled with the golden sunlight streaming through the canopy, creating a calm and comforting mood.

Jhin blinked again.

'What is this? This peaceful atmosphere… it doesn't make any sense.'

It was a stark contrast to the chaotic battlefield he remembered before blacking out. The deafening noise, the clamor of combat—gone.

What happened?

The last thing he remembered, he was facing a desperate crisis against Hawk, who had obtained the kill switch.

His dry lips parted.

"Aurora."

"…You're awake?"

"I'd appreciate a brief explanation of what exactly I'm looking at right now."

Aurora took a slow sip of the coffee she had just poured, then gave him a lopsided grin.

"It's nothing special. The chosen one here just slept like a corpse on that bed for a week and eight hours, that's all."

"…What?"

Her words jolted Jhin fully awake. He sat up and glanced around, trying to get a grasp on the situation.

Where in Exodia 1 could have such a tranquil vibe?

Feels like paradise. But how did I get here?

He needed more information. And the fastest way to get it was simple—he just had to check the backlog of his log window.

[You have cleared the quest.]

[Collect your reward from 'Ike'.]

[!]

[Due to an 'unknown influence', your body repeatedly split and reformed.]

[You have acquired the skill 'Clone (S)'.]

A quest reward was expected—but clone?

He frowned and opened the details.

<Clone (S)>

• You can create clones of yourself through self-replication.

• The number of clones increases with the player's level.

A memory surfaced—the time he had deployed a self-replication virus. Dozens, no—hundreds, thousands of versions of himself had charged in to seize the kill switch.

'So that's when it was born.'

In Exodia, skills could be formed through experience. It usually required intense training, but apparently, that flood of clones had served the purpose.

'Will it be useful? It feels dangerous.'

The downside was clear.

The more clones he created, the greater the mental strain on the caster. It could lead to a fractured ego if misused.

Controlling dozens of selves at once—each with his own thoughts—was no small task.

'I can barely keep control of one me. How am I supposed toPowerge several at once?'

Still, he wasn't about to discard a skill he'd earned. He just needed to find the right way to use it.

Instead, Jhin turned to a more pressing question.

"What happened after that? Judging by the fact that I'm still breathing, I assume the kill switch was handled?"

"I'll explain," said a voice.

Standing at the open doorway was Ike.

His face was pale, his figure gaunt. The kind of look that made you think he'd barely survived.

When Jhin asked, Ike gave a rueful smile.

"You went through hell, Mr. Kyle. I couldn't just sit back and watch. I did what I could."

Even as an administrator, creating a backdoor wasn't easy—especially one big enough to accommodate players and zealots alike.

It had come at a steep cost.

Only after a full week of recovery was Ike even able to stand again.

"You've been through a lot," Jhin said.

"Not at all. It was the most peaceful week of my life."

They had returned to a recreated paradise. For the first time in ages, they lived without fear of a vaccine invasion.

After all, the kill switch was secured.

And more importantly, they had successfully negotiated with the Emperor—the leader of the vaccines.

There was no longer a force threatening their paradise.

Jhin recalled the Emperor's cold, imperious face.

"He's stepped away for a bit. I imagine he'll come running when he hears you're awake," Ike said.

As he entered the room, Aurora handed over two cups of iced Americano. She moved with the easy rhythm of a skilled barista.

Jhin took one and asked casually, "Where'd you even get a coffee machine? This isn't the kind of item that belongs in a fantasy world."

"The administrator made it," she replied.

Ike, catching Jhin's glance, shrugged.

"I got bored during recovery. And since I no longer needed to maintain the paradise's defense systems, I figured I could spend my power elsewhere."

So for that entire week, he had used his admin rights almost exclusively for leisure.

Like constructing dungeons, he crafted a few handy items and distributed them to both players and NPCs.

"You're like a god."

"A dumb one?"

"Doesn't it hurt when you insult yourself like that?"

Ike laughed bitterly.

"They're just party tricks. In the end, I'm powerless where it really matters."

A heavy helplessness weighed down his expression.

Of course. He wasn't a real god. If he had been, this world wouldn't have been destroyed so pointlessly.

"Well, I should at least give you your overdue reward."

Ike handed Jhin a pen.

The moment Jhin took it, it fit perfectly into his hand—smooth, familiar.

[You have obtained the equipment 'Sealed Pen'.]

"…Wait, is this what I think it is?"

"Yes. Probably something you'd never be able to find in your world."

Jhin nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the pen.

He'd thought it impossible to acquire without discovering the corresponding dungeon.

And on Earth…

'It's made of mithril.'

Mithril—a mystical ore that existed only in fantasy.

Something Earth didn't possess.

"…And here, take this too."

Ike held out another object toward Jhin. The moment he saw it, a chill raced down Jhin's spine, triggering a sudden surge of PTSD.

"This is…"

"I hope you'll never need to use it—but you probably will. Use it wisely."

[You have obtained the item 'One-Time Kill Switch'.]

He's actually giving me a kill switch…?

Would this not trip the system?

"Don't worry," Ike said. "I've rigged it so it won't cause any trouble. More importantly…"

His gaze dropped to the kill switch.

"You only get to use it once. Make sure it counts."

Still somewhat stunned, Jhin accepted the item. The administrator himself had given it to him—surely he wouldn't hand over something that would set off alarms in the system. And at this point, there was no point doubting Ike's sincerity.

"…But I don't remember ever agreeing to receive a reward like this."

"It's a gift. You've done more than enough to deserve it. And I suspect you'll earn it again."

A bribe to make sure I do a proper backup job, maybe, Jhin thought wryly, collecting the rewards Ike had handed him. Turning down a gift this carefully given wouldn't be very polite.

"Well then, let me share the promised information about the upcoming regular update."

Jhin straightened his posture, calming the flutter of anticipation in his chest. This—insight into the future—was more valuable than any material reward.

"Yes. Please go ahead."

Ike narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before he began.

"You said demons appeared on Earth before the regular update took place. And you also received warnings to be cautious of the update itself."

As they talked, Jhin found himself recounting his experiences in Rote World—the strange alternate realm he'd survived. Ike, listening carefully, was beginning to draw conclusions.

"I suspect the administrator of Channel 0116 is already interfering with your world."

"…Administrator?"

"No need to be surprised. I did the same. And so did the administrator of your own channel—0115. The only difference is, until now, no administrator has ever openly intervened before a regular update."

He met Jhin's gaze, a faint smirk curling at the edge of his lips.

"You didn't think I was the only administrator, did you?"

His voice dropped a little—subtle, but serious.

"There are as many administrators as there are worlds. And regular updates are the mechanism that allows them to intervene directly. Kyle, you may very well end up fighting them."

The reason was simple.

"An administrator's only goal is the survival of their own world. To establish 0116 permanently, that one will do anything."

Jhin pressed his fingers to his forehead, trying to absorb the implications.

One conclusion loomed over all the rest:

"Yet another damn enemy."

As if dragons and demons weren't enough, now even a being akin to a god could become his enemy.

'Of course. This is Exodia.'

This filthy, broken game had never once been easy. It was par for the course.

Ike offered a brief summary.

"So as far as regular updates go, I don't know much. Only that the 0116 administrator has tampered with something."

"I see…"

"But I can give you one more thing. Something important."

He placed a firm hand on Jhin's shoulder, his voice clear and unwavering.

"There will be a 'Hawk' in your world, too. If you fail to protect him, you'll meet the same fate again."

That was all he needed to say.

Jhin understood instantly.

A world that had repeated itself 115 times.

If the pattern held, the components would also be similar.

Just like Melvin, the Emperor—now Jhin would need to find and protect Earth's version of Hawk Alon.

Most likely, that was the key figure who must survive the regular update.

"…Hmm. Looks like the Emperor has arrived."

Right on cue, a small crowd entered the house.

Alongside the Emperor came familiar faces— Michael, Hyden, and other players, their eyes wide with relief.

"You're awake!"

Michael's eyes shimmered slightly with emotion, while the others let out quiet sighs of relief.

The Emperor, trailing behind them, cleared his throat lightly and said,

"You slept a bit too long."

"…Sorry about that."

Without another word, he handed Jhin something.

"…What's this?"

"Found it on the way."

It was a rifle—long, matte black, with a barrel that absorbed every glint of light. The handle bore finely etched patterns, like a sculpture. Jhin stared. He recognized it at once.

'The Magic-Bullet Rifle. This is Millie's signature weapon.'

The Emperor gently stroked the barrel, and with an oddly reserved tone, said,

"I bought it in secret to assassinate you, actually. But it seems I won't be needing it."

"…."

Jhin took the rifle. It felt cold and heavy in his hands—so much so that he almost shivered.

"You're really giving me this?"

"Would I have brought it just to show it off?"

"…Then I won't refuse."

Looks like he was collecting quite a few presents today.

As Jhin stored the rifle in his inventory, the Emperor scratched his head awkwardly.

"I've done you wrong in so many ways. You saved so many lives—and instead of thanking you, I tried to stab you in the back."

He gave a bitter smile.

"Not sure an apology means anything at this point, but… I'm sorry. I was selfish—for the sake of my world."

He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

Jhin recognized it immediately.

What is today, some kind of festival?

"…Will you accept this, too?"