Escape: The Mechanical Flaw
Arick realized that a lock "protected against brute force" (Strength 3) did not mean it was protected against mechanical precision (Intelligence 9). The lock was brass and complex, relying on two main tumblers that could be controlled magically or mechanically.
Arick looked at Lyndon's worn leather belt buckle. The buckle was nothing more than a thin, corroded piece of brass.
Execution:
Using a small stone he found in the corner as a grinding tool, Arick began to hammer and shape the thin brass end of the buckle. His hand was surprisingly steady, as if his former consciousness (which he couldn't recall) specialized in delicate operations.
Within a few minutes, Arick had transformed the belt buckle into an extremely fine brass needle with a slightly curved tip—a perfect lock-picking tool.
He worked in complete silence, utilizing every ounce of his concentration to avoid any sound that might betray him.
Arick began his attempt to pick the lock. He carefully inserted the brass needle he had made into the complex keyhole.
In his mind, Arick visualized the internal mechanism of the lock, ignoring the external magical glow. He identified the location of the two locking levers and how to move them in a precise sequence to bypass the internal mechanical barrier.
He applied slight pressure to the right side of the lock, then pushed the brass needle toward the first lever.
Click... A light whisper. The first lever was released.
He repeated the process for the second lever. This one offered more resistance, but Arick realized that the tension on the lock needed to be slightly adjusted. He corrected the pressure and pushed the needle.
Clack! The second click sprang forcefully, and Arick felt it at his fingertips.
The brass lock was completely released. Arick pulled it out with extreme quietness and let it fall onto the dirt floor without making a sound.
Arick opened the iron door and slipped into the cold corridor. At that moment, the System screen blazed with a purple light:
✅ ALERT: Quest Successfully Completed
[ ALERT ]
Compulsory Quest 01: Secure Exit
Status: SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED!
Reward: 10 Experience Points (XP) have been added!
New Gain: Skill [Structure Analysis] UNLOCKED.
Lyndon slowly pushed the iron door shut, then raised his finger and touched the Rune of Silence on his forehead. A faint, sarcastic smile spread across his slender face.
"Strength 3, and the death penalty in 20 hours?" Arick whispered. "I guess I really need to work hard."
Lyndon thought about the newly acquired skill: [Structure Analysis]. The System window appeared before him to clarify the skill
[ ACTIVE SKILL ]
Skill Name: Structure Analysis
Level: 1 (Upgradeable)
Classification: Perception / Utility
Consumption: Minimal Concentration (Intelligence 9)
Description:
This skill enables you to see structural and non-physical weaknesses in any object or entity. At the current level, it can analyze:
Complex locks.
Human patrol routes.
Physical points of magical connection.
It displays the least guarded paths and critical connection points.
Lyndon didn't hesitate for a second. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them as the Rune of Silence gently pulsed.
What Lyndon Saw via [Structure Analysis] (Level 1):
. Building Structure: He saw the walls as if they were made of transparent layers, revealing the entire inner structure of the corridor.
. Shortest Path: The floor in the corridor glowed with a constant emerald green light. This was the shortest and most effective path to reach the fourth and final door.
. Physical Weaknesses: Lyndon noticed cracked floor tiles that appeared in a faint, slowly blinking yellow, indicating structural instability. He also saw that the magical seal on the fourth door was merely a concentration of energy at a physical connection point in the wall.
Lyndon's Analysis: "Level 1 doesn't give me complex magical details, but it gives me the fundamentals. This skill shows me the foundation of the building."
Lyndon slipped very quietly toward the right wall, moving along the emerald green path. He identified two main targets along his short route:
The Human Obstacle (Guard): A small orange dot moving slowly on a short patrol route near the fourth door. [Structure Analysis] showed his movement path and current physical location.
The Seal Point: A glowing blue point to the right of the fourth door. Lyndon knew this was the physical connection point that must be disabled to break the magical seal.
🚨 Compulsory Quest 02: Bypass Seal and Guard
A new notification appeared, outlining the next challenge and confirming the severity of the situation:
- Classification [ EXISTENTIAL ALERT - COMPULSORY QUEST ]
- Motivation: Safe exit from the last door.
- Objective Bypass the guard and the magical seal at the last door.
- Conditions: You must utilize [Structure Analysis] and intelligence to execute the plan without noise.
Reward and Fate
Reward: 20 Experience Points (XP), and unlock of the skill: [Perception Manipulation].
Penalty: Activation of the alarm bell, leading to the ritual starting early and your execution.
Execution Countdown: 05:00:00 (Five hours).
Lyndon began to think. Using Structure Analysis, he saw the safe emerald green path and the Guard (the orange dot) repeating a patrol that took exactly 10 minutes. He focused on another fracture within the structure.
The skill revealed the presence of an old irrigation mechanism (appearing as a neglected yellow pipe network) running above the corridor, which produced a faint sigh of air and a slight metallic friction every 7 minutes and 45 seconds. This was a routine sound the guard had grown used to ignoring.
"The distraction won't come from a strange noise, but from a familiar noise at the wrong time."
Lyndon began counting the seconds with superhuman mental precision. He slipped towards a stone pillar fifteen feet from the door, utilizing the green path. Lyndon took out a very small stone.
He waited for the moment exactly three seconds before the irrigation mechanism was due to make its routine sound. In that crucial instant, Lyndon threw the stone toward the stone floor in an area close to the guard.
The piece hit the ground, creating a "relatively moderate thud." One second later, the routine sound of the mechanism (the sigh of air and slight metallic friction) began.
To the guard, he didn't hear a "natural impact sound"; instead, he heard the routine mechanism sound followed by the sound of "something falling." This implied that "a piece just detached or fell from the neglected overhead irrigation network," possibly causing damage.
The guard stopped immediately. He looked up toward the pipe network (the yellow spot). He didn't sense the danger of an intruder, but rather felt annoyed by the physical damage that would require him to file a report. The guard headed directly towards the pillar where the pipes ran to begin inspecting the network, leaving the door unguarded.
In the moment the guard left the door, Lyndon didn't waste a single second.
He sprinted with maximum speed, utilizing every ounce of speed possible. He reached the glowing blue crystal (the seal connection point). He used a small piece of his belt metal that he had saved and precisely wedged it into the crystal's connection point with the wall. He did not shatter it, but rather "separated" its magical connection from the power source with precise engineering touch.
A faint hiss sound was emitted. The orange seal turned black and dissipated.
Lyndon pushed the iron door open and darted inside the old library room. He quietly closed the door behind him, while the guard was still busy inspecting the rusty pipes and grumbling about the poor maintenance of the estate.
Notice from the system.....