"Three million credit points—what a generous sum. Funny, though, they didn't mention the lab's being emptied. Do they really think capturing me alive will make that fortune magically reappear?"
At the thought, Firefly opened the system's gacha screen. She stared at the option to trade 1,000 credit points for a single stellar jade and fell into thought.
"Without this feature, maybe they'd actually have a shot. After all, this is one of my only two expenses left."
Closing the system, she switched her point of view back to Cipher, then pulled the turning over coin from her neck and held it up to the light.
Cipher studied the back-lit coin and murmured:
"3 millions, i wonder how hight it can go, and did the coin really work?"
"Huh? Boss, million coin what's—are you okay?"
Bartholos, still tinkering with a terminal nearby, heard Cipher speak. Curiosity piqued, he tossed the device aside and looked over.
Hearing Bartholos, Cipher glanced at him—and an idea sparked.
If I want to test the cloaking, I can just use Bartholos as the guinea pig.
With that, she had Firefly snap a photo of the bounty poster and send it over.
The image arrived on Cipher's terminal almost instantly.
The moment it did, she sat up on the bed and called:
"Get over here. I've got something to show you."
"Coming, coming! Boss, what is it—buried treasure?"
At her summons, Bartholos bounded to her side, tail flicking with excitement.
"Not quite." Cipher waved a dismissive paw. "But it could decide whether we pocket a few million credit points."
Bartholos's ears drooped at the word 'not,' then shot right back up at the mention of millions.
"Lemme see! What is it?"
Cipher turned the terminal toward him and tapped the image.
"Take a good look. Doesn't this coin look familiar?"
"Just a weird-looking coin. What's to recognize?"
He squinted, scratched his head, and admitted defeat.
So the coin works even on Bartholos. Makes sense—he's system-made, after all.
Cipher tucked that conclusion away at the sight of his blank stare.
She unclasped the coin from her neck and held it beside the screen.
"Now what do you see?"
Bartholos glanced from the picture to the coin in her paw—then his eyes bulged.
"T-that's your Divinity Speed coin, Boss! Impossible! I've trotted after you for centuries—why didn't I spot it?"
He paced in dizzy circles, utterly floored.
"Neat, huh? I gave the coin a little tweak—no one can link it to me unless I choose to tell them."
"I get it! But how come you never used this trick before?"
"Just learned it." She re-hung the coin. "This world isn't Amphoreus; you pick up new tricks."
"As expected of Boss! So when do we rob the base?"
"I've got a sweet plan—needs your help. Split's seventy-thirty."
Cipher licked her lips at the bounty poster, a wicked grin blooming.
Hearing the ratio, Bartholos's eyes shone.
"Order away, Boss!"
"That's the spirit!"
She tapped the bounty.
"These fools posted a fortune for yours truly. So why don't I turn myself in?"
"I'll shift into someone else, split off a clone, and hand over that clone..."
"Once we claim the reward, you portal me out. Every credit point in that base will be ours—plus the bounty!"
"We get paid and infiltrate—brilliant, Boss!"
Bartholos cackled, already savoring the chaos.
"When do we move?"
"Patience." Cipher reclined again. "One thing first; after that, we strike."
...
Firefly had left the VIP box with a new S-Class commission: clear a horde of Mutated Beasts in the northern forest—some ranked A- or even A.
Completion would net five million credit points and an S-Class Classification from the Mercenary Association.
Cipher was waiting for that badge.
Once Firefly earned it, Cipher could use Trickery to forge a replica, making her bait-and-switch much more believable...