Vol 5 Chapter 5

SPACE 5. Curse VS Curse

“Jackpot!”

Ark’s eyes shone as he exclaimed. Ark was standing in a place lined with cabinets. The reason Ark was in this storehouse…..he had to go back 3 hours.

<Your Nymphe has been updated with the plumbing information about the central control tower>

“Okay.”

Ark grinned and nodded. After gathering all the items from the Mumu’s X, he received a thorough education in the control tower’s plumbing information. Once the map of the central control tower was revealed, he discovered another route that didn’t involve the elevator on the 5th floor. It was a secret passage in plumbing of the central control tower.

–Is it really okay to go by yourself?

Tuntun wanted to accompany him but Ark respectfully declined. The octopuses didn’t have any combat power. So it was more convenient for Ark to act alone. Ark climbed into the pipe again after finishing everything in the octopuses’ lair. The pipe was so narrow that he had to crouch his body so that he could finally enter. But Ark was the supervisor of the pipe cleaning group on R-14.

Susak! Susak! Susak! Susak!

Ark crossed the pipe at a speed that wasn’t inferior to the octopuses.

‘I expected it but it really is no joke.’

When he looked through the gaps a lot of Sufferers caught his eye. He couldn’t be relieved even if he was in the pipe. The Sufferers responded to sound. Every time there was a sound in the pipe the Sufferers would respond and scratch at the wall nearby. And they always looked around restlessly for 3~4 minutes. It made him freeze! He would lie like the dead inside the pipe and not move a finger.

‘I can’t be hasty. I don’t know what will happen if the Sufferers discover I’m in the pipe.’

It took him 13 days to reach Charem. If he made a mistake because of his impatience then he would never get all that time back. The most imperative thing was to get to the management system on the 40th floor…..or at least that’s what he thought……

‘I can’t pretend I didn’t see this even if it is an emergency!’

Ark looked at the key in his hands with shining eyes.

This was the item he found in the Mumu’s X!

-What? This brat, when did he pick up something like this?

“Well I’m not familiar with it but the guard quarters and armoury is near the stairs that leads form the 39th floor to the 40th floor. This key should belong to the captain of the guards…..maybe he is in the shape of a Sufferer somewhere.”

Tuntun and Jay both said. But those words didn’t enter Ark’s ear. Armoury…..so it was a weapons storehouse. Looking at the present situation, there was no way a lot of weapons would be piled up in the armoury. The guards must’ve taken the weapons when the Sufferers first attacked. But even in this situation. No, in this situation it was impossible for the armoury to be empty.

‘A key obtained in this method wouldn’t just be decorative. This is a game. If I found the key in a place like this then it is impossible for the armoury to be empty.’

Ark’s guess was correct. He finally arrived at the 39th floor after 3 hours of crawling through the pipe. Because of security problems, there wasn’t a separate pipe on the 39th floor that reached the 40th floor. If he hadn’t found the key then he would’ve gone up to the 40th floor via the stairs immediately. But Ark submitted to the risk and searched around the stairs before discovering the armoury. In fact, he had been frustrated when he first entered the armoury. The cabinets that filled the room were open and empty. However there were still boxes piled up on one side filled with bullets! Right now bullets were one of his most important supplies! But Ark hadn’t come here for bullets.

‘No, I don’t know yet. Not all the guards would’ve realized and collected their weapons. There might be one weapon remaining.’

He thought like that and started searching the armoury for 10 minutes. He managed to find 2 items left in the gap between the cabinet and the floor.

Item Type: Shotgun (One handed, Two handed)  Wearer Restriction: Level 65, all professions

Attack: 20~65  Firing Rate: 3.00 Sec

Durability: 80/80 Number of Ammunition:  5

The Fire Eagle P-40 is a shotgun designed to divide the bullet into 10 fragments. The splintered bullets would spread out to attack all enemies in front in a wide area attack.  However, the splintering of the bullet means the damage won’t be as high. The range is 5 metres and the damage will be extremely weak after that distance.

The Fire Eagle P-40 is a small firearm but it unleashes havoc in close combat. Try to hit the enemy’s head from a close range. All the accumulated stress from the battle will be released.

<When using both hands success rate +30%, effect will be applied to all enemies within 5 metres>

Item Type: Rocket Launcher (Two handed)

Wearer Restriction: Level 70, Heavy Armour affiliate

Attack: 200~350  Firing Rate: 10.50 Sec

Durability: 50/50 Number of Ammunition:  1

The rocket launcher is a personal firearm that boasts the strongest firepower. The PW-600 is an RPG that will show an effective performance, especially when used by the armed forces of the galactic federation. The RW-600 will deal 40% splash damage to all enemies within a 15 metre radius of the landing force and will inflict panic for 5 seconds.

Regular infantry with and heavily armoured troops will be like a paper doll in front of you. You who selected the PW-600! There is a possibility that you will become a hero of the battlefield!

<Has a half-homing function. Hit rate + 50%>

Shotgun and RPG! The shotgun and RPG were both weapons that belonged to the expensive category. The magic items were a minimum of 150 gold! He had found 2 such weapons. Although the RPG PW-600 couldn’t be used because of the restriction on body coating, the Fire Eagle P-40 was something he could use immediately! He also got the required shotgun bullets from the Mumu’s X and the armoury. Searching through the Mumu’s X was worth it.

“I was able to obtain 2 weapons and bullets from finding the key in the Mumu’s X. I had felt gloomy when the Phoenix members died but luck has followed. No, that’s not it.”

Ark shook his head.

“I can’t lose my spirit in a place like this. The RPG and shotgun is an unexpected profit but not worth struggling for 13 days. My goal is the quest reward! And the quest completion is in sight. This is the time when I have to be the most careful. If I make a mistake then I’ll be killed. One small mistake will undo all my efforts of the last 13 days. I can’t relax until this quest is finished.”

It wasn’t simply a matter of attitude. If Ark was an ordinary warrior then he couldn’t help feeling too excited. However, Ark wasn’t an ordinary warrior. He was a warrior focused on survival above anything else. And his survivor’s ability needed 100% concentration!

“Stealth.”

Ark said as he took a deep breath. Then his skin gradually became invisible. The bending of light to make his body invisible was a Survival coating skill! Like Binding Sword and Mind Shield, Stealth was a skill that required concentration. Therefore composure was needed to ensure his survival.

Kuaaaaah!

The moment Ark opened the door of the armoury! The horribly distorted faces of Sufferers were all around him.

“Ugh!”

……Ark’s concentration didn’t even last for 1 second. It was reasonable. Who would’ve expected that the Sufferers would be right in front of the armoury? But even in this bad situation, he was Ark!

“Dammit, take this! Fire Eagle P-40!”

Ark quickly took out the shotgun and fired.

Pepepeng-!

Flames started spewing out! The muzzle placed against the Sufferer’s chest exploded and threw it into the wall.

‘T-this is more than I thought…..’

Ark eyed the Fire Eagle. He thought it was quite a good gun when he read the information widow. But he only discovered the real value after using the weapon. And the result was beyond imagination. The Sufferers health only decreased by 10% when he got a head shot but the Sufferer lost 20% when hit by the shotgun. Just like the information window said, it felt like all his stress was flying away! In fact, it was the inevitable result. Fading Steel was a level 20 weapon and despite Impact Blade being a unique weapon, it was still only level 30. But the Fire Eagle was a level 65 firearm. It was also a weapon that maximized damage in close range. The damage of Fading Steel and the Impact Blade couldn’t be compared to the shotgun. As expected, the basic requirement in RPG games was equipment! This scene just confirmed that truth. Ark handled the shotgun with a happy smile.

Kieeeeeeek!

Now wasn’t the time for this. Other Sufferers had shrieked and gathered after hearing the sound of gunfire. Including the Sufferer slammed into the wall, there were now 4 of them rushing at a tremendous speed.

‘I can win against 4 of them with the Fire Eagle but……’

The central control tower was infested with Sufferers. He didn’t realize the extent when moving with the Phoenix members but it was obvious when crawling through the pipes. In other words, it was like he had been left stranded in the middle of a herd of Sufferers. More Sufferers would eventually come.

‘I can’t fight blindly in a place like this. Fortunately I’m right next to the stairs going up to the 40th floor. And Jay’s lab is not far from the stairs. Jay previously managed to escape from the Sufferers by hiding in his lab. If I enter the lab then I can escape the Sufferers’ pursuit!’

Ark’s body automatically moved after he had the thought. Ark ran like lightning through the Sufferers while pulling the trigger. 10 pieces of the bullet exploded all over the place. It wasn’t concentrated on one place but the damage was enough to make the Sufferers flinch. Ark ran towards the stairs with all his power.

“Dammit!”

Ark’s guess was correct. 4 Sufferers were running down the stairs when he turned the corner. One of them discovered Ark and ran up to him.

Pepepepeng!

The Sufferer was hit by the bullet and blown away.

‘Considering the distance and power of the shotgun, that should’ve done 40% damage. But there is no meaning in defeating just one. Right now it is imperative to reach the lab. I have to save my bullets. The shotgun also takes a long time to reload. It will be the end if the bullets run out!’

Then a Sufferer swung its claws at him.

‘There is no time to avoid it!’

“Mind Shield!”

Ark triggered the Mind Shield and placed his muzzle to its stomach. Once again the Sufferer flew back several metres after he pulled the trigger. Ark grabbed the railing of the stairs and jumped up.

Woooooo!

There was a weird sound as he entered the 40th floor. It was the voices of the Sufferers running through the dark hallways towards him. But Ark wasn’t interested in them anymore.

‘The second hallway on the left!’

Jay had told him the layout of the 40th floor. No, he only drew the route to the laboratory. He turned his body and ran in that direction when there was a gunfire and sparks hit the wall and floor. Blocking the passage was a Sufferer holding a rifle that had probably been a guard from the 40th floor. But that didn’t stop Ark. The narrow corridor made it hard to avoid the bullets and there were 10 Sufferers behind him.

‘If I stop then I’ll die!’

“Shield!”

A blue shield rose from his wrist. It was Bhurad’s shield that he hadn’t used in a while. Bhurad’s shield blocked the bullets aiming for his head and chest as Ark rushed forward. Sparks rose and the level 10 shield broke after a few seconds. And even the Mind Shield with 250 durability broke from the Sufferer’s attack. He lost a huge amount of health in an instant.

‘Just a little more! A little more! A bit more! Now!’

“Damn, eat this!”

Ark cursed and grabbed a grenade. He pulled out the safety pin and threw it with all his strength.

Kwa kwa kwa kwang!

There was a roar and the Sufferer flew in every direction. Ark wasn’t entirely safe. He was caught in the explosion and lost 10% health while flying back a little bit. But that was Ark’s intent. The moment the blast occurred, Ark rolled up from the ground and fired the machine gun. Of course that wasn’t all.

Pepepepeng!

It grazed them from groin to chest. The Sufferer was tossed to the ceiling while its crotch became ragged. When the Sufferer aimed its gun at him, Ark smiled pleasantly and dropped to the ground. The bullets collided with the Sufferers chasing him.

“Nice!”

Ark cheered as the Sufferers fell like bowling pins. And a close metal door caught his eye when he turned around. It was the laboratory Jay mentioned. Ark immediately swiped the security card at the terminal next to the door. Then a message flashed on the screen of the terminal.

The administrator privileges is being authenticated…..

“Dammit! Is this a 486 computer? Work quicker!”

Ark tapped his foot and exclaimed. The Sufferers were regrouping.

“Damn it! This is the last…..”

Ark turned and lifted the Fire Eagle. At the same time the door of the lab opened. Ark pulled the trigger as the front Sufferers were hit and then ran into the lab. And the Sufferer at the rear lifted a machine gun! Ark pressed the switch for the door.

Pushu-!

“Pant pant pant, pant pant pant.”

Ark leaned against the door and gasped. There was the sound of the Sufferers firing and clawing at the door but it was no use. The lab that Ark entered was protected by an A class security device. It was made with several layers of steel and superalloys so not even C-6 or RPGs would break it…..that’s what Jay said.

‘That was close.’

When he checked he only had 30% health left. He had lost 70% health even when using Mind Shield and Bhurad’s shield. If it hadn’t been for the shield then he would’ve been eaten by the Sufferers.

‘Anyway, now I can be relieved. I still need to get to the management system but for now I can catch my breath.’

Ark manipulated his Nymphe after taking a rest.

“Phew Jay-nim, I’ve just arrived at the lab.”

–I-is that true?

Jay’s glad voice came from the Nymphe. Before leaving the Charenjok’s shelter, Ark had exchanged recognition codes with Jay. He had heard about the structure of the 39th and 40th floors but there were too many variables he couldn’t understand.

–I honestly didn’t expect much but you’re amazing!

He didn’t expect much? Then Jay thought he was going to die?

-Anyway, now you are 90% successful. If you go exit the door on the other side then it is the control room with the management system. Usually there are no people in the control room. The security devices are all operated automatically. So there shouldn’t be any Sufferers in that area. If you use the security card I gave you then everything should be okay.  He gave…..

That was so condescending.

‘It’s true that I managed to reach here thanks to Jay’s security card. Anyway, Jay said there should be no Sufferers near the control room but I can’t just walk there blindly. I only have one life. So I need to be careful. I only have 2 recovery ampoules remaining.’

Ark reloaded the Fire Eagle and looked around. There were various monitors all over the place and it was divided into several areas with partitions. And bodies were scattered all over the place. The researchers had starved and died when they were locked inside the lab to escape the Sufferers. Ark decided to snoop around the lab.

‘Eh? What is that?’

A large rock was placed in a circular space in the centre of the lab. It was oval shaped like an egg and approximately 3 metres in size. It was an opaque, black rock with something that looked like ice or crystal on it. Various types of devices to study the rock were attached to it.

“What is that?”

–What? What did you say?

“A rock that looks like the egg in the centre of the lab.”

–A rock that looks like an egg? Ah, that. I don’t understand it well either. It was something that Java purchased before this situation occurred. I heard it was a meteorite that fell on some planet. But doesn’t there appear to be something in the rock? There are letters carved on the surface of the rock.It is clearly not an ordinary meteorite. So it was moved to the lab to be examined. Please don’t touch it. It is expensive.

‘Letters carved on the surface?’

Ark tilted his head and approached the rock. He couldn’t see it from the front but the angle of light changed when he approached. Embossed characters could be seen on the surface. Ark narrowed his eyes and looked at the characters without specifically thinking anything.

‘T-this is…..?’

Ark had seen those characters inscribed on the rock before. He had seen these bizarre shapes in the pyramid underneath Beltana. And it was carved on the slab that the treasure hunter Milan found. It was the Murat letters!

‘There’s no doubt about it. This is the Murat letters! Then?’

Ark placed his fingers on the characters with an expectant expression. The Nymphe’s automatic translation function started working and the message appeared.

I am Osiris, the master of eternal life.

The day of ruin passed many months ago…..I left searching for the legacy of the great gods in order to resurrect the species but I couldn’t’ accomplish it and went to sleep. You who have inherited the will of the Murat shall awaken me with the purest light.

This is a warning for those who disturb my sleep without the will of the Murat. Everybody that is vain and greedy will be struck with Osiris’ curse.

‘Murat! It really is the Murat!’

Ark’s heart thumped wildly. He had put of the Murat slab discovered by Milan to find Charem. But who knew he would discover another Murat relic in Charem? He had thought it was a jackpot when he discovered the shotgun and RPG in the armoury.

‘This is different from the slab that Milan found. It is apparent that the Murat left something based on the phrase recorded. The relic wouldn’t be left behind for no reason. There must be something.’

Ark couldn’t just leave something like this alone. No, he wouldn’t get another chance to obtain it after this one.

‘The Sufferers are currently infesting the tower so this is my only chance. If the problem is settled then the control tower will return to Java’s possession. No, I wouldn’t even be allowed into the lab. So now’s the only chance. This is the only time to get the meteorite!’

But there was a part that weighed on his mind. The meteorite was different from the RPG and shotgun he found. Ark was the only person currently in the lab. If the control tower was taken back and the meteorite missing then it was obviously that Ark was behind it. It would be troublesome if Java discovered that he broke the meteorite and took the contents inside.

‘That can’t happen. I need to clean this up.’

Ark thought for a while before saying.

“But why is this thing broken? Did you do that?”

–Broken? Such a thing? It was perfectly fine when I escaped from the lab. The lab was also closed so the Sufferers also won’t be able to enter.

“I don’t know either.”

–Damn, there was still a lot I wanted to learn.

The method Ark came up with was saying ‘I don’t know. It was already  like that.’ If Ark said this then Jay had no choice but to believe it. Even if a problem occurred later on, he could use Jay as a witness to insist on his innocence.  This was the real value for Ark!

‘Now shall I see what I can get?’

Ark laughed and used his Fire Eagle. However, Ark was so engrossed with setting up an alibi that he forgot about something. The very last part of the phrase carved on the surface of the meteorite was ‘curse.’ In the past he was blinded by the items in the pyramid and fell into a trap……He was so excited by the opportunity that he completely forgot about it. Ark was reminded of those memories shortly after pulling the trigger.

“Set Bullets Shooting!”

Cheolkeok, cheolkeok, cheolkeok! Pepepeng!

The Fire Eagle spouted tremendous fire power. It was the shotgun that blew the Sufferers back several metres! Ark believed that the rock wouldn’t be able to endure it. However the meteorite didn’t even have one scratch on it.

“What? No matter how hard it is, to not even get one scratch……”

Suddenly the meteorite turned red hot and a thunderous voice was heard in his head.

–You have interfered with my sleep without permission! You shall suffer Osiris’ curse!

“C-curse?”

Ark flinched and retreated. He really couldn’t imagine what happened next. Dozens of light shot up from the meteorite and a blurry object appeared. At first it was a circular object until metal legs emerged and formed a spider! It was the spider that crawled out of the Sufferer’s stomach when it died and carried the zombie virus.

“S-spider? Why all of a sudden?”

Ark burst out with confusion and retreated. The group of spiders that emerged from the light quickly stampeded towards Ark.

-12 damage!

-9 damage…..

The messages continuously rose in front of him. It only did a maximum of 10 damage. But the 10 spiders bit and clawed at him and he quickly lost 300 health. Ark also penetrated through a dozen Sufferers when rushing to the lab so he only had 30% health left. His health had recovered thanks to a short rest but it managed to go below 50% in 1 minute. He didn’t have time to think about why the spiders appeared.

“Holy shit! N-no!”

Ark suddenly screamed and rolled on the ground. And shot the Fire Eagle at the spiders.

Pepepepeng!

Fortunately the spiders didn’t have a lot of health. Half a dozen spiders melted from the splintered shots.

“Okay.  Even if there are dozens…..”

Ujik! Ujik! Ujik! Kwadududuk!

Ark stood up and lifted the Fire Eagle. Then he heard the sound of bone breaking. Ark turned his head and reflexively stiffened. A researcher’s body sitting in a chair started spasming. It was an instant change. The skin started dried out like a mummy and the sound of the bones breaking was the limbs extending.

“Sufferer!”

Ark realized what was happening. The spider was infecting the corpse with the Sufferer virus.

“Oh my god! All the corpses here……”

Ark belatedly realized the situation and looked around desperately. There were 15 bodies in the lab! In order words, the spiders could create 15 Sufferers inside the lab. That was more than the number outside the lab. If that happened then he would totally lose!

Kieeeeeeek!

At that time the mutation into a Sufferer finished. Ark hurriedly pulled out his dagger and drove it into the Sufferer’s mouth. When the Sufferer fell to the ground, Ark placed the muzzle of his gun against the stomach and pulled the trigger.

Pepepepeng!

The Sufferer flew away and grabbed his stomach. But Ark had no time to worry about that Sufferer. There was a bunch of spiders that hadn’t mutated into Sufferers yet. He was more worried about them changing into Sufferers. The spiders were gathering around the researchers’ corpses.

‘It is the end if they all change into Sufferers!’

However, there were still dozens of spiders left. Except for the spiders attached to Ark, others were hidden in hard to get areas like under the desk, in niches and partitions.

Ujik! Ujik! Ujik! Kwadududuk!

Meanwhile another corpse was moving.

‘I made a mistake! There is no way to stop the spiders that have already scattered! I can’t take care of 15 Sufferers even if I wear the battle suit! The only way is to burn the corpses with the flamethrower……’

Ark suddenly raised his head.

‘Wait a minute, corpses? Yes, the corpses! If I get rid of the corpses then I can stop the spiders! And the flamethrower isn’t the only way to get rid of a corpse!’

“Come out! Armour armament!”

Ark jumped up and shouted. At that moment there was a storm and all the spiders attached to him flew of. The space warped and a black, insect like armour appeared. Ark was then covered with the armour. It was his battle suit Hyper Drone that increased all stats by 30%! But Ark had a reason other than the boost in stats to summon the Hyper Drone.

“Come out, Shire! Rune Carving, Ikram!”

Ark’s hand drew a complex character in the light. It was the Ikram rune he learnt in the pyramid! Then a hazy shape that looked like the ghost of Anubis appeared in the air. The dog’s head was then sucked into the researcher’s body. Then the researcher’s body started shaking like it was about to explode. And a dog with the head of a person emerged! It was the Hell hound.

“That’s it! It was successful!”

This was the method Ark devised!

“If the corpses are a problem then I should change it into Hell hounds!”

Then the Sufferer that received the shotgun bullet to its stomach came running. But Ark had no interest in the Sufferer anymore. He could see the spiders spreading out behind the Sufferer’s body. Ark was only interested in the Sufferer’s body.

“Those damn spiders, take this!”

Pepepepeng!

Ark fired towards the swarm of spiders around the corpses. While the spiders scattered, he avoided the Sufferer’s attacks and carved a rune in the air.

“Come out, Shire! Rune Carving, Ikram!”

Pepeng!

A new Hell hound was created. However, he couldn’t take the counterattack of the spiders lightly. While the Hell hound was being created, a corpse on the other side started being turned into a Sufferer. Ark blindly fired at the spiders and shouted.

“Dammit, Hell hound! What are you standing around looking stupid for? Spider! Attack the spiders that are devouring the offerings to Anubis! Don’t just stand there watching! Stupid! Why aren’t you catching those spiders? Catch the ones approaching the corpses! Run!”

The 2 Hell hounds Ark created ran across the laboratory at Ark’s command. The abilities of the Hell hounds depended on the body that was sacrificed. The corpses that Ark offered were researchers. Their stats would be trivial. But they were still better than the spiders that had been hit by the Fire Eagle.

Grrrr! Bark! Bark! Bark! Bark!

They might be weaker than people but the cat was better at catching mice. The Hell hound was the same. It would be difficult to catch the spiders if they were hiding underneath the desks and partitions. However, the spiders were desperate to dig into the corpses to transform them into Sufferers. Ark also wasn’t idle.

“Ikram! Ikram! Ikram!”

He rolled around wielding his dagger and Fire Eagle while turning the bodies into Hell hounds. And he ordered the new Hell hounds that emerged to attack the spiders. The Hell hounds chased after the spiders and the Sufferers ran after Ark. Meanwhile he ran around transforming bodies into Hell hounds and attacking the Sufferers…….

‘It’s up to here!’

Ark gasped and raised his head.

The battle suit’s mana lasted for 30 minutes but he ran away using Rune Carving and the mana decreased to 22% in just 2 minutes.

‘But……’

Ark had managed to use Ikram 7 times! There were 7 Hell hounds running around in the laboratory. Those 7 Hell hounds ran around and caused the spiders to emit smoke before melting. While the Hell hounds were running around, 5 Sufferers managed to be successfully created. There were still a few corpses but no more spiders.

‘This should be enough!’

Ark stopped using Rune Carving. There was 22% mana left before the battle suit would be recalled. The Hell hounds would also disappear. The Sufferers weren’t increasing anymore so there was no reason to keep them around. But Ark could use the bonus stats and Hell hounds when fighting against the Sufferer.

Pushu-!

<Your health has been restored by 500>

“Now let’s stick!”

Bbok bbok bbok bbok! Bbok bbok bbok bbok

-You have recovered 2 health…..

He used the recovery ampoule! The token was placed on his head! At the same time Ark turned and fired at the Sufferers. The 5 Sufferers pushed aside the desks and chairs and rushed at Ark.

“Sonic Sword!”

The dagger broke through the speed of sound and caused a shock wave. Ark pushed back the first Sufferer and exclaimed.

“Hell hounds! Stop those guys in the back!”

Bark! Bark! Bark! Bark! Kaekang!

As expected, the Hell hounds created from the bodies of the Sufferers were extremely weak. They seemed incredibly strong when hunting the spiders but were nothing against the Sufferers. One attack would decrease their health by 20%. But he didn’t expect a lot anyway. Ark just wanted to disperse the focus of their attacks. The Hell hounds persistently bit onto their legs despite being kicked. The 7 Hell hounds are tied up 2 Sufferers! It was good enough.

“Set Bullets Shooting!”

Cheolkeok, cheolkeok, cheolkeok! Pepepeng!

The projectiles shot out by the Fire Eagle exploded instantly. The shotgun caused 20% damage to three Sufferers! Meanwhile the one shot directly in the chest received 50% damage and flew back 10 metres. The claws of the Sufferers attacked from the left and right. But Ark ducked down and the claws just swiped through the air. The Sonic Sword then hit the Sufferer’s ankle, causing it to collapse. Ark then aimed at the head of the Sufferer.

Cheolkeok, cheolkeok, cheolkeok! Pepepeng!

<You have inflicted a serious blow and the enemy will receive additional 150% damage>

The head of the Sufferer blew up like a watermelon and it collapsed. This wasn’t the first Sufferer Ark killed since entering the contaminated area. He joined the Phoenix squad and gained 4 levels travelling through the city and he was level 72 after entering the central control tower. But his growth wasn’t simply in the levels. His experience of fighting against the Sufferers was ingrained into his body. His movements were completely different from the first time he met the Sufferers. He also inadvertently obtained the Fire Eagle!

Kakak! Kakaka! Pepepeng!

Ark relentlessly attacked the possessed Sufferers. His sword split apart bone and flesh while the Fire Eagle’s bullets lodged into the Sufferer. He was indeed in a trance! Meanwhile the cool down time of Mind Shield was over so Ark triggered it and didn’t receive that much damage. After approximately 3 minutes.

Cheolkong! Pushu!

The casings fell from the Fire Eagle’s cylinder. The casings fell among the scattered remains of the Sufferers on the ground.

‘There’s 2 left!’

Ark reloaded the bullets and started moving. 5 Hell hounds had died when he looked at the remaining 2 Sufferers. However the Sufferers weren’t completely okay. The Hell hounds hadn’t stopped biting and the Sufferers’ ankles were so worn that bone could be seen. Just like the Hell hounds, the Sufferer’s ability also depended on the body it mutated from. Moreover, this Sufferers were just created so they were extremely weak from the ones Ark normally faced. Ark could also easily take down 3 even if they were the strong ones.

“Hell hounds. That’s enough. If any spiders emerge from these guys then kill them straight away! I’ll take care of those fellows!”

Kong kong kong! Kong kong kong!

Ark called off the Hell hounds and wielded his sword and gun. The Sufferer’s health had decreased by 20% while taking care of the 5 Hell hounds. But the ankles meant that their movements were decreased. Their health was reduced by 30~40% after the focused attacks. And Ark wasn’t an opponent easily stopped by the Sufferers.

<The Hyper Drone will be recalled to its dimension and it can’t be summoned for another 10 hours>

The mana consumption of summoning so many Hell hounds meant the battle suit was recalled quicker. Ark didn’t pay any attention and continued attacking the Sufferers.

Kieeeeeeek!

The battle ended with a final cry of distress. The Hell hounds meant to be killing the spiders had also disappeared with the battle suit so Ark took care of them. Finally the spiders, Sufferers and Hell hounds disappeared and Ark was the only one left in the lab.

“Pant pant pant! Now I understand what is going on. It is obvious what happened in Charem.”

Ark breathed harshly as he looked at the meteorite. The Sufferers had suddenly appeared one month ago. When he first heard Kalbern’s words he thought nothing of it. But there was a reason for it. It was a game but there was a reason for the unidentified biohazard. The curse on the meteorite was produce the spiders as soon as it was hit!

“This isn’t a biohazard. It is a curse. Just like Anubis was in charge of the pyramid, the Osiris created the curse that made the Sufferers. Jay didn’t know that and someone hit the meteorite as an experiment.”

Clearly it spread because of that. And spiders appeared and all the people inside the lab became Sufferers. The Sufferers left the lab and attacked the guards that tried to stop them……

The situation repeated several times until the control tower and the surrounding area in the city became contaminated with Sufferers.

“This is the first generation of Sufferers. It is the cause of the Sufferers. Jay and the researchers who died in here were unaware that this was the cause of all the damage. And I just invoked the curse again. If it wasn’t for the Ikram rune then I would be dead.”

The Ikram was a rune that offered up bodies to summon a Hell hound. It was similar to the process of creating a Sufferer. Well they were both techniques of the Murat so they would be similar but……in the end he managed to survive against a curse using another curse.

“Okay what now? There is no doubt that is a relic form the Murat. But it didn’t receive one scratch from the Fire Eagle and it also caused a curse. In other words, there must be a separate way to unseal it……if I go to the management system then there was no doubt I can solve Charem’s problem. However I can’t carry the whole thing……”

While Ark was busy thinking…..

Ku ku ku ku! Ku ku ku ku! Ku ku ku ku!

Suddenly the meteorite vibrated and shattered? He struggled so hard to find out how to crack it but it was suddenly resolved? Then Ark heard a voice in his head while he was staring with a dumb expression.

–The pure light has released the seal. You, take up the Murat’s will!

“Eh? The pure light? It was definitely recorded that pure light could wake up the meteorite but…..wait? That reminds me…..the Shire! That’s right, the Shire is a technique originally used by the Murat. And the Shire was a photon organism. The pure light must be referring to the Murat’s Shire. Oh my god, I had the method to unseal the meteorite all along?”

There was no reason for him to go through all that trouble in the first place. But that was the result. If it wasn’t for Osiris’ curse then Ark would still be yanking at his head. The process might not be smooth but at least the seal was released! And the thing that appeared in the meteorite was a mummy! The mummy was dressed like a Pharaoh while holding a small pyramid in its hands. The only difference from the small pyramid found underneath Beltana was the colour.

“This pyramid is obviously……”

The moment Ark touched the pyramid! Light shot up from the vertex of the pyramid and a video appeared.

‘Indeed! This is the same reaction as the small pyramid underneath Beltana!’

The 3D video that appeared in thin air……

7 people wearing pharaoh clothes were standing in a place that looked like a spaceship and staring outside. A large fireball was falling outside the spaceship. It was a huge fireball that seemed like it was going to swallow the planet! A man looked at the fireball and sighed before muttering. He couldn’t understand it but the conversation seemed to be about the fireball. After a brief moment, the man pulled out a small, gold pyramid. The remaining 6 people also took out small pyramids. They simultaneously lifted it over their head and a huge light shot out. And hundreds, thousands…..the incalculable number of lights flew towards the fireball.

‘W-what is that? 7……there were originally 7of these pyramids? And that light? It was created after the pyramids were gathered…..this pyramid isn’t the same as the one I received before? Is there a hidden secret within the pyramids?’

The pyramid that he had accidentally found on Beltana was still hiding something! As seen from the video, something great would occur if all 7 pyramids were gathered. Ark’s heart felt unsteady when he discovered this. But he still didn’t know wat was going on. That’s because the video ended with the explosion of the light.

The new image showed a man dressed in pharaoh’s clothes inside a small, capsule like spacecraft and flying somewhere. He was holding the brown pyramid that Ark had right now. Endless…..endless…..endless…..he flew for so long that his skin changed to that of a mummy. And the man finally realized it was the end for him. He opened the bottom of the pyramid and put his hand in, filling it with light. His eyes closed and he hardened to stone. It was the rock that had broken just now.

The universe has a long history and many alien civilizations have grown and declined. Finding undisclosed information can help illuminate the history of the universe. Hidden alien artefacts or technology can play a decisive role.

+ Information about the ancient alien species Murat (2/15).

+ You have obtained 300 Adventure points for acquiring information about the Murat.

+ You have gained 5 Intelligence for acquiring information about the Murat.

The image disappeared and the information window popped up. He gained bonus adventure points and intelligence like the previous time. But disappointment spread on Ark’s face.

“Damn, I was full of expectations but it was just a clue to secrets hidden within the pyramids? It is no different from throwing bait while fishing only to pull up some rice. No, the mummy turned into a meteorite in the second video…..perhaps he was also looking for the pyramids? That reminds me, on the meteorite it was recorded that the mummy was searching for the legacy of the gods. Then maybe there was some incident where the Murat lost the pyramids and the mummy was searching for it when he died of old age…..is it somehow related to the video form Beltana?”

Ark frowned and muttered. Then the mummy turned into dust and glittering objects fell onto the ground.

Item Type: Necklace  Wearer Restriction: Level 100

A necklace belong to the Murat, an ancient alien species that was destroyed a long time ago.

The purple gemstone inserted in the pendant of the necklace emits a mysterious light. This gem disappeared a long time ago but it had a stabilizing effect and was nicknames the ‘light of intelligence.’ The ancient Murat respects wisdom above everything else and decorated various accessories with it. The gemstone placed in the Sheraton’s Dawn is a size that is hard to process.

<Intelligence +45, Mana Regeneration +30%>

“T-this……!”

Ark’s mouth dropped open as he lifted the necklace. Jewellery was more expensive than weapons when traded in Galaxian! And this was a rare jewellery. But Ark’s mouth wasn’t wide open because it was good.

“Ugh! Why is it mana instead of mental power?”

And the option was mana recovery +30%! Ark was increasingly using skills that required mana in recent times so he was glad about that. But Ark’s normal skills didn’t use mana. No, he didn’t even have a gauge for mana in the first place. Of course, this was the first rare necklace he got and the +45 intelligence meant he could sell it to Espers for a high price. 45 intelligence was a great option. No, he should cheer at the 45 intelligence attached to it.

“It is still too early to be disappointed. Just like the mummy in Beltana, this pyramid was filled with light. That light is the Shire. If it is the same as before then it is a new rune. A new skill!”

Ark fiddled with the bottom of the pyramid when he stopped. If he died then the skill he learnt from the item would disappear. Even if he was within the vicinity, the management system hasn’t been recaptured yet. An unexpected situation where he could die might occur after learning the skill! I can’t waste the skill that I obtained through a weird incident.

“Yes, it isn’t necessary to learn the skill at this time. I can learn it after I settle Charem’s problem and register at the Fairy. It is fine until then.”

Ark placed the pyramid in his bag. Then he turned and looked at the metal door on the other side. If he exited that door then there was only several hundred metres left until the management system!