Chapter 7: Cover Blown: Wukong's Curse

I stood there and marveled over the golden crown. Level five artifacts were incredibly super rare, it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to even be this close to one. The maid was even marveled, but she tried to hold in her excitement and be professional about it. She opened the display case and asked me to take it to the commander quickly. Without another second to delay, I grabbed calmly and thanked the maid. With the artifact clutched in my left hand, I take out the Teleporter Orb and activate it.

I was back at the village and with the appropriate gear this time. I quickly looked at my surroundings and hid in the nearest building I could get to. I tucked the orb away and examined the level five artifact.

"Quickly, where's the damn mark?"

I was talking to myself while looking for the mark on the artifact. Every artifact has the mark of the founding father. This mark, when pressed on, will display a description of the artifact's name, level, and power. Finally, I found the mark located behind the crown and pressed it. A virtual screen flashes in front of me and reads the following:

"

Artifact Name: Wukong's Curse

Artifact Level: 5

Artifact Power: Grants the holder the power of Wukong. (Enhanced physical capabilities and reflexes, staff master, cloud manipulation, short spurts of invisibility, resistance to elemental powers, illusions, cloning, shape-shifting, super hearing, and vision)

Artifact Limit: N/A

WARNING: All level 5 artifacts require a sacrifice from the holder before usage.

Artifact Cost: Power in exchange for the holder's: intelligence, memories, and emotions

"

"Power in exchange for the holder's: intelligence, memories, and emotions? What kind of sacrifice is that?" I questioned whether or not the cost was worth it.

For a moment, I just sat there and thought about the negative possibilities that could result from putting on the crown. With all the powers granted I would lose my sense of humanity, and in the process, cause more harm to Roger and the others than good.

As I sat there contemplating, a sudden outburst of collapsing brick walls disturbed me. I look over the wall and notice Roger on the ground. Careless, I swiftly put on the crown, closed my eyes, and activated the artifact. I feel a tremendous amount of power building up within me as I start to open my eyes. The crown starts glowing, but I haven't lost my sense of humanity yet.

Hoping that there was a delay in the artifact's sacrifice, I quickly flashed to the front of the forest before it could start taking effect. The startled soldiers behind me instantly bombard me with bullets out of terror and shock. I thought of taking them out one by one, starting with the backline. But as I rushed past the front and into the backline, the force from my supersonic speed knocked them all away and unconscious. Shocked, I turned around to see my own capabilities and noticed the destruction of the rocks and soil that followed me everywhere I ran.

Filled with euphoria, I smiled and breathed heavily from the excitement. I was finally happy that someone like me, who has never had powers, finally had the chance to be strong. Without a second thought, I got into a starting position, ready to bulldoze my way through the forest and clear the soldiers. In one moment, my feet left the ground and I found myself carelessly running through the forest as I heard the agitated soldiers.

"What's that? We got movement!"

The soldiers were firing at me, but I was moving too quickly for any to hit me. And even if one did get close enough, the force from my speed would change the course of the bullet's trajectory. Because of this, each bullet that flew away either hit another soldier or just flew towards the ground and sky. Soldiers either got knocked out from each other or the force from my speed, thus completing my job within a matter of seconds. Satisfied by my victory, I left the forest.

I am still in a state of euphoria as I touch the crown. "Wow, so this is what a level five artifact can do?"

I marveled at the artifact again, but still questioned why I wasn't feeling an ounce of its side effects. I should've lost my intelligence, memories, and emotions by now, but I remember everything and don't feel any less intelligent. If it were anyone else, I'd definitely question why this phenomenon was happening, but because it was greatly benefiting me, I decided to leave it alone.

I become uneasy and start hearing a menacing laugh coming from the village. I listened closely and familiarized the voice. It was Commander Vision's voice. I run past the unconscious soldiers in front of the forest and through village ruins. I get as close to Roger and Commander Vision as I can without being detected and I wait for a chance to carry Roger out.

All of a sudden, Vision stops his cruel act and checks his surroundings. I was afraid he almost noticed me, but he definitely felt uneasy. Thankfully, he steadily walks away from Roger. I anxiously wait for him to get a good distance away before I swoop in and escape. Seeing that the commander was near the center of the village, I swiftly carried Roger away before the commander noticed.

As I set up a resting spot for Roger in one of the buildings, I notice his injuries and gradually become enraged. Trying to keep in my anger, I calmly lay Roger down while keeping an eye on the commander through a hole in the brick wall. I see him start to make his way towards the forest, in which case, I quickly follow him.

As I follow him from a distance, I see his reaction after finding his fallen soldiers. I could clearly tell he was also enraged. He clenches his teeth and his fist on his way to the forest. Before I follow him in, I begin feeling strain and pressure as his earring starts to glow.