Chapter 32: Holy Relic (3)

Considering that, it was still an astonishing rate of growth.

'Guess having a body this resilient plays a big part too.'

Morning had dawned.

No, to be precise, the sun was already high in the sky, so it was more of a late morning.

[You have taken sufficient rest after a fierce battle! Your torn muscles recover, increasing Strength and Stamina.]

[Strength stat has increased.]

[13 -> 14]

[Stamina stat has increased.]

[15 -> 16]

The sweet rest after a grueling journey.

And what followed that rest was even sweeter growth.

'At this level... I guess I can be considered about Orange Line caliber.'

Strength and Stamina are the most fundamental and important stats, making them the hardest to raise.

So much so that some users on the community boards would joke that increasing them felt like building real-life muscle.

I had already pushed my limits several times during the fight against the recovery team for the Experimental Round GHOST-157.

Even though the bone armor had helped, I had overwhelmed Sargeant Henry and the Ark's highly trained soldiers in close combat.

My body should have shown signs of strain, but instead of breaking down, it used the ordeal as fuel to grow even stronger.

'Well, I guess that's to be expected for someone surviving outside Ark.'

Carl Marcus was born outside Ark and has no choice but to live out there.

Although I didn't go through training with the other recruits, we essentially started fighting around the same time, so it made sense that I'd grow at this pace.

'Well, that's not important right now...'

For breakfast—more like brunch—I prepared some Hellhound meat stew.

After taking a spoonful, despair washed over me.

Unfortunately, having consumed way too many Multi-Calorie Bars, it was time I got used to cooking with monster ingredients.

Chew, chew—

...How could meat taste like chewing on rubber?

'...I guess I'll have to start researching recipes when I get the chance.'

As they say, food, clothing, and shelter are essential for survival.

For soldiers, tasty food boosts morale and combat performance.

And for someone like me, surviving alone in the wilderness, flavorless food can be a major blow to my will to live.

Back when I watched from the other side of the monitor, it didn't matter what my character ate as long as they were full and nourished.

But now that I was the one eating, it was a critical issue.

'Sure, getting food supplies from inside Ark would be ideal...'

If luck permitted, I might be able to pull that off occasionally, but it wasn't a reliable option.

For the most part, I had to secure food on my own.

'Never thought I'd end up researching cooking here... Maybe I should see if I can trade with the Sandstorm Caravan for some spices later.'

Though, who knows if adding spices would even help this bland, chewy mess.

Forcing down the rest of my sorry excuse for a meal, I got up to properly plan the relic theft operation.

There were a few preparations needed before infiltrating Ark.

'First, the plan.'

Of course, it wasn't my first time sneaking into Ark.

But back then, I had the status of an Ark soldier and the support of the Shadow Order.

Now I was entirely on my own, which meant I had to be flawless.

'There's no room for mistakes.'

Ark had countless enemies.

Not just the Kronos Union, formed from other cities' refugees, but also the Church of Morte, the Shadow Order, and countless other minor factions.

The only group rivaling Ark in terms of sheer number of adversaries was Mot Church.

Considering the atrocities Mot Church regularly committed, it was no surprise Ark had enemies everywhere.

That's why Ark showed no mercy to intruders.

Failure to infiltrate meant death.

'Of course, since it's still the early stages of the scenario, the security is a bit looser...'

Kronos Union was just beginning to form, and neither the Church of Morte nor the Shadow Order had reached peak activity yet.

Ark's defenses were relatively lax.

Besides, it was right after a Wave, making it the perfect time to sneak in.

'The method of entry... There's really only one option.'

Currently, Ark's surveillance system was down because of the corpse disposal operation, which had temporarily disabled thermal sensors.

That meant I had two viable infiltration routes.

'The first is through the sewers, and the second is through the Black Line.'

When the Red Line scenario advances past Stage 5, a side scenario occurs.

It involves monsters and beasts infiltrating Ark through the moat and connected sewer system.

After that event, the sewers are permanently sealed.

In other words, if I wanted to use the sewers, now was the time.

'The second option...'

The Black Line.

Once Ark's frontmost defense line, it was now just a desolate wasteland.

The sturdy walls had crumbled, and the soldiers who once guarded them had vanished.

But there was one thing that remained.

'There's a secret passage in the Black Line that connects to the Rose Line.'

Since the passage still exists even in the late stages of the scenario, it should be usable now.

'But... it's likely that once it's used, they'll investigate and block it off.'

Ark wasn't stupid.

Once they noticed an intruder, they would undoubtedly investigate the route I used.

'The sewer route will be sealed off soon anyway. Better that I use it before it's gone.'

With the route settled, the next step was to determine the relic's location.

'First, I'll have to find Tatiana Belov's personal office.'

Finding the relic was the crux of the plan, but the available information was sparse.

Navy Line Major. Level 3 Ether Adapter. Responsible for external missions. Possibly the daughter of Anton Belov.

That was all I had to go on to locate her office.

It was like searching for a needle in a haystack, but at least I knew where some of the potential haystacks were.

'Based on these criteria... about twenty possible locations.'

Factoring in the assumption that she was Anton Belov's daughter narrowed it down even further.

'Five key locations.'

If she wasn't Anton Belov's daughter, I'd need to reconsider, but it was better to start with the most likely spots.

'Even if I find her office, there's no guarantee the relic is there...'

The three relics of the Church of Morte vary in form and size.

Some are small enough to carry, while others are larger than a person.

'At least it's not the latter.'

If it were, she would have discarded it while fleeing.

Since she kept running, it meant the relic was small enough to carry.

'There's also a chance that she's keeping it on her at all times.'

Not the best news for me.

'In that case, I'll need to find a way to separate her from the relic.'

How?

'Think, think...'

While I didn't know much about Tatiana Belov personally, I could infer her behavior from what I'd observed.

'She kept the relic on her even in life-threatening situations—indicating a diligent personality.'

'And she even tried to gather information about the stranger who saved her—showing a sense of loyalty.'

'If that's the case...'

Tatiana Belov was diligent and committed, whether she knew the relic's significance or not.

If she had to go out on another mission, she would likely store the relic somewhere safe first.

'First, lure Tatiana Belov outside.'

The method wasn't difficult.

Thankfully, some "Santa Clauses" had already delivered just the right gift recently.

'Good.'

No need to waste time.

I immediately set my plan into motion.

*

Navy Line's frontline.

Normally, it was a place too dangerous to even consider approaching.

But since it was right after a Wave, the battlefield was eerily quiet, not a single shadow of a beast to be found.

Before setting out in earnest, I took a moment to observe Ark's defensive line.

'Hmm.'

Thick smoke billowed into the air.

No, calling it smog might be more accurate.

Breathing in the acrid, stinging air, I slipped on a gas mask and covered it with my bone mask.

It wasn't exactly wise to inhale that foul smoke without protection.

My attire was the same as always—bone mask and camouflage poncho.

Beside me lay the corpse of a soldier who had been abducted by a flying beast.

This unfortunate fellow would serve as my alibi for what I was about to do.

I carefully placed a broken handgun next to the body, right by the encroaching flames, making it seem as if he had perished while calling for help.

After finishing the preparations, I quietly looked up at Ark's towering wall.

The distance between me and the wall was about 3 kilometers.

Just a few more steps forward, and I'd be within Ark's detection range.

'But right now, the smoke and fire are interfering with both visibility and thermal sensors.'

This moment was one of the rare opportunities for an outsider to sneak into Ark.

I calmly aimed my rifle skyward and gently pulled the trigger.

Piuuuuuung────!

A small yet loud noise.

A flash of light.

It was a flare.

The burst of fireworks scattered through the sky, signaling a distress call.

Given that the Wave had just recently ended, the appearance of a stranded survivor seemed quite plausible.

And, naturally, there was no way Ark would miss such a conspicuous call for help.

Ziiiiiing─

The massive gate of Ark slowly lowered.

A reconnaissance team that had been on standby was being dispatched.

'As expected... That was fast.'

Their response time was impeccable—less than five minutes.

If my guess was right, Tatiana Belov would be among them.

After all, this was the frontline of the Navy Line where she was stationed.

With all preparations complete, it was time to move.

'Alright... Let's go.'

It was time to retrieve the relic.

***

Read 110+ chapters ahead!

Patreon(.)com/SiRoasa