Chapter 34: Holy Relic (5)

A familiar-looking totem.

At the same time, an unfamiliar sensation.

The description only vaguely mentioned that it was made from something, but I knew exactly whose fang it was.

'Ankelenth, the Unclassified Phantom Beast.'

An Unclassified Phantom Beast.

An existence whose power was immeasurable, a being that was nothing short of a calamity for Ark.

The Fang Totem was crafted from the fang of that very Ankelenth.

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

I placed the relic into the pocket of my protective suit and securely sealed it with the bones of my armor.

Even if someone turned me upside down and shook me, it wouldn't fall out.

'Time to get out of here.'

There was no point in lingering here any longer.

The escape process wasn't too difficult.

I encountered a few soldiers, but since they already believed I was a colonel from headquarters, they merely stiffened and saluted when they saw me without saying a word.

Even in Ark, where discipline was strict, no soldier would dare approach and speak casually to a high-ranking officer from an elite unit.

Having smoothly left the Navy Line Recon Battalion's barracks, I glanced around and made my way toward the manhole I had used earlier.

Slowly─

The manhole cover, designed to prevent beast invasions, was considerably heavy.

I grabbed the cover, lifted it, and carefully descended the ladder before sealing it back in place.

Slowly─

Escaping through the sewer wasn't too challenging, but the real difficulty would begin after exiting the moat.

'Infiltrating Ark through the sewers... I probably won't be able to use this route anymore.'

Maybe in other lines, but at least in the Navy Line, it would definitely be impossible.

Once Tatiana Belov reported the intruder, Ark would investigate how I had infiltrated, and it wouldn't take long for them to figure out I had used the sewer.

Of course, they would reinforce the security accordingly.

'That means the side scenario that triggers after Stage 5 might not happen.'

Well, it wasn't a particularly important scenario anyway, so it didn't matter much.

While mulling over various thoughts, I once again faced the dreadful reality that I needed to dive into the contaminated moat water.

'Sigh.'

It was truly a wretched ordeal.

"Hup!"

Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the toxic water without hesitation.

There was no point in stalling since nothing would change regardless.

The one thing that made it bearable was that, unlike when I entered, I didn't have to endure the grueling process of cutting through the bars again.

Having finally escaped the sewer and emerged from the moat, I briefly looked at the broken iron bars before turning my gaze away.

I would have liked to put the bars back in place, but I didn't have an underwater welding tool on me.

"Huff..."

Finally managing to get my head out of the moat, I examined the movement of the surveillance camera before climbing out.

'The flames have died down a bit.'

The diminishing flames meant fewer safe spots to hide my body.

'I have to hurry.'

After studying the movement of the camera lens, I seized the opportunity and leapt out of the moat.

I was finally out of Ark.

Now it was a race against time.

'Wait here for about five seconds... then dash again.'

The shifting flames had altered my escape route, but that wasn't enough to hold me back.

There were no eyes on my back.

In fact, leaving Ark's detection range was arguably even harder than infiltrating it.

Therefore, I had to move even more cautiously than I did when sneaking in.

'Almost out.'

Finally able to catch my breath, I looked around.

Flames were blazing everywhere.

Still, I hadn't lost track of the direction I needed to go.

'Once I get back, I'll have to think about how to make use of this totem.'

The relic from the Cult of Morte was a versatile item.

Especially for someone like me, who survived outside of Ark.

'More than anything, it's an item that can be utilized in combat.'

Among the three relics of the Cult of Morte, some were too massive to be carried alone or had activation conditions that were extremely complicated.

But the Fang Totem was neither—out of the three sacred relics, it was the most practical and versatile.

'I think I'm far enough from Ark's detection range.'

Now I could move a bit more comfortably.

Just as I relaxed my guard for a moment.

[Kigik, Kikikikik...]

[Hehehe...]

[Here, you are.]

The ether around me began to stir.

A clear warning.

'Something... is coming.'

It wasn't just the ether—my instincts screamed it too.

However, looking around revealed nothing but blazing fire—no sign of anyone approaching.

That is, until I looked down.

'No way.'

Swish─!

Suddenly, a shadow under my feet surged upward, narrowly grazing my cheek.

I didn't even have time to register the pain before instinctively rolling away from the second strike.

If I hadn't predicted it, I would've been impaled without a chance to react.

"Hmm?"

What emerged from the shadow was something resembling a human figure.

The writhing darkness slowly took on shape, forming into a slender man with narrow, slit eyes.

I knew this bastard.

"Didn't think you'd dodge that... This just got troublesome, milord."

A tone that sounded polite at first but carried a mocking undercurrent.

It was unmistakably someone I knew.

'...Sart of the Shadows.'

The Shadow Order.

One of the greatest adversaries of Ark, relentlessly plotting to overthrow it and possessing the capability to see that ambition through.

Sart of the Shadows was the Order's most skilled scout.

"...Why are you targeting me?"

"That's something you should know better than anyone, milord."

Sart sneered.

I didn't even need to think hard to figure out why he was after me.

'...As expected, it's not just the Church of Morte after the relic.'

That would mean my hypothesis was correct—the first wave was triggered by the Shadow Order.

Whether that knowledge would actually help me now was another matter.

"I won't bother asking you to hand it over. I know full well you wouldn't comply."

The ground beneath Sart's feet rippled ominously.

There was no way I wouldn't recognize that prelude.

Shwiik─!

From the shadows, countless spikes surged up like deadly thorns.

If I allowed even a single hit, I'd be skewered on the spot.

"Kuh!"

I couldn't dodge them all.

Making a quick decision, I pulled out the Ark-15 automatic conversion rifle and switched it to shotgun mode, pulling the trigger.

Bang!

Sart's attacks were made of shadows, but to manifest as weapons, they had to take on physical form.

That meant they could be stopped by physical means as well.

As I managed to shoot down the incoming spikes with the shotgun, Sart raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh-ho... Impressive, milord."

He was still acting composed.

If he wanted to, he could've filled the entire area with shadow spikes.

The fact that he hadn't meant he still believed he had complete control of the situation.

There was no avoiding this fight.

He came here with the intent to kill me.

Even if I handed over the artifact willingly, Sart would never let me live.

There was no way he'd allow a loose end.

I quickly weighed our respective strengths.

I'd grown remarkably strong in a short time, but the opponent was just too unfavorable.

Sart isn't a frontline fighter in the Shadow Organization.

But despite appearing human, his true nature was that of a Grade-2 Illusory Beast, a Nightmare.

An overwhelmingly powerful foe, far beyond my current abilities.

If the Shadow Organization takes the sacred artifact, everything is over.

There were countless ways the Shadow Organization could utilize the artifact, and no matter what, it would inevitably lead Ark to destruction.

I couldn't let that happen, even if it meant fighting Sart.

Even as I thought through my strategy, Sart didn't stop his onslaught.

Swish, swish, swish—!!!

Shadows, shadows, and more shadows.

They lunged at me in countless forms, each aiming to deliver a fatal blow.

Bang! Bang! Boom!

"Milord, your ammunition seems to be running low. Will you be alright?"

Sart smirked, but I didn't bother correcting his assumption.

If he was underestimating me, I would exploit it.

"Eat this."

Clack—

The NO-13 grenade launcher belched fire.

Boom—!!!

Smoke billowed out, but I knew better than to think it would harm Sart.

Just as expected, he emerged from the shadows, unscathed.

"My, my... A rather fiery temperament, aren't you, milord."

As I thought, mere grenades wouldn't be enough.

To damage a shadow dweller like him, I needed a weapon with enough firepower to pierce the ground where his shadows took root.

Luckily, I do have something like that.

The problem was that I couldn't use it right now.

But there's a way.

I pulled the trigger of the grenade launcher again, and the smugness faded from Sart's face.

Even a Grade 2 Illusory Beast couldn't maintain composure in the face of relentless firepower.

"...Your trickery is rather remarkable, milord. Your rounds should have been exhausted long ago."

He had been waiting for my ammunition to run out before making his move, but I had no intention of giving him that opening.

"No choice, then."

The atmosphere around Sart changed, his earlier confidence fading.

His shadows began spreading across the ground, devouring the earth itself.

[Run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run run—]

Ether violently warned me to flee, but escape was impossible.

My only chance was to act at the right moment.

The countless shadows lunged at me.

Now!

Just then, my bone armor sprang to life, spreading and clashing with the approaching shadows.

Though it couldn't fully block a Grade 2 Illusory Beast, it bought me some time.

"...A Skull Knight? What an unexpected revelation, milord. I see I can't afford to take you lightly."

"Before that... eat this."

"Hmm?"

The moment I aimed a handgun directly at Sart, he cautiously retreated.

He couldn't afford to be careless.

The weapon in my hand was none other than the DR-404 revolver.

"...That's a dangerous thing to be wielding, milord."

Recognizing the DR-404, Sart immediately wrapped himself in a thick layer of shadow, fully alert.

Even a Grade 2 Illusory Beast couldn't ignore the damage that thing could inflict.

Too bad I broke it, though.

It was pure bluff, meant to buy time.

A mere moment was all I needed.

Now, devour it.

I commanded the bone parasite.

The bone armor squirmed and reached into my protective suit's pocket, gnawing on the Fang Totem.

Crunch, crunch—

Better to let the parasite consume the artifact than let it fall into the hands of the Shadow Organization, no matter the outcome.

I've never tried this before... but I have no choice.

Feeding a sacred artifact to the bone parasite was utter madness.

It was something I had never dared to attempt before.

Back when I played The Defense, I almost never used the bone armor.

Most of my runs were done as Skull Knight, as it was far more efficient.

During one of my past attempts, I had tried to absorb a sacred artifact while in Skull Knight form, but the result was always death.

The human body couldn't withstand the power of a sacred artifact.

But what if it's a monster instead?

A gamble worth taking.

"What are you doing—?!"

Crack, cr-crack—

A grotesque sound erupted from within my body, and Sart, sensing something amiss, lunged at me.

In that split second...

[Kiiiiiii! Ki-ki-kiiiiii—!]

A horrifying shriek burst from the bone armor.

I couldn't help but grit my teeth as searing pain coursed through my body.

The armor was changing—warping.

The Fang Totem's power was forcefully merging with the bone parasite, twisting it into something else entirely.

Sart hesitated, his movements faltering.

"What... What have you done?"

It wasn't fear in his voice—just genuine bewilderment.

Crack... Crrrack—!

The bone armor contorted, shifting and warping.

Sharp, blade-like protrusions sprouted from my limbs, and a burning heat surged through me.

[All-consuming Fang... Devour everything...]

The parasite roared, its power swelling to unprecedented levels.

Sart, for the first time, wore an expression of genuine concern.

He cautiously began to retreat, realizing that I had triggered something monstrous.

A low growl escaped my lips.

The Skull Knight had evolved into something far beyond its former self.

"Come at me, Sart."

For the first time, Sart's mocking grin was completely wiped from his face.

***

Read 120+ chapters ahead!

Patreon(.)com/SiRoasa