Chapter 37: Personal Maintenance

That was close.

I ran as if fleeing the moment Tatiana Belov disappeared from my sight.

I didn't want to loiter around and risk getting caught over something trivial.

'It wasn't perfect, but... there was no other way.'

The best method would have been to resolve the situation without having to call Tatiana Belov at all.

However, the Shadow Order already knew about the existence of the relic, and for me to survive against Sart in my current state, I had no choice but to borrow Tatiana Belov's strength.

Of course, there was a third way to survive without contacting her... but that carried far greater risks than calling her.

'Besides... I gained something unexpected.'

The Ark wireless communication device.

And it wasn't just any device—it belonged to a special task force officer from the reconnaissance unit.

Naturally, as long as I didn't stray too far from Ark's perimeter, I could still use it even outside the base.

Tatiana Belov must have handed it over to me thinking it was just a simple emergency signal tool, but it had far more uses than that.

'Now I can monitor the situation inside Ark to some extent.'

No one else could do that, but I could.

I already knew the public communication channels circulating within Ark, as well as the access codes to the more covert, hidden channels.

Moreover, thanks to the device's ability to recharge through solar power and kinetic energy, I didn't have to worry about it running out of energy.

Just leaving it under the sun for a few hours or carrying it around while moving would be enough to keep it charged.

In other words, it was a device that could be used almost semi-permanently.

'And... I need to move my hideout as soon as I get back.'

I didn't know exactly how long Sart had been watching me, but judging from the fact that he didn't know about the bone armor, it couldn't have been too long.

I could roughly estimate that he started observing me after I infiltrated Ark or around that time.

'Given that monsters tend to avoid Mount Noah, it's understandable.'

Of course, a monster of Sart's caliber could force itself to come if it had a specific purpose, but it wouldn't make sense for him to show up without a clear reason.

Thanks to that, it seemed likely that he hadn't yet discovered my hideout, but I couldn't let my guard down.

Not just because of Sart, but also because Tatiana Belov might unexpectedly show up again someday.

It was the most rational choice in many ways.

'I should head toward the western front.'

Apart from the Rose Line at the forefront, each line within Ark has two fronts.

The western front and the eastern front.

So far, I had been staying near the eastern front, but it seemed like it was time to relocate.

Specifically, closer to the western front.

'I was going to head there sooner or later anyway.'

The types of monsters and beasts appearing on the western and eastern fronts differ slightly.

Moreover, the factions operating in each area are different as well.

If the Kronos Union and the Shadow Order mainly operate on the eastern front, then the western front is dominated by the Church of Morte and smaller groups like the Sandstorm Caravan.

Distancing myself from the Shadow Order's territory while gradually making contact with the Sandstorm Caravan didn't seem like a bad idea.

'I've also accumulated a decent amount of trading materials.'

Various bullets and equipment were more than enough to catch the interest of the Sandstorm Caravan.

If I used them as leverage, I could obtain whatever I needed.

'Besides, around this time, the Sandstorm Caravan might still have that item.'

If I was lucky, its value might not yet be widely known, giving me an opportunity to profit greatly.

'Of course, that's only possible if I make contact with the Sandstorm Caravan.'

I would think about how to do that once I returned.

'For now, I need to head back.'

I quickened my pace.

*

The path from the Navy Line's frontline to Noah, where it meets the Red Line, was not easy.

The distance alone was well over dozens of kilometers, and I had to avoid the occasional movements of the monster hordes, making it even more challenging.

'If I had moved along the Ark, I wouldn't have encountered any monsters... but I can't afford to expose my presence to the Ark.'

Of course, strictly speaking, there are already a few people within the Ark who know of my existence.

Kurilta and the refugees, including Lieutenant Imosha of the Red Line.

Major Tatiana Belov of the Navy Line and the reconnaissance soldiers who saved me just a while ago.

On top of that, a few of the upper echelons from the Red Line and White Line who received their reports would also be aware of me.

'But to them, I'm just a mere refugee. It's best to maintain that position for now.'

Eventually, as the Wave passes and time goes on, the Ark will inevitably become aware of my existence.

So, it would be wise to take care of as much as possible before that time comes.

And then...

I finally arrived at Noah.

I kept a close eye on the movements of shadows on my way back, but fortunately, there were no signs of Sart following me.

Sart is a master of stealth, but even then, when he moves, there's a faint sense of something odd in the shadows.

'If he had persistently clung to me, it would have been quite troublesome... I guess I should be relieved.'

It seemed Sart also judged that reporting the gathered information to Dan was more beneficial than taking a pointless risk.

In hindsight, that was indeed the right decision.

I took a deliberately winding route through Noah for several hours, just in case my hideout might have been discovered.

Several hours later.

I finally reached the hideout nestled halfway up Noah.

"Whew..."

I'm exhausted.

More than anything, my entire body reeked terribly from having waded through the toxin-filled sewers.

Since it was likely toxic gas, I couldn't just leave it as is.

'I need to do laundry... Should I set up a washing spot?'

Since I couldn't pollute the hot spring water just for laundry, I grabbed a shovel and dug a small pit at a distance from the water vein.

Then I placed flat stones I had gathered from nearby inside to make a temporary washing spot.

Since I couldn't let the dirty water seep back underground, this setup would have to do.

'Now then...'

I took off my protective gear and undergarments, throwing them into the makeshift pit, then moved hot spring water with a mess tin.

Unfortunately, I didn't have any detergent or laundry soap, so I had to wash everything by hand.

At least the bone armor, managed by the bone parasite itself, didn't require any maintenance, which was a relief.

'Ah, right, I have that.'

I quickly rummaged through my pack and found some toiletries, cutting off a small piece of precious soap.

Since I couldn't risk exposing the limited soap I had to toxic substances, I used it sparingly to wash both myself and the clothes.

After finishing the rough laundry and a quick wash, I soaked my body in the hot spring water.

The long-awaited soak made my body feel pleasantly lethargic in no time.

"Whew..."

I started organizing my thoughts about what I had gained this time.

'First, the Fang Totem.'

Strictly speaking, it was more accurate to say that the bone armor absorbed the Fang Totem, but the essence was the same.

'I wasn't sure it would work, but I managed to pull it off.'

It was a reckless move, and thinking back on it made me shiver.

If the bone parasite hadn't been able to withstand Ankelenth's power and died...

Or if it had lost its intelligence completely and transformed into a rampaging monster...

No matter the outcome, something terrible would have awaited me.

'Not only would I have lost both the Fang Totem and the bone parasite... but I probably would've died before reinforcements arrived.'

Sart wasn't an opponent I could handle without the bone armor's support.

It was undeniably a dangerously close call.

'Anyway, the important thing is that the bone armor absorbed the Fang Totem.'

The activation condition for the Fang Totem was to expose it to flames.

Once activated, Ankelenth's domain would expand, creating an area where monsters and demons couldn't approach.

However, after being absorbed by the bone armor, the restriction was lifted, allowing me to fully control that power.

The only drawback was that the absorption rate was only 3% so far, meaning it would take a considerable amount of time to unlock the full potential of the Fang Totem.

'If I continue to nurture the bone armor, the absorption rate is likely to accelerate.'

Feeding the bone parasite with more monster and demon corpses had become even more crucial.

'The real issue now is about the bone armor that absorbed Ankelenth's power...'

The power of a relic is not absolute.

Monsters and demons below a certain level instinctively avoid the relic's domain, but that doesn't mean they can't attack from within it.

If I attack them inside the domain, they will instinctively overcome their fear and invade the area without hesitation.

In essence, the relic's power creates a temporary neutral zone.

Moreover, in my case, the duration of Ankelenth's domain is limited, making its application even more restrictive.

Still, I wasn't too disheartened.

Though I would need to experiment to be certain, the true utility of a relic's power wasn't just in creating a safe zone.

'The real value lies in the ability to freely activate and deactivate the domain.'

If I attack monsters within the domain, they'll overcome their instincts and charge in.

But if I establish the domain after the attack...

'Their aggro resets.'

In gaming terms, it's like performing an aggro ping-pong.

It's a secret technique known only to a handful of top-tier players in The Defense.

Of course, I'd need to test it to be sure, but it was promising news nonetheless.

'If I master this, I could potentially intervene beyond the Orange Line, which has always been a concern.'

From my current position on Noah, which is like a safe zone, the effective sniping range barely reaches the Red Line and part of the Orange Line front.

To intervene beyond the Orange Line, I'd either have to move through the frontline unprotected or enter the Ark.

But neither option was feasible at the moment, leaving me stuck in deep thought.

'But now I have a way.'

Though the short duration of Ankelenth's domain makes it hard to fully utilize right now, it would gradually improve.

'There's a lot to do.'

As always, that never changes.

While I was soaking in the hot spring, letting my body relax...

Bzzt, bzzt—

A crackling sound came from the communication device.

***

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