Ruins
Nobody knows when they started appearing. They just happened to be there, giving people Pieces once they're done exploring or raiding the place or powers such as authorities from proficient-grade ruins.
Although The First Ruiner is an evil one, they also happened to stumble across power and use it for evil deeds. It was an unfortunate time but also fortunate since people could protect themselves from these evildoers.
Yet, throughout the research and investigations regarding this matter, Ruins became part of the people. They saw it everywhere, read it from somewhere, and experience it for themselves when they wanted to.
Why? Shouldn't Ruins be dangerous like any of those other books I've read? Like, for you to have rewards, you must defeat a boss inside, team up with your trusted subordinates, and become victorious.
No, the ruins in this world are wholly different from what I imagined. Maybe, this is the reason why I liked this novel— erm, senior's fragmented memories since I saw something new.
A place where you'll just have to search around, look for traps, and declare it to be yours?
You don't even need to break a sweat since you can ask your people to do it and if they know their ways, they could gladly take the job. As to why?
There are traps and such placed but with careful consideration, they can make the dangerous exploration into a 100% success because aside from those I mentioned… there are no monsters or bosses you have to defeat inside.
It's just… filled with rewards and you'll just have to clear places.
Excavate, check, and reward your actions. That's all someone has to do.
But, it wouldn't take long for this idea, beliefs, and information to be destroyed.
"It's big and long…" Klein can't help but mutter in surprise as we're walking for the stairs without any stop for a whole hour, going deeper and steeper from the place, "It's my first time raiding and exploring ruins though…"
"It's all right. I think it's all our first time doing this. Besides, even nobodies like us are curious about the raids so we searched them through books, right? Or is it, I'm the only one?"
"Nope, I am not," Valen answered as she looked at me curiously, "But you seemed to have plenty of experience on this matter."
"Well…"
Valen instantly shut her mouth, remembering that I had once experienced a ruin but not of the kind of raiding it. Well, she's probably thinking about the frenzy maze.
"I'm sorry…"
"It's all right. Stay vigilant."
Without further ado, we continued going down as I continued diverting my thoughts into the matters, 'With this… I'll be able to stop one of the major events that had happened from my knowledge and use this for the incoming events.'
Hidden Treasure Of Eve
From the word itself, one might take it as very beautiful and something to look upon. Well, mostly it did, but what made this important part for seniors' memories is that it made every kingdom greedy for the treasure it had inside.
It erupted chaos and there are killings everywhere and for what? Because this place indeed holds treasures and those kinds of people would do anything to get them.
As if this is what this ruin was made for. Just let the treasure to get take over the people's heads while doing nothing.
That's why I decided to stop this as fast as possible by going here first.
What's the solution I had thought of? Well… one doesn't need much thinking.
It's by making this major plot into a minor one. As to how I would do that, I just have to leave a mark that this ruin is mine and those who are with me.
"What are we looking for here, exactly?"
"Lots and lots of treasure."
"It's obvious, of course," Isaac stated as he shot me a glance, "What I'm talking about is, what's got the treasures to do with us?"
"It's got a lot to do with us."
"…"
With nothing to reply, Isaac backed down and proceed to focus forward.
The other people were about to do the same thing as he did like they had planned this when all of a sudden, as I was walking leisurely, the people on my back disappeared.
I was about to freak out, thinking that something had happened again when a second later, they started appearing out of the same wall I had passed through.
"Thought we lose you for a moment," Valen spoke without a hint of joy in her tone, "It seems this is the entrance. And… that's a very big castle."
Moving our gazes to the front, the word 'big' is not even enough to describe the phenomenon we are witnessing. It was indeed a castle but the end of it, unlike the maze, couldn't be seen.
It's more like an abandoned fortress.
"Here's what we needed to do. We're going to explore this place in two groups. Ma'am Valen and sir Klein would be partners. Me and Isaac will be in the other group. We only have one objective here and that is to secure this place.
"We have to make sure that the way is safe for us to enter and exit. See if there's any other way leading outside and make really sure that you don't touch the Piece scattered in this place yet. We'll get them to be checked by Artisans. They will know what to do since they are quite special.
"Or just left them and let me do the thinking but again, remember. Don't touch any of the Piece. We don't know what dangers it will bring us."
Giving my warning to them, we divided our group into two and proceed to walk cautiously inside the castle. I and Isaac switched as to who would watch, guard, and take a look out on the rooms we passed by.
It doesn't really look abandoned at all just like what my knowledge of this place depicted. They were no traces of the inside being destroyed we saw Pieces along the way.
Finally, we were finally on that room.
It was a king's throne.
I was here to retrieve something. Well, more like making something that someone owns mine which, on not so fancy mixed word, stealing.
I deliberately make us go in this direction since it will be much faster to this room. Of course, the Pathfinder Olivia had also gone here.
Although this was vaguely mentioned by Olivia to Isaac, the direction was something to remember since she always said to go left. And here I thought I wouldn't find it since hours already passed.
"Do we enter? What if something happens?"
"Don't worry, we'll be safe," Touching the door of this room, I pushed it open, and what dawned upon is a throne that once belong to someone that goes by the name Shiva.
Above the back of the chair, there was an old-looking book that flew motionlessly. It contains a piece of information regarding Anomalies that Olivia didn't understand and decided to sell which made Isaac infuriated since he started to know what Anomalies are through the system.
Now, I will know what this information holds.
Walking the first step towards the area, I carefully look back and forth towards the entrance of this place, afraid that I would get locked up due to some unknown reason.
"What are you doing…"
"Experience and superstitions… It's better to be careful."
"Uhuh…"
Looking at me weirdly, Isaac began walking toward the throne without any worries. I immediately wanted to refute his movements when he said with a reassuring tone.
"You can be careful if you want but I trust my senses that this area is safe. Well, except for that book which I think is your objective on coming here." Isaac said as he stole a glance at the motionless flying book.
'The area is safe except for that thing? But… Olivia was the same as she was when she was communicating with Isaac though… Don't tell me she becomes an adapted Senseless?' Scratching my head in annoyance, I proceed on walking casually, bringing down my careful approach to the matter.
'It must be the system telling him so. Sigh, so convenient.' With that thought inwardly, I climbed to the throne, grabbing the motionless book.
I liked to believe that this was dangerous but seeing Olivia relatively okay the moment she read it, might've not brought her something which could result in her death.
Although it's crazy for me to say this, I think this danger is a good danger. Heck, is that word even exist?
Climbing onto the throne, I picked something from my pocket. It was a stone I picked up outside and I aim it at the book to see some reactions, only to meet with silence and a perplexed gaze from Isaac.
Seeing that nothing happened in that book which I had imagined something dangerous like being zapped or weapons that could cut it, I let out a sigh and grab the book without worries.
I then opened it.
The front page is very… ordinary. There also isn't a title placed on it which is far from what I expected since I thought there would be something called 'the anomalies' or 'what are the anomalies' or something like that.
Opening the book, my eyes landed on the first paragraph of the text which is to my surprise once more, different from what I have expected to see.
[I should've known this from the start… Fuck, Those 'portals' appearing out of nowhere and 'parasites' that could bring us power inside it… Now, everything is too late. 'Monsters from the vortex' had come and we had nothing to do.
[If only I was a bit sooner. If only we had realized a bit sooner, the destruction of my world wouldn't have come.
[Damn it…]
I immediately then realized that it was a diary.