After dodging through the arrows that had no reason to be so fast, Ena gently propped Haruo up against the wall in a seated position. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a handkerchief and carefully pressed it to his wound.
"This is going to hurt..." Ena said in a calm voice, her gaze fixed on Haruo's wound.
"Just do it; you're only making it worse," Haruo said, annoyance creeping into his voice.
Ena then yanked the arrow out swiftly, pressing her handkerchief against the wound to stem the bleeding. Haruo groaned softly from the pain as she placed her hand just above the injury and focused, slowly working to halt the flow of blood.
As she used her ability to heal Haruo, Ena glanced anxiously between him and the wound, her expression betraying her worry. Haruo quickly noticed her repeated glances, his annoyance growing with each one.
"WHAT!?" Haruo exclaimed, his patience wearing thin. He shot Ena an annoyed look, frustrated by her constant glances.
"I don't know how to extract poison with my ability..." Ena said, her voice trailing off with each word.
Haruo then took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to ease his clearly frustrated expression. He focused his energy and used his ability, temporarily freezing the poison coursing through his system.
"I'll help you, but you have to listen carefully to what I'm going to say. I really don't like repeating myself." he said, doing his best to calm his expression and tone.
Ena nodded her head and looked at the wound, while Haruo watched her with slight concern.
"Focus your energy to your hand slowly; don't do it quickly. I will slap you if you do." Haruo explained, breathing in rhythm to help numb the pain.
Ena followed his command and focused her energy to her hand.
"Now, try to locate the damaged cells using the other blood cells." Haruo said, his tone steady. He watched Ena closely, knowing her focus was essential.
"Now slowly push the poison using the healthy cells to your hand. Or you could just mix my blood with the poison and control it directly, then replace the damaged cells with new ones using your ability"
Haruo suggested, his gaze steady on Ena. He hoped one of these methods would help her focus and counteract the poison effectively. Suddenly, a small stream of liquid oozed from Haruo's wound, slowly making its way to her palm.
It slowly twirled into her palms, taking the shape of a sphere. Without hesitation, Ena quickly threw it at the wall, watching as it splattered upon impact. She then placed her hand back over Haruo's injury, focusing intently as she replaced the damaged cells and healed the wound completely.
Haruo then stood up, retrieving the Monarch-13. He began lifting his leg to warm it up, feeling the tension ease as he moved. After a few moments of stretching, he carefully placed the Monarch-13 back into the mana storage, readying himself for whatever came next.
"It's a good thing you aren't dumb, or you would have died there on the spot," Haruo said, a hint of relief in his voice.
"Looks like we made it through that route, That was just the beginning, there are still more." Haruo said, looking at his surroundings.
The walls had changed, with intricate new patterns emerging that pulsed softly in the dim light. A single torch flickered, illuminating the area around them, casting long shadows. The runes etched into the stone had become more complicated, their meanings obscured yet filled with an unsettling energy.
Pipes and copper became more visible, weaving through the walls like veins. The loud noise of rotating gears echoed around them, a mechanical heartbeat that intensified the atmosphere. Everything had shifted the moment they stepped out of the route, transforming their surroundings into a maze of unfamiliar machinery and intricate designs.
"Now we're really in the tomb. We don't have time to explore, so we have to get out as quickly as we can. The verification test is in just three hours, but right now, we only have two, Kilian's orders." Haruo said, stretching as he looked ahead, determination etched on his face.
"But if we find something valuable, we might as well bring it with us, right?" Ena added, also stretching as she glanced around, her curiosity piqued despite the urgency.
"Do what you want, but right now, the exit is our priority." Haruo replied, his demeanor calm as he scanned their surroundings for any possible paths.
[3 hours till the verification test]
The unlit torches in the walls began to ignite one by one, casting flickering light into the dim halls. With a sense of urgency, they dashed through the corridors, aware that each turn could conceal deadly traps waiting to be triggered. The atmosphere grew tenser with every step as they navigated the labyrinthine passageways.
An arrow suddenly shot toward Haruo, but Ena reacted quickly, deflecting it with one of the Emperor blades. Just as they regained their footing, the ground beneath them gave way, revealing a massive hole that opened up beneath their feet. A faint orange glow emanated from the depths of the pit, casting an eerie light that dimmed the edges and hinted at a dangerous fate below.
"Fire!" Ena shouted, the emperor blade them flew back to her hand.
Haruo began running along the walls, and Ena quickly followed, their movements in sync despite the chaos around them. Arrows continued to shoot at them from hidden mechanisms, whizzing past as Haruo reached out his hand to Ena, trying to maintain their pace.
"Hurry!" Haruo shouted as Ena quickly took his hand, her heart racing. She paused for a moment, ready to react as she waited to see what he would do next.
Haruo then crouched and leaped down the long hall, aiming for the ground below. Ena tightly gripped his hand, bracing for impact as they landed, the heat of the fire trailing right behind them after they jumped.
Ena then opened her eyes to see a dispenser right in front of her. She quickly tilted her head sideways to dodge it, narrowly avoiding the danger. Both of them stood up and kept running, adrenaline pushing them forward as they navigated the treacherous halls.
Golems began to emerge from the walls, preparing to attack as they lumbered forward. Without hesitation, Haruo pulled out the Monarch-13 and fired, blasting the head off one of the creatures. The impact sent stones and gears scattering across the floor, creating chaos in their wake.
Then the golem's chest began to glow with an orange light, causing all the scattered stones and gears to snap back into place, reactivating it. But without hesitation, Haruo quickly fired another round, aiming for its chest before it could fully regenerate. The shot echoed in the hall as he sought to put the creature down for good.
Then more golems emerged from the walls, their heavy footsteps reverberating through the hall. Ena got into a ready stance, her focus sharpening, while Haruo pointed the gun ahead, preparing for the impending confrontation.
Both of them dashed toward the golems, swiftly eliminating each one in their path. One of the golems launched an attack at Ena, but she quickly dodged and sliced through its arm. To her surprise, its regeneration was faster than before, allowing it to throw another punch almost instantly.
Ena then got knocked back, but Haruo caught her just before she hit the wall, his grip firm and reassuring. He steadied her, their hearts racing as they prepared to face the golems once more.
"The tomb is adapting; the stronger the attack, the stronger it gets" Ena said, wiping the sweat from her brow as she caught her breath.
"It's fine, this is perfect for training." Haruo replied, offering her a hand to help her stand up. He knew that facing this challenge would sharpen their skills for the battles ahead.
Haruo then sprinted at top speed, with Ena right behind him. They quickly engaged the golems, dispatching them one after another. However, the golems matched their speed and began launching coordinated attacks, forcing them to stay on high alert.
Haruo fired his gun at the golems in the distance while Ena swiftly handled the weakened ones in the front. Just as one of the golems attacked Ena, Haruo shot its hand, causing it to falter. He then quickly sliced through the golem, dispatching it before it could recover.
Ena used her Emperor blades, throwing them at one of the golems before punching the handle, driving it deep into its chest. With a swift motion, she created blood projectiles and launched them toward the remaining golems, hitting them with precision and power.
Meanwhile, Haruo grabbed onto one of Ena's projectiles, using it to propel himself forward at lightning speed. As he closed the distance to the golem, he pushed the projectile deeper into its chest, maximizing the damage and ensuring it couldn't recover.
Ena threw one of her hidden daggers at a golem just as it eliminated another golem. Haruo quickly grabbed the dagger from the fallen golem and, using all his strength, threw it with increased force, piercing through three of the remaining golems in a single strike.
As a golem tried to punch Haruo, he ducked and launched a powerful kick at it. They continued to eliminate golems left and right, their speed increasing with each successful strike. With their combined efforts, they finally took down the last golem, breathing heavily but victorious.
"Finally, that's all of them." Ena sighed deeply as she wiped the sweat from her brow, relief flooding through her as the adrenaline began to fade.
Haruo then fixed his hair and took a deep breath before continuing. After eliminating all the golems, they arrived at a room at the end of the hall. In the center stood an artifact, its shimmering surface drawing their attention as they stepped closer, curiosity mixing with caution.
"An artifact! It was worth it!" Ena celebrated as she spotted the artifact, her eyes sparkling with excitement. The danger they faced suddenly felt justified, and a sense of accomplishment washed over her.
"Stop celebrating, we were supposed to find the exit That battle took like 20 minutes of our time." Haruo said, wiping the sweat off his face. He glanced around the room, reminding himself of their original goal despite Ena's enthusiasm.
"Besides, we need to determine if it's the real artifact or not." Haruo added, his tone turning serious as he studied the object closely. He knew the importance of confirming its authenticity before proceeding further.
"What do you mean, if it's the real artifact or not?" Ena asked, stepping closer to examine it. She felt a mix of curiosity and concern at Haruo's caution.
"In tombs, there are things called decoys that trick intruders into thinking they've found the artifact being guarded, but in reality, the real artifact is hidden in a more secure area." Haruo pauses as he inspects the room more.
"The fact that this area has no traps and isn't hidden makes it even more suspicious. Think of it like a man with valuable jewelry, he wouldn't just leave it out in the open. He'd hide it somewhere safe and secure so no one could take it easily, right?" Haruo explained, his gaze still fixed on the artifact, clearly wary of its placement.
"So that's not the real artifact?" Ena asked, pointing at the object while glancing at Haruo, her expression filled with uncertainty.
"Oh, that's definitely an artifact, just probably not the real one. If the decoy weren't a real artifact, people would easily notice. Kind of like how people check if your Kordans are real or fake." Haruo explained, his tone steady and serious.
"At least we get one extra, we'll probably find the other soon." Ena said, grabbing the artifact with a sense of optimism as she examined it closely, hopeful that their luck would continue.
As Ena grabbed the artifact, both of them began to inspect it to determine its rank. Haruo then took out the Monarch-13 and held it near the artifact, ready to assess its properties and uncover any hidden secrets it might possess.
The artifact was a long, twisted rod spiraling into a sphere at one end. Its metallic surface glinted with intricate patterns, while a pulsating gem at its core radiated a soft glow, hinting at its immense power. The designs appeared almost alive, tracing ancient runes and exuding an air of mystery.
"Oscar, scan the artifact." Haruo ordered, his voice steady as he focused on the task at hand, eager to learn more about what they had discovered.
"Certainly, sire" Oscar replied, and blue particles emanated from the Monarch-13, surrounding the artifact in a shimmering glow as the scanning process initiated.
[analyzation complete]
Name: ᚷᛚᛁᛋᛏᛖᚾᛁᚾᚷ ᚲᛟᚱᛖ (Glistening core)
Description: The artifact is a sleek, elongated orb with twisting patterns that glimmer in the light. Designed to generate electricity for an entire city, it features a pulsating core at its center, shifting colors between deep blue and bright yellow. Surrounding the core are metallic filaments that channel its energy. When activated, the orb emits arcs of electricity, showcasing its incredible power.
Created: D - 2343
Rank: SS / Legendary