The complex that should have been there was nowhere in sight. Instead, a large, round hill rose before Mason, resembling an enormous Crypt.
'That's definitely a Crypt.'
But a Crypt appearing at his home?
As he tried to piece together what happened, a memory surfaced. His roommate had called him earlier, panicked because their apartment had vanished while Mason was stuck working for those thugs.
At the time, he dismissed it, thinking the Crypt would disappear soon. But if a Crypt had vanished...
'Does that mean someone cleared it?'
Determined not to let this opportunity slip away, Mason pressed on. As he approached the site, he heard raised voices.
'It's definitely around there.'
When he arrived at the chaos, he found about a hundred people engaged in a brawl.
"Who are you to ignore me? Huh? Are you some kind of cash machine?"
"Hey! Don't look down on us guards! Who are you to fire us?!"
"Let go of me!"
"Who stole my backpack?!"
The crowd was out of control, with cops and soldiers struggling to maintain order.
"Damn it! Stop fighting!"
"What? You're just on the government's payroll and you dare talk to me like that?"
The anger was palpable, and such reactions were common during Crypt appearances. The influence of a Crypt unleashed suppressed desires and emotions.
Mason searched for his roommate amid the chaos.
'Did he get caught up in this?'
Just then, he recognized a familiar voice.
"Damn it! This is all your fault!"
"Please, just put the gun down!"
Turning around, he saw a man threatened by a soldier. The young man looked tough but was visibly shaken.
'Kim Danny?'
Mason didn't need confirmation; he knew it was his roommate.
'Sigh, he never could live up to his potential.'
Mason moved closer without greeting him. As the soldier raised his rifle at Danny, Mason sprang into action.
"Aaaah!"
Mason's kick sent the soldier tumbling. The soldier reached for another weapon, but Mason expertly struck his hand.
Danny's expression shifted from one of worry to relief, though a hint of caution lingered in his eyes as he glanced at Mason. The tension in the air was palpable as Mason's gaze remained fixed on the fallen soldier before him.
"Mason?"Danny's voice was laced with concern, urging his companion to snap out of whatever trance had overtaken him. "Get a grip! Your duty is to safeguard lives, not instill fear in them!"
Mason's response was immediate, a mix of regret and apology evident in his tone. "I... I'm sorry,"he muttered, realizing the gravity of his actions.
The soldier on the ground coughed, clearly disoriented by the chaotic events that had unfolded. His voice trembled as he tried to explain, "I lost control... It was as though I was consumed by madness for a fleeting moment."
Understanding dawned on Mason as he connected the dots. The malevolent aura of the Crypt had taken its toll on the soldier, distorting his actions and clouding his judgment.
"Now that you're aware of the situation,"Mason demanded, his voice firm, "rectify the chaos you've caused and brief me on your directives. What were your superiors' instructions?"
Caught off guard, the soldier stammered, resembling a novice in over his head. Mason persisted, probing for crucial details. If the Crypt had been breached before, there was a high possibility that a valuable Mythic Item had been pilfered.
"Are you intending to conduct a thorough search of the Crypt?"Mason inquired, his mind already contemplating the potential suspects behind the heist.
"I can't tell you!"
Mason smirked.
"Really? Because I could report you for threatening a civilian."
The soldier hesitated, then leaned in, sensing Mason's seriousness.
"Honestly? We plan to blow it up to search inside."
"Blow it up?"
A Crypt would not be destroyed through such actions. It never had in the past. The private then spoke unexpectedly.
"There are foreign experts here for that reason."
Mason realized something and laughed.
"Foreign expert bastards, huh?"
Strange Crypts appeared across the world, but no one could identify them or the Mythic Items inside. Most people remained oblivious, but some began to catch on.
-The Korean government still doesn't know about the Crypts, right?-
Mai Lee, a Korean agent disguised as a geologist, sent a message. She received a simple reply.
-YES-
Mai smiled at the response. She had hidden her true identity to enter Korea for a specific purpose: to explore the Crypts.
'There are Mythic Items in Crypts.'
Most of the world saw Crypts as unusual geological formations, but a few nations understood their true nature. Korea was one of them.
Crypts had begun appearing randomly for nine months. Some countries witnessed the rise of Mythic Item users, selected by the Items themselves. However, those aware of the Mythic Items kept their findings under wraps.
Mai Lee was among the agents sent to investigate discreetly.
'Our goal is to explore Crypts and obtain the Mythic Items if possible.'
It was crucial to prevent the Korean government from discovering the existence of Mythic Items. Many nations viewed Crypts as disasters, allowing her to sneak in and seize the Items.
'Korea needs to acquire a Mythic Item for research.'
One breakthrough could alter history and the world. Revealing the existence of these magical Items would lead to chaos.
The president tasked the Korean with gathering intelligence and sharing it with Korean researchers. Though she felt uneasy about stealing from other countries, the mission required it.
'It feels like I've become a Crypt raider.'
Others also sought the Mythic Items, driven by greed.
"Mai, we meet again."
The man smiling at her was Yuri Juntai from Japan had thwarted her plans multiple times. Though he appeared unassuming, he was part of an investigation team that Japan had sent to covertly create Mythic Item excavation teams.
Yuri Juntai led that initiative.
"Looks like the Korean is quite greedy. We share a border, yet you flew twelve hours to reach us."
"Ho."
"Why not choose somewhere like Alaska? I suppose you have plenty of time."
Mai Lee opened her mouth to reply but glanced around instead.
Yuri chuckled at her reaction.
"You're so wary. No one is watching. We don't want the Koreans to discover anything about Mythic Items."
Mai shot back quickly.
"The Korean seeks Mythic Items as the Global policeman. We only focus on research and investigation for peace."
"Ho, I won't believe that from a Korean agent. Let's be honest: you know the value of Mythic Items and want to keep them from others."
"That's not true!"
"Really? Will you hand over Mythic Items to another country if they ask to research them too?"
"..."
"See? I told you."
Yuri smiled, then tried to reassure her.
"Let's not target fellow allies. Our real enemy is China. But I still won't give you the Mythic Items; our Prime Minister is eagerly waiting for them."
"That's fine. Just keep quiet so the Koreans don't catch wind of them."
"Haha. There's no chance of that. Japan needs to secure all of the Mythic Items from this small country."
One might wonder how Yuri spoke with such assurance, but Mai understood why Japan felt confident.
Japan had a user of a Mythic Item with a 'prophecy' ability. The Koreans struggled to identify whose Mythic Item it was, but they were aware that Japan was actively hunting Mythic Items based on the seer's information.
However, Mai had no intention of letting Yuri have his way.
'Korea lacks the ability to seize the Mythic Item. We only need to watch Japan in the East until China finds out.'
The two quickly moved on.
Unbeknownst to them, an unexpected rival lurked nearby.
'Aha, I understand now. I know who had this Mythic Item before.'
Mason snickered as he spotted Mai and Yuri, sensing the tension in the air.
He didn't know their names, but he recognized their organizations.
'The crafty Korean and the clueless JSDF excavation team.'
Even Mason was aware that some nations had knowledge of Mythic Items and Crypts by this time.
The Koreans had acquired Medusa's Mythic Item user during the precursor era, while Japan had the user of Prince Shotoku's Future Diary: Records of Japan's Future.
To be fair, they were fortunate to possess Mythic Items that sought their own owners rather than relying solely on clearing Crypts.
'But the Medusa user is a child who can't wield it properly, and the Future Diary's user...'
Mason chuckled, recalling that individual.
'No one is more foolish than that.'
Countries aware of Mythic Items sought opportunities to covertly raid them, hoarding information to monopolize their power.
'But it's all futile.'
This was merely a precursor. The Great Crypt Appearance incident in a few months would reveal Crypts and Mythic Items to the world, ushering in an era where even civilians could use them.
Honestly, Mason didn't care who originally claimed the Mythic Item from the Crypt. The first ones to take it were the victors.
'But I still dislike the thought of those Japanese fools taking it.'
Not that he held any affection for the Koreans either.
Mason then moved quickly.