Act 4: Swirl of Intrigue

Thick pillars lined up in the corridor like a temple in ancient Rome. A huge stone room was located at the end of the corridor.The walls of the stone chamber were filled with carvings and had a black aura around them.They were carvings of deformed beasts that were normally seen in nightmares. A large number of people were suffering under the claws of the beasts. The torch flickered weirdly and made it seem like the carvings were alive.

Dukong, dukong, dukong!

A steady pounding sound was heard throughout the stone room.The pounding sound came from the object placed on the altar in the centre of the stone hut.A heartthats right.It was the mysterious heart Alan had taken from the Hell River.With every swell and shrinking of the 10 metres huge heart, the black aura would become larger. And the black aura spread along the ground of the stone room like dry ice.

Its been hundreds of years..wonderful.

An old man wearing a hood murmured in a cheerful voice. And he stretched out his hand to touch the heart.Just as the wrinkled finger was about to touch the rising heart

Maseutyu!

A rough voice shook the stone chamber.The old mans eyes became displeased. The old man looked at the heart before turning around slowly and taking off his hood. With the face covered in so many deep wrinkles that it was impossible to guess his age, Maseutyu was the archbishop of the Ankh church.

..You came?

The person who approached was a man wearing black armour and covered in blood.It was Alan who had escaped from Silvana on the gargoyles.Alan glared at Maseutyu and declared sharply.

I want an explanation.

Explanation? For what?

Maseutyu asked.

The quantum transmitter receiver!

Whats the problem?

Maseutyu tilted his head to one side like he didnt understand the words.Then Alan shouted angrily.

If the receiver worked as planned then Nagaran wouldve been submerged by the Hell River now. But it didnt work.Thanks to that, I was almost wiped out and the Hell River resealed. How can you explain this situation?

Did you try checking the quantum receiver?

Of course I checked it. It was broken.

I know that. Thats why the receiver didnt work properly.

I want to know why it is broken.

Alan asked in a harsh voice.Once again, Alan had two reasons to invade Silvana. One was to obtain the heart inside the stone room from the Hell River. And the other reason was to submerge Nagaran with the Hell River.But it was impossible to achieve both goals at the same time. It was impossible to leave with the heart if he made the Hell River flood.Then he accidentally stumbled on the quantum transmitter at Pabiun Canyon and discovered a method to achieve both goals at once.It was possible to immediately move the heart with spatial movement. And Alans plan to transfer the heart was a success. But it didnt work when Alan and the Avenger members tried to use it.

Why didnt it catch the quantum receivers frequency?

Alan had been thinking that question the whole time.However, the reason was simple once he reached this place.

The quantum receiver placed here had been destroyed.

The expedition armies dont know about this place yet. There were no signs of a surprise attack when I got here. Yet why is the quantum receiver broken? Besides, it worked properly when it had to transmit the heart.

Alan couldnt accept the situation.And there was something else he couldnt understand.

Furthermore, I was contacted by the dead Avenger members before I got here

Alan opened his mouth again.Maseutyu who had been listening silently finally laughed and muttered.

.I was the one who destroyed the quantum receiver.

W-what?

Alan flinched and closed his mouth.Maseutyu was the one who broke the receiver?What was he saying?Alan looked at him with a foolish look.

Why would you do that?

Calm down.

Calm down? Youre telling me to calm down?

There is a reason for it.

Maseutyu waved his hands.

Reason? You have a reason?

Yes.

Maseutyu answered in a light tone. He slowly moved around the heart and said.

It isnt necessary to explain but this heart is the most important object. It isnt an exaggeration to say that all of our plans were for finding this object. The value of destroying Nagaran is nothing compared to the heart. And the person who found this heart is the Ruin Knight. Your achievement really deserves admiration.

Then why did you do something?

Well, well! Just wait a bit more.The reason you could transmit the heart here is because of the quantum transmitter. If you also took advantage of the transmitter then you could come here safely.But what next?

Next?

If those guys got a hold on the quantum transmitter then wouldnt they obtain the frequency to this place?

Maseutyu shook his head.

It is better not to risk it. If they got the quantum transmitter then wouldnt they be able to move straight to this place? Of course, those guys would die one they reach here but the concern is that they might tell the expedition forces. There are also foreigners who can track mana so they could also discover this place.

Alan frowned as he thought about Maseutyus explanation. If he thought about it like that then Maseutyus action was understandable.While the MG had disappeared after Ark used the quantum transmitter, Ark had Wormer.There was no guarantee that Wormer couldnt develop another magic charger.If Ark came here with the quantum transmitter then the expedition army would know about this location. Therefore Maseutyu reduced the risk by destroying the receiver.Alan understood.But just because he understood didnt mean the problem was solved.

Then shouldnt you have explained it to me before?

I couldnt say it.

You couldnt?

In fact, I had another reason to break the receiver.

Another reason?

Now

Maseutyu licked his lips and narrowed his eyes.

Your help has become unnecessary. No, thats not it. To be exact, you can only help one last time. You guy..the immortal lives of the foreignersthat is needed. It is the last ingredient to resurrect the Dark Lord.

Our lives..?

Alan felt an ominous feeling.

-Grrrrrrr.

An eerie roar echoed from behind his back.At the same time, glossy red pupils appeared all around him.The wall carvings..the deformed beasts on the carvings all opened their eyes simultaneously. And they rose and crawled off the wall. The room instantly filled with the thousands of animals and a nasty fish smell.Alan had seen the wall carvings many times but he never thought they were alive. The atmosphere around them were different from the demons controlled by Alan.The thousands of eyes that were thirsty for blood all focused on Alan.

T-this is..!

Confusion appeared on Alans face. Then Maseutyu bowed gracefully and said.

Ruin Knight, weve spent a lot of time together. But our relationship will end here.

Y-you.then everything you said so far

It was true. You will rise to the ultimate seat in this world. As the Dark Lords flesh and blood. Forever

This bastard!

Alan growled and took out his sword. The beasts drooled and simultaneously ran up to Alan.

-Kuwaaaaaaaah!

D-damn! The Devils Fang!

Alan roared with fury and twisted his sword.But Alans roar became a scream in the next moment.Alans attacks only did 1% damage to the wave of beasts. It meant they were elite monsters.Thousands of elite creatures!

Ugh, rampaging spirits!

In the end, Alan turned away from Maseutyu.He used the skill which increased his movement speed and ran away.This place was the hidden base of the demons. And those demons were Alans subordinates. Now that he was betrayed by Maseutyu, the demons didnt listen to Alan anymore.It was the lair of the demons trying to sacrifice Alan to restore the Dark Lord.

No. I cant die in a place like his!

-Kuwaaaaaaaah!

He did his best to run away but the beasts caught up with tremendous speed and swung their claws. Alans health was sucked out with every attack.

Ugh, boundaries of the dead! Rampaging spirits!

Alan rolled on the ground and persistently fired his skills while running away. And he finally reached the corridor near the entrance.

The Avenger members are waiting outside this time so if I join them I can escape. It isnt too late. Maseutyu..I dare him to come out! Ill do whatever it takes to make him pay!

Alan pledged when he tried to escape the temple.Suddenly a red shape quickly ran from behind a pillar towards the entrance.

Heok! What, what the?

Alan swung his sword reflexively.But the shadow moved like a snake and hit Alan.

Kwa kwa kwa kwang, jjejejejeok!

Something ripped from inside his body and there was a ringing sound.The message window appeared when the noise finished.

-You have been hit by a Chakra Wave.

<You have received the direct impact of Chakra Wave inside your body.

Defense is ignored and you have received 800 damage. The shock wave also ruined the balance of mana inside your body and you have lost 1000 mana. Thanks to the severe bruising, your attack speed and movement speed is reduced by 10% for 5 minutes.

Your body is also rigid and you will be unable to move for 3 seconds>