Falling through the hole, right beneath the Sphinx, I reached the bottom. I did felt a sharp pain through my legs as I reached the floor, but other than that I was fine.

Restoring my legs, cause I felt the damage, I proceeded ahead, finding a room with no exit. Unless the path I just took was the exit. What the heck? I could see things a bit better, since Scan and the Visor were helping, but I couldn’t see anything that could help me get out the room.

The room had 6 pillars, 3 on each side, and a statue of someone sitting on a chair, holding a spear. It might be the idiot who built this thing.

“Okay. What are the options?” Scan provided me with a few things to search an exit. “Okay! Air flow… Upwards?”

There was a very low sound of air flowing, and was going upwards. With Scan, it showed the air flow going through the second pillar, to my left. Walking through the room more, I noticed something, what appeared to be some kind of lever on the statue, right at the bottom of the chair.

Approaching it, I pulled the lever down, making a rumbling sound to my back, and looking behind me, the pillar where the air flow was passing through, started going down.

“Nifty.”

Not only that, but there was a pillar emerging from the center of the room. I Flash Stepped towards it, and I got at the same height of the pillar with the air flow, where I jumped to. Looking upwards, I could see a passage through the ceiling, and the pillar emerged. At the top, was another passage. A long hallway, to be exact.

Following through it, I reached a section with countless covers. Walking through that hallway gave me a creepy feeling, to say the least.

“It’s awful quiet down here… Nothing tried to kill me in minutes… CREEPY! Hm?”

While walking through, I was able to spot a passage to my left. There was the hall I was in, and this entrance. Which is the right direction? Oh! Thanks Scan! Scan showed me that the hallway I was in right now, was the right one, where this turn to the left was a simple room.

Shrugging, I entered the passage, which had another turn to the left. At the end of the hallway, was simply a dead end, with a medium sized stone box at the floor.

“This place’s supposed to be a tomb, right?”

Reaching my hand on the box, I pushed the lid on it to the side, making a cloud of dust go up. Coughing the sand out of my mouth, I activated my mask, and analyzed the box. And yep! It was a chest with some things inside. There was 2 daggers, a strange colored rod, and some small gems. But what got my attention, was something else.

It looked like a key card. Well, it is a key card. With a blue sun carved on the top part of it, being held by four pillars, and with the borders in some kind of gold. Oh, nevermind, it’s Orichalcum. Storing it, I got back on the previous hallway, and followed the path ahead, reaching yet another chamber, full of pillars, a locked door at the opposite side, and another path towards my left.

The door didn’t opened, and I tried using the key card I just got, and that Jewel key I got even before, but to no avail. The door wouldn’t open. With no option left, I got back, and walked through the other room, following a small path, and finding… A giant statue with the head of a crocodile, and human body. It was holding a smaller statue in its hands. Said smaller statue was bowing towards the bigger one.

Looking through the room, I spotted one lever to my left, and a button to my right. With Scan, it showed me, that if I pulled the lever, a trap would activate, but if I pressed the button and then pulled the lever, it wouldn’t activate the trap.

“Now I’m curious, but I don’t want to lose more time, so… bye trap.”

Pressing the button, the statue of Sobek(if you couldn’t discern by now) changed position from straight up, to one knee down, and when I pulled the lever, the statue put its hands even lower, at my eye level. The smaller statue had a strange thing on its right arm. A long bracelet, with the same color pattern as that key card I got earlier. Blue with Orichalcum.

“What is this blue thingy? Hm? It’s sapphire… This is beautiful.”

Taking that off of the statue’s arm, made me want to wear it, but I resisted the urge to do so. Well, the good part, was that, this is a relic, that still works. Unfortunately, it needed huge amounts of mana to just turn it on, and it would need much more mana to just use it, too.

“Yet another thing that needs huge amounts of mana to work. Scan, do me a favor, and store this thing’s schematic on. I think I can put its capabilities on my own gauntlets.”

The same dark-blue grid appeared again. It’s been sometime since I saw this happening. The grid scanned the whole bracelet, and then, it showed me on the visor about this thing. A full schematic, with what it was its use.

“No wonder it needs so much mana to work. It charges the opponent’s body, causing it to explode? Instead of needing to touch the person, it can do that by a lightning, that will coil around the opponent, and… well, it’ll charge the body up, and after a few seconds will blew it up.” I gulped. “Creepy.”

I still didn’t had stored, and got back to that other door, on the previous room. Not only it made the door open, but also was the access to other doors, not on this ruin. Maybe on those other 3? Oh, and this thing also had a Shockwave function, much like my own gauntlets, AND more importantly, some kind of grappling hook.

Different from other grappling hooks, this one wasn’t made out of metal, with talons to grip on the surface. It was an energy like grappling hook. I didn’t understood its mechanism yet, and I was busy with this whole ruin searching, so I postponed that for now.

Entering the recently opened door, it was an elevator, again, different from the electronic back on Earth. This one, was made out of a stone surface, with ropes on 5 sides that moved, as soon as I stepped on it.

With a rambling sound, the thing reached the top, and yet another door opened, giving me access to a room, with 3 tables, forming a triangle, with some kind of beam connecting them. Also, the beams were… dark.

“I don’t know if this is a coincidence, or just was here since the beginning. Maybe these beams, are some kind of connection that needs to be on?”

The 2 beams of the 2 dungeons/ruins, connected together on the lower part of the triangle, was emitting light, while the other 2 were not. Curious, I took that jewel key out, and position ahead of me. And it showed a reaction. The top hologram… Let’s call it Holo-map, blinked, and half of the beams connecting with the other 2 ruins did lit up.

“Interesting. But then… What’s that key card for?”

The holo-map on the 2 lower ruins, changed, showing the key card and its usefulness. It was to enter the 2 other dungeons. Or better, to recover something on the last room of them. S it had that use… Hm? The device to talk with the Sheikh and the others ringed, and I answered. The Sheikh voice was loud, and all, and just after some words, he calmed down a bit, and started talking about the Sphinx.

“Kenji-Dono! You can’t just walk around my territory, blowing up things as you-”

“Okay, okay, whatever. That doesn’t matter right now. I found it. The secret chamber you guys talked about. Also, I’m sending you some info. I discovered some things, but I think it’s best if you guys take a look.”

I sent the info right after, and from the other side, I could hear ‘Oh’s’ and ‘Ah’s’ of interest or something.

“Okay… It’s significant… Try not to blow it up… We’ll call you in a bit.”

With that, I headed ahead, while scan downloaded the maps, to say the least. Walking through more hallways(one even had a sarcophagus, with the idiot who built all of this), I found a hallway with some light coming from it. This is probably an exit.

“They did said there was a team that was sent here… This is probably the entrance they used.”

And I suddenly received a call from the translation team.

“Kenji! There’s some useful information on that map that you found. We’re deciphering now. Oh, and the Sheikh asked if you want a transport towards the other places you mentioned.”

“Are you kidding? No one in their right mind would fly something out here. I can deal with that myself.”

“But it’ll be night soon.”

“I can deal with that. Anyway, I’ll be heading towards one of the ruins, the dungeon closest to me first. I have the map with me, so don’t worry. See you in, dunno, a day or 2.”

Finishing the call, I descended from the pyramid’s exit, reaching the deserts floor. And of course, there were a lot of enemies around.

“Of course! Let’s do this then! A little exercise before having a meal!”

More Chimeras, Manticores and all of those same monsters from before. It had a few additions to the repertoire of monsters though. A giant cobra, with red scales. A huge wolf, or better, Warg, with light-gray fur and companions. Red Bears(yes, bears), with sharp teeth, and thick fur. Giant versions of the Great Horned Owl, and a Giant Hawk.

Not as big as the Seraphim Eagle, but, well, a monster the size of a bus isn’t a plaything. Tortoises, that had a high speed(how the hell is that possible?), and, last but not least! Another Emperor Scorpion. It was, well, less interesting than the Emperor Scorpion I defeated before, but was good XP.

Prior to coming to the Desert, I was at LVL 40, but right now? I wasn’t that high yet… Only 51. Yeah, so little of an upgrade, huh? Well, my Highest Stats, were still INT, AGI, and DEX. LUK was going further and further down… Meh.

All in all, I was like this:

-STATUS-

Name: Kenji Species: Human Age: 15 Years Old Rank: B-Rank LVL: 51 / 120 (↑11) SP: 29’350 HP: 19’268 / 24’990 (↑5’390)

{+1’000} MP: 98’490 / 101’490 (↑19’890)

{+4’000 ↑1’000} STR: 14’280 (↑3’080)

{+2’000} INT: 49’680 (↑7’880)

{+???} CON: 16’320 (↑3’720)

{+1’000} AGI: 37’485 (↑8’085)

{+5’000} DEX: 35’700 (↑7’700)

{+6’000} LUK: 56 (↑11)

CLASSES

• Fighter (Tier 8 3UP) • Gunslinger (Tier 6 2UP) • Sharpshooter (Tier 5 3UP) • Scout (Tier 4 2UP) •

SKILLS

Passive Skills

• Martial Arts (Tier 6 1UP) • Supernatural Vitality (Tier 1 NEW) • Supernatural Pool (Tier 4 1UP) • Supernatural Strength (Tier 2 NEW.2UP) • Supernatural Body (Tier 1 NEW) • Supernatural Dexterity (Tier 6 1UP) • Supernatural Mobility (Tier 5 3UP) • Killing Instinct (Tier 7 3UP) • Anarchy (Tier 7 2UP) • Supernatural Senses (Tier 4 2UP) • Intuition (Tier 6 3UP) •

Magic Skills

• Fire Mastery (Tier 3 1UP) • Wind Mastery (Tier 3 1UP) • Lightning Manipulation (Tier 7 2UP) • Cloaking Mode (M NEW) • All-Out Detection (Tier 6 2UP) • Agility Mode (Tier 6 3UP) • Flash Step (Tier 8 3UP) • Heaven Step (Tier 5 2UP) •

Resistance Skills

• Paralysis Resistance (Tier 8 3UP) • Pain Nullity (Tier 8 4UP) •

[Author’s Note: He didn’t lose any skills or titles. This STATUS sheet, is only for the skills, and everything new/Tiered Up that he got. Also, I’ll change his STATUS sheet from the Glossary to the End of the chapter 36, or to a new chap between 36/37, cause I want to explain some of his new skills, and also to make you guys more informed.]

After finishing the last Manticore and Warg, I breathed in relief, and looked upwards, to the orange sky.

“Aaaah… THE PYRAMIDS ARE MADE OF STONE! BUT I! STILL ROCK! HEHE… Ouch…”

Sitting, I start restoring some of the bones I fractured, cause both Black Bulls and Red Bears charged right at me. They hit me a couple of times, and some of my bones got broken or fractured.

“Why [Pain Nullity] is not working? Also, it’s almost night, huh? Guess I’ll camp here. Or better, I’ll work on my new toys.”

With the night approaching, I started making preparations to make some food, and also to not make any monster approach me while I do so. I made a shelter, like an igloo, with the top opened with a hole, and made some simple food, with coffee. Rice, Beef(Desert Bull meat), and coffee. Simple, yet fulfilling.

After eating I rested for a couple of minutes before working on my new weapon, AND the upgrade to my gauntlets.

The new weapon was quite simple. It would be having the same destructive capabilities of Ansturm, but instead of a missile, it would be just High-Piercing Heavy-Explosive rounds. Just, okay? It wouldn’t be much. Also, it would be easier to make its ‘bullets’ than the missiles to Ansturm. By the way, I used all of the Missiles.

“Making missiles to Ansturm will be a major problem. Not only that, I need more ammo for all the other weapons~ UUUUURGH~!”

I was honestly having trouble with that. Ravager bullets also got all used, and I had only ammo enough for Satz, and Strafe. I could use only Schicksal and Ravager beam mode, but it wouldn’t be as powerful as Satz and Gemetzel bullets.

Once again, I visited Raijin schematic. I did planned to make a CC weapon situation, and guess that was now. Piercing bullets to weak targets, but more tough opponents, the splash of explosive would appear. Because, let’s be honest, if I shoot through weak targets and the bullets go boom, I’ll be damaged by the explosion too.

The bullets, were the size of a grenade, loaded in a drum like clip. And surprise! I couldn’t connect to my Digi-Storage for some reason… Scan said that it had a limit to it, so this one, I would need to reload manually.

It’s funny actually. I call it a gun, but this looks more like a grenade launcher. While Ansturm had the lock-on function, this thing, would only shoot ‘bullets’ in a straight line.

The ‘bullets’, would have around 5 centimeters in diameter(around 1.96 In), and a length of 7 centimeters(around 2.75 In). The barrel was adjusted to that, and also had a little(more than that) weight on it, to maintain stability.

“This is, for better or for worse, a shotgun, with grenades for its ammo. Does it make sense? No? Meh, I don’t know how to explain this.”

I had Mana Infused Powder enough to make these bullets and Satz bullets. Unfortunately, I would need to buy more, if I wanted to make Ansturm missiles again. Can I have like, a limitless source of ammo please?

The barrel cover, had stripes made out of dense metal, and a little bit of protection towards the barrel. Why I’m so afraid this will explode? I was able to make at least 3 clips, with 30 ‘bullets’, 10 on each clip, and with a Fire Core in hands, I just needed to give a name.

“Lucky me, I got a Fire Core from those Fire Elemental guys, who looked like a magma elemental than anything else. A-rank, at least. So? Name… Uh… I don’t have any ideas… Hmm~ How about… Verdammnis. It means Damnatio- OH!”

With a bright crimson light, the core was absorbed, and the weapon, before being completely purple(thanks to the Adamantite Alloy), was now a crimson red. Whistling to it, I instantly scanned this beauty.

► Mob Devastator Verdammnis ◄

A firearm(more like a cannon, just smaller) made to destroy both small and weak, to strong and big opponents.

This weapon, is sure to give fear to some individuals. With its High-Piercing Heavy-Explosive rounds, it is capable of piercing through the defenses of most monsters, and probably even an Adult Dragon wouldn’t be able to resist it. Quite the fitting name, meaning Damnation.

Thanks to the Fire Core being installed on it, its explosive capabilities were even more enhanced.

Once again, this abomination is a Relifact. Way to go, Kenji-kun. Way to go.

Ignoring the last words, I started working on my gauntlets now.

This was the closest comparison I could get on -_-latest (1920×1080) (nocookie.net)

This was simpler than Verdammnis. It was a simple grappling hook, made out of energy, or better, harmless plasma. It would latch onto edges, surfaces, or even people, if I needed, but wouldn’t do damage.

“Should I make it so it can charge people’s bodies?” I thought about it, but… “Yeah no. It would be too gruesome.”

The idea WAS awesome, don’t get me wrong, but… It would make a lot of mess.

Anyway, I looked through the schematic of the bracelet that I found on the pyramid, and started making the grappling hook.

It wasn’t hard to understand, though. It was simply lightning, converted into a harmless current, that would latch on things. Okay, it is lightning with magnetic properties, that is able to connect to other surfaces, via magnetic fields. Happy now? Scientific explanation! Kinda.

And it works! I tested by trying to grapple at the surface of the hut I made out of stone, and it got stuck on it.

“YES! Oh…”

CRASH!

And with a loud crash, the gauntlet, which I was holding, got attracted towards the wall, crashing it.

“Okay… That wasn’t nice… It’s working though.”

I tried again, this time with my gauntlet on, and outside. I then pointed towards a high point on the pyramid close to me, and when the grappling hook reached the ledge, I pulled a bit, seeing if it wouldn’t let go. It wasn’t, and then, I activated the function to pull me up. I almost forgot about finding a way to not splash my face at the wall.

Reaching closely, I twisted my body to the left, spinning and landing on the top of the edge. It worked! Now… You can’t blame me for acting childish okay? What I did? I jumped off of the ledge, turning around, and reaching a higher place, and kept doing that until reaching the top of the pyramid.

“YYYYIIIHAAAA!” Upon reaching the top, I turned my gaze towards the clean sky. “Woooooow~”

Honestly, seeing the twinkling stars, and the light of the moon, was a very nice sight. The night was really cold, but I could deal with the temperature. It was a nice off battle time though. Feeling the wind brushing my face, and my hair swaying with the wind too.

“My hair grew a bit, huh? Do I cut it? Nah~ This is nice. But why the blue tinge though?”

Hair was at my neck’s height, but I didn’t really felt like it was bad. Oh! I know. I took a small cord out of Digi-Storage, and tied my hair in a small ponytail. I left 2 strands on the front on each side, hanging right at my sides of my eyes.

“Damn! I’m looking good!”

I made a small mirror, just to reflect me. Well, let’s stop with the narcissistic talk, and go back down. Actually… I just noticed a mistake I did.

“Great work, Kenji! You made a way up! NOW HOW THE SHOCK ARE YOU GOING TO GET DOWN?! WITHOUT BREAKING YOUR OWN LEGS?! GAAAAAAH!”

Yeah, I needed to modify my boots to make so I don’t take damage(by breaking my ankles).

“Well, I got an idea.”

Well, let’s just say I descended the pyramid… The next day I stayed still, massaging my feet, but I did make a way to nullify the fall damage, using a system quite like the [Heaven Step] skill. It nullified, which was great.

The next day… was uneventful. Dungeons? They were simple. Too simple.

The first dungeon, had 20 floors, with weak monsters. Weak, if I compared to the ones outside. It did had an Emperor Scorpion… Just the size of a family car. And that was the boss. Honestly, I got so hyped for the dungeon, that it made me cry when I finished.

“What a letdown… Yeah?”

“Kenji-Dono. Where are you right now?”

“Just finished the Dungeon. Aaaaah…”

“What is the matter? You weren’t able to beat it?”

“Are you kidding? It was hella easy! For a dungeon located at a hard place to reach, I expected more!”

“Oh. Okay then. What about the key? Did you found it?”

“The reward chest at the end didn’t had the key. Which makes me believe that there’s a secret chamber or something in here.”

“You think so?”

“Why give a key, if it doesn’t have a hole? Think about it… Actually, ignore that allusion.”

It took me a second to re-think about what I just said.

Looking through the room, I couldn’t see any giveaway to an entrance, or key hole. Will I need to track air flow again? Looking with scan, I found a small air flow, leading to the wall, right behind the treasure chest. By the way, nothing really noteworthy from the chest. Just some Mythril short-swords.

Touching through the wall, and pressing it, soon, a small brick retreated, and gave space to a hole, which fitted the key card I got earlier. Taking the key card out, and putting inside, a ‘Pin!’ sound echoed, and then, another section of the wall retreated, and showed a small box. Literally, a box.

“Found it.”

“What’s inside?”

“Just a sec… Another jewel key. This makes it 2.”

“Another one of that Jewel Key?”

“Yep. Gonna go to the next one then. Please, be a little harder.”

“That’s not right. Adventurers don’t think like that.”

“Well, a fight every now and then, does make life more interesting. Well, at least, if the fight is a bit harder, not just a mob of monsters.”

“Oh… Okay then. Please, do call us when you reach the last ruin.”

“Will do.”

Getting out of the Dungeon, I didn’t even wasted time dealing with the mob behind me. I just got to the other dungeon as fast as I could.

And what a surprise! The other dungeon was also bad. Really? A Chimera with poison breath? Seriously!? EASY AS THAT?!

I did have trouble when I first saw it, but by only using my mouth protector, all the ‘Danger’ was gone. That was too simple. And don’t get me started on the goat-like monsters on the other floors. What the BLAST!

Reaching the end, another reward chest, that looked more like consolation, and it gave me, a strange tube, with some kind of liquid inside. Turns out, the ‘liquid’, was Liquid Mana.

► 500ML of Extremely Pure Liquid Mana ◄

A very rare tube of Liquid Mana.

This kind of Liquid, used to power machines on the Old age of Artifacts. It is already rare to see Liquid Mana anywhere, specially of such purity.

Different from what people might believe, Liquid Mana is not something easy to process. Since Mana is present on the atmosphere, the Liquid Mana evaporates itself as soon it gets in contact with air, turning it much more hard to use.

This kind of thing, can be used in lots of ways. As a fuel, as an explosive, and as a potion of some sort.

WARNING!

DO NOT DRINK IT!

Albeit this is considered a potion, unless the user is an Irregular, they will die.

For more info, search for Sinner, Virtuous, Acolytes, Divine Beings, and Demonic Beings Titles.

“What? Uhm… Scan… I can’t drink this, can I?” It blinked red on the visor. “Will I die?” It blinked green. “Okay. No drinking it… Jewel key.”

Yeah, I lost interest on it. I mean, yes, it was interesting, but I had another objective in mind right now. I might cross that line in the future, but not right now.

“Air flow… Another brick getting out of the way… Key card hole… Another box. This makes it the third one. Hey, eggheads. I’m heading towards the last ruins, okay?”

“Sure you won’t need any help?”

“Unless I face a monster that can see me under my Cloaking, then no. I don’t need it. See you in… Dunno, a few hours.”

“Be careful though.”

“Yeah, I will. Bye.”

Getting to the last ruin wasn’t very hard. I did avoid instant death, when I almost got devoured by the sand whale, but other than that, everything was fine. Right at the entrance of the ruin though, I stopped, and tried to understand what was happening to me.

“What is happening?” I held my chest. “My heart’s beating faster. Will something bad, or good will happen if I get inside? Ehehehe… What an awful feeling.”

Gulping, I entered the Ruin, which was really making me worried. For the first time on all of this travel to here.

“Oh! Would ya look at that. Looks like we have some company, princess. Hehe! And this might be the ticket for me ta get you as my little toy. HEHEHE!”

Inside of the ruin, was a tall, and muscular guy, watching a woman, stuck with her arms on chains and her body on a giant pentagon. He was feasting on a certain monster, while he felt the presence of someone entering the ruins.

“Hey! Princess!”

He called to the chained woman, but no answer, so he kept eating his prey.

As for the woman, she had a long, black lustrous hair, with its tips in a red color, and also a beautiful body figure. What drew the most attention, however, was what she had on her forehead. A pair of long horns, with red tips, showing that she was from the Oni race. Her skin was pale, accentuating her beauty.

She moved her head upwards, and opened her eyes slightly, revealing crimson red pupils, with a slit in the middle. She also opened her mouth, revealing 2 long and sharp canines within it. She shuddered, and breathed in, licking her lips. And then, she lowered her head, closing her mouth.

The man there, noticed her actions, and thought them as strange. Clicking his tongue, and grinning, upon feeling the presence of his adversary.

“Reach this room already… I can’t wait ta have a fight. Ikikikikiki~”