Faceless Phantom

[Siren's Cry]

Level Max

Active: An eerie and mysterious cry of Siren. Anyone who hears it will tremble in fear.

Effect: Enemies will be in Fear state for 3 seconds, and then Confused for 10 seconds.

Channeling duration: 3 seconds

Range: 20 meters

MP Cost: 500

Cool down: 30 minutes

'That's right. She is a Siren, isn't she?'

Her race was Ania and her hobby was Crystal Siren. It could be that Ania was relative to Siren. But what I didn't understand was her Hobby skills were way more dominant than her Job. What she knew about her Job only Astral Alchemy, though I never asked her to do it. Nonetheless, Mirage saved me again.

All Mecopteras around me were shaking and ran the opposite direction from Mirage. I didn't want to waste the opportunity. Three seconds had already been spent, so I had to move fast. Otherwise, they would surround me again. While they were in confused state, I ran back to the passage and killed some of them that I passed.

"Run!" I told Mirage.

However, she was staying still and shaking. Seeing her like that, I grabbed her hand and pulled her further back to the passage. After I thought we were far enough from the room entrance, I stopped. Then we sat down and leaned on the wall. I looked at her and thinking…

'This is becoming quite troublesome…'

If she acted this way again, I couldn't guarantee her safety. I needed to talk to her about it and made sure she wouldn't do it again.

"Why did you stay still?"

She looked down while holding her trembling hands.

"It doesn't matter if I die. Please run if things get worse." My gaze turned to the ground. "I will not forgive myself if I couldn't protect you until you regain your memories. I will not forgive myself…"

'If you die too…'

I continued my sentence inside my mind. I didn't have the mood to say it out loud. Silence ruled the passage for a brief moment. Then a tiny voice could be heard breaking the silence.

"I-I'm sorry…" She replied with cracking voice.

Her terrified figure made me pity her. I sighed and accepted her apologize.

"It's okay… I just don't want you put yourself in danger. And it was my fault to walk into their trap…" I paused for a moment. I looked at her and continued. "Also, thank you for saving me…"

She turned her gaze to me. I turned mine back to the ground.

"I would recklessly die multiple times if you weren't here…"

That's right. My own words made me realize that knowing you could be revived many times was a big mistake. If this was a real life, I would be dead a long time ago. I would also put Mirage in danger if I died soon. However, it was really unfortunate that I got lured into their trap. I needed to think and read more about the situation during fighting.

"Isn't it still painful to die?"

My eyes became round for a second, then I narrowed them back and gazing to the ground.


She was right. Even though I could die and resurrected any time, dying was still painful. This game didn't even have a setting to turn off the pain. You would feel your blood gushing from your wound, or fire would burn your skin. I had Ignore Death skill which nullify those pains. However, after the effect worn off, every wound damaged my body would immediately be felt at the same time. And recalling that memory definitely made my face look like eating shit.

"You've done so much for me. So I don't want to be a burden to you… At least, I also want to help. I want to protect you too…"

Her expression was firm and sincere. The glassy eyes she had before were brighten. It could be that she was stubborn, but actually I was amazed by her strong personality. I unintentionally let out another sigh.

"Alright… But promise me that you will do as I say if something bad happen."

She lightly nodded and smiled.

"I promise…"

Somehow, her smile washed away my anxiety I just felt.

・・・

Our plan didn't change much from the last one. First, I lured the mecoptera one by one to the narrow passage. This time, I would know the mecoptera would run if its HP dropped low. Therefore, I killed them quickly before they could run. If the situation went dire like before, Mirage would use Siren's Cry. Thankfully, the plan was going smoothly.

We passed through several rooms. Eventually, we began to encounter Venomous Mecopteras. They were smaller than the regular ones. However, what frustrated me was their poison. They occasionally stung me in random pattern. It wasn't a strong poison debuff though, but it was annoying enough to keep my eyes on my HP bar. Mirage could purify my status any time, of course. But raising my skill was number one priority. So she cured me if my HP dropped too low and healed me right away. Thanks to that, my Low Poison Resistance leveled up really fast. Furthermore, their nimbleness also made my AGI and DEX went up by a few points.

We slowly managed to pass through their nests. After multiple dead ends, we found a steel door at the end of passage. We opened the door and finally arrived at our destination.

<Zoria Secret Laboratory>

We were inside a room with nothing but potted plants that placed on each corner, two of them had fallen. There were another two steel doors, one on the right and one on the left.

"There's a map." Mirage said and then pointed at it. "Over there."

I took a closer look at the map and folded my arms.

The lab was pretty big and divided by several areas. Area 1-3 and 6-8 were at the left wing. Area 4-5 and 9-10 were at the right wing. And it seemed we were at a room that separated the two wings, which was between area 4 and 8. Also, there was a legend at the bottom left of the map.

///////

Left Wing

- Area 1-3: Prison Cells

- Area 6: Security and Interrogation Room

- Area 7: Laboratory and Worker Office

- Area 8: Storage Room

Right Wing

- Area 4: Belgram's Office

- Area 5: Main Laboratory

- Area 9: Observation Rooms

- Area 10: Incubation Room

///////

'Prison?'

Of course I would expect that to exist. They were all being held captive and forced to do the kingdom's will after all. In the worst case, there might be torture room somewhere which wasn't written on the map.

I kept watching the map until I read what was written on area 8. I smiled and immediately walked to the left door, and then I pushed the door right away.

Hukkkk…

It didn't budge at all.

'Do I have to pull?'

I grabbed the handle and tried to pull.

Huukkk…

I put my other hand to the handle. I pulled it with all my strength.

Huuuuuaaaarrrrgghhh! Bang!

I smashed the door in frustration. Either it was locked or something blocked the door on the other side. I sighed.

'My loot…'

It was a shame though. The thought of what could possibly be found over there was filled my mind. But I couldn't do anything about it. And doing a key hunt inside this huge laboratory was annoying.

'I've played enough key hunt games and I'm done with them…'

Feeling disappointed, I went to the right door and of course it opened. We stepped into the right wing.

The door we opened was at the end of hallway. We walked the long hallway to the left, then it bent to the right afterwards. In the halfway, there were two doors which I believed the right door lead to Observation Rooms and the left one lead to Main Laboratory. I tried to open them, but they were locked. It seemed like it was already scripted that we had to go to Belgram's Office for some reason. Therefore, I didn't even bother to open another door again and we went straight to Belgram's Office right away.

Belgram's office was peculiarly astonishing. It was like someone was still living in this place yet no trace of them left behind. It was clean and there was no dust at all. Everything placed neatly and looked tidy. Office table and chair, several bookshelves, two potted plants, a pair of long sofas and a table between them, and some decorations which I had never seen before: Strange lamp, bizarre monster statues, weapons rack, etc.

After I was looking around for a while, I remembered I have to make progress for my quest. And a good place for that was, of course, the bookshelf. I took some documents and sat down on the sofa, then opened them one by one. A quire of paper were inside the document. 'Alkronia Confidential Report' was written on top of them. I smiled as if I found an amazing loot.

'This is it…'

The first document was about the lab history. Basically, the Secret Lab was once Zoria Underground Prison. The lab was built after the Dark Age had begun. Alkronia made it become a place for artisans to research their goal and desire. Of course, they made the prisoners become their subjects.

'As expected…'

These reports was definitely about what Alkronia Empire had done during the Dark Age. Curious, I continued reading them.

'Approximately 5000 subjects are present and doing some tests.'

'3000 adults, 1500 youngsters, 500 children.'

'Immortality and Resurrection will be set as our goal.'

'Each individual manifests different ability.'

'Hard to say, only few selected.'

'Only few survived.'

'However, we still hope to pick some fresh ripe fruits from this very tree.'

'Though, as expected, most of them are failures.'

'Subject: F03

Ability: Telekinesis

Description:

Subject can move any object with their mind. They simultaneously improve their ability every day. However, side effect often occurs after three minutes using the ability.

Status: Failure'

'Subject: H11

Ability: Muscle enchantment

Description:

Subject can bulk up their muscle to strengthen their body. It develops tremendous power to the extent they could crush an ogre with only one hit. No side effect is occurred. Power can be controlled and stable. However, the ability only last for five minutes.

Status: Success'

'Subject: N07

Ability: Mimic

Description:

Subject can transform into any living creatures as they desire. Additionally, mimicking skills are born to be their specialty. Therefore, utmost care and top priority security are needed. Side effect is still being researched.

Status: Unknown'

'Subject: C15

Ability: Pyro kinetic

Description:

Subject can product fire from their body. The fire grows bigger each day. Matter of time, subject no longer has control of their power.

Status: Failure'

The lists were still going, but I already stopped. I was speechless.

'Failure… Does it mean they died?'

They were researching NPC, no… people with abilities. They thought they could evolve being a hero. NPC wanted to be like player? But wasn't this before players even come to this world? Still…

'This is insane… but it's also cool. Was Belgram doing all of this? No, he might be forced to do it by Alkronia.'

Players came to this world in 1600. I could only guess this experiment probably happened around 1000 or 1100. However, it was strange since Belgram's Journal mentioned a plague happened in 500. They could be totally different matters though.

Well, obviously the key was Belgram. He already lived for more than six hundred years as far as I knew, and that surpassed the human lifespan given by the elixir. If I knew more about him, then this riddle would be solved eventually.

There was still one paper on my hand. I read it for the last one.

'Subject: Origin

Ability: Evolution Aptitude

Description:

Subject can steal other abilities to be his own possession. However, for the ability to be working, the subject has to kill, and then learn the victim anatomy. Side effect is still being researched.

Status: Unknown'

'This kind of ability exists?'

The subject status was unknown. Did it mean they disappeared? Or it was still being researched? Well, this was hundreds years ago. Whoever it was, he or she might be dead already. Otherwise, the subject would be really dangerous if they were still alive.

I put the documents back to their shelf and, at the same time, Mirage came to me.

"Umm… Can you…take a look at this…?"

A cloth covered book with familiar symbol on it. It was the same symbol which engraved on the birdbath statue in Norwall Cave.

"This is…"

"I think it's my father's…" She replied. Then her gaze turned to the office table. "I found it inside the drawer."

"I see…"

"Please…" She paused for a moment while hiding her lips. And then she continued, "Can you please read it for me…?"

I nodded and began to open the book.

Soul Cubic.

It was what written on top of the first page. A picture of cubic was drawn specifically detailed yet somehow complex the more you look at it. There were lines on some parts which had names written at the end. To sum it up, it was exactly as following:

- Cubic Fragment: A cubic was split apart vertically.

- Astral Core: A round shape between the split cubic fragments.

- Soul Crystal: A crystal as big as the cubic was drawn beside it.

An arrow was pointed from Soul Crystal to Cubic Fragments and Astral Core then beside them another arrow pointed to Soul Cubic.

'Is this a blueprint? Does that mean I have to make this Soul Cubic?'

I had the cubic fragments from Halton, so I might have to find the other two parts as well if I had to make it.

I opened the next page and raised my eyebrows. I kept opening the page yet they were all same. Mirage who curiously saw it frowned. There was nothing else written on the book. The pages were blank. Oddly, some pages looked like being forcefully ripped apart.

"Strange… Why are they torn if there's nothing written on it?"

"Maybe the ripped pages are the only pages with the text?"

"Hmm… It could be…"

Mirage could be right. However, we couldn't do much about it since those pages already gone. Even though it was important matter. Someone, an NPC or player, was clearly one step ahead of us. Well, it seemed the only thing I could do was to make the Soul Cubic.

I gave the book back to Mirage and she put it inside her bag. A window popped out.

[Path of Astral Artisan Quest updated]

///////

Path to Astral Artisan

Quest: Find all parts of Soul Cubic.

- Cubic Fragment (1/1)

- Soul Crystal (1/1)

- Astral Core (0/1)

///////

'I have Soul Crystal?'

I opened my bag and grabbed the unknown crystal I took in Norwall Cave.

'Is it this thing?'

[Soul Crystal]

A strong aura can be felt leaking out from inside the crystal.

The name and description had changed. It was probably because of the quest progress.

'Only the Astral Core left then…'

There was no clue as to where I have to find it. It could be here somewhere inside the lab, but every door was locked and the only opened doors were the ones leading our way here. But then I realized there was one door I didn't open yet. It was right in front of this room. Well, we already searched the whole room, so there was nothing left we could do in Belgram's Office. Thus, we went outside and opened the last door right away.

<Area 10 – Incubation Room>

It was really chilly inside. The room was filled with countless tubes like the ones in science fiction. Also, there was something inside them.

"A-Are…they alive?" Mirage stuttered as she was anxiously following my steps.

The tubes were placed in rows, and a lot of them had a creature akin to mecoptera inside. Some of them had a shape I couldn't recognize. Strange and bizarre, those were the only words I could describe them.

"I don't know…" I replied. Then I continued my words to lessen her fear. "Probably not."

There was a steel double door at the far end of the right wall. I was guessing there might be nothing inside this room except those tubes, so I decided to go through the double door. I grabbed the handle and slowly pushed the double door.

At the gap of opened door, I saw tall winged figure standing inside the massive room. It was wearing dark brown robe with hood on. A pair of black wings was spread on his back.

The loud sound of fully opened door made him turn around. My face stiff as I expected his face. However, white mask with long beak was covered his face. Green lights were flickering inside the mask's hollow eye sockets as if they were looking straight at us.

A pressure, strong and absolute, was felt. Even though I was a distance away. Instead of flying, he slowly stepped his feet towards us. Each step was heavy as the sound echoing all over the room. When he was closer, I knew it right away. It was the same pressure that we felt before when we were in the ruin.

As if heavy air filled the room, my breath was stopped and I couldn't move my body at all. He was coming closer with his dominating presence. Using Observe, I could see his name floating on top of his head.