by Yoo Seong
“T-this……!”
Ark’s mouth dropped open as he lifted the necklace. Jewellery was more expensive than weapons when traded in Galaxian! And this was a rare jewellery. But Ark’s mouth wasn’t wide open because it was good.
“Ugh! Why is it mana instead of mental power?”
And the option was mana recovery +30%! Ark was increasingly using skills that required mana in recent times so he was glad about that. But Ark’s normal skills didn’t use mana. No, he didn’t even have a gauge for mana in the first place. Of course, this was the first rare necklace he got and the +45 intelligence meant he could sell it to Espers for a high price. 45 intelligence was a great option. No, he should cheer at the 45 intelligence attached to it.
“It is still too early to be disappointed. Just like the mummy in Beltana, this pyramid was filled with light. That light is the Shire. If it is the same as before then it is a new rune. A new skill!”
Ark fiddled with the bottom of the pyramid when he stopped. If he died then the skill he learnt from the item would disappear. Even if he was within the vicinity, the management system hasn’t been recaptured yet. An unexpected situation where he could die might occur after learning the skill! I can’t waste the skill that I obtained through a weird incident.
“Yes, it isn’t necessary to learn the skill at this time. I can learn it after I settle Charem’s problem and register at the Fairy. It is fine until then.”
Ark placed the pyramid in his bag. Then he turned and looked at the metal door on the other side. If he exited that door then there was only several hundred metres left until the management system!
Space 6
Never-ending Quest
“W-what?”
Really…..it was outrageous. And…..it was fascinating. Just like Jay said, there were no Sufferers on the other side of the lab. There was only the control booth for the management system. The control room was the core facility for Charem so they were equipped with androids or turrets. Therefore a battle occurred between the security system and the Sufferers. When Ark exited the lab he saw the shattered bodies of the Sufferers and security system. Although there were one or two still surviving…..they already weren’t a match for Ark.
Rururala susak susak! Pepepeng!
Ark comfortably destroyed the Sufferers and ran towards the control room. But this was the main place of his quest so he couldn’t afford to relax. After a moment Ark flinched.
‘Wait? Whenever I think these types of thoughts……’
It always happened. It was too easy. He was lucky. He didn’t understand why but when that happened things would always twist in a strange way. This tradition went all the way back to when Ark was in New World.
‘This, perhaps…..it might be different. I came all the way up here…..’
But he was wrong. Ark used Jay’s security card and entered the control room. Then Ark saw it. A thick iron wall blocking the various control devices! In fact Ark wasn’t worried about it. There was terminal right in front of the iron wall and Ark possessed Jay’s A class security card. He got an unlucky feeling when he swiped the security card on the terminal.
-Error! This security card isn’t authorized the open the current location!
Jay immediately explained the situation through the Nymphe.
–Oh my god! This have become complicated.
“Complicated? What do you mean? What is this iron door? You didn’t say anything about this!”
–I didn’t think it would work like this. I’ve never saw it before but the management system will be surrounded by a wall when an enemy destroys the security device.
“Then is there a way to release it?”
–The only way to release it is to use the Lord of Charem, Java’s security card.
“Java’s security card……”
He had seen it. It was the top rated security card that could access all system in Charem. Kalbern was able to open the door of the control tower and proceed to the 5th floor because he had this security card. And Kalbern got on the direct elevator to the 39th floor with the security card. But they never arrived at the 39th floor. They were blindsided by a mysterious attack in the elevator. It was highly likely that Java’s security card was somewhere in the stomach of that creature. The Phoenix members were dangling from a vertical passage and weren’t able to fight properly. It had been a few hours since that happened so they might’ve been digested and emerged in the creature’s X. He didn’t want to fight the fearsome creature…..Did he have to search through 40 floors infested with Sufferers for the creature’s X?
‘In the end I have to search through all of the control tower? No way! How am I supposed to move around 40 floors by myself? There must be another way!’
Ark attempted to hack the terminal.
-This device is protected by a security device.
Enter the security code or use Invaders to hack and release the lock.
This lock has a security rating of level 30. Your present hacking techniques can only release level 1~3 locks.
……It was impossible.
“Damn! Is there any other way?”
–I only know that you can disable it from the control room. If it can’t be released……it is made of a compressed metal land Orichalcum alloy so it can’t be scratched with a normal bomb. Only the special bombs created with the banned ‘TK technology’ can scratch it.
Bombs where TK technology was applied. Marquis Martin had handed him the STK-VII made with TK technology when he accepted the
‘The grenade was needed in a place like this!’
Once again Ark realized that Galaxian was a RPG game. This was why he received the item in conjunction with the quest. In RPG games, items that played a decisive role in the quest were given. Ark completely forget that common sense.
That wasn’t all. If he was more flexible and coped better during the surprise attack in the elevator then he might’ve been able to grab Java’s security card. Java’s security card and the STK-VII were items necessary for the quest progress and he lost both of them. While Ark was busy thinking…..
–Ah! There may be a way.
“W-what is it?”
–There is no way to release the lock or destroy the wall. But our purpose isn’t to recover the management system is it?
“Huh? It isn’t to recover the management system?”
–No, I mean you’re looking for the management system to turn off the shield around Charem. The system might not be recovered but it is simple to release the shield. Just turn of Charem’s power.
“Power…..!”
–Yes, the facilities for all of Charem’s power is in the basement. Charem’s shield also uses the power from these facilities. If we turn off the facility then the shield will be released. My security card will be able to release the basement door.
“Again…..now I have to go down to the basement?”
–That is the only way.
Jay replied in a firm voice like there was no room for negotiation. He really was going around all over the place. He climbed all the way to the 40th floor and now he had to go down to the basement? Of course, except for the 40th floor it wasn’t that difficult to navigate thanks to the pipes. But he had to go down to the 39th floor in order to use the pipes. And there were 20 Sufferers gathered outside the laboratory. But he had no other choice. Java’s security card! The STK-VII that Marquis Martin gave him!
“Dammit!”
——————————————————————
Wiiiii!
Loud sirens rang out. The flashing red lights attached to the wall, the rough footsteps and the shouts all indicated an emergency situation. Sometimes the screams would mix with the gunshots. Inside a dark corridor.
‘Huhuhu, as expected. It was nicely accomplished!’
The black eyes shone as the guy smirked. Crouching in a corner was a hamster applying ash to his fur! It was Tori who was arrested for the museum break in and sent to the orbit prison Stael.
‘Those federation guys, did they think they could keep me locked up? What is this? I am Tori. Tori who used to run wild around the galaxy. If you thought this Tori would politely stay here for 2 years then you miscalculated. The plan took a bit longer than I expected but this is my expertise.’
Tori remembered the turbulent memories of the past few months.
–The defendant Tori is sentenced to 2 years of labour in the orbit prison Stael!
Everything started from that moment.
‘2 years? Don’t make me laugh! I just stole a few things and now I have to be stuck for 2 years? I am Jean Valjean? I can’t accept this! Those damn federation bastards! I definitely have to escape!’
Tori started to dream of a jailbreak after being imprisoned in Stael. But there was a weak point. He was forced to labour for 15 hours a day. Stael was a prison created on a satellite that used to be a battlefield between the federation and the Rama. The labour imposed on the inmates was to gather parts and equipment left behind by that war.
‘This is great!’
All the plans were completed in Tori’s head at that moment. Since then Tori slowly started to hide small metal parts. Of course he received a physical check from a guard after the labour finished but Tori was a hamster and could hide it in undetectable places. For example, in between his fur or his stomach…..he was thoroughly searched with a metal detector and X-ray machine but Tori had ways of cheating those equipment.
“Eh? That bastard, why is his X-rays turning up black?”
“Why is the metal detector responding?”
“Ah, that? It might be this.”
Tori shook his body and iron powder fell from it.
“Hihihihi, I have a lot of fur. The powder seems to have been caught in my fur while working.”
Of course he had intentionally stuck the iron powder to his body. It was natural for the metal detector to react when he was covered with iron powder. Even the X-rays turned out black. Tori’s greatest strength was his cunning.
‘A genius? Aren’t I a genius? Hihihihi!’
Anyway, Tori gradually gathered small metal parts. And after a few months of gathering metal parts and joining them together……
‘It is complete!’
Tori looked at a machine the size of a soccer ball. It was the machine Tori went without sleep for the past few months to create! It was a machine he named ‘Random hacking, sprinkle virus.’ The name was the same as the use. It was a machine that randomly hacked various systems and spread a virus.
‘Stael’s security is definitely no joke. This facility is completely isolated from the outside and there are hardly any gaps in security. But……’
The external security was perfect but that meant internal security was lax. Furthermore, Tori’s Random Hacking machine was something he had been working on for several months. Of course, he didn’t have the right equipment so he didn’t have fine control over it but it was simple to plant a virus in the connected system. Tori hid the machine on him while waiting for an opportunity when the guards weren’t looking.
‘Random hacking, sprinkle virus’!
‘The chances of success was fifty-fifty but it worked better than expected!’
Tori looked around with sparkling eyes and laughed. Once he started the machine, there was an error in the locking mechanism and all the doors in Stael opened at once. He didn’t need to use his imagination to know what happened next.
“Ohhhh! The prison doors opened!”
“Those bastard guards, shall we bother them? I will show you this time!”
“It is a riot, a riot! Seize the central control tower! If they escape then they will threaten the galactic federation!”
“Hahahaha! Kill everybody!”
People who committed atrocities in Galaxian were also placed in Stael prison. The proof was that the prisoners rioted at once. The guards who couldn’t react to the sudden situation had their weapons taken away and the riot got out of hand. However Tori had no interest in the riot.
‘Those stupid guys, they’re just ignorantly fighting. Do they really think they can seize Stael just because they got their hands on some weapons? The federation army fleet will come as soon as Stael’s situation is conveyed. They will fire the guns. Do they want to drop dead? Well it doesn’t really matter to me. No, I’m actually thankful. This makes my escape easier. Yes, escape! Now I can escape from this hellish place!’
Tori raised his head with a hopeful expression. Hope dawned on Tori’s haggard face. He couldn’t eat his favourite sunflower seeds, his eyes were sunken in, he had bruises all over the place and he had lost some fur. This was a brutality committed by the Katz that shared his cell. Tori’s plan was also behind schedule because of the Katz. Those guys stepped on Tori and kicked him so he felt badly every night. So it was difficult to find time to make the machine.
‘But today is the end of this miserable life. Those guys are violent so they will run around violently and will be shot at. Hihihihi, that’s good.’
Tori laughed and shook his head.
‘No, that’s not it. Now’s not the time. There are also smart guys like me among the prisoners. I have to escape before it is too late!’
Tori ran along a passage. Tori was heading towards the space shutter hangar! The security there was strict but all the door mechanisms were currently jammed. And the guards were mobilized to stop the riot.
‘There are still a few guards remaining but…..’
Tori had applied some ash to his fur!
He would blend into the darkness to avoid catching the guard’s eyes and sneak away on a stolen shuttle! Tori’s hope swelled up and he quickly ran to the hangar.
“Huk! W-what is this?”
Tori stared around the hangar with confusion. There were 10 bodies scattered around the entrance of the hangar. They were the bodies of the guards.
“Don’t tell me? Some prisoners managed to reach the hangar in the meantime?”
Roaaaaar!
Then there was a tremendous roaring sound. Tori turned his head and flinched. The roaring came from a space shuttle inside the hangar. There was no doubt about it. While Tori was hiding to avoid being mixed up in the riot, some prisoners had attacked the guards in the hangar and seized a space shuttle. Of course there was still a lot of space shuttles left…..
“This way!”
“The prisoners are running away! Shoot!”
Tu tu tu tu! Tu tu tu tu! Tu tu tu tu!
Guards ran inside the hanger firing machine guns.
‘No! The guards are starting to flock to the hangar. I don’t have time to seize another space shuttle! If I don’t get on that space shuttle then I’ll be caught!”
He would go back to working during the day and being beaten up by the Katz at night. Tori would rather die than go back to a hell like that.
“Stop! Stop! Take me along as well! Wait a minute!”
“A prisoner hasn’t got on yet!”
“Shoot! Stop him even if you have to kill him!”
Tu tu tu tu! Tu tu tu tu! Tu tu tu tu!
Bullets were fired but that didn’t stop the hamster. Escape from hell! Freedom! Sunflower seeds!
“Ohhhhhh! Freedom!”
He threw his body towards the space shuttle that was rising.
“He is a colleague too! Grab him!”
The shuttle door opened and someone grabbed Tori’s hand. The light of deliverance! Light of freedom! Tori tightened his grip on the hand and crept into the shuttle. Then the door closed and the space shuttle flew out of the hangar’s doors into space. The sight of Stael receding brought Tori to tears then he turned his head.
“Pant pant pant, thanks! Thank you! I’ll never forget that you saved me from hell! I am
Tori! My saviours…..heok! Y-you are……”
Tori suddenly screamed and retreated. The man smiled and nodded.
“You understand Tori. You are our friend.”
There were 10 people gathered in front of Tori. They were the Katz that he shared a cell with.
“We seem closely connected. Let’s see what happens in the future. Nyang∼.”
“……Should I just jump out into space?’
Tori was seriously worried.
——————————————————————
“Damn, it was possible to do it this way!”
A curse naturally emerged. Ark had reached the management system on the 40th floor and now he had to go back down again. The thing he was most concerned about was the Sufferers outside his lab. But it was surprisingly easy to settle that problem. The doors of the laboratory!
-The administrator has been authenticated and the door will be opened.
The door opened.
Keeeeeeh!
-The administrator has been authenticated and the door will be closed.
The door would close as soon as three or four Sufferers ran through the door.
And susak susak! Pepepepeng!
By attacking a few Sufferers at a time with the sword and Fire Eagle, he could wipe out all the Sufferers in 30 minutes. The process meant he didn’t need to worry about dying. His worries were for nothing. Anyway, Ark took care of the Sufferers and exited the lab. He went down to the 39th floor and took the pipes ↓↓↓↓! He used Tori’s instructions and Jay over the Nymphe to climb down the pipes to the 20th floor to a door where a sign saying ‘Danger! Off limits except for administrators’ hung from it. It was a door that led to the outer wall of the control tower!
“……This is Charem!”
Ark muttered to himself. This was the place that Ark first saw using the Wire Camera when he entered the water facilities. It was crowded with aliens and was probably the safety zone that Kalbern mentioned. But the place Ark emerged in was the contaminated area. He immediately joined the Phoenix members and then he was stuck in the control tower. Therefore Ark completely forgot that Charem was a city floating in the air. However, he was again realized this once he emerged on the outer wall of the 20th floor. A 10 km city stretched underneath his foot. More than half of the buildings had turned into ruins with smoke pouring out from it while the downtown area remained perfect.