The Final Desperation

When Genji reviewed the loot, his eyes instantly went to the description, specifically the part about trading the item in. It was an odd remark, but Genji would be a fool to accept it. The drop was weird enough, not matching a boss's drop, let alone the sheer difficulty of everything.

Genji might have had an easy time getting past everything, but a normal party would have perished multiple times before they could reach this point. And after all that trouble, the only reward was an uncommon item? No one would believe this item was a normal item.

Since EverRealm provided a trade-in option, that only meant the real reward was better than it. The problem was finding it, which was why it could be traded. Otherwise, people would have suffered for nothing, which contradicted EverRealm's rules.

Since Genji entered EverRealm, there has always been a rule about proportional risks and rewards. The more dangerous the situation, the better the rewards. Of course, this only applied if he could survive the peril. If he died, then everything would be for naught. This time should be no different.

Just consider everything that Genji had to deal with to obtain this key. First, he had to find this hidden area that would baffle most people. Next, he had to endure the countless traps on the first floor, all of which were capable of killing people stronger than him. Many of these traps also led to dead ends, which would severely weaken the parties.

Finally, they had to fight a boss who was capable of turning himself into bugs. For Genji, this ability could only stop his fatal attacks, but to a crowd, it would be a nightmare. Can you imagine the entire room filled with these crawlers, all seeking to gnaw away at your flesh? Any support in the back would be instantly killed, leaving the melee fighters to fend for themselves.

Under these conditions, it was only a matter of time before the entire party was wiped out, assuming they even survived the traps. Unfortunately for the tomb guardian, Genji was used to dancing on the edge of death and fighting people stronger than him. Paired with his surprise attack, Genji managed to overcome everything.

Now, it was time to reap the spoils of victory instead of wallowing in defeat about an inaccessible treasure.

"Give me a clue on where this key is supposed to be used," he requested of his fox badge.

Minutes later, the badge glowed brightly, and a yellow arrow pointed at the golden sarcophagus. Genji walked over and examined the luxurious coffin for the stated clue, but found nothing. Other than some decayed matter stuck on the interiors, there was nothing. Not even an indication of what this sarcophagus was hiding.

Genji let out an annoyed sigh and kicked the coffin to vent his feelings. But when his foot collided with its gilded surface, Genji understood what he was missing.

The coffin felt lighter than expected. That is not to say it was light, but it felt easier to move than he had anticipated. It was as if it was purposely made to be movable instead of anchoring onto the ground like a normal coffin.

Realizing this, Genji exerted more strength and pushed aside the fancy construct. After shifting its position by a few meters, Genji found another set of stairs.

"Not a bad hiding spot. If I hadn't tracked it, I would have easily missed this."

Genji entered the pitch-black stairwell and descended for some time. Wherever this treasure trove was, it was deep in the earth. Eventually, Genji entered a large room that resembled an altar. The floor curved upward, forming the contours of this altar. Weird rune lines dotted these bumps, all converging at the center of the room, where a tall pillar stood.

Walking over, Genji spotted an indented slot shaped to fit an octahedron. He pulled out the key and found it to be a perfect match. After inserting it, Genji stood back and watched the display.

The lines on the altar lit up in a way resembling the sarcophagus's unsealing, illuminating the room with a light blue glow. The light became brighter, accumulating to its apex before snuffing out. Then the sound of gears turned beneath his feet, and the pillar peeled away to reveal a pedestal.

On top of this mechanism, a sphere the size of a clenched fist rested. Genji walked back and picked it up, observing its smooth surface and the eye pattern etched into the material.

 

[Eye of Horus]

Rating: Legendary (Degraded once)

Type: Accessory

Requirement: 15 int

Durability: 40/50

Effect

1. Scan (Active): Consume 100 energy and conduct a judgment with a stat of your choice. The greater the difference, the more information you will obtain from the target. 1 hour cooldown.

Description: An artifact that allows you to peek at the information of others. The ancient civilization forged this in the image of a god with a falcon head, hoping it would bring them the god's protection.

Note: Because of the passage of time, its structure has been weakened. Be careful with it. It is fragile.

 

It was another obscure piece of equipment, but Genji was happy with it. It might only have one effect and seemingly overlapped with the insight skill EverRealm provided him, but Genji was certain there was something special about it. After all, it was a legendary item that focused everything on this one ability.

It might have degraded once, putting it on the weaker side of legendaries, but it was still a legendary item. There was no way a legendary item could be useless. As for its exact effects, he would have to test it later and figure out the exact differences between it and insight.

"That's a good haul. Now let's head back to meet the pharaoh."

 

---

 

"Did you do it?" Sinclair asked as he walked in the shaded side of the streets.

"Yes. Can you let us see our families now?" A pair of warriors asked, fidgeting uneasily as they followed him.

"Give it back, and you can go."

The two of them let out a sigh of relief and reached inside their clothes to bring out a familiar golden bracelet. This was the same bracelet Genji had spotted earlier, which led to his ruin exploration.

'I hope you like my gift, Enigma,' Sinclair thought.

Sinclair had worked so hard to lure Genji to this ruin because he needed a reason to enter it. Since Sinclair had discovered this place, he had greedily eyed it but couldn't do anything about it. This was the tomb of an important pharaoh, and the rulers protected it rigorously. If he wasn't careful, he would be instantly killed.

But even if he did get past everything, the sheer act of desecrating their ancestor's tomb was enough to be hunted down. No matter how precious the treasures within were, it wasn't worth ruining his plans. That was why Sinclair had to enter with a legitimate reason. And what better excuse than investigating an intruder?

But he couldn't just send any normal intruder since they would be killed before triggering any alarms. No, he needed a strong fighter who was both ignorant of the pyramid's significance and daring enough to enter.

The only group of people that matched these requirements were the realm members. Depending on the realm member he found, Sinclair was prepared to lay the corresponding bait. 

Of course, all these factors were dependent on luck, so Sinclair had no expectations for it. If it succeeded, he would celebrate, but it was otherwise no loss. That was why Genji being the intruder was a nice bonus rather than a targeted scheme.

And boy, was it a nice surprise to encounter such a troublesome enemy. Sinclair didn't know how Genji survived the Spatial Battlefield without a faction's backing, but he knew Genji was a threat. That was all he needed to know. Anyone who could persist against such odds couldn't be simply dismissed and needed to be eliminated, especially as an enemy.

'With his capabilities, he should have no problem surviving, but getting the treasures will be a pipe dream. I bet he never expected that such a windfall was actually a trap in disguise.'

"Where did you go?" The priest asked when he returned, annoyed that Sinclair was slacking in this cooperation.

"I was making preparations," he replied.

The priest snorted at his excuse and resumed his work. But before he could fully concentrate on it, a messenger entered the room.

"High priest. I've come with the pharaoh's orders."

Hearing this, both of them got down on a knee and bowed their heads. Even if it was superficial, this act was required when they heard the pharaoh's orders.

'It's here.'

"We're ready."

The messenger unfurled the parchment and started reading. "A criminal has trespassed on King Atune's sacred resting place. The high priest is ordered to bring a group and execute this intruder." Then the messenger furled up the parchment, indicating his work was done.

"Are you kidding me? Of all times, why did it have to be now? We were so close to solving this." The priest grumbled but started his preparations for the journey.

Similar to how the pharaoh had to respect his authority, the high priest had to reciprocate. He might be unwilling to obey, but he had no choice. Not if he wanted to maintain his power.

"At least we're almost done. We just need to get rid of this intruder, and we can claim our rewards."

At that thought, the priest cheered up. Sinclair was right. As long as they completed this request, they wouldn't be bothered for a while. The pharaoh might have the authority to issue orders, but there were limits.

'Hmph. He just wants to give me trouble whenever he can. I'm getting tired of these excuses. Just wait. The moment I get those treasures, I will buy out your advisors. Let's see if your subjects will remain loyal after that temptation.'

They finished their preparations and set off on camels, enduring the bone-chilling coldness. After a whole night of traveling, they reached their destination as dawn peaked over the horizon. As the coldness diminished, the priest searched for the concealed structure. Minutes later, the quicksand solidified under the priest's magic, allowing them to pass through the protective film.

"There is a way to avoid the traps, right?" Sinclair asked rhetorically.

"That's a given. We're not stupid, you know?"

"Then how do you know the intruder won't use it?"

"Because only two people know it. Everyone else has to pray for luck when doing maintenance."

Sinclair knew what the priest was implying and smiled. It wasn't hard to figure out. The pharaoh had to be one of them since this pyramid was his ancestor's tomb. It did surprise Sinclair that the priest knew about it, but on second thought, it made sense. The pharaoh wouldn't have sent him otherwise. What was the point of sending hunters if they got killed before they could do anything?

The priest walked over to the left Anubis statue and felt around the collar. A dull click sounded, and the neck shroud rotated by 30 degrees before he approached the other statue. After repeating this, he pulled on the spear like a lever, causing the side of the pyramid to rumble violently. Seconds later, the wall moved aside to reveal a dark tunnel.

"How convenient," Sinclair commented, unfazed by the possibility of being silenced for knowing too much. That was already happening after the cooperation, so another reason didn't bother him.

The priest lit a torch and led the way, knowing that Sinclair wouldn't follow otherwise. At the end of the tunnel, they pulled another lever and entered a room with descending stairs.

"As I thought, he made it past the traps," the priest muttered, looking back at the collapsed hallway. "Let's continue."

After descending, they made a beeline for the burial room where the sarcophagus was stored, but they were blocked by a giant boulder.

"So he's reached the guardian's room. That's good for us. We don't have to waste any more time here. Let's head back," he said, having no desire to overachieve.

"Don't we need to confirm his death?" Sinclair asked, desiring to enter the room and plunder the treasures.

"No. There has never been an intruder who survived this room."

After a brief pause, Sinclair replied righteously, "We can't do that. The pharaoh entrusted us with this task, so we have to do a good job."

Hearing these uncharacteristic words, the priest gave him a long look. "You're right. We need to confirm that all the treasures are still there. It would be a shame if some of it got stolen by the intruder."

Both of them came to an unspoken agreement and looked for a way to open the room. Eventually, they turned the ground beneath it into mud and slid the blockade aside. When they walked in, the priest's eyes lit up at the shelves of riches around the room. He walked over and examined them before shoving them into his robes.

"I really hope the intruder didn't steal too many treasures, or the pharaoh will be very angry." Then he picked up the pace, stashing the smallest and most precious pieces. "Oh no! So much of it is missing. We need to hunt down this intruder before he gets away."

"Hmmmm," Sinclair hummed, his attention elsewhere. 'Where is it? I know this can't be everything.'

Sinclair's gaze wandered across the room and eventually settled on the golden sarcophagus at the center of the room. 'Got it. It must be there.'

But before he could do anything else, a dagger reached out from behind and slashed at his throat. As the edge reached his neck, a protective barrier wrapped around Sinclair and blocked the attack. A crisp crack came from the area, and Sinclair hastily retreated, wary of the attacker who had instantly destroyed his epic-ranked consumable.

'How did I not notice him behind me?' Sinclair broke out in a cold sweat as he recalled how close he was to death just now.

"Not bad. You must be the person who lured me here," Genji answered, aware that he had been set up. How could he not when everything contradicted the story he heard?

'Dammit. How did he get so strong? It's only been 4-5 months!'

"Who are you?" The priest asked, hoping to buy enough time to charge his magic.

"Me? I'm the intruder you were talking about."

Then Genji jumped, dodging the sea of spikes that sprouted beneath him. Genji activated both of his cloak's skills and kicked off the rocky protrusion. Sinclair sensed the sudden disappearance and quickly drew his sword. Two swift strikes chipped the weapon and almost snapped it from Sinclair's hands.

But before he could steady himself, a heavy kick buried his head into the walls. Genji kicked off again, avoiding the shifting of rocks that sought to trap his legs. Genji disappeared again, slashing through rock walls and pillars to approach the priest. After twisting past a narrow opening, Genji drew his saber and cleaved down.

Left with no choice, the priest swapped to fire magic, risking a dust explosion. Spirals of flesh-charring flames roared at Genji, forcing him to channel Solid Core at maximum power. Genji burst through the sea and canceled the effect, using the energy to ignite his shadow flames and pivot erratically.

His blade danced past all the attacks and cleaved down on his foe. Blood splattered and boiled under the heat, but the priest appeared 10 meters away. A large gnash tore through his shoulders, triggering his pain receptors with each breath.

'Who is this guy and how is he so fast?' The priest asked, cautious of letting Genji get any closer. In just that brief moment, he had to use his only charged teleportation spell.

At this moment, Sinclair recovered and landed beside him. Blood streaked down his temple, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"Stop holding back, or we'll both die," the priest said.

"I wish I was, but we might be outmatched here."

"Don't give me that crap. I know you have a trump card you haven't used."

"I'll use it if you use yours."

"Deal."

"You're not very smart, are you?" Genji interrupted them, slowly walking over with [Jaguar] slung over his shoulder. "Do you know why I let you two talk so much instead of following up?"

The priest was about to retort when he suddenly went numb and wobbled unstably with blurred vision.

"Poison," Sinclair answered, recalling the problematic effect of that saber. All it took was a single wound, and they would be in trouble.

"You seem familiar with my methods. To my knowledge, only one person has survived this. So what brings you here, Sinclair?"

"Do you need to ask?"

"No. I'm just stalling. Should you be entertaining me like this when your friend is dying over there? The longer you delay, the lower your chances of winning."

"Funny you say that. As if I have any chances of winning right now."

"Then why are you still stalling?"

"Because I know he has a forbidden technique to finish this. If I don't force him, he will never use it."

Hearing these words, Genji instantly burst into action, knowing that he couldn't delay any further. But as he flashstepped, Sinclair moved into the way and swung down with everything he had. He didn't even hesitate to use the sword's ability, burning its remaining durability to unleash a massive energy wave.

Genji channeled most of his energy as well, sending his flames into overdrive to carve out a path to safety. Yet this brief delay was all the priest needed to finish his preparations.

His energy went berserk, and his body withered into a malnourished skeleton. A vortex of purple and red energy fused between his skinny arms before he pushed it outward. The underground chamber shook like an unimaginable earthquake, and the walls broke apart. The air distorted around this vortex and drew in all the airborne particles of sand like a gluttonous black hole.

"F-fuck y-you," the priest weakly cursed, glaring furiously at Sinclair. "Since you want me to use it so badly, you can die with him! OPEN! Underworld's Summoning!"

With these words, the priest fell over dead, having exhausted all his energy to cast this spell. Suddenly, the vortex ripped open space and exerted a mighty pulling force.

"Do you know why I forced him to do this?" Sinclair asked as they anchored their feet into the cracked ground. "It's because I'm certain I will survive." Following that, he pulled out a bone token and crushed it.

 

[Token of Return]

Rating: Epic

Type: Consumable

Effect: Upon use, open a portal that leads back to your realm. This portal takes 10 seconds to form, and your mission will automatically fail, even if you finished it. No rewards will be provided for this world, and your next world difficulty will increase by 50%.

Description: A rare token provided by {Eternal Void}. It can save your life in the direst of circumstances, but you need the corresponding strength to survive your next mission.

 

"Goodbye, Enigma. You were a strong foe, but this is the end."

10 seconds later, a second portal appeared and swallowed Sinclair. When it closed, it kicked up a fierce spatial disturbance that crashed into Genji, knocking him off the ground. Like that, he spiraled into the portal, forced to confront the unknown on the other side.