The Forgotten Temple.
In its deepest chamber, the commander sat on the ceremonial throne, casting a gaze around the assembly seats.
The One-Eyed Crux.
The Turncoat, Rook.
Sophia Belov.
Today, only these three members had responded to the commander's summons.
"Only three of you today?"
"They're all busy, you know."
"Fair enough. Then let's get straight to the point."
It wasn't the time to joke around or dance around the issue, so the commander went straight to the heart of the matter.
"Esther has disappeared."
The shoulders of the gathered members subtly tensed at the commander's words.
There was no way they could misunderstand the meaning of what he had just said.
"Are you saying she's dead?"
The one-eyed man, Crux, spoke up, and the blonde woman sitting opposite him, Sophia, immediately retorted as usual.
"Oh, come on. How can a ghost die?"
"She's not just a ghost; she's a Spectral Type. And Spectral Types can be annihilated. It's just that the conditions are exceptionally difficult."
"Yeah, but do you really think Esther's the same as any ordinary Spectral Type?"
As the two continued their usual bickering, Rook, who had been silently watching, turned his gaze toward the commander.
"Commander, what do you mean by that? Are you saying Project Ghost was successful?"
Project Ghost.
It was the name of the anti-Ether weapon project being pursued by the Ark's White Line and Red Line.
"No, it wasn't successful. Project Ghost failed. But still, Esther has vanished."
Sophia butted in.
"What the hell are you talking about? How could Esther just disappear? That makes no sense."
The commander replied.
"We're still assessing the situation. But in the worst-case scenario, we may have to accelerate the plan."
The One Who Dwells, Esther, was supposed to play the most pivotal role in fulfilling the order's ultimate goal.
With such an essential figure abruptly disappearing, it was inevitable that their plan would face significant disruption.
"So, what's the plan?"
Sophia's question hung in the air as the commander stared into the void for a long while before finally nodding, as if making up his mind.
"Crux, Sophia."
"Yes, Commander."
"Yup, go ahead."
"Track Esther's trail. Find out what happened there."
"Got it."
The commander's gaze then shifted to the man in black, Rook.
"And you, Rook."
The leader of the Shadow Order gave a direct order to the Turncoat, Rook.
"You're coming with me to the Ark."
* * *
Dawn had already broken.
Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the awakening of Ouroboros had caused all the surrounding beasts and monsters to flee, making my journey back significantly easier.
["You know,"] Esther started, her voice buzzing incessantly beside me, ["Living in a place like Spirit Mountain Noah, where ghosts are swarming everywhere, builds up a lot of negative energy. And when that negative energy builds up, it can be really bad for men, you know... like..."]
Thanks to her nonstop chatter, the trip back wasn't as dull as I thought it would be.
Honestly, I never imagined I'd be getting advice on superstitions about ghost possession from an actual spectral entity.
Of course, just as light has its shadow, her constant yammering eventually made my ears feel like they were scabbing over.
"Quiet."
["Come on, why not just go to one of the places I know instead of Noah? It's way cozier, safer, and it even has a flush toilet. Why insist on living in a gloomy mountain without one?"]
I almost flinched at the mention of a flush toilet but shook my head firmly.
According to Esther, it might be more comfortable for now, but in the long run, it was clear it would only come back to bite me.
'If I go there, it'll be hard to withstand the waves. Even if it's a bit inconvenient, staying near the Ark is better.'
The alternative would be entering the Ark itself.
Of course, that wasn't something I could just decide on my own, but after living outside for so long, I'd come to realize that living out here wasn't entirely a bad thing.
'If I ever get permission to enter the Ark, I'll end up being conscripted as a soldier. That means restrictions on my movements. Besides, I've already established a connection with Quartermaster Gedwin, so staying outside isn't the worst option.'
'Well, that's something to think about later.'
I slowly lifted my head.
At last, the long stretch of plains came to an end, and the boundary of Spirit Mountain Noah came into view.
"Noah."
["...Damn."]
Esther grumbled.
As if to prove her displeasure, the ether around me began to stir the moment I stepped into Spirit Mountain Noah.
[Heehee...]
[Familiar...]
[The One Who Dwells... Esther.]
[She's here.]
[She's here?]
The ether of Spirit Mountain Noah swirled around me.
It wasn't hostile or anything, just... annoying.
"Popular, aren't you?"
["You think they're doing that because they like me? Do you have any idea how much they've tormented me...?"]
"Why not get along with your friends?"
["Ha! Friends? You think I'd ever be friends with those things? If I wasn't in this pathetic state..."]
Esther grumbled bitterly.
Since this area was essentially a safe zone, I moved forward with a bit more ease.
["Hey, Master."]
"What?"
["I'm not insisting we move or anything, but... are you really sure it's okay to live here? You probably know this already, but this place is..."]
"It's fine."
["...Hmm."]
Esther seemed like she wanted to say something more but ultimately just shook her head.
I knew what she was about to bring up, but there was no need to say it out loud.
There was nothing to gain from discussing unnecessary topics.
The hike continued.
The terrain of Holy Mountain Noah was rough and unforgiving, but I had grown accustomed to it over time.
And finally...
I arrived back at my hideout.
*
After collapsing from exhaustion upon my return, I woke up to find the sun setting.
Whether it was because I was utterly worn out or thanks to Esther's presence, I didn't suffer from insomnia this time, despite not taking any herbs.
[You have taken ample rest after your battle with the colossal beast!]
[Strength attribute has increased.]
[15 -> 16]
[Stamina attribute has increased.]
[18 -> 19]
Thanks to that, my stats went up.
I decided to check my status after a long time.
──────────────
Name: Carl Marcus
Rank: —
Position: —
Strength: 16
Stamina: 19
Dexterity: 14
Luck: 10
Tenacity: 7
Ether Sensitivity: 22
Traits: [Sturdy Constitution], [Insomnia], [Agile Reflexes], [Superhuman Willpower], [Tremors], [Nearsightedness], [Sudden Deafness], [One-Hit Kill], [Firepower Expert], [Heavy Rounds], [Possession], [Sniper's Time], [Beast Hunter], [Pacifism], [Beginner's Luck], [Blade Rounds], [Fear Rounds]...
Abilities: [Steel Body (Lv.3)], [Discharge (Lv.1)]
──────────────
Total Attribute Points: 88.
Even excluding Dexterity and Luck, it was still an absurd total of 62 points.
'Ether Sensitivity definitely played a huge role in this.'
At this level, I could easily handle the late stages of the Orange Line and, depending on how I handled things, even make an impact in the Yellow Line.
'Considering practical combat power, I could go even further.'
The newly acquired traits and those I had gained by enduring countless penalties backed that up.
Although the trait [Beginner's Luck] would eventually disappear once my total attribute points hit 100, it was still proving to be invaluable for now.
'I might not feel it directly, but the fact that I'm still alive means it's working well enough.'
It was likely a significant factor in why Ouroboros eventually retreated during the battle.
Luck is one of those things you don't notice when you have it, but you definitely feel the difference once it's gone.
For breakfast, I grabbed a Multi-Calorie Bar (Vanilla Flavor) and took a bite.
Crunch, crunch.
My sense of taste had dulled, so what once tasted like vanilla now felt more delicious than any gourmet dish.
'No need to ration it too much now.'
Before, I had to conserve it as emergency rations since I had no way of trading with the Ark, but things were different now.
Having established a connection with Gedwin and secured access to merit points, I could afford a bit of luxury.
'Next time, I should try to get some proper ingredients for cooking.'
While it was true that the animals outside the Ark were practically extinct due to monsters and beasts, the Ark itself had livestock and large-scale farming areas stretching from the Yellow to Blue Line.
Of course, most produce was used as raw material for multi-calorie bars, but there were still ingredients available for other uses.
'Might be expensive, but the Sandstorm Caravan might have cheaper options.'
As I thought through my next steps, I heard Esther's voice again.
["Hey, Master."]
"What now."
Esther's tone was unusually stiff. She wasn't whining like usual, which meant she understood the gravity of the situation.
"I know."
Just as I expected, ominous clouds were gathering on the horizon.
Not just any clouds.
A storm made of beasts and monsters.
[Kraaaak! Kraaaak!]
[Keek! Keeek!]
The third wave had begun.