Chapter 13

Flash.

Rumble.

A vibration echoes from the altar.

The magic stone liquefies like water and seeps into the altar.

Soon, the pipes connected to the altar begin to twitch, and the door embedded in the wall opens with a hiss of steam.

The vibration stops.

"The thought of having to go in there is terrifying."

It looks like some kind of torture device.

Swallowing my words, I walked towards the coffin.

"Hey."

Olivia calls me.

"Why are you calling me?"

"You can't get hurt again. If you get hurt pointlessly, it'll be a hassle for me!"

She turns her head with a snort.

She's always the same.

"Alright."

I nod indifferently and step into the coffin, leaning against it.

Whoosh.

The door closes with a hiss of steam.

Whirr.

A loud noise accompanies the sharp needles that shoot out from inside, piercing both shoulders and the spine.

"Ugh!"

It stings.

I think it's still bearable.

Crack!

Sparks fly, and an unknown force flows into my body through the needles.

"Ah, aaaaaah!"

It hurts.

It hurts so much that I want to cry.

It hurts as if I'm about to die.

Thump, thump, thump.

My heart beats as if it's about to burst. The magic pathways heat up and start to rage.

Rumble!

The magic that burst from the magic pathways rages and violently tears through my body.

"Ugh! Damn... this..."

I didn't hear that it would hurt this much.

In the original story, Mad Hatter just went in and came out.

"Damn author... Ugh!"

My vision spins dizzily.

I endure the pain, cursing the author.

Indeed, 5700 characters is too lenient a punishment compared to the author's behavior.

While I was cursing the author.

My back heats up as if a red-hot poker has been inserted into my spine.

The pain is so intense that I can't even scream or curse.

"Ugh."

I swallow a breath.

Just as my fingertips and toes started to tremble.

Flash.

My head clears as if I've been struck by lightning.

"Ugh."

I can feel the unknown force injected into my body flowing into the magic pathways.

Whoosh.

The needles that pierced both shoulders and the spine pull out and disappear.

The pain gradually subsides.

An unknown sensation fills the void left by the intense pain.

I close and open my eyes.

It feels like I have an extra arm that I can't see? My sensory range has expanded.

"It's a Gift."

I activate the power of the Gift that has settled in my body.

Rumble.

The magic pathways activate.

A tiny black sphere appears and disperses above my fingertips.

Darkness ability.

The power of the final boss has settled in my body.

"I like it."

The process was shit, but the result is satisfying.

A smile forms at the corners of my mouth.

Whoosh.

The door opens with a hiss of steam.

I can see Olivia approaching from a distance.

"Are you... okay...? Kyaa!! Pervert!"

Her face, which had been slightly worried, turns red, and she covers her face with both hands, sitting down.

"Why are you naked?!"

Because I'm naked.

I look at my body.

It seems that even a C-rank hero is still a hero, as my body is in much better condition than the me from that world.

My muscles are so well-defined that if I just post a picture of my face on social media, I'd be called a bodybuilder.

"Blame the relic."

I answer brazenly.

Since Mad Hatter was also naked when he came out in the original story, it's not unexpected.

"Put on some clothes quickly!!"

She shouts, sitting down and closing her eyes tightly.

"I'll put them on, so if you're embarrassed, turn around."

"You're so shameless..."

Olivia mutters.

Anyway, I take out extra clothes from my inventory and put them on.

"I'm done."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"O, okay."

I'm not sure what's good about it, but after hearing my clear answer, Olivia opens her eyes and stands up.

She looks at me and says,

"You're really dressed. That's a relief."

What kind of person do you think I am?

I raise an eyebrow.

"About the Gift. Did you awaken it?"

She asks again.

Without a word, I operate the Gift.

The shadows at my feet wriggle and rise to form a shield.

"Darkness ability..."

Olivia stares blankly at the shadow shield.

It's probably because it's the Gift of the Black Prince.

When I deactivate the Gift, the shield collapses and returns to shadows.

"I hope this answers your question."

"..."

There's no response.

She seems lost in thought, her mouth closed.

Well, I didn't really expect an answer.

I take out the Hunter Watch from my inventory and put it on.

"Who are you contacting now?"

At that moment,

Olivia suddenly appears and asks.

"National Intelligence Service."

"The intelligence agency of Korea? But the value of a relic that grants Gifts... You might not get proper compensation due to pressure from external forces."

Olivia answers in a rather serious tone.

She has a point.

Granting Gifts overturns the common sense that has governed the world of hunters and heroes.

The value is astronomical, beyond monetary calculation.

Naturally, Japan, where the relic is located, will drool over it.

While the ownership of relics and artifacts usually goes to the hero or clan that conquers them, there's no guarantee that Japan, a hero powerhouse, will follow the rules for the Baptismal Coffin, which is an extraordinary artifact.

"So what?"

"I, I will, this time, specially assist you under the name of the Bonaparte Royal Family!"

She places her hand on her chest and lets out a ladylike laugh confidently.

If France, another hero powerhouse, steps in, it can mitigate Japan's pressure.

As the world's leading power, fittingly the France of this world is one of the strongest countries.

"Good, I was going to ask you to do it anyway. Thanks."

"You always add unnecessary remarks! That's your problem!"

Ignoring Olivia's voice, I enter the National Intelligence Service's contact information into the Hunter Watch.

Now it's time to turn lies into truth.

Suspicious.

I sent a message to the National Intelligence Service, explaining the entire situation.

I found a relic in Ground Zero, conquered it with Olivia, and claimed that the National Intelligence Service had given me the information about the relic in advance.

I want to handle the discovered artifact together with the French side.

It was a fairly long message, but a prompt response came back in less than 10 seconds.

[Yes, I understand. Candidate Kim Deok-sung.]

[I will head to your location. Please send the coordinates.]

A polite reply.

I mark the coordinates and send the message.

[Thank you. Please wait a moment.]

I close the Hunter Watch.

Olivia is also operating her Hunter Watch, sending a message.

Well, I don't need to peek.

I can guess who she's contacting.

'Bella, probably.'

Bella.

Olivia's personal maid and shadow.

A figure who has assisted her since childhood, like an older sister to Olivia.

And a B-rank hero of France known as 'The Thief.'

If she, the representative of the Bonaparte Royal Family, steps in, she can handle the situation as Olivia boasts.

'One less thing to worry about.'

Thanks to her, I won't have to deal with any unpleasant surprises.

Olivia turns off the hologram on her Hunter Watch and says,

"I'm done. What about you?"

"I finished a while ago."

I show her my right arm, where the hologram has turned off on my Hunter Watch.

"All we have to do now is wait."

Olivia gives a strange smile.

Why is she like that?

"Hehehe. Our Bella will probably arrive faster anyway."

"Is that so?"

I shrug.

I don't really care who arrives first.

"Wh-what's with that lackluster reaction?!"

"I don't want to argue over such childish things."

"Wh-who's being childish?!"

Olivia gets angry.

She places her hands on her hips and points at me with her right hand.

"Fine. Let's make a bet! The one who arrives first will treat the other to dinner!"

I don't really want to take part in such a childish bet.

Bella is a capable hero, as she claims, and will probably arrive faster than some unknown NIS agent.

But, I have a black card with no spending limit and the government pays for it.

The cost of dinner, no matter how expensive, won't be a big hit.

And to keep Olivia in line, I sometimes need to play along with her.

Not too often, though, just sometimes.

So, I decided to play along with her childish bet this time.

"For the morale of the long-term pawn."

"Alright. Do as you please."

"The bet is on, then? Hehe. We'll see."

The French princess hums a tune, clearly in a good mood.

I can't help but chuckle.

"Why are you laughing?! Are you confident?"

"No, just."

"It's suspicious... "

She narrows her eyes and looks at me.

Anyway, I sit on the altar and whistle.

I don't like standing for long.

"Suspicious... "

I ignore Olivia's voice.

With the Gift, I now have about half the power needed to face Shinozaki Rin.

The only thing left is to get the White Flame Sword Technique from Olivia, which shouldn't be too difficult.

'The Black Stone is almost within reach.'

I'm almost there.

"Hehe, he♪"

I can hear Olivia's humming.

Is it that good to win such a childish bet?

I can't understand the tsundere mindset.

An awkward silence ensues.

After some time has passed,

Someone appears from the far entrance of the relic's deepest part.

"They're here!"

Olivia, who had been leaning against the wall, jumps up.

I thought it was Bella arriving.

"Wh-what..."

A deflated sound escapes Olivia's lips.

What is it?

I look up.

There's a person I've never seen before.

A beautiful woman with ash-gray short hair and gray eyes, dressed in a neat black suit, comes into view.

A character not in the original story.

An NIS agent.