CH 8

Noah, the sacred mountain, was shrouded in a dense concentration of ether, which instinctively repelled any demonic creatures or beasts from approaching. This unique characteristic not only birthed the last stronghold of humanity, Ark, but also posed its own set of challenges.

The phenomenon of descending divinity, where ether imbues humans with its power, was one such challenge. While a select few could withstand and control ether, most would succumb to madness upon its touch. Those living near the red line, which was relatively closer to Noah, also exhibited a stronger aversion to ether than other lines.

The red line was paradoxically both the safest and most dangerous place in Ark. And Noah, with the thickest concentration of ether, was not an ideal place for me, who had an overwhelming sensitivity to ether.

As if to prove this fact, a voice whispered in my ear with increasing intensity, causing my insomnia to worsen. With my geographical environment exacerbating my condition, sleep became a luxury I couldn't afford.

"I can't go on like this."

I reluctantly left my tent and headed to the hot spring I had made earlier. If I stayed in bed, I would only be tormented by auditory hallucinations. I couldn't endure it.

I hesitated, but eventually discarded my protective gear and submerged myself in the hot spring. It was a form of asceticism, albeit one of necessity.

"I can't dirty the water."

While it was possible to access the hot spring water, it was uncertain when it would be clean again if it was contaminated. Moreover, I would need this water as a source of drinking water in the future, so it was crucial to maintain its cleanliness.Therefore, I had already emptied almost the entire water barrel and filled it with hot spring water.

Bubbling, bubbling-

After several temporary showers using the water barrel filled with hot spring water, I was finally able to enter the hot spring. As I immersed my body in the hot spring from my toes, a warm heat spread throughout my body.

"Ah······."

An old man-like sound escaped my lips unconsciously.

It was a feeling of fatigue that I couldn't release due to my hallucinations, but was finally dissipating.

As I soaked my body in the hot water and stared up at the sky, various thoughts began to naturally arise in my mind.

"Why am I··· in this world?"

Perhaps it was thanks to the first relaxation I had since falling into this world.

A fundamental question arose in my mind.

Why am I here?

What should I do in this place?

"Well, the reason I came here in the first place was because of that trainer······."

The trainer was real.

My bullets really became infinite, and I fell into this world.

So,

What should I do from now on?

The answer to that question was not that difficult to find, considering the purpose of The Defense.

"To protect Ark."

Or more accurately, it could be seen as survival.

All I had to do was to protect Ark and even clear the 100th stage of The Defense that I had failed to clear, and then face the true ending of The Defense.

So, how could I achieve that?

"I have to get stronger."More overwhelming than any character I had ever played before.

Although it may be considered fortunate in the midst of misfortune, the initial stats of Karl Marcus were overwhelmingly superior to any character I had ever played before.

It was said that in pursuit of becoming stronger, the early stages were not entirely bad.

Naturally, my thoughts began to spiral, continuously raising questions.

"Then, what is the way to become stronger?"

The most obvious method was accumulating stats and achievements to become stronger.

It was the most conventional and reliable way.

Although it would take time, on the flip side, this was a part that time could solve.

I already knew how to maximize my stats efficiently and was well-versed in various achievements.

"Secondly..."

Obtaining good equipment.

Originally, this method, like the previous condition, needed time to solve. However, considering my current situation, it was even more challenging than other methods.

As an outsider, entering the Ark was prohibited.

Of course, if I wanted to, I could trade with people like the Sandstormers, but the weapons they had were inferior to what could be obtained in the Ark.

"There are ways to interact with the Ark in my current situation, but..."

It was just a hassle and risky.

Lastly, the third way was cultivating power related to Aether.

From that perspective, the environment of Yeongsan Noah was very suitable for improving my Aether sensitivity.

Although the process was a bit, no, extremely challenging, if my Aether sensitivity surpassed a certain threshold, most problems would disappear.

"Roughly, that's about it."

Although none of these were easy, there was one thing I could do right now.

Thump! Thump!

The bone parasite.

It was to make use of that thing, still struggling inside the can.Although he had not yet fully recovered his strength and was unable to open a can of food, the situation would soon change.

Despite having too much to do today, leaving it all to chance was out of the question.

"I'll just do it tomorrow."

He could finish his work before his skeletal host regained its strength.

After sorting out his thoughts, he relaxed and thought about his schedule for the future and what he needed to do tomorrow, eventually drifting off to sleep as he soaked in the hot springs.

Of course, the voices in his head showed no signs of leaving him alone, but a deep sleep was not the only way to rest.

"Help me."

It was then that he heard it.

A clear voice that he had never heard before.

"Huh?"

Had he ever heard a voice like this before?

At the same time, a strange, chilly wind brushed past his spine.

It was a strange occurrence.

"Something's happening..."

Instinctively, he felt something was amiss and left the hot springs.

The cold air that surrounded him as he left the hot springs was enough to make him shiver, but he didn't have time to tremble.

Quickly drying himself with the towel he had prepared earlier, he put on his clothes and protective gear.

Fully armed, he used all his senses to remain vigilant of his surroundings.

"It's not around here."

The mountains at night were silent.

In such quiet surroundings, even the slightest movement could make a loud noise, but he couldn't sense anything around him.

"Someone, please help me."

Once again, he heard a clear voice.

Only then did he realize that this voice was fundamentally different from the ones he had heard before.

"It's not from Noah."Then where?

I adjusted my 36x scope to the maximum magnification and began to survey the area around me.

From where I stood on Noah, I scanned the line and the plain that met at the front line.

Thanks to the night mode, the darkness did not become a significant obstacle.

"Is it over there?"

After searching the area for a few minutes, I finally spotted a procession of monsters on a plain far from the front line.

However, there was something unusual about this procession.

Were they chasing something?

"The distance is too far."

Even with my vision and 36x scope, I could barely discern that the monsters were moving. The distance between them and me seemed to exceed 10km.

"If that's the case...they must have left the Red Line Front already."

Then why were they following such a strange formation?

"Hmm..."

After concentrating on the scope for a while, I noticed that the monsters were pursuing something specific.

"A person?"

Why would anyone be running in the middle of the plain outside of Ark?

"What should I do..."

I had no idea who or what was being chased, as the distance was too great to confirm their identity.

Nevertheless, the scope revealed that the monsters were getting closer.

It was a situation where I had to rely on intuition rather than logic to make a decision.

"Can't do anything about it."

I turned the lever of my Ark-15 rifle.

Zing.Tick, tick, tick.

[Switching to Large-Caliber Sniper Rifle Mode.]

The effective range of the Ark-15 Large-Caliber Sniper Rifle mode is approximately 13km.

If one could hit their target, it would even be possible to snipe a herd of wild horses running across the plains from this very spot.

However, even with a firearm capable of such performance, hitting a target at this distance is not an easy feat.

Of course, that's assuming one is an ordinary person.

[Activating "Sniper's Time."]

Sniper's Time.

This was one of the condition-based abilities I had developed and acquired through my divine attribute.

Condition-based abilities.

As the name suggests, they are abilities that activate under specific conditions and have a more powerful effect than other abilities, given their limited activation conditions.

And now was one of those times.

"I see."

As Sniper's Time was activated, the scope adjusted to its maximum magnification and the target began to come into focus.

I still couldn't make out who it was, but it was more than enough to take the shot.

The direction and strength of the wind.

The distance to the target.

The muzzle velocity of the Ark-15 Large-Caliber Sniper Rifle.

Calculating all of this took only a split second.

"Now."

Bang!

With a sound like the air exploding,

the bullet tore through the wind toward its target.

* * *

Tatiana Belorov ran.She ran and ran.

All means of transportation, including the noiseless hoverbike she had ridden, had been destroyed long ago.

The only thing she could trust were her two legs.

"Haah, haah..."

The mission had failed.

All five of her fellow soldiers had lost their lives.

They had been elite agents even among the Navy SEALs, but only Tatiana had managed to escape with her life.

But even that seemed to be coming to an end.

"Kerhng, kunkung!"

"Kyarrung!"

"Kyaaooo!!!"

Hundreds of mounts chased after her.

Tatiana's condition was objectively not good.

She was bleeding heavily from her left arm and right flank, both of which had been attacked by the mounts. Her limping leg was also a question mark as to how much longer she could keep running.

She gritted her teeth until they almost cracked.

She couldn't let herself fall into the hands of these creatures, not after the sacrifice of her fellow soldiers.

"Someone, anyone..."

Help me.

Sadly, Tatiana's desperate plea seemed to go unanswered.

It was a hopeless situation.

Even though she was close to the Ark, there was still quite a distance to go before she reached the front line.

"Krrung!"

A ninth-grade beast, the Black Spiky Raptor, thrust its vicious beak forward.With a sharp sound, Tatiana's hand moved and a flash of light flickered. Soon after, the cleanly severed head of a black-feathered Raptor fell to the ground. If anyone were to witness Tatiana's precise skill, they would applaud, but for Tatiana, it was not much help. Her combat style was primarily one-on-one, and she could not exert much power against a group like this.

Tatiana Belorov's concentration began to fade. She had lost too much blood while running away until now. Just as another beast rushed towards Tatiana, she felt a moment of despair in her eyes. However, with a tearing sound, the beast's head that was about to attack Tatiana exploded.

<Tatiana Belorov> The End