Mason’s Revenge

Chapter 8: Cheat

A loud explosion echoed through the darkness as the chaos subsided. People worked frantically to destroy the Crypt.

“Look! We made a hole!”

“Can we blow it up a few more times to get inside?”

The civilians had fled long ago, leaving the soldiers to focus solely on the destruction of the Crypt.

“Everything seems fine. We’ll try again,” one soldier said.

They used weaker explosives to minimize damage to the surrounding city, but it appeared to be effective.

“We’ll enter carefully once we create a bigger opening.”

-Alright.-

They believed entry was imminent. However, anxiety lingered among some.

“Damn it!”

Yuri, an excavator from the JSDF, and Mai Lee from Korea felt the pressure. Yuri’s frustration peaked.

‘Why isn’t the entrance showing up?!’

They needed the entrance to access the Crypt, but it remained elusive.

‘It’s been thirty minutes.’

The seer with Sho-Toh-Ku’s Mythic Item had claimed the entrance would reveal itself if they destroyed the Crypt. By now, it should have appeared.

‘It should be showing itself by now...’

Mai scanned the area, her nerves on edge. She knew from past experiences that Crypt entrances often appeared nearby after destruction.

‘What’s going on?’

Meanwhile, Mason watched with a smirk.

‘You fools. Blow it up for a thousand days, and you still won’t get inside.’

Mason understood their misguided belief. They thought destruction would unveil the entrance, but they were mistaken. Crypt entrances were typically hidden.

There were rare occasions when entrances appeared in plain sight, often as traps set by hostile Mythic Items. Many soldiers had fallen victim to such deceptions.

To acquire a Mythic Item safely, one needed to locate the hidden entrance first.

But there was a catch.

‘You need that specific thing to find it.’

Just then, a young man, nearly beaten by a soldier and Mason’s roommate, approached with curiosity.

“Mason, what have you been searching for?”

Mason remained silent. No one in this era would understand what he sought.

At that moment, whispers spread through the crowd.

“The world has gone crazy. Strange things are appearing.”

Mason listened and quickly moved toward the outdoor parking lot filled with worried people.

“What is that? How unlucky.”

“The value of our homes is going to drop.”

When Mason arrived, he saw ominous graffiti on the wall. The red text resembled ancient characters but looked like random vandalism to most.

“Did someone prank us?”

“No! It just appeared out of nowhere! It’s that thing from the news!”

“Why aren’t the soldiers cleaning this up? This will ruin our property values!”

“Calm down! What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Step back! It’s dangerous!”

Soldiers stood ready to control the situation. As the text began to blink, panic spread.

“Kyaaa! What’s happening?!”

As the graffiti flashed, soldiers shouted for civilians to retreat.

“Damn it, step back! It might explode!”

“Ah! It’s going to blow!”

Panic grew as people pushed to escape. Amid the chaos, Mason stood calmly, smiling.

‘It’s not going to blow up, you fools.’

The text was Glyph.

These were texts that appeared with Crypts, and Mason had been searching for this.

‘They’re showing up around the Crypt, just as I thought.’

Glyphs provided information about ruins, guiding one to the Crypt’s entrance. Only a few could read them, and Mason was likely the only one who could.

‘I have a good idea where the entrance is.’

As he studied the text, a notification appeared.

-You received the - Talented Decoder - title and a system has been revealed.-

-Crypt Raider basic system Language Masterys (F-Rank) has been awakened.-

-Language Masterys (Awakened)-

Level F-Rank

Improves understanding and speaking of all languages.

Increases fluency in all languages.

Allows communication with Mythic Items.

Improves control over Glyph (ruin text).

Crypt Raider Basic systems (2/4)-

Detect (F-Rank)

Language Masterys (F-Rank)

‘Oh?’

Mason was amazed by the new message.

He had never received a title or system before.

‘So, this is how I get systems?’

If Detect was active, Language Masterys must be passive.

He smiled, feeling excited, and stepped away from the chaos.

“Danny, stay here.”

“What?”

His roommate looked confused, but Mason was already moving on.

He went to a nearby river, which was quieter, just five minutes away. A tall bridge loomed above, muffling traffic sounds.

‘Is it around here?’

The Glyph pointed toward the river. Many Glyphs surrounded the area, confirming a Crypt was nearby.

But Mason searched for specific markings.

‘I found it.’

He spotted a red (U) symbol that resembled a union. Its bold design glowed ominously against the dark stone surface. Taking out the Egyptian knife, a rare Mythic Item, Mason gripped the hilt tightly, mentally bracing himself for what lay ahead.

This knife was crucial for initiating the - Unsealing - of the Crypt.

With a deep breath, Mason activated the knife. The blade shimmered, reflecting an eerie light as he approached the symbol.

He drew the knife across the union symbol, slicing through its surface with precision. Instantly, a powerful gust of wind surged forth, tearing the symbol apart in a whirlwind of red energy.

In that moment, the ground trembled violently beneath him.

“Ahhhhhhhh!”

Nearby, people screamed in panic, their voices blending into a cacophony of fear. An urgent message materialized in front of Mason, flashing across his vision.

-A strong force is exploding through the ground.-

The warning flickered momentarily, sending a chill down his spine.

‘It’s coming.’

Without warning, a blinding light erupted from the cracked earth, illuminating the surroundings.

The ground split open, fissures spider-webbing outwards as if the very fabric of reality was being torn apart. Dust and debris filled the air, swirling chaotically around Mason.

This was a sensation he knew all too well; he had faced it before.

The Crypt was opening. The atmosphere buzzed with an electric tension, as ancient forces stirred from their slumber. Mason’s heart raced, anticipation and dread mingling in his chest.

During the Era of Mythic Items, this happened frequently once someone learned to unseal a Crypt.

The red light shot into the sky, signaling the Crypt’s entrance.

Without hesitation, Mason jumped into the light.

People screamed at the sudden explosion, all eyes drawn to the source of the chaos.

A red beam shot up from the river, a hundred meters away, piercing the sky like a fiery sword.

“What now?”

“What is that light?”

Civilians speculated whether it was some kind of laser show, but Yuri and Mai understood its true significance.

‘Is that...?’

‘The entrance?’

They felt a strong connection to the Crypt, confirming that an entrance had opened.

Messages buzzed in their devices.

-It looks like the entrance has been opened.-

-Shall we go take a look?-

Without hesitation, Mai and Yuri sprinted toward the light, urging their subordinates to stay alert.

“Tell the troops to hold their positions! Aftershocks may follow!” Yuri commanded, urgency evident in his tone.

“Aftershock dangers?” a subordinate echoed, concern creeping into his voice.

“You’re doing a great job pretending to be a geologist!” Mai shot back, keeping her focus sharp.

Despite her sarcasm, she knew it was crucial to keep their troops close now that the Crypt entrance had appeared.

‘The Mythic Item will be ours.’

They reached the spot where the light shone, revealing a massive sinkhole pulsating with raw energy, its force shooting into the sky.

“This has to be it! That is the way in!” Yuri declared, awe mixing with determination.

Though they had encountered a few similar sinkholes, this one matched the descriptions from the ancient records.

Mai picked up a stone and hurled it into the dark pit. What followed next was the sound of water splashing.

The stone eventually fell into the water.

‘Is the water at the bottom?’

She verified it and lowered a rope. However, Yuri dove in immediately.

"Hello!"

Mai yelled in surprise, then heard a big splash.

"Cough, cough!" - The person made a couple of coughing sounds. I hate this! This water is revolting! Could this be sewage or something else?

The circumstances within the Crypt appeared unfavorable. For Yuri, it was different to dive in when he was aware of the water below; it was another thing to decide so carelessly.

Mason heard Yuri's irritated voice reverberating through the underground tunnel as he was already far inside.

"The fools must have shown up."

He had anticipated their arrival at some point.

However, Mason had no desire to compete with them in reaching the Mythic Item.

He laughed lightly while his hand made contact with the wall. In that instant, a transformation occurred within the cave.