CHAPTER 159: IN THE SEARCH OF RUNES

"ID and permission letter please." The association guard wearing protective items and a helmet asked with a calm expression while the guard beside him glared at KiRA.

They were inside a room like place right now and behind these guards, there was a door leading to the connective area that opened inside the desert field.

The facility he was in right now was built by the association over a span of mere days, a fortress that was guarding the gates opening into the dangerous field.

He had rested enough and analysed enough of this city now so he was ready to divine into the field, the vast desert that he will have to return from in one piece.

"Here you go." As he handed the guard the association ID card and the stack of papers he had received from Ziggy, he recalled all the things he had heard around the city during his stroll yesterday.

’The players go to the desert just to hunt in the outskirts and still make more than enough to live comfortably for a while.’

’The desert is divided into the nine sectors with the innermost section of the desert being the central area of the desert.’

As one goes into the deeper sectors, they encounter stronger monsters... but no one really knows what kind of monsters you will encounter as no one, not even from the association, has gone deeper than the 4th sector.

The monsters past the 4th sector reach (Level-50) and higher. With no one knowing what exactly lay beyond the sandstorms that frequently occur in those parts, the survival rate of those who foolishly test their limits is always met with funerals without gravestones.

The sand of the desert itself is sometimes infused with Mana so finding some small spots with Mana-sand might bring good fortune to you as well.

Not only that, the desert had countless treasures hidden within it so each player that risked their lives going in there, found it worth the trouble.

"Everything checks out. You can go in now, Mister Kaizen." The guard gave back his licence but kept the letter. This was a one time thing so if he comes back, he will not get to go back anymore.

Since he had one access letter, he only had one chance. Even if he was carrying a few days worth of rations with him, he wasn’t going to get any chances to use any of them.

"You must keep this on you all the time. Please do not take this off in any circumstances." The Guard tied a black bracelet like thing on his arm before the gates leading to the connective space opened.

This thing was going to be used in case KiRA doesn’t come back within the given time. It was like a tracker with which the rescue teams would be able to detect where he was or whether he was safe or not.

It would also monitor his live stats so if he was in a critical condition, the association would be notified as well and a rescue mission would hopefully get sent out for him.

Though in case he ends up dead, the bracelet would send a specific signal that would mean another one of the stronger players had died because of their greed and circumstances.

This thing was developed by the association president herself and was used in each one of the fields that were present around the world.

They were like the special smart phones from back in the days. The emergency signals weren’t their limits, but they surely were more than enough in places where no simple tech worked.

"Thanks." KiRA thanked them, and moved on to the next step with his partner hiding within his clothes.

The journey here was pretty long compared to the last few trips he had pre-tower disaster. This was the first time he was so far away from his home in years.

And now that he was standing before the gate that’ll lead him to a world not suited for the weak, he was worried what might happen to him.

’The quest isn’t going to be that simple.’ The gate before him was vast even though it was the man-made gate protecting the system’s gate leading to the innermost area of this place.

The goal was to find the runes of an old civilization that was still thriving till this day.

System wanted him to find the things related to the messenger that came down to deliver the words of the god that they served.

The system wanted many things from him by giving him this quest.

KiRA knew the quest wasn’t something someone of his level should be getting at this stage, but he also understood there was no reason the system would give him a quest he cannot fulfill.

There was an answer to this riddle, now he just needed to know what the answer was before going deeper into the territory of the ferocious beasts.

-Ooooooooooooooong!

The gate that led outside opened up and from beyond, intense sunlight erupted.

-Crrrrr...

The clanking sound of the machines that opened the mechanical door started fading as the intense and hot breeze from the other side invaded the room.

As if the wind itself was a monster, KiRA felt a strange power from this phenomenon and was stunned.

But he did not let the emotions get the best of himself. He moved his legs and walked towards the intense heat and winds coming from the other side.

A few steps in, and he could already see vast expanses filled with sand on the other side, as well as a translucent sheet of paper-like barrier that shined with different colors.

This barrier gave off the same effect as oil on a rainy road. However, KiRA, who understood the barrier as well as he understood alchemy, could tell these things were more powerful than one could expect.

The barrier was not someone one could take down with just strength. As someone who could see the different elements of Mana, he could also see the properties of this barrier.

He could tell with certainty that unless someone who understood barrier magic on the level of a high-mage appeared here, this barrier would not be undone in any circumstances.

-Step. Step. Step.

Only a few steps and he had already crossed into the enemy territory.

The path that he was now going to take was obvious to the bird partner on his shoulder.

"Unity?"

[{ Heheheh~! I’ve been waiting for this~! }]

There are things that one can do with their companions that do not make much sense.

When there is a strong bond between a familiar and their master, be it a beast, a spirit, or even a summons, when their bond reaches a certain stage called [Union], they are able to perform something that does not seem real in any manner.

-Oooooooooooong!

When KiRA gave unity a look of subtle excitement, the bird already knew what her master wanted from her.

The bird sprang out of his pocket and a unique golden light immediately covered her completely.

-Zaaaaaaaaa...!

When the golden light was at its peak, the master who was looking up at her also started glowing with the same light.

A moment later, the light that was in the air intensified and merged with the light that was on the ground... These lights, which had become one, further went through a process that seemed just like metamorphosis.

KiRA, the simple human who suspiciously wasn’t carrying any bags on him anymore, did not look just human anymore.

With the winds on his back as well as the body that had white-gold feathers all around them, KiRA looked much like a bird-person.

Being a rare species, the bird people were pretty uncommon even on the higher floors. There were only a few kingdoms throughout the tower where the bird people ruled, and one of those places was a nation that floated in the air...

"This isn’t all that bad, huh?" The form was new but KiRA could feel the same kind of powerful energy that he usually felt when going against a powerful opponent.

Unity was a special being and the bond that she shared with KiRA was also something very unique.

The two were the only people in the world who could form a united bond that shared most of their powers, not just skills but the power of their entire being.

That was their special strength, a strength many envied.

Within the entire tower, not even the high-administrators were ever able to go against them when they were using their full power against those beings.

But right now, they did not have all the powers they used to.

They did not need the powers to fight against the god like beings, they did not need the power to rewrite the stories that had long become a folklore, and they did not need the power to interfear with the Laws.

Maintaining this form was going to be difficult as well, but since Unity had leveled up recently once again and was now strong enough to maintain this form for a while.

Without the light-halo skill, this was the best way to explore the vast desert so, they chose this option.

And after they were ready, KiRA flew away into the sky, his body covered in a thin layer of Holy power that protected him from the deadly heat of this place.

It was hot in here...

However, it was not as hot as it was in some parts of hell.