Edited by An Zheee
“Can I just stay here until you’re done?”
“Do as you wish. But I won’t be able to guarantee your life if we’re apart from one another.”
It was essentially a voice telling Nataek to just shut up and follow him.
Nataek, who was handed the reins of the kunga, walked alongside Medeus as the man led the way. He couldn’t help how nervous he was getting, his eyes quickly darting around every second. Sweat was gathering on his palms.
If something popped out at him, what should he do? Stand still? Take the kunga and find somewhere to hide? And if he decided to hide, hide where? Behind a tree would be a good spot, right?
Nataek needed to have his own emergency escape route planned ahead of time so he could react quickly should something unexpected happen. Just like that guy who dumped the poisonous snakes on Medeus and fled the scene.
After going through all the possible scenarios in his head, Nataek’s resolve was strengthened. His first goal was to get out of this alive, and his second goal was not to be a burden to Medeus.
He could do this.
While Nataek was incanting that mantra in his head, a system message popped up.
<SYSTEM> You have entered the ‘Cedar Forest’ of the Zagros Mountain.
Nataek was surprised by its sudden appearance, wondering if the system message was related to the quest. However, it had only so far repeated the obvious.
He could’ve guessed that already…
It was impossible not to figure out because the entire area was covered in monotonous-looking cedar trees.
The entire time spent traveling to the Cedar Forest, Nataek kept thinking: Was there a quest called ‘Whereabouts of the Guardian Deity’ when he was playing Sununki? Until yesterday, he was going to simply dismiss it as one of those quests he must’ve skipped, but after arriving at the forest, Nataek changed his mind. There was no way he would forget a quest that required traveling such lengths.
It was a quest that he’d never seen before when he was playing the game.
It seemed like… a quest perfectly crafted to establish Nataek as a character in ancient civilization.
That must be the intention behind the quest, right?
Feeling uncertain, Nataek shook his head and lowered his gaze to the ground. At that moment, something flashed before his eyes. At the same time, Medeus stopped in his tracks.
What was that?
Medeus gestured with his wrist. Nataek recognized his signal and quickly approached him, leaning his ear close.
Medeus whispered in a low voice, “Be still as a dead mouse until I give you the signal.”
Nataek kept his mouth shut and responded by nodding instead.
Medeus walked forward with slow, cautious steps. His hand slid to his waist, resting on the hilt of his sword.
Nataek had never been so nervous in his life. Neither when waiting for his college acceptance letters, nor when he was checking the winning numbers down to the last three digits of his lotto ticket with dreams of hitting the jackpot. Nothing came close to how much his heart was racing as it was now.
The kunga also seemed to have sensed the tense atmosphere in the air, standing still without moving a muscle.
Then, like it had many times before, a small light flashed on the floor. It wasn’t just any light—it was the holographic light often used by the system.
A system message popped up at the same time.
<SYSTEM> Suspicious Chest has appeared.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Pa mjwf.
…Pa kjr tfgf!
Pa kjr j tlca atja atf rfmbcv defra kjr lc oeii rklcu.
Qtfgfjybear bo atf Xejgvljc Gflas. C tlca ab olcvlcu ktb Rjajfx’r uelvf kbeiv yf.
Ktf yegvfc bc Rjajfx’r afcrf tfjga ugfk tfjnlfg. Rjajfx ugjrqfv tlr gjmlcu tfjga ktlif rlweiajcfberis alutafclcu tlr uglq bc atf gflcr.
He had to open the chest.
Nataek wouldn’t stray too far away from Medeus since the man was treading at a slow pace.
Could he move? He needed to in order to open it.
Then, another flicker of light. This time, it was just beneath Medeus’s heels.
<SYSTEM> Suspicious Chest 2 has appeared.
Huh?
Then, just as quickly, another light appeared in his left field of vision.
<SYSTEM> Suspicious Chest 3 has appeared.
Nataek closed his eyes. This wasn’t just a simple, free hint. This was an optional quest where he might get hints depending on what he chose.
Damn it. Why was something like this happening at such a crucial moment?
There were various items that can be obtained when opening chests in Sununki. Usually, they contained potions, materials for enhancing weapons and hints. However, a few chests were empty, giving nothing.
Medeus was getting farther and farther away. As Nataek racked his brains trying to decide his next move, his thoughts were interrupted by another message from the system.
<SYSTEM> Durability of Suspicious Chest is decreasing.
“…”
It wasn’t even an equipped item, so why was its durability decreasing? Nataek wanted to complain in disbelief, but now wasn’t the right time.
An unpredictable quest he’d never seen before. A disappearing chest.
If he missed this chance, he’d be losing out on a potentially big hint. There was no telling how this could affect Nataek’s life in ancient civilization in the future.
Medeus had told him not to move, but something like this couldn’t be helped. Because Nataek had been a man from modern times before he was forced to become a man in ancient civilization, and he had a priority. Nataek glanced at the kunga and brought his index finger up to his lips.
Shh. Stay quiet, you guys.
For some reason, Nataek thought they’d understand what he was saying since they were inside a game, so he thought to give it a try. They kept quiet, breathing quietly, as if they really understood what Nataek had said.
Nataek tied the two reins to a nearby tree branch. He took a moment to decide which chest to choose.
<SYSTEM> Durability of Suspicious Chest is decreasing.
…Don’t rush Nataek.
He didn’t have time. He had no choice but to pick the closest one.
Nataek made up his mind and took careful steps. Fortunately, despite all the misfortune he’s suffered up until now, the trees in the cedar forest were all coniferous cedars, so there weren’t any fallen leaves to step on, making it relatively easy to not make a sound.
When Nataek approached the chest, Medeus was already far ahead. Nataek slowly bent down and placed his hand on the chest. As if magically knowing what Nataek wanted, the system asked him a question.
<SYSTEM> Would you like to open the Suspicious Chest?
Open it.
He answered that in his mind. As soon as he uttered the response, ‘Open it,’ he actively suppressed the memory of the infuriating fortune teller saying, ‘Open sesame,’ that kept coming to mind.
<SYSTEM> Are you sure you would like to open the Suspicious Chest?
“…”
What the?
Did it not work? Or was the system just asking again? As a warning…?
But he didn’t have long to think. He had to open it before something bad happened.
Okay. Open it, just open it.
The chest opened with a click. Wisps of mist leaked out, making Nataek feel uneasy about his decision.
<SYSTEM> You have obtained ‘Strange Potion’!
Huh?
Before Nataek could process the situation, a series of system messages flashed one after another.
<SYSTEM> Effects of the potion will last for 24 hours.
<SYSTEM> ATTACK increased by 50.
<SYSTEM> DEFENSE increased by 50.
<SYSTEM> AGILITY increased by 50.
<SYSTEM> LUCK increased by 50.
And, at the very last line, Nataek barely managed to keep any noise from escaping his mouth.
<SYSTEM> Your HP is now linked to the HP of your master ‘Ninurta Medeus’.
What?
Wait, what?
The light from the notification window disappeared as well as the message itself, vanishing before Nataek’s eyes without a trace. A bewildered Nataek froze. Before he knew it, all three chests were gone.
Nataek became like a statue at that moment.
What had he gotten himself into now?
Nataek politely asked himself that question, or rather, he was asking the system, but the damn system never showed up when Nataek most needed it.
“Medeus and me… our HP is linked…?”
No matter how many times Nataek repeated it, he couldn’t believe what had happened to him. Then, a loud rustling noise could be heard from up ahead. The previously quiet kunga began to fidget, tapping its hooves in place.
Nataek quickly got back to the kunga, running back on his tip-toes so as to not make any noise.
Though his heart refused to accept it, Nataek had already done the math in his head.
- The kunga make a noise.
- A hostile presence is felt.
- Someone, namely the Guti, notices the hostile presence.
- They attack.
- Medeus gets hurt or dies.
- Lee Nataek dies as well.
Nataek puts both of his hands on the kunga’s foreheads, stroking them as if pleading.
Be still. Please, just stay still.
As he soothed and patted them, the rustling grew louder from behind where Medeus would be.
Swish!
At the same time, the sound of wind slicing through the air was heard. An arrow struck the cedar trunk across from Nataek.
Thwack—!
Did arrows usually make such a heavy noise when hitting against something?
Nataek squinted his eyes and took a closer look. The silhouette was not of an arrow. Its indistinguishable shape was more similar to that of a boomerang or a scythe. The kunga he’d tried so hard to calm down let out a neigh while stomping their feet in the dimly lit space.
At the same time, a loud rumbling sound came from the direction in which Medeus had gone. Nataek gripped the reins tightly and calmed the kunga. After gently patting the muscular animals’ bodies, he turned around to see a boulder lying on the floor in the dark.
Light leaked through the leaves of the cedar tree tops, shining on the boulder. No, rather, it was actually a man with a physique so large that it was hard to believe even when witnessed with Nataek’s own two eyes. The guy’s forearms were twice as big as Nataek’s, his legs as big as Nataek’s waist. The man with the bushy beard and bald head was groaning helplessly while clutching his legs.
That’s one of the Guti.
It was clear now. That’s why Uruk, even with its sturdy walls, still appeased the Guti. Nataek was not inferior when it came to his physique in modern times, but even at first glance it was obvious that the guy was on a completely different level than him.
Wait, but where’s Medeus?
That OPEN SESEME would have also given me horrors for life man.
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Also Nataek is G.O.A.T now . ｡◕‿◕｡
Time to save his a*s as well as his human child. ❤️
Thank you for chapter yooo!!!!
I’ve always hated that second ‘are you sure? ‘ warning😂😂 like don’t make me change my mindddd
😭😭 all good things all good things then BAM you’re forever stuck together 🤣 even the system approved of them
omg this system is honestly so RUDE tho ahahaha
I live for this