Tomb Raider King

“Tell me the true identity of that crow.”

That was what Ju-Heon asked.

Originally, he wasn't planning on having any interest in what the artifacts did. Getting deeply involved with an artifact’s situation is what makes people get swept up in the chaos.

However, it was a bit different now. Other artifacts might be different, but he needed to know about the crow.

Even if he put aside the fact that it restored his life for him, artifacts were aiming for him now as well.

That was why he asked the question.

“Who the hell is that bastard?”

The tomb's owner started to laugh as if he had been waiting for this.

[Do you think I would tell a stupid human about that?! Ahahaha! Think hard about it on your own! Human!]

‘Oh?’

However, the artifact sounded triumphant. It seemed to think that it could finally get revenge on the human that trifled with it.

[I have nothing to tell a human about the existence of us noble artifacts, ahaha!]

Its laughter sounded so annoying that Yoo Jaeha started to cuss while looking at the empty air.

“Wow, this idiotic bastard that was blabbing on until now is acting like he’s the shit.”

However, unlike the provoked Yoo Jaeha, Ju-Heon started to smirk. He was not someone to fall for such cheap provocation.

“Oh, really? That’s disappointing. I thought artifacts were smarter than humans but I guess you can't remember it.”

[What?]

The artifact became anxious for a moment after hearing that.

[Human. What did you just say?]

"What’s wrong? I thought artifacts were the shit. But you can't even remember what happened in the past? I thought artifacts were things that deserved human respect but I guess not.”

Ju-Heon sighing as he said that made the artifact anxious.

[W, what? We are definitely greater than humans!]

“But you can’t even remember something from the past?”

[I, I remember it! What are you talking about?!]

“You can't tell me because you don't remember.”

This tomb's owner could not hold back anymore after hearing that provocation. There was only so much he could take from a mere human looking down on artifacts.

The artifact shouted in anger.

[I'll prove it to you since you are saying that! I’ll let you know that we are much greater than you humans!]

“Really? Then tell me and I’ll admit that artifacts are greater than humans.”

[Really?]

The artifact seemed to hesitate for a moment before it firmed its resolve.

‘These human bastards won't know what I’m talking about even if I tell them a bit.’

[Then I will tell you. That crow preyed on its fellow artifacts…]

“I already know that. Move on.”

The artifact became nervous after hearing Ju-Heon be selective about the information but it soon chose something else to say.

[Then what about this? That artifact is an artifact with the abilities of a predator. That bastard used to be at the respected Divine-Grade level but it signed a contract with a human bastard and then went crazy and started to eat other artifacts.]

‘It signed a contract with a human?’

“Tell me more.”

[Sure. That bastard preyed on its fellow artifacts for a mere human!]

“Oh? For a human?”

[That's right! I don’t know if it had a grudge against other artifacts or fell in love with the human it contracted, but anyway, thanks to that, many of our friends forcibly ended up in that human’s hands. Even some Divine-Grade seniors!]

“And?”

[We couldn’t let it continue so our friends sealed that bastard deep underground! Some of our friends are guarding that bastard and attacking it to keep it from recovering!]

Ju-Heon thought that this bastard was talkative as he recalled the tomb he died in. According to this bastard, that tomb was the tomb that ferocious evil spirit was sealed in.

‘No wonder it didn’t seem like a regular tomb.’

That ferocious evil spirit and the guards guarding it must be why he couldn’t figure out the pattern at all. The snake that gobbled him and his friends up must have been one of the guard artifacts guarding the crow.

‘This is all because that bastard Chairman Kwon shoved us in there.’

Ju-Heon got riled up thinking about that but he calmed himself and asked.

There was something he could not understand.

“But how can you seal such a monster in a tomb? Didn’t you say it preyed on Divine-Grade artifacts as well?”

The artifact proudly shouted as if to show off as Ju-Heon asked to dig some information to see if the crow had any weaknesses.

[How, you ask?! The other artifacts won over the crow's contractor!]

“Won him over?”

[That's right! You human bastards are simple! He happily threw the crow away when they offered him something better! Of course, we killed that human bastard as well after we sealed the crow! Hahaha!]

The artifact laughed loudly saying humans truly were low in class.

[Anyway, you are a bastard that the crow chose as well. But do you think we would let you contract the crow and let our friends be used again? You will be eaten up by the artifacts like the last human. Alright then, admit that artifacts are greater than humans now that I told you!]

The artifact shouted as if telling Ju-Heon to keep his promise, but Ju-Heon just started to laugh.

“Hahaha! I see, so that’s how it is?”

The artifact looked baffled seeing Ju-Heon laughing refreshingly like this. It didn’t know why this human bastard was laughing.

[Huh? H, hey, you human bastard! Hurry up and admit that artifacts are great! Be afraid! Did you listen to anything I just said?!]

He shouldn't react like this if he heard correctly.

However, Ju-Heon just smiled viciously.

“Yes, you idiot. I heard you blab very well. So, you're saying I will gain power that even Divine-Grade artifacts fear if I form a contract with that crow bastard.”

[?!]

It seemed as if the artifact had helped Ju-Heon realized something different than it had intended. Lo and behold, Ju-Heon started to laugh.

"And I also know that as long as I don't betray the crow, you guys have no way of handling that artifact!”

The artifact started to foam at the mouth.

[D, damn it! It’s not like that!]

‘This isn't what I intended!’

The artifact realized that things were not going as it had intended. However, Ju-Heon was laughing as if everything was moving properly. Ju-Heon was the only human who could chat with artifacts after all.

Thanks to that, he could determine an artifact's type and personality and easily trick artifacts that were not knowledge based.

“So, thanks for the info! Now I want to form a contract with the crow.”

He was planning on ignoring the artifacts but Ju-Heon now became interested in the crow.

On the other hand, the artifact was anxious. It seemed as if it had done something he shouldn't have done. That was why it urgently started to shout.

[N, no matter what you say, you won't be able to learn about that artifact with the information I told you. No matter how much you want to contract that crow, you don’t know what artifact it is or where it is located so how can you form a contract?!]

Ju-Heon's sneer filled the area.

“No, you told me plenty. That’s enough information.”

[?!]

‘What? That was enough?’

That was indeed the case. It truly was enough.

First of all, he knew very well where the crow's tomb was located. As for the crow's identity? This bastard had given him all the hints he needed.

‘There are only a few Divine-Grade artifacts that deserve to be called a crow.’

And based on its predatory behavior…

‘The Three-legged Crow, the bird that is said to prey on Dragons.’

However, there was another possibility based on its ferociousness, ability to gain other abilities (transform), and that the crow fell in love with a human.

‘Morrigan, the Goddess of Destruction.’

Both were credible options because Ju-Heon had never seen either artifact before. Either way, the reason it was able to use the Sun God Ra's power was probably because it ate Ra and absorbed Ra’s powers.

Regardless of which one it was, it would be quite useful to him because it seemed to have the attribute of a thief.

“Anyway, thanks for telling me such useful information, you artifact bastard with loose lips.”

[?!]

The artifact must have realized its mistake as it fell into a state of panic. But what could it do? It had already made the mistake.

It was at that moment.

[You deplorable bastard! I will represent all artifacts and not let you out of here! Die!]

Ju-Heon seemed to have provoked it so much that the artifact went berserk.

Boom!

White water snakes popped out of the water but Ju-Heon just laughed.

Why?

The way to clear this tomb was probably by finding the hidden artifact (map) while sailing across. But that stupid artifact went berserk and released its aura.

‘This stupid bastard. He’s so nice to tell me his location!’

Other people might not be able to discover it, but a veteran with Ju-Heon's level of intuition could easily figure out the direction.

The rest was easy if he knew where it was located.

That was why Ju-Heon smirked and took out the Egyptian priest’s knife.

“Hey number 1. There's a motorboat in the back of the ship. Go turn it on.”
“Excuse me? Ah, yes…huh? Wait, Captain-nim! Behind you! Behind you! A snake!”
“Who cares? These snakes are nothing as long as you have an artifa…”

However, it happened as Ju-Heon leisurely swung the priest’s knife.

Crack!

Something unexpected had happened.

“Huh?”

It sounded like a stone breaking. The priest’s knife that Ju-Heon confidently swung had broken.

Both Ju-Heon and Yoo Jaeha flinched as they saw that.

The destruction of an artifact!

Anybody would be able to tell that the artifact turned into stone!

Yoo Jaeha who went to find the motorboat screamed after seeing that.

“Ahhh! The artifact I restored!”

He wondered how carelessly Ju-Heon used it to destroy an artifact he restored in half a day, but it wasn’t the time to discuss that right now.

“Captain-nim! Your side! Your side!”

Ju-Heon clicked his tongue and used a junk hammer to slam the snake’s head.

Pow!

His skills were so efficient and slick that it deserved admiration, but it definitely wasn’t as strong as an artifact.

The snakes that were killed with one hit now took hundreds of attacks as if he was cracking a coconut to die.

That was why Ju-Heon quickly threw the priest’s knife to Yoo Jaeha.

“I will turn the boat on. See if you can restore that!”
“W, will we be okay?!”

The snakes climbing onto the ship looked vicious. They were surrounding Yoo Jaeha and Ju-Heon without paying any attention to the people who fainted earlier.

‘Tsk, I can tell where the artifact is but the situation is now troublesome.’

He had no artifacts right now he could use to fight. The one he had used a lot had been the Egyptian priest’s knife.

Shakespeare’s pen had a lot of restrictions and it was difficult to use the Code of Hammurabi against these snakes as well.

Ju-Heon's pupils quickly started to move.

‘Does anybody have any useful battle-type artifacts? Battle-type artifacts, battle-type artifacts!’

Something happened as Ju-Heon adapted to his circumstances and just did what he could and stomped on the snakes.

“Everyone on the ships have fainted!”

He heard some voices through the fog.

They should be the last group of people on the ships. They seemed anxious that every ship they passed by was full of unconscious people. They must not have been close enough to hear what the tomb's owner had to say as they found this situation to be odd.

However, they noticed Ju-Heon and Yoo Jaeha as they passed by their ship.

“Huh? There are awake people here!”

They were moving so slowly that it wasn’t difficult to spot them but that wasn't the important thing.

Ju-Heon noticed three of the people.

‘Those bastards are?’

They were none other than the CIA and Vivian. There was Linda whom he had seen with Abe in the past along with Vivian he met in the tower.

And lo and behold.

“Ah, that damn thief!”

Vivian shouted as soon as they made eye contact. Thomas and Linda who were next to her looked confused.

“…Thief?”

Vivian seemed to have realized her mistake as she covered her mouth. She then shook her head as if it was nothing.

However, it was easy for a child's lie to be noticed so the sharp and hostile Thomas instantly realized what was up.

Thomas then started to glare.

“Hey. Vivian. When you say thief, do you mean the bastard who took your artifacts?”
“N, no, no? Not at all?”

However, Thomas told them to move their ship toward Ju-Heon’s and glared at both Ju-Heon and Yoo Jaeha. Thomas's gaze became vicious as he observed them.

Thomas's sharp eyes were able to tell something about them.

‘They really are artifact users. They have multiple artifacts on them as well.’

Thomas who realized that shouted with certainty.

“Vivian! It really were these bastards, wasn’t it! The ones who took your artifact!”
“What? N, no, that’s not the case!”
“Not the case my ass!”

Thomas grinded his teeth before taking a weapon out of his long bag. It looked like a pipe at first glance but it was a blade-shaped battle-type artifact.

“I got you now. You damn thief bastards!”

However, Ju-Heon was actually smiling as if things were great.

Why?

His gaze was only on the pipe that Thomas pulled out.

He was finding it difficult to go find the artifact because he didn’t have any battle-type artifacts. But that seemed like a high-grade battle-type artifact.

That was why Ju-Heon started to smile.

There's a great item right there.

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