"It really looks like these might be the real deal. No matter what, I should get my hands on them first."
After carefully tracking the group that had stolen the Book of the Living and the Book of the Dead, Daniel Davis confirmed that they were Egyptian. Traveling such a long distance to steal these two artifacts, and with one of them appearing to use magic, clearly wasn't just a matter of idle curiosity.
In the modern world, most crimes can be solved given the proper resources, but the real question is whether the cost is worth it. For example, cases of kidnapping, blackmail, revenge, or crimes of passion rarely involve high-level institutions like the FBI or S.H.I.E.L.D. Agencies like the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit typically focus on serial killers, while local law enforcement handles more common cases.
The robbery at the London Museum, for instance, was left to the local police. There was no way MI6 or a similar organization would get involved in such a case. Thus, the police had no significant leads so far. However, Daniel was different. With the relentless monitoring of the Red Queen, those criminals, no matter how careful, couldn't escape detection.
By now, the group had boarded a plane to Cairo with the Book of the Living and the Book of the Dead. After considering his options, Daniel decided to use the Gate of Secrets at the New York Sanctum to arrive in Cairo ahead of them.
"Ah, so their plan is to resurrect Imhotep, the ancient high priest of Egypt—and the Scorpion King. Now this is an unexpected bonus."
By eavesdropping on their conversations, Daniel learned the group's objective. The legend of the Scorpion King was something Daniel was familiar with. However, like many myths, it was hard to determine its authenticity until evidence surfaced. It was similar to the situation with Asgard—until Thor showed up, no one knew if Norse mythology was true or just stories about aliens.
The group's excavation site was said to be Hamunaptra, the legendary City of the Dead. Located deep within the desert, the site required extensive manual labor to uncover. Fortunately, money could hire plenty of workers in a place like this.
The legend of the Scorpion King also involved the Egyptian god of death, Anubis. According to the story, the Scorpion King had once commanded a mighty army granted by Anubis. The group's plan was to resurrect Imhotep and then seize control of the Scorpion King's army from Anubis, enabling them to rule the world.
After hearing their grand ambitions, Daniel almost laughed out loud. Guys, the world is different now. Even if the Scorpion King's army had been invincible in ancient times, modern technology and military forces could easily put a stop to them. Let's not forget that Asgard's existence alone would make any such plan laughable.
"It's really the Book of the Living and the Book of the Dead!"
While the group was busy excavating Imhotep's remains, Daniel took the opportunity to sneak into their camp and retrieve the books. After studying them, he confirmed their authenticity. These ancient artifacts added a powerful new branch of magic to his arsenal—dark magic, or more precisely, necromancy.
The magic described in the books wasn't your typical fireball or lightning spell. Instead, they contained profound knowledge about the nature of magic. Much like the spells taught at Kamar-Taj, the magic from these books could be adapted and reshaped according to the user's abilities. A single spell could transform into a blade, a spear, or any other weapon depending on the caster's intent.
While these books didn't significantly enhance Daniel's raw power, they expanded his range of techniques. Most notably, the Book of the Dead provided the ability to resurrect the dead—a capability Daniel currently lacked. Meanwhile, the Book of the Living had the opposite power: it could annihilate undead entities.
However, the full potential of the Book of the Dead could only be realized in a world where Anubis existed. Daniel wasn't sure if it would work in other worlds, but it might prove effective in settings influenced by Egyptian mythology—such as The Outcast. On the other hand, its effectiveness in worlds like Attack on Titan was highly unlikely.
Even so, Daniel realized that with the knowledge from the Book of the Dead combined with Kamar-Taj's magic, he could potentially revive people who had died recently, as long as their souls hadn't dissipated yet. He just needed to collect their souls in time.
"A trade of souls, huh? Maybe this could be a way to bring Howard Stark back to life."
Although the conflict between Stark and Captain America had been avoided thanks to Peggy Carter, the two still didn't get along. Stark never missed an opportunity to throw a jab at Steve, and even Peggy couldn't completely smooth things over. Perhaps reviving Howard and Maria Stark could help mend their relationship.
As for the Book of the Living, its name might suggest a connection to light-based magic, but it actually utilized dark energy just like the Book of the Dead. The difference was that while the Book of the Dead could resurrect the dead, the Book of the Living specialized in annihilating undead beings. In essence, it was the counterbalance to the Book of the Dead.
"Now's not the time to take these. I'll wait."
After verifying the authenticity of the books, Daniel placed them back where he had found them. He decided to wait until the Scorpion King was located before making his move. He was particularly interested in Anubis's army. If he could seize control of them, they could serve as a powerful force against Thanos.
Thanos's army was no small threat, and this time, there would be no one snapping their fingers to wipe it out. An army of undead soldiers, immune to death, could significantly reduce the losses in the inevitable battle.
"So, these are scarabs?"
As the excavation reached a depth of several dozen meters, a swarm of black scarabs suddenly emerged, causing chaos among the workers and inflicting significant casualties. Fortunately, the group had prepared flamethrowers in advance to deal with the insects.
This was the advantage of modern technology. In ancient Egypt, facing such a swarm of scarabs, humans would have no choice but to flee. Taking advantage of the chaos, Daniel captured a few scarabs for study before disposing of them entirely.
These man-eating insects, while horrifying, held no interest for Daniel. Someone like Esdeath might have used them for torture, but Daniel had no such sadistic inclinations.
The appearance of the scarabs signaled that Imhotep's remains had been found. According to legend, Imhotep had been sentenced to the Curse of the Scarabs for having an affair with the Pharaoh's wife. Just imagining the punishment was terrifying.
After excavating Imhotep's remains, the group transported them to the mummy section of the Cairo Museum. Meanwhile, a separate team went to retrieve the Bracelet of Anubis, an artifact that once allowed the Scorpion King to control Anubis's army. The bracelet also contained a map to the Scorpion King's resting place. Only by reaching that location could Anubis's army be reawakened.
"So, this is what 'archaeology' is about—digging up ancient artifacts and 'protecting' them by taking them home."
The person who retrieved the bracelet was part of a renowned archaeological family. They were professional archaeologists who had published numerous academic papers and even turned their adventures into bestselling books. However, none of these achievements compared to the wealth they amassed from looting tombs. Their castle-like mansion was filled with treasures that would make anyone envious.
"Come to think of it, isn't Lara Croft the same? She also claims to protect tombs but leaves destruction in her wake."
Watching the family's opulent lifestyle, Daniel couldn't help but compare them to Lara Croft. This family, like her, seemed to excel at "archaeological destruction."
After several days of chaos and conflict, Daniel received memories from his shadow clone, confirming the Scorpion King's location. It was in the Am Shere Desert, deep within a remote area untouched by modern civilization.
By this point, the archaeologist family had enlisted the help of the Medjai, a group sworn to protect the Pharaoh's secrets. Rick O'Connell, the family patriarch, was revealed to be the reincarnation of a Pharaoh's guardian, while his wife Evelyn was the reincarnation of the Pharaoh's daughter.
With these reincarnated figures leading the way, the group braved the harsh desert, navigating regions so remote that modern communications were useless. At one point, they even encountered a tribe of dwarf-like primitive beings in an oasis, some of which looked eerily familiar to Daniel.
"Isn't this the same green creature that Ruriko Isodumi created? Could it have originated here?"
Despite the constant dangers, Rick's family miraculously avoided any casualties, earning Daniel's grudging admiration for their "main character" luck.
Finally, they reached the Scorpion King's resting place—a pyramid buried deep within the desert. As both factions entered the pyramid, Anubis's army was reawakened. Under dark, stormy skies, an endless horde of wolf-headed soldiers emerged, their ranks stretching far and wide.
The sight was awe-inspiring, even for Daniel. The sheer number of these soldiers made even the Qin Dynasty's black-armored cavalry pale in comparison.
"Time for me to step in."
As the Scorpion King was revived, Daniel made his move. He knocked out Rick and his family
, sending them away through the Gate of Secrets. Although he disagreed with their so-called "archaeology," he had no intention of killing them.
His focus was on Anubis, the Book of the Dead, and the Book of the Living.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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