Alright, if you want that then we will do it.
That is the voice of the fool Aler, after so many years in the archeology field with me, it seems he can't take it anymore. Writing complex essays, analyzing historical lines,... I certainly wouldn't last more than a second if I were that guy. Our teacher - Ms. Jane is very strict, if we don't follow her instructions or become careless, her power and status would surely crush us. But once again, his fear was overshadowed by the dawn, and courage slapped Jane in the face; he thought perhaps these would be his final moments, when Ms. Jane's anger had reached an unprecedented level.
" Gotta admit, this clueless little coward's got some serious guts! " I silently complain.
And that, the most horrifying homework finally appeared.
Alright, Aler, you were talking pretty big just now, huh? Now, you'd better head to Antarctica and investigate the ancient Tetry ruins. Gather as much information as you can. And don't even think about faking anything, someone will be keeping an eye on you. You too, Cast. You didn't side with us. Now go with that Aler guy and get the hell out to Antarctica.
Ms. Jane replied sharply.
But Ms. Jane... I asked.
Shut your mouth, It's not your turn to say, Cast. You two, if you complete the mission flawlessly, I'll grant you both your diplomas. If not, your lives from this moment on will no longer be guaranteed.
Ms. Jane ordered.
"Freak...."
Both of us secretly cursed.
After that, we just gritted our teeth, grabbed our bags, and got on the flight to Antarctica in the night.
On the flight, we shared a quick chat:
Aler.
What?
Do you... feel better?
Look at my face, do you really have to ask? Of course I'm not feeling any better. Who would, after dealing with a dragon lady like that?
Oh. Sorry about that, bud.
Don't call me 'bud.' You think I'm the same age as you or something?
Just kidding. But hey, do we really have to go to that legendary place from those ancient books?
Even I don't know if it actually exists. All I know is that the ancient books say it lies beneath layers of eternal ice, and there's no modern record of it at all.
Damn it, looks like this mission wants us dead. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to talk with me. Sleep well, bud.
Hey!! Whatever, sleep well.
We slept straight through until dawn. The biting cold began to cut into our skin, and we woke up. This was Antarctica.
We got off the plane, bundled up in thick fur coats, but even that couldn't keep out the skin-piercing cold. The two of us began leaving a few footprints in the snow as we made our way toward the base camp in this frozen land of Antarctica. From a distance, the image of the base came into view, imprinting itself on our eyes.
Hey, is that the base Jane mentioned? Or no—more like the one her people talked about. But is that really it? From here, it doesn't look any better than the labs at my school.
Hey Aler, if you're gonna complain, keep your voice down. Someone's watching us from behind.
You mean that long-haired girl with the glasses, Cast? Let me enlighten you—I've spent most of my life being afraid. Now that death's right around the corner, you really think I'm gonna keep being scared?
Suddenly, a knife was pressed against Aler's throat.
You'd better shut your mouth, Aler.
Whoa, whoa, just kidding! I didn't mean—
Shut up.
Alright, alright, Kate. I'm starting to get a little scared—
You don't get it, do you? Shut up.
Alright, alright, I get it.
The knife at Aler's throat was withdrawn and tucked back into Kate's coat.
Hey, next time you open your mouth, be careful, Aler.
Oka-
The knife was back pressed against Aler's throat again. This time, Aler really stayed silent. The knife at Aler's throat was lowered once again and tucked back into Kate's coat. We walked for a long time in the freezing cold before the three of us finally found warmth inside the base.
Aler, you can speak now, but I'm warning you—no more nonsense.
Alright, I'm sorry, okay?
This is really pathetic...
After that, Kate began to lay out the "rules of the game":
Alright, let me give you two a rundown of the mission—you probably don't want to miss out on some critical details, right?
This mission actually began over 50 years ago, personally commissioned by the government and handed to the nation's top archaeologists. Its objective is to uncover the mystery of the ancient ruin known as 'Tetry City'—a place dubbed "The Citadel of Life and Death". There are countless legends surrounding it—stories of resurrection, and rulers who govern both life and death, known as the "Regulator". It's a dark mystery with no answers, documented in the world's ancient knowledge tomes. Legend has it that the city was swallowed by ice. With just that much to go on, archaeologists have been throwing themselves into the icy lands of Antarctica in search of the ruins. But none have ever made it back.
So, what do you think? Do you like these "rules of the game" from over 50 years ago?
After that, we began to argue:
Hey Kate, have the archaeologists ever actually found the Tetry Citadel?
No. But the archaeologists did detect strange wave signals coming from this region—signals that seem to originate from some kind of structure beneath the ice. And only the Tetry Citadel could possibly be the source. They tried to follow the signals... but none of them ever made it back.
The wave signals... Give me a few seconds.
After saying that, I casually grabbed a radio wave detector from the desk and began analyzing the signal:
On the detector's screen, I see two wave signals, just like you said. Based on the terrain, weather conditions, distance, and frequency, it looks like the first signal is fake. Most likely, there's an ice formation over there that resembles the shape of a citadel.
What?! The data has always shown only one signal until now. But there really are two signals on the detector screen. That's strange...
It seems like the god have heard our plea, easing the harshness of the freezing weather to allow the second signal to appear. In previous explorations, the weather was always too severe, leaving no chance of survival for archaeologists at the location of the first signal.
This discovery is groundbreaking! We need to report it to our superiors immediately.
Hey Kate, it won't be too late to report to our superiors after we've gathered enough information about the citadel, right?
But... whatever, even if we say that without proof, it's like nothing. So, it's up to you, Cast.
Thanks, Kate. By the way, Aler, do you have any thoughts?
Uh... huh? I was dozing off earlier, so I didn't catch that—
Both Kate and I said in unison:
ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM SLEEP DEPRIVATION OR SOMETHING, YOU IDIOT???
huh? What??
Then the two of us explained everything to Aler again.
Got it, you idiot? We've been friends for years, and you still won't listen to me. You don't even have the courtesy to pay attention when strangers talk. Seriously disappointing.
Alright, alright, I'm sorry. But I gotta admit, this info is pretty shocking, huh? I still haven't fully processed it yet.
Alright then, since you're still sleepy and haven't processed all that info yet, how about we head to the Tetry Citadel? That should wake you up and help you digest everything, don't you think?
Huh???? WHAT????????
Don't even think about being lazy. Grab your stuff and let's move out—now.
Uhm... Uh... Yeah, got it.
After that, not just Aler, but Kate and I were also gathering our gear, getting ready to head out.
Seriously? You actually brought your cellphone with you, Aler?
Just brought it along to be safe.
Your idea of "being safe" is just playing games, isn't it?
It really is for safety, I swear!
Hey—actually, forget it. It's not like anyone's gonna die because you brought it. If you want to carry it, then carry it.
After chatting for a while, we finally set off—but the weather was starting to look a little rough...
What the hell is this? The outside temperature is -19°C, are you kidding me? Just a while ago it was only around 3 to 5°C...
Looks like god's blessing is running out—we need to move fast, or we'll end up trapped in the base. I've got a feeling this snowstorm won't be short at all.
No sooner said than done, we headed straight out of the base.
Despite the raging snowstorm, it couldn't hinder our vision or slow our pace. In our hands, we carried an electronic map displaying sound wave signals, and on our bodies, we wore full protective gear: fleece-lined clothing, bear-hide boots, and full-body insulation from head to toe. That being said, cold is still cold...
Even fully geared up, it's still freezing—how can that be....?
Instead of wasting energy complaining, push forward. There's no time to spare.
The journey was 25 kilometers, and we faced quite a few challenges along the way. After everything, we finally reached the coordinates of the signal.
Sure enough, this signal is real—there's a cave right here. Let's get inside quickly.
We stepped into the cave. It was fairly narrow, but spacious enough for an adult to move around comfortably.
Whoa, that was close—we almost became frozen fossils. "Sleeping" in the snow and ice would've been a nightmare.
I think instead of using your brain to figure out how you might die here, why not use it to check out the ice on the other side of the cave?
What ice? Aler and Kate asked in unison.
Ahead in the cave, there was indeed a section of ice fused with the rock, looking like a solid wall.
Hey, do you guys think the same as I do?
Yeah, Aler. Just like those old novels.
Exactly, this has got to be the entrance to the citadel!
It's the passageway, most likely. But how do we get inside? We don't have any explosives.
Explosives... Hey, maybe we can use my phone as a bomb.
You don't have any detonators to make it explo- , or do you?
Of course I do! My family runs a fireworks business—I have plenty of explosives. Besides, I'm pretty good at tinkering with fireworks myself!
Almost forgot—you're an apprentice fireworks craftsman, Aler!
Apprentice? I'm practically semi-professional! Anyway, let's get that bomb made!
We started crafting a simple bomb from the materials we had on hand. After some tinkering, we finally finished it.
Hey, something about this feels off to me.
What do you mean "off"? I followed the textbook exactly. How could there be a problem?
Alright, let's just trust this bomb for now. Everyone, stand back!
Aler stepped up to the bomb and lit the fuse—he didn't seem scared anymore. Once it was lit, he quickly darted to the side. A loud explosion echoed through the cave, smoke filled the air, and a few seconds later, the dust cleared. Revealed before us was a stone-paved pathway, with walls lined in marble. Everything seemed just as we had hoped.
Is that... the legendary Tetry Citadel?
Looks like it.
Seems like you guys still have a chance to make it out alive, huh? Kate said.
Quit teasing already.
Alright, I'll stop teasing. Let's move forward!
The ancient city of Tetry felt like an endless tunnel, testing the limits of our legs. With the flashlight, we walked and walked, yet found nothing. Until finally... we reached the very end of the ancient stronghold.
Even now, I still can't believe this place actually exists, Cast, Kate! But it feels like we've been walking forever, and we still haven't found anything useful. Could it be that this whole trip… was for nothing?
Who told you this trip was for nothing? Look ahead.
Look ahead?
Aler looked up and saw a strange sight. This place was a chamber adorned with intricate patterns, as if it were a puzzle waiting to be solved.
Think about it — those kinds of scenes often show up in novels. This has got to be a puzzle room!
I think so. It looks like this room has six small patterns on the four walls. In front of us is a large main pattern with a slot for a seven-letter password. It seems the six patterns on the walls and the main pattern hold the key to the answer.
Hey, look at the floor. There's a symbol indicating to turn it backward.
So, we have to arrange them in order? Let me see—if we rotate the big pattern backward to the smaller ones, the sequence would be: the "speech" symbol, the coin symbol, the heart symbol, the frown symbol, the pointing finger symbol, the spoon and fork symbol, and the sleep symbol.
Hey, this looks familiar... Those are the symbols representing the Seven Deadly Sins in Christianity, aren't they!?
It does seem that way. I think they are indeed the symbols of the Seven Deadly Sins. If we follow that order, we have: Pride, Greed, Lust, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth. The password requires 7 letters, perhaps representing the order of the deadly sins using their initials. That gives us the password " P G L W E G S ". Now, let's try entering it.
Hey, how did you analyze that so fast?!
Quit talking and enter the password already.
Um... yeah, alright.
We started rotating the password to match the one we had predicted. The moment the password was entered, the wall in front of us opened up like a door. Smoke and dust billowed out, then gradually cleared away.
It was correct? That's truly wonderful!
Alright, that's enough celebrating. The path ahead is open — let's move forward.
Unlike the tiled paths before, this one was just dirt. It also felt colder. It grew even colder as, at the end of the path, there was a terrifying sight. A mummy stood on a rock, holding a glowing red scythe that smelled of blood, with several scratch marks on its body.
What the hell is this, some kind of monster? Kate, Cast. Do you two know this mummy?
No. Kate and I said in unison.
While the three of us were still guessing and pondering, the mummy gave a haunting smile and vanished right before our eyes.
What? Aler said.
Wait...where?? I said.
Oh no... Kate said.
Suddenly, by some miraculous means, the three of us were pierced straight through the heart by the mummy's scythe. We stood in a line, creating an opening for the scythe to strike all three of us at once. At first, we were shocked; our bodies emitted the stench of blood, and blood poured from our eyes and mouths. It was utter despair to the extreme.
Fun? The mummy laughed with self-satisfaction.
As for the other two, I'm not sure. But shortly after being stabbed by the mummy, I gradually lost consciousness. Like a nightmare. A glowing red X-shaped eye. Deep black pupils. Like a nightmare. Those were the things I saw before I was reborn.
I woke up feeling as if I had gone through a long, endless nightmare. Looking around, I was shocked to realize I was in a desert. Still unable to digest the pain of my recent death, I vomited repeatedly — and oddly enough, I noticed I was wearing an ancient Egyptian soldier's outfit.
After taking care of that, I calmed down and began to organize the information I had just received:
Did I just die? And then reincarnate? Judging by this space and time, I might be in the body of an Egyptian soldier. This might be around the year 500–400 BC. This seems to be the era of the Achaemenid Empire, doesn't it? I told myself.
Wait, could the ancient city of Tetry exist at this time? Maybe I need to take a trip to Antarctica. I told myself again
Since I was in the role of a soldier, I naturally had to act like one — with knowledge suited to this era. In the era I currently exist in, one of the major conflicts was the Ionian Revolt, I believe. So, if I fight well in that war and achieve great accomplishments, I should be able to secure a stable force. Then, I could use them to help craft the necessary tools to reach Antarctica. This is definitely the best choice.
As I said — no hesitation. Under the name "Serus," armed with modern knowledge and experience, I quickly rose to success and became a shining figure in the war from the very beginning. Wherever the enemy appeared, I cut them down — blood mixing with sand.
From that point on, some began to follow me, pledging themselves to be the force under my command.
When the battle ended, I had become a legend in the eyes of many, with countless glorious feats.
But just as I was beginning to use my force to craft equipment and formulate my plans, a familiar figure approached me. It was the same mummy from the Tetry stronghold — still holding that terrifying blood-soaked scythe, dragging me back into those horrifying memories.
W-What...?! You've got to be kiddi-
Before I could even finish my sentence, the mummy's scythe had already claimed my life — and this time, it was even more terrifying. The blood-soaked blade sliced off my head, staining the surrounding sand crimson. The mummy let out another savage, bloodthirsty laugh.
Fun?
Like a nightmare. A glowing red X-shaped eye. Deep black pupils. Like a nightmare.
It was the same as before — before I could fully feel the pain, those images tore through my mind again, just like at the beginning. And I was revived once more, or rather, reincarnated. I opened my eyes, waking up with overwhelming terror.
I... got reincarnated again?