Ark Undead

In other words, what they have always considered natural disasters to be natural phenomena are actually just the tip of the iceberg of another power system?

"I'm sorry... I need some time to come to terms with this."

Theresa stopped walking and leaned against the wall, pondering the information the doctor had imparted to her.

The doctor understood that this kind of news was simply world-shaking, and it was normal for Theresa to need some time.

So he wasn't in a hurry, and just like Theresa, he leaned against the wall, waiting for Theresa to think and ask questions.

After a brief moment of thought, Theresa asked the question.

"So, that mysterious underwater city is the city you built a long time ago, Doctor?"

"Yes."

The doctor nodded and said.

"It is the crystallization of me, Kal'tsit, and the other ten Abyss Children, a foundation built with the combined power of us, to support the main body of the world's barrier."

"So, what exactly is this so-called world barrier?"

Theresa gestured with her hands.

"Like, some kind of protective shield?"

"You can think of it this way: it functions like a protective suit. While it can't provide 100% isolation like most protective suits, it can eliminate most of the negative effects."

Theresa nodded as she processed the doctor's explanation.

Then, she seemed to have accepted the situation and explanation regarding Originium and turned her attention to other information.

"So, we're right? All those infected in Kazdel are actually people walking the right path?"

For a long time, most people infected with the virus have held a certain belief.

They are the abandoned people, who have lost the right to live peacefully in human society because they are infected with a virus that is incurable for life.

Theresa's views were also influenced to some extent. Although she believed that the infected were normal people, she still felt a bit of pity and compassion when she was with them.

"If we follow your understanding, then yes, the infected are the ones who truly embark on the path of adapting to the abyss."

The doctor reassured Theresa.

"If we follow our naming conventions, I would prefer to call these infected individuals experimental subjects. They are the contributors who are constantly improving their bodies to adapt to the Originium Infection system."

"Children born to infected individuals will also carry Oripathy. However, it is often the offspring born from the mating of infected individuals who possess higher Originium adaptability."

"They have a better grasp of Originium Arts and usually possess more powerful Originium Arts than normal people."

“You understand that although many Babel Tower operators are not Infected but possess powerful Originium Arts, they are called elites precisely because they are rare.”

"The powerful Sarkaz mercenaries you see are fearsome because of their combat skills and the Originium adaptability passed down from generation to generation."

"Of course, a higher Originium Adaptability also means a greater reliance on Originium Arts."

"The more severe the dependence, the more it will exacerbate the pathogenesis of Ore disease. This is an unsolvable cycle."

"But at least we've started researching it, haven't we?"

The doctor's explanation successfully persuaded Theresa.

Does this mean that infection will eventually become the norm, and that we will eventually find a way to make those infected happy?

Theresa's eyes began to brighten.

"Will Originium become a power we can utilize, and will its benefits ultimately outweigh its drawbacks?"

The doctor paused for a moment, then gave his answer.

"I do not know."

The doctor was surprisingly honest in this regard.

"Before I became the commander of the Tower of Babel, I was a researcher. A researcher cannot turn a blind eye to the truth."

"What I am seeing now is the fact that Oripathy is spreading and no one can escape it."

"As Oripathy spreads, we must find a way to treat it. And in fact, we have indeed found a way to curb the lesions of Oripathy, although it is only a beginning."

"However, at present, I do not see a way to completely cure Oripathy... except for the initial fire. But the initial fire is another matter entirely."

As the commander of what is known as the evil spirits, the Doctor's skill in the art of language is naturally not to be underestimated.

But faced with this problem, the Doctor could not deceive Theresa with any possibility.

What he said is the most accurate reflection of the current situation.

"However, I think that if you want... perhaps it really is possible."

The doctor changed the subject and said cautiously.

“In the past, when we, the children of the abyss, betrayed destiny, we never imagined that there would be such a future.”

“Back then we had all sorts of reasons. Kal'tsit didn’t want to see people crying out loud because of their friends and family anymore. I didn’t want that boring world to continue forever.”

"We are all gathered together with our own selfish desires, and we can't see the way forward."

"But miracles always happen, and those ideals that were once out of reach are getting closer and closer to us."

"I cannot say that your ideal is impossible to achieve; perhaps it is a certain future. And that future is now in your hands."

"Setting off towards an ideal, the curse of the abyss can never catch up with the fireworks in the eyes of an idealist."

"The darker the darkness, the brighter the fireworks will be."

"I salute you."

These words echoed in Theresa's ears and eventually took deep root in her mind.

Theresa looked at the Doctor bowing in respect before her, and a smile returned to her face.

"I think I already have the answer in my heart. Thank you."

"Then let's keep going. The tenth floor should only have one last area left?"

The doctor nodded slightly, and silence fermented within him.

When Theresa showed that relieved smile, he understood that Theresa had thought it through.

So the two continued forward, stepping into the darkness shrouded in black mist.

...

As they emerged from the last laboratory, Theresa was still exchanging ideas with the doctor.

"So, Amiya is actually one of your research findings?"

"Yes, Amiya is the culmination of our research. This embryo needs time to settle, until finally, the different abyssal antibodies are bonded together."

The doctor and Theresa talked about Amiya again.

"She can absorb Originium Arts of any level and can learn their secrets in a short time through the analysis of human nature."

"This ability is somewhat similar to the power of that ancient king, and it is from this that we have drawn inspiration."

"However, there are still limitations to Amiya's ability to learn these powers. That's why she was given a limiter to prevent the powers that haven't been absorbed from going berserk."

Theresa nodded.

Just now, she saw the experimental facilities on the ship and the embryos in the jars.

The doctor naturally mentioned Amiya and told Theresa about Amiya's origins.

"She was able to meet you in Kazdel because of her unique qualities. The First Flame is attractive to everyone, especially those who possess a soul and a fragment of a king."

"As a descendant of the king of Kazdel, the fragments of the king contained in your blood are essential to awakening that hero, and Amiya also yearns for such power. Her instincts have brought her to you. This is both a coincidence and an inevitability of fate."

Theresa hummed in agreement.

"Although it was Amiya's choice, don't make her too tired. She still has heavy responsibilities ahead of her. Let her grow up happily while she's still a child."

The doctor did not respond to that sentence.

Theresa didn't seem to care, and instead asked about something else.

"Speaking of which, what kind of person was that ancient king?"

"I saw his image in the room before. He seemed to be quite brave and skilled in battle, or perhaps the very quiet type?"

Theresa became increasingly interested in the legendary hero.

When the topic turned to that ancient king, the professor perked up.

"His name is The Undying, but we all know it's just a code name. He also frankly admitted that he had forgotten his own name, so he simply used the name others used to refer to him to introduce himself."

"In fact, his achievements are impossible to verify. After all, he was just an ancient king, and the so-called Age of Fire has almost become the dregs of that era."

"But the prophet still told us some of his name and his deeds."

"He was the first immortal to inherit the flame, known as the immortal hero of destiny. He also once single-handedly ventured into the territories of countless kings, using his unparalleled power to hunt down the strong who were qualified to be kings in ancient times, and was therefore known as the nameless king seeker."

"At the end of the Age of Fire, he was once again awakened by the tolling of the bells, hunted down five Lords of Cinder who were qualified to inherit the flame, and raised his sword against the ancient gods, ending that chaotic era."

"When he ruthlessly killed the gods, he became the last Lord of Cinder recognized by the Flame, and the last Guardian of the First Flame to combine the power of the Lords of Cinder, the incarnation of the Lord of Cinder."

"However, as for his personality... it's not too different from your guess."

When the doctor said these things, he looked like a fan introducing their idol to a friend.

Theresa had never seen the Doctor like this before.

Theresa smiled wryly.

"I never imagined that the Doctor would have such a revered person. I thought your descriptions of everyone were always rather plain and unremarkable."

"..."

Realizing he had lost his composure, the doctor composed himself and looked away.

As Theresa walked forward, she teased the Doctor about his earlier appearance.

The doctor also tried to defend himself with words, until finally he couldn't hold back any longer and was forced to nod and admit that the Undead were heroes in his eyes.

And so, the two of them walked along the last stretch of the corridor, talking about the past and their hopes and dreams for the future.

Theresa walked briskly, while the Doctor walked heavily, but they both continued forward without looking back.

Until Theresa slowed down and stopped in front of a wall.