Chapter 24: The Tomb Of Anubis

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In front of me, there was a large and ancient-looking hall, one that belonged to the ancient pyramids of Egypt. This dungeon in particular was divided into several sections and was so huge it was considered a Labyrinth. However, not just anybody could enter this place even when it appeared. Only those "qualified" by the Constellations themselves and the Administrators, would be given the chance of entering these trials. After all, it was a special place that held the powerful Ancient Relics of the Gods of Death of Egypt, Osiris, Anubis, and our little friend over here, Sepa.

Ding!

[You are the first one to have entered the [Ancient Tomb of the Egyptian Death Gods]!]

[Several Constellations have taken notice of what you've done!]

[The Cosmic Throne {Black Jackal that Judges the Death} thinks you're not worthy of entering his Dungeon and strictly asks you to not violate the rules. He orders you to leave immediately.]

[The Cosmic Throne {Lady that Soothes the Souls of the Death} giggles at {Black Jackal that Judges the Death} fit of rage and encourages you to enter her Dungeon instead.]

[Several other Egyptian Deities show some interest!]

[Most of them seem angered that {Trillion-Legged Millipede That Swarms The Cosmos} allowed you to enter.]

[Some of the [Administrators] are panicking. The scenario doesn't go this way!]

Yikes. Everyone's getting angered. Well, it can't be helped, I've entered here knowing I could make some of the Constellations upset. But I really need to get stronger fast, and this is one of the shortcuts. Even if I'll make them upset, or even make a few enemies along the way. It will all be worth it if I can get this power.

"Blame yourselves for allowing me to have her as my loyal retainer." I sighed.

"I am sorry Lord Anubis, Lady Osiris!" Cried Sepa, bowing her head to the higher gods.

"Huh, to think even the [Administrators] would begin moving." I laughed. "Aren't you guys supposed to come out at the Second Awakening? I guess there's no helping it since I entered already, I might as well serve myself some relics."

I walked straight into the ancient-looking stone altar in the middle of the hall. There were several ancient Egyptian texts, it was some sort of test, the first of the many trials that people who explore these cursed pyramids must go through. Among all Constellations, the Egyptian Nebula is well known for being cruel, every tomb they had was full of dangerous monsters and traps everywhere. And that's without even mentioning the unfair trials.

"Sepa, can you translate this for me?"

"Uuugggh, am I your walking translator now?!"

"Don't be so lazy, you bugger."

"Millipedes are not actually bugs; we belong to a completely different clade of arthropods and-"

"I know, just get over it. Help me out, come on."

"Sigh, to be ordered by this brat… Life has turned so miserable now."

While lamenting, Sepa quickly floated over to the Altar and began reading it, her big insectoid eyes began shining brightly as the words written on the altar started floating in midair. Showing all kinds of Egyptian hieroglyphs I couldn't understand at all. Maybe I should pick some Language Comprehension Skills. But I feel that would be a waste of Skill Points right now.

"To the bold ones that dare step into the Altar of the Death, place your heart over the balance and allow the Judge of the Dead to see if you're worthy of facing the trials ahead."

"I see, so Anubis has to see if I am worthy?"

"Most likely, but as he said earlier, you're not…"

"Yeah, I know."

"Huh?"

I quickly touched the altar without even caring. That quickly triggered the first "trial" or "test". Even though it wasn't either of the two. This game was rigged from the start.

FLAAASH!

My hand got stuck into the altar, as a divine power started to flow wildly from within it. It slowly turned into a cloud of shadows engulfing me. But then it took some humanoid shape, I stepped back, seeing the gigantic manifestation of a Constellation feared by many. 

Ding!

[The Cosmic Throne {Black Jackal that Judges the Death} has manifested himself before you!]

A gigantic man with the head of a black jackal emerged, it resembled a ghost of the former god of death, but he was still immensely intimidating. His dog-like face didn't help either at making things less creepy. He was wearing fancy golden Egyptian attire and holding a golden scythe in one hand and a balance in the other.

His very presence sent chills down my spine. For a moment my instincts told me to escape, that I shouldn't be here at all. But I held my ground against his presence, clashing against his endless aura of darkness with my little aura of light. Sepa's small divine presence invertedly made this easier, without her realizing it.

"I told you before that you were not worthy, human." He said with a rough voice. "Do you truly believe you're the only special one in this world to be so bold as to step in these tombs that have yet to emerge outside?"

"I think I am worthy enough of at least a relic," I said with a smile.

"Hmph! Fool. I shall see that myself!" He said, quickly touching my chest with his right-hand index finger, and taking apart my very heart.

It didn't hurt, but once he grabbed it, a really hollow sensation took over my very being. He mercilessly placed my still-beating heart over a balance, one side was my heart, and the other a white feather. It was honestly creepy how I wasn't dying after that. This was just one of the amazing powers of a Constellation.

"This is the feather of Ma'at, and it represents the Absolute Truth. Now, let us see if your Heart is truly worthy of entering my trials!" He said with his intimidating jackal face.

FLASH!

[The Cosmic Throne {Black Jackal that Judges the Death} has begun the [Weighing of Hearts Ceremony]!]

[If you're worthy of entering the Trials, your heart will be lighter than the Feather of Truth.]

[However, if it's heavier, you will be permanently banned from entering the Dungeon.]

The balance began moving up and down. It seemed as if the feather was way lighter than my heart. My heart kept going down and down. It wasn't outside of my expectations. If anything, this is what I expected to happen. You can never win against Anubis' Weighing of Hearts Ceremony. It is rigged to always favor his decisions and judgment.

It's never really fair, like most things in life. Since my previous life, I've grown used to the unfairness of the world. This world is just as cruel as the previous one. If you don't make decisions yourself, and move on your own, you will never progress. And you will only become someone else's stepping stone.

"Hah! As I thought! Maybe you believe that you're worthy, but the mere belief is what makes you unworthy! So many rich sins! Greed, Envy, Lust, Gluttony! How come? Do you have every single sin?! Bwahahahaha!" Anubis started to laugh evilly. "Now-"

"Sepa, let's do it."

FLAAASH!

Within my body, the power of Sepa quickly began surging. My entire body started overflowing with her limited divine power. My aura transformed, resembling an endless swarm of insects. It was something incredible, and the feeling of strength was like nothing I ever felt before. Sepa's strength is mostly sealed, but even then, she's strong enough for this, at the very least!

Ding!

[The Cosmic Throne {Trillion-Legged Millipede That Swarms The Cosmos} has temporarily possessed your body through the {Hollowness} left after your {Heart} was taken away!]

[All your stats have temporarily increased exponentially!]

[For only the duration of this buff, you can utilize the {Trillion-Legged Millipede That Swarms The Cosmos} Divinities.]

[Duration: 1 Minute.]

"HUH?!" Anubis was so concentrated laughing at my own sins that he gave us a small window of time. He was so shocked he started coughing, choking on the saliva he spat as he gasped.

"I am sorry, Lord Anubis!" Sepa cried.

In a mere second, I jumped as high as I could and quickly reached Anubis' balance. I summoned my new weapon, a gigantic spear made using the stinger of Lolth, and enchanted it with Sepa's divinity and cosmic energy, and then quickly sliced apart Anubis' arm with {Twin Cutter} and {Sunshine} combined with Sepa's {Divinity of Death} and {Divinity of Fertility}! All of this was just for this moment. I cannot fail. I cannot give myself the privilege of failing anymore.

SLAAASH!

"Uuurrgh?! What the…?! AAAGH!"

Against all expectations, Anubis' arm was sliced cleanly, and the balance fell to the ground, suddenly turning into a solid object. It released sparkles of golden divinity. It was a relic right in front of my nose. Don't ever think I'll just give it back to you happily, you dog-faced bastard.

Ding!

[The [Weighting of Hearts Ceremony] has been interrupted!]

[The Cosmic Throne {Black Jackal that Judges the Death} screams in fury as you've sliced his Weighing Arm!]

"W-What?! How is this possible?! SEPA! YOU TRAITOR!" Anubis roared in fury, shaking the entire dungeon. He stretched his remaining arm towards me as if it were made of some ghostly energy, attempting to grab me with his gigantic, clawed hands. "You damned HUMAN!"

However, it was too late, my hand already touched the Balance of Anubis. And it quickly disappeared, while my heart went back to my body at the same time.

Ding!

[You have stored the [Anubis' Divine Weigher of Hearts (??? Rank)] x1!]

[You have stored the [Ma'at's Feather of Truth (??? Rank)] x1!]

[You've restored your own Heart!]

[The effects of [Constellation Possession] are becoming unstable…]

"Too late, dog face." I smiled back at him.

"Were you after my own Weigher this entire time?!" Anubis gritted his sharp fangs. "Give it back! You cannot possibly comprehend the power of a Relic as Ancient as that one!!!"

Of course, I do. I read it all in the novel. Sadly, I just can't tell him that straight to the face though.

BAAAMMM!

Anubis' enormous arm hit the floor, making the entire dungeon tremble once more. I quickly began jumping around, evading his sluggish attacks. He was simply a "Manifestation" of himself, so it wasn't as strong as the real deal, he was very slow too. With Sepa's boost, I was much faster than him! Well, I can't rely on this buff for much longer either.

"Give it back! GIVE… IT… BACK!!! {Army of the Dead}!"

FLUOSH!

Anubis roared, as a cloud of darkness quickly erupted from his ghostly body. It swirled around, creating a circular portal leading to the Egyptian Underworld. From within the portal, countless skeletons, mummies, and ghosts rushed out, aiming their weapons at me.

"Your sins know no limits! Now, you have sentenced yourself to a painful death before the armies of the dead! Devour her flesh and soul!!!" Anubis roared. "Don't have mercy on this damned brat!"

Okay, I guess it's time for that. I quickly pulled out a golden potion from my inventory and drank it. An enormous quantity of power encompassed my body, improving my physique to insanely high levels. This sole potion had an incredible affinity with my own Physique, giving me an even greater boost to my power than it should have been originally.

Ding!

[You have consumed the [Heavenly Sunlight God Elixir (A Rank)]!]

[You have gained an immense quantity of Sunlight Essence and Yang Essence!]

[Your Physique is undergoing an evolution due to the immense surplus of power!]

[Temporary buffs are being administrated!]

[All stats have increased by an additional 100% for the next 30 Minutes.]

[A radiant divine aura of heavenly light itself is surging from your body!]

"{Sunshine}"

FLAAASH!

I swung my hand, as an enormous blade of sunshine materialized, slashing apart the undead rushing towards me and hitting Anubis really hard. His ghostly body wavered, as he fell into the floor, shaking the dungeon once more. Pieces of the ceiling started falling.

[You have purified [Anubis' Netherworld Soldiers] x32!]

[Because of the Level difference, EXP earned has been decreased to keep things balanced.]

[You have gained 26000 EXP!]

[Level Up!]

[Level Up!]

[Your Level has increased from Level 9 to Level 11!]

To keep things balanced? What is this bull**? Give me all the EXP! This is not fair! Ugh, I knew the System wasn't going to easily let me level up as much as I wanted.

"Nnngggh…!" Anubis groaned. "T-This power…! Is this another divine power?! How come?! Is there another constellation backing you right now?!"

"No, that was just a potion I made." I laughed. "Now, how about we continue with Act 2?"

I quickly took out a purple jewel from my inventory, which began shining brightly. The jewel released a powerful aura of cosmic essence. Anubis' eyes widened, he instinctively felt surprised when I revealed this item to him.

"T-That stone…! You can't possibly…!" Anubis quickly realized what I meant by taking this item out of my inventory.

"Now, Anubis. Will you keep fighting me for your Relics, or will you risk your life?" I wondered.

"YOUUU…!"

Ding!

[Several Chaos-Aligned Constellations are spectating your actions while laughing maliciously.]

[They have sponsored 500 Plot Points!]

[The Cosmic Throne {Jester Filled With Lies} is intrigued by what are you planning to do now.]

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Chapter end