Ganesha Tripathi, a senator from the Rose Line.
As a member of Ark's parliament, he wielded immense power—almost transcendent authority.
This was due to the influence of the Tripathi family, which held sway not only over the Rose Line—the foremost front line of Ark—but also stretching from the Violet Line to the Rose Line.
With such power consolidated, Ganesha Tripathi's ID card had an almost unnatural level of access and authority.
Using that ID card, it was possible to temporarily lock down the Rose Line and other connected lines or forcibly open the gates of the Rose Line.
Strictly speaking, these were unofficial privileges that went beyond a single senator's authority, but the important point was that Ganesha Tripathi's ID card could actually accomplish such feats.
To the Shadow Order, who sought to plunge Ark into chaos to seize control, it was an item they couldn't afford to ignore.
'In fact, during the Shadow Order route, they used Ganesha Tripathi's ID card to deliberately instigate conflict between the Rose Line and other lines.'
And since the ID card was issued in his name, even if the Shadow Order stirred up trouble, there would be almost no trace leading back to them.
That's because Ganesha Tripathi had been officially listed as missing or deceased within Ark.
However, despite his disappearance or presumed death, his ID had never been deactivated, which was closely tied to the Ark system itself.
Ark's ID cards were virtually impossible to forge or tamper with.
In Ark, the ID card wasn't just identification—it was practically everything about a person.
Even with the tremendous authority tied to Ganesha Tripathi's ID, no one in Ark could access it without completely resetting the system.
Ark's inability to address this glaring security loophole was because they simply never imagined the ID card could be exploited in such a way.
'Or rather, they never considered that such an ID card could be used for malicious purposes.'
Ganesha Tripathi had been killed by a monster horde during the fall of Heshbon.
Naturally, Ark couldn't imagine that monsters or beasts would somehow make use of a senator's ID card to enact some grand scheme.
The reason such a high-profile figure ended up in Heshbon was simple.
He was the leader of a diplomatic envoy dispatched from Ark just before Heshbon fell, negotiating for the city's biotechnological advancements.
The City of Clouds, Heshbon, was inherently resource-poor due to its harsh environment.
Their only asset was human resources, so they invested all their limited resources and technologies into improving human capabilities.
Medical advancements, biotechnology, genetic manipulation...
Heshbon's sole purpose was to create humans that could surpass human limits.
As a result, Heshbon ended up leading Ark by a step when it came to enhanced soldiers.
While Ark struggled with strict bioethics regulations and hesitated to experiment freely, Heshbon conducted ruthless experiments under the guise of survival.
'But things went terribly wrong.'
Before Ganesha Tripathi could even start negotiations on enhanced soldier technology, a massive wave swept across the world, wiping out every human city except Ark.
He ended up trapped in Heshbon, and his ID card was abandoned somewhere in the ruined city.
Left behind, waiting for a new owner who might one day come.
My plan was to secure Ganesha Tripathi's ID card faster than the Shadow Order and use it as a weapon against them.
Of course, it would only be effective for a limited time, but it was my best option right now.
'Holding the whereabouts of Ganesha Tripathi's ID card as a hostage is my only leverage.'
But securing the ID card wasn't my only reason for coming to Heshbon.
Ever since my encounter with the Shadow Order, I had been doing a lot of thinking.
And the biggest thought haunting me was the feeling of powerlessness.
'I'm not strong enough.'
Up until now, my growth had mostly relied on obtaining good equipment or investing in Janus's development.
But Janus was sometimes restricted depending on the situation, and the problem with equipment was that I couldn't always carry it around.
'I was missing the core issue.'
There are countless ways to become stronger in this damned world.
I had been focusing on methods that were quick and offered direct growth, but that approach was insufficient against truly powerful foes.
When I faced the Commander and the Turncoat Rook, I learned that lesson painfully well.
'I have to become stronger myself.'
Better equipment,
Janus,
Loyal subordinates—
None of that would matter if I didn't get stronger.
Strictly speaking, my growth rate had been remarkably fast.
Compared to a typical start within Ark, I was advancing at a speed that couldn't even be compared.
Especially with Ether Sensitivity—given enough time, I could theoretically reach the Commander's level.
But the problem was time.
'If I hadn't encountered the Shadow Order, it might have been different. But the waters already spilled.'
That was partly because I had drawn too much attention within Ark.
Not that I regretted it. I just did what I had to do.
'Heshbon's Enhancement Serum.'
The City of Clouds, Heshbon, had fallen.
Most of its enhancement serum had been destroyed by monsters and beasts.
However, not all of it was lost.
Deep within Heshbon's underground bunkers, some of the serum remained intact.
'The enhancement serum from Heshbon is still present, even halfway through the stage. It should definitely be there now.'
My primary goals in Heshbon were:
Ganesha Tripathi's ID CardHeshbon's Enhancement Serum
'Priority goes to the ID card first.'
I surveyed the ruined city of Heshbon.
Corpses of monsters and humans lay intertwined everywhere, painting a vivid picture of how brutal the battle had been.
'The scene is definitely different from what I remember.'
That made sense.
Usually, when players visit Heshbon during the game, it's around the mid-stage.
But the current Heshbon still bore signs of recent destruction, with corpses in the process of decomposition and flies and maggots swarming everywhere.
["Ugh... Do we really have to look here?"]
Esther shuddered, clearly disgusted.
Even I wasn't particularly thrilled by the sight.
"We have to."
["I knew you'd say that..."]
Ignoring her complaints, I carefully examined the aftermath of the massacre.
My main focus was on the supplies and equipment used by Heshbon's soldiers.
Most of the weapons and materials appeared damaged, but not everything was completely destroyed.
'I'll gather them on the way back.'
If I had traveled on foot, I wouldn't have been able to carry much, but with Horus, transporting supplies wouldn't be a problem.
I gave Horus instructions.
"Wait nearby. If anything shows up, take off and retreat. Come back when I call."
[Kieeeik!]
Leaving Horus on standby, I began making my way through the city ruins.
The destination was one of the safest places in Heshbon—the underground bunker.
It was also where Ganesha Tripathi's body had been found.
Before moving out, I donned my black poncho and Kupf's Bone Mask.
'Just in case.'
I didn't expect survivors, but it never hurt to be cautious.
'After all, I arrived here earlier than usual.'
With preparations complete, I moved forward.
The entrance to the underground bunker was through the Heshbon Military Command Center.
Originally, only authorized personnel could reach the underground bunker through the elevator.
But in the current situation, the elevator obviously wasn't operational, so I planned to descend through the elevator shaft itself.
That was the plan, at least...
[B42]
Getting inside the military command center was easy enough.
However, when I checked the hidden elevator, a display was lit up above it.
The fact that the panel was active meant that the power supply to the Heshbon command center hadn't been completely cut off.
'Hmm.'
This wasn't part of the plan.
Of course, I could just pry open the elevator floor and go down that way.
But the problem was that forcing the doors open could trigger an alarm.
'Of course, given the location, it's unlikely that a triggered alarm would attract a swarm of monsters...'
Still, I couldn't rule out another possibility—
That there might still be survivors in the underground bunker.
'Guess I'll just have to see for myself.'
I didn't waste too much time thinking about it.
Time wasn't something I had in abundance, and there was a lot I needed to do.
'Janus.'
At my call, Janus extended a bone tendril toward me.
I grabbed it and wedged it into the gap between the elevator doors, forcing them open.
Creeeeak, creeeak—
When I finally pried the doors open, a dim red light flickered on, illuminating the elevator shaft.
Fortunately, just as I expected, there was no sound alarm.
In Ark and most cities, alarms rarely use loud sirens.
Blaring sirens could easily act as a catalyst, attracting even more monsters during a wave.
'If there are survivors in the underground bunker, they'll have noticed my presence by now.'
That was something I'd deal with later—
If no one was alive, I would've just wasted time worrying for nothing.
Creeeeak—
Once I fully opened the elevator doors, I looked down.
'Hmm.'
The dark shaft stretched down into a seemingly endless void.
Without hesitation, I threw myself in.
'Janus!'
At my call, bone tendrils shot out from Janus and braced against the walls, acting like makeshift brakes to slow my descent.
Screeeeeech—!
The tendrils scraped viciously against the elevator shaft walls as I descended rapidly.
At this speed, I would reach the 42nd underground floor—where the bunker was located—in no time.
B10.
B15.
B20...
As I continued my swift descent toward my destination, I heard an odd sound.
Clunk, clunk—
I immediately recognized the noise.
'Well, look at that.'
The elevator that should have been idling on B42 was now rapidly ascending.
I didn't intend to let myself get squashed in such a humiliating way, so I immediately reached out.
['Ankelenth's Spear' has been activated!]
[Time remaining: 20 minutes and 17 seconds.]
No matter how sturdy the elevator was, nothing could withstand the Ankelenth's Spear, which could cut through even plasma blades.
Swish—!
With a single slash, I cut through the elevator roof and jumped inside.
Then I promptly sliced through the elevator floor with the spear.
["Brute force... Really?"]
Esther sounded half in shock, but I ignored her and continued the same way as before—
Using bone tendrils to slow my descent as I dropped down to B42.
As soon as I landed on the 42nd underground floor, I was greeted by bullets.
Bang!
Quite an aggressive way to say hello.
I hadn't expected to get shot at the moment I arrived, but Janus's bone armor absorbed the bullets, preventing them from harming me.
More bullets whizzed toward me, and I couldn't help but call out.
"Stop!"
"...A person?"
Amid the flickering red light, a figure slowly stepped forward.
It was a face I knew all too well.
'This... wasn't part of the plan.'
Ganesha Tripathi.
He was alive.