Escape from an Ancient Civilization Ch 178

Chapter 178

When Nataek regained his vision, he found himself standing alone in a dark space. The ceiling and all around him were swallowed by pitch-black darkness, and the floor echoed with the sound of splashing water. A faint blue light shimmered from the shallow water at his feet.

Flickering holograms twinkled in the distance. The interiors of Agade, the cheering crowd, and even Medeus had vanished. Nataek recalled the system message he’d seen just before arriving here and looked down at his hand, feeling as if it still held Medeus’s warmth.

The decision Nataek had failed to make was now taken by the system. Slowly, he surveyed where he stood. Another system prompt appeared in front of him:

“Do you want to exit? [Yes] [No]”

“Ha…” Nataek let out a deep sigh. Medeus’s voice echoed in his ears. He had left his beloved pleading figure behind. A new wave of regret washed over him.

At least I should have come back to explain everything calmly, so Medeus could understand. Instead, I hesitated foolishly, failed to explain properly… and just left like that, as if abandoning him…

He fervently hoped Medeus would not feel abandoned. He did not want to cause such pain.

Could there still be a way to return from here?

Nataek ran around, seeking an exit back to Agade. Every step caused a throbbing pain throughout his body. The splash of water echoed beneath his feet. Yet no sign of an exit was to be found in the surrounding darkness. For Nataek, only returning to the present era remained as an option.

He looked down at his arm with resentment. Then Medeus’s image naturally appeared before him—the image of one who could barely hold his hand tightly. Tears dropped from Nataek’s eyes.

I never wanted to part from you like this.

“Ah… what a mess… really…” Nataek raised his head, catching the falling tears back into his eyes.

“What are you crying for…”

His head fell again heavily, and he covered his face with rough hands.

Thinking that Medeus had disappeared from his future made his chest ache. Breathing was difficult. Until now, he thought he was staying by Medeus’s side, that he had resolved to remain in the ancient civilization for him. But that wasn’t true; only now did Nataek realize his true feelings—he needed Medeus just as much as Medeus needed him.

I should’ve at least hugged him properly before leaving.

Regret begot more regret. Every moment with Medeus was a bundle of regrets. Even now, a system prompt hovered before Nataek—a cruel reminder.

“Is… this all the choices I have?”

Muttering, Nataek rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. Water splashed near his feet, briefly glowing.

“Anna’s card has been placed in the Fountain of Incense.”

A wave rippled, blue light shimmered from the floor. Only then did Nataek realize it was the object sinking underwater—the character card of the tomb he kept close. He bent slowly, disregarding the pain coursing through his body, and picked up the card. A hologram projected above the broken card, displaying interpreted contents.

“Anna…?”

The letters shimmered on an unblemished valid card. The flickering wind made reading hard. But one part caught Nataek’s eye. Among the moving letters was the name of his lover.

Hidden Skill: New character card can be generated during dimension travel.

(Transferable once to another person.)

Remaining uses (1/1)

Remaining transfer count (0/1)

[Transferor: Anu Anna]

[Transferee: Anu Medeus]

Nataek stood motionless, holding the card. The transferor Anna was Medeus’s mother. Realizing that his lingering suspicions had been true filled him with many emotions. In the ancient civilization, the only one who truly understood his heart was Medeus’s mother.

He stared at the skill information for a while. New character card generation meant he could live with a new identity in another dimension, just as he had become Inanna Teresi here. Nataek gazed blankly at the card.

Why didn’t I use it…? Could it be that I didn’t meet the escape conditions? Taking Medeus with me…

As those thoughts crossed his mind, his conversation with Medeus flashed through.

‘Have you ever said you want to go back?’

‘Maybe… but they said they couldn’t.’

‘Why? Why can’t they?’

‘Because there’s something precious here that cannot be left behind.’

“The reason you can’t go… is because something precious remains here.”

Fists clenched tight on the card, Nataek understood Anna hadn’t failed the escape conditions. She hadn’t left because Medeus would be left alone. Anna’s hidden skill even granted the possibility of gaining a new identity, but traveling with Medeus was impossible.

Nataek now felt he understood Anna’s heart, her hope giving up on escaping this land herself but not on Medeus ever escaping. He pressed the card to his chest and rubbed it.

“She really wanted to take Medeus with her. She couldn’t leave him.”

The place where the card touched stung.

“I want to take him with me too… I don’t want to part like this. So please help me… somehow, let me be with Medeus wherever I go…”

Tears brimmed again, shimmering as Nataek whispered with desperation. A bright light flooded his vision.

Hidden Skill activation conditions met!

Hidden Skill unlocked.

Nataek snapped his head up.

Ding!

With a cheerful sound, his character card information appeared. The hidden skill section started to fill letter by letter with a tapping sound.

“Sumerian Anunnaki”

Name: Inanna Teresi / Occupation: Priestess

Guardian Deity: Anu

Entry S/N: N820 – A529 – 3286 – 317M

Exit PW: Meet Guardian Deity for True Ending

Hidden Skill: Able to escort others upon exit.

(1 person limit. Single use.)

As he confirmed the text, Nataek’s heart raced violently. Desperately, as if begging the system, he said,

“I want to go together. I want to take him… I want to go with Medeus.”

Suddenly, one of the flickering holograms far away became a clear rectangle. Instinct told him to move there.

Entranced, his steps quickened, the long strides turning into a run. The hologram completed, flashed brightly, forcing Nataek to stop and close his eyes tightly.

“Teresi… Teresi…”

A faint voice grew clearer. Light dimmed. When Nataek opened his eyes again, Medeus knelt where the hologram had been.

“Medeus!”

His bowed head shot up.

“Te… Teresi…?”

Medeus mumbled bewildered, hastily rising on unsteady legs. Nataek approached, but Medeus reached him first. Medeus hugged Nataek tightly and sobbed like a child.

“Teresi. Teresi.”

“Ah.”

A groan escaped Nataek’s lips as his arm was crushed. He tried to suppress it, but the sound escaped, quickly caught by Medeus.

“I’m sorry. It hurts. Sorry.”

Biting his lips, Medeus stepped back. He checked Nataek’s arm, jaw trembling with worry, holding a walnut-sized lump.

Medeus might wonder where they were or what happened but feared losing Nataek again and frantically cared for him. His trembling hands showed he thought a moment’s inattention would lose Nataek forever. Nataek held Medeus’s hands gently.

“I know this must be unsettling…”

“No. I’m fine. Not unsettled. Are you? Are you really okay? Where… where are we? Why here?”

Though he said he wasn’t unsettled, his scattered words proved otherwise, making Nataek laugh.

“Ah. Not the time to laugh though.”

Perhaps the laugh was from a dazed mind. Refocusing, Nataek looked to Medeus.

“First, please listen, Medeus.”

Medeus nodded through sobs. Seeing his shoulders shake like a crying child, Nataek’s heart tore further. Calmly, he spoke.

“About my wounds—and I think I should try to return home. I want to be with you, but I don’t have a choice. You, however, do have a chance. So maybe…”

“Come with me. Take me with you. I want to be with you.”

Before he finished, Medeus pleaded earnestly.

“If you go to where I am, you might never be able to come back.”

Medeus gently took Nataek’s hands in both of his and knelt. Rubbing his cheeks on the backs of Nataek’s hands, he continued with a trembling voice.

“Where you are is where I will live. It’s where I have a reason to live.”

Nataek leaned with Medeus, enduring pain with every move, meeting his gaze.

“Are you really sure? My world is very different—louder, with many things to adapt to.”

“I want to go. I will. Please… don’t leave me.”

Facing Medeus’s desperate plea, Nataek slowly embraced him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

“How could I leave you?”

Patting his broad back, Nataek rubbed Medeus’s shoulder softly and said,

“I won’t let you regret it. I’ll make sure you don’t regret now, so come with me.”

Medeus nodded vigorously, still adorably so as Nataek smiled. He leaned up and gently rubbed Medeus’s cheek.

“Stop crying now. What a pretty face you have. We’ll have to make whoever made you cry pay.”

Medeus shook his head; Nataek smiled and kissed his forehead.

“System, are you watching? We’re going together.”

The system seemed to respond, displaying a prompt.

“Would you like to use the hidden skill?”

Target: Anu Medeus.

“Yes, use it quickly.”

The hidden skill of ‘Inanna Teresi’ activated on Anu Medeus.

A line appeared striking through Nataek’s hidden skill slot; the letters turned gray. At last, Nataek brought his hand to the system prompt.

“Do you want to exit? [Yes] [No]”

His finger hesitated briefly then pressed [Yes] exactly. The two began glowing blue as a circle formed below them.

“Processing ‘Sumerian Anunnaki’ exit. Please do not leave your spot.”

Suddenly, white light exploded midair.

“Hidden skill of ‘Anu Anna’ activated on Medeus!”

As the system announced, a cracking sound came from the necklace Medeus wore. Surprised, Medeus looked down at his chest, where light leaked from a cracked spot, and the pendant with their combined insignias shattered with a snap. From it, a card emerged. Nataek was speechless.

Medeus’s character card was created.

Resident ID

Anu Medeus

Widely staring, bewildered Medeus and astonished Nataek focused on the card. The system displayed messages continuously:

“Language patch for ‘Anu Medeus’ starting.”

“Information synchronization for ‘Anu Medeus’ started.”

Language Patch 15%

Data Sync 5%

“Teresi…”

“Yes. Teresi, here.”

Language Patch 32%

Data Sync 21%

“What is this?”

Medeus stared at the card, and the mixture of confusion, anxiety, worry, and hope he carried seeped into Nataek’s heart. Nataek smiled at him.

“This is a gift from your mother.”

Medeus looked at the ID card with a more baffled face.

Language Patch 56%

Data Sync 39%

As he stared, memories of their time in the ancient civilization passed through Nataek’s mind: Their first meeting in the warehouse, when Medeus was alone and untrusted.

Language Patch 67%

Data Sync 53%

He recalled the night they fled Uruk under countless stars. Maybe from that day…

Language Patch 81%

Data Sync 74%

You may have already become a star in my heart that day.

Language Patch 93%

Data Sync 82%

And maybe you, too, have needed me from then on. You were that star which endured steadfastly through loneliness, waiting to be unveiled to this world.

Language Patch 99%

Data Sync 95%

As much as I needed you, I now realize you needed me, too.

A song lyric from childhood whispered in Nataek’s ears:

I closed my eyes looking at the northern moon,

And greeted the sun on fertile fields.

A body lost without place or home, wandering endlessly through the plains.

Language Patch 100%

Patch complete.

A dream to save the wretched has appeared; you are my true hero.

Data Sync 99%

You are no longer alone. Lead me with your light, my hidden hero.

Data Sync 100%

Synchronization complete.

Nataek slowly raised his hand to shield Medeus’s eyes.

“Close your eyes for a moment; it’s dazzling.”

Preparing to return to the modern world.

Do not leave your spot!

Loading ■□□□□

Medeus held tightly onto Nataek’s wrist as if refusing to let go.

Loading ■■■□□

In his other hand, he held tightly the card Anna left behind.

Loading ■■■■□

The light surrounding them rose to form a pillar. Nataek closed his eyes in the dazzling brightness.

Loading ■■■■■

Entering the modern era.

Perhaps we were each other’s guides and heroes. In an unexpected age, time, you are my hero, and I yours.

Both you and I needed someone to help us escape this civilization.

“Sumerian Anunnaki” completed!

Reading the final system message, Nataek sincerely thought,

I’m glad we met.

The pillar of light rose high, enveloping and then disappearing with the two.

In the darkness left behind, blue letters lingered briefly like afterimages before dispersing.

Hidden hero found to escape the ancient civilization!