s.p.a.cE 2. Beyond the Crisis
Pushu-!
The carapace tightened seamlessly. Steam appeared in the gaps and the carapace gradually separated. The sh.e.l.l that separated from the body rotated and folded like a puzzle into a hexagonal object the size of a small shield. The hexagonal object was drawn into a warped s.p.a.ce. Then a man could be seen from within the steam.
“Pant pant pant, pant pant pant!”
The man sat on the ground and gasped for breath.
“Pant pant pant! Dammit…..pant pant pant! This is the limit……”
The battered man who looked at the wild snow storm with blank eyes was Ark.
“Pant pant pant, then……my decision was a bit……”
Ark murmured with a regretful expression. Now long ago, Ark had defeated 2 Rama warriors. He had experienced numerous trials and errors after starting Galaxian approximately 2 months ago. He was too accustomed to the previous game and hadn’t adapted to the new game, with his pride as a legendary gamer causing he to suffer and make many mistakes. This was the reason he was on Beltana. Therefore Ark became bleak. It was similar to someone born in a first world country encountering a wall for the first time. Of course, he managed to resolve the issue in his own way. But he had been asked by the government to start Galaxian so he had lost confidence. He was lost in despair when forcibly drafted and sent to Beltana.
‘Now it is different!’
He would starve and die without Iridium. Even if he someone managed to obtain food, the prisoners death rate was 80%! Most prisoners conscripted like Ark found the environment of Beltana so hopeless that some users even gave up the game. But Ark had persisted. He found the solution to his hunger through Dig and organized the Royal Guards and mobilized them on the battle field to increase his survival rate. However, the decisive thing was what he found in the pyramid. Ark had struggled for 10 days in the pyramid and obtained a jackpot. It was how Ark was able to beat the 2 level 40 Rama warriors. And all of Ark’s misgivings were gone. He wouldn’t give up just because of some hardships. No, it was an opportunity to become stronger! Hardship was a process towards growth. However, the triumphant feeling was very brief.
“Dammit!”
Curses emerged from Ark’s mouth after the battle ended. It was because of a message that appeared on his Nymphe.
-The Nymphe has connected to the bike’s system.
The check has confirmed that there is serious damage to the engine and battery. The central function of the bike has been 80% destroyed and it won’t work anymore.
At first Ark had been anxious when the Rama warrior first caught up. Before entering the pyramid, Ark wouldn’t have been strong enough to defeat level 40 Rama warriors. And there were two of them! So Ark gave up on the battle and wanted a way to escape them.
“Then…..if I hadn’t destroyed the bikes when fighting the Rama warrior……”
Severe regret surged like a tidal wave. In the end there was nothing he could do about losing the bikes. Ark didn’t have the mechanic skill so he couldn’t repair it. However, he couldn’t return to the Rama base again. The Rama base was currently like a stirred bee hive thanks to Ark’s previous actions. Returning there would be like suicide. There was only one choice remaining.
“I have to continue onwards.”
At this point, he only had 4 food remaining. The distance to the federation’s base was 444 km. If he combined the characters 4 times then it was 4444! It was like the number was saying ‘Huhuhu. Give up. There is no future.’ It was a number that made his motivation fall.
‘As expected, it is impossible. I have to walk more than 400 km with only 4 foods left.’
The result was as obvious as ‘1+1=2.’ But he had no choice. Unless a miracle happened, Ark’s chances of survival was 0.0001%. However, if he gave up then he would 100% die. At the same time, experience equivalent to 13 levels would fly away. He could either wait and commit suicide and continued and die! A miracle could happen to those who didn’t give up.
“Bah! Don’t make me laugh! I’ll just change the number!”
Ark swallowed a piece of food and stood up. Ark’s satiety increased by 30% to 50% and he quickly changed the 4444 to 3444 km. And he marched, marched, marched through the snow storm!
-Your satiety has fallen to 50% and you are in a ‘hungry’ state.