Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

Chapter 223 Leaving Footsteps

The steady hum of the Landship's engines filled the air, a comforting backdrop to the mechanical rhythms of our journey through the unstable lands of Carcosa.

But my focus wasn't on its miraculous engineering at the moment. My attention was consumed by the glowing matrix of circuits and neural patterns spread out before me, the foundation of a new Cognitive Engine I was weaving into existence, something different from the Foundational Template that I developed back then in Kuzunoha's mansion.

Charis sat beside me, her childlike wonder tempered by an earnest curiosity. Her delicate hands hovered just above the intricate patterns I had laid out, her white eyes flickering between fascination and determination as she tried to follow my movements.

"Is this right, Father?" she asked, mimicking my gestures as she attempted to guide the flow of neural energy into a small cluster of circuits.

I smiled, placing a hand gently over hers. "Almost. Here, let me show you." Guiding her movements, I adjusted the flow with the precision my All-Tampering Divine Dexterity afforded me, the strands of energy bending and weaving like golden threads under our combined effort.

She didn't possess my All-Tampering Divine Dexterity, but her control and perception over matter and conceptual element was remarkable, something that was inherited to her from Eve to a great extent.

And with whatever immense power that Eve put in her that I haven't found out yet, she was able to easily mimic some of the attempts I made using my All-Tampering Divine Dexterity.

And in a way, it was also part of my training to understand this new power of mind a little bit better. Having someone with a different mindset and method of conceptual manipulation really helped me greatly at developing a new angle and perspective for improvement.

Before I could say more, a voice cut through our private workspace. "Narcissus."

It was Kuzunoha, her voice resonating through the telepathic channel that linked us. There was a sharpness to her tone that immediately caught my attention.

"What is it?" I replied, my mental voice calm but focused.

"Viviane and Verina have detected an unusual energy signature ahead. It's not any kind of emergent crisis, but should be significant enough to warrant our attention~" Kuzunoha paused for a moment, but I could imagine that she was grinning behind the telepathic channel. "We suspect it might be an untouched Theotech Vault that has resurfaced."

A Theotech Vault. My hands paused mid-motion. Even Charis looked up, her expression mirroring my sudden shift in focus.

"Charis, we'll pick this up later," I said softly, standing and ruffling her hair. "For now, stay here and review what we've done so far. You're doing well."

Her lips curled into a small smile, though she seemed reluctant to let me go. "Alright, Father."

I made my way to the meeting room where the others had already gathered. Kuzunoha stood at the head of the table, her crimson eyes gleaming with restrained excitement. Verina and Viviane were seated, while Lupina, ever restless, sat on a cushion in her usual disembodied state on the edge of the table.

In the center of the table was a map, newly created by Viviane using her fae magic. The vibrant, detailed depiction of the region pulsed faintly with life, the magic within it giving the map an almost tangible presence.

Though the process of the map creation was anything but magical. Viviane basically cast a foresight spell that allowed her to gather information about the wide landscape of the area. Using that information, she manually drew it on a large piece of paper that Kuzunoha somehow possessed in her arcane storage.

The material was the same with the one Kuzunoha used to write her contract.

The fact that she had that giant piece of paper prepared in case that there was a contract so immense that it would take an entire table full of terms and passages, was quite the funny imagery.

Kuzunoha gestured to the map as I entered. "We believe the Vault is located here," she said, pointing to a glowing mark on the map. "The energy signature aligns with Theotech, and based on its intensity, it's likely an untouched site as I mentioned~"

Verina leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "To think that the recalibration of the world is one of the reasons why a new Theotech Vault appeared on the map. I don't know if that is considered rare or just the way of the world, popping off new lootables all around the world a few decades or so, heh."

"Rare or not, this is a chance we can't afford to ignore if you all want to add more Theotech-related objects in your arsenal," Viviane added, her voice steady. "If the Vault contains usable Theotech, it could provide all of you with more tools to strengthen your bastion. And…" Her gaze shifted to Lupina, a hint of warmth softening her usual stern demeanor. "Perhaps even a vessel for you."

Lupina's eyes widened, her disembodied form darting closer to the table. "A vessel? You mean that kind of 'vessel' that you folks mentioned back in the mansion!? Holy aether! This is such wonderful news!"

"That's the hope," Kuzunoha replied with a smirk. "Though, of course, we'll need to confirm the Vault's contents first."

Charis' excitement burst into the telepathic channel before I could suppress it. "That's wonderful! Lupina, you'll be able to play with me properly this time!"

Oh right, I forgot to mention that Charis could do that now.

She was effectively omniscient in this Landship thanks to her unwavering persistence of providing extra security as part of her adorable little duty as Eve's successor.

And she could hijack all kinds of telepathic connection, and even establish a new one with whatever person inside the Landship.

Her actual power extends much more far than that, but I would prefer if she didn't just use all of her brain-power for security in a place where powerhouses like Kuzunoha and Viviane existed, so that she could still do her personal activity without any discomfort.

Still, hearing her empathic enthusiasm, I couldn't help but smile. Charis' transformation over the past Carcosan days inside the mansion had been remarkable.

Gone was the somber, burdened child I had first met; in her place was someone who was learning to embrace the joys of life, to be a child in a way she had never been allowed to before.

Something that Eve needed back then when she was just born in this unforgiving world.

"Then it's settled," I said, my voice firm. "We're changing course. Lupina, relay the new coordinates to the crew. Let's make this hypothetical Vault our next destination."

"Aye, aye, captain!" Lupina exclaimed with an exaggerated imaginary salute, her disembodied head tilting slightly as she grinned. Connecting seamlessly to the neural interface embedded in the headset, she activated the broadcasting function linked to the bastioneers' MSUs.

Her voice carried a playful yet authoritative tone, laced with her usual chaotic charm.

"Attention, my dearest bastioneers!" Lupina's voice echoed through the internal communication system, amplified by the Neuro Alloy's advanced audio calibration. "This is your one and only magnificent Lupina speaking! We have a change in destination, folks—big news! Our glorious Landship is now setting course for an untouched treasure trove of wonder, danger, and delight—a newly surfaced Theotech Vault! That's right, we're heading straight into what might just be the jackpot of all jackpots! Check your MSUs, my hard-working comrades; Verina has graciously uploaded the precise coordinates of our new destination. Let the Cognitive Engines guide you, adjust your focus, and prep for the shift in our journey. Let's get moving like the well-oiled machine that we are!"

Verina, standing beside the Cognitive Engine interface glowing with a soft cyan hue, arched an eyebrow as she glanced at Lupina. "You're really milking the whole 'captain's aide' bit, aren't you?"

Lupina shot her a cheeky grin. "If you're going to deliver news, Verina, it might as well be with flair. A little charm goes a long way in keeping morale up, you know."

As the Landship shifted its course, the day passed in a flurry of activity. The bastioneers carried out their tasks with their usual efficiency, preparing for the unknown challenges ahead. The map's information had been shared across their Cognitive Engines, guiding every step of our adjusted route.

But as the sun dipped below the horizon and the Ordeal of the Dusk drew closer, it became clear that we had another matter to address. The Landship, for all its marvels, was still a newly constructed vessel. While its creation had been accompanied by great activity, there were areas of its interior that remained untouched by human presence.

This was a problem.

A bastion's perimeter was defined by human activity—the marks we left on the land and the spaces we occupied. Without this activity, there was a risk that hostile Calamity Objects could manifest within the Landship during the Ordeal. We couldn't allow that to happen.

And so, Viviane devised a solution: the Hunt for the Swords.

The premise was simple, though its execution was anything but. Viviane, in her infinite wisdom and mischief, had placed 50 of her mythical and legendary swords throughout the Landship. The task was to find and retrieve them all before the Ordeal of the Dusk began.

The catch? Only forty-eight swords were real. Two were a lie.

"Well, this ought to be fun."

The meeting room fell silent as Viviane stepped forward, her presence commanding the attention of everyone present.

The map of the Landship's interior lay spread before her on the central table, marked with various zones and corners that seemed to stretch endlessly thanks to the spatial manipulation within.

Viviane cleared her throat, her voice resonating with an authoritative calm that carried a weight of history and wisdom. "Ladies and gentlemen—and maybe only ladies," she began, her tone sharp yet inviting, "Your task today is both practical and symbolic. To ensure that this vessel—our Landship, our sanctuary—truly becomes a bastion, we must claim every inch of it as our own. No corner, no shadow, no crevice must remain untouched by our presence."

Her gaze locked onto each of the bastioneers in turn, as if weighing their resolve. "As you know," she continued, "A bastion of humanity is more than just a place. It is an idea. A symbol of defiance against the entropy and chaos of this cursed world. But for this Landship to be recognized by the laws of Carcosa as a bastion, we must embed our essence into its very foundation."

She gestured toward the map, her hand steady and deliberate. "To achieve this, I propose a challenge—the Hunt for the Swords. Fifty swords, each imbued with myth and legend, will be hidden throughout the Landship. Your task is to find them all."

Murmurs of intrigue and excitement rippled through the room, but Viviane raised a hand to silence them. "Let me make this clear," she said, her tone sharp as steel. "This is not a mere game. It is a test of your resolve, your attention to detail, and your ability to work together. Some swords will be hidden in plain sight; others will require ingenuity and effort to retrieve.

"And the hunt won't end until all swords are retrieved, or the arrival of the Ordeal of the Dusk." Her voice grew quieter but no less intense, carrying an almost reverent quality. "The swords I have placed are no ordinary weapons. They are relics of a bygone era, imbued with the power and history of those who wielded them. Each carries a story, a legacy that will now become part of this Landship. And when you hold one in your hands, remember: you are not merely finding a sword. You are forging a connection with the past, a reminder of the strength and resilience we must carry forward."

Viviane took a step back, her eyes gleaming with a faint light as she surveyed the room. "Now, go forth. Prove yourselves worthy of this sanctuary we have built together. Prove that you are more than bastioneers—that you are the vanguard of this trailing bastion. And above all, prove that we will not falter in the face of adversity."

The room erupted into cheers and determined shouts as the bastioneers, bolstered by Viviane's stirring words, rose to their feet. Even the usually nonchalant Lupina offered an approving smirk, while Charis clapped her hands excitedly.

Hah, I legitimately didn't expect her to be this good at public speech.

I guess being the Lady of the Lake means that you're just going to be that good at giving heroic speeches to those who deserve to have those legendary swords.

I wonder if I could ask her to give me one after this whole event is over.

And with that, the Hunt for the Swords began. The bastioneers dispersed throughout the Landship, their Cognitive Engines buzzing with activity as they coordinated their search patterns. The grand halls and hidden alcoves of the vessel came alive with the sound of footsteps, laughter, and the occasional triumphant shout as a sword was discovered.

Each find was a moment of celebration. The swords themselves were marvels to behold, their designs reflecting a blend of ancient craftsmanship and mystical energy. Some were sleek and elegant, others rugged and imposing, but all carried an aura of significance that made each discovery feel like unearthing a treasure.

Hours passed as the hunt unfolded, the bastioneers growing more determined with every sword retrieved. But as the count neared fifty, a sense of unease began to settle in. 49 swords had been found, yet the search continued.

Regardless, the hunt was called off as the Ordeal of the Dusk was approaching, and the bastioneers failed to retrieve all of the legendary swords.

But you might have realized that there were 49 swords instead of the assigned 48 swords.

Naosi stepped forward with a sheepish grin. "Well," she said, holding up a gleaming sword, "I might have... improvised."

All eyes turned to her as Viviane arched an eyebrow, her expression both amused and reproachful. "Improvised?"

Naosi nodded, her grin widening. "I made a fake sword in the workshop to speed things up, especially since I didn't sense anyone looking back at the workshop for a while…"

Laughter erupted around the room, even Viviane's stern demeanor cracking as she shook her head. "You certainly have a unique approach, Naosi."

Kuzunoha clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "A bold move! I approve. But you do realize this means you'll have to pay the price, yes?"

Naosi's grin faltered slightly. "Uh... what price?"

Viviane stepped forward, holding out one of the beautifully crafted, legendary swords. "This is for your ingenuity," she said, her voice warm. "But you'll also need to recreate it—with the same craftsmanship and quality, and maybe greater. Consider it your penance for the deception."

Naosi sighed dramatically but took the sword with a nod. "Fair enough. I'll get to work on it right after the Ordeal."

She had studied many of Kuzunoha's collection of weaponry in the mansion, while also dabbling in the precious otherworldly information on how some of them came to be.

It might take a while for her very first project after returning to Carcosa, but with her newfound wisdom and assistance from the MSU? It won't take too long.

We then revealed that there were only 48 swords in total, and the rest of the bastioneers were relieved that the game was rigged from the start, and not them failing an obvious and first ever simple task given by Viviane, one of the established respected figure of this bastion of mine.

With that, the Hunt for the Swords came to an end, leaving the Landship fully claimed and alive with the presence of its crew. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the Ordeal of the Dusk loomed ever closer, the bastioneers stood ready, their spirits high and their resolve unshaken.