The Undying
So this is... Chicxulub Hall.
The air feels strangely heavy.
Yeah. I don't think we should just rush in. We need a plan first.
How about we head back, spend two months planning, and then come back?
Denied. Failure to clear this within the week results in disqualification from the trial.
Then can we at least go back and return before the weekend?!
I don't want to die in some pitch-black dungeon like this!
Don't worry about that!
Omega has a built-in light function!
If you're about to die, I'll shine at maximum brightness!
Forget it!
By the way, where's Lisa?
Huh? You mean the lady in that stuffy black coat?
I saw her waving a handkerchief at the entrance when we came in.
Said she'd wait at the city hall and wished you luck.
What? You didn't see her?
Ugh... you people really don't think ahead.
Well, Lisa is just a liaison officer. She wasn't required to follow us into the trial site.
A little disappointing, but there was nothing I could do about it.
Instead, I asked Marcille about the [ruins' curse].
Mmm... so here's the thing.
I don't exactly know what kind of curse it actually is.
All I have are rumors and bits of circumstantial evidence.
But if I had to say, [immortality] might be a good word to use?
A curse of [immortality]?
Yeah. Basically, if you die in these ruins, you don't stay dead.
Dealing with an ancient construct or two is just another Tuesday for us.
There are always idiots who ignore warning signs and wander into danger zones.
The same goes for ancient constructs too.
They're dangerous, sure. But not enough to shut the entire site down.
Then... the rumors started.
People said the constructs wouldn't die.
How did anyone even confirm that?
Lots of stories going around.
Things like, the monster they definitely killed came back to life...
Or ones that were already dead suddenly attacked from behind.
What really sealed it was the last hunting squad getting wiped out.
The lone survivor swore the whole squad had turned into the [undying].
Are we talking about zombies?
Very funny.
As if I'd traveled all this way over something so trivial.
All you need for a walking cadaver problem is some holy water.
Bell? Do you know something?
This presence lingering through the ruins...
This is definitely a [curse that traps the living in an undying state].
One of the ancient grand curses I've studied for years.
How can immortality be a curse? Isn't it supposed to be a good thing?
Wow. That's a stupid take.
The human mind is fragile enough to go into shock from something as small as losing some blood.
Now imagine it experiencing death. What do you think happens?
Unless you have a will of iron, you'd go insane.
Hey, hard hat.
What, you creepy little punk? You tryng to start something?
Is that how you ask to get your dome sledged in?
Yeah, cool. About those people who became the undying.
You said they went berserk and attacked their own, right?
What?
Uh, yeah... I think so.
Just as I thought.
They died, took massive mental trauma, got back up again, and repeated over and over...
Until they stopped being human altogether.
That's what makes this curse terrifying.
Then what do we do?
Simple.
We use this ward.
Bell took out several small gravestone fragments from her pocket—one for each of us.
And quietly carved each of our names into them.
There. All done.
Now we bury them here...
H-hey! Why are you making a grave with my name on it?! Th-that just feels wrong!
Dropping a trowel alone is bad luck for us builders, and you're straight up digging my grave?!
I don't care about your superstitions.
This ritual anchors our deaths to these graves.
That way, we'll be free from the effects of this curse.
I-is that so?
That's it? That's all it takes to nullify the curse?
Wait. If the curse doesn't affect us, then...
Yes. If you die, you die for good.
No resurrection.
Isn't that worse?!
Also, it weakens the curse's grip on the undying.
Any enemies we defeat will take longer to come back to life.
And during that extra window of time...
We track down the caster of the curse hiding in these ruins.
There. I just gave you the walk-through for your [trial].
...Thanks.
Hmph, I thought I told you already—I'm just doing my job.
Don't think I'm doing this because I want to help—
Everyone stop!
W-what? What for?
...
Shh. There's something coming from that direction.
That way? That's where the first base camp was... huh?
A moment later, shrieks and clashing metal echoed from the tunnel ahead.
Out of the darkness emerged massive monsters rampaging wildly, as well as...
Aren't they... the hunting squad?!
Damn it. I was hoping I was wrong, but the friggin' curse is real!
Driven mad by the curse, fully armed mercenaries charged at us with murderous intent.
Voyager Savior Party, prepare for battle!
The enemy is the undying!
Don't hold back! Protect the Captain—no matter what!