Mummy Evolution-Chapter 10: Severed Arm

Zainah watched in a mix of awe and horror as Sett evolved before her very eyes. His body, once a grotesque, rotting mummy, now looked more like a deceased but well preserved warrior.

Yes, he still looked wounded and cold. His muscles were taut, his bones seemed stronger, and the six Tomb Hearts floating in the hollow of his chest pulsed with a faint, eerie light. But he looked better than earlier by more than ten times.

Yet, despite his newfound strength, his eyes remained lifeless, lacking that particular brightness which living beings had.

Sett turned to her, his words cutting to the point. "We need to move. That High Guardian won't stay blind forever, and it'll be hunting us soon. I am no longer worried about it hurting us but I am worried about your sister."

That poured a cold bucket of water over Zainah, waking her up. She nodded, though her mind was still racing. She had just witnessed Sett kill two Tomb Raiders with terrifying efficiency. He was of a completely different breed from her, be it in mind or body.

He had absorbed their Tomb Hearts and grown stronger in moments.

Zainah couldn't help but wonder if she was next. Was all his kind acts to her an elaborate plan to eat her? She tightened her grip on the bone flute, her only weapon, and followed him deeper into the labyrinthine corridors.

He looked at her with a weird smile. "I will eat you, don't worry."

She paled. "Wha–what?"

Did he read her thoughts?!

Sett chuckled. "Zainah, oh Zainah. You don't change." He turned around the corner, not elaborating.

She followed him with a pout.

The Tomb seemed to grow darker and more oppressive as they moved. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and the walls seemed to close in around them. Zainah couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that something was following them. She glanced over her shoulder repeatedly, but saw nothing except shadows.

Sett, on the other hand, moved with purpose. His eyes scanned the environment, his senses heightened by his evolution. He could feel the Tomb's energy, the subtle shifts in the air that indicated traps or hidden passages. The movement of mechanisms were too loud in his ears now, too obvious to make him fall for them.

He was no longer the weak, rotting mummy he had been when he first awoke. He was a Tier 1 High Guardian now, a predator in this mere D-tier tomb.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached another Guardian Room. The door was massive, carved with hidden runes and symbols that showed the wine green flames beyond the door. If Sett were not so highly sensitive with sight and hearing due to not having any other senses, he wouldn't have noticed the runes.

Indeed, Gods have something to do with the creation of the Tombs, he thought grimly. Only those beings who have far surpassed Tier 5 could create something like the Tombs.

Sett placed a hand on the door, feeling no ancient magic that pulsed within it. He simply felt that it was a heavy door made of stone.

Zainah bit her lip tightly, her face twisted with worry.

Sett felt jealous. But at the same time, he was also a bit worried now.

The earlier High Guardian they had met had'd 6 Tomb Hearts within its Heart Zone. Sett himself had hunted another Low Guardian to steal a Tomb Heart.

That amounted to seven Tomb Hearts in total that had been seen from Guardians alone. Theoretically, only two more Guardians remained in this Tomb and if Zarah wasn't here, that spelled trouble.

The door creaked open, Sett no longer caring about cautiousness or schemes.

In the center of the room, there was a luxurious coffin and on top of it sat—Zainah's expression changed before Sett's did.

Zarah was indeed here, but she was not at all like the lively girl they had seen earlier with Zainah. Sett closed his eyes, regretting it a bit.

Once a Tomb-hidden coffin captured a living being or a mummy trying to escape it, it will bring them deep into the Tomb. To a Guardian Room, most probably. And the mummy will have to fight the Guardian for a chance to swap places.

Zarah had appeared in exactly such a place, right before a Guardian. But that was alright, since her coffin hadn't been opened yet. She had hid within it, not daring to come out.

Yet what was not alright... was how the mummy was chewing on a severed arm. It was an incredibly fair arm, definitely a woman's. Maybe, when she had just appeared, Zarah had opened the door a bit and lost her arm.

Sett looked guiltily at Zainah and she turned her venomous gaze to him.

"Kill it!" she hissed at him, half panicking and half sobbing.

Sett didn't hesitate and moved, the rusty sword slicing down in an arc to sever the Guardian's neck. It had two Tomb Hearts in its Heart Zone but that was nothing. It didn't stand much of a chance against him, not when it was so distracted with eating the limb.

Its head fell limply.

[Limitless Evolution: 31/100] (+20)

Sett immediately moved towards the coffin along with Zainah and they both knocked.

Zainah shouted, "Zar-Zarah are you there?"

A long bout of silence. Sett looked away, feeling emotions he hadn't felt in years. He hadn't expected the girl to be so rash and unlucky.

How can he face Zainah now?

I hope she is at least alive. I will find some way to heal her arm, if I can find someone with a decent healing Axiom, it shouldn't be too hard. Or maybe she has talent to become a Tomb Raider, then it would be even easier.

That was not the real problem and Sett knew it. He had unknowingly ignored that, as if too worried to accept it.

With this much bloodloss, she has probably fainted. With the coffin being what it is, even I can't break it open. It can only be opened from inside. Zarah would also need immediate care.

He sighed.

Zainah stared at him, eyes red. "What are you sighing for?! Help wake her up! She is in there!"

He stared at her. Just as he was going to offer her to carry the coffin out of the Tomb, he froze. The coffin slowly opened and a timid teenage girl poked her head out. She looked at the mummy, Sett, with fear first before her eyes moved to her sister. She immediately became teary.

"Si–Sis!"

Both Sett and Zainah were a bit dumbfounded as the girl crashed into Zainah's embrace. She was crying—sobbing—and she had a small bruise on her forehead. But other than that, she was healthy. Her arm wasn't severed either.

Sett cleared his throat, feeling proud. Look at that, he was never wrong!

Not even a chance.

The more he looked at the girl, the more pleasing he thought she was. The fact that she wasn't hurt or going to affect his relationship with Zainah made her much more pleasing.

So that was someone else's hand, then. That means there are more humans around, still.

He smiled. "I told—"

Suddenly, a chill went up Sett's spine.

The air buzzed behind him. A sharp chunk of rock came whooshing, and for a second, time seemed to crawl in Sett's sight.

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He panickedly pulled Zainah away from the impact but even with his speed, it was impossible to do that for Zarah, who had already left Zainah's embrace.

The sharp rock whizzed by and crimson blood bloomed like a flower. A fair, young arm flew into the air with an alarming sound.

At the same time, Sett turned back to stare at the enemy.

It was the earlier High Guardian and it was near the Guardian that Sett had just killed. In its hands were the two Tomb Hearts from the dead Guardian.

Usually, Sett would have noticed it coming but it had somehow used its Axiom to dull the sounds it made.

A painful shriek of horror made Sett's gaze sharpen.