Set's whispers echoed through the windblown sand, like roars of unwillingness, only to be mercilessly swallowed by the yellow dunes. Trapped deep within that forgotten palace, sealed between time and dust, his fury, ambition, and pain all became invisible waves that tried to pierce the veil of reality and curse Ian.
However.
Ian had already flown far away.
He had transformed into a raven, untouched by any curse.
Soaring over the golden sea of sand.
His figure gradually blurred against the skyline, as though he had never existed. His potion bag was filled with divine alchemical artifacts, along with manuscripts and documents inscribed with ancient knowledge.
The reason he had entered Set's temple had never been to save a god. His purpose was to gather materials, study magic, and expand the boundaries of knowledge.
Set's hisses were destined to go unheard, like whispers swept away by the desert wind, ultimately returning to nothingness. Of course, Ian's journey was not over.
His purpose on this trip required collecting three items, and he had only obtained one so far. Now, he needed to head to the domain of the Ancient Egyptian gods of the Underworld and "borrow" something—the Styx Oar. Strictly speaking, Osiris was the ruler of the Underworld, but as Death who guarded the Underworld, Anubis also possessed the authority to control the River Styx.
In Ancient Egyptian mythology, the Underworld was ruled by Osiris. He was the judge of the dead and the God-King of the Underworld. But the one truly responsible for maintaining the order of the Underworld and guiding souls was Death, Anubis—he was the god who ferried souls through the Underworld, holding scales to weigh the hearts of the deceased and determine whether they were worthy of entering the Underworld.
"To borrow an oar, naturally I need