Chapter 140
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: Disaster Prophecy, Hunting Preparations - 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Laputa's add-on, the 'Golem Research Lab,' was a structure that could operate in airship mode in an emergency.
That was why the Black Orc Legion had captured it at some point and was using it as an airship.
'The dwarves must have appeared in the Shanghai Black Orc Kingdom, and they brought this airship with them.'
I heard that some unlucky dwarven race had opened a gate and appeared in that land.
And according to the lore, dwarven races often appeared in possession of gnomish artifacts.
In any case, its form had now changed to 'add-on mode,' making it feel more like a building than an airship. If you looked up from the ground, it appeared as if a small circle was attached to a large one.
「The Golem Research Lab is a two-story, disc-shaped structure with a diameter of 23m at its widest point.」
Behind him, Talos's 'speaker' was floating in mid-air, following him.
As it could control the entire facility, it scanned the premises in an instant and reported back.
The moment Lee Hyun-wook took his first step inside the building, bright lights flickered on from all directions.
Vwoom—
- You have entered Add-on No. 3, 'Golem Research Lab.'
「The first floor is a hangar, and the second floor is a research lab.」
A long corridor stretched out before him, much like the inside of a spaceship, with large rooms lining both sides.
The first-floor hangar seemed to be a place for storing golems, as the name suggested, but it was currently empty.
Instead, all sorts of junk, evidence of the Black Orcs, were strewn about messily.
Since it hadn't been cleaned yet, a foul stench filled the air, as if he'd walked into a pigsty.
"Surely those bastards didn't damage this facility, did they?"
「Although the Black Orcs occupied it for a long time, there are almost no signs of damage to the facility.」
Right, there was no way a state-of-the-art gnomish facility could be damaged so easily.
However, among the junk, there were also what appeared to be golem parts scattered around...
「Oh! That looks similar to the body I favor.」
Yes, it looked like the same model as the 'Bronze Sentinel' Talos was currently using for combat.
'So this is where combat machines like the Bronze Sentinels are made.'
In other words, this facility could mass-produce Bronze Sentinels.
A magitech army—the opportunity to create one was finally in his hands.
Lee Hyun-wook went a little deeper inside. But then...
"Hmm... why is this locked?"
A blue lock icon was floating in front of 'Door 0,' the largest door at the very end.
"This one is exceptionally large... and it even has a magical barrier."
As he moved closer, a system message appeared before his eyes.
[Igloo 0: In Storage]
"Talos, there seems to be something inside. Can you check?"
「It's currently under security lockdown, so even I can't check. You'll have to open it yourself!」
"Right, no one but me could open it anyway..."
Despite the Black Orcs possessing this airship for quite some time, it seemed they had never managed to break this door open. It was a fresh reminder of just how incredible gnomish technology was.
Lee Hyun-wook approached the door and placed his hand on it. The magic circuits engraved on the door glowed blue.
Pssh—
Soon, with the sound of depressurizing from within, the massive door opened on its own.
And inside the fully opened door...
Gwoooo—
A metal giant of incredible size was crouched inside.
In the darkness, its sleek, dark-blue metal body glinted as it caught the light.
A rather plain design, without any decorations or even small protrusions...
But that made it feel all the more archaic and powerful.
And subtly, a strange aura emanated from it.
'Th-that's...'
Lee Hyun-wook instinctively took a step back. It wasn't because he was overwhelmed by its massive appearance.
It was because the terrifying moment he had encountered this giant in his past life surfaced like a conditioned reflex.
In contrast, Talos shouted in an excited voice, as if it had discovered a treasure.
「Q(°0°)Q Oooooh—I-I never dreamed it would be here!」
Displaying a surprised emoticon on its 'speaker' screen, it spun around and around.
As its vehement reaction proved, that giant was none other than... Talos's main body.
'The fact that I flinched the moment I saw it must mean the memory from back then was quite intense...'
In his past life, the sentinel the members of Guardian had faced when they infiltrated Laputa...
Lee Hyun-wook remembered the moment the 26.5-meter Orichalcum giant had run rampant.
'Even Han Tae-san was kicked by that giant and sent flying out of Laputa.'
Lee Hyun-wook, too, had felt like an ant, forced to flee frantically from its kicks.
And since it was made of Orichalcum, it possessed an absurdly high magic resistance,
So much so that even bombarding it with hundreds of spells like an airstrike couldn't leave a single scratch.
'It was the worst opponent when it was an enemy, but now it's mine...'
Meanwhile, Talos couldn't contain its emotions and was making crying sounds.
「M-Master, this is my real body, the one I used in combat!」
Until now, Talos had been in 'non-combat mode.' Of course, it had hacked and used a Bronze Sentinel, but that was just a stopgap measure. To truly unleash its power, this was what it needed.
"Can you control it now?"
「Well... it's been neglected for so long that it seems to need a synchronization process.」
Sparks crackled above the Orichalcum giant's head. It seemed Talos was attempting something, but there must have been some resistance, as it took some time. About a minute later...
Vwoom—
Soon, the Orichalcum giant lifted its head, and its blue optic sensors lit up.
The ceiling then opened, allowing the 26.5-meter giant to stand up.
- Talos 'Combat Mode' (LV: 170)
'Level 170...'
At this level, it would definitely play a major role in the upcoming dragon hunt.
"How is it? Any functional problems?"
「It must have wandered all over the place for a very long time, but it's in perfect condition!」
"Then, can it participate in combat right away?"
「But to use it properly, I think I'll need some time to adjust!」
"Right, if you can't use that expensive body properly, it'd be better to melt it down and use it for something else..."
Lee Hyun-wook sensed that the giant weighed a staggering 1,415 tons, a significant portion of which was Orichalcum. It might even be more than all the Orichalcum currently in circulation.
「Gasp! I-I'll work hard and do my part!」
Of course, a golem of that caliber couldn't be melted down even if he wanted to.
***
The next day, Lee Hyun-wook visited the construction site of the 'Armory' in the mountains of Gangwon Province.
He had been previously briefed that the armory's construction was scheduled to be completed within a few weeks.
The site, which had been a densely forested mountain area until recently, had now transformed into something like a massive military base.
On the cleared land, dozens of buildings stood in rows, with watchtowers rising here and there.
Trucks lined the well-paved roads, unloading all sorts of materials.
And a vast 'magical barrier' was spread over the entire area.
Given its vastness, it was to prevent attacks from monsters that appeared in the mountains.
Furthermore, it was also shielded from outside observation through 'mirage magic'.
'From outside this area, it would still look like a dense forest.'
Lee Hyun-wook was on a nearby mountainside, looking down at the construction site.
"...Once today's work is finished, you can consider it about 78% complete."
The woman reporting to Lee Hyun-wook was Song Yoon-ah, the deputy team leader of the 'New City Planning Office' of the Special Secret Police Bureau's <Black Swan>, where Lee Hyun-wook was the nominal team leader. She held the important role of managing and supervising the armory's construction.
"If things continue at this pace, we should be able to hold the completion and inauguration ceremonies in 13 days.”
"Ah, we don't need a completion ceremony. There's no need to make a fuss.”
"Still, I think a small event might be necessary to boost the morale of the employees who will be working here.”
Was that so? Lee Hyun-wook nodded without much thought.
Just then, a pale blue energy erupted from one of the construction sites, and everyone turned their heads to look.
Soon, various construction materials piled up in one corner began to float on their own, as if drawn by a magnet...
Clank—Clank—
Weren't they interlocking to form a complete building, as if assembling Lego blocks?
'As expected of the ability of a top-tier Architect-class Player.'
They could construct buildings as easily as stacking them up with a single click in a game.
The fee for building a single structure like that in an instant was in the tens of billions.
Even with a 240-hour cooldown, they deserved to be called a walking construction company.
'With the government's support, everything is moving at lightning speed.'
Dudududu—
Just then, two A.M.T helicopters flew in from the west and landed on a temporary helipad.
The people who disembarked were none other than Director Woo Seong-mun and his team leaders.
They spotted where Lee Hyun-wook was and began to approach with some urgency.
'But Director Woo... he looks so tired these days.'
Though still of a vigorous age, it wasn't just his imagination that he seemed to have aged considerably recently. No matter how strong a person was, the constant string of disasters would take a heavy toll.
'Unless you know the future like I do, it's a series of events that are difficult to bear...'
Given his position of immense responsibility, it would have been strange if he had a healthy complexion.
And with another disaster foretold, it seemed his complexion had no time to recover.
“……A dragon, an adult one at that, is expected to appear in our country, I hear.”
Director Woo Seong-mun's first words explained why he had come here in person.
The World Tree's Guardian had foreseen the disaster, and Lee Hyun-wook had relayed the information.
"Is it true?”
Lee Hyun-wook slowly nodded.
“……I'm starting to feel like this land is cursed. I feel like visiting a shaman.”
First, they fend off the Black Orc Kingdom's invasion, and now a Black Dragon...
If this game had an operator, they surely held a grudge against this country.
"If that's true, we were in a meeting discussing whether we should call for the British Dragon Slayer.
Three years ago, a sub-adult Red Dragon appeared in downtown London and laid waste to the area.
At that time, the raid team of a British Player, Edward Woods, barely managed to hunt it down.
He later revealed that he had obtained the 'achievement' <Dragon Slayer>.
He even joked that if another dragon appeared, he would catch it and raise it like a pet iguana.
Thanks to the impact of that event, he had been serving as an advisor for raids against draconic monsters, and it was an undeniable fact that if a dragon were to appear, he would be the best person to face it.
"After all, if the Dragon Slayer effect is real, he would be able to handle it far better than anyone else.”
At those words, Lee Hyun-wook pretended to consider it for a moment before shaking his head.
"Hmm... I don't think that will be necessary.”
“……Do you really think so?”
"As always, we must be cautious about borrowing external power.”
Then, Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun stepped forward.
"We must be truly cautious this time. It's a dragon, isn't it? Practically a final boss.”
This world has turned into a game, and its format is based on fantasy.
And in fantasy, the dragon is often depicted as an absolute being.
A creature stronger than any other, practically a demigod...
Dragon—it wasn't strange for everyone's faces to turn pale at the mere mention of the name.
"Perhaps you've already thought of a strategy?”
A peculiar light flickered in Director Woo Seong-mun's eyes as he asked the question.
Just before a disaster struck, he always checked Lee Hyun-wook's expression first.
He sensed that this time was no different from the last.
Lee Hyun-wook slowly nodded, and Woo Seong-mun gave a faint smile.
Lee Hyun-wook looked up at the sky.
"The easiest way to catch things that fly... is to bring them down to the ground, of course.”
During the Gray Dwarves' migration, he had easily subdued a Gray Wyvern by binding its wings.
But just because you can take down a mosquito with insecticide doesn't mean you can take down an eagle.
'Yes, it's safe to say the gap between a Gray Wyvern and a Black Dragon is that large.'
So, what would it take to bring down a dragon?
'Simple. I just need to use a much stronger tool to bind its wings.'
He raised his left hand.
Krrssh—
Two thin strands of metal shot out from his rigidified palm and twisted around each other.
The resulting steel cable—a wire—wrapped tightly around Lee Hyun-wook's index and middle fingers.
"I'm going to make a giant steel net and catch the dragon.”
However, a strange look of shock appeared on the faces of those who heard him.
They looked at each other with expressions that said, 'Does that even make sense?'
"No matter how you look at it, a dragon isn't just a big bird. Can it really be caught that way?”
Everyone nodded at Lee Kyo-jun's words.
The sub-adult dragon that appeared in London, England, three years ago was 34.2 meters long.
There was footage of a double-decker bus being sent flying by a light flap of its wings.
What kind of rope could possibly bind wings with that much power?
"That's a valid point, but I've already secured some pretty sturdy materials.”
"First, I plan to weave a large amount of 100% adamantite wire.”
The adamantite mine in Red Hole Village, which Lee Hyun-wook secretly managed, had recently seen its daily mining output increase to 11kg. If he used that to weave the wire, it would be quite effective.
"Hmm... even with adamantite, I'm not sure if it can subdue a dragon...”
But the reaction was still skeptical. Lee Hyun-wook nodded as well.
"Of course, adamantite alone won't be enough.”
"No, then what will you...”
But just then—
Wooooo—!
A huge shadow fell over them, and a strong wind blew.
It was the appearance of the Gray Dwarves' massive airship, the <Gray Slug>.
"Ah, it's here.”
“……What?”
"The dragon-hunting materials I ordered have arrived.”
The lower part of the <Gray Slug> opened, and several boxes descended, suspended from a lift.
"Sir, it's all here!”
The man who came down on the lift with the boxes, Lee Jeong-jun, shouted.
He then opened the first box, revealing what was inside...
"—World Tree vines, 5.5km in total!”
A byproduct of the World Tree, something that couldn't be bought no matter how much money one had.
And 5.5km of it, no less... it was a jaw-dropping amount.
"No, how on earth did you get so many vines......."
"An amount like that can't even be converted into money, can it?”
The World Tree's Guardian, Donald Harris, was famous for being a strict and exclusive individual in all worldly matters.
Even as all sorts of great disasters struck and ate away at the world, he offered no support whatsoever.
Therefore, to be provided with such an excessive amount of World Tree items was a truly astonishing sight.
Obtaining such a large quantity was something that would have been impossible even if the nation itself had negotiated for it.
"Don't tell me Donald Harris himself gave you a warning and even agreed to provide support?”
Lee Hyun-wook nodded and took out the 'World Tree's Hook.'
"Now, we're going to modify these World Tree vines like this.”
[Item Information]
- Name: World Tree's Hook (Proficient)
- Effect: Hook the 'grapple' at the end of the vine onto something and imbue it with mana to pull it with mysterious power very easily.
Scenes of this item being used had already been shown several times.
"Ah! Han Tae-san used this to bind one of the arms of the giantified Soomakt and subdue it, right?”
"But didn't Han Tae-san only manage to bind one arm at best?”
Even Han Tae-san, the strongest Player, had only managed to bind one of Soomakt's arms.
And that was even after gaining double the strength by wearing Thor's belt, 'Megingjörð'.
If so, wouldn't subduing a Black Dragon, which was even stronger, be virtually impossible?
"Hmm... even if dozens of Warrior-class Players hung on... would that even work?”
To that question, Lee Hyun-wook once again provided an answer.
"I have a subordinate who's quite strong.”
As he said that, he looked up and gave a hand signal to someone.
Then, another lift began to descend from inside the Gray Slug.
On it was... a humanoid figure, that is, it looked like a giant.
Thud—!
Even though it was set down very slowly, the ground sank and dust kicked up.
Vwoom—
"Huh?"
A metal giant, or more precisely, a giant made of Orichalcum, slowly stood up.
Its dark-blue surface reflected the sunlight, shimmering like liquid in a container.
And then two optic sensors lit up on its face... and suddenly an emoticon appeared.
「(^_^) Nice to meet you. I am Talos, the AI assistant to Laputa's administrator.」
"What in the world is this...”
Every move Lee Hyun-wook made was more bizarre than the last.
"With this friend's strength, we can pull on the World Tree's Hook with tens of thousands of tons of force."
"This is just one part of it. We still have time, so we'll continue to prepare.”
At this point, everyone was left speechless.
No matter how much they worried or denied it, it felt like Lee Hyun-wook would just pull out a counterargument.
'And more importantly, the decisive move is in my hands.'
Even if they could really bring the dragon down, finishing it off was another matter.
'In my past life, the gravity mage Lee Seong-yoon reversed gravity and made it fall three times...'
But in the end, they lacked the damage to finish it, and it took to the skies again. In the process, countless Players were sacrificed, and Suwon became an acidic land where people could no longer live.
In that respect, the most necessary thing to kill a dragon was the power of a 'Dragon Slayer'.
Beings whose bodies were imbued with a dragon's authority by having already destroyed a 'Dragon Heart' once...
Thus, they gain the power to nullify the dragon's unique, absolute 'barrier'.
At present, the only known beings who possessed such power were Edward Woods and his spear.
'But as of yesterday, one more was added.'
That was...
[Item Information]
- Name: Morglay (Hero)
- Effects
1) Mass Release (1-5): Releases the sealed 'mass' and grants the user 'Adamant Bones'.
2) Shockwave: Generates a powerful shockwave. The destructive power is proportional to Mass Release (1).
3) Mana Blast Blade: Imbues the blade with the 'Power of the Typhoon,' causing the next strike to create a 'Gust'.
4) Space Cutter: Fires an extremely sharp blade of wind, cutting through a wide area.
5) Dragon Slayer: The power to slay a dragon, which partially ignores a dragon's authority.
The Morglay that Lee Hyun-wook had used in his past life...
The very weapon that had pierced the head of the Black Dragon Azi Dahaka over the skies of Suwon,
That greatsword was now back in Lee Hyun-wook's hands.
And as shown, its 'Dragon Slayer' function was still effective.
'With this Morglay, I'll be able to pierce its head far more easily than in my past life.'
He was confident he could reel in the big fish known as the Black Dragon Azi Dahaka.