Chapter 76
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Hidden Stage, Ruins Exploration - 3
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Since returning to the past, Lee Hyun-wook had achieved things he never could in his previous life.
Compared to his past self, he had realized how to grow his abilities years ahead of schedule, preemptively acquired items that were originally meant for others, and reaped enormous benefits by thwarting the Villains' schemes.
But he knew all too well that it still wasn't enough to stop them.
‘…No matter how fast I grow, I can’t catch up to the Villains’ rate of expansion.’
It was the same principle as the rich getting richer.
The United States, China, Germany, and other world powers were already caught in the Villains' insidious web.
Germany's Minister of Player Affairs, the Golden Cross Alliance in the U.S., the Dark Star—a private organization within China's Ministry of Public Security—were all puppets of the Villains, having infiltrated and established themselves after the ‘Waves’ occurred in their respective countries.
Of course, they hadn't yet reached the point where they could openly control those nations, but…
‘…It won’t be long before they do.’
The Villains' power was destined to grow stronger by the day.
‘My original plan was to grow slowly, even if it took a while, and look for an opening…’
But now, in this very moment, a way to get ahead of the Villains had presented itself.
And that was…
‘…Magic engineering.’
In this era, the field of magic engineering was just taking its first steps.
‘Magic Engineering Research,’ a high-tier skill for Blacksmith-class Players, had been ‘updated’ a few years prior to the current timeline. Additionally, the appearance of the World Tree in the Republic of Chad had blessed the surrounding area, causing all sorts of magical materials to sprout up like weeds and sparking a renaissance in the item manufacturing industry.
‘This means that even the Villains have almost no foundation in magic engineering at this point.’
According to the original history, magic engineering wouldn't experience its massive boom and begin to shape history for another three to four years. Even then, it developed at an astonishing rate despite Laputa being in the Villains’ possession.
But now, Laputa, the ultimate infrastructure, was in Seoul, and in Lee Hyun-wook's hands.
This meant the item manufacturing industry, centered on magic engineering, would develop far more rapidly than in his past life.
‘…And I will be at the forefront of that cataclysm.’
Just as steam engine technology had fueled the Industrial Revolution and led to the explosive growth of Western society, magic engineering would allow him to create an insurmountable lead in this Player society.
Thus, Lee Hyun-wook’s objective was narrowed down.
To protect this land, the Republic of Korea, and to advance magic engineering upon it—in that sense, discovering a hidden stage related to the ‘Gnomes,’ the founders of magic engineering, was a timely stroke of good fortune.
‘In this game, Gnomes are a higher-tier race than Dwarves, something like their teachers.’
In other words, this was a place where he could obtain magic engineering items of a considerably high level.
Clank— Clank—
Lee Hyun-wook was currently making his way through the Gnome ruins, with his Living Armors leading the way.
The corridor of white brick walls had the appearance of an ancient temple, but Lee Hyun-wook could sense that the space beyond the walls was all part of a single, massive mechanical device.
And with every step they took, the metal mechanisms within those walls moved.
Whir— Thunk— Whir— Thunk—
“Um… Team Leader Lee, there’s a strange sound coming from the walls.”
Lee Jeong-jun said, tilting his head.
“Ah, it’s nothing. It’s probably the sound of traps activating as they detect our position.”
“Oh, so it’s not… nothing…”
And since this place was also a kind of secret dungeon, it was fraught with danger.
Clack—Thwip—!
There were basic traps, like arrows shooting from the walls and ceiling, of course.
Rat-a-tat—tat— PING—!
The moment they turned a corner, dozens of bullets flew at them.
B—zz—zz—zzt—!
And even an electronic field that zapped a five-meter-wide space with electricity.
The place was so deadly that if you advanced recklessly, ten lives wouldn't be enough.
But since all those traps were operated by metal, they were useless against Lee Hyun-wook.
Vwoom—Vwoom—Vwoom—Vwoom—
No matter how fiercely they flew, everything would come to a dead stop in mid-air.
Lee Hyun-wook drew them to his hand.
- You have acquired Gnome-made Orichalcum-Adamant Alloy Bullet (Rare).
- You have acquired Gnome-made Orichalcum-Adamant Alloy Bullet (Rare).
- You have acquired Gnome-made Orichalcum-Adamant Alloy Bullet (Rare).
A single bullet, practically a consumable, was rated as ‘Rare.’
‘Right, I got a ton of these from here back then, too.’
Lee Hyun-wook pocketed the thumbnail-sized metal spheres. As things stood, even with his full support, Kang Jeong-du wouldn’t be able to produce items of this quality.
- You have acquired Gnome-made Sky Iron Arrow (Rare).
‘This… it’s no Failnaught, but it’s not bad for supplementary firepower.’
With a tip made of Sky Iron, it could be expected to inflict a shock effect on impact.
- You have acquired Gnome-made Electric Generator (Rare).
‘This kind of thing will be useful someday, too…’
Each and every trap was crafted with highly advanced ancient technology, making them practically a treasure trove.
‘This place really is a gold mine. I’ll have to clean it all out.’
For that reason, Lee Hyun-wook intentionally triggered every trap, collecting the gifts that poured out.
Besides the traps, ‘Mechanical Monsters’ also appeared from time to time.
Mechanical Scorpions, Mechanical Guard Dogs, Mechanical Dolls, Automated Turrets, and so on.
After defeating them, Lee Hyun-wook would tear off their outer shells and pull something out.
- You have acquired Gnome-made Small Mana Generator (Rare).
Vwoom—
It was a circular mechanical device, smaller than a Mana Stone, but it was a mana generator.
[Item Information]
- Name: Gnome-made Small Mana Generator (Rare)
- Effect: Total Mana 12,000, Mana Production 5
Producing 5 mana per second might seem small at first glance, but considering his heart—the Aether Engine—currently recovered 100 mana per second, it was by no means a trivial amount.
‘And besides, an effect that produces mana is extremely rare in the first place.’
Seeing this made him slightly regret having torn all those ‘Mechanical Scorpions’ to shreds when they swarmed him as a penalty for forcing the ruin entrance open… but honestly, that had been an unavoidable decision.
Lee Hyun-wook secretly popped the salvaged Small Mana Generator into his mouth.
Gulp—
Digesting this would probably increase his mana recovery rate.
‘Nothing here is a waste.’
The place truly felt like a giant gift box made just for him.
But the real gift lay deeper inside, and he hadn't even seen the wrapping paper yet.
After walking for several hours, the winding stone corridor finally came to an end.
“Oh, look! A door!”
A massive door, from which a dim light was spilling out. It seemed to lead to a very wide space.
“Alright, the terrain is about to change drastically, so expect completely different threats from here on out.”
Lee Hyun-wook said this, yet he himself strode forward without hesitation.
Because he already knew what kind of threat would appear here.
‘The Guardian of the Ruins will appear soon. It was a pretty tricky opponent…’
The moment the entire raid team stepped through the door—
- Warning! The <Guardian of the Ruins> is enraged by your lawless, unauthorized intrusion!
BOOM—
As the entrance they came through slammed shut, something began to descend from the ceiling.
SHRRRRRRRR—!
The sound of six thick iron chains connected to pulleys on the ceiling being reeled in.
And at the end of them, something enormous was rapidly falling toward the floor.
THUD—!
- Warning! The Guardian of the Ruins ‘Bronze Sentinel (Alpha)’ has appeared!
KRRRRREEEEE—
It was a metal giant, about four meters tall.
It had a long, flat head like a tower shield, and magic circuits that adorned its entire body like tattoos…
Its bizarre appearance was reminiscent of a Mayan warrior.
Soon, a chilling blue light flared in its eyes.
And as if releasing a vicious prisoner, the six chains that had been restraining it detached.
“Gasp, just looking at that thing, it seems incredibly strong!”
“The entrance is sealed, too. This doesn't feel good…”
Faced with its appearance alone, members of both the Hope and Cheonghwa guilds couldn't help but back away, intimidated.
But that wasn't all.
Clank—Clank—
With the sound of interlocking metal, its folded body unfurled, growing about one and a half times larger.
“……”
It pulled two maces from its back and began to walk toward them.
Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump—
Lee Hyun-wook’s Living Armors at the forefront instinctively moved, wary of the giant.
‘But the Living Armors can’t stop that monster.’
And just as he thought…
CRA—ANG—!
A Living Armor struck by the giant’s mace was sent flying like a kicked can, slamming into the wall.
CRASH—!
- Your connection with your subordinate (Living Armor) has been severed.
With just that single blow, the over-two-meter-tall suit of armor was reduced to a mangled wreck and taken out of the fight.
“Holy crap!”
“I-Insane…”
Witnessing that scene, the tankers from the Cheonghwa Guild, including Park Mu-han, couldn't help but flinch and retreat. A Living Armor possessed a defense comparable to a C-rank tanker Player.
In other words, there was a high probability that they, too, could be knocked out just like that in a single hit.
But Lee Hyun-wook, on the other hand, actually smirked.
‘Yes, it’s been a while. This is the power of a combat machine created by the Gnomes.’
Moreover, as its name ‘Alpha’ suggested, this was an early version and not even one of the stronger ones.
Lee Hyun-wook had raided much larger Gnome ruins several times, and in those, a dozen of these things would pour out like common mobs.
‘And the result of Kang Hee-seol researching those was the <Magitech Corps>.’
She had commanded hundreds of those monstrous weapons at once, floating imitation versions of Hugin and Munin in the sky, and clashed head-on with the Necromancer’s army of the dead in the ‘Paju Ruins.’
‘They were the ultimate tanker corps.’
With them leading the charge, Lee Hyun-wook had rained down steel and hurled tons of metal; the combination was nothing short of devastating.
And so, for once, they had beaten the Necromancer in a direct confrontation.
‘But this time, I’ll be able to control that Magitech Corps myself.’
It was because his central nervous system had become a ‘Signal Core’ and his heart an ‘Aether Engine.’
For the sake of that grand plan, Lee Hyun-wook intended to retire this ‘Guardian of the Ruins (Alpha),’ take it outside the gate, and provide it to Kang Jeong-du and Kang Hee-seol—to create a prototype for the Magitech Corps.
‘Good. A subordinate far superior to the Living Armor will be completed in the near future.’
With that thought, Lee Hyun-wook took a step forward.
Whoooosh—
An Aerial Deployment Unit flew in above his head.
The ruin's passages were so narrow that he had only brought one, but this one would be enough.
“Hey, Team Leader Lee… that thing looks like it’s made of metal too. Can’t you just, you know, smash it like before?”
Behind Lee Hyun-wook, Park Mu-han asked, his face visibly tense.
But Lee Hyun-wook shook his head.
“Unfortunately, it’s not possible with boss monsters.”
“Ah, of course… Then fighting that monster in this confined space is going to be a bit difficult…”
Park Mu-han honestly wanted to suggest a retreat.
From his perspective as the most experienced raider, this monster was beyond their capabilities.
Even if they managed to defeat it… there would undoubtedly be a significant number of casualties.
‘No matter how valuable this hidden stage is, the lives of my team members come first.’
Park Mu-han, though prone to making rash judgments, did not make reckless ones.
‘But Lee Hyun-wook doesn’t seem fazed at all. Does he have a plan…?’
But having witnessed the man's feats several times already, he found himself holding his tongue.
‘If he pulls something off this time too… then really…’
He found himself, against his will, anticipating Lee Hyun-wook’s next move.
Just then, the giant moved again.
Clank—
The sound of gears and chains engaging was heard, and sections on both of its shoulders opened up.
“Watch out! It’s trying something!”
From within, red crystals were revealed, glowing as countless small magic circles materialized around them.
“Hey! F-flame attack!”
The moment a mage who deciphered the meaning of the magic circles shouted—
WHOOOOOSSSHHHH—!
Two pillars of fire erupted, striking the Living Armors—the surface of the armor turned red-hot and began to melt like candles.
Then the flames flooded the floor, surging toward them like a tide.
“—Ugh! Dodge!”
It was as if they had entered the crater of a volcano; an immense heat engulfed the entire area.
“No, we can’t dodge! We have to block it!”
There was no time to evade.
The mages hurriedly cast ice magic, surrounding their allies with a wall of ice.
But the sheer heat began to melt the ice wall.
FWOOOOSSSSHHH—!
Fire and ice collided, sending up a massive cloud of steam and a deafening roar that made their ears ring.
Still, as the two energies were opposites, they managed to block the wave of fire.
“Dammit! How can a mere machine use such high-level magic!”
Park Mu-han gritted his teeth, channeling energy into his hands.
If things got desperate, he planned to charge in and aim for its back. It was reckless, but as a raid leader, he knew that distracting a high-firepower behemoth like that was crucial.
‘And I should be able to withstand one of its hits!’
But it was then.
Gloop— Gloop—
Something liquid-like began to rise from the floor in front of them.
It was… molten metal, formed from the melted Living Armors.
Like a living creature, it writhed in the air like a slime before flying toward the giant.
SPLAT—!
The viscous molten metal was splattered over the giant’s head and shoulders.
And as it rapidly cooled and hardened…
KRR-ING— Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!
The molten metal seeped into the gaps of the flame-throwing devices on its shoulders, causing them to malfunction!
“Ooh—!”
Yes, even when melted, metal was still metal. Lee Hyun-wook had used that very fact.
He then began to slowly raise both his hands.
‘Oh! Yes! It’s finally starting!’
Park Mu-han now knew exactly what that gesture meant, and he swallowed hard without realizing it.
‘That man is moving something now! Huh, but what is he controlling?’
There was no metal to speak of in his immediate vicinity.
But its identity was…
SHRRRRRRRR—!
Behind the giant, the six iron chains that had once restrained it rose into the air as if dancing. They flew in and began to wrap around the giant’s arms—legs—and neck like anacondas.
Whoosh—Whoosh—Whoosh—Whoosh—
After coiling around it once, twice, three times, the giant, which had been striding forward, was brought to a halt.
“Oh! It worked! It’s completely tied up!”
Park Mu-han shouted involuntarily as Lee Hyun-wook began to walk toward the giant.
Sizzzle—
The floor was heated like a griddle, but the ‘Mana Shield’ enveloping his body blocked the heat.
Just then, a blue magic circle appeared on the giant’s chest.
“H-Hey— Watch out!”
Immediately after, a volley of azure orbs poured out. This time it was ice magic. They spread out in a fan shape, so numerous that there was no room to dodge, blanketing the space above Lee Hyun-wook’s head.
But Lee Hyun-wook’s body shot vertically into the air.
CRACK—CRACKLE—CRACK—CRACK—!
Sharp icicles shot up from the floor beneath him like weeds, but his body ascended in an instant, completely untouched.
“What the… he can fly, too?”
As he soared, Lee Hyun-wook reached a hand behind his back.
From a subspace, a weapon was summoned—an incredibly massive weapon.
VWOOM—!
The greatsword, Morglay, had appeared.
Lee Hyun-wook gripped it and flew toward the giant as if shot from a cannon, swinging the greatsword with all his might.
KWA—ANG—!
At that moment, the giant also thrust out its left hand. The two pieces of steel collided, and with a deafening boom, sparks rained down.
“Hngh—”
The impact was tremendous. Lee Hyun-wook was thrown back, losing his grip on Morglay.
But the giant’s left hand was completely shattered, causing it to lose its balance and stumble.
In that instant, Lee Hyun-wook’s body blurred and then vanished completely from sight.
“What! Hah, seriously… now he’s invisible?”
Park Mu-han laughed, a look of disbelief on his face.
Meanwhile, Morglay, which had been embedded in the ceiling, pulled itself out and began to move. The Bronze Sentinel’s gaze started to track it.
It was a limitation of the artificial intelligence imbued in the metal husk.
While the giant was chasing the wrong target, Lee Hyun-wook appeared behind it.
Crrrackle—
His hands transformed into beastly claws.
He grabbed something on the back of the Bronze Sentinel’s neck.
CRACK! SCREEE—ECH—!
With immense grip strength, he tore open a cover on the back of its head.
In an instant, he took something from inside…
BZZZZT—!
…and ripped it out.
Vrrrrmmm…
The massive Bronze Sentinel (Alpha) came to a dead stop, the light in its eyes beginning to fade.
“Hoo… So the target recognition device was here, just as I thought.”
Having watched Kang Hee-seol build the Magitech Corps, Lee Hyun-wook knew exactly where the fatal weakness of such a mechanical weapon was.
And in order to take this thing outside in the most intact condition possible, he had focused on exploiting that weakness.
- Congratulations! You have deactivated the Guardian (Alpha) of Gnome Ruins A3!
That system message appeared before everyone’s eyes.
Beyond it, the steel giant began to slowly tilt.
THUD—!
“—I-It’s over!”
Park Mu-han instinctively clapped once, then lowered his arms, feeling it was strange.
‘I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been shocked today… Lee Hyun-wook, I have no choice but to acknowledge that man.’
He thought this, then shook his head.
‘No, he’s beyond the level where I can presume to acknowledge him. A hero, that’s the kind of skill he has.’
Having witnessed so many shocking scenes in a single day, he had moved past acknowledging Lee Hyun-wook and was now beginning to admire him.
Just then, something shiny fell from the head of the fallen Bronze Sentinel.
It was a key.
- Hidden Message: The <Secret Space> of the Gnome Ruins (A3) has been opened.
“Hey! Look over there! A door opened at the far end!”
“…Oh, the treasure vault of a hidden stage!”
The Players from both guilds cheered without exception.
A treasure vault in a ‘hidden stage’ was bound to contain incredible things.
“Uh, but… there are two doors. Why is there only one key?”
Just as Lee Jeong-jun said, two massive doors stood at the end of the room.
And floating in the air before both were red ‘lock’ icons, indicating they were sealed.
“Ah, don’t tell me… is there another key in a place we passed by?”
“Ah, that must be it.”
The other Players thought so.
Since they hadn't solved the puzzles properly and had just brute-forced their way in, they assumed they must have missed something.
‘They might be right.’
Even Lee Hyun-wook wasn't certain he could open the second door yet.
The idea that the Master Key of the Ancient Legacy was the answer was, after all, just a guess.
As Lee Hyun-wook stood between the two doors, two lines of text appeared before his eyes.
- Gnome’s Vault 1: Locked (Opening condition met)
- Gnome’s Vault 2: Locked (Opening condition met)
“Haha…”
Now, it was time to unwrap the real present.