Chapter 97
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: War Preparations - 2
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A closer look at the gnomish ruins revealed that even this secretive ancient race enjoyed a bit of gambling.
A considerable number of the items they created featured an element of ‘randomness.’
For instance, like the ‘Food-Random Boxes’ stacked in Laputa's warehouses or the ‘Random Water Temperature Faucets’ in some of the showers.
It was a system designed to let you experience the thrill of swinging between a ‘jackpot’ and a ‘bust,’ all based on chance.
‘And this <Gnome's Subspace Vending Machine> is a prime example.’
When you inserted one of these coins, an <Ancient Coin of the Underground Kingdom>, and pulled the lever, one of countless ‘material items’ stored in an external subspace would randomly drop.
‘Still, for a race of technicians, to enjoy a gacha where the rewards are material items like it was a national pastime… what a bunch of freaks.’
But the truth was… the one who had indulged in the gnomes' freakish tastes more intensely than anyone was Lee Hyun-wook himself. He had attempted more ‘pulls’ than most blacksmiths or alchemists.
He didn't particularly like gambling, but it was the one and only way to obtain exceedingly rare metals that couldn't be acquired no matter how much money one had, so he had no choice.
A triumphant fanfare rang out—!
…Just like now.
‘What’s this? A fanfare on the first try…?’
A moment later, with a clatter, something fell into the prize chute at the bottom. It was… a product packaged in a round capsule.
Lee Hyun-wook twisted it open, and the dwarves watching from the side saw its contents and began jumping around in a frenzy.
“Gasp— Th-that’s—!”
“G-g-good heavens… it's the Heart of a Star!”
- You have acquired a ‘Magnetar Crust Piece’.
A neutron star is born from the remnants of a burnt-out star, and the most powerful among them is the ‘Magnetar.’ This item seemed to draw its motif from that astronomical phenomenon. Of course, its actual ‘properties’ were distinctly different.
Vwoom—!
Had it been a true magnetar, a neutron star, it would have lashed out with a powerful ‘magnetic field’ like a whip, disintegrating everything in the vicinity into atomic particles. This, however, was wildly emitting a dense concentration of ‘mana.’
Sensing the flow of mana, Lee Hyun-wook was freshly amazed.
‘…It’s practically an infinite source of mana.’
Well, to be precise, it was a state where an enormous amount of mana was powerfully condensed, a finite existence that would be exhausted once it was all released.
But just as the sun would one day burn out, from a mere human perspective, wasn't it essentially an ‘infinite energy source’? This was the same concept.
‘As I recall, a small amount of this was in the core of the <Dwarven Great Mountain Engine> I swallowed during the 4th Wave.’
In other words, this single small ore was enough to build at least five or six of those monstrous engines.
It was truly an item worthy of its nickname, ‘Heart of a Star.’
"Th-that! I-It doesn't seem like you'd have much use for that…"
The dwarves, who had gathered around at some point, gulped. They looked like a pack of puppies hovering around their master’s dinner table.
"No, I'm going to eat... I mean, use it.”
At that, the dwarves showed their disappointment quite openly.
“No… I’m not looking down on you, but a rare material like that must be handled by a true expert! And who would that be but us?”
"That's right, if you leave it to us, we can make something magnificent out of it. How about it, why not trust us? Huh?”
"O-or just sell it to us! We don't have anything right now, but I'll work my entire life to pay you back for it…"
Lee Hyun-wook avoided their short, thick fingers and lifted the ‘Magnetar Crust Piece’ to his chest.
"Sorry, but absolutely not.”
Shadows fell over their faces.
Had it been any other metal, he might have invested it to raise their favorability, but this was something he could never give away. As Lee Hyun-wook put it in his pocket, a look of longing flickered in the dwarves' eyes.
"Now, it's too early to be disappointed. There are still plenty of coins. If anything else good comes out, I'll entrust it to you."
Lee Hyun-wook held up the plastic bag, and the 140 coins inside clinked.
The dwarves' faces brightened up.
"Oh, right! Hitting the jackpot from the start makes this very exciting!"
He tried a few more pulls, but no fanfare sounded.
‘Well, these are all quite rare in their own right…’
It was funny how fickle people could be. Now, legendary metals like Mithril, Adamant, Orichalcum, and Sky Iron barely registered with him.
Having obtained something so precious from the very beginning, the thrill of gambling had diminished somewhat.
Lee Hyun-wook stopped pulling when he had 100 coins left.
"How about it? Will you take these at least?”
Lee Hyun-wook handed seven lumps of Adamant to the dwarves.
"Oh! Is that really for us? Adamant is quite an expensive fellow, isn't it?”
"But you can make something even more valuable out of it, can't you?”
“Hahaha! You’re right! Alright! Time to show off my skills for the first time in a while!”
It seemed they derived more pleasure from working with the minerals than from possessing them.
This meant he wouldn't have to feel guilty no matter how hard he worked them.
'Good, I'll have to keep them happy like this from time to time if I want to work them well…'
Meanwhile, Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun and the other staff from the <New City Planning Department> escorted the dwarves to their residential area, the ‘Upper Urban Center.’
The area was lined with mixed-use buildings, which, according to a preliminary survey, could accommodate a staggering 1,456 households.
And now, the first residents had arrived.
"Well then, we'll interview these dwarves, gather their personal information, and then assign them roles based on their dispositions and abilities.”
Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun approached and said.
"Yes, I'm sorry, but I'd be grateful if you could handle that. It's just difficult for me to manage those kinds of details."
That was precisely why he needed a large number of ‘staff,’ and now, the foundation for that was more or less established.
In other words, even in his absence, the staff would divide the roles and keep the massive facility of Laputa running.
Soon after, Lee Hyun-wook returned to the Order Tower.
And immediately swallowed the <Magnetar Crust Piece>.
Gulp—
- Time until metal absorption: (Unknown)
‘As I thought… I’ll need to rest for quite a while to digest this…’
But there was still one more thing to take care of.
"Talos, are you listening?”
- Yes, Master! Is there something you need?
Talos's voice entered his ear. Within Laputa, he could summon the AI, Talos, anytime, anywhere.
"Is there a place where items from other races are stored?”
A few days ago, the Black Orc Kingdom had declared war on Korea, explaining that the reason was an artifact of their ‘ancestors’ was inside Laputa. They claimed they were invading Korea to retrieve it.
'First, I need to check if such a thing really exists.’
Laputa was so vast that it was still full of mysteries.
「Ah… you are likely referring to the <War History Exhibition Hall>.」
"Right, where is it?”
「Yes, it is on level B43 of the Lower Research Area.」
Guided by Talos, Lee Hyun-wook descended to the location.
Most of Laputa's floors were still unopened and left neglected. Level B43 was no different. Not only was it devoid of human presence, but it also had a gloomy atmosphere, like being on an abandoned spaceship.
Soon, at the center of level B43, he came upon a museum-like space.
As Lee Hyun-wook entered, the crystal tiles on the ceiling began to glow.
Vwoom—
The illuminated space was pure white and quite spacious.
"Hmm… Talos, is this the museum?”
「Yes, it is! The gnomes fought numerous wars throughout their history, and the spoils of war acquired from those times are stored here.」
"So you're saying this is where they kept their plundered goods?”
「Haha— not necessarily. Some of them might have been received as tribute!」
It was more of an exhibition hall than a museum, though. A few items were displayed inside transparent glass cases, but there were no explanations for them. Shouldn't a museum provide related information?
‘Anyway, everything here… is of a considerable level.’
The entire space was adorned with items of at least Hero grade. And among them were some that Lee Hyun-wook had seen before.
'Wait a minute, isn't this… <Bloodied Dawn>?’
It was a longbow tinged with a crimson light.
「Ah! You know of it?」
Of course he knew. It was a sacred artifact of the race known as the Dark Elves. The Dark Elf general had used it to shoot down the massive airship, the <Gate Sentinel>.
In other words, it was a terrifying bow, no different from a tactical weapon.
‘So this was originally here?’
The Dark Elves, rulers of the 3rd Wave region… they were likely a race still unknown to the world.
Today, the encroached area of Berlin was known only as a green hell overrun with man-eating creatures.
But it turned out that beneath it, the Dark Elf forces were expanding, a secret known only to a select few of Germany's elite.
‘Right, so the Villains handed this over to the Dark Elves?’
In his past life, since they had owned Laputa, they must have used these items to make some sort of deal with those monster factions.
And perhaps, as a result of that deal, the Dark Elves, who had maintained neutrality, sided with the Villains and joined the conquest of Europe.
‘In other words, a similar opportunity has, to some extent, come to me.’
Lee Hyun-wook next came face to face with a gigantic axe.
It was so large that its total length had to be at least 5 meters.
'…This is it.’
The legacy of the Black Orc ancestor, it had to be this.
Lee Hyun-wook placed his hand on the transparent glass barrier.
- This item is currently ‘sealed’.
* A special condition is required to release the seal.
"Hmm… Talos, I can't take this out right now?”
「That is correct. As it is an exceptionally valuable item, the gnome who designed this space installed a rather complex locking mechanism.」
“…What is it?”
「For each item, there is something called a ‘Soul Stone’ that can be obtained from the body of the corresponding race’s ‘leader.’ That is the key. However, the Soul Stones the gnomes had previously acquired were all lost when the five factions escaped during Laputa's attack by an unidentified enemy, as I mentioned before.」
"What a mess…"
「…Ahem, however, each time a new leader is chosen for a race, a Soul Stone forms in the leader's body, so it should be possible to obtain them again!」
At that explanation, Lee Hyun-wook let out a hollow laugh.
‘…Isn’t that a bit of a forced setup?’
So, to get these powerful items, he had to defeat the leaders—the boss monsters—of each race that appeared after the Waves and seize their ‘Soul Stones.’
Failing that, he could do as the Villains in his past life did and receive something in return for handing them over… The system was designed for him to choose one of those two paths.
“…Well, I'll have to think about this later.”
He would be facing those races in the not-too-distant future anyway.
And at that time, these items would become powerful bargaining chips.
***
Lee Hyun-wook left the work to his ‘staff’ and began to rest. To be precise, he cranked his internal furnace to its maximum capacity—focusing all his efforts on absorption.
But even after two full days, there was no sign of the absorption being completed, only a repeated agony as if his body was being boiled down.
- Time until metal absorption: (Unknown)
Well… it had taken several days to absorb the <Dwarven Great Mountain Engine>, and this was several times more potent than that.
‘…Don’t tell me I have to be like this for a week?’
In any case, a satisfying result awaited him after this period.
‘Just have to endure a little longer.’
In the meantime, various pieces of news came in.
First, there was still no unusual activity from the Black Orc Kingdom. They were under 24-hour surveillance by military satellite, but no troop movements were identified.
And China's <Hongdo> Guild, which claimed to hold administrative rights to Laputa, was relentlessly pressuring the South Korean government.
- Hongdo Reps, “Korea is illegally occupying Laputa.”
- Enraged Chinese Public Opinion: “Laputa belonged to China in the first place!”
However, the government's decision-makers, including Woo Seong-mun, had already decided to stick to the policy of ‘Don’t feed the trolls,’ and offered no response whatsoever.
Inevitably, opinions began to pour in suggesting that the South Korean government wasn't responding because they had something to hide…
A few days later, a video was released showing several large transport planes marked with the logo entering Laputa's dome—its barrier.
This served as indirect proof of administrative authority over Laputa.
‘Right, proving it quietly is better than getting into a loud argument.’
International public opinion took a sharp turn.
- South Korea’s Quiet Proof… Was the Chinese Guild’s Claim a Hoax?
- Now It’s ‘Hongdo’s’ Turn to Prove It, World’s Attention Focused!
Given China's already poor image in the international community, people began to believe that this was just another baseless claim.
But that night… he received a call from Team Leader Lee Kyo-jun.
- …The Hongdo Guild has made another strange demand.
A palpable worry was in his voice.
"Yes?”
- Well, they stated a very specific item name, saying what they have is actually an <Auxiliary Key to the Ancient Legacy>. They said they received a quest to become a ‘Worker’ of Laputa, and that they could be of great help in utilizing it, and have requested a meeting.
At that point, even Lee Hyun-wook could no longer just ignore it. If they mentioned an item name that started with ‘Ancient Legacy’s—,’ it meant they really had something, and it wasn't a simple bluff.
And the auxiliary key—that part triggered a memory for Lee Hyun-wook.
‘Looks like I’ll have to bring them to Korea…’
He shut down his internal furnace.
***
Thirty-six hours later, at the arrivals hall of Incheon International Airport.
Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!
Three players from China's <Hongdo> Guild stood before the press line.
The very people who had been claiming administrative rights to Laputa for the past few days had set foot on Korean soil. And what’s more, it was at the invitation of the South Korean government.
On that point, the world once again suspected that the South Korean government, lacking administrative rights to Laputa, was attempting to negotiate with the Hongdo Guild.
The South Korean government flatly stated, "This invitation is not for a meeting of that nature," while the Hongdo Guild offered no comment.
"Your visit to Korea today must be related to Laputa! Do you still claim to have administrative rights?”
And even to that reporter's question—
“……By the end of today, there will be good news.”
—they only gave a vague answer.
They got into a prepared car and cast a ‘Silence’ spell.
"Hah, what a madhouse… Hey, has the assassination squad arrived?”
The one asking was Hongdo's vice-master, Shao Jun. He was an assassin player ranked 21st in China, and it was known that he was the holder of the key containing the ‘Laputa administrative rights.’
"Yes, they are on standby for ‘summoning’ in the southern part of this land.”
And the one who answered this… was not human.
"As expected of the ones who assassinated my uncle, so thorough, eh?”
Even as Shao Jun said this, he felt a sense of tension.
“……Human, be quiet.”
The hulking figure was, surprisingly, a Black Orc shaman polymorphed into a human.
‘Damn, why is every single word out of these guys’ mouths so menacing?’
Despite being a considerable talent himself, Shao Jun found himself shrinking back. This was partly because the unit this Black Orc shaman belonged to was the infamous ‘death squad’ known as the <Blood Axe>.
A target marked by those monsters never survived.
‘My uncle must have died at this bastard’s hands…’
His uncle, Deng Chao, once ranked 4th among Chinese players and an S-grade Spirit User, had also been torn to shreds by the <Blood Axe>.
Because of that, in a way, he felt reassured.
Today's operation would succeed, even if by force.
"Uh, well… anyway, since I have this key, I'll be able to identify the real administrator. Then, I'll pretend to shake his hand, and when I bind him with the ‘rope,’ he won't be able to do a thing…"
He said, stroking the rope-shaped tattoo on his wrist.
An item information window popped up before his eyes.
[Item Information]
- Name: Gleipnir
- Effect: Binds a specific target when infused with mana. (The bound target cannot break free on their own for 10 minutes.)
It was Black Orc shamanism, an item tattooed onto the body. It was a skill not yet known to the public, so there was no fear of it being discovered.
“……You know what to do after that, right? Don't jump the gun and alert them. You have to wait for my signal.”
Despite Shao Jun's repeated words, the Black Orc didn't answer.
“……Hmm, right, we’re on the same page, aren’t we?”
Thus, despite having been invited by the South Korean government, they were openly preparing an assassination. Diplomatically, this was an act of madness.
But Shao Jun couldn't care less about that.
Because he was a ‘Villain.’
Come hell or high water, whether the country was turned upside down or a war broke out, his one and only goal was to obtain Laputa's master key.
Before long, the car they were in entered downtown Seoul.
But following their car, a single crow was flying.
Whirr—
It was no ordinary crow.
"Look at these guys…"
Lee Hyun-wook followed the Hongdo Guild's car through the eyes of ‘Hugin.’
And his ‘Insight Lens’ identified something.
The target was the large man sitting in the back seat.
Above his head, a single line of text had appeared.
- Black Orc Shaman (LV. 71)
‘Huh? Polymorph…?’
Polymorph, the art of changing one's appearance, was an incredibly high-level magic that only beings on the level of a dragon could use freely.
‘Right, this must be the power of the Orc King, Snotox.’
That famous boss monster was a master shaman.
'So the proud king of the orcs has personally stepped in?'
But it couldn't deceive the ‘Eye of Horus.’
Immediately, Lee Hyun-wook pulled something from his pocket.
It was the mana messenger that connected him one-on-one with the Saintess, Emilia Müller.
***
A short while later, in a business room of a Seoul hotel.
The Hongdo Guild members were sitting there, waiting for someone.
The South Korean government had informed them that Laputa's administrator belonged to a private guild, which was why they had chosen a hotel for the meeting place instead of a government facility.
“……Hmph, it’s already been 10 minutes past the appointment time.”
"Indeed. These bastards have no manners."
"Hah… it's fine. It's all going to be… fun, isn't it?”
The Hongdo Guild players looked at each other and snickered.
Just then, the door opened.
"Ah— so you're finally here?”
And the person they had expected appeared right there. ‘Just as I thought!’
It was none other than the savior of Seoul, Lee Hyun-wook.
At that moment, something in Shao Jun's inner pocket began to vibrate.
And before his eyes, a system message appeared.
- You have encountered the ‘Master’ of Laputa!
The moment he received this ‘auxiliary key’ from a certain someone, he had received a quest, which was how he could identify the master of Laputa.
‘So he was Laputa’s administrator after all.’
This was, in fact, something the Villain side had already anticipated.
But after so many recent failures, it was necessary to be absolutely certain about everything this time.
'Today, without a single mistake, I will eliminate the biggest obstacle!’
Shao Jun smiled as he rose from his seat.
"Ah! A pleasure to meet you! My, aren't you a very famous person?”
And he prepared to infuse mana into his right wrist.
When entering this place, all items had been surrendered to a subspace inventory. But, as expected, this ‘tattoo’ had not been detected.
The Orc shaman also rose from his seat.
He glared at Lee Hyun-wook with wide eyes.
And he waited for the moment of the ‘handshake,’ just as they had discussed.
“Haha—I knew it was you right away. A message popped up telling me I can become a worker if I get permission from the master of Laputa standing before me.”
"......."
"Ah, have I been talking too presumptuously? Thinking about it, you have every right to be offended. First, I apologize for the commotion we caused earlier."
Shao Jun smiled affably and extended a hand to Lee Hyun-wook.
However… what Lee Hyun-wook offered was not his hand.
Click—
It was a shotgun.
BOOM—!
…There was no time to pull out Gleipnir.