Chapter 15
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Aegis
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With new fuel, the flames roared back to life, and the smell of roasting meat wafted everywhere. But like a hunter who had lit a fire at the entrance of a rabbit burrow, I kept waiting up front.
The Night Witch was dead, but the countless regular zombies inside would still be there. The regular zombies came swarming up one after another like rabbits, and I easily dispatched them using the terrain advantage.
Of course, there was one problem. The zombies charging in weren't just those from inside the subway—they were 'all' the zombies in the entire vicinity.
No matter how much my level had risen, taking on that many zombies was impossible. Of course, I wasn't too worried. They were nothing but moths to a flame.
They would all burn to death trying to cross these flames.
I poured the last of the gasoline from the can onto the flames. With a timely gust of wind, the fire blazed even more fiercely, as if ready to devour everything.
The next moment, I threw myself into the flames. The fire couldn't harm my fully armored body protected by the motorcycle helmet and stab-proof vest. Well, if I lingered too long, it might, but.
I wasn't dumb enough to stay in the flames by choice. I descended into the subway. I pulled a flashlight from my backpack and illuminated the darkness. Zombies were shambling toward me.
There were quite a few of them. I swapped the shotgun's magazine and calmly fired at the zombies. Every time two shots buried into their torsos, the zombies collapsed without fail.
A lucky headshot was enough with just one bullet. With each flash of the muzzle flame, the zombies took a step, two steps closer to me—a scene straight out of a horror movie.
But I felt no particular emotion. I just killed, and killed again.
Finally, the zombies closed in right up to my nose. I picked up a steel pipe rolling around the subway.
In the next instant, the steel pipe transformed into a sleek sword. Using Metal Transformation, I had turned the pipe into a sword. Of course, the sword I wielded would seem like child's play compared to one swung by a Blader.
Even so, it was more than enough to kill regular zombies. I swung the sword with all my strength. Mechanics had lower stat growth compared to Gunners, Bladers, or Psychos.
But at around level 14, wielding a single sword made short work of three or four regular zombies. The approaching zombie took a hit from the blade and its head went flying.
I knew nothing of swordsmanship and had no intention of learning any, but this was the result of pure strength and the sword's sharpness. For a moment, I wondered what it would be like if my class had been Blader.
A Blader came equipped with swordsmanship by default, not to mention their outrageous 'basic skills' that could max out the attack power of any melee weapon.
Who knows—maybe they could even massacre hundreds of zombies with this makeshift sword. Of course, one bite from a zombie and it would be game over.
As those thoughts ran through my head, I slashed through the approaching zombies before tossing the sword to the ground. I'm a Mechanic, not a Blader. The trigger of the Screw Gun in my hand pulled back.
Pfft, pfft. Zombies crumpled amid the sound of air hissing out.
「Class experience has increased. (Solo Party Bonus +150%) (Massacre Bonus +100%)」
「Class Level has risen to 15.」
After sweeping away all the zombies lured by the smell, I leveled up. Oh, and the zombies that burned to death trying to enter the subway stairs contributed too.
「Acquired Blueprint Synthesis (Lv.1) skill.」
I'd reached level 15. It seemed the massive experience from killing the Night Witch just before was the main factor. Now all that was left was to gather mithril and craft a full mithril suit.
I quickened my steps. Leaping over the turnstile crusted with dried blood, I headed down to the level with the trains. There were plenty of regular zombies underground too, but I paid them no mind.
Tuning them out, I touched the underside of the train and used Metal Decomposition.
A dizzying sensation hit, and silver powder rained down. Mithril. I scooped the scattered mithril into the prepared sack.
There seemed to be other impurities mixed in besides the mithril, but it didn't matter. Metal Transformation would separate them anyway.
The only issue was... the risk of spilling some. The number of subway cars was limited. In other words, so was the mithril.
The sack filled up in no time. Meanwhile, zombies drew near. I grabbed the sack and entered the train car. The interior crawled with zombies.
Ignoring them, I reached out to the door on the opposite side.
Rattle—the train door slid open with a sound. Through the open gap, I reached over and touched the door of the train on the other side.
Easily boarding the opposite train through the open door gap, I shut its door. Now the zombies couldn't climb in through the door.
Sure, they could crawl up the tracks, but let them try if they wanted.
I exited through the opposite door and, placing my hand on the underside of the train, used Metal Decomposition again. As the train sagged, I gathered the scattering silver powder.
The sack was now half full. Even accounting for half of it being impurities, it was a considerable amount. But still not enough to craft a Power Suit.
I lit up the tracks with my flashlight, climbed down to the floor, and scraped together every last bit of powder. There were times when a zombie finally reached me and stretched out a hand, but I steadfastly kept gathering.
I stepped into the tunnel. And began walking in search of new train cars.
「Acquired Mithril Powder x75.」
「Acquired Iron Powder x87.」
Two sacks as big as my body.
I'd already gathered enough mithril powder to make the Power Suit, but my greed had invited disaster. Staggering under the imagined weight, I barely made it back up to the turnstile.
Zombies trailed behind me—I'd thought their numbers had thinned after my earlier barrage, but they had actually increased. Had more come in from outside?
Whatever. I exited through exit 3, not the entrance I'd used at exit 1. I tussled with zombies here and there along the way, but nothing that threatened my life.
Finally, I securely strapped the sacks to the motorcycle and managed to climb aboard.
Then I twisted the throttle. The sacks were so heavy that the bike moved sluggishly, but at least it didn't tip over backward—that was something.
Back at the large mart, I entered the underground parking lot, closed the door again, and climbed up to the mart. After hauling the sacks up to the third floor, I collapsed onto the bed.
I'd expended a lot of energy, and above all, overuse of my superpowers had left my body utterly drained. Making the Power Suit body would have to wait until tomorrow.
The progress on the 'Power Suit Torso' blueprint I was working on was only at 90% anyway.
The next day, the moment I woke up, I pulled out the 'Sci-Fi Notebook - Power Suit'. Then I used the Blueprint Synthesis skill. The Sci-Fi Notebook glowed brightly, and soon its cover began to peel away.
When the light faded, the Sci-Fi Notebook had become a single sheet of paper.
「Acquired Blueprint: Power Suit Orb x1.」
After absorbing the blueprint, I checked the Power Suit on my notebook.
「Power Suit Orb」
Required materials: Iron x3, Blueprint: Power Suit Orb x1
The materials for the Power Suit Orb were nothing special. The blueprint had been the real issue from the start. I placed my hand on them and used Metal Transformation to craft the Power Suit Orb.
「Synthesized Iron x3 and Blueprint: Power Suit Orb x1 to create Power Suit Orb.」
「Metal Transformation (Lv.3) experience has greatly increased.」
A brilliantly shining rainbow-colored orb. It was the core component of the Power Suit—the Power Suit Orb. After gazing at it for a moment, I turned my eyes to the Power Suit blueprint.
The urge to finish it quickly welled up inside me.
After completing the remaining 10% of the blueprint work, I crafted the Power Suit. The meticulously separated mithril powders transformed via Metal Transformation into a suit of armor that enveloped my entire body.
Hmm...
It felt just like the Iron Man suit I'd seen in the real world. This orb too. Of course, performance-wise, this one was incomparably inferior. Actually, that one was from a movie to begin with.
I inserted the Power Suit Orb into the recessed center of the incomplete Power Suit. At that moment, the Power Suit began to tremble.
「Please name the completed Power Suit.」
Terrible at naming as I was, I pondered for a moment before opening my mouth.
"Aegis."
The shield of Athena, goddess of wisdom from Greek and Roman mythology. A treasure said to bear Medusa's head, turning those who opposed its bearer to stone.
But why name a Power Suit after a shield?
Well, a shield or armor—both were means of protecting the body.
「Synthesized Mithril Power Suit x1 and Power Suit Orb x1 to create Aegis.」
「Metal Transformation level has risen to 4.」
「Aegis」
Durability: 100/100
Defense: 90
Strength +10, Agility +5, Perception +3
Description: Power Suit made by Mechanic Park Si-hyun using mithril. Despite its high defense, it is extremely light, imposing no restrictions on movement.
Restriction: Owner Unique
With trembling anticipation, I donned the Aegis. Surprisingly, the moment I touched it, the metal slapped right onto me. The cold sensation of metal transmitted through.
But the cold lasted only a moment—it turned into a blazing heat. I felt an exhilaration I'd never experienced even in VR games. I lightly gripped an apple sitting on the floor.
Squish.
With just a bit of force, the apple crushed. Strength +10. Now, I was confident I wouldn't lose even in an arm-wrestling match against a variant zombie. And considering the Power Suit's defense...
'A suit that can shrug off a grenade.'
Who knew—maybe even carrying out a 'massacre' was possible.
I put clothes on over the Aegis. I didn't want it to stand out. Unable to resist the urge to test it, I headed outside.
And... I began 'massacring' the zombies. Every time I clenched my fist and swung with full force, zombies flew back like a scene from a movie.
Even though it was my own doing, I found it awe-inspiring. Well, my strength had gone up by 10. An instantaneous boost to three or four times a normal person's power was only natural.