Chapter 40
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Birth of Diablo RX
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A single zombie sweep had turned the motorcycle factory into a total wreck.
Even a skilled mechanic would find it no small feat to locate the intact parts they needed amid the chaos. Of course, I was the exception as a Mechanic.
Just picking them up by hand like this…
"Suitable part."
I could sort them out with ease. Sure, handling each one manually was laborious work, but it was nothing compared to the effort other job players would have to put in.
Once I had gathered all the parts I wanted, I began modifying them.
The modification process was nothing fancy.
It simply involved applying Metal Reinforcement to each individual motorcycle part. It consumed a ton of AP, but doing it this way yielded better results than applying it directly to the assembled vehicle.
"Used Metal Reinforcement (Lv. 4) to reinforce the aluminum handlebars."
On top of that, I mixed in some spare mithril I had obtained from Hansol University into the frame. The amount was small, so it wouldn’t produce dramatic effects, but it was still far better than leaving it out entirely.
Finally, I used Metal Transformation to merge all the reinforced and modified motorcycle parts into one. A pure white light flashed, and the motorcycle was born.
As I placed my hand on it to check its information, a message appeared.
"Please name the completed vehicle."
Messages like "Please name the completed [item]" only popped up for Unique-grade items. I tilted my head in confusion.
I had crafted it without a blueprint and never dreamed it would turn out to be a Unique vehicle. An unexpected windfall. A smile crept across my lips.
I already had a name in mind. It was a classic from games.
"Used Metal Transformation (Lv. 6) to synthesize Aluminum Handlebars (Reinforced) x1, Mithril Tires x1, …, Mithril Body x1 into Diablo RX."
"Metal Transformation (Lv. 6) experience has increased dramatically."
"Metal Transformation level has risen to 7."
"Metal Decomposition level has risen to 4."
My skills leveled up all at once. I wondered why Metal Reinforcement didn’t go up but Decomposition did—probably because I had decomposed a few parts during assembly.
"Diablo RX"
Durability: 70/70
Speed: 35(+5)
Stability: 20
Description: A custom motorcycle crafted by Mechanic Park Si-hyun. Features high durability and speed. Creator limited: speed +8.
'Phew.' My heart was already racing just looking at it. I kicked off the Diablo RX test drive. I mounted the seat slowly and gripped the handlebars. They felt smooth yet cool to the touch, thanks to the mithril.
I turned the key to start the engine, then gave the throttle a light twist.
VROOOOM! A massive roar erupted as blue flames shot from the exhaust. A custom ride. Back in the real world, I used to look down on people who rode things like this…
'Damn, this thing handles nice.'
But now, I totally got where they were coming from.
I opened the door. Then I shifted gears before twisting the throttle hard.
Unlike the stall in neutral moments ago, the demonic machine shot forward like a bullet.
It hit max speed from zero in barely four seconds. Amid the insane acceleration, I tore through the factory district.
Survivors rushed out in a panic, thinking something was wrong, only to gape slack-jawed at the sight. Or rather, not at me—they were staring at the Diablo RX.
In an instant, I was surrounded by survivors. They all had that "let me take it for a spin" look in their eyes. Who did they think they were eyeing up?
"Um, excuse me, could you give me a ride too?"
That was when Maria spoke up, her eyes sparkling.
"Ahem. Give me a ride too. Even sitting in the back might bring back my lost youth."
Professor Alex, shovel in hand, cleared his throat awkwardly.
Zixuan didn’t say it outright, but her expression screamed that she wanted a turn too. No surprise there—stunts were her hobby, after all.
If it had been random survivors, I would’ve shut them down with a "who do you think you are?" But since it was these folks…
I might as well hold an official test ride event soon.
"I’ll give you rides next time."
With that, I got moving again. The Diablo RX I rode roared with a deep rumble that stirred any man’s heart as it charged ahead.
If I could maintain this speed, it’d take a comfortable two hours to reach Sky Tower.
"Isn’t it just so cool, sis?"
Maria’s words earned a nod from Zixuan.
She was confident she’d ridden her fair share of motorcycles, but she’d never seen anything like this one. The speed was insane, but more than that, its sheer style put real-world bikes to shame.
'It’d be perfect to ride in the back seat…'
Truth be told, she preferred not driving herself. She wanted to hop on the back of a bike driven by Park Si-hyun, wrap her arms around him, and enjoy the rush of speed…
"Sis?"
Maria called out to Zixuan, who was lost in her daydream with a goofy grin, but naturally, there was no reply.
Meanwhile, Professor Alex resumed digging with his shovel and mulled things over.
He’d said he got it from the motorcycle factory, but he’d never heard of any factory producing something like that.
Custom vehicles were illegal to begin with, so that made sense.
Even so, the fact that he was riding one meant…
'He must’ve built it himself.'
It had to be the work of that metal-manipulating ability of his.
"What an incredible power."
He found himself admiring Park Si-hyun’s abilities anew. The fact that he’d built a motorcycle solo implied that if he secured the parts, he could make farm equipment too.
'No, forget farm equipment—what if he built a work android robot…'
A work android robot.
If he could produce that pinnacle of human invention, hailed as a true "innovation," it wouldn’t just help humanity survive the apocalypse—it could found an entirely new civilization.
The mere thought sent shivers of exhilaration through him.
Mechanics possess a high degree of understanding when it comes to metal items. The Diablo RX naturally fell into that category.
I’d never driven the Diablo RX before, but after thirty minutes aboard, I handled it like an extension of my body. The regular zombies ahead spotted me and gave chase, but fat chance.
I blew past them in seconds. If they blocked the road, I’d just ram through. That durability of 70 wasn’t for show—it rivaled or exceeded your average car.
After another hour or so, a towering skyscraper piercing the heavens came into view. It looked close, but I knew it was still pretty far off.
I veered off the main road into an alley. Attention was the last thing I wanted, from zombies or survivors alike. Shelter C was nearby, but so was the Salvation Church chapel.
If they spotted me, they’d swarm out of that chapel like cockroaches. I wouldn’t lose in a straight fight against the Salvation Church, but unnecessary battles were best avoided.
After all, they were humans with sharp intellects, just like me.
No sooner had I entered the alley than a pack of zombies swarmed in. The bike’s noise alone was enough to draw them, so I used Metal Generation to create a lump of metal, then Metal Transformation to shape it into a Japanese sword.
Sword in hand, I charged the zombies and swung lightly. My blade sliced through them like they were butter.
My level was currently 26. Add in Aegis’s strength boost and the strength buff from Zixuan, and my STR stat had to be pushing 30, give or take.
It wasn’t Blader level, but I’d handled plenty of melee weapons, so I’d built up some "proficiency." It wasn’t a skill, so no system message for it.
High strength plus proficiency meant I could carve through any number of regular zombies with ease.
The zombies’ severed bodies tumbled across the road. I shouldn’t think this way, but they flopped around like the fish I’d seen at the wholesale market.
Dark red blood trickled down into the cracks.
I paused to take it in, then tossed the Japanese sword aside and remounted the bike.
The closer I got, the more I appreciated Sky Tower’s grandeur. I’d shrugged it off in the VR game, but seeing it in person was something else.
Its peak truly seemed to vanish into the clouds.
'Guess I have to climb that on foot?'
Power would be nice, but it was surely out. I hurried onward. Zombies clustered at the front of Sky Tower.
'Survivors holed up inside?'
No reason for zombies to bang on the main doors otherwise. I parked the bike in the underground lot for now.
If the Diablo RX vanished, I’d be in tears, so I didn’t forget to use Metal Transformation to build a new wall and hide it securely.
Then, gripping a fresh Japanese sword forged via Metal Transformation, I headed upstairs.
No zombies in Sky Tower’s first floor. Just shattered glass shards, splintered wood, and scattered file folders.
The total lack of bloodstains and the suffocating silence inside felt more unnerving than anything. Then again, I had been rushing around nonstop lately.
I shook my head to dispel the unease and placed a hand on the elevator. Maybe there was power and it would work?
No such luck. The elevator was dead.
'How many floors was this place again?'
120, if memory served. Guess I had to climb it myself… then come back down from the 120th floor.
Supercomputer in tow…
No backing out now that I was here, so I started ascending the stairs, crunching over broken glass with each step.
It was when I reached the 10th floor. I "sensed" something beyond the closed door. Zombie? Human? Hard to tell…
'Open it or not?'
I didn’t agonize long. I’d pass the 10th floor again on the way down anyway. Better to clear any zombies inside now.
I opened the 10th-floor door. It creaked open with a harsh scrape of metal, revealing not zombies—but humans. They clutched canned goods in their hands.
A moment of silence passed before I raised my gun and aimed at them.
The crosses dangling from their necks. They were unmistakably Salvation Church crosses. Which meant these guys were followers too.
"Wh-who are you?"
They scrambled to their feet. One even reached for a gun on the floor. I fired a warning shot.
Bang!
The echo filled the entire floor, freezing them in place.
"Get down."
I glanced sideways to count them. One, two, three… four. That was when one grabbed a gun. I pulled the trigger without hesitation.
The man’s body crumpled.
With that, they gave up resisting.