Chapter 402: Origin (2)
Chapter 402: Origin (2)
A week passed.
Perhaps it was because he had unintentionally heard Fay’s story. It might have been the passion for a final masterpiece, a sense of duty as a lord, or the regret of a failed father.
Whatever the reason, one thing was certain: Lokan, having regained the vitality of his prime, was magnificent enough to make me understand why dwarves were so obsessed with the title of Meister.
His eyes blazed hotter than the furnace that was said to have never gone out since the castle’s founding.
Though his hair remained white, his once-gaunt limbs were now packed with dense muscle, giving him a sturdy, formidable presence. When he swung his hammer, there was even a sense of solemnity about him.
Fay was not much different.
At first, she had spent her time kicking me instead of her blankets out of embarrassment for letting Lokan hear her inner thoughts, but once the work began in earnest, she became deathly serious.
Her black eyes were sunken deep like an abyss. The light of intelligence sparkling within them matched Lokan’s in brightness, even if the temperature of her passion differed.
There was likely a reason why the craftsmen under her command followed her lead without a word of complaint.
For a week, everyone did their absolute best in their respective roles.
They ceaselessly produced Special Alchemical Steel, forged it, and connected muscles and complex input-output devices onto the frame.
Ironically, the scene resembled the way Reckless Roar and Confused Unity were creating the Twin-headed Giant.
Nana and the rest of the party poured every attack they could muster into the giant whenever they had a spare moment.
Since it was still enveloped in massive divine power, we couldn't deal significant damage, but it served as a distraction.
The power we threw at it would offset the divine power to some extent, which would either slow down its awakening as an Avatar or lower its degree of completion.
At this rate, we would be able to take down the two evil gods smoothly.
“…Well, I doubt it’ll actually end this simply, though.”
Neither Reckless Roar nor Confused Unity were particularly brilliant strategists. However, it was certain that when it came to combat, they truly lived up to the name of gods.
Even if they didn't know exactly what it was, they must have realized we had a trump card of our own. Reading the opponent's moves is always the fundamental of battle, after all.
It was the eighth day, one day past the week mark.
Creeeeeak.
A thunderous roar erupted, sounding like the popping of stiff joints amplified a hundred times over.
It was the sound of the Twin-headed Giant, which had been quietly kneeling while absorbing divine power, finally rising to its feet.
Since I had been focusing all my attention on the giant’s movements, I sensed the anomaly immediately.
I asked Helena, who was squinting from atop the fortress wall.
“Helena. How long do you think it will take for that thing to fully stand up?”
“From what I can see, it will start moving in a few hours. Righteous Light, what do you think…?”
“It looks the same to me. It will be reborn as an Avatar at least before the sun sets today.”
“Since it woke up earlier than scheduled, there must be side effects, right?”
“Of course. It might be able to move, but it won't be able to exert its full power. Though, in a few days, once the synchronization is complete, it’ll be a different story…”
“I heard from Fay that the golem will be finished by tomorrow. We just have to hold out for a day.”
If we focused solely on holding our ground behind the fortress walls, we could make it work.
Helena and Solari seemed to agree, nodding as they began to draw up their holy power.
“Then it would be best to prepare in advance. My Lord, I am sorry, but it seems I won't be able to fight at the front this time.”
“It’s okay! If we pour all our blessings into my husband, isn't that basically us fighting? They say a married couple is a hermaphrodite!”
“You mean 'one flesh,' Solari. And if we're talking about being one flesh, I think there's someone more suited for that than me?”
I shrugged at Solari’s words. Indeed. No one fit the description of "one flesh" better than those two, who literally lived together in a single body.
“We become one every night, so isn't she right?”
“…I suppose so.”
I agreed with a sheepish grin and looked around. As if we weren't the only ones who sensed the change, the dwarves were moving busily.
Shells enhanced by Fay began to be loaded into the cannons that had long been aimed at the giant.
I also pulled out my staff and dagger in both hands and activated Dragonification.
My senses expanded instantly. I exhaled a breath filled with the sense of omnipotence rising from deep within my chest.
“Whew…”
In the meantime, Helena’s holy power grew even denser, emitting a white light as brilliant as the sun.
As Helena’s blurred silhouette spread her arms wide, the holy power gathered around her transformed into another fortress wall.
Vroooooom—
A white barrier covered the already sturdy dwarven walls. Unlike the one she had hastily deployed last time, this was a barrier crafted with care. It should hold out for quite a while.
Especially against an incomplete Avatar whose synchronization wasn't finished.
I spoke to the other women who had gathered by my side.
“I’ll go alone this time. I’ll focus on evasion and defense rather than attacking, so don't worry.”
There was no helping it, as no one could keep up with my movements now that I could fly instinctively thanks to my wings.
Everyone seemed a bit dissatisfied, but they understood the logic and nodded.
With the preparations mostly finished, I stood at the edge of the wall and turned my gaze.
Even though it was still kneeling, the giant was nearly as tall as the fortress wall. The four eyes on its two heads were slowly opening.
I smirked at the black and red eyes that seemed, for some reason, to be filled with joy.
“Since it’s an Avatar, it’s not an Apostle, so I wonder if it counts as an evil god?”
I’d finally be able to properly test out the God Killer trait.
*
BOOM!
A brutal sound of impact echoed from the distance.
Every time the ground shook and their ears rang, the dwarven craftsmen grew paler.
Has the Avatar of the evil god already awakened? How? If so, can we really hold out? If only we had a little more time… and so on.
Humans—and dwarves—tend to fear the unknown most of all.
In that sense, the current situation, where they couldn't see what was happening outside while their ominous imaginations were constantly stimulated, was enough to make even the most stout-hearted dwarf lose their nerve.
However, there were two exceptions: Fay and Lokan.
The two were immersed in their work as if they couldn't hear the commotion outside at all. It was as if completing this golem was their sole mission in life.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Lokan swung his hammer to shape the alchemical steel and organically connected the intricate parts.
He looked like a blacksmith forging a peerless sword, and at the same time, like a sculptor breathing life into inorganic matter.
Fay’s job was to attach the parts Lokan made to the golem and tune them appropriately.
Through a monocular that allowed her to see the flow of power, she checked every tiny flaw and used mana crystals to ensure the flow of mana was smoother and more uniform.
Then, she connected the artificial muscles, which seemed to want to thrash about wildly, between the skeleton and other parts, recreating a form as close to human as possible.
She built a system similar to blood vessels, flowing special lubricant throughout so that all these components could move naturally.
What was being completed at Fay’s small fingertips was not merely a doll made of steel. It was something closer to a living creature, half-composed of flesh and blood.
It was a sight that seemed reckless and profane at a glance.
But that was exactly why the dwarven craftsmen did not leave their posts, even as they trembled in fear.
Since they were all believers of Clashing Steel, they couldn't take their eyes off the artisans who dared to challenge the domain of the gods.
While those outside desperately bought time against the awakened giant, the craftsmen inside the workshop were burning their very souls.
The alchemist, overcoming past pain, to protect what was precious to her this time.
The blacksmith, regretting past mistakes, to fulfill his atonement and responsibility before his life reached its end.
The mana of alchemy and the sound of hammering filled the workshop.
And as the next morning dawned, Fay finished tuning the final part of the giant golem.
“It’s done…!”
Fay’s usually cool voice was filled with exhilaration. It was the reaction of someone who had given their all and achieved the best possible result.
On the other hand, Lokan let out a long-held breath and quietly looked up at what would be his final masterpiece.
It stood taller than the walls he and his ancestors had built. Its body felt agile, likely due to the embedded muscles. And it had a black outer armor that resembled dragon scales.
To anyone’s eyes, it was a perfect masterpiece. He even felt it was better made than any weapon or armor he had ever created.
‘It’s more than enough for a final work.’
Perhaps it was because the string of concentration he had kept taut was finally released, or perhaps the medicine had simply run its course.
Having completed his great task, the strength drained from Lokan’s body, and his eyes slowly began to close.
His vision blurred instantly. Lokan, desperately lifting his head to catch one last glimpse of Fay, couldn't help but be surprised.
“Huh?”
Red lines were being etched across the pitch-black body of the golem.
In the red light spreading across the golem’s entire body in complex patterns, he felt a divine power that was very familiar to him.
“…Ah.”
Fay stood there with her mouth agape. Lokan understood his daughter’s reaction better than anyone.
It was the same phenomenon that had occurred decades ago when he created the work that earned him the title of Meister.
The Blessing of Clashing Steel.
The God of Flame and Steel had recognized Fay and her golem.