Big and Beautiful (2)
Adamantium.
Alongside Orichalcum and Mithril, it stood as one of the world's Three Great Minerals. While Mithril was practically synonymous with rare metals and Orichalcum reigned supreme in the realm of magic, Adamantium was different. Unlike its mana-sensitive counterparts, Adamantium was closer to ordinary metal—yet famous throughout the realms as the indestructible metal.
Of course, it was not literally indestructible, but rather possessed durability so absurd that the label stuck. Even the Golden Shield I had received from Praise the Sun had a trace amount of Adamantium blended into it, and it had served me remarkably well. Despite all the brutal abuse I had put it through, it had dented slightly at most; it was safe to say it had suffered virtually zero structural damage.
Nor was sheer durability its only virtue. Beyond being extraordinarily tough, its shock-absorption capacity was peerless. If Orichalcum and Mithril derived their immense software power from diverse magical interactions, Adamantium was overwhelming hardware in its purest form.
Perhaps for that very reason, it was exceptionally rare and notoriously difficult to handle compared to other minerals. Smelting it was an ordeal in itself, and crafting anything out of it was an even greater nightmare. From what the dwarf had once told me, technique mattered far less than monstrous physical brute force when working with the stuff.
"So how did they manage this, then? Both this pickaxe and that gargantuan excavator have Adamantium blades. How is that even possible?"
The fixed nicks were thoroughly appalled that the majority of tools scattered across this marble quarry were forged of Adamantium. And understandably so. Adamantium was renowned as something far rarer than even Orichalcum or Mithril. Even fashioning a solid Mithril sword was deemed next to impossible, yet here were tools made of Adamantium, taking the absurdity to an entirely different dimension.
I inspected one of the pickaxes rolling on the ground. A closer look revealed a subdued, dull sheen.
At first glance, it looks a bit like Mythrecon... but this catches the light.
While Mythrecon possessed a nearly matte finish, this metal gleamed softly under reflection. On top of that, it was heavy. Adamantium could well be considered the diametric opposite of lightweight Mithril, and its heft proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Adamantium, huh...
I raised my head. Towering directly above me was the terrifyingly colossal excavator. Honestly speaking, using lightweight Mithril seemed far more practical than lugging around dense, heavy Adamantium. Greater mass demanded more power to move and support, and power was simply energy. No matter how miraculous a resource mana was, the humans I knew were creatures obsessed with pure efficiency.
Money was one of the prime culprits. Back on Earth, launching a spacecraft cost an astronomical sum—nearly a hundred million won per kilogram. To cut costs, maximizing efficiency was practically an ingrained instinct.
Even main battle tanks occasionally sacrifice thick armor plating for mobility and operational efficiency.
Which meant that here, using Adamantium was genuinely the more efficient choice. This marble quarry had likely been built with that explicit purpose in mind. What seemed like ordinary marble on the surface might conceal something far more extraordinary deep within—minerals or gems that could only be quarried using Adamantium tools.
"Let's leave them for now and grab a few on our way back."
"Master."
"Hm?"
Just as I suggested we set the Adamantium aside and continue exploring, Ggobongi called out to me hesitantly. He fidgeted uncharacteristically, his massive frame shifting from side to side. I tilted my head at the sight.
"What's up? If you have something to say, just spit it out."
"Th-that..."
Ggobongi pointed toward the excavator—not at the massive bucket wheel, but at the main chassis. Specifically, the operator's cabin. Just as I started to dread where this was going, Ggobongi spoke.
"Can ride... in that...?"
"Hah."
A sigh escaped my lips. It was nearing lunchtime anyway, and my plan was to take a breather. Yet here he was, asking to climb into a hazardous cockpit like an excited kid. He clearly had some growing up to do.
"I get to ride first. You go second."
"Oooh...!"
[Might I be permitted to board as well?]
Evidently, I had some growing up to do as well. And Cain, despite having achieved Feathered Ascension and reincarnating as an autonomous AI construct, was no different. They say men remain boys at heart no matter how old they get. Presented with the chance to sit inside a big, beautiful industrial excavator, who could possibly resist?
Even so, I meticulously scanned our surroundings just in case. Surprise attacks were an ever-present hazard in this place. Furthermore, that faint tremor from earlier warranted extra caution.
Everything looks clear for now.
After a thorough check, we spread out a ground mat for a quick lunch. Unpacking the provisions we had prepared in advance, we filled our bellies heartily before moving on to the main event.
"Hey, move. I'm climbing up first."
"First come, first served."
"You're not even human."
"That is racial discrimination, Master."
Bickering with Ggobongi the entire way, I clambered up the side of the big, beautiful excavator. Perhaps because the machine was absurdly huge, the cockpit interior was remarkably spacious. Surprisingly, the instrument console was not overly convoluted; it bore a striking resemblance to standard excavators one might encounter at an earthly construction site.
"Red button here."
"Don't you dare push th—"
Click!
I had only wanted to inspect the cabin, not take the machine for a spin. But Ggobongi, succumbing to quintessential primate curiosity, slammed his finger onto the red button. Ages had passed, so there should have been no fuel left. I assumed nothing would happen.
Whirrrrrr!
I had miscalculated. The control panel emitted a distinctive mechanical hum, instantly sending a spike of panic through my chest. As Ggobongi babbled in confusion, eyes widening in shock, I lunged forward and slammed the red button once more, hoping it operated like a PC power switch.
Whine... clunk.
Fortunately, my hunch was correct. The hum died down, and the machine fell silent. I exhaled a long breath of relief before glaring daggers at Ggobongi. Realizing he had messed up, he shrank back, cautiously reading my expression.
"...Master."
"What."
"It works..."
"Keep talking if you want to get crushed beneath that big, beautiful wheel."
"..."
Ggobongi shrank further at my warning and promptly gave up. Still, a nagging question lingered in my mind. Centuries—perhaps millennia—had passed, yet this excavator still had power to start up. If I hadn't shut it down in time, that gigantic serrated wheel would have begun churning the earth.
That makes no sense. Heavy machinery like this usually turns into scrap metal if it's left unmaintained for even a short while.
Machines rust with time. Even an automobile will suffer engine failure if left untouched in a garage for a month. For heavy industrial equipment of this scale, the deterioration should have been exponentially worse.
"You're all men, aren't you?"
The moment I shut the excavator down, a chorus of disappointed moans filled the chat. There was zero doubt about the gender of these fixed handles. Still, not everyone was whining about the lost spectacle; a few approached the situation with rational curiosity.
They found it astonishing that this excavator was still functional, just like the ancient Ghost Ships. I wondered briefly if this machine harbored an AI or a mimic within its frame, but nothing of the sort was visible. That possibility was another reason I had cut the power so quickly. When in doubt, it was best left undisturbed.
Commercial goods are usually designed to degrade eventually, after all.
If a product proved indestructible, the manufacturing company was bound to go bankrupt—no one would ever need to buy a replacement. I remembered hearing a story about someone trying to buy a replacement appliance after twenty years of flawless use, only to discover the company had folded decades ago.
Heavy machinery, of course, was an exception where rugged durability was a selling point. Even so, what on earth had the ancient Ghost Ships been forged from to endure the passage of ages completely unscathed?
And more importantly...
How did ancient humanity discover Adamantium in the first place? That remained an enigma. Perhaps they had unearthed an entirely new ore deposit, or perhaps Earth's scientific prowess had already reached an unfathomable pinnacle. Had they devised a novel smelting technique upon harnessing mana, or had they simply discovered an innovative application for an existing mineral?
Tsk... whatever. The more there is, the better.
Pondering overly complex theories wouldn't do me any good. Exploration was the priority right now. I climbed down from the operator's cabin alongside Ggobongi.
"..."
[......]
"...What is it?"
[...It is nothing.]
The instant my feet hit the dirt, I was met by Cain fidgeting awkwardly just like Ggobongi had. Clearly, the urge to climb into the cockpit had been burning intensely within him. I was reminded of the time we had hooked Cain up as a living power generator for the shelter. Perhaps we could operate the excavator using his power in a similar fashion, but there was no reason to indulge in such experiments now.
"I have discovered a cavern."
"A cave?"
By the time we rejoined the rest of the party, Ludwig came forward with news. While scouting the perimeter, he had stumbled upon a massive subterranean opening. When I asked where he had found it, Ludwig pointed toward the excavator's bulk.
"Directly behind that machine."
"Where...? Ah."
Following his finger, I spotted an enormous opening. It had been obscured by the sheer size of the excavator, but once pointed out, it was impossible to miss.
"You think we should head in?"
"I merely located it; the choice rests with you."
"Hmm..."
I studied the cavern entrance intently. It looked suspicious by any measure. The catch was that it lay directly along our route toward the World Tree. There was a fair chance something valuable waited at the far end.
Besides, that doesn't look like a natural cave... it looks bored out by design.
The entrance was squared off with unnatural precision, as if carved out by heavy industrial equipment. Considering we were standing in front of an excavator built to crush bedrock, an artificial tunnel was hardly out of the question. Going inside to scout was by no means a bad idea.
"Alright. Let's head in and check it out."
[And should monsters lurk within?]
"Then we fight. We're practically hemmed in here anyway."
Sheer cliffs sheared away by industrial excavation surrounded us on all sides; this tunnel was our only viable passage forward. There were no alternatives. Cain nodded in agreement, respecting my call. With our course decided, we packed up our picnic mat and set off into the gloom.
"Alright, Maengkkongi. Give us a tune."
"Ooooh~ oh-oh~"
With Ggobongi contributing enthusiastic vocal accompaniment alongside our little bard, we crossed the threshold into the subterranean depths. As expected of a deep mine tunnel, pitch darkness enveloped us almost immediately, prompting me to activate the Light Crystal Ball.
Flash!
"Grrrrr..."
"...Oops."
The moment the radiance flared to life, we locked eyes with a gargantuan lizard.
It was nearly the size of Cheongseol's mother. To put its sheer scale into perspective, the creature was casually tossing around an industrial excavator chassis with a single forelimb—flinging it about like a toddler playing with a plastic toy.
"SKREEEEAAARGH!!!"
The white-scaled titan unleashed an ear-splitting roar, and we bolted toward the exit without a second thought. But having trespassed into the territorial sovereign's lair, escaping outside was never going to be enough. The colossal lizard thundered out of the tunnel right on our heels. Once in the open air, its appearance revealed bizarre peculiarities.
Inside the cave, its scales had shimmered with a brilliant, marble-like sheen; under the open sky, however, its hide dulled into an earthy, muted gray. And surrounding its neck was a broad, folded ruffle of leathery skin. It looked just like a frilled lizard.
No, not 'just like'—it IS a frilled lizard!
Flump!
The creature flared the wide neck frill outward like a massive umbrella. Had it simply flared its neck to intimidate us, that would have been one thing. But the frill was an active weapon.
Th-th-th-th-boom!
The instant the frill snapped open, a storm of jagged fragments sprayed out like deadly shrapnel. Given the monster's colossal stature, each projectile was the size of a grown man's torso. But the true nightmare lay in their composition.
"What the holy hell?! Every single one of those shards is solid Adamantium!"
The barrage rained down with catastrophic momentum. While we possessed the means to defend against them, piercing through that monster's Adamantium-plated hide was going to be an entirely different ordeal.
And then, to make matters worse...
Ra! Nanara! Zaunara! Aaaah~!
Maengkkongi started belting out dramatic boss battle hymns in operatic Latin.
We were, without a shadow of a doubt, completely and utterly screwed.