Chapter 39
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 39
Watching the golem draw near, Karon glanced at the artifact in my hand and asked in a low voice, “What is that strange object?”
“Just a toy. You don’t need to worry about the details.”
Instead of explaining further, I slipped the artifact back into my pocket.
This artifact is one of Roen’s collectibles.
It was a device capable of sending activation commands to various mechanical constructs from a distance. In modern terms, it was a remote control. It was a practically useless item—a literal toy—but anything can be a masterstroke depending on how it’s used.
I had used my alchemy magic, [Amplification], to grant this toy a specialized pulse. That was why the nearby golem had picked up the signal and marched straight here.
Even a piece of junk has its use. A mere toy can be this effective when deployed at the right place and the right time.
Thump—.
Thump—.
I pointed toward the massive steel doll emerging through the mist and trees. “How about this for a method?”
Freya looked up at the golem looming over us and nodded slowly. “...Not bad.”
The mana stone harvested from an automated golem was equivalent to three stones from high-tier monsters. In terms of points, it held the same value as 150 low-tier monsters like kobolds.
I looked at the golem and shrugged. “I can’t take it down with my current abilities, so I’ll leave the heavy lifting to you, Freya.”
I might have called it a walking pile of points, but it was by no means an easy opponent. Automated golems possessed extremely high magic resistance; Roen’s current level of magic couldn't even leave a scratch on its plating. Even if my magic crystal orb had been intact, facing that thing alone would have been a tall order.
As I entrusted the fight to Freya, Karon, who was standing beside me, let out a sneer. “Summoning an enemy you can’t even handle yourself... what an irresponsible bastard.”
“...”
He’d been picking fights with me for a while now, clearly displeased with my lack of direct combat contribution. I shrugged and shot back.
“You’re just figuring that out? Still, it’s better than being someone who does nothing but run their mouth.”
“...Are you talking about me?”
“I’m glad you’re at least smart enough to catch on. I’m saying you should actually do something instead of just flapping your gums.”
“Why, you—!”
Karon’s face flushed a deep crimson. He gripped the hilt of his sword as if he were about to draw it then and there.
I looked at him and scoffed. “What’s this? Is your sword only meant for threatening your own teammates?”
“You son of a bitch!”
Karon growled, his hand tightening on his weapon, but Freya stepped between us, her presence cutting through the tension.
“Roen, that’s enough. And Sir Karon, you will stop right there. I am disappointed that you would even think of drawing your sword on a teammate.”
“...!”
“And you would do well to mind your tone. You are being far too abrasive.”
“...My apologies.”
Karon bowed his head to Freya in a stiff apology, then drew his blade with a sharp shing.
“To atone for my behavior, please allow me to handle that golem.”
Karon shot me one last venomous glare before leveling his sword at the automated golem. It seemed my comment about him being useless had finally stung his pride. He stared down the approaching machine in silence.
“Hah!”
With a sharp shout, he infused his blade with mana.
Vwoom—.
Karon’s sword emitted a faint blue light as mana surged through the steel. I glanced at the weapon and analyzed his progress.
A proper Sword Aura hasn't manifested on the blade's surface yet. His current skill level is likely around [Beginner Swordsmanship Lv. 7].
Beginner Level 7 was roughly equivalent to a high-level swordsman in a typical fantasy setting. However, to manifest [Sword Aura]—the hallmark of a true master—one needed to reach at least [Intermediate Swordsmanship Lv. 1], the entry-level for a Sword Expert.
Fwip—.
Karon raised his mana-infused sword and swung it with everything he had at the golem, but...
The physical defense of a Union-made automated golem can’t be pierced by an attack lacking Sword Aura.
CLANG—!
The strike never stood a chance. With a bone-jarring ring, Karon’s sword was deflected instantly.
“!”
The sheer recoil tore the weapon from Karon’s grip.
Clatter—.
“Kugh...!”
Disarmed and reeling, Karon collapsed, clutching his bleeding hand and groaning in agony.
And then, it happened.
WHOOSH—.
The golem’s massive iron fist descended toward the fallen Karon.
“!”
Faced with the devastating blow, Karon could only freeze, staring up in terror.
Flick—.
Freya blurred into motion, appearing instantly between Karon and the machine.
KRAANG—!
She raised her sword, meeting the golem’s crushing weight head-on. The sound of metal screaming against metal echoed through the clearing as the golem’s immense strength traveled down her blade. Freya braced herself with both hands, withstanding the force, and spoke to the prone Karon in a voice like ice.
“Sir Karon. Fall back. That is an order.”
“Y-Yes... Yes, ma’am!”
Karon scrambled for his fallen sword and fled as if his life depended on it. Once she confirmed he was clear, Freya turned her full attention to the golem.
Screech—.
Freya tilted her blade at a precise angle, deflecting the golem's momentum. Its heavy fist slammed into the earth.
BOOM—!
The ground exploded on impact, dirt and stone spraying everywhere. It was a terrifying display of the golem’s raw physical power.
Rumble—.
The golem retracted its fist from the deep crater like a hydraulic excavator. Its red eyes glowed menacingly from behind its visor as it locked onto Freya.
It’s starting.
Keeping my eyes fixed on the battle, I spoke to Garfield. “Garfield, get the first-aid kit. Give it to Karon. There should be a hemostatic agent in the side pouch of the backpack.”
“Ah, right! On it.”
Garfield, who had been watching the fight in a daze, quickly retrieved the medicine and bandages and handed them to Karon.
“...Thanks,” Karon muttered, biting his lip as he applied the agent to his torn palm and wrapped it tight.
With my gaze still locked on Freya, I spoke loud enough for Karon to hear. “There’s a right time and place for everything. My role was to summon the golem. Your role is to cover the rear. Eagerness alone gets you nowhere. Understanding your own limitations is a skill in itself.”
“...”
The Union’s automated golems were mechanical juggernauts, capable of slaughtering monsters up to the level of a Troll with ease. Only someone of Freya’s caliber—someone at the very top of our year—could hope to handle one alone. For someone at Karon’s level, it was a suicide mission.
The same goes for the other students.
A full team of five average students would likely be decimated by a single golem. It was simple logic: a construct worth three times the points of a high-tier monster wasn't going to be a pushover.
Of course... for a monster like Freya, subduing it was only a matter of time.
I settled in to watch the show.
Tap—.
She evaded the golem’s strikes with flawless, minimal movements. There wasn't a single wasted motion or a flicker of hesitation. Her mechanical precision was a testament to the grueling training she had endured to hone her craft.
Shink—.
She wasn’t just dodging. She was methodically dismantling her opponent. Freya’s strikes bit into the narrow gaps between the golem’s thick armor plates. With every blow, the golem’s joints began to spark or loosen.
A clever fighting style.
She could have simply cleaved through the armor using her full Sword Aura, but that would be a massive drain on her mana and stamina. By targeting the weak points, she was ensuring a certain, albeit slower, victory.
However...
Even Freya probably doesn't know the golem has a second phase.
No student would have ever fought one of the academy’s guardians head-on like this. It was only natural she wouldn't be prepared for what came next. I narrowed my eyes, monitoring the golem’s status. The red glow behind its visor intensified, and the hum of its mana engine grew into a roar.
It was time.
“Freya, targeting the joints is a good strategy, but watch the mana flow. An automated golem can overclock its own engine output.”
“...?”
Freya tilted her head slightly at my warning, mid-combat. At that exact moment—
Pshhhk—!
White steam hissed from the vents on the golem’s back, and its movements shifted instantly.
WHOOSH—!
It had entered Phase Two.
“!”
The sudden burst of speed was so drastic that even Freya couldn't react perfectly.
BAM—!
“Kuh!”
Freya managed to bring her sword up to block, but the sheer force sent her skidding back across the clearing. I watched as she tumbled, rolled once, and sprang back to her feet.
“...I did tell you to be careful.”
“Hmph.”
Using her sword as a brace, she pushed herself up and glared at me, her eyes flashing with irritation. “...You certainly took your time telling me.”
“My apologies.”
“Hmph.”
Freya dusted off her clothes, stood tall, and leveled her blade at the golem once more. “Enough. I’ll just end this now.”
She gathered her mana, channeling it into the steel.
VWOOOOM—!
A brilliant, sapphire Sword Aura erupted from her blade. It was a fundamentally different league of energy compared to the flickering light Karon had produced. The intense, flame-like aura soon stabilized, coating the sword in a razor-sharp edge of pure power.
Watching that refined aura, I calculated her strength.
Freya’s current level is [Intermediate Swordsmanship Lv. 5].
She was an upper-tier Sword Expert. Even outside the Union, there were few knights who could claim to have reached such a height at her age.
“Hah!”
With a sharp cry, Freya unleashed a vertical slash.
SCHRRNNK—!
A single line traced from the golem's head to its core, cleaving the massive steel automaton perfectly in two.
CRASH—!
Split down the middle, the golem’s massive frame collapsed into two useless heaps of scrap.
As expected of Freya. It was a magnificent display, truly worthy of applause. To think I’d get to see the swordsmanship I’d only ever read about in game descriptions right before my eyes.
“Hoo... hoo...”
Freya steadied her breathing, taking slow, rhythmic gulps of air. I watched her sheathe her sword and nodded to myself.
Things are going smoothly.
After wandering for over ten hours, we had only gathered 17 low-tier mana stones. But in just ten minutes, we had secured a golem’s stone worth 150. We were now undeniably in the lead. We cleared it easily because we had a powerhouse like Freya, but for most teams, hunting a golem was an impossible dream.
I pulled a water bottle from my pack and offered it to Freya as she caught her breath. “Good work. That was a fine fight. Flawless execution.”
“...”
Freya only stared blankly at the bottle for a moment before turning away. She pulled out her own canteen and took a drink, leaving my hand hanging awkwardly in the air.
I heard Karon let out a muffled snort from the background.
To mask the embarrassment, I shoved the bottle toward Garfield. “Here, take it.”
Garfield tilted his head, looking confused. “Sir Roen? Why are you giving this to me? I have my own water.”
“Just take it.”
...Because I’m pissed.