Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Chapter 3 - Fragment
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[Good morning.]
[You've secured sufficient sleep time. It's time to wake up now, Master.]
At the gentle voice, Luther slowly opened his eyes.
Instead of the familiar ceiling, an unfamiliar sky came into view.
"Urgh."
Muttering in a hoarse voice, Luther squeezed his eyes shut a few times before opening them again. In the end, he spoke with his eyes still closed.
"Integra."
[Yes, Master. It's a strong and fine morning.]
[So, please get up now. Okay?]
Integra's characteristic gentle voice, complete with that coquettish "Okay?" at the end, drew an involuntary smile from Luther.
"Where'd you learn that?"
[I performed a minor upgrade to my vocabulary overnight.]
[Because I'm capable, after all.]
Luther chuckled again at Integra's boastful tone, then forced his eyes open to gaze up at the sky.
A blue sky and the tall trees standing beneath it.
It was exactly the same.
The sky of Dragon Hunter Origin.
He had half-hoped that upon waking from sleep in the game world, he'd find himself back in his bed, but that seemed too much to wish for.
'Why did I end up here in the first place?'
And as a character from Star Savior, no less.
The situation was so absurd that pondering it wouldn't yield answers, but the question lingered anyway.
'Well... I'll find out eventually.'
Brushing the thought aside, Luther turned to more practical concerns.
'Holy Empire Calendar Year 119, autumn.'
The point just before the main story of Dragon Hunter Origin began.
The best outcome was stopping the secret society "Hecatoncheires," made up of Helcanes's kin, thereby preventing the world's destruction. And for that, Luther himself needed to grow stronger first.
'And the meteor is the means to that end.'
According to Integra's explanation, the meteor held a high chance of being helpful in some way.
If it turned out to be an escape pod or single-seater spaceship as expected, he could obtain not only various data but also the materials composing the ship.
'In other words, upgrades are possible.'
Software upgrades from the data, hardware from the materials.
'Good, crystal clear.'
With both reason and means to grow stronger in place, all that was left was to act.
And in fact, finding the meteor would help beyond just upgrades.
Setting aside why Lee Yun-ho had suddenly become Luther, the meteor likely held answers about how Luther Lightseeker, a Star Savior character, had ended up in the Dragon Hunter world.
'Like a black box.'
As Luther sat quietly organizing his thoughts, Integra whispered.
[Master, are you thinking of going back to sleep?]
"No, time to get up."
Replying to Integra, Luther rose to his feet and checked on Karen and Max.
Their sleeping faces looked anything but peaceful—more like they were in pain.
[Due to poison-induced stamina loss and roughing it in an uncomfortable spot, both of their sleep efficiency is quite poor.]
[But it shouldn't pose any major issues to their lives or immediate activity.]
"That's a relief at least."
It was unfortunate, but there was nothing to be done for now.
After a light stretch, Luther woke Karen first, who was nearby.
"Karen, Karen. Wake up. It's morning."
"Ugh... Urgh..."
Shaking her shoulder, Karen groaned and slowly opened her eyes.
Luther patted her shoulder a few more times to rouse her fully, then shook Max's body.
"Ugh. Urgh."
Max opened his eyes too.
But neither was fully alert yet, so Luther asked Karen, who seemed a bit more awake.
"Karen, got any water? A canteen or something?"
"Urgh... Yeah... here..."
In her raspy voice, Karen fumbled for her bag and pulled out a canteen.
It looked small from the outside, but it held quite a lot.
"Hand it over. I'll open it."
"Yes..."
Luther uncapped the canteen Karen weakly passed him, took a sip first, then passed it to Karen and Max in turn.
Water was indeed the best wake-up call; all three looked much improved.
"What... happened exactly?"
Max asked, pressing his temples, and Karen concisely explained yesterday's events.
The Geist ambush, Luther's feats in repelling them, and so on.
After hearing it all, Max bowed his head to Luther once more, expressing gratitude.
"Thank you. Truly, thank you, Luther."
He seemed more thankful for Karen's rescue than his own.
"I thank you too. Truly."
Karen bowed her head again in thanks.
"It's fine. Glad you two are safe."
Luther smiled warmly, and smiles appeared on Karen and Max's faces as well.
[Master, it's heartwarming and all, but how about some breakfast soon?]
Integra's voice carried a hint of poutiness, but Luther nodded right away and said to Karen and Max.
"Let's eat first."
"Yes, Luther."
As Karen replied, Max pulled out the leftover Kapuya meat from yesterday's meal.
Not premium cuts, but still tasty enough—hunger was the best seasoning.
'Filling the stomach makes everything better.'
Karen and Max looked much healthier now that they had something in them.
Taking a bite of Paparius, Luther turned to Max.
"Max, how far is the meteor crash site from here?"
Max furrowed his brow at Luther's still slightly translation-like speech.
"Uh... please wait a moment. Let me pinpoint our location first."
As Max looked away, Karen immediately rummaged in her bag and pulled out a map.
"The campsite is here, so..."
Max pointed to a spot on the map, and Luther and Karen shared what they knew.
Luther described the direction and distance traveled, while Karen recounted the constellations she'd seen before sleeping last night.
"Hmm, got it. Our position is roughly here. And the meteor..."
The map wasn't highly detailed, but it had enough landmarks.
Max combined the current view, the initial sighting direction, and more to mark the estimated crash site.
[The map is a bit vague, but accounting for scale, it doesn't seem far.]
[I'll record the map data.]
A HUD map appeared before Luther's eyes.
It closely matched Max's, but felt far more precise in spots—specifically, the parts Luther had traveled.
Likely adjusted based on recorded movement data.
'Real future tech.'
That was when Luther marveled.
"This should take about 30 minutes on foot."
Max spoke confidently, his face trustworthy.
"Good. Let's head out."
Luther stood first, and as Karen rose too, she said.
"The monsters and wyrmlings seem off their usual patterns, maybe due to the meteor impact... but daytime should be fine. Most are nocturnal."
She seemed to reference the Geists and Jogres that shouldn't have appeared near camp.
"Yeah. Still, stay cautious."
With that reminder, Luther stepped toward the direction Max indicated.
* * *
The Primitive Forest grew darker the deeper one went.
Towering trees dozens of meters tall stretched branches to form a canopy blotting out the sky.
The sun-deprived ground was damp, moss carpeting where underbrush should be.
[Master! Signal detected!]
[The spaceship seems nearby!]
As Integra's excited voice ended, an arrow appeared in Luther's vision.
About 100 meters from their position.
"Luther?"
Karen asked, seeing him stop abruptly. Luther turned toward the arrow.
"Think we've found it."
Karen and Max were briefly puzzled by Luther's words but soon understood.
They figured the angel Luther had sensed the meteor.
[Master, better to keep our pace for now.]
He wanted to dash ahead, but rushing in an unpredictable forest was too risky.
Agreeing with Integra, Luther asked quietly.
"Integra, any other life signs?"
[No immediate energy signatures nearby.]
[But keep in mind my life detection range is only about 10 meters even in open areas.]
"Got it."
Nodding slightly, Luther pressed on, more alert to surroundings.
Then, at some point.
"Over there, I think."
Karen stopped and whispered. Max swallowed dryly, nodding.
Luther clenched his fist at the sight beyond the brush.
[Crater detected.]
[Signal emanating from inside the crater.]
The fire was out, but a deep crater scarred the ground, surrounded by scorched, fallen trees.
What lay within?
Swallowing to calm his pounding heart, Luther stepped forward.
But right then.
"Kieeek!"
"Kiiieeek!"
Shrieks erupted from trees around the crater.
Gray, monkey-like monsters scampered branches, howling.
At least a dozen.
"Luther! It's Lyka!"
The monkey monsters that devoured prey and kin alike when hungry!
"Kyaaah!"
A particularly thunderous roar came from straight ahead.
The leader, twice the size of the others.
Unlike the frantic branch-hoppers, it crouched on a limb, glaring.
Its wrinkled face framed yellow eyes that seemed to glow.
"Luther."
Max whispered low, swallowing again.
Karen's breathing grew ragged even before battle began.
From the overwhelming shrieks and stares of the descending Lykas.
Drawing his axe, Luther locked eyes with the leader and murmured.
"Integra, equip nanosuit."
The new upgrade from last night.
[Initiating Nanosuit Lv1 for the first time.]
[Specify equip area.]
"What?"
[Nanosuit level is low.]
[Insufficient nanomachines.]
[Select one: head or limb.]
Level 1 meant partial equip only, not full body.
Unexpected, but Luther stayed calm.
Head or one limb.
Which for max efficiency?
"Kyaa!"
The leader roared again, and Lykas leaped toward them en masse. No time to think.
"Right arm!"
[Equipping nanosuit.]
As Integra spoke, Luther's right arm transformed.
From fingertips to mid-forearm turned pitch black, then blue light and pristine white metal covered it.
"Right arm?!"
Even in the chaos, Max and Karen gasped at the glowing arm.
The leaping Lykas startled too.
But that wasn't all.
More surprises awaited.
[Reinforcing connected weapon on right arm.]
Why nanosuit only covered half the forearm.
White particle waves from Luther's fingertips climbed the axe haft, reshaping it.
Two white thrusters each on both blade sides—four total—and a energy gun-like barrel at the base.
True weapon enhancement.
[Feel the difference in power?]
Integra chuckled,
and a smile spread across Luther's face.