Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Chapter 15 - Arma Valentine #2
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The next morning.
But Karen and Max, having stayed up all night, were deep asleep with eye masks on.
Arma Valentine stood motionless inside her crimson giant armor—whether she had fallen asleep standing or entered some sort of standby mode like a terminal doll, she didn't stir.
“Nine hours from now, then.”
It seemed Luther's condition looked poor, so she meant they should rest first and talk later.
Thus, Luther lay down near Karen and Max and closed his eyes.
[Master, are you feeling okay?]
‘No, honestly, I'm not that sleepy.’
[Rest anyway. I'll wake you in four hours.]
[Shall I activate sleep mode?]
After a moment's hesitation at Integra's question, Luther nodded.
Arma had said to meet in nine hours anyway, so waking after four shouldn't cause any issues.
‘Please do.’
[Good night, Master.]
[Sweet dreams.]
Luther chuckled softly at Integra's tender whisper, then fell into a deep sleep as if by magic.
And four hours later.
[Master, time to wake up.]
[Did you have sweet dreams?]
Integra's whisper snapped Luther awake like flipping a switch.
His body felt rested, and his mind was clear as if freshly laundered.
‘Integra.’
[Yes, Master.]
Luther glanced up at the sky for a moment.
The sun, which had been rising in the east, now hung at its zenith.
[Karen and Max are still fast asleep.]
[Arma Valentine remains silent.]
[Additionally, the analysis of the mana stones Karen and Max gathered is complete.]
One reason Karen and Max had collapsed.
The abyssal dragons Arma Valentine had slain totaled nineteen, but her attacks with four demonic swords were so devastating that only nine mana stones—half the number—could be salvaged.
However, even those nine showed anomalies from the fragments, so Integra had held off absorption for analysis.
[The fragments have corrupted the mana stones, boosting their output by over double.]
[But there's significant contamination from the corruption as well.]
[Absorbing them could cause unforeseen issues for Master, so I recommend holding off.]
‘Can you purify them?’
Integra replied swiftly to Luther's question, as if prepared.
[Currently attempting it.]
[With enough time, it should be possible.]
‘Good, that's a relief.’
It would have been utterly frustrating if they'd gone to the trouble only for them to be unusable.
‘Webnovel-wise, it'd be a problem too.’
He could imagine the complaints: all that effort for nothing.
Chucking at the absurd delusion, Luther straightened his posture, closed his eyes, and spoke.
‘Integra, have you figured out why the abyssal dragons and monsters mutated?’
[Not yet.]
[The fragments are clearly the cause, but we lack data and tools to pinpoint the exact mechanism.]
[That said, the mutations only affect abyssal dragons and monsters suggests a specific factor unique to them is involved.]
[Focusing there could yield meaningful research results.]
‘I see.’
He didn't fully grasp it, but it sounded like understanding the cause could open up ways to exploit it.
‘But if the fragments act like stimulants on abyssal dragons, what about me?’
[Far weaker than with fragments, but you might experience something similar, Master.]
[The jogres in the Primordial Beast Forest obsessively tracking you was likely due to that.]
Listening, Luther nodded unconsciously.
The jogres appearing just as he tried to recover a fragment wasn't coincidence—it was inevitable.
‘Anyway, nothing certain for now.’
[I'm sorry.]
‘No need to apologize, Integra. Figuring this much out is impressive.’
[Right? I knew you'd say that.]
Integra switched to a confident tone, making Luther smile again.
She'd probably led with the apology expecting that.
‘Anyway, Integra, report on the fragment absorption results.’
[Understood.]
[Close your eyes and focus your mind. Can you see me?]
It sounded contradictory, but Luther nodded right away.
Integra's image naturally appeared in his mind.
Dressed in her usual micro-mini maid outfit, she gestured from within a soft glow in the darkness.
[Then, I'll begin the report.]
[Don't just stare at me—look at the chart ahead.]
"I've been looking at the chart."
[Hmph, liar.]
Integra giggled mischievously, but only briefly.
She took a deep breath, then explained the changes in a serious yet gentle voice.
[To cut to the chase, there are two major points.]
[First, the fragments' identity.]
[All fragments so far appear to be from the same spaceship.]
[With a third, we should learn what ship brought Master to this planet.]
“Could we restore it? Reconstruct it or something?”
Gathering fragments to rebuild the spaceship.
Integra shook her head at Luther's words.
[Reconstructing a spaceship from fragments alone is impossible.]
[But collecting data and materials from fragments like this could yield significant results.]
“Like what, specifically?”
Integra smiled as if waiting, snapping her fingers.
A silhouette of a spaceship, outlined in lines, appeared beside her.
[Still speculative, but we might build an entirely new one.]
“Really?”
[Yes, really. But that's low probability... A more realistic option is finding Emperor Clausewitz's battleship, as mentioned.]
“Add fragments to the battleship?”
[Correct.]
[If it's from the nanosuit era—or even older—with a base hull, we can modify it sufficiently.]
It was tempting, and Luther agreed it was practical.
Improving what exists beats creating from nothing.
“No location data on new fragments?”
[We have some.]
[Signal's faint, no precise locations, but at least one fragment per zone in the Holy Empire's east, west, south, north, and central—five zones.]
[Arma Valentine's third fragment should pinpoint them better.]
Including his own, they'd clustered west, but one per region meant they'd scattered everywhere.
“Totally shattered, huh?”
Scattered this much.
Integra nodded.
[Likely.]
[Discovered fragments are all too small.]
[Larger ones may turn up, but as is, it's safe to say it was blown to bits.]
What on earth happened right before Luther possessed this body?
He pondered briefly, then shook his head.
Pointless worrying.
“Integra, move to the second point.”
[Understood.]
[Now look at me.]
Turning, Luther saw blue letters and shapes covering Integra's body.
[Massive new data absorption triggered a software upgrade.]
[Processing speed up 150%, energy efficiency improved 120%.]
[All function limits raised.]
[Growth now possible to level 10.]
[And more... Master, you're not listening?]
Integra placed hands on hips, narrowing her eyes accusingly. Luther nodded honestly.
“Bottom line: you're stronger?”
[Sigh, yes, human.]
[I'll just summarize the parts you'll like.]
Snapping her fingers lightly, a pristine white suit materialized in the darkness.
Luther's familiar nanosuit.
But one major change.
“It has legs!”
[Yes. And a chest too.]
Integra patted her own chest, then the nanosuit's.
Unlike before, a proper white metal breastplate was attached, with a circular indentation in the center.
“This design's peak canon now.”
It was from Star Savior anyway.
Satisfied, Luther smiled, and Integra swayed her skirt hem.
[Master, check the legs.]
[Even experts would recognize their quality at a glance.]
Sturdy legs, thrusters attached as expected.
Most striking: the soles.
“Ooh... big thrusters. Can it fly now?”
The entire soles were thrusters.
Sadly, Integra shook her head.
[Flight still impossible.]
[But far more versatile and effective mobility than before.]
Luther nodded.
“Right. Muscle enhancement now full-body?”
[Naturally.]
[Body-wide load distribution means arms can output even greater strength.]
“Great, I'm satisfied.”
Basic suit in Star Savior, but full-body nonetheless.
Made his chest feel grander.
And one more thing.
[Why that look?]
“Because you're grinning like that?”
Integra giggled coyly, skirt swaying teasingly.
Anyone would think she was hiding something.
[Sharp as ever.]
Giggling again, she beckoned him closer.
“What suddenly?”
[Important things are whispered.]
“No one's around anyway.”
[Don't want to hear it?]
“What kind of support AI are you?”
[That's why you like me, human?]
Integra tilted her head, beckoning. Luther couldn't hold back laughter.
“Fine, I'll come.”
[Knew you would—hurry.]
Sighing, Luther approached. Integra snuggled into his embrace, stretching her neck.
[So...]
And the conversation that followed.
A smile spread across Luther's lips, as always.
* * *
Truthfully, the fragment absorption report wasn't the only urgent matter.
What to do next.
“First, convince Arma well and get the third fragment... but that's a side event. Main is the Beast Lord's descent.”
The western arc's climactic main event.
[In the original, Beast Lord descent follows right after the Astra fight, right?]
“Yeah. During the Astra fight, Anne Rose loses the Spirit Jewel.”
Original Anne Rose—western arc summary:
Fleeing House Gleston, Anne Rose heals, bolsters forces, defeats pursuer Valboa.
Learns Spirit Jewel coveters caused Gleston massacre and plot more schemes.
After deliberation, heads to mentor Arma Valentine.
Believes top-ten superhuman can safeguard the jewel.
En route to mentor's abode, joins adventurer party with old acquaintance near Assassin Gorge.
[Astra and minions wipe the party?]
“Yeah, original has the ambush here at camp.”
Barely surviving, Anne Rose battles Astra through Assassin Gorge, finally fells her after fierce struggle.
[But loses the Spirit Jewel.]
“Yeah, Astra sends minion fleeing with it, then blocks Anne Rose.”
Piecing Astra's slips, Anne Rose deduces plot at Valkein Ruins.
“Little time left, so she goes alone. Witnesses Hecatoncheires dragonkin Jenadu summoning Beast Lord there.”
Original fails to stop descent.
Anne Rose flees again; Beast Lord Balakia ravages forests, cities, villages near Venus City.
“Beast Lord's power overwhelming. Daily weakening gimmick helps, but original catches on day 5 earliest.”
Damage over those 5 days immense.
Over half the west, including Venus City, reduced to ash.
[Best to prevent descent entirely.]
“Yeah. Too dangerous. Optimal is stopping it outright.”
Luther closed eyes, recalling original Beast Lord fight.
Vivid scenes of west crumbling daily.
Day 4 defeat: ~60,000 dead by Beast Lord.
Day 5: ~130,000.
Day 6: ~280,000.
Day 7: ~600,000.
Dragon Hunter Origin wasn't 'marching toward ruin' for nothing.
Following original flow meant massive casualties.
[Didn't lose jewel like original, but Hecatoncheires might have substitute. So scout Valkein Ruins—Beast Lord site—first?]
“Yeah, might find clues.”
Hecatoncheires dragonkin dispatched for ritual, or altar prepped.
Better than waiting.
“Plus, Arma Valentine's here now. Renowned archaeologist knows far more about Beast Lord rituals.”
Now's the chance.
Must convince Arma to go to Valkein Ruins together.
[Understood.]
[We'll convince her together. But Master, one more thing before advancing the story.]
Another task before original plot.
Knowing what Integra meant, Luther gave a wry smile.
* * *
“Integra, maybe we should just give up?”
[The fairies must all be blind!]