Chapter 97
Chapter 97
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Chapter 31 - Iron Horse
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Is that the direction where Sky Island crashed?”
[Coordinates input complete!]
[Activating navigation mode!]
Luther and Integra, having returned to the audience chamber via elevator, headed straight out of the temple without a second thought.
On the way, shrine maidens, including Queen Reina, tried to speak with them about where King Adon and the others had gone, but Luther and Integra had already lost any patience they had left.
Instead of listening, they brushed them off, claiming it was an emergency, and hurried on.
[The Iron Horse seems to have been loaded in B Section.]
[So there's a chance it wasn't damaged.]
Unlike A Section and C Section, which had been completely shattered, B Section had at least maintained some of its shape upon crashing.
But that didn't mean they could let their guard down.
B Section had suffered not only the destruction of its control room but a slew of other disasters as well.
“Anyway, let's hurry.”
[Understood.]
[Aqua Form, high-speed driving mode!]
At Integra's shout, both the nanosuit and Night Wing shifted into forms even more suited for swimming.
[Master, hold your position!]
[From now on, you're a torpedo!]
“Hey! A torpedo is a freaking missile!”
Think I don't know English?
[Hehe.]
[That's how urgent it is!]
Integra brushed it off with a cute expression and climbed onto Luther's back, now missile-shaped thanks to the transformations of Night Wing and the nanosuit.
[Master! Here we go!]
“Just don't crash into anything!”
“Of course! Launching!]
Since Integra was only visible to Luther through augmented reality, there was no risk of her being swept away by currents or drag.
With that, Integra propelled Luther at maximum speed, and he rocketed forward at over 100 km/h.
[Master, you holding up?]
Truth be told, 100 km/h wasn't that insane for a vehicle, but Luther was essentially naked right now, which made all the difference.
Luther gritted his teeth without responding, and Integra quickly checked the sea chart.
[The section where we can maintain this speed is ending soon!]
[We're entering an area with strong, complex currents—be careful!]
And then it happened.
Integra halted the massive thrust from the backpack and reshaped Night Wing, transforming Luther into something akin to a human periscope. She then guided him via navigation.
[Visibility is heavily restricted.]
[There's a chance sea dragons have gathered due to the crash of B Section.]
Luther had experienced multiple times how sea dragons reacted to debris or the Twin Drive.
With B Section's explosion likely leaking massive energy—or its power sources still intact—it was entirely possible sea dragons had swarmed, just as Integra said.
“Integra, how far to go?”
[Three more minutes of movement.]
As Integra had mentioned initially, visibility was poor.
But recklessly shining a bright light could attract not just sea dragons but all sorts of creatures, so Luther patiently advanced slowly.
‘Come to think of it, this is kinda scary.’
Integra was with him, but he was still swimming alone in the dark, deep sea.
‘And this planet's oceans are home to real monsters.’
Like Trigons or Krakens.
Creatures that existed only in Earth's legends were all real in the world of Dragon Hunter Origin.
[Master, the Sky Island staff seem to have evacuated.]
[Since the accident just happened yesterday, they probably haven't even begun recovery efforts.]
“The palace cleanup takes priority.”
Moreover, the temple was in the midst of a spy hunt, leaving far fewer personnel available than usual.
But Luther didn't care.
In fact, it was a golden opportunity.
No interference whatsoever while searching for the Iron Horse.
[Contaminants seem to have been released from C Section's wreckage.]
[Visibility is extremely limited—stay alert.]
The shattered remnants of C Section appeared to have all sunk, but the pollutants had clouded everything.
Feeling like he was wandering lost in black space, Luther focused more on his hearing and asked Integra.
[Have you located B Section?]
[It's on the seafloor.]
[Strong water pressure—be careful.]
Nodding, Luther turned his head toward the bottom and began descending.
But right then—
[Master! Life signs incoming!]
Visibility was still blocked, but Luther sensed it too.
Quickly manipulating his visor display to check life signs, he saw dozens—surpassing that—red dots converging at terrifying speed.
“Damn! Barros?!”
Each was only about a meter long, but they moved in packs of dozens or hundreds, predators that even sizable sea dragons avoided.
They rarely appeared in Malkuth Kingdom waters, but the Sky Island crash must have drawn them here.
[Master!]
“Full salvo! Create a barrage!”
[Impossible! We haven't restocked missiles yet— they're coming!]
Luther spotted the Barros too.
Dozens of giant piranha-like beasts with bright red scales charged at him, mouths agape.
“Torpedo mode! Dive!”
No time to worry about currents.
Integra transformed Night Wing and the nanosuit without a word, and Luther plunged toward the seafloor like he was crashing.
-Kwa-gaga-gag!
To fight the turbulent currents, Luther accelerated even more, shaking off the Barros that had nearly caught up.
But the real problem came next.
[Master! Seafloor too close!]
[We need to turn!]
“Uwooo!”
He never imagined pulling aerial stunts on the seafloor, but he had no choice.
Luther braked desperately, banking like he was scraping the ground before soaring again. Massive wreckage loomed before him.
[Turning!]
To be precise, the wreckage was stationary while Luther hurtled toward it, but to him, it was the same thing.
Out of missiles, Luther focused solely on evasion and barely threaded through the debris field of wreckage serving as reefs.
“Haa, haa, ha.”
[Deceleration complete. To avoid drawing more Barros, minimizing noise.]
[Be careful, Master.]
‘Got it.’
Silently mouthing his reply, Luther skimmed the bottom like walking on it.
[Master, B Section in sight.]
Having navigated the complex wreckage, visibility had improved somewhat.
As Integra said, beyond the thick, dark seawater, the silhouette of a massive structure emerged.
‘Integra, any signals detected?’
[Yes. Very faint, but definitely Galactic Federation signal.]
[Like with Clairheim Morr, likely coming from the Iron Horse.]
That was fortunate.
Easier to find, and more importantly, the Iron Horse could still transmit.
‘Track it, please.’
[Understood. Reactivating navigation mode.]
White arrows appeared before Luther's eyes.
Glancing toward the invisible surface, he asked,
‘Barros still around?’
[Barros and various other life signs everywhere.]
[The energy leak from Sky Island's crash drew in the sea dragons, as expected.]
‘So B Section might have sea dragons clinging to it?’
[Possible. Please be cautious.]
Nodding, Luther proceeded slowly.
After another five minutes or so, Integra spoke.
[Master, fortunately, the energy emissions are from B Section and its upper levels.]
[No notable reactions from the lower B Section we're targeting.]
Thus, aside from fish, nothing obstructed their path.
Another near-five minutes brought Luther to B Section's lower level. Entering the broken structure, he asked,
‘Integra, can you pinpoint the Iron Horse?’
[Located. It doesn't seem flung out by the impact—lucky.]
[We're inside the structure, so let's turn on the lights.]
Bright beams shot from both sides of Luther's visor, revealing what had been hidden.
Finally able to breathe easy, Luther sighed in relief and swam slowly following Integra's guidance.
[That room. Signal's coming from inside.]
The door was crumpled from the crash.
Luther wrenched it further open with brute force.
[Repair bay.]
[Records show the Iron Horse is dormant in that repair capsule.]
The room, with a ceiling about 7 meters high, held several bus-sized pods lined up. Integra pointed to the rightmost one.
‘Alright, let's check it.’
Approaching the rectangular pod, Luther held the Sea Key to the terminal by the door.
No response—power long dead—so he ripped the door open with raw strength and entered.
[Seems to be inside.]
Armed with mechanical arms, the pod contained another large tube-like chamber.
The Iron Horse was probably in there.
‘Like Russian nesting dolls.’
One inside another.
Anyway, they had arrived.
Gulping dryly, Luther approached the tube.
But right then—
[Replaying Boy's Log #???]
Remembering how he'd ignored the Sword Emperor's logs amid the Sky Island battle, Luther refocused, snapping out of his fixation on the Iron Horse.
He didn't know what would play, but the Sword Emperor's log took priority.
But—
“Haa... Ungh, haa...”
Before his eyes unfolded the Sword Emperor and Clarice, seated atop the tube, locked in a passionate deep kiss.
Both looked far more mature than on the island, and it didn't seem like it'd end with just kissing.
[Forcibly terminating video.]
[I-I'll check it alone later.]
Integra ended it with a flushed face, and Luther, equally red, yelled,
“Why the hell did the Sword Emperor record this?!”
[Well, conversely, maybe that's why he recorded it...?]
Strictly speaking, the ‘Boy's Log’ was just the Sword Emperor's diary.
[Today I kissed Clarice. Felt amazing. Want to tomorrow too... something like that?]
“No, that example's way too weird. Who writes diaries like that?”
[A-anyway.]
Uncharacteristically flustered by Luther's retort, Integra cleared her throat awkwardly before continuing.
[I'll check later if there's anything important, so let's prioritize the Iron Horse for now.]
“Whew... yeah.”
Though his mind spun a bit, they were already at the Iron Horse.
Noting mentally that the Sword Emperor was a bit odd, Luther approached the tube again.
[Master, the pod's been without power for a while.]
[Better to attach the backpack and inject energy.]
Luther nodded, and Integra automatically affixed the detached backpack to the tube, initiating operations.
[Energy injection 100% complete.]
[System rebooting.]
[...47%]
[...78%]
[...98%]
[100% complete.]
[Master, the Iron Horse pod is confirmed!]
“Yes!”
Anbar, the Iron Horse surpassing even Gale among the Eight Divine Treasures.
A grin spread across Luther's face, and Integra beamed back.
[Repairs already complete.]
[Opening the pod door.]
No sooner had Integra spoken than lights flickered across the tube's sections, followed by a small mechanical whir as the top slid open left and right.
Thus revealed:
The jet-black Iron Horse, curled asleep within the tube.
[Iron Horse surpassing Gale.]
[Access code: Trust (Divine Thunder)]
[Activating.]
The moment Integra's slightly tense voice ended, crimson glows flashed from the jet-black Iron Horse's eyes.