The Mountain Range Workshop
Kim Ilshin and Hana Lin arrived at the Mountain Range Workshop shortly after their departure. From the outside, the structure was so bizarre that it was impossible to guess its purpose. It resembled an hourglass, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling meeting a building constructed from the ground up. It looked more like an ornamental sculpture than a facility built for a specific function.
"We just have to go in here."
Kim Ilshin passed through an entrance that seemed small compared to the building's overall scale and faced a long corridor with doors lining both sides.
'It's surprisingly modern.'
The interior of the Mountain Range Workshop was impeccably maintained. There wasn't a speck of dust on the floors or walls, and the doors along the sides operated electronically. It was the complete opposite of its crude exterior.
"Are those devices to assist with calculations?"
"Yup. They're super important. If even one of them breaks, we can't work."
Beyond the doors, which were arranged at regular intervals along the corridor, were rooms filled with unrecognizable machinery. It felt like looking into a complex server management room. The sight gave him an inkling of just how immense the power of the mountain range he was about to handle truly was. It meant they had equipped such vast and numerous facilities solely to utilize that power. The 'work preparation' Hana Lin had mentioned must have included the maintenance of these systems.
"Is the work done over there?"
"Yep. That's the main workshop."
The spacious main workshop led to the end of the corridor. In the center of the room sat a massive piece of machinery. Hana Lin explained that it was a 'Core Condenser'—a device designed to receive and channel the power of the mountain range so it could be utilized. As she described, dozens of thick cables, like wooden pillars, connected the top of the Condenser to the stalactites firmly attached to the ceiling of the building. It seemed they drew the mountain's power down through those.
In the center, beneath the Core Condenser, was a device that looked like a miniaturized MRI machine; it was the perfect shape to insert Hyeonwol.
"Do I put Hyeonwol in here?"
"Exactly. We've set it up so it's simple—you just need to apply pressure."
Hana Lin said it nonchalantly, but Kim Ilshin felt his breath hitch as he heard her. 'If this is simple, what on earth does a complex setup look like?' His mind couldn't even begin to fathom it. He felt very glad he had chosen the path of a swordsman.
"I'm going to start now, so get ready."
Just as he was lost in thought, Hana Lin, who had been busy manipulating something in front of a monitor, spoke up. It was time to begin.
Vrrrrm.
Kim Ilshin drew Hyeonwol. A more ferocious energy than before surged up through his grip.
"Should I insert it right away?"
"Yeah."
He thrust Hyeonwol into the Core Condenser. Since it had been custom-made, it fit perfectly.
"From here on, it's up to you. When you apply pressure to the sword, the power inside will start to run wild. No matter what happens, never let go of the sword."
Hana Lin added a further explanation.
"The sword must not move until the work is finished for the design to proceed as planned. If the sword slips out even a little bit, it's an immediate failure. Got it?"
"How long will it take?"
"At least five hours."
Five hours of enduring the power inherent in Hyeonwol. Having witnessed a glimpse of that power before, he was nervous, but it was doable.
"I'll do it."
"It's not about 'doing it,' you *have* to do it. ...Still, if you really can't handle it, you can let go. No matter how good a sword is, it's just scrap metal if there's no one to wield it."
"I understand."
As he nodded in response, the Core Condenser began to operate immediately.
Clank.
WIIIIIIIIING!
The massive Core Condenser, which occupied most of the main workshop, let out a deafening roar.
BOOOOM!
A roar that sounded like an earthquake erupted from above. At the same time, he could feel a massive flow of mana descending.
"It's starting! Grip it tight!"
The power of the mountain range, channeled down through the thick cables, passed through the Core Condenser and was shot directly into Hyeonwol.
WUUUUUUUNG—!!
Soon, Hyeonwol began to run wild. The vibration, as if resonating with the applied pressure, went beyond Kim Ilshin's grip and shook the entire building.
'It's stronger than I thought...!'
He immediately split his mana circuits into three. He operated the Cheonji Myowon-gong at peak intensity in each circuit, pouring the heated mana into his grip.
'…This is enough.'
He grasped the rhythm immediately. He could gauge how fast to operate the circuits and how much mana to use to withstand the vibrations. If he controlled it to the limit, he felt he could last up to 10 hours.
"You're doing great! Now, coating!"
What Hana Lin called 'coating' meant the process of wrapping the exterior of Hyeonwol in a membrane made of mana. It was an idea inspired by Kim Ilshin's method of blocking the black radiance that had leaked from Hyeonwol last time. The goal was to completely coat the surface to prevent the radiance from leaking out.
Goooooo...
"Done! It's a success!"
Hana Lin shouted with joy. The black radiance that burst from Hyeonwol could not pass through the coated membrane. If Kim Ilshin could just hold on like this, the work was as good as finished.
'That is...'
At that moment, an exotic flow of mana caught Kim Ilshin's eye. It looked like black flames, and to Kim Ilshin, it emitted a very familiar wave.
'If it's now, I think it's possible.'
His actions were faster than his thoughts. Kim Ilshin's straight-reaching mana passed through the external membrane and infiltrated the interior of Hyeonwol.
'It's hard to take complete control.'
It was like a small stream entering a wildfire; that alone wouldn't change anything. However, there was the pressure pushing in endlessly from the outside. By utilizing this, he could guide the flow of the flames.
'First, circulation.'
He cleared a path with his mana to guide the flames to circulate throughout the whole. In the process of circulating in a circle, the scattered fragments were absorbed into the flames. As that circulation repeated, all the flames were soon placed on a single flow. The preparation for the next process was complete.
'Compression.'
The flames, moving like a snail shell, gathered inward. The flames that had been running wild without purpose gradually became clearer, and at the same time, began to take on a distinct shape.
"Hey! What are you doing right now!"
Hana Lin, who finally sensed something was wrong, shouted in surprise. However, Kim Ilshin, already lost in a state of selflessness, couldn't hear her.
"No, what is he doing...!"
There was nothing Hana Lin could do in this situation. It seemed dangerous to touch Kim Ilshin in that state, but it was also unsettling to leave him be.
"...Huh?"
Just then, something strange caught Hana Lin's eye. The dashboard indicating the estimated time remaining. Where it had clearly read [6:45] just a moment ago, an incomprehensible time of [3:15] had appeared.
"...Why is this like this?"
Hana Lin immediately began to check the other figures. And before long, she realized what was happening.
'In that situation, moving the internal power, and the result created is far beyond the prediction...? Is that even possible for a human...?'
It was a fact hard to believe. In a situation where massive pressure was being applied, it was nearly impossible to guide irregularly wild power as intended. It was theoretically possible. And there were even two ways to do it. Of course, both were absurd methods.
First. Calculate every action occurring inside the Core Condenser without a single error.
'Or...'
Second. Just do it by instinct.
Whichever case Kim Ilshin fell into, it was equally incomprehensible to her.
'Let's just watch for now.'
One thing was certain: the stabilization work was proceeding successfully. The anxiety didn't disappear, but for now, she had no choice but to trust Kim Ilshin. Hana Lin, who had fixed her worried gaze on Kim Ilshin, prayed earnestly in her heart. Regardless of the success or failure of the work, she just wanted Kim Ilshin not to get hurt.
BOOOOM!
"What is this? Did something explode again?"
A dwarf who had been outside the Jangsan-gul muttered anxiously at the sudden vibration. It hadn't even been 10 minutes since the mine restoration work had finished. If the previous vibration had been caused by the collapse of the mine, he would have had to run there immediately without even resting.
"I told you they were using the Mountain Range Workshop today. It's probably because of that."
"Then that's a relief."
"Shall we go and grab a drink right away?"
"Sounds good."
Come to think of it, it had come from too deep underground to be the sound of a mine collapsing. Just as the relieved dwarf picked up his shovel and was about to move, it happened.
KUUUUUUUUUU—!!
A vibration incomparable to the previous one shook the earth's axis. The dwarf, who had barely managed to keep his balance, shouted to his colleague.
"What is this! This is too big! Isn't there really an earthquake?"
"..."
However, his colleague just stood there, his gaze fixed on the sky above.
"Eh? Why are you suddenly—"
The dwarf couldn't finish his sentence. A shadow had suddenly fallen over him. The dwarf, feeling something strange, looked up.
"...This is insane."
He witnessed the movement of a massive stone mountain advancing toward Jangsan-gul.