Chapter 111
Chapter 111
Chapter 111: Production Golem (5)
Translation: godtl
The mithril golems of Baek-eun, which were always bustling about.
That moment.
The mithril golems stood in perfect order along one wall of the laboratory, as if measured with a ruler.
And each time a mithril golem took its place.
Click.
Their movements ceased as though time had frozen.
Eventually, once all the mithril golems had stopped operating.
"Phew."
Si-mun let out a deep breath.
"That takes care of all the connections."
Transmutation Golems.
Thanks to the material being mithril.
Even though they didn't require direct control once their behavioral patterns were input.
A continuous infusion of Transmutation Power was necessary to keep them operational.
Having severed all those connections, Si-mun checked his rapidly replenishing Transmutation Power and turned around.
There, floating in mid-air, was a flask.
The Philosopher's Stone was circling around a metal model.
"Yeah, my Transmutation Power will be fully replenished soon."
The Philosopher's Stone inside the flask pointed toward the transmutation circle drawn opposite the metal model.
Si-mun nodded and walked toward the circle.
'A transmutation circle... It's been a while.'
After meeting the Philosopher's Stone.
Si-mun hadn't used a transmutation circle even once.
And why would he? When he had the ultimate transmutation method that required just a flick of his finger.
Who would bother drawing a transmutation circle manually?
But today was different.
Splash.
From his inventory, Si-mun retrieved a potion containing a dark red liquid.
Dragon Serum.
He placed it at the center of the transmutation circle.
The reason was simple.
"Yeah."
The Dragon Power required to operate the production golem.
This was to transmute it as efficiently as possible.
To be precise.
'It should be called replication transmutation.'
According to the Philosopher's Stone.
The Dragon Power within the Dragon Serum was of extremely high grade and purity.
But the quantity wasn't substantial, it had said.
Naturally.
Since Dragon Power was dangerous enough to be the primary cause of Arena diseases like Circuit Reversal.
Producing it in large quantities.
Especially refining it into a spirit elixir with dragon-tier power would turn it into poison rather than medicine.
'Honestly, I'm genuinely curious how they purified it in the first place.'
Si-mun had also examined the Dragon Serum with Odin's Eye and the Death Eye after returning to the lab.
But he couldn't decipher its manufacturing process or structure.
In any case.
'If we replicate the DS's Dragon Power to its maximum capacity, it'll be more than enough to power the production golems.'
By using the Dragon Serum's Dragon Power as a base for replication transmutation.
They could sufficiently compensate for the lack of operational Dragon Power.
'Well, there is a way to transmute all the missing Dragon Power without DS...'
But the cost was staggeringly high.
There was a huge difference between 'creating' something entirely new and 'replicating' something that already existed.
Of course, replication transmutation wasn't a perfect solution either.
While it cost less than creation, it still consumed Achievement Points.
And due to the nature of energy, it would dissipate if there was no vessel to contain it.
But that was only under normal circumstances.
'If we use it immediately after replication, it doesn't matter.'
Right now, those drawbacks didn't apply.
The cheerful voice of the Philosopher's Stone snapped Si-mun out of his thoughts.
Si-mun nodded and took his place before the transmutation circle.
Then.
Creak.
His body twisted, his already well-built physique growing even more solid.
Wherever his skin was exposed, golden scales began to shimmer faintly.
Dragon Body Transformation.
The activation of a genetic factor superior to any other species achievable through current human transmutation.
The scene continues.
Si-mun extends his hand forward.
[Insufficient Transmutation Power to meet the required threshold for transmutation.]
[To compensate for the lack of Equivalent Exchange, the Philosopher's Stone demands 20,000 Achievement Points.]
[Do you accept? (Yes / No)]
'20,000 points, huh...'
Even the Obsidian Tablet, the Heavenly Demon Divine Arts, and the World Tree's Seed—none of his past Mythic-grade transmutations had ever exceeded 20,000 Achievement Points.
Yet, Si-mun didn't feel the slightest regret.
The value of the Golem he was crafting would be proven by the materials alone.
'Besides, I'll be spending over 20,000 Achievement Points regularly from now on.'
The days when 10,000 points could transmute a decent Mythic-grade Equipment were long gone.
As his own specs grew, so too would the cost of the transmutations needed to support him. That was only natural.
Without hesitation, Si-mun selected 'Yes.'
Oooong—
The 20,000 Achievement Points converted into Transmutation Power gathered at his fingertips.
And the moment he flicked them—
Snap!
Flash!
The transmutation circle before him erupted in a violent burst of light.
Was it because of the Dragon Body Transformation? Or the Death Eye?
Or perhaps because Si-mun himself was the alchemist?
Whatever the reason, the dark crimson light flooding the lab didn't dazzle his eyes in the slightest.
Sssssshhh—
Soon, the dark crimson energy—
The Dragon Power of the Dragon Serum—reached its peak replication.
-Oppa! Now!
Snap.
Si-mun flicked his fingers again in quick succession.
Whoooosh!!
The dark crimson Dragon Power was instantly sucked into his body.
"Ghk!"
A small groan escaped between Si-mun's lips.
He had even halted the automatic production of healing potions to maintain peak condition, yet—
'My body... feels like it's about to burst!'
Like a balloon expanding endlessly,
the absorbed Dragon Power relentlessly filled his body to the brim.
"Grrk!"
Veins bulged grotesquely over his now-sturdier, dragon-transformed flesh,
while the golden scales shimmered faintly, their edges sharpening.
Gritting his teeth,
Si-mun thrust his trembling arm forward—as if it might explode at any second.
"Gaaaaah!"
Snap!
With a forceful flick of his fingers and a sharp exhale—
the Dragon Power lingering in his body shed its dark crimson hue.
Kwaaaarrrrrl!
Transforming into a radiant golden current—identical to his scales—it cascaded toward the Golem under construction.
"Ahh..."
Was this the pleasure of release?
Even as the overwhelming energy threatening to burst his body drained away in an instant,
an immense sense of liberation washed over him, drawing an involuntary sigh from his lips.
In contrast—
Crackle! Zap!
The golden current—
The Golem receiving the flood of Dragon Power from Si-mun crackled with sparks,
as if cheering in exhilaration.
These were transmutation sparks—signs of high-level alchemy at work.
-Ahh! Look at that! It's devouring an insane amount of Dragon Power! It's coming to life, bit by bit!
Even the Philosopher's Stone inside the flask, watching the scene unfold, gazed at the Golem's transmutation with hazy eyes.
Then—
Plop.
From behind them came an indescribably soft sound.
Normally, transmutation was an extremely delicate and precise act, so—
"Hm?"
-Huh?
Si-mun and the Philosopher's Stone, their nerves already on edge, instinctively turned toward the source of the noise.
To be precise—
"Wha—?!"
-W-what the hell is that?!
They tried to react.
But before they could—
A white orb.
The [Queen's Egg]—a reward from the last Arena—streaked past them.
"N-no!"
Neither Si-mun nor the Philosopher's Stone had ever imagined the Queen's Egg would move on its own.
But before they could take any action—
The Queen's Egg, swept up in the wave of Dragon Power, burrowed into the Golem under construction.
Crackle......
Thump!
With a dull sound, it swallowed up all the dazzling alchemical sparks in one gulp.
And with that as the finale—
KABOOOOOOOM!!
A tremendous explosion engulfed the laboratory.
A jungle teeming with sweltering heat and unidentified insects.
From within the dense thicket—
"Die!"
A woman clad in leather armor lunged out, thrusting her dagger forward.
A surprise attack so swift that even a fairly skilled Player would struggle to react.
But.
"You die first."
The target of the ambush retorted with a cynical reply and swung her fist.
CRACK!
The fist landed squarely on the dagger-wielding woman's face.
At a glance, it might have seemed as if the woman had moved her own face into the fist due to the sheer speed.
But.
Any Player with even a shred of skill—
No, even a shred of awareness—would have instantly realized.
That fist carried a weight far beyond the norm.
"H-Ha-eun!!"
"That monster!"
Two figures—presumably the woman's comrades—shouted in panic.
But.
"Stop screaming and come at me already."
The woman curled the corner of her lips mockingly as she shook out her fist.
Go Mal-suk kicked aside the lifeless body of the woman named Ha-eun.
"Aren't you two the last ones anyway?"
Her gaze swept over the remaining man and woman with utter leisure.
Then—
"Never mind. You'll just run again. I must be insane to even tell you to fight."
Scratching her head roughly, Go Mal-suk took a step forward.
"I'll just go to you instead."
"Damn it! Watch out! She's using that technique again—!"
The man hastily raised his shield, but—
WHOOM.
"Ghk—!"
"Ugh!"
As if crushed by an invisible, overwhelming weight—
Not only the shield-bearing man—
But even the robed woman behind him staggered and collapsed.
"Should've died a long time ago, but you kept running like rats. Well, not a bad strategy. Thanks to that, you survived till the end, didn't you?"
Go Mal-suk strode leisurely toward the two, who couldn't even twitch.
"Y-You...!"
Was it because he was a combat-type?
Or because he had the highest level among the three?
The man used his shield like a cane, straining to lift himself against the oppressive force pressing down on his entire body.
"Th-This damn cheat ability...!"
"Cheat? You think this is a cheat?"
"Then what—! A combat-type using... binding magic...! You call that fair?!"
Struggling even to speak, veins bulged on the man's neck and face as he forced out the words.
"Talking about cheats when you're already flat on your back."
Before he knew it, Go Mal-suk had closed the distance.
She smirked cynically and stretched her palm toward his face.
There—
VWOOM.
A dark energy rapidly condensed.
"You've really never met a true cheat before, have you?"
With those final words—
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Wave Annihilation Cannon.
The man's vision plunged into darkness.
South Korea's highest-rated Arena-exclusive channel, National Representative Arena.
"Aaah! The last survivors, the Cheetah Guild, have fallen!"
Choi Gang-yeop, the main MC of the renowned National Arena program, let out a lament.
In contrast—
"Ah! Absolutely incredible!"
The commentator beside him, Song Jae-kyung, burst into admiration.
"She even angled the technique to take out Lee Eun-ji behind him in one go! Such an efficient attack!"
"Indeed! With this, the sole survivor is Go Mal-suk! The winner of this Gold-rank Debut Match has been decided!"
[The winner of the Gold-rank Debut Match has been determined.]
The system message appeared the moment Choi Gang-yeop finished speaking.
"Just like Kim Si-mun, the winner of the previous season, she's won as a solo participant!"
"Absolutely incredible! Even if this season's prospects were said to be weaker than before, a solo victory is never an easy feat!"
"That's right! With this, another rising star has emerged in South Korea—"
Amid the heated commentary from Choi Gang-yeop and Song Jae-kyung...
A delicate-looking woman watching the National Arena program.
Click.
Lee Yu-jeong turned off the TV without hesitation.
Even though the screen went black abruptly, neither Kim Si-hyeok nor Park Jin-uk, who had been watching with her, voiced any complaints.
Instead—
Their gazes turned toward one of the doors in the living room.
BANG!
"Ugh, damn it."
A rough curse accompanied the entrance of a woman.
Go Mal-suk, with her sharp eyes, scratched her head in irritation, her movements laced with frustration.
"Mal-suk, congratulations on first place."
"Congratulations."
"Mal-suk, that was an impressive match."
Three voices offering their congratulations.
Yet, for some reason, she didn't seem satisfied.
"...Thanks, everyone."
With a pout like a sulking child, she plopped down beside Lee Yu-jeong.
Lee Yu-jeong smiled softly and asked,
"You won the whole thing, so why are you so worked up? Was it because the Cheetah Guild kept running away till the end?"
"I don't even care about them. That's just the kind of thing you'd expect from those losers."
Having said that, Go Mal-suk gulped down the tea Lee Yu-jeong handed her in one go.
Perhaps because it was expensive Elven Tea?
Slightly calmer now, she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and muttered,
"It's just pissing me off how weak they were."
"Weak? Ah."
Lee Yu-jeong tilted her head before letting out a small sigh.
"Oh, you mean the other participants."
She had pinpointed the exact source of Go Mal-suk's irritation.
Kim Si-hyeok added to her words.
"Is it because the prospects this season were weaker than when my brother participated?"
"Obviously!"
Had they hit the mark?
Go Mal-suk shot up from her seat.
"They were supposed to be the elite prospects from the top guilds in the country! The ones who dominated in Silver!"
So why the hell were they weaker than the guys he had fought?!
As Go Mal-suk raged, the other three exchanged small smiles.
"Mal-suk, I get how you feel, but the other participants would be devastated if they heard that."
"Can't be helped. The seasons when your brother participated were abnormally strong."
Led by Choi Jin-su, the Myth Guild.
The Scorpion Guild of the Yu siblings, hailed as the rising stars of the Magic Class.
And other top guilds besides.
Not only were the players overall at a high level, but the Magic Class's influence was unusually strong for a Gold Debut Match—so much so that those matches still rack up views to this day.
"Damn it! If only I'd met that perverted old man a little sooner! I could've done the Debut Match with him too—!"
Just as Go Mal-suk clenched her fists, ready to vent her frustration—
KABOOOOOM!!
An explosion—something that should never happen in the Ranker Palace—erupted.
"Wha—what the hell?!"
Go Mal-suk jolted in shock at the sudden blast.
But the other three—
"That explosion—!"
"It's coming from Si-mun's lab!"
"Oppa!"
Kim Si-hyeok, Park Jin-uk, and Lee Yu-jeong bolted out the door in an instant.
"W-wait! I'm coming too!"
Snapping back to her senses, Go Mal-suk hastily chased after them toward Si-mun's penthouse.
But even as the winner of the Gold Debut Match, she was still just Gold.
Keeping up with two Rankers and a Diamond player was impossible.
It took her a while before she finally reached Si-mun's penthouse.
And then—
"Huh?"
Her eyes widened.
That massive explosion—
Unlike the overwhelming blast that had made her think the Ranker Palace might collapse—
"What the hell? It's completely fine?"
Even the entrance was untouched.
She stepped through the open doorway of the penthouse.
Reached Si-mun's lab.
"Hey! Kim Si-mun! What the hell is—"
And saw.
"......"
"......"
The three who had arrived first, standing there dumbfounded.
And the presumed cause of the explosion—
"...Dad?"
An unknown child.