Chapter 166 – Left Something Precious (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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[Quernberg Machine Tower].

When the rift was generated, I had deeply 『Explored』 the structure of the Machine Tower.

Because back then, my level wasn’t as high as it is now.

I needed a trick to win in battles against high-level players like Rox.

“……Are you truly okay with this?”

Hiel asked carefully.

No, I’m telling you I’m really okay.

It seems I really need to show it with actions rather than words.

I raised my magic power.

The exploration process executed swiftly.

It was neither Lee Ho-yeol’s nor anyone else’s, but Granfel’s talent.

He wasn’t someone with a brain that would forget a target he explored once just because time passed.

Furthermore, there is the effect of the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

There was knowledge regarding all minerals.

I immediately entered the 『Interference』 process.

It’s not manifesting into a new form.

Just reverting it to its previous form.

Therefore, the only thing added is 『Reversal』.

Soon, magic power permeated the disastrously shattered mechanical device.

‘Unexpected?’

If there is a maximum advantage of reversal magic.

It would definitely be that magic power efficiency is considerably outstanding.

But it was different from usual.

The amount of magic power draining away is considerable.

Considering that the [Blessing of the First World Tree] is ongoing.

‘It’s to an extent where I can’t help but expect something…….’

Isn’t it swallowing up magic power?

Even so, it’s bearable.

Since I am not the me of the past who struggled with rat-tail-like magic power.

Soon, reversal magic manifested.

The mechanical device of the core began to return to its appearance before it was damaged.

Hiel spoke in a low voice.

“Indeed, please forgive me for worrying needlessly.”

……Anyway, she has no intention of stopping or fixing that way of speaking at all.

It’ll just hurt my mouth even if I say it.

More than that, now is the moment to focus on the mechanical device rather than Hiel.

Click clack

Schwing

Click clack

A structure that makes one’s head complicated just by looking at it.

Soon, the engaged cogwheels began to rotate.

At the same time, magic power wavered from the center of the mechanical device.

……Was it basically swallowing up magic power because of this?

It seemed it used my magic power as an alternative fuel to magicstones.

Briefly realizing that fact.

A message flashed before my eyes.

[You acquire the experience points accumulated in the Decisive Battle Weapon, Quernberg Machine Tower.]

[You acquire the fame accumulated in the Decisive Battle Weapon, Quernberg Machine Tower.]

Installment savings matured.

There was no time to be thrilled.

An uncontrollable aura immediately flowed out from the mechanical device!

Sssss

Silver hair swaying in my vision, a momentum strong enough to dishevel my neatly tidied attire. That unusual aura wrapped around my entire body.

A message popped up once again.

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]

[Your level has increased.]…….

No, it’s not just once?

However, it was as expected.

It’s nothing else but Akshan.

It’s the Quernberg Machine Tower called the decisive battle weapon of demon hunters.

If such a decisive battle weapon hunted demons until it was disastrously destroyed, just how many demons would it have defeated?

What I can guarantee is that, at the very least, wouldn’t it have hunted around my numbers, meaning millions at least?

[Your level has increased.]…….

A message continuously flashing even while thinking.

The unusual aura showing no signs of subsiding.

At that point, I could intuit.

This will go all the way to the limit, level 50.

It’s an overwhelming amount of experience points that would lightly shatter the wall that comes around every 100 levels, this is……!

The moment I was certain, something wavered in my vision.

A message, but it wasn’t a level-up notification message.

[You acquire the memories accumulated in the Quernberg Machine Tower.]

Wait, accumulated memories?

At that moment, my vision turned upside down.

As if pressing the play button of a video.

The panoramic view of the Arcana continent seen through the vision of the Quernberg Machine Tower began to flow before my eyes…….

.

.

.

Koo-goong!

Kung!

Koo-goong!

A culmination of technological prowess made of minerals.

Therefore, emotions do not exist.

The objective is solely one.

-“Legacy of Akshan, fulfill your pride as a decisive battle weapon.”

Following the voice that awakened it.

It merely upholds its pride as a decisive battle weapon.

Hunting demons until the very end before ceasing operation.

Kung!

Koo-goong!

Kung!

Heaven and earth were covered with demons.

Thanks to that, there was no hesitation in its steps.

Under the attack of demons.

Until it reached a village shaking like a candle in the wind.

What came into its vision was a man shouting as if in pain.

What shone pitch-black through the fingers covering his face was that of a demon’s.

“……My name is Mateh. I am!”

He is definitely a demon.

He is an existence that must be hunted.

It was the moment the Quernberg Machine Tower was about to move according to its pride.

“Mateh! Please, snap out of it!!”

A human approached the demon.

As if approaching wasn’t enough, she embraced the demon from behind.

Why?

……Koo-goong.

The Machine Tower momentarily ceased operation.

“……Get away from me!”

“I cannot.”

“I’m at my limit. Please, Lansha.”

Tremble tremble.

The man handed over the sword he was holding with trembling hands.

A sword made of silver.

The man’s grasp burning as it touches silver.

Prove once again that the man is a demon.

But.

“……Stab me to death with this, or run away right now.”

That action was not that of a demon.

“How can you ask such a favor from me?”

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t say you’re sorry!”

“Please, Lansha. Any looonger……!!”

Pat!

The man roughly pushed the woman away.

“Mateh!”

It was the moment the woman fallen on the floor tried to approach the man again.

The sun completely set, and the Demonic Eye rose in the sky.

The eye of the demon gaped at the man and the burning village.

“Ruun awaaayyyy!!”

Kwajik!

Not just pitch-black pupils, but hideous wings sprouted from his shoulders.

The man transformed into an appearance that could no longer be called human.

It should have hunted the human who fell to a demon according to pride.

But the Machine Tower did not move.

The sight-sharing of the Demonic Eye.

Before the villagers could even fully evacuate, countless demons rushed into the village.

At that speed, everyone would be caught by the demons.

However, it was at that moment.

“Get lost! You fucking bastards!”

A demon attacked demons.

To be exact, the man who fell into a demon attacked the demons.

Until he lost his life at the hands of demons.

Until the woman shedding tears while looking at him left.

The demon attacked the demons.

He grabbed their ankles.

And was trampled to death in a miserable state.

Koo-goong!

The Quernberg Machine Tower operated again.

It hunted the swarming demons without resting.

However, even if it was Akshan’s decisive battle weapon.

It couldn’t prevent physical damage.

Click clack!

The poured out demon blood made the cogwheels stiff.

Those aftermaths appeared on the Machine Tower one by one.

Slowly, the Machine Tower began to tilt.

The collapsing Machine Tower.

What was contained in its vision were the demon who used to be a man and the fleeing villagers. The very end. For a moment, the Machine Tower recalled the voice that had awakened it.

-“Fulfill your pride as a decisive battle weapon.”

Indeed, did I truly fulfill my pride as a decisive battle weapon?

The Quernberg Machine Tower was about to engrave a doubt into its memory device but stopped. Because there was something more important. Befitting a decisive battle weapon of Akshan.

It left a final testament in its memory device.

[Quest: The Awakened Decisive Battle Weapon’s Request]

Akshan’s Decisive Battle Weapon, Quernberg Machine Tower.

What it chose instead of an answer to its doubt was pride.

The memory of the mechanical device wishes to protect the remaining survivors.

─Save the survivors of Dreadsen Village. (In Progress)

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.

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As soon as my vision returned, I opened my mouth.

“Thank you.”

During this time, I had seen the state of the Arcana continent as spoils of the Demon King, and though only once, I also checked it directly by going there.

But this was the first time I watched the appearances and true voices of the Arcana people this closely.

I stared at the mechanical device.

“Thanks to you, I could confirm something boundlessly precious.”

Miserable.

It’s a tragedy hard to express in words.

It was on a completely different dimension from reality casually being threatened by rifts.

Truly to the point where being alive feels like a miracle.

The Arcana continent witnessed from the memory device of the Quernberg Machine Tower was no different from the land of demons, the Demon Realm.

‘Let’s think coldly.’

At the current point in time, what percentage of winning probability does the holy war have?

I could know without even needing to precisely weigh it.

It’s unwinnable.

It’s a simple calculation.

Yusra Kingdom, Frost, Muon, the Mage Tower, and lastly the players.

Even if all the factions currently participating in the holy war gathered their strengths, fighting against the demons filling the Arcana continent would be impossible.

However, I, Granfel, would not move using my head in front of demons.

What takes priority is always inside the chest.

Because it was pride that wouldn’t bend at any trial.

“Even if the body was taken away by a demon.”

As a natural enemy, a demon hunter, I could recognize it at once.

That the man was possessed by a demon.

So it’s a relief.

“Human pride does not bend.”

That even in the miserable Arcana continent, human pride does not easily bend. I had just confirmed it through the memory device of the Machine Tower.

Even while his body and mind were stolen by a demon.

To protect his precious things.

The man rather charged at the demons.

To defy possession, I come to realize the power of pride anew.

I looked at the mechanical device.

Does it mean it fulfilled its duty by playing back the memory.

The rotating cogwheels slowly stopped.

Now that I also acquired experience points and fame, there’s no need to unnecessarily inject magic power.

I spoke toward the mechanical device.

“It was a boundlessly honorable end as Akshan’s decisive battle weapon.”

……To talk to a mechanical device of all things.

It could be embarrassing.

Then again, I also talked to a dragon’s tooth.

Anyway, as if understanding my words.

Click

The mechanical device stopped its movements just like that.

Of course, even if the mechanical device stopped, I did not stop.

Because a new quest popped up.

[Quest: The Awakened Decisive Battle Weapon’s Request]

Akshan’s tradition.

A request an Akshan demon hunter failed to resolve is carried out by another demon hunter. Because the decisive battle weapon Quernberg Machine Tower was also a member of Akshan.

Like it or not.

As the last demon hunter.

It means there is no choice but to accept the quest.

─Save the survivors of Dreadsen Village. (In Progress)

“Also, I will inherit your pride.”

Of course, because there was no clashing with Granfel’s perspective on pride either.

I delayed no further.

‘Dreadsen, it’s my first time hearing it.’

It’s due to the unavoidable gap of ten and some years.

I didn’t know where exactly it was on the Arcana continent.

And even if I did, there was no way to go seek it but.

Well, it didn’t particularly pose a problem.

Because I had a boundlessly reliable support army.

I stared into midair.

‘……By the way, it’s a name I can’t get used to more than Hiel.’

Truly, I frantically recited.

“Answer my call.”

*

The sun set and night came.

In the forest.

Sparks were needed to chase away wild beasts but.

“Then I will extinguish it.”

Chijik

The survivors of Dreadsen Village extinguished the torch they had forcefully kept lit.

When Lansha extinguished the torch, someone grabbed the hem of her skirt.

Small pupils brimmed with tears in the pitch-black darkness.

“Lansha sister, I’m scared.”

“It’s okay. Nothing will happen.”

“……It’s not that, that star is scary.”

Where the short and chubby finger pointed, there was the Demonic Eye.

As if rolling its eyeballs to find them.

Lansha grabbed the little boy’s face and turned it toward her.

And gave him firm instructions.

“Don’t look at it.”

“……Got it.”

“And there’s no star that ugly and hideous in the world.”

“That is true. Hehe.”

After taking care of the children and the elderly, the night grew even deeper.

Lansha and the residents looked down the mountain.

The continent was burning as always.

Lansha looked at the sword.

Whenever she felt weak, she recalled Mateh’s figure.

She caressed the hilt of the sword he gave her.

‘……I will live. Because you told me to.’

It was the moment she resolved.

“S, something is unusual!”

The retired mercenary, Gardner, stood up from his seat.

The movements of the demons, which had been quiet recently, were strange.

Demon soldiers moving busily.

Even small demons carrying weaponry without rest.

That sight was like…….

“That’s the movement of those ahead of a ‘war’!”

A war?

Lansha was dumbfounded to the point of feeling wronged.

She grabbed Gardner and asked.

“Yesterday too. Even right now, it’s wartime, Mr. Gardner! They’ve already taken away our village, Dreadsen, and him……. What more are they trying to take away from us who have nothing left!”

“I understand your feelings, Lansha. But I don’t know either.”

It wasn’t just Dreadsen.

There were no intact villages or cities in the vicinity.

Yet such a large-scale war preparation.

It was something incomprehensible with the experience of a mere mercenary…….

Gardner flinched.

“No, this isn’t the time for this!”

“……?”

“Everyone, hurry. We must leave this mountain!”

When a war begins, supplies are consumed at a rapid pace.

To cover the lacking resources.

From now on, it was certain that the demons would ransack every mountain.

Every mine.

“Explanations later. Wake the children first, Lansha!”

It was the moment Gardner urgently shouted.

“……!!!”

Demons were seen at the bottom of the mountain.

Gardner gritted his teeth.

“Damn it, on the way down of all places!”

“Everyone prepare for battle!”

“Evacuate the children and the elderly first!”

Even though they were low-level demons with strength merely comparable to imps, Dreadsen was a small village. Let alone soldiers, those with strength to somewhat fight against demons had already died in battle.

Step

Lansha raised the silver sword.

She stood side by side with Gardner.

“Lansha, what are you doing!”

“I will also fight together!”

“No, they are not guys you can deal with!”

“No. I don’t want to run away anymore.”

Lansha recalled Mateh.

You definitely wouldn’t have wanted this, right?

However, Lansha smiled bitterly.

‘……Then you shouldn’t have handed this sword to me.’

Even if she would lose her life to demons.

Lansha wanted to face her end proudly.

Like him.

Gardner spat out curses.

“Damn it. There has never been a time I resented my weakness this much, Lansha!”

They had to buy time until everyone escaped.

Those who gathered their wills held weapons and stood in front of the demons.

Kkigik!

Gardner released the tightly pulled bowstring.

Puck!

It was a hit.

“Damn it.”

But the demon didn’t show the slightest sign of pain.

Despite that, Gardner, Lansha, and the others did not back down.

The very small weight remaining on the hem of her skirt.

Yes, to bear the things each of them shouldered.

That indeed is pride that even trials cannot break.

Pride brings change.

And such changes bring miracles.

Gooooo

An aura wavering in midair.

What revealed its appearance was a black shape.

So black that it couldn’t be noticed unless observed closely.

“……Mr. Gardner, what is that?”

“What sudden words are you speaking, Lansha?”

Buried in the deep night.

Even its shape could not be seen properly.

It was so.

It was a heterogeneous darkness never seen in the past.

However, a voice was heard.

The darkness was speaking.

“I am The End Chrysiad Eternal Darkness.”

“……?!!”

“Liege, following the endlessly deep darkness, I shall save Dreadsen.”

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『Spirit Studies Senior Mage, Feiyan Lot.

Unique spirits are beings that transcend contract relationships.

Therefore, the moment Hiel was reborn as a unique spirit, the existing spirit contract would have been nullified! Which means, theoretically, you can form a new contract with a new spirit independent of Hiel! Ah, if by any chance I am meddling presumptuously, please forgive me…….』