◈ Episode 106. Ego (1)
Counterattack.
The vanguard was, naturally, the decisive weapon, the [Quirnberg Machine Tower]
itself.
The Quirnberg Machine Tower performed brilliantly.
The dwarves boasted technology on par with the Magic Tower, albeit in a different direction.
And this was the [Quirnberg Machine Tower],
created by those very dwarves solely to hunt demons, was it not?
Ruuuumble—!
The earthquake caused by the machine tower stepping onto the earth.
“……
What is that?”
“R-run away!!”
“Aaaaaaagh!!”
That reverberation became fear to the demons.
“That machine is taking down the demons!”
“Oh, God…….”
“What on earth is this!”
And to those suffering under the demons, it became hope.
Of course, the demons did not sit still.
In order to stop the machine tower.
They had entered the [Quirnberg Machine Tower], accepting tremendous losses.
Whiiiiiiing—!
But that was a miscalculation. As had been confirmed in the [Quirnberg Machine Tower] Rift, the inside of the machine tower was absolutely packed with traps. No, to demons, it was like hell beyond mere traps.
“It’s silver!! Damn iiiiiiiit!!”
The very traps that had made players mistake it for competitive content.
Silver.
The traps made of silver had struck at the demons’ weakness.
Only after suffering truly enormous damage were the demons barely able to halt the operation of the [Quirnberg Machine Tower].
Just one, out of dozens of machine towers.
“Just what kind of bastards are they……?”
The demons’ momentum ended up being broken instead.
Because their opponent was a machine that did not stop.
And not just any machine, but a decisive weapon that used itself as a sacrifice to continue an exorcism ritual until the very end. In the end, the demons chose to avoid the [Quirnberg Machine Tower]
rather than attempt to conquer it.
“The Quirnberg Machine Tower is our beacon!”
“Follow the machine tower!”
“The machine tower is behind us. Do not retreat!”
Survivors gathered in the direction the machine tower advanced.
Some used the machine tower as an escort as they headed for their destination, while others gained courage from the machine tower and fought back against the demons.
Did that mean hope still remained on the Arcana Continent?
The blessing of the new World Tree descended upon them.
After the appearance of the demons.
For the first time, the demons’ forces were faltering.
The news quickly spread across the entire continent.
Ruuuumble—!
A tremor felt from an immeasurably distant place. The thunderous roar made by the [Quirnberg Machine Tower]
as it moved.
That trembling even reached the dwarves hiding in their refuge.
“……
Were there survivors left in Akshan?”
That became the trigger that set the dwarves in motion.
Dudungsil—!
Not long after they moved, something rose into the skies above the Arcana Continent.
An airship so enormous it was a wonder that it could fly.
The crystallization of dwarven technology had begun its flight.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang—!
Bombardment poured down from the airship.
Along with the [Quirnberg Machine Tower],
the dwarven airship became yet another calamity for the demons.
Why was such a thing happening on the Arcana Continent?
Neither those counterattacking.
Nor the demons.
Could even imagine the reason.
It was only natural, was it not?
That all of this had originated from merely “one person.”
For now, it was only natural that no one could even imagine it....
The news of the Arcana Continent brought by the nymph.
Thanks to it, I could feel it, if only a little.……
Wow, damn, I really did something incredible. ‘No wonder they made such a fuss calling it a true legacy.’ The [Quirnberg Machine Tower].
It seemed to be performing tremendously, befitting its name as a decisive weapon against great demons.
I had thought that, from within it, it could properly hunt at least one demon, but. ‘To think even those vicious bastards are avoiding it instead.’ It must be because the matchup was good.
After all, the demons’ greatest weapon was [Status Abnormality]. You know, even the Magic Tower’s elder mages, who were called demigods, had been swayed by [Status Abnormality],
hadn’t they? ‘Of course it wouldn’t work on a machine.’ Thinking that made me flinch.……
No way, did Akshan take even that matchup into account?
If so, they truly were demon hunters. ‘Their way of thinking itself is worthy of a demon’s natural enemy.’ Of course, I couldn’t simply admire it.
Wasn’t it the [Quirnberg Machine Tower]
that I had activated?
Yes, I had a legitimate right.
[Experience is being accumulated in the decisive weapon, Quirnberg Machine Tower.]
[Fame is being accumulated in the decisive weapon, Quirnberg Machine Tower.]
[You have acquired the right to obtain the accumulated experience and fame.]
The machine towers slaughtering demons on the Arcana Continent.
The right to obtain the experience and fame accumulated in those machine towers……!
Honestly, I couldn’t even guess. Setting fame aside, just how much experience had piled up in the machine towers? The nymph had said it just now, hadn’t she?
“I heard that hundreds of thousands of demons swarmed in to stop a single machine tower.”
That was no different from saying that a single machine tower had killed close to hundreds of thousands of demons before it fell. Even roughly calculating it, how much experience was that?!
Greed welled up within me.
But that was merely my inner situation, which I could not show on the outside.
“I wish to head to the continent at once.”
However, this time, our intentions aligned.
If Granfell simply wanted to set foot on the Arcana Continent to hunt demons according to his pride.
Then I, too, wanted to set foot on the Arcana Continent, if only to obtain the experience accumulated in the [Quirnberg Machine Tower]……!
“It matters not whether tens, no, hundreds of millions of demons bar the way.”
Because I had a title.
[Last Adventurer: You do not die on the Arcana Continent. Upon death, you immediately return to reality and cannot access the Arcana Continent for a certain period of time.
- Cooldown: 24 hours]
I didn’t know about reality or Rifts.
But at least on the Arcana Continent, I didn’t have to worry about dying a sudden, tragic death, or sinking beneath my pride and drowning.
So as long as I could find a way to access the Arcana Continent somehow……! ‘It’d be like winning the lottery.’ I had blurted that out with such impure intentions.
Yet perhaps she felt something solemn from my words instead.
The nymph opened her mouth.
“I can understand that sentiment as well.”
Then she continued.
“However, I do not think you need to worry greatly for the time being. Thanks to the dwarves taking action alongside the machine towers, the demons seem to have fallen into great confusion.”
Ah, right, I couldn’t leave out the dwarves either.
I turned it over in my head.
Why had the dwarves, who had remained still, started moving?
If I had to pick a reason, it would be the [Quirnberg Machine Tower] after all.
I couldn’t know the specific circumstances tied to it. ‘……
It feels like there’s something there.’ All I could predict was merely this much.
That the dwarves might know something about the [Annihilation of Akshan]. Of course, it wasn’t something to think about right now. Well, if it was related, it would show up as a quest objective on its own. ‘However, it doesn’t stink like the Goddess Church.’ In order to hunt demons.
They had shown themselves on the continent again.
Even if the dwarves had their circumstances.
They were not a race without pride.
The pride in my heart was telling me so.
“When the time comes, a day will arrive when I meet them as well.”
The nymph’s report was wrapped up around there.
Since the topic had come up, I asked the nymph.
Whether she knew anything about the movements of the Goddess Church.
The nymph gracefully shook her head.
“No. Neither in the past nor recently. I have heard nothing about their movements.”
Nymphs were spirits of the forest.
Forest spirits could converse with trees, so they were well-informed about news from the Arcana Continent.
Yet even such a nymph had heard nothing about the Goddess Church’s movements, neither recently nor in the past……. ‘So they really were just sitting around sucking their thumbs.’ Judgment Day, was it?
Waiting only for that day or whatever it was.
I could be certain. ‘They’re definitely shady.’ Blasphemy or whatever else.
The Goddess Church needed to be flipped over once, didn’t it?
Of course, it wouldn’t be easy.
Above all, the Goddess Church was a massive faction.
There was no need to look far; I could tell just by seeing the commotion in the community.
It was said that just the paladins waiting in Muon numbered close to a hundred thousand……. As if that weren’t enough, they had even refused entry to players of the same Goddess Church. ‘The holy land, Muon, is basically an impregnable fortress.’ And in that Muon, I had to encounter not a saintess, but a saint whose identity I couldn’t even know. It already felt hopeless, but what I had to do right now was simple.
If I wanted to face a faction, then I had no choice but to grow large as well.
So even a thousand-ri journey begins with a single step.
If I had entered a Rift, then let’s start by leveling up.
Of course, I had no intention of digging only one well.
I spoke to Klee, who had been keeping her mouth shut since earlier.
“Skilled Mage, Klee Odia.”
“Y-yes?! I, I didn’t hear anything. No, even if I did hear it, I’ll keep it secret until the end. It’s not that I eavesdropped because I wanted to……!”
“I know.”
The machine tower, the World Tree, even the dwarves.
In truth, wasn’t it practically the same as bragging about myself?
With my personality, I would reveal such things openly if anything, not hide them.
However, for someone who was not involved to thoughtlessly spread someone else’s story was also.
“All you must do is act according to proper formality.”
Something that went against formality.
At my words, Klee nodded as if she had been waiting.
“Yes, of course! Everything according to formality and procedure……. I’ll focus on my goal of gathering elixir herbs. If there is anything you wish to say, please call me!”
Fluster, fluster—Klee pulled her hand out from her loose robe and reached toward a leaf growing in the cave. A blade of grass emitting a faint blue light. No matter who looked at it, it clearly seemed to be a precious elixir herb.
However, I opened my mouth once more.
“Klee Odia.”
“……
Y-yes!”
“Even in gathering elixir herbs, procedures exist.”
“……
Pardon?”
“Look around you.”
“?!” [Mospike Mercenary’s Vengeful Spirit: Lv.560]
[Mospike Mercenary’s Vengeful Spirit: Lv.560]
[Mospike Mercenary’s Vengeful Spirit: Lv.560]
…….
It happened in an instant.
The moment Klee reached for the elixir herb.
Sssssss—The ghosts surrounded Klee.
“E-eek!”
As if they had been waiting for the exact moment Klee plucked the elixir herb.
They had been hiding in the cave walls, only their heads sticking out, staring at Klee.
“Th-thank you, Chief……!”
Klee, horrified, withdrew her hand from the elixir herb.
Then she asked me.
“By any chance, Chief, do you know about that elixir herb?”
Of course I knew.
Because I had knowledge acquired through the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].
That knowledge was telling me.
What the name of that elixir herb was.
“Ghostlife Herb.”
“Ghostlife Herb? As expected, within my narrow knowledge, it is something I’ve never heard of…….”
“It is only natural that you are ignorant of it, Klee Odia.”
Yes, it was only natural that she didn’t know.
Because Ghostlife Herb was by no means a common elixir herb.
I recited its effect.
“Ghostlife Herb has the power to attract souls. That is why it is sometimes used as an elixir ingredient by spirit mediums and necromancers. However, to those who do not know its value, it is nothing more than an ominous plant that summons ghosts.”
Klee seemed to realize it only then.
“Necromancers……. So that’s why it isn’t known.”
Necromancers were not common on the Arcana Continent.
Even among players, the necromancer class was extremely rare.
Until the class change conditions were revealed, it had apparently even been treated as a hidden class.
But that wasn’t the only reason Ghostlife Herb was unknown. ‘That’s not the only reason, you see.’ I looked at the vengeful spirits, whose disappointment was evident.
Were they trying to soothe their disappointment with me?
Soon, the ones that had emerged from the walls took battle stances. ‘But you picked the wrong opponent.’ Even if I had a sword hanging at my waist.
I was still a mage, you know.
And not just any mage, but the Chief Mage of the Magic Tower. ‘Even if I am a parachute appointment.’ Just as demon hunters and demons were natural enemies.
Mages and ghosts were natural enemies no less than that.
Drawing up my mana, I opened my mouth.
“A question, Klee Odia.”
“……
A question? Yes, I’ll do my best to answer!”
“Do you think Ghostlife Herb, with such a peculiar effect, can grow anywhere?”
“Hmm, no! Elixir herbs are plants closely affected by their environment!”
“Lady Klee, you have deep learning when it comes to elixir herbs.”
“N-not at all! It isn’t to the degree that a spirit would praise me……!!”
As the nymph said, correct. Even the Four-Colored Mistletoe gathered in the [Predator’s Swamp]
had been influenced, however slightly, by the World Tree seed, allowing it to grow from ordinary mistletoe into a precious elixir herb.
“Then what element do you think influenced Ghostlife Herb to grow here, in the Mantra Mine?”
“Um, that is…….”
Klee could not answer easily.
It wasn’t my place to say after asking, but.
It was only natural that she couldn’t answer.
If not for the knowledge regarding all plants and minerals acquired through the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge],
I wouldn’t have been able to guess in the slightest either. ‘Ghostlife Herb grows only where Ghost Iron is buried.’ If one judged solely by rarity.
That mineral, counted among the very top.
Was buried in the closed Mantra Mine.
Woooooo—!
The vengeful spirits of the Mospike mercenaries rushed toward me.
Yes, if it was Ghost Iron, I understood.
Those mercenaries must also have set foot in the Mantra Mine aiming for the valuable Ghost Iron. However, Ghost Iron could not be easily mined, nor could it be easily refined.
Of course, it had nothing to do with me.
Mining?
I had the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].
Refining?
Including Ghost Iron.
News about the dwarves,
who could refine any mineral at all.
I had just heard from the nymph a little while ago. ‘So that means the only problem is you lot.’ Swift exploration and interference.
I manifested magic.
Crack, crack, crack—!
“!!!”
The vengeful spirits froze solid.