◈ Episode 106. Ego (1)

The counterattack.

The vanguard was naturally the decisive weapon, the Quernberg Machine Tower.

The Quernberg Machine Tower was a force to be reckoned with.

The dwarves boasted a technological prowess comparable to that of a magic tower, albeit in a different direction.

Wasn’t the Quernberg Machine Tower built by those dwarves solely to hunt demons?

Koo-koo-koo-koo!

An earthquake rumbled as the machine tower pushed down on the ground.

“……What is that?”

“Eh, run!!”

“Aaaahhhhh!!!”

That echo is fear to the demons.

“That machine is knocking out demons!”

“Oh God…….”

“What the hell!”

It gave hope to those tormented by demons.

Of course, the demons would not stand still.

To stop the machine tower.

They had entered the [Quernberg Machine Tower] at great cost to themselves.

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

But they were wrong.

The interior of the machine tower was full of traps, just like the rift we’d seen. No, for a demon, it was a hell beyond traps.

“It’s silver, damn it!”

Players mistook it for competitive content.

The trap was made of silver, and it played to the Demon’s weaknesses.

The demon had barely managed to shut down the [Quernberg Machine Tower] only after suffering enormous damage. Only one of the dozens of mechanical towers.

“What kind of bastards……?”

The demons’ momentum had been broken.

Their opponent was an unstoppable machine.

A machine that would sacrifice itself and perform a last-ditch ritual of exorcism. In the end, the demons chose to avoid [the Quernberg Machine Tower] rather than attack it.

“The Quernberg Machine Tower is our beacon!”

“Chase the machine tower!”

“Behind us is the machine tower. Don’t fall back!”

Survivors gathered in the direction of the machine tower.

Some used the mech as an escort to reach their destination, while others took courage from it to face the demons.

Is there still hope for the Arcana Continent?

They were blessed with a new world tree.

After the Demon’s appearance.

For the first time, the demon’s power was being held back.

The news quickly spread across the continent.

Kuuuurrrrrrrrrrrr!

Vibrations could be felt in the distance.

The roar of the [Quernberg Machine Tower] as it moved.

The tremors reached the dwarves in their hiding places.

” ……Were there any survivors left in Akshan?”

That was the trigger for the dwarves to move.

Boom!

Not long after they moved, something appeared in the sky above the continent of Arcana.

It was a huge airship that could barely fly.

The greatest concentration of dwarven technology had begun to fly.

Quack, quack, quack!

Bombardment from the airship.

The Dwarven Airship was another disaster for the demons, along with the Quernberg Machine Tower.

Why is this happening to the continent of Arcana?

Even those who fight back.

And the demons couldn’t even imagine why.

Isn’t it inevitable?

That it all came from just one person.

No wonder they couldn’t even imagine it yet.

.

.

.

Nymph’s news from the continent of Arcana.

Thanks to you, I can feel it a little bit.

… … Wow, I really did a great job.

You’re right to call it a legacy.

[Quernberg Machine Tower].

It seemed to be doing a great job befitting its name as a decisive battle machine for great demons.

I thought it might be possible to hunt down a demon from the inside.

‘I can’t believe those vicious creatures would actually avoid it.’

Probably because of the good compatibility.

The greatest weapon of the demons was always the [status abnormality]. Why, even the elder mages of the Magic Tower, who were called demigods, were swayed by the [Status Abnormality]?

‘No wonder it doesn’t work on machines.’

The thought made me cringe.

……So, Akshan had that in mind?

If so, he really is a demon hunter.

‘He’s a demon hunter from the way he thinks.’

Of course, it wasn’t just admiration.

It wasn’t the [Quernberg Machine Tower] that I activated?

Yes, I have a right to it.

Experience is accumulated in the [Battlecruiser Quernberg Machine Tower].

[Prestige accumulates in the Battlecruiser Quernberg Machine Tower].

[Gain access to accumulated experience and prestige].

A mech slaughtering demons on the continent of Arcana.

You have been granted the right to acquire the experience and reputation accumulated on that machine tower……!

I honestly have no idea how much experience, let alone fame, is accumulated in a machine tower. Didn’t the nymph just say?

“I’ve heard of hundreds of thousands of demons rushing to stop a single tower.”

That could only mean that I had killed close to hundreds of thousands of demons until that one mech tower fell. That’s a lot of experience!

Greed got the better of me.

It’s something I can’t hide.

“I want to head to the continent now.”

But for once, I had a point.

If Grandfell wanted to set foot on the continent of Arcana to hunt demons out of pride.

I wanted to set foot on the Arcana Continent to acquire the experience points accumulated in the [Quernberg Machine Tower]……!

“Dozens? No, I don’t care if hundreds of millions of demons stand in my way.”

I have a title.

[Last Adventurer: You cannot die on the Arcana Continent. If you die, you will immediately return to reality and will be unable to access the Arcana Continent for a period of time. – Cooldown: 24 hours]

Maybe not in reality or the Rift.

At least you don’t have to worry about screaming to death or drowning in pride while on the Arcana Continent.

So if you can somehow find a way to access the Arcana Continent……!

“It’s like winning the lottery.”

It was I who spoke with such impure intentions.

Perhaps she sensed some sort of bravado in my words.

The nymph opened her mouth.

“I can fathom that sentiment.”

He continued.

“But for the time being, I don’t think you need to worry too much. The demons seem to be in great disarray, thanks to the dwarves, along with the machine tower.”

Oh, I forgot to mention the dwarves.

I racked my brain.

Why did the dwarves move when they were so still?

If I had to guess, I’d say it was because of the Quernberg Machine Tower.

I didn’t know the specifics of the situation.

” …… I think there’s something to it.”

You can only assume.

That the dwarves might know something about the [Extermination of Akshan]. Of course, I shouldn’t worry about it now; if it’s relevant, it’ll come up in the quest objective.

‘Except it doesn’t stink like the Goddess Church.

To hunt demons.

The reappearance on the continent.

The dwarves may have their issues.

They were not proud people.

The pride in his heart told him.

“I shall meet them in due time.”

So much for the nymph’s report.

Speaking of which, I asked the nymph.

Do you know anything about the activities of the Goddess Church?

The nymph shook her head gracefully.

“No. I have heard nothing of their deeds, past or present.”

Nymphs are forest spirits.

Forest spirits could speak to the trees, so they were well-informed about news from the continent of Arcana.

Even she has heard nothing of the Goddess Church, neither in recent times nor in the past…….

‘You really have been sucking your fingers.’

The day of reckoning.

Just waiting for them to do something.

I was sure of it.

‘That sucks.’

Blasphemy.

Goddess Church needs to be overturned.

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy.

After all, the Goddess Church was a huge force.

You don’t have to look far to see the uproar in the community.

I’d say there are close to 100,000 paladins in Muon alone……. Not only that, but they didn’t even allow players of the same religion to enter.

“The Holy Land, Muon, is an indestructible fortress.”

I was to encounter a saintess in Muon who wasn’t a saint and whose identity I didn’t recognize. I was already feeling overwhelmed, but my immediate task was simple.

In order to stand up to the forces, I must become powerful myself.

So a thousand miles, one step at a time.

Once you’ve entered the Rift, start by leveling up.

Of course, I don’t intend to sell just one well.

I turned to Klee, who had been silent since earlier.

“Adept Mage, Cleodia.”

“What, what?! I, I didn’t hear anything. Or if I did, I’ll keep it a secret until the end, and that’s not because I wanted to eavesdrop……!”

“I know.”

The machine tower, the world tree, the dwarves.

In effect, I’m bragging.

By nature, if I bragged, I bragged, and it wasn’t a story worth hiding.

But it’s also the kind of thing that someone who isn’t a part of the story would tell.

“All you have to do is be polite.”

Acting out of place.

Klee nodded as if she’d been waiting for my words.

“Yes, of course! Everything is done with formality and procedure……. I’m going to focus on my purpose, which is to gather elixirs. If you have anything to say, please call me!”

Hmph-

Klee pulled her hand out of her sagging robes and reached for a leaf that had grown in the cave. A blade of grass that emitted a faint blue light. It was clearly a ghost herb.

But I opened my mouth once more.

“Cleodia.”

“……Yes!”

“There is a procedure to gathering the herb.”

“It’s ……?”

“Look around you.”

“?!”

[Mossspike Mercenary Soul: Lv.560]

[Mossspike Mercenary Soul: Lv.560]

[Mossspike Mercenary Soul: Lv.560]…….

It was only a moment.

The moment Klee reached for the elixir.

Self─

Ghosts surrounded Klee.

“Ew, ew!”

It was as if they’d been waiting for her to pull the herb.

They were hiding in the cave wall, staring at her with their bare heads.

“Gah, thank you. Chief……!”

Klee freaked out and pulled her hand away from the herb.

Then he asked me.

“By any chance, Chief, do you know anything about that elixir?”

Aldamada.

I had the knowledge that I had acquired through the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

That knowledge was telling me.

what the name of the herb was.

“Guisheng herb.”

“Guisheng herb? That’s unheard of in my narrow world…….”

“No wonder you’re ignorant. Cleodia.”

Yeah, no wonder you don’t know.

It wasn’t a common herb by any means.

I recited its effects.

“It has the power to attract souls. That’s why it’s also used as an ingredient for elixirs for Necromancers. However, to those who do not know its value, it is just an ominous plant that summons ghosts.”

Klee seemed to realize something.

“The Necromancer……. So it’s unknown.”

Necromancers were rare on the continent of Arcana.

Even among players, the Necromancer class was extremely rare.

Until the requirements for the class were made public. You said it was almost a hidden class.

But there’s a reason why they’re not known.

‘That’s not necessarily the only reason.’

I looked at the wistful ghosts.

I wondered if they were trying to make me feel better.

Soon, they emerged from the wall and assumed a combat stance.

“But you’ve picked the wrong opponent.”

Even with my sword at my side.

He’s a mage.

The chief mage of a tower.

‘It’s a parachute.’

Demon hunters and demons are natural enemies.

Mages and ghosts are just as much enemies.

I opened my mouth, drawing on my magic.

“Question. Cleodia.”

“……Question? Yes, I will answer it to the best of my ability!”

“Do you believe that a plant with such unusual effects can grow anywhere?”

“Umm, no, I don’t think so, because elixir herbs are plants that are closely influenced by their environment!”

“Ms. Klee, you must be very knowledgeable about medicinal herbs.”

“Oh, no, I don’t think the Nymph would be so complimentary……!!!”

The nymph is correct.

Just look at the Contemplative Mistletoe I gathered in the [Predator Swamp]. With a small amount of World Tree Seed, it was able to grow from an ordinary mistletoe into a precious elixir.

“Then, what do you think the Ghost Elixir Herb was influenced by to grow here, in the Mantra Mine?”

“Well, that’s…….”

Klee didn’t have an easy answer.

It’s not something I should have asked.

No wonder he can’t answer.

If it weren’t for the knowledge of all the plants and minerals that I’ve acquired through the [Pure Knowledge], I wouldn’t have the slightest clue.

“The ghost grass only grows in places where Ghost Iron is buried.”

In terms of rarity.

A mineral that can be counted on one hand.

buried in the closed Mantra Mine.

Spooky!

The ghosts of Mossspike mercenaries rushed at me.

Yes, the ghost metal makes sense.

Those mercenaries must have entered the Mantra Mines in search of the ghost metal, but it is neither easily mined nor easily smelted.

Not that it matters to me, of course.

Mining?

Because I have the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

Smelting?

Including ghost iron.

I can smelt any mineral.

News of the dwarves.

I had just heard it from the nymphs.

‘So you’re the only ones that matter.’

Swift assimilation and interference.

I manifested my magic.

Chirp-chirp-chirp!

“!!!”

The ghosts froze in place.