Chapter 26 Part4 (1/2)
<chapter 26.=”” new=”” element=”” -=”” 4=””>
[Original Core]
[A power source capable of producing Lv6 golems]
There were of 277 cores lying around. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and Kratia were mesmerized by the cores, and just watched them silently.
The Original Core. They were definitely the original form of the Original Bone Core. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had barely gotten one or two of them by destroying all of the low ranked golems in an area, yet there were so many gathered here.
”If...”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo spoke automatically.
”If there were this many cores gathered here, it makes sense that they'd want them back.”
”This many cores would interest not only Arema Steelworker, but the Emperor as well.”
”That's probably why he kept a general on standby.”
Though that general was now dead. He didn't know when the Emperor would get news of that, but he didn't need to worry about that right now.
”You get stronger if you absorb these, right?”
”No. When you absorb bones with the same power, the effectiveness drops. Now I can't really get anything out of them. So, with these...”
”You're going to try making golems?”
Kratia was quick on the uptake. Her eyes glittered with curiosity. That was what Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was looking for; no matter how talented he was at magic, it was still just talent. Because he wasn't knowledgeable in magic theory, he knew that he would need someone else's help if he really decided to make a golem.
To be honest, he could've taken down the general by himself if he did well; the reason he had asked for her help was because he knew something like this would happen once he discovered the facility that Arema Steelworker tried to hide.
”It'd be hard to make them right now, so let's move the equipment for now.”
”Let's say that you can move them because you have an inventory, but do you have the s.p.a.ce to store them?”
”Of course I do.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo grinned and spoke while Kratia just tilted her head. He let her be, and deliberated on what he should do with the Original Cores. The main point of deliberation was whether he should just store the Original Cores or change them into Bone Cores first.
”It would probably be ok to change them. Since all of the materials for making golems will be changed through that ability of yours.”
”Giving the materials a sense of unity... Hmm, you're right. It doesn't sound like a bad idea.”
Kratia's recommendation was decent. Of course, Bone Reinforcement wouldn't always upgrade the material, but the cores were one of the few exceptions, as the quant.i.ty of magic within wouldn't change with the transformation.
It wasn't like he couldn't use them as cores once they transformed into Bone Cores; also, there wouldn't be a loss from transforming them, so there was enough value in doing so. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo changed all of the cores in one go and stored them into his inventory. Because his inventory had expanded significantly following his level up, there was a lot of free s.p.a.ce.
”Now, shall we start storing them?”
”Alright. I'll take the left side.”
”Then I'll go over there.”
The party collected the cores, turned around, and removed and collected the equipment as well. To be honest, there were some amongst them that shouldn't have been thoughtlessly removed, but Lee s.h.i.+n Woo and Kratia, who had a good grasp of magic, skillfully separated them, meticulously inspected them, and collected them so that there wouldn't be any trouble.
Only five minutes had pa.s.sed, yet nothing valuable had remained within the facility.
”The golems will probably get mad if they see these later, right?”
”It's alright. They won't see it.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo said, and ordered the Chimeras to collect the large sunlight stone. Because the sunlight stone was so large, the transformation was an incredibly unusual sight. Once he placed it into his inventory, the facility immediately became dark. The only words that would come out of his mouth were 'oh, come on'.
”You guys go first.”
”s.h.i.+n Woo?”
”I need to install a bomb before I go.”
”...Are you serious?”
They hadn't noticed the six Drake Horn Lances floating in the air from behind Lee s.h.i.+n Woo. No, when they thought about it, there were three or four of them floating behind them when they first entered... Jin recollected that and realized that that's when Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had decided to blow up the facility.
”You can make it so they don't know it was us?”
”There'll probably be no traces left.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo laughed briefly and sent the rest of the party away. Then, whenever a Drake Horn Lance was fully charged, he would burrow it here and there.
Because he'd already demolished much of the equipment that protected the facility, so long as he calculated the location and installed them properly, the six Drake Horn Lances should be able to completely destroy the place.
”Nice. This is perfect.”
However, while Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was finis.h.i.+ng with the bomb installation and leaving the pa.s.sageway, he felt his chest vibrate. It was the communication line that Kadinan's lord had possessed that enabled him to communicate with Hansen.
Hansen was already dead, so who was it? He didn't plan on asking something so boorish. Who could it be? It was obviously either the Emperor, or one of the Emperor's men.
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo grinned and raised the communication line. He inputted the bothersome mana seal, and accepted the call. It was then, he'd left the facility, closed the door, and turned around.
[Kadinan's lord, Nellopa. Did the Lightning Shadow General return?]
He could feel the military discipline within the extremely stiff voice. As expected, it seemed like the Lightning Shadow General had someone supervising him, even though he worked alone. Also, considering the fact that he didn't add an honorific to his name, it was possible that he was talking to someone really high up. And if that's the case, there was a high chance that this person was one of the 12 generals as well.
Obviously, showing this guy his ident.i.ty, even a little bit, wasn't a good idea. He activated Acting and Disguise simultaneously. It happened in the blink of an eye.
”The Lightning Shadow General is...”
Nellopa's voice naturally flowed out of Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's mouth, and he heard the other whisper, 'so he was just late'. The sound of his small sigh had to be a sign of relief. He decided to break that apart.
”The Lightning Shadow General... pa.s.sed away.”
[What!?]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo reported, sounding as though he were stifling his tears, and quickly turned the situation around. The other individual raised his voice immediately.
[Who dares!? How!? A golem!? Was it a golem!?]
”Kuheuk, that's correct. Arema Steelworker...”
[We expected the four commanders, but to think Arema Steelworker would act in person. Is he starting an all-out war...!? But it's too early. How can he be so confident!? Moreover, how did he conceal his energy and move so secretly!?]
That's right. Arema Steelworker was probably too scared to act in person, as he didn't want to be seen. That's why he had sent someone from the outside, like Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, despite it being an important mission to collect more than 200 cores!
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, who knew that it wouldn't be easy for them to believe it, gave them something to convince them.
”They're... on the same side of these guys called Anti-Skull! Kuahk!”