Chapter 48 Part5 (1/2)
<chapter 48.=”” -=”” premature=”” family=”” plan=”” -=”” 5=””>
To Prince, the Metal Army's base was a safe hiding place, but to Seira and Dana, it was a place that allowed them to ruminate over their anger. To Lee s.h.i.+n Woo, it was a golem manufacturing facility, as well as a beachhead that would allow him a direct route to attack the capital. And finally, to Kratia, is was like a treasure vault.
”As expected. Another world's magic engineering's impressive. I see unlimited potential.”
”I'm not so sure, but if you think so, I'm sure it's true.”
It's been so long since Kratia had last been so energetic. Then again, it made sense. After all, she'd underwent special training in battle magic, so she hadn't had enough time to study anything. But following the battle, she had projects like the t.i.tan or the Huginn's Eye to look forward to, so...
Normally, one would loathe an increased workload, but she got excited over it like a pervert. 'It's a bit upsetting, but people like her probably revolutionize the world,' he thought vaguely and finished up all the tasks he needed to do here. He'd only pulled the lever on the far right side, yet he heard a loud noise from afar.
”Now we can go to the capital whenever we want.”
”...I'm getting tense.”
”It's not like we're going right away.”
If he could, he'd like to reach level 9 before then. Moreover, he wanted to complete the t.i.tan before then as well. If there were a Hyperbolic Time Chamber lying around somewhere, then he'd go in, undergo strict mana training, and reach level 9 no matter what, but... It was most unfortunate that he didn't have the time right now.
”It's all Seagald's fault.”
”But it was ultimately you who pulled the trigger, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo.”
”Giving me the cold, hard truth isn't good for my mental health, so can you not...?”
There was one last thing he needed to find, so he exited the room and perused the other facilities more quickly than before. There was still Arema's room, as well as a place similar to the command and control center (where all the golems' situation reports were directed to) to get to.
There was also a storehouse filled with emergency-use consumable magical devices as well. And...
”Found it.”
”It's really dark. What's the room even for?”
”Don't move. If you set foot into this room without Arema's seal, a ton of traps will activate.”
Just how important could it be, for the security of this particular room to be even stricter than the command and control center, or the device that remotely controlled the tracks. The party didn't know why they had to, but they followed Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's instructions and waited outside. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo used Arema's seal and then went into the room.
At that moment, the once dark room lighted up. It was an extremely small room. Aside from the lights, all that could be seen was a small table, a crystal that lay atop it, and a chair.
”What kind of treasure is it, for them to go so far to protect it?”
”This isn't a treasure. This is the Empire's most dangerous 'switch'.”
”Switch...?”
”Ah, is it...!?”
It seems like Dana was the first to realize what it was. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo strode into the room and placed his hand atop the crystal.
As expected, it was a device that would send a signal somewhere through the infusion of mana. Moreover, it used darkness element mana as a foundation to connect you to someone far away. This is...
”A communication device. Moreover, it's a communication line unaffected by the barrier.”
The reason for it being unaffected by the barrier was extremely simple. This communication device was created by the same person who'd made the barrier... In other words, it was created by the surface's Magic Emperor. He ignored the others, who widened their eyes, and calmly sat in the chair.
”What are you doing!? Are you going to declare war on the Emperor!?”
”You dumba.s.s. There's no way I'd do that.”
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo scolded Jin and tapped his cheek. With that, his face and armor began to change. It was an unbelievable change, even to those witnessing it firsthand. What's worse, the group couldn't even sense any magic, so they watched dumbfoundedly.
[Why are you so surprised? I can switch between a human and an undead, so why wouldn't I be able to turn into a golem too?]
”No, you... Your mana presence too.”
”Arema Steelworker. If I hadn't seen this with my own two eyes, then I would've thought that Arema Steelworker had returned from the dead. My G.o.d. How?”
”When I transformed the Chimeras, I received some info on Arema too. ...Ah, with my current abilities, I could imitate him pretty well without it though.”
At that time, everyone realized what his intentions were. They were just speechless. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was trying to do something unbelievable!
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo told his party to remain quiet just in case, and even told them to even stand far away from him. After that, he made sure his disguise was perfect and activated Wild Card while sifting through Arema's memories. This skill would conceal any awkwardness of his.
”Done.”
He stepped far enough away from the crystal and then infused his mana into it. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo waited a short while and then, a person's face appeared on the crystal. Someone he couldn't meet no matter what he'd done on the surface... The surface's Emperor had appeared.
He'd indirectly met the Magic Emperor before. At the time, the Emperor had been controlling the Evileye General, Shurina Von Hegel, so Lee s.h.i.+n Woo could recognize him immediately. This was the real deal, the true Magic Emperor. He wasn't borrowing another person's body this time. He had shown up in his true form.
Then again, he supposed there was no reason for the Emperor to put up a facade in front of the general he'd sent underground.
[Arema.]
[Your Majesty.]
There was no reason to waste time between them. Arema had served the Magic Emperor for several years and they shared the same beliefs. They could tell what the other was thinking without even saying it.
[So there's been a change underground.]
[That's correct.]
[Report, my loyal friend.]
Yet, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was fooling that very Emperor!
[Anti-Skull has made their stand. The exiles were transformed into Anti-Skull and Seagald was attempting to break through the barrier. He's an irregular. He's not like a normal undead; the most dangerous type of individual.]
[So... are you saying that he can move forward? Truly?]
[It's truly unbelievable, but... That's correct. I was forced to sacrifice the Four Heavenly Commanders to find that out...]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo had figured out how Arema or the Magic Emperor referred to the denizens underground when Chi Paul had absorbed Arema's body and had become an Android. He couldn't sift through the memories in any detail, but it was the bare minimum to imitate Arema Steelworker.
[...Seagald. A descendant of the Retadanes.]
[...]
A voice filled with profound emotion. He didn't know what else to say, so he remained quiet, but being silent was what Arema Steelworker would do here as well. As one of his va.s.sals, asking about the Emperor's personal feelings was impermissible!
How long did he remain silent? The Emperor suddenly spoke.
[The Retadane family still had that much power left? He must be level 8. Am I right?]