Level 4 Human in a Ruined World-Chapter 588
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Chapter 588: Quagmire (5)
Lightning Rod.
It was the legendary spear that Architect Lemu gave Yeongwoo as a wedding gift substitute.
But it contained one trap-like feature that Lemu had embedded.
That was one of the Lightning Rod’s special abilities, “Lemu’s Seal.”
【Lemu’s Seal】
| Every time you pronounce ‘Lemu,’ you receive a thrilling jolt of lightning damage and gain favor with machines.
Because the effect triggered every time one uttered Lemu’s name, the weapon ironically ensured that Yeongwoo could never forget Lemu.
And he had already benefited greatly from this weapon when infiltrating Weapon Merchant Koatu’s vault area.
Its effect of enchanting machines had been truly formidable, and so:
‘I don’t know if it’ll work again this time… but there’s no reason not to try.’
Yeongwoo, worried the seal might strengthen if he spoke the name aloud, gripped the Lightning Rod directly and looked toward the three machines that had been watching them silently until now.
‘If Lemu’s Seal works again… that would mean Lemu foresaw this future as well through the plates.’
And if that were true, Yeongwoo would no longer be able to predict Lemu’s intentions at all.
How do you play a game of minds against someone who sees the future?
And if he received Lemu’s help yet again, he’d practically owe him a life.
‘At that point it really is a grand courtship. Should I go around advertising Lemu now?’
Just when Yeongwoo reached that thought, the rain of coins falling overhead finally stopped.
“……!”
The entire 42.5 billion won in cash had finished dropping.
“…In that case…”
The moment Yeongwoo murmured this, the towering rectangular mass of tightly stacked coins began collapsing all at once.
Chwararara…!
And at the same time, Kejen urgently shouted.
–Prestige!
“…What?”
–Same as in the dueling arena. Prestige doesn’t activate inside the trading arena either! So do something!
“What—why are you telling me now? And the opponents are machines of all things…”
Out of every race imaginable, machines were the ones who needed Prestige the least.
Their physical capability alone was leagues above.
Kwa-gwa-gwat!
Coins crashed even onto the transparent cloak concealing Yeongwoo, finally revealing his position.
And as if the machines had been waiting specifically for that, they reacted the instant his silhouette appeared beneath the coins.
Pwoooong!
The two machines flanking the central giant figure suddenly dashed off in different directions.
–They’re blocking the escape route.
Kejen locked onto the one sprinting toward the distant exit path, a slender, extremely fast machine.
Just as expected, upon reaching the exit area, it threw something on the ground.
Whap!
It instantly expanded into a massive steel block, sealing the entire exit.
And the other machine—
KWA-ANG, KWA-AANG!
—came charging at Yeongwoo’s group with monstrous footsteps.
“That must be the combat unit.”
The machine rushing straight at them resembled a gorilla and even ran on all fours like one.
“Dad! Try ‘persuading’ it first!”
“Wh-what…?”
Though bewildered by his son’s order, Jeonggu raised the Aratubank close to his face.
KWAAT!
Then he hugged an armful of Katangdal Ingots with his other arm.
And said, trembling:
“Y-you’re here… t-to pick up your goods…?”
In response, the ‘gorilla’ gave its greeting in the form of a fist.
HWAAAAAANG!
“AAAGH!”
Persuasion: failed.
No, the opponent didn’t seem to have any intention of listening to words in the first place.
“Y-Yeongwoo!”
As the enormous fist hurtled toward him, Jeonggu instinctively cried out for his son, and in that very same instant—
PWAAAAAK!
The monstrous machine fist slammed into the surface of the Aratubank and buried Jeonggu into the floor.
KWA-A-A-AANG!
–We’re doomed!
Kejen reacted first.
He grabbed one of the Katangdal Ingots buried in the coin pile.
“……?”
Yeongwoo thought Kejen was taking the ingot to run away.
But—
–What are you doing, idiot!? Fight back!
Kejen hurled the ingot right at the gorilla attacking Jeonggu, trying to create even the slightest interruption.
HWEAAT!
Since it was not just any object but a trade item, the gorilla momentarily dropped Jeonggu and snatched the ingot with one hand.
Tup!
And thanks to that brief moment, Yeongwoo found an opening.
He swung Bastard from within the cloak, cutting off the gorilla’s right arm before it could react.
KWA-A-A-AAT!
–Oh…!
Evidently not expecting a mythic weapon to burst from the cloak, the gorilla showed its first bewildered expression.
Then—
KU-UUUNG!
It stepped back the moment its severed arm hit the ground.
–So you weren’t just petty thieves.
The gorilla finally spoke.
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Yeongwoo shrugged off the cloak, slid Bastard into his belt, and then immediately drew it back out.
He was recharging the weapon’s “First Strike” effect.
「First Strike」 – Mutated One-Handed Sword
【First attack damage +20%. Recharges on sheathing.】
“Hey, isn’t it weird for a petty thief to be carrying 25 ingots?”
–……
The gorilla didn’t answer.
Instead, it slowly rose upright.
SHEOK.
It stood on two legs, like a person.
Then it raised its remaining arm at a right angle, as if holding up something invisible.
“What the…?”
The bizarre posture made Yeongwoo tense instantly.
Then the space above the gorilla split open, and the machine swordsman from earlier leapt out mid-swing.
“Ugh!”
The thin one and the gorilla had been functioning as a teleport relay for the swordsman.
The swordsman’s blade resembled a tuning fork, two parallel edges producing an eerie vibration.
GWEEEAAAAK!
“You crazy bastard.”
Yeongwoo swung Bastard to intercept the attack. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
KAAAAANG!
Their blades clashed mid-air.
Whatever ability the opponent’s weapon had, the instant it touched Bastard, all nearby coins and ingots trembled violently.
And at that moment—
「Dueling with a Sword Tournament Champion +0.2」
A system message unexpectedly obscured part of Yeongwoo’s vision.
“Huh…?”
His vision went black right after.
PAAAACK!
The machine swordsman headbutted him.
“Ugh—! Fuck!”
Expecting a follow-up, Yeongwoo sharpened every sense, waiting to catch the hologram warning even with closed eyes.
But—
Hff.
When he reflexively reopened them, the opponent had stepped back instead.
–A planetary ship…?
The machine swordsman had received a Prestige notification as well.
Specifically: “Dueling with a Planetary Ship Owner.”
Realizing the situation, Yeongwoo blurted out:
“Ah! That’s Yur!’”
The swordsman looked around as if unable to comprehend.
Then pointed his tuning-fork blade at Yeongwoo.
Swoosh.
–You… are the owner of a planetary ship?
Yeongwoo heard that line often.
He wanted to reply, “And you’re a sword tournament champion?” but the words wouldn’t leave his mouth.
Because in those short exchanges, he had felt the opponent’s true skill.
‘…Yeah, that bastard is the real deal.’
Of course, it wasn’t that Yeongwoo was a fake planetary ship owner.
But being treated like a universe-spanning VIP was… obviously a stretch.
He was nowhere near someone like President Dogo, nor did he have the presence or power of fellow Earthling Headmistress Herisa.
So—
“W-how about… we call it a draw?”
Yeongwoo smiled slyly.
–…A draw?
“Yeah. Facing a planetary ship owner normally costs money. You got to enjoy it for free.”
–……?
“But I was rude too, so let’s call it even.”
The swordsman rolled his glowing red pupils around.
–Ah. Rudeness. Yes, that’s right.
His tone was unsettling.
–But I am curious.
“…About what?”
–About how well the marvel of the universe can fight!
“OH SHIT!”
Yeongwoo’s scream was drowned beneath the swordsman’s vicious roar as he swung his blade again.
GWEEEEEAK!
As expected from a sword tournament champion, absurdly aggressive.
And the fact that he had come to buy twenty-five Katangdal Ingots meant he was almost certainly constructing a ship.
Meeting the owner of the greatest ship design in the universe, the planetary ship, he definitely wasn't going to stay calm.
TRAAAANG!
Bastard rang violently as Yeongwoo barely guarded, the surrounding metals vibrating again.
His arm trembled like a leaf against the sheer force.
‘One more exchange and I’m done for.’
Realizing the swordsman was absolutely not his opponent, Yeongwoo held up the Lightning Rod in his free hand and shouted:
“L… Lemu! Lemu!”
–……!
White lightning blasted down on Yeongwoo's head, then arced into the swordsman.
PACHICHIT!
A brain-scorching jolt.
The swordsman’s pupils shifted from red to orange as he scanned the Lightning Rod.
–…This is…
He had recognized something.
But not Lemu’s Seal.
KWA-A-A-AAT!
He had recognized that the weapon itself was about to open a nearby space.
The Lightning Rod was also a teleportation device.
“Huh?”
Seeing space distort at the edge of his vision, Yeongwoo forgot the duel for a moment and turned his head.
Sssk.
From the newly opened space, Architect Lemu stepped out in a silver-white body.
“Oh—? Lemu—sir! How did you get here?”
In that split second, Yeongwoo understood many things.
For example: the Earthship’s location must have been transmitted to Lemu in real time.
He had been carrying Lemu’s teleport device all along, of course its location would be exposed.
Then Lemu solemnly drew his sword and declared.
–Your development is progressing faster than the Machine Tower predicted. And so, your moment of demise has also come earlier.
“What? This place was supposed to be my grave?”
Lemu pointed toward the steel-blocked exit.
–Go. The future is still being written, and I am still holding its tail end.
He meant: if he bought time, Yeongwoo could escape and survive.
And if someone who peeks into the Records says so, it must be true.
Yeongwoo reflexively stepped forward—then looked down at the coins and ingots blocking his shins.
“Sorry but—”
–……?
“How long… can you hold that tail end?”
–What?
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