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Reincarnator – Chapter 339 : Main Research Center (1)

"Can you read anything?"

Hansoo asked Kiriel, who continued to stay focused with her hand on the ground.

"Please, wait a moment!"

She hadn't been able to read anything with her area skill.

Which meant that nothing had happened recently, at least.

—sssssss—

As the range decreased and the effectiveness multiplied, she was able to delve deeper and read even more memories.

Kiriel started off from the most recent event near the elevator and started to read through them.

Soon—

'…What is this?'

Kiriel started to frown.

Countless strange attacks were flying around the elevator and turning the whole place into a mess.

—crunch!—

—crack!—

'Huh…What?'

Because the attackers hadn't reached the land she was reading, she couldn't figure out their identities.

She could only see the countless adventurers being killed off like flies from those strange attacks.

But soon she realized that she didn't really need to read the memories of other areas.

—boom! boom!—

She could feel the vibrations of the ground getting stronger.

Which meant that something was coming.

Something was coming to crush those adventurers that were running away.

But as Kiriel continued to read the memory.

—whoooosh!—

Someone was pulling strongly on the back of her clothes.

"Ahh!"

Because of the external stimulus, her Psychometry was shattered and she was forced back out into reality.

'Damn… I almost saw it! So close!'

But as she turned around—

—booooooom!—

The ground exploded right where she'd been standing.

'Huh?!'

Kiriel frowned at the beam attack that was exactly the same as the one she'd seen in the memories.

Indeed, her guard had been down because she'd been using her Psychometry.

She wouldn't die from it, but it was clear that an attack of this level would hurt her to some degree.

But as Kiriel quickly activated her skills to defend against the fragments and the flames that came from the explosion, somebody was already standing before her.

—titititing!—

Hansoo had pulled Kiriel behind him and deflected most of the damage with the hammer.

—rumble—

'This is the Spirit, huh? How useful.'

Kiriel looked at Hansoo absorbing the residual flames into his body, but then turned to the thing that had attacked her in the first place.

'A robot?'

Eeeeeeing.

—kacha—

She'd thought it would be an abyssal beast or an underling of Clementine.

But the thing that was actually coming towards her was a robot.

—rumble—

It looked like a construction machine all clad in some metal alloy.

The laser beam weapon that had attacked her was attached on top of it, alongside a cannon.

Overall, it looked very similar to a tank.

—rummblee—

Though the 10-meter-tall giant machine approaching her looked quite threatening, her expression remained indifferent.

'How boring'.

Kiriel cracked her knuckles and surrounded herself in flames as she mumbled.

The 5th Zone.

A giant metal city, and the giant barrier that surrounded it.

The extremely advanced technology.

She expected everything within this place to fit the look of its surroundings.

But what the hell was this?

'It just looks very generic. Even the Akadus of the 2nd zone looked more advanced than this.'

Kiriel sighed as she thought of the silver androids controlled by Gwanje, the lord of the 2nd Zone.

—kiiiiiiing—

Energy started to gather at the giant cannon on top of the machine.

—boooom!—

It fired towards the humans that still hadn't run away even after seeing it.

The energy was so violent that the attack had melted down the surrounding land, destroying the debris.

'Wow, that's a bit strong.'

Though it looked lame, its might was dimensions apart from the Akadus.

But Kiriel only shrugged her shoulders as she took something out from her pocket.

—whoooosh!—

Kiriel used the object to quickly draw lines in the air.

And as the beam smashed against the space Kiriel had just been drawing on.

—claaangg!—

The laser split into two halves and flew past her, exploding in the space behind her.

—booom!—

Kiriel used the force of the explosion to accelerate her charge forwards and drew a vertical line.

And as the object in Kiriel's hand cut through the air—

—clank!—

—the huge metal robot split in half, its two parts falling down.

—kirurururuk!—

The tank struggled and made strange noises as it attempted to turn its cannon to attack again, but it was futile.

Deep within its metal walls, the tank's core had been split apart as well.

And with a final groan, the tank soon stopped moving.

Kiriel checked the insides to see if anybody was riding it, but it was empty.

'A robot is indeed a robot. But damn, this is a really good one.'

Kiriel looked at the object in her hand in shock.

[Ark-Roa's Fang].

It was only the Ark-Roa's fang in name, but its might was actually countless times stronger than the fangs of an Ark-Roa itself.

It was capable of splitting the air apart and deflected light.

Unlike its noble appearance, which resembled an ivory tusk, the might hidden within it was no joke.

'That fairy was one hell of a nuisance in the tutorial, but at least they're properly giving out rewards, huh?'

Kiriel rubbed the fang's soft curves as she looked towards Hansoo.

'He fought even harder than me, so he should have received a better reward than mine, but he only got part of an artifact.'

Kiriel tried to imagine what it would look like once it was completed, and then spoke to Hansoo.

"Looks like this is all there is to it. I think these are the ones that roam around this area.'

These things were more than strong enough to threaten normal adventurers, but they were a bit lacking when it came to transcendents like herself.

'Reading this thing's memories should help out at least.'

Maybe she'd find a clue as to why that barrier had broken apart.

—kiiiing—

"Ugh."

Kiriel's expression turned unsightly as she read the memory.

And Hansoo chuckled while watching her.

"If it's a common weapon then it'll only be useful once it's mass-produced."

"Ah…"

—rumble!—

—clank! clank!—

Even before Kiriel could freak out at the hundreds of machines she had seen in the memories, those exact machines had already gathered around them.

—kiiiiiing!—

Zzzzmmmm!

The Melchizedek's machines had gathered after receiving the distress signal of the machine that Kiriel had just destroyed.

And the first thing they did was gather energy to attack the two of them.

'Let's see.'

—booooooom!—

As Hansoo smashed the Mjolnir into the ground, a giant bolt of lightning smashed down from the sky, creating a pillar of lightning.

—rummblee!—

Hansoo started to think about his next step as he swept apart the attacks of the countless machines with the lightning pillar.

No matter what happened here, he just needed to accomplish his job.

'I need to sweep away Melchizedek.'

He always had to remember his job.

His goal was to win.

And the first requirement to achieve his goal was… annihilation of all obstacles that could deter his path towards that victory.

The strength in his hands was all for this goal.

The machine king, driven by his greed for material objects and information, wouldn't be an exception to this as well.

He wanted to avoid it if possible, but he had been attacked the second he encountered his underlings.

And this would not end until he smashed apart Melchizedek's main body located somewhere within the 5th zone.

'Where… where could he be?'

Hansoo looked around in various directions and mumbled.

'It doesn't seem like it would be on the 1st floor.'

The chances of Melchizedek being on the 1st floor were very low.

But these soldiers were reacting way too violently.

There were way more of them than usual as well.

Of course, it wouldn't be weird for it to be in the first floor.

Despite being a machine, Melchizedek was a curious being that pretended to be a human as it roamed around the entire zone.

And if it was on the 1st floor, there was only one place it would go to.

'The Main Research Center.'

…ssssss…

Hansoo mumbled, and with a sweep of his Pandemic Blade, he melted over twenty of the robots.

He realized something after looking around.

In this giant metal city that was divided into various sectors with different facilities and functions, this place was where the Main Research Center was located.

Of course, this was something the humans had named it, but the name was very fitting.

'If he's here, then… jackpot.'

It would be even better if Melchizedek didn't bring his elite soldiers with it, but just being near his current location was good enough.

Since it would be much better than if it hid behind its .

'If I can find him while I'm cleaning up these pieces of garbage, then… that really is a jackpot.'

As he focused, Hansoo thought of Melchizedek, who reminded him of an innocent child.

Then—

—chiiijijijiikk!—

A dark aura started to gather around the tip of Mjolnir.

The Nine Dragons Spear.

Of course, the name was because the creator of this skill was somebody who wielded a spear.

The important thing wasn't the name, but how the skill itself worked.

A skill which squeezed every drop of strength in its user's body, including the user's instinctive struggle for survival during its use, and then turned that strength into a destructive form of energy that smashed apart the user's foe.

Every time another dragon was added, the pain one felt throughout their body was multiplied.

A skill which stacked the energy that was extracted out from the body through this process and used it to destroy one's foes.

This was the Nine Dragons Spear.

Which meant that as long as one understood the method behind the extraction of strength, and how the energy was gathered, it didn't matter what weapon was used.

—kwaaaddddk!—

—swooosh!—

Four dragons rushed out from Hansoo's heart and started to intermingle with the lightning within the Mjolnir.

It wasn't that four was his limit.

But rather that four was more than enough.

Hansoo lifted the hammer surrounded by black lightning and smashed it into the ground.

And the moment the hammer collided with the metallic land—

—booooom!—

—the black lightning rode through the ground and started to spread out.

Like countless dragons charging towards their enemies.

—zzzzzzttt—

—boom!—

The streaks of black lightning swam through the land and smashed into the robots, blowing them up and melting them down.

It was like watching countless dragons chewing apart their prey.

—rumble!—

—boom!—

'Woah…'

Kiriel split apart the robots one by one, dazedly looked at this scene where hundreds of robots were destroyed in an instant.

But there were another set of eyes that were watching this scene as well.

....................

"What the hell is that?"

—rumble—

17 kilometers away from the elevator.

A man, who was lying between the buildings and watching the elevator, freaked out at the scene where hundreds of AR-1121s were being destroyed.

Though they were mass produced, those things weren't so weak that they could be destroyed that easily.

Another man, who had been standing next to him, asked with a stern expression:

"Do you think he came down from above? Or came up from below?"

"How would I know?"

After hearing the annoyed voice of the man who was on the ground, the man with the stern expression frowned.

"You mean we'll have to meet them to find out. Are you going to make contact?'

"Hmm…"

That man was too strong for them to just ignore and continue on with what they'd been doing.

The man on the ground, who seemed to be the leader, frowned at the words of his underling.

Reincarnator – Chapter 340 : Main Research Center (2)

—kiiiiing!—

After seeing their comrades being destroyed, countless more unmanned robots rushed to this location and started to search.

—kirruk—

Their goal was to collect intel regarding their mysterious opponent.

They were coded to collect intel throughout the entire research center, but once attacked, they would gather in order to destroy or capture their foe.

Though the sensors above the modules were working at full power to find the two intruders, it was all futile.

After inspecting its destroyed comrade, the AR-1121 picked it up and started to move away—it assumed the intruder had fled to another location.

It would be able to gather a bit of intel after it looked through the debris.

And right next to them…

There were two pairs of eyes that were watching these robots returning to their original positions.

'This is much better.'

Hansoo nodded as he looked at the thin barrier surrounding him and Kiriel.

And Kiriel smiled proudly.

"It's something the mages of the Kingdoms were using, but it seemed useful, so I learned it. I was able to hide from the Ark-Roa, and even from the one who created the various Transcendents."

Hansoo's brows rose up.

He had always wondered how she'd roamed around without being detected by the others, but it looked like this was how she had done it.

'It still shouldn't have been that easy.'

Her methods were indeed above the norm, and her talents were naturally not inferior to the Keldian in the past.

"Anyway, where do we go now?"

Kiriel asked Hansoo, looking around the vast, artificial land.

'It's too wide.'

If she were to read everything with her Psychometry, she would burn out very quickly.

She didn't know what she had to look for as well.

'Right… Do I have to tell her?'

Hansoo thought to himself.

If they were going to continue traveling, there was a need for him to tell her that he had come from the future.

Otherwise, she would question him every time he did something strange.

It might even cause confusion during a decisive moment.

Since Kiriel wouldn't understand why he was doing certain things.

But even before Hansoo could finish his thoughts, Kiriel asked him a question, with eyes full of expectation.

"Hurry and show me. I heard you have a weird superpower right?'

"…"

'Did she see that too?'

He had heard that she'd researched him, but it looked like she'd also seen the lies he'd made in the past.

Hansoo chuckled at Kiriel's puppy-like eyes and pointed towards a direction.

"Let's go that way then."

And Kiriel smiled at Hansoo's actions.

This world was a new, unknown world.

Nobody knew where they were, and they didn't know what they would encounter or where they had to go.

But a trait that showed them the path in a situation like this?

Wasn't that the best trait in a leader one could ask for?

And his goal was cool too.

Saving all of mankind.

'I'm going to follow him until the end!'

Kiriel tightly grasped the fang in her hand as she quickly followed Hansoo from behind.

...............

"It seems everything was destroyed."

'Who lived here in the past?'

Kiriel mumbled as she ran past countless metal buildings.

It was strange.

Robots wouldn't live in such places.

And the half-destroyed barrier in the sky had also proved something.

There was something that needed that exact barrier.

But strangely, there wasn't a single trace of a human being in this vast land.

Only the metal robots that roamed from place to place while making strange noises.

'Ugh.'

Kiriel looked around at the tank-like robots, who all seemed to be running around in a hectic state because of their intrusion.

—sssssk!—

'What the hell?'

Kiriel frowned at the minute and invisible wave that made contact with her own barrier.

This was a detection skill.

Quite a high-leveled one too.

'No, it's not just a skill. What is this?'

One thing was clear at least; they had been found.

—swoosh—

A man appeared from where the wave had originated from in the distance.

Right where they were heading towards.

And the man was holding onto a strange rod-like object in his hands.

—chiiijijik—

'That. He mixed his skill with that.'

She wondered how he'd detected her through her barrier, but he'd apparently mixed his skill with a strange object.

The man wore a necklace, which suddenly created a strange, translucent bubble that surrounded his head.

Something that allowed him to maintain his fighting abilities in a land that had no oxygen to breathe.

Kiriel started to get curious as she watched the man. He seemed to be clad in various items that looked different from normal artifacts.

'…Were you always able to mix skills with technology?'

That thing looked extremely useful.

Though the skills looked magical, they were a lot of cases where they fell short.

Most of them were very inefficient if they couldn't be used in direct combat or for survival.

And as if feeling Kiriel's eyes on him, the man shouted out towards Kiriel and Hansoo.

"Wait! Please wait a moment!"

Kiriel stopped after hearing the man's shout, and asked Hansoo:

"What shall we do?"

She was interested in the man already, but the man had come to find them instead.

And the man was in quite a perilous situation as well.

—Kirrrrk!—

"Damnit!"

The surrounding robots had heard the man's shouts and were gathering towards this area.

Apparently, he had come outside even after knowing that it would be dangerous.

Hansoo pondered for a moment at Kiriel's words, but then nodded.

"Let's hear him out at least."

The scene from the memory Kiriel had told him about kept on bugging him.

And he also wondered why the giant barrier in the sky had broken apart.

Intel was better the more one had, and somebody who'd been here longer would definitely know more than they did.

Kiriel chuckled as she nodded.

"It looks like we'll need to rescue him first."

The man was screaming while he fought the robots in the distance.

"Ahhh!"

—booom!—

She and Hansoo couldn't be seen by the robots since they were behind her barrier that hid them.

So all their attention and attacks had been focused on the man.

Hansoo nodded at Kiriel's words as he watched the man who was barely dodging the various attacks that flew towards him.

"I'll do it."

Then—

—ssssss—

—a mass of red clouds started to appear around Hansoo's body.

............….

"Haa… haaa. Thank you."

The man gasped for breath after reaching the barrier Kiriel had set up.

Kiriel mumbled to herself as she looked at the man's appearance.

'Woah. What a hottie!'

His looks were comparable to some famous superstar.

But Kiriel moved her eyes away from his face.

The various machinery the man had on his body was more interesting to her than his face.

'What are all these things?'

She wasn't an engineer to begin with, so she couldn't figure out with a single glance how he used his machinery nor how they were created.

But there was no need for her to know all those details.

She just needed to know how to use them, and what effect they had.

And her trait was perfect for such a thing.

'Let's see.'

—kiiiiing—

As Kiriel activated her Psychometry to read the memories—

—Hansoo spoke to the man, who was still gasping for breath.

"Why did you call out to us?"

The man looked into Hansoo's eyes and said:

"What else? I was asking for help."

Kiriel clenched her teeth as she used a touch of her Psychometry.

She had expected this to some degree.

Since she and Hansoo had shown off their prowess already, anyone who came to find them would be coming for that exact reason.

But what gall.[a][b]

'Is he not scared?'

Those looks might be able to subdue the rage of some females, but it wouldn't be that useful against another man.

But Hansoo looked at the man in amusement.

He could see the man had something backing his arrogance.

And the man saw Hansoo's gaze and nodded.

"Good. We should all be helping each other out. I'm sure you won't lose out on this deal."

"Do you even know who we are?"

The man shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I don't know who you are, but you are human. Since that crazy bastard Melchizedek betrayed the humans, we should be helping each other out."

"Betray?'

Kiriel was shocked.

Betrayal?

Had they been allies in the past?

The man looked at Kiriel in shock.

'What a pretty girl.'

The man, Jack Hounder, smiled and replied kindly.

"Yes, betray. That bastard suggested we ally and then betrayed us the moment we agreed."

Jack looked in the direction of the research center in the distance.

.........…..

Outer areas of the giant machine city.

—rumble—

A train-like object was quickly scouting through the perimeter of the city.

But it didn't seem like a train for transferring people or cargo.

The giant train racing through the metal ground was simply humongous.

—rumble—

The giant train charging over the ground was easily the size of a small island.

And there were hundreds of buildings that had been built on top of that train.

And in the middle of this train…

Within a giant building…

—rummble—

A two-meter-tall humanoid form was standing in the middle of a structure, which resembled a factory or research center.

The man, who had been standing amidst the countless noisy machines, ignored the faint vibrations in the ground as he looked around.

Though the various machines looked quite disorganized—

—the view from the man's position was quite a sight.

To the left, there were thousands of test tubes which held countless humans.

To the right of the man, there were factories that were quickly constructing things.

—bubble bubble—

The humans who looked to be sleeping peacefully were mostly in parts.

Just the bottom half, the top half or just the arms and legs.

The other parts had already melted down into the liquid.

And these liquified bodies were being sucked into a larger tube that was attached on top of the test tubes.

—sssss—

The man, who had been staring at the factory, turned towards the liquids.

Towards the direction where those liquids were heading to.

The man looked at the giant aquarium located in front of him.

The lifeform that was being created in the middle.

The lifeform that was receiving the liquefied humans from the left, and nanomachines from the plant on the right.

The man caressed the aquarium as he mumbled.

'A step towards… unification.'

But this was not enough.

He needed more.

As fast as possible.

As much as possible.

The man then turned towards the elevator and smiled.

[a]? like seagulls or gall, like he has such balls

[b]he has le balls

Reincarnator – Chapter 341 : Main Research Center (3)

—rumble—

"You live hidden down there?"

Jack nodded at Kiriel who had been pointing towards the ruins in the distance.

"We have about two hundred people managing the barrier to keep us hidden. It doesn't look like those robots know how to use skills proficiently yet."

Well, they were borrowing the powers of the strange artifacts they had dug up from this place because their own skills weren't enough.

Like the personal equipment that had helped him find these two just now.

'This is already good enough.'

Jack looked at the two people in front of him.

If they could borrow their strength, who were both definitely transcendents, their situation would become much better.

'She doesn't really leave his side though.'

Jack made a dissatisfied expression as he looked at Kiriel.

He hadn't seen a woman in so long.

Plus she was such a beauty, but she was always on her guard against him.

'What's the point of being handsome anymore…'

He knew he was good-looking, and he had lived a decent life up to this point.

Until he reached the Blue Zone.

Until Melchizedek betrayed them.

It was mostly useless now.

Since he couldn't attract any males with his looks.[a][b]

Kiriel threw a question at Jack, who'd been looking her up and down.

"What happened? What about the alliance?"

With a sad expression, Jack shrugged his shoulders and said:

"This is what happens when you don't have the strength. I'll continue after we arrive. We're almost there."

Jack then started to speed up.

And Kiriel's curiosity only increased.

She was actually the type that could not hold back her curiosity very well.

The reason why she had searched around for information on Hansoo was because of her curiosity as well.

'Whatever, I can just figure it out on my own.'

But as Kiriel lifted her hands up to use her Psychometry.

Jack raised both his hands and spoke out.

"Woah, woah. Please don't do that thing you did before. It feels a bit icky, so… We're almost here anyway."

'Oops.'

Kiriel made an embarrassed expression.

Jack then jumped towards a specific location within the ruins.

Then—

Several machines that were hidden within the ruins activated, and a blue light scanned all three of their bodies.

—didididik!—

But the moment the blue light scanned through Hansoo and Kiriel, it turned red and made warning noises. Something vibrated beneath them.

'The hell is this?'

Kiriel frowned and looked at Hansoo to see what they should do.

"Ah, these things are sensitive. Please relax."

Jack lifted his palms again to calm them down, and then put in a few commands which caused the red light to turn back to blue.

Soon—

—rumble—

—a ten-meter-tall mechanical spider rose up from the ruins.

[MR-4112]

'Ah, this is what vibrated under us just now, huh?'

—chiiiiik—

Kiriel mumbled as she looked at the giant machine spider, and as soon as it finished rising it then opened up its stomach for them to enter.

There seemed to be weapons in the machine's eight legs, and it was clear what this thing would've done if the light had remained red.

"It's a very rare thing you see. We were barely able to hack it so you guys won't be able to break this. Come on, let's get on."

—rummblee—

The spider, after taking in the three of them, started to dig through the metal debris and into the ground.

It soon disappeared without a trace as it headed deeper and deeper underground.

............….

—rummble—

The spider shot beams from its legs to melt down the path, and it only stopped after it melted down a thirteen-meter-tall metal wall to make an entrance.

—rummblee—

The stomach of the mechanical spider opened up, and light entered the space the trio were in.

And Kiriel was shocked at the scene that unfolded before her eyes.

'It's quite well-decorated.'

The giant shelter clearly showed traces of humans having lived here.

The giant shelter, which was the size of a few sports fields combined, had countless tunnels for things to enter and leave through.

Some strange machines were digging out materials as they entered and left through these passages as well.

'…What is that? Dirt? Ore?'

Kiriel grew curious as she looked at the construction machines moving in strange materials from the tunnels.

Of course, it wouldn't be weird if they were ore or dirt.

Since this place wasn't really a satellite, but rather a structure built on top of a moon from what she could see.

But the important thing was why they were digging holes at a time like this.

'What the hell are they doing?'

But as Kiriel was lost in confusion—

—a small group of people quickly walked towards Hansoo and Kiriel.

Twenty or so people who were also clad in strange artifacts like Jack.

Once the group arrived in front of them, a large, blonde man standing in the front extended his hand and greeted them.

"Greetings. I am called Samuel."

'He seems to be the leader of their group.'

Kiriel mumbled to herself.

He hadn't really said he was the leader, but it was clear after looking at the surrounding people.

That he was the leader of this place.

'Well, he might not be as well.'

Samuel continued to speak to Kiriel and Hansoo.

"Thank you for accepting our invitation."

Samuel's attitude was full of caution.

He had to be, since he was dealing with transcendents.

Monsters who had broken past the limits of humankind.

'If they could just help us out a bit…'

It was too late to say these words.

Hansoo spoke coldly to Samuel who had been looking at him with a perplexed gaze.

"Let's get to the main point—it doesn't look like we have a lot of time."

Samuel nodded.

"I've asked you guys to come here to make an alliance. You won't lose out, I promise."

Hansoo continued to speak.

"First, tell me your objective."

Kiriel nodded.

She and Hansoo had come here because of their curiosity, but these people's stories were different.

For them to suggest an alliance like this, despite knowing how strong she and Hansoo were?

What if they were insane like Zeus, and were thinking about turning all these people into slaves? Would they have dared to invite them here?

Samuel smiled.

"Is your goal the research center?"

"…"

Hansoo replied with silence.

'It seems they've been watching us longer than we expected.'

Even transcendents couldn't watch over someone from dozens of kilometers away.

Which meant that they deduced that his goal was the research center from the direction he had taken.

Samuel checked that his thoughts were correct from Hansoo's expression, and then confidently continued.

"And you guys should have come down from above, since that's the only way for you guys to know the location."

"Eh…"

'Not really.'

Kiriel made a strange expression.

This Samuel guy was acting as if he knew everything, but it didn't seem like that was the case.

'Well, with a strange trait like that… it's easy to misunderstand.'

Kiriel mumbled as she thought of Hansoo's trait.

They'd been running towards their objective without a break.

A very important-sounding location.

Nobody would suspect that they'd come from below like this.

Since it was impossible for someone to go straight towards their objective if they didn't even know where they were heading to.

'So the place we were heading to is called the research center, huh?'

She hadn't actually known the location since she was just following Hansoo's trait.

Kiriel pondered for a moment and decided just to stay quiet.

A misunderstanding had its uses.

But unlike Kiriel's thoughts, Hansoo just replied bluntly:

"You're wrong. We came from below."

"…What? Aren't you here to reclaim the research center after failing to do it last time?'

But as Hansoo shook his head, Samuel's expression turned into one of confusion.

'No way. How did they know how to get to the research center after coming from below…'

The Main Research Center was continuously in motion.

If one didn't know its path, then it would be impossible to find it.

Even if they were to pick up hints left behind another, it wouldn't be possible to do such a thing.

As Samuel was lost in confusion, Hansoo continued to speak.

"But you're half correct."

"Huh?"

"I've never failed in reclaiming the research center, but I have indeed come for it this time."

"Uhh…"

Samuel's confusion grew.

To come up from below to attack the research center?

How did he know about this?

It was too unbelievable to be a lie.

'What's his objective…?'

For them to have come from below.

Then the story had changed a little.

But Hansoo chuckled at Samuel's perplexed expression.

"We don't really care much anyway. We can just leave if we want to. So show us what you're hiding, because I don't believe this is all you have to ask for an alliance."

Hansoo looked around.

About a thousand people were scattered around this place.

Though it was a large force, it was nowhere near enough people to attack the research center.

But they hadn't pleaded for help, but had asked for an alliance instead.

Which meant that had something to back themselves up.

'If they don't have anything that is worth our time, then… there's no need to form an alliance.'

Their objective also seemed to be the research center.

He didn't know why they wanted to take over that place, but if they had no cards to deal with, it was better for him to move as a duo with Kiriel for efficiency's sake.

After a short pause, Samuel nodded.

'Yeah, our objectives are the same…'

Letting the two of them in without a detailed investigation had been a mistake.

But this could also give them a chance.

"This way. Jack, lead them well."

Samuel then walked away towards a tunnel. Hansoo and Kiriel shrugged at each other and followed suit.

...........

—rumble—

'Are there no females here?'

Everyone they had seen on the way were men.

[Sec-141]

As Kiriel was walking through the tunnels where the construction robots were digging things up, Samuel spoke up from the front. It was as if he was trying to make some small talk to get rid of the silence.

"Do you know what this facility was made for?"

"This shelter, you mean?"

Samuel shook his head.

"This giant base in general. The 5th zone, the Blue zone of the past. This entire moon is the 5th zone."

'It was a moon base, huh?'

But of course, she couldn't figure out why this base had been made.

Samuel smiled, then continued to speak.

"This giant moon base was said to have been built in order to research sleeping beneath this place. It was all for that purpose."

Samuel mumbled as he thought of the giant base of the moon .

*In Korean, the term 위성, (Pronounced Wee-Sung) can both mean a satellite and a moon (Or anything that really floats around a planet). The author seems to use them interchangeably, so I had to infer from the surrounding context.

It seems to me that this giant body of mass in space is not a moon, but some form of asteroid. But since the author described it as the size of a moon (I assume it is the earth's moon), I'll just translate it as the moon.

P.S. information may get changed with future context.

[a]Or can he? 😉

[b]hey. dont raise my hopes.

Reincarnator – Chapter 342 : Refinement (1)

[Analyzing…complete]

The research center.

The giant central intelligence let out a line of words after researching the debris of the robots that had been destroyed by Hansoo's attacks.

The intelligence, which had been gently stroking the broken robot parts like a mother would do to a child, started to compile a list of results from the research.

—kiriririririk—

The traces of strength left behind on the remains of its creations.

There was always a unique aura behind every attack.

And this differed from the user's strength, traits, and personality.

If one could find that aura, then it was just a matter of time before they found the owner.

The central intelligence started to send out commands to every single one of its underlings.

Then—

—kiriririk—

The scanning modules of the robots closest to the intelligence started to change.

And they were now programmed to search and identify that brand new and alluring aura that had destroyed its comrades.

.............

Samuel smiled as he continued to guide Hansoo and Kiriel.

"This place we're living in was also used to research the base as well."

The previous inhabitants had all disappeared for some reason.

The only robots still in operation were those that had been ordered to dig.

And the people who had run away after Melchizedek's betrayal had found a ray of hope in this exact location.

A ray of hope telling them that they might be able to beat those metal cans.

But the most important thing right now was rescuing the females that had been captured and taken to the research center.

'This is turning me insane.'

Samuel mumbled.

Believe it or not, the lack of women in this already hell-like place made it even worse.

He'd been thankful in the past when Melchizedek had ignored them and targeted only the females, but now he deeply regretted not saving those females after spending so many days with just men.

Gulp.

Samuel was embarrassed that Kiriel kept smirking at him; he'd been staring at her beauty, which had rarely been seen even in the shelter in the past.

It had been so long since he had seen a woman, he had subconsciously gulped at the sight of her.

'Well… at least they don't seem like the violent type.'

Samuel sighed in relief when Kiriel started ignoring him as if she was used to it.

If these guys were the violent type, then there was a high chance that his head would have flown off already.

'Well, if they were like that, then I wouldn't even have made contact with them in the first place.'

Jack had a trait that could read a person's emotions and their evil thoughts, and since he'd already checked them out, it was all good.

It had been a dangerous mission, but he'd succeeded.

The duo looked quite safe from afar, and he'd felt a sense of urgency.

With the combination of his good looks and his trait, he had bewitched countless women in the past.

And after seeing such a beauty, he could barely hold himself in check.

"So, what's actually below this place?"

Kiriel asked curiously, looking back and forth between Jack and Samuel.

She didn't care that Samuel had stopped talking to think, but she was still curious.

And Samuel merely replied with a blank expression.

"We don't know, but… it should be amazing."

'…You don't know?'

Samuel blushed again as Kiriel's brows rose up, and he quickly tried to explain. He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of such a beauty.

"Of course. Since such an advanced civilization was working this hard to dig it out, shouldn't it be amazing?"

He wasn't basing his confidence just on this assumption.

The original inhabitants of this so-called 'excavation center' had actually left behind a record.

A record stating that if one can excavate the hidden weapon below this base, , then they would have a chance to save their actual planet.

'Yeah.'

Samuel smiled confidently.

He didn't know why these two were heading towards the research center, but only an insane maniac would approach that place because it had the tightest defenses of any structure in this entire floor.

Which meant that they had a specific goal to achieve.

The other transcendents had acted like that as well.

Transcendents could not be born without desire.

Samuel knew that these people would help them out.

'You guys need slaves as well, so we will gladly fill that role.'

He'd never even dreamed of being able to control these two.

Their levels of strength were dimensions apart.

He only wished for one thing.

And that was for these guys to take them in.

He could guarantee that their group was quite useful.

Since strength wasn't the only thing that one needed to survive in this world.

So he had called out to these two.

To give them what they'd been searching for and gaining protection in return.

And these two weren't dangerous, at least according to Jack, so it was fine for now.

Escaping this damned shelter was the most important thing.

The robots were getting closer and closer to finding them, and being stuck in this underground shelter was becoming increasingly unbearable.

It would be nice to monopolize the unknown weapon hidden below, but Samuel wasn't confident enough in the weapon for him to go all out against those robots.

They needed a shield.

Like the ones they had in the past.

Before Melchizedek betrayed them.

'It was nice when they protected us…'

As Samuel grit his teeth at the thought of those transcendents who'd left them behind and gone up—

—Hansoo organized his thoughts and asked a question.

"Are there perhaps any abyssal beings living in the tunnels?"

And Samuel smirked inwardly at this question.

He clearly knew why Hansoo was asking such a question.

'Even a powerful person like him is trying to avoid fighting, huh?'

Well, it would be weird if he was actively looking for a fight.

Why would they bother fighting if they could actually retrieve that weapon?

Samuel continued to explain.

It hurt his pride, but he needed to make themselves look good.

"Don't worry. We are doing our best to keep ourselves hidden. Almost two hundred people are sustaining the barrier, and we're even using artifacts to reinforce it. How could the abyssal beings find us when even Melchizedek cannot?"

They had always been meticulous about staying hidden in case of the scouting machines.

All so they could dig out that precious weapon buried below.

'And if they can help us… it would be faster.'

Although they'd been digging at a good pace until now, they had started to encounter the harder, rocky layers, and could only dig out a few dozen meters in a day.

But if these two could help them out, it would only take an instant to finish.

Samuel smiled as he thought of the mutual benefits for both parties.

But Hansoo seemed to have lost interest as he said:

"We're leaving."

"Yes."

"Huh?"

Kiriel nodded, a bored expression already on her face, and Samuel was left flustered at what had just happened.

'Huh?…Why?'

............…

—rummmblee—

'Annoying.'

Kiriel looked at the small group of males following her and Hansoo.

"Are you coming with us?"

And Jack, who'd been leading the group next to Kiriel, nodded.

"Yes, we plan to."

"You aren't expecting us to protect you, right?"

Jack shook his head.

"No, no. We'll manage our own work ourselves. I'm sure we can be of help."

Jack looked back at the shelter that he'd once placed so much hope on. It was now far behind them.

In the past, he had once thought of that shelter as their final ray of hope.

He knew that as long as they could dig out whatever was below it, they would gain the chance to get back at the metal cans.

But not anymore.

'From their reactions… there's a chance that the thing hidden below won't be as amazing as we expected.'

Jack thought to himself as he looked at the duo.

Those two people were moving around as if they already knew a lot about this place.

And he had lost all interest after hearing their words.

The thing hidden below might be something his group would find amazing.

But it seemed like it wouldn't be for these two transcendents.

Logically speaking, shouldn't they stick with the stronger side then?

Samuel couldn't bear to give up the shelter, and so he had stayed behind. But Jack couldn't let this opportunity go.

But at least he'd stayed loyal.

When Jack had been about to leave, Samuel had said:

If he had voiced out his thoughts on the way out, there would be many more following the two of them.

At least half of them would.

Of course, he never planned to say anything, even without Samuel's plea.

Since it wouldn't be good for him either if more competitors came along.

'I cannot let this woman go.'

Jack stared at Kiriel.

It was a chance of a lifetime.

Blinding beauty and earth-shaking strength.

If such a powerful and beautiful woman were to protect him?

The probability of him surviving in the future would become much higher.

And it wouldn't be a bad choice for the woman as well.

It was a bit too much for him to say with his own mouth, but he was one heck of a hunk.

He had almost never failed at getting a girl in the past.

His face was more than enough, but his trait, which allowed him to read a woman's emotions, was basically made to bewitch women.

Kiriel shrugged at Jack and looked to Hansoo.

As if she was asking Hansoo if this was fine.

Hansoo looked at Jack and said:

"Go back. It's not too late."

But Jack shook his head.

He could not let this chance go, and he knew a small fact about the robots.

"We can protect ourselves. Just leave us behind if we become a nuisance, we aren't that selfish."

He wasn't sticking around for no reason.

The artificial robots naturally aimed for stronger beings.

Which meant that this was safer for them.

While the two of them distracted the robots, their group could just fight the weaker ones or stay hidden.

He just needed to hold on until he established a good relationship with that woman.

'Trust me… I won't be in any danger.'

But something came into Jack's eyes, and he laughed to himself.

'…What is that?'

Jack frowned at Hansoo, who was opening and closing his hands.

It seemed like Hansoo was measuring something.

Reincarnator – Chapter 343 : Refinement (2)

'…What is he doing? That's bothering me.'

Jack continued looking at Hansoo strangely.

For some reason, he was bothered by Hansoo's hands.

But he didn't show it, of course.

'I'm not that much of an amateur.'

Jack thought.

He'd realized something after living with a trait that read a person's emotions.

That a person needed to be slightly different inwardly and outwardly.

If their inside thoughts and actual actions were the same, then they lost the barrier that protected them.

Anyone would be able to read them and guess their next actions and thoughts.

And he had seen quite a lot of people fall into despair when that happened.

'Oh well, I guess I'll be friendly with you too.'

"Just a curious thought, why did you just leave? Is it because a weapon like that is useless once you're that strong?"

He didn't really like hanging out with other men, but there was no harm in becoming acquainted with someone as strong as Hansoo. And so he had asked.

He was a bit curious too.

As to why Hansoo had thrown away that weapon.

Hansoo shook his head.

"No, it's not because of that."

'What the hell?'

As Jack frowned—

—Hansoo smiled and continued to speak.

"Do you know what Melchizedek wants?"

"…No. How could I?"

'And how could you?'

Hansoo had said that the two of them had come from below.

How could such people know about Melchizedek's thoughts?

He only knew one thing about Melchizedek.

If there weren't any transcendents around, it would attack them without a single thought.

From what he'd heard, there were two transcendents that were leagues above others of their kind at the top of the 5th zone.

If they didn't exist, then Melchizedek wouldn't even have suggested an alliance in the first place.

'Damn… Why did they go up?'

"He wishes to win this battle."

"Against us?"

Hansoo shook his head.

He had been able to chat with Melchizedek in the past.

Before it had become violent.

When it had still treated humans favorably.

Hansoo looked towards the sky.

At a planet, which was countless times larger than this moon. It seemed tiny because it was so far from where they stood.

He looked at several other moons orbiting around the planet.

Moons with other races that wouldn't have made contact with the humans if everything had stayed the same.

Melchizedek's enemy was not the humans, but those who lived on that planet.

And this was probably why he'd asked for an alliance.

'There is no point in wasting strength against the humans.'

But the current situation was now the exact opposite.

Melchizedek and the transcendents were at war.

And all the transcendents that used to be here had already gone up.

Which meant one thing.

One side had agitated the other first, and as a result, they had to fight with all they had.

And Hansoo could guess who had started this.

'F***ing Clementine. It's as if you'd die if you remained still.'

Kiriel asked again in confusion.

"Why did they attack Melchizedek? There's nothing in it for them."

At least the abyssal beings gave out crystals—there was nothing to gain from Melchizedek.

At least from what she knew.

But Hansoo smiled.

"Even if there's nothing to take from the other… if your objectives are the same, then you're bound to fight sooner or later."

At that moment—

—rumble—

—a huge earthquake had started, causing all nearby objects to tremble vigorously.

Jack and Kiriel looked around in shock.

'What the hell is this?'

As if a heart was beating.

Vibrations started to occur in rhythmic intervals.

—boom—boom—boom—boom—

'… Huh?'

The entire moon trembled to the beat.

As if something hidden inside was doing its best to escape.

At that moment, Kiriel thought of the excavation center.

The machines that were working crazily in an attempt to dig out the object that was hidden inside the moon.

Then—

—rumble!—

A tremendous earthquake occurred, countless times stronger than the one from before.

"Ahhhh!"

"Uahh!"

Jack and the others tried their best to maintain their balance.

A normal earthquake wouldn't really hurt the few of them who had transcended far past the limits of a human.

Since even an earthquake measuring a magnitude 6 would only feel like a train passing nearby.

But this was different.

It felt as if the entire land itself was going to flip over, and a huge bomb was about to explode beneath them.

And at that moment—

—crack—

—crackle—

—clang—

The ground, which was mostly composed of solid metal, started to crack and split.

The barrier that was barely maintaining its shape in the sky was ripped apart, completely breaking down.

The entire colony that had been built upon the moon started to collapse.

The land itself was transforming.

As if something that had been rolled up was now stretching itself out.

'What the f***!'

Jack cursed inwardly. He'd managed to hold on by embedding his hands and feet into the metal.

—cruunnchh—

—swooosh—

The distant horizon rose up into the sky.

And the huge, but still round, moon started to uncurl itself.

Then—

—boom!—

Something started to rise up from the city.

"Ahhhh!"

Everyone panicked at seeing the metal spikes rising up from the ground.

Well, they could only be described as spike-like.

These so-called 'spikes' were hundreds of meters tall and were spaced out every few kilometers or so.

Each spike almost resembled a small mountain.

—rumble—

'What in the world is going on?!'

Kiriel freaked out at the huge spike rising up in front of them.

It was like watching a mountain being born right before your eyes.

And how can the ground stay intact after a thing like this pops through it?

The countless artificial metal pieces that had covered the moon had all been shattered and shredded apart, and they were now floating up into the atmosphere.

Past the now broken-down barrier.

'We'll be flung off at this rate!'

As Kiriel freaked out from seeing her body rising alongside the spikes—

—boom!—

"Hold onto this thing!"

—Hansoo smashed his hand into the rising spike and shouted to the people around him.

And everyone's expressions brightened up.

'Yes, that!'

Although the artificial metal plates may fly up, this spike wouldn't since it had come from below.

Everyone brightened up, and they started to smash their hands into the spike as well.

—crack!—

—crunch!—

'Damn… this is really tough.'

Jack frowned at the pain in his hand after attempting to smash it into the spike.

He'd thought he could easily hold on to it since Hansoo's and Kiriel's hands had gone through it like it was tofu.

'Well, at least we're safe for now.'

Jack sighed in relief as he hung down from the spike which was gradually slowing its ascent.

—rumble—

After calming down, he was finally able to look around.

And this was an amazing place to do it since he was a couple of kilometers in the air.

'Oh god…'

Jack freaked out as he looked around.

The city that they'd just been in had been shredded apart.

Of course, how could a city remain intact when the land beneath it had transformed and spread out?

Plus these spikes.

The force of these spikes rising up had caused all the remaining mass to fly up into the atmosphere.

Far past the now ripped-apart barrier.

—rumble—

And in the midst of this chaos—

—roaaaaarrr!—

—a huge roar rang out throughout the moon.

Well, throughout the moon-like 'thing.'

Kiriel finally realized what the excavation center had been living on this whole time.

And exactly what they had worked so hard to dig out.

"…This isn't a moon."

"Yeah, it is a weapon though."

A giant stingray-shaped monster had uncurled itself and was now flapping its wings, looking poised to traverse through space.

But it didn't really look like a natural being.

If it were, then it wouldn't have thousands of assault weapons attached to its back.

'This… these aren't spikes. They're cannons.'

Kiriel was freaking out; she'd used Psychometry on the giant spike she was clinging to.

The hole at the top of this so-called 'spike'.

And the artificial patterns on the interior walls of this cannon.

'…Indeed. It is a weapon.'

Kiriel mumbled.

It was a weapon.

But it was not a sword or a gun like she'd initially imagined.

Hansoo mumbled to himself as he looked at the giant living weapon, .

'This is just the beginning.'

The excavation center was digging at the wrong spot anyway.

That was merely this lifeform's leather[a][b] back.

They might find its muscles or nerves, but they would never be able to get to the core.

'You need to dig for the head.'

Melchizedek and Clementine.

One of the two had succeeded in taking over the control tower of this living weapon.

Since the two would have warred with the other to take control.

He'd be able to figure it out pretty soon anyway.

'Let's see…'

The planet that Nelkipa had been orbiting, .

And another weaponized moon that was orbiting the planet, .

As Hansoo mumbled at the sight of the main planet and the few other moons—

—roaaarr!—

—the stingray started to fly towards a particular direction.

Towards the bright red main planet, .

And Hansoo smiled bitterly at this.

'I guess Melchizedek won.'

If it had been Clementine, then it would've headed towards the weaponized moon for him to take over the .

But the result was the exact opposite.

The Nelkipa was heading towards the main planet.

And Hansoo spoke out.

"Prepare for impact."

"Huh?"

As Kiriel asked—

—Hansoo pointed towards the sky with a smile.

"This is just the beginning."

'They're not going to just sit around and watch.'

Then—

—rummblee—

From the surface of the main planet, .

Tens of thousands of small dots shone out as something shot out towards .

"…This is the real war."

'What Melchizedek truly wanted.'

"What the f***?!"

As Jack screamed—

—boboboooboboooboboom!—

—a giant flaming pillar struck the surface of Nelkipa.

[a]is this correct

[b]Yas

Reincarnator – Chapter 344 : Refinement (3)

—booooom!—

Countless pillars of flames fell down from the sky and smashed into the ground.

—boom!—

—booooom!—

The few pieces of scrap and rubble left behind immediately evaporated into gas.

They didn't even liquify and instead had immediately turned into gas.

'Oh my god.'

Jack was in a daze as he stared at the super dense materials disappearing into nothing.

The materials didn't even get hit directly yet.

—bobooboom!—

Tens of thousands of attacks were flying towards them, but the Nelkipa was so huge that those attacks had quite a distance between them before they struck down.

But the issue lay somewhere else.

"Won't we all die at this rate?"

—roaaarr!—

Jack shouted, listening to the giant roars of Nelkipa.

Even if they didn't get hit by those attacks, would it matter?

If this giant lifeform they were all standing on melted down, they would follow suit.

Since they'd end up lost in space.

And looking at the tens of thousands of attacks that were striking at them, that was actually a possibility.

Even if the lifeform was the size of a moon, the attacks striking at them seemed to have the power to do so.

But Hansoo just pointed towards the ground below.

"Look below."

"…?"

And as Jack looked down, he couldn't believe his eyes.

'No way…'

—ssssss—

Beneath the melting and evaporating city.

A bright land appeared.

Well, the bright skin of the lifeform they were on—the Nelkipa's back.

—booom!—

—boom!—

Although countless pillars of flames were striking down at the ground, the Nelkipa's skin seemed to be fine.

'Wha…what?'

Kiriel was at a loss.

Nelkipa's skin should not be able to withstand such a powerful attack.

He knew this because the excavation center he had been living in was tasked with the job of digging into Nelkipa's skin.

He hadn't known it was the skin back then, but because it consisted of metals and ores, he knew that even ordinary people like him could melt it down.

Although the skin had grown increasingly harder the deeper they dug, they had managed to dig through the surface so it should've melted down at least.

Jack focused his eyes on this strange sight, and then soon realized why the Nelkipa's bright skin could resist the attacks.

'That…'

The bright blue layers, which they had believed to be veins of ore, were transforming.

Resembling crystals or diamonds.

—boom!—

As another attack smashed into the surface of Nelkipa, the several hundred meters of skin started to turn bright and shiny.

It then dispersed, absorbed, and deflected almost every bit of the remaining fire.

Like a drop of rain hitting an umbrella and sliding down, the countless pillars of flame could not penetrate into Nelkipa's skin and instead spread back into space.

"Ah…"

"This is why Melchizedek wanted it."

—boom!—

—boooom!—

Hansoo replied expressionlessly beside them as they watched the attacks raining down from above.

Melchizedek wasn't stupid.

It wouldn't start a war that it had no chances of winning against.

Just Angkara's attacks alone weren't enough to stop Nelkipa.

Kiriel looked confused as she asked Hansoo:

"Who… made this?"

She'd initially thought that this might be a natural born creature, but her thoughts had now changed.

Looking at everything from the cannons and the marks on the skin, it was clear that somebody had built this artificially.

Hansoo shrugged his shoulders at her words.

"How would I know?"

—rummmble—

—rumble—

If they'd made this at the main planet, Angkara, they would have never set up an excavation center in the first place.

Since there would've been no reason for the colony to investigate something they had made themselves.

Of course, that wasn't the important thing in the current situation.

—boom! boom!—

Hansoo looked at the raining attacks as he said:

"Let's go."

"…Where?"

Jack replied with a heavy voice amidst the thundering booms.

Where could they go in this current situation?

Hansoo replied:

"To the research center. As per our original plan."

This giant creature, Nelkipa, was headed for the main planet .

Under Melchizedek's control.

If they left it alone, then it would definitely reach the and land on the planet.

Then the true war would begin.

Between the slowly accumulated forces of Melchizedek on the Nelkipa—

—and the race of Angkara who'd been tempered by countless battles and wars.

'I cannot let that happen.'

Hansoo thought to himself.

He could not.

The 5th zone would become a true sea of flames at that point.

Something much worse than this.

This was just the beginning.

This was not the most powerful attack that Angkara could send out.

It was just the fastest and easiest method of attack, which is why they'd activated it the moment Nelkipa started to move.

He needed to act before the war became more serious and more powerful weapons came into play.

He needed to take control of this giant monster.

And the easiest method was…

'Catching Melchizedek.'

Melchizedek's underlings were the ones that actually fought.

Which meant Melchizedek should be at the topmost or the bottommost floor.

'Hostages have traditionally been proven to be useful.'

Since he didn't have the strength to go to the actual control center yet, this was the next best option.

But there were clearly a few people who did not agree with him.

"What? Are you crazy? You don't even know if there's anything still there."

"Damn! Shouldn't we be heading to the elevator instead?"

Jack and the others who had followed Hansoo shouted in objection.

How would they know if anything remained of the research center?

It should've been turned into a pile of dust by now.

But Hansoo only chuckled at them.

"I never told to you follow me, right? And the research center should be fine."

"What?"

Before they could continue—

"I'm leaving. Let's go Kiriel."

"Yes."

—Hansoo loosened his hand and fell down to the ground a few kilometers beneath them.

—boom!—

"Crazy bas…"

As Jack was at a loss watching Hansoo and Kiriel falling down—

—one of the people who'd followed Jack asked from behind:

"What shall we do now?"

Whether they went to the elevator or followed them, going down was the first priority.

Of course, he still had questions.

'The research center should be fine? What did he mean by that?'

But Jack soon pushed away that thought as he focused on getting back down to the ground.

.............

—boooooooooom!—

—boooom!—

"Ugh… Everyone focus on using ice-type skills and movement-type skills!"

Jack shouted out.

The moment they returned to the ground, a blazing degree of heat smacked them right on their bodies.

The metallic steam threatened to scorch their lungs, and the heat deflected from Nelkipa's bright skin threatened to cook the soles of their shoes.

Of course, the attacks hadn't stopped either.

—rummble—

Jack watched the line of fire, calculated its trajectory and then shouted:

"Dodge!"

As soon as he shouted out, everyone activated their movement skills to the max and started to run away from their current positions.

And as they escaped—

—booooooom!—

—the area surrounding their previous location had turned into a sea of fire several hundred meters wide.

From the giant pillar of fire that had come down from the sky.

…chiiiii…

Despite dodging the fire, another wave of heat blasted down on their faces, so strong that it had almost destroyed their defensive skills.

Jack started to frown.

'Damn. Thank god it moves in a straight line.'

It was an extremely fast attack, but due to the sheer distance of its origin, one could easily predict where it would land.

If they couldn't, then they would be roasted whole by now.

'This… this would even destroy the robots as well. Should we just run to the elevator?'

Jack mumbled as he measured the heat on the ground.

They wouldn't melt down from this heat, but these attacks were not something those robots could withstand.

Which meant that even their tiny group would be able to get past the robots and reach the elevator.

'But… what do we do after we go up?'

This giant Nelkipa was the entire 5th zone.

Even if they went up a floor, it was still above the Nelkipa.

They wouldn't be able to dodge the flames anyway.

And more than anything else, he could not give up on Kiriel.

'Where did they even go?'

Jack, completely bewitched by Kiriel, looked around to try and guess which direction she had gone.

—boooom!—

—clang!—

At that moment, they could hear the sounds of clashes in the distance.

'There!'

As Jack subconsciously followed the sound—

"Huh? You followed us?"

—a voice could be heard through the metallic steam clouds.

'Woah.'

Jack was shocked because he was still some distance away from the location of the sound.

He had thought that they'd be fighting together.

He saw that Kiriel was staring into the distance as if enchanted.

'What is she looking at?'

—boooom!—

—boom!—

Something was fighting against something else and causing a huge ruckus.

'Who is he fighting with?'

The metallic steam and the powerful shock waves had turned the surrounding air hazy.

It was clear that the silhouette swinging the hammer around was Hansoo, but he could not identify the other being that Hansoo was fighting against.

Then—

—booooom!—

'F***…!'

Jack freaked out at the pillar of flame that was aiming straight at them.

And shockingly, three of those pillars combined with one another, and their range had increased to the entire surroundings in its area.

At this rate, that attack would hit everyone here.

'Damn, we have to dodge.'

"Hey! Mr. Hansoo! Dodge it!"

—booom!—

—boom!—

He shouted at Hansoo, who was still fighting within the metallic steam, but Hansoo didn't seem to hear as he continued to focus on attacking his opponent.

'Damn…'

He had shouted to help, but there was no way for him to drag Hansoo out forcibly.

Of course, he didn't want to do it either.

He then grabbed Kiriel's wrist and pulled her back.

"Please! We have to move!"

And as if she understood his words, she moved back and out of range as well.

Jack's expression brightened up.

To him, it seemed like she had given Hansoo up.

'Good.'

And as they all escaped the range of the attack—

—boooooom!—

—a giant pillar of flame crashed down from the sky, followed by blazing waves of heat that swept over them.

Jack inwardly sighed in relief as he looked at the scene since Hansoo should've been hit directly by it.

'Good. This is… for the better.'

It was sad that Hansoo had died that way, but this was good.

Since it wouldn't be good for him to follow that dumb bastard who'd insisted on going to the research center in a situation like this.

If Hansoo had died, then Kiriel wouldn't have anyone to rely on. He just needed to seduce her well and then take her up.

—tatata—

As Jack thought to himself—

"Damn it…"

"…?"

—Kiriel's small words made Jack's eyes move towards the place where the flame pillar had been. She was still staring at the exact spot she had been in.

And he freaked out.

'No way…'

Amidst the sea of flames, something was continuously regenerating and burning up as it stood up.

With a more powerful and condensed aura than before.

Like a blade that had been retempered and refined again.

As Jack saw this scene, chills ran down his entire back.

'He… he didn't dodge on purpose. That insane bastard.'

Was that something a sane person would do?

Jack continued to stare, at a loss for words.

Reincarnator – Chapter 345 : Refinement (4)

—booom!—

It continued to destroy and regenerate his body amidst the pillar of flame.

The Immortal Soul squeezed out every drop of power in the body to save its owner.

It frenziedly regenerated new tissue and burnt up pieces of bone.

—rumble—

As he grabbed the hammer again, Hansoo felt that the Immortal Soul's mastery had risen by quite a bit.

He didn't have the time to slowly raise its mastery.

The war had begun, and he needed to stop it before it blew up completely.

It would be nice if Melchizedek was on the first floor, but he had to prepare for the worst case scenario.

A scenario where he'd have to go up against Clementine and Melchizedek's underlings and forcibly take over the control center.

'It's… not quite enough.'

Hansoo mumbled as he felt the Immortal Soul's mastery level rising.

This was a good method, but it wasn't enough.

He needed a stronger opponent.

Something that could push him beyond burning his flesh.

Something that could push him to his limits.

'Well, they never died easily… There's a chance they can do that to me.'

—clank—

—clang—

Hansoo tightened his grip on the hammer, mumbling to himself as he watched the three silhouettes walking out from the now-dispersing pillar of flames.

............….

'What the hell are those things…?'

Kiriel mumbled as she looked at the three figures that were slowly walking towards Hansoo.

'Are they transcendents as well?'

If Hansoo, a transcendent, could withstand having flames melt down his skin, then the only reasonable explanation that his opponents could do the same must be because they were also transcendents.

Maybe they were even stronger.

They didn't seem the least bit injured from the flames—the same flames that had even burned Hansoo.

At that moment, a thought flashed past Kiriel's head.

3-Star transcendents.

'Shit… This isn't good.'

There were three of them as well.

'I must help.'

But as Kiriel was about to dash towards Hansoo—

—clang!—

—the sound of something clashing with another rang throughout the air.

Then—

—swooosh!—

Something flew out at lightning speed and smashed onto the debris near Kiriel.

"Hansoo!"

Kiriel dashed towards the pile of debris in dismay.

But then her expression changed.

—jijijijiiiik—

'It's not Hansoo?'

—crackle—

—kacha—

Kiriel mumbled as she looked at the strange thing crawling out with broken limbs.

She'd thought that it would be much stronger than Hansoo since it had been able to withstand those flames.

So she'd expected Hansoo to be flung away.

But in the end, the one sent flying had been one of the three beings that had walked towards him.

The thing crawled out from the debris and stood up, looking at its right arm expressionlessly.

—crunch!—

It snapped it off with its left arm, and then threw it to the ground.

—chijijik—

'Machine? No, a cyborg?'

There was indeed flesh, muscle, and bones within the wound.

But there were also strange machine parts in between the bits of organic matter.

As though a human and a machine had been merged together.

The mysterious being, who had just broken off his arm, looked around its surroundings.

Then it flew towards Kiriel at a speed faster than when it had been flung away.

—booooom!—

Kiriel quickly reinforced the space around her body, and cut across the air with the Ark-Roa's Fang in her hand.

—clank!—

As soon as the cyborg saw the fang, it raised its left arm as if it were trying to protect itself.

Instantly, a translucent, hexagonal shield appeared in front of the cyborg.

—ooooong—

Inside the cyborg, strange nanobots vibrated as they supplied the shield with energy.

—booom!—

The fang and the shield collided.

'They can even use skills?… And what is that?'

Kiriel looked at the strange machine parts that were emitting light from the cyborg's hands.

She had been envious of the strange tools that Jack had used in the past.

But now it seemed like those were mere toys compared to this cyborg's contraptions.

She looked at the cyborg's left arm which had been split apart by the fang…and then smiled.

'Good enough.'

Kiriel's expression lit up.

It was not weak.

It was stronger than normal transcendents because of its strange skills and advanced technology.

It was at least several times stronger than those on the brink of being a 1-Star.

But that was it.

They may be a threat to normal adventurers, but they were still a level below her.

'But seriously… it's well-designed.'

The strange machine parts and nanobots seemed to have been there since the cyborg's creation; they had strengthened its every movement and skill.

Kiriel decided to slowly split it apart so she could analyze as much as she possible.

But then—

"Ahhhh!"

The normal adventurers accompanying Jack had been watching the scene in a daze, when suddenly they started to scream and run away.

'Damn…'

Kiriel had been slowly walking away as well, but now she clenched her teeth.

She realized why they were acting this way.

—whooosh!—

She could feel the heat of the flaming pillar as it descended.

Power that could even melt down Hansoo, who was countless times stronger than herself.

If the pillar were to hit her, she would most likely end up half-dead.

'Damn it! I might die!'

While Kiriel tried to run away from that location—

—crunch!—

—crack!—

—the cyborg she'd been fighting with had flung itself at her to hold her down.

"No…!"

She tried to smash away the cyborg with the fang in her hands, but its spine seemed to hold some strange mechanism that activated a form of gravitational pull on Kiriel.

'Damn!'

Kiriel frowned as she penetrated the cyborg with the fang.

Due to the differences in their strength, she'd been able to puncture a huge hole straight through its chest to its spine. But the cyborg ignored the blow as if it were unaffected by the pain, smashing its legs into the ground.

—booom!—

—boom!—

The Nelkipa's skin was resistant to the flaming attacks, yet it could also be burrowed through with ease.

The cyborg planted its feet deeply into the skin, effectively immobilizing its own body as well as Kiriel's movements.

'Damn it!'

Dodging the descending attack was now out of the question.

Kiriel sank down to her knees as she looked at the flaming pillar; it was nearly above her head.

—whoooosh!—

"Go"

"Huh?"

Something appeared by her side and smacked away the cyborg from holding her down, then pulled on her arm.

—tonk!—

Kiriel flew backwards the moment the cyborg lost its grip.

—booooooooooooooom!—

A huge pillar of flame slammed onto the spot where she'd been just moments ago.

"Hansoo?"

'Did he push me away?'

Kiriel found her balance and then stared at the flaming spot.

Hansoo had flung her away and received the attack instead.

—clank!—

She heard the sound of something breaking again, and an figure flew out from the flames.

"Woah…"

In a daze, Jack and the other adventurers stared at the figure coming out of the flames.

Hansoo walked out from the flames with the hammer in his hand—his muscles and skin were constantly being healed.

—chiiii—

The head of the cyborg, despite having received such damage, was constantly looking back and forth between Hansoo and the surrounding people.

—crunch!—

Hansoo stomped over the cyborg's head as he spoke.

"Melchizedek prepared quite well. It even applied a repulsion coating."

Kiriel then realized what was going on.

As to how this thing, which was weaker then herself, had managed to withstand the heat that could even melt down Hansoo.

'…Yeah. It must've prepared.'

Melchizedek was a being that had been made from the main planet Angkara and then sent here.

It would have data about that place's weapons.

Of course, it would've long prepared its forces for the war against Angkara.

But Kiriel couldn't relax.

That planet belonged to a race that could fire these powerful attacks without stopping.

For Melchizedek to prepare a war against such a race?

She could vaguely guess the strength of Melchizedek's forces currently running around Nelkipa.

As well as the forces of the race Melchizedek had prepared this much for.

'This is just the beginning…'

The flaming pillars and the cyborgs that withstood them were just the beginning.

Kiriel then looked to Hansoo and asked:

"Are you okay?"

Hansoo nodded.

"I'm feeling great."

Hansoo smiled contentedly as he looked at his body that was regenerating at a much faster rate than before.

The best environment to train.

Of course, he wanted to just sit around here and continue training.

'Can't forget my goals.'

Becoming strong was just part of the process.

What mattered was the victory itself.

And what he needed for a victory was not training, but real battles.

It was better for the Immortal Soul when one received many different types of external stimuli as well.

Of course, he wasn't worried that he wouldn't receive such stimuli.

'For it to be capable of making transcendent level creatures… I guess I won't be bored on the journey to the research center.'

Hansoo mumbled as he looked at the crushed head beneath his feet.

.............

—rummblee—

'All three died…'

The giant train continued to dash forward, despite having received countless strikes thanks to the repulsion coating.

The humanoid standing in the center of the research center frowned as three signals disappeared from its head.

It thought that three of its artificial transcendents would be enough to win when fighting amidst the flames.

One of the beings was much stronger than it had expected.

'I'll need to hurry a little more.'

"Kang Hansoo… He is called Hansoo."

The humanoid continued to stare at the test tubes in front of it, mumbling the name of the man its three underlings had been compiling data for.

—bubble bubble—

In one of the test tubes, an artificial transcendent jolted as Melchizedek mumbled Hansoo's name.

Reincarnator – Chapter 346 : Inhabitants (1)

"Are… are you really Kang Hansoo?"

Hansoo shrugged his shoulders at the other's expressions—they were staring at him in disbelief.

"I told you my name earlier."

Jack thought to himself.

'…Who would believe that?'

There were too many people pretending to be Kang Hansoo.

Especially among those who were a bit stronger.

And it was easier to treat the people calling themselves Hansoo as fakes when Hansoo had been missing for the past two years.

But watching this man's reckless actions, he seemed to be the real deal.

There were a lot of people pretending to be him, but none like this one.

Jack continued to mumble, delight filling up his face.

—chiiiii—

Kiriel muttered worriedly as she used her Psychometry on the demolished artificial transcendent.

"It's not going to be easy."

—boom! boom! boom!—

Countless attacks rained down from the sky…

Kiriel's expression turned sour as she saw this scene with her Psychometry.

'This isn't going to be easy at all.'

She saw it in this thing's memory.

The clear recollection of its birthplace, the Main Research Center.

Thanks to this, she had been able to figure out what guarded the research center.

'…At least twenty more like this have been made.'

At least.

'…I knew the 5th zone received more high-quality abyssal crystals than the 4th, but still. I guess finding a 1-Star is quite easy.'

Only twenty 1-Star transcendents had been found after combing the entire zone below, but here they were found with alarming ease.

At least twenty in this floor alone…

Thankfully, every single one of these things were only at the 1-Star level, but it still wasn't a situation where they could relax.

Since more of them might be made after this.

And there was the issue of the environment as well.

The enemy forces held the absolute advantage in this environment.

They were all resistant to the flames falling down from the skies.

She and Hansoo had to dodge those attacks while they fought—it was not a favorable situation at all.

Normally, she could've easily crushed them, but instead she'd almost died in that last battle.

In addition, their foes had thousands of foot soldiers.

And despite being foot soldiers, they were also protected by the repulsion coating. This meant that the soldiers could freely attack them from behind while they were focused on fighting the artificial transcendents.

'This is suicidal.'

—rumble—

Kiriel mumbled as she watched the countless pillars of flames descending all around her.

After using his trait to read her emotions, Jack asked carefully:

"Isn't it better to go up? Do we have to stay and…"

'Just die like that?'

Jack looked towards Hansoo.

Why would someone charge into the factory where these monstrous robots were being made?

"Let's just go up… Wouldn't the 6th zone be better?"

Of course, they didn't know what the 6th zone was like.

But would it be any worse than this place?

They could just fill up the runes on the way up.

'It's not like those guys are lacking in crystals anyway.'

Jack mumbled to himself as he glanced at Kiriel and Hansoo.

That would be perfect.

But—

Hansoo didn't give Jack the answer he wanted.

'Damn it. If he was a girl, I could have charmed him away.'

He didn't want to deal with a male, nor did he feel like it would work.

Jack looked at Hansoo, who seemed to be lost in thought after hearing his words, and continued to speak.

He wanted to get out of this hell as fast as possible.

"It's not like there's anyone to help you, right? The other transcendents have already gone up… and it's not like us ordinary people could help out. Are you planning to charge into the research center with just the two of you?"

But Hansoo smiled at these words.

"What do you mean? There are people who are willing to help."

The expressions on Jack and the others turned grim.

"…Us? F***."

Why were they trying to swing at a dragon's scales with a butcher knife meant for killing chickens?

Maybe they might have been able to do something if flames weren't raining down their heads, but they were barely holding onto their own lives.

To charge into a whole factory swarming with these things?

Insane.

Hansoo chuckled.

"Don't worry. I'm not asking you to fight."

"Then who?"

Kiriel asked Hansoo as she was also curious.

She didn't know if there was anybody else of use around.

'…For real, though. We're the only two around.'

Hansoo replied.

"I know someone that Melchizedek would hate even more than me."

And Jack cursed at these words.

'F***… Who the hell is this bastard?'

He knew as well.

There was a reason why he hadn't mentioned them.

This 'Hansoo' guy seemed like he'd charge straight into the factory as soon as his chances of winning rose by even a single percent.

If he really did just come up, then he shouldn't be able to know, but…

Jack's expression turned grim at Hansoo's next words.

"Wouldn't the people protecting Melchizedek's masters…be quite angry right now?"

The ones who had brought Melchizedek to Nelkipa, but had lost their power due to Melchizedek's revolt.

'And we have a guide to take us there as well.'

Hansoo smiled as he looked at Jack, whose expression had darkened at the mention of the inhabitants from .

............

"Why are you being like this? I swear, I don't know. I'm serious…!"

"Kiriel."

"Yes."

Kiriel started to walk over with a smile.

"Please! That feels disgusting! Stop!"

Jack shouted in anger as he backed away.

He wouldn't be able to move once she surrounded him with her ability.

'Damn… I'm going to die anyway!'

His opponent was indeed strong, too strong for him to argue against, but he was being backed into a corner.

If they read his memories and dragged him into being a guide, he would have to crawl into that hellhole.

'And… who knows?'

Jack looked at Kiriel with hope.

Previously, she'd stopped using her ability when he protested from embarassment.

Which meant that she wasn't unreasonable.

And unlike men, women usually treated him better.

Kiriel might even stop that crazy Hansoo as well.

But sadly…

—smack!—

Instead of eyes filled with pity, a slap came at him instead.

"Kuhuk…!"

"Do you think we're playing around here?"

Kiriel eyed him coldly as she gripped his neck.

Of course, they could just go up if they wanted.

But then those who would die after they left would number in the tens of millions.

Whether Melchizedek won.

Or Clementine won.

Or even if the inhabitants of Angkara won.

The only thing waiting for the ones coming up after them was destruction.

And Hansoo was trying to stop that from happening with his own body.

'Do you think just looking a little pretty is everything?'

She'd been so shocked to see Hansoo's body melting amidst his battles.

It meant that this was dangerous, even for Hansoo.

But he was still willing to go.

'Yeah… '

Kiriel blushed as she glanced at Hansoo and then tightened her grip on Jack's neck.

"Ughhh…"

Jack let out a groan of pain as his body rose up into the sky.

It was a scene that defied gravity, but nobody thought it was weird.

Since they realized something they'd forgotten about until now.

This beautiful girl in front of them.

And the difference in strength between them.

—kiiiririring—

Kiriel started to read the memories within Jack's body.

And Kiriel scoffed at these scenes.

'He lives up to his face, alright.'

Girl after girl.

There was not a single moment where he wasn't with a girl.

A different one in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night.

Sometimes even two.

Sometimes even more.

If this guy had spent those times fighting and hunting, he would've long become a transcendent.

'Both this guy… and those girls.'

Kiriel decided to leave his personal life alone and began to rewind through them at a faster speed.

Then—

—poof—

"Ha…haaa."

Kiriel released Jack, who gasped for breath, and turned around.

"Found it."

Kiriel smiled at Hansoo.

................

—rumble—

The spikes rising up from Nelkipa's body reached high into the sky.

Below the giant Nelkipa's structure that the inhabitants of Angkara had named the —

—some sort of translucent object was squirming around.

Then—

—booom!—

An attack from Angkara smashed into the space right above the squirming object.

—chiizzt—

The squirming object disappeared with a small sound, and something appeared below it.

A giant armored vehicle that was at least 200 meters large.

And from inside the strange-looking vehicle—

—the voices from hundreds of people could heard.

"Phew… If it weren't for the repulsion coating, that photon strike would've turned us into powder."

"Is the shield working well?"

From those words—

—chijiiiiiik—

—one of them nodded as they pointed towards the squirming translucent barrier.

"There's no issues! It should… be able to hold."

"Hahaha! We're alive!"

"That bastard Melchizedek! He thinks he can fight us?"

The hundreds of people inside the armored vehicle shouted out in glee.

These photon strikes may seem like a rain of fire to others, but in the eyes of these people, those very attacks were like fireworks celebrating their return.

How long had they been on the run after Melchizedek had taken away their control?

But it was different now.

They would finally be able to return home.

Their proud nation, the , would not let this rogue A.I be.

But a few of them spoke with dark expressions.

Especially the N-levels who had the most important jobs.

One of them, , muttered as she looked at Nelkipa that had now turned bright.

"…We will win, right?"

"…"

The five other N-levels stayed silent.

They didn't know as well.

These shouts should only come out when their nation, the , actually won the war.

They didn't know anything about this giant creature as well.

Despite all their research.

At that moment—

—beep! beep!—

The sounds of an alarm were ringing out throughout the entire armored vehicle.

"Huh? I can detect some strange energy outside!"

"What the hell… How can lightning shoot up from the ground!"

A magical sight.

And at that moment—

'…Could it be those monkeys?'

That extremely violent and empty-headed race.

"That bastard!… Prepare to counter!"

N-Maria clenched her teeth as she thought of those apes that called themselves 'transcendents'.

Reincarnator – Chapter 347 : Inhabitants (2)

'Him?'

Their leader, N-Maria, gritted her teeth as she looked at the thin man on the screen.

She remembered that face.

One of the B-levels had saved him when he was on the verge of death.

Although it had been awhile since he'd last been here, she still remembered that man and that B-level being all lovey-dovey.

But now he was repaying his debt by bringing an enemy to their door?

'How did he find it?'

N-Maria wondered how that man had found the vehicle they hid with the latest technology from Angkara, but soon stopped.

That wasn't important right now.

M-Waves—a power that only their planet's soldiers could wield.

Those very M-Waves were blasting out from the bodies of the two standing before them.

The filters scanning the waves were going crazy.

These guys weren't ordinary.

Those two beings.

Especially the man standing next to that lanky, pretty boy.

They were definitely considered as 'transcendents' amongst those things.

The ones who were especially dangerous and violent.

'F***.'

N-Maria quickly made a decision as she looked at the storm of lightning that his body released.

"Fire the cannons!"

"Understood!"

—kiiing!—

The sole soldier of the N levels, N-Martin.

M-Waves started emanating from N-Martin's body.

Then—

The weapon on top of the vehicle, , moved according to N-Martin's wishes.

The weapon of war that the Neropa Union took pride in, the weapon that only their soldiers could use.

They had managed to escape in the past all thanks to this weapon.

"Sir Martin! Strike them!"

"Kill that bastard too!"

While the others shouted in excitement—

—there was one person who worriedly watched the scene.

'Jack…'

Standing in the back, a woman watched them with an expression filled with distress.

...............….

—kiiiing—

A storm was brewing up in the air.

Jack gulped as he looked at the swirls of energy that was starting to surround the armored car.

'Damn…'

He'd forsaken his saviors and had betrayed them.

He'd done it by using the hidden ability within his trait, the ability to find women he'd once been intimate with.

Of course, these people would no longer welcome him after what he'd just done.

'No. There's one exception.'

The woman who had saved him.

Jack mumbled as he thought of the woman he had charmed in the past, B-Anasen.

That woman might still hold him dear.

But what did that matter?

The B-levels were one of the lowest levels in their society.

If the N-levels wanted his head to fly off, then they could only comply.

"…Can I leave yet? I've guided you here."

Of course, he wasn't just going to leave.

Since he would die amidst the flaming attacks falling down from the sky.

Kiriel smiled as she said:

"What are you saying? Hold your position."

"Ugh…"

'I knew this would happen. This is why I wanted to hide my trait…'

While Jack cursed in his mind—

—kiiiing—

—the brewing storm amassed and a giant shockwave rang out.

Then—

—boooom!—

A tremendous amount of energy that could bend even space itself started gathering into a sphere.

A sphere that enveloped Hansoo and Kiriel.

Zzzzzzzttt!

The sphere was around 10 meters in width when it first surrounded Hansoo and Kiriel and then it rapidly started to shrink. shrink.

—swooosh!—

Everything within the sphere, even Nelkipa's skin, started to get sucked into its center.

"Ahhhh!"

Though they had aimed it at the two, its range was so large that it even impacted Jack.

And while Jack screamed as the force pulled him into the sphere—

"Hmm."

—Hansoo frowned for a moment, and then grasped the center of the sphere with both hands.

—scrrrrrttt!—

The gray sphere, which had been devouring everything in its range, let out a huge noise as it froze.

—kkkkkkkttttt!—

The gray sphere tried to devour the two hands holding onto it, but the hands remained unaffected.

Hansoo pushed around the sphere as he looked at Kiriel.

"Indeed, we won't need a weapon."

"Shall we smash it apart then?'

"No, let's just stop it for now."

The fang in Kiriel's hands cut across the air, slicing the gray sphere into two.

And Hansoo threw the hammer in his right hand towards the armored car that had been preparing to run away.

—zzzztztzzzt!!!—

Tendrils of lightning branched out from the point of impact and quickly covered the entire armored car.

...............…

"Don't glare at me like that. I'm here to talk."

"…Sure. Of course, you are."

N-Maria sarcastically replied, glaring at the three people who invaded their armored vehicle.

'Damn, we can't even run anymore.'

The opponent was way stronger than expected.

Even though the weapon on this vehicle was meant for defensive purposes, it didn't even put a scratch on them.

'…'

N-Maria sighed as she looked at the soldier, N-Martin, who was looking down at the ground in embarrassment.

"Fine, let's talk. What do you want?"

Alhough the man had stopped them from leaving, he had controlled his strength from overly damage their vehicle.

The barrier was still active, which meant that they were still hidden.

Of course, there weren't any casualties as well.

Which meant that this man wasn't planning on harming them.

Not yet, at least.

So a conversation with them wouldn't be that bad, it was what they had come for anyway.

'…Still. What a mongrel.'

While N-Maria frowned at Jack—

—Hansoo shrugged his shoulders.

"Simple, I came to ask for help."

N-Maria continued to frown and shook her head.

It didn't seem like they'd be very helpful when he was already this strong.

"This is not an armory. We have no weapons powerful enough to be of use to you. The weapon you just went against? That's the strongest one we have."

Hansoo shook his head.

"No, I don't want a weapon. I want a shield."

"…Shield?'

Hansoo nodded.

"Yes, please apply the repulsion coating on us."

Kiriel's expression brightened up.

'Yes, with that…'

The biggest reason they couldn't fight freely was because of those flaming pillars raining down from above.

A moment's hesitation or one wrong move could turn her and Hansoo into fried chicken.

But if they could get the repulsion coating that those cyborgs had, the story would change.

They would be able to fight freely.

N-Maria started to think.

'…Should I?'

If they did apply it to them, these people would become invulnerable to the Photon Strikes.

The coating didn't come off easily either.

She didn't know where this man stood between Angkara and Melchizedek, but they would be gaining extremely powerful shields.

But she didn't think about it for too long.

Maria fell into silence as she stared at Hansoo's eyes.

'…We need to at least survive.'

She didn't know what his objectives were.

But she had a hunch.

That he didn't have the time or leisure to care about her people's situation.

It would be better to apply the coating quickly and then shoo them away.

Even if she were reprimanded under the laws of the union for giving aid to an alien race, it would be worth it.

"We'll do it, but you'll have to wait. It takes a bit of time to prepare the coating."

They could prepare it faster if they were at the Main Research Center or the Armory. There was a limit to what they could achieve in an armored vehicle that was built for research purposes.

After the A-levels started to prep the coating, N-Maria bit her lip as she said:

"I have one condition."

"What is it?"

"Please do not cause harm to my race while you're here."

Hansoo nodded.

He wasn't planning to anyway.

There was no real benefit in fighting them.

N-Maria's confidence rose after seeing Hansoo's reaction, and she added another condition.

"Also, please leave after this."

But Hansoo shook his head.

"No can do."

N-Maria started to frown and Hansoo continued.

"Just listen, it won't be that bad for you guys."

While N-Maria's expression turned to one of confusion—

—boooom!—

'What the…?'

N-Maria frowned as the entire vehicle shook from the impact.

One of the B-levels operating the sensors shouted.

"They've tracked us down!"

"Damn…"

N-Maria frowned at the screen.

Countless robotic foot soldiers.

'Melchizedek, that lunatic. What the hell are you planning…?'

N-Maria gritted her teeth as she looked at the half-robot, half-human being standing behind the foot soldiers.

N-Maria clenched her hands into a fist as she stared at the countless robots who were charging through the flames as if they'd all been applied with the repulsion coating.

Having once talked to the kind and friendly Melchizedek in the past, she would've never expected it to do something like this.

'Well, if he was violent from the beginning then the alliance and betrayal would have never occurred.'

N-Maria mumbled to herself as she looked at the charging robots shown on the screen.

Apparently they'd detected their vehicle in the short moment their barrier had collapsed from the previous attack.

N-Maria glared at the two intruders and gritted her teeth.

"They've managed to track us down thanks to you guys. At least fight for u…"

—booom!—

Even before Maria could complete her sentence, a huge shockwave caused the entire vehicle to shake.

"The outer shield has been damaged! They're rushing us!"

"Dammit! Defend! Don't let it break! N-Martin! Activate the weapon!"

They would be destroyed at this rate.

N-Maria quickly issued orders as she stared at Melchizedek's forces.

But, the Catastrophe wasn't being activated.

"What are you doing, N-Martin! Activate it immediately!"

At N-Maria's shouts, N-Martin, who had been in a daze, woke up from his stupor and began to let out his M-waves.

All while continuing to steal glances.

'…'

N-Martin glared at the two intruders.