Chapter 641: Machina Under Martial Law (1)

“A Meister has been murdered!!”

“Find Committee Member Hermes. Right now!!”

“Seal all passages to the Heart-Star Vault. No one is to leave this place from now on!!”

Thump-thump-thump!!!

Inside the Heart-Star Vault, a deserted island covered in a vast jungle beneath the underwater barrier.

Soldiers in combat suits, armed with firearms, sprinted around, conducting a frantic search.

Their urgency bordered on savagery, a desperate intensity. They, too, instinctively knew that an irreversible accident had occurred within the Heart-Star Vault.

From all directions, radars and mana detectors activated by the soldiers spun relentlessly, probing every corner of the Heart-Star Vault.

“Hoo…”

Lennok maintained his presence-concealing magic and slowly navigated, avoiding the soldiers’ patrol routes.

The unique landscape of the island featured transparent glass domes and massive conveyor belts scattered throughout.

However, having seen the Ascension Gate directly, Lennok understood the true purpose of this place.

The legacy of the Ascension Gate was a conduit that forcibly extracted and pulled information from the already perished Old World.

The Machine City, Machina, utilized this power to create a space called the Heart-Star Vault, from which it randomly extracted information and artifacts from the Old World.

They traded the Old World’s legacies from the gate on the lake, governed by the Iron Rule.

And the acquired legacies were sorted on massive conveyor belts leading to the island’s outskirts.

Literatures, music, organisms, and technologies from the Old World were divided, classified, and stored according to their standards, value, and categories.

When the District Barriers opened during Machina’s District Relocation Cycle, all collected personnel and materials were emptied, and manpower was replaced.

The very existence of the Heart-Star Vault was not to store Old World artifacts, but to produce and extract them.

Yet, as Lennok stumbled forward, his eyes remained deeply sunken as if still dreaming.

‘The Director…’

He had not expected to learn that the name Hermes had feigned searching for – the God-Slayer of the Old World – referred to the leader of Pandemonium.

And that fact subtly hinted at more critical and complex secrets for Lennok.

First, coincidence. Second, inevitability. Third, destiny.

What did it mean that the Director knew those words?

How had his declaration to delay destruction by shooting down a god come to fruition?

Was he truly one of the Transcendent beings who had reached this world, truly aspiring for ‘the next’?

“…”

Nothing was certain.

But it was also clear that the memories he had encountered beyond the Gate were not false.

The trajectory of his life, the not-so-short lifespan, the lost time, all fit together like a puzzle.

‘But… there are facts that cannot be explained by that alone.’

As Lennok ceaselessly replayed memories and tormented thoughts in his mind, his eyes slowly began to refocus.

‘He said he would find another way, not Ascension. But…’

He created the organization Pandemonium, walking backward through the world’s time, and exists as one of the Transcendent.

This was strong evidence that, contrary to his old words of finding another way, the Director had ultimately chosen Ascension and moved on to the next.

Despite killing a god and achieving Ascension, he still yearned for something else in this world.

Unless Lennok understood that, he would no longer be able to comprehend the Director’s existence.

Fortunately, a method still remained.

‘Hermes. He undoubtedly knows more than I saw.’

If Hermes himself was the memory left to the Ascendant of the Old World, then by studying his existence, Lennok could uncover other memories and secrets.

There was a difference between the memories Lennok saw beyond the Gate and Hermes, who had become the memory itself.

Lennok intended to find Hermes again and interrogate him about these facts without reservation.

Click!!

Davi had already duplicated and acquired the core design code of the Ascension Gate the moment Lennok returned from viewing the memories.

All that remained was to reach Hermes at the summit of the Machine City, Machina, using the knowledge he had accumulated as a Meister and the information he had obtained from the underwater barrier.

But before that, there was still one more thing to do.

‘Oason said he intended to personally repair Teremer’s Demise.’

Lennok’s eyes darkened as he quickly recalled the conversation he had shared with the other Meisters.

Lennok remembered that someone among the Meisters who showed interest in the Old World Magic Gun he had repaired during the Selection Ceremony had attempted to fix it properly.

‘Then, there’s a high probability the Magic Gun is in the area Oason was in charge of. I plugged in the Penteract, so if I just find the exact location…’

Boommm!!!

A massive explosion erupted from across the island, and smoke began to billow up from various spots.

The soldiers’ faces completely changed as they confirmed the direction of the explosion.

“Th-the special prison holding the test subjects…!!”

“Divide into squads and suppress them!! They won’t be in their right minds, so suppress them as quickly as possible!!”

Test subjects. This term referred to those used to extract Old World legacies by paying a price to the Gate.

Recalling Boyan’s memories, most of them were individuals who had voluntarily offered themselves for this work in exchange for vast sums of money or other compensations.

They gathered those who had no aversion to having their memories stolen and used them to extract information from the Old World.

At any rate, this lull, as the soldiers’ forces dispersed in all directions, was an opportunity.

“Hoo…”

Lennok, his hands trembling, injected another awakening ampoule and began to walk again, leaning against the glass dome wall.

The area handled by the Meisters would undoubtedly be an important region located in the center of the island.

Specifically, it would be the section dealing with material legacies that artisans could directly handle.

Considering that the 12F section, where Lennok infiltrated disguised as a soldier, dealt with living organisms, it was likely that this area was far removed from there.

By calculating the island’s terrain and the conveyor belt’s movement from that, and selecting the necessary candidate locations—

Ding!

“This way.”

The watch-shaped device Lennok had made to track the Penteract’s location began to react for the first time.

A massive, hemispherical glass dome cast in shadow amidst dense foliage.

Inside, a huge conveyor belt spun relentlessly, carrying various salvaged items.

However, perhaps because the soldiers who should have been helping the Meisters sort equipment were absent, items were jamming inside the glass dome, spilling onto the floor.

Crash!!!

At the edge of such a glass dome, a neat wooden workbench.

On it, an old musket stood leaning.

Shatter!!

The moment Lennok unhesitatingly smashed the glass dome and reached for the musket inside.

“…”

Lennok paused his hand and quietly turned his gaze aside.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

An old man, not bothering to hide his blood-soaked appearance, breathing heavily with a pale complexion, sat there.

He sat on a chair, hands resting on his knees, trembling.

Lennok easily recognized the person and murmured.

“Your name was Oason, wasn’t it…?”

“I thought you’d come here.”

Oason muttered, as if squeezing out the words with difficulty.

“The other Meisters went searching for their own ways to survive, but I have no next. In that case, I simply decided not to leave any regrets.”

“…”

Regrets, huh.

Instead of answering, Lennok looked at Oason’s side, which was trembling.

Blood was not just sticky but dripping profusely with every breath he took.

He was far past the point where he could be revived with hemostasis or treatment.

Had he sustained an irreversible injury while escaping the Old World spirit Hermes had summoned?

Oason knew he didn’t have much time left, yet he was convinced Lennok would come here and had waited alone to guard the place.

Sensing something in his actions, Lennok asked.

“What do you want?”

“You came for Teremer’s Demise, didn’t you? Take it.”

Oason raised a trembling hand and pointed at the Magic Gun.

“In return, I’d like you to grant me one favor, Lyman.”

“…”

“While attempting to repair this artifact, I discovered that an unknown component existed within it.”

Oason spoke with difficulty, looking at Lennok who leaned against the glass wall with his arms crossed.

“I thought that if you were able to repair the Magic Gun at the Selection Ceremony, it was precisely because of this component. That’s why I thought you would someday, without fail, come for this Magic Gun…”

Only then did Lennok realize how Oason had discerned his identity.

Oason hadn’t seen through any flaws in Lyman’s identity or alibis.

He had merely recognized that the Penteract was an extraordinary item and believed that Lennok had repaired the Magic Gun using it.

Therefore, he assumed that anyone who came to retrieve the Magic Gun at this point, regardless of reason, must be Lyman himself.

‘Interesting. Is this how a Meister-level artisan thinks?’

He paid no mind to the alibi, mana pattern, disguise, or habits Lennok had created to conceal his identity.

As an artisan, he had simply created and repaired equipment, recalling and inferring that someone else might think about this component just like he did.

Oason’s words, based on vague imagination and speculation, ironically pinpointed the truth of the identity Lennok had created.

But Lennok didn’t show any outward emotion and asked coldly.

“So?”

“…Who you are doesn’t matter anymore.”

Saying so, Oason pulled something out from his embrace with trembling hands.

A small vial, the size of a finger. The clear, sky-blue liquid sloshing inside was striking.

Oason slowly placed the vial on the workbench and spoke with difficulty.

“This is an antidote that can lift the curse on Narcissa’s body. Can you deliver this to her?”

“…”

Lennok didn’t answer, merely staring at the vial.

Narcissa had not regained consciousness since the attempted assassination.

While her injuries themselves were severe, it was also due to an unknown curse embedded in the assassin’s bullet.

That Oason possessed an antidote for such a curse meant…

“You were the one who orchestrated Narcissa Solmer’s assassination.”

Oason nodded with difficulty.

“She tried to curb the use of the Ascension Gate’s legacy. It was hard to ignore Narcissa, who had strong influence within the War Hammer faction. So…”

“Was it an item using an Old World curse?”

“Yes… Hermes handed it to me.”

Hermes mentioning the culprit behind Narcissa’s assassination to the Meisters wasn’t a lie.

But had Hermes gone beyond merely accusing, and directly provided Oason with the assassination method itself?

Lennok thought so and quietly picked up the vial.

He tucked the old, dusty musket into his embrace, retrieving the Penteract he had attached to it.

“Hoo, to ask such a difficult favor… I’m sorry…”

“No need to be sorry. Let’s just say we’re settling a late trade.”

Lennok replied, looking at the fading Oason with a composed gaze.

“You also made your request calculatingly.”

Since Hermes had betrayed the Meisters, there was a high probability he would spread the word that Oason had attempted to assassinate Narcissa.

That’s why Oason had deliberately waited for Lyman, an outsider, to ask him to treat Narcissa instead.

If he had asked other Meisters for this favor, the fact that Oason himself orchestrated Narcissa’s assassination would undoubtedly spread.

If that happened, even his disciples or children would suffer the consequences after his death.

If he was lucky, Oason’s crime itself might be buried, and even just treating Narcissa would reduce the likelihood of those left behind being tormented.

Lennok had seen through this fact long ago, so he didn’t feel particularly grateful to Oason.

Oason seemed to understand, too, as he gave a bitter smile and slowly nodded.

“Th… that’s… enou…”

The old man’s hand, clutching his profusely bleeding side, slowly lost its strength.

At the same time, Oason, slumped against the chair, breathed his last.

His eyes, as he died peacefully in his seat, lost focus and stared blankly up into the void.

Lennok silently watched him, then placed a hand on Oason’s head and drew out mana.

Among magic, curses, and necromancy, there were spells that could forcefully extract fragments of memory by reversing the brain of the deceased.

He didn’t expect any problems, but it would be best to erase information about Lyman and their conversation now.

After finishing the simple procedure, Lennok brushed his forehead, closed his eyes, and turned away.

“Guide me to the outermost edge of the island. The fastest route possible.”

[Route calculation complete!]

Davi, understanding Lennok’s intentions, quickly pinpointed coordinates to the outer coast of the island where Lennok had woken up.

Whoosh-whoosh!!

Lennok pulled out the reconnaissance vessel onto the artificial coast where gentle waves crashed, quickly checked for internal and external damage, and immediately boarded.

The moment he was about to proceed to the end of the coast and use Kaiser’s Pocket Watch at the invisible barrier’s edge.

Davi seemed to sense something, reversing the reconnaissance vessel at full power, moving it away from the barrier’s edge.

Boommm!!

[Master!!]

“Yes. The water pressure…!!”

Even before escaping beyond the barrier, an intense water pressure was detected, strong enough to crush the reconnaissance vessel.

The moment Lennok realized this and drew out mana, the entire underwater barrier began to rotate counter-clockwise as if by magic.

As the scenery of the transparent coast distorted, a massive cliff of cogs appeared beyond it.

Crrraaaassh!!!

With a deafening roar, the barrier swung wide open, revealing a broad watery path leading directly into the deep sea.

The impact of the barrier opening forcibly spun the surrounding seawater, creating a current that allowed one to ascend to the surface, free from the effects of water pressure.

This was likely a passage designed to allow ships carrying personnel working in the Heart-Star Vault to safely enter the barrier.

“This is…”

The moment Lennok slightly opened his mouth, seeing the meticulously designed waterway that prevented seawater from entering the barrier.

A sharp, mechanical voice echoed loudly through the waterway.

[Highest-grade security protocol violation confirmed on-site. Acting on the authority of Ex Machina, we are securing the suspect here and now.]

Gurrrrgllle…!!

At the end of the tens of meters long waterway, a house-sized shark swam upside down, emitting powerful ultrasonic waves.

Its red eyes gleamed ominously, glaring at Lennok, but what was more captivating was its grotesque appearance, befitting its massive size.

Half of the shark was mechanical, the other half consisted of sleek fins and a body, an utterly bizarre form.

It was as if a living animal had been modified into a weapon of war, sharp, eerie steel blended with the flesh of a beast.

And on top of the shark’s head, a human upper body was fused, coexisting.

A muscular, steel physique. In one hand, he held a trident several meters long, his hair fluttering.

[Mechanized Troops 4th Legion Deep-Sea Legion Commander. Triton Neseus Okeanos.]

Mana emanating from the fused body of shark and human vibrated the entire sea.

[By the authority of the Legion Commander, under emergency martial law, you are hereby arrested on 12 counts of special grave offenses, including city insurrection.]

“…”

The 4th Deep-Sea Legion of the Mechanized Troops.

Lennok’s face hardened as he realized the meaning of those words.

A military group responsible for Machina’s defense, a combat organization that never intervened in internal city matters.

A core defense department whose intervention was permitted only in external conflicts or clashes equivalent to war.

While not comparable to the Enforcers in terms of elite numbers, the firepower of a corps built for war far surpassed that of the Enforcers.

This was irrefutable evidence that Machina was preparing for war, simultaneously with the activation of the highest alert level at the underwater barrier.

Moreover, what did it mean that the opponent was the Deep-Sea Legion Commander of the 4th Legion?

Lennok’s gaze quickly scanned the true form of the Legion Commander who identified himself as Triton.

‘His mana…’

The mana felt was around the 7-level Completer stage.

But as the mana flowing from his body mixed with the surrounding seawater, it insanely amplified his overall power.

Crrraaaassh!!!

In terms of raw output alone, his speed and impact force were equivalent to an 8-level Ascendant.

Befitting his title as Deep-Sea Legion Commander, he possessed the talent to unleash his combat power beyond its limits in this underwater environment.

Or, he was a monster who had fused his body with a shark to gain power befitting that status.

[Master…!!]

A high-level superhuman specialized in deep-sea mobility and combat. No, could that even be called a human in the first place?

That form, transcending Hierarchy through magic engineering and bioengineering, was literally a monster at the pinnacle of the Mechanized Troops.

[Considering the remaining output and durability of the reconnaissance vessel, combat is…]

“I know.”

It was a suicidal act to fight thousands of meters underwater, a dangerous realm where only the opponent could exert their full power, and where one couldn’t even move freely.

Lennok replied, quickly twisting the barrel from his embrace and pulling out a piece of equipment.

Click!

The dusty old musket. Teremer’s Demise, received from Oason.

An Old World artifact, exclusive equipment for Magic Gunners. And an artifact the Director himself carried.

‘I haven’t properly adjusted it yet…’

Now, having seen Hermes’s memories, Lennok understood exactly how to use it.

He transformed and inserted the Penteract, and the moment mana was infused, the musket’s form instantly flipped and changed.

Clatter!!

Not the lizard-like shape he had shown at the Selection Ceremony, but a sharp, sturdy harpoon gun resembling a long marlin.

Lennok twisted the long harpoon gun inside the reconnaissance vessel, took aim, and as he braced it, Compassion of the Archangel began to glow.

Kieeeeeng…!!

As the interior of the reconnaissance vessel was momentarily filled with a mix of white and dark blue magical light, Lennok murmured.

“I’ll take him out in one go. Assist with calculations.”

[Ready!!]

If this dragged on, a significant portion of the gains from inside the underwater barrier would lose their meaning.

Click!

The tip of the harpoon gun precisely aimed at Triton’s shark head, swimming in the distance.