*
〈 Chapter 191: Central Island Attack (3) 〉
Weeeng…
The guard dolls appeared from somewhere.
These guys were made of wood and moved by the magic flowing through their bodies.
Their only purpose seemed to be to repel outsiders who had intruded into the deepest part.
Swish
I dodged the arm swung by one of them and swung Albert at the same time.
Thud
A dull sound rang, and my hand felt numb.
However, the guard doll also received a strong impact and was knocked into the wall.
“Is it really okay to do this?”
This place was supposed to maintain its protective function even after this operation was over.
So, I felt a bit hesitant about taking out the guard dolls responsible for that protection.
But Luel nodded and replied.
“It’s fine. Anyway, there are dozens of these guys in storage.”
“Dozens?”
“Yes, they have a certain level of self-recovery ability as well.”
I felt a bit scared.
“Just how much ability did the Water Sage have?”
To be precise, it was different from the usual scientific technology like Sakh’s trains.
The ancient technology possessed by the Water Sage was magic-based magic engineering.
“They amplified the weak authority of the Water God using magic circuits and created a barrier so huge, it could rival the Saint City Hailen?”
I was at a loss for words.
“But that’s an old story. He lost most of the knowledge he had at that time as a price for creating that barrier. The technologies I possess have mostly been recovered by later Water Sages.”
“So how much technology has been recovered now?”
“Don’t expect too much. It’s barely enough to move this Ark.”
However, there was one part of her words that caught my attention.
“Ark?”
“Yes.”
“When you say Ark, are you referring to this island?”
“Oh, did you only know that the island could move but not its original purpose?”
“Original purpose?”
I didn’t know that.
The only purpose I knew about this island was… ramming it into Hailen’s barrier and smashing it to bits.
That was how Luel had used this island in Hundred Braves.
Luel then told me,
“This wasn’t originally an island. It was an Ark meant to escape with people from the impending destruction of this world.”
“So you fled here?”
“No, the Ark has always been here. And the destruction I’m talking about isn’t the one that happened five hundred years ago.”
If it wasn’t about the past destruction…
“You mean the impending destruction?”
“Yes. This Ark was made by the predecessors of the Water Sage to avoid that.”
“But avoid it? Where to?”
If an impending destruction were to happen, there wouldn’t be anywhere to escape to.
But that was just my common sense; the Water Sage might have known something more.
Her answer was indeed beyond my comprehension.
“To another dimension. As you said, there’s nowhere in this world to escape destruction.”
While she continued her explanation, I kept subduing the guard dolls.
She was also continuously directing me with gestures.
“But if it’s to another dimension, isn’t that still a valid strategy now?”
“Ah, that’s… At the time the Ark was created, it hadn’t been proven that it was impossible. They just hurriedly made the Ark and left the actual usability for later generations to figure out.”
Well, if it had been possible, she probably wouldn’t have been eager to destroy worlds.
“In the end, the later Water Sages studying dimensions with the gods found that materially moving between dimensions was impossible, and the Ark plan was scrapped.”
Thus, the Ark became a single island here.
People started to gather and live on the Ark and the surrounding islands, and the Ark became immobile.
Until today.
“Still, thanks to that, we can utilize it now.”
They had built this Ark, allowing me to attempt to rescue Gwen.
Of course, if I hadn’t persuaded Luel, it might have ended up as a world-destroying Ark.
Anyway, thank you.
“Thank you.”
“No, thanking me is… While I do possess all the knowledge of the predecessors of the Water Sage, I’m definitely different from them.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think of that.”
I had naturally identified her with the Water Sage because occasionally her speech patterns slipped into those of the Water Sage.
But thinking about it, there wasn’t much difference between her and me.
I too had inherited Sung Yoo-rang’s memories.
‘And I’m different from Sung Yoo-rang.’
Of course, I couldn’t deny that some of Sung Yoo-rang mixed into me.
But I was distinctly different from Sung Yoo-rang who lived on Earth.
The same applied to the Water Sage.
“It’s fine. Saying thank you isn’t wrong. More importantly, seeing your existence seems to indicate the gods have some plans going on too.”
“The gods’ plans?”
That was a phrase I couldn’t help but be concerned about.
There was still so much I didn’t know about gods.
Moreover, according to her words, it seemed related to me.
“What’s that about?”
“I don’t know exactly myself. After the Water Sage’s Ark plan failed and he resolved to bring about the world’s destruction, he cut off contact with the gods. All I know is that they kept trying something with dimensions, and that’s somehow related to the Divine Seat.”
She said she didn’t know exactly, but that was enough.
I had a rough idea that the gods were the ones who connected the Player and the Character.
But hearing it from someone else made it feel more concrete.
However, I still had one more question about the Ark.
“Then what about the Rose Sword? Why did it have to be that sword?”
I knew that the Rose Sword served as some kind of key.
But I still hadn’t heard why it had to be the Rose Sword.
“Actually, it didn’t have to be that sword at all. Any relic with about 5-star Divine Power would’ve sufficed. But only the Reedval Family was able to put such a relic in my hands.”
“Only the Reedval Family?”
“I tested them one by one through Trials. When they learned the truth about the world, what choice would they make? In such a situation, they were the only ones who decided to entrust such a relic to me.”
That was unexpected.
There was probably no family as reliant on relics as the Reedval Family.
Luel explained that question.
“At that time, he traveled the world to lift the curse of the Reedval Family, but ultimately couldn’t find a solution. So, he made a deal. That he would ensure the Reedval Family would be on the Ark.”
“But even if they got on the Ark, the curse…”
“They thought perhaps there could be a way to lift it in another dimension. That’s what he must have thought.”
That was a rational choice.
Later, if the Ark plan had not failed, the subsequent Water Sages would not have hidden the Rose Sword just for their plan of world destruction.
“Honestly, the Water Sage could never make amends with the Reedval Family.”
That was undeniable.
But…
“You said earlier that the Water Sage and you are different.”
“That’s true…”
“Miss Gwen is a very rational and just person. If she hears your circumstances, she’ll definitely understand.”
Luel didn’t want to destroy the world either.
At the same time, she hadn’t withheld the Rose Sword from the Reedval Family out of her own volition.
“I hope so…”
At that moment.
“This is it! The control room’s final area…!”
I stopped and placed her down as she directed me.
Then she began to unlock the door to the control room.
‘Then I…’
Would have to face the coming guard dolls once again.
Thud, thud, thud.
The guard dolls approached, pounding the stone floor.
I began to confront them holding Albert.
‘If they come at this rate, regular heroes would struggle.’
Their specs alone were better than mine.
Stronger and tougher than me.
Even their judgment speed was mechanically faster.
‘Physical enhancement.’
But that was only when I hadn’t gained physical enhancement through Blood Magic.
Thud
The dolls were ripped apart as if cut by Albert swung like an axe.
Watching the scene out of the corner of her eye, Luel said,
“We should mix in those under the durability enhancement spell as well.”
“Luel?”
“Of course, later.”
It seemed she had finished the unlocking process amidst all that.
“All done.”
Simultaneously, the door opened.
“Got it!”
I shouted and swung my sword to push back the approaching dolls all at once.
Then, I rushed into the opened control room.
As soon as I entered, the door closed behind me.
“Pant…”
I maintained my guard, looking at the door when Luel spoke.
“They can’t get through that door either.”
Only then did I shift my gaze from the door.
And turned my eyes to the control room.
‘This is…’
The control room was very spacious.
Moreover, all the magic circuits of the Ark seemed to converge here, making it look extremely complex.
‘That said…’
I turned my head toward the direction of Luel’s voice.
There, I found Luel.
“Hurry up.”
She urged me.
Next to her stood a familiar sword.
‘Finally found you.’
The red blade, wrapped in rose vines-like formations.
There was only one sword that looked like that.
‘The Rose Sword.’
However, I couldn’t pull it out right now.
To draw it, I needed the qualification of [Rose Emblem (Major)].
Of course, if I could use Transcendence, I might be able to pull it, but remembering the Royal Sword incident, that was too risky.
‘Besides, I don’t even have a reason to pull it out right now.’
The Rose Sword was currently serving as a kind of ‘key’ to start the Ark.
So, my role right now was something else.
“Allen, please turn the Rose Sword to start it.”
Just turning it would be possible with simple strength.
“Turn it clockwise, right?”
“Yes.”
Following her instructions, I grasped the handle of the Rose Sword.
A mysterious energy began to emanate from the sword.
‘Is my Rose Emblem reacting to it a little?’
Well, given that the Inheritance Emblem made my Rose Emblem stronger than the usual Inheritance ‘Minor’ Emblem.
Of course, this wasn’t the time to think about such things.
‘Gwen.’
Thinking of her, I vigorously turned the Rose Sword.
Creak, creak.
The sound of the devices turning beneath the floor.
Simultaneously, the control room illuminated in a blue glow of magic.
And the exterior scenery began to project onto the front of the control room.
As I gazed once more at Prison Island, visible in the distance, I reaffirmed my determination.
‘I will definitely save you.’
*
