Damn Necromancer-Chapter 284
Chapter 284: Ranking Battle (4)
A-4 moved.
No, the expression ‘moved’ was inaccurate. It had covered 10 meters in the blink of an eye.
Bang!
A Dragon Tooth Soldier standing at the front was crumpled like paper. Internal Energy Release.
The fist force emitted from the mechanical arm shattered the skeleton warrior's ribcage into pieces.
It was before the fragments even touched the ground.
Chiiiiik―.
A-4’s back plate split open. No, it opened. Internal cooling panels deployed, revealing blue refrigerant pipes.
[Ice Blood Technique, 1st Form.]
The mechanical voice rang out.
[Frozen Pulse.]
In an instant, the world froze.
High-pressure refrigerant sprayed in a fan shape, clawing the ground. Frost rose wherever it passed. Making the heat of the lava zone meaningless, a five-meter radius instantly turned into a sheet of ice.
Pajijik!
Two Dragon Tooth Soldiers swept by the cold froze on the spot. The cold air seeping between bone joints expanded from the inside―.
Kwajik. Kwajijik.
The skeletons shattered down like glass.
“…….”
Kim Minwoo’s eyes narrowed.
‘Ice Blood Demon Lord.’
Just by the name, it sounded like the nickname of a martial artist skilled in using ice.
A-4 lived up to that name.
Though the difference was that while a martial artist moved utilizing martial arts, this guy mimicked it with state-of-the-art machinery.
The corners of Kim Minwoo’s mouth twisted.
‘Don’t know for sure, but they must have spent a dirty amount of money.’
He didn't know where they got such technology.
Still, they couldn't have made it cheaply.
―Hmph. For a mere tin can.
Merhen’s cold voice was heard.
Mana was already swirling at her fingertips.
Soon, a massive conflagration covered A-4. Flames sprayed over a range too wide to dodge.
A-4’s eyes flashed red.
[Evasion impossible. Defense Protocol Activated.]
A-4’s voice rang out emotionlessly.
Cheolgeureok, Cheolgeureok―.
The joints of the mechanical limbs were rearranged.
The silver-white exterior was instantly dyed jet black. Black refrigerant circulated through internal circuits, and a chill rose from the entire body.
[Ice Blood Technique, 2nd Form.]
The flames engulfed A-4.
[Black Tortoise.]
In an instant, a black ice shield soared in front of the Machine Human. Merhen’s flames crashed against the shield surface and splashed in all directions.
The fire licked the ice, but far from melting, frost actually rose from the contact surface.
Chiiiiik―.
Steam exploded as flame and cold collided.
What was revealed afterward was the seemingly unscathed figure of the machine.
Cedric was silent.
Only the tip of his spear was tilted minutely toward A-4.
He was measuring the distance. Calculating the angle.
The instinct of a knight who had rolled on the battlefield for hundreds of years was measuring the enemy's threat level.
Kim Minwoo’s eyes were dyed red.
The Demon Eye saw through A-4's interior.
‘Alloy skeleton. Three energy cores. Cooling devices on the back plate and both flanks.’
A system window floated up. Ice Blood Technique pattern library, data processing speed, even heat vent locations. Necessary information unfolded before his eyes.
However, what Kim Minwoo focused on was something else.
‘The movement is too clean.’
It was like a textbook. A path of motion without an inch of waste. Joints bending at perfect angles. The extreme of efficiency.
The corners of Kim Minwoo’s mouth twisted.
‘Efficiency is precisely a pattern.’
Machines select only the optimal path.
They give the same answer to the same situation. That was both a strength and a weakness.
He sent a signal to Cedric through the Heart of the Legion.
‘Next attack will start from the right foot. Stab when the force rises from the ankle to the knee.’
Cedric’s eye glint flashed.
A-4 moved.
The moment the right foot stepped on the ground, Cedric’s spear struck like lightning.
Kkiiik―!
The sound of metal tearing.
It wasn't a perfect hit.
But A-4’s movement faltered for a split second. The first crack was engraved on the joint part.
Simultaneously, Kim Minwoo dug into the flank.
Sseuk―.
The sword slashed the heat vent on the flank.
[Ice Blood Technique, 1st Form. Frozen Pulse.]
A-4 sprayed refrigerant. But the output dropped compared to before. The range of the cold narrowed.
The machine’s eyes flashed red.
[Pattern Exposure Confirmed.]
[Tactical Pattern Change.]
A-4’s movements changed.
Irregular mechanical movements mixed into the standardized martial arts posture.
But even that was all movement with efficiency in mind. As he attacked together with the Dragon Tooth Soldiers, A-4 began to be pushed back mercilessly.
[Judgment Error. Atrociously strong.]
[……Approving Personality Change.]
Click.
Red light disappeared from the machine’s eyes.
Instead, a cold blue radiance seeped in. As if a different being had awakened.
[Personality Switch Complete.]
[Loaded Personality: Jeong Cheong.]
A-4’s stance changed. The mechanical movement pursuing only efficiency disappeared, and a somewhat relaxed― no, arrogant air settled in.
“…….”
Blue pupils scanned Kim Minwoo. From top to bottom. As if evaluating, as if appreciating.
Soon, a completely different voice flowed from the machine’s mouth.
“Interesting.”
A low and thick voice. It wasn't a mechanical sound. It was a human tone.
“Seeing that this blockhead machine put me to the front.”
A-4…… no, Jeong Cheong tilted his head.
“You must be quite something yourself?”
Kim Minwoo’s eyes narrowed.
“Is it Jeong Cheong?”
“Yes. A human who was once called the Ice Blood Demon Lord.”
Mechanical fingers slowly clenched and unclenched. As if checking the body regained after a long time.
“Though now I’ve died and disappeared, remaining only as an improved chip.”
Crack.
The mechanical fist was clenched violently.
“Then―.”
Blue eye glint shone eerily.
“Let’s play.”
[Ice Blood Technique, 3rd Form.]
The world froze.
[Ten Thousand Ice Fields.]
Frost soared from the ground. No, it wasn't frost. Ice crystals spread out in all directions like living creatures.
“Kuh―!”
One Dragon Tooth Soldier screamed. The cold air seeping between bone joints crystallized inside and expanded.
Pajik. Pajijik.
Ice bursting from the inside. The skeleton warrior shattered down from within.
‘This is―.’
Kim Minwoo’s eyes flashed.
It was on a different dimension from before.
As human technique was added to machine efficiency, the flow of cold air itself became unpredictable.
Paaat―!
Jeong Cheong moved. Martial artist's footwork mixed into the machine's speed. Curves, not straight lines. Deception, not efficiency.
―Idiot.
Merhen’s cold voice rang out.
Mana swirled at her fingertips. Having read the trajectory of the Ice Blood Technique, she twisted the flow of the cold air itself.
Pung!
Ice crystals splashed in a wrong direction. It wasn't a perfect defense, but it blocked a critical hit.
“Hoh. The young lady is quite something too?”
Jeong Cheong smirked.
Clang!
Cedric’s spear blocked the front.
Blocking Jeong Cheong’s path, he fixed his gaze.
In the meantime, Kim Minwoo’s Demon Eye read information incessantly.
‘Core temperature rise rate abnormal. Heat vent opening cycle fixed.’
The more he used the Ice Blood Technique, the more the internal temperature soared. It was because part of the cooling device was damaged. The timing of the heat vent opening was constant.
The corners of Kim Minwoo’s mouth twisted.
‘I just need to make him use the Ice Blood Technique more.’
He gave orders through the Heart of the Legion.
‘Cedric, draw attention. Merhen―.’
The silver-haired witch nodded.
‘Make him have no choice but to use cold air.’
Merhen’s flames swept the surroundings.
A sea of fire with nowhere to run. Jeong Cheong gritted his teeth.
“Annoying.”
[Ice Blood Technique, Highest Form.]
Cold air exploded from the machine's entire body.
[Extreme Ice―.]
It was right at that moment.
The heat vents on the back plate opened wide. An unavoidable moment to cool the overheated core.
Kim Minwoo’s eyes flashed.
‘Now.’
His foot kicked the ground. Piercing through the pincer attack of the Dragon Tooth Soldiers, he dug into the gap Cedric had opened up. Riding the blind spot created by Merhen’s flames.
A straight line.
The Demon Eye clearly illuminated the trajectory of the refrigerant pipe leading from the heat vent to the core.
Sseuk―!
The sword was sucked in.
Kkiiik―!
A scream of tearing metal. The sword tip pierced the core connection point exactly. The three energy cores cracked simultaneously.
“Kuh―.”
Jeong Cheong’s movement stopped. The blue eye glint flickered madly.
[Critical damage detected―. System collapse immi―.]
“Ha.”
Laughter leaked from the machine’s mouth. It was human laughter.
“As expected, this damn machine is―.”
Pajijik. The voice cut out and back in.
“―Not to my liking.”
Peoooong―!
An explosion erupted.
Silver-white fragments splashed in all directions.
The Machine Human’s form shattered into pieces and scattered into the dark red flames.
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
Messages floated up, but Kim Minwoo’s gaze was fixed elsewhere.
The pile of debris.
In the middle of it.
Amidst everything being broken, there was one thing left intact.
A metal device about the size of a palm.
Blue light was blinking regularly on the surface. It was a communication signal. Evidence that it was connected to someone.
Kim Minwoo’s hand reached out slowly.
The moment his finger touched the metal surface, the blue light flickered violently.
Jijijik―.
“……Connection status unstable. But it’s still alive.”
Kim Minwoo lifted the device. The blue light beating regularly like a mechanical heart on his palm.
It felt like he could sense someone’s breath.
“Did you say Jeong Cheong?”
There was no answer. It was natural.
Since the main body had already become debris and scattered.
However, the fact that this communication device is alive…….
‘Means there is a main base somewhere.’
Kim Minwoo’s eyes narrowed.
A-4 was not a simple participant.
An artificial combat weapon created by someone investing massive capital. Transplanting even the memories and techniques of the martial artist called Ice Blood Demon Lord, it was truly a monster molded with money.
‘They sent such a guy to the Ranking Battle?’
The Ranking Battle of the Demon Realm is a game for Demon Lords.
Their own amusement where they put forward proxies to compete for rankings.
But a Machine Human?
It was then.
Jijijik. Jiiiik―.
Static leaked from the device. Amidst the signal that seemed on the verge of cutting off, a faint voice flowed out.
―……Can you hear me.
A low and dry voice.
It wasn't Jeong Cheong. It wasn't a mechanical sound either. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
It was a human voice.
The corners of Kim Minwoo’s mouth twisted.
“I hear you. Who are you?”
―A-4 has been destroyed. Did you take the treasure map?
“And if I did?”
―The weak possessing treasure. That alone is a great sin. Enough to lose one’s life. However, our Galaxy Alliance values efficiency. We prefer trade over unnecessary conflict.
Galaxy, huh.
Is it some kind of alliance?
In the meantime, the middle-aged voice continued to flow from the communicator.
―Let’s exchange. Also, how about joining forces?
“Exchange?”
―Yes. There are a total of three Ranking Battles. The treasure map appears across all three. We want you to cooperate with us in the higher trials.
“And what do I get if I do that?”
―Survival. And cooperation. It seems you don’t know the value of this treasure map very well…… it is a rare treasure. Enough that all Demon Lords covet it and would want to take it even if it means killing you.
Kim Minwoo’s eyes shone.
A treasure map from the Demon God’s Ranking Battle.
Naturally, he knew there would be something to it.
But…….
‘It’s precious enough to make all Demon Lords drool?’
At that moment.
[All Treasure Map Fragments have been gathered!]
[Merging into one!]
As the twenty fragments clumped together, the completed map revealed itself.
[Treasure Map of the 3rd Ranking Battle (Completed Version).]
[Grade: Special.]
[It is a map depicting a path heading somewhere. However, it is not yet accurately described. If you gather all two torn parts, you might be able to receive the Demon God’s Gift?]
“Ah, so this is why it was precious?”
―Do you realize it now? In all future Ranking Battles, everyone will have their eyes peeled to kill you.
Probably so.
Since they say one can receive the Demon God’s Gift, no less.
Even just the Demon Eye was such a honey-like skill.
‘Furthermore, if I can obtain something else…….’
“Demon Lords are drooling over it? Then I can’t give it up even more.”
For treasures like this, monopolizing it is the only way to go.
