The Automatic Rooting Range Is Too Wide - Chapter 172

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Auto Looting Range Too Wide Episode 172

Episode 172: The Higher-ups (2)

The chamber where Ramakan had been concealed was remarkably spacious.
Moreover, just as Bokdol-i had mentioned, it was equipped with numerous facilities.
“Master, shall I take Ramakan out for you?”
Mincheol retrieved Ramakan from his Inventory and set it down on the ground.
In the meantime, Bokdol-i plugged a cable into the control panel.
Whirrrr—
The dormant equipment began to spring to life.
A mechanical arm grasped Ramakan and tore away its armor plating.
What followed was an intricate sequence of processes.
“How long do you think this will take?”
“Not long? Since we’re just recreating an existing blueprint, it shouldn’t take too much time.”
Mincheol watched Ramakan being repaired with an expression of fascination.
“But what exactly was that thing from earlier?”
He then asked Bokdol-i.
All he had learned was that it had served as the foundation for Ramakan.
“Hisolikan? I don’t know much about it either.”
Mincheol stared at Bokdol-i intently, his gaze suggesting he suspected a jest.
“I’m serious! All my knowledge is locked. I can’t recall it at will!”
“Then what was that earlier? You said Hisolikan became the foundation for Ramakan.”
“The locks seem to unlock only when there’s a trigger. But that doesn’t mean everything comes back to me. I don’t even know what kind of creature Hisolikan was. I’m telling the truth!”
Bokdol-i spoke earnestly, as if pleading for belief.
Mincheol regarded Bokdol-i with suspicion before turning his gaze away.
‘Besides, there’s no way this one would lie to me.’
Only Mincheol could extract Bokdol-i from the Tower.
So there was no reason for Bokdol-i to lie about matters concerning Mincheol’s life.
Yet a question arose at this point.
‘What exactly is Bokdol-i’s true nature?’
I understood that it was an Electronic Spirit of the Machine Empire.
Then why, unlike other Electronic Spirits, had it not become a ‘resident of the Tower’?
And why, unlike other machines, did it not harbor hostility toward humans?
It was while Mincheol was contemplating these various questions.
“Hm-hm, hm-hm-hm.”
Bokdol-i hummed a tune with mismatched rhythm.
“Are you that delighted to have obtained a new body?”
“Oh, was it that obvious? Actually, I’m incredibly happy! Iron Doll was so heavy that it was really hard to move around!”
Bokdol-i spoke as if he’d been waiting for this moment.
“And I can protect you now! Oh, not that you’re weak or anything! You’re incredibly strong! But two hands are better than one, right?”
Mincheol recalled the overwhelming presence Ramakan had displayed.
The way it unleashed invisible slash attacks in rapid succession was worthy of being called a hidden boss.
Mincheol could respond thanks to his new trait, but most Awakened would have no choice but to fall helplessly before it.
‘No, not just most—even mid-tier Awakened wouldn’t stand a chance against it.’
Mincheol was certain of it.
Ramakan would become his trump card.
It was as good as having a spare life in his pocket.
‘Wait, now that I think about it, I don’t need to activate it only in emergencies, do I?’
No matter which floor he reached, activating Ramakan would make it easy.
He wouldn’t even need to step forward himself. He could just give Bokdol-i orders and it would handle everything.
‘Is my dream finally coming true?’
Mincheol had only one wish.
To climb the Tower safely!
To enjoy the sweet life comfortably!
With Ramakan, he could make any dream a reality.
It was then that Mincheol was lost in pleasant fantasies.
“Um, well, you see….”
Bokdol-i hesitated before speaking.
“What’s wrong?”
“This Ramakan is a prototype. It’s a unit that was tested with various things during development, so its output is much higher than mass-produced models.”
In other words, this was a particularly powerful Ramakan among Ramakans.
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“It is! Of course it is! But, there’s one problem. The reason the prototype has such high output is because it was designed assuming Hisolikan would be used as its power source.”
A bad premonition suddenly struck him.
Mincheol looked at Bokdol-i with a sinking feeling.
“So right now, with only the additional power core being installed, I can’t properly operate Ramakan. The magical power production is far too insufficient….”
It felt like he’d been hit in the back of the head with a hammer.
“So, you’re saying I can’t use Ramakan in combat?”
“I can! I can, but first I need to charge it separately using magic stones!”
“How many magic stones do we need?”
“About 50 high-grade magic stones?”
For a moment, his mind went blank.
Magic stones were compressed magical minerals—the most common yet crucial resource in the Tower.
Even within the same grade, prices varied wildly depending on size and purity.
On average, if low-grade magic stones cost 20 million won, mid-grade ones cost 50 million won.
And high-grade magic stones….
‘…200 million.’
In truth, two hundred million wasn’t a particularly burdensome sum for me.
I occasionally provided high-grade mana stones as feed for Kkwaekkwi, after all.
The problem was the quantity.
While market prices fluctuated, acquiring fifty high-grade mana stones would require spending at least nine billion.
Even I couldn’t readily amass such an enormous sum.
With so many floors left to climb, I couldn’t gather over nine billion every single time.
‘Ah, what a fate.’
It seemed I’d have to abandon my plan of coasting through the Tower using Ramakan.
It appeared I needed to preserve it solely as my trump card.
“Right, what should I do with this?”
I retrieved Ramakan’s Core from my Inventory.
“Should I just destroy it?”
“Ah, wouldn’t it be better to keep it for now? A core like Ramakan’s is incredibly rare. There might be a way to use it later!”
Just as I was placing Ramakan’s Core back into my Inventory at that suggestion, it happened.
Swish—
A black line traced through the air, then split open left and right.
Ursongbarsong walked out slowly from within.
“You’ve arrived?”
I greeted Ursongbarsong warmly.
But something seemed off about Ursongbarsong’s expression.
Beyond appearing rigidly stiff, it was extraordinarily dark.
“Awakened, you must come with me.”
“Uh… Is this because of what just happened?”
“Yes. I should warn you in advance—refusal is not an option.”
It was essentially coercion to follow along.
Yet rather than displeasure, I felt bewilderment first.
Ursongbarsong had never acted this way before.
“There’s no time. I’ll explain the details as we go.”
Ursongbarsong spoke urgently.
I sensed instinctively that the situation was unfolding in an ominous direction.
“Bokdol-i, I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Okay, got it!”
I left Bokdol-i behind and entered the Dimensional Gate with Ursongbarsong.
The interior was filled with darkness where not a single point of light could be found.
“This way.”
Ursongbarsong spoke while walking through the darkness.
I stayed close behind him, afraid of losing sight of him.
“Since time is limited, I’ll explain briefly. You are currently in an extremely precarious situation.”
Ursongbarsong spoke while hurrying forward.
“The Managers have already been monitoring you because you used your unique skill to leak items from the Machine Empire. This violates the Tower’s rules.”
As expected.
I had anticipated that Mincheol would do something similar to some degree.
After all, he had pierced through something The Tower had deliberately blocked using a loophole.
“In such circumstances, you even defeated both Ramakan and Hisolikan. Ramakan goes without saying, but Hisolikan is also a formidable enemy that you shouldn’t have been able to encounter or defeat at your current stage as an Awakened.”
“So what happens from now on?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know. It’s not a decision made by us Managers.”
“Pardon?”
Mincheol asked with a puzzled expression.
“Your treatment will be decided by The One.”
“The One?”
“I cannot provide details. However, you should know that compared to The One, we Managers are nothing but dust.”
Mincheol blinked his eyes.
I had to meet someone so extraordinary?
The sudden nature of it made me feel disconnected from reality.
“Merely by The One’s movement, tremendous resources are consumed. That’s why The One cannot stay long.”
So that’s why Ursongbarsong had said there was no time at first.
“The only advice I can offer is this: you must endure.”
Ursongbarsong’s footsteps came to a halt.
“We’re here.”
“But there’s nothing here?”
Mincheol looked around and asked.
However, Ursongbarsong had vanished.
“Huh?”
When I turned my gaze back to where it had been.
I saw someone standing in the darkness.
A white veil covered their face, making it impossible to recognize.
No, it wasn’t just the face. Their entire body was shrouded in cloth.
“Are… are you The One?”
I asked carefully.
Then the veil parted of its own accord, spreading left and right.
But inside there was nothing. Only pitch-black darkness.
It was strange. This space had only contained darkness to begin with.
Yet within the veil was something even darker than that…
Drip.
Something ran down my face.
I touched beneath my eye with my finger. Crimson blood stained it.
What? Why is blood flowing?
The moment I felt the confusion, I sensed something.
A gaze.
An intensely searing gaze poured down like molten steel.
Hundreds, thousands—no, hundreds of millions of gazes seemed to pierce through me.
An overwhelming force crushed down upon my entire body. I forgot how to breathe.
Within that suffocating pressure, I felt something gently caressing my cheek.
An irresistible power emanated from it. Just as terror threatened to shatter my sanity entirely, a voice cut through.

—Endure.

Ursongbarsong’s counsel echoed in my mind.
I clung desperately to the thread of reason. With tremendous effort, I suppressed the heart that felt ready to burst from my chest.
[■■■■■■.]
Then, something reached my ears.
I couldn’t comprehend it properly. In fact, it wasn’t even language at all.
[■■■■■■.]
Again, an incomprehensible sound washed over me.
Suddenly, the sensation caressing my face vanished.
And with it, all the gazes disappeared as well.
“Gasp!”
Only then could I draw breath again.
Sprawled on the ground, I gasped desperately for air.

【■■■ has acknowledged your existence.】
【You have encountered ■■■ without succumbing to madness.】

A message appeared, but Mincheol had no time to pay attention to it.
He was too busy calming his wildly racing heart.
“Awakened, you’ve worked hard.”
Ursongbarsong, who had appeared without warning, supported Mincheol.
Mincheol, bleeding from his eyes and mouth, asked him.
“W-what was that just now? H-how did this happen?”
“The One has decided on your treatment and departed.”
Unlike before, Ursongbarsong spoke with a bright expression.
“The One has promised to prioritize your unique skill over the Tower’s rules.”
“Is that… a good thing?”
“Of course it’s good! You’ve received a promise that your unique skill will never be restricted, no matter how you use it!”
Ursongbarsong’s face bloomed with laughter.
“The One rarely acknowledges mortals. Across all dimensions, you could count them on one hand. This is the first time an Awakened from the lower layers has been recognized.”
“All dimensions?”
The moment he said that, Ursongbarsong covered his mouth with his palm.
“What a slip of the tongue.”
“You were already guessing at it anyway.”
“Still, this information is too premature to be revealed to humans. Please understand.”
Then there was nothing to be done about it.
Mincheol straightened his back. Now he could finally breathe easier.
“And The One asked me to convey this message. The reward for your performance today will be given instead by the object in your palm.”
“In my palm?”
Suddenly, Mincheol realized he was holding something.
When he opened his hand, he saw a rough, large nail.
Needless to say, Mincheol had no memory of holding such a thing.

【■■■】
-Grade: ■■■
-Description: ■■■.

I furrowed my brow, scrutinizing the information window from every angle.
Why is this happening? Could it be broken?
“How intriguing.”
Ursongbarsong murmured while gazing down at the spike.
“Truly fascinating. I never expected to encounter such an object in my work as a Manager.”
“Do you know what it is?”
I asked with hopeful anticipation.
As expected of a Manager, he seemed to have immediately recognized what this object was.
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“…But you said it was intriguing.”
“That’s precisely why it’s intriguing—because even I, as a Manager, cannot identify it.”
It certainly was intriguing.
An item that even the Manager overseeing everything in the Tower didn’t recognize could exist?
“What is it used for? I can’t figure out anything—not even its name or description.”
“I’m equally at a loss. However, the performance you displayed as an Awakened this time was truly unprecedented. Moreover…”
Ursongbarsong trailed off momentarily before continuing.
“It’s a reward bestowed directly by The One. Of that much, I am certain—this is no ordinary object.”
I gazed at the spike once more.
True enough, after all that hardship, it couldn’t possibly be something mundane.
Above all, the Tower was a place that rewarded achievements proportionally, was it not?
“Let us investigate it gradually. That too has its own charm, wouldn’t you say?”
I tossed the spike up and caught it as I replied.
“I suppose I’ll need to exercise my mind for a while.”

* * *

After that, Mincheol fired off a barrage of questions at Ursongbarsong.
“Who is The One?”
“I cannot answer that.”
“What exactly is Hisolikan? He doesn’t seem like a lifeform from the Machine Empire.”
“I cannot answer that.”
Of course, the exchange wasn’t particularly enlightening.
As Mincheol’s brow furrowed, Ursongbarsong bowed his head and spoke.
“Both pieces of information are currently forbidden knowledge for Earth. Moreover, merely hearing information about The One could potentially reduce your lifespan.”
“Then I’d rather not hear it.”
Mincheol answered immediately.
Though curious, I had no desire to court such danger.
“Then please return carefully.”
Mincheol returned through the Dimensional Gate to where Bokdol-i was waiting.
The moment Mincheol arrived, Bokdol-i rushed to greet him.
“Master! You’re back! Everything went smoothly, right?”
“Not exactly.”
“What? Did you get hurt somewhere? Or did someone say something awful?”
Bokdol-i fussed over him, examining his body carefully.
Mincheol waved his hand dismissively.
“Never mind that—how’s the Ramakan repair coming along?”
“All done!”
Mincheol gazed at the Ramakan hanging on the stand.
The gauntlets that Auto Looting had torn through had been replaced with new ones.
Externally, it looked no different from brand new.
“Now all you need to do is insert my core into it, Master!”
Before the words even finished, Bokdol-i disconnected his core from Iron Doll.
Mincheol extracted Bokdol-i’s core and inserted it into Ramakan.
The moment the core slid in, the gauntlets automatically sealed shut.
Whirrrr—
Ramakan lifted its head.
Then it moved both arms, examining its body from every angle.
“This is it! Ramakan is incredible! So many more functions than Iron Doll! And the body feels so much lighter!”
“Can you use the other functions?”
“Let me try!”
Bokdol-i launched into the air.
Then he unleashed slashes in all directions, leaving countless thin lines etched across the walls and ceiling. “This is amazing!”
Bokdol-i stretched both arms and legs wide in mid-air, crying out in exultation.
Mincheol couldn’t help but laugh along.
The hidden boss Ramakan.
This was the moment its overwhelming power became fully mine to command.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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