The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 339
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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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Chapter 339
Chapter 339
I would hack the mechanical weapon and control it myself.
But how could I accomplish such a thing?
I was merely an expert in First, not a programming specialist.
Even calling it hacking, I knew almost nothing about the subject.
Given these limitations, I decided to leverage the knowledge I had accumulated during my time in First—the expertise I possessed with the greatest confidence.
‘If I think of something similar to a mechanical weapon… it would have to be a golem.’
The golems I had encountered in Mueldum, the underground city of the Dwarf.
A golem was no mere monster.
The dwarves themselves had crafted and operated golems to aid them in battle, had they not?
Of course, unlike ordinary golem mages, the dwarves had piloted them directly from within, controlling them as one might control a vehicle.
‘I can do this.’
I possessed knowledge of golems.
Though not expertly, I had accumulated considerable knowledge about First beyond just golems, so I felt confident.
Scritch.
First, I began disassembling the mecha wolf’s body to understand its internal structure.
Peeling away the carapace, examining the internal joint mechanisms, and cutting through the thick wiring, I discovered what could be called the core structure.
‘A chip?’
True to its mechanical nature.
A chip was embedded in the middle of the mechanical beast’s body.
Had it been something composed of mana stones, I could have managed it using my knowledge.
But this chip—I simply could not comprehend its structure.
‘Perhaps it’s impossible…’
This was beyond my reach.
Even if it were possible, I couldn’t do it immediately.
As I was contemplating whether to remove the chip and study it gradually for future use,
my eyes fell upon the mana stones that had been powering the mechanical weapon.
‘…Perhaps.’
Mana stones—I was confident with those.
They had been consumables I primarily used even in First, but after entering Second, I had formally studied magic and deepened my knowledge through conversations with the Knight Commander of Blue Moon.
So then, could I not control the mechanical weapon by using these mana stones instead of the chip?
With that thought, I placed my hand over the mana stone connected to the mechanical weapon.
‘The formula is different from magic.’
This was not the magical formula I knew.
If the mana stone’s formula resembled a magic circle—based on curves within a circular structure—
then the formula inscribed on this mana stone consisted of straight lines, right angles, triangles, and squares—angular geometric shapes.
In this state, I could not control it.
Even if I could, it would consume considerable time in research.
So then.
Overlay.
Rather than understanding Cronion’s mechanical formulae.
I overlay the magical circle formulae I know on top of the mechanical equations.
By applying the formulae used in handling golems, I make the mechanical weapons obey my commands.
After infusing my mana into the mana stone with the overlaid formulae.
The moment I then channel that mana as power into the connected mechanical weapon.
Whirrrrr—.
The connected mechanical weapon rose from its position.
The mechanical weapon’s eyes, originally glowing violet, burned black like Luke’s Black Flame.
Click.
“Excellent.”
It began bowing its head toward me.
* * *
“What’s happened!”
“Check immediately!”
Cronion’s soldiers rushed frantically toward the powder magazine.
The powder magazine they were heading toward was the largest among the temporary magazines established at the garrison.
If such a magazine had exploded, the damage would be catastrophic.
The powder magazine they arrived at in such urgency was.
“This can’t be….”
Devastated.
The gunpowder inside had completely detonated, leaving the surrounding area in ruins.
The soldiers’ gazes naturally shifted to what lay beside it.
“The mechanical weapon storage!”
Cronion’s core weapons.
The storage containing the mechanical weapons.
It was essentially Cronion’s most vital facility, even more important than the powder magazine.
The fortunate thing was that the sturdy storage remained intact despite the massive explosion of the powder magazine.
Still, just to be safe, they tried to enter the storage to check.
Click.
“Mecha Wolf?”
From the storage emerged mechanical weapons shaped like wolves.
The Mecha Wolves began pouring out.
“Thank goodness.”
“The mechanical weapons seem to have survived unscathed.”
“Of course—they’re our Cronion’s core weapons, after all. We built the storage so sturdily that you wouldn’t think it was a temporary garrison facility. There’s no way they’d be damaged.”
The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.
Mechanical weapons were Cronion’s core weapons and vital resources.
Had they been caught in the powder magazine explosion, their combat strength would have been significantly reduced.
Yet fortunately, the mechanical weapons appeared intact, and some soldiers watching this began to harbor doubts.
“But why are mechanical weapons appearing?”
“I heard the officers in charge were assassinated, so deployment orders haven’t been issued yet?”
“Right. Wasn’t our entire objective to verify and activate the mechanical weapons in the first place?”
“Could someone who survived the explosion have realized the urgency and deployed the mechanical weapons on their own?”
Their objective itself was to verify and activate the mechanical weapons.
So who on earth had arbitrarily activated them?
However, something was wrong with the mechanical weapons.
While the mechanical weapons took the form of beasts, their movements remained fundamentally mechanical in nature.
But what about the Mecha Wolves visible now?
“Grrrrr….”
It was as if I were watching real wolves.
They crouched low, growled menacingly, and radiated bloodlust.
The moment soldiers felt this wrongness and hesitantly stepped back.
“Roaarrr!”
“Ahhhhh!”
The Mecha Wolves began attacking the soldiers.
“W-what’s happening!”
“Why are they attacking us, gack!”
“I heard mechanical weapons were programmed never to attack allies!”
“R-run!”
The Mecha Wolves were attacking Cronion’s soldiers.
An unbelievable situation.
Cronion’s core weapon, which they had trusted implicitly until now, was attacking them.
This was a situation that should never have occurred.
Regardless, the Mecha Wolves moved like living wolf packs as they attacked the soldiers, but this was only the beginning.
“Hisssss.”
“N-no way! Mecha Scorpions too!”
Mecha Scorpions began emerging from the storage.
And these Mecha Scorpions also differed from the mechanical weapons they remembered.
They approached threateningly, their tails swaying like those of wild scorpions.
Crunch!
“Gahhhh!”
They pierced soldiers with their sharp tails.
Whirrrr!
They tore soldiers apart with their saw-toothed pincers.
Nor were they limited to melee combat.
While they didn’t employ the fixed-fire cannons that were the Mecha Scorpions’ specialty.
Boom!
“Screeeech!”
Mana cannons erupting from their tails were obliterating the soldiers.
Though my body wasn’t anchored in place, the reduced power allowed for faster attacks.
Even this alone made it difficult to endure.
“Kuooooo!”
“Mecha Rhino!”
A high-grade mechanical weapon that existed only one of on the Lower Front Line.
The Mecha Rhino emerged from the hangar.
The Mecha Rhino carried an unknown man in a black coat, and he too was trampling and turning like a living beast.
Then, as the man riding on top gave an instruction by touching the Mecha Rhino’s flank.
“Kuoooooooo!”
The Mecha Rhino began its charge.
And shortly after.
The path where the Mecha Rhino and other mechanical weapons had passed was reduced to ruins.
* * *
Kwaaaang—!!
The deafening roar from Cronion’s ammunition depot exploding.
The moment I heard that sound.
“Sortie!”
“Finally, it’s our turn!”
“Hahahaha! I’ll take the vanguard! Everyone follow me!”
The Imperial Army.
In other words, the army composed of users began their full-scale assault on Cronion.
Shield formations lined up at the front, blocking Cronion’s bullets.
Attacks coming from mortars and the like were intercepted as much as possible by the Sage and ranged attack units.
After approaching, melee combatants rushed in and swung their weapons rapidly.
It was exactly the Cronion strategy that Mir had researched beforehand and taught to the army commanders.
However, there was one problem with this.
“Mir must succeed in this….”
“Hahahaha, what options do we have now! We can only trust!”
“That’s right. The ammunition depot exploded properly, so I’m sure he handled the mechanical weapons well too.”
The existence of mechanical weapons.
This strategy completely excluded Cronion’s mechanical weapons.
If Cronion were to deploy mechanical weapons here.
If those Mecha Scorpions appeared and tore up the battlefield.
All the users currently fighting would certainly be brutally slaughtered by the mechanical weapons.
The power of mechanical weapons was that formidable.
Still, I believed Mir could do it and continued fighting while trusting in him.
“Krrrrgh….”
“That, that thing!”
“A mechanical weapon we’ve never seen before!”
“Mecha Wolf?”
“Look! The Mecha Scorpion has appeared too!”
“Damn it!”
“Did Mir fail?”
“Danger!”
The commotion from Cronion’s side grew louder, and mechanical weapons revealed themselves.
Not only Mecha Scorpions, but mechanical weapons I’d never seen before.
The problem was their numbers.
Dozens upon dozens of mechanical weapons.
And that was only what we could see at first glance—their numbers continued to grow with each passing moment.
This wouldn’t do.
If those Mecha Scorpions visible before us simply took position and unleashed their mana cannons, the users would suffer catastrophic losses.
I felt the threat acutely.
Crack!
“Aaaahhh! W-why!”
Something impossible was happening.
Mechanical weapons with eyes burning black were attacking Cronion’s soldiers.
Mecha Wolves devoured the soldiers’ steel armor whole.
Mecha Scorpions unleashed rapid-fire mana cannons, piercing through the soldiers.
What in the world was happening?
The situation made no sense whatsoever.
But.
“This is our chance!”
“Attack!”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but the mechanical weapons are on our side! Now’s the time!”
“Ooooooh!”
No one failed to recognize this opportunity.
Under the command of the legion commanders, the users began to act.
They exploited the chaos Cronion’s forces had fallen into, courtesy of the mechanical weapons, attacking their enemies with full force.
“These things are quite capable!”
“They’re so reliable!”
“Excellent!”
Cronion’s mechanical weapons.
When facing them as enemies, they felt more threatening than any monster imaginable.
But fighting alongside them as allies—they were impossibly reassuring.
Their friend-or-foe identification was flawless.
Even as users and Cronion soldiers clashed blades in close combat, the Mecha Scorpion’s mana cannons pierced through Cronion’s soldiers with perfect accuracy.
Thanks to this, the users could swiftly cut down Cronion’s soldiers with minimal casualties.
And moments later.
A mechanical weapon I’d never seen before.
Upon seeing the figure riding atop the Mecha Rhino—a massive rhinoceros-shaped mechanical weapon—the users finally understood why the mechanical weapons had become their allies.
“Commander!”
“It really was Mir!”
“Of course it had to be Mir! No one else could pull this off!”
Indeed.
The one astride the Mecha Rhino, tearing through Cronion’s garrison, was none other than the users’ commander and the Empire’s Marquis.
The Empire’s commander, Marquis Mir.
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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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