Chapter 41

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□■【Senior Pilot】Yugo Leceps

◇◇◇

The clan I belong to is a gathering of players who specialize in production roles.

Roles such as 【Researcher】, 【Mechanic】, 【Alchemist】, and 【Blacksmith】 already exist in this world.

However, when comparing Tians and players, players often excel in technology.

This is similar to combat roles, where the abilities of <Embryo> and the rapid growth due to assistance are the reasons.

The quality and success rate of items produced depend on skill level and the DEX (Dexterity) status, and real-life manual dexterity is generally irrelevant in production.

Therefore, even novice players can create items like skilled craftsmen.

The clan owner once said,

“Unlike combat, which involves physical movement, production is not much different from item production in MMORPGs from the pre-VR era. So, even if you're clumsy, it's not a problem.”

However, he also said,

“But that's only for existing items. To create something new, you need the ability to envision it. If you're trying to create something that has no precedent, the required materials and ideas are exponentially greater.”

Production in <Infinite Dendrogram> is divided into two categories.

The production of existing items and the creation of new items.

Both require the preparation of necessary materials and the use of skills and status, but the creation of new items requires the development of new methods.

Just wanting to create something is not enough; you need to understand the necessary processes, possess knowledge of the world's science and magic, identify the required materials, and create them.

In other words, creating new items requires a lot of preparation.

Therefore, during the first six months of <Infinite Dendrogram>, only the production of existing items and some custom items was possible.

Our clan changed that.

The clan owner brought about a breakthrough in production skills.

It was a gathering of people with real-world technical and knowledge.

The Dryf Empire is a country with advanced mechanical technology.

While there are many differences from reality, such as the use of magic as a power source for machines, there are also overlapping aspects.

The owner utilized this.

He gathered players with various real-world mechanical knowledge, such as graduate students in mechanical engineering, skilled workers in automobile factories, heavy machinery designers, and vehicle and weapon enthusiasts, and began the production of new items.

Of course, just recruiting wouldn't necessarily bring in the right people.

So, the owner set a clear project goal and recruited talent.

The goal was to "create a humanoid combat robot."

At the time, the Dryf Empire did not have humanoid mobile weapons known as <Majingear>.

The <Majingear> available at the start of the game were mechanical armors like the 【Marshal】 and tanks like the 【Geist】; there were no humanoid combat robots.

Therefore, the owner aimed to create something that did not yet exist.

Many were drawn to this goal, and at the time of the clan's formation, dozens of knowledgeable and skilled individuals gathered.

With a single goal, they began the project.

“The necessary things are knowledge, equipment, manpower, materials, money, imagination, skill level, luck, and a test subject!”

This was the owner's statement when the project started.

A lot was needed.

But they managed to prepare it.

They combined their mechanical knowledge, integrated it with magical technology, and went through numerous trials and errors.

Despite countless failures, material costs, and members leaving, they pushed forward.

One of the veteran members described it as “like Project X,” and many nodded in agreement.

I was unfamiliar with the program, but it seemed to be a well-known reference among his generation, especially among Japanese people.

After two months in the real world and six months in <Infinite Dendrogram>, they overcame many difficulties and completed a new item.

It was the humanoid mobile weapon 【Marshal II】.

A weapon with the combat power of a sub-dragon class and capable of mass production.

The first humanoid mobile weapon <Majingear> to exist beyond the mechanical armor 【Marshal】.

With the completion and public release of the recipe for the 【Marshal II】, our clan began its path to becoming the largest guild in the Dryf Empire.

◇◇◇

The battle in front of the fort was gradually coming to an end.

‘Yugo, go to the 10 o'clock position, and fire the 【Cannon】 1.’

“Understood.”

Following the instructions from Kyuko, who was scouting in the fog, I turned the machine and fired the left-hand 【Hand Cannon】 at the designated location.

The 【Gunner】 who was aiming at me with a magic gun failed to dodge and was scattered by the explosive shell from the 【MRW03 Hand Cannon】.

Only the arm holding the gun remained at the impact site.

That gun, an old model from the empire.

It seems that smuggled goods are flowing through “that country” again.

“Next.”

‘6 o'clock position, 【Fighter】 2.’

“Understood.”

I quickly turned the upper body of the machine and struck the approaching 【Warrior】 with the centrifugal force of the 【SRW02 Battle Knife】.

The first one couldn't react and was cut in half from top to bottom, armor, flesh, bone, flesh, and armor in that order.

The second one reacted and stopped the movement of the 【Battle Knife】 by hitting it with a large shield.

Unlike in real life, the warriors in <Infinite Dendrogram> are incredibly strong.

Many can defend against and even damage the powerful 【Marshal II】, which has the power to surpass large heavy machinery.

This 【Warrior】 had quick reflexes and strength.

But,

“Your feet are unguarded.”

While suppressing the movement of the large shield and the 【Warrior】 holding it with the pressure of the 【Battle Knife】, I stomped on the feet of the 【Warrior】 with the feet of the 【Marshal II】.

The weight of the 10-ton 【Marshal II】 was not something that could be defended with just steel-toed boots, and the feet of the 【Warrior】 were crushed.

“!!??!!?”

When the 【Warrior】 let out a soundless scream and was distracted from the shield, I bisected him from the top of the head with the now-free 【Battle Knife】.

“Next.”

‘No more enemies in sight.’

“Understood. Continue to be vigilant, especially in the direction of the fort.”

‘Roger.’

For now, it's over.

“Phew...”

I sigh, feeling the reality of having crossed a dangerous bridge.

My 【Marshal II】 stands alone on the battlefield, and all the bandits have become corpses.

“…………”

I created this gruesome scene.

I have thoughts about killing so many, but I don't feel pain or regret.

I knew about the Gouz Maze Bandits before I visited Gideon, even before I heard Rebecca's story.

I had the Gouz Maze Bandits in mind as a force around Gideon in my “plan.”

They had killed too many children and people trying to save young lives.

If you take a human life, it's only right that you can be killed by humans.

That's what I believe.

It's a proud and contradictory thought for an immortal <Master> to express, but that's how I feel.

“...Well then.”

The battle with the Gouz Maze Bandits may seem like a complete victory for me, but it wasn't.

My HP hasn't decreased by even 1%, but the damage to the 【Marshal II】 is severe.

The armor of the 【Marshal II】 has peeled off by about 30% due to the damage received during the battle, and the internal frame has accumulated damage. The left arm is also responding slightly slower.

While there is no HP display for the 【Marshal II】, which is a special equipment item like a car or ship, if there were, the HP gauge would be around 30%.

It was that close a battle.

The 【Marshal II】 is a humanoid robot weapon straight out of a robot anime, but the same could be said for the enemies, who are straight out of a fantasy anime.

The axes they wield can shatter steel, and arrows can pierce armor.

If it weren't for the performance of the 【Marshal II】 tuned by the clan members for their respective <Masters> and my ability to draw out the machine's performance as a senior pilot... I would have been overwhelmed by their numbers.

“Phew.”

I sigh again and take out an 【MP Recovery Potion】 Level 5 from my item box.

<MaginGear> consumes MP with every movement and every battle.

My MP is already below 20% of its maximum, and I need to recover it to continue fighting, regardless of the damage to the 【Marshal II】.

‘Yugo’

I take the bottle away from my mouth and respond to Kyuko.

“What is it, Kyuko?”

‘If you had used <Embryo>’s “skills,” it wouldn't have been so difficult.’

“Indeed.”

If I had used <Embryo> and its skills, I wouldn't have struggled.

I might have been able to defeat them without a scratch.

My <Embryo> skills are the bane of such opponents.

But,

“I can't do that. I will only use those skills when the “plan” begins. Until then, I can't use them. The owner has instructed me not to, and I've made a promise.”

‘No one is watching. There are no rules.’

“Even so. If I use my skills before the “plan” begins, it would only be in a situation where I absolutely have to.”

Fortunately, I haven't been in such a situation.

‘Stubborn.’

“I'm aware. ...Well, are the children in that carriage?”

I can save the children here, but if I do, it will be clear that I have effective hostages.

If there is another battle, the children might be taken as hostages.

It would be safe if no bandits are left or if Ray has eliminated the bandits inside the fort, but otherwise, it's dangerous.

I have no choice but to leave them for now.

But,

“...Phew.”

‘Yugo’

“I'm aware.”

I take a shallow breath and operate the lever to replace the hand cannon's magazine with a spare explosive magazine attached to the waist.

Even during this action, the left arm's movement is sluggish.

“I could return the 【Marshal II】 to the 【Garage】 for repairs, but... I have to give up on that.”

There's no time for that.

I fire the hand cannon's shell at the entrance of the fort.

The explosive shell hits the open door and the thing behind it, exploding.

The explosive shell has enough power to scatter a normal human body into pieces, leaving no kilogram-sized chunks of flesh.

But it didn't seem to be the case for the thing standing there.

“It hurts, and it's hot too.”

Saying this, the thing emerged from the fort without showing any signs of pain.

It was a giant demon.

It had a bull's head, but its mouth was lined with sharp canine teeth.

Its height rivaled the 【Marshal II】, and it had to bend down to pass through the fort's entrance, which was more than twice the height of a human.

Clearly, it was a different class from the bandits I had been fighting.

My body trembled slightly.

“...Are you the leader of the Gouz Maze Bandits?”

“Ooh. I'm the second-in-command of the Gouz Maze Bandits, the 【Brute Fighter】 Gouz.”

To be continued

The next part will be posted today at 22:00.

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