Machine God with EX-rank talent (Deus ex machina)

A magic tome is everything to a wizard.

That’s because it contains all the magic they have learned and studied throughout their lifetime, along with their systems and mana utilization methods.

It was no wonder that no one, including Hyun Suho, had been able to open the magic tome until now.

After all, it was sealed with a 10th-circle spell.

Finally, the secret of the book was uncovered.

The new question that arose was why, and how, this magic book was stored in the Jinryong family.

‘Ma Ju-won definitely said this place is in the future compared to our world.’

[That’s correct. Even from observing the stars, it’s at least 100 years after your world.]

‘Then it doesn’t make sense. How could something from the future end up in the past? Did only the magic tome travel back in time? Setting aside how it happened, why?’

[I cannot conclude due to insufficient data.]

The reason remained unknown.

Moreover, Ma Ju-won hadn’t said anything about it.

The mysterious magic tome indeed belonged to Ma Ju-won, but its contents were slightly different.

Ma Ju-won explained the reason simply.

“This is a magic book written by another version of me from a different dimension. It’s subtly different from mine. I was wondering why those guys suddenly appeared, and now I see they sensed this.”

This was the reason the difficulty of the dimensional gate had drastically increased.

The purple monsters, the minions of the God of Destruction, were searching for Ma Ju-won, the last remaining life on Earth.

Originally, they had been hiding deep underground, but upon sensing the aura of Ma Ju-won's magic tome, they suddenly emerged.

As Ma Ju-won delved into the magic tome, he kept expressing amazement.

“Hah! The path of magic pursued is completely different. I didn’t know this method existed.”

In any case, it was a magic tome written by a wizard of the 10th circle.

Ma Ju-won said it would be better to decode the magic tome before proceeding with anything else.

After saying that, he became intensely absorbed in the tome.

Thanks to that, some time was freed up.

Hyun Suho carefully slipped out of the wizard's hideout and soared high into the sky.

“Will this work?”

[Considering the quest’s difficulty, you need to become stronger, even if only a little. This is the best method for now.]

There are many ways for a hunter to become stronger.

Gaining experience to level up, clearing quests to obtain emblems, or using skill books, among others.

Among these, the best method is, of course, leveling up. When you level up, you gain new skills, and almost all of your stats double.

However, unfortunately, this wasn’t something that could be done immediately.

Nova suggested upgrading the equipment.

[Considering your strength, the quality of your equipment is lacking.]

‘That can’t be helped.’

Hyun Suho was walking the path of the Machine God.

It was an unfortunate situation where his dependency on equipment was high, but the quality of his equipment was low.

It couldn’t be helped.

It wasn’t something that could be resolved just by buying expensive equipment.

For example, to apply the Over-Technology skill, you need equipment that incorporates even a little bit of science, not just equipment with high attack power.

The chainsword is a prime example.

It only has an attack power of 10, breaks down easily, and is a difficult weapon to use.

It had passed through the hands of several owners, but was quickly discarded.

If Hyun Suho hadn’t chosen it, it would still be lying in a damp storage room.

But it was the perfect weapon for Hyun Suho. There weren’t many such pieces of equipment in the world.

Of course, general equipment could also be enhanced using upgrade skills, but there were limits.

[I’ve been scanning the auction house in real-time, but there were no suitable items. So, the only option is to make it yourself.]

This place is in the future compared to Hyun Suho’s world.

Although it has been a multi-world using mana for a long time, science and technology had steadily advanced as well.

So, the plan was to utilize that equipment.

Of course, now all civilizations in the world had been destroyed. Even if you searched the Earth, you’d be hard-pressed to find even a single handgun.

So, they decided to search beyond Earth.

Whoosh!

Using the battle suit, Hyun Suho left the atmosphere and identified an object orbiting the Earth.

It was the satellite weapon that had been used for satellite bombardment, known as the Rod of God.

‘This was said to have been launched to fight the monsters, right?’

[Considering the year it was made, that’s likely.]

It was a satellite weapon that had once wielded tremendous power, but unfortunately, its energy was already depleted.

According to Nova, to use it again, the nuclear battery would need to be replaced, or they would have to wait a long time for it to recharge via solar power.

There were no batteries available at the moment, and there was no time to wait for solar recharging.

But there was still something useful left.

As Hyun Suho reached out, a mass of tiny nanomachines advanced and covered the satellite weapon.

It was fascinating to watch the wriggling nano-particles seep into the satellite weapon.

[I found it. The laser resonator.]

A laser resonator.

It is a device used to draw out specific frequencies of waves or vibrations using resonance. 

'Nova' could control the intensity of light or amplify energy using stimulated emission. A product of advanced science, albeit primitive compared to the technology of 'Eos Planet', but still quite useful.

[It's a primitive device compared to those from Eos, but it's quite usable.]

Nova was the combat AI of a space battleship. It could navigate the fleet flawlessly by considering all variables in an instant, but unfortunately, it did not possess the knowledge to craft scientific equipment. Thus, the plasma was only utilized by employing the core installed in the 'Genocide'. Even when Earth's advanced science was used to modify weapons, they still fell far short of the required standard. Although 'God's Rod' was significantly lacking by Nova's standards, it was still far superior to anything on Earth.

Nova dismantled the laser resonator and other usable parts from the satellite weapon as if butchering a monster.

[With this device, we can further enhance the power of the plasma.]

Plasma was much more useful against the monsters here than swordsmanship, magic, or psychic abilities.

To assist Ma Ju-won, Nova judged that enhancing the power of plasma itself would be the best option. Of course, even after the dimensional gate, this device would still be useful. The blueprint was perfectly stored in Nova's data.

While Nova finished its work, Hyun Suho gazed at space. The moon appeared close enough to touch in his view.

"I expected it, but... I can actually go to the moon."

If he wanted, he could land on the moon. Of course, he didn't have time to waste on that now, but recalling the fact filled him with a sense of wonder.

//[With your current abilities, Master, you could traverse star clusters. If you wish, I could even send the 'Death Star' to greet you.]

"Hah! That would be amusing."

Initially, he thought it was just a joke, but he soon began to seriously consider it. Someday, he would inevitably have to confront the Death Star. If he had to fight it anyway, wouldn't it be better to do so in space rather than on Earth?

"I never really thought about it that way..."

[If you plan to activate the space battleship that will assist you, it would be more efficient to operate outside the atmosphere. There's still time, so you can think about it slowly.]

"Got it."

There was no time to think about the Death Star now. Returning to the hideout, Hyun Suho checked on Ma Ju-won, who was meditating with his eyes closed. "Is everything ready now?"

"Indeed. We will move as soon as the sun rises tomorrow."

The monsters were weak to light. Thus, it was far more advantageous to move during the day rather than at night. Ma Ju-won glanced at Hyun Suho and said, "Can you tell me about your world?"

"Of course."

Hyun Suho began explaining in detail about his world, particularly the era of Hunters. Ma Ju-won listened in awe, as if he could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"The era of Hunters, and a game system... You've chosen a truly unique method."

"It's a useful system."

"Becoming stronger naturally through hunting and quests... It's extraordinary."

"I find you more impressive. How can you be so strong without the help of a system?"

"I trained hard. What other way is there?"

"Of course, that's true."

As they continued talking, Hyun Suho naturally mentioned the dangers that would threaten his world, including the Death Star and the group that followed it. When he shuddered while talking about those who followed the Death Star, Ma Ju-won chuckled.

"You seem to dislike them."

"Of course I do. They're trying to control the world as they please."

"If you were to truly receive the favor of the Death Star, a few people might survive. Isn't that better than the world being destroyed?"

"I don't think it would be much different. They'd just become slaves to a monster that devours stars. I believe there's a way to protect the world without resorting to that."

"I see."

Ma Ju-won nodded in agreement and then spoke meaningfully, "Are you trying to become the hero who will save the world?"

Ma Ju-won had mentioned the 'World Storm' before, explaining that the fate of destruction could be twisted thanks to the emergence of a hero. The Death Star was also a great catastrophe that could obliterate Earth in an instant. To stop the Death Star, a hero would be necessary. However, Hyun Suho responded with a somewhat ambiguous expression.

"I don't know about something that grand."

"You don't know? Yet you’re taking on a mission so dangerous that everyone shudders at the thought without hesitation? Surely, there must be some motivation or reason."

Hyun Suho paused to think. He had been charging forward without much thought, but now he was reflecting on something he usually didn't. In the end, his answer remained vague.

"It's just... It feels like the right thing to do."

Even the top-ranked Level 10 players had given up on fighting the Death Star. No one, not even Hyun Suho himself, would have expected him to give such a lackluster response after deciding to fight such a formidable enemy. Upon hearing this, Ma Ju-won surprisingly laughed in a straightforward manner.

"Haha! I see! So that's how it is!"

For a moment, Ma Ju-won, who had always been so solemn, felt like a friendly older brother from next door. Hyun Suho, who had just given his answer, looked puzzled, but Ma Ju-won seemed relieved as if a long-held concern had been resolved.

After observing this, Hyun Suho cautiously spoke up.

"Once the quest is over, when we return to Earth, a dimension will open. With your abilities, wouldn’t it be possible for you to come to Earth using that?"

Even if it wasn't possible for others, a 10th Circle Mage should be more than capable.

If Ma Ju-won helped him fight against the Death Star, it would be a tremendous asset.

But Ma Ju-won responded with something unexpected.

"Thank you for your answer. Then, get a good night's sleep."

With that, Ma Ju-won went to lie down on his bed, leaving Hyun Suho looking puzzled for a moment. Well, even though things were dire, it wouldn’t be easy for him to just leave his Earth behind. There must be many memories here. Still, when the final moment comes, he will make a wise decision. After all, he is a great 10th Circle Mage.

Trusting that, Hyun Suho also lay down. As he closed his eyes, he heard Eun Hui-gwang grumbling.

"Damn it! My back's killing me!"

* * *

Ma Ju-won had chosen Greenland because of its low population density. The purple monsters were once humans. Naturally, there were more monsters in areas with higher populations.

However, their current target was different. According to Ma Ju-won, the 'God of Destruction' had sent a monster directly to Earth, and the 'God of Destruction's Straw' was located in Mexico City, South America.

That city used to have an incredibly large population. So, naturally, it had a high number of monsters as well.

"We're almost there! Hold on tight!"

Zoom!!

The group was currently traveling in a jet that Hyun Suho had created. Originally, Ma Ju-won’s plan was to use teleportation magic to move in one go. Since he was at the 10th Circle, he could cross continents instantly, and even transport four people at once. This method had the advantage of reaching the destination without encountering any monsters, but it consumed an immense amount of mana.

To fight against the powerful minions of the 'God of Destruction', they opted to save mana, even if it meant taking a more challenging route. Of course, this choice came with its risks.

"Argh! They’re catching up behind us in droves!"

At Eun Hui-gwang’s scream, Hyun Suho felt a sharp pain in his eardrums.

"I know! So hold on tight!"

Normally, Hyun Suho preferred a battle suit form for flight. But to carry four people, the airplane form was much better. Currently, Hyun Suho wasn’t just holding the cockpit; he was fused with it. Numerous circuits extended from the fighter jet, piercing Hyun Suho’s body like syringes. This was to allow him to react through sensation rather than by pressing buttons.

The effect was immense.

[Plasma charged to 30%.]

"Fire immediately!"

The fighter jet didn’t have mounted guns. Instead, round orbs flew around it, moving as if to escort the jet. These were 12 combat drones, transformed from 'Bipo'. The plasma cannons were fired from there.

Pzzt! Pzzt! Pzzt!

The fiercely spewing beams of light soon split into multiple rays like a shotgun, beautifully decorating the sky. This was the same method used when hunting the wyvern before.

Each light beam, calculated and separated by Nova, targeted a different enemy. As the plasma lasers were unleashed from all 12 drones, the monsters that had been darkening the surroundings fell one by one.

Even Ma Ju-won, in awe, remarked, "Not bad."

Though it seemed like thousands of monsters were taken down at once, an enormous number still remained. Hyun Suho, focusing on his piloting, called out.

"We're almost there! Please prepare for landing—uh, I mean, brace for impact!"