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

It feels like my heart and lungs are being torn apart.

I can no longer feel my arms, and my legs are trembling.

My brain is overheating, as if it's about to emit steam.

With the endless onslaught of enemies, I can barely catch my breath, my face turning pale.

My mana and stamina are completely depleted.

The only thing moving my body now is sheer willpower.

When my strength waned to the point of almost dropping my sword, I had to force my body to move using telekinesis.

"Ugh!!"

I've already forgotten about the troll-like antics of Eun Hui-gwang.

All that's left is me against the monsters.

Each second feels like a year.

The pile of purple monsters I’ve cut down has grown so high that I can barely see in front of me.

Na Yeon-sil and Hyun Suho move in sync, without even making eye contact, to secure their field of vision.

“Hah... Hah…”

Surprisingly, Na Yeon-sil was the first to collapse.

Unlike Hyun Suho, she was not only worried about herself but also about her disciple, Eun Hui-gwang.

In the midst of the relentless onslaught of monsters, even a slight lapse in concentration could be fatal.

In the end, her abdomen was pierced by a fragment that flew like a bullet.

“Kyah!”

The penetrating wound was severe, but what made it worse was the curse-like power imbued in the monster’s attack.

The will of the God of Destruction, which turns people into purple monsters, began attacking her from the inside.

Even Na Yeon-sil, known for her tenacity, couldn’t withstand it.

She managed to avoid collapsing completely by using her sword as a crutch, but she couldn’t rise from her knees.

Sensing this, Hyun Suho couldn’t hold back his shout.

“Eun Hui-gwang!! Protect her!!”

Even protecting himself was proving to be a struggle for Hyun Suho.

He had been holding on because Na Yeon-sil was guarding one side, but now he had to cover all sides alone.

Even if Eun Hui-gwang was a fool, Hyun Suho couldn’t last much longer without his help.

“Eun Hui-gwang!! What are you doing?! Are you going to let her die?!”

Fortunately, although he might be a fool, Eun Hui-gwang wasn’t entirely useless.

Hyun Suho’s shout and the sight of the dying Na Yeon-sil snapped Eun Hui-gwang back to his senses.

“Uaaaah!! Starlight!!”

As Eun Hui-gwang used his skill, the sky flashed brightly, and the monsters surrounding them vanished as if they had evaporated.

Hyun Suho also felt his stamina slightly recover.

Whatever the skill was, it had tremendous power.

Instead of feeling relieved, Hyun Suho lashed out in frustration.

“If you had something like this, you should’ve used it earlier!!”

“S-sorry…”

Eun Hui-gwang’s skill created a brief moment of respite.

During that time, Hyun Suho quickly approached Na Yeon-sil and administered a healing factor.

It drained what little mana he had left, but he had no other choice.

Helping Na Yeon-sil get back on her feet was more beneficial than using plasma.

Thanks to this, Na Yeon-sil barely managed to stand, but it seemed like it would take some time before she could wield her sword again.

Hyun Suho yelled at Eun Hui-gwang.

“They’re coming again! Stay focused this time!!”

“D-damn it!!”

After just a few seconds of rest, the monsters swarmed at them like bees once more.

Hyun Suho gritted his teeth and swung his sword again, and this time, fortunately, Eun Hui-gwang didn’t falter.

Even a few monsters that attacked the barrier Ma Ju-won had set up couldn’t be spared attention.

Na Yeon-sil, looking pale, staggered but still managed to cover one side.

The three of them stood in a triangular formation, fighting back to back.

“Grrraaaah!!!”

How much time passed like that?

Hyun Suho realized that even his willpower could no longer keep him going.

‘I’m at my limit…’

He was on the verge of passing out from lack of oxygen to his brain.

His vision was blurring, and the enemies seemed to multiply before his eyes.

Just then, the monsters suddenly halted their attack.

“Gasp! Gasp!! Gasp!!”

At first, he couldn’t comprehend the situation.

He simply focused on resting as much as possible, ready to swing his sword again if the monsters attacked.

‘Can I use plasma? Maybe just 10% at best?’

His thoughts were cut short as the purple monsters melted away simultaneously, as if on cue.

The monsters, which were so tough that even a Level 7 Hunter’s sword couldn’t cut through them, began to melt like ice cream under the scorching sun.

Only then did Hyun Suho realize the situation and turn around.

Through the now-dissipated barrier, he saw the massive, half-destroyed monster and Ma Ju-won, whose body was covered in wounds.

Ma Ju-won was in a pitiful state, but still alive, while the monster was not.

They had finally succeeded in vanquishing the monster.

“Haah!”

Hyun Suho collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to even feel joy.

As he gasped for breath, his whole body trembled.

Then, a message window he thought he might never see again appeared before him.

《Dimensional Quest Cleared》

Relief washed over him for a moment, but it was short-lived.

Suddenly, Hyun Suho forced himself up and urgently shouted to Ma Ju-won.

“It’s now! If it’s you, you should be able to perform a dimensional transfer…”

Hyun Suho tried to finish what he had said the previous day to Ma Ju-won, but before he could complete the sentence, he vanished.

He had returned to Earth.

Buzz!

“……”

When he opened his eyes again, countless people were staring at them.

They looked at the three of them, who were utterly exhausted, with expressions of disbelief.

‘…That’s right. No time passed here.’

The dimensional gate not only shifts space but also alters the flow of time. 

To be precise, no matter how much time passes inside the dimensional gate, it appears to those outside as if the hunters went in and came out immediately.

This is why those who gave up on the quest and exited couldn't convey any information about what happened afterward.

“What... what the hell happened?”

The dimensional gate had been designed as a Truman Show for Eun Hui-gwang. However, things went so awry upon their return that even the government officials looked shocked.

But the three who knew what had really happened were too exhausted to explain anything.

"...Let’s just sleep for now."

Without even checking their rewards, the three collapsed on the spot and passed out.

* * *

A little later, in a car headed to Seoul.

They were supposed to stop by the government building in Seoul first to report what had happened inside the dimensional gate.

During the ride, Hyun Suho checked what he had obtained from the gate.

◆Emblem

Wizard’s Insignia

(Rank SS)

Mana +15%

Mana +35%

Mana Regeneration +50%

Magic Penetration 30%

Magic Resistance 20

◆Artifact

The Final Grimoire

(Book)

Spellbook

“Something strange has come out again.”

The newly acquired emblem had very straightforward options.

Each one was something that any wizard would go crazy for.

Although it wasn’t bad for Hyun Suho either, it was a bit of an awkward fit.

“The mana stats are all good, but... if the magic power increases, does that mean the destructive power of my plasma will also increase?”

He decided to test it later and then moved on to examine the spellbook.

It looked exactly the same as the book he had obtained from Jinryong’s house.

The spellbook he had given to Ma Ju-won had returned to him.

The one difference was that this time, he could actually open the book.

Sharak~

Hyun Suho flipped through it slowly, but feeling a bit nauseous, he decided to close it for now.

“The black parts are the text, and the white parts are the paper...”

It was similar yet completely different from when he had obtained the Suho Sword Technique.

Hyun Suho was clueless about magic.

He could use the black hole spell through a skill book, but this was a spellbook, not a skill book.

The book detailed the process of feeling mana, creating a circle within the heart, and a few other spells.

Even at a glance, the process seemed overwhelmingly complex, so he didn’t dare touch it.

“My talent lies in willpower, not intelligence.”

But then Nova suddenly said something unexpected.

[Magic is very similar to mathematics. The difference between a formula and a spell is like the thickness of a piece of paper. I believe I could learn and utilize this spellbook.]

“You? Use magic?”

[Yes. This is a spellbook belonging to a 10th-circle mage. If properly utilized, it could be very beneficial to you, Master.]

This was a method Hyun Suho had never considered. Nova, using magic in his place?

Nova spoke logically.

[I am an AI program implanted in your brain, Master. Thus, I cannot use skills on your behalf. However, by utilizing a virtual circle method, I believe I could sufficiently use magic.]

“Is something like that really possible?”

[Of course, I would have to borrow your mana, but there would be no need for you to chant spells separately. Since there are various types of magic, it could be effectively used as a secondary skill.]

“Hmm! If that's the case...”

It was a method worth trying.

If the magic turned out to be less effective than expected, he could simply choose not to use it.

Unexpectedly casting a spell without chanting could become a significant advantage.

“Alright! Proceed!”

[Thank you.]

Though the results weren't in yet, Hyun Suho was confident that Nova's suggestion would be a great help.

If it weren't, future foresight wouldn't have pointed to the spellbook.

In high spirits, he was on his way home when suddenly, Eun Hui-gwang, who was sitting in the same car, spoke in a subdued voice.

“Why... how... how can you push yourself like that?”

“Hm? What kind of nonsense are you talking about now?”

In the end, Eun Hui-gwang had been of great help, but he had made several blunders inside the dimensional gate.

Naturally, Hyun Suho wasn't inclined to speak kindly.

But then, Eun Hui-gwang suddenly burst out in frustration.

“We, we could have died! We nearly died several times! It was madness! We should have run away from the start!”

“What’s this? Are you still harping on about that?”

Hyun Suho was about to say something sharp again but then decided to hold back.

After all, he had received considerable help, and he figured Eun Hui-gwang wasn't in his right mind after narrowly escaping death.

Hyun Suho simply clicked his tongue and said,

“Why is the so-called hope of Korea, the Silver Knight, talking so weakly?”

It was just a passing comment, but it seemed to have struck a nerve with Eun Hui-gwang.

He snapped and shouted,

“I didn’t ask for this! I never wanted to be Korea’s hope, or the hero of the future! Everyone just forced it on me!”

Tears welled up in Eun Hui-gwang’s eyes, as if all his pent-up frustrations were bursting out.

Hyun Suho was taken aback by his reaction.

“Hey! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“I’m not okay! Not okay at all! Damn it! I’m just a playboy who likes to eat, drink, and have fun!”

He was surprisingly self-aware.

But that was the problem.

“Damn it! Damn it all! I never wanted this life! The Death Star! The end of the world! What do they expect me to do about it?”

“Wait, you knew about the Death Star too?”

Of course, it made sense that the Korean government would know about the Death Star.

But it was surprising that they had shared that information with Eun Hui-gwang.

Eun Hui-gwang, still fuming, looked at Hyun Suho in shock and asked,

“You... you knew about the Death Star too?!”

“Yeah. Found out somehow.”

Eun Hui-gwang, baffled by Hyun Suho's nonchalant response, asked,

“Then how can you be so calm? How can you... how can you smile like that?”

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who’s always grinning.”

“Answer me!”

Now Eun Hui-gwang was almost desperate.

Only then did Hyun Suho realize.

Eun Hui-gwang’s usual grinning, woman-chasing behavior was actually his way of coping with the terror of the impending apocalypse.

Of course, he might have been that way by nature as well...

Hyun Suho pondered for a moment before giving a simple answer.

“That’s why we fight.”

"...What?"

“Why do you think I attempted a 9-star difficulty without hesitation?”

“Is that... really it?”

Eun Hui-gwang, who had been staring blankly, furrowed his brows and asked again.

“Then... whose side are you on?”

“Side? What are you talking about?”

It seemed like the government had given Eun Hui-gwang some instructions.

If he was talking about sides... did he mean the top rankers who had split into factions?

Though he was curious, Hyun Suho decided to respond to the question first.

“I’m not picking any sides. I’m planning to defeat the Death Star.”

“What?! You’re going to fight that thing? Are you... stupid?”

Being called stupid by Eun Hui-gwang felt strange.

It wasn’t that he was angry—more like he was bewildered.

“Why am I stupid?”

“Doesn’t it sound ridiculous? The Death Star is an opponent even the top rankers have given up on fighting. Even if we had a hundred Ma ju-won, we wouldn’t stand a chance against it!”

Eun Hui-gwang wasn’t wrong.

Lakshmi had said that it would take a thousand of her to defeat the Death Star.

“So what?”

"...What?"

“So, what do you want me to do? Just sit back and wait?”

“Well, no, but...”

“Maybe there’s another way. Perhaps we could change the Death Star's mind or discover a hidden card to defeat it. But right now, we don’t have any sharp solutions, do we?”

“...That’s true.”

Having heard all this, Eun Hui-gwang stared at Hyun Suho in a daze, as if he were a character in a soap opera who had just discovered a secret about his birth.

Just when Hyun Suho started to feel uncomfortable under that gaze, Eun Hui-gwang began to chuckle.

“You... you really intend to fight. You really want to defeat the Death Star.”

“That’s what I said.”

“Kuh-kuh-kuh! Idiot, moron. Who’s calling who a fool? The real idiot here is you!”

He started to laugh, clutching his stomach.

“Kuhahaha! Hahahaha!!”

He laughed like a madman, but to Hyun Suho, it looked like he was pouring out all the anxiety and fear he’d been holding in.

So he couldn’t stop him.

After laughing for several minutes, Eun Hui-gwang wiped tears from his eyes and said,

“Count me in too.”

“What?”

“I’m joining in on your foolishness.”

Hyun Suho frowned as he looked at Eun Hui-gwang.

* * *

Zzzzzt!

When the Fragment of the God of Destruction died, all the humans who had turned into purple monsters disappeared as well.

The magic that had transformed humans into monsters.

Once its source was gone, the frail human bodies began to vanish.

“Is it over?”

Ma Ju-won, his body covered in wounds, slowly calmed his breathing.

Having fought the giant monster, Ma Ju-won had even drawn on his mana reserves.

His life would soon end.

Perhaps that was for the best.

Even as a 10th-circle mage, he couldn’t bear to survive in a world where nothing was left.

Hyun Suho had offered for him to cross into his world using the dimensional gate, but Ma Ju-won’s life force was already fading.

As he gazed blankly at the sky, Ma Ju-won pulled out a book from his robe.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t a spellbook but an ordinary book.

The heroic tale that Eun Hui-gwang had tried to grab before, causing Ma Ju-won to get angry.

A book worn from Ma Ju-won’s frequent handling.

He turned to a bookmarked page, where the name of his favorite hero was written.

The great hero who had saved Earth during the last World Storm.

‘Hyun Suho’