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

It was once a common book.

Especially in homes with children, there was always at least one copy.

To be honest, the story was predictable.

A righteous and brave hero who overcomes adversity and saves the world in the end.

But when it was a true story, the inspiration never faded.

The Archmage, Hyun Suho.

A hero who repelled the aliens invading Earth with his formidable magic.

It was because of him that Ma Ju-won chose the path of the wizard.

Because he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his favorite hero.

Many children shared the same thought as Ma Ju-won, but fortunately, he had a natural talent.

As he wished, Ma Ju-won was able to join the Hyun Suho school and achieve faster and deeper mastery of magic than others.

Ma Ju-won was as confident as he was talented.

He believed that even if the World Storm came in his time, he could overcome it.

But the trials he faced were no small challenge.

“Kukukuk! Not just anyone can become a hero, it seems.”

As the final moment approached, an ally appeared from beyond dimensions.

When Ma Ju-won first heard the name, he couldn't believe his ears.

[My name is Hyun Suho.]

At first, he thought the person was mocking him, but the look in their eyes was sincere.

Moreover, their appearance was very similar to what he knew.

It was a perfect match if you thought of them as the younger version of the Archmage whose portrait was left behind.

So he asked.

It was a question he had always wondered about, and as the world had changed, it became even more pressing.

It wasn’t as grand as in the movies, but its honesty touched his heart.

[It just... felt like the right thing to do.]

To act according to one's heart.

Now that he had become a weathered adult, he understood how difficult that was.

Especially if it meant risking your life.

And so, he found the courage.

It was his pride in fighting alongside a hero that allowed him to win against a nearly unbeatable foe, before it was too late.

“Ha~”

Ma Ju-won took out two magic books from his possession.

One was his, but the other belonged to Ma Ju-won from another dimension.

It contained profound content, but the moment he saw it, Ma Ju-won understood.

The sudden arrival of the hunter era.

A world where monsters appeared, and a game system could be utilized.

The one who had constructed that entire system was none other than the Ma Ju-won from another dimension.

“World creation, huh…”

The 10th-class spell, 'World Creation'.

Of course, with the power of 10 circles, creating an entire universe would be impossible.

But it was enough to overturn the rules and impose a new system.

The Ma Ju-won from another dimension had built the entire system and sent it back to the past.

Everything was for the growth of Hyun Suho.

“Hahaha! Incredible! Simply incredible!”

Although they were both Ma Ju-won, his thinking was entirely different.

He was a hundred, no, a thousand times more advanced than himself.

Driven only by the desire for revenge against the god of destruction, he studied magic.

He even burned his own life to forge a blade of revenge for mutual destruction in the end.

But even that would mean nothing to the god of destruction, who existed somewhere far out in the universe.

Losing just a single shard wouldn’t make the god feel anything.

Even though he knew this, Ma Ju-won still honed his magic for revenge alone.

But the Ma Ju-won from another dimension was different.

Instead of an end, he worked and researched for a new beginning.

He sent new hope to Hyun Suho.

“Did you really think... Hyun Suho could break the cycle of destruction?”

The fate of annihilation.

Even if they managed to stop the god of destruction and defeat the Death Star, Earth’s fate would still be as precarious as a candle before a storm.

From ashes to ashes...

From dust to dust...

It was the law of the universe that life would begin again after destruction.

The great cycle.

He still didn’t fully understand its purpose.

Perhaps, if one reached the highest divine position with full comprehension of the universe’s principles, they could understand.

But he knew he couldn’t do that.

They couldn’t do that.

So all they could do was struggle against the impending destruction.

“But if it’s Hyun Suho...!”

He now held the magic book from the other dimension in his hand.

'It was never a coincidence.'

Even if the universe's time repeated infinitely, the odds were nearly impossible.

This was Ma Ju-won from another dimension reaching out.

Inviting him to join his cause.

“Hahaha! Of course! Of course, I will!”

As Ma Ju-won extended his hand, the two magic books began to disassemble into loose pages.

He removed the unnecessary parts and added the important ones.

Then he merged all that magic to plant a new possibility.

The moment two magic books, each invaluable by the universe's standards, both belonging to a 10th-circle mage, were fused into one.

Hyun Suho was right.

If it were him, he could use the dimensional gate to travel to another dimension.

Sending a single magic book was no big deal.

Ma Ju-won sent the magic book flying beyond the dimension.

“I leave the rest… to you.”

It was a line he had always wanted to say.

The words of a comrade who gave everything and collapsed for the hero’s sake.

He recalled the sorrowful gaze Hyun Suho had given him in the final moment.

It felt like that gaze made up for everything.

On the crumbling Earth, Ma Ju-won slowly closed his eyes.

A satisfied smile spread across his lips.

* * *

Eun Hui-gwang had changed.

Since returning from the dimensional gate, he had thrown himself into training as if he had become a completely different person.

The play had been devised to bring about this change, but its effect surprised even those who had planned it.

In the past, he would grudgingly pick up his sword only after being coaxed, but now he was the first to rise and begin training.

Especially on the days Hyun Suho visited the Maru-mun, he trained even harder.

“Hiyap!”

Clang, clang, clang!!

Hyun Suho and Eun Hui-gwang’s swords clashed and pushed each other back.

What they wielded were not their usual equipment but wooden swords.

Though they were mere wooden sticks with no special properties, the energy contained in them was powerful enough to split a mountain.

Even in the training grounds protected by a magic circle, the entire building shook whenever their swords collided.

Though he had always thought of Eun Hui-gwang as a fool, his EX-grade talent was real.

It was a talent focused purely on physical power, unlike Hyun Suho’s own, which was focused on mental strength.

When Eun Hui-gwang swung his sword with full force, even Hyun Suho felt flustered.

Clang, clang, clang!

Hyun Suho, who prided himself on being unbeatable with his newly acquired martial talent from the Heavenly Demon, was caught off guard.

Yet, Eun Hui-gwang was no slouch either.

Maru-mun, led by his master Na Yeon-sil, pursued a combat technique based on systematic martial arts, much like those of the martial world.

The belief was that only mastered techniques could protect one's body in any situation or crisis.

Na Yeon-sil’s martial arts were exactly like that.

Not flashy, but overwhelming with solid techniques.

Like a tree with strong roots that wouldn’t fall even in the fiercest storm.

But Eun Hui-gwang was different.

Though he used the same techniques, his sword changed with every swing.

It wasn’t a reckless flurry; it incorporated various changes.

The fascinating thing was that he himself wasn’t conscious of creating these variations, yet he used a new form each time.

He simply let his mind and sword flow.

Sometimes, these variations were even more stable than the original techniques.

‘Is this Eun Hui-gwang’s talent?’

More precisely, it was the talent of an awakened Eun Hui-gwang.

Until now, he had merely followed Na Yeon-sil’s instructions on how to wield a sword, but now he was different.

The determination to surpass his master had brought progress in his swordsmanship.

A sensory style that could overpower any opponent without being overwhelmed by any matchup.

This was the talent of the fully-bloomed Eun Hui-gwang.

‘This is just the beginning.’

It wasn’t the end but merely the first stage.

Eun Hui-gwang would only grow stronger from here.

Now, like Hyun Suho, he had a clear goal: the destruction of the Death Star.

At first, when Eun Hui-gwang grinned and mentioned it, Hyun Suho thought he was joking again, but now he knew.

Eun Hui-gwang truly intended to help him.

Of course, this was good news.

Hyun Suho knew Eun Hui-gwang.

In order for him to keep training like this, someone had to run ahead and become his goal.

For now, that someone was Hyun Suho.

"I can't lose!" 

Even though Eun Hui-gwang had grown stronger, he wasn’t unbeatable yet. 

Despite his extraordinary swordsmanship and talent as a sword prodigy, Hyun Suho was still stronger for now. 

Moreover, Hyun Suho's abilities weren’t limited to swordsmanship. 

However, this was only the current situation. There was no guarantee he would always stay ahead as time passed.

Eun Hui-gwang's progress motivated Hyun Suho as well.

Clang, clang, clang!

After dozens of exchanges, the victor was decided.

Though Eun Hui-gwang had been pushing forward with great momentum, at a certain point, he lost his balance and began to be pushed back.

Seizing the opportunity, Hyun Suho pressed on, and eventually, Eun Hui-gwang fell backward, landing on his bottom.

"Ouch!"

As Hyun Suho lightly pointed his sword forward, Na Yeon-sil, who had been observing from the side, raised her hand and shouted.

"Match over! Blue wins!"

Hyun Suho caught his breath and bowed toward the audience that had been watching outside.

The cheers were slightly delayed.

"Wooow!"

Everyone around them was a trainee at the Maru-mun.

There were beginners who had just started their lessons as well as instructors who helped Na Yeon-sil teach the students.

All of them were united in admiration.

"Amazing! Both of them are at an incredible level."

"Is that really the Light Bringer? He's different from the rumors."

"Will I ever be that strong?"

When Hyun Suho extended his hand, Eun Hui-gwang, who was still panting on the ground, grabbed it.

Then, with a slightly frustrated tone, he spoke.

"Damn it! I still can't beat you in swordsmanship?"

"If you want to help me, you’ve got a long way to go. Keep training."

"Ugh, damn it!"

Although he said that, there were several moments where Hyun Suho flinched.

Eun Hui-gwang was truly growing at a dazzling speed.

‘If I rely only on the Heavenly Demon’s talent, I’ll lose soon enough.’

[At that time, I will assist with magic.]

Nova's plan, to use the knowledge from the magic book, had been a success so far.

They had indeed succeeded in creating an artificial circle using nanomachines.

Nova's processing speed was incomparable to that of a human.

They had even tested casting a 1st-class spell, and the spell had been cast instantly, almost as if it were a chantless spell.

The only issue was mana depletion, but it was manageable with some control.

[Magical studies are truly fascinating, hehehe.]

Recently, Nova seemed completely absorbed in magic.

Magic wasn’t something that could be utilized with simple mental calculations, which only fueled Nova's curiosity even more.

Na Yeon-sil smiled brightly at her disciple’s rapid growth.

Though this disciple had caused her plenty of headaches in the past, he was now setting a good example for the other students.

"Well done, everyone."

The reason Hyun Suho frequently visited Maru-mun wasn’t solely because of Eun Hui-gwang.

It was because of his relationship with Na Yeon-sil, who personally mentored him.

No matter how talented he was, self-study was difficult.

To perfect the incomplete Suho Swordsmanship, he needed a proper teacher to guide him.

Who could be more suitable than Na Yeon-sil?

Fortunately, Na Yeon-sil had readily agreed.

There was only one condition.

[From now on, you're also an apprentice of Maru-mun!]

When she said that, her eyes had sparkled like a child’s.

She knew that just by having Hyun Suho around, Maru-mun’s reputation would rise.

It wasn’t a bad deal for Hyun Suho, so he accepted, though he had some doubts.

The reason Na Yeon-sil had agreed to teach Eun Hui-gwang was all for the revival of her martial school.

In exchange for teaching him martial arts, the government had promised many benefits.

Na Yeon-sil was deeply committed to managing her martial school.

At times, her passion seemed excessive.

Hyun Suho was curious about the reason, and soon enough, he would have the opportunity to find out.

"Um... Suho Disciple?"

Even after becoming his disciple, Na Yeon-sil continued to speak respectfully.

Hyun Suho had asked her to stop several times, but he had since given up.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry, but I have a request."

"A request? What is it?"

"Well..."

Na Yeon-sil hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke with great difficulty.

"My father would like to meet you."