<689 – Shocking Confession (7)>
In the Golden City Avalon, large and small bridges made of gold were installed all around.
The moment my steps stopped was right in front of this bridge.
It wasn’t because I wanted to witness the landmark that symbolizes the city or gain a special privilege by witnessing its mystery; I just couldn’t pass by on foot.
[Golden Bridge]
[Effect 1: Detects intruders with a golden field.]
[Effect 2: Summons Golden Guards to detain those who do not pay fines.]
[Effect 3: Imprints a golden mark on those who pass through.]
[Effect 4: Increases the toll by the square of the number of overlapping golden marks. (Current toll: 2 Gold)]
[Golden Donation Box]
[Effect: Disables the field when tolls are deposited by those attempting to cross the bridge.]
[Golden Field]
[Effect: Collects 50 times the toll from those attempting to forcibly cross this field.]
“Be careful. According to the advice of local criminals, the [Golden Bridge], which is primarily used as their place of business, doubles the toll every time you cross it.”
“I know! It showed up as a mini-game!”
“A mini-game…?”
In the event dungeon [Isolation of the Spirit's Magical Territory], a new gimmick appears as you pass from the first zone, the border area, into the second zone, the city area.
Countless bridges that give you double the gold every time you cross them!
Naturally, the fewer bridges you cross, the more profit you make.
However, in areas without bridges, monsters, adventurers, mana disasters, and various events are waiting.
The incompetent noobs try to avoid bridges by challenging random events and end up facing harsh consequences, but if they’re scared of the events and decide to stick to the bridges, they fall into traps.
‘On the way to the third zone, there are 10 bridges lined up!’
Therefore, among the veterans, if they feel they can handle the premonitions of an event, they challenge it; if it’s too much, they research alternative ways to pass without stepping on the bridges.
The flight magic that all third-year students in the Gift Academy learn fully shines here.
If you can fly in the sky, you don’t have to step on the bridges!
“Can’t we just walk under the bridge to the river…?”
Rosinante expressed his doubts as he stomped the ground with his heavy bio-type golem feet.
[Golden River]
[Effect 1: Transforms any substance that touches the river into gold.]
[Effect 2: Transforms all mana touching the golden mana into golden mana.]
[Effect 3: Evaluates the value of objects or living beings passing over the river and transmits that value to ■■■.]
It’s a river where you could easily die if you enter.
“If you want to go, you can go!”
“…I’m not going in…”
Realizing that not listening to my words would result in loss, Rosinante hesitantly dropped his curiosity.
“So, shall we fly over?”
“Right. Hmm, let’s do it this way. Everyone, come here!”
Alpha, Cruel, and Gwakjo gathered around.
I quickly cast gravity magic on Rosinante to knock him flat, then placed a Guard Golem on top of him.
[Fusion Magic]
[Spell Combination]
[Magical Engineering]
[You have successfully upgraded the bio-type golem [Rosinante] to [Rook] grade with extremely high-level golem manufacturing skills.]
[Golem Manufacturing Experience +300]
[Golem Modification Experience +150]
[Magical Engineering Experience +150]
[Fusion Magic Experience +150]
[Self-Destruct Mechanism Creation Experience +150]
[Engine Creation Experience +50]
[Generator Creation Experience +50]
[Missile Creation Experience +50]
[Gas Filter Creation Experience +50]
[Mounting Mechanism Creation Experience +50]
[Mana Control Technique Experience +50]
Despite readying the self-destruct mechanism that I had let my hands get used to, Rosinante, combined with the Guard Golem, became over 30 times stronger than before.
“Ooooh, oooooo! I can feel the power…!”
“It’s complete!”
“Dark Princess, what kind of heavy duty do you want to assign me for this growth? Whatever it is, just command me. Shall we invade the Golden City? Do you want me to break that arrogant bridge? Do you hope to strip the city of all its gold?”
“I want you to transform into [Flight Mode]!”
“What…?”
Regardless of Rosinante’s surprise, I mixed the appropriate mana waves with the command word, and Rosinante’s body started to change haphazardly, forming the shape of a gigantic fighter jet.
Hehe.
After all, vehicles made of fighter jets are the best!
“Okay, everyone hop on. If you get into the cockpit, you can pilot it yourself; wanna try manual operation?”
It’s long been said that men can’t resist women, robots, and transforming golem fighters.
Even though it was something I had never seen before, Alpha, trying hard to restrain herself despite her itching fingers, was a contrast to Gwakjo, who spoke without hesitation.
[Hands of Silence]
Several pale hands quickly covered Gwakjo’s mouth as if they were in a hurry.
A couple of hands that couldn’t cover his mouth pointed sharp nails at Gwakjo’s face.
Of course, it was Cruel who activated the magic, and Gwakjo had to watch with sad eyes as Cruel hopped into the cockpit.
“How do I control this?”
“I’ve granted you control authority, so activate the spy eye and you should see the spells! Just manipulate the buttons, switches, and levers that correspond to the spells!”
“What’s the red one?”
“It’s the self-destruct button!”
As Cruel couldn’t contain her curiosity and was about to slap the self-destruct button, I quickly manifested a high-grade maze field over the button.
“If the vehicle self-destructs already, we’d have to create a new one, and that would be a waste of materials! I’ll let you press it later, so hold off for now!”
“…Telling me not to press something you’ve made look so tempting? You’ve got a worse personality than Darknodi.”
Phew.
I’ve gone to the trouble of allowing you to get into the cockpit, and I get insulted? I’m too unfair!
Feeling a little crestfallen and pouting, I continued on with the Rosinante fighter jet, speeding over the bridge, making it difficult for the Golden River’s ‘value assessment of objects traversing over the river’ to proceed.
That communication magic helps gauge the strength of intruders and dispatch the corresponding ‘Golden Guards’.
The method to avoid detection is simple.
If you exceed the maximum speed that can be measured, they cannot gauge you, so just pass quickly!
Whoosh!
Vroooom!
Flying straight across the city, I suddenly saw adventurers contemplating whether to cross the bridge or not and thieves sneaking along the tower paths rather than over the bridge, looking up at us in disbelief.
Phew!
Thwack…
Like hunting some sky-dwelling bird, a few arrows flew from somewhere, but they were too insufficient to pierce the sturdy body of the golem.
“Ah! This really hurts!”
“Even as a golem, it seems you feel pain?”
“I’ve made it so! If I didn’t have sensations, it wouldn’t feel like I’m alive, would it?”
“What a thoughtful master you are. Hmm. Rosinante may not appreciate that, though.”
“Gwakjo’s just a newbie, so he doesn’t understand the feelings of an Ego Weapon! All Ego Weapons want to have sensations!”
Even Alice-senpai, whose essence is embedded in the hat, seems eager to interact. I think she would be very happy just to transfer her body into a golem.
‘Huh? Why didn’t I think of this sooner?’
When I return, I really should transfer senpai into a golem.
Surely, even Goo, being way bigger and mightier than a little hat, would be pleased to take care of her, right?
While I’m at it, I should melt down the hat and use it as material for golem enhancement.
The Dark Aptitude Evaluation Hat contains various spells, so combining them might create a special golem.
How can I use the evaluation function for combat applications?
While I was deep in thought, a loud Kaang! rang out, and the shock-absorbing defense magic circle unfolded, causing the fighter to plummet.
Bang!
Inside the shield that was spread around the fighter, Gwakjo shouted in panic.
“It’s an attack!”
“…Sorry, but I pressed the [Emergency Stop] button.”
Gwakjo was left dumbfounded, his mouth moving without sound as he tried to process Cruel’s words coming from the cockpit.
“I hope you’ll be more careful next time.”
“Yeah. Got it.”
Cruel obediently replied to Alpha’s remark.
As Cruel attempted to reboot, I poked Alpha’s thigh and asked.
“How have you two been getting along? Since you both come from the same corrupt faction, are there any special synergy effects?”
“…We are not a combined golem fighter. Being together won’t produce any special synergy effects.”
“Oh dear!”
“……I have no intention of merging with Rosinante, so don’t even dream about it.”
“I didn’t say anything!”
Tch. Looks like that’s not happening.
For now, I’ll have to be satisfied with a one-stage fusion.
“I’m taking off now.”
As Cruel lifted the fighter again, strangely, it seemed more like a weak Titosso wobbling uncertainly instead of a fierce fighter jet.
“Why’s it like this?”
“Rosinante, who is inside the Ego Weapon, is under the status effect [Dizzy]!”
“How do we fix it?”
“Shouldn’t we just lift the status condition?”
“…Really?”
Cruel stared intently at the instrument floating softly behind me.
Then, imitating my spell that inflicted periodic pain on the instrument, she injected pain into Rosinante’s soul.
“AAAAAH!”
As Rosinante awoke with a horrible scream, the fighter jet began to accelerate again.
“Wow. What did you inject?”
“The bitterness of a senior in the academy who got an F on their final exam and has to retake it.”
“…That’s impressive!”
Her adaptability is so good it scares me a little.
I should get along well with Cruel and not fight.
