Translator: CinderTL
Though the floating "Adaptive Resonance Protocol Substrate" was within arm's reach, radiating an alluring aura, Roland refused to let his guard down.
He knew all too well that such a vital research achievement could never be protected by a single, powerless door alone.
With this thought, his gaze swept across every corner of the vast hall like a precision scanner.
Sure enough, in the shadows along the walls, several colossal figures stood at attention.
They were over three times his height, their humanoid forms clearly defined. These were nothing like the rusted, broken magitech constructs he had seen in the Demon Capital Gilles.
Though a thin layer of dust covered their surfaces and the relentless passage of time had etched marks into their metallic shells, their overall structures remained intact. Their lines were fluid and powerful, as if they were merely slumbering.
They all knelt on one knee, their massive heads bowed slightly, like loyal sentinels saluting their king or silent statues awaiting the command to awaken.
So there are guards after all—
A flicker of understanding crossed Roland's eyes. He wasn't surprised, only more vigilant.
The constructs were in far better condition than he had anticipated. There was no guarantee they wouldn't suddenly awaken if some hidden condition were triggered.
He stepped forward slowly, keeping a safe distance as he carefully observed the silent iron giants. Their joint structures were intricate, and the faint outlines of complex energy-conduction circuits were visible on their outer shells. Yet, no matter how he probed, he could sense no sign of an active energy core, nor could he find any exposed drive core.
They seemed completely drained of power, or perhaps locked in a state of deepest hibernation, as lifeless as their surroundings.
Still, Roland dared not lower his guard. He knew all too well how treacherous ancient creations could be—a single careless touch might trigger an unknown self-destruct sequence or a defensive mechanism.
For this reason, he refrained from touching or examining the constructs directly, opting for a more cautious approach.
With that in mind, Roland whispered a call to the pixie on his shoulder.
Bathed in the soft glow emanating from Tracy, several spells were woven and placed around the magitech constructs. Only after completing this did Roland feel a slight sense of relief. He turned his full attention back to the platform in the center of the hall, which was bathed in a pillar of blue light.
He walked slowly to the platform's edge and leaned in to observe the floating "Adaptive Substrate" up close.
Bathed in the steady, cold light of the pillar, the substrate's details were revealed with startling clarity.
It was roughly the size of a palm, a perfectly rectangular slab crafted from an unknown dark-silver metallic alloy. Its surface was impeccably smooth, reflecting a chillingly sharp luster. Yet, the most arresting feature was the intricate web of golden circuitry that didn't appear engraved, but rather grown organically across its surface.
These patterns were far from static; they flowed slowly, like a living network of capillaries. Minute golden sparks flickered within them, pulsing as if the device were breathing. The substrate's edges were polished to an extraordinary smoothness, and at each of its four corners sat a tiny, complex interface or socket.
The entire object transcended the feel of a mere mechanical creation, possessing the uncanny quality of a biological organ. A restrained yet profound energy fluctuation emanated from it in a continuous stream.
The sight filled Roland with a strange sense of displacement.
From the moment he had stepped into this ancient ruin, the seamless metal structures, the complex mechanical security gates, the blinking indicator lights—and especially that intermittent, synthesized female voice—had all exuded a "modernity," even a "futurism," that echoed the technological civilization of his past life.
For a fleeting moment, an absurd yet not entirely impossible thought flashed through his mind.
Could the researchers who built Observation Post No. 7 have been transmigrators from another world, just like him?
But as he examined the Adaptive Resonance Protocol Substrate up close, feeling the mana fluctuations—sourced from the same origin as the world outside, yet highly tamed and harnessed—he dismissed the idea.
The energy foundation of these creations was not electricity, nuclear power, or any other scientific energy source he knew. It was, through and through...
Mana.
This confirmed that these technological marvels were indeed the "science" of this world, forged by its indigenous ancestors thousands of years ago. They had achieved this through a profound understanding of mana's essence and transcendent engineering ingenuity.
It was a completely different path of civilizational development, one that perfectly fused magical theory with precision engineering.
At this thought, Roland felt a wave of vertigo and intense curiosity. Since his transmigration, every nation he had seen—its social structure, architectural style, and standard of living—had closely resembled the Western Middle Ages. What kind of splendor had this continent known during the Crystal Rhythm Era over a millennium ago? And what terrible disaster or cataclysm had it suffered to let such an advanced civilization be utterly lost, regressing to its current state?
At the same time, another question surfaced.
According to the research notes, Construct Artisans like the one who had written them were apparently not fully accepted by mainstream society at the time, even regarded with a certain "unseemly" contempt.
What was the true face of the world in that golden age, where extraordinary power and magical technology coexisted?
And how did the various power systems coexist and compete against one another?
Shaking his head, Roland temporarily suppressed these boundless speculations.
Taking a deep breath, he tentatively extended his finger, slowly reaching toward the dark silver substrate rotating within the pillar of light.
Just before his fingertip touched the substrate's surface, an invisible resistance suddenly materialized.
A nearly transparent yet tangible energy film instantly appeared, completely enveloping the substrate and blocking his contact.
Simultaneously, a faint, warning sting transmitted through his fingertip.
But for the current Roland, the power of this protective film was simply too weak. The resulting sting was no more than a mosquito bite—utterly inconsequential.
"Warning. Unauthorized contact attempt detected. Cease all operations immediately."
The mechanical female voice spoke again, clearer than before, yet colder.
Roland ignored it. He pressed his fingertips harder, causing the energy film to ripple violently under his strength. It emitted a strained, high-pitched hum.
"Repeating warning! Maximum authority protocol triggered! Cease immediately!"
The voice grew urgent.
The moment Roland's fingertips finally pierced the fragile barrier and made solid contact with the cold, smooth surface of the substrate...
Hum!
The lights of the Bottom-level Protocol Hall instantly shifted from a sterile white to a piercing crimson.
A deafening alarm, sharp and urgent, surged from all directions like a tidal wave.
"Alarm! Alarm! Core Protocol Unit illegally breached! Initiating emergency defense procedures!"
Almost the same instant the alarm blared, the crimson light ignited in the eye sockets of the magitech constructs kneeling on either side of the hall.
From within their massive frames came the grinding screech of metal and the hum of gathering energy. It was as if they were being forcibly awakened from a thousand-year slumber, struggling to rise and fulfill their ancient defensive duties.
But...
CRASH!
KRAK!
The moment the constructs tried to push themselves up, disaster struck.
The previously cast [Grease] and [Quagmire] spells took hold. The slick, softened ground offered no traction.
The massive constructs, halfway risen, lost their balance. With a deafening screech of twisting metal, they slammed back down, their colossal arms and torsos kicking up clouds of dust.
Their crimson electronic eyes flashed frantically as their limbs thrashed uselessly against the swamp-like ground, only sinking deeper. They were completely immobilized, like beached steel leviathans.
Seeing the magitech constructs trapped by the spells, Roland wasted no time, even as the piercing alarm continued to blare in his ears.
He swiftly stuffed the Adaptive Resonance Protocol Substrate he'd just retrieved into his waist-mounted pouch, his eyes darting warily around the room.
He pushed his senses to their limit, scanning for any self-destruct mechanisms—sealed exits, energy overload explosions, or anything else.
After several breaths, no further alarms triggered. Only the maddening siren and the futile struggles of the constructs on the floor broke the silence.
Roland's heart steadied, and he hesitated no longer.
The Radiant Moon Longsword flashed from its scabbard with a cold, piercing shriek, transforming into several precise and lethal streaks of silver light. It effortlessly sliced through the magitech constructs, which were trapped and motionless in the mire.
Their sturdy metal shells tore like paper before the blade imbued with dragon force.
With a series of jarring screeches of tearing metal and shattering cores, the massive constructs were swiftly diced and dismembered, reduced to piles of harmless scrap.
The moment the crimson glow in the last construct's eyes completely faded, the piercing alarm that had filled the hall was abruptly cut short, as if strangled.
The crimson warning lights also vanished instantly, leaving only the cold white light strips on the ceiling to illuminate the space.
A deathly silence once again descended upon the hall, as if the chaos from moments ago had never happened.
Roland carefully sensed his surroundings again, and only after confirming that no new threats had been drawn by the alarm did he truly relax. He withdrew the dark silver substrate from his pouch once more and cradled it in his palm.
Then, following the instructions from the book he had read, he focused his mind. A wisp of blood-red Battle Qi, condensed into a tangible form and radiating searing heat, slowly seeped from his fingertips.
Like a living tentacle, it cautiously reached out toward the substrate in his palm.
The moment the wisp of Battle Qi touched the golden, shimmering runes flowing across the substrate's surface...
A sudden change occurred!
Roland felt a slight jolt to his spirit as a strange sensation surged back through the Battle Qi.
The wisp of Battle Qi, which he had been controlling with such precision, seemed to drop like a single bead of water into a searingly hot pan of oil—or like a tiny stream suddenly merging into a raging river.
Through the substrate's transformation and amplification, the nature of his Battle Qi remained unchanged, but its "channel" and "scale" seemed to be instantly widened and enhanced several-fold.
A feeling of surging power welled up from within.
At the same time, at the edge of his vision, the familiar golden subtitles flowed forth once again.
[Unknown Higher-Energy Interaction Protocol Carrier Detected——————]
[Analyzing Carrier Structure————]
[Identifying Knowledge System Imprints Related to the "Construct Artisan" Class————]
[Parsing Basic Energy Conversion Principles of the "Entropic Cinder Core"————]
[Parsing "Adaptive Resonance Protocol" and Extraordinary Power Synergistic Amplification Model————]
[Integrating Information————]
[Evaluating Conditions————]
[————]
[Analysis Complete]
[Detection complete. You are eligible to become a Construct Artisan.]
(End of the Chapter)
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