Level Up Machine

Chapter 120 Expedition Beyond the Boundary (2)

“Tiria.”

“Ah, Yeong-sik.”

After the guild members’ afternoon training ended, Yeong-sik, who had been planning for the future all afternoon in the warehouse, entered Tiria’s room.

Tiria smiled brightly as she looked at Yeong-sik who had come to her room.

“Is it because of dinner? If that’s the case, I can make it right away…”

“No, it’s not that.”

At Yeong-sik’s response, Tiria shuddered. She blushed and looked at him with a trembling expression.

A strange sense of anticipation started growing deep within her heart.

“Then?”

“Please call a meeting. I have something to discuss about our future plans.”

“Oh?”

At Yeong-sik’s answer, Tiria let out a regretful sigh.

But that regret was short-lived, and she asked him in a calm voice.

“Future plans?”

“Yes.”

Yeong-sik nodded. His low voice continued.

“I’m thinking of going on an expedition beyond the northern boundary.”

* * *

In the evening, when the sun had completely set, twelve people gathered in the meeting room of the Leviathan Guild annex, which the Salvator Guild was temporarily using.

It was a meeting called abruptly, bringing together the members of the Salvator Guild.

“An expedition… you say?”

“Yes.”

The guild members looked at him with puzzled expressions.

It wasn’t because the suggestion of an expedition was unexpected.

The Salvator Guild had been conducting regular monthly expeditions beyond the northern boundary.

This was because the only place where the Salvator Guild could hunt safely without the kingdom’s surveillance was beyond the northern boundary, and the current level of the Salvator Guild members was very high.

However, it was surprising that Yeong-sik had made such a suggestion.

Yeong-sik had not participated in the expeditions until now. There were many other things for him to do, and gaining more experience points was no longer meaningful for him.

“What’s this? Did you suddenly want to test something?”

“That’s part of it… but I also want to see the current state of each guild member with my own eyes.”

At his words, Yu-na and the other guild members looked puzzled again.

Yeong-sik took a sip of the tea on the table and continued speaking.

“I’ve recently acquired a new skill. It’s a skill that allows me to synthesize my machines with items.”

“Oh.”

“So, I want to create new weapons or modify and enhance your existing ones to help improve your combat power.”

At his words, the guild members’ expressions turned to surprise.

Enhancing weapons using machines.

It was something they had never thought of.

“Can’t we just test that right here and now?”

Park Cheol-tae asked.

Yeong-sik slowly shook his head as he replied.

“No. I think it’s more effective to observe you fighting monsters directly and identify points for improvement.”

“…Indeed. There are issues that only appear in real combat.”

Even Park Cheol-tae, who valued actual combat with monsters over repetitive training, agreed with his opinion.

Although Yeong-sik had been with the Salvator Guild for over a year, he had never closely observed each guild member. To be precise, he hadn’t needed to observe them closely since he lacked the ability to identify and address their strengths and weaknesses.

The command in battle and the arrangement of combat roles based on the guild members’ characteristics had always been better handled by Tiria or Park Cheol-tae, who had spent more time with them.

But now, the situation had changed. Yeong-sik had gained the power to elevate them to a higher, or even several levels higher, realm.

“There are limits to what one can do alone.”

Why had he risked so much to create the androids?

It was because the android manufacturing was the only way to overcome the Salvator Guild’s fatal flaw—numerical inferiority.

Unless one’s stamina was infinite, or even if it were, there was a limit to what one individual could accomplish.

The reason the Arnan Empire was considered the strongest nation was because they had a powerful army of summoners and natives.

Enhancing the combat power of each guild member was as important as his own growth. Continuing to grow stronger alone would eventually lead to hitting a wall.

“So, how far are you planning to go on this expedition?” Yoo Jin, who had been listening quietly, asked.

When the Salvator Guild went on expeditions beyond the boundary, they usually only ventured to the outskirts.

While it was true that the closer one got to the central continent, where the Great War had once raged, the better the dungeons and relics one could find, the monsters also grew stronger.

The main issue was the frequency of boss monster appearances.

The closer one got to the central continent, the number of powerful boss monsters increased explosively, making it dangerous to venture in recklessly.

Not all boss monsters would break through the northern boundary and invade human territory. In terms of numbers, there were more boss monsters stationed as if guarding “something” in the central continent.

Among the many guilds in the east, only the Leviathan Guild and the Abaddon Guild had advanced beyond those monsters to the “Grave of Heroes.”

Even then, they had to retreat shortly after entering due to the high risk of the area.

“Though we won’t go as far as the Grave of Heroes, I plan to advance to where the boss monsters are concentrated.”

“Are you planning to take down a boss monster?”

“Yes. Collecting black cubes is one of the objectives of this expedition.”

Black cubes below grade A no longer had much significance for him. What he aimed for was S-grade black cubes, like the one from Lekras.

These cubes were not only capable of inheriting abilities but also the best items from which S-rank metal cores could be extracted.

“Hmm… With our current numbers, it will be hard to withstand.”

“That’s why I made them.”

Yeong-sik slightly turned his head towards the warehouse where the androids he made today were stored.

“A reliable shield to protect us.”

“…I have no words.”

Yoo Jin nodded with an amazed expression. A mechanized division armed with weapons not found on the Elnote Continent.

In terms of sheer military power, it was an exceptional group that might even hold its own against the regular army of the Arnan Empire, the continent’s strongest nation.

An android army was more than enough to handle the countless minor monsters that would continuously wear down their strength.

“It’s not a bad idea. Actually, the boss monsters are less of an issue compared to the monsters around them…”

Park Cheol-tae nodded in agreement.

Simply put, if the Salvator Guild members gathered, taking down an S-grade boss monster wouldn’t be difficult.

The problem was the countless minor monsters around the boss monster.

With dozens, sometimes even hundreds of monsters guarding the boss monster, it was impossible for the twelve members of the Salvator Guild to hunt them.

If the android army could hold off those minor monsters, then hunting the S-grade boss monster made sense.

“But the mechanical division mainly uses guns. Even beyond the northern boundary… isn’t there a risk of being discovered by other guilds?”

Ara asked with a slightly uneasy expression.

“Hmm. That shouldn’t be much of a concern anymore.”

It was Han-seong who answered her question.

Han-seong adjusted his glasses and spoke.

“After seeing the androids Yeong-sik made today… I don’t think we need to hide our identity anymore.”

“…What do you mean?”

“It means that the Salvator Guild now possesses a force that even the Elnote Kingdom cannot challenge.”

“Ah…”

Ara let out a short exclamation at Han-seong’s words.

Han-seong continued.

“As Yu-na tested earlier, if we assume the androids are equivalent to 1,000 level 40 summoners, 200 level 70 summoners, and 30 summoners above level 85. Moreover, the androids mainly use firearms, which are not present on the Elnote Continent. The weakened Elnote Kingdom, due to internal conflict, cannot contend with this force.”

Each of the top three guilds had roughly 50-100 summoners above level 80, and 1,000-2,000 summoners below that level.

The kingdom’s regular army might number close to ten thousand, but the qualitative difference was so great that they were forces that couldn’t be recklessly challenged.

The Salvator Guild had powerful rankers like Tiria and Yeong-sik, making it impossible for the Elnote Kingdom to even consider challenging them.

“Of course, if we can hide our power, that’s best.”

Revealing their strength to other factions had no benefits.

“As Han-seong said, the Elnote Kingdom is no longer an issue.”

Yeong-sik nodded as he spoke.

“The remaining issue is to further increase the guild’s power for the upcoming northern conquest.”

The mention of the northern conquest darkened the guild members’ expressions.

It was an inevitable fate.

There was the contract with Leviathan, but before that, it was a matter of survival.

Although the activity had decreased lately for some reason, the creators of the monsters continued to aim for the continent’s conquest.

Being complacent in the current peace was like an ostrich burying its head in the bushes, mistakenly thinking it was safe.

“To survive, we must grow stronger.”

Acquiring powerful strength was the most realistic way to ensure safety on the death-filled Elnote Continent.

A heavy silence fell among the guild members. Their gazes turned to Tiria. Regardless of Yeong-sik’s presence, it was she who made the final decision.

“…I approve the expedition.”

Tiria finally spoke after much contemplation. She did not accept it simply because Yeong-sik proposed it.

She looked down at the ring on her right hand. The power gained on the condition of participating in the northern conquest.

From the moment she acquired it, she had made up her mind.

Choi Yu-na, Yoo Jin, Bae Han-seong, Lee Chae-rin, Seo Ara, Kim Gil-soo, Park Cheol-tae, Jeong So-rim, Hwang-hyeon, Han Tae-yeong, and… Yeong-sik.

Her remaining family. She was determined to send them back to their original world. To achieve that, she could not give up this expedition.

“Thank you.”

Yeong-sik gave a faint smile and bowed to her.

“Once the androids are ready, we will depart for the expedition immediately. In the meantime, please prepare for the expedition.”

“Ugh… I’m getting nervous. Isn’t this the first expedition involving all guild members since the Forgotten Tomb?”

“Yes, this is effectively the first solo expedition by the Salvator Guild.”

“Hmm. I’m looking forward to what kind of weapons Yeong-sik will make for us.”

The guild members nodded with excited expressions.

“Oh, and Yu-na, please test the S-grade androids tomorrow.”

“…Again?”

**Boom!**

“I told you, it’s not a joke!”

“Ah, Cheol-tae, calm down a bit.”

The guild members burst into laughter as they watched the excited Cheol-tae. At that moment, Han-seong approached Yeong-sik, holding a thick stack of papers.

“Yeong-sik.”

“Yes, Han-seong.”

“You mentioned that we’re going to advance to where the boss monsters are, right?”

“That’s correct.”

Yeong-sik looked at Han-seong with a puzzled expression.

Han-seong handed the stack of papers to Yeong-sik and spoke.

“Since you’re interested in magical minerals, I did some research myself. I’ve been bothered that we couldn’t find orichalcum before.”

“Oh?”

“According to the latest information, there are no official orichalcum mines in the east or south.”

“And if there were, they would desperately hide them.”

“Yes. However, there is one known orichalcum mine.”

Han-seong pointed to a spot on the map drawn on the paper.

“It’s an orichalcum mine that was said to be owned by the Ingrim Empire in the past.”