Level Up Machine

Chapter 121 Power of the Machine Legion (1)

– Boom! Tudududududu!

“Eek!”

Bullets made of blue energy poured down.

Yu-na urgently pushed off the ground. The spot where she had been standing exploded into pieces under the barrage of bullets.

“What, what is this?!”

Yu-na looked anxiously at the entity attacking her. It looked like a giant robot from a comic book, but smaller in size.

It was an S-grade android created by Yeong-sik.

The android pointed a black rifle at Yu-na. Instead of bullets made of metal, blue-tinged energy bullets spewed out from the black rifle.

– Tudududududu!

“Take this!”

Yu-na twisted her expression and swung her Ssang-sik, which she held in both hands. A hot energy rose from her abdomen, and crimson flames erupted along the path of her swinging Ssang-sik.

The crimson flames wriggled greedily, swallowing the blue energy bullets. Yu-na adjusted her grip on the Ssang-sik and prepared to charge at the android.

[Judging that the barrier cannot be destroyed with the beam rifle. Switching to satellite cannon.]

As soon as the energy bullets were blocked by the wall of flames, the android immediately changed its weapon. A long cannon barrel appeared from its shoulder, aiming at Yu-na.

– Woooooo! Shooo!

The laser gathered in the barrel pierced through the wall of crimson flames and shot towards Yu-na. Just as she was about to rush at the android, Yu-na hastily pushed off the ground again.

“What the hell is that?!”

Yu-na shouted indignantly at Yeong-sik, who was watching from afar.

To be honest, she had slightly underestimated the S-grade android.

She had thought, how strong could an artificially created entity, similar to the golems made by alchemists, really be?

No, she thought that while its firepower might be stronger than hers, its detailed combat sense and situational judgment could never surpass that of a human.

But the S-grade android mocked her thoughts, changing weapons according to the situation like a seasoned warrior, thoroughly pressuring her movements.

“Blaze Dash!”

Deciding she could no longer just run away, Yu-na bent deeply and shouted the skill name. Her body was enveloped in crimson flames and shot forward with explosive speed.

Blaze Dash, a dash skill unique to Blaze Warriors, used flames as propulsion like a booster.

Like a comet landing on the ground, a long trail of flames decorated the air brilliantly. A fierce heat storm raged along her path.

…

As she ran forward, Yu-na frowned. She felt a giant energy source under her abdomen being stimulated and wriggling.

She still couldn’t fully handle the power of “Hero Ragna” she gained through Ssang-sik.

No, to be precise, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she could barely control it.

Uncontrollable power spread through her body. Her veins swelled, becoming grotesquely visible on her skin.

This was the result of drawing out power beyond what she could currently manage.

‘But!’

She could still endure this level of pain.

Explosive flames burst from her entire body. Yu-na focused that power into her Ssang-sik and twisted her body. With Il-sik in her left hand aimed at the android’s head,

and Wol-sik in her right hand targeting the android’s thigh, she swung.

This was the advantage only a dual-wielding warrior had. By attacking both a critical point and a difficult-to-defend area simultaneously, it forced the opponent to make a choice: ‘Protect your head and sacrifice your thigh.’

[Approach detected. Switching to beam saber to counter.]

The android calmly assessed the situation, almost eerily so. From a short rod reminiscent of a flashlight, a laser sword appeared.

Even for an android, the concept of vital points seemed to exist. The android, wielding the beam saber, first blocked the Il-sik aimed at its head.

-Clang!

The impact transmitted through Il-sik shook Yu-na’s body. In that brief moment, the android used a boost from its feet to launch itself into the air. Wol-sik brushed past the android’s feet.

“No way, isn’t a beam saber too much?!”

Yu-na shouted, looking incredulous.

But despite her words, her movements were swift.

-Boom!

Yu-na struck the ground with Ssang-sik. The ground cracked, and the explosive flames surged, engulfing the android. The android’s skin armor began to melt bit by bit.

[Detecting a large amount of heat energy on skin armor. Using rapid coolant for engines.]

-Hiss!

White coolant sprayed onto the melting skin armor. An immense amount of steam filled the surroundings.

The android, using a powerful attack, aimed a spinning kick at Yu-na’s exposed chest.

-Thud!

“Ugh?!”

Yu-na’s body was thrown into the air and rolled on the ground. Lying on the floor, she glared at the android with an aggrieved expression.

“This is cheating…”

It wasn’t that she had used a reckless attack.

If it had been a human instead of an android, they wouldn’t have been able to counterattack like this. A human would be paralyzed by the pain of their body melting. No, even a non-human wouldn’t easily counterattack in such heat.

But who could have imagined it would use rapid coolant to lower the temperature?

-Clap, clap.

“That’s enough. Well done, Yu-na.”

Yeong-sik, who had been quietly observing the battle, appeared, clapping a few times. As he appeared, the android, which had been about to charge at Yu-na with the beam saber, stopped its movement.

“How was it?”

Yeong-sik lifted Yu-na, who was lying on the ground, and asked,

“…It’s cheating. You utilized the fact that you’re a machine to your advantage in attacks, and your basic movements were actually better than those of most warriors.”

“Oh. How about in terms of level?”

“Hmm… Well, the firepower itself didn’t seem that high. The tactical handling of various weapons was much more impressive. I think… the physical specs are level 102. But in terms of actual combat power, it’s more than level 103.”

Yu-na responded as she recalled the battle with the S-grade android in her mind.

At that moment, the S-grade android began to walk toward her.

-Clunk. Clunk.

[Requesting a correction in the evaluation of the presumed name ‘Yu-na.’ Since the combat was based on a humanoid target, there was no need to use excessive firepower. Although the standard of levels cannot be confirmed, the evaluation of level 102 based on this combat is deemed inappropriate.]

“Huh?”

“What…?”

Both Yu-na and Yeong-sik looked bewildered at the android’s sudden speech.

This behavior of the android was not controlled by Yeong-sik.

The android acted on its own.

‘Because it’s S-grade…?’

Such an incident had never happened with A-rank androids.

Considering this, it could only be speculated that a higher grade had led to the emergence of self-awareness.

“Yeong-sik, you didn’t command this, right?”

“No, I didn’t.”

[Requesting the evaluation correction from ‘Yu-na’ again.]

“Wow. Does it really have self-awareness?”

Yu-na looked at the android with curiosity.

[This unit is a combat android, not a spectacle.]

“Hehehe. Did it get upset? That’s cute.”

Yu-na chuckled and patted the android’s body.

The android turned its head toward Yeong-sik, its eyes flashing.

[Requesting permission from the master to attack the rude ‘Yu-na.’]

“Wait! Hold on.”

Yeong-sik rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.

From the android’s behavior, it seemed to even possess a sense of ‘displeasure.’

“How on earth…”

Yeong-sik frowned, unable to comprehend. Yu-na spoke to him in a light tone.

“Well, isn’t it not that surprising?”

“Huh? This is?”

“There are weapons above S-grade that possess self-awareness. Even though it says nothing now, when I first held Ssang-sik, the weapon itself had self-awareness too.”

“Hmm…”

Hearing Yu-na’s words, Yeong-sik nodded in agreement.

“Indeed, thinking about it that way makes sense.”

Among items above S-grade, there were often items with self-awareness.

Even the S-grade item Luminous, passed down through the royal family of the Elnote Kingdom, is said to possess self-awareness and personally test the qualifications of its wielder.

‘Still, it’s amazing.’

Who would have thought that a machine he created would have self-awareness? It was something he had never anticipated.

[Requesting a response from the master. Has this unit met the master’s expectations in combat prowess?]

“Huh? …Yes. Actually, it exceeded my expectations.”

Yeong-sik nodded at the sudden question from the android.

Despite utilizing its inherent traits as an artificial entity created through a skill, defeating Yu-na was beyond what he had hoped for. The android had demonstrated combat capabilities far beyond what he had anticipated.

Through consistent training over the past six months, Yu-na had gradually gained control over the power of Ssang-sik, reaching level 103.

Of course, her control over this power was still imperfect, so she couldn’t defeat Kang Ha-rin, who was also level 103, but she was undoubtedly one of the strongest in the East, with few rivals.

The fact that the S-grade android could defeat someone like Yu-na indicated its immense value.

-Clunk. Clunk.

The android’s eyes seemed to sparkle with delight at Yeong-sik’s response.

[Confirming master’s reply that it exceeded expectations. This unit requests praise from the master.]

“Praise?”

[Requesting to be patted on the head.]

“What?”

Yeong-sik looked at the android in astonishment. The android knelt on one knee, looking up at him with eyes filled with a mix of expectation and hope.

Yeong-sik stared down at the android with a bewildered expression.

[Does this unit not deserve praise?]

“Ah… No, you definitely deserve it.”

Yeong-sik, with a somewhat flustered voice, patted the head of the S-grade android.

‘Patting the head of a machine…’

He felt a complexity of emotions that were beyond words.

[Confirming praise from the master. This unit will strive to meet master’s expectations even further by collecting combat data.]

‘It can even grow on its own.’

Yeong-sik looked at the android with amazement.

[Detecting goodwill from the master’s gaze. This unit expresses the emotion of ‘joy.’]

The android’s eyes sparkled brightly.

“Hahaha! Our Yeong-sik is loved!”

“Even if it looks like a machine, that kind of reaction…”

Yeong-sik looked at the android with a deeply complex expression.

Yeong-sik, who had been quietly observing the android, fell into a brief contemplation.

‘It feels wrong to keep calling it ‘it’.’

Unlike other androids, the S-grade android possessed self-awareness.

Then, it seemed necessary to give it a name rather than simply calling it ‘android.’

“I’ll give you a name.”

[Confirming master’s request to name this unit. However, this unit personally finds the term ‘machine’ displeasing.]

“Haha. Got it.”

Yeong-sik chuckled as he looked at the android.

For some reason, the phrase ‘finds displeasing’ made Yeong-sik’s heart twinge.

‘It has emotions.’

It was a bittersweet sensation.

And it made him feel incredibly ‘proud.’

“Lacteon. Your name is now Lacteon.”

Yeong-sik named it after the suit he was wearing.

To be precise, it was the name of the creator of the monsters who had perished long ago in the Ingrim Empire.

The reason for this was not entirely clear to him. It just felt like ‘it had to be that way.’

[Confirming this unit’s name as ‘Lacteon.’ Informing the master that the name is pleasing.]

Lacteon nodded, its green eyes sparkling.

Yeong-sik looked at it with a warm smile.