Hiding A Logistics Center In The Apocalypse - Chapter 77
Chapter 77: Civil War (1)
TL/ED – Miso
‘Well, if that’s the case…….’
Cooper’s sudden request to be given work.
I had no reason to refuse.
I could have just asked him to make a +5 weapon, but…
“……For that level, a mana reactor must be used. However…….”
Cooper showed reluctance.
“It will take a long time. Handling a mana reactor is more complicated than you’d think…”
Cooper explained that creating highly enhanced weapons involved engraving the mana of a reactor into an object, and the higher the grade of the weapon, the more complex the circuit became.
Naturally, the production time would also increase.
“Then…… how long?”
“At least ten days.”
“Damn…….”
Ten days.
But in just a week, the battle against the Southern Army was imminent.
Perhaps noticing my serious expression, Cooper fortunately offered another alternative.
“There is a way to draw the circuits without using a reactor. The power will certainly increase, but since it’s an artificial enhancement…… the stability will be significantly lower. The user must be able to control it properly.”
“When you say the stability is lower……?”
“If used continuously, it will explode.”
I recalled the Southern Army’s ‘special cannons’ that had exploded one after another.
They had been crude, yet still created using mana reactors.
This meant the weapons would be even more unstable.
“I don’t mind too much, but…….”
My ability was simply to throw objects stored in subspace.
Whether the object was a bomb or a rock, it didn’t matter to me. The problem was with others.
‘From the Northern Army, to my family, to the PAX Man…….’
It was literally war.
At least several thousand, possibly even tens of thousands of people would be involved.
Power was good, but there needed to be at least some safety measures in place.
I asked Glen.
“You mentioned they were beasts, right?”
“Yes. Their regenerative abilities are significant…… and they are incredibly agile. Their skin is tough as well.”
They weren’t enemies that used intricate techniques, but rather ones that relied on their ‘pure’ strength as weapons.
“…You seem to know quite a lot about them?”
“Mirkwood’s forces have been stationed in the United States ever since the bidding competition. I’ve encountered them a few times on the battlefield.”
Glen briefly recollected his memories and added,
“They are so fast that an ordinary car couldn’t keep up with them. And due to their regeneration, you have to make sure they are completely taken out when dealing with them. Decapitate them…… or split their torsos in half…….”
The issue was that these creatures would be reinforced with the repulsion force of the 7th Order and 6th Order.
Even though we couldn’t use a mana reactor, the threats coming at us wouldn’t hold back.
“So, in the end, we have to take them down quickly and with overwhelming firepower.”
“Exactly. Though I don’t know if that’s possible…….”
That was why.
I proposed manufacturing a strategic weapon that could neutralize all of those threats.
“Let’s create a vehicle. One specifically optimized for battle.”
My conclusion was simple.
To build a Gigant that could take down these beasts.
“A very unstable yet reliable one.”
And something truly special.
***
“Oh, Jeong-gyeom.”
The person I sought out was none other than the mechanic, James.
He had always wanted to come to the United States.
Though he had set foot on Arizona’s soil long ago, I had yet to fulfill my promise to him.
New York.
His home was in a northeastern city above Washington D.C.
“Oh, Washington is………”
I informed him that the Southern Army was gathering in Washington and that even stronger enemies would appear in a week.
And…… he already knew.
“……Then next will surely be New York.”
For James, this battle was just as important.
Understanding the situation, James asked me,
“So, what kind of help do you need?”
“I plan to build a Gigant…… and I want you to handle the design.”
“……A Gigant?”
James had already experienced building a Gigant.
He had once piloted a hastily assembled Gigant at Incheon Airport, fighting against trolls.
But this time, we needed to create a much more advanced version.
“Each part will be reinforced, and circuits will be drawn to concentrate the output. However, these circuits themselves will be highly unstable…….”
Cooper detailed the materials that would be used to build the Gigant.
James nodded in understanding.
“……I see. So, the materials are different this time?”
The plan was to reinforce the parts, draw circuits to enhance their output, and then have James piece everything together to assemble the Gigant in the final stage.
While James would be in charge of the overall design, the dwarves would work meticulously like master craftsmen, refining and embedding the circuits…….
“Can you handle it? Every single component will be incredibly unstable.”
This was by no means an easy task.
Each part of the Gigant would have different levels of power and output.
They had to be assembled in a way that would form a cohesive and functional body.
But James simply grinned confidently.
“The excessive power output will cancel itself out. Steam and other stuff might spew out between the parts…… but that just makes it look even cooler, don’t you think? And…….”
We had only exchanged a few words.
But James already seemed to have a clear image of the finished Gigant in his mind.
“We can just make it disposable anyway.”
Even back at Incheon Airport, James’ Gigant had been equipped with an automatic escape system.
Since this new model would be unstable, James intended to fully utilize that trait.
“Right, Jeong-gyeom?”
James gave me a knowing look.
And indeed, he was right.
The Gigants were going to be mass-produced infinitely using my ability.
The strategy was simple.
Once a Gigant reached its limit, it would be discarded without hesitation, while the pilot would eject using an emergency escape system and be retrieved immediately with Item Retrieval.
It was the only way to maximize the power of the Gigants while ensuring the pilots’ safety.
“I’ll build it. Let’s make this work.”
James reached out to shake hands with Cooper.
Now, all that remained was to wait.
***
Three days later, the test version of the Gigant was completed.
The dwarves had worked tirelessly, day and night…….
“Heh, this is nothing for us.”
To them, staying up for three nights straight was just another way to add excitement to their lives, and they never put down their hammers.
Thanks to their efforts, the final assembly time was significantly reduced, allowing us to fine-tune the Gigant’s circuit output.
“Ohhh…….”
The Gigant was finally complete.
It had no discernible head, but its massive torso and limbs unmistakably formed the shape of a Gigant.
Whirr.
Boom!
The armor plates, reinforced with durability-enhancing stones, trembled as the limbs moved freely.
At the rear, an output device had been installed, incorporating an advanced version of the Explosion magic previously used in the P-22.
As he gazed up at the fully assembled Gigant, James continued his explanation.
“The hardest part was this. The limbs had to move without tearing apart…… and synchronizing their power output wasn’t easy. As you know, Jeong-gyeom…… this thing runs on a special fuel…….”
I nodded.
It was the volatile explosive liquid that my sister-in-law had developed through alchemy.
After embedding the explosion-attributed enhancement stone, the engine cylinders were designed in four to five layers to withstand the explosions.
It was an extreme design that completely disregarded stability, relying solely on explosions for movement.
“The energy generated in the cylinders will drive the crankshaft. The auxiliary power attached to the limbs must synchronize, distributing energy evenly throughout the body…… The dwarves were a huge help with that.”
The circuits engraved by the dwarves.
Though highly unstable, they played a crucial role in unifying the energy flow throughout the machine.
The Gigant was a collaboration between the dwarf manufacturer, the craftsman Brock, and the mechanic James…….
“Jeong-gyeom, this thing is way harder to pilot than the plane we made last time.”
There were still difficulties.
But that was fine.
Because we had a reliable genius pilot.
.
.
.
“……Again?”
From vehicles to helicopters, fighter jets, and even submarines.
He had piloted every type of transport imaginable…….
“Well, this is something I only dreamed about as a kid…….”
A ‘robot’ was definitely a first.
Though he looked a bit awkward, he also seemed somewhat excited.
Moreover,
“This is beyond my ability.”
Operating the Gigant posed a new challenge for him.
His ability was <Best Driver>.
It significantly boosted proficiency in operating transportation, but it was still limited to ‘driving’. Whether it would also enhance his combat proficiency in the Gigant was uncertain.
Furthermore…… that wasn’t his only role.
“……Even the trainees?”
Lee Yong-su wasn’t the only one who needed to pilot the Gigant.
The awakened individuals under his training, those with any kind of ‘driving’ abilities.
Since they had become PAX Man, they too were planned to participate in the battle in the United States.
The Gigants would be mass-produced infinitely.
If anything, the real shortage was the number of pilots to operate them.
Not only were the PAX Man trainees involved in the training, but even the Northern Army forces were set to receive Gigants for support.
And…….
“If that’s the case, we really don’t have time. I’ll get in right away.”
Without a single complaint, Lee Yong-su climbed into the Gigant.
And before long…….
Whoosh!
His parachute deployed as he ejected from the emergency escape system.
It was already his ninth time today.
***
And so, a week passed.
Whirrrrr.
As the Chamber of Commerce’s gate portal opened, the beasts of the Mirkwood Dimension finally emerged.
From common mutated wolves to frenzied coyotes, and rhinos with broad, heavy bodies and massive horns.
There were countless types of beasts…….
But certain ones stood out.
Grrrrr……,
Leopards with eerie, glowing yellow eyes.
Their tightly coiled thigh muscles hinted at their terrifying speed, and right behind them, a massive bear appeared, its entire body covered in dense hexagonal scales.
They were all powerful creatures of the 7th Order.
A truly overwhelming sight.
Even Madison, the leader of the Southern Army, couldn’t help but click his tongue in awe.
‘……The Chamber of Commerce really made a perfect selection.’
Madison specialized in drugs.
As the creator of the poison gas that once dominated the entire United States, he had developed a new type of drug specifically for the Mirkwood Dimension.
To enhance the already formidable beasts, which not only had high-order abilities but also overwhelming regeneration.
‘There’s nothing more terrifying than rampaging beasts.’
That drug was none other than the ‘Berserk’ pill.
The berserk pills had already been distributed to the Mirkwood Dimension in advance, and once the battle began, the frenzied beasts would tear the Northern Army stationed in Washington apart alive.
And then
Clank.
Clank.
One of Mirkwood’s armored primates approached Madison.
“Do you have any requests?”
“No. Just make it quick.”
The sight of Washington D.C. before him.
Madison had already requested Mirkwood to turn the entire city into a sea of fire.
‘After today…….’
Washington was a symbolic city.
It represented the possibility of inheriting the dignity of the now-fallen United States.
For that, Madison was willing to accept any level of destruction.
‘The problem is that those bastards got there first…….’
The Northern Army had desperately defended Washington D.C. up until now.
There was no choice but to break through the already entrenched Northern Army.
But…….
‘How long can they really hold out?’
Losing the dwarves’ factory a while back had been painful, but even so, he couldn’t imagine that weak Northern Army standing a chance against this overwhelmingly powerful beast horde.
The Northern Army’s greatest strength amounted to a few 7th Order warriors, including priests.
Their side had a far greater number, and even in one-on-one combat, the beasts had a clear advantage.
‘Is it time now? Now…’
Madison, holding his breath in anticipation.
And then, he saw it,
Dash!
Tatak!
Tatadak!
At the primate’s command, the Mirkwood beasts charged in unison.
Boom!
And then came destruction.
While the massive leopards sowed chaos among the enemies, the scaled bear swung its fists, demolishing buildings as it rampaged.
‘They’re fast. Incredibly fast…….’
Their speed was like lightning.
In the blink of an eye, what he discovered was…
Screech!
Whoooosh!
A massive leopard soaring through the sky.
“What? What was that?”
Everything had unfolded in an instant.
Looking closely, he began to see faint traces of an enemy.
He didn’t want to call it that, but…….
“……A Gigant?”
There was no better way to describe it.
The Northern Army’s Gigant that kept appearing and disappearing.
Every time it swung its fist, an ear-splitting sonic boom echoed as if an explosion had gone off.
Baaang!
-Kyaaah!
The scaled bear was sent flying, its body folding in half.
Though the Northern Army’s Gigant seemed to have the overall advantage…
“Yes! Just like that……!”
But before long, they found themselves surrounded by dozens of beasts.
Grrr, baring their fangs, the beasts licked their lips in anticipation.
Slowly closing the distance, they prepared to sink their teeth into the Gigant’s armor…….
Whooosh!
What they saw instead was Lee Yong-su’s parachute as he ejected from the cockpit.
The beasts belatedly tried to chase him down…….
Shwoooosh!
But the escaping pilot suddenly vanished into a portal that appeared out of nowhere.
Confused by the sudden disappearance of their prey, the beasts hesitated.
And then
Boooooom!
They were met with an explosion.
The Northern Army’s Gigant, which had been pushed to its limits, couldn’t endure any longer and detonated on the spot.
“They had a weapon like this? The Northern Army……?”
Madison’s jaw dropped.
But his shock didn’t end there.
Shwoooong.
“……?”
A massive cloud suddenly loomed over the beasts.
It was…….
“……What the hell is that?”
An H-Beam, fully reinforced with the ‘Explosion’ attribute and covered in intricate mana circuits.
****
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The Fool
Thanks for the high-quality chap as always!!