Ch.76Chapter 76. Warp Gate (1)

Chapter 76. Warp Gate (1)

And so we obtained the giant robot “Goliath” from the underground laboratory.

Though we can’t operate it due to the lack of magic stones, and it’s too big to take with us.

“I’ve gathered all the magic stones from the laboratory. We should be able to take the metal golems with us as well.”

Harry, who had been examining the workshop as large as a soccer field, delivered the positive news.

He said we have enough magic stones to bring the five golems used to build the Goliath back to the tribal federation.

“They’re work golems rather than combat ones, but they’re sturdily built, so they should hold up well even if placed at the vanguard.”

Harry’s eyes were filled with something between solemnity and sadness.

I could only vaguely guess at the emotions he was feeling. It might have been better if Luna were nearby to comfort him.

It would be awkward for me, a Roa, to comfort him.

If someone who isn’t even human pretended to empathize with his pain, I’d probably be annoyed too if I were him.

Harry picked up a thick book from the workshop desk and began reading through it quickly.

It seems to contain instructions on how to control the Goliath.

He couldn’t read it all here, but I gave him permission to read for 10 minutes since there might be information we needed to know now.

“It says the heat plate on the chest can fire powerful heat rays… so that’s why it needs so many magic stones.”

Harry muttered as his eyes moved rapidly.

So the solar panel-like device attached to the Goliath’s chest area was for firing energy beams.

That’s the dream of giant robots.

Lisa, you were quite knowledgeable, old lady.

“If it hits directly, it can annihilate even high-ranking demons… that’s a bold claim, Lisa.”

What? Is the firepower that strong?

If that’s true, it really is civilization’s greatest masterpiece, the ultimate weapon.

Why couldn’t we see such an overpowered weapon in the game?

…Probably because not a single user ever found this underground laboratory.

Well, I wouldn’t have known about it either without Harry.

It’s because I saved people regardless of whether they were barbarians or civilized that we can now see the Goliath.

This is love and peace. Good deeds always come back around.

Of course, it’s better to quickly dispose of creatures like Charon or AtomicRex.

“I’m finished. Thank you for giving me time.”

Harry, having skimmed through it, nodded and packed up the book.

“It would be best to leave the Goliath here for now. The amount of magic stones needed is astronomical, so even if we somehow managed to bring it to the tribal federation, we wouldn’t be able to use it.

It would be better to return when we have enough magic stones.”

– Let’s do that.

It would have been nice if we could deploy it immediately for subjugation, but things are never that simple in this world.

Let’s think positively. I’ve added one more trump card to my undead units.

“The Goliath is a piloted golem. It needs a pilot.”

Harry looks around at all of us.

“The Goliath…”

He paused mid-sentence, swallowed, and after some contemplation:

“I will pilot the Goliath. I’m the only one in the world who can bring out this decisive weapon’s full potential.”

He spoke with confident eyes.

Wow.

This old man just looked really cool.

That was the face of someone who had delivered the decisive blow in humanity’s final battle for survival.

“Well, that’s obvious. No one but you could pilot it anyway.”

Ah, Lakye! Please stop ruining the moment.

Harry has the right to look cool too!

“Well, that’s true… but still…”

Harry’s embarrassed expression as he stroked his beard somehow looked pitiful.

Anyway, we’ve accomplished what we came for.

We killed the tunnel demon, obtained the hidden piece Meteor Sword, and gained the Goliath and five metal golems.

Beyond killing two birds with one stone, this was killing n birds with one stone.

Though we lost much in the difficult battle… I want to say the sacrifices were worthwhile.

I think assumptions like “if only I had done better…” or “there must have been a better way…” are meaningless.

Everyone did their best in their respective positions.

It would be nice to have a grand feast while getting plenty of rest this time.

– Gather the golems and return to the tribal federation.

I need to sleep again. I’ve endured enough.

– I’m going back to sleep…

“Rest well.”

I fell asleep feeling Lakye’s touch.

My consciousness faded, I suppose.

Bye, Lakye.

This time, don’t wake me unless something really major happens.

***

– My followers. Eat, drink, and be merry. Celebrate the victory to your heart’s content.

“Woooah!”

We held the biggest feast the tribal federation had ever seen.

You have to let people loose at times like this to prevent discontent.

Ah, three more tribes have joined the federation.

They’re the friends who said they would come this way when we sent messages through Toughie last time.

The three tribes combined had over a hundred people. Most of them were warriors too.

– Welcome to the tribal federation.

We had lost quite a few warriors during the tunnel demon subjugation.

They came at just the right time. They also enjoyed the feast.

It was a celebration of both victory and welcoming the new tribes.

Not everyone enjoyed the feast though.

There were those who didn’t enjoy it because they disliked mingling with people, and those who couldn’t attend because they had too much work to do.

The former was Lakye and the latter was Rachel.

– I want to see the feast.

“Understood.”

If I hadn’t asked to go, she probably would have spent the day leaning against Totem #1 again.

Is this how a father feels when dragging his hikikomori daughter out of her room?

Anyway, right now I’m walking around with Lakye, observing people.

“…and so it was a very powerful demon. It seemed to be just before reaching intermediate level. Everyone trembled at its howl.

But who am I? I am Kanto, the great warrior blessed by Malak and the chief of the Blue Moss tribe! When everyone was backing away, I charged in with my axe!

Its eyes were already fixed on me. Even that monster must have recognized a true warrior. With my axe, I…”

This bastard Kanto is bragging again.

He’s laid out a mat on the ground and gathered a crowd, planning to talk for who knows how long.

He might have talent as a bard.

I know why he’s doing this though.

“Kanto, you’re so amazing…”

“Even that demon was nothing before your strength, Kanto.”

He probably wanted to see young maidens looking up at him with sparkling eyes like that.

There are even some civilized women mixed in.

Kanto might make a significant contribution to our tribal federation’s birth rate.

Achieving true “harmony” between the civilized and the barbarians.

This too is love and peace.

“Priestess Paya, how did you make this sauce? It has a nice tangy flavor.”

“I used blackbird flowers. They give that flavor when fully cooked.”

“I’ve never had anything like this before! It’s delicious!”

Luna, Paya, and Noah were having a food feast.

A combination of priestess, mage, and paladin.

At first, I thought they might be forcing themselves to get along since they were similar in age and status, but they seem to genuinely get along well.

Maybe it’s because they all have rounded, not angular, personalities.

“What do you think about human freedom and destiny?”

“That’s a difficult question to answer easily. Freedom comes with a price, and destiny comes with constraints. I…”

Harry was having an intellectual conversation with Muri while drinking tea.

It might be rude to say this, but the atmosphere would be perfect with some traditional herbal tonic with egg yolk floating on top.

Elders sitting in chairs, drinking tea and conversing… this is exactly like a tea house.

Oh, maybe I should build some amenities like a café later?

I could convert the cathedral, whose purpose we haven’t decided yet, into Star—no, Roabucks.

Reflecting current trends, we could staff it with pretty golem girls and use totem-like coffee machines to brew up some pour-overs.

Of course, I’m just talking nonsense.

Hmm, not much to see at this feast. I guess that’s medieval life for you.

To me, conditioned by modern stimulating festivals, everything seemed bland.

Lakye actually seems to be enjoying it more than I am.

“Lord Malak has great interest in human amusements. I look forward to when you obtain a physical body and manifest directly.”

Maybe she just enjoys being with me.

Manifestation, huh. Well, I suppose something similar might happen with the final blessing.

At that time, I might be able to beat up high-ranking demons with the body of Jin Malak, who was a world-class thug.

Even dark clouds before Malak’s clouds… my happiness circuit is running wild.

Hmm. Maybe I’ll check the community after a long time.

I’m a bit hesitant though.

The reason is, well, because of those damn image attachments.

[Brahmanda: Stop posting pictures of feces and worshipper corpses, you psychos;;]

[FullPlay: It was better when we just read text]

I glanced at it two days ago, and completely lost any desire to browse the community.

If I’m not careful, I might not just get annoyed like with EunuchBro’s bait posts, but my eyes might rot too.

I guess new technologies inevitably come with side effects.

…But surely things must have become at least somewhat more filtered by now?

In the end, I couldn’t resist and connected. I’m just too bored.

[OneSlice: ‘That dinosaur’]

What dinosaur?

I clicked on the post. There was no content, just a single photo.

The attached photo showed dinosaur bones.

Not just lying on the ground, but posed as if on display in a museum.

What is this?

Oh.

Could it be?