Clink... clink...
As I stood outside the Tower, lost in thought, I began to hear several dull, resonating sounds from my ears.
It was the golems stationed on the floating island.
‘Hmm...’
I rubbed my furrowed brows as I observed their numbers.
The power of knowledge.
Ever since I received it, the sensation in my head has felt rather awkward.
If you ask me if it’s uncomfortable... the disorganized memories were neatly arranged, and oddly enough, it’s more convenient than before.
But it's still a strange feeling, so I think it’ll take some time to adjust.
If I were to actively utilize it... the adjustment would take even longer.
Of course, it’s still a hundred times better than when I received the power of space and observation. Back then, I broke through the Tower Masters' restrictions all at once and unleashed the maximum potential, nearly causing my head to explode...
‘Huh...’
I shook my head.
Before I knew it, the golems had closed in. They formed a formation around me, on high alert, weapons aimed.
Normally, the golems would have treated me like a guest and guided me, but now, since I had an experiment to conduct, they remained in a defensive posture.
I had received the blueprints and operational instructions for the golems from Ariel, along with the command authority.
Soon, one of the golems approached with a creaking sound.
‘It’s that golem.’
It was a golem with thick gauntlets on its arms, the very one that had thrown the first punch at me. Seeing how it always stands at the front with a shield, it seemed to play the role of a meat shield.
[Initiating alert status... Target, suppression order.]
The golem, which seemed to hesitate for a moment, fixed its stance upon receiving my command. From beneath its helmet, a blue light flared up fiercely.
Whooo... the sensation of magic activation brushed against my skin.
[Executing suppression order.]
Boom! The ground underfoot shattered.
The golem charged at me, its heavy body advancing swiftly. I felt the air tremble as it rushed towards me. I momentarily suspended the staff... the Purification artifact, and reached out with my hand.
The golem’s fist and my hand reached for each other as it charged forward.
It was the same posture I had adopted when I first arrived on the floating island.
Back then, I had only parted my fist slightly, making my arm spring back.
I drew my magical energy upwards.
I constructed the incantation, pouring magical power into it, filling the space within.
The process was the same as before, but now, it was much easier and faster.
‘Magic Slash.’
The result was different.
The incoming punch was intercepted by the slash.
The fist split apart, and the continuous magic slashes cut through its wrist, forearm, and upper arm.
Boom! Like cutting through tofu with a knife, the severed half of the arm fell to the ground without resistance.
The golem’s charge came to an abrupt halt, unable to withstand the impact.
It stopped at the perfect spot.
I reorganized the magical energy I had still raised.
‘Magic Slash.’
The moment the golem stopped, dozens of magic slashes rained down from all directions.
With each slash, chunks of the golem’s body were severed.
The slashes didn’t stop there, returning like boomerangs to hit the golem once again.
Soon, the once solid chunk of iron was reduced to hundreds of scattered fragments, tumbling across the floor.
[Executing suppression order.]
[Executing suppression order.]
[Executing suppression order.]
The golems maintaining their defensive posture immediately launched their offensive.
The golems at the front raised their shields and charged, while those behind them tightly gripped their weapons and followed.
‘Manifest.’
Earth magic.
Specifically, metal manipulation.
Creeeek... The golem’s shattered remnants twisted and compacted, forming sharp spikes.
Given the golem's large size, each spike was massive, and dozens of them emerged.
‘White phosphorus.’
Fire magic.
Fwooosh! Soft yellow flames wrapped around the spikes.
I meticulously controlled the flames, pushing the fire into the spikes and heating them up.
As the fire died down, the spikes turned bright yellow.
‘Manipulation, wind pressure explosion.’
Wind magic.
I enveloped the spikes in wind and spun them at high speed.
Behind each spike, I compressed air and wind before bursting them out.
In an instant, after several operations, dozens of razor-sharp spikes were created.
One of the shield-bearing golems at the front had one of those spikes driven straight through it.
Crash! The shield shattered.
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The place where the spike pierced was completely penetrated, and the impact caused cracks to spread across the shield, which then broke apart.
The spike embedded itself into the golem’s waist.
Boom! A delayed explosion echoed.
The golem’s lower body tumbled to the ground, while its upper body flew into the air.
Such scenes were played out for most of the golems.
The paths calculated perfectly using the power of observation.
Not a single one missed its mark; the golems that charged at me were completely destroyed, tumbling to the ground.
‘Hmm...’
Thus, the first wave was easily dealt with.
I took a moment to recover my magical energy and assess the situation.
One of the golem fragments on the floor twitched.
The tricky part about these golem armies is that they don’t just end by smashing them to bits.
The entire floating island is like Ariel's workshop.
Even the scattered fragments are treated like materials, so they will soon gather together and form new golems.
The fragments trembled, shivering, and rattling as they moved.
That was all. While several fragments were moving, they were unable to come together and form a new golem.
‘It’s done.’
After confirming the situation, I nodded slightly.
Counter magic technique.
A technique used to disrupt or nullify magic by interfering with the incantation.
Since these golems were powered by magic, if I erased the engraved magic, it would be over.
But it’s not as simple as it sounds.
Even though I tried to disable them with counter magic techniques in the past, I failed.
This magic was engraved by Ariel herself.
Even though I had been interfering with it, most counterattacks would be ineffective against her magic.
And even if it were countered, it wouldn't matter much.
‘No matter how much I erase it, she’ll just engrave it again.’
Normally, the magic engraved in one place has a clear lifespan.
Armored constructs that collide forcefully tend to have especially short lifespans.
So, those golems would naturally be disabled after being hit enough times, eventually turning into iron lumps.
It’s a limitation of magical tools, not artifacts.
But these golems weren’t like that.
Strictly speaking, they were magical tools, but they didn’t have a clear lifespan.
That’s because they continuously engrave magic in real-time.
Even if the magic was damaged, they would restore it immediately from the "workshop" where it made contact with the ground.
Since the material was the same, they could immediately supply it, even if their bodies were blown apart.
Thus, disabling these golems on the floating island became quite a challenge.
‘Success.’
So, I resorted to a little trick.
With my enhanced magical ability, I destroyed a significant portion of their magic and, before it could restore itself, inserted my own magical energy.
Then, when the magic tried to recover, I forced it away, coloring it with my own magic, and established dominance over it.
In other words, I stole control over it.
The operation was a success.
Now, these golems had turned into iron lumps tainted with my magical energy.
Also, since the purity and density of my magical energy were considerably high, it would last for a while without requiring additional power.
I felt more golems approaching with my observational powers.
Of course, it’s still an overwhelming number, so it would feel like trying to block a wave with your body...
‘Hmmm...’
I tapped the ground lightly with my toes.
Whooo... The manifested magic spread in all directions.
Soon, the golem fragments rose into the air, and like before, I crafted them into spikes, floating in the air.
Dozens of large spikes, a hundred times more than before, filled the sky.
It was a menacing sight, but the fearless golems didn’t care and continued to charge forward.
‘This... is how it’s going to be used for now.’
I grabbed the Purification artifact floating beside me.
How should I use it?
Ariel had explained it to me, and when I gripped the artifact... much like the first time I held the Proof of Protection, the way to use it naturally imprinted itself in my mind.
I ran my hands over its cool, smooth surface and then stabbed it into the nearby spike with the crystal.
As expected, the spike, which had been floating calmly, was sucked into the crystal.
‘Oh.’
I whispered in awe, sending pure white magical energy into the Purification artifact.
At the same time, the staff resonated several times.
Worried that I might have done something wrong, I paused.
‘Ohh.’
As if to dispel my concerns, a blade protruded from the crystal.
Upon observing its composition, I realized it matched the spike I had absorbed earlier.
At the same time, two beams of light emerged from the top of the staff, wrapping around the crystal like ribs around a heart.
With the blade sprouting from the crystal, the staff now resembled a spear.
Of course, the appearance was somewhat strange, with the blade attached to the crystal, but it was no less effective.
I knew it wouldn’t break easily, despite how odd it looked.
I thought as much, and swung the staff towards the fire magic that was approaching.
Screeek! The incoming flames were split by the spear.
Immediately after, the flames split into two, being absorbed into the crystal through the blade.
‘Wow!’
My eyes sparkled as I observed the absorption process.
The moment the blade and crystal cleaved through the magic, the magical energy and the incantation were entirely absorbed.
It was stored inside the crystal.
‘If I take this out...’
Flames wrapped around the blade.
It was a part of the magic I had absorbed earlier.
As the golem swung its hammer towards me, I dodged and quickly thrust the spear into its northern body.
The armor cracked as the spearhead lodged into its body.
Immediately, the magic was released.
Flames burst out of the cracks in its armor as the magic coursed through the spear.
The spear itself exploded, tearing apart the interior of the golem.
‘Oh-ho.’
I jumped back, widening the distance and continued to admire the process as I swung the now-disappearing Purification staff.
Absorption and release.
I absorbed the magic into the crystal and then either formed or released it through the spear.
While it might seem like a simple function, such an artifact is rare.
This crystal was extremely capacious.
It could store magic or materials and quickly release them whenever needed.
In a pinch, I could also use it to absorb and release an enemy’s attack.
Of course, how much I could absorb and release depends on my skill... but I was confident in my ability to handle it proficiently.
‘This is a good artifact.’
It had other functions too.
Even without those, this absorption and release alone made it a top-tier artifact.
This was the artifact Ariel had used.
I continued to marvel, stroking the Purification with my left hand.
It resonated as the Purification and the Proof of Protection seemed to vibrate together.
‘...?’
I tilted my head as I felt the vibrations.
One felt like it was boasting.
The other, like it was filled with frustration.
‘...Is it just me?’
I frowned, unsure what was happening.
"Such... clear skies."
Elia, who had finished the lecture and stepped outside the building, suddenly tilted her head back.
The sky was filled with a few small clouds, and the rest of the vast, clear blue sky stretched across her view.
"Ahh."
Looking up at the refreshing sky, which seemed to clear away the heaviness in one's chest, Elia sighed deeply, which was quite unlike her usual demeanor.
"I wonder if Ha-Yul will fall from the sky..."
"If a person falls from the sky, they usually die, Elia."
"Ha-Yul has magic, spirits, and artifacts, so he’ll be fine."
"Oh... then he’s definitely going to survive."
"Right?"
Elia, who chuckled in response to the student's agreement, looked back up at the sky again.
For some reason, recently, she kept finding herself gazing up at the sky.