Chapter 460 - 434: Extraordinary Profession [Mechanical Artisan]

Chapter 460: Chapter 434: Extraordinary Profession [Mechanical Artisan]

Although the floating "Adaptive Resonance Protocol Baseplate" was within arm’s reach, exuding a tempting aura, Roland did not lose his head.

He knew that such an important research product could never be protected solely by a single, unpowered gate as its final defense.

With this in mind, his gaze swept across every corner of the spacious hall like the most precise of scanners.

Sure enough, in the shadows near the walls on both sides of the hall, several enormous figures stood in solemn silence.

They were over three men tall, with distinct humanoid silhouettes, a world apart from the rusted and dilapidated Magical Guide Structures of the Magic City Jiles.

Although these colossi were covered in a thin layer of dust, their metal shells bearing the merciless etchings of time, their overall structure was perfectly intact. Their lines were smooth and conveyed a sense of power, as if they had merely fallen into a deep slumber.

They were all posed on one knee, their massive heads bowed slightly, like loyal guards paying homage to a king, or perhaps silent statues awaiting the command to awaken.

’So there are Guards after all...’

A flash of understanding crossed Roland’s eyes. He felt no surprise, only a growing sense of caution.

The condition of these Mechanical Bodies far exceeded his expectations, and there was no guarantee they wouldn’t suddenly awaken if some condition was triggered.

He stepped forward slowly, maintaining a safe distance to carefully observe the silent, iron giants.

Their joints were precisely structured, and complex Energy-conducting patterns were faintly visible on their outer shells. Yet, no matter how he probed, he couldn’t perceive any sign of a functioning Energy Core, nor could he find any obvious, exposed section for a drive core.

It was as if their Energy had been completely drained, or they had entered the deepest possible state of hibernation, as deathly still as their surroundings.

Despite this, Roland didn’t dare let his guard down in the slightest.

He was well aware of the treacherous nature of ancient creations; an inadvertent touch could activate some unknown self-destruct program or defense mechanism.

Therefore, he made no attempt to touch or study these Mechanical Bodies, opting instead for a more prudent course of action.

At this thought, Roland quietly called to the Pikachu on his shoulder.

Under the faint glow emanating from Tress, several spells had already been set beside the Magical Guide Structures.

Only after finishing all this did Roland relax slightly, turning his full attention back to the platform in the center of the hall that was emitting a pillar of blue light.

He then walked slowly to the platform to observe the floating "Adaptive Base Plate" up close.

Under the steady, cold pillar of light, the details of the baseplate were clearly visible.

It was about the size of a palm, a perfect rectangle. The material appeared to be some sort of unknown, dark-silver metal alloy with an extremely smooth surface that reflected a cold gleam.

But the most eye-catching feature was the extremely intricate and precise golden patterns on its surface, which didn’t look engraved but rather as if they had grown there naturally.

These patterns weren’t static but flowed slowly, like a living network of capillaries. Tiny flecks of golden light flickered within them, as if breathing.

The edges of the baseplate were polished to an exceptional roundness, and at each of the four corners was a tiny, structurally complex interface or socket.

The whole thing gave off a strange impression, transcending a simple mechanical creation to seem almost like a living organ. A restrained yet profound fluctuation of Energy emanated from it endlessly.

The scene before him gave Roland a strange sense of displacement.

Ever since stepping into these ancient ruins, the rigid metal construction, the complex mechanical access points, the flashing indicator lights, and especially the intermittent, mechanized female voice from before—all of it brimmed with a "modern," even "futuristic" sensibility similar to the technological civilization of his past life.

For a fleeting moment, an absurd yet not entirely impossible thought flashed through his mind.

’Could the researchers who built this "Seventh Observation Station" be transmigrators from an Otherworld, just like me?’

However, as he closely observed the "Adaptive Resonance Protocol Baseplate" up close...

...and felt the flow of Magic Power within—a power that shared its source with the outside world yet had been highly tamed and utilized—

...he overturned his own theory.

The energy foundation for all these creations was not electricity, nuclear power, or any other scientific energy source he knew. It was, through and through...

Magic Elements.

This clearly told him that these technological-feeling marvels were indeed the fruit of this world’s own "technology," created thousands of years ago by the native people of this fantasy continent. They had achieved this through a profound understanding of the nature of Magic Power and an Extraordinary level of engineering wisdom.

It was a completely different path of civilizational development, one that perfectly fused Magic Theory with precision engineering.

At this thought, Roland couldn’t help but feel a daze of intense curiosity.

Since his transmigration, the societal structures, architectural styles, and living standards of the kingdoms he had seen were mostly akin to the Western Middle Ages of his knowledge. So, during the "Crystal Rhythm" era over a thousand years ago,

’what kind of magnificent sight was this continent? And what terrible disaster or upheaval could have caused such an advanced civilization to be completely lost, regressing to its current state?’

At the same time, another question surfaced.

According to the research notebook, researchers like the "Mechanical Artisans" were apparently not fully accepted by mainstream society at the time, and were even looked upon with disdain as being "unpresentable."

’So, in that golden age where Extraordinary Power and Magical Technology coexisted, what was the true face of the world?’

’How did the various systems of power coexist and compete with one another?’

Shaking his head, Roland temporarily suppressed these boundless speculations.

He then took a deep breath and tentatively reached out a finger, slowly extending it toward the dark-silver baseplate rotating in the pillar of light.

Just a moment before his fingertip could touch the baseplate’s surface, an invisible resistance abruptly appeared.

An almost completely transparent, yet tangible, film of Energy instantly appeared, completely enveloping the baseplate and preventing him from making contact.

At the same time, a faint, stinging sensation carrying a hint of a warning traveled up his fingertip.

But for the Roland of today, the power of this protective film was far too weak, and the stinging sensation was no more than a mosquito bite—utterly insignificant.

"Warning. Unauthorized contact attempt. Please cease operation immediately."

The mechanized female voice sounded again, clearer than before, but also colder.

Roland ignored it. He continued to apply pressure with his fingertip, and the Energy film began to fluctuate violently under his Power, emitting a faint hum as if strained to its limit.

"Warning repeated! Highest priority protocol triggered! Cease immediately!"

The female voice became urgent.

As Roland’s fingertip finally broke through the fragile barrier and made solid contact with the cold, smooth surface of the baseplate...

BZZZT!

The lights throughout the "Bottom Protocol Hall" instantly switched from cold white to a piercing scarlet.

A sharp, urgent alarm blared from all directions like a tidal wave, deafening in its intensity!

"Alert! Alert! Core protocol unit has been illegally breached! Initiating emergency defense procedures!"

At the very same moment the alarm sounded, a scarlet light abruptly flared to life within the eye sockets of the Magical Guide Structures kneeling on either side of the hall.

A tooth-grinding screech of metal and the hum of converging Energy came from within their massive bodies. It was as if they were being forcibly roused from a millennial slumber, attempting to rise and fulfill their ancient duty of defense.

However...

BOOM!

CRACK!

The instant they tried to push themselves up, something unexpected happened.

The [Oily Technique] and [Mire Technique] he had previously set had taken effect at the perfect moment.

The slick, soft ground couldn’t provide nearly enough support.

The heavy Mechanical Bodies had only just raised themselves halfway before they lost their balance. With immense momentum and a grating shriek of twisting metal, they toppled over. Their massive arms and torsos slammed into the floor, kicking up a great cloud of dust. ℯℯ𝑙.

Their scarlet electronic eyes flickered frantically as their limbs struggled uselessly in the swamp-like ground. They only sank deeper, temporarily losing all mobility like beached iron behemoths.

Seeing the Magical Guide Structures trapped by the Magic and with the piercing alarm still ringing in his ears, Roland dared not delay for a second.

He quickly stuffed the "Adaptive Resonance Protocol Baseplate" he’d acquired into a pouch at his waist while vigilantly scanning his surroundings.

He extended his Perception to its maximum range, on guard for any potential self-destruct mechanisms like sealed passageways or an Energy overload explosion.

A few moments passed. Other than the maddening alarm and the futile struggles of the Mechanical Bodies on the floor, no more extreme reactions occurred.

Roland’s heart settled slightly, and he no longer hesitated.

His Moonlight Longsword flew from its sheath with an icy shriek, transforming into several precise and deadly flashes of silver light that swept effortlessly through the immobile Magical Guide Structures mired in the bog.

Their sturdy metal shells were like paper before the blade, which was infused with Dragon Power.

With a cacophony of screeching, tearing metal and the sound of core structures being destroyed, the massive Mechanical Bodies were swiftly cut apart and dismembered, reduced to harmless piles of scrap.

The moment the scarlet light in the eyes of the last Mechanical Body died out, the piercing alarm that filled the hall was cut off, coming to an abrupt halt.

The scarlet warning lights also went out instantly, leaving only the cold white light strips overhead to provide illumination once more.

The entire space returned to a deathly silence, as if the earlier chaos had never happened.

Roland carefully used his Perception to scan the area again, confirming that the alarm hadn’t attracted any new threats. Only then did he finally let out a sigh of relief and retrieve the dark-silver baseplate from his pouch, cradling it in his palm.

Then, following the description in the book, he focused his will. A wisp of blood-red Fighting Spirit, so condensed it was almost tangible and radiating a scorching heat, slowly seeped from his fingertip.

Like a living tendril, it cautiously reached toward the baseplate in his palm.

The instant that wisp of Fighting Spirit made contact with the golden, flowing patterns on the baseplate’s surface...

A sudden change occurred!

Roland felt a slight jolt in his mind as a strange sensation fed back to him through the Fighting Spirit.

The wisp of Fighting Spirit, which had been under his precise control, felt like a drop of water hitting a hot pan the moment it touched the baseplate, or like a small stream suddenly surging into a torrential river.

Transformed and amplified by the baseplate, the nature of the Fighting Spirit he output remained unchanged, but its "channel" and "scale" seemed to have been instantly widened and enhanced several times over.

A feeling of surging Power, ready to burst forth, arose spontaneously.

At the same time, the familiar golden text once again appeared at the edge of his vision, flowing like water.

[Unknown high-level energy interaction protocol carrier detected...]

[Analyzing carrier structure...]

[Knowledge system imprint related to the "Mechanical Artisan" Profession identified...]

[Analyzing basic Energy conversion principles of the "Entropy Ash Core"...]

[Analyzing synergistic amplification model between "Adaptive Resonance Protocol" and Extraordinary Power...]

[Integrating information...]

[Assessing conditions...]

[...]

[Analysis complete]

[Assessment complete. Eligible for the Extraordinary Profession: Mechanical Artisan.]