Genius Engineer in the Labyrinth - Chapter 32



Only Noblemtl

Workshop distance (2)

Holoskin is a magical tool for disguise, used to hide one’s identity by covering oneself with illusions from the crown of one’s head to the soles of one’s feet.

Everyone from the scavengers at the bottom who are stealing people’s organs to the powerful people up there have one.

Isn’t disguise supposed to be an act of hiding one’s true appearance? However, the woman who works as an agent of Breaker kept approaching Allen.

Even though Alan turned his head as if he was looking at the equipment hanging on the wall, he kept getting closer. I couldn’t figure out why.

‘Why are you coming? Did they find out the identity of the bird that was controlling the knight? The part the bird was riding must have been completely crushed during the battle.’

It wasn’t like the bird was anything important. It had a different character input than other automatons, and although the soul stone was an Oparts, it was just an item that came out of the maze.

While I was thinking about it, a woman came closer and spoke quietly.

“Nothing happened?”

It was something completely different from what Alan had expected. He thought she had come to question him about something, but instead she was asking how he was doing.

“What does that mean···.”

“The explorers I arrested last time belonged to a union with a bad reputation. They won’t act rashly since we’re watching them, but just in case.”

“Ah, the labyrinth was that kind of place.”

If you died inside, there was no way to know whether you were attacked by a monster or killed by a fellow explorer.

Even then, if Alan had been less capable and help had been delayed, I don’t know what would have happened.

“Can you tell me what combination it is?”

“Roman Company. They are involved in a wide range of areas where force is needed, such as dungeon exploration and mercenary work.”

“I will be careful.”

I had no choice but to be more careful than I am now. Unless you are part of a major corporation’s deep expedition team, labyrinth explorers don’t wear any marks indicating their affiliation.

‘It’s not strange to hide it at any time.’

In fact, it was funny to see a group of that size attack Allen to get revenge on a member who had been caught committing a robbery.

“But how do they know me?”

“Even if you’re captured, you can still visit. And it’s not common for someone to walk around the maze alone with an automaton.”

Alan nodded.

“Is that why you spoke to me?”

“There’s another reason. What’s with those eyes?”

“···.”

“I thought it was just a normal artificial eyeball, but I didn’t know it could see all the way inside the holoskin.”

The moment when Alan’s eyes displayed their power was fleeting, which meant that the woman’s ability to sense magic was extremely powerful.

“Where is the item?”

“It is not a business or a workshop.”

“You mean the magicware you’re developing alone? I see.”

The woman readily agreed. In fact, it was extremely difficult for an individual to create magic wear. It wasn’t even a relatively simple arm or leg, and it wasn’t an eye that was directly connected to the brain.

While she was wondering why he accepted it so easily, the woman glanced around Allen.

“So what’s going on here?”

“I came here because I needed an enhanced exoskeleton. I needed to improve my mobility.”

“Reinforced exoskeleton? There’s Manaheart.”

The woman’s slender fingers pointed to Alan’s heart. Manaheart, to be exact.

“If mana overflows like this, it will be easy to strengthen your body.”

It wasn’t easy to strengthen the body just because you had mana. People have limitations to their innate talents, and it was really hard to get out of there.

Allen’s problem was more about his body than his talent. If the excessive magical power was already eating away at his body, what would happen if he used magical power to strengthen his body?

It was like pouring capsaicin into already spicy food.

“I am refraining from strengthening my body due to personal reasons.”

“Is it difficult to strengthen your body? Then should I help you?”

“···.”

Alan kept his mouth shut. Magic guidance was not an easy task. It was not a simple path, and if it was a method to strengthen the body, it was extremely complicated. It was not something that could be done for just anyone.

I looked at her, wondering what she was thinking, but there was no emotion on her face.

‘That’s nothing to this guy.’

It was clear that the Magic India also recognized that ‘breathing is to inhale air and exhale when the lungs expand.’

He was a genius of sorts. He could even deflect bullets with his sword, so perhaps that was only natural.

I could see why it was so easy to accept that he was making eyes.

‘It’s easy to deal with the body, so I think other people would do the same, even though they’re in different fields.’

Although the woman’s offer was welcome, Alan shook his head.

If this woman touched my body, I would know my constitution right away. The magician was just like a doctor, so I had no choice but to tell her, but I didn’t want to spread it around.

“It’s okay. Thank you for your kindness.”

“It’s easier than I thought… Then what’s your name?”

I mentioned this last time when we were investigating the circumstances of the incident, but you seem to have forgotten. It was only natural, since Alan wasn’t a famous person.

“This is Alan.”

“I am Zion.”

Zion, who had given his name, pointed to each of the reinforced exoskeletons and explained them.

“If you’re going to be in the labyrinth for a long time, I recommend only looking at big companies’ products. Hacktech is durable, so it’s not easy to intentionally break it, and Chilsung focuses on output, so stability and durability are lacking.”

“It feels like something I’ve experienced before.”

At Alan’s words, Zion unzipped the long bag he was holding. Inside were swords, all of which had the Big Dipper and the Six Stars of Hextech engraved on them.

“You carry a lot of weapons.”

“Because it’s a black consumable.”

“As for consumables···.”

The runes and techniques given to the sword were amazing. Just looking at the runes engraved on the blade, there were at least four things written: [Reinforcement], [Elasticity], [Offset], and [Sharpness].

“Do you dislike runes that inflict damage, like [Fire] or [Ice]?”

“Just cut it with a sword.”

Zion had the right to say such things.

After the conversation, Alan chose Chilseong’s reinforced exoskeleton. The frame had a matte black coating that went from the soles of the feet to the outside of the legs and all the way to the waist.

They said there were durability issues, but that was only when compared to large corporations, and the level of technology was different from that of small and medium-sized companies or illegal equipment.

Even if it was broken, Alan could easily fix it. He had also deepened his knowledge of runes while modifying the snow and the leopard, so he could now handle two at the same time.

Alan, who had finished shopping without realizing it, asked Zion while walking down the street.

“Is there a secret unit in Breaker?”

“If you know, you’ll get hurt.”

“···.”

“I’m joking. It’s a secret, so it’s a secret unit. That’s all I know.”

It was difficult to obtain additional information. Besides, the breaker was not unusual.

There were one or two secret forces in the city. Chilseong and Hextech also had enough private soldiers. They didn’t even have to worry about the country, and since this was an autonomous city called Maze City, there was no need to say anything.

As they made their way out of the street, Zion stood close to the roadside. Alan looked at his original face beyond the holoskin. His eyes were still closed.

“Is closing your eyes part of a special practice?”

“No, there are too many dirty things in the world.”

As Zion answered, a black sports car pulled up to India. Even though there was no driver, the steering wheel and gear shifted automatically.

Zion entered the door that opened automatically.

“Then, if our fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

It was rush hour, so the roads were starting to fill up, but no one tried to get near the car Zion was in. Making way for an ambulance would be less of a scene than that.

Alan, wearing an enhanced exoskeleton, headed to the monorail station.

An orc wearing golem prosthetics on both arms, an elf sharing senses by connecting their sockets with cables, and a goblin carrying a large shotgun passed by.

There were so many unique appearances that Alan’s enhanced exoskeleton was not even noticeable.

Allen, too, had become accustomed to the city and didn’t even turn his head like he did the first time. Only his left eye was busy, greedily scanning the magic tools and magicware.

‘Usually you wear a Holoskin while on a mission and go about your daily life like you would normally, right?’

Alan thought of Zion, then boarded the monorail that had arrived. As expected, it was public transportation, so there was no traffic jam as it just ran along the rails. Even when it stopped at a station, people came and went so quickly that it didn’t stop for long, as if they were in a hurry for something.

I got off at the stop near Breaker and headed to the capsule hotel. As I was walking along the road where cars were blocked, I saw a familiar black car. I turned my head and it was the same sports car from before.

It wasn’t unusual for them to run into each other, as Alan was staying at a hotel near Breaker and Zion was living in one of Breaker’s buildings.

“···.”

“···.”

If the problem is that we met on the same day, even though we were meant to be, then that’s a problem.

When their eyes met, Zion pretended not to see them and acted like someone waiting to hear the signal.

*

The day after his visit to the workshop, Alan headed straight to the labyrinth.

With the help of the walking aid, I have less strength than when I was walking barefoot, and my walking speed has definitely increased.

However, he did not immediately challenge the goalkeeper position and took the time to adapt to the reinforced exoskeleton. This was because he was weak and had a weak temperament.

At first, he mainly moved around on the 4th or 5th floor and gradually went down. Sometimes, he would leave only one automaton behind and fight it with his staff.

I also stopped by a campsite where the floors meet and did some side work.

Maybe it’s because of the leopard that always accompanies him and the special nature of being a magic engineer who travels alone, but some people started to recognize Alan.

It’s nothing special, just a magic engineer who can repair things for cheap.

“Give me your contact information.”

“Why are you doing that?”

“If there is a problem with the repaired equipment, we must provide after-sales service.”

“I won’t touch it, so just take it back.”

“See? I knew it.”

Although I sometimes encounter problematic people and have friction, most of the time it is resolved amicably.

“If you don’t like it, get out.”

“I thought it was a big company product, but when I looked at the brand, it was a company I had never heard of or seen before.”

As the campsite was a crossroads connecting the levels, there were quite a few explorers, and they wanted Alan to continue repairing it.

If Allen isn’t there, we have to go up to the ground, so we don’t want to get some weird guy involved and close the business, right?

That doesn’t mean they didn’t have other ulterior motives.

“If you go alone, won’t you not be able to properly transport the loot? The automaton’s body is expensive, so what if you throw it all away?”

“I’m not asking you to join our party, but why don’t you just check out what people are like?”

An unaffiliated magic engineer is like honey on a tree, attracting all kinds of insects.

Even if he politely declined, other explorers at other campsites would still invite him, so Alan wrote that he was declining recruitment offers on the sign that said he was repairing it.

But the suggestions continued. When the door said ‘Push’, there were only a few people who pulled, and when it said ‘Pull’, there were only a few who pushed.

Arriving at the campsite on the 9th floor, Alan settled down as usual and began repairs.

As I was attaching the shockwave-firing bludgeon to the lizardman’s tail, a number of explorers appeared in one of the passages leading into the camp.

The lizardman who was being repaired muttered quietly.

“Those are the Roman kids. I heard a few were arrested a while ago, and they’re still swarming around.”

“Are you aiming for the goalkeeper?”

“He got killed today and won’t be out for two days. Maybe he’s just going to the 11th floor?”

The Lizardmen also seemed unsure, but their guess was correct, and the explorers belonging to Roman went straight down to the 10th floor.

Alan looked into the thick darkness of the downhill slope, then turned his attention back to his repairs.

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