Chapter 416: Reaching the Peak

“You actually succeeded in creating artificial souls?”

I was truly astonished. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Timlad—it was that this was an unfathomable problem that even I had given up on. But Timlad had solved it so easily?

However, Timlad shook his head.

“Creating purely artificial souls is impossible. That’s an ability only possible with the power of Creation. Otherwise, souls wouldn’t have become the best currency in the lower planes. What we succeeded in making was simple versions of artificial souls. Or perhaps a more accurate term for them is artificial intelligence. It’s a modification of current Mage Tower Spirit technology…”

Simply speaking, Timlad had managed to create smaller versions of Mage Tower Spirits. But just this accomplishment was astonishing enough.

“Does this mean that we can now create an automated mecha army?”

“Of course, as long as you can foot the bill for its creation. Also, although we managed to decrease the size requirements for the technology, the energy supply and mechanical parts required still take up the space of an entire room. And an archmage is required to awaken the soul. Also, the process will make the archmage permanently lose maximum mana, and it’s also possible that the archmage will lose a power level. You can see that mass production is still unfeasible.”

Normal Mage Tower Spirits would be created with the entire mage tower as the foundation, with mega-sized energy batteries and elemental pools providing their energy. The mage tower’s master or an invited archmage would then need to cast a high-circle magic to awaken this type of artificial soul. The Mage Tower Spirit would also need to be hosted in a highly precious and expensive magical gem as the vessel. Mass producing Mage Tower Spirits would be impossible.

“Fortunately, the newest edition of Olivia’s Magic Box has improved the energy circuits. As for the research on the White Dragons—yep, I’m talking about their Dragon Egg shells—they actually make excellent soul vessels. Using them as the hosts for artificial intelligence can guarantee the artificial soul’s survival. It’s also possible for the soul to normally pilot a mecha. Although the cost for creation is still significant, at least this new type of artificial soul is capable of freely traversing the outside world without being limited to staying inside a mage tower.

“Wait a minute—the newest edition of Olivia’s Magic Box? Are you talking about OMBox 6? I recall that OMBox 6 uses mithril cores and that it costs more than 30,000 gold coins to create just one. The Swordcasters are complaining that they’d need to sell their kidneys to afford one. Compared to the OMBox 5, its functions have improved by only 30%, but it costs ten times more. When we first started selling the OMBox 6, we only sold three of them. Plus, Dragon Eggs are required, which increases the price even more. How much does one artificial soul cost in total to produce? I’m asking about only production costs.”

“The OMBox 6 has already decreased in price. It costs only 28,888 gold coins now… Cough—since two OMBox 6’s are required to create an artificial soul’s double core internal structure, the total production cost is probably around 100,000 gold coins for one.”

“…I might as well go sell my kidney. Can’t my research department be slightly more normal? Wait a moment, you said that the artificial soul is usable for mechas? Is it also usable for physical bodies?”

“It should be usable for both. We succeeded in giving a Rotten Abomination intelligence. The moment he gained intelligence, he started complaining to us about the stinky stench of his body.”

My research department named this artificial soul project as “Soul Embryo.” The technology to create this stemmed from Mage Tower Spirits, and the cost to create one was similar to that of Mage Tower Spirits as well. Miniaturizing the size any further would be impossible with current technology, but since these Soul Embryos could be used in undead magic creations…

“Alright, let’s first install them in the Mizar and Alkaid. The best swords should be given to the best warriors. It will be great if these two battleships’ combat strength can reach the Borealis’s level.”

When I had first created Envy, I was mostly thinking about how to make the incomplete Borealis start moving. But after so many years of battles, it could be said that we’d relied on this living battleship more and more.

The Borealis was swift, had great attack power, the advantage of flight and was excellent at logistical support. The most important part was that since this airship was living, it was easy to use and Marsolit could choose his targets to attack. Envy’s special abilities—absorbing water and devouring for regeneration, which were gained from that Hydra—also far surpassed the other battleships’ abilities. It could be said that the Borealis had no particular weakness.

Perhaps the Borealis hadn’t accomplished any amazing combat feats by itself, but its usefulness in different situations and high maneuverability meant it appeared in all the battles I needed it to. The Borealis was becoming a more important combat unit under my command.

Meanwhile, its imitations, the Mizar and Alkaid, were top-level constructions of undead magic. Yet this had been a choice I’d made helplessly as I lacked money and resources; in every aspect, these two airships’ specifications were inferior to the Borealis. Their greatest weakness was their slow speed, mostly due to their heaviness. The fact that they relied on outside sources for supplies and maintenance personnel also limited their effective usage radii. Since I now had an opportunity to increase their power, how could I possibly let this chance slip by?

“Excellent job. Increase the priority of this research project by one level and continue making progress on this topic.”

“…It’s already at the highest priority research level, so there’s no need to increase it. But I think that there won’t be any progress for the short time being since the Haletdam people—the ancient cultures had only reached this point as well.”

Timlad was muttering to himself as he left with his research, but I was delighted. Unlike the other people of this world, I knew that once artificial intelligence technology made its first breakthrough, technological advances would soon follow after like an avalanche.

“This is truly an accidental advancement in the science skill tree. Perhaps artificial intelligence-run mechanized production lines will be invented here even before cars and electronics. Timlad is truly amazing. As expected of a legendary hero from the game’s history. I can rest assured about my subordinates with such people around. I also need to use the rest of my time wisely…”

I felt a lot better as I looked at the overall current situation and the recent past.

Currently, the Northlands Mist Alliance was developing at a high speed. I doubted that any major problems would occur with Reyne and Glina watching over it. And there was my secret agreement with Orloss, where he would give the Mist Alliance a great gift. The Mist Alliance would only develop even quicker afterwards. With the Underground allied armies added in, the Northlands’ development should be absolutely stable.

Meanwhile, the Church of Law was also gradually becoming more accepted by the world. Although my bastard subordinates typically acted ridiculously, they were still quite trustworthy when it came to serious business. With them around, the Church of Law wouldn’t change to become something I didn’t expect.

The current relationship between the most powerful Underground Lords was probably at the most unified level it had ever been in history. Considering the special relationship between everyone, even if there was some major incident, the Northlands and Underground’s combined power could take care of it.

As for Xiluo, Auland, Bardi, San Antonio and other such powers, they were all mega empires or almost at a mega empire’s level. I didn’t need to worry about them. Right now, only Bardi was in a truly difficult situation, but I didn’t have to worry that they’d be completely devastated since the Mage Country and dragons were helping them.

Overall, it indeed seemed like I had greatly improved the situation compared to the game’s history. All the seeds I planted had sprouted. With so many friends, companions and allies around that could take care of themselves, I could rest reassured about them and plan my own grand scheme.

“Grand scheme? What’s that?”

“Do you still remember the summer rain by that clear lake…? Fine, don’t hit me, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you—it’s that I can’t say it until it’s time. There’re some existences out there that can learn about things the moment you say it. And right now, what I intend to do is best known by as few people as possible.”

While Evelyn was confused, she still decided to help me due to her past trust for me. I did, however, tell her about my Plan D: Allying with the devils and inviting devils into Dragon World.

“Who cares? The Titans will definitely revive, which means that this dimension will be destroyed. A ridiculous seeming cure is still better than no cure. Also, I trust that you won’t do wrong by me.”

Evelyn specially pointed at herself while she said she trusted me. She meant that she was separating herself from the dragons, that although I might do wrong by the dragons, I wouldn’t do wrong by her.

“You’re really confident in me, but even I don’t know why you trust me so much.”

“I still understand your personality. In a way, you’re really childish. You’ll be nice to whoever’s nice to you. You’re no different from an elementary schooler in this regard. Still, this part about you does help to make me trust you. As long as I treat you sincerely, you won’t betray me. Hehe.”

I felt rather helpless about how Copper Dragon Evelyn was all smiles. She made me sound like a harmless little rabbit! I really should pull the pitiful Sulfur Mountain City council members, beastmen and Emordilorcan out of Hell to have them tell her about how much I’d made them suffer.

“They probably all had evil intentions towards you or antagonized you in some way for you to make them suffer like that.”

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Upon closer consideration, this wasn’t wrong. Could it really be that I was a good person? I was actually a good person! Someone like me was really a good person!

I could only sigh since I was apparently a good person.

“No wonder my lives are always so short. In this world, good people won’t live long lives.”

“You? A good person? Amelia. Touch your stomach; that’s where your conscience is—you’ve already eaten it. Do you dare say that you’ve done right by her?”

“Fine, I’m a bad person. A really, really bad person.”

Harloys’ casual comment made me unable to counter her. From a certain standpoint, Amelia had truly treated me well. Back then, I was just a foolish novice whose mind was filled with thoughts of hatred and revenge. My talent for magic was awful, and Amelia helped teach me the basics while also giving me the foundation to start everything—knowledge on how to construct life. Even the me from back then considered whether or not to simply spend the rest of my life together with her like that.

Yep, when I actually looked back on the past, Amelia was truly nice. She was beautiful, treated me excellently and was a powerful individual. But once I thought about the grudge of my destroyed country, how could I possibly allow myself to drown in personal pleasures? Thus, I unhesitatingly betrayed her…

“Wait a moment, something seems wrong here. Did I really consider spending the rest of my life together with her? Why don’t I remember this at all?”

“…It seems you’re getting closer and closer to becoming a Legend.”

The silly cat’s sigh confused me. What did my memories becoming more confused have to do with me progressing in power level?

“What the—what does this have to do with my power level?”

I originally wanted to use a cuss word here, but considering the silly cat’s skills in certain areas, I decided to change my wording in order to avoid having my face be smacked instantly and embarrassing myself.

“This time, you’re probably intending on combining all your past experiences and paths into one to reach a peak that you’ve never attained before. You should have already finished thinking about the path of leveling up that you want to take.”

I nodded at this. There was no reason for me to deny it. From the very start, entering Legend and even Myth rank here in Dragon World was the most important task I set for myself.

“However, the portion of your memories that’s most incomplete is from when you were studying at the Cloud Tower. The second most incomplete portion is from when you died in the Bardi Empire. I recall that when we met at the Cloud Tower, your main magic was ice magic, but you were secretly studying undead magic as well.”

“Yeah. In that life, I formed my Ice Treader Soul Imprint. But actually my talent for ice magic is terrible, and I was mostly cheating through my System…”

“Are you certain?”

Even without the silly cat staring at me as if I was an unteachable student, I couldn’t believe my own words. After all, I recently obtained many memory fragments from these memories, reviving in my dreams. Actually, my second reincarnation Roland mostly relied on non-mainstream ice magic which was abnormal and incredibly difficult to defend against. It couldn’t at all be said that my ice magic was weak.

After all, I was filled with desire for revenge and sought power more than anything. If ice magic really didn’t have any potential for me, I wouldn’t have studied it as my main branch of magic. Thinking back on things now, I must have lost much of my memories and power about ice magic after reincarnation.

“You probably used an immature technique to forcefully separate your soul shard to create Lust Cher. You then sacrificed your own soul in order to activate Cher’s cycle of death and reincarnation. In any normal situation, this is the equivalent of drinking poison then slitting your throat and hanging yourself. You should have long since died. Being able to reincarnate yet again while only losing a large amount of your memories and power is already fortunate.”

I nodded as I thought about what must have happened then. The fact I managed to reincarnate then, apart from me being lucky, was probably due to my ridiculous System which was capable of restoring my tattered soul in the River Styx.

Although it might seem that my second reincarnation Roland Blackhand wasn’t very famous, my third reincarnation Emperor Yongye was based on Roland Blackhand’s foundation. My awkward, non-mainstream ice magic finally evolved into the peak of ice magic spells, the forbidden spell Ice Aeon. The life construction magic that Amelia had taught me evolved into undead construction magic, and I created the Seven Original Sins, becoming Emperor Yongye, Ruler of the Undead.

“Yep. Then what you need to do now is reform your four Soul Imprints of Law, Holy Light, ice magic, and undead magic. Then you need to combine them into a new Soul Imprint that represents your current life. As long as you have a good foundation, so that each type of power can support and improve each other, you’ll be able to achieve a result where 1+1+1+1 is greater than 10. You’ll have reached the peak.”

I nodded, as this was indeed my goal.

“But haven’t you considered just how hard reaching the peak will be? This is the equivalent of using four one-legged chairs and stacking them on top of each other. Any leg that snaps or is slightly short will cause you to trip and fall. Since you’re lacking in ice magic more than any other area right now, naturally your dreams will be tilted towards your ice magic memories as it’s telling you to hurry and make up for this weakness.”

The silly cat’s explanation was indeed easy to understand, but I kept feeling like it was awkward the more I listened.

“Also, when you fought with Zero, even I obtained benefits, so didn’t you benefit from that at all? She’s far superior to you when it comes to controlling temperature. Yet the ‘Law of Energy Conservation’ that you made in Frigidwinter Earth made her lose to you in the end. Your foundation in ice magic is already at a high level. Haven’t you ever thought about deeply researching Zero’s temperature stealing, Roland Blackhand’s Shadow Ice, Emperor Yongye’s Ice Aeon, and your current life’s foundational magic of Ice Sculpting, and then attempting to combine all four types of ice magic to explain the essence of ice? If you can accomplish this, only then will your ice magic truly achieve balance with your other three powers. Only then will your path to the peak have achieved a strong enough foundation.”

Whenever the silly cat went into her lecturer mode, she would speak in a way that was hard to understand. But as I thought about what she said, this was indeed a worthwhile goal.

“My other powers aren’t at such a strong level, are they? You’re saying that my ice magic will only reach my other three powers’ level after accumulating so many different lifetimes’ worth of experience together? Isn’t that overestimating my other three powers?”

“You’re the creator of Law itself, the inventor of a brand-new power of Order. You think that gives you a low status? This puts you basically at the same status and accomplishment level as the God of Holy Light. You think that your power of undeath isn’t that great? You’re the only Undead Emperor in recent history. Not only that, you’re no ordinary Undead Emperor. As long as your Seven Original Sins have enough time to evolve, all of them will be just as powerful as any Undead Emperor. This is plenty to be proud of.”

The silly cat’s words even contained a rare tone of praise, which made me feel like I was floating on cloud nine.

“Well, even if that’s the case, my understanding of Holy Light isn’t that great compared to my other powers.”

“…Indeed. Even if starting the Church of Pure Holy Light is something incredible, it can’t compare to your other powers. However…”

As I watched, the silly cat transformed into her youthful Gold Elf form. Her childish appearance had furrowed eyebrows and a highly worried expression.

“…If my guess is correct, you were naturally born with a higher purity of Holy Light than others. Your path with the Holy Light Soul Imprint should have already been fixed.”

I nodded. Without me even realizing it, my Holy Light Soul Imprint had fixed itself. Compared to how hard I had to work at all my other Soul Imprints, it wasn’t even anywhere close to their difficulty level. My talent for Holy Light had given me the wonderful nickname of “Child of Holy Light,” but some called me a more direct nickname: “Holy Light’s Illegitimate Child”.

“I already beat up all those who dared to call me that to my face back in the day.”

I proudly told her about my past accomplishment, but Harloys’s expression became even more worried and rather sad.

“…You’re not following Holy Light, but Holy Light still takes care of you. No—it should be said that the Source of Order is taking care of you. This isn’t necessarily a good thing…”