Nianbach had successfully managed to completely evade his pursuers.
But he did not survive.
The poison that gnawed at his heart had eventually driven him to the edge of the cliff.
Spending what little life he had left on his own survival was out of the question.
Instead, he resolved to gather all his remaining strength to create a Guardian.
The Guardian was completed just as Nianbach’s last breath faltered.
Nianbach was cradled in the arms of his beloved wife and daughter.
The two embraced him ‘silently’.
“Ebrin… please take care of our daughter. I’m sorry for leaving first.”
A moment later, the Guardian, having completed its initialization process, opened its eyes.
To the Guardian’s eyes, Nianbach lay asleep peacefully.
「Guardian ‘Father’ commencing mobilization.」
「This unit’s mission is to protect Nianbach’s wife and daughter, ‘Ebrin’ and ‘Aletia’, from external threats.」
「Additionally, as Aletia’s adoptive father, this unit has the duty to educate and support accordingly.」
The voice of the Guardian was mechanical.
Indeed, it was. Father was no more than a machine that moved solely by logic, devoid of emotion.
However, anyone who heard this voice would undoubtedly feel a sense of unease.
「Thus, I ask: where are Ebrin and Aletia that I must guard?」
「This unit only detects the body of Nianbach and two unidentified corpses.」
「The unidentified corpses are estimated to have been dead for a long time.」
「Given Nianbach created this unit while alive, it logically contradicts the idea that the corpse is the target to be protected.」
…
「Please reply.」
「Where should this unit guard?」
「Were Ebrin and Aletia indeed alive as you have seen?」
…
「331,347th communication. Request termination of guardian duties.」
「…No response from the master. Mission will continue.」
After a desolately nostalgic flashback,
A system message twinkled as if suggesting whether we should stay or leave.
A blue portal leading outside the dungeon.
A red portal, leading to greater depths.
Between these two paths, our choice was practically predetermined.
“Shall we proceed inward?”
“Of course, we must check it out.”
Every person present was an experienced core gamer, having dedicated considerable time to games.
Higher difficulty. Riskier adventures. Ultimately, better rewards.
If one didn’t crave those, they wouldn’t have made it into our party.
Soobin moved first, with everyone following.
A momentary blackout of vision, and we arrived in a new area.
I…didn’t like the story this dungeon was telling.
“Warning: This unit ‘Father’ is responsible for safeguarding this cradle.”
“Step back. Further approach will necessitate forceful restraint.”
As we advanced along the long corridor, occasional red flashes appeared.
The warning sound resembled a real-life siren, beeping continuously.
Although the situation suggested an emergency, no monsters appeared.
Instead, the only sound was the dry, machine-like voice.
“Intruder, why have you come here?”
“Neither Ebrin nor Aletia are here. I am merely a guardian protecting nothing.”
“Turn back. All that remains here is the futile attachment of a madman.”
“There is nothing here for you to find.”
The deeper we moved, the more I understood the source of discomfort.
A Guardian born without something to protect.
A ghost bound to the past, devoid of any growth or meaning.
A fool who pours their finite life into an unrealistic dream.
Since these three tales sounded too similar,
I felt an oppressive tightness in my chest.
While walking the emptiness of the corridor, my hand unconsciously reached for a corner of the interface.
[Inbox – Permanent Storage]
– [Sigma eSports] Recruitment Proposal
– [AT] Proposal for Joining
– [Q Prime] Recruitment Proposal
– [青云] Proposal for Professional Esports Joining
– [Falcon] Player Contract Proposal
Various languages formed these recruitment proposals.
Since winning the Arena… some even predated that, these started to pile up in my inbox.
I went through the trouble of translating each one.
Ultimately, I refused them all, though it wasn’t really by my own choice. Is referring to it as ‘refusal’ even appropriate?
Regardless, receiving these professional offers filled me with such joy that I couldn’t help but smile every time I looked at them.
I treasured them as if they were precious trophies.
Reflecting on it objectively, it felt quite embarrassing.
It’s disgusting.
‘Shouldn’t it be time for me to make a decision?’
I know all this is just attachment.
Since I could not forget what I had already abandoned, or what I had already failed at, I am a captive.
Like the dungeon’s guardian receiving a duty it cannot fulfill, I am ensnared by a dream I cannot achieve.
Now that I’ve won the championship once already,
Starting now, I’ll properly let go of my sword and study. I’ll get a job. I’ll live a healthier life than this.
But, can that person still be called ‘me’?
The rising annoyance.
Gripping the hilt of my dagger, I pushed these unpleasant emotions deep within.
It’s something I’ve become quite adept at.
As long as I don’t directly handle a sword, I can push these unpleasant feelings aside without difficulty.
Though there’s a possibility it might explode someday, it won’t happen today.
The guardian didn’t mobilize a single troop as we reached the end of the corridor.
We paused momentarily at the entrance of a vast battlefield.
“There seems to be nothing unusual.”
“The battlefield looks broad. Could it involve area attacks or some big gimmicks?”
“Considering what we’ve encountered so far, it’ll probably just be a straightforward boss fight.”
Stepping into the battlefield will immediately start the combat.
Thus, it’s better to gather any possible information beforehand.
The twitching sensation was bothersome, so I decided to keep the rabbit ears down for now.
There’s no clear confirmation except for the appearance of the boss monster.
A pair of swords serve as the basic weapons. The guardian, resembling a human figure around 2 meters tall?
Notable is the floating of various other weapons nearby.
It appears we will be facing a melee-focused battle.
Having human weapons probably means the guardian intends to use them.
The vast battlefield looks completely empty, and no further information can be obtained pre-combat.
So, there’s only one course left.
“Let’s stick to the basics. Sanse will handle map pattern observation in case of unexpected situations. Soobin will tank first, but if things get dicey, Dolgyul will go into frenzy mode. The rest will readjust accordingly.”
“What about me?”
“The damage dealer…well, let’s just handle it together.”
That concludes the order.
Without hesitation, I stepped forward.
Today, it feels like I’m exerting much more force on the dagger in my hand than usual.
*
“Finally, you’ve arrived. Guardian ‘Father’ is executing its duty.”
“Since my mobilization began, you are the first intruder to reach here.”
“I don’t understand. I possess no value. What do you intend to fight for?”
Even I don’t know.
The guardian aimed its blade at the leading Soobin.
A javelin that had flown from unseen within the map collided with the great sword.
The parry was unsuccessful, but the warrior did not stop moving forward.
Well, apart from that, my concern now is the completely obliterated health bar.
The damage is terrifying.
I should not get hit.
“Can you endure it?”
“Not at all!”
“Looks like it.”
What else can we do?
That’s the fate of melee warriors.
There’s nothing I can immediately do about Soobin’s dwindling health bar.
But, I feel I need to go a bit ahead.
With a jump from the shoulder holding the great sword, I ascended to a beam on the ceiling, tying a rope.
Viewing the battlefield from above gave me a clearer picture.
The tip of the guardian’s blade discharged a gray light.
Any part of the ground touched by the light turned crimson and started melting.
If we don’t do something, the melting ground will roast our ranks like a well-done chicken.
I had already thrown a dagger toward the guardian’s ankles and dived down.
The first target must be the neck.
[A heroic hymn echoes.]
[All offensive power increased by 7%…]
[By caster: Sansa.]
Any bipedal creature, having two arms and legs for upright movement, has fairly predictable weak points.
Humans were created in the most efficient form.
The most crucial viewpoint is optimal from high altitudes.
To fully process visual data, the central processing unit, or the brain, must be located in the same general area.
The best spot to distribute power throughout the body is, naturally, the heart.
Thus, modeling after humans implies predictable weak points.
“Fall back!”
Soobin and Dolgyul promptly retreated.
As soon as I brought down my dagger, shadows surged upward.
Several black blades pierced through the guardian’s body, but my weapon failed to penetrate its armor.
“Detection of partial damage to actuators. Commencing self-repair.”
“Updating primary threat.”
A fleeting flicker of dark light on the ground.
Just as I took a precautionary step back, a gray blade of light surged upwards from the floor.
The skill was exactly the same as the one I had used.
A foreboding sensation rang an urgent warning in my mind.
“Initial adaptability rate 4.41%. Classified as an assassin. Height approximately 5.12 feet. Weight…”
“Are you serious? Shut your mouth already?”
