NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49
Chapter: 49
After digging through a world that was nothing but black rock for a while, I took a moment to catch my breath.
With my bare hands, I smashed the rock and poured the shattered pieces outside, creating a path. This relentless process continued until I reached a spot that would take an ordinary person all day to walk to without a break.
Hmm… Alright. Maybe I should set up a gate around here.
It’s supposed to be a path to the afterlife, right? Wouldn’t it be a bit boring if there were just a path with no gates? And of course, there should be something guarding that gate!
I collected the broken rock fragments and started sticking them together before carving away.
For the look… how about a knight in armor! Even if I don’t have any actual armor or knights yet!
A knight made of solid black rock that looks intimidating and angular. So strong that an average human wouldn’t even think about picking a fight with it.
Well, even if it’s a knight, its body proportions are pretty weird for a human. The image in my mind is more like a robot. Specifically, a black robot that’s still fresh in my memory.
While I was carving the rock, I couldn’t help but think about a certain robot from a comic where an iron man, who was originally an enemy, ends up becoming the protagonist’s ally after some crazy incidents.
Of course, I can’t make it exactly the same. Just borrowing the overall vibe.
Big and strong. Shoulders and legs that stand out boldly. Arms smaller than those, but definitely bigger compared to the head. And the torso should look sturdy.
And the overall vibe should be sharp and fierce.
After a bit of work, a black knight about 10 meters tall takes shape!
Great! Now that the overall form is done, I should check the less visible parts. I’ll lift it with magic, carve the back a bit, and etch grooves on the soles to keep it from slipping.
Hmm… But being all black makes it feel a bit bland, especially the chest part.
How about mixing in the design of another robot? Let’s start with… a lion on the chest!
Just like that destructive robot that looks like the final boss despite being the protagonist’s. I’m going to carve a lion there!
As for tails and wings… well, it’s just guarding this place, so no need for those. Let’s stick with knee drills. Yeah!
Awesome, it’s looking more colorful now. Should I paint it with some different shades?
Mixing dark red on the instep, forearm, and shoulders sounds good. Ah, and let’s paint the head red too.
For the lion on the chest and the knees, let’s add some golden highlights. For the eyes… hmm, red might suit them.
Gotta give off that vibe of a terrifying knight guarding the underworld. So, red eyes it is! And to make the face look less human, let’s go for a sharp, robotic feel.
And the most important part, the horns. Should they spread from the forehead in a V-shape? Definitely gold, right? Red or gold? I debated in my head, but I think robot horns should definitely be gold.
Sure, some might argue for white or red, but that’s just my personal take.
After deciding what to paint, I magically slapped some color on the black knight. The dark red is… RGB 133, 0, 8? HEX #850008. Hmm, a reddish-brown almost close to brown.
It’s a color that reminds you of slightly dried blood; I bet it’s enough to scare off an average person just by looking at it.
And the gold? For the bits that are supposed to be gold, I’ll just transform the black rock into gold for a nice plating. Hmm. Nice. It turned out more splendid than I expected.
It looks tough and creepy. The lion on the chest is brilliantly completed… uh… um…
I was totally aiming for a gatekeeper guarding the underworld, and somehow I ended up crafting a super fancy robot!
Sigh… Can’t do anything about it! I already made it! It’d be a waste to smash it now!
The gatekeeper of the underworld. The black knight of the netherworld! Complete!
Oh, but shouldn’t it have some sort of weapon? This black knight isn’t going to do rocket punches or shoot beams, after all!
For the weapon… hmm… let’s make it out of the same black rock! Then maybe coat it in black iron or something!!
What weapon should I whip up? A sword? An axe? A spear? A one-handed sword and shield would be cool, or how about a hefty two-handed sword? Yes! A two-handed sword sounds perfect!
A two-handed sword bigger than its own height! A sword so enormous that it could split the ground if swung down! Just picture it: wielding such a massive sword confidently and aiming it ahead—now that’s what I call a hero’s swordsmanship!
I roughly chiseled a big rock from the surroundings, then carefully shaped it with the edge of my hand.
Big and hefty. But sharp. I can add decorations later; for now, it’s all one piece from blade to handle.
No need for a scabbard, so let’s skip that. After a ton of carving, a giant two-handed sword is finally completed.
If you ask me, it’s too big to even be called a sword. It’s such a massive, thick, heavy chunk that it’s more like a mace than a sword.
The inspiration? Of course, it’s from the two-handed sword of a certain protagonist in a manga. The dwarves might throw a fit if we call this a sword, but who cares?
After finishing up the rock sword, I covered it with black iron, sharpened the blade, and carved some intricate designs on the sides.
The carvings are of skull reliefs. You know, the ones that show helpless skulls chained up and unable to move.
Only after engraving pieces that could scare viewers to death on both sides of the sword was I finally able to smirk with satisfaction.
And since it’s made from black iron, it should cut through anything. Hmm.
After finishing the sword, I placed it in the hands of the black knight and infused it with magic.
And just like that, the knight began to move.
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Rychlen moved through a cave made of black rock. Depending on the light from the magic stone in his hand, he pressed on without pause.
How much time had gone by? After a whole day of crossing the door, the twisty, narrow cave widened into a vast plaza.
And in that plaza stood a giant.
No, this was not the same giant he had encountered before.
This was the first guardian of the underworld, as told by the sage of the deep forest.
The Obsidian Colossus, Talos.
With those red eyes, it watched every being heading to the afterlife and was also a blade that cut down anyone disturbing the underworld.
The moment Rychlen saw it, he turned off the magic stone’s light and held his breath.
Spotting the black rock giant, which examined everything in the pathway with its red eyes, Rychlen got so tense he accidentally swallowed dryly, causing a faint gulping noise.
At the same moment, those fiery red eyes shifted towards Rychlen’s direction.
Realizing he couldn’t escape that gaze that seemed to pierce through everything, Rychlen tensed up and nervously gripped the object inside his cloak.
– The Adventure of Hero Rychlen.
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Now, this black knight is going to be the very first golem to use my magic!
Golem! This is important! A giant rock moving around on its own is a fantasy dream come true, you know!
Oh, my mind wandered off again. Focus back on the black knight!
Let’s see. I’ll want to add a function that automatically absorbs surrounding magical energy to use as fuel, and I’ll also cast a regeneration spell just in case it takes a hit.
I could throw a spell on it to keep it indestructible, but there’s something special about these robots being destroyed!
But yeah, I don’t want it obliterated entirely, so I’ll settle for the regeneration feature!
On top of that, to help it fulfill its gatekeeper duties, I’ll include a feature to scan for any beings entering this space with its gaze, adjust its output so it can move flexibly and powerfully, and maybe give it just enough intelligence to assess situations and kick out intruders.
A golem that regenerates when smashed, locates enemies with its gaze, moves fast despite its size, and every attack hits like a ton of bricks.
For the finishing touch, maybe I should throw in a device for monitoring in case Erebus tries to intrude.
Well, it’s like a magical night vision! Plus, let’s make it detect magical beings!
Finally, to really stick it to Erebus, the embodiment of darkness, how about a magical coating to give it some extra punch?
As for any special features… Hmm, guess it doesn’t need any, right?
Unless, of course, I feel like making a combining robot or something later!
Robot combinations are totally a thing in fantasy, after all.
Kukuku….
The knight made of black rock rose up. Alright then, how about I give it a name?
Hmm… It’s a massive statue, so Colossus? Nah, that’s a bit boring.
Black Rock Giant… Oh wait, that sounds like something out of a martial arts novel.
Giant. Titan. The Colossus of Rhodes. Hmm… So…
That’s it! Talos! Perfect! Talos!
Surely that’s the name of the bronze giant made by Hephaestus in Greek mythology!
“I shall name you Talos. What say you?”
And just then, the intelligent Talos nodded ever so slightly.
The moment Talos, the giant with red eyes, was complete.
Now then…
“I give you your first command.”
Talos stood confidently as if anticipating any command, and I grinned slightly as I said.
“Use that sword to smash and dig through the rocks!!”
The completion of a worker who tirelessly digs through the ground.