Level 4 Human in a Ruined World

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Chapter 354: Supreme Armament (5)

"Uh, strategic...?"

Yeongwoo felt a sudden dizziness as Lemu's words about cosmic fate echoed in his mind:

「According to law of causality, everything in the universe has a rational basis and tends toward inevitability due to karma.」

In other words, the prioritized future inscribed in the Chronicle of Destiny was a result of causality and karma.

Put differently:

‘...It happened because it was bound to.’

Although the exact timing of his supposed marriage to that monster was unknown, it implied that all his past and future actions had inevitably led to this outcome.

Craaaack!

Princess Parina let out a guttural sound, reminiscent of a chest full of phlegm, and spewed a yellowish breath.

Though it was merely a vision, with no tangible heat, her fiery temperament was apparent to all present.

— What the hell, kid?! What did you do to end up marrying someone like her?

A startled Song Jiseon gaped at her son, her jaw dropping as she interrogated him.

Yeongwoo, looking both aggrieved and confused, replied:

"I don't know! And I'm not even married yet!"

— Did you miss it? If it's written in the Chronicle of Destiny, it's practically set in stone!

"..."

There was no refuting that.

But still…

‘What kind of situation leads me to marry someone like that? What on earth did you do, future Yeongwoo?’

Yeongwoo threw the question into the void, seeking answers from his future self.

Unsurprisingly, no response came.

Meanwhile, the crimson visions that filled the air dissipated without a trace.

Swish!

"Huh."

— Whoa!

As the images of future wife and daughter-in-law vanished, the stunned mother and son widened their eyes.

Lemu, sitting once more on his throne, feigned composure.

□ Intriguing, isn’t it?

Yeongwoo, undeterred, took a few steps closer to Lemu and asked:

"President, can't I see a bit more? Shouldn't I at least know why this marriage happens and what I gain from it?"

□ The Chronicle of Destiny reveals only what it allows. We cannot see beyond this.

Though far more must have been etched into the scroll, Lemu asserted that the Machine Tower's observation capabilities were limited to this glimpse.

Even if Lemu was deliberately withholding information, Yeongwoo had no way of proving it.

‘This is why it sucks to have no power.’

Yeongwoo surveyed Lemu’s dominion with envy.

His gaze shifted to the coin-like icon still resting atop a mechanical platform.

"Then, can I at least claim my reward now?"

□ Of course. You’ve earned it.

With a casual gesture, Lemu motioned toward the coin icon as though offering a meal.

Yeongwoo wasted no time and grabbed the last remaining reward.

Click.

In an instant, 800 million karma was transferred into his balance.

Whoooosh!

"Whoa...!"

Available Karma: 932,779,605

Available Defense Funds: 0

Yeongwoo’s wealth surged past 930 million, and the electronic flooring gave way as a massive steel vault, the size of a wardrobe, emerged.

Clang!

"What’s this?"

□ An armory.

"An armory?"

When Yeongwoo touched the surface of the mysterious vault, a large gap appeared in the center, and the doors slid apart, revealing the contents inside.

"Wow..."

As expected, it was indeed an armory.

Inside, a gear rack held a sword, a shield, and a small object resembling a key.

"Why do they look like that?"

Yeongwoo pointed to the sword and shield, questioning their holographic appearance.

Lemu, seemingly brimming with pride, answered:

□ These are customizable rewards.

"Customizable rewards?"

□ Input your desired effect, and the Machine Tower will locate and summon equipment matching those specifications.

"Ridiculous."

Essentially, a blank check for equipment—no wonder Lemu seemed so confident.

"What’s the maximum grade?"

□ Both are of legendary grade.

"Wow."

Two pieces of legendary equipment tailored to his needs—a value that couldn’t be measured in money.

On Earth, no matter how wealthy you were, obtaining the desired gear was often a matter of sheer luck.

‘So the President doesn’t just read the Chronicle of Destiny; he uses other forms of detection as well.’

Though Yeongwoo knew Chairman Dogo despised Lemu, he felt it wise to maintain at least a working relationship.

After all, Lemu’s ability to glimpse even fragments of the Records set him apart from all other factions.

"Um... Should I place an order now?"

As Yeongwoo cautiously reached into the armory, Lemu nodded.

□ May you find equipment that suits you.

"Phew."

Exhaling deeply, Yeongwoo touched the holographic sword.

Buzz.

Immediately, a search interface appeared.

[Please input your desired equipment effects.]

"Perfect."

Yeongwoo already knew what to ask for.

Just as he had requested from Yechan, he needed gear specialized in special abilities.

Currently, his build maximized the benefits of the Osmosis effect by optimizing base resistance values.

「Osmosis」 - Epic Ring

【The lowest basic resistance value is equal to the highest resistance value.】

|Fire Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%)

|Cold Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%)

|Lightning Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%)

|Poison Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%)

|Special Ability Resistance: 50%

|Dragon Resistance: 10%

His fire, cold, lightning, and poison resistances were balanced, while his special ability resistance was pushed to its maximum.

If he could keep stacking special ability resistance, he wouldn’t need separate gear for base resistances.

His offensive gear followed a similar logic: Yeongwoo was transitioning to a special ability-focused setup.

「Heresy」 - Unique Gauntlets

【15% of attack power is converted into mental damage.】

「Judgement」 - Unique Gloves

【Increases power by 20% against enemies with #abilities.】

「Dark Slash」 - Transformed Crescent Moon Blade

【While using this weapon, you will continuously take psychic damage.】

【Adds 25% of the psychic damage taken in the last 2 seconds to your attack power.】

【Increases psychic attribute damage by 10%.】

Additionally, his epic bow White Fire had a default special ability damage attribute.

'I have to find weapons and shields related to abilities.'

Abilities not only weaken an opponent’s equipment but are also a trait widely used by cosmic entities.

In other words, to compete in the cosmos, one cannot rely solely on the common attributes found on Earth.

‘Search for equipment with the highest single stat related to resistance against or damage from abilities.’

As Yeongwoo made this request, the search interface began working immediately.

[Searching for the requested equipment.]

Soon after, the holographic sword began to change shape.

Shuaaaah!

It was no longer a sword—it had transformed into something akin to a long spear.

“Already found one, huh?”

As Yeongwoo muttered to himself, the length of the first reward weapon, now a spear, suddenly extended to around four meters.

“Whoa?”

And then, its full appearance and tooltip were revealed.

「Horn of Kelpite」 – Legendary Spear

【20% of attack power converted to ability damage.】

【40% increase in ability damage.】

“Wow…”

Truly, a legendary item lived up to its name.

Yeongwoo was left speechless at the absurdly powerful effects.

‘Unbelievable. Sniping specific options during crafting can produce gear like this?’

With this, Yeongwoo’s ability damage ratio had now reached 35%.

At this rate, it would be nearly impossible to find an equal rival on this planet.

‘Heh heh, conquering Earth is just a matter of time now.’

As Yeongwoo gave a wicked grin, the search interface displayed a new prompt.

[Please input the desired equipment effects.]

One more.

Now it was the shield’s turn.

Just as with the weapon, Yeongwoo was about to search for shields with the highest stats related to abilities, but then he paused.

‘Wait.’

The grade of the next obtainable item was legendary.

‘If that’s the case, what if I look for an item with no numerical stats in its options instead?’

The moment this thought occurred to him, he immediately requested the search.

[Searching for the requested equipment.]

A legendary shield related to abilities but without numerical values in its options.

It didn’t take long for the search to yield results.

Shuaaaah!

The hologram, which had taken the shape of a shield, suddenly shifted into a rectangular form and revealed a metallic structure with a brass hue.

「Fully Armored」 – Legendary Shield

【When taking ability damage, all equipment becomes indestructible.】

“What…?”

Indestructible.

From the description, it seemed to counteract the primary trait of ability damage: equipment weakening.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Normally, exposure to ability damage over time would cause equipment to crack and eventually break, but this shield prevented that entirely.

‘But I’m constantly exposed to ability damage because of the ‘Dark Slash.’’

If Yeongwoo were to acquire this item, it would effectively render all his equipment permanently indestructible.

‘Well, since both will go into the collection, I’ll just hold Aratubank in my hands.’

This was already a satisfying haul, wasn’t it?

Moreover, there was still…

“President, what’s that?”

At the very bottom of the armory lay an item resembling a key.

“It looks like a key at first glance.”

Unlike the previous two pieces of equipment, the “key” was not rendered as a hologram.

This meant it wasn’t crafted as a customizable item but had been included as a fixed reward.

“Could it be a surprise bonus? Like a key to a treasure chest?”

Yeongwoo jokingly remarked as he reached out to pick up the mysterious object.

But just then, a warning hologram from the First Sword Art appeared.

“Uh-oh.”

It was already too late.

Yeongwoo’s fingers had just touched the key.

Tap.

「Villain Suppressor」 – Legendary Tool

【Applies a suppression effect based on the target’s level of malice.】

“Huh?”

The moment Yeongwoo read the tooltip, a massive vibration began to emanate from his fingertips.

The suppressor activated.

“Urghhh!”

Yeongwoo’s entire body was paralyzed as if struck by a taser.

Meanwhile, Lemu muttered an ominous line.

□ The decree has already written your future. At the very least, it confirms that you’ll marry the Princess of the Sun, so no matter what I do here, I won’t kill you.

“Of course not, you bastard! If you try to kill me, the chairman will come flying!”

Yeongwoo gritted his teeth and shouted.

And he was probably right.

The planetary evaluation fee that had already been paid meant a significant investment had been made into Yeongwoo and Earth.

If anyone, especially Lemu, attempted to take his life, the outcome would be painfully obvious.

Boom!

Meanwhile, Jiseon unleashed her breath on Lemu’s barrier, but it didn’t leave a single scratch.

□ But is it really because of Chairman Dogo?

“…What?”

□ Perhaps it’s simply because our story is progressing well, and that’s why you can’t die.

With these words, Lemu gazed at the sky.

□ The chairman is quite preoccupied at the moment. He doesn’t have the bandwidth to care about the safety of a mere advertising agent.

“…!”

Realizing this, Yeongwoo also turned his gaze upward.

Now that he thought about it, despite the increasingly dire situation, neither the chairman nor anyone from headquarters had intervened.

Why was that?

‘Could it be…’

Lemu’s earlier remarks about observing fragments of the future flashed through his mind.

Perhaps this moment was one of the many instances Lemu had been waiting for.

A moment when the chairman and the entirety of Dogo would be tied up.

Maybe all of this was…

‘The architect, Lemu.’

Whether it was because of the suppressor or his own horrifying thoughts, Yeongwoo’s entire body trembled.

At that moment, Lemu casually snapped his fingers.

□ All promised rewards will be delivered. However…

Boom!

Lemu’s two bodyguards began to approach Yeongwoo.

□ You’ll also need to sign a contract with me. Think of it as receiving an investment for the distant future.

“What nonsense is this? If I did that…”

The chairman’s wrath would be unimaginable.

It would also cause irreparable harm to his relationship with Dogo in the future.

□ It’s a dual contract. Legally, there’s no issue.

For the first time, Lemu smiled.

And seeing that smile sent shivers down Yeongwoo’s spine.

This guy must have already reviewed fragments of this future before arriving or had quickly set up the suppressor upon the Princess of the Sun’s appearance.

Either way, his cunning was undeniable.

“Fuck, the whole universe is full of villains.”

□ The contract terms are highly favorable to you.

“Shut up! As long as the chairman has my back, there’s no way I’m making a deal with you!”

As Yeongwoo shouted while restrained by the suppression device, Lemu's bodyguards, who had approached right in front of him, glanced back, awaiting their employer's signal.

In response, Lemu interlaced his fingers again and spoke softly.

□ I cannot go against the directives, so I won't be able to kill you immediately, Yeongwoo.

"Then isn't all this pointless? Why go out of your way to provoke me and ruin our relationship?"

□ If I restrain you, at least I can threaten you in other ways, can't I?

"What?"

Yeongwoo instinctively retorted, and then quickly thought like a villain.

Forcing his paralyzed neck to twist, he shouted toward his mother outside the protective barrier.

"Mother! Prepare to fight!"

―...What?

"They're coming for you next!"

The moment Yeongwoo yelled, Lemu's bodyguards suddenly changed direction, rushing out of the protective barrier.

BAM! BAM!

Since killing Yeongwoo on the spot wasn't an option, they intended to use Song Jiseon's life to threaten him.

―Damn it, telling me to prepare to fight, not even to run? What kind of nonsense is this?

Jiseon shouted indignantly, just as two of Lemu's bodyguards unsheathed blades from their fingertips.

SHIIIING!

―Hey, these bastards have swords!

Sensing their menacing aura, Jiseon flinched and prepared to unleash a breath attack, but Lemu addressed Yeongwoo.

□ Your mother won't be able to defeat my subordinates. I guarantee she'll lose her life in 16 seconds.

Since it was none other than the Lemu making the claim, Yeongwoo believed it to be true.

This only made him more confident in his response.

"Then let's see what happens in 16 seconds."

As Yeongwoo looked to the sky, as if waiting for something, Lemu followed suit, glancing up.

And indeed, something appeared in the sky.

WHIIIIIIIIINE!

□ ……?

It was none other than the signature oversized anchor of Chairman Dogo.

"If my future fragment has a family, shouldn't that be a clue? If my mother dies here today, my future family wouldn't exist. So something else is bound to happen!"

Excited, Yeongwoo explained as he confirmed the anchor in the sky.

But contrary to Yeongwoo's expectations, Lemu wore a baffled expression.

□ Families... can be established in various ways.

"What?"

□ Even if your mother were to die, it’s still possible to—

Lemu was about to continue when he couldn’t.

The massive anchor descending from the sky crashed onto Lemu's ship.

BOOOOOOM!

With a deafening roar, the four pillars projecting the protective barrier shook violently, and the bodyguards poised to attack Jiseon also turned their gaze skyward.

And then—

KA-BOOOOOM!

Countless swords rained down from the heavens, overwhelming the bodyguards. A thunderous voice resounded from somewhere.

―I am the one born of the battlefield, master of the Hundred-Thousand Sword Mountain, and the Destroyer King, Dogo!

□ …….

As soon as Lemu heard Dogo’s voice, he quietly pressed his forehead in exasperation.

Then, carefully addressing the void, he asked,

□ Aren’t you supposed to be under containment? What brings you here?

In response, a massive tombstone-shaped warship emerged, connected to the anchor by chains, as the voice boomed again.

―That matter has been resolved.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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