Level 4 Human in a Ruined World

Chapter 352

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Chapter 352: Supreme Armament (3)

"Culture… business?"

Tomiko, still lacking cosmic experience, could only take the words of this eccentric at face value.

And at least outwardly, it seemed believable.

Whirrrr…!

The descending ship indeed looked like it belonged to those involved in cultural endeavors.

Its pristine white, cubic surface gleamed like fine porcelain, descending silently without engine noise.

One could almost say it exuded a certain elegance.

"It does seem to have a noble aura, doesn’t it?"

"Exactly, right?"

Tomiko’s observation made Yeongwoo smile brightly.

Then, he added a cryptic remark.

"I’ve always been curious about who they truly are."

"What do you mean? Haven’t you met them before?"

"I have, but I’ve never seen their true form."

Every time Yeongwoo had interacted with the Lemu, their signature cubic entities had represented them.

When they made advertising proposals, they sent intermediaries instead of showing themselves directly to sign the contracts.

But this time was different.

Whoooooooosh…!

The ship descending from the sky was unmistakably a Lemu vessel.

This meant that the true form of the Lemu had to be inside.

"Lemuuuuu…!"

Yeongwoo spread his arms wide, welcoming the enduringly intertwined alien force, and the Lemu seemed to respond in kind by sending a signal.

Baaaaaang!

Like many ships, it emitted a sound similar to a foghorn.

Then, the ship’s once-pristine white faces shifted to a pearly hue, radiating a gentle, glowing light.

Fwoooooosh!

Current time: 8:49 PM.

The night was already pitch black, and with no grand events in progress, the Lemu ship was the only source of such dazzling light over Tokyo.

For those unfamiliar with the Lemu, their appearance was captivating beyond measure.

Psssssh!

As the Lemu’s ship reached a height of 50 meters above the ground, it released a mist-like substance from its base before coming to a halt.

It appeared they had no intention of descending further.

‘These guys are being extremely cautious. Well, considering this city is now practically under Dogo’s jurisdiction, it makes sense.’

Perhaps their earlier encounter with the chairman’s wrath on Earth made them wary.

‘Though if the chairman decided to intervene, their precautions would be meaningless anyway. What’s the point of this hesitation?’

While musing over this, Yeongwoo tucked the sword he was holding back into his belt.

At that moment, the base of the Lemu ship began to split into a square opening.

"...Oh."

Yeongwoo widened his eyes.

He had expected them to send a hologram or something similar for their contact, not to physically open the ship.

Click!

With a locking sound, thin white pillars extended from the four corners of the ship’s underside.

Hsssssss!

“Huh?”

—…!

Caught off guard by this unexpected development, both Jiseon and Yeongwoo flinched.

The four pillars plunged deeply into the Tokyo ground.

Thud, thud!

Essentially, the massive cube ship had deployed legs to support itself.

“Wouldn’t it be fine just floating? Why bother installing those?”

Yeongwoo murmured to himself.

At that moment, a thin membrane appeared between the four pillars extending from the ship.

Swish!

Completely transparent, the barrier allowed the ship’s underside to be fully visible, but the occasional shimmer of its surface confirmed that something was blocking the way.

In other words, this was likely...

‘A protective shield?’

As Yeongwoo speculated internally, the ship’s underside began lowering a gray, square metal plate.

"Oh…"

Sensing something significant, Tomiko let out a sound.

Yeongwoo, anticipating that the Lemu would be present on the plate, moved closer to the barrier.

And sure enough...

Whirrrr…!

As the square plate descended to roughly 20 meters above the ground, a massive silhouette came into view atop it.

"Wow, it’s huge!"

Tomiko, her pupils dilated, spoke to Yeongwoo.

The descending plate was a perfect square, each side spanning tens of meters.

But the entity standing atop it was so enormous that its silhouette was already visible.

“…Is this okay?”

Feeling a rising sense of danger, Tomiko asked Yeongwoo, but his expression betrayed no tension.

"Lemu used to sponsor Japan. They wouldn’t harm you without reason."

With that, Yeongwoo began removing his Vesedel armor.

Clank, clang!

The metallic armor encasing his body hit the ground with a loud clatter, causing Tomiko to scream and step back.

“What are you doing now?!”

"When Lemu promised support to Yuto, they requested the Naked War."

"S-so what?"

"It makes sense to receive the rewards of the war in the same manner."

This implied that the Lemu would expect it.

Tomiko was already exasperated by the reasoning.

"You… You’re insane."

"If you’re not going to undress, step back. Don’t get caught on camera."

"Excuse me?"

"Being clothed here would be disgraceful."

The reward ceremony for the Naked War.

It was undoubtedly being filmed, just like the war itself.

Thus, it was better for only the unclothed to appear on screen for the sake of marketability.

This way, the Lemu would gladly pay a hefty sum.

Having made up his mind to go all the way, Yeongwoo gestured for Tomiko to move aside.

"If you’re not going to undress, hurry and leave."

At this point, Jiseon turned to her son.

—What about me?

"Mother, since you’re already undressed, come closer."

Yeongwoo proudly invited his mother to the prestigious scene.

As the dragon-shaped Jiseon approached with heavy footsteps toward the direction of Lemu's ship, the gray metal plate finally descended in the heart of Tokyo.

Thooooom!

“Wow, these guys… they’re robots?”

Yeongwoo gaped, his mouth wide open.

The gray metal plate, spanning hundreds of square meters, was intricately etched with what appeared to be countless circuit patterns.

And at its center—

? ……

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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There sat a figure, unmistakably the master of “Lemu,” perched upon a throne forged of mechanical components.

A cape woven from silver-white cables and armor with delicate circuits sprinkled across its surface adorned them.

The mechanical body beneath, however, was composed of gray metal.

Its hands, also gray, bore rings that looked as if bolts had been partially melted and refashioned.

Standing roughly five meters tall, their presence was commanding.

‘…They look ridiculously powerful.’

Beside the throne stood two giant war machines, each at least ten meters tall.

Yet, they didn’t feel like bodyguards.

The figure’s aura was far too overwhelming for that.

‘No wonder they dared to challenge our chairman.’

Yeongwoo, who had envisioned some rich space tycoon, was stunned by the sheer majesty of Lemu, a presence far beyond his imagination.

Then again, isn’t wealth equivalent to power in space?

“……”

As Yeongwoo, still stark naked, stared at his opponent beyond the transparent protective barrier, the figure on the throne lifted their right hand from the armrest.

? Jeong Yeongwoo07. Your reputation has reached the very summit of the Machine Tower. It is a pleasure to meet you.

“……!”

? I am the Seeker, the Master of the Machine Tower, and the Architect, Lemu.

‘Not the Lustful King Lemu, but Architect Lemu?’

Of course, most prominent figures across the universe loved to use the title of “king.”

Chairman Dogo, the King of Destruction, did so, and Mara referred to himself as the King of Ten Thousand Demons.

But Lemu’s title wasn’t “king”—it was “Architect.”

What exactly did they design, then?

Since they had introduced themselves, Yeongwoo also bent at the waist in a polite bow.

“I am Jeong Yeongwoo07, a human from Earth and the Mayor of Metal Seoul.”

Originally, he would have added “Dogo Special City,” but considering his audience, he tactfully left it out.

“It is an honor to meet you in this manner. May I address you as Chairman Lemu?”

When Yeongwoo cautiously inquired, Lemu moved their mechanical facial muscles to form a smile.

? Titles are merely formalities. Call me whatever you find comfortable.

At this, Yeongwoo placed a hand on the hilt of his dagger and said abruptly,

“Hey, Lemu!”

? ……!

“…You’d be shocked if I called you that, wouldn’t you?”

Yeongwoo caught a fleeting moment where Lemu’s expression stiffened, his eyes glinting mischievously.

“In that case, I’ll call you President Lemu.”

As Yeongwoo suddenly shifted from “Chairman” to “President,” it was Lemu who posed a question in turn.

? May I ask why?

“For me, there’s only one Chairman.”

? Dogo.

“If it’s all right with you, I’ll reserve the title Chairman for him.”

? Chairman Dogo may not be a great businessman, but he is an exceptional warrior.

Was this a mechanical diss?

Yeongwoo mulled over the curious remark as he glanced up at the sky.

It seemed the Chairman wasn’t planning to make an appearance today.

Then again, he was probably busy working himself to the bone to prepare tomorrow’s wedding gift.

From what Yeongwoo knew, Dogo had so many business ventures that his company rarely had much liquid cash on hand.

In contrast, from their first meeting, Lemu had tried to win through sheer wealth.

‘Maybe the President is right. The Chairman might be an exceptional warrior but not necessarily a great businessman.’

Everything was relative, after all.

At least compared to Dogo, Lemu was clearly the better businessman.

Even now, Lemu’s attitude showed as much.

Weren’t they addressing someone of significantly lesser stature with the utmost courtesy?

“That aside, President, what brings you to this humble place today…”

As Yeongwoo began to broach the subject of the promised payment, Lemu waved their right hand knowingly.

? There is no need to embellish your words with me.

At that moment, the circuits embedded in the floor lit up in a radiant blue, and just behind the protective barrier, a white mechanical device emerged.

“Ohhh…”

As expected, the metal plate beneath Lemu’s feet wasn’t ordinary.

Within its domain, Lemu was practically omnipotent.

‘So that’s why the protective barrier is here? In case the Chairman shows up to start a fight?’

A reasonable suspicion.

But business came first. Yeongwoo turned his gaze to the device rising from the ground.

Lemu, gesturing as if to say “go ahead,” tilted their palm upward.

? Within it are the promised support items and the special privileges of the Machine Tower originally meant for Mr. Yuto.

“The special privileges of the Machine Tower?”

Genuinely curious, Yeongwoo asked, and Lemu leaned forward from the throne to answer.

? All resources of the Machine Tower are devoted to studying the Akashic Records.

“What… what did you say?”

The Akashic Records.

A kind of record-book revered as godlike among the denizens of the universe.

According to what Yeongwoo had heard, the Akashic Records contained everything that happened in the universe.

“Are you saying the Machine Tower’s special privilege has to do with the Akashic Records?”

? While no one can access the Akashic Records directly, with sufficient resources, it can be observed. Therefore…

President Lemu made the most significant movement they had since arriving on Earth.

Clap!

Their palms struck together, creating a resounding clap.

The top of the device that had risen before Yeongwoo opened, revealing two massive icons.

The left icon resembled a Karma Coin, likely representing the promised funds.

The right icon was shaped like an eye.

“Wait, don’t tell me…”

? The Akashic Records holds all of time: the past, the present, and the future.

“……!”

? Yuto sought to glimpse the future. Jeong Yeongwoo07, do you wish for it as well?

‘What the… is this guy some kind of universal fortune-teller?’

Caught off guard by the unexpected privilege, Yeongwoo gaped, though his tongue was already forming words.

“The… the future. If I really can see it, I must.”

At his response, the eye icon disappeared, replaced by three words.

? As a gift for this meeting, I will grant you a glimpse of the future. Choose one of these three fragments.

[Family]

[Infamy]

[Spouse]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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