200 Spoils

I feigned intent to draw the enemy into chaos, then swiftly seized one robot and retreated without delay.

If it were a human opponent, the fear of friendly fire might halt shooting during melee—but robots possess no emotion. They would fire without hesitation, even through allies.

Moreover, I sustain critical damage from a single hit, while the robot only suffers minor armor damage.

Engaging in a suicide charge would be disadvantageous.

I examined the captured robot desperately, using it as a shield in an attempt to break the stalemate.

More precisely, I analyzed the magic embedded within the robot.

A countermeasure against the magical interference plaguing me.

The robot legion operates normally despite the magical interference.

Their defense is exceptionally high. They clearly use magic, yet remain unaffected.

The answer lies in the robots having built-in magic that neutralizes magical interference.

A magic that further disrupts magical interference.

I am attempting to break the current stalemate by analyzing and replicating this mechanism.

The construction is highly complex and cleverly concealed, which has required significant time for analysis. However, upon completion of the analysis, the situation should be reversed instantly.

Focus on evasion while simultaneously advancing the analysis.

Even with thought acceleration, dodging bullets by reacting to them in real time is impossible.

Must predict the trajectory of incoming projectiles based on the robots’ movements, and avoid them prior to firing.

Avoiding after the shot is fired will be too late.

If it were just one opponent, I’d have no trouble. But with so many swarming in, my processing capacity can’t keep up. There’s no space left to dodge—bullets fill the entire area.

Still, to minimize damage, I weave and dart through the chaos, disrupting the robots’ formations.

It’s been a while since I’ve had to push my mind to full capacity.

Evasion. Analysis.

My head feels like it’s about to explode.

Seriously—my head exploded.

Shoot—shoot—shoot—!

The humanoid’s head is cleanly severed.

Idiot!

That was the main body!

Oh—

Danger. Danger.

The humanoid’s neural core has failed. Processing speed has dropped drastically.

In this environment, recovery is impossible. This injury would have been fatal under normal circumstances.

But I have endurance and immortality.

Even magical interference cannot stop these two skills.

Truly—these are broken-performance abilities.

The magical interference woven through this location should have severely diminished my abilities—even to me. Yet the broken-performance skills activate without issue.

As long as my original form remains intact, movement is unaffected.

If the humanoid head is crushed, and the spider-shaped brain is destroyed as well, that could become problematic.

But the leisurely composure I once had is now gone.

Without a functioning humanoid brain, evasion has become crude.

My right arm, already fraying, is torn away.

Several legs are lost.

Bullets graze both humanoid and spider forms.

This is no longer acceptable.

Only now does the analysis complete.

Based on the results, I deploy a makeshift imitation of the spell.

Deciphering an opponent’s technique mid-combat in such a short time—truly, I am a genius.

The effect was extraordinary.

Naturally, since it was a makeshift spell, its power fell short of the original embedded in the robot—but it still restored my status slightly, at minimum.

From that point on, the battle was one-sided.

The projectiles that had previously scraped off my flesh with each hit no longer caused fatal wounds upon direct impact.

Damage still occurred, but not enough to require using the robot as a shield.

Healing had begun, slow but steady.

I could not use magic again, but I managed to destroy the robot.

I struck it, slashed it with the sickle, and threw it aside.

In this manner, I eradicated the entire robot army.

I had prepared for death and rebirth, but somehow survived.

After destroying all the robots, I lifted the magical interference affecting this facility.

I had only destroyed the machine causing magical interference.

At once, my wounded body began to heal.

The humanoid head blown apart restored itself. My right arm regrew.

Ah… that was exhausting.

But I did it.

Fufufu.

Now comes the enjoyable part.

I thoroughly searched the facility.

Robots maintaining other robots.

Air purification system for functional preservation.

And so on.

Deep within the facility, I found what I had been seeking.

A massive machine.

The energy contained within it was immeasurably vast.

Yet, the energy increased over time.

MA Energy Generator.

This machine was the origin of the greatest Taboo.

An existence itself forbidden—destined to bring about the world's collapse.

Impossible. Still operational units remain.

I dismantle the device. Retrieve the core—a sphere no larger than a palm, storing the energy known as MA Energy.

This device can no longer harvest energy.

Yet all previously accumulated energy is concentrated within this core.

I temporarily store the core in an empty container, then retreat along the path I came, destroying the facility as I go.

I return to the site where the remnants of the robot legion are piled. Begin dismantling the robots.

Target: the cores embedded within the robots.

Smaller capacity than the core from the MA Energy Generator, but each robot should still contain one.

The target core lies within the torso. I extract one core from each robot, systematically.

Spread the collected cores across the floor.

Some cores had been damaged during combat and lost their energy, yet a considerable number still gathered.

Summing the energy from all cores would result in an extraordinary amount.

If converted into simple destructive energy, it would obliterate the entire area.

It would likely trigger a minor natural disaster.

Energy created by ancient inhabitants of this world to satisfy their desires.

Energy equivalent to the planet’s Life itself.

Fufufu.

This. This is it.

This is why I forced my way through unfavorable conditions.

I have the right to claim these as spoils.

That certain someone would surely take them if present.

Still, such a dangerous substance cannot be left unattended.

But that certain someone is not here.

The odds of defeating the robot legion were low. There was also the possibility of Gyuriguri interfering during combat.

Still, I considered it a windfall if I could obtain it. Didn’t expect it to go this smoothly.

Thank you, gods!

Ah, D— you’re not the one, right?

Absorbing this much energy into myself should yield a significant level increase.

The Taboo knowledge included a ritual formula for absorbing this energy.

For a human, absorbing this much energy would be suicidal. But I should be able to withstand it.

If everything goes well, I might even surpass the Demon King.

Therefore, I apply magic to the gathered cores.

I magically bind the cores to myself, channeling the energy stored within them into my body.

No noticeable change?

Strange.

Still, I absorb all the energy from every core.

Huh?

Wait…?

Something’s off…?

I expected some change—level increase, or something—after absorbing the cores.

Nothing.

Could it have failed?

No.

The ritual was flawless.

The cores are completely drained.

The energy has definitely transferred to me.

Just as doubt began to surface, it happened abruptly.

《Mastery level reached threshold. Skill 'Divine Domain Expansion LV9' upgraded to 'Divine Domain Expansion LV10'》

《Condition met. Initiating Divine Ascension.》

An unbearable shock erupts from within.

Then, I relinquish consciousness without resistance.