Edward, Gou Dan and Joe were trading glances, with a dripping-wet sack fished out of the river placed beside them.
It was true that the two kidnappers escaped Joe and Gou Dan, which left them hanging their heads. However, the problem was that although Edward did succeed in fishing Eleena out of the river, the rope and sack that was holding the Saintess could neither be undone or broken-not even the flames of the Red Eyes Black Dragon could damage it.
Hence, the air between them turned awkward.
“Eleena, how are you feeling in there?” Edward then asked the sack.
“I’m fine, it’s quite cozy in here… Zzz…” The girl’s reply from inside sounded bored. “Ah, I’m not sleeping! I’m not asleep!”
The three youths outside scowled.
‘Here we are, racking our brains to save her… but the person in question has so unworriedly fallen asleep.’ Whatever the case might be, they shouldn’t be keeping the Saintess-in-training a genie in a sack. However, all three of them and Eleena had all took turns attempting different things, but they were all left scratching their heads after firing their skills simultaneously at the sack to no effect.
“Could you try killing yourself?” Gou Dan suggested then. “You could revive at the lifestone of the Unnamed Town anywayyou’ll just lose some EXP.”
“It would take too long: she doesn’t have a Resurrection Ankh with her and would only be revived after three days.” Edward shook his head. “Let’s save that until we don’t really have any other ideas.”
“What ideas do you have then, Edward?” Gou Dan asked.
Edward’s face wrinkled as he thought hard about it.
“Those two are too evil. Forget how powerful the hammer and buckler were—even their sack is troublesome.” Joe couldn’t help complaining. “Feels so gimmicky…”
“Actually, they themselves are gimmicky too. In the end, automatons are a magitek similar to golems, a product of civilization in their quest to ‘create life’ and reach the level of the gods. That said, as long as the God of Life’s Authority didn’t fall to anyone else, the automatons wouldn’t count as being alivethey are mere objects even if they had developed some extent of self-awareness.”
Edward had clearly studied information about automatons through the forums, and was now holding his chin as he made his analysis. “They won’t go after Eleena for no reason. Someone must have ordered it behind the scenes!”
“Is that why their names are yellow and not red?” Gou Dan said with a look of understanding. “After all, the weapons of monsters would only count as equipment and not enemy!”
Edward didn’t argue, although he doubted that inwardly.
It was not as if they had not fought golem enemies before—those enemies were red-named, which was why Gou Dan’s theory was incorrect.
Even so, Edward could not come up with any explanations beyond that, which was why he should refrain from discussing the clue further until there was confirmation.
“Either way, it seems that our enemies this time has some powerful items…”
Edward said, making conversation to break the silence when he suddenly felt an inspiration. “If that’s so, shouldn’t we talk to a specialist?”
“Specialist?” Gou Dan and Joe looked confused.
“Sure, we usually call our own stuff ‘items’, but from an academic perspective, most items that possess special effects can be categorized as magitek!” Edward hinted.
Naturally, although legendary weapons such as Joe’s Giant Toe, Gou Dan’s AWM and Edward’s Happy Flames were handmade (or tentaclemade) by Xi Wei personally and strictly speaking were divine relics, that wasn’t really important
“I’ve got it! We should look for an item specialist… in other words, Ironfelt or the other dwarves!” Joe put his hands together in understanding. “No. Ironfelt and the other dwarves are actually blacksmiths. The alchemist-Lady Kinley would be the one who has studied magitek.” Edward corrected while rising to his feet. “We should go back to town for a bit anyway. Are you alright in there, Eleena?”
The sack: Zzz….
The trio: “Don’t fall asleep!”
*
*
*
The white radiance of a warping faded as soon as it appeared after a town portal scroll was torn.
When they could see again, the trio plus one sack was already beside the lifestone of the Unnamed Town.
The townsfolk were used to Players who exploring foreign places bringing back a random assortment of things (any imports exceeding the weight limit would be charged with the purchase of a permit), which was why Edward’s group having a sack with them wasn’t exactly special.
But before they could carry the sack with them and leave the lifestone, another light shone beside them.
Although Edward’s group assumed that it was another returning Player, they turned to find that it was Marni, who had just come back to life. He became interested in the rope and the sack as well after hearing their story, and went with them to the atelier.
Kinley Ainsworth-ex-fiancée to Angora, liege of the Unnamed Town, had an atelier in the town itself. As an instructor in alchemy to most Players for their Life Skills, coupled with her good looks and having a way with people, many loyal bootlicking Players were at her beck and call since she wasn’t a baddie despite being a little keen on personal profit…Either way, she studied the sack for over an hour after Edward and the others handed it (with Eleena inside) to her, before smiling and admitting defeat.”
“It isn’t human magitek at all—the structure of the magic circuits and even its conduction system defy common knowledge.” The lady rubbed her forehead while looking rather bemused. “Of course, it’s neither a sacred item or a holy artifact. It is just a magitek built using unknown principles.”
“So, what should we do?” Joe looked immediately dumbstruck.
That said, he didn’t understand what she was saying at all.
Meanwhile, Gou Dan patted the sack and somberly said, “Kill yourself, Eleena.” Edward sent him flying with a kick before turning back to Kinley. “Is there really no other way?”
“My mentor could examine some of the technology if he’s here.” The lady shrugged. “In the very least, I don’t have that ability. However…”
“However?” Edward’s eyes brightened, having lost all hope just then.
“I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence…” Kinley cleared her throat as she flinched inwardly under Edward’s gaze. “The patterns on the sack bears some strong resemblance with the elven crafts brought here from Trinia. A trip there might get you something.”