Wizard: Building a Golem Legion From Zero

Chapter 481: Chapter 469: Pushing Open the Final Door

Footsteps and voices came from the mouth of the alley.

"...So, like I was saying, that guild is a bunch of idiots. A level 70 boss is way out of their league," a man’s voice said.

"Kirito, don’t say that. At least they had the courage to try," a gentle female voice replied, a hint of helpless laughter in her tone.

"Courage? Asuna, that’s recklessness. See? Now we have to clean up their mess again."

A man and a woman walked in.

The man wore a long black windbreaker, with two single-handed swords crossed on his back.

The woman was in a red and white Knight’s uniform, a delicate rapier hanging at her waist. Her chestnut-colored hair was tied back with a ribbon.

Their eyes fell on the girl in the corner at almost the same time.

"A new player?" The black-clad Swordsman, "Kirito," raised an eyebrow. "No, there’s no system marker. Hey, little girl, are you an NPC or a player?"

"Zero" tilted her head but didn’t answer.

"Don’t scare her." The female Swordsman, "Asuna," walked over and crouched down, trying to meet the girl’s gaze. "Hello, what’s your name? Did you get separated from your friends?"

"Zero" looked at her, Asuna’s gentle face reflected in her pupils.

"She looks so scared."

The chestnut-haired girl crouched down, extending a hand to Zero, her voice gentle. "Don’t be afraid. Are you lost? What’s your name?"

She opened her mouth and uttered a single, monotonous syllable: "Zero."

The couple took her in.

For the next twelve days, Kirito and Asuna took Zero with them through the forests and lakes of the 22nd Floor.

They taught her how to use a knife and fork, how to identify medicinal herbs, and basic life skills.

"We’re going to join the front-line assault team."

On the morning of the thirteenth day, Kirito patted Zero’s head. "The front lines are too dangerous. I found a reliable party for you."

Asuna gave Zero a hug, then turned and left.

Zero stood frozen, watching their backs as they departed. For the first time, she felt a strange emotion.

She didn’t know this was called "parting."

The ones who took Zero in next were a small adventuring party consisting of the retired veteran, Cole, and a young girl named Amy.

In the real world, Cole was a retired veteran; in the game, he was a heavy shield guard.

Amy relied on medication to survive in reality, but in the game, she was an energetic Wind Mage.

"What are you spacing out for, little Zero? Today, we’re going to the 10th Floor to farm for Wind Spirit Stones!" Amy grabbed Zero’s hand, her smile radiant.

Zero’s gaze fell on the hand Amy used to grasp hers, feeling the warmth that spread from it.

"The target area has a high-risk factor. It is advisable to carry intermediate-level health recovery potions," Zero stated, her face expressionless.

"I know, I know. Our little Zero is the most meticulous one here," Amy said, pinching Zero’s cheek.

Over the next month, Zero completely integrated into the small party.

She witnessed Cole’s calm resolve as he smashed an orc’s skull with his shield, and she saw Amy’s joyful laughter as she ran under the sun.

In the labyrinth area of the 7th Floor, three frenzied wolves cornered Amy.

Cole was tied up with another group of monsters and couldn’t provide backup.

According to the logic Asuna had taught her, she should have immediately turned and fled.

A wolf leaped, its sharp claws swiping at Amy’s throat.

Zero’s body moved on its own.

Instead of retreating, she took a step forward, shielding Amy with her body.

The claws tore into Zero’s shoulder. Blood gushed out, and the intense pain made her furrow her brow.

「After the battle.」

Amy threw herself at Zero, hugging her as tears soaked her shoulder. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?! Why did you jump in front of me!"

She raised a hand and patted Amy’s back, a bit awkwardly.

"Because... I don’t want to see Amy cry."

「Cybertron Main Control Room.」

Allen sat upon his Gold throne, the holographic projection before him displaying an image of Zero smiling.

"Commander, the foundational architecture of the ’Seed’ has undergone a fundamental restructuring. The core ’risk aversion’ logic has been overwritten."

Allen looked at the soul-waveform graph representing Zero.

’It seems she’s about to become a true life form.’

He subconsciously glanced at his own Humanity Value panel.

The number had already dropped back to 61.3%. ’I’m the one who’s becoming more like a robot.’

Zero’s growth over the past month had been immense.

From mechanical imitation to an unintentional protectiveness, she had gradually cultivated humanity through gentle, daily life. The progress was pleasing.

’There’s no more time to wait. Let me be the one to personally push open the final door for you.’

’When do humans burst forth with their most intense emotions?’

’It’s the moment something beautiful is utterly crushed.’

There was no warmth in Allen’s deep blue eyes.

"Jarvis, bring up the current status of the 7th Floor’s boss, ’Kobold Lord Ilfang’."

"Ilfang is about to be defeated. Participants: 82 players. Commander: Cole. Estimated success rate: 94%."

"Excellent." Allen issued the command. "Modify Ilfang’s base code."

「7th Floor, Boss Room.」

Inside the huge, circular arena, nearly a hundred players formed a tight phalanx.

Torches illuminated the surrounding stone walls.

In the center of the arena, the ten-meter-tall Kobold Lord Ilfang held a giant nodachi and let out a deafening roar.

"Group One, hold the front! Group Two, DPS the flanks! Healers, watch the main tank’s health!" Cole shouted, holding up his heavy Tower Shield from the front line, his voice steady and powerful.

This was the boss raid their guild had been preparing for half a month. They had already figured out Ilfang’s attack patterns.

It would only mechanically attack the target with the highest aggro, and when its health dropped to 30%, it would use its nodachi for a wide-area sweep.

Everything was proceeding according to plan. Ilfang’s health bar was steadily decreasing, already approaching the 30% threshold.

In the back ranks, Amy waved her Magic Staff, casting Magic.

Zero stood beside her, eyes fixed on the battlefield, ready to cast a healing spell at any moment.

She had immediately changed her class to Priest after Amy was injured last time.

"Everyone, push harder! After we take down this boss, our guild will be able to buy a headquarters on the 7th Floor!" Cole roared.

The players’ morale soared.

...

"Allocate redundant processing power. Remove Ilfang’s AI restrictions."

"Lock the boss room doors. Enhance the power of Ilfang’s skills."

"Cancel the players’ pain reduction protection. Increase realism by 20%."

...

Ilfang’s health bar dropped to 30%. According to their strategy, it should have thrown away its weapon.

But it didn’t.

Instead, it slowly stood up straight. Its once-murky yellow eyes instantly turned scarlet red.

Cole instinctively sensed something was wrong. He raised his shield. "Everyone, defen—"

Before he could finish, Ilfang vanished.

Its massive body erupted with a speed far exceeding anything before.

It didn’t attack Cole, who was right in front of it. Instead, it leaped directly over the front line and crashed heavily into the ranks of the healers in the back.

The ground trembled.

The giant nodachi swept out with a piercing whistle.

A dozen or so Priest players were sliced in half at the waist before they could even react.

Blood sprayed onto the faces of the surrounding players.

Screams of absolute agony tore through the hall. They didn’t immediately vanish into motes of light; instead, they writhed and wailed in pain on the ground.

"AHHH—my legs! It hurts so much! Help me!"

One player, whose lower body had been severed, struggled frantically in a pool of blood, hands clutching his own intestines, his facial muscles completely contorted by the excruciating pain.

The hall instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by the gore, which surpassed all their expectations.

SLAM.

The bronze main doors behind them slammed shut, sealing them in completely.

"Wh-what’s going on?" a player stammered, staring blankly at the dismembered limbs on the ground.

But Ilfang didn’t pause.

With a backhand swing of its sword, it cleaved that player in two, weapon and all.

"Scatter! All back-line players, scatter!" Cole roared, his eyes wide with fury.

But it was too late. Empowered by the extra processing power, Ilfang was no longer an NPC running on a fixed program.

It completely ignored the front line drawing its aggro, specifically targeting the weakly defended Mages and Priests.

Every swing of its sword claimed several lives. Screams, cries, and the shattering of weapons intertwined, turning the place into a true hell.

The players’ formation collapsed in an instant.

Fear spread like a plague.

"Help me! I don’t want to die!"

"It hurts! It hurts so much!"

Someone tried to forcibly log out of the game, only to find the system menu had become a mess of garbled code.

"Jarvis, report on the data collection status," Allen said, his voice steady as he watched the screen filled with carnage.

"Samples of negative emotions such as extreme fear, despair, and collapse are surging. Data collection rate has increased by 4700%. The artificial soul ’Seed’s’ activity has broken the critical threshold."

"Maintain current conditions."

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