Star Forge Titan

When the magic machine came to a standstill, Afrediya, who had instantly turned back into human form, immediately found an excuse to hang on to him, secretly wanting to take the opportunity to push Diana away, but the latter avoided it nimbly, causing some of the Demon King's body modules to jump around due to inertia.

Ivan saw the entire "confrontation" between the two, but since he was rarely ignorant, he decided to pretend that he didn't see it.

After a while of arguing, the three of them transformed into crabs and walked into the ruins of 'God's Gate - Babelon'.

The city area at the bottom is the largest, but the quality of the building materials is obviously not excellent. Due to the passage of time, it has suffered very severe weathering reactions. The overall earth-yellow exterior wall surface is undulating, and cracks and broken erosion marks can be seen everywhere.

Passing through the half-collapsed massive metal gate, the first thing that came into view was a bustling street that, amidst its dilapidated state, still hinted at its former splendor. Elegant decorations extended to the tops of the streetlights, and the central street running through the lower levels of the Babylon ruins was incredibly wide, enough to accommodate several cars abreast.

Frey was not jealous or showing off at this time. The researcher part of her mage personality allowed her IQ to take the top spot in her brain again, and she kicked her boyfriend and the relationship out of the window.

After carefully observing the surroundings, she even disregarded her image and moved closer to the object to observe the surface marks, and then she came to a conclusion.

“The city was built later.”

"Oh? What do you mean?" Alvin showed just the right amount of interest.

"The Amori people of the ancient empire should have built this huge castle on another piece of ruins." Having said that, Frey casually lifted up a piece of broken land with a diameter of about five meters. There was no soil underneath, but a very smooth metallic texture.

This is completely different from the weathered and broken building plots on the surface, and it is obvious that two different levels of construction techniques were used.

Thus, Gu Long and Titan had a profound discussion on archaeology, and the sun was said to have "run" a long distance to the west.

"Let's continue exploring higher up. I think we can find the answer there." Ivan concluded, and Afrediya agreed. No matter how much he said, it needed to be backed up by actual evidence.

But Diana next to her secretly bit her lip. She had been unable to get a word in just now, and she inexplicably felt that she should stay under the car instead of trying to get close to the two of them.

But at this moment, Frey suddenly stood in the middle and held their arms on both sides.

Then, His Majesty the Demon King roared like a dragon, full of energy.

"The adventure continues!"

Chapter 238 Ancient Wine

The Gate of God - Babylon is a whole building, but it can be roughly divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower.

Ivan and his companions entered from the lower level, which occupied the largest area and was primarily composed of factories and ports. The presence of the port allowed Ivan to confirm the floating city's past. Otherwise, why would a city with no rivers or seaside access have so many ports and supporting facilities?

In addition to civilian ports for transporting goods, there are even military ports specifically for large ships, and those ships undoubtedly have the ability to fly.

"The ancient empire's level of development is even more advanced than it appears." Afrediya sighed.

Some time had passed since the adventure began again, and the three of them successfully passed through the lower area and entered the middle level which belonged to the living area.

In the higher-up Midtown area, the streets are equally deserted, but the surrounding buildings have transformed from practical grays and dark yellows to brighter colors, even using more expensive building materials such as marble.

Ivan found a cafe that was in good condition, even the parasols covering the outdoor seating were intact. He flipped the lever to open the umbrella. Though its vibrant color had long since faded, its basic function of shielding from the scorching sun remained remarkably intact. The wooden tables and chairs below were covered in a thick layer of dust, but thanks to the anti-corrosion paint and excellent craftsmanship, they hadn't completely decayed.

"There are drinks." At this time, Frey came out of the house skipping and jumping with two gray glass bottles in her hands. Behind her, Diana was holding three glasses, and the tip of her nose was slightly red.

It turned out that there was no trace of the fresh food in the kitchen, but there was a private wine cellar in the basement storage room. Inside the cellar were several bottles of wine produced during the ancient empire.

After saying that, His Majesty the Demon King hummed a song and cast a spell, summoning clean water to rinse the dusty wine bottles and glasses. Then, he couldn't wait to conjure up a dragon claw, which pierced into the cork and pulled it out. He was very skilled in the whole set of movements, and it was likely that he was a greedy and drunkard in the past.

Considering that Frey can make her own bread and it smells especially delicious, this speculation immediately changes from a high probability event to an inevitable event.

Is wine still drinkable after eighty years? Ivan wondered. But then he thought, expired food that could penetrate an ancient dragon's iron stomach and cause food poisoning... Wow, that's quite an eye-opener!

Ivan's expression gradually became subtle as he watched Frey humming and groaning as she filled the glass with wine. At least the wine's cork was intact, and the liquid was clear, with no turbid sediment at the bottom, and the smell didn't smell rancid.

Normally, freshly poured wine needs to be decanted. But Her Majesty the Demon King was clearly impatient, eager to taste the pure flavor of a wine from the ancient empire. Besides, the wine cellars of these roadside cafes likely wouldn't stock particularly high-quality wines, so she could just drink it for a taste of something new.

"Cheers." Afrediya raised her glass.

"For what?" Alvin signaled Diana, who was sometimes too honest, not to move, and then asked the question with malicious intentions.

"For a better future." Fleur glared at him and replied unhappily.

As expected of His Majesty the Demon King, he could come up with reasons for a toast right away.

The two guys who literally couldn't die from drinking quickly finished the drinks in a huff, while Diana, who was just an ordinary third-level engineering knight, kept her glass raised and tried to hold back her laughter the whole time.

Then, Afrediya's eyes widened, while Ivan remained expressionless. Clearly, even with relatively sophisticated preservation methods, prolonged storage can cause fine wine to transform into something else, such as...

"Wow, I've completely turned into vinegar." Frey stuck out her tongue and almost spit the wine on the ground.

"Wait, why don't you react at all?" Suddenly realizing something was wrong, Afrediya immediately rushed over and pinched Ivan's face.

Then, from the open mouth of a Titan, only a swirling black crack could be seen.

"Damn it, this is betrayal."

"This is a cunning robbery, so I'm just complaining." Ivan, whose face was pulled, made an unclear rebuttal.

Are you kidding? How can you just stuff something that has been there for eighty years into your mouth? He decisively opened a portal and poured the wine into an alley three blocks away.

While the two were playing, Diana had already quietly poured the wine that had turned into vinegar into the sink. So, with the two bottles of newly harvested vinegar, the three of them continued on their journey.

Numerous damaged automated magical machines could be seen within the living quarters. Originally designed to handle cleaning or urban greenery, these tools, once used to serve humans, were now faintly stained with reddish-brown rust. Clearly, the maddening virus unleashed at the end of the Sunshattering War had not spared even these household magical machines.

The originally cheerful travel atmosphere was thus dampened a lot.

"The Amo people retreated in a hurry back then." Alvin tried to keep his tone calm.

"Yeah." Frey nodded silently.

Diana didn't say anything, but just held down her weapon and looked alert.

There were many items from the ancient empire left in the living area, but they took nothing away except two bottles of vinegar.

Continuing up, many roads became impassable due to the rampant growth of unmanaged plants. Some branches even grew beyond the land, making them look like trees floating in the sky.

Ivan patted the tree trunk beside him, and the plants ahead spontaneously made way for him. Though he wasn't a druid, his upgraded [Creator of Light] ability no longer limited its effects to inorganic matter; even living creatures were within its range.

Passing through the gaps in the vegetation, the three of them arrived at a vast green space. Beyond the surrounding vegetation, there was surprisingly only a single building. Its pure white exterior exuded a sacred aura, and its design was distinct from the typical ancient imperial architecture. Upon closer inspection, it felt strangely familiar.

Since the entire upper floor consisted of only one building, there was no rush to get there. The beautiful surrounding gardens and courtyards also brightened the somewhat oppressive atmosphere. Afrediya couldn't help but stretch as the setting sun shone. Even Diana, ever vigilant, curled her lips, slowly relaxing her shoulders and revealing a hint of lightness.

"This place looks like a good place to lie down and roll around." Having said that, Lord Demon really sat down.

"Yeah, the kids will definitely be happy to see it." Alvin agreed. The scene before him reminded him of the time when his parents took him to the park as a child, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Huh?" Fleur looked at the lawn in surprise. She hadn't noticed it before, but after sitting down, she immediately noticed that the grass had been mowed; otherwise, it wouldn't be so smooth.

"Is there still someone living here?"

"No." Alvin shook his head.

"Something else is coming." Diana suddenly raised her hand and pointed forward.

I saw a tall figure slowly walking out from the pure white building that exuded a holy atmosphere.

Chapter 239 I'll Just Touch It

The ground vibrated, indicating that the person coming here could not be light.

The figure was over five meters tall, about the height of three people stacked together. When the voice came into the sunlight, Alvin and the others finally saw the other person's appearance. It was actually an automated magic puppet that was still functioning.

This puppet had a humanoid form, its exterior showing signs of rust and peeling paint, but it still had a clean, pure white factory paint job. Placed within the white temple, it might have been mistaken for a decorative white statue.

Unlike other magical machines infected by the crazy virus, the puppet that walked out of the temple did not attack Ivan and the others. Instead, it continued to move forward with something in its hands, and stopped only when it got close.

Ivan's gaze fell on the object the puppet was holding. It wasn't some strange object, but a square metal box, roughly the size of a palm. The box was crafted from pure gold, its surface intricately carved. The edges were bordered by a circle of perfectly symmetrical black geometric patterns. In the center was a relief of a laurel wreath, and below that, a relief of an open book.

Thinking of something from the pattern style, Alvin immediately looked up at the architectural style of the temple.

The exterior walls are pure white, devoid of any other color. A steeply angled triangular roof crowns the building. A narrative relief sculpture featuring multiple figures is carved into the front, while decorative patterns, primarily of pediments and other plants, adorn the edges. The supporting columns below are thick and straight, lightly decorated at each end. Parallel vertical grooves are carved into the columns, creating a simple yet majestic appearance.

With such distinct features, Ivan judged it to be the most typical Giant Kingdom style. When he set his eyes on the ancient statue standing in the center, he immediately determined the true purpose of the building.

An ancient temple dedicated to the ancient god of wisdom.

"Do you want to open it and take a look?" Afrediya was cautious and did not approach the magic puppet.

"Well, I have some rough guesses." As he said that, Alvin stretched out his hand and raised it in the air.

An invisible force reached forward, opening the pure gold box without any contact. When the lid was lifted, no hidden weapon was found within, only a crystal prism of azure blue, set atop a layer of silk brocade. The crystal, with its hexagonal facets, was remarkably translucent, its center shimmering with a faint glow, like a clear spring bathed in sunlight, rippling in the gentle breeze.

As if sensing the changes in the outside world, the automatic formula engraved on the crystal prism was activated. Since no danger was detected, Ivan and the others remained calm and chose to continue to wait and see.

Then, accompanied by a faint fluctuation of magical energy, a humanoid figure emerged. The other person had a beautiful face like a girl, and a petite figure, but his eyes always exuded an undeniable presence, as if that petite figure actually towered like a giant.

The last princess of the Giant Kingdom, the awakener of the Titan bloodline, and the Eye of Prophecy - Ishtarli.

Ivan immediately recognized the other person's identity and was not surprised by it. However, he was still quite curious about what the other person would say next.

However, the virtual projection recorded thousands of years ago just smiled at Alvin, clapped his hands and uttered a few words.

"My beloved son, congratulations."

After saying this, the virtual projection stopped moving.

"Is this the end?" Afrediya tilted her head hesitantly, and this happened to be the question that Ivan was most curious about right now.

Surprisingly, the only thing that had been passed down through the ages was this simple sentence. For a moment, Ivan even wondered if the device was damaged, which was why it only played this little bit and then... stopped?

The whole thing reeks of the prophet's riddle-mongering aura, leaving the listener neither moved nor understanding. Instead, they subconsciously grit their teeth and clench their fists. But what can the listener do? It's not just the ancients who are separated by the vastness of time. Modern people, too, can't reach back through time and grab the necks of the deceased to demand clarification.

Oh, that’s not absolutely true. Ivan’s mouth twitched. He vaguely remembered that he, or someone in the future, seemed to have done this kind of thing.

"Forget it, you know what the prophet said, so don't take it too seriously." After putting away the small pure gold box, Alvin took the opportunity to check the magic puppet.

Later, he discovered that the puppet hadn't been infected by the mad virus because its construction was extremely ancient, relying entirely on primitive mechanical structures like gears and springs, devoid of any intelligence. It was no wonder it hadn't been infected; after all, no matter how powerful a computer virus, it couldn't infect a mechanical alarm clock that needed to be wound up.

"The topmost building in the entire city is actually a temple. It seems that the ancient god of wisdom was highly respected in the former empire." Afrediya touched the outer wall of the temple with a curious expression, gradually changing from a tourist out for fun to a scholar on a field trip.

Although she is not a professional archaeologist, as a mage her curiosity is stronger than that of a cat. She naturally entered the research state, began to touch and look at things carefully, looking like a curious baby.

On the other hand, Diana was very interested in the classical magic puppet. A hint of conflict appeared on her usually expressionless face. She wanted to dismantle it and carefully examine its internal structure, but was also worried about damaging this rare antique, which highlighted her dilemma.

As for Ivan, he was more interested in the mysterious machine rumored to have been built by the passerby. Even if it was just an auxiliary device used to process experimental byproducts, it was at least the work of an ancient Titan. For an uneducated student like him, who lacked relevant education, it would certainly be of considerable learning value.

So the three of them split into two groups, one male and one female. Frey and Diana explored the outskirts of the temple, while Ivan went deep into the temple to find the mysterious machine.

The process went more smoothly than expected. He walked around the main hall where the statue was and entered the back hall. He had only taken two steps when he saw a strangely shaped...

"Uh, is this also considered a machine...?" Alvin slowly typed a question mark.

The decorative style of the rear hall is also very characteristic of the Giant Kingdom, except that the ceiling has a circular skylight with a diverging sun pattern carved on the edge.

At this moment, the day has not yet completely ended, and the unique dim light of the setting sun shines into the temple through the skylight, like a conical spotlight illuminating the circular altar directly below, highlighting the importance and preciousness of the items placed on it.

It was a copper kettle with two handles and a long neck. Its overall appearance was an old brown bronze with no decoration, making it look particularly simple and even a little rough.

This thing is now standing steadily in the center of the circular altar.

Is a pot also considered a machine?

The same question repeated itself in his mind, and Alvin simply took two quick steps to the double-handled copper pot and looked at it carefully.

After a moment, he saw the clue. It wasn't just sunlight illuminating the entire back hall; the copper kettle itself was also emitting a constant, faint glow. Similarly, it wasn't just sunlight shining through the skylight; it was also a laser beam imbued with immense power. The high-energy laser, invisible to the naked eye, pierced through the skylight, shone directly into the long, upward-pointing mouth of the double-handled copper kettle, and then vanished silently like a river flowing into the sea.

what?

Is it really just an energy container? Just a trash can to collect the byproducts of the experiment?

No way, no way, this is the secret treasure handmade by the ancient Titan?

My handicraft skills aren't too bad then.

Thinking half-jokingly, Ivan tried to touch the outer wall of the copper pot. He felt that with his current strength, just lightly touching and feeling the internal structure shouldn't cause any problems...

boom!

The next second, Frey and Diana, who were conducting archaeological research at the entrance of the temple, saw someone flying out of the back hall like a cannonball.

At the same time, a certain young Titan's face showed three parts of astonishment, three parts of confusion, three parts of bewilderment, and who knows how many hundreds or thousands of "WTF, I'm planning to become a jungler!"

Chapter 240 Ultimate Authority

Is this a trap?

Before any such thought could form, Ivan easily extinguished it. Uninjured, he flew backwards, still having time to ponder what had just happened.

After a brief encounter with the Titan artifact resembling a two-handled copper kettle, Ivan was ejected, but he quickly grasped its general function. For hundreds and thousands of years, the solar array had absorbed and converted energy while filtering and collecting stellar matter, all of which was then infused and stored within the two-handled, long-necked copper kettle.

So, this looks like a copper kettle, and its appearance is not gorgeous or exquisite. It seems that it was just made by an apprentice. The buyer can only hope that it will not leak.

Essentially...

It's a shield generator, a planetary-scale shield generator.