Their reason for manufacturing a Golem was simple. When they thought about how they were going to take down Metafel after the general had evolved into a level 8 Eater, they naturally came to the conclusion that they needed to create something so strong that even the evolved Metafel wouldn't be able to beat it. When it came down to it, their only option was to use the core.

Although the core was defective and could only discharge energy for a few minutes, it didn't change the fact that it was a level 8 item.

"Are you really done analyzing it? Can we really make a Golem out of it?"

[I have found out everything I could. You should be able to create a Golem, Master.]

"...Alright, let's bet it all on the Golem."

Before they began manufacturing the Golem, Rem explained why they hadn't been able to analyze the core fully.

[This core cannot be placed in an artificial container. It will not activate that way. It lacks the ability to receive orders from an outside source and act upon them. Its only function is to increase a Golem's abilities.]

"...Huh?"

"Aren't cores designed to allow someone to control them?" asked Kratia.

"Did I damage a key function when I turned it into bones? No, there's no way."

At this point, the two were halfway panicking and began interrogating Rem. However, Rem corrected their fundamental misunderstanding.

[This core was created quite differently from the Empire's...or more specifically, Arema Steelworker's school of Golem making. Master, I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out if you had not bestowed upon me a unique authority that granted me a deep understanding of all Golems.]

"I gave you that ability? I don't even remember doing that..."

"The only horse here is Jin, Kek!" [1]

Kratia made such a lame joke even though they had no time to waste, causing Jin to kick her with his hind legs. Lee Shin-Woo ignored their little spat, and Rem continued with its analysis.

[Of course, I wasn't able to find out everything myself, but I could figure out its functionality at least. This core stores an overwhelming amount of heat, and for a moment, triggers and circulates it in a unique pattern. This is the pattern.]

Rem extended its sharp beak and carved a drawing onto the ground, which included the protective layer that covered the core, or in other words, the Golem's main body.

Seeing the pathway of heat originating from the Golem’s core throughout its body, Lee Shin-Woo instinctively exclaimed, "This... It's the same as the mana pattern that flows through the Giants!"

[That's correct. The circulation of this explosive heat greatly increases the size of the body. It’ll make someone as large as a Giant, while also increasing their strength significantly.]

"...Hmm, I see."

For years, the undead Giants had been using a special pattern to circulate their mana to increase their size. However, that wasn't actually suitable for living Giants; instead, it was the mana circulation pattern applied to the Golem's body that indirectly empowered the Giants.

In other words, the Golem was like a magic circle, fueled by the heat released from the core. Obviously, the magic circle was most effective with the heat generated by the core, not with a Giant's mana. This was also the reason that the core strengthened nearby Giants.

"So that's how it works. It was originally designed for a large Golem. This mana pattern would allow a Golem to temporarily become a Titan. It’s the peak of magic engineering..."

"If that's the case, perhaps the Giants engraved the mana patterns into their bodies so that they wouldn't trouble the Titan when they repaired it."

"No, they probably just wanted to become as large as the Titan."

Those Giants were anxiously awaiting the Titan's resurrection, and they ducked their heads while throwing furtive glances at them from afar. Considering the fact that they didn't even react to Kratia, who was a living being, it was clear how much faith they had in the Titan.

"What about the Golem's ego? How does the gigantified Golem move?"

[The core's remaining function should explain that.]

Rem drew an oval-shaped object in the center of the drawn Golem, which was slightly larger than the core and situated in a similar location. Unlike the core, the oval was big enough for a human to easily enter and exit from.

Then Rem ignored the core and the oval-shaped object for now to draw several lines from the oval-shaped object, which traveled throughout the Golem. It looked like blood vessels. The core and this oval-shaped object seemed to be the heart of the Golem...

"Huh? Hey wait, is this..."

[That's correct.]

Anyone would've noticed by now even if they weren't Lee Shin-Woo. With its usual calm voice, Rem continued speaking.

[The core gigantifies the Golem's body, and the Golem's body is used as a medium to synchronize the core with the user.]

"..."

[The synchronization isn’t limited to movements. The heat that's quickly circulating through the Golem's body amplifies the user's mana as well and spreads it in the same pattern. In other words, while the core is active, the user essentially becomes a gigantic Golem.]

"...Ha."

That was a concept he was familiar with. Of course, the operating principle wasn’t completely the same, but he knew what the end result looked like.

To think he'd be able to become a giant hero! Becoming incredibly strong for a limited duration... Exactly like Ultraman!

"This is the first time I ever think it’s great to come to this world."

"Shin-Woo, you look really excited.”

"No, I'm not. I'm really serious. It seems there's no way to fight that level 8 monster and come out of this unscathed other than to make this Golem. So let's make it right away."

"But you can't make it with any material, right?"

"Well, that goes without saying."

The core's explosive heat and mana circulation pattern combined to allow the Golem to gigantify instantaneously. However, if the materials themselves couldn’t withstand the immense heat and mana, they wouldn't be able to make the Golem in the first place.

"Do you know what this Golem was made of in the past?"

[I'm not too sure. However, if we look at the size the outer body would be once it finishes releasing its heat, we can figure out what materials we need for its construction.]

Rem drew another sketch. It looked just like the core, but the outer body covering it was...hmm...was incredibly small. It wasn’t that big an exaggeration to say the other layer would be as thin as cellophane.

[The Golem's main body must consist of materials that have been compressed to the very limit. That way, the moment the heat is released, the user's entire body will be encased while synchronizing with the Golem, and immediately after, the Golem will expand. It was probably designed to fit a human.]

"Compressed to its very limit..."

[However, there's an even more stringent condition: the persistent heat. After expelling all its heat, the core must replenish a huge quantity of heat over an extremely long period of time. Obviously, the main body would absorb some of the core's heat. Normal materials would break at this stage.]

"Of course, since it's releasing an extreme amount of heat, the Golem's body has to be able to endure it."

Rem nodded its tiny bird head.

[That's correct. Therefore, if I were to guess which material would work best..."

"The sunlight stone."

[Indeed. However, I believe it would be impossible with regular sunlight stones or a Solar Fossil. They are not durable enough, nor do they have the required level of heat capacity. Plus, they will not survive the processing required to turn them into materials for the main body.]

Was there a way to compress the sunlight stone to the very limit and process it to create the main body in the past? Perhaps there had been a material greater than even the sunlight stone; it may have been bestowed by the goddess herself.

However, Lee Shin-Woo's party didn't have anything of the sort. He had no choice but to go with what he had. Moreover, they needed to do it as quickly as possible before the Eater broke free of his spatial prison.

"Rem, can you and Kratia map out the main body? If we want to go from this candy paper doll to a truly imposing Golem, we'll need a thorough plan for the mana flow."

[Of course.]

"I'll try my best."

"Good, I'll..."

Lee Shin-Woo took out all of his Solar Fossils from his inventory and hectically fed them to the core even though it was fully functional now. He still had one hundred Solar Fossils left. And more importantly, he still had the Solar Fossil from the giant sunlight stone that illuminated the Kadinan facility.

"Good, shall we?"

Lee Shin-Woo decided to bet it all on the giant Solar Fossil. It not only radiated the most heat, but it was also the most durable.

If he used all the other Solar Fossils to reinforce the big one, it might become good enough to use as the Golem's main body. Lee Shin-Woo steeled himself and began reinforcing the Solar Fossil.

[Consuming a Solar Fossil to reinforce the Giant Solar Fossil! The Giant Solar Fossil is reinforced.]

[Giant Solar Fossil (0.2%)]

"...Mm."

The 0.2% doesn’t bode well. If one Solar Fossil reinforced it by only 0.2%, it was obvious what 100 of them would yield.

Of course, reaching 100% might not be necessary, but seeing the percentage triggered in him an obsessive compulsion to make it 100%.

[It feels like it has gotten hotter than before, Master. The big one has become tougher as well. It truly is an ore... A fossil designed to manufacture the Golem.]

"...Yeah, I should just use them all, shouldn't I?"

Invigorated by Rem's encouragement, Lee Shin-Woo continued reinforcing the Giant Solar Fossil. It was somewhat of a relief that some Solar Fossils increased the percentage by 0.3%.

Even so, it wouldn't make much of a difference... After using up all of his Solar Fossils, the Giant Solar Fossil's reinforcement was only 23.6% complete.

"...Do you think this will work?"

[I don't think so. Its heat and durability aren't sufficient...]

As expected, Rem didn't know how to beat around the bush. Lee Shin-Woo resented it for its bluntness, but he couldn't take his anger out on someone who was innocent. He sifted through his inventory, looking for a way to reinforce the Giant Solar Fossil.

Nothing. He came up empty. He couldn't reinforce the giant fossil further. But did that mean he should give up here? Like hell.

[I-If it's for the Titan, I will give up this rotten body of mine!]

[Paul Zero, please use me to give the Titan a new body!]

"No, it's okay. I appreciate it though."

No matter how similar their mana patterns were, the Giants wouldn't be of any help to the Titan. The relationship between the Giants and the Titan was extremely one-sided! That left him with only one option.

"Damn it. Now that it's come to this, I have to leave..."

"Shin-Woo?"

"Kratia, keep working. But... Chi Paul, Shino Rendu, Bisher Moon...as well as Ellata and Arogan."

Lee Shin-Woo called out for all of his level 7 elites, as well as Shino Rendu. Unfortunately, the rest of his troops wouldn't be helpful against Metafel, so he left them at the heart of the Giants' domain. They would only make Metafel stronger if they were found.

"You guys... If Metafel gets in while I'm gone, stop him. Simply buy me time and don't risk your lives."

[...Understood.]

[That's what I've been waiting for.]

[I trust you, Sir Paul Zero.]

[I will follow your order.]

All of their replies were reassuring, but when he recalled the way Metafel looked before he retreated, he couldn't help but feel worried. He gritted his teeth and looked at each and every one of them.

[...Sir Paul Zero.]

Especially at Shino Rendu, since he was the only one who hadn't reached level 7. Lee Shin-Woo had used most of the bones that they'd gotten from the battle on him, but he still hadn't reached level 7.

"...Shino, you can't die. You won't be satisfied with exacting revenge on only Metafel, will you?"

[Of course not.]

Shino replied reassuringly before adding something else.

[I've abandoned my goal of killing Metafel by myself. Instead, when you defeat him, I'd like to hit him at least once by your side. For that, I cannot die.]

"Good. That's it. You can't die."

Lee Shin-Woo couldn't lose his precious investment, could he? Shino Rendu responded with a refreshing smile, and Lee Shin-Woo smiled back. Turning around, he did something only heroes could do.

That was, of course, entering the Secret Shop.

1. T/N: This joke doesn't make sense in English. The word 'to say' can also mean 'horse', so his sentence could be interpreted as 'I gave you that horse'. The second line doesn't make sense if you make this substitution, but Koreans will understand it. Trust me, it's a terrible joke. ☜