Chapter 389: Puppets and Golems

Chapter 389: Puppets and Golems

"Hmm, Ren, you don’t have an Advanced Battle Puppet yet, do you?" Alicia suddenly blinked her beautiful eyes, as if she had just thought of something.

"Uh, it seems I only have a Steel Battle Puppet right now," Ren thought for a moment and nodded.

Over the past few days, Ren had mostly been spending his time in the school’s library, so he did understand the differences between Basic and Advanced Battle Puppets.

In addition to being larger and heavier, Advanced Battle Puppets had one more crucial feature compared to Basic ones: a Miniature Energy Device.

With this device, an Advanced Battle Puppet could suddenly release a powerful attack, similar to a mid-to-high-level spell, under the control of a wizard during combat.

"No wonder Ren seemed hesitant just now; he doesn’t have an Advanced Battle Puppet yet," Alicia couldn’t help but laugh.

"Audrey, Joseph, let’s help Ren get an Advanced Battle Puppet," Alicia turned to the two beside her and said.

Joseph seemed hesitant, as if he wanted to refuse, but Audrey immediately agreed, saying, "Of course, that’s what we, as seniors, should do."

For Audrey, who had a vague idea of Ren’s true identity, helping him make an Advanced Battle Puppet was the least she could do. She would even be willing to give him her own Advanced Battle Puppet.

But the question was, would an Advanced Battle Puppet really be useful for this 'Lord Ren'? Audrey couldn’t help but glance at Ren.

Seeing Alicia speak and Audrey’s immediate agreement, Joseph reluctantly nodded but muttered under his breath, “When I came here, I didn’t receive such good treatment.”

"Right, Ren, which Advanced Battle Puppet do you want?" Alicia asked enthusiastically.

Just as Ren was about to refuse, Joseph suddenly looked delighted, as if he had an idea. He suggested, "How about the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet? It can perform a special attack called 'Hammer Fist Heavy Strike,' which is quite powerful. Besides, we made so many recently; there are two completed ones in the warehouse. We just need to add a Miniature Energy Device."

Clearly, Joseph was trying to take the easy way out.

Alicia shot Joseph an annoyed look and said, "Pfft! What a suggestion, Joseph!"

"Ren can only control one Advanced Battle Puppet right now. Although the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet has good offensive capabilities, its defense is relatively weak. It’s not suitable for a newcomer like Ren."

"Ren, listen to your big sister. Wait until you can control two Advanced Battle Puppets before considering the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet. For now, choose the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet. It has a balanced attack and defense, with no significant weaknesses."

Joseph, after being scolded by Alicia, didn’t dare to argue and muttered, "Ren looks like he has a knight’s build. His movement and evasion should be pretty good. Controlling the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet might give him an unexpected advantage."

"Let’s go with the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet then," Ren said after a moment’s thought.

Since there were already completed ones available, it was the best option. For him, the choice of Advanced Battle Puppet didn’t really matter much.

Additionally, he had been working on the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet for the past few days and was quite familiar with it.

Soon, the four of them arrived at the Metal Affinity warehouse.

Inside, there were many half-finished battle puppets and even more parts scattered around.

The Hammer Fist Battle Puppet, which had been completed a few days ago, was placed near the entrance of the warehouse.

Standing about three meters tall, the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet, though only a meter taller than the two-meter-plus Steel Battle Puppet, exuded a completely different sense of pressure.

In his previous life, although Xiao Si was short, the height difference between him and Da Yao wasn’t a meter.

However, playing basketball against Xiao Si and Da Yao felt like two entirely different experiences in terms of pressure.

"Ren, I happen to have an extra Miniature Energy Device. You can use it for now," Audrey said, pulling out a rectangular object, about the size of a brick but much thinner, and handing it to Ren.

"Just insert it into the slot on the back of the puppet."

The energy device mainly contained a crystal, which was cultivated in the elemental energy pool within the school’s outpost.

Of course, there was another, higher-quality source of crystals: when elemental creatures reached the Extraordinary stage, they would start to cultivate these crystals within their bodies.

The stronger the elemental creature, the more powerful the energy contained within the crystal. Additionally, different types of elemental creatures produced crystals with different attributes.

While the latter was more effective, even high-grade crystals had immense power, their cost also increased exponentially.

"Thank you, Audrey!" Ren thought for a moment and accepted the Miniature Energy Device.

"Don’t mention it, Ren," Audrey said, her eyes lowered. However, she was quite excited inside because she seemed to have discovered that this famous 'junior' wasn’t as hard to approach as she had thought.

"Huh? Audrey, Miniature Energy Devices aren’t cheap. They cost 100 Contribution Points to exchange for one! Why are you being so generous this time?"

Joseph glanced at Audrey with a puzzled look.

"Well, Ren is my junior, so as his senior, I should do something." Audrey's face flushed slightly, then faded.

But the expression on Audrey's face was noticed by Alicia, who was standing next to her, and it took on a different meaning.

Alicia's beautiful eyes glanced at the two of them without a trace, thinking to herself, 'It seems that my young and pretty junior, Alicia, quite likes the new junior, Ren.'

'But her sister might not let you have him?'

As Ren inserted the small energy device into the horizontal slot on the back of the puppet, he began to cast the Activation Ritual.

"Activation Ritual!" Ren deliberately controlled the speed of his level 4 Activation Ritual.

As he chanted the incantation and pointed his finger, the large Hammer Fist Battle Puppet's body moved slightly, but since Ren hadn't given any specific commands, the puppet remained stationary.

However, Ren was slightly surprised to find that the mental energy consumption for activating this Intermediate Battle Puppet was about ten units, compared to the one unit for the previous Basic Battle Puppet.

"No wonder the Activation Ritual's description mentions, 'The casting time and mental energy consumption are determined by the complexity and size of the target.'"

"It seems that even for a late-stage Level 1 Mistification Wizard, the number of Intermediate Battle Puppets they can control simultaneously won't be too many. Three or four should be the limit." Ren thought to himself.

Additionally, Ren discovered that the connection between his Spirit Sea and the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet was more complex than with the previous Basic Battle Puppet.

It was as if a new game controller had appeared in his mind, with only one button before, but now, in addition to the large button for the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet, Ren could also sense a smaller button next to the large one.

Ren understood that this small button was linked to the small energy device on the puppet, which could be used to release skills and attacks.

At this moment, the system prompt suddenly sounded:

[You have completed the full study of the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet and gained related insights!]



[You have learned a new skill: Hammer Fist Battle Puppet]



[Your skill Hammer Fist Battle Puppet has improved, +3 Experience Points]



Ren was slightly startled, but then he realized what had happened.

Over the past few days, he had been working on crafting the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet, and today, he had completed the final piece of the puzzle, naturally mastering the related skill.

"Ren, you're quite skilled with the Activation Ritual. Now that it's ready, let's head to the training room." Alicia praised Ren.

As they walked through the corridor, Audrey, Alicia, and the others returned to their offices and remotely controlled their Intermediate Battle Puppets to come out.

Alicia, the strongest among them, controlled two Intermediate Battle Puppets: the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet and the Greatsword Battle Puppet.

The Greatsword Battle Puppet, like the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet, was an offensive-oriented puppet, while the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet, as its name suggested, was a defensive-oriented puppet.

Audrey and Joseph were almost identical, each controlling a Sword Shield Guardian Puppet and an additional Steel Battle Puppet equipped with a shield.

Of course, Ren could easily handle controlling as many puppets as Audrey, or even more.

But since he was wearing the Cloak of Concealment, his displayed strength was that of an early-stage Level 1 Wizard, and controlling one Intermediate Battle Puppet was already close to his limit.

"Thud, thud, thud!"

Several battle puppets were controlled by the group as they entered the spacious training hall.

"Ren, let's go first~" Alicia said with a smile.

"How about I go first with Ren instead?" Joseph suddenly interjected.

He had his reasons: Alicia's strength was clearly superior, and Audrey's had surpassed his own since some time ago.

If Alicia and Ren were to spar, he would have to face Audrey, and losing to a newcomer wouldn't feel good.

But against the new arrival, Ren, Joseph was confident he could win.

"That's fine." Alicia thought for a moment and agreed.

After all, Joseph was the weakest among the three, and it wouldn't make the new junior, Ren, feel too discouraged or demoralized by the gap in strength.

As Ren and Joseph controlled their puppets and took their positions in the center of the arena, Joseph smiled and said, "Ren, let's begin. You can surrender immediately if you can't handle it."

Hearing Joseph's words, Audrey couldn't help but roll her eyes in silence. Although she didn't know how Ren would win, she knew he wouldn't lose!

"Okay." Ren smiled and nodded.

"Thud, thud, thud!"

As Joseph's thoughts moved, the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet holding a sword and shield charged forward towards Ren.

As Joseph's Iron Battle Puppet moved in an arc towards Ren's rear flank, it became clear that Joseph intended to exploit Ren's weakness of having only one combat puppet.

"Joseph is taking advantage of Ren's lack of backup," Alicia instantly understood Joseph's strategy.

Ren, sensing the threat, skillfully controlled his Hammer Fist Battle Puppet to confront Joseph's Sword Shield Guardian Puppet head-on, readying his puppet's heavy hammer for a powerful strike.

"That's not a good move. If his only puppet gets entangled, he'll be at a disadvantage," Alicia shook her head, expressing her concern.

"It's a shame, Ren is about to lose. As controllers, we must prioritize self-preservation when we only have one combat puppet."

Alicia realized that while Ren was incredibly talented, his puppet control skills were still novice. Audrey, however, remained silent, her eyes fixed on the arena.

The Hammer Fist Battle Puppet's heavy hammer strike was blocked by the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet's shield, much to Joseph's delight. But to his surprise, the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet was knocked back several steps by the powerful blow.

Joseph was puzzled, wondering if the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet had activated its 'Hammer Fist Heavy Strike' skill prematurely.

The reason for this was Ren's high-level Activation Ritual skill and his expertise in close-quarters combat, allowing him to control the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet with exceptional prowess.

In simpler terms, an average wizard could only bring out about 60-70% of an Advanced Battle Puppet's combat power, but Ren could unleash over 90%.

This was akin to the legendary Takumi Fujiwara's mastery of the AE86 in Initial D, where only he could unlock the car's full potential.

"It seems Ren has exceptional close-quarters combat skills, or else he wouldn't have seized the opportunity so perfectly," Alicia furrowed her brows, pondering for a moment before speaking.

"Yeah, probably," Audrey replied, somewhat dismissively.

Joseph, regaining his composure, decided to use the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet's special skill, especially since the Iron Battle Puppet was almost upon Ren.

With a flash of the miniature energy core, the three-meter-tall Sword Shield Guardian Puppet sprinted towards the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet.

Joseph's confidence surged as he knew victory would be his if the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet could catch and entangle its opponent.

Meanwhile, Ren's Iron Battle Puppet had closed the gap to within twenty meters of Ren's side.

Ren smiled and commanded his Hammer Fist Battle Puppet to activate its skill.

"Hammer Fist Heavy Strike!"

The three-meter-tall combat puppet, wielding its massive fists, unleashed a powerful acceleration, leaving a black arc in its wake!

A deafening metallic clash reverberated through the arena! The Sword Shield Guardian Puppet, which had just caught up, tried to block with its shield but was sent flying, crashing to the ground several meters away.

Before Joseph could react, the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet was already within striking distance, while his Iron Battle Puppet was still several meters away from Ren.

"Ren, I concede!" Joseph's face paled as he shouted.

After witnessing the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet's strike, Joseph had no desire to continue.

"Huh? You're not fighting anymore?" Ren was slightly taken aback.

In his understanding, even if the puppets engaged in close combat, wizards had various countermeasures, like innate witchcraft or restrictive spells, allowing the battle to continue.

"Ren, generally speaking, allowing an Advanced Battle Puppet to get close is a sign of defeat," Alicia approached Ren and explained, using formal language.

"Tsk tsk, Ren, I didn't expect your puppet control skills to be so strong. Come, let me, your sister, give it a try." Alicia smiled playfully.

After an intense battle, Ren reluctantly conceded defeat to avoid drawing too much attention. However, the intense and fierce combat still left Alicia in awe.

She was surprised that even with two puppets against one, it was still a close call.

"Ren, if you were in the mid-stage of a First Rank Wizard, I would definitely not be your match," Alicia said.

"Hey, Audrey, why don't you give it a try with Ren?"

"Me? No, thanks," Audrey quickly declined, shaking her head.

Over the next few days, Ren became increasingly adept at controlling the Hammer Fist Battle Puppet in combat, gaining a deeper understanding of puppet warfare.

In fact, the combat power of an Advanced Battle Puppet was roughly equivalent to a peak Great Knight who had mastered the basic ultimate skills, but with an advantage in strength and defense and slightly less agility.

Even without transforming, Ren could easily defeat them.

He hadn't encountered a Superior Battle Puppet yet, but he assumed it would be similar.

In other words, unless he was crafting a War Golem, it wouldn't significantly enhance his combat capabilities.

The library had abundant knowledge about basic puppets, but information on War Golems was scarce.

Thinking about War Golems, Ren recalled the counterfeit Great Axe Golem Guard he had defeated in Wales County.

As the captor, he had received a set of blueprints from Olena.

Ren remembered how his mentor, Mogaro, and the puppet masters of the Clay and Rock Schools from the Academy had come to Minster to study the captured Great Axe Golem Guard's structure.

In Mogaro's office, Ren inquired about the Great Axe Golem.

"Oh, you mean that counterfeit Great Axe Golem Guard?" Mogaro recalled it and pondered for a moment before explaining, "Well, although it was crafted according to the blueprints, our assessment, along with ancient records, suggests that this counterfeit Great Axe Golem is only about sixty percent as powerful as the original."

"Sixty percent?" Ren asked, puzzled.

"In simple terms, the energy core, or more accurately, the power source, of the counterfeit is vastly different from the original."

"Energy core?"

"Yes, the counterfeit uses a large energy core instead of the Inferno Crystal Core, which disables its magical attacks."

"Additionally, the power difference forced the cultist creator to reduce the size of the exterior design."

"Otherwise, according to ancient records, the Great Axe Golem Guards in the Ancient Inferno Temple were eight meters tall, far taller than the counterfeit's five meters."

"I see," Ren understood.

Mogaro paused, as if about to say something, then waved his hand, "I'm getting old, my memory isn't what it used to be."

Ren observed Mogaro and guessed, "Mentor, if there's something troubling you, please feel free to tell me."

"Yes, I will. Thank you!"

That evening, Lady General Tatia secretly visited Ren's new residence.

"Lord Ren, you are now free to plan your itinerary, including leaving the capital. However, the headquarters is currently purging some traitors, so I advise against taking missions within the headquarters to avoid potential exposure."

"Of course, this process won't last long. The purge should be completed within half a month to twenty days," Tatia assured.

"Oh? Is it because of the recent incident?" Ren's eyebrows rose, and several figures flashed through his mind.

Tatia nodded and smiled, "Yes, some will be reassigned even without direct evidence for a military tribunal. We should thank you for exposing many of them."

The next evening.

Bius Armory School, Metal Affinity Training Room.

Ren, Audrey, and three others shared their experiences and insights about puppet control.

"However, your tactics were a bit too aggressive. The most crucial aspect of controlling puppets in combat is to keep enemies at a distance."

"If you have only one battle puppet, it's best to choose the Sword Shield Guardian Puppet for both protection and decent offense."

Seeing Alicia's earnest expression, Ren smiled and thanked her.

Although he didn't agree, he didn't argue because he sensed Alicia's sincerity and concern as a senior.

"Not good!"

A male apprentice from the Metal Affinity School rushed in, panicked, "Lady Alicia, Lords and Ladies, something terrible has happened! We just received news that Lord Trevor, stationed at Inferno Canyon, is in trouble!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end