Chapter 397: Iron Spine Necromancer

Chapter 397: Iron Spine Necromancer

"So, we have two spots, one for a male team member. You can inform Claire. As for the interview, let's schedule it after I return from my mission." Rain thought for a moment and said.

Since they had already selected four female candidates, it would be inappropriate to completely overturn the decision now. Instead, they needed to choose one from the list.

Additionally, selecting a male team member also required time for screening, so it had to wait until his return.

Having an all-female team was not ideal. For instance, after slaying a dragon, he would need a strong male team member to handle tasks like skinning and collecting the spoils of war.

This job was probably beyond the capabilities of most women.

"Okay, Sir Rain, I'll inform them right away."

"Oh, and by the way, take on this mission to slay the Lava Dragon 'Hemados'. Also, request a small airship from headquarters for the task."

"Hmm? Sir Rain, are you sure about this mission?" Alena was taken aback by his request.

It was only now that she realized the conversation they had a couple of days ago had likely gone unheard by Rain.

"I'm certain." Rain nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, Sir Rain." Alena nodded in response.

Although Alena wanted to say more, she was well aware of her position. Having offered all the necessary suggestions, her role now was to execute orders rather than continue advising or questioning her superior's decisions.

Considering Rain's past accomplishments, Alena had reason to believe that he must have had a strong grasp of the situation to make such a decision.

"By the way, Sir Rain, according to regulations, a Gold Medal Swordsman Squad can request the support of a Mithril Squad and two Demiron Squads during missions."

"Do you need to mobilize them this time?"

Rain pondered for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively, "No, just me, Claire, and Bianca will be enough."

Considering this was their first mission after the purge, he didn't want to draw too much attention from others.

Moreover, having more team members with lower combat capabilities wouldn't significantly impact the mission's outcome.

"Yes, Sir."

After Alena left, Rain paused briefly before heading to the Academy's residence.

As soon as he stepped into Mogaro's laboratory, Rain saw Mogaro dusting off his hands and taking a few gulps of liquor, seemingly having just finished the final adjustments on the Hellfire Golem.

Audrey and Alicia were nearby, working on the final step of polishing.

"Master, is the modification complete?"

Rain had initially come to check on the progress of the Hellfire Golem, but he was surprised to find that Mogaro had made more progress than he had anticipated.

"Just finished. You're just in time to test it out." Mogaro replied.

"However, activating it once will likely consume a significant amount of Mental Energy. At least, I wouldn't be able to do it." Mogaro added, as if a thought had occurred to him.

"I'll be careful, Master."

During Rain's previous visit to check on the Hellfire Golem's progress, he had suggested adding one or two small furnace devices to give the golem 'overclocking' capabilities.

Since converting the 'overclocked' power into the golem's actions would involve issues such as the structural integrity and durability of most components, the 'overclocking he was referring to was magical overclocking.

In other words, by adding one or two small furnace devices and simultaneously increasing the magic runes, the golem could achieve a higher frequency or more powerful magic release.

This way, the entire modification process wouldn't require adjusting the overall components, making the transformation easier. Otherwise, it would have been a massive undertaking.

It was similar to modifying a vehicle in his past life, where upgrading a 2.0 engine to a 4.0 with a turbo would require adjustments to the body structure, brakes, and more, making it a challenging task.

However, if one only wanted to make the exhaust sound more impressive, doubling the volume was much easier—just modify the exhaust.

Not loud enough? Add two more speakers.

"Sir Rain." Upon seeing Rain's arrival, Audrey and Alicia greeted him with a bow.

"Sir Rain!"

Seeing Rain again, the usually bold Alicia showed a hint of restraint, no longer as carefree as before.

After witnessing Rain's strength, it was only natural for anyone to show respect.

Rain nodded slightly at the two women, "You've been working hard."

As Rain's incantation echoed, he lightly pointed, and a thumb-thick, earthy-yellow light pillar illuminated the Hellfire Golem before him, a level 4 activation spell.

Rain also noticed that driving this Hellfire Golem consumed five times the Mental Energy compared to a mid-tier combat puppet. Quantified by the system, this was approximately fifty points of Mental Energy, nearly half of his total of ninety-eight points.

No wonder driving a golem in battle typically required a Tier 3 Crystallization Wizard, as golems possessed strength comparable to legendary beings.

Of course, if one had High Metal Affinity or higher, even a Tier 2 Liquidization Wizard could attempt it.

For someone like Rain with Superb Metal Affinity, the threshold was naturally lower, but this was already pushing the limits.

After all, a wizard couldn't afford to deplete most of their Mental Energy on a puppet, as they needed to reserve enough for countering enemy attacks and casting other spells.

This was why the Bius Armament Academy's wizards couldn't overwhelm their enemies with countless combat puppets.

The more puppets, the more Mental Energy consumed. It was more efficient to use that energy to control more powerful puppets.

As the heavy, four-meter-tall Hellfire Golem stood up, a surging wave of energy rippled from it.

Due to the installed mid-tier control core, the Hellfire Golem could autonomously lock onto targets and execute combination attacks.

"Attack the iron man target ahead." Rain commanded.

The Hellfire Golem immediately charged towards the target, seemingly judging that it could shatter the target with a single punch.

"Stop! Cast spells!" Rain was most interested in the golem's spellcasting capabilities.

The Hellfire Golem's two black cannon barrels suddenly extended from its chest, emitting intense red and black magical lights.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The golem fired approximately once every two seconds, or once per second if combined, launching fireballs or shadow arrows with dazzling tails towards the iron man target.

As the smoke cleared, the Iron Man had already turned into a lump of red-hot iron slag, still emitting heat.

"Wow, that's some power!" Audrey and Alicia, standing nearby, were left speechless.

If this were to hit them, they would likely only be able to withstand it for three seconds before ending up like the target.

"Defend!"

After witnessing the Hellfire Golem's magical attack, Rain issued a defense command.

The golem's surface lit up with a red light, and a shield-like red energy barrier appeared around its body.

"This is the Flame Shield, a Tier 1 defensive spell," Mogaro explained from the side.

"By the way, Rain, you can try the overclocking effect." Mogaro smiled mysteriously.

"Okay, Master," Rain responded.

"Overclock attack!" Rain commanded.

The Hellfire Golem's body rumbled, and its pace suddenly accelerated. It was like an old-fashioned engine that had suddenly floored the accelerator, transforming into a high-displacement Ferrari!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

This time, the golem's chest accelerated, and its two dark cannons fired in quick succession. Every half a second, a fireball and a shadow arrow alternated, striking the target like a vintage machine gun.

Audrey and Alicia looked at each other, their faces filled with awe.

"Wow, if I had a golem like this, I wouldn't even need to look for a partner!" Alicia exclaimed, her eyes wide with envy.

"Alicia, you could ask Rain for one. Who knows, he might even give you a golem or, at the very least, a Hellfire Crystal," Audrey teased, hearing Alicia's muttering.

"Sure, Audrey. You're making fun of me. Why don't you ask Rain yourself?" Alicia immediately started whispering and playfully tugging at Audrey's sleeve.

"Master, I'm satisfied. Thank you for your hard work." Rain bowed slightly and smiled.

Although he had other ideas, they would require a significant amount of time for redesigning, testing, and debugging.

These could wait until after the mission.

Additionally, Rain had plans for using higher-tier Abyss Fire Crystals, but unfortunately, even Master Mogaro was only at the peak of Tier 1 Wizardry.

To create a more advanced golem and engrave higher-level inscriptions, they needed someone more powerful.

This time, Master Mogaro had put aside his pride and asked for help from several Tier 2 Liquidization Wizards and the Deputy Master Bradley, a Tier 3 Crystalization Wizard.

"By the way, I used the enchanted silver you provided to reinforce critical areas, which provides stronger defense against magical attacks."

"Overall, the Hellfire Golem might be a bit of a stretch against legendary-level powerhouses, but it's more than enough to deal with some weaker enemies, even if there are many of them."

Master Mogaro summarized.

"There's one more thing. I've set up a self-destruct device in the Hellfire Crystal furnace. In case of special circumstances, three mini-furnaces will simultaneously explode, creating an incredibly powerful blast!"

"I think this could be your secret weapon when needed. What do you think?"

"Of course, Master. Thank you for your effort!" At this moment, Rain felt he had made the right choice in selecting Mogaro as his mentor.

Although Mogaro's strength wasn't exceptional, he had proven himself as a mentor.

"Master, I'm satisfied. Thank you for your hard work." Rain bowed slightly and smiled.

While he had other ideas, they would require significant time for redesigning, testing, and debugging.

These could wait until after the mission.

Rain also had plans for using higher-tier Abyss Fire Crystals, but unfortunately, even Master Mogaro was only at the peak of Tier 1 Wizardry.

To create a more advanced golem and engrave higher-level inscriptions, they needed someone more powerful.

This time, Master Mogaro had put aside his pride and asked for help from several Tier 2 Liquidization Wizards and the Deputy Master Bradley, a Tier 3 Crystalization Wizard.

"By the way, I used the enchanted silver you provided to reinforce critical areas, which provides stronger defense against magical attacks."

"Overall, the Hellfire Golem might be a bit of a stretch against legendary-level powerhouses, but it's more than enough to deal with some weaker enemies, even if there are many of them."

Master Mogaro summarized.

"There's one more thing. I've set up a bit?"

In the outskirts of the Imperial City of Tamriel, in a valley in the southeast corner.

This area was adjacent to a small town called Louvard, making it one of the most remote areas of the city.

In a picturesque villa, seven men in various colored robes were busy around an elderly man in a wizard's robe.

It seemed like this was a secret base for some organization.

At this moment, a middle-aged man in a gray robe, after receiving the old man's instructions, quickly walked along a winding gravel path on the west side of the villa. He soon arrived at a cave that was unusually hidden.

The man in the gray robe did not enter the cave immediately but paused at the entrance, bowing slightly and announcing, "Sir Statven, we have received the latest news. Our target has just taken a mission from the Swordmaster Headquarters and, if all goes well, should be leaving the Imperial City of Tamriel soon."

"Oh? What kind of mission?" asked Statven, meditating with his eyes closed in the cave.

Behind him stood a giant man, solid as a rock, with a lower body resembling a giant scorpion. This was Statven's legendary golem chimera, 'Scorpion Man'.

Behind Scorpion Man were several tall and muscular ghouls with large, sharp claws, known as Clawed Ghouls, Statven's elite necromantic servants. Their strength far surpassed that of ordinary Plague Ghouls, not to mention the Rotten Ghouls.

Statven himself did not need to hide in a cave protected by concealment magic, but because this location was close to the Imperial City of Tamriel, his undead servants constantly emitted peculiar energy waves.

That's why he chose to stay in the cave.

"The mission is to kill the Lava Dragon, 'Hemados'," reported the gray-robed man, his face turning solemn.

Although his strength was far from that of dragon-like creatures, he had heard that even compared to true dragons, they were only a step below in power.

"Do you have any specific intelligence?"

In the cave, Statven's eyes suddenly opened, emitting a dazzling light that seized everyone's hearts. The bloodshot eyes that had covered his eyes during his journey, now gone, perhaps due to the rest he had during his travels instead of his usual sleepless experiments.

"Yes, we have it ready," the gray-robed man said cautiously as he entered the cave, respectfully handing a stack of documents to Statven.

Then, he glanced at the terrifying undead creatures behind Statven and quickly retreated from the cave.

Statven took the documents and carefully examined the mission details regarding the Lava Dragon, 'Hemados'.

After a moment of contemplation, Staven's chilling gaze fixed on the person before him. The messenger, a Level 1 Wizard, broke into a cold sweat.

"The acceptance of this task indicates confidence or a certain advantage against the Lava Dragon, 'Hemados'," Staven stated.

"Even I, when facing this Lava Dragon, would have a success rate of less than 40%."

"There are two possibilities: one, the opponent possesses a unique ace against dragon-type creatures, or two, your intelligence is incorrect! Their strength is greater than what you previously estimated."

After speaking, Staven's intense gaze remained fixed on the person.

The messenger, feeling the pressure, immediately left to report.

Within three minutes, an elderly man from the manor hurriedly arrived.

Based on his aura, the elderly man was likely a Tier 3 Crystalization Wizard, probably the person in charge of this area.

"Sir Staven, we have thoroughly verified the intelligence, and it seems to be accurate. Are you suggesting that even 'Sculptor' Sir Harold couldn't bring out his full strength?" the elderly man asked after some thought.

"I'm afraid so," Staven nodded.

Previously, Staven had examined a crystal recording of Rain and Harold's battle in Tavlin Town and concluded that Rain was strong but not a match for him.

He assessed that if they fought, he would have a 70% chance of victory.

As for Harold's title as the strongest legendary, Staven believed it was more due to exaggeration, especially since he was affiliated with the Isodre Academy.

Remember, the Isodre Academy and their Tutkash Academy are both located in the Cyrodiil Plateau, and Staven was well aware of the strength of these earth-attuned wizards.

When Staven rose to fame, this Harold was merely a newcomer.

"Sir Staven, if I also assign two Kings of Assassins from the Black Robe Organization to assist you?" the elderly man suggested after some thought.

"That's not enough, and I'm not used to working with others," Staven shook his head, rejecting the elder's proposal.

"Then what do you mean, Sir?" the elder's face sank as he spoke.

"I need one thing; if I have it, I'll have a better chance of success."

"What is it?"

"The Iron Spine Necromancer Chestplate."

"What?!" The elder's eyes widened, and he gasped.

As a Tier 3 Crystalization Wizard, he naturally understood the significance of the chestplate.

The problem was that the chestplate was currently sealed within the Cologne Cathedral, making it nearly impossible to retrieve. At least, he saw no feasible way to do so.

"I need it to enhance the necromancers under my command. Only then will my success rate exceed 70%."

"You can consider it yourself. If not, don't blame me if the mission fails," Staven said, closing his eyes and continuing his meditation.

"This..." The elder fell silent.

Half a day later, the elder spoke up: "Sir Staven, regarding this matter, I need to contact the higher-ups immediately. Please continue your preparations, and I'll take my leave now."

An hour later, the elderly man received news about the Iron Spine Necromancer Chestplate.

"Go ahead," the elderly man said, his voice carrying authority.

Staven wanted the Iron Spine Necromancer Chestplate, which was currently sealed within the Cologne Cathedral. It was nearly impossible to retrieve, and at least for him, there seemed to be no feasible way to do so.

"I need it to enhance the necromancers under my command. Only then will my success rate exceed 70%."

A middle-aged man dressed in noble hunter attire was present and couldn't help but show his astonishment.

"If you want it within half a day, there's no other way but to mobilize the Shadow School. This will likely result in the removal of a Bishop-level Shadow School agent," the middle-aged man said.

The loss of a sealed item would require someone in the church to take responsibility.

"It's too late to replace someone now, and who do you think can have a better chance than Sir Staven?" the Duke spoke in a low voice.

"But isn't this loss too great?" another person frowned.

After all, planting a Bishop-level Shadow School agent within the church was not an easy task. It required years of continuous attention and support, and this direct loss was quite painful, even for them.

"Everyone, you've seen Rain's data. If we don't stop him, I don't want to see another Alfred," the Duke said, scanning the room with an expressionless face.

Upon hearing these words, the room fell silent.

After a moment of contemplation, everyone nodded: "Okay, I agree."

"I agree as well."

Less than half a day later, a chestplate resembling the one-piece armor worn by ancient Spartan warriors was delivered to Staven's location.

The chestplate was dark in color, adorned with intricate runes. As soon as Staven held it, the chestplate emanated a dense arcane aura.

"Very well, I need half a day," Staven said.

"Sir Staven, the target has already set off," the messenger who delivered the chestplate said, looking troubled.

Staven cast a silence spell and proceeded to wear the chestplate on his Golem Chimera, 'Scorpion Man'. Despite its apparent size, the chestplate fit perfectly when worn.

As the deep incantation resonated, dense Shadow School energy converged from all directions onto Scorpion Man's body.

"Ahhhh!"

Scorpion Man's upper body, with its resolute face and muscular physique, was enveloped in the Iron Spine Necromancer energy from the chestplate.

The Iron Spine Necromancer Chestplate enhanced Scorpion Man's strength by approximately 30%, showcasing its value.

Scorpion Man, a fusion of two legendary beings, had reached the legendary peak, but due to the nature of his creation, it was easy for opponents to exploit any coordination flaws and target them.

However, with the addition of the Iron Spine Necromancer's will, Scorpion Man would not only become more perfect but also further enhance his strength.

More importantly, through intense battles, if the three beings could perfectly merge into one, he might finally reach the level he had long awaited!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end