[You have successfully imprinted the Puppet Manipulation Rune and learned the Puppet Manipulation Skill, Level 1. ... Special Reward: Survival Points 3, Spirit Level 1.]
[Note: Puppet Manipulation Skill Level 1. Effect: Can control one puppet. Hmm, not limited to chanical Puppets.]
’Not limited to chanical Puppets?’
Wei’en noticed the notification on the panel and glanced thoughtfully toward the area outside his workshop.
’What if I combined a chanical Puppet with an Undead Creature... would that work?’
But he quickly suppressed the idea. First, he would test the chanical Puppet’s power.
SNAP.
Wei’en snapped his fingers, signaling for the Driver to begin.
"Pamu, zhu, Linton." (Puppet Manipulation.)
The Driver’s eyes were fervent, its face filled with delight as it stared at the chanical Puppet. Several faint threads shot out from its mouth, connecting to the link points on the puppet’s exterior...
"So that’s how it works?"
Wei’en watched the scene with fascination, his gaze shifting back and forth between the Driver and the chanical Puppet.
"Move around a bit."
The Driver gave a flick, and its entire head moved to a position above the chanical Puppet’s head. Like in a marionette show, it began to control the puppet’s movents through the threads.
It took one step, then a second, then raised an arm, then a leg...
Wei’en noticed that unlike other puppets that tended to float, every movent of the chanical Puppet was filled with a sense of power.
At the sa ti, he could see the gears and chains turning inside the puppet through its black armor.
’Like a big toy?’
That was more or less it, and the Driver was the remote control.
Wei’en rubbed his chin. "Solidify."
Following his command, the Driver ticulously carried it out. A set of Rune Patterns lit up from the chanical Puppet’s core, and the Solid Heart Rune began to shimr faintly.
A faint sheen appeared on the puppet’s body, like a protective shield had been applied to it.
BANG.
Wei’en threw a punch at the puppet, but the shield of light didn’t even ripple.
"Hm? It consus Spiritual Power?"
He felt the Spiritual Power draining from his body and checked his panel, which brought a flash of understanding.
His earlier question was answered. The effects of a Rune Array also consud the operator’s Spiritual Power.
The consumption was very small, though. Activating the Solid Heart Rune only cost 1 Spirit Level.
’No matter how strong the puppet is, the user has to be able to keep up...’
Next, Wei’en had the Secret Master hurl a Fireball Technique at it.
BOOM.
With the explosion, the protective shield from the Solid Heart Rune vanished, but the chanical Puppet’s surface was completely unscathed.
’The defense is decent...’
A Level 2 Fireball Technique was more than ten tis as powerful as a musket. For it to only just break the Solid Heart’s defense was already quite excellent.
Wei’en pondered for a mont, then looked at the Driver on top of the chanical Puppet and said, "Transform it."
That’s right. He had decided to use the Keystones Spell (Death God) on this particularly special chanical Puppet.
So far, among all the Magic he had obtained by fusing the Death God Origin Rune, there were only two spells that required 100 Survival Points to level up from Level 1.
One was the Heart of Flesh and Blood, and the second was this one—Keystones (Death God).
Hearing his command, a look of joy appeared on the Driver’s face as it recited an incantation: "Keli, si, Murphy." (Keystones.)
The orderly Rune Patterns of the Keystones (Death God) Rune appeared out of thin air, swirling around and enveloping the chanical Puppet, the Iron Heart Fury.
"Death, death, endless death, becos the world..."
A low voice then echoed through the workshop, like a wind blowing up from the abyss, full of a cold, deathly stillness.
’The Death God?’
The chilling aura made Wei’en shiver involuntarily, but he couldn’t bear to tear his gaze away from the chanical Puppet.
As the voice grew louder, the Keystones (Death God) Rune slowly rged into the puppet’s body.
To be precise, it gradually fused with the Core Rune located in its abdon.
"Death is also a new beginning!"
As this seemingly joyous voice faded, the chanical Puppet suddenly jolted.
[You have successfully used Keystones (Death God) to grant the chanical Puppet the power of life. Evaluation: Maybe it wasn’t a big deal before, but now I’m pretty sure the first thing It will do upon waking is to beat you to death... Special Reward: Survival Points 15, Origin 2, Spirit Level 4, Resilience Level 4.]
The gears where the chanical Puppet’s eyes were located spun a few tis. Two red glints that looked like eyes appeared, and its body began to tremble as if it were getting used to the new sensations.
It turned its head slightly, looked around, and finally, its gaze landed on Wei’en. "Ba... Baba..."
’Well, now, it just got transford and it’s already calling Daddy...’
Wei’en and the Driver flanked the chanical Puppet, sizing it up. Wei’en replied, "Hey, son."
’How could such a mont lack a sense of ceremony?’
"Ba... Baba-ah-ba..."
"..."
’Does it just start babbling when it tries to speak quickly?’
"Take your ti, no need to rush. You were just... hmm, born. You still need to learn."
Wei’en patted its body. ’This big guy...’
"Mhm," the Driver was clearly more enthusiastic than him. It landed in front of the puppet and said very seriously, "You. Must learn."
The chanical Puppet looked left and right, blinked its eyes, and said, "Learn. I will. Ah, Ba."
"Try taking a couple of steps."
"Step..."
CRASH!
It had barely taken one step before the puppet pitched forward and fell to the ground. The wooden floorboards shook and, ultimately unable to hold, gave way, leaving a small hole.
Before it could get up, Wei’en quickly had the Driver summon the chanical Box. "From now on, your na is Model Zero. For now, you’ll stay inside. I’ll let you out to learn when the ti is right."
The chanical Puppet—oh, no, Model Zero, now—shook its head, got up, and looked at the chanical door to the side. "Okay, Baba."
"Goodbye."
Wei’en opened the chanical door and stuffed it inside.
’Jeez, it just ca out and it’s already poked a hole in my floor... That’s so real power.’
’Still, I’d better find another place to test it out.’
"Hm?"
Peeking through the hole, Wei’en noticed that Clelia’s room was right below his workshop. He hadn’t expected it to be decorated in a pink style.
Especially those two ribbon-like strips of cloth... Uh, why was... Clelia... erging from the shadows beside them?
Huh?
Wei’en frowned when he saw her condition. ’How did she end up like this?’
Clelia was currently covered in wounds from head to toe, and so much blood caked her body that she looked like she was made of it.
Not only that, but several of the wounds were in vital areas. There were even a few bloody holes on those two "hanging bells."
"Bastard... scumbag... giving a mission like that. Just wait until I get back, I’m not done with you..."
Clelia panted heavily, cursing under her breath as she drank several Magic Potions. When she looked up, she saw the hole in the ceiling, and behind it... Wei’en.
"Hm? You..." Her expression went blank for a second. "If you wanted to peep on , you didn’t have to go and make a special hole, you know? I was lying before, there’s no Soul-Devouring Array. You can just co right in..."
"..."
’Is this really the ti to be joking?’
’Looks like her injuries aren’t that serious after all.’
With that thought, Wei’en said helplessly, "This was just an accident. You should hurry up and treat your injuries."
"Injuries?" Clelia’s eyes darted. "Oh, right. I’m injured. And... I’m about to pass out."
PLOP.
She turned and collapsed onto the floor, landing in a rather ungraceful position...
’Her acting is terrible!’
Wei’en rolled his eyes, turned to grab a piece of scrap tal left over from making the chanical Puppet, and covered the hole in the floor with a CLANG and a RATTLE.
"Can’t see anything, can’t see anything..."
"I give you an opportunity and you don’t even want it~"
Clelia erged from the shadows by the corner of a table. The bloodstains, along with all her injuries, had vanished completely. She gave him a reproachful look.
"Don’t want it!"
Wei’en ignored her. After tidying up the scattered materials on the floor, he asked, "You’re back so late. Were you being hunted?"
"Hunted? You could say that."
Clelia’s face was pale. She sat on the workbench, fiddling with her "hanging bells" and frowning. "That old geezer was ruthless. He actually pierced right here~"
"...Old geezer? What old geezer?"
Wei’en paid no mind to her actions, but he was very concerned about the "old geezer" she ntioned.
"It’s... hmm,"
Clelia didn’t continue. Instead, she licked her lips and gave him a seductive look. "I discovered a huge secret. Don’t you want to hear it~"
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