Chapter 72: Puppet Golem
All of this unfolded before Leoâs eyes as he sat atop Shyraâs back, both of them cloaked in stealth.
He didnât interveneânot because he didnât want to, but because he didnât want to be blamed for stealing the kill. And secondly... he recognized the man. How could he not? Because of this guy, Leo had been annoyed for an entire night. His first impression of Dale had been that of an arrogant young master flaunting his strength in front of his women.
But after witnessing everything now... Leo realized he might have to change his opinion.
It was clearâsky clearâthat the girls werenât suppressed or threatened like he initially assumed when he saw the harem-like formation around Dale. Instead, they genuinely cared for him. The bond was real.
No last name?
Leo narrowed his eyes.
Someone who looked like a high noble young master, yet the girls called him casually by his first name. Perhaps Dale allowed it. Or perhaps they preferred it.
What was even more surprising was that the affection seemed mutual. Even though he had multiple women, it didnât feel shallow or forced. When Leo first arrived, heâd heard Dale scolding the red-haired girl for overexerting herself. That alone showed he caredâand that the girls cared back. And now, after witnessing Daleâs reaction when Ryn was brutally slammed... it solidified everything.
Leo had already figured out Ryn was unconscious, but not in danger for the timebeing. With his skill, he could stabilize her easily.
But Dale didnât know that.
And that ignorance pushed him into desperation and fury.
Hmmm... all the collapsed beasts must belong to him.
So Dale was a beast masterâand the girls arenât?
Leo shifted his gaze back to the golem.
Puppet Golem (High 2-star) â Magic Construct - [Overclocked]
It would be a lie to say he wasnât tempted. He needed that core to push Shyra to Peak 2-star. Every core heâd gathered had gone to Shyra and Niri, and both were stuck right at the edge of their breakthroughsâShyra at High 2-star, and Niri at Peak 2-star.
Even after feeding them so many low-level cores.
Heâd already deduced they needed stronger cores to advance. Otherwise the natural method would take ages. And after running all the way toward the golden beam, he hadnât encountered even a single High 2-star beastâlet alone a Peak 2-star.
But there was a problem.
Could Golem Cores even be used?
The thing was a puppetâa constructâlikely created or remotely controlled by someone. Was the "core" inside it even the kind that could help Shyra? Or was it something else entirely?
Still, he needed power before reaching the golden beam. With so many beasts converging there, whatever lay at the centre had to be incredibly valuableâand incredibly dangerous.
He needed Shyra at Peak 2-star now.
THUD!
A violent crash tore Leo from his thoughts. Daleâs body smashed into a tree, blood spraying from his mouth. His condition worsened by the second. The other girls were completely incapacitated, leaving only the blue-haired girl still standingâbarelyâas she fired water blade after water blade at the golem. Her face showed the increasing dread with each passing second.
The construct started advancing again, intent on finishing Dale off.
This fucking rock lump is definitely being controlled by someone.
Look how it used its broken arm to block incoming blades, minimizing the damage to its remaining combat capabilities. No way this thing is acting on its own.
Or maybe...
Are all golems like that?
It was Leoâs first time seeing one.
Setting all thoughts aside, he decided to step in. He shouldnât allow people to die in his presenceâespecially when their bond seemed this genuine.
I guess I shouldnât hold a grudge for one small mistake...?
---
"No, master Dale! I will hold this thing back. You run with the others!"
Lyss shouted, her voice trembling as she frantically released volleys of water blades at the golem. Each blade bit into the rocky surface, slowing its advance just enough. She was burning through the last scraps of mana that had regenerated while the others had distracted the construct earlier.
By bribing the spatial mage, all of them had managed to arrive in the same general areaâmaking it easier to regroup, stick together, and farm trial points. Strictly speaking, they didnât even need this trial. Their seats in Valencrest Royal Academy were already secured. But because of Daleâs missionâone that was ultimately cancelledâthey ended up on this "simple" adventure anyway.
It was supposed to be childâs play for Dale. But fate has it, they encountered something unexpected.
They never imagined they would witness a heaven-and-earth phenomenon... nor that they would be so close to itâclose enough that they sensed opportunity. And with Dale taking charge, they chose to gamble, exploring deeper with the agreement that they would retreat if things became too dangerous.
As they advanced, they encountered many beasts along the wayâwhich they had expected, coming from an inner city. Free trial points, or so they thought. In their enthusiasm, they used mana relentlessly, barely noticing how fast their reserves dwindled.
Then, their luck snapped.
They encountered this golemâone that released an aura equal to a high 2-star beast. Dale initially assumed it would be an easy high-point target. But the fight shifted instantly. The more they destroyed its body, the larger it grew. The golemâs size increased rapidly, its form bulking up, its power surging until it reached Peak 2-star, the white pulse in its chest intensifying like it had entered a berserk mode.
Even then, Dale had been confident. Confident enough to press forward and launch full-strength attacks.
But the golem changed.
It grew smarter and its movements refined. It countered their attacks with frightening precision. And while it no longer regenerated, its body had become absurdly toughâfar beyond their expectations.
The shift was too sudden.
And now, as the dust settled around Daleâs broken form and the girls lay scattered and injured, they found themselves trapped in a situation none of them were prepared for.