Chapter 138: Wizard-Level Magic Puppet

On the third floor of the Swamp Tower, inside the alchemy laboratory.

Having claimed the highest-tier alchemy lab for his own exclusive use, Greem had made it his home, not stepping out once for three days and three nights.

During the first day, he did nothing but cradle the first-rank molten giant core—his experimental subject—observing and scrutinizing it from every angle, allowing the Chip to perform the final modeling and configuration.

With his formidable clairvoyant abilities, every crystal cluster within the core, every crystalline filament within those clusters, their orientation, the distribution of earth and fire elements, and the structural integrity of each section—every detail and node was etched into his mind, coalescing into sets of data that formed a three-dimensional, highly detailed virtual model.

Once this was complete, Greem collapsed onto the lab floor and fell into a deep sleep. He did not wake until the following dawn, when he climbed up from the floor, yawning and stretching.

After using a cantrip to conjure fresh water to wash his face and ensuring everything was in order, he sensed his mental energy had fully recovered. Only then did Greem stand before the alchemy bench with a solemn expression.

After such long preparation and incubation, the design for the new magic construct had been imprinted in his mind, and today, he needed to make it a reality.

Twitching the corner of his mouth in a self-encouraging smile, the hesitation and anxiety in his eyes gradually vanished, replaced by resolve and confidence.

Without hesitation, Greem waved his hand to activate the alchemy bench.

The new construct, the new design—to fully unleash the power of the dual earth-fire elemental core, the Chip had specifically crafted a new three-dimensional spell array for it: five energy-gathering arrays, three elemental enhancement arrays, two elemental conversion arrays, two source-field arrays, one magma armor generator, one summoning rune array, one elemental life-infusion array, one consciousness-reinforcement rune, and numerous energy circuit nodes.

Previously, the basic earth golems required at most seven arrays, and the lightning giant, which utilized a distributed 3D array, only had nine on its core. Yet, on this egg-sized first-rank molten giant core, Greem intended to etch sixteen arrays at once, connecting them to form a larger, more intricate whole.

On Earth in his past life, such molecular-level micro-carving could be left to an intelligent computer. But in this mysterious and magical world, the only assistance Greem could rely on was the Chip's guidance; the remaining work had to be done by his own hands.

The entire three-hour process of rune etching allowed for not a shred of carelessness or laxity. Any deviation in a rune circuit during etching, even by the distance of a single crystalline filament, would have a massive impact on the final construct. A deviation of two filaments meant the wizard-level core, obtained at the cost of near-death, would be utterly ruined.

During the etching, the output of mental energy had to be steady and sustained. If too shallow, it would affect the efficiency of elemental energy flow; if too deep, it might pierce the surface of the core and damage its interior. As for stopping midway, that was the ultimate taboo in crafting construct cores; the entire process had to be completed in one go, without the slightest hesitation.

To make a core function at its peak, it required enough spell arrays to complement it. More arrays meant the crafting process had a very low margin for error; any mistake would lead to the destruction of the core. Thus, in the Wizard Continent, a wizard-level core etched with ten arrays was enough to earn one the title of Alchemy Master. Etching sixteen at once was something only an Alchemy Grandmaster could achieve.

And so... quite naturally, the first wizard-level magic construct Greem attempted failed.

During the etching process, the scorching ray controlled by Greem’s mental energy lingered on a single point for 0.7 seconds too long. The core's surface was pierced, and the moment the core touched the scorching ray, it instantly detonated and disintegrated.

A core worth over four thousand magic crystals was ruined just like that.

There was no time to be vexed, no time for regret, and no time to lament or grieve. Greem tossed aside the remnants of the core, waved his hand to turn off the alchemy bench, collapsed onto the floor, and fell into a deep sleep once more.

If he had the time, he could have left this work until after he advanced to a full wizard, where his mental energy—multiplied many times over—would make this far easier and more relaxed.

But he did not have that time.

The urgency of the situation forced him to bolster his strength as quickly as possible. The risks of a quasi-wizard attempting to challenge the difficulty level of a true wizard were obvious. Yet, he had no other path.

Seven hours later, a refreshed Greem stood up abruptly and bravely returned to the alchemy bench.

Unfortunately, two hours later, the second wizard-level core failed as well.

This time, Greem did not rush to lie down. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, took food from his robes, and ate and drank rapidly. By the time he finished and lay down on his blanket to fall into a deep sleep, two tears had silently rolled down his cheeks, though he was completely unaware of it.

Ten hours later, as his mental energy had just recovered, Greem opened his eyes at the Chip’s prompt. His dark, crystalline pupils held no hesitation or doubt, nor any vexation or remorse—only a stubborn, unyielding persistence.

Thirteen hours later, Greem stood before the alchemy bench once more.

Perhaps sincerity can move mountains, or perhaps it was simply the natural fruition of his efforts; the third magic construct core was a success!

There was no loud roar, no jubilant cheer with streaming tears. Greem calmly put the core away and lay down on his blanket once more, falling into a deep sleep.

Fifteen hours later, the fourth core was also complete!

Not until the final spell rune was etched, the entire three-dimensional structure forming a perfectly cohesive and self-contained closed loop, and the elemental energy drawn from the air began to flow smoothly through the spell rings, did Greem’s stoic, zombie-like face show a flicker of expression.

It was hard to say if it was joy or heartache, happiness or sorrow. His repeatedly strained mental energy had been emptied and replenished many times, leaving him utterly exhausted and mentally drained.

After tidying up the lab, turning off the alchemy bench, exiting the laboratory, and returning to his quarters, Greem simply let go of everything and passed out.

He slept for a full day and night before shaking off that sense of frailty, finally breaking free from a dark nightmare that kept pulling him down. Even before he opened his eyes, the aroma of delicious food wafted into his nose.

Opening his eyes, he saw a familiar, beautiful face leaning over him. Her expression held confusion and bewilderment, but more than anything, a look of deep thought. In the wooden tray she held were veal loins drizzled with sauce, sweet and fluffy white bread, and a vibrant fruit platter.

"Are you hiding something from me?" Mary asked suspiciously.

Although the man before her was only sixteen or seventeen, he possessed a composure and sophistication that many adults could never reach, always appearing calm, collected, and in control. While this gave his companions more confidence and a sense of reliability, she always felt he kept his heart buried very deep.

The extreme exhaustion on his face was rare; every time it appeared, it meant they were facing a challenge unimaginable to ordinary people.

What kind of problem had forced him to this extent?

Mary was deeply puzzled.

This should be their most comfortable and free period! Both had become quasi-wizards, the many shackles that had once weighed them down had vanished, and even Wizard Anderson had become much more caring and amiable toward them.

As long as they continued along their current path, given their talent and potential, stepping into the peak of quasi-wizardry would take no more than a year or two. Then, with a little luck, they might even become noble wizards who controlled their own destinies!

At that time... it would be the moment they could be together and officially become partners.

It was precisely because everything seemed so beautiful that Mary was baffled by Greem’s desperate efforts. Based on her time with him, she was certain that a new, massive crisis had emerged—one she could not yet perceive. Otherwise, this man would not be pushing himself to such lengths!

With Mary’s personality, she naturally asked what was on her mind.

Greem gave a bitter smile, took the tray from Mary, and without getting out of bed, began to devour the food.

Once he finished, Greem smiled broadly, took Mary’s small hand, and softly asked about her recent training. In secret, however, he engaged her in a rapid mental link.

Since Mary had already sensed something, Greem no longer intended to hide it from her. Furthermore, many subsequent tasks would require her participation, so informing her early was necessary to keep her prepared.

After relaying everything he knew in one breath, Greem had braced himself to use force if necessary to stop any potential outburst from Mary. But to his surprise, after learning everything through their mental link, Mary, who should have been furious, remained calm. She even looked at him with an expression of keen interest.

Was the person in front of him a fake Mary?

Just as Greem was about to doubt the authenticity of the person before him, Mary finally asked with a mischievous smile, "You did all this for me? Those guys just want my life, why are you pushing yourself so hard?"

Although she was speaking of a matter concerning her own life, the way her eyes danced with mirth suggested she didn't seem to take it to heart at all.

What time was it? She wasn't worried about her own life but was steering the conversation elsewhere?

Greem was momentarily stunned. "You... aren't you my partner?"

Before he could finish, a sweet, beautiful pair of red lips pressed against his, silencing him.