Chapter 152

What was Wooden’s greatest advantage?

His sharp senses inherited from the World Tree branch?

His inexhaustible endurance?

The hardest body in the world, forged from adamantite, mithril, and all sorts of alloys?

No.

All of that was important and undoubtedly elevated the value of the golem named Wooden, but for Fernan, the essential thing was something else.

An imposing size of over 11 meters, after devouring itarium roots.

And the ability to freely adjust that size and weight.

The figure that had once been barely 2 meters now expanded to almost 5.

The giant sword became just as heavy, and that weight crushed the Rahnas.

— Boom!

Wooden’s weapons didn’t stop there.

Before, he would’ve just smiled and waited for his enemy’s next move, but now he had learned the swordsmanship of Alcmion Altrierc.

He knew that once he gained the advantage, he must not let it go.

Clang! Clang!

The sword came down relentlessly.

It wasn’t a clean cut, but a brutal, crushing blow.

Even so, the result wasn’t entirely satisfying.

Crack—

The Rahnas’ armor fractured, the demonic energy scattered, but the axe stayed firm, and so did the creature.

Its eyes turned bloodshot with madness, its muscles and veins bulging even more. Snorting violently, it slammed its weapon into Wooden’s.

Boom!

A shockwave swept through the cave, tearing stalactites from the ceiling.

— Kyu…?

Wooden was surprised.

He had never faced someone who matched his strength.

And yet he stood 5 meters tall while the Rahnas barely reached 3.

He tilted his head, confused, and then grinned from ear to ear.

— Kyuu!

It was the first time he had fought an opponent of equal power.

With Andromalius, he hadn’t been adapted to his body, nor did he know swordsmanship.

Now everything was different—his being was fully unified with the golem body, and he had learned Alcmion’s technique.

And right in front of him, a worthy enemy had appeared.

— Kyuu!

He couldn’t help but feel excited.

He raised his sword and hurled it straight at the Rahnas charging toward him.

──!

“This doesn’t make sense… It can’t be!”

The corrupt one clutched the book to his chest and hid behind a rock.

“I’ve never heard of a golem like that! No one told me anything!”

“Because I hid it.”

“Fernan Pellenberg!”

Broken energy, shattered auras, explosions, and debris filled the cave.

The noise was deafening, but still, Fernan and the corrupt one kept staring and talking.

“When did you create it? How? A golem that moves on its own and fights a Rahnas as an equal! It’s absurd!”

“It’s real. You’re seeing it with your own eyes.”

“Of course I see it, but that’s not what I meant!”

The corrupt one flipped a page.

A ball of black fire shot across the battlefield.

Fwoosh!

But it didn’t fulfill its purpose. The Rahnas, thrown off by Wooden’s sword, ended up in the way and blocked the flames.

The explosion barely affected it.

“Get out of the way!”

At his shout, the rank-1 monster once again launched itself at Wooden.

And in that brief instant, Fernan noticed how the glow of the book intensified.

The surroundings were dark, and that subtle change stood out even more.

“I don’t know how you created an autonomous golem, but it doesn’t matter. If the mage dies, the golem dies too.”

Roooaar!

A pillar of black flames roared toward him.

───!

The sword split it in two.

Rahnas charged from behind, and the weapons clashed once more.

“Damn golem!”

“That book.”

Fernan extended his hand, pointing at the grimoire.

It still emitted a faint glow.

The important part wasn’t just the light. Every time the corrupt one cast a spell or gave orders to the Rahnas, the glow increased.

And now, even at rest, demonic energy poured from its pages.

“Without that book, you can’t control the Rahnas, can you?”

Records stated that even demons avoided those creatures.

And if you added what the corrupt one had confessed himself—“I just received the blessing,” “it’s not easy to summon one”—the conclusion was obvious.

───!

Rahnas was slammed into the wall.

Boom! Wooden pursued, thrusting his sword.

The creature raised its axe to block, but the force embedded it into the rock.

“Roooar!”

The Rahnas roared furiously.

— Kyuu!

Wooden didn’t hold back and roared right back.

“Isn’t that right?”

Amid all the chaos, Fernan’s voice rang out clearly to the corrupt one.

“…No. It’s not.”

The corrupt one’s lip trembled as if someone had touched his reverse scale.

“Then it’s simple. I’ll burn that book.”

“I said no!”

The corrupt one turned the page, and a black flash burst forth.

A dark light, clearly visible even in the gloom—something almost contradictory—but the beasts reacted immediately.

Groar—

Dozens of rank-4 or higher monsters charged at Fernan.

“You’ll never have a peaceful death…! You dug your own grave, stupid Fernan Pellenberg!”

And, paradoxically, that was the smartest decision that foolish corrupt one had made in his entire life.

— Kyuu!

Among all the commands Wooden had recorded, the highest-priority one was to protect Fernan.

Even in the midst of combat with the Rahnas, if Fernan was in danger, he would instinctively respond.

This time was no exception, and he ended up taking the combined assault from the Rahnas and the dozens of monsters.

“You heap of scrap, destroy that golem first!”

“You think I’m just decoration?”

The monsters charged. Fernan cast a spell.

The ground opened beneath them, and some hesitated. Wooden took the chance to drop his sword.

Slash!

The beasts’ screams echoed, though they didn’t relent and launched more demonic energy.

Wooden staggered, and the Rahnas seized the opening.

Clang!

Wooden chose practicality—he tanked the entire assault with his body, blocking the Rahnas’ battle axe.

The shockwave forced the monsters back several steps, and then the sand swirled over them.

Crunch, crack—

Arm and leg bones were crushed under the pressure.

“Wooden, trust your body! To your left!”

The golem turned its gaze and immediately slashed the throat of a fallen monster.

The next axe blow struck his shoulder.

Clang!

Only a superficial scratch remained on the surface.

— Kyu?

Wooden smiled, satisfied with the hardness of his body.

And at that moment, he shifted his focus—not only would he no longer ignore the monsters, he would also stop ignoring the Rahnas’ blows.

Crack—

His sword smashed a head, while the Rahnas’s axe grazed his back.

A beam of aura pierced through the heart of another beast, while the axe cut his leg.

The golem’s body, catapulted like an arrow, crushed two monsters upon landing.

──!

For the first time, the Rahnas managed to land a wound on his side.

But that charge had drained a large part of its demonic energy.

How many more could Wooden kill before the Rahnas could strike again with such force?

Confident in his victory, Wooden congratulated himself on his intelligence.

At that moment—

“Don’t even dream of it.”

The corrupt one opened his eyes wide.

Whoosh!

The pages of the book flipped one after another.

The demonic energy became far heavier and more sinister than before.

“Let’s see if you survive this.”

The danger was real. Fernan clenched his teeth as his skin bristled.

But the condensed black lightning was faster than any warning cry or Wooden’s reaction.

────!

The Rahnas’s left arm, the one holding Wooden, burst into pieces.

In exchange, the golem was sent flying like a broken doll.

His sword crashed into the ground, useless.

His arms vanished, and his torso was crushed.

— Kyuu…

“Hehehe… What a show. Perfect…”

Several pages burned and turned to ash, but the corrupt one smiled with satisfaction.

“And now what? Still claiming you’ll kill me? How do you plan to do that?”

His eyes curved like a crescent moon, mocking Fernan.

“I’m asking you! How do you plan to kill me?”

“That book. What is it really?”

“This? Well…”

The corrupt one’s eyes widened as he shouted:

“You think I’d tell you, you idiot?!”

“Rahnas!”

At his call, the creature responded, and the remaining pages glowed once again.

“Finish off that golem and kill Fernan Pellenberg—eh?”

But then he froze. His mouth opened and couldn’t close again.

“…What is that? What the hell is that?”

“A golem.”

“I’m not talking about that!”

“A unique golem. There never was one before, and there never will be again.”

— Kyuu!

Wooden nodded with a radiant smile, as if confirming Fernan’s words.

The young man approached slowly, while the corrupt one backed away.

And he saw what now covered Wooden’s body.

Roots. Branches. Leaves.

They had sprouted from his entire form, enveloping him completely.

They absorbed mana from the surroundings.

They refilled his empty core.

The stems extended, collecting broken fragments and weaving them back together.

It wasn’t simple regeneration—it was self-repair.

A miracle born from the union of itarium roots, World Tree branches, forest spirits, mithril, and adamantite.

“Your name was definitely well chosen. What else could you be, but Wooden?”

The golem finished reassembling and stood upright.

The roots didn’t vanish; they remained bound to him.

“This is cheating! Coward!”

“How pathetic. A corrupt scumbag who ambushed me to kill me, and now accuses me of playing dirty?”

Fernan smiled coldly.

“I told you—you’re going to die.”

Normally, he didn’t fulfill promises without a contract, but—

“This time, I’ll make an exception. Wooden, use all your strength. Bring him to me.”

— Kyuu!

Wooden began to move again.