Chapter 94
mSicKnucker.QGRgXO
uJhXA creature similar to a dragon, but wingless and with fins instead.QXjIa
0UfIt possessed such a terrible poison that it was even more lethal.pt1
BAPS9YUnder normal conditions, it would have been an extremely difficult enemy.qN6oV
VmoOFernan, on his own, could never face it; even using all kinds of artifacts, fleeing would be the most he could hope for.Xmnpw
BdxfBut with Wooden—the ego golem into which Fernan had poured all his efforts—the situation was reversed.MeD11x
6gfIt was the same Wooden who had once managed to corner Andromalius, a demon, and even destroyed the beasts he bred.APME
bPbckNo matter how strong the Knucker was, it could not compare to Andromalius.2yC7mas
uUXyUThat’s why Fernan didn’t fear defeat.kcMluR
0Bv4His only concern was something else.GtPmxp
otemZJThat the Knucker’s poison would damage the precious minerals and the itarium.pXy5Q
0GkHEVb“Wooden! Don’t ever let it open its mouth!”2S3v1p
oX962JLetting the cavern collapse from the clash of titans was acceptable; he could withstand it with magic.iDl
GUmMEven allowing adamantium, orichalcum, or mithril to break was possible, as long as their essence remained intact—he could just gather and refine them.2ruebW
KOqfBut the Knucker’s poison was different—it didn’t break or crack, it ruined the very essence of the mineral.7DDzUH
4ZBmThat was like turning treasures more valuable than gold into trash.dzg
IiRZ‘I can’t trust Wooden.’HKqLFz9
2XLxNEven though he obeyed words, once he entered battle, it was clear he wouldn’t think of the consequences.d3HG
OtR72yFernan began reciting urgently.aL98P
XNfpHe gripped his staff, drank potions, and equipped all the artifacts that boosted mana.87C
nJ8Fwoosh—CfHJ6qJ
WWOEyMana drained at a fierce rate—dozens, maybe hundreds.WwA
lXLXMassive rocks began to wrap around the walls where the legendary minerals lay.dWzJUkM
5H1y‘Not a single one! I won’t lose a single one…!’cf9Q
sKlWhhEven a fragment the size of a fingernail was worth a gold bar.vngAT
vo0BVOvHe wouldn’t allow anything to be lost.7JQ
2iZIf it broke, he’d repair it. If it broke again, he’d repair it again.L2P5yNF
f5wGb‘Let me collapse from mana exhaustion if I must, but as long as I live I won’t watch it all get ruined!’6lSOJB
18iWWith that thought, Fernan steeled himself.Dq63h
pbk***Bp9mi
Pwx7— Kkuung.UG5Q
XHVWooden smiled in total bliss.e5ibRRu
2ErFAlthough he remembered too late that he had no mouth to smile, that only made him laugh even more.e3sa48
UTX920— Kkung kkung kkung kkung!y8fyy
6gxL“Wooden! Don’t let it open its mouth!”Uzqr
FCZp4Understood. He didn’t know why, but he got it.OFt
HYKrxWooden nodded.a1U2iDl
tUkWN9“Watch out!”e1p
PG19The Knucker didn’t miss the moment. Its massive body launched like an arrow.U5P
BxFTdKwaaaang!CkpTnSK
luMThe golem went flying, crashing into the wall his master had erected.7sUzEI
6WUd1EThe wall crumbled like sand.qkurp
0XMfwiZThanks to that, even though his consciousness was linked to the golem’s body, he felt only stiffness, not pain.gI4C
6Ejh— Kkuung!sUCS
9Hb9B“Doesn’t matter if it hurts or not, look forward!”GmhV
cBZQKsyOh right, he was in a fight. Forward, forward.S1DZ
BGSwdnWooden got back up and faced the enemy. It was the same charge as before, but he wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice.1Fawgw3
Z2OHe rolled on the ground.wJTI
Z8mvcBoom!fmU
CptAnother wall came crashing down from the charge.LC9
8xpf3gEA purple mineral fragment rolled across the ground.f9UpsM
GPvpFrom one side came his master’s scream, “My mineral!”7pOkyc
l3tKg— Kkung!tjwfI3j
YjWBRelax, master. I avenge.bg76
cdPsOdWooden gripped his greatsword.Z7aqao
CUCRKThe blade sliced the air in a long arc.5gXUFc
sCkSlash—hH2G
WiiK0Forged with a magical alloy controlled by Fernan, that sword could even cleave the beasts of Andromalius.pvd4
Fh910The Knucker’s scales wouldn’t withstand it.9NX2FV
s1JYwKKieeeek!s9D
DKgRVgThe monster’s crimson blood sprayed in all directions.1j2
tx5Whoosh—.T6NGu
RTOThe very fluid was laced with poison, so a pungent smoke rose instantly.UJH2Bg
ALjthXF“Damn it! Don’t let the blood touch the minerals!”9lYU
uqJ— Kkung?cygm0t
9nYBlood, minerals, no?SjBM
AYDIf cut, there’s a wound.8aU
a5grIf wound, there’s blood.wwYFMIP
YC3So… shouldn’t cut?BlE
uaOFBut no wound means no fight.4oDiw9
MhdBoom!g0mc
v9hCeEA swipe of the Knucker’s tail hit the walls, tearing off more fragments.bqfm
YORi“What are you doing! Finish it already, quick!”CNIq
6jDQN— Kkukung!MuF5
1CIbOQuick, no blood, no minerals.h4KHZcb
UMfxlsAh. Wooden understood.9z0S
EpeMxVIt wasn’t about not hurting it—it was about finishing it so fast that barely any blood would spill.2ehClv
KmzHe couldn’t enjoy the fight, but a contract was a contract.mHNfB
SMbh— Kkuuu…I6XNw
sfHzEFQuick. Where?jLsa
W5JfVefVital point. Where?I1cW
ZSo4Wooden thought of himself.pdFhb
H2Ox3uNIf they broke an arm, he wouldn’t die.Xdi
fLQ6If they tore off a leg, same.nG03oQ
0HPd6If his head was destroyed, still fine.Ohm5
rHDOnly one place remained.3nSr
2aAb9— Kkung.VFi
Hcw8vSmThe heart.tOajW
a7tThe place where all soul and mana concentrated.a8FY
UtajmThe true vital point of any living being.uqydywT
VeqrWooden’s eyes gleamed. With the sensitivity of a spirit and the runes embedded in his golem body, he detected the densest mana flow in the Knucker.hj7
XQOHe adjusted his energy and lunged.naez7
bE9The sword sliced the air like lightning.WIru
5MKy4gClang—t5wQnj
nRsE8DThe Knucker twisted its long body, deflecting the strike.6sd
y4LUMZThe blade only grazed the scales, leaving not even a mark.nJe
JUP5symSlippery. Hard to cut.GVp
0JxWDw1His sword started to smoke—the scales exuded a viscous liquid filled with venom.MyB6
w71—!Uvn
kA5—!961
MqxWooden struck several more times, but the Knucker dodged with agility unbefitting its size or lunged to bite the golem.ulB
xtpriCrunch—Tfpi9
WXUOUKieeek!RvA0VX
4ovZTIt couldn’t pierce Wooden’s toughness and retreated shrieking in pain.5rN
1wLUn— Kkuku!AwSz
7j9Crack! Crack! Crunch!45553fq
WQeAa“Focus, Wooden, forward!”oPqv
UVTkAt that instant, a brutal hit landed.Wsxihdz
xAtVxThe Knucker rammed him, and both titans rolled on the ground.KVw
FiYSHkKieeeee!eokn
N3OlThe monster roared from above, mouth wide open.nRLH7Mx
LNxkr— Kkuuu!VI3RWl
tLQJWooden frowned spiritually.gfXE
DMQVSomething smelled awful.TBR
LxDsAnd only now did he realize.Nwx1Hx9
4s0YDr2He didn’t have a nose, and yet he could smell it!xTz
v8cM— Kyu?mvox
zj4jcYvFrom inside the Knucker came a huge surge of mana. Fernan, sensing the ominous sign, ramped up his power output, but it was a moment too late.lEyxhsj
YWl─────!WoHHKot
XEMmAn acid breath laced with poison struck Wooden.TWXixs
W3mFwoosh—dFHj
K14His vision shook. Hundreds of magical circles etched onto the golem’s surface activated all at once.2jYy
l8v0PNnCrackle, spark! Sparks flew endlessly.qOn
KioThe Knucker was surprised to see its own breath have no effect, but in that moment Wooden had already powered up without issue.l6oohn
B7VmdfCrunch—!fg8jN
4WotWooden’s fingers dug between the Knucker’s scales. The creature screamed in pain and backed off. Wooden didn’t miss the opportunity—he grabbed his greatsword and charged again.jNfklzd
51VqLDkA faint aura rose over the blade.sZoW
EnZRQIt wasn’t a solid aura—without his master’s help, it was the best he could muster—but it was enough. Though fragile, the weapon was massive.yt4fq
lJVi────!arr
Cmz1The Knucker tried to twist and secrete fluids as before, but the aura ignored physical laws and pierced the scales. Dark red blood spurted like a fountain.tFy9Xi8
azaKwoooooar!YLAkgb
XtArLThe blood drenched him completely. It wasn’t as corrosive as the breath, but it was sticky like mud, slowing his movements.Q6R6DD3
1cgBbNThud! thud! thud!Dakk7
7IySkWDHe took dozens of hits in an instant.NeJnCi
pQnP7l6He didn’t stand idly by—even though he lost his sword, Wooden didn’t rely solely on it.xJa7
KkGiHis giant body. His resilient fists.imKAwhe
B41MBang! bang!qb07
ZTyvPJhHe struck the Knucker’s head with clenched fists.ILmc1yT
BqdHe didn’t have the skill or experience to dodge every blow and land only his own. He relied solely on the golem’s body, and pressed forward stubbornly.HFhB
P4cN5pOne hit taken, one returned.nKRdRq
op1zTwo taken, two returned.XGrR3mf
SLMIt hurt, but the weight he felt in his knuckles was satisfying.GzYE
MocThe longer the fight went on, the more Wooden felt like he had a real body.djPRpZL
5N2RhjHe was enjoying it. He wanted the battle to never end. And honestly, it probably wouldn’t end soon.Yb95Z2
SYrEven though the Knucker’s secretions dried up, its scales shattered, and its face became a mess—that’s how it was. Perhaps.jmHbk
9OhAaIB—Kkuing!tc5
Edo5Oops, a mistake.et5DF
wJVzRh9He accidentally let out a cry of joy and covered his mouth—though he had none. Fortunately, it seemed his master hadn’t heard.lMX
QIU“Are you laughing? I told you to finish it quickly, not to have fun punching it!”1qT
qhAAh, he heard it.q3huD
fJd9—Kyuuu…CJD
gwrTWooden’s spirits sank. And he immediately understood why.1aj
PxIw2UO—Kkuuuu…!sI3e
6J8iXT3Because. Of. You. I. Got. Scolded.tFSDCo
9qpsf9QWooden got angry. His fury turned into action.1GR
RptHe picked up the sword.DTbJN3
CyNBGBRaised his power even more and charged. No—launched like a projectile. His core vibrated violently.UkV
NemEeeFaster.OtYZH
lzVMcdStronger.KMuZH
5vxHe focused all his mana into a single point. The once-diffuse aura took the shape of a true sword.8h9L5Z
yPEprGIn a blink, Wooden was already in front of the Knucker. The beast’s eyes widened.5zIiPd
PUuCgxg“Wait…! Not the heart, aim for the neck…!”Vao
jMESHis master’s voice came too late.crwv7D
mhiwWz3Wooden’s blade aimed straight for the heart.Ci2y00e
22rzOMxIt pierced the worn scales, broke through flesh and bone, and simultaneously struck the heart and internal core.KSk
dianzKrghhkk…!HhSCXK
jf0CThe Knucker coughed blood.B5bWTy
lWPsFM—Kkuu! Kkuu…?FXwa0SL
lhgrr2QGot it! Did I get it…?b6Cey21
8J7LAt the same time, the Knucker’s torso began to swell. Its mana concentrated in the core, vibrating unstably.ZxB7a
Jl38EfkWooden sensed it immediately and murmured with unease.GtHK
elDmmAnd in that instant.Os8li9P
wZXv─────!12qit
nh8An explosion erupted.yaG0ZR
ahOThe mana blast swept the area, and the mixed poison spread everywhere, corroding mercilessly.sGgw
sDnKlThe explosion didn’t kill Wooden—the body Fernan had built with the full power of his family was too durable.3Uf3aV0
X2bIt didn’t kill Fernan either—he sensed the self-destruction and hid behind Wooden, deploying a defensive circle.NsS
UdekhBut.QZH5
LoxYP“…Ah…”Ts4Cx2
OemHe couldn’t save the minerals.DZJB1V
EqgNFernan fell to his knees.GYr
qem***E9j03n
3lduPoison covered all the walls.4HNswAe
39AAs legendary as the metals were, they couldn’t remain intact under the poison of a creature sacrificing its life in a final attack.jMEpA
QlfZBNot even the layers of rock Fernan had summoned to reinforce the walls were enough.Iir
y2ZWJpAThe mineral veins were half-corroded, some melted. And along with them, Fernan’s heart was crumbling.439B
ookxb“Ha… Ha…”7ZS8
wKOZHow much was all that worth?TxJY5ly
r4Y8If he melted it, how many gold bars would it be worth?hg2m
lhl7VeIt wasn’t just the minerals.HEE
UhobjwThough poisonous, the Knucker was a spiritual creature. Its core would have been valuable, as well as its scales, fangs, claws, and bones.C1JK
Jx02DAll of it was lost in an instant.uF8j
l9BHS— Kkuung?u7uS2
pVJ“Shut up. And don’t lower your hand.”sFhSS6
vs5DxoWooden raised the hand he had half-lowered.R4Lfn
d1d“…At least the itarium is intact.”xCSXFh
HYi3Fernan had prioritized protecting the itarium over the minerals.gsa
QnI‘I’ll process it and give it to Aint, to Luina, and to the others who appear in the Book of Prophecies.’pIaFYh
F7GIt would be a lie to say it didn’t hurt, but in investment, one had to be bold.9K6
TUCumIf that could strengthen Aint, Luina, or others even a little—it was worth it.6A75
XU99‘The minerals…’J4m
40RxT5All the ones exposed were ruined.KhEEzQ
GTFEven the adamantium had been damaged—that was the scale of the Knucker’s self-destruction, fitting for a spiritual being.vz6AXn8
HesNFernan sighed. The space was so vast that the walls were covered in veins, and what he had lost was no small amount.9iG
AAm4‘Even so, I must make use of what’s left. Perhaps my family can find a way to use it.’BfC3n
pX5QMZaEven if it was just separating the uncorrupted parts.sjxmG2C
pVWK5xqHe immediately began mining with magic.lDit7kZ
ZENJUnfortunately, the veins weren’t very deep.TKvE
xV11kQXBut still, Fernan calculated that it was enough to make the bell.wlR2U4
gDXAt least he could catch his breath.Nl1k
ZAfC“Anyway… what is this place? Even if it was the First Emperor, how did he manage to gather all this?”kuZ
oqeHe stored the minerals in his subspace and, finally, extracted the itarium.5im
1LA“Hm?”zC4n
VmJNBeneath it, hidden, was a small chest.fLu
245i“…What is this…?”C4JHUQC
9EGMBOn its surface was engraved the emblem of Saint Bird.cUOUCyD
OgagtD‘Kallinos Armian.’Uwa
6wFLRpvThe name of the last king of the Kingdom of Armian.Rok9PpE
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