Mechanical Alchemist

"The compatibility between the 'B-010 Gluttonous King' talent and this Vampire Ring is very high, no wonder the ring ended up in this guy's hands..."

Su Lun looked at the pale young man, his gaze reflecting deep thought.

This was the second practitioner with this talent that he had encountered.

The previous one had already died in the Netherworld—Yixier Peion, the ninth fleet admiral of the Northern Sea Fleet.

This talent was extremely powerful, capable of devouring external objects and transforming them for personal use, making one's physical combat abilities very strong.

Similarly, the vampire race had the talent to absorb other people's lifeblood to recover and strengthen themselves.

A Vampire Ring paired with the 'Gluttonous King' talent was simply a perfect match.

It wasn't rare to see rare talents in top noble families. Many talents could potentially be passed down through bloodlines, so noble families often chose to mate with common folk possessing rare talents to bear offspring. With a large base, there were always a few with B or even A grade talents among their offspring.

But two-fold talents were quite rare.

"This August might only be Tier 6, but his combat ability definitely cannot be measured by regular Tier 6 standards. He's a bit tricky..."

Su Lun immediately judged that this guy was very strong.

He sighed inwardly about the various strange and powerful individuals that Lington was apparently full of.

Previously, he had met a mysterious 'Curator', and now another such unfathomably old fighter pretending to be young.

These were opponents he wasn't sure he could definitely defeat.

The Rodriguez family was a firm supporter and promoter of the 'Faith Freedom Act', almost certainly followers of that Outer God.

They were naturally enemies.

Seeing this ring, the first thing that came to Su Lun's mind was how to kill this person.

But after pondering for a moment, he still felt uncertain.

It definitely wasn't possible to make a move here.

"Should I ask that omnipotent King of Lington's Underworld next time?"

Su Lun thought of a more secure plan.

Without this ring, this old creature would probably drop dead on the spot, which likely could not be obtained through normal beneficial exchange methods.
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But the 'Shadow Earl' was said to be capable of anything, and what if it worked?

If he could avoid moving personally, that would naturally be best.

Thinking this, Su Lun wasn't in a hurry anymore.

....

Not long after, the top ten finals of the Puppet Master competition started.

The host's passionate opening speech kicked off the event, and the contestants first appeared on stage to show their faces. Abel Boyle and the Kama siblings were among them.

Seeing this, Su Lun guessed that the Young Master Alex here was probably here to cheer on the Kamas.

Su Lun didn't think it was bad.

Though the Kama siblings were his disciples, they had their own paths to walk in the future.

The host of the Puppet Master competition briefly introduced the ten contestants who had emerged from the preliminary rounds, which covered almost all the mainstream puppetry genres of the current time.

Except for the Boyle mechanism puppet lineage of the Kama siblings who were outsiders, the other eight were disciples of various elders from the Lington Puppetry Guild.

After all, puppet masters also rely heavily on external objects to enhance their combat power; the stronger the puppet, the stronger the combat power almost always was.

Puppet masters might not necessarily be wealthy, but powerful puppet masters certainly were.

Although it was called a national competition, it was actually just a group of minor nobles in an internal conflict.

Abel was only six years old, and his small stature among the line of contestants was a bit conspicuous.

He was the only Tier 1 professional there, while all others were Tier 2.

But Su Lun still very much believed in his disciple's ability to take first place.

When Abel went on stage, he seemed somewhat distracted, as if he wasn't very interested in the competition. He probably guessed that his teacher would come to watch, and his gaze quickly wandered through the crowd and soon settled on Su Lun sitting in an unobtrusive corner.

As their gazes met, Su Lun also smiled and nodded slightly, as encouragement.

Seeing his teacher also attending personally suddenly invigorated Abel.

...

The pace of the competition was not very fast, and the academy-style combat where hitting the target sufficed was quite entertaining. However, for a Grandmaster of Puppetry like Su Lun, it was just watching the excitement.

However, he also witnessed the combat styles of the mainstream puppetry professions.

The Weaponry School was brutish, the Curse School was eerie, the Beast Puppetry School had all kinds of bizarre magical beast puppets, and the Elemental School's various puppetry spells were dazzling...

The cheering at the venue also rose wave after wave.

It must be said, the fights between puppet masters in their own field were more spectacular than those of other professions.

Even though it was just two people fighting, the arena could turn out the noise of a small group skirmish.

Puppets clashed noisily, thrilling the audience.

However, to Su Lun, the puppeteering skills of these second-tier Puppet Masters seemed too immature. If they were to face him, their flashy puppets might not even get a chance to act before being paralyzed on the spot.

But actually, these top ten contenders were already quite excellent among ordinary puppeteers.

Unlike Su Lun, who, with his "Reaper" talent, had reaped perhaps two hundred years of control experience, others naturally couldn't compare.

...

After several rounds, the semifinals were underway.

There were a few noteworthy matches.

But unexpectedly, Abel Boyle lost!

Riding on his superb thread control techniques, he had barely used his puppet and had bulldozed his way into the semifinals.

Yet, in this final match, he faced Elsa Bach, the favored disciple of Master Aubrey, and was defeated within just two rounds.

"Is Abel Boyle controlling his rank?"

Su Lun watched, his eye twitching slightly, and after a moment of thought, a knowing smile appeared on his face.

Others watching thought that Abel Boyle was indeed outmatched, but as his teacher, Su Lun knew his disciple all too well.

After observing a bit, Su Lun noticed there were indeed a few promising talents among the top ten.

But none could be a match for Abel Boyle.

Even though the others were second tier and had progressed in their careers once more, possessing an additional alchemical enhancement, the unlocked potential of Abel Boyle's "Exquisite Heart" was like a cheat, totally not playing on the same level.

Abel Boyle had fought up to now without even using the Eight-Armed Spider Lance enhancement. Others even assumed his alchemical enhancement was some kind of augmented control concealment enhancement.

Su Lun couldn't help but think wryly, "This kid is probably aiming for the third-place prize..."

He looked at the third-place prize on display, a 300-year-old copy of "Four Elements Heart Core Structure" personally annotated by Van Hormont, the court's top Alchemist Master. It was currently the most authoritative and detailed version on the market concerning the core structure of energy.

A treasure of the court, unreachable through ordinary means.

This was even something that Su Lun had coveted before the competition.

Although it was merely the third-place prize, in his eyes, its value surpassed all the other top ten prizes combined by many folds.

But for the noble competitors, this prize's value as a knowledge-based treasure paled in comparison to a puppet that could immediately enhance one's combat strength. If they wanted to acquire knowledge, the royal library had collections, as did the private storages of nobles. By spending money and pulling strings, they could always obtain various profound texts.

Hence, this knowledge was a third-rate prize.

"Well thought out..."

Su Lun looked on with a slight smile.

At Abel Boyle's current level, he had not yet delved into the knowledge of energy cores, so clearly, this prize was meant for his teacher.

Even Su Lun had guessed that his disciple's initial willingness to join such a boring competition was likely for this prize.

As for the first and second prizes, the thread enhancements and puppets, they held no allure for Abel Boyle. With a teacher like Su Lun, the Grandmaster of Puppetry, the siblings were never short of excellent puppets.

...

Sure enough, Abel Boyle lost a match in the semifinals. In the subsequent third-place ranking match, he completely demolished his opponent without any doubt, easily securing the third place.

Not even pretending to struggle.

This result left Su Lun below both amused and exasperated.

The bewildered onlookers expected a fierce battle, but the young lad, hardly in need of employing his puppet, simply displayed it and then adroitly used a secret technique to strip his opponent of their puppet's control, ending the fight.

He even set the record for the quickest match among the top ten.

This was the gap between actual combat experience and academy training.

The noble students were unaccustomed to life-and-death struggles, often aiming to make the matches look good and flashy, with various powerful moves called out back and forth.

Yet in genuine combat, a small flaw was enough to decide the outcome.

But typically, one should still play along a bit, to give the opponent some face.

Su Lun also felt that everything about Abel Boyle in his five years at the "Heart of Puppetry" was fine except his temperament and emotional intelligence... it was complicated to say the least.

...

"That lad named Abel Boyle was outrageously arrogant, defeating Master Vogt's proud disciple Roy just like that. My god, look at how dark Master Vogt's face has turned..."

"Just luck. Roy's puppet was far superior to that boy's; it was completely a case of underestimation."

"Those country folks are always so fierce and reckless over trifles, willing to brawl for the slightest gain. That fight was clearly a sneak attack, lacking any gentlemanly manners. If they were to have a fair fight, that boy could never be Roy's match. Hmph—such a victory is contemptible even if I could win it!"

"Exactly! It's obviously a trick. For just a match victory, showing no gentlemanly manners. And they say he's a noble, truly disgraceful."

"..."

Abel Boyle won so effortlessly that the onlookers below, having no excitement to watch, all became agitated.

The nobles naturally sided with Roy, feeling the victory was dishonorable;

The commoners stood by Abel Boyle, cheering and jumping for joy.

But to the real connoisseurs, the gap in ability was apparent. The old folks at the Puppet Master Guild noticed Abel's exquisite manipulation skills; their faces looked very peculiar, yet no one dared to speak out.

They naturally had heard of the Boyle lineage of organ puppets, which had once been one of the Empire's most splendid puppetry inheritances. However, in the recent two centuries, the Boyle family had declined, blending in with the masses and even withdrawing from the capital.

Unexpectedly, the sudden emergence of the siblings had indeed stirred the waters in the puppetry profession in Lington.

Su Lun listened to those mixed reviews without any change in expression.

After all, from now on, whether it be honor or defamation, it was the path the siblings had to walk themselves.

...

On the other hand, Kama successfully advanced to the finals, facing Elsa Bach, who was also a female Puppet Master.

The battle for the first place was very spirited.

Being two female Puppet Masters, naturally, it drew a round of applause from the audience.

Kama was not like her brother, who had that monstrous puppetry talent; she belonged to the normal human category.

But because her family had been destroyed, she had been focused on revenge and had diligently practiced her puppet skills, naturally making her combat abilities strong.

And Elsa, having been taken as a close disciple by Master Aubrey due to her exceptional talent, was also a high-ranking noble who lacked neither money nor good teachers. Thus, whether it be puppets, raw materials, or implants, she had access to the best options, naturally bolstering her strength as well.

It was a clash of titans, and a very lively exchange of blows ensued.

"Secret Technique: Phantom Army of Ten!"

"Elemental Mystery: Storm Dance Troupe!"

"..."

In the ring, both sides employed the Puppet Master's signature tactic of overwhelming numbers.

The clash between organ puppets and elemental puppets was hard-fought and difficult to call.

Su Lun watched as Kama efficiently controlled over ten puppets and still managed with ease, showing that she hadn't neglected her skills over these days.

And below the ring, that young Master Alexis clapped genuinely in support. From the smile on his face, it was clear that he truly was impressed.

Su Lun was not just watching the match; she was also silently observing the high-ranking nobles who came to watch the battle.

Specifically, one wearing a Vampire Ring named Augustus.

Su Lun listened carefully to their conversations and discovered that Elsa was Augustus's cousin.

God darn cousin!

A wolf in sheep's clothing among the lambs—what was he up to?

This guy also occasionally engaged in verbal sparring with Alexis, debating who would win the championship. After all, their fathers were political rivals, so a bad relationship was expected.

But if Su Lun guessed right, and this Augustus was indeed an old monster from the Rodriguez family, then in terms of cunning, these young nobles combined were no match for him.

Was he here to disguise his identity, just to join in the excitement?

Su Lun was puzzled and continued to observe quietly.

...

The fight went on, and many puppets were scrapped, but the two women were still neck and neck.

To ensure relative fairness, the use of third-tier puppets and above had initially been banned in the competition.

But seeing that the match was undecided, the organizers temporarily changed the rules, allowing both contenders to use any puppets they could control.

Clearly, this rule was somewhat biased.

If it really came down to puppets, how could a fallen minor noble from the Boyle lineage compete against the high noble and disciple of the Puppet Master Guild Chairman, Elsa?

As expected, once the rules changed, Elsa immediately brought out a set of fourth-tier "Elemental: Seven Dwarfs" Golden Puppets.

Earth, wind, water, fire, light, dark, wood... each elemental puppet had its unique utility.

These were a downgrade of Master Aubrey's deep gold puppets.

Although Elsa was only a second-tier Puppet Master and could not fully control them, this set of puppets was both offensive and defensive, such that even facing a true fourth-tier professional wouldn't easily beat her.

This set of puppets truly showcased how a noble Puppet Master fights.

It also showed the audience the power of money.

Just when everyone thought Kama was certain to lose, the sole heiress of the Boyle lineage of organ puppets pulled out her family's inherited "Thousand Organ Battle Demon."

Although it was only part of it, when the organ puppet was equipped, all the audience's faces turned strange, filled with anticipation, sentiment, shock, and confusion...

Kama controlled dozens of puppets with various mechanisms in the ring, making whirring sounds as the steel cables, hinges, poison needles, and toxic gas all came into play, instantly elevating the finals to another climax.

This scene also stunned the spectators below the ring who were just enjoying the show, exclaiming how spectacular it was.

Except for Alexis and his group who had seen the "Organ Battle Demon" on the cruise, everyone else was astounded by the Boyle family's heirloom.

"Is... is this still a puppet?"

"My goodness, what kind of thing is this? A puppet can actually be made like this?"

"You might not know this, but a hundred years ago, the Boyle family's mechanical war demons were already unmatched in the puppeteer field... It's said that part of it was lost; now, it seems only the Hundred Arms remain,"

"That's just too cunning. She just hides inside the mechanical puppet, unreachable by attacks. How is Miss Elsa supposed to win?"

"Why didn't you say it was unfair when they changed the rules earlier? Hmph, since it's all about comparing resources, let's see whose resources run deeper."

"Exactly, the puppet is just a part of a Puppet Master's strength. What's all this about fairness?"

"..."

Su Lun watched the intense battle on stage, his eyes occasionally flashing with brilliance.

If there were no countermeasures, a complete "mechanical war demon" could achieve nearly unbeatable absolute defense among fifth or sixth tier professionals.

By using this move, Kama was probably unbeatable.

Before taking out this family heirloom puppet, Su Lun had clearly noticed that Kama had seen him in the audience below.

As if seeking permission: Master, may I use it?

Su Lun nodded.

Only then did Kama dare to go all out in the real battle.

Perhaps she wanted to prove something in front of her master, and also to vindicate the legacy of the Boyle mechanical puppet line... She showed extreme seriousness towards the competition.

She desperately needed a victory to prove herself.

Su Lun understood Kama's feelings very well.

Because she really had it tough.

Despite being at an age usually filled with innocence and cheer, she bore far too much.

The revenge for the massacre of her clan, the burden of carrying on a legacy, all weighed on the shoulders of a girl who was just under ten at the time.

For revenge, she endured humiliation for many years among pirates, near her enemies…

Alone, she silently protected her trapped brother, deeply cultivating her puppetry skills.

The bitterness of her heart was not something that could be easily explained in a few words; she needed an outlet for her emotions.

Su Lun, observing the gaze that occasionally flickered his way even during the battle, showed an encouraging smile.

Kama was fearless now.

...

This "National Puppet Master Championship" had reached an unforeseen situation.

The audience indeed got their eyes full, witnessing a truly brilliant puppeteer battle.

This competition also attracted many reporters from Lington, who captured the remarkable performance of the two puppeteers in the finals.

One could imagine that tomorrow's reports would once again stir a puppet craze in Lington.

But to the nobles, this so-called competition was merely a pre-arranged gilding.

The noble young lady, who had never faced setbacks from childhood, was becoming increasingly frustrated.

Always the first, she absolutely refused to settle for second!

But Kama's ancestral "mechanical war demon" was simply too strong; it couldn't lose.

It was not easy for either side to win.

And now that it had become an unrestricted competition, Miss Elsa, who was frustrated at not achieving a quick victory, resorted to using a cursed item involving significant consequences…

This didn't scare the nobility in the audience.

Fortunately, the organizers intervened, and it ended as a draw, both ranked first.

A Puppet Master Championship with slight disturbances thus concluded.

Su Lun, inconspicuous among the crowd, did not stay for the award ceremony to celebrate with Master Alexis for Kama.

Instead, he followed the dispersing crowd and left the venue.

At the door, he ran into Abel, who had grabbed his prize and slipped out.

Su Lun smiled and said, "Why not stay for a photo?"

Abel spread his hands and replied, "Master, such competitions bore me to death. If it weren't for this prize, I wouldn't have bothered coming,"

Su Lun, maintaining a neutral expression, raised his eyebrows slightly and added, "Seeing your peers can be beneficial too. Other puppetry schools have much to offer."

Abel looked serious and said, "It's because of your teaching that I came... But they're just too weak, especially those nobles who treat puppets merely as tools, with no real appreciation or understanding of the art of puppetry. Those old heads from the puppet guild, though, are not bad. In a couple of years when I can defeat them, I'll surely seek them out to exchange and learn."

Su Lun chuckled.

He knew his disciple was not arrogant but genuinely found it boring.

In the eyes of a genius, equals in rank hardly posed a challenge.

Su Lun didn't say much else but thought back to some of the situations he had predicted and cautioned, "Be extra careful, it's turbulent in Lington recently. Contact me immediately if you encounter problems you can't solve."

Abel responded, "Understood, Master."