"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
"Roy, oh Roy, you're truly a genius!"
"To achieve this level so effortlessly!"
Once again, during a small gathering, Damo and the others were genuinely amazed by the Succubus Doll Roy had created.
As for Renien and Andov, who had once misunderstood Roy, thinking he had committed murder and dismemberment, they were nearly dumbfounded.
"Such a difficult technique, and you've mastered it?"
"Why are you so skilled at this?"
The two of them were itching to learn this technique themselves, not only to enhance their alchemy skills but also to open up new avenues for profit.
Roy smiled without responding.
While it might seem simple, mastering the entire process of creation was no easy feat for an ordinary apprentice.
Moreover, having the hardware facilities wasn't enough; one also needed the corresponding software.
Wizards achieved this by inscribing Wizard Arrays, which also involved the compilation of Arcane Imprints.
"This is somewhat like programming. Even though the Wizard World has many ready-made frameworks to call upon, continuous learning and optimization are still necessary.
And you must fully understand and personally verify and master the 'open-source code,' otherwise, you might be sabotaged without even knowing it."
After a brief understanding, Roy immediately realized that this was an infinitely deep pit.
And then there's the funding...
Once you delve into doll-making, it's like falling into an abyss.
All sorts of components, organs, functional modules, Puppet Cores, and even fashion items, accessories, and decorations—all of it costs money!
"How did I end up buying lace high-waisted pantyhose without realizing it!"
Roy looked at his hands and suddenly felt the urge to chop them off.
Now he couldn't even laugh.
...
Time passed day by day, and before he knew it, another month had gone by.
It was now June.
In a room on the third floor of the Wizard Tower.
Yiza!
The eleventh Willpower Rune had successfully materialized, condensing in the air in the form of a three-dimensional projection.
Roy was becoming increasingly adept at this, and as he had previously anticipated, the rest was just a matter of time.
After finishing his Meditation, he opened his eyes, and a red glow flickered in his pupils, especially noticeable in the unlit bedroom.
As Wizardry Energy flowed, the surrounding sheets, pillows, clothes, and shoes trembled.
Then, as if alive, they began to hop and move around.
Roy extinguished the Rune projection and extended his limbs. The animated apprentice robe flew up and slipped onto him, followed by the socks and shoes, which hopped over and put themselves on.
"The Animation Art is becoming more proficient..."
Roy, with a hint of satisfaction, turned his gaze to the Succubus Doll sitting on the table beside him.
"By creating this doll, I've finally begun to understand the mystery of energy persistence.
On items like clothes and shoes, it's impossible to use Cores and energy devices.
But Arcane Imprints can be used as a makeshift solution, and with increasingly powerful mental strength, many things can be achieved."
However, for now, he had set himself the goal of fully materializing all 24 Runes by December, before the Dark Star in the Sky.
This task took precedence far above upgrading the doll and mastering Whitening, so after investing a few hundred Magic Stones and getting a taste, he had to pause for the time being.
As he pondered, the Succubus Doll seemed to awaken from a dream, stretching humanely before gently floating up and landing on his shoulder.
The Flower Snake peeked out from the gaps between the books, watching the scene with a faint gaze.
Not long after, Roy entered the bathroom, where the water cup, toothbrush, and other items were already in their places.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, his sharp gaze fixed on the toothpaste.
It was still clinging to the edge of the sink, sluggishly trying to align its opening with the toothbrush, as if struggling with all its might but ultimately failing.
Roy's lips twitched.
Helplessly, he picked up the unlucky toothpaste and squeezed it himself.
After what seemed like a silent sigh of relief, a faint trace of Wizardry Energy dissipated, and the toothpaste tube went limp, as if completely drained.
After finishing his morning routine, Roy went to the adjacent room, as usual, to inspect his Alchemy Table. He then proceeded to melt and refine various materials, tweaking formulas, and busying himself with his work.
It wasn't until Olinda came looking for him that he temporarily set aside his tasks.
Roy stepped out of the Alchemy Room and looked at the female apprentice, asking, "What brings you here?"
Olinda, as graceful as ever, her robe unable to conceal her striking figure, was not in the mood to flaunt her appearance this time.
With a hint of nervousness on her face, she delivered an important piece of news: "There's been progress regarding the Corpse Dissolving Pool!"
"Oh? Tell me more."
Olinda said, "Someone discovered a massive monster in the Gale Hills, suspected to be a Stitched Monster!"
"A Stitched Monster?"
Roy thought for a moment, recalling the knowledge he had once studied.
"That's a zombie-like Summon created through Necromantic Wizardry, possessing the basic traits of the undead but with a larger size and greater growth potential. It can even evolve into advanced forms like Abominations and Butchers.
If it incorporates materials from Chalkland as its foundation, it could reach quite a formidable level!"
"Exactly, Olen's idea is to prepare for the future. Once he advances to a full-fledged Wizard, or even to the second or third level, it might come in handy!"
Indeed, everyone is striving to become stronger.
Roy's thoughts shifted, and he asked, "Then why is he so casual about refining it in an outdoor pool?"
"Those are just scraps, experimental products from the apprentice stage."
Olinda lowered her voice and informed Roy.
"Someone revealed that he once seized a heart from Chalkland from a giant!
That's the real treasure!"
"So that's it. I think I understand. He's using that Demonized Organ as a Puppet Core."
Roy subtly glanced at the illusory panel that appeared in mid-air.
[Alchemy Talent Acquisition in Progress (0%)]
Ever since he obtained the [Blackening] talent that day, the progress on the panel had not budged.
He wasn't sure if he had hit a bottleneck or if he had absorbed all the intangible Source Essence around him.
But one thing was certain.
The heart from Chalkland within that Stitched Monster could continue to push the progress, allowing him to gain a decent reward!
Approaching that Stitched Monster recklessly might alert Olen and provoke hostility.
But even so, he wanted to give it a try.
Because it was the Alchemy Talent that gave him the chance to turn his life around. Without it, he would likely still be mediocre.
His predecessor's aptitude was even worse than Renien and Andov's, a low-level apprentice with no hope of advancement.
However, before heading to the Gale Hills, he planned to make some additional preparations.
For example...
Stock up on a few more bottl
es of the Blackening Potion.
This potion could effectively counter the Stitched Monsters made of flesh chunks, which would be highly beneficial for his plans!
After sending Olinda away, Roy continued to busy himself.
(End of Chapter)