Chapter 266: Chapter 252: A Traitor’s Fate, Drilling the Troops, Mechanical Mage Esra

Piloting the [Fortress] for long-range bombardment was a completely different experience from being on the battlefield, fighting up close and personal!

But...

’I... I can’t let Mr. Jon down!’

At that thought, she forced herself to concentrate, channeling her Magic Power through the Crystal Disc toward the Mechanical Bodies by her side.

But the three steel constructs, which she could normally control as easily as her own limbs during tests in the Workshop, now moved as if they were drunk.

Two [Guardian] models lurched forward, their joints emitting a harsh CREAK. The Alloy Arm Blades, which were supposed to execute precise thrusts, moved erratically, only scraping discordantly against the shields of the panicked, dodging rebels.

The [Walker] model carrying the Steel Nail Ejector was even more unstable. It staggered as its multiple legs moved, its heavy body nearly toppling over!

Jon didn’t seem to mind, letting her continue to try as he turned to look elsewhere.

Currently, the apprentices of the Giant God Workshop were scattered across the area, fighting off sporadic rebels under the cover of their respective Mechanical Bodies. The clang of metal and sharp cries of battle were close at hand. Meanwhile, the Knights of the Radiant Knight Order, following Jon’s orders, silently watched over the apprentices, ensuring they wouldn’t perish due to some rookie mistake.

This was Jon’s primary reason for bringing them to the battlefield.

He wanted these apprentices, the ones with the will to fight, to get their first taste of blood. This was how he would begin to cultivate the Giant God Workshop’s own armed forces.

The performance of two apprentices was particularly outstanding.

One was Aaron, whom Sutton held in high regard.

He commanded his [Guardian]’s one-handed hammer to send a sneak attacker flying. Warm specks of blood splattered across his cold Alloy Face Armor, but he didn’t waver in the slightest.

The other was a middle-aged apprentice named Raymond.

He and his [Guardian] worked in perfect sync. The man and his Mechanical Body advanced and retreated in an orderly fashion, their movements crisp and efficient.

The others weren’t bad, but they paled in comparison to these two.

But just as Jon was silently observing them, a problem arose with Esra.

"Ahh! They’re getting away!"

Jon followed the sound of her voice and saw that one of the two [Guardian] models she had sent to press the attack had lost its balance and fallen, opening a gap in their encirclement. Seeing their chance, the already terrified rebels lost all will to fight and immediately scrambled toward a narrow opening on the flank formed by a collapsed structure.

Just in the nick of time, a figure in purple shot out from the side like a nimble cheetah.

"Tch, little bookworm. Watch this!"

Dolores’s amber eyes flashed with excitement. She even performed a nimble spin in mid-air, her short, choppy violet-colored hair tracing a brilliant arc through the smoke-filled air.

The bowstring hummed crisply in her hand as three arrows, glinting with a cold light, left the string almost simultaneously!

"WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!"

The arrows landed precisely in the pile of rubble and the half-shattered beam directly in the rebels’ escape path. The closest shaft was a mere inch from the toes of the lead rebel!

Debris flew. The chill of death instantly gripped their throats. They skidded to a halt in absolute terror, forced back into a dead end. With their backs against the cold, hard, broken wall, they had no escape.

"Ha! Still running? Go on, try it again!"

Dolores landed lightly, lifting her chin with a smug look.

Jon’s gaze swept over the rebels, who had been driven into a corner and now had the crazed look of trapped animals. His eyes then fell upon Esra’s pale face, and he spoke in a low voice.

"Steady yourself, Esra. Your strength far exceeds theirs. You shouldn’t be making such a rookie mistake."

"You must remember to be decisive, whether attacking or defending. Hesitation leads to defeat."

"Now, control your Mechanical Bodies. Finish the attack."

His voice was devoid of emotion, carrying the hint of a command.

But those very words gave Esra a strange sort of strength.

She bit down hard on her lower lip, forcing all of her focus onto the Crystal Disc. Then, with something approaching grim resolve, she thrust a finger forward!

"HSSS—"

The [Guardian] that had fallen scrambled back to its feet as if it had been imbued with a soul. All the stiffness typical of a Mechanical Body was gone; instead, its movements had a certain "human" quality to them.

The other, which had remained standing, was even more impressive. The agility of its forward lunge stood in stark contrast to the Mechanical Bodies controlled by the other apprentices.

It charged into the rebel ranks. Its Alloy Arm Blade swept out, and in an instant, it cleaved an enemy in two—man and shield alike. At the same time, the [Walker] stabilized, and the Steel Nail Ejector on its back began to hum as it warmed up.

Watching the spray of blood, a glint finally appeared in Jon’s eyes.

"Now that’s more like it. A [Mechanical Mage] should have this kind of skill!"

As a branch of Mage, the soul of a Mechanical Mage lies in controlling their own torrent of steel.

In a more ancient and mysterious era, before precise gears and Runes replaced crude strings and bone shards, these Mages were reverently known as [Puppet Masters], manipulating wars both seen and unseen with invisible threads.

It was precisely because Claudio had sensed this near-instinctive, string-like resonance between the depths of Esra’s soul and the cold Mechanical Bodies that he had made an exception and taken in the human girl who, to others, seemed merely reckless and timid.

And after this period of rigorous instruction and practice in the Workshop, she was finally like a billet of iron that had been repeatedly forged, beginning to take her proper shape. She had crossed the threshold to become an [Apprentice]-level Professional.

This talent might seem insignificant for a "player" who could resurrect infinitely and gain experience at an accelerated rate, but among the native inhabitants of this real continent, it was actually quite remarkable.

’She might... actually be able to shoulder a greater responsibility.’

The thought flashed through his mind, creating a calm ripple in the depths of Jon’s thoughts.

Now that Esra had demonstrated her talent as a Mechanical Mage, perhaps it was time to teach her about [Crystal Energy] technology. That way, he could free himself up to go exploring.

His ultimate goal was to travel the entire continent; he couldn’t spend all his time manufacturing Mechanical Bodies.

It would be best to have someone to delegate that work to.

However, this was just an idea for now. Whether it was feasible or not would require further consideration.

"CRUNCH—"

A moment later, as the final, harsh scrape of metal on bone faded, the narrow corner fell deathly silent.

Esra let out a long sigh of relief, her tense shoulders finally relaxing. Only the fingers controlling the Crystal Disc still trembled slightly.

She stared, stunned for a moment, at the killing field she had created with her own hands. Then, she subconsciously looked toward the towering figure in her mind’s eye and stammered.

"M-Mr. Jon... H-how... how did I do...?"

Her words were laced with obvious apprehension.

Judging by her earlier performance, the battle had been an undeniable disaster.

Facing eight rebels, her three custom-model Mechanical Bodies had more than enough combat power to crush them easily. Yet she had made a rookie mistake, losing control and balance, and almost let them escape. If Dolores hadn’t intervened in time, the situation would have been extremely embarrassing.

However, under Esra’s apprehensive gaze, Jon showed no sign of reproach. Instead, a smile of approval graced his lips.

"Esra, haven’t you noticed? You’ve already broken through the barrier between an Ordinary person and a Professional."

"Congratulations. You are now a true [Mechanical Mage]—"

He paused slightly before adding.

"—albeit, just an apprentice."

"What—?"

Esra’s eyes widened behind her glasses in disbelief, Jon’s smile reflected in their depths.

"I... I really am—?"

However, before she could finish, a deep, heavy rumble sounded from the direction of the city gate!

It was followed by a deafening cheer that swept over the entire battlefield like a tidal wave!

"The gate is open—!"

"The city gate is breached! Charge—!"

Faced with this sudden turn of events, the black-haired girl froze, at a loss for words, looking as dazed as she did when she first met Jon.

Jon chuckled and patted her on the shoulder.

"We can celebrate later. For now, let’s get inside the city."

As he spoke, he subtly lifted his head, his gaze fixed on a faint silver light in the sky as he spoke meaningfully.

"We still have much to do..."

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