Lord Of Puppets

(Strike was extremely effective, but uses up noticeable amount of mana.) – thought Thauma as he golems quickly began swarming towards dungeon master.

(Attack powerful, but cannot use it continuously.)

(…)

(No.)

Thauma once again unleashed a barrage of the earth fist that launched themselves against different golems, hitting them and shattering on contact.

(Use weaker version to launch several attacks and then head for the injured standard golem!) – Thauma rushed at the standard golem that was struck with the earth fist before.

(Exploit the newly created weak point!) – Thauma began launching series of attacks against injured standard golem, ripping apart its chest in concentrated area before then quickly blocking the golem attack, fallowed up with Thauma triple stab attack which shattered golem core.

(Destroying whole body will take too long.)

(All I have to do is destroy the core!) – thought Thauma as it eliminated the first standard model golem before then using the golem deactivated body as shield against crossbow golems attacks, before then rushing towards crossbow golems, without carrying about getting attacked by other golems along the way.

The crossbow golems tried to fight at close range, but Thauma easily ripped them apart.

(Take down as many crossbow golems as possible.) – thought Thauma as it used {Enchantment: Weapon}, boosting his claws, speeding up a destruction process a bit, before then getting interrupted by the blade golems.

(I've used up a lot of mana already.)

(But rush it!) – thought Thauma as it eliminated the remaining blade golem instantly.

(Don't be cheap with mana. There are barely any enemies left!)

(Only use simple attacks and one that are cheap!) – thought Thauma as it started ripping apart spear golems, taking away their weapons and then using them against other golems until they fall apart.

And as soon as one weapon broke, Thauma stole another one, broke it, then another one and broke it.

Destroyed blade golems.

Destroyed hammer golems.

Destroyed spear golems.

All of their weapons were used as expendable tools in Thauma hands, which each one ending up being destroyed.

But there was still two more standard type golems.

(Mana low. Only one more spell allowed.)

(Fist attack?)

(No!) – Thauma quickly put its hands on the ground and started concentrating as both standard golems were making their ways towards Thauma.

(Simple move. Simple move is all I need to finish off this battle.)

"…"

(Blade.)

[Earth Magic: Earth Stab]

Thauma fired off a spear of earth from the ground, hitting one of the standard golems in the back of their knees, damaging it as the stalagmite drove deep into golem body, hindering its movement and stopping it in place, while the second golem standard golem ran past it, trying to reach Thauma.

But it wasn't playing around.

Thauma went full on beast mode, ripping apart the standard golem in matters of the moment.

There was no holding back, just pure slaughter.

And it did not took long at all for Thauma to quickly destroy the standard golem.

…

The only golems that were left were some hammer golems and spear golems, alongside 1/3 of the crossbow golems as well as single standard golem.

(...Test…. Is almost over.)

(Enemy number, too low.)

(Chances of losing.)

(Below to even consider.)

But didn't mattered.

Or more exactly, there was nothing stopping Thauma anymore.

Why?

There was reason why Thauma just focused on one standard golem just now.

It was a plan and not just some mindless attack.

It was to take down the key figures of the golem army.

Not only that, but not that there was barely any golems left, Thauma didn't had anything now restricting its movement.

"One attack"

If Thauma had screwed up the attack just now, the tides of battle would keep being the same.

But with one simple attack.

And with this simple attack Thauma created opening that allowed it to take down the standard golem, instantly changing the tides.

And now?

There was no way for the golems to win this fight anymore.

And so, Thauma hunted them down.

Crossbow golems, hammer golems, spear golems and even standard golem.

It smashed, it slashed, it stepped, it pierced, it ripped-

IT DESTORYED THEM ALL.

Thauma went on the brutal rampage, showing no mercy what so ever to the remaining golems as it just "devastated' every single one of golems that were left.

It was no longer a fight, but instead a pure slaughter….Or more exactly, a "clean up".

All of the remaining golems could not even up the fight anymore to the Thauma.

…

And like that, the room was filled with silence.

Parts and remains of the golems were scattered everywhere….. And in the middle of the room stood one being.

Thauma.

Standing victorious after it had destroyed the entire small army of golems.

(Combat test number 4….. Completed.)

(Results….)

"…"

(Positive.)

(The test body function properly in every single way.)

(No problem with mana flow.)

(No problem with either joints or physical performance either.)

(There was no errors or any noticeable problems when casting spells.)

(Every single results – Positive.)

(Damage sustained – Acceptable.)

(Lose of limbs – Non.)

(Risk of losing life – Close, but core wasn't damaged at all. Would still survive if I focused on long term battle.)

"…"

(Ah….This is nice.)

(This test body is nothing more than base form.)

(It is not a finished product one bit.)

(But I was able to make it reach that kind of performance levels?)

(What happens if I make this into a proper body?)

(True, I would need to do a lot of adjustment and probably some other minor test, but I got it!)

(This is my base!)

(This is very own "model"!)

(Steps after steps!)

(I'm slowly speeding up!)

(Soon the slow growth that was hindering my dungeon and mine maturing will be gone!)

(And then, me alongside this dungeon will evolve into something greater!)

(…)

(But this isn't all.)

(I'm a fool.)

(I'm still a fool!)

(A fool that couldn't had thought of a very simple thing like using my experience as craftsman with magic!)

(For crying out loud, I'M ALREADY USING MANA WHEN CRAFTING SOME STUFF!)

(SO HOW THE HELL DID I NOT NOTICED SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT?!)

(HOW FOOLISH AM?!)

"…"

"…"

(Yea…. I'm idiot.)

(This is simple truth.)

(But that doesn't mean that it wasn't useful.)

(Each mistake teaches me something, be it either craft, fighting or even magic.)

(Each mistake shows me errors or make me discover something new.)

(And I will use them to my growth, creating the new "steps" for myself.)

(I'm already looking forward to it.)

<<…>>

<<…>>

<<2 months.>>

<<For the past 2 months I've had been focused on three thing.>>

<<Understanding my mistakes, improving my craft and researching the ways of upgrading the artificial mana organ.>>

<<Those were my objectives that I've had chosen upon the errors of my ways.>>

<<Each day I've been working.>>

<<Each hour I've been studding.>>

<<I don't need to sleep or rest.>>

<<If anything, I can't stop working.>>

<<I wanted to work!>>

<<I wanted to see what I can make!>>

<<And now?>>

<<All base preparations are over.>>

<<The base test are over.>>

<<The base model of my new body is over.>>

<<And the I've perfected art of creating artificial mana organ.>>

<<I've straight up wasted all and I mean ALL of the DP I've had stored up for the experiments, they were just that straight up expensive.>>

<<But they have worked.>>

<<The 3 steps were taken all at once.>>

<<And these 3 steps were the most important once so far, even more important than my own golem core.>>

<<I now understand how "make" something that may change the whole dungeon.>>

<<The stagnation of the dungeon is at its end... And this is also the start line.>>

<<Why?>>

<<Because I can see it.>>

<<More "steps".>>

<<"Steps" I couldn't see before had become blurry but visible.>>

<<And I know how to reach them.>>

<<…>>

<<Before I couldn't even "walk" properly.>>

<<My progress was extremely slow and even when Ariava did lent me her hand, I could only "walk" very slowly with her help.>>

<<But now?>>

<<Now I can "walk" all on my own with ease.>>

<<And before long? I will "run".>>

<<I will start "running", reaching new heights! New discovers! New powers!>>

<<But obviously there are limits.>>

<<There are limits placed on me and my dungeon.>>

<<Even if I start running, there will be a limit of how fast I can "run" and may at one point reach the wall.>>

<<But so what?>>

<<If there is a limit in my way, I will just change it or go around it.>>

<<…>>

<<And there is a funny thing about this.>>

<<This is their fault.>>

<<The kingdom.>>

<<They thought that I would become their source of "profit"?!>>

<<Even today they had not realized that the dungeon was growing?!>>

<<Because of what?! They didn't wanted to disturb dungeon growth!?>>

<<Because they wanted more "money"?!>>

<<Humans and beastman, all foolish alike.>>

<<Are all races like just like this?>>

<<Chasing after "money" to the point they become blinded so they cannot even see what is in front of them?>>

<<…>>

<<I'm confused.>>

<<Honestly.>>

<<I don't know if I'm angry at them…. Or disgusted at them…..Maybe both…. I don't know.>>

<<Or maybe it is other way around?>>

<<Maybe they are not idiots but I just outsmarted them very well?>>

<<Either way, they are screwed.>>

<<In their eyes, I've been tamed for over 4 months or maybe even more.>>

<<For over 4 months I've been working nonstop.>>

<<For over 4 months I've been studding.>>

<<They thought THEY were in control, while in reality I was just binding my time.>>

<<And I'm still.>>

<<I'm not ready yet.>>

<<No.>>

<<This is just the start.>>

<<I will continue crafting, improving and researching.>>

<<But now? I'm also preparing.>>

<<Preparing to take down these bastards.>>

<<Be it village, town, city or kingdom.>>

<<Be it adventures, soldiers or knights.>>

<<This forest is "my home" and I will make sure that the only being in control here is "ME".>>

<<And this time, I will be truly the one having the last laugh.>>

<<The story of the past won't be repeated for the third time.>>

<<The time is to write a new story.>>