90 Steel golems
"YES! YES! YES! YES!" Will was still cheering in the bathroom, acting like a complete maniac.
After a while, he composed himself.
"Okay. First, the mana ores!"
Will ran and quickly crafted something he always wanted, an advanced-tier mana ore. Until now he has never been able to craft an advanced-tier mana ore, not to mention a high-tier mana ore which is basically a priceless treasure in this world.
And just as he thought, he got new exclusive crafts and all for him. He also received items for sorcerers but he never paid attention to that.
{Inventory II}
{Increase your inventory slots by 10(total 20)}
{Crafting ingredients: 15 Advanced-tier mana ore }
{Waypoint stones}
{Place a waypoint stone anywhere in the world and teleport to that stone with ease}
{Can only teleport from one stone to another, meaning that you cannot teleport any time you want. You need to touch a stone to teleport to another stone}
{Each stone is over 7ft tall and 3ft wide}
{Cannot remove stone once it is placed. Can be destroyed only by the user, but the crafting ingredients used to make the stone(s) will not be returned so place it wisely}
{Only the user can use it to teleport. Nobody else is able to use it. Distance between stones is not an issue, might as well be infinite}
{Crafting ingredients: 2x Advanced-tier mana ores. 100x smooth stones}
{Metal vision}
{Able to see through anything to locate any ore. The distance that you can locate stones depends on how far one can see}
{Cannot use it to see through clothes or used for anything perverted. They're metal detecting glasses not x-ray vision, there's a difference you idiot. I know you thought of it first, don't lie}
{Crafting ingredients: 20x Advanced-tier mana ores. Any item(Can use a mask, glasses, monocle, anything works as long as you can see through it with your eye(s)}
Will almost sucked in cold air upon seeing the expensive materials needed to craft the items.
Without a doubt all of these new enchantments were very, very useful but extremely expensive.
It takes 10 mid-tier mana ores to make a single advanced-tier mana ore. 200 of mid-tier mana ores can make 20 advanced-tier mana ores.
"Okay I can make a single advanced-tier mana ore, but I don't know if that is wise. I just don't know."
Will pondered for a bit. What should he do?
He is already set on crafting the hologram platform, the one thing that will help him make better golems, buildings, and anything really.
That still leaves him with so many ores left.
"I can make 2 advanced golems cores, but I don't know if that is a good idea. Then again my golem did grow wiser, I wonder just how smarter it'll be once I insert an advanced golem core."
Will was really thinking about this. A single advanced golem core would cost him 100 mid-tier mana ores.
"I can't believe I'm doing this. This is either gonna be the smartest thing or the dumbest thing I have ever done. Here goes." Will is gonna place his bet on this action of his.
He then proceeded to craft a single advanced-golem core. 100 of his mid-tier ores were gone like that.
{Advanced-tier golem core}
{Tougher than steel, almost unbreakable. Higher IQ compared to a mid-tier golem}
The core was roughly the same size as the mid-tier golem core, only slightly, but just slightly bigger. It was shinier but people could barely tell.
Will crafted 1 advanced-tier mana ore for his hologram platform. Leaving him with 91 mid-tier or 9.1 advanced-tier mana ores remaining and 15 anti-hero metals remaining.
Will crafted the 200 low-tier mana ores into 20 low-tier golem cores. He figured it was a good idea to make more golems so they could mine ores faster.
It was his plan from the very beginning to make more low-tier golems for faster mana ores. He just did not expect to receive mid-tier mana ores.
Back then in his homeworld, magnificent structures such as pyramids were not build by one or two slaves but hundreds of thousands of slaves, or aliens probably, the the author is trying to make a point here.
Feeling anxious to test out the golem core, Will ran down the stairs as quickly as he could.
"Golem!" Will easily recognized the golem with the mid-tier golem core, because he was keeping close watch on the other golems in case there is a cave in, or worse giant scorpions.
They were all the same golem, but the advanced golem was the only one who could communicate with Will.
"YeS MaSteR?" The other golems also turned around, not just the one.
"Oh, right, Hive mind. Hold still." Will took out the golem core from the golem. Normally the golem would feel threatened if anyone were to try to touch its core, but since it was Will, his creator, it couldn't resist.
Will then placed the mid-tier core with the advanced core.
"How are you feeling?"
"I FeEl GrEat, MasTER." The golem looked at its golden hands.
Will couldn't tell right now if this golem core was better. Obviously it is, but he didn't know exactly how this is better. It was still too soon to tell.
"MasTER, caN I MAKe soME ChAnGEs tO mY bODy?"
"Huh? Go ahead."
"ThANk YOU."
The golem took one of the other golem's bodies, took out its core and placed it gently on the side. It then proceeded to use Will's tools to make changes to its body.
He first started with the hands, sculpting it with just a pickaxe.
"I didn't think it could do that. Hold on, use these tools as well." Will crafted various types of tools that helped him make his golems in the first place. The tools varied between hammers, drills, sculpting tools, nails, anything.
"ThaNK yOU, MaSTER."
The golem worked on the hands and arms only. It did the best it could since it had such terrible arms and hands that barely functioned properly. Will watched how the golem was making better arms that he could in only a few hours.
Before it wouldn't have been able to do something like that. This was only possible because of the advanced core.
Will was starting to think that it was indeed a good choice to make an advanced golem core.
And it was a better idea to use gold instead of any other metal. Gold is a soft metal and it is easier to change its shape compared to other metals.
"MY MaStEr, caN yoU PlaCe thiS CORE inSide Of thiS BODy PleaSE?"
"Sure." Like he asked, Will placed the advanced golem core into the other hollow golden body.
The golem, with his new improved arms, could move his arms in many more ways than before.
Will couldn't help feel just how useless he felt. A golem with crappy limbs could make better limbs than he could.
'Man, I really suck.' Will thought.
The new golem worked on another golem and improved another body with its improved hands, this time it worked on more than just its hands.
And just like last time, after it was done Will placed the core inside the even newer and better golem.
"Master." The golem could barely kneel to Will. Its knees were not able to bend at all before, but now it can.
"Wow. You can bend your knees now? And your voice doesn't sound so bad anymore." Will said. It might not seem impressive to others, but Will has worked with this golems for a long time, put a lot of effort into it.
He watched how the golem worked on its own body and he couldn't tell how exactly he did it.
'I really am stupid.' Will wanted to cry.
"It is thanks to you, Master."
"You couldn't fix your body before? Even if you tried?"
"I thought I could, but I did not know how. It is only thanks that I have seen you work on my other bodies that I am able to modify my bodies and improve them. It feels like I can think clearly, and I can do more,"
Will could understand. It was like comparing old technology with new technology. Newer and advanced technology will always be better.
With low-tier golem cores they couldn't talk, communicate, think for themselves, all they could do was follow orders. With more advanced golem cores they gain the ability to think, talk, and improve.
'I wonder what would happen if I inserted a high-tier golem core instead.' Will really wanted to know the answer to that question, but it would have to wait.
"Is this the best body you can make right now?" Will asked. He had an idea, and because of this golem he might skip a few steps to make a perfect golem body.
He would need to use 1000 mid-tier ores to craft a single high-tier golem core.
If the golems' body improves, they can mine ores faster.
"No, I still need some time, Master. I feel I can improve this body. I know I can."
"Do your best. I'll sit here and wait."
While the golem worked on its body again, Will sat down and crafted the {hologram platform}
The 100 blueprints, and the 8 anti-hero metals, and the single advanced-tier mana ore disappeared from his chest and hand. Out of thin air the {hologram platform} was in his hands.
The platform was a thin, black, metal disc that could fit in his hand.
Tapping the disc once, something surprising happened:
{Hologram platform}
{Voice control: Activated}
{Control touch: Activated}
{Drawing mode: Deactivated}
{Voice commands: See save file 0-99, delete save file 0-99, paste save file 0-99, create save file 0-99, copy, confirm copy, paste, confirm paste, edit, confirm edit, save, confirm save file 0-99, delete, confirm delete}
"I don't know what's going on. But, uh, create a save file?"
Nothing happened.
"Hmm… create save file 0?"
A blue screen, larger than the box of his inventory screen appeared in front of Will.
Nothing happened the first time because Will needed to say a number at the end.
The giant blue screen had a large black box covering more than half of the screen, it had the number '0' on top of it. On the left side of the screen were smaller boxes of equal size but were empty, not black. On the top and bottom of these small boxes were arrows that pointed up and down.
"Woah. Cool."
Will scrolled through the small boxes. He noticed that in each tiny box had a different number that reached from 0-99.
"I think I understand. Now… Copy?"
A bunch of blue laser lights came out of the disc. The lasers did nothing but scan the floor. They spread out evenly when they touched the floor.
{Underground cave floor}
The screen in front of Will shrunk down to ⅕ of its size. The black box covered the whole screen. But in the black box were three new things: The title: stone floor: And a picture of the floor that the lasers were pointed at. And at the right side was the materials listed out that the floor was made out of, which was mostly stone and some ores.
"I think I get it."
Next Will pointed the lasers to a golem with a low-tier golem core.
{Crappy handmade gold golem}
Just like with the floor, the gold golem's picture was now in the black box.
"Okay. Confirm copy."
The blue lasers disappeared but the golem in the black box did not. The blue screen was once again giant size like before.
"Paste."
This time purple lasers came out. At the end of the lasers it showed a complete life-size hologram of the {crappy handmade gold golem} it was identical. It was indeed like trying to paste in a video game.
This was not new to Will. The blue prints he made from the exclusive crafts section were similar, but not as advanced as the hologram platform.
"Confirm paste."
{Cannot 'paste' missing materials needed to paste item}
"Yeah, I know." Will didn't carry any gold with him at the moment.
Will continued to test out the hologram platform.
He could copy immense sizes like the time he could with the hills that covered his entire base, even copying his entire kingdom wasn't impossible. The limit of the size of an item/structure he could copy was unknown for the time being.
The 'edit' command was simple to understand as well.
While he is copying an item down, he could 'edit' it and add, replace, or take out materials from the item, and even change its size and shape to his own liking. The only limit was his imagination.
The delete button was also easy to understand. Will could delete items but only items he has crafted or built. A red laser appears in this case. If the red laser engulfs an item/building it is able to delete it. If it doesn't it can't delete it.
Will felt that was a letdown, because if he could delete anything he wouldn't have to fear anything, but it had a limit unfortunately.
But the delete button was also the most dangerous function for Will. Because it could delete his entire kingdom if he is stupid enough to do it. And worst of all, it does not return the items he deletes. If he deletes a priceless treasure/item it is gone for good.
And also with the delete button he could also edit what exactly he wants to delete. For example: if he wants to delete the crappy gold golems, he could delete just the gold bodies but not the cores, saving him time but wasting gold. Or he could delete a portion of his walls, his kingdom, anything really. The edit function is incredible as well.
And so far that is everything he got from testing out, he could draw stuff down which wasn't his strong point unfortunately, then again what is? Right now all he is focusing on is copying for the time being until he knows exactly what he wants to draw.
The drawing part wasn't really like drawing on a piece of paper or such. He had to use hologram images to draw anything such as buildings, items, structures. He could only add the materials that he had unlocked in his brown book.
Lastly, the lasers and holograms are invisible to everyone but himself, much like his blue screen. And yes, the lasers could make him temporarily or permanently blind should he look at the laser directly, they function like any normal laser would.
"This is definitely the worst and best thing I ever crafted."
"Master, it is done." The advanced golem said.
"Woah, that was quick."
"It has been four hours, master."
"Four? Dang. Hopefully Sandra doesn't get pissed."
'Also, when did you learn how to tell time?' Will underestimated how smart he is becoming.
A communication stone was glowing brightly. It was the stone with a chef's hat. It is the Empress.
"Hold on a moment. I need to use this."
{Hello, Will. Sorry for being abrupt but you really didn't trade the mana ores to the kingdom, did you?}
Will didn't know what she meant by that.
{What?}
{I just wanted to know what you wanted to use the mana ores for. I have some men living with the villagers that are outside of your walls keeping tabs on you.}
Will raised an eyebrow. She was spying on him?
{You don't just tell people you sent people over to spy on them. It's creepy.}
{I know, I just wanted you to know that. And I am not spying on you… okay, maybe a little but that's because I don't know how to phrase it better.}
{Stalking.}
{That somehow sounds worse than spying. But the kingdom is also keeping tabs on you, I know because they have to stupid not to. Just to let you know.}
"I should have done a better job to keep my existence a secret. But it was a matter of time anyway." Will said to himself.
Right now he is glad he didn't let any of those people inside his castle. He was right not to trust them. One never knows another's true intentions until it's too late.
{Anyways, Will, you're not giving the kingdom these weapons either, right?}
This is something that the Empress is very worried about. If the Kingdom knew about those weapons, and both sides fought, the Empire might lose. If the Empire is the only side who has those weapons they'll become stronger.
She knew that Will's existence was a matter of time before it was revealed. But those weapons were a secret she just couldn't let anyone know aside from herself, and a few men she trusted.
She hasn't seen one in person yet, but she can only imagine how destructive they could be. After all, can you imagine a weapon with infinite ammo?
{Why would I? Well I mean, I would, but they haven't proposed a trade.} Will was being honest.
Seeing this Valerie felt like having a mini heart attack. It's not that Will didn't want to trade with the kingdom, it's just that the opportunity has never come.
Will at first didn't want to trade with the kingdom for personal but petty reasons. But seeing how many mana ores he got from a single trade he had to be stupid not to trade with them, he just hasn't had the chance to make a trade yet.
{What do you want?}
{???}
{What do I need to give you, so you will never make a trade with the kingdom?}
{Depends how many mana ores you're willing to give, especially mid-tier or advanced-tier ores, but low-tier ores also work for me. And anti-hero metals as well.}
{Hold on.}
Valerie went into a deep thought.
"Justin, cover for me?" Valerie was keeping watch outside her walls.
"Will do." Justin said.
Valerie contacted her friend, Veronica…
Will placed the communication stone inside his pocket again.
"So, golem, you're finished?" Will asked.
"Indeed, master. Please place my core inside the new body again. Sorry if this annoys you."
"Why don't you have one of the other golems to do it for you? They're you in the end so you know what to do." Will asked.
"I would. But I am afraid that I might accidentally damage or crush this core that you have worked so hard on."
"I understand." Will nodded. It is harder than steel, but better safe than sorry.
And once again, he took out the advanced golem core and blah, blah, blah you know the rest.
"How is it?" Will asked.
"It's… not perfect, but I'm definitely better. I feel like I still lack the ability to make further improvements upon my body." The golem said as it looked at its body.
The new golem body could move as freely as a human's body, or even better. It could move its limbs anywhere without having to worry about breaking a bone or muscle, because it doesn't have muscles. The same goes for its body, it could rotate front and back.
"Hold on, did you take off the eye sockets? How can you see?"
Will added a couple of holes on the head from the very beginning. Two big ones for the eyes, two small ones for breathing, and a large one for talking.
"I don't need to breathe, or see. My core allows me to see everything, it is my heart, my everything. Unlike other organisms I don't need eyes, or senses. Those holes affected my body in a negative way. And I also added this."
The golem placed its hand near its heart, opened a small door revealing its core.
"This way it is easier for you to take out my core."
'How the fuck did you do that? I spend a good amount of time trying to figure out how to do that?' Will wanted to cry again.
Before he had to use his pickaxe to carve a small hole on its body to insert a core. Was it a reckless action that could shatter or crack the golem core? Yes. But this is the best he could do. And so far he has not broken any cores with his pickaxe.
"Hmm… I see. So this is the best body you can make?"
"I believe you can make better and stronger bodies for me to serve you. But these are the best improvements I could make. The only problem is that it is heavy."
Will walked up to a treasure chest. He crafted the ores into steel. From the beginning(chapter 5) he could craft steel using iron and copper.
Was the process of crafting steel weird and didn't make sense in the slightest? Yes, without a doubt. Does he question it? No.
"Knew it. Hold on. Copy. Edit. Replace gold with steel, confirm save file 0, annnnnd… presto."
A new body formed beside the golem thanks to the hologram platform in his hands. It was identical, the only difference was that it was a different metal, steel.
The title of the golem also changed to: {Steel golem body} notice how it didn't have the word 'crappy' in it?
Will knows that steel is better than gold. It is stronger, lighter, and actually way more common. The reason he has never made a steel golem was for this moment.
Gold is easier to mold compared to other metals. It's why he used gold instead until this moment.
"Tell me how this body feels."
Will inserted the core inside the steel golem body. It awoke.
'It worked.' Will smiled to see a steel golem being brought to life.
"Master, this is better. Way better." No hint of emotion could be heard in his voice.
"Paste save file 0(steel golem body) Confirm paste. Confirm paste. Confirm…"
Will made 31 steel golem bodies. He inserted the golem cores into the new bodies, and took out the cores from the crappy golden golem bodies.
He got 21 extra low-tier mana ores from the ones that the golems have mined and crafted it into 2 low-tier golem cores.
"That's 29 low-tier, 1 mid-tier, and 1 advanced-tier golems, therefore it's 31 golems in total. This is a lot. Keep working." Will said.
"Will do, Master."
The golems began working. Will saw just how efficiently the golems were working. They were faster, flexible, efficient, everything that his old golems weren't.
And because he couldn't be bothered he erased the golden golem bodies, at this point he has so much gold that he couldn't be bothered to gather it anymore.
And just in time, the Empress just messaged him back.
{Will, I am willing to give 500 mana ores, and 25 anti-hero metals if you become my exclusive trading partner. No one else can trade you, not the kingdom, not the black market, no one.}
"Woah, that's a lot."
{If you think this is too little it isn't. I have spies on the kingdom, and the king doesn't even have more than 200 mana ores in total. They barely have anti-hero metals that are only used for handcuffing heroes and such. And as you might know they are broke and have to resort to heavily taxing their people.}
Valerie kept track of the kingdom's economy. The more she knew about her enemy, the better it was for her.
{500 low-tier or mid-tier mana ores?} Will asked.
{About 250 each. I don't have any advanced mana ores to trade because they're rare and we use them all for creating powerful magical weapons. Not to mention high-tier mana ores, only three of them have ever been confirmed to exist.}
'With 250 low-tier ores I can make another 25 low-tier golem cores. And with 250 mid-tier mana ores I can make 2 high-tier mana ores, or 2 advanced golem cores. Nah I need those to increase my inventory slots, the {builder's touch gloves} which is important I think, and I think I can make the {Metal vision} with those materials. I have to make this deal.'
{You got a deal.} Will agreed.
How did the Empress know that Will would keep his word? She doesn't. But she has to believe in him and risk it.
{I will send my men over to deliver the items, plus some more for more weapons.} Valerie sighed in relief. But the thought of Will betraying her still worried her.
{Don't bother. I will be going to the Empire.}
{Oh, you know where it is?}
{No. But I think it's somewhere north.}
{Well good luck then. Message me when you're near and I'll have my men open the doors for you.}
Why does Will want to go to the Empire one might ask?
First reason: Copy some of their cool buildings with the {hologram platform} and possibly other things that catch his eye.
Second reason: If he places a waystone near the Empire, and near or inside his castle, he could travel between two places in a second instead of waiting weeks to trade items. The faster he trades, the more mana ores he gets, the more golems he can craft, the faster he gets mana ores like that.
If he places a waystone now and places a waystone when he arrives at the Empire, he doesn't have to waste time going back. But in doing so he has to go alone.
Third reason: Monster corpses and soul stones.
Some time ago he got a crafting recipe that can trap a monster's soul(chapter 47), much like in skyrim. If he slays a monster, part of its soul gets trapped in the soul stone, and he can then use it for something called 'cursed enchantments.' According to the description it does not capture a monster's soul, it's just called like that.
And he can use the monster's corpses to feed Adaline, who's food supply is running low. Not only that but using a monster's corpse can be used to craft magical items. The stronger the more likely it is that he'll craft a stronger magical item.
Fourth and final reason: He is curious to see what the Empire looks like.
"Looks like I'll be leaving for a few days. If I fly I could get there fast. I think on Adaline it'll be faster but with a waystone I can come back immediately. And this way I won't have to endanger anyone but myself."
Will crafted 4 waystones which took some time because he needed to have 400 smooth stones in total which were not difficult to acquire, but took time to smelt them until they became smooth. Now he has 11 mid-tier mana ores left.
Why craft 4 waystones and not 2 to save up on resources? After all he only needs 2, one for his kingdom and one for the Empire.
Now he can place a waystone on the bottom of the cave, and one on his castle and now he doesn't have to run up and down and waste so much time. And he crafted an extra one, in case he needs it.
He believes that by the time he comes back, his 31 new and improved golems would have already made back the amount if not more. It's one of the beautiful things of having someone else do the work instead of yourself.
He placed a single waystone in his cave.
The waystone looked smooth. It had a light blue color flame circling around it like a tornado. The flame did not feel warm or cold, it was like it wasn't even there. Apart from that it looked like an ordinary smooth stone wall.
"Is it really hard to break?" Will pointed a gun at the waystone. After pondering, he decided not to pull the trigger for obvious logical reasons.
Will ran up the stairs for the last time. After placing a waystone outside of the cave, he won't ever have to use the stairs again.
By the time he was outside, it was already night.
"Oh, crap. I didn't think I would take this long."
Will quickly entered his building. Sandra had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Will felt terrible. Sandra has a habit of waiting for him to fall asleep. Meaning that she was tired of waiting and fell asleep and not on purpose.
Will patted her head for a good while. He left her a note, he knows how angry she'll get if he wakes her up, especially if he gave her bad news. He's leaving at night because that way he wouldn't deal with Sandra, and who knows he might make it back before she wakes up, but it is very unlikely.
He quickly organized his things, his inventory, everything he could think of. Finally he placed a waystone on the center of his castle.
The way how a waystone works is simple. With his touch, a blue screen appears telling him which waystone he can teleport to. The bad thing is that the only way he could even identify each waystone is the coordinates of the place that he placed the waystone on.
"Interesting. It really is like minecraft."
He teleported front and back multiple times between the cave and his castle. Each time he teleports the flames engulf him and teleport him to the waystone he chose. There didn't seem to be a limited amount of times he could teleport. The downside is that it takes 5 seconds to teleport.
If he is being chased by something, he most likely won't be able to teleport and wait for 5 seconds. Still it's better than traveling far distances on foot.
As he was about to leave, Adaline noticed him and gently grabbed ahold of his foot with her root coiling around it.
"Oh, Adaline, did I wake you up?" Will hugged Adaline tightly.
"I'll be back in a few days, a week tops. If something happens to me… I'll most likely spawn back in my bed so you don't have to worry about me dying. I'll bring you back something to eat, the scorpion meat is running low."
Adaline snuggled on his chest with her large head, seemingly wanting to go with him.
"Can't take you, girl. I hope you understand. Take care of Sandra for me."
With a map on hand, Will took off into the night with his giant dragon wings stretched out.
