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An indescribable sense of being swept away over your senses. In a daze, you hear a sharp shriek from the void rush past you. Cold light transforms into a rushing shadow, instantly elongating your figure. With a bang, you open your eyes to find Jennifer's panicked expression right in front of you.
"This is..." You subconsciously pinched Jennifer's cheek, turned to look at the four arrow stalks that were slowly closing, scratched your head, looked back at Jennifer, and said:
"Don't be nervous, I'm fine. There are plenty of ways to pull someone along... I'll be right?"
Looking at the metal puppet you'd knocked to the ground, its chest and abdominal muscles and the marks left by Brother Niu were etched on its body, and you were stunned, muttering to yourself:
"What Shadow Dash... that's clearly Brother Bull's Charge!"
Chapter 168 The Dwarf's Ultimate Invincible Emperor Storm Hammer
Just when you thought you had finally killed the metal golem, it slowly rose from the ground, performing a bizarre mechanical dance.
"Wow, incredible core strength!" you blurted out instinctively, taking a step back with Jennifer and asking in a low voice, "What's going on here?"
"These metal golems are endless!" Jennifer said, her eyes fixed on the golems that had "resurrected" from the ground.
“Every time I inflict damage on a puppet, a new puppet appears to replace it… My divine power reserves are running low. After transforming into pure light, my absorption rate of light power has slowed down considerably. Now, because of the ancient tree, there isn’t much light power left to absorb…”
"So ruthless? They won't let us leave until they've all been wiped out?" You shook your head, then suddenly noticed the weapon rack beside you. A thought began to surface in your mind, and you murmured to yourself:
"This isn't some kind of training room for dwarves, is it...?"
The moment this thought arose, your profound knowledge activated, and a vast amount of historical data about the dwarves appeared before your eyes. Corresponding explanations immediately flooded your mind. You shook your head, and under Jennifer's curious gaze, whispered an explanation:
"This is the place where dwarven martial arts are passed down. Dwarven elders teach dwarven martial arts to younger dwarves here. To prevent others from stealing the skills, and to discourage the younger dwarves from slacking off, the petty-minded dwarven elders have set up defensive mechanisms. The mechanisms can only be unlocked if two hours have passed or ten puppets have been defeated..."
Seeing the look of sudden realization on Jennifer's face, you kept the rest of the explanation in mind and thought to yourself:
"Hongru's information mentions that these metal golems are all alchemical creations... Speaking of which, dwarves do seem to have a good affinity with alchemy, so it's reasonable that they possess some alchemical skills. However, what exactly is alchemy like on this continent? Why are there no alchemists left now? I wonder if we can find the answers among the dwarves..."
[On the verge of exploding: You glanced back at the gate again, estimated the distance to the arrow trap, and after confirming that you were not strong enough to carry Jennifer over in time, you reluctantly gave up the idea of escaping. After all, Jennifer's divine power reserves were running low, and even if she activated her shield, she might still get injured.]
After thinking about it, you figured that since this place was the site of the dwarven martial arts tradition, the puppets shouldn't pose any danger to you. Besides, since you're already here, seeing what dwarven martial arts are all about is a good thing.
With the clanging of metal, a new metal golem replaced the unfortunate one that Brother Bull had just defeated. You watched as the metal golem slowly walked towards the center, poised to attack. You clenched your fists, ready to strike, when you suddenly noticed the weapon rack on the wall. You thought for a moment and decided…
[A. With a silver sword! Become the strongest swordsman, the strongest silver sword man! B. With a hammer! 80! 80! 80! C. Ouch, this knife isn't very sharp anymore. It's gotten so rusty after a few days. Let's clean off the rust. D. You'll fulfill its dream with your own hands. Just unleash a deliberate, powerful punch, and it won't be able to take it.]
"This time the options are quite normal, after all, it's about martial arts inheritance..."
Latis stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and said:
"Use your fists, or... as a warrior, I'm quite confident in my body. Simulator, select... wait, no..."
He frowned, trying to catch the flash of inspiration that had just crossed his mind, and silently recited:
"Martial arts heritage? If we're talking about the most famous martial arts of the dwarves, it should be hammer fighting, right? Whether it's a symbol of the abundance of talented blacksmiths or the dwarves' reverence for the hammer as a weapon... Simulator, choose B, the hammer!"
[After a moment's thought, you stopped Jennifer, who was glowing and about to attack, and walked towards the weapon rack while keeping a close eye on the metal golem.]
[Just as you predicted, after sensing that you were choosing a weapon, the metal golem, though fully charged, did not attack. Jennifer was also taken aback. After pondering for a moment, she silently stepped aside after casting a divine spell on you.]
You take a deep breath and reach for the hammer. Hongru's ability activates instantly, providing you with the following information: Defeating a puppet allows you to learn one hammer technique. Collecting ten techniques allows you to fuse them into a unique dwarven hammer technique—the Dwarven Ultimate Invincible Emperor Storm Hammer (also known as the Qi Pi Feng Hammer Technique/Spinning Mad Hammer).
Although it didn't sound very plausible, you caught the word "Emperor," and your spirits immediately lifted. "Emperor," you thought, "it must be something good!"
You gripped the hammer handle, picking up the hammer, which was almost the same size as your shoe. The instant you picked it up, you heard the sound of a metal golem turning. You immediately turned to look at the golem that had seemingly produced a hammer from nowhere. Without thinking, you sprang to your feet and swung the hammer with all your might!
The two hammers collided instantly. As your arm went numb and bounced backward, you squinted and watched as the metal puppet immediately withdrew its strength, executing a goat-like leap to send the hammer flying from between its legs. For some reason, a sense of melancholy suddenly welled up inside you.
With a bang, your hammers collided again. You watched as the metal golem repeated its trick, striking out from between its legs once more. Finally, you couldn't help but shout out in disbelief:
"It was supposed to be the 'Emperor's' hammer technique, why is it so sleazy?!"
As you lamented, you continued hammering at the puppet. Gradually, you emerged from the initial shock of its grotesque hammering style. After getting used to the crude technique, you even began to find it somewhat effective. Whether it was angular momentum or some kind of potential energy conversion principle, the puppet's hammering force gradually increased with each rotation…
[A minute later, you finally couldn't hold back any longer. Mimicking the puppet's technique, you thrust a hammer from between your legs and smashed its head off.]
"Phew, the mental pollution is finally over..." You breathed a sigh of relief, watching the headless puppet sway and leave the stage to be replaced, and shook your head.
[Shortly after, a new puppet appeared. Amidst the clanging of metal, it raised its hammer, stuck out its rear end, and began to spin in place. Before you could react, it hurled the hammer down in front of you.]
You flexed your powerful biceps to block the spinning hammer blow, then took a deep breath, resignedly rubbed your temples, and laughed heartily:
"Haha, I get it, I totally get it! It's just abstract hammering techniques, I'll learn it!"
Half an hour later, after smashing the puppet's abdomen with a groin-smashing hammer, you suddenly heard a thud. Looking around at the now completely deactivated mechanisms, you realized you had mastered the "Dwarf Ultimate Invincible Emperor Storm Hammer."
"Thankfully, it's not like some other game that can be dismantled into pieces and then chopped up again..." you muttered, reflecting on the ten hammer techniques you'd memorized. You suddenly realized that there were gaps between any two strikes, allowing you to execute them smoothly no matter how you changed your moves.
"No way...it's that strong?" You mentally rehearsed the scenario again, growing more and more alarmed and terrified with each repetition. This wasn't an Emperor's Hammer; it was a mad dog's hammer! While its smoothness amplified the hammer's power, it also drastically damaged its image! Using this hammer technique wasn't just a matter of prestige; it was like a rabid, epileptic teddy bear waving its penis around and urinating!
"That's some pretty impressive hammering technique!" Jennifer patted your shoulder and chuckled, asking, "I finally understand! These puppets were teaching you how to use a hammer! Rascal, such a complicated technique, you won't forget it after you learn it, will you?"
"How could that be? Underestimating me?!" you immediately retorted. Although you disliked the image of the hammer technique, even your own Pokémon couldn't insult your understanding!
"Huh?" Jennifer asked curiously, "So how much do you remember?"
"I remember..." You were about to say it when you suddenly paused, a mysterious power from the East activating your virtual streamer ability. You instinctively followed a pre-existing narrative and said:
“I…I only remember most of it…”
Jennifer paused, scratched her head, and asked, "That's impressive enough for more than half. Now try to recall it all and memorize the rest."
"Now...now?" Your instinct for creating a good show kicked in immediately, and you confidently pointed your thumb at your nose and said:
"Now only a little over half is left!"
Jennifer instinctively grabbed your wrist and pressed her forehead against yours. After confirming you didn't have a fever, she asked worriedly, "Lazi, are you alright? Are you tired...? Should we rest for a bit?"
"Now?!" Your eyes lit up as you caught the key word. You pinched Jennifer's cheek to reassure her, then took a deep breath, suddenly smiled, and said, "Eek, good! I've forgotten everything now!"
After slowly recovering from the virtual broadcaster abilities of your innate abstract holy body, you gave Jennifer a helpless smile as she massaged your temples. You lifted your head from her soft thighs, stood up, and after a brief explanation, decided to continue along the passageway.
"Wait!" You suddenly realized where the scene you just witnessed came from, and your face turned deathly pale. You cried out inwardly:
"Isn't this Zhang Wuji learning Tai Chi? Damn it, I've now mastered that Mad Dog Hammer Technique?! No way!!"
[As you lamented, you used Jennifer's light to look into the depths of the tunnel. During your conversation with her, you learned that she, like you, had been blown by the wind to a fork in the tunnel and had ended up here. As for the dwarf Gangan and the gold-devouring dog, they weren't with her.]
"I hope everyone's alright, I hope the dog's alright..." you silently prayed, passing by another statue of a demon lord.
[This is the statue Jennifer passed by on her way here. Although it activated at the time, Jennifer's divine intuition is very keen on evil spirits and the like. After confirming that it wouldn't cause any effective harm, Jennifer didn't take any drastic action.]
[You looked at the Demon Lord statue with its two middle fingers raised, scratching your head in confusion. Your curiosity about the dwarves' past grew stronger, but unfortunately, the Confucian scholar's abilities only provided general information about the dwarves, with no records of any major events, so you had no choice but to give up.]
As you pass this statue and continue forward, you discern your location from the changing room layouts on either side and the interplay between the dwarven script and the scholar's abilities.
"So I stopped in the passageway outside the tower fortress. It's usually where the dwarves use it as a warehouse or storeroom, and occasionally, like the room I saw, it's used as a secret place..."
You gradually receive the information in your mind, silently repeating:
“Jennifer was also in the middle and outer perimeter of Towerburg, but she was closer to the place where the dwarves kept their weapons, practiced martial arts, and displayed the iron blanks they had forged, compared to where I entered.”
"It sounds like it's worth exploring, but the dwarves will ultimately keep their prized forges and treasures hidden inside the tower. Perhaps Gan Gan, with her weight, was blown inside. Anyway, let's get going..."
You took Jennifer's hand and started running. Now that you were sure this was a normal tower fortress and not some dungeon full of traps, you were no longer worried about any sudden monsters or traps, and ran straight into the tower fortress.
However, ten minutes later, when you and Jennifer pushed open the door at the end of the corridor, you were so overwhelmed by a pungent, stale stench that you took several steps back and instinctively closed the door.
[You gagged for a while, gradually recovering under Jennifer's magical light. After quickly adjusting to the smell, you pushed open the door again, and suddenly, four or five dwarf zombies appeared before you.]
"Necromantic magic?!" Jennifer exclaimed in surprise. Her brows furrowed, and she stepped in front of you, saying in a deep voice:
"I don't know if it's a corpse controlled by necromancy or a lich-like being. Lazi, be careful!"
As you watch the dwarf zombies, who have all raised their heads and risen from various parts of the room, slowly approaching you, you solemnly remind them:
"Jennifer, your divine power is dwindling!"
"But Gan Gan could very well be right ahead!" Jennifer took a deep breath, and a brilliant light began to gather in her chest. She turned around and chuckled, saying, "My lord, please don't underestimate your knight! I've made up my mind to be your partner forever!"
"You little knight..." You shook your head, but your body was already in battle stance. Looking at the divine light that had enveloped you, you chuckled like Jennifer and said loudly:
"This makes me so happy!"
Chapter 169 The staff isn't really that important, is it?
The decaying spirits howled hoarsely with their broken vocal cords, their armor rusted away, pieces falling to the ground one by one with each staggering step, stirring up years of accumulated dust on the floor.
[Through your clouded vision, you see Jennifer raise her sword first, blocking the attack of the nearest dwarf zombie. She uses her left hand to deflect the zombie's weapon, then sweeps it horizontally, the tip easily slicing across the dwarf's neck as she turns, the overflowing light tracing a semicircle in the air.]
"Strange, it doesn't seem like a lich, nor does it seem like an undead controlled by a necromancer..." Jennifer stepped back to your side and said rapidly:
"According to the Pope's holy book, liches, due to the special nature of their souls, will feel their soul power being separated during purification; while the controlled undead possess a collective connection, and after killing one, one can feel a slight vibration from the other undead..."
She watched as the decapitated dwarf zombie, after a few unconscious struggles, collapsed to the ground. Her brow furrowed, and she said, "Now it seems like a naturally reanimated undead. However, after the magic net created by the goddess covered it, there's hardly any necromantic magic left. What's going on...?"
You shook your head. Magic elements are scarce here, making it impossible to connect to the magic network, and you can't use radar to detect any magical fluctuations.
[Bang! You swung your hammer, severing the arm of an oncoming zombie. Frowning, you realized that zombies become frenzied at close range and could pose a danger. So you nodded to Jennifer, cast a speed spell, and charged forward.]
After a brief skirmish, you successfully cleared the room. You counted five dwarf zombies; their armor plates looked like some kind of clan armor, suggesting they were guards belonging to the Tower Fortress Master.
"They're probably guards from the 'Crowbar' clan, but if that's the case, there might be more inside..." You glanced at Jennifer, about to say something, when she smiled and said:
"It's alright! After I run out of divine power, I still have the body of a knight! But you, do you still have enough magic? From now on, you can assist me."
You glanced speechlessly at the little knight who always wanted to be the dominant one, and decisively rejected her.
After quickly cleaning up the battlefield, you found several rotten parchment scrolls on the old bed. After struggling to decipher the writing for a while, you pieced together a brief message.
The "Crowbar" family prepares for the sinking and evacuates. Those left behind guard the fortress, awaiting the day when the kingdom will be restored...
"Anyway, these are roughly the words when you piece them together." You were very confident in your scholarly abilities, continuing deeper into the tower from the guard's room, as you discussed this with Jennifer:
"It looks like most of the people in Tower Fort have evacuated somewhere, leaving only a few guards. But they say they're restoring the kingdom. It's kind of funny to think that all the dwarves on the continent have become shut-ins..."
"What's wrong with being a shut-in?!" Jennifer, who identifies as a homebody, snapped, pinching your waist in annoyance before whispering:
"I didn't experience the era of the dwarf kingdom; maybe they were already reclusive back then?"
"That's true, becoming a shut-in isn't something that happens overnight..." you murmured. "Even someone like me, who loves nature, can become a hardcore lolicon under the continuous onslaught of the four 'Kugimiya' moe characters..."
"Hiss!" Latis, who was happily looking at the simulated text, suddenly changed his expression and whispered:
"Don't expose my past fetishes! I'm no longer a lolicon!!!"
He took a deep breath and said confidently:
"After acquiring a huge amount of XP, I've now completely upgraded to a new level! I want it all!"
"You're just a lecher, aren't you!" Although she didn't understand the specifics of what you said, Jennifer still managed to deliver the appropriate retort. She shook her head helplessly and said: