noffsinger Chapter 66 Phantom Puppet
Chapter 66 Phantom Puppet
“Hey…Playboy…” When Ethan returned to the room after talking to the girl named Emily, his two friends, Lucas and Julia, greeted him with mischievous smiles.
Ethan rolled his eyes at their usual teasing, bracing himself for their upcoming banter. This wasn't the first time they'd taken the opportunity to mock him for anything related to romance or love.
"How did your chat with that mysterious girl go?" Julia asked sweetly, but her darting eyes betrayed her true intentions.
Ethan sighed and decided to deal with them. "We just had a normal chat, nothing special."
Lucas raised an eyebrow and laughed even wider. "Oh, Ethan, 'just a casual chat'? You're never the type to chat casually with strangers, especially a pretty girl like her."
Ethan rubbed his hair, feeling his cheeks flush slightly under their teasing gazes. "Well, she has something she wants to talk to me about, nothing serious."
Julia's smug smile deepened. "'Something,' hmm? Would you like to share?"
Ethan shook his head, not intending to give them any more to say. "There's really nothing to gossip about."
Hearing this, Lucas's smile widened. "Looks like our Ethan has finally gotten rid of that somewhat gloomy guy?"
"Tsk... Do I have to say this isn't true again?" Ethan clicked his tongue as the topic veered back to this again. The twins had a talent for turning anything into a joke.
"Oh? What's going on? Every time I see you, I feel like you're talking about him?"
"That's just your opinion."
“Yes, yes.” Lucas leaned back lazily in his chair and sighed dramatically. “I thought our Ethan had finally come out of his shell and was chatting with the mysterious girl. Would you be exchanging love letters next?”
Ethan gave him a feigned glare, his embarrassment slowly dissolving with a joke. "You guys are so boring."
Julia shrugged, her smug smile unconcerned. "Just making sure our friends' social lives are a bit lively."
"You're making it sound like I never talk to anyone?"
"But aren't you one of them? Besides us, who else do you talk to?"
Upon hearing this question, Ethan began to reflect on his life at the academy. In that respect, they were right. Ethan was indeed someone who rarely interacted with others outside of his circle of friends.
“But isn’t this a good thing?” he countered. He wasn’t stupid; he knew that if it weren’t for his surname and status, people around him would likely have given him the cold shoulder.
“Hmm…it’s not so bad, but you really should get to know more people,” Julia replied. While having a few friends wasn’t bad, she also hoped Ethan could experience the life of a young person like she did.
"For example, let's say I'm meeting with someone..."
"Ha! Who did you meet?"
"What's it to you?"
"Tsk, of course it's my business, I'm your brother."
"So what?"
"At least tell me, I'm curious."
"Don't tell you."
"Ugh……"
As the two continued their bickering, Ethan's thoughts turned to Emily's request.
He had no reason to suddenly accept such a request, but seeing Emily's appearance, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. As Ethan could see, Emily's family was clearly in trouble, and he wanted to help her.
“Hey, do you guys know Emily’s family?” Ethan asked, changing the subject.
Lucas raised an eyebrow and joked, "Oh, so this is another one of your so-called 'normal chat'?"
Ethan sighed, already used to their teasing. "Answer the question."
Julia leaned forward, feigning seriousness in her tone. "Oh, so our Ethan's starting to care about other people's family matters? That's quite shocking."
Ethan rolled his eyes, ignoring their joke. "Tell me quickly, if you know anything, just tell me."
Lucas leaned back in his chair, pretending to think. "Hmm, let me think... I've never heard of it."
Julia nodded in agreement. "Yes, Ethan. We're just your friends, not your private investigators."
Ethan gave him a feigned glare. "You two are completely unreasonable."
Lucas smiled. "Okay, okay, we do know a little. Emily's family is having some financial difficulties lately."
Julia nodded. "Yes, she doesn't talk much, but she's always trying to find ways to help."
Ethan frowned. "What do you mean by 'find a way to help'?"
Julia shrugged. "I heard she's not at the academy most weekends. She seems to be exploring the dungeons to earn some extra money."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Exploring dungeons? For a student, that's no small matter, is it?"
Lucas nodded. "Yes, but from what I understand, she's quite capable. She's been doing it for a while now, so it should be fine."
It seemed Emily wasn't lying. Of course, Ethan wanted to believe her, but ultimately, he also needed to confirm these things.
"That makes sense."
"What makes sense?"
"nothing."
And so, Ethan's investigation came to an end, and he drew his own conclusions based on everything he had gathered. Like a hero, he immediately realized he should help those in need…
......
“I want to use the Phantom Puppet.” I stood in the center of the academy’s training ground, my gaze focused on a relatively open area.
One of the coaches supervising the training raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly hesitant about my request. "Are you sure?"
My answer was unambiguous: "Yes."
A slight smile appeared on the coach's lips. "Alright, let's use the Phantom Golem then."
The Phantom Puppet is no ordinary training tool. It's designed specifically for melee-focused trainees like myself, aiming to enhance skills in rapid engagements. Unlike other training tools, it moves swiftly and unpredictably, simulating the agility and tactics of a real opponent. It demands fast reflexes and adaptability, pushing trainees to their limits.
However, mastering the Phantom Puppet is no easy task, especially for a freshman like myself.
This is true, at least for the average student.
It requires exceptional skills and a deep understanding of combat techniques. Only those trainees who are well-versed in combat principles and possess keen self-awareness can benefit from this challenging training.
'Considering I improved the most when sparring with Ethan, this should help me.'
While I did improve in the process of fighting and hunting monsters, I noticed that when sparring with an intelligent opponent, I could observe my own and the opponent's mistakes and correct them one by one.
[Insight and Perception] is indeed a powerful feature.
“Alright, Morse. Just a heads-up,” the coach’s tone turned serious. “Phantom Golems are generally not recommended for freshmen because of their complexity and high skill requirements.”
"I know I'm ready for the challenge."
The coach nodded in approval. "Very good. Remember, initial setbacks are normal, but every battle against the Phantom Golem brings valuable lessons. Don't let setbacks discourage you."
"I won't."
It was in the distance, waiting for me. The sunlight lengthened my shadow, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of grass.
I took out two daggers and took a deep breath. The cold, metallic feel of them made me feel comfortable. I assumed a stance, my gaze fixed on the phantom dummy.
It was still early in the morning, and the training ground was almost deserted. Apart from "weirdos" like myself, there was no one else there.
I shifted my feet slightly and made a subtle adjustment to my posture, which was both an instinctive reaction and a deliberate action.
My gaze was fixed on the phantom puppet, which appeared almost illusory in the morning light.
It stood there, an inanimate object brought to life by magic. I curled my fingers, the leather of my gloves making a slight rustling sound, and gripped the dagger tightly. My heartbeat remained steady, though filled with anticipation.
Whizzing
I charged forward. The world around me blurred as I rapidly approached the puppet. The wind brushed against my skin, as if whispering of the impending challenge.
Whizzing
The phantom puppet wasted no time. It sprang into action with extraordinary speed, its movements agile and precise.
Keng
My first attack targeted its side, but it easily dodged it, barely shifting its stance. The air trembled slightly as it effortlessly avoided the attack. I swiftly turned, my second dagger aimed at its exposed back.
Keng
It dodged the attack again, like a flash of light, and glided to safety. I couldn't help but admire its speed; it truly lived up to its name.
But I wasn't discouraged; instead, I felt a surge of excitement. Every dodge, every avoidance, was a lesson. It was like a silent exchange, a trade of tactics and skills.
My eyes observed its every move, and the dagger in my hand seemed to become a part of me.
叮叮
I attacked again, but the puppet swiftly countered my rapid barrage of blows. Its defense was so fluid and seamless that I could hardly take my eyes off it.
铿铿
The pace of the battle intensified. I parried its attacks, countered with my dagger, and simultaneously searched for gaps in its defenses. This was a test of my reflexes and adaptability, and I was determined to win this challenge.
Clang! Swoosh! Bang!
Every ten attacks, each of my offensives was accompanied by the puppet's instantaneous burst of power.
It retaliated, with unerring accuracy. I had to be ready to block, dodge, or even strike back at any moment.
This is why this puppet isn't very popular. It's extremely fast, thanks to its special design that allows it to accurately read enemy movements, and each attack carries a powerful impact.
"cough--"
I couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of saliva, feeling the aftershocks of its attack. My body felt numb, but it was a rather refreshing sensation.
Whizzing
This time, I infused the dagger with mana during the attack. Although my mana control is still not very proficient, at least I can feel myself slowly improving.
Although I'm still quite inexperienced, that's how it is.
Sweat began to bead on my forehead, my breathing quickened, and the battle continued. I focused intently on the fight; the training ground seemed to vanish, leaving only me and the phantom puppet.
铿铿
My focus has become sharper, and every move, whether striking or defending, is carefully considered.
But in the midst of this fierce battle, something changed. A fleeting illusion, an illusion that shouldn't have appeared in the Phantom Puppet's movements.
As I lunged forward, I caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of my eye.
It was the mysterious figure that repeatedly appeared in my dreams, standing at the edge of the training ground, just beyond my sight. The figure that once guided me to the right skills was now mocking me with its superb technique.
In response to its provocation, my daggers seemed to be guided by an unseen force, their trajectories slightly altered.
铿铿
The phantom puppet seemed to react differently, as if it was adjusting its movements to counter my new tactics.
At that very moment, I saw the mysterious figure's movements. My vision went completely red as I observed the figure and grasped the essence of its actions.
The name of the skill appeared before my eyes.
'Blood Moon Storm'