"Judging by your expression, it seems these two items are just what you needed?"
"You've been a great help, Helena. I might actually be able to repair this golem. If I succeed, it will be a tremendous asset!"
"Well, I wish you luck. I'm excited to see it in action. I bet it would look impressive, this hunk of scrap moving around."
Helena spoke as she approached the counter, glancing at the neglected beginner HP potions. She smiled, "Are these all your creations?"
"That's right. After all, I'm a genius Alchemist."
"John, I've always meant to ask, what's your talent? I've never seen you use it. My talent is SS-level [Exp Boost], which is why I always stay in the top tier. Exiled Immortal has an SS-level talent [Windwhisper], a very versatile one. I even asked Lily privately; she has an S-level talent [Affinity]. But you, you never seem to mention yours."
"Who says I haven't mentioned it? I told Lily."
At this, Helena laughed.
"Do you think I'm as naive as sweet little Lily? A talent like [Prophet]—if that really existed, you'd be SSS-level."
"Did I ever deny that I wasn't?"
"Hey, hey, don't joke around. Are you really a [Prophet]?"
"Of course not. I was just joking. My talent is E-level [Quick Thinking]. It's not much use in battle, so I never brought it up."
John waved his hand, smiling, making up an excuse to brush off the question.
Although Helena's expression suggested she didn't quite believe him, it was better than exposing his real talent, right?
"Forget it. You'll tell me when you're ready. There's another reason I came to see you today. Recently, the number of monsters outside the city has suddenly increased, and their strength is rising too. Yesterday at noon, Qing's squad found a level 25 wandering boss in the Araki Forest. What do you say? Want to team up again and take it down?"
"A level 25 boss? Isn't that as tough as a Basilisk? Are we up for it?"
"Hard to say. For now, I'm thinking the core team should be the three of us, plus Lily and Qing. You know, Qing is very strong, not any less powerful than Exiled Immortal."
"Hmm... let's wait a bit. Since it's a newly spawned wandering boss, it shouldn't disappear before we take it down. I'll see if I can repair this pile of scrap. If I can, it would be a great help."
Helena nodded thoughtfully at John's suggestion and finally agreed.
Just as John said, rather than risking players' lives, it was better to let the golem take the brunt.
After all, it could be repaired if damaged. But if a player died, it would be for real.
"Alright then, five days. Try to repair it as soon as possible. If it really can't be done in that time, we'll go and take down the boss directly. You know, Pioneer Squad isn't just my call. I can get them to wait five days, but any longer might cause dissatisfaction. And a good opportunity could be snatched by someone else."
"Wasn't Pioneer Squad founded by you? How could it get out of your control? Never mind, five days should be enough."
"I'll be waiting for your good news. By the way, thanks for looking after Exiled Immortal."
"No problem. If we get the chance, maybe we could meet offline too."
"I would look forward to that day."
...
After finishing her conversation with John, Helena left.
There were still a ton of issues within Pioneer Squad waiting for her to address.
She couldn't spend all her time focusing on John. Perhaps, just as John had mentioned, Pioneer Squad was gradually slipping from her control.
Helena was overwhelmed with the tasks of opening up new territories, and John was just as busy on his end.
After taking that heap of scrap metal out of his player's backpack, John's burden lightened significantly.
Looking at the Golem Remains, which were nearly compacted into an iron ball, John felt a headache coming on.
The second class change would have to wait until around level 45 when he could obtain a 2nd class change stone from a dungeon.
Until then, John knew nothing about Marionette Alchemy.
There was nothing he could do about it; Orlando Barry was an Alchemist specializing in Contract Alchemy.
His notes contained no information about golem-related alchemy, only Barry's scathing critique of it.
"Combining a heap of meaningless elements into a lifeless metal artifact? Ha, utterly foolish! Marionette Alchemists are the most idiotic people in the world. Do they not understand that only the fusion of life is the true essence of alchemy? But I long ago gave up on expecting those fools to comprehend the greatness of alchemy. Moreover, their alchemy does have some redeeming qualities. But that doesn't change the fact that Marionette Alchemists are all idiots!"
Orlando Barry's words practically dragged Marionette Alchemists through the mud.
John figured he'd never understand Orlando Barry's obsessive mindset in his lifetime.
Whether it was living alchemy or golem alchemy, John didn't care which was superior.
He didn't want to judge them.
All he knew was that every form of alchemy served the Alchemist himself, and that was enough.
"Looks like I'll have to do this myself…"
With that thought, John suppressed his irritation and began prying the Golem Remains piece by piece from the metal ball, laying them out on the ground.
Before long, he had all the parts spread out, slowly forming the outline of a golem.
It was a strength-type golem, resembling some kind of ape with long, powerful arms that hung down past its knees.
Undoubtedly, this was once an excellent golem, having possibly seen countless battles and earned numerous accolades.
However, it had suffered equally significant damage. There was hardly a single intact part on it.
The exoskeleton and metal skin were in tatters, only vaguely suggesting the form of an ape.
The internal components were in even worse condition.
The hollow abdomen and chest, which should have housed complex internal mechanisms, were now just empty cavities.
Looking at the gaping void, John felt overwhelmed.
If it were only a matter of missing some parts, John might have been able to piece it back together through trial and error.
But now, with critical components entirely absent, leaving not even a single screw, this was no longer just a repair job; it was a full-scale reconstruction.
Moreover, there was a more pressing problem that John had no idea how to solve.
What powered this golem, which weighed nearly 700 kilograms and could weigh almost a ton when fully assembled?
"It can't possibly be electricity, right?"
John chuckled to himself, slumping down and rubbing his temples.
He was completely clueless.
"At least in modern times, there are user manuals. But here, I start with an empty shell and have to imagine all the parts."
...
Meanwhile, outside the Pioneer base.
Yuta pushed the door open abruptly, and seeing everyone's eyes on him, he explained apologetically, "Sorry, I was delayed on the way here."
"Sit down, and don't be late next time."
Helena furrowed her brows slightly but didn't say more.
"Now that everyone is here, let's discuss the plan to take down the wandering boss. Anyone below level 18 is not qualified to participate in the battle. Once the fighting starts, no one can protect you. Does anyone have any objections?"
As she spoke, Helena looked around. Her tone left no room for doubt, silencing anyone who might have been discontent. Except for one person.
"Captain, don't you think this is a bit too authoritarian? Many members have just joined the squad and haven't had enough time to level up quickly. That doesn't mean they lack the capability to contribute. With a single sentence, you're denying them the chance to earn rewards. Isn't that a bit too arbitrary?"