Chapter 348: Selecting Targets
Why did Matthew say he drew inspiration from the orcs?
Trolls have regeneration as a natural talent, but orcs possess a unique ability.
Their bones and muscles hold special traits!
Their sturdy bones serve as the foundation for their towering physiques and robust muscles.
Orcs stand only about two meters tall, yet their strength and constitution rival those of taller trolls.
But that's not the key point!
When their bones break, they require massive amounts of nutrients to heal.
But with enough nutrition,
their bones not only heal but also become stronger!
The same applies to their muscles!
When torn, they consume vast amounts of food,
not just to satiate hunger but also to heal injuries and grow stronger.
After recovering from muscle damage, their strength improves as well.
Matthew gave high praise to this orcish ability:
"It's like a severely nerfed version of Saiyans!"
This explains why orc soldiers are so obsessed with raiding and warfare!
They are a natural-born warrior race that grows stronger through the trials of combat.
The crops they plant are far from enough to feed them!
Typically, the more an orc fights and gets injured, the faster they grow stronger.
With such formidable abilities, why were orcs confined to the desolate highlands by elves and humans?
The answer is simple!
Wounded orcs often don't survive long enough to heal.
In a society governed by survival of the fittest, where power-hungry individuals constantly scheme to "overthrow their leaders,"
injured orcs are seen as burdens.
For their rivals, it's the perfect opportunity for vengeance or betrayal!
Perhaps this is the price of their blind faith in strength.
They don't value intelligence at all!
Moreover, brute physical strength alone is no longer enough to dominate this continent.
With the development of magical technology and combat skills,
raw physical power is no longer the ultimate weapon.
For various reasons, not all orcs activate and manifest these abilities on their data panels.
Simply put, many orcs remain unaware of these capabilities and fail to train them deliberately.
Matthew discovered this unique trait incidentally while studying a captured orc warchief.
[Advanced Feat – Hardened Skeleton LV1]
Constitution +1, bone strength +35%, post-healing strength +10%, activation cooldown: 3 months!
[Advanced Feat – Magical Muscles LV1]
Strength +1, Strength checks +1, post-healing strength +10%, activation cooldown: 3 months!
These two advanced feats already had impressive effects.
But Matthew believed they had even greater potential for enhancement.
By implementing targeted modifications and guidance,
Matthew was confident he could "cultivate" and "research" even more powerful abilities and feats!
This is the hallmark of a knowledge-obsessed spellcaster!
Arcanists are exemplary in this regard.
They always have their own goals and, to achieve them,
delve into the roots of magic, exploring and understanding the principles behind their spells.
Nothing else matters to them!
Regarding these two feats,
Matthew aimed not only to study their learning and modification principles but also to use magic to perfect them rather than merely replicate them.
This led to the development of fleshcraft spells!
Naturally, it's also one of the reasons other spells are created.
Compared to Matthew's relatively "gentle" experimental methods,
most fleshcraft spellcasters were unwilling to invest so much effort and resources in preparation.
They often turned "abilities" into potions,
enabling mass distribution.
With enough infected subjects, some exceptional individuals would eventually meet their requirements.
Alternatively, they artificially created large numbers of test subjects,
releasing them into the wild to reproduce and evolve freely.
Eventually, the spellcaster achieved their desired outcome, remaining indifferent to the consequences.
Unsurprisingly, such practices often caused catastrophic disasters.
The infamous "Black Plague" that ravaged the western continent, causing millions of deaths and injuries.
Or the "Flesh Plague," which still left traces of its contamination today.
These are just two of the most notorious examples.
As for experimental creatures crafted by arcanists, their numbers are even greater.
Orc-tamed "chimeras."
Undead monstrosities like "abominations."
Sewage-dwelling "oozes."
Beastfolk hybrids like "werewolves" and "catgirls."
The arcanists' signature "golems."
War machines like "warforged."
And many others.
Naturally, arcanists played a significant role in their creation.
Their superior power and unrelenting pursuit of knowledge positioned them as leaders in innovation.
If not for the existence of the Church of the Goddess of Magic, the arcanists of Netheril would have long plunged the world into chaos!
Even so, Netheril's spellcasters and arcanists rarely cared about their empire or its commoners.
What mattered most to them were their experiments, data, knowledge, and extended lifespans!
Grand Arcanists epitomized this attitude.
This is why spellcasters had a mixed reputation beyond the Netheril Empire and elven realms.
Most regarded them with 20% respect, 60% fear, and 20% curiosity.
Compared to their "madness," Matthew's methods were far more focused.
Orcs possessing these two feats were rare, lacking enough experimental data.
So Matthew decided to take Yaya and secretly fly to the battlefield.
Among the hundreds of thousands of orc soldiers, some unique individuals were bound to emerge.
With the ability to "observe" data, Matthew only needed to watch.
Once the orcs retreated or were defeated, he could capture these chosen targets.
Additionally, Matthew could study how these potential experimental subjects performed and healed from injuries on the battlefield.
The attacks these orcs now faced would one day threaten Bay Territory's soldiers.
Under such circumstances, Matthew naturally sought ways to improve them.
Besides observing the orcs, Matthew also paid close attention to the combat prowess of Carl Family soldiers and spellcasters.
Although Carl Plains held a modest position in the empire, Matthew gleaned valuable insights into the strength of the Netheril Empire.
The more time Matthew spent in the real world, the more he realized
that the storylines in the game had profound meanings.
Understanding them better allowed for better preparation.
Matthew also aimed to identify the masterminds behind the chaos and remove the thorn in his heart.
Achieving multiple goals at once.