Chapter 413: Extraordinary Feat - Reinforced Muscles
Seeing everyone start discussing, Matthew casually left the meeting room, giving them the space to plan.
As he stepped out, Matthew saw the long-waiting 343 and City Lord Annie.
343, entirely unconcerned with hiding her presence, wore a tall and fiery mage robe, ignoring the gazes around her.
Meanwhile, the usually indifferent City Lord Annie, cloaked and bored, idly observed the scattered golem debris on the ground.
Matthew, ever tolerant of Annie as a "treasure of immense value," smiled and explained:
"This modification sacrifices some mobility and combat ability in exchange for significantly enhanced defense."
"They're meant to serve as shields and frontline units, reducing soldier casualties."
"However, the modification process is still rough and needs further refinement."
Annie, contemplating his words, suddenly chuckled softly, shook her head indifferently, and asked:
"These modified golems are too limited. They probably won't sell for much, right?"
Shrugging lightly, Matthew didn't mind the probing tone in her voice and continued:
"You're right; they won't fetch much. No lord or army would provide such shields for their soldiers."
"These were specifically modified for our battles."
"Speaking of which, I have to thank you, City Lord Annie. Without your generous assistance, we wouldn't have withstood the orc attack."
Waving her hand nonchalantly, Annie looked at the cracked ground with visible apprehension and said:
"Legendary-tier spell scrolls—this is the first time I've seen them in orc hands..."
Remembering the terrifying power of the Nine-Ring Spell, Annie's eyes were filled with deep wariness.
She turned to glance at Matthew, increasingly convinced he hid significant secrets and connections.
Seeing her expression, Matthew cryptically replied:
"It seems those people are still unwilling to give up."
"City Lord Annie, thank you again for your help. I hope for a pleasant continued collaboration."
Watching 343 and Annie disappear, Matthew glanced at the utterly destroyed golem remains, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
"If I remember correctly, golems retain memory, though it's difficult to retrieve..."
With that thought, Matthew decided to assign this challenging and glorious task to the ever-absorbed researcher, Macaron.
Thanks to this "unlucky" genius mage, many of Matthew's imaginative ideas had been brought to life.
Interestingly, Macaron had once again deflected his bad luck onto others during this trip.
This time, three iron golems bore the brunt of it.
Even the famously durable high-tier iron golems couldn't withstand Macaron's "misfortune," each severely damaged, much to Matthew's amazement.
Perhaps this is why Macaron was so fond of golems?
Shaking off the thought, Matthew silently made his way to the breach in the city wall.
In a specially constructed underground passage, the transformed Yaya had been waiting for some time.
Apart from Beelzebub and Elio, no one else was present—not even the kobolds who had excavated the tunnel.
With a wave of Yaya's hand, a tall, robust figure fell from mid-air.
An extraordinary black orc!
A Level 16 Warrior!
Before the black orc could react, Elio's longsword had already pierced his thigh.
Beelzebub, fueled by pent-up frustration, pressed his hands firmly on the black orc's shoulders. As the orc struggled violently, he was slammed to the ground.
The orc, still intent on fighting, opened his mouth to shout, but a flickering Sleep Spell silenced him.
Even with his strong will, the black orc felt his eyes blur, his eyelids growing heavy.
In this brief delay, Beelzebub executed a cross-hold he had learned from the lord.
With a sudden burst of strength—
The black orc's neck made a cracking sound.
The orc, wide-eyed, struggled desperately, lasting about ten breaths before his body went limp.
To be cautious, Beelzebub held the hold a bit longer before administering a special paralysis potion.
Confirming the orc was alive, Beelzebub tied his hands and feet and carried him into the adventurer's spatial shelter.
This shelter wasn't just for rest; it had many functions waiting to be explored.
Following Matthew on the return trip, Elio's mind was filled with anticipation.
She had heard many times about a special laboratory in the territory that continuously produced vital Vitality Potions.
Moreover, recent rumors mentioned certain unique enhancement surgeries.
The changes in Old John, Field, Arnold, and those elite operatives were evident to insiders like Elio.
However, curiosity aside, no one attempted to investigate further.
After all, when the lord deemed it time, they would naturally be informed.
Just like now.
Passing through the teleportation circle—
They arrived back in Bay City.
To Elio's surprise, they didn't land in the teleportation hall but a steel-built secret chamber.
A red light scanned her first, sending a sense of overwhelming threat and faint mortal fear.
This was likely some kind of security measure.
Matthew waved his hand, and Elio's unease gradually faded.
Even so, she nervously surveyed the steel walls, sensing hidden mechanisms or traps.
Matthew placed his hand on a door switch, undergoing palm and fingerprint verification, followed by facial recognition and a numerical code.
The elaborate procedure left Elio speechless.
"As expected, a spellcaster's lab is one of the most dangerous places."
Despite her thoughts, Elio couldn't help but sneak a peek inside when the door opened.
At a glance, she was stunned.
Hundreds of trolls and orcs were confined in transparent tanks.
Their bodies exhibited various significant modifications, sending chills down Elio's spine.
Besides these creatures, humanoid golems moved busily around the lab.
Elio had never seen these modified golems in Bay Territory, feeling a mix of intrigue and excitement.
The lord sharing this place with her meant he fully trusted her.
That trust was worth more than anything!
Beelzebub dragged the black orc out, curiously examining the lab's distinctly altered specimens, piecing things together in his mind.
Matthew set Yaya down from his shoulder and stared at the unconscious black orc, his gaze fixed on its attribute panel as he muttered:
"Finally found it!"
Black Orc.
Extraordinary Orc.
Level 16 Warrior.
Challenge Rating: 18+.
...
Extraordinary Feat - Reinforced Muscles???
The final material for the third surgery had been found!