Chapter 30

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation

Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Even though he knew it was just an illusion, David still felt that it was dangerous. It was the first time that he had actually faced a Class 1 bug.

He could clearly see the black-green scythe of the Hunter Mantis’ forelimbs and the jagged teeth on it. A blow from such a weapon would leave him severely injured.

Although David could sense the danger, there was nothing he could do because the body could not be controlled by him at all. 

Of course, if it was under his control, he would most likely have turned around and fled. However, given the rapid speed of the Hunter Mantis, that would be a faster way to die.

Just as David’s heart tensed up, his body moved, and he took half a step backward while pressing the handle of his hammer down.

With a clanging sound, the handle of the hammer collided with the scythe of the Hunter Mantis. David could feel a massive wave of power, but that power seemed to have transferred to the hammer when he turned his body to attack the Hunter Mantis again. 

David did not know that the Hunter Mantis had the same combat strength as the real Hunter Mantis, but the one in front of him already gave him an inkling of how dreadful bugs were. Despite such, the Hunter Mantis was still the weakest among all Class 1 bugs. This was still the weakest first-level insect race, and he was fighting it up-close. 

That body was extremely strong as well, and he was using the warhammer like it was part of his body. 

Feeling like he was having a near brush with death every second, David continuously increased his mastery of the warhammer. 

In fact, no amount of teaching would be as realistic as the learning experience that David was now receiving through the illusion. 

That body seemed to be tireless while the Hunter Mantis appeared to be moving perpetually. The two were continuously attacking each other in close proximity.

Slowly, David became more and more focused, as if he was the master of the body who was personally wielding the warhammer to fight the Hunter Mantis. 

A large amount of battle experience flooded into his brain and was etched in his soul.

Amos, the owner of the Warhammer Mastery (82% Intermediate) Knowledge Orb, was an elite armorer who had returned from Battlestar. Although he had lost plenty of his willpower due to his privileged and carefree lifestyle, his battle experience was still existent. 

That was evident from the decision that he made when facing the unbeatable Captain Feroman of the Sky Wolf Mercenary Corps, who would probably be able to escape unscathed if it were not for the accident.

David gained Amos’ lifetime experience in Warhammer Mastery, which had all been enhanced during the near-death battles with the bugs. The experience had also translated into the illusion of battle that appeared before David.

David could no longer tell if that was reality or a fantasy, as he had completely fused with that body, and he had to control the warhammer with all his might to fight the Hunter Mantis.

Just a moment ago, he was distracted and the scythe of the Hunter Mantis grazed against his back, causing a long wound to form on his body.

The intense pain led him to concentrate even more. However, the single Hunter Mantis made him feel an extreme unprecedented pressure. 

Under such pressure, the battle between him and the Hunter Mantis was almost the same as the initial battle that he witnessed by the side. He and the Hunter Mantis were attacking each other while defending themselves.

After an unknown period of time, the figure of Hunter Mantis gradually turned transparent, after which the entire space began shaking violently. The warhammer in his hand also turned transparent. 

David couldn’t help but want to grip the warhammer tightly. The warhammer was a part of his body, and the disappearance of it was as agonizing as losing a limb.

“Phew! Phew! Phew!” David breathed in the fresh air, which no longer contained the pungent stench of blood like before. The illusion disappeared, but he was still in the bedroom.

His clothes, which had gotten wet from practicing the eighteen movements of Bodywork and had subsequently dried up, was now wet once more because he was drenched in sweat.

He tried to grip the air hard a few times. Accordingly, the absence of the warhammer in his hands made David, who had just fought for a long time in the illusion, feel extremely uncomfortable.

“Shadow Servant, open the attribute panel!” he ordered in his mind while pressing his hand against the Shadow Servant’s body. 

He then saw the additional Warhammer Mastery (82% Intermediate) attribute in his list of abilities.

Nevertheless, he was well aware that although he had Warhammer Mastery (82% Intermediate) ability on his attribute panel, there was still a long way to go before he could actually use it. He would have to continuously practice before doing so. 

However, the process of his practice was extremely short. The experience that others had accumulated in tens of years, would probably only be a matter of days for him. 

This time, he did not rest, and instead, he proceeded with the fusion because he was planning to fuse Beginner-level Knowledge Orbs next. With his current body, it wasn’t tiring at all. 

Although the Heavy Axe Mastery (33% Beginner) Knowledge Orb would not be of much help to him, he felt that he ought to master another weapon that might be useful to him in the future. 

With that mindset, he ordered the Shadow Servant to fuse the Heavy-axe Mastery (33% Beginner) Knowledge Orb with his body. 

The illusion that appeared this time was in the setting of a training room. He was holding onto a heavy-axe and practicing. 

He was incessantly practicing various standard heavy-axe battle techniques, over and over again, as if it were hypnosis. David’s Warhammer Mastery was at the 82% Intermediate level. Hence, he found it rather easy to practice it.

When he opened his eyes, he felt that the fusion this time was the fastest of all, but of course, it was only how he felt in the illusion. The time in the illusion was completely different from the time in real life. 

Even if he spent a few years training in the illusion, it would only take a few minutes in real life.

That transmission of experience on the spiritual level could not be explained by science at all. It could only be said that the Shadow Servant was way too capable and competent. 

The two fusions made David feel mentally exhausted as well. Consequently, he first proceeded to wash up and put on clean clothes. At this juncture, he did not care about the time at all. He simply crashed onto the bed and fell asleep.

When David woke up, he looked at the time on the identity bracelet on his wrist, only to see that it was four in the afternoon.

He rubbed his empty stomach. Despite having eaten plenty of strengthened meat today, he was hungry again.

If it were not for the large number of credit points he owned now, he would be afraid of becoming penniless, considering how much he had to eat. 

Ever since he trained in Bodywork, ordinary food was no longer able to satisfy his consumption of energy. Only strengthened meat could replenish the amount of energy he lost. 

When he arrived at the dining hall on the first floor, he saw Maron who was dragging his feet across the ground. 

“Maron, what’s wrong with you?” David, feeling rather amused, asked Maron.

“David, hurry and give me a hand. I’ve performed the eighteen movements of Bodywork ten times, ten whole times!” Maron lamented and grumbled when he saw David who seemed like his savior. 

David stepped forward to help Myron, but he understood very well what the latter was going through at this point.

Performing the eighteen movements of Bodywork once was already extremely physically draining, let alone doing it ten times. 

“Emma, prepare some more strengthened meat for me and Maron,” David instructed Emma, the robot butler.

“Yes, Master!” the robot butler Emma responded as she began to get busy.

By the time David helped Maron sit down, there were two large servings of strengthened meat on the table.

“Hey, Maron, you really did get someone to deliver Level 1 strengthened meat!” David said in surprise as he looked at the strengthened meat on the plate, which was different from usual. 

“Of course, it’s easy for my father to get Level 1 strengthened meat anyway. As long as I ask and mention it, someone will bring it!” Maron said nonchalantly.

There were quite a few organizations that went out to hunt bugs in Pelan City. Although the Level 1 strengthened meat was almost always sold to the bigger cities further away to generate more profits, Bernard—who was the mayor of Pelan City—of course, wanted some for himself. 

While being amazed about the benefits of holding high authority, David placed a piece of Level 1 strengthened meat into his mouth. The feeling of energy jumping around in his mouth made the hunger in his body burst with joy. 

“Where’s Uncle Galen?” After David’s hunger subsided, he finally discovered that Galen was not around.

“Uncle Galen said that he was going out to check on the Sky Wolf Mercenary Corps. Speaking of which, they are really bold. I heard my father say that the starships of the Sky Wolf Mercenary Corps have been captured. Except for the ones who attacked you, the rest of the Sky Wolf Mercenary Corps have been wiped out!” Maron said smilingly. He was rather well-informed.

His tone was full of disdain for the Sky Wolf Mercenary Corps. Even if they were armorers, they had to be clear about who not to mess with.

Even Maron himself would be conscientious and careful about his usual behavior, not daring to cause trouble for his family.

David did not feel any emotions towards the Sky Wolf Mercenary Corps. Although they had attacked him, they had also brought him a massive amount of wealth, as well as the 98% Intermediate Electronic Warfare Retaliation ability. 

Of course, since they were his enemy, they would be better off dead in his opinion.