Mechanical Alchemist

Several days later, on the Nameless Deserted Island in the West Sea of Luying.

The Eternal Night sailed far on the surface of the sea, and the members of the Dawn Group gathered on the deck once again, watching the elemental phenomena on the deserted island subside from a distance.

"Hey, look, the cataclysmic weather backlash on the island is completely over. It seems like Mr. Su Lun has successfully advanced, right?"

"Of course he succeeded. How could Mr. Su Lun possibly fail in advancement! However, the cataclysmic backlash these past few days was indeed a bit too exaggerated..."

"Yes, the energy peak detected by the energy meter yesterday reached TⅧ level, which has surpassed the energy released by the majority of volcanic eruptions. It's incredibly unbelievable. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really would not believe someone could bear such a terrifying backlash."

"That's right, Mr. Su Lun has integrated the epic 'Isaac Dragon Pattern Golden Body.' Ah... why could I only integrate a silver-quality one, wuu..."

"..."

The crowd discussed fervently.

Before this, no one would have imagined Su Lun's advancement phenomena to be so exaggerated.

These past few days, they had witnessed one cataclysmic weather event after another as if the apocalypse had come.

The wind was so fierce it could lift the Eternal Night into the sky; the rain sharp as if knives were falling from the heavens; the earth trembled as if the planes themselves were crumbling; the flames burned the skies to a bloody red...

Even the two rank-eight professionals in the group were left deeply moved by the sight.

Now that the cataclysmic phenomena had ceased, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Old Sword God Bartolo, looking at the distant island, could not hide his emotion in his eyes and said, "When I passed through my own cataclysmic backlash, the power was barely one-tenth of this. One can imagine how strong Su Lun's body must be to have suffered such a strong backlash from the plane."

Next to him, 'Blood Duke' Wuzzhuas also responded, "Indeed. The higher the intensity of the cataclysmic backlash one can withstand, the greater the enhancement one will receive after successful advancement. What's terrifying is that Su Lun is also a Puppet Master. Now that he has comprehended the dominator body, I can hardly imagine who now could pose a lethal threat to him on this plane. With an indestructible body, his puppet army is indeed unstoppable..."

Number Nineteen said, "One person is an army, the lineage of Puppeteers truly is an exaggerated professional series..."

Barrett added, "I have a feeling that those fellows from the Divine Plane are going to have one more 'nightmare' to contend with in their ten-thousand-person magic formations."

The group agreed, "Yes, hahahaha..."

Su Lun's strength was something all members of the Dawn Group had witnessed.

The most terrifying thing was that he was not only immensely powerful in his own right but also a Puppet Master.

When he was at the seventh rank, he could single-handedly annihilate a ten-thousand-person magic formation. Now that he has advanced to the eighth rank and achieved the dominator body state, it would be very difficult to kill him.

This exaggerated level of combat power made it seem like there was no limit in sight.

At least, no one in the Dawn Group could think of anyone they knew who could defeat Su Lun.

...

On the other hand.

On the island, the sky was filled with thunderclouds, and the Nonagram Alchemy Formation in the center of the island had already lost its luster.

A few days ago, the island was lush and green, but now it was barren, with the beaches turned into a thick layer of hard crystal.

All over the island were elements of chaotic laws, the remnants of a cataclysmic backlash that could easily kill a high-ranking professional.

In the center of the alchemical formation, Su Lun sat bare-chested and motionless in meditation.

At this moment, his skin shimmered with the lustrous black and golden color of dragon scale runes, his muscles bulging and knotted, exuding a metallic quality.

The chaotic elements seemed to be repelled by an invisible force a few meters from his body, unable to disturb his meditation.

He was like a piece of iron forged a thousand times, purged of all impurities, having turned into steel.

Finally, as the cataclysmic backlash completely subsided, the dark clouds in the sky also quickly dissipated.

Sunlight broke through the clouds, shining on Su Lun.

He opened his eyes and muttered to himself, "So this is the dominator body."

Su Lun stood up and examined his body.

He could clearly feel that after integrating dominance and domain into his body, its resilience had surpassed physical limits and reached a height of law-level consistency.

For lower-ranked professionals, this state was akin to the dragon race's innate high resistance against both physical and magical attacks, almost akin to physical immunity and impervious to all magic.

Checking his body's data, he saw a significant increase after the advancement.

Today, he had stepped into the eighth rank and now stood at the pinnacle of the Alchemists' pyramid.

Standing at this height, he saw a different landscape.

Su Lun had many reflections.

But since everything was within expectations, his expression did not show joy or sorrow.

He glanced into the distance, his eyes briefly flashing with a strange light that seemed capable of capturing souls, and he felt even more reflective, "The soul is immortal now."

The material Su Lun used for his eighth-rank advancement was the [Crystal Skull of Descartes] he had found earlier in the Atlantis Ruins, which upon fusion, granted him the trait of undying soulfire.

This also meant that it was now nearly impossible for anyone to successfully target him with Curse Magic or any other mysterious techniques.

Even Divine Arts couldn't destroy Su Lun's soul no matter how gravely injured he became.

With an indestructible soul and his body's resistance to both physical and magical damage at the overlord level, Su Lun now truly had no weaknesses in defense.

If the Puppet Master himself could not be killed, estimating his combat power became extremely difficult.

Moreover, after advancing to the eighth rank, Su Lun's control over the number of puppets increased significantly.

Previously, he could control a little over ten thousand, but now, managing twenty thousand would not be a problem.

And this advancement material also greatly increased his brain's capacity to bear burdens; after fully digesting the benefits brought by the advancement, he could also consider the eighth-rank parasite equipment [Isaac Blasphemer].

Once that equipment was fused, it would be the ultimate goal he had set for himself as a Puppeteer, the "Infinite Manipulation".

Thinking this, Su Lun murmured, "I need to find some top-quality material for crafting the [Blasphemer]. I wonder if that void Matriarch Worm is still alive..."

He didn't linger on the deserted island; after all, advancing to the eighth rank didn't present him with any unexpected issues.

With arms outstretched, he performed a trick to change his attire and, in a single step, he was already standing on the deck of the Eternal Night outside the West Sea of Luying.

...

"Mr. Su Lun is back!"

The Dawn group excitedly gathered around upon seeing Su Lun return, congratulating him one after another.

Even Old Sword God Bartolo and "Duke of Blood" Watts, two eighth-rankers, couldn't help but be astonished at his strength.

Only those of the same rank could truly sense how powerful Su Lun had become.

After chatting for a while, everyone dispersed. The Dawn would have a grand banquet tonight to celebrate this special day.

But at this moment, the Dawn's management gathered together for the first time.

Because they had received intelligence from the side of Luying.

The strategist unfolded a sea chart and pointed at a strait, saying, "A few hours ago, we received intelligence from the Mirror Organization that a joint legion from the Luying and Mafa empires was preparing for a secret surprise attack on the Divine Plane near the Imperial Strait. But something seems to have gone wrong, and the entire fleet has lost contact. That fleet was led by the former Mafa Navy Grand Marshal 'Tiger of Lei' Meredith Ben Moses and General Rostov, and a significant portion of the elite forces from both empires was concentrated in it. If something has indeed gone wrong, it will negatively impact the war situation and morale. The empires are now searching everywhere for the whereabouts of the fleet, and the intelligence group has also asked if we can offer any help... Since Mr. Su Lun, you were in the midst of advancement, so..."

They were too far away to respond quickly, even with the intelligence they had received.

This was a decision that only Su Lun could make.

Hearing this, Su Lun frowned and asked, "What's the war situation like now?"

The strategist continued, "It's not optimistic. A month ago, the Mafa Empire's imperial capital, Kabibelron, was breached by the Divine Plane's Magic Corps, and now almost the entire territory is fallen. The only good news is not too many people have descended from the Divine Plane, and they have only occupied some cities. Also, since the Mafa higher-ups previously ordered all domestic shipyards to be destroyed, the invaders don't have access to large warships, and the natural defenses of the Imperial Strait have prevented further invasion. The remaining legions of Mafa are now conducting guerrilla warfare in the wilderness, and the current situation is somewhat at a stalemate..."

After hearing this and looking at the sea chart the strategists had brought out, Su Lun immediately decided, "Then let's first check out the area where the joint fleet went missing. Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Everyone: "Yes!"

Although their current location was tens of thousands of nautical miles away from the Imperial Strait, distance was never an issue for Su Lun.

...

On the other side.

Somewhere within the Imperial Strait, between the two great empires of Luying and Mafa, a huge fleet was assembling in a defensive formation, swiftly sailing across the sea.

Giant smokestacks billowed out black smoke, and countless rivets joined together to form warships as large as steel beasts.

These were some of the top steam warships of both empires, armed with the most sophisticated cannons and defense systems.

Looking at the flags, this was at least a combined legion made up of seven major fleets.

This was a super fleet capable of annihilating any city.

But at that very moment, a fierce debate was taking place in the conference room at the core of the fleet's flagship.

"Damn it, how could our movements have been discovered?"

"I'm afraid some of the 'surrender faction' have already made contact with the Divine Plane. And since this surprise attack plan was top secret, those with access to the intelligence must undoubtedly occupy high positions..."

"What a bunch of bastards, willing to betray their fellow countrymen, to sell out the entire Alchemy Plane, just to save their own skins!"

"There's no point in discussing this now. We'd better think about how to break through..."

"..."

The group of professionals in military uniforms were angrily and excitedly discussing the situation.

What was supposed to be a top-secret surprise attack had turned into an ambush; they knew there must be a mole who leaked their plans.

Sitting at the head of the conference table were two men, a Baldy and a man with a square face.

Neither spoke, their presence exuding a powerful aura without a trace of anger.

Yet as they listened to their staff members, their expressions turned grim.

If Su Lun were here, he would surely recognize Baldy to be Dora's grandfather, the Matriarch Navy Grand Marshal "Lei Tiger" Meredith Ben Moses.

The other man with the goatee and square face was none other than General Rostov, the former commander of the Luying Royal Fleet.

Now nearby, the topic of discussion among everyone was naturally how to break through the encirclement.

But no matter how they analyzed the situation, it was clearly a long-planned ambush by the enemy, leaving them no chance to break through.

"Currently, it appears that at least six Great Magic Legions from the Divine Realm are near us. Judging by the legion flags, they should be the elite legions that breached Cabitrón..."

"It will take at least half a month to arrive here from the closest imperial naval base, and we're afraid we won't last until reinforcements arrive. Besides, waiting for reinforcements may not necessarily be a good thing."

"Yes. The enemy is obviously employing a 'besiege to relieve' strategy... Those fellows intend to trap us while annihilating as many reinforcement fleets as possible. If the imperial main fleet is lured out of port to support us, we'll lose our defensive advantage. If those guys breach our lines, we're doomed."

"..."

All those present were battle-hardened professionals, and the situation was crystal clear to them.

The battle had not yet started, and it seemed as though they were already trapped in a hopeless situation.

After much discussion, they couldn't come to any conclusion.

At the main seats, "Lei Tiger" Meredith and General Rostov exchanged a look, understanding the resolve in each other's eyes.

Having risen from mere soldiers to the rank of marshal, they had been through countless fierce battles and were not ones to shrink back.

They were the decision-makers.

Moreover, the Combined Fleet was composed of elites; even in this dire situation, not a trace of fear could be seen on anyone's face.

In the war between realms where one could be faced with either death or survival, they were prepared to shed their last drop of blood for the cause of civilization.

It was at this moment that "Lei Tiger" Meredith made a decisive decision, his voice resounding clearly, "Continue signaling, notify the empire not to send reinforcements! Scout teams, search for an appropriate naval battle location, and prepare to engage the enemy. Even if we die in battle, we must at least take out a few of the enemy's ten-thousand-strong magic legions with us!"

Upon hearing these words, the staff members all stood up, paying a solemn military salute in unison, saying, "Yes!"

The order was relayed in an instant, and the personnel of the Combined Fleet were also making ready, the entire fleet suffused with a tragic atmosphere.

However, just as the fleet was preparing for a last stand, suddenly, a lookout relayed a most unexpected message, "Attention all, a ship is rapidly approaching us!"

Upon hearing this, everyone assumed it was an enemy attack, and the atmosphere immediately grew tense.

Even the two marshals went up on deck, fully armed, ready for battle.

But the distance was too great, and apart from the reconnaissance teams on the periphery, no one in the fleet could see which ship was approaching.

"Lei Tiger" Meredith, holding a communicator, asked, "How many ships?"

The communication officer replied, "One!"

Meredith was taken aback, "One? What is the situation?"

As if confirming something, the communication officer's voice shook with astonishment, "It's an Emperor-class battleship! It's an Emperor-class sailing battleship!"

Upon hearing this, the whole Combined Fleet was puzzled.

Because the construction craftsmanship of Emperor-class battleships had been lost to time, such dominant battleships from hundreds of years ago now numbered only one in the world.

And that was the one belonging to the Dawn Group!

Sure enough, a scout immediately reported, "Marshal, it has been confirmed as the Eternal Night Emperor! Based on the flag on its mast, it is Dawn Group!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the Combined Fleet was thoroughly surprised.

They did not expect to encounter the Dawn Adventure Group before the imperial fleet's support arrived.

Could it be mere coincidence?

But this sea area was under military control, and no ships other than those carrying military orders were allowed to enter. Could the Dawn Group have come as reinforcements?

Everyone was now aware of the "Dawn Organization" and naturally knew they were friends, not foes.

But what significance could a single ship have?

The enemy had brought at least six ten-thousand-strong magic legions, and against the several dozen top-tier battleships and more than two hundred thousand troops of their Combined Fleet, they had been at a stalemate. The arrival of the Dawn Group could not change the outcome of the battle.

...

Upon hearing this news, "Lei Tiger" Meredith's expression turned slightly odd, "Dawn Group?"

He immediately thought of that fellow who had "kidnapped, seduced, and extorted" his granddaughter.

Only he knew that Dora was still with the Dawn Group, and their arrival now must surely be to provide support.

Meredith also acknowledged the strength of the Dawn Brigade, noting that Su Lun's methods were not bad either. However, in his recollection, the overall strength of the Dawn Brigade was on par with the adventure groups of the past like the "West Sea Fleet" and the "South Sea Fleet".

On the battlefield of a real large-scale legion, this wouldn't solve anything.

Fearing that the Dawn Brigade was unaware of the current situation and didn't want them to come and die in vain, he quickly gave the order, "Immediately inform them to leave this sea area, do not approach us!"

Communications Officer: "Yes!"

However, not long after this order was issued, the outer scouts relayed new information: "Marshal, we have conveyed your instructions to the Dawn Brigade, but they... they did not leave, instead, they are continuing to sail towards us."

"What?!"

Meredith's face darkened upon hearing this.

What reckless youths, the law brigades of the Divine Plane, each comparable to the power of a ninth-order...

He even thought it was his granddaughter Dora who insisted on coming to rescue her grandfather, and he felt that his granddaughter was too willful.

As their main target was them, and considering the tremendous speed advantage of the sail warships, it was possible they could escape without entering the enemy's encirclement.

Meredith did not want to add casualties to an already hopeless battle, and frowned tightly, "Can you contact them? Tell them not to intervene, this is a military order!"

The Communications Officer relayed this directive, but soon an even more absurd piece of news came: "They said... we are trapped by the enemy's legion magic, going in circles in place. East, South, West, Northeast... from several directions, plus eight brigades of ten thousand law enforcers are encircling us. They also told us to stop and lure the enemy out."

All who could hear this communication were the high-ranking officers of the joint fleet, and upon hearing these words, everyone exchanged puzzled glances.

These old generals, who would not frown in the face of death, now only had expressions of disbelief in their eyes.

The fleet is trapped?

Although they had also begun to vaguely sense it.

But whether true or false, let's not discuss it for now.

The meaning of the latter part of the sentence is, they want us to stop... and act as bait?

A small adventure group, asking them to use their professional fleet of over two hundred thousand as bait?

Absurd, preposterous, naive...

These were everyone's first impressions.

However, just when everyone found it unbelievable, General Rostov showed a thoughtful expression.

He pondered for a moment and then said, "There is a student of mine in the Dawn Brigade, Alek Barrett. He was once the brigade commander of the Sacred Judgment Legion, and he definitely would not make such a low-level mistake on the battlefield. Moreover, they knew that there were eight brigades of ten thousand law enforcers encircling us nearby, information that even goes beyond what we knew..."

The joint fleet had information on six brigades of ten thousand law enforcers, but the other side said it was eight?

If the other side wasn't guessing blindly, then it meant that the Dawn Brigade had better sensing capabilities to confirm this information.

But how could that be?

How could a small adventure group have sensing capabilities that could match theirs, armed with the top-tier warship equipment of the planes?

All these bizarre situations not only failed to reassure anyone, but an eerie feeling swept over everyone's hearts.

Sinister enough to send shivers down one's spine.

Could it be an enemy plot?

Or had they fallen into some sort of higher-order group Illusion Technique?

Upon hearing this, "Lei Tiger" Meredith also showed a contemplative expression, and directly said, "Connect me to their communication!"

"Yes!"

The next second, the communicator was connected.

A young yet stable voice entered his ears, "Marshal Meredith, this is Su Lun, I have met with you before..."

Hearing that voice, how could Meredith not recognize it as the very Su Lun who had extorted his beloved granddaughter?

However, voices can be faked, and no one would completely trust them.

Meredith just wanted to confirm some things.

But before he could speak, the person on the other end of the communicator seemed to realize this.

At that moment, the voice once again came through the communicator, "Forget it, I'll come in person."

Upon hearing this, the high-ranking officers on the deck were all taken aback.

But before they could fully express their surprise, at the same time as these words were spoken, a ripple in space flashed, and a figure had already appeared on the deck of the warship.

Everyone focused and saw that it was Su Lun with a crow on his shoulder, looking composed and young.