Morning came and Apollo was happier than any morning he ever had.
"You seem very happy all of a sudden"
Isabella couldn't help but say as she looked at her extra energetic son.
"I had a good dream mom"
Then Apollo energetically hums while preparing himself for breakfast.
Inside the huge dining hall where usually wizards and witches of the tower took their meal, Isabella and Apollo happily ate their breakfast there.
"I should start testing the third option"
The boy thought while putting more slices of bacon in his mouth. Then as fast as he could he finished his breakfast and went towards the place where magical beasts often die. The magic examination and testing area.
"Be careful son"
"I will mom"
Looking at Apollo's back Isabella was happy looking at her son who looked more lively than before.
"Have you told the boy?"
Beside her eating was one of the senior mages in the tower Arthur Linais.
"You know how he hates going home"
"I don't think that kid considers that place a home"
She knows he was right the Lionheart duchy was never kind to her son. Her husband and two other children never consider Apollo as one of them either. Isabella can't help but lower her head letting her white hair flow down like a waterfall.
"Just say that Apollo is busy doing research stuff for the head of the tower"
"I already used that last year"
"How about him being hospitalized"
"Already used as well"
"He is being appointed as your substitute inside the tower"
"I already used it as well"
"Just tell them he is dead"
"Arthur!"
"Sorry I was just kidding "
"Then it isn't funny"
While Isabella used every fiber of her brain to think of an excuse for her precious son not to be brought back into the main house. Apollo was happily running towards the bloodiest place in the wizard tower, the magic examination and testing area.
Arriving in front of a tall tower, Apollo went straight towards the place where wizards put their experiments to the test. The testing zone was quite similar to a small arena with seats at the side and a wide open area in the middle. At the four corners of the testing zone are four station offices that shall examine the experiment in four different directions. Right on time the researcher in Blue Moon Tower is currently conducting their experiment.
"Okay everyone clear and ready?"
"Ready!"
"This is Project Soldier, 78th test attempt of an artificial warrior, day 134"
A robotic machine suddenly walked, each of its steps was slow and steady mainly due to its weight being way too heavy. Its body looks like an ancient samurai warrior equipped with his armour, sword and bow and arrow.
The artificial warrior was made of steel with the combination of golem machinery and alchemy for it to move. Wizards of Blue Moon Tower believe that this project would be the solution to the current lack of manpower in the empire.
"Jeremiah can you analyze that artificial warrior for me"
[Affirmative creator but it may take a while for me to accomplish the task. Since currently Jeremiah still has a limited strength]
Apollo nodded his head not really caring how long can it take since he would be staying for a while.
In front of the artificial warrior is a beast Apollo has never seen before.
"That's a demon beast"
He couldn't help but muttered.
Demon beasts are quite different from the typical magical beasts found in the forest since demon beasts came from the land of the Demon realm. The appearance as well are widely different. Demon beast has a blueish-black to red color while a magical beast's size and colours have to be depended on their element.
"It's a hellhound" he said finally identifying the best he once saw in books.
It's a type of demon beast that resembles a dog or a wolf. This beast has jet black fur from its foot to its leg while its upper body has a dark colour with a shade of red up until its head. It has a thick coat surrounding it, especially its head. His mane-like coat would make people mistake him as a lion.
"I wonder how you can win"
The hellhound lunged trying to bite the head of the artificial warrior. But instead of the head, a sword intercepted the bite of the beast. The machine then throws the beast but being very nimble the hound was able to maneuver his position mid-air and landed swiftly on the ground.
"I wonder what level this guy has"
[Scanning....Analyzing... Completed!]
[STATISTICS
Type: Hellhound
Status: Distress
Rank: Warrior
Level: 20
Strength: 70
Agility: 65
Dexterity: 60
Endurance: 70
Stamina: 70
Intelligence: 30
Mana: 60
Vitality: 150
"Oh?...you can also do this huh"
This time the artificial warrior carried his heavy body to attack.
"It's too slow"
Due to its heavy weight, it was too slow to hit a nimble hellhound.
"Jeremiah if the scan is finished give me the statistics of that warrior"
[Affirmative..... Scanning....data completed
Statistics
Type: Artificial warrior
Rank: Warrior
Level: 20
Damage: 30
Hitpoints: 200
Target: Air and ground
Movement speed: 25
Agility: 40
Dexterity: 70
Strength: 50
Endurance:50]
"Wait is this accurate?.." Apollo doubted in his mind but he didn't voice it out.
"If 30 is the damage then it only takes 5 strikes to kill the hound"
[Not exactly creator]
"Oh I am curious why that is the case"
The battle still commenced while Jeremiah and Apollo continued talking to each other. After attacking the hellhound and failing multiple times the artificial warrior switches weapons to a bow and arrow.
"Hmmm?.."
Apollo was confused, will arrows work against such a fast enemy? Well, the answer is yes the artificial warrior may be slow but the way he handles his weapon is really different.
"He is fast too fast"
He mumbled as he saw a rain of arrows chasing a single shadow of the hellhound.
"Will it hit?"
And as if answering his question an arrow did hit the beast.
"Now that's strange"
Instead of being wounded, it didn't even scratch him and the hound grew even faster despite the rain or arrows. Then Apollo realized that he had forgotten something. The coat or pelt that surrounds the hellhound is very sturdy at the same time he remembered something more interesting about hellhounds.
"They have a damage reduction skill"
Though it could only work twice every fifteen minutes it is still a good life-saving skill.
"It's ending"
The area is almost covered with arrows and although the beast tries to move closer towards the artificial warrior a spear would welcome him. The way the artificial warrior switches from one weapon to another made it hard for that hound to fight. The sound of arrows being released reverberated around the area. Apollo stared as he noticed that the arrows only hit one specific spot on the hound's body.
"I see it is ending"
One more arrow was released and hit the back of the head of the beast. Apollo heard a cracking sound and saw how the arrow penetrated the head of the beast.
"Is my range okay Jeremiah?"
[Yes creator.... commencing absorption]
As the experiment ended Apollo jumped down from the bleachers and went towards the fallen hound.
"Wait Apollo it's dangerous!"
Coming out of the four-station office, are wizards from the Blue Moon tower.
"Child approaching a beast recklessly is dangerous "
A senior mage said as he arrived right in front of Apollo.
"Sir Gavin your warrior is overheating"
The boy just said which made the wizard named Gavin fly towards the machine.
As soon as he arrived huge black smoke emerged from it making all the wizards that were supposed to go to Apollo switch and go towards the artificial warrior.
The boy just chuckled seeing how panicky they were. This machinery is almost perfect the problem is it overheats they should have used a much slower beast than a fast beast like a hellhound.
"And here I thought it could have worked"
One of the wizards said looking worried at the charcoal body of the warrior.
"They must have tested it to multiple types of beast and its only problem is its overheating every time it fights. One-time use weapons are not particularly good"
[Ding essence absorption is now Completed]
"How much did we get"
[25, creator... newly killed beast is much easier to absorb, so I suggest that we find ways to harvest them]
Now Apollo began to think he had never killed before though there are circumstances where he almost did but it never happened.
"I wonder if I should ask my mother"
He decided to look for his mother when Gavin called him.
"Apollo, will it be alright if we ask for your help here?"
Reluctantly he agreed.
He thought that he could finish everything but it took them an entire day to review the artificial warrior.
"So much for helping"
He couldn't help but sigh that his free time was only limited since their tower's next project would start next week.
"I will be busy again"
While walking the boy tries to ease his tired mind though he doesn't know if he can.