Date: Unspecified Time: Unspecified Location: Myriad Realms, Lil. Red Storm, Seed World, Trophy Section, Duel Realm, Crafting Sector, Venue: Chaos Dwarven Forge.
"Crafter's Sense," Wyatt muttered, watching the Elder Chaos Dwarf's corpse puppet enter what could only be described as a supercharged mode. The scene triggered a memory from an old anime back on Earth in his mind.
Though he'd read about Crafter's Sense before, this was the first time he'd actually seen it in combat. It wasn't just a skill honed in the forge—it was a versatile ability that could be applied to both crafting and combat. This dual functionality was what made Elder Chaos Dwarfs formidable not only in workshops but also on battlefields. It was also why their race had managed to maintain their status in the semi-rule class for millenniums.
Wyatt folded his arms, his expression unreadable, though his eyes gleamed with interest. He hadn't given Crafter's Sense much thought before, largely because he already had his Primordial Soul Pupils. While they didn't offer the same ability to temporarily enhance items and draw out their full potential, they were unparalleled when it came to crafting assistance, analyzing items, and identifying ingredients. Still if he had the chance to get Crafter's Sense, he wouldn't say no.
Unfortunately, acquiring it wasn't that simple. Crafter's Sense wasn't something that could be gained overnight, nor could it be forced. It was like sword intent or combat sense—there were no shortcuts. It required unwavering dedication, relentless effort, and, above all, an innate talent for crafting.
There were countless crafters across the myriad realms who had worked tirelessly for millennia, producing incredible creations, yet only a select few ever managed to awaken Crafter's Sense. It wasn't tied to species or race; you either had it or you didn't.
For the Chaos Dwarven race, however, the evolution of their natural affinity for crafting made Crafter's Sense appear almost like a birthright. Over time, younger generations began to believe that acquiring it was a prerequisite for advancing into the rank of an Elder Chaos Dwarf. This misunderstanding wasn't entirely baseless—it was simply a result of their race's deep reverence for crafting and the overwhelming fact that all Elder Chaos Dwarfs had Crafter's Sense.
Wyatt sighed softly, his gaze narrowing as the Elder Chaos Dwarf's puppet radiated its enhanced aura. "No wonder their race has such a hold on the crafting world," he thought, though the faint flicker of amusement in his eyes hinted that he wasn't particularly intimidated.
Meanwhile, Moon watched in frustration as her armored glacier golem was smacked around by its own severed arm, wielded effortlessly by the Elder Chaos Dwarf's corpse puppet. Her brow furrowed deeply as she racked her brain, trying to figure out why the Glacier Bite effect of her corpse puppet's Glacier Silk wasn't affecting her opponent's puppet, despite prolonged direct contact.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden mental transmission from Biore, the young male dwarf on her team. His tone was clipped but informative: 'Moon Fright, my uncle's Crafter's Sense has an additional attribute that temporarily reinforces the durability of any item it influences. That's why his corpse puppet is resisting your Glacier Bite.'
The revelation hit Moon like a bucket of icy water. 'So that's it!' She had no idea that Crafter's Sense could come with additional attributes. As a refugee in the Snow Elven territory, she'd been fortunate just to be allowed to study crafting alongside her combat training. While she had read about the legendary Crafter's Sense, the finer details about its advanced capabilities had always been beyond her reach—until now.
With a flicker of gratitude, Moon mentally thanked Biore for the timely warning. Her expression steeled with determination as she switched tactics. She ordered her corpse puppet to retreat using 'Glacier Burst,' a skill that golem exploding forward while the corpse puppet which acted its core used the explosion as smoke screen to retreat, creating space between it and its opponent. The only reason she'd engaged in close combat earlier was because she'd relied on the effectiveness of Glacier Bite.
Now that her opponent's Crafter's Sense rendered that ability useless, it was time to pivot. If close combat wasn't an option, she'd fall back on her personal combat style, where she could dictate the terms of engagement from a safer distance. Her glacier-blue eyes glinted with resolve as she prepared for the next move. 'Let's see how you handle this,' Moon thought, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. She envisioned herself drawing a bow and unleashing a volley of arrows at her enemy. Responding to her mental command, her corpse puppet used its Glacier Silk ability to 3D-print an icy bow and a quiver of sharp arrows. Without hesitation, it fired the arrows in rapid succession, aiming for the target before the mist from the Glacier Burst skill had even begun to clear.
The Elder Chaos Dwarf's corpse puppet reacted instantly, vanishing from its original position and reappearing at the edge of the arena, effortlessly dodging the incoming barrage. But just as the puppet seemed to have avoided the assault, the arrows curved mid-air, homing in on their target. Moon's spiritual power guided each one with precision.
The Elder Chaos Dwarf raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of intrigue and mild concern as his corpse puppet continued to dodge. He didn't dare let it take even a single arrow head-on. Each projectile was an SS-rank item, crafted with devastating power. Even one landing a direct hit could cause significant damage to the reinforced corpse puppet.
"Interesting," the Elder Chaos Dwarf muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with grudging admiration over Moon's neat trick to guide the arrows with her spiritual power. He found himself in a precarious situation. The corpse puppet, though enhanced by his Crafter's Sense, had been designed with a singular focus: maximizing its offensive power and physical durability. Bigold, the unnamed Chaos Dwarf who crafted it, had chosen to forgo any defensive measures, confident in the puppet's resilience as one of the sturdiest Frosling corpse puppets ever made.
While the puppet could rely on its reinforced durability to withstand most attacks, the SS-rank arrows presented a unique challenge. Even with his Crafter's Sense enhancing the puppet's strength and reinforcing its durability, it remained bound by the limitations of its demon emperor realm. Each arrow posed a serious threat.
The Elder Chaos Dwarf briefly considered using his abundant spiritual power to create protective barriers, but he dismissed the idea almost immediately. Overloading the corpse puppet with excessive spiritual power could cause it to collapse under the strain—exactly what had happened to the Armixian devil merchant's puppet in the second round.