Puppet Master Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Regret

Read chapter 26 of Puppet Master by PeName on NovelPedia.

The twin wind drills collided head-on with “Devouring Hand”. The sheer force of Veylor’s attack drove Tris’s puppet deep into the rocky ground. Yet the assault could not be sustained for long. It was quickly disrupted and torn apart by Tris’s magic. When the two destructive forces canceled each other out, the battle did not pause. Drawn inward by the pulling force, one of Veylor’s puppet’s tentacles was seized by Berserker. Still lying on the ground, Berserker tightened its grip—then twisted its body and hurled with brutal force. Veylor and his puppet were flung through the air before crashing violently into the ground. A dull, heavy impact echoed. The puppet’s left arm was completely shattered. Veylor himself suffered severe injuries from the blow. His condition was critical—on the verge of losing consciousness at any moment. And yet— Without hesitation, he and his puppet surged forward again. Before Berserker could even fully rise, Veylor had already closed the distance. His puppet had no legs—only a massive tentacle in their place. That tentacle coiled tightly around Berserker, locking both of its arms in place. A spell reinforced it, turning the appendage into an unyielding clamp. Had the target been a human instead of a massive puppet, bones and organs alike would have been crushed instantly. But Veylor did not stop there. He unleashed another magic. A torrent of water spewed from his mouth, crashing down onto Berserker. The attack carried both corrosive force and toxic fumes capable of killing on contact. 'He’s using this to counter me hiding inside a shell.' Tris assessed the situation instantly. And it was true— Veylor had forced him into a difficult position. If this continued, Tris could very well suffocate or be dissolved by the magic. With Berserker restrained, its back could not open for escape. The head could open—but that would mean stepping directly into the stream of toxic water… and facing Veylor at point-blank range. And despite the damage, Veylor still had one functioning arm ready to strike. 'It hurts… How long has it been since I’ve been this badly injured?' Veylor endured the pain as he maintained the assault. That earlier impact had likely damaged his internal organs. Several bones might already be cracked. His vision blurred. But through sheer will, he forced himself to remain conscious. 'What other tricks do you have left?' He focused intensely, controlling his puppet while watching for any movement from Tris. Up to this point, Tris had already surprised him again and again. This was the strongest opponent he had ever faced. And so, he did not dare relax—not even for an instant. It was that very focus that allowed him to notice something. A faint sound cuts through the air. Acting on instinct, Veylor immediately stopped the water attack and dodged. A barrage of magic bullets tore through the space he had occupied just moments before. Had he been any slower— They would have killed him instantly. Though his vision was impaired, Veylor could still make out the source— a flock of birds diving from above. But that single moment of distraction— decided everything. From within Berserker, Tris burst out the instant Veylor ceased his attack to evade. A blade flashed. Tris struck. “Dimension Slash.” A fusion of Dimension Cut and the combat technique Mana Slash . Mana Slash created a blade of condensed Spiritual energy and launched it toward the target. Enhanced by Dimension Cut, the strike gained overwhelming sharpness and speed. It came too fast. Too sudden. By the time Veylor reacted— It was already too late. The slash tore through the coiling tentacles and plunged deep into his chest. Like a puppet with its strings severed— Veylor and his construct collapsed to the ground. The Mage who had served the village chief for so many years met his end in a single, fleeting moment. Watching Veylor fall, Tris directed Berserker forward and removed the spatial ring from his right hand. Next, he had the puppet se