Puppet Master Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Bandits

Read chapter 3 of Puppet Master by PeName on NovelPedia.

A person’s time and energy are ultimately limited. And each individual’s talent was different. Because of this, the direction in which one chose to invest their effort and time would never be the same. In the village, Tris knew of Mages whose puppet control skills were so refined that their puppets could fight like real Warriors. But some Mages merely used puppets as a medium to release magic, much like a staff. For them, the puppet mainly served as a convenient platform for attaching mechanisms and auxiliary weapons. For example, after a simple activation, the puppet might suddenly release a barrage of hidden arrows. Any remaining time would then be invested in learning more magics rather than improving their puppet control. Despite its disadvantages, puppet magic was still Tris’s top choice. Magic techniques and their methods of application were not wild weeds one could find anywhere. In contrast, puppet magic in this village had a long-standing tradition and a well-developed system that made learning and advancement much easier. More importantly, learning puppet magic seemed strangely smooth for him — almost as if an invisible hand had arranged everything beforehand… While lost in thought as he guided “Feathers” back toward him, Tris suddenly heard an angry roar from somewhere not too far away through the puppet’s magical sensory link. Activating a Space magic integrated into the puppet, Feathers gradually became translucent, blending into its surroundings. Tris then guided it gently toward the source of the sound. This was a form of Space magic that bent light to create invisibility. The magic worked best at night or when the target remained still. However, thanks to “Feathers” small size and the natural cover provided by the trees, the magic remained quite effective even while it moved during the daytime. Gliding through the treetops, Feathers quickly approached the target. Through its eyes, Tris looked down at the scene below. A child who appeared to be around six years old lay tied up tightly, both eyes and mouth covered. Nearby stood four men wearing leather armor. Three of them were restraining a young woman, stuffing cloth into her mouth while tearing at the clothes she wore. The fourth man was busy bandaging his bleeding hand. The earlier shout must have come from him after the woman had bitten him. Nearby lay a blade still stained with fresh blood. ‘Bandits?’ - Tris thought. ‘There were probably others, but they’ve already been killed. The child was kept alive… which means these are probably human traffickers as well.’ He quickly assessed the situation, frowning slightly. What disturbed Tris the most was not the blood on the blade, nor the sight of the thugs preparing to assault the woman. It was their identities. He recognized their faces. All four of them were villagers. Although they were not Mages, they usually worked as hunters, killing magical beasts around the village for a living. ‘Or maybe hunting is just their side job… and this is their real profession’ - Tris cursed inwardly. ‘Is this just an impulsive act by a few individuals? Or is there an organized group behind them? Could there be some larger scheme involved?’ Out of habit, Tris began expanding his speculation. But when he realized there were no clues to follow, he stopped and turned his focus back to the present situation. ‘Well… the wireless control test was a success. Mobility seems fine, too. So how about its combat capability?‘ Silently, he began channeling his spiritual energy into the puppet. * * * * * * * * * * “Uhh… mmm…!” The young woman struggled desperately, her mouth bound and body restrained. “Damn it,” the man with the bandaged hand snarled. “I didn’t get injured killing those guards, but I ended up bleeding because of this bitch.” “That’s because you’re stupid.” - Another one laughed. “Yeah, because you’re an idiot.” “Why don’t you go home and rest? We’ll take care of things here.” The others mocked him one after another. “You w