Kyran tilted his head to one side after hearing the man's condition for winning. He put on a troubled expression before saying, "That's not a fair wager at all."
The man also tilted his head, imitating Kyran while spreading out his palms, "What's not fair with that? I'm wagering my best creation against your interesting item."
"No, not that," Kyran immediately shook his head. Then he pointed at the metallic gray dragon-like automaton behind the man. "You wager your best creation, but I have to defeat it to get it. If I end up destroying it, then I will end up getting a scrap after winning."
"…"
On the other hand, True Void broke out in cold sweat after hearing Kyran complain. He knew Kyran meant to bargain their wager, which made him nervous.
[Oi, Void Hafling, are you seriously going to wager the plates? These plates are more suitable for me than that ugly-looking puppet!]
After Kyran heard True Void voice out his opinion telepathically, his expression on the outside remained the same. But internally, Kyran could not help but sweat at True Void.
If he won the automaton, it meant he did not have to surrender the plates, so why was True Void even worried? Did he really think he wanted True Void to transfer his spirit in the dragon-like automaton?
'You make it sound like we're exchanging items here,' Kyran replied with a sigh.
[Oi! What do you mean by item? I am not an item!]
'I'm talking about the plates. Besides, I'm wagering the plates, not you. If I end up losing, you can transfer to one of the puppets for the time being,' Kyran explained.
After Kyran told him of this, True Void recalled that the wagered item was not him but the plates. Aside from this, he always had a choice to transfer to another one of Kyran's creations if the plates ended up being lost or destroyed.
[Bahahaha! Right! Right! I forgot! Being in this body for more than a year rubbed off on me. It almost made me think it is my own body!]
Kyran did not reply and only mentally scratched his head. At least he had settled True Void's concern for now.
As for the man, after being speechless for a few seconds, he finally scratched his head and said, "Just now, you… sound like you will actually win. That doesn't sound nice."
Kyran laughed lightly and also scratched his head. He looked somewhat abashed while saying, "Of course not. It's just an 'if.'"
Seeing Kyran act like this, True Void could not help but get goosebumps up his arms.
It was not his first time seeing him act this way. During Kyran's second training test, the two-month-long Puppet Competition made him develop this new skill.
Yes, it was a new skill.
Previously, Kyran focused on honing his combat, magical, and strategical skills by doing the work himself. After participating in the Puppet Competition, the experience broadened his horizons because he was not the one fighting but his puppets.
While the puppets did the physical and magical fights during the competition, the puppeteers also engaged in a different form of battle.
Psychological.
Kyran had the knowledge and on-hand experience in combat strategy planning and execution. However, when dealing with psychological warfare, he was a complete noob.
It was for this reason that he almost self-destructed when his reverse scale had been triggered during his 'negotiation' with Celine, back in the abandoned warehouse. He could somehow read another person's thoughts even if they put on a facade. But when he got pitted with a real expert, he was like a small frail animal trapped in a tiger's den.
Apart from this, Kyran might be good at acting indifferent or putting on a poker face to conceal his thoughts. However, some people were good at deciphering a person's indifference through minute changes in a person's mood, or aura, thus, making them appear like an open book.
Because of the psychological battles, Kyran endured at the Puppet Competition, he developed a new skill. He observed all of his opponents' tactics and absorbed everything he could to achieve this.
Although True Void could not say that Kyran was already an expert in psychological warfare, he could at least hold his own now.
After a short pause, the man replied while still scratching his head, "You have a point. But isn't it the same with you? If we fight and I end up destroying your item, I'll also get a scrap."
Kyran gave him a surprised look and immediately shook his head, "Since I wagered it, I don't plan on using it."
The man turned still after hearing Kyran's reply. It took a few seconds before he lowered his hand, which was still on his head, and said in a somewhat confused tone, "If you're not using it, how will I know how good it is?"
"I can show it to you after I lose," Kyran replied.
"Nice. I see, okay." The man nodded in understanding, then he added, "But… I'm still using mine because you'll lose anyway."
Kyran sighed. He looked at the man dejectedly and replied, "This is a little troubling. Sorry, but I can't agree to your terms."
"Eh? Why?" The man complained, his shoulders slumped down in disappointment.
Kyran did not reply immediately; instead, he assessed what he had gathered about the man's characteristics.
Kyran realized the man had a prideful side from the short exchange they had. He would not compromise because he was sure he would win. He also had a laidback side. This was already evident from his attitude right from the start.
However, it was precisely because of this that Kyran knew the man also had an unreasonable side.
'If that's the case…'
"How about we changed the terms a little? I'll fight your… Ar-Lo, is it? If I lose, you can have this," Kyran pointed at the shape-shifting plates before him, "But if I defeat it, then you have to answer three questions from me."
[Oi! Don't sell yourself short? Your plates are more valuable than that ugly automaton!]
Kyran ignored True Void's complaint. He only remained silent while waiting for the man's reply.
The man pondered for a moment before finally saying, "Alright. If you're okay with that. Since you'll lose anyway, I'll be generous and still answer one question."
Kyran only smiled in response.
"Let's start."
As soon as the man said the word start, his magic pressure burst out, and the dragon-like automaton, Ar-Lo, roared mechanically.
Ar-Lo's red eyes glowed ferociously as it flapped its wings and soared in the air before charging at Kyran.
On Kyran's end, when the man's magic pressure had erupted, True Void had already disengaged the shape-shifting plates from its hexagonal barrier. He circled Kyran's left arm before turning into an arm bracer.
When Kyran declared he would not use the plates to fight Ar-Lo, True Void guessed he planned on making it a quick one. So instead of hovering in the way as a miniature armor, he decided to cover Kyran's arm, which had the Mark of Ruin to help him 'contain it' once he roused his magic energy.
It was unfortunate that the mark would always act up whenever Kyran used his magic energy at a certain percent. It happened quite a number of times during his second training, when he overused his magic sense or when he transferred too much magic energy into his puppets during the competition. This was how True Void suggested helping him contain the mark if he had to exert a lot of magic energy.
What True Void did, had been seen by the man. He lifted his head a little, and his gold eyes glinted in fascination under the hood.
"Thanks," Kyran muttered to True Void before rousing his magic energy. He looked up and saw that the automaton had shortened its distance in just a second.
Earlier, there were more than a hundred meters between them. Now, there were barely ten meters left, and Ar-Lo was more than twenty meters long.
The speed of this automaton far exceeded Kyran's expectations. With its huge frame, it should not be able to move that fast.
Still, Kyran remained calm as he watched Ar-Lo stop and drawback its head before opening its mouth.
Raw magic energy formed inside its mouth, and almost at once, it turned into a beam of concentrated energy fired at Kyran.
Kyran waved his right hand in front of him. A purple mist burst out from his palm, instantly covering the space around him. It rapidly spread and finally reached Ar-Lo, lowering its vision.
The beam of concentrated energy blasted through, ignoring the mist, and went straight at Kyran's head.
The man could not help but sneer as he watched the scene unfold before him. He did not expect the new challenger to be such easy prey. Ar-Lo might be an automaton, but its prowess was at least 50% the same as a real dragon. It was for this reason that it became his greatest work.
To use such frail mist magic to counter a concentrated attack from his Ar-Lo? It was simply suicide. Anyone who would think it was only an attack coming from an automaton and could countered by magic, was really underestimating his greatest work!
Ping!
A loud metallic sound rang out from within the purple mist, which made the man frown at once. The metallic sound was different from the metal sounds his Ar-Lo makes.
Immediately, the man's eyes glowed as he spread out his magic sense to see inside the purple mist.
Sizzle! Crackle!
Sparks erupted from the purple mist, in different directions even before the man's magic sense could see what was happening.
Suddenly, a deafening mechanical roar filled the air as Ar-Lo burst out from the purple mist.
Sizzle! Crackle!
"Ar-Lo!"
The man who had always spoke in a monotonous voice, suddenly exclaimed in shock as he realized that the one making those sizzling and crackling sounds was actually Ar-Lo.