Chapter 188: Chapter 185: Freedom and a Long Journey

Allen’s brow was tightly furrowed.

He slowly paced around the Steel Giant, his fingertips brushing across the cold Titan Magic Steel armor.

’Could it be that this creation, into which I’ve poured my heart and soul and hundreds of thousands in wealth, is destined to be nothing more than an expensive statue?’

No.

’There has to be a way.’

’A single Magic Stone doesn’t provide enough power, but a multi-core parallel setup creates other problems. It seems like a dead end.’

Unless...

’Unless the method of power supply changes fundamentally!’

’The workshop’s magic power furnace!’

’The one Gordon personally calibrated! It’s still running stably in the workshop, the very heart providing "infinite" power for his entire industrial empire!’

’It doesn’t rely on Magic Stones. Instead, it uses a complex Rune Array to directly draw, purify, and convert Magic Power from the omnipresent Sea of Magical Power and the plane’s leylines!’

’I can’t use "batteries" anymore. I should just install an engine directly into it!’

’A single Magic Stone, regardless of its level, is fundamentally just an "energy storage device"—a consumable. The magic power furnace, on the other hand, is a true "power engine." It’s the foundation for achieving magical power independence!’

This technology was, without a doubt, in the hands of his mentor, Mercer.

Moreover, it was definitely one of the core technologies of the school of alchemy, and its price was bound to be outrageously high.

Allen glanced at the seven-digit figure for his liquid funds on his DSeek panel, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

’It feels good to be rich.’

"Jarvis."

[At your service, Commander.]

"Finalize the paint scheme for this project." Allen’s mood suddenly brightened, and he even had the leisure to consider such "minor details."

[Awaiting instructions.]

"Main colors, white and dark blue. Red for outlining the borders and joint structures. Yes, just like this..."

Allen waved his fingers in the air, and light screens appeared one after another, sketching out the blueprint in his mind. "Remember, looking cool is a lifetime commitment."

[Scheme saved.]

Allen nodded in satisfaction, then flew up and hovered in front of the mech’s incredibly imposing head.

He extended a finger, and a deep blue glow of Magic Power lit up at its tip.

He was going to leave an eternal mark on its armor.

Stroke by stroke.

His movements were solemn, as if performing a sacred ritual.

On the smooth, silver-gray shoulder armor, a line of characters from another world—one he would never forget—was deeply branded.

ZGMF-X10A Freedom.

A tribute to the home he could never return to.

After doing all this, he stood quietly on the shoulder of the massive Golem, looking down upon the Steel Kingdom he had built with his own hands.

The subterranean Great Wall transported resources like arteries, while the Factory Servants toiled tirelessly.

Everything was flourishing.

But Allen knew this prosperity was built on a fragile balance.

The second-level Scorpion King hiding underground, the mother of the Dream-Weaving Demon Spiders in the depths of the Crystalized Forest, and the Rock Armor Earth Dragon King in the Black Stone Gobi...

Any one of them had the power to raze his current holdings to the ground.

His gaze eventually returned to the silent giant beneath him.

It possessed the strongest skeleton and the sharpest fangs, yet it lacked the one thing it needed: a heart to drive it all.

"From this day forward, your name is ’Freedom Gundam’," Allen said softly, as if bestowing a name upon a newborn child.

It belonged to the Guard Series Golem, a decisive weapon with destructive power comparable to a Second-level Wizard.

He would use this "Freedom" to tear open the crimson sky and crush all enemies blocking his path.

The first to fall would be the Crystal Shell Giant Scorpion colony, entrenched beneath Three-way Canyon, sitting on a wealth of mineral resources.

He couldn’t wait to see what a magnificent sight it would be when "Freedom" descended upon its nest.

"It’s time to pay my mentor a visit."

Allen turned and left the giant assembly area.

For nearly three years, he had thrown himself into this wasteland like a diligent worker ant, burying himself in the construction of his kingdom, so much so that he had even let his own training slow down significantly.

It wasn’t until a year ago, when the entire industrial system was fully on track, that he began to devote some of his energy back to Meditation and practice.

A screen of light that only he could see unfolded before his eyes.

[Name: Allen Wesren]

[Level: First-level Wizard]

[Meditation Method: "Myriad Machines Resonance Meditation Method"]

[Talent: Mechanical Mind, Multi-threaded Thinking]

[Training Progress:]

[1. Second Core Matrix (Wizard Stage): 11/36]

[2. Third Thought Sub-thread: 4/15]

[3. Permanent Witchcraft (2/3): High-Level Magic Shield Technique, Short-Range Blink.]

[4. Core Witchcraft (1/3): Workshop Will Creation Formula. (Note: Engraving a second Core Witchcraft requires completion of the third Core Matrix.)]

Looking at the data on the panel, Allen was filled with a myriad of emotions.

In the First-level Wizard stage, he needed to complete the engraving of five Core Matrixes in total, and he was only on the second one.

He could create a total of five thought threads, and including the two from his Advanced Apprentice stage, he now had four sub-threads.

This meant he could now think about and handle four completely unrelated matters simultaneously, allowing him to balance his studies and research with production and Golem deployment.

When it came to alchemy tasks, this ability manifested as him being able to control ten [Craftsman’s Hands] at once, greatly increasing his work efficiency. Moreover, with his current processing power and Magic Power output frequency, each Craftsman’s Hand could crush Black Patterned Magic Steel.

’It’s a shame I have to wait until the second Core Matrix is fully engraved before I can meet the requirements to engrave my second Core Witchcraft. Otherwise, I would have learned it already. I wonder what kind of abilities it would grant me.’