Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 96 The Spotted Hen

Laughter and conversation eased the sadness of parting; the farewell between men need not be embellished with tears.

Waving goodbye to the Mirror Couple, Zhang Yuan, feigning nonchalance, left the Arm of Friendship without looking back, taking with him a large collection of spellbooks stored in the system and a small laser pistol.

Yes, while Zhang Yuan was immersed in the joy of learning, Lao Ban Te Li was not without his own gains.

His month of hard work was not in vain; he managed to develop a replica.

In Old Bentley's own words:
"I've finally figured out the internal structure and energy circuit of this thing. It doesn't seem like a magical item, but rather a mechanical creation produced by a mortal craftsman with the help of certain equipment. It's very intricate and complex to manufacture. Fortunately, I have the 'Divine Craftsmanship' spell, so it's not too difficult for me."

"However, I can't replicate the power core of this laser gun. I can only use the core of an element to power it. Let's not talk about the price. Anyway, I'll give you this replica. I even made it miniaturized for easy carrying."

After the test firing, Zhang Yuan unexpectedly discovered that, perhaps because the energy core had been changed to a fire element core, the burning damage caused by the rays was actually enhanced.

Of course, nothing is perfect. In addition to its portability and enhanced power, this gun also has drawbacks such as a long firing interval and high energy consumption. Especially the latter, this thing does not consume cheap arrows, but elemental cores, which are shiny gold coins!
He carefully tucked the pistol into his pocket, wrapped his coat tightly around himself, and boarded the carriage that Old Banter had arranged for him.

The Friendly Arm truly lived up to its reputation; an inn that included almost everything necessary for adventure and travel, even its own stables and post station. Zhang Yuan was genuinely impressed by this.

As the carriage set off, the person sitting inside, swaying and nodding along with the carriage, suddenly remembered their destination—Highhold Fortress.

Indeed, Zhang Yuan had not forgotten his promise to Tyrantir. Before returning to Baldur's Gate, he had to pay him a visit, lest he break his promise in front of a true archmage.

However, my mindset this time was completely different from the last time.

I used to suffer from the lack of a master and desperately wanted to find one, but had no way to do so. I was even willing to "sell out" my own pawns in exchange for that tiny chance.

Now things are different. Although having only three spellcasting levels is nothing to brag about, having them is having them. He has completely transformed from a "spell illiterate" to a true mage, possessing all the necessary knowledge and skills without any omissions.

Moreover, during the learning process of Friendly Arm, its own system gave it another pleasant surprise.

Just as he advanced to the third level of mage and Old Bentley's weapon research project was nearing completion, Zhang Yuan prepared to end his studies. Naturally, Old Bentley's extensive library became the object of someone's covetousness.

He originally planned to use the copying spell to transcribe some books he had chosen and those recommended by the old mage into blank books, but unexpectedly, when he used the copying spell, the long-lost system notification sound rang out:
"Foreign text information detected. May the administrator grant permission to enter and save it?"

Who would have thought that my own operating system could be used as an external hard drive?

This is so convenient! If they were all paper books, how many could he carry, no matter how strong he was? How can printed materials compare to e-books in terms of storage capacity?

With this powerful tool, Zhang Yuan copied almost every book he might need, and moved most of Old Bentley's collection to his own electronic library.

According to his own estimation, the books stored in the system are enough to provide arcane knowledge and related information up to the fourth level, which means that Zhang Yuan will not have to worry about his spell learning until at least the seventh level.

Of course, self-study cannot solve all the problems on the path of magical research, such as the difficulties and doubts encountered in learning, some oral and personal secrets in spellcasting techniques, and runic literature and alchemy that require hands-on practice.

However, this was already the best possible outcome. He couldn't just stubbornly stay in the Arm of Friendship forever. Aside from owing them money, the daily food and lodging in his luxury room were a considerable expense. Although Old Bentley hadn't mentioned it at all, and although he had replenished several laser guns for Bentley's research, the old mage had ultimately faded from the professional realm and begun his new career as a hotel owner. It was best for him to stop now.

However, after touching the communication crystal that Old Man Terry had given him, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up a little.

Leaving aside the bumpy journey and the hardships of traveling through wind and rain, this time the carriage bypassed Belgost and the nearby forest, and drove directly to a place not far from Highhold.

After getting off the car, Zhang Yuan, as usual, summoned the unfortunate Xiao Xiao to act as his porter, while he himself set off lightly towards Gaolibao.

After taking only two steps, Zhang Yuan understood why the coachman refused to go any further.

Nearly twenty skeleton soldiers staggered toward him. It was still afternoon, and although the sun wasn't scorching, it was still bright. As a guest who had come from afar, Zhang Yuan was quite pleased with their welcoming gesture, especially when he saw them rushing to offer their enthusiasm despite their unsteady steps.

To repay this kindness, someone decided to use newly learned magic to treat them properly.

"Facio, Voco, Ferre"

As the spell was completed and the teleportation light dissipated, a sharp scream rang out:
"Ah! I am Ryzrak."

The hen, no, the lumberjack, the main force of the goblin faction, descended here using the power of a level two summoning spell!

The chess piece is shaped like a large crab, exuding a rugged yet domineering aura. The main body of the machine is made of steel and special wood, emitting a metallic luster.

The crab robot's body resembled an open hemisphere, which was actually Ryzrak's cockpit. He was shaking his head and fiddling with the control stick, but unfortunately, this was just a pre-programmed action, not curiosity arising from his own consciousness.

Beneath the cockpit are all-steel mechanical legs, steel pillars thicker than a human thigh, capable of supporting the weight of the cockpit.

The robot's hands are an iron claw and a chainsaw; the rapidly spinning saw teeth leave only blurry afterimages, a sight that inspires fear.

But it wasn't over yet; Zhang Yuan cast another level one summoning spell.

"Blingblom, I'm a robot!"

This time, the first-tier piece is the Clockwork Goblin.

When these two goblin tank brothers stood together, a strange bond formed between them, and pale green light enveloped them.

This is the Craftsman Bond – when there are two different types of craftsmen present, it has a small self-repair ability.

He chuckled twice, his heart filled with smugness. He couldn't help but be smug; these two chess pieces were already tough as nails, and now they had a self-repairing ability.

I'm going to break all your dog teeth today!
Thank you to Daiwu Shuaibei Weihao, Bu Kexue for their unified efforts, Engraved in the Azure Sky, Book Friend 161123231338744, and Malayan for their donations and monthly tickets. Thank you also for your enthusiastic comments and recommendations.

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(End of this chapter)