C15 This Was too Scary!

Early the next morning, Wang Changqing secured the Heart of Refined Iron within the sole minor iron mine of his domain before leading a force of 680 Level Seven Combat Robots into the wilderness. His chosen quarry was a formidable group of Level Seven Giant Iron Men.

Giant Iron Man

Level: 7

Identity: Nest Arm of the Giant Iron Man

Skill: Body of Steel (F Class) - As tough as steel, increases physical defense by 30%

Skill: Power Strike (E Class) - Boosts strength by 30%

Skill: Beginner Poison Resistance (E Class) - Enhances defense against poison by 30%

Skill: Beginner Spirit Immunity (E Class) - Weakens spiritual attacks by 30%

Wang Changqing's decision to engage these behemoths with their extraordinary defenses stemmed from the likelihood of an unclaimed wild barracks lurking behind them—a prospect that piqued his curiosity.

"Prepare to attack!"

At his command, the 680 Level Seven Combat Robots snapped into combat readiness. Power Furnaces were cranked to full capacity. Defenders charged to the forefront, crouching to deploy their Energy Shields swiftly; Snipers fanned out to secure positions, ensuring maximum battlefield coverage; Destroyers set up missile launcher buffers and armed their missiles; Butchers aligned behind Defenders, readying their firepower; and Nano Reconnaissance Robots dispersed to weave a comprehensive surveillance network. The battle was on the brink of eruption.

The Giant Iron Men, perched in the distant mountains, detected the disturbance and charged forward with thunderous roars. True to their name, each stood five to six meters tall, their footsteps quaking the earth, their massive arms gleaming like forged steel in the morning light.

"Despicable trash, daring to trespass on our noble Giant territory!"

Their booming voices echoed like thunder, startling Wang Changqing from his complacency.

"Holy smokes! Intelligent beings!"

"Attack! Take them down! And try to capture them alive!"

With preparations complete, Wang Changqing's Mechanical Legion bared its savage teeth and lunged into the fray.

A torrent of metal bore down upon the steel bodies at breakneck speed, the clanging and clinking on the battlefield echoing incessantly, reminiscent of an elaborate bell choir performance.

The once mirror-like exteriors of the Giant Iron Men were marred by a multitude of craters, their depths varying, igniting the towering creatures' rage.

"Scum! You are beyond redemption!"

These towering colossi, standing five to six meters tall and weighing in at four to five tons, quickened their advance.

"Target their knees!" Wang Changqing, who had never before encountered intelligent beings in the wilderness and was overly confident in his military might, intended to maim and capture them.

Bullets, massive and laden with fearsome kinetic energy, slammed into the Giant Iron Men's knees, sending sparks and debris flying.

Seeing the plight of their comrades, the Giant Iron Men at the rear furiously hurled nearby boulders toward the Mechanical Legion with all their might.

Alas, the Butcher's relentless barrage reduced the boulders to rubble mid-air, showering the earth and shrouding the battlefield in a haze of dust.

The leading Giant Iron Man, under the unyielding assault of the Mechanical Legion, had his knee joint burst apart with a resounding crash, his massive frame slamming into the ground and fracturing the solid earth beneath him.

The Giant Iron Men, with their superior physical defenses, clashed against the explosive physical attack power of the Mechanical Legion in a true test of the strongest spear against the sturdiest shield.

The outcome was clear: the shield bearer's legs were shattered by the spear.

Yet, even with broken legs, the metallic titan's ferocity was undiminished, dragging itself forward with its arms.

Through the battlefield imagery relayed by the Nano Reconnaissance Robots, Wang Changqing closely examined the first Giant Iron Man to have its knee joint obliterated. He noted the absence of blood or wires and cables at the wound site.

"Such an extraordinary creature!" he exclaimed in admiration, signaling the Destroyer to commence its assault.

A volley of missiles launched from the Destroyer's arsenal, trailing red flames as they hurtled toward the distant Giant Iron Men.

One Giant Iron Man, locked in the missiles' sights, spread his mighty arms wide, ready to catch the falling metal with brute strength.

At the moment of impact, the missiles detonated with ferocity, unleashing an immense burst of light and heat that engulfed the Giant Iron Man, creating a small mushroom cloud. The blast's forceful current ripped the surrounding bushes out by their roots.

As the mushroom clouds cleared from the battlefield, the conflict had already come to a close. Astonishingly, the Giant Iron Man that had been struck by the missiles had survived, although most of its body had been vaporized, leaving behind a significantly smaller version of itself.

Wang Changqing had commanded the Mechanical Legion to capture, not kill, yet he had braced himself for the potential loss of half the Giant Iron Men. To his surprise, not a single kill notification came through by the battle's end.

Standing amidst the aftermath, Wang Changqing watched, somewhat dumbfounded, as the battered Giant Iron Men, missing limbs and all, voraciously consumed the metal debris around them. The Mechanical Butler's data showed their wounds were rapidly healing.

"What incredible vitality!" he exclaimed.

"And now, they are mine to command!"

Clutching a diamond-shaped golden crystal, Wang Changqing's eyes gleamed as he observed the distant Giant Iron Men swiftly regenerating.

Item Name: Giant Iron Man Summoning Pool Core

Construction Requirements for the Summoning Pool: 10,000 units of iron, 10,000 units of wood, 10,000 units of stone, 10,000 units of energy

Description: Created from the remnants of a shattered Giant Iron Man Summoning Pool, this core can be used to reconstruct one.

Description: Upon anointing the core with your blood, you will become the sovereign of the Giant Iron Men. Note: Limited to the Giant Iron Men summoned from this pool.

Wang Changqing had secured the Giant Iron Man Summoning Pool Core after decimating the Giant Iron Men and their stronghold.

Noticing signs of the fallen Giant Iron Men attempting to rise, he wasted no more time. Slicing his fingertip, he let a drop of blood fall onto the Summoning Pool Core. As the core absorbed the blood, it glowed with a yellow aura.

The Giant Iron Man Summoning Pool Core acknowledged its new master, bestowing upon him the allegiance of 68 Level-7 Giant Iron Men.

"Hail to the great Lord!"

With the bond sealed, the Giant Iron Men, in the midst of healing, ceased their efforts and prostrated themselves, their voices resonating like thunder.

Upon witnessing the scene, Wang Changqing was not filled with the elation of acquiring a new type of Arm. Instead, a cold shiver ran down his spine.

In his eyes, the Giant Iron Man that lay on the ground, yet still sought to attack him, was a sentient being with its own worldview and values. But the mere act of bonding with the Heart of Refined Iron, the core that he had created, had violently warped their thinking into unwavering loyalty to him.

"This is terrifying!"