Age of Adepts

The results of the interrogation were so ridiculous and unbelievable that Greem didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!

It was only at this moment that he realized the true meaning of the saying ’Runology was the origin of the power of the adepts.’ The foundational stone of knowledge that propelled the adepts to the peak of power naturally possessed immense significance to other planes as well.

Take, for example, the Goblin Plane. After hundreds and thousands of years of accumulation and development in the field of steam power and other primitive energy sources, the goblins had finally managed to form their own unique civilization system– a mechanical civilization. They had excavated every ounce of strength from mechanical constructs and were in an awkward situation where they could no longer improve.

They then started digging out magical stones, allowing the Goblin Empire to walk down the path of magical machines. However, the lack of magical stones in the plane was a tight restraint that severely limited their choices. It made things difficult for them to bring about the next round of explosive developments and leaps in technology.

Yet, Gazlowe had coincidentally managed to obtain the basic runology of the World of Adepts, incontrovertibly changing the fate of the Goblin Plane!

As expected of a great inventor; Gazlowe had managed to create goblin runes suitable for the magical machines in the low-magic Goblin Plane by modifying the magic runes. The merger of goblin runes and magical devices was like adding wings to the tiger that was the Goblin Empire.

From a certain point of view, this ’tiger’ was one that Greem had personally groomed to adolescence.

That was what upset Greem the most!

However, at the moment the one who was most upset in the underground caverns wasn’t Greem. It was Bug Adept Billis, who was welcoming his new batch of combat bugs.

The combat bugs filled half the cave and sprawled across the ground like a thick rug. This scene should have made Billis overjoyed, but his face was steel green. He was furious.

There was no other reason than because of this batch of newly-hatched combat bugs.

He had abducted so many prisoners and used their blood to water the bug nests, yet all the insects that crawled out of the nests were juvenile sting scorpions. There was no unusual reason for this; the energy aura within the flesh he had fed them was too thin. It was so weak that it wasn’t sufficient to allow the sting scorpions to evolve into their adolescent forms.

Billis had no other choice but to accept the cruel reality before him.

In the upcoming plane war, he would only have fifteen sting scorpion soldiers he could use. The rest were juvenile bugs that could only act as cannon fodder.

Facing the native army–a gathering of the plane’s elite–was undoubtedly an unwise move!

…………

While Greem and his party were silently resting and waiting for the planar suppression to wear off, a mysterious squad that exceeded their imagination slowly approached the lumber mill camp.

The new enemies came from the sky.

A terrifying ship that was a dozen times larger than the goblin zeppelin slowly hovered in the air. Its massive hull cast an equally massive shadow on the ground.

A dozen black dots visible to the naked eye leaped off the ship. They quickly increased in size in the eyes of those looking on.

Orange flames suddenly burst forth from below the black dots when they were twenty meters from the ground. The speed of their descent quickly decreased. Following a series of dull thuds, thirteen strange magical machines landed on the ground. They were four meters tall, but still several sizes smaller than the magic mechas.

Even with the deceleration from the bursts of flame, these magical machines still left massive craters in the ground; the holes were all at least fifty centimeters deep. As metal creaked and ground, several beast-type magical machines appeared on the scene.

Wolf, bear, squid, ape, wyvern, giant…

The thirteen strange magical machines each had a unique design of their own. Not only did these figures cover land, air, and sea, there were also some rare species among them.

These magical machines were all around three to five meters tall and weren’t as clumsy and heavy as the magic mechas. When they walked towards a three-meter tall metallic goblin, they displayed an unnatural grace and agility.

Ka ka!

An odd cracking rang out, and the magical machine that looked like a black wolf abruptly opened its mouth wide. A small operating platform slid out of the mouth, and a green goblin in a strange uniform sat on it.

”Boss, it’s right here! According to the report submitted by the local troops, the area that the intruders were active in is right here!”

”Indeed, boss. Do we split up to search for them or do we stick together?” The one speaking this time was a female goblin. She had emerged from a bear-type magical machine. Out of all the designs, this bear-type magical machine was undoubtedly the one with the most defense. It was also the heaviest.

This female goblin had a huge face, smooth green skin, and a petite body. If one were to judge by the beauty standards of a goblin, she would be a rare specimen of beauty in the Goblin Empire. Sadly, in the eyes of other races, she was just as stout and green as any other goblin, not to mention covered in green hair all over. A female goblin such as this was just as ugly as a male goblin.

With these two individuals starting a conversation, the other magical machines also opened up their cockpits, revealing the goblin warriors within. They gathered together and began to chatter amongst themselves.

”All of you, silence.” He could no longer bear it. The chest of the metallic goblin opened up, revealing a short and muscular goblin warrior.

Compared to the other goblin warriors, this goblin known as Boss by the others radiated a powerful aura of strength. It seemed he had a unique profession and that he had advanced.

If one were to evaluate these goblins using the strength system of the World of Adepts, only this person from amongst the thirteen magic mecha pilots had adept-level powers. The rest were mostly at pseudo-adept level. One or two among them were even at the advanced apprentice level.

That was a significant trait of the goblin plane!

The goblins here were not too powerful themselves. In fact, most goblins were extremely frail and weak. After all, the goblin race as a whole was mostly comprised of engineers, mechanics, and alchemists. Being able to raise their body’s attributes to adept-level in this low-magic world was already something that was beyond the imagination!

That was why the strength of the goblins mostly came from their magical machines. Individually, regular goblins couldn’t even stand a direct blow.

One could even say that these specially selected goblin warriors would never have so adamantly and fervently trained their bodies if not to control the magical machines better and endure the tremendous impacts and pressure created when the magical devices were in the heat of the battle. Ordinary goblins could not possibly tolerate the excessive forces of magical machines moving at ultra-high speeds. Their blood vessels would explode, and they would simply die.

The leader inside the metallic goblin spoke coldly, ”Don’t get too arrogant, you lot. The ones invading this time are the evil adepts, infamous even within the multiverse. Given that Lord Gazlowe has sent us here, it’s clear that he wants us to capture those evil adepts successfully. He didn’t send us here for a vacation. So, all of you, get yourselves together! If we catch those adepts, I will treat all of you to a month of vacation at Winnie Beach.”

”Yoohoo, Boss, you’re the best!”

”Long live Tigule.”

”Boss, we will listen to everything you have to say.”

The pilots burst into enthusiastic cheers when they heard the promises of their leader Tigule. The goblin mechanics were so excited that they started dancing as if victory was already within grasp.

The metallic grinding and cracking rang out once again. All the mechanics had returned to their magical machines and were driving them around in a detailed search of the lumber mill camp.

This camp had been completely devastated beyond recognition after the several previous conflicts.

The stacked piles of lumber had been scattered all over the place. The workshops and huts in the camp had all collapsed as well. They could no longer be used.

What caught the attention of the goblins was the fact that while most of the buildings and items in the camp had been damaged, none of them had vanished. Only the goblins that had been stationed in the camp had disappeared alongside the slaves. No corpses had been left behind either. It was almost as if the enemies had dragged them away as spoils of war.

Of course, the magic energy batteries in the camp had also disappeared.

The squid-type magical machine possessed tracking abilities. The one dozen metallic tentacles below its massive metallic head slammed against the ground as it pursued the enemy’s vague trail into the forest.

The other magical machines immediately followed after the squid machine and extended their search towards the depths of the forest in a fan formation.

…………

In the skies above.

At the moment the magical machine squad entered the forest, an elderly goblin wearing extravagant noble robes was crouching before a concave mirror. He narrowed his eyes and carefully observed everything happening on the ground.

As he turned a knob, the mirror also adjusted its angle. It was set to keep the magical machine squad fixed on-screen at all times.

Under the goblin’s orders, the floating ship started to advance into the forest under the propulsion of mystical energies.

”Lord Prince Gazlowe, what do you think. Should we let the other machine squads go down as well?” The voice of Ship Captain Toltoy blared out from a horn in front of the elderly goblin’s mechanical operating platform.

”No need!” The elderly goblin said coldly with a wicked smile on his face, ”The first wave of adepts the enemy sent can’t possibly be too strong. We must bait them out from their den as soon as possible. They are going to be scared away if we send too many magical machines. This time, no matter what, we must capture them alive. I must obtain the knowledge in their brains.”

A barrage of coughs and wheezing followed his words.

It was apparent that this Gazlowe that had contacted Snorlax so many times in the past had entered the elderly stage of the goblin race. His body had become extremely frail.

”I understand!” The voice of Toltoy, the captain of the Greatsword Warship, once again sounded from the horn, ”Do not worry, Lord Prince. We will accomplish our mission! For the Empire!”

Intense passion and excitement could be heard in the goblin captain’s tone during his last sentence!

”Empire? Kakaka,” Gazlowe couldn’t help but chillingly laugh once communications were cut off, ”I am only out for the longevity techniques in their brains! The idiots of the Empire only know how to keep their ancient traditions, calling themselves kings and emperors in this tiny world! Hmph! All of you added together aren’t worth as much as my life. Snorlax, you little shit. Did you really think I didn’t know of the little tricks you pulled? Kakaka, I hope that your master is among the adepts that teleported here this time. That way, you will finally know that the great Gazlowe is the smartest goblin in the world.”

Sinister laughter filled the room.