A single Golden Living Armor yielded ten times the Skill Points of an ordinary monster.
In other words, within the confines of this hidden room, my growth rate was effectively decupled.
Clang, clang. The Golden Living Armors closed in, their mechanical joints groaning as they rumbled toward me.
"Puppeteer, I’m counting on you."
『Of course!』
Puppeteer chirped back in its high-pitched voice.
"Puppeteer-Style Sword Technique: Galloping Dragon Thrust."
The unique ability of the <Pulsating Greatsword> was its <Autonomous Function>.
The blade moved of its own accord, practically dragging me along with it. Thanks to that, even though the weapon was so heavy it was nearly impossible to swing, I could fight without the slightest struggle. The sword did the work for me.
Come to think of it, back when Puppeteer had hijacked my body in a different timeline, it had spent the whole time jerking me around like a marionette. From that perspective, inheriting this unique ability felt like a natural progression.
My Galloping Dragon Thrust was a high-speed frontal assault. The Golden Living Armor standing in my path was cleaved clean in two, its life extinguished in an instant.
『Not bad, Master!』
"Yeah, you too."
The weight of the strike felt good. With this level of power, I might actually stand a chance.
"KUGOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!"
Suddenly, a roar like nothing I had ever heard before thundered through the chamber.
『Here it comes. This is the main attraction, Master,』 Puppeteer muttered.
A monster I had never encountered stood before me. It must have been summoned via the teleportation circle.
『The Living Knight—an SS-Rank Difficulty monster.』
It was a titan clad in massive plate armor, mounted atop a spectral steed. In its hand, it brandished a gargantuan lance. Clearly, this Living Knight was the boss of the hidden room.
"Can we take it?"
『Doesn't that depend on you, Master?』
I nodded at Puppeteer’s remark. It was a fair point. I tightened my grip on the hilt of the <Pulsating Greatsword>.
"Puppeteer-Style Sword Technique: Wind-Cutting Sickle."
I unleashed a horizontal sweep, the <Pulsating Greatsword> tearing through several Golden Living Armors in a single blow.
『Master, behind you!』
"Got it!"
Puppeteer, seemingly able to sense everything around us, fed me constant updates. I swung the greatsword in a wide arc to intercept the threat.
The fierce melee against the Golden Living Armors raged on. Between the power of the Level 2 Puppeteer, my Level 3 <Swordsmanship> skill, and my own hard-won ability to read monster movements, I was tearing through them so effortlessly I felt invincible.
"Now, only you’re left."
The floor was littered with the mangled remains of Golden Living Armors. Standing at the far end of the room was the boss, the Living Knight.
I leaped high into the air, hoisting the <Pulsating Greatsword> over my head.
"Puppeteer-Style Sword Technique: Great Wheel Slash!"
Using the momentum of a mid-air somersault, I slammed the blade down with everything I had. With a sickening crunch, the Living Knight was flattened, crushed into a twisted pile of scrap.
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Monster Subjugation confirmed.
Skill Points obtained.
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The system message flickered across my vision.
"I actually did it..."
The ease of the kill left me feeling oddly unsettled.
『We did it! Master!! Hey, with that haul, don't we finally have enough Skill Points to push me to Level 3?!』
"Hm, I suppose we do..."
Snapped back to reality by Puppeteer’s excitement, I opened my Status Screen to verify the points.
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Skill Points Held: 1320
<Provocation Lv1> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 10
<Swordsmanship Lv3> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 3000
<Master of Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer Lv2> Remaining Skill Points Required for Level Up: 700
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I had more than enough to reach Level 3 with <Master of Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer>. There was no reason to hesitate, so I allocated the points immediately.
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Skill Points expended.
Level Up requirements met.
<Master of Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer> has leveled up.
Master of Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer Lv2 ▶ Master of Parasitic Sword: Puppeteer Lv3
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"Whooooa! I can evolve even further now!!"
The <Pulsating Greatsword> began to pulse with an even more intense light. At Level 2, I had unlocked the <Pulsating Greatsword> derivative skill. Now that I was Level 3, a new power was becoming mine. I waited with bated breath to see what it would be.
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Derivative Skill <Brutal Predator> obtained.
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<Brutal Predator>? I couldn't even begin to guess what kind of skill that was just by the name.
『This is it! This! This is the form I've been searching for!』
With a triumphant shout, Puppeteer began to warp. The greatsword grew larger and larger, its appearance becoming increasingly grotesque and rugged.
"What... is that?"
I stared in bewilderment. The thing Puppeteer had become could no longer be called a weapon. It was a giant creature dominated by a gargantuan set of jaws. That was the most accurate way to describe it.
Yet, even calling it a "creature" felt wrong. It had no limbs, no torso, no eyes, and no nose. It possessed no biological features other than those massive, terrifying jaws. It felt incomplete—as if it were an existence designed solely for the purpose of consumption.
Ah, I realized. That's why it's called a "Predator."
"Hey, Puppeteer. What can you actually do in that form?"
"Why, I can eat, of course," Puppeteer replied, its massive jaws gnashing as it spoke.
I had expected as much, but I still couldn't fathom how I was supposed to use this thing in a fight.
"Well then... time to eat."
The words slipped from Puppeteer's maw with chilling casualness.
"Hey, what are you say—"
I never finished the sentence. My body was suddenly engulfed by the <Brutal Predator>.
The massive jaws clamped shut, crushing my bones and flesh to splinters.
"Thank you, Master. With this, I can finally become human."
By the time those words reached me, my consciousness had already faded into nothingness.