Chapter 3: The Trial of Strength
The combat puppet's eyes gleamed a bright crimson as it lunged forward, its metal fists cutting through the air with inhuman speed.
I had no time to hesitate. My instincts, sharpened by the Absolute Martial System, took control.
I shifted my stance, weight sinking into my legs as I sidestepped at the last moment. The puppet's punch slammed into the wooden floor, leaving a deep crater where I had just stood.
Han Min gasped from the sidelines. "That thing is a monster…"
Ding!
[Combat Mode Engaged!]
Opponent Analyzed: Iron-Body Combat Puppet
Strength Level: Peak Human
Weak Points: Joint flexibility reduced in rapid movements
Recommended Strategy: Counterattacks & precise strikes
I took a sharp breath. No Qi. No weapons. Just fists.
I could do this.
Testing My Limits
The puppet turned and threw a second punch, aimed directly at my ribs.
I barely dodged, twisting my torso to let the strike graze past me. Even though I avoided a direct hit, the sheer force of the air pressure sent a shockwave through my body, making my muscles tighten.
This wasn't a normal opponent. It was a battle machine.
I needed to be smart.
The system had revealed a weakness—its joints were stiff in rapid movements. If I could force it into continuous attacks, I could create an opening.
Ding!
[New Combat Mastery Acquired: Adaptive Footwork (Lv.1)]
Your body learns from repeated dodging patterns, improving reaction speed.
Perfect.
I dodged again—this time, a fraction of a second faster. The puppet's fist barely missed my shoulder, and for the first time, I saw it struggle to adjust its stance.
"There it is," I muttered.
Striking Back
The puppet overextended, and I capitalized on it.
My right fist shot forward, smashing into the joint of its elbow. A metallic clang echoed as my enhanced strength forced its arm to twist slightly in the wrong direction.
The puppet staggered.
The blacksmith, watching from the side, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Not bad."
Han Min, meanwhile, looked at me like I had just flipped the heavens upside down. "Brother Ye… how did you do that?!"
I didn't answer.
I had only begun.
The puppet recalibrated and charged again, but this time, I was ready.
I wove between its strikes, my body reacting before my mind even processed the attacks. The Adaptive Footwork was working—I was learning at an unnatural speed.
Then, I saw my chance.
Ding!
[Opportunity Detected! Perform a Finisher?]
I clenched my fist and struck the puppet's knee joint with full force.
CRACK!
The impact sent a tremor through its metallic frame, and the puppet collapsed, its movement circuits disrupted.
A long silence followed.
Then—
The blacksmith let out a hearty laugh. "Hah! You really are something else, kid."
The Reward
The blacksmith stepped forward, inspecting the fallen puppet before giving me an approving nod.
"As promised," he said, unlocking one of the weapon racks. "You've earned the right to choose from the special-grade weapons."
Ding!
[Quest Completed: Trial of the Blacksmith]
Reward: Hidden Blade of the Night (A weapon with stealth properties).
I walked toward the rack and reached out, gripping the black-bladed dagger that seemed to hum with energy.
Hidden Blade of the Night
Attack: +30
Special: Grants near-invisibility in low light for 10 seconds per use.
A stealth weapon? Perfect for an assassin's world like this.
I sheathed the blade and turned to the blacksmith. "I'll be back for more soon."
He chuckled. "I'll be waiting."
Han Min, still in shock, followed me as we exited. "Brother Ye… are you really still you?"
I gave him a knowing smirk. "I just decided it's time to stop holding back."
As we walked into the night, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get more dangerous from here.
But I welcomed it.
If I wanted to survive in the world of Nano Machine, I had to keep growing stronger.
And this was only the beginning...