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nSam finally opened his eyes after another twenty minutes.

nHe ignored everyone's attention on him. The blood is still enveloping the weapons and the armor. He Just reduced the heat. He moved his hands assembling the armor pieces. The halberd's head is being attached to the shaft, the blade is being installed into the handle of the long sword. The cross bow is being assembled, then the armor.

nWhile these things are assembled individually, the attendants brough the wooden puppets to the contestants.

nThe participants can adorn the armor on the puppets themselves. Just to make sure that there is no human error involved in this process.

nOf course, they also have another privilege. The competitors can program a few moves into the puppet. However, they cannot be some elaborate moves, and they also cannot program adjustments to the existing moves.

nThey can only program something that is related to the usage of their weapons.

nFor example, they cannot show how to improve the accuracy of its shooting or improve the energy circulation to increase the damage done by a crossbow.

nThey can only show the mechanism of their crossbow.

nIf their long sword is different than a normal long sword, they can show it how to hold the sword. If their polearm weapon is special and not of a standard model and they made some modification to it, they can show how to use it.

nSam took his time assembling the weapons. After he is done, he threw them on to the wooden puppet, while still covered in that blood.

nSo, even as the armor is being worn, no one could make out what its actual appearance is like. When it was completely worn, Sam took a deep breath and dropped the blood.

nAs if a red muslin has been removed over it, the blood dropped down fluidly, revealing the armor for everyone to see.

nInstant awe is the only term that could be used to describe the expressions of the people. What they witnessed is the wooden puppet wearing a thin Gothic style armor. The armor is of black color, but with red blood hue. The blood hue is very clear and not vague at all.

nThat bloody glow that is coming out it, gave the armor and the weapons a menacing yet majestic look. The helmet covered the head of the puppet completely, only leaving the gap for its eyes and the nose.

nThe armor didn't have any specific patterns, however they noticed that there are no gaps in the joints. Instead, it had a blood colored metallic lining beneath it. It is as flexible as a fabric, however it is as durable as chain mail could be.

nThe chest plate, shoulder guards, arm guards, are done very simply. There is no pattern, no intricate design. Even on the part covering the abdomen.

nThe only thing notable is that Sam marked his double S symbol on the left side of the chest plate.

nIn its right hand, the Puppet has the sword, the Halberd is hung on its back. Sam made an attachment for that.

nNow, the shield and the crossbow.

nThe crossbow is mounted on arm guard of the left hand. And that crossbow also acted as the attachment for the shield. This helped conceal the crossbow. When the wielder desires, they can just extend the arm straight and shoot it.

nThe shield is design in such a way that the bolt wouldn't be obstructed by its body.

nEverything is glowing with that blood red hue over the black color.

nIt is great to look at and looked functional as well. However, the latter has to be tested.

nOne thing they are sure of is that, if they had just seen the armor and the weapons like this they would have never guessed that Sam used different layers and then bonded them together. It is very clean and felt like it was created that way.

nThere are no signs of any form of work done on it.

nSam heaved a sigh and sat on the ground. He spent too much effort on it. He is soaked in sweat and a lot of his reserves are depleted. He is only at twenty percent or so. If someone attacks

nhim now, he would have some trouble killing them if they a bit stronger than him.

nHe didn't feel secure and took out some wine.

nThe time is soon up.

nAll sixteen of them finished it and the test began.

nThey didn't wait at all and just drew the lots. Sam's is in at the eight duel, the last one. Manson's is in first.

nManson's armor is shining brightly as it went on the stage. It is made of silver and gold colored components looking grand and luxurious. He made some modifications to the shield, while the crossbow is hung on the back through an attachment. The long sword is hanging by the waist and the puppet carried the spear as the primary weapon.

nAs for the shield modifications, there are some spikes on its surface and the edge of the shield are unusually sharp.

nHis opponent also had a handsome armor. An armor made of many rare metals. Sam could identify them just by looking. Their usage was made so obvious.

nThe battle began.

nThe puppets executed standard fight moves.

nManson's puppet thrust the spear forward, while the opponent one blocked it with the shield. It didn't try to dodge, just like how the examiner has mentioned before. Then that puppet drew its sword and attacked.

nManson's puppet blocked it with the shield and attacks.

nThe exchange continued until the opponent's shield couldn't handle it anymore. The puppet's moves were too accurate and both of them moved with the same monotonous technique.

nThis made the spear land on the same spot of the shield again and again. As the luck would have it, the spot happened to the thinner part of the shield, closer to the edge.

n*BANG*

nThe spear went right through it and it went straight toward the arm. The Arm guard covering the arm barely managed to deflect it.

nBut the deflection had been a bigger mistake. The puppet pulled the spear back, since it is deflected it moved diagonally making it stuck within the hole it made in the shield.

nWhen the puppet forcefully pulled it, it brough the shield back along with the spear.

nSince the puppet didn't know let go of the shield consciously, its fingers and the forearm were broken in process. The arm guard covering that are is also deformed.

nThe puppet based on its programming went for the secondary weapons. The spear on its back and the crossbow. But that broken arm is of no use. When it picked the spear, the forearm

ncaved completely under the load of it.

nManson's puppet of course didn't stop.

n*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

nThe attacks landed on the armor. Once again at the same point. With minimal defense, the

narmor was pierced open and the spear lodged itself deeply into the puppet.

nJust like how a cultivator would have died, the puppet also collapsed.

nManson won.

nSam looked at the stage with a weird expression. He didn't know whether he should be

nimpressed or disappointed.

nThis is the finals of the weapon making tournament, so in all fairness he expected a strong exchange between those puppets.

nHowever, they are done after executing a few basic moves. The weapons failed immediately after taking a few attacks. Its just too damn bland.

nThe competitions continued.

nThe only interesting exchange was between the Hephaestus student and the Viswa Karma Student. Both of their sets were really strong and functional. Their defense is great. The

nshields were unform and worked perfectly.

nTheir crossbows are also working properly.

nHowever, the Hephaestus student's armor lacked some flexibility in motion. The joints could

nhave been a bit too rigid.

nWhen a sword strike landed there, the join broke, exposing the hand. That one loss spiraled down. It was a relatively close match, but it is a clear victory with no doubt. The Viswa Karma

nstudent won.

nThe second student from the Viswa Karma academy, went next and destroyed the opponent

neasily.

nThe rest of the matches were unremarkable. Including Sam's own match as well. His puppet went on to the stage.

nThe examiners sensed a blood thirsty aura from it. Which shouldn't be present in any non- spirit weapons and certainly not in the puppets they created themselves. They attributed it to the blood iron and treatment Sam gave it.

nThe opponent's armor looked much flashier, but it did pale in comparison up on closer look.

n*BANG*

nWhen the attack happened, Sam's puppet blocked the attack strongly and thrust the long

nsword.

nThe opponent's puppet blocked the attack.

nHowever, when the next exchange happened, a frown appeared on the faces of the examiners.

nFor some reason, the opponent's puppet appeared a beat slower to them. Not to a great

nextent, very minute one.

nThey thought its them being paranoid.

nHowever, as the time went on, they noticed that they are not wrong.

nAfter ten moves, there is not a nick on either Sam's armor or the opponent's armor. However,

nthe opposite puppet suddenly collapsed to the ground.

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