“What’s this core from,” Rick held the last of the three cores he had traded with Dale up to the sunlight.

It was a vibrant riot of shades of blue and green. Compared to the others, this did not look like a roadside pebble.

“Let’s see where Mr. Dale got you,” Rick mumbled, riffling through the Lemegeton.

Hyrdrophant Core (Level I Core)

Core extracted from the Common ranked Hyrdrophant.

The core has suffered minor damages during the process of extraction. This has resulted in the rank of the Core dropping down a level.

Golemancy Recommendation: Craft a Low-Level Water Golem

“It’s a Water beast core,” Rick spoke, looking up.

He anyway intended to craft a golem out of the core. Now with the grimoire pointing at the same direction, he could move forward without hesitation.

“Let’s check the runes then,” Rick mumbled flipping open the next page.

There was a list the names of runes drawn over neatly on one side, divided under various columns of Foundational Runes, Recommended Runes and Optional Runes.

‘Even though I have the Lemegeton to guide through, I don’t have the [Agility] and [Perception] to draw all of this,’ he reasoned, recalling the failed first attempt when he had attempted to draw all of the runes.

“Even if I can’t draw out its full potential this way, it is better than destroying the core,” he spoke aloud, steeling his resolve.

After a few long breaths, he picked up the carving knife.

“Let’s start.”

---

Rick sat at the edge of the chair, the golem core on his left hand and the carving knife on his right.

Half the day had passed by while Rick kept at it. The moon lit the small room.

“Steady, steady,” he murmured under his breath. Sweats glistered on his brows even on the cool night.

The short blade of the knife etched through the surface of the golem core like a scalpel on the skin.

“Please be a success,” he prayed to connect the last runes.

Thankfully, Rick was not disappointed.

Ding

[Congratulations!]

[You have successfully crafted a “Low Ranked Worker Golem “]

At the next prompt Rick again named the golem after the spirit beast itself.

Ding

[You have named the golem “Hydrophant”]

[Hydrophant]

Element-Water

Golem Type: Low Ranked Worker

Golem Core: Level I

He quickly skimmed through all the notifications.

“It’s been so long,” he yawned and tossed the Hydrophant core.

Just like before, a translucent sea-blue consciousness thread started forming in his mind.

“Amazing! It’s the same, no fatigue,” Rick mumbled.

Surprisingly, unlike when he summoned the golem with the core left behind by Sol, the golems he created did not take a toll on his [Concentration].

The golem spun around mid-air, and slowly the core started getting covered by water.

Starting from the core, the entire water body of the golem started taking shape.

In less than a minute, the knee height Hydrophant-golem appeared, its body made of solid deep-blue water. Besides, the Hydrophant Golem was identical to that of the Elephants, full with the big ears and trunk.

Rick extended his arm, unwittingly, and pet the obedient golem standing before him.

As soon as Rick touched the golem, she flapped her ears.

“Aah!” Rick withdrew his hand startled.

Catching his breath, he chuckled. A smile appeared on his face.

He again reached out and stroked the golem.

“It’s not what I expected,” Rick wondered aloud.

Although the body of the Hydrophant Golem was made of water, it was unnaturally normal.

Shaking his head, he put the thought out of his mind and bent down over the Lemegeton, “Let’s check what you can do.”

Rick flipped to the next page to check the Hydrophant golem’s abilities.

Flip Flip

He quickly found what he was looking for and read all he could in silence, apart from the occasionally “Ahm. Okay. Hmm”.

After a few moments, Rick finally had an idea of the golem’s power.

‘Become humanoid,’ Rick commanded the golem wordlessly.

The Hydrophant’s body immediately started morphing. Her limbs became longer, and then she stood up.

Suddenly the baby elephant had taken the shape of a humanoid girl’s figure. Apart from her head, this was still that of an elephant.

Rick could not believe what he saw. His mouth remained open, shocked at the almost instantaneous transformation.

“Okay, then let’s try this,” he called out in excitement.

He re-read the second function on the Lemegeton and then spoke telepathically with the golem.

‘Shoot the canon out the door,’ he commanded. Excited about the fact that perhaps the Worker Golem had Combat skills!

The golem turned its body sideways and lifted its trunk and pointed it at the open door. Its physique bloated up to twice the normal size while it absorbed the Mana around.

Rick looked around as the Mana around them was rapidly thinning down.

And then the sucking stopped.

“Here it comes,” Rick waited with bated breath

Shush

It rang as water rushed out of the golem’s trunk.

“But it did not even cross the five-meter mark,” reality stroked. Shaking his head, it finally dawned “It only uses is for water plants.”

This Hydrophant golem had only two abilities, to morph from its beast avatar to a humanoid avatar and the second was the canon.

Dog tired after days of restless work, Rick “Released” the golem and pocketed it before crashing on the makeshift bed.

As soon as his head hit the pillow, he started dreaming.

---

The next day Rick woke up early in the morning to find Pip still asleep next to him.

He walked out of the shack and called out the Hydrophant Golem. With the help of its “canon”, he freshened up before heading out into the herb garden.

He walked in between the plants. He occasionally stopped and touched the leaf of the plant before moving on, mumbling under his breath.

“Soldier’s Ghostvine,” he stopped before a relatively huge plant, standing as tall as himself. The flowerless plant had dense irregular emerald leaves and small clusters of purple flowers.

He reached forward and plucked out two of the leaves and carefully wrapped it and walked back to the shack.

“Pip!” Rick called out as he walked in. “Pip, wake up. We are leaving.”

Hearing the commotion, Pip slowly booted back to life.

Rick swiftly gathered everything he needed and prepared to leave the Private Study.

With a smile on his face and Pip on his head, Rick immediately walked out of the study.

---

“Young Master!”

Rick was again greeted by Gaap, the Western King of Hell. As Gaap kneeled, Rick observed some bruises visible in spite of the armour around him.

“Gaap you may rise,” Rick replied, in his deep authoritative voice. Looking around he continued, “The others are not back yet?”

“No Young Master, they have not returned yet. But they should return within another three days.”

“Ask them to take it slow if they need to. They should not risk their unnecessarily for this.” Rick spoke aloud while hoping for the contrary.

“I have already communicated it, Young Master,” Gaap replied.

“Okay,” Rick nod before walking back.

“Young Master,” Gaap called out. When he stopped, Gaap continued, “I have also procured some Flame Titan meat to keep the Firebird occupied for the coming few days.

‘Oh yes. That completely slipped my mind,’ Rick recalled.

“Peep! Peep!” Pip immediately pulled his hair, demanding to be taken to her food.

‘Can you chill out a little,’ Rick groaned, ‘I am anyway taking you there!’

Hearing this Pip immediately silenced herself.

“Here, Young Master,” Gaap pulled out a covered silver plate from his back and handed it to Rick.

Rick swiftly grabbed the plate and after a nod walked back into Sol’s private study.

“Pip. Don’t touch anything here okay. I will come back tomorrow,” Rick warned.

Pip feverously nodded her head, yes, her eyes not leaving the plate with him.

“Here take it,” Rick said, placing the plate on the ground. “Eat and then go to sleep.”

---

Rick walked out of the study for the second time and immediately walked up to the door.

“Oh wait. I should do this,” Rick murmured flicking out the Chameleonite golem-core. “Presentation is the key to being a good sales pitch.”

Rick pushed the door open and was greeted by the now routine white screen.

---

In the Private Study,

Pip was already fast asleep after consuming the Flame Titan dish prepared by Gaap even before Rick could leave the building.

---

Rick found himself back at the entrance to the Library.

He looked around and then swiftly ducked into the crowd of people at the market.

Suddenly a familiar face appeared, walking towards him. It was a face he could make out anywhere.

“Eira!” Rick exclaimed.