The Impractically Transformative Ability

In the spacious study room.

The bright candlelight flickered slightly, casting long shadows on the wall.

Su Nan sat behind the desk, fully absorbed in reading ‘The Extracting and Transforming Abilities of the Green Chameleon.’

The chameleon earned its name because it adeptly adapts to environmental changes by altering its body color at will.

This physiological change primarily occurs through the autonomic nervous system’s regulation, expanding or contracting pigment cells within the skin.

The Green Chameleon’s color-changing ability surpasses that of ordinary chameleons by several levels, almost reaching invisibility.

Even when standing in front of ordinary people, it’s difficult to observe it with the naked eye alone.

The author of this book extracted the Green Chameleon’s color-changing ability, modified and enhanced it, then transplanted it onto the human body, giving humans a similar ability.

It’s undoubtedly an ingenious idea.

However, in Su Nan’s view, the transformative ability thus obtained lacks practical usability.

Firstly, in essence, this ability merely changes the outward appearance according to the environment, and no matter how quick the transformation process is, it requires time, inevitably leading to slight delays.

People with less acute senses may not notice, but a wizard apprentice will definitely notice the difference.

In the end, this ability is only useful against ordinary people or knights and is useless against wizard apprentices. It pales in comparison to true invisibility.

True invisibility is a second-ring spell that third-level wizard apprentices can learn and master.

Therefore, such an ability modification will only be attempted by those who have no hope of advancing to third-level wizard apprentices.

Furthermore, physical modifications cannot be undertaken casually.

The human body is one of the most malleable forms — after all, many wizard’s physical modification experiments use human bodies as samples — once a physical modification is done, it becomes much harder to attempt further modifications or bloodline fusions later if a better method surfaces.

Therefore, many wizards (apprentices) don’t mind modifying themselves but wield caution in doing so.

If Su Nan had to choose, he certainly wouldn’t modify himself to have such a color-changing ability.

Nevertheless, this book holds considerable reference value for future similar experiments.

Putting away the book, Su Nan took out a parchment scroll with energy runes and spread it out flat on the table.

After a pause, he opened the drawer and took out a few gems, placing them on the table.

The reason energy runes require a third-level wizard apprentice to perform is because they’re entirely composed of energy particles, demanding exceptionally precise control over them from the caster.

First-level wizard apprentices who can only sense energy particles and second-level apprentices with only preliminary energy particle manipulation abilities obviously cannot use them.

However, if an energy rune is given a carrier to boost its stability, even second-level wizard apprentices with poor energy particle manipulation can use the rune.

In his previous life, many players utilized this method to use energy runes beyond their level.

Suitable carriers for energy runes are few, with gemstones being one of them.

“But this way, the energy rune becomes a one-time consumable, each use costing a gemstone, which is quite painful,”

Su Nan said, examining a gemstone under the candlelight.

That said, if acquiring an additional powerful combat technique, consuming some gemstones is worthwhile.

Even the Storm Count was critically wounded by an assassin; this world is far more dangerous than Su Nan initially anticipated.

To ensure his safety, having diverse combat techniques is undoubtedly preferable.

“I shall learn and master this technique first, then immediately craft energy rune gemstones after becoming a second-level wizard apprentice.”

With this decision, Su Nan quickly focused on reading the contents of the scroll without distractions.

Time flew by.

Five days later.

The learning progress of Puppet Crafting finally reached 100%.

At the same time, a Puppet Crafting skill appeared on Su Nan’s panel.

At the laboratory entrance, Su Nan nodded to himself while looking at the brand-new set of puppet crafting equipment inside.

After returning from the Blackstone Mine, he transcribed the equipment design and had the town’s blacksmiths forge it.

The equipment was completed and delivered to the laboratory several days ago.

Having mastered the Puppet Crafting skill today, he could begin his first attempt at crafting a Blackrock Panther.

Over ninety percent of the Blackrock Panther’s body is made of blackstone iron, which is one of the primary materials.

Another crucial material is the energy core.

In this regard, Su Nan chose gemstones as the energy core.

After all, he did not have soul crystals on hand, nor possessed the skill to create them.

Even if he did, he couldn’t manufacture them at present.

As the name suggests, a soul crystal is a crystal formed by condensing the soul.

Its raw materials are purified souls.

To create even a low-grade soul crystal, it requires at least a thousand common human souls.

Or dozens of knights’ souls.

Either way, Su Nan currently lacks the conditions to achieve this.

He can only settle for making the energy core with gemstones.

With comprehensive experiment records and the mastered Puppet Crafting skill, Su Nan successfully crafted a Blackrock Panther on his first try.

Unexpectedly, the Blackrock Panther could also be placed into the Synthesis Cube.

[Blackrock Panther (Puppet/Initial Knight Level), a puppet creation made from blackstone iron, capable of stealth in blackstone iron mines. It can replenish energy and heal by consuming blackstone iron.]

“It seems that non-living objects can all be synthesized and upgraded with the cube,”

Su Nan thought to himself.

With this, he could synthesize more powerful puppets using the Blackrock Panther.

As for the description stating ‘capable of stealth in blackstone iron mines,’ Su Nan had already read about it in Anger McLean’s experiment diary.

He found it somewhat disappointing initially, as he had always thought the Blackrock Panther possessed rock-stealth capabilities.

“Well, if it truly had rock-stealth capabilities, it wouldn’t just be a low-grade puppet,”

shaking his head, Su Nan glanced at the remaining blackstone iron in the corner.

“Crafting a Blackrock Panther requires about five tons of blackstone iron, and one can opt for cheaper types of gemstones, bringing the total cost to approximately thirty-eight gold coins.”

Such an amount of gold could buy two or three top-quality warhorses.

However, considering combat effectiveness, the Blackrock Panther is clearly more cost-effective.

“Never mind, let my big brother worry about the money. I’ll only focus on crafting puppets.”

High-level puppets can autonomously absorb energy particles in the air to replenish energy and recover injuries. But the Blackrock Panther obviously lacks this ability, so it can only gain the same effect by consuming blackstone iron.

Yet given the current energy particle concentration on the Starlight Continent, Su Nan reckons that even if he crafts a high-level puppet, it probably won’t absorb enough energy particles from the air.