Chapter 102: The Doll P

The linear laser beam erupted, carving a scorching trail through the air as it slammed into the monster’s chest. The fatal weakness of a high-level puppet was not its head, but the power core located within its chest; destroying it meant certain death for the construct. Under the searing heat of the laser, the thick chest armor melted into molten iron.

The giant puppet roared, blue self-element energy gathering at its chest, managing to block the laser’s burn before the armor could be fully pierced. Even so, most of its chest plating had melted away.

Li Nanke flashed forward, appearing instantly before the giant puppet. His chainsword erupted with raging flames, the high-speed rotating teeth becoming even more lethal as they caught fire. With a flash of ferocity in his eyes, he kicked off the ground and leapt upward. Suddenly, the chainsword transformed into a massive blade of flame, surging waves of fire rising into the sky. The weapon, originally a two-handed greatsword, had morphed into a fiery blade larger than Li Nanke himself.

This was Reynolds’ signature technique: Flame Waterfall!

"BOOM!"

Like a red-hot blade piercing through butter, the giant flame sword tore through the damaged chest armor, its high-speed teeth shredding the power core. Countless droplets of azure light burst from the wound, scattering like beautiful, shimmering stars.

Li Nanke landed, turned, and walked toward the blood-stained warhammer, lifting the weapon with one hand. As the hammer left the ground, the thicket of thorns seemed to lose all vitality, rapidly withering into drifting ash. The red light in the giant puppet’s eyes flickered out, and it collapsed with a thunderous crash. As the puppet perished, a massive influx of source energy flowed into his "Self."

Li Nanke closed his eyes, channeling the energy into "Flame Breath."

[Trait: Flame Breath]
[Level: Level 4 (32%) -> Level 6 (58%)]

Cunning Rabbit, lurking atop the carriage, watched in dazzlement. When had her man become so powerful? She had been on high alert the entire time, ready to provide support, terrified that Li Nanke might be injured. She never expected him to suddenly display such overwhelming strength, dismantling the powerful giant puppet in a matter of seconds.

Cunning Rabbit bit her lower lip, her eyes sparkling with wonder; she longed to jump down and give him a fierce kiss. However, she suppressed the urge and remained hidden on the roof, knowing that the Black Cat was still alive and that other pursuers might be waiting to strike while they were vulnerable. She was Li Nanke’s secret weapon, a hidden backup that could not be exposed prematurely.

After neutralizing the puppet threat, Li Nanke stepped into the train carriage to search for the mission target, "Puppet P." He did not care if his displayed methods aroused suspicion in his teammate, Cunning Rabbit. Having cleared several Forbidden Dreams, he understood that as an outsider Nightmare from the Great Other Shore, he possessed a degree of "camouflage" within the dream world. Just like in the previous "Grace of Pain" Forbidden Dream, when he used the linear laser cannon, neither Reynolds nor his enemies questioned the high-tech weapon, dismissing it as some rare prayer artifact. This "camouflage" was clearly a protective trait favorable to Nightmares. Unless he chose to expose himself and awaken the natives, they would subconsciously ignore the bizarre nature of such supernatural powers.

Li Nanke walked through carriages filled with bloodstains, the air thick with the smell of gore and metallic rust. He reached the end of the train, where the door to the final compartment was tightly shut and locked. With a swing, he brought his hammer down heavily on the door. The metal shattered under the massive impact, fragments scattering everywhere.

He stepped inside and scanned the room. The furnishings were identical to the other carriages, but the curtains were drawn tight, and the room was lit only by the dim glow of a few kerosene lamps. Li Nanke walked deep into the carriage, finally arriving before a single-seater sofa.

In the darkness, a thin, small figure leaned against the sofa. It did not move, seemingly fast asleep, undisturbed even by the massive commotion of the door being smashed in. Li Nanke ignited his warhammer, the roaring fire illuminating the entire carriage.

It was a black-haired boy, roughly eleven or twelve years old. His eyes were closed, his features delicate, with a few freckles across the bridge of his nose. At a glance, the boy looked like a normal human, nothing like the puppets with their metallic joints and limbs. Compared to the crude construction of other puppets, the boy before him was like a perfect work of art.

Li Nanke’s gaze swept over him. He rolled up the sleeve of the boy’s left arm, revealing an arm with a metallic sheen, featuring gears and bearings at the joints. It was the only part of the boy that betrayed his puppet nature. He pinched the boy’s right hand; the texture was very similar to human flesh