Chương 4: Chapter 4: Werewolf Messengers
At Pera's insistence, Su Nan relented and provided her with the potion, transforming her into a werewolf. This gave the AI more valuable data to refine its experiments.
After her transformation, the sixty-year-old head maid appeared no older than thirty. Her youthful appearance brought her immense joy, and she began indulging in the simple pleasure of dressing up again. This newfound vibrancy didn't go unnoticed by the other maids, who peppered her with questions about her apparent rejuvenation.
For the women in the castle, Pera's transformation was nothing short of miraculous. The allure of regained beauty was an irresistible force, sparking envy and curiosity among the staff.
With both the steward Warwick and head maid Pera now transformed into werewolves, Su Nan had turned his estate's most critical managerial roles into werewolf positions.
The AI, bolstered by the new influx of data, accelerated its development of related potions and began designing a Leader-Type Werewolf Transformation Potion tailored specifically for Su Nan.
Yes, Su Nan was considering transforming himself. After all, the baseline physical capabilities of a werewolf rivaled those of a full-fledged knight, eliminating the need for years of arduous training.
However, the AI cautioned against directly integrating werewolf genes into Su Nan's system, as it might interfere with the magical potential required for wizardry. To counteract this, the AI employed biomass robotics to create a Human Virtual Machine Block near Su Nan's spinal cord.
This ingenious device allowed Su Nan to restrict the effects of the potion to a contained virtual module, keeping his body biologically human. When activated, the virtual machine would enable his transformation into a werewolf leader, maximizing his control over the werewolf army while preserving his human purity.
For now, Su Nan postponed action against the rebellious town of Mapleleaf. As a commercial hub, the town was wealthy and could afford mercenaries, knights, and well-trained militias. Su Nan resolved to strengthen his forces and potion research before retaliating against the townspeople who had dared to harm Warwick.
Two Weeks Later
In the tower attic of Peter Castle, Su Nan completed the refinement of a new potion—a variant of the Werewolf Curse Conversion Potion.
Standing before the cauldron, he carefully decanted the shimmering green-gold liquid into two glass vials.
This new formulation, devised by the AI in just a week, was specifically designed to create Werewolf Messengers, a lower-tier version of werewolves.
Turning to his two loyal hunting dogs, Su Nan administered the potion. The dogs whined in pain as their bodies began to shift. Their limbs elongated, their pupils turned into golden rings, and their hind legs grew powerful enough to support bipedal movement.
The dogs now stood upright, their appearances a mix of humanoid and canine features. Despite their physical transformation, Su Nan noticed their familiar, loyal expressions as they gazed at him with an almost pleading look, wagging their tails slightly.
"AI, record the experimental data," Su Nan commanded.
[According to your specifications, the Werewolf Messenger Potion is designed for non-human subjects, particularly dogs. Messengers retain their original intelligence while gaining a 30-point increase, equivalent to that of a 12- or 13-year-old human child. Physically, they are smaller and more agile than human werewolves, making them ideal for reconnaissance or swift communication. Their loyalty and fearlessness are greatly enhanced.]
"Show me the detailed data for Werewolf Messengers," Su Nan said.
His left eye displayed streams of data:
[Werewolf Messenger]
Age: 3 years
Strength: 1.5
Speed: 2.5
Constitution: 1.5
Skills:
Reduced Physical Damage
Rapid Healing
Weaknesses: Fire, silver
Flaw: Low intelligence requires direction from the pack leader.
Su Nan patted the heads of his newly transformed dogs, who responded by wagging their tails and letting out soft, pleased growls. Despite their new forms, they retained their canine habits, rolling over to expose their bellies for scratches.
"Wolf One, Wolf Two," Su Nan sighed, "revert to your dog forms. This isn't the time for play."
Obediently, the two werewolves shifted back into their dog forms and began circling Su Nan, licking at his boots affectionately.
Su Nan shook his head. "They're much easier on the eyes like this. Besides, the Messenger Potion is far more economical than the High-Intelligence Werewolf Potion, costing only one gold coin per vial. And dogs are cheaper to use as subjects than humans."
As Su Nan left the attic, he reflected on his own progress. He had successfully converted 3 points of mental power into mana, bringing his mental power to 8.7. Yet, his physical attributes—strength, speed, and constitution—remained at 1. This imbalance was why he intended to use the Leader Potion himself, granting him the strength needed for survival and combat.
Descending to the stone-floored corridor, Su Nan encountered Warwick striding toward him with a vigor befitting his newfound youth.
"Master Su Nan, we've got trouble," Warwick said, his voice steady despite the gravity of his words.
Su Nan raised an eyebrow. "Is it the royal tax collectors again? Or has the Mapleleaf Council sent more troublemakers?"
"It's bandits, my lord," Warwick replied. "They've raided our village again. As you know, since the late baron's death, we've lacked the strength to secure our lands. These bandits have controlled the trade routes to the Peter Barony for seven years, cutting us off from outside assistance."
"They raid the villages, pillaging food and supplies. Yesterday, they even kidnapped the newborn brother of a young girl from the village. She's standing outside the castle now, hoping for your help."
Warwick gestured toward the stone window. Peering outside, Su Nan spotted a nervous, exhausted girl standing in the drizzle, clutching a shawl tightly around her shoulders.
The moment Su Nan's gaze fell upon her, she quickly averted her eyes, trembling under the weight of her lord's attention.
"Bring her inside," Su Nan instructed. "Have Pera give her a dry servant's gown."
Warwick hesitated. "My lord, she is an adherent of the God of Law, not the Storm God. Allowing her into the castle may undermine your authority."
Su Nan waved him off. "She's a subject of this barony. Her faith is irrelevant as long as she remains loyal to me."
With a faint smile, Su Nan added, "The barony comes first. Religion comes second."
Warwick nodded, recalling that their castle was now home to werewolves and a master alchemist. Religious distinctions seemed trivial in comparison.
"As you wish, my lord," Warwick replied. "I'll have her brought in immediately."
"Also," Su Nan said, "prepare a map of the bandits' stronghold. I want to test the combat capabilities of the werewolves."
Warwick's golden-ringed eyes gleamed with anticipation. His fangs peeked through his grin as he muttered, "At last…"
Nestled within a series of hills and surrounded by dense forest, the bandits' base was a natural fortress. Wooden palisades ringed the encampment, and armed guards patrolled the perimeter.
Around the central bonfire, a towering, two-meter-tall man sat on a tree stump, speaking to a wiry, well-dressed merchant.
"Tell the council," the bandit leader growled, "that I've done their dirty work. I've raided the barony as they asked. But if they want me to attack the castle, the price just went up—triple what they're offering now."
The merchant hesitated. "Triple? That's…"
"Non-negotiable," the leader interrupted. "The boy baron is no threat, but that castle is a pain to attack. Maintaining the current stalemate suits me fine. Killing the baron might bring someone worse to replace h
im—a real knight, perhaps."
Unbeknownst to the bandits, the wolves were already watching, ready to strike.
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