CHAPTER 270: CHAPTER 268: SHADOW TALISMAN

Lit up all the "Hanging Wind Chimes" in the laboratory, sitting in front of the specially prepared workbench, Aiven was just about to start working.

Gurgle... gurgle...

He touched his stomach, having been busy since yesterday during the day, and hadn’t found time to eat until this morning.

The crew had already taken the demonized lizards to prepare meals, so should he first use some rations from the "Magic Pocket" to tide over?

"Oh right, there’s this too!"

While rummaging in his pocket for reserves, he suddenly saw a pure black lizard egg he had previously found on the island. In the urgency of the situation, he must have casually put it in the "Magic Pocket" and nearly forgotten about it.

"Hmm, a family should stick together."

He directly added water to the cauldron in the laboratory and put the volleyball-sized egg in, preparing to make a hard-boiled egg.

Such a large lizard egg seemed to need to be boiled for a while longer, so after lighting the alcohol lamp, Aiven no longer paid it any attention.

He calmed himself down and began preparing to craft his first "Wild Talisman."

As a series of talismans, "Wild Talismans" come in many varieties. Others, crafted using non-biological materials such as wood, stone, metal... and so on, each come in more than one school of thought.

If further subdivided by usage, such as energy enhancement, physical amplification, protection, attack, curse, blessing... it becomes vast and extensive, making it difficult to master even a fraction of it in a lifetime.

"Wild Talismans" are one of the ancient legacies used by ancient wizards since the ages of ignorance.

They are mainly created by combining the runes mastered by wizards with the extraordinary materials of the creature itself to make various talismans for diverse uses.

More accurately, they focus on extraordinary materials with runes as a supplement, fully stimulating the power of the original material owner, using the talisman to simulate or borrow the incredible abilities of demonized creatures.

Although less versatile than various modern witchcraft devices and limited by specific extraordinary materials making mass production extremely difficult, the specialization advantages are also very prominent.

Worth mentioning is that the "Black Panther Talisman" in Aiven’s possession, which can increase agility and reaction speed by two-tenths, is actually one of the types within this series.

However, speed, strength, and reaction speed are just the basics, while the various special "magic-like abilities" inherent in demonized creatures are the true treasures hidden behind [Wild Talismans]!

In the bright light of the Hanging Wind Chimes, Aiven carefully examined each scale in his hand, with smooth surfaces and concentric circles of natural textures growing on the back.

Using the auxiliary calculations of "Data Visualization," he silently designed the production plan.

Undoubtedly, the "Shadow Lizard" has no other skills, but its irrefutable ability to hide within shadows, the [Shadow Transformation], is undeniably impressive!

Possessing such a talisman could instantly elevate even a clumsy assassin to a master of assassination.

If it fell into the hands of a seasoned assassin like "Chameleon" Duncan from the "Vulture’s Nest," it would surely transform his abilities to the extent that even a Great Knight would have to be cautiously wary.

Aiven even suspects that the mysterious source of his extraordinary profession "Shadow Lizard Ghost Thief" could have some connection to the Shadow Realm?

Even the most wasteful usage of such a talisman.

Letting an ordinary person hold it can enable them to briefly evade attacks from the material world, especially physical-side attacks, such as... concentrated firearm attacks! Thus, greatly enhancing the holder’s survival ability.

Obviously, if completed, this would be an extremely practical talisman!

In the mystical knowledge passed down by "Flesh Sacrifice," a complete talisman consists of three parts: "spiritual materials," "imagery," and "built-in runes," then activated through specific rituals, becoming a true [Wild Talisman].

After thinking for a while, Aiven took out a sheet of white paper from the drawer and laid out the rune design housed in his mind onto the paper.

With the assistance of "Data Visualization," all knowledge-based mystical learnings pose no challenge to Aiven.

The most energy-consuming part is still the practical aspect that follows.

After repeatedly modifying the design and experimenting a few times with wood slices, only when he felt completely confident did Aiven begin his work.

First, selecting a scale of the poorest quality to practice, Aiven did not expect to succeed in one go; his initial goal was to methodically complete all procedures.

He would then absorb the experience, correct mistakes, and aim to achieve the talisman’s most basic effect on the second or third try.

Aiven sat upright at the workbench.

One hand pinched a dagger-length black non-reflective scale, and the other hand used a fine beast hair brush to dip into the prepared red potion, inscribing one neatly printed yet spiritually abundant rune after another on the surface of the scale.

Rustle, rustle, rustle—

Since the beginning involved the participation of extraordinary power, even the simple inscription of runes made an odd sound resembling bamboo sticks scraping over sand.

Aiven paid no mind to this unusual phenomenon.

His hand movements were continuous; though not flowing like a river, they were pleasing enough.

A full five minutes later, both sides of the dagger-length scale were densely covered with extremely intricate runes, densely packed on the front and sparse on the back, arranged in a concentric layered pattern.

Finally, at the very center of the smooth front side of the scale, they collectively formed a slightly three-dimensional spiritual text "Shadow."

This forms the capability core of the Wild Talisman!

Place this semi-finished talisman on the specially customized snow-white ceramic surface of the testing bench.

Aiven silently focused for a moment, summoning his own spirituality, and used his left index finger and thumb to form a gesture resembling wings, covering the scale, as he whispered an inaudible curse:

cel——

[Concealment]

The spirituality of the potion on the scale was activated, emitting a faint golden-red glow before instantly concealing as if it had seeped into the interior of the scale.

Once the extraordinary spiritual light faded away, the semi-finished talisman returned to its original dull and non-reflective appearance.

Picking up the scale again, Aiven took out a carving knife and directly proceeded to the next step—"Engraved Imagery."

The knightly practice persisted since childhood bestowed upon Aiven a far stronger arm strength and control than those Wizards who relied on witchcraft to complete their physical extraordinary transformation.

However, since "imagery" is called "imagery," it cannot simply be carving the image of the spiritual materials’ owner onto it.

Rather, it’s using the carving knife as a "brush" and the wizard’s own spirituality as "paint" to leave on the talisman the image that most represents the creature in the maker’s mind.

One cut down, without any hesitation.

Aiven didn’t need to sketch in advance like ordinary engravers; his extraordinary memory and thinking ability allowed him to achieve extraordinary-level precise replicas!

To perfectly realize the "imagery" in his brain.

Scratch scratch scratch....

A slightly abstract yet vividly spirited lizard image gradually emerged on the hard scale.

However, it’s not those small lizards only a bit over two meters long, but the one with a six-horn crown on its head, akin to a giant beast like Godzilla, the lizard king among the lizard horde!

Clearly, in Aiven’s mind, that is the ultimate form representing the Shadow Lizard group!

"Perhaps, even a casual scale taken from it would possess stronger spirituality than the essence part of these ordinary lizards..."

Gently blowing away the debris from the scale, Aiven fantasized with a touch of longing.

Yet he knew, such a thought was as whimsical as using a tiger’s whiskers as medicine.

To use the Lizard King’s scales to make a talisman, unless he too becomes a Tier 3 Upper-Rank Wizard, and possesses the ability to enter the Shadow Realm at will, it would be impossible to achieve.

After completing the first two steps, Aiven placed the talisman face up on the ceramic surface.

It already bore an image of a lizard king that possessed both the hazy feel of "Shadow Transformation" and the majestic aura of a giant beast, perhaps not the most skillful, but full of artistic meaning.

Then, he took out a "Life Tree Graphics" painstakingly drawn by hand on the best extraordinary beast hide paper he could find, and solemnly hung it on the cabin wall behind the workbench.

The snow-white, soft paper, like a young girl’s skin, featured the "Inverted Tree" predominantly in dark green, combined with symbolic elements in red, purple, yellow, blue, and other colors.

The final activation ceremony varies among different individuals; Aiven naturally used the legacy from "Flesh Sacrifice."

Although not fully materialized, the "Life Tree" existing in the mysterious space-time as the Mystical Source of his school already possessed a wonder unattainable by ordinary wizards!

Aiven used pre-prepared wooden pegs, a sword, a cattle prod, a fishhook, and a mammal’s molar arranged into a pentagram shape, encircling the semi-finished "Wild Talisman" in the middle.

Then, he lit a piece of incense.

The moment the light blue smoke started to rise, a mysterious atmosphere suddenly descended on the workbench, and a dim extraordinary spiritual glow began to flow continuously on the talisman’s surface.

Shadows seemed to deepen, dimming even the laboratory lit with the Hanging Wind Chime quite a bit.

Upon seeing this scene, Aiven nodded.

Feeling that even if his first craftsmanship couldn’t perfectly meet the design expectation, it wouldn’t be ineffective either.

The activation ceremony had begun, but it couldn’t be completed in one go, needing at least half an hour of nurturing.

Sniiiiiif——

The aroma from the kitchen already reached his nose; since this couldn’t be finished anytime soon, Aiven decided to have a hearty meal first.

Being an extraordinary individual with vigorous energy and strong life force, it was common to conduct research for days and nights without sleep at times.

But even though he could similarly go without food for a period, living on plain water, Aiven thought that life without gourmet food would be too dull.

"Fried steaks, meatballs, rosemary grilled meat, charcoal-grilled meat slices... kind of a mix between beef and chicken, sounds tempting!

It seems that the Chardonnay wine Milan brought has also been opened...."

His keen sense of smell easily distinguished various aromas in the air, making him involuntarily swallow.

Bang——

Pushing open the door and preparing to enjoy the lizard meat feast, Aiven had already completely forgotten about his "boiled eggs in plain water."