Punk felt a measure of relief that the golem's flaw had appeared during this test. Discovering the problem now meant he still had plenty of time to adjust and refine the construct.
Just imagine the consequences if, in the middle of a real battle, this idiotic brute suddenly stopped clawing at an enemy and decided to start casting spells instead.
The outcome would be disastrous.
Punk sighed quietly. A fragmented and dull soul could never become a reliable fighter. If he wanted the golem to function properly, he would have to install fixed auxiliary command programs as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the massive surge of acid released by Golem No. 1 had completely dissolved the three unfortunate slaves along with a large patch of ground beneath them. In their place remained a smoking crater, thick white fumes rising into the air—clear evidence of the destructive power of a formal-level spell.
Thus, the ridiculous escape farce had effectively reached its end.
Only Bilan and one final slave still remained inside the house. In theory, Golem No. 1 simply needed to rush in and crush them, finishing the matter immediately.
But Punk was a pragmatist.
There was no need to waste energy chasing trivial matters, yet some decisions still required careful consideration.
And the issue that demanded thought was how to deal with Bilan.
Given Punk's personality, this reckless traitor deserved to be swatted like an insect. However, the timing of her betrayal was extremely delicate—and so was Punk's current position.
Bilan had only just arrived in the town of Niailan when this trouble began. Precisely because everything was so recent, killing her now could create unnecessary complications.
Within the power structure of Dolazi City, Punk was probably already viewed as belonging to the "evil camp."
If he killed his supposedly kind and righteous apprentice on the very first day, that suspicion would immediately become absolute.
Being labeled evil was not automatically a death sentence in the chaotic world of Faerun, but it certainly brought instability and constant danger.
Most factions would not provoke a powerful mage without reason—but openly belonging to the evil camp meant living under continuous scrutiny. At the very least, one needed to maintain a certain level of subtlety.
First of all, no lawful nation would allow a known dark mage to openly build a research base within its territory.
It was similar to how some governments might tolerate the existence of criminal organizations, yet they would never allow those groups to massacre civilians in broad daylight.
If Punk were officially branded as evil, the official-level dwarf warrior overseeing Dolazi City would have no reason to tolerate him. Expulsion would be inevitable.
Furthermore, those self-proclaimed "good and righteous" factions would refuse to conduct normal trade with him. Instead of fair exchanges, he would be forced to obtain magical materials through the black market, paying triple the usual cost.
And then there was the Church of the Good Gods. Their talk of "purifying all evil" was not merely empty rhetoric. Unless someone possessed enough power to make even the gods hesitate, the church would relentlessly pursue any mage labeled evil.
Nor could Punk ignore the danger posed by adventurers.
Most so-called heroes were fools chasing glory, but occasionally a group emerged that truly possessed terrifying strength. The tales of righteous warriors slaying demons were not entirely fabricated.
"As long as you exist within the multiverse, regardless of alignment, you can never escape the troubles and ghosts that follow you."
Muttering softly, Punk realized there was a flaw in his development strategy.
His original plan had been simple: quietly accumulate power as a neutral hermit, advancing steadily and safely.
However, the disadvantages of this "farming route" had proven worse than expected. The heavy restrictions on magical knowledge slowed progress far too much, and over the long term the chances of reaching higher realms of power were steadily shrinking.
Consider those hidden masters who prospered through plunder.
Yes, they faced threats from rival dark mages, the anger of benevolent churches, and the constant danger of adventurers. But acquiring wealth through looting was still far faster than slowly accumulating resources.
Most of the danger occurred in the early stages. Once someone reached master level—or even legendary status—, as long as they remained discreet, very few forces would dare challenge them.
From a purely strategic perspective, the plundering path was clearly more efficient for a mage seeking ultimate power.
"But it's still too early to make that change…"
Although Punk had reached a conclusion, he knew better than to act rashly.
After all, he was only a tenth-level formal mage, recently promoted. While stronger than apprentice-level practitioners, he still lacked the experience and resources of veteran formal-level powerhouses.
And aside from this clumsy flesh golem, he possessed no true trump card. Trying to force his way forward violently right now would be pure foolishness.
"It would be safer to wait until level twelve. For now… patience."
Punk slowly stroked his smooth chin, studying his own hand as faint currents of mana flowed beneath his pale skin.
"Fortunately, level eleven is already within reach, and the Activation Potion will soon be completed. It won't take long… As for Bilan… let's see how lucky this little girl really is."
Having clarified his future path, Punk found himself in a good mood.
He calmly sipped his tea while briefly considering the advantages of keeping a beautiful maid to maintain the White Tower.
As long as she avoided reckless behavior like today's incident, what real threat could an apprentice-level mage pose to him?
Then a new idea surfaced in his mind.
If a mage's soul underwent transformation… would it become more intelligent than an ordinary one?
According to Walkway's research notes, the bodies of high-level mages were particularly suitable for such experiments.
A cold glimmer appeared in Punk's eyes.
The concept was… worth testing.
Once his power became more stable—and once Bilan advanced further along the path of magic—she might become a very valuable experimental subject.
Of course, whether Bilan herself would consider that fate a fortunate opportunity was another question entirely.