Chapter 129: I Reject My Humanity

The ultra-giant puppet was massive, resembling a small hill, its entire body covered in exceptionally thick metal armor.

Those heavy plates bore distinct traces of welding and piecing together, making it easy to tell that they were forged from the torsos and limbs of numerous other puppets.

It turned out that the disassembled puppet parts in the other exhibition halls were not solely used to reinforce Romeo itself, but were also repurposed to construct this colossal machine.

It looked down at Li Nanke, its two lantern-sized mechanical eyes flashing with a crimson glow as its jaw parted, emitting Romeo's voice:

"Human, today is your doomsday!"

"I will kill you, and I will also kill Geppetto, who has enslaved me!"

The moment the words fell, the ultra-giant puppet threw a punch!

The massive metal fist descended from the sky, its terrifyingly extreme force tearing through the air to produce a snow-white shockwave, accompanied by a sudden, eardrum-shattering boom.

A massive shower of stone fragments and debris was blasted into the air by the violent, raging gale.

This single strike felt as though the vault of heaven were collapsing, its ferocious momentum chilling one to the bone, while the turbulent wind whipped up made it nearly impossible to keep one's eyes open.

Such formidable power was even more exaggerated and terrifying than that of the Champion Victor!

Li Nanke had just endured a fierce battle, maintaining the 'Frenzied' state for quite some time, and had even unleashed his ultimate lethal technique, 'Flame Cascade'.

At this moment, his muscle fibers were still far from reaching the point of physical exhaustion, but his mental energy, which was already scarce, was nearly depleted.

This left him mentally exhausted and dizzy, his temples throbbing as if he had pulled all-nighters for several consecutive nights.

Right now, he could no longer actively release any human traits, and could barely even sustain 'Flame Breath' and 'Armament', which enhanced weapon lethality.

Operating in such a state posed no problem against ordinary enemies—after all, his physical body remained exceptionally tough—but facing the ultra-giant puppet before him made it immensely dangerous!

"Boom!"

The hyper-violent impact shook the ground, kicking up shockwaves like an explosion that rattled the entire exhibition hall and sent the crystal chandelier on the ceiling crashing down into countless fragments.

Unable to withstand the enemy's ferocious onslaught head-on, Li Nanke dodged and retreated the instant the massive metal fist hurtled toward him. Even so, the shockwave left his chest feeling tight and constricted.

It was simply unimaginable just how terrifying the ultra-giant puppet's strength truly was.

Before he even had a chance to catch his breath, the colossal metal fist struck once again!

"Pinocchio, we're retreating!"

Li Nanke roared at the puppet boy, knowing full well that victory against this formidable foe was impossible for now. His only option was to make a tactical retreat and seek an opportunity to defeat the enemy once he had fully recovered his strength.

The 'Powered Defensive Armor' materialized over his body, while his motion-enhancement system and outer-space propulsion system operated at maximum capacity.

Blue flames erupted from behind Li Nanke, and his figure shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, sprinting rapidly toward the exit of the exhibition hall.

Pinocchio was also well aware that after the recent battle, both of his body and mind were utterly exhausted, and entangling himself with the enemy any further was far from a wise move.

Hearing the order to fall back, the puppet boy immediately followed him as they fled out of the exhibition hall.

"Flee? Do you think you can escape?!"

The ultra-giant puppet strode forward. Its sheer size and weight were staggering, causing the ground to collapse and sending gravel and shattered bricks flying with every step, though its overall movement speed could hardly be considered fast.

Seeing the two about to escape the exhibition hall, the crimson light in the ultra-giant puppet's eyes flared, and the two tentacle-like mechanical arms attached to its shoulder blades suddenly extended and shot forward like giant pythons bursting from their lair.

Pinocchio felt a violent gust of wind rushing up from behind, his vision blurred, and his entire body was hoisted into the air.

The mechanical tentacles wrapped around him twice, cocooning the puppet boy tightly with only his head exposed, rendering all his desperate struggles completely futile.

Simultaneously, another mechanical tentacle lashed out toward Li Nanke with lightning speed.

As though he had eyes in the back of his head, Li Nanke rolled out of the way the very instant the tentacle struck.

The doors of the exhibition hall were already within arm's reach; just a few more steps and he would escape this place.

With his acute senses, Li Nanke not only perceived the mechanical tentacle ambushing him from behind, but also sensed that Pinocchio had fallen into the enemy's clutches.

He could escape right now, but he would be escaping alone.

"If I run now, I'll have to abandon Pinocchio."

"Given the temperament of Romeo, the King of Puppets, he likely won't harm Pinocchio."

"After I escape, how should I fight my way back and defeat the King of Puppets..."

Countless thoughts flashed through Li Nanke's mind in an instant.

Ultimately, he realized that defeating the King of Puppets would be exceptionally difficult.

Romeo was not some mindless monster like the Champion Victor, but a formidable enemy possessing a clear and sober consciousness.

Taunting the enemy with frenzy could only provoke Romeo's anger without driving him insane; the tactic used to kill the Champion Victor could not be replicated against the King of Puppets.

Unless Romeo was stripped of his ability to control the ultra-giant puppet.

Or...

Li Nanke suddenly halted his steps, a remarkably bold idea taking root in his mind.

He abruptly spun around, pressing his back against the exit of the exhibition hall, and uttered words that caught the terrifying and powerful ultra-giant puppet completely off guard:

"Romeo, I surrender... I am willing to cede Pinocchio to you."

Upon hearing these words, the mechanical tentacle that was about to strike again suddenly froze mid-motion, while Pinocchio, tightly bound by the other tentacle, also stopped struggling and stared at his leader with utter disbelief.

The crimson light in the ultra-giant puppet's eyes flickered, and Romeo's voice rang out:

"Carlo is already in my hands. Even if you were unwilling to hand him over, it is impossible for him to return to your side and continue serving you."

"You surrender? Ridiculous. Do you think this is a fighting ring? Do you think I'll spare your life just because you surrender?"

"You are a human, and you must die!"

"No, no, no." Li Nanke took a slight, unnoticeable step backward, preparing himself to flee at a moment's notice.

He exchanged a glance with Pinocchio to silence the puppet boy who was about to speak, and continued:

"Romeo, what you truly want is to kill Geppetto and break free from the shackles of the Grand Pact, but you cannot achieve this on your own and must rely on Pinocchio, am I right?"

The crimson light within the ultra-giant puppet's eyes kept flickering. Although this human's strength was inferior to its own, if the opponent was determined to escape, the probability of successfully intercepting him was quite low.

Inside the cockpit, Romeo's gaze was ice-cold, and the horrific wound across its chest that had nearly cleaved it in two was slowly repairing itself.

Much like Pinocchio, its mechanical body was forged from transcendent metal, granting it self-healing capabilities.

Since this human had stopped running and instead proposed a surrender and negotiations, it was clear he could not bear to part with Carlo.

As long as it bought some time to finish repairing its injuries, even if the ultra-giant puppet failed to outrun the enemy, Romeo could exit the cockpit and rely on its own speed to hunt down the exhausted foe and utterly destroy them.

"What you say is true. Puppets cannot violate the Grand Pact; regardless of whether they possess self-awareness, they can only act according to commands. Only Carlo is an exception." The ultra-giant puppet's jaws parted as Romeo's voice echoed forth.

For reasons unknown, when Geppetto created Pinocchio, he did not make him a slave to the Grand Pact like countless other puppets, allowing Pinocchio to exercise independent will.

Clearly, Romeo had not been granted such treatment. The Grand Pact continuously controlled it, leaving the King of Puppets forever enslaved by Geppetto.

Moreover, because of the Grand Pact's existence, despite possessing immense strength, it could neither rebel nor slay its own creator, forcing it to pin all its hopes on Pinocchio, who remained unbound by the Pact.

Romeo had no choice but to rely on this former friend to help it regain its freedom.

"By your own admission, Pinocchio is your dearest friend, but right now he clearly neither remembers you nor wishes to help you. Even if you forcefully keep him by your side, you cannot bend his will."

"Your forced control will only make Pinocchio resent you, loathe you, and even hate you, treating you as an enemy. Isn't that right?"

Romeo's expression turned gloomy and hostile; Li Nanke's words had undeniably struck a raw nerve.

Though it harbored intentions of utilizing Carlo, the boy truly was its only and dearest friend.

Back when they were both still human, the two of them had been inseparable companions.

Now, times had changed, and both had accidentally become puppets. Wasn't this simply the arrangement of fate, allowing two individuals with identical identities to continue their precious friendship?

Yet earlier, in order to help this human, Carlo had actually launched a sneak attack against it.

The mere thought of this filled Romeo with poignant grief and crushing disappointment, as if a cherished treasure it held dear had been snatched away by someone else.

And all of this was because of this detestable human right before it!

"Your best friend from the past is now turning against you into a sworn enemy. Romeo, surely you don't want this either?"

Hearing this, Romeo narrowed its eyes, a fierce and murderous intent filling its gaze as its fists unconsciously clenched.

If not for the fact that its wounds had yet to fully heal and it feared the cunning human might escape, it would have driven the ultra-giant puppet to launch a reckless attack against this hateful mortal without a second thought.

Unable to hold back, it gritted its teeth and spat out word by word:

"I will help Carlo recover his memories and make him remember that we are best friends!"

Li Nanke chuckled softly. Seeing that the enemy's emotions had been successfully stirred, he raised his voice and continued:

"You talk about restoring Pinocchio's memories... Let's assume everything you claim about the past is true, but do you actually have the ability to make Pinocchio remember?"

"Even if you take a step back and succeed in restoring his memories, will a restored Pinocchio choose you over Geppetto?"

"You should know better than anyone who Geppetto truly is..."

This single sentence struck at Romeo's fatal weakness, instantly plunging it into a silent, irrefutable void.

It was indeed Carlo's good friend, but Geppetto was Carlo's biological father!

Though that father had been perpetually consumed by work, abandoning Carlo alone in boarding school and paying him no mind, that blood tie meant a memory-restored Carlo could never help Romeo kill Geppetto.

Initially unaware that Carlo had lost his memories, Romeo's original plan had been to lure Carlo to the Alchemical Island and have him plead with Geppetto to lift the Grand Pact that controlled it.

Given Geppetto's temperament, the success rate of that plan was less than thirty percent, yet it had been its sole remaining hope.

Now that Carlo had lost his memories, while Romeo felt deep sorrow, a sliver of secret relief accompanied it.

Because Carlo had forgotten everything from the past, this former friend—unbound by the Grand Pact—could kill Geppetto without any psychological burden, achieving a hundred-percent cancellation of the Pact.

For its plan, Carlo's memory loss was undeniably a much more favorable outcome.

The only obstacle now was this human. Carlo seemed to obey only this mortal's commands, tying Romeo's hands and leaving it as helpless as a turtle caught by a hunter.

With a solemn expression, Li Nanke said: "What if I told you that I am willing to help you take down Geppetto?" Klar!

"What?"

Romeo froze on the spot, unable to process the statement for a moment.

"My goal does not conflict with yours, we have no irreconcilable blood feud, and we even share the possibility of cooperation."

"You want to get rid of Geppetto, and I want to go to the Alchemical Island to eliminate the Alchemist Guild Leader Simon. Our objectives do not clash in the slightest; the only thing causing friction between us is Pinocchio."

"That is easily resolved. We just need to make Pinocchio share the goal of taking down Geppetto, don't we?"

Bound tightly by the mechanical tentacles, Pinocchio blinked his eyes, feeling as though he had just been sold out by his leader.

"Furthermore, I can personally lend a hand to help you deal with Geppetto. You've witnessed my strength; having an ally like me should considerably raise the success rate of your objective, shouldn't it?"

"By joining forces and taking what we each need, isn't that far wiser than fighting to the death here right now?"

Romeo's lips parted slightly, but it found itself unable to muster any words of rebuttal.

It fell into a blank, cold contemplation. The human was right: they held no deep-seated enmity, and their sole point of conflict was Carlo.

If the opponent was willing to let Carlo act according to its plan, thereby resolving the only core contradiction, what reason did the two of them have to fight to the death?

Wasn't mutual cooperation and alliance a far better choice? Could there be any solution more perfect than this?

"What's in it for you?"

Solemnly, Li Nanke replied: "I'll help you take down Geppetto, and as an ally, you must help me take down Simon."

Romeo hesitated. If the opponent offered to help without demanding anything in return, it would undoubtedly be a lie or a scam. But since the other party had distinct goals of their own, a cooperative alliance allowed both sides to take what they required.

Seeing that the enemy was somewhat moved, Li Nanke quickly signaled Pinocchio with a glance.

Romeo wavered for a moment, until it caught sight of Pinocchio's hopeful expression—an expression that clearly seemed to say, "Just agree with the boss, already."

For reasons unknown, it suddenly felt drained of all strength and devoid of any reason to object.

The powerful King of Puppets lowered its gaze, let out a long sigh, and murmured:

"Very well, I agree. We shall form an alli—"

Before it could finish speaking, just as both sides were making concessions and compromises with the alliance on the verge of being sealed, a sudden drastic change occurred!

Romeo abruptly stiffened in place. Its lively gaze instantly grew vacant, and its expression twisted into a hint of ferocity.

"No! You are a human!"

"My received command is to kill all humans except my creator... The command is to kill all humans except my creator..."

"Kill all humans except my creator!"

The giant puppet's jaws kept parting and closing, repeating Romeo's frantic, murmuring internal struggle aloud.

The moment Li Nanke heard the enemy's tone, he knew things had gone terribly wrong!

The damned Grand Pact had undoubtedly triggered. The instant Romeo defied its programming by attempting to ally with a human, it had violated the command issued by Geppetto.

Much like the underlying logic of a computer program, once a specific condition was met, the Grand Pact took effect, overriding its behavior and mindset to compel Romeo to slaughter all humans.

Raising its massive metal fist once more, the ultra-giant puppet lunged forward without a word to crush Li Nanke.

Li Nanke's pupils constricted as countless thoughts raced through his mind, inspiring him to shout out a desperate phrase born of quick thinking.

This single sentence caused the Grand Pact-controlled Romeo to freeze mid-action.

The ultra-giant puppet it operated similarly ground to a halt, its metal fist hanging frozen in mid-air, unable to push forward another inch.

The turbulent gale of the punch whipped Li Nanke's hair backward and flapped his collar violently, the colossal fist stopping less than a meter away from his face.

And the words that had brought Romeo's murderous assault to a sudden halt were:

"Stop! I am not human!"