Throughout history, scholars have attempted to classify golems according to the materials from which they are forged. Although the structure and crafting techniques vary widely, golems can generally be divided into several major categories: Flesh Golems, Clay Golems, Stone Golems, Metal Golems, and the extremely rare and powerful Supreme Golems. Beyond these primary groups, there exist a handful of special-purpose variants, each created to fulfill particular magical needs.
Among all types, Flesh Golems are regarded as the most peculiar and unpredictable. Their strength fluctuates drastically depending on the quality of the flesh used in their construction. If the body material is mediocre, the resulting creature might barely match the strength of a beginner knight. But at the pinnacle of possibility lies the legendary Godly Body Golem, crafted from the remains of divine beings. Such monstrosities are so overwhelmingly powerful that even True Spirit Wizards would be forced to avoid direct confrontation.
By contrast, Clay Golems are far more common and far less impressive. They traditionally serve as laborers or household assistants, capable of light construction, repetitive physical tasks, and basic chores. Their combat power is laughably low; at best, a Clay Golem could bully an untrained Apprentice Knight, but little more.
Stone Golems are sturdier. Their weight and solid structure grant them slightly better defensive and offensive capabilities, enough to rival a Formal Knight. However, they remain slow and predictable, limiting their use in any serious battle.
The category with the greatest diversity is unquestionably Metal Golems. These constructs vary immensely in power, cost, and construction difficulty. Steel Golems, the lowest tier, already possess the combat power of a Legendary Knight, making them extremely valuable to most wizards. More advanced types—such as Adamantine Golems, Shadow Steel Golems, and the extremely rare Diamond Golems—have been known to challenge or even defeat Formal Wizards in direct combat. That said, the resources required to create such a creature are prohibitively expensive. Many of the rare ores once used to craft high-tier Metal Golems may no longer exist on the Starlight Continent.
Beyond even Metal Golems lies the pinnacle of construct creation: the Supreme Golem. This archetype serves as the foundational blueprint for all modern Mana Constructs. Based on its principles, ancient wizards developed formidable artificial life forms such as Arcane Guardians, Mana Machine Armors, Tower Spirit Constructs, and Mithril Sages. These legendary entities were not merely tools; they were weapons designed to challenge deities themselves. Their existence stands as a testament to the glorious might of the wizarding era from a thousand years ago.
Aside from these major types, there also exist special-purpose constructs such as Dark Golems, Strangling Golems, and Bone Golems. Because their functions are extremely specialized, only wizards with particular requirements choose to build them.
In short, the combat capability of a golem varies tremendously depending on its type and the resources invested. Many wizards create golems as assistants, guards, or supporters rather than frontline fighters.
magus held similar ambitions. But he understood that constructing a golem required more than physical materials — it required a soul core.
A soul core serves as the heart of a golem. It grants the construct a rudimentary form of intelligence, enabling it to process commands and perform repetitive tasks without constant supervision. Simple golems such as Clay and Stone Golems can function with low-quality soul cores—sometimes even ordinary gemstones can be used. However, the creation of Metal Golems demands genuine soul crystals.
Soul crystals are categorized into five grades: miniature, small, medium, large, and legendary. The higher the grade, the more intelligent and responsive the resulting golem will be.
The miniature soul crystal magus had recovered from the Kubeiro Estate was only the lowest grade. It would suffice for crafting a Steel Golem but would be insufficient for more advanced constructs. Still, to magus, even a Steel Golem would be a tremendous asset at this stage.
"Once the Mana Crystal Forging Furnace is completed, I'll begin crafting a golem."
The second book that caught his interest detailed the artificial production of secondary magic stones. These stones are artificially synthesized energy crystals containing much less power than genuine magic stones. They lack the wide versatility of true magic stones, yet they serve as functional substitutes in many magical devices and rituals.
During the golden age of wizardry, secondary magic stones were rarely used because naturally occurring true magic stones were abundant. But the current era is very different. As ambient energy levels plummeted across the continent, all natural magic stone veins dried up. No new stones have appeared for generations. Thus, secondary magic stones have become the only acceptable option for most modern wizard apprentices.
To magus, this knowledge was invaluable.
"If I can produce secondary magic stones… then with the Rubik's Cube, I might be able to synthesize real magic stones!"
His eyes gleamed with excitement at the possibility. With genuine magic stones, his research would accelerate dramatically. They would make building the Mana Crystal Forging Furnace far easier and would also serve as stable power sources for energy-gathering arrays when he eventually established his Magic Plant Garden.
After carefully organizing the books he had collected, magus turned his attention to the final box from his expedition. Inside were numerous old items—timeworn relics, antiques, and damaged curiosities. Most were historically interesting but useless in practice. Two items still faintly retained the patterns of once-powerful magical artifacts, but centuries of erosion had rendered them beyond repair.
magus shook his head.
"Magic items from a thousand years ago rarely survive intact. It was already a miracle that the protective ring and magic coin I found were still functional."
He sighed and concluded that if he wanted reliable magical tools, he would have to craft them himself.
With that thought settled, he stored the artifacts away, instructed his servants to dispose of the useless remnants, and made his way to his laboratory. He had consumed a significant number of rune gems during his recent expedition, and with the looming conflict against Shining City, he would need to replenish his supply. The gold he seized—over two thousand coins from the Starfire Church's stronghold—had already been exchanged for raw gemstones. He intended to convert at least half of them into functional rune gems.
Meanwhile, far beyond magus's study, the political atmosphere of Golden Rock Province was shifting dramatically.
When Baron Owen seized the title of Shanguang Territory after his brother's death—forcing his nephews, the rune brothers, into exile in Blackstone City—many nobles had been disgusted by his behavior. Rumors suggested that once he consolidated power, he would inevitably attempt to eliminate any remaining threats to his authority.
Their predictions proved accurate. Barely had winter receded when Baron Owen launched a military campaign, accusing Blackstone City of colluding with the Starfire Church. The accusation was absurd—anyone with common sense could see that it was nothing more than a flimsy excuse.
Most nobles believed Blackstone City would be swiftly crushed. The disparity in manpower and resources between the two sides was obvious. Baron Owen's army numbered five thousand, including an elite cavalry unit and several powerful knights. In contrast, Blackstone City had little more than a modest defense force, led by the exiled rune brothers and their mysterious ally, magus.
Yet the outcome defied all expectations.
Baron Owen suffered a catastrophic defeat.
Out of five thousand soldiers, fewer than half returned. His elite cavalry regiment was annihilated. The leading commander, Great Knight Martel, along with three viscounts, died on the battlefield.
The nobles were stunned. Such devastating casualties were unheard of for what should have been a simple suppression mission.
Even more astonishing was the identity of the person responsible.
According to the survivors, the majority of the damage had been inflicted by magus. Witnesses claimed he wielded lightning and wind blades, summoned blood-colored vines, and commanded a massive invisible beast that tore through the army's formation. This surprise attack shattered the morale of the troops, triggering a rout.
One man—barely twenty years old—had overturned the power balance of an entire province.
The nobles were left speechless.
Not even a Legendary Knight could guarantee such overwhelming results. To accomplish this at magus's age was nothing short of miraculous.
The rumors spread like wildfire. For the first time in centuries, nobles who had always dismissed wizardry as ancient superstition began to believe the old legends were true. They scrambled to collect information about wizards, magical techniques, and anything related to arcane power.
Four days after Baron Owen's crushing defeat, yet another shocking announcement emerged.
Blackstone City officially declared war—its forces marching directly toward Shining City.
The entire Golden Rock Province was thrown into an uproar.
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