Their root systems are interconnected within the island, forming a structure similar to a neural network.
This means attacking a single plant is ineffective; the core node controlling the entire network must be found.
The puppeteer leaps and dodges amidst the attacks of the tentacles, each movement precise to the millisecond.
Ron has been persistently training in the Simulation Battle Device, perfectly manifesting through the puppeteer.
Whether it’s the elegance of Corona Swordsmanship or the frenzy of Beast Race Swordsmanship, both can be switched at will.
But relying solely on physical attacks is clearly not enough.
He attempted to cast magic through the puppeteer, but the effect was greatly diminished.
The power of "Sound Wave Vibration" was only one-third of when cast by the body, and precise control was impossible.
Casting magic also consumed the puppeteer’s precious charging progress, causing him some distress.
"Still, primarily physical combat."
The puppeteer shuttles through the tentacle jungle like a specter, each sword swing precisely severing multiple tentacles.
The severed plant tissue began to release some enticing fragrance.
Under the guidance of the "Hunting Evil" skills, he could distinctly perceive the mental lure elements contained in these fragrances.
To ordinary explorers, this fragrance could be deadly, leading them voluntarily towards the plants’ "mouths."
But the puppeteer was completely unaffected, even capable of absorbing energy from the plants’ "pain."
The battle lasted nearly twenty minutes before the puppeteer finally found the core of the plant network.
It was a huge bud located at the center of the island, its surface covered with dense eye-like organs.
The bud suddenly bloomed, revealing a dark cavity inside.
A powerful suction emerged, attempting to drag the puppeteer in.
But Ron was well-prepared.
He controlled the puppeteer to release a compressed "Sound Wave Vibration · Erosion Mode," directly blasting towards the core of the bud.
In that bizarre ravings, the entire plant network emitted a piercing shriek, quickly withering and decaying.
The previously active tentacles dropped one after another, losing their life energy.
Although the power was far less than when cast by the body, at such a close distance it still produced a restraining effect.
He maneuvered the puppeteer forward and began absorbing the withered material.
The puppeteer gained abundantly from this battle.
[Automatically absorbed active abyssal material, charging progress +0.5%]
[Current energy: 16.5%/100%]
"The energy conversion efficiency of abyssal creatures is truly remarkable,"
Ron thought with some satisfaction.
As the devouring proceeded, the puppeteer’s condition gradually improved.
For the puppeteer, its "energy reserve" could only rely on this kind of devouring, so it could only sustain battles through battles.
After clearing this small island, Ron continued to control the puppeteer to explore deeper into the sea.
Guided by the "Hunting Evil" skills, he could perceive more powerful presences in the distance.
Some emanated an ancient and profound aura, while others were filled with a frenzy for destruction.
But what intrigued him the most was the massive energy anomaly at the center of the sea.
There, something seemed to surpass conventional understanding.
The puppeteer moved slowly on the sea’s surface, its movement method quite peculiar.
It wasn’t swimming or floating, but directly treading on the surface of the "sea water."
The liquefied abyssal energy automatically solidified under its feet, providing it with a foothold.
This ability allowed the puppeteer to run at a remarkable speed on the sea surface, like the "water strider" he fantasized about as a child.
During the advance, Ron encountered the second type of abyssal creature.
They were a group of jellyfish-like floating creatures, house-sized.
Their bodies were semi-transparent, with complex organ structures visible slowly wriggling inside.
Most unsettling of all, at the "brain" location of these creatures, human heads were suspended.
The heads still maintained life functions, eyes turning, mouths opening and closing, as if silently pleading for help.
"Brain Jellyfish."
Ron immediately recognized this type of abyssal creature.
They captured intelligent beings, extracting their consciousness as their "computational core."
The trapped heads actually had lost their independent personalities, merely tools for the creatures’ complex thoughts.
Once these brain jellyfish detected the puppeteer’s presence, they immediately launched an attack.
Their attack method was extremely bizarre, shooting innumerable thread-like needles from inside their bodies.
The targets of these needles were not the puppeteer’s body, but trying to invade its "spiritual core."
But the puppeteer’s mental structure was entirely different from ordinary creatures.
When those needles touched the puppeteer, they were instead rebounded by its abyssal essence.
A few brain jellyfish screamed in pain, their internal organs convulsing violently.
"This devouring ability... just right to turn the tables."
Ron keenly sensed the opportunity and immediately controlled the puppeteer to counterattack.
He directly used the puppeteer’s hands to grasp the connection lines of those needles, then activated its "devour" ability.
The puppeteer’s palms suddenly opened, revealing deep cavities inside.
A strong suction emanated, forcibly extracting the jellyfish creature’s spiritual energy.
This reversal threw the brain jellyfish into extreme panic.
They desperately tried to retract their tentacles, but it was too late.
Once the puppeteer’s devour ability was activated, it formed a one-way energy flow until the target was completely drained.
In less than five minutes, three gigantic brain jellyfish were completely "digested."
Their spiritual energy was absorbed by the puppeteer, and those trapped human heads also found release, finally closing their eyes peacefully.