My bloodline is so eager to improve.

The horse's mane had a strange golden hue, each strand distinct, swaying gently in the breeze like flowing amber, creating a striking visual contrast with its entirely scarlet body.

"It's amazing, isn't it?"

Una appeared at some point, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"This is a masterpiece created by Maeve and me working together!"

It is a creation formed by the intertwining of necromancy and alchemy.

Maeve was responsible for cultivating the flesh and blood and activating the undead, while I designed and installed the mechanical parts.

We put in a lot of effort to achieve a perfect fusion of the two.

As Otto observed the strange creature before him, Maeve patiently reminded him.

“Prick your finger and drip your blood into the hollowed-out spot on its chest, and you will complete the contract.”

Maeve paused for a moment, then added.

"Rest assured, a soul will only be generated within its body at the moment the contract is formed."

Before that, it was nothing more than an empty shell without a soul or consciousness.

Once the contract is completed, it will be absolutely faithful to the original contract; I can guarantee that.

However, because of its absolute loyalty and exceptional physical strength, it lacks any offensive capabilities.

Maeve clicked her tongue in regret as she finished speaking.

If it were her, she wouldn't care about loyalty or betrayal.

If they don't listen, just get a brain transplant.

However, Otto is not a necromancer after all, so his actual needs still need to be considered.

Fortunately, Otto didn't seem to care.

What he needed was a mount capable of long-distance labor, carrying heavy loads, and not panicking in battle, not a war beast for charging into battle; he wasn't a beast tamer.

From this perspective, the designs for Maeve and Una have perfectly fulfilled his requirements.

Thinking of this, Otto did not hesitate at all and immediately cut his finger.

A drop of bright red blood seeped from his fingertip. He held his finger above the hollowed-out area on the warhorse's chest and flicked it lightly. The blood drop fell precisely onto the complex mechanical core in the hollowed-out area of ​​the warhorse's chest.

Then, another strange scene unfolded.

A crimson aura, as if alive, gushed from the blood droplets and spread rapidly along the blood vessels and mechanical tubes inside the warhorse's body.

The previously still metal parts began to creak and groan, and dark red magic liquid flowed through the transparent pipes.

The crimson aura grew stronger and stronger, gradually filling the hollowed-out area and the previously exposed mechanical parts with flesh and blood.

A powerful life pulse emanated from the warhorse's body, growing stronger and faster, vibrating in the air like a drumbeat.

Then, the horse opened its eyes.

Its eyes are pure gold, without pupils or whites, only two dazzling golden lights.

It raised its head and let out a deafening roar.

The roar was a mixture of the neighing of warhorses and the creaking of machinery, the two sounds intertwining to create a strange and awe-inspiring harmony.

The roar of machinery, along with the neighing of horses, echoed through the sky, startling countless birds in the forest.

The magnificent horse before me was like a tall, fleshy machine, and it finally began to hum.

Its four hooves pounded the ground, each step causing a slight tremor. Its scarlet scales gleamed in the sunlight, and its golden mane fluttered in the wind.

After seeing Otto successfully complete the contract, Maeve patiently taught the boy how to use this undead creation.

"The characteristics of this undead creature are quite interesting."

What you are seeing now is just normal riding.

If you need it, you can transmit your will to it, and it can change form.

Upon hearing this, Otto asked with genuine curiosity.

"What else can it become?"

Upon hearing this, Maeve revealed a mysterious smile.

He pointed to the warhorse's mane, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You'll have to experience that for yourself."

Place your hand on its mane, infuse it with magic, and see what happens.

Following Maeve's advice, Otto did as she suggested.

He walked to the side of the warhorse and gently placed his right hand on the flowing, amber-like golden mane.

The horse mane felt surprisingly soft and warm to the touch, unlike its cold and hard appearance.

Otto took a deep breath and slowly channeled his magic into it.

The next second, an astonishing scene unfolded.

The horse let out a deep neigh, and its scarlet scales began to peel off piece by piece, turning into countless tiny red specks of light that floated in mid-air.

Its body began to twist and deform, and its mechanical parts recombined in a way that defied common sense. Flesh and metal intertwined and turned into flowing red light bands that coiled around Otto's body.

Otto felt a warm force enveloping him, and the red light bands seemed to be alive, moving and attaching themselves to his limbs and bones.

A hard breastplate spread out from his chest, covering his entire torso.

Each nail plate fit his body perfectly, without the slightest sense of excess.

The helmet rose from the back of his neck, completely covering his skull, with a pair of gold chips embedded in the position of his eyes. This design served a defensive purpose without obstructing Otto's vision.

The amber-colored horse mane stood upright behind the helmet, transforming into a long, golden tassel that swayed gently in the breeze, becoming a strange decoration.

Otto even received a bright red cloak.

The cloak draped down from the shoulder armor, extending to the calves, rustling in the morning breeze.

At this moment, Otto looked like a knight returning with honors.

"This is the armor form."

Maeve's voice came from the side, filled with undisguised satisfaction.

"This undead creation will not provide you with any specific trait bonuses."

But we pushed its performance as a tool to its limits.

She walked up to Otto, circled him, looked him up and down in his scarlet heavy armor, and continued to explain.

"As for consumption, as long as this warhorse is on all fours, it can draw on natural magic to replenish itself, saving you money on fodder."

Under normal circumstances, it will become your mount, carrying you for thousands of miles.

In battle, it will transform into heavy full-body armor to provide you with protection.

You can prepare a set of lightweight nails, preferably leather, for it to attach and shape.

This way, it won't increase your burden, and you can switch forms whenever needed.

Having pre-made armor also allows warhorses to transform faster, avoiding delays in battle.

I've heard you have excellent strength and stamina, so this shouldn't be too much of a burden for you.

Upon hearing this, Otto simply nodded, without denying it.

At this moment, he could even see the message from the giant bear on the ridge.

The ridge bear seems to really like this living armor and is already helping Otto share the weight of it.

But just as Otto was feeling the changes brought about by the armor, Maeve spoke up again.

"It doesn't have an official name yet. I originally wanted to call it Crimson Stream, but Una insisted on calling it Amber Stone."

I don't have any objection to this; after all, a name is just a label.

"Amber definitely sounds better!"

Upon hearing Maeve's words, Una immediately jumped out and retorted with her hands on her hips.

"Crimson Stream of Light and stuff, that's too cliché, it sounds like a toy the lich just casually made!"

Look how beautiful its mane is! Doesn't it look like flowing amber? It should be called an amber stone!

"But it's entirely scarlet, wouldn't 'Scarlet Stream of Light' be a more fitting description?"

Maeve calmly retorted to her old friend, but Una immediately became agitated upon hearing this.

"But we can't ignore its most distinctive features!"

"Special features? You call that tuft of hair a special feature?"

"What do you mean by 'that tuft of hair'? Don't you even know anything about aesthetics? Have your eyes rotted away along with the magic?"

Watching the two start their usual argument over the name again, Otto sighed helplessly and could only observe the changes around him on his own.

He looked down at his scarlet heavy armor and touched the golden tassels, feeling quite satisfied.

As for the name, Otto actually prefers to call it Amber Stone.

The reason is simple: Otto doesn't want to be associated with anything related to 'Crimson' right now, not even the name. The main color of these warhorses can't be changed, so at least their names shouldn't be associated with crimson.

"Alright, everything's been resolved, we should head back now."

Otto interrupted their argument.

"Let's test this horse's carrying capacity."

With a thought, Otto's crimson heavy armor began to peel away piece by piece, turning back into red specks of light that converged and reassembled before him, eventually transforming back into the strange warhorse with its crimson coat and golden mane.

Otto suggested that the three of them ride on it together and see its carrying capacity.

Upon hearing this, the two stopped arguing.

Clearly, for them, research and experimentation are more appealing.

Seeing that the two had stopped fighting again, Otto immediately went to their side and helped Maeve and Una onto the horse one by one.

Una was as light as a kitten, while Maeve, though slightly taller, seemed to have little flesh on her body and wasn't too heavy.

Otto himself mounted his horse and sat in the back, gripping the ropes formed from magic in his hands.

"Sit tight, let's begin the experiment!"

After whispering a reminder to the two men, Otto immediately squeezed the horse's belly with his legs.

Amber Stone let out a deep neigh, and with all four hooves pushing off, it charged forward like a streak of red lightning.

To Otto's surprise, this steed was just as fast as the warhorse he had borrowed at Ironridge Pass.

Moreover, its running style is completely different from that of ordinary warhorses.

Its limb joints can bend at angles far exceeding biological limits, and it can even absorb most of the impact force upon landing, and it can unleash astonishing thrust when starting.

Its steps are steady and powerful, and even when running on rugged forest paths, it hardly feels bumpy.

At this moment, Otto's riding skills also had a chance to shine.

He tightened the rope where he should have slowed down to get through the curves, and instead sped up.

The warhorse seemed to sense his intention, tilting its body automatically as it turned, its four hooves precisely striking each point of contact, completing one beautiful drift turn after another.

It can be said that Otto's riding skills are a natural fit for this undead creation.

Necromantic creations can perform far too many unconventional actions.

As the experiment progressed, in less than half an hour, Otto brought the two mages back to the Adventurers' Guild in Oak Town.

By this time, the sun had fully risen, and the residents of the town began their busy day.

The streets were bustling with people, a cacophony of hawkers' cries, laughter, and the clatter of horses' hooves. Even the winter break couldn't dampen people's desire to buy; the streets were now a lively hub of activity.

When Otto rode his strange, scarlet warhorse into the town, he unsurprisingly caused a commotion.

Passersby turned to look, some with curious expressions, others with fear, keeping their distance.

Otto was already used to this.

He simply dismounted, leaving the amber stone outside, and then pushed open the doors of the Adventurers' Guild.