NCCnovel Chapter 788: Puppeteer
Chapter 788: Puppeteer
Villain Ch 788. Puppeteer
Allen’s frown deepened as he wrestled with the nagging sense of familiarity that surrounded the NPC’s name. "Gheppetto? Why do I feel that name is similar to something," he mused aloud, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
His companions exchanged puzzled glances, their curiosity piqued by Allen’s apparent recognition. But Red_King dismissed it with a casual wave of his hand. "It’s just an NPC name, Godlike. Don’t think too much about it," he advised, his tone laced with reassurance.
Despite Red_King’s attempt to dispel the unease, Allen couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the name than met the eye. He wracked his brain, delving into the recesses of his memory in search of answers. The name seemed to hover on the edge of his consciousness, tantalizingly close yet frustratingly out of reach.
The group approached Gheppetto cautiously, their curiosity mingled with a sense of apprehension as they observed the aged NPC. Gheppetto, with his weathered features and stooped posture, looked every bit the part of a weary elder.
"Hello," Arcana greeted tentatively, breaking the silence that hung heavy in the air.
Gheppetto turned to face them, his expression devoid of enthusiasm as he regarded the adventurers with tired eyes. "Adventurer, what brings you to this sad place?" Gheppetto’s voice was heavy with sorrow.
Arcana hesitated, unsure of how to respond to Gheppetto’s melancholy question. After a moment’s pause, he spoke, his tone gentle yet uncertain. "We were just hunting around here and came by accident," he explained, hoping to offer some semblance of an explanation for their presence in the cemetery.
Red_King seized the opportunity to inquire further, his curiosity piqued by the mysterious surroundings and the NPC’s somber demeanor. "If we may know, what is this place, and why are you here?" he asked, his voice tinged with genuine concern.
With a sharp clang, the true nature of Gheppetto’s attack became clear. The strings hit the ground, their pincer-like ends clattering against the cold earth.
The strings, eerily reminiscent of puppeteer’s tools, seemed poised to ensnare anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in their grasp. It was a chilling realization that Gheppetto intended to turn them into his next puppets, mere marionettes under his control.
’Gheppetto and the puppets...’ he thought. For Allen, the sight triggered a flood of memories from his childhood. He recalled the stories his grandmother used to read to him, tales of magic and wonder that had once captivated his imagination. Among them was the story of Gepetto, the old woodcarver who had crafted a wooden boy.
In the classic fairy tale, the wooden puppet had been brought to life by a benevolent fairy, embarking on a journey of self-discovery and adventure. But the twisted reality before them bore little resemblance to the innocent tales of his youth. Here, Gheppetto’s strings were not instruments of whimsy, but tools of manipulation and control.
The parallels between the storybook character and the vengeful NPC were impossible to ignore. It was as if Gheppetto had stepped out of the pages of the fairy tale, his intentions far more sinister than those of his literary counterpart.
With a sense of urgency in his voice, Allen sounded the alarm. "Be careful, everyone! He’s the puppeteer!" His words cut through the tense atmosphere. In that moment, it became clear that Gheppetto was the mastermind behind the puppet monsters they had encountered.
Gheppetto’s emotions shifted, and so did the status hovering above his head.
Puppeteer (Mini-boss)
With caution etched on their faces, the group swiftly put some distance between themselves and Gheppetto, retreating to create a safe buffer zone. Each member assumed a defensive stance, weapons at the ready and eyes fixated on the Puppeteer.