Within the gap-space at that moment.
The Goliath Doll's power system was undergoing continuous explosive reactions, converting into magical energy to fuel its movements. The converted mana was more than sufficient for basic operation and combat, but fell short when activating the magic Alice had imbued within the construct.
It wasn't that the mana output was small this time; rather, the spell Alice had added to the Goliath Doll simply demanded too much energy to activate.
It was a slight design flaw, she supposed. Alice had chosen the wrong magic to grant the Goliath Doll.
She had given the Doll only one ability: the power to manipulate gap-space. In Alice's initial vision, the Goliath's 'iron fists' could strike anywhere by passing through these gaps, thereby granting the massive construct a tremendous boost in mobility.
As it was, the Goliath Doll suffered from the same issues as a true Goliath: thick-skinned, towering, but relatively low in agility.
Hoping to solve this, Alice had used her Seven Luminaries magic to grant the Doll the ability to freely open gap-space.
Of course, all her other dolls possessed the ability to open gaps.
But actively opening a gap to attack through it was entirely different from merely creating a connecting gap-space.
One was an active skill, the other more passive.
Moreover, the size of the gap required was different, and the mana consumption was worlds apart.
In short, the idea of the Goliath Doll utilizing gap-space for attacks was, for now, a bust. The cost was just too high.
'So the gaps are completely useless for this. I might as well have just given it a simple strength amplification spell instead.'
Alice watched as the Goliath Doll traded blows with the black giant, quietly thinking to herself.
She meticulously recorded all the data in her mind: the Goliath's mana consumption, the mana generation from the gap-space explosion core... all of it.
About ten minutes passed.
Once Alice realized she wouldn't be gathering any more useful data for the moment, she took direct control of the Goliath Doll herself.
The threads on Alice's hands were for self-protection, not for controlling her dolls.
All of Alice's Dolls could be controlled directly through her spirit and mana.
"Shanghai, Hourai." Alice's voice rang out.
Shanghai and Hourai suddenly flew up from Lefiya's embrace, arriving at Alice's side.
Alice hadn't upgraded Shanghai or Hourai, but they were more than enough to deal with the Goliath.
"Hourai, prepare amplification magic."
"Shanghai, prepare for close-quarters combat."
"Goliath, pin down that big black fellow for me."
Alice issued her commands simply.
Shanghai drew her tiny knight's lance. A small magic circle appeared behind Hourai. The Goliath Doll reached out with its 'small' hand and grabbed for the Goliath.
In one swift motion, the Goliath Doll executed a grappling hold on the black giant.
The Goliath Doll's core was crafted from a Goliath's drop item, granting it a toughness comparable to the real thing.
Even though this Goliath had been enhanced by the Dungeon, thanks to Alice's craftsmanship and magical reinforcement, her Doll's resilience wasn't far inferior to this black, enhanced species.
Once the Goliath Doll had the black giant in a firm hold, a surge of intense magical energy erupted from Shanghai.
A magic circle also materialized beneath Alice. Raising her hand, she murmured softly.
"Fire Magic, Flame Enchant."
As her words faded, Shanghai's lance glowed red, its temperature rapidly rising.
"Wood Magic, Current Enchant."
"Metal Magic, Sharpness Increase."
"Moon Magic, Defense Boost."
"Foundation, Mana Amplification."
The magic of the Seven Luminaries was incredibly versatile. Its true convenience lay in its adaptability, providing a solution for nearly any situation.
It wasn't limited to offensive spells; it included supportive magic as well.
Under the layers of Alice's enchantments, even Riveria felt a stir of surprise at the aura now radiating from Shanghai.
"Hourai, take over maintaining the spells." After amplifying Shanghai's power, Alice transferred control of the ongoing magic to Hourai.
The various enhancements on Shanghai were now being sustained by Hourai.
Meanwhile, Alice herself floated into the air, drawing upon her vast reserves of mana to construct a spell upon the ground beneath the Goliath's feet.
"Earth Magic, Gravity Shift."
"Boundary of Light and Heavy."
A massive magic circle instantly materialized, shining brilliantly as its light enveloped the Goliath.
The combined power of the Seven Luminaries and the boundary principle instantly formed a powerful gravity field around the giant.
The black giant, already restrained by the Goliath Doll, was immediately slammed into the ground by the sudden change in gravity.
The Goliath Doll was also affected by the field.
But a moment later, the Doll's volume began to shrink, and a gap-space appeared beside it.
Alice recalled it into the gap.
"Shanghai, charge and strike the big black fellow!"
"Combination attack: Shanghai Doll's Mighty Thrust!"
On Alice's command, Shanghai, who had been poised and ready, raised her lance and took flight. The wind currents behind her, combined with the amplified mana, provided immense propulsive force.
Moving at a speed difficult for the eye to follow, Shanghai vanished, only to reappear behind the Goliath.
A look at the Goliath's condition revealed it pinned to the ground by the gravity field, a gaping hole now present in its massive head, the edges of the wound seared and burning.
Half of its head had simply vanished from the force of Shanghai's impact.
"ROOOOOAR!!!!!"
Losing half its head didn't kill the Goliath. In fact, even such a grievous wound was slowly regenerating thanks to the creature's powerful healing abilities.
Seeing this, Alice's expression remained unchanged.
"Shanghai, switch weapons. Bow."
Even as Alice spoke, Shanghai had already completed the weapon change.
Hourai continued to maintain all the previous enhancements on Shanghai, but now all those amplifications were transferred to the small, golden bow in Shanghai's hands.
Shanghai drew back the golden bowstring and let it loose.
A wind-forged arrow traced a green arc through the air before burying itself deep into the Goliath's chest.
A void instantly appeared where it struck.
Pressed down by the immense gravity, the Goliath was like a massive target. At this range, aiming an arrow at it, there was simply no way to miss.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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