Chapter 256
“This one’s structure is a bit different from the other magic guns, isn’t it?”
The rapid-fire magic gun that Bastian had, and the magic gun that Wolfgang gave him, both operated on the same principle.
It was the principle of firing a bullet using explosion magic.
However, the magic gun used by the Knight Killers had not only that but also several other components engraved with different magic.
“I’m not sure what these parts are for.”
After some thought, he decided to call his helpers.
And a few days later, someone came to visit the Vardec main residence.
It was Golin and Paynun.
“Thank you for coming, I know you must be busy.”
Zeke showed the two men the magic guns and asked for their expert opinion.
Golin, exercising his masterful craftsmanship, first disassembled all three types of magic guns. Then, he meticulously examined their operating principles.
Meanwhile, Paynun analyzed the magic drive formula cast on the bullets.
After a full half a day had passed, the two finally finished their analysis.
First, Golin spoke to Zeke with a troubled expression.
“I am also an artisan who deals with weaponry, but I don’t know what to make of this weapon, my lord.”
At Golin’s words, Zeke asked,
“What do you mean by that?”
Golin looked at the disassembled magic guns and said,
“In my opinion, these weapons seem to be modified replicas.”
Zeke was startled by those words.
“Replicas? Then you’re saying there’s an original somewhere?”
“That is what I think. To be more precise, it feels as if they were made by looking at the exterior without understanding the operating principle, and then various functions were tacked on to produce a similar effect.”
“What is your reason for thinking so?”
He picked up the body of the disassembled rapid-fire magic gun and tapped it with his fingertips as he spoke.
“This one seems to have been made as light as possible for practicality, but if so, it cannot withstand the explosion of the bullet, and there is a high risk that the user will be seriously injured.”
Then, he picked up the body of the magic gun Wolfgang had given him and continued.
“Conversely, this one seems to have used an alloy to increase durability, but it’s so heavy and expensive that mass production would be impossible.”
He pushed the two magic guns aside and continued his explanation.
“In my opinion, these two weapons are likely experimental pieces created in the process of modifying an original after seeing it. That’s why they are very unstable, and their reliability is difficult to guarantee. To use a sword as an analogy, they could be seen as a sword that might break and injure its owner during battle, or one made so large and crude that the owner can’t even lift it properly.”
Zeke pointed to the Knight Killer’s magic gun lying next to them.
“Compared to the first two, what about this one?”
Golin looked even more troubled than before and said to Zeke,
“My lord, to be honest with you, this weapon is truly bizarre.”
“Bizarre? What do you mean by that?”
After a moment of thought, Golin slowly opened his mouth.
“The gun itself is not that different in structure from the other two. It’s made to be a bit more sturdy and to shoot farther. But…”
When Golin hesitated to continue, Paynun, who was beside him, opened his mouth.
“Master, this weapon contains the power of black magic.”
At the words ‘black magic,’ Zeke held his breath for a moment.
Golin, who had been reserved, also heard Paynun’s words, and his face hardened.
Zeke mulled over Paynun’s words.
‘A black magic weapon.’
The bullets used by the Knight Killers were imbued with demonic energy, so Zeke himself had considered the possibility.
There was a deep connection between Siemens and the Abyss, and since the Knight Killers were secretly raised by Siemens, it was an entirely possible scenario.
‘Perhaps this magic gun could be the proof that Siemens joined hands with the black mages.’
It made sense why the Knight Killers had so desperately destroyed these magic guns without a trace, even as they died, during the Continental War of his past life.
Zeke slowly opened his mouth toward Paynun.
“Lord Paynun. Is there a reason you believe this weapon was made with the power of black magic?”
Paynun picked up one of the disassembled parts of the magic gun and pointed to the magic drive plate engraved on it.
“This method of magic implementation can be said to be completely outside the bounds of conventional magic theory.”
Paynun paused for a moment before speaking again.
“This is not a magic formula that operates on mana, but a type of summoning formula.”
“A summoning formula? What does it summon?”
Paynun said cautiously,
“Through this summoning formula, it summons demonic energy and infuses it into the bullet.”
Zeke realized how the Knight Killers had been able to imbue their bullets with demonic energy.
‘So they used the power of black magic to summon demonic energy.’
Just then, Golin, who had been listening to the story, spoke up.
“The reason I called this weapon bizarre is that it was created for the sole purpose of killing living things. The longer a user handles this weapon, the more they will suffer from madness, crave blood, and eventually become a madman, running wild.”
It meant that it was just as vile as a cursed sword that devours its user’s soul.
Zeke recalled how many knights’ lives this weapon had taken during the Continental War in his past life.
At the time of the war, considering the weapon’s purpose and the war’s outcome, it had been a sufficient success.
Zeke asked Golin,
“Then are you saying that the original of the replicas is this magic gun imbued with black magic?”
At that, Golin thought for a moment, then shook his head.
“I don’t think so. This magic gun also seems to have been made by modifying something else it was based on. In a way that allows it to fire bullets in a more wicked manner.”
At Golin’s words, Zeke fell into thought.
‘If all three are replicas… then it’s most likely that Siemens has the original.’
It seemed Siemens had created a replica, shown it to Vardec, and Vardec was now in the process of researching how to improve it further.
‘They probably intend to use the improved magic gun in the Continental War. If the magic gun’s limitations are removed, even ordinary soldiers would be able to fight against knights or mages.’
Zeke had regressed after experiencing a future where the Emperor wielded absolute power after the Empire unified the Central Continent.
Zeke didn't know what might have happened after that.
Perhaps Siemens had revealed its hidden power, put Abel at the forefront, and pulled down the Emperor to become the new masters of the continent.
Resting his chin on his hand, Zeke thought for a moment before speaking to Golin.
“In your opinion, is there a way to improve this weapon through conventional methods?”
At his words, Golin made a troubled expression.
After thinking for a moment, Golin opened his mouth.
“To be honest with you, my lord. I don’t think this is my field. It might be a different story for my master, though.”
Golin, who was adept at handling all sorts of devices, would probably be able to create a magic gun in a completely different way.
However, Golin was a Blacksmith of Souls, an artisan specialized in creating arms that contained the user’s soul.
He was not accustomed to handling such complex weaponry.
Paynun, who had been examining the rapid-fire magic gun more closely, slowly opened his mouth.
“If the only purpose of this weapon is to fire a bullet, it seems it could be replaced with a different magic drive formula.”
“How so?”
“The method that immediately comes to mind is to engrave Force magic onto this drive mechanism to push the bullet, and engrave Grease magic on the inside here to minimize friction and send it as far as possible.”
At those words, Zeke furrowed his brow.
“That alone requires two types of magic. Golin, would the production cost be manageable?”
Beside him, Golin did a quick calculation and then shook his head.
It seemed it would be cheaper to hire a 2nd-Circle mage to create scrolls with simple attack magic than to create an artifact of that level.
Just then, Zeke came up with an idea.
“What about putting gunpowder in the bullet’s explosive part to detonate it.”
It seemed that if they filled the bullet with gunpowder, which was mainly used for cheap fireworks, and then lit it to make it explode, the repulsive force could launch the bullet.
But Golin shook his head.
“Gunpowder is too dangerous. There’s a chance it could explode by mistake while being carried around. On top of that, if you have to light it yourself, the speed would be so slow you could die before you even get to shoot.”
It meant that while it might be cost-effective, its safety couldn't be guaranteed, and its slow speed diminished its value as a weapon.
Zeke also nodded at Golin’s words.
‘Right, if it’s just launching something with gunpowder, it might be better to just have mages cast Fireball. For speed, a bow or crossbow would be better.’
There were many limitations to improving the magic gun from various aspects.
In the midst of this, Zeke recalled something.
He remembered the spears that the Dark Elves had thrown from above while riding wyverns at the Inverted Tower.
He took out the spear he had stored in a corner of his inventory.
“Take a look at this.”
Paynun and Golin examined the Dark Elf spear Zeke had taken out with interest.
“This… is quite a peculiar weapon.”
Zeke, who was observing their reactions, asked Paynun,
“Is there magic cast on this as well?”
Paynun shook his head.
“No. It’s made so that when this spearhead receives an impact, it explodes from the inside, and sharp fragments fly out in all directions.”
“Is it possible to make something like this without using magic?”
Golin, also looking intrigued, examined the inside of the spearhead and explained.
“The spearhead itself doesn’t seem to be made of ordinary metal, but shaped by melting down minerals. It seems that during the manufacturing process, the inside was left hollow and filled with something else.”
“What’s inside the blade that causes an explosion?”
When Golin couldn't answer easily, Paynun offered his own thoughts.
After hearing Paynun’s answer, Zeke nodded.
“That could certainly cause an explosion.”
Zeke was thinking quietly when his eyes sparkled at a sudden thought.
‘This might just work?’
He brought over a piece of paper, drew a simple structural diagram, and showed it to Golin.
“Golin, can you make the body of the magic gun like this?”
After examining the schematic Zeke had drawn, Golin did some calculations and then nodded.
“This much is certainly possible.”
“Good. I’ll ask to borrow the workshop here, so please make it just like this. Lord Paynun, please help with the numerical calculations.”
Zeke, Paynun, and Golin put their heads together and began to draw up a new blueprint.
* * *
A week later, Zeke requested a meeting with Wolfgang.
Wolfgang was in the middle of inspecting an arms factory located inside Canus, and he replied for Zeke to come there.
Zeke headed toward the factory where Wolfgang was conducting his inspection.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Inside the massive factory, affiliated artisans were tirelessly hammering away, crafting arms.
While a sword blade was being hammered on one side, it was cooled on another, and the finished blades were loaded onto carts and moved elsewhere.
There, the edges were sharpened and hilts were attached, gradually taking the form of a sword.
Wolfgang was not in hunter-like attire from the first day, but was dressed like a northern lord.
Wolfgang, wearing a thick leather tunic with wooden buttons and even a cloak made of animal fur, looked dignified and stubborn, while exuding the imposing air of a castle lord.
Wolfgang, who was testing the balance of a newly produced sword by gripping it and swinging it around, spotted the approaching Zeke.
“Sir Zeke! Welcome.”
He put down the sword he was holding, approached Zeke, and clapped him on the shoulder in a friendly manner as he spoke.
“I’m curious to see what wisdom the Knight of Resolution has come up with.”
“Would you like to confirm it right now?”
At Zeke’s words, Wolfgang grinned.
“Excellent. Let’s go outside.”
Wolfgang went with Zeke to an open lot behind the factory.
He had his attendants set up a suit of armor to use as a target, fifty paces away.
Watching the busy movements of the attendants, Wolfgang said to Zeke,
“I will give you my approval if you pierce that armor three times in a row with the new magic gun.”
Even from a distance, he could tell that the armor they had set up was considerably thick.
Zeke said nothing and placed the long leather bag he had been carrying on his back onto the ground.
Then, he slowly opened the bag’s flap.
Wolfgang was surprised by what was inside the bag.
“This is…?”
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