Chapter 5: Improvements
Two months had passed since Lucen requested to study alchemy. In the time he waited for the alchemist his father promised to send, Lucen hadn’t been idle. He trained every day, pushing his body beyond its limits.
The once-scrawny frame that struggled with a wooden sword now bore lean muscle. His posture was firmer, his movements sharper.
He was still small, but the boy who once collapsed after a few swings could now go through entire forms without breaking a sweat.
At some point in his training, exercising had become easier, and he was gaining more than usual.
His body wasn’t the only thing that had changed, his skills had sharpened too. While he had yet to unlock the Swordsmanship skill, his stance had become incredibly stable, a testament to his tireless practice. Still, no matter how hard he pushed his body, the elusive power of Aura remained locked away.
Using his Gun Knowledge skill, he attempted to recreate an arquebus. However, many of the materials he needed, especially those used in crafting gunpowder, either didn’t exist or were known by entirely different names in this world, making identification nearly impossible.
Even so, with the help of the North’s finest blacksmiths, carpenters, and his deep understanding of firearm mechanics due to the Gun Knowledge skill, he managed to construct the very first gun in this medieval fantasy world. It was even an improved version of the one created in his past life. This version, theoretically, could fire at a longer distance than its Earth counterpart. Unfortunately, without gunpowder, it was little more than a well-made decorative piece.
He had even tried using the Bullet Creation skill to recreate gunpowder. Unfortunately, the ammunition created by that skill didn’t use actual powder; it was powered by a gunpowder-like mana instead. It wasn’t real gunpowder just something created by mana that like his guns would disappear upon removal.
That was precisely why he was so eager for the alchemist to arrive. With proper guidance, he could identify the native equivalents of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal or perhaps even find a magical alternative.
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Eventually, Vahn began taking a more active role in Lucen’s training, personally sparring with him to push his limits.