Chapter 12: Preparation
The week before his expedition, Lucen got to work.
He had his skills: Gun Creation, Bullet Creation, but both relied on mana. And mana could run out. He needed something that wouldn’t vanish the moment he ran dry. A real, physical weapon. Something that didn’t disappear just because he ran out of mana.
He also needed armor, emergency supplies, rations, and probably a few mundane tools like rope and bandages. He was going outside the safety of the fortress, after all.
The first thing Lucen did was go to one of the blacksmiths working on the Arquebuses alongside the carpenters. When he arrived at the large forge, he saw that Robert was also there. He and the blacksmiths were looking at something.
"What are you doing?"
"Ah! Lucen, perfect timing." Robert looked up with the usual alchemical sparkle in his eye. "I made a few changes to the Arquebus design. Come, take a look."
Lucen’s eyes scanned the drawing. The replacements weren’t familiar, not because they were advanced, but because they didn’t exist in his old world. They were magical components native to this world.
"I replaced your so-called matchlock system with a new ignition method," Robert explained. "See this? It’s a striker-plate mechanism. A spring-loaded wheel scrapes against shardstone. No mana needed. Just twist, aim, and fire."
"Shardstone?" The name sounded very familiar, but Lucen could not remember where he had heard it or what it was.
"It’s a mineral found in the bone spikes of Frost Hounds. It’s spark-generating, incredibly durable, and it works even in rain or snow. Grey Tower researchers use it in mana-reactive triggers, but it doesn’t need mana to ignite. This version? Anyone can use it. Also, I increased the explosive power of the gunpowder, so now the lead balls can fly further." Robert beamed with pride. "Even a farmer could pick one up and fire it reliably."
Lucen blinked in surprise. ’This guy just casually reinvented the wheellock. I didn’t know the specifics of the thing, so I did not bother trying to make it, but this guy just did it on his own. Not only that, he improved the gunpowder using things that are beyond my knowledge.’