NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15 - Creating a New Weapon 2
“Magic bullets…? Could they have directly processed magic stones?”
“That’s impossible.
Although our department has been continuously attempting to directly process magic stones, we haven’t discovered either their structure or the principles by which they operate.”
The woman looking at the monitor with Kim Hyun-woo strongly denied it.
She was Jung Yu-ram, a senior researcher in the theory department of technology development.
“Didn’t we get some results recently?”
“We just recorded phenomenological observations after trying things like putting them in fire or zapping them with electricity.”
Even now, countless technicians within the company and external scholars are constantly researching to figure out what magic stones are.
Results were gradually accumulating, and several credible hypotheses had emerged.
However, they had not yet reached the stage of processing.
“But this magic handgun seems to have been made by a player?”
“Let me see.”
Jung Yu-ram took Kim Hyun-woo’s mouse and scrolled all the way up.
“Look. It says they’re sold at the vigilante office.
The NPCs there probably made them.”
“NPCs making guns? NPC culture is set to match the medieval period of their country.
This clearly involved human intervention.
This ‘Theory Master’ seems to be a person no matter how you look at it.”
“If it’s a person, then a player?”
“Yeah. While human technology can only utilize magic stones as an energy source, the system is different.
It must have been made by some production-class player.”
Currently, magic stones had two main uses.
First, as a simple energy source like oil and coal.
Of course, this alone gave them tremendous value, especially in South Korea, where proper resources were scarce—nothing could be better.
Second, as a crafting material.
Of course, it wasn’t directly processed using human technology, but production-class players used it when creating items with the ‘system’s’ support.
Whether enhancing equipment, creating new items, or fueling forges, magic stones were essential in all aspects, making them a crucial material.
But no one had ever seen a player producing a modern weapon like a ‘gun’.
“A profession that produces guns…? Does such a thing exist?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never heard of it either.
I’m not even sure if it exists.
But now I know what to do next.”
Kim Hyun-woo closed the internet window, stood up from his seat, and spoke quietly.
“Find the Theory Master.”
x x x
Han-wol’s room.
For the past few days, he hadn’t gone hunting and instead focused solely on research.
The area around his desk was very messy with used pens and stacks of A4 paper.
One might think it looked the same as always, but this time there was something different placed there.
And quite a lot of it.
[Name: Something Burnt Black]
[Rarity: Magic]
[Description: It’s something burnt black.
It looks like a tusk, but has such weak hardness that it crumbles when tapped.]
[Name: Bizarre Sculpture]
[Rarity: Rare]
[Description: Looks like a soccer ball made of bones.
Resembles a fullerene.
But it’s so pointy everywhere that it would draw blood if kicked.]
[Name: Replicated Native’s Double Tusks]
[Rarity: Rare]
[Description: A replica of Native’s double tusks.
However, it only roughly imitates the appearance without containing the original abilities.
Therefore, it’s fake.]
“Sigh…”
Han-wol sighed and took out several more magic stones from his inventory, placing them on the desk.
‘I think I used too many last time, so I’ll reduce the number this time…’
He held the appropriate number of magic stones in his hand while looking at the paper with calculation results.
Then he immediately channeled magic power into both hands.
He placed his right hand where the magic stones were, and his other hand on the Unique material he had obtained previously.
[Using the skill ‘Material Conversion’ to analyze the Unique item ‘Native’s Double Tusks’.]
The magic stones began to emit white light.
[Using the principle of ‘Material Conversion’ skill to synthesize a new substance.]
Swoosh.
Before long, the light quickly subsided.
[Unique material synthesized!]
“Oh!”
Han-wol cleared away the system log that appeared before his eyes and looked at where his right hand had been.
The magic stones that had been clustered there until just now had been completely transformed into a different object.
[Name: Native Double Tusks Figurine]
[Rarity: Unique]
[Description: It’s a figurine of Native’s tusks.
It has no use.
But it’s Unique.
Of course, it’s still useless.
But it is indeed Unique.
However, it’s really useless.]
“F**k.”
Han-wol cursed out loud.
He was about to smash it, but it looked so identical to the original that he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
Thinking that even dung can be used as medicine later, he decided to put it in his inventory.
‘Sigh… Let’s solve this from the beginning again.’
Eventually, Han-wol began writing a new formula while referring to the A4 paper he had written on previously.
Han-wol’s thinking was simple.
‘Keep going until it works.’
After making about 10 more figurines, he finally succeeded.
[Name: Native’s Double Tusks (Replica)]
[Grade: Unique]
[Description: A perfect replica of Native’s double tusks.
It’s a fake indistinguishable from the real thing, and also the real thing at the same time.]
[Gluttonous Recovery: Has the ability to absorb the vitality of the target it pierces.]
[※However, you become very hungry.]
[※Hun-hun-hun-hungry hungry hungry hungry hungry, oink.]
It was a proper result after a week of focusing only on research.
Han-wol, without realizing it, cheered while holding the item.
[Due to the weapon’s effect, your speech pattern is forcibly changed.]
“Oh! I succeeded, oink! …Hup!?”
Han-wol, in the midst of joy, immediately closed his mouth at the strange speech pattern.
He carefully placed the replicated double tusks on the desk and opened his mouth again.
“Should I just throw it away?”
Han-wol seriously contemplated.
But that would mean all his efforts so far would be wasted, so he decided to use it anyway.
Han-wol took out magic stones again and placed them near Native’s double tusks.
Then immediately.
[Using the skill ‘Magic Handgun Modification and Creation’ to craft a weapon.]
Here, Han-wol set a restriction.
[Automation mode canceled.]
[Entering direct processing mode.]
‘Automation mode only produces mediocre results.’
It was much more effective for Han-wol to process directly than to use the system’s automation mode.
Automation mode was only useful for mass production.
Han-wol moved his hands vigorously while concentrating all his mind.
5 minutes, 9 minutes, 16 minutes.
At approximately 5-minute intervals, large and small materials for the handgun were created in Han-wol’s hands.
Next was when he processed Native’s double tusks.
‘This is a material even I’ve never seen before.
I need to handle it carefully.’
Han-wol began handling the material with even more concentration than before.
The processing of Native’s tusks was completed, and they soon began to take shape as they merged with other materials.
While production was in full swing.
[Failure!]
[Material has been destroyed.]
[Remaining materials: Destroyed Native’s Double Tusks 1, Magic Stone (2-Star) 1]
“Haha, s**t…”
Lately, he had been cursing constantly.
It was inevitable since there were far more failures than successes when conducting research.
Anyway, Han-wol’s thinking remained simple.
‘Keep going until it works.’
For reference, to be good at research, one needs to be good at grinding.
x x x
How many more days had passed?
Since succeeding with the replication, he had made breakfast for his cousin Hye-jin about ten more times, so roughly two weeks had passed.
[Successfully created a 3-Star S-Rank Unique Weapon!]
[Title ‘First to Create a 3-Star Unique Equipment’ acquired.]
[Experience points increased.]
[Experience points increased.]
……………
[Level up.]
[Current level: 2-Star C-Rank]
And two weeks was enough time to create a new weapon.
[Name: Oink-oink Gun]
[Type: Magic Handgun]
[Rarity: Unique]
[Weapon Level: 3-Star S-Rank]
[Equip Requirement: 2-Star (3-1) or higher, usable by all professions]
[Description: It’s a handgun processed from Native’s tusks oink.
Also known as the Oink-oink Gun oink.
The huge tusk blade attached to the front is twice as large as the gun barrel oink.
Extremely powerful in close combat oink.
Super powerful at range too oink.]
[Special Design: Due to advanced design, the required equip level is reduced by 1-Star oink.]
[Gluttonous Recovery: When I stab with my tusks, I absorb the target’s vitality oink.]
[※However, continuous use makes you increasingly hungry oink.]
[※However, requires magic bullets when used oink.]
[※Hun-hun-hun-hungry hungry hungry hungry, oink.]
“…………”
Han-wol looked at the item description and smiled broadly without saying a word.
As he pondered deeply.
Still with a bright smile, he ate, took a shower.
Then came back and contemplated more.
After a long time of consideration, his conclusion was.
[Due to the weapon’s effect, your speech pattern is forcibly changed.]
“Yes, as long as it performs well, that’s all that matters oink.”