Soul Flame
There was a reason I became obsessed with cannons over regular guns at some point. The firearms of this era didn't have the accuracy or lethality of modern ones.
That was a fatal flaw when dealing with warriors who were fast on their feet and could reinforce their bodies with neigong.
But cannons could overcome all that. Too fast to hit? Increase the blast area. If that's not enough, use scatter shot and dare them to dodge.
The destructive power was incomparable, of course.
But there was one drawback that outweighed all those advantages: reload speed. No matter how skilled you got, there was a limit to how fast you could go.
Attach a fuse to the propellant, pack in the exact amount of gunpowder at the joint, insert wadding or wooden plugs. Then ram in pine resin tightly with a rod to seal any gaps. After that, load the shot—iron balls or ice iron—and light the fuse. Fire.
Not a single step could be skipped in that sequence.
And that wasn't all. Misfires were possible, so extra steps minimized that risk.
After firing, check if the touch hole was clogged. If it was, clear it immediately.
So what I needed now was a weapon that could maintain suppressive fire while buying time to reload the cannon.
Sitting at his desk, he pulled out the book he'd carefully brought back from the uninhabited island.
Hwabo Mansang Dongseo Tonggam
The more he read this book, the more wondrous it seemed.
At first glance, there was nothing special inside. Just the basics of cannon manufacturing, maintenance, and operation.
Was it just a plain encyclopedia on launchers? He'd expected at least a line or two on special weapon blueprints or firing techniques, and the disappointment led him to notice something odd.
The blank pages at the back. What were they for?
He'd half-ignored them, unable to figure it out, until recently when he learned their purpose and unlocked the book's true value.
He'd been pondering at an inn how to make rumors spread that he'd demolished the Black Powder Gang's hideout. That's when he witnessed the miracle.
The book flipped through pages on its own to the blanks. Wondering if it was possessed, he blinked and watched from afar.
Suddenly, without brush or ink, the blank pages began drawing diagrams and writing records on their own.
A large arrow specialized for cannons, focused on penetration.
Wood reinforced with metal head, iron bands, and fins—capable of easily destroying wooden structures.
Excerpt from Hunguk Shinjo Military Equipment Treatise.
What the hell—is this a dream? Regardless of his shock, the book kept listing info he needed.
That's when he realized.
'A living treasure that updates its knowledge like a living being.'
As if recommending based on his needs, it wrote ideas and knowledge on the blanks without a brush.
Watching quietly, it was like a technical manual—clear diagrams and explanations sparking inspiration.
They came alive in his mind like replaying footage.
*
As the sun set among the countless islands of the Aegean, a Byzantine fleet emerged over the darkening ink-blue sea, following the fading sky.
"Admiral, your orders."
"Not yet, not yet."
On the flagship, the commander awaited orders, while the general bided his time.
His eyes were weary with exhaustion, on the verge of collapse, but his voice brimmed with certainty of victory.
How had they closed in so stealthily? In the darkness, enemy ships rammed with boarding tactics.
If their ships used sturdier wood, casualties would multiply—but the soldiers weren't afraid.
The fearless ones were the infidels.
"Release!"
Fwoooosh!
At the command, massive fire pillars erupted, illuminating the dark sea and spreading everywhere.
Flames raced along lines, cleaving the black night.
—This was the purifying fire against heretics, the light sowing despair in foes.
Water only made it spread fiercer, blazing hot. Carried by sea winds, it leaped to enemy hulls, plunging them into panic.
Rowers abandoned oars, fleeing wildly, unable to endure the scorching agony, leaping into choppy waves.
Yet the flames clung, burning or drowning them.
Even stout infidel soldiers, initially defiant, crumbled before the merciless inferno.
All they could do was curse the demonic flames and recite the Quran to banish them. Before sacred fire, only death awaited. The Aegean, filled with sinking, flame-wrapped ships, resembled the River Styx.
Under the same night sky, only Byzantine flags remained.
—Ah, flame guardian of the empire. As long as it burns, the empire's heart beats on.
The unquenched fire soared skyward, proclaiming victory. Even after battle, its tale spread by word of mouth.
It was known as "Greek Fire."
Excerpt.
He closed the book. The weapon it suggested for his needs: a flamethrower.
—Greek Fire.
The primitive flamethrower used by the Byzantine Empire.
Primitive or not, flames instinctively evoked primal fear and awe, devastating on battlefields.
What resonated most was its development for defense, not offense—perfect for protecting himself.
Of course, major flaws existed.
Like any fire weapon, it was sensitive to environment, especially wind direction and strength.
Ahead wind could backfire, harming self and allies.
And sustainability. For personal mobility, it'd be a backpack pump.
Limited fuel capacity would shorten burn time drastically.
But he had ways to mitigate that.
His strong waigong made fuel weight negligible. And,
'Hwabo Mansang Dongseo Tonggam' mastery effect: Fire resistance maximized.
He grabbed a nearby lantern, pressed its flame to his forearm.
Fire attribute damage received. No damage due to resistance.
Immune to 'Burn' status abnormality due to resistance.
So that's how it feels. Normally, he'd be hopping around from the heat, skin blistering and oozing next. But his skin stayed pristine, feeling oddly detached from reality.
"Eh, good is good, right? No harm in keeping it."
In Hongsim Yeonhwa, top resistances were poison and physical. Fire or water helped enlightenment but little in combat.
His once-useless waigong now had uses; he believed fire resistance would too eventually.
"Alright, let's do this."
The biggest issue was solved anyway.
With a target in mind, he dashed to the arsenal.
*
The arsenal.
A restricted area no civilian could enter without military clearance.
But he was exempt—the cannon master said he could tour and use it freely under privileges.
"Isn't this a national key facility? ...You sure I can poke around?"
"Of course! ...Hey, kid, deeper in there's even cooler stuff."
"Oh, can I see that too?"
"Stamp here, and I'll let you in. Tempting, huh? Wanna ink your thumb right now?"
"Pass."
Temptations aside, nothing piqued his interest.
He just needed proper facilities and quality materials.
Entering, he saw molten iron from furnaces, artisans sweating amid flames.
Their tools, techniques, processes—all fascinating. He wanted to watch up close.
His wide-eyed wandering must've looked out of place.
A pot-bellied overseer-type approached from afar.
"You the one the cannon master mentioned?"
"Yeah, Yujin, working 'temporarily' under him. Nice to meet you."
"Gudol here. I run the Zhejiang Arsenal."
They shook hands naturally. His callused grip reminded him of his master.
He regretted never shaking Hendrick's hand; bittersweet smile.
Setting sentiment aside,
"So what brings you to this back corner?"
Gudol was straightforward—no fluff, pure pragmatist. Perfect.
He explained why he came.
*
"You mean the Fierce Fire Oil Squirter?"
After describing his goal, Gudol mentioned the Meng Hwa Yu Gwi.
A fire-spewing weapon—apparently, something like Greek Fire existed in the Central Plains.
Materials and mechanism were similar: naphtha (naphtha in English).
Explains why water worsens oil fires.
Spray via pump and piston, ignite—simple principle.
"Know why Meng Hwa Yu Gwi's just nominal now, unused by the military?"
Gudol seemed skeptical, trying to dissuade him.
The cons outweighed pros due to nature.
"Yeah, I know."
"Hmph."
His firm answer drew a grunt, followed by vivid details—all risks he'd anticipated.
But Gudol's expertise highlighted one blind spot:
"In chaotic battle, mismanaging it spells disaster."
Overheating. Failure meant catastrophe.
His fire resistance covered personal harm, but weapon destruction or friendly fire? Headache.
Still, no quitting— he had backup.
—Cheon Gi Seong.
Who knew this "trash" trait would keep helping.
"Can I use an empty workspace?"
"Knock yourself out."
With permission, he headed to a forge corner.
Loaded a cart from storage: cowhide, lead, iron ore, pine resin, sulfur, etc.
Far superior to island scraps used for Hyunja Chongtong.
Worried the cannon master might gripe about "using up" pricey stuff. Oh well—do it anyway.
As the furnace heated, screw it, make first, worry later. He dove in.
*
More complex than cannons—many parts to fuss over.
Pro and con: modular assembly.
Lower durability, but easy swaps for peak condition.
First time, yet handled like a pro, parts flowing into assembly.
Gudol patrolled; cannon master peeked curiously.
Days blurred—nights passed. Completion neared.
Fitted pressure device into oak box. Connected cowhide nozzle via holes with resin, sealed with lead.
Final: inserted fuel pouch carefully for siphon.
Name it.
Familiar system voice—but new prompt.
Naming your gear? Gamers couldn't resist. He was one.
"Hon Yeon."
◈ Iron tube, wooden and leather frame with glossy pouch connected to pump mechanism.
◈ Fusion of East and West under a constellation-blessed hand births a new weapon. Flames will burn threats in unquenchable fire.
◈ Durability: 15/15 | Range: 2-3 | Attack: 240-280 (Applies Burn)
◈ Exceptional Craftsmanship: Optimized heat management maximizes spray time and fuel efficiency. +20% Performance.
◈ Masterpiece: Byzantine Blessing—In defense, 'Guardian' blessing activates. Greatly boosts attack and defense.