Chapter 112
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Guys, I'm SubsidyRiceEater, Help Me Out
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First off, forgive me for making this a secret post!
If other galleries catch wind and start demanding their own, it'll be a headache.
And not all growth-type artifacts are created equal.
If the user doesn't grow properly or lacks the skill, it basically stays close to its initial state.
It could even backfire and become poison.
Honestly, I don't think you can draw out the full potential of my artifact.
No one's managed it so far.
Growth-type artifacts have to evolve alongside their owner to unlock their true designed power.
That means mages already at a high realm can't grow them.
I've handed them to a few promising mages before, but they all failed.
I'm giving you the blueprint partly because I wonder if you might be the one to complete my growth artifact.
We gallery folks are already archmages—we can't bring out its true form anymore.
Give it your best shot!
1. An artifact that makes you insanely smart.
2. An artifact that makes you insanely mana-affine.
3. An artifact with insanely high magical explosiveness.
4. An artifact that lets you communicate insanely with the world.
5. An insanely versatile artifact.
6. An insanely, insanely, just insanely amazing artifact.
Pick one!
I read the secret post MechanicalMage had uploaded.
Growth-type artifacts apparently weren't omnipotent.
Being growth-type meant that mages already at a high level couldn't unlock their full potential.
But no young mage had ever fully realized the potential of an artifact made by a master like MechanicalMage, either.
Spotting talent in an already exceptional mage was easy enough.
Predicting how far a young mage could grow? Not so much.
Even seemingly genius sprouts could tumble at any moment,
while an unremarkable dullard might rise to greatness through sheer grit.
So MechanicalMage was basically saying, Let's see if you can do it.
Can you really grow my great artifact properly?
But that was that.
Writing the descriptions like that—how was anyone supposed to choose?
Sure, they all sounded great, but...
Can't you explain in more detail? I get that they're amazing, but;
Ah lol, too vague? But knowing ahead ruins the fun! hahaha
Made it vague on purpose so you wouldn't agonize too much, but fine, I'll spill.
1. A second brain. Stores all knowledge you acquire, unleashing explosive growth and abilities as it accumulates.
2. Directly tied to 'Affinity' among the Eight. If fully grown, you might control not just your own mana, but natural mana—heck, maybe even other mages' mana...? An artifact that shatters mana boundaries.
3. This one's straight-up explosive power. Same spells hit harder, and it's tied to using magic more efficiently too.
4. Eyes that read the world. Tied to 'Imagery' among the Eight. Fully grown, it might let you glimpse realms through imagery that normal magic can't touch? Grows on principles similar to internalization.
5. Literally all-purpose. Might vary depending on the maker.
6. Ultimate riding robot destroyer tank.
Now pick for real!
"Huh."
I let out a dumbfounded grunt after reading the added details.
It was definitely more detailed now.
But it got weirder the further down it went.
Ultimate riding robot destroyer tank—what the hell was that?
"Ian? What's wrong?"
"Muttering to yourself again, you lame loser."
"Ian sometimes just stares into space all blank~"
"Seriously, what lame fantasy are you lost in this time?"
Hisenna Perryhill and Elrim Shuskalra, munching on brunch nearby, giggled as they teased me.
I mumbled some vague response and sank back into thought.
Still playful as ever, but now I had a rough sense of them.
And just as MechanicalMage said, the details made choosing even harder.
Number 1 sounded impressive, but it didn't really grab me.
It fed on the theories I learned and grew from there, enabling something huge.
I had no idea what specific abilities, but
it'd suit a theory-focused mage like SubsidyRiceEater.
Number 2 pulled me in just hearing it.
A cheat-level boost to mana handling.
From the description, fully growing it would let me wield not just my mana, but
natural mana—or even other mages' or beings' mana.
If that was real, it'd be broken.
Mana totals would mean nothing; low-affinity foes couldn't even cast.
Number 3 was the most straightforward.
Boosted spell power.
Plus mana efficiency gains.
Number 4 tied to imagery, like internalization.
I'd managed internalization once, but it was still tough.
It involved insights, and without heavy imagery training, it wouldn't come easy.
I trained sporadically,
but raising my hierarchy and circulating energy took priority—no time to spare.
With this, I could internalize way more spells.
Having experienced it, internalization turned identical spells into absurd game-changers.
Handled right, it'd enable growth on another level entirely.
5 and 6? No clue.
6 at least offered a riding robot. Not bad.
5 had the least description. No vibe at all.
All-purpose sounded great, but jacks-of-all-trades often master nothing.
Tough. Peeking inside made it harder.
All looked too good to pick one.
And factoring in future growth...
Not knowing what kind of mage I'd become made it worse.
"So, what directions are you two leaning? For the artifact to the workshop."
"I'd need family advice for specifics, but something generally helpful? Like calculation assists or..."
"Something cool that makes me stronger!"
"Storing all knowledge, using all mana types, boosting explosiveness and efficiency, perfectly imaging the entire world, some all-purpose thing, and a colossal riding robot. Pick from these six—which?"
-...?
Elrim and Hisenna stared at me like I'd lost it.
"Colossal riding robot—what kinda lame crap is that, loser?"
"What's that, Ian? But no way artifacts like that exist. Storing all knowledge or perfectly imaging the world? The mage with that would outstrip even an Archmage Duke."
"Ha, haha. Yeah, figures."
Right. Of course.
Artifacts designed by mages stronger than an Archmage Duke.
Couldn't bounce ideas off Hisenna and Elrim—they couldn't even fathom it.
Unreasonable artifacts by normal standards.
Even I wondered if that was possible.
Though only if fully grown.
Too hard; got any recs?
Told ya it'd make choosing harder lol
Think light about it—your side's artisan might not even craft it to my blueprint anyway.
What if your artisan can't make it?
Then the blueprint's worthless—means ask 'em to make something at their level.
Even with the blueprint, if ArcaneFist Workshop's artisan wasn't up to snuff, it'd be pointless.
Whichever of the six I took, no dice.
Likely scenario, too.
Then, one idea flashed.
"Wait, can't I just ask them to make it directly?"
"Huh?"
"Muttering again, loser?"
They gave me weird looks again.
But this was hugely promising—no time for that.
"I'm heading out first. Catch you later!"
I greeted them and bailed.
Heard them calling behind, but just waved it off.
"Just ask to make it directly."
Exactly. Just ask directly.
Why hadn't I thought of that?
Probably fixated on the workshop reservation ticket—had to use it.
SubsidyRiceEater had long since transcended dimensions anyway.
Pass this blue orb through the gallery, and MechanicalMage could come to my world.
If he needed tools, I could go over.
SubsidyRiceEater's orb could cross dimensions multiple times via the gallery,
and its magic activated when a mage crossed directly.
Last connected to the passage dimension.
So: Give orb to MechanicalMage, he sends it back to me, then I use the magic.
"Ah, but I don't know how to use it."
Damn, no good.
SubsidyRiceEater's final paper only revealed the orb's nature.
No usage or crossing method yet.
He'd said he'd research based on the crossing experience and post the paper.
SubsidyRiceEater still hadn't shown up in the gallery.
If he explained usage, I could summon MechanicalMage or go myself.
Wait, could I even go? Apparently used tons of mana.
Anyway, SubsidyRiceEater knew the answer.
Wait for him to appear and learn it. Why the holdup?
Research dragging?
Hold up, might be another way—wait a sec pls
ㅇㅅㅇ?
Told MechanicalMage to hang tight for now.
Post to the gallery?
Something like "SubsidyRiceEater came and went to our world."
Might spark speculation on his whereabouts.
"Even without that, he's late."
Nearly two days since SubsidyRiceEater returned.
No clue if time flowed differently per dimension.
By his gallery pattern,
should've shown at least twice by now.
Maybe buried in the crossing experience and paper-writing.
But he went nuts for red news.
Unlikely he'd skip gallery knowing the subjugation results.
After agonizing, I decided to post the truth.
He'd visited my world and left, but no logins.
FlapFlap probably met him too—could vouch.
Resolved, about to post—
but before I could, a new thread popped up.
I had to stop.
Title: Guys, I'm SubsidyRiceEater, help me out
Not SubsidyRiceEater.
A random anon suddenly claiming to be him.
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