Chapter 51
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Source of Armaments
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"Come on in."
The interior was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight.
Lee Se-hun looked around Jake's dorm with a curious expression. It felt less like a home and more like a model showroom.
"What, did you clean up just because I was coming over?"
"This is just normal... Want something to drink?"
Lee Se-hun shook his head at Jake, who looked ready to head straight to the kitchen.
"Nah. Let's check out the item first. Where is it?"
"In that room over there. Follow me."
Entering the room Jake led him to, Lee Se-hun was slightly surprised by what he saw.
A large display case took up one wall. Inside, various ores were neatly arranged, all sharing a common trait.
"All these ores... You crushed them in your grip?"
"Well... yeah."
Lee Se-hun examined the ores in the case again as Jake scratched his head sheepishly.
They were squished like clay gripped tightly in a fist.
Among them were several hero-grade ores known for their durability, yet none had escaped Jake's grasp unscathed.
'Even these couldn't hold up... Regular ores just aren't compatible, as expected.'
After scanning all the materials in the case, Lee Se-hun finally noticed the item sitting alone in the center of the room.
A pure white basin filled about two-thirds with blue liquid. It was mana stone liquid, liquefied from mana stones, and even at a glance, the concentration looked high.
'This must be worth around 200 million.'
True to his prestigious family background, Jake had prepared exactly as requested—no, even better.
Confirming the Myers family's wealth once more, Lee Se-hun approached the basin and inspected the submerged item.
"Hmm..."
A fist-sized blue orb rested at the bottom.
It faintly glowed as it absorbed mana from the liquid, resembling a large firefly.
'Not bad.'
It passed visual inspection. For the rest, he'd check hands-on. Lee Se-hun rolled up his right sleeve and dipped his hand into the basin.
[Water Golem's Core]
[Grade: Rare] [Quality: Top-tier]
Power source of a naturally formed Water Golem.
Produces a special liquid with strength equal to the body of a defeated Water Golem, using absorbed mana.
*Generates special liquid proportional to mana consumed. Current Grade: D.
*Currently charged mana: 100%
"Good."
No scratches, mana fully charged without gaps. As Lee Se-hun nodded in satisfaction, Jake approached curiously.
"So, how do you make a sword out of this?"
The Water Golem's core was highly versatile—used in construction, alchemy, familiars—but rarely for weapon forging.
Its internal mana circuits were too fragile to withstand the forging process and would break.
"Can't use it as is. Needs some maturation first."
"Maturation?"
"Wait and see."
Examining the core from all angles, Lee Se-hun extended his left index finger and activated White Light Flow.
White Light Flow
Pure white sword energy flowed from his fingertip. It looked a bit unstable, so he focused his mind.
'Make it thinner...'
The energy concentrated at his fingertip, forming a uniform shape.
Not quite sword ki, but stable enough to fool an onlooker. Once refined, Lee Se-hun swung it toward the Water Golem's core.
His index finger sliced through the air smoothly.
A thin line etched into the core's surface along the path, overlapping into a complex magic circle.
"Hmm-hmm~"
"......"
To an observer, his humming and finger-waving looked casual, but the result was masterfully precise, as if days of meticulous work.
Even Jake, watching live, felt like it was CGI. As he made a strange face, Lee Se-hun finished the circles and withdrew the energy.
"Done."
The core now bore intricate overlapping magic circles. Lee Se-hun plunged it back into the mana stone liquid.
A high-pitched whine rose as blue mana filled the lines. The liquid rippled faintly, growing clearer.
The core was absorbing mana. Jake exclaimed as realization dawned.
"Ah! You're overcharging it right now?"
Forcing mana beyond limits using magic circles—a technique for low-quality materials, requiring deep knowledge of circles and materials.
"Exactly. 100% isn't enough."
"Wouldn't a higher-grade core be better? It could overload and break."
Lee Se-hun grinned at Jake's worried look.
"Just watch."
When the circles fully filled, Lee Se-hun gathered mana in his mouth and invoked Word Imbuement.
"Property Assimilation, Perception Enhancement"
The words dissolved into the liquid like melting, emerging as tiny bubbles.
A jumble of tiny characters—chaotic word magic formulas worthless in theory.
The mystical script seeped into the core. Soon, the circles glowed and vibrated.
"Right hand."
"...Huh?"
"Extend your right hand."
"Oh, sorry. Here."
Jake, entranced, belatedly offered his hand. Lee Se-hun summoned White Light Flow again, nicking his fingertip.
A drop of Jake's blood fell into the basin.
It sank like a bead, untouched by the liquid. As the core flared, it sucked the blood in.
The core trembled faintly, absorbing the blood. No visible change, but Jake felt something odd.
'That felt... like me...'
Not just similar mana—a bizarre sense of kinship, like seeing part of his body.
In this novel situation, Jake stared curiously. Lee Se-hun squeezed more blood from his finger.
"Once a day for a week, drip blood into the mana stone liquid like this. Until the core stops absorbing. Average about 10ml daily, but it varies—do it yourself each time."
"What's this process exactly?"
"Complicated to explain simply... It's a trick."
"A trick?"
Lee Se-hun pointed to his bleeding finger at Jake's puzzled look.
"Your abnormal grip strength—more precisely, mana-compressed pressure—is hard to control. It's instinctive, unconscious."
"I see..."
"Instead of fighting it, we bypass it with an exception: your body. Fool it into thinking the weapon is part of you."
A conditional 'skill' evasion, not true strength. Jake listened, captivated by the plausible explanation.
"Bleeding it in creates assimilation, making the armament feel like an extension of your body."
"An extension..."
"Not literally, just the sensation. That should suffice now."
If Jake's presumed unique skill fully awakened and strengthened, it might not hold—but cross that bridge later.
Jake nodded slowly, pondering.
"Makes sense."
"Of course. Any more questions?"
"Not now. We'll see in a week anyway."
Others might grill on the forging ahead, but Jake realized the explanation made further questions pointless.
It was entirely novel—no basis for comparison.
'Coldly put, it's a gamble.'
An untested method. Anxious for most clients, but Jake felt none.
Lee Se-hun would casually complete it, he believed.
"Looking forward to seeing what it becomes."
Lee Se-hun chuckled at Jake's sparkling eyes, like a kid awaiting a birthday gift, and stood.
"Keep at it then. Already over 10ml, but still vibrating—needs more today."
"Got it. Until it stops?"
"Yeah. I have class, so I'm off."
Lee Se-hun left. Alone, Jake dripped blood, gazing at the core.
"How much more...?"
Average 10ml, so soon done. He watched the drops.
"...Huh?"
30 minutes later, the core still hummed.
'That Jake guy... Stubborner than he looks.'
Back in Borsippa, Lee Se-hun recalled the scene with wonder.
Assimilation varied by personality—stubborn ones took longer.
Jake seemed pliable, but his resolve was strong.
'Note this for bond stone crafting later.'
He'd delayed extraction due to ambiguity, but a week's anticipation could yield a decent bond stone.
Arriving at the Forging Department main building, he headed to Kim In-cheol's classroom.
'Location's not great.'
Expected prime spot for a top-funded class, but it was tucked away and small.
Kim In-cheol likely chose it for low attendance, fitting his personality.
'No ego's good, but skimping on class budget would be trouble.'
Main goal: Ludwig's attention and massive funding. Thriftiness would hinder.
With a worried frown at the poor first impression, he entered.
"Urgh..."
"Ugh..."
"Hmm..."
Five cadets glared at tools in their hands.
"......"
Sword and shield. Pickaxe and shovel. And a frying pan.
Lee Se-hun eyed the motley gripped tools oddly.
The abstract topic promised unconventional class, but this exceeded expectations.
'What even is this...?'
As he chuckled dryly, footsteps approached. Kim In-cheol entered.
"Oh, welcome. Feeling better?"
"Yes, fully recovered."
"Good. Meant to visit, but term start's hectic. Sorry."
Lee Se-hun shook his head at Kim In-cheol's sheepishness.
"No issue. Wasn't serious anyway. But..."
Glancing around, he eyed Kim In-cheol.
"What's going on here?"
"Right, you haven't attended yet. I'll explain—come here."
Cadets ignored the professor, fixated on tools. Kim In-cheol proceeded unperturbed.
Lee Se-hun followed to the front row, facing him.
"As the name Origin of Armaments suggests, we study what forms the core of our creations, how to understand and embody it."
Kim In-cheol fetched a longsword from the side and presented it demonstratively to Lee Se-hun.
"Take this sword. What intent do you think the blacksmith put into it?"
"...Specialized for thrusting. Weight balance suggests for a right-footed person."
Kim In-cheol nodded, impressed at the quick glance.
"Correct. Expected some guesswork, but spot-on. Impressive."
"Skill shows outwardly."
"Hm. Any other intents?"
Taking the sword, Lee Se-hun read from blade to hilt, sensing embedded emotions.
"Its owner hoped it wouldn't kill."
"...Why?"
"Blade's unusually dull, yet balance is perfect. Intentional, not neglect. Happens with reluctant makers."
An awkward sword: owner dislikes harm but fears breakage in fight.
Kim In-cheol's eyes widened, then smiled nodding.
"Right. A sword's typical intent is cutting, but makers alter it."
Stroking the dull edge fondly.
"So, is this sword's origin 'killing intent' of the tool, or blacksmith's 'no-kill' wish? That's what we ponder."
"I see..."
Lee Se-hun looked intrigued.
Pre-regression, the field vaguely claimed a universal origin to find.
Kim In-cheol's was detailed, practical—he preferred it.
'Better than armchair theory—small chance viable.'
Tricky, but mastery yields utility; could be useful systematized.
As anticipation built for more—
"But you've finished this term's lessons already."
Kim In-cheol said awkwardly.
"...Pardon?"
"Curriculum was reading intents in armaments. That's why they stared."
Pointing back. Lee Se-hun turned.
"......"
"......"
Cadets blankly detached from their tools.
Realizing he'd advanced too far, Lee Se-hun faced Kim In-cheol.
"...So what now?"
"No big deal."
Kim In-cheol laughed heartily.
"Full marks this term."