Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 117: Weapon Crafting in the Underground

Episode 117: Weapon Crafting in the Underground

“Ta-da!”

“Oh, that suits you well.”

Fresh from a bath, Fisu arrived in the large room assigned to me. She wore the sleepwear typical of this country. It’s a one-piece garment, quite loose-fitting. After finally changing, Fisu seemed a bit happy.

“So, how was it? Did you find any strange people lurking around?”

I focused my [Communication] on Fisu. To this country, we are outsiders. There might be those who want to eliminate us, so I told her to stay alert.

“No, I didn’t see anyone suspicious. There were no traps set up, and Xanthos was just preparing food as usual.”

“Good. That puts my mind at ease, but don’t forget to boost your immunity and enhance your hearing before bed.”

“Of course.”

As her sleepwear indicated, Fisu wasn’t wearing armor or carrying an axe right now. Her natural physical abilities would likely outmatch most people. But if someone got a surprise attack in, she could easily be killed. It’s better to be overly cautious.

“But don’t forget to stay alert, Katsu.”

“I know. If anyone’s targeting us, they’ll probably come for me first.”

Fisu, disguised as just a girl, must be underestimated as a threat. So if they wanted to eliminate us, it would make more sense for them to kill me first and then take care of Fisu, rather than the other way around. That said, if they aimed to capture her, she wouldn’t fall behind.

“Alright, I think we’re prepared enough. Let’s head to the dining hall. You can help set the table.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to the food from this country.”

Surprisingly—though that might sound rude—Xanthos was a good cook. We savored his underground dishes and chatted for a while before heading back to my room.

“(Phew, today was quite eventful…)”

Starting with the battle against the “Colossus” and now ending up in an underground kingdom. It had been a busy day, but now I could finally relax. After glancing out the darkened window, I checked my own |Status|.

“(Oh, I learned a new [Skill]. Let’s see…)”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Skill Details~

[Deceive] 

• • • • • • • • Adjusts credibility when deceiving others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

…What an unflattering [Skill]. Well, considering all the lies I’ve told, it’s not surprising.

“(Well, whatever. The analysis should be wrapping up soon, so I’ll focus on that.)”

I shifted my attention back to the [Skills] I had been using. The parts and weaponry of the “Colossus” were nearing the final stages of analysis.

“(The processed Mana Crystals… I think they’re called artifacts. When I look at them again, they’re incredibly intricate.)”

As I reviewed the information I had analyzed, I realized that while I had examined many Mana Crystals and understood their properties, knowing just the properties wasn’t enough. Just like analyzing gunpowder doesn’t reveal a dynamite blueprint, how materials are processed depends on the user’s skill.

I had been so focused on the |Mana| absorption properties of the Mana Crystals that I had overlooked their transmission speed and the ability to influence the properties of |Mana| itself.

“(Well, the natural Mana Crystals are too weak for such properties to matter, but…)” 

If I joined and processed the Mana Crystals following the “Colossus” as a model, I could maximize their effectiveness.

“(Let’s pull out the Mana Crystal from [Weapon Storage]….. [Weapon Creation].)”

The artifacts incorporated into the “Colossus” are excellent weapons. Naturally, I could create similar items using my [Skills]. The red Mana Crystal wriggled as if alive, expanding, contracting, twisting, until it finally took shape.

“(Alright, this should do it.)”

What I created was part of the mechanism embedded in the “Colossus” arm. Making an entire arm or weapon would still be too difficult, both in terms of materials and techniques. Processing the Mana Crystals required more delicate operations than I had done before.

“(Let’s see, I’ll channel |Mana| from here… and the generation coordinates will be controlled by how I pour the |Mana|… Okay, activate the shield!)”

The artifact I crafted, resembling a flat stick, transformed the incoming |Mana| and created a translucent membrane in front of me. It was the |Mana| shield used by the “Colossus.”

“Sla, sla! (Yes, success!)”

I silently pumped my fist in triumph. Although there were parts that didn’t go as planned, for a first attempt, it was quite good.

Let’s keep making more like this.

“(Well, I’d like to say that, but…)”

This is a rental house. Developing dangerous weapons here feels risky. I can’t guarantee they won’t accidentally go off at any moment.

That’s why I made the shield generator like this.

“(Although, the red wings and black shield have functions beyond just attacking…)”

However, there were reasons I couldn’t create those myself. 

To put it simply, it was due to a lack of materials. The four additional weapons used by the Mecha God were made from precious magical minerals that are rarely found, even in the Twilight Zone.

It seems these minerals enhance existing effects or produce new ones through their interactions.

“(Even if I can’t make weapons, there are single Mana Crystals I can use for auxiliary parts, so let’s start with those.)”

Various sensors. A main tank that can directly convert |Mana| into beams. A pathway to send |Mana| from the main tank to each part. And a section that corresponds to the nerves that send commands throughout the body.

Creating these will deepen my understanding of Mana Crystals and improve my skills.

“(Ah, this is fun too.)”

I realize I’m excited by this unknown technology. The majestic form of the combined Mecha God is still vividly imprinted in my mind. If I could create something like that myself, it would surely bring me immense joy.

“(And this is also a form of ‘strength’.)”

Killing magical beasts and processing their remains into weapons. That’s how I’ve grown stronger so far, but there should be other paths available too.

“(Besides, I still have untouched materials from the Sovereign Beasts. Let’s put in the effort to process them!)”

Continuing my work like that, I finished creating a set of weapons and then drifted off to sleep.