The room was a mess. Spark sighed and was about to start fixing the rune trap mechanism. But then, he saw it. Lying on the floor, was a small, grey, metallic object.
He recognized it instantly. An unbounded gearcore. Gun type.
He picked it up. Cold metal. Roughly spherical. With a strange crack-like pattern. The pattern had not glowed yet. No integrated circuit was visible on it. It was indeed still unbounded.
But why did she bring it here? She had a gun-type gearcore already equipped. Why would...?
Spark stopped. He suddenly understood. The assassin hadn't just come to kill him. She had planned to make it look like an accident. A Technomind integration gone wrong.
A reckless young man tried to integrate a dangerously unstable gearcore. Overloading. Self-destructing. Clean, plausible, and blamed entirely on his own supposed incompetence. It was calculated. Vicious.
He felt a familiar burn of cold anger. Predictable. He had expected this kind of move. His relatives were vultures. They wouldn't just wait for him to fail. They would set the trap.
Spark contemplated...
He had ordered a gearcore himself. The Spatial Bag type. Incredibly rare. Perfect for his needs. It would allow him to carry his grimoires, expanding arsenal, and resources without bulk.
But it was coming from the Floating Islands in the far reaches of the Aurean Archipelago. The earliest estimated arrival was two weeks out. Possibly more. Given the unpredictable nature of long-distance transport across Anearth.
This gun-type gearcore was here. Now. He needed to Tier up his Technomind. The power system was a gaping hole in his power profile. It was a weakness he needed to patch immediately.
Especially after facing a Technomancer assassin. Waiting two weeks felt like inviting another attempt.
He activated his [Appraisal Goggles]. The bronze frames shimmered slightly, and the world resolved into streams of data. He focused the magical optics on the gearcore in his hand.
[Name: ???]
[Object: Gearcore (unbound)]
[Type: Gun Gear]
[Characteristics: Super Tough, Super Explosive]
[Growth Item: Copper Coin]
[Shared Talent: Clear Mind]
The data stream confirmed his initial assessment. This particular gearcore was of excellent quality. Super excellent.
But, integrating this following standard procedure taught in school would be suicide. Is that the reason the gearcore considered unstable? And could be used for his reason of death?
Spark snorted. Good! For others, integrating this core might be impossible. For him, it was not really a problem. Just make an integration design accommodating to the gearcore characteristics.
[Super Tough] meant the final constructed gear could withstand immense stress. Handling powerful internal reactions. Using all metal materials for the gearcore would be really bad here. Adding oil or any greasy liquid would be needed.
[Super Explosive] indicated a natural affinity for channeling and multiplying the magnitude of any generated blasts. Designing a normal handgun or rifle with this characteristic was asking for suicide.
The two characteristics indicated heavy powered gun. A cannon. A bazooka. An RPG. Or at least a super high caliber hunting rifle.
The two characteristics were great. But the growth item was even better. Copper Coins as growth items? This meant that the gearcore was unbelievably easy to level up. Copper coins were... everywhere.
The shared talent, [Clear Mind], was even better than the growth item. It was the real gem. [Clear Mind] talent meant immunity to illusions and many mind-affecting statuses. It was priceless in a world full of tricky spellcasters and illusionary monsters.
Waiting two weeks for a spatial bag, useful as it was, seemed foolish now. A powerful weapon? Easy to level up? And a defensive mental talent? This was a better immediate investment.
He could integrate the spatial bag later. When he advanced to Tier 2 Technomind. He quickly made the decision. Immediate power overruled future convenience. Always.
Spark left the messy room, holding the gearcore and Slave Grimoire. He moved through the silent corridor of the house. And descended into the basement.
The air here was cooler and heavier. With the scent of damp earth and ancient stone. He walked towards a section of the foundation wall. A normal one that looked unremarkable.
He ran his hand along the stone. Pressing specific points in a sequence only he knew. Runes carved into the stone pulsed faintly under his touch.
A section of the wall ground open. Revealing a heavy, reinforced door. The hidden treasury room.
He pushed the door and entered. The door sealed shut behind him with a heavy thud. The room was quite big. Lined with lead and warding runes against scrying and teleportation.
Vaults lined one wall. Holding his collected physical assets. But the primary purpose of this chamber was a secure chamber. For uninterrupted cultivation. And integration of gearcore.
Spark took a small, sharp knife from the rack. And sat down on the cold stone floor. Placing the gun-type gearcore before him.
He drew the knife. And made a clean cut on his palm. Just deep enough for blood to bead. He let three drops fall onto the gearcore.
The metal pulsed with a warm light. He focused his will. Channeling his Technomind power into the core along with his blood. It wasn't just a physical transfer. It was a binding of his mind and power with the core's potential.
Immediately, he felt it. A profound shift within his skull. His [Erudite Mind] talent was undergoing a fundamental restructure. His raw Mind Power that fueled his Technomind abilities grew denser. More focused.
It was an uncomfortable process. It was like bone grinding against bone inside his head. Growth hurt. But he could not stop. The integration process had not been completed.
The next step was conceptualizing the gear. Building the mental blueprint. This wasn't just picturing a gun. It was designing it piece by piece in his mind. Down to the smallest spring, cog, and rune etching.
The more detailed and precise the design, the better the return in mental power and gearcore compatibility. The gearcore itself seemed to sense the design.
Responding to the clarity and ambition of his vision. Feeding it a simple pistol, you would get a modest return. Giving it impossible design, you would get nothing. Designing a masterpiece for it, you would get abundant mental power reward.
Normally, for a the first integration with a gun-type gearcore, practitioners chose one of the two simple models. A standard rifle for range. Or a normal handgun for convenience. Easily understood blueprints. Minimal mental strain.
Spark had no interest in standard. And so did the gearcore. He would die if he followed the standard.
He closed his eyes. Focusing all his concentration into the design. A rifle. But not a standard rifle. He wanted something that hit like a dropped mountain. He envisioned a powerful gun designs like the 50 BMG rounds from his past life.
But bigger and more destructive in power. Enhanced by Anearth's physics and magic. It needed to be brutal. Reliable. And utterly devastating at range.
The barrel was thick. Reinforced with layers of rune-strengthened Black Titanium. The mechanism was a simple bolt-action. But every part was exaggerated. Overbuilt for immense pressure.
He replaced the chemical propellant system entirely with rune-powered explosion. Rune circuits etched into the chamber and barrel would generate directed explosion. And empower immense kinetic force.
The stock wasn't just wood or metal. It was Eldritch Steelwood. A rare, yet perfect, vibration-absorbing material.
The foresight and rear sight were crafted from Mystic Silver. Capable of focusing his own raw energy for targeting assistance.
He wanted to create a scope. But it would take too much energy and focus to gain the details right.
The overall aesthetic wasn't sleek. It was imposing. Heavy. Almost predatory. Demonic curves, sharp angles, a tool built solely for overwhelming destruction.
He spent hours lost in the mental forge. Refining every detail.
The feel of the grip. The weight distribution. The precise etching pattern of the acceleration runes. The mechanism for spent rune-cartridge ejection. The self-greasing mechanism.
It was exhausting work. Pushing his Mind Power to its absolute limit. Then beyond. Sweat beaded on his brow. And trickled down his temples.
His hands trembled slightly. But his focus remained absolute. The gearcore pulsed faster and faster. Resonating with the blueprint taking shape in his mind.
Finally, the mental design was complete. Satisfied, he opened his eyes. The gearcore in front of him glowed with a steady, expectant light.
He stood up, pale and drained. But a fierce determination burned in his eyes. It was time for the physical construction.
He opened some vaults in the treasury room. He had enough materials here.
He extended his hand. Channeling his Technomind power outwards. Mental energy coalesced into a vortex of deep, swirling black fire before him. The Technomind Fire.
It didn't radiate heat. It felt cold. Hungry. Yet, capable of transmuting concept into reality.
He began feeding the materials. First, ingots of Black Titanium. They vanished into the black flames. Twisting. Reforming.
Then, bars of Mystic Silver. They dissolved into liquid silver. Their essence weaving into the structure.
Next, blocks of Eldritch Steelwood. They splintered into strands of fibers. Before coalescing into layered materials and integrating to the structure.
Afterward, Dewblood Grease. An extremely rare type of weapon grease made of skywhale blood and dewstone oil. The transparent red liquid was vaporized into mist. And infused the still-forming structure.
Finally, carefully, Spark pushed the glowing gun-type gearcore into the center of the vortex.
The black fire swirled violently now. Engulfing the materials. Inside the maelstrom, shapes began to form. Guided by the mental blueprint he had forged.
A barrel, thick and dark. A receiver, blocky and powerful. A stock, flowing with the grain of conceptual wood.
The smooth grinding and weaving of materials was invisible within the black flames. But Spark could feel the process through the connection to his gearcore.
It was a brutal, demanding birth. His body screamed for rest. His mind felt stretched thin. But he held his concentration. Directing the Technomind Fire. Ensuring the construction matched the blueprint perfectly.
The process lasted for several long hours. Much longer than normal. The vortex was still raging. A silent storm of creation. Spark remained rooted to the spot. Enduring the strain.
His powerful physique trembling with the immense effort required. He was pale. Sweat plastering his black hair. To his forehead. To his naked upper body.
Then, as abruptly as it had appeared, the black fire vortex collapsed inward. It extinguished without a flicker. Leaving no ash. No smoke.
Where it had been, suspended in the empty air of the treasury room, was the completed rifle.
It dropped to the floor with a heavy 'thud'. Spark stumbled back a step. Catching his breath.
The rifle was everything he had designed, and more. It was massive, easily one and a half meters long. And heavy, almost 20 kg in weight. Compared to standard hunting rifle, it was more than double in weight.
It wasn't like a 1st-tier rifle at all. It was probably as deadly as 3rd tier weapons.
Suddenly, Spark felt a surge of power. A rush of clarity unlike anything he had experienced. The uncomfortable restructuring in his mind stabilized. Settling into a new, higher state.
His perception sharpened. His thoughts became like primal beast. Very fast. Very tough. Very efficient. He didn't need to appraise himself to know that he possessed [Primal Mind] talent now.
He wanted to test the rifle. Straight away. But, firing this thing here would draw unwanted attention. It would also give him more cleaning task. The one he didn't dare to delegate to others.
A new plan formed. Sharp and clear in his enhanced mind. Within the next few days, he would leave Gutlark Town. He would head for the untamed wilderness. Maybe the Gutlark Plain. Or Avianest Sea.
There, he would be far from prying eyes and nervous authorities. He needed space to stretch his legs. Test the limits of his enhanced physique. Unleash the full magical capability of Honey, the Arcane Fairy he had contracted.
And most importantly, he could test his gun. Feel the recoil and hear the thunder of his new, demonic power rifle. He needed to know precisely what he had built.
He had to remind himself to rely on data. On verified capability. Not assumptions.
He picked up the rifle. Heavy, balanced, deadly. He ran a hand along the cold metal.
He was leaving nothing to chance. Not anymore. Not ever.