Two months had passed since Lucen requested to study alchemy. In the time he waited for the alchemist his father promised to send, Lucen hadn't been idle. He trained every day, pushing his body beyond its limits.
The once-scrawny frame that struggled with a wooden sword now bore lean muscle. His posture was firmer, his movements sharper.
He was still small, but the boy who once collapsed after a few swings could now go through entire forms without breaking a sweat.
At some point in his training, exercising had become easier, and he was gaining more than usual.
His body wasn't the only thing that had changed, his skills had sharpened too. While he had yet to unlock the Swordsmanship skill, his stance had become incredibly stable, a testament to his tireless practice. Still, no matter how hard he pushed his body, the elusive power of Aura remained locked away.
Using his Gun Knowledge skill, he attempted to recreate an arquebus. However, many of the materials he needed, especially those used in crafting gunpowder, either didn't exist or were known by entirely different names in this world, making identification nearly impossible.
Even so, with the help of the North's finest blacksmiths, carpenters, and his deep understanding of firearm mechanics due to the Gun Knowledge skill, he managed to construct the very first gun in this medieval fantasy world. It was even an improved version of the one created in his past life. This version, theoretically, could fire at a longer distance than its Earth counterpart. Unfortunately, without gunpowder, it was little more than a well-made decorative piece.
He had even tried using the Bullet Creation skill to recreate gunpowder. Unfortunately, the ammunition created by that skill didn't use actual powder; it was powered by a gunpowder-like mana instead. It wasn't real gunpowder just something created by mana that like his guns would disappear upon removal.
That was precisely why he was so eager for the alchemist to arrive. With proper guidance, he could identify the native equivalents of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal or perhaps even find a magical alternative.
...
Eventually, Vahn began taking a more active role in Lucen's training, personally sparring with him to push his limits.
When Lucen demonstrated the Gun Creation skill, the old veteran paused in shock, just for a second. Then, with the calm of a man who had survived a hundred battles, he accepted it without question.
After all, in this world, there were unique mages whose powers went far beyond the standard elements. They did not train to get these powers but were simply born with them or awakened them at some point in their lives. Some could control blood, shape shadows, or even craft weapons out of thin air. These oddities were rare but not unheard of. So Vahn simply accepted that Lucen had his own unique magic.
After sparring with Lucen for a time, the old knight quickly grasped the merits and limitations of the weapon Lucen wielded.
Similar to the bow and arrow, the gun was a long-range weapon, but unlike the latter, the so-called bullet it shot out flew so much faster than any arrow could. There was also the fact that, unlike an arrow, the bullet was so much smaller and harder to see and dodge.
However, unlike arrows, bullets travel strictly in a straight line and lack the flexibility of skilled archery. There was also the fact that each shot by the bullet came with a lot of noise, which could alert the enemy to one's location.
Vahn also noticed something else: the bullets weakened over distance. Against regular soldiers, Lucen's unique magic was deadly. But against Aura users, especially those who specialized in body or armor enhancement, the bullets weren't lethal. They would hurt, certainly, but not enough to stop a trained warrior.
When Vahn explained his observations to Lucen, the other party nodded in agreement. As the two were thinking about how to overcome the limitations of the gun, Lucen remembered something he saw in a movie or an anime in his past life, a style called Gun Kata. A style of fighting that uses a gun at close range.
The Gun Kata would have worked better if he could create guns beyond the revolver he was using, like semiautomatic pistols like a Beretta.
They tried sparring with Lucen using two revolvers. Lucen would disrupt Vahn's ryhtm by shooting at his blade mid-swing, then rush in for a point-blank shot. Unfortunately, Vahn easily readjusted his stance to counter.
In another match Lucen tried shooting in a distance that was close enough for him to fire effectively, but far enough that Vahn's blade wouldn't be able to reach, but even then it was no use. Vahn who was using Aura was able to dodge with relative ease and sometime when the timing was perfect deflect the bullet away with the flat side of his sword that was coated with Aura.
The closest match was when for a brief moment, Lucen stepped inside Vahn's reach, parried with his left revolver, and fired at the veteran's shoulder. Vahn twisted, but the bullet grazed his pauldron. The old knight grunted, surprised, but impressed.
For the briefest moment, a rare smile tugged at Vahn's lips. "You might not have your father's sword arm," he said, "but you carry the same fire, as one would expect of a Thornehart."
After a few trial and error, gun kata was starting to take form. Still, there was a drawback that once each gun no longer had any bullets, it was hard to back away and reload.
With the current limitations of his gun creation, with revolvers being the best guns he could currently create, Lucen decided to use a gun and sword combination instead.
Still, Lucen imagined a future style that was similar to the one's he would see in anime and movies. Fluid, brutal, elegant, a dancer of death who weaved between blades, gunfire like thunder at each step.
...
Vahn also took note of the arquebus that Lucen had constructed with the help of the blacksmiths. It simply looked like a bigger version of the weapon Lucen creates using his unique magic, and unlike Lucen's unique magic, this one can be held by anyone.
"Young master," Vahn said, his voice calm but curious, "are you trying to recreate, through craftsmanship, the same kind of weapon you summon with your magic?"
"Yes."
Hearing Lucen's direct answer, the Old Knight turned butler became visibly excited. Even though there were many issues with the weapon Lucen calls a gun, it was still a good weapon. If used against normal people or even lesser monsters, having each soldier have one would change the way they fight. Even an Aura user would have difficulty fighting if he is continuously shot at by bullets.
"We must inform the Lord about this."
"Don't get too excited, Sir Vahn," Lucen replied. "That's merely a prototype. Without the right materials, it's just an expensive club. I'm still trying to figure out the missing components."
Vahn's excitement cooled, but his admiration didn't. For a boy of twelve to not only manifest a unique magic but also possess the insight to recreate it physically, such a thing was beyond impressive. It was extraordinary.
'This child might not have inherited the talent of the sword, but he's still a genius.'
...
Lucen also tried messing around with the Status Window, but that bore nothing, aside from Aura, which shows more explanations once pressed; the other things had nothing. It was a simple Status Window, with no in-depth look at each thing in it.
Even now, he didn't know what the Thornehart Lineage trait could do, and the Foreign Soul, what was that? Does that mean he who had memories of the past twelve years and of a past life on Earth had invaded Lucen's body somehow? Was he the invader or the invaded? There were so many questions about the skills and traits, but of course, no one could give him an answer.
Was he still Lucen Thornehart, or merely a soul squatting in the shell of a dead boy? Were the memories of his twelve years here in this world something he stolen? The thought lingered like smoke, unsettling, but always just out of reach.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Lucen Thornehart
Age: 12
Class: Gun Mage
Health: 214 / 350
Mana: 2 / 140
Aura: Locked
Mana Core: First Circle
Skills:
• Bullet Creation – Active (Novice)
• Gun Creation – Active (Novice)
• Gun Knowledge – Passive (Novice)
• Marksmanship – Passive (Novice)
• Gun Kata – Passive (Novice)
Traits:
• Thornehart Lineage (Dormant)
• Foreign Soul (Unique)
• Training Adept (Rare)