Chapter 41: Hand-Crafting an Arm Crossbow, [Artisan] Activated
Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Hand-Crafting an Arm Crossbow, [Artisan] Activated
Pascal’s efficiency was just as professional and reliable as the service attitude he had shown before. Even Jon’s recent "reminder," which had made his heart pound, hadn’t delayed his actions in the slightest.
Just a few minutes later, with the soft sound of rolling casters, he pushed a small metal cart loaded with the goods Jon had specified and knocked on the door of the lounge again.
"Sir, your items are ready. May I come in now?"
Jon, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them at the sound. His reply was short and forceful.
"Enter."
Meeting again after only a few minutes, the male attendant still looked as respectful as ever, but Jon keenly noticed that he seemed less cautious and more confident.
’He must have contacted someone in charge. What a quick-thinking and straightforward fellow...’
Of course, Pascal had no idea he’d been seen through completely. He simply maintained his usual professional demeanor, smoothly pushing the cart into the lounge and then bowing to Jon.
"Sir, here are the Silver Crystals, engineering tools, alchemy tools, and engineering parts you requested. Would you like me to go over them with you?"
"No need. I’ll do it myself."
Jon stood up, strolled over to the cart, and directly lifted the lid off the box on top of the pile.
Twenty translucent crystals, each about the size of an egg and only roughly polished, were arranged neatly on a velvet lining. Inside each one, a miniature galaxy seemed to be held, shimmering with a soft and mysterious silver glow.
He picked one up. A cool sensation spread from his fingers as its Attributes immediately appeared before his eyes.
—
[Silver Crystal (Ordinary · Material) Weight: 30.4g, Purity: 7.55]
[Can store 304 points of Magic Power. Storage/Release Loss Rate: 24.5%]
—
A glance at the Attributes was enough to tell that the main clientele for these shiny little things were various types of Casters—at least, that was the common understanding in this day and age.
But to Jon, they weren’t just a convenient medium for storing Magic Power. They were the key to unlocking the gate to a whole new era.
And he was certain that, for now, he was the only one who knew how to use this unique key.
Just as he possessed alchemy formulas from the future, verified by countless players, he also possessed Engineering knowledge that far surpassed this era.
No one yet could unlock the true power contained within the small crystal in his hand.
"This is the power of an era..."
Jon mused to himself as he placed the crystal back in its box, then opened another one marked with a rainbow-leaf logo.
Inside was an assortment of Engineering tools, including a multi-function wrench, a small metal cutting bench, and a personalized part modification station—all objects Jon was very familiar with.
However, unlike the tough, minimalist stereotype associated with traditional Engineering, the metal surfaces of these tools were engraved with a multitude of ornate, complex floral patterns and intricate designs that, while beautiful, offered no practical benefit.
Jon picked up a small pair of shaping shears from the box and gave them a couple of test snips in the air, feeling the smooth interlocking of the mechanism. Only then did he look up at Pascal, who was standing respectfully to the side, and ask nonchalantly.
"Imported from the fairies?"
"You have a sharp eye, sir. As the race that invented Engineering, the tools made by fairies are the best on the continent."
"This very toolbox was imported from the [Fairy Kingdom of Mahārāja]. Our Birch Town branch only has two sets in stock."
The male attendant placed a hand over his chest in a respectful salute as he explained in detail, then added.
"As for the portable alchemy kit you requested, it’s a Type II toolbox manufactured by the Imperial Pharmacist Association according to continental standards. It is also the best quality we can offer at the moment."
"Hm, not bad."
Jon nodded slightly in approval. He then gave the variously sized and shaped engineering parts on the cart a quick count. After confirming everything was there, he dismissed Pascal.
"Alright, you can go now."
He showed no intention of settling the bill right away.
Unexpectedly, Pascal didn’t raise any objections. He simply bowed again, his response perfectly composed.
"Yes, sir. I hope you have a pleasant day."
"Also, Lady Bennett is on her way back. She should be able to meet with you in about half an hour."
Jon’s expression didn’t change at his words. He just gave a faint grunt in acknowledgment.
"Got it."
Seeing this, Pascal became even more deferential. He backed out of the lounge, gently closing the door behind him.
From his demeanor, it was clear he had guessed something.
’Smart guy... His future definitely won’t be limited to being an ordinary attendant...’
The thought flashed through Jon’s mind and was just as quickly dismissed.
What did a stranger’s Destiny have to do with him?
The most important thing right now was to activate [Artisan]!
Why couldn’t the power of technology be considered Power?
In fact, with his vast knowledge of future Engineering blueprints, he was fully capable of accomplishing things far beyond his current power level!
"Let’s start with the most basic burst-damage weapon... Without the Blood Exhaustion Potion, I feel strangely insecure..."
"The simplest Arm Crossbow... if I remember correctly, it’s two 1.1-spec parts, plus four 1.7s and one 2.1..."
Jon muttered to himself and quickly selected the necessary parts from the cart. Then, carrying the toolbox, he sat back down on the soft sofa.
With a soft CLATTER, all sorts of precision tools were taken out and spread unceremoniously across the expensive Phoebe zhennan coffee table, the metal of the tools thudding dully against the wood.
He first picked up the core metal bar, labeled 2.1, which was about the length of his forearm and shaped like a ’T’.
"First, cut off a quarter of the tail end. Then, carve a bolt channel down the middle. Finally, drill the pilot holes..."
These tools from the fairy kingdom were ultimately different from the standardized ones used by players in the future, so Jon found them a bit awkward to use.
But the biggest difference between Engineering and alchemy was that, when crafting low-level items, the margin for error was extremely high.
A slight error in dosage when mixing a potion could result in a deadly poison.
Crafting an engineering item was different.
As long as the structure was correct, cutting a part a millimeter too long or too short would, at most, affect the final product’s power and Durability. It was almost impossible to have a complete failure.
The simple Arm Crossbow Jon was making wasn’t complicated to begin with. Even without the guidance and assistance of Skills, he was fully confident he could replicate it with about 70-80% accuracy.
Soon, the 2.1 part, the main body of the Arm Crossbow, was processed under his skilled hands.
Next, he drilled mounting holes into the four 1.7 parts that would form the crossbow’s limbs and bent the two 1.1-spec parts for the trigger mechanism to the proper curvature.
The final step was to assemble these processed parts with precision—installation!
"Secure the limbs with pins, then fit the trigger mechanism into the groove carved in the middle of the main body, leaving a stopper..."
"Mmm... that should be about right."
As the final pin CLICKED into place, the separate metal parts came together in his hands, forming a small, forearm-length, four-limbed crossbow that gleamed with a cold metallic light.
And at that very moment, the system prompt he had been long awaiting popped up before his eyes.
[Crafted one engineering item, gained 30 general Experience Points.]
[Craftsmanship Skill Level +5]
The Experience Points were few, but it was all within his expectations.
After all, as long as you knew how to use the tools, processing the parts wasn’t technically difficult, and the subsequent assembly was something anyone with hands could do.
What Jon truly cared about was the other meaning behind this prompt!
He shifted his gaze to the Sub-profession panel. To the left of [Alchemist], the previously grayed-out icon and interface, themed with gears and precision machinery, were now lit up by a stream of azure data, bursting forth with a light that represented technology and creation!
—
[Artisan LV.1 (Skill Level 5/1000), Mechanical School (Locked)]
[Acquired Skills: Part Processing LV.1, Finished Product Assembly LV.1, Debug LV.1, Overload LV.1... Click to expand]
[Acquired Blueprints: explosive hand grenade, Sprinting Combat Boots, Power-Assisted Arm Armor, Chainsaw Sword, Mechanical Guardian... Click to expand]
—
Since he had been expecting this, Jon wasn’t as ecstatic as when he had activated Alchemist.
Still, his mood lightened considerably.
Compared to alchemy, which leaned toward healing and making money, Engineering was dedicated to another, purer Domain—the direct enhancement of combat power.
A well-made mechanical crossbow or a fully loaded hand grenade could easily take an enemy’s Life from a distance.
And other creations, like jet-powered combat boots that increased sprint speed, Arm Armor that boosted Power output, and even higher-level advanced Engineering constructs that integrated "crystal" technology—dubbed by players as "Otherworld Gundams" or "Magic-Energy Ironmans"—were all deadly weapons born to aid in battle and defeat powerful foes.
As the saying goes.
Dignity rests only on the edge of a sword, and truth is only found within the range of a cannon!
In this world where the strong are revered, strength is the fundamental Law that decides everything!
"While I have no intention of harming anyone proactively, if someone insists on making an enemy of me..."
A thought stirred in Jon’s mind. He activated the [Debug] skill he had just acquired and, guided by an intangible stream of data, carefully inspected the Arm Crossbow he had just made.
—
[Arm Crossbow (Ordinary - Ranged)]
[Projectile Power: 17]
[Piercing Effect: 20]
[Durability: 15/15]
"It takes time to reload, but most of the time, you won’t need a second shot. One is enough. —Weapons Tester"
—
"...then I’ll have no choice but to teach them a lesson in ’physics’..."
He drew a poisoned Flying Nail from beneath his Arm Shield and placed it in the Arm Crossbow’s firing groove.
It was a perfect, seamless fit.
But just as Jon was about to casually whip up a few other gadgets, a faint commotion from outside the door made him pause, his brow arching.
"Is that Rosalind back already? I thought it was supposed to be half an hour?"