Chapter 362 - 351: New Technology
Chapter 362: Chapter 351: New Technology
In the Ore and Crystal Laboratory of the Cybertron Half-Plane.
On the analysis table, the metal cores had been sealed away. In their place sat a human-head-sized ingot of Magic Metal covered in irregular black patterns—a block of Black Patterned Magic Steel alloy.
This was one of the most common Magic Metals in the Wizarding World, widely used in the creation of equipment like Low-Tier Golems and armor.
Allen stood before the table, his expression calm.
A thirty-centimeter-long silver metal rod floated in mid-air before him, its tip aimed at the steel ingot.
This was a crude pulse generator built according to the "Magic Key Resonance Equation."
"Jarvis, initiate the reverse-pulse program. Target: Black Patterned Magic Steel."
[Command confirmed. Initiating reverse-pulse program. Matching frequency... Match complete.]
A nearly invisible ripple of light appeared at the tip of the pulse generator, and an unseen resonant wave swept over the Black Patterned Magic Steel.
The next second, a miracle occurred.
The hard metal ingot, like a building block being gently disassembled by an invisible hand, silently "loosened" in a way that defied physical intuition.
A small pile of black carbon powder separated first, followed by a large amount of silver-gray iron powder that collapsed like flowing sand. Finally, the black Magic Metal also turned into a flowing powder.
In just three seconds, a structurally stable magic alloy had been perfectly reduced to its three most basic raw materials.
Allen stood still, looking at the three small, distinct piles of powder on the analysis table.
’I still can’t replicate the technique of turning Magic Metal into a liquid flow, but even this is astonishing enough.’
He reached out, picked up a pinch of the purest iron powder, and rolled it between his fingertips, feeling its fine, cold texture before closing his eyes.
In his mind, a massive stream of data from Jarvis was rushing by.
[Calculating recovery cost...]
[Example: Wreckage of a ’Storm Falcon’ fighter.]
[Traditional smelting method recovery rate: 68%. Cost: 19.8 standard Magic Power units.]
[Reverse-pulse method recovery rate: 99.7%. Cost: 0.8 standard Magic Power units.]
Allen’s eyelids twitched slightly.
He wasn’t thinking about how miraculous the technology was. Instead, he was calculating the terrifying profit margins if this technology were scaled up and applied to the millions, even tens of millions, of tons of Golem and warship wreckage on the battlefields of various Planes.
"Continue the tests," Allen said, not overly excited.
Next up were the advanced metals.
A piece of "Earth Vein Tempered Steel," which Allen himself had produced, was placed on the analysis table.
"BZZT—"
A piercing sound of energy imbalance rang out. The surface of the Earth Vein Tempered Steel instantly fractured with dozens of fine, web-like cracks. Its internal structure was irreversibly destroyed by the chaotic resonance, turning it into a piece of scrap.
[Target’s magic key structure is too complex. Unable to establish a stable resonant frequency!]
Allen raised an eyebrow. ’Making money is never that easy, it seems. High-level magic materials can’t be interfered with so easily. Let’s try another one.’
The final test subject was a small, priceless piece of adamantine alloy.
The result was even more decisive.
"BOOM!"
With a muffled explosion, the entire alloy triggered a miniature Magic Power detonation the moment the pulse swept over it, blasting a fist-sized crater into the analysis table.
If any other Alchemy Wizard had seen such a priceless material ruined like this, they would have likely had a mental breakdown.
But not only was Allen not disappointed, he was actually pleased. He stepped forward and picked up the destroyed metal to observe it.
"Jarvis, what’s the analysis?"
[The magic keys within high-level Magic Metals are more complex and may contain undiscovered variables and effects. The reverse pulse will only cause internal damage.]
’I expected as much. If that metal lifeform could easily alter high-level metals, this rescue mission wouldn’t have been completed so simply.’
Allen’s thoughts diverged. "If this effect could be refined into a directional Skill..."
[Conclusion: A brand-new ’anti-materiel’ attack Witchcraft.]
[It doesn’t attack the Wizard’s body directly but specializes in disintegrating their equipment and Golems. The collapse of high-intensity magic keys would be more destructive than any physical penetration.]
"We’ll call it ’Disintegration Skill’," Allen said, naming the yet-to-be-born technology.
With that, two technological paths derived from the research into the metal lifeform’s abilities unfolded before him.
One: [Matter Decomposition Skill]. A perfect recovery method for Low-Tier Magic Metals. For civilian use, it would be Weisren Heavy Industry’s future money-printing machine.
Two: [Disintegration Skill]. For the targeted destruction of high-level magic alloys. For military use, it would be a new form of Witchcraft or a new type of weapon.
The former could fundamentally solve the Cybertron Workshop’s material supply and cost problems.
The latter could give his Golem Legion a crushing, asymmetrical advantage when facing enemies of the same or even higher levels.
And both of these grand roads to different futures originated from an inconspicuous, fist-sized metal core on this ice plain.
Allen’s line of thought didn’t stop there.
"Jarvis, integrate the ’Magic Key Resonance’ model with the data on the Spider Slayer."
’What if this technology was applied to Low-Tier Golems?’
Normally, they would just be ordinary Golems.
But when damaged, a section of armor could instantly liquefy and, guided by a resonance field, reassemble to repair the wound within a second.
The entire Golem could even switch freely between solid and semi-liquid states, completely overcoming the mechanical limitations of joint wear and driveshaft fractures, transforming into a true "Transformer."
Allen had a feeling that this metal lifeform still had a lot of technological potential to be tapped, such as how it reproduced or how it developed a hive mind.
And how it was born naturally from ore veins.
But Allen glanced at the dense R&D schedule on his retina; he already had more projects on hand than he could manage.
"Jarvis, seal all remaining core samples for future research."
’This mission was more than worth it.’
His reservoir of knowledge expanded once more. On his tech tree, a brand-new branch named [Autonomous Metal Morphology] was quietly illuminated.
...
「On the seventh day.」
When Silas, the captain of the investigation team, found Allen at the temporary base, he was weary and carrying the finalized report. Allen himself had just stepped out of the laboratory.
"Your Excellency," Silas said, handing over a Memory Crystal Stone. His expression was complicated, tinged with an undisguised sense of loss. "The investigation is basically complete. This is our full analysis of that city... that civilization."
Allen took the Crystal Stone, and with a sweep of his Spiritual Power, he saw their conclusions.
A low-level metallurgical civilization that happened to discover metal lifeforms. They had built a brief period of glory by using the metal lifeforms as laborers, only to be wiped out by a dramatic climate shift.
The entire city possessed no noteworthy Magic knowledge or energy technology.
"According to the Association’s rating standards, I’m afraid this discovery will have a hard time even getting a C-rank," Silas said with a bitter smile. "Its only value is the metal lifeforms themselves, which count as a new type of Demon specimen."
He paused before adding, "We saw the tuning-fork-like tools used to control the metal lifeforms in the murals, but we didn’t find any physical objects in the ruins. They were most likely devoured by the ’laborers’ themselves after they went out of control over the long years."
He said this to express his regret; if they had found those control tools, they might have been able to raise the discovery’s rating.
However, Allen just nodded without offering any opinion.
"Understood."
"Sir, we..." he began, wanting to say more.
"The mission is complete," Allen interrupted him, his tone flat. "Prepare for our return."
He felt no regret at all.
’A tuning fork? In his eyes, that primitive resonant tool was no different from a stick used to hit a rock.’
’He had already mastered the theory needed to compose a symphony, so why would he care about a lost whistle?’
Perhaps the city’s ruins held other, deeper secrets, but that wasn’t Allen’s job. He already had what he wanted.
Silas looked into Allen’s eyes, which were as calm as an old well, and suddenly understood something.
This Second-level Wizard, Sir Allen, had never wanted the city’s "treasure" or some A-rank evaluation from the very beginning.
What he wanted was perhaps something that people like them could never comprehend.
Silas said no more. He turned silently to gather his team members.
Although they hadn’t achieved a spectacular A-rank evaluation this time, the rescue had arrived in time. Just being able to return alive was a great fortune.
A moment later, with a snap of Allen’s fingers, the vast living and R&D sectors of the Cybertron Workshop dematerialized amidst spatial fluctuations, eventually vanishing completely and leaving only a huge, flat impression on the frozen earth.
Everyone followed Allen aboard the Floating Ship, passed through the Star Gate, and returned to the Great Library Plane, which was as warm as spring.