49: Chapter 0049 Hurricane

Li Size gently stroked Felina's long hair, which was glowing faintly...

She nestled in his arms, her fingertips tracing the flowing Alchemy Runes on his wrist.

They were secret markings where mechanics and sorcery intertwined, resembling some dormant living thing that felt slightly warm under her touch.

The two leaned their foreheads together, their mingling breaths conveying the excitement in their hearts. The lingering halo of sorcery in the air spread warmth throughout the study, like a gentle cocoon shielding them from the dangers outside the window.

After several hours of intimacy...

Li Size, still full of energy, slipped into the workshop next to the apartment.

It was his "Laboratory," where the specimen of the [Terror Beast] they hunted last time was displayed:

Sealed with Felina's specially made "Constant Wax," the beast's eyes still held a faint, eerie green glow, and the Magic Monster's energy particles flowed within the wax layer, like a storm trapped in amber.

Most Wizards have a habit of collecting specimens; they are the tombstones of knowledge and the sparks of civilization.

Legend has it that a Wizard stranded in a non-magic world managed to create a miniature Wizard ecosystem solely relying on the Magic Monster cells within specimens and his knowledge of life sciences, eventually becoming the overlord of that world.

Li Size touched the Terror Beast's tusk, his eyes burning with eagerness:

"When I become stronger, I also want to create my own 'Wizard Factory.'"

The tools in the workshop were even more complete than those at the Academy of the Town.

He had to thank Old Man Pativ for his funding and Felina's 'casual borrowing' (like the sorcery chisel stolen from the Academy Laboratory, which made carving runes three times faster than ordinary tools).

He no longer needed to sneak into the Academy with Felina late at night to conduct experiments under his mentor's privileges.

Recently, he had been practicing Firearm Manufacturing and had already crafted over a hundred silver lightning revolvers.

His Firearm Manufacturing skill had long since maxed out its proficiency at the Entry-Level, and then he used Pay-to-Win to advance to the Skilled Rank.

Now, crafting ordinary revolvers no longer yielded proficiency; he urgently needed new 'nourishment' to feed the skill bar.

Firearm Manufacturing (Apprentice Tier) Skilled 0 / 100

Notes:

Your fingers have memorized the shape of every component. The firearms you craft boast 5% higher burst power, reload speed, and durability than those made by ordinary craftsmen.

Combined with the bonus from Mechanical Alchemy, this results in a total increase of 10%.

It's like installing a 'Sorcery Engine' into the gun; every bullet flies guided by your will.

But Li Size didn't plan to use old Materials this time.

He had just completed the Analysis of the "Metal Refining Method" and "sorcery machine tool Manufacturing Technology" sent by Felin, gaining two new skills:

Metal Refining Entry 15 / 100

Notes:

This is a 'Divine Skill' unique to the specialized sorcery of Mechanical Alchemy!

It shatters and reassembles your previous Metal Smelting skill, changing it from 'Increase purity by 10%' to 'Increase purity by 25% + 10% alloy performance'.

The previously accumulated 60 proficiency points are gone, but in exchange, you have achieved a 'Mortal Limit' Breakthrough:

You can now transform ordinary metal into 'energized metal'.

sorcery machine tool Manufacturing Entry 0 / 100

Notes:

You can now build sorcery machine tools:

Those rune-adorned gears, those drills that adjust their angle automatically—they are like a group of obedient metal servants.

Once you learn more arcane knowledge, Alchemy Runes, and mysterious mechanical structures, you can combine the machine tools with mystical power to create automated production lines.

At that time, you can mass-produce witchcraft firearms and arm the entire town's police force into 'Wizard Shooters'.

Li Size abandoned the old Materials.

Because he discovered that the Black Tough Iron used in the police standard silver lightning had a maximum energy level limit of Rank 2, which, according to the energy level decay theory, only manifested at an actual level of 1.6.

This was unworthy of his Mechanical Alchemy; he needed better Materials.

In the new knowledge of 'Material Science,' there was a low-tier sorcery alloy called 'black demonic iron.'

Its maximum energy level was 5, manifesting at an actual level of 4, and the Ore required for it had long been prepared by him.

Its primary metallic component was 'Demonic Iron Ore,' Ore whose surface shimmered with a dark purple light and felt like hot coal to the touch.

[Focus Mechanical Alchemy - Metal Refining, Synthesize Alloy black demonic iron (Good)]

Mechanical Alchemy Proficiency +1, Metal Refining Proficiency +2

Felin’s "Metal Refining Method" was truly a treasure.

Li Size followed the method obtained through Pay-to-Win Analysis, placing the Demonic Iron Ore into the sorcery furnace, chanting the spell "Separate Impurities" while holding a "Purification Talisman" in his left hand.

The talisman burned in his hand, turning into a wisp of green smoke that drilled into the furnace.

"Separate Impurities" was a unique sorcery recorded in the "Metal Refining Method," whose Ring Level grew with the Wizard's Rank:

When Li Size was a sorcery apprentice, the technique was Zero Ring Glimmer; when he advanced to a Level 1 Wizard, the Glimmer would transform into a First Ring sorcery.

This sorcery was analogous to the Decomposition Art accompanying the Mechanical Alchemy skill but added a layer of mystical complexity.

At the Entry-Level, this sorcery could screen out 70% of Impurities, increasing the substance's purity.

When quenched to the Skilled Level via Pay-to-Win, the Demonic Energy sieve became finer, compressing residual Impurities down to 22.5%.

And the "Purification Talisman" was a single-use sorcery item recorded in the "Metal Refining Method," condensed from Magic Monster skin:

Wizards would use a knife dipped in silver water to peel the skin from a Magic Monster immediately after death, then inscribe the "Purification" Alchemy Rune onto the skin using cinnabar mixed with the Magic Monster's blood.

Every line absorbed the residual Soul of the Magic Monster.

When finished carving, the talisman would emit a demonic cry like an infant's wail—the Demon Soul yearning for purification, craving to gnaw on the filth of Impurities.

Entry-Level talismans released their Demon Souls upon contact with metal.

They pounced on the Impurities like cats starved for three days, gnawing with a sizzling sound, increasing the metal's purity by 20%.

Skilled Level talismans possessed stronger Demon Souls within their runes, capable of pushing the purity up another five percentage points to 25%.

The core of the Metal Refining Art was using the ancient secret method in the "Metal Refining Method" to coordinate the resonance between the "Separate Impurities" sorcery and the "Purification Talisman."

The Ore in the furnace began to boil, and black Impurities were pulled out by an invisible hand, floating on the surface.

The remaining molten metal shimmered with a dark purple light, like a melted starry sky.

The resulting black demonic iron (Good) reached a maximum energy level of 5.75, with an actual manifested energy level of 4.56.

It was even higher than written in the book!

He touched the piece of metal and could feel the Demonic Energy flowing within it, as if grasping a mass of slumbering lightning.

"Materials are the Soul that transforms into a sorcery item."

Li Size recalled the records in the Alchemy books:

"Sorcery tools made from junk Materials, even if covered in runes, can only fight minor Magic Monsters; countless tools made from superior Materials, even without runes, can blast through the bones of evil spirits."

He placed the black demonic iron on the Forging bench and picked up the sorcery hammer...

The hammerhead was inscribed with runes that assisted Forging; striking the metal produced a 'ding' sound, like some ancient summons.

He swung the sorcery hammer quickly, employing the ancestral Forging secret technique, which he had already advanced to the Skilled Level via Pay-to-Win:

Ancestral Forging Secret Technique Skilled 0 / 100

Notes:

You have reached the limit of mortal Forging.

Your hammer can perfectly utilize the material's performance without allowing even a trace of Demonic Energy to be lost in the metal.

Furthermore, for every ten strikes, you have two chances for an 'Inspiration Burst,' elevating the component's performance by another level.

It is as if your hand is conversing with the metal, telling you how to strike to make it stronger.

[Focus Mechanical Alchemy - Forging, Crafting Gun Barrel]

Mechanical Alchemy Proficiency +1, Forging Proficiency +1