novelraw Chapter 109
Chapter 109
Chapter 109 : Prototype
By the time Sal finished his coffee, he had already spilled all the details of his projects to Chatfield.
The gun and the Tracker seemed to pique Chatfield's interest, and he even smiled at the freshly conceived coffee machine idea.
Sal also brought up the drone he wanted to build by adding Upgrade's functionality.
Chatfield listened carefully to Sal's explanation, nodding and adding a few words.
When Sal mentioned the Evolution attribute, Chatfield interrupted him with a surprised look.
"Wait. You can craft equipment and weapons incorporating evolution abilities?"
There was a nuance in his tone that made Sal pause for a moment.
Sal had thought that when he explained that each concept developed over time, that part had naturally been conveyed as well.
Sal nodded, then turned his chair to pull up the blueprint for the Legendary rank sniper rifle.
"Yes, one of the Reavers had a blade with that attribute, and I was able to apply that rune to this design. The sniper rifle was Rare rank mixed with some Epic parts, but thanks to that attribute, I could elevate it to Legendary rank. It will probably be the first crafted weapon to reach Mythos rank."
He didn't intend to show off, but he couldn't hide the pride seeping into his voice.
Wondering if he was getting too ahead of himself, Sal added.
"I couldn't have completed it alone. It wouldn't have been possible without the Crafters in the workshop, Upgrade, Martin, and Gosha."
Chatfield immediately stood up and walked around the bench to examine the blueprint closely.
He gave Sal a brief smile, then scanned the details on the screen, tracing them with his finger.
"This is an absolute game-changer. You could craft breastplate sets with Evolution attributes. Does evolution follow a set path, or can it keep pace with the user's growth?"
Chatfield's question struck deep into Sal's mind.
He had been stuck in the framework of designing downwards from high rank to low rank, fixing the item's evolution path.
‘If I grant the Evolution attribute to Common rank equipment from the start, could it evolve according to the wearer's Essence?’
More questions than answers tailed one another for Sal.
"I've only tested the Evolution attribute on the sniper rifle. Aside from that, I've only conceptualized it in my head. For the Tracker, I assumed the most perfect version, implemented all ideal abilities, and then reverse-engineered it to create a lower-rank version achievable with my current skills. Would it be too reckless to grant an attribute to low-rank equipment and leave evolution entirely up to luck?"
Chatfield shook his head lightly and laughed.
"No, rather, that point is interesting. Even if we supply just a single breastplate to students, it means they can use it throughout their entire career. The cost-effectiveness would be unimaginably high. But how do these pieces of equipment gather Essence? Everything I've seen drained the user's Essence excessively, making it unusable. How did you solve that?"
Even Sal became excited by Chatfield's sudden enthusiasm.
He was becoming increasingly captivated by this man who seemed like a completely different person.
"I can't speak expertly on this part. I've only done it once. The Mythos Crafter ability found all the details for me. The sniper rifle gathered Essence through kills. It used an energy binding ability, which I understand is similar to absorption abilities. On the other hand, the Tracker likely utilized Essence Signatures. Headmaster Quest said interpreting information is also a form of storing Essence. I don't know yet what method the breastplate will use. I'll have to try a few designs to see what solution the Mythos Crafter ability suggests."
Chatfield looked down at the blueprint and nodded.
"So the concept of guns developing over time didn't mean transition blueprints. You meant to implement binding abilities like the sniper rifle and grant Evolution attributes?"
Placing both hands on the bench and leaning forward, he smiled slightly mockingly.
"This is far more surprising than I expected. I thought I'd hear about some grand conspiracy cooked up by Quest this morning. So I hoped I wouldn't have to change the Academy's operational policy... Being able to supply evolution equipment to all students? It's enough to submit a completely new report to the Hunter Bureau and the Guild Association."
He looked at Sal again with a deeply thoughtful expression.
"What resources do you need to prepare a prototype?"
Sal paused at the sudden question.
He couldn't grasp exactly what the intention was.
"Excuse me, but by prototype... do you mean the gun and Tracker, or the breastplate set I designed?"
Sal guessed that the day when professors who knew his identity would pour in requests wasn't far off.
He didn't even have a clue how much to price his crafting services yet.
Chatfield admired his ability, which he was grateful for, but he had absolutely no intention of volunteering for free.
Whatever Chatfield said, he intended to take his time and choose carefully.
Chatfield shook his head lightly, stepped back from the table, straightened his back, and stretched refreshingly.
"A Common or Uncommon rank evolutionary breastplate set. That's exactly the prototype I was looking for. A blueprint with detailed information like those is enough. If the prototype is completed successfully, I'll push for full distribution after Association approval. It would be best if it could be mass-produced using the most common materials, but I don't know if your ability reaches that far. Is it possible?"
Sal felt a bit uncomfortable inside.
‘According to Headmaster Quest, Chatfield wants to build a production line in the Academy and have Crafters focus only on producing military equipment. If I provide them with blueprints, wouldn't they lose autonomy in the long run?’
However, perhaps due to the friendly atmosphere and Chatfield's favorable attitude, Sal honestly revealed his concerns.
"I heard you want Crafters to stop personal projects and focus only on crafting standard equipment. If I make this prototype and it succeeds, will the Academy's crafting methods change? I don't want this place to turn into a factory."
Chatfield leaned against the wall and sighed.
"To be honest, yes. There will be changes in the Academy. However, outstanding Crafters like you will be free to continue independent work. On the other hand, unskilled Crafters struggling while longing for their masterpiece will be provided with a more systematic and efficient method. The Support Class usually spends the hardest time at the Academy. They try to stand out in crafting, analysis, and administration classes, but those unsure of their abilities avoid survival, field, and combat classes. The current crafting class is far from an environment where you learn through trial and error. Because they evaluate only by results. If we teach standardized designs from the beginning, they can provide greater value to the Academy while building their skills."
Chatfield smiled, pointing towards the door of the design room.
"All the students out there right now are struggling to survive. Under the pressure that they must create something to remain in the Academy. If we present a structured list of necessary crafting, we can reduce anxiety and provide a clear growth path."
Sal gradually let go of his resistance.
Providing a system to underperforming students was certainly meaningful, and if it didn't hinder his free crafting activities, it was an acceptable change.
‘It would certainly be a wise measure to give a clear growth path to students lacking capability like Josh Mitchell or Anthony.’
With that thought, Sal accepted Chatfield's proposal.
Chatfield snapped his fingers to catch Sal's attention.
"This is merely one side of the coin. If we realize this and the prototype works as planned, we can supply every student with a customized breastplate set they can use until graduation. If we provide it as a rental and give a purchase option upon graduation, we can ease the students' burden, secure inventory, and pay the Crafters. Consequently, we can improve overall performance in the field, drastically reduce casualties on the battlefield, and raise the next generation of the Monster War to be stronger. It might sound a bit unrealistic, but Argento, your blueprint could have a profound impact on history. Now, let me ask again. What resources do you need to start this project?"
Sal burst into laughter at the remark that a single breastplate prototype would change history.
No matter how much he mulled it over, it was an unrealistic story, but Chatfield's conviction was strangely persuasive.
Instead of hastily pointing out logical contradictions, he tried to gauge what was needed, but he couldn't assert anything in a situation where he hadn't even started the design.
The Skill class time was fast approaching.
"Class time is running short, so I think we'll have to discuss this again later. It's impossible to gauge what materials are needed before using the Mythos Crafter's ability."
The thought suddenly crossed Sal's mind that he could solve two problems at once using this opportunity.
Moreover, since Chatfield was so proactive, he judged it worth dropping a hint.
"Actually, I'm having trouble obtaining a material called Lord Crystal. It's a necessary material for the Analysis Tracker screen, and without it, it's difficult to sort out optimal materials. Thanks to barely handling the Quest Tracker with my analysis ability before, I could grasp the material composition and manifested abilities. I could try designing the prototype without a Tracker, but if I had a Lord Crystal, I could expect the best results."
Sal finished speaking and examined Chatfield's reaction, but he couldn't read any emotion on his face.
Chatfield, lost in thought for a moment, smiled and nodded.
"Good. Send me the list of materials needed for crafting the Tracker. I'll get them all for you. A Lord Crystal won't be a problem. If you need higher-grade materials, let me know that too. If you need to skip class to focus on crafting, I'll adjust that as well. This project is well worth trying, and I'm glad to be a part of it."
Chatfield held out his hand.
Sal shook his hand in a daze and expressed his gratitude.
‘Materials even better than a Lord Crystal!’
Just that fact made Sal burst into laughter involuntarily.