Chapter 713 Realization
?713 Realization
Magic items were humankind's greatest achievement with mana. They weren't necessarily as grandiose or imposing as some pieces of technology but expressed a far higher level of expertise.
The magnitude of the achievement lay in the many fields involved in creating a single magic item. Soldiers with specific and suitable elements had to employ the most advanced technology to imbue purpose into a lifeless material, often only to obtain limited and lackluster effects. It took true experts to reliably create powerful and useful equipment, and most focused on warfare. L1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ñøv€l--B1n.
Those experts also set the gold standard since unreliable and barely efficient magic items weren't worth the price. After all, humans could achieve much through technology alone, so investing in something sub-par wasn't worth it.
A sharp knife built from durable alloys was a cheaper and more reliable alternative than slightly more effective magic blades. The same went for firearms. A rifle with magazines of mana bullets was often preferable over a gun that depleted too much of the shooter's energy.
Of course, magic items didn't come in the form of weapons only, and the Global Army had also standardized some sectors. One was the disks used to transfer martial arts, spells, and special information. The higher-ups favored them due to the secrecy they offered, so they had heavily invested in stabilizing their production and lowering their costs.
The list didn't stop there. The scientists' mana-inhibiting gadgets were another type of magic item, but more examples were available. Prototypes for new branches of the field were also in the work. The Global Army didn't stop evolving, and that was the next level.
Khan had owned multiple magic items, which mostly came from his needs. Ordinary blades couldn't survive his element, so his knives had to have unique properties suitable for his level.
Khan had also seen high-quality gear. The trip in the Rassec family's armory had been an eye-opener on the variety and power magic items could wield. His cursed knife was even unique, but he felt sure similar or stronger equipment existed somewhere.
Still, even with that experience, Khan had never once thought he was creating a magic item. That field had always seemed too distant, and his focus had been on fixing Monica's problem. His mind didn't wander anywhere else during the process.
However, now that Monica had mentioned it, Khan couldn't help but consider the matter. He didn't know how magic items were created, but his final product probably touched on that field. He had simply walked a different path.
Abraham provided the materials, and Khan eliminated the need for technology. He became one of the many machines usually used in the process, relying on his ability to manipulate the mana to accomplish different functions.
Khan's eyes flickered before he diverted his gaze. The realization had hit his brain, but he couldn't accept it. It felt impossible to have touched on similar feats without scientific education and at the mere age of twenty-one.
"It wasn't a magic item," Khan announced. "At best, it was a prototype of something which is now rubble."
"Khan!" Monica whined, slamming her hands on Khan's shoulders to hop on top of him. "Can you or can you not make magic items?"
Monica was more aware than Khan about the importance of the achievement, and her face conveyed her seriousness. Khan wanted to deny it again, but the similarities were too evident to ignore.
Old financial teachings surged in Monica's mind. She knew how to exploit an idea and maximize its value, and Khan would even have a monopoly over it. He could establish an entirely new school, and the masses would flock to buy from it.
"This is leverage even my parents can't ignore," Monica said. "It's the game changer, something beyond your strength but more concrete than your knowledge. It could change the world as we know it."
Monica was projecting herself many years into the future, but her reasoning was sound. After all, the Global Army had already moved to learn Khan's vague alien techniques. A proper magic item would convince even the most dubious higher-ups, granting Khan everything he would ever need.
"Where are you going with that head of yours?" Khan teased. "I only did this to make you Matriarch."
Monica couldn't help but lower her eyes and smile. The situation was more serious than Khan realized, and it was Monica's job to keep him in line, but she allowed herself to enjoy the sight of her caring fiancé for a few seconds.
"Khan, what you did is incredible," Monica exclaimed. "You put all that foreign and cryptic knowledge into an item I can use. Imagine how much wealth, influence, and leverage you could get if you standardized this approach."
Monica and Khan's smiles froze at the same time. Monica's last statement triggered another realization. What Khan had created was the first step toward fulfilling the Global Army's desires. He had put the field he invented in someone else's hands without needing to teach anything. Khan had proven his first lesson wrong.
"No one can know about this," Monica announced, betraying all the simulations in her mind. "Don't make another prototype either."
"I won't stop making them," Khan stated, "But I'll be careful."
Monica wanted to scold Khan into submission, but he was unbeatable when he acted like that. Nothing in the world could stop him from trying to help Monica.
"Fine," Monica sighed. "Let's remove any trace of the test, at least."
Khan nodded and pointed his elbows on the ground to lift himself slightly. Monica was still sitting on him, so he could only get closer to her.
"We should head back, then," Khan suggested before glancing at the gorge. "I'll throw a few spells around to cover this mess."
"Wait," Monica exclaimed. "Are we going back already?"
"I'd suggest sex on the snow," Khan joked, "But the Global Army has probably pointed its scanners here by now."
"Idiot," Monica snorted, pretending to be angry when she had experienced similar thoughts only a few minutes ago. "Did we really come all the way here just for one test?"
"I can't keep breaking training halls," Khan pointed out. "Can I?"
Khan's reasoning was flawless, but Monica still wasn't satisfied. Yet, she recalled what had just happened when she started devising new complaints. Khan had fixed her greatest flaw. Anger couldn't exist when she felt so grateful.
"You'll have to fly slowly," Monica whispered, wrapping her arms around Khan's neck. "You won't get to look past the canopy for even a second."