Chapter 7: Testing the Limits
The mall was eerily silent, save for the occasional creaking of metal and the distant, unsettling growls of monsters roaming outside. Ren sat near the entrance of their makeshift shelter, keeping watch while Lena slept. The dim emergency lights cast flickering shadows across the empty aisles, making everything feel even more surreal.
Ren let out a quiet sigh, gripping a rusty metal pole he had picked up earlier.
"I need to test this skill properly."
Ever since the system granted him the Itemless Champion class, he hadn't had the chance to explore its abilities. He had used Weaponization once before, but only in the heat of battle. Now, he needed to understand exactly how it worked.
He stepped away from the camp, making sure not to wake Lena. Moving behind a fallen shelf, he took a deep breath and held the metal pole tightly.
---
Weaponization: First Trial
Ren focused his mind and spoke the command.
"Weaponization."
Suddenly, a bright blue system window appeared in front of him.
> [Verifying Item…]
[Metal Pipe detected.]
[Enhancing…]
A faint dark glow flickered around the pole. He felt a strange warmth in his hands as the metal vibrated slightly, shifting in his grip. Within seconds, the rusty surface morphed, the rust peeling away as the material reshaped itself.
The screen updated.
> [Weapon Verification Complete!]
[Weapon: Reinforced Spear]
- Type: Temporary Weapon
- Attack Power: Moderate
- Durability: 5 minutes (Cooldown: 3 minutes)
- Mana Consumption: 5%
Ren's eyes widened. It worked.
He swung the spear experimentally. It was lighter, the balance perfect. Compared to its original form, it felt like a real weapon—deadly and precise.
But then—
> [Mana: 50% remaining]
A sharp headache hit him, making him stumble slightly.
"Damn… that took a lot of mana."
Before he could fully adjust, another notification popped up.
> [Warning! Weaponization Time Limit Approaching.]
Then, just like that, the glow flickered and faded. The enhanced spear reverted back into a rusty metal pole.
Ren exhaled. So there's a time limit.
---
Testing Weapon Upgrades
Ren eyed the pole in his hands. If I can enhance weapons, what if I try upgrading them further?
Focusing, he whispered, "Upgrade."
A new system window appeared.
> [Upgrade Available]
[Warning: Upgrading will consume additional mana. Proceed?]
Ren hesitated. If the base form already drained 10% mana, an upgrade could completely exhaust him.
"Upgrade."
A surge of energy flowed through the pole, the glow intensifying. The system processed the enhancement.
> [Weapon Upgrade Success!]
[Weapon: Piercing Spear]
- Type: Temporary Weapon
- Attack Power: High
- Durability: 7 minutes (Cooldown: 5 minutes)
- Mana Consumption: 10%
Ren grinned. It worked again. The spear had grown sharper, and it felt even more durable in his grip.
But what if he tried upgrading it again?
> [Upgrade Available]
[Warning: Failure will cause weapon to disintegrate. Proceed?]
Ren's grin faded. So there's a risk.
If the upgrade failed, he would lose the weapon completely and waste all the mana he spent.
Still, he needed to test the limits. "Upgrade again."
The spear pulsed with light, the system processing the enhancement.
> [Upgrade Failed!]
[Weapon Crumbling…]
Ren's eyes widened as the spear disintegrated into dust in his hands.
"...Damn."
So multiple upgrades are possible, but risky.
---
Observations & Weaknesses
Ren sat down and started analyzing his findings.
One. Weaponization allows me to enhance objects into real weapons.
Two. Each weapon has a time limit before reverting back.
Three. Upgrades can make weapons stronger, but failures destroy them.
Four. It consumes a lot of mana.
Five. Cooldown before I can use it again.
He looked at the metal pole again. What if I drop an upgraded weapon?
Focusing, he activated Weaponization again, turning the pole into a spear. Then, he let go of it.
> [Weapon Dropped. Reverting in 60 seconds.]
So that was another limitation. If he let go of an upgraded weapon, it would return to normal after a minute.
---
Mana Regeneration
Just as Ren was about to return to camp, he noticed something strange.
> [Mana: 42%]
"...Wait, didn't I just have 40%?"
He waited a bit longer, keeping an eye on the system.
> [Mana: 24%]
Ren furrowed his brows. So my mana regenerates over time… but how fast?
He sat down and counted the seconds.
> [Mana: 26%]
After about a minute, he smirked. So I recover around 1% per minute.
That meant even if he used up all his mana, he wouldn't be completely helpless. He just had to wait for it to refill.
---
Final Thoughts
Ren stretched his arms, feeling more confident about his abilities. His class was powerful, but also risky. Every attack had to be calculated, every mana point used wisely.
"I need to be smart about this."
With a better understanding of Weaponization, he returned to the camp.
As he sat back down near Lena, watching over her sleeping form, he let out a small chuckle.
"This really does feel like a game, huh?"
But unlike a game, there were no respawns. No second chances.
He gripped his metal pole tightly.
Tomorrow, they would need to keep moving.