Dagger & Musket (2)

The next available class for the day was the ranged weapon class.

Some students had already picked a melee weapon as their weapon, but they were still required to at least know how to use a ranged weapon.

The students who had already fallen in love with swords or other melee weapons just took a throwing knife or a crossbow as their weapon of choice.

Something easy to use that didn't require extensive training.

On the other hand, a certain student, one who was twice as old as the others, had also made his choice.

Martin loved the daggers he used in the melee training class.

They sit right in his hands, and he could see himself using them to traverse this fantasy world.

One look at the lineup of ranged weapons, and Martin nearly tossed his beloved daggers into the void of forgotten hobbies.

Outshining the bows, crossbows, even magic staffs, and calling Martin straight to his heart, was a musket.

He always wanted to use a gun. But where he came from, there weren't any amendments that legalized gun ownership for regular citizens.

It is strictly regulated only for the police and soldiers.

As much as he admired the magical swords and other fantasy stuff, Martin always fell in love with characters that used an AK-47 or a straight-up Gatling gun to decimate hundreds of monsters in seconds.

Although the musket most likely wasn't capable of rapid firing yet, it was definitely a start.

The musket was the ancestor of modern firearms.

Besides, Martin might have a hand in the firearm revolution in this world.

"Are you sure about your choice? The musket is generally the easiest to use.

You don't have to knock an arrow, you don't need to learn how to use a bow, and you don't need to cast magical spells to attack.

However, the musket is greatly limited in a lot of aspects.

It needed to be recharged for a while after emptying the mana battery, and it can only shoot a projectile every couple of seconds.

It also couldn't use enhanced, magical projectiles like the bow, making it very easy to use, but with a very low ceiling of mastery.

Unless you found an enchanter to custom build you a musket that worked similarly to a magic staff, the musket has a ton more disadvantages compared to its advantages."

Martin took the instructor's words to heart as he inspected the weapon in his hand.

The musket was as long as a long sword, making it impossible to use with only a single hand.

Martin would need to abandon all other weapons if he wanted to use the musket.

And it was also as thick as a thigh with two mana battery packs on the side that hold its 'bullets'.

"Let me try it out first to see whether I like it or not."

The instructor nodded approvingly, then led Martin to the shooting range.

He taught Martin the basic form to hold the musket and how to use it.

Martin aimed at a target 15 meters away from him and pressed the trigger.

Mana converged inside the long barrel of the musket, the charges in the battery draining as a solid bullet purely made out of mana shot itself at the target.

Martin had no prior experience with firearms. His aim was no better than the 15-year-old kids beside him.

The mana bullet flew and created a dent in the corner of the target, almost missing the circular target entirely.

However, Martin didn't pay any attention to where his bullet went.

'Magical tool detected.'

'Begin analyzing.'

'Analyze complete.'

=======================

from mana import draw_mana_from_source, converge_mana

from device_interface import Barrel, ManaBatteryPack, TriggerMechanism

class MagicMusket:

 def __init__(self, user):

 self.user = user

 self.mana_battery = ManaBatteryPack(capacity=500) 

 self.barrel = Barrel(length=0.8) 

 self.trigger = TriggerMechanism()

…

 mana = draw_mana_from_source(self.mana_battery, amount=20)

 converged = converge_mana(mana, focus="kinetic")

 self.bullet = solidify_mana(converged, shape="sphere", density="standard")

 self.loaded = True

…

 trajectory = calculate_trajectory(

 origin=self.user.position,

 target=target_coordinates,

 …

 )

 return True

=======================

'So… If I adjust the trajectory part of the magical circuit, then I can…'

If it was that easy for Martin to adjust a code that he only understands the gist of, then he would probably have created a whole new skill altogether just from the wind step spell he learnt earlier.

But he wasn't equipped with the programming knowledge to do that.

Fortunately, a certain part of the IDE skill description popped up in Martin's head.

=====================

Magic IDE

An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that is specialized for Magic (Includes AI to assist the user). 

=====================

Martin then spoke in his head, keeping the magic IDE interface open.

'AI, help me adjust the trajectory of the spell so that it will always hit the target I designated.'

Then a voice, one that doesn't belong to him or any person he knew of, replied,

'Analyzing spell.'

'Checking IDE spell database.'

'...'

'Assets insufficient for a homing bullet enhancement.'

'Adjustment failed.'

Martin saw the log of the AI's attempt to realize his wish, then shook his head in disappointment.

'Even an all-powerful AI that can do everything doesn't exist in a fantasy world…'

But Martin wasn't done yet. He wanted to make the magical musket work.

He opened up the spell in his IDE once more and spoke to the AI,

'AI, please add a function to the magical circuit in the musket. I want you to use the summoning red light function of the crime detector magic spell. 

Add it to the front part of the barrel, then shoot the red light in a straight line, following the direction of where the barrel is pointing.

Then alter the trajectory so that it would always be in line with the projected red light.'

Martin's command ended, and the AI began to work.

'Analyzing spell.'

'Checking IDE spell database.'

'...'

'Necessary assets found.'

'Designing adjustments.'

'Design confirmed.'

'Implementing change.'

Only Martin could feel the change in the magic musket in his hands.

Mana passed in and out of the musket. Some stayed at certain spots, while others dissipated into the surroundings.

A few more seconds passed until the mana finally settled. The musket has changed.

'Enhancement complete.'

'Laser Sight added.'