Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 694: Technological Challenges

Sugud and Eleanore entered Alex's Rune Lab, a space that, by his own admission, was still somewhat basic. Although both visitors had come to him with research-related predicaments, a quiet certainty lay within them that discussing their issues with Alex would invariably lead to a resolution.In a manner of speaking, this inherent ability to find solutions was part of Alex's allure. He may not have possessed superior knowledge in their distinct specializations compared to them. However, he offered a unique perspective that operated entirely outside their established training paradigms.More often than not, his viewpoints initially seemed unconventional—perhaps even a bit eccentric, given his primary bloodline. Yet, these same 'unique' viewpoints frequently yielded remarkable outcomes.For instance, when Alex first informed Sugud of his intention to devise an infantry weapon inspired by a ballista, boldly proclaiming it would revolutionize warfare, Sugud promptly dismissed the concept. It wasn't until he personally examined the prototype and observed its performance that belief began to dawn.Now, with Sugud having personally refined it through two successive, more potent iterations, he had become a staunch advocate of the Infantry Arms Project. This initiative aimed to develop a series of armaments with the ultimate goal of enabling an ordinary civilian, lacking professional training, to overcome a trained warrior or even a Class 3 beast.One might wonder about the rationale behind targeting Class 3. Across numerous planes, Class 3 serves as the standard measure of combat prowess. In less developed realms, Class 3 individuals often occupy the highest echelons of power. Conversely, in more advanced realms like Pangea or Verdantis, Class 3 combatants form the backbone of elite military divisions.Crucially, the progression to Class 4 signifies a profound qualitative enhancement in power, resilience, survivability, and overall combat effectiveness.Extending a commoner-grade weapon's capability to reliably challenge a Class 4 entity would become prohibitively costly, demand excessive resources, and present technical hurdles so significant that mass production would be rendered impractical.Besides, irrespective of a plane's overall strength, Class 3 represents a critical benchmark. Realistically, as long as an individual possessed the aptitude for cultivation, reaching Class 3 was not deemed unattainable. While the journey might span decades, contingent on the quality of one's talent, Class 3 remained an achievable milestone for the majority who truly pursued the Path of Cultivation.Class 4, however, presented a dramatically different scenario. The barrier separating Class 3 from Class 4 was so formidable that only a minuscule percentage of Class 3 cultivators ever successfully surmounted it.Considering all these factors, the Class 3 benchmark emerged as the most pragmatic and efficient objective.Regarding Eleanore, Alex's innovative approach to alchemy through pills represented an equally intriguing paradigm shift. The inherent advantages of a pill-based system were quite discernible once one truly contemplated them. However, the crux of the issue lay in whether one actually dedicated thought to it.For centuries, perhaps even millennia, Pangea's alchemical practices had remained largely static. The conventional, potion-centric methodology had never been seriously challenged, nor had any serious attempt been made to forge an entirely new system. Only this silver-haired eccentric possessed the disruptive mindset required to even entertain such a possibility.Consequently, he had pioneered a completely novel, albeit still evolving, branch of alchemy brimming with immense potential."You've arrived," Alex greeted them warmly, radiating an aura of serene confidence. It was as if the earlier frustration and disquiet that had troubled him were merely phantoms of the past."Thank you for coming," he continued. "I requested your presence because I wished to ascertain the feasibility of a collaborative project between the two of you for me. However, it seems you both have pressing matters of your own to present or seek advice on."Alex gestured towards several stools placed around the room. Eleanore and Sugud acknowledged his gesture. Each retrieved a stool, brought it to the worktable, and settled opposite Alex.Alex indicated for Sugud to begin. Nodding, Sugud commenced his report."Following our most recent field trials, I can confirm that the two new crossbow models exhibit offensive capabilities reaching Peak Tier II," Sugud announced. In practical terms, this meant the crossbows posed a mortal threat to any individual below the Peak Intermediate Rank.

"They remain quite dangerous, even against opponents ranked as Elite. However, given a target's speed, defensive prowess, stamina—or a combination of all these traits—it seems that eliminating such individuals necessitates continuous barrages from multiple operators coordinating to immobilize the intended quarry," he elaborated.

"And what leads you to that conclusion?" Alex inquired.

From his own viewpoint, the crossbows already possessed a formidable offensive output, theoretically sufficient to fell a Class 3 existence.

"During our field trials, I observed that the majority of Gold-ranked combatants encountered were capable of evading incoming projectiles by exploiting the brief intervals between shots. A select few who were struck by the bolts even managed to continue their engagement after absorbing one or two impacts.

"Unless our objective is to further boost the potency of each bolt—be it through superior materials or the integration of empowering runes—there is precious little we can do concerning the latter challenge."

"So, your focus lies in augmenting the rate of fire even more?" Alex queried.

"Precisely," Sugud affirmed with a decisive nod.

"And by what means do you propose we achieve this?" Alex pressed on.

"By shortening the cycle time between discharges. And, if feasible, by also reducing the time required to reload between magazine changes," Sugud elucidated.

"The crossbow's destructive force is derived from the energy stored within its propulsion components and the effectiveness with which its string imparts that energy to the bolt. I have already pushed both the limb materials and the string to their practical limits, while ensuring the weapon remains viable for mass production. At this juncture, much like the bolts themselves, any further enhancements to raw power would yield only diminishing returns.

"To attain the present level of power, I had to make compromises—compromises that now appear to be hindering the weapon's speed in reloading between magazines and, more crucially, its cycle speed between shots.

"Both the pump-action and bolt-action configurations demand a certain physical exertion to re-cock the string with sufficient rapidity for sustained rapid firing. Nevertheless, as fatigue sets in, the operator inevitably experiences a decline in speed—sometimes by mere milliseconds, and at other times by full seconds.

"In principle, these fluctuations in firing cadence would permit Class 3 combatants to maneuver between shots... or grant them adequate opportunity to lessen the impact of a preceding bolt."

Sugud briefly paused before stating his conclusion,

"This is why I firmly believe we must embed runes directly into the weapon's framework to assist the cycling mechanism."

Alex responded with a thoughtful nod of comprehension.

One might question why Sugud had not also proposed utilizing runes to amplify the weapon's overall power, or perhaps to imbue the bolts with greater strength.

The rationale was straightforward... expediency.

Presently, Alex stood as the sole individual in Verdantis capable of wielding runes.

Were it not for this distinct limitation, Sugud would not have bothered to report the issue to Alex in the first place, having instead pursued an independent resolution.

The notion of experimenting with sigils had indeed crossed his mind. However, those unfamiliar magical markings remained excessively unpredictable. There existed no dependable method to ascertain the effects they might manifest—or precisely how they would function once integrated into the weapon's operational system.

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