Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2035: All depends on you

"What do you mean by this?" Puffer demanded, her eyes still fixed in a fierce glare on Max.

That intense stare of hers went beyond just reacting to his words; it arose from the complicated bond they shared.

In straightforward terms, a subtle rivalry simmered between the pair.

Each excelled as a researcher, yet Puffer surpassed Max in most subjects.

Only in the realms of corruption energy and divine energy did Puffer fall short of Max's expertise.

He possessed an almost instinctive talent for studying those forces, leaving Puffer unable to keep pace.

For someone as dedicated to research as her, this gap wounded her pride deeply, sparking the rivalry that grew between them.

Yet from my viewpoint, it felt like deeper layers hid beneath the surface...

"It's straightforward. You've overlooked the core composition of these materials, which is why your massive device fails." Max explained, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

While his passion centered solely on his studies, he did regard the competition with Puffer earnestly and occasionally fired back just like this.

The tension between them flowed both ways, far from one-sided.

Both acknowledged this mutual challenge fully.

Puffer's eyes narrowed sharply as she fixed him with a silent gaze. Even without words, the rebellious spark in her expression revealed her inner resolve.

"Fine, then show me. Prove it."

Max appeared completely unfazed by her challenge as he approached the samples remaining in the apparatus and lifted the slender strip of wood.

Once he held it, he produced what looked like a slender rod. Still, he wouldn't draw out such an item without purpose.

With the rod in hand, he lightly touched it against the wood piece gripped in his other palm.

The instant the rod connected with the wood, a result immediately displayed on the device.

This rod clearly served as a compact scanner, though its exact function remained a mystery to the group.

Spotting this affirmative signal, Max turned to Puffer with a victorious gleam in his eyes.

That said, the rest of us had no clue about the scene unfolding. Without understanding the rod's measurements, his smug expression puzzled everyone else.

Finally, Max declared, "See for yourself—remnants of divine energy linger within this specimen."

Despite his words, confusion lingered among the listeners, failing to grasp his implication.

I myself couldn't decipher his point at all.

"Divine energy like this holds real power against corruption energy."

To back up his claim, he retrieved a sample from his pocket.

A bitter grin tugged at my lips upon witnessing him extract that item.

After all, I never imagined he'd come prepared with something so risky.

Max now toted around samples of corruption energy in his pockets as if it were routine...

Such a habit carried grave risks, but considering his unparalleled knowledge of corruption energy—even surpassing my own grasp—it might not be as reckless as it seemed.

At minimum, I trusted he had safeguards in place should the sample ever rupture.

Still, my focus right now centered on whatever demonstration he planned with this corruption energy.

Max strode to a nearby workbench and poured out the corruption energy sample without a second thought.

Lacking any container to hold it, the corruption energy stirred wildly upon release, surging forward as if eager to devour nearby matter for power.

But before it could act, Max let the wood piece fall directly onto the spreading mass.

The second the wood landed, the whole corruption energy blob trembled violently, writhing like it suffered intense agony.

Once the reaction subsided, not a shred of the corruption energy remained.

All that stayed behind was the unassuming wood strip that had crushed it.

The room fell into stunned quiet as eyes locked on the leftover wood, though the meaning of Max's display hit home for all.

Such a concentrated form of divine energy promised undeniable potential in their arsenal.

Simultaneously, the reason their mana failed to breach it became glaringly obvious.

"The issue is, this material resists shaping or handling so stubbornly that crafting practical tools from it seems impossible." Puffer pointed out the flaw.

Max simply shrugged and replied, "Tell the creator to form it for easy attachment to devices. Or craft tiny versions and fit them onto edges or points."

His suggestion rang with simplicity, yet it carried a clear drawback.

To pull this off, I'd need to step in directly and forge every component they required for these creations.

In truth, my role was already central, given that I supplied the creation divine energy for the base material.

Puffer had clearly considered this too, though she lacked the boldness to voice it outright.

But with Max laying it bare...

Their expectant glances toward me spoke volumes about their hopes, and deep down, I shared their conviction.

No one understood better than I the game-changing impact these weapons could bring.