Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 109

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (109)

Excessive Information

“Here, coffee.”

While preparing for the full-scale modification, Hyeon Eul-cheong brought down coffee from the lodging.

“Ah, thank you. You didn’t add sugar, right?”

“Should I add some for you?”

“It’s fine. I usually drink it without.”

Lee Si-hyeok received the paper cup and took a sip. A flavor that appropriately mixed sweetness and bitterness.

Feeling his mind clear up, he picked up the resonance drill again and continued his work.

The ‘modification’ proceeded rapidly.

The first time he modified a mimicked artifact was with Termion Hex-9, wasn’t it? Ever since then, it seems like he goes through this process every time he creates something.

However, he hadn’t gotten used to it.

He always saw new aspects, and felt that there was still a long way to go. That made him feel even better too.

[‘Condensation’ activates!]

[The mana of the gaps dwells in your artifact. The modification process becomes one step easier.]

Though he wasn’t conscious of it, he also received help from the 《Constant Buff》.

His sensitivity had increased slightly during the process of rearranging the device’s wiring.

He also utilized the session rewards received from the Association intermittently.

14 magic stone samples and 1 core essence.

Even if he didn’t use them all, he mixed them appropriately.

The remainder could be utilized for other equipment later.

As all processes were nearing completion, Hyeon Eul-cheong let out an exclamation of admiration.

“Wow. How did you come up with such an idea…”

He didn’t answer immediately. After completely finishing the control rail upgrade he was working on, he glanced at her and asked.

“How much time has passed?”

“Time? Just a moment… Ah.”

Hyeon Eul-cheong, who had reflexively tried to look at her wrist, stopped short.

“…Right, the watch.”

“Ah.”

He still hadn’t returned it. He had forgotten because the situation had flowed by like water. Hyeon Eul-cheong seemed to be in a similar state.

“I’ll return it to you after finishing just this. Please wait a little longer.”

After completing the inspection of the circuits with 『Mana Sensitivity』, he was able to finish all the work.

Lee Si-hyeok straightened his back with a satisfied smile.

“Is it all finished?”

“The work itself is all done. However…”

“We need to test it.”

“Yes.”

As expected, being fellow engineers, there were parts they understood.

Lee Si-hyeok immediately ran to the warehouse behind the research institute and brought back the necessary items.

One A-rank magic stone and 〈Phagethesis〉.

Hyeon Eul-cheong tilted her head while looking at Phagethesis.

Probably because she couldn’t interpret it even when trying to examine it. Phagethesis was an artifact that even Lee Si-hyeok had put considerable effort into.

However, since she didn’t ask, Lee Si-hyeok didn’t bother explaining either.

He approached the completed ‘Crystal Growth Chamber’.

“Then I’ll begin.”

First, the initial start wasn’t much different from the original.

Inserting the magic crystal he wanted to enhance into the device.

―Hiss.

When he opened the device’s top slot, cold vapor escaped. This was due to the cooling device actively running inside.

Being careful not to touch it, he carefully inserted the magic stone he brought with tweezers into the slot with a click.

Whirr.

Soon the device responded and the rings inside began to slowly rotate. He could see the grain on the magic stone’s surface glowing faintly.

“This is…”

It’s definitely different. Hyeon Eul-cheong, who was watching while holding her breath, thought so.

Originally, those rings rotating was something that happened when the process reached the middle stage. But they were already reacting from the start. She narrowed her eyes and deduced the reason.

It’s building the foundation.

The existing rings’ role was to circle around the magic stone and increase its hardness. But by setting a different starting point for the process, he chose to take a longer approach.

Fast but slow. Slow but certain.

She slightly opened her mouth at this way of thinking that escaped narrow perspectives.

However, this was still just the beginning.

“Next is.”

Lee Si-hyeok nodded and activated 『Mana Conduction』.

After closing the lid of the slot he had opened earlier, he brought his hand to the lower part of the device.

Then he felt something being drawn out from his touching palm.

Mana.

That mysterious power was entering through the device.

Soon a weak low-frequency sound circled around his ears, and the energy scanner beyond the glass operated to slowly analyze the magic stone.

Once, twice, three times.

After a total of 3 analyses were completed, a UI appeared on the device panel.

[Select Production Type]

[1. Precision·Tuning Type]

[2. Output Enhancement Type]

This was the core.

The biggest difference between the growth chamber Hyeon Eul-cheong had made and the one Lee Si-hyeok had modified.

“…Select production type? What is this?”

“It’s exactly as the words say. You select what type of artificial magic stone you want to create.”

“What? Artificial magic stone?”

Artificial magic stone. That concept started from existing weaknesses.

Originally it was just a crude method of artificially hammering mana into magic stones. As such, imbalance was inevitable, and there was even the possibility of performance deterioration.

So while it was innovative, its practicality was lacking.

‘But what if you flip the concept?’

Instead of artificially forcing mana in.

What if you reversely extract mana from the magic stone and create a new ‘artificial magic stone’?

That was exactly the modification Lee Si-hyeok had devised.

“Ms. Hyeon Eul-cheong probably adopted an injection-type circuit. It would have been to inject mana into the magic stone.”

“That’s right. To increase output… that was the only method available.”

However, Lee Si-hyeok designed an ‘extraction-type circuit’.

To reversely draw out the mana from the magic stone.

“But then wouldn’t the output become even lower than originally? Then strengthening the magic stone or anything else wouldn’t work…”

“Well, that’s not wrong. If you’re only looking at just that process.”

“Just that process?”

“Yes. Because it’s not finished yet.”

Lee Si-hyeok grinned and examined the UI that appeared on the panel.

[Precision·Tuning Type] and [Output Enhancement Type].

Rather than choosing one of the two types, he selected both simultaneously.

[Type 2 selection complete]

[‘Dual Core’ will be crafted.]

Soon a message appeared on the panel and the device began operating.

Blue mana was steadily drawn out from the magic stone embedded in the slot, and then a new crystal began forming in the mold beside it. Just like a 3D printer.

Mana condensed from the bottom up, crystallizing and hardening into the form of a magic stone.

He could feel the surrounding air slightly distorting. The 《Constant Buff》 was working simultaneously, causing tremendous power to condense in this place.

“Ah, no way.”

Hyeon Eul-cheong let out a sigh as if she finally understood.

The principle was simpler than expected.

‘Extract mana from a magic stone, then use it to create new artificial magic stones. Then naturally the output of the existing magic stone would decrease, but…’

Two artificial magic stones would replace that lower output.

In short, 100% of the mana would be divided and contained in three separate vessels.

“…When they’re divided like that.”

“That’s exactly when we use your method, Hyeon Eul-cheong. Pouring more water into an already full vessel would overflow, but pouring water into vessels that aren’t full yet wouldn’t be a problem at all.”

It was an accurate analogy.

If you inject an additional 50% mana into 100%, that’s nothing but excess.

It’s just struggling against a predetermined limit.

But what if you split that 100% into 33.3%, then add 50% more to each?

Three vessels at 83.3% each.

‘A monstrous total of 249.9% is born.’

And yet no side effects follow at all.

Why?

Because the vessels didn’t overflow.

In fact, there’s still capacity remaining.

“To put it differently, it’s like a computer’s CPU. Dual core, quad core. There are many of those, right? You can think of it like that.”

Another question arose in the mind of the astonished Hyeon Eul-cheong.

She immediately asked.

“Th-then what was the type selection that appeared on the panel?”

“Even if we craft artificial magic stones, it would be disappointing if all those stones had the same function. So I gave them different roles to share.”

“One focuses on tuning, and the other only on output?”

“Yes.”

“Huh…”

For now, he had only crafted a dual core.

He felt his skills were still insufficient to immediately expand to four magic stones, that is, a quad core.

‘Even just this much should be more than enough though.’

Lee Si-hyeok shrugged his shoulders and brought 〈Phagethesis〉 from beside the table.

Since he had created artificial magic stones anyway, he planned to enhance Phagethesis with this opportunity as well. He had definitely felt the necessity after getting entangled with the Absolute Dream Guild recently.

Click, thud.

He carefully removed the magic stone that was originally in Phagethesis, then inserted the newly crafted magic stones.

One original magic stone.

And two artificial magic stones.

These three magic stones would share roles with each other to maximize performance.

If he later adds the ‘Matter Accelerator’ to be installed, it would be truly tremendous enhancement.

‘How fascinating.’

Looking at the device that had stopped operating, Lee Si-hyeok felt a sense of novelty.

He had always focused only on artifacts, but hadn’t really thought about how to configure the actual crafting equipment.

Even though he obviously knew materials were important.

It felt like he had been too cocky, relying only on his own skills. Indeed, humility is important for people. Confidence should be the foundation, but from there you must always look for areas to improve.

“Wow, whoa, amazing…”

Watching Hyeon Eul-cheong observe the device with her face pressed right against it, Lee Si-hyeok stood up.

The sight was quite amusing, but since he always acted the same way whenever he discovered new artifacts, he unconsciously smiled bitterly.

Anyway, now it was time to craft the remaining equipment.

Just as he was about to get materials from the warehouse with that intention.

Ding!

[You have created crafting equipment that transcends imagination in 『Subspace』.]

[Hidden condition fulfilled! The mana of the gap trembles.]

[Existing Achievement in progress discovered.]

[Instead of a new Achievement, 『Extraordinary Subspace』 evolves one stage.]

[…]

[…]

[Achievement rate 99.9%. You have completed the Achievement to a near-perfect level.]

[Accordingly, the Achievement’s progress is finalized.]

[『Extraordinary Subspace』 → new! 『■■■■ Subspace』]

[An Achievement that far transcends common sense! There is too much information!]

[Warning! Your mind will go insane from excessive information$!#@#…]

[Passive 《Clear Mirror Still Water》 negates this.]

[〈Phagethesis〉 nullifies mental abnormalities.]

[…]

[Achievement information cannot be loaded.]

[Achievement will be provided in the form of an ‘artifact’ instead.]

[『■■■■ Subspace』 → 〈Transcendent Wondrous Space Subspace〉]

[A new artifact has been granted.]

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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