Becoming Legend

Chapter 302: Riptide

After taking the time to recover from both shock and awe, Mina took the bulky revolver Ned shown to him.

Unlike the flimsy and sleek silver revolver that Barbo was hiding, Ned's gun was rather rough and bulky. Its surface shows some cracks upon Mina's intricate look behind the lenses.

Still, the delight he was showing was far from being disappointed.

"This is the oldest version of Sling type gun the empire has created." Mina rotated the gun in his hands, trying to figure out how to open the box where the battery was placed.

Ned pushed the broken button just above Mina's thumb, and with a push, the hatch-like cover opened and showed a bulky hole inside.

By Sling type, Mina means that the energy must be reloaded every time the user fires the gun. Which was a delay but pack a lot of punch once shot.

"And where is the layout?" Barbo puffed another smoke, but this time he was uncaring whether his guest like to have someone smoking before them or not. Barbo knitted his brows looking at Ned. "Whether it's Moraki or Isashil's name, by the Maker, boy. Who are you?"

"Ned." Was all Ned could say. "Do I need my history leaked to deal with you? I wasn't informed."

While Mina was busy inspecting the gun Ned showed to him, Barbo was about to go into a heated discussion with Ned. It was silence on both their part.

"What you have here is a set of only High Nobles could have. Normally, these kinds of things we don't deal with. Since it's going to be a big problem on our side since we are not backed up by Major Houses. Heck, it would be better if even a Minor House would shelter us, that way, we could expand our business and join bids, even to the minor."

"So, what now?"

"What I'm saying is." Barbo knocked ashes on the floor with his cigar. "We can't make a deal with you even if the payment is high. Another thing is, we can't get the materials needed without a proper House backing us."

Without much of a thought, Ned produced a piece of paper that shows his House name. "This will be enough?"

"You?"

"Yes. I do have one. Will this be enough?"

Barbo sighed, feeling defeated. "30, 000 gold coins. No Mana Stones, we don't want any of that. It should be 50, but since you got most of what is needed, the House, 30, 000 will cover the cost. But are sure with this?"

"About what?"

"Us under your House."

"I need my weapon ready. Also... I don't have the gold for now. But I'll pay what I owe. Will you settle with that?"

"It's fine now, we are under House Sskat. So, payment can be settled by the House leader anytime he wants. That also means you can't run away from us. Since, starting from now on, our names will be recorded under your House. Just go to where your House was created or to the Canton of Commerce in the Bogmoor city."

Ned rubbed his chin. "Is that so." After putting the House card back to his spatial ring, he walked to Mina. "How long can it be done?"

Mina, who was hidden by his creators ego, was entranced by the gun he was holding as though it was rare antiquity. "Where's the layout?"

"Ah. About that." Ned went back to his sit and asked if he could be alone for a moment which Barbo and Mina willingly agreed.

So, can you create a blueprint from the two? Ned said in his mind which was responded by a soft voice.

[Of course. Give me a moment while I disassemble the two guns.]

A minute or two have passed, ICE created a new model out from the two guns Ned showed her.

A series of chiming resounded inside Ned's head and a blue and white display, like a roll of paper, expanded in his view.

[Mark 800. A handgun type that when injected with mana shoots a blast of plasma that can pierce even the galaxy's strongest metal.]

From what Ned was seeing, it was a short handgun with a smooth grip and an intricate design on both the sight and the barrel. Looking on both sides of the Baretta like pistol, was rather futuristic. It was powered by a battery that was remodeled to look like a magazine. As long as Ned has the mana, it will shoot countless plasma bullets.

One thing was off to ICE's layout.

No way in hell Mina and Barbo, even the most experienced artisan the Kingdom have, could create something like this.

Every material used was based on the two guns Ned showed ICE. But what ICE did was remodel the materials and mixed some alloy that wasn't available in the Kingdom of Griffith. It wasn't even available in the world of Earflgard.

"How would you mix Admantium, Ferroulerium, and Shardbantine in Silver?" Ned shook his head as he whispered. He nearly laughs at what ICE did a moment ago. "Seriously? Just create a layout of the current materials the two guns have."

[Affirmative. That was me overboard the details. Forgive this arrogant Artificial Intelligence stack inside your head.]

The way ICE apologize thought of his friend Calahir. Although witty, was sincere.

"Sure. Sure." Ned nodded his head and looked over his shoulder, making sure the two blacksmiths were not looking at him. " Don't sweat it. Not that you have a sweat."

A series of other notifications chimed inside Ned's mind. This time, his smile widened to a grin that he couldn't contain.

In his display was a blueprint. A silver revolver. Under its muzzle was an extended tip of a dagger. The grip was made of wood. Unlike the bulky one, the size of the cylinder (where the battery was inserted) was balance to its body. Digits were appearing at every part of the revolver.

[Mark 001 of the New World. It weighs exactly 750 grams. With a length of 8 inches. It has a burst mode that shoots ten bullets in one pull of the trigger and a single-shot mode. Depending on the distance, without the Predictive Combat Emulator, it has an accuracy of 95%.]

[Proceed to name it?]

It was exactly what Ned wanted. The weight, although not light, could be added to increase the thrusting power if he tries to use the tip for stabbing. Not to mention its length, not too short or long. Although it was iron-sight, Ned doesn't need intricate sights since he got the Emulator to guide him. Some materials were also based on the gun.

"Name it: Riptide."

[Mk 01 Riptide was successfully named.]

After looking for a piece of paper inside the room, Ned took one hidden under a leather bag along with a quill. He then draws the blueprint down to every detail omitting the numbers and words that were English and swapped it to the Kingdom's language.

He then walked outside the room and showed it to Barbo and Mina.

"Maker's tongue." Barbo immediately threw the butt of his cigar and reached for Ned's blueprint drawn in an old paper, the edges were even torn apart. "When you said you have a layout? By that you mean, everything in your head?"

Ned tapped his temple with the butt of the quill in his hand.

"Just wow!" Mina's eyes twinkled with both delight and inspiration. "This is very complex, I've never seen layout prepared this way."

Now, with them under Ned's House, they have the freedom to look for materials that were missing in the layout Ned has laid out.

Aside from the silver metal, iron pins, and wooden grip, the rest Mina must collect. For them, this was their biggest task so far. So much that, the two decided to close their shop for the next two weeks.

"Two weeks?" Ned shook his head. He thought it would be easy and faster now that they have a layout at hand.

But to his disappointment, Barbo explained that some materials were missing even if the two guns were to disassemble and combine. With Ned's layout, the casing in which the battery will be inserted must be sturdier than the one they currently have. The body must also be sturdy to compensate for the increase in power. Overall, the layout will be finished in a little less than two weeks. Which Ned doesn't much of the time with the Hunter's Exam coming in a few days.josei

"Then I'll have a sword instead. Something that could withstand attack coming from Tier 3 spells, maybe attacks coming from Silver Rank Hunters."

"Woo, Ned. Are you going to war? You ain't Hunter why are you—wait. Don't tell me... You are going to join the Hunter's Exam?"

"What if I am?"

Barbo threw the last of his cigar and went to hug Ned but his hands were brushed off by Ned's nimble evasion. "What are you doing?"

"Look. If you're going to join Hunter's Exam. Then it would be our honor to supply you with whatever you needed. In return, if you passed the Exam, you let the world know that your weapons came to us."

"How sure are you that I'll pass the Exam?"

"I am not. But having someone to represent us is more than enough. So... Will you represent Barbo's Smithing shop?"

"Although temporary, you're already under my House. So why not? Make sure to have my Riptide ready two weeks from now."