Now that I have a personal lab to do my experiments and practice making artifacts, I start to work on the project. Mainly finally start on making artifacts.
There is a very useful perk or advantage in artifacts that is somewhat miraculous. Can you guess what that is? I'll make it easy for you. It has something to do with elements. I'll give you three seconds to come up with the answer.
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It's your mom.
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I'm joking.
Anyway, the answer is simple. Unlike humans, artifacts have no limitations. No fixed elements. I can only use five elements. Nothing more than that. I can't use any element that is not my affinity. But I can power an artifact that uses psionic or darkness or space or any element to my liking.
Sure there are exceptions like using the blood of an ice elemental beast to make and use a fire elemental artifact. The output will be somewhat weak. But it will work. It will definitely work. That's the point here.
Now, that takes us to the next aspect of artifacts. How are they made and what are their materials.
The answer is simple. An artifact is simply a fixed and stationary spell model. Unlike one made by mages, an artifact's magic circle or model is fixed. It can't be changed.
There is also the matter of the housing unit. The so-called artifact itself. Whether it be a medallion or a sword or a simple hairbrush, the area the spell will take needs to be adjusted as well as the intensity of the mana flowing through the spell model.
Too convoluted? (I don't think so, but still, for ease in reading)
Think of it like this. The mana is like electricity. You can't expect a flimsy small wire used in your toy cars to conduct millions of volts.
The same principle can be applied to everything related to mana here.
It also applies to artifacts. Hence the many complicated theories and calculations required in every step. Like making spell models, it is impossible for human minds to calculate this much data. Hence most artifacts that currently exist are very simple spells. Almost no artifact has even managed to include the mana gathering rune cluster in their spell weave/model. So, even though the mana gathering rune cluster has revolutionized artifacts theoretically, there aren't many artifacts to begin with.
Instead, the rune cluster is simply used for fastening spell activation in many large or rather multiple circle spells. The theory is simple here, faster mana gathering equals to faster activation of mana. There are also many complicated stuff like whether it makes the spell more complicated to successfully perform and whatnot. But that's an explanation for another day.
So, time to start making these things and see what makes them extremely hard.
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First, let's start with the basics. A simple wooden plate that generates fire when given mana. The fire magic converter rune cluster is the easiest there is. So, let's start with that.
There are many new methods that I can try out but, let's try the classic one first. Simple carving on the wood and cover that using processed blood.
Ah, damnit, I forgot about the processed blood. I have to make that too. Hmm, let's make a proper list of things to do to avoid this.
1. Gather materials. These are processed blood, wood, carving knife (extremely sharp).
2. Carve the wood properly and with error range of milimeters at most
3. Fill the carved area with blood.
4. Carefully drain the blood. (Water magic will be required)
5. Make sure the blood layer is as even as possible.
6. Then just let it dry. (No fire magic)
That's it really. Water magic is not harmful for the materials. But it's best to use it limitedly cause the mana reacts with potions. Mana is an important part of making potions after all. But fire magic will directly cause problems. It will reduce the effectiveness of the ink (blood).
Anyway, I start the process. The processed blood simply needs a specific potion that is added to the blood. It is simply preservatives. It prevents blood clotting and decomposing of the blood. Simple potion really. Gather the five herbs. Get rid of the unnecessary bits, and then just cook them for five minutes. Take the liquid and use water magic to add mana into it. The better your control over water magic is the better the yield. Afterward let it sit for five minutes.
Five minutes later there should be a oil like substance floating above. That is the necessary potion. I gather it in the normal method. Slowly scoop it using a spoon. Some are wasted in this method. Meh, I'll invent a better system after I get some time to make some necessary tools. For now though, this will have to do.
The blood has been gathered recently. I just went on a morning trip with Ayna today. After killing the wind wolves, I didn't make a mess this time. I just captured them. Then drained their blood into an airtight bag. Made of leather though. There aren't any plastic bag here. Meh, whatever works. I also kept the blood cold just in case any bacteria get any ideas about this blood.
So, I next mix the blood and the potion and the processed blood is complete. Now time for the next step. It is irritating. I have the body of a 4 year old. I'm going to have to do something to be able to carve accurately and strongly on a wood.
Remember the explanation on the knights?
Yeah, Its going to be like that. I have been practicing. Otherwise having increased strength will lower my accuracy will suffer a lot. And since this is going to be a delicate process, I can't afford to have that.
The carving knife that I will be using is pretty simple. Well, I didn't really have a lot of options in this case. A four year old shouldn't be able to get their hands on a very sharp knife. So I simply asked Ayna to get one. Meh, whatever works.
So. Now that all the materials are gathered and ready, time to start carving.
And so I do. My hands steady and perfect. [Alice], make a superimposed image to show on top of the wood on where I am supposed to carve.
[Yes, sir.]
Now, I can see where I am supposed to carve and how deep it should be on real time. There is also a superimposed image in the knife to show a scale on it. Now, I shouldn't be making any mishaps.
After that I just simply start carving. Deep where I need to be, shallow where I need to be. It took me one hour to make a small carving on the wood.
[Alice], scan and check the details.
I use the scanning spell on it.
[Sir, there is no fault in the carving. There is only 0.7 milimeter error in a spot. Which is the only place with the highest amount of error. There is no other spot more than that.]
Hmm, should work.
So, I proceed with the next step. I use water magic on the blood to carry it over. I take a tiny amount and cover the carving bit only in a very thin layer. It is very taxing to focus so much and distribute it evenly. Only people with extreme mana control will be able to successfully complete this. And this is supposed to be the easy part.
Actually, the carving part is the hardest. There are places where the carving needs to be shallow and places where it needs to be deep. The more mistakes are done, the less the efficiency in the spell in the artifact. So, even though some mistakes are allowed, the artifact works less efficiently.
And all these problems just in making the simplest artifact. The complex ones are impossible to make.
Meh, good for me. I have distinct advantage on all of these aspects. The accuracy in carving can be handled in other ways like simulation and overlapping image. Well, I won't be using this brute force method in carving again. I have other plans and methods that I want to try out. Like finding a way to use telekinesis in carving this stupid wood. Or maybe the laser spell might work.
I'll definitely try out those processes.
But for today, I'm done. I'll try the telekinesis process later. But for that I'll need an artifact with an element converter. Sigh, I need to carve another one. And this one will be much complex.
Oh, yeah. Time to try out my first artifact.
Test 1: Simply adding mana.
Well, it works. The spell model used here is quite simple. So, the chance of it failing was quite slim since the beginning. Let's see the efficiency.
[Alice] I'll be casting the same spell side by side and use the maximum mana that this size spell can contain. Analyze the difference and give me some numbers.
[Ok, sir]
I try the same spell side by side.
[Alice]?
[The efficiency in the artifact is 73.54% of the same spell cast by humans.]
Hmm, not bad for my first artifact. I'll have to see if I can increase the accuracy when using other methods.
Nice. I'm done for now. I can't spend any more time here. Or my mother might get suspicious.
Also, you know all about the problems of artificing now. You must have already realized how rare an artifact with above 70% efficiency must be. And this is just my first artifact.
Yeah, I just have that much cheat. Stay tuned if you want to see me make some ridiculous artifacts. You haven't seen nothing yet.
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Author's Note: This chapter was somewhat important. I won't go into detail this much in the future. Maybe a little. But here it is. I have thought a lot about these artifacts. He he he, a lot will happen related to this. Give me ideas if you want about what type of artifacts you want. This is going to be fun. He he he.