The next day after receiving the prototype weapons, Seraphine headed to the estate shooting range, which had been intentionally modified for firearms from its original purpose of archery. Accompanied by a group of guards for safety, they were all eager to witness the power of this new invention.
Opening the leather briefcase, Seraphine carefully held the saw-off shotgun in her hands. It was heavier than she had expected, requiring both hands to steady it.
"It's truly heavy. How am I going to shoot this, Alice?" Seraphine wondered, seeking advice from her AI companion on handling the firearm.
"It might be challenging at first, but I have already planned a training regimen to enhance your physical capabilities in the future," Alice reassured her, though Seraphine didn't seem too thrilled about the training prospects.
"Okay, okay, let's test this baby out first, shall we?" Seraphine said, ready to put the gun to the test.
She inserted a shell into the chamber, donning ear protection that had been specially made by the dwarves due to Alice's advice about the potential loudness of the weapon. The nearby guards also wore similar protective gear.
For the first test, Seraphine loaded a normal bullet into the shotgun, aimed at the target, and pulled the trigger. A deafening roar filled the shooting range as the shotgun discharged, and the recoil caused Seraphine to shudder slightly, though she managed to maintain her grip.
All of the guards were left amazed and shocked by the results. The weapon had caused severe damage to the target, and the roaring sound was so loud that it could even deafen people. The power and potential of this new firearm were evident to everyone present.
"Wow, this is truly powerful," Seraphine exclaimed with admiration, surprised at how well she could handle the gun with Alice's guidance and her own good posture, despite never having shot a gun before.
"Now, shall we test the bullet imbued with Damian's power?" she suggested eagerly.
The next test involved the bullet infused with Damian's demonic energy. Seraphine had personally requested Damian to put some of his energy into the bullet, and he had happily obliged.
Carefully, Seraphine ejected the old bullet and inserted the demonic one. She felt a slight nervousness, unsure of just how powerful it would be. Raising the shotgun and taking aim at a new target, she pulled the trigger.
The same deafening roar filled the air as before, but this time, something extraordinary happened. The bullet transformed into an explosive flame, obliterating the target completely. A shockwave and flames rippled through the area, leaving everyone in awe.
"What the hell…" Seraphine gasped in disbelief. The once ordinary shotgun had turned into what seemed like a rocket launcher. The guards were equally astounded, recognizing that the power of this bullet was on par with that of a mid-level magician specializing in fire magic.
The implications of this discovery were profound. With this firearm, ordinary individuals could become dangerous fighters, a thought that sent shivers down their spines. The potential impact of this invention on the world was both thrilling and unnerving.
"The result is pretty great, now no one will dare to bully you, Seraphine," Alice chimed in with a hint of humor in her tone.
"I think they will just turn into dust if we use this bullet…what a monster," Seraphine replied, her expression filled with disbelief. She knew that the confidentiality contract with the dwarf and alchemist was a wise decision, as this weapon was undeniably dangerous for the world.
While they have a discussion in Seraphine's mind, Alice feels some unexpected entity around the shooting range. It is a spy sent from the chaos order once again with his cloaking abilities. Even an experienced knight around Seraphine could not even notice him.
" Seraphine! I noticed something," Alice suddenly spoke up, her tone shifting from humor to seriousness, which caught Seraphine off guard.
"What?" Seraphine asked curiously, intrigued by Alice's change in behavior.
"There is a spy observing us, a different person from before. He is hiding his presence behind that wooden barrel," Alice informed Seraphine, sensing the presence of the spy sent by the Chaos Order to observe their new weapon.
The spy in this instance is closely monitoring Seraphine and the knight, displaying an air of confidence that he won't be detected. However, Alice's ability is a formidable asset that can't be ignored. Silencing the spy at all costs is imperative, especially considering that the Chaos Order could advance their cause if they learned of this new invention.
"Do we have to kill him?" Seraphine asked nervously, her mentality not yet ready to harm or take another person's life.
"It's kill or be killed in this world, Seraphine. Quickly load the demonic bullet and try not to act suspiciously," Alice added, the urgency evident in her voice. The situation had escalated, and Seraphine needed to be prepared to defend herself and those around her.
With Alice's plan in mind, Seraphine reloaded the demonic bullet and pretended to aim at the target as usual. But just before pulling the trigger, she swiftly changed her aim toward the wooden barrel near the shooting range and fired, causing an explosive flame to engulf the barrel.
"Ahhhhh!" The spy cried out in pain as the fire and explosion knocked him out of the area and onto the shooting range. His body was engulfed in flames as he desperately tried to roll over and extinguish them.
"It's a spy sent to observe us, capture him now!" Seraphine commanded.
The knights were taken aback at first, but they quickly composed themselves and charged toward the spy. Despite being a skilled spy, the bullet did not kill him immediately, but it caused severe burning wounds all over his body.
"I…have shot a person now…" Seraphine's hand shook as she quickly put down the gun, taking a deep breath to calm herself. It was a difficult experience for her, as she had never harmed or killed another person before.
"Well done, Seraphine. You did nothing wrong; you were just protecting yourself and the people here," Alice reassured her, understanding the turmoil Seraphine must be going through.
Seraphine attempts to compose herself by taking a deep breath and regaining her composure. Despite the challenge, she eventually regains her composure and approaches the group of knights that are currently apprehending the spy.
The weapon testing had come to an end with the capture of the spy. Seraphine immediately informed Damian about the situation, and they decided to interrogate the spy to gather more information, no matter the method. Although Seraphine felt uncomfortable with the idea, she understood that it was necessary to protect herself and Damian's interests.
Following the incident, Seraphine and Damian continued their rigorous training under Alice's guidance. Damian focused on mastering the manipulation of demonic energy, while Seraphine dedicated herself to enhancing her physical abilities, since she couldn't use mana or qi. Time flew by swiftly, and both of them made remarkable progress in their respective skills.