Chereads / Quantum Spell Rise of the Neural Mage / Chapter 27 - Episode 27: "Mother... Father...."

Chapter 27 - Episode 27: "Mother... Father...."

After the cave was sealed by the golem's body and darkness enveloped the surroundings, Athena swiftly activated her night vision.

Athena (system voice): "Night vision activated."

However, Izzan quickly said, "No need, Athena. I'll make a torch."

Athena (system voice): "Alright, deactivating night vision."

After a few seconds, Izzan stood in complete darkness and immediately realized his mistake. "Umm... Athena, it seems I can't see anything. Could you turn the night vision back on? Hehe..."

Athena (system voice): "Hufft... alright. Activating night vision."

As the green glow of night vision illuminated the cave again, Izzan felt relieved. Athena then asked for the next step, but Izzan first requested Athena to scan the surroundings for materials that could be used to make a torch.

Athena (system voice): "Scan cannot be performed, mana level 2/100."

Izzan pondered for a moment, then thought about the bear he had just defeated. "Alright, can we use this bear for something?"

Athena: "Of course. As a two-star magical creature, this bear has various parts that can be utilized. Here are some of its uses in fiction and for our current needs:

Bear Fat: The fat of a magical bear can be used as fuel for a torch. It's thick and highly flammable. If we combine it with cloth from old clothes or unnecessary parts of the golem, we can create a long-lasting torch.Bear Hide: The hide is very thick and can be turned into an emergency shield or storage bag. If heated or stretched properly, it can also be used as a sleeping mat or protection against cold weather.Bear Bones: The bones, especially from the legs or arms, can be used to make simple tools like spears, makeshift knives, or even torch frames.Bear Blood: As a magical creature, this bear's blood retains some magical energy, though not very strong, it can be processed into emergency regenerative medicine to heal minor wounds or act as an energy stimulant. We just need to mix it with some herbs we collected earlier.Bear Heart and Internal Organs: The heart of this two-star bear contains a high concentration of magic. Although we don't have enough mana capacity now, this organ can be stored and used later to create potions or boosting spells.Bear Claws: The black bear's claws have a natural sharpness and can be used as weapons. They can be modified into close-combat weapons or even used as grappling hooks in certain situations."

Izzan listened attentively and began considering his next step. "Alright, we'll use the fat first to make a torch."

Since Izzan didn't have a knife to skin the bear, he decided to use his father's sword, which was always strapped to his waist. Feeling slightly guilty, he drew the sword and stared at it for a moment. "Sorry, Dad... I know this sword is a weapon that must be treated with respect, but this is an emergency," he muttered, taking a deep breath.

He then approached the body of the large black bear that had already stopped moving. His father's sword glistened in the dim light of night vision, adding to the dramatic atmosphere. Izzan began trying to slice the bear's hide, but the sword was too large and sharp for such a delicate task.

"Ouch!" Izzan slipped as he swung the sword too hard, almost falling onto the bear's body. Athena quickly intervened.

Athena (system voice): "Izzan, your movements are too inefficient. If you continue like this, you might damage important organs. Allow me to assist you."

Suddenly, a hologram appeared in front of Izzan, displaying an X-ray image of the bear's body. Athena precisely showed where the vital organs were, including the magic stone located in the bear's belly.

Athena: "I have marked all the important areas. Make sure not to damage the heart or this magic stone. Cut precisely along the lines I've highlighted here."

Izzan saw the holographic lines on the bear's body displayed by Athena. "Wow, it's like surgery. You're really detailed, Athena."

Athena: "Of course. This is the optimal calculation for time and effort efficiency."

Carefully, Izzan started following Athena's instructions, but each time he tried to slice with the large sword, his movements were a bit awkward. He was too strong, making the cuts larger than necessary.

"Ugh, why isn't this sword like a scalpel?" he complained, beginning to sweat as he had to stay focused.

Athena, usually calm, started sounding a bit annoyed. "You're using a large sword for a task that requires precision. Please be more mindful of your movements, don't just hack away!"

Izzan chuckled lightly. "Hey, this is a sword, not a kitchen knife! It's hard to do small tasks like this."

Several times, Izzan accidentally cut too deeply, almost damaging important organs. Athena issued a warning each time Izzan made a mistake.

Athena: "Careful! Don't cut too deep! You nearly damaged the bear's magic heart."

Izzan, growing tired, glanced at Athena's hologram and said, "Alright, alright, I'll be more careful. But… how about you do this instead?"

Athena: "Unfortunately, I can only provide instructions. Your hands are holding the sword, not mine."

After several awkward attempts, Izzan finally managed to slice off the bear's fat and skin part of its body. He gathered enough fat to make several torches and set aside the bear's hide for later use. Every time he cut an important part, Athena guided him.

Athena: "Now cut right here to extract the magic stone. Don't damage the surrounding skin in this area."

Though tired, Izzan finally succeeded in extracting the magic stone from the bear's body. The stone faintly glowed with residual magical energy. "Finally... I did it," he said triumphantly, holding the stone in his hand.

However, as he was about to show the magic stone to Athena, he almost dropped it.

Athena: "Be careful! That's a valuable magic stone!"

Izzan chuckled awkwardly. "Oops, sorry. I got too excited."

Athena sighed deeply, indicating that she was losing patience. "You should be more careful with important items like that. I can't imagine if we had to search for another magic stone elsewhere."

After everything was done, Izzan stood proudly in front of the partially skinned bear. "So, can I be considered a master butcher now?"

Athena, without hesitation, responded, "Only if you stop making mistakes every time you cut something."

Izzan chuckled softly, then prepared a torch using the bear's fat and some ragged cloth he tied together. With a bit of magic, he lit a small flame on the torch, casting a gentle light that warmed the cave.

"Alright, now we can rest a bit," he said, sitting near his unconscious parents. "Thanks for your help, Athena."

Athena: "You're welcome. But remember, you need to recover mana soon. We're still in danger."