The Wizard Has A Biochip

Chapter 27: The explosive fire crystal

After completing all the paperwork at the Tower Administration and officially finalizing the transfer, I finally received the laboratory’s permanent registration.

Now...

I stood before the door of my very own laboratory.

I held the golden key.

It fit perfectly into the lock.

Click.

I slowly pushed the door open.

It opened without any resistance.

I stepped inside.

My eyes swept across the entire room.

It was a relatively spacious laboratory.

Much smaller than Master Totil’s, but large enough for an acolyte to work comfortably.

The walls were lined with gray stone reinforced with subtle protective runes.

At the center stood a massive wooden workbench reinforced with metal plates.

Around it were several smaller tables dedicated to rune engraving, material preparation, and mechanism assembly.

The shelves were almost empty.

Only a few glass containers remained neatly arranged in their places.

The tools, on the other hand...

Were excellent.

Everything was carefully organized.

I ran my hand across one of the workbenches.

There wasn’t even a speck of dust.

Edson really had moved out only recently...

He had probably taken only the materials and the alchemy tools he had adapted for this laboratory.

Everything else belonged to the laboratory itself.

That made my purchase an even better deal.

I walked to the central workbench.

I carefully set down the box containing the ingredients.

Then I began reorganizing the entire room.

I dragged over several toolboxes that had been forgotten in the corners.

I arranged each set according to its purpose.

Engraving tools near the rune table.

Cutting instruments beside the small furnace.

Measuring equipment near the mana crystals.

I spent nearly half an hour organizing everything in what I considered the most efficient layout.

When I finished...

The laboratory truly felt like mine.

I returned to the box.

I carefully unpacked all the materials I had purchased.

Most of them were immediately stored on their designated shelves.

The bottles were protected from the light.

The mineral powders were sorted.

The metal bars were placed beside the furnace.

On the workbench, I left only what I needed for a single attempt.

I looked at the workbench.

Then I issued a mental command.

—Display the Explosive Fire Crystal hologram.

[Beep!]

The blue projection appeared immediately.

The three-dimensional crystal slowly rotated before my eyes.

Let’s begin.

I moved the hologram aside and picked up the small mana crystal.

The first step was preparing it.

I carefully secured the crystal in a metal clamp.

Using a precision file, I began removing its natural imperfections.

Every movement was delicate.

A single crack could ruin the entire project.

After several minutes...

I obtained an almost flawless crystal.

I then picked up an extremely soft cloth.

I wiped away all the dust produced during the polishing process.

Next, I lit the small magical furnace.

A blue flame silently sprang to life.

I placed the small copper-iron alloy into a heat-resistant crucible.

The temperature gradually increased.

Little by little, the metal began to melt.

While I waited...

I carefully mixed the Volcanic Ruby Powder with a few drops of Salamander Essence.

The reaction was immediate.

Buz~~

The red powder took on a bright orange glow.

Tiny sparks escaped from the mixture.

I then picked up the Stabilizing Resin.

I added only a few drops.

Instantly, the entire mixture became much more stable.

Exactly as the book had described.

—So far...

—Everything’s going perfectly.

When the molten alloy reached the ideal temperature, I removed the crucible from the furnace using a proper pair of tongs.

With extreme care, I partially dipped the crystal into the molten metal.

A thin metallic layer began coating its surface.

I waited a few seconds.

Then I let the crystal cool naturally.

The framework was complete.

Now came the truly difficult part.

I picked up the fine brush used for engraving magical rune patterns.

I dipped its tip into the heat-resistant ink.

I took a deep breath.

Then I began writing while channeling magical energy through my fingers.

The first stroke.

Slow.

Precise.

The Compression Rune appeared on the metallic surface.

Then came the second.

Then the third.

Each symbol had to connect perfectly with the previous one.

A single crooked line...

And the entire crystal would become useless.

Or worse.

Unstable.

I continued working.

With every new rune, I discreetly compared it to the hologram projected by the biochip.

There wasn’t the slightest visible difference.

Once I finished the compression layer...

I immediately began the stabilization layer.

Then came the rune responsible for controlled rupture.

The last one.

The most delicate.

As soon as I completed the final stroke...

I slowly pulled the brush away.

I watched the crystal.

For several seconds...

Nothing happened.

Then...

The runes began emitting a faint reddish glow.

One.

Then another.

Until all of them were shining in perfect harmony.

The crystal slowly absorbed the prepared mixture.

The energy of the fire element began to remain sealed within it.

Without causing the slightest instability.

I carefully picked up the small device between my fingers.

I succeeded on my very first attempt.

Next, I picked up a small padded box and carefully placed the crystal inside.

As I closed the lid, I began doing a few calculations.

Each Explosive Fire Crystal could be sold for approximately five magic crystals.

If I produced fifty...

Five times fifty...

Two hundred and fifty crystals.

Subtracting the thirty crystals I had spent on ingredients...

The profit would still be excellent.

I smiled faintly.

But the smile soon faded.

I still couldn’t sell it, so I simply stored it away.

I extinguished the small furnace.

I organized the workbench once more.

Then I left the laboratory.

As I closed the door behind me, I couldn’t help but have another thought.

This proves once again...

Having a biochip capable of calculating every detail gives me an enormous advantage.

In engineering...

Precision was practically everything.

While other apprentices wasted materials because of minor mistakes...

My biochip corrected every movement before I even made it.

The next step...

Is to continue meditating.

I need to reach the Second Level of Acolyte.

.

.

.

.

.

In my room.

Unfortunately...

Not even the biochip could ignore the limitations of my own body.

Each new code was more complex than the last.

Moreover...

As more bones became integrated into the magical circuit...

The harder it became to keep the entire energy structure perfectly stable.

There were no shortcuts.

I also had another objective.

During this period between Level One and Level Two.

I intend to gather information.

Especially about a concept that seemed to be deliberately hidden by the mages.

The concept of magical energy.

...

...

...

Before I realized it...

Another six months passed.

...

I walked silently through the Tower’s corridors.

My head remained slightly lowered.

At first glance, I looked as though I were simply deep in thought.

In reality...

I was mentally organizing countless pieces of information as I walked.

Over those six months...

My body had changed.

I had grown a few centimeters taller.

My shoulders had broadened.

My muscles had become subtly more defined thanks to my meditation technique and the diet meticulously planned by the biochip.

My face, however...

Remained extremely pale.

Spending practically every day between dormitories and laboratories meant seeing very little sunlight.

My right hand remained hidden inside the sleeve of my robe.

To an outside observer...

It would seem like nothing more than a habit.

But my fingers were carefully holding a small Explosive Fire Crystal.

I took a deep breath.

The time had come.

After half a year...

It was finally time to speak with Master Totil again.

As I walked, I watched various acolytes passing through the corridors.

The Tower never stayed the same.

A great deal had happened over the past few months.

Mork, for example, had become a frequent topic of conversation among the students after getting Myla pregnant, something that sparked countless rumors throughout the corridors.

Lucas...

The senior apprentice who had welcomed me when I first arrived at the examination laboratory...

Had finally completed his training.

He had graduated.

And left the Tower.

Lisa had also attracted considerable attention.

She had become the first apprentice in Totil’s laboratory to present a functional device during that semester.

Her name became known across several departments.

She received praise.

Recognition.

A modest reputation.

I simply observed everything from a distance.

Without getting involved.

Without drawing attention.

Throughout those months...

I quietly continued purchasing materials.

More Volcanic Ruby Powder.

More Salamander Essence.

More Stabilizing Resin.

I produced numerous Explosive Fire Crystals.

All of them remained carefully stored away.

Not a single one was sold.

They waited patiently inside my laboratory.

Today...

I would finally present one of them.

But not the best one.

The crystal hidden inside my sleeve had been crafted differently.

During its creation...

I followed every instruction given by the biochip.

Afterward...

I deliberately altered a few minor details.

Nothing that would compromise its functionality.

But enough for any experienced engineer to conclude:

"A fine piece of work for a beginner acolyte."

That was exactly the impression I wanted to create.

Within the Tower...

Being talented was an advantage.

Appearing too talented...

Was a risk I had no intention of taking yet.

...

1402 Words