Bear School Astartes-Chapter 861 - 844: Metal That Can ’Grow

"Interesting little device."

Lann evaluated with his own eyes and laid the parchment out completely in front of Belengar.

The Grandmaster-level blacksmith looked at the structural drawings and stroked his chin.

"Is this... an assassination tool?"

After speaking, he glanced up at Lann.

"When did you get involved in this kind of work?"

"It’s not me doing this kind of work, it’s prepared as a gift."

The young Demon Hunter shrugged.

"And when I enter the conjunction of the spheres fissure, there’s a good chance I’ll actually have to do some assassinating."

Belengar pondered for a moment and nodded.

"A sleeve sword... This design should indeed be useful. Plus, the idea on this drawing feels a bit old-fashioned, like an antique. I think it can be improved."

"If it’s to be used as an assassination device, hiding it under the wrist is better for concealment. But what about the fingers in front when the blade pops out? You can’t just cut them off, can you? ... Hmm, interesting. Give me some time to think about it. Next time you’re back, I’ll have a finished product for you."

"Oh, by the way." Belengar shook the parchment and suddenly said.

"I’ll make a small trial product first, for Ciri. She’s delicate, and this kind of weapon suits her."

Lann crossed his arms and looked at Belengar amusingly.

"I remember someone saying, before meeting Ciri, that they swore ’I’m not familiar with that girl’?"

But Belengar righteously stated: "Don’t mock an old man’s care for his juniors! You emotionless cub!"

"You’re absolutely right, I’m emotionless."

Lann responded indifferently.

Then he walked over to Belengar’s side, where a neat pile of Valyrian steel billets had already been stacked on this workstation.

The rectangular shape gave an almost obsessive sense of satisfaction.

Lann reached in and pulled out a piece, then thought about it and pulled out another, placing both into his alchemy pouch.

"Put it on my tab, report it to Shilton later, he’s managing my personal fund now."

Without looking back, Lann called out a farewell and walked out of the blacksmith workshop.

"What are you going to do with that stuff? That’s just a billet!"

Belengar’s voice came from behind.

"It’s needed for new experiments."

Lann didn’t elaborate further, as he knew from Belengar’s level of alchemy, explaining it wouldn’t help him understand. Fortunately, the old Demon Hunter didn’t ask further.

Even though two pieces of Valyrian steel billets could fetch a considerable price at auction, for Lann’s current earnings, they were easy to take.

More importantly, he had shares in this business.

The alchemy experiment that Lann needed to conduct with the metal billets, without a doubt...

[Tendon Coil].

This was originally a precision nanotechnology-generated enhanced organ, which he currently didn’t have the resources to create.

Thus, he had to explore alternative methods.

Returning to the Airetusa Academy, Lann headed straight for the crystal cultivation laboratory.

Truthfully, his trip to Ker Morhan had yielded significant gains.

But most of it was new magic seal release forms, new magic potion and decoction formulas, these practical things.

The practicality of these items was also why the Wolf School Demon Hunters had taken great care to preserve them.

But that was for average Demon Hunters, who prioritized practicality over theoretical knowledge.

In Lann’s plan, theoretical knowledge was what he valued.

Fortunately, the Great Mage Alzur, his teacher, and his apprentice—these three gifted mutation experts and genetic researchers—had left behind their theoretical knowledge.

And under Lann’s extraordinary talent, he was quickly understanding, digesting, and even innovating on it.

The initial appearance of the [Tendon Coil] was just a metal wire bundle, disorganized like plant roots.

During surgery, Interstellar Warrior pharmacists would pry open the rib bones of Interstellar Warriors, which had grown and closed like blinds, then implant it into the chest cavity.

This metal wire bundle would then automatically penetrate the Interstellar Warrior’s muscle tissues over time, spreading throughout the entire musculature under its automatic program, forming a complete [Inner Steel].

While enhancing defense, it would significantly increase muscle strength.

The technology of metal wire bundle itself wasn’t difficult. The challenge was ensuring this metal wire bundle would uniformly spread and grow within the body to eventually become the expected form.

Just having a self-growing metal was enough to stump nearly everyone in this Magic Middle Ages.

Yet, in every ’nearly’... there are always exceptions.

With a gentle "clang," in the empty laboratory, Lann drew out his greatsword [Muddy Stream·Destruction].

The deep black blade, accompanied by its bone-white edge, filled the once silent laboratory with a sudden ferocious and violent aura.

It felt like a starving tiger had suddenly appeared in the room, breathing down your neck.

The damp heat even crawled into your collar, making your hair stand on end and your muscles jitter.

This was the presence of weaponry infused with Extinct Dragon materials.

Those tales circulating in the monster world, ’powerful equipment devours men’... it’s true!

But for someone like Lann, who had forged the entire sword’s materials from a living Extinct Dragon... if an actual Extinct Dragon stood in front of me, I’d draw my blade without fear, so why be afraid of a sword?

Lann rested the hilt of [Muddy Stream·Destruction] on his shoulder, the blade tip planted on the stone-bricked floor, the greatsword slanting upright.

He then drew Aron Dite from his waist, aligning the long blade along the wide sword edge.

"Valerian steel’s superb biological affinity, plus the regenerative ability of an Extinct Dragon... huh, ’a self-growing metal’, that’s just it, isn’t it?"

In fact, this [Muddy Stream·Destruction] is the best model.

Lann muttered to himself, using the blade of the Lady of the Lake’s Sword to scrape along the bone-white sword edge of [Muddy Stream·Destruction].

Some substance, akin to bone meal, floated down beneath the divine weapon’s blade, settling onto the large sheets of paper Lann had laid out.

The main body of [Muddy Stream·Destruction] was a Valerian Steel Greatsword, later refined by the second phase leader of the New Continent Expedition Team, melding in the Extinct Dragon’s jade, regeneration shell, and thorn.

It’s nearly a miniature Extinct Dragon.

The bone-white sword edge is the Extinct Dragon’s white thorn, although softer than the black of the sword body, it’s easier and faster to regenerate, breakages don’t matter, they grow back quickly anyway.

As for the [Tendon Coil], there was no need for such complexity; Lann planned to simply infuse the Extinct Dragon thorn into the Valyrian Steel billet.