While Ganesha decided to invite him, Fujimaru Ritsuka remained unaware that someone had taken an interest in him.
At that moment, he was riding a magic-powered elevator up the Tower of Babel.
Throughout the ascent, Ritsuka kept staring at the magic lamp illuminating the elevator.
His behavior eventually made Ryuu curious.
“What are you looking at?” “This lamp.” Ryuu glanced up at it.
“What’s so interesting about a lamp?” “The lamp itself isn’t interesting, but what’s inside it certainly is.” “What’s inside it?
Do you mean the magic stone?” “Exactly.” Orario’s technological development was rather unusual.
Since monsters inside the Dungeon continuously produced magic stones filled with magical energy, Orario—and even the entire DanMachi world—had developed its own distinctive form of magical technology.
The elevator carrying Ritsuka and Ryuu was powered by magic stones.
The lamps throughout the Tower of Babel also used them as an energy source, allowing them to remain lit throughout the night.
There were even cooling devices powered by ice-attribute magic stones, functioning similarly to refrigerators.
The energy stored inside magic stones was stable and carried no risk of suddenly going out of control.
That made them an extremely safe and reliable source of power—and gave Ritsuka an idea.
“When I entered the Dungeon yesterday, I mainly wanted to experience it.
I sold the magic stones I collected without thinking much about them.” “But after seeing these devices today, I’ve come up with another idea.” “What idea?” “These magical devices can use the energy inside magic stones.
That means I should be able to use it too.” “Hm?” Ryuu stared at him in surprise.
“You want to draw magical energy from magic stones?” “That’s right.” Ritsuka spread his hands.
“Honestly, I need a great deal of magical energy.
Since I’m only Level One, my current reserves are limited.” “That shortage restricts how efficiently I can explore the Dungeon.
So I wondered whether absorbing energy from magic stones would let me sustain myself through battle.” “You can’t.” Ryuu immediately shook her head.
“Don’t even consider trying it.” “Why?” “The energy inside magic stones can be used, but it carries the Dungeon’s maddening influence.” “Absorbing it directly for too long will disrupt your magical energy and contaminate your mind.” “In severe cases, the Dungeon’s power can corrupt you, making you violent or even transforming you into something resembling a monster.” Ryuu pointed toward the lamp.
“Only devices designed to transfer that energy can use it safely.” “Really?
That can happen?” Ritsuka was surprised.
When he watched the anime, he had focused mainly on the characters and plot, so he had never noticed that particular detail.
However, it made sense.
If anyone could absorb magic stones freely, mages would be practically invincible inside the Dungeon.
Seeing his expression, Ryuu suspected he still had not abandoned the idea and quickly offered an alternative.
“If you want to restore magical energy, you’ll need potions made by an alchemist.” “Magic potions can replenish your reserves.
Their ingredients also include magic stones, but the stones are processed to remove their violent influence.” “Unfortunately, they’re expensive.” “The deeper you explore, the stronger the monsters become.
Killing them consumes more magical energy, which means adventurers need more potions.” “A solo trip into the Middle Floors could easily cost tens of thousands of valis in potions alone.” “That really is expensive.” Ryuu nodded and pointed upward.
“Only powerful Familias can normally afford to purchase them in large quantities.” “Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of money.” Ritsuka rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Noel, I want the magical energy, but I don’t want to spend money.
Do you have any ideas?” Ryuu froze and stared at him blankly.
‘What exactly are you suggesting?’ “Don’t worry.
I’m not planning to steal anything.” “I mean, how can I use the energy inside magic stones without spending money?” Ryuu finally relaxed.
She had misunderstood him.
“In that case, you would need to be either a smith or an alchemist.” “A smith can use magic stones to forge magic swords.
Depending on the stone’s attribute, you would gain a magical weapon that doesn’t consume your own energy.” “However, it would have a limited number of uses.” “The energy inside magic stones cannot regenerate.
Once it runs out, the magic sword becomes an ordinary weapon.” “An alchemist could instead extract the essence from magic stones and refine it into magic potions.” “Those are the two cheapest ways to make use of their energy.” “But you…” In simple terms, anyone unable to afford the finished product had to make it themselves.
Unfortunately, becoming a smith or alchemist was far from easy.
Those production skills were normally possessed only by members of particular Familias in Orario.
“Now that you mention it…” Ritsuka smiled at Ryuu.
“I actually know how to forge things.” “Huh?” Ryuu stared at him in surprise.
“You know smithing?” Ritsuka himself naturally had no experience as a smith.
However, someone in his party did.
Caster—Chen Gong!
Despite spending most of his time blowing up allies, Chen Gong was actually an exceptional inventor.
Within the Nasuverse, his true origins were unclear, but he was said to descend from the ancient Chinese civilization and had inherited its documents and technology.
As a technician, he could create all kinds of extraordinary Mystic Codes.
Within the Nasuverse, that ability had a single name.
Item Construction!
Chen Gong possessed B-ranked Item Construction.
He had personally created the miniature Magic Circuit super-accelerator used by his Noble Phantasm.
Even Lu Bu’s God Force had been created by Chen Gong.
Ritsuka had originally planned to absorb energy from magic stones so he could activate his Noble Phantasms more often.
Now, however, turning magic stones into Mystic Codes would also count as using their magical energy!
Mystic Codes were an important part of the Nasuverse.
A sufficiently powerful one could rival a Heroic Spirit’s Noble Phantasm.
“Now that I think about it, extracting energy from magic stones and using it really resembles Jewel Magecraft.” “No, in this world, I suppose it should be called Jewel Magic.” “Jewel Magic?” Ryuu looked confused.
“Magic stones come in all sorts of colors and are rather beautiful.
Don’t they look like jewels?” “They do.” “If I place magic stones inside devices I create and use their energy to cast magic, shouldn’t that be called Jewel Magic?” “Can you really forge things?” Ryuu asked again.
It was not that she distrusted him.
The claim was simply too unbelievable.
Her junior already possessed two skills that formed an incredibly sinister combination, yet he was apparently also capable of smithing.
Wasn’t he far too versatile?
Would he soon claim that he could make potions as well?
“That’s right!” Ritsuka nodded confidently.
He raised his right hand and brought his thumb and index finger close together.
“My forging methods are just a tiny bit different from those used by Orario’s smiths.” …