Volume 3 Chapter 14-2 Coilgun
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The magic circle instantly moved forward, accelerating the bullet with it.
Then, when I released the trigger at the right moment, the magic circle vanished.
The bullet flew forward with force and pierced the clay target.
If it hit a quail in the head, it would probably have enough strength to knock it out.
”Hey, that’s cheating!”
Mr. Zenom protested, but it wasn’t really about cheating.
After all, the goal was to create a powerful weapon.
”Well, I think this method will make a more effective weapon.”
Mr. Zenom seemed convinced after trying it out a few times himself.
”I guess it would be better to lengthen the barrel a bit and make it operable with just the trigger.”
It seems he’s already thinking about the next improvement plan.
”If we’re going to improve it, let’s get rid of the rifling. The sound is annoying, and the friction reduces the strength.”
”Those spiral grooves make the bullet spin, so it can fly straight.”
Yes, the rifling is there to stabilize the trajectory.
But that was designed with the assumption of pushing the bullet with the gas pressure of gunpowder.
It feels like it doesn’t mesh well with a coilgun.
”Anyway, the accuracy isn’t any better than a bow, right? If that’s the case, it’s better to increase the strength a little and scatter the shots for better usability.”
”Scatter?”
”Make it rapid-fire. If you’re bad, fire a lot and hit something.”
”If you’re bad, you should just hone your skills.”
I explained to Mr. Zenom, who didn’t quite understand, how to make it rapid-fire with automatic loading.
I emphasized the strength of small arms that can control an area.
Mr. Zenom seemed interested in my simple illustration of an interchangeable magazine.
The dwarf race loves creating new and complex things.
I should give him a little warning so he doesn’t overdo it and make the bullets mirror-finished again.
”Since we’re going to scatter bullets, let’s use crossbow bolts, which are easy to obtain.”
Cast iron crossbow bolts are usually in stock at most weapon shops and don’t cost more than a hundred gold per shot, so it won’t be difficult to get a lot of them.
It’s such a waste of talent for Mr. Zenom to be making and polishing bullets like this.
”Also, let’s weaken the magic circle a lot to save mana. It’s not a coilgun, so it just needs the bullets to stick together.”
With a coilgun, you need distance to attract the bullets, but with this method, you won’t need that much magnetic force.
We should definitely save mana for rapid firing.
Mr. Zenom is sketching out the designs at a crazy speed while listening to me.
”And it seems like this method won’t add any strength to the gun itself, so let’s completely ignore strength and make it as light as possible. If it’s light, it can be used alongside arrows as a sub-weapon.”
I don’t understand the principle of the magic circle, but somehow there’s no recoil.
I suppose we’ll need some weight to aim well, but since this gun is for scattering bullets, I think it’ll be used in a way that involves swinging it around to create a bullet curtain.
”Telling a dwarf craftsman to ignore strength takes some guts.”
Mr. Zenom is grinning.
”Usually, someone making such a request would get punched. Well, it’s a reasonable argument. If you use a lot of wooden parts and really slim it down, you can lighten it without reducing strength too much.”
Using famous mithril would allow us to easily lighten it while maintaining an insane level of strength, but mithril weapons are just so expensive.
According to Mr. Zenom, the true value of mithril is not its lightness or strength, but how easily it conducts mana.
There are quite a few legendary magic swords made entirely of mithril, but using it that way is just a waste of resources, he says.
I think Mr. Zenom, who can make high-performance magic tools using strands of mithril as fine as hair, is really amazing.
* * *
”So, now, what are we calling this weapon?”
After the discussion, we were quickly piling up the parts on the workbench, and at this pace, it looks like the next prototype will be ready in just a few days.
”You want a name?”
It’s already not a coilgun anymore.
Names for weapons are pretty important in this world.
Apparently, a strong-sounding name can boost its strength.
How about Magne Arrow?
It doesn’t sound very strong.
If it has a name like “magnetic force catapult,” people might guess the principles behind it, making it easier to copy or counter.
Since it’s a secret weapon, how about giving it a more fitting name?
Something like Zero Cannon or Hundred Style Crossbow ── names that really scream power.
Hmm, saying it feels a bit embarrassing though.
It might be best to stick with naming it after mythological weapons for safety.
Apparently, it’s important for a strong weapon to be recognized by many, so borrowing names from Earth’s well-known mythological weapons could be quite effective.
Wasn’t Thor’s hammer from Norse mythology?
But it’s not even a hammer, to begin with.
Zeus’ thunderbolt sounds like a throwing weapon too.
How about Indra’s arrow?
It’s a projectile, and it seems pretty well-known too.
Indra’s gun, Indra Gun.
That sounds kind of strong.
”Let’s go with Indra Gun for now, please.”
”Indra Gun, huh? It has a godly and powerful ring to it.”
Mr. Zenom seems to like it as well.
I hope the next prototype can at least take down a quail.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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