Sup.
I've never written so fast before. I hope the quality did not suffer.
April 8, 2024
Start
"John. John Smith." He offered a handshake. The smith apprentice shook it.
"John! Well met! I heard a lot about you. Didn't expect you to look so young." Schulz stepped inside the workshop. He gestto ured the cabinets and the many blacksmithing tools available; hammers with different heads, tongs that varied in size and shape, and inserts for the anvil. "Welcome to the forge! I'll be here as your assistant. I heard from Wagner about everything. Captain Hertha and Albedo are endorsing you for a project you proposed?"
"That's the gist of it. By the way, where's Wagner?" John looked around. "I heard he owns this workshop… despite uh having your name?"
"Ah. That. Long story short, Wagner lost a bet." Schulz chuckled. He rubbed his eyebags and snorted. "And he went home after discussions with the two captains. He took an all-nighter to finish order, you see, so it's perfect timing. What in Archon's name is a 'firearm' anyway? That sounds like some spellcraft to me."
"Seriously?" John was dumbfounded. "It's a cannon, but it's really small. Fits in your hand."
"You want to make a… hand cannon? That's the first I've heard of it." Schulz seemed intrigued, stroking his chin. "Man! It must be important if you've got support from two captains! I wish I could help, but… I'm not as learned as my master."
"Don't worry. I'm just here to experiment." John entered the workshop space. As his System was updating, the two went into a discussion about firearms. John taught him how a simple muzzleloader works, starting from the trigger mechanism and ending with the bullet being pushed out by exploding gas.
"So that's how firearms work." Schulz stroked his chin. "Or cannons for that matter. I heard of them but never seen one myself. Never been on a ship, you see. Been a landlubber all my life."
"If you want one for your hands then I'm sure you can help. Do you have…" John scrolled through the blacksmithing tutorial. "Do you have training clay? Is that what you call it?"
Apparently, blacksmiths use clay to first learn smithing before going to the 'real thing.'
Time to speedrun the tutorial.
…
"It's crap," John said tiredly at Schulz. "I told you we needed a mandrel!"
"We don't need anything else! You learn fast, you just need practice!"
" I'm not going to waste another hour when I'm the one doing the hammering!" John facepalmed, rubbing his face in frustration. "Could you have at least told me what was on your mind after guiding me through the whole thing?"
"Well…" His partner scratched his head. "I thought it'd be like forging an arrowhead."
"An arrowhead!?" John squawked. "How does that relate to this?"
He wildly gestured the three-inch prototype barrel on the anvil, which looked more like a deformed banana hollowed out with a nail.
The only advantage John has is his increased dexterity, videogame stamina, tireless mentality, and System mechanics. Yet despite that, metalworking is a beast that can't be easily tamed. The System's crafting mechanics put him in a situation where he's on his own, by that, there are no level requirements where blueprints are locked behind levels or paywalls bought with 'in-game' currency. It meant that anything was on the table, but he had to 'invent' things on his own.
The System is the car, and John is the driver, where every destination is hidden behind a fog of war yet to be explored. Then there's Schulz, the navigator, who got him lost. Then again, he's never seen a firearm before whereas John never forged one. They're throwing things in the dark. It'd be too much an ask to expect any decent results in just an hour.
It's why John wanted to start with a three-inch barrel rather than a 'full length'. Test the waters, as they say, but John couldn't even feel the bottom with his toes.
"Since it's a tube, I thought it'd be like a socket of an arrow." Schulz went to get something somewhere. He got back to present it. "See? The socket is flattened and rolled in a hollow tube. You strike it against the anvil step to curve the form just like you did, so I thought it wouldn't have been different."
John's idea was to flatten iron into a rectangular bar, hammer it around a cylindrical piece of metal, weld the wrap, and iron out the imperfections. Schulz has the same idea but wanted it done without a mandrel. It worked. Kinda. It's a tube at least. It's progress if anything.
John thought hard. Renting their workshop barely cost the Knights, but that doesn't mean he'll just waste their resource and their time. His failure did not bring him nothing, though. It brought him insights.
He needed specialized tools.
"Makes sense… but we'll need it thick."
"How thick are we talking about?"
"Half an inch thick."
That might seem too thick, but he's working with wrought iron. If he were to make a long gun, sacrificing weight to avoid the off-chance it blows up in your hand seems like a no-brainer.
"… Oh." Schulz gawked a little. "So that's why you started with a thin piece of metal…"
"Hmm?"
"Sorry. Uh. You want a barrel that thick that's nearly a dozen inches long? That could take a week to forge!"
"That's why I told you we need custom tools! A custom anvil with semi-cylindrical depression, a custom hammer with a thin head to round it, and custom tongs perfect for holding cylinders!"
"John, I know you're talented so why would you need all those!? Wagner would always say "Hard work is all there is to the craft!""
"Using your brain is hard work!" John crossed his arms, raising a judgemental eyebrow. "Everything here in his workshop is for making a lot of things, but not gun barrels. Do I need to say more?"
"I- Uh. I mean. Well…" The apprentice fumbled and avoided eye contact.
"… Let's discuss a few things. You got something I can use to draw?"
The two talked about gunsmithing. Schulz grabbed a pencil and a parchment. John, with his Sytem-assisted dexterity, drafted the parts with precision. It's one thing to know how guns work, but it's another to make them.
John shared his ideas whereas Schulz shared his wisdom to discern what was feasible. He suggested cannibalizing crossbow parts, captured from hilichurls, for the trigger assembly. For the plug of the barrel, they'll have to make a threader for screwing the breech and plug together. For the ignition hole, a drill is needed. For the barrel, a square reamer or a drill to smooth out the surface. As for the…
"Nipple?" Schulz looked mildly aghast.
"I don't know what else to call it. This part right here-" John tapped the small protrusion around the breech. "-holds the percussion cap. The hammer smacks the cap, where the explosive inside detonates, and the explosion goes through the tiny tunnel that ignites the main charge inside the breech."
"Wait. Hold on. I think I get how it works, but this… needs finesse."
If it can't be done, then that means John might have to settle for a matchlock. But he wanted something more reliable. Something more rugged in any weather or situation.
"I just want to know if this is possible. Do you think you can make this?" John received a doubtful headshake. "Agh."
A familiar figure walked up to them.
"Captain Albedo, sir! You look a little different today." Schulz faced the renowned alchemist. "What brings you here?"
"I'm just here to check John's progress. How is your research going?"
"It's… not going smoothly… uh, sir." John puckered his lips as he handed him the failed prototype. "But if anything, it's a start."
"Then care to tell me your troubles?" Albedo inspected the 'barrel' at every angle.
"I'll try to make it short." Which John did. He summarily shared the process from start to finish, what he learned, the possible solutions, and plans for how to make the other components.
"… I say John is right. It's logical to hammer the workpiece against something cylindrical to make it… well, cylindrical." Albedo wandered around the workshop. "Wouldn't you need customized tools to achieve the desired shape? As far as I'm aware, Mastersmith Wagner specializes in swords. I doubt his tools are fit for… gunsmithing."
John smugged. "Heh. Told ya."
Schulz kept silent, a little embarrassed.
Albedo walked over to the workbench after noticing the drawing. "As for this… trigger mechanism, it's similar to a crossbow. The only difference is, it has a lever spring keeping the striking apparatus in constant torque." Albedo tapped the breech. "But this ignition mechanism does seem complicated."
"In terms of manufacturing, yeah. I can't brute force the research with my other tasks in alchemy."
"No no." Albedo shook his head. "John, we're ahead of schedule thanks to you. You focus on just the gun barrel."
"Huh? Just the barrel?"
"I may have some ideas. May I take this diagram?" Albedo received a prompt nod. "I may know others who can help."
"Gonna explain anything?"
"It's… a bit complicated, and frankly it might take too much of our time. Unlike you, as I have noted, I cannot shortly explain the details, as when it comes to alchemy, I tend to-"
"Then get to the point." John deadpanned. "What should I expect?"
"Uh… Expect this design to be simplified because I know some… devices that might bypass the need for the ignition hole." Albedo tapped the touch hole around the breech. He folded the gun diagram and slipped it into his pants pocket.
"Whoa. That would make a lot of things a whole lot easier." John took that at face value. His brow furrowed. Indeed, it would be in a lot of ways simpler. There'd be fewer parts, fewer processes, and most notably, less smithing experimentation, which leads to less consumption of important resources like labor and time. "When can I expect any results?"
"Likely before an hour."
Sometimes he forgets that some things here don't exist back on Earth. Who knows what cards the locals have?
…
"He came up with this?"
"I'd never guess he'd be a gunsmith."
"My my~. Our dear darling is quite talented, isn't he?"
The Acting Grand Master, the Cavalry Captain, and the top Akademian-turned-librarian all gathered around Jean's office table, their eyes glued to the firearm illustration darting on every line of graphite.
"Did he design this, Albedo?" Jean asked, still studying the design.
"I had not asked whether it is his own invention or if he got it from somewhere else."
"In other words, no." Kaeya's eyes closed halfway, unamused.
Jean's head drooped to the side with a tired look. She treated this news similarly to when Klee made another explosive commotion. She sighed, closing her eyes lightly. "Hertha. Albedo. Tell John to stop his little project for me."
"I would advise against that." Captain Hertha rejected.
"I second that opinion." Captain Albedo supported.
"Good - wait, what?" She straightened her body. Her two other companions shared the reaction. Curiously, she asked, "What got you two on his side?"
Albedo tilted his head forward then to the side in thought. "Even if it's conceptual, he convinced me of the effectiveness of firearms. I believe such a weapon would greatly aid us, so I offered him my expertise in his effort."
"You what? You're helping him? We can't let anyone have something as dangerous as guns. Out of the question!" Jean turned to the other. "What about you, Logistics Captain Hertha?"
"Same with Albedo," Hertha said neutrally. "Why are you against the idea?"
"… We already have everything we need that works." The Acting Grand Master emphasized. She's content with swords and the safety of walls. "This isn't like any siege we've experienced! We are understaffed as it is. We don't need any more variables than we can handle."
Understaffed. Albedo and Hertha noted. Both recalled John's impromptu speech. They don't need more staff, more combatants, or more laborers. The Knights of Favonius need tools that, in John's words, can greatly reduce workloads by sourcing energy externally. A gun might fill a niche. No one expects them to be embraced or accepted on day one, but whatever the case will be, anything helps in this siege. The gods must have led John to Mondstadt for reasons they only know.
It's implied from the conversation that he is from a technologically advanced country, one who can bring his philosophy to Mondstadt. But even if both were to explain, Jean wouldn't budge. She's the stubborn kind. Her tempered upbringing as nobility meant that there were strict guidelines she adhered to.
"No no no. What's the harm, Jean?" Kaeya shrugged. "As far as mechanics go it's just some… better crossbow. I say let him play around and see what he comes up with."
"Jean, it's a musket!" Lisa talked of it as if it was some very rare species. "You don't see that every day in the four corners of Tevyat! Isn't it exciting? I'd like to have one for research."
"I want one for myself too." Albedo smiled at the thought of having his own. "If my company had access to firearms, our fieldwork would become easier."
"And I need something to arm my men for self-defense, Master Jean." Hertha reasoned. "Not all of them are combat capable. I would've recommended crossbows, but you know how everyone despises those things. No one wants to look like some bandit."
"You're all interested in adopting firearms? I can't believe I'm hearing this. The answer is no." Jean rubbed her face. "How is this any different from our alchemists proposing outlandish experiments?"
"Speaking of." Albedo raised a hand. "I shared my findings with my entire company before this discussion. I tasked them with what design elements could be improved. Many teams are in support of John's project. They want to see a functioning firearm in actio-"
"You did what!?" Jean scolded him like a child, "Albedo! We talked about this. No projects without my permission!"
"Technically, John is not an official member of the-"
"You know very well what I mean-"
"You two! Chill! Let's all cool down!" Kaeya cupped his chin while walking to the sofa. He sat relaxed and clasped his hands together. "Albedo, Hertha. You two are the most acquainted with John. If we stop him, what do you think he will do?"
"Build one in secret no matter the cost," Hertha said with absolute certainty.
That surprised him, "He's obsessed with firearms?"
"Oh dear me." Lisa giggled softly. "An obsession with explosives? A magnet for trouble? And a pyrotechnic prodigy in every sense? Doesn't that sound familiar?"
"All the more reason to stop him!" The usually cool-headed Jean visibly panicked from the notion, "We already have a pyromaniac within our ranks. We don't need a gun-toting amnesiac in the city! Hertha, is there anything we can do to discourage him?"
"Honestly… no." She replied flatly.
"No?"
"Let me explain," Albedo took a few seconds to organize his thoughts. "In his perspective, he isn't obsessed with firearms in as much as it is essential. Calling him obsessed is no different labelling everyone a hedonistic gourmet because we eat for sustenance. He explained that a firearm is no different from using any other tool that assists us in our everyday lives. Frankly, I share his view."
"And frankly, I agree with Albedo's conjecture." Hertha gestured at her fellow firearm proponent. "To him, a gun is as important as we knights with our swords, or a hunter with their bows, or a chef with their knives."
Lisa chuckled, patting Jean's head soothingly, "You two make it sound like firearms are a part of his identity. Now I'm getting very curious what he said that's so convincing."
"Regardless, what you two mean is that-" Kaeya turned to Jean. "-a very talented man like him will quit the Knights of Favonius if we deny his passion."
Lisa added, "And leave somewhere far where we cannot watch over him."
Hertha butted in, "A wildcard such as he who could make all sorts of trouble."
Albedo nodded along, "One with scientific insights who can aid in unexpected ways."
…
"Jean, we use bows." Kaeya deadpanned, then smiled, "I only heard about muskets. I'd love to see one in action."
"It doesn't shoot arrows." She avoided all their gaze and crossed her arms. "They are cannons."
Lisa smiled in amusement, "Jean. Dear. The majority vote wins no matter what you say."
Jean made a pained noise that was a combination of a hissing cat and a groan.
"Hmm." Kaeya pouted. "If I were to take a guess. Is it about the Fatui?"
…
"Whoa… what?" John became wide-eyed. "Timaeus, do that thing again."
There were two yellow cubes on the wooden workbench. The two are an inch apart. Timaeus put a smidge of impact-sensitive explosive on one cube. He grabbed a hammer and tapped the other cube.
The explosive poofed.
"This is your invention? How does this work?"
"Simply enough, both pieces are infused with crystals that amplify its Geo resonance property." The alchemist explained proudly. "In other words, any physical force received from one is transferred to the other instantly, even without a medium, as if they're a single piece!"
"We were inspired by tuning forks." Sucrose said, "Captain Kaeya brought them as souvenirs from Fontaine on one of his business trips. We believed if we could somehow enhance the acoustic phenomenon, we could make a communication device that can transmit and receive signals across great distances!"
"Uhuh." A wireless telegraph, then. Sounds exciting, but earlier he saw someone send a messenger pigeon to who-knows-where. "I'm guessing it didn't work out as expected?"
Timaeus winced. "Ow. Straight to the point, huh? How did you know?"
"Messenger birds... and people still run around passing letters," John answered flatly. "A long-range, instant communication technology is… it would be the stuff of wonders in this world." Saying that felt so surreal coming from Earth. "Something like that would be revolutionary. Mondstadt would get all sorts of attention and… I could go on, but we'd waste time."
"Your reasoning is valid," Albedo noted. "And your ability to 'connect dots' from seemingly uncorrelated facets is also impressive. You're quite observant."
"Thank you." John smiled reflexively, glad that he earned a compliment from the chief alchemist.
John would have shut up to lay low, but it's far too late all things considered. He wanted a life where he could live in peace, but the hostile environment incentivized him otherwise. He had to change plans, and that was to gain all the leverage he could get. Why? He would be delusional to think the locals are idiots. They will find cracks in his facade. Once the cat gets out of the bag, the local powers will grill him for answers.
But what if he proves himself to be an invaluable asset?
He's already under everyone's radar. This whole amnesia thing will be sniffed out soon. Before that happens, he will climb the social ladder to a high position that will deter everyone who messes with him.
So why not show off what he can do? Be the genius they will soon believe him to be?
Adapt. Survive. Overcome.
"Also… I'm guessing it doesn't work when the two are farther away?" John smiled thinly. "And I'm going to guess that... lodging them between the medium transfers the force better?"
"… Yes. You guessed right." Timaeus smiled sadly.
"You could have changed the world. But I digress. We've derailed-" Derail? Are trains a thing here? Likely not. "I mean… we've lost focus."
John pulled out two things from his jacket's pocket and laid them near each other. The first trash prototype and its way better version; a three-inch long fifty-cal barrel, with a wall thickness of one-fourth of an inch, and an octagonal profile. "Here's the second prototype barrel. It's better than my first attempt, I guess."
Sucrose grabbed them both and looked through them like a pair of binoculars. "I've never tried my hand at blacksmithing, but the clear difference is miles of progress!"
"Schulz and I developed a few custom tools... only in my insistence. It's only expected, but thanks. I appreciate the very obvious feedback." John shrugged. He offered a handshake. "Oh, uh. John Smith."
"My name is Sucrose." She shook kindly. "It's nice to meet you! I've heard a lot about you."
"Sucrose? Like… a sugar molecule?" John giggled at her wide-eyed reaction. "Anyways. Back to guns."
"Why is it octagonal?" Timaeus asked, gesturing to Sucrose who promptly handed him the two barrels. "Wouldn't a cylindrical barrel be structurally stronger?"
"It'd take longer to round it to perfection, so I used a flat-faced hammer instead. Faster that way. It's still a proof of concept after all."
"Indeed you've proven to be capable," Albedo said, impressed with the results. "If I were to commandeer this project, reaching this amount of progress personally would've taken days with mundane methods… and yet here you are achieving this in mere hours."
… With mundane methods? Why the distinction?
"I've only started research two and a half hours ago." As John expected, hearing that impressed the three. "We can't test it now. The bore needs some drilling to make it smoother… which is one of my headaches. I have to design a drilling apparatus from scratch."
"No need. I can fix this." Albedo hovered his hands on the short gun barrel as if he were warming them in front of a campfire. Then the workpiece glowed. Everyone watched Albedo's magic with fervent desire, especially John. Real magic. The barrel floated between his hands, as fine metallic powder sprinkled out of the bore.
"Amazing as always, Master Albedo!" Timaeus applause.
"… 'Carving' metals takes a toll on me. The stronger the metal, the harder." Albedo huffed, handing the barrel to John. "But a smidge is barely a problem. To me, it's like a stroll from the headquarters to the front gate."
"Whoa! This looks perfect." John inspected the smooth finish of the bore with a wide-open smile. "Your magic… is very good in making things."
There was something odd about how John said it. There was a hidden implication.
"You can shape metal like it's nothing. That's… huge! It's a shame that it tires you. Now I get why you need someone to forge them."
Albedo nodded, grinning in acknowledgment. "I'm not done yet. How are the other components coming along?"
…
Bang!
The lead ball crashed against a red brick and shattered into bits.
Good thing everyone is inside Albedo's soundproofed workshop.
"Hahahah!" John laughed madly with a pistol in his hand. Most notably, its configuration resembled modern pistols back on Earth, as he designed the trigger mechanism similar to early revolvers where the trigger assembly fits in the grip, unlike the muskets of pre-modern times.
How it works was simple. The hammer smacks the small… Geo crystal thing lodged outside the breech plug where it resonates with its counterpart inside the barrel's chamber. Indeed, it bypassed the need for a tiny physical opening. He didn't know how it worked, but it just did. However, John is not sure if this could be applied for military application or viable for mass production.
That did not stop him from enjoying the moment, though.
"My goodness," Albedo commented wide-eyed, cupping his chin. "How powerful for its size. As an alchemist, why I've never come across firearms in all my life is… a mystery."
"It sure packs a punch!" Timaeus gestured at the destroyed target. "A crossbow is a toy in comparison! If I had something like this, I'd never run away from hilichurls!"
"You can fit this in a pocket, too!" Sucrose bent and stood rather closely near John, unaware he was ogling at her figure, "My combat potions cost me significant materials and elemental energy. If I had something like this years ago, it would have saved me unimaginable time and resources by now!"
John's mind was lost in the discussion of the three. They talked of using different types of gunpowders with different elemental properties. They talked of existing alchemical devices as alternatives for ignition. They talked non-stop about the possibilities of using elemental energies to propel projectiles.
He was lost, but he knew the focus of their topics.
… I started this. John stared blankly at his first working prototype. There was something… amazing about how everyone believed in him and helped however they could to turn this project into a reality. Something human. Something he never felt in a while. Something he thought he would never feel again.
Connection. Fulfillment. Passion.
He cherished this moment.
This sense of achievement on a level that he thought would never experience in his previous life… he will remember this. If his past incarnation knew what was in store for him, he would have already committed-
What am I thinking?
"Welp. Uh." John handed the prototype to Sucrose who seemed confused. "As much as I would love to learn about… things, I got things to do. And for god's sake, don't be reckless with it."
"Where are you going?" Timaeus asked. "Going back to the forge?"
"Maybe later. I think…" John paused with a slight frown on his face. "I think I'm going to take a walk. So if you excuse me…"
John flipped the thick wooden door heavily open and walked out, closing it after.
"What was that about?" Sucrose raised an eyebrow with a small head tilt.
"… Timaeus." Albedo turned to his student.
"Uh, yes sir!?"
"Call every division officer."
End
April 24, 2024 - bit of edits
Sooo…
What shall I talk about?
Right. I skipped matchlocks and went straight to percussion cup for a few reasons.
One, there are very capable alchemists in the Knights of Favonius. Even if John never met Ematol, it's an eventuality that he skip parts of the tech tree with the aid of alchemy and magic.
Two, in terms of writing, percussion muskets sound easier to write. Related to reason one, I don't need to write anyone suffering from the disadvantages of matchlocks. It just adds clutter to my memory.
Three, with the magical abilities of Vision holders, John has access to assets that can help with research as you've seen with Albedo. For those not in the know, Albedo has... let's just say he can screw with matter. I don't want to spoil the story.
Also… I integrated magic into the gun for a few reasons.
One, gunsmithing isn't a thing in Mondstadt. John making a percussion pistol out of nowhere is already pushing it. You need reasonably precision dies to make the percussion cups and machining tools for some components, like the nipple I mentioned. (Yes, that's what it's called according to Google.)
Two, I wanted John to be incentivized to cooperate with local experts and find ways to integrate magic as an alternative to problems he cannot easily solve. He's not on Earth. He's in an environment with lots of new things.
And here are my replies to my relatively recent comments.
kellar007
A needle rifle. Yeah. Sorry. No. I've done a bit of research on how it's done. Going straight to rifling sounds... unrealistic. His System doesn't work like in Minecraft. He has to work with what he has. And he only has blacksmithing tools with access to Albedo's skills and resources.
Arekuruu Oni
Thank you for this. Truly. I suffer from insecurity when it comes to dialogues, you see. Sometimes I use AI to roleplay and... yeah. It's complicated. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I welcome you to this fic!
PanzerkampfwagenVI
... WOooaaahhh... Lol. Thanks for your encouragement, my dude. OR dudette.
Crash 0537
I wouldn't exactly call a gun an equalizer. But it does help you bring FREEDOM! (Eagle screeches from the distance)
moistrabbit6
Thanks! I really tried to flesh out John. When I started this fic, I don't have a character sheet so I'm a bit surprised how it's working out. And I'm surprised how... human I could make him.
Echonic
I know lol. I tried doing things differently because... honestly, one of the reasons is that I despise repetitive game text.
kellar007
Fontaine does have a dakka. Their clockwork meka, at least. Don't know about Snezhnaya though.