Arthur entered his private lab, the doors sealing shut behind him with a quiet hiss. The test was in a few hours, but that wasn’t his main concern. He knew he could pass that easily. No, what truly intrigued him was the next phase of his personal research regarding Element-M. Still he has to prepare for the test as he hasn’t studied metallurgy much.

He summoned his system panel, scrolling through his vast database of knowledge. With a thought, he pulled up every available file on material science, particularly focusing on molecular bonding, nanostructures, and advanced metallurgy. His enhanced intelligence allowed him to process and absorb the data at an incredible speed, his mind moving faster than any supercomputer.

Minutes turned into an hour as he meticulously reviewed theories, calculations, and simulations. New ideas began forming in his mind, refining his understanding. Once satisfied, Arthur leaned back in his chair, exhaling softly.

“Alright,” he muttered. “This should be enough to tackle whatever the UFE throws at me.”

His original plan had been to head to the gravity chamber for training after his studies, but he couldn’t delay the study of Element-M, this was more important for his future endeavors. The Krozonites had data on Element-M, but it was limited and incomplete. No one truly understood the metal’s full potential. Arthur had theories, hypotheses but those needed to be tested. He was about to change that.

He took out a fist-sized chunk of Element-M from his dimensional pocket. The strange metal glowed with purple color, its glow pulsating subtly as if responding to his touch.

Arthur picked it up, it was unlike any metal he had ever worked with, it was comparatively light yet impossibly dense. He had no doubt that this material held untapped potential.

He placed the chunk onto the workbench and then retrieved his Alloy-X sword. The weapon was already formidable, forged from one of the strongest alloys Krozonites had ever developed. But Arthur wasn’t satisfied. He wanted more. He wanted to push beyond the limits of conventional metallurgy.

“Let’s start with the available data,” he whispered, focusing on the Element-M chunk.

He projected his awareness to sense the metal on a deeper level. He concentrated, willing it to break down. Almost immediately, he felt something shifting, dust-like particles detached from the chunk, floating around the piece of Element-M like microscopic specks of light.

Arthur guided them toward his sword, watching as the shimmering particles clung to the blade, forming an almost ethereal coating. He clenched his jaw, maintaining his focus as he did what the Krozonites already tested.

Minutes passed, and he could feel his mental energy draining. It was a strange sensation, as though his very thoughts were fueling the process. Finally, the last of the particles merged with the blade, and he exhaled heavily, gripping the workbench for support.

He studied the sword carefully. The previously dark alloy now had a faint silver sheen running across its surface. It wasn’t just coated, the Element-M had bonded with the sword on a molecular level.

Arthur grinned. “Now for the real test.”

He retrieved two additional metal ingots, Mithril and Darksteel. Mithril, known for its exceptional mana conductivity, and Darksteel, famous for its sheer toughness and resilience. If Element-M truly had the ability to mimic properties, then theoretically, he could make his sword adapt to these materials.

He placed the Mithril ingot on the blade and closed his eyes, focusing once again. He willed the sword to absorb the Mithril’s characteristics.

A sharp pressure gripped his mind. It wasn’t painful at first, but as the seconds passed, his head started to ache. His vision blurred slightly, and he felt a wave of exhaustion creeping over him. Still, he pushed through, gritting his teeth.

After a few seconds the Mithril ingot crumbled to dust, its essence seemingly drawn into the sword. Arthur gasped slightly, his fingers tightening around the hilt. 

With a deep breath, he directed his mana into the blade.

It was instantaneous. The mana flowed through the sword like water, smooth and unhindered. Before, his Alloy-X sword had little to no magical conductivity, but now? It was like wielding a true Mithril weapon.

Arthur let out a low chuckle, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. This was it, the key to unlocking Element-M’s potential. If he could imbue the metal with different properties, then theoretically, he could create a weapon that surpassed anything currently in existence.

Encouraged by his success, he turned his attention to the Darksteel ingot. He repeated the process, placing the chunk against the sword and focusing his willpower.

Almost immediately, a sharp stabbing pain shot through his skull. Arthur recoiled, clutching his head. His breathing became ragged as an overwhelming mental strain pressed against his mind. It felt like something was resisting him, pushing back against his will.

Gritting his teeth, he tried again. The pain only worsened.

After several attempts, he finally collapsed onto the chair, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. His breathing was shallow, and his limbs trembled slightly from the exertion.

“It’s too much,” he muttered.

He sat there for several moments, allowing his mind to recover. The process of integrating Mithril had been manageable, but trying to add Darksteel on top of that pushed him beyond his limits.

Arthur frowned, analyzing the situation. The problem wasn’t Element-M, it was him. His mental strength wasn’t developed enough to imprint multiple characteristics onto the material.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “So, there is a limit to what I can do right now.”

But this wasn’t a failure. Far from it. He had successfully merged Element-M with his sword and integrated Mithril’s properties. That alone was a breakthrough. With more time and training, he could refine this process, perhaps even surpass his current limits.

Arthur’s gaze returned to the modified sword.

A small smirk tugged at his lips as he muttered, “Let’s see how far I can take this.”

…

Arthur sat in his chair, catching his breath after the exhausting attempt at integrating Darksteel into his blade. His body was fine, but his mind felt like it had just run a marathon. But at least now he understood how Element-M functioned.

He exhaled and glanced at the time. There were still a few hours left before the test. He couldn’t just sit around. His body needed training too.

With a groan, he stood up, stretched his stiff limbs, and left the lab.

..

The gravity chamber was around fifteen meters in diameter, a reinforced training area designed for high-intensity physical conditioning. Arthur keyed in his access code, and the doors slid open with a soft hiss. 

He walked over to the control panel and set the chamber to 31x standard gravity. Instantly, a heavy pressure bore down on his body. His muscles tightened, and his breath grew heavier.

Starting with simple warm-ups, he moved through push-ups, squats, and core exercises before transitioning into combat drills. He threw precise punches, each strike forcing his muscles to work against the immense gravitational pull. Then he started to pick up weights, sweat dripped from his brow, but he didn’t stop.

His stamina had improved drastically over the months, and despite the difficulty, his body adapted quickly. He pushed himself harder, increasing the gravity to 32x, then 33x. His muscles screamed in protest, but he grit his teeth and kept going.

By the time he was done, his entire body ached but the feeling vanished in a few seconds, and his clothes were drenched in sweat. He deactivated the chamber’s gravity field and leaned against the wall, catching his breath.

He could feel his body adapting, and growing stronger as each day passed by. But he reminded himself of the threat of the unknown entity and pushed himself harder. After a few minutes of resting, he made his way back to the lab.

…

Arthur stepped into the lab’s washroom and peeled off his sweat-drenched clothes. The cool water cascaded over him as he stood in the shower, letting the heat of his training fade away. His mind wandered as he thought about the test ahead.

He closed his eyes, letting the water run down his face. Once he was done, he dressed in a fresh uniform and stepped back into his lab, ready to continue his research while he waited for the summons.

He pulled up new data files, scanning through information on various elements, and other exotic materials. Every piece of knowledge could be useful, and with his enhanced intelligence, processing it was almost second nature.

His focus was interrupted by a sharp knock on the metallic lab door.

Arthur got up, walked over, and pressed the panel to open it. Standing outside was a UFE soldier, his stance rigid and formal.

“Lieutenant Arthur,” the soldier greeted with a salute.

Arthur returned the gesture. “I assume this is about the test?”

“Yes, sir. I have been instructed to escort you to the testing facility.”

Arthur nodded. “Lead the way.”

…

The facility they arrived at was another high-tech lab. Large fabricators lined the walls, electron microscopes, molecular scanners, and containment chambers and any other equipment necessary for the synthesis of different materials.

Standing in the center of the lab was a researcher in a white lab coat, reviewing a holographic display. He turned as Arthur entered, adjusting his glasses.

“You must be Lieutenant Arthur,” the researcher said, extending a hand.

Arthur shook it. “That’s me. I assume you’ll be overseeing my test?”

“That’s correct,” the researcher replied. “My name is Dr. Vasquez. I’ve been assigned to evaluate your skills in material synthesis. The task is straightforward, you are to synthesize Magmatter from raw elements. The margin for error is extremely low, and given its properties, any miscalculation could result in an unstable reaction.”

Arthur gave a small smirk. “Sounds like fun.”

Dr. Vasquez raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. Instead, he gestured toward the workstation. “The equipments are already prepared. You may begin when you’re ready.”

Arthur approached the console. Magmatter was an exotic material, used in high-energy reactors and megastructures. One mistake in the synthesis process, and the entire batch could destabilize.

‘Alright, let’s do this.’

He started the process, inputting the exact parameters needed. Molecular weight ratios, electron alignment fields, atomic lattice configurations, every detail had to be precise. He carefully manipulated the controls, guiding the automated arms as they combined the raw elements.

His hands moved with practiced ease, adjusting power levels and reaction speeds as he monitored the process. He had decided not to use his technopathy for the test, he wanted to do this manually.

The containment chamber glowed as the fusion process neared completion. Dr. Vasquez watched in silence, observing Arthur’s every move.

Minutes passed and the final phase approached as the Magmatter began forming.

The containment unit beeped, signaling success.

Arthur exhaled and stepped back.

Dr. Vasquez approached, scanning the Magmatter with a molecular analyzer. He studied the results for a few moments before nodding in approval.

“Good,” he remarked. “Your control was meticulous, and you accounted for all potential reaction variables. I’m impressed, Lieutenant.”

Arthur simply nodded. “Does this mean I passed?”

Dr. Vasquez gave a small smile. “Without question. I’ll report your results to the higher-ups.”

Arthur nodded and extended a hand and after a quick handshake he left the lab, making his way back to his quarters.

***

Become a patreon member and read 30 Chapters ahead!

You can join my discord channel to discuss my novel and find artwork of this novel!!

.gg/PmkQsrAdMY

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep