?713 Realization
Magic items were humankind's greatest achievement with mana. They weren't necessarily as grandiose or imposing as some pieces of technology but expressed a far higher level of expertise.
The magnitude of the achievement lay in the many fields involved in creating a single magic item. Soldiers with specific and suitable elements had to employ the most advanced technology to imbue purpose into a lifeless material, often only to obtain limited and lackluster effects. It took true experts to reliably create powerful and useful equipment, and most focused on warfare.
Those experts also set the gold standard since unreliable and barely efficient magic items weren't worth the price. After all, humans could achieve much through technology alone, so investing in something sub-par wasn't worth it.
A sharp knife built from durable alloys was a cheaper and more reliable alternative than slightly more effective magic blades. The same went for firearms. A rifle with magazines of mana bullets was often preferable over a gun that depleted too much of the shooter's energy.
Of course, magic items didn't come in the form of weapons only, and the Global Army had also standardized some sectors. One was the disks used to transfer martial arts, spells, and special information. The higher-ups favored them due to the secrecy they offered, so they had heavily invested in stabilizing their production and lowering their costs.
The list didn't stop there. The scientists' mana-inhibiting gadgets were another type of magic item, but more examples were available. Prototypes for new branches of the field were also in the work. The Global Army didn't stop evolving, and that was the next level.
Khan had owned multiple magic items, which mostly came from his needs. Ordinary blades couldn't survive his element, so his knives had to have unique properties suitable for his level.
Khan had also seen high-quality gear. The trip in the Rassec family's armory had been an eye-opener on the variety and power magic items could wield. His cursed knife was even unique, but he felt sure similar or stronger equipment existed somewhere.
Still, even with that experience, Khan had never once thought he was creating a magic item. That field had always seemed too distant, and his focus had been on fixing Monica's problem. His mind didn't wander anywhere else during the process.
However, now that Monica had mentioned it, Khan couldn't help but consider the matter. He didn't know how magic items were created, but his final product probably touched on that field. He had simply walked a different path.
Abraham provided the materials, and Khan eliminated the need for technology. He became one of the many machines usually used in the process, relying on his ability to manipulate the mana to accomplish different functions.
Khan's eyes flickered before he diverted his gaze. The realization had hit his brain, but he couldn't accept it. It felt impossible to have touched on similar feats without scientific education and at the mere age of twenty-one.
"It wasn't a magic item," Khan announced. "At best, it was a prototype of something which is now rubble."
"Khan!" Monica whined, slamming her hands on Khan's shoulders to hop on top of him. "Can you or can you not make magic items?"
Monica was more aware than Khan about the importance of the achievement, and her face conveyed her seriousness. Khan wanted to deny it again, but the similarities were too evident to ignore.
"I'm not a blacksmith or anything," Khan responded. "I can't make weapons on cue."
That was the truth. As much as Khan didn't consider that possibility, he knew he couldn't just forge knives or other weapons. The prototype had worked with Monica because it was Monica. Khan would have drawn in the air otherwise.
"Khan," Monica repeated, unleashing her scolding tone.
Khan sighed. He couldn't win when his fiancée was like that, and his gaze wandered again as he dived into his thoughts. Monica's question wasn't unreasonable, but Khan knew the gaps in his knowledge better than anyone else.
Abraham's expertise had been crucial to the creation of the prototype. Khan had never heard of the wires' alloy's name, let alone its properties. He wouldn't even know where to buy it or its market price.
The scientist also helped with the prototype's design. Khan knew which runes would produce the intended effect, but Abraham's insight went far deeper into the matter. Just by looking at the blueprint, he could see where the wires would create energy conflicts. Truth be told, Monica had to thank him for the item's stability.
The soft fabric used to keep the wires in place also came from Abraham. Khan needed something that wouldn't take fire while simultaneously shielding Monica from the heat, and the scientist had provided.
Those gaps told Khan that he couldn't make magic items, at least on his own. His scientific knowledge was too lacking, but he could see himself eventually getting somewhere. It wouldn't be easy, but studying was his main job now. He might learn enough to cut Abraham out of the process one day.
"Maybe not in the general sense," Khan eventually admitted, "But I probably can make something that might be seen as a magic item."
Monica frowned without dropping her glare. Khan wasn't arrogant, but no one would call him humble either, especially after Cegnore. His hesitation was out of place, and Monica knew the cause of that behavior. It was the only thing that could make Khan stutter.
'This scoundrel!' Monica snorted in her mind. 'He is underestimating himself again!'
Khan didn't know what to say when anger filled Monica's face, but she ignored him. Monica straightened her back, sitting on Khan's abdomen and crossing her arms. Her eyes went to the plain but didn't look at the snow. She had also dived into her thoughts.
Monica firmly believed she was the only one who truly understood and appreciated Khan's value. Nothing was impossible for him. He was humankind's perfect son, and no one would ever come close to matching him.
Still, Khan often underestimated himself and failed to realize the full extent of his potential, so Monica took it upon herself to beat some sense into him whenever the situation presented itself. It had happened when Khan didn't know how to fuse the Nele and Niqols' techniques, but things were more complicated now.
The Global Army already had blacksmiths. Earth's big cities were full of pricey shops occupied by famous experts. Khan wouldn't get much relevance by learning to make simple magic weapons.
However, Khan's understanding of mana went far beyond what the best blacksmiths could achieve. The more Monica thought about it, the surer she felt about his greatest quality. His flexibility was unfathomable. Theoretically, he could create anything he wanted.
"If you master this," Monica uttered before correcting herself. "Once you master this, you might unlock fields that have been stuck for years. Entire sections of the scientific department might change and advance thanks to you."
One of Monica's hands went on her curls as her thoughts continued to rage. She was simulating scenarios, and the best courses of action slowly became clear.
"You don't want to do that for free," Monica continued. "If you start by equipping my family, your value will increase by many measures. You'd need a few descendants showing off your creations for the entire Global Army to come after you."
Old financial teachings surged in Monica's mind. She knew how to exploit an idea and maximize its value, and Khan would even have a monopoly over it. He could establish an entirely new school, and the masses would flock to buy from it.
"This is leverage even my parents can't ignore," Monica said. "It's the game changer, something beyond your strength but more concrete than your knowledge. It could change the world as we know it."
Monica was projecting herself many years into the future, but her reasoning was sound. After all, the Global Army had already moved to learn Khan's vague alien techniques. A proper magic item would convince even the most dubious higher-ups, granting Khan everything he would ever need.
"Where are you going with that head of yours?" Khan teased. "I only did this to make you Matriarch."
Monica couldn't help but lower her eyes and smile. The situation was more serious than Khan realized, and it was Monica's job to keep him in line, but she allowed herself to enjoy the sight of her caring fiancé for a few seconds.
"Khan, what you did is incredible," Monica exclaimed. "You put all that foreign and cryptic knowledge into an item I can use. Imagine how much wealth, influence, and leverage you could get if you standardized this approach."
Monica and Khan's smiles froze at the same time. Monica's last statement triggered another realization. What Khan had created was the first step toward fulfilling the Global Army's desires. He had put the field he invented in someone else's hands without needing to teach anything. Khan had proven his first lesson wrong.
"No one can know about this," Monica announced, betraying all the simulations in her mind. "Don't make another prototype either."
"I won't stop making them," Khan stated, "But I'll be careful."
Monica wanted to scold Khan into submission, but he was unbeatable when he acted like that. Nothing in the world could stop him from trying to help Monica.
"Fine," Monica sighed. "Let's remove any trace of the test, at least."
Khan nodded and pointed his elbows on the ground to lift himself slightly. Monica was still sitting on him, so he could only get closer to her.
"We should head back, then," Khan suggested before glancing at the gorge. "I'll throw a few spells around to cover this mess."
"Wait," Monica exclaimed. "Are we going back already?"
"I'd suggest sex on the snow," Khan joked, "But the Global Army has probably pointed its scanners here by now."
"Idiot," Monica snorted, pretending to be angry when she had experienced similar thoughts only a few minutes ago. "Did we really come all the way here just for one test?"
"I can't keep breaking training halls," Khan pointed out. "Can I?"
Khan's reasoning was flawless, but Monica still wasn't satisfied. Yet, she recalled what had just happened when she started devising new complaints. Khan had fixed her greatest flaw. Anger couldn't exist when she felt so grateful.
"You'll have to fly slowly," Monica whispered, wrapping her arms around Khan's neck. "You won't get to look past the canopy for even a second."
