Vicente knew every step of building a weapon, whether he started with the parts already made or even before the components were produced.
He knew how to get gunpowder, extract the ores needed to produce the weapon's body, and also how to mallet each part of it.
He had learned and produced many types of weapons in his time on Earth. This was a kind of hobby for him!
Even if he didn't have the same materials and machinery as on Earth, he would know how to guide a blacksmith, just as he had done when he paid someone to make the components of his first weapons.
So thinking about Rory's words, he immediately tried to manipulate the metals by striking the wooden dummy to form a weapon.
Vice managed at first to change the shape of these metals to form something outwardly resembling a weapon. However, he soon frowned as he realized his accuracy in forming complex items was not high.
For example, the rifle-shaped barrel of the gun lacked a rifled barrel, something necessary for the accuracy of firing, especially thinking about long-range shots.
Several other internal components necessary for the functioning of this weapon were missing, so when trying to fire it, Vicente failed.
'Hmm, I probably have to improve my control over the power of this Magic Pentagram.' He looked at his surroundings, feeling the power of the Red Pentagram radiating in his body and the space near him.
He then commented to Rory. "No, I can't. I don't know if it's because of my lack of control over my current powers or a lack of understanding. If it's the second, I feel I'll have to become stronger to accomplish that."
"That makes sense... Either way, you shouldn't be far from accomplishing that." Rory said, figuring that was the case judging by the appearance of the rifle created by Vicente.
"But Vice, tell me something, these items that you change the shape of, do they stay that way after you stop using your powers?" Rory asked as he watched his friend moving, attacking, and trying to master his magical abilities on a deeper level.
"I believe so. As much as I'm manipulating these metal components with magic, once they're in a new state, they tend to stay that way."
In short, with or without magic, things tended to stay in the state of least less energy change.
Something in motion tended to stay in motion, and something standing still tended to stay still.
In the case of the items altered by Vicente, magic had changed their forms. Yet, to return to their previous forms, magic would have to be used to make the second change.
In a way, if these items were to return to their forms prior to Vicente's manipulation, it would be like phosphorus returning to its form from the ashes and smoke resulting from its burning.
Vicente realized what was on his friend's mind and narrowed his eyes. "I see... Are you thinking of me producing weapons for our people?"
"Not just weapons, my friend." Rory laughed. "If you can manipulate metal items, you have an affinity for forging. You can become a good blacksmith!"
Vicente hadn't thought of that, but when considering such a thing, what Rory had just said made total sense.
'That's true!' Vicente's eyes twitched.
The powers of his First Magical Gem should be associated with Magnetism. In particular, his first power, coming from the Red Pentagram, should be Matter Manipulation, which gave him the power to alter mostly metals.
On a smaller scale, he could affect the blood flow of living beings, but his main ability would be shape-shifting metals, as he could presently.
Knowing that his magnetic abilities would grow along his journey as a magician, with the addition of more Pentagrams in this Magical Gem, Vicente could notice its compatibility with the profession of people who basically manipulated metals.
Blacksmiths also made use of other minerals, sometimes non-metallic minerals, sometimes even organic components. But the focus of the profession was metals!
With that in mind, Vicente saw a new path ahead of him!
By becoming a blacksmith, he would no longer need to pay for such professionals to develop his weapons, but he could also protect his project by producing his own weapons.
At the same time, if he could manipulate his weapons, maybe there was a way he could program them so they could never turn on him!
That would be just perfect!
As he felt the satisfaction of seeing a new door opening before him, Vicente smiled and moved more aggressively, without realizing it, taking his combat prowess to a new level.
He used some of the metal items in the surroundings to form spheres and then created electromagnetic poles, making some spheres become positively charged and others negatively charged.
Then...
Ka-boom!
A loud bang broke between the spheres, causing Rory to momentarily startle, seeing a flash of light shoot out quickly and then noticing the wooden dummy disappear.
"What? What the fuck was that, Vicente?" He exclaimed while having both of his hands on his ears.
Vicente clenched his fists, understanding his powers better and feeling more compatible with them.
"I have a great affinity with the Lightning element, don't I? Isn't it natural that I can blend the fusion of my elements with the independent use of one of them?"
"Is that possible?" Rory opened his mouth, not knowing one could do that.
"It seems so, haha."
With those words, Vicente stopped manipulating his powers, and everything floating in the surroundings fell to the ground.
Rory felt relief in his body after Vicente stopped using his ability, breathing more deeply.
But neither he nor Vicente was worried about the end of that wooden dummy. They couldn't damage the room's structure, but a doll was made to be pushed to the limit.
If someone who hired the services of this place was strong enough to destroy the dummy, then that was the responsibility of The Archdemon Arena.
Obviously, this institution had its rules, which, for example, prevented anyone stronger than the level of a training room from renting it.
What had motivated Vicente not to choose something lower than a level 3 room was his fear of destroying whatever room he was in, knocking down the walls, and ruining the furniture.
So, when he stopped to drink some water and recover some of his energy, Vicente didn't even look at the ashes of that dummy while Rory stood in silence, judging his friend's level.
"Vice, you are powerful..." He said after a few moments. "If I couldn't see it, I'd say that your talent and Magic Pentagram are not yellow nor red.
But that must be the effect of having such a strange Magical Gem.
Congratulations, my friend, you can go far, and achieving your ambitions will be less difficult than we thought."
Before he considered that Vice and he would have to use the influence they built up to pay for assassins or powerful magicians to deal with the revenge they would go after. But with such impressive power on their side, things could be different!
There was a long way to go, a difficult and dangerous one, one that could very well still be impossible. But compared to before, now they had much more to rely on to go for their goals!
Vicente nodded to Rory but didn't invest in the matter. He merely finished drinking his water and said. "I'm going to meditate for 15 minutes to recover. How about we fight a bit afterward?"
