“Heh-heh-heh! With a budget this big, I can do whatever I want! Now then, which research project should I tackle first...?”
“Ahahaha... I guess I should have expected this, but An-san really is something else...”
After Elena’s welcoming party concluded, Anhel and Fee made their way to the academy workshop.
Having secured a massive budget thanks to Yugo and the others winning their duel, Anhel was already plotting how to spend it.
As she pored over what looked like a supplier's catalog, she gazed at materials she could never have dreamed of affording before. She laughed with a delight that bordered on the wicked. Fee watched her, a smile on his face that was tinged with a fair bit of trepidation.
Still, Fee knew this situation was undoubtedly a good thing for them. Just as that thought crossed his mind, Anhel turned back to him.
“You should be more excited too, Fee! Now we can craft magic items without ever having to worry about the cost! We'll make something that won't lose even to your family’s prized Galandil!”
“Something that won't lose even to the Galandil...?”
“Yeah. We can finally build the strongest Blaster specifically for Yugo’s exclusive use.”
Fee’s eyes widened at her words.
Satisfied by his reaction, Anhel folded her arms and continued in a spirited tone.
“Up until now, we’ve been constantly modifying the Blaster to keep up with Yugo’s unconventional fighting style. We started with the weapon generation ability you added, then moved on to shape-shifting limbs, elemental magic crystals, and finally that radical modification using dragon materials to boost its specs. But we’re reaching the limit of what those frames can handle.”
“The Blaster was originally a mass-produced magic item, after all... I think the only reason we were able to push its performance this far was because of your genius as an engineer, An-san.”
“And don't you forget it was also thanks to the support of the one person who understands Yugo better than anyone—you. But even for a ‘strongest tag-team’ like us, further modification has become nearly impossible. There's really only one thing left to do.”
“Redesign the Blaster from the ground up, right?”
Anhel nodded firmly and grinned.
She saw the spark of understanding in the young boy's eyes and felt a surge of anticipation. She began to outline the plan.
“We’re going to take all the data we’ve gathered, along with our combined experience and techniques, and pour them into a new model built from these high-grade materials. We aren't making a ‘mass-produced magic item for general use.’ We’re going to build a new Blaster with our own hands, designed from the very first bolt as a ‘Yugo-exclusive armor-type magic item.’”
“Wait... was the reason you forced those Yamato students into a sponsorship contract just so you could carry out this project...?”
“Well, partly... but my professional pride as an engineer got fired up a little while ago.”
As she spoke, memories of the final battle on Wind Island flashed through Anhel’s mind. She remembered the sight of the clash between Yugo and Abyss on the rooftop of Hauvent Castle.
During that fight, Yugo had manifested the X-Blaster—a miraculous form achieved by fusing his suit with the Clear Plate Abyss had created.
Witnessing a level of performance that allowed for such a free, unpredictable style of combat had filled Anhel with awe... but it had also ignited a secret, burning rivalry within her.
“It's frustrating, isn't it? Knowing that the one who drew out Yugo's maximum potential wasn't me, but some random criminal. It’s true that Abyss possessed a terrifying power that defied my imagination. But I’m just not the kind of person who can just shrug and accept that.”
She took pride in the fact that she had watched Yugo’s battles from the front row and had never stopped refining his equipment. She took pride in the way she had constantly met his difficult demands, doing everything in her power to ensure he could fight exactly the way he wanted.
That was exactly why she felt such a competitive fire toward the X-Blaster born from Abyss's power. It wasn't that she hated the suit's existence; rather, she had resolved to prove that she could create something even better.
She knew she was using materials far too expensive for a mere student, but she had no intention of letting this opportunity slip through her fingers. The stage was set. All that remained was her own resolve.
“Fee, you want to help me build this Blaster for Yugo, don't you? Not just as a researcher, but as a brother who wants to help his sibling?”
Fee’s heart hammered against his ribs at the invitation. A powerful flame ignited within him—a combination of a researcher’s desire to test his limits and a younger brother’s devotion to his hero.
“Yes! Of course! Please, let me help you build the new Blaster!”
“Heh! I knew you'd say that. It wouldn't be fair for me to hog all the fun, anyway. Let’s give it our all together, future sister-in-law and all!”
Anhel laughed delightedly as she saw the determination in Fee's expression and the fire reflected in his eyes.
He really is a man at heart, she thought. He shared the same blood as that brother of his, who possessed such a passionate soul. She began to explain the first step of the project.
“First, we need to decide on the base materials for the frame. I’ve already put in orders for several types of micro-particle metals. We'll start by analyzing their individual properties and seeing how well they harmonize with both Yugo and an armor-type magic item.”
“Right!”
Fee's spirited reply rang out through the otherwise empty workshop.
In the shadows of the academy, a massive project was officially underway. Driven by the burning souls of two engineers, the plan to create the ultimate weapon began in earnest.