Bell marveled at the room while Harris and Amelia got to work. They approached the peculiar-looking terminals on their desks and began pressing several buttons, leaving Bell bewildered about their purpose. However, what truly seized his attention was a firearm-like object situated in the center of the room, resting on the ground beside a lifeless body. Bell reached for the weapon.
"What's this?" Bell examined the rifle, noticing its thicker barrel, presumably designed to accommodate the sizable projectiles it fired. In terms of length, it resembled the bolt-action rifle Bell was familiar with, but in terms of design, it resembled the 416 that the system had provided, only larger and with a bulkier barrel. It felt weighty yet remarkably potent. A peculiar shroud encircled the barrel, giving it an otherworldly appearance.
Amelia approached Bell, curious. "Hmm, it looks like something out of science fiction. Can you fire it?" She closely inspected the firearm. "May I take a look?"
"Sure." Amelia began by removing the magazine from the rifle, which, to Bell's surprise, contained no bullets. She suspected it served as the rifle's primary power source. Amelia plugged it in and began tinkering with the rifle. Suddenly, she opened it up, much like when she disassembled her 416 for cleaning. "A break-action railgun rifle? Intriguing."
"We've finished the prototype; we should leave now," Harris said, a satisfied smile on his face, thinking the weapon was ready.
"I'm not so sure. I doubt this scientist had the chance to test-fire it first. So, Bell, would you be willing to be our guinea pig?" Amelia suggested.
"You know, wouldn't it be safer if we used strings and wire to fire this thing?" Bell inquired.
"That's a good idea, and you can be the one to pull the wire," Amelia replied with a smile. "Let me use the 3D printer in this place to create a stand."
"3D printer?" Bell looked puzzled.
"You'll see," Amelia assured him.
In the sterile lab, Amelia deftly manipulated one of the devices. Suddenly, one of the glass-covered rooms illuminated, and a multitude of metallic hands began crafting something. Bell couldn't quite discern what was being created, but it was undoubtedly an impressive feat, as molten metal was flawlessly shaped into intricate contraptions.
Under Amelia's skillful guidance, the lab's advanced technology sprang to life, with a 3D printer crafting a sturdy stand using the available raw materials. The machine's robotic arms moved with remarkable precision, materializing the required equipment before their eyes, showcasing the technological marvels of this facility.
With the stand now complete, they transported it to the expansive hangar-like space where they had initially arrived. There, having securely mounted the railgun, Bell readied himself to test-fire the weapon, holding a length of wire to maintain a safe distance. Tension permeated the air as they eagerly anticipated the railgun's capabilities, understanding that this experiment could either lead to their way home or unveil further enigmas.
"Wait, Bell, why don't you equip yourself with a bomb suit, just as a precaution?" Harris suggested.
"Okay, that sounds like a sensible idea," Amelia chimed in, securing the railgun firmly in place with screws on the stand.
[Items & Logistics Department Interface] [Search: Bomb Suit] [Open Sell Menu] [EP: 104,750]
• 1 x [MK 1 Bomb Suit] = 7,200 EP
[Total: 7,200 EP] [Purchase?]
Bell purchased the bomb suit, and within seconds, a pelican container materialized before him, containing a bulky, protective suit. He quickly shed his tactical gear and donned the suit. It was the embodiment of discomfort and bulkiness; he felt like a snowman trapped in the oversized attire. As Bell prepared with the wire, the rest of the team stepped back, giving him space.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
With a deep breath, Bell pulled the wire. A sharp crack resonated through the hangar as the railgun discharged, its projectile's velocity visibly distorting the air as it hurtled toward the designated target. Hearts raced as the team witnessed the railgun's true power. The noise alone was akin to thunder at close range, deafening and awe-inspiring.
"ALRIGHT! THE TEST IS A SUCCESS!" Harris shouted in excitement.
But the celebration was short-lived. Amelia abruptly halted it, her gaze fixed on the bent stand and the missing rifle. They turned their heads to find Bell lying on the ground, the rifle beside him. He groaned in pain, clutching his abdomen. Harris and Amelia rushed to his side, forsaking their experiments. Had the rifle struck Bell and caused injury? It seemed likely.
"What on earth was that?" Bell attempted to sit up, struggling against the pain in his abdomen. His helmet had been flung away when the rifle collided with his body at such a high speed that it sent him flying. Harris and Amelia quickly considered the possibility of the rifle's recoil.
If the recoil was so immense that it could dislodge the rifle from its screw-mounted stand and still possess enough force to hurl Bell to the ground, then the rifle was barely usable. The recoil would be lethal to the user, and Bell had received no notification that the prototyping was complete.
"We should incorporate a recoil compensating spell or mechanism into that rifle," Harris suggested.
"Yeah, I had a similar thought, but I believe the rifle already had one; it was just insufficient," Amelia added.
Bell grimaced, still catching his breath on the ground. "Ough, let me rest for a moment. That rifle really did a number on my body."
After he had pulled the wire, the projectile had indeed flown out of the rifle barrel, but the rifle itself had also been ejected from the stand. The impact had sent the rifle hurtling into Bell's body at an astonishing speed, leaving him with no time to react. He had been propelled away from his original position, still clutching the rifle. If he had been an ordinary person, the outcome might have been fatal. Fortunately, he had only sustained bruising to his chest, and hopefully, nothing more serious.
With that, Amelia and Harris retreated into the lab to brainstorm solutions for mitigating the rifle's recoil. Bell, on the other hand, found himself contemplating just how powerful that rifle must be to generate enough recoil to send it hurtling toward him at such a remarkable velocity. He stood up, the bulky bomb suit still encasing his body, and walked toward the far end of the hangar-like space.
Reaching the wall, he examined the deep indentation left by the dart's impact. The sheer force of the impact had created a crater larger than both his palms placed side by side. Then, the dart had continued to penetrate deeply until no daylight could penetrate, and the entry point was minuscule.
"This must have been an incredibly potent prototype, huh?" Bell mused aloud. He took the wire he had used to trigger the rifle and inserted it into the hole. The wire vanished deep inside, leaving only a small fragment protruding from the entrance, a clear indicator that this weapon was designed for deep penetration.
Realizing there was little more he could do at the moment, Bell decided to return to the previous lab to see what progress Harris and Amelia had made in resolving the issue. To be honest, Bell's knowledge of advanced magical engineering was limited.
And so, he waited.
After seven long hours, Bell's wait came to an end as Harris and Amelia reappeared, carrying the updated railgun. Bell examined the weapon closely but couldn't discern any external alterations, which left him skeptical about the claimed internal modifications.
"Did you really manage to fix it that quickly?" Bell asked, a hint of doubt in his tone.
Amelia, wearing a confident smile, handed the rifle to Bell. "We've reduced the recoil using a rune engraving method. It's completely safe now, as long as the barrel shroud isn't removed."
Despite Amelia's assurance, Bell couldn't forget the memory of the rifle's intense recoil. "Are you sure it's safe for testing without any additional safety measures?" he inquired cautiously.
Reassuringly, Amelia replied, "We've conducted tests in the lab. The recoil has been brought down to the level of a 14mm rifle."
Considering Amelia's explanation, Bell suggested, "Let's still use the stand for the initial test, just to ensure it doesn't dislodge."
Amelia nodded in agreement with Bell's proposal. They meticulously set up the railgun on the stand, attaching the trigger to a wire. While Harris and Amelia kept a safe distance, Bell positioned himself cautiously to the side, determined to avoid any unexpected incidents.
"Firing!" Bell pulled the wire.
A deafening roar emanated from the rifle as the projectile shot out of the barrel at an astonishing speed. The projectile flew even faster than the previous prototype and created a small explosion upon impact with the wall. This left the team with the impression that the rifle was significantly more powerful, despite no radical changes to its appearance.
"Well, the test was successful?" Bell spoke, his voice tinged with uncertainty, primarily because the portal hadn't reactivated after the successful test fire. He entertained the thought that the rifle might need to be checked by a living person.
Bell took the railgun rifle from the stand, and Amelia offered him a tube. "This works like a break-action AR-15. The buffer tube is where you place the ammunition, while the mag well is actually the battery." Bell opened the rifle, inserted the ammunition, and replaced the battery with a new one provided by Amelia.
Then, as he pulled the trigger, everything suddenly went dark.