Chapter 865
Episode 216: The First Golden Ship (Part 1)
Stormstone.
Feytel had named the device crafted to contain Gram’s lingering energy with that title.
“Shouldn’t it be called Thunderstone instead? What you did was just seal Gram’s energy into this object,” someone remarked.
[Murakan, what’s the point of naming it after my already deceased brother? It makes more sense to name it after me, doesn’t it, Chief? Besides, this device now also serves as a vessel for my manifestation.]
Since escaping the pocket dimension of the Azure Bird Archipelago, Feytel had been manifesting himself through the Stormstone.
Manifesting through Yulian put a strain on his body, so this method—materializing divine power into a physical form—was a privilege unique to gods.
His comrades were amazed by Feytel’s social finesse. Jet even felt threatened, as if Feytel was encroaching on his position.
Though his motives were transparent, no one disliked Feytel’s way of handling things. Ameris, in particular, found Feytel endearing and laughed, while Feytel had already started calling Ameris “big sister” and following her around.
“No matter the name, it’s fine. If you like it, Feytel, then Stormstone it is.”
[Exactly. The name doesn’t really matter. Murakan, don’t bother teasing Feytel unnecessarily.]
[Heh heh, Ameris big sister really is the best. Why did I waste time hiding instead of coming to Tikan sooner?]
What truly mattered wasn’t the name, but the purpose.
The residual energy of Gram held a power so immense it even surprised Feytel. Although Tud’s efforts to harness that power had been lackluster, it was because he hadn’t properly utilized Gram’s energy. Even if he had, the outcome against Jin, Luna, and Luntia would have been the same.
[Our chief really understands. Hmm, so the reason my abilities are needed is to complete the Golden Fleet, a long-cherished goal of the ancient Myungwang tribe, and to liberate Tud’s faction and the remaining Myungwangs…]
Feytel shuddered briefly at the thought of Tud’s faction.
He had never fought on the front lines during the war between the Myungwang tribe and the gods. His battles had been limited to small skirmishes, and even then, he hadn’t been on the front.
But he had witnessed the moment his brother Gram was killed by Tud’s hand. At that time, Tud seemed invincible—no god’s manifestation could have defeated him.
[Ha ha, do we really have to call on those terrifying fellows?]
“As I explained earlier, the Jinma realm will soon disrupt the mortal world. But even if my brothers return to the mortal realm, they won’t recklessly wage conquest wars like before, so don’t worry.”
[True… If they’re on our side, there’s no stronger ally than the Myungwang tribe. No matter how powerful the Jinma realm is, it won’t match the Myungwangs at their peak.]
“Hey, Feytel.”
[How dare you! You’re neither the chief, nor Ameris big sister, nor Murakan—how dare you speak to me like that!]
Feytel snapped at Kwal’s words. Kwal bristled, ready to retort, but seeing Valeria’s expression, he clicked his tongue in frustration.
“…S-sorry. Feytel, I just wanted to ask if you understood the blueprint we’re looking at.”
[That’s better. I understood it the moment I saw it. I’d forgotten, but the memories are coming back. In the final battle against the Myungwang tribe, Tud led the Golden Fleet. Among the gods, we had been paying close attention since the fleet’s construction began.]
Feytel briefly recalled those days.
[We couldn’t stop the fleet’s completion, but we identified its fatal weakness. That’s why we managed to win the war with minimal losses.]
“A weakness?”
Kwal was the most surprised by that.
Though the blueprint for the Golden Fleet was incomplete, Kwal considered it the most perfect work he’d ever seen. Yet Feytel claimed it had a weakness.
[The Myungwang tribe’s fleet relied on Tud’s ‘resonance’—a process where Tud’s divine power enhanced the ‘light cores’ of the other ships. The Golden Fleet’s power dropped sharply without Tud’s resonance. So, isolating Tud rendered the fleet no threat to the gods.]
“Ah… I see now. The Golden Fleet was a single entity, not just a collection of independent ships! We’ve been struggling because we treated each ship as separate. So the real problem wasn’t a design flaw or incompletion, but trying to finish it without including Tud’s existence?”
[You’re rude but smart, Kwal. But your approach wasn’t wrong. Didn’t I just say that was the weakness? Each ship should be independent and perform well even without Tud’s resonance.]
Jin agreed with Feytel’s assessment.
What the Bamel Alliance needed now wasn’t defense powered by ‘transcendent individuals,’ but weapons that ordinary people could wield with devastating effect—like the all-weather accelerated shatter cannons installed in Tikan. Anyone who knew how to operate those cannons could use them.
“So, what should we do?”
Kwal asked more politely.
[Simple. Adjust the power source so it can reach maximum performance without Tud’s resonance. The ancient Myungwangs couldn’t do that. But you found me at the right time. Compared to the weapons I’ve made for contractors, this is a simple task.]
“Can you fix it right away? We have several light cores ready.”
[No, it will take time. If my power were the energy source, I could make it quickly, but as you can see, I’m not in good shape. If I divide my power further, I might not even maintain this form. I can’t fully draw on my true power in the mortal realm.]
Therefore, the Golden Fleet’s power source had to be created using the light cores.
Feytel explained that he needed time to understand the Myungwang tribe’s characteristics before processing the light cores. Though the divine power of the Storm God and the light cores’ energy were similar in appearance, their fundamental natures differed.
[However, I think I can create one power source through the Stormstone first. Unlike the light cores, it doesn’t require extensive study or understanding to process. Though I hated him in life, it’s still my brother’s power, so I can handle it quickly.]
Feytel’s ability to hide within Gram’s tomb was precisely because he could mimic his brother’s power.
Finding Gram’s residual energy and using it to create the first power source for the Golden Ship had been an unexpected boon.
“How would a ship powered by the Stormstone compare to the real Golden Fleet?”
[It won’t match the flagship Tud piloted, but it won’t be weaker than Kojek. If we apply the Red Owl’s spatial leap technology, it could be the strongest in existence. And unlike Tud’s fleet, its performance won’t vary depending on the operator.]
Though the entire fleet wouldn’t be completed yet, even adding one such ship would be a godsend.
Moreover, processing the light cores later was just a matter of time. Then, they would be building a fleet, not just a single ship.
[Fifteen days. In fifteen days, I can convert the Stormstone into a power source for the Golden Ship.]
“That coincides perfectly with Ayula’s manifestation. It’s also when the Jinma realm’s incursion into the mortal world is expected to begin in earnest. That’s excellent timing.”
Jin spoke with satisfaction, and Feytel smiled broadly.
[Kwal, can you complete the rest of the ship aside from the power source? Seeing our chief so happy is quite encouraging. It means I’m motivated to work.]
Yulian and Kaltor wanted to disappear somewhere every time Feytel flattered them like that.
“That’s enough. Finally, the long research is bearing fruit…! Just as Valeria said, meeting Feytel has made it possible to build a Golden Ship!”
“I was only voicing hopes, but I never imagined the problem would be solved so quickly.”
With the Golden Fleet’s construction finally underway, the next major goal was the liberation of Raprarosa.
However, Feytel admitted he had no clever ideas for that.
[I’m not saying this because I’m wary of bringing the Myungwang tribe back into the world. Before starting to process the Stormstone, I want to see the liberation device Kwal and Valeria made, but don’t get your hopes up, Chief. That pocket dimension was created by Solderet, so there’s a high chance I can’t do anything about it.]
“It would be a lie to say I’m not disappointed, but just with the Golden Ship, Feytel, you’re already playing a vital role. Don’t stress too much—just take a look.”
[Hearing that makes me want to examine it even more. I’ll check it out and immediately report anything that might help. Heh, and you can look forward to that golem called Ielo. After studying the light cores, I’ll see if I can apply the knowledge to the golem.]
“Oh, that’s even better news.”
[Even though I’m manifesting through a vessel, Yulian and Kaltor need to be nearby. Can I bring them along?]
“Of course.”
Kwal, Valeria, and Feytel’s group left the conference room. Feytel and Kwal hummed cheerfully, arms around each other’s shoulders.
‘In just fifteen days, we’ll finally see the first Golden Ship. With the fleet’s production now just a matter of time, even if the Jinma realm stirs up trouble, we’ll have some breathing room before we bring out the brothers.’
The Magic Knight Corps had now reached a level where they could be deployed in actual combat, and as Feitel had said, the mass-produced Eels could be further enhanced. The Bamel Alliance’s war preparations were progressing smoothly.
Jin soon turned his attention to the other reports on the table—all of them concerning the dimensional rifts in the Demon Realm.
“Murakan.”
“Yeah? What’s up?”
“Like Yona said, we need to summon Tess and have a talk. Let’s meet with Quikantel together.”