CHAPTER 260: CHAPTER 201: FLAMETHROWER

"This is the Magic Explosion Bullet Launcher." Mike stood upright, his tone solemn.

"It’s not a single weapon, but a whole firing system—depending on battlefield needs, it can switch between handheld and tripod modes."

As he spoke, he lifted the launch tube, supporting the base with one hand and holding the midsection with the other, hefting it onto his shoulder.

The diameter of the muzzle was so large that it exuded an intimidating deterrence even unlit.

"The Light Magic Explosion Bullet is relatively light, equipped with an anti-recoil leveling device, allowing an Official Knight to fire it from the shoulder during field operations, suitable for ambushes or guerrilla warfare."

"And the real ’teeth’ of this thing are here."

He bent down to adjust the launcher position, firmly planting the tripod into the ground, extending the support claws, and slowly adjusting the launch tube to a forty-five degree angle.

Then he took out a heavy Magic Explosion Bullet head from the bottom of the box.

Unlike gunpowder bombs that rely on physical explosions, it compresses Demon Marrow into the core crystal, releasing a focused Magic Energy Shock Wave when triggered.

"This is the Heavy Magic Explosion Bullet." Mike said quietly, "Also the type that succeeded in the last experiment."

"This kind of thing must be launched with a tripod. It’s not because human strength is insufficient, but to control the recoil at ignition. Too strong, and the operator would have their shoulder bone shattered on the spot."

He carefully loaded the bullet head into the launch tube, ensuring the engravings and slots were aligned before stepping back half a step.

Mike raised his head and looked at Louis. The craftsman’s unique confidence on his face subsided slightly, replaced by a rare calmness and seriousness.

"We don’t know what enemy it will ultimately face," he said, "but if the target is a city wall... it’s practically a siege weapon."

Then came the trial segment.

The testing ground was chosen in a patch of scorched earth, a blackened area left from the last test.

The surface was charred and barren, with remnants of carbonized stakes and twisted iron pieces, the air faintly carrying the smell of ash and scorched metal.

Mike waved his hand, and several knights worked together to drag two Ice Wild Boars, tightly chained, to distant points, fixing them at sixty and eighty-meter markers.

They struggled and roared, their massive tusks scraping the ground, but escape was impossible.

Hillco carried a heavy metal canister to the front, taking out a Light Magic Explosion Bullet.

It resembled half a forearm’s width of iron canister, its shell emitting a dull shine, evidently cold-forged and heat-treated.

At the bottom was a fuse cap of compressed Demon Marrow, both delicate and deadly.

He seemed uninterested, introducing in a detached manner: "The maximum range of the Light Bullet is about a hundred paces, propelled by Demon Marrow, suitable for knight squads to throw by hand or fire from the shoulder. Damage radius: heavy injury within ten meters, burns within twenty-five meters. Impact point accuracy can be controlled."

With that, a tall Official Knight took the test firing position and securely loaded the Magic Explosion Bullet into the launch tube.

Securing the locking ring, he aimed at the sixty-meter target, took a deep breath, and abruptly pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

A muffled sound echoed, the Magic Explosion Bullet arced into the sky, trailing a faint magic energy tail flame as it flew toward the distant target.

In an instant, Weir instinctively turned his head to avoid the light.

BOOM!!!

A brilliant orange-red fireball suddenly exploded in the distance, like a burning giant hand slapping furiously onto the ground.

A wave of fire surged into the sky, a scorching blast sweeping over, as if igniting the entire sky.

The shock wave cracked like rolling thunder, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

The Ice Wild Boar at the sixty-meter mark was engulfed by the fire pillar, its Ice Armor melting, flesh burst, bones reduced to flying ash amidst the blast wind.

The one at eighty meters was also affected, its body scorched black, its wails intermittent.

Thick black smoke billowed near the explosion’s core, even the test shed a hundred meters away was shaken as dust fell in a cascade.

"Oh, my God..." Weir instinctively took half a step back, eyes filled with shock.

Even the accompanying young knights’ expressions changed, many covering their ears, faces showing fear.

Even an Elite Knight, without Fighting Energy, if hit directly would likely be incapacitated or even exploded on the spot.

Yet in the face of such overwhelming power, Louis simply squinted his eyes, displaying a satisfied look.

In contrast, Hillco had already backed far away.

He was well aware of this Light Bullet’s true power, after all, he had crafted it with his own hands.

Yet he didn’t quite like the finished product; it was a compromised version, after all.

The Fire Scale Ointment was running out, forcing him to lower the ignition temperature and explosive intensity, barely producing this batch of light combat bullets.

Meanwhile, Mike had already gotten up from the ground, dusting off the dirt from his body, unable to hide his excitement.

The aftermath of the explosion had not yet fully dissipated, the air filled with the scent of scorch and gunpowder.

Louis stood in place, squinting at the half-pit created in the target area, nodding after a long moment.

"The explosive force is sufficient," he said blandly, but Mike heard it with bright eyes, energized as if taking a little stimulant.

Seeing Louis satisfied, Mike proceeded to the second test.

Offering a salute to Louis, he announced in an elevated voice: "Next, entering the Heavy Magic Explosion Bullet test phase!"

Hillco carefully removed the Heavy Magic Explosion Bullet from the second iron box, his actions steady but fingers slightly trembling as if handling a holy relic.

The appearance of this Magic Explosion Bullet and the Light Bullet was nearly identical, still a thick, heavy metal casing, with differences only discernible up close.