Steel and Mana

Chapter 310 – Report

Within my palace, Merlin was hosting a presentation not only for me but also for Oleg, Pion, and most of our high-ranking army officers. On the civilian side, Kraus and Dorian were also invited, as they and their people were the groups who interacted most with my army, making their armor and weapons and working with monster materials.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for gathering here on such short notice." Merlin started, standing at the head of the Ministers' Table. "As you know from the report you received yesterday, we've been conducting extensive tests on tattoo enhancements based on our Knights' formation templates. I have already documented my initial ideas and their interaction with Mark II armor and weaponry. Allow me to walk you through our findings in detail, over things that explain it more than my initial report."

Sitting on my throne, I watched silently as, of course, I had already been briefed by him first. This presentation was a refined explanation, making sure that everyone could understand it perfectly, not just Sasha or me. Understanding runes was something special and unordinary, and Merlin usually forgot that fact.

"First, let me start with the enhancements to the soldiers' physical senses." He continued, issuing out reports with proper measurements and distributing the folders between the people sitting at the table. "The tattoos, when applied, immediately heightened sensory perception across the board. The volunteers' visions were sharpened, allowing soldiers to see finer details at greater distances, even in low-light conditions. Hearing became acute enough to detect the faintest rustle of movement, and their sense of smell improved noticeably, enabling them to discern subtle changes in their environment. My calculations put this at least on a 45 to 65 percent increase of their base senses. This effect is akin to how mages perceive their surroundings—though not identical, it provides a functional enhancement to situational awareness that has already proven invaluable in battle simulations, especially noticing enemy mages."

Yeah, that part was... interesting. Sensing as mages, huh? For one, I never considered it; for two, my wives never mentioned it either! When Sasha and Mikan tried to explain it more, I understood why. How would you describe a color to someone who was born blind? It was perfectly normal for them, and they didn't even think about it. But then Yuri asked if this means they smell and feel everything even better when we are doing it... And I couldn't help but think about it since then. No wonder Mikan can sometimes squirt so high that it stains the ceiling. Shit... I need to stop thinking lewd things and listen to Merlin instead, making sure his explanation doesn't fly over my people's heads.

"When it comes to the armor, the tattoos have an extraordinary effect. If we add the required modifications." He said, looking at Dorian, who was also taking notes like a kid in a class, "Once the armor is donned and the helmet's visor lowered, the tattoos activate and synchronize seamlessly with the Mark II armor's functions. This synchronization reduces the perceived weight of the armor to nearly nothing. Soldiers reported that it felt as though the armor had become a second skin. Their mobility improved dramatically, with obstacles easily vaulted over, and their speed and dexterity markedly increased. If we want to quantify it, I would say that comparing their capabilities to our baseline warriors, their output was 30 to 45 percent higher. This became especially clear in the combat drills, which showed a significant uptick in agility, reaction time, and overall combat effectiveness when the tattoos were active, compared to the control group."

Which also meant that my Avalon's strength would be way above that of a conventional army. If all my soldiers are fed as they are now, equipped with our artifacts, and get these boosts, they will push in any resistance of a conventional army. For one, a regular steel sword would barely be able to hit them in a one-on-one scenario. Even if it is a five-on-one, they could withstand it. But, I also remember that when I visited the Capital of Ishillia, the soldiers there wore plate armor with formations on them. So, I was not overconfident, not yet. I was sure I was not the first to come up with something like this; Ishillia simply hadn't used them yet.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Now, let’s address the weapons." Merlin continued after a brief break, letting the officers talk amongst themselves a little before dropping more numbers on their heads, "Each weapon—be it a sword, axe, or spear—reacts uniquely when infused with the energy of the tattoos. Of course, the effects are related to beast bones' latent magical aptitude. Even those that came not from a massive beast, as long as they had naturally formed runes on them, reacted similarly. The tattoos channel the latent magical essence of the beast's blood into the weapon, enhancing it with their dormant elemental attributes. For instance, one soldier’s sword became wreathed in frost, freezing the air with each swing and forming a layer of ice on struck surfaces."

"The same ice that we experienced years ago?" Oleg asked, remembering the first massive beast and its icy breath that hit our castle.

"Yes. So the user must watch out for not hurting his comrades, but he himself, as long as the blood is active, remains seemingly immune to its effects."

"Incredible..." Many whispered, their excitement evident on their faces.

"Another’s axe emitted a searing heatwave capable of igniting flammable materials," Merlin continued with a smile, "while a third’s spear crackled with electricity, delivering powerful shocks to its targets, immobilizing living creatures. We tested it on some animals, and its effects were immediate. These elemental manifestations directly correspond to the core magic embedded within the monsters, which, in turn, tells us that on the other side of the mountains, everything is magical. Most likely, literally. My proof is that we’ve observed consistent and repeatable results for each weapon type coming from a beast's skeleton."

And from Merlin-1. Of course, that part was not public knowledge. But through him, we did learn that the creatures roaming the other side were indeed supernatural. Even if they couldn't manifest their magic yet, their growth cycle was leading them towards it. As for how one grows so big to gain a core and cast magic willy-nilly, that was... still a question. Maybe one day, when the continent is settled, I may make a trip, but... oh well, that is for the future.

"However, these enhancements are not indefinite." Merlin expressed, warning everybody present to not get caught up in their fantasies. "Through our rigorous testing, we determined that the energy drawn from the tattoos is finite. Prolonged use of the weapons’ enhanced abilities leads to the tattoos losing their function and simply vanishing, consumed by the monsters' magic. This effect is also true when only synchronized with the Mark-II armor set but on a much, much smaller scale. On average, the tattoos lasted for approximately two hours of continuous combat before they required reapplication. As for only wearing the armor? This timeframe is ranging from five to six days. But!" He clapped before the others began clamoring, so they kept listening to his observations, "This duration will likely vary depending on the intensity of usage and the elemental effect being employed. Also, weapons that have high-energy effects, such as sustained fire or lightning, tend to drain the tattoos faster than more passive enhancements, activating after making an attack, like frost or wind."

I couldn't help but smile when I saw my people's faces change and how excitedly they were talking. I felt the same way when I read the reports. No wonder the original Merlin led so many trips to the other side.

"Speaking of reapplication," Merlin-2 began, "I’ve calculated that a single tattoo can be reapplied up to three times without any noticeable degradation in its effectiveness."

"Do you mean that we can put it back on a soldier three times? Or three of the same tattoo?" Pion asked, raising his hand.

"The latter." Merlin answered, "We can't mix and match them; it doesn't work or react if we do. The potency of the beast's blood diminishes if we do so, and the tattoos may fail to properly bond with the wearer, causing a backlash. This also highlights the importance of maintaining a steady supply of beast blood and refining the formula if we wish to extend this limit."

"That part won't be an issue this winter." Oleg shrugged, "They keep coming at us weekly, although they are small variants, not big enough for a proper core."

"They are still valuable resources." I reminded him, "Gather them all."

"Yes!" The table answered in a chorus because I was silent until now. At once, they stood up as a unit, saluting before sitting back down, heeding my words as straight orders.

"One critical question is how many tattoos can safely be applied to a single individual," Pion muttered, leaning back and forth in his chair.

"At present," Melin answered, "we’ve capped it at three per soldier because anything after that causes their bodies to ache, their minds becoming sluggish as they fail to endure its effects. Preliminary tests showed that adding a fourth tattoo caused erratic fluctuations in the wearer’s energy levels, leading to early fatigue, impaired coordination, and, in some cases, severe muscle strain and involuntary spasms of said muscles. This appears to be the body’s natural limit for safely channeling the beast's blood’s energy without adverse effects. For now.

"For now?" Oleg questioned, making Merlin fall silent. In turn, my Prime Minister looked at me, waiting for me to nod. I was ready to inform them of our ideas or, in this case, Mikan's.

"The soldiers' past of consuming monster meat proved to be a key to withstanding the tattoos. I went ahead and tried it on volunteers from fresh recruits." He conveyed it with a voice that told them it was still confidential. "Their bodies were given out with their very first tattoo. This means that those who trained enough and ate our soldier's designated meals can handle it better. Which means..."

"Our soldiers can still get stronger to handle more." Oleg finished, making Merlin nod.

"For now, nothing will change." I reminded the group. "We will look into it, but don't change anything, especially not our training regiments."

"The Sovereign is right." Merlin agreed, looking over their faces, "This brings me to the subject of our resources—specifically, the beast blood and meat required for this process. To outfit Avalon’s standing army fully and to keep them supplied, we would need an immense quantity of beast blood. Based on our calculations, it would take approximately one beast of the currently appearing ones to provide enough material for fifty tattoos. For a battalion of one thousand soldiers, we would need at least twenty beasts. To maintain operational readiness and account for reapplications, our ongoing requirement would be roughly five to eight beasts used up per month, depending on combat frequency and intensity, of course."

"And when we kill one, it already loses a lot of blood, going to waste..." Pion whispered, twisting his lips.

"If anything remains of it," Oleg commented, similarly grimacing, especially if the Rook's cannons hit them.

"I already calculated that into my requirements." Merlin sighed, "Additionally, my estimates say that not all beast blood is equally effective. Only the blood of monsters with substantial magical cores the size of a fist or higher will have the necessary potency. Therefore, we must prioritize acquiring beasts of proper power. Larger and more advanced creatures yield better results, but they also require greater resources and manpower to fell and process without wasting their blood."

"It can be done." Oleg said firmly, "We can stop bombarding them and take them on with our soldiers. With the Knights helping out, we should be able to slay them with minimal wastage."

"Prioritize my soldiers' health and safety." I ordered him with a strict voice, "They are more important."

"Of course, My Sovereign!" Oleg bowed, acknowledgingly.

"Let’s turn briefly to the use of beast bones." Merlin chuckled, reaching the end of his report. "Beyond serving as a source of blood, certain bones have been grounded into powder and used as a stabilizing agent in the tattoo ink. With this, our failed refinement of weapons, when a monster's bone cracks or breaks, could still be useful. This powder enhances the durability of the tattoos, extending their lifespan slightly and ensuring that the elemental effects are more stable during combat. However, its influence is only present when the bones are from the same beast the weapon is made of. My conjecture is that them being of the same origin helps the synchronization."

"The older weapons and soldiers will have a problem with that..." Kraus muttered, as when we first began crafting bone-made weapons, we didn't really catalog them. So, getting matching bones will be impossible.

"Yes." Merlin nodded with a slight smile, "So we better start stashing and labeling them correctly from now on!"

While the meeting was coming to an end, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"I wonder..." I thought to myself quietly, "Could I open a zoo in the future? A kind of... Jurassic Park? Nah... If I learned anything, that a beast would always get out and wreck it all. A bummer, really..."