A month had passed since the summoning of Paracelsus, and progress on the Koh-I-Noor remained agonizingly slow. Despite their combined expertise, countless trials, and relentless efforts, they were no closer to replicating its true power than when they had started. Dr. Dew sat at the workbench, staring at yet another failed prototype—the 148th iteration—a dull, lifeless crystal that refused to hold even a fraction of the energy required. He let out a slow breath. This… isn't working. Leonardo sighed, setting down a magnifying lens she had been using to inspect their latest failure. No kidding. Even with Paracelsus, we've barely made any progress. Paracelsus, standing beside them, studied the failed prototype with an analytical gaze. Alchemy alone is not enough. This crystal is beyond any known principles of transmutation. It is not something I can refine or modify as I would with other materials. Dr. Dew ran a hand down his face. At this rate, we'll be stuck trying to make this thing for centuries. Leonardo frowned. I'm not waiting that long. I have things I want to invent now. Dr. Dew leaned back, arms crossed. That leaves us with two choices: Either we keep grinding away at this, hoping for a breakthrough… or we summon someone else who might be able to help. A heavy silence filled the room. Leonardo and Paracelsus exchanged uneasy glances before Leonardo spoke. I don't know if that's a good idea. We already talked about the risks. Your mana output is barely enough to sustain two heroic spirits. If we summon a third, or worse, a powerful one, you might not survive it. Paracelsus nodded. Your magic circuits are active, but they have never been properly trained. Overloading them could have catastrophic consequences. If the strain becomes too great, it could destroy your very soul. Dr. Dew tensed at that. He had faced death many times before, but the thought of his soul being erased sent a sharp chill down his spine. It wasn't just death—it was oblivion. He forced himself to push the fear aside. Then for now, let's not risk it. He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. We'll put the Koh-I-Noor on hold and come back to it later. We need another project. Something doable. Leonardo's expression brightened slightly. You have something in mind? Dr. Dew grinned, pulling up a new set of schematics. We're going to build the Matter Manipulator. Leonardo leaned in, eyes scanning the designs. Alright, you got my attention. What's it do? Dr. Dew tapped the blueprint. The Matter Manipulator is an advanced tool that lets you mine, store, and place objects with incredible precision. He pointed at a section of the schematics. It doesn't just mine stone or metals—it can break down any material into perfect cubes and store it as energy, then reconstruct it instantly. Paracelsus raised an eyebrow. A device that allows for perfect matter reconstruction? That is… remarkable. Dr. Dew nodded. And that's just the start. The storage system inside the Matter Manipulator is unlike anything else. It can organize and categorize everything automatically. Need building materials? It keeps them separate. Need food? It stores it too, though it still spoils over time. It can even hold liquids, wire components together, and scan objects to store their data. Leonardo smirked. So it's basically a pocket-sized warehouse that also doubles as a construction tool? Dr. Dew grinned. Exactly. Paracelsus stroked his chin. This could drastically improve our efficiency. Mining, construction, and even organization would be far simpler. Leonardo's enthusiasm grew. And if we can modify it, we might even be able to store complex machinery, maybe even entire structures! Dr. Dew nodded. That's the idea. He flexed his fingers. But building this thing won't be easy. We're dealing with quantum storage technology, subatomic restructuring, and energy-efficient data compression. We'll need to experiment. Leonardo cracked her knuckles. Well, then. What are we waiting for? Constructing the Matter Manipulator proved to be just as challenging as expected. Unlike their previous projects, which relied on known scientific principles, this required new approaches to matter conversion and storage. They ran into early setbacks—unstable energy distribution, materials failing to hold their structure, and issues with the internal storage algorithms. But they kept refining. Kept adjusting. Dr. Dew worked on the energy conversion system, ensuring the device could break down matter without destroying its integrity. Leonardo handled the structural framework, reinforcing the storage components to ensure they could hold large amounts of materials without degrading. Paracelsus, despite his alchemical background, assisted with stabilizing the atomic-level reconstruction process, applying his knowledge of material transmutation in unexpected ways. Days turned into weeks, and after countless failed attempts—the Matter Manipulator was complete. Dr. Dew held it in his hands, feeling the weight of their accomplishment. Leonardo smirked. Moment of truth? Dr. Dew nodded and aimed it at a stone wall. With a flick of his wrist—a perfectly cut cube of stone vanished into the device, its energy signature registering in the digital inventory. Leonardo whistled. Damn. That's smooth. Paracelsus observed the screen. Fascinating. It organizes everything automatically… and even categorizes objects based on their type. Dr. Dew grinned. Told you it'd be worth it. Leonardo grabbed a piece of wood and tossed it at him. Try placing something. Dr. Dew aimed the Matter Manipulator at the ground—and in an instant, the stone cube reappeared, perfectly placed. Leonardo's jaw dropped slightly. That… is insanely useful. Paracelsus nodded in approval. With this, construction and resource collection will be exponentially faster. Dr. Dew twirled the device in his hand. And this… this is only the beginning. With the Matter Manipulator completed, they turned their attention back to the Koh-I-Noor project. But this time, they had a new idea. Instead of trying to perfectly recreate the original, they decided to combine multiple working prototypes. Using the thirty-third prototype, they fused three of the best failed attempts together, hoping to create a more powerful variant. At first, the results looked promising. The combined crystal held more energy, its structure stable. But then—the crystal began to heat up. Fissures spread across its surface, its energy readings spiking dangerously high. Dr. Dew's eyes widened. It's about to blow— Before anyone could react, the crystal shattered, sending shards flying in every direction. But Dr. Dew's reflexes kicked in—his enhanced Telekinesis Plasmid surged to life, catching the fragments in midair and hurling them away before they could cause any damage. As the last shard fell harmlessly to the ground, a heavy silence settled over them. Leonardo sighed. Well… that didn't work. Paracelsus frowned. It seems combining them creates an unstable energy feedback loop. Dr. Dew clenched his jaw. Then we're out of options. Either we summon more help—or we spend the next thousand years experimenting. The choice loomed before them. And none of them had an answer.
End of Chapter Twenty-One