Chapter 20: The Blueprint Architect's First Masterpiece (Part 1)
[Date: March 9, 2025 | Time: 7:15 PM | Location: Ankush's Bedroom, Kolkata]
The gentle evening breeze danced lazily through the half-open window of Ankush's bedroom, softly rustling the loose pages scattered across his sturdy wooden desk. A pale golden sunset cast warm streaks of orange and violet across the room, painting it in a tranquil glow, while distant sounds from the bustling streets of Kolkata echoed softly, an ambient melody of everyday life.
Ankush Halder stood silently near the doorway, lingering momentarily to soak in the surreal yet comforting sense of familiarity. It was strange; despite the extraordinary transformations he had undergone in the dungeon, his humble room remained remarkably unchanged. His eyes swept over the familiar surroundings—his neat wooden bed, dressed in a simple blue bedsheet, a comfortable chair, and his prized possession, a desktop computer that had always been his trusted companion, silently humming atop a modestly built table.
Yet now, something felt intrinsically different about the space. The shelves, once filled with engineering textbooks and exam notes from a mundane past, were now lined neatly with magical engineering tomes, carefully stacked and vibrant, their covers inscribed with ornate golden runes. Each book glowed faintly, humming gently with latent magical energy as though aware of the profound transformation Ankush had undergone.
Ankush approached his bookshelf, his fingers trailing gently along the spines, each title bringing a faint smile to his lips. Titles like Magic Engineering: Fundamental Guide, Elemental Circuits and their Application, and Runic Patterns and Mana Control no longer seemed alien or fantastical. They had become essential companions on his journey towards the awakening, laying the groundwork for what he was about to accomplish tonight.
He paused, the sound of his parents' laughter downstairs drifting into the room. They were busy preparing a celebratory meal, their joyful voices filling the quiet house with life and warmth. A pang of affection warmed his chest as he remembered their genuine pride over his awakening as a "mere Level 8 Magic Engineer." He chuckled softly, knowing they would never believe the truth—that their quiet, reserved son had just shattered global records, achieving feats no ordinary student had dared to dream of.
Yet, despite his monumental accomplishments, Ankush knew he was far from satisfied. The Awakening Dungeon had given him power beyond imagination, but it was only the foundation. The real work—the reason he had sacrificed precious special points—was about to begin.
Taking a calming breath, Ankush summoned the system with a simple mental command. A gentle glow appeared before him, forming into a softly pulsing golden interface:
[Blueprint Creation Token – 35 SP]
[Description: Grants the user the ability to create and save a single custom blueprint within the system, allowing instant replication and mass production.]
His heart quickened with excitement. This was it—his first true creation. The moment he had been building toward. He took another deep breath, steadying his rapidly racing thoughts.
"It's finally time," Ankush whispered softly, reaching out toward the floating icon.
Without hesitation, he tapped the glowing token, initiating the creation process. The room immediately shimmered with golden radiance, the interface expanding rapidly around him. Intricate designs, blank panels, and countless options for selecting materials appeared, surrounding Ankush in an immersive 3-dimensional workspace.
A soft voice resonated gently through the interface. "Please specify your blueprint concept."
Ankush closed his eyes, drawing in a slow, measured breath. A moment of deep thought passed before he confidently responded.
"A Mana-Controlled Laser Sniper Rifle."
The system flashed gently. "Weapon class?"
"F- Rank," Ankush said decisively. He had no desire to showcase something too overpowering immediately. His goal was subtlety—an effective, reliable, but unassuming weapon that could utilize his superior control and precise engineering skills without drawing too much attention.
"Confirmed. Special attributes?"
Ankush paused thoughtfully. "Exceptional range, precision accuracy, minimal energy consumption, and rapid mana regeneration compatibility."
The golden interface buzzed softly. "Processing... Attributes confirmed. Materials available for your current authorization level include Basic Mana Crystal Cores, Reinforced Mana-infused Metal Alloy, Low-grade Rune Circuits, and Mana-infused synthetic composites."
Ankush nodded slowly. These were exactly what he'd expected. Materials accessible enough to mass-produce without drawing attention or suspicion. Perfect for his first blueprint creation.
---
[Blueprint Initialization – Mechanical and Magical Principles]
The golden interface expanded once more, revealing an empty holographic blueprint floating before Ankush, translucent and shimmering softly in the dim room. Ankush stepped forward, his mind buzzing with excitement, carefully visualizing the sniper rifle's inner workings.
His Mechanical Engineering knowledge from his previous life merged effortlessly with this world's magical engineering theories he'd meticulously studied. Each component, each circuit, each carefully calculated rune—the pieces came together naturally, blending seamlessly with the memories from both worlds he now inhabited.
He began by sketching the core structure. The sniper rifle's body would be crafted from mana-infused metal alloys—lightweight, durable, resistant to mana corrosion, and capable of efficiently channeling mana. Ankush carefully shaped the internal structure, intricately detailing the chamber and barrel, ensuring perfect internal alignment for maximum mana flow efficiency.
He intricately designed the internal mana channels, meticulously positioning each mana conduction route to maximize precision. Ankush's incredible mental capacity allowed him to visualize every single component clearly, optimizing each part for flawless synergy. He lost himself in the process, the outside world fading as hours passed unnoticed.
Next, Ankush carefully placed the mana crystal cores, the essential power source of the sniper rifle. He selected basic mana crystals for their affordability and ease of procurement but compensated their relatively lower capacity with ingenious engineering. By optimizing runic patterns engraved on the inner surfaces, he significantly enhanced mana transfer efficiency, ensuring a low-energy, high-output performance.
Ankush smiled quietly, proud of the design's elegance. "A rifle that can fire repeatedly, accurately, without excessive mana consumption," he murmured, eyes glowing with satisfaction.
He then meticulously focused on the rifle's most crucial component—the mana focusing lens. Using basic crystals, Ankush arranged a precise geometric configuration of multiple lenses within the barrel, each carefully inscribed with micro-scale mana circuits. The result was stunningly effective—a laser beam that could maintain pinpoint accuracy and incredible range, even with minimal mana input.
After several mental simulations, Ankush adjusted and refined every detail. He improved the rifle's grip, adjusted the weight distribution, fine-tuned the lens curvature, and perfected the runic patterns etched onto the outer casing for optimal mana absorption from the environment.
Hours passed unnoticed, Ankush's incredible Mental attribute allowing him to simulate thousands of scenarios within mere moments. Each improvement, each refinement, brought him closer to perfection.
---
[Time: 11:45 PM]
At last, Ankush stepped back, his chest rising and falling gently. The holographic blueprint before him shimmered beautifully, now complete and filled with astonishing detail. Its glow illuminated Ankush's face, which wore a calm yet deeply satisfied smile.
A message appeared on the golden interface:
[Blueprint Finalized: Mana Control Laser Sniper (F– Level)]
- Range: Extreme (effective up to 5 kilometers)
- Accuracy: Absolute Precision (99.99%)
- Mana Efficiency: Exceptional
- Materials Required: Basic Mana Crystal Core (x3), Mana-Infused Alloy Frame, Precision Mana Lenses, Runic Energy Channels.
- Specialty: Low mana cost, ideal for precise, critical targeting at extreme range.
Ankush exhaled slowly, a deep satisfaction warming him from within.
His very first custom blueprint was ready.
And soon, he would unleash this unassuming yet formidable creation upon the world.