Sixth: Weapons Testing (Text; anon) - spoilers/blood magic/bees tw

[corpsewarblade]

[As promised to one of her other anonymous network contacts, Mukuro had been testing out how her magical-ammunition upgrade had worked with her magic. And, well, it had certainly proved an interesting experience.

Time to report her findings and gather more information. It was a risk to reveal her own magic types, but given how little she used them, hopefully that would be enough to keep her undercover operation in tact.]

28 APR XX, 2121

I have been conducting research into the magical reload functionality offered by the Elphame Traders. It would be useful to hear other people's observations/experiences so that we can pool knowledge for future combat operations, if required.

I can't afford to put a name to this post as I am currently working undercover, but I hope revealing my own findings first will count for something.

Tests so far have been carried out with a Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm.

Animal magic has proved ineffective for combat use save for niche circumstances- streams of angry insects are prone to behave erratically and are hazardous to the user in question.

Blood magic bullets have properties close to that of real bullets, however not sustainable for extended missions- lightheadedness occurs after 2nd reload.

I want to understand:
1) If someone has a weapon with this enchantment, can it be used by others?
2) Have people with the same magic types as me found similar effects? And, relatedly, what effects have people with other magic types found?
3) Does weapon type/calibre make a difference to the effect?

Thank you for any intelligence you can offer. And if the information I've given here is enough for you to identify me, please keep the thread between us.

Unrelatedly- has anyone figured out if the fruit from the plants we found at the solstice is safe for consumption?

Over and out.

🔪

[And now back to nursing her many bee stings.]

Comments

text / UN: konpeito_oni

[konpeito_aji]

You really used your own blood for bullets. If you were in my army I'd debate giving you a medal or a sound thrashing. [A redundant act, as they're already dizzy!]

I've been using a basic bow and arrows to hunt as they're easier to replenish with the vast woods and vines all around, but I don't see why we need to rely on wormholes and magic. They shouldn't be too difficult to make, even here. Even if there isn't much by way of mines, ceramics should do fine.

[corpsewarblade]

You're military, also?

It was a test in a controlled environment. There is combat utility for field use- but agreed that pushing the power to its limit outside of an emergency situation is reckless.

We shouldn't discount the magic as a weapon. I've encountered enemies here that have unnatural resistance to mundane weaponry- slimes that deflected swords and knives, for example.

Building mines shouldn't be too difficult, I'll pursue that further.

[konpeito_aji]

If you're from Earth, I am Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the 6th Heaven. If not, it is an understatement to say I am military. My country Japan would not exist without my intervention using the military I created from scratch to force the would-be lords to cede to the Demon King.

I fought the slimes as well. And ghosts. It was certainly troublesome since my only magic seems to be healing. I am not saying not to use any weapon at your disposal. I am saying do not rely on it as the only source of power, or you will be caught unawares.

You have experience with mines?

1/?

[corpsewarblade]

Oda Nobunaga

2/?

[corpsewarblade]

wait you mean you're actually

THAT Oda Nobunaga

as in the first great unifier of Japan

3/4

[corpsewarblade]

um

okay I remember reading a lot about your military campaigns and um

wow

Sorry I'm being weird I just

I really admire you?

4/4

[corpsewarblade]

[Okay Mukuro, calm down, stop being weird.

She took a moment to just try and stop gushing for approximately 0.5 seconds to write a coherent reply. Something that couldn't be summed up as 'Senpai notice me' anyway.]

I'm sorry I didn't mean to, um. That all sounded weird. And I'm sorry for understating your skill like that.

I appreciate the advice. Agreed that blood magic isn't something to be solely relied on except when other resources are exhausted.

And yes I've encountered anti-tank mines and anti-personnel mines of various types on the battlefield.

text; un: ensignledo

[ferrytale]

I wish to understand more about this "magical reload functionality". What is defined as an eligible weapon for this modification?

You are obviously attempting to determine whether or not the "enchantment" will persist between separate users, but what if the weapon in question were to be remotely operated altogether?

My sidearm still functions as it always has, but even if I cannot restore Chamber to its original state, any improvement would be worth the effort.

In exchange for information, I would be willing to report any findings to you in return.

[corpsewarblade]

Any weapon that uses ammunition is eligible to my knowledge, however I have not accounted for bows or crossbows.

Remotely operated isn't something I'd considered. I'll rig a test up tomorrow to investigate that.

What can you tell me about your weapon and magic types? I would appreciate any information you can offer- happy to exchange what findings I get.

[ferrytale]

[ uh. well. to that... ]

I have only very recently arrived in this world, so my experience with magic so far has been limited. I do hope there are other ways to learn how to use it that does not require direct input from these 'familiars'.

But I can answer the other question, at least. Chamber is a Machine Calibre, which are military-use automata specialised for combat against the Hideauze, which are lifeforms that have an extremely durable exoskeleton and unfortunately are not as easy to kill as one would like. Normally Machine Calibres are large enough to carry a pilot. They are also equipped with several forms of high-powered electromagnetic beam weaponry which are optimised for use in a vacuum but even at reduced power and efficiency, they would still be quite useful. Finally, they are capable of omnidirectional movement by use of gravity waver technology, although within an atmosphere I suppose you would simply call that 'flying'.

For some reason, in arriving here Chamber has been reduced to a fraction of its original size.

It's undignified.

[corpsewarblade]

You mentioned in your post that your familiar took the form of a hostile lifeform from your world, correct? Reluctance to trust it understandable under current circumstances.

[She hadn't thought of a way to reply to his post whilst staying undercover, but she had read it.

Honestly though, she was trying so hard not to nerd out at the mention of his Machine Calibre. Because that sounded amazing.]

My world has not reached the technology yours has. We have tanks, however these are ground-based weapons, and fighter aircraft which have a similar function.

You say these Chambers are able to function in a vacuum and use 'gravity waver' technology, does these mean they were intended for space combat originally?

Frustrating that yours was shrunk on arrival. I would have liked to have seen it at its full capacity.

Text | UN: mayorinfan35

[mayoninofukucho]

[Honestly, Hijikata just wants to use this inquiry post as an opportunity to complain. He spent a lot of money on importing his custom, mayonnaise-bottle-shaped bazooka, and... well.]

My bazooka only shoots confetti! I got confirmation from the Elphame traders that the magic reload would only give me more of that, so it's completely useless. It'd probably turn blood rockets into blood confetti, and that'd just be the biggest mess.

1/?

[corpsewarblade]

You got your bazooka here and it shot confetti? Blood confetti sounds disgusting and entirely ineffective in a live combat situation as well. What a waste.

You should have asked for your money back, if you don't intend to use it for intimidation tactics.

2/?

[corpsewarblade]

[This was someone she'd spoken to the last time she'd made a post like this. Someone who insisted she was being too hard on herself. She recognised that username-

...Wait a second, 'mayorin'...?]

3/3

[corpsewarblade]

[Hijikata?]

Then you're

[No, she couldn't risk exposing herself here. There weren't many people who knew about the Mayorin incident, after all.

Let's quickly push back to the topic at hand before he spots her slip.]

Did they give you a reason why your weapon had been modified to shoot confetti rather than proper ammunition?

[mayoninofukucho]

[He's so not undercover to about a dozen people anymore under this username, but hey, it's not like 'knife anon' is anyone he knows! (This reasoning is how you know he's terminally offline... but then he does lurk, he just doesn't post, so maybe it's simply a blind spot.) He assumes that the unfinished message was just a misfire.]

They wouldn't return my money since the spell to get the bazooka here was used up. As for why it shoots confetti, apparently that's an island-wide spell - like the one that translates everybody's language - that affects all heavy weaponry. Understandable that they don't want to risk that sort of damage, but it sure is a bummer. I've just got it in my room as a souvenir from home now.

[While he's here he may as well contribute some insight on the actual topic from the perspective of a fire/death mage...]

Regarding my own magic types, I think elemental magic is usually more effective as-is - unless perhaps if the enemy has a hard shell that the element it's weak to can't penetrate, but a bullet could -, and I have no clue how death magic could figure into weaponry.

[Can he put a ghost in a bullet and shoot it?? Honestly, the target would likely not be in a state to be possessed anymore after that.]

[corpsewarblade]

That is useful to know- I won't be asking them to summon one of the RPGs I used on active deployment then. It would be annoying if we're limited to pistol size weapons still being functional on summoning, I wanted to bring my AK-102 or MP5-K here.

Frustrating that you're stuck with a confetti bazooka though. If people don't know it has lost it's capabilities it could be used for intimidation but otherwise, limited to being a souvenir as you said.

I can imagine elemental being the most versatile to infuse in weapons- arguably one of the more combat-efficient magic types I have seen here. Agreed that death magic would be...difficult. Perhaps it would let you hit incorporeal entities that normal bullets would pass through?

Text; un: Koromaru

[whatsamada]

Then it's good to hear that it doesn't really work too well with animal magic? Although, I'm curious how you came to that conclusion.

[corpsewarblade]

Not for me, however I don't know if it'd react in the same way for everyone else.

In this test I tried using animal magic with my pistol and instead of bullets, it shot bees.

Literal angry, swarming bees.

[whatsamada]

You're okay though?

You were able to find a healer who could treat your wounds, right? Because experiment or not, you always need to find someone who can help you!

[Please don't do this to yourself.]

[corpsewarblade]

Sore. Stings react poorly to makeup.

No sign of infection and the stingers themselves have been removed, so healing is progressing as expected.

Shouldn't affect my combat abilities if anything comes up.

[Sure would be nice if she had more friends with healing magic who knew the truth, who could help her.]

Audio | Anonymous

[angel_of_death]

[It doesn't take long for Walter to run across the transmission. His voice is probably recognizable by now.]

You did well. Thank you for your efforts.

Are you in need of treatment?

[corpsewarblade]

[She'd not spoken to him on voice before, but it was clear who this was- she'll stick to text, though.

But he praised her! She said she did well! This makes her happy.]

Thank you. I hope it's useful. I'll keep investigating in the meantime.

I've removed the stingers were needed and do not believe the wounds are infected. Makeup reacts badly to them so if there is any other means to heal them faster that you are aware of, I would like to hear it.

How are your own investigations?

[angel_of_death]

I have secured the cooperation of a blacksmith among our number. It also took me a bit of running around, but I tracked down and secured the venom needed to kill the Cereus de Anima that was causing so much trouble this past month.

[And used said venom with great zeal, though it might be difficult to tell that with his having switched to text to relay that information.]

I'm actually headed out to collect more venom. The feathers of those giant birds may be useful, too. They do a fair job of repelling physical attacks. Perhaps a light armour can be made from layering them.

Also, thanks to your research highlighting the limited utility of magic-based ammunition, I'll be pushing forward with manufacturing traditional ammunition.

As for your injuries, I remember the nuts the local healers requested help with collecting several months back were for healing tinctures. Perhaps the tinctures could be of help to you, if you do not wish to be treated directly by a healer.

tw exploding ammo

[corpsewarblade]

I think I know who you mean.

[Her and Darin were on good terms, and she didn't know anyone else in Avalon who was working as a blacksmith here.]

It probably wouldn't withstand bullets but for bladed weapons a light armour like that might prove effective.

Agreed on pursuing traditional ammunition. I intend to research the capability of magical ammunition further- I want to see if there is any way to improve the results I had been getting, in particular whether I can manipulate bullets made from blood magic to shatter once they've entered a target. There's also the matter of other magic types.

I'd forgotten about that, thank you. I'll see if I can gather more of those and take care of my injuries that way, once I've taken the day to rest.

[She was still a little light-headed, after all.]