Alchemists do not need self-cultivation

Meanwhile, Isaac walked up to Acorus and said, "I remember your father said that you should fulfill all my requests."

Upon hearing this, Changpu's face instantly turned red.

She wasn't completely clueless; she could somewhat guess why her father had instructed her to deliberately get close to Isaac.

Now that this person in front of me is saying this, could it be that they want to...?

Thinking about this, her mind was almost completely muddled.

What should I do? Should I agree to his request? But for the sake of the Yoshikawa family, it seems I have no choice...

"Can you go back first?"

"Huh?" Changpu looked at Isaac with a blank expression.

“I’ve found a guide now,” Isaac said, patting Ikoma on the shoulder with a smile. “Right, Matcha Head?”

"...Sir, my name is Ikoma."

Chapter 414: A Talented Young Man

"I'll have to trouble you this time, Matcha Head."

"So, sir, my name is Ikoma," Ikoma said helplessly.

Many people in Hinomoto have colored hair, so no one usually criticizes his green hair.

As one of the largest steel-manufacturing sites in Japan, the factory in Advanced Station is enormous. Giant steel pipes are scattered all around, and steam occasionally rises from the ground.

"The power source for the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and other massive vehicles is the special steam engine 'McLatch Engine,' developed by the Kingdom of Albion. Employing the groundbreaking concept of steam compression, the McLatch Engine can provide not only high output for the massive vehicles but also a personal high-pressure boiler for steam weapons," Ikoma explained as he showed Isaac around.

"So it really is the Kingdom of Albion."

As the only country in the world to have developed steam technology and become a powerful nation, Japan has reached a very high level of application of steam technology in the industry, and the knowledge that Japan learned from Kabane before it was established is still being used today.

Japanese automakers, who imported technology from the Kingdom of Albion before its revolution, also made significant progress in steam engines. Unable to mass-produce high-quality gunpowder, Japanese automakers not only adopted steam engines for railways but also for industrial machinery and firearms, making steam guns more mainstream than muskets.

The invention of the McClatch engine made high-pressure steam boilers portable, a major contributing factor. These portable boilers, known as "backpack engines," had a wide range of uses. Compared to the breech-loading gunpowder muskets of the past, the magazine-fed steam musket (commonly known as a steam cylinder) was far superior in convenience and power, but it still couldn't penetrate the steel lining of the Kabane's heart.

Lacking a decisive means of countering the Kabane, the Japanese people had no choice but to build fortresses and be trapped within them.

“I think you need to develop some weapons,” Isaac said.

In Isaac's opinion, carrying a mediocre firearm along with an engine is a weapon that deserves to be nailed to the pillar of historical shame.

“Current weapons are indeed ineffective at killing Kabane, but…” Ikoma suddenly became excited for some reason, “With the penetrator I invented, everything will be different!”

"Penetrating tube?"

"It's a weapon that Cheng Sheng and I recently developed specifically for destroying the Kabane's cardiac lining. With that, I can fight too!"

"Oh ho? That's interesting." Isaac looked at Ikoma with some surprise.

As a steam worker with limited resources, developing something far more powerful than existing weapons in a country with a backward industrial level requires a level of initiative and wisdom that is not something an ordinary person can possess.

Ikoma's eyes lit up when he heard Isaac's praise, and he quickly asked, "Eh? Are you interested in jet bullets, sir?"

"I'm somewhat interested."

"Would you like to come to my house now? The prototype we're developing is still in the testing phase," Ikoma invited.

"Okay."

Anyway, we've already visited Juncheng. Although we're interested in this huge armored train, with Amestris's technology, building an even better one wouldn't be a problem.

The two then changed their route and headed towards Ikoma's house.

Ikoma's home is a secluded wooden cabin, scattered with a large number of parts, a pile of design drawings, and some steam devices.

"Sorry, my house is a bit messy." Ikoma smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, it's actually not bad."

Isaac knew that his room would probably be even messier than this without Violet tidying it up for him.

After Ikoma led Isaac into the house, he began searching through a pile of parts scattered on the floor.

"Oh, I found it."

He took out something that looked like a rivet gun, with a pipe connected to a steam engine.

"Is this the piercing gun you were talking about?" Isaac took the rivet gun and examined it.

The ammunition section was a large metal tube with a small hole in it, and what appeared to be gunpowder was loaded at the back.

"This is the jet bomb that Cheng Sheng and I invented together. We discovered while working in the factory that as long as we put explosives at the bottom of a metal plate, it will..."

"A metal jet will be generated at the moment of the explosion," Isaac said directly. "And the small hole on top is used to squeeze and eject the metal jet."

"Eh? You know?" Cheng Sheng was somewhat surprised.

“We call this an armor-piercing projectile where I’m from, and of course I know how it works.” Isaac smiled and patted Ikoma on the shoulder. “Not bad, kid. You’re very talented. You managed to make this thing even in such harsh conditions.”

"No, no, no?" Ikoma was a little embarrassed by Isaac's words. "This thing's penetrating power is still a bit lacking, so..."

When Isaac heard him say that, he carefully examined the tube in his hand.

“It’s obvious that this can only be launched using a pile driver-like attack method, and even if it could be launched, it wouldn’t go very far,” Isaac said. “If it were launched as ammunition, it would inevitably need to spin to ensure trajectory stability, and the centripetal force generated during the spin would scatter the metal jet, thus reducing its penetration power. In addition, your amount of explosives seems insufficient, and the projectile material should be as…”

Isaac continued speaking, engrossed in his own words, while Ikoma listened intently, completely idolizing the man before him. He had initially thought Isaac was merely of high status, but I hadn't expected him to immediately spot the flaw in his weapon.

"Wow, you're amazing! You know so much!"

“After all, I’ve served in the military for so long, and I’ve seen some of the weapons,” Isaac said. “Back when I was a cleaner, I had some contact with various types of ammunition in the armory.”

"Oh? You used to be a cleaner?"

“Oh, back then I was too young to serve in the military, so I could only earn a living by doing odd jobs,” Isaac said. “Is that strange?”

“It’s strange… because in our country, great people are born great people,” Ikoma said. “The lord’s sons inherit his position, and so do the chief retainers. Although a very small number of commoners can work their way up to samurai, that’s the limit.”

"...I don't even know what to say."

Isaac has never been a fan of such hereditary things, as they completely dampen people's enthusiasm.

"Matcha Head, how about coming to Amestris to develop your career in the future?" Isaac suddenly asked. "The more you put in there, the more you get out. How far you can go depends on your skill level."

Chapter 415: Farewell to Nameless

"To Amestris? Me?" Ikoma pointed at himself, somewhat bewildered.

“Yes, shouldn’t you be planning for your future?” Isaac asked. “There you’ll find technology and knowledge that are ahead of the rest of the world; your talents can only be fully realized there. Japan will only limit your abilities.”

Someone who can develop armor-piercing projectiles in a place with underdeveloped industry is very likely to develop even more useful things if they learn modern knowledge. Isaac had high hopes for this boy named Ikoma.

"Um... I haven't thought about the future yet. Right now, I just want to fight the Kabane."

“Well, there’s no rush. You can think about it carefully,” Isaac said with a smile.

He looked at the piercing tube made by Ikoma in his hand, a flash of blue lightning passing through it. Although the weapon's overall shape hadn't changed much, the details had been adjusted.

"Try it now."

"Ah good."

Ikoma took the piercing tube from Isaac and aimed it at a piece of steel plate that was already uneven.

This steel plate looks like it has been used as a target many times, but so far there has been no sign of it being penetrated.

boom!

As the steam generator started to turn, the instrument panel on the cylinder moved, and the cylinder was pushed out.

The steel plate in front of them was pierced through after a loud bang.

"This..." Ikoma stared in shock at what he saw before him, then exclaimed with ecstasy, "It's a success!!"

Isaac nodded, looking at the broken steel plate and thinking that the weapon was quite powerful.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached, and Ikoma's door was suddenly opened.

"Huh? Takumi, what brings you here?" Ikoma asked, somewhat puzzled, looking at his friend standing outside his door. "Shouldn't you be at the factory right now?"

"I just came out looking for you. I heard a loud noise coming from your house, so I came to check it out," said Cheng Sheng. However, he was immediately startled when he saw Isaac next to Ikoma.

"Um, Lord Isaac, you're here too?" Cheng Sheng asked with a stiff, awkward laugh.

He had also heard of Isaac's name at the factory; Amestoris was the supreme commander in Japan, and all the troops that came this time had to obey his command.

He was already not someone to mess with as an ordinary soldier, but the identity of the supreme commander almost terrified him.

Isaac looked at the chubby boy in front of him, and just as Ikoma had said, his voice sounded a lot like his own.

Completely oblivious to the slightly nervous Cheng Sheng, Ikoma ran over and shouted, "Cheng Sheng, the piercing tube has been successfully developed!"

"Huh? It worked?"

"Yes, Lord Isaac helped me modify the jet projectile, and now the penetration tube is usable." He pointed happily to the steel plate behind him that had a large hole in it.

"Wow, that's amazing!! So that means we..." Cheng Sheng also got excited.

"That's right! We can already fight the Kabane! Hahahaha!" Ikoma laughed loudly after saying that, but immediately after laughing, he asked:

"By the way, didn't you say you were looking for me? What happened?"

“Oh, actually, the ‘Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress’ has returned, and we need enough manpower for maintenance.” Cheng Sheng said, glancing at Isaac. “But if you’re still with Lord Isaac…”

“It’s alright, you guys go ahead,” Isaac said with a smile. “I’ll go take a look too.”

As he spoke, he walked out the door first, leaving the two of them looking at each other in bewilderment.

------------

The armored car, named Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, slowly drove into Kenkin Station, its steel body stained with blood. This was clearly a situation that would occur if it had encountered a Kabane along the way.

Isaac led his troops to wipe out the Kabane within a month, but this was limited to the coastal areas, as those were the locations where ports needed to be built, so all operations were focused there.

As for the parts of Kabane that were severely affected, these were mountainous areas, and Isaac did not lead any troops there to eliminate them. Firstly, the terrain there was rugged, making it difficult for tanks to intervene; secondly, it was not convenient to establish a military base there.

After all, Isaac came here to find a place to station troops, not to provide disaster relief. He believed that there was no point in clearing out the Kabane in many places, so there was no need to eliminate them immediately.

This also means that Juncheng vehicles traveling there will still be attacked by a large number of Kabane.

The Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress stopped at the Senkin Station, and the people inside slowly disembarked.

These survivors were greeted not with comfort and congratulations upon arrival, but with a rigorous inspection.

Those bitten by a Kabane will become a new Kabane in a short time, and to ensure that no one has been bitten upon arrival, they will undergo strict checks before entering the Shinjin Station.