Using the Arc Reactor as the main power source didn't mean the magic stone technology was completely abandoned.
As Tony gained a deeper understanding of magic stone technology, he came to believe that, with the tech Ethan had mastered and the particular magic stone he possessed, one that could continuously output energy but wouldn't release it beyond a certain threshold—it could be used as a secondary power source. This strange magic stone that reduced energy output under specific conditions would supply energy for the ship's daily consumption.
At the same time, a "battery" could be installed to absorb and store energy from this magic stone, serving as backup power in case the Arc Reactor was damaged or otherwise compromised.
In addition to serving as a "spare tire," the battleship's main guns and energy shields could also be powered by independent magic stones to avoid overloading the Arc Reactor.
After several days of research, Tony modified Ethan's original Prinz Eugen design. Now, the Prinz Eugen finally had its first official blueprint.
According to the current design, the Prinz Eugen would have a displacement similar to the original version, roughly 15,000 to 18,000 tons.
The main guns were four double-mounted multi-function turrets. Although the caliber hadn't changed, their power far exceeded the original. These guns primarily fired high-intensity energy shells. The technology came from the magic stone cannon designs provided by Ethan and had been optimized for greater range and power. The main guns could also be charged before firing, resulting in significantly greater destructive force. However, this charged attack would inflict some damage to the gun and couldn't be used frequently or continuously.
That wasn't all. Taking special scenarios into account, Tony made sure the main guns could also fire solid shells. Equipped with a full set of automatic reloading systems, the attack mode could be switched with a single button, designed for foolproof operation.
The six high-level dual-purpose secondary guns followed the same design concept as the main guns. As for the remaining anti-aircraft guns, they had been replaced with Phalanx systems and missile launch boxes, giving the warship exceptionally strong anti-air capabilities.
Both the Phalanx system and missile launch boxes were redesigned by Tony—smaller, more powerful, and the missiles themselves were miniaturized, allowing more to be loaded while being able to lock onto multiple targets simultaneously.
In addition, the most powerful offensive feature of the new Prinz Eugen was a vertical launch system disguised as a chimney, capable of launching multifunctional missiles.
The only downside was that, due to the space needed for other materials, the ship couldn't carry a large number of missiles.
The propulsion system had also been upgraded using magic stone technology. The Arc Reactor would power it to ensure strong output. Based on Tony's calculations, this system could theoretically push the ship to speeds over 35 knots.
The enhanced radar detection system and the advanced fire control interface, which resembled a video game were integrated with a magic stone-based control panel and the latest intelligent computer system. This setup allowed one person to operate the entire warship. Even if the operator got lazy and used autopilot, there'd be no need to worry, as the AI could make the best decisions in case of emergencies.
With its multi-layered energy shields, the term "armed to the teeth" hardly did justice to the new Prinz Eugen.
What's more, the new ship was far more comfortable than the original.
As someone who knew how to enjoy life, Tony Stark would never design a ship that was powerful but unpleasant to use. The living quarters on board were comparable to those of a luxury cruise ship. Every room was designed as a suite, and even with the protective deck stowed, each room featured massive floor-to-ceiling windows.
They hadn't yet decided on the type of aircraft to equip the ship with. But even without aircraft, the Prinz Eugen was a monstrous creation that integrated all the technologies currently mastered by Ethan and Tony.
Ethan even wondered if such a warship appearing in that world would provoke a siege from all the adventurers. Still, he wouldn't give up such a powerful ship just because of that possibility. If not for the remaining details that needed to be perfected, he'd already be urging Tony to start construction so he could sail it across the sea as soon as possible.
"There are still a lot of unresolved issues, but none of them are real obstacles. Building such a massive ship is what'll take time."
"I know."
No one could expect such a large ship to be completed in two or three years. Even if it weren't a prototype, even with mature technology and experienced shipbuilders, constructing a 10,000-ton warship would still take more than a year and a half.
The two had been busy in the lab for quite some time, and now that the new ship's design had finally been finalized, their time hadn't been wasted. Although no one knew when the actual ship would be ready, the projection of the new Prinz Eugen, displayed by Jarvis based on the blueprint, left Logan and Diana stunned.
"Can something like this actually be built?"
Logan never expected something so monstrous. He had thought building a modern warship would be impressive enough. But this battleship, combining magic stone technology and magical knowledge, was simply beyond imagination. He felt that even after a hundred years of development in his world, they still might not be able to build a warship capable of confronting this one.
The rest of it was fine, but that energy shield was too much. And the worst part was that the ship didn't have just one layer of protection.
The outermost layer was the protective shield cast by Ethan's magic. After the hull was completed, Ethan would personally engrave protective magic circles on the ship.
The middle layer was a set of magic stone defense equipment that would be installed separately. Tony didn't need to worry about this part, he just needed to leave space for installation. Ethan planned to purchase a set when he returned and install it himself.
The innermost layer, closest to the hull, was an energy shield powered by the Arc Reactor, derived from research into magic stone armor.
Even if all these layers were breached, the warship itself still had substantial defensive power. It would be built with the most advanced alloy armor currently available. If it weren't absolutely impossible, Ethan would've even wanted to mix in a bit of Vibranium.
All things considered, what Logan found most terrifying about the ship wasn't its overwhelming firepower, but its near-invincible defense.
Ethan thought the same. He was even glad Tony hadn't made the ship look like a turtle. Otherwise, with that level of defense, it would've fully lived up to the name "fortress."
"Now that the design is complete, how are you planning to pay for the construction?"
Helping with the design was no big deal. Tony considered it fun. But as for actually building the ship, the cost would be enormous. On top of that, many of the technologies still needed to be refined, and the materials alone would be a huge expense. Tony could afford it, but he was curious about how Ethan planned to cover the construction costs.
"To be honest, I haven't thought about it. Why don't you tell me what you want?"
Tony hadn't expected Ethan to throw the question back at him. What did he want? He already had everything. For a moment, he really couldn't think of anything he lacked.
"Maybe it's a good idea to experience more interesting things." But how would he do that? "Longer life and better health?"
It wasn't like Tony Stark hadn't thought about developing a potion to extend his life. He might not be able to replicate the super soldier serum, but he was confident that he could create something equally powerful if he really tried.
He'd never done it simply because he didn't see the need. For a long time, he believed he could accomplish everything he wanted within a normal human lifespan, so there was no need to extend it.
But that belief started to change after meeting Ethan. He realized the world was far more mysterious than he had imagined.
Now, Tony felt that his original thoughts were too naive. He doubted even a hundred more years would be enough to uncover all the world's secrets.
And more importantly, Ethan's existence represented countless unknown worlds. The longer he spent with Ethan, the more things he discovered that shook him to the core.
With that in mind, he had already started to consider developing a potion to extend his life. So when Ethan asked what he wanted, he hesitated—should he bring it up?
Tony was a proud man. Even if his mindset had changed, he didn't want to ask for help. He wanted to prove he could do it himself, even if he had no clue where to start.
Ethan waited a while, then realized what was going on in Tony's head.
"A genius's pride."
Ethan probably couldn't fully understand that mentality. After all, he had never been a genius in either his past or present life, just an ordinary person before, and now maybe an ordinary guy with a bit of good luck. So he laid his cards on the table.
"I'm working on a potion that enhances every aspect of the body. It won't just let me break through the limits of a normal human, it'll also grant me a longer life. And I also know several worlds that have ways to bring people back to life."
(To be continued.)
***
For every 200 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 30+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.