Austronesia Empire, Imperial Maharlika, Metro Manila, Malacanang Palace, Conference Room
1st Year of God, Tuesday, 2nd Week, 3rd Month Of Abraham.
The entire assembly of government officials and military high command filled the palace's grand conference room with the whole atmosphere thick with tension and urgency.
Emperor Maximo sat in his customary seat with a stern expression as he listened to the flood of reports and discussions surrounding the previous night's events.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's bring this meeting to order," he commanded.
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement as the officials turned their anxious gazes toward the Emperor.
"I am not here to assign any blame for what happened," Maximo continued in a measured but firm tone. "This is something none of us predicted nor expected. But we must learn from our failures."
"Your Majesty," an official interjected, "Do we have any idea as to why none of our surveillance had detected any signs of incoming enemy fleets?"
"For now, we suspect the reason is magic as usual," another official replied grimly. "But this time, the threat is even more pronounced. We all know where they came from, which is the lands of the Orc Horde."
One of the officials rose to give his report. "The technicians inspected the enemy ships, and the findings were baffling. According to the report, these vessels were… nothing more than simple wooden ships, yet they withstood a barrage of 13-inch and 16-inch shells. When we examined their mechanics, it was just as perplexing. There's no logical explanation for how they achieved such speeds, impossible for a mere sailing ship, and their helms weren't even connected to anything!" He paused before continuing, "We also tried detecting any signs of mana or magical runes on those ships, but so far, we've found nothing."
"It could be one of those Orc magic," another official suggested. "The elves have mentioned that Orc magic was rather strange in nature, as they were able to manipulate reality on a subconscious level through belief. They claim that painting ships red makes them faster, blue makes them more durable, and yellow enhances their cannons' power. They even walk on water, simply because they believe it's solid ground."
"That might explain why the nations in this Civilization Zone have struggled so much against them," Emperor Maximo sighed. He turned to activate the display behind him, revealing an image of several creatures. "But during last night's battle, we discovered that the Orcs aren't our only concern." He pointed to one of the figures. "This appears to be a creature the natives call a Troll. And here is a Goblin, which they, for some strange reason, used as ammunition for their cannons."
"As for the Orcs," the official continued, "The elves describe them as larger cousins of goblins but tougher and stronger. First-hand reports from those who fought them last night confirm that they're incredibly difficult to kill."
"They stand over two meters tall, with muscles that would make any bodybuilder kill for. They appeared to have a mix of both goblin and troll traits. The cunningness of the goblins and similar regeneration abilities of the trolls. Their skin is as tough as stone, capable of withstanding small arms fire." He quoted the elves, adding, "To kill an Orc, one must sever its head. There have been numerous records of supposedly dead Orcs, with wounds that would have taken lives, rising again after a battle has ended."
"Intelligence estimates that a force of roughly 34,000 Orcs is advancing toward us, accompanied by trolls, goblins, and siege weaponry. This number doesn't even account for their baggage, supply ships, and any other auxiliary or irregular troops they've gathered along the way."
At that moment, the sound of a doorknob turning echoed through the conference room, and a man entered, flanked by two guards, carrying a strange-looking rifle.
"Are you the Director of the Weapons Engineering Department?" one of the politicians inquired.
"Indeed I am," the man replied, placing the rifle on the table. "And I'm here to introduce you to something new."
"The prototype is out?" Maximo asked, his interest piqued.
"Oh yes," the director said with a cheerful nod. "This is the new weapon we've developed." He gestured to the rifle, crafted from local wood and metal stamping. He worked the bolt, pulling it back before handing the rifle to Maximo, who inspected the chamber with keen interest.
"We've named it the Arcane Facilier Model 1, or the AF-1 rifle," the director announced proudly. "This cutting-edge firearm integrates traditional gunpowder with magical energy derived from powdered mana stones. This unique blend significantly enhances the weapon's performance, making it more powerful, accurate, and versatile than conventional guns."
He held up a bullet cartridge with a pointed tip. "These bullets are similar in size to the 8.25mm rounds used by the MK Mark III rifles of the Black Armored Division, but they are crafted from a newly discovered metal known as Mithril. Mithril is renowned for its lightweight nature, magical conductivity, and durability. Thanks to these properties, each bullet can channel and retain the energy from the mana-infused gunpowder, making every shot not only physically lethal but also imbued with magical effects."
"Could you explain more about how the gunpowder mixes with powdered mana stones?" one of the officials asked.
The director chuckled. "The gunpowder used in the AF-1 is a hybrid of traditional black powder and finely-ground substance derived from mana stones. As we know, mana stones can store vast amounts of magical energy. When ground into powder and mixed with gunpowder, they create an explosive compound that's 60% far more powerful than standard rifles. This mixture produces a brilliant mana-infused muzzle flash and propels the mithril bullet with greater velocity and precision," he explained. "Upon firing, the mana-infused gunpowder ignites, releasing both a physical explosion and a burst of arcane energy. This dual force propels the mithril bullet at extraordinary speeds and allows it to penetrate armor that would normally deflect standard rounds. The magical energy also enables the bullet to bypass certain magical barriers or defenses."
"Additionally, the AF-1 features a specialized chamber designed to handle the volatile nature of the mana-powder mix," the director continued. "Reloading requires careful handling, as the combination is highly reactive. The bolt mechanism extracts the spent cartridge from the chamber and, when pushed forward, loads a new round from the 10-round box magazine. Once the bolt is locked in place, squeezing the trigger will activate the electronic circuit inside the bolt and fire the round." He then used a pair of pliers to remove the butt pad from the rifle butt, revealing the internal components to Maximo.
"A pair of 12-volt batteries powers the electronic firing system, good enough energy for over a thousand shots before needing replacement." He set the rifle down with a satisfied nod.
"Very impressive, but why not develop automatic rifles?" Maximo asked.
"The mana-infused gunpowder tends to foul up gas-operated or recoil-operated systems, leading to frequent jams," the director of the Weapons Engineering Department explained with a shrug. "Well, not to mention the constant recoil could easily break the shoulders of an average human. Until we develop a better method, it's not a viable option."
"I see," Maximo said thoughtfully, though several politicians in the room appeared confused.
"Also, this design was actually came up by Sir Vines," the director added, gesturing to the elf standing behind him. "Would you care to explain?"
"Oh, absolutely!" the elf replied, rubbing his hands together in excitement. "This is truly fascinating! Mr. Thompson approached me with some questions about magical runes, and we ended up discussing firearms. I learned the basics of how a bullet is fired through this 'rifle.'" He lifted the rifle and worked the bolt expertly before pointing it safely away from the group and squeezed the trigger. A sharp hiss and a flash of light burst from the muzzle. Satisfied, he placed the weapon down and removed several mana stones from his pockets, each glowing with a different color.
"What are those? Are they special types of mana stones?" one official asked, intrigued.
"Correct," the elf nodded, "These are elemental mana stones. Other than those that contained pure mana, each stone holds a different type of elemental magic from Fire, Ice, Lightning, and so on. The mithril bullets can be enchanted to carry specific magical effects depending on the type of mana stone powder used. For example, a bullet infused with Fire Mana Stone will cause a fiery explosion upon impact. With Ice Mana Stone, the bullet will encase the target in a block of ice. And with Lightning Mana Stone, it will deliver a powerful electric shock, capable of stunning or even electrocuting the target."
"So you're saying we'll essentially have our own human mages?" one politician asked in astonishment, and the rest of the humans in the room mirrored his expression.
The elf grinned. "Precisely. And according to Mr. Thompson, we've already produced a dozen of these rifles, with another dozen coming in the next few days."
"Fantastic," Maximo said with satisfaction. "At this rate, we'll have magical soldiers in no time."