Pondering the implication in Mark's tone, Kira Oakmoor's face flushed deep red.
Once, he had believed that too.
When he first obtained a SlashBlade, the Oodachi had filled him with immense pride, even sparking the desire to kill Galen Yu.
He no longer feared the night and could face swarms of zombies head-on; he believed himself to be no less than the legendary Sword Saint Miyamoto, though his circumstances were worlds apart.
Combined with the incident involving the lava, he had ventured to Galen Yu's chunk seeking vengeance. Who could have predicted what he would find there?
Even now, Kira Oakmoor's arms trembled at the memory of what he saw that night.
Fear! Total collapse!
Words could hardly describe it; the shock had pierced straight to his soul!
Worshipping him wasn't even enough—how could 'growing stronger' compare to Galen Yu?
"This..."
Stuttering, he found it truly difficult to speak.
"What's wrong? If you have something to say, just say it."
"Soren Park observes things closely; let him speak instead."
Passing the topic to Soren Park, Kira Oakmoor really didn't want to dwell on those memories.
Looking at Soren Park, Mark laughed loudly.
"Oh, Soren!"
"Speaking of which, I forgot to mention—your shotgun seems to be running low on ammo, doesn't it? After Ronan Mountwell's research..."
"We successfully crafted a workbench! We can use gunpowder to make the corresponding bullets!"
He didn't state it explicitly, but everyone understood the implication.
Firearms couldn't have infinite ammunition; relying on the meager drop rates from zombies wouldn't sustain them for long.
In his current position, Soren Park's value no longer relied solely on his weapon, but more on his individual utility.
Soren Park was very happy to hear this; the shotgun was indeed one of his few effective means of attack.
Ammo had been a major concern for him. Although the Gun Mod was unlocked, bullets only dropped occasionally from loot chests.
The drop rate was still very low, and the quantity was insufficient to deal with the zombies that seemed to never stop coming.
Being able to craft his own bullets was fantastic news.
However, the smile on his face vanished completely the moment he laid eyes on the workbench.
"This... is the Firearm Worktable? The thing used to craft bullets and guns?"
Soren Park asked, pointing at the object before him.
Not noticing the slight tremor in his voice, Mark nodded proudly.
"Exactly! As long as we have the crafting recipes, we can manufacture firearms!"
"When we make new weapons in the future, there will definitely be one for you, Soren!"
While showing off, Mark didn't forget to dangle a carrot in front of Soren Park to boost morale and unity.
After he finished, the atmosphere turned silent.
The expected excitement and gratitude did not appear. Mark turned his head in confusion.
It was strange; both Kira Oakmoor and Soren Park were wearing expressions of astonishment, shock, and disbelief—a cocktail of complex emotions.
Seeing this, Ronan Mountwell spoke up, puzzled.
"Oakmoor-kun, what's wrong? We get a share of the firearms; shouldn't you be happy?"
Because he was busy researching the SlashBlade and his combat skills weren't as high as Kira Oakmoor's, Ronan Mountwell didn't like going out on adventures much.
He hadn't seen Galen Yu's chunk, so he couldn't understand their reaction.
After a long silence, Soren Park finally broke it.
Trembling, he pointed at the workbench. His voice was soft, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Galen Yu has one too. And he made it much earlier—way, way earlier!"
"What?!"
Like a sudden clap of thunder, everyone was stunned.
They had expected this might have something to do with Galen Yu, but he had already made it?
And from the look on Soren Park's face, it was much earlier than they had?
"Oakmoor, is what Soren is saying true?"
He wanted a different answer from Kira Oakmoor, but after a brief moment of thought...
Kira Oakmoor also recalled what he had seen: an identical workbench on that Sky Island.
At the time, he had wondered why something he didn't recognize had appeared there.
It looked like a crafting table, but wasn't quite right.
So that was why!
It looked unassuming, yet it was the cornerstone of the Gun Mod!
"No wonder even the villagers have fully-loaded AKs. I get it now."
Only by crafting it in advance could one research its functions and find the recipes to equip the Guard Villagers with weapons.
Everything suddenly clicked. Kira Oakmoor looked utterly miserable.
The logic made sense, but was this the reality he wanted to face?
Mark's cheerful smile froze on his face.
"Galen Yu... even his villagers have them?"
Mark had been lucky, encountering a Wandering Trader and accidentally discovering the evolution mechanism.
That was how he got his Spartan Warriors, allowing his chunk to develop further.
As it turned out, the development he was so proud of was something Galen Yu had possessed long ago!
From the sounds of it, even the villagers were equipped with guns?
Then what did that make his Spartan Warriors?
One side had guns, while the other used cold weapons; they were hooting and hollering, engaged in the most barbaric of struggles.
Compared to Galen Yu's forces, weren't his warriors just a bunch of savage, ancient, backward primitives?
"You're joking, right?"
Ronan Mountwell pointed at the Firearm Worktable, his voice agitated.
"The Hunter skills only give vague clues; we had to find that Great Mage. We worked so hard to make this Firearm Worktable."
"And you're saying we're this far behind?"
Ronan Mountwell was the one who had built it; he knew better than anyone the hardships involved, and he couldn't accept it.
But facts were facts. After a deep, sorrowful sigh...
Kira Oakmoor gripped his Oodachi and, holding his breath, unleashed a strike toward the distance.
Dimensional Slash!
A powerful attack manifested. The sword qi formed a black-hole-like void in the distance.
The visual impact was immense, leaving Mark and the others stunned once again.
The visual impact was immense, leaving Mark and the others stunned once again.
"W-what is this?!"
Looking at the Dimensional Slash and then at Kira Oakmoor, Ronan Mountwell was the first to speak.
"Is it an inheritance? Oakmoor-kun, have you mastered another SlashBlade skill!"
Carrying the Tachi Craftsman inheritance, he indeed found it easier to comprehend certain things than others.
Thinking Kira Oakmoor had triggered the power of inheritance again, Ronan Mountwell's mood calmed slightly.
In that case, Galen Yu making the Firearm Worktable earlier didn't seem so bad. After all, this was a Dimensional Slash!
In the block world, firearms were just a mod, not the ultimate power.
If it was a mod, there were tiers of strength. Judging by the Dimensional Slash...
This mysterious magical element wasn't necessarily weaker than firearms; there was a high probability it was much stronger!
Magical elements could eventually destroy heaven and earth, move stars, and pierce through the nine heavens and ten earths.
Compared to that, a few guns were nothing.
"Congratulations, Oakmoor-kun!"
Recognizing this, Mark offered his congratulations from the side.
The SlashBlade was more useful than ordinary swords and had a completely new attack pattern; those alone made it worth special attention.
Now that he had mastered a new move, Mark had to respect Kira Oakmoor even more to maintain their unity.
Waving his hand, Kira Oakmoor gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.
"No, this didn't come from the inheritance."
"Did you comprehend it yourself? That's even better!"
Heaven-defying comprehension made him even more valuable as an ally!
Inheritance might depend on luck—Mark felt he could achieve the same if he found one—but comprehension was a personal talent.
Possessing such ability meant success was almost guaranteed; waiting for good fortune was just a matter of time.
Mark was just about to offer more praise when Kira Oakmoor sighed deeply.
"I didn't comprehend it myself either. It's quite shameful, actually."
"It was... Galen Yu!"
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