Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 80: [79] Igniting the Future

-Third-Person Perspective-

After stabilizing the economic situation, Arkan could finally shift his focus. Only a few adjustments were needed, and once those were settled, the next agenda was clear—Rainer’s development as the main protagonist of the story.

From swordsman to spearman, Rainer had undergone months of training, steadily adapting to his new weapon. However, adaptation alone wasn’t enough—his progress needed to be tested.

And today, that test came in the form of a sparring match.

His opponent?

Kael.

The seasoned warrior who once fought Rainer during their first encounter. Originally, Kael was meant to be a villain in the grand scheme of things, but Arkan saw more benefit in keeping him as an ally rather than an enemy. Their negotiations had led to a mutual agreement, and while Kael wouldn’t stay indefinitely, his training and teachings would lay the groundwork for Arkan’s army.

That was all that mattered.

The Training Grounds

In the spacious training field, two figures stood facing each other.

Rainer Astoria, now wielding a long spear, locked eyes with Kael, a battle-hardened veteran.

Surrounding them, trainees and soldiers-in-the-making paused their drills, drawn to the tension in the air. The chance to witness a clash between an emerging warrior and a seasoned fighter was too good to pass up.

A light breeze swept across the field, carrying the sound of rustling leaves and shifting sand—a silence heavy with anticipation.

From the sidelines, Arkan sat in a simple wooden chair, observing carefully.

— Rainer has improved significantly. But is it enough? —

Kael drew his longsword, his sharp eyes filled with experience and unwavering focus.

"You’ve improved a lot, kid," he remarked, his deep voice carrying across the field. "But skill alone isn’t enough on the battlefield."

Rainer twirled his spear, adjusting his grip. "I know. That’s why I’m here."

Without warning, Kael moved first.

A deep red Force surged around his body, enhancing his speed to superhuman levels.

Rainer, already accustomed to fighting faster opponents, responded instantly. He channeled a silver-blue Force into his legs and leaped backward, dodging Kael’s first strike—a downward slash that sliced through the air.

BOOM!

A loud crack echoed as Kael’s sword struck the ground, leaving a deep fracture in the hardened dirt.

— As expected. He’s using it like Aura. — Arkan analyzed.

Force—the mystical energy wielded by warriors in this world—enhanced physical capabilities and combat effectiveness.

Mastering Force allowed warriors to:

✔ Sharpen reflexes and drastically boost speed.

✔ Condense energy into their weapons, increasing sharpness and impact.

✔ Strengthen their bodies, reducing damage taken from enemy attacks.

Kael, a high-level Force user, had long mastered these techniques—every move he made carried lethal intent.

Rainer, on the other hand, was still in the mid-level stage, fine-tuning his efficiency and technique.

However, Rainer possessed one major advantage—his spear’s range and versatility.

As Kael readied his next strike, Rainer seized the opportunity.

With fluid precision, he pivoted on his foot and swung his spear in a wide arc, targeting Kael’s exposed side.

Swish!

Kael barely avoided the attack—but not completely.

A thin red line appeared on his shoulder, a shallow wound that wasn’t life-threatening but still significant.

"Good," Kael smirked. "But not good enough."

In an instant, Kael pushed more Force into his legs and dashed forward at blinding speed.

Thud!

Rainer barely had time to react before a hard strike from Kael’s sword hilt crashed into his stomach. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

His body was sent flying backward, rolling across the dirt as a cloud of dust erupted into the air.

Arkan remained unmoved, his eyes never leaving the battlefield.

He could see the vast difference in combat experience between Rainer and Kael—but he could also see Rainer’s potential.

— His movements are much sharper. His strength and speed have improved. But... his defense still has weaknesses. —

Arkan understood this battle was not about winning or losing.

It was about identifying weaknesses—and overcoming them.

From the ground, Rainer slowly pushed himself up, determination burning in his gaze.

This fight was far from over.

###

Faustus’ laboratory, located in the eastern wing of the castle, was unlike the rest of Lawrence’s developing infrastructure and military efforts. Within this domed stone building, a silent revolution was unfolding.

As Arkan pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the laboratory, he was immediately greeted by the pungent scent of sulfur and various chemicals. The air inside was noticeably hotter than outside, with thin wisps of smoke swirling under the flickering glow of oil lanterns.

At the heart of the room, Faustus Rugenstein, once a disregarded alchemist of the imperial academy, was hunched over a long wooden table, meticulously recording the results of his latest experiments. The surface of the table was cluttered with glass bottles, test tubes, and makeshift distillation equipment.

Arkan leaned against the wall, crossing his arms before breaking the silence.

"What are the results of the latest experiment?" His voice was calm but filled with expectation.

Faustus let out a long sigh, reaching for a small glass vial containing a dense black powder. He handed it to Arkan with a thoughtful expression.

"The quality is becoming more stable," Faustus admitted. "But... I’m still struggling to maintain consistent reactions on a larger scale. Small batches work fine, but mass production is an entirely different matter."

Arkan studied the powder intently—gunpowder, the very substance that would redefine warfare in this world.

"Where’s the problem?" he asked, though he had already anticipated the possible issues.

Faustus pointed toward several large containers used in the production process.

"Three main problems," he began.

Stability of the mixture – Sulfur and charcoal blend easily, but nitrate is harder to dissolve in large quantities. Resources – I need more manpower to process these materials efficiently. Safety – This experiment is volatile. One mistake, and the entire lab could explode.

Arkan nodded. "I expected as much."

His gaze swept across Faustus’ workspace, filled with chemical composition notes and measurement logs.

"Faustus," Arkan said, tapping one of the diagrams. "In this world, alchemy has always been associated with philosophy and mysticism. But I want us to focus solely on pure science. We won’t treat this as magic—we’ll treat it as chemistry."

Faustus remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding. "You’re trying to reshape how people think about alchemy?"

"Not just reshape," Arkan said with a small smile. "I want to replace it entirely—with modern chemistry."

For the next few hours, the two engaged in intense discussions.

They spoke about exothermic reactions, how the proportion of materials affected the final product, and the importance of precise mass production methods.

At first, Faustus was skeptical about Arkan’s approach. Traditional alchemy relied heavily on trial and error—a process that, while effective at times, lacked the systematic accuracy of modern science. But as Arkan continued explaining, Faustus began to see the logic in his methods.

Still, even with these promising new concepts, implementing them was another challenge entirely.

"I need better equipment," Faustus concluded, sketching ideas into his notebook. "If we want to produce this material on a large scale with consistent quality, we’ll need far more precise measuring instruments."

Arkan smirked. "That means we’ll have to invent them ourselves."

Faustus let out a short chuckle. "Of course. If it were easy, we wouldn’t be remembered as pioneers, would we?"

Their discussion continued deep into the night, resembling a professor guiding his student through a complex laboratory experiment.

In the dimly lit laboratory, the flickering lanterns cast long shadows across the stone walls, swaying gently as the night breeze slipped through a small window. Faustus sat on a wooden stool, the dark circles under his eyes growing more pronounced from endless nights without sleep. His fingers, gripping a nearly worn-out quill, meticulously recorded every observation from his experiments.

Across from him, Arkan leaned against the table, carefully examining the diagrams Faustus had drawn on a large sheet of parchment.

Suddenly, Arkan broke the silence.

"Oh, by the way, I need to give you a new task."

Faustus raised an eyebrow, his exhausted yet sharp gaze locking onto Arkan. "A new task?"

Arkan nodded. He walked to the corner of the room, opened a small wooden chest, and retrieved a stack of prepared documents.

"I want you to start researching something broader," he said, placing the papers in front of Faustus.

Curiosity flickered in Faustus’ eyes. "What is this?"

Arkan tapped the documents with his fingers. "Nitrocellulose."

Faustus frowned slightly, the unfamiliar term rolling awkwardly off his tongue. "Nitrocellulose? I’ve never heard of such a substance before."

"Of course not," Arkan replied with a faint smile. "But if we can produce it in large quantities, it will revolutionize not just weaponry, but multiple industries."

He continued his explanation.

"Nitrocellulose is a compound made by treating cellulose—found in cotton or wood fibers—with a mixture of nitric acid and sulfuric acid. The result is a highly flammable material that can be used to create smokeless gunpowder, lacquers, paints, photographic films, and even early forms of plastic."

Faustus remained silent, absorbing this new knowledge.

"So... this material is even more powerful than traditional gunpowder?" he finally asked.

Arkan nodded. "Exactly. It doesn’t produce as much smoke as black powder, making it far superior in firearms. It’s also more stable for storage. In short, it’s a safer and more efficient explosive compared to what we have now."

Faustus let out a long sigh, contemplating the complexity of this new task. "And you want me to create this?"

"Not just create it," Arkan clarified. "I need you to understand its process inside and out."

Faustus rubbed his temple, his mind already working through the challenge ahead. "Then I’ll need better equipment and raw materials."

"What do you need?"

"Large amounts of nitric and sulfuric acid, pure cotton or wood fibers, and a better cooling system to keep the reaction under control."

Arkan pondered for a moment. "For the acids, we can distill them ourselves using natural ingredients. But yes, we’ll need a safer setup to prevent... well, blowing up the entire lab."

Faustus chuckled tiredly. "Yes, we’d rather not turn this place into a crater, wouldn’t we?"

Arkan pulled up a chair and sat across from him, his expression turning more serious.

"Listen, I know this is a difficult task," he admitted. "But this could be the foundation for countless innovations. We’re not just talking about weapons—we’re talking about chemistry, manufacturing, and future technologies that this world hasn’t even imagined yet."

Faustus leaned back, gazing up at the ceiling. "This... could be something huge."

"It will be," Arkan affirmed with unwavering confidence.

After a few moments of thought, Faustus finally nodded. "Alright, I’ll give it a shot."

A satisfied smile spread across Arkan’s face. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small leather-bound book, setting it on the table.

"Read this first," he instructed.

Faustus picked up the book, flipping through the first few pages with curiosity.

"What is this?"

"Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry and Acid-Base Reactions," Arkan replied. "It will help you understand the principles behind nitrocellulose synthesis."

Faustus stared at the book as if holding a priceless artifact.

"I don’t know where you get all this knowledge," he said, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "But I’m beginning to think that working under you was the best decision I ever made."

Arkan chuckled and stood up. "Good. You have a lot of work ahead of you, Professor Faustus."

Faustus exhaled deeply before smirking. "Then let’s get started."

The night grew darker, but inside that laboratory, a new era of technological advancement was quietly beginning.