I Hate Cultivators: Becoming a Mage in the Cultivation World

Under the flickering light of candles, inside the cramped store, lined with weapons hanging from the walls, Constantine reached into his robe and, with a swish, spread a second blueprint over the table. The smith leaned over it, scratching his unkempt beard until he stopped. His eyes narrowed in focus.

“Here,” he said, taking a large pouch from his bag and placing it on the desk beside the blueprint. “I want you to add this powder into all alloys used for the weapon.” The smith didn’t even glance off the blueprint, seemingly fully focused on it.

Constantine shifted his feet, glancing nervously at the door. His fingers drummed against the table’s edge, his thoughts racing. The weight of uncertain legality pressed on him, making him wonder if he might be arrested simply for commissioning a magical weapon. For someone who had been a poor orphan until recently, he knew too little of the cultivation world, even with access to his former teacher's library. 'Are magic weapons legal to buy, manufacture, and own without some permission?'

“What is this part over here?” The smith’s rough voice shattered the silence, making Constantine jump slightly. His heart skipped a beat. A spark of curiosity flickered in the smith’s eyes. 'Was that excitement in his voice?'

Constantine exhaled, relieved that the smith wasn’t pointing at the runes on the spear's head. “That’s a connection screw,” he said, pointing. “It allows the shaft to be disassembled and split in half, and for the spearhead to be replaced on the spot. It’s called a screw.”

He demonstrated with his hands, twisting them as if unscrewing something. “See these railings? They fit perfectly, and when rotated, they create a firm connection resistant to pulling.” He mimicked the rotation. “It can only be separated by turning it the opposite way. The design has male and female parts.”

The smith’s eyes widened with understanding. He clasped his hands together and bellowed, causing Constantine to lean further away. “I might as well make small changes to ensure the spear doesn't come apart in a fight. This is ingenious! Where did you find this? "

Constantine wiped his brow, forcing a casual tone. “From a traveling merchant in Sunray City. He sold various metalworks, and one of them had this.” Inwardly, Constantine marveled at how quickly the smith grasped the concept from the sketch and his vague description.

The smith nodded, talking rapidly, his hands moving as if shaping invisible objects. “To work as described, those railings need to be incredibly precise. Wooden prototypes, then clay molds, and a hand finish with manual sanding will be necessary.”

Constantine’s nods grew tighter. He could already see the cost spiraling beyond what he was willing to spend. His mind raced, calculating potential expenses. He was willing to splurge, but he couldn't spend all his coin on a single weapon. He needed to finance his clothing, food, research, and housing.

“How much?” he interrupted, voice steady despite his inner turmoil.

The smith rubbed his chin, leaning over the table toward him. Constantine’s hand, hidden underneath the table, drifted toward his dagger, but the smith only grinned and extended his hand. “Are you joking? I should be paying you! I’ve never seen anything like this!”

Taken aback, Constantine blinked. He could already feel a smile creep onto his face.

“You!” The smith’s voice boomed, filled with genuine excitement. “You’ve taught me something new. For that, I’m grateful—” His excitement faded into an awkward smile. “But I’m short on coin. Things went south, and I can’t afford to go into debt for materials.”

A cold disappointment washed over Constantine as his hopes plummeted. His fingers dug into the edge of the table, 'Is he enjoying giving me false hope of saving money? How can a skilled smith be broke? Hell, even that village drunkard has a small fortune.'

The smith continued, shame creeping into his voice. “Let’s make a deal. You pay for the materials, and I’ll do the work for free. That bracelet is also included in this deal. It’s the best I can offer right now.” Reaching his hand even further, he left it there, waiting for a handshake.

Constantine’s eyebrows shot up. He reached out his hand without any hesitation. “Deal.” They shook hands firmly. He mused that the smith would likely profit from the screw design, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t currently in a position to profit from it right now. An idea formed in his mind—there was vast potential for profit in steel and glass. He could finance his arcane research through trade.

‘Glass is expensive in this era. Hard to produce and the production secrets are kept well… secret. Hmm, forming a trading company—’ He shook his head slightly, thinking of the powerful guilds. 'Not now. I’d make too many enemies. The glassmakers and steelmakers wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate competition, either through absorption, stealing, or even murder.'

He sighed, remembering how the corporations of his old world grew stronger and stronger. There was no competition; everything was absorbed and controlled by a few powerful companies that were almost like governments—governments operating without any borders to cull their influence.

Money created enemies, and now, he didn’t want any more. Nor did he have the capital for such massive investments.

“Anyway, this screw will solve one of the greatest problems spears have. They are too conspicuous to carry around. But if you could disassemble it and assemble it on the spot—” The smith’s words trailed off as he leaned closer to the blueprint.

Meanwhile, Constantine nodded. It was exactly what he was going for. When he thought of which type of weapon to choose, his thoughts initially wandered toward a sword. But the longer he thought of it, the more assured he was that a spear was a superior weapon.

Hearing the smith's words, he went over their benefits once more 'Longer reach, requires less training to master, is cheap to manufacture, easier to maintain, has greater piercing power, and is harder to block.' In the medieval era of his old world, swords mostly filled the role of sidearms, while polearms were the kings of the battlefield. If he wanted to become a skilled swordsman, that would require long and tedious training, but with a spear, he could quickly become at least adequate.

The smith’s voice resounded again, “A question. Why is the wooden part of the weapon shaft hollow with a metal rod to be inserted? The extra weight might add some extra punch, but it will be very heavy. Also a bit of a waste of good metal.”

‘It is to carry liquid mana through a mana-conductive alloy into the runic head. Together with the screwable head, it should allow me to change them depending on what runes I need.’ Constantine thought, but bit his tongue, unwilling to betray that much. Instead, he refuted the smith, “It’s a personal preference. The added weight gives it a unique balance.”

The smith shrugged his shoulders, mumbling something indiscernible. Then he nodded, “I will at least make the core nonuniform to keep the head heavier, and by that increase the piercing power.”

Growing impatient, Constantine shifted his footing, eager to visit the market before sundown. He questioned, “When will you have my order ready?”

The smith looked at him, scratching his unkempt beard, seemingly deep in thought. “I have other orders. No matter how boring they might be, it wouldn’t do for me to tarnish my professionalism by intentionally delaying them. Your order contains unique parts that need their own molds. Two weeks, a month at most. I recommend coming in a week; might need your additional input if some problems arise.”

‘A month?’ Constantine furrowed his eyebrows in surprise. He thought initially it would be a couple of weeks at most. But he knew nothing of forging in this world and the methods they used. ‘It might be even too quick considering all of my unusual requirements.’

“So be it.” He nodded curtly, turned on his heel, and strode toward the exit. The old floorboards groaned under his weight. Just as he reached the door, he paused. “Good day.”

The smith remained silent, focused on his work, as Constantine stepped out into the bustling square. The air was thick with the scent of roasting meats and fresh bread, mingling with the hum of voices. Constantine glanced up at the clear blue sky and allowed himself a small, satisfied grin. He couldn’t help but have a good impression of the smith: ‘This man loves his profession. There is passion in it besides just desire to make living.’

His hands trembled ever so slightly, and his lips twitched with anticipation. He couldn't wait to test the weapon, to see all the bits of his knowledge interacting together.

As he weaved through the crowded market, his eyes flitted over the various stalls brimming with goods. Eventually, his gaze was drawn to a small stand on the far side of the square. A collection of hides hung from wooden racks that swayed gently in the breeze. Behind the table stood a burly merchant, his broad shoulders and thick arms covered in a colorful cloak.

‘There might be some monster hides with runes on them,’ Constantine mused as he approached, letting his fingers brush over a particularly smooth piece of deer hide. He feigned interest, sifting through the piles of leather with a practiced eye. The merchant leaned in, his grin widening as he sensed a potential sale.

“Welcome, welcome! My hides are all top quality—perfect for cloaks, hats, or even a bit of home décor to ward off the winter chill. Are you looking for something specific?” His voice was warm, almost too eager.

Constantine nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, my mistress is interested in hides with unusual patterns. Anything... unique?”

The merchant’s eyes gleamed as he began sifting through his stock, pulling out several pieces with exaggerated care. Finally, he laid a few select hides before Constantine, who leaned in, pretending to scrutinize them closely.

‘This one’s from the same fiery cat I acquired,’ Constantine nodded toward the bright orange fur, his gaze shifting to a brownish hide with a rough texture beside it. A single large, grayish rune marked its surface. ‘I’ve never seen this rune before. Implant, record it, and scan the pattern.’

“What beast did this come from?” Constantine asked, gesturing toward the marked hide.

“A petrifying pig,” the merchant declared, his chest puffed out with pride. “You must know the rarity of such a well-preserved specimen. This beast can turn its hide as hard as a stone, tearing through a man’s flesh like parchment while resisting swords and arrows as if they were mere twigs.”

‘Interesting. A hardening rune, perhaps?’ Constantine’s mind raced. ‘So there are runes that can alter physical properties, not just summon elements. Fascinating. How would it interact with fire? Can it harden fire? Make it more solid?’ There were dozens of questions and theories popping into his mind.

His eyes wandered to a fluffy, reddish tail hanging from a nearby rack, adorned with intricate white patterns. ‘Looks like a fox’s tail.’

“And this one?” he inquired, his tone casual.

The merchant's grin widened further. “Ah, you’ve got a keen eye, sir. That’s the tail of a Firefox. Imagine it—a beast that can unleash torrents of flame from its tail, scorching anything in its path. Without the right protection, any hunter is as good as ash without the protection of a heavy shield or distance.”

Constantine leaned closer, inspecting the tail with apparent curiosity. ‘Implant, record it, and scan the pattern,’ he commanded internally, ensuring he captured every detail. He then remarked, keeping a chuckle within him, “Do you also have a Waterfox, or maybe a Chrome? My mistress is quite picky.”

The merchant let out a hearty laugh, though his eyes flickered with confusion at the unfamiliar names. “Ah, I’m afraid not, sir. But I assure you, a Firefox tail makes a splendid hat—or a fine scarf for your mistress.”

Constantine shook his head with a feigned sigh of disappointment. “Your wares are impressive, but my mistress’s set on a Waterfox. Maybe next time. You know how women are—one day it’s this, the next it’s that.”

The merchant chuckled knowingly. “Indeed, sir. Well, I wish you a good day, and perhaps we’ll meet again.”

Constantine offered a polite nod before turning away, his excitement barely contained. The Firefox tail would be a valuable addition to his runic collection. He could already imagine the possibilities—controlling fire at a distance, like wielding a flamethrower. He could already summon elements, but he had no way to control them.

‘Runes to perhaps shape flames? Maybe even accelerate them? Direct them?’ He wasn’t sure what exactly the new runes meant, making him eager to try them.

Then he paused, turning toward the trader with a grin playing on his face, “If I bring you two shadenwolf furs, slightly damaged, would you be willing to buy them off me?” He questioned the merchant. He needed to at least partially replenish his coin.

"Shadenwolves, you say? Hmm, depending on the damage, I might be able to buy them off.” The merchant responded swiftly. Constantine noticed the speed of the response: ‘He is eager. There's probably a good price for them.’ Nodding, he turned away, marching off.

His pace quickened as he left the market, his heart pounding with anticipation. He needed to test the new runes. He needed to see what they could do.