My defensive frame skittered through the dark tunnels, six legs moving in perfect synchronization across the damp stone. The rotating shield panels on my back shifted constantly, ready to defend against attacks from any angle. But tonight wasn't about defense.

I paused at an intersection, analyzing the traces of monster ichor that stained the ground. Fresh. Something big had passed through recently. Perfect.

A chittering echoed through the tunnel ahead. Three Spear Beetles blocked the path, their armored carapaces gleaming dully in the darkness. But they weren't what I was looking for.

I moved past them, my six legs carrying me across a side tunnel to avoid confrontation. The beetles' antennae twitched as I passed, but they made no move to attack. Either they failed to see me, or decided I was too much trouble to attack.

The tunnel opened into a vast cavern, its ceiling lost in darkness. Phosphorescent fungi cast everything in a pale blue glow. Perfect testing grounds.

A low chitter resonated through the chamber. There, in the center of the cavern, crouched my target: a Scorn Spider. Level 23, according to my Analyze ability. Its eight eyes tracked my movement as I descended from the tunnel entrance.

My chassis' legs clicked against stone as I approached. The spider was massive, easily twice my size. Its chitin armor bore scars from previous battles. A worthy test subject.

I raised my custom sword-lance, crafted specifically for use with my defensive frame. The fierce weapon now featured extensive upgrades. A hollow steel tube ran along its spine, with a sealed back and open forward end. Near the sealed end sat a chamber lined with the mana-channeling alchemical compounds. I'd loaded a one-inch lead ball through the barrel's front, positioning it just beyond the enchanted compartment. My smaller test versions had performed perfectly in my numerous trials. With luck, this full-scale model would prove equally effective.

The spider tracked my movements, its mandibles clicking in anticipation. My rotating shield turrets followed its movements, ready to block its massive body if it attacked. But the sword-lance was my true focus.

I channeled mana through my organic parts, then sent it down my right prosthesis and into the sword-lance's barrel. The sealed chamber began to glow with a pale blue light. The spider tensed, sensing the buildup of energy.

My memories of weapon design were fragmented, like everything else from before I awoke in that Hellzone. But something about this felt right. The way the mana flowed through the sealed chamber, contained and directed. The weight of the lead ball waiting in the barrel. It all clicked together in my mind like pieces of machinery falling into place.

The spider reared up, revealing the toxic barbs under its abdomen. I adjusted my stance, planting my six legs firmly against the stone floor. The shield panels on my back rotated, creating overlapping protection against any sudden attacks.

My finger tightened on the trigger mechanism I had built into the sword-lance's grip. One squeeze would release the mana contained in that sealed chamber. If my calculations were correct, the sudden release of energy would...

I squeezed the trigger. The explosion thundered through the tunnels, echoing off stone walls. Brilliant blue light burst from the barrel's end as concentrated mana rushed out of the sealed chamber. The sword-lance kicked upward from the force, nearly jerking out of my mechanical grip.

The lead ball struck the Scorn Spider's armored head with devastating impact. Chitin cracked and shattered, spraying fragments across the cavern floor. Green ichor gushed from the wound, pooling in thick puddles around the creature's legs.

But something wasn't right. I studied the spider's damaged carapace through my Mind Sight's enhanced vision. Though the impact had definitely hurt the creature, the lead ball hadn't penetrated as deeply as my calculations predicted. The spider still stood, legs trembling but intact.

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The problem became clear: the mana explosion's force diminished rapidly over distance. By the time the lead ball reached its target, much of the initial energy had dissipated into the air. Not the devastating weapon I'd hoped to create.

I lowered the smoking barrel, analyzing the results. The concept showed promise, but needed refinement. Perhaps a longer barrel length would help maintain the mana's explosive force. Or perhaps adding spiraling grooves into the inside of the barrel would help steady the ball's momentum.

My mechanical fingers traced the weapon's still-hot surface. A partial success at best. Back to the drawing board.

The Scorn Spider's legs tensed, muscles coiling beneath its cracked armor. My analysis of the weapon's shortcomings would have to wait.

It lunged forward with frightening speed, toxic barbs extended. My shield panels rotated automatically, but I didn't need them. The sword-lance's blade met the spider's charge, driving straight into the weakened section of its carapace. More chitin cracked and split apart as the weapon's tip penetrated deep into the creature's head.

Green ichor sprayed across my chassis as the blade found its mark. The spider's legs spasmed once, then went limp. Its massive body crashed to the cavern floor, sending tremors through the stone. A few final twitches ran through its limbs before it lay still.

Congratulations! You have defeated and have received experience!

I extracted my sword-lance from the corpse, wiping ichor from the barrel with a cloth. The weapon's firing mechanism had performed below expectations, but the blade itself remained as lethal as ever.

Time to reload. I accessed Depository, retrieving one of the pure lead balls I'd crafted. The material's composition allowed it to be stored in my dimensional inventory space, since the ability considered the balls as material. I held the sphere up to my Mind Sight, checking for imperfections in its surface. Perfect roundness would be crucial for accuracy.

Satisfied with the ball's quality, I began the tedious process of reloading. The long metal rod I used as a ramrod slid smoothly down the barrel's length, pushing the lead projectile ahead of it. The ball settled into place just past the enchanted chamber with a satisfying click.

The current loading process was inefficient; far too slow for practical combat use. My mind already churned with potential improvements. Perhaps a spring-loaded mechanism to automatically seat the projectile? Or a rotating cylinder pre-loaded with multiple shots?

I stalked through the tunnels, searching for another worthy target to test my weapon. The familiar clicking of Cave Stalker claws against stone echoed ahead. A pack of five emerged from a side passage, their feline bodies tensed for combat.

The first one leaped at my chassis, but my rotating shields caught its attack. Its claws scraped uselessly against the reinforced panels. Two more charged from the sides while the others circled behind. My six legs shifted, maintaining perfect balance as I spun to face the threats.

My sword-lance flashed out, catching one Stalker across its throat. Dark ichor sprayed as it collapsed. The others pressed their attack, trying to overwhelm my defenses. But my upgraded chassis proved too resilient. Within minutes, all five lay dead around me.

Movement caught my attention and I saw a massive shape lurking in the shadows ahead. Another Scorn Spider, this one level 20. Perfect. Time to test the weapon's effectiveness at close range.

The spider charged straight at me, its armored bulk slamming against my shield array. The impact drove me back several feet, my legs scrabbling for purchase on the stone floor. Its fangs scraped across my chassis's chitin and metal plating, seeking vulnerable spots.

I twisted the sword-lance around, jamming its barrel directly against the spider's armored flank. At this range, the mana's explosive force wouldn't have time to dissipate.

I pulled the trigger.

The blast was deafening in the enclosed space. Blue-white energy erupted from the barrel, contained and focused by the metal tube. The lead ball punched through the spider's carapace like it was paper, the concentrated mana explosion literally blowing apart its side. Chunks of chitin and streams of green ichor sprayed across the tunnel.

The spider's agonized screech echoed off the walls as it lost balance, tipping over onto its back. Its remaining legs thrashed wildly in the air, trying desperately to right itself.

I raised the sword-lance high, then brought it down with crushing force. Again and again I slammed the weapon into the creature's exposed underside until finally it stopped moving, legs curling inward as death took hold.

Congratulations! You have defeated and have received experience! You are now Level 23!

The close-range test had proven far more effective than my earlier attempt. The mana explosion's force, when delivered directly against a target, provided devastating results. I'd need to adjust my combat tactics accordingly.

I reloaded the sword-lance once more, sliding another lead ball down the barrel. The ramrod pushed it into position with a satisfying click. My frame's legs carried me deeper into the tunnels, shield panels rotating to scan for threats.

The night was still young, and so my experiment in the Hellzone would continue.

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