CHAPTER 251 - Terrifying Power

The plasma cannon installed on Gaboga's arms served as its main weapon, akin to its primary cannon, so its construction naturally couldn't be sloppy.

Under Heimerdinger's leadership, they first created a small-scale plasma cannon for experimentation. Once Gaboga was nearly complete, they would directly assemble the large-scale cannon onto Gaboga.

As they made their way to the underground blast-proof test chamber, Heimerdinger muttered professional terms like "sequential entropy," "cyclic sequences," and "Vamurinne ring."

It wasn't until they descended to the lowest level via the elevator that they saw a massive energy cannon, three meters in diameter, positioned on the central construction platform. It was being fine-tuned by several humans and Yordle professors.

Inside the blast-proof chamber, a huge power supply mechanism over ten meters tall was installed with hundreds of energy crystals. These crystals were connected to the plasma cannon via thick cables, providing it with energy.

Li Lin opened the Data Mind to check its attributes.

[Plasma Cannon (Prototype Artifact): The most advanced plasma weapon, this cannon is the upgraded version of previous plasma cannons. Its plasma projectiles are even more lethal.]

[Attributes: 5000 health points, 60000 energy, 98 combat power.]

[Ability Effects]

[Advanced Constraint Field: Restrains high-energy plasma, reducing energy dissipation when plasma projectiles fly toward their target.]

[Armor Incinerator: Plasma projectiles are particularly effective against various types of armor but can be blocked by energy shields.]

[Instability: The plasma cannon is still in an unstable phase. Storing energy for more than 5 seconds has a 2%—10% chance of causing unpredictable consequences (extremely dangerous).]

[Charged Cannon: After storing energy for 3—10 seconds, delivers a devastating blow to the target.]

Even as a prototype, it had reached the level of an artifact, possessing combat power comparable to that of a typical deity. And this was before it underwent upgrades from Li Lin's "Mechanical Enhancement" skill.

If it were completely finished, just this cannon alone would be at least of epic-level equipment standards.

"Is the calibration work complete?" Heimerdinger asked an elderly man wearing a single-piece Hextech detection lens, research uniform, with graying hair, looking nearly fifty years old.

"It's almost done. We can start the experiment," the old professor replied.

"Very well. Is the experimental material ready?"

The old professor asked an assistant beside him, who nodded to Heimerdinger. "The marble with the added Hextech compression coating is ready."

"Hmm... Where are Jayce and Viktor? Call them over. We're ready to begin the experiment."

Heimerdinger, Rumble, and Ziggs received goggles and protective gear from the old professor's assistant and quickly put them on with the help of other Yordle assistants.

Li Lin declined these items and instead chose to close the visor of his armor, allowing the AI to measure the energy index of the cannon.

The old professor quickly briefed Li Lin and Heimerdinger on the various attributes of the cannon.

According to their research and testing, storing energy for 3 to 4 seconds was the most reasonable and safe range, which coincided with the display on Li Lin's system panel.

After waiting for more than ten minutes, Jayce and Viktor arrived.

In addition to supervising, they were also responsible for leading the team to build the most important parts of Gaboga's arms. Therefore, they also needed to participate in the development and manufacturing of the plasma cannon.

After exchanging greetings, they didn't waste time with unnecessary words. They immediately put on goggles and protective measures and joined the others in the blast-proof chamber not far away, which had large blast-proof glass.

With a gesture from Heimerdinger standing on the platform, a Yordle assistant pressed the remote control button on the console, causing a compressed Hextech metal-coated marble, five to six meters tall, to slowly rise from the ground.

Once the platform came to a complete stop, Heimerdinger personally pressed the start button on the central plasma cannon's power supply device.

"The power supply device is activated, running smoothly."

"The energy crystal's energy is continuously increasing... Currently at 57%."

"The plasma cannon platform is activated, receiving power."

"Energy supply is normal, and there are no anomalies with the plasma cannon."

"Auxiliary functions are being calibrated... Calibration complete."

"The plasma cannon's safety charge limit is set to 3 seconds."

"The power supply device is ready, and the plasma cannon platform's energy has reached normal charge levels."

"Professor, shall we begin charging?"

Heimerdinger paused briefly, then solemnly gave the order: "Proceed."

"The plasma cannon is aimed, target: Hextech-coated marble."

"Charging countdown: 3, 2, 1..."

In a mere 3 seconds, the plasma cannon's barrel shimmered with a deep blue light, nearly overshadowing the underground space's illumination.

[Warning! Detected potential annihilation energy charging. Should countermeasures be initiated?]

The AI didn't record data on the plasma cannon, so it didn't react to its charging.

"Just measure and analyze energy data; no need for countermeasures," Li Lin swiftly commanded the AI.

As the research personnel counted down, everyone in the containment room held their breath, their eyes fixed on the distant plasma cannon platform through the glass.

"Fire!"

As the cannon reached its safe energy limit, an even more blinding light burst forth, followed by a deafening roar. 

Simultaneously, a searing beam of energy shot from the cannon's barrel, instantly annihilating the hex-clad marble hundreds of meters away, leaving nothing behind.

But it didn't end there. Even with just 3 seconds of charging, the plasma projectile's energy overwhelmed the hex-shielded structures in its path, obliterating them.

Within a heartbeat of its launch, before Li Lin could react, the plasma projectile struck the steel-reinforced blast wall over 200 meters away, leaving a massive blackened crater.

The resulting shockwave covered an area of over a hundred meters, devastating all experimental machinery in its path, even shaking the entire construction yard, with tremors felt in the ground.

The people in the containment room gasped, then erupted into jubilant cheers. Unlike the other researchers, Li Lin, Jayce, Viktor, and Heimerdinger, who had been sweating profusely, breathed a sigh of relief.

Even Ziggs was deeply shocked. This plasma cannon's power far exceeded his recent research in Bandle City, where he'd developed a compression bomb named "scientific hellfire," but it paled in comparison.

The terrifying power of the plasma cannon far exceeded their imagination, even at its lowest power.

If fully charged for 10 seconds, its energy release would increase exponentially.

According to the AI's estimates, let alone demolishing Piltover University, it could easily decimate half of the northern city districts in one shot.

Seeing this scene, even Rumble's legs were trembling by now.

He turned to Heimerdinger, whose expression was also grave, and trembled, "Heimerdinger, it seems you guys are much crazier than I thought."

"This... was just a small accident," Heimerdinger sighed heavily.

Jayce, on the other hand, suggested, "I think we need to classify the plasma cannon as an extremely dangerous controlled device and have it guarded 24/7."

"I agree," Viktor hurriedly added, "Moreover, until it's fully completed, we should lock it to a 3-second charge limit, accessible only with a key."

With that said, Jayce and Viktor turned to Li Lin.

Because he hadn't removed his mask and hadn't said a word until now, they didn't know what Li Lin was thinking.

Little did they know, Li Lin was having the AI analyze the current state of the plasma cannon's data, considering how to further increase its power.

This level of energy cannon, fully installed on Gaboga, with a caliber of at least a dozen meters, could potentially destroy half of the twin cities in a single shot.

But compared to ascended warriors or even demigods representing natural elements and laws, it was far from enough, let alone facing the Void in the future.

The plasma cannon wasn't sufficient; electromagnetic coil cannons were only useful against small fry, and even against demigods, they were just scratching the surface. They needed to find a way to continue upgrading...

Li Lin quickly calmed his scattered thoughts and removed his mask, looking at Heimerdinger. He then said something that shocked everyone in the room:

"Professor, I believe we need to further upgrade Gaboga's weapon system."

(End of this chapter)