["Today, during the highly anticipated Old Capital Metro Reconstruction Project, an unfortunate incident occurred resulting in injury. At a construction site contracted by Belobog Heavy Industries, a temporary worker got into an argument with an idle outsider. The conflict escalated into a fight, leaving one person slightly injured and unconscious. After the incident, the New Eridu Public Security arrived swiftly, but the temporary worker responsible had already left the scene. Belobog Heavy Industries expressed strong condemnation of the incident, immediately dismissed the worker involved, and has provided necessary humanitarian aid to the injured party."]
["Following the incident, Belobog Heavy Industries reacted quickly, taking strict disciplinary measures against the temporary worker by dismissing him as a warning. The company stated it deeply regrets the occurrence of such an event and sincerely apologizes to the victim. At the same time, the company emphasized that it will further strengthen site management to ensure such incidents never happen again."]
["We would like to remind everyone that safety at construction sites is of utmost importance. All personnel should follow site regulations, remain calm and rational, and avoid conflicts. We also call upon society to pay attention to the environments surrounding construction areas, working together to create a safe and harmonious atmosphere."]
On the television in the lobby, Ridu's News was being broadcast. As the dismissed temporary worker, Ignis was sitting at the dining table sketching blueprints.
Previously, he had been shot full of steel pellets from a homemade shotgun in Grey Street, and he felt that he needed to strengthen his ranged firepower. In places where his flamethrower couldn't be used effectively, he wanted to be able to exchange fire with enemies.
He had considered crafting a boltgun entirely by hand. The Godwyn-Pattern boltgun wasn't impossible to make—but the real issue was the ammunition. Bolts consumed quickly, and their design was highly technical: diamond tips, dual-propellant charges, and custom shell casings capable of holding propellant—all of which had to be made by hand.
The workload for that was far too great. It couldn't possibly keep up with the ammunition demands of a boltgun. Not to mention, if it were a Storm Bolter like the ones used by Aggressors, one battle would probably burn through half a month's worth of hand-made rounds.
So, the best approach was to modify this world's existing weapons to make them compatible with his power armor systems.
Considering the massive gauntlets of his power fists, the weapon's grip size had to be larger than traditional bolt weapons. Among all the weapons he had seen so far, only the 30mm autocannon mounted on the armored vehicle from Vision Corporation might match that scale.
"You!" Nicole crossed her arms and walked over. "You've only been here one day and already caused trouble. I know it wasn't your fault, of course—Belobog Heavy Industries even expressed their gratitude and gave extra payment."
"What's this?" Nicole looked curiously at the blueprint, recognizing the trigger and barrel assembly. "Don't tell me you're planning to build a gun yourself?"
"Nicole, this should be called a cannon." Anby leaned in, pointing to the part labeled 30mm near the front of the tubular structure.
"Huh?" Nicole froze. The barrage of questions left Ignis a bit dizzy, but seeing her tense expression, he decided to tease her. "Who knows, maybe it'll actually work."
"A cannon? You mean you're seriously going to make a direct-fire cannon? What are you even going to use that for? You're not actually planning to blow up an armored vehicle, are you?"
"You're not thinking of doing something insane, are you?" Nicole grabbed Ignis by the collar. "You can't just go rogue! If something's bothering you, talk to me. I'll help you figure it out. Don't do anything extreme!"
"We've only got two men here counting Billy. That's not even enough to trigger the 'three bored men equals one dumb idea' rule." Ignis caught Nicole's wrist. "So, relax. I just need to prepare a ranged weapon for situations where the flamethrower isn't practical."
"But isn't this a bit too big?" Nicole eyed him skeptically. "A 30mm caliber? You plan to make that yourself?"
"There are other options." Ignis pulled out his phone and tapped open the account of Markus 'Lightning' Red. "There's a black market shop called 'We Have It All.' I think I'll ask him."
"You know Markus?" Nicole looked surprised. "He's got everything, sure—but he charges a fortune. We've taken his jobs before—hard ones, but he pays generously."
Ignis snapped a photo of his blueprint and sent it to the black market dealer known for being able to get anything.
["In the recently publicized Saint Love Behavior Correction School case involving alleged assault by instructors, the school's parent company, the Voyage Education Group, has completed its initial investigation. According to their latest statement, the so-called assault claims were unsupported by any evidence. The female student suffered no harm of any kind. The school expressed outrage and warned that individuals and media spreading such false claims are committing defamation."]
The TV blared another round of news—apparently, the annoying ads had ended.
["In its statement, the school declared that Saint Love Behavior Correction School has always treated every student with a scientific, rational, and humane approach. Regarding online rumors, the school has already hired a legal team to take the strictest measures against defamers, including lawsuits, financial compensation, and public apologies. The school stated it would spare no effort to defend its reputation and legal rights."]
["At the same time, the school urged the public to remain rational and not believe unverified claims, to avoid secondary harm to victims. The school promised to continue providing a healthy and positive corrective education environment for youth."]
["We also remind everyone that the internet is not beyond the law. Everyone should take responsibility for their words and actions. We hope all educational institutions strictly follow laws to protect the legal rights of students."]
A notification tone chimed—Markus had replied.
"Now that's quite a request. You're really going big," he said. "I've got an old 40mm semi-auto cannon lying around. I could even help you process the shells. Interested?"
"The caliber just keeps getting bigger?" Nicole looked horrified. "The idea man has arrived."
"Alright. I want to see the goods first," Ignis replied.
Less than a minute later, Markus sent several photos. It looked like an anti-aircraft cannon dismounted from its tripod. It had a straight magazine feed from the top, holding about five rounds. The barrel was seventy calibers long, and the whole weapon was about the same length as Ignis in his armor. It had a dual shoulder stock for the gunner and fired electrically via button switch instead of a foot pedal.
Seeing it, Ignis already had modification ideas in mind. Saw off the barrel—leave about a meter. Weld a carry handle above the receiver. Remove the stock so it could be shouldered directly against the armor. Precision wasn't important; all he needed was something that shoots shells.
"Can you make custom ammo? Like canister rounds?" Ignis messaged Markus.
"As long as you provide the blueprints, I can make them," Markus replied quickly—clearly intrigued by the deal. "But it'll cost you. I'll have to dedicate a machine to your order."
"But I have to ask—canister rounds? For people? Isn't that a bit much?"
"I think it's fine. When can I see the cannon?" Ignis sent the message, noticing Nicole's face twist in disbelief.
"What's wrong? You look pale."
"Forty-millimeter buckshot? For people?" Nicole grabbed Ignis by the collar again. "Do you even know what that would do?"
Her shouting was so loud it drew Nekomata from her room. After learning what was going on, Nekomata delivered even more shocking news. "The big guy's been making bombs in the warehouse," she said nervously, glancing toward Ignis's garage. "Each charge starts at five kilos of explosives…"
"How many? How many did you make?" Nicole's voice cracked, her sanity slipping away.
"About ten, give or take. I used up most of the explosives I bought." Ignis remained calm as ever.
"Ah—Nicole fainted." Anby quickly caught her before she fell. "I'll take her to her room to rest."
As Nekomata and Anby carried the unconscious Nicole away, the hall fell silent, leaving only the sound of the television.
["Famous actress Sophie Monroe, though now past forty, has recently drawn public attention for her increasingly youthful appearance. Some netizens even joke that she's 'aging backward.' However, this attention has also sparked false accusations, with some online outlets claiming she uses illegal drugs to maintain her youthful image."]
["In response, Sophie Monroe's agency has taken firm legal action, suing those spreading rumors. The agency stated that her so-called 'reverse aging' is due entirely to natural beauty and healthy living. They also emphasized the effectiveness of their partner cosmetic and health product lines."]
["The agency further revealed that Sophie Monroe will promote these products in an upcoming livestream, encouraging fans to learn about and purchase them if interested."]
["We remind everyone that the image and privacy of public figures are protected by law. Any unverified accusations may cause real harm to those involved."]
Ignis resumed sketching his revised weapon blueprints. He had only one requirement for this autocannon—to ensure accurate aim at close range.
"Eh? Why are you alone? Where's Nicole and the others?" Billy returned after dinner from the 141 convenience store, carrying his ordered merch. "What're you drawing?"
"An autocannon modification design." Ignis didn't look up as he began drafting the canister rounds schematics.
"What?" Billy froze. "A cannon?"