Chapter 5 – First Creations
The workshop smelled of tanned hides and alchemical dust. Sunlight filtered through narrow windows, illuminating rows of unfinished tools and scraps of leather piled against the wall. For the first time since awakening in this world, Glic felt the rush of excitement he had known in his old life—standing at the threshold of invention.
The System panel hovered faintly in his mind's eye:
> [Spell Merge Module Active]
Available Spell: Acid Splash (0 Ring), Spark (0 Ring), Minor Cleanse (0 Ring), Mana Thread (0 Ring)
Warning: Host Spiritual Energy Low. Prolonged merges may cause exhaustion.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the subtle tremor of strain left over from his earlier frog experiment. Even at this stage, the System's power was intoxicating—and dangerous.
I must start small. Simple items, easy to sell. And practical enough to draw demand without attracting suspicion.
He looked down at the leather breastplate laid out on the workbench. Sturdy, serviceable, the kind of armor a common mercenary or caravan guard might wear.
He placed his palm on it. "System, initiate merge: Minor Cleanse + Leather Armor."
The panel pulsed.
> [Merging…]
Organic Substrate: Tanned Leather
Spell Essence: Minor Cleanse (0 Ring)
Compatibility: 72%
Energy Cost: Low
Result: Successful
The leather shimmered faintly, as though an invisible hand wiped over it. Dust and grime flaked away, leaving the armor pristine. A faint silver rune etched itself across the inner lining, pulsing once before fading.
> [New Item Created: Self-Cleaning Leather Armor]
Effect: Automatically removes dirt, stains, sweat, and minor blood traces. Durability +10%.
Glic chuckled softly. "Perfect. A soldier's armor that cleans itself. No more scrubbing in rivers or paying washerwomen. Every mercenary in the Fae Wood will want one."
He set the armor aside and pulled out another breastplate, this one reinforced with metal studs. His expression hardened. Time to test defense.
"System. Merge: Acid Splash + Leather Armor."
The runes burned brighter this time, the System warning him as a ripple of mana drained from his Spiritual Sea. His head throbbed, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on.
> [Merging…]
Substrate: Tanned Leather
Spell Essence: Acid Splash (0 Ring)
Compatibility: 61%
Energy Cost: Moderate
Result: Successful with Minor Instability
The armor's surface darkened, taking on a faint green sheen. When he dripped a vial of alchemical acid onto it, the liquid hissed, bubbled… and slid harmlessly off, leaving the leather untouched.
> [New Item Created: Armor of Lesser Acid Resistance]
Effect: Reduces acid damage by 20%. Durability +15%.
Warning: Instability detected. Prolonged exposure to high-grade acid may corrode.
A grin split Glic's face. "Armor that laughs at acid. Imagine caravan guards hauling alchemical goods, miners digging in toxic caves… the market is endless."
He leaned back, breath unsteady, but satisfaction filled him. One day, I'll create armors that resist every element. But for now, even this is groundbreaking.
Next, he reached for a different breastplate, this one blackened and patched. He whispered: "System. Merge: Spark + Leather Armor."
The workshop flared briefly, a ripple of firelight running across the leather.
> [New Item Created: Armor of Lesser Flame Resistance]
Effect: Reduces fire damage by 20%. Heat buildup slowed.
Glic tested it by hovering a lit candle beneath the leather. Normally, the hide would have warmed quickly, but now… nothing. He could barely feel the heat.
He laughed under his breath. "Excellent. Smiths, miners, soldiers—they'll all want this."
Already his mind was racing. Once he acquired more 0-ring spells—Frost Touch, Shock Jolt, Stone Skin—he could expand his catalog. Affordable, functional items. Let the Towers sneer at 'lesser enchantments'—gold will flow into my coffers regardless.
Finally, he turned to a length of sturdy hemp rope coiled on the bench. He placed it down, recalling the Spark of inspiration from the night before. "System. Merge: Mana Thread + Rope."
The rope vibrated faintly, the fibers twisting tighter as invisible runes crawled along its length.
> [New Item Created: Tracking Rope]
Effect: Rope becomes semi-sentient once bound. Can follow and reattach to target marked with mana signature. Effective range: 200 feet. Durability +10%.
To test it, Glic cut a short length and tied it loosely around a practice dummy across the room. Then he tugged the knot free. The rope slithered across the floor like a snake, winding itself back around the dummy as though refusing to let go.
His eyes gleamed. "A rope that hunts. Hunters will fight each other for this. Slavers will pay in gold. Adventurers will kill for it."
The workshop fell silent again, the air heavy with the faint hum of mana. Four items lay before him:
Self-Cleaning Leather Armor
Armor of Lesser Acid Resistance
Armor of Lesser Flame Resistance
Tracking Rope
Each one unique, practical, and valuable.
And each one, he knew, was only the beginning.
Edward McAllister created miracles in a lab of steel and glass. Glic Goldbear will create miracles in a world of mana and stone.
He stared down at his creations, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Soon," he whispered. "The merchants will beg for my goods. The Towers will watch with suspicion. The nobles will covet what I make. And I… will build an empire greater than even the Confederation dreamed of."
The System pulsed faintly in his mind, as if echoing his ambition.
> [Host Progress: First Tier Items Created. Stat Affinity +1%.]
Warning: Host Spiritual Energy critically low. Rest recommended.
His vision blurred, exhaustion pressing against his skull. He staggered to the cot in the corner of the workshop and collapsed.
As darkness claimed him, his mind swirled with visions of armor that shrugged off lightning, cloaks that hid the wearer from sight, blades that carried the venom of monsters.
The path of science had ended in death.
The path of wizardry had just begun.