“My god, you actually did it!” Reese celebrated as he and Gordon watched Kyle demonstrate the Mechanical Arcia Regenerator.
“But the efficiency is extremely low – how are we going to find such arge source of mechanical energy in the city?” Gordon pondered.
“Perhaps we could build a waterwheel on the main river that runs through the city?”
“No way – the Ardent Cretins will never allow us to move that tantly if they could. Also, we would have to submit a petition to Count Leon. We might have to either ce it on our own buildings that we already own, or look further.”
Kyle raised his hand and stopped the conversation. “Let me worry about that part. How’s the progress on the remodification of the lightcapturer engraving?”
“It’s not working sadly. I believe the concept has been implemented correctly, but there’s simply not enough light able to be concentrated onto the engraving to make it even remotely feasible. Based on our calctions, we would need to cover an entire district in such engravings to even power one floor of our new bathhouse.”
Kyle looked at the dismantled lightcapturer, bending over to sort through the separated parts. “Focus your efforts on concentrating the light onto the engraving itself. We can use the lens to redirect light to the engraving.”
Reese was perplexed at first before his face lit up in understanding, nodding vigorously. Gordon was still trying to figure out what Kyle was saying. “Wait, doesn’t that mean we still have to ce that many concentrating mirrors around either way?”
“Yes, but making the mirrors is easier and cheaperpared to cing engravings that could be easily damaged by the weather all over the city.”
“Exactly! We can funnel arge area of light onto a single engraving, reducing our material cost!” Reese excitedly exined, working out a n immediately.
The three of them got into action, nning exactly how much would be needed. Kyle picked up the prototype light-converter engraving that the two of them had been working on for the past week.
<table> <tbody> <tr> <td>
<strong>[SYSTEM MESSAGE]</strong>
<strong>Item</strong>
</td></tr> <tr> <td><strong>[Light Arcia Convertor]</strong></td> <td>
<em>Harness the power of daylight in the palm of your hand</em>
Converts visible light waves to arcia energy with a 10% efficiency
</td></tr></tbody></table>
“The efficiency of this engraving is far too low… only ten percent.” Kyle pointed out, with Reese stunned.
“How do you know the efficiency of the engraving without testing it?” Reese was slightly suspicious. Even he did not know the exact percentage, and he was the one who made it in the first ce.
“I can tell from the differences between my mechanical engraving versus this one. Here, have a look. This specific trace is shorter and wider, reducing the amount of arcia current loss and making it more resistant to interference from other traces…”
Kyle exined the understanding that he had gleaned from the activation of his Arcia Engraver title, enlightening Reese further and distracting him. “You’re right, I never thought about that! And to think that I used to call myself a professor!”
“Also, you can consider modifying this part to be more lenient. Right now, it is limited to a specific band of frequency of visible light.”
“Fre…. What?!”
“Right. Let me handle the modification of this engraving – you two work on the n of materials needed. I will try to get the efficiency of this engraving as high as possible.”
Kyle brought the prototype to another workshop, making sure the other two could not see him. Through his practice over a week of modifying the mechanical engraving, he could now pinpoint the exact parts of the engraving that could be reworked.
Specifically, he intended to rework the frequency limitations of the light converter, enabling to catch other forms of radiation as well. <em>As long as the rest still believes that it is only converting light, I should not be throwing too many danger signs</em>.
He reworked the frequency portion of the engraving before making four more. The Arcia Engraver title gave him a 20% chance of gleaming a new inspiration and raising the quality of the engraving, which then allowed him to learn more about what could be improved.
He had tried to do it multiple times with the mechanical engraving, but it seemed like there was a cap to the quality level of the engraving, so the amount of inspiration he could get was limited. It was as though the system interface had a hard limit on what improvements it could make to the engraving that Kyle worked on.
Repeating the same process on the light converter engraving, Kyle began to get a bit frustrated as he made his twentieth one. He grumbled to himself as he made the next one. <em>Wasn’t the chance supposed to be 20%? 1 in 5? How is it possible?</em>
Just as he said that in his head, the title’s effect triggered, giving a familiar surge of information to his brain and nervous system, his hands moving automatically to improve the engraving in front of him. <em>About time.</em>
Kyle picked up thepleted engraving.
<table> <tbody> <tr> <td>
<strong>[SYSTEM MESSAGE]</strong>
<strong>Item</strong>
</td></tr> <tr> <td><strong>[Electromaic Arcia Convertor]</strong></td> <td>
<em>Harness the power of stars in the palm of your hand</em>
Converts electromaic waves to arcia energy with a maximum of 67%, depending on frequency
22% for visible light waves
</td></tr></tbody></table>
<em>Not too shabby. If I could find a radioactive source…</em> Kyle began to think about the Culdao Peaks. Perhaps he could begin mining there again. He had already sent Sasha back there a month ago to handle the goblin den as she saw fit.
Niko entered the workshop, bowing to Kyle. “Sir, you called for me before?”
“Yes I have. I need you to bring these mechanical engravings over to the goblin den at Culdao Peaks. Make sure the wagon is well protected - the Ardent Cretins will try their hardest to cut us off as much as possible. Hand them this document as well.”
<em>A weekter…</em>
Gk let out a rxed sigh as it soaked into a pool of hot water. “This… this is life.” It remarked before a ssh of water went right into itsrge nostrils, causing it to gag and sneeze.
The goblin kidsughed as they yed in themon pool, sshing around in hot water powered by the new arctech engravingsyered into the stone walls.
“Stop disturbing me! I’m rxing!” Gk raged and flung a handful of water back at the kids.
It expected the kids to fight back, but instead, the kids were horrified and began doggy paddling and scrambling to the other end of the pool. “Hah! That’s right! Me shaman! You bette-“
“Gk, what are you doing here?” A familiar female voice caused it to tense up, one that has haunted every waking moment of Gk’s life since Kyle left.
Gk gingerly turned around, smiling meekly as it slowly got up out of the pool. “Lady Merissa, I – “
“No excuses. Have youpleted the instation of the wind converters and light converters? Have youpleted the tunnel to Raktor?!”
“Yes… mostly.”
“What do you mean mostly?! Do you think we gave you the engravings for free? Is this bathhouse for free? You got a day to fix everything up, or else I’ll tell Sasha.”
Gk tensed up even more, nodding its head vigorously. “Yes ma’am!” It quickly scampered off,pletely naked.
Merissa did not care at all when she saw the wrinkled genitals on full disy, having lived with the goblins for close to four months now. She sighed as she continued her rounds through the goblin den, which had been reinvented to include various modernised features.
The lights were improved, as well as better utilities and a sewage system. The goblins were cleaner than ever before, with none of themining. She still had to continuously scold the goblin workers who attempted to skive at every minute, forcing her and those under her to always be on the lookout.
On top of that, she had to make sure they continued to expand the tunnels towards Raktor. Kyle did not want to have a supply chain continuously running overground, which was prone to ambush and hijacking. Right now, they had already dug a few kilometres over the past few months, though it was getting harder to ventte the tunnels. Three more months till we reach the outskirts of Raktor. We need more workers!
Merissa stormed back towards her office, where Feldon was already waiting for her. “When will I be able to return to Raktor? Am I not a film star now?”
“You won’t be a film star until we start making a proper supply of replenished arcite ore to the city! And besides, if you entered Raktor right now without a disguise, the Violet Demons would lynch you on entry.”
Feldon was about to retort that he could act as a squatter in order to enter the city, but he knew Kyle would also find out about his departure. He could also hardly smuggle his entire family out of the goblin den, though life here was rtively peaceful so far, save for the constant raid attempts from other gangs who were still trying to encroach on the Euria Seeds.
Before Merissa could continue scolding him, a burst of static erupted on the arctech radio mounted in the office. The bursts came in a specific pattern, causing Merissa’s eyes to light up. “Call Gringer, Gobalt and Gk immediately! Have them gather all the goblin warriors immediately!”
“What? I thought we were working on the supply of arcite ore?”
“Exactly! MOVE!”
The goblin den kicked into action, the warriors forming up into groups. A few humans were embedded into their ranks, the humans being the squad leaders of the goblins.
They stood at attention at the entrance of the mine, with Gk, Gringer and Gobalt standing at the front. The gates of the fort soon opened to reveal Sasha, who entered with slightly bloody hands gripping a struggling goblin.
The goblin was noticeably different, with a tattoo marking his affiliation to another tribe. “Ahah!” Gk eximed with joy upon seeing the predicament of the goblin.
Every goblin warrior shuddered with excitement while Feldon was still at aplete loss. “Wait, what’s happening?”
Merissa smacked the back of his head. “I covered this four days ago, you idiot! We’re annexing another goblin tribe!”
Sasha made a few hand motions, with the warriors immediately following her out of the mine to assault the neighbouring goblin den. Trained like a paramilitary organisation, the human squad leaders converted the sign motions into verbal orders for the goblins who did not understand.
Over the past week, Sasha had been implementing the same strategy that Kyle used to subjugate the first goblin den by stalking and hunting the members, which left the den to forage for food. Now with a significant force backing her, she did not need to stalk as long as Kyle did, enabling her tounch an assault immediately.
It was a nearly overwhelming victory, with the new battle tactics that Kyle and Sasha had drilled into the goblins, plus the ubiquitous use of crossbows and bows, unlike the enemy, who still relied on brute force tactics.
Gk gloated as it stepped into the enemy’s den with its warriors, watching the enemy try to flee through the mining tunnels. The fighting was harsh and brutal, but the enemy goblin tribe stood no chance, even with all the traps and ambushes they set up.
Soon, the enemy goblin tribe’s warriors were diminished, resulting in theplete surrender of the tribe. Gk stood at the top of a rock formation, speaking to the enemy goblins. “Be happy! For I am Gk, your new shaman! Your old shaman, weak and powerless! I, Gk, will give you happiness!”
“No!” An elderly goblin stood up in defiance, pointing its wrinkly green finger with long yellow nails towards Gk. “You work with Humans! You are no longer goblin! We see your machines! Betrayal of ancestors!”
Gk snapped his fingers, prompting Gringer to move forward with two warriors to grab the elderly goblin, dragging it out to the front as its children and rtives screamed and tried to pull him back. The warriors smacked and beat up those who resisted while the elderly goblin was hoisted above next to Gk.
Gk grinned as he pulled out from his belt a prototype handgun, nting the tip of the barrel right into the neck of the elderly goblin, sting the brains of the goblins out in a spectacr stter that showered onto the screaming goblins.
“Who else? WHO ELSE?!” Gk roared, aiming the handgun towards the crowd. They all cowered in fear, no one speaking out any longer. Gk did not see them as goblins any longer, only seeing them as new ves. He was already internally celebrating at all the vebour he could now delegate. <em>My tribe shall no longer be ves!</em>
“Good. First, it is time to work!”