Chapter 860 (2/2)

Most of the surrounding area was clear, likely as a show of respect for Sam. There were just a few groupings of trees below a handmade wooden hut. Or at least a building that possessed the facade of a wooden hut. The back half was clearly a sprawling metal beast glowing with the heat of a dragon’s fire, but it still retained that rustic exterior.

The building was on a low hill. As Randidly climbed up to the upper portion, he couldn’t help but look to the East and see a deep valley between two other hills that would provide a beautiful view of the sunset every morning. This place would be bathed in dawn’s rays every morning.

Much to Randidly’s amusement, he found Sam cutting down trees with a handaxe when he approached. For a split second, Randidly felt himself sliding back into the past, where both of them were just pragmatic people trying to cope with the wave of changes that the System had brought.

Randidly stopped a few meters behind Sam, who was calmly chopping up squat logs of wood. “We’ve certainly come a long way from where we started. Do you remember protecting those actors and actresses?”

“I remember doing my best,” Sam growled. He brought his handaxe down and split a cord of wood into two pieces. “I remember one particular headstrong girl sneaking off to make googly eyes at you rather than avoiding monsters. It was a hassle.”

Sam straightened and looked over at Randidly. And then he immediately snorted. “Ha! So it’s true, you come back to me like a beggar, asking for equipment. Do you have nothing remaining?”

“I swam in lava for a while. Everything just melted,” Randidly said flippantly.

With sharp eyes, Sam measured Randidly’s response. Then he helplessly shook his head. “Swam in lava, huh. I suppose you misplaced your arm in there too? Bah, you’re too reckless. There are slower methods to accomplish things you know, ones that don’t expose you to as much danger.”

“I don’t seem very good at choosing those prudent paths,” Randidly admitted. Then he waited to speak as Sam approached.

To his surprise, the older man simply embraced him. He raised his arms and wrapped Randidly in a bear hug. The motion almost took Randidly by surprise; Sam’s sort of affection was a far cry from Shal’s. But it wasn’t a bad sensation. Sam’s palms were warm and calloused.

“So, making a plant arm?” Sam asked with a grimace as he pulled away from the embrace and glanced toward the stump of Randidly’s left arm.

Randidly was still touched by the intimate gesture but chuckled. “Nah. I have enough plant parts. I was thinking of designing something of metal.”

“Good man,” Sam said. He gestured for Randidly to follow and walked toward his hut. “Plants are useful and adaptable, but I wouldn’t trust them half as much as I trust solid steel. Oh, Erickson Steel is good stuff, by the way. I don’t suppose you would be willing to give away their secret?”

“Why does there need to be a secret?” Randidly teased. “Can’t it just be good steel?”

Sam shook his head in disgust, opening the door to his hut and stomping into the workroom. “Good steel doesn’t have that coloration, or that ability to shape and set like Erickson Blood Steel. Takes good to crafting method too; it’s very easy to create an item with extra bonuses with Erickson materials. Expensive enough to make a man piss, though.”

The interior portion of Sam’s workroom was densely packed with hanging leathers and plate armor. They were laid across tables and hanging from pegs. Randidly was mildly impressed just to see the vast scope of armor that hung on the hundreds of wood stakes along the walls. The variety was overwhelming.

But Sam continued past these hanging pieces without comment, so Randidly followed into the forge portion of the building. There wasn’t any wall delineating the shift, but it was very clear when the wooden paneled ground shifted to concrete that they had entered into another world. Now the wall wasn’t lined with armor, but warped bits of metal of all varieties.

Aside from thick tables dotted with scorch marks and solidified metal, there were more trinkets adorning the walls. But these were… different.

Some of the pieces were shiny metals hammered into thick globes, others were sculpted into delicate brass flowers. The pieces along the wall struck Randidly less as Sam testing his own limits as the man compassionately take the time to test the limits of each and every material that appeared before him.

It made sense. Before you could really use a material, you would need to understand its strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, everything Randidly saw here was just practice. Which was somewhat a humblebrag, considering how understated the vast sea of metal workings was.

“Have any thoughts on armor? I get a sense of your images from you… but it's fuzzy. Easier if you have an idea what to make. This set will be on the house, as long as you wear it in front of everyone once or twice. Time to show the other Zones what Donnyton can do.” Sam said.

Randidly pondered briefly. He had some thoughts, but a lot of those were quickly reevaluated when Randidly saw the breadth of Sam’s work. Perhaps he should be a little more ambitious with his request.

So Randidly Ghosthound opened his mouth and told Sam what he wanted.

And Sam started to laugh.