CHAPTER 62: 62. TOOLS FOR DUNGEON

Greg stood in the bigger forge area of the workshop the next morning, staring at the long list Marina had left him. Twenty adventurers meant twenty sets of gear, and each set needed more than one tool.

They would need light sources, rope, trap detectors, storage containers, emergency supplies, and who knows what else in a goddamn dungeon. Seeing Marina again made him regret the decision he made yesterday.

"Fuck...! Fuck... Fuck...!"

"Why the fuck do I have to agree like an idiot!?"

"This isn’t peaceful anymore...!"

Greg ran his hand through his hair and said, "This is crazy."

"One month to do all of this."

"What the fuck was going through my mind?"

Bork walked up next to him with a steaming cup of coffee and said, "You were thinking that you wanted to help your friends stay alive."

Greg stood in the bigger forge area of the workshop the next morning, staring at the long list Marina had left him. Twenty adventurers meant twenty sets of gear, and each set needed more than one tool.

They would need light sources, rope, trap detectors, storage containers, emergency supplies, and who knows what else in a goddamn dungeon. Seeing Marina again made him regret the decision he made yesterday.

"Fuck...! Fuck... Fuck...!"

"Why the fuck do I have to agree like an idiot!?"

"This isn’t peaceful anymore...!" "And that you can’t say no when someone you care about asks for help."

"That, too, seems legit..." Greg said, gratefully taking the coffee. "Okay, let’s break the situation down."

"First, we need sources of light. It’s clear that the first thing to do is make sure the dungeons are dark."

"I can help with that," Elwen said as she came out of her practice area. "I’ve been learning about enchantments that make things brighter."

"We could make something better if we all work together."

Greg nodded. "Good."

"Bork, you are responsible for ropes and cables. For the fine work we’ll need to do, your metalworking skills are better than mine. I’ll take care of the more complicated enchanted items."

"What about me?" Felix called from the other side of the workshop, where he was teaching Donetta how to organize her tools correctly.

Greg said, "You’re responsible for quality control and ideas."

"Your luck system might help us see things we wouldn’t normally see. You also played many games in your old world, didn’t you? There must have been dungeons there."

Felix’s eyes lit up. "Oh, of course! I’ve cleared hundreds of dungeons in MMOs! I know exactly what kind of gear adventurers need!"

"Great. Let’s get going, and don’t suggest weapons!"

...

When Greg started working, the forge came to life. The first item on the list was a light source that would never run out and could survive the harsh conditions of a dungeon. The concept was easy to understand, but the actual creation was challenging.

He began with a simple lantern frame made of strong iron that was shaped in a useful way. But when he started adding the spells, his system started to ping with interest. The runes for eternal flame mixed with durability charms, and at some point in the process, Greg added protective barriers that would keep the light stable even when it was underwater.

When he finally put out the finished lantern, the system popped out with a lot of notifications.

[Item Made: Lantern of Undying Radiance]

[Quality: SSS]

[Properties: never breaks, waterproof, provides warmth in cold places, can be used as an emergency beacon, and has a small healing effect on the area around it]

[Note: What makes a simple lantern SSS-rank? Apparently, you can’t help yourself.]

Greg looked at the softly glowing lantern and said, "Of course it’s SSS-rank."

"Why would it be anything else?"

"Is that normal for you?" Marina asked.

Greg sighed, "Sadly, yes."

"Wait..." She appeared out of nowhere when Greg finished making the first tool. "When did you get here?"

"Hmm... after you created that masterpiece? And I’m here going to watch the crafting process and provide feedback on what adventurers really needed."

Marina said as she looked at the lantern with obvious pleasure. "This is wonderful. The warmth effect alone could save lives in ice dungeons."

The workshop was a flurry of activity for the next week. Greg, Bork, and Elwen took turns working, hardly stopping to eat or sleep. The pile of finished things kept getting bigger, and each one somehow managed to be SSS-rank, even though Greg tried his best to make them easy.

A rope that could hold any amount of weight and fix itself if it broke. Gloves that kept you safe from any poison or corrosive material. Boots that let you walk on any surface, even walls and ceilings. Backpacks that were bigger on the inside and kept everything in perfect condition.

Greg said on the fifth day, "This is getting out of hand." He was looking at a compass he had just finished that not only pointed to the exit but also found hidden passages, marked safe paths, and could apparently make a tasty cup of tea in an emergency.

He asked his system, "Why can it make tea?"

[Because you were thinking about how lovely it would be to drink tea while you made it.]

[Remember, intent is everything?]

"I fucking hate you sometimes."

[The feeling is the same.]

Felix had his big break during the second week. He ran into the forge with wide eyes and a lot of energy, which was never a favorable sign but also never boring.

"Sensei! I have an idea!"

Greg looked up from the device he was working on to find traps. "Do I need to be worried?"

"Maybe, but listen to me!" Felix pulled up a chair and sat down with his arms crossed over the back.

"We used to have these things called phones in my old world. You could talk to anyone right away, regardless of where they were."

"What if we made something like that for the dungeon? Like a device for communicating."

"Devices for communication?" Greg frowned. "That’s not a bad idea at all."

"If a group of people becomes lost or encounters a problem, they have the option to seek assistance."

"Exactly!" Felix was almost bouncing now. "And with your silly crafting skills, you could probably make them work no matter how far apart they are or how much interference there is."

"Maybe even between dimensions if you’re not careful."

"Let’s not get too excited," Greg said, but his mind was already racing with ideas. "But, you’re right, though."

"A tool for emergency communication could save lives. Let me think about how to make this work..."