Dell saw the group entering and nodded towards a few stools placed in a corner around a table without taking his attention away from what he was doing. Upon closer inspection, Dell seemed to be making a weapon—it was short, almost like a dagger, but with metal protruding from the handle, which Dell was currently hammering with accuracy and purpose, making it impossible to tell what the final product would be.
After waiting for almost 20 minutes in the oppressive heat, with everyone already drenched in sweat, Dell finally got up and placed his creation into some sort of liquid to cool down.
Dell walked towards them and sat down on one of the stools opposite the group. "So, what do you want this time? Coming here a day after becoming hunted, there must be some reason behind it," Dell asked, sounding a little impatient.
"How do we say it, Mr. Arihant wants us to join his own squad and we agreed to it. We'll be leaving on a journey to the base of his battalion tomorrow, and he wants us to pick up something suitable for us in addition to what we already have. He said it'll be helpful during the journey," Hob explained why they were there.
"Oh, so it's Elder Arihant. It's been a long time since he recruited someone directly. You four must have something that caught his eye, otherwise, he wouldn't have wanted to have you guys in his battalion. Well, that doesn't have much to do with me, though. So, tell me one by one, what are you guys looking for? You must have something in mind, right?"
Everyone looked at each other and let out an embarrassed smile. "We haven't," the four of them said in unison.
Dell's expression froze. "Seriously, how forgetful can you guys be to forget something like this?" Dell said, shaking his head in disappointment.
"We're really sorry that this happened, but we would like to look at what's available for us to select. We might find something that interests us," Hob said, trying to hide the group's embarrassment.
"Sigh... Alright, follow me. But remember, do not touch anything. There are things in there that can kill you with a mere touch, so be careful," Dell said, looking helpless.
Dell got up from his stool and signaled for the group to follow. He then went towards the blade he had placed to cool down, nodding in satisfaction. He placed it inside a sheath on the side and continued walking towards a door at the back of the room. Opening the door, he inserted a key he had taken out of his pocket into a hidden hole inside the door itself.
"It's safe now. Come in," Dell said, walking further into the room.
Entering the room, everyone saw a spacious storage area with neatly arranged materials, weapons, and tools. On the left side of the room, racks of swords, knives, spears, and all kinds of weapons were meticulously organized. Some blades gleamed with sharpness, while others bore scars of battles. Nearby, a wall-mounted pegboard displayed an array of hammers, tongs, and other blacksmithing tools, all hanging in order, ready for use.
To the right, mannequins and stands displayed various pieces of armor, each crafted with a blend of functionality and rugged elegance. Some armors were made from salvaged materials pieced together with ingenuity, while others were forged with solid, high-quality metals. Barrels and crates overflowed with raw materials—iron ingots, chunks of scrap metal, and coils of wire. The crates were marked with the symbol of the "HUNTED"—a man being chased by a wolf, signifying humanity's precarious position in the present world.
In the center of the room, a sturdy wooden workbench stood, its surface scarred and stained from years of relentless labor. Scattered across it were blueprints for weapon designs, half-finished projects, and jars of mysterious substances used for tempering and enhancing metals. A worn, leather-bound notebook lay open, filled with meticulous notes and sketches detailing Dell's latest innovations and discoveries.
The far end of the room was dominated by a forge, its embers long cooled but ready to be reignited at a moment's notice. Beside it, a large anvil sat, its surface polished from countless strikes. The anvil was flanked by two massive, custom-made vise grips capable of holding even the largest and most unwieldy pieces steady during forging. This room was more than just Dell's workspace; it was a vital part of the struggle for survival and dominance in a world torn apart by chaos. Here, every tool, every piece of metal, and every drop of sweat was a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of those who refused to be broken by the apocalypse.
"So, you can choose whatever you want from the things you see here—one piece per person. And remember, do not touch anything. Just tell me if you are interested in something here," Dell finally broke the silence, his voice echoing through the room.
"Yes, Mr. Dell, we will not touch anything and will tell you immediately if we find something we want," Hob said, speaking with more respect than before.
Dell stood to the side, waiting patiently for the group to make their choices. The group moved around with interest but made sure not to touch anything, lest they suffer for it. Hob and Friz moved towards the armor section of the storage room, examining different kinds of armor with interest—there were many options, but few that met their specific needs.
Friz was the first to make a decision. She looked at an armor made of a combination of leather, fabrics, and metals. This particular armor caught Friz's eye because it was mostly made of leather and fabrics, providing good range of movement—Friz's strong suit. In addition, the armor had metal plates reinforcing vital areas of the body such as the heart, head, and lungs, making it flexible while also providing crucial protection.
Next, Hob made his decision, stopping next to a brigandine armor—a combination of metal plates riveted inside a leather or cloth vest. It was flexible and offered substantial protection, ideal for the dynamic movements required with a morning star.
Meanwhile, Amy had moved towards the weapon section as she did not yet have a weapon. She browsed the ranged weapons section, seemingly searching for a suitable option. After some consideration, she settled on a crossbow and returned to Dell to request it.
Similarly, Geld entered the weapons section, even though he already had a bolas. It seemed he wanted something to finish off his enemies. After examining various weapons, he settled on a foldable but sturdy spear with a sharp tip, suitable for surprising enemies immediately after entangling them with his bolas.
After making their choices, everyone returned to Dell, who was standing with interest in his eyes as he looked at the group.
"I want that armor with metal plates to protect vital areas. It would be great if it's as flexible as possible too," Friz said, excitedly sharing her request with Dell.
Dell didn't say anything but noted down Friz's request, nodding.
"I want that brigandine armor. It can protect me in a direct confrontation without hindering my movements too much," Hob said, gesturing with his arms.
"I want that repeating crossbow. It would be better if it can shoot across longer distances—I can spot enemies using my spyglass, after all," Amy said, glancing back at the crossbow she had chosen.
"I want that foldable spear. It'll be great to surprise my enemies with a spear that appears out of nowhere right after I entangle them with my bolas," Geld said, laughing.
Dell noted down the details of everyone's requests and nodded. "Alright, the items you requested will be given to you guys in the morning. See you then," Dell said, ushering them out of the forging room.
"Did we annoy him that much?" Geld said, scratching his head, while the others laughed at him.
Everyone walked out of the room and saw Gordon looking at them.
"Did you get what you wanted from Dell?" Gordon asked with a professional smile.
"Yes, and he said he will give it to us tomorrow," Hob replied to Gordon.
"Well, good for you. He rarely delivers things within a day, but since he said so, he'll definitely do it in time," Gordon said, expressing his confidence in Dell's reliability.
"Yeah, we hope so. Speaking of that, I heard we can get some antibody injections at the reception. You should have them, right?" Geld asked, recalling the injections they needed to take.
Gordon looked at them with interest. "Where did you hear that? It's rare to find such information so soon after becoming the hunted."
"It's nothing. Elder Arihant invited us to join his battalion. We're leaving with him for the base of his battalion tomorrow, so he just told us to get the injections from the reception as they'll protect us on the journey," Hob replied, looking at Gordon.
"So it's him. Well, what can I do? Here you go. Remember to take only 5ml of the injection per person. Any more than that, and you'll regret it," Gordon said, handing them a vial with 20ml of liquid inside and four different injections.
"Alright, we'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the reminder," Amy said gratefully to Gordon.