Finally, with the Ore Machine in my possession, creating the frame for the giant humanoid metal would be right on time. I still had three weeks before my planned time to build the weapon's frame I'd call Mecha.
The name Mecha came from the intricate mechanisms required for its joints and moving parts. This massive weapon was planned to fight dragons, its name reflecting its complex inner workings and sheer size.
I had envisioned various ways to use the Mecha. My primary goal was remote control, ensuring safety and flexibility. However, the thought of someone piloting it from within intrigued me.
Many things might happen during the first dragon revival. People might join me—brave warriors who had sacrificed their lives in my first life. Creating multiple Mechas could be their weapons, reducing deaths during the disaster.
The Mecha's functions were like those of a human, just on a giant scale. The main purpose was to match an average dragon's size. I had also thought of adding huge firearms, capable of releasing explosive spells.
[Jaxon, I will be in a hibernation state for another update. I sensed more progress in your ability, so please do well.]
The system went silent after that. I was confused, wondering how this 'ability' of mine could be extraordinary. It had great potential, from assimilating artifacts to giving them an ego. Clearly, it was covered with a mystery that only my cultivation base could understand.
I needed to find ways to get metals for the frame. Visiting a workshop crossed my mind, but even in Mining City, metal ores were expensive.
Without money, I would have no choice but to mine the ores myself. However, I didn't want to attract the attention of major mining companies.
One option left me with less risk and better anonymity. I could hunt monsters, and sell their carcasses and core stones. Even though improving my cultivation stage was important, I had no chance to use core stones for that now. Funding came first.
Deciding on my path, I bought a mask from a common stall and started hunting in the nearby forest. Days passed, and I managed to accumulate fifty core stones, each of different quality. I had been traveling back and forth to avoid suspicion when selling the materials from the carcasses.
This effort became my routine for two weeks, until finally, I had enough money to buy metal ores for my project. Initially, I thought cheap scraps would do the job since the Ore Machine could bend any kind of metal. However, I realized I should consider durability to avoid wasting time.
I bought metal ores and rented a workshop. To avoid attention, I made sure my appearance and identity were hidden. There were people with sharp memories who might recognize me, and I didn't want anyone questioning who I was, risking my identity.
The Ore Machine was stored in my mana core, enabling me to bend any metal into any shape I wanted. The ores piled up like heaps of scrap. Though they varied in quality, they were still unrefined and had similarities.
Three stockpiles stood before me: copper, iron, and tin. These were the metal ores I could afford, enough to fill an average blacksmith workshop. As I stood before the materials, I focused on the task ahead. Calling upon the Ore Machine's ability, I picked up an iron piece and started forming it to my ideal length and width for the legs.
The material in my hand began to take shape slowly. I was still learning this ability, but gradually, I was getting the hang of it. I envisioned the shin, making it the same length as my wingspan, 1.8 meters. Then I formed the sides and the back.
As I crafted the lower leg parts, I began connecting them, shaping them into the form I had envisioned. Sweat trickled down my brow as I poured more energy into my ability, shaping the metal with precision and strength. The ground trembled beneath me as I fashioned the joints with copper and the intricate mechanisms that would bring the Mecha's mobile capabilities.
Hours passed like minutes in my focused state, the metal bending to my every whim as if it were clay in the hands of a sculptor. Finally, after much effort, I mastered the technique. Parts of the upper leg frame were scattered around. I stepped back, panting with exertion but exhilarated by the sight of what I had created.
I had already used all the materials, but I only managed to create the lower body frames. It wasn't enough, but for now, it would do the job. The other frames were still disconnected, chopped into pieces. Since I wasn't done yet, I paid the owner for future use and storage. As I left the workshop, I thought about continuing to raise funds. But just outside, a girl stood before me with sadness in her eyes.
"Please help me. Please help my brother."
I fell silent. Her sorrow struck a chord in my heart. She was a kid in tattered clothes, pale and thin, clearly having suffered much. I couldn't bear to see her like this.
"How can I help you?" I asked softly, lowering myself to her level. "Are you hungry? Are you lost? Do you want to eat?"
She shook her head, looking exhausted. "Please save my brother. Help my brother."
"Save? You look like you need help," I said, sighing as I grabbed her hand. "You need proper clothes and food."
She didn't resist, silently following me as if she were a ghost. Her lightness was haunting, and I felt a profound sense of responsibility to help this innocent child in need.
"Please wash her, feed her, and give her clothes. I'll pay for your help."
The attendant hesitated at first, but seeing the girl's condition, she nodded, her eyes shining with sympathy. "I will."