Alloy (2)
Men can't resist certain actions. Things that look fun as hell, even if they're kinda stupid. Pure instinctual fun. Most of the time, these dumbass moves lead to accidents, but you can't always take the safe road. And if the success rate looks sky-high? Especially if you can laugh off failures because opportunities are plentiful? That's how you forge a bulldozer that fears no failure.
Fun that's guaranteed to perform. An action that grabs both romance and practicality at once. Impossible to resist. The dwarf leaned toward romance, I toward practicality—a perfect combo.
PassingDwarf: I'll give you heat-specialized bricks, so make it with those. You plaster the outside with mud.
ok Anything else? Like a vat for the molten metal.
PassingDwarf: Got that too. But it's fucking heavy, so watch out. Even pros fuck up pouring molten metal all the time.
How do I set up the bellows?
PassingDwarf: Just drill a hole on the side since you're only melting. Make it kinda long though.
I got the makeshift furnace blueprint and materials bit by bit from the dwarf. He supplied most of the materials, but setup was on me. Honestly, it was way easier than the oven. I wasn't smelting from ore—just melting.
I stacked the bricks he gave me into a box shape and slathered the outside with mud. Didn't forget to punch a hole for the bellows. Size was about 50cm wide and deep. Height came just past my knees. It tapered narrower toward the top, of course—to trap heat better. Finally, the vat for mithril and orihalコン, plus tongs to move it.
I thought that was it, but the dwarf threw in more. What's this blue powder? Not drugs, right?
PassingDwarf: Snort it up your nose nice and deep. You'll go to heaven. lol sorry;; It's for the molten metal.
PassingDwarf: Yeah, first time alloying mithril and orihalコン, so just in case. Toss in that powder and it'll mix well. Skim off any impurities that float up.
He said it was finely ground magic stones, great for alloying. Sounded good to me, so I took it gladly.
'Mold too.' Last but not least, even a mold. It had a lid. Hole smack in the center of the lid for pouring. Screeech— I carefully opened it, revealing a longsword-shaped cavity inside. Dwarf mold, so no worries about it melting.
I closed the lid and listened to his safety tips. PassingDwarf: Stressing it—if you spill molten metal? Just run far away. Best option.
Could it explode?
PassingDwarf: That too, but tbh I dunno what happens. Also, it might splatter like oil, so wear safety gear.
I debated a helmet but skipped it—would block my view. So I got goggles from him too. Spare ones. You might say I'm taking too much, but it's fine. If he wants, I'll make more alloy soon, and I'll toss him some crabs.
PassingDwarf: Seriously, always be careful with molten metal.
ok lol Got it.
PassingDwarf: If you get hurt, I won't get to touch that mithril-orihalコン alloy. You bastard lololol
Dunno if that's sincere or a joke. Dwarves gonna dwarf. Anyway, prep done—time to execute.
'Ratio's 8:2, right?' His advice. More mithril, obviously. Orihalcon's mana-friendly, but not as tough as mithril.
Shhhlorp— Dumped about half my charcoal stash into the makeshift furnace. Hurt like hell to burn it, but for the sword? Worth it.
'Gotta make a charcoal-only kiln too.' Make one thing, suddenly need another. Charcoal's a jack-of-all-trades material, used everywhere.
I eyed the loaded furnace, figured it was good, and moved on. 'Pretty heavy, like he said.' Heat-resistant vat. Wide, thick diameter. Heavy empty, double with tongs for safety.
I prayed the ores would melt first and slid the vat into the furnace. 'Light the fire and...'
Whoosh! Tossed a lit branch onto the charcoal. Soon it glowed red, heat building.
"Ah. Hold up." Realized I should've lit the bottom first, then added charcoal. Order swapped. Cursed my dumbass, but too late—fire's lit.
While charcoal heated, I double-checked everything. "Ppareumbo. Send Wonmo far off."
"......"
"Kyuu?"
Just in case, had Ppareumbo escort Wonmo away. Time to focus.
As the furnace warmed, I gripped the bellows with both hands. Obvious fact: fire burns hotter with oxygen. Foooosh— Slowly expanded to draw air. Hwoooo! Blasted it in.
Rooaaar!! Flames roared way fiercer. Sound alone told me. I pumped hard so the charcoal could hit max heat. Pooof! Poooo! More air, wilder flames.
Still not enough. Kept going till the fire turned white. Added more charcoal mid-way to crank intensity. First time, got a bit nervous about failing.
Roooaaar! Time passed, all charcoal ignited into a raging blaze. Color flickered yellow-white. Good enough. Stopped pumping, wiped sweat.
Even from afar, insane heat. Didn't wanna get close, but had to check the ores. Roooaaar!! "Ugh..." Face stung up close. Had to endure and peek.
'Vat's fine... shrunk a bit?' Noticeably smaller. Orihalcon changed most. Mithril sweated liquid on the surface. Melting. Payoff for the grind.
'More charcoal and pump.' Watched them melt, now just maintain fire. Pumped hard, then backed off slowly. Barely moved, but sweat poured like rain from heat.
'Dwarf does this daily?' And mine's makeshift. His setup's harsher. No easy jobs, especially civilization basics. Never appreciated folks doing the hard stuff.
'Sprinkle powder too.' Dusted the blue powder as instructed. Ores half-melted, gooey. Stirred with tongs for even melt, then messaged dwarf.
(video of melting ore)
Almost all melted. Sweating balls lol
PassingDwarf: Tough, huh? How you do this daily?
PassingDwarf: Gets easier. Pros can drink molten metal lol Wanna try?
PassingDwarf: I prefer booze over molten metal.
Duh. I chuckled. Mithril melting now—good to update live.
PassingDwarf: Oh right. Forgot quenching.
Quenching? Heard of it—mandatory?
PassingDwarf: Weapon? Duh. I'll send oil. Get a steel drum and dunk it.
Why oil not water?
PassingDwarf: Water risks snapping. Oil's better. It'll catch fire—normal, don't panic.
Pro tips are gold. But still all on me.
Prepped oil drum, peered in. Bubble bubble— Mithril and orihalコン fully melted, boiling lightly. Skimmed floating impurities.
How? Dwarf's tool. Powder helped—pure molten metal now.
'Pour into mold.' Big moment. Gulped, tonged the vat. Heavier with metal. Circulated mana just in case, eased to mold.
Aligned with center hole, tilted slowly. Glug glug gluuuug— Stop when it overflows hole, per dwarf. No mid-stop though—cools fast.
Focused hard. Forearms strained, but held. Glug! Glooosh! Now! Hole full, stopped. Leftover in vat? Fine—plenty material.
Set vat down, tilted mold. Excess spilled out. Hole mustn't fully seal.
"Hoo." First pour smooth. Wait for partial solidify.
(video of filled mold)
Almost done.
PassingDwarf: Hnnng. Hnnng. ;; Dude's too hyped to speak. I smirked, waited.
10-15 mins average to solidify. Cleanup till then. Furnace first. 'Wait for charcoal burnout.' Mostly gray ash now—self-extinguish.
'Lucky break.' Wiped streaming sweat. If ores weren't prepped, would've sucked more. Daggers and spares later—more grind.
'Ready?' Time up, slowly opened lid. Beautifully formed sword inside. Green mithril alloyed with dark purple orihalコン.
'Kinda drab.' Not pretty. Plain... dull. Not green or purple—just dark silver. Bit disappointing, but performance matters.
Reached instinctively—jerked back. 'Close call.' Still hot. Tapped with tongs to check, grabbed carefully.
Now quench in oil drum slowly. Sizzle! Whoosh! Fire lit like he said. No big risks, kept quenching. Repeated till no more fire.
My first sword complete. "Phew." Exhaled at smoke-wisped blade. Pride swelled. Made it myself. Wanted to sharpen too, but yield to dwarf—he begged for blade-only.
(photo of finished sword)
Done. Cooled—send now?
PassingDwarf: Pls let me sharpen the blade......
Sendin;; Too desperate for jokes. Handed over longsword.
'Just sweat—no real strain.' Hydrated quick, checked time. Plenty left. Do side tasks.
'Wonmo's... napping.' Perfect. Head out for dwarf's crabs. Hung CCTV orb from ChangguPrincess above cave entrance—like a rice block. Secured firm.
"Ppareumbo. Be back soon."
"......"
Bade Ppareumbo farewell, left shelter.
*****
Around then, at Gareths—where Grills handed the sword.
"Kya...!" He admired the sword from Grills, moaning in awe. Blunt edge, unfinished grip. In Gareths' hand.
But the sword looked off. Drab when Grills made it. Shiiiine— Not anymore. He gazed at the brilliantly glowing green blade.
Green surface embedded with dark purple starlight flecks. Like a green galaxy captured whole.
"Fucking badass for real." Gareths murmured in rapture.