After three days of hard work, completely alone in his forge, Kael stood there, tempering steel with almost obsessive focus. The heat from the furnaces wrapped around the space like a suffocating blanket; the air vibrated from the constant clash of metal against the anvil, and the smell of hot iron mixed with burning coal. Drops of sweat ran down his face, blackened by soot, as he renewed pieces, adjusted others, and forged new weapons and armor meant for the adventurers who had trusted his work.

  The sound of red-hot steel being plunged into water rang out sharply, followed by a cloud of steam that rose like thick fog inside the workshop. Kael took a deep breath, enjoying the process, the absolute control he felt over the metal, as if each strike was an extension of his own will.

  // -- and well, how have you felt these past months already manipulating heavy metals… -- //

  Kael pensamiento: wonderful. I have a promise to keep, but I think soon we will be able to move forward with the evolution and synthesis of materials at a matter level… soon I will be able to extract iron completely from a stone without even trying… at least I think so…

  As he hammered, his mind moved fast, connecting ideas, remembering knowledge from another life and adapting it to this world, reinterpreting formulas and physical principles under different magical laws.

  // -- in our repertoire we have exactly: the dimensional cube – matter manipulation – and me -- //

  Kael pensamiento: even if they are not offensive abilities… if used correctly, we can be quite lethal… and your system ability has helped me a lot to listen within a wide radius of meters, at least the entire house, to know everything that happens at the level of the kingdom…

  The boy smiled slightly as he turned a glowing piece with the tongs. It was not an innocent smile; it was the expression of someone who understood too well the power in his hands, the kind of power that could change the balance of forces without ever swinging a sword.

  // -- who are you more afraid of… the indomitable forest or the sacred empire… -- //

  Kael pensamiento: I am more afraid of myself… I am a real threat…

  // -- are you going to get dramatic again?! -- //

  Kael pensamiento: don’t say nonsense… look at everything we have built… do you think I could have done all this alone? It has been your ability to gather information from my previous world that has allowed me to advance so fast and understand many things…

  The hammer struck again with force, marking each word that passed through his mind. Each blow echoed through the workshop like a silent statement of his determination.

  // -- and what? Are you afraid of becoming an evil being who dominates everything? -- //

  Kael pensamiento: are you starting with nonsense again? No… if the threat requires it, I will have to advance more and more in military weaponry… only because I do not want threats that truly want to cause harm out of selfishness to exist… but what will happen if I hand that progress over to others?

  Kael paused, resting the hammer on the anvil while the metal still glowed with an intense red that faintly illuminated his soot-stained face.

  Kael pensamiento: I remind you that in the Second World War, when the race to build the first atomic bomb began, the great scientists of that time did not build it out of love or devotion for learning… it was a competition so that whoever finished it first would destroy the other and thus end the massacre…

  // -- and do you think that in the end, in this world, others will use it for their own purposes? -- //

  Kael pensamiento: what an obvious question… of course they will…

  // -- of course they will use it for their own selfish motives… even you, in a moment of fury, could unleash that… because they are organic beings who move through emotions and sensations… the only nonsense here is yours, wanting to play the martyr and regret something that does not even exist yet and that you already imagine they will use to cause harm -- //

  Kael pensamiento: it is not about playing the martyr or the victim… it is simply the imperfect dream of a being who is also imperfect…

  The metal had already lost part of its glow. Kael worked on it again, adjusting edges and polishing imperfections with firm and precise movements.

  // -- the thing is simple, either you kill or you get killed. No matter how civilized a species becomes, no matter how many rules it imposes, danger will always be out there, and it will depend on you what matters most to you… -- //

  Kael pensamiento: I must admit the swords and armor plates we created turned out impressive. At least the adventurers will like this. I did not use bronze in their weapons or armor… they will be better equipped than an A-rank adventurer…

  // -- and what will you do with the materials they brought? -- //

  Kael pensamiento: they will become many daily tools that will help in the mansion. Now that we finished everything… let’s build that machine…

  // -- you mean that machine?! -- //

  Kael pensamiento: yes, that machine…

  Kael left the workshop with determined steps and called several soldiers to help him. One by one they arrived, attentive to the young master’s orders. Soon they began transporting numerous metal pieces and wooden structures toward the center of the courtyard, carefully following the instructions Kael gave them, pointing, correcting positions, and adjusting fittings with meticulous precision.

  The pieces, incomprehensible at first, began to take shape under the boy’s guidance. The soldiers worked in silence, exchanging looks full of curiosity and astonishment.

  When they finished, none of them could believe what stood before their eyes. They had seen crossbows before, many of them, but never something like that… and much less one of that size.

  Kael, unable to contain his excitement, ran toward the mansion and burst into his papa’s office.

  —Papa, come see! You have to see the incredible weapon I made! —he shouted without the slightest care for protocol.

  Garbard raised an eyebrow, surprised by the interruption.

  —And now what do you want from me? —he muttered, putting aside what he was doing.

  Without giving him time to react, Kael grabbed his arm and practically dragged him toward the courtyard.

  When they arrived, Garbard stopped in place.

  Before him stood an imposing structure, solid, clearly designed for war. His eyes widened with a mix of disbelief and astonishment.

  —Boy… —he said, stepping closer—. What is this giant crossbow?

  Kael puffed out his chest, clearly proud.

  —What you see here is a siege crossbow, a machine designed to fire bolts the size of a spear with a force impossible to achieve with human arms.

  Kael began walking around the structure, pointing at each part with enthusiasm, as if he were presenting a carefully designed masterpiece.

  —Its operation is simple.

  He paused briefly, making sure he had the attention of everyone present, even those who were still staring at the machine in disbelief.

  —Stored energy in the bow. These two wooden and metal limbs bend backward when we pull the string. The more they bend, the more energy they store, like a branch about to snap.

  He then pointed to the side mechanism.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  —Mechanical winch to pull it. A normal person could never pull a string this rigid. That’s why we use this winch with cranks: it turns, pulls the string, and stores all the force in the bow without breaking it.

  Then he indicated the central block.

  —The steel trigger. The string gets trapped here, in this reinforced block. When the trigger is pressed, it releases all that energy at once.

  He then picked up a bolt and showed it to everyone.

  —The giant bolt. This machine fires an arrow as thick as a forearm, with a hardened steel tip. The central guide keeps the bolt straight so it does not lose force or direction.

  His tone became more serious, more technical.

  —Impact force. When fired, all the energy of the bow transfers to the bolt. The tip can pierce thick wood, hard scales, and even the shells of large beasts. Where a human spear falls short… this pierces like it’s butter.

  Finally, he placed a hand on the firm base of the structure.

  —Accuracy and distance. Since it is firmly anchored to the ground, the crossbow does not vibrate. That is why it can hit targets more than a hundred meters away with good precision.

  Kael smiled, satisfied, watching the astonished expressions around him.

  —In short: it stores force slowly and releases it all at once. It is a spear launched with the power of ten men.

  He allowed himself a pause before adding confidently:

  —I estimate that with one of these we could deal significant damage to a land racatros, even if it has a powerful shell like armor.

  Garbard frowned, clearly impressed, but still skeptical.

  —I understand your point very well, but it is still hard for me to believe that such a large weapon can be handled by only two soldiers and cause so much damage…

  Kael looked at him with a dangerous smile.

  —Let’s test it.

  Kael approached the crossbow with determined steps. Two soldiers, still tense because of the weapon’s size, followed his instructions and turned the winch with effort. The mechanism creaked under the growing tension; the string stretched slowly, building a silent and threatening force. The bolt was placed in the central guide, fitting perfectly.

  Kael aimed at the farthest wall of the courtyard, a thick stone block that had endured years of wind and impact without showing visible cracks.

  —Now watch carefully —he said, his eyes shining with excitement.

  He pulled the trigger.

  The sound was sharp and brutal. The crossbow, firmly anchored to the ground, launched the bolt with terrifying violence. The arrow cut through the air like lightning and slammed into the wall, destroying it without difficulty. The stone exploded into fragments, raising a cloud of dust and debris that spread across the courtyard like a contained explosion.

  The roar echoed through the entire mansion.

  For a second, no one said anything.

  Then doors burst open and hurried footsteps filled the area. Members of the household rushed out, alarmed, searching for the source of the chaos.

  —WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED NOW?! —Caria and Laret shouted almost at the same time.

  In the middle of the dust, a soot-covered Kael, hair messy and face blackened, jumped in happiness.

  —AAAAA! I’m a damn genius! —he shouted, raising his arms—. I’m going to blow those damn rakatros’ shells to hell!

  The guardians stared at the giant crossbow and the absurd damage it had caused to the wall, their expressions shifting between respect, fear, and disbelief.

  Behind Kael, a visibly furious maid and an even angrier mother stopped in place.

  Caria grabbed him firmly by the shoulder.

  —Where did you learn those words?! —she exclaimed—. From who?!

  Ken immediately stepped back.

  —What?! No, no! I haven’t told the young master anything!

  Tana crossed her arms, looking him up and down.

  —And look at him… unrecognizable with all that dirt.

  Laret sighed in annoyance, pointing at the destroyed wall.

  —A proper punishment for everything you did and, above all… the wall you brought down. Do you know how expensive it is to repair walls?

  Kael’s eyes widened.

  —That’s not fair! —he protested—. I contribute to development! You should congratulate me and reward me for my contributions!

  Caria smiled in a way that promised nothing good.

  —Of course we will give you all that —she said with dangerous sweetness—. After you take a bath, we’ll take turns hugging you and giving you kisses as a reward.

  Kael turned pale.

  —No… no, I don’t want that anymore —he squealed—. That’s unfair! I wanted more money!

  Without giving him a chance to escape, Caria and Tana each grabbed one of his arms and dragged the boy away to bathe him, while he kicked uselessly.

  In the courtyard, Garbard, Laret, and the guardians kept staring at the crossbow, still impressed by the magnitude of the damage.

  —Holley —Garbard called, without taking his eyes off the weapon.

  —Yes, my lord? —she replied, stepping closer.

  Garbard pointed at the crossbow.

  —Let’s imagine Kael shoots you with this… tell me, do you think you could withstand the attack?

  Holley remained silent for a moment, seriously evaluating the question. Then she nodded cautiously.

  —I could maybe withstand two or three shots with my magic-reinforced shield —she answered—. But the power that thing has… I can’t imagine having a hundred of those pointed at me.

  Laret shook his head, still in disbelief.

  —How could he manage to build something like this all by himself…?

  Enta crossed her arms.

  —He is definitely making the most of the information he had in his previous life…

  Garbard sighed thoughtfully.

  —I’ll call Drakum… he will probably get excited when he sees the artifacts Kael created with the materials he provided.

  Ken gently shook his head.

  —That might not be necessary, sir.

  Garbard looked at him curiously.

  —And why is that?

  Ken smiled.

  —Knowing him, because of the sword the young master made… once he finishes examining it, he’ll come running here.

  As if he had summoned a prophecy, just as he finished speaking, a soldier ran toward the lord, clearly agitated.

  —My lord! —he exclaimed—. A very upset dwarf is shouting at the gate, demanding to be let in!

  Garbard let out a laugh.

  —Who would have thought? —he said, amused—. Let him in and tell him we’re in the courtyard.

  A few minutes later, the dwarf crossed the courtyard almost running. Drakum still held the sword blade in his hands, completely agitated. However, when he arrived and saw the giant crossbow, he almost lost his balance.

  —My great lord! —he exclaimed—. This sword and now this! What is going on here?! Who made all this?!

  Garbard smiled with irony.

  —This is your fault, Drakum. You gave materials to Kael and he built his own workshop to invent things… look at this siege crossbow. It destroyed the mansion’s defensive wall like it was paper.

  Drakum could not stop touching and inspecting the crossbow, running his hands over every joint and every piece with shining, almost feverish eyes.

  —This machine has perfect tempering and engineering… —he murmured—. It’s incredible how he achieved this level of refinement. Even the sword blade they brought me… it’s at the level of an expert dwarf blacksmith.

  He stopped abruptly.

  —… wait… what? Me?! Kael?! Did he really make all this?!

  After an accident-filled lunch, accompanied by well-deserved scolding and an exaggerated amount of vegetables —an essential part of his punishment for the disaster— Kael paid the consequences of his excessive enthusiasm. Even so, his expression was not one of regret but of proud resignation; for him, every scolding was worth it if the result had been that spectacular.

  Once released, he headed back to his workshop intending to resume work and review some pending adjustments. However, when he arrived, he stopped in place.

  Someone was inside.

  Kael frowned and pushed the door open.

  —How many times have I told you that my workshop is not to be touched when I’m not here?! —he shouted, clearly annoyed.

  From inside, a deep and familiar voice answered without the slightest remorse.

  —Because it’s a mess —Drakum said naturally—. Whenever you work here, you must keep it clean and organized.

  Kael froze for a second and then widened his eyes in surprise.

  —Oh, Uncle Drakum! What a surprise to see you!

  Drakum looked around the workshop, observing the furnaces, the worktables, the improvised tools, and the systems Kael had set up by himself. His eyes analyzed every detail with professional attention.

  —Your papa called me to see what you were doing —he continued—, and I’m truly impressed. Your furnaces are small, but they use a system I’ve never seen before…

  Kael smiled, scratching the back of his head with slight shyness.

  —Ah… yes. I started applying my knowledge to achieve greater metal refinement.

  Drakum stepped closer to one of the furnaces, carefully examining the ducts and the heat distribution.

  —You must have a very solid foundation to create all this —he commented—. Just like those water pump blueprints… you have no idea how many villages have asked me for them to get better access to well water.

  Kael raised an eyebrow, clearly satisfied.

  —Then first go ask the kitchen for snacks and some alcohol —he said confidently—, because if you want to hear everything in detail, we’ll be talking until night.

  Drakum let out a deep laugh.

  —That’s the spirit. Alright, let’s begin, boy.

  And so, Kael and Drakum spent long hours talking inside the workshop. The boy showed him every advancement, every small invention, and every project in development, explaining with enthusiasm his ideas, the problems he had faced, and the solutions he had created. The dwarf listened carefully, asked questions, compared techniques, and marveled at the way Kael mixed ancient knowledge with pure creativity.

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  Meanwhile, far from the safety of the mansion, in a hidden and dangerous passage between the indomitable forest and the coast, a group of bandits moved forward. The paths were narrow, covered with twisted roots, thick shadows, and dense fog that seemed to cling to the ground. On both sides, the closed vegetation gave the feeling of watching them in silence, as if the forest itself breathed with a life of its own.

  Among them, they carried a very different cargo than usual.

  A large number of children.

  They were not ordinary children. They were demon children, kidnapped from different villages, with tired looks, covered in dust and fear, some too weak even to cry. Their small bodies trembled from exhaustion and uncertainty.

  —Incredible… —one of the bandits spat—. We’ll get a very good payment for these damn freaks.

  —That’s right —another answered—. The nobles will pay a lot for them. I kept the most attractive ones for us, to sell them better… and the rest we’ll hand over to that disgusting mage.

  A third bandit adjusted the rope with which they pushed the little ones.

  —That mage is supposed to meet us halfway through the indomitable forest —he said—, so we can continue along the path he keeps hidden.

  The bandit leader smiled with contempt.

  —That’s right. He doesn’t care what these worms are like… he just wants them to perfect his filthy dark magic.

  One of the men laughed cruelly.

  —I don’t know what will be worse for them… that miserable mage… or the degenerate nobles who will pay to have them.

  The children, terrified and exhausted, could barely stay on their feet. With clumsy steps and weakened bodies, they could do nothing but obey and keep moving forward, going deeper and deeper along the path that led them toward a dark and terrible fate.

  The forest, silent and vast, swallowed them little by little among shadows and mist.