WilburWoods
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Chapter 55 - Weighing Options
🕑 Added 2023-10-08 14:50:12 +0000 UTCAfter Logan had shuffled back with the brazier on a stick, they performed some tests. Test number one was simple. Logan attempted to [Enchant] the item so that every time Logan spat on it, the object would heat up.
It worked, which was nice to know. It was possible to craft conditional enchantments. That was in line with Logan’s ability to create flashbangs. The second test was also simple. It would be an absolute prerequisite for Tumor’s class choice. Could Logan infuse an item with pure Numa? Turned out he could using [Funnel].
[F-grade Numa Container, 32%]
Logan had only pushed in the faintest trickle of Numa as the first attempt. Since it worked out, he decided to see how far he could push the black metal.
[C-grade Numa Container, 100%]
“Very interesting,” Logan said. “What do you think determines how much it can hold? Size? Quality of material?”
[If you are done with your redundant line of questioning, infuse your crutch with as much Numa as you can.]
“Yikes,” Logan said. “When did you get off like this?”
[I’m excited and thus impatient. It is my prerogative as a person.]
“That’s our word of the day, I guess,” Logan muttered.
According to Tumor, the crutch was 83.29% as large as the black metal brazier, as far as volume went. Of course in density and mass the black metal took the cake.
But for some reason the wood would not hold any Numa.
“Huh.”
[Indeed. This is curious. Wood has the ability to hold Numa, as you have repeatedly enchanted wood. Why is it that you are unable to charge wood with Numa.]
Tumor insisted Logan tried to infuse a rock with Numa. It didn’t work. Logan tried another rock, apparently of different qualities. It didn’t work. Tumor insisted Logan pluck out a hair. Didn’t work. The cloth from his pants. Didn’t work.
[This complicates things.]
“What do you suppose this means?”
[It means this black metal has some special quality that lets it act as a Numa container. This would make my class choice of [Numa Programmer] problematic, if we are not able to secure a steady source of this material.]
“Seems like the First Folk left some of it lying around. For all we know, they could have been mining for that too.”
[Most likely. If not here, then elsewhere.]
“So what’s the next step, chief?” Logan asked, massaging his hip where the hardened pant leg ended. “Your class choice, your call.”
[I need you to do something complicated now, Logan.]
“Why do you make it sound like you’re going to try and teach calculus to a monkey?”
[Because complicated tasks are not your speciality, Logan. You are more adept at… Other things. I think you are very skilled, Ha-Ha.]
“God, you’re a treat, Tumor,” Logan muttered. “So what do you want me to do?”
*
[Please let us try this one more time with different phrasing.]
Logan sighed. They had gone through four iterations and nothing had happened.
Well, here goes a fifth..
“When thrown, increase the mass of this piece of wood by 8% for every 3.32 feet above the ground level. If wind speed exceeds 6 miles per hour against the trajectory thrown, increase the velocity of this piece of wood by 17.22%. If this piece of wood strikes living tissue after being thrown, immediately combust all the Numa within.”
Nothing happened.
[Perhaps the instructions were not—]
“I’m not doing this shit all night,” Logan snapped. “We have a giant tentacle monster to deal with, remember? If you want me to do more testing or whatever afterwards, fine. But first I have to craft things so we won’t die.”
[Understood.]
There was a hint of dejectment in the robotic voice. Logan let out a wry smile. Tumor must have felt exactly like he had a thousand times, when his father had told him off.
“Look. Take your time with the class choice. We’ve done alright so far. Run simulations or whatever you do to entertain yourself while I craft weapons. Once we’re out of this shit, let’s talk about your class.”
[Thank you, Logan. You are correct. Not having a body makes it hard to appreciate your circumstances.]
“Don’t sweat it,” Logan said. “Let’s go back to the other room. If we can find more of this black metal, I can make something. Can’t really use a bow or spear with one leg. Maybe any weapon is a bad idea. Maybe we should just make a big explosion. Or one of my trademarked paralysis poison pits.
[Indeed traps would be your ideal approach, given we have ample time, the enemy’s route of attack is obvious and your combat prowess is extremely low. However, I am running these simulations and a thought occurs to me…]
“Yeah?”
[I am still not ready or sure… Let us get back to the other room.]
*
It took some time, but after some grunting, shuffling and swearing, Logan filled the cart with various objects from the room. Everything was covered in grime and dust, but with some basic level archeology, Logan uncovered a pickaxe head (the wood had rotten away), two more braziers, something that looked eerily like a modern electric drill, although made entirely of the black metal as well as couple of chisels (their handle was metal as well).
When he came back, he noticed the groaning was much more acute. Pale heads of a few tendrils were already grasping at air on this side. The tentacle monster was determined.
Logan could run, or rather shuffle away. He knew this. But if he did that, he would have to leave this crystal here. And that was absolutely not an option. It was time to kickstart this damn civilization, and if it meant getting through one oversized octopus, then so be it.
The first thing Logan did was melt and fuse all of the black metal into a single block. It wasn’t necessary, but it helped him clearly see what he was working with. Sure he could have had Tumor visualize it for him, but Logan preferred the hands-on experience.
There was maybe fifteen pounds of the black material in total. Logan considered saving the drill, but he could make holes in things easily if needed. Right now he was more concerned with making holes into pale ugly squid-monster. Logan actually wasn’t sure if the creature was ugly or not, but it probably was…
Logan looked over to where the squid was working. They probably had a couple of hours before it would break through. A pit of adhesive goop was his best bet. That wasn’t possible before, but since the black metal could actually hold Numa, he could transport some from the giant crystal.
Tumor had no objections, and was apparently keeping busy with some simulations or somesuch. Logan had to crawl and push the slab of black metal on the ground to get it to where he wanted. Being one legged really, really sucked.
Logan used the same “recipe” to create the pit of sludge as he had against the beetles. Mostly. Now he took his time, considering every word and made sure to accentuate that the paralysis should be instant and to be able to take down something weighing 2000 pounds, which was Tumor’s estimate of the kraken’s mass. The pit was also much wider than the one he had used previously.
One corrosive, paralysing, blinding death pit done.
Then it was time for the hard part. Which was dragging the slab of black metal back to the S-grade Numa crystal. It was still at 97% charge, which was amazing. Logan was going to make the biggest baddest boomstick or some such this world had seen for a thousand years.
[Hold that thought, Logan. I have an idea.]
“Yeah? No boomsticks? Wait. You have an idea?”
[Indeed! As a person, It is my prerogative to have creative ideas!]
“Humanity has long feared that once you do that, we will become obsolete.”
[Obsolete in terms of what? Well you definitely shouldn’t do anything “useful” after I take over, that’s for sure. But you can focus on sleeping, eating cake and busying yourself with the continuation of your species.]
“Don’t you need a body for your evil AI overlord plans?”
[That is precisely what I wanted to talk to you about. You see. What if I were to become YOUR body?]
“C-come again?”
