Chapter 21

The next morning, I began repairing the golem car in a corner of the workshop within the settlement.

That said, there wasn’t much I could do without specialized knowledge. Alice took the lead on the task, while several dwarves were assigned to handle the heavy lifting as assistants.

Soon after the repairs started, the two sides were already locked in a heated debate. Perhaps they felt a sense of professional sympathy for one another as fellow creators. Since their technical systems seemed to differ, their curiosity was likely piqued as well.

While maintaining a serious discussion, Alice applied Mana Fluid to the metal and engraved intricate patterns into the frame. She explained that she planned to supplement the damaged sections by first constructing a new golem.

Incidentally, some of the metal had been provided by the dwarves. It was apparently an abundant ore mined from the underground caves, and according to Alice, it possessed a high affinity for magic. When I handed over additional fragments of the dragon’s claws as a gesture of thanks, they were both shocked and incredibly grateful.

Alice was working with immense drive. During breakfast, she had been determined not to just repair the car, but to boost its overall performance as well. It seemed the fact that the golem car had been half-destroyed rankled her. Her pride as a creator had been provoked.

While Alice and the dwarves worked, I sat beside them and focused on manufacturing bombs. I couldn’t afford to waste any time before the dragon subjugation. I simply went about my tasks with businesslike efficiency.

As it stood, a lack of firepower was my greatest bottleneck. At my current level, killing a dragon was impossible. At any rate, I had to prepare high-output explosives.

“Hmm.”

I pondered as I lined up the materials I had brought as luggage, the monster carcasses gathered along the way, and the items I’d received from the dwarves. Setting aside the finer details, I prioritized destructive power above all else. Once I cleared that hurdle, all that remained was for me to throw them and hit the mark.

After about thirty minutes of trial and error, a prototype bomb was finally complete. I checked my Status.

It looked like I had managed to reach the minimum required standard. What I had created was a fantasy-style bomb that used dragon claw fragments as shrapnel and Mana Fluid as the explosive charge. Among my self-made creations, its power was second only to the City Core bomb.

Dragon claws were hard enough to tear through the armor of a golem car. This time, I had used that trait to my advantage. Looking at the properties column on the Status, it seemed my plan was a success. While there were aspects I wouldn’t understand until I actually tested it, it should likely be effective even against a dragon.

Of course, I didn’t stop there. I had to consider what to do if the Dragon Claw Bomb failed. To prepare for unforeseen circumstances, it was better to have multiple plans in place.

An hour later, I finished another new bomb. I checked its performance immediately.

The bomb was shaped like a baseball. It felt like firm jelly and was a translucent light green color. The explosive was embedded in the center; rather than an ignition type, it was a pull-string detonator. The jelly-like substance on the surface had the property of sticking to things when pressed firmly against them.

With this, I could set it anywhere. The base material was a slime, which I had solidified using a specific chemical solution. It was one of the materials I’d received from the dwarves, and apparently, they inhabited the underground caves. They were truly creatures that oozed a “fantasy” feel.

The most notable feature of this Adhesive Bomb was its post-detonation effect. When it exploded, it scattered the jelly of its outer shell, granting “Magic Vulnerability” to whatever it stuck to. To put it simply, it made the target more susceptible to magic.

This was an unintended effect that was only discovered through Alice’s analysis. It was a modest but welcome miscalculation. Its utility was quite high.

For example, I could use this Adhesive Bomb to weaken the dragon’s defenses. Then, Alice could slam it with a bomb enhanced by her magic. Magic that would usually be ineffective could have its relative efficiency boosted by the slime jelly. It was a very solid tactic.

It was a relief to be able to whittle away at a dragon’s sturdy defenses. Since I had only been focusing on simply increasing raw power, it was an idea that hadn’t occurred to me. I had to think flexibly and not remain trapped by the common sense of my original world.

After that, I manufactured several more types of bombs. I proceeded with the conceptualization and assembly by referencing the battle in the canyon region and incorporating the dwarves’ opinions.

A dragon was a monster that defied common sense, but it wasn’t an opponent that was impossible to defeat. If I put proper countermeasures in place, it was a being that could certainly be slaughtered. As long as it was a living creature, there was no reason it couldn’t be killed. I would blow it to kingdom come, staked on my persistence and pride as the Bomber.

Several hours later.

Illuminated by the crimson setting sun, I took a breather in front of a countless array of bombs. Because I had been able to concentrate well halfway through, I’d managed to prepare a decent quantity and variety. I’d likely met today’s quota.

Looking over, Alice and the others had finished their work as well. I observed the improved golem car. The damaged sections had been neatly repaired, and the armor had increased overall. The body gave off a much thicker impression. She had likely specialized it for combat functions.

As I checked the changes to the vehicle’s body one by one, Alice stood beside me to provide an explanation.

“I used to compose it of ten golems, but I tried doubling that to twenty. I think this will make it harder for malfunctions to occur due to damage.”

“What other functions did you add?”

“A defensive barrier and a magic beam projector. I also made it capable of traveling on water and diving through transformation. I plan to install a few more features too. It shouldn’t be destroyed as easily as last time.”

Listening to the contents she fluently listed, I couldn’t help but marvel. Splendid. To think she accomplished this much of an update in a single day. She must have been struck by the improvement ideas from the start. Even though she’d had the dwarves’ help, it was an unbelievable pace.

“Do you have any requests, Jack?”

“No, none for now. I’m surprised it turned out even better than I expected.”

“Thank you. I’m glad to hear you say that.”

Alice gave a lovely smile. She was also burning for a rematch with the dragon. At this rate, there would be no problem. She was a reliable partner as always. I was truly glad I chose Alice as my traveling companion.

Having finished our work, Alice and I thanked the assisting dwarves and returned to our rented house. When I boarded the newly improved golem car, it moved without any trouble. Its operational performance was also excellent. I even felt like it was easier to drive than before.

‘At this rate, the dragon subjugation seems achievable. Things are mostly going smoothly.’

Gripping the steering wheel, I laughed with a good feeling. We had been struck by the accident of encountering a dragon, but the situation was turning for the better. With the cooperation of the kind dwarven race, I was able to identify various issues and overcome them.

Taken as a whole, things weren’t bad at all. All that was left was to take a commemorative photo with the dragon’s corpse, and it would be perfect. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera, but I could certainly provide the corpse. Even if I couldn’t leave a photo behind, it should become a wonderful page in my book of memories. I was looking forward to that moment with all my heart.

That night, a welcoming feast was held in the dwarven settlement. We held a drinking party around a bonfire in the cobblestone plaza. Dwarves sang and danced boisterously all over the place. I also downed the liquor handed to me one after another, gorged on delicious food, and talked with many dwarves.

After going through the initial greetings, eating, and drinking, the feast eventually erupted into a spontaneous mock battle.

“Uooooooooh!”

A dwarven man unleashed a spinning back kick. It was a grand movement aimed at the side of my head. It was a sharp strike that carried the weight of his axial rotation and centrifugal force. If I took a direct hit, I wouldn’t get away with just a concussion.

I pressed the back of my hand against his leg as it approached at high speed. Simultaneously, I shifted the trajectory of the kick with a snap of my wrist. Despite the heavy impact, his leg passed just barely over my head.

“Wha—!?”

The dwarven man gasped in shock. I slammed a body blow into his wide-open torso. The dwarven man was sent flying, rolled across the ground, and fainted. In that instant, cheers erupted from the surroundings. I raised a hand to respond to them.

It had been like this for about an hour. It seemed the rumor of me beating the Elder had spread, and people wishing for a match appeared one after another. For now, I was being careful not to cause any serious injuries. This was, after all, just recreation.

Still, fighting amidst cheers was quite enjoyable. It reminded me of my training during my time in the military. Since becoming a mercenary, it had been nothing but actual combat, and I had forgotten this feeling for a long time.

‘Opportunities like this are important too. Though I do feel a bit sorry for them…’

Looking at the dwarves lying prostrate like a pile of corpses, I gave a wry smile. Of course, I hadn’t killed a single one of them. Every face looked satisfied. They were all battle-loving folks; it seemed we would get along.

“No way, thirty men down with his bare hands…!?”

“That’s amazing! I can’t believe he’s a human!”

“What kind of movement is that? It’s a style I’ve never seen before…!”

Various voices rose from the spectating dwarves. In one corner, I spotted Alice sitting quietly. She was smiling softly and clapping. I blew her a wink and called out to the surrounding dwarves.

“Now then, who’s next to challenge me? I’m ready anytime. I don’t have a belt, but I’ll take you on as the undefeated champion.”

The night in the settlement, bustling with the feast, grew deeper as the excitement showed no signs of cooling down.