After speaking with Halbarad, Garrett didn't waste a single moment. He turned and hurried back into the stronghold to begin preparing supplies.
Having been granted permission, Halbarad also walked curiously through the gates, following Garrett around and taking in the sights.
Garrett headed straight to the stronghold's smelting chamber, retrieved a row of iron ingots from the furnaces, and began crafting.
He opened a chest labeled [Minerals].
Inside lay five full stacks of iron blocks, neatly arranged, along with various other miscellaneous ores. Among them were one stack of sulfur and 43 pieces of saltpeter.
Level: 35.
This was the result of continuous mining over the past month.
"How are you planning to make your stand?" Halbarad couldn't help but ask as he watched Garrett inventory the supplies. Taking advantage of this opportunity to look inside, the experienced Ranger also examined the inner structure of the stronghold's defenses. After observing for a while, he couldn't help but frown.
The wall's defensive design wasn't just poor, it was practically nonexistent.
It was simply a barrier built from stacked stone, with only a few ladders for access. Even at the top, it was completely bare, with no cover whatsoever. Anyone standing there would be entirely exposed, with nowhere to take shelter. He truly couldn't fathom how Garrett intended to defend this place with such a plain wall and what appeared to be a flimsy wooden gate.
Was he going to rely on sorcery?
"Just defend it as it is," Garrett gave a casual, offhand reply. As he spoke, he produced more than a dozen stacks of cobblestone, and after several trips back and forth, he raised the height of the stronghold wall by five full meters in just under half an hour.
Halbarad watched the entire process in stunned silence.
What kind of power was this?
How could such massive blocks of stone simply remain in place as if bound by magic? They didn't shift at all. And where did he even acquire so many stones? It appeared as though he merely gestured at the air and the stones materialized.
Looking at the wall, which now resembled a seamless, monolithic structure with no visible joints, the Ranger was completely bewildered.
This kind of construction ability was practically divine, as if Aulë the Smith himself had descended to earth. If any realm could secure his service, it would represent a tremendous advantage. This was more valuable than ten thousand soldiers defending a city...
"I see now why you're confident in holding this place," Halbarad finally recovered and said. "But your current defenses are still rather basic. Listen to me, you should build it like this, and this, and then that..."
As Garrett listened, his eyes gradually brightened. As a player who had focused on building in Minecraft, he had always prioritized aesthetics over function, whatever looked impressive was how he constructed things. But now, hearing Halbarad's suggestions, it was like a revelation.
In just half an hour, the general layout, purpose, and key defensive features of a proper fortress were explained clearly. He listened with growing excitement and began renovating on the spot.
Halbarad, meanwhile, provided real-time guidance, instructing Garrett on placement, where to build cover, where to leave arrow loops, and where to position obstacles to prevent scaling.
They worked busily like this all afternoon.
By dusk, an additional watchtower was completed. Garrett took a bite of some preserved beef and offered several pieces to Halbarad.
"Try my cooking, system-branded recipe preserved beef."
Although Halbarad had no idea what Garrett meant by "system-branded," it didn't prevent him from sampling a few bites. With just one taste, the flavor burst through and filled his mouth with rich, satisfying notes.
"Excellent. Even the finest royal cooks couldn't prepare something superior to this."
+1 devoted admirer of system-crafted cuisine.
Seeing the stronghold now fully transformed into a true fortress, with both visual appeal and practical defensive capabilities, he realized there was little more he could meaningfully contribute.
Everything was prepared. Now they simply had to wait.
As dusk began to deepen, Garrett turned to ask, "You're not leaving? If your intel is correct, that warg-rider war-band should be attacking tonight."
Halbarad took another bite of the preserved beef and only responded after swallowing, "I'm not leaving. I want to see how you're going to handle them. And besides, having an additional sword can only help, right?"
Though that was what he said, he had another consideration in mind.
A direct confrontation was absolutely impossible, that was a mounted war-band with over a hundred riders.
He'd already decided: if Garrett failed to hold the line, he'd seize him and flee immediately. No sense allowing him to perish here out of attachment to the stronghold, or worse, be taken alive by orcs. That would be a genuine tragedy.
"You're not afraid?"
"Just another night's work," Halbarad replied with an untroubled expression.
Garrett took a deep breath.
Damn, this fellow has style.
"Well then, if you're really staying, take these. Consider them a gift."
He pulled out a set of iron armor and an iron sword, placing them on the ground. Halbarad's eyes immediately widened.
Such expertly forged iron armor, such a keen-edged longsword, was this man also a master smith?
"Try it on, see how it fits."
As soon as he donned the armor Garrett had given him, he immediately felt the difference. The silvery iron armor appeared substantial, but when worn, it didn't impede movement at all, nor did it feel burdensome. One couldn't help but marvel at the craftsmanship.
"You continue to astonish."
He was genuinely impressed with the armor.
"Looks like I'll have to earn my keep tonight."
Dusk quickly faded, and night fell. The sky wasn't particularly clear.
---
In the nearby forest, close enough to be seen with the naked eye, pairs of crimson eyes stared fixedly at the suddenly-appeared stronghold and the walls that had risen almost overnight. Even though orcs weren't renowned for intelligence, they still understood that there were powerful beings in this world, wizards, elven lords... or their own dark masters, for instance.
If the one inside the walls was a similarly formidable entity, wouldn't that simply mean trouble for themselves?
However, it had already been over ten days since they first noticed this strange human. And as time passed, the stronghold kept improving, farmland expanded, and the walls grew higher and longer. Yet aside from the unbelievable speed of construction, there didn't seem to be anything particularly supernatural or dangerous about the man.
"This stronghold could serve our purposes!" a small orc scout reported back to a particularly massive leader. "Also, the wargs caught the scent of meat, there must be plenty of fresh meat inside..."
Meat... fresh meat...
Hearing that, many of the orcs could no longer contain themselves.
"I'm sick of moldy bread and maggots, I want fresh meat!!"
"Meat! Man-flesh!"
"Silence!" the largest orc roared, slamming a massive boulder beside him.
As cracks spread across the stone, the restless crowd quieted considerably.
"Prepare yourselves, now! We move! Tonight, I'll be feasting on roasted man-flesh!"
The leader gave the command.
Howl.
The wargs growled low and menacing. The orcs erupted in bloodthirsty cheers.