Chapter 83 — KEA Prototype 0.4
S.C. 1510 — Late December
Foosha Forest — Furnace Clearing
Morning sunlight slipped through the treetops, landing directly onto the heavy, dark bloom Ren had dragged home yesterday.
It looked like a metal meteorite had fallen onto his anvil.
Zemo sniffed it cautiously, then took two polite steps back as if saying:
"Nope. This rock has opinions."
Ren placed a hand on the bloom.
It was:
cold
heavy
darker than any metal he'd smelted
streaked with tiny shimmering veins
He whispered, a small smile forming:
"…You're something new."
But one thing was certain:
This metal wasn't done.
It needed heat.
Hammering.
Folding.
Patience.
Ren cracked his knuckles dramatically.
"Time to see what you really are."
Zemo flopped onto the ground with a fox-sigh, ready to supervise.
---
Heating the Bloom — Let the Fire Eat
Ren loaded the furnace with:
normal charcoal
a sprinkle of the "special shiny charcoal" (because he was brave… or stupid)
The furnace roared to life quickly.
FWOOOOOOOOOM—
Heat washed over Ren, making him squint.
Even Zemo scooted a few inches back.
The bloom inside slowly softened—
edges glowing orange
dark surface brightening
veins shimmering faintly like trapped lightning
Ren's pulse quickened.
"This is good. Very good."
He pulled the bloom out with tongs and set it on the anvil.
---
Forging — A Metal That Fights Back (In a Good Way)
Ren raised his hammer.
CLANG!
He expected resistance.
He expected the metal to push back.
But—
It responded perfectly.
CLANG—CLANG—CLANG—
The bloom compressed evenly, folding without cracking, without splitting, without fighting him.
Ren blinked mid-swing.
"…Wait. Are you cooperating?"
Zemo's head popped up.
Even he looked shocked.
Ren hammered again.
The metal sang:
TING! TING! TING!
Not a screech.
Not a dull thud.
A clean, bright chime.
Ren grinned, sweat dripping down his face.
"Zemo, I think—no, I KNOW—we've hit something huge."
Zemo barked loudly, tail wagging.
Heat again.
Hammering again.
Fold.
Beat.
Fold.
Beat.
With every strike:
slag separated cleanly
veins blended deeper
the alloy looked smoother
no cracks appeared
It was magnificent.
Ren whispered:
"…This is the first stable alloy."
Zemo nodded like a wise old elder who had predicted this all along.
---
Quenching — The Moment of Truth
Ren heated the blade-shaped bloom until it glowed a uniform bright orange.
Then—
Slowly, carefully, reverently—
lowered it into oil.
SSSSSSSHHHH—!
Steam exploded upward like a furious spirit.
Zemo dove behind a tree as if he'd trained for this moment.
Ren held the blade steady, preventing warping.
When the smoke faded, he lifted it.
The blade was:
darker
heavier
smoother
streaked with sealed veins of the new mineral
He tapped it.
TING—!
The sound was so high and clear it echoed across the clearing.
Ren froze.
"…You're stronger than 0.3. Much stronger."
---
Sharpening — A Blade With Attitude
Ren sharpened the blade against a river stone.
Normal iron chipped.
Normal steel resisted.
But this alloy?
It sharpened cleanly, fine grain dust shaving off like powdered silver.
When he finished, the edge gleamed dangerously.
Ren tested it.
1. Wood Test
He brought the blade down on a thick branch.
SHNK—!
The branch separated instantly.
Zemo jumped like the branch had personally offended him.
2. Bone Test
Ren placed an old predator bone on the stump and tapped the blade.
CRACK—
The bone split deeply.
Ren stopped, not wanting to dull the edge.
3. Metal Test
He tapped an old iron tool against the new blade.
The iron dented.
The blade didn't.
Ren went still.
"This is it."
His first true alloy.
Not lucky.
Not accidental.
Engineered.
A metal that could change his future.
---
The Name He Doesn't Speak Aloud
Ren looked down at the blade.
KEA Prototype 0.4.
He didn't say the name out loud.
Names had power.
Secrets had weight.
This alloy was:
strong
stable
high-quality
promising
Perfect for:
advanced tools
hidden base construction
machinery
ship hull reinforcement
Even weapons…
But Ren exhaled slowly.
"This isn't for killing. It's for building."
Zemo rubbed his head against Ren's arm.
Ren smiled softly.
"Let's hide this before someone discovers it."
He wrapped the blade in cloth, hid it inside a deep crack in the shed's stone foundation, and sealed it with wooden planks.
One day, the world would know metals like this.
But not now.
Not when Ren still had so much to build.
So much to prepare.
So much to protect.
He stepped back, satisfied.
Tomorrow…
He would plan the next step.
---
End of Chapter 83