Chapter 148 — Tools That Bite Into Stone
S.C. 1511 — Early March
Hidden Island — Construction Bay
The forge had cooled from alloy experiments, but the stone floor still carried the faint warmth of yesterday's work. Ren tightened the strap of his leather gloves and pulled a wooden crate closer.
Inside were the next projects:
KEA-reinforced drill head
Alloy saw-blade discs
Early nail-driver parts
Hand-crank mechanism
Kiro and two subordinates stood behind him, eager and half-nervous.
Ren pointed at the heavy stone wall ahead.
"Today we're building tools that make this easier."
Kiro cracked his knuckles.
"About time. My arms were going numb from carving that last tunnel."
One of the subordinates nodded quickly.
"My fingers still vibrate when I sleep."
Ren didn't smile, but he handed each of them a protective cloth mask.
"We'll test dust spread too. Wear these."
Zemo barked once, as if reminding everyone that he was the supervisor again.
---
Forge, Heat, and the First Drill Head
Ren placed the KEA drill head on the anvil.
Smooth. Dense. Silver-grey.
He heated the shank end in the forge flame.
The subordinates pumped the bellows steadily.
Ren fused the glowing end onto a thick metal rod, hammering carefully until the joint was solid.
Kiro watched the sparks fly.
"That's heavier than your previous one."
"It needs weight to bite deeper," Ren replied.
Once the drill cooled, he attached it to a wooden handle with iron braces and a crank gear.
A simple mechanism.
But strong.
Kiro lifted it—
"Woah—this thing is no joke."
Ren nodded. "Try it. Steady pressure."
They approached the test wall.
Kiro pressed the drill against the stone and turned the crank.
GRRRRRKKKK—
Stone shavings fell instantly.
His eyes widened. "Already cutting!"
Ren examined the dust.
"Good. The KEA teeth are holding their edge."
The subordinates exchanged excited looks.
Expanding the island chambers just became ten times easier.
---
Saw-Blade Cutter — The First Slice
Ren set out the second project: a rotating saw-blade disc made of KEA alloy mixed with steel.
He fixed it to a hand-crank shaft.
"Use this for wood beams," Ren instructed.
One subordinate brought a thick log.
Ren braced it with clamps.
He motioned to Kiro. "Try slicing."
Kiro cranked.
The blade whirred with a metallic hum—
then slid through the log in seconds.
The subordinate's jaw dropped.
"That… would've taken ten minutes with a normal saw."
Ren inspected the cut.
Clean. Precise.
"We'll build a larger version later," he said softly.
---
First KEA Nail-Driver
Ren assembled the last tool piece by piece:
spring rod
KEA hammer head
guiding barrel
release latch
Kiro raised an eyebrow.
"What's this? A tiny cannon?"
"A nail-driver," Ren answered.
He placed a KEA nail into the barrel.
"Pull the latch. Aim at the wooden beam."
Kiro pulled—
THUNK!
The nail shot straight through the timber and buried inside it.
The subordinates jumped back.
"That's dangerous!"
"That's amazing!"
"That's… both!"
Ren picked up the tool calmly.
"With this, we reinforce beams faster."
Zemo barked in agreement, tail wagging furiously.
---
Expanding the Island Base
The group split tasks:
Ren — tested tool durability, measured vibration, checked heat buildup.
Kiro — used the drill on the cliffside wall, widening the corridor by half a meter.
Subordinates — cut wooden beams and installed them with the nail-driver.
The drill's hum echoed through the chamber.
Sweat dripped down Kiro's chin.
"I could get used to this," he muttered.
Ren watched quietly, taking notes.
Drill teeth durability: stable
Handle vibration: acceptable
Cutting efficiency: high
Worker fatigue: reduced
Ren adjusted the brace straps on Kiro's wrist.
"Keep the angle steady. The drill fights back if you twist your wrist."
Kiro smiled.
"You sound like an old craftsman."
Ren shrugged. "Tools behave like machines. Follow the rules, they cooperate."
Zemo barked as if agreeing with the logic.
---
Foosha Village — Evening Return
When they returned to the village, the smell of cooking drifted through the air.
Makino stood outside the bar, arms crossed.
"You three look exhausted. What were you doing?"
"Digging," Kiro said proudly.
"With what?" she asked suspiciously.
Ren lifted his hands. "Tools."
Makino looked at the dust on their clothes, sighed, and thrust bowls of hot stew at them.
"Eat before you collapse."
Zemo already tried to stick his face into one of the bowls.
Makino rolled her eyes and handed him a smaller dish.
"There. Don't spill it this time."
Ren sat by the window, tasting the warm stew.
Simple. But comforting.
Makino watched him with worried eyes.
"You work harder than anyone in this village."
Ren shook his head. "Everyone works hard."
"But you're a child," she said gently.
Ren didn't answer.
Zemo leaned against his leg, grounding him.
---
Night — Quiet Notes
Back home, Ren wrote:
Drill: effective
Saw-blade: fast
Nail-driver: stable
Next tools:
• powered water pump
• pulley lifter
• reinforced wheelbarrow
• dust collectors
• tool racks
He closed the notebook slowly.
The island base had taken another step forward.
Not flashy.
Not dramatic.
Just progress.
The kind that built futures.
Zemo curled beside him.
Ren rested a hand on his fur.
"More tomorrow."
---
End of Chapter 148