As the time ticked on by John was pestered repeatedly by Z who seemed to want to know every detail of his class, Ash and Saya watching from the side talking to one another as they seemed to try and figure out what he had planned now, how they would be moving forward. It was just past an hour when the girls and the rest of their group reappeared, burdened with bulging backpacks and makeshift sacks slung over shoulders clearly having taken everything they could carry and more. Their faces were grim and their movements stiff as they moved. Without so much as a glance in John's direction, they began to move past him, intent on leaving. But then Tim cast shadowed eyes over the others still standing with John, focusing on Saya.
"Why would you stay with a monster in human skin?" he hissed, his voice dripping with venom. Before Saya could even formulate a reply, the he sneered, joined by a chorus of agreement from others. "I suppose birds of a feather truly, do flock together." The words struck Saya like a physical blow, causing her to flinch, her gaze dropping to the ground as her shoulders hunching in shame, clearly something had happened between them in the past and he was now using it as a means to try and hurt her.
John's jaw tightened as he stepped forward, his voice a low, steady rumble that cut through the hostility. "If you've gathered what you needed and wanted then leave. No more words are needed after all but understand this," he added, his eyes hardening, "you won't find it easy here if you ever decide to return, things will be very different if we ever meet again."
Tim, now seemed to be their de facto leader just snorted before waving a dismissive hand as if swatting away a fly before leading the group away but not before sending one last disdainful glance back, their presence leaving a chill in the air long after they vanished from sight. John watched them go. He'd considered confronting them further, but his priority now lay with Saya.
Turning he slowly walked over to her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. The tremor in her frame was immediate, small but telling. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer than she'd ever heard it, laced with unconcealed concern.
Saya nodded slightly, her eyes still fixed on the dirt. "Yes," she whispered, the word thin and fragile. "I just... I didn't expect that from them. Is it really my fault that my class makes me seem like a monster even after everything?" Her voice cracked with the last word.
John didn't hesitate as he pulled her into a warm, protective hug holding her close as if to absorb the pain she felt. "Your class doesn't define who you are or what you become," he murmured softly. "You are not even close to a monster. Look, I'm really not good with words or with talking like this or even knowing what to say most of the time, but what I do know is that you're a young woman who is just navigating a hell with the rest of us and been cast a bad hand, having to deal with far more than she should. You have a class that's strong and that causes jealousy and envy. Don't let the words of those jealous and stupid people get to you or warp you into something I know you aren't. Especially not those who would so quickly forget all you did for them and the pain you all shared."
He gently eased back, keeping his hands on her shoulders, his gaze steady and unwavering. "Don't try to be what other people want or expect, just be yourself from now on. Be Saya, the strong, smart girl I met recently, the one who gave me words of wisdom when I needed them. Their ignorance is their burden to bare, not yours." His sincerity brought a faint blush to her cheeks before she looked up at him, a flicker of surprise and gratitude in her tear-filled eyes, before looking away to gently wipe her tears. "Thank you," she mumbled, the words a soft, heartfelt whisper, feeling something, she thought was gone with the rest of her emotions for a brief moment.
Offering her a small, reassuring smile he turned his attention to the remaining individuals before his gaze settled on Z. "I don't suppose an amazing, super respectable and above-board merchant like yourself could acquire members for my camp? Someone capable of convincing good and decent-natured customers to come here?" John quipped, a playful glint in his eye.
Z responded with an exasperated eye roll, their long sleeves dramatically crossing over their chest. "I can try and recommend the place I come across but word of mouth is tricky. It could easily bring the wrong sort here, are you sure you want to do that and take such a chance? Also, even if i do decide to do it my commission is no less than two no three! Three coins per a person!" they declared, their usual mercantile shrewdness surfacing making him laughed a little before waving a hand. "Forget it then!" he said, turning to walk over to Jason, who was still absorbed in his thoughts nearby.
"So, I believe you're the genius responsible for the underground expansion?" John began, a genuine respect in his tone. "You did an amazing job, I'm glad you stayed. You mention wanting to create better defences, right? What materials do I need to get for you to begin making it a reality, don't worry about work force ill sort that.
Jason who had been lost in his own world moments before gave him a blank look for a moment before his eyes lit up, the passion for his ideas quickly washing over him and tumbling over each other as he spoke. "Well, they're just simple things I saw in games but with how things are they should be more than possible now," he started, pushing up a pair of glasses that had slipped down his nose, a slight blush of embarrassment on his face, followed by a small cough. "Towers that would launch arrows and possibly some magic towers to fire, well, fire or ice, depending on their nature. But I plan to have them push out of the ground when needed and be rather large to ensure they can target large areas over single individuals. A central tower in the middle of everything to generate a shield that would overlap onto a set of walls that would rise up around the place, blocking attacks while trapping any enemies inside and slowly draining their life away. The rising walls would not only serve as a good surprise defence but also allow you to keep the true nature of your camp hiden like you've been wanting." He gestured animatedly, his quiet demeanour falling away to reveal a man deeply enthusiastic about his craft.
John listened intently, picturing the intricate defences. "Honestly, all that does sound absolutely amazing. You need to understand that none of that will be easy, but I really like the elemental towers and central tower idea. It would make a great vantage point to overlook and assess situations safely because of that shield, perhaps solid towers that remain in place as vantage points that act as link points for the wall?" John's own additions and not only understanding but encouragement brought a wide smile to his face mixed with a look of surprise and profound joy that his complex, gaming-inspired ideas were not just listened to but appreciated as valid rather than being thrown out as impossible from the start.
"We just need to sort out the materials, luckily I have a way to get them, thanks to recent events" John continued, the confidence in bringing his plans to reality palpable. "Spend the next few days getting your thoughts together. Make a detailed list of what you think would be needed for all of it along with thinking of more things to add, mix in anything else you may want for our city underground and any other defences that come to mind with their uses and materials. In five or six days from now I want you to give me your list. If I'm not here for some reason ask Elena to send a stick figure out to deliver it to me. And when I do return, I'll make sure you will get all the materials you asked for and needed." Jason's smile widened, a man utterly consumed by his creative vision realizing he would finally be able to let loose and have all his idea's, plans and various visions finally become a reality. He didn't care if it was true or a false hope, if there was even a small chance that John was telling the truth it would be all he could have ever hoped for and more. Without wating for anything else to be said he rushed back to his planning room to begin making plans, figuring out what materials would be best along with everything else.
"Who says I'll still be here by then? Or that you would even find me at that time? Do you plan to pay me for the possible lack of business id suffer by staying around your camp?" Z interjected, having overheard the conversation. There long sleeves crossed over their chest with a glint of suspicion in their eyes.
"Oh, I am well aware of that," John replied, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "But I made a contact of my own last night. He seemed quite nice and is even going to introduce me to some others in a week's time. I also have a place I can get anything I could need now for a price. For example, I got these." As he spoke, John reached to his side and pulled out the frayed looking pouch, taking enjoyment in Z's reaction.
Their eyes widened dramatically at the sight of it, while Ash and Saya exchanged confused glances. Elena had returned to the greenhouse already and the old man had quietly slipped away, perhaps to ensure their recent visitors had truly departed.
"Uhm, is that some kind of storage ring in sack form or does it hold something special?" Ash couldn't help but comment, her brow furrowed. "I mean spatial bags are supposed to be blue, good looking and well, nice looking," She continued well pointing to the sack. "Often made from some kind of silk or special beast furs and looking fancy rather than some old, brown, ratty looking sack, right?"
Z, however, was practically vibrating with excitement. "Where did you get something like that?! How much do you want for that?! I'll give you 1500 coin and 25 more gacha tickets! Sell it to me right now! An item like that isn't easy to get and I could get a fortune—cough—make a small profit if I were to sell it and that doesn't include its value for my own personal use and how much easier things could be for me with something like that! It's even better than your cloak since I can't get a read off it!" Z practically shrieked, their eyes fixed on the sack with an intense, covetous hunger, almost jumping at John much to the girls' utter amazement.
"It was a gift from the friend I mentioned," John explained, a sly grin on his face. "Along with its contents. Speaking of which, I should probably let them out." He said, causing even more confusion among the onlookers as he put it away and pulled the blue bag out almost causing Z to go into a fit as Ash exclaimed how that was what a storage bag should look like.
At first, John methodically began to pull out a dazzling array of spirit stones, magic stones and beast cores. Carefully placing them on the ground in organized piles along with an assortment of weapons. Z seemed to be visibly struggling to restrain themselves, practically hyperventilating at the sheer value laid out before them but unable to do anything about it much to John's pleasure, feeling it was good payback after she had scammed them and tricked him with the coins real value. But it was what came next that truly stunned everyone.
From the seemingly bottomless sack, John let out fifteen armoured statues of various humanoid races and ten clockwork robots. Each, initially, fit neatly into his palm but the moment he pulled them out they swiftly began to grow, expanding to their full, imposing size. A faint, palpable pressure emanated from each construct, filling the air with a sense of power. At this sight, Z was practically drooling, evidenced by the wet marks on their scarf.
"Where did you even get all this?!" Z finally exploded, abandoning all pretence of decorum. "You aren't a merchant! And no one else came by without me knowing so how?! A lot of that stuff is high-end! Those cores are from fierce beasts that don't belong anywhere near this world and some I don't even recognize! Those stones feel like pure energy and clearly magical in origin well the others give a pressure of something I've never felt before! And then there are these statues and weird robots! I've seen some powerful and rich merchants have statues like those as bodyguards but do you have so many of them?! They seem to even be of a higher quality!" Z yelled, rushing over to inspect each marvel, becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the intricate details and palpable power of the constructs.
John simply smiled, allowing Z their moment of awe before issuing his commands. "Alright, listen up." His voice, though calm, resonated with authority as he addressed the newly manifested protectors. "The first seven statues on the left, begin patrols around the area, say ten feet out from the greenhouse and seven from the house behind me. Keeping this building and the greenhouse over there safe is a main priority. Five clockworks, you will listen to my words and patrol with them. You will work in groups and keep this area and the people here secure and safe. Those present including a dryad, an old man and a man with glasses in that building over there are listed as friendlies. Any other humanoid can be considered hostile and detained not killed unless you have no other options available to you. There is a prison underground where you can keep them."
He then pointed to another segment of the assembled force. "The next three statues and one clockwork are in charge of keeping the prisoners fed and hydrated, along with cooking tasks or any renovations the underground city may need." Finally, he turned, a determined glint in his eye. "As for the remaining five statues and four clockworks, you will be following me."
Each construct responded with an immediate, precise salute, metal joints whirring softly and stone joins groaning in acknowledgment. The designated groups broke off, the first patrol already moving with silent efficiency towards their assigned zones. The remaining statues and clockworks fell into perfect formation behind him, a formidable group ready for whatever challenges may lay ahead. The sheer power and immediate obedience of these guardians left Saya and Ash wide-eyed, a new sense of security washing over them as they realized this was no doubt a start to something much, much more.