Chapter 2: The Sound of the Forge
The rhythmic clink-clink of Zen's multi-wrench echoed through the hollow chamber, a sharp contrast to the low, guttural moans of the shifting earth. Using his Structural Survey skill, Zen had identified the most critical point of the cavern—a massive, salt-encrusted pillar that acted as the "keystone" for this entire sector.
[Structural Integrity: 34% - Critical Warning]
[Action: Deploying Nano-Reinforcement Mesh...]
As the blue light from his wrench fused the refined iron into the cracks of the stone, the groaning of the ceiling subsided. Zen wiped the sweat from his brow. His royal garments, once fine silk, were now tattered rags, but he didn't care. He was focused on the HUD (Heads-Up Display) blinking in his vision.
"If I can't stabilize the air pressure, the mana corruption in this dust will liquefy my lungs in four hours," Zen calculated.
He turned his attention to a heap of rusted gears nearby—remains of a heavy transport lift that had fallen from the surface decades ago. As he approached, a low growl vibrated from behind a pile of rubble.
Zen froze. He gripped his wrench, shifting its mode to Heat Blade. A pair of glowing, amber eyes emerged from the shadows. But they weren't the eyes of a monster. They were set in a face covered in soot, framed by a matted, gray beard.
"A surface-dweller... alive?" the figure croaked in a voice like grinding stones.
It was a Dwarf. His armor was a patchwork of scavenged plates, and his left arm was encased in a crude, non-functional mechanical brace. Behind him, three more shadows shifted—other outcasts, huddled in the darkness.
"I am Zen," he replied, keeping his voice steady. "And I'm not just alive. I'm building a way out of the dark."
The dwarf let out a cynical laugh. "Building? In the Abyss? Boy, the only thing we build here is our own coffins. I'm Grim, former Master of the Iron-Core Clan. We've been stuck in this 'Death Hole' for five years. There's no fuel, no clean water, and the mana-beasts hunt us every time we light a torch."
Zen didn't argue. Instead, he pointed his wrench at Grim's broken mechanical arm. "Your hydraulic bypass is shattered, and the mana-converter is clogged with sulfur. If you let me fix that, I can give you enough strength to help me move those gears."
Grim narrowed his eyes, skeptical yet desperate. He stepped forward. Zen's fingers moved with the precision of a surgeon and the speed of a master coder. He deconstructed a nearby rusted pipe, refined the metal instantly, and reshaped it into a new pressure valve.
[Synthesis Complete: Mana-Pressure Valve v1.1]
With a hiss of steam, the dwarf's mechanical arm jerked to life. Grim flexed his metal fingers, his eyes widening in shock. The strength returning to his limb was greater than it had been even when the brace was new.
"What kind of sorcery is this?" Grim whispered.
"It's not sorcery," Zen said, turning back to the ruins of the transport lift. "It's Engineering. Now, help me clear this rubble. We're going to build a Mana Furnace, and tonight, for the first time in years, this hole is going to see the sun."
The dwarves exchanged glances. For the first time since their exile, the crushing weight of despair was replaced by a flicker of curiosity. Under Zen's direction, the small group began to move. They weren't just scavengers anymore; they were the first construction crew of the Sunless City.
[Mission Update: Establish First Safe Zone]
[Progress: 65%...]