Chapter 3: The Hearth in the Dark
The air in the cavern grew colder as the "Mana-Fumes" began to settle, a sign that the atmospheric pressure was dropping. Zen knew that if they didn't finish the furnace soon, the toxic mist would become thick enough to burn their skin.
"Grim, align the secondary cooling pipes! The mana-flow needs a 15-degree incline or the pressure will backfire!" Zen shouted over the metallic clanging.
Grim and the other three dwarves worked with a fervor they hadn't felt in years. They weren't just slapping scrap together; they were following the glowing blue AR (Augmented Reality) Blueprints that Zen had projected onto the floor. To the dwarves, it looked like sacred geometry; to Zen, it was a standard thermal-dynamic layout.
[Building Progress: Mana Furnace v1.0 — 92%]
[Warning: High-Energy Mana Signature detected nearby. Hostile entities approaching.]
"We're making too much noise," one of the dwarves whimpered, clutching a rusted pickaxe. "The Stone-Eaters... they can hear the vibration of the metal."
From the dark tunnels branching off the main hall, a series of wet, clicking sounds echoed. Then, a massive shape emerged. It was a Lithovore Centipede, a creature three meters long with a carapace made of hardened obsidian and mandibles that could shear through solid iron. It was attracted to the concentrated mana Zen was using to forge the furnace's core.
"Get behind the furnace!" Zen commanded, stepping forward. He didn't have a shield or a sword, but he had his Magic-Tech Multi-Wrench.
With a quick mental command, Zen switched the tool to [Overload Discharge Mode]. The blue crystal at the center of the wrench began to hum violently, arcing with electricity.
The centipede lunged, its obsidian legs skittering across the stone floor with terrifying speed. Zen waited, his eyes tracking the creature's movements through the system's Threat Analyzer.
"Now!"
As the beast reared up to strike, Zen slammed the wrench into a puddle of mineral-rich water at the creature's feet.
CRACK-BOOM!
A massive surge of blue lightning erupted, conducted through the water and into the centipede's soft underbelly. The creature shrieked, a sound like grinding glass, before collapsing as its internal mana-core short-circuited.
[Enemy Defeated: Lithovore Centipede]
[Experience Gained: Level Up! Current Level: 3]
[Resource Looted: Obsidian Carapace (10 Units), High-Grade Mana Core (1 Unit)]
Zen didn't stop to celebrate. He grabbed the glowing Mana Core from the carcass and slammed it into the central socket of the unfinished furnace. "Grim! Seal the lid! Now!"
The dwarves hammered the last bolts into place. Zen turned the master valve.
For a heartbeat, there was silence. Then, a low, rhythmic thrum began to vibrate through the floor. The vents of the furnace glowed a soft, warm amber. Suddenly, a pillar of pure, white light shot out from the top of the machine, hitting a reflective crystal Zen had positioned on the ceiling.
The light fractured and spread, illuminating the entire cavern. The darkness retreated, and for the first time in centuries, the "Death Hole" felt warm.
[Mission Accomplished: Establish First Safe Zone]
[New Blueprint Unlocked: Hydro-Atmospheric Scrubber (Air Purifier)]
[Settlement Population: 5]
Grim stood frozen, staring at the glowing hearth. He reached out a trembling hand toward the warmth. "Light... real light..."
Zen stood by the machine, his silhouette cast long against the stone walls. "This is just the beginning, Grim. Tomorrow, we build the walls. The day after, we build the city."
The dwarves looked at the young prince—no, the Architect—with newfound awe. They weren't just survivors anymore. They were the citizens of a rising empire.