Ever since Adrian could remember, he had always taken a liking to watches and clocks. Back in his previous life, he'd owned several of them, both digital and analog.
But making one himself? That had always seemed out of reach, or rather, it wasn't worth the hassle.
Now, however, things had changed dramatically. With the Tech Core and its promise of rewards, Adrian found himself eager and more than ready to embrace the challenge.
'Timepieces are simple enough in concept,' Adrian mused quietly to himself. 'All I really need is a power source, something to regulate the movement of the hands, and gears to connect everything.'
He quickly sketched a mental blueprint. The design he had in mind wasn't a complicated wristwatch; he needed something realistic for the world he now inhabited.
A pendulum-driven clock would be perfect. It would rely on gravity, gears, and precise craftsmanship rather than complex electronics or batteries.
Adrian glanced at the neatly arranged metal scraps scattered around the forge.
'I'll need brass or iron gears, screws, a pendulum, and a casing to protect everything. Glass would be nice, but I'll worry about that later. Right now, I need the basics.'
As he was about to begin inspecting the metals himself, he suddenly remembered the skill granted by his Tech Core and decided to utilize it instead.
'Let's see how useful this Analyze skill really is,' he thought.
[Analyze (Basic Tier)]
> > Can identify the structure and composition of non-living materials.
Accuracy: 60% | Scan Speed: 2.5 seconds
Adrian picked up a promising piece of metal and held it carefully as he activated the skill. After precisely 2.5 seconds, a simple notification appeared in his vision.
[Material Identified: Brass | Purity: 82%]
'Not bad at all.'
Adrian set the brass aside, fully confident it would serve perfectly for making gears. Encouraged, he moved onto the next piece of scrap, a chunk of metal that appeared sturdy.
[Material Identified: Iron | Purity: 74%]
'Perfect for the frame,' he nodded approvingly. Curious, Adrian decided to test the skill on a metal he wasn't familiar with.
[Material Identified: Mithril Alloy | Purity: 68%]
Adrian's eyes widened slightly in surprise. 'Mithril? Interesting. That might make a good alternative for more delicate components.'
He continued sorting through other metals, occasionally discovering unfamiliar materials that intrigued him further.
[Material Identified: Copper | Purity: 90%]
[Material Identified: Steel | Purity: 65%]
He found himself smiling more broadly with each successful scan. The Analyze skill was proving invaluable, significantly reducing guesswork and ensuring quality materials.
After carefully mapping out the necessary components, Adrian felt ready to proceed to arranging them. 'Time to get to work,' he told himself firmly, filled with newfound confidence.
As he worked, he felt Eli's curious gaze flicker toward him from time to time. Adrian pretended not to notice, completely absorbed in his task. Eli himself was busy repairing tools and didn't interfere.
Slowly but surely, Adrian began assembling the core materials. Brass for the gears and iron for the structural frame seemed ideal. It wasn't long before villagers began entering the forge, bringing tools and utensils that needed Eli's expertise.
Adrian paused briefly, stepping aside to observe quietly as Eli greeted customers warmly and expertly assessed their needs.
Eventually, the customers dispersed, and Adrian returned to his work. Eli finally couldn't contain his curiosity.
"Adrian," Eli asked, setting down a hammer he'd been wielding. "What exactly are you doing there?"
"You'll see soon enough," Adrian replied with a confident smile. "It's a bit complicated to explain right now."
Eli chuckled and shaked his head slightly. "Alright, I'll wait and see. Just don't hurt yourself with anything sharp. Mara will have my head."
Adrian laughed softly, appreciating Eli's easygoing nature. After finalizing his rough blueprint and double-checking his materials, Adrian realized he'd need the forge to shape some of the metal components.
'I've never used a forge before, so Eli will have to show me the ropes,' Adrian thought.
"Sir, please could you teach me how to use the forge? I'll need it for parts of my invention."
Eli raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the request. "I admire your enthusiasm, Adrian, but forging metal isn't something you master in a day. Still, I did promise to show you some tricks, didn't I? So listen carefully."
Eli moved toward the forge, gesturing Adrian to follow.
"The forge is the heart of a blacksmith's work. It generates intense heat necessary for shaping metal. Metals require a significant temperature to become malleable enough for shaping or molding.
We typically use an artificial furnace to generate this heat, but since I'm a 1-star Fire Mage, I can easily control and manipulate flames to some degree without much effort."
Adrian nodded thoughtfully. He recalled from his extensive reading that mages were categorized from 1-star to 9-star, with 1-star being the lowest.
Eli wasn't exactly among the elite mages who got to attend the prestigious academies, but his magic was undoubtedly useful for his craft.
For a brief moment, Adrian's thoughts drifted toward the academy and the life he might have lived had he awakened magical abilities.
He sighed softly and shook his head, pushing those memories aside. There was no use dwelling on the past.
Eli began demonstrating the forge's workings. He showed Adrian how metals were heated until glowing red-hot, then carefully manipulated using tongs and hammered into shape upon the anvil. Adrian watched intently, mentally absorbing each movement Eli made.
When Eli switched to using the artificial furnace, Adrian noted it was slower but still effective, making it accessible to non-mages. Eli patiently explained each step, emphasizing safety and precision.
Hours passed quickly as Adrian remained absorbed, committing every detail of Eli's demonstration to memory. His determination and focus did not go unnoticed, with Eli occasionally smiling in approval.
Just as Eli set down the hammer after finishing his final demonstration piece, Adrian heard a metallic Ding sound from within his mind and a new system notification appeared clearly before his eyes.
[Congratulations! New Skill Acquired: Basic Forging Technique]