CHAPTER 8: CH 8: A GOOD HAUL - PART 1

Lucian slipped back into the safety of his small clearing, the gate of the junkyard still fresh in his memory.

His inventory clinked faintly as he pulled out the scraps one by one and laid them on the ground.

The clearing wasn’t much—just a patch of dirt surrounded by half-dead trees and a few makeshift shelters he had pieced together—but it was his sanctuary, the only place he could work without worrying about being hunted.

He crouched low, eyes sharp as he separated the heap into two piles. One for true trash, warped metal and useless junk.

The other for the parts that made his heart pound—plating, conductive rods, alloys that resonated faintly with mana.

Soon, neat stacks were forming.

"Not much, but enough for a start."

He muttered to himself.

From the scraps, Lucian could already see the design in his mind: a small prototype furnace.

Something compact, portable, with enough strength to power a sliver of his land. It wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be proof that he was still capable of creating, of surviving.

His hands worked fast.

He bent metal, welded parts together with bursts of mana, his breathing steady despite the fatigue tugging at his limbs.

Hours blurred as sparks lit the clearing. Finally, a faint glow pulsed inside the small furnace, heat radiating out as the chamber hummed to life.

A smile tugged at his lips.

"It works."

The satisfaction was short-lived. As he leaned back, his gaze shifted to the leftover pile of metal.

His eyes narrowed. There was enough there... enough to form something crude but functional.

"A gun."

The word came quietly, but it filled the clearing. He hesitated, then nodded. A furnace could help him build.

But a weapon would help him live long enough to gather more.

Lucian began shaping the metal. He opted for a lighter frame, something his small body could carry without strain.

The barrel was short, the chamber compressed, the stock reduced to save space. He knew every compromise he was making as he worked, but efficiency mattered. He needed inventory room.

He needed mobility.

By the time the sun dipped lower, the weapon lay across his lap. A rough, imperfect gun powered by mana. He slid a core into the chamber and let out a long breath.

"This will have to do."

The chance to test it came sooner than he expected.

Lucian had ventured back out, moving carefully between the trees near his clearing, when the air shifted.

A guttural growl cut through the silence, followed by the crunch of heavy steps. His muscles tensed.

The beast emerged from the brush, its frame towering, misshapen. Patches of coarse fur clung to its body, while its jaw hung too wide, lined with jagged teeth.

Drool hissed as it hit the ground, burning holes into the dirt. Its glowing eyes locked onto Lucian instantly.

The boy exhaled.

"So it begins."

The beast roared and charged, snow and dirt scattering beneath its weight. Lucian’s fingers tightened on the trigger. He raised the gun and pulled.

Bang!

A shot of mana-infused metal burst from the barrel, streaking toward the beast.

And fizzled.

The round glanced off its hide, leaving only a faint scorch mark. The recoil nearly tore the gun from his grasp.

Lucian’s expression twisted.

"Not enough power."

His mind raced. Of course. He had shaved too much weight, reduced the chamber too small, condensed the barrel.

He had compromised stability and power for portability. His stomach sank.

’That mistake could kill me.’

The beast barreled closer, jaws snapping. Lucian ducked behind a tree, his thoughts sharp despite the pounding of his heart. If the gun couldn’t kill, then it had to distract.

The beast swung its head around the trunk, snarling.

Lucian darted left, sliding across the dirt, and aimed again. He pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The shot struck its ear. The beast howled, staggering, thrashing its head violently as if the sound itself had pierced it.

Lucian’s eyes glinted.

"So that works."

His body moved before fear could catch him. He sprinted low, circling the beast as it shook its head, momentarily disoriented.

He slipped close, too close for its lumbering claws to react. His mana surged, channeling into his hands as he drew a blade of condensed energy, sharp and thin.

With a sharp exhale, Lucian slashed upward.

The beast’s throat split open. A guttural gurgle tore from its mouth before it collapsed, shaking the ground beneath them.

Lucian landed lightly on the dirt, panting hard, his small frame trembling from the rush. His blade flickered out of existence as the beast gave one final twitch before going still.

For a long moment, the clearing was silent.

Lucian let out a shaky laugh.

"Hah... I actually did it."

His gaze turned back to the crude gun in his hand. The barrel smoked faintly, the chamber already straining from overuse. He scowled.

"It’s too weak. Too light. The compromises cost me. Next time, I won’t make the same mistake."

He clicked his tongue.

He crouched beside the beast’s corpse, pressing his hand against its hide. Mana seeped into the body, searching.

He could feel faint traces, a residue of energy swirling within its core. His eyes sharpened.

"This... could be useful."

He carved into the creature quickly, pulling free a pulsing shard of crystallized energy lodged deep inside its chest. It throbbed faintly with mana, unstable but potent.

Lucian wiped the blood off and slipped it into his inventory.

"Fuel for the furnace. And maybe... for the next gun."

He stood, brushing dirt from his hands, his small body aching but his eyes burning with determination.

"This world wants me weak. Wants me to stay an extra, disposable, unnoticed. But I’ll turn even its monsters into stepping stones."

He glanced back at the corpse, lips curling.

With the furnace humming faintly back at his clearing, and the first beast slain at his feet, Lucian knew he had taken another step. Small, fragile, but forward.

He adjusted the gun at his side and looked toward the horizon.

"Next time... I’ll make sure my weapon doesn’t just distract."

His eyes gleamed.

"It’ll kill."