Chapter 352
"So this is the development site.""Hey, are you sure this is gonna be okay?""What, you scared? Jinx said it was fine. Besides, the kid's here."
The tour arrangements went surprisingly smoothly, or perhaps I should say the housewives' network is terrifying.For households who decided to go straightforwardly, it was fine. But for households that hemmed and hawed, there seemed to be some commotion after they refused.
I'm not sure if it was fear of going to the frontier or fear of seeing something new, but just stating the result...
"Alright, alright! Everyone, please don't stray from the guards! We can handle the enemies around here pretty easily, but if you get separated, there's always a chance of something happening."
Last night, after sunset, 80% of the people running shops in the shopping district gathered here via teleportation pendulum.
Their number: 35 in total.
Quite a few familiar faces were among them, some participating because Jinx-san asked.Since it was nighttime, they could only see the development site scenery from a distance, not grasping the full picture. The shopping district group, seeing the natural scenery illuminated by the morning sun, was anxious and fearful.Jinx-san and the butcher uncle were taking it in stride, observing the land, but I think being able to be nonchalant upon arriving at virgin land is rare.
After all, some people were so surprised even by staying overnight at the Mochi Dungeon that they're a bit sleep-deprived.
If you rarely get chances to leave the royal capital, you'd naturally become timid in situations like this, I suppose.
Their guards are the fully-equipped Genjirou and the Garden Watchmen. In the forest visible nearby, the Entertainers are constantly on watch, ensuring no monsters approach.
And Nell, Amina, Ingrid, Claudia, Lady Esmeralda, and I, the party members, are also in full gear.
We've also prepared equipment for the shopping district folks, paying utmost attention to safety.
In such a place, I stand out with an out-of-place atmosphere, waving a flag like a tour guide.
Under the flag clearly marked 'Shopping District Group,' the shopping district folks look at me, anxiously waving the flag, wondering what's about to begin.
"Ahem~ Today, with fine weather, thank you for gathering at our development site."
Now that I have their attention, let's start with the standard spiel.Bowing my head slightly, the shopping district folks reflexively bow back in the flow.
"The purpose today is to show you the scene of development I mentioned through Jinx-san."
What I'm about to show will overturn the common sense of development in this world.Imagining their surprised expressions makes me a little excited. Suppressing my eagerness, I continue the explanation.
The murmuring shopping district folks. Jinx-san is watching me intently, waiting for what will begin.
"Alright then, Amina, if you would.""Okay! Golem Summon!!"
Well, no point in making them wait. Without being showy, I call out the first unit.
"A golem!?""Is that an Angler-type?""The shape is similar, but what are those arms?""Using a golem to cut trees? But those arms can't even hold an axe."
What I summoned is a logging golem based on the Angler type.The modifications are the arms and the multi-legged, stability-focused lower body. The arms are elongated, thick, with fist-like bulges at the end—so much so they look like they'd throw off the balance.
Actually, the balance isn't that bad, and I've modified the core to increase output. It's only the appearance that's similar; the internals are different.
"First, the staple of development: clearing forests for development. Let me introduce this golem, the 'Harvester.'"
In FBO, golems sometimes take inspiration from heavy machinery in the real world outside the game.True to its name 'Harvester,' this golem is also modeled after the high-performance forestry machine called a harvester.
Climbing onto the Harvester's back, I channel magic.If spirits were piloting, they'd handle it. But since the development must be done by human hands for this demonstration, I'll do it.
Slowly approaching the forest, targeting a tree at the edge, the arms spread as if to grasp the thick trunk.Once it grabs, it's over in an instant.
"What kind of sound is that?""Won't that attract monsters?""But look! The tree was cut down in an instant!!""And it trimmed the branches and cut it evenly.""How long would that take with an axe?"
Turning a single tree into a log takes less than a minute.
"Now both arms are starting to move!""Don't tell me it can do that work simultaneously!?"
And the Harvester has two arms.
Utilizing its special multi-legged feet for balance and its extendable arms, it can grab trees simultaneously.Even a century-old tree can be processed at the same time.
"But even if the trees are cut...""Yeah, the hard part is the roots."
The ability to fell trees so rapidly seems to have struck a chord with the men's boyish hearts; they're watching the golem with sparkling eyes.But after seeing the cleanly cut logs with branches and leaves trimmed, they're looking at the remaining stump, wondering what to do about the roots.
"Rest assured! Those remaining roots can be easily pulled out too.""Pulled out...?""How on earth?"
I assert that the toughest part of forest clearing is no problem and give a thumbs-up, but the skeptical gazes don't fade.What they're imagining is the primitive method of dozens of muscular men pulling on roots to yank them out.
So, they must think I'll use a derived method where the golem grabs and pulls the roots.
"But this guy's abilities don't stop there!"
This Harvester is a multi-functional logging golem!Riding over the stump, I activate another function.
A drill protrudes from between the Harvester's legs.That drill instantly pierces the stump. I check that the distance between the spectators and the Harvester is sufficiently safe.
Judging it's okay, I deploy a magic circle.
"Incineration!""Whoa!?"
Roots spread in all directions; pulling out every single one consumes considerable effort and time.But all roots are connected to the stump.
So, thinking about the shortest method, the result...
"The stump turned to ash.""Incredible."
I decided burning is best.Normally, considering fire spread, using fire in a forest is forbidden. But using magical incineration and using fire underground minimizes damage.
Furthermore, the remaining ash becomes soil nutrition—killing two birds with one stone.
This will be very useful if we make this into farmland.Even if not for farmland, digging up and moving that soil means it can be repurposed for fields.
"And once you get used to it, you can do this—logging and root processing simultaneously!!"
Clattering around, extending arms here and there, mass-producing logs while processing stumps underfoot.
Tree after tree is felled. In less than 30 minutes, a development site about the size of a sports field is created.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!! This is insane!! With something like this, making a village would be a breeze!!"
The butcher uncle, excited by the work speed, shouts.His cry speaks for the hearts of the shopping district folks.
People exchange glances, nod, and some start talking, but it's not over yet.
"But wait, there's more! This isn't the end!"
We've only done clearing and cutting so far.
"Amina! Next one, please!""Okay!"
I have Amina summon the next golem.
"What the heck is that!?""It has no arms... wait, arms are growing from its back!!""No, are those even arms?""A large... cylinder?""No, more importantly, it has no legs!!"
Suppressing the urge to shout 'It's a ROAD ROLLER!!!', what I summoned is a tank-type golem.
A golem with road roller parts attached to its forearms, arms growing from near the shoulder blades—a deformed golem.The reason they said it has no legs is because its lower body is caterpillar tracks.
The shopping district folks, who don't understand this golem's purpose, have eyes filled with expectation for what it will do next.
Switching from the Harvester to the Road Roller Golem, I channel magic. The caterpillar tracks start rotating with a *whirr!* and it begins moving forward.
The iron wheels are magic tools.
What kind of magic tools? You ask...
"Incredible! The ground the golem passed over is completely flattened!!""The weeds are gone too! How!?"
You could call it a land-leveling magic tool. The shovel part in front of the iron wheels scoops up soil, which is then fed upwards onto the wheels.Inside, magic tools crush small stones and other obstacles for leveling, mixing them into the soil before releasing.Beneath that, the 'Softon' skill on the iron wheels, which softens the ground, and the 'Press' skill, which compresses it, work in tandem to level the land.
Of course, this land is created by nature, so by itself, you can't create flat land no matter what.
That's where the arms—or rather, magic tools—growing from the shoulder blades come into play.
"The ground is starting to move like water!""It's waves. The ground is undulating!"
The part corresponding to fists has a shape like a parabolic antenna, emitting a pale yellow light beam that causes the ground to become viscous.
Then, the softened ground flows from high to low areas due to gravity, leveling out like a water surface.
It's a magic tool that allows the 'Swamp Trap' skill to be fired as a beam.Areas hit by the beam become swamp-like and liquefy.
Stop the beam, and it instantly returns to normal soil you can walk on.
It's leveling using elevation differences, but once you get the hang of it, you can flatten the land we just developed in no time.
"......"
Gazes that seem to say they're too shocked for words.
With just two golems, land seemingly ready for building houses was completed in an instant.
Development is originally supposed to be much more grueling, harsh, and life-risking.You can almost hear the sound of that common sense being overturned and crumbling.
"But this isn't the end either!!""Eh!?"
The main attraction isn't over yet.
"Amina, third one, please.""Okay!"
Appearing before the shopping district folks, whose brains haven't caught up yet, wondering "There's more?" is another golem.
"How should I put it...""It's plain, isn't it?"
Compared to the Harvester Golem and the Road Roller Golem, it lacks impact.What it has: a multi-legged lower body with four legs, a chair attached on top, a roof installed to block sunlight, and a parabolic antenna on top.It looks like a transport golem meant for riding and moving around, but...
"Alright then."
This guy's true worth is plain but holds an incredible ability.Sitting on the chair, taking out the side table, a monitor appears on it.
A radar-like monitor displays one red dot and one blue dot.Without hesitation, I touch those two points.
"Hey, the golems started moving even though no one's on them!!""Eh, really!?"
This golem's name is the Commander Golem.While it requires attaching remote control devices, it's a golem that allows one golem to operate multiple other golems.An excellent golem with a magic supply unit attached.
Players who specialize in golem user builds do all sorts of insane things with this, but that aside for now. This is the golem that holds the key to development.
The shopping district folks, realizing I'm remotely controlling the golems, look at me with astonished eyes.To them, I give a peace sign.