There can't be a Harvest Moon in the RimWorld.

"Who is Gelfred? Don't just change other people's names!" His voice was still a little weak. When I entered the room, I saw Gelfred wearing pajamas, staring at me blankly. He looked as listless as a shut-in who had been attending classes during the day and staying up all night playing games.

Gray, what's wrong? Did you go to college? Am I in the men's dorm?

Gray didn't say anything. He struggled to reach the water glass on the bedside table, took a big gulp of cold water to wake himself up, and then opened the room window.

A cool breeze, carrying moisture, gently stirred the curtains and brushed against his pale golden hair, gradually bringing him back to his senses. Outside the window, the scenery was shrouded in a thin mist; green trees embraced the blacksmith's shop, which had long been a nuisance, yet it offered a secluded tranquility. Coming to Mineral Town was truly the best decision I'd ever made.

"Boss Marcus, did my grandfather send you?" Gray remained indifferent, with a cool and chuunibyou-like demeanor.

But when it comes to being a chuunibyou (a person with delusions of grandeur), today I, "Dark Flame Master," am no less than you!

"I just came to check on my assistant and see if he's doing his job properly." I held out my bandaged right hand and waved it in front of him to indicate that this had nothing to do with Sebala.

Gray looked at me with some skepticism, but eventually agreed with me, taking out a thick stack of draft paper from under the bed and handing it to me.

"Actually, I've been researching equipment these past two days. I work for my grandfather during the day and learn forging knowledge, so I can only have time at night to write down my thoughts."

He shrugged helplessly: "In order to keep it from my grandfather, I could only study it secretly behind closed doors, which eventually led to me working day and night in a completely different way. It was a last resort."

I casually flipped open the draft paper and saw that it was filled with many sketches, all perspective views of forged items. For example, the sickle was redesigned from different angles, such as thick blade, long blade, thin blade, pointed blade, and armor-piercing blade. Theoretically, it explored the stress, durability, and destructive power, searching for the optimal design solution in actual combat.

In the corner of the blueprints, a bunch of commonly used parameters were recorded. These were probably valuable data obtained from tests conducted during the daytime forging of iron using different materials. To me, a layman, they were just a bunch of gibberish, completely incomprehensible.

But only a few days have passed since we last discussed our ideas! This not only reflects his tireless efforts day and night, but also proves that this young man is a genius, doesn't it?

I don't want to jump to conclusions. Ultimately, it depends on whether his research results meet my expectations. Otherwise, advising him to learn mechanical engineering from Sebala is the only promising path forward.

Gray took out the most frequently scribbled pages from the stack of materials and handed them to me with a serious expression: "I've realized that I've oversimplified the weapon and equipment modules. For example, the forging of the scythe gauntlet requires consideration of how to store and fold it, while the folded parts must be small and sturdy enough to achieve maximum effectiveness."

“If we only consider practicality, we will affect portability. Conversely, if we pursue portability too much, it will result in very low practicality.” Gray sighed. “In the end, I concluded that such armor cannot meet the standards in terms of either structure or materials, and can only exist on paper.”

I nodded silently. Gray had come to this conclusion; although he hadn't achieved anything, he had proven that he had put his ideas into practice. This was far better than haphazardly designing something useless and then indulging in self-admiration.

What? You mean Geng Shuai (the handmade craftsman)?

Every single one of his works is full of witty remarks and gimmicks!

Just as I was about to speak up to persuade him, Gray threw the discarded design drafts aside, took out two other design drawings, stacked them up, and held them up to let the light from outside filter through them.

He said excitedly, "But when I was about to give up, I remembered the story of Batman. You said that the Batman suit is not an all-powerful transforming armor, but rather a combination of many multifunctional modules. For example, the Bat helmet with radio communication, night vision, and sound amplification devices; the tough armor that is resistant to electric shock, blunt force, cutting, and corrosion; and the multi-functional belt containing a rope gun, a batarang, smoke grenades, and a tracker, etc."

Gray's description seems to find rationality in a comic book character and discover universal truths in science fiction, making it seem both absurd and reasonable.

Wake up, kid! That's a two-dimensional character; you can't have her as a wife!

"This includes a principle that we should consider the structure of the equipment, rather than the direction of its use."

His eyes lit up as he picked up the blueprints and said confidently, "For example, a gliding cloak can be mounted on armor because the two have similar structures! And even if it were the most convenient, it would be impossible to mount a radio device on a cloak and turn it into radar!"

What you said makes so much sense!

"So I did a basic structural comparison of the blueprints, and after sorting them by similarity, I finally found the most correct approach! So I abandoned my previous plan for an all-purpose armor and started building the weapon module Mark I..."

"Shut up! This name is so cringeworthy! It makes my skin itch!" I immediately refuted his naming, saying that the name was too old-fashioned and clashed with that tasteless Dr. Dort.

"What's its name?"

"Let's call it First Dimension. In philosophy and mathematics, it represents an infinitely long line. It symbolizes the first breakthrough that occurred after we took our initial concept as the starting point. It also represents the initial planned product in your design. Let's further name it according to different body parts, such as the palm, arm, and shoulder." I decided to correct his naming ideas and give him some original encouragement.

"Hmm...good name, as expected of Boss Marcus!" Gray paused for a moment to express his approval, then continued, "I started trying to create the First Dimension Armguard, combining the functions of a scythe, a rapier, and a saw. I've finally made my first breakthrough!"

After saying that, Gray took out a black arm guard from under the bed and handed it to me. It looked light and portable, but it was actually quite heavy. The workmanship and materials were of excellent quality.

...I don't think there's much to learn about Sebala's mechanics. Gray, you should focus on studying weapons!

Chapter 120 First Dimension - Right Armguard

While Sebalana's argument that cold weapons were useless was correct, the direction of researching machinery was not unwise.

But cold weapons are the romance of men!

Even if you don't need it, who wouldn't want such an exquisite and practical piece of equipment? The equipment has so many functions, it's worth collecting!

I held the first part of the entire first-dimensional equipment set—the right arm guard—in my hands and examined it carefully.

The arm armor is roughly the same length as the arm, with some extensions at both ends to provide extra protection at the joints and increase defensive capabilities.

The entire back of the arm is made of a single piece of metal, with three ridges deliberately highlighted on it, hidden in the black nail surface, like ripples on a calm lake.

Gray explained, "The back of this arm guard was cast in one piece from wrought bronze, mainly to increase its defensive capabilities and protect the other components inside. I added raised ridges to make it easier for the arm guard to block attacks in critical moments. This way, if it is hit by a slashing attack, it will also have an angle to the side to reduce damage."

I understand what he means. If the arm armor is made flat, it is easy to be cut in two along with the arm when parrying armor-piercing weapons such as knives and axes.

But adding the ridge line makes a difference. As long as I tilt it slightly, I can shift the force, and at most only a layer of sheet metal will be shaved off, which will not affect the use.

I flipped the arm guard over and saw that the side facing the user was made of a different material, and there were three obvious buttons hidden near the wrist, which could be reached with a slight turn of the wrist.

I put on the arm armor and gently pressed the first button.

With a "whoosh," a narrow-bladed, thick-backed scythe emerged from the left side of the gauntlet, gleaming coldly.

"I referenced the design of agricultural sickles for this blade, reducing the blade thickness but increasing the blade length to create a curved blade effect. It can be extended to cut through trees and armor. The thickened back of the blade ensures that the sickle will not easily break under frequent use."

This scythe is made from a single piece of metal, with a round hole at the starting point connecting to a spring mechanism inside the arm armor. When in use, it pops out from the left side, with the blade also facing left. The target will inevitably swing from right to left, and the main body of the arm armor acts as a locking mechanism to prevent accidental retraction.

If the blade faces the enemy with its back exposed, it will be jammed by the central mechanism and won't bounce back and injure me. However, I can also hold down the button to smoothly retract the scythe and launch a surprise attack with my iron fist!

"The sickle module is ingeniously designed!" I exclaimed, but couldn't help but worry, "This arm guard is so small, yet it's equipped with such a long sickle. Is there any room left to install other devices?"

Gray looked at me confidently, helped me put away the scythe, and then gently pressed the second button.

With a "whoosh," a short sword blade pierced out from the front of the arm guard. In close combat, an inch longer means an inch stronger, and this one hidden move alone could cause the opponent great harm.

"This is the second part of the arm guard, the rapier! The scythe is suitable for dealing with unarmored and lightly armored targets, but it is too cumbersome to provide an effective attack against similarly armored units."

"But I've thickened the tip of this rapier, making it incredibly heavy. I referenced the design concept of a hoe here; with a more concentrated point of force, when applied correctly, even the thickest layer of soil or the hardest gravel cannot withstand this blow!"

Upon closer inspection, this short sword is indeed not like a typical double-edged blade. In fact, the main sharpness is concentrated at the front of the blade, making the head appear short and thick. Rather than a short sword, it resembles a combination of an armor-piercing awl and a carpenter's chisel, and is indeed similar in function to a hoe.

The mechanism on the arm guard suddenly popped out, and with my force, it could pierce through even the thickest iron armor with a single blow.

As for cutting injuries? Sorry, absolutely not. A wound that's deep and wide enough is already an unsolvable problem!

The design of this arm armor is so insidious. Is Gray really a weapon genius?

No, this seems to be the design concept of the Gobert survival knife that I used as a reference when I made it for him last time!

The scythe and rapier on the arm guard, along with the narrow blade and gun-shaped tip of Gobert's survival knife, do indeed evoke a subtle sense of familiarity.

If I'm not mistaken, the last button represents the function of...

I gently pressed the last button, and sure enough, three short, thick blades lined up in a row popped out from the right side of the guard. The blades were serrated with the reverse edge facing upwards, and they gleamed coldly.

"Gray, this is a serrated blade, right?"

Gray noticed my thoughtful expression and gave a self-deprecating wry smile, saying, "Boss, you noticed, didn't you? I only realized at the very end that I was still relying on your ideas. That knife you forged really contained so many ideas that I haven't fully grasped yet. I can only slowly figure them out through practice, and even then, it's an inexhaustible source of inspiration..."

"You're already amazing!"

I sincerely praised him. Given his previous, rudimentary understanding of things, it's truly remarkable that he could progress so rapidly in just one week. Furthermore, he has absorbed the rich achievements of industrial design and applied them to his original products—that's nothing short of genius!

As for me, I'm just standing on the shoulders of giants, with the colonizer system adding a rocket booster to my head...

These short, thick blades, somewhat resembling the teeth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, serve a proactive defensive purpose in this equipment. They can not only block and jam enemy sword strikes, but also act as an emergency survival tool, cutting through nets, wire, and planks to break through restrictions and escape.

In combat, after a scythe-wielding charge attack and a close-quarters thrust with the hidden blade, I can extend the blade from my arm to deliver a surprise blow. For wilderness survival, this versatile tool for processing materials is a stroke of genius.

Gray didn't seem overly pleased by my praise, but he did show a relieved expression. After all, having one's efforts recognized is a source of satisfaction, especially for someone like Gray who has high expectations of himself.

“Boss Marcus, although I borrowed your ideas, the materials are all my original creations! The outer shell is made of wrought bronze, the blade is made of carbon steel, and I also used the toughest mithril as the core material for the mechanism, and the strongest Orichalcum to support the frame!”

He flicked the arm guard with his finger, producing a clear, multi-echoing sound, indicating that it was composed of many different parts.

"It balances defense and offense, is discreet on the outside and complex on the inside. This is the product I painstakingly designed, the most powerful generation of products, First Dimension!"

"Alright, alright, if you keep acting like a teenager, you'll never graduate! Do you have a plan for the next part?"

Gray's excited expression was abruptly interrupted, and he said dejectedly, as if he had swallowed a fly, "Not yet... for now..."

"Then I'll reluctantly teach you a few more tricks," I said with a mysterious smile.

Chapter 121 Iron Refining Hand

"Boss! Are you going to forge a new weapon for me? That's great! Grandpa doesn't know how to make weapons. I can only learn from farm tools."

Gray was immediately filled with surprise and delight.

The only product design ideas he could draw upon, besides Gobert's survival knife, were the farm tools Sebala made for his daily orders. With such limited information, extracting useful designs meant relying on 30% borrowing and 70% imagination. Once all the borrowable ideas were exhausted, he was left with nothing but complete imagination.

That pure iron hoe was created based on this idea.

That thing can't be considered mere imagination; it's an out-of-the-box imagination, the kind that leaves you with nothing but a hole above your neck.

To create First Dimension equipment, we can't rely solely on existing information; we need to provide other inspirations to truly realize our ideal.

I put on the right arm armor and swung it around in the air a couple of times. I felt that although the arm armor was very functional, its overall weight was only about 15 kilograms, which was no problem for someone like me who had a constant load thanks to the Colonizer System.

...Well, for a boy with superhuman strength like Gray, it's probably insignificant. He probably just made it to fit his own weight. It seems he lacks experience in crafting; an ordinary person wearing this kind of equipment wouldn't be able to move freely at all—luckily, I'm not much better at it.

"I'm only going to teach you because you've helped me get equipment."

I took Gray downstairs and saw that Sebala was nowhere to be seen in the lobby again. I didn't know if he had gone to mine for ore or to drink.

Upon arriving at the forging table, Gray skillfully helped me add charcoal to the furnace, preparing all the necessary preliminary work for forging, and respectfully awaited my instruction.

If only this young man could always be like this, instead of always having such a cold face, as if everyone owes him money.

“Gelfred, today I’m going to teach you two completely new things, so watch carefully.”

I skillfully opened the Colonizer System and found what I wanted to craft in the forging list on the forging table.

"Your current thinking is focused on structural adjustment, which is the right direction. By adjusting the structure to suit the needs, you can integrate more functions within a limited space."

"However, once you run out of ideas and materials, you will fall into this kind of predicament where you have no ideas left. This problem stems from your experience and knowledge. No matter how talented you are, you cannot skip the accumulation of experience and directly enter the realm of unrestrained imagination and effortless creativity."

"So now, I'm going to forge a deadly weapon that has been hammered and tested a thousand times."

As soon as Gray finished speaking, I immediately moved and began the crafting process.

I found two good-quality steel ingots in Sebala's inventory, mixed them with copper crystals, carbon powder and other substances, and put them into the furnace. I then pulled the bellows to blow a large amount of fresh air into the blast furnace, which quickly raised the temperature inside the furnace.

Soon, a pot of bright red molten steel melted in the furnace. At this point, the temperature inside the furnace was deliberately kept below 1,000 degrees Celsius.

This is a low-temperature steelmaking method. Although it seems primitive, it can produce high-quality steel compared to the high-temperature steelmaking method commonly used in industrial production lines. However, high-temperature steel is softer and easier to shape, while low-temperature steel is harder and more difficult to shape, requiring more effort in subsequent forging.