Chapter 184 — The Birth of the Metalworks Forge
S.C. 1512 — The Next Morning
Hidden Island — Shipyard Industrial Zone
The first workshop stood proudly in the early sunlight—its Titan Wood beams glowing a warm gold. Workers stopped to admire it as they gathered for the new day's work.
But Ren wasn't looking at the wood workshop.
He stood before the empty plot to the right—large, flat, and reinforced with gravel.
"This is the heart of the shipyard," Ren said quietly.
"The metalworks forge."
Zemo sat beside him, tail flicking.
Bram rolled his shoulders.
"Ready to build the hottest place on the island."
Leo grinned.
"Hotter than Makino's stew?"
Kiro sighed.
"Leo, please… focus."
Leo pouted.
"It's a valid comparison."
Ren didn't look up.
"Let's begin."
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1. Foundation for Fire
A metal forge needed more than space.
It needed:
heat resistance
airflow
stone insulation
smoke outlets
stable ground
Ren knelt and pressed his hand to the soil.
His mind instantly calculated:
moisture level
compaction rate
temperature spread under heat
future furnace vibration
optimal airflow for flames
He stood.
"Dig trenches two meters deep—only here, here, and here."
He used a stick to mark perfect rectangles in the dirt.
Leo squinted.
"Why three?"
Ren answered simply:
"Main forge. Alloy melting chamber. Hammering room."
Bram cracked his knuckles.
"Got it."
Workers began digging.
Earth flew. Sweat formed. The morning grew warm.
Zemo chased falling clumps of soil and barked each time something moved.
Kiro measured the trench depth precisely.
By late morning, the trenches were complete.
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2. Stone Walls & Heat Paths
Ren supervised the layering:
bottom stones → gravel → clay mix → heat-resistant plates
This would keep the heat from spreading into the ground.
Then they constructed the stone walls of the furnace room from Titan Wood frames completely insulated with Blackstone, a dense dark rock Ren found on the island that resisted extreme temperatures.
"Stack them tightly," Ren instructed.
Bram lifted stones like toys.
Leo placed smaller pieces to fill cracks.
Kiro smoothed the clay-sealant mixture along the joints.
Workers whispered:
"This is a real forge…"
"We're building something only kingdoms have…"
"With this, we can work any metal…"
Ren overheard them but didn't comment.
He just kept building.
---
3. The Giant Forge Furnace
By midday, the core furnace frame stood tall—a thick, stone-lined chamber twice the size of a standard village furnace.
But Ren intended something stronger.
He added:
heat channels
reverse draft vents
inner ignition chamber
pressure-controlled airflow slots
Leo blinked.
"Boss… this is overkill for blacksmithing…"
"It's not a blacksmithing furnace," Ren said calmly.
"It's a metalworks forge."
Bram raised a brow.
"What's the difference?"
Ren stepped into the half-built interior, running a hand along the stone wall.
"With this forge, we'll melt harder metals. Forge stronger alloys. Build ship parts others can't even imagine."
Kiro murmured:
"…And weapons."
Ren didn't deny it.
---
4. The Roof — Engineered for Heat
Unlike the first workshop, this roof had to withstand extreme temperatures.
Ren used a combination of:
Titan Wood beams
Blackstone plates
Iron ribs (thin but strong)
Clay sealing strips
Workers hammered plates overhead.
Sweat dripped everywhere.
The air grew hotter just from the construction.
Zemo retreated to the shade, panting.
Makino arrived with buckets of water.
When she saw the half-built furnace, her eyes widened.
"This looks dangerous."
Ren replied without looking up:
"It is."
Makino frowned.
"And you're building it anyway?"
"We need it."
Makino sighed, handing him water.
"Just don't burn down the island."
Ren paused.
"…I won't."
---
5. Installing the Bellows & Airflow Chamber
This part fascinated everyone.
Ren brought out huge leather-and-wood bellows—nearly as big as Bram.
Leo blinked.
"…Ren, where did those come from?"
"I made them."
"Made—? When?"
"Three nights ago."
Leo stared at the massive bellows then at Ren.
"You don't sleep, do you?"
Ren said nothing.
Bram helped install the rails so the bellows could move smoothly back and forth.
Kiro attached the airflow tubes, sealing them tight.
When Ren connected the final pipe, he nodded.
"Bellows ready."
Workers clapped.
"Now it's a real forge!"
"That'll burn hot enough to melt anything!"
"Boss, we can actually make our own metal now!"
Ren turned toward them.
"No. We're making metal better than anywhere in East Blue."
Excitement spread instantly.
---
6. The Hammering Floor
The forge wasn't complete without a place to work metal.
Ren pointed to the adjacent trench.
"Lay Titan Wood planks here—double-layered."
Leo frowned.
"Wood? For hammering?"
Ren shook his head.
"Under the wood."
Workers lowered slabs of dense stone.
Bram lowered the stone anvil—almost the size of a table.
Ren explained:
"The wood absorbs vibration. The stone provides stability. Together—"
He tapped the layered floor.
"—we won't crack the ground even when hammering alloy bars."
Kiro smirked.
"You planned everything."
"Planning is easy," Ren replied.
"Execution is harder."
---
7. The Forge Comes Alive
By late afternoon, everything was ready.
Heat-resistant walls closed in.
Roof sealed.
Bellows connected.
Air vents aligned.
Hammering floor secured.
Metal racks installed.
Ren stepped forward.
"Light it."
Bram tossed in dry wood.
Leo sparked the firestone.
Flames caught instantly.
The orange glow spread inside the furnace.
The bellows wheezed.
Air surged.
The flames roared loud enough to echo across the shipyard.
Workers fell silent.
Heat blasted outward, hot enough to force them all to step back.
Leo shielded his face.
"That's… hot."
Bram grinned like a child.
"Finally!"
Ren watched the flames dance.
Perfect.
A real forge.
A place where new alloys—stronger than anything in East Blue—would be born.
Weapons. Tools. Ship parts. Armor.
Future power.
Kiro stepped beside Ren and murmured:
"This… changes everything."
Ren didn't answer.
He was too busy planning already.
Tomorrow: first alloy tests.
Tonight: the forge burned bright.
A new heart was beating inside the hidden island.
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End of Chapter 184