Chapter 108 — KEA Woodwork Tools
S.C. 1511 — Early January
Hidden Island — Cliffside Base, Main Chamber
Ren sat on the stone floor, surrounded by wooden planks, branches, vine ropes, and a small pile of KEA-metal scraps left from earlier forging.
Today wasn't about walls.
Not tunnels.
Not crops.
Not soil.
Today was about the things that built those things.
Tools.
Lightweight, durable, precise tools that didn't scream "mysterious alloy" the moment someone saw them.
Zemo sat nearby on a wooden board like it was a throne, chest puffed out in full supervisor mode.
Ren sighed.
"Yes, you're in charge. But don't scratch the wood this time."
Zemo immediately scratched it.
Ren closed his eyes.
"…Let's begin."
---
Step 1 — Identifying the Problem
Ren spread out three old iron tools from Foosha village:
a rusty nail
a chipped hammer
a bent wood chisel
Zemo sniffed them and recoiled dramatically.
Ren nodded.
"Exactly. Useless."
Iron tools rusted too fast, bent too easily, and dulled too quickly.
They were fine for villagers…
But not for Ren's island construction.
He needed:
lightweight nails
reliable chisels
small hammers
saw-teeth that wouldn't snap
All created with tiny—tiny—amounts of KEA alloy mixed into normal metal.
Nothing suspicious. Nothing extraordinary. Just stronger than usual.
Ren cracked his knuckles.
"Let's get forging."
---
Step 2 — KEA-Nails, Version 1
Ren heated a small pot of mixed metal:
90% iron
8% scrap KEA-metal
2% dark mineral dust
Nothing too powerful.
Just enough to prevent bending.
He shaped the first glowing rod on the anvil.
TINK—TINK—TINK
A clean, needle-straight nail formed under his hammer.
He quenched it in water—
SSSHHH—
Steam curled upward beautifully.
Ren tapped the nail on the stone floor.
No bend.
Zemo stared at it intensely…
…then tried biting it.
Ren snatched it away.
"No! Not food. Construction material."
Zemo barked in protest.
Ren held the nail up proudly.
"KEA-Nail 1.0 — success."
---
Step 3 — Reinforced Wood Chisel
The old chisel was hopeless.
Bent. Dull. Sad.
Ren melted its tip and dipped it into a new alloy blend.
Just enough KEA-metal to make the edge strong but not unbreakable.
CLANG—CLANG—SCRRRK—
He sharpened it until it looked razor-thin.
He tested it on a wooden plank.
SHNK!
The chisel carved a clean, smooth line as if sliding through butter.
Ren smiled.
"This will make shelf building ten times easier."
Zemo sniffed the carved wood, then sneezed.
Apparently, fresh sawdust offended him today.
---
Step 4 — Mini Carpenter's Hammer
The hammer needed to be light enough for Ren's small hands, but strong enough to drive nails into the cliffside wooden frames.
He shaped the head with steady, careful strikes:
CLANG—CLANG—CLANG
Then fitted it onto a polished wooden handle.
He tested it on a leftover plank.
THUNK.
The plank split neatly.
Zemo jumped and glared at the hammer like it personally offended him.
Ren laughed.
"Yes, yes. It's powerful."
Zemo barked suspiciously at it.
The hammer stared back.
The tension was real.
---
Step 5 — Saw Teeth (The Real Challenge)
Ren didn't want a full KEA-saw—too suspicious.
So he reforged only the teeth of a normal saw blade using a micro-blend of KEA metal.
Sharp. Thin. Durable.
He pressed the saw against a plank and pushed:
Shhrrk—Shhrrk—
Clean cut.
No splintering.
No effort.
Ren inhaled sharply.
"This… this changes everything."
Woodworking would become much faster now.
Shelves.
Frames.
Beds.
Crates.
Support beams.
All easier to craft.
Zemo wagged his tail at the smooth cut.
Ren held up the saw.
"This is KEA-Saw 0.3. Just enough to be helpful. Not enough to be suspicious."
---
Step 6 — First Real Use: A Test Frame
Ren took three wooden beams and nailed them together using the new KEA-nails.
THUNK
THUNK
THUNK
The hammer worked perfectly.
The nails sank deep.
No bending.
No shifting.
Ren shook the frame.
Stable.
Solid.
Perfect.
Zemo jumped inside the frame and sat down triumphantly.
Ren blinked.
"…Okay. You can test the stability."
Zemo wagged his tail, refusing to leave.
Ren added:
"Fine. It passes the fox-load test."
Zemo puffed up proudly.
---
Step 7 — Inventory and Storage
Ren labeled a clay jar:
KEA Woodwork Tools
(nothing special here)
Inside went:
the mini hammer
the reinforced chisel
a bundle of KEA-nails
a saw with KEA-toothed edge
backup handles
tiny containers of mixed-metal shavings
Everything carefully wrapped in cloth, hidden under Shelf 2.
Zemo curled beside the jar, guarding it like treasure.
Ren ruffled his fur.
"Our construction speed just doubled, Zemo."
The fox yipped proudly.
---
Step 8 — Ending the Day
Ren stepped outside as the sun set over the water.
The island breeze was cold but refreshing.
He whispered:
"With these tools… the island base will grow faster. Safer. Stronger."
Zemo leaned against his leg, warm despite the chill.
Ren looked at the horizon.
"Step by step… we're building a place for people who need it."
Another small advancement.
Another brick in the future.
---
End of Chapter 108