Ash stood in front of the mine, his arms crossed and expression stern. Arrayed before him were the ten workers they had hired the day before—eight men and two women.
When choosing them, he had made sure to pick the strongest-looking ones, but there had been other criteria: He had picked the ones that looked the most desperate. This, of course, had also been according to his master's instructions.
If he was being honest with himself, Ash wasn't sure if this plan was going to work, but he still went along with it without any complaints. So far, their master had always managed to deal with any situation that came their way, and he deserved at least that much trust.
Ash still vividly remembered how they had first encountered the Titan in the jungle of Irroch. At that time, he was convinced that his life was going to end. However, with a few words from their master, the situation had been resolved. Not only that, he had even turned that dangerous encounter into an opportunity.
Therefore, no matter how strange his orders sometimes seemed, Ash would carry them out faithfully and to the letter. Even the stern expression he was displaying right now had been ordered by their master. The master had considered every little detail and given detailed instructions, not only to him but also to Gravitas and Vulcanos.
The others were also present, standing half a step behind him on either side. It was a clear sign of the hierarchy, with Ash being the one in charge. However, he didn't dare let this act get to his head. He was well aware that he was no match for either Gravitas or Vulcanos in terms of abilities. They had both reigned supreme during their days in the arena, while he had barely managed to earn himself a single title.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a smidgeon of pride. After all, their master had entrusted him with the lead in this operation. Of course, that was mainly because he shared a bit of ancestry with the Icefang Tribe, but Ash was still determined to make the most of this chance.
He threw his shoulders back and pushed his chest out, trying to appear as intimidating as possible as he addressed the workers. "Good, you've all arrived on time." His attempt to appear authoritative had borne fruit as they straightened up in response to his words.
Ash nodded as he continued, "I will once again state the terms of our agreement. For a day of manual labor, each of you will be paid with fresh meat equivalent to your own body weight. The price will be paid at the end of the day. Any questions?"
One man, the burliest among them, spoke up, "Can I see the meat before we start?"
Ash immediately shook his head. "You may not; anything else?"
The same man spoke once more, not allowing anybody else to ask a question. "Then, how do we know that you even have that much meat?"
Ash fixed his gaze on the man and remained silent for a long time. However, the man, who was likely a former warrior of the tribe, didn't seem the least bit intimidated.
Finally, Ash spoke, "If you don't believe us, you can just leave."
"What?"
"Nobody is forcing you to be here," Ash said coolly. "You have been given an opportunity; whether you take it or not is up to you." Ash swept his gaze over the entire group. "However, if you leave, you will not be considered again in the future."
The man gritted his teeth but didn't leave. It was just as the master had said: even if they were being scammed, the most they would lose was a bit of time. Compared to the potential gains, that was nothing. Their body weight in food would last them a long time or feed their families for a few days.
After seeing that nobody else had any questions, Ash continued, "If there are no more questions, let us begin. Half of you will accompany Miss Gravitas to the old glacier. The other half will be with me."
It didn't take long for them to get organized, and soon, five of the workers were following Gravitas, each pushing one of the giant wheelbarrows they had rented for the day. The other five followed him and Vulcanos inside the mine.
It was their job to prepare the mine for reconstruction. For that, the corridors needed to be straightened, among other things. As they passed, Ash handed pickaxes to the workers. They grabbed them without any comment and began to work on the walls as instructed but it didn't take long for them to become utterly dumbfounded.
Ash smiled at the sight. The tools he had handed out were far from ordinary. Anyone paying attention could have guessed as much by looking at them closely. From grip to tip, the pickaxes were completely crimson, looking as if they were made from blood. That was, of course, exactly what they were made of. The master had used one of his strange spells to create these tools from his own blood.
Not only Ash but all three Chimeroi had been skeptical. However, after a quick demonstration, they had been convinced; these tools cut through rock like a hot knife through butter.
Now, the five workers were going through the same process of realization, looking between the walls and the tools in their hands. Ash watched them impassively while inwardly smiling. Their master's means were truly unfathomable. He seemed to always have more tricks up his sleeve.
"Get back to it," Ash called out, startling the workers. However, they soon continued with their assigned task. For the next few hours, the task went smoothly, and they managed to widen the corridor substantially.
Thankfully, they didn't have to worry about a collapse for the moment. The master had provided them with a detailed plan of the most risky areas, and right now, they were working on one of the safest spots.
Soon, midday arrived, and Gravitas returned. She had spent the last few hours collecting clay from the old glacier, bringing it back by the wagonload. Ash noticed a change in how the workers looked at her. Even the burly man, who had been so boisterous in the morning, was much more reserved now.
When she stepped inside the mine, Ash called for a break, and he could see the excitement on the faces of the tribesmen. They had promised them lunch, and the anticipation was clear in their eyes. Ash smiled and handed out what they had prepared. It was a huge chunk of cooked meat, easily the size of one's head.
For a human, it would have been a ridiculous amount. However, it was just an ordinary portion sized for an adult Chimeroi. Yet, when the workers saw them, their eyes lit up, and their tense bodies relaxed. It seemed they had finally begun to believe that the promised reward was actually real.
After lunch, the workers continued with their demolition work, clearing out larger sections. These areas would become rooms in the future. Ash continued to oversee the process while Gravitas and Vulcanos were working on something else. Ash didn't know much about what they were doing, but the process had seemed complicated.
The way their master had explained it, they would be able to create liquid stone by mixing some ingredients in a special way, but Ash remained doubtful. Neither Gravitas nor Vulcanos had any ability to influence stone, after all. The master seemed confident; however, Ash would only believe such a thing when he saw it with his own eyes.
Hours passed, and Ash focused on the schematics he had been handed. His biggest challenge wasn't to direct the workers but to measure out the exact distances. The plan was so precise that any deviation could create problems later. The master had said that he would be able to correct small mistakes, but Ash still tried to be as precise as he could.
After several more hours, he called the end of the day and led his group of workers towards the mine's exit. He had a small smile on his face as they had managed to get ahead of schedule. Reaching the first corridor, however, his foot froze in mid-air.
Gravitas and Vulcanos looked up from their work. Their expressions turned smug when they saw his dumbfounded face. Ash barely noticed; his gaze was fixed on the floor of the corridor his group had cleared out just this morning.
It was perfectly smooth.
Hurriedly, he ushered the day labourers out of the mine and saw to it that they received their weight in meat as promised. Many tried to talk to him, likely trying to convince him to hire them again for the next day, but he ignored them and hurried back. This was not only because he wanted to see how the others had created this marvelous floor, but also followed the master's instructions.
When he returned to the mine, he saw Vulcanos using his flames to heat the floor while Gravitas was pressing it down with her ability. After only a couple of minutes, a new section had hardened. Shortly after, they poured a new batch of gray sludge on the floor before repeating the process.
It was fascinating.
Only after a long time did Ash manage to tear his eyes away from the spectacle. He couldn't spend too much time here. After all, he had a different job. With quick steps, he made his way to the market square. It was almost time for him to pick out the workers for the next day.
The moment he arrived at the marketplace, he could feel the strange atmosphere. It was unusually crowded. Yesterday, not even half as many people had been present in this spot. Seeing this, he raised his guard. Could this be an ambush?
The moment the first person recognized him, the shouting began.
"Warrior Ashen Wolf, please take me!"
"General Ashen Wolf, I will work!"
"Master Ashen Wolf, I have experience working in the mine!"
The exclamations came from all directions, overwhelming him for a moment. It was indeed an ambush. However, it was an ambush of a different kind than he had expected.
These people were desperate to work for him. Or, more precisely, for the food he offered. Among the crowd of people, Ash could make out some of the workers that had been with them for the day. His eyes gleamed with understanding.
He finally understood why the Master had commanded to let them go early on the first day. This way, they would have the time to inform their colleagues of this great opportunity. However, Ash had completely underestimated the stir this announcement would cause. They were behaving too frantically, almost like wild beasts. For Ash, it was almost nostalgic.
Growing up in Undercity, Ash was no stranger to this scene. Whenever the Mages had arrived with food deliveries, the Chimeroi of Undercity had also turned completely insane, and Ash had been no exception. However, today, for the first time in his life, he was on the other side of that interaction. He wasn't a hungry mutt anymore, desperate for a few scraps.
"I will now make my choice," he announced, silencing the crowd immediately. A smile spread across his face at the sight. As long as he followed Ezekiel, he would never be that person again.