Chapter 18

"Thank you."

"Mutually beneficial. I'll help you train your Devil Fruit abilities, and you help me produce the materials I need. Where did you start having trouble with the booklet I gave you?"

"Um, the first page."

Kuma's voice grew quieter, feeling increasingly embarrassed. His personality was excessively gentle, willing to do his best even for strangers asking for unrelated favors.

The booklet was a collection of chemical knowledge Orlan had written to help Kuma better understand material composition.

"No need to feel embarrassed. You don't have a foundation, and that was just a test. Now I know where to start teaching you."

Kuma was born into a priest's family and had been captured and enslaved at a young age. Being literate was already a significant achievement.

Sorbet Kingdom's palace wasn't large. After a brief chat, Orlan and his group arrived at the banquet hall.

Despite the unusual appearances of Orlan's companions, King Bulldog showed no signs of shock. As a king, he had mastered the control of his expressions, a necessary skill for his long reign.

"Mr. Orlan, I've been expecting you. Please, everyone, have a seat."

"King Bulldog, let's skip the small talk. Do you have any questions about the terms of our agreement?"

"None at all, Mr. Orlan. Your terms are very beneficial for Sorbet Kingdom's development. However, as you've seen, our country isn't wealthy.

Just paying the heavenly tribute almost drains our economy. I propose paying part of the fee now and the rest in installments. If your designs prove effective, we can quickly cover the remaining amount."

Honestly, Bulldog didn't want to make this proposal. Without local scientific talent or powerful warriors, it was a struggle just to gather the heavenly tribute and keep the kingdom from becoming lawless.

This rare chance for technological advancement would be lost if Orlan left. However, he couldn't afford to gamble.

If he gave Orlan all the money and something went wrong, they wouldn't have enough for next year's tribute.

"Of course, Sorbet Kingdom can pay interest, and you can take a share of the profits from profitable projects."

Bulldog proposed a new condition. As long as Orlan wasn't just making empty promises, he stood to gain even more.

"I can accept these terms, but you'll need to follow my arrangements precisely. I don't want any outsiders interfering."

"Naturally, Mr. Orlan. Here's the agreement drafted by the finance minister. Let me know if there are any issues."

Orlan knew Bulldog was cautious about the technology, which was understandable. Paying the full amount upfront was rare.

They quickly reached an agreement, solving Orlan's initial funding problem and giving Sorbet Kingdom a chance for future development.

Overall, both sides were pleased. If there was any issue, it was that Bulldog regretted inviting Orlan's group to the banquet.

Besides Orlan's reasonable appetite, the others ate voraciously. Ginny, the smallest, ate the most, consuming several days' worth of food in one meal.

...

Time passed.

Orlan taught Kuma chemistry from scratch, and Kuma gradually gained substantial knowledge. This effort paid off.

Kuma could now separate materials from a freshly mined iron ore and compress and fuse certain elements, compensating for Orlan's lack of equipment.

In truth, Kuma was more efficient than those machines, as long as he understood the substances involved.

Sorbet Kingdom now had a rudimentary factory capable of forging and processing, even handling orders from neighboring small countries.

Orlan discovered changes in his body through tests, showing significant increases in strength and recovery.

His physique now resembled the local inhabitants, a transformation likely caused by his temporal displacement.

In Runeterra, his spiritual power had increased, while in the world of pirates, his physical strength had enhanced.

With Bulldog's initial funding, Orlan began creating helpful devices. Kuma, Kate, and the others assisted in his temporary workshop.

After some time, they completed a large iron shell about five meters tall.

The bronze-colored metal shell, with shiny bolts and special material pipes connecting its arms and torso, had two radiators on its back emitting white steam.

As Orlan filled the machine's chest compartment with fuel, the robot's eyes lit up.

"Engine started, ready to go."

"It moved! Orlan, this thing really moved!"

Seeing the steel robot stand up and even speak, Ginny was startled.

"I see it. Isn't that obvious? Blitzcrank, grab the stone to your left."

"Stone...understood."

Whoosh! Steam erupted from the pipes on the robot's back, extending its grappling hook to grab the stone.

As the chain retracted, it brought the stone back into its hand.

"Master, task completed."

"Shutdown and rest."

"Understood."

"The system is running smoothly. Now for the final step."

After shutting down the robot, Orlan reopened its chest compartment, revealing a slot at the top. The robot, accurately described as a steam robot, was initially a disaster relief robot from Zaun, designed to work in toxic environments.

However, this model had undergone numerous modifications. Orlan inserted a modified Hextech crystal into the slot.

This wasn't an ordinary Hextech crystal but one integrated with new technology, incorporating elements similar to Seraph's Embrace. It served as both an energy core and a controller.

Clang! With a loud noise, the core was securely fixed into the slot, and the Hextech crystal's power flowed through the robot's circuits.

However, as electrical sparks flickered, the robot's lights gradually dimmed.

"Almost there. Kate! Aim at the core and discharge fully."

"Got it."

Zzzt!

Electricity coursed along the metal shell, and the robot's eyes lit up again. Although its voice remained mechanical, its tone seemed to change.

"Blitzcrank, reporting for duty."

(End of Chapter)