HC: Handyman | Ch. 200 - Artistry

Jack stared at the stats, barely able to believe his eyes.

Cobalt Romie Tooth Pendant (Epic)

A tooth of the Cobalt Romie, beautifully carved. Its extreme hardness makes it practically indestructible.

Durability:—

Artistry: 11

Crafting grade: A+

Item effects:

+6 agility;

+6 intellect;

+10 stamina;

+1 fame;

+1 luck.

Gear-Grinder: When attacked, the opponent’s equipment loses durability at an accelerated rate.

A+ grade bonus: +1 luck; +10 stamina; [Gear-Grinder].

Artistry bonus: +1 fame.

Requirements: Level 20.

Jack’s jaw nearly hit the floor. He’d actually made an epic item? This was only the second one he’d ever crafted—and unlike the named set of etched vases, this one was wearable.

It ticked every box. Agility, stamina, even luck!

“Wait... Artistry bonus?” he muttered, narrowing his eyes.

As far as he knew, Artistry only mattered for decor—stuff in player homes that granted passive buffs. He’d never heard of worn gear granting artistry bonuses. 

If he could make a pair of earrings with higher artistry, could he unlock an even stronger bonus? Maybe it was time to stop ignoring artistry. 

And then something else caught his eye.

Durability: — No number. No bar. Just a dash. The only time he’d seen that before was with honey. That and the description of the item could only mean… this pendant was indestructible.

He unequipped his old, ordinary pendant and slid the new one on. The carved tooth sat lightly against his chest. He opened his status window, glancing through the updated numbers. Higher agility. More stamina. But what caught his attention was the new icon for [Gear-Grinder].

A small “II” glimmered beside it.

He let out a low whistle. The pendant’s effect had stacked with the one from his mantle. 

While Jack was still drooling over the pendant’s effects, a chorus of voices echoed nearby—it was coming from the trapdoor Rob had found. All male voices. They were getting closer.

Then, suddenly, a familiar head popped up through the opening like a mole breaching its burrow.

“Hi, Jack!” Amari grinned.

Jack smiled. “Welcome back, Amari.”

The ninja scrambled up and turned to help the next person. One by one, the deserters emerged from the tunnel behind him, dusty, hollow-eyed, and visibly worn down.

Jack had seen the photo Amari had shared earlier, but the image hadn’t fully captured the sorry state of this troop. It wasn’t just the torn cloaks and battered weapons. The long lines on their faces and the way they kept their heads down made them look like prisoners on death row, not soldiers.

“E-Edric?” a voice cracked.

Esther came running, dropping a ladle by the fire. She stopped just short of one of the men. He had gray in his hair and beard and a tired slope to his shoulders. 

His eyes widened with disbelief. “Esther? You’re alive!” 

She lunged into a hug, arms tight around him. “How did you survive? I thought the garrison was wiped out.”

Edric hesitated. “W-we… I-I… We’re sorry, Esther.”

The silence was brittle. 

Esther’s gaze swept the group again—some of the men shifted uncomfortably, others stared into nothing. Edric looked down, unable to meet her eyes. 

Realization finally hit Esther. “N-no… You didn’t…” Her lip trembled, then stiffened. “You traitors!”

Her fists crashed into Edric’s chest.

“You abandoned us!”

Edric looked down, lips thin.

“My husband fought until the bitter end… and you—you left him to die! He was your friend! You traitors! You traitors!”

Her voice cracked. Then her strength gave out, and she crumpled to her knees, sobbing.

Christoff walked over and knelt beside her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder. 

Jack exhaled and turned to Amari. “Heavy stuff.” 

“I know! It’s like we’re watching a dramatic soap.”

Jack's eyes lingered on the soldiers. “Doesn’t this mean the packages are related? Even Christoff is in there. Maybe they all stack, like the bears?”

Amari scratched his chin. “If that were the case, we would’ve gotten a notification by now.”

“True.”

“Excuse me. I want to try something,” Amari said. He began tapping through his system window.

Jack raised an eyebrow and turned back to the fire. He set a large cooking pot over the flames to start cooking. Esther had made it over the last two hours at Jack's request. It was just large enough to fit all the stew.

As he started adding ingredients, he kept glancing at Amari, curious.

After a few moments, Amari finally cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“Look around you,” he said, voice steady. “At the carcasses of your brothers—and the beasts that slew them. The splintered shields. The broken spears. The burned homes. Even if thirty more had stood their ground, the fortress would still have fallen.”

“The deserters aren’t the enemy. The beasts are. Yes, these men fled. But they came back. They chose to face hell again. How many would?”

The soldiers stirred. Esther, still kneeling, lifted her gaze.

“They could’ve kept running,” Amari said. “But they didn’t. They came back to finish the fight they once fled. And now, they’ll redeem themselves the only way that counts—by defending this fortress with everything they’ve got.”

He stepped forward, voice rising.

“They’ll hold the line. Fight beside us. Bleed beside us. And if need be, fall beside us. We don’t forget the past. But it’s the future waiting on the other side of this battle. That’s what we’re fighting for. So I ask you—are you with me?”

The soldiers responded with a roar. 

Christoff helped Esther to her feet. She didn’t speak. Her face was tight, unreadable. Forgiveness never bloomed on command.

But Amari had defused the moment. The tension bled away, replaced by resolve.

The soldiers stood straighter, as if the weight of shame had lightened. One even wiped a tear. They were ready to fight.

Jack squinted. “I’ve heard this somewhere…”

He narrowed his eyes, replaying the cadence. Then he spotted the open interface. A grin tugged at his mouth.

“That sneaky little cheat.”

Amari had pulled the speech from a movie—or at least borrowed heavily. Sure, he’d adapted it, but it was still textbook plagiarism.

Jack chuckled as he stirred the stew. Amari always seemed to know what to say, but seeing him lean on a borrowed speech made him feel just a little more human.

Now that the air had cleared, the soldiers, drawn by the scent of food, began to settle around the fire. Esther and Christoff sat across from them. Esther kept her gaze averted, refusing to look at the deserters.

Riku also returned from his duties as a trapper. He would have run toward the soldiers to celebrate their return, but his mother's stern stare stopped him in his tracks. He now joined Christoff and Esther, avoiding looking at the deserters.

After Amari, the next to return was Horace.

“Hey, Jack. Amari.”

“Hey, Horace. How’d the exploration go?” Amari asked.

“Not bad,” he replied. “Actually found something promising in the forest.” Turning to Jack, he smiled. “And I’m now winning our little competition.”

Jack blinked. “Really? You found another package?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you see it? Or are you just a sore loser who can’t see notifications unless they’re for yourself?”

Jack shook his head, chuckling. “Sorry, I was crafting. Sometimes I get so focused on what I'm making that I don’t even notice them.”

Horace grinned. “Go on, check it out.”

Jack flipped through his system notifications from the last two hours until he found the one Horace had mentioned.

Horace has unlocked a new Breach Package: [Vitilacious Seed.]

Vitilacious Seed (Breach Aid Package)

The Vitilacious Seed is a giant prehistoric dandelion that grows only on the highest mountain peaks. Every three hundred years, it blooms—scattering a single seed on the eastern wind. You found this seed lying dormant in a cave. 

Package effects: Plant this seed, and it will grow into a dandelion as tall as a tree.

Jack looked up. Horace stood proudly, arms crossed, chest puffed like a proud father awaiting applause.

“Is this supposed to be special?” Jack asked dryly.

“Oh, yes,” Horace replied. “Just wait until you see what it does on the battlefield.”

“What will planting a tree do? Reduce your carbon footprint?” Jack teased.

Horace just smirked. “Trust me. You’ll see.”

Jack looked at Amari for an explanation, but he just shrugged.

As the stew simmered, Jack continued skimming his notifications and spotted two more new packages—one from Marie and another from Rob.

Marie’s discovery was surprisingly simple, but the effect was massive.

Marie has unlocked a new Aid Package: [Forgotten Treasure].

Forgotten Treasure (Breach Aid Package)

There have been many masters of the northern fortress. One stashed away his riches in a hidden cave along the slopes, hoping they’d never be found. Over time, his treasure was forgotten.

Package effect: You’ve gained 10 Breach Points.

Jack’s eyes widened slightly. Gaining ten points just from a single package? That was huge. Normally, they had to clear ten full waves to get that many—and even that wasn’t guaranteed.

Rob had found a worthy package of his own. 

RobbieRobber has unlocked [Smuggler’s Hideout].

Smuggler’s Hideout (Breach Aid Package)

For years, smugglers ran hides and other specialty goods out of the Northern Fortress, evading taxes. You’ve now appropriated their stash—and hopefully, you’ll put it to better use.

Package effect: You now own all the supplies hidden in the tunnel.

Jack rubbed his chin. “I wonder what kind of supplies Rob found.”

Horace shrugged. “Beats me. Have you been messaging him?”

“Not really. I’ve been focused on crafting.”

“I just hope Marie didn’t push him off a cliff or something,” Horace joked.

“Right,” Jack said, amused.

A giggle drew his attention. Jack turned toward the sound.

Marie was laughing at something Rob had just said, her hand tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as he gestured animatedly beside her.

Jack’s eyes widened.

“They look awfully friendly,” Horace said, hesitating.

“Horace, you don’t think that…”

Horace laughed—too quickly. “No. Of course not. Right?”

Jack echoed his doubt. “No. I mean… You don’t think my cousin…”

Before they could spiral further, Rob appeared beside them. “Hey, guys. How’s it going?”

“We’re back,” Marie added. She took a spot beside Rob as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She turned to Amari, who was looking into the fire as if all the stuff happening around him had nothing to do with him. “So these are the soldiers you found, Amari?” she asked, nodding toward the group by the fire.

“That’s right,” Amari said, giving the troop a proud look. “Ten brave soldiers.”

The deserters straightened slightly at the compliment, drawing themselves up as if trying to live up to it.

“Nice!” The moment Marie's eyes landed on the necklace, she froze.

“Jack, may I?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He handed it to her, and she turned the piece over in her hands, studying it intently. 

Jack turned to Rob. “Hey, Rob. I was just going through everyone’s packages. Saw you found some supplies. What kind are we talking about?”

“Oh, sure. Come with me—I’ll show you.”

Jack followed Rob a few paces away from the group as his cousin began emptying his inventory.

“There were a few hides,” Rob said, laying them out. “Food, water...” He placed down some barrels. “And then some weapons.”

He dropped them onto the ground. A sword, a quarterstaff, an axe, a spear. All looked simple and worn.

Jack picked up the quarterstaff.

Hardwood Quarterstaff (Common)

A staff crafted from tough, fibrous wood. It can do serious damage in the right hands.

Durability: 15

Attack: 12

Block: 3

All the others had similar subpar stats. He set it back down. “Not exactly special, are they?”

Rob nodded. “Yeah, nothing fancy. But better than nothing if we run out of gear. Happens more than you’d think in Breach runs.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Jack said. 

Just as he turned to head back, Rob stopped him.

“Hey, Jack, listen,” he said in a low voice, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one could hear. “Marie... is she single?”

Jack’s eyes widened. “I knew it,” he said—too loud.

“Quiet!” Rob hissed.

“Sorry,” Jack whispered, grinning. “I knew it. The moment you two showed up all friendly just now, I figured something was up. Now it makes sense why you’ve been acting all goofy and keep teasing Marie at every chance you get.”

Rob reddened—a rare sight. “Still figuring it out, but yeah—I’m into her.”

Jack considered. “To be honest, I’ve never asked directly, but I think she’s single.”

“You think?” Rob asked, raising a brow.

“That day I went to Providence, I met her and her niece. Neither of them ever mentioned a partner. Don’t recall seeing a wedding ring either. Plus, Horace is always teasing her—stuff about her temper scaring off suitors.”

“Okay, good. What do you think of her?” Rob asked.

Jack paused. “She’s passionate. And yeah, she’s got a temper—you’ve seen that.” 

He thought back to his trip to Providence. She had helped the professor get back on his feet. How she had helped him. How she had even tried setting him up with her niece. “But beneath that temper, there's a surprising soft side to her. I like her.”

“Okay, good. Good. Listen… Please don't mention anything to the others, OK?”

“Of course!” 

“Thanks, cous. Let’s head back.”

Jack walked back to the group, head spinning. He had never imagined that his cousin would take a liking to the team’s grenadier. He still couldn’t see how the two would fit together, but they were both grown-ups.

He put on his best poker face and followed Rob as they rejoined the group.

Ch. 199 - Tooth

INDEX

Ch. 201 - Motivation Boost