HC: Handyman | Ch. 161 - Terracoat

Ingredients, check. Hot pot… ouch! Check.

Now that everything seemed ready, it was time to test the [Terracoat] recipe.

Jack dropped the wax into the pot. At first, nothing happened. Then, as the heat seeped in, the edges softened, curling in on themselves. Slowly, the solid pieces slumped, losing their shape, and melted into a glossy amber pool. A rich, warm scent drifted up, carrying traces of honey and resin. It wasn’t overpowering, but it clung to the air, mixing with the woodsmoke from the fire.

Next came the fat—a pale, greasy mass that was slightly tacky to the touch. Jack grimaced as he pinched off a chunk and tossed it into the melted wax. The moment it hit the hot surface, it began to sweat, turning translucent before breaking down.

Jack observed, curious about how both substances would interact, but they refused to mix.

The fat pooled on the surface, forming cloudy streaks against the golden wax. He grabbed a piece of wood he found nearby, something that he guessed used to be a quarterstaff, and prodded the mix with it, but the liquids stubbornly stayed apart, shifting like oil over water.

Jack frowned. “Alright, you want some help? Fine.”

He began stirring in slow, deliberate circles. At first, the motion felt useless—the fat resisted, clumping together in stubborn globs. But as he continued, the heat did its work. The wax and fat started blending, thickening into a uniform consistency. Small bubbles surfaced, popping with soft plops, and the scent changed—earthier now, heavier, with a faintly roasted undertone. 

Only one ingredient left.

Once the mixture smoothed out, Jack reached for the [Earthenware Clay]. He took a handful of the dry, crumbly material and sprinkled it in little by little, watching as the fine particles dusted the molten surface before sinking in.

The consistency began to shift. What had been smooth and glossy turned sluggish, thickening into something more resistant. Jack stirred, but the effort quickly became harder. The makeshift spatula met resistance, dragging through the mix.

His arms ached. The stick dug into his palm, his grip slipping as the mixture resisted. His breaths grew heavier, sweat beading at his temple. 

This is a lot harder than I thought it would be!

He adjusted his stance, planting his feet wider to keep control. With every turn, the mixture grew denser. Just moving his arms wasn’t cutting it anymore. He had to start shifting his entire body forward and backward, putting his back into it to keep stirring.

What had started as a smooth liquid was now a sludge-like mass, clinging stubbornly to the sides of the pot. Heavy, viscous bubbles rose slowly across the surface before collapsing with dull, wet pops.

A light throb crept up his arms, making his muscles tremble. His movements slowed. Why am I so tired? His eyes flicked to the corner of his vision.

Your stamina is running low.

"Wait. What?" His gaze snapped to the bar. Nearly empty. And this was after a meal buff?

His stirring slowed. The mixture had thickened into something like tar—dense, sticky, and resistant. Each drag of the stick barely moved it, the surface clinging like it was trying to pull the tool back in. It wasn’t quite solid, but it had passed the point of being workable. He wished he could keep going, loosen it up just a little more, but his stamina was spent.

With a weary sigh, Jack released the stick, rolling his shoulders as he surveyed the mix. The sludge had settled into a heavy, clay-like mass, its surface dull and streaked with earthy reds and browns. A faint sheen lingered where the wax hadn’t fully absorbed, giving it a slick, almost oiled appearance.

Congratulations! You’ve crafted [Terracoat].

[Innovating Pioneer] kicks in.

+200XP in [Butchering]

+200XP in [Bushcraft]

+200XP in [Pottery]

+200XP in [Beekeeping]

You’ve unlocked a new title: [Epic Craftsman].

Jack wiped the sweat off his brow, exhaling sharply. His arms throbbed from the relentless stirring; his fingers still curled stiffly as if unwilling to unclench. He rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the fatigue.

"Oof! I didn’t expect it to take such a toll.”

He glanced at the pot and frowned. The stick.

It was still standing upright in the mix. Jack blinked. That wasn’t right. It hadn’t slumped or tilted. Instead, it just stood there, half-submerged, rigid as a pole buried in wet cement. The surface around it dimpled slightly but didn’t give.

His brow furrowed. "Goodness! This terracoat thing really is thick!"

On instinct, he reached for the pot, fingers wrapping around the handle. He needed to move it off the fire before checking his notifications properly, but—

He hesitated.

Wait. If it’s already this hard when it’s hot… then when it cools…

His grip on the handle loosened as realization set in.

It'll be stone-hard.

His frown deepened. If that happened, he’d end up with a solid block of whatever this was—completely useless. Better to let it stay warm and pliable until he figured out what to do next. 

His eyes flicked to his interface, scanning for any sign of a flashing red progress bar. Nothing. This isn’t like firing a pot. If he left clay in the fire too long, it would overfire and crack, but this seemed stable. He would let it stay on the fire for now.

His eyes flicked back to his interface, skimming over the list of experience gains. Then, just as he was about to dismiss it—

Wait! A new title?!

A rush of excitement cut through the exhaustion. He barely noticed his sore arms anymore. 

Epic Craftsman (Rare)

Title description: Your mastery transcends ordinary skill, allowing you to create items of exceptional value. Through dedication and ingenuity, your craftsmanship has earned recognition far and wide.

Title effects:

+1 fame;

+3 agility;

NPCs will offer you slightly better rewards when turning in quests.

Conditions to unlock [Epic Craftsman]:

Craft one epic rarity item.

Jack grinned. "Good title!"

It wasn’t just about gaining more fame—the agility boost was a welcome bonus. He opened his status screen and checked his agility stat, watching the number tick upward. A satisfied nod. He could feel the difference already—nothing drastic, but a small edge that made movement feel just a bit smoother, a bit sharper.

The sting of losing out on those pants from the Romie elite was all but gone now. He had been frustrated about missing out on the agility boost from them, but the system had given him another way to gain the bonus, and it wasn’t tied to a single piece of gear. If anything, this was better. Gear could break. Gear could be replaced, but titles were permanent.

More importantly, this boost put him closer to his next big crafting goal. Porcelain.

From what Felix had told him, porcelain required precision, control, and a steady hand. One wrong move and a fragile piece could be ruined before it even had a chance to be fired. But with this, maybe he was finally ready to take that risk.

His gaze drifted back to the title. Rereading the description, a smirk tugged at his lips.

"A title all about epic rarities… and it’s only rare?"

He huffed a small laugh. The irony was almost too good.

He then inspected the item that had earned him this title and was unexpectedly of the epic grade.

Terracoat (Epic)

A durable, heat-softened paste designed to strengthen and enhance fiber-based materials, improving their resilience and longevity.

Crafting grade: D

Effect: Strengths 1(+1) piece of fiber-made equipment.

Innovating Pioneer bonus: The mixture can be reused once.

A stunned laugh escaped him, half exhilaration, half disbelief. He had suspected that blending four professions would yield something unique, but he never imagined it would produce an epic item! 

I spent all that time running around looking for vegetables to pickle… when I had a treasure trove sitting under my nose.

Jack eyed the tar-like mixture, watching as thick bubbles swelled and popped across its surface. The slow, deliberate way it moved reminded him of cooling lava—dense, heavy, unforgiving. And now, he knew it wasn’t just some random paste. It was an epic consumable.

Epic.

The word still echoed in his mind. That ranking meant it had serious potential—but what good was it if he had no idea how to apply it? If he messed up the process, would he waste it?

The paste sat there, dark and sluggish, clinging stubbornly to the edges of the pot as if reluctant to be disturbed. Jack exhaled and reached into his inventory, pulling out one of the pickled jars. He twisted it open, grabbed a few pickled chaga mushrooms, and started chewing while he studied the mixture.

How on earth am I supposed to use this?

The sharp, earthy tang of the chaga filled his mouth as his stamina began creeping back up. He needed his strength if this turned into another physically demanding task.

The recipe hadn't given any clues, but he wasn’t completely in the dark. His [Tempering] skill might fill in the gaps.

Jack opened his interface, scrolling to the skill’s updated description.

Tempering (Uncommon)

Skill level: 2

Skill description: Combining beekeeping, pottery, bushcraft, and butchering, you’ve learned to use wax and natural materials to strengthen crafting materials.

Skill effects:

• Clay tempering: You can mix clay and dry grass to strengthen a crafted item.

• Fiber tempering: You can mix clay, oil, and wax to strengthen a crafted item.

Jack reread the description, narrowing his eyes slightly. The mention of fiber tempering, followed by a list of required materials—oil, wax, and clay—confirmed that [Terracoat] fit into that category. This was a consumable meant for reinforcing fiber-based clothing.

That included cotton, hemp, and silk—whatever tailors worked with. That was good news. He might be able to sell this stuff to them. Moreover, if it was of the epic grade, he might be able to make a fortune there. But the good news was that it also included grass.

With the exception of the pelt he wore as a mantle, his entire set of gear was made from grass fiber. That meant [Terracoat] should work on it without issue.

The idea of upgrading his equipment yet again sent a thrill through him. He had already spent so much time weaving it from bulrush grass, and now there was a chance to reinforce it and make it even better. If this worked, it could mean greater durability, better resistance—maybe even added effects.

Too bad I didn’t have time to make something with a better crafting grade. When he’d gone to the pond to craft with bulrush grass, he’d barely managed to make C-grade pieces before he had to rush to the Breach with the others.

Not that it mattered. He was still only level 20. Before long, he’d need a whole new set of gear anyway, and when that time came, he’d make sure to craft only A-grade pieces. 

This was the perfect time to run experiments so that he could learn how to strengthen his next set of equipment.

The real question is how to apply [Terracoat] to my gear.

He tapped his fingers on his chin, thinking. Lifting the stick he’d used to stir, he watched as the thick sludge clung to it, stretching in slow, sticky strands before settling back into the pot. Smearing it on by hand seemed inefficient. Even with a spoon or a brush, getting an even coat would be a nightmare—especially if it hardened too fast.

He considered other options. 

Maybe warming the fibers first so the paste would spread more easily? No. It might set his gear on fire. Maybe diluting the mixture slightly? It might ruin the mix. 

Then, it clicked.

Glazing.

When he and Felix had worked on ocarinas, they dipped them into a container of glaze to ensure full coverage. Instead of brushing it on, they submerged the whole piece, letting the liquid settle into every curve and crevice.

This wasn’t so different. The mixture was thicker, hotter, and meant for fibers instead of ceramics, but the principle remained the same. Rather than struggling to spread the paste, he could dip the piece entirely, ensuring a full, even coat before letting it set.

He glanced down at his gear. His overalls were too large for the amount of [Terracoat] he had made. His shoes provided a speed boost—something he wasn’t about to risk losing just yet.

That left the hat.

Jack pulled it off and turned it over in his hands. Small enough to fit inside the pot without touching the edges. Worn enough that reinforcing it wouldn’t hurt. If this worked, the hat would be tougher and more durable. If it didn’t, losing it wouldn’t be too bad.

His fingers traced the frayed brim. Alright. Let’s see if this works.

Taking a steadying breath, he lowered the hat toward the thick, bubbling mixture.

The moment of truth had arrived.

Ch. 160 - Running the Rounds

INDEX

Ch. 162 - A Plan