Reborn With A Technology System In A Fantasy World

The feast was a success, but Adrian felt no urgency to begin immediately. He understood the value of rest.

"The work begins only when everyone is rested and ready," he informed Jeffery when he came to inquire.

True to his word, Adrian made no move towards the mountain.

Within an hour, the camp was utterly silent and when Adrian emerged; he was no longer in his simple attire but encased in his Power Suit and with a massive hammer in hand.

Adrian didn't need the Mana Gun anymore, given that the best magic crystal he could afford to spend on it was of 4-Star.

Standing before him were Jeffery, Charles, and the two other earth mages. All four wore the specialized helmets Adrian had crafted, allowing them to see despite the darkness.

"We've all studied the plan. Everyone understands the adjustments discussed."

"Good," Adrian replied, his voice carrying a metallic edge due to the mask. "Follow the blueprint and I'll handle the heavy lifting. Let's get to work."

Charles couldn't contain a grin. "Let's fucking go!"

They moved swiftly towards the base of the imposing mountain range.

The sheer scale was even more daunting up close.

Adrian didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, planted his feet firmly on the rocky ground, and raised the hammer.

~THOOM!~

The first swing wasn't a strike; it was an annihilation.

The surface didn't crack, nor split, but exploded into a cloud of gravel and dust, instantly compacted by the sheer force of the blow.

A crater three meters deep and five wide appeared as if a giant had taken a bite out of the mountain.

The earth mages staggered back, shielding their eyes from the flying debris despite their helmets.

"Goddess above," one of them breathed, overwhelmed by the display of sheer, unadulterated power.

Adrian didn't pause. He moved along the designated path outlined in his mind's eye, synchronized with the blueprint.

Swing after swing, each controlled yet devastating.

He wasn't just breaking rock; he was excavating.

Tons of material vanished with every impact, pulverized and displaced.

He carved deep channels for the base of switchback roads, blasted openings for tunnel entrances, and leveled vast areas for foundations.

He moved with terrifying speed and efficiency, his natural speed without mana making him a blur of controlled destruction.

The hammer was an extension of his will, and the mountain yielded before it.

He constantly modulated his strength, acutely aware that too much force could trigger unforeseen landslides or collapse structures before they were formed.

The ease with which he reshaped the landscape was almost alarming.

While Adrian was the unstoppable force of demolition, the earth mages were the guiding hands of creation.

As soon as Adrian cleared a section, they surged forward. Jeffery and Charles worked in tandem, their hands glowing with earth magic after their chants.

They smoothed the jagged scars Adrian left, coaxing the shattered rock into firm, compacted roadbeds.

They raised retaining walls that flowed seamlessly out of the bedrock, reinforcing them with intricate lattices of solidified earth magic.

They shaped the entrances to the tunnels Adrian blasted, smoothing and reinforcing the arches.

Throughout the night, the transformation was visible even from the camp below, illuminated by the mages' helmet lights and the occasional flare of Adrian's hammer strikes.

Jagged peaks were smoothed into strategic plateaus. Deep gashes became wide, graded roads winding purposefully upwards.

Tunnel mouths yawned open, leading into the heart of the rock.

Where there had been impassable cliff, the skeleton of a fortified crossing took shape: switchbacks wide enough for vehicles, reinforced walls, deep-set caves perfect for storage, barracks, or defensive positions, and natural choke points designed for checkpoints.

The mountain range was being sculpted into a defensible highway.

The work was grueling and at some point, every single one of the Mages had their mana reserves exhausted.

Adrian allowed them to rest for a while and cultivate, while he worked continuously.

His strength rendered the physical toll negligible, and the only thing he could call a bother was the need to control his overwhelming strength was taxing.

As the first streaks of orange began to bleed into the sky, the camp below began to stir.

The sounds of distant, resonant explosions had been their alarm clock and people emerged from tents, blinking sleep from their eyes, only to freeze with their mouths agape as they looked up.

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the group.

"It's... it's done?" Mara whispered, clutching Eli's arm.

"Not quite," Eli said, squinting upwards.

"But look! Roads! Actual roads! And... are those buildings up there?"

Gavrin rubbed his eyes. "He said reshape the mountain. I didn't think he meant... this."

They watched, awestruck, as the final touches were applied.

Adrian, high on the central plateau they had designated as the main outpost, used precise, controlled bursts from the hammer to sculpt the final defensive parapets along the edges.

Below, Jeffery and Torin were putting the finishing touches on the massive reinforced gates at the main entrance and exit points.

The gates, formed from solid rock interlaced with bands of hardened earth, were designed to pivot on enormous stone hinges set deep within the mountain.

A complex series of interlocking gears and counterweights, which Adrian had to create from the Factory real quick, allowed them to be opened or closed by a small team using a capstan mechanism embedded in the gatehouse beside the entrance.

Charles, tasked with smoothing the plateau floor one last time, gave a final sweeping gesture.

The last rough patches melted away into perfectly level stone.

He straightened up, wiped a forearm dramatically across his sweat-streaked brow, let out an exaggerated groan, and then simply tipped backwards, collapsing spread-eagled onto the cool rock he had just finished.

"Phew!" he declared to the sky.

"Behold! The Best Structure In Thanad! Forged by the sweat, blood, and unparalleled genius of yours truly!"

One of the Earth Mages, caught his breath nearby and chuckled.

"We all did the same work, Charles. Why are you acting like you hauled the whole mountain on your shoulders?"

Charles propped himself up on one elbow. "What? I did all the work! Without my unparalleled genius, this would still be a useless pile of rocks!"

Jeffery, inspecting a nearby tunnel entrance, smirked without looking up.

"Yes, Charles, we're all just your humble assistants. Should we start calling you 'Lord of the Mountain' now?"

The group erupted in laughter, and Charles pouted in embarrassment. "Fine, fine, you peasants can share a sliver of my glory."

Adrian looked over the transformed landscape. The winding roads, the fortified tunnels, the commanding plateau outpost, the sturdy gates.

It was exactly as per the blueprint, adjusted with their input, and executed with remarkable efficiency.

"You have all done exceptionally well," he stated, interrupting their conversations.

"This is a formidable crossing. But our journey isn't over. We are just starting." He gestured downwards towards the camp. "It's time to cross."

With a thought, he summoned the two Trailblazers from his Inventory, the rugged vehicles appearing solidly on the ground below the mountain.

"Gavrin, Eli," he called down, his amplified voice easily reaching the camp.

"You're driving. Everyone, load up. We move out in five minutes."

As the camp erupted into chaos, people hastily packing bedrolls and donning gear to board the vehicles, Adrian summoned the Rover.

With a mental thought, he stored most of the big tools below — like the pumping machine — into his [Inventory], and he unequipped the power suit straight away.

Just as he was about to slide into the driver's seat, Charles scrambled up from the floor and darted over.

"Adrian! Wait! Uh... permission to ride shotgun? In the Rover, I mean? I've never... well, seen the inside. It looks incredibly efficient! And it's strategically important to understand all assets, you know?"

He tried to sound professional, but his eyes were wide with poorly concealed curiosity.

Adrian paused, one hand on the Rover's doorframe. He looked at Charles, taking in the genuine enthusiasm mixed with fatigue and a hint of pleading. After a beat, he gave a curt nod. "Sure. Hop in."

Charles's face lit up. "Thank you!"

He practically vaulted into the plush passenger seat, running a hand over the smooth dashboard with reverence. Adrian slid into the driver's seat.

"You three should join the Trailblazers when they come up. We'll meet you at the base."

Before Jeffery could protest or question his brother's choice of transport, Charles gave him a triumphant, slightly smug wink and pulled the passenger door shut with a satisfying thunk.

The Rover's engine purred to life and then, with breathtaking acceleration that pressed Charles back into his seat, it surged forward, leaping down the newly carved main road.

In mere minutes, they were at the base of the transformed mountain range on the far side, pulling to a smooth stop on the hard dry ground.

Adrian cut the engine and silence descended.

Charles still catching his breath from the kept glancing at Adrian, opening his mouth, then closing it, wrestling with something.

Adrian, gazing intently at the far distance then finally spoke without turning his head. "Anything?"

"Oh! Uh, nothing major. Just... logistics. Where do we start?" He gestured vaguely at the distance.

"I mean, here is vast. Do we pick a specific point to establish the first camp? Somewhere with strategic resources, defensible ground? Or do we just... head in?"

"We'll start from the edge," Adrian replied. He launched into an explanation of his strategic reasoning, detailing how it would optimize their approach and secure their position. Charles nodded thoughtfully.

"That makes sense," he said, then pivoted to a barrage of construction related questions, his curiosity insatiable.

Adrian indulged him, sharing insights on physics principles. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, Charles's enthusiasm drawing the occasional near-laugh from the usually stoic Adrian.

Before long, the Trailblazers rumbled into view, pulling up beside the Rover. But Adrian and Charles remained engrossed in their discussion.

As Adrian finally took the lead in the Rover, the convoy followed behind but their dialogue still continued, carrying them forward into the next leg of their journey.