Piers let the image settle in his mind before turning to the others—Thog, Gyuunyuu, Mutou, and Lein.
"Alright. Gather up boys.
While the girls are busy with the… wholesale slaughter, I want to test something."
Gyuunyuu, practically vibrating with excitement, bounced on Piers's shoulder.
"Ooh, ooh! What are we doing, Master? Is it gonna be super fun?"
Lein's eyes lit up.
Piers ignored them both for a moment, turning to Mutou as an idea sparked.
"Mutou—go grab anything solid from the other side of the cavern. Doesn't matter what."
"Yes, Young Master." Mutou bowed, then vanished into the dark without another word.
He shifted his gaze to Thog.
"You—gather every goblin corpse in here. Pile them in one spot."
The giant nodded and set off silently, his massive hands already hauling carcasses.
Gyuunyuu and Lein were still staring at him like expectant puppies. Piers hesitated, then glanced at Lein—remembering the boy's… track record.
Lien, Go help Mutou. And make sure he doesn't bring back anything… weird.
Lein blinked. "wei—"
No.
Oh. Kay.
Gyuunyuu leaned in, eyes wide. "What about me? What's my super-fun job?"
Piers's mouth curved in a faint sly grin.
You can give me some milk.
Gyuunyuu huffed. "Heyyy…"
After a short while, Mutou and Lein returned with their haul: torn scraps of cloth, chunks of black and white crystal, a bundle of leaves, a leather bag, dry wood, a giant rock, and—because why not—a massive skeleton bone.
Meanwhile, Thog had finished his grim task. The pile of goblin corpses in the cavern's center was now a grotesque mountain, still steaming in places.
Without hesitation, Piers snapped his fingers, and flames roared to life, sweeping over the heap in an instant.
The stench of burning flesh filled the cavern, the fire reducing the bodies to smoldering ash in seconds. Only when the last ember faded did he turn back to the others.
Thog, pile everything here
He took the white crystal first.
Modal Maker.
Mana flared, reshaping the shard into a long, flawless floor that gleamed like glass.
There was a collective gasp.
"Woooah! It's like ice but not cold!"
Lein shouted, dropping to his knees to smack the surface with both hands.
Gyuunyuu crouched instantly, making silly faces at her reflection.
"Heehee, look! Two of me!"
Thog paused… flexed at himself in the shine… then gave a dignified nod.
Next came the leaves and leather. Another pulse of Modal Maker, and a massive bed of layered giant leaves took shape—thick, soft, and springy.
"Mine!"
Gyuunyuu squealed and rocketed over to claim the best spot.
Lein dove in right after her.
"Whoa—this is amazing! It's super soft!"
Within seconds they were bouncing up and down on it like overexcited children, laughter ringing off the cavern walls.
This is the best bed ever! Gyuunyuu declared, springing so high she almost hit the cavern ceiling.
Mutou stayed back, watching quietly, though the faint tilt of his head betrayed his intrigue.
Then piers gaze slid to the giant rock.
His grin turned… dangerous.
Mutou—corner. Now.
In an instant, the rock vanished and reappeared exactly where he pointed.
Thog—split it.
CRACK! Two perfect halves.
Piers ran his hand over the fracture, that grin widening.
Nice… Now my final touch.
The Modal Maker hummed in his chest—low, eager.
These pieces… just need a little nudge.
With a subtle surge of mana, the two halves of the rock rearranged themselves, solidifying into two separate rooms.
Nice and private.
"Done, rooms are set," he announced, voice sliding back into its smooth, matter-of-fact tone.
Now for the crucial ingredient. Mutou, bring a few of those black crystals into each room.
Once in place, he triggered his skill. The air shimmered, and dark bathtubs materialized in each chamber, their surfaces perfectly smooth and gleaming.
Perfect. Just as I pictured.
Lein and Gyuunyuu gasped in unison.
"Whoa, giant tubs!" Lein grinned, practically hopping.
"Ooh! Ooh! I know what this is for!"
Lein blinked. "Really? What?"
"It's for cooking," she declared with absolute confidence.
Like… giant soup! With yummy stuff!
Thog sighed quietly.
Mutou, on the other hand, simply thought: …perhaps for bathing.
Piers stepped out, inspecting his work, but frowned slightly.
"Hmm… something's missing…"
Then his expression brightened—sharp, mischievous.
"There."
He scooped up the remaining black stones, that devilish glint returning to his eyes.
Ooh, what's he making now? Lein bounced.
"Maybe a game! Maybe more food!"
Gyuunyuu zipped in so hard she almost bonked into him, bottle-body trembling like a vibrating phone.
Even Thog straightened a little, his silent admiration clear.
Modal Maker flared one last time.
A flat, black-crystal surface emerged, mounted on a sleek stand—like a strange, futuristic tablet. It caught the light like a polished gemstone.
Lein and Gyuunyuu's eyes went wide.
Mutou tilted his head, polite but curious.
Young Master, if I may…
What is the purpose of a crystal formed in such a peculiar way?
Piers just grinned back, mischief sparking in his eyes. "Just watch."
He poured mana into the black crystal, dredging up every last memory of his past life's TV.
Perfect… this is gonna blow their minds.
The crystal hummed softly, light swirling within it. Then—pixels bloomed across the surface, forming a screen.
A television.
Right here, in the middle of a goblin-infested cavern.
Piers folded his arms and let a smug smile settle on his face.
"Behold."
Silence.
Then Lein and Gyuunyuu exploded forward—wide-eyed, slack-jawed, gasping like they'd witnessed a forbidden god-tier relic.
Piers tapped a hidden rune.
The screen flared to life. Moving images danced across it, voices echoing faintly from nowhere.
Both of them yelped, stumbling back—then immediately darted forward again, eyes sparkling like they'd just witnessed actual magic.
"What is that?!" Lein jabbed a finger at the display, voice shaking with awe.
"It's… it's like a window—but there's people inside! How'd they get so small?!"
Gyuunyuu zipped right up to it, her bottle-body nearly smacking the glass.
"Whoa! It's so colorful! And the tiny people are moving— but they can't see us!
Are they okay?!"
"This is amazing!" they blurted together, voices tumbling over each other in a jumble of excitement.
Heh. Told you.
Piers watched their unrestrained joy, a smug little "knew it" written all over his face.
Even Thog's usual stone-faced composure cracked into a wide grin.
Mutou's head-flame flared and danced, the shadows jittering like, even it was excited.
A few hours trickled by.
Liel and Luci were still at it — a storm of magic, blood, and stubborn willpower tearing through the goblin tide. Sweat slicked their hair, shoulders straining, but they moved like they'd rather die than admit they were slowing down.
Piers smirked to himself.
Yep. They'll hit the floor before they say they're tired.
On the other side of the cavern, the "TV trio" had apparently slipped into another dimension entirely.
Lein sat cross-legged, grinning like he'd found the meaning of life inside the screen.
"Wait—WAIT—did that guy just—?! Ohhh! He did!"
Gyuunyuu was right beside him, plopped down on the floor with tiny bottle-legs tucked under her, leaning so close, hands clasped in reverent awe.
Even Thog was leaning forward, lips parted, a low rumble in his chest like an earthquake learning to purr.
If goblins had Christmas, this would be it.
Mutou, ever the impeccable butler, was nowhere near the commotion.
"Young Master's orders are absolute."
Then he'd melted into the shadows like a knight on a grocery run, hunting for anything in the cavern that could pass for sustenance.
Piers? He was staring at nothing—at least to anyone watching. In reality, his mind was racing, a storm of possibilities spiraling outward from what he'd just done with the crystal screen.
If I can shape matter with this accuracy… and tie it to my mana control…
His lips curved into a slow, dangerous grin.
Perfect. This labyrinth… this cave is the perfect place to try something.... stupidly overpowered.
He rose, brain humming like an overclocked engine, and his gaze fell on the leftover black crystals… and the random skeleton bone lying next to them.
If I could… mesh their properties somehow… make it flexible… stretch mana through it…
Before the thought could finish, faint footsteps echoed. Mutou came, cradling a broken sword.
The blade was snapped clean in half — useless as a weapon — but the hilt… the hilt held a gem unlike anything Piers had ever seen. Dark red laced with veins of gold, fractured yet somehow still alive with a dim, pulsing glow.
"My apologies, Young Master," Mutou said, bowing slightly, regret in his tone.
"I was unable to locate any viable food sources within the cavern."
Food? Piers didn't even register the words. His attention locked onto the gem.
He narrowed his eyes.
That stone… There's something strange about it.
Mana flared as he triggered Appraisal.
Words spilled into his mind, crisp and undeniable:
Terramatic Crystal
Rarity: Mythical
Description: An ancient crystal, whispered to contain the fundamental forces of creation and annihilation. Said to warp the very fabric of reality, though its true capabilities remain hidden in the mists of time.
Mana Capacity: Very High
The rest scrolled too fast to read, but the two words he caught were enough.
His breath stilled. Inspiration hit like a divine slap.
"Mutou," Piers murmured, eyes glowing like he'd just discovered the key to the universe,
"you… did amazing finding this."
Mutou, unused to such direct praise, gave a sheepish nod and rubbed the back of his non-existent head.
"I merely presented what was available, Young Master," he said, voice humble.
But Piers had already tuned him out. His focus was entirely on the gem.
With careful fingers, he pried the cracked Terramatic crystal from the sword's hilt. Flakes crumbled away at his touch.
He took a shard — small, jagged, perfect.
Gyuunyuu, peeling her attention from the TV, floated in close, eyes bright.
"Master, what are you making now?" she chirped, eyes wide.
Lein and Thog drifted over too, drawn by instinct.
Piers channeled mana into the shard.
The stone pulsed — once, twice — and then ignited with a deep, hungry glow. The air thickened, snapping with static. Even without touching it, they could all feel the weight of it.
"Mutou," piers said quietly, holding the shard out like it was live lightning,
"hold this. And do not drop it."
Mutou accepted it with slow precision. The flame along his helm guttered faintly.
Without another word, Piers turned and strode toward the fray where Luci and Liel's doing their butchering. He swept the remaining black crystals into his hands, mana surging, Modal Maker flaring to life.
The shape rose fast — smooth, angular, brutal.
A massive black cannon. Its open maw gaped wide, big enough to swallow a goblin whole.
Lein gawked.
"Uh… Master? What… what is that?"
Gyuunyuu zipped straight through the barrel, her voice echoing like a tiny ghost.
"Master! This is the coolest thing ever! What does it do?!"
Mutou's voice also carried over the noise.
"Young Master, what is its intended function?"
A faint, smug curve touched Piers' mouth as he stepped back from the massive cannon.
This…
Is how we deal with the rest of the goblins.
They fell silent, stunned.
Then Piers turned to Thog.
"Thog — split this," he said, tossing him the massive bone.
One swing — CRACK! — and the bone split cleanly.
Piers held out a hand. "The shard."
Mutou stepped forward, offering it like a piece of the sun.
Mutou stepped forward, holding out the mana-charged Terramatic crystal like it was a piece of the sun itself.
Piers took the shard in one hand, the bone half in the other. For a moment he stood still — raw power in one hand, foundation in the other.
He pressed the crystal deep into the bone's center.
Mana surged. Gem and bone fused into one — a heavy, skull-shaped sphere. Its hollow eyes burned with a blood-red glow, pulsing like a heartbeat.
He hefted it once, then carefully placed the sphere into the cannon's open breech.
every movement deliberate to avoid triggering an untimely detonation.
The group held their breath.
"Girls — step back!"
Luci and Liel froze mid-strike. Sweat plastered their hair, mana still sparking at their fingertips, but the iron edge in his voice made them obey instantly.
"Yes, Piers-sama!"
Piers braced behind the cannon, hands pressed to the cold black metal. Mana poured out in a fierce rush, twisting into a dense spiral of wind magic inside the chamber.
The air whined, pressure building.
FIRE.
The projectile blasted free with a bone-shaking BOOM, arcing high.
The skull ball spun lazily for a breathless moment, tumbling end over end, the Terramatic shard's glow winking red—then gravity took it.
For one heartbeat, nothing.
Then—
IMPACT.
The world erupted.
Blinding white light swallowed everything.
A shockwave slammed outward, the ground heaving. Dust and debris spiraled.
When the glare faded, a massive circular void remained — a crater now filled with a deep, swirling pool of water.
Goblins flailed along its slippery edges, screeching in panic.
The silence broke with a chime.
YOU HAVE TERMINATED 32,789 GOBLINS.
TOTAL ESTIMATED SIZE: 834,96/100,000.
Piers stared at the devastation, chest heaving.
Did I… just do that?
Another ping.
SKILL UPGRADE!
SKILL: MODAL MAKER
UPGRADED TO UNIQUE SKILL: MATTER FORGING!
Beneath the title, the description unfolded:
Copy: Perfectly replicate any non-living substance — from solid steel to flowing water.
Creation: Construct anything imaginable from copied materials.
Alteration: Bend the created material's properties to your will.
* * *