Chapter 15: Aeon acting like a fake villain
The door rumbled open, revealing a descending stairwell swallowed by shadows and soot. Aeon stepped in first, his cloak brushing the dusted stone. The others followed, their footsteps hesitant, muffled by the strange stillness below. The air inside was heavy—warm with the scent of old oil, scorched iron, and forgotten ambition.
The chamber was vast, half-buried in memory. Scattered tools littered the floor. Rusting anvils stood beside weapon racks that gleamed with recent polish, a contradiction that spoke volumes. It was a place of ghosts—and of craft.
From the darkness, a voice barked, "I do not know who you are or how you got in, but leave. All of you."
A broad-shouldered man emerged. His soot-marked face was aged by hardship, arms bearing the scars of decades at the forge. He leveled a pistol at the group. Until his eyes landed on her.
"Chloi?! You're alive?!"
The girl ran forward. "Father… I thought I'd never see you again."
His pistol dropped. He caught her in trembling arms, holding her like she might vanish again.
"I could not find you. I—"
"No. I escaped. They saved me. Him—Aeon."
Grigor's eyes rose to Aeon. Guarded gratitude clashed with suspicion.
"So you want thanks? Payment? What is it you want from me?"
Aeon stepped forward, tone calm, collected. "We want your skill. You are blacksmith, aren't you?"
The man's expression closed off. "That man died. I make junk now. Whatever I was, I'm not anymore."
Aeon tilted his head. "A shame. Because I saved your daughter. And in this world, that makes her mine."
Silence struck like a hammer.
"W-What?" Chloi blinked.
Aeon moved to her side, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder. "She's bright. Capable. I could use someone like her. Train her. Keep her. That kind of thing."
Her cheeks flushed. "W-What are you even implying?!"
Layla narrowed her eyes. "Even for you, Aeon, this is disgusting."
Ali folded his arms. "You're pushing boundaries."
Luna frowned, unsure. "This... doesn't feel right."
Nadia looked disturbed. "You're not serious. Right?"
Aria's jaw tightened. Her gaze wasn't on Aeon—it was on Chloi. Why the hell is she blushing? Don't imagine stupid things, idiot...
The blacksmith took a step forward, voice low and seething. "Touch her again, and I'll end you."
Aeon raised a brow. "Help us. Or I tell every armed thug and raider in ten miles that you're alive. That you have working equipment. That you have a daughter. Let's see how long your peaceful isolation lasts."
Chloi recoiled. "You're blackmailing him?!"
"I'm negotiating," Aeon said with deceptive calm. "This is how the world works now. Leverage replaces pleasantries."
Then, to everyone's shock, he pulled Chloi into a sudden, controlled embrace.
She yelped, stiffening. "Th-this is insane!"
Aria's dagger was half-drawn. "Let her go. Now."
Luna raised a hand, hesitant. "Wait. His face… he's too calm."
Grigor watched the display in frozen silence. Aeon wasn't gloating. There was no hunger in his gaze. Just cold strategy. A false villain.
Grigor exhaled. "Fine. I'll make your damn weapons. Because you saved her. But this act of yours—it better be just that. An act."
Aeon released Chloi instantly, brushing off his cloak. "Of course. Thank you."
She stumbled away, flustered and pink-faced. "You absolute jerk!"
Nadia leaned toward Aria, whispering, "She looked like she enjoyed that."
Aria gritted her teeth. "Moron."
Layla stared, her glare like a blade. Aeon felt the weight of her judgment, though she said nothing.
Ali said dryly, "You really went full villain for that one."
Aeon sighed. "I knew he wouldn't help willingly. So I forced him to consider the alternative."
Grigor crossed his arms. "You're a bastard. But you care about your people. That much is clear. Now if you want weapons, you'll need materials. I want: iron-grade alloy, molten resin, cold-bone shards, obsidian ore, and a dwarf-core hammer."
Aeon reached into his cloak. "Here's your alloy. Here's the resin. Here's the bone. Ore. Hammer."
Grigor's mouth hung open. "You had all of this?!"
"Always be ready."
Aeon handed him a parchment. "Follow these steps."
The blacksmith began to scoff—then froze. "These schematics… this is my formula. The one I never finished. Where did you get—"
Aeon smiled faintly. "Call it intuition. Or maybe I plan a few steps ahead."
Grigor ran a hand down the page. "This… this would make a weapon stronger by a factor of sixty. Maybe more. This is decades ahead of what I was ready to attempt."
Aeon folded his arms. "Then begin."
Grigor paused, then chuckled. "You've got mystery, boy. Insight. Manipulation. I like that. Be my apprentice."
Everyone turned.
"And marry my daughter."
"EH?!" Aeon and Chloi shouted at once.
"F-Father! That's too fast—! I —No I meant—!"
Nadia smirked. "She blushed enough for a honeymoon already."
Ali sighed. "Is this the romance route now?"
Luna giggled. "Well, Aeon always did collect attention."
Aria glared daggers. No way in hell. Over my dead body.
Aeon cleared his throat. "I came for weapons. Not a wife."
Grigor laughed heartily. "Same thing. Both require time, patience, and sweat."
As the party groaned, laughed, or sulked, Aeon watched Grigor return to the forge. Sparks burst to life. Metal rang under practiced hands.
Behind Aeon, Amelia—still red—tugged his sleeve.
"You didn't… actually mean any of that, right?"
He looked down at her and smiled—not mockingly, but gently. "Who knows you're cute. and You're safe now, that's what matters."
She turned away, face burning.
Aria watched them, arms crossed tightly. "Not cute at all," she grumbled.
Grigor glanced over his shoulder, watching his daughter. Then Aeon.
This one… might be a good catch but look like Amelia has more than one rival.
None of them knew—this act, this early weapon upgrade, the formula—it would echo across the battlefield. Aeon had pulled parts of the future forward.
And war would feel the ripple and the butterfly effects similar to the concept of every action has a reaction.
The forge roared. Destiny shifted.
And the game and this regression changed.
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Original chapter ideas:
that girl was supposed to die which result in making the blacksmith hard to interact with since he closed his heart and only made average weapons that are just fine but next comparable to his listed talent. it seems there was a hidden quest in gaining the trust and loyalty from the hidden blacksmith which was saving his daughter but that impossible in my VR game because the player in the game was forced in play in limited stage and must clear it before crossing over to the next stage and what I mean by that is next environment (location) but however in reality there is no barrier to restrict me and prevent me from travelling around wherever I want, and fortunately I saved his daughter by accident. so the blacksmith who will usually need to be convinced and instead of having me to do some errands for him and request so I can earn his trust now it is easy and I can easily get better quality weapons months early, now this act of goodwill encourage the Hidden blacksmith to act and agree to the player demands earlier than it should be, the blacksmith was flustered and suspicious, create bearable tension, make Aeon act sly, like the hidden blacksmith will refuse at first to make weapons for Aeon and the party but Aeon clever acts by exploiting that he saved the blacksmith daughter, and saying that he will maybe tell everyone about this spot, consider it both tricks and casual threats etc...
the blacksmith at first disagrees then Aeon causal threat, when Aeon said: Oh I saved this girl so she is mine then, I will take her as my servant and in this apocalypse only the strong survive, I might do something to her, you know what I mean. everyone is shocked at Aeon casual threats. the girl in question at first, she is also shocked at Aeon's threats but for some reason she felt he is not that kind of person, and when Aeon said that he might do anything to her, that kind of thing, she blush and become flustered when imagining inside he head, Layla showed disgust and distain look at Aeon, the others also did the same. Aeon felt a little bit hurt on his feelings, but he knew he must secure the blacksmith by giving empty threats, inside his mind he has no intention of doing anything to the girl or harming her. Aria was also like the others, skeptical. she looked at that girl in question and only thought stupid girl, why are you blushing? and being flustered? and having clear imaginations on you face.....anyway no... I did not know Aeon is this kind of person, however, I must not let him be with other women. I did not care what kind of person he is as long as he... only for me.., Nadia and Ali also were skeptical. Luna also was surprised to see Aeon try this kind of act. she believed in him as her childhood friend but...there was still that human doubt battling between her heart and mind.
because the blacksmith did not believe Aeon at first then Aeon decided on one more push as a final try, he swiftly but gently took hold of the girl and embraced her, saying something like she is mine then...
Ali voiced his rejection at Aeon behaviors even though he knew Aeon is trying to convince the blacksmith who retaliates again
but the blacksmith knows that he is outnumbered and not very strong enough. he is also doubtful about Aeon behaviours, although his mind is saying he is lying, he will not do it, the look in his eyes is that of a noble person who try whatever method but with honour, he deeply cares about the result but will not get so low to get what he wants. but his heart still wants to get rid of the slight doubt and possibility that he might be wrong. this might endanger his daughter. Psychological warfare of minds using the concept of possibility and doubt,
The blacksmith finally agrees to follow the demands of Aeon. when he did, he notice the relief look on Aeon which denies his doubts. but he still admired Aeon at his mental strength and strategy to make use of the concept of possibility and doubt. he also looks at his daughter and Aeon in turn and smile to himself. this one might be a good catch.
anyway, the blacksmith was surprised that Aeon has all the materials when he requests them. he say I will create weapons for you but you must get me the materials, I want 1)... Aeon say here it is.... the blacksmith is surprised but then continue and I want 2)... and 3)... and 4)... and 5)... Aeon again surprised the blacksmith with all the materials that he already collected and are ready. but the shock does not end there, he also instructs the blacksmith to follow a set of steps (a recipe or a formula), the blacksmith at first ignore it but as he ready it he was greatly shocked at the method of creating weapons using the formula given by Aeon. this would make the weapons he makes not just x2 or x5 but x60 twenty times stronger. the truth is in Aeon mind that this formula was created by the blacksmith himself in the VR game, but this will be much later in the semi-final parts of the VR game. Aeon at the moment did not know but this action will cause great Ribble and butterfly effect not just in accelerating the development of this which will result in greatly strengthening his party members against the zombies (one hit one kill of all lower levels zombies to even middle levels bosses).
the blacksmith is greatly impressed by Aeon and the formula that he recommends Aeon to be his apprentice and not just that but also about marriage with his daughter Amelia. Aeon is flustered by the unexpected proposal slightly and Amelia is greatly flustered and blushes (you know the scene where the parent proposes their children marriage with the protagonist etc...)