SSS-Rank Engineer: Only I Can Create Legendary Weapons

Many days passed before they were even ready to install the first pipe. Hecate had her meeting with the Count of Yarol and returned even more secretive. Meanwhile Percy managed to get help for his project from both the peasant class and the Graveseekers.

He stood on the railing of the fortress' bridge, hundreds of metres below him was the lake. The previously noisy flood gates were somewhat quiet and tranquil. Excitement burned through his veins.

Terra's concerned voice caught his attention.

"Can you get down from there?"

Percy turned to glance at her. She looked nice in her simple black skirt and a frilly white blouse. Her crimson eyes watched him carefully, hands ready to grab him at any moment.

If it was Tommy behind him now, the bastard would threaten to push him off the bridge and not let him get down from the railing.

But Terra required softer jokes or she'd strangle him. He sighed and hopped off the railing onto the bridge.

"Where's the old man? Everyone's late, huh?"

"My name is Lecetes, dumb kid," a voice said behind him. The leader of the Graveseekers' mercenary band walked out of the fortress. "And I'm coming from a meeting with your mother. She's not feeling too good, so she'll have to miss our fifth try."

"Who the hell are you calling dumb?" Percy asked. "Are you the only old man around? Feeling a bit self-conscious, huh, gramps?"

The sun glinted off Lecetes's bald head in a way that made Percy smirk. The sneer on the man's face, paired with the grisly scar over his forehead, was a terrifying combo to anyone but him.

"I'd throw you off this bridge if I was your grandfather."

Percy cackled, shaking Lecetes once he reached them. Terra chose to give the grisly man a slight bow.

Lecetes acknowledged her with a nod.

"You're a good kid, Terra. You don't have to bow to a lowly hound like me. Percy, on the other hand—"

"Keep dreaming, gramps."

They all turned towards the southern wall crossing over the Crean River. Five gigantic water gates were carved from the wall, but the water still hadn't been passing through easily.

So a few weeks ago, with the help from Earth and Water Spiritmancers, they constructed stone deflectors to control the flow of water past the water gates.

These stone dividers were on either side of the wall and would channel water efficiently without wearing down the wall.

Percy had no idea how the old empire kept this wall from crumbling years ago, but the signs of degradation he found on the wall were concerning.

But thankfully, with the help of Diana, the beautiful master of the Tower of Hermetics, they were able to heal the damage on the stone.

The more he learned about Hermetics the more he decided that it was either superior to Spiritmancy, or just better suited to him. In five years when he turned thirteen he would learn Spiritmancy and find out for himself.

For now, Hecate didn't want him using Spiritmancy. He wished she was here to see how far Hermetics had carried him… or how far he had carried Hermetics. He was so amazing, after all.

But his mother was too busy. After she returned from her meeting with the Count of Yarol, she had sunk into work and kept more secrets from him.

Percy turned to Lecetes slightly.

"So what was this meeting about? Mom has been tired a lot recently."

"Nice try, kid," Lecetes said without looking at him. "I'm not telling you anything. I already know what happens when you tell demons secrets."

Terra nodded, eyes growing somber.

"He is still threatening me with something I just told him casually."

Lecetes slapped the back of Percy's hand a bit roughly, glaring at him furiously.

"You scoundrel, how dare you blackmail Terra?"

"I'm not blackmailing anyone!" Percy shouted back, turning to Terra. "I make jokes, but I would never do anything to hurt you, you know that, right?"

Terra nodded, smiling happily.

"I know. I just wanted Sir Lecetes to hit you."

Percy considered pulling her hair, but he could see Lecetes, the old bastard, just watching him out of the corner of his eyes. He clicked his tongue and turned back to the southern wall.

"Are they ready?"

Lecetes didn't have a chance to answer. A bracelet on his wrist buzzed and a man's voice came through.

"We're ready to get started, boss. Earth Spiritmancers have full control of the steel cables and the Water Spiritmancers in the boat are ready to slow down the flow."

There was a group of people standing on the southern wall with five gargantuan ceramic pipes wrapped in metal wires. They looked like ants from this far, and the pipes looked like curved wafer sticks.

Lecetes turned to Percy, who simply nodded once. He raised the magic bracelet to his mouth and said.

"Start."

The changes were immediate. Blue water spirits appeared, dancing through the air and stirring the river below them. The Spiritmancers in the boat controlled the water to bring them closer to the first water gate.

From the docks, Percy could see a large crowd of commoners, mostly people that were very interested in the water system project.

Percy had employed the Graveseekers to provide manpower for the pipe laying, which included a week of digging trenches and gauging wells. Percy invited all the city's best craftsmen to the fortress to discuss the project.

They helped make the ceramic pipes and the steel cables they would use for the installation of the biggest pipes. Many commoners, hearing how much this could improve not only their lives but their businesses too, decided to lend a hand.

There were far more people willing to work for free in this world. It was rather shocking to see. But Percy was glad for their help. They turned a month's work into two weeks. Percy eyed their target, the water gate.

The deflectors he added to the gates made the gates look like a fountain. A great rush of water arced through the air and flowed more quietly into the river.

Once the Spiritmancers in the boat got under the water gate, they couldn't help but shiver at the thunderous amount of water over their heads. They all began simultaneously casting, and then waited for the signal from Lecetes.

The scarred general raised his wrist to his mouth.

"Cable team, you'll have only five minutes. Install the ceramic pipe below the water gate."

Percy's design of the deflector left room for a pipe to be safely slotted in, but they needed to stop the force of the water for a couple moments to place the pipe.

"We're ready, sir."

"Start the installation."