Chapter 79 Humanoid Drafting Tool
The rain continued to drum relentlessly against the glass, blurring the world outside into a gray wash. Clad in a slick raincoat, Jax stepped back into the warmth of Sawyer’s villa.
Sawyer’s face lit up with visible relief the moment he saw him. He set his coffee aside and strode over, eagerness in his step. "Well? Did you get everything sorted out?"
Jax simply shook his head, his expression cool and unbothered. "The people inside didn't give me the time of day. I don't see the point in wasting any more breath on them. I’ll draw the blueprints right here and hand them directly to you. How you handle the politics after that is your problem. Get me some paper and a pen—I’ll get it done now."
Sawyer blinked, taken aback, before the implication sank in. He turned sharply to Vance, who was standing beside Jax. "Captain Vance, what the hell happened?"
Vance, still fuming from the encounter, didn't hold back. He hadn't stopped Jax from leaving earlier because the situation had clearly been FUBAR. "Supervisor, you have no idea. The arrogance of that R&D team is off the charts. Gatekeepers, guards, designers—it doesn't matter. To them, we’re not even human."
Vance launched into a tirade, venting every grievance and curse he had bottled up.
Sawyer listened, his brow furrowing deeper with every word. He wasn't entirely surprised. The R&D personnel were expensive talents poached from other families and Outposts; they held the critical responsibility of designing the Defense Towers to withstand the Insect Swarm. The higher-ups had granted them carte blanche authority, making them untouchable even to someone of Sawyer's rank.
After a moment of heavy silence, Sawyer exhaled sharply. "Damn it. They’ve crossed the line this time. Brother Jax, I am truly sorry. I didn't think this through."
He looked at Jax earnestly. "Here’s the plan: you draw the blueprints here. I’ll take care of the rest. I’ll report this directly to headquarters and make sure you get a satisfactory explanation."
"Don't worry about it, Brother Sawyer. I didn't take it to heart," Jax replied, his tone indifferent. "Just get me the stationery. Once I hand over the designs, I’m heading straight for Redrock Bastion. I’m itching to get moving."
Sawyer burst into a hearty laugh, the tension breaking. "Brother Jax, hold your horses! I’ve already sent a report regarding your situation to headquarters. They’re likely processing it as we speak. Give it two days, and your wanted status should be revoked. Just be patient—I’ll arrange a room for you here in the meantime."
Sawyer whispered a command to his butler, who nodded promptly and hurried off to prepare a guest suite.
Jax sat on a plush sofa, accepting the paper and pen offered to him. He didn't hesitate.
In his mind, he pulled up the System interface. He navigated to the blueprint section, where the icons for the Tier 1 Sentry Tower and Tier 1 Howitzer Turret glowed brightly. The Tier 2 variants, however, remained locked.
As he examined the details of the unlocked blueprints, a wave of surprise washed over him.
In the past, these diagrams would have looked like alien gibberish. Now, with the System’s aid, comprehending the complex schematics was as natural as breathing. But as he looked closer at the Tier 1 Sentry Tower, he noticed a discrepancy.
The design provided by the System for construction was fundamentally different from the tower he personally owned.
His personal Sentry Tower relied on Energy Shards. An internal device converted that pure energy into lethal crossbow bolts capable of piercing monster hide.
The blueprint in front of him, however, utilized standard materials found in Redrock Bastion—rare metals and specific alloys—but made no mention of Energy Shards. Instead of an energy conversion core, it featured a complex mechanical firing mechanism compatible with physical ammunition and local fuel sources.
Jax realized the implication immediately. System, the blueprint you’re giving me to share is different from the structure of my own towers, isn't it?
[Correct, User. This Blueprint System is designed to protect system privacy and security.]
I see. So, you're saying I can't just go around exposing your tech?
[It is not strictly prohibited. However, given your current strength, revealing System technology could attract unwanted greed and put you in grave danger.]
Jax mentally nodded. It made perfect sense. He had been wondering how he would explain the magical, ammo-less nature of his towers. The System had solved the problem for him by providing a "mundane" version that followed the laws of physics understandable to this world.
He uncapped the pen and touched the nib to the paper.
The moment he began to sketch, Jax felt a strange sensation flow through his hand. It wasn't just knowledge; it was muscle memory.
He flicked his wrist, and a perfect circle appeared on the page—as precise as if drawn by a compass. He swept his arm, and a ruler-straight line bisected the circle.
Jax stared at his own hand, dumbfounded. Holy hell. I’m a human printer. Who needs rulers or protractors? I can freehand a tangent curve!
Standing nearby, Sawyer and Vance watched in stunned silence.
"Gods above... look at his hand," Vance whispered. "Straight lines and perfect circles without a single tool. It’s like a machine."
"It's incredible," Sawyer murmured, eyes wide. "The scale markings are flawless. I’m starting to wonder if his Awakened ability is specifically related to drafting."
Neither dared to breathe too loudly, afraid to disturb the master at work.
Though these were only Tier 1 structures, the complexity was immense. Hundreds of individual components required detailed schematics. Jax worked for hours, his hand a blur of motion, until stacks of finished drawings covered the table.
Every sheet detailed a specific part with precise measurements and notes. Finally, Jax grabbed a large sheet and sketched the master assembly guide, outlining exactly how the components fit together.
As he penned the final stroke, a chime rang in his mind.
[Mission Complete. Title Acquired: Journeyman Architect] [Current Journeyman Architect Exclusive Skill: Aero-Step] [Aero-Step: active skill. Grants the ability to tread on air for a short duration. Duration: 1 Minute.]
Jax suppressed a grin. Aero-Step? This is basically the legendary 'Lightness Skill' from the old stories. One minute is a bit short, but for chasing down a fleeing monster—or escaping a fatal trap—it’s a godsend.
Powerful skills always came with restrictions. He would treat this as his ace in the hole, a survival tool for when the walls closed in.
Jax stretched his stiff shoulders and set the pen down.
"Brother Sawyer, it's done," Jax said, gesturing to the piles of paper. "Gather these up. This stack covers the individual parts. This large sheet is the assembly guide. Tell your builders to follow the sequence strictly. If they improvise, the whole thing might collapse."
He pointed to a separate stack. "And this is the Howitzer Turret. It’s designed for crowd control against the swarm. High blast radius. The instructions are detailed enough that your team will understand."
Sawyer picked up the assembly guide. He wasn't an architect, but the clarity of Jax’s drawing was so profound that even a layman could grasp the logic at a glance.
"Amazing... truly amazing," Sawyer muttered, shaking his head in admiration. "I really did underestimate you."
Jax offered a tired smile. "I’m beat. I'd like to rest now, if that’s..."
"Of course! Of course!" Sawyer snapped to attention. "Butler! Take Brother Jax to the guest suite immediately. Prepare a hot bath and fresh clothes. And for tonight—go to the Celestial Scent Restaurant. Order their best banquet table and have it delivered here, along with a few bottles of their finest wine. I want to properly feast with Brother Jax!"
The butler bowed deeply. Jax gave Sawyer a small nod of thanks before following the servant down the hall, ready for a well-earned rest.