Chaotic Craftsman Worships The Cube

“How’s this?” Abel asked, showing her fifth attempt at drawing a small figure Ben materialized and basked in the praise she received as Ben lightly clapped.

“Marvelous, just started and you’re already getting the hang of things.”

Other than showing her how to hold a pencil and give small suggestions to help her along the way, he’d let her figure things out herself, her competitive nature forcing her to try in a way that Ben wasn’t sure equalled to true enjoyment but at the very least seemed to keep her entertained as he watched her with more than just his eyes.

Since she could tell when he was using connect he didn’t peek into her mind to see if she was really liking it or not but he did have a new skill that was taking some getting used to through which other observations could be made, the alien sense he’d gained from taking outsider.

And just how freaking much it’s living up to its name.

In some ways, it was just a minor enhancement to his other senses, both the ones he was born with and the ones attached to his skills. His sight and hearing were both marginally sharper, as were things like his mana sense and how he’d feel the materials around him. Even the slight spatial sense he’d gained from condemnation had improved but all of that was a mere side effect to the true nature of the skill.

Every time he’d connect to someone, the unique natures of their minds were imprinted on his own and in the past, he’d felt himself subconsciously looking for things his body simply wasn’t capable of as a result but with the new skill, that had changed.

The various senses of the spirits, each aligned to their elements, the strange sense of projected touch in place of vision that Onk’s race held, bits of echolocation and so much more, the list running on. Each case was incredibly weakened beyond their true form but he now held them all to some extent, creating a vague awareness around him that extended beyond the limits of the rest he held.

Even Abel herself had left her mark. When Mora had looked at him that morning, he hadn’t realized it immediately but there was a vague impression of being seen that came with his soul being observed that could have come from only one source, leaving a unique new change within himself.

But just because it’s alright now, doesn’t mean it won’t get weirder or harder to deal with as it grows. I should take some time to try and see if I can suppress it at all, but-

But with the door opening, he had other things to worry about as his student made her way inside, Delair regarding Abel with interest the moment she saw her.

“Hey kiddo, meet Abel. I’ll be making her something so she’ll probably be with us for a couple days so try to get along, okay? And if she tries to eat you then just let me know.”

“She doesn’t smell like she’d grow my attributes,” Abel said, not so much as looking up, nor denying that she’d try if Delair had been stronger. “She’s fine. I would take another cup of you though if you’re feeling generous? I’m starving.”

“Maybe later. Now… Delair?”

His student had already made her way over, crouching down by the table where Abel was focused and staring at the summoned in naked interest, not being shy with her questions.

“How are you drawing without eyes?”

“They’re a lot more distracting than other people think,” Abel answered casually. “I’ll grow them back if I ever really need them.”

“Can you? Can I see?”

“Sure,” She blinked, empty sockets being filled with cloudy flesh before disappearing again with her next while Delair squealed in excitement.

“Cool, would I be less distracted without them too?”

“Absolutely not, kiddo,” Ben told her, not wanting any ideas to enter his student’s impressionable, excitable head. “You need yours to work with me so no trying to pluck them out, especially when yours won’t grow back on demand.”

“I was only thinking about a blindfold.”

“Which would be way, way too dangerous if you’re going to be doing anything in the shop, unless you need another talk about basic safety?”

“Mmh, no, I’ll be good.”

“Good, now get to work on stone working today with clone number four. Just because you leveled up recently doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be working to do it again.”

“Got it, Ben!”

With her off to work, he let his main self focus back in on Abel, watching as she worked. At the very least, she was smiling as she drew and seemed focused on it enough that she was no longer asking to spar, managing to both lighten and sour his mood.

…I get that she loves to fight and likes proving she’s strong so maybe this world is perfect for her but a kid needs a chance to act like a kid too, don’t they? Is she getting any of that?

He could see easily that others found her spirit and intensity off-putting and her collection of skills didn’t help either but was anyone even trying to give her a chance at a life before everything would come crashing down? He’d heard her call a few people friends or buddies by that point but in most cases there was either fear or discomfort in the eyes of whoever she was talking about.

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Does she notice? Does she care? Is that why she lit up so much when I said we were friends?

So clearly far from anything that should have been a priority but something that still bothered him. He understood what it was like to be alone after he’d been brought there and even if he’d still basically been a kid himself when it had happened, the fact that it was happening to someone even younger than him couldn’t help but tug on his heartstrings a bit, with the thought only being shoved to the back of his head when Foast arrived.

“Sorry I’m late,” The shifter yawned out, the energy he’d gained the day before gone. “Didn’t sleep well.”

Another thing Ben didn’t know how to respond to. He’d peer through enough of the man’s memories to know that he’d been sleeping worse and worse since the first wave came, undoubtedly feeling the effects of endless battles and bloodshed but what was there to say to it? He was sympathizing with both of them but with at least one more wave to go, could anything be done to help them when they’d both need to go out and fight, maybe even die, for the planet?

“Don’t worry about it,” Was what he ended up saying as all of those thoughts ran through his head. “Abel was just here early is all, it’s not like we waited long so let’s get started, talking payment first. You’re both third tiers so I assume you can afford a custom piece from me but it’s best to iron out these things.”

“So long as you can deliver on the product, money is of no object,” Foast said as he rubbed his eyes. “If you can, that is. I’m happy for the help I’ve gotten but as pleased as I am to have you among our ranks now, I’m not paying if you can’t deliver.”

“That’s fair but so long as I succeed you’ll be paying for my material cost, time, and the quality I can put out and trust me, I’m not cheap. And you then, Abel?” He asked the girl, seeing her shifting in her seat as he did.

“Ah, ahem, you’d be happy to cut a friend a deal, wouldn’t you?”

“...How much of a deal are you looking for?”

“Well, the thing is, I just don’t really have any money at the moment.”

Ben blanked at the statement, turning to Foast who could only shrug before focusing back on her. “How do you not have money? I’m under the impression that you get it just for existing as a third tier.”

“Food costs pile up,” She said with a pout, getting no sympathy on that particular front from Ben as he narrowed his eyes.

“Aren’t you being provided all of the food you can get to try and power you up?”

“But I want more! Ben, Benny boy, come on, you gotta understand! Days I’m not being sent out to fight I can just eat my way to power, I can’t miss out on that and just because I’m being supplied doesn’t mean I can’t top myself up.”

“...That almost sounds reasonable but why does it come off like you’re just bad with your money?”

“Because no matter how great and incredible I am, nobody’s perfect.”

Okay, I get it, her old world didn’t even have money since everything was just falling apart so she’s never learned how to manage it and it looks like if anyone tried on this planet then they didn’t do a good job at all, but…

“Wait, did you sleep outside last night because you couldn’t afford an inn?”

“I mean, I also just love nature. Things are barely ever on fire here, the scenery really gets to grow out.”

“So you couldn’t afford one, gotcha,” He said as he pinched his brow. “Okay, we’ll deal with that later. For now, you want my work but you can’t pay.”

He did understand that wanting his work was originally more of an excuse than anything to hang out but once she’d gotten the idea in her head he doubted she’d want to miss out on it for something like a lack of funds either, leaving him to try and figure out a workaround that would satisfy him and falling on one particular idea in the end.

Me and my bleeding heart.

“Alright then, Abel, there’s two things I want you to do in exchange for my work then. Think of it as a trade, nice and easy.”

“Sounds great, I’m fantastic at trades, so much simpler than money, you should have suggested it from the start!”

“Ha, well unfortunately for both of us, I enjoy money and my work is worth a lot so this is going to be quite the trade. First, if you ascend to godhood before me and manage to figure out how to give people weeping attributes of their own, you’ve gotta give it to me or my next of kin if I’m dead at that point too.”

“Huh? I mean, sure, but I don’t even know if that’s going to be possible. Is that really what you want?”

“It’s one of the things I want,” He clarified. “And if it’s impossible, well, that’s just life. Do your best to at least see if it can happen though, it might be as simple as giving your blessing, seeing as that looks like how you got it. As for the other thing though, while you and Foast are both here, you’re gonna work for me too.”

That was the request that left her pulling a face. “What sorta work?”

“I’ll have you helping around the shop and getting you to deal with various tasks. It means being stuck in here with me and Delair all day while I’m trying to make you guys your equipment but I think that’s more than a fair trade and who knows, maybe you’ll even enjoy some of it.”

Still her brow scrunched, giving the offer some serious thought before giving in in the end and holding out a hand. “Okay, you’ve gotta deal but you better make me something awesome!”

“Ha, I’ll make you something functional. If it doesn’t work or suit your needs then I’ll pay you back for your labour.”

“Why does it feel like I’m the one who’s going to be paying more in the end,” Foast asked as he tallied up how much he was expecting to spend against a few days of work and a request that might have just been straight up impossible, getting a shrug from Ben.

“Because even if it’s a gamble, getting the chance to get a whole new attribute one day is something too good to pass up.”

Which was the truth, even if he was keeping his expectations low. He had no clue if whatever had allowed the girl to come to a new reality with an attribute that could only be acquired in her old one could be passed on but a set of armour for the chance would make it worth it, even if he had a high chance of dying before Abel. While the life expectancy of her old reality seemed low, that wasn’t exactly due to old age, meaning that even reading her memories in the past hadn’t left him with a guess as to how long her people might live for but even if she had centuries or even millennia, he had someone who could benefit from it.

So I’ll just need to make sure Abel hands it over if she ascends and I’m dead in every plane of reality.

“But with that done and sorted out, let’s get started,” Ben told them with a clap. “And to do this in full, I’m going to need to see the full range of what I’m working with too.”

“Meaning what?” Foast asked. “You’d like us both to change? Because if so, I’ll need some more room.”

“Yes and yes but a bit more than that too. I’m not just going to look at how you both shift casually because this isn’t going to be something you use in a casual manner. Come on out with me, this town has a training ground and the two of you are going to spar.”