An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 47

Modern knowledge that is not very useful – Chapters

Chapter 47   Craft new weapons

In the Elf village, the inhabitants take pride in crafting their own bows.

“I don’t need this anymore, so I’ll give it to you.”

“Thank you!”

I’ve been collecting old bows from different individuals as part of my research.

The art of bow-making reflects each person’s individuality…

Yet, bamboo remains the fundamental material. Some bows are skillfully assembled from a combination of elements.

“Hey Saran, can you find bamboo nearby?”

“Yes, it grows abundantly in the mountains and other areas.”

I am inspired to try crafting one myself! Initially, that was my intention, but as I pondered further…

It’s impossible.

Every single one of these bows requires an incredible amount of work.

I have no idea how they were made…

Especially with that subtle curve.

Saran’s bow is large and looks just like a traditional Japanese bow, but it’s reinforced with bamboo and some mysterious wood, making it incredibly powerful. I wouldn’t be able to pull it halfway.

Feeling completely overwhelmed…

In the village, there’s a bow-making master named Aldra, and everyone seeks guidance from him while crafting their own bows together.

But this person is a seasoned veteran with a hundred years of bow-making experience…

In other words, my attempt to make one on my own seems too reckless.

A neighboring child’s short and old bow.

Should I modify this…

“Hey, you’re really trying! … Wait, what’s that?”

As I was shaving a piece of wood in front of my house, Aldra appeared. He looks like a middle-aged man but is a revered elder in the village, well over 120 years old.

“Hello. I’m thinking of modifying this bow to make it into a weapon.”

“I was looking forward to seeing you make your own bow.”

“I’m sorry. I tried gathering everyone’s old bows for research, but I just can’t figure out how to make one.”

“Such a shame. These days, there are fewer people making bows. I have some free time, you see. You’re giving up too quickly, lad.”

“Aldra, will you help me make one?”

“Indeed. Each bow is crafted to suit an individual’s physique and habits.”

“Saran’s bow is a masterpiece. It’s truly remarkable.”

“Do you think so? Well, you’re quite the character!”

He chuckles heartily.

Aldra, despite being a true craftsman, is not at all difficult to deal with; he’s a genuinely kind person. I’ve never seen him get angry.

“I’m planning to make a crossbow.”

“A crossbow, huh?”

“Yes, it’s a bow that doesn’t require much training and is easy to aim. It can’t match a regular bow in terms of power and rate of fire, and it’s bulky, but it’s easy to handle.”

“I see… Well, bring it to me when it’s done. I’d like to take a look.”

“Yes, definitely.”

So, after about a week, the first prototype is complete.

The trigger and latch part were particularly tricky.

I didn’t want the string to wear out quickly, so instead of hooking it directly onto the sear, I attached it to a cylindrical rod. This rod catches on the trigger like a hammer, so when the trigger is pulled, the rod falls, releasing the string. I managed to make it with metal fittings I bought in town, filing them down with a rasp.

For now, I just place the arrow on the groove. They’re specially made short arrows. I got some old ones and reattached shorter arrowheads.

As for the bow, I’m using a children’s bow that belonged to one of the village residents when they were young.

Creating everything in this world without relying on a magic bag was quite challenging.

When I hold it up, Saran chuckles.

“That looks so uncool.”

“Just you wait!”

I grip the ring hooked in the middle of the string, connect it to the cylindrical rod, place the arrow, and…

Twang!

It flew!

What an awe-inspiring moment!

I did it!

“Haha! You missed! Ahahahaha!”

… Saran is laughing too much.

Afterward, I tried shooting a lot, but my accuracy is not great.

The grouping is 15 centimeters at 10 meters. I can’t even hit a pigeon…

What am I doing wrong? There must be several factors contributing to this.

Is it because I don’t have a sight?

No, that’s definitely not the only issue. I need to think this through.

I should have Aldra take a look at it later.

“Why did you decide to make something like this, Shin?”

“Well, you know, if my gun becomes famous in the city, it could bring a lot of trouble. What if important people start paying attention to it? So, in such situations, I thought it would be nice to show them this as what I’m using. Something like a unique kind of bow, so they’d just consider it a quirky item.”

“I see… Shin, you’re always thinking about things, huh?”

“But it’s challenging. Maybe I should make a slingshot instead of arrows.”

“A children’s toy?”

“Why not? Well, do they have slingshots here?”

“They do.”

“How about rubber bands for it?”

“Rubber bands? What’s that?”

“It’s a stretchy material that extends when you pull it and has elasticity. When you release it, it snaps back.”

“Oh, if that’s the case, fish cartilage might work.”

“What kind of fish?”

“You can’t find it around here. Maybe Vital Fish.”

“Can you go catch it?”

“Not around here. But you might find it for sale in the city.”

“Alright, then I guess it’s time for me to make a trip to the city after a long time. I have some other things to buy there as well.”

“Ah, okay, okay…”

I showed Aldra the prototype crossbow, and he found it incredibly fascinating. He said he’d like to modify it, so he asked me to leave it with him.

“A bow has remained virtually unchanged for three hundred years, a perfected tool. To challenge something entirely new like this is a true honor for a craftsman. It’s thrilling! Please let me work on it!” He was quite enthusiastic.

It’s intriguing, you see. Even among the Elves, there’s a flexibility that doesn’t cling too tightly to tradition.

Their willingness to embrace new ideas seems more akin to an engineering mindset rather than just that of a craftsman.

While pondering over these thoughts, Saran came running over, teary-eyed, saying, “The sword broke!”

“What happened?”

“I was chopping firewood…”

“Well, of course it would break if you used it like that.”

Chopping firewood is Saran’s job, and she always uses an axe for it.

But that day, she decided to practice with the sword as well, holding a log vertically and swinging the sword down to split it, which ultimately led to the breakage.

Well, that’s hardly surprising…

Upon examining the broken sword, it was clear that it was made of forged carbon steel. A single-edged blade crafted by heating iron and hammering it. The hammer marks were still visible, and it wasn’t as intricate as a Japanese katana. It had a somewhat rough finish.

It’s similar to the blades used by Japanese farmers, like sickles or vegetable harvesting knives. It’s the kind of craftsmanship that prioritizes affordability and mass production, with appearance being less important.

It’s thick and quite heavy, more reminiscent of a Western-style blade. I believe Muraku, the merchant who visits the Elf village, sold it to Saran. It’s the kind of sword even impoverished Elves can afford from the visiting merchants, but it’s by no means a renowned or exceptional weapon. It’s just a perfectly ordinary sword, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

“If only there were an unbreakable sword…”

Well, that’s impossible with the technology in this world. Even Japanese swords can bend or break. They’re made from tamahagane, a type of steel produced through traditional methods, which is much weaker than industrial steel.

I once saw on TV a celebrity amateur trying to forcefully cut bamboo straw and ended up bending the Japanese sword.

Anyway, just had a random thought, so let me pull out my magic bag.

“Crowbar. Over one meter in length. The sturdiest one.”

Thud.

Here it is!

The infamous crowbar! The ultimate weapon for any situation!

Two gold coins!

It seems you can buy DIY supplies like this as well. Perhaps it’s like a home improvement center.

Well, hunters sometimes build their own hunting cabins in the mountains, so it might come in handy.

It’s the epitome of modern industrial technology. It contains elements like chrome, molybdenum, nickel, vanadium, making it the strongest steel. A flat crowbar, its cross-section forming an H-shape.

“A crowbar?”

“Yes, it’s a tool used to remove nails or lift objects.”

“It looks incredibly sturdy.”

“Yes, now Saran, please try to break this. You can bend it too if you want. Whether you hit it against a tree, a rock, or stand on it, just go all out and use any method you want without holding back.”

“Really? This crowbar will definitely break in no time.”

“If it breaks, I’ll cook dinner tonight.”

“Alright!”

Saying that, Saran took the crowbar and ran off.

It’s a highly dangerous sight.

I have a feeling that we should never get on her bad side.

While I was starting a fire in the hearth and preparing a soup with vegetables and sausages in a pot, Saran returned all sweaty and excited.

“Shin! This thing won’t break! It won’t even bend! What is this?”

“Did you try various things?”

“I did! I hit it against a tree, smashed it against a rock, and even tried to bend it by inserting it under a rock, but it didn’t budge! The rock actually lifted off the ground!”

Haha! That’s the nature of a crowbar. If it could break or bend, accidents would happen during work. It’s designed to be impossible for a human’s strength to break or bend, even with Saran’s power.

There probably isn’t such incredible steel in this world.

“I thought of turning it into a heart-metal sword. Are there any skilled blacksmiths among the Elves?”

“… There should be one in the Tokor village.”

“Alright, let’s ask them then.”

“Yes!”

It seems like we can make an amazing sword.

Now, dinner time, dinner time.

Though we had a promise with the crowbar, that was just an excuse to have her try seriously. So, once in a while, it’s okay for me to cook.

The villagers gave me a long shopping list, and they entrusted me with various furs, nuts, and agricultural products for sale. It’s starting to get quite challenging…

Though I’m not a merchant, you know.

As usual, we float down the river and make a stop at Tokor, the Elf village along the river.

There’s a skilled blacksmith there named Doulsan. The village chief introduced us to him.

“We don’t make swords anymore… The iron we get from Elves is no match for human-made swords. It’s better to buy from humans,” he grumbles.

“Take a look at this.”

Saying that, Saran brings out the crowbar and strikes the anvil in the blacksmith’s shop with all her might!

Gakiyiiiiiin!

It’s Saran’s full power!

The anvil got dented!

“Eeeeeeek!”

Doulsan’s eyes widen in amazement.

“… My hand went numb.”

“What… what kind of iron is that?”

“It’s a tool I got from a certain place.”

“Why won’t it break? No, it doesn’t even bend! I’ve never seen such iron! Unbelievable!”

Taking the crowbar from Saran, Doulsan is utterly astonished.

“I was thinking of turning this into heart-metal, coating it with steel to make a sword, because an ordinary sword wouldn’t withstand Saran’s power…”

“Oh, I was just thinking the exact same thing! If we use this, we can create an incredible sword!”

Doulsan’s eyes gleam with excitement.

“I’d like you to heat it, hammer it into the shape of a sword, forge it with steel, temper it, and perform all the necessary steps.”

“… How do you know about that? It’s an Elf’s secret technique!”

Doulsan’s eyes sharpen. Ah, I see, tempering and forging are exclusive techniques known only to skilled craftsmen.

“Shin, you know so much. You’re knowledgeable about various things,” Saran says with a proud look.

“Could this be a human technology? Are humans already creating things like this?”

“No, it’s not. This was crafted using an ancient lost magical technique that was used in the past.”

I manage to come up with some plausible explanation to divert the topic.

I’ve used such excuses countless times when it comes to firearms, so I’ve become quite adept at lying with a straight face.

“… Leave it to me. No, let me do it. If Saran, the greatest warrior among the Elves, wields a sword made from such a thing, it would be a true honor for a craftsman.”

“Please, I beg you. How should we compensate you?”

“I was going to go to the human city anyway. Bring back the finest sword available in the city, and I’ll craft a sword that can shatter even that one.”

His eyes gleam with an intense, scary light.

He seems ready to take on the task. Let’s entrust it to him.

It has been about two weeks since Milno-kun and Kano-chan’s wedding. This time, we didn’t wait too long and arrived at Saaplast promptly.

Now, we’ve parked our canoe at the dock and are properly leaving River Dolphin-kun with the Merchant Guild to pay for the services.

“How about joining the Merchant Guild?”

“Can we do that?”

“Yes, but you have to pass a test.”

“Oh, really…”

“If you’re interested, you can inquire at the reception of the Merchant Guild.”

“Well, maybe if we have the time.”

We paid the fee to the dock attendant and left plenty of deer meat as payment for River Dolphin-kun’s food.

“We’re feeding you some good stuff, aren’t we, buddy?”

Cuik cuik.

We cut the deer meat and it eagerly catches and swallows it.

Ahaha. River Dolphin-kun is so adorable.

We went to the Hunter’s Guild. The old man in charge of purchases greeted us happily.

“Master has been waiting for you. Please come more often.”

“It takes four days for a round trip, though…”

Thanks to River Dolphin-kun, it has been significantly shortened. At first, just floating down the river took us three days.

“Now, what do you have to sell today?”

“We have Tamin, Kuko, and Kira’s nuts, deer and bear fur, raccoon and fox hats. And this is the new product, rabbit hats…” It’s been two weeks since then, so we don’t have a lot of new items.

“Maybe you should become merchants instead, you two.”

“No way! Absolutely not! You are hunters! Don’t forget your main occupation!”

Sigh Oh no, we’ve been caught by Bal-san.

He comes down the stairs with heavy steps.

“Any big events today?”

“If there were, you two would be the cause of it. We can’t have such things happening all the time.”

While saying this, he starts pinning requests on the bulletin board.

“All of these are your jobs.”

“Aw, come on…”

“Please, we’re just here for some shopping.”

“Don’t say that. The reputation of the Hunter’s Guild has been improving. Come on, help us out.”

“Alright, just for three days. Only for three days, okay?”

“Thank you. In addition to the reward, I’ll give you one gold coin per day. Alright, I’m counting on you!”

With that, we end up in the red after getting a place to stay.

Here too, being a hunter dealing with agricultural damage is truly a voluntary service.

“Well, let’s get it over with quickly…”

“Yeah…”

Saran and I both let out a sigh.

Work?

Of course, it’s about the messages from the Hunter’s Guild warehouse and the Merchant’s Guild warehouse.