A Creature Of Mana

15: Upgrades!

With Ethan's new wooden puppet body now in full operation, he feels more agile and ready for the tasks ahead. The first thing he wants to do is give his old stone-shadow body a proper resting place, hanging it up in the cave as a reminder of how far he's come. He also feels a sense of loyalty to Greg, and it's time to reward Greg's constant diligence with an upgrade-making him taller, stronger, and giving his mind a small boost.

Ethan turns his attention to his old stone-shadow body, now resting in the corner of the workshop. It has served him well, but it's time to give it a place of honor. Using his newfound control over the Earth Element, he carefully shapes a divot in the cave wall, creating a smooth alcove that will cradle the stone body perfectly.

He molds the stone wall, smoothing out a space large enough for the old body to rest inside. Once the divot is complete, Ethan carefully lifts the stone-shadow body and places it inside the alcove. The body fits snugly, resting upright within the divot, almost like a statue commemorating the form that carried him through the early stages of his journey. The shadow energy still clings faintly to the stone, giving it an air of mystery as it rests there.

The stone body now has a permanent place in his workshop, a reminder of his evolution.

With the stone body settled, Ethan shifts his focus to Greg. He's grown attached to Greg's small, earthy form, but he's noticed that Greg's short height and simple stone body have made certain tasks-especially reaching the higher shelves-more difficult. Ethan decides to upgrade him, giving him a new body that's more refined, using smooth stone and bronze to create a figure that's more capable while still retaining Greg's original charm.

He envisions a taller, more streamlined version of Greg, keeping his basic shape but making improvements. He plans for Greg's new body to be made from smooth stone, giving him a polished, sturdy appearance. Bronze will reinforce key areas such as the joints and limbs, making him more durable and flexible.

Ethan summons the Earth Element, gathering smooth stone from the mana around him. The stone forms in his hands-polished and solid, but lighter than the rough rock Greg is currently made from. Ethan shapes the stone into a humanoid figure, taller and more proportional, with smoother lines and a more refined design. The stone is dense enough to be strong but smooth enough to give Greg a more agile, polished look.

Next, Ethan crafts bronze reinforcements for Greg's new body. He shapes the bronze carefully, creating joints and reinforced plates to cover Greg's limbs and torso. The bronze gives the body extra strength, adding a touch of elegance to Greg's appearance.

He makes Greg taller, enabling him to reach the higher shelves and perform tasks more easily. Greg's arms and legs are now longer and more balanced, allowing for smoother movement and a better range of motion. Ethan also crafts bronze fingers for Greg, giving him more dexterity when handling objects.

With Greg's new body nearly complete, Ethan decides to give him a small upgrade to his mind. While he doesn't want to overwhelm Greg with complex thoughts, he does want to improve his awareness and problem-solving abilities, allowing him to handle more tasks independently and with greater precision.

Ethan focuses on the Mind Element, carefully channeling just a small amount of energy into Greg's mind. He enhances Greg's ability to understand instructions and perform tasks with more initiative while maintaining the simplicity and loyalty that have made Greg such a reliable companion.

As Ethan channels the Mind Element into Greg, he senses Greg's awareness sharpening slightly. Greg's thoughts remain simple, but now he processes tasks more efficiently, with a bit more understanding of the world around him. He's not fully sentient, but his upgraded mind makes him more capable of handling complex instructions, and Ethan feels confident that this enhancement will make Greg even more useful in the workshop.