53. Jake the Corpse Merchant

Jake arrives at the Fort and notes it remains under the Pylon’s influence, granting system benefits and oversight. He observes explosive growth: stone and brick construction, bustling workshops, and improved gunsmithing. Slipping inside, he tags Hank and Neil with his Mark as they meet elsewhere, then heads to Arnold’s workshop.

Detected by Arnold’s surveillance, Jake reports that the arcane grenades hit D-grades around 130 but struggle on variants. Arnold shares findings: item potency scales with user level, Jake’s stored grenades leaked power slowly yet remained unstable, and pure fire mana proved more practical beyond roughly 32 hours.

Seeking gear, Jake reveals a battered Altmar Census Golem torso and head. Arnold cannot scan its core and admits it’s beyond him but eagerly wants it. He offers rare gloves infused with arcane energy and promises first access to any research gains, later adding a potential Nanoblade upgrade to seal the deal.

Jake accepts. The Gloves of Sporadic Manifestation grant strong stats and stability for hand-made mana constructs but become unstable on contact with other energies, making them unusable by Arnold. After handing over the Nanoblade for upgrade, Jake retreats to a meeting room, intent on transmuting and fixing the gloves himself.