Primitive Man

Chapter 174: Gunpowder

"No one should get close to this black powder; it is a dangerous substance, so we should keep this restricted highly for the trained people," Garnt ordered as he kept looking at the black powder, which was the newest blueprint that Garnt got from his system.

"What exactly does this powder do, Garnt?" Rona questioned, confused. He smiled as if he had something surprising waiting for them. Ayra and Gundo were also there, but they didn't know what to expect. Only Unami had a slight idea because she was the project head of this black powder thing, which was a really hard project since they had to find some rare raw material for it.

But even she hadn't seen the use of this powder, so she was excited to see what she was working on.

[Show them, Garnt. This is one of the biggest inventions we have had in recent years, but also one of the most dangerous ones, so be careful.]

Eva gave her warning, and Garnt accepted it without showing any hesitation.

First, Garnt took an arrow, but unlike normal arrows, at the end of it, there was a little pouch, which Rona found confusing.

"Prepare yourselves for a sight you've never seen before," he exclaimed, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

Rona, Ayra, Gundo, and Unami gathered around, their curiosity piqued. Garnt carefully notched the arrow onto his bow, aiming at a distant target. "Behold the power of the black powder!" he declared before releasing the arrow after lighting one edge of the arrow.

The arrow streaked through the air, and upon impact, a thunderous explosion echoed through the surroundings, leaving everyone in awe. "That's incredible!" Rona exclaimed, wide-eyed. "But what's the purpose of this explosive arrow?"

[Damn! That's some great timing Garnt. Until now all the arrows exploded before they hit the target, but it looks like you can finally correctly guess how to use these things. But don't worry, with our future projects we might not even be able to use black powder in this way]

Eva muttered, as she knew timing the attack for the common people would be too hard.

Garnt chuckled, reaching into his pocket. "This is just the beginning." He revealed a small, compact bomb, its exterior covered in intricate markings. "This little device contains the same black powder but in a more concentrated form. Perfect for creating controlled chaos."

Garnt then threw the bomb after lighting it on fire, and there was an equally amazing explosion that shocked everyone.

Unami couldn't help but smile, proud of her contribution to this creation. "But wait, there's more," Garnt said with a glint in his eye. He then presented the pinnacle of their invention – the fire lance.

Drawing attention to the long, slender tube filled with the black powder, Garnt explained, "Picture this: an iron tube, tightly packed with black powder and secured with paper. At the tip, there's a small iron ball, and when ignited, the pressure from the explosion propels the balls forward with incredible force."

He paused for dramatic effect, allowing the anticipation to build. "The key here is the directionality and focus of the blast. Unlike a traditional explosive, the fire lance allows us to project our chaos precisely where we want it. Imagine a line of these on the battlefield, cutting through the enemy ranks like a fiery storm."

Unami nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's a game-changer," she added knowing they might have created something rather dangerous.

Eva's voice resonated in their minds, [In ancient times, our modern ancestors created something similar, known as the 'fire lance.' It's a weapon that spews flames and wreaks havoc on the battlefield. This is a revolutionary weapon, capable of turning the tide in any conflict. Use it wisely and with caution.]

Garnt nodded in acknowledgement, understanding the responsibility that came with such power.

He raised the fire lance, aimed it towards the sky, and with a swift motion, unleashed a torrent of flames. The roaring fire illuminated the surroundings, leaving the onlookers in a mixture of awe and trepidation.

"This is the future of warfare, with this, we might even be able to one-shot those nasty dinosaurs." Garnt proclaimed a sense of pride in his voice. The team exchanged glances, realizing that they now possessed a weapon of unimaginable power – a creation that blended ancient wisdom with cutting-edge technology which was a huge leap from their handheld Stone Age and medieval weapons.

"But then, Garnt had a sudden wave of nostalgia about a certain animal that disappeared from their lives five years ago, and he couldn't help but remember how awful things were for Maro after that happened.

"Do you girls still remember Garo?" Garnt asked, wanting to talk about it and reminisce about the past, even though some of the incidents were not pleasant for them.

"How can we forget about him? He was a family member for us, at least for a while. I wonder where he went and what he is doing right now," Rona said, remembering feeding that small dinosaur with her own hands.

"We couldn't find out what happened to him at all. It almost looked like he willingly went away. Maybe he realized that we are not his family," Ayra answered Rona, with a rather sad look on her face.

"Maybe, but I hope one day I will be able to see him again. After all, he was Maro's first kid," Garnt said, without knowing what the future would hold for their lives.

***

The smoke from the mountains continued, with the heat of the hot spring intensifying even more than before. Yenya was frustrated because she had not received an answer from Garnt, despite having already sent a messenger to the city.

Since the roads were perfectly built, she knew it wouldn't take more than two days to reach the main village with a proper ride. However, she also understood that if Garnt had received her message, he wouldn't ignore her.

"Did something happen to our messenger?" she wondered, holding her cheek as she contemplated the possibilities. Another explosion occurred in the mountains, causing her to actually freak out this time. It was unlike any other explosions they had experienced so far.

"What was that sound? It doesn't sound like what we heard earlier," Yenya said, going out of her little hut to see what was happening. Chills ran down her back because what she saw was not something she expected to witness in her whole life.

The mountains continued to spew forth small black fireballs into the sky. The explosions were growing more intense, and the heat from the hot spring became almost unbearable. Fear gripped her heart, and she couldn't shake the nagging worry about Garnt's unresponsiveness.

A sudden, bone-chilling roar echoed through the valley, causing Yenya to freeze in place. The ground trembled beneath her feet as a group of massive creatures emerged from the billowing black smoke.

They were bird-like creatures that looked as if they had emerged from the depths of the mountains. Their wings, spanning wide like the sails of ancient ships, cut through the air with an eerie grace and with wings stretched wide, soared gracefully through the air, their reptilian forms cast shadows on the ground.

Each creature bore a crest on its elongated head, resembling the jagged crown of a forgotten monarch. Sinewy tails trailed behind them, ending in razor-sharp points that seemed poised for striking. The creatures' scales glistened with an otherworldly iridescence, reflecting the ambient light in a chaotic dance of colours.

If Eva had been here, she would have been easily able to give a name to this nightmare. She would have called them Pterosaurs, a prehistoric nightmare.

"By the spirits, what are these creatures?" Yenya gasped, her hands trembling as she clutched the hilt of her sword. The villagers, too, emerged from their huts, staring in awe and terror at the flying dinosaurs invading their peaceful sanctuary.

The Pterosaurs descended with alarming speed, their sharp talons glinting in the dim light. Panic spread like wildfire as the creatures began snatching villagers with precision. Yenya's frustration turned to pure horror as she witnessed the chaos unfolding before her.

"Into the caves! Now!" Yenya shouted, her voice carrying a mix of authority and desperation. The villagers scattered, sprinting toward the safety of the caverns. Yenya, with her sword drawn, took a stance at the entrance, determined to protect her people.

The Pterosaurs, however, were relentless. Some swooped down, snatching villagers with their powerful jaws, while others attacked with swift, calculated strikes. Yenya fought valiantly, leading the defence against the aerial onslaught, but the odds were overwhelming.

The once-tranquil village echoed with the cries of pain and the beating of massive wings. Yenya's heart sank as she saw her people fall, one by one, victims to the ruthless creatures. Despair clung to her like a suffocating shroud.

"This can't be happening," Yenya muttered to herself, tears mixing with the sweat on her face. The cave entrance became a battleground, but it was clear they were losing. Yenya gritted her teeth, her mind racing for a solution amidst the chaos. The once-peaceful village now stood as a harrowing scene of devastation, and Yenya knew that they were in a fight for survival against an unimaginable threat.

She knew this was truly a moment where history repeated itself, as they had already experienced this kind of despair five years earlier when a gigantic dinosaur attacked them.

"Nobody fights those things. Quickly get back into the cave. Once these things are gone, we are going to leave this place for the main village. We can't stay here any longer. This land is under something dangerous, and I can feel it," she said as if she felt the danger. Little did she know at that time that her decision would save hundreds of lives under her."