Chapter 19: Clothes Making - Mechanical Fiber Combat Suit

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Clothes Making - Mechanical Fiber Combat Suit

Thinking of her other Skill, Seraphina Sullivan’s eyes lit up. She stuffed the bread into her mouth in a few quick bites and brushed the crumbs from her hands.

She picked up the mechanical materials, grabbed a few gears, and piled them together.

"Let’s give it a try!"

She took a deep breath and activated the [Clothes Making] Skill.

A wondrous scene unfolded—the metal parts began to soften and deform, flowing like liquid.

The iron plates stretched into thin, fabric-like sheets, the gears melted into exquisite buttons, and all the various parts reassembled and joined together under an invisible force.

Just a few seconds later, a jacket filled with a mechanical aesthetic appeared before her.

Its silver-gray body shimmered with a metallic luster. The joints featured intricate gear structures, and the chest and shoulders were inlaid with reinforced soft armor. The whole thing looked like a cross between a combat suit and some kind of futuristic tech jacket.

"This... is incredible!"

Seraphina cautiously touched the "metal clothes."

She was amazed to find that it was as soft as fabric, yet when she touched it, she could feel the distinct, cool sensation of metal.

Then, she used her Analysis Glasses’ [Item Identification] Ability.

[Mechanical Fiber Combat Suit - Set]

Ability One: Comfortable Fit: Conforms to the wearer’s body.

Ability Two: Steel Armor: Increases defensive capabilities.

Seeing the combat suit’s Abilities, Seraphina couldn’t wait to put it on and try it out.

It was surprisingly well-fitting, and she could move without any sense of restriction.

’Looks like the Comfortable Fit Ability makes the clothes more comfortable to wear.’

’I just don’t know how good the defense is.’

She yanked hard on the sleeve and found she couldn’t tear it at all.

Even more amazing, when she made large movements, the gears at the suit’s joints would turn in response, automatically adjusting the tightness as if they were alive.

The corners of Seraphina’s mouth turned up unconsciously.

"This [Clothes Making] Skill is full of surprises!" Seraphina looked down at the combat suit on her body, transformed from metal parts, her eyes glinting with excitement.

She suddenly realized that with this Skill, she would no longer have to bother looking for ready-made clothes.

As long as she had enough materials, she could create all sorts of clothing with special functions to her heart’s content—fireproof, waterproof, maybe even some with defensive abilities!

"It’s just that I can’t control the style of the clothes..." she mumbled with some regret.

This mechanical-style outfit was practical, but its appearance could hardly be called beautiful.

But Seraphina quickly perked up again. "But this is already great!"

This discovery gave Seraphina a whole new perspective on gathering supplies.

She stood up eagerly, ready to go find more special materials to experiment with.

’If I use fireproof materials, will I get special fireproof clothing? What about bulletproof materials? And waterproof ones?’ Countless possibilities were already popping into her mind.

However, just as she took a step, a powerful wave of dizziness suddenly hit her.

A sharp, twisting pain shot through her stomach, as if a hand were churning her insides.

Seraphina’s legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.

"You’ve got to be kidding me..." she mumbled in disbelief, clutching her stomach. "Didn’t I just finish eating? How am I hungry again so soon?"

But she quickly understood.

This was the price for using the [Clothes Making] Skill!

And judging by her reaction, the Energy it consumed was far greater than the [Quick Sewing] Skill!

"This Skill is an absolute Energy black hole..." She gave a wry smile and pulled a few more steamed buns out of her Space.

To replenish her strength, she also took out the can of fruit she had found in the supermarket earlier.

When she twisted open the lid, a sweet, fruity fragrance wafted out.

Seraphina sniffed it cautiously, and after confirming it hadn’t gone bad, she immediately began to wolf it down.

After downing one can of fruit and three steamed buns, the suffocating hunger finally subsided.

Seraphina wiped her mouth, thinking with lingering fear, ’The side effect of this Skill is too much... If I used it when supplies were scarce, I might have actually starved to death from it.’

She stood up and stretched her limbs, confirming that her strength had mostly recovered.

The sky outside was already beginning to darken, but there was still some time before nightfall.

"I need to hurry..." Seraphina clenched her fists, her gaze firm. "I have to find more special materials before the sun sets!"

She gave the metal combat suit one last check, and after confirming her movement wasn’t restricted, she strode out of the hardware store.

Seraphina advanced cautiously, remaining ever-vigilant of her surroundings.

Her goal was clear: head to the large shopping mall.

But she wouldn’t miss a single shop along the way. Who knew what unexpected treasures she might find?

Whenever she passed a store, she would first make some noise to test the waters, only entering after confirming it was safe.

The hardware store, the outdoor supply shop, even a half-collapsed bookstore—all bore witness to her scavenging.

SNAP—

Another parasitic variant that had lunged from the shadows was pinned to the Wall by her Silver Needle.

Seraphina skillfully swung her axe, lopping off the struggling monster’s head. This was already the tenth one she had encountered today.

[Ding! Killed Parasitic Variant - Human. Mission progress: 10/100]

The system’s notification sounded in her mind. Seraphina wiped the blood that had splattered on her face, her eyes resolute. "Ninety more to go... I have to get that Body Transformation Pill."

The sky gradually darkened, and the afterglow of the sunset coated the ruins in a blood-red hue.

Seraphina looked up at the sky and sighed, unwilling to give up. "It’s getting dark, and I haven’t even finished searching this street..."

Though reluctant, she knew the terrors of the night. She quickly packed up her spoils for the day and started heading back the way she came.

The day’s haul was indeed pretty good:

The metal parts from the hardware store had allowed her to create her first piece of special clothing.

What surprised her the most was the gear she found at a camping supply store.

A brand-new sleeping bag, a portable cassette stove, an alcohol lamp, and a lightweight tent—these supplies significantly improved her quality of survival.

Returning to the base of the crane, she nimbly climbed up the towering machine.

After slipping into the operator’s cab, she finally let out a long sigh. The nerves that had been on edge all day could finally relax.

"Finally, I can rest..." She stretched, then surveyed her crude, temporary shelter with dissatisfaction. "But I was in too much of a rush yesterday. Huddling in here to sleep is just awful!"

As someone who valued a certain quality of life, Seraphina wasn’t about to make herself suffer.

She took out the thick sofa cushions she had found today from her Space and carefully laid them out in the cab.

Then she took out the sleeping bag and a small blanket, not forgetting to hang another blanket over the entrance as a simple curtain.

"Now this is more like it~" she said, looking at her "masterpiece" with satisfaction.

The operator’s cab had been transformed into a cozy little nest (or so she thought; it was actually still very cramped, but the sofa cushions made it less lumpy to lie on).