REBORN IN THE FANTASY WORLD WITH AN AI X-Chapter 14 -

Harry stood atop a large rock near the center of the site, surveying the progress. He raised his hand, signaling for the workers to gather. They quickly formed a semi-circle around him, murmuring amongst themselves. Many still couldn't believe they were part of something so grand—something that would change the entire territory.

"Alright, listen up," Harry began, his voice carrying over the noise of the site. "We've made great progress, but there's still a long way to go. Today, we begin reinforcing the dam's foundation and preparing the floodgates."

A burly man with calloused hands raised his arm. "Lord Harry, beggin' your pardon, but we've never built somethin' like this. How do we know it'll hold?"

Harry smiled. "That's a good question. A dam isn't just a big wall of stone. It's a carefully designed structure that controls the water, not just blocks it. If we just pile up rocks, the river will push it over. That's why we're using reinforced stone, steel supports, and proper floodgates to release water when necessary."

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Another worker stepped forward, rubbing the back of his head. "Lord Harry, you keep sayin' 'reinforced stone.' How do we make sure it's strong enough?"

"Excellent question," Harry replied. He bent down and picked up a small piece of stone and a chunk of the reinforced concrete mixture they were using. Holding them up, he continued, "This is regular stone. It's strong, but if enough pressure builds up, it'll crack. But this—" He tapped the reinforced stone. "—is a mix of crushed stone, sand, water, and something called cement. It binds together stronger than normal rock. With steel bars inside, it won't crack under pressure."

The men exchanged looks of understanding, nodding. They might not have known about these materials before, but under Harry's guidance, they were starting to grasp the concepts.

Harry gestured toward a towering metal contraption nearby. It had a long arm and a massive bucket attached to it. "This is the excavator. Instead of using shovels and carts to move earth, this machine does it in a fraction of the time."

The workers muttered among themselves, skeptical yet intrigued.

"To operate it, we need a trained driver." Harry motioned to one of the engineers he had been teaching. "Watch."

The engineer climbed into the excavator's seat and pulled the levers. With a deep growl, the machine came to life. The workers gasped as the arm moved, the bucket digging into the ground and scooping up a massive pile of dirt before dumping it into a waiting truck.

"By the gods!" one man exclaimed, stepping back.

Another shook his head in disbelief. "That thing just did more work in a few moments than we would in hours!"

Harry chuckled. "That's the power of machines. We'll still need skilled hands to shape the stone and steel, but these machines will take care of the heavy lifting."

He turned back to the group. "Here's how today will go. One team will operate the excavators, digging out the space where we'll pour the foundation. Another will handle the steel framework, bending and placing the reinforcement bars. A third team will pour and shape the reinforced stone."

The men nodded, determined, and quickly got to work. The site transformed into a well-organized flurry of activity. Some climbed onto the machines, guided by trained workers, while others followed Harry's detailed blueprints to measure and cut steel bars.

Near the river, a team of workers prepared to reroute the water temporarily. With wooden planks and stone barriers, they created a diversion channel, ensuring the main construction area remained dry. Watching the river change course under their hands was surreal.

"Never thought I'd see the day when we could tell a river where to go," one worker muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

Harry grinned. "That's engineering for you."

Further along, a group struggled with bending steel rods into the right shapes for the reinforcement framework. Harry approached and knelt beside them, picking up one of the bars.

"These need to be shaped like this—" he sketched in the dirt, showing them how the rods should be placed to form a solid internal structure. "If they're not bent properly, they won't hold the stone together."

One of the older workers frowned. "Lord Harry, we're strong men, but bendin' steel like that by hand... it's near impossible."

Harry nodded. "You're right. That's why we're using these." He pointed to a large, mechanical bending machine. "This will do the work for you. Just slide the rod in, set the angle, and turn the lever."

Skeptical but curious, the workers did as instructed. The machine groaned but bent the steel with precision. The men let out impressed whistles.

"Much easier than hammerin' it for hours," one of them admitted.

Another, grinning, added, "Almost feels like cheatin'."

Harry laughed. "It's not cheating—it's working smarter."

As the sun climbed higher, more structures began to take shape. The foundation trenches were dug out, reinforced with steel bars and wooden molds. Giant cranes lifted massive stones into place, guided by workers below. The first sections of the dam's base were being poured and carefully smoothed, forming the skeleton of what would become an indomitable wall against the river.

Throughout the day, Harry moved among the workers, correcting mistakes, explaining processes, and ensuring safety. He made sure everyone understood their role, not just to follow orders, but to learn why each step mattered.

By late afternoon, as the workers took a break, they gathered near a shaded area, discussing their work.

"I never imagined I'd be part of something like this," one man said, sipping water from a wooden flask. "Buildings, roads, even castles—I get those. But a dam?"

Another nodded. "And with these machines... It's like somethin' from another world."

An older man, who had once been skeptical, now spoke with newfound conviction. "At first, I thought Lord Harry's ideas were madness. But after seein' how much we've done in just a few weeks, I ain't doubtin' him again."

Harry, overhearing, smiled. "We're not just building a dam. We're building the future. Soon, water won't be something to fear, but something we control. With it, we'll bring electricity, irrigation, and prosperity to the entire territory."

The men nodded, feeling the weight of their work, not as mere laborers, but as pioneers of a new age.

As the sun set over the valley, casting long shadows over the growing dam, Harry looked at the progress and knew—this was just the beginning.