The tranquil Eudor forest was suddenly shattered by the thunder of hooves and the clanking of metal armor. S.I.N.I., the sarcastic system residing inside Raga’s head, abruptly blinked a flashing red notification into the air.

[Hazard Warning: Six elite cavalry units detected approaching within a 500-meter radius. Estimated arrival time: 3 minutes. Recommendation: Run while praying, or prep your own funeral.]

"Six guys?" Raga spat onto the dirt, locking a sharp gaze on the rustling bushes ahead. "Grom, they brought cavalry! The three from earlier were already a pain, and now there are three more. We can't take them head-on with swordplay."

Grom grabbed his battle-axe, his eyes blazing with combat spirit. "Human, I am a dwarf! We're used to fighting ten-to-one underground. But tell me, what ridiculous 'construction' plan do you have this time?"

Raga smirked. He picked up a twig and began sketching a blueprint in the muddy dirt. "Grom, look at this. The ground right in front of this cave is a low-load area. If we can instantly alter the soil density, we can trap them in our very own 'mix'."

Grom furrowed his brow, staring at Raga’s map in utter confusion. "Dirt is just dirt, human. How can dirt become a 'mix'? Is that some new brand of magic?"

Raga slapped his forehead. "It's not magic, Grom! It's called Concrete Engineering. Imagine, in my world, we have a gray powdery mixture called cement. Mix it with water, and it turns soft. But after a few hours, it sets as hard as stone. Now, we're going to simulate that. Grom, use your earth magic to compact the soil at points A and B, while I control the flow so they get trapped right at point C."

Grom stared at Raga as if he had just spoken alien. "Cement? Gray powder? Why not use actual mana crystals that explode?"

"Because cement is cheaper and way more lethal if you know how to use it!" Raga cried in frustration. "Listen, Grom! Think of the ground like a house foundation. If the foundation wobbles, the house collapses! They are the house, and we are the foremen about to demolish them!"

[System: Warning! Explaining cement to a dwarf is the greatest communication disaster of the century. Grom looks increasingly confused and is at risk of a mild brain seizure.]

"Anyway, on my mark, slam your axe into the ground right there, and channel your mana to harden the soil the second the enemy steps into the trap," Raga instructed.

Grom grunted and nodded, though his face remained plastered with question marks. "Alright, Weird Foreman. I'll trust this invisible 'Cement' of yours."

The rebel squad finally emerged. Six fully armored horsemen galloped roughly down the trail, led by an officer with an intensely arrogant expression.

"There! The slave dwarf and the traitor!" the officer bellowed.

Raga hid behind a thick tree, his heart hammering against his ribs. Naria beside him gripped her staff tight, her face taut with tension yet filled with complete trust in Raga.

"Now, Grom!" Raga shouted.

Grom slammed his battle-axe into the ground with all his might. Raga, wearing his rubber gloves, touched the earth and visualized the curing cement "mix." Using structural logic, Raga manipulated the soil texture to turn into a slick liquid sludge, then instantly—as their horses hit the area—transformed it into a knee-deep, intensely adhesive trap.

Sshhk!

Crash!

The horses let out frantic whimpers as their hooves plunged deep into ground that abruptly morphed into a dense, sticky mass. The unprepared rebels were violently thrown from their saddles. They tried to scramble up, but the earth seemed to physically grip their ankles.

"What the hell is this?! What kind of magic is this?!" the officer screamed, trying to yank his foot free from the ground, which was hardening like fast-setting concrete.

"It's called... poor material quality, buddy!" Raga hollered, stepping out of hiding, wielding his crowbar with the swagger of a site foreman inspecting apartment wall quality.

Grom burst into booming laughter watching the enemies get stuck and immobilized. "Oh, this is brilliant! They're trapped in the ground just like that cement story you told!"

Raga strolled casually toward the trapped officer. "You know? Back at my job site, if materials fail inspection, we throw them out. And you guys, bogged down in heavy armor you can't move in, are today's construction waste."

[System: Concrete Engineering Score: 9 out of 10. Utilizing 'Liquid Mud' and 'Instant Curing' to neutralize elite cavalry. Raga, you might actually be right—you are far more dangerous than any wizard in this kingdom.]

Naria stepped out from cover, staring at Raga in sheer wonder. Raga didn't look like a war hero, but he looked like a man extraordinarily skilled at executing tasks far more intricate than just swinging a sword.

"Wait, Raga! Don't kill him yet!" Naria cried out. "We need to know who sent them!"

Raga stopped his crowbar a mere inch from the officer's terrified face. "Listen, buddy. You've got two choices: spill who hired you, or I'll build a house right on top of your feet and let it cure till tomorrow morning."

The officer looked into Raga’s eyes—laced with absolute seriousness and the wild exhaustion of a laborer who had worked way too much overtime. His bravado completely evaporated. "I-It's... Duke Vallen... he wants the princess's head!"

Raga turned to Naria and Grom. "Duke Vallen. Looks like we've got a new target."

[System: Congratulations! Interrogation Mission Successful. Mission Progress: 8%. You have defeated an elite squad using architectural techniques. Grom now officially recognizes you as 'Foreman'. Congratulations on your promotion, Foreman Raga.]

Raga wiped sweat from his brow and looked at Grom. "Grom, help me clean this up. We can't leave this 'cement' footprint around too long, or someone's going to get suspicious."

Grom chuckled, pitching in to help Raga smooth out the altered terrain. Naria walked up to Raga, her eyes sparkling. "Raga, I'm starting to think that once this kingdom is restored, we should rebuild our defense fortresses using this 'concrete' technique."

Raga offered a wry smile. "Sure, Princess. But keep in mind, paychecks must be issued on time. I don't take payment in sweet promises, especially not in abandoned project form."

That night, they continued their journey wrapped in a victorious mood. Raga the builder, Grom the dwarf, and Princess Naria had now forged a team that—though utterly bizarre—was beginning to command respect across the forest of Eudor.