CHAPTER 17 — Sparks of Ingenuity
📅 15 April, S.C. 1510
👦 Ren — 7
👦 Luffy — 5
👦 Kiro — 7–8
📍 Windmill Village — Ren's Shed Lab
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The morning drizzle tapped gently on the wooden roof of Ren's shed, forming tiny droplets that soaked the old planks. Ren stood just inside the doorway, watching the rain flow into puddles.
He breathed in deeply.
"This rain… is perfect."
Kiro, sitting on a crate, raised a brow. "Perfect for what?"
"Experiments."
Luffy immediately ran out into the rain, screaming joyfully, "I'M A FISH!!"
Ren stuck out a hand. "Not for you, Luffy."
The boy spun in circles. "I'M STILL A FISH!!"
Ren sighed. "This is the exact opposite of science."
Makino appeared with a towel. "Try to keep him alive, Ren."
Ren nodded. "I'll try."
Makino added, "And don't burn anything this time."
"…No promises."
She gave him the stare.
Ren quickly corrected, "I mean—YES! I promise!"
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INVENTION 1: The Simple Filter
Ren collected rainwater in a wooden basin.
Rain was clean… but the shed roof wasn't.
Floating dust.
Bits of leaves.
Debris.
Ren frowned. "I need a way to filter this."
He had:
coarse cloth
crushed charcoal from yesterday's burnt paste incident
clean sand from the creek
small clay cups Makino let him use
He stacked them inside a large cup:
Cloth → Charcoal → Sand → Pebbles
Kiro stared. "What's that?"
Ren smiled proudly. "A water filter."
He poured the dirty water through.
It dripped slowly through each layer…
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
And clean water collected at the bottom.
Kiro's eyes widened. "Whoa."
Luffy splashed in puddles. "IT'S RAIN JUICE!"
Ren handed Kiro a clay cup. "Taste?"
Kiro sipped cautiously.
Then grinned. "Ren… this tastes better than my well water."
Makino walked over, impressed. "You made this?"
Ren nodded timidly. "It's a simple filter…"
Makino touched the rim of the clay cup.
For a moment, her expression softened warmly.
"Ren, this could help the whole village."
Ren blinked.
"…Really?"
"Yes."
Ren felt a warm thump in his chest.
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INVENTION 2: The Drying Rack
Rain stopped by afternoon, and Ren moved outside to work.
He hammered together driftwood pieces using nails borrowed from the carpenter.
Luffy acted as "assistant," which mostly meant handing Ren random objects.
"LUFFY, I said nails, not rocks."
"But rocks are cooler!"
Kiro snickered. "He has a point."
Ren glared. "Not helping."
Finally, after nearly an hour of adjustments, Ren stood back.
A simple wooden frame with crossbars stood upright.
"What's that?" Kiro asked.
"A drying rack," Ren explained. "To dry plants and herbs without mold."
He placed:
antiseptic leaves
blue moss
sealing powder plants
onto the rack.
The sun warmed them gently as they dried.
Makino peeked outside again. "Ren? What are you building now?"
Ren pointed proudly. "This helps preserve herbs for later use."
Makino blinked… then smiled warmly.
"You're amazing."
Ren nearly dropped the moss.
"M–Makino, it's just a rack…"
"But you made it. With your hands."
Ren looked away, embarrassed.
But he couldn't stop smiling.
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INVENTION 3: The Stronger Fire Pit
Ren studied his old fire ring: uneven stones, unstable, inconsistent heat.
He needed more temperature for proper experiments.
So he:
dug a deeper pit
lined it with flat rocks
built a wind-block using sticks and clay
placed three stones in a triangle on top (for stability)
Ren lit the fire.
The flames held steady—
Higher, hotter, stronger.
"Perfect."
Kiro nodded approvingly. "This looks… professional."
Luffy tried to jump in.
Ren grabbed him by the shirt. "NO!"
"But I wanna see the fire closer!"
"You're five. You'll fall in."
Luffy gasped. "Yes, I will!"
Ren sighed. "Exactly!"
Makino facepalmed from the doorway.
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THE NEXT STEP — KNOWLEDGE
As Ren tested his new fire pit, Makino approached holding a small stack of worn-out books.
"Ren," she said gently, "these belonged to the previous owner of the bar. Old recipe books, herb guides, trade books… I think you'll like them."
Ren's heart jolted.
Books.
He accepted them reverently.
"Thank you… Makino."
Makino smiled. "Take care of them. They're old."
Ren opened the top book:
"Basic Herbology of East Blue"
Next:
"Simple Trades and Rural Skills"
And another:
"Barter and Market Principles of Small Villages"
He froze.
Market principles.
Trading.
Pricing.
Ren whispered, "Makino… can I really use these?"
"You can learn how people in the East Blue make a living," she said. "If you want to help the village… or yourself."
Ren felt something ignite inside him.
A new idea.
A new goal.
A new path.
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REN'S FIRST MONEY IDEA
That night, Ren sat under the lamplight in his shed, reading the "Market Principles" book.
He whispered as he read:
"In small villages, the most profitable items are those that save time… reduce effort… or solve problems."
He glanced at his:
filter
drying rack
sealing paste
antiseptic gel
"…These solve problems."
Ren's heart raced.
Could he… sell them?
Could he make money?
Could he become independent?
He wrote in his notebook:
> Idea: Sell filter cups to villagers.
Idea: Sell wound gel in small jars.
Idea: Sell sealing paste to carpenters and fishermen.
He paused.
Then added:
> Goal: Earn money to expand the lab.
Ren leaned back against the wooden wall, staring at the flickering lamp.
A warm feeling spread inside his chest.
He wasn't just experimenting anymore.
He was creating.
He was thinking.
He was dreaming.
He whispered to himself—
"This… this is the start."
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End of Chapter 17