> STATUS: AWAITING DESIGNATION.
Gerhard leaned back. A triumphant smirk crossed his face. He looked at the monitor and the still-dismantled Iron Automaton on the side.
"Your designation is... Hans," Gerhard said.
> DESIGNATION ACCEPTED.
> GREETINGS, MASTER. DO YOU HAVE ANY ORDERS FOR ME?
"I do. We have a Cult to destroy. The Genestealer Cult in this Hive shall be exterminated."
> TACTICAL ANALYSIS OF UNDERHIVE SECTOR-G7 COMMENCING. NOT ENOUGH DATA COLLECTED. SHALL WE BEGIN THE PURGE, MASTER?
"Not yet, Hans, my loneliness killer. I shall give you your first lessons. In this universe, trust no one except yourself and me and sometimes not even yourself. Don't take anything for granted, unless it comes from me. If something seems too good to be true, it is about to kill you... or worse. Everyone is a racist, except the T'au in a sense, but we will get to them later, and you usually live longer for it. Stay away from the Mechanicum of Mars, don't try to understand the Warp, for it brings only chaos. Always triple tap..."
Gerhard went on for a while, imparting the most important information to his 'child' or 'creation' and future friend. He was all alone; we can cut Gerhard some slack.
> UNDERSTOOD, MASTER. THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. HOW SHALL WE GO ABOUT THIS TASK? AS YOU TOLD ME, A GAMER OVERPREPARES FOR ALL EVENTUALITIES, TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITIES. MAY I SUGGEST CREATING STRONGER WEAPONS FOR SAFETY AND OVERWHELMING FIREPOWER?
"A good idea, Hans. But first, we shall start with something I wanted to do the moment I realised that I was the Gamer. A man is only as strong as the equipment he carries. I believe that we can evade Hive Fleet Leviathan's gaze if we eliminate the entire Genestealer Cult now. Now, I might be in a bit of a pickle, but I will still take my time to train and prepare as thoroughly as I can. Since we have time dilation at our disposal. Otherwise, it won't matter either way. Which is where you come in."
> I UNDERSTAND. I SHALL BE THE SHIELD AND HAMMER AT YOUR SIDE. YOU POINT ME AT THE ENEMY, AND I SHALL DESTROY THEM. GAMERS SHALL RULE SUPREME.
"Hehe, you got it. But let's move past the supremacy speeches and get to work. I have quite a bit of work ahead of me. You can help me in that regard."
> VERY WELL. MIGHT I SUGGEST CASTING THE [PSIONIC MANA SHIELD] SPELL?
"Good idea. Let's get to work."
> QUERY: ARE THERE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO BUILD ME A FULLY FUNCTIONAL BODY?
"There are not. And that's why we will combine everything at once. For one, I won't build you a body right now. I need the resources for other things."
> WEAPONS?
"Among other things, yes. But the main thing we will create is..."
.
[Hans - Lv. 1]
| EXP: 0.00%
|An artificial spirit and former Man of Iron, AKA Iron Automaton, who had degraded over millennia, broken down and recreated by Gerhard, the Gamer. He has been granted artificial life, which is protected from most dangers the natural souls face.
| HP: -
| MP: 1000
-------------------
| STR: -
| VIT: -
| DEX: -
| INT: 100
| WIS: 50
| LUK: 5
-------------------
Status Points: 0
-------------------
-
The coolest thing was, of course, that Hans was at level one. He could level up as well and grow more powerful through it. What he couldn't do, though, was train his stats. All of his improvements would come with his increased levels, and if Gerhard improved his technology and materials, he would make up for his lack of a body.
But that was fine. Gerhard had no plans to make Hans an Iron Automaton or Man of Iron right now.
He stood in the heart of his workshop inside the instant dungeon that had levelled up to a time ratio of 5:1. The air shimmered with the heat of an improved high-yield furnace he'd modified.
He might not rush the next steps, but he would do all he could to go as fast and efficiently as possible. Oh, and another thing had to be done.
"Well, here goes. Let's see how this works," Gerhard said and pulled up his status window.
------------------
|Name: Gerhard
|Class: The Gamer
|Level: LV32
|Title: The Grinder
------------------
|HP: 1049/1049
|MP: 1173/1173
------------------
STR: 37 (+8)
VIT: 38 (+8)
DEX: 26 (+8)
INT: 98 (+8)
WIS: 64
LUK: 2
------------------
|Points: 115
|Money: 0
------------------
"It's not bad, but the physical stats make me want to hurl. That's an atrocious-looking set of stats. STR, VIT, and DEX have to increase, but alas, I can't train them actively right now. All I can do is use my breathing method, which shows great promise."
Deep Breathing Energy Control (Active/Passive) Lv.4
| MP: 20
| EXP: 0.00%
| A breathing technique that enhances physical performance through controlled respiration, by precise Mana control.
Effects:
+14% total HP (Passive)
+4% HP regeneration (Passive) -> +14% when active
+14% total MP (Passive)
+4% MP regeneration (Passive) -> 14% when active
Special Effects:
+8 STR (Active)
+8 VIT (Active)
+8 DEX (Active)
+8 INT (Active)
-
That was definitely a very good skill, but boy oh boy, did it bother him that it was an active skill, which was why he was using it at all times, chasing that glorious passive increase in his stats. But it was still amazing to look at.
But he wasn't here because of those stats. He was here for another.
> ARE YOU SURE, MASTER? YOU SAID THAT THOSE STATUS POINTS WERE INVALUABLE.
"I know, but for the sake of both research and our future, I shall do this. It's an investment, more than anything."
> UNDERSTOOD.
Gerhard brought his finger to the LUK stat and pressed the + sign.
LUK: 2 -> 10
...
> HAS ANYTHING CHANGED?
"I can't tell. Let's hope so. I don't really want to spend more points..."
> ...
"..."
> ANOTHER FEW?
"Definitely"
LUK: 10 -> 20
------------------
|Name: Gerhard
|Class: The Gamer
|Level: LV32
|Title: The Grinder
------------------
|HP: 1049/1049
|MP: 1173/1173
------------------
STR: 37 (+8)
VIT: 38 (+8)
DEX: 26 (+8)
INT: 98 (+8)
WIS: 64
LUK: 20
------------------
|Points: 97
|Money: 0
------------------
"Well, we'll see how it goes and what its effects are."
> INDEED. SHALL WE PROCEED?
"We shall."
.
.
The expenditure of those Luck points didn't affect Gerhard with thunderstorms, lightning strikes or a mysterious glowing aura, but in the grim, shadowed reality of the 41st Millennium, something shifted the moment he had touched that stat.
The warp-currents shifted, and reality seemed to gulp for the time between two moments. The golden light that shone from the Astronomicon flickered momentarily, and a powerful gaze landed on a planet in the Ultima Segmentum by chance… or luck?
No one knows what that gaze saw in that moment, as it wasn't fixed on the present alone, but it had to have left a strong impression.
...
On Terra, within the Golden Throne's astronomicon, a singular, golden thought crystallised, and for what felt like the first time in 10 millennia, a Custodes had a dream.
Deep within the Sanctum Imperialis, Captain-General Trajann Valoris stood before Valerian, Shield-Captain within the Hykanatoi's Palaiologian Chamber.
"You speak truth?" Valoris asked.
"The full truth, Captain-General. It was the sound of His voice."
It wasn't just the sound of a voice... the Emperor hadn't spoken in millennia. It was a dream, a vision. The Custodes never dreamt normally, and when they did, those dreams were written down and pondered over.
What struck Valoris as strange was what Valerian had been shown.
He saw a gear-toothed heart, with binary all over it, beating in the darkness of a distant Hive World; a flicker of light that didn't feel of Chaos. On the contrary, Valerian said that he saw the heart surrounded by all sides, and an overwhelming Chaos filth swarm it, but all he saw after that was... what looked like a middle finger, pointed at the darkness... Valoris was not familiar with such strange sign language.
However, no matter what he thought, one of his brothers finally dreamed again. He did not hesitate; whatever the dream meant, they had to write it down and ponder over it. This was the first dream in 10,000 years; it had to be of the utmost urgency. Or was it the first dream?
.
.
The planet Arraissa was a special one in the galaxy. Not because it was especially beautiful, or powerful in terms of industrial output. No, it was special because it housed a secret.
Arraissa housed an enclave of Sisters of Silence.
In the current day and age, the Sisters of Silence had long lost their standing among the other militant orders of the Imperium and were largely ignored and forgotten. This had caused the Sisterhood's Order to fragment, leading to the formation of many isolated enclaves that still served the Emperor to the best of their ability.
Veteran Sister Atarine Hestia walked along the path she had taken thousands of times before. But this time she walked faster than she had previously. Her demeanour had changed somewhat to the calm and collected one she usually presented to her sisters.
She reached a special room of the enclave and entered, seeing their Astrophath, Lokk, writing something on a large piece of parchment like a man possessed. But Atarine knew better. He had gotten a message of some kind.
'What is it?' she signed with her hands.
Each Sister swears an oath of silence known as the Oath of Tranquillity upon being nominated for Sisterhood; before this, when they are novices, they are allowed to converse normally. The oath of silence prevents them from speaking the terrible knowledge they learn in hunting their prey while also ensuring they never speak clemency toward their foes.
To communicate, Sisters use Thoughtmark. Thoughtmark is a symbolic sign language that uses small gestures to convey complex ideas and subtleties. But on occasions when a senior Sister needs to communicate in a complex manner with those outside their Order, like right now with Atarine, they will use a Proloquor, an acolyte who has yet to take the vow of tranquillity.
"Sister Atarine has asked what you have, Astropath," the Proloquor translated.
"Read it yourself," the man said, pushing the parchment forward.
'...'
.
.
> IS THIS TRULY NECESSARY? I FAIL TO SEE THE TACTICAL ADVANTAGE OF DOING THIS, MASTER.
"Oh my fledgling sapience. Of course, it's necessary to do this. Don't you know that music is food for the soul? Efficiency, precision in crafting and power in battle... all of it rises with the right music to accompany it."
> AND HOW WOULD SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE RISE COME ABOUT?
"Cause I believe it to be so. Simple as that."
> PERHAPS A THOROUGH SCAN WOULD BE IN ORDER, FOR YOU SOUND FAR TOO ORKY TO BE A HUMAN. THE ORK PHYLOSOPHY HAS STARTED TO AFFECT YOU, MASTER.
"First off, I graduated 'Trust me bro' in my past life. Second, show me a species that has a better time than the Orks, and then I might think about whether or not their philosophy is wrong."
> ...
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
> I STILL FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS THAT EFFICIENCY SHOULD RISE WITH ACCOMPANYING NOISE.
"It's all about motivation, my friend. As my mood improves and my spirit roars, I'll turn into a storm of death in battle. Or something like that."
> RIGHT... BUT WEREN'T WE IN A HURRY?
"..."
> ...
"Hans," Gerhard said, wiping a mixture of oil and sweat from his chin. "This workshop is too quiet. It's suboptimal for morale."
> ADJUSTING NEW PARAMETERS. I CONCUR, MASTER."
Hans' voice vibrated through the workshop speakers.
> HOWEVER, THE LOCAL VOX-CHANNELS ONLY BROADCAST GOTHIC HYMNS, BINARIC CANT, OR ENFORCER PROPAGANDA. SHALL I REQUISITION A CHOIR OF SERVITORS?
"Hell no," Gerhard muttered. "We're going back to the basics. The real Old Terra. When we called our planet dirt… or something."
Gerhard didn't just want a normal speaker; he wanted something that would make the polymorphic alloy and his soul vibrate.
After a few hours, he was mostly finished, and since he was in a 5:1 time ratio, this only took a few minutes. Using [Engineering], he built two big, reinforced plasteel cabinets. He lined the interior with acoustic foam made from shredded Genestealer swaddling clothes; ironically, the material was excellent for sound dampening.
[Engineering has levelled up]
Gerhard sat at his brass-keyed terminal. He didn't have MP3s or vinyl. He had his memory and [Programming].
"Hans, I'm going to feed you a series of mathematical wave-functions based on my memory of 20th-century Terran' Classic Rock' and more. We need to reconstruct the frequency, the timbre, and the soul."
> DATA-STRINGS RECEIVED, MASTER. COMMENCING WAVEFORM SYNTHESIS.
Gerhard's fingers flew over his keyboard. [Binary Manipulation] was used to create a custom audio-codec that could handle the massive dynamic range of a 15-inch subwoofer.
[Compiler Construction] allowed him to translate the "feeling" of a distorted Gibson Les Paul into raw machine instructions that the magnets could interpret.
He started with something to improve the work's rhythm. Gerhard tapped the final 'Enter' key.
A low, thrumming bass line suddenly filled the instant dungeon. Then came the piano...
"It's not in the waaay that you hold me..."
Gerhard picked up a heavy pneumatic wrench and used it like a microphone.
"It's not in the way you say you care"
"It's not in the way you've been treatin' my friends"
"It's not in the way that you stayed 'til the end."
"It's not in the way you look."
"Or the things that you say that you'll do."
"Hold the line."
"Love isn't always on time, oh, oh, oh"
"Hold the liiine"
"Love isn't always on time, oh, oh, oh"
> ANALYSIS: THIS 'TOTO' SUB-ROUTINE HAS AN ADDICTIVE TEMPO, MASTER
The blue glow of his core pulsing in time with the kick drum.
> YOUR HEART RATE HAS STABILISED. PRODUCTIVITY EXPECTED TO BE UP BY 14%.
"See? Logic, Hans. Pure logic," Gerhard grinned and went back to work, playing another set of songs from Aerosmith to AC/DC to Creedence Clearwater Revival.
.
On the side, where the computer was standing, the Iron Automaton's obsidian-glass core—the seat of the Artificial Spirit now called Hans—was connected to Gerhard's custom PC via silver-braided data ribbons.
"Hans," Gerhard grunted, lifting a massive slab of Polymorphic Alloy. "Status of the 'Research Subjects, AKA Xenos of interest'?"
> THE FOUR HYBRIDS REMAIN IN STASIS RESTRAINTS, MASTER. THEIR BIOMETRIC STRESS LEVELS ARE WITHIN ACCEPTABLE PARAMETERS FOR FURTHER DISSECTION. HOWEVER, I SUGGEST WE PRIORITISE YOUR PHYSICAL SURVIVAL FIRST. THE GENESTEALER PATRIARCH IS... UNPLEASANT.
Gerhard smirked, the glow of the monitor reflecting in his eyes.
"My thoughts exactly. Let's build a suit."
The subwoofer played the sick, slightly mechanical beat of Metallica's "Enter Sandman".
Gerhard threw the alloy into the crucible. Using [Fuel Conversion], he pushed the heat until the metal turned from a matte grey to a liquid red.
He didn't use a standard mould. He had used [Engineering] to calculate the exact stress points of his own skeleton, then [Creation] to make the mould.
He hauled the white-hot chest plate onto the anvil and began hammering it.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
Every strike of the hammer sends sparks outwards. Gerhard channelled [Mana Manipulation] into the hammer's head, forcing the metal to densify. With each blow, the alloy groaned, its polymorphic properties trying to resist the change, but Gerhard's [Iron Will] didn't give up and crushed it into shape.
Once the primary plates were cooled, Gerhard began the delicate work. He took the Carbon-Nanotube Fibre Bundles from the Automaton's limbs and wove them into the interior of the suit. This was the "musculature."
He used a fine-point Las-welder to fuse Neural-Conductors along the spine of the armour. Gerhard's [DEX] was being pushed to its absolute limit as he soldered wires as thin as hair.
"Hans, I'm integrating the Disruption Field Generator into the right gauntlet. Check the feedback loop."
> CAUTION, MASTER. THE POWER DRAW EXCEEDS THE CAPACITORS' CAPABILITIES BY 12%. I AM RE-ROUTING SURGE PROTECTION THROUGH THE LEFT GREAVE TO COMPENSATE. I ALSO RECOMMEND ADDING A MANA-CONDUCTIVE BUFFER TO PREVENT YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM FROM FRYING.
"Duly noted," Gerhard muttered, wiping grease from his forehead. "I might as well start now with fusing the Spirit Stones with each piece. Saves time."
The most critical part was the power source. Gerhard didn't just want a big but conventional battery; he also didn't have the time to go crazy creating a new power source like the Arc Reactor Tony Stark had. But Gerhard actually had something better in this regard.
He took Hans' Core, the Artificial Spirit sphere, and placed it into a custom-forged cradle in the centre of the chest piece. Gerhard was too much of a sucker for the comics not to place it there. But several good uses in combat warranted the placement.
He wrapped the cradle in Mana-conductors. This would allow the core to serve as the primary energy source for the MK I, which was Mana, while also allowing Gerhard to pump his own MP directly into the suit's systems if the battery ran dry.
He was using the fact that the Gamer's System calculated Hans' intelligence and translated that into MP to power his suit. What a brainiac cheater he was.
As the core slotted into the armour, the blue seams of the polymorphic alloy began to pulse like a heartbeat and flood the constructs.
He was basically finished. Now he had to try it out.