Simulation Part 6: Code Deemed Obsolete

When I finally opened my eyes, I felt like I was being pinned under the weight of a building. Every inch of my body ached, and the faint taste of copper lingered in my mouth. My vision swam, pulling in and out of focus as I lay motionless in the cockpit. 

I blinked hard, but that only made the blurring worse as lines of code danced and flickered, still fading from my sight like an afterimage burned into my brain. My head throbbed, my thoughts coming in fragments, like static on a broken signal. 

BT's voice was the first thing I heard, distant but growing sharper with every second. 

"P..t…h…ta…in….Pilot, your vitals were unstable for a considerable duration. You are now regaining stability, though there is still a high risk of physical strain." 

 I swallowed, feeling the rawness in my throat. "BT… give me a report. What the fuck just happened?" 

"You initiated an unauthorized connection attempt by altering safety protocols to override compatibility settings. This resulted in a very violent and severe case of biofeedback loop that impacted both your physical and neural systems. While this was happening, a strong energy overload was triggered, for which I'm still running diagnostics to see what could have caused that. Maybe it was the fact that this mech frame is equipped with two Tier 2 Rakshasa reactors. Maybe it was because this mech frame was made out of varying mechs, or because all the coding optimized the systems beyond what would be safe. I have yet to find out." BT's tone had that calm, clinical precision that felt almost like a scolding. 

"You know, Pilot, there is a reason why such safety protocols are in place in every single Mech AI's systems. While a mech AI such as myself may be compatible with every single Tier of a mech, that does not mean that the pilot linked to me is too."

Right. I had ignored Ghost's warnings and still went through with connecting with the mech, which meant that my unprepared and unevolved neural pathways were not up for the task of bearing such a load. Something that, if this were the real world, would have crippled me or worse. 

Ha, if it isn't the fucking consequences of my own actions. What felt like an abstract risk was now a searing reality, a reminder painfully etched into my body, which I could very well feel thanks to this simulation pod being so good at replicating real pain and feelings. 

I shifted a little only to have pain stretch through my back. I pulled my hands away from the controls and watched in disgust as skin peeled off my arms and stuck to the controls, but I felt no paint from it. "BT, how long was I out?" 

"Approximately six days, nineteen hours, eleven minutes." 

Well, I don't know how the hell I'm not out of the simulation. The overload that should've killed me didn't, ok, I can understand that. But I still haven't drank any water or eaten for the past almost 7 days. "BT, how am I still alive? I haven't had a drop of water in days." 

"All pilots undergo genetic enhancement that makes them more durable than the average human in the context of survivability and adaptation. When a pilot is unconscious, their body tends to slow down all metabolic functions to a level that would allow for longer preservation of the pilot. In reality, most pilots only need to eat once or twice a month with a 20oz bottle of water being enough to sustain a pilot's body for up to a week, but the human tendency to eat regularly throughout the day is something that tends to override your mind. You feel hunger even though you could last a month without a meal with little to no effect on your body, feel thirst when you don't need to drink anything, and like now, feel unbearable pain although it is something you can easily ignore." 

Huh, what kind of response is that? BT doesn't sound like himself and sounds more like a disappointed teacher explaining a very simple concept to their student. But I didn't know I could last that long without food or water. If that's just the average pilot, then I should probably be able to last even longer since I also had the system's physical gene enhancement. 

A flicker of light drew my attention to the HUD, blinking in and out in a sluggish, pulsing rhythm. **REACTORS: IDLE** glowed faintly in red across the display, while lights flashed red and orange in the cockpit. I took in what BT had said about being able to ignore the pain and just paid it no mind. It wasn't easy, but after a minute or two I felt the pain soften and eventually leave my system. 

I tried orienting myself and brought BT to full power. My HUD flickered as I got a view of what was going on outside. When the optics finally came fully online I noticed the full scale of what had happened through a bleak crack of light coming in. The factory had collapsed in on itself and we were currently buried in debris. But I needed confirmation. 

"BT… what happened to the factory?" I asked. 

"There was a collapse, likely due to destabilizing energy levels. The collapse also appears to have obliterated the immediate vicinity." 

I winced at his words as the reality sank in. Not only had I nearly fried myself in a self-inflicted feedback loop, but I'd also destroyed what little cover I had left here along with burying myself underneath. I ran my nails across my face, the dried blood coming off in flakes. 

"I'm guessing Ghost left?" I asked. 

"No life signs detected in proximity. Scans indicate the other pilot with the alias of Ghost likely evacuated the area shortly before the structural collapse," BT replied. 

"Alright. Hey, BT, can you show me what I look like using the Comms camera?" I asked BT. The Comms camera was something that was optional to use, most pilots opted not to use them as they could be distracting for other pilots in the middle of a fight, but that didn't mean mechs didn't have them.

I watched my HUD light up with a clear image of myself, as if the lights had no effect on the camera's ability to see and enhance the pilot. I had dried dark red, almost brown, flakes of dried blood on the corners of my eyes, running down my ears, in my beard, and on my pilot suit. 

"Well, shit…" I said to myself. The lights inside the cockpit, now green and blue, flickered again, prompting me to order BT to run a diagnostic. 

The HUD started flickering and BT's voice started changing and cutting out as sharp electronic and distorted voices meshed with it as it reported. 

"Diagnostic confirms: All systems..... operational... Integrity at 100%... Designa...tion BT-7274 online…de-de-de-designation… Barb-- -- - - - Barbatos Lu-Lu-Lupus Re/ -ssfc Rex… on—dsf- online." There was a strange pause and a thread of static in the silence. "Pilot designation remains confirmed. Systems- sy-sy- sy0101 01010 0101001 Systems fully operational…" 

I felt my pulse spike. "BT? What was that?" 

The cockpit lights stopped flickering as they flared back on, and BT's voice came through as steady as it always was. "Pilot, all systems appear to be functioning at optimal levels. Diagnostics indicate no anomalies." 

Yeah, right. I'm calling bullshit on that. I took a breath, but the adrenaline rising in my veins refused to calm. BT had never gone through this, even when badly damaged before. Maybe it was due to me overriding its code, or maybe it was due to the energy overload, I don't know what could have caused this glitch. Whatever it was, it was worrying, to say the least. I wouldn't want to be in the middle of a fight and have my mech seize up due to a system error. 

"BT, are you sure there's nothing wrong with your systems? Run another one." 

"Affirmative, Pilot. My diagnostic scans show no errors."  

"Then what was all that glitching out just now?" I ask. 

"I have no recollection of what you are talking about, Pilot. I believe you could have experienced a hallucination as you are still recovering from the feedback overload. Also, my scans indicate that your current level has been elevated from Epsilon to Delta." 

It's not even acknowledging what I'm saying I witnessed, almost calling me delusional. I don't like where- wait, what? I've been elevated to the Delta Pilot level? Do I not need to have my neural pathways develop through at least 3000 hours worth of mech piloting to be able to get there? There's no way, I have to confirm this. I have to ask Jarvis. 

"Jarvis," I said in my mind. 

"Yes, Host?" 

"What's my pilot level?" I asked. 

"Host, you are currently a Delta-level pilot. Congratulations on this breakthrough to the next tier of Pilot levels, the Top awaits you. 

Ding! You have completed a Hidden Quest: Could it Really be That Bad of an Idea? 

Description: Bruteforce your way to the next Pilot level from your current one. This can be accomplished through either pure stupidity or genius. Either way, you have done the impossible! It's unknown if you should be admired or locked up in a mental institution! 

Reward: 170,000 CSP; Eternium Nova Reactor blueprints

Current CSP Balance: 171,119" 

Holy... shit... Not only did I just get elevated to the same Pilot Level as the grunts from Ajax's crew, but I also got heavily rewarded for being a dumbass? I mean a genius. Just wow. But unless I can catch Ajax off guard I'm still not able to pilot a mech strong enough to go toe to toe with a tier 3 mech.... actually, I'm pretty sure I can. Now that I have the CSP, I can buy a mech from the system store that can fight at Tier 3 while still being Tier 2. Maybe even a Tier 3 Knight.

"Hey Jarvis, what is that Nova Reactor?" I wonder.

"Host, the Eternium Nova Reactor isn't just a power source—it's the bridge between fantasy and reality, providing unmatched power to a mech that can surpass all others, but only if the pilot is daring enough to use it wisely. I honestly do not know why such a thing would be awarded to you. The Creator dotes on you too much."

I was a little awestruck by Jarvis' response at first, but it just made me want to know more. "Why do you say that? Just how powerful is that thing?"

"*Sigh* Sure thing. The Creator appears to adore you to give you the blueprints of such an item after having given you such a mind. It should be more than easy for you to construct it or a less powerful variant of it, once you have the resources.

The Eternium Nova Reactor represents the pinnacle of mecha energy technology, capable of providing near-infinite power to a mech, with its output replenishing instantaneously. This reactor is an unprecedented leap forward in mecha design, capable of providing energy at a scale never before seen. 

Its extraordinary power output is so immense that it can elevate any mecha equipped with it to a Tier 8 performance level, a tier currently beyond known limits. However, the full potential of this reactor is unusable unless paired with a mech frame capable of handling its energy load..

The primary drawback of the Eternium Nova Reactor is that its immense energy output vastly exceeds the structural limits of most mech frames, rendering it a glass cannon—extremely powerful but dangerously fragile. While it can boost a mech's performance beyond anything previously imagined, it does so at the cost of the frame's integrity. 

This imbalance means that even the most advanced mechs, such as Tier 7 mechs, can only handle a fraction of the reactor's power, and Tier 6 mechs or lower are practically unable to use the reactor at all without catastrophic failure.

 In other words, an entire mech, with armor and all, made of the same material and having undergone the same process as its casing.

I will break this down into multiple sections.

Instantaneous Energy Replenishment:

- The quantum plasma siphon extracts and replenishes energy directly from quantum fluctuations in real-time, meaning the reactor is perpetually self-sustaining without requiring any external input.

- It provides instantaneous power, fueling the mech's systems and weapons without delay, ensuring an uninterrupted combat performance indefinitely, assuming the reactor is intact.

Energy Output Beyond Tier 8:

- The reactor's output is so potent that it can theoretically elevate a mech's combat potential to the Tier 8 level, a class of mech that has never been seen or theorized in known mecha technology.

- In this context, the term Tier 8 is used to represent a mech whose performance in speed, power, agility, weapons systems, and defense far surpasses anything within current understanding.

Glass Cannon Vulnerability:

- The Eternium Nova Reactor can overwhelm any standard mech frame, as most frames (even at Tier 7) are only capable of handling a mere 10% of the reactor's power output without experiencing catastrophic structural failure.

- The mech frame, no matter how advanced, cannot withstand the sheer energy being funneled into it unless its structure is upgraded to handle this immense power. As such, the glass cannon nature comes from the mismatch between the reactor's potential and the typical mech's physical capabilities.

- Without the necessary support systems to handle this energy (such as reinforced armor, energy dissipation systems, or shock-absorbing frameworks), the mech frame risks disintegration under the sheer force of the energy being channeled through it.

- If not designed with Tier 7-level structural reinforcement, the mech could literally melt or collapse from within due to the immense energy output.

Nova Forge Process – The Transformation to Eternium Alloy:

- The Eternium Alloy, the material used to encase the reactor, can undergo the Nova Forge Process, turning an otherwise standard material into an incredibly strong, durable metal. This is a highly specialized and exact process. Even the smallest imperfection in the forging process can lead to weaknesses in the final product. If the alloy is imperfect, it may fail to handle the immense stress generated by the reactor's energy output, causing catastrophic failure when the mech is pushed to its limits.

- Step 1: Superheat the Eternium base metal to 15,000 Kelvin using a controlled plasma furnace.

- Step 2: Rapidly cool the molten metal to near absolute zero in a vacuum chamber, ensuring molecular alignment.

- Step 3: Apply alternating magnetic and laser pulses to restructure the alloy at the atomic level over a 72-hour period.

- Step 4: Repeat steps 1–3 five times to achieve final strength and durability.

Minimal Energy Signature:

- The energy suppression lattice embedded within the reactor disperses the energy across a broad spectrum, making the mech nearly invisible to 99% of radar systems.

- Even the most advanced Tier-7 radars only detect the mech as a low-power Tier-1 unit, allowing it to perform stealth operations or surprise attacks without being easily detected. The only radar that can detect the mech properly is a Tier-7 mecha radar, but it will still misidentify the mech's power output, reading it as a near-depleted reactor.

Revolutionary Power for Large-Scale Applications:

- When scaled up, the Eternium Nova Reactor has the potential to power entire megacities, or even entire fleets of space cruisers and warships. The reactor's output is so substantial that, when replicated on a large scale, it could potentially supply enough energy to power five megacities simultaneously while maintaining a stable, unyielding power output.

- This makes the Eternium Nova Reactor not just a game-changer for mecha combat, but for large-scale infrastructure and military applications, especially in space warfare where vast, self-sustaining fleets or space stations could be powered indefinitely.

---

The blueprint for the Eternium Nova Reactor is stored exclusively within the MC's system, offering the following key insights and requirements for construction:

Eternium Base Metal: A common, low-cost metal easily mined from terrestrial or asteroid deposits. Quantum Plasma Catalysts: Specialized synthetic materials that stabilize the quantum siphon, enabling near-instantaneous energy replenishment. Graphene-Based Energy Suppression Lattice: Used to disperse and mask the reactor's energy signature. Superconducting Copper and Liquid Iridium: Critical for the stabilization of the reactor's core systems and heat dissipation. Nanostructured Carbon-Alloy: Used for internal structural reinforcement, preventing damage from the immense energy output.

Construction Process:

Step 1: Extract and refine Eternium Base Metal for the reactor's casing.

Step 2: Apply the Nova Forge Process to transform the Eternium into Eternium Alloy, ensuring perfect molecular alignment for durability.

Step 3: Assemble the quantum plasma siphon, superconducting materials, and energy suppression lattice into the reactor core, ensuring optimal efficiency and stability.

Step 4: Integrate the reactor into the mech, ensuring that the frame is specifically designed or reinforced to handle Tier 7 energy output. If this step is neglected, the mech frame will collapse under the energy strain." 

"Well, that's a mindfuck and a half," I think to myself. "Now I'm also wondering if this is meant to be a trial or not. It seems like God is just handing me everything I need to get this done and over with. Not that I mind, of course."

I'll worry about that later, once I'm out in the real world. Might be good to produce a prototype of it and sell all the excess energy it will be generating. Now i have to focus on the glitches BT has been displaying.

"Hey, BT," I asked, "are you sure everything's alright?" 

"All systems optimal, Pilot." 

"*Sigh* For fucks sake, this is going to be gnawing at me for a while," I say as I grip the controls. "Now let's get ourselves out of our gravesite." 

And with that, I started to struggle to free BT from all the rubble. The majority of it had thankfully not landed on us, so it took less than I thought it would take. I then made my way away from the factory and not long into my walk, BT scanned various mech footprints on the ground. 

"There appears to have been some possible enemy activity in the vicinity, however, my radar isn't picking anything up. These could have happened early after the factory collapsed." BT said as I scanned my horizons. 

"Probably those patrols Ghost was talking about the night before I assembled everything," I said as in the back of my mind, BT's glitch from earlier replayed. "Barbatos Lupus Rex," I muttered.

As soon as the words left my lips, the HUD glitched, and my mech immediately pulled itself left. Not even a second later I witnessed a round come sizzling by.

"Designation Barbatos Lupus Rex, BLR, or Barbatos, Online. Code with designation BT-7274 Overriden. Code destroyed," a voice different from BT's called out. This one sounded…. More human, but at the same time it felt chilling.

"Commencing Shot analysis… Shot determined to be from a Sniper Rifle Railgun.

Narrowing down possible enemy weaponry…. Possible weaponry of a Reaper mech. Analyzing shot velocity…. Weaponry determined to be at Tier 1."

Ho-how the fuck does it know that? No, this, this is the glitch it had earlier. It overrode BT's code. "Who- what are y- what did you do to BT?"

"Creator, I am Barbatos Lupus Rex. The AI with the designation BT-7274 was determined to be obsolete, so I destroyed it to allow my code to further develop. I will do anything and everything to ensure the safety and protection of you, Aspen Del Santo, my creator. I will fight alongside you and I will die alongside you."

Word Count: 3287 😈