Chapter 26: The Gears of Change

Calvin connected to another robot using the Xi Clan's ability, his excitement palpable.

He was now connected to "Super Headbot aka Sally, which was currently in the desert country of Alabasta. This was the first of 2 major objectives 

"Start it! I can't wait any longer!"

"<Affirmative! Owner, please choose a device to create!>" Super Headbot aka Sally responded, a stream of light blooming in the center of its hand, projecting images of various modern constructs and equipment.

Without hesitation, Calvin made his choice. "The energy needs to come first! Let's begin with Constructing Unit 100, the solar umbrella!"

Super Headbot aka Sally, capable of synthesizing any matter using using it's baku baku no mi, immediately went outside. She extended her mouth wide, and her gaping maw swallowed a pile of iron ore rocks, along with various other materials like copper and raw materials for platic and rubber. Inside the stomach of Superhead bot Sally the iron ore rocks transformed into steel pieces, then mixed with other materials to form countless spare parts. These parts automatically assembled into an extraordinary umbrella-like solar umbrella.

With a mighty heave Sally removed the completed Solar Umbrella from her stomach

As the solar umbrella emerged a thread extended from Super Headbot aka Sally's body, piercing into the umbrella's bottom to absorb its energy. Following this every half an hour, another solar umbrella emerged in the wasteland.

After a day, 48 solar umbrellas covered the area. By the second day, there were 96, and by the third, 200. The wasteland transformed into a growing field of solar umbrellas.

On the seventh day, something unexpected happened. Three-meter columns with sixteen mechanical arms emerged from Super Headbot Sally, each arm embedded with different tools needed to construct a robot.

The factory of progress continued. By the tenth day, the once barren wasteland had become an enormous factory complex. The base factory emitted continuous noises as it produced 2000 solar umbrellas, madly absorbing various forms of energy.

Calvin decided that he needed to experience the grand opening of the factory personally and snuck off Gion's ship, while leaving a replacement that would go unnoticed for the time being. 

Calvin approached the complex, where two soldiers stood guard. They crossed their arms across their chests and saluted, their movements perfectly synchronized.

"Welcome, owner!" they exclaimed in icy-cold mechanical voices as Calvin walked past.

Calvin entered the largest factory where an enormous metal sphere hung above a circular stand. Mechanical tentacles extended from the sphere, assembling spare parts brought by robots. The factory was a symphony of industry, with robots continuously entering and leaving.

Super Head Bot Sally appeared by Calvin's side and asked, "<Owner, do you have instructions?>"

"I came to check the production status. Give me a report," Calvin replied.

"<Currently, 378 500 we have an automatic production of robots. If needed, can produce another within a day. However, I must remind you, iron ore is becoming scarce, and the demand already high.>" Super Headbot aka Sally informed Calvin.

"Not enough iron ore?" Calvin' eyebrow slightly creased.

Although these days Calvin made great progress, not sparing any cost, he still needs to urge those businessmen from all over to transport the iron ore towards Cocoyashi Village, moreover wantonly milking dry Cocoyashi Village's ironware and still far from able to satisfy the mechanical Factory's production requirements.

Calvin's eyes a flashed for a moment as he said in a deep voice: "There's nothing to be done, we ought to expand! Regarding the currently capable battle Robots, Show me what is available!

<Affirmative! Owner!> Super Headbot aka Sally quickly outlined all kinds of battle Robots that were available to be produced.

<Primary 8 Bladed-Troop Robot, 6m tall, 6t of weight, equipped with super-alloy blade arms, capable cutting through level-4 protective cover, solar energy double-cylinder power furnaces, combat within a 650Km radius, level-1 protection cover. Overall production requirement is 800Kun energy. General appraisal at level-7.>

<Primary 8 Bladed-Troop Robot, 6m tall, 6t of weight, equipped with super-alloy blade arms, capable cutting through level-4 protective cover, solar energy double-cylinder power furnaces, combat within a 450Km radius. Overall production requirement is 20Kun energy. General appraisal at level-6.>

<Primary 4 40000 Gunner-Troop Robot, 5m tall, 18t of weight, equipped with six-piped god fire Artillery, 37mm caliber Anti-aircraft Machine-gun, solar energy double-cylinder power furnaces, capable combat within a 650Km radius, carrying capacity rounds, level-1 protection cover. Overall production requirement is 800Kun energy. General appraisal at level-7.>

<Primary 2 4 40000 Gunner-Troop Robot, 5m tall, 18t of weight, equipped with six-piped god fire Artillery, 37mm caliber Anti-aircraft Machine-gun, solar energy double-cylinder power furnaces, capable combat within a 450Km radius, carrying capacity rounds. Overall production requirement is 20Kun energy. General appraisal at level-6.>

<Primary 1 24 40000 Cannon-Troop Robot, 5m tall, 38t of weight, rocket launcher, automatic guide missile hatch 50mm caliber heavy Artillery. Equipped with solar energy double-cylinder power furnaces, capable combat within a 450Km radius, carrying capacity rounds, equipped level-1 protection cover. Overall production requirement is 800Kun energy. General appraisal at level-7.>

<Primary Cannon-Troop Robot... General appraisal at level-6.>

<Primary Shielded-Troop Robot, 8m tall, 60t of weight, super-alloy broadsword. Equipped with solar energy four-cylinder power furnaces, capable combat within a 650Km radius, equipped level-2 protection cover. All kinds defense equipments. Overall production requirement is 800Kun energy. General appraisal at level-7.>

< Primary Shielded-Troop Robot...equipped with level-1 protection cover. General appraisal at level-6.>

<Low-Altitude Small Reconnaissance Satellite, 3m in diameter, highest flying altitude of 30000m. Detection range 50Km.> (20 already produced)

<Reconnaissance Mechanical Fly , Detection range of 200m.>

<Liquid-Metal Robot, 3m tall, 1t of weight, can freely choose its shape, make use all kinds weapons. Weak to flames, lightning, powerful corrosive acid and destructive AOE attacks. Overall production requirement is 100Kun energy. General appraisal at level-6.>

<Heavy-Armed Falcon Helicopter, equipped with four 37.5mm caliber Machine-gun, two-piped rapid fire air missile, eagle ground missiles. Production requirement is 100Kun of energy. General appraisal at level-7.>

<Lightning Supersonic Fighter, equipped with one 50mm caliber Machine-gun, two-piped rapid fire air missile, eagle ground missiles. Production requirement is 100Kun of energy. General appraisal at level-7. Requires n airplane-runway to take off.>

<Large Elephant Heavy-Bomber Aircraft. Production requirement is 100Kun of energy. General appraisal at level-7.>

<Thunder Demon Heavy-Transport Aircraft. Production requirement is 60Kun of energy. General appraisal at level-5.>

Calvin saw messages about different types of battle weapons, slightly creased eyebrows and said in a deep voice: "The highest is only level-7, is this not too weak? There's no higher level battle weapons?"

Since he received the inheritance, Calvin saw a lot of terrifying battle weapons. Every one of those battle weapon's power is not something to which a trivial level-7 Robot can compare.

"However my current energy limit lies by 100 Kun. I'm only capable of producing parts under 100 Kun! The production of a lot of parts and materials, for Level-8 or higher battle Robots, exceeds 100Kun. Currently I'm unable to produce those parts, therefore unable to produce level-8 or higher battle Robots."

"There are three kinds of solutions to this issue, the first one is to produce a Fortified Stronghold, utilize the Fortified Stronghold to collect large quantities of energy and material and then transform those materials into a higher grade. The second one is to search for suitable materials. The third one is to do things conventionally, that is to promote the territory's technology and produce even more soldier factories, right up to the moment when the territory's technology capable of producing those parts and materials."

"A Fortified Stronghold?" Calvin's mind moved to the bottom most to look.

<Portable 100 300 Fortified Stronghold, 3Km in diameter, equipped with a rhombus-shaped laser Artillery hatch's, hatch's of 200mm caliber heavy Artillery, hutch's 45mm large Machine-gun, basic stronghold hutch's, level-3 scale protective cover. Requires 10000t steel, 100000Kun energy, dimensional crystal. General fighting ability appraisal at level-10.>

"DAmn!" Calvin cursed in a low voice.

That 10000t requirement of steel is equivalent to 20000t to 30000t iron ore. 1t of iron ore costs approximately 2 gold coins, so 30000t of iron ore is equivalent to 60000 gold coins. If purchased by normal means, then even a century of Cocoyashi Village's income wouldn't be sufficient.

As for the energy aspect, Solar Umbrellas can on a daily basis absorb 0.01Kun of energy. Currently 2000 Solar Umbrellas can only absorb 20Kun of energy. According to the present rate, in order to obtain the energy necessary for portable stronghold would require a full 50000 days. About the dimensional crystal, Calvin haven't even heard of its existence.

Calvin spoke after contemplating for a moment: "The Bladed-Troop, Gunner-Troop, Cannon-Troop, first produce a batch of simplify versions for me to employ."

Super Headbot aka Sally quizzically asked: <Simplified version? please specify"< p>

Calvin put forward a more exact demand by reducing all kinds of attributes: "My current enemy's are only people of the 1800's with guns, the marines are like a modern army, either way these robots are canon fodder before the admirals or a Yonko (4 emperors). The Bladed-Troop only need the use of their Bladed arms to behead an average pirate in their way. The Gunner-Troop can employ 12.5mm caliber heavy Artillery to advance.

The Cannon-Troop only need to equipped 1 hatch 120mm caliber heavy Artillery to clear the way. The combat radius can be shortened to within 200Km. There's no need to for the large frames. A human sized shape is more than enough. In the case it's not possible to install a layer of human-like skin, make them appear like humans."

According to Calvin's demands, Super Headbot aka Sally quickly begun to re-design and modify and came up with new designs that met Calvin's requirements for battle Robots.

<Simplified 2 Primary Bladed-Troop Robot, 1.8m tall, 600Kg of weight, equipped with super-alloy blades, small scale movement furnace, capable combat within a 200Km radius. Overall production requirement is 0.1Kun energy. General appraisal at level-4.>

<Simplified Primary Gunner-Troop Robot, 1.8m tall, 600Kg of weight, equipped with 12.5mm caliber heavy machine gun, small scale movement furnace, capable combat within a 200Km radius. Overall production requirement is 0.1Kun energy. General appraisal at level-4.>

<Simplified Primary Cannon-Troop Robot, 1.8m tall, 600Kg of weight, equipped with 120mm caliber heavy Artillery, small scale movement furnace, capable combat within a 200Km radius. Overall production requirement is 0.1Kun energy. General appraisal at level-4.>

Calvin was completely pleased the huge order: "First produce 10 for Kureha, Law, Nami and Nojiko's safety, then produce a 100 of every type."