Chapter 1

On a scorching June day, the air felt like fire, intensifying the heat within the small hut of less than 30 square meters.

A gleaming knife sliced through a white crystal on an old workbench, creating intricate patterns as tiny scratches evolved into deep grooves, forming a complex and mysterious pattern.

Ajax, shirtless, sat in front of the waist-high old workbench. The stained white towel around his neck was soaked, his tanned skin covered with fine beads of sweat, and a small drip of water on the ground.

Unaware of it all, his eyes were fixed on the white crystal the size of a fingernail in front of him, and his breathing was slow.

Upon closer inspection, Ajax held a small mechanical knife in his right hand. His flexible right wrist moved like a snake; wherever the knife's tip passed, the pattern on the crystal was perfected.

After a hearty meal, the white crystal suddenly lit up like kindled fire, then dimmed, returning to its original state. Ajax casually set aside the completed crystal, his face maintaining focus.

What he had just crafted was a white energy block, the lowest level but with wide-ranging uses and high daily consumption. In one morning, he made fifteen, falling short of five to meet today's task.

As Ajax wiped his hands and face with a towel and prepared to continue, the room suddenly went dark, and the small ceiling fan above stopped turning.

"Damn it, this piece of shit already ran out of juice!" Ajax muttered as he stood up, picked up the energy block he had just made, walked to the door's dashboard, and carefully stuffed the energy block into the groove.

The complex pattern on the energy block matched the groove, restoring light to the room with a "thump," and the dashboard displayed 100% once more.

The energy block replaced yesterday was used up in less than a day. It seemed the fan couldn't be used too often; the 30 minutes just now were worthless.

With a wry smile, Ajax turned off the small ceiling fan, wiped his face again, and returned to the desk, quickly getting back to work.

These white energy blocks, supplying electricity, were the essence of Ajax's life. Since he learned to make them two years ago, he steadily increased production, from five to ten and finally twenty a day.

Ajax's room, which was about thirty square meters, housed only an old table and bed. Apart from the lighting, a small, dusty ceiling fan, and some old books, the space was cluttered with energy blocks and discarded raw materials.

Ajax was used to it and had lived there for nearly four years. Originally converted from an abandoned garage, the place lacked basic amenities but was considerably cheaper than most options, costing only 400 Imperial coins per month.

At one in the afternoon, Ajax finished making the remaining few energy blocks, totaling 20. After careful counting, he packed them into a plastic box, stowed them in his backpack, and donned some clothes. After drinking two mouthfuls of tap water, he walked out the door.

Under the scorching midday sun, Ajax walked the streets to an old bakery, a routine lunch spot. Despite being past lunchtime, he handed over five eddies.

"What's up with you today? You're rather late. Had me thinking you weren't coming," the kind woman remarked, wrapping the bread and accepting the payment.

"I have things to do and I'm running tight on time, thank you," Ajax nodded, grabbing the toast and leaving.

A few steps away, he remembered something, turned back, and pointed to a small round cake in the glass cabinet. "Let me treat myself today, I'll be taking that cake as well."

The woman, surprised at the unusual choice, complied. With the payment settled, Ajax strolled down the street, a cake box in hand. He couldn't help but smile wryly – his hard work today was almost nullified by this small indulgence.

After all, today was his birthday. After today, he would officially be an adult. A little self-celebration never hurt nobody...maybe.

Munching on the toast, Ajax started his six-kilometer walk to the mecha repair factory, his second source of income.

But before that, he had to sell the energy blocks he had just made to earn some money – the happiest moment of his day.

Navigating the streets, Ajax arrived at the gate of an academy that was adorned with golden letters that read "Apollo Academy." Fashionable students passed by, showcasing their affluent lifestyles.

Though not a student, Ajax headed toward the college entrance, the best place to sell his goods. Energy blocks were in high demand among the academy's students, allowing him to charge a higher price – 3 eddies, as opposed to the usual 2.5 eddies.

After selling 20 energy blocks to a dormitory that consumed excessive electricity, Ajax pocketed 60 eddies. He also learned about the annual mecha competition at Apollo Academy scheduled for the next day.

Ajax pondered attending the event, the prospect of witnessing mech battles up close intrigued him as he dreamt of becoming a pilot himself.

As he left the Apollo Academy, the bustling scene of mechas and lively preparations for the competition caught his eye, so he joined the crowd and discovered an on-site competition for maintenance personnel.

This event, featured the loading and unloading of mechs, offering a chance to join the on-campus maintenance team with a lucrative remuneration. Ajax, already working in a repair shop, was captivated by the opportunity and eagerly made his way through the crowd.