Machine City

Civilization has surged at an extraordinary pace, pushing human technology beyond the limits they thought they couldn't reach. Humanity shattered the barriers that confined them, accomplishing feats that were once deemed impossible.

Harnessing the power of remarkable artifacts, humans transformed their daily lives, bringing forth a new era of comfort and convenience.

Amidst this advanced civilization lies a new advanced world....

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Machine City.

lt was a bright afternoon in Machine City, a place where discarded scraps of technology found their final resting place. Machine City was Located in a desolate region of the Nascent Plane.

Machine City became a refuge for those who scavenged through the remnants of artifacts, searching for anything of value to trade and earn a living.

Even with the abundance of advanced technology, poverty had still not been eradicated. They were still individuals who had to go through the scraps, hoping to find something to sell and make ends meet.

Meanwhile, In a secluded corner of the heap of discarded artifacts, Nathan Edwin who was wearing a cloaked in a hood manipulated a set of metal scraps, as their movements were synchronized with the taps on a his advanced device known as the Holomatrix.

The Holomatrix was a quantum marvel, which served multitude purposes. It helped in facilitating transfer of digital currencies, controlling various artifacts, and it acted as a communication device, all within the grasp of the user's hands. But they were various classes of Holomatrix which an individual could use, from high to low.

Meanwhile, Nathan skillfully manipulated the metal scraps, as he wore his black gloves that emitted a blue spark. Using the telekinesis from the gloves, he raised the scraps in the air, causing them to fuse together and form four small black objects.

"Perfect," Nathan remarked, tossing the objects into the ground where they discreetly attached themselves, hidden from view.

In the distance, a group of relic plunderers eagerly sprinted toward a new batch of artifacts being thrown from a spacecraft called the Nebula Scrap Waste Craft.

The spacecraft opened its lower section, releasing numerous artifacts. The plunderers, eyes were filled with greed, as they were drawn to the objects and eagerly anticipated collecting them. They were over ten of them in number.

While stealing scraps was considered a criminal act due to the radioactive waste contained in the artifacts, the powerful energy of Machine City was so alluring that the plunderers disregarded the potential harm.

"Damian! Grab the Red Reactor; we need it," shouted a man with golden hair, wearing a blue jacket resembling a space suit with a mask on his face.

"One... two... three!" Nathan exclaimed as he pressed his Holomatrix, preventing the other Relic plunderers from reaching the Red Reactor core. Suddenly, they found themselves dangerously close to Nathan's explosive craft, which emitted a distinct sound.

*Beeeeeep!*

In an instant, the craft ignited, causing a tremendous explosion.

*BOOOOM!*

The shockwaves rippled through the air, forcefully propelling the Relic plunderers backward and leaving them disoriented.

Thrown in various directions, they crashed onto the ground upon impact. Damian, recovering from the disorienting blow, was surprised to see Nathan soaring above them, a wide smile on his face. He effortlessly slid atop a discarded craft, laughing in jubilation.

In a playful gesture, Nathan even stepped on the craft and waved to them.

"Bye!" he called out, his voice echoing through the air.

Nathan flipped in mid-air as he landed on the ground and he began running towards the Nebula Scrap Craft as he wanted the Red Reactor for himself.

Impatiently, Nathan awaited the arrival of the No. 234 Nebula Scrap Craft, responsible for dismantling Reactor cores. The Machine City, as its name implied, extended far beyond a mere section of the land, it was like a complete desert where human life was not around.

After hours of waiting, the Nebula Scrap craft finally opened, spilling out its contents of scrap material.

"Finally!" Nathan exclaimed, his hand reaching out towards the approaching Red Core. He wasted no time, using the momentum of a lifeless flying craft to propel himself into the air. With nimble agility, he deftly dodged the falling scraps, swiftly maneuvering to secure the prized Red Core.

"I've finally obtained you. Now, I'll be able to unlock my Spiritual Soul Core for the exams," Nathan declared triumphantly, descending from mid-air.

Nathan had yet to open the path of his Spiritual Soul core, lacking the necessary resources. Opening the path was an expensive endeavor, making it difficult for those from humble backgrounds to embark on the path of cultivation.

Although the Spiritual Soul was not essential for determining one's fighting prowess, many individuals without a soul connection still excelled in combat using Artifacts, displaying remarkable proficiency and reaching their peak potential.

As an Artificer, Nathan still had the opportunity to reach his peak through his skills with Artifacts. However, he held a deep-seated dream of gaining admission into one of the prestigious schools for Cultivators. Despite being an orphan, he clung to hope, believing in his ability to overcome the odds.

"Alright... This should be sufficient," Nathan smiled, thinking that he was in the clear. But then, he heard voices behind him.

"Kid... you're not leaving here with that."

Nathan stiffened at the gruff voice behind him. Slowly, he turned to see a group of Relic plunderers approaching, their eyes narrowed with menace.

"That Red Core belongs to us," the leader, a burly man with a scarred face, growled. "You're not getting away with it."

Nathan's grip tightened on the precious reactor core as his mind raced. He couldn't afford to lose this - it was the key to unlocking his spiritual powers and gaining admission to the prestigious Cultivation schools. But he was vastly outnumbered, and these plunderers looked dangerous.

"Look, let's not do anything rash," Nathan said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I'm sure we can come to some kind of arrangement."

Damian let out a harsh laugh. "Oh, we've got an arrangement alright. You hand over that Core, or we take it from you. And trust me, you don't want to see what happens if you don't cooperate."

Nathan's eyes darted around, searching for a way out. His gaze fell on the discarded craft he had used to propel himself into the air. An idea began to form in his mind.

"Alright, alright, no need for violence," he said, slowly extending the Core towards the plunderers. As they reached out to take it, Nathan suddenly pulled it back and leapt onto the craft.

"Catch me if you can!" he shouted, revving the engines and taking to the air.

The plunderers howled in rage, opening fire with their blaster weapons. But Nathan was already passing through the maze of scrap, his nimble piloting skills keeping him one step ahead.

"You can't run forever, kid!" Damian bellowed. "We'll find you, and when we do, you're gonna wish you'd just handed it over!"