In the garage of a house in Tokonosu's residential district, the sounds of hammering and forged metal rang out from morning until night for two weeks. Many neighbors had come to complain, but the young man living there calmed them down by explaining it was a university project and promised not to make noise at night.
During these two weeks, Aurélien used the knowledge granted by the Magos to upgrade his garage into something a Tech-Priest might vaguely consider a low-grade workshop. Where he had once been proud of the mechanical arm he had painstakingly built, he now saw it as something akin to a toddler's creation. With his new knowledge and materials, he improved it and even installed several mechanical arms equipped with various tools. He first programmed them to perform the procedure to implant his cortical implant.
Although dangerous and potentially paralyzing or even fatal, Aurélien had no doubts about his programming for an operation considered trivial by Tech-Priest standards. The procedure required medication and caused significant pain due to the need to remain conscious, but the machines' precision ensured there were no complications. With this implant, he could link his brain to the chips programmed into the machines — essentially giving him full control over his workshop and creations. He even set up a system to automate the smelting of ores and forging of necessary alloys.
He then moved on to constructing two mechadendrites, made from a pliable metallic alloy, intending to implant them at his shoulder blades. He prioritized concealability under a heavy coat, accepting a slight sacrifice in speed, durability, and load capacity — though not enough to prevent them from lifting at least 700 pounds. Five days before the deadline, he performed the surgery, leaving two small bumps on his back hidden by thick clothing. Surprisingly, being directly connected to his brain, the mechadendrites developed a semblance of animal instinct — likely because they accessed his reptilian brain. Aurélien didn't mind this; it meant they could react instinctively in danger without needing orders.
While working, Aurélien also had to attend Fujimi High School, where he was a senior. If he was on campus when the catastrophe began, his quest would grant a bonus reward — although the system refused to explain why some students were linked to the world's will. Without that bonus, he would've already left school and focused on turning his house into a fortress. After mapping out the academy in his mind, he prepared his backpack with survival rations.
Unlike the Mechanicum, Aurélien had no phobia of AI-equipped droids. As long as he could ensure their loyalty, he saw no issue — provided they were protected against Chaos corruption. This led him to work on BX droid designs. He also wanted to build mining droids but, due to lack of time and resources, prioritized combat droids. It wasn't like he could have mining droids digging up his backyard in full view of his neighbors. By the time the catastrophe was a day away, he had only completed six droids, nearly depleting all his resources.
Because of Japan's strict firearm laws, he couldn't buy a gun, nor did he have the means to build one. Instead, he crafted six swords for the droids and a cane-sword for himself — allowing him to carry it into the academy while faking a heel injury in his final days there. Unfortunately, building the sheath required destroying some of his home's wooden furniture. Luckily, his mother wasn't around to see it.
Speaking of his mother, he had no intention of leaving her to a cruel fate. He tried to convince her to return home, but she claimed she was too busy. So, he decided to send four of his droids to retrieve her before heading to the academy on the day of the catastrophe. To disguise them, he provided large black cloaks with deep hoods covering their bodies. They could speak human language — albeit in a deeper tone — which should suffice for now. With a battery life of 23 days and the ability to recharge from any power source, they would have enough time to find her and bring her back. If she saw the upcoming power bill, she'd undoubtedly cut the electricity.
He also filled his home with food and essential supplies. He spent the last of his savings to acquire them, but it was worth it — money would soon become meaningless. Although he would need to cross a bridge dividing the city to return home, it shouldn't take long.
He spent his final evening rechecking his gear and reinforcing the doors and windows to deter looters. He used his remaining hard drives to download all the critical information he could — military manuals, medical data, survival guides, etc. He then used his last metals to turn his home into a Faraday cage, firmly believing at least one nation with the technology would use an EMP during the coming crisis. As night gradually took over, Aurélien decided to enjoy his last peaceful sleep.
The Next Day
Dawn broke over the city of Tokonosu. Most residents had no idea their world was about to change forever. A young man with long black hair tied in a ponytail stepped out of his house, carefully observing his surroundings. In the lower corner of his vision, the countdown kept ticking down.
[Quest Issued: Prepare for the introduction of mana into your world. Your reward will be evaluated based on your efforts. Time Remaining: 6 hours, 46 minutes. Bonus: Be inside Fujimi Academy when the countdown ends.]
Aurélien was dressed in his school uniform and a blood-red trench coat reaching down to his calves. Slight movements were visible at his shoulder blades — his mechadendrites seeking an optimal position in case of an attack — though hidden beneath his coat and backpack. In his left hand, he held a finely carved cane with a silver pommel shaped like a half-cybernetic human skull. At a glance, no one would guess a sharp blade was hidden within.
Behind him followed six figures, their features completely concealed by cloaks. Four of them broke away, heading in the opposite direction. They would travel while avoiding human detection as much as possible. The remaining two also distanced themselves but kept close enough to respond if called upon — while remaining unseen.
As the sun rose for what could be the last time, Aurélien felt a mix of apprehension and excitement at the dangers ahead. The hesitant boy who once feared his future was gone — what he had experienced with the Magos had changed his soul. He now felt it was his duty to face the threats to come.
He had researched online to see if mana had already affected his world. But aside from a slight increase in wild animal attacks, nothing unusual had been reported.
Taking a deep breath, Aurélien walked confidently toward his future.