"If brains were enough, I wouldn't need abs."
---
The scanner on Kai's workbench emitted a soft chime.
He stirred from his half-sleep, groggy and soot-stained from the mine trip and two back-to-back constructs.
The system's interface glowed faintly in the dark.
[System Alert: Status recalibration in progress...]
[Synchronization complete.]
[Recommendation: Initiate physical and mental enhancement protocols.]
Kai squinted. "That's a fancy way of saying I'm out of shape, huh?"
[You are currently below baseline thresholds for Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Focus.]
[Mental strain resistance is average. Reflex processing is slow. Cardiovascular output is… politely tragic.]
Kai groaned. "Did you just insult my lungs?"
[Affirmative. You will not survive higher-tier constructs with soft muscles and an overstimulated noodle.]
He rolled out of his make-shift bed and rubbed his face. "Alright, alright, I get it. How does this… stat thing work?"
[Initializing Stat Matrix]
Name: Kai
Path: Arcane Engineer
System Level: 6
Tier: Runesmith
Stats:
Strength: 4
Endurance: 5
Agility: 4
Focus: 6
Intelligence: 9
Spirit: 6
Tech Affinity: 8
Mana Control: 5
Available Points: 0
Note: Stats improve through targeted actions, training, and construct integration.
[You are now eligible to begin physical cultivation protocols.]
Kai raised an eyebrow. "Wait—I'm supposed to punch trees now?"
[No. You're expected to enhance your physical systems to support externalized mana through modular cores.]
[Unlike traditional cultivators who build elemental cores internally, you construct your Techno-Core—an artificial structure within the mind, connected by crafted mana circuits.]
A glowing diagram appeared in front of him: a wireframe of a circular array, segmented and interconnected by golden lines. At its center sat a neutral crystal, ringed by open sockets.
[Each affinity you master—Fire, Lightning, Ice, etc.—can be slotted into your Techno-Core via interface circuits.]
[Building these circuits requires both mental clarity and physical tolerance.]
Kai whistled. "So... I'm literally soldering magic into my own brain?"
[Correct. Welcome to the Arcane Engineering Path.]
He leaned forward, suddenly more serious than he'd been in days. "So if I want to wield fire magic, I can't just think hard and shout 'burn'?"
[No. You must construct a channel for it—bind it to a conduit, encode a regulator, and stabilize flow. Otherwise, you will either combust or blackout. Possibly both.]
"Awesome."
He opened a new project panel.
[Project Initiated: Modular Interface Band v0.1]
Purpose: Wrist-mounted wearable that tracks core stats, mana flow, and core feedback.
Tier: I Utility
Materials:
Leather Strap (x1)Conductive Wiring (x2)Glass Display Lens (x1)Brass Enclosure Frame (x1)Mana Battery (x1)
Runes Required:
[Sigil of Sync][Sigil of Clarity][Sigil of Anchor]
Minimum Rune Precision: 92%
He grabbed materials from the side crate and got to work.
Step 1: Strap & Base
He cut a strip of hardened leather to wrap his wrist snugly, then mounted a flattened brass plate into the top. It gleamed dully in the lamplight.
Step 2: Wiring & Lens
Kai coiled two copper wires into a twin spiral and set them just under the brass, feeding them into a cut groove. The display lens—salvaged from a broken compass—was affixed over it.
Step 3: The Runes
He inhaled, carefully preparing a thin needle for engraving the sigils.
Sigil of Sync was a mirrored lattice of connection lines—used to bind system data to physical feedback.Sigil of Clarity helped reduce interference. A cerebral sigil, often used in scholar pendants.Sigil of Anchor was for grounding—it reduced mana drift, important for wearable tools.
Each rune required perfect placement and precision.
He engraved slowly, hands steady despite the cold.
[Rune Accuracy: 93.1%]
[Construct Stability: Excellent]
[Construct Online: Modular Interface Band v0.1]
The band hummed faintly and displayed soft pulsing text on the lens:
Vitals Linked. Core Pulse Detected.
Monitoring active.
[XP Gained: +10]
[XP Total: 10 / 150]
[System Level: 6]
Kai strapped the band on with a grin. "Now we're talking, I just made my own Apple watch, or I guess low grade Fitbit."
He opened the workshop door and stepped out into the snow.
Time to train.
[Montage Sequence: Training Day 1]
He jogs around the village perimeter with a toolbox slung over his back.He punches a tree... then builds a padded striking post instead.He nearly passes out from sprinting—but uses a cooling rune he saw and recorded at the local produce stall and made a patch to recover.He practices drawing circuits mid-run with chalk, learning to stabilize his breathing.He records vitals after each round using the band.
That night, he lay in his bed—sore, sweat-soaked, but smiling.
The system pinged softly.
[Stat Progress: Strength +1, Endurance +1]
[New Thresholds Crossed: Core Resilience 10%]
[System Observation: You didn't die. Impressive.]
Kai exhaled. "This might actually work."
He stared at the ceiling, heart pounding.
Magic, machines, stats, sweat.
This wasn't just cultivation.
This was engineering evolution.