Sakura PoV

“My my, this clockwork is so cunning. I gave him a request and other people started helping in hopes of benefits but he almost instantly cut them off at the middle and now pays them for their work. Not only that but two days after it seems he already upgrades their models and is improving their overall magical capabilities. This boy isn’t just some two-bit tin can without a doubt he has real talent.” I thought as i watch all this.

All around the previously weak Constructs were now growing in number as they develop different types. More than 90% remain the same but gain more magical capabilities. If I remember correctly this was a Mage class Construct. Then there were a few stranger ones and numbered far less probably due to changing the body and having limits restricting them.

Already there is more than 50% of my home cleaned and my roots are in such a great healthy state even in the polluted areas. I have already focused a lot of energy i have been gathering the heal one deep root that goes to the other continents. It hurts a bit due to the pollution but with my growing energy i can spread one root towards the elven forest, if i connect to a large piece of clean forestland then i will be able to start drawing in a lot more nature energy and regain more power.

Looking at the biggest trees, the several Elder Treants that are spread at an exact distance of 30 meters around me, my roots that connected to their cores under their burnt trees.

Taking control of the roots spread about i suddenly have them attack the trees.

From the inside out the trees suddenly explode and burst into shrapnel but the core of the treants were drawn underground. Treant and Dryad are nature spirits and possess a similar core to elementals that contains our conscious.

All the people were shocked and in fear but as i pull the roots back all that was left was open space. Then with gathered nature mana i wrap the cores and send a powerful pulse into them.

The ground shakes as soon as they suck up all the mana like greedy starved beggars. Releasing them the cores act like seeds and slowly they begin to absorb water and earth mana and generate nature mana and begin releasing it in the form of roots the wrap around them. I connect to one of the more important roots to each of them and form a commutative system which had previously existed until i had to cut it due to the impurities their trees had sucked up. Now they were pure once more i connected and soon the tree itself began to spread as my mana entered them.

The feeling of being with old friends was a good one and with the presence of these old ancient friends my roots begin to pulse all over. The abundant Nature mana begin to spread all over the cleaned land. The ground glows a bright green as the charred ground slowly erodes into a fresh brown. Burnt trees decompose and dried grass breaks down. Soon the cleared space only had my tree exposed and slowly the elder Treants sprout popped out. Sucking up the sunlight it began converting its own mana to nature mana and slowly all 10 Elder Treant began to grow and pulling me along as the connected to each other forming a powerful net of roots with me at their center. I grew all the way to 40 meters, my trunk reaching 4 meters in girth and my branches spreading almost 15 meters to all sides.

At this stage i finally reached a good size were i began to control my growth and pulled my trunk down. I reduced my own size but began to expand my own width. From 40 meters i reduced it to 20 but my width had reached 6 meters and facing the crowd, on my trunk slowly a pair of eyes opened and a mouth parted. The Elder Treants soon reached my previous height and soon performed the same thing finally rebirthing the council of elders.

Each of them formed a face that looked different from the other. Some made  a branch that cuts off after a bit as a nose while other left it bare.

“It is good to be alive once more.” an old tired voice said followed by a yawn.

“It is good indeed and it is good to see you little brats are still kicking after so long.” I said in a gentle tone.

They look around and a solemn expression crosses their faces. “The world is such a mess.” An elder behind me comments.

“We were dark Treant not even four decades ago… hmm the young heroine that stopped our rampage is here as well.” Another one said as he looks at the small humanoids and notice’s Jeopardy among the Constructs.

“H-heroine! No no! I did something bad and killed so many.” she quickly denied and looked down guilty.

“Oh my, it seems this young one thought it was a bad thing she did.” A female elder said from my east side.

“Considering it was the extinction of a race at the time, it can’t be helped that she thinks like this.” I tell them and they nodded.

I notice a small craft descending and on it was the young Clockwork, he jumps off and lands in front of me and nods and looks around.

“Did something happen?” He asked me and looks at the elders.

“These are Elder Treants, i had mentioned before they were still able to be revived, with me gaining enough power back i was able to revive them and was able to regain a level of power back. The more land you can clear out the more we will recover. Soon i may even revive my roots in the continent with the elven forest.” I explain and he nods.

“Sakura… what are Clockwork doing on this continent? Or better yet, how are they active?” A disgruntled elder asked glaring at the boy.

“Don’t be like that, this boy’s crew is quite good to nature, if it wasn’t for him being the leader of such an exceptional crew with many different races you wouldn’t have been rebirthed.” He replied.

He grunts about it, there is always friction between races and since clockwork extract things from nature to expand they have been a race at odds with natural spirits like ours.

As we talk he turns around and waves at everyone, “Get back to work! Marina, i have located 6 sealed springs underground, Brock is digging them up, send a few leader class to manage these springs as their river beds have eroded and been covered up. Also there are 13 open water springs within a 13 kilometer radius and several of them have inhabitants protecting them and i have already sent knights to clear them out. Please go to the Ship for a briefing and prepare a number of Undine for the task.” He then looks at the constructs, “If you need extra help have Mage class with water cores help out since they are taking up so many of our cores.”

A smile appears on my face and my eyes land on the elder that wasn’t fond of clockwork. He showed a surprised expression upon seeing Techno focusing on nature development instead of extraction.

“Sakura… what is going on?” He asked.

“They are killing two birds with one stone, they are extracting oil and pollution from the ground and cleaning the soil and the water.” I said.

“So even when they help they do it for benefits.” He complains.

“Everyone works for benefits. In this continent they need to have some method to create fuel and their best bet is removing our impurities.” I explain and he nods but his face was in a frown.

“Let ‘us’ get to work, focus on gathering nature mana for me, i need to reach the other continent’s forests, it’s said elves have been spreading far and wide and clockwork are helping the heal the land so it is best for us if we connect to that continent and receive the nature energy gathering there.” I explain.

“Of course, the Treants will be rebirthed once we do.” Another elder said and closed his eyes and mouth returning to look like a tree. We all do the same and leave the humanoids to their job.

Techno PoV

After receiving the log out notice i gave a few final orders before the timer ran out and laid my robot's in my workshop before i was logged off and appeared in my virtual space. The house was now two stories, a big lawn with playground, pool, and a few other things. In the house there was living room, dining room, work room which is almost like a library due to the number of books, study room which is Sasha’s room and has her work books and her homework i make for her. Our rooms were on the second floor and the rest of the houses was mostly accessories like bathroom and so on.

Sasha blinks and looks around before she sulks a bit and goes over to the Tv.

I smile at her because of this, there is a clear reason for this, everything is boring. The playground, the pool, it’s all great but without people to play it with it is pretty dull. Obviously the others on the crew envy us for having such a great virtual space and we sometimes invite their families. She loves it when that happens but otherwise we just kill time doing whatever. I was surprised when she came to me asking me to teach her how to make robots and other things. In my workshop i actually made a model of worker class clockworks a long time ago even programmed him just right but he only works in test mode inside the workshop.

The same goes for the ball section turrets. All these game concepts, after careful trial and error and mathematics that the game normally helps with and removes some flaws depending on skill level i found that most of the simpler clockwork technology craftable. The original arm with guns hidden inside, the pressure fist, most of these things are possible.

Nova on the other hand wanted to make Proto and Strato to play with. Although i was against it at the start i did teach her slowly and found she had a knack for robotics. Obviously programming is beyond her and i don’t dare let her use large machines that i use to make the parts but she watches me make them while i explain how its done and the easier to build pieces i let her put them together as if she was playing lego.

Before i sit down i hear a knock and sigh. It was probably the policemen that normally transport me for my hour with the psychiatrist. When i open the door i find Warden Pierce standing there. A bit put off i open the door completely and look at him.

“Good to see you again Nathaniel.” He said holding his hand out.

“Yes Warden.” I said simply.

With a wary smile he asks me, “Can i talk with you…” Looks inside and spots Sasha peeking, “In private?”

I look back and Sasha hides and i sigh, “Come in then.” I say letting him enter.

I lead him to my room and lock the door, the bedrooms automatically block sound so if i want a private conversation it will obviously be here. My room has changed though, unlike before it was now bigger and looked like half a workshop. There were cabinets and a workbench. On the back wall was a large bookcase but the content were figurines. All of them were models of the weapons and clockwork models i have. Asura and Yasha were at the top and all the following clockwork classes below, big weapons were below that and then followed smaller weapons.

“This is impressive. Did you make them?” He asked.

“Yes, Warden did you need something?” I asked bluntly.

He sighed and put a serious expression on his face. “Nathaniel… why are you in jail?” He asked.

My brow raised a moment before bunching as i frown. “You should know, after all my files were all properly listed with reason and all.” I replied.

“Yes i know the ‘reason’ yet why is it that a common sexual harassment case file is marked under classified cases.” He asked.

Hearing his words i knew what he meant and chuckled after a moment. “Who knows, maybe because the entire case was a shame with no evidence, no real argument and only the money of that bitches father spoke as the judge and jury all saw me as guilty before the case even began.” I say as my tone gets filled with more and more of my rage. “I don’t doubt that the case file was burnt so that it wouldn’t be found either.”

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He instantly frowned to this, it would make sense if the case was a shame for them to get rid of the files but as a common prison warden.

“I see… the person that put you in jail also isn’t anyone small either.” He muttered.

“Who is the bastard anyway, i never got his name.” I asked.

“You don’t know? The father of that girl, Bianca Castel, his name is Giovanni Castel. He is CEO of LIFE and he owns 70% of their stakes.” He explains.

A sudden feeling in the pit of my stomach suddenly fills with rage and my hands start to tremble as i clutch my fists.

“So… that… bastard is… using me… as a fucking guinea pig!” I spit the words as my teeth ground together. My rage was near boiling point until the system alerts flared and sudden a wave of dizziness came over me. When i woke up i found Pierce looking down at me.

“You alright?” He asked.

“What… oh the capsule put me to sleep due to rapid increase in pulse.” I said as a notice of what happened said.

My rage suddenly boiled inside as i was being controlled.

Warden Pierce sighed as he heard my words, he knew better and knew that although they did do this as a safety precaution it also was to keep the inmates from possessing dangerous mindsets with extreme temperaments.

“So, how are you feeling?” he asked me and i frowned.

“How do you fucking think i feel, i just got shut down because i was expressing my unending rage of wanting to shove a fucking pool up that assholes ass. You try to imagine having your emotions controlled and see if it’s comfortable?!” I burst and sigh before rubbing my head.

“Sorry.” He muttered probably realizing he asked a stupid question.

“No i am, i took my rage out on you.” I said and got up and suddenly hear knocking at the door. The knocks at the entrance of the virtual space and the house will resound through all the rooms including a closed bedroom so that we know someone is here.

“Let me see who that is.” I said and opened the door. He followed behind me and we walked to the door that was standing in the air in space outside. When we open it we see two military soldiers waiting at the door.

“Nathaniel Rover?” he asked and i nodded. “I’m Sargeant Reeve Morgan, I’m here on order of Major Cornelius Oliver Smith, he wishes to have a private conversation with you.”

Although i would normally not speak with a stranger i know my limits and respect, “For what reason?” I asked.

“I am unauthorized to know, i was simply ordered to pick you up.” he said and noticed Warden Pierce. “And you are?”

“Warden Pierce Travis, i am the Warden of the junior detention center that Nathaniel was sent to. I had a particular fondness of him and came to visit to see how he is progressing.” He explained.

“I see, well the conversation is personally with Nathaniel but we know he has a sister so…” “Don’t worry i have visited a few times and i can take care of her while he is away.” Pierce said.

I looked at him for a moment and turned back, “One moment while i explain to my sister.” I said and he nodded.

I walked back and Sasha was looking out the door.

“What’s going on bro?” She asked a bit timid.

I bend my knees and get at eye level with her, “Don’t worry, I just need to go out a bit, it’s an adult matter so the policeman is going to watch you while I’m gone okay?” I said.

“Okay, I’ll be good.” She nodded and pouted a bit.

“Good, you still have some homework you didn’t finish, go do it and i can check later. If you have any question ask Mr. Pierce okay?” She nods and i kiss her cheek and she hugs me before i get up and walk back out. My smile turns stone faced in the time it took for me to turn. “Okay, we may go.” I said.

They nodded and lead me out and surprisingly into an old 1964 Jeep CJ5.

“Heh, when you have the option to drive in style you should take it.” One of the military man said.

I just sigh and get into the passenger seat while the others get in the back where there was another two people.

They drove me to the west side were a single tent was on the outskirts of town. Like the virtual space this was a special model for military use and entering the tent was followed with appearing in an entire military camp. This took me by shock but i remembered that the military has long since been using virtual reality as a training simulator for real war.

We walked to the largest building in the center of the camp and inside we moved to the highest floor we entered into a room that had three people. One was an older man with military outfit and the Major emblem on his shoulder. He looked to be in his mid sixties and had a military haircut. The second was a woman that had the rank of Specialist, she had long black hair in a ponytail and thick glasses and looked more like a scientist then a soldier. Finally the third person i almost flew at as my rage rapidly built up.

“YOU! WHY ARE YOU HERE!” I shouted in rage at the third person who was the very person i learned of today. Giovanni Castel, CEO of the company LIFE and the man who helped his daughter put me in jail.

The two men behind me quickly grabbed my arms so that i wouldn’t fly at the man who wasn’t even flustered but the Major looked at him.

“You two have met before?” He asked.

“Don’t remember, such a small person, probably not an important matter.” Giovanni said bored.

“Oh yeah very small matter, you paying the judge and jury of that case of false sexual harassment for that bitch daughter of yours is a very small matter, i even heard something interesting today, it seems that even such a small case was placed under classified cases!” I shouted.

“Alright calm down.” The Major said and stood up and got in between me and that man and held his hand out. “I’m Cornelius Oliver Smith, it’s good to meet such a talented young man like you. Do you know why we called you here today?” he asked

Looking at the line up i simply crossed my arms, i may talk but shaking this man’s hand while knowing he was on friendly terms with Giovanni was not happening.

“Besides that asshole lying about how he put me in jail unjustly i don’t know.” I said bluntly.

The Major’s hand stayed in the air for a moment until he realized this wasn’t going to work and withdrew it and gestured to the last remaining seat. “Please sit.” He said.

“I’ll stand, sharing a table with him isn’t happening.” I replied he forced a smile before sitting back in his own seat.

“Okay then, since this isn’t going as smoothly as i hoped I’ll cut to the chase. Through the records of your years of game play we have found that you possess an incredible talent for Mechanics and programming. We also checked your purchase record after a while and found you spend a great deal of it in study material that already matches with a third or fourth year college student. What we want is make a proposition for you.” He said.

“What kind?” I asked looking at him.

“We already know you tried and tested making clockwork robot and a few weapons from the game in your Virtual space. Besides just a surveillance video we don’t know much more about the construction or coding. What we want is for you to join the military technology development group and bring these ingame technologies you have discovered to the real world.” The Major said.

“What's in it for me?” I asked coldly.

“This will fall under as a major military contribution and with it we can remove all the jail time you have left if you work for us and you will be free with two years of military service, your superior would be this young woman that is a specialist in our robotics research facility. One of the things we want to figure out is also mechanical prosthetics which we know exist in the game but we don’t know anyone skilled or with knowledge of the actual technology.” He said.

“I don’t know either, if you want that you can look to him and have someone spawn where the cyborgs that currently hate the clockwork are.” I said and pointed at the man in the suit.

“Well we know that but what you do know are many models of clockwork, including electrical engines that we had no previous knowledge of. Even with Mr. Giovanni providing us the knowledge that it exists, the AI doesn’t release the knowledge from the game even when it’s known.” The Major said.

My eyes move from him to Giovanni and i narrowed my eyes, “What does he get out of this?” I asked.

“Because the game belongs to him, he will naturally have 50% of the rights to all the produced robot's.” The major said.

“Then i am not doing it.” I replied bluntly throwing them off.

“What!” Giovanni growled.

“Are you deaf, i said I. am. Not. doing. It!” I shout at him.

The Major gets up and in between us again before looking at me. “Can you explain why?” He asked seriously.

“Yes, first off this bastard put me in jail to help his bitch of a daughter with false charges. Not only that she was the cause for an accident that left my sister in a wheelchair. Second, he is ‘just’ the CEO of LIFE. He may have more than 50% of the shares but he didn’t program the AI, he sure as hell wasn’t the maker of the game so ‘him’ having 50% of the shares towards the things ‘I’ will build is not happening. If the arrangement is 50% of the lucrative assists go to LIFE i will think more openly about it but 50% of the machines produced after the manufacturing process is discovered, no, that would be giving him military grade equipment and would be the same as allowing him to build an army. I will not provide the weapons for someone that acts like he is almighty being.” I spat out glaring at the man.

“You little brat, you think you're the only ‘genius’ in this game? You think your the most influential and strongest! Think again, there are many others who can do what you do yet we are giving you a chance of a lifetime!”

“Then go find those people for yourself! If there is someone just as good or better than you don’t need me!” I said.

My words infuriated him and he stands and walks over before grabbing my shirt. “You think you're so good don’t you! Don’t forget that your sister's treatment is in my han…”

Spit!

Before he could even finish his words i spit in his face as my own was filled with rage. “You do anything besides healing her legs, I promise you that when i get out what you all want i will give you but it won’t be in the manner you want.” I said and pushed him back and releasing my shirt from his hands. I look at the Major, “Sir, when you remove this idiot from the deal, come talk with me again and i will think about it, if not, please don’t look for me again.” I say and nod to him and the young woman before turning and opening the door and slamming it behind me.

Major Cornelius PoV

I watch as the boy slammed the door and his voice outside came through asking for the men outside which way was the way out. Turning to the man next to me that was wiping the spit off his face i could hear his cursing as he said, “That little shit! I’ll teach him not to mess with someone big!”

From the start to finish the relation between him and the boy ruined it all. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew the boy? Why didn’t you tell me that your daughter did something to him?!” I asked him.

“Such a small matter, why bother mentioning it?” He said.

“Small matter, this ‘small matter’ cost us the most talented player in that world. Do you think this is a joke?! This ‘game’ had one of its objectives to discover geniuses. People that could rebuild a ruined world, someone that could put together technology with hard work, REAL work. You know as much as i do that everything besides the magical technology functions in our world! If Ariel actually allowed us to have all the schematics then we could easily improve our military force and now you by chance, by that 1% chance have a ‘small matter’ with the only person that from start to now has been thinking for himself and only working to figure out what he wants in this world, you go an tell him there are better people just because of a ‘small matter’.” I finally burst and shout in his face.

“What are you saying, that this brat is enough to have you care so much about him, i wasn’t lying, do you think he is the only one to figure out all the technology?! There are countless that learned the mechanics class among the clockwork, why care about this brat?!” Giovanni said.

“Because this ‘brat’ was the one who MADE EVERYTHING the clockworks have!” I shout and point right in his face. “This ‘brat’ was the most adventurous, most ingenious and cautious throughout the entire time, he found and researched each and every piece of technology, you can choose any of those mechanics if you want but they don’t have what this boy has. Talent! Ingenuity! Adaptability!” I said and sat down and drink some water to try and control myself.

“Sir…” the young woman called.

“What Yasmine?” I asked.

“I’m quite curious about what the boy said when he arrived.” She said and looked at Giovanni.

I try to recall what he said and remembered that the first thing he said was about the false charges. “What about it?” I asked.

“Well, a case of Sexual harassment of the scale that i figured this one is wouldn’t fall under confidential cases. I tried to use the system here to access the police records but i am unauthorized to see his file.” She said.

“Why do you want to see the files?” Giovanni asked narrowing his eyes.

“Because i want to see exactly how the trial went, what the evidences against him are. The DNA test of the sperm or the testimonies written explanation, if there are video evidence i want to see it so i was curious i couldn’t.” She said.

I also began to grow curious of this case that had pushed these two to extreme ends so using my own authorization entered into contact with the police records and searched his name but instantly i was blocked. My eyes narrowed instantly, although a Specialist is understandable for not being able to view a police record, to block a Major is a different thing.

“Strange…” I look at Giovanni, “I was also blocked from viewing.”

He frowned upon seeing my look, “Why are you looking at me like that? We have known each other for over 30 years and just because of a brat you are starting to suspect me.” He said.

“I didn’t say anything, you said it yourself.” I replied. I get up and look at Yasmine, “Since this deal broke down, i see no more reason to continue remaining here. You're free to return to work Specialist Yasmine, Giovanni, you can see yourself out.” I said and opened the door and left with Yasmine behind me. Closing the door i look at the soldier beside the door.

“Sir…” Yasmine called as we left. “I want to see if i can investigate this. If the false charges are real then it could end in something quite big.” She said.

I stopped and looked at her, from the records we gained we already knew that there were some people with police authorization that were curious about his case as well.

“There is the Warden of his detention center, from investigation of Nathaniel we found that he became curious about the case after the boy began playing the game, he should have some leads, go check with him privately and see what you can learn, afterwards investigate the Lawyer that represented the boy during the trial, the jury and the judge as well. Also go personally to the courthouse that the folder with the case files are in and try to obtain it. If you can’t see if you can obtain the lawyers authorization to remove it from the courthouse so that it can be examined.” He explained.

“Major seems to be curious about this as well.” She smiled.

“A bit, the boy's demeanor didn’t match what the investigation said he would be like which was quiet and somewhat reclusive. What i saw was hell bet rage the kind you see in someone driven to the end of his sanity and came back. Now go, I’ll get you an official order of temporary leave so that you can do this for me.” He said and she saluted.