"This energy conversion and storage combination core reactor that is currently installed into my mechanical body, so that it can move. I want another one installed into my body running in both parallel and independently for redundancy!"
AI: Analyzing... analyzing... a custom upgrade with this configuration can be done.
The AI was analyzing done right when, Roger reached base camp.
The AI was still speaking even as Roger went and sold the remainder half of the 4/10 Salamander corpse. The only reason why he had been only able to kill 10 and not 12 Salamander was due to the time it took him to travel back and forth when selling the first 6 before deleting his energy levels and coming back.
AI: The estimated cost of this upgrade is expected to be 25,000 alliance credits. Expect each of your following standard upgrades to at least double in price.
Here you might be thinking he is making to much money, but he is currently in one of the highest grade danger zones of this Danger world level 1, and you have to realize that this is only the beginning as one would like to call it a tutorial zone. As the prices of upgrades goes up, you have to imagine it like the rice and chess board scenario. Where you have 1 grain of rice on the first box of 64 and it doubles all the way until the end. Though of course, it wouldn't reach that far.
As Roger was selling his loot, he had a happy expression on his face, seeing his bank account numbers going up. But as soon as the AI quoted the estimate for his first upgrade, his face darken and he almost fell to the ground.
At first, he felt like he was in heaven, but immediately fell face flat and landed in hell.
"Why does it cost so much? I read on the Galactic forums a normal custom upgrade usually cost twice as much as a standard one, and that the first upgrade is usually the cheapest. But why does mine cost 5 times as much?"
The AI immediately replied.
AI: Because your request is ridiculous, you are lucky that it is only your first upgrade. Otherwise if you requested such a thing for your grade E mechanical at any other stage it wouldn't only cost you 25,000 credits, but astronomically more. In fact, most likely you wouldn't be allowed to request anymore custom upgrades due to the interferences, this upgrade would create.
"I wouldn't even dare, to imagine about the cost of another custom modification upgrade."
AI: The reason why I said you might not be able to add anymore customize upgrades, of course unless you are willing to shell out the necessary amounts of credits... Is due to the limited space in the Upgradeable Grade E basic Mechanical Body. Basically, you were asking to fit in 2 hearts into 1 body and not only do they have to work independently of one another, it also has to work in parallel, as well meaning we would have to double your energy channels as well, or one can say it as doubling the amount of blood vessels in one's body.
Looks like I might have been asking for to much. Thought Roger.
AI: Are you still willing to go through with this upgrade?
Even though Roger had slight hesitation he still said, "Lets, do this!"
AI: Please head back through the portal and return to the Continental Ark Ship # XXXXXX9. Upgrades cannot be completed at base camp.
Roger once again stepped back through the portal, and was guided to the upgrading area on the spacecraft. What he didn't know was that he was actually the first one to get an upgrade, and that for being first he had a 50% discount, otherwise it would have costed him 50,000 credits. In which case he couldn't afford. 50,000 credits was actually the full price of a new Upgradeable Grade E Basic Mechanical Body, basically if someone destroyed their body and instead of waiting a month to get a new one, they can cut the line by paying this amount.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Time until upgrade finishes... 48 hours.
...
Danger world level 1, mountainous region danger level E yellow.
These days the people of Earth liked to call themselves "players" as if they were playing a game. They would gather in groups, and some would even party up, meaning that they would be working together to hunt monsters and gather materials, then sharing the loot.
There would be no need to worry about the division of loot and credit obtained from selling said items. As the governing AI, would automatically distribute it base on either the amount of work one did, or the equal split option.
But still even then, all is not good in the world. As conflicts could still arise. As it did today.
A group of players was currently guarding a cave that seemed to have been dug through the mountains.
Anyone who gets close by were shoo away by the group.
"Hey! What are you looking at! Go away!" Said one of the thugs.
"This is our hunting ground! Now scam!" Said another.
"Huh?! We don't own the place? Well, we do now!"
People were being chased away one after the other. Through just sheer intimidation.
"Watch! It don't make me remember you!"
The group was intently guarding the cave.
Suddenly, a girl wearing a yellow hanfu dress showed up in front of the cave. She was 4 foot 11 inches. Had long beautiful straight black hair and was wielding two swords one in each of her hands.
Hanfu is a traditional chinese dress from the Han Dynasty, that one would often see people wearing on television shows that showcased a cultivation drama.
"What you looking at little girl?!" Said one of the thugs.
The girl suddenly looked tick off.
"Girls, your age should be back home studying! Now leave!" Said another.
Even though, they were saying all those mean words. That didn't actually mean they could do anything to anyone. In fact, that was in truth, all they could have done.
The governing AI, that monitors each and everyone of them is designed to prevent assault against fellow mechanical bodies, not only that the AI prevents them from harming any citizen from the Galactic Alliance.
The girl wasn't actually intimidated at all by their provocations.
Though, the guards to the cave might seem spread out but it was in fact very well guarded. Leaving very little room to break through, without being shoved back.
The girl that was in front of the thugs suddenly made a strange movement.
She was currently hopping up and down ever so lightly.
"Aw, kiddy girl are you trying to dance for us. How nice of you. Hahahaha." Laughed one of the guards.
Within a split second, the girl sudden disappeared!
The guards were looking up and down, left and right. Yet, they didn't see her.
Then one of them shouted.
"She is behind us!"
"What! How?"
They had looks of shock coming from their faces.
Unbeknownst, to them the girl wearing the yellow hanfu dress, had weaved through them, from their blind spots.
"Stop her!"
"It is too late, she has already entered the cave."
It was a standard dark cave, but with the mechanical body she could still see as though it was day time. The walls was ragged, while the top and bottom of the cave inside the mountains was filled with stalagmites and stalactites.
She was currently standing on top of a stalagmite on one foot, while looking at her surroundings.
There she saw what monsters were inside the cave. It was a giant size ant, roughly 3 feet in length and 1 feet wide. It had pincers come out from its jaws.
Every time its pincers hit against each other, it made a steel clanking sound.
"Clank, Clank, Clank."
One could tell if they managed to get a bite of you, you be losing an arm or a leg.
Even still, when faced with such a situation, she showed no fear.
She leaped off the stalagmite, and ran across the wall. As graceful as a butterfly she took off from the side of the wall, with her two sword she spun like a wheel and sliced off the Ant's head.
As soon as she took the head off the first Ant, she glided towards the next and right into a group and finished them all off. She was being really efficient in manipulating her energy. It didn't matter much if she killed more then 6, and not collect the rest. Though, it didn't reward as much credits as an actual corpse, a registered kill still nets some credit.
She is the definition of what they called "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."
In fact her alias, she was known as the Yellow Butterfly.
"It is not the same." The girl said out loud and with teary eyes.
"I miss the guild."
"And, I miss Uncl..., I mean Big Brother Roger."