CHAPTER 154: BIRTH OF EVER (I)

Creating the Bladecore Humanoid Mech was far, far more difficult than Everlearn ever expected.

And as for the most difficult part:

Everlearn sat quietly at the white glass table, his eyes locked on the microscope’s objective lenses, where a tiny glass slide held an equally tiny chip on the stage.

In both hands, he held a really tiny stick-like iron fragment, and with his neck hunched over, he continued quietly poking at the tech chip for more than 8 hours before,

FLICCCCKKKERR

A brilliant flicker of light shone out from the chip, and all of his movement froze.

He watched, his body still, as the light continued to shine from the chip before it dimmed.

The second it balanced back, Everlearn picked it up with the metal forks, placing it higher up while turning the microscope.

In his eyes, he could see tiny circuitry blue spots over lines of gold.

He studied it quietly for a while before he brought it away from beneath the stage

"Hey, help!" he suddenly called out a moment later.

WHIIIIIR

The sound of whirring echoed out from behind him.

It was a robot, less than 20 centimeters tall, shaped like an egg with two fork-like arms and tires for legs.

"Help here, ready to help!"

A mechanical voice echoed out from the tiny robot.

"Grab me a handkerchief..."

"Order received. According to Help’s database, handkerchiefs possess basic qualities that Host must indicate to get optimal success."

It said, and Everlearn raised an eyebrow.

"Do you wish to get a soft or a hard handkerchief?" Help asked.

"Get me a soft one," Everlearn replied.

"Used or unused?" Everlearn’s brow wavered in irritation.

"An unused one. Right now... go get it already."

"What exact color do you want? According to my database..."

"Fuck your database! Get me a fucking handkerchief, any color."

"Curse word recognized. The host seems to be in an annoyed state of health. Perhaps, you may need a soda?"

He clapped his forehead in exasperation.

"I don’t need a soda. Help. I need a handkerchief..."

"Okay. Help will now go get a handkerchief..."

It said, and like a tiny cat, it quietly zoomed forward, bouncing into the table where a couple of handkerchiefs lay.

Its hand elongated, and it yanked one off quickly, returning to Everlearn.

"Here, Host. Help has now helped! Hurray!" it said, and Everlearn’s eyes twitched unconsciously as he looked at the handkerchief laid in his hands.

"Just what did I drink the day I made you?" he mused to himself before shaking that off.

He placed the chip in the handkerchief, gently wiping off the liquid on the surface.

With the liquid wiped off, what lay in Everlearn’s hands was now a tiny blue chip.

This was the AI assistance he planned to merge with BladeCore Humanoid.

And speaking of his BladeCore Humanoid Mech

In the next moment, Everlearn rose to his feet.

Reaching the center of the room, he tapped his leg on the floor, and light immediately bloomed into a glassy circle around him.

"Hey, system?" he called out, and in the next moment, an object appeared right before Everlearn.

It was a humanoid-shaped Mech, standing five meters tall, more than twice Everlearn’s height.

Compared to standard Mechs, it was exceptionally slim, with a narrow frame that emphasized speed rather than brute strength.

The body was made of crystal-clear blue nano-panels.

The arms were smooth and solid, without digits or circular appendages, thick and strong like broadswords.

The head was a smooth helmet with precise curves, with glowing blue lines running along the sides where ears would be.

Those weren’t ornamental esigns.

When Everlearn designed this, he had nothing but aerodynamics and efficiency in his head.

He wanted a form that minimizes air resistance and maximizes mobility, and this was the result.

The Bladecore humanoid, an Ironic name as it did not hold a blade, and its hands had no fingers capable of gripping one.

It remained unmoving, but Everlearn moved.

Raising his hands, he tapped once on the Mech’s chest, and its nanosurface rippled, revealing a deeper interior filled with glowing circuit lines.

There was no single wiring within the mech.

At the center of the chest, there was a small gap, one that fit almost perfectly with the chip Everlearn held in his hand, and he gently brought it to that space, using slight strength to push it in deeper.

The moment the blue chip made contact with the circuitry, the lines started glowing.

The space covered itself, and Everlearn unconsciously took a step back away from the Mech.

WHIIIIIIR

Silent whirring echoed, and neon lights traced the Mech’s smooth surface.

FLICCKKERRR

An even brighter flicker of light appeared as the helmet-shaped face of the mech glowed, a triangular light on its face which demarcated its eyes.

It blinked twice, darkening and flickering, before it focused directly on Everlearn.

Silence descended.

A chilling sense, but through it,

BAAADUUUMP!

BAAADUUUMP!

BAADUUUUMP!

The sound of the heart pounding loudly echoed throughout the room, and it came from none other than Everlearn.

The silence stretched for about ten seconds before words finally echoed out.

"Hello, Everlearn Snowfall."

It was a crystal-clear, gentle voice that seemed to be carried directly to Everlearn’s ear, leaving him numbed.

The pounding of his heart crazily increased, but he reined down his excitement as he ordered:

"Introduce yourself."

"Yes, Everlearn. I am Ever..." As it said this, the smooth hands rose beneath its chest as it delivered a princely bow.

"The Ultimate AI meant to be implanted into the first-ever mech made by Everlearn Snowfall, the Everlight Mech!"

’It even knows the implanted name within the chip center memory.’ Everlearn observed.

"My sole function is to let you, Everlearn Snowfall, pilot the Everlight Mech at full capacity, instantly activating all systems on command and performing external reconnaissance, sending feedback on every module’s status to you!"

"I now await your next order."

It said, and Everlearn remained lost for words, remaining standing until the system panel flashed:

║Congratulations on Creating Your First True Mech! ║

Everlearn’s leg lost its strength from that notification, and he collapsed onto both knees, head drooping low.

"It worked. It finally worked."