Fire and Robots

Exiting the warehouse, Wesley felt the weight of the world momentarily lift from his shoulders. The drive back to his apartment was a blur, his mind still racing with the implications of their recent breakthroughs and the fervor they had ignited worldwide. As he navigated the familiar streets of Dallas, the cityscape seemed almost surreal, a stark contrast to the cutting-edge environment he'd just left behind.

Upon reaching his apartment, Wesley moved with a sense of urgency that had become second nature to him. The building's familiar contours provided a semblance of normalcy, a brief respite from the whirlwind of innovation and controversy that surrounded him. Stepping inside, he made his way directly to his room, the sanctuary where many of his ideas had first taken shape.

After closing the door, he sat down at his desk and called open his system. Looking at his KP balance, it had surpassed what it was previously at. Currently sitting at 15,000,000 KP. Thus it was time to buy some new things. The first thing Wesley wanted to buy was regarding manpower. For personal use, for his plans, or for miscellaneous tasks. Wesley needed people; however, people can betray him, and loyalty can only go so far without impacting free will. Thus Wesley wanted to buy knowledge regarding Advanced Robotics. While the minerva simulation has made leaps and bounds in this particular field. Wesley wanted the robots to be a little more human like to give himself and the people around them a better feeling about such robots. This way, he could also give Orion and other AI's the ability to have a physical presence alongside the digital realm. Thus scrolling through the system Wesley found it:

[Advanced Robotics] KP: 5,000,000 

The price was steep but he immediately purchased it and the information began to assimilate into his mind quickly. Upon receiving the new information, he felt satisfied where he could take the advancements of such Robots. The next thing he wanted to purchase was regarding the Wisps. Currently he only had the WIsp of Conversion, which was extremely convenient, for the future. Thus he decided that it was time he focused more on a combat oriented Wisp. Wesley realized that while having others or his technology to aid him in his protection and his family. He needed to be fully capable of doing this himself. Thus scrolling through the shop:

[Wisp of Air]

[Wisp of Fire]

[Wisp of Water]

[Wisp of Earth]

[Wisp of Speed]

[Wisp of Light]

[Wisp of Detonation]

....

Looking through the list, the Wisps varied in all sorts of directions, whether element related, to specific combat style or weapons, or more abstract forms of combat. However for the time being Wesley wanted something that would be easier to control and can manipulate rather easily. Thus Wesley's interest was piqued looking at the description of the [Wisp of Fire].

[Wisp of Fire] KP: 4,000,000

Details: The ability to manipulate fire to the user's imagination, a dance with flames, being able to conjure flames beyond the mere physical realm. 

The ability to manipulate fire could be a great tool in causing damage to enemies in a rather quick manner, but the part that interested him the most was the fact that the abilities limitation was more on the user than the ability itself. Alongside the fact that the fire goes beyond just the physical boundary. Quickly confirming the purchase, the knowledge began to flow into his mind, just as the robotics information made its way into his mind. 

After gaining the knowledge, Wesley had a big smile appear on his face. Excited to test his new abilities out, thinking this, he immediately grabbed the VR visor to enter the Minerva Simulation and to visit the Research city. 

"Vex, I have some new information for you to use for the city." Wesley stated as he spawned within Research city. 

[Vex] "Oh thank you sir! We have made significant progress that I would love to show you!" Vex said in an excited tone. 

"Haha, I am excited to see but we will take care of that later. I am going to be testing out some new powers I have gained. Please scan my mind to download the information."

[Vex] "Yes sir, on it" Quickly scanning Wesley's mind for new information, see the new information regarding advanced robotics and his new Wisp of Fire power. Using this, he immediately sent it to his researchers throughout the city to begin adjusting their research promptly. 

After this, Wesley moved out of the city to an open field, "Orion, can you turn this field into a practice area for me to test my powers?" Wesley asked with a hint of excitement.

[Orion] "Yes sir", then immediately below Wesley's feet, he noticed the ground began to transition from lush grass, to a hard clay surface that began to expand further into a giant rectangle, about the size of a football field. Around the perimeter of the field were Dojo-like pillars that were all connected at the top, sectioning off the area, giving it an ancient feel to practice his new powers. 

As Wesley positioned himself at the center of the clay practice field, the weight of the knowledge he had acquired pressed upon his mind. With a deep concentration, he extended his hand, and from the depths of his newfound understanding, a small flame flickered to life in his palm. Under his command, the flame oscillated in size, swelling into a formidable blaze before condensing back into a tiny ember, a dance of fire at the whim of its master.

Wesley's control extended beyond mere size; he delved into the very essence of the flame, manipulating its heat intensity. The flame transitioned from a warm orange to a mesmerizing deep green, a testament to the extreme temperatures he could command. He knew the potential for even darker hues existed, indicative of fiercer heat, but his current mastery over this power set limits to his exploration.

Over the ensuing few months within the simulation, Wesley dedicated himself to mastering his new power. This period of intense practice and discovery revealed three pivotal aspects of his abilities. Firstly, the versatility of the fire was boundless. It could manifest as a destructive fireball, a beacon of light, a fiery blade, or any form Wesley could conceive. The fire was an extension of his will, limited only by his imagination and control.

The second revelation came when Wesley found harmony between his movements and the flame. It was not just about mental command but a synchronization with the physical self. As he moved, the fire responded, weaving and shaping itself in accordance with his gestures. This dance with the flame eased the mental strain of maintaining control, allowing Wesley's body to guide the fire's form and action, creating a ballet of destruction and beauty.

The most profound insight, however, was the realization that this was no ordinary fire. Wesley hypothesized that the infusion of mana into the flames breathed a form of 'life' into them, transforming the elemental fire into something more sentient, capable of bending to the user's will. This ethereal quality of the flames meant they could transcend physical damage, reaching into the metaphysical realm to touch the mind itself. Wesley speculated that with further mastery, these flames could potentially affect thoughts, emotions, or even the soul, making wisp of fire not just a tool of physical might but a conduit for deeper, more profound influence.

[Orion] "Sir, it has been a full day in reality, you need to eat and have a break, then we can continue further in the simulation." Orion alerted Wesley, breaking him out of his deep concentration in the training area. 

"Oh wow, I wasn't even paying attention to such a thing. Thank you for reminding me, Orion." Wesley said with a smile on his face, grateful for his AI companion, and for the insights he has discovered recently. Quickly logging out Wesley, caught up with events in the real world on his phone, contacted his parents and sister to catch up with them and then grabbed some food while he was out and about. 

Quickly returning back to his room to continue his time in the Minerva Simulation. Right now the Minerva simulation needed his entire focus, because very soon, things would begin to ramp up with his plans so he needed to have everything ready for the right moment. Thus entering the Research city to focus on his technological advancements after spending so much time on his powers. 

"Sorry for getting so distracted Vex, what was it that you wanted to show me last time and update me on the advancements that have now been made within the Robotics division." Wesley asked politely.

[Vex] "Of course sir, oh where should I begin…." "Oh! I know! Let us look at our 3D Atomic printers, or what we like to call them.. Molecular Fabricators." Vex said with an ecstatic tone.

"Haha alright, show me what you got." Wesley said with an amused smile on his face. 

Then immediately various holographic displays appeared before Wesley where it displayed the details of how the Molecular Fabricator worked and how it functions. The Fabricator was rather large, but the design was different from other 3D printers he has seen. It had a large square base where at the end had a small wall that supported the top portion of the fabricator, that hung over the base. The top portion of the fabricator did not have a pointer that started from a certain position and created whatever 3D model like most 3D printers on market. Rather, the fabricator's whole top was the pointer, the top portion would lay directly against the base, and as it began its process it would slowly elevate creating the desired product as it rises up. Wesley watched the whole process on the screen before him and was very impressed. This could be used to create all the products he would be releasing in the future, and would save a lot of time collecting resources. 

Next after the molecular fabricator, Vex showed Wesley something he was very interested in. Taking inspiration from Wesley's power. They needed something to convert or recycle materials to use within the fabricator, this way they no longer needed to rely on Wesley's powers. Similar to the fabricator, was the Molecular Transitioner, which looked like a rectangular box. In the middle of the machine was a fast paced conveyor belt, where the trash, or unwanted material would be placed upon the belt, then moved through the machine where millions of lasers, target the material and break down the material at a molecular level, then rebuilding it to the desired output, all within a matter of seconds. 

Vex then showed Wesley the recent developments of the Robotics division. Previously because of nanotechnology, the robots already had a somewhat human appearance but still needed improvement, the other issue was power and strength. While nanotechnology had some many benefits, having the robot be able to lift thousands or tons or run faster than a race car was still an issue in the development. However all of this was solved upon receiving the information from Wesley. The power problem was resolved in an interesting manner. Using Nuclear fusion, they were able to create miniature reactors the size of human heart to power the robots. The problem most scientists ran into with regards to the size of nuclear fusion has never been the actual size of the reactor but the efficiency of the size and the connecting system to it, that have caused the size to increase. However with the advancements in Research city and the knowledge gained by Wesley this issue was solved very quickly. The strength problem was resolved in 3 different ways. Firstly, the body of the robot is merely a vessel for the AI to control. Secondly besides nanotechnology, the body was made out of polymers, and alloys created by the researchers, creating an almost skeletal system to the robots allowing for an impressive power to weight ratio. Lastly, was creating robotic muscle like fibers that were mixed alongside the developed alloys. This way, similar to a human, the robot could expand or contract its body to allow for great control and output of strength.