Chapter 10: The Shocking Appearance of GoldieTron

"Crazy, don't lose it today—come sing with me instead. I've lined up some cute girls, and I'll introduce you. Keep this up, and you'll still be a virgin when we graduate high school!"

Mark struck a dramatic pose, acting like some kind of savior, but Finn just shook his head. Here we go again with the virgin jabs. "Nah, I can't skip my workout."

Once it became a habit, missing a day of training left Finn feeling restless.

This time, Mark got serious. "Look, we're bros, and this is the last time I'll say it: that girl's not for you. Love's a double-edged sword—you'll just sink deeper. Be careful."

Finn gave Mark's shoulder a hearty clap, appreciating the concern. He knew Mark meant well, but Finn had his own path.

Watching Finn walk off, Mark sighed and rubbed his shoulder. Ouch, that stung! Shrugging it off, he headed out to find some comfort in a girl's arms.

Not long after leaving school, a sleek Mercedes KLR5 pulled up beside Finn. The window slid down, revealing Taylor Lynn's angelic smile. "Finn, right?"

Even with his usual cool-headedness, Finn felt a twinge of nerves. Taylor Lynn's sharp gaze caught it, and a flicker of disappointment crossed her mind.

"Yeah, Taylor Lynn, right? What's up?" The nerves didn't last long, quickly giving way to a quiet excitement.

"Heh, get in. Let's talk."

The driver hopped out and opened the door. Finn didn't hesitate, sliding into the roomy back seat. A soundproof partition rose, leaving just the two of them. It was Finn's first time this close to a girl, and her faint perfume teased his senses.

They sat there, eyes locked. The moment Finn stepped in, Taylor Lynn felt a jolt—like her soul quivered. He exuded an intense pressure, though she masked it well. He looks so ordinary. Why does he feel like this?

She couldn't tell if it was her imagination.

Finally, she broke the silence with a graceful smile. "Finn, next Sunday is my birthday. I'm throwing a small party—would you like to come?"

As the words left her lips, she felt oddly… submissive. Why am I even doing this?

The sudden invite caught Finn off guard, but he didn't lose it like he might've pictured. "I'd be honored to be invited. I'll definitely be there on time."

Even after stepping out of the car, Finn felt like he was in a daze. He stared at the golden invitation in his hand, adorned with a real diamond. GAD doesn't mess around.

Once his brain kicked back into gear, questions flooded in. How does Taylor Lynn know me? Why invite me? What am I supposed to do at a party like that? What do I wear?

The worries piled up. Good luck can be a hassle too. Finn decided to burn it off with some exercise.

He unlocked Mark's place—Mark was out, probably chasing girls till midnight. Finn cranked the gravity machine to 4x and stepped inside, shirtless. Only at 4x did he feel any real resistance, but today, his mind was buzzing too much to settle.

As he reached for the dumbbells, a sharp flash tore through his head, and he crumpled. A faint glow seeped from his skin.

Self-diagnosis: Recovery slow. Activating sensory system…

Host detection: Low-level, stable condition. Planning initiated.

Connection… Host's desire: Become a powerful mobile suit pilot. Receiving… Configuring… Entering simulated combat mode… Countdown: 3, 2, 1. Activate!

Finn wasn't out cold. Instead, he found himself in a vast, open space. He pinched himself—no pain. Am I dreaming?

After surviving a meteor strike, a little weirdness was no big deal.

The place felt both real and unreal, like some full-immersion virtual space—almost like Cosmic War.

"Anyone here? Say something if you are."

…

Squeak.

A sudden noise made Finn jump. He spun around to see a round, winged metal ball—a robot toy.

"Whoa, was that you squeaking?" The robot nodded obediently.

"Greetings, great master. I am Maya KFBT Toy, 8th Generation, serial number 9638. You may call me GoldieTron."

The robot spoke in a stiff, formal tone.

Finn's mind raced. Am I dreaming? Is this a hallucination? He reached for GoldieTron but grabbed nothing.

"Where am I? How did I get here? What's Maya? What's KFBT? What are you?" Panic surged, but his gut told him this was tied to the meteor and his recent changes.

"Master, Maya is a civilization originating from Earth, the most powerful force in the cosmic plane. I am a product of Maya civilization. KFBT is my model, meaning Fully Intelligent Battle Control Training Educational Toy. GoldieTron is your toy."

Finn's grades might've tanked, but he wasn't clueless. Earth was right, but there was no "Maya civilization" like this. Sure, there was an ancient Maya culture, but nothing that could build this. And who names a toy "Fully Intelligent Battle Control Training Educational"? It didn't add up.

Still, he got the idea: this thing was from another civilization. Earth was probably just a translation glitch. The real question was, why am I here?

"Uh, GoldieTron, am I inside your space? Can you send me back?"

God, I don't want to be abducted by aliens. At least let me die under a pretty girl or something.

"Apologies, master. The system has detected your request and initiated the training program. You must remain in this space until training is complete. The time ratio here is 10:1 compared to reality."

GoldieTron's voice stayed mechanical.

Finn felt woozy. When did I ask for this? And as the master, shouldn't I have some say?

"GoldieTron, since I'm the master, can I, uh, postpone the training for later?"

Crackle.

"Apologies, master. Due to severe damage during the parallel universe traversal, your request cannot be fulfilled. Please choose to wait or proceed with training."