Chapter 89- New Gadgets

Some time later, after a grueling series of tests, the Sentinel powered down, its systems cooling off after the intense workout. Rion wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart still racing from the satisfaction of watching the machine perform so flawlessly.

Wrenches and soldering irons lay strewn across the metal-plated floor of the workshop, tangled between half-finished components and the occasional stray bolt. The overhead lights cast a pale glow over the controlled chaos, illuminating spare parts haphazardly scattered across the scarred surface of the workbench.

It was an organized mess, one that only a mechanic like him could appreciate—each piece exactly where he expected it to be, even if an outsider might call it clutter.

With practiced efficiency, he set to work clearing the space, his movements fluid and methodical. His tools clattered into the large, reinforced cart beside him, each tool briefly inspected for wear before being set aside.

As he reached for the last few scattered components, his fingers brushed against the cool, metallic surface of the remaining Alin-12 plating scraps. These particular pieces hadn't made the cut—some bore minor defects, subtle stress fractures that rendered them unsuitable for the final version of the Sentinel.

Rion exhaled sharply, rolling one of the plates over in his hands. By all logic, they were useless, dead weight taking up valuable space. But throwing them away felt wasteful. His mind ticked through possible applications—reinforcement plating for smaller constructs, custom shielding for delicate mechanisms, maybe even something experimental.

With a reluctant shrug, he tossed the plates into the cart, mentally tagging them for later consideration.

The workbench now clear, Rion wheeled the cart toward the door, pausing only to grab his phone from the charging port. He glanced around the workshop one last time before pushing the door open.

As he stepped into the hallway, he nearly bumped into Vance, who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and waiting.

"You done playing with your toys, Forger?" Vance's asked, voice was filled with its usual mix of amusement and curiosity.

"Yeah, all finished. For now," Rion replied, fishing through the pile of gear in his cart. After a few seconds, he pulled out a sleek, glistening black assault rifle. The dark weapon gleamed under the workshop's overhead lights, its refined body sporting sharp edges and faint engravings that gave it a more sophisticated look.

Vance's eyes widened. "Whoa, that's a beauty," he said, reaching out eagerly. Rion handed the rifle over, watching as Vance inspected it, running his fingers over the surface like a kid admiring a new toy.

"She handles even better than she looks," Rion said as Vance turned the rifle over, clearly impressed.

Vance whistled under his breath as he hefted the rifle, testing its weight and balance. "I can tell," he said, his admiration evident. "What did you do to her?"

Rion smirked, his hands adjusting the cart as he gave Vance a casual rundown of the upgrades. "Well, first, I modified the barrel with reinforced titania. It's heat-resistant, so you won't have to worry about it overheating when you inevitably get trigger-happy. I also tweaked the recoil compensator and added a smart tracking scope. The scope syncs with the ATVS I sold you, so you'll have enhanced targeting, even in low-visibility conditions. You know, just a little something extra to give you an edge."

Vance blinked, his expression growing more and more vacant as Rion rattled off the technical details. Eventually, he gave a slow nod, though it was painfully obvious he hadn't understood half of what was said.

Rion clicked his tongue in irritation. "You absolute Neanderthal," he muttered, shaking his head as he grabbed the rifle back from Vance.

"Hey, just because I don't speak nerd doesn't mean I don't appreciate good craftsmanship," Vance shot back, though there was no real bite to his words.

As they walked down the corridor, Rion sighed and decided to break it down in simpler terms. "Alright, listen. I made it tougher, faster, and more accurate. The weight's been reduced without losing any firepower, so it'll be easier for you to handle in close combat too. Basically, you can shoot more, miss less, and not worry about your gun melting in your hands."

Vance snapped his fingers. "See? Now that I understand." He took the rifle back, testing the grip. "Man, you should've just led with that."

"Yeah, well, I keep hoping you'll evolve," Rion said dryly, nudging the cart forward.

Vance chuckled, shouldering the rifle as they continued down the hall. "Nah, I like being a simple man with simple pleasures—like shooting things with fancy guns made by my genius mechanic friend."

"Well, try not to get too attached. You still owe me," Rion said with a grin as they continued out the corridor and onto the streets.

The city was alive with moment—mercenaries, retainers and traders going about their business. The hum of their conversation mixed with the distant hum of energy generators powering the flickering neon signs that were above large stores.

They reached a crossroads where the path branched into various sections of the compound. Rion halted and turned to Vance. "I've still got a couple more deliveries to make. You know, the others want their toys too." He patted the side of the cart, indicating the remaining weapons and gear inside. "Don't forget to send the rest of the payment."

Vance groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Come on, Forger. We're already brothers, aren't we? Is there any need for… what's the word… formalities?"

Rion's response was immediate, dripping with sarcasm. "Brothers, huh? Well, even among brothers, all debts need to be settled. Or does the father of the year here want to scam a poor, struggling mechanic trying to make an honest living? Wonder what Ilya will say about that." He put a hand over his heart mockingly, giving Vance an exaggerated pout.

Vance's sighed in exasperation as he threw his head back. "Forger, can you not always use my daughter to blackmail me? It's starting to get old."

Rion grinned, relishing the reaction. "Old, maybe, but effective. Besides, I'm just trying to ensure Ilya's old dad keeps his promises."

Vance shook his head, grumbling as he slung the rifle over his shoulder. "Fine, fine. I'll send the rest of the payment as soon as I get back."

"Atta boy," Rion said, smirking as he adjusted the weight of his cart and started moving down another road. "Now get out of here before I charge you extra for emotional labor."

"Yeah, yeah."

A long while later, after Rion delivered all his commissions, he pushed the cart back to his room and went back down to the cafeteria. The smell of the cafeteria food had hit him the moment he entered, making his stomach grumble louder than expected. He'd piled his tray with as much as he could fit: stacks of protein-rich meat, rice, some veggies—because, you know, balanced diet—and a couple of those weird energy bars they had started handing out to cultivators.

He scarfed everything down quickly, barely pausing for breath. His body was still going through those "growing pains" that he couldn't fully shake, and his appetite followed suit. It didn't help that activating his Resonance for a long period of time burnt through calories like nobody's business.

Plates vanished from his table within minutes, drawing amused glances from nearby mercenaries and retainers. Some still seemed surprised by his appetite, their raised eyebrows betraying their curiosity. Rion barely spared them a thought. Sinev he'd figured out that it would take some time for his appetite to get back to normal, he'd stopped caring about others' opinions on his eating habits—survival and efficiency always came first.

Back in his quarters, Rion closed the door behind him and stood still for a moment, feeling the satisfying weight of a full belly.

The room was well lit, the faint hum of the ventilation system filling the silence. He exhaled, rolling his shoulders before turning to the cart. It had been a long day, and his mind was still running through potential adjustments for his future projects.

With a sigh, he started unpacking. Apart from the tools, and stuff like spent bullet casings, there were four new gears in the cart; a pair of boots, a bunch of spherical objects, a small square plate, and a small device.

Rion's gaze lingered on the boots for a moment as he carefully removed them from the cart. The G-boots were his pride and joy—a culmination of countless hours spent tinkering. They looked inconspicuous enough at first glance, painted a subtle gray to match any environment.

At their core, however, was a marvel of engineering. The frame was built into the structure of an ordinary pair of work boots, giving them the appearance of everyday footwear, but it was far from that.

The exterior had been reinforced with a lightweight yet durable composite material. He had taken the boots to a shoemaker in town to integrate breathable knit material into the upper portion, ensuring airflow while maintaining the necessary flexibility.

The shoemaker had also added a spongy cushion lining to improve comfort and support, allowing Rion to wear the boots during downtime and battles alike without ever drawing suspicion.

The outer layer concealed advanced components that allowed high-speed movement when activated, and despite the heavy technology packed inside, it remained comfortable. He had been struck by inspiration when putting the finishing touches on the boot's design, and integrated trace amounts of a very expensive primer called Vibromium into the sole, thereby incorporating a nifty ability into it.

While this secondary ability did slightly reduce the overall efficiency of the boots' main function due to energy constraints, and would only be usable under the enhancement of [Overclock Mode] to mitigate risks, it was a tradeoff Rion could live with. Its surprise element could potentially catch enemies off guard.

They'll never see it coming, he thought with satisfaction, placing the boots aside.

Next, he picked up the small, spherical objects from the cart. These were sonic bombs, which he had bought off the Normos Family store, but of course, his professional ethics dictated that he couldn't leave them unmodified. Each bomb had been designed to emit a high-frequency sound wave upon detonation, capable of disorienting anyone within a certain radius.

The shockwave from the sonic blast wouldn't just affect the ears; it could temporarily scramble an opponent's equilibrium, leaving them off-balance and vulnerable. Rion had tweaked them to extend their range and amplify their effects, ensuring that a well-placed throw could take any enemies caught in their blast radius out of commission for precious seconds.

Back on Macipher, sonic weapons were considered an effective, non-lethal way to handle crowd control, especially when dealing with volatile chuzkah. The Planetary Guard often relied on these devices as their go-to measure when fluid projectors failed, since they didn't carry the same risks of collateral damage.

However, for those like Rion who lived on the fringes of Macipher's society, sonic weapons became a way of life. Since they were regularly exposed to the Guard's tactics, it was only a matter of time before they got their hands on detailed schematics, a few decommissioned models, and even blueprints, stuff that made his job of redesigning the bombs much easier.

After placing the sonic bombs in a side pouch, he grabbed the seismic detector. It was a compact device, no larger than a handheld radio, with a series of dials and an antenna protruding from its top. He'd bought it from the Normos Family store for one specific reason—their upcoming mission to the secret base. There was always the risk of buried traps or hidden threats beneath the surface, especially in an area known for its treacherous terrain and rival factions.

The seismic detector would help him pick up on any underground movement or pressure changes, alerting him to potential dangers. It was precise enough to detect footsteps if someone were trying to ambush them from below.

Of course, even a perfectly calibrated seismic detector had its limitations. It was designed for sensitive detection, but the environments they'd be navigating were anything but predictable. Between the ever-shifting terrain and the rival factions having their own means, Rion knew he'd have to stay one step ahead.