Michael rose to his feet, his gaze transfixed on his hands as if he were viewing them for the first time. He couldn't help but notice a profound change. His left fingers, once mangled and contorted in various unnatural positions, had been miraculously healed without his knowledge.
Even his broken ribs that gave him senses of discomfort and occasional spasm as they poked his internal organs had stopped, replace by a sense of surprising comfort!
The wound on Michael's wrist had been a deep, bleeding gash, but now it was as if it had never been there. The skin had knit itself back together, and the tissue had reformed seamlessly, as if he had never been injured in the first place.
Every scar on his body had also cleared and he also saw his skin was as smooth as a synthetic skin and there was a leathery feeling to it as though they had gotten thicker.
Clenching his fist, he could feel a strange energy building up inside him, a force that seemed to be coalescing within his body. As he tightened his grip, the air within his fist seemed to compress, until it exploded outwards with a sudden boom, creating a muffled sound of sir collapsing that reverberated through the room.
"Pa!"
The force of it shook the air slightly, it's kinetic force transforming into potential energy as it faded.
"What the hell!?" The confusion didn't clear from his eyes. Was he supposed to possess such strength at the beginning? Also, what was up with the excruciating pain? It wasn't something any creature alive could stand!
Even one with decreased low pain receptor lowered to the 10% would have undoubtedly died.
Another was the cellular exhaustion. If it weren't for that cell-regenerative serum, he would have most certainly died at this moment.
Taking the serum alone would have exploded his cell from too much energy and merging with the Modifier would have drained his cell, turning him into a dried corpse that would only feed the nanites for its next subject.
The two then happened to counteract each other.
From the information he gathered over the years, the assimilation of a Fifth-gen nanobot was painful but only comparable to child birth.
While the assimilation of a First-gen was comparable to drinking poison deadly but fast but this particular unknown Mod of unknown generation was excruciating!
The process should have been smooth and painless but his own integration almost took his life!
A profound sense of integration washed over Michael. It was as though the nanobots had melded seamlessly with him, becoming a true inseparable component of his own gene.
The notion was both terrifying and exhilarating, a fusion of man and machine that defied the boundaries of this world's technological advancement!
What other changes had occurred within his body? The unknown was unnerving.
As he took a deep breath, he could feel the strength coursing through him, as if his flesh, muscles and bones had been strengthened. His cells seemed to thrum with energy, each one humming with newfound vitality.
He could feel his blood alive and pulsing within him. He couldn't deny the rush of power that he felt, but he knew that he had to be cautious, to control this newfound strength and understand its limitations.
Suddenly, Michael noticed something wrong.
"Where is the chip?" His brows furrowed and his pupils constricted. Without the chip, how was he supposed to control and remove the nano bot if he wanted to change it in the future?
"Gulu!"
Michael's face changed slightly and his body shuddered as a wave of hunger crashed over him. He clutched his stomach as an intense hunger ripped through every fibre of his being.
He immediately grabbed a stained paper cup from the floor and moved towards Nutri tap by his wall.
"Bam! Bam! Bam!"
As he moved, his legs left behind visible foot-deep imprint on the ground. The force of his movements seemed to ripple through the ground, causing the room to shake and tremble in response
"Crunch!"
The paper cup was crushed between his fingers into smithereens. Michael rummaged his trash for another cup. This time, exerting as little force as he could.
Sending in 20 credits with his Neuro interface, greenish liquid squished out from the tap, rushing into the stained cup, filling it with grade-7 liquid.
"Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!"
It didn't holds out for three before Michael ordered another one. Michael went through 11 rounds of the grade-7 Nutri-fluid before he stopped, letting out an unsatisfied burp.
He was barely able to satiate his hunger, he needed better grade of food otherwise, he would starve to death. Michael grunted and a flash electricity passed through his Neuro-interface, lightning up the macro light at the surface of his skull.
[Select your meal.]
[Name: Nutri-fluid]
[
[Cost:20 Cr./ 150ml]
[Information: Contains a blend of the most basic necessary nutrients, needed for your daily survival.]
Michael gritted his teeth, typing on the arrow button, he selected grade-5
[Name: Nutri-fluid]
[
[Cost:200 Cr./ 150ml]
[Information: Fluid high in protein, rich in vitamins and lots of minerals. Giving you more energy to start you day.]
His fingers paused once he sighted the 200cr it cost but the hunger soon gave in
Michael hesitated for a moment, considering his options. He knew he needed to find a better source of sustenance, but for now, the Nutri-fluid would have to do. He reached out and selected the option, feeling a slight sense of relief as the machine began to dispense thick, and an even more vibrant nutrient-rich liquid into the small cup.
As he brought the cup to his lips, he felt a strange sensation in his gut, almost as if his body was rejecting the artificial substance. But he pushed through it, knowing that he needed to nourish himself if he wanted to survive.
The Nutri-fluid tasted bland and artificial, but he could feel his energy levels beginning to rise as his body absorbed the nutrients. He made a mental note to find a better source of food as soon as possible, but for now, the Nutri-fluid would have to suffice
Only when he had taken five cups did he feel his hunger subsiding. He didn't dare take more for fear using up all his money.
It was then he had the time to check the messages which kept flashing at the edge of his vision.
"Open."
"Whoosh!"
The status panel immediately opened up and Michael was immediately shocked at the changes.
[Atomic Cellular Merge Successful]
---------| ??? System ??? |--------------
❰Residential Info❱
[Michael Therian]
[Species: Human X Machina]
[Rank: Street Runt]
[Credits: 790]
❰Cellular Diagnostics❱
[Strength: 1.6]
[Physique: 3.6]
[Reflex: 1.9]
[Intelligence: 2.2]
[Cell-biofuel: 750/920J]
❰Cyber Wares❱
[Neuro-Morphic Interface]
❰Life-level❱
[Undefined]
❰Skill-ware❱
[Basic Brawl] (common) (lvl. 1)
[Cyberspace] (Common) (lvl. 1)
❰Resources❱
[Steel Essence Accumulated: 0]
[Gene Essence Accumulated: 0]
❰Cell-bots Abilities❱
[Devour: A certain part of the Nanite-cells become active (Usually Fingertips and palm). During this period, Nanite-cells devour items they touch, increasing attributes as well as upgrading Cyberware. ]
[Imitate: Nanites copies the structure of a piece of cyberware not lower higher than user life-level into the user body with enough steel essence (cooldown depending on level of cyberware imitated ]
[Upgrade: Utilizing absorbed resources, Nanite-cells can be upgraded. (Devour First-generation set of Nanites to upgrade).
(Devour Type-D genetic materials or to upgrade) ]
[ Merge: By using [Upgrade], three Cyberwares, bio-chips as well as data skills of the same level can be merged to form a single Upgraded item.]
[Overclock: Overcharging the cells of a particular attribute with intense energy puts them in an overloaded state.(+1 attribute) {100J/sec} ]
;
⁅Strength Overclock: (Berserker) ⁆
⁅Physique Overclock: (Fortification) ⁆
⁅Reflex Overclock: (Flash) ⁆
⁅Intelligence: Overclock: (Time dilation) ⁆
"This!?..." Michael was immensely stunned, stating at his panel. He couldn't believe he finally merged with a modifier. And this one seem different than the rest.
Most nanobot only had the devour ability but his own seem different, it had four special abilities instead! Even a ninth-grade military nanites doesn't posses four different abilities!
Suddenly, he smiled and let out a sigh of relief. His dream finally came true. Although he had been extremely close to death he felt that the risk was certainly worth it!
Not only did his his entire attribute increase by one point, his physique had also increased to three points, going to four points! It was the highest he had ever seen in his entire life!
Gazing at the abilities, Michael eyes flashed. Checking his room, he glanced at a metal tripod which he usually uses to boil his chemicals.
Holding it in his palm. "Activate devour!" Michael muttered in a low growl.
Only... Nothing happened. Letting out an embarrassed chuckle, he got serious and closed his eyes.
He blocked off all distractions and felt the minute movement if his body. In that instant he willed his mind and instantly, he felt the flesh in his palm wriggling.
Suddenly, the sound of millions of metal ant gnawing in metal rod resounded within the room with an irritable hum.
Before Michael could maake sense of it, the first leg of the tripod turned into black ash, pouring to the floor.
{+0.1 Steel essence}
Michael's eyes narrowed and a chuckle escaped his lips.
Gazing at his status he saw that he truly gained 0.1 steel essence.
Guessing its uses Michael's pupils shrank as he wondered what would happen if he had his hands on a thousand steel essence, wouldn't he be able to upgrade his Nanites to an upper level?
Moreover, with the [Imitate] ability, he would be able to recreate a piece of cyberware into his body as long as he has enough steel essence!
Just this left Michael in shivering anticipation!
* * * * *
Michael sighed in relief but then suddenly paused as his ears twitched and a set of scent different than that of the slums entered his nose, eliciting a slight snort from Michael.
It was probably another Heigh from the city wanting to see the slums. Michael shook his head in pity for the poor person . With his familiarity of this place, they would never leave here in one piece. Their are many stories of High-born visiting the slums only to end up dead in the corner of the street. Except those with Spliggens as body guards to protect them.
"No, this is no High-born." His ears twitch as he heard a set of foot steps. They were well coordinated, making minimal noises as they moved closer.
"That breathing pattern... " Michael muttered, his eyes staring straight the wall beside him, slowly moving horizontally until he they rested on his door. The set of foot steps stopped, the smell ever so prominent.
Michael head tilted in curiosity. He could see lines, faint orange imprints of what seem to be humans behind his door.
"What the hell?"
"BANG!"