Thanks to his previous efforts, his skills had advanced significantly. With his discipline and mana meditation technique, he could now maintain up to ten active skeletal soldiers simultaneously. These were more practical and effective than the undead birds he had initially used for practice. In fact, he decided to dispose of most of them, keeping only a small hornero bird for minor tests and as a reminder of his early days in necromancy.
Mana remained a limited resource for Ethan. His current capacity only allowed him to store a maximum of fifteen undead in his pocket dimension, an incredibly useful ability that let him keep his army hidden until he needed to deploy them. Ethan needed to increase his mana both to raise the limit of what he could store and to enhance the amount he could control.
This latter issue was a fundamental problem of necromancy. Each of his skeletons lacked self-awareness, which meant that the necromancer had to directly control each of their movements. In a real battle, this would translate to an unsustainable mental and mana effort.
Reflecting on this problem, Ethan thought of an innovative solution. His company was a pioneer in technology and robotics. Why not combine artificial intelligence and robotics with the magic of necromancy? If he could integrate AI into the skeletons, he could give them some autonomy, thus reducing the burden of direct control on him.
Determined to explore this idea, Ethan began to develop a detailed plan. First, he needed to adapt his company's AI technology to the skeletons and mana. This required an interface that could integrate with the skeletal structure and the magical circuits that animated them.
Ethan locked himself in his private laboratory, a place equipped with the latest in robotic technology and where his company and current wealth had originated. His knowledge in robotics and his recent understanding of magic allowed him to start designing a prototype.
He began by selecting one of the strongest and best-preserved skeletons, although they were all quite similar. Using precision tools, he opened small compartments in the bones where he placed microchips and sensors designed to interact with the skeleton's artificial system. These devices would be connected to an advanced AI capable of making basic decisions and operating semi-autonomously.
The most challenging part was integrating magic and technology. Ethan had a very superficial understanding of this part, but he had achieved some understanding through his readings. He then inscribed patterns similar to the runes that appeared in the book "Arcanum Mortis" on the microchips. These runes would serve as a bridge between the mana he provided and the electrical circuits of the microchips. After several trials and errors, he finally managed to establish a stable connection.
The next step was to program the AI. Using cutting-edge software developed by his company, Ethan uploaded a learning algorithm that allowed the skeleton to adapt to different combat situations. He programmed basic commands such as attack, defend, and patrol, ensuring that the AI could execute these orders without his direct intervention.
When the first prototype was ready, Ethan activated it with a mix of excitement and nervousness. The skeleton slowly rose, its empty eyes glowing with a faint blue light emanating from the microchips, different from its usual green. Ethan stepped back and watched as the skeleton executed the preprogrammed commands. It moved with surprising precision, and although its movements were still a bit stiff, the autonomy was evident.
Ethan spent the next few days perfecting the prototype. He added more commands and improved the AI algorithms so that the skeletons could make more complex decisions. He also designed a communication system between the skeletons and himself, allowing him to give instructions to adjust their actions remotely.
As he perfected this technology, Ethan felt a mix of pride and relief. He had found a way to overcome one of the biggest limitations of necromancy. Now, his skeletons were not just mindless soldiers but semi-autonomous warriors capable of operating with much greater efficiency.
The implementation of this synergy between magic and technology was the cornerstone of his plan. Up to this point, he could only control up to ten summons simultaneously, but now he could potentially control twenty or thirty, depending on how long his mana lasted. If he could integrate a mana battery into his skeletons, then he could have thousands without directly affecting himself. In the future, he could even program his skeletons to complete different tasks, obtaining tireless employees that wouldn't require any kind of salary.
Of course, this was something he couldn't achieve yet, but it wasn't far off. To start, his plan was that after some modifications, this prototype he invented would be sold on Mysticweb. Ethan had previously reviewed the store and found nothing like this. However, before selling it, he had to ensure that no one could steal his technology, which is why he hadn't started publishing them yet.
And although many challenges lay ahead, Ethan was sure he was on the right path. The combination of his business skills, technological knowledge, and growing mastery of necromancy positioned him as someone formidable. However, he also knew that the true test of his power was yet to come, especially at this moment when the al-Rashid siblings were so close to him.
With autonomous skeletons now forming the basis of his army, Ethan set out to further enhance his capabilities and plan his next moves. Each step brought him closer to his goal: to survive and thrive in this dangerous new world filled with magic and mystery.