I frowned as the weight of the realization hit me. Was it possible? Did GAIA not control the towers? Where the hell did they even come from?
Just as I tried to process that mind-bending thought, an alert from Codebreaker pulled me out of my mental spiral.
I had completely forgotten about the rewards waiting for me—data crystals, an upgrade blueprint for my drones, and my Gacha Spin rewards from placing first among the rookies.
A grin spread across my face. I'd been itching to upgrade my drones for ages, and now that I had the time, I was ready to dive into the next phase of my progress.
I opened up my GAIA stats—still stuck at C rank, though that didn't even begin to reflect where I truly stood. Sure, I was an EX rank, but even that wasn't the pinnacle. I was still a low-level EX.
I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "How many data crystals would it take to level up my EX rank?" I muttered, then decided to consult Codebreaker for the answer.
Closing my GAIA HUD, I summoned Codebreaker.
"Codebreaker. How many data crystals do I need to level up?" I asked, feeling a hint of impatience creeping in.
[Systems calculating...]
The black-and-green translucent HUD materialized before me, lines of code and numbers flashing across the screen at an absurd speed.
As I waited, I grabbed a drink from my smart fridge. The screen lit up, showing I had 30 bottles of water and 5 bottles of juice left. I tapped the juice option, and in an instant, the bottle materialized on the pickup tray.
I took a sip, letting my thoughts wander, until Codebreaker's voice cut through the silence.
[Calculation complete.]
"To reach EX Mid-Level with 6 nodes, you need a total of 345 A-grade Data Crystals, or 125 S-grade Data Crystals, or 52 Data Cubes."
I choked, and juice spilled across the floor. "345 A-grade Data Crystals??"
Shit. I only had 30 A-grade crystals, and I needed 5 just to upgrade my drones to the advanced tier.
I had expected the cost to be steep, but seeing it laid out like that felt like a punch to the gut.
How was I supposed to get all those Data Crystals? One A-grade crystal alone went for 1,000 GED. I needed 345. And S-grade? Data Cubes? Those were way out of my reach right now.
I let out a long sigh, shaking my head. "Forget it," I muttered to myself. "Focus on what you can control."
Upgrading my drones was my priority. Everything else could wait.
I pulled out the EX-rank blueprint from my inventory. The holographic interface flickered to life, displaying the intricate design of the upgraded drone. This was what I'd been waiting for.
"Alright, let's get to work," I said quietly, brushing aside the nagging thoughts about Data Crystals. I had a task at hand, and it was time to focus.
I sank into my chair, staring at the floating blueprint, my fingers itching with anticipation. This upgrade could change everything.
The blueprint was filled with details—far beyond basic adjustments, this was a full EX-level modification. No more tinkering; I was stepping into a whole new realm of potential.
The city hum outside faded as I slipped into that hacker zone. Distractions disappeared. There was only the code, the upgrade, and me.
I activated the blueprint.
[Blueprint Activated.]
My summoned drone hovered nearby, waiting. It wasn't just some tool anymore—it was my partner, my weapon, my eyes in this world. And now, it was about to become something more.
"Let's do this," I whispered, a fierce determination in my voice.
The drone shifted in midair, its sleek, metallic form shedding its old components as they reassembled. The transformation wasn't limited by my rank level. I could modify it however I saw fit, no longer bound by arbitrary ceilings.
The Codebreaker HUD flickered, and new blueprints overlaid themselves onto the drone's system. I could see every part of it—its outer casing, its power core, the web of data strands that kept it running—every component now under my control.
This drone wasn't just a machine anymore. It was a blank canvas.
[Activating EX Rank Upgrade...]
At first, I felt resistance—the drone testing the new code, unsure if it was ready for the change. But I wasn't about to back down. With Codebreaker, I could break through any system lock.
No restrictions could stop me.
I fine-tuned the weapon systems, watching as the drone's laser blasters snapped into place with perfect precision. New sensors were added, the targeting system upgraded, and mobility adjustments made for improved agility.
The air seemed to hum as the changes took hold. This wasn't just cosmetic. This was functional—pushing the limits of what I could do.
"Come on..." I whispered, fingers flying over the controls. The HUD blinked rapidly, showing the drone's shape evolving. Its sleek edges sharpened, reinforced plating covered its body, and integrated weapons systems appeared like they had always been there.
[Upgrade Complete.]
I leaned back, heart racing.
I'd done it.
The excitement surged as I checked the new stats on my Codebreaker HUD.
[Armada Deployment (EX):
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Effect: Deploy an armada of heavily armed drones capable of independent battlefield tactics.]
An entire armada of drones—independently operating, ready to be deployed at my command. This wasn't just a drone upgrade; it was a whole new level of firepower.
"Hell yeah," I muttered, already picturing the battlefield swarming with drones. Each one capable of thinking, reacting, and carrying out its own strategy.
I quickly noticed the 5-minute cooldown time, but that was more than fair considering the power I now wielded.
The drone hovered in front of me—stronger, faster, more precise. I opened the HUD again, doing a quick check on its vitals:
Power Core: 92%
Weapon Systems: Online
Surveillance: Active
Everything checked out perfectly. But the real beauty wasn't just the power. It was how adaptable it was. I had full access to its data systems, meaning I could modify it on the fly.
I smirked. Best of all? I didn't need to upgrade each drone individually.
Once I adjusted the main drone, the rest replicated the changes instantly. It was like a copy-paste effect, but far cooler.
I pulsed a signal through Codebreaker, and in moments, the remaining drones synced up with the specifications of the main one.
They replicated the upgrades, and one by one, they appeared, hovering around me in perfect formation.
I raised a hand, and they responded immediately, their movements synchronized. It was like commanding a small army—each drone capable of acting on its own, yet still responding to my every order.
"Now we're talking," I muttered, admiring the fleet in front of me.
This was the kind of advantage I'd been waiting for.