Looking out at the vegetation that kept getting sparser with the sun having journeyed past the top of our heads, I gave Codex a prod.
This seems about the right time, no? We are plenty bored, don't you think?
[Seems so. Where would you like to start?] Codex offered smoothly.
Watching Ionis take out their rations, I took out the lunch mom packed for me while talking to Codex.
Let's see... How about the part where you mentioned you 'added some mana' to the potion mix?
[Before that, what was the power source of the old ENAMAL?]
It was solar powered. It was required to be kept in gauntlet mode and exposed to sunlight for two hours a day to keep it functional. And it encouraged going out into the sun regularly.
[Correct. That was true for the old ENAMAL. Which, by the way, might require re-naming. Now however, instead of being at stand-by near your wrists to be deployed, most of the nanobots are scattered throughout your body, some in your bloodstream, some in your organs, and so on. So, instead of needing the exposure to harvest sunlight, they can now do so directly from your skin. And the excess, they convert into mana.] I listened to Codex while biting into the vegetable sandwiches mom made me.
Okaaaaay. First of all, gross. Second, is that the mana you supposedly added...?
[Affirmative. I used the mana to suppress the poisonous portion of the potion and bring out the latent healing potential of the added herbs.]
Wait, so couldn't you have been able to maintain Dia with your mana without me needing to come all the way out here?
[Affirmative.]
...
Still, I am quite pissed though. You should have at least told me. It's like someone changed my code without my permission. What's worse? They didn't even leave comments! Like, damn. I bit into the next sandwich with a vengeance.
[You would not have come out to be baptized otherwise.]
I choked on the bread and started coughing, punching my chest to down the stuck food.
"Here have some water," Kemian helpfully passed his canteen.
"Thank you." I said once the coughs subsided.
"Want some jerky?" Ionis offered.
I eyed the dried rations. Although native Ryan wasn't vegetarian, I was. I should start changing my old habits.
"I'll pass," I bit the inside of my cheek and added, "Thank you for asking though. Would you like some sandwiches?" She shrugged and Kemian took one of the more roasted sandwiches.
You could have at least tried convincing me, you know? I'm sure you could have came up with something. I thought uncertainly.
[Probably.]
Just... tell me everything in the future. I promise I'll be understanding.
[Sure,]
So... about the nanobots, why are they scattered around in my body? Didn't you say I would be able to use 'that' after baptism? What happened to that?
[One of your dad's... changes... to the system.]
***
Uh, no. No new chapters till 1st Jan 2025.
Reason? Cuz WSA will be starting then. I'll reupload the book with HEAVY changes to the plot.
One of the major reasons: Ryan will be starting out as a baby this time 'round. Reason for that? It doesn't make sense for the plot for him to start out as a teenager, and this will give me much more time to flesh out the village, the world, the family, and... everything, basically.
Mostly, this is for you, Azel. (I feel bad whenever I see you voting with no updates.)