The dimly lit workshop hummed with a quiet energy. Andy hunched over his workbench, the glow of the monitor reflecting in his tired eyes. Schematics scrolled across the screen, intricate designs of a skeletal frame interwoven with a network of hydraulics and mana conduits.
"Alright, EIL," he muttered, fingers flying across the keyboard, "let's refine this exoskeleton design."
[Analyzing structural integrity... Simulating stress tests...]
"We need something lightweight but durable," he mused, tracing the lines of the schematics with his finger. "Strong enough to withstand a direct hit from a C-rank Hunter, but flexible enough for full range of motion."
[Recommending a carbon nanotube weave reinforced with graphene plating.]
"Good call," he nodded, making the adjustments on the screen. "That should give us the strength we need without sacrificing agility."
He paused, tapping his finger on the desk. "What about the power source? We can't exactly plug this thing into a wall socket."
[Mana crystals integrated into the exoskeleton's framework will provide sufficient power.]
"Right," he said, pulling up a separate schematic detailing the mana crystal matrix. "But we're running low on crystals. And those things aren't cheap."
He checked his account balance, displayed in the corner of the screen. "$1,237.82," he read aloud, a sigh escaping his lips. "That's barely enough for a week's worth of supplies, let alone a decent haul of mana crystals."
[I've compiled a list of potential suppliers on the black market.]
"The black market, huh?" He hesitated, the memory of his last encounter there still fresh in his mind. "That's risky."
[The risk is calculated. The rewards outweigh the potential consequences.]
He smirked. "Always the pragmatist, aren't you, EIL?"
[I am merely providing you with the optimal course of action.]
"I know, I know," he said, already navigating to the encrypted black market site EIL had pulled up. "But even with the black market, we're going to need more funds."
[I've identified several lucrative opportunities for acquiring additional capital.]
"Like what?" He asked, scrolling through the list of mana crystal vendors.
[There's an upcoming auction for rare monster parts. We could acquire them and resell them at a higher price.]
"Monster parts?" He raised an eyebrow. "That's even riskier than the black market."
[The profit margin on high-grade monster parts is substantial.]
"Alright, fine," he conceded. "But we're going to need a plan. And some serious firepower."
[I've already begun designing a prototype for the modular weapon system.]
"Of course you have," he chuckled, shaking his head. "You think of everything, don't you?"
[It is my function to assist you in achieving your goals.]
"And our goal right now," he declared, eyes gleaming with determination, "is to build the most badass exoskeleton this city has ever seen."
He swivelled in his chair, facing the wall where a whiteboard hung, covered in scribbled notes and diagrams. "We'll hit the black market tomorrow night. In the meantime, let's finalize those weapon designs."
[As you wish.]
He cracked his knuckles and pulled up a new schematic, the blueprint for a weapon that could change everything.
---
The black market auction house was housed in an abandoned subway station, its marble pillars now stained with decades of grime. Andy kept his head down, hood pulled low over his face as he navigated through the crowd of smugglers, merchants, and other less savory characters.
"Watch it, kid," a burly man growled as Andy accidentally bumped into him.
"Sorry," he mumbled, pulling his hood lower.
[The mana crystal vendor is in section D-7]
"Got it," he muttered under his breath. But before he could make his way there, a commotion erupted from the auction stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the auctioneer announced, "our next item is a rare specimen indeed – a living Shadowmaw, captured in the outer territories!"
The crowd murmured as handlers wheeled out a massive steel cage. Inside, a creature of pure darkness writhed, its form seeming to shift and twist like smoke given flesh. Six glowing red eyes blinked in random patterns, and wickedly curved claws scraped against the cage floor.
Andy's heart raced. Shadowmaws were notorious – Class B monsters known for their ability to track prey across vast distances. Their pelts alone were worth a fortune, but no one had ever successfully bred them in captivity.
"Holy shit," he breathed. "Is that actually a-"
That's when everything went wrong.
The creature's movements suddenly stilled. All six eyes locked onto him, and a low, resonant growl echoed through the chamber. Before anyone could react, the Shadowmaw's form compressed into a dense ball of darkness – then exploded outward, shredding its cage like paper.
Chaos erupted. Screams filled the air as the creature ignored everyone else, its focus laser-locked on Andy. He didn't wait to find out why – he ran.
[Immediate evasion recommended. Your current equipment is insufficient for combat.]
"You don't say!" He gasped, sprinting through the panicked crowd.
The monster moved like liquid darkness, flowing around pillars and over fleeing merchants with terrifying grace. Andy's hand dropped to the only weapon he had – a half-finished pulse disruptor he'd been tinkering with. The device wasn't even properly calibrated yet, its capacitors only partially charged.
"EIL, I need options!" he panted, vaulting over an overturned table of contraband.
[Analyzing environment... Underground power conduits detected. Possibility of overload to create temporary illumination.]
The monster's roar shook loose dust from the subway station's ceiling. He could feel its presence behind him, an unnatural cold that made his tech devices crackle with interference.
He yanked out his pulse disruptor, fingers fumbling with the exposed wiring. "How do I trigger the conduits?"
[Synchronize disruptor frequency to 47.3 kHz. Warning: device stability not guaranteed.]
His hands shook as he made the adjustments. The disruptor was heating up dangerously, its jerry-rigged components never meant to handle this kind of power. Behind him, claws scraped against concrete, getting closer.
'shit, what a terrible day.'
He reached a junction of old maintenance tunnels and skidded to a stop. The monster was between him and the exit. Its six eyes gleamed with predatory intelligence, watching him fiddle with his pathetic little device.
"Please work, please work," he whispered, pointing the disruptor at an exposed electrical panel. The device whined, its pitch climbing higher and higher.
The monster tensed to pounce.
He pulled the trigger.
The pulse disruptor exploded in his hands, sending him stumbling backward. But it had done its job – the electrical panel erupted in a cascade of sparks, triggering a chain reaction through the power grid. Emergency lights blazed to life throughout the station, their sudden brilliant glare forcing the shadow creature to recoil.
He didn't think twice and ran, leaving the temporarily disoriented monster behind. His hands were burned, his prototype destroyed, and he still didn't have the mana crystals he needed.
He barely made it twenty feet when white-hot pain exploded across his back. The monster's claws ripped through his jacket, sending him sprawling face-first onto the grimy subway floor.
[Ouch, that looked painful.]
"Really helpful, EIL," he gasped, trying to crawl away. He could feel warm blood soaking through his shirt. The monster's weight pressed down on him, its cold aura making his teeth chatter.
Hot breath ghosted across his neck. This was it. He was going to die in a dirty subway tunnel, torn apart by a monster he couldn't hope to fight.
Then he heard it – the distinctive hum of a charged mana weapon.
"Hey ugly!" a woman's voice called out. "Don't I look more delicious than that decaying guy?!"
A blast of pure energy struck the Shadowmaw, forcing it off Andy. He rolled over, wincing at the pain in his back, and his brain short-circuited at what he saw.
A Hunter stood at the entrance, her modified battle suit leaving little to the imagination. The sleek armor seemed painted on, highlighting curves that made Andy's mouth go dry. Long dark hair whipped around her face as she leveled another shot at the monster.
[Focus recommended on immediate survival rather than aesthetic observations.]
He felt his face heat up. "Right, sorry."
The Hunter moved with practiced grace, drawing the Shadowmaw's attention away from him. Her movements were fluid, almost dance-like, each step calculated to keep the monster's focus.
"You okay down there, tech boy?" she called out, firing another blast that forced the creature back. "Because you're kind of bleeding all over the ground."
"I've had better days," he managed, trying not to stare at the way her armor caught the emergency lights. "Uh, thanks for the save."
"Don't thank me yet." She pulled out a second weapon – a blade pulsing with mana energy. "This thing's still hungry, and you're making it really hard to concentrate with all that open wound business."
[Detecting elevated heart rate. Unable to determine if cause is blood loss or... other factors.]
"Shut up, EIL," he muttered, pressing himself against the wall. He watched as the Hunter engaged the monster in close combat, her movements a deadly mix of grace and precision that was almost hypnotic.
"Got a name, tech boy?" she asked, ducking under a swipe of the monster's claws.
"Andy," he wheezed, feeling lightheaded. "You?"
"Suzy." She grinned, her blade finding a weak spot in the creature's shadowy form. "Now close your eyes and maybe try not to bleed out while I finish this thing."
[Wake up, remember your goal, you can't waste time here.]
'...Yeah, almost gave in to lust, let's get out of here.'
Suzy lands the final attack, killing the monster. She sheathed her sword and turned around, "so-" but Andy was nowhere to be seen.