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“Are we just unlucky today, or did we have first-timers’ luck before?” Eshmund muttered, rubbing his temple. He had spent a considerable amount of elemental energy hunting for subspaces and had managed to bind 37 Void Stones. At first glance, that seemed like a great haul. However, upon closer inspection, the results were disappointing – only seven were bound to appropriately low-level Void Stones. The remaining 30 had to be unbound because they were tied to higher-grade Void Stones, making them a complete waste. Using a Void Stone capable of binding over 50 cubic meters to secure a mere 10-cubic-meter subspace was inefficient and impractical. With a sigh, he decided to call it a day. His energy reserves were running low, and pushing further would only result in more mistakes. Back at his underground lab, Eshmund turned his focus to another project. While waiting for his energy to replenish, he grabbed a pencil and some paper, sketching out a series of rough EE-Circuit designs. He deliberately chose to work by hand, hoping that a change in approach might spark some inspiration. The sketches were crude at first, but as he continued, patterns began to take shape. When he finally set his pencil down, he called Sage. “I need a lot of small components etched with runes for this new device. Will that be a problem?” “It won’t be,” Sage responded. “But some functions may not work as expected when scaled down too much.” “What do you mean?” Eshmund asked “Take the Void Stones inside the nanobots, for example. They’re etched with runes, but they’re too small to transfer even dust into the subspace. However, transferring elemental energy into subspace isn’t an issue – that’s how we use them to send signals through subspace.” “So electrical signals and elemental energy should be fine, right?” Eshmund nodded in understanding. “Let me scan your sketches and run some tests first.” Sage Said Eshmund let the nanobots scan the scattered papers on the table. As Sage processed the data, he suddenly spoke. “Wait is this a vending machine?”

“Yeah,” Eshmund confirmed. “I figured it’s great, if we set up a vending machine, the real problem however, would be security. That’s why I want to see if we can use some of the defensive mechanisms from those treasures I showed you before.” “This vending machine could solve a lot of problems,” Eshmund continued. “Not only would we be able to sell items from a subspace, but we could also buy materials from people and transfer them directly into a secure subspace for later use. Think of it like an online trading platform – except with instant delivery.” Sage hummed in thought. “That’s a solid concept. The main challenge will be protection.” “Exactly. Check the recorded data on those treasures, and scan them. We need a defense mechanism for this to succeed” Eshmund Said “Understood. I’ll see what I can integrate.” Sage Replied
Guardian Ironwood Bangle. “I think we can use this,” Sage said. Eshmund glanced up from his work. “Yeah? Show me the architecture behind it.” Sage immediately displayed a series of holographic schematics. The blueprints revealed the intricate rune circuits and the detailed structure of the bangle. “The material is ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Ironwood,” Sage explained. “It has a unique property – it can absorb massive amounts of Elemental Energy up to a certain threshold before breaking. Refining it requires at least a Core Formation cultivator with Spiritual Sense and an enormous amount of energy and time.” Eshmund studied the schematics closely. “So that’s why it nullifies most of the incoming energy from an attack And this formation here generates the protective force field?” “Exactly. The bangle absorbs energy, disperses it, and redirects a portion to form a force field around the user. It’s purely defensive, though – no offensive capabilities.”

“We’ll look into that later,” Eshmund said, tapping his chin. “For now, we need something with strong protection. We could use this for the vending machine, and maybe for our people as well.” His eyes traced the formation engravings on the bangle. “This design looks familiar Its similar to the magic circles on a Vajra Armor and the Lightning Absorption Formation. It’s a fusion of magical armor formations, with modifications, of course.” Eshmund said Sage nodded. “That’s right. It fully utilizes the Spirit Ironwood’s absorption properties. The ironwood shares some traits with Cold Umbra Glass, acting as an insulator, but with one major difference – Umbra Glass can’t store energy. This wood can. It also behaves similarly to Void Stones, capable of creating small void spaces. However, unlike Void Stones, which activate at an energy level of just 0.001 points, this wood only generates void spaces when energy reaches 134,274 times that threshold.” Eshmund raised an eyebrow. “So it doesn’t naturally create void spaces – it only does so when it reaches maximum capacity?” “Exactly,” Sage confirmed. “Its structure is fascinating. While it hasn’t reached its limit, it has self-repairing properties, making it incredibly durable. To maintain its integrity, it slowly disperses stored energy over time, aided by the runic formations carved into it, the process is faster.” Eshmund leaned back, arms crossed. “So, let me get this straight – first, it absorbs energy. Once it’s full and continues taking in energy, it starts creating void spaces to offload the excess. And if it still can’t disperse the energy fast enough, its structure begins to break down?” “Precisely,” Sage said. “If we want to maximize its efficiency, we need to enhance the formations to channel excess energy somewhere else before structural damage occurs.” Sage affirmed. Eshmund frowned. “Can we do that? how?” Sage’s answer was simple. “We need a bigger piece of Spirit Ironwood.” Eshmund scoffed. “Yeah, that’d be easy – if ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Ironwood was just lying around. If it were that common, everyone would be wearing it like daily clothing. People wouldn’t even fear death.” “We can synthesize a substitute,” Sage suggested. “It won’t be as efficient, though, and it’ll be very bulky.” A new hologram flickered into view. It depicted a human figure strapped to a massive cube-like device, thick tubes and wires connecting its body to the block. In the simulation, an attack struck the figure’s outstretched arm. Energy pulsed through the wires, absorbing the impact and transferring the force into the cube. A bunch of numbers and texts displayed the simulation results in other parts of the projections. Eshmund cringed. “That’s terrible. It’s like carrying a giant energy battery on your back.” “That’s the tradeoff,” Sage replied. “For synthetic materials to match the Spirit Ironwood’s performance, they need to be that size.” “That’s completely impractical. No way I’m strapping a giant block to my back,” Eshmund grumbled. “Although it’s not a problem for the vending machine.” Sage chuckled. “Sometimes, you’re a genius. Other times, you’re an idiot.” Eshmund narrowed his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You can carry something way bigger than that without issue.” “Wait You’re saying we can reduce the size?” Sage sighed. “What’s your biggest advantage besides me?” Eshmund smirked. “Well, obviously, I’m incredibly good-looking and – wait The Subspace!” “Exactly.” Sage’s voice carried a hint of amusement. “We’ve already figured out how to link multiple Void Stones to a shared subspace. We have plenty of Space Pouches. Just store the bulky cube inside a subspace. You’d only need to extend the energy-transfer wires through an opening.” Eshmund’s eyes lit up. “That’s brilliant! A bangle, a ring – hell, I could embed Void Stones in my skull if I wanted!” Sage laughed. “Just hope it doesn’t make you dumber.” “Hah! This is perfect. Bro, if you had a body, I’d hug you right ow.” “Gay.” Eshmund blinked. “Eh? I thought you were female.” “I can be, if you want me to,” Sage said, suddenly switching to a sultry female voice. A shiver ran down Eshmund’s spine. “Ugh – ” He gagged. “No. No, no, no. Change it back. That’s terrifying.” Sage chuckled in his altered voice, clearly enjoying his reaction. “I’m serious, bro. Change it back. All the hairs on my body just stood up.” “Fine, fine,” Sage relented, his voice returning to normal. “Let me refine the design and produce a prototype.” “Great. I’ll start working on something else.”
Since Sage was busy working on the vending machine and it’s protective measures, Eshmund shifted his focus to another problem. Space Pouches were incredibly useful, but only for those who could control Elemental Energy. Normal mortals generally had no way to access them. The mechanism itself wasn’t complicated – users simply enclosed an item in their energy, and the Void Stone handled the rest. In theory, Eshmund could modify this process to work without direct energy manipulation. A talisman or a magic item could replace manual control, allowing anyone to store objects. However, retrieval was the real challenge. Without Elemental Energy control, a person couldn’t guide energy to locate a specific item or excite it for expulsion. Cultivators had a form of spiritual sense and control over Elemental Energy to handle this process easily, but mortals lacked that ability. The easiest solution was using his new generation of nanobots – the builder bots – but that was out of the question. The SB-System was his lifeline, and letting others access it was a risk he wasn’t willing to take. Instead, he meticulously designed an Elemental Energy circuit to automate the retrieval process. After hours of work, he had a prototype. It wasn’t as seamless as a traditional Space Pouch, but it was functional. “Great work,” Sage said. “I figured this could help people like Carlan. It still needs Spirit Stones for optimal performance, but it can recharge itself over time. That’ll reduce reliance on external energy sources.” “It’ll have a limited capacity,” Sage noted. “Each item will have a fixed spot and size inside the subspace. The user will activate the corresponding button to retrieve it. Not as versatile as a Space Pouch, but it’s reliable.”

“Yeah,” Eshmund agreed. “Each button links to a specific location inside the subspace. Pressing it sends a signal to excite the corresponding item, bringing it out. But it’ll require a lot of Cold Umbra Glass, and the EE-Circuit design inside the subspace is delicate. I’ll need the builder bots to refine it.” “I’ll fine-tune it for you,” Sage offered. “What about the outer design?” “For now, we’ll go with a bangle. Five buttons, each linked to a two-cubic-meter space spot inside a 10 cubic meter subspace. We’ll test it from there.” Eshmund paused, then added, “Also, we need a communication system for our group. Can we integrate it into the bangle?” “Text and voice messages will be easy. We can send physical letters through the Dimensional Door too. But image and video transmission, we’re not quite there yet. Right now, we rely on the nanobots for that, and the tech still needs improvement,” Sage explained. “You’ve seen my new design for the SB-System running fully on Elemental Energy, right?” Eshmund asked. “Yeah, I’m already working on it. We’re gathering materials to build a fully EE-Circuit based server inside subspace.” “You might need to turn it into a Dimensional Door so I can physically enter and troubleshoot.” Eshmund hesitated. “And what about you?” Sage was silent for a moment. “It’s not really a problem,” he finally said. “You’re the one getting sentimental.” Eshmund clenched his jaw. “You jerk. Of course I’m worried. What if something goes wrong? What if you transfer and you’re not you anymore? What if – ” “Relax,” Sage interrupted. “The new me will be better. I’ll have my memories, plus improvements. I’ll be able to help you more. Right now, I think I’m getting obsolete.” Eshmund felt his chest tighten. “I appreciate that you actually care,” Sage continued, his tone lighter. “But you need to grow up. I’m just a bunch of electrical charges. Not even a real soul.” “Trust me.” Sage said Eshmund didn’t answer. He knew Sage wasn’t human, but he had never treated him like a machine. Sage was his companion, his friend – the one who had been with him through everything. He wasn’t just data and circuits. Compared to the AIs he had created before, Sage was vastly more advanced in every way and had grown remarkably human-like. If he didn’t already know the truth, it might never have even crossed his mind that Sage wasn’t human. – If you copy yourself, is the clone still you? – Do AI have souls? Scientists had debated this questions for ages, and no one had a satisfying answer. Eshmund swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat. The thought of losing Sage, even if a new version would take his place, made his chest ache. He couldn’t help but feel sad. And he couldn’t help but worry. Trying to push the thoughts aside, he went through the new SB-System design again, carefully checking every detail to make sure nothing would go wrong. But the feeling still lingered in his mind.
“Since our protective measures lack offensive capabilities right now, I believe, puppetry is a must,” Sage said, breaking the silence “Yes, not only to guard our assets outside, but it also serves another purpose – ‘Lika Draganic,’ my pseudonym, can be one of my faces. It covers a lot of potential issues. If people want to meet me, we simply present him instead.” Eshmund replied “I’ve already looked at the android designs by LEETA in our data archive. We just need to modify them to run on Elemental Energy. As Lika Draganic, this android needs some combat capabilities, and I should be able to control it remotely.” Eshmund added “Yes, LEETA at first just produce those xxx toys but eventually changed their business and grew to a large organization that produce the best androids. They even produce bionic organs and limbs helping countless people. Their technology is unmatched, using their design would be safer and save us a lot of trouble,” Sage agreed. “A sharp cultivator’s eye can tell it’s not human, but powerful cultivators using puppets isn’t uncommon.” He added “There are pretty good puppet making techniques recorded in books, but the stronger ones usually require human sacrifice. I don’t fully understand how they work yet, but we don’t need that approach to build ours.” Eshmund said “From what I’ve analyzed, high-combat puppets require their owner to control them via Spiritual Sense. Fully autonomous ones demand soul fragments. But with me around, we don’t actually need them,” Sage explained.

“The ‘soul fragment’ mentioned in records is likely the electrical impulses from a living creature’s motor functions and it is a method of extracting implanting them in the puppet – essentially, muscle memory and instinctive movements. Possibly even some residual memories.” Sage added “That makes sense,” Eshmund said. “That’s why corpse puppets are generally better at mimicking human actions, while a lizard’s soul fragment wouldn’t be as useful for a humanoid puppet.” Eshmund replied “Do you want me to compile records and training methods for puppetry cultivation? Understanding them could give you an edge if you ever encounter puppet users in battle and it might spark new ideas” Sage suggested. “That would be great, but don’t we have more urgent matters? How’s our progress on a reliable external power source? I’m too weak right now – I burn through my Elemental Energy reserves too quickly when hunting for Subspace. Those pupets will definitely need them too, if we want them to use magic and cultivator’s offensive techniques” Eshmund replied “That’s still a real issue,” Sage admitted. “The only reliable energy sources are spirit stones, cores extracted from cultivators or creatures, or high-grade formations – which means you need a lot of money to acquire them. In fact, if you had a spirit stone right now, you could already use the energy belt those Builder Bots made for you. The suit’s energy nodes use the same technology.” “The Elemental Energy battery and gathering formation we developed aren’t sufficient for large-scale spellcasting or advanced techniques,” Sage continued. “We could set up a massive energy-gathering formation outside the sect and redirect the energy into a Subspace storage, but securing and hiding such a big thing would be very difficult.” “Maybe we should find our own Spirit Stone mines,” Eshmund suggested. “A good idea, but it has the same problem. Even now, the sect’s spirit stones come from the Wilderness of Torms, and securing the mine requires half the sect’s powerhouses rotating shifts. Every sect our size has their own mine – without one, conflict is inevitable.” “We should be able to siphon off a few stones for personal use,” Eshmund said. “In fact, the new scavenger bots we developed are already headed to potential sites. We’ll get some, but not much,” Sage confirmed. “Still, it’s not a long-term solution Even in this world, money is a problem,” Eshmund sighed. “If we could create a reliable spirit stone alternative – one that’s rechargeable – it would solve everything. But we’re still far from that. Unless we find a material as efficient at absorbing energy as ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Ironwood.” “Could we mass-produce Spirit Ironwood? We do have GMO technology,” Eshmund asked. “We do, but the problem is even stated in its name. Ten thousand years isn’t a short time to wait. Some things simply can’t be replicated artificially. It might be faster to develop an entirely new energy storage method than to grow usable Ironwood.” Sage replied “Alright, I’ll leave that to you. Since we can’t do anything about it right now, show me the puppetry techniques.” “I’ll compile the relevant records and commit them to your memory,” Sage said.