Chapter 12 - The Night Before Departure

The oil lamp flickered softly, casting wavering shadows across the wooden walls. Eshmund leaned against his desk, fingers tapping absently against the surface as he stared at the SB interface floating in front of him. The translucent blue projection displayed rows of data, his eyes scanning over the same message for what felt like the hundredth time.

System Integration Halted at 77%. Further progress unsafe due to host body incompatibility.

Eshmund exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay calm. He had already expected this outcome. The SB system wasn't broken - it was working exactly as designed. The problem wasn't the technology.

It was his body.

He wasn't the same as before.



In his past life, the system had been built for a different physiology - humans from his original world lacked elemental energy and were biologically different, despite sharing 77% genetic similarity. The SB system had functioned using Earthlings' bioelectric pathways, allowing seamless enhancements tailored to their physiology.

But now, his body followed the laws of this world.

And in this world, humans had evolved differently due to the existence of Elemental Energy.

The Conditioner Nanobots were like construction workers struggling to build a structure using blueprints that didn't match the foundation's dimensions. They could only work on certain parts of the plan, while the rest remained inaccessible.

No matter how many times he tried, the nanobots kept getting stuck in a loop, searching for an Earthling's physiology that didn't exist in this body.

"Sage," he muttered, rubbing his temple. "Summarize the main issues."

The system's synthetic voice responded immediately.

"Your body does not match the programmed biological model the nanobots are designed to enhance. They require a complete physiological framework to proceed with modifications."

A new set of data flashed onto the screen.

"The Conditioner Nanobots are programmed to enhance muscles, tissues, and cellular ion movement to optimize strength and reflexes. This includes improving neuronal conductivity for faster information transmission."

That was basic SB enhancement protocol - a perfected system in his previous world.

But Sage wasn't finished.

"However, in this world, certain human cells also function as conduits for Elemental Energy, transmitting it between cells just as neurons transmit electrical signals. The nanobots do not recognize this additional energy transmission system and misinterpret it as external interference, disrupting neural communication."

That explained it.

The SB system was actively rejecting Elemental Energy, treating it as biological noise that interfered with standard signal transmission.

Sage's voice remained steady as another data projection appeared.

"Preliminary classification of subjects has identified three major groups based on the presence of an energy core and how their cells handle Elemental Energy."

A new set of information displayed across the interface:

1. Individuals with an Energy Core
   Cultivators with a concentrated core of Elemental Energy that acts as a natural storage and refinement system.


2. Individuals with Energy but No Core
   Martial artists who channel energy directly through their bodies, but lack a centralized reservoir to store it.


3. Individuals Without Energy and Without a Core
   Normal humans with no detectable elemental energy, functionally identical to Earthlings.

Sage's next statement was direct.

"Had you belonged to the third category, full integration would have been possible. Your body would have functioned similarly to an Earthling's."

"However, you belong to the second category. That means your cells are naturally built to transmit Elemental Energy, even if you do not possess a core."

That single fact was why the SB system was struggling to adapt.

"So for this problem, I need to tweak the body enhancement protocol to allow the nanobots to also handle Elemental Energy," Eshmund said.

"Correct," Sage replied.

"We also need to think about the second problem, the System's energy source."

Eshmund's eyes remained fixed on the SB interface as he issued a command.

"Report."

Sage's projection flickered to life. "Energy Seeker Nanobots have identified Elemental Energy as a viable energy source for the system."

A table materialized, displaying the nine types of Elemental Energy categorized by frequency.

Energy Type	Element(s)	Associated Energy	Frequency Range (Hz)
Type A	Fire	Heat, combustion, plasma energy	10 - 20 Hz
Type B	Water	Fluid dynamics, cooling energy, moisture manipulation	5 - 15 Hz
Type C	Wood	Growth, bio-energy, plant life force	15 - 30 Hz
Type D	Metal	Conductive energy, magnetic force, mineral resonance	25 - 50 Hz
Type F	Earth	Stability, gravitational harmonics, geo-energy	1 - 10 Hz
Type G	Lightning (Water + Earth)	Charged ion flow, high-speed energy transfer	50 - 100 Hz
Type H	Magma (Fire + Earth)	Volcanic heat, molten energy, pressure force	30 - 60 Hz
Type I	Ice (Water + Metal)	Cryogenic energy, extreme cold absorption	5 - 25 Hz
Type J	Storm (Fire + Water + Air)	Chaotic weather energy, turbulence force	40 - 80 Hz

Sage displayed another chart, showing the absorption rates of different energies by the nanobots.



Hybrid energies - especially Lightning - had significantly higher absorption rates than standard elemental energies.

Lightning energy had 35% efficency, far greater than the others, likely due to its electrical properties aligning with the nanobots' operational design.

But even that wasn't enough.



"Energy conversion remains insufficient for large-scale operation. Unless SB system architecture is modified, total efficiency will remain below 10%," Sage reported.

Eshmund frowned, tapping his fingers on the desk. "The SB system was designed to run on electricity."

In his previous world, the SB system's battery - Cube Part #4- transmitted power wirelessly to the host's system and nanobots. Each nanobot had its own energy accumulation module, drawing power from natural electrical sources like atmospheric charge and electromagnetic fields. As long as electrical signals were available, the nanobots never ran out of power - except during high-energy tasks like running simulations, AI operations, or fabricating new nanobots.

But here, electricity wasn't readily available.

Converting Elemental Energy into usable electricity was inefficient, and the SB system's battery couldn't recharge properly. Worse, without power, he couldn't produce more nanobots, limiting his ability to enhance himself. If he wanted a stable system, he had to modify the nanobot model to increase absorption rates and sustain the SB battery for crucial functions like nanobot production and simulations.

"What a dilemma," Eshmund sighed.

He ran a hand through his hair. If I had an energy core, this wouldn't be an issue. Cultivators stored Elemental Energy internally, meaning they didn't need an external battery like he did.

But he didn't have an energy core and the nanobots were inefficient.

Sage's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hypothesis: Energy cores develop and solidify over time. Observations indicate that infants have dust-sized cores, whereas adults develop peanut-sized formations. Core placement varies, commonly found in the skull, below the navel, or in the chest."

The difference between a cultivator and a martial artist was simple - the ability to store energy. Muhsan and the other cultivators all had energy cores. He didn't. Muhsan and the other cultivators all have Spiritual Root while he didn't. He could channel energy, but once he stopped drawing it in, it was gone - like an electrical appliance that only worked while plugged in. Which meant in a prolonged fight or during heavy system operations, he would be completely vulnerable.

Eshmund's eyes narrowed. "Could this energy core be what they call the Spiritual Root. ?"

If I don't solve this soon, I'll always be running on borrowed energy. The first time I run out in a fight, I wont get a second chance. "I need an external energy buffer. Something to act as a substitute core." Eshmund exhaled sharply.

His mind raced through possible solutions and let Sage display the options for him.

1. A Wearable Capacitor
   a device designed to store and release energy in bursts, providing temporary power when needed.
   


2. A Nanobot Energy Cluster
   if they couldnt create a core, perhaps they could simulate one inside his body, acting as a temporary energy storage unit.
   


3. An Elemental Energy Generator
   Cultivators absorb Elemental Energy directly from Spirit Stones into their cores, but he couldnt do the same. Instead, he could design a generator to extract and convert Elemental Energy from Spirit Stones or External Energy Nodes into usable energy to charge the SB system.

"Based on current data, if we are able to create an artificial energy core in the body, this deficiency should be resolved." Sage's voice cut through his thoughts.



Now that he had a clearer grasp of the situation, Eshmund began to form a plan.

First, he needed to focus on immediate survival - the short-term fixes. The nanobots had to be reprogrammed to handle Elemental Energy properly, no longer rejecting it as interference. He also needed a temporary energy buffer - a way to stabilize his power until he could develop something more permanent. But none of this would be possible unless he could gather more samples, refining the SB system's physical enhancement model to work with his current body. And for that, he needed more nanobots. Without them, operations would always be too slow.

But those were just temporary solutions.

What he truly needed is a long-term fix which is an artificial energy core. Something that would function like a cultivator's core, allowing him to store and regulate Elemental Energy internally. With that, he could power the SB system and nanobots directly, eliminating his dependence on external sources.

If he could solve these problems, he wouldn't just match the cultivators.

He could surpass them.

And the Samang Sect would be the perfect for his next goals.