Reinventing Magic: An Inventor's Tale-Chapter 87: Ancient Codes

The chamber hummed with a low, resonant energy as Kael’s fingers danced across the console, his eyes flickering between lines of glowing glyphs and cascading data streams.

Astra lay motionless inside the capsule, his silver-gray hair floating faintly in the stasis field. His spirit crystal pulsed rhythmically, casting fractured light across the glass.

"Conflicting subroutines here... and here," Kael muttered, highlighting a cluster of shimmering runes. "Your creators built redundancies to last millennia, but they’re throttling your systems." He glanced at Astra’s unconscious form. "No wonder you slowed down after every fight."

Alice leaned closer, her gray eyes reflecting the holographic display. "Master, his adaptive matrices are degrading. Similar to my old core fractures."

"Worse," Kael said, zooming in on a tangled web of code. "His creators hardwired failsafes to prevent overclocking. But these protocols are ’choking’ him." He isolated a thread of glyphs, their edges frayed like burnt parchment. "If I bypass these dampeners..."

The console flared warning red.

[WARNING: CORE INTEGRITY AT RISK. STASIS REQUIRED!]

Kael scoffed. "Too late for warnings. He’s already under."

The adjustments took hours. Sweat beaded on Kael’s brow as he wove his own code into the ancient framework, grafting modern spellcraft onto archaic syntax. Alice monitored Astra’s vitals, her spirit crystal flickering in sync with his aether core.

"Nanite replication protocol detected," she said suddenly, pointing to a cluster of glyphs writhing like serpents. "Similar to my Astral Nanites, but... autonomous."

Kael’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Self-replicating nanites infused with pure mana? So that’s how he regenerates!"

Equations and spell circles materialized mid-air as he typed furiously.

"If I incorporate this into your systems, you could manifest weapons, shields, and more with just a thought. Your transformation sequences would become entirely self-sustaining—no more mana drain, even during prolonged battles!"

Alice tilted her head. "Compatibility?"

"We’ll buffer it through your aether core. But first—" He paused, glancing at Astra. The guardian’s face was eerily serene, his chest rising and falling in mechanical rhythm. "Let’s finish his upgrades."

[Upload: 45%..]

The chamber grew colder as the upload progressed, the air thick with anticipation. Kael’s breath fogged in the dim light, his fingers still hovering over the console.

The glyphs on the screen pulsed in time with Astra’s spirit crystal, their ancient patterns intertwining with Kael’s modern code. The fusion of old and new was delicate, like threading a needle through the fabric of time itself.

[Upload: 55%..]

Alice stood silently beside Kael, her gray eyes fixed on Astra’s form. Her spirit crystal glowed faintly, a mirror to the one embedded in Astra’s chest. She tilted her head slightly, her voice soft but steady.

"Master, his aether core is stabilizing. The redundancies are being overwritten, but the process is... slow."

Kael nodded, his gaze never leaving the screen.

"It has to be. If we rush this, we risk corrupting his core directives. His creators built him to last millennia, but they didn’t account for someone like me trying to improve him."

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Or maybe they did, and this is their idea of a challenge."

[Upload: 78%..]

The console flickered, a cascade of warnings flashing across the display. Kael’s fingers moved swiftly, silencing each alert with practiced precision.

"His nanite replication protocol is kicking in," he muttered, more to himself than to Alice. "It’s adapting to the new code. Good. That means the integration is working."

Alice’s eyes narrowed as she studied the data stream.

"The nanites are restructuring his internal systems. His golem mode transformation sequences are being rewritten." She paused, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Master, do you think he’ll retain his original directives?"

Kael hesitated, his hand hovering over the console. "I hope so. His purpose is what makes him who he is. I’m not here to change that. I just want to give him the tools to fulfill it better."

[Upload: 86%..]

The capsule began to emit a low hum, the fluid inside swirling as if alive. Astra’s spirit crystal brightened, its light piercing through the glass. Kael shielded his eyes, squinting at the console.

"Almost there," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the growing noise.

Alice stepped closer, her hand resting on the capsule.

"His systems are synchronizing. The nanites are forming new pathways, enhancing his combat protocols." She glanced at Kael, her expression unreadable. "He’ll be stronger than before."

Kael nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "Stronger, faster, more efficient. But still Astra. That’s what matters."

[Upload: 95%..]

The chamber trembled, the air crackling with energy. Kael’s fingers flew across the console, finalizing the last lines of code.

"Come on," he muttered, his voice tense. "Just a little more."

[Upload: 98%..]

The capsule’s hum grew deafening, the light from Astra’s spirit crystal blinding. Kael gritted his teeth, his eyes watering from the intensity.

"Alice, stand back!"

[Upload: 99%..]

The console flashed a final warning, the glyphs on the screen spinning wildly. Kael slammed his hand down on the console, his voice firm.

"Override! Complete the upload!"

[Upload: 100%..]

[Uploading complete. System rebooting.]

The capsule exploded with light, a shockwave of energy rippling through the chamber. Kael stumbled back, shielding his eyes as the brilliance consumed everything.

For a moment, there was nothing but light and sound, a cacophony of power that seemed to stretch into eternity.

And then, silence.

The light faded, leaving the chamber in darkness. Kael blinked, his vision slowly adjusting.

The capsule was intact, the fluid drained away. Astra lay motionless, his silver-gray hair damp against his skin. His spirit crystal glowed faintly, its light steady and calm.

Kael’s breath caught in his throat.

"Did I... succeed?"

Astra’s eyes snapped open, their gray depths sharp and focused. He sat up slowly, his movements fluid and precise. His gaze locked onto Kael, and for a moment, there was no recognition, only calculation.

Then, he spoke, his voice low and resonant. freewebnσvel.cѳm

"System reboot complete. Directive reaffirmed: Protect the ruin."

Kael exhaled, a smile spreading across his face.

"Welcome back, Astra."

Alice stepped forward, her spirit crystal glowing in harmony with Astra’s.

"Master, his systems are fully operational. The nanite replication protocol is active, and his transformation sequences are optimized."

Kael nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities.

"Good. Now, let’s see what he can do."

Astra rose from the capsule, his movements graceful and deliberate. He glanced at Kael, his expression as stoic as ever.

"Thank you," he said in the modern tongue. "My systems have improved... and my speech has changed."

Kael chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You’re welcome. I decided to change your default language to make communication easier for you and the others."

Astra tilted his head slightly, his gray eyes narrowing as if processing the change.

The faint glow of his spirit crystal pulsed rhythmically, casting a soft light across his chiseled features. His voice, now smoother and more fluid, carried a hint of curiosity.

"Understood," Astra replied, his tone still devoid of emotion but with a newfound clarity. "Your modifications have enhanced my efficiency. I am... grateful."

Kael raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Grateful? That’s a new one. I didn’t think you were capable of expressing gratitude."

Astra’s gaze remained steady. "Gratitude is a logical response to improved functionality. It does not imply emotion, only acknowledgment of benefit."

Kael chuckled, shaking his head. "Fair enough. Let’s see how much you’ve improved. Alice, run a diagnostic on his combat protocols. I want to make sure everything’s running smoothly."

Alice stepped forward, her silver-gray hair shimmering under the chamber’s dim light. Her spirit crystal glowed faintly as she extended her hand toward Astra.

A thin beam of light connected their crystals, and data began to stream between them.

"Combat protocols are fully operational," Alice reported after a moment. "His transformation sequences are seamless, and his nanite replication is functioning at optimal levels. He should be able to generate weapons and shields instantaneously, just as you intended, Master."

Kael nodded, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.

"Perfect. Astra, care to give it a try?"

Astra’s response was immediate. His body shifted, the runes etched into his back flaring to life as his form began to restructure. In an instant, his human-like appearance gave way to a towering golem mode, his body now encased in a sleek, metallic exoskeleton.

His spirit crystal glowed brighter, and a shimmering energy shield materialized around him. With a thought, a blade of pure mana formed in his hand, its edge crackling with power.

"Impressive," Kael murmured, his analytical mind already dissecting the display. "The transition is faster than I anticipated. And the energy output is stable. No strain on his core."

Astra retracted the blade and shield, his form reverting to its human-like state.

"The modifications are effective," he stated simply. "I am ready to fulfill my directive."

Kael crossed his arms, his expression turning serious.

"About that. Your directive has expanded, Astra. The ruins have served their purpose. What we need now is Eldersilver to forge the Astral Nanites. You’re the only one who knows where to find it."

Astra’s gaze remained fixed on Kael. "The ruins... have accomplished their purpose?" he repeated, his voice carrying a rare hint of uncertainty.

"Yes," Kael confirmed. "The knowledge stored within them was the key to protecting humanity from the rifts. But now, we need to move forward. Your creators’ legacy—the Project Golem—depends on it. And so does humanity."

Astra was silent for a moment, his spirit crystal flickering as if processing the new information. Finally, he spoke.

"Understood. I will guide you to the Eldersilver. It lies deep within the Forbidden Expanse, a perilous region. My creators sealed it away to prevent its misuse."

"What?! Are you telling me it’s not kept within this ruin?"

This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦