Twenty-five minutes later.
Inside the brightly lit base hall.
A towering power armor, nearly 2.8 meters tall and weighing a ton, stood before Zaire.
Right behind him.
David, the iron man, slightly hunched with his metallic spine, lifted his metal head.
The blue light in his eye sockets continuously scanned the massive armor in front of him.
Before long, David completed his scan.
He shook his metal head slightly and said to Zaire, who stood with arms crossed:
"My lord, I have a basic understanding of the internal structure of this power armor."
Hearing David's words, Zaire, his wolf-like turquoise pupils narrowing, pondered for a moment before asking:
"David, can you modify its structure? Without the black carapace's assistance, I can't operate this thing at all."
"My lord, the power armor consists of an outer ceramic-steel shell, an internal adamantine skeleton, electronic muscle bundles running throughout, and various complex life-support and detection systems."
David took a step forward.
He walked to the front of the power armor.
Tilting his metallic head upward slightly, he stared at the towering metal construct before continuing:
"I can guarantee that the ceramic-steel armor and skeleton can be disassembled and reassembled without issue. If it's just removing and reinstalling the electronic muscle bundles, I can manage that as well… However, I know nothing about the more intricate systems, especially the energy source in the power pack."
"To me, this power armor is a technological 'black box.' I can replicate and reconstruct certain aspects, but truly understanding the technology behind it would require complete blueprints and schematics."
David turned around and spread his metal palms toward Zaire.
"Forgive me, my lord… I am, after all, just a construction worker, not a true Mechanicus priest. You need an expert in this field. If you still have the power to work miracles, I wonder—can you create one?"
David lifted his metal head.
His metal hands clasped together slightly, and his mechanical voice carried a trace of anticipation.
Zaire, expressionless, slowly curled his lips into a grin.
His hidden fangs emerged.
With a stiff expression, he said:
"Perhaps in the future… but for now, it's not possible. David, is there really no other way?"
"Uh… my lord, I have an idea."
David suddenly turned to glance at the power armor.
"If you need it for immediate combat, I could craft a makeshift version using standard Terra metals."
"A metal skeleton suited to your physique, an outer shell of regular metal, incorporating the power armor's electronic muscle bundles… If I study force-feedback mechanisms and integrate a new energy source—or perhaps still use the power pack—it could work. However, it would lack many of the armor's systems, meaning your combat ability may not increase much, and your survivability would significantly decrease."
Zaire listened in silence to David's proposal.
A glint flashed in his turquoise wolf-like eyes.
"David, let's do it! Leaving this thing here as a decoration is a waste."
"My lord, first, you must understand that this project carries a high risk of failure… and I still need to build Professor Connors' biological lab. The underground passageways are fully dug out, but some areas still lack security installations…"
David immediately nodded in agreement.
Then, he began listing the current task priorities.
Zaire raised a sharp-tipped finger and rubbed his forehead.
With a sigh, he said:
"I understand, David, I understand… The current Hunter-class armor is sufficient for any threat. There's no need to rush. Stick to your schedule."
"Thank you for your understanding."
David shook his metal head slightly and turned toward the base's corridors.
His steps seemed lighter.
Zaire, with a helpless expression, reluctantly reached out and ran his hand over the cold, heavy ceramic-steel shell of the power armor.
Then, he turned and walked toward the round metal table, taking a seat beside it.
Just as he was settling in, a sudden thought struck him.
Before long, a startled cry from the armory interrupted his thoughts.
Zaire's expression remained blank as he swiftly got up.
His tall frame moved quickly toward the source of the noise.
"Jessica, what's with the shouting… what's going on?"
However, as he stepped into the armory, his words caught in his throat.
At that moment, two identical Jessicas stood in front of the weapon rack, their height, physique, and even expressions of shock perfectly mirrored.
In one of their hands, fine, multicolored powder shimmered under the light.
Zaire instantly analyzed the situation rationally.
That position… it had held the crystal orb, a trophy from the minotaur, Aggar!
"Jessica! Do you feel any signs of mental intrusion? Any unusual changes?"
Expressionless, Zaire let his arms drop.
His sharp, clawed fingers slightly spread apart—ready to attack at any moment.
"Uh, boss, I feel fine. No discomfort at all… I swear, I'm telling the truth!"
Seeing Zaire's aggressive posture, the shocked Jessica quickly tossed the shimmering powder back onto the weapon rack.
The next second, one of the two identical Jessicas slowly faded into thin air!
"Hah…"
Zaire took a deep breath and blinked his turquoise wolf-like eyes.
His lips curled into a smirk, revealing his fangs.
"I really hate these damned magical artifacts… Not even a damn instruction manual!"