Sotis the AI fought alone.
Other tis, I guided the hands directly.
The rhythm shifted constantly.
Dante adapted quickly. His movents beca sharper, forcing the system to respond faster. The sword clashed against his defensive strikes several tis, sending sparks across the room.
Despite the intensity, the lab remained mostly intact.
Mostly.
After a few more exchanges, I raised my hand.
"Alright, that’s enough."
Dante stopped imdiately.
The chanical hands froze in place.
I exhaled slowly.
The performance was better than expected.
Without using voice commands this ti, I sent instructions through chanic Force itself.
[Research Mode]
The constructs disassembled instantly.
The giant hands, sword, and shield separated back into one hundred individual hands. They spread across the lab, moving independently.
So began picking up scattered tools.
Others reorganized tal parts.
A few repaired minor damage from the fight.
Watching them work felt strangely calming.
These hands were not just weapons.
They were assistants.
They could carve runes, hold components in place, tighten microscopic screws, or assemble machines alongside .
I tapped the glasses resting on my nose.
I had created them a few days ago.
A holographic display appeared before my eyes, dividing into dozens of small windows. Each one showed the perspective of a different chanical hand.
Every movent.
Every angle.
Even those outside my natural field of vision.
With this system, I could monitor all of them simultaneously.
I leaned back slightly.
The first test drive was complete.
"It’s quite an innovative machine. You can use them as weapons, as auxiliary equipnt, and even as a mode of transport," Yuna said from behind .
I turned toward her and nodded.
She was right.
The system was flexible.
But it was not perfect yet.
The energy consumption was the main problem. chanic Force drained too quickly when all hundred hands were active.
That was the biggest limitation.
At Rank 0, my reserves were simply too small.
"I need to reach Rank 1 chanic soon. Once I do, I can build a chanic Force Engine and install it inside the hands. That should allow them to generate their own energy."
Yuna crossed her hands thoughtfully.
"That would make them mostly independent."
"Exactly."
She looked back at the floating hands as they continued organizing the lab.
"So," she said after a mont, "what is its na?"
I smiled slightly.
"Check for yourself."
I projected the weapon’s status screen so she could see it.
...
Hundred Hands of Devotion
Rank 1
Details: A chanic weapon that can be used in countless different scenarios. It has high growth potential and can be upgraded.
...
Yuna read the screen carefully, and nodded.
"That’s a good na."
The chanical hands continued organizing the lab while I returned to the main worktable.
I adjusted a few rune plates and opened another holographic window to review the performance logs from the test.
The system still needed optimization, especially energy efficiency and reaction delay when switching between AI control and manual control.
While I was running more experints, the lab door suddenly opened.
Lyra walked in without knocking.
"Rune Sage! I’ve read everything that you gave yesterday. Now give today’s research papers!"
Her voice was filled with excitent, and she wore a wide smile that looked almost childish.
Her ssy hair and slightly uneven breathing made it clear she had probably rushed here without stopping.
I glanced at her calmly.
She was hooked.
It had taken about two weeks.
Lyra was especially excited today, more than usual.
Although she had forgotten this because of insanity, the research papers I had been giving her were directly related to the subject she had once researched her entire life.
Today’s papers would complete the chain of knowledge.
And the most important parts were still with .
That was why she looked like this.
"Research papers? I have already given you everything that I wanted to give," I said, smiling faintly.
Lyra froze.
Her expression stiffened as if soone had pulled a plug inside her head.
"So... this is it?" she asked quietly. "No. Please give the final papers. I still haven’t read the most important parts."
"I can give you those. But it will cost you sothing."
Even I could tell I sounded suspicious.
Yuna glanced at briefly but said nothing.
Lyra, however, did not care at all.
"What do you want?" she asked imdiately.
"You."
"...?"
"Be my slave."
"...?"
She tilted her head slightly, confused rather than embarrassed.
There was no blush. No anger. No disgust.
To Lyra, machines and knowledge were the only things that truly mattered. Social anings behind words barely registered in her mind.
"Slave?. Do you an roleplay?" she asked.
"Not that type of slave," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "I will create a contract that marks you as my slave. From that point onward, you’ll need to follow my orders, and you won’t be able to harm . You—"
"Okay."
Her response ca so quickly that even I paused.
"You will give the research papers if I make this contract, right?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Then I agree."
Yuna frowned.
"Wasn’t that too easy?"
’Well, I told you before. Knowledge is her holy grail. She will do anything for it.’
Yuna crossed her arms, still watching Lyra carefully.
’And...’
I smiled faintly.
A look of realization appeared on Yuna’s face.
"She doesn’t know the Slave Contract you told her about is actually real. She thinks it’s just a normal signed docunt she can break later if need arises," Yuna muttered.
’Exactly.’
Lyra stood impatiently in front of the table, tapping her foot lightly.
"Where is the contract? We should hurry. I want to read the papers today."
Her focus never shifted away from the goal.
Moreover, from her perspective, this agreent carried no real risk.
I was only Rank 1.
She was a Rank 4 chanic.
Normally, any supernatural contract created by a Rank 1 Exorcist would only be capable of binding soone at the sa level or lower.
That assumption was logical.
But she did not know my situation was different.
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