The initial feeling of being overwhelmed was quickly replaced by intense focus. Yanaki knew that standing in the middle of the boulevard and lamenting the differences of this world wouldn't get her anywhere. She had a clue, a single opportunity: the broken automaton in the alley.
"We're going back," she told her two companions.
They returned to the small alley where the guard automaton still lay motionless, save for the faint electric sparks from its neck. [Appraisal] had said it needed an [Auxiliary Power Core]. This was her first trial in Aethelgard.
Yanaki approached a nearby stall where an old man with a grease-stained beard and a pair of mechanical goggles was selling all sorts of scrap components.
"Excuse me, sir, I need to find an Auxiliary Power Core," Yanaki asked politely.
The man looked up, squinting at her. "Auxiliary Power Core? That's rare stuff, kid. Not for sale off the shelf," he grumbled. "In Aethelgard, if you want something good, you craft it yourself."
Just as she'd predicted. "Then... do you sell blueprints?"
The mechanic smirked. "Smart one, aren't you. 5 Copper Cogs for an F-Rank blueprint."
Yanaki gritted her teeth and paid. That was a third of her starting capital. She received a thin metal plate engraved with technical instructions.
[Schematic: Auxiliary Power Core (F-Rank)]
Required Materials:
[Copper Wiring] x5
[Scrap Metal Plating] x10
[Low-Grade Energy Crystal] x1
She managed to buy the copper wiring and metal plating from his stall, costing her a few more cogs. But he didn't sell the [Low-Grade Energy Crystal]. "If you want crystals, go down to the sewers and look for the Mechanical Sewer Rats," he said, pointing a thumb towards a nearby manhole cover.
Yanaki, Elara, and Sylva descended into the sewer system beneath the city. The air here was damp and smelled of rust. The rats here were not living creatures; they were small, gear-driven machines with red LEDs for eyes.
A level 6 [Mechanical Sewer Rat] spotted them and charged.
"Sylva, block it!"
The Guardian Treant raised its shield, but it felt awkward on the metal floor. Its [Root Prison] skill was completely useless here. It could only rely on its physical strength. The same went for Elara; her [Serene Lullaby] had no effect on an emotionless machine.
The burden of offense fell on Yanaki again. She slipped past Sylva, using her dagger to stab at the mechanical rat's joints. After several difficult fights, one of the rats finally dropped a small blue crystal.
With all the materials, she now needed a place to craft. She had to spend nearly all her remaining money to rent a "Public Workshop" for an hour. It was a small room with a metal workbench and a full set of basic tools.
Following the instructions on the schematic, Yanaki began to work. The system turned the crafting process into a mini-game, requiring her to assemble the components in the correct order and tighten them with just the right amount of force. After a few failed attempts, she finally succeeded.
[You have successfully crafted: [Auxiliary Power Core (F-Rank)] x1.]
Holding her creation, Yanaki hurried back to the alley. She carefully opened the chest cavity of the broken automaton and installed the new power core.
Beep... beep... Vrr...
The sparks vanished. The automaton slowly sat up. The lights in its eyes switched from red to blue. It turned its head, looking directly at Yanaki. Its mechanical eyes were no longer vacant and soulless. There seemed to be an awareness, a curiosity, and even... gratitude.
A completely new type of notification appeared before Yanaki.
[You have successfully repaired a Model 7 Guard Automaton.]
[Its cognitive matrix has registered you as "The Creator".]
[Would you like to establish a "Link Protocol"?]
[Note: This protocol will function similarly to a Covenant, allowing you to issue commands and connect with the automaton's consciousness.]
Yanaki smiled. She had been right.
Her path on this floor wasn't to find spirits of the past, but to create allies from steel and gears. Not to soothe sorrow, but to repair and upgrade.
She looked at the guard automaton, awaiting its first command. This was just a standard automaton, but it was proof that she could survive and thrive in Aethelgard.
The quest to find 3 [Ancient Energy Cores] was still ahead, a colossal challenge. But now, Yanaki had the tools and a direction. She wouldn't just search for them. Perhaps, she would craft them herself.