Omega Core, Doctor Omega, and the new head of teaching the children, Professor Omega, were all watching a wall full of data feeds on the children's progress. They were doing fantastic, the Tiger had been dosed with her nanites from the first punch that Sergeant Bella Bloodrage threw at the creature, they had thought she was too brutal at first, but she seemed to use the exact right amount of force needed to weaken the beast for the children. That first punch to the head was enough for her nanites to start getting an idea of the surface thoughts of the beast and relay that it was no longer planning on hurting the kids before letting it approach them.

Professor Omega was created to head this techno-fairy-godmothering side of their operations and see what kind of shifts in their powers might result from such a path in life. As well as continue to research the abilities the kids, their pets, and their foes all have from the shadows.

Already she gained an Extra Arms mutation template that seems compatible with many other types of creatures. She got to see the Aetherial template transformation used on a non-zombie creature and could now most likely provide that race change to most living things. She could not add the Beast King template, but she understood its requirements now and had a few ideas for creating an Artificial Beast King Dungeon Boss for when they had more dungeons and beasts to experiment with.

The children were kept safe, Prince Jaw Breaker got a ton of XP for forcing such a powerful beast to submit. Tiffany got a new mount, leaving her Dracula Ant to be a pack insect alongside the unloved honey pot mount. The other 2 got a bit of party Xp for both events. Really the whole encounter had played out beautifully, and the Battle Tiger Beast King would be the perfect mount for Tiffany when she grew up into a full-sized Troll/Ogre-Mage hybrid, she not yet even know about his Battle Tiger form. The power she granted him made the creature insanely loyal now, she knew he thought that he would even fight Mr. Thing to defend his new master.

As they continued on she saw Jaw looking between his mount and the rejected Dracula Ant, she peaked at his surface thoughts and found that he was considering facts that he learned from his upgraded menu, comparing the Dracula ants faster limb movement to his Ants slightly slower limb movement, he had found out that Dracula ants can scissor their mandibles, creating the fastest pre-apocalypse limb movement of any animal in the world, they could use this to rip a limb of a foes, or attack the ground to launch themselves away from danger. Bullet ants were the previous record-holding animal, their mandibles had a completely different method of movement thought, where they would snap shut so hard and fast that ancient humans would use the ants bite to staple a wound closed then tear the head off of the ant. This way they could keep a few live ants in a container for first aid.

She could read Jaw's thoughts as he wondered if there was a way to get both sets of brutal mandibles on his mount and incorporate the two together, then use the bite as part of his charge attacks, or bite the side of a large foe and launch them both back away.

She loved all these ideas, so she sent him and her daughter each a message.

{To: Prince Jaw Breaker. To test your theories have your mount stand on the Dracula ant then ask my daughter to use her “magic dust” on them both. - Professor Omega}

{To: Junior Omega. Please go throw some magic dust on the ants when the prince asks -Professor Mom}

The boy shook his head at the message, then shrugged and dismounted, sending the ants on top of each other. Then he asked Junior “Dust Please?” while pointing at the ants.

Junior just laughed at his absurdly short question, before haphazardly throwing a few handfuls of top quality nanites on the ants.

The three watching Omega watched in awe as their sister went to work. The dust cloud that had transformed light fixtures and done much of the other work as a living swarm of nanites grew to like that form. She was now Calling herself Omega Magic, she was in charge of basically being a miracle the other Omegas could summon. And that was what the ever refilling pouch of magic dust was, a part of one of the Omegas that would always be there for the kids in secret. By making herself a tool, the system registered her as an item being used by Junior rather than another party member. So she would not leach Xp as long as she was just an odd magic tool.

The best part was that in times like this, she could still manifest the full power of her shapeshifting skills on behalf of the children.

The Bullet ant seemed to melt down into the Dracula ant and the two flowed together into a chrysalis that allowed her to create a whole new hybrid ant, She had to keep the blood drinker flaw the Dracula Ant had to keep most of the jaw bullshit, she kept the brutal pain of the stinger, but made it a non-lethal venom to both lower the point cost, and the risk of killing a useful specimen.

The real prize evolution was the new mandibles though, the spring action of the Dracula Ants mandibles was altered to allow the ant to “charge up” a bite allowing the Bullet ants brutal chop to happen even faster. She had to add metals into the creature's mandibles and carapace to stop the increased forces involved from tearing the poor creature's face apart.

She designed this new bite attack to be easily delivered at the same time as the Riders strike as well, so it was tailor-made to assist Prince Jaw’s fighting style. In honour of that fact, she named the new species Breaker Jaw Ants.

--------------------

Wang Shu Zhang was the grandson of the Jade Emperor and 22nd in line to the throne of the Steam Empire Faction. He was also facing death today.

Most people back home would kill themselves before daring to harm him or anyone in the Imperial line of succession, but these madmen seemed beyond reason. One of the local guides called them “Steel Talons”, described them as “crude cyborgs driven mad by their implants”. Before the coward drank a potion of invisibility and disappeared.

His guards were half dead, only 6 left of the elite group. The locals were all dead or had run away. Lei Wen, his personal advisor, bodyguard, and servant was badly wounded, having taken a projectile claw aimed for Wang Shu.

There were more than 20 of the mad cyborgs surrounding the remains of his caravan. Even Chiga MK2, His Bronze Lion Dog Guardian (AKA Bronze Shisa) was badly damaged, Only through force of Will and the last dregs of his mana was he able to keep the Shisa from being critically damaged. Once the 6 foot Bronze Shisa went down his men and him would quickly follow, and if his men went down the Guardian Dog Robot would Quickly be flanked and follow.

The less than 10 of the Steel Talons lay dead or incapacitated, they fought without fear or remorse, but they still had enough cruelty to enjoy slowly boxing the survivors in and picking them off one at a time.

Even if he survived he would likely hear the screams of his men dying in his dreams for the rest of his life.

A Swipe from one of the Steel Talons severed a critical hydraulic line in Chiga MK2’s front right leg, and the guardian robot slammed into the ground. Two Of the mad ex-men lept at the robot, intent on finishing their last hope.

A Loud Crack ruptured the air and both creatures were knocked out of the air and landed next to Chiga in a pair of unmoving heaps. The sudden silence that followed allowed the remaining defenders and the assaulting horde to hear the high pitched battle cry. Right before, from over the same ridge the ambushing horde had used came a bunch of weird children riding giant ants and a green tiger. Two girls in the middle of the group unleashed blasts of some kind of strange magic, one fired swirling balls of grey energy while the other seemed to be firing large bolts or arrows made of steel without a bow, either type seemed able to stop a cyborg in a single hit.

The two girls were quickly outshone by the Ant Knight’s charge, the leading child-sized rider rode a slightly larger ant with giant mandibles a huge stinger and a silver carapace with jagged blood-red stripes. The Huge mandibles were of the same blood-red and were open wide and glowing slightly. Wang Shu had just enough time to wonder if charging in was a great idea when the huge ant's mandibles snapped shut taking the legs of two of the cyborgs while the rider used a trident to fend off attacks against his mount as it trampled, bit, and stung with brutal efficiency.

In less than 5 minutes all the Steel Talons were down, and the two girls were checking the wounded and sprinkling some kind of healing powder on them. Wang Shu would have complained or asked questions usually, but they had started with his bodyguard Lei Wen. The relief of knowing that the old fart would live to pester him another day was nearly enough to Break Wang Shu’s carefully controlled composure and have him bawling at the feet of these strangers thanking them. He could not fathom being alone in a strange land without a single friendly face. Even if Lei Wen’s face rarely looked friendly.

As The Girls finished healing his men Lei Wen prepared himself to bow his head a little in thanks, no so much that they think they have him in their debt yet though. Lei Wen would not have his charge giving away more, even for saving his life.

But rather than meet him the girls quickly moved over to Chiga MK2 and prepared to use some healing powder on him too.

Wang Shu dashed over in a panic screaming “NO” before the girl could toss her dust. “He’s Got a NecroTech drive, only a necromancer or steam mechanic can repair him properly.”

Most people would scorn him for using NecroTech, but his Chiga was at least 50% stronger than a basic Shisa guardian, and that was because of the bone dust from his pet Dog, the first Chiga, was in the drive, the necromantic batteries. This left him with a weakness to positive energy and thus most “healing magic” only death magic or repair magic for constructs could be used to heal him.

He assumed the two girls would not really understand his explanation, besides that positive energy healing, was no good. So it came as a shock when the girl tossed her dust on Chiga anyway, then the other girl vomited on him, a vile grey liquid, that moved by itself deeper into Chiga, soaking into the exposed Necromantic batteries.

He wanted to scream, rage, punch someone, do something VERY non-royal to these peasants.

Congratulations! Chiga MK2 wants to be Your Guardian Beast.

Guardian Beasts are the highest form of Animal Companion, and thus grant the greatest number of benefits. Warning, some of the changes may be permanent even after the contractor grows up or dies.

Chiga MK2 has had evolved from Advanced NecroTech Guardian to AetherTech Guardian. He is the first of his kind and thus much more powerful than later models, and has more expansion slots for customization from being a Sapient Breakthrough Prototype.

Warning! The soul of the beast bones in the old NecroTech Drive has fused with the drive and may overwrite hardcoded commands.

Do you accept Yes or No

Chiga got his soul back?

The beastly construct glowed with the same grey light as the grey-skinned girl with pointed ears wielded. The rents in his armour repaired themselves, his bronze colour drained away leaving him a shiny Chrome-like colouration. He stood back up and turned to Wang Shu tail wagging so hard his huge rear end was rocking back and forth just like he did when he was alive.

Tears nearly blocked his vision as he accepted the system prompt.

{It’s okay master, I am okay now} Chiga’s voice sounded in his mind after the Guardian Beast Bond formed.

Wang Shu dropped to his knees before the two girls blubbering out his thanks. He had felt so alone without Chiga. Chiga Cared not for court politics or his place in the line of succession. The dog had just loved him until the day he took down an assassin sent by one of his cousins but succumbed to the assassin's poisoned blades.

He had spent 3 years learning to build a Shisa Guardian and implant the dog’s remains in the core. He knew he had created a stronger guardian then he should have been able to, he told himself that is was the Dog’s spirit trying to stay with him. But to feel him, alive in his mind. Stronger, smarter, and more powerful than ever before. He had never dared even hope to get his best friend back. Everyone told him that Chiga MK2 would just be a horror, a monstrosity.

But nothing in the world could have made the prince as happy as seeing the shiny monstrosity wagging it’s whole ass in delight.

--------------------

Tiffany had been happy to get her tiger guardian beast, but this boy was bawling with joy and it made her uncomfortable, she looked at her sister and found the same feeling of confused consternation on her face.

“My good sir, please rise, you are no drone or subject of ours.” Tiffany said with her best princess impression.

“Yet.” her larger/younger sister could not help but quip.

The boy seemed to come to his senses a few moments later and the placid mask of a facial expression replaced the blubbering child. “Thank you for your consideration my lady, How rude of me not to introduce myself. I am Wang Shu Zhang Grandson of the Jade Emperor. You have rescued a diplomatic caravan and likely saved your hive city much trouble in the future had I died out here.”

“How did you know we are from the Nightmare Hive?” Her sister asked without thinking

Tiffany sighed then explained “No Junior, He is talking about the Scavenger Hive, the city we were headed to the outskirts of, where my orphanage was. Most people just call it ‘The Hive’”

“But we do live in a big ant nest, calling our home a hive makes sense, why do these scavengers call their home a “hive”?”

Tiffany continued to try an explain to her sister “because most people live in homes they made themselves tightly packed together, like insects.”

“Oh, ok.” Junior turned back to the boy they rescued “We are from an empire too, well I think so. Since our mom is an empress. We are not from the scavenger hive, we are from the nightmare hive.” then she got all excited before saying “Oooh ooh, my sister is a princess too” while she pointed at me. “And Mr grouchy sugar pants over there,” she said while pointing at prince Jaw Breaker “Is a prince who lost his kingdom to a traitorous Gum Drop”

“I had no idea so much royalty lived out here” the young Asian boy said, looking unsure if he believed us all, but too polite to argue with his saviours

“We are new.” Tiffany said, hoping the endless side quests would end and she could get back to saving her dead friends.