AN: This chapter has an illustration so please don’t forget to download it (if you're on an App). If online, please look at the picture with a dark background since it's in PNG format. Sorry about that.

================================

Chapter 554: Attack

================================

He slowed his running speed and pretended to look for targets, prone-positioning himself among bushes beneath a relatively widely-trunked tree.

‘How much processing resources are you using?’

[At the current deadlock, it’s 15%. If I use more, I will put more strain on you. This is your tolerance limit at your current physical body’s fitness level, in relevance to the currently synchronized amount of NanoMech components. If we want to increase this tolerance limit, we need to control more NanoMechs on your body. But it needs time and there’re no shortcuts into it.]

Rex clicked his tongue in annoyance. Although it wasn’t painful, the fact that it was a prolonged headache, the longer it stays, even if the intensity doesn’t increase, the pain will still slowly erode his concentration thereby making him more sensitive to it, making the low-grade pain higher by every passing minute. Worst off, there was no way to make it go away aside from either defeating this invader or driving it out of the echelon’s domain.

‘Are you currently using the Backup Hardware in the house to sustain my lack of tolerance?’

[I am, sir. The entire Echelon Network was also in full activity using gathered processing resources all around the world.]

‘Shit. Have they discovered that we’ve hacked the Chronos Office?’

[Negative sir. There was no scan conducted in the local network in the hotel and the connected local LAN Connection is safely functioning without any scanning sequences.]

—then it means it’s an external scanning from an online connection prompted by other reasons.

‘Do our tapped video feeds and fake data scan projections to the Office affected by my shortage of processing tolerance?’

[Negative sir. I’ve included all present processes in the initial scanning parameters report. Raising the processing resources will increase the chance of pushing back the attack by a little but it would put more strain on your mind. To not affect your current performance, my analysis of available data suggested that this is your safety limit. Increasing the data-processing intensity will shave off more of your tolerance limit and this will reflect as a pain on the same level of using [Focus] in succession.]

Rex secretly cursed. If only they’ve set up the “cage” to trap the [Database] much earlier, he can face it off and this won’t affect their current plans.

His pain was pretty tolerable but he didn’t know if this would persist one or two hours later on. What more, there was also the aching of his left hand to consider as well. He can’t use it well although the arm itself was 40% okay and is still 50% workable along with the undulating pain.

In short, Rex’s [tolerance] for Cortana’s advanced AI-processes was only 15%... everything included.

If he had not chosen to assemble an External-HD for Cortana, who knows if it could even reach up to 10% —in other words, not only did he had to up his controllable NanoMech Components, Rex also had to make it so that his physique would catch up to all these “installed” add-ons in his body.

But the thing is... only Cortana was able to touch these “NanoMechs” in his body. And as much as he wanted to help, she already said that it only needs time, nothing else, as it has no shortcuts.

Rex could only sit there and become a vessel for Cortana to wage the software war alone; and the resources needed for this was dependent on his Tolerance Limit which was just a meager 4% of all the “controllable” NanoMechs in his body.

As the host of this “weapon”, he found it kind of intolerable that he couldn’t do more and control it by his own hands. As such, he felt impatient and anxious since he can’t see and adjust himself to all the possible ways this battle could end.

‘Is there any way I could help? Increase it, then, the processing resources. I will carry the brunt. I need you to protect our assets and the Echelon Network at all costs, even if I have to suffer great headaches because of it.’

[Increasing data-processing intensity to 20%... sir, you will experience a sharp pain please bear with it and hope that this would be enough for the attacker to realize we haven’t used much of all our software-fighting resources.]

There was no hesitation in Cortana’s voice. Once she received the authorization, she went for the kill and increased the required data-processing amount needed from Rex’s tolerance rating and fought back against the hacking attempt.

—Urgh!!

Almost immediately, Rex felt a sharp something is inserted somewhere in his brain and he grunted, although it wasn’t something he’d close his eyes to concentrate in bearing. But this pain was still a phenomenon unique on itself because it was such an attack that directly eats away at his sanity. This was the first time he felt a pain like this.

It’s just like the sharp mental pain after using their [Focus] ability, just like his initial impression. But it’s a kind of pain that persists, constantly, painful in a way that it’s annoyingly irritating.

He felt the anger rise in his heart. He needed to vent on something to ease his suffering.

Of all the kinds of pain he experienced before, an interminable-kind of headache like this was one of which he was never familiar with.

He could endure hacking wounds, beatings, and monster bites… heck, he could even smile even if one or two of his limbs were chopped off.

But this pain, this constant headache, Rex found out that he wanted to avoid this pain as much as possible and as best as he can.

Rex only realized just now how feeble and weak he was in reality. Everything… still ends up in his true body not being strong enough to do anything that he wanted to do.

He only now found out that his body needed to have a synergy between three things to be able to fight back against almost any modern-type threats.

Physical Fitness = sets maximum [Tolerance Limit] number as well as make NanoMech Synchronicity ratio faster and a lot higher the healthier he was. It can even be said that the stronger his body could become, the better it was for everybody.

NanoMech Synchro = acts like the vehicle for the software battles Cortana could wage upon enemy Battle-AIs —the more NanoMechs (%) controlled, the better the performance Cortana could extract from her data-processing resources. Presently, they could only control 4% of the total NanoMech in Rex’s body and in the future, the more they can control, the higher the requirement for “Tolerance Limit” will be.

Tolerance Limit = Cortana’s default hardware limit was 500YB of data-processing limit at a given time (her driving ability) but she can’t reach this apex if the vessel (the vehicle, or the Nano-Synch Rate) in Rex’s body —or plainly his tolerance— had low dependency rate (or no fuel); and this “limit” was set by his health. how much Synch Rate has been made with the existing NanoMechs in his body will serve as the fuel that enables a higher-level data-processing capacity for Cortana.

Rex became aware that all these time, it’s not that Cortana hasn’t actually used more than 1% of her data-processing capability; it’s just that it wasn’t an entire necessity right up ‘till now.

Skills, knowledge, theories, references, they were all in his brain and became permanent memories, intellectual resources he could dig upon whenever he was in need of it… especially in Terroa or in any virtual universes like this Private Server.

But in the real world, to fight his enemies who are using modern technological weapons, although he was considered “skilled” and “strong”, this physical strength was still only just a part of it because with Cortana, he could convert this “strength” into the kind of power that could combat software-related problems his enemies may throw against him.

And yet, Rex only now realized that their current pace of synchronizing the NanoMechs in his body was slow —too slow, in fact— and now, the result was his flat-level tolerance in using all of Cortana’s processing resources. At their current state, 4% NanoMech Synchronicity could only support 15% of Cortana’s data-processing capability.

Increasing the data-processing rate will require a larger “number” of synchronized NanoMech and yet, although she could increase the number up to 20% or even 30%, since the Tolerance Limit is too low, the toll on Rex’s was going to be immense.

Rex didn’t realize this problem before they never had the chance to actually test his “vessel’s” limits.

But now, there was an enemy that needed more of this “tolerance limit” in order to fend off and yet he couldn’t pull out more of Cortana’s capabilities without actually paying a high price….

…his mental concentration.

In this assessment event, Rex needed as much of his concentration as possible... yet in the end, he was still too weak and he sacrificed some of his concertation to endure the headache while having to still finish this assessment event.

He hated it. He hated it with all his heart!

This weak him, he hated it so much!

‘Inform… Lily. Keep an eye out for enemies.’

Rex was left with no choice. Any more than this and his plans will break apart because he will be forcedly recruited into the Abraxas Family. He had to ask for help.

[Yes sir.]

*****

[Eh?]

The little bluish green fairy seated on her right shoulder suddenly raised her head and uttered an exclamation of surprise.

“What is it, Lily?” Amanda asked and Lily flew up from her shoulder and stared at Rex. Amanda was watching the scenes in the global display but this weird action of Lily made her worried. “Lily, what’s going on?”

[Master, mom said there’s a bad guy trying to hurt her and the boss from somewhere.]

The words shocked Amanda and she grabbed her man’s unmoving hand tightly.

“Tell me what’s happening.”

[Some… thing is trying to hack the boss’s house’s Network Security. It was a monster as strong as mom... she said.]

Amanda’s heart almost lurched to a stop in worry.

She knew what would happen if Rex’s data were scanned, destroyed, or stolen. Everything he’s been working on would be compromised. This is most especially crucial to the [secret project] only she, of all the people in their circle, was aware.

“Lily, what can I do? No, can you help her?”

[I can’t. Although my software programming is a bit higher than mom’s, my hardware is limited with the little processing capability your Communicator is able to provide me. In my current capacity, all I am able to do is call the cops, real-time locational scan and locality rendering, as well as basic hacking of low-grade security softwares. Aside from that, I’m basically useless in their battle.]

The answer made Amanda bite her lower lips. She wandered her eyes around, trying to look for help until she saw Thorn who was watching the global display of the assessment events’ highlights.

Amanda had an idea, “Lily, contact Thorn.”

[Dialing… encrypting call.]

No sooner after Lily confirmed, a voice rung in the communicator in her left ear but the sound is still heard on both her ears. This was a beauty of modern communication devices.

“Thorn, I need your help. Rex’s in trouble.” She didn’t mince her words and directly went to the point of her secret call. They’ve already had their agreement. No one was to know that they were all connected through Rex Kingsley.

Thorn’s voice was serious and Amanda sneaked a glance at his direction, meeting his eyes although he was pretending to still looking at the stage.

Amanda couldn’t say everything especially the fact that Cortana was a part of Rex’s body, his brain, in fact, but she still outlined the general situation.

She made it so that Rex’s “Black Label Company” was at risk of being hacked.

Thorn knew that Rex treasured his company since he wanted to use the assets generated on it to give financial backing to the members of Asgard.

If the company’s secrets were stolen or leaked, it was a loss not only for Rex but also to all existing members of their Asgard… his friends.

“Lily?” Amanda asked the little fairy.

[I need access to supercomputers. The more the better! If you got quantum-processing computers, then it’s even better.]

Thorn was shocked and he swallowed. This was a request that was actually beyond his ‘legal’ power to simply just wave off and be done with. It was an act that needed more than just his “prince” title as well as his face.

He grits his teeth, hesitating, but upon seeing that Amanda was fidgeting so he made his decision.

After he spoke, he discreetly excused himself in the crowd and started making a few calls.

*****

[Master, should we contact the others?]

Amanda paused to think and asked, “What were Rex’s instructions to you?”

[The Boss didn’t tell me to contact the others but mom said I should stay vigilant.]

When Lily spoke, she looked at a certain direction.

Amanda cast a glanced over at the direction where she looked and saw Loni looking over the back of the departing prince. Amanda turned to Lily and just as she was about to ask, she saw her put her right index finger in her lips. Amanda understood and gave a nod.

[Let me handle it. Mom said that she’s already put an update on her console but just in case, I will also put my own “lock” into it.]

Although Lily didn’t specify, Amanda at least knew that for some reason, Rex had suspected that she was a girl that couldn’t be trusted at all.

Amanda knew it from the first time she met Loni in Walled City of Maria… she spoke something about the [New Countries], The Union, and a conspiracy.

She knew that Loni wasn’t a simple player.

Rex said that she was there in the Underground City of Goldwyn and that she had something to do with Baron’s keeper, Augustus Laniary.

Although Rex hasn’t proven anything about Loni’s alignment, he knew it was better to doubt than to regret since after all, he knew what he saw and he trusted it more than just a pure guess. As such, he instructed Cortana to tell Lily a lot about his plans.

*****

In Chronos’ Office, the silently watching Goldwyn let out a surprised exclaim.

“What is?”

The news amused the old general that he blinked before laughing out loud, “Really? And so that AI is the one responsible for establishing the trapnet that your [Database] had tried to stay away from?”

Goldwyn was irritated by the old man’s comment on his beloved [Database] that he narrowed his eyes against him,

Chronos was shocked to silence.

”Hold on now. Are you saying that this AI was as powerful as your [Database], is that it?”

Chronos was silent again. It should be noted that an AI-Program is nothing more than a support tool for human beings to perform calculating tasks a lot better and faster.

The “Battle-AI Technology” is actually created by a joint project by Abraxas and Goldwyn Houses, with 60% of its creation being founded by the old gangster’s organization.

During its inception, [Database] was created —it was the father of all Battle-AI so it should only be natural that it was better at everything compared to all other Battle-AIs since they’re all based on him.

Even the Abraxas Family’s Battle-AI encharged of the family’s assets’ security and maintenance like Jarvis from a faraway universe, was only on par in capability with the [Database] of Goldwyn City, it not slightly inferior when in terms of its “attacking” capabilities for the [Abraxas-AI] was focused on its defensive qualities than attacking strength.

Every Battle-AI grows according to their hardware systems and programmed protocol reflexes. When a Battle-Ai is given enough resources and enough time to grow with its experiences, it will eventually result into some formidable software.

Chronos had confidence that in terms of hardware and software strengths, [Database] and [Abraxas] may be different in their focus but they are at the very least peerless in terms of Ai-strength.

He knew and trusted it because they developed it themselves for the sake of their grand plan.

And yet now, an AI capable of creating an Echelon Network and one that could rival 15% of the entire data-calculating processes of an attacker-type AI like [Database], was actually in possession of Rex Kingsley of all people!

How is this even possible? Did AG really give him this AI, then? Is it an AI based on [Database]? But if so, then [Database] should have been able to detect a familiar Source Code upon the progenitor of this Echelon Network.

The two old men exchanged glances. They knew what the other was thinking and so landed on the same question as the other; since [Database] did not react or report that the creator of the Echelon Network had come from its origin, then where did the creator of this AI-program, [Echelon Network], come from?

Goldwyn murmured and looked at the other old man.

After he spoke, he pulled up a panel and pressed a button on it then declared:

“I should join in on it too.”

“Well, how much should be the difference then? I don’t think it would be that high.”

“Tsk… did you really have to boast?”

Goldwyn laughed and focused on his panel view as he saw an image-rendering of the battlefield of the two AIs —one red and one blue— which was in a state of stalemate gradually changed, shifting towards the direction of the red.

The old gangster laughed heartily while Chronos crossed his arms and just watched Rex. After a few minutes where Rex wasn’t moving and only lowering his head and looking at the scope of his sniper rifle, Chronos frowned.

“Hey, old bones.”

“Try lowering your attacking rate back to 15%. No, making it 10% only.”

“Just do it.”

“Why are you so stubborn? Just do it already!”

Chronos was taken aback. The old man actually spoke so many things all at once. And right at his face at that!

“You…” Chronos was of course livid. But before he could explode in temper, he explained what he had thought earlier, “Do you believe that there’s a chance that Rex or AG had actually obtained an AI that could rival 15% of [Database] in terms of its software defense processes?”

Goldwyn as positive.

“Right. It might indeed be that what you’re fighting right now wasn’t actually an AI but him instead!”

Thinking about the reason why Rex suddenly got an upgrade on his abilities, since they’ve already landed on a doubt earlier, now that they’ve, again, faced something “unusual” that’s connected to Rex Kingsley, this explanation actually found a right place in the puzzle he presented.

“Precisely.”

The two old men exchange laughters and then the old gangster pressed a button on his panel—

*****

—and Rex felt the intensity of the headache in his head was suddenly alleviated.

‘The pain is gone, what happened?’

[Boss, the intensity of the attacks dropped down and I lowered the Tolerance Requirement to 10% to help you take a breather.]

Rex, feeling that there were no more headaches, was relieved that he released a long held a breath.

Still, the fact remains that the threat was present.

Although it now down to 10%, it was still there. Its attacks were still on-going but it didn’t mean that it had stopped attacking. The hacking attacks were still present but Cortana was able to cope with its intensity and was only using around 34% of Rex’s current Tolerance Limit.

‘Why did it suddenly lowered in intensity?’

[Analysis shows that it might be preparing for a large attack… or it has lost some gas.]

Rex thought of the possibilities and said, ‘Can you hack him back in revenge?’

[Negative sir. My current data-processing limit was being limited by your low Tolerance Limit. 15% is already the limit for normal processes, more than then you will experience the same intense pain in your head as my hardware was installed in your skull. The best way to solve this problem is either to sync more remnant NanoMechs in your body so that it would increase your Tolerance Limit as well; but the only problem is, this cannot be rushed.]

Rex already knew that but hearing it again made his heart sink in annoyance. Yet, just as he was about to say something, Cortana continued.

[Don’t worry sir. Help is on the way.]

‘Help?’

[Lily has just informed me that they are trying to gain access to Quantum Computers with the help of Anthony Thornberry.]

—It’s Thorn!

Rex felt warmth in his chest at this unexpected help from a friend. Although Thorn already stated that because he was part of the Five Great Clans and would choose his “purpose” if Rex do have a falling out with his family, Thorn still stated that he was his friend and will help him save his brother.

They would only become enemies if Rex were to suddenly decide that one day, [He] had to destroy Terroa out of rage.

In a way, Rex realized that the Asgard was actually made up of people from different factions.

There was the faction supporting Janus’s mission, which apparently included Amanda and Thorn, and perhaps the entire TOS Guild.

A one-person faction supporting his enemies…

There are the neutrals who are only tagging along his troubles for the sake of the fun in it…

A faction that supports his mission to save Baron...

And finally, there’s the faction that’ll support [Siva], regardless if they saved Baron or not…

This last faction apparently had the [Terrans] in it, making them the strongest faction in Asgard.

In the middle of them all, he, Rex Kingsley, who did not, apparently, trust [Siva] —the [God]— who was hiding somewhere in the deepest crevices of his unstable mind.

Although it was a complicated place, Asgard was still the home of these people and as much as he wanted to, he would like to maintain this bond with them all if he could help it.

Thorn, stepping out to help him, was actually quite a relief and he felt his heart skip a beat in warmth.

Rex stood up —or tried to— but in the instant that he took a step to emerged from his sniping zone, a warning came to him like a flash of lightning.

[Boss, they’re attacking the Echelon again, but this time it’s even greater in intensity!]

As soon as he understood the words, pain began to assault his mind and he involuntarily knelt down in one knee, grabbing his head in vain, and gritting his teeth as he endured.

It was just an involuntary reflex. But he couldn’t have helped it because the pain came so sudden and so great that he just had to internally scream.

*****

Inside Chronos’ Office, the two old men looked at each other, their faces grave.

Although their little experiment proved their doubt, it also proved their greatest worries.

“Rex has control over a part of the NanoMechs.”

“I will send my men to capture him.”

The two nodded at each other.

They had to take custody of Rex Kingsley today!

.

.

================================

His secret was discovered!

================================

.

.

.

.

.