Before starting to tech-produce H9 ammunition in earnest, Aven decided to make a final inspection and thorough examination of all the machines making up the H9 production line, the ore refiners, the alloy makers, and the nitrocellulose synthesizer.

He only needed these few machines for the foreseeable 1 week planned by Rival.

Sending a look at the AR7.62 and SR12.7 production lines that had remained unused until now, he solemnly nodded at them, knowing he would get to use them once he had reached his first milestone.

“I just need to get used to the tech-production process… As long as I don’t slack, I’ll soon be pumping up any ammunition I want. Even custom platinum-gold alloy ones!” Motivating himself, he finished his inspection and reset of all the machines he intended to use.

Putting on connected headphones, he let a random background music playlist decide what he would be listening to and picked up his notepad.

‘Should I check if the price changed?’

Having ideas as he browsed through his pages of notes about what to take notice of when tech-refining ores, he brought up his faction contribution shop.

Faction Contribution Shop: Nation of Eland Military

Faction Authority: Second Lieutenant

Faction Contribution Points: 800

Knowledge: Basic Energy Specializations (5 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Inscribing (5 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Psy Energy System (6 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Elemental Energy System (6 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Tattooing (6 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Martial Energy System (6 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Tech Energy System (6 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Basic Pure Energy System (6 500 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Intermediate Swimming (15 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Fast-Roping (15 700 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Free-Fall (15 900 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Singing (16 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Fishing (16 200 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Intermediate Long-Range Rifle Shooting (85 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Explosive Breaching (85 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Emergency First Aid (85 700 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Sniper Rifle Shooting (85 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Counterintelligence (85 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Guerrilla Tactics (85 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Aircraft Piloting (85 900 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Jet Piloting (86 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Helicopters Piloting (86 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Psychological Operations (86 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Hacking (86 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Short-Range Rifle Shooting (86 300 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Energy Applications (86 300 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Nanomaterials (86 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate War Planning (86 400 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Handgun Shooting (86 500 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate History (86 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Alloys (86 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Cooking (86 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Super Biology (86 700 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Energy Cultivation (86 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Innovative Designs (86 900 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Artillery Handling (87 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Oceanography (87 200 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate High-Speed Driving (87 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Filming (87 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Audio Engineering (87 800 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Triangulation (88 100 FCP)

Knowledge: Intermediate Criminology (88 200 FCP)

…

Knowledge: Advanced Military Procedures (134 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Water Engineering (135 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Air Engineering (139 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Firearm Shooting Skills (141 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Vehicle Driving (142 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Politics (156 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Logistics (175 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Communication (176 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Administration (189 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Economy (207 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Ammunition Engineering (215 600 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Inspection (221 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Human Resources (224 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Management (228 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Infiltration (235 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Teamwork (237 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Diplomacy (240 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Chemical Engineering (243 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Special Operations (247 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Weapon Systems (249 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Vehicle Designing (250 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Cyber Warfare (251 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Combat Engineering (252 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Programming (254 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Aeronautical Engineering (258 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Demolition (258 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Close Quarters Combat (260 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Industry Skills (263 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced High-Pressure Mentality (264 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Aircraft Piloting (265 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Materials Engineering (267 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Electrical Engineering (269 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Psychology (270 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Aerospace Engineering (272 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Biology (273 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Physics (275 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Military Tactics (276 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Biomedical Engineering (281 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Mathematics (282 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Surgery (284 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Armament Engineering (300 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Mechanical Engineering (301 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Leadership (312 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Problem-Solving (356 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Industrial Engineering (367 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Weapon Engineering (370 000 FCP)

Knowledge: Advanced Developmental Engineering (452 000 FCP)

…

After-Training Body Revitalization Pill (5 500 FCP): A military-grade medicine used to supply the body with all the elements it needs to recover from deep physical exhaustion.

SAU Handgun (5 600 FCP): A simple and useful handgun with a solid frame and internals, perfect for long-term and intensive use in the right hand.

Mark 12 Rainbow Fairy Grade 1 Energy Cultivation Base Increase Serum (5 800 FCP): Artificially increases the amount of energy being cycled during grade 1 energy cultivation by 330%. Artificial increase cannot go beyond grade 1 maximum threshold.

Mark 4 Rainbow Fairy Grade 1 Energy Cultivation Cycle Sustaining Serum (6 100 FCP): Postpone a grade 1 energy cultivation downtime period by revitalizing all the spent energy artificially.

Mark 9 Rainbow Fairy Grade 1 Energy Cultivation Cycle Boosting Serum (6 300 FCP): Increases the energy cycling speed of grade 1 energy cultivation by 410%.

CAP 7.2 Advanced Tactical Assault Rifle (6 400 FCP): An advanced rifle designed to be used on fast mixed operations. It can accommodate all sorts of additions and environments without showing defects, but needs regular maintenance after prolonged use.

…

Bio-Innovative Grade 2 Energy Cultivation Cycle Downtime Canceling Serum (14 400 FCP): Cancel a grade 2 energy cultivation downtime period

Mark 3 Rainbow Fairy Grade 2 Energy Cultivation Base Increase Serum (15 000 FCP): An elixir artificially increasing the amount of energy being cycled during grade 2 energy cultivation by 250%. Artificial increase cannot go beyond grade 2 maximum threshold.

Fifth Harmony Grade 2 Energy Cultivation Base Increase Serum (15 200 FCP): An elixir artificially increasing the amount of energy being cycled during grade 2 energy cultivation by 270%. Artificial increase cannot go beyond grade 2 maximum threshold.

Greater Vow Grade 2 Energy Cultivation Base Increase Serum (16 200 FCP): A serum artificially increasing the amount of energy being cycled during grade 2 energy cultivation by 370%. Artificial increase cannot go beyond grade 2 maximum threshold.

Written Vow Grade 2 Energy Cultivation Cycle Sustaining Serum (17 400 FCP): Postpone a grade 2 energy cultivation downtime period by revitalizing all the spent energy artificially.

Third Harmony Grade 2 Energy Cultivation Cycle Boosting Serum (17 600 FCP): Increases the energy cycling speed of grade 2 energy cultivation by 320%.

…

Rainbow Bio Grade 3 Psy-System Energy Cultivation Cycle Boosting Serum (31 700 FCP): Increases the energy cycling speed of psy energy system grade 3 energy cultivation by 260%.

Rainbow Bio Grade 3 Tech-System Energy Cultivation Cycle Boosting Serum (31 900 FCP): Increases the energy cycling speed of tech energy system grade 3 energy cultivation by 280%.

Rainbow Bio Grade 3 Martial-System Energy Cultivation Cycle Boosting Serum (32 600 FCP): Increases the energy cycling speed of psy energy system grade 3 energy cultivation by 310%.

…

Perfected Evolution Elixir (670 000 FCP): An elixir refined with the topmost human and super biology knowledge available. Gives the drinker a deep and forceful DNA wash, allowing previously hidden physical talents to emerge. Only work one time and is not guaranteed to make a talent manifest itself.

Energy Growth Wonder Flower (780 000 FCP): A flower only found in nature in extremely luxuriant environments with growth conditions not yet understood. Awaken any life that eats it while also giving it the natural energy growth energy talent.

Tireless Apple (810 000 FCP): An apple that grows every decade from a tireless tree in good condition. Gives the eater the tireless spirit spiritual talent, a talent that can grow the more it is used.

…

Self Revolving Energy Mutation Elixir (1 460 000 FCP): An elixir created through an ancient rainbow fairy formula with most of its ingredients being extremely difficult to gather. Gives the self revolving energy energy talent to anyone consuming it.

Inexhaustible Body Mutation Serum (1 630 000 FCP): A serum made from both rare beasts and humans who had this physical talent before dying. Gives the consumer the inexhaustible body physical talent.

Energy Furnace Constitution Mutation Elixir (1 850 000 FCP): An elixir made through an extremely difficult process that cannot be fully controlled due to the need to add mixed-origin blood and organs from life already having such a constitution. Gives the consumer the energy furnace cells physical talent.

More precisely, he focused on one precise knowledge item amidst this endless catalog.

Knowledge: Advanced Ammunition Engineering (215 600 FCP)

“It lost like… 400 FCP? So does that mean tech-production is included in that knowledge? Or am I missing something?” Momentarily curious, he noted this question down in a corner and forgot about it. It wasn’t that important compared to what he was about to do.

Ending his reviewing of all the tips involved in ore refinement Commander had told him, he approached the first ore refiner, one for lead.

‘Let’s begin…’

His mind filled with how to extract lead for its oxides, he put his hand on the machine and started infusing his energy inside while keeping in mind all the relevant and involved knowledge.

‘Doing it this way is for the best… More steps mean more time for me to learn how to properly do each step. Now that I understand what tech-production is all about, even if I was proposed a machine that directly transformed lead, tin, and antimony ores into bullet alloy, and copper and zinc ores into brass alloy to make the case and primer… I would refuse for now.’

He understood perfectly that it was not because he had interacted with Mai, Commander, and Rival in a friendly manner that he was anywhere close to them in terms of capabilities, so he didn’t throw a fit when he was told to only produce the most basic and classic military-grade ammunition.

It was only the beginning, so while he would really like to produce platinum-gold alloy bullet and triple-base nitro propellant, he knew that it was by starting from the basic ones that he would eventually touch this awesome-sounding level.

‘That should be enough.’

Withdrawing his hand from the lead ore refiner, he activated the machine and let it do its work as he moved on to the tin ore refiner.

Then from the tin ore refiner, he moved on to the antimony one, then to the copper one, then to the zinc one, then to the nitrocellulose synthesizer, then to the primer detonator synthesizer…

By the time he was done with the synthesizer, he used a conveniently placed modular conveyor belt to bring the still burning hot but not liquid pure chunks of lead, tin, and antimony to an alloy maker.

There, he helped the machine precisely measure the quantities of each material needed to make the alloy he wanted, reviewed the tips Commander had given him, and started infusing his energy.

Once he was done, he repeated the same operation with copper and zinc chunks to make the brass alloy he wanted in another alloy maker, and started preparing for the activation of the first machine of the H9 production line.

“Prioritize quantity, but every time you infuse a machine again, take a sample of what your previous infusion resulted in so that you have traces of what you did right and what you did wrong…” Telling himself the sentence Rival has really emphasized before leaving, Aven sent a glance at the 9 machines that were now working.

5 ore refiners, 2 synthesizers, and 2 alloy makers.

And it was all just the preparation work. One touching upon more than a dozen knowledge fields. And he was no expert in most of them.

Finishing the setup for the next hectic step, he waited until a first burning hot and bright plate of lead alloy exited the alloy maker and was directed towards the bullet casting machine.

At the same time, brass alloy plates also started exiting from the other alloy maker and were redirected towards each machine in need of them, meaning the case manufacturing machine and the primer manufacturing.

The 2 synthesizers had already finished making what they were expected to do and primer detonators and propellants were routed towards where they were needed in air-sealed conveyors.

Rushing about to oversee everything and make sure there were no problems, time passed quickly enough for the conveyor belt to finally reach saturation in the back and for all 4 components making up H9 ammo to finally arrive at the cartridge assembly machine in the form they needed to be: Not burning hot.

There, the primers started being inserted, the cases were being charged, and finally; the bullets were slotted.

Finally, as H9 ammunition started being outputted from the final cartridge assembly machine, they all rolled into the quality control and packaging machines, the only 2 machines Aven didn’t need to infuse.

The packaging machine wasn’t one that directly put the ammunition into magazines, it was one that neatly packed all the H9 ammunition in normalized boxes.

Those boxes would then either be directly sent to machines to put them into magazines automatically or be manually served to soldiers for them to manually refill their own expended magazines.

“Mmh~” Grunting happily while nodding repeatedly as if he was a grandpa seeing his grandchild succeeding, he admired for a few minutes the continuous flood of H9 that resulted from his effort.

The sound that now reached his ears despite his headphones isolating his ears as best as they could was the best sign that he had really triggered the whole production line, he wasn’t a spectator anymore.

‘I could also…’

Thinking of something, he mobilized his grade 2 energy with affinity to the tech energy system and infused some of it in his headphones.

The next moment, all the industrial sounds that had bothered him a bit totally vanished, and his music became clearer than ever, as if he was standing next to the composer playing live.

“Hehehe~” He innocently giggled at this substantial improvement a bit of energy had made to his headphones.

‘As a grade 2 super, I should start thinking outside the box and use my energy for everything. I only have until I reach grade 3 to enjoy all the energy systems after all.’

Backtracking over all the 13 machines that needed to continuously be supplied with his energy from now on, with some needing more supply than the others, he checked their energy level by touching them and added the few remaining specks of energy he still had before heading to the meeting room.

There, he got his headphones off, favoring the much more atmospheric speakers to properly relax while still listening to music. Wearing headphones all day was bound to be uncomfortable no matter how he saw it.

As for his way of relaxing, this time it had changed due to the intervention from Rival, who had planned “everything” for him. Gone were the documentaries, and replacing them were books.

Books written by prominent tech supers.

Books that should never find their way outside the private sphere of the super community, an already very small community.

Opening a first book, one entitled “Alloy normalizing, hardening, and tempering. Symbological and ancestral applications of tech-production skills and tech energy infusion”, Aven didn’t know what to expect at all.

Like, at all.

“Everyone starts somewhere, right?” Keeping a smile on his face, one that would tell anyone that he was feeling motivated and good, he started reading what needed to become his new source of entertainment.

“Stop watching mediocre entertainment, your brain needs to become used to keep thinking… How long is it going to take me to reach this level though?” Once again imitating Rival’s own words, he soon stopped procrastinating and delved into this new world that was the super-restricted literature.

The literature written by those who controlled the planet.

Or at least, the literature written by those who he had thought controlled the planet.

With the recent news, his understanding had changed a bit.

…

‘Only 5 hours and I’m already running out of energy to supply all the machines…’

Closing the book he was reading and stopping his regenerative energy cycling as an alarm from his phone indicated to him it was time to clean the energy upkeep cost of the active machines, he reached for his notepad and started turning the pages until he arrived at a chart Rival had told him to copy.

And upon seeing where 5 hours was located, a slight smile appeared on his slightly concerned face, “Hehehe~ It’s a bit above what he had expected!”

If he was reading the chart correctly, Rival had expected him to be able to keep the full 13 machines actively energy-infused for 4 hours at first, but it seemed that he had exceeded that by 1 whole hour.

“Is it due to my talents, though?” Musing for a bit about whether it was his unawakened fairy ancestry, his basic knowledge integration, or both that were the cause, he stood up and put his headphones back on without a definitive answer.

Exiting the meeting room, he made a round through the whole hall, using the console of each active machine to put them on effective hold after 10 more minutes of production.

As soon as he was done, he didn’t infuse the small bit of energy he had regenerated over his last break and started packing up all the H9 ammunition samples he had taken over the last 5 hours, that was, 1 sample every half an hour, so 10 different batches of “similar” H9 ammunition to thoroughly test.

Pushing open the door of the shooting and testing range, he cautiously put down the 10 different batches as if they were treasures.

Then, taking the first batch, he picked an SAU handgun that wasn’t tech-produced, ejected its magazine, and started putting all the test H9 ammo into it.

When he was finished, he turned on all the recording materials and prepared himself to fire, “If it’s still 10% after I stopped using premade alloys and chemicals anymore, then I’ll have to assume my whole life is a lie.”

Pressing the trigger, he had a peripheral thought that accentuated his smile a bit more.

‘There’s a shooting range just for me… Well, if I ever become bored of reading books, I know where I should go to take my break now.’

…

After he had finished testing all 10 batches of H9 ammunition and returned to the meeting room, all the machines had already entered into their stand-by mode, only waiting for him to recover his energy and infuse them to start again.

Once comfortably settled in the meeting room, he limited his movement to the point where he could still maintain a basic slow regenerative cycling while still doing a side activity such as... Noting down the time that had passed since he started mass tech-producing H9 ammunition, so give or take 5 hours, and claiming his quest.

Faction Contribution Quest: Nation of Eland Military

Volunteering: Contribute to the stability of your faction without asking for anything in return. The more time spent and the harder the tasks, the greater the contribution.

Performing: Go above and beyond for the missions and tasks you are given. The better the missions and tasks results, the greater the contribution.

Reward: 6 000 FCP

Comfortably and casually taking his first “pay” for 5 hours of volunteering, he started writing it down on his notepad.

‘If I do the math… Tech-producing H9 ammunition with a final enhancement averaging at 20% for 5 hours... Give me… 60 FCP per hour per percent?’

Raising an eyebrow at what he had deduced, he tried to summarize what this result meant, seen through the lens of his volunteering quest, “So, the fundamental gain is obviously me volunteering my energy, but this same gain is then multiplied by the efficiency I give my volunteered energy. And this same gain is then influenced by how ‘hard’ what I’m producing is…”

Piecing together the whole puzzle that was his volunteering quest theoretically, he once again lamented the absence of a detailed reward window that would solve all his doubts.

“Well, I can't have everything. And what I’m given is certainly enough for me to play with for as long as I want anyway,” resigned, Aven stopped having tangent thoughts and quickly finished reporting all the data that would maybe find use in the near future.

When there was nothing else to write about his first 5 hours as a volunteering production tech super, he slowly pushed his notepad away to not break his regeneration cycle and grabbed the book he was only a third through.

‘My energy should go back to full in 1 hour or so, and considering the time… I can do another 5-hour session before finishing my 1st day.’

Clear-minded about how the rest of his day was going to be, he contently sank into his chair and…

“I’m only missing some peach iced tea,” he complained about the one thing that was missing to reach perfection according to his criteria.