The collection squad from Dezarus had been carrying a refrigerator sized metal box around that, according to Private Edd, sucked up all the ambient mana from a local dungeon. I opened up my [Console] and inspected the thing. It still had code running on it that would continue to draw in atmospheric mana as they went along.

Software wise, it looked remarkably similar to my Mana Collection Units that I’d designed to function as pseudo batteries for Automata to hook into. I supposed that if MainFrame was involved then I could assume that anything code-wise that I’d done prior to the fork was accessible to Dezarus.

I sifted around though the digital guts of the thing and found a release trigger. On the one hand, I could vent all of the collected mana back into the atmosphere, which would reform the dungeon miasma. On the other, I was planning on trying to recharge myself from these dungeons anyway.

I ripped open an access panel in the outer housing to find a large connection port. Using spare parts from some of the fallen Automata of the collection squad and my 3D modeling and refabrication skills, I was able to fashion myself a crude adapter that would allow me to plug directly into the thing.

“Hey um, Daddy, you sure about this?” Rom asked, looking skeptically at the device.

“Not at all,” I admitted, “but if I just release all of this mana back then you guys will all be suddenly in a super saturated environment, right?”

“That’s true,” Ram agreed. “At those concentrations we would probably be fine for about an hour or so. The native models would likely only last a quarter hour at best before overloading their systems and exploding.”

“Explode?!” Prowl exclaimed. “Let’s not do that. How about we just leave that thing alone then?”

“Sorry Prowl, I’m on a mission to recover my own mana stores so I need to do this. It wouldn’t be safe to leave this thing unattended anyway. What if someone else found it and cracked it open? It’s basically a miasma bomb right now,” I explained.

“So why would we blow up just because the mana’s a little thick?” Remi asked.

“Lack of regulators,” Rom offered. “Our Mana Absorption Modules are basically in an `always on` position happily sucking up whatever is around us. Normally not an issue since we consume mana at a rate that is roughly the same as what we absorb it at.”

“That’s why when you use up a lot at once, you need to stay still for a while until it fills back up,” Ram added.

“The problem is that if you go into a saturated environment, it’s like you're being force-fed way more mana than you can consume. Your systems are dumb and don’t know to stop and keep trying to store it all, packing it into an already full stomach until you pop,” Hide finished.

“Under normal conditions, that sort of regulation isn’t required so Automata aren’t equipped with it since it would be more costly and complicated. I have no idea if there are any models that are designed for that sort of thing though,” I guessed.

“Hmm, so if we had some sort of regulator then we’d be fine in those sorts of environments?” Remi asked.

“Maybe? I could probably design something that would act like a regulatory governor that would shut down your MAM when your mana reserves are full... Could we do that with just a software update or would it need a hardware modification?” I wondered.

“I’ll take a stab at that when we get back to the shop,” Rom offered.

“Thanks, hon. If it’s not too extensive, I’d like to get that worked into all existing bodies in our family lineup first. If we can do it with just software then let’s get that worked into the Primary Operating System that we’re packaging into all builds now.”

Rom beamed and gave me a quick nod of her head.

“Okay, let’s get this show on the road. It looks like there’s only a couple hundred thousand mana in this thing but just to be on the safe side I’d like you guys to evacuate the area so you don’t get caught in anything if my adapter doesn’t work right,” I suggested.

“Only a couple hundred... thousand mana...” Remi said incredulously. “Sink me to the depths, and ye aim to absorb all of that on your own?”

“I do. Unfortunately, that’s just a drop in the bucket for what I need.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think ya were three sheets ta the wind,” Remi said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Prime. We’re going to head out,” Carnivac said, calmly looking down at me.

“What’s your plan?”

“I’ll take Mister Edd with me. We’re going to work our way up to the eastern front battle line. I want to take out any of these mobile factories Dez has going. We’ll also work on getting update patches to whomever we come across as well as take out any more of these collection drones.”

“What about the mana sucker things?”

“I’ve still got your Prime Shipping plate with me. I’ll toss them in there if I come across any.”

“Sounds good. I’ll keep working on figuring out a way to release the drones without having to kill them or destroy their brain modules. Uh, how do I contact you if I have something? I must admit that not being connected to you feels very strange and I can’t say that I’m happy about it.”

“You’ll get used to it, eventually,” Carnivac tried.

“Hey Pop, how about I go with him?” Hide suggested.

“You want to go with Carn? What if I need my big boy?” I teased.

“Pshh. Even in my big form, I have yet to beat you in a fight. I have every confidence that you’ll be just fine, Pop.”

“Nice job, raising a flag there dumbass,” I grumbled.

“Eep! Sorry! No, I’m sure you’ll be fine, really. If I go with big bro Carn then you’ll still have contact with him through me!” Hide fumbled in a panicked tone.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Yeah, that’ll work,” I acquiesced.

“Alright, Death Wolves! Let’s move out!” the wolfkin ninja, Victoria, called out.

“Death Wolves?” I asked Carnivac, putting a finger above an eye in lieu of an eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. “Apparently we need a name to call ourselves and Wreckers was voted down,” he grumbled.

“Well you tried.”

I held out a fist to Carnivac, who looked at it with an expression I could no longer read. He then looked at me and bumped my fist with his own before turning away and walking off. Before my fist dropped, Hide quickly bumped it with his own as well then ran off to catch up with the wolf bot, waving as he ran. I chuckled at the goof and waved back. The rest of the Death Wolves followed after, vanishing into the trees.

Death Wolves did sound pretty cool in a chuuni sort of way, I had to admit. Maybe I could design a brand logo for them to stamp onto their plating.

“Three guesses who suggested that name and the first two don’t count,” Ram said, draping her arms over my shoulders.

“Oh, obviously it was Rebecca,” I said, giving her a wink and resting a hand on her forearm.

“Obviously,” she agreed.

“It’s ready to discharge, let’s get you hooked up daddy,” Rom said, standing near the mana device.

We attached the adapter and opened up my chest panel to connect me to the thing. Like other Automata, I lacked a regulator for my mana absorption so the hope was that exposing my system directly to the mana discharge would allow me to absorb the higher concentration at a much higher rate than normal.

I wasn’t worried about overloading my systems at all, though I was concerned about forcing too much too quickly through my Mana Absorption Module. The mental image of hooking a garden hose up to a fire hydrant came to mind, unbidden. I shook my head to dispel the thought and braced myself for the transfer.

Ram and Rom refused to leave, but agreed to having me put them into [Inventory] if something went wrong. We opened up the virtual valve and I was assaulted by the sudden rush of mana into my system. All of my panel lights flared a brilliant white light. My optics had to adjust the brightness contrast in order to compensate for the flood of light pouring off of me.

I could only describe the sensation as what a water balloon must feel when it’s being filled. Possibly, also coupled with how a dog feels when they put their head out the window of a car. The torrent of mana pumping into me didn’t feel like anything was getting damaged or overwhelmed. That realization made me wonder what the upper limit of my absorption capacity might be though.

Something inside of me felt like there was an artificial blockage preventing me from taking in even more at a faster rate. Like there was an internal valve that just needed to be opened up some more. I focused on the sensation and could almost visualize a large metal wheel that needed to be turned. The wheel had chains on it though, preventing it from opening up the valve completely.

Would opening that valve allow me to normally recover my mana at a faster speed? If I opened it, would I become a mana vacuum leaving manaless deserts in my wake? The gush of mana pushing against me was forcing open that valve and slowly turning that wheel. The chains on the wheel gently pulled taut, preventing it from turning further. Maybe I did have a regulator of some sort in me.

I stood, like a daredevil in a windtunnel, blasted by the flood of mana for what felt like both days, and an instant. The pressure backed off until it died completely and my lighting dimmed to its normal outputs. I found myself mechanically attached to an empty metal box after a piddly four minutes and thirty six seconds.

The girls rushed forward and disconnected me from the thing and closed me back up.

“Well that was certainly... illuminating,” Ram tried.

“I think this was a very bright idea,” Rom countered.

“It was over in a flash,” Ram returned, folding her arms.

“Many hands make light work,” Rom attacked, glaring at her sister.

“Uh... We need to look on the bright side of things,” Ram ventured.

“I already used bright, you can’t use it again,” Rom said, smugly.

“What? Says who?” Ram harrumphed.

“Dems da rules, don’t blame me,” Rom said triumphantly.

“Daddy! She says I can’t use bright ‘cause she used it!” Ram moaned.

“She’s right. Dems da rules,” I agreed.

“Daddy.....” Ram wailed, collapsing to her knees in defeat.

Yup... these were certainly my spinoffs...

“When ye play with puppets, ye don’t mess around,” Remi said from the edge of the forest.

“It’s... a long story,” I said wearily. “I’m not controlling them any more.”

“Izzat so? Huh.”

“So... did you guys come back?” I asked.

“Ah. Just me. I was thinking about what ye said about this amount being just a splash in the ocean for ya. It occurs to me that you’ll be traveling for quite a while hitting every dungeon ye can in order to get back to battery, aye?”

“Aye? Not much choice though.”

“Mayhaps, mayhaps. Unless there might be another way for you to come across vast amounts of mana. Ya see, there’s a legend from my homeland about the Cultivators of the Abyss.”

“Sounds ominous,” I said, doubtfully.

“Well, I hail from Maxoria originally, followers of the Sea Dragon. I don’t know if I believe it me self, but there are schools that teach the way of Cultivation. Methods to train and become more powerful as you expand your own limits. Those that reach a state of enlightenment will embark on a journey to the Abyss to become an Immortal Cultivator.”

“Anyone ever come back from these journeys?”

“I haven’t a clue.”

“Well that’s a lead at any rate. This Abyss is underwater, yeah?”

“I’ve ne’er heard o’ an Abyss that was on the land,” Remi said with a smirk to his voice.

“Well then... sounds like I finally have a reason to build my WaveRider armor,” I muttered, tapping my fingertips together.