Chapter 20: Regeneration
Maxwell was seated at a steel table, facing Spyglass, focused on the chessboard between them. The metallic sound of Marvins transporting heavy equipment echoed in the background, as the machines worked tirelessly, loading Maxwell's truck, Samson. Boxes filled with disassembled servers, communication antennas, and other vital devices were being carefully organized in the cargo compartment, ready for transport.
It had been a week since the operation to dismantle the ECHOnet servers had begun. The process was meticulous and controlled, as any mistake could compromise the vast database they were trying to protect. Time had passed almost imperceptibly for Maxwell, who engaged in tactical discussions, coordinating equipment movement, and taking a few rare but necessary breaks for rest.
As Maxwell made his next move in the game, a smile formed on his face. "Checkmate," he said calmly, moving one of the pieces on the board and fixing his gaze on Spyglass.
At that moment, a notification appeared in his interface:
[INT: 49 > 50]
Spyglass blinked its single eye, analyzing the result logically. "It was a good game, sir. That makes it 277 x 3. You're improving rapidly. Would you like a rematch?"
"You don't need to remind me of that fact." A vein popped on Maxwell's forehead.
Before Maxwell could answer the rematch, the door slid open smoothly, and one of the Marvins entered, possessed by Angel. She walked toward the table and unceremoniously placed several ECHOs on it.
"I've created new passwords for the devices, as you requested," Angel said softly. There was a pause, and then she asked, with a curious tone, "Why exactly did you need these new passwords?"
Maxwell picked up one of the ECHOs and twirled it between his fingers before responding, a nearly imperceptible smile forming on his face. "I just wanted to test the limits of my Data Knife," he said, his voice casual but hiding the real reason. It was a lie, of course. He had been doing this for days and had already hacked several ECHOs.
Maxwell connected his Data Knife to the first ECHO, and the hacking process was almost instant, fluid, and without significant resistance. The screen in his interface flashed quickly, confirming the success of the operation. He picked up the next ECHO, repeating the process until his system screen flashed.
[New milestone reached]
[Technophobe: Breach 25/50/100 technological devices]
[(X) - Double Agent
(X) - Echo Vision
(X) - Neurolink]
[Neurolink: Cogito Ergo Sum. I am Am, I am.]
Hackathon: Greater affinity with all existing programming languages, and a familiarity with hacking and breaking into security systems.
Recon Scan: You can now see the status of other beings (Physical condition, skills, and weaknesses).
A satisfied smile grew on Maxwell's face. It might look like cheating, but as people say, work smart, not hard.
As Maxwell watched the screen, he felt a massive influx of information about technology, hacking, and system-breaking, though at a basic level. At least now he wasn't so dependent on his Data Knife for tech tasks. His curiosity piqued about inspecting beings' statuses, and he turned his attention to Spyglass.
On the Recon Scan display, Maxwell saw the following information about Spyglass:
_____
Name: [Spyglass]
Race: Robot
Age: [2w, 3d]
[STR: 10] [END: 190] [DEX: 30] [INT: 400]
Skills: [Data Analysis], [Logistics Coordination], [Tactical Support], [Enhanced Sensor Range]
Weaknesses: <Corrosive> <Electrical>
_____
'Guess it was pretty dumb of me to expect a water weakness…' Maxwell shrugged internally. At least now he understood why he had lost so many times at chess.
If he wasn't mistaken, Neurolink was a passive from some Apex Legends champion. Though he was familiar with all the characters, he knew it belonged to a Legend focused on hacking and espionage technology.
Maxwell stood up from the table after finishing the hacking and turned to Spyglass. "I need a private place. I'll be spending some time alone, and I don't want to be disturbed."
Spyglass nodded. "Of course, sir. One of the old lieutenants' rooms at Crimson Fastness should meet your needs. It's quiet and isolated."
Maxwell was guided through cold, metallic corridors to the designated room. Upon entering, he noticed it was just a space with a table and chair. It seemed the Marvins had taken his order to clean the place seriously; they had even removed the lights from the room.
Closing the door, ensuring he was completely alone, Maxwell muttered to himself, "This'll do," before sitting comfortably in the chair.
He then focused and asked the system to begin installing the new implants he had acquired: Double Agent and Echo Vision.
He didn't want to do this near Angel, as she might notice implants magically appearing in his body, given her technological affinity.
He felt a slight pressure in his ears, a tingling sensation on his skin and throat as the system worked, integrating the new functions into his body and mind. The installation was a success.
[(Augments) Double Agent: Your papers appear to be in order…
Capable of replicating the external appearance, voice, clothes, and equipment of any person. Does not grant the physical or psychic abilities of the mimicked individual, being only a visual and auditory illusion.]
[(Augments) Echo Vision: Keep it. I have 20/20 hearing.
Drastically enhances the pilot's auditory capabilities, allowing them to perceive even the smallest noises in their environment. The implant features an advanced function that converts sounds into visual data, creating a "mark" in the pilot's vision that reveals the exact position of enemies based on the sounds they produce, such as footsteps, heartbeats, and breathing.]
"Ask them to nerf me, now I've got wallhack!" Maxwell laughed as he used his new implant and saw Spyglass, Angel, and the Marvins through the walls. Tannis was still at Crimson Enclave, so she was too far to detect.
Turning off Echo Vision, Maxwell opened his status screen.
_____
Name: [Maxwell Williams]
Regeneration: 0 (+)
[STR: 50] [END: 50] [DEX: 50] [INT: 50]
Skills: [Trigger Discipline lv.23] [Blade Mastery lv.48] [Mithridatism Constitution lv.12] [Assassin's Instinct lv.60] [(Temporary) Skagtropy]
—
Functions: [Hangar] [Questboard] [Most Wanted List]
Credits: 179
_____
Inspecting his stats, Maxwell mentally patted himself on the back. He had worked hard to reach this level. Although he knew he would start from scratch again, as a Titanfall veteran, he was confident he would rise quickly. The system was a faithful copy of the game he had mastered.
He pressed the plus sign next to "Regeneration." A new warning screen appeared before him:
[Years of battle have taken their toll. We can regenerate you... at a cost.]
[Your body can be restored, but much of your muscle memory and attributes will be lost. You'll have to earn everything back in battle.]
[Upon waking, you will respawn as a next-generation pilot.]
[Would you like to proceed to the next generation?]
[Y/N]
Maxwell pressed "Yes" without hesitation. Within seconds, a feeling of lethargy took over him. His muscles relaxed, and his eyes grew heavy as sleep quickly overtook his body. He tried to stay conscious, but the room around him darkened, and soon he fell into a deep sleep.
When he opened his eyes, Maxwell was greeted by a screen full of system notifications floating in his vision. His mind was still a bit foggy, processing the return to consciousness after the Regeneration procedure. His body, though incredibly healthy, felt strange, as if it lacked all the agility and strength that had once come naturally.
[Regeneration Complete]
[All attributes reset to 10]
[+100c]
[New skill acquired! Fast Learner]
[Fast Learner lv.1: I'm built differently.]
[Transcendent: Your body and mind are trained faster. Now you can surpass the human limit by ten points.
Prodigy: You master your skills faster and can now create your own skills.]
"Cool, it's not like the game, but at least I can create my own skills now! Quick fingers and cooking, winning the hearts of maidens, here I come!"
[New Hangar Tabs Unlocked!]
_____
[Weapons]
[Gear]
[Augments]
[Robots] (Unlocked)
[Medicine] (Unlocked)
[Vehicles] (Unlocked)
[Titans] (Locked)
[Civilian] (Locked)
_____
"What's the point of leaving Civilians for last? Is the system afraid I'll go down a Sims route?" Maxwell scoffed. "At least it knows the Endgame is building a galactic empire, hehe."
[As a reward for your efforts, you can choose 1 item from each unlocked tab!]
[Keep up the hard work!]
Maxwell rubbed his eyes. Now, that was news to him.
Since when had his system become so generous? It was used to handing out mere crumbs of credit!
Maxwell didn't say anything. He didn't want the system to change its mind and just expanded the hangar to choose the best items.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Querubim_
Querubim_ Is it just me, or are the images on Webnovel no longer loading?
I was wondering if you could see the images I posted in the auxiliary chapter.
Chapter 21: Kept you waiting, huh?
Maxwell decided to follow the order and expanded the Robots tab. The blueprints were 50% cheaper compared to already-built counterparts.
(Robots) MRVN/Marvins: Mk. III Mobile Robotic Versatile Entity, also known simply as "Marvins"... 30[C]
(Robots) Drones: Cloak Drone, Maintenance Drone, Plasma Drone, Search Drone. 10[C]
Cloak Drone: Cloaking drones that provide tactical support, allowing users to become invisible for a short period. They are useful for avoiding enemy detection.
Maintenance Drone: Drones designed to perform repairs and maintenance on Titans and vehicles. They are essential for maintaining operational effectiveness in the field.
Plasma Drone: Equipped with plasma weapons, these drones can attack enemies while performing their support functions.
Search Drone: Reconnaissance drones that help locate enemies and provide real-time information about the battlefield.
(Robots) Tick: Small explosive robots that can infiltrate enemy areas. They are designed to approach targets and detonate, causing significant damage. 25[C]
(Robots) Spectre: Autonomous combat robots that conduct patrols and support combat forces. They are capable of performing reconnaissance and combat tasks, making them effective in combat situations. 50[C]
(Robots) ALEO/Automated Law Enforcement Officer: Robots designed for law enforcement, equipped with weapons and advanced technology. They can be used in security operations and crowd control. 55[C]
(Robots) Spyglass: Spyglass units handle logistics, navigation, deployment, and communication… 70[C]
(Robots) Stalker: Combat robots that are more advanced than Spectres, with enhanced attack capabilities and tactical skills. Stalkers are much more resilient to damage and can pose a threat to inattentive Pilots, especially in numbers. 100[C]
(Robots) Reaper: Reapers are heavy autonomous war machines, straddling the line between ultra-heavy Spectres and miniature Titans. They are fully automated, agile, relentless, well-armored and deadly anti-Titan units armed with rapid-fire launchers implanted in their forearms that fire Reaper Rockets. 300[C]
(Robots) Simulacrum: No matter how advanced AI gets, it can never match creativity and decision-making of humans... So let's put the mind of a human into a robot! While they bear superficial resemblance to the commonly-fielded BRD-01 Spectre, Simulacrum are instead human minds uploaded into robotic bodies. A simulacrum can be considered a form of transhumanism. 1500[C]
He considered it for a moment before a wicked smile grew on Maxwell's face.
How much would someone pay for virtual immortality?
Maxwell looked at all the options and chose the Simulacrum blueprint. A new tab opened, revealing all the models.
Of course, many civilians would hesitate to leave their flesh behind. But what about soldiers and mercenaries, constantly going in and out of firefights?
Knowing there's a backup of your mind, even after your body is destroyed, would be a bargaining chip that could help Maxwell create a fearsome army unlike anything the Borderlands universe had ever seen.
[Simulacrum/Male model (Blueprint) deposited]
Taking a quick look at the blueprint, Maxwell carefully stored it in his ECHO, planning to send a copy to Spyglass for backup in the ECHOnet servers and to research the materials needed to build Simulacrums.
Maxwell moved to the next tab. Medicine seemed less attractive, mostly featuring Silva Pharmaceuticals products like various Stims. The main product was the classic Stim, which boosted physical abilities, but there was also the legendary Fountain of Youth Stim that Torres Silva used to appear young.
Luckily, a few more scrolls down revealed more valuable items: devices for installing implants, the Advocates' Regeneration technology, and not least:
(Medicine) Voidwaker Tecnology: Device used to create the Voidwalker. Created by reverse engineering the Fold Weapon. 10000[C]
(Medicine) Project Wraith: Data and notes from the experiments, stimulations and triggers carried out on the test subject "Wraith". 800[C]
(Medicine) Project Alter: Data and notes from the experiments, stimulations and triggers carried out on the test subject "Alter". 800[C]
(Medicine) Project Oracle: Data and notes from the experiments, stimulations and triggers carried out on the test subject "Oracle". 800[C]
Maxwell didn't think twice before making his choice. He hesitated for a moment, but realized the best option was to take the already-built device. He only needed one and would never make more to avoid the risk of it being stolen. He planned to add a self-destruct mode in case it was ever taken.
He wouldn't use it on his soldiers. Voidwalker wasn't something to give just anyone. It could potentially rival or surpass the Sirens in the Borderlands universe.
[Voidwalker Tecnology deposited]
The machine has a futuristic, sleek design, resembling a large medical pod. It stands about 2.5 meters tall and 1.5 meters wide, with a smooth, oval-shaped exterior made from a dark, matte black alloy, giving it a cold, industrial appearance.
"I'll need to round up a few poor psychos as test subjects…" Maxwell made a mental note to capture some psychos before heading to Dead Island.
Finally moving to the last reward, the tab was quite large, and it would take time to decide what to choose.
<Ground Vehicles Section>
(Vehicles) Zipline: Fast transport from point A to point B. Commonly used to transport cargo or pilots. 15[C]
(Vehicles) Tow: Industrial truck, towing cars, small aircraft and titans. 40[C]
(Vehicles) Forklift: Industrial truck, lift truck. 20[C]
(Vehicles) Trident: flying car, lightly armored troop transport vehicle. 30[C]
(Vehicles) Gremlin: Four-wheeled ground vehicle, lightly armored troop transport truck. 35[C]
(Vehicles) Samson: Six-wheeled ground vehicle, heavily armored troop transport, assault truck. 55[C]
(Vehicles) Gorilla Tank: It's a walking tank, with heavy artillery. 85[C]
(Vehicles) IMC Walker: It's a walking tank that can climb vertical and horizontal surfaces. sort cannon. 60[C]
(Vehicles) Paladin Tank: Heavy Infantry Vehicle, double-barrel main battle tanks. 99[C]
<No Affiliation Aircraft Section>
(Vehicles) Drop Pod: Orbital insertion pod. 10[C]
(Vehicles) Arcadia {Carrier type}: Transporting delicate cargo. No offensive capabilities. 100[C]
(Vehicles) Widow {Carrier type}: Used to retrieve Titans once they have been deployed and their battle has been fought. 90[C]
<Frontier Militia Aircraft Section>
(Vehicles) Crow {Dropship and Carrier type}: A versatile dropship that can transport troops and equipment to the battlefield. Designed for quick insertion and extraction. 130[C]
(Vehicles) Hornet {Starfighter type}: Hornets are the ultimate small fighters for air and space superiority with their low production costs and great firepower. Hornets are both capable of regular flight in space and in-atmosphere, and are also capable of VTOL hovering for a short amount of time. 300[C]
(Vehicles) Birmingham {Starfighter type}: attack frigate and massive space cannon ordnance. 560[C]
(Vehicles) MCS Carter Braxton {Carrier and Battleship type}: Heavy artillery, transportation of Titans and small aircraft. Hyperdrive for planetary travel. 1920[C]
(Vehicles) Annapolis {Warship type}: Heavy artillery and nuclear weapons, Hyperdrive for planetary travel. 12260[C]
(Vehicles) Redeye {Warship/Motherbase type}: Self-sustainable vehicular spacecraft. Transportation of Titans and aircraft, and modular factory. 18310[C]
<IMC Aircraft Section>
(Vehicles) IMS Draconis {Carrier type}: Armored ship for transporting delicate cargo with lightweight artillery. 180[C]
(Vehicles) Goblin {Dropship and Carrier type}: A versatile dropship that can transport troops and equipment to the battlefield. Designed for quick insertion and extraction. 155[C]
(Vehicles) Phantom {Starfighter type}: Equipped with plasma cannons, guided missiles and a temporary camouflage system. 750[C]
(Vehicles) Bomber {Starfighter type}: Lightweight artillery with explosive ordnance for the destruction of buildings. 495[C]
(Vehicles) IMS Malta {Carrier and Battleship type}: Heavy artillery, transportation of Titans and small aircraft. Hyperdrive for planetary travel. 3190[C]
(Vehicles) IMS Colossus {Warship type}: Heavy artillery and nuclear weapons, Hyperdrive for planetary travel. 11750[C]
(Vehicles) IMS Odyssey {Warship/MotherBase}: Self-sustainable Vehicular spacecraft, Transportation of Titans and aircraft, and modular factory. 20630[C]
"Holy fucking shit!" Maxwell's eyes widened. "Warships with nuclear weapons? This could wipe out Pandora in minutes!"
Maxwell's heart raced, but a little disappointed, he could only choose one item.
"Being broke sucks." Sighing, Maxwell shook his head and closed the screen. He wasn't crazy enough to choose a city-sized ship inside a tiny room.
He straightened his uniform and gave the door a light push. As he stepped into the hallway, he spotted Spyglass, waiting for him, with no sign of Angel nearby.
"Spyglass, where's Angel?" Maxwell asked, frowning at her absence.
"She said she needed to step away momentarily but will return shortly, sir," Spyglass clarified. "However, I must say, you look... considerably younger."
Maxwell raised an eyebrow, confused. "Younger?"
Without hesitation, he activated his pilot helmet's visor, which allowed a reflective view. When the visor flashed his reflection, his eyes widened slightly. His face was incredibly youthful, the battle scars and fatigue of time gone. His hair was thick and vibrant, his skin smooth, with none of the wrinkles or marks from before. He looked like he was back in his twenties.
His fingers touched his face softly, as he finally grasped the meaning of "a better body" from the regeneration process. The vitality was undeniable. Maxwell couldn't help but smirk in surprise, but quickly composed himself. He had responsibilities, and Spyglass wouldn't handle everything alone.
Without further ado, he pulled out the blueprint for the Simulacrums from his ECHO and handed it to Spyglass.
"I want you to make a copy of this and store it as a backup on the ECHOnet servers. And another thing..." Maxwell paused, his mind now focused on the next step of his plans. "The Marvins should pick up the VoidTech technology that I acquired. We will take it to Dead Island. Make sure it is transported with total security."
Spyglass nodded. "It will be done, sir. I will arrange for the pickup immediately."
Not wanting to remain idle, Maxwell checked his equipment. It was a deeply ingrained habit, especially for someone with his history of intense combat. It wouldn't be pleasant to draw his weapon only to find it empty.
In the midst of his inspection, he noticed that his shield was broken due to the brutal confrontation with Steele's squad. Since then, he had been wandering without this crucial protection.
"I need to sort this out soon," he thought, knowing how vulnerable he was without a functional shield. A well-placed bullet to his skull would mean game over, with no restart.
After a while, Spyglass returned, his presence marked by precise footsteps and his robotic voice sounding calm and firm. "Everything is ready, sir. We can depart."
Maxwell nodded and headed for the Samson, the robust armored vehicle he would pilot. Spyglass and Tannis were already seated in the passenger seats, ready for the journey. The destination? T-Bone Junction. Although Crimson Fastness was their current base, it was clear that there was no Fast Travel system installed there, a security risk, and enemies would be instantly inside the base.
As Maxwell drove the Samson, flanked by five other Lancer vehicles driven by the Marvins, the convoy of six trucks made its way toward the Fast Travel. The vehicles were impressive, imposing, and as they passed through the city, a wave of panic began to spread among the citizens. Many looked at the Lancers in terror, assuming it was an attack by the Atlas Corporation.
However, upon realizing that the vehicles were moving with indifference, showing no signs of hostility, the people began to relax. Sighs of relief spread through the streets as the trucks finally disappeared into the characteristic particles of light of the Fast Travel, vanishing from the location and leaving the city at peace.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Querubim_
Querubim_
Finally our soldier is about to meet his first violent and naughty waifu.
I really wonder how I'm going to do writing my first lemon scene
Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
164 Power
stone 
Paragraph comment