A couple of days had passed since Sebastian and Falk had arrived in the "Steam and Steel" scenario, and to say things had been easy would be a lie… The events of the second scenario had made things far more complex and awkward than they would have been otherwise. The reunion of father and son, between Isaac, in Falk's body, and Thaddeus, was the strangest thing Sebastian had ever witnessed.

After Falk's initial greeting, the room had fallen silent for more than a minute. Thaddeus finally cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure as he welcomed the newcomers.

Despite the awkward tension, Thaddeus had wasted no time in welcoming Sebastian with open arms. The two of them had a very good relationship, and the young man still had not forgotten that he owed the old clockmaker his life. Their reconnection was quick and seamless, and over the course of the day, Thaddeus guided Sebastian and Falk through what seemed to be a massive palace, which was where they were at the moment.

Over the course of that day, guided in person by Thaddeus, Sebastian and Falk spent their time touring what appeared to be a massive palace, the very heart of the 'Atomica Federation'. As they walked, Thaddeus told them about the radical changes that had occurred since the revolution. Six years had passed since Sebastian and his team had disappeared, and in that time, the old Allied Kingdoms and the Seven Pirate guilds had been completely dismantled, now united under a single government.

Many social changes had been carried out in every possible corner of the continent; factories had been built, towns had been modernized, and universities and schools based on engineering had been institutionalized as a right for anyone who wished to learn, regardless of their economic or social status. It was a monumental effort to ensure that the entire continent could support itself through the effort and work of its own inhabitants.

But change, no matter how positive, did not come without problems. The new 'Atomica Federation' was not perfect, and conflicts still existed. Thaddeus explained that just over a year ago, they had finally made contact with another continent. Unlike them, who used electric and atomic energy, the other continent was fueled by a rare material known as "fossil fuel". The ideologies and technologies of both worlds were so different that tensions were already palpable, to the point that a conflict between the two was highly likely and could erupt at any moment. Sebastian and Falk, unable to say anything, could only listen, marveling at the magnitude of the changes that had occurred in such a short period of time.

All of this was a lot of information for the old man, who were simply in awe of the new world. However, when Thaddeus finally asked what had brought them back to this place, Sebastian said that he needed to create something, a creation unlike anything he had ever made before, and he hoped that Thaddeus could provide him with a place to work.

Thaddeus simply responded with a warm smile, rolling up his sleeves and saying that he would not give him "a workshop" to work in. Instead, he would personally help him with everything he needed, and he would have all the resources and facilities of 'Stratos Technology' at his disposal.

So, returning to the present, Sebastian, Thaddeus, and Falk were in a large, spacious laboratory, with many technicians, engineers, and other professionals waiting for their instructions. The three men, or two men and a bird, had spent several days debating what to build.

What would be the best project to not only utilize all the resources of the company but also to use all the 'VoidSpark-Adamantine' plates that Sebastian had at his disposal? From a giant robot to a power plant that produced almost infinite energy, all the ideas were too impractical.

"It should be something with a concrete use, but not something excessive. After all, it is something that will eventually be used in future scenarios."

Said Falk, who was looking at the blueprints. This surprised Thaddeus, who was still a bit nervous whenever his father spoke, but he did not let it distract him from the project at hand.

In fact, the fact that Falk could speak freely about the scenarios and the System was something that had surprised Sebastian. He could not, as the System would censor his words, but Falk, who was not a user, could. He wondered if this was because Falk was not a user but a native of this world. It was a thought that Sebastian did not want to delve into.

"And why not an improved version of the automaton that you say you have created before?"

Thaddeus said, after thinking for a moment. It was a curious idea, one that Sebastian had already thought of before, but it would mean starting something from scratch again.

"The problem is that we don't have the same energy source that Mecha Sung Ja-In uses to move. Besides, it is very likely that just copying something that I have already made will not give me the expected result."

Sebastian said with a long sigh. The idea itself was not bad, and they spent a few more days refining the idea, explaining the capabilities of Mecha Sung Ja-In to Thaddeus, who seemed extremely interested in every detail.

And so, another couple of days passed, ideas came and went, details were refined, and after a spark of inspiration from Thaddeus and Falk, the blueprints for something truly incredible were finally drawn. One could say that it was an automatic armor that used the most advanced technology available at 'Stratos Technology', with an engine that caused small, controlled combustions of atomic energy to generate an insane amount of electricity. It also had numerous conduction channels throughout its body that allowed it to take advantage of every last spark generated. It would not be strange to think that it would be capable of splitting a mountain in half with a single punch. But that was not all… Sebastian knew that something was missing, but he did not know what it could be yet. Even so, it was the best alternative they had, so they got to work.

However, there was a huge gap between saying and doing. After carefully managing everything they needed, they were faced with a daunting reality… To build something like that required things that had not yet been invented, so they would have to start from scratch on some important parts.

"Hmm… How long do you think it will take us to do this?"

Thaddeus asked while scratching his head. But Sebastian simply smiled and answered.

"As long as it takes. We're not going anywhere, but I understand if it's too much to ask for your help throughout the entire process."

Thaddeus smiled again at those words, making his final statement.

"It doesn't matter how long it takes, even if it's ten years, I'll still be here."

And just like that, ten years passed.

Ten years in that world, working and living countless adventures. Ten years in which the world around them continued to advance. The 'Atomica Federation' progressed a lot, and Sebastian reconnected with old acquaintances, attending the wedding of former Admiral Jasper Merrick, and even taking the time to help in the construction of the Pantheon of Heroes, where the remains of former Admiral Augustus Redmond rested.

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This time also allowed Falk and Thaddeus to have more than enough opportunities to talk again. Sebastian still remembered what happened after the third year, when, after a very emotional conversation, Thaddeus had burst into tears at his father's feet, regretting everything he had done. Falk, for his part, simply tried to comfort him. After all, his son's decision had already been made, and he had to face the consequences of it, for better or for worse. Besides, this was no longer his world… For several months, while they worked, Thaddeus was in awe of his father's stories about everything they had gone through with their team in the different scenarios.

And so, finally, when Sebastian was 71, with many physical problems due to overexertion, the armor was finally ready. It was placed before the three main creators, Sebastian, Falk, and Thaddeus, all of them admiring the work of art they had managed to build. However, no system window appeared.

Sebastian knew that this would happen; after all, it was still an incomplete creation. The old man approached the armor and, with a gentle smile, placed his hand on the chest plate, activating his skill [The One Who Hears the Soul of Machines]. He normally would be able to hear the "soul" of the armor, but what he heard was a hollow echo, a voice that seemed to be screaming something, calling him to a specific place.

"What's going on?"

Thaddeus asked, mildly concerned.

"Please help me take the armor outside. I feel like it has to be somewhere else."

Sebastian said with ease and smiling, it seemed that they were on the right track after all.

With the help of the company's engineers, the armor was guided by Sebastian to none other than the Pantheon in honor of the late Augustus Redmond, where his ashes rested. Once there, the old man touched the armor again, only to finally understand what it wanted to say.

"I hear the voice of a warrior, a man whose journey ended far too soon, a man whose conviction longs to return."

Sebastian said, remembering the old admiral and his heroic sacrifice. He shed a single tear before using his [Ki-Forged Genesis (Aberration)] skill, imbuing the armor with the very essence of the ancient warrior. It was not his soul as such, but his will, until finally a system notice appeared.

[The skill [Ki-Forged Genesis (Aberration) Lv2] has accomplished the impossible!] [The will of the character 'Augustus Redmond' has become a part of the ego of the object 'Unnamed'.] [The object 'Unnamed' has acquired the option of using the [The Man that Shattered the Stars - Lv?] skill on its own volition.] [Congratulations!]

Everyone was surprised, but then Sebastian spoke, his voice filled with a powerful emotion.

"It's still not complete."

He said with a melancholic gaze.

"Why? What else could it be missing?"

Thaddeus asked, his voice filled with a mix of awe and confusion. Meanwhile, Falk, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly chirped.

"It still does not have a power source."

Sebastian and Thaddeus looked at him, confused, but then Falk looked at the old man, his dear friend, and said his final words.

"I understand. It has to be me."

Thaddeus did not understand, but Falk flew into the armor… Then another system notice appeared.

[The skill [Ki-Forged Genesis (Aberration) Lv2] has accomplished the impossible!] [The soul of the character 'Isaac Volta' has become the ego of the object 'Unnamed'.]

And then, before the eyes of everyone, the armor began to change. All the tubes and mechanisms were activated, and from being an inert, headless suit, it began to move. To everyone's surprise, the metal began to mutate, forming a head, changing its shape and color until it took on the unmistakable appearance of none other than the scientist Isaac Volta in his youth. Thaddeus and all the engineers were stunned by what had happened, but Sebastian, who was hunched over with the pain in his back, looked at Falk, or rather Isaac, and smiled.

"Yes"

He said.

"This will work..."

After Sebastian's words, a system window materialized with a chime.

[New creation completed!] [Please name your new creation to begin the evaluation process.]

A gentle smile spread across the old man's face. He knew the name he wanted. It had to represent the legacy of those who had worked on the project, the dedication of the countless engineers, and the newfound bond between a father and his son, who had made him remember his own family... He remembered his own son, and a vague memory of his favorite childhood heroes and their iconic combat armor flashed in his mind. What was it called? … Ah, of course.

[The name 'Rüegg & Volta's Magnum Opus: Battlerizer Suit' has been successfully registered.] [Beginning the rating process...] [...] [The System has finished analyzing the new treasure!] ['Rüegg & Volta's Magnum Opus: Battlerizer Suit' has been cataloged as a Rank S item!] [Impossible Success!] [The user Sebastian Rüegg has received a Rank S merit.] [...] [The 'Personal Subplot: The Trial of the Machine God' has been completed successfully!] [The Path 3: Mecha Saint route has been completed successfully!] [The user Sebastian Rüegg has received the title 'Member of the Mechanical Cult'.] [The user Sebastian Rüegg has received the title 'Godly MechaSmith'.] [The Personal Skill of the user Sebastian Rüegg has been fixed to a specific one.] [The race of the user Sebastian Rüegg will proceed to change from 'Human - Rank F' to 'High Mechanicus - Rank A'] [By decree of the god 'Mechanica Deus', the user Sebastian Rüegg will remain in the scenario for an additional day until the race change process is at least 70%]

Sebastian stood speechless, his mind reeling from the cascade of messages. The sheer audacity of what they had accomplished was overwhelming.

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