After reviewing the blueprints of Exoskeleton 2.0 and the upgraded battery, Keon crawled toward the materials one by one. He began assimilating and transforming them, shaping the new frame piece by piece exactly according to the design.
Thanks to his increased assimilation capacity, the time it took wasn't much longer than when he had upgraded the mechanical Exoshell One.
Slowly, a monstrous spider took form on the ground. A machine three meters long in total, with a one-and-a-half-meter body and an equal leg span. Twin rings of alloy stacked into a dual-ring frame, each ring mounted with four massive optical lenses with multi-directional movement, granting all-around vision.
Its body gleamed with a predatory sheen, the pitch-black carapace swallowing light as if it were born to lurk in shadow. Each slender, golden-tipped leg looked sharp enough to pierce steel. It resembled a venomous predator waiting patiently for prey, yet it radiated an aura of engineered supremacy.
A soft mechanical hiss sounded, and following that, the middle section of the dual ring shifted, receding to reveal a spacious cockpit within.
Keon was docked inside a small docking pad mirroring his own two-ring body shape, accompanied by eight locking slots, perfectly measured to secure his limbs.
'I will first observe and record its outer structure with my own vision and then operate it. This habit is probably transferred here through my human soul. Back on Earth, I always checked and observed the outer appearance of the machine every time before operating it, including cars.'
He crawled out from the induction pad and then started moving around the Exoshell 2.0, observing and recording the whole structure in his memory.
After that, he once again returned to the cockpit, and his Exoskeleton One locked smoothly into the induction pads.
Click!
The locks snapped into place, his limb tips magnetized against the pads as the hatch above sealed with deliberate calm.
After a while,
The eight optical lenses of Exoskeleton 2.0 swiveled in unison and started scanning everything inside the cavern.
Its legs flexed, adjusted, and then dug into the sand as it rose. The predator's frame carried itself on towering limbs, scattering the sand around on the ground with a domineering presence.
'Heh, now this… this is the sense of power.'
Keon's thoughts pulsed with pride as he controlled the massive exoshell. If he had possessed a human face at this moment, he would have been grinning like a madman.
'Huh, it's slow!'
But after only a few movements, he noticed it. The reaction of Exoskeleton 2.0 was sluggish. Every command from his mind reached the shell a fraction too late.
'Half a second delay… It's not the fault of Exo 2.0. The issue lies in transmission. My commands pass through Exoshell One before reaching this shell. The signal needs a quarter of a second to execute in One, which was manageable, but now it's doubled for 2.0. If I build Exo 3.0 on top of this system, delays could stretch to an entire second, which is unacceptable in any case.'
Keon's core lit again, feeling a little troubled. He immediately started analyzing the reason behind such delay. At this moment, a familiar notification flashed in front of his vision.
[Force has reached 125/250 kilogram (halved)]
[Force > 50kg - Level Up!]
[Congratulations for reaching Level 8!]
[Free Attribute Points + 8]
[Force > 100kg - Level Up!]
[Congratulations for reaching Level 9!]
[Free Attribute Points + 9]
…
'Why is my force half?'
The thoughts in his core struck immediately as he saw his Exoskeleton 2.0 force halved in the system notification.
'Probably it's because of the delay.'
Keon linked the answer with the controls and movements.
'Yes… the issue isn't power. It's a connection. My original frame and Exoshell One were only designed to receive signals, not forward them properly. Without a dedicated inductive channel, both forms are just using their entire limbs as crude conductors for my commands.'
The solution was already assembling itself in the blueprint in his mind.
Thin gold wires insulating and threading directly through the limbs. It will be the direct way of transmission, connecting all three frames into one line. It will also increase the energy transfer efficiency.
'It was simpler than I expected. Anyway, with this new transmission line, Exoshell One will become nothing more than a dormant connector. I'll bypass it completely and link my commands straight to Exoshell 2.0. The operation commands are just electromagnetic signals that travel at two-thirds the speed of light inside the conductor.'
Keon thought as he crawled toward the last of his gold reserves. His massive spider leg sank into the glittering pieces of gold as he activated assimilation.
The metal liquified, pulled into his system directly. Slowly, golden threads wove through all his legs and main frames, seeding themselves into each limb like nerves.
Tiny golden dots materialized on the surface of the frames and limbs that will serve as the connectors.
Immediately, the Exoshell 2.0 movement halted, and it froze in place silently.
A few beats later, suddenly it came alive again and started moving, more smoothly, faster, and stronger. Its motors hummed as its legs swept the ground effortlessly.
'Now this… this is genius.'
Keon's thoughts rang with satisfaction as he realized he could operate the colossal Exoshell 2.0 as easily as his original one-inch frame.
The frame moved at a speed that is considered maximum for a three-meter machine like it.
Meanwhile, the system also acknowledged his breakthrough:
[Force has reached 280 kilogram]
Keon nodded, satisfied as he operated the new Exoshell 2.0, feeling more power and control in his body. A more dynamic perspective also made him feel more secure.
He summoned his status panel calmly.
…
[Status Panel]
Name: Keon
Level: 9
Race: Mechanical Species
Form: Spider Exoshell 2.0
...
Primary Attributes
Health: 100 / 100%
Energy: 5.5 / 5.55 KWh
(550Wh + 5 KWh) (500 W × 10.55h)
Core: MCHC
Structure: Composite Metal
Main Frame Force: 50 gram (Locked)
Exoshell 1.0 Force: 15 kilogram (Locked)
Exoshell 2.0 Force: 280 kilogram
Size: 3 meter
Mass: 80 kg
Mobility: Low
Durability: Moderate
Agility: Low
…
Growth Statistics
Free Attribute Points: 19
Assimilation Capacity: 30 kilograms/min
Load Capacity: 30 kilogram
Next Level Requirement: Force > 500 kilogram
…
'My main frame is stuck at 50 grams because of material and component limits. These free attributes are lying uselessly in my panel… I have to come up with a solution. Next, I have to use the knowledge I learned on Earth and evolve carbon steel into another higher-grade metal and upgrade my components. Also, it's time to add new features to my main frame. If somehow I lose the protection of these exoshells, my main frame won't even survive this harsh reality.'
Keon dismissed the panel with quiet thoughts. His path forward is no longer just survival. It will be full of twists and turns; as a mechanical species, technological knowledge and the main frame are his core of life.
…