Chapter 63: NanoForge Power Suit

Chapter 63: NanoForge Power SuitThe Association at Eldergrove was not alone in its strategic placement. Matter of factly, all the Associations across Thanad shared similar arrangement.

They were all placed at the edge of their respective Kingdom’s boundaries, where the dense Magic Forest loomed, an untamed expanse of twisted trees and pulsating mana that encircled the Kingdom like a living barrier.

Every Kingdom in the Continent shared this trait, their borders defined by the impenetrable, sprawling woods that thrummed with mana and housed creatures of unimaginable power.

The forest was both a shield and a threat, a place where only the bold or foolish ventured.

Adrian completed the formalities at the outpost with ease, his license checked and his purpose logged.

The air shifted as he crossed the threshold into the Magic Forest. He glanced around, confirming what he already knew: no one was nearby.

This was the moment he’d been waiting for. His heart quickened, not from fear, but from anticipation. With a steady voice, he spoke the words he’d been itching to say since he’d arrived:

"Equip PowerSuit."

In an instant, the air around him shimmered. The PowerSuit materialized, its sleek, metallic surface forming over his body in milliseconds.

Nanites surged from nowhere, weaving a lattice of dark, reflective alloy that hugged his form like a second skin.

The suit was lightweight yet impossibly durable, its surface glinting faintly with a bluish hue under the forest’s dim light.



It covered his arms, legs, and torso in a seamless flow, each segment locking into place with a soft hum of energy. The sensation was exhilarating, like stepping into a vessel of raw power.

Adrian tested the suit’s adaptability, sensing an almost sentient quality to its movements. It wasn’t just technology; it felt alive and responsive to his will.

Curious, he focused his thoughts, willing the suit to extend further. In response, the nanites surged upward, forming a metallic mask that enveloped his head, stopping just below his eyes.

The mask was sleek, angular, with a faint sheen that caught the light, leaving only his piercing gaze exposed.

It felt like an extension of himself, amplifying his senses rather than obstructing them.

Satisfied, Adrian called out, "Display stats."

A translucent panel appeared in his vision.

[Stats: Speed - 22 (11) | Strength - 24 (12) | Constitution - 15 (5)]

"They all multiplied by two... and Constitution by three!" Adrian muttered under his breath in disbelief.

"This is amazing," he said aloud, his voice surprisingly still clear under the mask.

The numbers were staggering, far beyond anything he’d expected. To test the suit’s capabilities, he took a tentative step forward, then broke into a run.

"Tech Core, track my average speed," he commanded mentally.

The forest blurred around him as he accelerated, his movements fluid and effortless. The suit amplified every stride, his legs pumping with a strength that he had never experienced.

He moved with such speed and ease that it felt like he was gliding and the ground was only slightly registering beneath his feet.

After what seemed like an instant, he paused and the system display flashed:

[Distance Covered: 101 meters | Time: 7 seconds | Average Speed: 14.43 m/s]

"This clears the world record on Earth," Adrian said, a grin spreading beneath the mask. "And I don’t even feel drained in any way."

Satisfied with the suit’s speed, he decided to push deeper into the forest.

"Let’s see how much stronger and tougher it is now," he murmured, his voice brimming with excitement.

The Magic Forest was no place for hesitation, and with the PowerSuit, he felt ready to face its dangers.

As he ventured deeper, the forest grew denser and with his mana detector syncing with the System’s map, potential signatures of nearby beasts filled the map.

Adrian started small, seeking out a 1-Star Beast to test his strength.

And soon, he spotted one. A hulking boar-like creature with bristling fur and glowing red eyes.

[Analyzing...]

[Beast identified: Sparkboar]

[Rank: 1-Star Magical Beast]

[Element: Lightning]

Adrian decided not to use the gun, approaching cautiously with his armored fists clenched.

The boar snorted, sensing his presence, and charged. He sidestepped effortlessly, the suit enhancing his reflexes.

With a swift motion, he adjusted his stance like Master Von had thought, and drove his fist into the beast’s flank.

The impact reverberated through the beast, a dull thud followed by a crack of bone.

The Sparkboar squealed, stumbling, but Adrian didn’t relent. Two more punches, each delivered with the suit’s amplified strength, and the beast collapsed.

[Congratulations! You have killed a magical beast!]

[Would you like to harvest its Magic Crystal?]

Adrian immediately agreed, storing the corpse and its crystal in his [Inventory].

’Okay. I’m strong enough to kill a 1-Star Magical Beast on my own... Very nice.’

The process was seamless, but Adrian knew better than to get cocky. Higher-star beasts were far more dangerous, and he wasn’t ready to take unnecessary risks.

He retrieved his trusty mana gun from the [Inventory] as he turned around, its firepower being at peak level with a 3-Star Magic Crystal embedded in it.


’I’ll head deeper into the forest.’

***

Adrian’s first encounter with a 2-Star Beast came sooner than expected. A low growl rumbled through the underbrush, and a massive creature which he had anticipated emerged.

[Analyzing...]



[Beast identified: Flameclaw Panther]

[Rank: 2-Star Magical Beast]

[Element: Fire]

The beast didn’t hesitate, unleashing a barrage of fireballs that streaked toward Adrian with blistering heat.

Adrian reacted instantly, swinging his body to the side with the suit’s enhanced agility.

The fireballs grazed past, but one managed to strike his arm.

Fortunately for Adrian, the suit absorbed the impact, leaving only a faint scorch mark on the dark alloy.

Adrian’s smile widened beneath his mask after seeing the result. ’I’m loving this suit even more.’

The panther roared, launching another volley of fireballs, but Adrian was already moving. He dashed through the onslaught. Closing the distance, he raised the mana gun and fired at point-blank range a medium intensity shot.

~ZAP!~

A pulse of blue mana streaked through the air like a comet, striking the beast’s chest and causing it to collapse instantly.

[Congratulations! You have killed a magical beast!]

[Would you like to harvest its Magic Crystal?]

With a mental command, Adrian stored the crystal and the beast’s scorched remains in his [Inventory].

’I’ve taken down a good number of beasts already and I’ve gotten down the suit’s capabilities,’ he mused. ’I can’t wait much time here. I’ve tested the suit enough, it’s time to complete the mission.’

Adrian glanced at the map on the panel. He wasn’t here to hunt indiscriminately as he had a specific target in mind: wolves. Shadow Wolves, to be precise, known for their pack mentality and preference for areas shrouded in dense shadow and cover.

’I can’t spend too long in search it them, so I’ll need to be smart about this.’

He studied the map intently, his finger tracing a path through the glowing display.

From his knowledge, the wolves’ behavior was predictable to an extent — they thrived in regions where the forest was thickest, where the canopy blocked out sunlight and the undergrowth provided ample hiding spots.

A specific area caught his attention: a region marked by his map as a likely wolf territory, one of the places where mana signatures clustered tightly in a chaotic, overlapping pattern.

’That’s where they’ll be,’ Adrian guessed. ’A pack that size... it’s a risk, but it’s exactly what I came here for.’

He dismissed the map with a thought, the holographic display fading as he adjusted his grip on the mana gun before heading towards their location.

***

After navigating the Forest for several minutes, Adrian finally stopped several hundreds meters from the assumed wolf territory, taking cover behind a thick tree.

His eyes darted at his map, which highlighted seven distinct mana signatures clustered tightly together three hundred meters away from him.

"This must be the place," he murmured to himself.

’Seven wolves... How am I supposed to handle this now?’

He tapped his armored fingers against the tree. ’I should’ve prepared better. Why didn’t I think to make magical explosives or grenades?’

He shook his head, making a mental note to add them to his arsenal for next time; though he quickly reminded himself that he didn’t exactly plan on making a habit of diving into the forest.

’This is a one-time thing,’ he thought, ’or at least I hope it is.’

Adrian knew he needed a plan. The mission only required him to take down a single Shadow Wolf, but he didn’t mind the idea of clearing out the entire pack.

The problem was execution. Wolves were pack hunters, always sticking close together, their movements coordinated through instinct and magic.

Even with all his knowledge about beasts, isolating them seemed impossible. He sighed.

"No wonder this mission was never taken," he muttered. "The info showed it was posted weeks ago, and still, no one accepted it. They understood its difficulty."

He paused, running a hand through his silvery hair, the strands brushing against the edge of his mask.

"I’m thinking about this too much. Maybe I’m just underestimating myself. Charging in blindly might actually be the best decision here."

He tightened his grip on the mana gun, its sleek barrel humming with energy.

"I’ll take them out as fast as I can with the gun and hope the suit holds up." He nodded to himself in determination. "Okay, I’ll do this."

Before anything, Adrian called out, "Tech Core, display current durability."

A holographic panel flickered to life:

[Durability: 91%]

[Restore Durability: 1% - 50TP]



He smiled wryly at the cost. He hadn’t pushed the suit to its limits yet, but he wasn’t sure how it would fare against the pack.

’Better to be safe than sorry,’ he thought. "Restore durability to 100%," he ordered.

The Tech Core’s voice chimed in his mind:

[Restoring Durability...]

A warm sensation enveloped him as the suit glowed faintly, nanites swarming across its surface to repair every scratch and scorch mark.

Within moments, the faint blemishes on the dark alloy vanished, and Adrian felt a surge of strength, as if the suit itself was reinvigorated.

He marveled at the process, his mind briefly wandering. ’What kind of energy does this suit even run on? How is this possible?’ But he quickly pushed the thought aside. Now wasn’t the time for curiosity. He’d puzzle over the suit’s mysteries later.

Focusing on the task at hand, Adrian swapped out the 3-Star Magic Crystal in his mana gun, even though the current one wasn’t depleted.

He stored it in his [Inventory] for later and slotted in a fresh crystal. The gun roared to life with a deep, resonant hum, its power surging as the new crystal locked into place.

Adrian felt the weapon’s energy through his grip, a reassuring weight in his hands. He was ready.

"Let’s do this," he said with resolve.

He took a step forward, the suit amplifying his movements as he broke into a dash, with his cloak swaying behind him.