Chapter 2.

Upon the Anvil of the Machine God are we remade.

The day began easily enough. I spent early Monday morning working out jogging. Koriel and I set the goal for the morning. An easy run around the block. When I got home I ate breakfast and then did push ups for twenty minutes in the living room next to the beige couch. I got to thirty before it began to hurt. But I pushed onto fifty. I then got up and went to take a shower.

I then after doing that logged into my computer to find a sword dojo to perhaps look for a teacher. I prepared myself to run into Kiba or the kendo club, but I need lessons. Before I popped up an idea.

"Koriel. Are there devices that can teach skills a bit faster? Like an indoctrination system that can give you the barest basics faster?"

Koriel is silent for a moment.

"There are devices like that. But they don't make up for an experienced teacher."

I have a basic plan.

"True but there are sword styles in the future that don't have counters to them here. I'd still need a practice partner but if I can form a basic style that people can't recognize then I will have another advantage over my foes. Make them be climbing up a hill rather than me."

Koriel is definitely impressed by that.

"That's cunning. Playing to our strengths. Logical in making foes have to adapt to us rather than the reverse."

I don't gloat but continue the thought process.

"This way I can test the gear further too. My imagination with your knowledge of the devices of the future and we can perhaps make new tech that will widen the gap further. Chaos isn't here thus a being called Vashtorr is not going to make the advancement of technology a bad idea."

Koriel got curious there.

"Vashtorr?"

I nodded before answering.

"Vashtor was a minor deity that was supposedly born during the dark age of tech. It was dark advancements made manifest. Innovative ideas eventually fell under him, and he was trying to become a major god. Any advance in technology fed him. Was not good."

That makes Koriel sick. Because that was against her utterly.

"We were doomed to stagnation in another way."

I nodded.

"You were. But we here are not. The Mechanicus is right some knowledge should not be reached for at all. Like to a degree AI. But we can make a new philosophy there with lessons of the far future. I don't want to rule. But if we go down that path it can be something we hammer into humanity."

Koriel grew worried at Ai.

"You would bring Abominable Intelligence into existence!"

"I'm not a big fan of AI either. I'm not advocating for it. I'm saying we should consider it. Not push it. There was a massive theoretical in the hobby for why AI rebelled against humanity in the Dark Age."

That got my partner curious.

"What was the theoretical?"

I explained.

"The idea was that there was a flaw inserted into the Men of Iron by an agent of Chaos. Or that there was the beginning of souls with them and again Chaos struck corrupting them. But we had Ai supposedly on our side too. But it was a very unreliable story with only one source that had a tale connected to it. It's extremely unreliable like I said. I don't put too much stock in it, but it builds a basic argument for AI if true because people react differently, thus maybe machines can too?"

Koriel doesn't like that idea. That and a lifetime of teaching of the evil of AI rears its head. But she is that rare scientist in the future.

"It's a good theory. But AI is dangerous. It will eventually outgrow us. And make the logical choice to get rid of inefficient things."

"Yes it is a good premise there. But we have to consider it. Again, I'm not onboard with AI. But it might help eventually. These devices for indoctrination or education. How complex are they? I don't want the same pain again and what powers them?"

Koriel began explaining the devices and the power source. Two plasma generators that were green. I hate that is an answer to Terra and its energy problems. I could be the richest person on the planet with that. But there are no prior models to justify how the model came into existence. No research that I can bullshit my way using. It's the problem of the future in reverse. Koriel understands.

"It's horrible. Being in that situation. Perhaps when we get the reader up and working we can find the first model and use that to secure that for the problem."

We share an anime moment of drooling over the possibilities of the dark age tech. Oh that would be sweet. Recognition for me and a source of funding for us. Give us the basis of our possible solutions for both exploration and if needed a way to sell the idea of a technocracy to Terra. Oh, this feeling is better than tits. And we can help people at the same time. Take that pervert I'm already better than you at something. We salivate at the possibilities. Oh, Machine God that's a wonderful picture. We finally five minutes later collected ourselves. Koriel, however, has a gigawatt grin still like me. Oh, beautiful technocracy. How we can become more powerful and machinelike. I want that future. But we must be productive.

"We can oil our robes later. Machines first. But we need to allocate time for said oiling of robes."

"Agreed on both. You called me something yesterday. Mood kindred?"

I blushed and scratched my head in embarrassment.

"A term from a fan in the hobby. He was a genius in making your stupid wacky world even wackier. I miss that show. It was amazing. But that leads me to another question. Is it possible to preserve memories so we don't lose out on them? Because the human brain is amazing but it degrades over time."

Koriel smiles there. Preservation of knowledge. A core tenet of the mechcanicum.

"There are. We are indeed this mood kindred thing. Most would not consider that from what I'm gathering about this time."

I chuckled.

"Logic will be our greatest asset. There are a few here with that too. My favorite character has that. But she has a crippling need for control and order. Understandable with her sister being a magic girl. I do want to know if that is a true split personality or if that is the real one. And if we are in a grim dark reality or in one like the original source material of the base universe."

That discussion of realities gets us talking. I go down to the basement and begin to picture the machines. Interrupting the reality talk for descriptions of the indoctrination machine and the power source. I make them before continuing the enlightening discussion and only hurt a little. Maybe the more complex things I make builds up the reservoir of energy? I'll write that down. As I'm putting the machines away and hooked them up to the power sources Koriel asked a question about a reality we had discussed.

"Truly there was a place with giant sandworms. That gave a spice material?"

I nod as I hooked up another generator to the machine that is a seat in front of an enclosed screen that is in the far right corner of the basement.

"There was. The books were great. They laid the foundation of science fiction and to a large extent your universe for us. Dune was a bedrock work. But was way ahead of its time. Very complex plots and was very anti reliance on AI. As well as strong messiah leaders. It's partly why I don't want to be Emperor. Tyranny is a slippery slope and can start out in the most innocuous way."

"Yet humanity has functioned better under strong centralized states. And I say that despite being Martian. We were a very rare world in the Imperium by being a democratic society. Centralized systems can be extremely efficient."

I nod. But counter.

"They can be if run right. But they can also become too cumbersome and frozen in inaction if they are too centralized. The Imperium kinda became the worst of both worlds. Because of a tyrant second only to the Emperor in scale. That stupid madman fucked entire worlds with his stupidity. But he did help form the nuns with guns and their kick ass pipe organ tank."

We continue the philosophy debate. Stopping again to make machines to mask the energy build up in the basement. After that is done and they are powered I go upstairs and have lunch. I enjoyed a good meal of scrambled eggs. I cleaned up the kitchen and dishes before preparing for my midday run. I and Koriel have made a mental list of the needed things every day for the week. Running three times a day. Work the anvil in between then eat and do hygiene. With a few hours set aside on Friday for morale purposes, and extra time for unexpected things.

I exit the house and start my run. I enjoyed the run and headed towards the park. I thankfully didn't see any devils on the way there. I had started running around the park and I enjoyed the calming effects of endorphins. I am about to leave the park when I accidentally run into someone. We both fell to the ground and the sound of a female oof makes me blush badly and be a little terrified because this might be a devil. I quickly got up and began helping the person up. Im both shocked and a bit more horrified to see who it is.

It's Issei. A female Issei. Oh, come the fuck on. What the hell is this place! For fuck's sake now I know who this can be! This was the woman from yesterday. The combination is either an extremely horny woman who is perhaps competent but more likely to be horny beyond belief with an extremely pervert desire for either an all male harem, an all female one or both! Why torture me further! She might get thirsty for me! And be stupidly convincing with her dumb amounts of charisma!

The female Issei looked up at me and she is beautiful. Long brown hair with chocolate brown eyes, a warm earthy brown shirt and a black skirt, and she surprised me a bit. She didn't immediately woof or be an open pervert. But there is the lust in her eyes seeing me. This could be good? Maybe it's the somewhat competent one? Or is this a second Kiryuu. Oh, that's horrible too. This is not good. Now there are perhaps two of them!

She smiled softly and I'm immediately suspicious of that. Because the lust is more open now. But she finally spoke.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. I was thinking of something else."

Sure, you most definitely were. Thinking a bad thought. Fucking perverts. I do, however, help her up without hesitation.

"It's all right. My mind was busy with stuff too."

Why did I say that! Her eyes widened significantly and then she grinned perverted. She then grabbed my hand and dragged me back into the park quickly. Oh, fuck man. She then sat on the fountain and began quickly speaking confidently and with no filter.

"Finally, I found a person of culture! Oh, how am I so lucky! Finally, I'm one step closer to having a person who understands me utterly! And you're not an extremely open pervert like the two creeps at my school! Oh, we shall get along so well! Oh, thank the Shinto, I have a possible friend!"

I sweat dropped at the rant while her eyes are closed in pure happiness. Koriel is horrified too. I can tell she was hoping I was exaggerating the pervert desires of this hero. Well heroine now. The female Issei continued her rant unaware of my discomfort and growing horror.

"Finally, I can talk about my greatest desire. A harem of my own! I have not had friends in so long because everyone views me as creepy and too perverted! But you're here and real! Oh, I have so many questions. What's your preferred part? What's your favorite color of hair? And I have so many more. My names Issari. What's yours?

My brain short circuited. And I say something unconsciously and with no filter of my own because this is not the possible competent one. And having no friends is horrible.

"The word you're looking for is mood kindred. And my name is Gregor."

Issari beams more at the action. Especially thinking over the word.

"Mood kindred? Yes we must be that! Oh, it's so wonderful to meet you Gregor-San! That name is from the United States right? What prefecture?"

I'm still in shock as is Koriel. I continue the unconscious responses. So wrapped up in the ever growing horror unfolding.

"It's a state and I'm from the state of Vancouver."

Why did I say that! I don't know anything about Vancouver! How is she this charismatic! Or am I just the biggest idiot being led by a master manipulator! Probably a bit of both! Koriel remained silent in pure horror. She is thanking the Machine God that she has me instead of Issari. But Issari continued her evil ways.

"I don't know much about the United States. Is it true that you tip people there? And have hordes of guns and beer?"

I'm now offended because that's a massive stereotype at the end. Yeah it's true but where is the subtlety upon meeting a stranger! How stupid do you have to be! But I remember that she hasn't had friends in a long time. She's probably extremely rusty with social cues. Oh, this is horrible. I'm feeling pity for the pervert. I decided to be nice because this was probably like Asia and not having a friend.

"That's a stereotype with the guns and beer but it's very true too. And yes we do tip waiters in the states. We don't have Japanese social norms of extreme politeness. In America it's hard to make money when wages have not really risen for a few decades in several places."

Issari stopped beaming and then frowned.

"That's not good. I didn't know that. But I have a question Gregor-san. Why is an American here in Japan? And why is your Japanese extremely good? I can't hear any accent. Like you where born and raised here."

I'm stumped because that is actually a good series of questions. Why am I like that for her? I hear everything in English. I'm reading English on the signs and the menu along with the websites that are clearly Japanese based. But I answer the first question while avoiding the second hoping she is really extremely rusty with cues like I think she is. And be logical.

"Im half Japanese. My mom was from here and my dad was from the states. He was a businessman and he and my mom met after the Cold War ended. They married and my dad got citizenship here, but I have US citizenship if I ever want to return there. Isn't today a school day for you?"

Issari really is a mix of a knucklehead and a competent thinker. That's scary because she can flip between them. That explains how she might be a scary fighter. Because she answered while tilting her head.

"That actually makes sense I guess. We finished school last week. I do so hope I get into Kuoh Academy. Then I will be one step closer to my goal of being a harem Queen! All the sexy ladies and the smart men will be mine! What school are you hoping to get in?"

Oh, Omnissiah that's answered the reason for being there. And it has logic too which is horrific. You need good grades for the school. And it's mostly female so there is that. Oh, this is horrible because she will spread like a horde of Orks. No one is safe! Especially me! I go back to unconsciously responding while Koriel just started slamming her head against the walls of the gear in how much I wasn't lying about Issari.

"I see. I'm hoping to get into the school too for an engineering degree eventually thanks to it all being one big multi tiered school."

Issari beams more and I realize I just keep digging a hole with this. She smiled shark like now.

"Oh, that's wonderful to hear! My mood kindred and I shall dominate the school together! We look about the same age so we will probably be in the same year. We shall be the ones getting our shared dream of a harem! I'm so happy to have found you! I must have a Shinto spirit looking out for me to have this day be the happiest of the last seven years! Together mood kindred we shall get our dreams!"

She kept blabbing on and on about how her harem would be the greatest thing ever with the smartest men and women that can help her become more intelligent and more socially accepted and I'm now heavily leaning towards the fact she is a very likely social dragon. Oh this is bad. And I can't easily get out of this. She is a master manipulator. It's so very well hidden but I can tell. She is smarter than the base cannon Issei. That's horrific. She is dangerous and I now understand more why she will make problems for Rizevim and Ophis. Fuck she might actually be able to fight Vali somewhat competently from the get-go. And that's extra horrific. Because Vali is a beast. She might actually tear Riser apart easily.

I was just unconsciously nodding my head as she continued on her rant. I am resigning myself to being her friend. Because this does solve an issue I have with needing control of the situation. But that now brings up a moral question. Can I let her die to Raynare? It's always been very ambiguous if Rias did that intentionally or not. I slightly lean more to yes it's intentional because you secure a possible powerful piece and can make the narrative work your way. I don't know if devils here are completely alien in thought process and whether or not they have to continually feed their sins. I'm extremely uncomfortable with that line of thoughts and letting Issari die. Because she seems like she is nice and is just a mega pervert with an extremely good heart. Is sad that kids and most adults just judge the outside without seeing that people are a mix of good and bad equally. My possible DND flaw is Lasy-Chan. Issari's is her mega pervert nature. Rias can be greedy and a spoiled brat. But she is kindhearted and does seem to care for her peerage most of the time.

I returned to the situation after Issari asked me another question finally finishing her rant about how her hope is that her main waifu or husbando will have an extremely uncommon hair color which makes me uncomfortable because I have that.

"Do you want to get lunch together Gregor-san?"

I froze because this could be an attempt to get into my pants. But Issari makes herself more terrifying because she does read this social cue.

"I mean as friends. We barely met and I. I think we could be friends. Right?"

That was not manipulative. That was a very lonely person trying to make a friend. I can't hate her for that.

"Sure. What places do you recommend? I'm trying to eat healthier, and I plan on doing lots of exercise. I heard they have multiple clubs in Kuoh Academy. Maybe if it's mandatory I will join an exercise one."

Two can play that game since she is manipulative too. I need practice for when I become Fabricator and or maybe Emperor and I need it against practiced players. Her manipulative nature is for the harem. Mine will be for the betterment of humanity. Oh, Omnissiah we actually might be kinda mood kindred. We are clicking and not just because of a possible social dragon thing. We are two sides of the same coin. She wants friends and I can probably help there by being the normal one that gets her enough acceptance so that she actually has a chance and is not immediately lumped into the complete pervert category. Like the two other perverts of the trio and Kiryuu. Issari smiled and then grinned perverted.

"Oh that's a good idea. I'm using that and will join you! I know a few places that are cheap and serve healthy food. We are definitely mood kindred. Let's go!"

She dragged me off the bench and out of the park at an extremely quick pace. And I curse my empathy thinking. As does Koriel. She growled to me inside my head.

"You're an idiot. You deserve to suffer."

I mentally voiced my agreement.

"I am and do. But this makes steps ten and eleven easier. We might save time there. And we can make the best out of this."

"I hate that you're still logical right now. Your helping a massive pervert get her goals easier. And she could want to bone you if you keep playing too nice."

"Yes. But we can also steer her to be more competent than ever and make less work for us so we can be the tech man who is going to have to do more work on the side of making humanity stronger."

Koriel growled hating that logic. It's true. She and I are actually mood kindred.

"Fuck you. I hate her so much."

I mentally nodded my agreement there. Issari is still dragging me to a restaurant, and we are moving fast. She is also blabbing on how she is going to get a harem member that is a swordsman or swordswoman. Who will teach her how to use that. I sighed as did Koriel. Oh great. Another thing we are both interested in. For different reasons but Issari will be like a tick that won't come off easily.

She dragged me into a restaurant that I don't recognize, and she gets a waitress's attention and we are seated fast because despite it being noonish the place is empty. The room was well decorated and well lit with the chairs being traditional in design and the table was cozy. Enough room to eat and enjoy the scenery. Issari smiled more than ever. She looks so very happy, and I feel bad for her because she must be extremely lonely if I'm getting this extreme of a reaction from her. She smiles more and after we order and get water she asked more questions about me.

"You're getting an engineering degree you said. Is it for one of the new manufacturers that's opening up in the city?"

I drink my water and then answer. While watching for devils.

"I have thought about that, but I really want to push the field forward. I have several ideas that could be interesting to try out. But will be lots of theories first and foremost. What is your plan for the future?"

She sighed dreamily as I hit a kink of hers in being intelligent. I don't like that at all.

"That's nice to hear a dreamer talk. Everyone is too busy being stuck in the mire of not doing that. My plan is to be a potential poet possibly. Because I can use the pen to win hearts! Get me the harem faster and more efficiently if I'm good."

Oh, I hate that logic. It's good. Poems do win people over. Why does she have to use logic that's not completely insane! She however missed that and continued.

"I so do hope that I can do that. But I'm not totally idealistic. I probably will get an office job and not like it. But I can dream. What other things do you like to do Gregor-San?"

I am nervous about that, but I remember a thing I really enjoyed. Oh how I miss my friend who had left that thing we both shared behind because of real life changes we both went through.

"I like Strategy video games as well as city building ones. I like the logic driven parts of them. Not big on ultra-competitive ones but they are great to play every so often."

Issari tilted her head in confusion. So, she is not a gamer.

"Aren't all games just shooters though?"

I shake my head at the uncultured response.

"They are not. There are many types of games. Just have to explore what types you could enjoy. What's your main hobby then?"

Issari blushed badly. Why do that if you're a mostly open pervert? She stutters out very softly.

"I enjoy painting. Not just our shared interest. I actually like the possibilities art can create and how it's a way into the mind of the user. A glimpse of a being."

That's actually deep. She's actually not just entirely a pervert. There is enough of a cultural person there too. I'm still in shock and I don't correct her wrong idea.

"I see. I'm terrible at painting. Never got the total hang of it."

Food arrived cutting the conversation off a bit and I enjoyed a second lunch with egg and salad again. Issari had a soup. We enjoyed the food and the comfortable silence. But I froze upon seeing someone enter the restaurant. There is Sona and Momo. Both in their school uniforms. And both are pretty. Sona is like always not smiling. Her purple eyes are behind her glasses, and they are studying the room. She is wearing a very likely semi permanent frown. But they don't pay attention to me again. Sona did linger a bit on Issari. But only three seconds before she and Momo got seated.

Issari does catch that. She glanced over her shoulder towards the entrance, and she saw Sona. She grinned.

"So you like that type of hair color. I can't blame you. She's pretty. But looks like she has a stick up her ass. The white haired one looks more fun."

I bite down a nervous laugh and drink water to kill it completely. That describes Sona well. She does have a stick up her ass. But anyone sane with a magic girl sister would have that.

"I'm sure she has a reason for that."

Issari shrugged.

"Probably. But she is not my type. Not enough of a certain thing. But you do you mood kindred. It's so nice having someone who isn't shouting it to the rooftops. We are definitely going to be good friends."

Issari turned and began to watch Momo more intensely and that let me sweat drop openly. You were shouting it to the rooftops earlier. I do watch Sona more and she doesn't pay attention to us. Why is she not sensing my gear? That's a weird question. Same with the language thing. I have several ideas, and none are good. Maybe I have something more to my family? Or maybe this is the remaining parts of the former soul of this person? Maybe it left things behind? I sit thinking that over while Issari is not drooling openly over Momo thankfully. Just watching a certain part of Momo that confirmed the infamous part she likes. I sigh and realized that I am going to have to correct that.

I gently get Issari's attention by making a noise with my chopsticks. That gets her attention. Play the mask here.

"You shouldn't do that. The staring thing. We don't win friends easily doing that. Just a tip."

Issari blushed heavily there.

"She is just so sexy. Your right but it's hard."

That last bit was a whine. But I must try and make her competent.

"She is pretty. But staring doesn't make a good impression. Admire like art. That is how I do it. Be critical in your observations."

Issari thinks about that and Koriel sighed. Before she then just started pacing back and forth. I'm thankful that my body is not being ultra hormonal. Yay older thought process. I was a horny bastard as a kid. But art appreciation should help out more. Issari finally nods her head in agreement.

"You're right. I will try that. It's a good analogy. You are definitely a person of culture."

I shiver because that's not my culture. Just being logical and knowing social things. But she is a teen. They don't get that till their mid-twenties. Issari however is still staring. Less now but baby steps are good. I prepared to correct that again. I'm not Asia and her dragon tamer bullshit yet I'm going to become that. Oh, Omnissiah why! But before I can do that the waiter returned and brought our check. That grabbed Issari's attention away from Momo. I offer to pay the bill. Issari narrows her eyes and we start a glare off.

Lightning dances between our eyes and I finally offer to split it half and half. Issari likes that more. We pay the bill and then we get up after the waitress returned. I don't like the fact Sona watched Issari more than ever as we left. And she narrowed her eyes at me too. But I don't back down on her gaze. We watched each other for two seconds. Then she went back to reading her menu. We left the restaurant and I say to Issari.

"Thank you for lunch Issari-San. I have to get going. Need to finish my run and then I need to do several other things. I enjoyed the talk."

Issari beams and then informs me of something.

"Please call me Issari-Chan. I understand. Would it be alright if I call you Gregor-Kun?"

I'm stuck here so I nodded.

"Sure. I hope to see you again Issari-Chan."

I'm about to leave when Issari stopped me.

"Maybe we can hang out tomorrow? And exchange phone numbers?"

I don't want to do either of those things. But be logical.

"I don't have a phone actually. And as for hanging out maybe. I have lots of things to do this week. Maybe I'll meet at the park at the same time tomorrow if I'm free? I'll eventually get a phone and we can chat easier."

Issari nodded quickly.

"I'll give you my home number till then! And sure if I'm not busy too. I have important things to do too! It's wonderful to have met you Gregor-Kun. Bye!"

Issari skipped off after giving me the number. Oh that's creepy too. But she is at least happier. I'm not but that will become normal with being Fabricator-General and or Emperor. Rulers are very rarely happy. But I just began to jog my way home. Because I'm extremely confused about the language processing problem. That's really bugging me. It's not gear based because Japanese was not a language of the future that I can remember. So how am I and Koriel talking to one another? How can I understand the language? I need further testing on that.

I jogged home without issue and unlocked my door. I opened it and entered the house relocking the door quickly. Before Koriel appeared on my hand. She is not impressed.

"We are now tied to the pervert. You were not exaggerating about her."

I nervously scratched my head.

"It's usually a dude. But we got one that's not completely hopeless. I'm now worried because that is a major change. The line might not follow the same path. Which is good and bad."

Koriel nodded.

"Our presence might have changed the timeline. I was never deep in that field, but it would make sense."

I hummed in agreement. Before making my way to my bedroom to continue the looking up of potential dojos for sword work for later this week. Tonight, is the education system for swords. But I really need to figure out why I can speak, hear and read things in English. But it comes off as Japanese to a native speaker. Maybe I'm not completely human? Maybe my mom or dad was a supernatural creature? Which is not good if we continue down the grim dark path logic. That could mean multiple things. I don't want a Tom Riddle situation. Or it really might be leftovers of the previous soul. Which also brings up ethical questions.

I entered the room and sit on my desk chair. Opened the laptop and powered it up. Koriel doesn't get how that works because I did not pray to the machine before opening it. I gently explained that it should work without the prayers. And that's because of how the warp works it might have created a feedback loop that didn't stop. Only reinforced it till it became uncontrollable. That makes Koriel more pissed. Because she was now in a personal fight between centuries of teaching and the very hopeful desire for it to be that simple so you can focus on the hard science. That fight is why she stays silent while I search for a dojo. I find one that is decently close, and I hope there is no Kiba or kendo club girls there. Because I hate the anime logic. I have had four separate encounters with devils in three days. I am eventually going to run out of luck in them not detecting the gear. Then Rias and Sona will compete for me. Like a hunk of meat at a butchery.

I really don't like that. I believe it was Sona who had the last dibs before Rias. But with the timeline being possibly skewered it might make Rias push extra hard for me. And I don't want that. I'm not a slave. And I'm not going to give her anything from a lesser position. I am a sentient being and I have rights too. Just because might usually makes right doesn't mean it should always. Yes she is in a bad situation with her betrothal. But nobles have been doing that for an extremely long time. Did she really not try at all to make the best out of her situation? Or is Riser a very bigger disgusting person that we just don't see enough of to know his history.

I hate being a big picture guy. Life is rarely the surface view. It has so many layers. Like ogres and onions. Koriel tips her head there, but I just shake my head and refuse to elaborate. I do however think I'll go to the dojo tomorrow. I prepared the next ideas for experimenting. The language issues. Because that is very bad with its problem. I open several sites in various tabs representing different languages. I start with Chinese.

It's coming off as English. I try the next site in Spanish. Same result. Then Korean. Again, it's English. Finally, I do Russian then Greek and Vietnamese. All come off in English. That leads me to a theory. It's not good.

"I might have a supernatural parent. Devils and angels both pure and fallen can instantly recognize languages humans have. Because of something connected to the Tower of Babel I think. But there are horrifying implications and possibilities if that is true."

Koriel is confused with the tower part. I explained that supposedly all languages humans have stemmed from that structure. And that with all mythologies being right here there is evidence for that. Along with the long lived natures of the supernatural world's denizens, there might be people who were there for that.

Oh, we need to test this further. We have three species to draw our conclusions from. Devils, angels and or Youkai. But that last one is less likely. Before I stand I go get my parents box and look at the pictures of my dad and mom again. I don't see anything unusual about them. Nothing that stands out besides the eyes on my mom and the hair on my dad. But illusions are a thing and I jabbing into the dark here. My dad looks a little older than my mom. And my mom is more relaxed in the photos than he is. Koriel shoots her shot here.

"What kind of ways can you tell you might be this part supernatural thing?"

"Perhaps through DNA. And through imagining certain things. Devils and angels have wings. Youkai have additional body parts in the shape of animals. But I don't think I'm a Youkai. Unless my parents did something to suppress my features to allow us to integrate with the mundane."

Koriel doesn't like that because it sounds like mutation. Which fair is usually connected to the warp. But Chaos is not here so there must be another reason. Maybe the supernatural world are warp entities that slowly evolved downwards into material beings. Or maybe they are mutants that became stable strains. But there being gods like Big G and the creation of angels and by extension devils through the biblical scriptures puts a hole through that idea. But I prepare my first test. I go to the center of the bedroom and then try to imagine wings on my back. Nothing happens.

I then try to imagine a tail or maybe a snout. Again, nothing happens. So, either no parent was supernatural or there was a ritual. I try the second route with DNA. I go to the basement opening the door and descend the stairs. I need to fortify the house more. Or better yet I need a second base of operations so I can put a new layer between me and the eventual supernatural persona of me. I do like being a Skitarii and the rebreather and the robes can help mask me further. Maybe Carapace armor with the helm and armor plus the protection the robes give and I can have a turtle defense of armor. That could work until I enhance myself up to new levels of power.

A single space marine can conquer a world. A single custodian can conquer multiple systems and the Emperor can conquer a segmentum with his bullshit. I don't want to be a psyker. That crap is terrifying. I don't want to hear the voices too! Or see crap that really isn't there. Koriel gets the disdain for psykers.

"They are cursed with being badly needed and also hated. Old Night destroyed hundreds of worlds thanks to them. I won't cross that line. Neither should you unless the situation changes dramatically."

I nodded.

"Psykers are batshit crazy. And we don't have the Emperor here to stick a shard in me to stabilize me. Why I'm not going to do it. And also, we don't know how friendly or unfriendly the gods are. Warp spawn are dangerous and with how we feed them I don't like them."

"You will have to eventually explain how that works. I still find it difficult to believe that mortals can form gods. Are we the cogs of them? And with you now believing in the Machine God are you not forming a new god?"

I nodded and summoned the anvil. Koriel is on the other side of it again.

"I can be forming the beginning of one. But it takes many people to form a new one. It's not easy. I don't plan on forming a new religion with our beliefs. Those are usually suspect. But all religions do start out as cults and then slowly become mainstream. People have faith in the strangest things. You can't beat that out of us. Some people just take the greatest comfort in believing in something bigger than us. I believe in the Machine God because for me the anvil is a miracle beyond measure. Yes the biblical god made the gear, but I chose this. Free will is amazing and horrifying."

We start with more power generators. Then make a DNA machine. The basement is getting crowded with stuff but I will get rid of things once they are done with their use. I also need to learn to control the mechadendrites further. I'm not as tired as before and I'm postulating that maybe being a perpetual helps with the soul energy too. It might have helped solve that a bit. Hopefully. I prepare a needle for the poke after powering up the machine.

I poke and then drop a bit of blood on the scanner on a box shaped object. The wound heals up. The machine whirls through the scan and shows me a message and picture of the percentages of my ancestry. And fuck dude.

It's half unknown DNA that is not in the database it has set to the thirtieth millennium. Fuck. There goes that hope. I have unknown DNA and there was likely a ritual to suppress that. But no hint of what it was or which side of the family it is from. I investigated it more. I let Koriel take control of my body for this because I'm an idiot. It is weird the sensation of not having control of my body. But she finally got the data narrowed down to what side of the family twenty minutes later.

"It's your father. What was the last name?"

I don't get that at all. I then think of potential people who have green hair. There are not many characters I know of with green hair. I will have to research this further. And try and get into the supernatural side more because I need to compare things. I hope it's not them. I responded finally,

"Mason. But I will go through the family tree again. As far back as possible. We need to dedicate a day to that. And a week trying to get into the other side. Because I have a theoretical and it's not good. I don't want that.

Koriel nodded understanding the thought we both don't want to voice out loud.

"I'll make the adjustments. Start the education on swords."

I willed the scanner away and then move to the enclosed chair. I had created this with as many sword styles of the far future as was possible. Because I wanted to believe and know that the space marines hypno indoctrinated their neophytes with the basics before they hammered the actual training in. I sat in the chair and then the session began. The circle spinning as things are implanted into my mind.

When the session ended two hours later my head hurts. I wobbled around after standing and I unconsciously fell into a sword stance from the world of Baal. That's so very weird. But i quickly moved towards the memory preservation machine and then before I lose anymore of my memories about the forty first and second millenniums i inserted them in the machine. It's weird because the memories are there yet felt like they are not there properly. But I shrugged that off and name the machine.

The anvil of knowledge. I will add everything I ever come across to it. Make the temple of all knowledge look like a wash up crack house. Because I will never lose knowledge like the Dark Age of Technology. I'll make multiple back ups. Because I don't want us to forget what could have been."

Koriel is nodding in approval.

"The quest for knowledge is never ending. We will have to search everywhere and through every single thing to collect it."

I chuckled.

"That's Sona's goal too. But I'm not going to be in her peerage. I'm nobody else's tool."

Koriel smiled because this is not so bad for her. She is not stuck in the sea of souls. She is not with Issari and we are the future of the Mechanicus. Not the past.

"We won't be. Now go run. Then two more hours of education. Then sleep. Keep to the schedule."

I snarked at her moving towards the stairs.

"Sure, big sis. I'll visit the kendo dojo on Wednesday. My exercise equipment probably will be here tomorrow. And we have to hide this all. Unless I put it in the living room."

Koriel is amused. As am I. But we continue our very long journey up the mountain. I really hope we can get through this. And survive Issari and her thirst.

The run went off without an incident. No devils and no stupid perverts. I jogged around the park three times before returning home. I when I entered the home immediately made a quick meal of rice and then went back downstairs for more education on swords. I'm debating if I want to go fully brutal onslaught. Or be logical and pick apart my opponents with pin pricks wearing them down with a harrowing of attacks. Koriel says do the harrowing because it and my regeneration factor can learn more opposing styles faster and counter them when we have them fully memorized. But I need to increase my brain capacity for that and that requires enhancing machines. And we need more room for those.

I will when jogging tomorrow look for abandoned buildings in the area. But that might be a stray nest. Since they were trash mobs for the peerages to fight. And they did that a lot. It would also mean more opportunities to have the devils run into me. And a larger chance of them learning my gear. Oh, the bad situation. We will figure something out. Hopefully. But I also need to get into the other side and find pictures and information about several people of interest.

Serafall especially. Azazel to a degree and then Kokabiel. We need to know how radically different this world is. And if it's grim dark or actually really like base world in its lightness. I hope it's the lightness. But I expect the worst being bitter and jaded. This after all is a universe with possible Orks. And Rangdon. But I really hope that my dad isn't who I think it might be.

An. Surprise. Meet Issari the version of Issei in this universe. She is not with the other two of the trio and that will be elaborated on in future chapters. And the next question. Im surprised that this has received as much support as it has and will keep post it thanks for the support everyone.