A Path To Omniscience

The sliding bay doors on the side of the airship were already open, with a ramp extended from the ship's side to the ground.

The ship, significantly larger than a truck, embodied the typical Atlas aesthetic: white, gray, and glowing with luminescent blue. Its design was sleek and aerodynamic, with swept-back wings just slightly smaller than the main body. From the outside, the smooth, cyan-tinted cockpit seemed completely opaque.

As Asher and Liv followed Winter up the ramp into the bay of the airship, they settled onto the benches near the doors, the hum of the airship's systems faint but ever-present.

"Is this your first time on an airship?" Winter asked, her attention turning to Liv. The question carried a casual tone, but her sharp gaze didn't miss Liv's discomfort. Asher, in contrast, seemed far more at ease, sitting next to her in a languid posture.

Liv shook her head.

"Not exactly. I've been on them before—mostly traveling between Atlas and Mantle. But I've never felt... at ease around the military." Her voice faltered slightly as her gaze drifted upward, catching sight of the rail-mounted turrets folded neatly against the ceiling.

Her eyes darted back to Winter, realizing too late how her words might have come across after saying them to an officer. She opened her mouth to backtrack, but Winter raised a hand, her expression neutral but composed.

"It's fine," Winter assured her, her voice steady.

"I'm not oblivious to the Atlas Military's reputation. It's something that comes with the times we live in." As she spoke, soldiers carried the last of the crates up the ramp, stacking them carefully in the bay not far from where the group sat.

Once the cargo was securely fastened to prevent it from shifting during flight, the soldiers exited. The ramp retracted, and the bay doors slid shut with a hiss. The pilots, waiting for their cue, began powering up the airship. The ship gave a slight tremor as it lifted off the landing gear, which folded away seamlessly beneath the hull.

The airship moved forward, its engines humming as it glided forward and turned down the cleared runway within the hangar. Gradually, it accelerated, and within moments, it soared out of the underground facility, heading upward toward Atlas Academy.

The flight was brief. Through the window opposite their bench, Asher caught his first up-close glimpse of Atlas Academy—and it didn't disappoint.

The Academy's main structure was an enormous dome, layered in two distinct sections. Rising from the second layer was an imposing tower that reached skyward, making the entire complex over a thousand meters tall. It stood as one of the most extraordinary feats of human engineering in the world.

Its glass surface reflecting the radiant blue city below while glowing with the light of countless floors within.

In addition to the central building and its tower, the Academy boasted four corner towers. To the east stood two shorter spires, while the western corners featured taller ones, all crowned by hovering hard-light dust rings near their peaks.

"Amazing," Liv murmured, her voice barely audible as her wide-eyed gaze locked onto the same breathtaking view.

"I've seen Atlas Academy plenty of times from afar, but seeing it up close like this is completely different. It feels almost impossibly large," Asher remarked, his gaze locked on the towering structure. Ever since acquiring the Nexus Space, his mind had become an endless well of curiosity—a jack of all trades when it came to knowledge.

Because of that, anything impressive inevitably drew him into a mental dissection, breaking it down piece by piece in his mind. Buildings, technology, and even people—all became puzzles for him to analyze and understand.

The airship descended onto one of the six landing pads extending from the forecourt, a landscaped blend of grass and stone pathways leading to the academy's grand entrance. Just like during takeoff, the airship shuddered lightly as its landing gear met the platform.

Moments later, the bay doors slid open, and the ramp extended to the ground with mechanical precision.

Asher rose from his seat, making his way to the ramp. Standing at the edge of the landing pad was none other than General Ironwood himself, flanked by two soldiers. His presence was commanding, but the amicable smile on his face added an unexpected warmth.

Ironwood greeted them as they disembarked.

"Asher, welcome to Atlas Academy. I trust the flight was pleasant?"

"Very much so. It gave us a spectacular view, didn't it, Liv?" Asher replied, turning slightly toward Liv. She nodded, though her movements were subtle, uncertainty flickering in her expression as she seemed unsure how to act in front of such a prominent figure—the General of the Atlas Military and Headmaster of Atlas Academy.

Ironwood, ever perceptive, stepped forward to ease the tension. Extending a hand to her, he spoke with a calm authority.

"You must be Liv Melone, Asher's attorney."

"Uh, yes. That's me," Liv replied, shaking his hand. Her voice carried just a hint of surprise.

"You know me?"

"Of course. I make it a point to research anyone I might collaborate with. I have to say, your record is quite impressive. If only we had more people like you in law, making changes in Mantle would be far easier." Liv blinked, taken aback by the unexpected compliment.

"Oh, well, thank you," she said, her tone polite but slightly hesitant. Internally, her thoughts were racing.

So this is General Ironwood? He's... different from what I imagined. In videos and speeches, he always seemed so rigid, almost robotic. But here? He seems almost normal. Is this who he really is, or is he just putting on a show because he's negotiating with Asher?

She kept those thoughts to herself, maintaining as composed an exterior as she could while Winter began directing the soldiers to unload the crates from the airship. Meanwhile, Ironwood gestured for Asher and Liv to follow him, leading them up the staircase connecting the landing pad to the forecourt.

The academy's main entrance was as grand as expected—an architectural marvel that fused futuristic design with a Romanesque aesthetic. Smooth metal blended seamlessly with large, arched windows, towering pillars, and intricate hard-light patterns etched into every surface.

It was a perfect reflection of Atlas itself: advanced, proud, and indulgent in its own legacy.

"Are there no students here today?" Liv asked as they strolled along the pathways of the academy's forecourt.

"Hmm? Oh, of course, there are," Ironwood replied, glancing back at her.

"Atlas Academy has both a front and rear entrance. The rear is primarily for students, while the front is reserved for airships and official visitors." They approached the front doors, a relatively modest size compared to the grandeur of the entire entrance, with the Atlas crest prominently displayed high above, etched into the academy's walls.

"You know," Ironwood began as they entered the grand hall, "I debated giving you a full tour of the academy. But I decided it could wait."

The hall itself was breathtaking, its polished granite floors gleaming like a mirror, reflecting the high, curving ceilings. Unlike the forecourt, this area was bustling with activity. Students moved about purposefully, their chatter mingling with the sound of boots on stone, while soldiers stood watch at key points.

A reminder that this was both an academy and Atlas's military headquarters.

As they walked, everyone they passed greeted Ironwood with respect, to which he responded with a polite nod.

"I'm not sure," Asher remarked, his tone thoughtful.

"I was actually looking forward to getting a closer look at this place." Ironwood chuckled in response.

"Something tells me you'll have plenty of opportunities to do that on your own." Asher raised a brow at Ironwood's words. 

"Oh? You're that confident I'll be working here?" Ironwood smiled faintly.

"Well, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see." They reached an elevator, and Ironwood pressed a button as the doors slid shut. The back wall of the elevator was made of glass, offering a breathtaking view as it began its ascent.

From this vantage point, Atlas unfolded below them—a city that shimmered silver and white during the day and glowed blue and reflective by night.

When the elevator stopped, the doors opened to reveal not a hallway but an expansive, cavernous room. It was astonishing in scale, stretching far beneath the tower that served as Atlas Academy's most recognizable feature.

"What is this place?" Liv asked, unable to hide the awe in her voice. Her eyes darted around the immense chamber, eventually settling on the rows of hexagonal prism-like structures that filled the space.

The prisms were aligned in precise rows like cargo containers. But it was immediately clear they weren't ordinary storage units—their edges glowed with faint, blue hard-light frames that pulsed softly.

"These are the academy's training environment rooms," Ironwood explained as he led them through the rows of entrances.

"Typically, they're used by students, but we've reserved one for the demonstration." He stopped in front of a particular door. With a low hum, the thick metal doors slid open, revealing the room inside.

The walls and ceiling were standard—thick, metallic surfaces bearing the Atlas crest, with square, white lights running in neat rows overhead. But the floor was anything but ordinary. It was composed entirely of large cubes, each side roughly two meters across. Their edges glowed faintly with hard light, creating the impression of a luminous grid straight out of a simulation.

Asher paused at the entrance, his gaze lingering on the floor. He noted the subtle gaps between the rows of cubes, his mind piecing it together almost immediately.

"Oh, I see—a transformable terrain system," he remarked, stepping into the room.

"The cubes can be raised or lowered remotely to create obstacles or simulate different environments. Impressive, especially at this scale." Ironwood turned, his expression a mix of surprise and subtle approval, as though some unspoken suspicion had just been confirmed.

"You figured that out just by looking at it?" Asher gave a small nod.

"A dynamic, controllable surface is an idea I've considered working on myself—though for entirely different purposes and without the use of cubes. Who designed it?" The question seemed to give Ironwood pause. He studied Asher for a moment before answering.

"A scientist—one of our best, even if he could be... difficult at times. Unfortunately, he had an incident, and he's no longer with us." Asher hummed in acknowledgment.

"A shame."

"Indeed," Ironwood agreed, his tone momentarily somber.

"Losing talented individuals is always a loss, not just for us but for humanity as a whole."

Before the conversation could continue, the door to the training room opened again. Winter entered, followed by soldiers wheeling in the crates Asher had brought. They lined them neatly along the edge of the training area.

"Sir, the training room is prepped, and we can begin the demonstration whenever you're ready," Winter reported, standing at attention. Ironwood nodded, his focus shifting back to Asher.

"Well, that's enough talk about the past. I'm about to see the future, aren't I?" Ironwood said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Of course," Asher replied.

"Though what kind of future you want to see first is up to you." His words were accompanied by a quick glance toward Liv, who had stayed mostly silent. She caught his meaning, her expression shifting from hesitant to resolved as she gave him a firm nod. Ironwood raised an eyebrow, curiosity evident.

"What do you mean?"

Asher walked over to the crates, his hand brushing lightly across their surfaces as he spoke.

"I've developed two variants of weaponized drones. One is designed to combat the Grimm—the enemies of all sentient life, who have stifled humanity's progress for centuries. The other is tailored to handle more... traditional threats, whether human or Faunus." A brief silence followed his words. Liv's grip on her briefcase tightened slightly as her gaze flicked to Ironwood, whose expression had hardened.

He seemed deep in thought, weighing the implications of Asher's statement. Finally, Ironwood spoke, his tone measured.

"Right now, it's not the people of this world I'm most concerned about." Asher's lips curved into a faint smile at the response, while Liv looked slightly taken aback, her brow furrowing in surprise.

"Alright then," Asher said, gesturing toward the crates on his right.

"Let's get started."

At his signal, Winter nodded, and the soldiers quickly moved to open the indicated crates. Using crowbars, they pried the lids off with practiced efficiency. Asher approached one of the now-open crates and retrieved a familiar piece of equipment—a sleek, advanced headset like the one used to control the SU-P Drones.

Placing the headset on, Asher stepped onto the training grounds. Ironwood, Winter, and Liv moved to the side, observing from a safe distance as the soldiers retreated to the edges of the room.

The moment the headset was secure, a synthesized voice rang in Asher's ears—calm and precise.

[User detected. Administrator detected. Highest-level clearance granted.]

[Scanning for local network... scanning... scanning... no connectable network detected! Creating an isolated network... one moment. Network formed.]

A hard-light dust display materialized in the air before him, glowing faintly with blue light. From their vantage point, Ironwood's expression briefly shifted, his intrigue evident. Yet, he remained silent, his gaze fixed on the display. This was a weapons demonstration, after all—an opportunity for Asher to prove the drones' capabilities.

"The drones, whether weaponized or not, operate using the S.I.R.E.N. System," Asher began, gesturing toward the headset he wore.

"It's my own creation, powered by an onboard AI assistant known as GAIA. GAIA is capable of interpreting commands—direct or indirect—and has been trained to understand all known languages." He pointed to the sleek device atop his head.

"This headset is the key to fully controlling the drones. While they can respond to basic commands without it, the headset provides access to advanced functionality. It combines a hard-light dust display with built-in augmented reality technology, allowing it to scan the environment, identify any person in view, and perform detailed checks based on the connected database."

Asher paused for a moment, letting the silence emphasize the lack of visible information over anyone in his view.

"Currently, this headset isn't connected to any network. However, if it were integrated with the Atlas Military's database, it could identify nearly anyone in the world at a glance, pulling up all relevant information or initiating searches as needed. I'm sure you can imagine the benefits," he added, his tone calm.

Both Ironwood and Winter could indeed imagine the possibilities. Immediate identification of criminals or threats, with the drones able to intervene the moment a crime occurred—all while operating under Atlesian law. The implications for law enforcement and security were staggering.

Yet, for Ironwood, something else stood out: the groundbreaking technology in the headset itself.

"Holographic augmented reality in such a compact device?" Ironwood muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

"I didn't think that was possible." Asher caught the remark but chose not to comment, continuing his demonstration instead.

"But as you said, people aren't your primary concern right now. So, let me introduce you to a new subsystem: the S.H.A.D.O.W. System. It's built on the S.I.R.E.N. framework, retaining all its original functionality while adding combat readiness." Turning his attention to the headset, Asher gave a direct command.

"GAIA, activate Anti-Grimm SU-P #1."

[Yes, sir.]

A faint hum filled the air as the sound of machinery powering on echoed from one of the open crates. Slowly, a drone rose into view. It was unmistakably an SU-P model, but its design had undergone significant changes.

While its shape remained sleek and aerodynamic, its outer casing had been upgraded to reinforced metal. The change in material was immediately apparent. But the benefit of using anti-gravity dust in a drone was that it rendered weight partially irrelevant.

Asher continued, "The quad propulsion system has been upgraded to maintain its usual level of mobility, though it's slightly slower now. High-thrust engines couldn't be installed without making the drones bulkier, which would defeat their purpose."

"Hmm, interesting. And what kind of alloy did you use?" Ironwood asked, his curiosity evident.

"It's something I developed myself," Asher explained. "The base is a titanium-aluminum alloy with tungsten additives. To enhance its properties, I embedded carbon nanotubes to increase impact absorption. Additionally, I incorporated an SMA—shape memory alloy—which allows it to recover from minor deformations or impacts."

Liv, doing her best to follow along, felt lost halfway through the explanation. Ironwood, on the other hand, looked visibly impressed as Asher continued.

"While it's far from indestructible, this ensures the drone can withstand glancing attacks from a Grimm's claws, teeth, or spikes. It's particularly resistant to blunt force impacts. As long as it isn't caught or crushed, it's difficult to take out of action." Ironwood nodded thoughtfully and turned slightly toward Winter.

"What do you think?" Winter considered for a moment before responding.

"It's impressive. I've never heard of an alloy like that before. But this is supposed to be a demonstration of weaponization. Durability is important, but if the drone can't neutralize the enemy, it won't matter how much punishment it can take." Her gaze settled on the dual-mounted barrels protruding from the drone's front.

The weapons were integrated into the drone's body, meaning it would need to rotate entirely to aim, relying on its propulsion system for precision.

"She has a point," Ironwood said, gesturing toward the weapons.

"I've seen firsthand what the Grimm are capable of. Even with the weapons we currently supply to our soldiers, larger Grimm requires heavy artillery to subdue. I'm skeptical that those guns will fare much better." Asher listened without interrupting, nodding as they voiced their criticisms.

Once they finished, he responded calmly.

"Believe me, General, I've had the misfortune of encountering Grimm myself. I understand how dangerous they are and how difficult they can be to eliminate." His statement drew surprised looks not only from Winter, and Ironwood but also Liv.

Liv knew Asher wasn't one to lie, but she couldn't imagine where a fourteen-year-old, especially the heir of Frostvale Enterprises, would have encountered Grimm. But before anyone could ask, Asher walked over to another open crate.

"Hard-light dust is invaluable for weaponry," he explained, reaching into the crate.

"It allows for the creation of solid energy-based constructs and is highly efficient for ammunition. However, hard-light projectiles are purely kinetic. Unlike conventional bullets, they can't be propelled as fast or hit as hard due to their composition. They're effective against humans but far less so against Grimm."

Asher carefully retrieved a small object from the crate. Holding it up, he revealed what was unmistakably a bullet. It was about the width of a thumb and slightly longer than an adult's pointer finger, but it was far from ordinary. The casing lacked the typical smooth metal surface and showed no visible dust chambers.

Instead, its design was intricate—near the rear of the bullet were four small vents, and the body was segmented, suggesting its frame was designed to move or adjust. Ironwood's eyes narrowed as he examined the unusual round.

"What is that?" Asher's lips curved into a slight smile.

"This is a smart bullet. Specifically designed to combat Grimm. I call it the Predator Round—the most advanced and effective anti-Grimm ammunition in the world."