A Path To Omniscience

The next few weeks were blurred into a relentless grind for Asher. Like he said he would, he dedicated nearly every waking moment to assimilating the contents of the books he had ordered. There were so many, each one delving into different fields and disciplines, that the sheer volume of it would have overwhelmed anyone else.

But for Asher, who had the Nexus Space increasing the pace of just how fast he could learn, what might have taken others months or even years to grasp was learned in days.

By the end of the first week, he had a solid grasp of complex physics and the laws of the physical world, like thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and fluid dynamics. He could solve problems and understand concepts with a level of skill surpassing that of a seasoned professor—someone who had spent decades studying those very subjects.

In the second week, Asher shifted his focus to mechanical systems. He dug into material properties, kinematics, and how objects move, all while improving his knowledge of advanced machinery. His understanding wasn't just theoretical either; it was practical. To a degree, he could visualize how forces and materials interacted as if they were right in front of him.

By the third week, Asher tackled electrical and computer engineering, learning how circuits, microprocessors, and different languages all worked. He also dove into robotics, the principles of automation, and control systems. He learned every aspect of coding he could get his hands on and, by the end, felt confident that he could develop software that worked perfectly with almost any form of hardware.

In the final week, Asher touched on artificial intelligence and nanotechnology. He studied neural networks and the basics of machine learning, figuring out how algorithms analyze data, make decisions, and recognize patterns. And even all that didn't cover everything he had learned.

Dust, for instance, had an entire branch of study all to itself that could be merged with any of the ones he had spent weeks learning. 

Asher's parents had been watching the entire process, unsure of what to think. Sure, Asher had been ordering a lot of books for his new 'hobby,' but it was impossible for a fourteen-year-old to read through so many books so quickly, right? 

Well, they were proven wrong when Asher's father, Vance, decided to check in on him during the early weeks of his 'studying.' It started with a simple knock on the door.

"Come in," echoed Asher's voice from inside.

Opening the door and stepping in, Vance wasn't too surprised to see Asher's usually neat room now scattered with open and closed books. He'd seen the order forms sent in from Asher's bank account and knew just how many books his son had bought, but still, it was strange seeing it all firsthand.

Asher sat at his desk, his attention focused on the last page of a book he was reading. As soon as he finished, he closed it and set it aside on the growing pile to his right. Then, he finally looked up at his father.

"Is something wrong?" Asher asked.

His father shook his head.

"No, I just... wanted to see how you were doing."

There was a brief pause as Vance took in the sight of all the books scattered around.

"You've been keeping busy, I see."

Asher nodded. "Yeah. I wasn't sure exactly which books would be useful to me, so I ended up ordering a few more than I probably needed. But I've already made it through almost half of them now. Any books without bookmarks, or the ones on the right side of my room, are the ones I've finished." Vance glanced at the right side of the room upon hearing that. 

The right side... That has to be over seventy books, at least. But he's only had these books for a little over a week. How could he have read so many, so fast?

He hadn't raised Asher to be a liar. Sure, when he was younger, he would tell a fib or two, but it was never anything malicious. Asher wasn't the kind of person who hid his achievements or made excuses. If he failed at something, he'd admit it, and if he made a mistake, he'd own up to it.

That's why Vance decided to test him instead of saying anything directly. He walked over to one of the piles Asher had supposedly finished and picked up a book that caught his eye.

"You've read this one too?" Asher's father asked, holding up a book titled Principles of Fluid Dynamics. Asher glanced at the cover and nodded.

"Yeah, I finished that a few days ago." Vance raised a brow, flipping open the book and skimming a random page.

"In that case, can you explain the Nick-Stokes equations and why they're important for predicting fluid behavior?" He expected his son to hesitate for at least a moment, but Asher answered almost immediately, as if the information were right at his fingertips.

"The Nick-Stokes equations help us understand how fluids move by balancing forces like pressure, viscosity, and external forces. They're crucial because they let us model everything from weather patterns to how blood moves in our veins, predicting all kinds of flow behaviors, including turbulence, which surprised me." Vance listened while looking down at how the equations were described in the book. Asher had it exactly right.

"Impressive," Vance muttered, setting the book aside and picking up another one—Mechanics of Materials. This time, Asher saw which page his father landed on and spoke before he could pose a question about it's contents. 

"Page 456... I believe that section talks a little about the differences between elastic and plastic deformation in materials. Elastic deformation is when a material stretches or compresses but returns to its original shape when the force is removed. Plastic deformation is when the material is deformed permanently because the applied stress exceeds its limit. Basically, elastic deformation is like stretching a rubber band, and plastic deformation is like bending a metal rod permanently." 

Vance paused to check, and once again, Asher was spot on. This pattern continued a few more times, and what began as skepticism turned into pride, awe, and joy. Asher humored his father's trivia game, knowing that while his father wasn't vain when it came to matters concerning himself, he loved gushing over the abilities of his son and the fact he was so capable at such a young age. 

"You're really putting everything into this, huh?" Vance said with a smile when they finally wrapped up.

"Of course. There's too much riding on this for me not to." Asher's voice had a slight edge to it that caught Vance off guard. He'd never heard his son sound like that before—so focused, so intense. Even the look in his eye as he said those words felt foreign to him, as if it were a gaze that belonged to someone else. 

Vance went silent for a moment before he walked over and placed a hand on Asher's shoulder.

"Just don't push yourself too hard. No matter how much you want to give this, your health comes first. Got it?"

Asher glanced up at his father and sighed softly, though a smirk soon tugged at his lips. "Right. I'll be careful."

"Good. Your mom and I still have some work to finish from earlier, so we'll be in the office if you need anything," Vance said to him before taking his leave. Asher stared at the door as it clicked shut behind his father, his expression making it clear he was thinking about what his father said. But after a moment, he shook his head.

There's no time for breaks.

=====================================•=====================================

The workers Asher had hired finished modifying the attic much faster than he had expected. Thanks to their speed, Lionel was able to install the equipment—which had arrived weeks before the modifications were complete—just two days after the renovations, all according to the layout Asher had given him a day after handing over the list of needed equipment.

Before the month ended, Asher received a message from Lionel on his scroll.

[Lionel: Young Master, all of the equipment you ordered has arrived and has now been installed if you are interested in looking at the final result.] 

[Asher: Thank you, Lionel; I'll be there in a moment.] 

Putting his scroll away after sending that message, Asher put aside the manual he was reading. It wasn't one of the books he'd ordered earlier—he had finished those a while ago. Now, he was going through the various manuals that came with the equipment. He already had a general understanding of how to use most of it, since the equipment had been mentioned in several of the books he'd read.

But there was no harm in learning the finer details of how they operated.

Asher left his room and made his way through the halls of Frostvale Manor, eventually heading up the spiral staircase that led to the attic. Lionel was there waiting for him, and Asher couldn't help but feel impressed by the changes.

The most striking feature was that the entire attic—both the floors and the slanted roof—was now covered in reinforced metal panels, bolted securely in place. The panels had a sleek shine, giving the space a futuristic feel compared to the dim atmosphere it had before. Even the lighting had been upgraded; the old bulbs were replaced by long LED strips, built into the roof's paneling.

The attic looked to have been divided into around four distinct areas.

In the center of the workshop was a slightly raised platform, and on that platform stood something resembling a square mechanical table. Its surface was solid, and the top was made of a grid of glass. This was the Optical Interface Terminal, an advanced computer system Asher had ordered. It could project holographic data in three-dimensional space.

Whether he was visualizing designs and blueprints, running simulations, or performing calculations, the terminal could generate fully interactive holograms that Asher could manipulate in real-time with just a gesture. Above the terminal, five robotic arms hung from the ceiling, currently folded in and deactivated.

These robotic arms were installed on tracks that ran along the ceiling throughout the workshop. They were Automated Assembly Arms, capable of assembling or disassembling machinery with speed and precision equal to, or better than, a skilled technician. They could work autonomously, or under Asher's direct control, and were able to lift much heavier objects than Asher could on his own.

Not only that, but the hands of these arms could be swapped out with various tools depending on the task. They could be equipped for welding, screwing, or even delicate work, such as handling sensitive materials.

Against the wall on the right side of the workshop was the workbench and tool area. This was Asher's station for any hands-on tasks. There wasn't much complex machinery here, aside from electric drawers that could open, close, and lock themselves when not in use.

On the long wall stretching bench, sat things like his microscope. And other customizable workstations integrated with tools such as power drills and sanders. Above the workbench, within easy reach, was a tool rack hanging from the ceiling, holding a variety of tools like hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, and clamps.

The front wall of the workshop was mostly dedicated to storage. It had everything from wall-mounted shelving units to tool cabinets, storage racks, and metal storage compartments. There were also special vaults for dust crystals. Dust, Remnant's primary energy source, was highly volatile, even in its raw crystal form. If exposed to too much vibration or drastic changes in temperature, it could explode.

The dust crystal vaults Asher ordered were specially designed to keep the crystals stable, protecting them from physical shocks or extreme temperature fluctuations.

At the center of the front wall was a large mounted monitor, connected to a computer housed in a drawer below. Above the drawer was a holographic keyboard. This setup would be Asher's personal computer, though he didn't plan on storing any sensitive information on it—his mind was the safest vault for that.

However, it would be useful for all the programming and coding he would need to do.

The final section of the workshop was along the left wall, where Asher had placed all of the heavier machinery. One standout piece was the Dust Synthesizer. This machine, which looked like a metallic table with controls and a rotating cylindrical chamber on top, allowed him to not only refine raw dust but also fuse the basic elements—Fire, Water, Electricity, and Wind—into more complex forms of elemental dust.

Alongside the synthesizer was more basic machinery, such as an oscilloscope, which helped monitor the behavior of circuits and electronics. This station was useful for troubleshooting electrical systems and identifying issues with power flow. There was also a soldering station, which Asher used to assemble and repair electronics, such as circuit boards or microprocessors.

Additionally, the workshop housed CNC machines and laser cutters. CNC machines were used for the precise machining of parts—carving, cutting, and shaping materials with accuracy. As for the laser cutters, they were straightforward, designed for cutting materials with intense beams of light. There were a few other tools, like a 3D printer, which allowed Asher to print objects layer by layer using various materials.

Essentially, the entire left side of the workshop was dedicated to tasks that were either too complex or time-consuming to do by hand.

Looking over everything, Asher nodded in satisfaction and said to Lionel, "Perfect; it's exactly how I envisioned it. When you get the chance, make sure to send my thanks to the workers for all their hard work this month."

Lionel bowed his head respectfully.

"I'm glad it meets your expectations, Young Master. I'll be sure to pass along your regards. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

"No, I think that'll be all for now," Asher replied.

"Very well, then. Please don't hesitate to call upon me if you need anything else," Lionel said before taking his leave, leaving Asher alone in his brand-new workshop. Asher took another look around at all the equipment now at his disposal and stretched.

"Now, what should I start making first?"