Polaris Ultima. A place covered entirely in ice. Miles and miles of nothing but snow and blizzards. The continent was synonymous with freezing cold weather, but that had long since changed. The ice had melted, and the storms could no longer freeze people to death.
Nowadays, one can only see its past glory in old documentaries and stories of a bygone era. People living in the year 2098 would never have a chance to walk on the endless white fields. That’s why, after listening to the crunch caused by his feet sinking into the snow for a while, Dante came to the conclusion that he was currently inside a dream.
’Why in the world...’
He didn’t understand why his mind would conjure such a landscape for him to walk through, but more than that, his lucidity was simply confusing. He wouldn’t have thought much of it before, but after experiencing something similar not that long ago, he was starting to feel a little confused.
’It’s... not that cold...’
He was wearing one of his usual outfits, and though it was prepped for winter, it was nothing that would have protected him in such weather. Looking around and seeing nothing but the white expanse, Dante decided to resume his walk.
They say one could control their dreamscape when lucid so he was tempted to try and change the world around him, but the clean, white plains and soft frosty air started to grow on him. It was nothing like the filthy, cramped streets of Neo-Vatra, where one can barely see a dozen meters ahead before a wretched concrete monstrosity blocks their sight.
’This is... this is nice...’
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a translucent red screen popped up and blocked the view.
Baseline Retention: Intermediate (90%)
Neural Interface Module (C)
Optic Augmntation Module (C)
Kinetic Absorption Protective Sub-Layer Generation 15 (D)
For a moment there, Dante didn’t recognize the contents of the screen. Once he did, however, he questioned why it appeared without his command. It took him a while to recall what was currently happening to him in the real world. Just then, a loud snap drew his attention down, and he saw cracks spreading from under his right foot, drawing a spider web pattern on the clear surface of a frozen lake.
The ice collapsed beneath him, and before he realized it, his entire body was submerged in frozen water, making him regret thinking it wasn’t that cold earlier.
Implant: Kinetic Absorption Protective Sub-Layer Generation 15.
Would you like to upgrade Kinetic Absorption Protective Sub-Layer Generation 15 (D)?
Another screen appeared before him, and before he could read through it, the [YES] option blinked and his field of view was cleared.
His resident AI didn’t respond, but Dante didn’t panic, remembering the preparations he had made beforehand. He wanted to make sure his new implant was upgraded right after the surgery was complete, both because he would be unconscious at the time and because Larry was going to inject him with Nanomeds to hasten his healing.
The problem was in his being unconscious part, and in Volcan being unable to start the upgrade procedure without an explicit command from his host. Thankfully, Dante was able to find a workaround with relative ease. All he had to do was instruct his resident AI to delay the start of the upgrade until his body was submerged in ice water.
Though it might have appeared as if the [YES] option was selected on its own, in truth, Dante had already pressed it even before the implant was inside his body.
As the chilliness of the frozen lake slowly seeped into his body, a sudden wave of warmth washed over him. He feared that the excruciating pain of being burned from the inside would follow, but fortunately, it never came. Light gradually dimmed around him, and as the strange warmth enveloped him, Dante closed and let himself sink deeper into the darkness.
Dante didn’t know the exact ratio, but he was sure that waking up in a hospital bed three times in a single month was far from good. The numbness enveloping both his body and mind filled him with irritation, and that irritation brought with it a strong desire for violence.
’God... fucking damn it...’
He tried to grit his teeth, but he lacked the strength to even do that.
[You are awake.] A voice said in his head.
’Yeah, wish I wasn’t....’
[It seems the effects of the anesthetic have yet to fully vanish. It might take some time for you to be fully functional.]
From the quality of the mattress and the white sheet covering his body, Dante guessed that he was still in The Workshop, the place where the underground doctor does most of his surgical work, including implanting and harvesting bionics. It is for that reason why a lot more resources went into it compared to The Clinic, which serves a more mundane purpose.
[Yes. Both the surgery and the upgrade procedure have been completed. Would you like to check your stats?]
The Status screen popped up once again. The difference was easy to spot, seeing as Durability was the only stat that reached the two digits. Since it was 20 now, it should mean he was 5 times as durable as before. His Baseline Retention has dropped to 90%, but more importantly, his Threat Level finally climbed up to 1.
Dante didn’t understand how raising his durability made him as destructive as a handgun, but he was happy nonetheless.
’Level 1 Intermediate Cyborg.’ He thought, the corners of his mouth curling up as his mood instantly improved. ’Finally...’
The first step. After so long, he was finally able to take it. Moments from the last four years flashed in his mind, and he was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. His sight began to blur, forcing him to close them.
’No,’ He thought to himself, ’Not yet.’
After everything he went through, that first step felt like a big leap, but it was a single step nonetheless. The road ahead was still long and arduous, he knew as much when he decided to walk through it. His progress was slow, but he had no intention of leaving it that way.
Though he only now began to walk, Dante was determined to start sprinting soon enough.