Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 259 Full Upgrade (Eleventh Update)
Valerie and Jack were then in a safe house on the upper floors of Charter Hill, which had been purchased with "settlement allowance".

Jack was excitedly planning a new investment in front of the holographic projection, while Valerie meticulously maintained the cockpit of her dark red experimental power armor.

Upon receiving the command, Jack slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Ha! The big one is finally here! Working with the Sage is so exhilarating!"

Valerie paused, calmly replied with a confirmation message, and then looked at Jack: "Don't get too excited. The Sage's summons doesn't necessarily mean we'll set off immediately."

Even so, she could feel her heart beating a little faster.

Dimensional exploration means truly stepping out of this world that she both hates and cannot completely sever ties with, and facing unprecedented challenges.

Mowell appeared silently at the laboratory entrance, standing quietly and waiting.

She was always the quickest to carry out Chen Yu's orders.

David Martinez received the news at his temporary residence in Night City.

He is currently engrossed in studying a set of basic data on gene stability provided by Chen Yu, in preparation for his mother's treatment.

The call to arms made his young heart leap, a mixture of a thirst for unknown knowledge and a nervous anticipation of the real test that lay ahead.

He glanced instinctively at Lucy's image on the communicator, took a deep breath, quickly packed his things, and set off.

Even Margaret and Maria, who had just returned from a mission in Tokyo and were maintaining their respective knight mechs in a temporary hangar, learned of the summons through the Guardian Army's internal channel.

The two knights were equally curious about the "dimensional exploration" mentioned by the sage.

They all stopped what they were doing and looked curiously in the direction of the main laboratory.

The flames that destroyed the Arasaka Fleet on the shores of Tokyo Bay still seemed to linger on their retina, but the prospect of exploring unknown dimensions held a unique attraction for these warriors from knightly families.

The atmosphere inside the laboratory was somber.

The members of Mann's team instinctively moved closer together, while Valerie stood ramrod straight, her mechanical prosthetic limbs slightly tightened.

Jack couldn't help but look around, trying to see the details of each strange device.

David followed closely behind Lucy, his excitement barely concealed on his face, while Mowell silently blended into the shadows beside Chen Yu.

Margaret and Maria did not enter the laboratory. Instead, they appeared on the observation corridor on the upper level of the laboratory, quietly looking down through the thick protective glass.

They also wanted to witness firsthand the journey of this team, on which the sage had placed high hopes, as they ventured into the unknown.

Everyone assumed that this gathering signified the official start of dimensional exploration.

Tension, anticipation, and a hint of unease mingled in the air.

Chen Yu's massive, dark red mechanical body stood before the main control panel, its crimson optical lenses sweeping across the assembled crowd, collecting and analyzing their physiological parameters, micro-expressions, and posture data.

“The personnel are all present, Your Excellency,” Mower reported in a low voice.

The laboratory was silent, save for the background noise of the equipment. Everyone awaited Chen Yu's order to depart.

However, Chen Yu spoke, his calm voice breaking their expectations. "The reason I summoned you here is not to immediately initiate dimensional travel."

Everyone was taken aback. Not setting off? Then why gather everyone together so solemnly?
Even Margaret and Maria on the observation corridor exchanged a slightly puzzled look.

Chen Yu continued, his voice as cold as the friction of metal, devoid of any emotional fluctuation: "Dimensional exploration carries potential risks far exceeding your imagination based on your understanding of this world."

Spacetime turbulence, distortions of the laws of physics, extradimensional beings, even conceptual erosion… any one of these could instantly annihilate an unprepared team.

His optical lens swept across the cybernetic bodies of Mann's team, Valerie's experimental power armor, and finally landed on David's still-young body.

"Your current equipment and enhancement level may be considered elite in this world," Chen Yu's synthesized voice stated this fact calmly, then changed the subject with an unquestionable judgment, "but in the context of a multi-dimensional scale, it is not worth mentioning."

Chen Yu's gaze finally settled on David. His tone remained unchanged, but he clearly distinguished the difference: "As for you, David Martinez, your current enhancement focuses on optimizing the genetic level and the nervous system. This lays the foundation for your subsequent learning of the mechanical teachings."

Further mechanical integration and modification can only proceed after you pass the assessment and evaluation.

Clearly, neither the existing combat equipment and enhancements of Mann's squad and Valerie, nor David's current learning foundation as an apprentice, are far from meeting Chen Yu's "dimensional exploration standards" for the upcoming dimensional exploration mission.

Maria gazed at the various "mortals" below and said softly, "Dimensional exploration is fraught with danger. Without sufficient strength, it is indeed tantamount to suicide. I just wonder if they can withstand the price of the Mechanicus's modifications..."

She thought of those lowly priests and machine servants who had completely abandoned their flesh and blood and merged with the machine.

“Therefore, before we officially begin our exploration, we need to conduct a comprehensive and systematic upgrade and transformation of you.” Chen Yu’s voice was completely flat, as if he were talking about something as routine as replacing a part. “The resources and technology here are limited, and we cannot complete the transformation to meet the standards. You will return with me to the Nexus Forging World and receive reinforcement according to the standards of the Cult of Mechanics in my private laboratory.”

Returning to...another universe? That place described as an eternal war, profound darkness, and an endless thirst for knowledge?

The members of Mann's squad exchanged glances. They had briefly set foot in that world of death, and their memories were filled with metal caves, red-robed cyborgs, and a suffocating sense of otherworldliness.

Valerie and Jack found the concept even more unfamiliar and shocking.

David's breathing became rapid, but his eyes shone with an even stronger light—this meant that he would directly enter the core areas of the Mechanicus!

Valerie steadied herself and ignored Jack's hand that instinctively grabbed her arm.

She looked at Chen Yu and calmly asked, "Sage, how long will this transformation take? What preparations do we need to make?"

She considered things more practically, including how to arrange things for Jack and how to adapt to a completely unfamiliar, supposedly hierarchical environment.

David looked at Chen Yu, his voice trembling slightly but full of longing: "Sage, will my transformation also take place there? Like you said before?"

He was referring to a deeper level of mechanical enhancement, not just the knowledge he was currently learning.

Chen Yu answered Valerie and David's questions: "The transformation time depends on individual differences and the enhancement plan, ranging from a few days to several weeks. No special preparation is needed; just maintain a stable physical and mental state." His optical lens turned to David: "A deeper mechanical integration will require you to pass the assessment."

He paused briefly to allow the information to fully process before adding, "Nexusam Forging World is one of the many forging worlds of the Mechanicus. It is a center of technology and faith, with a strict order and clear hierarchy."

All your words and actions there must conform to the norms of the Mechanic Church. Any transgression or disruption of the research order will be severely punished.

(End of this chapter)