Lackey's Seducing Survival Odyssey

Chapter 1760: Codename: The Twin Eclipses: Part-1

Days drifted by with surprising calm.

During the past four days, nothing significant had occurred, except for one achievement that Young Aether considered a miracle in itself.

He had managed to preserve both his sanity… and his ‘Purity.’

Every morning, he left the apartment immediately since Commander 2 had personally granted him exclusive authorisation; the city’s military checkpoints no longer questioned his presence. Security simply projected a blue scanning lattice over his body before allowing him to enter the military district.

Although he lacked enough Aevum to purchase military equipment or advanced combat suits, many civilian-grade components could still be bought using ordinary dollars; fortunately, almost every compatible component had already been catalogued and highlighted by RIN AI.

“Is there no Origin Core Crystal available for purchase?” Young Aether asked while examining the rows of mechanical components displayed behind transparent shields.

The elderly mechanic glanced at him before shaking his head.

“Sorry, sir. Origin Core Crystals are exclusive resources recovered from the Towers. They’re considered strategic military assets.” He gestured toward a heavily secured vault at the far end of the workshop. “Only certified Tower Mechanics are authorised to replace crystal cartridges or modify weapons that utilise Origin technology. Civilian workshops like ours aren’t permitted to sell or even store them. The regulations are… rather unforgiving.”

“I figured as much.”

Young Aether let out a quiet sigh. It was disappointing, but not unexpected.

Instead, his attention shifted toward several compact energy pistols. Their designs resembled the experimental prototypes he had built back on another world.

^They’re selling these to ordinary citizens…^

After receiving confirmation from RIN, he purchased several of them without hesitation.

Their output was nowhere near military standards, but they were more than sufficient for what he intended.

At least… according to RIN.

Under the AI’s meticulous guidance, Young Aether spent the remainder of each day quietly collecting parts from different districts before bringing everything into an abandoned public restroom hidden beneath an old transit station.

The place had become his temporary workshop.

The cracked walls were now covered with holographic blueprints projected directly from his glasses, while dismantled energy pistols, micro-capacitors, nano-conductors, and magnetic accelerator coils lay scattered across the floor.

Following the AI’s instructions, Young Aether dismantled each weapon piece by piece before combining entirely different systems into one prototype. He rewired power conduits, recalibrated energy regulators, modified firing chambers, and rebuilt internal circuits.

By the time he finally finished the evening’s work, exhaustion had seeped into every muscle in his body.

Unfortunately…

The real battle only began after he returned home.

Sasha.

Maiuri.

“Where were you all day?” Maiuri asked while placing another dish onto the dining table.

“I wandered around the city,” Young Aether answered with a casual shrug. “There wasn’t much else to do.”

Maiuri eventually looked away without pressing the matter further.

“Come eat before it gets cold.”

!~Ding~!

[Warning: Poison Detected!]

“…”

Then he quietly released an inward sigh.

Without allowing the slightest change to appear on his face, he calmly picked up his spoon and continued eating as though the warning had never appeared.

If they wanted to test him…

Then he would continue pretending not to notice.

Night eventually arrived.

Just like every previous night, the three of them shared the same bed.

And just like every previous night…

Young Aether was forced into another relentless trial of willpower.

‘Damn it…’

He screamed inwardly as Maiuri unconsciously used his hands again during her sleep, treating them like a dildo.

As for Sasha…

She remained exactly as she always was.

Completely naked.

And having unknowingly nestled closer until her sleeping face rested dangerously near his crotch, occasionally nudging against him whenever she shifted in her dreams.

Young Aether could only stare at the ceiling while silently reciting every calming exercise he knew.

Four entire days passed like this.

By day, he buried himself inside workshops, collecting components and assembling his secret project.

By night, he fought an entirely different enemy.

His own instincts!

Jonathan never appeared throughout those four days. It was almost as if the man had vanished from Delta City altogether.

Young Aether also spent every spare moment searching the city’s information network for any signs of Hell’s Gate manifesting nearby.

Nothing.

Not a single report.

It seemed the Gates simply had no intention of appearing within Delta City’s borders.

Finally…

The fifth morning arrived.

Before dawn had fully broken, Young Aether was already standing outside the military workshop. His footsteps carried an unusual urgency, and despite maintaining his usual calm expression, there was an unmistakable anticipation hidden within his eyes.

His black coat fluttered gently. Sleek black smart glasses rested comfortably over his eyes, while a nearly invisible communication earpiece remained attached behind his right ear.

At that moment, RIN’s calm voice echoed softly through the earpiece.

^You’re unusually excited… over a mere weapon?^

“Who wouldn’t be?” Young Aether replied, unable to suppress the grin spreading across his face.

“Turning a Monster’s claws into weapons… just thinking about it gets me excited. Imagine what kind of absurd things he could’ve forged from those claws… Hehe~”

His voice carried the unmistakable excitement of a child waiting to unwrap a long-awaited gift.

^Argh… so childish.^

RIN sighed with unmistakable exasperation.

She observed the workshop in silence.

Well…

“Observed” wasn’t exactly the right word.

Her consciousness wasn’t physically present. Instead, she perceived everything through the Smart AI Glasses resting on Young Aether’s face. The lenses continuously transmitted live visual, thermal, and spatial data directly into her processing core while simultaneously projecting holographic information into Young Aether’s field of vision whenever he requested it.

Originally, RIN had insisted that he purchase AI Contact Lenses instead.

Compared to smart glasses, they offered superior synchronisation with neural signals, wider augmented reality coverage, faster biometric tracking, and nearly instantaneous visual processing.

Yet…

Young Aether had rejected the idea without the slightest hesitation.

“I don’t like putting things into my eyes.”

That had been his entire explanation.

As Young Aether stepped inside the workshop, the familiar scent of heated metal, machine oil, and molten alloys immediately filled the air.

Industrial robotic arms moved rhythmically across the ceiling while magnetic cranes transported enormous ingots through the workshop.

Standing near the entrance was the blacksmith himself, wearing a broad, welcoming smile.

Although…

The thick bangs hanging over his face barely concealed the dark circles beneath his eyes. His clothes were wrinkled, his beard had noticeably grown, and every movement carried the exhaustion of someone who had sacrificed several nights of sleep.

It was obvious.

The man had practically lived inside this workshop.

Young Aether didn’t feel the slightest sympathy.

Whether the blacksmith slept, starved, or collapsed from exhaustion had nothing to do with him.

Results were all that mattered.

Still…

If this craftsman truly managed to exceed his expectations…

Perhaps…

Just perhaps…

He might survive the inevitable destruction awaiting Delta City.

“Good morning, sir!” the blacksmith greeted respectfully.

Young Aether barely acknowledged the greeting.

Without saying a word, he lowered his smart glasses slightly and fixed the blacksmith with a calm, emotionless stare.

The craftsman’s smile stiffened.

He immediately understood.

The weapon.

That was the only reason this terrifying young man had come.

“Please… follow me, sir.”

Young Aether gave a slight nod before following behind him.

As they walked deeper into the workshop, the blacksmith finally gathered enough courage to speak.

“With all due respect, sir—” he began cautiously, his voice filled with hesitation.

Young Aether interrupted him without even looking his way.

“I am leaving this workshop with only two possibilities.”

His calm voice echoed through the metallic corridor.

“Either I return carrying the weapon…”

“…or I leave carrying the head of whoever failed to keep their promise.”

!!!

The blacksmith’s face instantly turned pale.

A cold chill crawled down his spine despite the intense heat surrounding them.

Without uttering another word, he unconsciously quickened his pace.

Within moments, they arrived before an isolated chamber hidden behind the main workshop.

The entrance itself was secured behind several reinforced doors, each requiring multiple biometric scans before unlocking with heavy mechanical clicks.

Beyond the doors lay an enormous storage hall.

Every wall was lined with preserved Monster materials.

Gigantic skeletal remains hung from reinforced suspension frames. Razor-sharp fangs rested inside transparent containment tubes. Hardened scales, crystalline organs, armored hides, claws, tendons, and countless biological materials were meticulously categorized inside climate-controlled chambers.

“This way, sir.”

The blacksmith guided him through the warehouse before stopping before another heavily insulated security door.

As the thick alloy door slowly slid open…

A wave of scorching heat crashed into Young Aether like a physical wall.

The temperature was so intense that it prickled against his skin despite the workshop’s cooling systems operating at maximum capacity.

His eyes slowly swept across the enormous forging chamber.

Gigantic plasma furnaces roared like imprisoned dragons.

Industrial grinding machines released showers of brilliant orange sparks.

Hydraulic forging hammers struck glowing metal with earth-shaking force.

Cooling chambers released clouds of white vapour while automated sharpening systems refined weapon edges with microscopic precision.

Despite the countless futuristic machines filling the room…

Young Aether quickly realised something.

The technology had evolved.

The principles had not.

Whether ancient or modern… Forging remained forging.

The blacksmith stopped beside a massive cylindrical containment chamber standing at the centre of the room.

“I’ve completed your weapon, sir…”

His expression suddenly became awkward.

“It’s just…”

He slowly pointed toward the sealed container.

Brilliant blue arcs of energy continuously leaked from microscopic seams along its surface, crackling violently across the metal casing before vanishing into the air.

The entire chamber trembled faintly under the pressure of the energy sealed within.

Young Aether’s eyes narrowed with growing curiosity as he stepped closer.

“The Energy Cooking process is still underway,” the blacksmith explained carefully. “It’s the final stage of the forging sequence.”

Seeing Young Aether remain silent, he hurriedly continued.

“The Monster claw’s molecular structure was far denser than I originally anticipated. Even our plasma disassembly equipment struggled to separate its internal layers without damaging the pathways embedded within the material.”

He let out a tired laugh.

“I had no choice but to stay here day and night, adjusting the resonance frequency manually until the material finally yielded. Thankfully, I managed to accelerate the process far beyond normal expectations.”

He looked toward the containment chamber, where another surge of azure lightning erupted beneath the transparent shielding.

“It only entered its final stabilisation phase this morning. Please don’t worry, sir.”

The blacksmith smiled confidently despite the exhaustion etched across his face.

“It should be ready… within a few more hours.”

Young Aether glanced toward the massive containment chamber before shifting his attention to the blacksmith, whose eyes remained fixed on the machine as though he were admiring his greatest masterpiece.

“…What’s happening inside?” Young Aether finally asked, unable to suppress his curiosity any longer.

The blacksmith’s exhausted expression immediately brightened. It was obvious he had been hoping someone would ask about the final stage of the forging process, and the opportunity to explain his craft quickly erased the fatigue lingering across his face.

“You see, sir,” he began with obvious pride, “forging the weapon itself is actually the easy part. The final manufacturing process is what truly transforms it into equipment worthy of being integrated with a mech-suit.”

He walked closer to the cylindrical chamber and placed a hand against the casing while blue electrical arcs continued dancing across its surface.

“Once the weapon is completely forged, we seal it inside this Energy Cooking Chamber. The chamber bombards the weapon with controlled streams of compressed Origin Energies from thousands of different angles. Those energy waves continuously collide with the weapon’s molecular structure until both eventually synchronise with each other.”

Young Aether silently watched the chamber while the blacksmith continued explaining.

“During that synchronisation, the weapon gradually develops its own unique energy resonance. Once the process is complete, it naturally attracts Origin Energies from the surrounding atmosphere without needing the Origin Core Crystal entirely, while dramatically improving synchronisation with a mech-suit’s operating system.”

The blacksmith smiled proudly before adding another detail.

“Every completed weapon possesses a different resonance frequency, so no two weapons are ever truly identical. Even if they’re forged from the exact same materials, each one develops its own unique energy signature during this final process.”

Young Aether’s brows slowly furrowed as he listened.

The explanation sounded strangely familiar.

The Mother Root… Desired Weapons!

“I see…” Young Aether muttered quietly before returning his attention to the containment chamber.

Neither of them spoke again while the enormous machine continued its final sequence.

The blacksmith remained standing beside Young Aether the entire time.

Judging from the increasingly awkward expression on his face and the way he occasionally shifted his legs, he clearly wanted to excuse himself for a restroom break. However, after hearing Young Aether’s earlier threat, he didn’t possess the courage to leave even for a single minute.

Several long hours eventually passed before the machine finally completed its work.

Ding~

A clear electronic chime echoed throughout the forging chamber as countless warning lights switched from crimson to emerald green.

Thud!-HIISSS!!

Thick locking mechanisms disengaged one after another before the massive containment door slowly separated with a heavy mechanical hiss.

An overwhelming wave of scorching air rushed outward, accompanied by swirling blue steam and countless tiny violet sparks that drifted through the room like glowing embers before gradually fading into nothingness.

At the same moment, a holographic display materialised above the chamber.

[Codename: The Twin Eclipses]

Several robotic arms smoothly extended from inside the chamber before carefully pulling a tray into view.

Young Aether’s breathing unconsciously slowed the instant his eyes landed upon the weapons resting atop it.

“…Fuck. No way…”

Resting silently upon the tray were two magnificent curved weapons forged from the claws of the Curved Wyvern.

Each ivory-colored weapon ended in a razor-sharp hooked tip, with jagged edges running along its sweeping curve. Their bodies were a seamless fusion of pale ivory and dark metal, the two materials naturally blending into one another as though they had always been a single piece.

Jagged ridges and hollow openings ran across the blades, giving them a fierce, skeletal appearance.

At the centre of each weapon rested a perfectly balanced circular grip.

The opening was only large enough for a single hand, while precisely machined finger grooves lined the interior of the ring.

Hidden beneath the grip was an advanced gyroscopic stabilisation core suspended on magnetic bearings so refined that even the slightest movement could rotate the entire weapon with almost no resistance.

Young Aether no longer cared how hot the weapons were.

Without waiting for permission, he immediately stepped forward and slipped his fingers into the circular grips.

Each finger settled perfectly into its designated groove, fitting so naturally that it almost felt as though the weapons had been forged specifically for his hands.

Was this the reason he touched his hand?

“S-Sir!” the blacksmith shouted in alarm. “They’re still extremely hot!”

Young Aether ignored the warning completely.

Although the surface temperature was still high enough to burn an ordinary person’s skin within seconds, the heat barely registered as more than a faint warmth against his palms.

He slowly lifted both weapons into the air.

“Hmm… They’re heavier than I expected.”

The muscles along his forearms and biceps naturally tightened as veins gradually surfaced beneath his skin, yet he lifted the twin weapons with ease.

Curious about the unusual grip, Young Aether gently twisted one of his wrists.

Sshh~

The gyroscopic core instantly responded.

The entire weapon spun effortlessly around his hand before smoothly shifting from a standard forward grip into a reverse grip without requiring him to loosen his fingers even once.

!!

His eyes widened with genuine amazement.

He repeated the motion several more times, allowing each weapon to rotate fluidly around his fingers before naturally settling back into his preferred stance. Every movement felt perfectly balanced, while the spinning motion flowed so smoothly.

A broad grin slowly spread across his face.

“This is unbelievably cool…”

He carefully ran his fingers across the weapon’s surface, appreciating every detail the blacksmith had intentionally preserved.

The rough texture, natural grooves, and weathered ridges of the Great Wyvern’s original claw remained almost entirely along the dark metal.

Although forged with advanced technology, the weapon still carried the soul of the Great Wyvern. The seamless fusion of pale ivory and dark metal preserved the weapon’s predatory appearance, while its jagged ridges and skeletal structure made it seem as though the beast’s claws had never truly died.

They had merely been reborn into weapons.

Meanwhile, the blacksmith stood frozen in disbelief.

His eyes remained locked on Young Aether’s hands as they casually held the freshly forged weapons without the slightest hint of discomfort.

The containment chamber had only just completed its Energy Cooking sequence moments ago. Even after the cooling cycle, the surface temperature remained dangerously high. Ordinary workers weren’t even allowed to touch the finished product directly until specialized cooling gloves had been worn for several minutes.

Yet this young man…

He was holding both weapons with his bare hands as though they were nothing more than ordinary pieces of steel.

!!!

A shiver quietly crawled down the blacksmith’s spine.

He could still vividly remember the first time he had attempted something equally foolish years ago. Back then, overflowing confidence had convinced him that enduring a little heat would prove his worth as a craftsman.

Instead…

The scorching metal had fused itself against his palms for only a fraction of a second before he instinctively threw it away.

The result had been horrifying.

His entire hands had swollen with painful blisters that took weeks to heal, leaving scars that remained visible to this day whenever he clenched his fists.

Looking at Young Aether now…

The young man didn’t even appear to notice the heat.

‘What kind of body does this monster have…?’

The blacksmith subconsciously swallowed.

Young Aether continued examining the twin weapons with complete fascination. He slowly rotated them around his wrists several more times before gently running a thumb across the razor-sharp hooked edges. The balance was flawless, the gyroscopic mechanism responded instantly, and every movement flowed together so naturally.

A satisfied smile gradually appeared across his face.

“Wonderful…” he said quietly, “You truly impressed me.”

Those simple words nearly caused the blacksmith’s knees to give out.

The tension that had gripped his body for days finally disappeared.

He unconsciously released a long, trembling breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding.

‘I survived…’

That single thought echoed repeatedly inside his mind.

For the past four days, he had worked without proper sleep, terrified that even the slightest imperfection would cost him his life. Every strike of the hammer, every adjustment to the alloy, every calculation during the Energy Cooking process had been made under the constant fear that failure simply wasn’t an option.

Thankfully…

It had all been worth it.

He had satisfied the monster standing before him.

“Thank you, sir!” the blacksmith replied with genuine relief. “I’m honoured that the weapons met your expectations.”

Young Aether didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he slowly turned toward the blacksmith.

The smile on his face remained exactly the same.

Without warning, he raised one of the Twin Eclipses.

The wicked hooked blade stopped only a few centimetres from the blacksmith’s throat.

“…”

The blacksmith’s pupils shrank to pinpoints.

Cold sweat erupted across his forehead as every muscle in his body locked in place.

“S… Sir?” he stammered, afraid that even breathing too loudly might provoke the young man.

Young Aether tilted his head slightly, his expression remaining strangely calm as though he were asking an ordinary question.

“Now…”

His voice was soft enough to make it even more terrifying.

“Tell me. How do you wish to die?”

“…Mommy?”

The frightened squeak echoed awkwardly throughout the workshop.