“We should check out this place,” Archie suggested to Aoife as he scoured through a shop’s glass display with Gaze of the Forgefather

  He wasn’t looking for them just to copy their runes and runic scripts; rather, it was because enchantments and runes were entirely different from one another. From what he had been able to glean from the Cybernetic Enchanters and Cyberneticsmiths he had spoken with while browsing with Aoife, the way they were made differed greatly due to how enchantments and runes worked.

  Enchantments in the field of cybernetics require Cybernetic Enchanters to cleanse and prime the cybernetic components through a ritual before casting a slew of spells onto them. Once enchanted, the components gain a variety of different functions, which, when properly assembled, form a complete cybernetic.

  Runes in the field of cybernetics are built very similarly in a sense to how Archie created his Mana Revolver, Mana Bike, Cragforge Gauntlets of Nature Resonance, and all his other runic creations. They require him to etch specific instructions and functions onto each component so that, when properly connected, they form a complete cybernetic.

  No rituals or spells needed.

  Not to mention, the components within enchanted and runic cybernetics differed greatly. Gears, keys, rivets, shafts, and many other parts varied significantly between the cybernetics crafted by Cybernetic Enchanters and those made by Cyberneticsmiths.

  Going from shop to shop, he’d taken a few looks in their workshops to see how different the components were, and boy, were they different.

  The only thing both enchanted and runic cybernetics have in common is the neural ports and internal connectors, which connect the cybernetics to the nervous system of the wearer.

  After speaking with a few Cybernetic Enchanters and Cyberneticsmiths and confirming with Aoife, apparently everyone born in the 23rd Universe is born with Cybernetic Sockets on their limbs.

  But something that was slightly more shocking than that, in his opinion, which it really shouldn’t have been, was that there existed full-cast Cybernetics, half-cast Cybernetics, and quarter-cast Cybernetics.

  There was virtually no difference between them in terms of the stat points they provided, assuming they were all crafted by the same Cybernetic Enchanters or Cyberneticsmiths. The only real differences lay in the types of weapons and tools they deployed, as well as their cost.

  Heavier weaponry and tools were housed within full-cast Cybernetics, which extended up to the shoulder. These systems carried massive armaments such as Greatbows, Greatswords, Railguns, Gatling Guns, Greatlances, Wrecking Balls, Pile Bunkers, basically anything that sounded big and badass in Archie's head.

  Lighter weaponry and tools were integrated into quarter-cast arm Cybernetics, typically starting from the elbow to the wrist. These housed weapons, such as pistols, daggers, crowbars, whips, hand axes, shortswords, wires, foci, and a variety of other weapons and tools.

  Weaponry and tools between both quarter-cast and full-cast arms are in Half-cast arm Cybernetics, like those of Aoife and the dead rogue, ended at the mid-bicep and accommodated weaponry and tools that fell between the two extremes. These included lances, rifles, swords, shotguns, shields, maces, staffs, and other one-handed weapons and tools.

  And that was just cybernetic arms, not to mention the combinations of arms, where one was full-cast, and the other was half-cast or quarter-cast.

  Cybernetic legs, similar to their arm counterparts, also have full-cast, half-cast, and quarter-cast versions. But unlike them, they could not deploy weapons from them; only cybernetic arms could do so.

  For both the chest and back, which shared a single Cybernetic Socket, there were cybernetic weaves. Where nanofibers are threaded into the skin, reinforcing the toughness of the flesh.

  And to answer the question Archie also had, the Cybernetic Sockets are movable. From what he could understand from Aoife, who tried to explain it as best as she could, it was just something they could innately do.

  While this might just seem too overpowered and unfair, there are downsides such as they were unable to use any cybernetics other than the ones attached to their Class or Profession and all equipment, safe for accessories, must be able to connect to the Cybernetic Sockets for the System to recognize that they have been properly equipped.

  Pushing open the reinforced glass doors, both Archie and Aoife walked into Vandrick’s Synthtech, with Archie smiling as the chimes attached to the door rang.

  Archie’s embered eyes scoured the cybernetics that hung atop the sides of the walls and within the rowed display cases.

  CL-AC185D-T265 (Uncommon):

  Full-cast Cybernetic Legs for those of Archer Class. Forged by Vandrick Skath, an Expert Cyberneticsmith. Once properly attached and configured to the wielder’s Cybernetic Socket, the wielder’s footsteps become noticeably lighter, and maintaining footing in arid terrain becomes significantly easier. Provides: +295 Agi, +200 Per & +110 Will. Effect: Soul-Bond, Self-Repair, Weight of the Feather. Status: Perfect & Ready for Link. Requirements: Lv 186+, Archer-related Class, Cybernetic Sockets, & Humanoid Race.

  ***

  CA-LC105D-T795 (Uncommon):

  Half-cast Cybernetic Arms for those of Lancer Class. Forged by Vandrick Skath, an Expert Cyberneticsmith. Once properly attached and configured to the wielder’s Cybernetic Socket, the wielder’s right arm can now transform into that of a Deepiron Scutum, while the left arm can now transform into that of a Deepiron Lance when activated. Provides: +120 Vit, +100 End & +65 Str. Effect: Soul-Bond, Self-Repair, Scutum Protection. Status: Perfect & Ready for Link. Requirements: Lv 115+, Lancer-related Class, Cybernetic Sockets, & Humanoid Race.

  These offered far more stat points than the previous stores they’ve visited and are consistently of a higher rarity, not to mention, these all have effects. In fact, Archie was sure that there wasn’t a single piece of equipment in the shop on display that was below Uncommon rarity.

  “Like what you see, boyo?” a gruff voice greeted him, bringing him out of his musings.

  Looking up from the display stand, Archie looked to where the voice came from, but saw no one around him. What he did see was Aoife conversing with one of the shop employees, judging by the uniform they wore.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Feeling a tap on his right arm, Archie blinked before turning to face a large, singed, dark grey top hat. Looking down, Archie saw a four-foot-tall bushy beard that reached the floor attached to a rather youthful-looking face holding a bottle of brandy.

  Blinking owlishly for a moment, Archie realized this was the person who spoke to him. “My apologies, I was distracted looking at your work,” Archie said as he stuck his hand out for a handshake.

  With a quick Identify,

  [Dwarf Lv ???]

  He was strong, far stronger than the others that he’d felt while walking through the city.

  “What?” the dwarf burped, looking up at Archie and his outstretched hand and shaking it with his cybernetic arm that wasn’t holding his bottle of brandy. But while shaking Archie’s right hand, his cybernetic right eye faintly glowed an orangish red.

  “Oh, you a smith too, eh?” The dwarf grinned, although it was hidden underneath his long, bushy beard that covered 75% of his face. A devious thought went through the dwarf’s mind as he stared at Archie’s embered eyes. “What? You trying to steal my work with them eyes of yours, eh?”

  Archie looked at the dwarf blankly before releasing a sigh of exasperation, “This is the seventh time I’ve heard this in the span of four hours now. You and I both know I can’t see anything with your anti-scrying scripts all over the display cases, you’re an entire Grade above me.”

  The first shop he entered with Aoife, he spent several minutes attempting to analyze a cybernetic leg in a display case, trying to figure out what runes were used and how it functioned, the way that Identify

  But with Gaze of the Forgefather

  It was only then that a smirking elf introduced himself as the Cyberneticsmith of the shop and immediately recognized him as a fledgling smith. When he asked how he knew, the elf patted his shoulder and pointed out that a human without any Cybernetic Sockets wouldn’t stare at cybernetics for twenty minutes straight with eyes that looked like flames. That, and he could identify his gear well enough to recognize that he had made his own armor.

  After a bit of conversation, Archie learned that, no, he wasn’t going to be kicked out of the elf’s shop, he had done nothing wrong. In reality, what he did was quite normal among smiths and was even expected when visiting another’s territory.

  In the world of smithing, it was a customary greeting, much like how fighters greeted each other through sparring. If a smith’s anti-scrying runic scripts or enchantments failed to withstand another’s scrying skill, the one who broke through would get that and only that runic or enchanted equipment for free. However, if the scrying attempt failed, then they had to purchase the runic or enchanted equipment from the smith they had attempted to spy on without argument.

  It was an unspoken honor-bound wager among smiths as a way to encourage growth on both sides.

  As for his other question, the elf explained that he could tell Archie was a fledgling smith from the lack of cloaking and anti-scrying runes on his equipment. Forgetting to select the Runic Cloaking skill was a common mistake among beginners, who often assumed other skills were more valuable.

  Not wanting to seem rude, Archie bought the CA-KC125D-T321, a level 175 full-cast cybernetic arm equipped with a Deepiron greatsword in the right arm and a Deepiron cone-shaped large shield in the left one, costing him 40 silver coins.

  After the sizeable purchase, the elf Cyberneticsmith was more than happy to share a few additional tricks about how cybernetics functioned, provided Archie had something of equal value to trade.

  Yet, as he left the shop with Aoife, Archie couldn't shake the feeling that he had been swindled. The knowledge he gained about cybernetic assembly was quite a lot and far more advanced mechanically than anything he'd ever crafted. However, the elf’s face when Archie taught him a rune or runic script felt...forced.

  Maybe he was just overthinking it. But that smirk the elf gave him as he walked out, along with the knowing glances from the other Cybernetic Enchanters and Cyberneticsmiths, felt a little too smug for comfort.

  It was only after the third shop both he and Aoife visited that he knew for sure that he was being swindled, and the runes and runic scripts he was trading for knowledge were far more valuable than what he thought they were.

  While he was annoyed after he put two and two together, there wasn’t much he could do about it as he was benefiting from the information they gave, and they weren’t robbing him blind.

  “But you still attempted to, eh?” The dwarf pointed out, his index finger waving at Archie’s embered eyes.

  “Can you blame a guy for trying?” Archie smiled and deactivated Gaze of the Forgefather

  “I like you,” the dwarf bellowed as he repeatedly smacked the back of Archie’s armor, with each blow slightly denting the back until it left behind a meaty-sized handprint on his lower back. “You can call me Vandrick, Cyberwright Synthsmith of the Workshop.”

  Archie thought as he repaired the back of his chestpiece.

  “Archie, Novice Forgesmith,” Archie introduced himself, which gained an almost imperceivable eyebrow raise from Vandrick.

  “You a member of the Workshop?” Vandrick asked, looking at Archie with confusion.

  Archie thought before answering, “I think so…”

  “What do you mean ya think so?” Vandrick gruffly repeated, bewildered by Archie’s answer. “You either are or you’re not.”

  Taking a moment to think about what he was going to say next, Archie answered, “My patron is a member of the Workshop, and through them I was able to get that Profession.”

  “Hmm,” Vandrick said as he gave Archie a look over. “How long has your patron been teaching you?”

  , Vandrick mused.

  “He’s never really taught me formally - just pops in occasionally to give me tips once in a while before leaving me to my own devices," Archie answered. "I was shown the basics by someone else, Syllia Glynvyre. Since then, I’ve mostly been self-taught.”

  “How long have you been learning?” Vandrick asked in between sips of his brandy. Vandrick thought to himself, bringing up memories he’d long since buried.

  . Vandrick nodded to himself.

  Taking a moment to think, Archie answered, “Just about a month now,” which caused Vandrick to spit out his brandy and spray it across a few glass displays, much to the ire of one of his assistants.

  “A-A month?” Vandrick sputtered under his breath, whipping his head around to stare at Archie. He knew the kid wasn’t lying to him, his skill told him so, but to think he’d created such gear in a month’s worth of time was something else, especially with the runes etched atop them.

  “Er, that’s not bad work for someone who’s been forging for a month now,” Vandrick said while clearing his throat. Vandrick shouted internally,

  , Vandrick chuckled to himself, not paying any mind to Archie’s bewildered expression.

  “So, you wanna know how these cybernetics work, eh?” Vandrick asked, pointing at one of his older works, a CW-WC180D-T895, a cybernetic weave. “I mean, why else would a No-Socket, fledgling smith like you be looking at every cybernetic in my shop as though they were a Spark?”

  “Well, you’re not wrong,” Archie smiled. “Would you be down for a trade in information then?”

  Thanks for Reading!

  Read ahead on Patreon: 10 ahead for $5 and 30+ ahead for $10

  Patreon:

  Currently a 20% Discount on all tiers on Discord all month!

  Don't forget to follow, comment, favorite, and review if you are enjoying Adrenaline Junkie!

  Let me know your thoughts, theories, and cool ideas that you'd be interested in seeing in the comments—I read every single one!