Verification
"Theoretically, we should be able to draw out over 200% of the existing combat efficiency."
Karen, her face stained with grease, proudly introduced her masterpiece.
"…200%? Does that mean we'll become three times stronger?"
Pomen asked, her eyes widening. Noah let out a small chuckle at the sight.
"My, Pomen. I didn't know you actually knew how to do basic math."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I thought you'd say two times."
"……."
Leaving Pomen and Noah behind as they bickered, showing off their close bond as usual, I stared silently at the Synchronization Device.
Synchronization Device
> By digitizing, accumulating, and reflecting an ECHO's combat experience, it helps them exhibit more precise and powerful performance than before.
So, with this, the ECHOs of this world can level up just like in an online game.
Recruiting—or rather, creating—Karen, a production-type ECHO, first was definitely the right choice.
"Karen."
"Ye-Yes!"
"You really worked hard. I knew you could do it."
I stroked Karen's head with sincerity.
"A-Ahhh—!"
At my praise, Karen's face turned bright red as if it were about to explode.
Then, she began muttering incomprehensible things like Overload, Core temperature spiking, system shutdown, before collapsing straight into my arms.
"Karen? Karen??"
"…Is this déjà vu?"
"I feel like I've seen this through someone else before, too."
Pomen and Noah exchanged meaningful glances and then stealthily looked at Arva, who was standing quietly behind them.
Once Karen, who had momentarily lost consciousness, woke up, we proceeded with the full-scale operation of the Synchronization Device.
I decided that the first ECHO to undergo the firmware update would be Arva, the leader of the Arclight Squad and my recent personal trainer.
"Me, sir?"
"Yes."
Partly because she was the leader, but also because she was a versatile ECHO capable of excelling in any situation.
My judgment was that making Arva stronger first would be the greatest boost to our overall combat power.
"Understood, Commander."
[I will assist.]
At my command, Arva entered the synchronization capsule with a calm expression.
As the device activated under Karen's operation, the capsule door closed, and a blue gel began to fill the interior.
It seemed to be a special solution as the combat suit Arva was wearing dissolved instantly, revealing her naked body.
It was a perfectly honed body, without a single excess—made for combat.
"Hmm…."
As I watched Arva, Pomen leaned in close to me and spoke.
"Seeing Arva work out, she really is diligent about maintaining her figure, isn't she?"
"…Do ECHOs even need to maintain their figures?"
"They don't have to, but they try to groom themselves even a little more. Solely to please our Commander. Hehe… I wonder if the Commander prefers a toned body like that?"
"Not particularly? I like any slim build."
"Oh my, then are you planning to devour every single member of our A.R..L.I.G.H.T Squad?"
"……."
At Pomen's sly remark, I poked her in the side.
In Ark 69, the only ECHOs I had slept with were Pomen and Alpha.
I had received handjobs and oral from the resident MILF, Noah, more than ten times, but I never crossed the final line.
I fell asleep before I could, so it couldn't be helped.
Anyway, as I watched the synchronization capsule, the central quantum module emitted a light and began pouring into Arva's Core.
"What is that?"
"Uh, well…. You can think of it as a visualization of all of Arva's combat data and experience. We restructure that data and install it into the Core as an optimized combat algorithm."
Hmm….
I have no idea what she's talking about.
"Is it dangerous?"
"Since Wanderer is assisting personally, there shouldn't be any problems. The probability of a major accident is about 0.0062%, maybe? Of course, as we continue to upgrade the machine, that probability will decrease further."
"How long do you think the synchronization will take?"
"It'll take roughly six hours."
I nodded silently while looking at Arva's motionless naked body with her eyes closed inside the capsule.
And six hours later.
We were faced with an Arva who radiated an aura far sharper and more dangerous than before.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
We headed straight to the training room.
First, I needed to objectively grasp the extent of Arva's changes.
I wish we had a virtual simulation room…
There was no way such a cutting-edge facility existed in this dilapidated Ark 69.
In the end, we decided to check Arva's combat capabilities using the most primitive yet certain method.
Pomen and Noah, both combat-type ECHOs, would face Arva in hand-to-hand combat to deduce her changes.
"Hmm… against the two of us? Arva, even if you've gotten stronger, don't blame me if you get a few scratches or bruises."
Pomen gave a confident smile and bumped her knuckle-clad fists together.
Noah also took a stance, activating her energy field.
"I will do my best."
The unfair 2-on-1 fight that began soon after proceeded one-sidedly, just as I expected.
"Hyaaaaah—!"
Pomen launched the first attack.
Her fist aimed for Arva's head, creating a heavy sound as it cut through the air cleanly.
However, as if mocking the attack, Arva ducked her upper body by a hair's breadth and simultaneously swung her leg sharply.
It was a perfectly timed counter low-kick.
CRAAAAACK!
"Gah?!"
Pomen, hit in the leg, screamed and staggered, losing her balance.
Mark Hunt would have died if he took that.
The power was that extraordinary.
Moreover, in the split second Pomen staggered, Arva had already slipped behind her and the pink-haired ECHO got locked into a rear-naked choke.
"Now that I look at it, Pomen, your combat patterns are quite monotonous. You'll need more training."
"L-Let go—! You small-chested tin can…?! Kyaaaaah!"
"Get away from Pomen!"
Noah rushed in like a flash of lightning, aiming for Arva's blind spot.
But Arva, while still suppressing Pomen, simply twisted her body to evade Noah's attack.
Then, she snatched Noah's wrist and slammed her straight into the floor.
"……."
In an instant, two combat-type ECHOs were perfectly suppressed as if they were children.
Watching Arva's overwhelming display, I nodded with a satisfied expression.
It was evident to anyone that Arva's combat ability had skyrocketed compared to before.
With this level of combat power, searching the entirety of Hongwei-7 shouldn't be difficult.
Even if that horrific futanari monster we encountered before reappeared, it would be a fight worth taking.
"……Commander."
"I want to use the synchronization capsule too."
And that afternoon, Pomen and Noah entered the synchronization capsule one after another.
Burning with jealousy and competitiveness, they were determined to become even stronger than Arva.
Naturally, their motivation was nothing but good for me.
"Four, five, six, six, seven, eight, eight, eight…."
"Arva?"
"Yes, Commander."
"I think your counting is a bit strange."
"No, Commander. You must not be fooled by the false signals sent by your brain."
"……."
"Your arms have stopped, Commander."
While the two ECHOs took turns using the synchronization capsule, I was caught by Arva—who looked at me with the eyes of a gym rat looking at a gym newbie—and was forced to endure the hellish routine she designed.
I tried to hold on, intending to push the effects of the Mito Drive to the limit, but it was a truly fucking grueling routine.
Furthermore, the aftermath of the workout was even worse.
Due to the side effects of the Mito Drive, I had to consume a large amount of nutrient-rich meals, but….
"Gueeeeeeek—!!"
Because the only food available in Ark 69 was Concentrated Nutrient Paster, which tasted fucking awful.
Once the workout ended, I had to collapse in my room like a corpse. Only then could I regain enough strength to move even a little.
"…I can't tell if my stamina has actually increased."
I was shameless for expecting a stamina boost after only four days of exercise.
However, while using cheat-level drugs from the Money Compass and working out, it was an inevitable psychological urge to want to see results immediately.
With those thoughts, I took a break under the pretext of patrolling the interior of the Ark.
My body was exhausted, but perhaps thanks to the Mito Drive or perhaps Arva's hellish training, maybe both, my lower half was overflowing with unnecessary vitality.
However, Pomen, who could relieve this, was currently inside the synchronization capsule.
"…Should I ask for a handjob?"
Noah crossed my mind for a moment, but it felt a bit odd to call her just to relieve my urges.
I certainly couldn't call Arva for that reason.
"Hmm…."
I felt like I could probably force either of them to do it if I pinned them down, but I didn't want to take unnecessary risks in a world without the save and load feature available in the game.
Naturally, my steps led me to the groundwater plant where Alpha was.
"Commander, are you on patrol?"
Large-scale construction was underway inside the plant.
It seemed Alpha was replacing rusted pipes by herself. After watching her for a moment, I called her.
"Come here, Alpha."
"Yes, Commander!"
Alpha stopped what she was doing and scurried over to me.
When I tapped below, she knelt before me without a word, her face flushing. Then, she began to undo my belt buckle with familiarity.
"Th-Thank you for allowing me to serve you again today."
Without hesitation, I grabbed the head of Alpha, who had swallowed my member, and moved my hips to relieve my desire.
"K-Kugh, mgh!"
Alpha actively tightened and loosened her throat in sync with my rough movements.
Do mass-produced ECHOes have learning capabilities?
It felt like her technique had significantly improved.
Wrapping her tongue around the entire shaft to stimulate it, she tightened her cheeks to apply strong pressure.
Unlike before, Alpha had become an excellent onahole, bringing me overwhelming pleasure.
"This is good."
"Th-Thank you for the praise, Commander."
It was a very satisfying mouth-pussy.
"The Commander's member is truly amazing as well."
"Is it?"
Normally, I would have been exhausted and ejaculated by now, but today, strangely, I didn't climax as easily, and my erection was maintained.
Is this the effect of the stamina training?
Only after enjoying Alpha's mouth for a long time did I feel satisfied as I poured my semen deep into her throat.
Then, I took a piece of chocolate from my pocket and popped it into Alpha's mouth, which was smeared with my semen.
"Ah—! The taste of life and the sweetness are entering together!"
Seeing Alpha swallow my seed along with the chocolate, looking so happy, I felt a strange sensation, like I had become the bad guy in an NTR doujin.