AP(EX) Technomancer

"Hey Noah," Atlas's voice crackled through my earpiece, his tone casual, almost too relaxed for the situation. "My HUD shows the rookies are closing in on us from all directions."

I exhaled, shifting slightly on my feet, my boots pressing into the dirt beneath me. The trees around us were tall and dense, their leaves forming a canopy of green that filtered out much of the sky's light, casting everything in a hazy gloom.

The perfect backdrop for an ambush. The perfect setting for a war.

"Can you just come down from there?" I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "There's no point in hiding up there when they can see you from the navigation panel."

"Hey, hurt my feelings much?" Atlas shot back, a smirk audible in his voice. "Even though they know where I am, they can't pinpoint my exact position when I'm in stealth mode."

The trees around us rustled, and with a soft whoosh, Atlas dropped down, landing lightly beside me. The lanky figure of my partner stood with that cocky grin of his, almost like he was daring the whole world to come at him.

"Well," he muttered, presumably glancing at the map on his HUD, "Like I said, the rookies are ganging up on us. And they've forged some kind of alliance."

I looked down at the map for a moment, my grin turning into a bemused smile. "They can form whatever alliance they want. We can still take them down."

Atlas raised an eyebrow. "Confident, huh?"

"I like that about you," he added with a wink.

Rolling my eyes, I shifted my focus back to the feeds coming from the recon drones I'd deployed a few miles ahead, securing our perimeter.

"They won't attack us," I said with certainty. "At least, not yet. Not when the seniors are still watching. They'll wait until we tire ourselves out. And then they'll move in for the kill."

Atlas nodded slowly, watching the trees sway in the wind. "In that case, let's replenish our energy and stamina first."

Without missing a beat, he tossed a couple of energy canisters toward me, the metallic clink of them hitting the dirt the only sound breaking the eerie quiet.

The second the energy hit my system, I felt the familiar rush, a surge of vitality spreading through my limbs. I closed my eyes for a second, focusing on the data flows that kept my body ticking.

That's when it happened. Without warning, my Codebreaker HUD materialized in front of me, its ethereal black interface blinking to life.

[Codebreaker Alert: Unopened Rewards Available]

I blinked, caught off guard. How had I forgotten? The rewards from defeating Gaius earlier—the ones I'd earned while I was too busy dealing with the other seniors—had been waiting for me.

The timing couldn't have been more perfect.

I clicked the notification, my heart pounding in anticipation. I'd seen the abilities I could unlock, but another EX skill? This could be huge.

The notification faded, replaced by a screen I could barely contain my grin over.

[Data Manipulation Skill (EX Rank) Unlocked]

As soon as the skill's description appeared, I knew this was what I'd been waiting for. This wasn't just any skill; this was a game changer.

[Data Manipulation Skill (EX Rank)

Description: Transform raw or available data into usable code, materials, or energy for combat and crafting purposes.

Sub-skills:

Data Storage: (Cooldown: 5 minutes) Converts unused data into usable storage or minor items.

Data Transmute: (Cooldown: 15 minutes) Converts data into usable materials or components.

Data Weapon Creation: (Cooldown: 20 minutes) Creates weapons or tools from raw or existing data streams.

Apex Data Fusion: (Locked) Merges data streams to create powerful items, structures, or sentient beings]

Data—it's something we covered in class, but I never truly grasped its significance until now. Everything in this world, everything created by GAIA, is essentially just data.

What we perceive as materials—stone, metal, wood, even the very air we breathe—it's all data to GAIA.

And, as it turns out, everything around me right now? It's all data too.

The trees, the ground, the very terrain of this simulated Jungle Arena—none of it is real in the way we understand it. It's just data, waiting to be shaped and transformed.

That's where my Data Transmute ability comes in. With it, I can take this raw data, twist it into usable components, and turn it into something much more useful—like weapons or tools.

It's exactly what I need in this situation, and it's going to give me the edge I need in this fight.

I could feel the power thrumming in my veins as I prepared to manipulate everything around me. All I had to do was tap into it. Data, in its purest form, was mine to command.

It was a perfect fit. 

Turning to Atlas, I grinned. "Hey, what rank is your Mecha Rifle?"

Atlas raised an eyebrow, eyeing the weapon strapped to his back. "This?" He held it up. "It's only A-rank. Why?"

"What if I told you I could upgrade it to an S-rank?" I said, my voice low but dripping with confidence.

Atlas blinked, his eyes widening as if I'd just told him the most insane thing he'd ever heard. "Heck yeah! That'll be awesome!" Without hesitation, he tossed the rifle to me. "Take it. It's yours."

His excitement was palpable, and for a moment, it was hard not to laugh. This was the same guy who had been groaning under pressure minutes ago, and now he was practically vibrating with glee.

"You sure you're not gonna get picky on me?" I asked, inspecting the weapon in my hands.

Atlas, eyes gleaming, leaned forward eagerly. "No, no. Make it badass. And, uh, if you could, make the ammo stealthy—like, invisible to the naked eye? And once it hits the target, could you make it like it explodes?"

"Your imagination is wild," I muttered, but with a smile. "I'm not a god, but I'll try."

With a flick of my wrist, the HUD flickered, and my fingers worked their magic through the interface.

My eyes scanned the blueprints of the Mecha Rifle, pulling apart its digital structure, analyzing the components with a level of precision that was borderline obsessive.

From there, it was just a matter of applying my Data Weapon Creation skill. I converted the weapon's basic design, adding layers of new functionality and enhancements.

I crafted invisible projectiles that would cloak themselves until they hit their target, causing them to explode on impact.

I fine-tuned its energy efficiency, improved its targeting systems, and synced it with Atlas's Sniper Assassin abilities.

As the final adjustments were made, the weapon hummed with new energy, its data structure stabilized. A system notification from Codebreaker flashed in front of me:

[New Weapon Created: Phantom Weaver (SS Rank)]

The thrill of seeing those words filled me with a rush of satisfaction. But that wasn't all. As the notification continued, my eyes widened in surprise.

[System Reward: S-Rank Blueprints x 2 ]

My heart skipped a beat.

The creation of an SS-rank weapon had triggered a reward—two new S-rank blueprints. The implications were huge.

I'd just crafted a weapon far beyond anything I'd ever done before, and now the system was giving me the tools to take it even further.

I felt a jolt of satisfaction as the system chimed in, confirming the weapon's SS rank status. Atlas's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets when I handed it back to him.

"Phantom Weaver…" he whispered, reverence in his voice. He cradled the rifle like it was a newborn, a glint of pride in his eyes. "You really did it."

I watched, half-amused, as he scanned the weapon in disbelief. "SS-rank. No way! This is… this is insane, Noah!"

His grin stretched wider, and he raised the weapon into the air like he'd just been handed a treasure. "Thank you! From now on, you're not just my best friend. You're my brother! My family!"

"Stop with the flattery," I muttered, already looking ahead. "We've got more pressing matters to deal with."

"What do you suggest we do?" Atlas asked, still staring at the rifle as if it were the most precious thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

I turned toward the jungle, my eyes narrowing as I surveyed the distant horizon. The rookies and seniors weren't going to wait for us to prepare. They'd be on us soon, and this wasn't a time for hesitation.

"We build a mini fort. I'll construct some sentinels to help defend us. We're not just gonna sit here and wait for them to come to us."

Atlas grinned. "You know, I love your style."

As I began my work, the data streams around me seemed to come alive. The simulated Jungle Arena was no longer just a place—it was a battlefield, and I was going to shape it to my advantage.

I didn't have to worry about GAIA finding out. Manipulating data? It wasn't anything new.

Almost every awakened ability was built on it, whether we were talking about elemental powers, physical augmentations, or the wild, unpredictable skills some people had.

Everything came from data in one form or another.

But here's the kicker—Codebreaker. My passive skill was my trump card, and it was better than I could have hoped for. It wasn't just an advantage—it was my safeguard.

With it, I could twist reality into something unrecognizable, and GAIA wouldn't even blink. My manipulations wouldn't raise a flag. They'd be classified as nothing more than some kind of advanced alchemy.

What I was doing? I knew it looked like crafting tools or conjuring materials. A simple skill—nothing too suspicious. But behind the curtain, I was reshaping the data that held everything together. The world was made of data, and I was bending it to my will.

And GAIA? It would have no clue.

And just as I was about to finish my preparations, the familiar hum of a system notification sounded.

[Warning: Hostile forces detected]

Looks like the fun was about to begin.