The sub-level lab, usually a sanctuary of controlled chaos, felt like a high-security operating theater. The integrated Infinity Key had brought stability to the Model Zero suit, but Alex knew stability alone invited destruction. To counter a god, he needed an absolute, undeniable force. His solution lay in the highly volatile Gravimetric Oscillator, the stolen, unstable prototype contained behind reinforced shielding.
Anya watched, her apprehension palpable, as Alex prepared the Oscillator for transfer. "The math is brutal, Alex. That device was designed to fail catastrophically. The power surge it requires to initiate a gravitational pulse is exponentially higher than anything the Arc Core is rated for, even with the Cosmic Shielding Protocol."
Alex, already clad in the form-fitting thermal layer beneath the suit, calibrated the magnetic containment field surrounding the Oscillator. "We aren't going to run it continuously, Anya. Tony's mistake—and Stane's—was trying to use it as a sustained weapon. We will use it as a kinetic amplifier. The Core will provide a single, instantaneous burst of pure RUNE energy—a focused spike sufficient to initiate a localized, anti-gravity field in the gauntlet for less than one second."
His genius was in the Kinetic Relay Circuit—a dedicated, internal power pathway he was fabricating solely for this weapon. This pathway bypassed all the suit's regulation protocols, connecting the Oscillator directly to a high-output junction near the Arc Core. It was the ultimate override, designed for one function: absolute power.
"The Cosmic Shielding Protocol integrated with the Key will handle the external energy signature," Alex explained, his voice low and intense. "But we need more than just shielding for the internal feedback. The force exerted back into the armor on discharge will be massive. We need a physical, kinetic buffer."
Engineering the Ultimate Sacrifice
The work began—a fusion of delicate nanite manipulation and brute-force kinetic engineering. Alex first fabricated a complex, layered housing for the Oscillator within the right gauntlet. He used ultra-pure Liquid Mesh alloy, folding and compressing it to create layers of micro-shock absorption. He reinforced the critical stress points of the forearm with salvaged vibranium filaments, hoping the legendary metal's properties could absorb the inevitable recoil.
This level of custom fabrication was slow, arduous, and terrifyingly precise. Every wire, every conduit, had to be perfect to channel the exponential surge of RUNE energy without vaporization. Alex's focus was absolute, relying entirely on his own internal stability provided by the RUNE Host state.
Anya managed the external environment, running thermal regulation and particle filtration, her eyes constantly flicking to the stress diagnostics.
"Integrity check on the Kinetic Relay Circuit complete," she reported after hours of silent labor. "It will channel the power, but there are no thermal or kinetic dampeners on that circuit, Alex. The second you fire, the energy rebound will spike back into your biological systems faster than the nanites can repair."
"That is the design, Anya," Alex stated, aligning the Oscillator core. The device, now free of its external shielding, pulsed with a dull, menacing violet light. "We are engineering a weapon that is more powerful than the safety protocols. The safety is in the limitation of use."
He finally closed the reinforced housing on the right gauntlet. The Model Zero suit now featured a significantly bulkier, angular forearm, visibly housing the immense, violent power within. It was no longer sleek; it was menacing.
[System Alert: Gravimetric Oscillator Integrated. Weapon System Status: Volatile. Safety Protocols: Overridden. Output: Unprecedented.]
The Inevitable Trade
The final stage was the diagnostics run—a low-power, one-second pulse simulation executed in the highly shielded enclosure. Alex wanted to measure the true, physical cost before the global threat became reality.
Anya initiated the pulse. A silent, violet ripple of energy briefly shimmered around the gauntlet, causing the air in the enclosure to crackle.
The console immediately lit up with catastrophic warnings. The force was confirmed: the Gravimetric Punch generated a localized field capable of neutralizing the kinetic energy of a celestial body—a true counter to a god's strength.
But the subsequent internal diagnostic was devastating.
"Alex, look at the Biological Firewall!" Anya cried, tears finally breaching her resolve.
The single discharge had caused an immediate, systemic drain on the internal reserves. The immense kinetic rebound, channeled directly into the Arc Core's junction, had forced the Nano-Tech to sacrifice its immediate repair capability to save the suit's structural integrity.
[System Warning: Post-Fire Nano-Tech Reserve: Critically Depleted. Biological Firewall Integrity: 15%. Projected Recovery Time: 72 Hours.]
"The Gravimetric Punch works, but it's a trade," Alex stated, absorbing the data with a chilling lack of emotion. "It costs 85% of the total Nano-Tech reserve to fire once."
Anya walked over to him, her hands trembling as she pointed to the 15% remaining integrity. "That 15%, Alex, is the minimum required to keep your cellular structure from breaking down under the RUNE energy. If you fire that weapon a second time before the nanites can fully replenish over three days, your body's systems will fail. You will die."
The truth was absolute and brutal. The Gravimetric Punch was ready, the perfect anti-god weapon. But its magnificent power came with an absolute, personal limitation: it was a one-shot weapon designed to be fired in the knowledge that every use dramatically shortened Alex's life. The Shadow Man was now a walking sacrifice.
This chapter successfully completed Pillar II, Chapter 33 of the expanded plan, creating the ultimate weapon and establishing its devastating personal cost. The stage is now set for the emotional confron
tation in the next chapter.