When you move your leg, the machine delays by about 0.2 seconds before applying assistance to help you move, even with a brain-computer interface connected.
For an average person, this delay might be acceptable, but for someone equipped with a Sianwistan, this delay is intolerably high.
Besides, although the exoskeleton comes with a helmet-integrated mini-computer for control assistance, the burden on the human brain is equivalent to more than double that of transforming the whole body into cyberware.
Even with Mercer's intellect and the Network Access Vault, he feels his head heating up slightly when using this armor. The burden on his brain during full combat approaches the level of Brain-Machine Overclocking...
What was Arasaka thinking with this design? Can someone with an intelligence of 6 even use this?
Mercer shook his head and continued to look for issues with this mech suit. He discovered that its power supply is also concerning. To use the gravity hand cannon, the suit is hybrid-powered, but due to size limitations, both the battery and fuel capacity are minimal.
At full power, with a full battery and tank, it can only support ten minutes of operation. If you continuously use the Compressed Propulsion for flight or accelerated combat, this duration halves.
Even more ridiculously, firing the gravity hand cannon once consumes a minute's worth of power...
No wonder when it was later modified into the "Artificial Vajra" that David wears in the anime, its appearance seemed at least twice as large—Mercer suspects even with a size doubling, endurance only increases by 1.5 times.
After testing for a few more minutes, Mercer noticed fluctuations in delay. This was due to the internal processor becoming unstable as its temperature increased during continuous operation.
He couldn't help but laugh.
It seemed the designers also thought this thing couldn't sustain combat for long, so they didn't consider cooling for the computer, just making sure the processor held up until the power ran out...
No wonder it was later revamped into an exoskeleton armor requiring direct connection to the Sianwistan operating system, not just to lower latency, but to resolve the internal computer problems... at the cost of even greater stress on the human body.
Mercer pondered over the external armor for a long time, finally gritting his teeth.
This suit isn't for V to use—no matter how stubborn she is.
So it'll be me!
Once he made up his mind, he simply put on the engineering gloves and began dismantling the gear.
Arasaka's stupid design is a mess, and the optimization is no better. Since Mercer plans to take this thing to the battlefield himself, he must seize the time to completely remake it in his own image!
Thus, over the next few days, Mercer further cut his sleep time, working frantically until finally completing the radical modifications to the exoskeleton suit by the early hours of January 31st.
As he quietly admired this now even more bizarre exoskeleton armor in the empty equipment room,
An unexpected person in Night City got entangled in a huge mess because of him.
...
Rogue picked up the call with an indifferent expression.
A woman's voice calmly spoke.
"Rogue, I heard you've been inquiring about things you shouldn't... care to explain?"
Hearing Arasaka Michiko's voice, Rogue sighed heavily in her heart.
Damned kid, damned Silver Hand, I shouldn't have gotten involved with you two in this mess...
But outwardly, Rogue only said calmly, "I'm not sure what you mean."
"What I mean is... you've underestimated Hanako's power and shouldn't be probing the Arasaka social circle for news on Yoshinobu.
Hanako thought I instructed you, so she even called to probe me a little... I want to know your purpose."
After Michiko finished, she paused and said, "I thought our relationship was pretty good; we shouldn't need to go so far as to send 'Dangerous Girls' to investigate you, right?"
"...Nothing else, I was just told that Silver Hand's consciousness data is now with Arasaka."
Rogue said, putting on a somewhat vulnerable expression as she looked at Michiko, "I thought... if anyone could help me, even just to see him once more..."
"Hmm..." Michiko appeared a bit wistful in the video call. She paused for a moment and said, "Then you've come to the right person."
But after Michiko finished speaking, she suddenly shifted the subject, "Who told you this?"
"Internet Supervision," Rogue said without hesitation, "Someone from Internet Supervision contacted me and offered to talk to Yoshinobu on my behalf. If they could obtain Silver Hand's consciousness data, they'd let him meet me for a chat, maybe even..."
She trailed off, but Michiko probably guessed the rest, "So Internet Supervision hired you?"
"Rather than hired, it's more like a collaboration, since obtaining everything depends on me helping them find a way to connect with Yoshinobu."
Rogue's words weren't baseless; during her recent low-key investigations, she keenly noticed another group with a similar aim of finding out Yoshinobu's whereabouts.
They also seemed to be looking for a chance to meet him one-on-one.
After her investigation, Rogue's intel suggested a high probability the other party was Internet Supervision.
Why was Internet Supervision looking for Yoshinobu? Rogue didn't know, but she knew this was the way to handle the blame.
Arasaka Michiko nodded, "I'll cover for you; it's likely Hanako will report this to the Boss. Now you should stop. I'll inform Yoshinobu someone is looking for him, and after that, it's up to him."
"Understood." Rogue said, looking a bit dejected, "Sorry, I feel bad about dragging you into this."
"Don't say that, Rogue, you've helped me plenty. So be careful for now, no one knows whether Hanako will believe me."
Michiko reminded, "If needed, go to Dog Town; I'll have people take you away."
"I'm not leaving," Rogue said firmly, "If Arasaka's people want to find me, they can come; I'll be waiting at Rebirth."
"...You're as stubborn as ever, too bad you got involved with Silver Hand and wasted a lifetime," Michiko said, then ended the call.
After hanging up, Rogue sighed deeply, feeling a bit of relief.
Managed to get away with it, barely.
But she immediately sent a message to Mercer.
[Rogue: I've drawn some attention, for safety's sake, try not to bother me for a while. As for Yoshinobu, we'll have to wait for him to make his own move.
Given what I know of him, if he realizes someone actively wants to contact him, he'll likely reach out himself.
And as long as he finds a way to come to Night City, meeting him will be much easier. Be careful yourself.]
[Mercer: Understood, be cautious, and contact me if you need help.]
[Rogue: Worry about yourself, Mr. Million.]
[Mercer: I'm thinking of doubling my bounty.]
[Rogue: Just make sure you call me first so I can claim your bounty.]
[Mercer: Sure! We'll split the reward 30/70! XD~]
[Rogue: Haha, deal.]
[Mercer: By the way, tune into the news tonight.]
[Rogue: ...You're worse than Silver Hand!]
[Mercer: But I'm much more reliable! Busy now, will treat you to a drink later, thanks for everything.]
[Rogue: Silly kid, don't die.]
[Mercer: Ha~ I'm as fierce as Morgan Black Hand now!!]
[Rogue: High?]
[Mercer: Wait and see.]
Rogue shook her head, closing the communication with a smile she couldn't suppress—dealing with such a bastard always inexplicably cheered her up.
Damn... am I a masochist?
Rogue shook her head, cursing softly, then immediately got up to start arranging some security measures.
Hopefully, I won't have to skedaddle out of Night City because of that Silver Hand bastard again... Damn it, when I see him, I'm definitely giving him a slap, that... damn idiot!