Deus in Machina (a Warhammer 40K-setting inspired LitRPG)

Angar stirred, his consciousness clawing through a fog of grogginess.

A low muttering crept at the edge of his awareness, pulling him toward wakefulness. His eyes fluttered open, revealing the sickbay of the Zephuros, its steel walls glinting under dim light strips.

Beside his bed knelt Saint Thryna, her towering Mechanoid form a silhouette, her Crusader helm bowed, gauntleted hands, one with blade-fingers, pressed together in prayer. The soft hiss of her back-mounted engine punctuated the quiet, like a mechanical heartbeat in the stillness.

His body felt…extraordinary. Even in a hazy stupor, within him surged a vitality he'd never known, as if his blood had been swapped with lightning.

His muscles sung with newfound strength, his senses sharper, his mind buzzing with an energy that made the grogginess feel like an afterthought.

The implants had rebuilt him into something more. He couldn't wait to check his Annals.

He'd never spoken to Thryna before, only passed her in silence, offering respectful nods. The only time her voice had reached him was in that desperate moment before he died.

As his fogged mind churned, wondering why she was there, praying at his bedside, she lifted her helm, the stern visor catching the light. "I'm glad you are how you are," she rasped out, her metallic voice dry as rusted steel. "Still, I'm glad you spared that Presbyter."

Angar's brows creased, the words not quite making sense through the haze of recovery. "Thank you, Madame," he replied, recalling Harc saying to address her so.

He shifted, the far too-small medical bed creaking under his weight, and a flash of paranoia sparked in his chest.

Was Hidetada watching through some hidden scryer implant embedded in him long ago? He knew Hidetada watched through Angar's helm, but he hadn't worn his armor when he confessed to Presbyter Prostasia.

He prayed Thryna hadn't been told, or worse, seen his night with the prostitute. Though he'd done nothing but resist temptation, it had been a personal matter, not for others to witness.

He prayed Harc's dislike of him was a small mercy and kept him from watching or caring, as the man's oil-dark eyes held enough judgment without seeing private moments.

"It's good to be unyielding," Thryna said, her helm tilting slightly, as if measuring him.

Angar nodded. A long moment stretched out without her adding any context to that statement, so he said, "Agreed, Madame."

She huffed. "You were supposed to be dead by now. Since Ash won't guide you, I suppose I'll have to toss you some Knightly wisdom now and then, how to walk the Glorious Path."

The words hung in the air, the expectation lingering. Angar waited once again, but she offered no more. "I'd appreciate any advice you have for a new Knight, Madame," he said, earnestly.

Her helm bobbed once. "Keep going as you have been." She stood, her skeletal frame towering. "Let's go."

Angar's brows furrowed deeper. Go where? He glanced down, noticing the medical robe draped across his blanket, as his body was bare beneath. The urge to check his Annals grew stronger within him, but Thryna was already clanking toward the passageway.

Cursing under his breath, as his legs already hung off the cot, he sat up, scooted forward, and stood, marveling at the effortless strength in his movements, naturally adjusting to his new posture and feet.

He donned the robe, grabbed his hammer, and followed, his steps lighter, more powerful, not just due to his new digitigrade implants and gait, but as if gravity had weakened, just as it had leaving his homeworld.

Thryna's form vanished around a corner, her tripod-feet clanging on the deck. Angar trailed her, his own doing the same, further adjusting to his new gait striding through the Zephuros's narrow passageways.

She passed the galley, heading toward and entering the saloon, or mess, as crewmen named it differently, a multipurpose haven for meals, card games, and moments of ease.

The illumination panels were dark as he approached, a puzzle that deepened his confusion. He sensed bodies in the shadowed room. As he turned, he spotted a massive console that hadn't been there before, its screen glowing on standby mode.

As his boot crossed the threshold, the console flared to life, projecting a scry-capture. The scene it played was vivid, hard to forget. The perspective was from Simo's helm, letting him know Hidetada observed all crew, not just him.

The footage that played was Angar, pinned by the Neuronaut's telekinetic grip, hand trembling as he forced it forward. His roar blasted out of the console, filling the room. "Psychic power!"

The saloon erupted in light, and the crew, every member save Hidetada, including the newcomers Slavo and Iyita, leapt to their feet, shouting in unison, "Psychic power!"

Laughter followed, a raucous wave that drowned the console's echo.

Angar's face burned, his enhanced blood rushing to his cheeks. He turned to leave the room.

"No, no!" Harc's voice cut through, sharp with amusement. "Saint Hidetada didn't set this up for a quick jab. We're to drag out your torment for an hour of revelry, at the least. Come, grab some cake. We'll watch this on loop, laughing at this inanity you spewed out in battle over and over again."

Angar, caught between embarrassment and the crew's mirth, caught again in more nonsense, assuming this, too, was some test by Hidetada. Maybe a lesson, one meant to teach him of socialization or such.

Thryna silently pushed past Angar and clopped away. Simo, standing among the crew, met his gaze briefly, a flash of sympathy in his eyes before he joined the laughter.

Angar's jaw tightened, but he'd survived worse than a room full of mocking crewmates. With a grunt, he stepped forward, ready to endure the cake and the ridicule, his new strength thrumming in his veins.

Not once did anyone bother to ask why he'd yelled that in the heat of battle. At the time, it made sense. He hadn't just blurted it out for no reason.

Harc, dressed in rich refinery, lounging with Slavo and Iyita, filled the saloon with easy laughter. The three of them swapped stories, Slavo's usual awkwardness melting under Harc's charisma.

Angar watched from the sidelines, perched beside Simo and Veerta, a stab of anger twisting in his gut. Why did Harc dislike him?

Later, as the revelry wound down, the crew's laughter fading into murmurs, he finally stole a moment to dive into his Annals.

His breath hitched as the numbers flickered into view. His Adroitness had jumped by 2, not the expected 1. That was huge.

His Body, Mind, and their governed Stats had also surged far beyond projections.

The nature of systemic implants meant gains weren't set. He was expecting to see, discounting an Attribute's increases to governed Stats, a gain of 5 to 7 to Body, 4 to 5 to Mind, 5 to 6 to Physique, 7 to 9 to Endurance, 4 to 5 to Toughness, 2 to 3 to Competence, and 2 to 4 to Cognizance.

Body hit 11, Mind 9, Physique 9, Endurance 12, Toughness 8, Competence 4, and Cognizance 5. The systemic implants, weaving their synthetic threads deeper into his Sulfuronian physiology, had pushed him to new heights.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

His Skill Point total now sat at 20, up from 7, a windfall that eased his fears about being unable to upgrade all his Skills upon ascension.

But it wasn't all good news. His Capstone, Glory Thunders, hadn't mirrored the Physique boosts to Resilience and Power Level as it always had. It must be tied to System-granted increases, not technological enhancements, he reasoned.

Same for his size. Despite the Physique gains, he hadn't grown, not beyond the digitigrade shift in posture granting him some centimeters when standing.

The implants' full benefits, though, lay even beyond the numbers reflected in his Annals, his body filled with a resilience he could feel in his bones.

Poisons, like the one that had nearly killed him on that lift, would now struggle to take hold, his enhanced systems neutralizing toxins, pathogens, and even radiation with ruthless efficiency.

He could eat almost anything now, his digestive implants broadening his tolerance to foods that would've sickened him before, extracting every scrap of nutrient with minimal waste.

He needed less food, less sleep, his endurance a furnace that burned without faltering.

Angar, of course, had sought the potent regeneration, but another bonus granted by all his combined implants and mods, coupled with his high Body Attribute and its governed Stats, was he could survive a catastrophic breach of his Crusader Armor in the void for at least ten minutes, mostly unscathed.

And that time would only increase as his Body Attribute and Stats improved, and upon ascending Tiers and Realms.

He could shrug off extreme environments of rough worlds without his suit and perform in high gravity environments normally.

His hammer, too, had been reborn. Four new mods replaced the useless extended-length one, sharpening its lethality, ready to transfer to his new maul upon his ascension.

Hidetada's network was scouring for a third Tier Reliquary of Wrath ring to extend his channeled Abilities further, or so the Saint claimed. The ring was a necessity not just for Tempest, but for the next Ability awaiting him.

No company crafted such an item, so he'd need to hunt for a System-awarded one someone put up for sale on the market.

His other ring, Auspex, did nothing, but its words were still a challenge from Holy Theosis itself, and he'd keep it equipped.

The new pistol with its energy blade attachment was en route, alongside his Tier 3 armor and weapon. It wasn't great, as its niche design lacked options, but it would serve its intended purpose.

Robed, only his hammer in hand, he set his Annals to display his armor and items as if equipped. The saloon's chatter faded into the background as he studied his changed screens.

ATTRIBUTES, STATS, AND ADROITNESS

(Each Attribute Point increases all Stats governed by that Attribute by 1. Applying 4 Stat Points to the same Stat will increase the governing Attribute by 1. Numbers in (parentheses) include increases from items.)

BODY (Physical Attributes): With 17 AP applied – 55 (64)

Physique (Size/Strength): With 17 SP applied – 84 (93)

Endurance (Stamina/Health): 71 (80)

Toughness (Physical Durability/Resistance): 80 (155)

MIND (Non-Physical Attributes): 42

Competence (Skills/Insight): 48

Cognizance (Awareness/Perception): 56 (61)

Resilience (Non-Physical Durability/Resistance): With 60 SP applied – 113 (119)

SPIRIT (Metaphysical Attributes): 26 (28)

Power Level (PL) (Ability Damage and Effectiveness): With 60 SP applied – 87 (89)

Energy (Resource for Powers shown as Energy Points equal to 3 + (Energy Stat x 3)): 26 (28)

Charges (Increases the number of times certain Abilities can be used per combat): 26 (28)

ADROITNESS (Finesse/Reaction/Speed): 7 (8)

RESOURCES

Current/Maximum Energy Points: 87/87

Current/Maximum Charges: 26/28

IMPLANTS

Head: Cerebra Fluxus, Infernus Oculus, Neurvux, Psychotronicon, ScutEMP, Somnoregulator, Visio Aeterna.

Torso: (Bioware) Backup Heart, Gallbladder, Kidney, Liver, Spleen.

Right Leg: Crura Agiliora (lower leg).

Mods:

Digiti Terebrantes – Three twelve-centimeter claws extend as toes, serving as weapons and aiding balance. Imbuing 1 Energy Point activates them as high-penetration drills capable of boring through thick surfaces.

Gradus Praedatoris – Reshapes the implant into a digitigrade structure, mimicking predatory beasts for enhanced speed, agility, and stride length.

Hydraulica Aucta – Enhanced hydraulic jacks and system amplifying the implant's base functions such as improved agility, jump height, fall distance tolerance, and overall mobility.

Ictus Absorbentia – Shock-absorbing components reducing fall damage and stabilizing recoil from jumps or rapid maneuvers.

Pes Gyrostatic Tripodis – Foot with three points of contact distributing weight and improving balance, gyroscopes counterbalancing motion, and articulated struts adjusting to terrain.

Left Leg: Crura Agiliora (lower leg).

Mods:

Digiti Terebrantes – Three twelve-centimeter claws extend as toes, serving as weapons and aiding balance. Imbuing 1 Energy Point activates them as high-penetration drills capable of boring through thick surfaces.

Gradus Praedatoris – Reshapes the implant into a digitigrade structure, mimicking predatory beasts for enhanced speed, agility, and stride length.

Hydraulica Aucta – Enhanced hydraulic jacks and system amplifying the implant's base functions such as improved agility, jump height, fall distance tolerance, and overall mobility.

Ictus Absorbentia – Shock-absorbing components reducing fall damage and stabilizing recoil from jumps or rapid maneuvers.

Pes Gyrostatic Tripodis – Foot with three points of contact distributing weight and improving balance, gyroscopes counterbalancing motion, and articulated struts adjusting to terrain.

Systemic: Cardiovascular/Respiratory, Digestive, Endocrine, Immune, Nervous, Urinary.

Mods:

Adaptatio Thermica – Enhances body temperature regulation, improving adaptability to extreme environmental conditions.

Adversus Nanites (Two Slots) – Deploys a semi-AI-controlled nanite suite to neutralize hostile nanotechnology. Consumes 3 Charges each activation. Auto-activates if Charges are available.

Cybionts (Two Slots) – Consumes one Charge every 24 hours cultivating cybernetic symbionts' synergistic bond between biological and artificial systems, optimizing total body efficiency.

EMPedimentum (Two Slots) – Consumes one Charge every 12 hours granting resistance to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) disruptions, safeguarding cybernetics and equipped items.

Synapsis Vigorans – Boosts neural synapse speed for enhanced cognitive and physical performance.

Reactio Celer – Accelerates neural reflexes, enhancing reaction speed.

Vigor Haematica – Enhances oxygen delivery for improved performance.

ITEMS

Primary Weapon: Trivident Maul, V8.2M5/5, Graviton x6 Power Hammer, Tier 2

Mods:

Counterbalanced Core – Optimized weight shift boosts both damage and swing speed.

Personalized Grip – Custom haft-handle boosts accuracy and control.

Plasmatic Infusitron – Graviton enhanced strikes integrate plasma to add searing energy damage.

Weighted Head – Adds mass to increase striking force and damage.

Weighted Pommel – Stabilizing endcap mass improves balance, follow-through, and control in close-quarters handling, usable for secondary strikes.

Armor: Crusader Armor, Armiger, Tier 2, 4/4 mods, w/customizations (+1 Adroitness, +9 Body, +2 Spirit, +66 (degraded from 69) Toughness, +5 Cognizance, +3 Resilience).

Mods:

Omnivis Interface – Provides Ammo Count, Biomechanical Feedback, Customizable Widgets, Dynamic Crosshair, Enhanced Vision Modes, Environmental HUD, Gravity Indicator, Hacking Overlay, Loot Notifications, Map/Radar, Overheat Gauge, Ping System, Proximity Alerts, Range Finder, Reload Prompt, Stealth Meter, Suit Environment Auto-tuning, Target Lock Indicator, Team Status, Timers (Clock, Cooldown, Status Effects), Trackers (Injury, Resource, Motion, Objective/Task), Universal Translator.

Phasorax Core – Phase through 3 meters of solid matter once daily (currently 2 meters once daily. Will increase to stated values upon ascension to Tier 3).

Scutum Radians – Consumes one Charge every 12 hours providing additional shielding against radiant attacks (non-physical-Ability, energetic, and thermic).

Hacking Module S2 Prime – Skill Level 2 Prime-rated Hacking Semi-AI, with full hacking kit.

Back: Vitalulum, Tier 3 – Auto-treats 9 worst injuries post-combat based on First Aid Skill, using items from a superior medkit, accruing 3 minutes of credit towards First Aid training per use; at 50 hours, substitutes a Skill Point for higher Tier First Aid System training (currently 6 injuries, 2 minutes, and basic medkit. Will increase to stated values upon ascension to Tier 3 and equivalent Skill level for kit).

Neck: Vinculeparo, Tier 3 – Requires connection with Vitalulum to function. Auto-repairs 9 worst defects in armor or cybernetics post-combat based on Mechanical Repair Skill, using items from a superior repair kit, accruing 3 minutes of credit towards Mechanical Repair training per use; at 50 hours, substitutes a Skill Point for higher Tier Mechanical Repair System training (currently 6 defects, 2 minutes, and basic repair kit. Will increase to stated values upon ascension to Tier 3 and equivalent Skill level for kit).

Ring 1: Reliquary of Wrath, Tier 2 – Increases duration of channeled Abilities by 20%.

Ring 2: Auspex – Gird thy faith and don.

Trinket/Accessory: The Unspoken Way – Enhances psychic power effectiveness and increases Resilience by 3 points. The wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.