The Unknowing War (Optimum Project sequel)

Chapter 7

Training v2.0

It took three weeks before enough of the radiation immunity formula was developed for the entire crew of the Titan, and during those three weeks I honestly had the most fun ever.

I hung out with Bree, Peter, and Sarah often, whether it was practicing combat sims together or just goofing off in the lunch room, our little group was virtually inseparable, and with each day we spent together that bond only grew stronger.

But that didn't mean I didn't have duties to take care of.

Every morning I went in for special training sessions for strength control, something I had needed since getting nanite injections in all my muscle groups, which condensed the fibers there and making my strength much, much greater than was normal for a teen my age. Hell, even pro weightlifters couldn't punch like I could. And along with the strength training etc. came lessons in computer programming, espionage, engineering, languages. Which were ok, if not boring; But then came my nanite manipulation courses. Pix would sit in a sealed room with me and a huge batch of nanites, training me in control, detail, and speed; I was in the middle of one such session when pix popped a surprise command.

I had just finished making a teacup, something actually rather simple to me now, when pix said,"Make a weapon."

I blinked, "What?"
He nodded again, "Go on, make a weapon, any kind."
I thought for a moment, a gun was to complex for me, but I didn't want a stick either....

I closed my eyes and concentrated, envisioning what I wanted to create and willing the billions of nanites into position. I opened my eyes again but maintained concetration, watching what I had chosen to make take form. When I was done, a sword sat on the table, simple and thin it looked like a cross between an ancient Japanese katana and a similarly old rapier.

Pix slow-clapped, "Exactly as I expected, I knew a gun was to complex for you and so a blade would have been the easiest choice, though to be honest I expected a dagger."

He picked up the blade with one of his hands and turned it over, looking at it, admiring it.

Pix tossed it to me and I caught it by the handle, surprised at how light it was, I gave it a few test swings and found that it seemed the flat blade was perfectly balanced.

Pix nodded again and went over to one wall, pulling out a large metal column that seemed to weigh at least a hundred pounds considering the way he strained.
Dropping it on the table with a thunk he turned to me and said, "Slice it in half."

I looked from him to the metal tube and back to him, Tom was unable to help me while I was in this room due to nanite control needing to be mastered through a direct link, not via an AI. Though the technology was still using Tom's nanite-based hardware structure.

I shrugged as pix nodded in encouragement and again gestured to the column. I rolled my shoulders and held the blade up with both hands. Taking a deep breath I swung at easily 1/4 my max strength.

And lost my balance and fell over.

Pix started laughing and I glared at him, thinking I missed.

He came over and helped me up, "That's fantastic Noah, perfect."

I suddenly became confused, "But... I missed." I said unhappily.

Pix started laughing again, harder this time. After a few minutes he calmed himself enough to pull his pen out of his pocket and looked pointedly at me, "Watch this."