The Nitro Capsule pulsed inside the freshly carved cavity—
a dense, glowing cube of swirling liquid-metal, vibrating like a storm trapped in ice.
Karl wiped the last sweat from his brow.
"Alright, Agnes… the hard part's done. Now comes the messy part."
The Nitro Capsule was already locked inside the cavity—
a pulsing cube of swirling liquid-metal glowing like a bottled storm.
Only one thing remained:
The Injector Arm.
A segmented mechanical limb folded out from the side of the regulator, each joint clicking into place like the opening of a surgical instrument.
The Drive Regulator's inner lights flickered as Agnes stirred, her voice reforming through the system.
"I'm fully rebooted, stable… and very, very aware of what's about to happen…"
Karl cleared his throat, trying to keep calm.
"Yeah. The Injector Arm. It needs to pierce through your USB inner line to siphon the Nitro."
Agnes' voice glowed with a dangerous, teasing warmth.
"…Pierce me then."
"NO— Listen— Agnes, PLEASE— I need you serious right now."
She giggled, but didn't push further.
The Drive Regulator lit up—
NITRO INJECTOR — ONLINE
READY FOR PORT PIERCING
Karl wiped his eyes, cleared his throat, and focused.
"Alright. Let's do this."
The Drive Regulator shifted.
WHRRRRR—CLNK—SHHNK
A mechanical limb unfolded from the left side of Karl's waist:
Segment by segment.
Joint by joint.
Clean, precise, surgical.
At the end was a triple-seal hydraulic injector nozzle—
needle-like, humming with power.
Karl exhaled.
"Injector Arm… ready."
Agnes whispered:
"Just do it… quickly."
The injector arm unfolded fully—
a needle-like hydraulic tube ending in a triple-sealed nozzle.
Karl crouched, guiding it.
"This will connect directly to your USB inner line, Agnes. Ready?"
Her voice purred through the speaker.
"Oh, I've been ready…
Stick it in."
"W-why are you like this?!"
The arm snapped forward—
CHNNNNNK—!!
The injector PIERCED the USB port.
The moment it connected—
Karl tapped the side of the regulator.
"Inject."
CHNNNNNNNK—!!!
The injector punched into the USB port.
Right into Agnes' inner line.
And she GASPED— a digital choke of shock and sensation.
"A-AHH—!!
Karl—! Oh my— that's— that's deep— it's right against my interface—"
Karl's entire face exploded red.
"I'M JUST INSTALLING A FUEL LINE WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS—?!"
"I can FEEL it scratching the inner port— nngh— my circuits are— Karl— it's too tight—"
"STOP. TALKING. NOW."
"I can't— you shoved a whole injector in me—!"
"A-AHHH—!!
Karl—!! Oh— that's— that's deep— the injector's— ngh— piercing my coreline—"
Karl groaned, face exploding red.
"AGNES PLEASE— I'm TRYING to focus—!"
"W-wait— the Nitro— it's pouring— it's POURING through— I can f-feel it—"
Karl strangled a groan.
"AGNES—"
But then—
Everything changed.
The Nitro Capsule thrummed.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
Agnes' voice cut off—
replaced by a trembling, shuddering moan.
"K-Karl—
It's coming—
The Nitro— it's— it's MOVING—!!"
The liquid-metal Nitro ignited inside the capsule.
Blue lightning danced along the cavity walls.
The fluid rushed into the funnel tube—
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOSH—!!
And then—
it slammed into the USB inner port.
A surge of glowing blue fluid shot through the injector, funneling down with violent force.
Agnes' voice broke.
"K-Karl—!! I'M— I'm filling— it's flooding me— it's— IT'S SO WET—!"
Agnes screamed.
"N-NGH—!!
It's POURING through me—
It's s-so— SO WET—
OH— IT'S RUNNING DOWN EVERYTHING—!!"
Karl slammed his hands over his ears.
"AGNES I'M BEGGING YOU—"
"NO— YOU NEED TO KNOW—
It's everywhere— I'm d-renched inside—
Karl— it's dripping— sliding— filling—
I can't contain it—!!"
It's— it's dripping through EVERY circuit—
I'm SOAKED— everything inside is— SLIPPERY— Karl—
OH—
OH I'M— I'M— PRESSURIZING—!!"
Lights burst from the regulator.
Pressure spiked.
The entire Nexus trembled.
"Karl— it's—
I'm— I'm overloading—
THE NITRO IS OVERFLOWING—!!"
The Drive Regulator BURST OPEN—
And all at once—
A GEYSER OF BLUE LIQUID SHOT OUT AND ENGULFED KARL.
"—OH HELL—!!"
It coated him from head to toe, drowning him in a sphere of shimmering, floating fluid.
Karl was hit full-force.
He lifted off the ground, engulfed in the torrent.
The liquid-metal wrapped around him, swirling, shimmering, thick like molten jelly.
The sphere formed around his body—
Suspended in midair.
Weightless.
Electric.
Alive.
Inside, Karl floated.
Arms spread.
Heart pounding.
Karl's arms flailed, muffled underwater.
Agnes moaned through the speaker—
"Nngh—
Overflow—
Overflow—
You're getting drenched Karl—
S-Sorry— actually no I'm not—"
Agnes' voice vibrated through every drop.
"Karl… it's time…"
The sphere compressed around him—
WHOOMP. WHOOMP. WHOOMP.
Each pulse forged a new layer of armor:
1. Jet Skid Plating
Sleek fins unfolded from his shoulders and thighs, razor-smooth and aerodynamic.
2. Thruster Spine
A three-vent engine formed along his back, glowing like molten blue fire.
3. Arm Cannon Frames
Railgun-like brackets wrapped around both forearms, humming with charge.
4. Jetline Visor
His helmet reshaped—
Eyes lengthening into a sharp V-shaped targeting HUD.
Karl floated inside the hardening cocoon, weightless.
Vents locked. Armor sealed.
Karl clenched his fists.
Heat surged through him.
The sphere cracked—
FWOOOOOOM—!!
A shockwave blasted out.
Agnes' voice deepened—now smooth, powerful, drenched in Nitrogen energy.
"Kurogane Karl…"
The world shuddered.
"NITRO-DRIVE… ONLINE."
Blue plasma roared from his back thrusters.
He crouched.
Visor glowing like a predator's eye.
"OVERBURN JET…"
The vents ignited.
FWOOOOOOOOOOOM—!!!!
"LAUNCH."
The thrusters ignited.
A shockwave detonated under him.
A ring of blue plasma exploded outward.
Karl's eyes glowed behind the visor.
And Karl shot forward—
A streak of blue fire ripping through the Nexus.