A Path To Omniscience

August 16th, 2033

Within the Nexus Space, Asher's voice echoed through the vast emptiness, reverberating off the lone platform suspended in the void.

"Preliminary tests have exceeded expectations, outperforming theoretical limits in multiple categories. However, I underestimated both the thermal output and the power intake. The ice dust crystal—acting as both the battery and the coolant system—is struggling to meet the demands of powering the system while maintaining optimal temperatures." As Asher spoke, his mental projection fastened the belt of the pants he'd left for himself in the Nexus Space, then pulled on a shirt with practiced ease.

He continued his monologue as he dressed, his tone calm but analytical.

"Operation time has dropped significantly. The projected three hours is now closer to one, even under moderate load. Coding the power-saving protocols should improve that, but it's clear I'll need high-quality ice dust crystals to sustain the frame's performance. Minor setbacks aside, Project O.M.N.I. Frame is officially a success. End log."

At his final words, the floating logging interface winked out of existence. Almost immediately after, a voice called out to him from the real world, distant but unmistakable.

"Young Master..." Asher's awareness shifted, his consciousness leaving the Nexus Space and returning to his body. He opened his eyes to see Lavi standing over him, her expression poised as always. He was reclining in his chair, the hum of his personal workstation in the background.

"Apologies for disturbing your rest, Young Master," Lavi began, her voice smooth and professional.

"The Schnee siblings have arrived and are waiting in the living room. Shall I bring them to you?" Asher sat up, rolling his shoulders and stretching his neck as he processed what she said.

"No, that won't be necessary, Lavi. Thank you," he replied.

"We'll be spending time in the yard this afternoon, so please inform the staff to pause any gardening work temporarily." Lavi tilted her head slightly, her demeanor giving way to a flicker of curiosity. The Schnee siblings had visited before, but their time was always spent either in Asher's workshop or in the living room.

This was the first time she'd heard of them 'playing' in the yard.

Well, I suppose the Young Master is still young, despite how he acts.

The thought brought a small smile to Lavi's lips. She nodded at Asher's request.

"Very well, Young Master. I'll inform the staff." With that, she turned and left, her footsteps fading as Asher straightened up and pushed himself out of his chair. He stretched, rolling his shoulders as he adjusted his clothes, letting out a quiet sigh.

No point in keeping them waiting.

Leaving his workshop, Asher descended the stairs at a leisurely pace. When he reached the open doorway to the living room, the scene inside greeted him. Weiss and Whitley sat at the table, porcelain teacups in hand as they talked about something. He guessed Lavi—or perhaps another of the maids—had provided the tea.

They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice Asher's arrival at first.

It wasn't until the sharp sound of his shoes meeting the smooth stone floor broke the quiet that they turned. Whitley's reaction was immediate; his eyes widened briefly before a small smile crept onto his face.

"You look pretty good for someone the news claims was kidnapped and held at gunpoint by 'animalistic' criminals," Whitley remarked, his tone edged with dry humor.

Asher raised an eyebrow at that. He hadn't kept up with the news—him being grounded had seen to that—but the headline didn't surprise him. The heir to Frostvale Enterprises caught in an attempted robbery was bound to stir the media.

Especially if Faunus were involved.

"Well, you know how the media loves to exaggerate-" He stopped mid-sentence, noticing Weiss. She was staring at him with a look that simmered just beneath the surface. Relief and something else warred in her expression, though the second emotion didn't seem directed at him specifically. Still, the intensity was hard to ignore.

"What is it?" He asked.

Weiss blinked, her eyes meeting his for a moment before she responded.

"Nothing… It's good to see you're okay."

Asher's brow arched slightly, the tone of her words not quite matching the undercurrent of her emotions. He turned to Whitley, who was watching Weiss with a knowing look before shifting his attention back to Asher. Whitley sighed, a short chuckle slipping out as he broke the silence.

"You can ignore her," Whitley said, waving a hand dismissively.

"She's been a mess about this. First, she was annoyed that we had to find out what happened to you through the news. Then she tried calling you, only to get told you were grounded. That, of course, just made her more irritated." As Whitley spoke, Weiss sprang into action, covering his mouth with one hand and frantically waving off his words with the other.

"He's lying!" She blurted, her voice rising slightly before she caught herself.

"I was just… making sure you were okay. You know, in case you got hurt or something." Her attempt at composure crumbled with a nervous chuckle. Whitley gently pushed her hand away, a smirk tugging at his lips as he continued.

"Oh, you should've seen her. She was so worried that she even thought about calling Winter."

"Will you stop it!?" Weiss snapped, a frustrated grin flashing across her face.

"Don't act like you weren't worried, either." Whitley's expression shifted, a faint twitch at her accusation before he shrugged.

"I never said I wasn't worried. Asher's a friend—it's natural to be concerned. But maybe you-"

"Alright, that's enough," Asher interjected, raising a hand to cut Whitley off.

"I don't want you two arguing over me, especially when I'm clearly fine." To prove his point, he spread his arms and spun slowly on the spot, a playful smirk softening his tone. Weiss and Whitley exchanged glances before conceding.

"Hmph, very well," Whitley said, leaning back into the couch with his arms crossed.

"Fine," Weiss muttered, her voice clipped as she reached for her teacup. She took a measured sip, her eyes darting to her brother before returning to Asher.

With the tension momentarily eased, Asher sat on a part of the couch across from them.

"So," he began, leaning back slightly, "has anything interesting happened to you two this past week?"

Whitley raised an eyebrow.

"Depends on what you mean by interesting. We're still dealing with the same people, attending the same meetings, and running in the same circles as always. Honestly, the most interesting parts of my week have become watching you and Weiss swing metal sticks at each other and our conversations."

Weiss set her teacup down with a delicate clink.

"Well, there is the upcoming charity ball," she pointed out.

"Ah, right," Whitley muttered.

"Though I hardly consider that new. Father's always organizing events like that for the company's image."

"Oh, there's a ball?" Asher asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yes," Weiss answered before Whitley could.

"Our father is co-hosting it with some of his business associates. It's mostly a publicity stunt, as you can imagine, but it's being presented as a fundraiser for Mantle's relief efforts and infrastructure support. A way for the wealthy to 'give back' to the less fortunate."

Whitley added, his tone indifferent, "You and your parents should have gotten an invite—or at least heard about it. It's been the only other major topic on the news aside from your little incident."

Asher gave a small, amused shrug.

"I was grounded, remember? Isolated from just about everything, including the news. Didn't see any invites come my way. But now I'm a bit curious." He leaned forward slightly.

"You said your father and his associates are hosting it. Any idea who'll be attending?"

Whitley pondered for a moment before replying.

"Mostly the same people who came to Weiss's birthday. The upper echelon of Atlas's social circle, a handful of long-standing family friends, high-ranking company officials, the usual crowd." His delivery was casual, almost dismissive.

"Interesting," Asher said, his tone thoughtful.

"What about Atlas Academy? The military?"

Whitley's expression darkened slightly as he tried to recall.

"Hmm… not sure." He glanced at Weiss, his curiosity passing the question to her. Weiss tapped a finger on the table, thinking aloud.

"If I remember correctly, Winter mentioned she'd be attending. And if Winter's going, I'd assume General Ironwood will be there as well, considering he's also the Headmaster of Atlas Academy." At the mention of Ironwood, a spark of interest flashed in Asher's eyes.

"Oh, is that right?" He went quiet for a moment, lost in thought, before speaking again.

"In that case, I suppose I'll need to talk to my parents about attending." Weiss arched a brow, suspicion creeping into her tone.

"And why are you so suddenly interested in this ball?"

Whitley snapped his fingers, realization lighting up his face.

"You want to meet General Ironwood, don't you?" The moment Whitley said it, Weiss's eyes widened slightly as the pieces clicked into place.

I suppose that makes sense. With what Asher's capable of creating—technology far ahead of what's available on the market and probably beyond even what the military uses, then selling to them would be the next step. 

Asher noticed their expressions shift as they pieced it together and gave a faint nod, his smirk faint but telling.

"I do," Asher said with a nod.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity like this, so it's great you two mentioned it. When exactly is the event happening?"

"The twenty-first of this month," Whitley replied. Asher nodded slowly, the date already being filed away in his mind.

"Hmm, I can make that. But events aside, Weiss," he added, his gaze shifting toward her, "I actually have a favor to ask." Weiss blinked, clearly caught off guard. Asher had never asked her—or Whitley, for that matter—for a favor before.

"What is it?" she asked, curiosity creeping into her voice.

"I want to have a duel with you," Asher said, his tone steady.

"But I want to do things differently this time."

That caught both siblings off guard. Whitley, while used to watching their sparring matches by now, had always seen Weiss initiate them. Not to mention, they had always taken place at the Schnee Manor, never at Asher's home.

Weiss tilted her head slightly, intrigued.

"Different how?"

"Normally, you don't use your aura when we duel, right?" She nodded. 

"This time, I want you to use it. Don't hold back," Asher said firmly, his voice dropping just enough to emphasize the seriousness of his request.

Weiss's eyes widened.

"Wait, what?" Whitley blurted.

"Asher," Weiss began, clearly baffled.

"You saw my match against Winter. I'm not saying this to be overconfident, but you wouldn't stand a chance. Not unless you have aura of your own." Asher's expression remained calm, unfazed by her words.

"I'm aware," he said simply. "Which is why this is the perfect opportunity. I've been working on a new type of technology. It's still in the prototype phase, but I need to see how it holds up against a Huntress—or at least a Huntress-in-training."

Weiss blinked, processing his explanation.

"So… you want to use our sparring match to test your invention?" She clarified.

"Exactly," Asher confirmed with a nod. Whitley frowned, crossing his arms.

"But what kind of technology could possibly make you want to go up against my sister without her holding back?" Despite his disinterest in combat, Whitley understood what separated a Huntsman from a normal human.

Aura wasn't just a shield—it was a manifestation of one's soul. Even with a direct, potentially fatal strike, a Huntsman with an active aura wouldn't be harmed unless it was completely depleted. Combined with the superhuman strength aura granted, it made Huntsmen superhuman in every regard. 

Asher met Whitley's questioning gaze with a calm look, gesturing with his head as he stood.

"I suppose you'll just have to follow me out to the backyard and see for yourselves. Oh, and Weiss," he added, turning to her, "did you bring your weapon?"

Weiss hesitated, still weighing the situation. She shook her head.

"No, I thought this was just going to be a normal visit."

"That's fine. I'll lend you one of my practice swords." Since he and Weiss had started sparring, Asher had crafted several practice swords in his workshop. They were simpler than Weiss's custom-made weapon, lacking dust integrations or elaborate design, but sturdy enough for this. 

As they headed toward the backyard, Asher excused himself for a moment, vanishing briefly to "grab" the practice swords. In reality, he accessed the Nexus Space to retrieve them and returned quickly, holding two identical blades.

"I already asked the staff to clear the area, so we'll have privacy," he assured them as they stepped onto the stone deck in the backyard.

Weiss accepted one of the swords he handed her. It was a simple design: a straight, double-edged blade with a modest curve to the guard and an unembellished grip meant for one hand. Uncolored and undecorated, it looked more like raw steel forged into the shape of a sword.

"Asher… are you sure about this? I really don't think it's a good idea," Weiss said, hesitating as she accepted the practice sword he handed her.

"I'm sure," Asher replied firmly, his tone unwavering.

"And just to be clear, I'm not expecting to come out of this unscathed. If I do, it means the prototype didn't get pushed to its limits—and that would make this whole experiment pointless." With that, he turned and descended the rightmost staircase, stepping into the garden.

Reaching the center of the yard, he stopped and waited, the cool breeze stirring his hair.

Weiss lingered for a moment, turning to Whitley with a questioning look. Her uncertainty was written all over her face.

Whitley shrugged lightly, meeting her gaze.

"I mean… you underestimated him during your first match, and you nearly lost because of it. We both know what he's capable of creating. If you ask me, I'd just go along with it. He's not the type to make a request like this without thinking it through." Weiss sighed, reluctant but unable to deny the truth in Whitley's words.

"Alright then," she muttered, her resolve settling.

She made her way down the leftmost stairs, taking her position opposite Asher in the open yard. Whitley followed at a more relaxed pace, staying a safe distance from where the sparring match was clearly about to take place.

"I appreciate this, Weiss," Asher said, a rare note of gratitude in his voice.

"The data I'll get from this will be invaluable."

"If you say so," Weiss replied, adjusting her grip on the sword. It wasn't her usual weapon, and the simple design threw her off for a moment. Still, its weight wasn't far off from what she was used to, and her years of training made the adjustment seamless. As she gave the blade a few test swings, she noticed something.

Her gaze locked onto Asher as he pulled something from the pocket of his jacket.

It appeared to be a visor, crafted from what looked like thick, reinforced glass. The device clearly housed technology—red lights lined its frame and extended to the parts that would rest around Asher's ears. As he put it on, the faint hum of its systems activating became audible.

He then unbuttoned his jacket, letting it slide off his shoulders and fall to the ground, revealing what lay beneath.

He wore his usual vest, but over it was something far from ordinary. A machine clung to his body, sleek and segmented. From Whitley's vantage point, he could see it better than Weiss. Thin and precise, the device traced Asher's back, its main bulk positioned along his spine, branching out in slender pathways to his arms and legs.

At the base of his neck sat the processor unit he had been working on, its intricate design now integrated with another component—the power and cooling module he had the Automated Assembly Arms create. A faint glow emanated from an ice-dust crystal seated snugly in its crystal-shaped slot.

"Is that… an exoskeleton?" Whitley whispered, too quiet for either Asher or Weiss to hear. His eyes widened, unable to recall seeing anything quite like it before.

Weiss, standing closer, voiced the question directly.

"What is that?"

"This," Asher began, gesturing briefly to the machinery on his body, "is a prototype I've been developing. I call it Project O.M.N.I. Frame. I'll spare you the technical details, but this is what I wanted to test against you."

His tone was calm, though his expression became momentarily serious.

"GAIA, begin startup protocol. Activation code X93L7-A."

[Authorized User detected. Startup protocol initialized... AR Unit detected. Establishing connection to AR Unit.]

The red lights on his visor shifted to white, and a glow began emanating from the segments of the O.M.N.I. Frame. The LEDs, previously dark, lit up in a clean, icy blue—matching the hue of the ice dust crystal. A moment later, Asher's body relaxed, his movements fluid as he rotated his neck and stretched his arms.

[All systems have been successfully started. Would you like to begin diagnostics?]

"No," Asher responded.

"GAIA, enter combat-ready mode."

[Combat Mode activated. Switching to combat interface.]

The visor's display changed instantly. What had seemed like simple glowing lenses now revealed a dynamic HUD in Asher's field of vision. Power levels, energy consumption rates, and detailed system readouts appeared at the edges of his view, providing a wealth of information.

As he turned his gaze to Weiss, the visor's sensors locked onto her immediately. A faint outline highlighted her figure, accompanied by a list of data:

[Target Information]

Name: Weiss Schnee

Status: Target Locked

Distance: 3.7 meters

Speed: 0 m/s (Idle)

Trajectory: None

Weapon(s): Straight-bladed, single-handed, double-edged sword. No secondary or hidden weapons detected.

Threat Level: Low

Asher scanned the information briefly before focusing directly on Weiss.

"Ready when you are."