18 Upgraded Gear and Reports.

Following their Simulation Training, Kratos drove toward the Cromwell Estate, one of the few in the Ark. When the Ark was being built by the United Forces of Humanity, the most influential people were taken in first. 

Along with their wealth most of the time, but according to Kronus, they squandered it on useless things. They sought comfort rather than power like his family did. Which was why the Cromwell family was in its current influential state. 

Kronus' father understood that it was a decision to be made. Would they become the diamond spoon-fed pigs like so many of the wealthy, or would they use their wealth to get an edge in this world? The Cromwell had chosen the latter leading to their current status. 

It was something that Kratos was very proud of as he knew the state of the current Sovereign Class in the Ark. Bloated, stuck up, with more wealth than they knew what to do with it. His family was of the same class, but unlike those pigs, his line might as well be lions in the pig pen eating them up one by one. 

He began to grin which Sin noticed. She was sitting in the passenger seat so she reached out and patted him on the chest. 

"My bad, I got lost in thought." 

"Mind talking about it? We might give you a new perspective on this thought." 

He felt there was no harm in it. 

"Ok, you girls might have a better eye on this than me, but what do you think of the inhabitants of the Ark. We have three types, Sovereigns, Quotidians, and Noncitizens. Most importantly, let's focus on the top of the Sovereigns." 

They all got to thinking about it before Quency had her answer. 

"Super rich people with more trinkets than they know what to do with. All ripe for the stealing." 

Guilty agreed with that. 

"Scheming, fat, bloated, weak worms sucking the life out of everyone under them." 

Sin nodded. 

"Both of those things and a liability." 

Scathach pondered on this question before answering. 

"People with so much wealth that they have become blind to the needs of anyone else." 

Kratos nodded. 

"Yes. All those things, the wealth of the Sovereigns is kept to just a few people compared to the population of Ark. They often spend huge sums for simple things like their Identification Chips. All Ark citizens have one, but some Sovereigns get fancy ones. 

My family on the other hand just changed the cheap materials to more reliable titanium. Mine, is in my neck by the way. What I was trying to say, is that a majority serves no greater purpose.

Which is why we are a sort of a unique entity. The huge wealth we have has made business, labs, research facilities, and many deals with the Three Manufactures. The rule is only those three can make Nikkes. 

Well, we don't make Nikkes, we research them and make technology that will be used to make them. If we wanted to, we could make them, but we just don't. Getting suitable female brains to make them is left to the three manufacturers. Anyway, my point is that the Sovereigns are a waste." 

As he said that, he pulled up to the gate of the Estate. He did not have to get down as the SUV acted like a key which caused it to open for them. He drove inside and parked out in front of the manor. 

Considering today was not a festival or anything, Hera and Artemis might not be here. Athena would as she was still 16, as for his Father he might be at the Lab. As they all got out of the vehicle, the front door opened. 

David the Butler from before bowed politely to Kratos. 

"Master Kratos, welcome home." 

"Thank you, David. Are my parents home?" 

"Mistress Eleanor is home yes. Miss Athena shall be arriving home shortly. As for Master Kronus, he should be returning from the Labs in a couple of hours." 

"I see. I will be staying for a few days. Prepare 4 guest bedrooms for my companions, and my room." 

"At once. In the meantime, drop by the see the mistress." 

"I intend to." 

David walked away to get some more help to prepare 4 rooms for his squad. In the meantime, he made sure they stayed with him for the moment. As they walked to the living room where his mother loved to spend time in he turned to Quency and Guilty. 

"Guilty, try not to break anything, and Quency, no stealing." 

Quency rolled her eyes at him. 

"I have turned over a new leaf, what s-" 

Just as she said that, he walked toward her reached into her pockets, and pulled out his phone Guilty's restraint controller. Quency looked at the two items before smiling. 

"That's odd, how did those get there? And you sure are forward reaching into my pockets, feeling my thighs indirectly. So forward." 

"I lose brain cells dealing with you. Sin, don't brainwash anyone while we are here or I will have to put you on mute." 

She gazed at him in horror. 

"You can do that?" 

He nodded. 

"That mask can fully block your ability to talk, but in all honesty, I worry less for Guilty and Scathach than you two." 

Guilty smiled that he did not worry for her while Scathach had no reason to be worried about. She did not have a mental quirk or criminal record. Sin cleared her throat and nodded. 

"I will refrain." 

"Thanks, Sin, if you are good these days, no mask when we get back to my home." 

"Deal." 

Quency patted him on the shoulder. 

"And what do I get for not stealing?" 

"Me not taking away your new clothes?" 

She smirked as he just played into her game. 

"Even the bras and panties I bought for you?" 

Just as she said that they had reached the living room where his mother was sitting. She had heard that last sentence and none of the context that came with it. She covered her mouth with her sleeve in shock. 

"Kratos, is that true? Are you already sleeping around with her?" 

Quency nodded. 

"Sure is, I mean just yesterday me and Guilty-" 

Before she said more, he reached out and covered her mouth with his hand. 

"Ignore anything that comes out of her mouth, it is all lies." 

Quency made eye contact with Eleanor and shook her head. His mother, smiled sadly as she looked at him. 

"I see. You are a grown man and I am not one to judge, but how will I ever have grandkids from you? Nikkes can't reproduce." 

He rolled his eyes as now she was just playing along. 

"Hi, mom." 

She giggled as he let go of Quency who rushed over and gave her a big hug. 

"Hello again madam. I greet my future mother-in-law." 

Eleanor now was not smiling. She gently reached up and grabbed both of Quency's ears. She pulled with all her might as Quency recoiled. 

"OWW! WHY!" 

"I don't approve, not you troublemaker. I prefer quite Guilty." 

Guilty smiled that she was liked by Kratos' mother, but Quency had to open her mouth. 

"Well, be glad as Kratos is getting a harem with all of us in it." 

Eleanor frowned as she looked at her. 

"A what?" 

Kratos reached out and covered Quency's mouth again. 

"I don't know what she is talking about, I have just done my duty and nothing more." 

For some reason, Sin smiled with a dark expression as she spoke. 

"Yesterday, he slept with both Quency and Guilty." 

Kratos turned his head to look at Sin who was now looking away. When he looked at his mother she seemed less than happy. However, his saving grace arrived when David entered the room with his father. 

"Master Kronus has arrived." 

'Thank God.' 

When he walked in, Kronus saw Kratos have his hand over Quency's mouth and his wife looking quite displeased. 

"What did I miss and is this a bad time to bring your gear?" 

Kratos perked up at that.

"It's ready?" 

Kronus nodded as he snapped his fingers. 3 Nikkes, not one of them mass-produced began to bring in the huge metal boxes containing their gear. Kratos let go of Quency in favor of checking out his gear. 

He had missed his Hellgun and Scion Armor. Once the 4 giant metal boxes were placed down the lead Nikke saluted Kronus. 

"Sir, do you require anything else?" 

Kronus shook his head. 

"No, that will be all. You are all dismissed." 

The other two saluted and left without any word. When they were gone, Kratos instantly forgot about anything else. Kronus smiled and clicked on a button on a controller he was keeping. 

This caused the 4 crates to unlock and open on their own. Inside was their newly upgraded gear. Kratos kneeled down and took the Hellgun out of the box with a smile. It looked nearly the same, but the internals were what had been changed. 

It was heavier than before, but the Scion armor was what had been changed the most. 

"We upgraded the power source to allow you to use the shield longer. Also, it should be easier to put on. Place your hand on the chest plate." 

He did as instructed and when his hand touched the glowing reactor, the plates of metal began to float one by one before they attached to his body starting with his arm. In mere moments he was fully encased in the Scion armor. 

Its systems linked back with his eye and his gun which brought about that rush he had grown to love. 

"Incredible." 

Guilty picked up her Shotgun and saw the differences in it. It had kept its previous length and bulk, but its means of reloading had fully changed. Kronus explained it in detail. 

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"Instead of feeding the shells one by one, you feed it with a full clip under the barrel. You pull that entire thing off and replace it to be filled later. However, if you need to, it still can be fed shells like before. Better than to rely on just one thing." 

Guilty aimed it at the wall and practiced the reload a few times. 

"It's perfect." 

"Glad you like it." 

As for Quency, she picked up her gun Cuffs and instantly locked them on her wrists. Before she had two barrels on either side of her hands. Now, she had two, but they were collapsable to not impede the use of her hands. 

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"Those cuff guns gave them the most trouble. They have insane fire output and good damage, but we increased that up. The rounds they fire now are even stronger and you have 4 barrels so two magazines per gun. 

For a human, too much firepower, but for you-" 

She filled him in the blanks. 

"Just right." 

Kronus nodded. When Sin got her rifle, it looked the same, but it was not. 

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"We changed your gun to energy energy-based weapon so its power and ammo have been increased. It uses similar fusion Cells to Kratos' Hell Gun so more stopping power." 

Sin smiled under her mask as she looked at it. 

"Can't wait to try it." 

Now, for Scathach who had gotten two new weapons. 

"For you, we pretty much scrapped your Assault Rifle. It was a mass-produced type with barely enough power to take down more heavily armored raptures. We made you a brand new Rifle with far better technology to pierce those stronger raptures. 

And your new weapon, that repeating Rocket Launcher. I named it the Exterminatus. It holds 5 rockets at a time." 

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Scathach aimed at the rifle and loved how it felt already. As for the Rocket Launcher, when she hefted it on her shoulder, she felt she fell in love. Kronus smiled as they all appreciated his people's work. Even Kratos was checking out the new systems added to his armor. 

Eleanor shook her head. 

"Honestly, these girls are just like my son. They love weapons." 

Kronus smiled with pride. 

"Yes, they do." 

Kratos removed his helmet and spoke to his father. 

"Right, before I forget. I know if anyone can do this it is you. Would you be willing to give the 5 of us some 'upgrades'."

"I would have to have the 5 of you examined to see what I can do. But I can certainly do it. Why?" 

"Any advantage I can get I will take. But, Scathach is my main point. She is a Mass mass-produced model made with cheaper methods. Can't you switch out her body for a more up-to-date model like Guilty, Sin, and Scathach."

Scathach was now listening as mass-produced Models were practically garbage. They were cheap, replaceable, and used weaker weapons. Kronus thought about it as this was more serious than just making a new gun. 

"I can do it. It will have to wait as I will have to run some tests on the 5 of you. Son, you sure?" 

He nodded. 

"I am already less than human, more won't kill me." 

His mother frowned, but could not say more. Kronus sighed. 

"Son, before you leave for the surface, I will give you what you want." 

"Thank you, but forget all that for now. I will be staying for 5 days, so more time for family." 

Quency just had to ruin it. 

"More time with the Future In-Laws? Count me in." 

Now, Kronus was interested.

"Explain." 

Kratos sighed as she could never shut up.