Chapter 99. Machine Factory
The Cyborg Dolphin had joined the exploration team.
It willingly offered to guide us to Omega’s location.
─［I will guide you safely, hehe.］
【Pururu】─Haha, look at how quickly its attitude changed.
【Mysticism】─Pathetic. 😟
【Yumi】─It’s a textbook example of “strong to the weak, weak to the strong.”
【Rise Nova】─It surrendered the moment it saw the exploration team.
【Bubble Bubble】─Well, that’s natural. In a world where the strong prey on the weak, you have to bow to the strong, especially if you can’t run away.
The Cyborg Dolphin took the lead and started guiding the exploration team.
Its behavior had changed to be much more servile than before.
─［Ah, come to think of it, why has my power weakened…?］
While walking, the Cyborg Dolphin kept sneaking glances at the exploration team.
After looking at Iris one last time, it cautiously asked Neo Hyeong-seok.
─［Min Hyeong-seok. Your Explorer isn’t here but watching through Iris from afar, so why has my power weakened? Does this have something to do with the fact that I could be tamed even from a distance?］
─［Don’t dig too deep. You’ll get hurt.］
─［…Got it.］
It was clear the Cyborg Dolphin was briefly frustrated, but it held back.
The exploration team standing behind Neo Hyeong-seok seemed to be the reason it restrained its anger.
Seeing this, Neo Hyeong-seok warned the Cyborg Dolphin.
─［I’m telling you this late, but by the way, the Explorer has power similar to those who are here. Keep in mind that you can’t treat them carelessly.］
─［What? Really?］
The Cyborg Dolphin looked surprised.
It blinked rapidly before staring at Iris, muttering.
─［An Explorer with strength similar to those here… I didn’t realize how powerful they were just by watching through the screen…］
Still a monster that easily believed others.
Normally, it would have been more suspicious.
【Pururu】─Doesn’t Geon detect danger even through the screen?
【Mysticism】─That’s because Geon oppa is amazing! 😀
【Yumi】─Geon shares his senses with Iris, so that might be the reason.
─［Explorer, I apologize for my rude behavior earlier, hehe.］
“Yeah…”
I couldn’t quite get used to this thing.
I should avoid taming it even if I had the chance.
***
─［I’ve sent a message to Omega. I mentioned that I’m escorting an Explorer with the Assisted One trait, hehe.］
It had been two hours since we started following the Cyborg Dolphin.
It seemed the promise of a safe journey was genuine, as we hadn’t encountered a single monster so far.
‘But when will we arrive? Are we still far from the Machine Factory?’
I had been watching Iris’s screen in boredom, so out of curiosity, I called out to the Cyborg Dolphin.
“Hey, Dolphin.”
─［Yes, Explorer!］
【Bubble Bubble】─It’s certainly disciplined now.
【Rise Nova】─A fine sight to behold.
“Omega is at the Machine Factory, right?”
─［Machine Factory… Oh, it seems Min Hyeong-seok introduced our village with that name! Well, since we don’t have an official name, it’s fine! Anyway, yes, Omega is currently at the Machine Factory!］
“How long until we get there from here?”
─［If we take a shortcut, we can arrive today! But the shortcut is currently too dangerous, so we’re taking a slightly longer route!］
“The shortcut is dangerous?”
─［Yes! Recently, a terrifying creature was born in the Machine Graveyard, and it frequently appears in the shortcut I usually take, so it’s become impossible to use.］
“A terrifying creature… is it stronger than our exploration team?”
─［Uh, um… I’m not sure if I should be the one to compare, but to be honest, it’s probably just a little stronger.］
【Pururu】─Could it be SSS rank?
【Mysticism】─😱
【Yumi】─Oh my! We definitely need to avoid it then.
【Bubble Bubble】─So there’s an SSS-ranked creature here too.
It probably wasn’t SSS-ranked.
Considering it said “a little stronger,” that wouldn’t be the case.
─［Of course, if everyone here fights together, we’ll have a chance at victory.］
【Bubble Bubble】─Ah, so it’s not SSS rank.
“Just one creature, and you say there’s only a chance of winning?”
─［Ah, well… it’s kind of one creature, but also not exactly just one.］
I didn’t understand what it meant.
Well, we were avoiding the path where there was a high chance of encountering it, so I didn’t need to worry.
─［If you wish, I can guide you through the shortcut. Just because we take it doesn’t mean we’ll definitely run into the creature, and with the people here, we could probably manage to win somehow.］
“No, it’s fine. Just keep leading us down the safe path.”
─［Understood.］
***
55th day in the labyrinth.
It had been four days since the exploration team set out.
And finally, the team reached their destination, the Machine Factory.
─［Welcome! This is the Machine Factory… no, this is the place I live, and the village ruled by Omega!］
At the entrance to the Machine Factory, the Cyborg Dolphin spread its arms wide and shouted.
“…What the heck is that?”
【Pururu】─Insane. That’s amazing.
【Bubble Bubble】─Wow…
【Mysticism】─😱😱😱
【Yumi】─That’s more like an entire civilization.
【Rise Nova】─To think there was such a place in the Ancient Labyrinth…
I couldn’t help but hold my breath at the sight of the Machine Factory.
The scene on Iris’s screen was simply breathtaking.
A vast expanse of low, steel buildings stretched to the horizon, crisscrossed by a complex network of rails like the veins of a city.
The Cyborg Dolphin had called this place a village.
But no matter how you looked at it, this wasn’t a village—it was a massive city.
I wasn’t the only one shocked.
Not only were the monsters in the exploration team surprised, but even Neo Hyeong-seok, who had memories of this place, couldn’t hide his astonishment.
─［Huh… It’s developed this much…?］
Neo Hyeong-seok muttered in disbelief.
“It wasn’t like this before?”
─［No. From what I remember, it was barely even a village, and calling it a factory was more fitting. But to have developed this much in such a short time… It’s unbelievable.］
Following behind the Cyborg Dolphin, the exploration team wandered around like country bumpkins visiting the capital city for the first time.
Three Iris units flew in different directions, capturing the vibrant scenery of the Machine Factory from various angles.
【Yumi】─It’s like a futuristic city.
【Pururu】─I know what this is. It’s cyberpunk.
【Mysticism】─A future city ruled by machines!
I kept my mouth shut.
I silently took in the scene of the Machine Factory displayed on the screen.
Pipes lined every street, spewing fluorescent steam.
The constant noise of machines and welding filled the entire village.
Workshops in every corner drew attention as well.
Beyond the haze of smoke settling on the ground, one workshop had a cyborg monster cutting alloys with a laser cutter, while another nearby had a different monster assembling intricate mechanical devices via a holographic interface.
Their danger levels were A and B, respectively.
When nerfed, they would likely be around C or D rank.
They didn’t seem like the native monsters of the labyrinth but rather mechanical life forms created by Omega.
【Rise Nova】─This place is more advanced than Lumina…
【Bubble Bubble】─I’m so amazed that I’m speechless.
The screen continued to switch views.
In the sky, flocks of drones flew in formation, transporting cargo, while on the ground, golems equipped with transparent displays were busily moving heavy loads.
And that wasn’t all.
“Someday, I’d like to visit this place in person.”
【Pururu】─For real, I’d love to visit too.
【Mysticism】─Me too! 😝
【Yumi】─I’ll be content just watching.
And in the heart of the city stood a massive structure, presumed to be where the leader resided.
The Cyborg Dolphin pointed to the building and said.
─［That’s where Omega lives.］
So it was Omega’s residence.
“All the machines in front of that building seem to be combat types, huh.”
─［Correct. You have a sharp eye! As expected of an Explorer!］
【Pururu】─Oh, come on, this suck-up.
【Yumi】─Hey! Watch your language!
A legion of machines was lined up in front of Omega’s residence.
The front row consisted of hundreds of humanoid combat robots, each equipped with what appeared to be high-powered laser guns on their arms, and missile launchers on their backs.
Behind them were hundreds of six-legged combat machines.
They were roughly the size of tanks, and their mounted heavy artillery was particularly impressive.
Finally, in the sky, thousands of small combat drones hovered in perfect formation.
It looked like a swarm of insects, which was somewhat unsettling.
─［When did he gather so many underlings…］
As Neo Hyeong-seok and the exploration team expressed their shock,
─［Hehe.］
The Cyborg Dolphin grinned with pride.
Just as the Cyborg Dolphin and the exploration team were entering the building, large phrases engraved on the outer wall caught my eye.
『We shall create a new civilization here.』
『We will establish law and order.』
『The dawn of the mechanical civilization has arrived.』