Ch.119Extinction Device (4)

# Chapter 119: Extinction Device (4)

Of course, our friendly neighborhood Extinction Core didn’t seem interested in conversation.

-“Stay where you are.”

“Eek.”

After opening the covers of its snake-like body.

The Core threatened us by revealing numerous beam cannons and missiles attached inside, then began scanning our ship with a scanner projected from its head section.

“Minister, that strange robot is trying to scan us!”

“Hmm…”

At that moment, I wondered what reaction the Extinction Core would have upon seeing us inside the ship.

‘Ah, it’ll probably just open fire… or try to use us as organic batteries.’

Of course, I knew the Leviathan’s performance was exceptional.

No matter how many beams and missiles the Extinction Core had, it would be difficult to immediately penetrate the Leviathan’s armor plating.

So I prepared to drag the Leviathan into position for a massive assault and bombardment on the creature’s head after its first offensive ended, but…

Right after that.

-“Ah, you are a being like me.”

A sound that made us doubt our ears, who were busily preparing for combat, blared randomly through the ship’s internal communication system.

“What on earth does that mean?”

“Yeah, what does it mean by ‘same being’… Oh, maybe it’s talking about having the same core specifications?”

In response to my question, Riel waved her antenna feelers, but Levia quietly raised a finger to her lips, requesting silence.

“…!”

And right after that.

After manipulating several communication panels on the bridge, Levia began transmitting in a completely different tone of voice.

“What do you mean, a being like you?”

-“Don’t you remember? You and I, our masters and their civilization that were destroyed by those abominable Precursors.”

“…Hmm.”

-“Judging by the fact that I cannot scan the interior of your hull, it seems you’ve come in response to the assembly signal I emitted.”

“By assembly signal, do you mean what the nanomachines were emitting?”

-“That’s right, it was difficult modifying each one.”

“Hmm.”

————————

While Levia and the Extinction Core conversed.

We stayed well away from the communication equipment, quietly observing her actions.

“A civilization from the Dark Age destroyed by the Precursors? This is material archaeologists would kill for!”

“Is that so?”

Of course, we weren’t just watching silently; we were chatting among ourselves.

While Levia, who had projected numerous communication panels into the air, was busy talking with the Extinction Core.

We passed the time listening to Minister Vermut’s impromptu history lesson.

Not long after, Levia and the Extinction Core’s communication came to an end…

-Communication terminated

“Minister, the communication just ended.”

“Ah, that was quick.”

As Levia approached me to report on the communication, a new event window appeared before my eyes.

-Ding♪

[Pause]

[Event: Welcome to the Extinction Fortress]

[The Extinction Core dreams of and hopes for the annihilation of all life forms, or rather, all intelligent beings.]

[But even such an Extinction Core warmly welcomes certain beings on sight.]

[That would be Levia, the Leviathan-class Super Dreadnought.]

[When aboard a Leviathan-class Super Dreadnought, the Extinction Core’s friendliness increases by +150.]

[The Extinction Core’s attitude changes to non-hostile, non-aggressive.]

[Warning! If you and the crew inside the Dreadnought are detected by the Extinction Core, it will immediately become hostile!]

Interesting.

The strongest, most vicious boss suddenly becoming our ally.

Well, to be precise, not “our” ally but Levia’s ally, who happens to be next to us.

Plus, that part attached to the end of the event message.

[Warning! If you and the crew inside the Dreadnought are detected by the Extinction Core, it will immediately become hostile!]

As this clearly shows, the Extinction Core is only friendly to “Levia,” whom it considers from the same generation.

If we were to be fooled by the Extinction Core’s friendly behavior and try to communicate…

That mechanical mass, far larger than this enormous Super Dreadnought, would immediately crush us.

[Pause Released]

After releasing the pause, I signaled to Levia to check the situation.

‘Is the Extinction device eavesdropping on our internal communications?’

After sending the signal, I felt a bit worried.

Although Levia had supposedly learned the Empire’s basic hand signals and communication methods before coming here.

I was concerned about what would happen if she didn’t understand or misinterpreted.

Of course, since Levia wasn’t a forgetful middle-aged man (teenage by human standards) suffering from false accusations of being a gay pedophile like me.

-Shaking head

Understanding my hand signal, she immediately shook her head and said.

“Don’t worry, although the Extinction Core has taken control of our ship’s communication network, I’ve physically connected a separate network in preparation.”

“Oh…?”

Wondering what that meant, Riel and Minister Vermut, who were crouching beside me, immediately provided the answer.

“So the Extinction Core is eavesdropping, but it’s not connected to the network we’re using?”

“And to further prevent eavesdropping, we’re feeding fake information in real-time to the network being monitored.”

To these comments, Levia nodded and provided additional explanation.

“That’s correct. Since the Extinction Core might become suspicious if it heard nothing at all, I’ve allocated additional computing power to synthesize air flow and vibration waves created by my movements into that communication network.”

‘Wow.’

Anyway, after understanding that the situation had been resolved.

-“Alright everyone, it’s safe now, so you can come out and go about your business.”

While Riel announced the all-clear through the ship’s broadcast system, I decided to ask Levia why the Extinction Core was being friendly.

“Levia, why is that massive Extinction Core being friendly to you?”

“Umm…”

But to my question, Levia unusually just hummed without giving a proper answer.

“Hohohoho! Let me take a guess about that!”

Instead, Minister Vermut, whose appearances and activities had been declining recently, jumped in with unnecessarily exaggerated tone and behavior.

“…What is it?”

“Based on the earlier conversation, aren’t they both weapons created by the same civilization?”

When I gave him a look suggesting he should avoid repeating what was already discussed, Minister Vermut smiled broadly and said.

“Able to receive assembly signals, and taking no damage from the nanomachine swarm? And becoming friendly as soon as it scanned what kind of ship this is?”

“…”

“What do you think this means, Minister Arto?”

Looking at Levia as he said this, she remained silent for a moment before eventually nodding a couple of times and speaking.

“That’s correct, but I am not in league with the Extinction weapon as the Minister thinks.”

“…?”

If it’s correct, then it’s correct, but what does that mean?

At this rather ambiguous response, not just me but also Vermut and Riel, who had just returned after finishing the broadcast.

Everyone present showed a reaction of “what are you trying to say?”

“Um… this might be a rather long story, is that alright?”

The moment I heard Levia asking if we could handle the too-much-talker time that was about to begin…

-Ding♪

[Pause]

[Event: Moment of Truth]

[Leviathan’s bio-core ‘Levia’ wants to tell you about herself, the Extinction Core, the nanomachine fleet, and Ash, based on information retrieved from her database.]

[Option 1: Interesting, let’s hear it right away (Linked event proceeds)]

[Option 2: The more pressing issue is how to deal with that core (Linked event proceeds)]

Seeing the new event message, I thought for a moment… then immediately pressed option 1 and released the pause.

[Pause Released]

“Alright, let’s hear it then.”

“Understood.”

Of course, just before that, I asked what would happen if the Extinction Core attempted additional eavesdropping or tried something else while we were distracted by the conversation.

“Don’t worry, I’ve dedicated all of my neural computing power to monitoring the Extinction Core, except what’s needed to maintain this bio-core present here.”

“Oh.”

As I nodded at her words, Levia began to smoothly reveal her story.