Ch.62Nano machines, kid.(2)

# Chapter 62: It’s a Nano Machine, Rookie. (2)

And our surprise wasn’t just because our kind had appeared without spacesuits.

“Good heavens, is that a human?”

As the shocked expedition member said, the form of this newly appeared ‘something’ was incredibly bizarre.

If they had simply not been wearing a spacesuit, we could have accepted their unusual appearance, but…

The same color as the nano machines scattered around, with ‘tentacles’ and ‘crystals’ chaotically protruding from its entire body.

And above all, despite having a form reminiscent of a Sebelian, its facial features were so blurred that they were difficult to recognize.

Perhaps it was because it gave off the strong impression of a mimetic monster disguised as a human.

*Shoot!*

One of the expedition members, a Purge Unit soldier who had been deployed as an escort just in case, immediately charged toward the ‘something,’ kicking off the ground.

“Oh my.”

“Whatever it is, it should prepare to have its limbs severed.”

“This could potentially cause a diplomatic incident if we’re not careful.”

But moments later.

“…!”

We witnessed a scene through the screen that made us doubt our eyes.

*Crunch…*

“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve seen the Purge Unit get subdued and captured.”

Except for one unmanned drone that was keeping its distance to assess the situation.

All other drones, the expedition team, and the escort forces including the Purge Unit.

All personnel had been captured by silver tentacles and crystals that had shot up from the floor and everywhere else, and this scene was being broadcast live through the screen.

The Purge Unit soldier in particular was dangling in mid-air, suspended by silver tentacles.

And that wasn’t the end of the problem.

*Crunch… screech, rustle…*

“Eh.”

“No! My slow-moving drone team!!!!”

The unmanned drones caught by the silver tentacles were being absorbed into them, as if decomposing into powder.

No, it wasn’t just happening to the drones.

“No, no! The spacesuits are being absorbed!”

“Help us!”

The crystals and tentacles that had ensnared the expedition members were now absorbing their spacesuits as if eating them away.

Faced with the sudden prospect of being exposed in an environment where life was impossible, the expedition team screamed in panic over the communication channel.

“Is this going to turn into a disaster?”

“Hmm…”

“Accidents caused by new space monsters do happen during exploration, but this case…”

“Ground team in danger confirmed!”

“Prepare additional landing craft for launch! And expedite preparations for orbital bombardment in case of emergency!”

Not only those of us watching the screen, but also those on the research battleship were horrified and rushing to rescue the ground personnel.

But the moment the expedition members’ bare faces were revealed as their spacesuits disintegrated, including the Purge Unit soldier…

*Swish!*

“Nngh…huh?”

For some unknown reason, as soon as their bare faces were exposed, the ‘something’ began caressing their faces with its tentacles.

“What on earth is that thing?”

“I’m not sure, but it doesn’t seem to be trying to absorb them like it did with the spacesuits and drones…”

And not long after, the ‘something’ on the screen retracted the tentacles that had been touching their bare faces.

*Wriggle wriggle… gurgle!*

As the spacesuits began to regenerate from the things enveloping the expedition members, the ‘something’s’ face started to develop more perfect features.

“What is that…?”

And that face bore a striking resemblance to our Purge Unit soldier’s face.

After completing its ‘transformation’ in an instant, the ‘something’ grabbed the only surviving unmanned drone—the one providing our view—and pulled it closer…

“^^@&&#&%”

“…?”

It began speaking to us in pronunciations that seemed impossible to come from a human mouth.

“It’s a new alien language!”

“The translator has no data on this! This is dissertation material!”

Naturally, the research team on the battleship who were handling the communication relay went into a frenzy upon hearing those sounds.

But that wasn’t the important part.

The ‘something’ continued to bombard us with impossible-to-pronounce language while making incomprehensible hand gestures, foot movements, and even tentacle gestures.

“An unknown alien species is requesting dialogue with us!”

“It’s trying to communicate with us!”

At this sight, not only the research team but even the captured expedition researchers seemed to be caught up in excitement.

However, after speaking(?) to the screen for several minutes, the ‘something’ suddenly stopped talking.

“Why did it stop?”

“I’m not sure? But it feels like it just realized something.”

And as if Riel’s words were correct, the ‘something’ fiddled with its ‘neck’ area…

Then it greeted us in a completely different, remarkably fluent language of the Sebeli Empire.

“Ah, ah, ah, hello! I don’t really have a name, but it’s nice to meet you all!”

It spoke with an incredibly bright and energetic voice.

“Oh right, I should release these first.”

After finishing its greeting, the ‘something’ released the expedition team from their restraints and apologetically said:

“I’m sorry, it seemed like you were trying to attack me, so I thought I should calm you down first.”

Perhaps because it was so different from its previous appearance that seemed to defy human understanding.

While the researchers were burning with pure scientific enthusiasm after escaping their previous boredom, the rest of us felt:

“Ugh, isn’t that thing dangerous?”

As Riel beside me said, we couldn’t help but feel fear and suspicion.

But unlike the others…

‘Jackpot.’

I had been feeling extremely pleased from the moment that ‘something’ showed friendly reactions like greeting us.

Of course, it wasn’t purely about satisfying my desire to collect species.

It was because I had belatedly realized the identity of the being over there.

And as if to prove my realization was correct, an event message appeared before my eyes.

[Pause]

[Event: Dream]

[The universe connected through the gate by chance was filled with countless Gray Goo, a so-called nano machine universe.]

[But you continued exploring this desolate universe with little to gain.]

[And finally, at its end, you encountered a massive collective consciousness that controls and manipulates all the nano machines in this universe.]

[Contact with nano machines that once pushed a universe toward extinction was supposed to proceed with extreme caution…]

[But contrary to expectations, confusion has spread on the front lines as we discovered it is quite friendly, mimicking our appearance and greeting us.]

[Additional linked event in progress…]

‘So in a universe where the Gray Nightmare appears, this event is generated instead of them showing up.’

Seeing the event message, I felt inwardly pleased that the event gacha had succeeded beyond expectations.

That’s because that ‘something’ over there making tentacle scenes.

No, the main body of the Gray Nightmare, without any special mode.

Was the strongest single entity in the game.

[Pause Released]

Moreover, unlike with Alina, it seemed somewhat ambiguous to call it a hostile intelligence, so incorporating it into the Empire would be easier.

‘This is awesome!!!’

So I contacted Vermut and the research team, who were still arguing among themselves, and had them connect superluminal communication through the unmanned drone on that planet.

Although the research team whined that the exploration drone didn’t have such functionality.

“I understand, just do it quickly.”

“Yes, sir.”

Since graduate student researchers have no human rights, I used overwhelming authority to pressure them…

In less than a few minutes, an unmanned drone equipped with the function I wanted was deployed from the ship to the ground.

And after various procedures, the drone finally reached the area where the Gray Nightmare was located.

I activated the hologram through the drone and naturally spoke to “it” as if it were right in front of me.

“I am Arto Virtorius Sebeli, Duke and Minister of the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry, in charge of diplomatic affairs for the Holy Sebeli Empire.”

“Oh… hello? You must be the highest-ranking person here, right?”

And as soon as my hologram appeared, it saw through my identity.

“…How did you figure that out?”

“Well, of course. In this situation, as soon as you appeared, everyone I had restrained immediately became respectful.”

“…”

Realizing it was obvious, I had to feel embarrassed for asking such an unnecessary question.