"Activating Long-Range Surveillance..."
"Long-Range Surveillance Activation Failed..."
"Unknown Particle Interference Detected..."
"Activating Short-Range Surveillance..."
"Short-Range Surveillance Online..."
"Life Forms Detected Within Ten Kilometres, Five Thousand Three Hundred And Seventeen..."
"Two Thousand One Hundred And Thirty-Four Match 100% With Hominoidea, Homo Sapiens..."
"Four Hundred And Sixty Three Match 0% With Any Records..."
"Four Hundred And Forty-Nine Match 28% With Hominoidea, Homo Sapiens..."
"Eight Hundred And Twenty-Two Match 98% With Cervidae..."
"Five Hundred And Seventy-Five Match 87% With Canidae..."
"Two Hundred And Thirty-One Match 48% With Hominoidea, Homo Sapiens..."
"One Hundred And Fifty-Eight Match 58% With Hominoidea, Homo Sapiens..."
"Two Hundred And Thirteen Match 72% With Hominoidea, Homo Sapiens..."
"One Hundred And Seventy-One Match 81% With Hominoidea, Homo Sapiens..."
"One Hundred And One Match 88% With Suidae..."
"Plotting Course For Nearest Detected Humans..."
After a barrage of announcements, the Automaton walked unhurriedly towards the closest human life it had detected. When it finally broke the treeline, a sizeable grassy plain with hills peppered about and a village with humans going through their daily motions in life entered its vision.
"Human Settlement Detected, Beginning Inquiry Into Commander Hermund Jones's Location..."
As the mechanical voice's announcement rang out, it began moving towards the village that seemed to have spotted it. The villagers wore panicked expressions on their faces as they scrambled to safety while a group of knights and some mixed armored individuals gathered at the entrance, seemingly ready to face against what they thought was a golem.
It could hear the knights and mixed armored individuals talking, but they weren't speaking in a language the Automaton understood.
"Unknown Language Detected..."
"Beginning Cross-Match With Twenty Million Languages..."
"Four Matches Found..."
"Beginning Language Translation..."
"5% Translated..."
The wariness of the knights and mixed armored individuals rose when it stopped coming towards them, but they still held their ground.
"14% Translated..."
A robbed individual with a staff stood out from the mixed armored ones and started chanting something as blue light flared to life around her. The blue light coalesced, forming into a ball of fire which she pointed at the thing she believed to be a golem, and let it fly.
"Analyzing Threat Level..."
"Threat Level: Zero..."
"Adding Analyzed Action To Unknown..."
"Continuing Translation..."
"19% Translated..."
The knights, mixed armored individuals, and the robbed lady watched as the fireball flew towards the unmoving black golem, and held their gazes as the fireball exploded upon colliding with the golem's chest. They all started showing relieved expressions as they waited for the dust to settle, and when it did, they were perturbed to see the black golem standing there unharmed. The villagers slowly began gathering behind the knights and armored individuals while watching the confrontation.
"23% Translated..."
The robbed lady and everyone else was growing confused. The golem continued to stand there even after being attacked, leading them to think the golem might be friendly, malfunctioning, or dead.
"28% Translated..."
One person wearing full-leather armor walked forward cautiously in the event anything happens, he'd be ready to react. It didn't take long for him to reach the black golem. He observed the golem before him which looked, unlike anything he had ever seen before.
"38% Translated..."
Hesitation flashed through the man eyes, but his curiosity won over his reluctance. Reaching out with his hand, he felt the surface of the golem's right leg; surprise spread across his face at how cold the golem's leg felt. Hastily he pulled back his hand, wondering if this golem was truly alive or dead. Backing away, he inspected the golem one last time before hastening back to the group while sending the golem cautious glances over his shoulder, leaving him with only confusion as to how a golem that had just received a direct fireball, could remain so cold.
"52% Translated..."
The man returned and told everyone it seemed to be safe, and also mentioned that the golem was still bone-chillingly cold even after being struck by the fireball, causing murmurs to rise from the group of knights and mixed armored individuals.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"66% Translated..."
The whole group quickly began arguing over what to do with the golem. Some wanted to destroy the golem. Others wanted to monitor the golem and leave it alone until they could get assurance that it posed no threat to the safety of anyone. And the knights predominantly agreed with the latter, but they also wanted the villagers to evacuate until the matter is resolved so that no unnecessary deaths occur in case the golem turns out to truly be alive and an enemy.
"82% Translated..."
The group was beginning to settle on a decision when they heard a flat, emotionless human voice come from the golem.
"100% Translated..."
"Requesting Bystander Assistance, Under Universal Article 22B: Requested Bystanders Must Comply With Nylus Corporation Employees Or Nylus Corporation Property, During Any Emergency Situations Above Level C..."
The group was shocked at the golem's ability to speak and lacked any understanding of what the golem was talking about, but before they could ask anything, the golem spoke again.
"Universal Article 22B, Compliance Required In Locating; Commander Hermund Jones..."
"Failure To Assist May Result In Legal And Physical Action Against Those Who Fail To Assist By The Nylus Corporation..."
The group was growing more and more confused as the golem spoke, and finally, the robbed lady that had launched the fireball got a moment to speak.
"Before we answer anything! Who, and what are you?"
"Insufficient Access Level Detected..."
"Bystander, Are You An Employee Of The Nylus Corporation Or Resident Of The Deomedrus Galaxy?..."
The robbed woman was bewildered by the golem's questions. She had no idea what the Nylus Corporation, or what the Deomedrus Galaxy even were, only that the golem before her seemed to come from there or was at least related to whatever they were.
"I am a D-Ranked Adventurer hailing from the Orben Kingdom!"
"Unknown Sovereign State Detected, Executing Operation Under Universal Article 87A..."
"Adding Secondary Operation: Obtain Information For Nylus Officials And The Council About The Unknown Sovereign State, Orben Kingdom..."
The new bombardment of things which the robbed woman didn't understand only served to increase her confusion. She had only grasped that the golem before her seemed to want information about the Orben Kingdom.
"Golem, you may find the information in the city northeast from here."
The woman simply wanted to be rid of this golem, and none of the ones behind her wished otherwise.
The golem kept spouting things they didn't understand, so why not send it somewhere it's talking might be interpreted? Furthermore, the golem didn't seem harmful and only wanted information and the location of someone, so they didn't see any reason to send it elsewhere.
"Do All Present Bystanders Possess No Further Information?..."
The woman again answered the golem.
"We're sorry, we find it difficult for any of us present to understand you, so I suggested you head to the city nearby, where you may find someone who knows more about the Orben Kingdom's affairs and information on the Hermund Jones you seek."
The woman answered gently and calmly, succeeding to mesmerize the group behind her with her smooth voice, which ordinarily sounded rougher.
"The Nylus Corporation Thanks You, Bystanders, For Cooperating..."
The red light at the tip of the golem's head glowed brighter as it left those words and began walking unhurriedly again this time northeast.
The Automaton continued until a new treeline greeted it. Immediately catching its attention was four small, pale green figures at the edge of the woods.
"Four Life Forms Detected, Matched 28% With Hominoidea, Homo Sapiens..."
"Detected Homo Genus May Present Possibility Of Intelligence, Proceeding With Inquiry Into Commander Hermund Jones's Location..."
By the time the four small, pale green figures noticed the surprisingly silent Automaton approaching from behind them, it was already standing merely a few feet behind them. Panic could be easily seen on their faces and from the way they trembled as they shouted unintelligible grunts and shrieks. Two of them started throwing rocks at the Automaton while the two others held rusty daggers.
"Analyzing Threat Level..."
"Threat Level: Zero..."
"Adding Analyzed Action To Attempted Deterrence..."
Every rock the small, pale green figures threw merely bounced off of the Automaton's chest. At the same time, the two holding daggers charged forward wielding their daggers ineptly.
"Analyzing Threat Level..."
"Threat Level: Zero..."
"Adding Analyzed Action To Attempted Deterrence..."
They stabbed with their daggers attempting to pierce the Automaton, but they couldn't even scratch the surface of the Automaton's legs at all; instead, their daggers' blades snapped.
"Unknown Life Form Overall Threat Level: Zero..."
"Unknown Life Form's Intelligence Judged Too Unintelligent To Assist..."
The small, pale green figures stumbled backward and ran for their lives when they saw that all of their attacks had failed to harm the black figure before them; thankfully for them, the Automaton didn't pay them any more attention as it continued its journey towards the city mentioned by the robbed lady.
While traveling through the woods, the Automaton stopped several times to inspect and analyze animals it found. All the aggressive ones hastily fled for their lives when they noticed their attacks did nothing to the massive black figure, although at one point, a pack of what seemed like wolves didn't give up their assault on the Automaton straightaway. Their attack lasted until they became too hungry to continue bothering with the undamageable black figure.
Leaving the forest behind, a broad hilly grassland and a sprawling city surrounded by a pristine eight-meter-high protective wall; welcomed the Automaton's sight.
----------------------------------------
Juve's morning had been like any other, guarding the south-east gate of Koloum city, but in the afternoon. Something that's never happened to Juve occurred, in the distance, he could see a massive pitch black golem sauntering towards the gate he guarded.
Alarmed by the black golem, Juve rung his gate's bell, signaling there may be danger approaching the south-eastern gate and alerting the local garrison and adventurers to the matter.
Juve could hear shouting and commotions occurring within the city, as the gate bells were rarely ever rung without reason for concern. Ignoring the disorder behind him, Juve continued to give his full attention to the distant golem, and he was thankful there seemed to be no one in the direction of the approaching golem.
"JUVE!"
Juve heard the guard captain yelling his name, turning around he saw the captain marching through the opened gates with a contingent of city guards following closely behind.
"Captain! There's an ominous golem on the horizon!"
The captain gazed beyond Juve and saw the advancing black golem, and began shouting a set of orders at the contingent that was following him.
----------------------------------------
The Automaton walked unhurriedly towards the gate before it and paid no attention to the bell ringing out from the city's gate. As it drew closer to the city, another bell rung out, and with the sound, the commotion within the city grew. Still several meters away from the gate, the Automaton heard a shout come from the direction of the city gate.
"HALT!"
However, even after the shout ordering it to halt the Automaton continued walking unhurriedly towards the gate, and another bellow came.
"I SAID, HALT, DAMMIT!"
Now close enough to spot the contingent of guards bearing their shields towards it, the Automaton finally answered, stupefying the guards and captain.
"Insufficient Access Level Detected, Order To Halt Invalid..."
"Requesting Bystander Assistance, Under Universal Article 22B: Requested Bystanders Must Comply With Nylus Corporation Employees Or Nylus Corporation Property, During Any Emergency Situations Above Level C..."
"Under Universal Article 99X: All Personnel Or Citizens Of Unknown Sovereign States Must Comply With Nylus Corporation Employees Or Nylus Corporation Property, Failure To Comply May Result In Retaliatory Action By The Nylus Corporation..."
"Universal Article 22B And Universal Article 99X, Compliance Demanded In Locating; Commander Hermund Jones And Gathering Information Concerning The Orben Kingdom..."