After dodging the gaze of the horde of automatons, his exoskeleton took care of the rest, concealing him once more from the robots' sensors.
As long as he remained silent, they wouldn't pursue him again.
Kraynnor thought on his way to section fifty about the noise that had attracted all those machines. He supposed that the Astrylites had realized he had taken out his cube again, which led them to send someone to investigate.
In the process, they were ambushed by the automatons, triggering a considerable commotion.
Of course, it was for the best, as it would have meant his death if they had activated that terrifying red laser without hesitation. To avoid future trouble, he decided to refrain from using the cube, no matter the situation.
Nevertheless, Kraynnor frowned. Now that those extraterrestrials were involved, he knew he had to hurry to reach the warehouse, assemble everything he needed, and make his escape with all the loot. But it wasn't his style to allow himself to be trampled without fighting back. His eyes narrowed with malice as he considered an intriguing idea...
Finally, he reached his destination. This time, he kept a safe distance from any automaton, being especially cautious, as he didn't want them to sense his presence again.
Fortunately, this section stood out as the only one without the presence of a Sage.
In fact, it didn't even have a single shelf, making it completely atypical compared to the other areas of the complex.
The walls displayed intricate geometric patterns, as well as representations of nature and the cosmos. Display cases lined up with models of molecules and crystalline structures.
In the dark corners of this section, Kraynnor noticed a series of chalkboards, now silent and covered in dust, which had once been the canvas of brilliant minds drawing complex equations and formulas. Some of these formulas had been left half-solved, as if time had suddenly stopped.
There was also the presence of hundreds of automatons in the place, but as long as he maintained silence, they shouldn't become a problem.
In the midst of this vast space, spanning a square kilometer, he finally found what he had been looking for. It was a massive three-meter-tall cylindrical metal elevator.
Kraynnor directed his gaze toward the impressive doors guarding access to the lower levels. Interestingly, their condition was surprisingly good, creating a stark contrast with the general decay he had encountered on his journey.
Although they had faint traces of rust on the surface and a lot of dust.
Since access to the lower levels was strictly prohibited to the general public, and considering the multitude of hidden secrets in this complex due to all sorts of research, the material with which this elevator was built had to be very special.
It was pure titanium, a metal with incredible resilience.
He was sure that it would be difficult to open these doors, so he prepared to exert great force to open them.
Scanning the surroundings, he spotted a solitary android a few meters away. He only hoped that his action of opening the door wouldn't draw its attention, as it was enough for just one to hear him to trigger the pursuit of the rest.
Kraynnor slid his fingers into the gap that separated the two doors. With tense muscles and bulging veins, he applied the necessary force to open them!
Zzzzchung!
Unexpectedly, the doors opened without resistance. Kraynnor was stunned to find the interior invaded by dense roots and various plants, although he noticed a central space that allowed for descent.
Tac-tac-tac!
With no time for further contemplation and aware of the steps approaching from behind due to the noise he had caused.
Bam!
He acted immediately, climbing one of the thick roots and slamming the doors shut!
Tum-tum-tum!
Stolen story; please report.
The doors resonated with dozens of hits, but the ruckus only lasted brief moments before silence returned to the place.
He understood that these automatons would abandon their attack mode if they didn't detect any target within a minute. Kraynnor surveyed his surroundings and, realizing that the hole was his only way, didn't hesitate and continued moving forward.
Descending slowly, he noticed that the hole was immaculately clean, as if someone had maintained this access over the centuries. In less than five minutes, he reached the third level, where biotechnology and medical laboratories were located.
He paused briefly when he noticed the doors were wide open, and there was no sign of the automatons.
All the laboratories were shrouded in penetrating darkness, with thick layers of dust covering every surface, a silent witness to the time that had passed. Moreover, roots and vegetation had invaded the space, curling around the walls and the floor.
Determined not to waste any more time, Kraynnor continued his descent and quickly reached the fourth level, where the factories and workshops were located.
Clank-clank-clank!
Here, he was surprised to discover a series of mechanical sounds breaking the silence, even though everything remained in darkness. The various machines on the assembly line of automatons, after five hundred years of abandonment, showed obvious signs of decay.
The robust arms, corroded by rust, and the conveyor belts remained motionless in their positions, although some assembly machines still persevered in their operation.
Among these operational machines, cargo robots picked up newly assembled parts and transported them to a mysterious destination.
Although the place itself didn't seem exceptional, Kraynnor became interested when he noticed that, somehow, the energy continued to flow, giving life to these few assembly machines. This unexpected discovery had the potential to be valuable for his own purposes.
Initially, obtaining energy for his inventions had been a complicated dilemma because he was unaware of the state of the various generators.
However, at this moment, that concern disappeared.
Kraynnor also noticed that the lower levels housed significantly fewer automatons compared to the first two levels, which made him question their whereabouts. However, with his goal just a step away, he didn't hesitate and continued to descend.
...
On the other hand, the two Astrylite soldiers were mentally exhausted, surrounded by countless broken or incinerated automatons.
The few Sages who had been present before also had their heads smashed and their long arms scattered everywhere, creating a scene that was even unpleasant to contemplate.
[R-remember... return the b-b-books before the due d-d-date.]
[The f-food s-s-service... is in the m-middle t-t-train c-c-car.]
[I-If you need i-i-information about your j-journey, d-d-don't hesitate... to ask the on-b-b-board p-p-personnel...]
Zzzaaap-zzzaaap-zzzaaap!
"Shut the hell up, I don't understand your shitty language!" Draylith said in fury.
Unfortunately, the incessant hordes of machines kept appearing, along with more Sages. Only their sturdy armor had allowed them to survive in the battle against the hundreds of mechanical arms assaulting them from all directions at great speed.
"I'm screwed! My rifle is overheating; if I keep shooting, it's going to explode!" Draylith panicked, the barrel of his weapon glowing incandescent as if it was about to melt.
"Let's withdraw! That stupid AI assigned us an impossible mission!" Zyrgon exclaimed, looking at his plasma rifle, which was in the same state.
Fwoooosh!
Both of them leaned slightly, and the orange lines of their armor shone brightly before they jumped forcefully, ascending dozens of meters in the blink of an eye.
Plaff!
Huff... Huff...
Draylith collapsed exhausted on the ground and exclaimed, "Why the hell did we let those piles of junk keep existing? Wouldn't it have been the most sensible thing to eliminate them when we devastated this city?"
"… No one wanted to go down and deal with them, and Captain Eldran didn't care about those machines. In other words... negligence in our base was the cause of all this," Zyrgon murmured.
"..."
"And now, what do we do? Do we search for the Xenotech armors?" Draylith asked.
His companion nodded; it was evident that they couldn't face so many automatons with conventional weapons. They were simply too many, and it would be a waste of time dealing with them without the Xenotech armors.
"Let's go to-"
Clac, clac...
But before Zyrgon could finish his sentence, he heard a sound and, looking at the hole he had created earlier, he saw the rusty head of an android.
"?"
Draylith also observed without saying a word.
"[D-Did you forget the... luggage?]"
Zzzwhirrr!
With those cold and lifeless words, like a volcanic eruption, countless automatons emerged en masse from the hole.
Swoosh!
"Run!" Draylith turned on his heels and rushed toward the base without hesitation, forgetting to take his rifle.
Zyrgon didn't take long to follow, and unlike his companion, he still held his rifle, as he had never let it go. Meanwhile, nearby Astrylites frowned as they watched two soldiers fleeing toward the base as if their lives were in danger.
[All soldiers, immediately attack a large number of enemy automatons that have emerged from the underground facilities of this city.]
The base's AI ordered through the HoloSyncs of all the scattered soldiers in the ruined city.
The order surprised everyone, but, fulfilling their duty, they wielded their weapons and opened fire on any machine that got in their way. However, their faces reflected a mix of annoyance and laziness, and they complained about the fools who had stirred up these machines that had remained dormant for five hundred years.
In the ship, Eldran watched the situation on several screens, the veins on his forehead seeming on the verge of bursting: "What the hell is happening now?!"
...
On the other hand, the AI observed the chaos with confusion.
[These soldiers are completely incompetent. It was just a simple mission; they could have proceeded in silence. Why did they have to alert those machines?]
It was considering activating the Crimson Guards and putting an end once and for all to these underground facilities. The last time, the Captain had prevented it, but after what had happened, it doubted he would refuse again.