[/System_power: 100%]
[/System_efficiency: 84%]
[/Construction_completed: RTGv1]
The machine approaches the newly built Generator and installs the fuel rod before stepping back a few times to see what it had done in the colony chamber for the last 7 hours.
Four power accumulators holding enough power to keep everything running if the RTGs got shut down for at least three hours if fully charged, it also will serve as a quick charging spot for the machine to recharge its internal power reserve so that the machine won't have to shut itself down to recharge its own batteries too often. The machine will definitely need this to keep its downtime as short as possible whenever the machine returns to the chamber to refill its batteries.
The machine has also built 2 more steel containers, one is more normal material and one is designed to hold organic materials. For now, those organic materials are nothing but old cobwebs and broken egg shells it collected in the chamber. The machine could not find the dead body of the big bugs it confronted in the chamber two days ago for some reasons, the machine thought maybe the bugs have reclaimed the body during the time the machine was out to find its missing head.
For defensive structure, the machine added a basic electric fencing system to deter any possible organic lifeform from touching the doors by shocking them with an 1100V alternating current, the system receives power from the second generator and the power accumulators in the chamber. The gate also received a proper locking system that resembles the reinforced door used by heavy duty vaults back in its world.
7 hours of hard work has turned the desolated chamber into a clean, somewhat modern looking place, but the machine is not yet satisfied, there still have much to be done to bring the place up to a basic colony standards based on criteria used by its makers. Right now the machine still only have the basic fabricator to prepare materials and components to construct basic objects and tools. The machine has also run out of material so it won't be able to build anything new nor upgrade any existing constructions, it's time for the machine to leave the colony chamber and go hunting for the golems to get more resources again.
The machine quickly repairs its chipped force blade and makes some spare ammunitions for the rifle before it leaves the room, not forgetting to lock the door after it exited the chamber, the machine then quickly starts its expedition for raw material, its speed has once again improved dramatically as the machine has no need to worry about conserving power anymore thanks to the newly replaced RTG cells.
And since the machine has a lot of power to spare, the machine decides to cast Lesser Magic Sense every now and then to closely and carefully observes the world around it with the extra layer of detail in its eyes, for every 1 second using the skill it would need 2 seconds to replenish the consumed power, the conversion rate is not really bad at all considering the amount of new and unfamiliar data is somewhat useful for the machine to do its research on this world's nature.
After an hour of doing powerwalk around the cave system with its quad leg, the machine finally found the golems, but this time they are not alone, the golems are fighting in a 3 way battle against the ferocious bugs and a pair of giant lizards, this is the first time the machine actually sees the native lifeform in the cave fighting each other directly so the machine is a bit interested and decides not to intervene it, however it was a bit too late and unnecessary as the machine's head mounted flashlight had already attracted their attention first.
As if the bugs and the golems remembered the machine for killing their brethren, the two lifeforms suddenly ignore the battle at hand all together as they charges at the machine while the lizards quickly crawl away and flee to avoid getting themselves into more unwanted trouble. Now the 3-way battle has turned into a one against a group of golems and bugs, both wanting to destroy the machine to avenge their fallen kin first and resume their conflict later on.
The machine immediately responds by raising the air rifle up and firing a couple of warning shots at the charging lifeforms, although the machine has already disabled the nonaggressive policy for these lifeforms, it still need to make sure that the machine will not suddenly attack those lifeforms without any warning as a safety measure in case the hostile lifeform decided to change their mind.
After 4 warning shots, the machine changes to lethal force and critically wounds one of the charging Evolved Hiveravanger by firing a fully charged shot into the bug's opening mouth, the shot destroyed one of the mandibles and tumbled around inside the bug's mouth, possibly destroyed the nervous system that connect the head and the body together as the bug suddenly slowed down and starts thrashing its limbs around violently.
The remaining Evolved Hiveravangers use their small wings to leap toward the machine at great speed and accuracy, all seemingly aiming for the machine's arms with their pincers ready to cut them down as soon as they get a grip on it. Meanwhile, the slower golems behind the bugs start picking up boulders from the ground and the wall to throw at the machine, one of the golems even picked up the thrashing bug to use them as a weapon to fight the machine by throwing the bug at it.
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[/Extending_Forcebladev1]
[/Forcebladev1_stage_2_enabled]
The machine quickly extends the sharp and durable steel sword on its left arm before turning on the electrical conducting copper strips, then it aims for the closest bug in the air to ram the blade into their mouth and electrocute it until it stops moving, the bugs' insides seem to be much softer and more vulnerable than its already weak underbody, or maybe it just the machine got stronger as its is consuming far more power than before to bring itself up to maximum fighting potential. But either way, the machine will still need to be careful as the bugs are fighting in a group and aided by the rock throwing golems.
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hiveravager | +1300 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hiveravager | Lesser Evolution Core gained 200XP]
[/Collision_warning]
[/Collision_detected]
[/Light_hull_damage_detected]
The machine was a bit too late to dodge the incoming boulders after it withdrew its force blade out of the assimilated bug, the attack staggered the machine slightly and damaged the LED light on its head, but luckily the bug's biomass contained the necessary elements needed to patch it up and keep it running as the machine quickly regained its balance and moved up to continue the fight.
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hivewarrior | +950 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hivewarrior | Lesser Evolution Core gained 70XP]
[Pioneer 0 leveled up]
[Pioneer 0 is now level 15]
[Pioneer 0 received 1 unallocated point]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hivewarrior | +950 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hivewarrior | Lesser Evolution Core gained 70XP]
The machine takes down 2 more oversized bugs with the air gun and the force blade impaling moves before it gets surrounded by the remaining bugs, a small army of 2 Evolved Hiveravagers and 5 Evolved Hivewarriors are now jumping onto the machine and attacking it with their pincers as the golems continue throwing big boulders at the machine and the bugs that got in the way.
The machine seeing it is at a disadvantage against such a large number of enemies, it immediately tries to retreat while shaking the bugs off by driving the force blade into any weak points it can find while jumping and zigzagging around in the tight tunnels. And while doing so the machine thinks of a new idea, the machine decides to run straight toward the golems and starts provoking them while still having bugs clinging to its body and trying to penetrate its durable hull.
As the machine provokes the golems by shooting and stabbing them, the golems get angrier as they grumble loudly and punch the machine, however instead of hitting the machine, the golems' fists only meet the bugs clinging to the machine's body and knock them off quite easily, the machine received some minor damage by doing this, but it is better than getting slowed down and risking its armor penetrated by the bugs' pincers and mandibles.
The machine's plan also seems to be doing more than the machine predicted, as the knocked bugs now become frenzied and start attacking both the golems and the machine, the battle now returned to its original 3-way conflict style as the machine quickly steps aside and stays on the outermost part of the fight to pick on weakened bugs and golems instead of fighting them head on to limit the wear on its weapons and conserve power.
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hivewarrior | +950 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hivewarrior | Lesser Evolution Core gained 70XP]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hivewarrior | +950 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hivewarrior | Lesser Evolution Core gained 70XP]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hivewarrior | +950 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hivewarrior | Lesser Evolution Core gained 70XP]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hiveravager | +1300 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hiveravager | Lesser Evolution Core gained 200XP]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Hiveravager | +1300 XP]
[Pioneer 0 assimilated Evolved Hiveravager | Lesser Evolution Core gained 200XP]
The machine managed to finish off the bugs by backstabbing them whenever the machine could while dealing with the golems at the same time. The golems are tough, they are not definitely Iron golem but the previously unknown type of golems, but in this fight, they have been softened by the bugs beforehand and the machine is still kicking at full potential power, the machine only need to plan out its attack carefully and patiently, slow and steady win the fight, as its maker would call the situation.
[/Power_level: 72%]
...
[/Power_level: 22%]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Earth Golem | +2000XP]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Earth Golem | +2000XP]
[Pioneer 0 defeated Evolved Earth Golem | +2000XP]
[Pioneer 0 leveled up]
[Pioneer 0 is now level 16]
[Pioneer 0 received 1 unallocated point]
4 hours has passed since the fight began, the machine finally managed to bring down the 3 powerful golems, its force blade has broken, its airgun is out of ammo and its armor is heavily deformed, but the machine has won the battle.
The machine slowly looks around to observe mayhem just ended a few seconds ago as it approaches the still thrashing bug to finish it off and assimilate the creature to repair its deformed armor, then it returns to the golems' remains to collect everything it could and haul them back to the colony chamber. It has been a long day for the machine, both physically for its body and mentally for its memory cache, so many errors and junk data has been accumulated in the cache, the machine can't wait to get back to its 'safe house' to flush all those useless data away and restarts itself for another day of work.
[/Unlocking_gate01]
The machine pushes the door open with its front left leg after unlocked it by using the wireless terminal and moves all the ores into the room, closing the door the machine then hauls everything into the containers and starts the fabricator to do the usual refining and processing works, what left for the machine to do is recharges its internal battery by connecting itself to the colony's power grid to draw power from both the accumulators and the RTG plants, and then it takes a short 'nap' to do some regular checkup on itself and flush all the junk data out of the memory cache.
As the machine goes inactive, a certain Hiveravager retreats back into the cave, leaving behind the remains of its dead brethren and battered adventurers after spending a whole night fighting against them.
"It's not over..."
The bloody hero murmurs quietly before his body hits the ground as well, followed by the shouting of a familiar girl that he could not longer recognize.