With the new dungeon set up, NSLICE-00P returned to her companions in Castra Turannia, who had strangely declined to accompany her into the sewers. NSLICE-00P presumed it was the odors, despite the fact that the odors were noticeably weaker compared to sewers in her previous world since the sewer slimes were eliminating the waste on the spot. Still, the sewer slimes themselves did emit some chemicals according to NSLICE-00P’s sensors, and her other friendlies did not necessarily possess a dungeon’s ability to absorb such things and retain perfect hygiene at all times.
Ateia smiled and waved to her as she saw NSLICE-00P approach.
“All finished?”
“Affirmative.”
NSLICE-00P thus prepared to leave when suddenly she paused. Her olfactory sensors had detected another scent that grabbed her attention, particularly that of her organic components. NSLICE-00P began scanning the area and soon located the source.
A highly decorated bakery, positioned close to the wealthier parts of the city.
Her organic components requested a refueling. Her cybernetic components…saw no particular reason to refuse. So she started walking.
Ateia tilted her head.
“Seero? Where are you going?”
“Answer: This unit has determined a need to resupply.”
The group followed NSLICE-00P with curious looks on their faces…until they arrived at her destination. Ateia made a warm smile as she watched NSLICE-00P enter the bakery.
“Request: This unit is requisitioning organic fuel designated as ‘sweet rolls.’ Please respond.”
A short while later, NSLICE-00P exited the shop, carrying a basket full of sweet rolls. She lifted one into her mouth and took a bite, her organic components reacting to the sensations. The reaction entered into her cybernetic components and was logged. Her processors began cycling slightly more quickly.
But then, she froze.
She had a thought.
Could the Item Foundry produce food?
Implants -> Upgrade Implants -> Item Foundry Name Cost Upkeep Description Ration Replicator 10 points 1 mana Enables Item Foundry to produce prepared foods and other necessities.
Such an expenditure…was hardly anything compared to her current Dungeon XP income and mana levels. And she had numerous organic subordinates and allies who did not benefit from the dungeon’s ability to maintain biological needs. It was an entirely probable scenario that she might need to procedure large quantities of organic fuel at some point in the future. The ability to do so without concern for climate, season, or existing supply chains was a desirable one.
Ration Replicator upgrade now available!
Yes, this was simply an efficient capability to unlock.
Absorbing a sweet roll was efficient as well. Unlocking a variety of different rations would expand the flexibility of her Item Foundry. The sweet roll just happened to be the closest ration that legally belonged to her.
Sweet Roll absorbed!
Sweet Roll is now available in the Item Foundry!
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Gained 1 Dungeon perk point for absorbing a new material!
And, of course, NSLICE-00P had to test the new capabilities. The foreign system’s implants had defied her expectations in the past, after all. So it was simply her standard procedure to test new capabilities and determine her limits.
A new, pristine sweet roll appeared in her hand.
She took a bite in order to analyze and compare it to the manually processed rations.
It appeared it was comparable.
An efficient outcome indeed.
It was then that NSLICE-00P detected something on her sensors. Her robotic eye turned red.
“Hostile detected. Initiating termination protocols.”
But before she moved to confront the hostile, 01R spoke up. His cybernetic components had received NSLICE-00P’s sensor scan, and so he saw the hostile as well.
“Ah, Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen, this lowly servant of yours has a request. This foe-enemy is mine, yes yes. May I confront-face it alone?”
NSLICE-00P’s robotic eye flickered. There was no reason to increase risk by allowing 01R to do so, but again she detected an emotional response from 01R when making this request. And her sensors scans of the hostile’s mana signature indicated a favorable match-up when all of 01R’s latest capabilities were taken into account. So, while the risk would increase if she allowed 01R to conduct the termination alone, it would not reach unacceptable levels.
So she applied the same decision-making as she had with Taog’s request.
“Conditional Response: Request accepted with the caveat that this unit will intervene if NSLICE-01R is at risk of immediate termination.”
01R bowed his head.
“Thank you, Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen. I will show-display the might of your servants, yes yes.”
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01R made his way to an empty alleyway, ducking and weaving to remain out of sight of the Imperials around town. He landed in the shadows of the building, sniffing the air as his robotic eye scanned for heat signatures. Behind him, up on a windowsill, a figure slowly began to move, its wicked blades gleaming in the light.
Without a sound, the figure pounced.
And without turning around, 01R dodged to the side. He slowly began to grin.
“So we meet-reunite again at last. I see you have been training-growing, yes yes.”
In front of him, the cat landed, and slowly turned around. It bared its fangs at him in a predatory smile, its claws significantly sharper than before. 01R could feel how much more mana it had than previously, it was certainly no mundane animal at this point. 01R crouched down and extended his own claws.
“But I have not been idle-resting either. You still cannot match-overcome the might of the Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen’s servants!”
The cat meowed at him, and then they both pounced. 01R rushed forward but the cat’s strike was far more honed and precise than it had been before. It kept at its ideal distance, beyond the reach of the small rat. 01R was forced to dodge, and the distance was too great for him to counterattack. So the two passed one another without dealing any wounds. 01R chuckled.
“You have grown-become strong indeed, yes yes.”
The cat meowed and spun around, readying its stance for another pass. 01R spread his arms out.
“Let me show-reveal what I have gained too, yes yes.”
01R deployed his thrusters and shot into the air as the cat began to charge. Safely in the sky, he formed Light Blade magic circles, and swords of light extended from his paws. He crossed his arms and prepared to swoop down…
The cat skidded to a halt. It glared at him, and began meowing rapidly. 01R blinked a couple of times.
“Cheating? What do you mean-intend by ‘cheating?’ ”
The cat continued to meow and gestured at his cybernetic armor. 01R tilted his head.
“But I had-wore this armor before, yes yes?”
The cat meowed and gestured at the sky, and the blades on his paws.
“Flying and magic is cheating? But, we did not say-create any rules when we parted?”
The cat meowed once and then plopped on the ground, turning away from 01R.
“Hey, don’t be-act like that. I also wanted-intended to give you a good fight, yes yes.”
The cat refused to look at him. 01R frowned, dropped his Light Blades, and then rubbed his paws. Suddenly his face lit up and he pounded a fist into his other paw.
“I got it, yes yes!”
The cat turned around just enough to peek at him out of the corner of its eye.
“Why don’t you join-enlist in the Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen’s army? Then we can get-build you your own armor and you can learn the Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen’s spells, yes yes! It’ll be fair-balanced if we can both fly, yes yes? And then we can fight-spar as much as we wish, yes yes!”
The cat tilted its head and meowed. 01R nodded.
“This armor is a gift-blessing the Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen can bestow upon her loyal servants, yes yes. But you must join-serve her to be worthy of it, yes yes.”
The cat’s face scrunched up and it meowed. 01R scoffed and crossed his arms.
“I can assure you, the Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen is unlike any of these other dumb-idiotic man-things you have encountered. Come, see-experience for yourself her wisdom and might and grace and you will know-believe that she is worth your loyalty, yes yes.”
The cat’s eyes narrowed, but she slowly rose to her feet and stretched her claws. She scoffed at the rat’s foolish loyalty. She had lived among humans all her life. There were none here who were worth her time. Even those stronger than her were not so strong that they could not be overcome with time and effort, this she believed!
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The cat trembled as massive beams scoured the ground around it, cutting off just before they struck her. Countless more magic circles formed around the supposed human, who had not even moved since this trial began.
This was no human.
This was a dragon in disguise.
She could not see herself defeating this monster, not if she trained for several lifetimes, and drained the entire city of life.
01R made a smug grin as he crossed his arms.
“See see?”
The cat just shivered. She looked into the monster’s glowing red eyes and was not nearly as confident as the rat in its benevolence.
But…she glanced between the rat and the supposed human. At their very similar armor. She glanced down at her claws.
She was nature’s perfect killing machine…but perhaps there was always room for improvement, even upon perfection.
And so NSLICE-00P gained another contracted monster that day.