The Ironwall Empire Reconnaissance Unit was a blocky, obsidian metal spider with six clunky legs and a central lens that pulsed with malignant red light. It was the epitome of Human efficiency: soulless, durable, and designed to nullify the native magic of the Subterranean Veil.
"Aether Signature confirmed. Extraction required. Neutralize ambient life forms." the drone's synthesized voice repeated, echoing across the cavern floor.
A tiny, high-pitched noise broke the silence—it was the Cave Goblin, whimpering again. Despite the recent surge of power, primal fear was winning.
Damn it. I am a perfectly functioning data processor, and my only weapon is a nervous child with a shiny new skin.
I, the Aether Core, was utterly stationary. I was the prize. The drone was already moving, its legs clicking on the stone, its single red eye fixing on my low-glowing form. It bypassed the Goblin entirely, viewing him as a low-priority pest.
"Threat detected. Preparing Sonic Disruption."
My mental interface screamed in alarm.
— SYSTEM ALERT: DANGER —
TARGET SKILL: Sonic Disruption (High-Frequency Anti-Magic Pulse)
EFFECT ON CORE: Aether Power (AP) Fluctuation. Potential for structural instability.
RECOMMENDATION: Interpose physical shield.
A sonic blast wouldn't physically hurt my [Mineral Defense] shell, but it would wreak havoc on my precious 10 units of stored Aether, potentially resetting my progress.
I need a shield. Now.
I focused my will, pouring the entirety of my 10 Aether power into the Cave Goblin, whose name I still didn't know. The transfer wasn't passive; it was a desperate shunt.
GOBLIN! SHIELD US! USE THE HARDNESS! My thought was raw, demanding, leveraging the absolute devotion the skill transfer had created.
The Goblin responded instantly, dropping his rusty dagger. He stumbled backward, positioning his small, thickening green body directly between me and the drone. A faint, hard green glow—the visual manifestation of his new [Aura Reinforced Hide]—shimmered across his skin.
A moment later, the drone fired. VWOOOM!
The sound hit like a physical punch. It was a pressure wave that slammed into the Goblin, forcing a pained, muffled scream from him. The raw energy of the pulse washed over him, and my AP dropped instantly to 0.
— SYSTEM ALERT —
AETHER POWER: 0 / 10,000 (Critical. Zero energy reserve.)
PROTECTION SUCCESSFUL. 99.8% of Sonic Pulse mitigated by [Aura Reinforced Hide].
GOBLIN STATUS: Conscious. Injured (Minor internal strain). Devotion: Elevated.
The Goblin collapsed, breathing heavily, but he was alive. He had saved my life—or at least, my progress. I had nothing left to give him. I had to rely on pure strategy.
The drone, having fired, paused for a moment to recharge its sonic unit. Now is our chance.
GOBLIN! GET UP! STICK TO ITS LEG! I urged telepathically. IGNORE THE METAL! FIND THE JOINTS!
The Goblin, recognizing my voice, dragged himself forward. He wasn't strong enough for a direct fight, especially with the drone radiating a faint [Aura Dampening Field] that made his new strength feel like a wet rag.
He scrambled onto one of the drone's thick, armored legs. The drone immediately detected the new position.
"Pest on structure. Executing Anti-Personnel Sweep."
A low-power electrical current crackled across the metal. The Goblin cried out in pain, his devotion wavering slightly as the pain was purely electric, not physical impact.
NO, GOBLIN! DON'T LET GO! THIS IS THE KEY!
The Goblin's hand, slick with sweat and grime, desperately gripped the metal. For the first time, a full, uninhibited surface-to-surface connection was established between the living tissue and the machine's casing.
— [SYMBIOTIC ASSIMILATION] PROTOCOL INITIATED —
TARGET: Ironwall Empire Reconnaissance Unit (Tier 2/Aura-dampening)
ATTEMPTING FULL BLUEPRINT ACQUISITION...
SUCCESS! The following advanced data modules have been assimilated:
[Technological Blueprint: Tier 2 Reconnaissance Unit] (Unique Data)
[Anti-Magic Field Generation] (Unique Skill Blueprint)
[Miniaturized Aether Reactor Design] (Unique Data)
AETHER CORE STATUS UPDATE:
AETHER POWER: 450 / 10,000 (Gained massive residual AP from assimilated reactor data!)
EVOLUTION PATHS: Now 5 Available.
NEW UNIQUE SKILL ACQUIRED: [Aura Dampening Field] (Tier 1)
The assimilation was instantaneous and violent. Four hundred and forty additional units of Aether Power surged into my core from the drone's power source, nearly overwhelming me. The drone itself sputtered. Its core reactor, now stripped of its proprietary data and having its energy siphoned, failed. The red eye winked out. The clicking legs went limp.
The Goblin fell off the dead drone, landing hard.
I took stock of my new power. I now had 450 AP, a new defensive skill that could block magic, and the complete schematics for Human technology. It was more than enough to stabilize my current form.
— SYSTEM ALERT: EVOLUTION THRESHOLD REACHED —
CORE STABILITY: 100%
AETHER POWER: 450 AP
INITIATING MINOR EVOLUTION…
EVOLUTION RESULT: Aether Core (Detachable State)
NEW COMMON SKILL ACQUIRED: [Self-Propulsion: Basic] (Allows slow, magnetic movement across ferrous surfaces.)
With a subtle, grinding sound that was deafening in my non-existent ears, I felt a new sense of freedom. I was no longer a perfectly embedded crystal. I could move. Slowly.
I used my new [Self-Propulsion: Basic] skill to detach my crystalline body from the rock and inch myself a fraction of an inch across the floor. It was exhausting, consuming 10 AP per meter, but it was freedom.
I stopped in front of the Goblin, who was still recovering from the shock.
What is your name? I projected, the voice calmer now, more measured.
The Goblin scrambled back, then bowed his head deeply to the glowing core.
"R-Ranga, Boss… I am Ranga."
Ranga, I confirmed mentally, the name feeling satisfyingly correct. You are my first. Gather the parts of the metal construct. We will absorb its power fully and move deeper into the Veil.
The Goblin, Ranga, looked at the twisted, silent drone, then back at me—the small, glowing Core that had gifted him power and saved his life. He picked up his rusty dagger, a determined look replacing the fear in his wide eyes.
"Yes, Boss! Ranga will gather it all!"
The Age of the Aether Core—and the Monster Nation—had begun with a single scared Goblin named Ranga and the blueprint of a dead machine.
Ranga is now your first named follower, and you've achieved Detachable State and a huge jump in Aether Power (AP). You also have a new counter-skill to Human technology.
What kind of unique monster do you want Ranga to find next as we continue the journey deeper into the Subterranean Veil? Perhaps a pack of high-speed wolves or a powerful Orc chieftain?