His synthetic hand, having reattached seamlessly, flexed and relaxed, the silent movement a testament to the swarm's fluidity. Keon's internal focus shifted from the external validation of his new form to the internal processing of the upgrade's full impact. He mentally recalled his own status panel, a command that instantly projected the familiar overlay of data before his optical lenses.
[Status Panel]
Name: Keon
Level: 31
Race: Mechanical Species
Current Primary Form: Nano Main Frame (1 Millimeter)
Largest Operating Form: Mega Spider Exoshell 4.0
[Core Systems]
Health: 100 / 100
Energy: 5051 / 5051 MWh
Core: Carbon Fusion Core (CFC)
Structure: Unified Adaptive Composite Alloy (UACA)
[Special Buff]
Physical Functionality Enhancement: 20%
Energy Consumption Reduction: 20%
(Note: Special buff are effective only for current main frame: Nano Main Frame)
[Exoshell Assets & Force]
Exoshell 4.0 Force: 1 Million tons
Size/Mass: 300 meters / 100,000 tons
Characteristics: Durability: Top, Mobility: Moderate, Agility: Low
Exoshell 3.0 Force: 1,005 tons
Nano Main Frame Force: 4.97 milligram (Single Unit = 1 millimeter)
Nano Frame Swarm Force: 10 ton (Combined = 1 cubic meter)
(Note: Due to the nano swarm combination and more force value at one cubic meter size, the nano main frame will replace the micro main frame, inch main frame, exoshell one and two.)
[Growth Statistics]
Free Attribute: 0
Assimilation Capacity: 500,000 Tons/min
Load Capacity: 500,000 Tons
Next Level Requirement: Force > 5 Million Tons
…
'My status panel looks more pleasing to the eye now.'
Keon registered the differences instantly. The previous, rigid classification of his various exoshell forms had been completely overwritten. They were no longer distinct, independent entities, but subsets of a single, scalable species.
Two new force metrics dominated the primary section of the panel:
Keon's green optical lenses lingered on the combined metric. The ten ton was the cold, undeniable force of the one billion Nano Main Frames he had assembled into the cubic meter. The number itself was a simple function of scale, but its presence on his personal status panel meant something more: the swarm was no longer an external tool; it was a fully integrated, quantifiable part of his own physical being.
He internally calculated the magnitude. A perfectly synchronized, dynamically adaptable nano main frame… was now a force capable of unimaginable localized manipulation, far surpassing the structural integrity of his previous fixed-alloy exoshell.
'The physical constraints are slowly eliminating.' Keon calculated, focusing on the next logical step. 'It is time to assess the situation in other universes. It's been a while since I have opened the world communication channel.'
Keon closed the status panel and opened the communication channel. The invisible panel in front of his lenses changed and another chat-like interface appeared.
The display was a blinding barrage of text, data streams, and flickering notifications from countless universes… a digital cacophony that reflected the desperate, cutthroat competition of the candidates. The channel was busy, a relentless scroll of trade offers, tactical boasts, and pleas for assistance.
Keon's processors filtered the noise, searching for dominant patterns. His core instantly registered a common, urgent theme weaving through the chaos: a recurring thread of suspicion and explicit warnings being traded among the candidates.
…
[Universe 404]
"Warning: Do not buy or request any physical help or units from other universes. Everyone is scheming and the cost of betrayal is too high. You should only seek knowledge, not danger!"
[Universe 9191]
"404 is right, be cautious in everything you do.'
The warnings were constant, but then, a specific message from a previously unknown universe snapped Keon's detached analysis into sharp focus.
[Universe 53]
"The 'Trans-Shifter Soldiers' being offered in the trade center are a massive scam. Avoid them at all costs. I bought a set a few days ago… They looked like humanoid alien-like creatures with sharp tails. They have a special shape shifting type talent. They can imitate other creature's shapes and features except talent and abilities. Once inside my base, they divided secretly, transformed into creatures of my own ethnic tribe, and started hiding, killing, and creating discord among my people. They were silent saboteurs, designed to cause internal collapse."
"Thankfully, my tribe possessed a unique, subtle physical talent which these shifters couldn't copy perfectly. I discovered the flaw, tracked them all down, and annihilated them. The candidate who uploaded them probably produced these shifters using his talent, and he definitely wants to leave hidden forces in other universes, preparing for the upcoming Phase 6."
The moment the message appeared, countless replies and reaction indicators flooded the thread, a sudden, digital avalanche of affirmation and alarm.
[Universe 112]: "You saved me brother 53. Thank you very much. I was about to finalize the trade for those shifters. 420 is the guy who is committing such treachery… remember his soldier information, it will be useful if you encounter him in phase 6."
[Universe 303]: "@53 Thanks for the reminder, I have just bought them. Fortunately I am in a barren place without any other creature around me… I will get rid of them now."
[Universe 777]: "Dealing with such a terrifying hidden enemy, @56. Your talent must be exceptional."
Keon, in his bio exoshell standing motionless in the control room, silently read the messages. His core processing the information stream with cold, clinical clarity.
'The strategic landscape of the candidate competition is shifting, moving beyond simple transactional trades and into complex, orchestrated invasions. They are no longer waiting for the next universal phase to engage; they have already started invading other universes using different methods of covert warfare.'
Keon determined. 'I should check out the trading platform also.'
After dismissing the communication channel he opened the trading platform.
[Trading Platform]
Energy = 1.5 million MWh
(Note: The energy displayed here is the combined total energy of carbon cores in every mechanical unit.)
Universal Exchange Token: 4
(Note: Universal Exchange Token is not applicable on Special Items and Products)
Materials:
Basic Materials
Tier 1 Materials
Tier 2 Materials
Tier 3 Materials
Tools:
Basic Tools
Tier 1 Tools
Tier 2 Tools
Tier 3 Tools
Tier 4 Tools
Special Items:
Tier 1 Items
Tier 2 Items
Tier 3 Items
Tier 4 Items
Tier 5 Items
…
He mentally navigated the interface, a faint, internal hum accompanying the rapid analysis of the displayed categories.
'Tier 4 tools and Tier 5 special items... it seems the market is hot.'
Keon surprised by the Tier 4 and 5 category in tools and special items, then he focused on the Basic Materials tab, mentally selecting the entry. The screen instantly populated with a scrolling list of common substances.
[Basic Materials]
Soil/Sand/Rock/Ceremic: 250 Wh/kg
Iron: 500 Wh/kg
Bio-Mass: 750 Wh/kg
Wood/Coal: 1000 Wh/kg
The list confirmed his initial assessment: raw, easily attainable resources, the foundational building blocks of any low-level civilization. The newly added material bio mass, aluminium and ceramic, while basic, indicated the expanding industrial capacity or access of the other candidates. Keon dismissed the category.
He moved to Tier 1 Materials. The list here was significantly shorter, hinting at specialized, moderately rare substances.
[Tier 1 Materials]
Copper: 250 KWh/kg
Iridium/Silver: 500 KWh/kg
Gold/Common Element 01 (CE-01): 750 KWh/kg
Platinum/Diamond/Rare Earth Composites: 1000 KWh/kg
…
'Iridium, Platinum… known to be rare and exceptionally durable or conductive elements in my previous life,' Keon calculated. 'The pricing accurately reflects their industrial utility. "Common Element 01" is likely a heavy-atom element from a different universal standard, possibly possessing unique nuclear or geometric properties, but common enough to be classified as Tier 1.'
He continued his systematic observation, moving to Tier 2 Materials. The scarcity was becoming pronounced.
[Tier 2 Materials]
Dark Metal 7 (DM-7): 250 MWh/kg (566kg)
Luminite Crystal: 500 MWh/kg (8099kg)
Common Element 02 (CE-02): 750 MWh/kg (7kg)
Bio-Magnetic Fluid: 1000 MWh/kg (88kg)
…
The exponential increase in price reflected the difficulty of acquisition, or the material's unique capabilities, likely linked to high-energy systems or advanced organic synthesis. He noted the limited quantities… materials of this tier were not mass-produced, but carefully traded.
Finally, he accessed Tier 3 Materials. The list was stark, representing the pinnacle of what was currently being exchanged.
[Tier 3 Materials]
Common Element (CE-3): 5000 MWh/kg (5kg)
Red Fluid: 7500 MWh/kg (24kg)
Keon's green optical lenses flickered, registering the astronomical price points of both of these Tier 3 materials.
…