"Great Emperor!"
The exclamation burst from Nolan involuntarily, shock overriding composure.
"Jessica! What have you fed it? Why do I remember that the Magnum in the past was only less than one and a half meters tall?"
Nolan, still in a state of profound shock, immediately turned to stare at Jessica. His voice emerged loud, demanding explanation for the impossible transformation before him.
A mud-man barely taller than human height had become a twenty-meter mud colossus. The change defied reason.
"Teacher, this is Magnum's special talent!" Jessica's voice carried wide smile, pride radiating from every word.
She gestured broadly at the towering figure. "In its mud form, it can absorb large amounts of minerals from the ocean floor and underground. It sorts and processes the impurities inside its body, then excretes the refined minerals in pure form!"
Living refinery. Geological processor. Nature's perfect mining operation.
While explaining, Jessica faced Magnum, which looked like a small mountain rising from the ocean. She waved her arm forcefully in signal.
The next second, Magnum's huge mud body slowly squirmed. Movement rippled across its surface like waves through viscous liquid.
It tried hard to open its massive mouth, the aperture appearing like a black hole in its earthen face. Darkness within promised depths.
Then it began. Magnum continuously spat out large amounts of refined minerals toward the nearby coast! The material shone with metallic luster even in overcast light, arcing through the air in tremendous quantities.
Iron. Copper. Rare earths. All separated. All pure. All valuable.
Immediately afterward, as if choreographed, automatic servo robots waving mechanical tentacles quickly emerged from hiding places among the rocks and vegetation.
They swarmed the landing zone, each machine picking up refined minerals that fell from sky like metallic rain.
Then the robots moved rapidly back and forth toward the foundry, transporting wealth by the ton. Efficient. Relentless. Never tiring.
At this moment, Nolan, who had squinted his eyes against the spectacle, stared at the huge Magnum and took a deep breath. Processing. Accepting. Understanding the implications.
This changed everything. Resource extraction. Manufacturing capacity. Strategic independence.
He watched as Magnum briefly communicated with Jessica through gestures and sounds he couldn't quite interpret. Some language they'd developed together.
And after shaking its huge body in the direction of Nolan and Doom, movement suggesting acknowledgment or perhaps greeting, Magnum dove back under the rough sea.
The ocean accepted the creature with barely a splash despite its tremendous mass. Water closed over earth. And it was gone.
At this moment, Nolan, who blinked several times to clear his vision and thoughts, turned to look at Jessica. She was smiling with obvious satisfaction.
He said with helpless expression, though genuine appreciation underlay the words, "Okay, Jessica, I admit that the results of your work are amazing. Genuinely impressive. You can keep your power scythe."
Then curiosity. "By the way, what did you just communicate about with Magnum?"
"Haha, thank you chief!" Jessica's gratitude was genuine, clutching her weapon closer.
Then came confession. "Not long ago, Magnum accidentally unearthed a new mineral while excavating. And it once again asked me to increase the price for its services."
She continued with the economics. "In the past, a ton of ordinary minerals could be exchanged for a pound of candy. Fair rate. But now the special minerals must start at ten pounds minimum!"
Her voice carried resigned amusement. "And for Raditus and the foundry's sake, I reluctantly agreed. Anyway, how to transport the candy is David's headache to solve, not mine."
Jessica held her head high, carrying her beloved power scythe with pride. She delivered her report to Nolan without hesitation or apology. Business concluded. Terms negotiated.
"New special mineral?" Nolan's eyebrows rose sharply. Interest crystallizing. "Come on, let's go find Raditus and ask about the situation immediately."
He glanced around the coast with tactical assessment. After confirming that all the refined minerals had been transported away by automatic servo robots, that the operation was complete, he immediately gestured.
"Doom, Jessica, with me."
He greeted both companions, who were still processing what they'd witnessed, and walked with purpose toward the entrance of the foundry.
Soon after, having descended into the complex, everyone entered the foundry proper. The air temperature was much higher than outside, heat radiating from massive furnaces that never cooled.
The foundry hall was filled with automatic servo robots weaving between workstations. Many shipwreck components were scattered throughout, being repurposed and processed.
In this organized chaos, they found the very busy Servo Skull Raditus. The machine darted between projects, optical sensors tracking multiple operations simultaneously.
Nolan first performed introductions. "Raditus, this is Viktor von Doom. Doom, this is Tech-Priest Raditus."
Then immediately pivoted to urgency. He addressed the servo skull suspended in mid-air with barely contained eagerness.
"Raditus, where are the minerals that were just transported stored? I heard that you found a special mineral? Details. Now."
"Aha, Lord Primarch, your information is indeed well informed..." Raditus's optical sensors flashed red with what might have been pleasure at the attention.
Reditus voice emerged synthesized but enthusiastic. "Dear Jessica, I have prepared some new gifts for you. The automatic servo robot No. 3018 will take you to the storage location of the gifts. Go quickly!"
Raditus immediately began issuing a series of expulsion orders against Jessica, tone brooking no argument despite the politeness.
Jessica, whose interest had been captured by the promise of presents, followed the designated automatic servo robot without complaint. She departed the hall eagerly, power scythe clanking against armor.
Only after Jessica left, after her presence no longer complicated the conversation, did the servo skull Raditus drive its anti-gravity engine forward.
It floated slowly before Nolan and Doom, positioning at eye level.
"Boy, your name is Doom, right?" Raditus addressed the sorcerer directly. "I heard that you have many research ideas on power armor design? We can share knowledge a little later..."
Technical minds recognizing each other. Respect offered.
Then back to business. "Ah, Lord Primarch, we have indeed excavated a very special precious mineral from the depths of the sea near the island. Please examine it."
As Raditus spoke, an automatic servo robot cautiously approached the group. Its movements were careful, reverent almost.
Inside its mechanical tentacles, a power sword reflecting faint golden luster appeared. The weapon caught light strangely, metallic surface seeming to absorb and reflect simultaneously.
At this moment, Nolan felt repeated signals from the simulator, the system recognizing something significant. He resisted the urge to open it and check specifications immediately.
Instead, he casually picked up the power sword from the mechanical tentacles. The weight felt different. Balanced but somehow lighter than it should be.
He looked up at Raditus and asked directly, "Raditus, is this power sword made entirely of special minerals? What's so special about it specifically?"
"What's special?" Raditus's voice rose with fervent enthusiasm. "Dear Lord Primarch, I guarantee you with the status of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the name of the Emperor himself..."
The servo skull practically vibrated with excitement. "From now on, the power weapons produced by the Imperium of Man, if they are not mixed with this special mineral, are merely a pile of neglected garbage!"
Strong claim. Bold words. But Raditus continued with technical specifics.
"This power sword is completely made of special minerals. Even if it is not stimulated by the decomposition force field, the sharpness between the blades is far beyond anything we've produced before."
The skull drifted closer, emphasizing. "Whether it is against the living metal of the Necrons or any metal material in the Imperium of Man, this blade can penetrate very easily! The molecular structure simply parts before it!"
At this moment, Raditus, suspended in mid-air, addressed Nolan in a very enthusiastic tone that bordered on religious fervor.
"Moreover, this power weapon made of special minerals, after being stimulated by the decomposition field, even has destructive power comparable to that of the phased sword!"
The comparison was staggering. C'tan technology matched by human metallurgy.
"If the phased sword is superior because the technology level of the Space Necrons is too profound and extreme, then this special mineral we have discovered almost eliminates the technological gap between our sides from the source of manufacturing!"
Raditus's proclamation rang through the foundry. "You have technology, right? Well, I have a mine at home!"
Hearing the continuous words of Raditus, listening to claims that seemed impossible, Nolan's eyes narrowed slightly with focus.
He didn't care about Doom standing beside him witnessing this. Didn't worry about secrecy. This needed testing. Verification.
He activated the decomposition field of the power sword without hesitation, thumb finding the control stud.
Buzz buzz buzz!
The next second, the azure decomposition field completely wrapped the entire blade of the power sword. Energy crackled along its length. The hum rose to audible frequencies.
Nolan glanced around the surrounding environment, seeking appropriate target. His gaze settled.
He immediately stepped forward with purpose and chopped hard at a piece of exposed adamantine keel from nearby ship wreckage! The material was among the hardest known to Imperial science.
The azure blade touched the adamantine keel. Contact lasted microseconds.
It emitted a fleeting buzzing vibration in the blink of an eye, frequency resonating through metal and bone alike.
And the surface structure was easily shaken apart by the power sword's blade as if the adamantine had liquefied! Molecular bonds simply surrendered. The legendary durability meant nothing.
Nolan didn't even exert much strength. No leverage. No force. Just the blade's inherent properties.
The power sword in his palm easily cut off a large piece of ship wreckage, the section falling away with a clang!
Clean cut. Perfect edge. Zero resistance.
For a moment, silence held the foundry. Even the servo robots seemed to pause.
Then Nolan couldn't help but reveal a bright smile at the corner of his mouth. Joy. Vindication. Strategic advantage crystallizing.
He turned his head and said loudly to Raditus, who was jumping up and down with mechanical excitement, "Raditus, I will give you, Jessica and Magnum a great credit! Commendation for exceptional service!"
His voice carried command authority. "You have also been approved to research and manufacture a new intelligent control army robot! Whatever design you propose!"
Reward for brilliance. Resources for continued innovation.
"By the way," Nolan added, curiosity demanding satisfaction. "Do you have a new name for this special mineral? What are you calling it?"
"Ohm Messiah! Emperor be praised!" Raditus's exclamation was pure ecstasy. "Thank you for the generous praise of the Primarch! Your approval means everything!"
The servo skull stabilized, delivering information with pride. "I have consulted the local mineral databases and compared the properties. I believe that this special mineral should be classified as vibranium..."
A pause for emphasis. For drama. For the revelation's weight.
"Antarctic vibranium!"