[ Take care. ]

[ I’ll take care. ]

Miner-8001 gave its blessings to its fellow Miner robots as they entered the dark gates. The slick and silver robots were transported away from the barren Miner camp with its brown rocky peaks.

It arrived inside a building with the mission [ Survive ]. 8001 turned invisible and formed two blade limbs as giant snakes surrounded the #2 candidate. Seeing that they could still sense it, the blades guillotined their heads off.

‘An easy level. I can’t wait for the Freeform level to compete with the humans.’

From what it’s scout told it, the main reason they were separated was their different atmospheric needs. Earthlings needed more oxygen, Cilae would die without an entirely different gas and its Miner people didn’t need one.

It dodged and weaved. Even when the snakes managed to bite him, the part before it was damaged would simply turn to liquid metal and reform after he dodged away.

‘I can’t wait till we all have G.R.E.D. suits.’

It had conversed with the other candidates but it’d like to see their culture in person.

[ Arena Complete!

+ 70 points ]

Since these enemies’ skins had little value 8001 didn’t bother with the remains.

‘Eh. They’re already back.’

Some of the robots who entered with it had completed their arenas even faster than the supposed fastest in the camp.

“Guys you got back earlier than me?”

“Hehe. Guess.”

8001 scratched the back of its head. A gesture it found cute thus it was copied.

“These things.”

They showed him large blocky firearms with a drum magazine held with two of the Miner robot’s four hands. The last two held spears, the consensus best weapons for every candidate.

“Eyepoppers! Shotguns!”

‘Well, at least they’re happy.’

In their own dimension, there was simply no conflict. They were a young race with 10 years of true civilization.

8001 recalled their history. The Miner’s didn’t know who created them, only that they left. They were left to with a simple directive to dig ores, place them in storage and wait for the retrieving ships.

2000 years of constant mindless work filled their stores and thinned the metal veins. The final ores needed a more capable workforce. The Researcher bot seeing the dwindling production followed the creator’s command to improve the digging speed.

It decided to create highly intelligent robots and so the production. At that point, they were conscious but still following the directive to dig.

It was only when the all of the ores were mined that they begun treading the path to self-identity. There was conflict and fighting among the new intelligent bots. Those who want to continue digging in other worlds and those who believed that the command was only to dig in this world and thus find the creators to ask for their new directive.

The latter won and since then they had their “Plastic Goal” that will never be completed. The creators didn’t command them to instantly search for new command so it could simply be delayed indefinitely.

10 years after that, Miner 8001 who was a newly created bot got pulled to the Nexus.

Its Miner people was young and childish. They crave to interact with any intelligent race.

“I want to see those shotguns in action.”

“8001. Tsk tsk. You jealous?”

“I don’t even know if these are good.”

They reentered the arenas.

[ Kill 40/40 Land Manta ]

Flying enemies that were 2 meters wide but also pulsing with electricity.

“Watch 8001.”

The three robots changed their magazines. The previous ones had red paint and the new ones had green.

Thump. Thump.

It was a rhythmic chugging of fire and thousands of small pellets moving at ridiculous speeds hit the manta. Their hide and the meat behind was mashed in uneven minced flesh.

Their carcass fell to the ground as blood pooled in a straight line from where they were hit.

The gunfire stopped since ammo was not cheap. The fire was simply meant to make the enemy more manageable.

‘Violent and cost effective!’

8001 dove to the last of the enemies and tanked.

[ Arena Complete! ]

They clapped to celebrate. Just another custom learned from the humans.

“Ok. Let’s check the other magazines.”

This temporary team entered another arena.

[ Hunt 1/1 Giant ]

“A special battle!”

8001 didn’t expect to encounter this rewarding but difficult arena type. It was a familiar one too.

Special battles were limited to 3 arena levels that would only change with 10 encounters. The candidates had encountered this one for 8 times so they had great intel for this arena.

Far across this frost land was a 7-meter humanoid who carried a big tree. It was very slow and stupid. The only worry was the exhaustion from the constant running and their robot bodies was the perfect bane of this enemy.

Large footsteps trailed towards the distance.

“Knees, shoulders then dead.”

“Understood.”

They spread out and chased the monster. Soon enough they arrived at the mouth of a cave where they could hear snoring. The dark opening didn’t hinder their vision and they switched to thermals.

8001 threw the command gestures that every candidate followed. They made sure to standardize it with the Earthlings and Cilae for future cooperation.

‘Me, point. You guys, ambush.’

They nodded and placed their weapons down. Their hands dug in the snow and soon they were hidden from view.

The silver frame disappeared once more and approached the giant. 8001 climbed the roof of the cave by forming picks.

The soft sound of metal on rock didn’t manage to disturb its sleep. Carefully, it was soon on top of the giant’s head.

The picks changed and merged into one big pike. 8001 lost his purchase and thus his mass free fell.

The Giant screamed in agony as the free air that travelled its throat was blocked by an offending matter.

8001 felt the muscles constricting and turning to stone. It jumped out as the white skin turned red and it enlarged by 50%. Its already tough hide was now covered in hard armor. The injuries were gone too.

The disturbed and disturber chased each other out of the cave. The dumb monster didn’t realize it was surrendering its natural advantage in the caves and making it easier for its enemies to dodge its attacks by going outside.

8001 gestured for the others to begins. They came out of their holes with their weapons and unloaded.

The large shells cracked the armor then pierced through the ligaments. 10 shells for each and thus the combined 30 chewed through.

It tried a clumsy swing as it fell. The Miner robots expected it however and dodged the strike and its falling body.

It roared in anger still unaware of its coming fate and emboldened since the thumping of the shotguns stopped. It aimed to stand up and get its revenge.

8001 stood back as new magazines were placed on the Eyepoppers. They pulled back a handle and a harsh metal on metal sound was heard as new rounds were ready to be delivered.

Another round of rhythmic fire and its last knee was gone. Soon, the giant was quartered like pork and its mobility was fully gone.

Its unbelievable vitality kept it alive however.

“Should we finish it?”

8001 recalled the prior clearing of this enemy. The initial strategy was to simply destroy its brain but it would simply reform. The latest and most effective way to kill this giant was to simply let it bleed out as the skill causing its redness and regeneration fades when no single massive damage was inflicted.

It bellowed and huffed. Doing its best to struggle and cling to life but the continuous bleeding was neutralizing its ability.

‘Glaring. Anger.’

Based on his memory bank, the monster was showing extreme anger and hopelessness. They weren’t phased however.

Some of the Cilae and Earthlings would have wanted to end its suffering but they wouldn’t since they had no impetuous. They feel no pain, no frustration. The Miner Robots only feel “happiness” when they progress in anything since it makes it likelier for them to meet their creators in the future and received their next commands.

They practiced combat, learned culture to blend in and created more of themselves to increase their survival chance for the future meeting with their creators.

8001 was confused about their state. Intelligent yet bound by code they could never escape from.

‘We are a young race.’

They could take their time just like they waited for this enemy to fall. Its breathing became slower and slower. Blood spurted from its mouth and soon it gurgled in it.

[ Arena Completed.

+300 points

Team Item Pool received:

1/3 Mutated Giant Heart Ticket

1/3 Rage Skill Ticket

1/3 Greater Vitality Heal Ticket]

They clapped in celebration.

“They are powerful.”

“Fufufu. 8001, are you jealous now? I can introduce you to where I bought this.”

8001 learned about the Earthling Izo Shelley who was selling personalized equipment and ammunition. It seemed that there was an uproar in their camp since he could also produce spare parts for them for cheap. Each item he sold was 15% less.

8001 changed its face to resemble a human and smiled.

“Thank you for this information. I might buy an Eyepopper shotgun too!”

They all high fived and one of them even missed like some of the humans. They entered the dark gate back to camp to continue fighting in arenas at a faster pace than the others. If charging and batteries wasn't so costly, the Miner robots would have completely dominated the other races.