'It seems I can't assimilate any more metal, as my size has reached the limit. Anyway, I didn't expect leveling up to be that easy. Also, a large size is not beneficial for my current form. It will reduce my agility, and a larger body consumes more energy. I need to do something about that; I should try returning back to one inch size.'
Keon's thought process accelerated as he scanned the surrounding sand mounds, noting the scattered metal particles. The cavern, once a mere prison, now felt like a resource-rich quarry, but every gain came with a cost.
'I don't know what will happen when my energy is exhausted, as there is no plug or charging station around. I have only a few hours of time remaining. I have to come up with a solution quickly.'
His mechanical mind, still tethered to human logic, sought optimal solutions. He remained calm despite feeling urgency, probably because of his chilly mechanical frame.
He then glanced at the free attribute point on his status panel:
…
Health: 100 / 100%
Energy: 25 / 50 KWh
Force: 20 grams
Free Attribute Points: 1
…
'I've got to figure out the best option and future advantage. Which stat will be better for free attribute addition?' The question, though logical, carried a subtle weight of consequence. This was not a game; every decision impacted his survival.
As he stared at the panel, a glowing icon hovered beside the attribute point and expanded into a tooltip:
…
[Free Attribute Points can be added to any stat, but their effects vary.]
[Addition to health will optimize physical performance.]
[Addition to energy will optimize core performance.]
[Adding to Force will optimize the physical performance and core performance in balance.]
…
Keon studied the tooltip carefully, considering the best use for the free attribute point. His human intellect, combined with his mechanical processing speed, weighed the pros and cons.
'It's best to allocate the point into Force. Both health and energy scale with it anyway.'
He thought and chose the force attribute, then confirmed the allocation. The next moment, the panel flickered, and a notification appeared in his vision.
At the same time, he noticed some quick changes occurred inside his main material and components, including the carbon cell. He started observing the transformation calmly, a detached scientist witnessing his own evolution.
…
[Addition Successful]
[Force increased by 1 gram]
[Physical functionality increased by +0.1%]
[Energy consumption reduced by -0.1%]
…
'As expected. Adding to Force was the best possible investment. Although it didn't change the basic properties of my material structure and core, it optimized everything, including the internal structure of all the components, which reduced the energy consumption and increased the movement and efficiency… just like a buff in those games.'
Keon's optical lenses focused on the new notification window with details of his components' internal transformations. A faint sense of triumph, a purely human emotion, flickered within his core.
'Next time, I'll probably need two free attribute points added for a similar proportion boost to the current state. It's called diminishing returns…'
He then turned and glanced toward a sand mound filled with metal particles once again.
'I could increase my size again, but it's not worth it. Two inches is the maximum size limit for my current components… If the size is increased carelessly, my basic structure will collapse.'
His thought flickered and then added, 'More importantly, I need to do something about energy replenishment and leave this area. Planning comes after that.'
He dismissed the idea to upgrade his level by mass gain, then scanned his surroundings, searching for a way out. The silence of the cave, once a comfort, now felt oppressive.
'There's no visible exit. Maybe someone in the communication channel has encountered this before…' A new strategy formed.
Keon opened the communication channel and typed his message, a concise plea for information:
…
[Universe 8888888888]
"Hey, I'm a small-bodied unit stuck underground. I want to explore the surface. Any advice?"
Replies appeared moments later, marked by different universe IDs, a cacophony of voices from across the vast multiverse.
[Universe 6565656]
"What do you mean by a unit? Anyway, if you have legs and claws, crawl. Don't give up, buddy."
[Universe 765321]
"Use your racial talent. A lot of us were stuck like that, including me. The talent really helps. That high-dimensional being did a great job... our environments match our racial skills."
[Universe 453]
"I agree with that. Also, check the trading platform. If you have hit Level 1, it should be available. It helped me when my racial talent wasn't enough."
…
Keon's eyes gleamed at the last reply. 'Trading Platform? I almost forgot about it.' A surge of renewed hope, a distinctly human sensation, coursed through his core.
He exited the chat, eyes locking onto a new glowing tab beside his core functions.
[Trading Platform: UNLOCKED]
Keon eagerly tapped the icon. A new interface expanded, listing available items:
…
[Trading Platform]
Raw Materials
Wood / Coal: 1000 Wh energy/kg
Metal: 500 Wh energy/kg
Soil / Sand / Rock: 250 Wh energy/kg
[Trading Rules:
Trade fairly and follow the guidelines.
Prices must be based on the quality and value of the product.
Trade carefully and discreetly.]
[Note: Each player trades in their own unique currency.]
[Note: Currency conversion is free and fair.]
…
Keon frowned slightly looking at the raw materials list.
'No advanced tech or items… just basic raw materials. And everything requires energy, which is my most vital resource. But, I have to admit some players really got into it faster as they listed so many raw materials, or these are simply listed by the trading platform. Anyway, I will find out later.'
He felt a flicker of urgency; a slow start in this trial might mean elimination.
Just as he was about to close the panel, something caught his eye.
'Wait... Coal? Isn't that basically concentrated energy?' A sharp thought cut through his logic, staring at the coal listing.
'If I can assimilate the hydrocarbon layer above the coal and enrich my carbon cell… a single gram of coal will produce sufficient energy for my tiny core and carbon cell. Anyway, let me try, as it only requires 1Wh of energy to exchange a gram of coal for testing my idea.'
Without hesitation, he clicked [Buy] and selected one gram of the coal quantity.
Warning: One gram coal purchase will consume 1Wh of your current energy. Proceed? [Y/N]
Keon clicked Y directly.
[Purchase Successful]
[1 gram coal added to storage]
He opened the Storage tab. A digital bar labeled "Coal" glowed faintly, marked 1g.
He released it out; next moment, a small fragment of coal landed with a thud in front of him. It was ten times smaller than his two-inch size but still larger than the carbon cell inside his core.
At the same time, a description window opened in front of him:
[Coal: A combustible black sedimentary rock rich in carbon and hydrocarbons.
Note: Hydrocarbons can be used for energy replenishment.]
'I knew it! '
Keon scurried forward, tapping the coal with one of his legs, and directly activated the Assimilation, focusing on the hydrocarbon layer above the coal.
Slowly, the tiny carbon cell in his core energized as the hydrocarbon processed through his core.
[Energy +0.1Wh]
[Energy +0.1Wh]
[Energy +0.1Wh]
In just a minute, he completely assimilated the one gram of coal, each second providing him 0.1Wh energy, totaling 6Wh in the whole minute.
Energy: 30 / 50Wh
Keon glanced at the energy attribute; his core felt extremely recovered and energized. Then he glanced at the black powder remaining on the ground.
Another description window popped up as he observed the dark carbon ash.
[Carbon powder remains after hydrocarbon extraction.]
'Excellent. I've to purchase a few more grams of coal as viable energy sources so that I shouldn't worry about energy exhaustion.'
Just as he exchanged five grams more coal by paying 5Wh energy, a sudden realization struck his mind; he paused.
'Wait... can I assimilate the leftover carbon too?
Pure carbon is tougher and lighter than metal. If I fuse it with the iron alloy of my main structure, it will probably transform into a higher-level material.'
He eyed the less than one gram of carbon powder and immediately put his legs inside it, activating the Assimilation and Transformation.
The next moment, a wave of dark-silver shimmer spread across his spider legs, coating his chassis.
Buzz!!!
Emitting a buzzing sound, his structure slowly shrank, discarding all the extra iron metal out. His body became lighter, more agile, and visibly more robust.
'Iron and carbon combinations make carbon steel. That means… my entire structure material started evolving. Anyway, my size is shrinking without any force regression, which is good news. I have to assimilate more coal and completely transform my structure.'
Keon decided and then he released the five grams of coal he just exchanged and started assimilating it.
As his energy replenished fully, he stopped and exchanged more coal, then started assimilating again in order to completely transform the coal into pure carbon powder.
After a while,
Less than five grams of carbon ash remained on the ground, which is the remaining powder he got from assimilating five grams of coal. At the same time, his energy is full while extra five grams of coal is stored inside his storage.
Keon then put his leg inside the powder and started assimilating and transforming his structure.
Slowly, his size shrank and structure transformed, while the extra iron particles were discarded away. Slowly, he returned to his original one-inch size; he felt extremely light and agile.
[Force has reached 25 grams]
'Let's see how much my status has changed after this transformation.'
He thought to himself, looking at the notification of new force in front of him, and then opened his status panel.
...
[Status Panel]
Name: Keon
Level: 1
Race: Mechanical Species
Form: Repair Spider Bot
...
Primary Attributes
Health: 100 / 100%
Energy: 50 / 50.05 Wh (50Wh + 0.1%)
[Note: Energy consumption reduction percentage will be added as an extra energy in Energy stat.]
Core: CC-1 (Carbon Cell)
Structure: Carbon Steel
Size: 1 In
Force: 25.025g (25 + 0.1%)
(Note: Physical performance enhancement percentage will be added as an extra force value in Force stat.)
Mass: 9.5 grams
Mobility: Moderate
Durability: Moderate
Agility: Moderate
...
Growth Statistics
Free Attribute Points: 0
Next Level Requirement: Force > 50 gram
Assimilation Capacity: 5 gram/min
Load Capacity: 5 gram
…
'My force has increased to 25 grams, and mass has reduced to 9.5. Also, load capacity and assimilation increased to 5 grams; all of these attributes are directly linked with the basic structure. Also, the free attribute addition effect will be displayed in Energy and Force stat; it is a plus point.'
He glanced at the mobility, agility, and durability, which increased to moderate because the carbon steel is tougher, lighter, and firmer, just a little dry as compared to iron alloy.
After thinking for a while, he turned and looked toward the metal-filled sand mound in the distance.
'Now my size has returned to the original one inch, and mass has even reduced. Time to consider force improvements again, but differently.'
He started thinking about ways in which he could gain more force. Now, with a carbon steel structure, he is more mobile and stronger than before.
'What if I construct layered exoskeletal armor? Keep my internal body at one inch, but build external plating and frameworks layer upon layer?'
Keon's processor went into overdrive, calculating the feasibility of the design.
'I'll need to design the gear mechanisms, layer control, and modular joints. But as a mechanical being, this won't take long.'
After deciding for a while, Keon began sketching the blueprint in his mind... a layered exoshell of innovation that might be his key to escape… and his first step toward conquering the world above.
…