Chapter 9: The Steel Pulse
With the "Vulcan" Geothermal Plant humming in the background, providing a near-infinite surge of electrons, Zen stood before the empty expanse of the basalt plateau. The light from the overhead LED floods reflected off his eyes—eyes that were no longer looking at raw stone, but at an assembly of possibilities.
"Energy is the soul of a city," Zen murmured, tapping the interface of his multi-wrench. "But labor is its body. And I won't have my people breaking their backs like slaves in the Empire's mines."
Grim approached, looking at the massive energy readings. "We've got the power, lad. But we're only five dwarves and one prince. We can't dig, build, and guard all at once. Even with your magic tools, we're spread too thin."
"I know," Zen replied. "That's why we're going to stop working. And start programming."
[New Project: Automated Factory Line — 'The Forge of Hephaestus']
[Tier 2 Technology: Industrial Automation]
[Status: Initializing Nanite Framework...]
Zen extended his hand. This time, the Nanite swarm didn't just reshape metal; it began to replicate. Using the high-purity iron and copper flowing in from the mining drones, Zen watched as the first "Assembler Arms" rose from the ground. They were sleek, multi-jointed limbs capable of sub-millimeter precision, anchored to a moving conveyor track that spanned the length of the plateau.
[Phase 1: Component Fabrication]
"Grim, I need you to oversee the material intake," Zen commanded. "Feed the raw obsidian and iron into the primary pulverizer. The machines will do the rest."
As the dwarves shoveled the ore into the intake maw, the factory roared to life. This wasn't the slow, agonizing labor of the surface world. This was the terrifying efficiency of the modern age. Lasers cut through iron like butter. Nanites fused circuits in nanoseconds.
Within an hour, the first finished product rolled off the line.
[Unit Produced: 'Worker-Bot Mk I' - Designation: Beetle]
It was a low-profile, four-legged robot designed for heavy lifting and excavation. Its "eyes" glowed with a soft yellow light as it chirped and immediately moved to a pile of rubble, beginning to sort and process it without a single command.
"By the stone..." one of the dwarves whispered, dropping his shovel. "It... it does the work of ten men. And it doesn't get tired."
"Wait," Zen said, his face illuminated by a flickering red light from the next assembly station. "The Workers are for the city. These next ones... are for the Empire."
[Unit Produced: 'Combat Drone Mk I' - Designation: Wasp]
From the second line, sleek, hovering drones emerged. They were armed with integrated mana-bolt rifles and high-frequency blades. Unlike the stationary turrets, these 'Wasps' were capable of independent flight and pack-hunting tactics.
[Total Output: 50 Worker-Bots, 20 Combat Drones]
[Status: Factory Line Operating at 30% Capacity]
Suddenly, a high-priority alert flashed across Zen's HUD. A sensor he had left in the upper tunnels—near the Archive—had been tripped.
[Warning: Perimeter Breach detected in Sector 1 (The Abyss Entrance)]
[Signature: Holy Empire Inquisitor Unit - 'The Silver Wings']
[Estimated Time to Arrival: 2 Hours]
The air in the cavern grew heavy. Grim gripped his pickaxe, but Zen just looked at his new army of steel.
"They're coming sooner than I expected," Zen said, his voice devoid of fear. "They think they're coming to hunt a fallen prince in a dark hole. They have no idea they're walking into an industrial powerhouse."
Zen turned to the Factory console. "System, switch production to [Heavy Artillery Shells] and [Nanite Repair Packs]. Initiate 'Protocol: Black Wall'."
The factory shifted gears. The rhythmic sound of the Assembler Arms grew faster, more aggressive. The heartbeat of the Abyss was no longer just a hum; it was a war drum.
"Grim," Zen said, looking at the veteran dwarf. "Get the boys to the barracks. Rest. The machines will hold the first line. When the 'Silver Wings' arrive, we won't greet them with prayers. We'll greet them with the sound of the future."
As the sunless city glowed under the artificial lights, the first battalion of 'Wasps' took flight, their blue thrusters leaving trails in the dark, ready to meet the Empire's light with cold, unyielding steel.