Colossus Robotics Takes Flight
Having finished my conversation with Dr. Sau, I returned to my lodging. Right up to the end, she couldn't hide her conflicted expression. But she knew it deep down. The path I'd proposed was the most effective way to turn this crisis around.
And the next morning, at 9:30 a.m., Dr. Sau's airship appeared at the bank.
-Zing! Unlike yesterday, when she'd only sent a hologram message from the bank, this time the researchers from Nanoi materialized via hologram alongside their subordinates. Dozens of ethereal figures filled the outpost lobby, leaving the two section chiefs—who had no idea what was happening—standing dumbfounded and staring.
"You've arrived."
I rushed over to them the moment we opened and pulled numbers for them myself.
Thanks to you, I was able to make up my mind. Thank you, Jian. Dr. Sau's voice was much softer and gentler than yesterday. It seemed she'd overcome last night's anguish. A smile full of resolve lit up her face. And the same went for the people following behind her.
"Welcome, customers."
I greeted them strictly as a banker. But with sincerity.
"How can I assist you today?"
I was asking if they—and the bank—were ready for the next step.
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And they responded in unison, without a hint of hesitation.
"Have you steeled yourselves to transform into successful entrepreneurs?"
Damn right, let's do this.
"Excellent."
The moment I finished speaking, the Nanoi researchers—in their near-futuristic attire—moved in perfect sync, hands flashing.
-Flash! Dozens of translucent electronic documents materialized in the air, then floated one by one to stack neatly on my desk.
"Thank you so much for placing your trust in the Dimensional Credit Vault."
This was the maximum loan limit any individual could apply for, pooled together. For the first time since meeting Dr. Sau, I touched my badge to activate my Job Authority.
-Flash! The scale that appeared above her head was heavily tilted to the right.
Potential overflowed. This plan was destined to succeed.
"We'll make sure to repay your faith."
The words and numbers on the loan documents might not mean much right now. But soon, they'd become the opening page of an epic saga that would save a planet and an entire solar system—and gift dreams and wonder to countless people.
The first thing Dr. Sau and her team did with the loaned funds was build a factory to produce the robots.
After registering the corporation, they chose a one-pyeong storefront in downtown Kikiwai as their site. By ordinary standards, it didn't seem ideal for prototyping robots, but that was no issue for them.
The people of Nanoi were so tiny that those from Dimension 6-2 couldn't even see them with the naked eye. And the space they needed was equally minuscule.
All they required were three things: facilities for research, production equipment, and materials.
In under two days, that tiny one-pyeong space transformed into a sterile cleanroom with restricted access.
Of course, even if real estate costs were low, setting up a production base didn't come cheap. Implementing Nanoi's cutting-edge mechanical engineering in Dimension 6-2—where foundational sciences and other tech lagged behind—was no easy feat.
It took a week to assemble the minimal equipment needed to build the robot prototype, based on blueprints brought from the airship. Dr. Sau's team scouted and hired scientists and engineers who'd migrated from Dimension 0.01 to other dimensions. They adapted quickly, driven by the need to save their home planet and solar system.
Thus, the fledgling company Colossus Robotics was born. As they dove into full-scale prototyping, they launched the second phase of the plan per my advice.
While Dr. Sau and her team focused on enhancing the robot's combat capabilities, stability, neural sync, and other performance metrics, she selected talent to lead in another area.
Just as crucial as building high-performance war machines to exterminate space monsters was creating products that people across all dimensions would want—and securing funding from them.
The knowledge, tech, and talent for the former were already in-house. So Dr. Sau needed the latter.
"Two things matter: product perfection and buzz."
She gladly paid the marketing expert from Olympus in Dimension 12, who'd heard of Nanoi's plight. He agreed to work for a third of his usual fee, given the humanitarian cause.
"You must be Assistant Manager Kim Jian."
The man, who introduced himself as Endymion, handed me his business card on the spot.
"I've heard all about you through the director. Call me next time something fun comes up."
"No idea how the rumors spread, but I'm honored."
"So humble. Shame we don't have time today—business first, then questions."
Endymion, who'd handled marketing for major blockbusters and other content, wasted no time showcasing his expertise.
"From the research team's reports, robot designs in Dimension 3-1 are outstanding and incredibly varied."
Dimension 3-1? The untapped one?
"Exactly. Their mechanical engineering is far behind Nanoi's, but their artistic imagination in fiction is top-notch."
Then we can benchmark robots from there?
"Already done."
...What?
"Over the past week, we analyzed their content and mobilized top designers to create artistic designs appealing to customers across all dimensions."
-Rustle! The presentation kicked off with a clean intro, packed with diverse designs prepared by Endymion and his team.
Gundam, Gundam, CapX SaXXs—these were machines straight out of my childhood fantasies on Earth in Dimension 3-1, ones my peers and I adored. But they'd evolved further, gaining originality in their majestic bipedal forms. Even I, watching via video conference, was awestruck.
Nanoi's traditional motifs were seamlessly integrated for identity, blending practicality and artistry perfectly.
"The 3D graphics experts you recommended were impressive."
I just gave a thumbs-up to the camera instead of replying.
The design team was a subsidiary of Muse Partners, led by the Laurel Tree heavyweight director and producer Bergenev Masterhand. Back at the West Podoks Branch, I'd gotten their contact when the parent company switched main bank to Dimensional Credit Vault per policy.
Of course, I'd gotten Masterhand's approval first, and he'd agreed readily. Not for free, though—his terms were public credit for his designers' involvement and exclusive rights to one pilot's autobiography.
But if that meager price could avert a solar system's doom, Dr. Sau saw it as practically free. And the results spoke for themselves.
I had no idea swapping just the exoskeleton and armor could change it this much.
Dr. Sau sounded thrilled too, pouring out praise in an excited voice.
"I told you— it has to be the embodiment of romance."
Worth taking emergency leave to rush back to Korea in Dimension 3-1 and haul back piles of model kits, figures, and footage as research material. Sure, she'd grumbled about "practicality concerns," but it all worked out with stellar designs from the pros.
"We'll select a few armor designs from these. Now, it's my time to shine."
Endymion's gaze sharpened through the camera.
"Marketing time."
Time to unleash this badass, dope robot on the world.
The rumors spread like wildfire.
The tale of a tiny solar system invaded by mosquito-sized horrors. The desperate, life-or-death struggle of its inhabitants. And the saga of a beautiful engineer fighting to save her kin and the other planets.
People who'd heard Nanoi's tragic story expressed their regrets in their own ways. And as the news blanketed every corner of every dimension...
A certain company's name started buzzing on people's lips.
"Colossus Robotics?"
In the economic powerhouse of Dimension 6-2, Great Huuriten—capital Linden. In a suburban two-story home, 28-year-old single tax accountant Kemri Powell clicked the article while browsing online news, entranced.
"Holy shit...!"
Reading about the robot's ecstatic design and specs, an awe-struck curse slipped from Kemri's lips.
"I knew it. Someday, I'd bear a mission like this."
The article was about a crowdfunding campaign. Crowdfunding pooled funds from many individuals to fuel a project. This one was essentially a charity drive to save the Nanoi solar system.
All proceeds would build palm-sized robots (giant to Nanoians), which would launch immediately upon completion to Nanoi and other planets—their only defense being magnetic shields.
With them, Nanoians could remotely pilot and repel the space monsters.
The crowdfunding board overflowed with posts from folks across dimensions, increasingly plagued by space monster incursions. They joined not just for humanitarian reasons, but to protect their own worlds—uploading screenshots of confirmed purchases one after another.
But Kemri had even more reason to dive in.
After the war ends, Colossus Robotics will recover all units, refurbish them, and ship them to backers' homes.
The pinnacle of Nanoi robotics, Colossus will serve as your commemorative trophy and badge of honor.
Each Colossus runs 30 nonstop days in anti-gravity mode on a single AAA battery.
Via pre-installed AI chip, it switches between harmless pest-control mode (safe for humans) and combat mode to exterminate nearby space monsters.
Super Early Bird D Package+ backers get Final Fusion Protocol AI for merging 2+ units.
Each unit carries unique battle records—view immersive footage anytime via link to your device.
Having devoured every detail, Kemri unwittingly pulled out his credit card and started punching in info.
-Tap tap tap!!! Typing at speeds his tax work had never demanded.
His card limit was tight, but no other way to snag a functional combiner robot at this price.
"Please, please, please...!!!"
Kemri squeezed his eyes shut in prayer. That as he clicked the left mouse button, the Early Bird package stock—reserved for the quickest backers—wouldn't hit zero.
Desperately. Earnestly. Fervently.