Field Study (1)
"...I don't know. Then please wait."
[Thank you, customer!]
Why had the AI's voice suddenly turned so cheerful?
From the company's perspective, no trips mean steady revenue. Or maybe the soul stone activated some artificial spirit or soul?
Allen forcibly dragged his thoughts back to his research even as he stepped outside. He shook his head and crossed the wide parking lot toward the shooting range.
Gunshots using gunpowder echoed frequently. Unlike magic, they had a satisfying kick and a distinctive smell that many people preferred.
Just then, a bird dropped after being shot. Its holoskin must have been damaged, revealing the golem's characteristically crude body.
Outside the shooting range was a shop, where customers sat on chairs pasted to the glass windows, munching on instant food.
Allen placed a hand on his stomach. In his excitement, he'd skipped breakfast. Research required strength, and a spinning mind needed sugar.
"Welcome."
The orc man, presumably the owner, greeted him. Allen nodded back and headed to the shelves lined with food.
As he pondered what to eat, the door flew open with a rough bang—like it'd been kicked.
No manners.
It really had none.
"Everyone, get down!"
A few armed people burst into the shop, threatening the customers.
Robbers?
Robbing a place like a shooting range? Maze City was full of armed folks anyway, and you could assume everyone here was packing.
Sharing Allen's thoughts, the grim-faced shop owner slipped a hand under the counter. Customers fiddled with waist holsters or reached for guns leaning on tables.
Beeeep!
A shrill noise blared all at once. The owner and customers clutched their heads and rolled on the floor.
The culprit was a box held by the apparent leader of the robbers. It looked like a hacking device that briefly disrupted magitechwear.
They go to the trouble of getting something like that just to rob a shop? Why not hit a bank... too tough, maybe?
On second thought, banks were risky. They might have purists on guard, brutal security, or fast response teams.
Does it only affect brain expansion devices? Or do I have magic resistance?
As Allen pondered, his eyes met those of a robber watching the shop.
"Why're you fine? Get down if you don't wanna die!"
Opting for talk over shooting made him a relatively polite robber. Or maybe he dismissed Allen because of the mana stone launcher he held.
Allen activated his shield generator and tried talking.
"Can't you just leave?"
"Crazy bastard. Shield's unexpected, but why're you lugging around scrap metal?"
"This is dangerous. Stay back or you might get hurt."
"Heh heh heh. Hear that? Says his busted junk's dangerous."
The robbers all laughed. Allen's mana stone launcher looked like a part scavenged from a broken range golem—easy to mistake.
"Shoulda stuck to scrap collecting. Annoying prick."
The robber's patience ended there. He aimed his assault rifle at the shield and raked it with a drrrrt. Figured it'd break eventually.
Of course, with Allen's mana heart powering it, that wouldn't be easy. To really crack it, he'd need a heavy single hit, not chip shots.
"This fucker to the end..."
A robber with a mana sword approached. Then he vanished.
Bang!
Air tore with a deafening crack. Even those writhing in pain from the hack covered their ears.
Silence fell. Moments later, shattered door glass rained down.
Beyond it, the door of the robbers' black van hit the ground. The approaching man was embedded there.
He looked like crumpled scrap metal. A protruding artificial eye dangled, at least identifying head and torso.
"Magitechwear kept you intact."
The robbers whipped heads toward the voice. Allen emotionlessly reloaded a new mana stone.
Seeing their Is that intact? faces, Allen shrugged.
"Alive is good, right? This one's lower output. Didn't expect to test on humans instead of golems."
Each flick of the mana stone launcher brought lightning. Robbers vanished one by one.
Later police eyed the van-embedded robbers, debating tow truck or ambulance.
Spotting someone busy at the van's front, they approached. Over his shoulder, complex headache-inducing words filled a page.
"Ahem. We responded to the report."
"..."
Ignored despite the cough, he stayed absorbed, muttering audible to the cop.
"Reduced mana supply? Still off from calculations. Barrel runes distorted, huh... This circuit's wrong—effect's slightly different."
His partner grabbed the young man's shoulder. He finally turned.
"Mind if I ask—"
Cold eyes chilled the cop mid-sentence. Allen spoke.
"What is it?"
"We responded to the report. Details on the—"
"I'm just a customer. Talk to the owner over there gawking."
Allen pointed at the orc clearing glass and cut it short. Shrugging off the cop, he refocused on his creation.
The robbers' metaphysical poses sparked an idea.
Intact robber and wrecked one are the same person. If dense circuits mimic runes from afar, is it circuit magic or runes? Like ASCII art.
Nodding in satisfaction, Allen turned to leave but was grabbed by rushing cops.
"No, you're the guy involved."
"I'm not."
"Cameras checked out."
"I'm busy..."
"Just a moment. Cooperate and it'll be quick."
The cop glanced at the squad car—a silent question: ride back or wrap here?
Allen complied with the investigation.
*
Days after the range probe, Allen's steps naturally led to the labyrinth.
Escaping the collector felt recent, yet his itching body suggested serious exploration addiction.
Exiting the labyrinth station, he joined the line—longer now than before the collector's fuss.
Wasting wait time irked him, so he boarded a lynx-pulled cart, lost in thought.
Runes and circuit magic can be each other's components.
His conclusion from recent days. Draw runes tiny—milli, micro, nano scale—and it becomes circuit magic visually.
Vice versa: circuits up close, runes from afar.
Which design, material suits which? Ongoing research. Alone, impossible in days; funds short too.
Institutions applying or studying this way?
Allen figured yes. Top minds in labs wouldn't miss what he conceived solo.
Knowing it was gain enough.
Absent from Samra Mansang. Not unknown, just not public.
Knowledge is power, money. Basic Star Letters decode cost 5 million coin; what for his budding concept?
Knowing ≠ using. Hence descending—to apply properly. Untested ideas are fantasy.
Even comfy cart rides required dismount at fortress gates. Explorers passed new security.
Soldier with raised helmet visor extended hand. Mimicking others, Allen handed ID.
Artificial eye beam scanned; scanner probed body.
"Cleared. Move."
Gruff voice permitted. All-day talk dried throats.
Fully inside, Allen surveyed. Alerts heightened: more titans, autoturrets, wall magic circles.
Calming public anxiety.
But collector escaped Marshall chairman and siege—Depth 7 elite. Determined, he'd breach again.
Aiming other nations' labyrinths now?
Not Allen's concern. Too busy with own tasks; criminal caught or killed? Whatever.
Passing gates, maze ahead cleared stray thoughts.
Goal: Water Gatekeeper...
Bought exosuit to solo it; facing first felt clean before descending. Hoped for chance.
...And cave.
Group vs solo differences? Team hides flaws in strengths; solo exposes all.
*
At 9th layer camp, Allen crafted and studied while awaiting respawn. Repaired explorers' magitech when bored.
Missed second already.
First: just heard caught. Second: priority snatched close-up. First-engaged party wins; turned away.
Why so many at 9th camp? All rivals.
One Water Gatekeeper > automaton packs. Can't help it.
Glancing clock, Allen rose. Respawn time; others headed down too.
On cart, he eye-locked automaton packs to pause, slipping away. They'd charge normally, but his vanish foiled pursuit.
How long wandering 10th maze?
Whoosh!
Heaven helped: massive manhole spawned right ahead.
Heaven-sent?
Allen's eye twitched. His own phrase irked oddly.
Anyway, focus: Water Gatekeeper. Automatons attacked all—child, adult, group, solo—full force.
Freed lynx lunged. Per commands, evasion over attack.
Hammer's horrific air-crack filled maze. Lynx flattened, wall-jumped dodges.
Gatekeeper fixated lynx but glanced at Allen sporadically.
Soul stone's Star Letters diversify patterns. Others'd hound lynx relentlessly.
Allen grabbed cart-mounted mana stone launcher. Ejected drum mag, checked.
Good.
Slapped it home—click—locked. Aimed at Gatekeeper, eye to scope.
Reticle on chest. Automaton furnace/soul random, but chest likeliest.
Gatekeeper blocks scan; no choice.
Allen stood firm, unbowed. Exosuit locked, bracing solidly.
Mana into grip, circuits flowing