Reincarnated With the World Domination System-Chapter 38: Another lab rat

In simple terms, autonoms were akin to simpleton races such as goblins, kobolds, orcs, and others scattered across the universe.

After Milford, the God of Machima, ascended, many of his other creations tamed autonoms and turned them into guardians, bodyguards, spies, or servants.

Their flawless obedience and myriad builds made autonoms useful for almost any task.

Right now, Rael wanted his first autonom to function like a drone so he could scout his surroundings.

Eventually, he planned to station autonoms around his home and neighborhood for full surveillance.

For the moment, one drone was enough to inspect the ravaged junkyard.

Opening his Maker's Core, which appeared before him like a system window, he enlarged the screen and began sketching a blueprint.

I'd like you to oversee my blueprint, Dominica. Autonoms aren't as advanced as Steelborns, at least their first versions, but I don't want to waste time on trial and error right now.

[As you wish, Lord Rael.]

With Dominica's guidance, Rael finished the first autonom blueprint in minutes.

He borrowed inspiration from spiders and the drones of his first life, then layered his own ideas on top.

Ali returned at that moment carrying a crate of resources.

Sweat darkened Ali's shirt from the effort, yet his wide smile told Rael not to worry.

Ali was simply glad to help, even if that help meant hauling parts.

"Thanks, Ali," Rael said.

"No problem," Ali replied.

After the brief exchange, Rael plunged his hands into the box of steel parts.

A gauntlet formed around each hand, and metal scaled up his arms to the elbows.

Every piece of steel that touched his alloyed skin vanished into the furnace hidden within him.

He drew the rest of the parts to himself, devouring them like a starving beast.

Ali had witnessed the process many times yet still stared in open admiration.

To him, it looked as if countless fiery mouths yawned along Rael's arms and swallowed steel whole.

Such speed was possible only because Rael's Might Engine had unlocked his potential.

While the resources disappeared, Rael kept his gaze fixed on the blueprint floating in front of him.

Inside the furnace, countless pieces melted and reshaped themselves according to his design. ƒreewebɳovel.com

In less than thirty minutes, every part snapped into place, completing the first autonom.

Before the construct manifested, Rael felt his bloodline stir.

Here it comes. My divine bloodline always takes a fragment of my soul to awaken a Steelborn, either creating new beings or calling old ones from slumber. What will it do with an autonom? I'm so curious.

A crimson prompt floated before him, stating that his divine bloodline had partially awakened.

And that's only a fragment of my bloodline—all from a single drop of ichor.

Another line informed him that a piece of his soul had been extracted for his first autonom.

It also declared that the autonom had received instinctive intelligence and the traits of a Colorless Spider, a creature from another world.

Huh?

After the evolution completed, Rael's gauntlets flared with crimson light and released his first autonom.

The automaton was the size of an adult's head and stood on eight needle-like legs.

Hidden blades folded along its back, ready to open into silent propellers.

A single lens-like eye dominated its front.

Because Rael had modeled it after a spider, its abdomen was rounded and sleek.

The polished silver shell could trigger arachnophobia in some humans.

The little autonom shivered beneath his gaze and vanished.

"Wow," Rael whispered.

"Wow," Ali echoed.

[It appears that Lord Rael's divine bloodline also extends to autonoms. In the first autonom's case, it has received instinctive intelligence that lets it execute simple commands far better than ordinary autonoms, along with the camouflage abilities of a Colorless Spider. From the database, I have learned that Colorless Spiders are predatory arachnids able to adopt thousands of colors to blend perfectly with their surroundings.]

Rael and Ali crouched, peering at the spot where the autonom had stood.

Even though the creature remained near them, they could not see it from any angle.

The perfect disappearance earned their identical reactions, mouths open in silent awe.

Aren't you shocked, Dominica? This is awesome!

[Rather than shocked, I would say "As expected of Lord Rael" and admire Lord Rael's possibilities. I have also run simulations to predict how Lord Rael's bloodline will interact with other races.]

You're spoiling yourself out of a lot of fun!

[I like being prepared.]

That's the kind of human-like answer I love to hear from you!

[I'm honored.]

"Hey, little one," Rael said, extending a finger.

The autonom reappeared in its silver form and crawled toward his hand, rubbing against the offered finger.

The show of affection made Rael hesitate to send it on a dangerous mission.

Yet every member of his family would walk perilous roads, so he steeled his heart.

"I need you to slip into the junkyard without a sound, locate the highest-ranking person present, and eavesdrop on them," Rael said. "I want information on how the military is reacting to these disasters. I'll also give you a name. You are Farve, and I'm counting on you."

Farve lowered its body in a bow, unfolded its blades, and lifted off on silent propellers.

Its camouflage engaged at once, erasing it from sight.

The link between them kept Farve visible to Rael's senses, though his eyes still failed to track it.

"It's gone," Ali said.

"Yeah," Rael answered. "I'll wait until Farve is within range."

I know I can rely on Ali for protection, but keep an eye on the surroundings as well, Dominica. I'm switching to Farve's view.

[As you wish, Lord Rael.]

With a single intention, Rael tapped the mental link and saw through Farve's eye.

The automaton's perspective soared only a step below that of the military carriers swarming the junkyard.

Someone important must be near Sister Sophia's corpse.

Farve obeyed the thought, gliding to the battlefield where Sister Sophia had fallen.

Rael spotted a man in a black suit, his stone-like face aimed at Sister Sophia's face.

Beside him stood a tense officer in a military uniform and hat.

Farve skidded beneath them and hid behind scattered debris.

"Another lab rat from an orphanage is dead," the man in the tuxedo said. "Keeping these cases confidential is getting tricky."

"We've already contacted the journalists," the officer replied. "We'll cover it up as usual."

"Controlling social media isn't the problem," the tuxedo man said. "It's the people in the shadows. Someone is making a statement, and we still don't know who. Even a lab rat from a hole like this city has been killed, and I'm running across the continent like a dog. I'd like to strangle the culprit myself."

The anger twisting that stone-like face sent a chill down Rael's spine, even though he watched from Farve's vantage.

Covering up the crime is one thing, but the deaths of more lab rats from other orphanages are worse. Does that mean other orphans are fighting back, or is someone using them?

The thought of anyone exploiting children made Rael scowl.

Sister Sophia's warm smile flashed before him, only to shift into the image of her corpse.

A weight of tangled emotions pressed on him as the day wore on.

-

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