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Creation Myth of the Nemesis Star System Part 1

 

「You have a good sense of humor. We’re not going to blind you.」

Asia smiled gently.

For a machine made in the likeness of a Cyclops, this was likely the most friendly gesture possible—his own way of offering a warm welcome.

「Thank you, young lady.」

The Cyclops, pleased that his joke had landed, beamed with joy. He must have been waiting for humans to arrive.

「Truly Faustian… It’s like we’ve wandered into the world of Greek mythology.」

Asia chuckled softly. This kind of surprise was more than welcome.

「You really startled me, Mr. Cyclops. I’ve been greatly indebted to one of your kind before.」

The one-eyed machine widened his camera shutter to the fullest, displaying sheer astonishment.

「What! You know my kind… and you’ve been helped by one of them? My, my! This is quite the fateful encounter then. I see why that silhouette calling himself Arthur was so excited. Am I correct in assuming you are the guest he was talking about?」

「That’s right. I am Outis—also known as Kou. And this is Asia.」

「Asia… That is the name of that planet. The name of the guardian who once shaped that land, is it not?」

「Yes, I am that Asia. A lot has happened, and now I’m temporarily fused with this human girl.」

「My, my! This is quite the shock! I thought I would simply decay into oblivion after all these eons. But to meet the guardian Asia herself—and a human who knows my kind! It seems staying operational has been worthwhile after all.」

Kou spoke from within the MCS, addressing Unit 5.

「Unit 5, is there any way to transmit the identification number of Arges to the Cyclops in front of us?」

Unit 5 remained silent but initiated communication with the iron giant.

「Hoho! The one you call Arges… Indeed, he is of the same model as I am. No doubt one of the earliest models!」

「I owe him quite a lot.」

「Hah! Then I would be honored if you gave me a name as well.」

「If you’re a brother to Arges, how about Steropes1?」

「Excellent. That name is good. Then, from now on, I shall call myself Steropes.」

Steropes lowered his main camera shutter slightly, narrowing his eye like an elderly man squinting in contentment. He looked pleased—like a kindly old craftsman. Just like Arges, Cyclops-types had a strong artisan spirit, and to Kou, they carried a sense of fatherly warmth.

「Was it you who used the tractor beam to guide us here?」

「It wasn’t me who invited you. But come, I’ll lead the way. Follow me.」

Steropes began lumbering forward, his heavy footsteps echoing through the space.

Unit 5, now in walking mode, followed behind him.

◆　　◆　　◆　　◆　　◆

「Abel, there’s a transmission from Planet Lybia. It’s from Arcturus.」

「I see. We’ve completed several of the requested items as well.」

Abel nodded leisurely as he sipped his tea, but his hands trembled ever so slightly. He knew just how terrifying this plan truly was.

「Ah, my dear Abel. I’ve received the blueprint for the newly designed Silhouette. Thank you. Everything is proceeding smoothly.」

「My dear Arcturus. Were you able to contact Outis?」

「We have made contact. The rest depends on my associate, but I have no concerns.」

「I see. That’s a relief. Still, I’d really like you to reveal your true identity sometime soon.」

「Very well, my friend. Though I hardly think it’s worth making a fuss over—I am Arthur. A relic of the Pioneering era, a Mythology Weapon born from an Another Level Silhouette and the myth of the great king.」

「…What?」

Eirene was speechless.

An Another Level Silhouette from the Pioneering era—a terribly powerful existence.

Abel remained silent.

Arthur… King Arthur.

There was no way he wouldn’t know that name.

「If you truly bear the name of Arthur, then it’s only natural that you would seek me out. However, I cannot be the legendary wizard Merlin. At best, I’m just the mad hermit—Marujin.」

Abel responded with self-deprecation. Playing the role of Merlin was far too great a burden.

「And yet, you are the one who pilots the Silhouette Merlin. Now, what this land needs is the Welsh spirit—the perfect fusion of tradition and innovation. Just like the pioneers of the Industrial Revolution, I want you to reshape Planet Lybia. Alongside Eirene.」

Britain was a union of four nations, but Wales held a unique position among them. Strongly influenced by Celtic culture, the Welsh language itself belonged to the Celtic linguistic family. This wasn’t just a matter of nationality—it was a deeper question of identity, whether one was an English Briton or a true British Celt.

Even so, the legend of King Arthur had always been claimed as part of Britain’s heritage.

As Abel listened, he found himself recalling the days of Earth.

「Don’t drag me into this!」

「Give it up, Eirene. I already know the situation is far worse than I had imagined. If my assistance from afar is enough, then I will do what I can.」

「I’m counting on you. Over here, we have neither Silhouettes nor pilots. What we need is the help of Mythology Weapons like the Kryptos. The ones I’m asking you to design are the prototypes of the new Kryptos.」

To design the foundation of a Mythology Weapon… Could he bear such a responsibility? Abel was tormented by the weight of it all.

◆　　◆　　◆　　◆　　◆

Guided by Steropes, Unit 5, with Kou and Asia inside, advanced into the facility.

「This place looks like a temple.」

「It has a solemn atmosphere.」

They emerged into an even more massive space. Before them stood a towering, conical pillar—several kilometers high.

Or rather, it had once stood. Now, the pillar was broken in the middle, decayed and crumbling.

「This is… the tomb of a super AI?」

Asia’s face turned pale.

「The tomb for a super AI?」

「That conical pillar—it’s the physical core of a super AI.」

「So, you recognize it, Asia. That pillar is the corpse of Hephaestus.」

「Hephaestus!」

Now, even Kou understood.

Hephaestus—the AI who was the original of the Fennel OS, a Super AI that had been destroyed during the Pioneering era.

Named after the legendary god of the forge, he had been the predecessor of Astraea.

「So the one who used the tractor beam and aided Arthur was…」

「It was the remnants of Hephaestus. A mere labor machine like myself could never wield such power. He was like a father to us. He is now a will without voice, but the cry of Libya must have woken him. He is now working to stop the machinations of Typhon, the anti-Super AI weapon.」

「Hephaestus… can you hear me? It’s been a long time. I’m Asia. It’s been over twenty thousand years, hasn’t it?」

There was no response from the conical pillar that had once been Hephaestus.

However, as Asia spoke, fragments of the scattered structure began to glow faintly.

「…I see. Thank you.」

Asia nodded gently, her expression peaceful.

「Can you communicate with him?」

「A little. More than anything, Silhouettes equipped with the Fennel OS are essentially vessels for fragments of Hephaestus’ soul. However, it seems Unit 5 is different.」

「Huh? Unit 5 is different?」

「You didn’t notice? Hyoue embedded an entirely separate concept into it. I suspect the entire Lanius series was affected in some way. Especially the earliest production models.」

「I’ll have to ask about that later.」

For now, the matter of Unit 5 and what was different with the early production models would have to wait. The remains of Hephaestus took precedence.

「No wonder this is the designated most critical sealed zone. Even we had no idea that Hephaestus’ remains were here.」

「So Arthur and the others had to keep it a secret as well.」

「This is a secret that must be guarded with utmost care. We’re lucky that Another Level Silhouette happens to be the cautious type.」

The remains of Hephaestus pulsed intermittently, and Asia nodded in response, occasionally murmuring acknowledgments as if in conversation.

「Twenty thousand years have passed… and now, I’ve uncovered yet another truth.」

「What kind of truth?」

「The mystery of Fennel. A device designed to interface with all kinds of weapon systems. It was built using copies of the AI of Hephaestus’, but… its combat logic was actually inherited from Athena, the super AI in charge of tactics. That Prometheus created a tremendous thing…」

 

TN1:

The names of the three Elder Cyclopes were Arges, Steropes, and Brontes. They were the children of Uranus and Gaia, not to be confounded with the Cyclopes of the Odyssey. The three brothers worked in Hephaestus’s Forge and were known as the master blacksmiths who forged Zeus’ Thunderbolt, Poseidon’s Trident, and Hades’ Helm of Invisibility.