I Am Not a Robot. Beep-bop

Chapter 44: Gaia

“Gaia?”

There was no need to ask what that meant.

It was a name that felt both familiar and distant.

In this world, I wasn’t sure if the concept even existed, but Gaia, as per Greek mythology, was known as the earth goddess and the mother of all gods.

Rather than a deity with personality, Gaia was a symbol of primordial nature, earth, and the land itself, considered to have a higher rank than most other gods.

Alice’s curiosity stemmed from why such a Gaia appeared in this alien world.

Of course, there was no need to dwell too deeply on it.

[Huh, heh…]

An enemy was standing right in front of me.

Facing someone who intended to take my life, I had to be prepared to take theirs and risk my own—it was only natural.

When killing goblins or orcs, it was a one-sided massacre or akin to a simple dance routine, but the girl who introduced herself as Gaia felt different from the moment I saw her.

-Crack!

Gaia’s arm bent backward unnaturally, and a blade made of bone emerged.

It looked exactly like Alice’s mantis blade.

【Human, the entity named ‘Gaia’ is mimicking you.】

“That’s how it seems.”

As Alice raised her arm, Gaia mirrored the movement, grinning.

Her stance, the angle, the way her waist twisted, even her gaze and expression—all of it resembled Alice.

【Gaia. There is no information available about this entity.】

【Searching the Ark’s internal database reveals no matching entries.】

“A newly created monster, then?”

【It could possibly be a ‘calamity.’】

Monsters and beasts, at the very least, are living beings.

Even if they emerge from dungeons and gates, they still fall under the category of lifeforms. Calamities, however, are entities that defy logic and, under the right conditions, can singlehandedly bring about humanity’s downfall.

Oriana had once told Alice while explaining a hunter’s duties, “You might face monsters, but you’ll probably never encounter a calamity.”

‘Why is it that after barely a month in the Ark, strange things are already happening?’

Alice extended her arm and deployed her mantis blade.

Conflict was inevitable.

【Gaia. This entity is classified as a calamity.】

【Until all information regarding this entity is confirmed, its threat level will be set to maximum.】

【Human, I strongly recommend the extermination of this entity.】

Alice wasn’t the type to enjoy cutting down someone who resembled her.

However, the grotesque being born from a factory of flesh and entrails couldn’t possibly possess a normal personality.

‘Running away doesn’t suit me, but if I flee now, the next targets will likely be other hunters and those within the outer wall.’

While Alice wasn’t a philanthropic type, letting Gaia—an entity perfectly mimicking her form and manner—breach the wall would indeed mark the advent of a calamity.

Wasn’t it the hunter’s duty?

It was certainly mentioned in the contract.

【Main System power initiated.】

【Combat system ON.】

My body heated up.

The temperature of my body, which had risen while slaying orcs and goblins, began to climb even higher.

All systems and the energy stored within the battery were being simultaneously released.

【Full-body system expansion.】

【Synapse activation: 80…85…90.】

With one hand on the ground and one leg extended back like a sprinter, Alice crouched into position.

At this moment, I felt my body could perform at a level stronger than ever before.

“If you harbor hostility, you should be prepared to receive it in return.”

[Eh-heh…?]

“Don’t blame me…!”

Gaia tilted her head as if she didn’t understand Alice’s words, and in that instant, Alice sprang forward like a bullet.

-Pang!

Her overheated body burst forth at supersonic speed, and immediately, Alice’s cognitive parts activated the acceleration sensor.

Even as the world around her slowed down, Alice’s speed continued to surge uncontrollably, her arm moving gracefully as the inner blade sprang out.

The mantis blade, imbued with the energy of a demonic sword, targeted Gaia. In the accelerating world, Gaia swung her mantis blade—made of bone—in a motion identical to Alice’s.

-Clang!

The strikes didn’t end with just one.

As Alice cut down countless goblins and orcs, the mantis blade’s greatest advantage became evident: rapid successive strikes and seamless integration with her body.

Twisting her body like a dancer, Alice led her strikes with swift follow-ups, even when her blade was blocked.

However, Gaia wasn’t to be underestimated.

Gaia’s eyes tracked Alice’s every move.

As if determined to copy everything Alice possessed, including her appearance, posture, and form, Gaia’s movements grew more and more like Alice’s.

-Zzzt…!

Their blades collided, sparking midair.

When Alice tried to bring her blade down on Gaia’s head, Gaia caught it with her bare hands.

With the strength of thousands of monsters fused into one body, Gaia had no reason to lose to Alice in a contest of brute force.

Alice deployed the mantis blade from her other hand, aiming it downward at Gaia, but Gaia gently caressed the blade, deliberately letting it pierce her palm, using sheer strength to immobilize Alice’s movement.

“Tsk…!”

[Heh, heh-heh… heehee!]

Gaia’s bare hands bled from being cut by fragments of the sacred sword, but she didn’t seem to feel any pain, nor did she care.

-Creek!

The gears and screws within Alice’s body spun violently.

With a sudden surge of power, Gaia’s hands and fingers, which had been gripping the mantis blade, were torn apart.

However, Gaia’s shredded palms and fingers regenerated within seconds. Laughing as if enjoying Alice’s fierce reaction, Gaia seemed delighted.

A new dance began.

Gaia, mimicking Alice’s earlier dance steps, swung her bone mantis blade, and Alice, in turn, began an even faster, high-speed dance to counter the gaps and openings.

-Clang!

-Clank!

-Thud!

[Ah, ha, ha-hee! So beautiful…]

Gaia continued to smile as she danced.

While Alice never took her eyes off Gaia, intent on killing her, Gaia looked at Alice as though she were simply beautiful.

So unbearably beautiful and radiant that laughter escaped her lips.

This feeling was entirely new.

The taste of the air in this world felt so fascinating.

The light and sound of the world were things she’d never known.

But what Gaia felt most grateful for was that the first being she encountered was Alice, that radiant girl before her.

-Crrrk!

Dancing together was delightful.

Your movements joined with mine—they were so exquisite.

Radiant. Beautiful.

Child.

You, a child longing for life shaped like a human.

With a yearning gesture, let us dance more.

I, too, yearn, and so do you.

I desire, and you desire too.

Let’s keep dancing together.

One step, click.

You and I, as one.

Click. Click.

Step again.

Scattering my blood across the ground doesn’t matter to me.

What wets the earth is blood.

It resembles rich wine.

The red chandelier of a banquet hall.

Bright red roses blooming in a garden.

I would never say no.

Though I’m lacking, just one more time.

So I can watch and learn from you.

So I can watch and mimic you more.

Now, slowly.

Now, slowly, then quickly.

This time quickly, then slowly.

Faster. Faster.

Slower.

Even slower.

Stop.

Slowly again. Now faster.

【Human, Gaia is mimicking you.】

My hands and feet tingle.

This mechanical body.

As an android, I’ve endured countless collisions that signaled bodily strain, yet no meaningful damage was inflicted.

‘No, I definitely landed several strikes…’

Alice clearly felt the sensation of slicing flesh transmitted through the mantis blade.

But Gaia bore no wounds—any injury healed within seconds.

‘The biological factory hasn’t produced any goblins or orcs since earlier. Judging by the faint voice I heard, the monsters originally meant for production must have all been absorbed by Gaia.’

In that case, no matter how many times I cut her, as long as she had life force left, it was meaningless.

‘No, it’s not meaningless.’

Was it 1,832?

That number just means I have to cut her down that many times.

[Huh, huhuhuhu…]

Noticing Alice’s murderous gaze, Gaia laughed.

Gaia wasn’t ignorant of the concept of killing intent.

It was an emotion often seen in monsters, humans, beasts, and foreign entities alike.

The desire and impulse to kill others.

The novelty was in realizing that emotion was directed at her.

But did Gaia’s expression seem like mockery?

“Ha, are you mocking me?”

Alice widened her eyes, forming a smile-like expression as if deeply offended.

That smile was eerily identical to Alice’s own.

【Mimicking the Main System is considered a profound insult to this unit’s identity and systems.】

Theresa seemed displeased as well, making Alice’s internal components creak in unison.

【Gaia.】

【Internal neural network overheating.】

【Environmental controls disabled.】

【Detected mimicry of this unit.】

【Confirmed act of grave insult toward the Main System.】

Molten metal seeped from Alice’s body, slowly rising up her face to form goggles over her eyes and a mask, a visor covering her mouth.

【The Main System will assist the combat system.】

Theresa’s voice began to distort.

【Overdrive mode activated!】

-Chiiiik, chiiiiik!

At that moment, Alice’s body temperature surged beyond its previous peak.

If earlier it was merely overheating, now it felt like her body had been thrown into a furnace, the heat radiating visibly from her skin.

The extreme heat caused parts of Alice’s synthetic skin, which covered her exterior, to melt away, revealing her mechanical body and internal framework.

Metallic fingers emerged, exposed to the surface.

[Ah-ha…]

Though her appearance was now quite chilling, Gaia still found it beautiful.

That form was beautiful too.

The fusion of a human girl and a mechanical form was unbalanced yet strangely beautiful.

Ah, I must consume that.

Yes.

I will take it.

I will consume it.

I will take it and lead it to the deepest depths of the earth.

And it will be with me.

Of course, Alice had no intention of allowing such a thing.

【State your operational purpose.】

Alice could feel the energy within her boiling like a furnace.

Her energy, artificial neural network, and synapses controlling her personality all activated simultaneously, making the world appear clearer than ever.

【”Operational purpose.”】

【”Gaia. Elimination.”】

[…Ah!?]

-Thud!

The mantis blade, imbued with the demonic energy of the cursed sword, easily sliced through Gaia’s blade of bone and flesh.

When a jet of blood spurted from the broken blade, Gaia winced in pain, but regeneration would resolve it soon enough.

Even if the sudden increase in speed was surprising, the dance could continue more intensely…

[Ah, it’s not working?]

Suddenly, Gaia realized that her bone blade was not regenerating.

No, not just the mantis blade—even other wounds failed to heal.

When Alice unleashed the energy within her body, the cursed sword’s mantis blade exploded with demonic energy, which corroded Gaia’s wounds.

It didn’t matter whether the blade acknowledged Alice as its master or not.

The will of the tool was irrelevant to its user.

A tool must act as a tool.

A blade infused with demonic energy and curses should obey its master’s command to unleash its energy.

For Gaia, a twisted earth goddess embodying all life’s distortions, the demonic energy was her natural nemesis.

Alice drove the mantis blade into Gaia’s wrist, and the two tumbled to the ground in a position that seemed like an embrace.

But Alice had no intention of reconciling or conversing with this twisted Gaia.

From the moment she saw her, Gaia mimicked her.

Even complex postures and movements were instantly absorbed and replicated.

This was a calamity.

Not the realm of ordinary monsters or beasts, but a being whose very existence was a threat—a calamity itself.

This must end here.

For reasons unknown, Gaia had fixated on Alice and emerged from the biological factory because of her.

If she escaped or wasn’t killed now, who knew what disaster might follow?

Pinning Gaia’s arm to the ground with the mantis blade, Alice wore a chilling smile.

“Try copying this.”

[….!]

At her words, countless mechanical tendrils shot out from Alice’s spine.

Until now, Alice had hidden her most potent weapon—her mechanical tendrils—fearing Gaia might replicate them. But now, having severed Gaia’s bone mantis blade, the opportunity had arrived.

The mechanical tendrils sprouted barbs, blades, and pincers, all sharp and embedded with fragments of the sacred sword and cursed sword.

-Zziiiing!!!

[Ah….! Ahhhh!]

-Shunk! Shunk!

The tendrils’ barbs pierced Gaia.

Chainsaws severed Gaia’s arms and legs.

Barbs and blades stabbed into Gaia’s body.

In pain and confusion, Gaia flailed her limbs in resistance, but she couldn’t match Alice’s strength, which was bolstered by every ounce of internal energy she could muster.

For a brief moment, Alice’s power surpassed even the immense vitality of Gaia, who had fused with the life forces of over a thousand goblins and orcs.

Neutralizing such an enormous mass of life was simple.

It was something Alice had often done.

Something she had done since her first day in the Ark.

【”Let me feast…!”】

[Kuh, kyahhh….! Aaaagh…!]

With Alice’s mechanical voice echoing, the mechanical tendrils began to devour Gaia’s life force.

Ah, it’s being taken.

This sensation.

The force and energy of all living things.

Gathering life force and wielding it was Gaia’s power as the twisted mother earth goddess.

But Gaia had never imagined that someone would take her essence—her life force—from her.

And yet, here it was.

[Ah, ah-hah…. Haaah…!]

Ah, it hurts.

So this is pain.

Having my life.

My essence.

Forcefully taken by another—this is how much it hurts…

[Ah, aaah… agh…! Ugh… haaa!]

Ah, it hurts.

It hurts.

It hurts.

Because what’s mine is being taken…

Ahh…

[So beautiful…]

And yet, even in this moment, Gaia found Alice unbearably beautiful.