Age of Cosmic Exploration

Chapter 453: Steel Ball Standing in Space! (2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Rei had a dream that could only be described with the word "weird"…

In a world of darkness, three balls of light were struggling greatly. They tried to light up the darkness around them, but it was to no avail as the darkness was simply too large and encompassing, like the universe. In contrast, the balls of light were too small, like droplets of water in the ocean. They were overwhelmed and consumed by the darkness…

Just as he turned to look at the three balls of light, they too seemed to discover him. Instantly, the three balls of light rushed towards him. He was afraid because he had no idea what they were. Plus they were burning, and he was afraid of being scorched. His natural instinct was to run, but unfortunately, he was unable to move in the darkness. He could only watch as the largest fireball rushed into his body. In that instant, he could see a large man laughing openly in space…

The other two fireballs also disappeared into his body and then the world returned to complete darkness. He could no longer see anything and he was left alone in this world of emptiness. There was nothing but himself standing alone…

He was afraid and lonely. The loneliness was like chills that gripped his heart. He wished to see his parents, his friends, but there was nothing around him but loneliness…

Slowly, he felt like something was trying to grow out of his body. It was a light, a flame, but it was restricted within his body like his flesh and bones were a cage. Just as he was about to go into despair, a ray of brilliant light shone from behind him. He turned around unconsciously and saw in the world of darkness a gigantic sun. Its light warmed the world around it and the darkness could do nothing to consume it. In fact, the light was dispersing the darkness, making the world come alive. At the same time, the fire and light within his body seemed to resonate with the sun. They struggled to escape his body and instantly, he too became part of the light…

"AH!"

Rei suddenly sat up and his whole body was covered with cold sweat. Before he realized what was happening, a giant tremor shook him awake. It made him feel like he was sitting in a roller-coaster…

Several seconds later, Rei got a clearer view of his surroundings. There was nothing around him, no doctors, no parents, no sign of any human but several AI robots. There were plenty of IV drips connected to his body. He was suddenly reminded of the time he was trapped in the darkness and he started to cry, "Mommy, I want Mommy. Daddy, where are you? What is this place? Please come save me."

Then the few robots started to move. One of them helped removed the drip from Rei's body, another pressed the front of its chest, and a 3D image shot out of its eyes.

Jacko's bloodied face appeared before Rei… in 3D image.

"Don't cry, my son, be strong, you're already a big boy. Remember how you once told me you'll grow up to be a stand-up man? Then stop crying… From this point onwards, you have to remember one thing, that is we humans will never cry, we only believe in iron and blood!"

Looking at his father's image, Rei wiped away his tears and promised in his childish voice, "I remember, Father! I will not cry anymore!"

Jacko smiled as if anticipating his son's reaction beforehand. "That's my boy… Rei, didn't you tell me you wanted to become humanity's hero, a Black Star Trooper? Now is your chance; you're finally qualified to be a Black Star Trooper…

"Listen to me carefully. After this video is over, follow the instructions given by the robot that showed you this image, he will tell you what to do… My son, my dearest son…

"My son, you're also the son of humanity. I know this is unfair to you, but when you hear this message, me and your mother, as well as the aunties and uncles who have been looking after you, we're all dead… And you will represent our hope. Go to the deepest corner of the hangar where the latest human invention, the weapon that can only be controlled by Homo Evolutis, the Steel Ball sits… Make me proud, Son.

"Be a hero, carry with you your father's wish, your mother's love, and your precious memories to become a hero and protect this memory, protect this… happiness!"

After Jacko's image disappeared, there was a conviction settling in Rei's heart. His tears were threatening to flow, but this time, he bit on his knuckles until his teeth poked deep into the bone. His blood flowed, but not his tears…

The robot turned and headed towards the hangar. The ground was still shaking, and Rei could hear the occasional explosion. With a grit of his teeth, he followed the robot obediently deeper into the hangar. After some time, he saw a large, metallic box sitting there. The robot was pressing some buttons on the box's surface, and very soon, the box slowly opened to reveal its contents.

It was a metallic, silvery-white sphere about 15 meters wide and tall. Rei had to tip his head back to see the top of the sphere. While he was stunned by the size of the sphere, the robot continued mobilizing the sphere. There was a jolt of electricity that lit up the surface of the sphere. Suddenly, a space opened up and a staircase extended into the darkness.

Rei swallowed to steel his nerves. He was really nervous and afraid. After all, he just woke up to a world where his parents were gone and was suddenly left with the message from his father. This was not something a nine-year-old boy should face or understand. He was flustered, and he stood there quietly, unsure of what to do.

The robot didn't rush him but stood there quietly since its orders were all completed. Rei took careful steps towards the entrance. However, before he took the first step, there was a giant earthquake that made him fall completely to the floor. Not only that, the hangar itself started to collapse. A giant piece of ceiling cracked and fell on top of the metallic sphere. The sphere was powerful, so it survived with barely a scratch. In contrast, the robot standing next to it was smashed into pieces. Rei shielded his eyes from the flames and explosion. Then he felt something wet on his face. He touched it and realized his face was scratched… probably by the metallic shrapnel from the explosion.

There was nothing else he could do. The hangar was collapsing and the structure was falling apart. If he didn't make his move soon, he might be buried alive. With no other options, he rushed into the darkness with tears in his eyes and a scream on his lips.

After Rei was swallowed up into the Steel Ball, the staircase started to retract and the entrance closed. Rei found himself back in the world of darkness. He didn't dare to move a muscle. Suddenly, his world lit up as a silvery light appeared all around him. It was rather cramped corridor. At the end of it sat a chair. Rei moved towards it and realized that the space was larger than the corridor, it was about two cubic meters. It was a small circular room.

When Rei stepped into the room, a bunch of data appeared in Rei's sight in 3D images. The data included the images of various places around the base, like the collapsing hangar, the pathways connected to the hangar, and even the residential area where numerous oval-shaped tentacle-robots fell from the sky like stars. There was a large gash above the sky of the second defense line, and a silver battleship was squeezing its way through. On the ground, people were rounded up and slaughtered…

Rei gritted his teeth and jumped into the seat, then he started searching for buttons… Yes, he had played plenty of battleship simulation games in his life and had already finished all four generations of the game. He believed he had the skills to survive this one as well, but he was confused as there was no joystick or buttons in sight, so how was he going to control this thing?

Just as Rei looked around, a robotic voice said, "Please provide your full name. Steel Ball Prototype is attached to human information. Non-humans will be unable to pilot this…"

Rei was spooked and whispered in return, "My… my name is Rei."

"Please provide your full name. Steel Ball Prototype is attached to human information. Non-humans will be unable to pilot this… I'm sorry, but we are unable to find your information in the human archives. Please provide your full name in the next ten seconds or the Steel Ball Prototype will initiate self-destruct sequence, 10, 9, 8…"

Rei suddenly saw a bunch of soldiers in the 3D images. They were fighting the robot army in their spacesuits, but they were suddenly vaporized from an energy shot from the sky. Instantly, his eyes reddened. He was afraid… afraid that his father was part of the unfortunate group!

"Dad, Mom! Start, you lousy machine, why won't you start? Didn't you ask for my name? My name is Xing Ling-Amulo-Rei! Start!" Rei yelled as tears poured out of his eyes.

"Xing Ling-Amulo-Rei… information found, son of lieutenant Jacko, voice analysis… match, DNA… match. Non-Homo Evolutis, fatality rate from using Steel Ball: 100 percent… Do you wish to start the Steel Ball Prototype?"

Rei yelled, "Yes, start now!"

As he said so, a bright light consumed his consciousness. Instantly, his thoughts seemed to escape from his body to encapsulate the whole sphere…

Just as the civilians at the second defense line looked on with despair at the carnage around them, at the military hangar, a silver sphere suddenly rose, and in less than one second, the several battleships above the second defense line exploded…