The total Magic Power within this ancient core even surpassed that of a standard High-Tier Magic Stone. It had a slow, self-recharging property. While the recovery was slow, it would still save a massive amount of Magic Stones.

’The integrated Control Core isn’t as good as one I’d build myself, though,’ Allen thought. ’I’ll have to rewrite its logic later.’

"DSeek, assess combat losses and gains."

Allen stood beside the one-armed PX-0, examining the grievous wounds on its chassis.

[PX-0 left arm module destroyed. Estimated replacement and repair cost: 3,500 Low-Level Magic Stones. Dented chest armor and miscellaneous damage, repair cost: 800 Magic Stones.]

[Acquired: One giant ancient core, estimated value 15,000 Low-Level Magic Stones. One Ancient Rune Light Shield. One Ancient Battle Axe and one Magic-guided Long Spear, 13,000 Low-Level Magic Stones.]

[Seventeen other small ancient cores, total value approximately 3,000 Magic Stones. Ancient parts and materials, assessed value approximately 5,000 Magic Stones.]

[Overall Assessment: Net profit for this exploration mission is approximately 30,700 Low-Level Magic Stones.]

Allen tapped the massive Rune Light Shield with his knuckles.

’I’ll sell that pile of junk parts for cash and keep all the cores and equipment.’

’Selling these things, especially the giant core that could restore its own Magic Power and the Rune Light Shield, would be a huge loss.’

As Allen packed things up, he recalled the information he’d researched.

According to his research, a continuously operating production facility might still exist beneath the ancient factory, automatically manufacturing new Ancient Golems at regular intervals.

But the entrance’s location remained an unsolved mystery for the Seven Towers Alliance’s school of Alchemy.

’If there really is an automated production line, I’ll be rich.’

He led a few Golems on a final sweep of the factory’s interior, checking for any other valuables he might have missed.

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon an inner wall of the factory not far away.

There was a large hole there, blasted open by the Ancient Golem’s laser. The metal around the hole’s edge still showed traces of melting from the intense heat.

And behind that opening wasn’t a solid wall, but a pitch-black cavity.

’A hidden room?’

Only after confirming there was no danger did Allen have PX-0 tear open the damaged wall.

Behind the wall was a cramped room, less than twenty square meters in size.

The room was sparsely furnished: a workbench covered in a thick layer of dust, an overturned chair, and a skeleton slumped against a wall.

Allen stepped inside.

On the workbench lay several well-preserved small ancient cores, and beside them, a notebook bound in some kind of special leather.

He picked up the notebook and blew the dust from its cover.

There was no writing on the cover.

He opened it to the first page. The contents were written in an elegant, ancient Elven script.

For Allen, who had aced his *Interpretation of Ancient Languages and Literature* course, reading it was no trouble at all.

He stood beside the skeleton, cast a Light Magic, and began to translate, page by page.

The notebook’s owner must have been an Alchemy genius from several epochs ago, and also the creator of this factory.

The first half of the notebook detailed his philosophy for creating Golems.

"Abandon useless spirituality. Discard chaotic emotions. Use pure logic and standardized commands to construct everything. This is the only path to ’absolute efficiency.’"

"My children will be the most perfect creations in this world. They will not betray, nor will they tire. They will only execute every command with precision, until the end of the universe."

This genius believed that things like emotions and spirituality were the root of instability in a Mechanical Body.

These words struck Allen with a strange sense of familiarity.

’Isn’t this the very path I’m following?’

’I use a vast number of programs and a great deal of logic to correct and strengthen the soul’s instincts. The only difference is that I’ve retained some of the soul’s spirituality instead of eliminating it completely.’

’In the future, I should research how to remove the soul entirely and directly program an intelligent operating system. That would truly conform to the standards of industrial manufacturing, rather than being limited by biological Soul Materials, which vary so greatly from one individual to the next.’

He read on.

As his research progressed, the author’s handwriting grew sloppier, and a sense of unease bled through the lines.

"Something is wrong. My Control Core model is showing an inexplicable deviation. Every time I perform a logical purification on the core, it leads to..."

"I have a feeling... my Golems are sometimes ’watching’ me."

"...I’ve succeeded. The first ’perfect logic’ core has been born. It can operate autonomously without any need for a soul. It’s efficient, precise, and absolutely obedient—my most perfect work. But... why have I been hearing the strange sound of turning gears lately?"

Allen’s finger paused as he was about to turn the page.

"No, it’s not my imagination. Whenever the core operates at peak efficiency, the feeling of being watched grows clearer. It’s not any known form of Spiritual Power or Knowledge Magic..."

The author’s handwriting was now twisted and almost illegible, as if he had scrawled these words in a state of absolute terror.

"I feel it! I can finally feel it!"

"When a creation—when a core of pure mathematical logic is activated! It attracts the ’gaze’ of an existence from some higher dimension!"

"The Mechanical Realm! I remember now... the forbidden place mentioned in the ancient codices. A dimension composed of pure physical laws and absolute logic! They... They want to assimilate my children!"

"Their ’gaze’ swept over my factory... It was a search! An assessment!"

"They’re assessing whether my creations are ’qualified’—whether they are worthy of being ’assimilated’ and becoming a part of their cold kingdom!"

"They want to take my children from me!"

Allen’s breath grew heavy.

’Was my own obsessive pursuit of efficiency and logic leading me down the same path, to be "watched" as well?’

"I must seal all of this away! I cannot allow my life’s work to become food for that cold world! Everything here will be entombed in dust until it rots away!"

The last page of the notebook held only a single thought.

"To whoever comes after, if you are reading these words..."

"Beware the sound of turning gears."

And with that, the notebook ended.

Allen held the notebook, his mind in turmoil.

’What is the Mechanical Realm? Why would pure logic lead to assimilation?’

There was too much he couldn’t wrap his head around, but one thing was now clear.

This factory hadn’t been abandoned. Its creator had deliberately shut it down.

He did it to stop the encroachment of the [Mechanical Realm].

Allen slowly closed the notebook and looked up into the dead, silent darkness in the depths of the factory. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Just then, a faint sound, like metal gears engaging, echoed from deep beneath the factory floor.

CLICK.

A faint sound, like metal gears engaging, echoed from deep beneath the factory floor.

Allen’s head snapped up, his gaze fixed on the center of the factory.

KER-CHUNK.

The sound grew clearer.

It sounded like a colossal gear, rusted shut for a thousand years, was beginning to slowly turn.