Seeing how we were unable to probe any of the seals/sand domes, I decided to actually use my Observe on it to see what I would be able to find. Observe confirmed that it was indeed a sealing array; One that was funnily enough denoted as sealed due to the state it was in. Its name also revealed that it was a modified ghost creation array, geared towards the creation of Sandygast.
Meanwhile, the description explained what exactly it was that the array did. It was as I had presumed an array that gathered and channeled as much of the generated/ambient spectral and emotional energy, as well as free-floating ambient life force inside its boundaries into the core seal, which then used said energy to nurture a Sandygast. There was however no mention of how to bypass the lock on the array, and since we had no way to deal with it except for maybe trying to brute force things, I decided to place the array inside Utopia to see if Utopia could do anything with it.
'Analyzing Sandygast Nurturing Matrix...., Sandygast Nurturing Matrix analyzed.
Potential for Optimization detected…, Optimization successful.
Compatibility with existing habitat detected, Integration possible; Possibility for replication and derivation detected, dismantle Sandygast Nurturing Matrix for deeper analysis?'
It took a bit for Utopia to finish analyzing the Matrix but it did, and I was honestly amazed at what I was seeing. I knew from my experience with items like the Spell Tag that Utopia could analyze and even to a certain degree optimize them, but reality had proven time and time again that it could not replicate them since they fell under Utopia's unreplicable category of artificially produced goods. Still, I had been hoping that Utopia would be able to work on/with the matrix I had found, and Utopia did not disappoint me seeing how it had presented the prospect of integrating the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix into one of its habitats after it had successfully improved it first.
It was obvious that the habitat in question was the Sandygast/Palossand habitat, and I would have definitely accepted the offer if Utopia had not followed up with the option it presented right after. The chance for Utopia to actually learn how to replicate the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix instead of just using the existing one alone would have already been incredible and definitely worth allowing Utopia to dismantle the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix even at the cost of destroying it in the process. That Utopia could potentially even learn how to produce derivations of the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix, which would allow it to possibly create a Gastly Nurturing Matrix or Duskull Nurturing Matrix or other matrixes like that made the decision a no-brainer.
Even at the cost of coming out of it empty handed I chose to give Utopia the go-ahead and let it dismantle the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix for a deeper study. If it managed to learn how to replicate it we would come out of the exchange more than ever, and if it managed to produce one or more derivations, we would have made an incredible profit.
'Dismantling the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix for deeper analysis...., dismantling complete; Deep Analysis still in process…..,'
I read as my second thought stream watched the sand domes inside Utopia fall apart.
'Deep Analysis still in process….., analysis complete; Sandygast Nurturing Matrix added to the internal databank. Replication of the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix is now possible. Detected available materials required for the formation of a Sandygast Nurturing Matrix; Proceed with the formation or ignore?'
That was incredible news, and I ended up fist-bumping when I read that Utopia managed to learn how to set up a Sandygast Nurturing Matrix. That the materials for the creation were available was not surprising seeing how Utopia had just dismantled an existing one, though I had no idea what exactly those materials were. Still, since Utopia already knew how to do it, it could do so at any time, so I decided to skip the process for now. I felt that finding out if Utopia would be able to formulate any derivatives was more important, so I selected ignore.
'Utilizing Energy Reserves at maximum level, Initiate attempt to develop derivatives based on Sandygast Nurturing Matrix...,'
I actually kept staring at that for more than a minute before something new happened.
'Initiate attempt to develop derivatives based on Sandygast Nurturing Matrix..., development of Basic Litwick Nurturing Matrix successful; Refine Basic Litwick Nurturing Matrix?'
I was very happy to see that at least one derivative matrix had been produced, and there was obviously no way that I would refuse the chance to improve the apparently basic matrix it developed.
'Refining Basic Litwick Nurturing Matrix…., refining successful; Litwick Nurturing Matrix added to the internal databank. Required components for setup unavailable; Resume derivative development attempt...'
It took nearly three times as long before the results came out, but thankfully Utopia gave me some more good news. I was happy to read that the Litwick Matrix had lost the basic label, so I patiently waited to see if I would get lucky enough for Utopia to derive another matrix.
'Resume derivative development attempt..., development of Gastly Nurturing Matrix successful; Detected necessary conditions for the formation of a Gastly Nurturing Matrix; Proceed with the formation or ignore?'
This time it took close to 5 minutes but that was more than fine since I got yet another round of pleasant news. I let out a happy laugh when I read that Utopia had managed to develop a Gastly Nurturing Matrix, and it seemed the reason Utopia took longer to produce results was that it actually directly produced a Matrix at the same level as the previous two, skipping the basic version in the process.
I could feel the curiosity of Mothra and Co around me; Yet, I simply told them that something good happened but that explanations would have to wait before staring/focusing back at the log in my head/mind. I was a bit surprised to see that Utopia had everything it needed to set up a Gastly Nurturing Matrix; My guess was that this was because of the fact that Gastly was a ghost formed from toxic gases, which were readily available in Utopia along with the materials gained while dismantling the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix. Nonetheless, I once again chose to go with ignore for the same reason as before.
'Resume derivative development attempt..., development of Basic Mimikyu Nurturing Matrix successful; Refine Basic Mimikyu Nurturing Matrix?'
This time around it took Utopia nearly 10 minutes to produce results, and unlike with the Gastly Nurturing Matrix, it produced another basic Matrix. Still, any positive results were good results, and I naturally let Utopia go ahead with the refinement process.
'Refining Basic Mimikyu Nurturing Matrix…., refining successful; Mimikyu Nurturing Matrix added to the internal databank. Required components for setup unavailable; Resume derivative development attempt...'
With this success, I now had 4 ghost-nurturing matrixes, which would ensure a steady stream of newborn "natural" ghosts. Out of them, 3 would be pretty much my only source of new members, while the Litwick Nurturing Matrix would share that honor with the nearly 1000 Chandelure/Lampent that currently called Utopia their home. Still, I was definitely going to ensure that all 4 matrixes got set up to the best of my abilities since I would love to add more ghosts to Utopia, and I was kind of hoping that the ghosts nurtured by Utopia would have a decent to high potential.
Anyway, after "staring"/focusing at the log for nearly 15 minutes, I finally saw a new entry.
'Resume derivative development attempt..., derivation attempt unsuccessful.'
Unfortunately, the entry brought some unfortunate news. Nonetheless, I had already gotten more than I could have hoped for, so I was very happy with the bounty of this little ruin exploration. The log faded away after the last message, but since I was curious about the matrixes I had Utopia share the setup conditions/components of the matrixes with me, starting with the Sandygast one.
The list of components confirmed my earlier theory when I explored the ruins, which unfortunately meant that the people of the village along with a large number of very unfortunate people and Pokemon had died at the place we were standing. The matrix needed a lot of blood to set up, and while it did not say anywhere that the source of the blood had to be entirely drained and/or killed in the process, another component needed for the setup and later for the nurturing of the ghost was emotional energy. A form of easily invokable emotional energy was pain and resentment which could unfortunately easily be produced if one forcefully drained someone of their blood before killing them.
That killing them made it easier for them to gather the life force needed for the setup as well as the initiation of the matrix was another reason I thought that. I somehow doubted that the person or group that set up the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix cared about the fact that they could have taken it slow and used the ambient life force instead. That was what the matrix used once it had been activated after all, though I guess they probably kept killing people and/or Pokemon to speed things up, which was definitely possible as well.
Honestly, aside from the blood needed to create/draw up the seals that made up the matrix, all other factors needed for the nurturing of Sandygast existed/appeared naturally in a desert. Well, unless it was a truly dead one with no living beings at all, but that was not the case in the Hoenn Desert, and definitely not the case for Utopia. The Sandygast/Palossand habitat generated by Utopia worked even better for the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix for obvious reasons, and even the blood needed to set things up could easily be provided since I had a very large blood reserve thanks to the subspace Magikarp that were used to meet the actively training Utopian's dietary needs.
I had other kinds of blood as well thanks to the generous donations of the other subspace inhabitants who willingly provided a small amount each week in exchange for extra food, but I was not planning to touch that since I used those for other stuff since the matrix could use any blood. Not that I would need to use much of my own blood reserves for the Sandygast Matrix since I was going to use the materials Utopia recycled from the old array for that one.
Upon receiving my order, Utopia used the old array components to set up the Sandygast Nurturing Matrix, though it had to use some of my Magikarp blood because Utopia's matrix used 12 auxiliary arrays to fuel the core array forming three layers compared to the 8 auxiliary layers fueling the core that the original matrix used. Utopia used the original components to set up the 8 outermost seal arrays before using Magikarp blood to set up the 4 inner seal arrays followed by using Gyarados blood to set up the core array in the center of the Palossand habitat/desert.
Once the matrix was set up, Utopia funneled the ambient spectral energy of the habitat as well as the abundant ambient life force and free-floating emotional energy in the atmosphere courtesy of the many Utopians living in the main space into the core array. It took less than 30 seconds for the core array to spring to life following which the energy started to channel into the 4 inner arrays to activate them as well. After those were active the energy began to flow into the 8 outermost arrays starting them up too.
The moment all auxiliary arrays were active, Utopia stopped funneling energy into the core array and allowed the auxiliary arrays to absorb the ground as well as spectral energies readily available in the Palossand desert along with the ambient life force as well as emotional energies. They then channeled those into the core array, which began to gather them in its center, signaling that the setup was complete and that the matrix was working flawlessly. I could not help but wonder about the object that Sandygast usually stuck into their heads, but Utopia informed me that it would deliver that to the center of the core array shortly before the birth/development of the Sandygast was officially complete.
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