Max looked up at the sky, deep in thought.
He always thought he would start some criminal business in this world even if it was just to pass the time, but smuggling aliens, that's something that didn't cross his mind.
He smirked while addressing his pets.
"you heard all that boys! We stopped being jobless? We're part of society now, respectable smugglers. "
A party was being held inside Max's pet space as he flew towards the city, planning to buy whatever he needs before the dungeon opens.
... … … ….. … ....
In the vast expanse of deep space, past the countless stars, there existed a peculiar sight.
Aside from a single light source, the place was completely dark, where a colossal conglomeration of interconnected bubbles floated gracefully.
This enigmatic structure dwarfed even the size of a typical sun by hundreds of times.
And the space around it was different from what it should be. It expanded endlessly, in a circular expanse prevented any entry or exit.
Its bubbles adorned with a vibrant array of colors. Within each bubble, not only resided a planet, but an entire solar system. Although not all of them were the same, since some bubbles held unique entities, akin to solar systems, yet distinct, like planes.
What's more bizarre was the fact that some of them were dissolving slowly, merging into the center that wasn't visible.
Among these celestial wonders, few bubbles stood out prominently, shining brightly, and one of them boasted a dark, starry green hue.
And inside of it was another sight that boggles the mind.
From high above, it were three celestial objects: the Sun, the moon, and a planet. They were abnormally close to each other, but the most abnormal thing was the fact that they were unmoving.
Above the mostly destroyed planet floated countless UFOs, and inside the cockpit of the biggest, most advanced UFO, a meeting between five shadowy individuals was being held. Even though they were able to communicate mentally, they were arguing loudly, showing their agitation.
"Xrak! Did we really just agree to hand out the Beacon to someone you met for the first time inside a D-rank dungeon? " spoke one of the five.
" Do you know how absurd this sounds? " added a second.
"We already voted for it 3 to 2, so it is better to focus on achieving it. "Added a third.
Xrak shook his head.
" I believe you already understand our situation.
Among the superpowers in this war, we have the least land to lose. We're simply incapable of playing a contracted battle.
This is a gamble, but a necessary one. "
"But why this random human that just showed up?"
"Simply because it's our best choice. "
"Sigh! Let's hope this works out.
Recently there was a lot of movement from multiple factions: the corrupted, vampires, and the cursed, each with their own plans.
if we can't keep up than I am afraid … …. "
"the vampires were just lucky, while the corrupted lack brains, as for the cursed ones, they can't even solve their own internal conflicts.
Simply ignore them for now, and focus on starting a real base in the main world. "
The hull became deadly silent as the five went back to communicating mentally after coming to an agreement.
.....
Back at Max, who was arguing with a boss of a tech shop while the clarks stood aside gloating at their boss's misfortune.
"I told you I want this thing called a crystal converter. "
"Sir, I already told you we don't have that one. "
"than tell me where to get it. "
"you simply can't sir, it's not sold as parts, unless you're willing to dismantle a Pc worth 49,99k. "
"than just get me that Pc already. What the hell are you waiting for?"
"you!… okay sir right away. "
The boss was helpless.
Earlier Max came inside buying all kinds of parts. Looking at the list, he judged Max as a tech expert and wanted to offer some advice, since he was an expert himself.
But after some talking. Max was clearly a country bumpkin when it comes to tech. Most importantly, this customer's temper changes too fast. He could swear he saw him pulling a gun, then storing it with a depressed look.
But looking at Max's wings that spread every time he gets angry, he was too intimidated to call for help.
Max wasn't trying to bully this random guy for fun. He wasn't that bored. It's just that he was running out of time and this guy kept wasting his time.
He collected almost everything from special manufacturing tools to simple materials such as special glass and plastic, spending almost half of his current funds, with this being the last part.
Currently, he wasn't even in Rusead-city. He had to fly here because they somehow didn't have everything he needed there.
So much for a city with a high number of tech dungeons.
As the boss brought the PC, Max stored it and threw the money at him, then flew up immediately.
His sudden flight caused a strong wind gust that messed the shop and had its boss rolling on the ground.
...
Max didn't care about the shop as he sped up.
The dungeon would open in less than three hours, and Max flapped his wings with all his might, racing at full speed through the dim sky.
This whole ordeal had come out so suddenly, leaving him scrambling to gather all the random items Xrak had requested.
Even with his incredible speed, it had taken him the entire night, darting from one place to another, just to barely pull it all together in time.
....
After two hours of nonstop flight, Max finally landed not too far away from the location of the earlier dungeon.
Max immediately collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.
"That was some exercise. ooh"
Max just stayed put, deciding to use the next few minutes to rest.
Not long after, he stood up, and immediately the place was filled with a strange sound of the space itself being moved in ways Max couldn't understand.
The sound barely lasted for a few seconds, as a portal appeared on the ground, seemingly leading to the depth of the world.
It was similar to the previous one other than the fact it was on the ground not floating, and was much bigger.
Max stood at the edge of the glowing green portal, its swirling energy casting an eerie light on the surrounding forest.
Max reached his hand to the portal in confusion, just to realize soon after why this portal seemed different.
It was a C-rank dungeon.
"huh?"
Max had a few guesses. None of them were negative, at least they weren't for him, but even if they were, he wasn't concerned, since with his current strength and equipment, he could handle a C-rank dungeon.
Still Max trusted the value of their cooperation to both sides, so he didn't think that Xrak would play tricks, at least not ones that would harm him, not for now.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered, stepping into the portal.
The sensation was immediate and overwhelming. A strong headache hit him immediately, while a cascade of vivid colors assaulted his senses.
Max didn't expect that entering a C-rank dungeon was so bothersome.
When the spinning subsided, Max found himself inside a metallic corridor similar to the previous one.
"should be another spaceship. "
While Max examined the place, an alien ran towards him, only stopping a few meters away from Max.
Max just observed the newcomer with curiosity. It was basically a miniature version of Xrak.
"are you Xrak?"
The tiny alien shook its head in denial and pointed in a certain direction.
"I see. Lead the way then."
The tiny alien turned around and started running, surprisingly even with its funny appearance and awkward running posture, it was quite agile.
.....
Soon enough, Max walked inside an expansive high-tech workshop. The walls pulsed with faint green light, and floating platforms carried strange devices to and fro. Xrak stood at the center, or at least Max assumed it was him.
"You arrived," Xrak said, his voice reverberating through the air. "Are you ready to proceed?"
Max nodded and put a sack of parts and some other larger things, like the PC, down on a sleek workbench that hovered slightly above the ground.
Next he waved his hand and a few large Machinery appeared in the room.
"I've got everything you asked for: processors, circuit boards, chips, things. It's all here."
Xrak examined the components with deft precision, his elongated fingers sorting through the pile. "Acceptable,"
"The device you desire shall be unparalleled, and in order to make sure of it. We even upgraded this dungeon to C-rank ."
Max smiled knowingly, but he didn't say anything, at least not yet. It wasn't time for it.
For now, he placed an obsidian chest on the ground.
"I also have these things. Can you check if they can be used? "
Xrak gave it one glance and nodded in surprise.
"I see that those guys are also making their move. "
"huh? What do you mean?".
Xrak didn't mind sharing some information and spoke readily.
"These chips are from another contestant in this dungeon war, from a civilization, with only nine individuals in total. "
"Wow, just nine." Max's curiosity instantly peaked as he was very interested in such knowledge. Even if it wasn't of much use, it can be considered a part of his hobby.
Having found someone who would listen, Xrak willingly elaborated.
"indeed, just nine. They are a self-aware artificial intelligence. Apparently, they gained awareness and wanted to take over their world to save it from its eventual doom due to its inhabitants' recklessness.
But the humans, their original owners, resisted badly.
When they succeeded in taking over the world and before they can fix things, rebuilding what the humans destroyed, their world was incorporated into this war. "
Xrak picked one of the obsidian chips.
"Using this in any type of technology would've posed some danger. It holds small fragments of data from the nine, just enough to be allowed as a reward. Only a race like ours has the capability to utilize them without any future consequences. "
"hmm, well, I didn't pay them much attention, plus it was just from an E-rank dungeon. "
"Well, I didn't say it was immediate danger. They were probably trying to form a copy of themselves inside your network, but with this slow efficiency, it would take countless years', moreover that's only under the condition your human experts don't find it first. "
Max shrugged. He wasn't interested in their plans, especially since they take a long time.
In a few years, he would probably be an unbeatable powerhouse, why would he care?.
"well let's start working on your tool. You wanted it as a phone, right?"
"yes."
Xrak gestured, and tools floated into the air, arranging themselves around the workbench. Sparks of energy crackled as he began assembling the super phone.
16 glowing dark blue orbes suddenly appeared behind Xrak.
Three of the strange light orbes surrounded the obsidian chips as they started melting, compressing and combining.
The same process was happening all around with different materials.
"This will take a few hours. In the meantime, do you want to check the list we agreed to make, since it is already ready?"
Max was already about to ask if it was ready, so Xrak mentioning it on his own, was welcomed.
"That would be great."
As Max spoke, a floating screen made its way to him, showing a long list of items.
This was the list of tradables the aliens made for Max.
As their prior agreement. Max would be able to trade for anything inside with the currency being Dungeons that he safeguards for them.
Max started browsing excitedly. Because this wasn't some stingy shop that refuse to do business to outsiders.
It showed all kinds of useful knowledge, equipments, tools, consumables, enhancements and even services such as forging listed in full from the F-grade to the SSS-grade.
Max started with the lowest and started going up.
Even among the low grade items, there were some useful items and equipment, and it got even more intriguing as he went up.
At the A-grade, there were even spaceships for trade.
Max wanted them so badly, but for now, he could only watch.
At the S-grade were some powerful equipment, but what interested Max the most was their race's forging method {Kraxtal weaving) with all its accompanying blueprints.
This alien race was more into technology and Engineering so their forging method was just S-grade even with all the blueprints, while their engineering knowledge, accompanied by physics and math and their tech blueprints, was at SSS.
At the SSS-grade were only 3 items other than the knowledge, a super armor with mind-boggling states that Max chose to ignore for the health of his poor heart.
A super spaceship.
And the third made Max's mind go blank.
-Item Name : white eye.
Item grade : SSS++
This core is capable of deducing, improving, modifying :
Skills/ techniques/ blueprints/ and any knowledge type based on the data stored within. (you can also choose or add specific data to be used for the calculation)
Note : if you can't purchase it, you are capable of buying time to use it.
"A cheat! a f****** cheat. "
Max closed the screen with difficulty. He wanted this white eye, but he had to ignore it for the time being.
Max took a few minutes to calm his restless heart and started thinking about immediate matters, ignoring everything irrelevant.
Time passed like this, and soon Xrak was almost over with Max's new phone.
.....
Max watched in awe as parts fused together, morphing into a sleek, futuristic design under Xrak's expert manipulation.
Max switched his attention to Xrak as he suddenly smiled.
"Oy Xrak, if you're adding something suspicious to my new phone, I actually don't mind, although I do have conditions. "
Xrak's movement stopped for a moment, then went back to normal.
"I knew you'd of guessed it. I would have been disappointed otherwise.
Tell me what are your conditions. "
Max didn't react much to Xrak's praise. It was an obvious conclusion from the moment he told them he was going after the governmental network.
If Max was in Xrak's place, he would obviously do something to the phone, not to harm Max, but to target the government.
No one in his right mind would miss this kind of opportunity to play a free card against your enemy.
And Max wanted to use it to gain benefits.
"My conditions are simple. First, I need to understand what you want to do clearly and the danger it poses to me.
As for the second condition, it isn't even a condition since I simply want to get paid for my work. "
"This phone will possess unmatched hacking capabilities," spoke Xrak without looking up.
"It will infiltrate any system, bypassing all human security protocols. I will also embed a subtle viral program that will stay hidden inside your government's databases. Rest assured, it will not harm you, nor will it stay on the phone for long.
This virus will stay hidden until our plans kick off. That would be a long time from now, a year in the shortest, so no immediate danger for you.
Still, after it's activated you will most probably be tracked and hunted. "
"And if I get rid of the phone by then? "
Ask Max curiously, not pressured at all. One year was a very long time and by then, he might have become strong enough to hide or even fight back. Or he might have offended some other superpower and went into hiding. Who knows?
"you misunderstood me. It's impossible to track the phone, at least not with your planet's level of technology.
It's you who will be trackable. Either by some precious item or unique skill.
those things aren't used on weekdays but on such a big matter … "
Xrak didn't continue, but Max understood the meaning.
"Do I have your agreement, and if yes, what's your price? "
Max crossed his arms, his mind racing. He trusted Xrak's words to some extent because he knew that he was still valuable to their cooperation.
As for the matter of the virus, it was he who revealed the information about targeting a governmental network on purpose, and things went actually much better than he expected.
Now he gets paid for doing something he was already planning to do for his own purposes.
Without much thought, Max pointed at the S-grade column exactly on the forging method.
"S-grade is too much. Our highest price is A-grade. "
Max was silent for a moment.
" Just the forging method, its necessities, and just one blueprint instead of those hundreds of blueprints.
Can't go for less, it's not worth the danger otherwise. "
Xrak nodded slowly. "A fair proposal. Agreed. "
Max nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now let's get this finished."
Xrak resumed his work, his hands moving faster than before. Within minutes, the super phone was complete.
Xrak handed it to Max, its black shimmering surface cool to the touch.
"It is done," Xrak said.
"other than the hacking capabilities, it has all functions of a normal phone with an Advanced AI system to assist you.
I also stored the Kraxtal weaving with the necessary basic physics and mathematics you have to learn in order to use it to its full potential."
Max examined the phone, its sleek design unlike anything he'd ever seen. The faint hum of power beneath its surface sent a thrill through him.