Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

As the Landship steadily continued its journey past the cliff of nothingness, the research into the anomaly had already begun.

The neuromorphic network buzzed with activity, its vast web of cognitive processing stretching across the bastion's many minds—both human and artificial.

The Duolos Hive Mind had already begun dissecting every available piece of information, their analytical precision running alongside the calculations of Viviane and Kuzunoha, both of whom were now fully immersed in uncovering what had transpired at the vanished bastion and the erased world beyond without any clear indication or reasons.

While they worked, I had another thing to confirm.

A newly completed facility within the Landship had now been online after a solid 12 hours of its progress,

A facility born from my collaboration with Kuzunoha, forged from the dismantled remnants of the Theotech Site's spire. But most importantly, their application of Theotech constructs that acted as the guardian of their sacred space.

Gestalt Core is the name of such installment.

"And, we're here~"

Upon entering, one was greeted by an expansive chamber of pristine black steel, etched with luminescent sigils, their shifting glow pulsating in rhythm with the silent hum of machinery.

Massive conduits of Theotech energy ran along the walls like veins, connecting to the countless Theo-pods lined in perfect rows along the chamber's circular layout.

The Gestalt Core itself rested at the very center of the room—a towering, crystalline construct suspended within a gravity field, its complex lattice of circuits and fibers pulsating with raw computational power. And within this giant room, laid 60 mini chambers that we denominated as Theo-pods.

"This is so cool!" Lupina cheered with enthusiasm. "Even though it kinda reminiscent of the Theotech Spire we raided back then, this place gives more of a feeling of comfort instead of the mystique feeling of unknown danger,"

"Huh, you're surprisingly on point," Verina casually chirped.

"Unlike back then, this place's psychic signature is less chaotic. Hence why the soothing contrast to the one we perceive back at the spire," Charis explained.

And unlike the Cognitive Engines, the Gestalt Core was not an artificial mind.

It did not think. It did not act on its own.

It was simply an extension of the Landship's neuromorphic network, a processing unit designed to direct, control, and coordinate a new branch of the bastion's defenses.

And what were this newly applicable form defenses that were conceptually taken straight from the spire's defenses?

The Theogrunts.

"After being with you for days, Narcy, I began to realize again and again," Verina commented.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"The whole schematic of your naming sense is just consisted of two or more words conjoined together."

"I thought you already knew."

Inside the translucent Theo-pods, countless identical figures rested in silence, their small forms encased within stasis-like containment, waiting for activation.

These were the Theogrunts.

"They look similar to the Duolos, don't they?" Lupina pointed out.

"It is confirmed that the Duolos' physical form has an objectively efficient structure and shape," Charis elaborated. "Not to mention, their adorable appearance contributed to their lack of threat that is very useful in many scenarios and negotiation."

Not to mention, the contrast of a small and adorable thing turning out to be fierce and ruthless, is what I live for.

Though, unlike the Duolos, whose existence was a culmination of genetic restructuring, adaptation, and intelligence, the Theogrunts were nothing more than living extensions of the Gestalt Core's will.

And in this case, a mere puppet purposed for battle and emergency maneuver. Where the Duolos were individuals, capable of growth, emotion, and personal improvement—the Theogrunts were weapons.

I stood before the first active Theo-pod, as the chamber's controls responded to my presence.

With a hiss of releasing pressure, the pod slowly opened.

Steam cascaded from the interior as the first Theogrunt took its first step onto the cold metallic floor.

And despite its resemblance to a Duolos vessel, there was an immediate, undeniable difference.

She was small and delicate in form, much like the Duolos, but where the Duolos carried an air of eerie grace, the Theogrunt radiated nothing but pure fierceness and a daunting gaze.

Instead of the Duolos' signature blue hair and eyes, the Theogrunt's features burned with intensity—scarlet hair and crimson eyes, like that of Kuzunoha's, a stark contrast to their more calculating counterparts.

"They remind me of Kuzunoha's haughty mug, for some reason," Verina commented.

Hearing those words, Lupina caught up with the realization. "Now that you mentioned it, I can't unsee it…"

Of course, we had also designed a specific apparel to enhance the Theogrunt's initial impression. Or in this case, the very traits that made those fierce impressions to Verina and Lupina.

The Theogrunt's armor was an intricate fusion of Theotech fabric and military stealth design—a form-fitting black bodysuit woven with kinetic absorption fibers, reinforced by layers of segmented plating along the shoulders, arms, and legs.

It also came with a hooded cloak, made of optical camouflage weave, draped over her small frame, allowing for seamless transition between visibility and concealment. The edges of the cloak flickered with silent distortion, a built-in mechanism that allowed them to blur into their surroundings at will.

Their boots were lined with motion-dampening soles, ensuring near silent movement, and beneath the cloak, the Theogrunt carried a smaller frame of Prismforge uniquely adjusted for silent, high-speed engagements.

And finally—a miniaturized version of the MSU.

An identical construct to the one Charis and I carried, strapped securely to the Theogrunt's back waist, linked directly to the Gestalt Core's neural command pathways.

Lupina let out a whistle, her tail swishing eagerly.

"Still, these guys look so cool," she grinned, her excitement barely contained. "We're gonna have a lot more company in the bastion now, huh?"

Verina, ever composed, crossed her arms, analyzing the Theogrunt's stance with practical curiosity. "They're well-equipped," she noted. "But how effective are they?"

I turned to them with a smirk.

"They are as strong and coordinated as the bastioneers, albeit lacking in improvisation," I chimed in. "They are not tacticians. They do not evolve, adapt, or learn as the Duolos do. To put it simply, their overall prowess depends solely on the growth of the neuromorphic network of the Landship, which is still having quite a roadblock in some areas, despite their efficiency."

"Then what are their signature trait?" Verina asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Their reaction time, speed, and defensive prowess." I stepped closer to the Theogrunt, who stood in perfect stillness, awaiting orders. "They possess access to Somashift technology that we applied to the Warpiece Drone—an advanced energy manipulation system that allows them to displace kinetic force and physical attacks into an empty adjacent dimension.

"You can say that each of them are akin to a close-ranged version of the absolute behemoth of firepower that we currently have, outside of my confidantes."

Lupina blinked.

"…So they're invincible to physical damage?"

"To an extent, yes."

Lupina arched an eyebrow. "And they can still attack?"

"Obviously, you dolt." Verina gave a side gaze.

"They can. And they will. With incredible speed~"

Lupina let out a laugh. Obviously, she was already eager to test them. "Well, that's a hell of an advantage. But what's their weakness?"

"They lack true strategic flexibility. Unlike you, Verina, who can manipulate battlefields from range, and unlike you, Lupina, who fights with erratic and unpredictable movements, the Theogrunts are simplistic in their current chain of action.

"However, their precision should be unmatched and their speed and invulnerability can just outright brute force the viscous difficulty of a cunning and calculative entity, and even a wild and hectic one."

Charis, who had been quietly observing, smirked. "In other words," she mused, "They are designed specifically to counter people like Verina and Lupina."

Lupina and Verina both turned to me.

I didn't deny it.

Instead, I simply shrugged. "More or less."

A slow, sharp grin spread across Lupina's face.

"Now I have to see if that's true."

Verina, always calm, merely adjusted her gloves, but there was a keen glint in her eyes.

"A test run might be needed to see if they are true to their design," she added. "To see if they can actually fight, is a responsibility of this bastion's confidantes."

"You just want to fight them."

I turned toward the Theogrunt.

It had not moved since activation—still standing, still waiting, the eerie red glow of its eyes unwavering.

My perceptive extension noted that Viviane and Kuzunoha were still deep in research. There weren't also any notable progress that I need to tackle, nor there was any occasion that I should supervise or give my input of.

Meaning.

I had time.

"Fine," I decided, turning to them with a knowing smirk. "Let's take this outside."

Alongside the 60 Theo-pods inside the Gestalt Room, there were also another 30 Theo-pods scattered around the interior of the Landship. On top of that, these Theo-pods also act as their repair and maintenance station.

That should be around 90 Theogrunts that were ready to be deployed at any moment. Considering that their Theotech nature prevented them from needing any sustenance, it should be possible a further production of their kind could be done in a greater scale in the future.

"This place should be empty enough for the two of you to wreak havoc."