Alien Worker

"My cutesy Slave Head, use this equipment to do your errands."

Grey briefly remembered Natasha's words as the former inspected the pickaxe and shovel in his possession.

[Pickaxe +4]

Cosmic Tool Description (via. Cosmic Feather): Mining equipment forged through unknown materials only found at the home of Type-4 Civilizations. It has a little history as once upon a time, a certain captain of a mining team cried, "Just mine the goddamn rocks!"

Restrictions: 5 Layers of Infinity

[Shovel +4]

Cosmic Tool Description (via. Cosmic Feather): Excavation tool forged through unknown materials only found at the home of Type-4 Civilizations. Once upon a time, this very shovel was used to bury the eye of a fallen god who cried in his punishment, "I thought I'll take the role of goodness! Why did you assign me to become a Demon Lord?!"

Restrictions: 5 Layers of Infinity

'What's wrong with these descriptions? Also Kesha, what's with the +4 attached to the equipment's name, as well as the restrictions?' Grey asked, arriving at the nearest chunks of Nesoid Ore, which depicted an opaque mineral with glimmering darkness confined internally.

[Grey, +4 refers to the Layer of Origin, which means that any item that has that label came from the Layer of Pyrusverse that houses the Deicands, at the very least. On the other hand, the restrictions also correspond to the Layer of Origin in the sense that this pickaxe or shovel cannot go beyond the Layer of Pyrusverse, above the home of Type-4 Civilizations.]

'I see. It means these mining and excavating tools cannot be brought to the higher Layers of Pyrusverse; homes for Type-5 to the Type-9 Civilizations.' Grey roughly comprehended Kesha's explanation.

[That's right, Grey. By the way, I advise you to begin working now so we can quickly negotiate with Natasha.] Kesha reminded him.

"All right then."

Some distance away from the Deicand pod, as Grey faced the Nesoid Ores, he began to swing the pickaxe in his grasp.

Clank!

***

Tremble!

'Wh–what's happening, Kesha?!' Grey panicked, confusion painted in his countenance. After all, upon swinging the pickaxe, the lunar ground trembled, a sign of impending earthquake.

[Grey, even if it's just a mining tool, if its origin was from a high-tiered civilization and it was brought to the lower Layers of Pyrusverse, it would generate an exponential amount of Cosmic Energy whenever it is utilized.] There was a subtle excitement in Kesha's voice before she continued, [Since we are in the 8th Layer, apart from the materials used to forge that pickaxe, its raw strength will then be amplified by 3,200%.]

'K–Kesha, why didn't you tell me sooner?!' Grey grumbled, sensing the earth slowing down its tremors.

[Heh. Where's the fun in that?]

Grey sensed in his soul that Kesha just smiled, leaving him dumbfounded.

After some time...

Tremble!

Crack!

'S–shit! This is terrifying!' Grey muttered inwardly.

Even though his swings were just as normal as possible, the pickaxe in his hands seemed to absorb Cosmic Energy in this world's atmosphere, generating a shockwave every time he attempted to mine the Nesoid Ores.

If there was one thing that he could consider as a benefit from doing this, it's that sometimes, these shockwaves of light gray energies unintentionally assisted him in destroying the surrounding chunks of Nesoid Ore, while the Arkoid Dust began spreading everywhere.

With the help of senseless remaining Floaters that hadn't been consumed through the process of Dissemination, these particles of dark dust were then collected through other technology that Natasha provided.

[Shockwaves have reached 50km. from the focal point.]

[Shockwaves have reached 70km. from the focal point.]

[Shockwaves have reached 100. km from the focal point.]

'I believe nuclear weapons are the only thing that can generate this amount of power, but that belief of mine has just been shattered.' Grey inwardly said with a defeated voice.

'Sigh, I don't know how this is possible, but I guess I'm truly on a ride for a long adventure huh, Kesha?'

[Grey, becoming an alien species that resembles a head was more bizarre, okay? Nobody in your previous world that practically lives with science in everyday life would believe such a fairytale-like experience.] Kesha smiled.

'R–right. Stop being fixated on mentioning my new physical characteristics. I'm still lost whenever I'm being reminded, okay?' Grey sounded like he was pleading.

[Alright. Collect everything. I think we're done here.] Kesha advised him before the latter's gaze swept around the dark world, with only nothingness and howling winds.

Hearing Kesha's voice, Grey hesitated before asking, 'Uh, Kesha. Is there any way to collect everything all at once or maybe not once, but faster than manually doing it?'

[Grey, you are still a Floater even though you've gained a human physique. Remember the skills you've gained upon being injected with Serum of Humansil Biology? You should use them.]

Grey was then reminded as he browsed in his mind the two skills he acquired.

[Jelly-O Storage]

Pyrus Archive Description (via. Cosmic Feather): If certain processes have not been met upon being injected with Serum of Humansil Biology, the Floater will always be a Floater no matter how humansil-like appearance they transformed into. Considering this case, the Floater shall extend its hands and it will reach whatever it desires. Everything in its way will be stored within its body and soul apart from animated objects.

[Jelly-xibility]

Pyrus Archive Description (via. Cosmic Feather): Upon failing to meet certain conditions to become a true humansil like the Serum of Divine Make-Up, the Floater's body will forever be composed of pure Jellyner; semi-fluid yet proven to be durable. Through this skill, the Floater will then be able to transform its body into any form it desires.

Comprehending these absurd skills, Grey extended his hands toward the raw glimmering minerals of darkness.

It was then that each of his human-like hands split into two grayish and semi-fluid tentacles, similar to when he was just an alien head.

With Jellyner's characteristics that depicted a refined and delicate soft jelly, Grey gently grasped these abyssal ores as they seemed to melt in his four tentacle hands.

[Nesoid Ore has been obtained.]

[Nesoid Ore...]

[...has been obtained.]

'This is fucking gross and amazing at the same time.' Grey spoke his honest thoughts.

[You'll get used to it. On the other hand, I'll tell you this right now, I advise you not to return from being human.] Kesha said with subtle seriousness.

Woosh!

As Grey continued collecting these minerals, though he was not certain how these things would help Natasha in repairing the Deicand pod, he then asked in his mind, 'Why, Kesha? Is there something wrong with being human again?'

[Fragility, Grey. Humans are fragile, but they are dangerously adaptable. In other words, you should remain a Floater and you can just transform your body similar to that of a human. With this, you can keep the characteristics of Jellyner cosmic material that makes up your entire body.

[It's an advantage Grey, having an alien body and a human mind; a dangerous combination that is.]

Such words did not cross Grey's mind, leaving him in contemplation.

***

[God Candidate Natasha, may I inquire if a plan on what to do with the strange Floater has been decided?]

Licht, the system's voice overseeing the Simulation Room, asked the owner of the Deicand pod, whose grasp locked on a glass of stardust ale while sitting in one of the dark green electronic-powered chairs.

"I am assessing the situation; however, considering the confirmation that he possesses a Pyrus Heart, I can tell that it might be the will of Pyrusverse. After all, he's like a plant whose consciousness has arbitrarily sprouted in one of these Slave Heads."

[If it's the will of Pyrusverse, then whatever happens shall come to pass.]

When everything in the Deicand pod apart from the self-repair engine had been settled, Natasha had assessed everything.

She remembered that no one in her comrades that dissipated back to their designated dimension brought a Pyrus Heart, which raised the question...

Who put it in one of the Floaters?

A Pyrus Heart was something that could not physically be seen as it was imprinted in one's soul. But being God Candidates, such things were visible in their very eyes.

"Indeed, Licht. I shall investigate him for now; he looks clueless about almost everything, you see."

[If it's God Candidate Natasha's will, then it shall come to pass.]

As these two continued conversing on some matters, either significant or negligible, something caught their attention; a strong wind of darkness began sweeping the entire moon world.

"Hoh? Is it starting now? Licht, call every partially conscious Floaters. On the other hand, let's see what this strange one will do. Hehe." Natasha giggled.

***

'K–Kesha, what's happening right now?!' Grey asked worriedly.

Since the chunks of Nesoid Ores were of significant amount, it had taken him some time to collect everything. Apart from that, he also excavated some amount of Arkoid Dust similar to other Floaters.

However, as Grey's job was about to end, something tore through his ears as everything on this moon became under a dome of darkness.

The Pyrus Heart then warned him.

[Alert! Nessark's abyss weather, Scream, will begin in...]