Chapter 2: Steelroot

Azrael was brought along the colonists to their settlement. He asked Zara about the planet they are currently on. The duration of day and night, climate and so on. He also asked them about the geographical aspects of the planet.

"It's vast and varied, with regions that range from dense forests like ours to arid deserts and frozen tundras. We're in one of the more temperate zones, which helps with farming and survival."'

"And the other settlements?" Azrael pressed. "Who else is out there?"

Zara sighed, her eyes darkening. "There are several factions on Frontier. Some are friendly, like the Greenleaf Clan to the north—they're mainly agricultural and we trade with them occasionally. But then there are the more dangerous groups."

"There's also this… mining corporation. Stellaxis Mining Corporation. They're a constant threat. They want to strip this planet of its resources and don't care who gets hurt in the process. They have well-armed mercenaries and advanced tech."

Azrael's mechanical fingers flexed unconsciously, a remnant of his fighter's instinct.

"There are also cults," Zara continued. "The Cult of the Forgotten Sun is the most notorious. They worship some ancient deity and are known for their fanaticism and violence. There's also the Children of the Void—more secretive, but equally dangerous. They believe in embracing the planet's darkness and often conduct rituals involving... well, let's just say they're not friendly."

Azrael absorbed this information, understanding the complexity of the world he was now a part of. The information he receives is constantly updated into his mechanical "brain".

 "What about the day and night cycle here? The climate?"

Zara thought for a while before answering. "A day on the planet is about thirty hours long," Zara said. "Ten hours at night and twenty hours during the day. The valley we're in currently has a moderate climate, however it can change abruptly. From the mountains, storms come rolling in, causing wildfires and flash floods. It is inconsistent."

 Over the next some twenty minutes, they were walking through a dense grasslands. With his new eyesight, he could zoom in miles away. Azrael was able to discover new wildlife that was unfamiliar to him. He scanned them and added their information to his database. Then the walls of their settlement came into their vision. They came upon the gates of the settlement, and Zara shouted up to the guards to open them. The gate was operated using a mechanical wheel, which Azrael scanned and analyzed their functions and how it works.

It's calculating every movement without me telling it to do so. I guess this could come in handy with construction.

 Upon coming into the settlement, Azrael was welcomed by the sights of stone buildings, and people going around, working on their jobs and tasks. At the far end of the settlement, a few makeshift windmills were visible. This settlement's power was generated through the windmills. Because they are in an open valley, the source of wind was moderate, but a few windmills were able to generate enough power to sustain a small settlement.

 [You have discovered Steelroot]

[Population: 50]

[Industry: Agricultural and Fabrics]

[Relation: 5]

[Leader: Zara Korr]

Relation? So this thing knows the how likable I am by this place's people? It's kinda weird.

When it comes to the system, it's pretty confusing for Azrael. Is it integrated into his body, or is it just like in those games where a window of text pops up in front of the player? Nevertheless, he's not complaining because the system has been helping him tremendously.

 Zara brought him to a medium sized two story building and stopped at the doors.

"This here would be the barracks. Not a lot of people live in here because most of the people here have their own homes, so you wouldn't be disturbed. There are a lot of empty beds and lockers in there, so choose whichever one you want for the time being. Get you settled in. In a few hours someone would come by and ask for your help with some work." She handed Azrael a small bag. He opened it and found a few cans of food and some necessities.

"Thank you. I really appreciate this."

She smiled and nodded, and left Azrael. He went inside the barracks and entered the sleeping area. Zara was right. The place was empty. There is nobody in the room. He picked the bed that is located at the far back of the room and placed his bag on the bed.

 He raised his arms and tried to sniff his body.

This mechanical body of his has every senses a human has, including smell. If a droid like him were to exist in his old world, he would be considered a marvel of a technology. Not just robotic advancement but also he would be considered a sentient Artificial Intelligence, but that wasn't any of his concern for now.

He thought he smelled just fine, so he sat down on the edge of the bed and took some time to gather his thoughts.

"Wait," he muttered. "Can I sleep?"

Then his system popped up

[Would you like to go into hibernation mode?]

[Yes/No]

"Ah. That's actually cool."

Then he was curious to know what his body was capable of.

[Tier 4 Droid]

[Combat Rating: SS+. 100% Success Rate]

[Skills: Unarmed Combat, Sword, Cleavers, Ranged Weapons, Medium-level Construction, Blunt weapons, Double-handed weapons, Claymores, Explosives….]

"Holy shit… I can kill someone easily with these skills." Even Azrael was scared of what he himself is capable of doing.

[Body material: CLASSIFIED]

[Defense: SS+. 100% defense against most technologies]

"So I'm mostly invincible? That's scary." He shivered.

He spent the next few hours trying to find out more about his body, and every discovery only made him more terrifying of himself. His body was basically made to be a killing machine. He couldn't even find out who manufactured him. He also discovered that several of his body parts are transformable. He could transform his hand into a knife, and transform his knee into a spike, which would come in handy in combat.

 Suddenly, his ears picked up footsteps from outside. He was getting used to his new enhanced senses.

A lady walked into the room.

"Azrael, right?" she said, her voice confident and clear.

Azrael stood up, sizing her up. She was of average height, with medium length, dark hair that had a slight wave to it. Her attire was practical, consisting of sturdy boots, cargo pants, and a tool belt slung around her waist. Her eyes were sharp, intelligent, and held a hint of curiosity.

"Yes, that's me," Azrael replied, extending a hand. "And you?"

She shook his hand firmly, a slight smile playing on her lips. "I'm Elena. Zara told me you'd be here. How are you settling in?"

"It's... different," Azrael admitted. "Still getting used to everything."

Elena nodded, her gaze sweeping over the empty barracks. "I can imagine. This place can feel a bit isolating at first, but you'll get used to it. Plus, it won't be long before you're too busy to notice."

Azrael chuckled, appreciating her attempt to lighten the mood. "So, what's my first task?"

Elena motioned for him to follow her. "Come on, I'll show you. We're working on fortifying the eastern perimeter today. It's one of the weaker spots, and with the threats we face out here, we can't afford any vulnerabilities."

As they walked out, he tried to process what he just heard. "Were you guys raided before?"

She looked at him for bit before answering.

"This guy seems knowledgeable," she thought.

"Yes. There's this native group. We don't know how they got access to guns but they have it. Last week a group of them came and attacked us from the east. Thankfully, no one died and we were able to fend them off."

"Natives, you said? So these people were here before this settlement came?" He asked

She nodded. "That's what I know, yes. It's possible they've lived here longer than we know. They're probably test subjects of some space corp out there that was thrown here some millennia ago but I'm just taking a wild guess. Nevertheless, they're a pain in the ass to deal with."

Dealing with natives who's just trying to defend their home is not exactly Azrael's cup of tea, but he did not care to begin with. Not even a little bit. As long as he can keep his relations high with Steelroot, he would be fine with doing anything.

As they walked through the settlement, Elena pointed out various buildings and introduced him to a few settlers along the way. "That's the workshop," she said, nodding toward a large building with open doors. "You'll be spending a lot of time there if you stick around."

 "Looks well-equipped," Azrael observed, noting the array of tools and materials inside.

 "It is, but we're always looking for more supplies," Elena replied. "Scavenging runs are a big part of our routine. We take what we can find and make the most of it."

 They reached the eastern perimeter, where a group of settlers was already hard at work. Elena led him to a section of the fence that was partially constructed.

 "Alright, here's the situation," Elena began, picking up a piece of metal plating. "Because of the native activity in this area. We need to reinforce the fence and set up some automated turrets."

Azrael nodded, taking in the layout. "Got it. Where do you need me?"

Elena handed him a toolkit and pointed to a section that needed reinforcing. "Start with those panels over there. I'll show you how to set up the turrets once we've got the fence secure."

Azrael went and started his work. With the help of his system, he worked swiftly and easily. The other settlers were even surprised by his working speed.

"Who's this guy?"

"I don't know, never seen him before."

"I think it's the new guy Zara brought in earlier."

They were already putting all their attention on him because of his working efficiency. Even Elena was surprised with him.

"There's no way…" she thought.

She glanced at the place he worked, and saw that his work quality was amazing. He had the speed and the quality. It is safe to say that she was amazed. Soon enough, she brought herself closer to Azrael's side.

Elena glanced at him occasionally, clearly curious. "So, where did you come from before ending up here?" she asked, her tone casual but probing.

Azrael paused, considering his answer. Just before he was about to answer, his head was flooded with memories of the body he's in, like a flashback.

"So that's who this body was before."

"I was a gladiator. I beat people up for a living, sometimes even killing them," he said, keeping his tone neutral.

There was a little bit of a lie in his answer, but there was also some truth. The droid wasn't just a gladiator, he was the champion of the arena. With enough money saved up, he brought a passage to a new planet for a new life. He boarded up a starship and went into deep cryogenic sleep when his ship went by Frontier and broke down. His pod was released into the atmosphere and here he was.

Elena raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A gladiator, huh? That sounds... intense."

"It was," Azrael replied, focusing on tightening a bolt. "Fighting for survival, day in and day out. It taught me a lot about combat."

Elena nodded, her respect for him evident. "Must have been tough. What made you decide to come here and start fresh?"

"Sometimes, you need a change," Azrael said carefully. "And the people here seem like they care about each other."

Elena smiled, a genuine warmth in her eyes. "We do our best. And hey, if you ever need someone to talk to or just want to know more about this place, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks, Elena," Azrael said, appreciating her openness. "I might just take you up on that."

They continued working, the conversation flowing naturally. Azrael felt a sense of purpose and belonging starting to take root, his new life in Steelroot beginning to feel a little more like home. As they secured the last of the metal panels, Elena looked at him with a hint of admiration

"You're a quick learner," she remarked. "We'll make a Steelroot settler out of you yet."

"I hope so," Azrael replied, the hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I'm here to help in any way I can."

Elena patted him on the shoulder, her touch reassuring.

"Welcome to Steelroot, Azrael. We're glad to have you."