Story Reader / Floating Record / ER01 The Ark Beyond / Story
Exceptionally powerful unit detected. Victory unattainable.
Who are you?
A mechanoid who's searching for "Sage's" trail.
You know about "Sage", but you do not know about the Church of Machina?
If you want to join us, I can provide you with the necessary details.
Not yet. I need more information before I make a decision.
...
In that case, we can introduce you to someone who can answer your questions.
Following the silent mechanoid, Haicma sets foot underneath the scorched earth.
Inside an exceptionally large cavern hides a massive starship.
...
Artificial sunlight illuminates the interior of the ship.
Chariot bows at the mechanoid at the center of the hall before stepping aside.
Welcome.
The female mechanoid at the center smiles, greeting Haicma like a human.
My name is Arcana. You can call me "Mother".
Sure, Mother.
Ha! So accepting and compliant.
It's the sign of a great student, Zero.
So, Mother, what is the Church of Machina? Why are you searching for "Sage"? Who made this starship?
Asking questions already?
Arcana uses her gentle voice to detail the stories of the machines' survival.
Humans are not the only ones suffering from the Punishing Virus.
For some machines, those who have awakened and understand "fear" and the concept of machines as a species, the Punishing Virus is a threat to the entire machine race.
Not to mention the hostility from humankind out of fear of the virus.
After a prolonged period of fighting and devastation from the virus, the awakened machines have gradually received revelations from Sage.
Slowly, they gather together, acting in secret on Earth as the "Church of Machina".
...We encountered an "opportunity" during our search for Sage.
"She" showed me a glimpse, a fragment of the future during so.
Sagemachina will return to the Church, guiding us away from this broken earth to the end of stars.
Sagemachina will obtain the key to the Punishing Virus and enters the door it opens.
The starship you are seeing is the base we built for this very plan.
We are currently searching for the design blueprint of Babylonia. Once we obtain it, we will be able to build something similar.
How are you going to obtain information on Babylonia?
We will seize it, of course!
And the resources required to construct it? Are you going to seize them as well?
Don't worry. We have more than enough time, and our technology for surveying, mining, building, and recycling is far more advanced and accurate.
So, what do you say? Would you like to join the Church of Machina?
I require time to run a simulation.
