Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Gear Sage!

All ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Investigators stiffened.

As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍one of the oldest Holy Relics of the Mechanical Sanctum, everyone had heard of its great name, but—

Wasn’t ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it only capable of giving lectures?

How ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could it fight—and with such strength?

Xiao ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Bu stared blankly at the towering Gear Sage before her. Her gaze swept across its precise mechanical structure, her eyes shining as she nodded vigorously. “Okay! Okay!”

Bang!

Michel was blasted off the metal construct controlled by Xiao Bu and smashed into the ground. He had activated his barrier, yet lying upon the cracked floor, he still coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.

“Damn it… how is this possible…” He endured the discomfort and shouted ferociously to his companions, “Don’t be afraid! Though the Gear Sage is strong, there’s only one of it. We—”

A series of mechanical clanging sounds rang out. From the hole through which “The Big One” had emerged, several more massive metal constructs poked their heads out.

“Wow! Has it already started? The surface world is really something!”

Several Untouchables wearing goggles shouted with manic laughter.

Freyr’s eyelid twitched. The personalities of these Untouchables were far too peculiar. In daily life they were timid and withdrawn, but the moment they operated machines, they became entirely different—like madmen.

As though their lives only felt complete when fused with machinery.

The battlefield instantly fell into chaos. The machines operated by the Untouchables possessed tremendous strength; each attack caused massive destruction to the structure.

The Investigators of the Church of Candlelight were indeed the most formidable Transcendence Path, their abilities comprehensive with no obvious weaknesses. After the initial chaos, they successfully reorganized and mounted resistance.

Aside from a few unlucky ones, casualties were not particularly heavy.

Xiao Bu controlled “The Big One” at the forefront, charging and shouting in exhilaration. Every Investigator who attempted to attack her true body was knocked back by the Gear Sage.

Freyr, as the only Mortal present, quickly realized he was completely useless. He looked around, preparing to find a corner to hide in, when he suddenly heard someone calling his name.

“Freyr, over here! Over here!”

Turning his head, he saw Gaia and Zoe hiding inside a broken section of pipeline, waving at him.

“Lady Gaia?! You haven’t left yet!!”

“We actually did leave, but when we sensed your beacon getting closer and closer, we came back to take a look.” Zoe pulled Freyr into the pipeline.

“Where did these people come from? How are they this strong?”

Gaia looked at the crude yet functional war machines outside and found herself at a loss for words.

Those giant machines were almost entirely cobbled together from discarded parts. Forget standardization—one machine might not even have two identical gears.

As the person responsible for managing military production lines, she could instantly spot more than thirty violations of safety regulations on a single machine. Something like this appearing in a factory for even a second would be a direct provocation to the safety officer.

And yet these giants could move. They could attack. Those boilers that looked on the verge of exploding somehow held at the critical point.

If it were only one machine, perhaps it was luck. But every single machine was like this—

“Unbelievable technology,” Gaia said hoarsely.

“I think it’s unbelievable too. What’s even more unbelievable is that with technology like this, they’ve still been living underground…”

Boom!!!

A massive burst of fire erupted. One war machine had finally been disabled under the Investigators’ siege. Upon realizing he could no longer continue fighting, its operator slammed a fist-sized red button.

Then the seat beneath him exploded.

The blast launched both him and his chair into the air. The now pilotless machine shifted direction and charged toward the area with the most people.

As it made its final charge, every component of the entire machine began shrieking wildly.

“The boiler’s overloaded? Huh? The Steam Engine too? No—it overloaded every machine component that could possibly overload!” Gaia stared with her mouth agape.

Indeed, everything on that machine—whether moving or stationary—began vibrating violently. Even the toilet started spewing wildly.

And it was still charging toward the crowd.

The Investigators’ expressions finally turned to horror. They no longer cared about the battle and scattered in all directions.

Boom!!!

The enormous explosion shattered every piece of glass in the cathedral. The shockwave triggered who knew what other machinery within the Mechanical Sanctum. The entire cathedral now looked dangerously unstable. Pressure valves along the surrounding pipelines began venting steam, and alarms from unknown locations rang in a continuous cascade.

“Go!” Gaia screamed, grabbing Zoe and Freyr to leave—but Freyr did not move.

“What’s wrong? Move!”

Freyr looked at Zoe and Gaia, then turned back toward the fighting Untouchables, hesitation in his eyes.

He truly should leave. He had perfectly completed his mission and had even, in reality, changed the course of the battle.

But—

In the distance, Xiao Bu was piloting her machine recklessly, joy clearly visible on her face. It was not her first time on the surface, but it was the first time she had been this happy.

The people of the surface were still not exactly friendly, but driving a giant machine around like a bumper car was rather enjoyable.

“What will happen to them?” Freyr asked quietly.

Gaia hesitated, then sighed. “The Investigators are the backbone of the Church, but the Church is not made up of Transcendents alone. The massive Mortal auxiliary forces and the even larger body of believers are its true foundation. Even if we defeat the Investigators here, it will not truly shake the Church’s roots.”

“Then can we take them all with us?”

Gaia glanced around and made a rough estimate before shaking her head. “Our airship cannot carry that many people.”

Zoe opened her mouth to speak, but Gaia raised a hand to stop her.

The young man stood there, face full of struggle. At last, Freyr gritted his teeth and slowly let go of Gaia’s hand.

“Th-then I’ll stay here.”

He forced out a smile, trying to appear relaxed, but he did not succeed. His legs trembled uncontrollably.

The Church would not let this go. What would come next would certainly be a massive search of the underground.

He was nothing more than a street thief from White Stone Fortress. Speaking words of refusal had already consumed all his courage. Just imagining what he would have to face made him dizzy.

Gaia looked at him deeply. “Castel has not declared war on the Empire. I cannot make you any promises. Have you thought this through?”

I haven’t thought it through at all. Could you just knock me out and carry me away? Freyr lamented silently in his heart.