Paymax, as he called himself, was a hologram projected from a bracelet on one of the severed arms.
The black bracelet was scratched and cracked, more like junk than a top-secret device.
The hologram representing Paymax itself looked like a planet with cartoonish eyes.
"…" He became interested and took a closer look at the body of the advanced intelligence.
It vaguely resembled his home planet—but drier, harsher. Almost no water. Almost no green, except for one large one in the central part.
In comparison, there were many more colorful deserts, and mountain ranges. And yet, the most interesting thing here was a tiny white continent that seemed to be located right in the sky...
"Wait, those aren't mountains... That's the displacement of the terrain from explosions and craters."
"Excellent observation, unknown stranger. I'm glad you're interested in my body. As you know, the small meteor shower 200 years ago did not pass without consequences. You also know, of course, that the most sensational and explosive event in modern history affected not only the Peaks but the entire world as well."
"What?"
"Allow me to provide a brief report of the Manshur campaign. As you know, when the one whose name cannot be spoken... the great and... Beep... the All-Knowing and All-Encompassing... Beep! Critical error. Databases corrupted."
"Thank God..." he replied with a long sigh.
All those terms made him feel uneasy, but something in Paymax's words caught his attention.
Peaks. When he died and met that being, it mentioned that term... As well as the six Paths leading from those Peaks.
Unfortunately, at the time, he was in a state of shock and apathy, so most of the information and context went over his head.
However, he remembered that there were only six Peaks and that they were most likely some kind of gods capable of miracles.
"Beep..."
"Hey, Paymax, snap out of it."
He patted the elongated bracelet on his severed arm.
"Beep! Initiating annihilation protocol!" The hologram of the planet turned an angry red.
"Enough, this is no time for friendly mode. Also, remove those clichéd jokes from your arsenal."
"Beep... Comment noted! Paymax is a constantly evolving intelligence that doesn't waste time dealing with foolish strangers!"
"Gods..."
The situation where he had to sit idly and just talk to a hologram felt wrong and disturbing.
Besides, he had to act so he wouldn't drown in his own thoughts.
"Okay, Paymax... You can see me, right?"
"That's right, unknown stranger, not present in any of the surviving databases. By the way, interesting fact: I can see you thanks to optical sensors built into..."
"Stop, stop, stop. Since you can see and hear me, please answer my question. What is your goal?"
"Good and prosperity for the whole world!"
"And what are you willing to do to achieve that?"
"Anything..." the hologram said menacingly, turning black and making a frightening grimace.
"Paymax, what did I tell you about friendly mode..." He shook his head and hoped it was really a joke. "If that's the case, then fine. But wouldn't you have self-destructed if I hadn't called out to you? How will you achieve prosperity for the whole world if you explode?"
"But my user..."
"Your user is gone, but the world still needs your help, Paymax. Think about it."
Leaving this phrase behind, he sighed and headed for the rest of the corpses.
'Average life expectancy is about 90 years? Perhaps in this world it has reached 100. If you drink and smoke, this period can be significantly reduced. And if you also get a very dangerous job... But first, there is this force trial. I need to get out of here, whatever this place is.'
Conforting himself with such thoughts, he began to fiddle with the corpses.
...
"How disgusting..." he said with revulsion, pulling a strange device out of another decayed skull.
It looked like a board or chip the size of a finger phalanx. Each of the dead had such a device, and apparently, they were connected directly to the brain.
"Looks like you've found another rare artifact. It looks like... Ah. Allow me to introduce the Neodeck — the highest work of engineering art, a stroke of genius..." Paymax said excitedly, but was interrupted.
"Stop. If you don't want to turn off friendly mode, then at least be so kind as not to overwhelm me with all this information and terminology." He sighed wearily as he rummaged through the bloodstained equipment. "Paymax, we have more pressing matters that require your assistance."
"Paymax is always ready to help its user!"
"Great. First of all, what happened here? A pile of corpses, someone tore them apart, a dug grave, and this statue..."
"Unfortunately, you are not my user... You are a stranger!"
"Paymax, you're just a bracelet on a severed arm. If I don't get you out of here, you'll be doomed. Your goal will remain unfulfilled, and the whole world will be doomed to destruction just because of some friendly jokes," he replied, sighing and shaking his head.
"Stranger, you are undoubtedly right, but... Beep! Verification required. Stranger, please come here to user qualification scan."
"Can't a know-it-all like you crawl over here yourself?"
"Stranger, that's not funny."
"And I wasn't laughing."
He walked over to a hand lying nearby and removed the bracelet from it.
He then put it on his forearm, and for a moment, the hologram of Paymax disappeared, replaced by flashing lights.
Without wasting any time, he looked around for the scattered equipment that had been lucky enough to survive.
"Haah..." he sighed wearily.
He immediately realized that finding Paymax was a real miracle.
Recently, he had safely ignored most of the conversation with the creature that had brought him to this world. And because of his emotional state right now, he desperately needed at least some context about the situation and information about the world in general.
He needed Paymax, just as Paymax needed him.
"Beep... The check has revealed that the intended user is 100% unsuitable! This is very unfortunate... for you!"
"To hell with it. Blow up as much as you want, tin can," he said dryly, tearing off his bracelet and throwing it away.
In general, he could manage on his own.
"Wait...!"
"To hell with you, tin can. To hell..." He turned away and waved at him from behind his back.
He was tired of persuading and talking to this fickle robot. He had more important things to do — rummaging through advanced scrap metal.
"Wait, you won't get out of the Pit without me!"
"I already did, literally 20 minutes ago."
"This is not a metaphor, and it's not a real pit! I'm talking about the lands known as The Pit, left behind after the most famous War of the Peaks in history! Brief background: due to the prolonged global depression caused by the long absence of the Champions' Games, the one whose name cannot be spoken... the great and... Beep... The All-Knowing and All-Encompassing... Beep! Critical error. Databases are corrupted."
"Wonderful... If you truly desire prosperity for the world, then you have three tasks. First, compile a brief summary of this Pit, avoiding critical errors in your databases. Second, examine the site of the mass slaughter and create a hypothetical scenario. Third, shut up."
"Paymax doesn't need time for these second-rate tasks. Beep... Done!"
Feeling his eye twitch again, he turned to the hologram of the planet and didn't let it speak again.
"Excellent. Now shut up, or I'll bury you right in this pit, and the whole world will come to an end."
"..." The advanced intelligence finally went silent.
He sighed wearily and looked up at the sky. Instead of the usual gray moon, there was a monstrous black hole, but... the frightening object seemed quite attractive to him. It was strange, but he felt something familiar about it.
After all, who else but him was like a black hole?
Feeling the reflection of the celestial object on himself, he finally set about doing what he had been putting off for a long time... Trying to ignore the piercing feeling of the gaze on his back coming from that terrifying statue.