Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

The Duolos' numbers had swelled to nearly 300 by the time we had finished assimilating the remnants of the Vandasisimos.

With each transformation, their ranks grew, the hive mind adapting seamlessly to the influx of new memories, skills, and knowledge.

Along with their assimilation came a windfall of resources—technology, vehicles, and weaponry. The Vandasisimos hadn't traveled lightly. Their inventory consisted of hovercrafts that glided silently across rough terrain, weapons ranging from crude but effective firearms to intricate psionic tools, and, of course, a modest collection of Theotech devices whose mysteries would take time to unravel.

Every item was cataloged, organized, and redistributed to the bastion, each piece finding a new purpose within our collective.

At this point, I even felt like we really need to make more MSUs.

Though, as the bastioneers and Heavenly Maids who was part of the stay-at-home team worked to manage the incoming resources, my attention was drawn to Charis, who had wandered outside with Carlotta.

The two of them stood near a cluster of Duolos, their distinctive childlike forms hard at work unloading some of the Vandasisimos' confiscated gear.

"...So, what were they like before?" Charis asked, her tone curious yet cautious, as she sat cross-legged on a crate. Her silver hair shimmered under the Landship's filtered light, swaying slightly in the breeze.

Beside her, Carlotta leaned forward eagerly as she was stationed on her portable pot, her wide eyes practically sparkling with anticipation.

One of the Duolos, a freshly transformed member of the Vandasisimos, stood before her, the glowing blue of her hair catching the sunlight. She hesitated, her expression strangely hesitant for someone supposedly part of a hive mind. "The Vandasisimos were... something of a legacy," she began, her voice tinged with an odd mix of nostalgia and detachment. "A long time ago, we were wanderers, seeking the unknowns, united by a belief in freedom and neutrality. We avoided getting entangled in the squabbles of nations and factions. But over time, things changed."

"Why?" Charis pressed, tilting her head slightly, her soft curiosity as steady as her gaze.

Another Duolos, dancing bouncing on her toes like a restless child, piped up, "Because they got greedy!" She giggled, twirling a strand of her blue hair around her finger as she spun around. "They started making friends with all the big, scary factions who gave them lots of shiny things. But, guess what? Shiny things come with strings attached!" She made a motion as if tying herself up in invisible rope.

"Ambition," the first Duolos clarified, glancing at her overly enthusiastic companion. "And greed. We started making alliances—selling our skills and services to anyone willing to pay, this led to a divisive clash amongst our ranks, those who prefer the old ways and preserve our heritage, and those who wanted to integrate with the world-wide interconnected struggle.

"The unity we once had was eroded by politics and infighting. What was once free-spirited became... corrupt."

Charis seemed intrigued, her youthful expression thoughtful. "That's... sad," she said softly, folding her hands in her lap. "You all lost what made you special and connected in this world.

Another Duolos with an impish grin, bounded up to Charis and squatted down, peering into her eyes. "Not anymore, though!" she declared, her voice bright. "Now we're Duolos! We don't fight over stupid stuff like shiny coins or big alliances! We're all together, like a big, happy... um, family?"

"A hivemind," corrected the hyperactive one, who was still bouncing on her toes. "But, like, a cool one! Not the creepy kind! You know, like insects or the Calamity Objects!"

"Isn't it still kind of creepy, though?" another Duolos teased, peeking over the shoulder of the first. She grinned mischievously, her glowing eyes narrowing playfully. "Our mind is the same, but we can somewhat split it down and assign personality to each one of us because of the amount of information and muscle memory we possessed."

"Not creepy!" the other one shot back, puffing her cheeks and crossing her arms. "Efficient!"

"It's kind of creepy," Carlotta said suddenly, laughing as she clapped her hands. "But in a cute way! You're all so nice. Can we play later?" she said with a wide smile, her infectious energy drawing amused glances from the nearby bastioneers.

Carlotta was just happy to be outside and surrounded by people, and Charis had been doing a good job at including her and integrating her to the surroundings.

The Duolos all froze for a second, their expressions oddly synchronized, as if a single thought was passing through their shared consciousness. Then, in unison, they burst out with a chorus of responses.

"Play what?"

"Tag!"

"Hide-and-seek!"

"Do you like riddles?"

"We can try smoothing out the nearby landscape and skate around using this Theotech tools I found."

"We already have the hovercraft though."

"What about wrestling?!"

"Wrestling?!"

Carlotta laughed and clapped her hands again. "You're all so funny! I like all of you!"

"Thank you!" they chorused, clearly enjoying the attention.

These were definitely within the design that I made, but it extends a little bit far beyond that. Did the Duolos hivemind improvised?

I guess that is what would happen if we give a high intelligence to a hive mind.

Charis, as a small smile tugged at her lips, had a question in her mind. "You all act so... different from what I expected. Aren't you supposed to be, you know... a hivemind?"

One of the Duolos, who had been quietly stacking crates nearby, looked up and shrugged. "We are a hivemind," she said simply. "But it's more like... hmm... a really big group chat? With everyone talking at once? So, we're still us, but we're also... together."

"It is kinda hard to tell, but one thing for sure that we can confidently confirm is the fact that we will never get into conflict with one another."

"We are designed to question things and clash ideas, but anything beyond that won't happen as it can get very divisive and demeriting."

"Hence why some of us can reference back to our own individual past and take everything into account."

"The verdict? We're somewhat happier this way."

"That's... weirdly wholesome," Charis admitted, her smile widening.

"Exactly!" the hyperactive Duolos declared, throwing her arms in the air. "Now, can we talk about something fun? Oh!—where do you get those super sparkly clips for your hair?" She pointed enthusiastically at Charis's hairpins.

I made that earlier as a reward for doing a good job at doing her task before giving her a play time to converse with the Duolos.

It also doubles as an MSU, the newest model that I'm trying to experiment.

"Oh, this?" Charis reached up, touching the small silver clips that adorned her hair. "They're just something Father gave me."

"Father's got good taste!" the bouncing Duolos exclaimed, her blue eyes gleaming. "Think he'll give us some too? We could all match! A whole squad of sparkly hairpin warriors!"

It seems like the Duolos still doesn't understand that what Charis meant by father is their Mother.

I guess that was a mistake on my part.

Carlotta giggled at the image, and even Charis let out a soft laugh. "I'll... ask him," she said, her cheeks slightly pink. "But no promises."

As the conversation continued, I couldn't help but watch from afar, amused by how easily the Duolos adapted to their new roles. They weren't just soldiers or drones; they were vibrant, expressive, and surprisingly human despite their shared consciousness.

Even Verina, leaning against a railing nearby, raised an eyebrow as she watched the exchange. "A hivemind that acts like a bunch of hyperactive kids," she muttered under her breath. "This doesn't feel legal."

I smiled faintly. "They're designed to be adaptable. When interacting with Charis or someone like Carlotta, they lean into that childlike side. It helps them connect."

"Connect?" Verina gave me a flat look. "It looks like child labor in disguise."

I chuckled. "Don't worry. They won't be filing lawsuits anytime soon."

"Better not," she deadpanned. "I don't want to end up defending you in court."

"Noted."

Her expression—deadpan as always—betrayed just a hint of curiosity.

"So," she began, "What are we going to do with 300 more mouths to feed? The hydroponic farm can manage for now, but accommodations might be another matter."

I gave her a reassuring glance. "The Duolos are... unique in that regard. They don't rely on conventional sustenance. They can derive energy from sunlight, water, even dirt if necessary. Proper food isn't a necessity for them—it's a luxury. For now, they'll sustain themselves from the environment and remain perfectly loyal. Later on, I'll make sure they're provided for."

Verina raised an eyebrow. "So, they're basically autonomous drones that look like kids. This feels... even more illegal."

I chuckled at her dry humor. "Don't worry, Verina. The Duolos won't be filing any lawsuits."

"The more you assure me, the more I felt like it would happen," she said, though there was a faint twitch at the corner of her mouth that might have been the shadow of a smile. "Because if they did, I'd be the one defending us."

Her gaze shifted to one of the confiscated crates.

Verina's gaze shifted toward the collection of supplies the Duolos were sorting through. "At least we're not broke anymore. These Vandasisimos were hauling a small fortune in Bloodies. I'll admit, that's a nice surprise."

I nodded, allowing my gaze to follow hers.

The sheer volume of Bloodies was staggering: four A-tier Bloodies, sixty B-tier, a thousand C-tier, and ten thousand F-tier. It was enough to buy not just a single plot within a citadel but multiple, with room to spare for a fleet of Theotech artifacts.

In modern terms, it was comparable to stumbling upon several million dollars in cash—not to mention the utility the Bloodies had for ohrtenders like Verina.

Although she had already fully transitioned to arcane sorcery, so these bloodies were only usable for the Duolos, ironically.

"We should hoard these for now," I said, my tone contemplative. "I have plans for future diplomatic engagements, and having a strong financial reserve will make negotiations significantly easier."

Verina gave me a sidelong glance. "Can you just raise your charm to the max and make them submit?"
Stay tuned to empire

"I can't appear everywhere and anymore at all times" I replied with a faint smile.

Her expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "Reasonable"

As the Duolos continued their work, Verina's gaze shifted toward the horizon, where the spire loomed against the sky. "Can you access the lower levels of the Vault using the nexus control?"

I shook my head. "The spire and the underground levels are entirely separate systems. The nexus doesn't influence anything below ground."

Verina considered this for a moment, then asked, "So, what's the plan? Are we heading down there tomorrow to finish the expedition, or are we leaving it be?"

I studied her for a moment before answering. "What do you think?"

She tilted her head slightly, her expression still unreadable. "Feels like a waste to leave it unfinished. But knowing you, you've already made up your mind."

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Of course."

Verina paused.

"You're planning to colonize the Vault, aren't you?"