Chương 18: Grunt Battle Suit

"Nanobots," the mad scientist, Victoria, known as "Mad Stars," simply said to me.

"Nanobots?" I repeated her simple answer with both confusion and curiosity. I had heard the term a few times, not just from fictional sci-fi media but also from current technological advancements.

"That's right, Grunt No. 703. Nanobots," she confirmed. "Nanobots are tiny machines, so small you can't see them with the naked eye. They're designed to perform specific tasks at the microscopic level," she explained briefly. As usual, there was a glint from her glasses when she was in what I personally dubbed as 'scientist mode' Victoria.

"All of your Grunt Battle Suits are made entirely out of nanobots. They work together not only to enhance your physical prowess but also to protect your body and even heal damage done to it." She further explained these 'nanobots' that were covering my whole body in a skin-tight suit.

I looked down at my dark gray suit with awe and curiosity. I had never thought that I would actually find and use the famous sci-fi technology, nanobots, in this new world of comic book superheroes. In my previous world, this thing was still purely theoretical, focused on medical technology. But now... I was literally wearing a suit made entirely of it.

This world was truly another world entirely in terms of technological advancement.

"So, they're like tiny helpers inside my suit, boss?" I made a rather childish remark as I viewed my skin-tight suit in a new light.

Hearing my childish remark, Victoria giggled, "Exactly, No. 703," she replied with a smirk. "They keep you alive and functional even in the most extreme conditions. Your suit isn't just fabric; it's a living system of microscopic machines working in harmony!" she exclaimed with excitement. "This is, after all, one of the many inventions designed and created by our Leader, Lord Max Brain!" she continued with excitement, speaking of Max Brain with great admiration.

I could only stare at the displayed Victoria bemusedly. Seeing her admiration for Max Brain was something else. This guy not only had the charisma to lead a bunch of ragtag supervillains like this mad scientist woman but also the (literal) brains to invent and create advanced technology. I had to remind myself that he was, after all, the 'Leader of the Supervillains' and boldly named himself 'Max Brain' for a reason.

With that being said... I looked back at the Lightning Grid obstacle in front of me, "How the hell do I get past this obstacle...?" I grumbled to myself in frustration.

Indeed, how would knowing that my suit was made entirely of nanobots help me out in this current predicament of mine?

Those steel rods in the Lightning Grid obstacle were still crackling with electricity. Barriers made of pure electric currents were still forming between each of these steel rods. The worst thing, other than the obvious risk of getting shocked to death, was the fact that these electrical currents created electromagnetic fields, or EMFs. This 'EMF' thing was strong enough to even affect my new grunt body that had been enhanced to a super-soldier level and affecting even my nanobots Grunt Battle Suit...

That name was a bit too long, honestly. I might just shorten it to GBS from now on.

Anyway... I was glad enough that it could withstand said EMFs thanks to my grunt body and the GBS suit. Any normal human exposed to this high level of EMFs would most likely die just from entering this Lightning Grid's hexagon tiles filled with it.

I couldn't exactly go between these lightning barriers at a slow pace either, as the current version of the lightning barriers' activation and deactivation timing was too quick for just attempting to walk past it.

I looked at the drone that was displaying the mad scientist Victoria, who was still in her dreamy admiration trance mood. "Hey, boss!" I called out, and it did break her out of her trance. She then looked down on me from her display drone.

"You called, Grunt No. 703?" Victoria addressed me with her usual irksome mischievous smile.

"How do I get past this obstacle? Hell, isn't this thing kinda an overkill?" I bluntly asked her, pointing at the steel rods field in front of me.

Hearing my question, her smile turned into a grin as she laughed. After laughing for a moment, she looked back at me with her previous mischievous smile, "My~, giving up already, No. 703?" She shot back with a mocking tone.

I got a tick mark from seeing and hearing her mocking manner towards me. "No, boss. I was asking if there's any way to get past this Lightning Grid thing," I stated my defense, pleading for instruction on how to pass this obstacle.

Again, Victoria only giggled from hearing what I just said, "Hmm... let me think—nope." She immediately shot down my request for help, "You have to think for yourself, No. 703. This is, of course, your orientation. We are not just testing your brute strength but also how you would clear problems." She calmly explained her reasoning to me. The scientist Victoria did not show her usual mischievous smile, and it was genuinely her telling me to try to solve this obstacle with my own brain.

I was taken aback by the sudden seriousness from her. In a sense... yeah, this was an important test for a grunt. A grunt that couldn't think for themselves would also cause problems with their boss, so this was their way of testing us grunts.

But still, though... it still felt a bit unfair given that she had just amped the obstacle out of nowhere. Was this extra hard obstacle exclusive for me alone or would the other grunts also try to pass this version as well? Genuinely, I hoped it is the latter because... not to brag, I myself couldn't get past it, so I didn't think my fellow grunts would be able to either.

"Besides," Victoria began, grabbing my attention again, "You said you're going to impress, right?" Once again, she reminded me of the things that I had said before to her. I could only stare back at her with a grimaced expression.

Yeah, again, I did make that promise to her, that I would impress her. I would love to do that, but the obstacle in front of me was asking a bit too much from me... But then I looked at her serious expression once more, and... she genuinely did have huge expectations from me.

'What the hell was I thinking...' I cursed at myself for almost chickening out from this promise of mine. Again, even. I closed my eyes... and then let out a huge sigh from my mask-covered mouth. Then... I snorted a laugh.

I looked back at Victoria once more, but this time, my determined expression was back. "Yeah, Boss. I did say that. Thanks for reminding me." I thanked her while giving her the same thumbs up that I had given her just before. She stared at my determined expression for a moment, then broke into a giggle.

"You're welcome, Grunt No. 703," she replied to my gratitude, showing me her genuine smile. "Now figure out how to get past this obstacle!" she commanded with an excited voice.

"On it, boss!" I acknowledged her order, then looked back at the Lightning Grid obstacle in front of me once more. "Think, No. 703, think..." I muttered to myself. I began brainstorming on what to do with said obstacle. What information had I already gathered from the short amount of time here?

I knew that my body was pretty darn out of this world compared to the other grunts who were already impressive themselves. I had learned that EMF could be created by moving electric current and its adverse effect on your body. I just learned that the mysterious dark material skin-tight suit that I was wearing was, in fact, entirely made out of nanobots, dubbed as the 'Grunt Battle Suit' or GBS.

This nanobot suit itself was like my own armor against threats, and they could help mend the damage to my grunt body, but... these lightning steel rods were messing with their functionality.

Think, think, think... electricity... electromagnetic field... clothing... Then, something just crossed my mind. A memory from my childhood.

Sock and carpet.

A wild idea just crossed into my head. I again looked back at the drone that was displaying Victoria, who had been showing a mild interest toward my brainstorming session.

"Boss!" I called out to her once again, but this time, with determined intention.

"Hmm? Yes, No. 703?" she replied back with a curious expression.

"Can I at least ask you about the working mechanism of this Grunt Battle Suit I am wearing?" I pleaded with her.

She looked surprised by my sudden question, but... her expression then turned into one of interest once again. Even more so, that interested expression turned into her well-known mischievous smile. "What do you want to know exactly, No. 703~?" she teasingly asked me back.

I let out another snort of laughter at her attempt to tease me. "Just a simple question, really... how do I control my Grunt Battle Suit?" I specifically inquired.

Hearing my specific question, she let out a giggle herself, "oh, you want to know how to use your Grunt Battle Suit, eh?" She still tried to tease me, but... seemingly seeing my serious expression, she then had a look of understanding. Her drone then flew closer toward me.

"Alright... I'll tell you a bit more about your suit, Grunt No. 703."