Soon, a twisted metal object, about three meters in diameter and emitting a foul-smelling black smoke, was placed in front of Muria. There was a hole running through the center of this distorted piece of metal.
"What is this thing?" one of the Ikon people curiously stepped forward, tapping the large metal object with his wooden spear, producing a clanging sound.
"What kind of weird creature is this? The stench it gives off after being killed is awful!"
"As expected of Lord Ul! We saw nothing, yet he took down this strange creature in one shot!"
"It's strange, though. Its body was pierced, but there's no blood."
"This creature's body is so hard!" After tapping it with his wooden spear, another Ikon tried to stab the metal object with all his strength, but the wooden spear shattered, leaving only a shallow dent on the twisted metal.
"Everyone, step back! Don't breathe in the black smoke; it's poisonous!" Muria frowned and issued a warning when he saw the curious Ikon people crowding around the object, inspecting it.
With Muria's words, the Ikon, who had been gathering out of curiosity, immediately backed away. His authority, built up through his victories in numerous challenges, was enough to make them comply without question, leaving a large open circle around the object.
"Ul, do you know what this creature is?" one Ikon asked, voicing the question on everyone's mind. This person, of course, was Muria's father, Batu, the only one who could still address him so casually.
"It's not a creature. This thing isn't alive! I didn't sense any life force from it."
Though Muria immediately recognized the object as a creation of an interstellar civilization, he had to act like an Ikon native. He couldn't outright identify its origin. His exceptional strength could be explained as a gift, but such knowledge couldn't be attributed to natural talent.
If he revealed the truth too openly, it would cause unnecessary complications. The Ikon people, though primitive by galactic standards, weren't unintelligent. Their civilization had stagnated because of their environment, not due to any lack of intelligence.
Thus, Muria decided to play dumb, analyzing the situation as any typical Ikon would.
"Not a creature?" The surrounding Ikon were stunned. Such a conclusion was beyond their understanding, challenging their worldview.
"That's right. It's definitely not a living being!" Muria confirmed confidently. "It doesn't have the blood or vital organs of any lifeform. That's proof enough."
"If it's not a creature, then what is it? This thing was flying around and avoided detection from all of us—only you noticed it, Lord Ul."
"It's..." Muria jumped down from Meowstar, walking around the destroyed probe while pretending to investigate, before concluding, "It's a man-made object! Like our longbows and spears, it's something constructed."
"Man-made?" The Ikon were completely stunned by Muria's words, exchanging bewildered looks. If it weren't for Muria's overwhelming strength, someone would have questioned him outright.
"How could something like this be man-made?" The other Ikon were too intimidated by Muria to voice their doubts, but Batu wasn't so easily convinced. He knew his son was extraordinary, but that didn't mean he'd blindly believe everything Muria said.
"It shows obvious signs of being artificially made!" Muria patiently explained, addressing his father and the rest of the Ikon. He needed to make them aware that a civilization with advanced technology was observing them.
"Look at these parts and these components. It's clear they were manufactured in large quantities!" Muria yanked out a handful of electronic components from the probe's damaged core. "Have you ever seen a living creature with things like this inside it?"
"But this is way too complicated. What kind of Ikon could make something like this?" one of the Bagda asked, scratching his head in confusion.
He found it hard to believe that something so intricate could be categorized as a man-made object, especially when compared to the simple tools they used, like longbows and spears. The gap seemed too vast.
"Who said it had to be made by Ikon? Perhaps there's another species as intelligent as we are, but with far superior technology, that created this."
Muria presented his theory in a speculative manner, though he knew it was the truth. His words left the crowd in stunned silence, as they grappled with the implications. Clearly, he had shaken their worldview.
"That can't be possible!"
"How could there be a species similar to us?"
"I still think this thing is just some strange kind of creature, not something made by intelligent beings."
The Ikon began arguing amongst themselves, and it was clear that most of them found Muria's theory hard to believe, even though he was their strongest warrior.
"I know you don't believe me, and that's fine. Whether my theory is correct or not, time will tell. Now that this thing has appeared in the Ayale Forest, it's likely we'll encounter it again. Then we'll see if I'm right or wrong."
Muria sighed, cutting short the fruitless debate. He hadn't expected a single probe and a few words to convince these primitive people of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations.
"Let's move out!" Muria climbed back onto Meowstar's neck, feeling a newfound sense of urgency.
"What should we do with this thing, Lord Ul?" an Ikon asked, gesturing to the wreckage of the probe.
"Bring it along," Muria said, casting a glance at the remains. The metal used in its construction was of good quality, but the Ikon lacked the technology to melt it down and forge weapons. It would be hard to make practical use of it.
...
Meanwhile, beyond the world of the Ikon, in the vast expanse of space, within a secure room on a distant blue planet, a secret meeting was underway.
Holographic projections of figures, resembling humans but with a more imposing presence, appeared around a large white metallic table. Each figure exuded an air of authority, clearly accustomed to holding positions of power.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news to announce. Ten days ago, a wormhole appeared above our Blue Star, and we successfully dispatched 180 probes through it. On the other side, we discovered a new world teeming with life."
"Enough with the pleasantries. Just tell us the results of the probes' findings!" a heavyset man interrupted impatiently, clearly valuing his time.
"Senator Simon, please be patient. Yes, after discovering this new world, we sent all 180 probes through the wormhole. However, for unknown reasons, 172 of them crashed in the atmosphere, leaving only eight probes that successfully entered the world."
"And what were the results?" A blonde, sharp-eyed woman inquired.
"The results are both promising and troubling."
"Weston Kelsey, if you want to keep your position, I suggest you stop playing games and get to the point!" the chairman, Nolin, snapped.
"Alright, Mr. Chairman. The good news is that the probes detected a high concentration of energy particles in the atmosphere, suggesting this world may contain abundant energy resources that could solve our planet's energy crisis. The bad news, however, is that the dangers in this world may exceed all of our expectations."
"How dangerous?" another senator asked with interest. "Have they developed a civilization as advanced as ours?"
"Not exactly. We found traces of intelligent life, but their civilization remains at a primitive stage. However, our probes also discovered that they possess formidable supernatural powers. The high energy concentration in this world has also given rise to many powerful creatures."
"Wait, are you saying the danger you're referring to comes from primitive people and large beasts?" another senator interjected.
"Yes, that's one way to put it," Kelsey responded, somewhat exasperated. As soon as he finished, the room erupted in laughter.
"Are you joking?"
"I assure you, I am not. Ladies and gentlemen, all eight of the probes that entered the world were destroyed. None of them survived for more than an hour. I will now show you the footage they transmitted before being destroyed. Let's see if you're still laughing afterward."
"Go ahead. Let's see what these primitive people and beasts are capable of," one senator remarked mockingly.
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