She looked at the enormous egg that filled the living room.
Despite being told that the baby with her had turned into an egg, it definitely didn't look like the size of an egg. Did it suddenly grow, or did it become a cocoon?
Perhaps it was because she was still young, but she couldn't grasp what kind of creature the baby had become. Nothing she had ever seen resembled this. Still, she didn't pay it much mind.
When she emerged from the disgusting liquid prison, she made a vow. No matter what happened, she would protect the baby. However, until now, she had been protected by the baby more often than she had protected him, which made her uncomfortable.
The baby seemed to be very hungry, and she fed him every time she saw food, but there wasn't much she could do. Would things have been different if her tentacles were stronger? Would things have been different if she were bigger?
In her restless state of mind, she reached out with a tentacle to caress the egg. The moment the tentacle touched the egg, she was surprised. Unidentified energy was absorbed from the tentacle's end into her body. It felt as though she had consumed a highly nutritious meal; a feeling of satiety washed over her, and her strength surged.
***
'This time feels a bit different, doesn't it?'
When I evolved into a metamorph from Hatchling, I could feel the changes in my surroundings inside the egg, but this time was different. All my physical sensations were severed, and I stood alone in the darkness. As I looked down at my hand, a hand that now felt unfamiliar reached out to me. The clothing was the same as what I had worn before entering the world of space survival.
'It feels like my own imaginary world here.'
Looking around, there didn't seem to be any threatening elements. Just an endlessly vast, pitch-black space.
'It's a dark place, but it's familiar.'
In my childhood, whenever my parents argued, I would always hide under the bed or in the closet. If I plugged my ears and huddled there, I felt much more at ease.
'I'm reminded of the past.'
It's not a memory I want to dwell on. I shook my head to shake off unnecessary thoughts.
'I wonder how much time is left.'
In the game, it takes 6 hours to become a Pre-saint. I don't know how long it will take in reality, but when I turned into a metamorph, there wasn't much difference from the game, so it should be similar this time.
'Why did the developers create it like this?'
Applying such a severe penalty to evolution, which is essential for Amorph operations. I can't understand it at all. In a game where real-time PK occurs for 24 hours, being incapacitated for 6 hours is a serious flaw, almost like a bug.
Moreover, in Amorph, cooperation is impossible, so it's impossible to ask your comrades to protect you during evolution. Unless you hide in a place where no one knows, most players are caught during evolution.
'Some players even hunt Amorphs exclusively.'
Especially because of me, there are many players who hate Amorphs, and some ruthless Amorph users have been attacked. Many Amorphs failed in evolution and were shot with anger shotguns. I also died a lot, caught by Amorph hunters during evolution.
Failing in evolution doesn't have a specific penalty. It's just a hassle to find a hiding place again. Moreover, you have to wait a long time again, so it's impossible not to get annoyed.
So, the Amorph hunters who disrupted evolution were even more terrifying than usual.
'Looking back, I was a bit harsh too.'
There was a time when a hunter recorded me being hunted and posted it on the community.
The reaction at that time was explosive, to be precise, there was an overwhelming amount of resentment and criticism directed at me. People were saying all sorts of strange things like, 'How can a person do that?' or 'Are you really an Amorph?' or 'I'll catch kill you' and so on.
Sigh. Whether it's because of the magical influence of this pitch-black space, these unnecessary memories keep resurfacing. If I have the time, I shouldn't waste it and should use it wisely. There's a lot to do in the future, so I need to figure out where to start when I go out.
'Maybe I should think while walking.' I took a step forward, and the ripples spread out as if I had placed my foot on the surface of the water. Starting with that, I aimlessly walked in the black void.
'After evolving, the first thing to deal with should be the wolves living next door and on the fifth floor. That should help resolve the issue with the transformed race to some extent…'
As I pondered how to approach the trading hub after evolving, something dark brown appeared and blocked my path.
'Huh?'The entity that appeared in the black void was a metamorph stage Amorph. I could tell that instinctively as soon as I saw it.
This creature is the remnant of the Amorph still present in my body. It seems that when I fell into this surreal world, the instincts of the Amorph came with me. The creature growled as it revealed itself, but I wasn't particularly afraid. Instead, it felt strangely familiar.
I reached out my hand to it. The creature, which had been growling threateningly, closed its mouth and lowered its head obediently. When my hand touched the creature's head, I woke up.
'Where am I?'
As soon as I opened my eyes, I was blocked by a thin wall. A soft and sticky film of blood enveloped me. Sensation returned to my body.
At present, I was crouched over my body, wrapping my arms around it as if a baby was in the womb. My long tail was wrapped around my waist like a belt. When I released my combat arms and stood up, the plastic was torn apart with a ripping sound.
A text box appeared in front of me on the torn Amorph.
[Race: Unidentified Aggressive Space Morph
Status:: Pre-saint
Objective: Survive (2nd Evolution successful)
Possessed Traits – Physical Related (Applied Type): Wings, Chitinous Exoskeleton, Regeneration (Fusion), Neurotoxin Glands (Fusion), Reinforced Exoskeleton, Acidic Blood, Enhanced Reflexes, Mimicry Organ (Fusion), Serrated Tentacles, Contamination Organ, Spine Projectile Organ
Psychic Related: Predator Sense (fusion), Human Nature, Monster's Tentacles, and Clairvoyance, Psychic Resistance
Type: Physical Enhancement Type]
[You have received new unread messages. Would you like to read them?]
'Messages?'
This was the first time I had received a message after evolving. There had been no such occurrences in the game before, so I accepted the request with curiosity.
[New system 'Transcendence' system unlocked! Would you like to see the instructions?]
'A new system, it seems there are some changes.'
When I consumed psyonium last time, no such messages appeared. It seemed that this new system was unlocked only through formal evolution.
I chose to confirm, and a text box filled my vision.
[The 'Transcendence' system allows you to combine three or more of your existing traits to create a completely new and unique trait, referred to as a 'Unique' trait.
Available trait list: Chitinous Exoskeleton, Reinforced Exoskeleton, Enhanced Reflexes
Note: It's important to be aware that not all combinations will result in advantages, and there may be potential drawbacks.]
'Transcendence system, huh?'
Originally, in Space Survival, trait fusion was only possible one-on-one.
So, for races that relied on traits, it was difficult to remember what traits they themselves had as the game progressed. I, too, had a hard time remembering them all because I had over 500 traits when I was about to see the ending. Even for someone like me who was a hardcore player, the system was so frustrating that I was trembling. But who would have thought they would revamp it like this.
I never expected such a drastic overhaul of the system.
'What should I do?'
If it were a game, I would have accepted it immediately, but this was reality. A wrong decision could lead to great danger. If a new system I was not familiar with had been introduced, I needed to carefully assess and decide, just as the note suggested.
'Obtaining a unique trait has its merits.'
In Space Survival, there were no separate grades for traits. The efficiency of a trait varied greatly depending on how someone used it. The only consensus was that fused traits were generally considered stronger, to some extent.
However, among those, there were special traits that outperformed others significantly. These were commonly referred to as 'Unique' traits. While it was difficult to obtain them, their performance was exceptional.
'But that doesn't mean there are no drawbacks.'
Unique traits were indeed very powerful, but they had one major drawback.
While regular traits remained intact even if the character died, unique traits disappeared completely upon death. If you wanted to obtain a unique trait, you had to start from scratch. Therefore, when using unique traits, one had to be extremely cautious.
'But here, it's reality, so the drawback doesn't apply, right?'
After all, in reality, when you die, it's over. The fact that unique traits disappeared upon death was not a consideration.
'However, the reduction in the number of traits is a risk.'
The actual concern was not the drawback of the unique trait itself but rather the overall number of traits. Currently, I have 11 physical-related traits. If three of them were removed, I wouldn't be able to meet the condition of having 10 for the Physical Enhancement type.
You might think of first obtaining unique traits and then acquiring physical-related traits later, but there was a problem with that approach.
'Releasing a type in the middle doesn't remove the trait penalties.'
Currently, I had a penalty of six traits for the Psychic Enhancement type. If I were to regain the Physical Enhancement type after that, what would happen?
Unfortunately, the penalty would be added, and the required number would increase from 6 to 12.
'…Let's postpone the Transcendence system.'
Physical-related traits were relatively easy to obtain. Honestly, the appeal of unique traits was strong, but in times like this, you had to be cautious. Choosing the safer path, even if it took a bit more time, would be beneficial.
The moment to utilize the Transcendence system would be after I had secured enough physical-related traits. I unlocked the text box and left the egg.
'Surely, I've grown quite a bit.'
Having been on a spacious research vessel before and now in this small house, I could distinctly feel the difference in my body size. As I removed the egg shell pieces attached to my body, Number 26 approached.
｢Wow!｣
[ZZ ZZZ ZZZZZ (How have you been?)]
｢That's the big baby from before, isn't he going back this time?｣
[Z ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ((Yeah, I briefly transformed back then.)]
The way he moved his tentacles seemed to express fascination.
'Huh? Tentacles?'
Now that I looked closely, Number 26's appearance had indeed changed from before. The body, which was slightly smaller than a human head, had grown even larger. Moreover, two tentacles sprouted from the body.
[ZZ ZZZ(What's that?)]
｢This? It's new! It appeared when the baby entered the egg.｣
[ZZZ(When?)]
｢When I touched it while the baby was inside.｣
When the child said that and lightly brushed its tentacles, a brief wave of purple energy emanated and then disappeared. Seeing this, I was certain of something.
'Sea Demon.'
Those tentacles were probably Serrated Tentacles. They might seem small and cute compared to mine, but I knew what was hidden inside them – sharp blades.
If those tentacles swept across someone's face, the flesh would likely be torn away. But more importantly, I was curious.
'Why did it evolve suddenly?'
There didn't seem to be any specific trigger for it. I had monitored my surroundings with the auxiliary system during my time in the egg, but there were no special traces of any events happening around me.
'It said it touched the egg when I was in the middle of evolution, right?'
I wasn't sure about the exact cause, but it was possible that a portion of the energy generated during my evolution had been absorbed by it. Considering that the relationship between Bubble Amoebas and Sea Demons had not yet been clarified, this was just speculation.
｢Now I can protect the baby!｣
Number 26 said confidently, and I affectionately petted it to express my approval.
'I had expected it, but it really happened.'
There was a time when I had contemplated whether to eat it or not, but now, such thoughts didn't cross my mind.
'Though it still looks weak, if it's a Sea Demon, it'll be helpful at full strength.'
The sea demon I saw was over 20 meters in size, and it had hundreds of tentacles. If a colossal monster that was treated as a mini-boss in games is following me, it will be incredibly helpful. I won't give up my genetic essence, but I should consider providing unnecessary food.
[ZZ ZZ ZZZZ Z(Then let's go eat.)]
｢Alright.｣
I had just completed my evolution, and I felt a gnawing hunger. The child seemed hungry too, judging by its response. After all, it had only eaten a sandwich for over six hours. I carried Number 26 on my shoulder and opened the door.
The appetite-stimulating food was waiting next door.
-x-X-x-
The administrative district of T&C Special Trade Center was unlike other areas saturated with artificial light from billboards. It embodied a different image—a life harmonizing with nature. As the slogan for the administrative district suggested, well-maintained trees and shrubs lined both sides of the marble sidewalks.
Small birds chirped and flew among the trees. Beyond the refreshing forest of trees, white rectangular high-rise buildings rose prominently. These were the branch offices of prominent companies or government offices, including those from MegaCorp.
Passing through the beautiful but flat buildings, as one approached the center of the district, a building with a unique and towering design stood out more than any other in the surroundings. Its spiral exterior brought to mind a doughnut, and its upper section appeared as if two hands were spread wide open, embracing the cityscape.
The majestic building was named "Monument". True to the T&C family's emphasis on efficiency, even the symbol of the first space city bore a simple name—Monument.
At the top floor of Monument, Laila Chamberlin, the youngest daughter of Sam Chamberlin and the overall manager of the Special Trade Center, currently resided. At that moment, she was in a meeting with the city's top officials.
Laila and the heads of each district, as well as the team leaders of government offices, were seated around the mahogany table. Among them, only the deputy head of the Human Resources Management team stood nervously.
Laila, a beautiful woman with long blonde hair, was reading a report when she spoke up.
"Human Resources Management team."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"The incoming supplies have decreased by 3% this time. Can you determine the cause?"
In response to her question, the deputy head stammered, "Uh, well, it's because… Z-101 Ranch Planet and P-82 Livestock Planet reported reduced production this year…"
"Our Special Trade Center can replace up to 20% of the 'hires' destined for the entertainment district through alternative routes. However, a 3% decrease in the supply is by no means a small figure. We can't be complacent within the allowable range."
"But, you see, it's just that…"
"Everyone knows that 40% of the revenue in the Special Trade Center comes from the entertainment district. If the supply decreases by 3% from the Human Resources Management team, the burden will fall on the entertainment district's side."
Laila spoke calmly, but everyone understood the warning in her words. She was questioning why they hadn't opened new routes to fulfill the allocation quotas.
"Deputy head, or should I say, Mr. Pissaro?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Do you know what's most important for a trader?"
"It might be credits…"
"Of course, credits are important, but the most crucial thing is trust. You can use difficulty in supply as an excuse this time due to certain circumstances. But what if it damages our reputation? These customers who have come here with great difficulty won't return if they're disappointed."
"I-I'll keep that in mind!"
"Under normal circumstances, I might overlook this, but now is a critical time. You all know that the board meeting is approaching soon."
When she mentioned the word 'board meeting', everyone in the room nodded with determined expressions. Anyone working under the T&C family would know. Not to mention how much the T&C family head desires the CEO position at MegaCorp.
"The first phase of the board meeting is scheduled to be held right here in the T&C Special Trade Center. Enormous tourists will be visiting this city. There can't be the slightest margin for error."
"Understood!"
"Contact the planetary authorities and make sure you meet the quota by any means necessary, even if you have to distribute aphrodisiacs across the entire planet. Do you understand?"
"Yes!"
"Now, next person. The entertainment district, is it? I'm always looking forward to this. Go ahead."
"Yes."
While the deputy head sat down, wiping cold sweat, the representative from another team began their report.
After three hours, the meeting came to an end. With all the team leaders gone, Laila sat alone in the conference room and let out a sigh.
"Sigh."
There was just one month left until the first board meeting to select the MegaCorp CEO. Although there was still time, she, as the overall manager, felt like she needed ten more bodies.
"But if I can make this deal happen, the successor's position won't be just a dream."
The T&C family had a unique feature that set them apart from other noble capitals. The precise name of T&C was Thomson & Chamberlin. They were called T&C because they took the initials from the surnames, T from Thomson and C from Chamberlin.
As the name implied, within T&C, two families with different surnames coexisted in a single family. The family member who won in competition between the Thomson family and the Chamberlin family became the head of T&C. Currently, the Chamberlin family held the position of the head, but the next generation was uncertain.
"Thomson's side is making moves."
Once one became the head, they could monopolize all the rights of the family and privileges related to T&C within MegaCorp. Since the Chamberlins had held the position of the head for several generations, tensions were rising on the Thomson side. If Thomson were to take the next head position, there would surely be bloodshed.
At that moment, the conference room door opened, and a secretary entered.
"Miss, here's a list of names from the individuals who have applied to visit on the board meeting day as you mentioned."
Laila checked the tablet pad handed to her by the secretary, scrolling through the names one by one. When she reached the last name, she was taken aback.
"…Is this list accurate?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"Akira Yujin is attending?"
"Yes. The Yujin family contacted us an hour ago. They said he will only be doing city tours and won't be attending the board meeting."
"Ha."
Laila chuckled at the absurdity of it all. A centuries-old noble casually touring the city. It was an uninteresting joke.
'Akira Yujin, the current MegaCorp CEO, is coming here.'
Laila was well aware of his legacy and notoriety, often referred to as the 'Usurper'.
"Usurper".
Laila casually mentioned Akira Yujin's nickname. 'Usurper' was a term he despised, used by other noble capitals to mock him. As his nickname suggests, Akira Yujin wasn't originally meant to become the head. His name itself indicated that he had no qualifications to inherit the family.
'The Yujin family places great importance on lineage'.
The five major noble capitals each had their own defining factors. The T&C valued competition, the Yujin family placed importance on lineage, the Garimelda family was known for technological advancements in terraforming, and so on. They all had guiding principles that matched their respective fields.
Akira, as befitting a lineage-focused family, became the head due to his bloodline tracing back to the traditional roots of their people.
'In an era of constant terraforming, they still cling to their ethnicity.'
She couldn't understand it, but in any case, Akira's bloodline was distant from the Yujin family's true roots, so he wasn't the official heir.
The reason he became the head was simple. He was the only person in the history of the Yujin family, or any noble capital for that matter, to become the head through a coup d'état.
'Jungwoo Yujin, was it?'
Originally, he was supposed to smoothly run the family, but he was the unfortunate head who was removed by Akira. After his death, all his descendants met a miserable end.
'Moreover, that insane nobleman Akira even turned Jungwoo yujin's daughter into a shadow.'
The reason Akira Yujin earned a reputation for cruelty wasn't solely because he killed people indiscriminately. It was because he didn't spare his fellow nobles, members of the same family. He would kill or torture them without hesitation, which drew criticism.
Laila herself enjoyed hunting humans on the ranch planet every year, but she didn't needlessly harm her family's assets. In that regard, Akira could be considered an aberration among the noble capitals.
The reason this eccentric managed to maintain the position of head of the family, despite not fitting the noble capital image, was his competence.
It was a sad affair for Jungwoo Yujin, but after his death, the Yujin family prospered unusually well. Laila, being in a position of authority, understood that ruling with fear was not easy.
She might not be able to handle the monster who had ruled the Yujin family for nearly a century.
'A formidable opponent.'
As her father struggled against him, it was highly likely that she would be brutally crushed if she attempted to confront Akira directly.
'No, failure is the foundation of growth. Even if I lose to him, I can use it as an experience.'
As an heir of the T&C family, she wasn't afraid of competition and challenges. She believed that, with plenty of time ahead, she could recover from any setback.
But did she truly understand?
The fact that a terrible danger was already taking root in her territory.
***
[ZZZZ (Tasty?)]
｢Yep.｣
Compared to the cyborg's house, the neighboring one had a distinctly lived-in feel. The furniture was tidy, and it seemed like they cleaned regularly as the entire house was spotless. The fridge was stocked with food, including artificial meat sandwiches and dried vegetables.
I looked at Number 26, who was diligently emptying the fridge, with a satisfied expression.
'I'm hungry too'
When I saw the owner of the neighboring house, whose waist had been severed by a tail, I couldn't help but want to tear into that fresh flesh. But there were still things to be done.
I quickly finished the sandwich Number 26 had taken out of the fridge and got up from my seat.
[ZZZ ZZZZZZ ZZZZZ (I'll be going next door for a bit)]
｢Okay. Be careful, Baby.｣
Once I entered the cyborg's house, I looked for his communication device. I turned on the communication device lying next to the bed and entered the password.
'Let's see, office number….'
As I scrolled through the saved contacts, one name caught my eye.
'Crazy Bastard. This must be it.'
Every office worker tends to have a love-hate relationship with their boss. I pressed the name 'Crazy Bastard'.
As soon as the signal went through, the other party picked up.
[You lunatic, Ras! Why aren't you here when you're supposed to be working?]
"I'm off duty."
[What? Are you insane?]
"Have a good day."
[You crazy son of a…!]
Using the mimicry function of the mimicry organ, I ended the call and pressed the disconnect button.
Here, countless extraterrestrial laborers come in every day, every hour. Even if one of them quits for no apparent reason, there are plenty of people to replace them.
While it's possible to develop deep bonds with colleagues at work, it doesn't seem to be the case for the owner of my voice, Ras. His reactions as a team leader and the way he keeps to himself when you look at his contacts and call history suggest he's more of a loner.
'Maybe he'll be forgotten once today is over.'
Just like the harbor worker I devoured before, Ras will likely be forgotten.
'But it's probably best to finish things properly.'
I opened the laptop that was in the living room. If I send a resignation email from his work laptop, it shouldn't cause too much trouble.
'It could be handled over the phone, but just in case.'
Maybe later, when I've devoured more people, I won't have to worry, but for now, I should be cautious.
It's a wealthy space city with a significant presence of androids and a small but well-equipped defense fleet stationed here. Compared to the research ship I was on before, it's much more spacious, offering plenty of hiding places. However, the surveillance network here is incredibly detailed, unlike anything I've seen before.
'I still need to be cautious.'
It's best to avoid getting caught for as long as possible after I've devoured someone. I won't be able to hide it forever, but I should delay it as much as possible until I become strong enough.
'So, let's see who this person is.'
To send an email, I need to know roughly who the person is, so I started examining the files on the laptop one by one.
The owner of the laptop, Ras, doesn't seem to have led a particularly diligent life for a cyborg. Despite being a work laptop, it's filled with non-work-related content.
'Being a workaholic in the space age is very rare.'
I had no interest in the cyborg's sexual preferences, so I deleted the irrelevant files. I continued to open and close files while inspecting them when I noticed a peculiarly titled file.
'Smuggling Animal Surveillance Team Seizure List?'
As I clicked on the file, the monitor filled with dense text. As the name suggests, it contained a list of seizures related to animals smuggled with the aim of trafficking.
'Smuggled animals, huh?'
Even a cursory glance showed that there were many different kinds. Most of them had already been transported to other planets, but there were still a considerable number of creatures left here on the port Earth.
'If I consume these, I could gain a substantial amount of genetic essence.'
While this apartment can be considered a decent hunting ground, it's not as abundant as the smuggled animals at the port Earth. Devouring just half of those creatures would significantly aid my growth.
'But surveillance won't be easy to overcome.'
If the animals I'm managing suddenly disappear, anyone with half a brain would figure it out pretty quickly. If they report it to the police and an investigation starts, it's going to be a big problem. So, there are two options.
'Hiring employees or finding a smuggled animal broker.'
Hiring employees isn't particularly difficult. Since I can mimic Ras with my artificial body, I can just call in another employee. After devouring that employee and forging the transport documents myself, I can probably get away with swiping a few of them easily.
'But if I want to devour more than that, I'll need a broker.'
Looking at the list, there were ambiguously filled sections where the destination of the creatures was left blank. This is probably where the broker intervened.
'It's probably best to either intercept the broker and steal the creatures or devour the broker and mimic their role to seize my prey.'
'I should make good use of Ras's identity.'
He left behind a lot when he died. It's a shame it would have been much more enjoyable if he had tasted better.
After sending the email, I took the laptop and returned to the neighboring apartment.
***
｢Hey, come here quickly, baby.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (I won't eat that)]
｢You shouldn't be picky about your food.｣
[ZZZ ZZ Z ZZZZZZ ZZZZ (I'm going to eat something else)]
｢Something else?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Yes. You eat it.)]
Number 26 blinked its lights as if it didn't understand my words. I nodded to indicate that I was okay, and it cautiously began devouring the man next door.
As I watched the man's face melting under Number 26's influence, I thought to myself, 'Something even tastier is waiting for me.'
I savored the anticipation of the pleasure of consuming genetic essence.
-x-X-x-
'Let's handle this before we go out.'
While Number 26 was feasting on the man's brain, there were things to be done. I cut off the man's ankles and put them in the refrigerator.
'Once Ras's role is finished, I'll assume this person's form.'
The mimicry organ is a characteristic that allows me to consume flesh, analyze genes, and mimic. I don't need to eat all of the meat, like when activating the predation effect.
'I don't need to store all of it, so I'll just keep a part.'
Putting it in the refrigerator might slow down the decay process a bit. Even so, it would be unrealistic for it to last more than two days.
After disposing of the body, I took out the communication device.
'Next…'
I contemplated who to call. Looking at my contacts, Ras's human relationships were extremely limited. Besides the team leader, there didn't seem to be anyone who might know a broker.
'The team leader would be a burden.'
Just like on the research vessel, being the head of a government office in a space city would classify one as at least a mid-capitalist. Even if we were being conservative, he would be a mid-capitalist, and if he belonged to a higher stratum, he might be a third capitalist—a figure entirely different from someone like Ras, who could easily be replaced.
'If that person disappears, they'll know right away.'
The current situation is different from when I killed Keisaragi Yujin. She is a high-ranking Noble Capital, far above the people on the research vessel. MegaCorp is a competitive society, but at the same time, it's a rigid, pyramid-shaped society where social mobility is stagnant—a contradictory organization.
The higher up in the Capital hierarchy, the more ruthless they tend to be in keeping those below from moving up. Noble Capital, positioned at the very top of the MegaCorp pyramid, is even more extreme in this regard.
As a result, everyone feared retaliation from Noble Capital, and they could only passively respond to her sudden death. Their timid response ultimately brought great misfortune upon them.
'It's ironic. The death of the person in the highest position is hidden, while the death of the lower-ranking person is revealed.'
Furthermore, the Smuggling Animal Surveillance Team seemed quite busy. Amidst this, if the person in charge were to disappear, it would create chaos. I needed to choose someone else.
'This person doesn't seem right, neither does this one… Hmm?'
While checking the messages on the communication device, there was one contact that appeared particularly frequently. The messages were simple, just asking if they were going to the office after work today, but this contact had exchanged the most messages with Ras.
'Well, this person should do.'
The person's name is Lloyd. He was a friend who shared a secret hobby with Ras. When you mentioned the office in the Special Trade Hub, it was famous even in online communities. It was a place that vividly showcased a dark, dystopian worldview, and it was often mentioned in the news due to its controversial ethics.
Anyway, people who enjoy such morally questionable entertainment might know about the broker.
'Lloyd and Ras seem pretty close…', I thought as I used my small arms to send a message to Lloyd.
[Hey, let's catch up sometime.]
[You quit your job? You crazy bastard, you're going all out. What happened?]
[I got tired of the endless workload. I'm looking for work elsewhere.]
[Work here is a bit crappy. Where are you going?]
[I've only learned this, so what else can I do? I'll find something similar.]
[Similar work?]
[Yeah, like smuggling.]
It felt like I had brought up the topic abruptly, but there was no other way. I didn't know how Ras usually expressed his intentions, and the longer the conversation, the more room there was for misunderstandings.
'I better keep it short and to the point.'
As soon as I sent the message, there was no immediate response from the other end. After a few minutes, the communication device beeped again.
[You said you weren't going to do anything dangerous before, didn't you?]
It seemed that Lloyd had talked to Ras about smuggling once before, and Ras had probably declined at that time.
[I thought about it again, and there's really no other way to make money.]
[You're hopeless. Now you want to do what everyone else does?]
[Well, I have to give it a try now.]
[Alright. I'll send you the information via email.]
[Why not meet up today and talk about it?]
[Meet up?]
[Yeah, there's a bar I know in the Harbor District.]
[You're not that type, are you? You buying drinks?]
[I just retired, and I can afford a drink with my colleagues, can't I?]
[You retired and grew some balls, huh? Okay. What time do you want to meet?]
Honestly, I was a bit impulsive, but Lloyd didn't seem to have any suspicions, so it went well.
'Things are going smoothly.'
I sent him a message with the location and time. The location was an alley near the border of the Harbor District, as close as possible to the manhole connected to the underground secret passage.
We decided on the evening for the meeting. In this city, whether it's day or night, there are always people around, but the presence or absence of bright lights makes a world of difference. To move discreetly in the darkness and keep a low profile, it was natural to meet at night.
'I should catch them after they've finished work.'
I sent the message, and a reply came quickly. Since he had retired, he mentioned that he might get bored if he went to the office alone.
'No need to be bored.'
After all, he would probably end up on the same path as Ras.
'I got confirmation.'
There was still plenty of time until evening. Taking genetic essence from this apartment was risky, so I had to spend time here.
｢I'm full.｣
Looking at Number 26, it seemed like it had eaten to the point of bursting. It waddled over to the soft bed and fell asleep.
'It's still young, so it should sleep a lot.'
After covering him with a blanket, I opened my laptop again. Before meeting Lloyd, I needed to go over the list and gather information.
Carefully examining the list, I checked off multiple seized specimens of the same type of organism.
'Since the predatory effect activates by probability, having more of the same species is better.'
As I checked, there were truly all sorts of organisms. They were all creatures I had seen at least once in the game, but some of them made me suspicious of whether they were really trying to smuggle them.
'There's even a Mountain Crawler. How did they manage to capture one? And… Oh?'
As I marveled at the skills of the smugglers while looking at the list, I noticed an unusual name.
'They captured an Outspacer?'
Hastily, I checked the entry next to the name, and the transport section was left blank. That meant the Outspacer was still here.
'There are 20 of them.'
It would have been great if there was a queen among them, but since it wasn't specified, it seemed like there were only workers. Even so, it was a significant harvest for me.
'Outspacer genes can be useful.'
The Outspacers, as the name suggests, are extraterrestrial species from beyond the stars. They gather genes to enhance themselves and exhibit many similarities to the Amorphs, such as genetically strengthening and antagonizing different species.
The key differences are that, unlike the Amorphs, players control them in colony units rather than individual entities, and among Outspacers of the same species, cooperation and communication are possible.
In simple terms, if Amorphs are inspired by X-Files, Outspacers are inspired by classic game Zerg. I had played Outspacer for quite a long time, given my fascination with extraterrestrial creatures.
'In essence, they're an upgraded version of Amorphs.'
When a player chooses Outspacer, their main goal is to become the colony queen of that species and grow the colony. Absorbing genes from other creatures reflects in the offspring produced by the queen.
The Outspacers operated with a typical monarch-type mechanism where the workers became stronger, gathering more powerful genes, and growing the colony. Compared to the Amorphs, another monarch-type species with a brutal hierarchy, the Outspacers were regarded as a challenging and high-potential species within the community.
What set them apart was the ability for players to develop entirely different forms of colonies based on their choices. In terms of performance, they quickly became powerful after surviving the initially high difficulty, making them popular among players who valued performance over concept.
'Still, I prefer Amorphs.'
If you played as Amorphs, it was a good idea to acquire Outspacer genes whenever the opportunity arose. This was because they had many useful traits, and some were even related to acquiring new types.
'Let's start with these guys.'
Although there were only 20 of them, since I would be devouring them as live specimens rather than samples, I could expect the predation effect to work in my favor.
Besides, I checked one or two other useful prey items. Unfortunately, due to the nature of smuggling, there weren't many cases where more than 10 of the same species were brought in.
'I might not get many traits even if I devour them all.'
This aspect probably depended on luck.
As I selected the things to consume, the room gradually became shrouded in darkness.
The time for hunting prey was drawing near. I woke up Number 26 and together we left the apartment.
***
A somber darkness had descended over the entire city. Streetlights illuminated the dark residential area brightly.
'Last time, there were people around, so I had to break the streetlights, but…'
Late at night, there were patrols of police officers around the residential area. Before, I had to break the streetlights to avoid their gaze, but if I kept doing that, it would surely raise suspicion. Today, I should try to avoid them rather than destroying the streetlights.
I moved between the closely spaced apartment buildings, leaping over them through the rooftops and outer walls. While the gaps between the apartments were significant, thanks to the enhanced agility trait, it wasn't a major issue to leap long distances. When landing, I spread the wings on my back to make as little noise as possible.
'It's fortunate that there are fewer people because it's work time.'
Moving quickly, I soon approached the manhole cover. It was right in front of me, but I didn't rush to it. Instead, I concealed myself.
｢Why are you acting this way, little one?｣
[ZZZ (Enemy)]
｢Enemy?｣
There was an android patrolling around the manhole.
'A combat android.'
Unlike the android I saw on the pirate ship last time, this one had three arms. In addition to two arms resembling those of a human, there was an additional combat-oriented right arm equipped with a Gauss rifle near its waist.
'That's strange. An android using a Gauss rifle?'
The Gauss rifle is a high-powered weapon that falls below plasma weapons in terms of firepower, making it highly efficient against heavily armored foes. To put it in perspective, it's like a less expensive but less destructive version of a plasma weapon.
However, just like plasma weapons, Gauss rifles are costly equipment for regular soldiers or androids to use. The cost of a single rifle is higher than lower-tier powered armor, and, most importantly, the ammunition is exceptionally expensive.
'It uses tungsten ammunition, so it's bound to be expensive.'
Anyway, the level of armament I was aware of for androids was by no means as high as this. Even if this city is wealthy, it's not so affluent as to equip a single android with a Gauss rifle that consumes high-cost tungsten ammunition like water unless it's an extraordinarily special situation.
'Could there be some kind of event or festival?'
T&C Special Trade Center was a place where various in-game events were held. Given that it was a city frequented by tourists, it wouldn't be unusual for an unknown festival to be taking place.
If a festival was happening, it would naturally mean a higher level of alert and security, with a significant influx of visitors. The reason for the androids being heavily armed might be related to the festival.
'I guess I should consider myself lucky and unlucky at the same time.'
I made it in safely, but of all times, it had to be when a festival was scheduled.
While lost in thought, the heavily armed android loitering around the manhole disappeared somewhere. After waiting for a moment and confirming that no one else was approaching, I approached the manhole.
I lifted the incredibly heavy piece of metal effortlessly with my human strength and sent Number 26 in first. After a final look around, I entered the manhole as well.
As I touched the manhole cover, a pitch-black darkness, like a black hole with not a speck of light, enveloped us.
｢Baby, where are we going?｣
[ZZ ZZZZZZ ZZZZ (We'll go the way we came)]
The little GUY and I had no trouble seeing in the dark. It sensed air currents, vibrations, and other such things with its entire body, and I had an auxiliary system.
I could see it. A small tunnel, about 5 meters high, stretched all the way to the other side of the ground.
Inside the tunnel, there was discarded trash from past laborers, cigarette butts thrown by someone from above the manhole cover, and more scattered on the floor.
From the tunnel walls, dust periodically fell due to vibrations caused by passing subway trains.
I walked toward our destination with Number 26.
'Let's lay down spores on the way.'
Originally, I planned to lay down spores after establishing a nest, but things were different when there was a festival in the city. Setting up surveillance in advance would make it easier to deal with unexpected situations.
When I activated the contamination organ on the lower right arm of my combat arm, a viscous brown mucus mixed with spores oozed out. The spores I had released slowly spread through the tunnel, as if reassuring me that they wouldn't worry about leaving my body.
Since the contamination organ also had the enhancement effect, in about two days, the spores would grow as effectively as if I had built the nest myself.
"That should do for surveillance."
By the time most of the spores were laid down on the path connecting the residential and harbor zones, I arrived at my destination. I carefully opened the manhole cover and checked outside.
'Nobody here either.'
This area was the border between zones, and it seemed people didn't frequent it. If you wanted to go to another zone, you would take the subway rather than walk.
[ZZ ZZZZ (Wait here)]
｢Why? I want to go with you.｣
[ZZ ZZZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (They'll get scared of you)]
I recalled that Ras had been scared of Number 26, and he crouched down gloomily. It was a sad truth that people were afraid of Number 26.
I hid Number 26 under the manhole and went to the meeting place. They hadn't arrived yet. I activated the mimicry organ and crouched in a dark alley.
'They're coming.'
About ten minutes had passed since I started waiting. Someone was walking toward me from a distance.
'A woman?'
A seemingly ordinary-looking woman was wandering around the alley. Contrary to my expectations, Ras's colleague turned out to be a woman. When I saw the name Lloyd, I had assumed it was a man.
'Well, there's no law that says women can't go to a place like this.' At first glance, she might not seem like she could attract a single flower, but who knows what happens when you go to places like this? She might be pulling in guys left and right.
I got up from my seat and waved to her.
"Here."
"Why on earth did you want to meet in a place like this?"
"I can't just openly discuss things like that."
"Well, I guess you're right. But…"
Lloyd approached me. She had been wearing a friendly expression just moments ago, but now she raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you retired, and yet you're still dressed like that?"
"Huh?"
"Isn't that a work uniform you're wearing?'"
She pointed at my body as she spoke. Since the pheromones from my auxiliary organ don't affect me, I have no idea how I appear to others.
I'm not affected by the pheromones of the mimicry organ, so I don't know how I appear to others.
'In the game, when you use the mimicry organ, the target appears in their state just before death…'
When I devoured Ras, he was inebriated and wearing his work clothes, not having changed his attire.
Listening to Lloyd's words, it seems like even in reality, the mimicry organ mimics the appearance of the target just before their death.
'The mimicry organ mimics clothing too.'
While the auxiliary organ acquires genetic information and creates hallucinogenic pheromones based on that, it doesn't rely solely on genetic data. It also incorporates information from other senses like the auxiliary organ, sight, and so on, to create much more precise hallucinations.
It gathers visual information like clothing, shoes, buttons, wrinkles, and sends that information to the auxiliary organ, which then overlays it on the body it constructs based on genetic data. This means it can only apply the attire that the consumed target was wearing, and it's impossible to change their clothing in the hallucination.
'This could be an unexpected issue. If the clothes don't match the situation, it might raise suspicions.'
In the game, there's no concept of clothing that doesn't match the situation. Players rarely change into combat gear just because they entered a city. So, in the game, no one ever realized something was amiss because of suspicious attire.
'This is the real world, and that's what makes the difference. I'll have to be more careful from now on.'
If Lloyd hadn't pointed it out, I could have been in big trouble.
I circled around her briefly.
"Well, I didn't have any proper clothes to wear."
"Tsk, you should've dressed properly. A guy who retired and—huh?"
She paused as if she was going to say something else but then bit her tongue and frowned.
"I've been smelling something strange since earlier…"
"Enough with the unnecessary talk. Do you know about the broker?"
"Are we going to talk about that here?"
"Bars have too many ears," she said.
"Isn't it about spreading rumors?" I replied.
She nodded and took out a USB drive from her pocket.
"The information related to the broker and our transactions is in here. After a day, you won't be able to access the files, so make sure to take a look."
"That's quite strict."
"Well, it's a somewhat sensitive matter. I'll send you the broker's contact through the communication device."
She took out her communication device, and the dim, narrow alley was momentarily brightened by the small device's light. She inputted the contact information and pressed send. My communication device in my hand vibrated.
'S?'
On Ras's communication device, there was an initial 'S' and a phone number as a message. It seemed like they intentionally referred to each other by initials in case one of them got arrested.
"That's it for this. Now, let's go have a drink or something," she said.
"Sure."
As I was looking at the communication device screen, she playfully tapped my arm.
"You, of all people, suggesting we go for a drink… Huh?"
She was taken aback by the sensation, which was completely different from a human's touch. The auxiliary organ could fool the visual senses, but it couldn't deceive the sense of touch. When someone touches me, they can feel my actual body. She probably realized something was amiss when she touched me.
That the person waiting for her in the alley was not Ras.
"You, you, what the…?!"
Lloyd stammered, stepping back. I had received the information and contact for the broker, so she was now useless. I wrapped her with my long tail as she attempted to flee.
"Help… Ugh!"
She was about to scream, but I blocked her mouth with one of my combat arms. She seemed perplexed, as if something invisible had grabbed her. She knew that the person she saw with her eyes wasn't Ras, but the pheromone effect still held. Her sense of touch recognized the restraint as multiple arms and tails, while her vision continued to perceive me as Ras. Perhaps she felt as if she were being held by two arms and the rest were invisible, causing her confusion.
"Uh, uh, uh…."
Lloyd sent a pleading look. Her previously ordinary face was now stained with tears and mucus.
She might have looked pitiful, but my decision remained unchanged. I put more force into my tail, and her waist twisted. Her eyes lost their vitality, and her head drooped.
'A corpse to be dealt with here.'
I devoured Lloyd right there. The taste of Lloyd was utterly ordinary. It was neither good nor bad, just a mediocre flavor. To be honest, it was slightly better than the sandwich from the neighbor's house, where Ras used to live.
'Now, I can transform into Lloyd. Next is…'
I should contact the broker. I needed to go home, check the USB, and decide whether to meet with the broker or not.
After licking up every last drop of blood on the ground, I returned to the secret passage.
｢Food smell.｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (Ate and came back)]
｢What about mine?｣
'Ah.'
I should leave some for Number 26 next time.
***
Sanders, who worked in the Materials Storage Team at the Harbor Zone, had a side job. His job was to provide unusual creatures to cater to the refined tastes of the high-ranking individuals in MegaCorp. In simple terms, it was smuggling, a crime, but Sanders didn't consider it wrongdoing.
'Having an ability and not using it would be a sin,' he thought, firmly rooted in the mindset typical of someone from MegaCorp. Under this line of thinking, he chose a job where he could put his position to good use. Since he had frequent interactions with the Smuggling Animal Surveillance Team due to his work, Sanders proposed a mutually beneficial arrangement to their team leader, who readily accepted it.
The arrangement involved Sanders receiving information about confiscated creatures from the Smuggling Animal Surveillance Team. He would then manipulate the records at the storage facility to transport these creatures to other planets. This corrupt collaboration between the two public agencies continued for over a year. Eventually, Sanders became a broker with enough influence to have connections with the police, if not for the Board. By now, he could have earned enough credits to immigrate to another planet if it weren't for that damn Board.
"Damn it. All because of that damn Board, I haven't had a chance," he grumbled. Since yesterday, there were 30 days left until the Board meeting. Thanks to that, the security level throughout the city had increased significantly, making it extremely difficult to transport creatures discreetly.
'Those bastards. After all the money I've spent, they still won't let me through,' Sanders fumed. Although it was an order directly from the Harbor Zone authorities, the government officials had no choice but to comply. But Sanders had no knowledge of this fact.
"Hey, Sanders. Not heading home yet?" a colleague asked.
"I'll leave later."
"Alright, take care."
After confirming that the other employees were leaving, Sanders took out his personal laptop from his bag. When he entered the laptop's password, a list of creatures intended for smuggling appeared on the screen.
'It's all about the money,' he thought as he saw every item on the list marked as 'scheduled'. Originally, his plan was to finish loading these creatures onto a ship that would depart for another planet this morning. However, with the increased surveillance, he had no opportunity to intervene.
With increased surveillance in the Harbor Zone, even goods leaving the Zone fell under the watchful eye of the security network, affecting brokers like Sanders. As a result, creatures that should have been transported earlier were still soundly asleep inside the Harbor Zone's containers. Despite only one day passing, the losses were staggering, which left Sanders cursing under his breath.
At that moment, Sanders' communication device rang. The screen displayed the letter 'L'.
"Damn. I did mention that the atmosphere hasn't been good lately."
The message from L was brief—a request for an Outspacer trade.
'Someone actually wants to buy this?'
Sanders raised an eyebrow in surprise. Outspacers were extremely dangerous creatures, and those willing to trade them were exceedingly rare.
Of course, smuggling them was not unheard of. After all, the Outspacer that had been stored in the Harbor Zone's cryogenic facilities had originally been seized by the Smuggling Animal Surveillance Team.
However, since the seizure, no one had ever approached Sanders with a request to trade an Outspacer.
As Sanders pondered this unusual request, another message arrived.
'Hmm. A cult in the Administrative Zone is interested in purchasing.'
Normally, Sanders facilitated trades himself, but this time it seemed that the client had been found on the other end.
'Probably arranged by the Smuggling Animal Surveillance Team leader', Sanders thought. He had considered the team leader competent, but it appeared they had connections even in the Administrative Zone. Sanders couldn't help but be impressed.
If it was a cult, Sanders could understand their desire for an Outspacer. Cults had a penchant for collecting rare creatures and peculiar artifacts.
'Being in the Administrative Zone is fortunate. No need to transport it off-world.'
If it had been a request to send the creature to another planet, he might have refused, but moving it within Earth's boundaries posed no significant problems.
Sanders quickly replied to L, providing the meeting location, time, and the required credit amount. The location, as usual, was next to the crane in the Harbor Zone's container yard, and the time remained the same, set for 10 PM.
As Sanders started to lose interest, he received another response.
[…How about moving the meeting time to early morning?]
Wrinkles formed on Sanders' forehead. Time had always been determined by him, and there had never been a case where the other party requested a change. If he missed this opportunity, the smuggling operation would fall through because the roles were always clear—Sanders was A, and the other party was B.
'But why?' In a period of intensified surveillance, the sudden request for a trade from the other side, coupled with a time change, seemed highly suspicious.
After a moment of contemplation, Sanders pressed the call button. The phone emitted a tone, followed by a thud and the sound of the other person's voice.
[Hello.]
"Hey, what's going on?"
[Huh?]
"You've never requested a time change before."
"Oh, that… I have to work overtime…"
[Overtime?]
Sanders was about to ask why the sudden need for overtime when he suddenly paused. It reminded him of something a colleague had mentioned not too long ago—someone had caused quite a commotion trying to smuggle a Mountain Crawler.
"Is it because of the Mountain Crawler, by any chance?"
[Yes, everyone's going crazy because of that.]
"Ugh, they're really making an effort. So, should we reschedule for a different day?"
[They insisted on getting it as soon as possible.]
"Okay, then. They said 1 AM, right? Let's meet then."
Having understood the situation completely, Sanders ended the call.
If he wanted to secretly smuggle the Mountain Crawler, he needed to manipulate both the storage documents and the transfer documents, so he turned on his work PC.
However, while working on the manipulations, he suddenly had an odd thought.
'Even if they're cultists, why would they want to trade in the middle of the night?'
Once doubt crept in, it tended to linger. While their request didn't seem unusual, Sanders couldn't shake the feeling of unease.
'I need insurance.'
In the midst of his internal conflict, he grabbed his communication device again and dialed a number.
"Hey, listen. I think I'll need you to come with me. Yeah. Yeah. Do you know the place? Meet me by 1 AM."
The person he contacted was the leader of the security team he had personally hired.
Since Sanders' work often involved illegal activities, he frequently found himself meeting dangerous individuals. In such cases, he would gather his security team and go to meet the person.
'I don't know what kind of trouble this is, but they better know what they're getting into.'
Sanders' group of security members consisted of former military and police personnel, all of whom were exceptionally skilled in combat. Furthermore, thanks to generous investments, every member was equipped with advanced armor and laser weapons. While some clients had posed threats in the past, showing them the human weapons he had hired usually made them reconsider.
Especially for someone dealing with the daily mess of smuggling animal excrement, encountering armed guards was a relief.
Everything was under his control. Sanders returned to his work with a sense of assurance.
-x-X-x-
'Broker S. Quite a cautious person.'
His immediate call upon any suspicion indicates a prudent individual. If he had any doubts during our conversation, he would have canceled the deal right away. Fortunately, he didn't find anything amiss.
'Indeed, being cautious is essential.'
Using the USB Lloyd provided, I could roughly guess who he was.
'A confiscation item manager from the Material Storage Team or a security officer from the Port Security Team.'
There are only two people who could legally load seized animals onto a ship – these two.
Material Storage manages all materials that arrive at the port, making document manipulation straightforward.
Port security officers can tamper with surveillance cameras. Of course, given the current situation, they might not manipulate all cameras but disable some when moving animals.
'Perhaps, it might even be both.'
There's a possibility that someone from the Material Storage Team bought off a security officer.
Whichever side he's on, he's undoubtedly not in a high position, but he's not at the bottom either; he's firmly in a middle management role. And he's smart enough to avoid getting caught in smuggling for an extended period.
In short, he's not an easy target for me to eliminate. The problem with dealing with someone influential is that if I were to kill him without reason, it would cause problems.
People like Lloyd and Ras are quite different from those on a casual basis. If S is in a middle management role, there are many people connected to him, so if he were to suddenly disappear, it would raise suspicion in his surroundings. Moreover, there are likely more than two teams involved, and perhaps more teams related to the situation.
Criminals have strong relationships, so if he were to vanish, they would undoubtedly make efforts to find him. Even if I were to impersonate S and attempt to resign formally, if he holds a significant role within the team, it wouldn't be easy to resign as I please. Being called to the workplace would complicate matters.
'So, using S to smuggle confiscated animals also has its limitations.'
I told S that I found a customer, but that's obviously a lie. The commission I can offer him is limited, and I don't have that many credits earned from the ones I've consumed.
Like most residents in this residential zone, they're mostly day laborers or those who spend their daily credits in the entertainment zone. The neighbor next door has a fair amount of credits, but Ras is nearly penniless.
'He's the type to call just because I mentioned changing the time. If he knew I had no money, he'd cut ties right away.'
How can I use him without causing any problems in the long term? There's actually a way, but it requires a fair amount of luck.
'The genetic essence of the Outspacer.'
Among the characteristics of the Outspacer, there's one that can solve this problem. If I can obtain that characteristic through a predatory effect, then the problem with Broker S will be easily resolved.
'Once this deal is done, I can consume the Outspacer. After that, I'll decide based on the results.'
The deal with the broker is already halfway done. Unless something goes wrong when we meet, obtaining the Outspacer is a done deal. There are many variables at the moment, so it's better to plan for what comes after consuming the Outspacer.
'There's still a lot to do before I leave.'
Apart from the broker-related matters, there are other tasks that remain. Just like Ras, I need to arrange for Lloyd's resignation.
After killing Lloyd, I used the communicator I had saved to send a resignation email to the Smuggling Animal Surveillance Team. It seems they didn't contact me separately, likely because everyone had already gone home.
I finished Lloyd's resignation process, and when I checked the time, it had already passed midnight.
The meeting time is approaching.
I left the house, leaving Number 26 behind, who was still asleep.
***
This isn't the Entertainment Zone, so there weren't many residents out and about. The streets were patrolled by tired-looking police officers and androids.
I cautiously slipped into the underground secret passage to avoid their watchful eyes.
'The container handling yard, huh?'
The path was lined with numerous cameras. Likely, some of these cameras had been intentionally disabled from the other side due to illegal deals, but I had to do my best to avoid them.
'I can detect electromagnetic waves with my auxiliary system.'
Emerging from the manhole, I focused my senses on the auxiliary system. Since evolving, the two larger tentacles beneath my jaw wriggled with even greater length and thickness, following my will.
The scent of the dawn, carrying the tang of asphalt, the forest of containers emanating the smell of iron and aluminum. The faint vibrations of the subway felt from the ground, the pulse of the vast city that operated day and night.
The Harbor Zone was still teeming with stimuli for all the senses.
My auxiliary system extracted the thin electronic waves resembling fine threads emitted by the cameras.
"There are three cameras ahead."
I moved cautiously, avoiding the locations where the cameras were, finding my way through the gaps between stacks of containers. As I had anticipated, some of the cameras were disabled.
'Seems like they have connections with the security personnel as well.'
With the cameras that were off, I didn't need to worry, so I passed by without any trouble.
As I continued moving, I sensed the movements of living animals in the distance.
There were a total of ten individuals. All but one were armed.
'Hmm.'
Their heightened alertness suggested they brought backup.
'I thought it would be easier to deal with.'
I activated my mimicry organ and revealed myself to them.
Ten people, standing beneath the red light of the container crane's lamps, all turned to look at me.
In the middle, a stout, closely shaved man, Broker S, greeted me.
"Oh, you are here."
"Who are they?"
"Oh, don't worry about them. They're here for insurance."
Despite the reassurance not to worry, their demeanor wasn't what one would describe as friendly. They had laser barrels aimed at me.
'A nonviolent demonstration.'
Most of them were humans wearing powered armor, cyborgs, but there was one individual who stood out.
'There's a Wolf too.'
Wolves are a shape-shifting humanoid species with animal heads as we commonly know them. They possess physical abilities far superior to humans, and their senses are exceptionally keen.
The female Wolf brought by S was already glaring at me.
'My mimicry organ works through pheromones. Even with wolf, I can deceive, but they are more sensitive than other species.'
'I better get this over with as quickly as possible.'
I cut to the chase.
"Where's the merchandise?"
"The trade items are in that refrigerated container over there. I'll give you the password once the deposit is confirmed."
"Okay."
"Since you've done this before, you know what to do, right? Enter your account here."
He handed me a laptop, and there was a program running. It seemed that once you entered your personal credit account, the credits would be automatically transferred to him.
I had no trouble with it, having previously checked the credit account on the man next door's personal computer.
'The balance was cutting it close, to be honest.'
The deposit went smoothly. S closed the laptop with a satisfied expression.
"Well, one headache is gone with this."
"A headache?"
"The Outspacer, that's what I call it. I don't know what kind of weirdo buys such a dangerous creature. Cults are a breed I can never understand."
"That's true."
I played along with S as he talked about an imaginary being that didn't exist.
In reality, I didn't know how it was, but in the game, Cults and Outspacers were in an antagonistic relationship. It was true in the storyline and by game design.
The ultimate goal of the Outspacer was to return to their destroyed homeworld, the Vortex One. To do that, they needed such powerful psychic abilities that they could bend galaxies to their will. They achieved this by consuming Cults to accumulate psychic power.
One might suggest acquiring the genetic essence related to psychic power and applying it to the cluster, but the Outspacer had limitations on the use of certain traits.
'The Outspacer can't use psychic powers.'
Due to the setting that the entire species had its psychic power abilities taken away by the Vortex One, the Outspacer couldn't use any traits related to superhuman abilities, except for one immunity to superhuman attacks.
Thanks to their innate immunity, they could fend off weaker superhuman attacks. But they were vulnerable to powerful psychic power techniques. In other words, the Outspacer only had basic defenses against superhuman abilities and struggled to counter various superhuman attacks.
'So, Cults are Outspacers' counter.'
Cults were truly the experts in psychic power. They were the most versatile among the playable species, being able to use various psychic power techniques.
Even if the Outspacers had innate resistance to superhuman abilities, they had ample means to attack beyond that.
Physically frail but capable of various forms of superhuman attacks, Cults could generate countless legions. However, the Outspacers were susceptible to superhuman abilities. The community debates never ceased about who had the upper hand.
'Judging by their conversation, it seems like they aren't necessarily hostile to each other in reality.'
To know the details, I might have to meet Cults in person. Anyway, my business with the Broker is finished, so I should withdraw from here.
"The deal is done, so I'm going."
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"The one who broke through the Cults, he's the team leader, right?"
"Yes? Oh, yes."
"He's not ordinary either. Maybe, could you teach me as well?"
"What do you mean?"
"Cult connections. Make sure to keep me informed whenever a deal is made with them in the future. Of course, I'm only talking to you, L."
Certainly, being an influential Broker, he's trying to negotiate with me as well. The more we talk, the less comfortable it is for someone as difficult to deceive as me.
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline."
"Eh, too bad."
"Then."
After bidding farewell once more, I attempted to leave, but this time, another individual stopped me.
"Wait. Stop right there."
"Kate? What's going on?"
The one who halted me was none other than a Wolf. Kate, the Wolf with a distinctive wolf-like head, approached me, sniffing the air.
"Something's suspicious."
"Suspicious? I've done several transactions with L."
"I don't know for sure, but she seems to be hiding something."
"Hiding?"
Upon hearing this, S's expression turned cold.
"Hey. What does this mean?"
"Yes?"
"Kate has a keener sense of smell than other Wolves. The security team is on edge, and there's something odd about her. Are you trying to pull a fast one? Detain her, everyone."
The security guards guarding S slowly approached me, guns aimed at me.
'It's come to this after all.'
To the best of my knowledge, in the game, Wolves couldn't entirely detect the effects of the mimic device. I wasn't sure if Kate was unique or if the Wolves' senses had become more acute with the advent of reality.
'I'll ponder that later. First, let's eliminate everyone except S.'
I hoped for a peaceful resolution, but there was no other choice.
From here on, it was their own doing. I flicked my tail and jabbed Kate, who was next to me.
"Kehk!"
In her characteristic wolfish manner, she let out a strange cry as she collapsed, a hole in her thigh.
She was wearing low-level powered armor, but armor of that level didn't offer strong defense. Unless it was advanced powered armor with built-in shields, it was difficult to block my attacks.
"Kate!"
"You damn wench!"
Leaving her unable to move due to the nerve poison, I ignored her and rushed towards the security guards.
In the middle of the barrage of lasers fired from 8 barrels, my body was unharmed. My body was enhanced with physical enhancements and various abilities. Naturally, I suffered no injuries.
I swung my combat-armored arm at the closest human.
Snap!
'That's two.'
After crushing the opponent's jaw to incapacitate them, I launched bone spines at another cyborg nearby.
The sharp projectiles pierced through the cyborg's head like darts, and even the head of another human standing behind it.
'That's four.'
"That wench is using camouflage!"
"Lower your head!"
"Hee, heeek!"
Before the two corpses hit the ground, I leaped into the air. My target was the tallest cyborg among the enemies. As I soared towards him, his face turned ashen in an instant.
"Ugh!"
I pounced on him and knocked him down. Using my four combat arms, I relentlessly clawed at him. His thin powered armor was shredded to pieces by my razor-sharp claws.
"Aaaaah! Help!"
"Darn it!"
In their eyes, it would seem like I was tearing them apart with just my two arms, thanks to something invisible to them. Broker S, who witnessed the spectacle of mechanical components and internals shattering into the air inside the cyborg's body, let out a desperate cry.
"Damn it! We can't handle this!"
"I'll hold them off. Get the VIP to safety!"
The human with scars on his face gave orders to the other security guards. Excluding him, three security guards grabbed S and began their escape.
"Aaaaah!"
He backed away and started firing his laser rifle at me. The red beams of light rained upon my body, but what he had hoped for did not happen.
Currently, my body is akin to a living tank. Unless armed with plasma weapons or at least gauss weaponry, causing me harm is impossible.
Realizing that his laser attacks were futile, he soon ceased firing.
"Damn it…!"
He dropped his rifle and retrieved a small rod from his pocket. It was the same model as the sonic blade used by the pirates who infiltrated the research vessel last time.
'The pirates last time, and now this guy… Could they be part of the same organization?'
Space docks often attract retired soldiers and mercenaries. Their behavior and weaponry are similar, and considering the resemblance, they might have been in the same organization before retiring and going their separate ways.
'Both of them are going to die the same way, but…'
"Even if I die, you won't get through here."
Impressive professional spirit, but I wasn't going to cut them any slack. I swung my tail heavily against the ground.
The scarred man saw through my attack and leaped backward, but my attack didn't end there.
Bone spines soared toward his abdomen. His pupils dilated as he hastily raised the sonic blade to block them.
His reflexes were decent, but his condition wasn't great. Along with the jarring metallic noise, the sonic blade vibrated in both hands as it blocked the bone spines.
"Damn it!"
I made a short charge and thrust my head into his side. The thick horn on my head pierced through his flimsy armor and wreaked havoc on the man's organs.
"Mon… monster…"
I shook my head vigorously to dislodge him from my horn and tossed him away. With half of his side ripped open, he convulsed on the ground before his breath ceased.
"Ugh… ugh…"
Alone and paralyzed, Kate trembled as she looked at me.
'A Wolf, huh? Convenient timing.'
Wolves were a playable race capable of shape-shifting, which meant they counted as an evolutionary condition.
I approached her.
'I don't need to transform into Lloyd now.'
The resignation had concluded, and the plan to meet the broker in the future had fallen apart.
Whether by killing the broker or eating an Outspacer to gain their traits, Lloyd's necessity had ceased to exist.
With no need to transform into Lloyd, there shouldn't be any issue with consuming the Wolf's genes.
I deactivated the mimicry organ. A membrane covered the small hole on my skin, and the pheromones that had permeated the surroundings gradually dissipated.
"Ugh, uuuuh!"
Kate's eyes widened significantly upon seeing me return to my monstrous form. She struggled to escape in any way she could, but her resistance was futile. The neurotoxin had ensnared her body like a net.
I firmly grasped her body with my four arms and opened my mouth wide.
"Uuuh, uuugh!"
'Well then, bon appétit.'
My snake-like, gaping mouth devoured her head whole. Her muscles shivered for a moment, as if taking the place of a death rattle, and then relaxed.
'Hmm.'
The Wolf's head was surprisingly palatable, except for the thick fur. It was almost as tasty as a juicy hamburger. Certainly not as exhilarating as when I ate a cat for the first time; it didn't bring that level of joy.
'I'll savor the rest later.'
Unfortunately, S and the security personnel had escaped. It would be best to deal with them before indulging.
I gathered the scattered corpses and placed them in a location beyond the reach of the cameras.
'All right.'
The auxiliary systems informed me that they hadn't gone far.
The hunt was far from over.