The Knights, The defense forces, and a monster were engaged in a fierce battle amid the ruins of a collapsed sewer system.
"Squad leader! We can't hold on any longer!"
"We have to retreat… argh!"
A soldier fell. Though retaliating with plasma launchers, it was not enough. The launcher's recharge time made it unsuitable for effective use in this chaotic mid-range combat.
Originally brought along as support weaponry against the monster, using the launcher was never intended in combat and especially against the knights.
"Why are the knights attacking us?"
The Crisis Management manager wasn't able to digest the overall situation. Everything was fine when they entered the sewers. Even during the initial reconnaissance, there hadn't been any major issues.
The Vice commander of the knights had been respectful towards them, and their members were also disciplined.
"It's not a rebellion. The orders from above are clear."
That's what Vice commander Vicus had said earlier.
"We must not let them take over. The target must be captured alive."
'There's something about the monster we don't know.'
Amidst the chaos of screams, gunfire, and plasma bolters tearing through the air, the team leader's thoughts persisted.
'The monster first caused trouble in the apartment complex, fought armed police, and then fled. The next place it went was the port district.'
There, the monster killed some smugglers and fled again.
The police officer who uncovered this at the port district ended up hospitalised in the commercial district, and then…
"The knights visited that place. Good lord, 'it was a destruction of evidence'!"
The manager finally began to put the pieces together.
"It's a secret bioweapon made by the Eden family!"
For some reason, the Eden family chose this very trade centre as a mock battleground for their experimental subject.
"It was probably designed for city assaults."
Having wiped out the armed police force in the apartment complex, their experiment could be deemed as a success.
The smugglers were probably secretly hired by the Eden family to bring the creature back.
"Perhaps they tried to sedate the monster and move it."
But that operation failed, and this gruesome sight was discovered by the detective team investigating the smuggling case at the port district.
It was then that the Eden family dispatched the knights, under the guise 'assisting' the city defense forces in capturing that creature
"They couldn't afford to leave any witnesses."
The manager felt a shiver down his spine.
To think such a grand scheme and conspiracy was unfolding itself. It felt like something out of a novel.
'I need to report to the administrator, but the current situation won't allow me to do so. I have to hold on until communication is restored to have the chance to report this crucial discovery.'
'Is there any way out?'
Most of his subordinates had fallen, leaving only a single soldier handling the launcher, relentlessly focused on firing while pinned to the ground. The odds were clearly against him.
Unexpectedly, a hand extended towards him amidst his contemplation of survival strategies, a presence entirely unexpected.
"Manager! The monster is only attacking the knights!"
"What?"
"Look over there!"
The manager looked towards where his subordinate was pointing. It was true. A long-tailed, multi-legged monster was slaughtering the knights.
***
'Let's head to the administrative district.'
Admittedly, going to the Eden battleship was an attractive option. Currently that is where the elite forces of the upper capital had gathered, ahead of the council meeting. Escaping before they aimed for his life wasn't a bad choice.
Yet, there were three reasons for choosing the administrative district over the battleship.
'Firstly, I need to evolve. The 'Cult' part of the evolutionary condition for my maturity is unfulfilled. If evolution is impossible, no matter how abundant the genetic essence, it will have its limits.'
'I can gather enough genetic essence in the administrative district.'
At this point, it was uncertain whether there were Cult members on Eden's battleship. The fact that the knights weren't called in when I was apprehended suggests that the Cult might not be there.
'Additionally, if I board the battleship, I can't take the kids with me.'
Number 26 and Adhai. Though they've been beneficial to me, and have never caused me harm. If questioned about the merits of boarding the battleship by abandoning them, my answer would be of course negative.
'In Adhai's case, I made a deal.'
I promised to spare it and offer protection in exchange for the whereabouts of the Gallagon's nest. If we part ways here, I will gain nothing.
'And lastly, I have insufficient information from T&C compared to Eden.'
Despite the joint operation between Eden and T&C in the sewer search, there's a considerable information gap between the two sides. Even the armaments that were brought into the sewers hinted at that.
'Eden brought weapons capable of subduing me.'
Plasma bolters and blade claws could pierce through my exterior, and assault packs were equipped for close combat anticipation.
'Moreover, they even brought a launcher.'
This weapon, except for my head, could heavily damage other parts of my body.
'However, the defense forces didn't.'
While they did bring a launcher, it was merely a support weapon at the squad level. Apart from that, their equipment wasn't significantly different from what the armed police wore in the apartment complex battle.
'The knights didn't share information about me yet.'
They probably did it for their own interests. Thanks to the knights' information control, the upper echelons at the special trade centre have very little knowledge about me.
'The special trade centre undoubtedly sees me as a threat, but they don't know how dangerous I truly am.'
The less my enemies know, the more I can do.
'So, hiding in this administrative district is advantageous for me.'
'Now that I've made up my mind…'
Only action remains.
I charged towards the knights attacking the defense forces. A knight who had just slain a soldier with a blade was aiming a bolter at another.
I lunged at him from behind, toppling him over.
"Ugh?"
The knight, completely caught off guard, lay defenseless. Restraining him firmly with my combat arm to prevent him from getting up, I pierced his head with my teeth.
"Help…!"
The knight struggled futilely within my grasp, but I held him down firmly, rendering his resistance useless. I bit into his head again, tearing through his helmet, exposing his brain matter.
Devouring what spilled from the knight's head, I leaped towards a fresh target.
"Damn it! Capture him!"
As I unexpectedly struck a knight from behind, Vicus screamed in rage. I lashed my tail towards the surrounding knights. The sharp spines at the tip of my tail aimed at them, but their quick activation of psychic shields nullified the effects of my spines.
A bolt from a knight's bolter was aimed at my head. Just before it fired, a piercing shot flew, penetrating the knight's head.
"Damn defense forces!"
Vicus shouted as they fired Gauss rifles at the knights.
"Four of you handle the defense forces, the rest deal with that monster!"
'I can't let them leave me alone.'
I extracted a bloodsucking tentacle from my right shoulder and struck it at a knight's head with the red tentacle. With a gruesome sound, the knight's neck snapped, leaving them lifeless.
"How dare you!"
Enraged by their comrade's death, a knight fired their bolter at me. Quickly raising my head, I intercepted the plasma rounds coming from the bolter. While my head's exterior was the toughest, the collision caused a sharp, throbbing pain in my head and neck, although it is still bearable.
'But taking multiple hits in succession would be dangerous.'
To minimise the target area, I submerged myself in the debris-laden water, using all four of my combat arms and legs to swiftly move, confusing the knights.
"Where did it go?"
My lowered position exposed my back above the water level, yet the floating debris made it challenging for them to discern my presence.
"It's over there!"
One knight, seeking vengeance for his fallen comrade, spotted me and aimed his bolter.
"You darn…!"
"You fool! Avoid it!"
Vicus shouted in panic, but it was too late. A plasma beam from the defense forces wiped out both the bolter and the knight's arm in one swift strike.
"Ah!"
The price of ignoring the defense forces to catch me was a costly mistake. The knight cried out as his arm, along with the armor, became dust and vanished.
"Pull that idiot back immediately!"
I couldn't miss such a golden opportunity. Grabbing the panicking knight by his severed arm, I hurled quills towards him. The neurotoxin-laden quills struck accurately at the severed area, causing the screaming knight to collapse as his nerve was affected due to the neurotoxins.
As his screams faded, his bewildered companion tried to assist him. Rushing towards him, I pierced through two of the knights simultaneously with my horns.
"Gah, monster!"
Despite their pierced abdomen, the knight didn't give up. Swinging his blade claw, he managed to cut off a part of my hardened exterior.
'Thankfully, it's a less sensitive area.'
Had the monster's tentacle been severed, it would have caused substantial pain.
'Pointless resistance.'
I shook my head vigorously while still holding onto him with my horn. The horn lodged in his abdomen caused agony, making the knight groan. His arm, attempting to strike my forehead, lost strength and fell.
"Die!"
Another knight aimed at my back. I turned my head just as a plasma round was fired.
Naturally, the knight became an unintentional meat shield for me due to my horn, shielding me from the shot. The sound of bursting flesh followed by the acrid smell of burnt flesh stimulated my auxiliary system.
"Avoid friendly fire! Avoid… Argh!"
"Vice commander!"
Vicus, who was commanding in agony, grabbed his shoulder after being hit by a piercing round. The sight of the commander wounded made the knights' moral to flater.
Since my surprise attack began, the situation had drastically reversed.
"Good! This is our chance with the Vice commander injured!"
The defense forces pressed aggressively against the knights. The front-line soldiers fired indiscriminately towards where I and the knights were, creating chaos. The rear soldiers evacuated the wounded and reorganised their formation.
In contrast, the knights' formation collapsed entirely due to my attack. Those who were engaging with the defense forces were mostly incapacitated due to my assault, while others seemed confused about who to strike.
With even their commander injured, the disadvantage for them accelerated.
"The mission has failed! Retreat, everyone!"
Finally, the word "retreat" sprang from Vicus, who had been supported by his subordinates.
'Should I let them escape?'
Even if the relationship between the two families might deteriorate significantly because of me, there's a possibility that they ignore this and maintain a cooperative relationship for a while due to the council meeting. If I resume my hunt and go to the administrative district, I might encounter them again.
'You never know what might happen.'
It's best to minimise uncertainties.
I attacked those retreating, gradually reducing their numbers. Not only me but the defense forces also chased after the knights fleeing from this place.
"Vice commander! How should we deal with that monster?"
"Penetrating rounds won't work on him, fire the launcher!"
Amid slicing through a knight's throat, I heard the voice of the defense forces.
'Is it time to retreat?'
I checked the remaining number of knights. Six, including Vicus, were fleeing. There were still dozens in the defense forces. They should be capable enough to handle the situation even without me.
'Let's end it here.'
Intentionally, I shook the corpse of the knight, showcasing it as if a beast would do with its prey. The defense forces, perceiving this as an opportunity, fired the launcher. A green light tore through the surface, flying towards me.
Already anticipating the trajectory of their attacks through my auxiliary systems, I adjusted my head to align with the beam's path. The beam, capable of easily piercing through a ship's outer hull, collided with the exterior of my head.
"Ugh!"
The force was stronger than I expected, involuntarily causing me to take a few steps back. While most of the impact was absorbed by my thick exterior, the residual shock spread all over my body.
The exterior on my neck, back, and legs ruptured, with blood spurting out.
'I can still endure this.'
My body, which got covered in blood in an instant, had regenerative properties. As long as the brain in my head wasn't destroyed, these injuries would heal quickly.
'Activate apparent death.'
Pretending to collapse from being hit by the beam, I activated the "apparent death" trait. Instantly, all strength drained from my body.
My body, now beyond control, collapsed into the sewer passage. The auxiliary organ beneath my chin, which had always been a source of support, fell limp, completely devoid of any sensation.
I couldn't see or hear anything. The only sensation I felt was an eerie coldness. It felt like death. The thought that this might be a mistake was so strong that it seemed real.
'This feeling… but it's familiar.'
The inexplicable sense of familiarity dissipated along with my fleeting consciousness. That's how I died.
-x-X-x-
On the day of the board meeting in the morning, preparations for a grand event were in full swing at the Skyscraper Monument, owned by the T&C family. Amidst the bustling sound of footsteps of the attendants rushing throughout the entire building, there was one place which was cloaked in silence: a conference room within the Monument.
Gathered in that room were the city's ruler, Laila Chemblin, her secretary, and close aides.
"What's the reaction from the Eden faction?" inquired Laila.
"They plan to attribute this entire incident as Vice-commander Vicus' unilateral decision," responded the secretary.
"… Unilateral decision, you say?"
Laila didn't even muster a hollow laugh at the secretary's words. Thanks to the camera records from the defense force survivors involved in the ghost hunt operation and the report from the Crisis Management team manager, she could grasp the root cause of the situation.
Who unleashed the unidentified biological weapon? What did the Silver Lion Knights do to cover it up? She knew it all.
"How dare they do this in my city!"
Laila seethed. She had long known that Denver, despite his outwardly affable image, was a schemer. Yet, she never imagined he would orchestrate such a scheme within her city, and that too before the commencement of the council meeting.
"Blaming everything on the Vice-commander? Shameless trickery!"
In the meeting where the Crisis Management Division manager reported about the incident in the sewer, Denver was also present. He feigned complete ignorance, but having held a position of authority for a long time, Laila could easily see through his lies.
He claimed he knew nothing about it and that the Knight Order's actual power lay with the Vice-commander, and he occupied the commander's position merely for external appearances. But such excuses wouldn't fly with the daughter of the T&C family, who had a long association with the Eden family.
"Who was identified as the sole survivor, apart from the Vice-Commander?" Laila inquired further.
"That would be Catherine from the Silver Lion Knights."
"What's her condition?"
Catherine, the only survivor aside from the Vice-Commander, was found in a battered state amidst the ruins. Typically, she would have been immediately detained, but her injuries were so severe that she was being transported to the Central Hospital of the Administrative District.
"Catherine is currently undergoing treatment due to severe PTSD and physical injuries."
"When will interrogation be possible?"
"Her body may recover, but her mental trauma is so extensive that treatment is proving to be difficult. The doctor's assessment suggests a high likelihood of lifelong aphasia due to the aftereffects."
[PR/N-Aphasia is a disorder that affects how you communicate. It can impact your speech, as well as the way you write and understand both spoken and written language.]
"Tsk. try to get the information by any means necessary once she's treated, even if it means to interrogate her."
"Understood."
Incredibly, out of the only two survivors from the incident, one had aphasia, while the other was missing. Vice-Commander Vicus, whom Denver accused of being the mastermind, was the most crucial figure, yet he couldn't be found, despite searching every nook and cranny.
"Of course, that's expected. He must have been eliminated already."
Why the principal perpetrator remained undiscovered was almost certainty due to Denver's prior actions. Everything was crystal clear, yet he continued spinning lies.
She wanted to summon her subordinates immediately to arrest Denver, but she displayed non-human patience and managed to send him away.
"Destruction of foundational facilities in the Commercial District, a surprise attack on the naval fleet, and the smuggling of unidentified experimental subjects…"
There wasn't a single misdemeanour among them. This alone was enough to make her blood boil, but what infuriated her more was the decision to let that vile person go unpunished.
Early in the morning, she had given a detailed report of the incident to her father, Samdam Chemblin. The response she received was singular:
"Do nothing but bury this?"
For her father, who was eyeing for the CEO position of MegaCorp, the support of the Eden family was more critical than this Special Trade centre. She understood what the family's long standing goal was, so it wasn't something she couldn't comprehend.
But letting it go like this would only turn her into a silent bystander, and she would have to face immense humiliation.
"Letting the perpetrator who humiliated me, the administrator of T&C Special Trade centre, go unpunished!"
Currently, everyone within MegaCorp knew that Denver had pulled off a cunning maneuver against her. This was because the Daily Mass had reported her disgrace earlier in the morning.
"Wei Zhao, the filthy and disgraceful person…!"
Thinking of Wei Zhao, who had exposed her through the Daily Mass, made her grind her teeth. Despite the significant damage to Denver's image due to the Daily Mass, he was still the head of the Prime Capital Eden Family, However she was different, she was just an administrator of a trade centre who could be replaced at any time.
'If I keep going like this, I'll be the only one who will suffer.'
Her father, who valued practical interests over blood relatives, might choose to kick her out instead of seeking revenge for her.
In other words, she might become a sacrifice to improve relations with the Eden family.
"Administrator, what do you want us to do?"
"… Arrest all those related to the Silver Lion Knights."
"Please keep the defense fleet under strict surveillance so that those on the flagship do not think of doing anything else."
"All right."
"Allow Denver to only move freely during the council meeting, otherwise don't allow him to come out."
All she could do now was to limit the actions of the Eden family.
"Then let's go."
The subordinates received the orders and left the conference room one by one.
During this time, a meeting was held on purpose, but in the end, nothing was done.
As Laila felt helpless at that fact, a thought passed through her mind.
'That's the only card I have left.'
Lila called back to the secretary who was about to leave the conference room.
"What happened to the test subject brought by the defense Guards?"
"Currently, the body is stored in a scientific research institute."
"The dissection experiment is scheduled to take place later in the afternoon."
A strange creature smuggled into a special trade centre by the Eden family.
Its body was acquired by the City Defense Guard and has now been transported to the scientific research centre located beneath the monument.
'A biological weapon newly developed by the Eden family.'
Getting something out of the body was her only takeaway if she wanted to get out of this situation.
"We have to get something out of that devilish monster somehow. Otherwise, it won't make sense at all."
"I will pass it on as is."
Everyone had already felt the power of Eden's secret weapon.
The crisis management division manager, a brave warrior, had a terrified look on his face several times during the report.
What if T&C, or rather Laila Chemblin was able to obtain the monster's genes and mass-produce it?
It would be no problem to monopolize the real power of the family to do this.
'When that day comes, I will definitely become the head of the family.'
Laila's eyes burned quietly in the conference room, where the secretary left and she was left alone.
***
A few hours before Laila dreamed of rebellion at the Monument.
Vice-Commander Vicus of the Silver Lion Knights was still in the sewers. The soldiers searching for him were constantly patrolling the area.
"He's not here."
"Check elsewhere, keep searching."
"Alright… Ugh, when will this communication network get fixed?"
As the pursuers moved away, Vicus, hidden nearby, cautiously raised his head above the water.
His current state was dire. His advanced armor was almost out of energy; he had discarded everything except the chest armor which was connected to the helmet. Without power, the advanced armor was as heavy as a lump of lead, leaving him no choice but to remove it.
He muttered with a defeated expression,
"…to be brought down like this."
He thought he had been sufficiently vigilant and prepared, but he had been completely mistaken. The creature's intelligence surpassed his imagination, causing chaos among both the defense force and the knights.
"I must somehow get out and convey this truth to her."
Vicus knew his master had abandoned him. Seeing soldiers searching for him, externally, it would appear he had unilaterally attacked the defense force. But that didn't matter. Denver had once told him that if something went wrong, he'd have to take responsibility, and he had agreed.
He was the sword that safeguarded his master. The sword moved as its owner desired. And it had no free will.
"It seems there are no more soldiers nearby."
Feeling the complete absence of any indication, Vicus moved again.
There was a nearby path leading outside—a new opening formed by the collapse of the sewer ceiling. Taking refuge amidst the ruins there would surely provide an opportunity.
"Damn it."
Without the protective armor, he had to brave the freezing water directly. Moreover, despite receiving treatment for his injured shoulder, it still ached persistently. Perhaps the combination of depleted stamina and injury caused it; he coughed incessantly.
Blocking his coughing mouth with his hand, Vicus moved diligently. As he continued, he spotted a glimmer of light ahead.
"I'm almost there!"
Emerging from the murky water, Vicus climbed up the debris.
Having been in the water for so long, his fingers were swollen, and rummaging through the hard metal fragments caused blood to come out from his hand.
"Just a bit more!"
Enduring the pain shooting up his arm, Vicus crawled upward.
He was almost at the surface; just a little further to reach out his hand.
The moment he reached out, the world around him stopped.
"Huh?"
No, it wasn't the world that had stopped—it was him.
His body slowly floated up before being sucked back into the sewer.
"What's… happening?"
He was taken aback as an intangible pressure suddenly crushed his entire being. It felt like diving into the depths without any protective gear.
"Gah! St—stop! Hngh! Argh!"
His limbs began twisting uncontrollably. His body seemed detached from his control, bending and breaking like a rigid puppet attached to sturdy strings.
Fingers, wrists, arms, toes, ankles, legs—all bent and fractured at unnatural angles. His waist twisted in the opposite direction, and rib bones protrude through torn flesh.
Though Vicus involuntarily screamed, his voice never made it out.
As he looked back one last time, he saw there were pink balloons and two purple irises.
｢Food｣｢me｣｢Eat?｣
｢Yeah the Little one can eat it all.｣
Having successfully hunted, it handed food to the small child. While the little one dined, it vigilantly surveyed the surroundings.
The elder child seemed oblivious, but it had grown further from their previous skirmish.
It had learned to precisely control the mystical power innate within it, enabling it to detect and influence distant objects.
Thanks to this, it could observe where the child it loved was located.
｢The little one must grow quickly.｣
｢Reason｣｢Not sure.｣
｢The big baby is struggling to protect us alone, so we must help him.｣
｢?｣
It had not only grown physically but also mentally. It could sense the effort the beloved child was putting into their protection, rooted partly in selfish desires but gradually mingled with a growing sense of "affection."
Like it, the younger child was changing.
｢When the little one grows, the elder one will surely be pleased.｣
｢Me｣ ｢grow-up｣ ｢happiness｣ ｢welcome.｣
It didn't resent the younger child's attitude. It held such a significant place within the elder child's heart.
｢Me｣ ｢growth｣ ｢grown-up｣｢understand…｣
｢Quiet. Finish eating quickly.｣
｢Pain!｣
After scolding the babbling little one, she contemplated her next move.
Though the Big baby wished for quiet hiding, it had slightly different thoughts.
"There are too many dangerous creatures here. It's hard for the Big baby to fight alone."
To assist him, it needed to grow as much as possible before meeting him.
｢Finish this and let's move elsewhere.｣
｢Where?｣
｢Where there's food.｣
Thankfully, the underground area was abundant with nutrient-rich, easily hunted prey—corpses of four appendage-bearing creatures scattered throughout.
***
"It seems the camouflage worked."
Regaining consciousness, I first surveyed my location using the auxiliary organ.
The strong smell of chemical solutions, faint scent of blood, electromagnetic waves in the air, and the mechanical noises from scattered devices—all spoke to me.
This was the Skyscraper Monument's underground research lab. Currently, I lay tied atop a large metal dissection table in the laboratory.
Although I would have recognized if I was a corpse, some wariness had led me to encase my arms and legs in metal shackles.
'Leave this be.'
No matter how tough it is, it's futile against my strength. I could break it immediately, but I refrained from doing so because there were surveillance cameras in the lab. Calculations and careful movements are necessary to avoid trouble.
'Where to look… the genetic sample repository must be nearby.'
The Special Trade centre isn't strictly dedicated to genetic research; it's more akin to an all-encompassing entertainment facility. Yet, it's unlikely that the MegaCorp Science Research Facility wouldn't have a genetic sample repository.
The underground research lab is a facility conducting various studies to breed compliant employees for T&C through genetic modification, ensuring their lack of resistance to the company.
'The main objective is to manipulate genetics to create humans as inferior slaves, unlike the Hulk mutants.'
While rare creature genetics might not be available here, there are some types worth targeting.
'I just need the genes related to the new type unlock.'
Currently, I have a trait that increases the probability of acquiring genes from hunted prey, and that is 'Symbol of Hunt' using it here will unlock the types that I need.
'But someone needs to come to aid.'
For my plan to succeed safely, certain conditions must be met. Until then, I have to wait.
After a while, I sensed activity outside the lab.
"The Administrator wants to know if we can extract genes from the creature for weaponization."
"Yeah. They say it's the monster that devoured dozens of soldiers and knights."
The door opened after confirming the ID, and four lab-coated researchers entered, wearing supplementary gear for dissecting giant organisms. They had exoskeletons, enhancing the appearance of the suits compared to regular reinforced gear, with two additional android-like auxiliary arms on their backs.
"It looks terrifying. Are we dissecting this thing?"
"Yeah. Looks like another overtime today."
"Let's get ready quickly."
The researchers began arranging explosive chemicals and dissection tools on the dissection table using their auxiliary arms.
'Chemical solutions.'
I needed a smoke screen, and this was perfect. I subtly moved my tail toward where the chemical solutions were.
"Hmm?"
One of the researchers turned around. I remained completely still, mimicking my original state.
"Did I see wrong?"
"Hey, stop dawdling and help."
"Okay."
Unaware of any oddity, he focused on assisting his colleagues, moving dissection tools without suspicion.
'All conditions are met.'
Before utilizing the symbol of the hunt, there are some conditions that are to be fulfilled. However, using the 'Symbol Of Hunt' had some side effects, such as, inducing an intense appetite, which could make me lose my sanity when it wore off, if no prey was around.
'To avoid mishaps, I need to prepare some prey in advance.'
The four researchers in this lab would become sacrifices for activating 'symbol of the hunt'
'Of course, they need to help me a bit before that.'
With surveillance cameras around, sneaking out covertly wasn't easy. That's why I needed helpful allies—friendly ones who obey my commands.
-x-X-x-
In the administrative district of the special trade hub stands a towering building monument. Veteran players refer to this place as the "BlXmaX."
Looking at it, it does resemble a twisted doughnut, for sure.
However, its resemblance to extraterrestrial artifacts in classic horror games is only superficial; the setting is quite different. The monument in space survival doesn't drive people insane or transform them into strange forms.
'Instead, it has a feature that buffs the owner.'
When a clan owns a Monument, it gains a clan-only trait called 'Slave Trait'. Clans with this talent are pumped with more than double the profit from the planet they own.This made it a highly sought-after monument for large clans to acquire at all costs. As a result, there was always a lot of warfare in these trade centres.
'In a way, it's an homage to BlXmaX. There have been many clans that have gone to war for the monument and lost.
For me, ownership of the monument held no interest. Instead, I focused on the clan members attempting to obtain it. In the past, I'd infiltrated the monument in various ways to extract genetic essence from the clan members. Once, I even disguised myself using the 'Apparent death' trait, feigning death.
"Ah, I was planning to spend the night at the entertainment district today."
"You're a married man yet you still visit such places?"
"Come on, being married doesn't mean you stop having fun. Don't you dare get married."
"Crazy."
"So is this true that you are working overtime near the year-end? Seriously?"
"You don't even have a partner, what's there to complain about?"
"Ah, no partner means no life? I also want to relax at a resort. Visit exotic places, have chance encounters, meet my destined love, and then parting…"
"Stop the nonsense and help me with this."
The researchers chatted while moving the equipment. They seemed to completely ignore my existence.
"Fine."
Amidst their idle chatter, I activated the Parasitic Colony. Black thread-like creatures emerged from the fingertips of my lower right arm.
'Hide below the dissection table, all of you.'
"Huh?"
"What's going on? It seems odd, like it moved."
"It's dead, why bother? Don't pay attention to useless things."
One researcher scrutinised me before returning to preparations.
'There are four researchers, all wearing masks.'
The parasites had no offensive abilities, unable to breach the masks on their own.
'I need to create an opening for the parasites to enter.'
If I shoot the thorns of my tail to make a hole, it should be possible. However, I can't move immediately due to surveillance cameras. Checking the camera's direction through the auxiliary organ, there is no blind spot in the dissection room.
'To conceal the tail's movement, I need smoke.'
Chemical products for generating smoke are conveniently placed near my tail.
'But just those won't produce enough smoke.'
To induce a chemical reaction, a catalyst is needed, like an acidic solution. Fortunately, my blood has a strong acidic effect.
'I'll have to wait a bit longer; they came here to dissect anyway.'
When they spill my blood, it'll be time for me to move.
***
"Alright. All set?"
The head of the dissection team under the Biological Management Division of the Science Research Institute clapped, lifting the mood in the room. Next to the dissection area stood a stainless-steel table holding various tools.
On the table lay medical instruments like scalpels and medical saws, a plasma cutter for cutting tough skin, and chemical solutions to preserve tissue samples—despite the era of space explorations and colonisation, the dissection procedures hadn't evolved much from their primitive forms.
"Where should we start from?"
"Given its position, how about starting from the back?"
"Let's proceed slowly. Let's start by collecting a sample of the skin tissues."
Following the team leader's instructions, a researcher picked up a scalpel. The auxiliary arms of the exoskeleton suits also held genetic data analyzers and cover glasses.
"Shall we identify the creature first?"
The team leader sliced into the monster's arm section with a scalpel.
"Huh?"
Instead of the arm's surface being cut, the scalpel blade broke.
"It's incredibly tough. This is nearly at the level of an adult Mountain Crawler."
"Try this."
A colleague handed over a sonic blade. Smaller than a military version, this one was a medical tool, but its effect was identical. When the researcher pressed the switch, a thin blade emerged from the bulky stick, emitting an eerie sound due to its ultrasonic vibration.
"Where…"
As the researcher attempted to bring the sonic blade closer to the creature's corpse:
"Huh?…It's moving?"
He noticed a slight movement in the creature's tail, and his colleague beside him smirked as if seeing the same thing.
"Perhaps it's the muscles relaxing after death."
"Y-yeah, that must be it."
"Phew, that startled me. But if this thing is alive, we're probably already dead, right?"
"Hey, don't say scary things."
"Enough chit-chat. Quickly, collect skin samples."
The researcher scraped the monster's arm with the sonic blade. The sound of metal on metal echoed as sparks flew.
"That doesn't sound like something from an animal's body."
Continuing to scratch with the Sonic Blade, finally, scratches began to appear on the creature's exoskeleton.
"Great. A bit more and… Oops."
At that moment, the blade completely malfunctioned, its ultrasonic effect shutting off. Despite the tool being ruined, they managed to cut out a tiny skin fragment.
"It's small, but enough for analysis. Place the sample into the analyzer."
"It is stubbornly tough.."
"Let's try the plasma cutter this time."
Two researchers picked up the plasma cutter. Typically, due to recoil, cutters were secured in stable positions, like on the ground. However, with the exoskeleton suit's auxiliary arms designed to withstand high weights, they could handle the cutter's recoil.
The auxiliary arms firmly grasped the plasma cutter to prevent any shaking. Adjusting the cutter's terminal, aiming it at the corpse's surface, the researchers pressed the activation button.
A thin green beam sprayed out, scorching the surface of the skin. Even a creature with sturdy biological armor couldn't withstand plasma energy—it pierced through effortlessly.
Meanwhile, as the analysis of the sample was complete, the data analyzer displayed a notification.
Surprised, the researcher called the head of the dissection team before finishing the sentence.
"This creature is an unknown species not registered in the MegaCorp database."
"Oh? Is it a new species then?"
"Strangely, it shares dozens of types of genes…"
Before the researcher could finish his sentence, a problem occurred on the side where they were piercing the exoskeleton with the cutter.
"Team leader! Smoke is coming from the body!"
"No, wait! This isn't smoke!"
"Crazy! The blood is acidic!"
As the researcher shouted, the blood flowing from the corpse was melting the dissection table.
"The blood is splashing this way! Be careful!"
Not only that, but due to the cutter's beam, acidic blood splattered towards the researchers. If a nearby researcher hadn't pulled him back, he might have suffered significant injuries.
"Ouch, thanks."
"Get yourself together."
While the grateful colleague checked if he was okay, the researcher discovered something strange attached to his body.
"Huh? What's this on your body?"
A black thread-like creature was attached to his colleague's side. He wondered if he was mistaken, but he wasn't.
It wriggled and crawled upwards.
"Huh? W-what is this?"
Just like him, other researchers had black thread-like creatures attached to them.
"What the…"
As the researcher was shivering, trying to control the auxiliary arm to remove the creature, he heard the sound of breaking glass.
Subsequently, the sound of something splashing water followed, and a hot heat was felt on the back.
When he turned his head, he saw a table where chemical solutions were placed, engulfed in flames.
The acrid smoke from the chemical solution quickly rose, enveloping the researchers.
"Fire!"
"Keuk, kekaak!"
"Get the fire extinguisher!"
Panic-stricken researchers were scrambling around as the motionless corpse of the monster lying on the ground suddenly twitched. Its tail, which had been twitching, launched thorn-like spikes towards the faces of the researchers.
"Oops."
"What was that just now?"
Fortunately, the spikes missed, only brushing past the faces of the dissection team leader and the researchers.
Their masks tore, exposing their flesh to the noxious smoke.
"What's this?"
"Where did that come from?"
The sudden assault of sharp objects left the researchers bewildered, yet there was something else they should have been concerned about—the black parasites stuck to their bodies.
Parasites from the monster's body had swiftly climbed and affixed themselves to the researchers' faces.
"Ahh!"
"Help!"
"Ugh! Cough!"
The researchers hurriedly covered their faces, but the parasites had already entered their masks. They coughed, trying to dislodge the parasites from their nasal passages or scratched their faces in a frantic attempt to grab hold of the creatures.
If they had remained a bit calmer, they might have used the strength of their powerful auxiliary arms to pull the parasites out. However, the sudden fire and the onslaught of unfamiliar parasitic creatures made it difficult for them to maintain composure.
*sprinkler sound*
Due to the smoke, the sprinklers inside the lab activated, showering water. Amidst the downpour, one by one, the researchers stopped moving due to the parasite attacks.
"…Gulp."
"…"
The last remaining was the dissection team manager, he exerted all his effort to remove the parasite that had partially infiltrated his body. As the parasite had penetrated halfway into his body, he managed to grasp the parasite's tail with great difficulty.
Feeling the slimy and unpleasant sensation in their palm, he desperately tried to pull the parasite out. It resisted, stimulating the back of their throat, preventing it from being pulled out.
"Ugh! Cough! Kehuk!"
While retching, the dissection team leader didn't release his grip, trying relentlessly to extract the parasite.
Just as he was about to nearly remove it, he suddenly felt as if his strength was draining from his body.
'Why?'
A long bristle was embedded in their limp wrist. Meanwhile, the parasite had forcefully penetrated deeper into their nostril, but they couldn't feel any pain.
Before collapsing and kneeling on the ground, he witnessed it—the monster, lying in a prone position on the dissection table, its white eyes staring directly at him.
It wasn't dead.
***
Monument's 3rd Central Control Room.
The first day of the council meeting had already concluded, but the management office couldn't afford to take a break. Anna, the cult caretaker with goat horns, was monitoring the surveillance cameras with a bored expression. Her colleague, a male cultist with ram horns, stretched and got up from his seat.
"Where are you going?"
"For coffee. Want me to make you one too?"
"Yeah. Strong, without sugar."
As the male cultist left, Anna refocused on the surveillance. Thanks to her psychic powers specialized in observation, she could monitor hundreds of surveillance cameras simultaneously. She wasn't the only one; all the cultists working in this administrative district possessed unique psychic powers that contributed to city management.
"Ugh, I just want to go home, take a shower, and sleep."
Having abilities that helped with work didn't necessarily mean that the job was enjoyable. Originally, the 3rd Central Management Office had three observers, including a female cultist named Jeanette. If Jeanette hadn't gone missing, Anna wouldn't have had to work overtime for days.
"That woman, fleeing without a word. I wish I could run away too."
Grumbling to herself, she continued monitoring when something odd caught her eye.
"Science Lab 30? Is there a fire?"
The camera showed smoke-filled surroundings with researchers in apparent panic. Soon, the sprinklers activated, turning the lab into a sea of water.
"What's happening? Why are they…"
The frantic researchers suddenly stopped in unison, standing still as the water poured over them. One of them seemed to have lost consciousness, collapsing, but no one was supporting them.
Anna felt something eerie. Something was wrong. Regardless, if there was a fire, she needed to confirm. She grabbed the communication device.
As she contacted them, the people beyond the camera, who had been motionless, suddenly, as if by command, started working to handle the aftermath.
One researcher retrieved the communication device from the dissection team leader.
"3rd Central Control Room here. Was there a fire in Lab 30?"
"Uh, chem…chemical solution spilled, c-causing a fire. It should be normalized soon."
"Do you need the fire suppression team?"
"No, no! Absolutely do not call them!"
"Hmm? What about the person who collapsed, do you really not need help?"
"Uh, th-they just briefly fainted due to inhaling noxious fumes. Th-they'll wake up soon."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, ye-yeah. Anyway, once the team leader wakes up, we need to move this corpse, so you don't need to monitor anymore. Goodbye."
After the call ended, Anna stared at the communication device strangely.
"Why are they so jittery?"
Perhaps it was due to the sudden incident. The researcher's voice sounded unusually shaky, as if afraid of something.
"And transporting specimens in the middle of the night?"
As she pondered, her cult colleague came in with coffee.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, there's a fire in the dissection room, and the response from the researchers seemed odd."
"That's where all the eccentrics go. Don't worry about it."
"Is that so?"
Since her colleague's words made sense, Anna eventually let go of her doubts about the fire in Lab 30.
"There are many other things to do anyway."
She pushed thoughts about the dissection team to the back of her mind and drank coffee with her colleague.
***
'As expected, a call came in right after.'
The call was answered by a researcher under my control, but I know who called him.
'The cult members in the management room.'
One of Monument's features is that the cult members handle indoor surveillance duties.
Human beings have many flaws, such as being easily shaken by sudden incidents, while android's lack autonomous thinking abilities.
However, cults have very few weaknesses. Thanks to their psychic powers, they have a much keener sense than humans, easily detecting sneaky enemies or traps.
Due to these traits, cult immigrants to MegaCorp mainly assume roles like surveillance and reconnaissance, as per their design to enjoy hunting down adversaries. Cult members, akin to wolves, are innate hunters and observers. Despite the era of travelling through space on ships, remnants of traditional hunting culture linger within cult society.
Known as 'quests,' the cults' unique system typically revolves around hunting specific animals for their horns or hearts."
Nevertheless, cult members working alongside humans tend to have fewer of these tendencies. If it were a planet inhabited solely by cult members, my plans might have been immediately thwarted. However, cult members in MegaCorp possess comparatively less acute senses, relying less on intuition due to the complexities in human society. They might have found it peculiar but likely considered it none of their business and moved on.
'Of course, if such incidents occur frequently, they'll eventually take action.'
That's something I should be cautious about when moving forward with my plans. Anyway, I've successfully executed half of my infiltration plan into the administrative district.
"I'll transport the team manager once he wakes up," said the researcher, to which I subtly nodded.
Next stop for me is the Genetic storage. It's a place for storing carcasses of large animals like me, and to my knowledge, there are no surveillance cameras inside. I'm certain due to a similar tactic used in an old game where I infiltrated hiding among animal carcasses.
"Is there a genetic storage facility here?"
"Yes? Uh, yes, there is. It's right next to us, so don't worry."
Moreover, the facility layout aligns ideally with what I desire.
'I could instruct the researchers to fetch the samples.'
Being close means I don't need to leave many authentication records while moving around, which means there's little for the observers to find suspicious.
'After consuming the genetic samples, I could just prey on the researchers.'
Once the effects of the 'Symbol of Hunt' are over, I could call them, resolving any side effects.
'Is there a more perfect way to do this?'
How to make sure that if researchers suddenly disappear, even Monument's administrators won't know until much later? Suddenly, a good idea struck me.
'The phone call from earlier.'
It seemed like something I could use to my advantage.
-x-X-x-
"Akira sir, We'll soon arrive at the T&C Special Trade Center."
Akira Yujin, who was taking a break in the special capsule that regulates his body, opened his eyes at the voice of his subordinate. As the capsule opened, a young woman approached him.
She was astonishingly beautiful but lacked any emotions in her eyes. She held the position of Code Black among the shadows of the Yujin family, making her one of Akira's closest aides.
Without any expression, she handed Akira a towel and a black beverage.
"How much time has passed?"
"It's been a week since we started the journey."
"We'll be a day late compared to the scheduled date."
He didn't ask what happened or why they were delayed. The shadows would have handled it well. In the ship they were on, the flagship of the Yujin family named 'Heaven Sword,' three shadows were on board to escort Akira, not just Code Black but also Code Red and Code Blue were performing security duties somewhere inside the ship.
Akira casually tossed the towel aside and left the capsule room.
Code Black, leaving the handling of the capsule room to the others, followed behind Akira.
As they walked towards the bridge together, Akira spoke suddenly.
"The T&C Special Trade centre. It was thriving even before I became the head."
"Is that so?"
"They called it 'Hwamu Shipilhong (花無十日紅)' which means When the moon becomes full, things are bound to tilt."
[Note:- "花無十日紅" is a Korean idiom that translates to 'Flowers Bloom for Ten Days Without Withering.' This expression conveys the idea of predictability or inevitability, suggesting that certain events follow a natural course, much like the cyclical nature of flowers blooming and the full moon rising. It symbolizes the fleeting nature of moments and serves as a metaphor for the impermanence of life's pleasures.]
Before Akira Yujin, who had been re-elected as CEO three times, two families held the longest reign over the MegaCorp throne: the Veda family, famous for android and AI development, and the Garmelda family, renowned for enhanced combat.
In the early days of Mega Corp, the Veda family monopolized the CEO position, but they rapidly declined after the rise of the StarUnion. Currently, the Veda family barely maintained their status under Noble Capital.
In contrast, the Garmelda family, who received support from the Elders of the Eden family, sustained its dominance as the CEO of the MegaCorp for a long time.
Following Garmelda, the next influential family among the noble capital was T&C.
As they held significant sway in space development, T&C never lost its top position in Noble Capital.
"At that time, the Yujin family didn't have much influence in the upper class of the MegaCorp. Some mocked us as a family which belonged to the lower classes."
While slightly exaggerated, what Akira said wasn't entirely inaccurate. The impact of Yujin's cheap genetically modified food for the lower-tiered capitals was substantial. In fact, Yujin's share in Megacorp's food supply was almost 50 percent.
However, despite its importance in Megacorp, the Yujin family lacked influence over other Noble Capitals. As one ascended in the capital tiers, the consumption of genetically modified food sharply declined.
As a result, during the council meetings for the CEO selections, the Yujin family frequently faced defeat from the other families.
The turning point for Yujin was when their Hulk mutants were deployed on the front lines.
The previous generations actively pursued using genetically modified soldiers in war due to their potential. And it was during Akira's time as the new head of the family that they finally saw the fruition of that strategy by selling the Hulk mutants to other families.
Of course, there was opposition within the family to Akira's decision to sell what was essentially a secret weapon, but he wasn't worried. Yujin's genetic modification technology was unparalleled.
Other families attempted to develop the Hulk mutants but failed due to technological shortcomings.
"Recently, Eden's coward seems to be playing games, but it's unlikely that it will reap fruits."
Akira utilized his shadows to scout for information on various families within the MegaCorp, so he already knew what the Eden family was planning.
"Are you referring to the Silver Lion Knights?"
"That's right. Mixing just two or three genes and blabbering about the essence of genetic modification technology, isn't it rather amusing?"
If Denver listened to this, he would have been greatly infuriated, but Akira had the right to say such things.
In fact, Code Black standing before him now justified this.
Those belonging to the shadows were ultimate biological weapons synthesized with over dozens of genetic types.
"It seems T&C's snake intends to only take out the filling through Eden, but they started wrong from the first button. It would have been better if they supported our Yujin family."
Of course, the likelihood of Samdam, who coveted the CEO position more than anyone else, forming an alliance with Akira was low. Even if he requested, Akira wouldn't have complied with it.
During their non-verbal conversation, they arrived at the bridge.
The soldiers on the bridge, who were focused on their duties, quieted down and bowed their heads when they saw Akira.
"Hehehe, it seems this council meeting will be truly enjoyable."
Akira, who sat on the commander's seat on the bridge, smiled looking forward to the upcoming council meeting.
***
'A Genetic storage. It's been a while since I've been here.'
Under the blue lighting, dissected bodies of creatures were visible in various places.
Some were stacked on stainless steel tables, while those resembling human bodies were vacuum-sealed in plastic hanging from hooks on the ceiling.
The eerie feeling from the lighting and the creepy scene were just like in a game, but there were two differences: the cold breeze from the air conditioning units on the walls and the smell emanating from the bodies.
These sensations were beyond what a game could provide.
"Now that I see it for real, it gives a very uncomfortable feeling."
There was an incident where I once ambushed users hiding among corpses in here, and they questioned why I always popped out in scary places.
At that time, I couldn't fathom why they were making such ridiculous complaints, but now, it was definitely an atmosphere worthy of complaint.
"T-the genetic list you requested."
The team leader, who was under my control because of the parasite inside him, handed me a terminal pad.
I had requested it before coming here to find out what was in the genetic storage.
'I need to pick out what to consume first.'
In the unlikely event of an unforeseen occurrence, it might become challenging to obtain genetic samples.
Hence, selecting and consuming what was necessary first would minimize losses in case of an accident.
'Let's see.'
Using my small arms, I carefully checked the list displayed on the pad.
'Hmm.'
The variety of species held here was less diverse than what I expected. There were just numerous samples collected from the same species.
'But that's not necessarily bad.'
Even considering only the traits obtained from humans, there were more than one or two.
The same went for other creatures.
Even if the number of species was limited, each creature could offer various traits.
'I should target samples from species that have beneficial traits.'
I scrolled down the list slowly, inspecting it meticulously.
Initially, I thought the list was unsatisfactory, but midway, I noticed two creature types holding traits I needed.
'A Metallic Gremlin? And…'
The sample of the other creature that caught my attention was something I could never obtain here under normal circumstances.
'I understand the Metallic Gremlin, but…'
It was puzzling why T&C possessed a sample of a creature posing a significant threat to the space city.
Metallic Gremlins, as a species, had the negative trait of 'Dwarfism' throughout their entire race. Just as Amorph couldn't interact with other races, Metallic Gremlins could never grow taller than 1 meter, no matter what they did. Even the tallest among them, the King Gremlin, was around 1 meter 50 centimeters.
"They probably injected the dwarfism trait to make their employees weaker"
While I could understand the Metallic Gremlin, I was quite puzzled about how 'that' sample was obtained by T&C.
"How… did you acquire… this?"
"It's a sample collected while dissecting the smuggled animals."
The world is vast, and there are many people, indeed.
'I hadn't expected someone to smuggle 'that'.'
When considering its size, we'd need a container at least five times larger than the harbor Earth's containers.
'Well, there are people smuggling Mountain Crawlers and Gallogons, so why not?'
I roughly agreed and glanced over the rest of the list.
Apart from the two creatures, there didn't seem to be any other organisms with particularly important traits.
'Still, obtaining its genes would yield tremendous results.'
It's because that specific creature possessed traits that could help me unlock a new type.
Getting that type would significantly expand what I could do.
'Especially since it grants the ability for space travel.'
Quietly chanting with excitement, I selected around 30 samples and instructed the team leader to get them.
As expected, the team leader, who saw 'that' genetic sample, showed signs of concern.
"Is..is this the creature you're referring to?"
"Five samples of a rare species require a p-permit. Perhaps something else…"
"No."
Even if it meant giving up everything else, 'that' had to be collected at all costs.
Ultimately, the team leader left the Genetic storage with a distressed expression.
"What… What should we do?"
"Wait."
Even with the assurance of doing nothing, the faces of the three researchers were filled with anxiety.
Unfortunately, they had only one future left.
A sacrifice to calm the aftermath of the 'Symbol of Hunt'.
'But how can I lure the Cult members here?'
It's better to consume it while the effects of the 'Symbol of Hunt' persist.
It's an opportunity to obtain valuable traits in the psychic category.
"I remember each surveillance team had a total of three members."
If I could pull all three simultaneously, it would be ideal, but the probability was low.
'One must always remain in the control room.'
The original plan was to lure Cult members into the Genetic storage using the researchers and inject the parasite in them when they arrived.
But after seeing the list, I decided to change my plans slightly.
'If I acquire traits from Metallic Gremlin, I can become more proactive.'
Metallic Gremlins possess a trait like an EMP that disrupts all the machinery in their vicinity.
With that trait, it wouldn't be difficult to seize not only one Cult member but also control the management room.
So, deliberately increasing the chance of extracting good traits, I requested multiple samples per organism.
There were a total of 8 samples each for Metallic Gremlin and 'that' in the storage.
Meaning, I had 8 opportunities to acquire the traits of those creatures each.
'Of course, if all I get is dwarfism, it's a total loss
However, even with dwarfism, I could deploy various strategies, like navigating through ventilation ducts or ambushing enemies by hiding in human corpses. In this Monument, where there were many spaces accessible to small bodies, dwarfism wasn't a bad trait for assaulting the building.
'The problem is, in this game, once you acquire a trait, you can't discard it.'
Unless the transcendent system eliminates the dwarfism trait, I'll be unable to exceed 1m in height until I reach ascendant.
With numerous adversaries ahead, some needing to be subdued by force, dealing with them alone won't be easy with a small stature.
'Though I don't plan on acquiring it anyway.'
"I've brought them."
While pondering how to handle Cult members, the team leader returned.
He placed the capsule containing the samples on a stainless steel table.
'Great. Shall we begin then?'
I activated the 'Symbol of Hunt'.
"Eek?!"
As my body rapidly grew, the researchers inside the Genetic storage gasped in awe. My exoskeleton covered my eyes, and my horn grew even larger. My body swelled, reaching nearly 5m from the initial 3m. Thanks to the tail's corresponding enlargement, the combined length of my body and tail nearly approached 10m. Combat-ready arms sprouted, resembling shields at the wrists and two bone-bladed arms emerged from my back.
"Grrrr…"
I growled softly, feeling the overwhelming sensation throughout my body.
One of the overwhelmed researchers seemed on the verge of fainting, whimpering,
"Uhh…"
Then came the rising smell of ammonia. But no one blamed him; they all had identical expressions.
Ignoring their reactions, I used my smaller arm to pick up the capsule containing the samples.
The surface of the capsule was inscribed with the words 'Skywhale'.
'Shall we unlock a new type then?'
I needed the traits of 'that,' the Skywhale, the most. I placed the capsule with the genetic samples of Skywhale in my mouth. The capsule broke inside, and the essence of the genetic material permeated my body.
'Alright. Success…'
[Predation effect activated! Successfully Obtained 'Space Flight (Incomplete)' genetic essence.]
[Extracted 'Space Flight (Incomplete)' from the biological traits of 'Skywhale'.]
[Do you want to apply 'Space Flight (Incomplete)'?]
[Note: Cheats are not allowed.]
[An urgent message has arrived.]
As always when the predation effect occurred, a semi-transparent text box appeared. This time, it contained additional information.
'What? No cheats allowed? Seriously?'
I hurriedly opened the urgent message.
[When the predation effect is triggered for a sample during the 'Symbol of Hunt', only Incomplete units of genetic essence will be obtained. To completely acquire a trait, the predation effect targeting the same trait from the same sample must occur twice.]
[Note: This is for balancing the Transcendence System.]
'Crazy.'
I have faced a lot of adversities since I arrived in this world. At the beginning I had panicked because of the unfamiliar body and struggled to survive against those adversities.
Furthermore, there were situations unfamiliar to me in the game, and I had found myself in danger.
But I, as the sole player among the Amorphs who had entered the ranker level, utilized my experience and knowledge I gained over a long time of playing as an Amorph to overcome obstacles.
Hence, I had forgotten that Space Survival was an insanely challenging game.
Space Survival is a game known for its expansive universe, diverse races, and high level of freedom, making it appealing to sci-fi enthusiasts. While it's a game that caters well to fans of the genre, it, like many online games, faced issues, particularly in its management.
The team behind Space Survival had a notorious reputation for being more dysfunctional than any other game's developers. Given the game's characteristics, balancing issues were rampant.
For instance, comparing Cultists who rarely show any weakness from the beginning to end and the Amorphs who are challenging to play from the very beginning, there was a clear imbalance. Despite this, there were very few instances where the developers adjusted the balance.
I, too, had a fondness for Amorphs, which allowed me to rank up and experience the endings. If it hadn't been the case, I might have quit.
'But this… they changed right away?'
It's the first time I've seen such a prompt response from the management amidst all the balance complaints.
'Cheating.'
There were similar incidents in past games. MegaCorp operates multiple colonial planets to recruit employees. Some planets resemble Earth with familiar environments, while others are fantastical. However, they all have restrictions, be it tangible or intangible, making it impossible for them to resist MegaCorp's dominance. Employees on these planets had poor armaments or the planet lacked advanced civilizations.
'In other words, these are places where gathering genetic essence is remarkably easy.'
Hence, I once roamed only on these colonial planets, gathering genetic essence. On a day when I raided about three planets simultaneously, an urgent notice appeared in the game. They claimed an unforeseen situation occurred and immediate adjustments were necessary.
At that time, the community buzzed with speculation, yet no one knew precisely what had changed.
'It had to happen.'
They didn't play as an Amorph after all like I did. Unlike them, I could immediately discern what the issue was.
The next day, I attacked colonial planets to harvest numerous genetic essences, but the instances of the predation effect were extremely rare among them. It meant that the administration had adjusted the probability of the predation effect being triggered by employees of these colonial planets to be extremely low.
'Even after devouring dozens of employees here, only one trait emerged.'
Anyway, having experienced something similar before, this situation didn't feel that unfamiliar to me. However, as a human, I couldn't help feeling extremely unsettled.
'They talk about development intentions and leave other things uncorrected, yet they swiftly modify this.'
If this continues, I will have to change my plans again. If the traits keep appearing incomplete even after consuming samples, it won't be worth it.
'…Let's just take this for now.'
I accepted the offer to obtain the Space Flight trait. As indicated by 'Incomplete,' there was no noticeable change in my body.
I felt a sense of disappointment and irritation at the fact, pondering on what to do next.
'The samples need to be consumed after the 'Symbol of Hunt' ends. That's when there's at least a possibility… huh?'
At that moment, a semi-transparent text box appeared once again.
[New unread message has arrived. Would you like to read it?]
There were no words indicating that it was an urgent message or the like.
'Last time, a similar message came regarding the transcendence system.'
Upon checking, my anticipation was correct.
['Transcendence' Material List: Form Mimicry, Pheromone Enhancement, Clairvoyance, Hallucination (Not acquired)]
['Transcendence' Material List (New!): Wings, Endurance, Space Flight, Gigantism (Not acquired), Hijacking (Not acquired)]
Sure enough, it was a guide suggesting the creation of a new unique trait using the transcendence system.
'Who's trying to trick me now?'
Suppressing the rising irritation, I attempted to dismiss the text box.
'Wait?'
At that moment, a single idea flashed across my mind.
I revisited the text box.
'Why Space Flight?'
The transcendence material list marks the traits I don't possess as 'Not acquired.' Gigantism and Hijacking are traits that I don't have and are separately indicated as such. However, there's no additional indication for Space Flight.
Realizing this fact, I deduced a possibility.
'Could it be that the transcendence materials can be used for traits I haven't completely acquired?'
I revisited the previous message regarding the transcendence system.
｢'Transcendence' System: Merges three or more possessed traits into a new 'unique' trait. The newly acquired trait is entirely new and previously non-existent.｣
It was the message I received back then. The tooltip mentions merging 'possessed traits,' not specifically 'usable traits.'
'I can't use Wings, but if they're included in the materials, there might be a chance.'
If traits rendered unusable due to restrictions are included, couldn't Space Flight be used as a transcendence material?
'An intriguing hypothesis.'
If so, the paths ahead split into two for me.
First, to gather transcendence materials by manifesting the predation effect in the state of the 'Symbol of Hunt'.
'Gigantism and Highjacking might be possible with a stroke of luck.'
Gigantism can be obtained from the Skywhales, and Highjacking is a fusion trait, that can acquired from the Metallic Gremlins.
'I need to merge the Dexterity trait with the Interference trait.'
Of course, fusion traits can only be made with fully functional traits, so my trick might not work.
'I need to acquire the Interference trait twice to use it as a material.'
That's as far as the first option goes.
'The other choice is simply waiting for the effect of the 'Symbol of Hunt' to end and then take the samples.'
'In this case, acquiring a completely usable trait solely depends on triggering the predation effect, but the downside is that the probability of triggering it will be very low. If luck isn't on my side, even consuming all the samples here might not yield me a single trait.'
I looked down at the samples.
'What should I do?'
After a brief contemplation, I made a decision.
'Let's consume one right now.'
In a situation where both options rely on luck, acquiring a trait through the 'Symbol of Hunt' appeared to be less risky. At least, even if luck doesn't favor me, I would at least get some incomplete traits.
I picked up a sample and swallowed it.
With a gurgling sound, a text box appeared signifying the predation effect.
[Predation effect activated! Successfully obtained 'Energy Absorption' genetic essence]
'Energy Absorption.'
Skywhales are creatures that periodically appear on various forest or ocean type planets though the probability is quite low. Their appearance includes eight eyes and wings displaying multiple opalescent colors. They are colossal in size, reaching a minimum of over 50 metres.
Skywhales spend their lives in the sky, except for three instances: when they're born, when they give birth, and when they die. Unlike typical animals, they don't acquire energy through meals. Lacking a proper digestive system, they utilize the energy absorption trait to draw energy for survival from natural sources like light, air, and moisture in clouds.
While it might seem like an excellent ability, it's not suitable for an Amorph.
'If I acquire Energy Absorption, my mouth and digestive system would deteriorate.'
Amorph gains traits and nutrients by consuming its prey and digesting the genetic essence within them. If I apply Energy Absorption, the side effect would result in the loss of my mouth and digestive system, effectively eliminating my means of obtaining genetic essence.
I've had incidents before where I unknowingly received Energy Absorption, which then blocked further evolution, forcing me to restart as an Amorph again.
'Hmm.'
Normally, I shouldn't accept this trait, but since the circumstances have slightly changed.
'And I have the transcendence system.'
Even if it's currently not useful for me, there's a possibility it could be used as transcendence material.
'I know the combinations for fusion traits, but…'
The newly updated transcendence system is still an uncharted territory for me.
'If it's Incomplete, it won't have any effect, so applying it shouldn't be an issue.'
The fact that incomplete traits don't trigger effects has already been proven through the Space Flight trait.
After much deliberation, I accepted the Energy Absorption trait. As expected, there were no changes in my mouth or in my insides.
Having received Energy Absorption, I continued to ingest the samples. Upon consuming the fifth sample capsule, the predation effect triggered.
The trait I obtained was 'Robust Vitality,' a trait I previously acquired through cockroaches.
'Since I already have regeneration, I don't really need it…'
If there are two similar traits, only the effect of the better one applies. With sufficient physical-related traits already, there's no need to consume a lesser-performing trait like Robust Vitality, apart from it being a material for regeneration.
'Just in case, though.'
While in the game, traits evaluated as not useful might have undisclosed purposes, as evidenced by the Wings being used as transcendence materials.
Subsequently acquiring Robust Vitality, I found myself with only one Skywhale sample left.
Honestly, it was a slightly disappointing outcome.
'No, gathering materials isn't so bad. Let's find significance in that.'
Without much expectation, upon consuming the final sample, a new trait emerged.
[Predation effect triggered! Successfully obtained 'Gigantism (Incomplete)' genetic essence from the 'Skywhale.']
[Extracted 'Gigantism (Incomplete)' from the biological trait 'Skywhale.']
[Do you want to apply 'Gigantism (Incomplete)'?]
If it were Space Flight, I would have acquired a complete trait, but unfortunately, it was a different trait.
'Gigantism.'
Gigantism is a universal trait possessed by every colossal creature with a size exceeding 50 metres."
This translation aims to convey the details and nuances of the original text for English readers.
"The owner of the sample I just consumed, the Skywhale or the quasi-embryo-like Black Gallagon, possesses the trait of Gigantism.
'Having this trait would have allowed me to use the Gigantification technique, what a pity.'
Similar to how the Monstrous Tentacle trait enables the Psychic Breath, acquiring the Gigantism trait allows transformation into a special state of Gigantification.
'Upon Gigantification, I could grow to around 20 meters tall and become incredibly powerful.'
Despite being limited to once a week, once Gigantified, I become significantly formidable. It's not just about size; my physical abilities also scale up proportionally. A Gigantified Amorph would possess immense strength, enough to face a warship or even an entire city without flinching.
Furthermore, the Predation Effect doubles the efficacy of traits and type effectiveness. If I had the Gigantism trait in this state, I could easily exceed 50 meters. That would truly display a majestic presence worthy of the term 'Space Monster.'
'Sigh. Regrettable, but inevitable.' That was the end of the Skywhale sample.
From eight Skywhale samples, I acquired four traits: Space Flight, Gigantism, Energy Absorption for material, and Robust Vitality.
'If only there weren't any limits, it would have been a significant harvest.'
Obtaining four traits from a single creature is remarkable.
'…It's in the past now. There's no use getting annoyed.'
I shook my head to dispel irritation and reached for the remaining samples to consume.
At that moment, the sub-mandible auxiliary device beneath my jaw trembled.
Simultaneously, rapid scenes flashed in my mind.
[The female cultist says, 'Something seems suspicious.']
[The male cultist asks, 'What?']
[The female cultist shakes her head at the camera. 'The head of the autopsy team visited the genetic vault but hasn't returned from the cryogenic vault.']
[The male cultist responds, 'Huh? Why would they go in there?']
[The female cultist continues, 'I don't know. Also, other researchers went in earlier, but they haven't come out yet.']
[The male cultist stands up. 'I'll go check. If it seems odd, I'll report to the higher-ups.']
The scene ended with the male cultist with ram horns exiting the dark room.
'Oh no.'
I thought it had passed without incident, but it hadn't.
'That female cultist has a keen sense.'
Initially, the fire incident didn't raise much concern, but observing the odd behavior of the head of the autopsy team aroused suspicion.
'The Third Central Control Room is nearby.'
In about five minutes, the male cultist will arrive here. Capturing the male cultist itself isn't particularly challenging. I'm currently strengthened by the effect of the 'Symbol of Hunt'.
'The issue arises after dealing with the male cultist.'
If the cultists aren't in contact, that perceptive female cultist won't just stand by. She'll undoubtedly contact the higher authorities, the First Central Control Room, or the Monument Security Team.
'I need to neutralize the cameras.'
For that, I need a trait possessed by the Metallic Gremlins.
I inserted the Metallic Gremlin samples into my mouth, and as the capsules passed through my throat, the genetic essence inside seeped into my system. Every time the essence dissolved, a text box appeared in front of me.
Dwarfism, Dwarfism, Metal Absorption…
It didn't start well. After multiple Dwarfism traits, the third was Metal Absorption, which I already had. I acquired Dwarfism as a material and cancelled the rest.
Next, when I consumed the fourth capsule, the anticipated Electromagnetic Interference trait appeared.
'Great. Just once more.'
Obtaining Interference one more time would allow me to acquire a complete trait. However, despite consuming two more samples, no predation effect appeared. I now had only two chances left, and at this point, I began to feel anxious.
'Should I go with the initial plan?'
Suddenly, I thought it might be better to go for the method of infesting and controlling the cultists.
'But that keen female cultist might be onto something.'
As seen in William's case, parasites aren't foolproof. While the male cultist may succumb, if that sensitive female cultist suspects anything unusual with her colleague, I might end up back where I started.
'That's not all. If caught with the 'Parasitic colony' trait, the situation will get even worse.'
Contemplating how to handle the female cultist, I swallowed the seventh sample.
And then, the text box appeared.
[Predation effect triggered! Successfully obtained 'Electromagnetic Interference(Incomplete)' genetic essence from the 'Metallic Gremlin.']
[Extracting 'Electromagnetic Interference(Incomplete)' from the biological trait 'Metallic Gremlin.']
[Would you like to apply 'Electromagnetic Interference (Incomplete)'?]
[Electromagnetic Interference: Emits waves causing temporary malfunctions in devices powered by electricity.]
The completed trait spoke to me. There's no need for further contemplation.