Even the forest that couldn't be seen a step ahead due to the dew and darkness welcomed the morning. Light spread over the dark forest floor. The ground was slightly wet from the mist and dew that occurred in the early morning.
Footprints covered the moist soil. These were traces left by pirates and walkers moving through. Since it was now morning, there were no significant problems with their movement and search, unlike the previous dawn.
However, their atmosphere had changed significantly from a few hours ago when they arrived at this place. Unfamiliar emotions filled their faces hidden behind helmets—fear. It was the fear instinctively felt by those facing danger.
"Boss, is the deputy chief still alive?"
"Shut up."
"…Okay."
When Dylan growled, the subordinate immediately silenced. Currently, they were using a detector to track the missing assistant chief. The assistant chief disappeared abruptly during an attack, most likely taken away by some monster.
"Damn it! If the leader finds out about this…"
The assistant chief was a person directly assigned by the leader to assist Dylan. If she finds out that he has been captured by a monster, she would not let it go unpunished. To avoid an unfortunate future, they had to capture the monster at any cost, whether alive or dead.
"Enemy detected!"
As soon as the walker operator shouted, everyone opened fire towards the creatures hiding in the trees. In a matter of seconds, one with only the lower body remaining fell to the ground.
"…Wood Devils. There are two more, so keep looking."
Although only weak wood devils seemed to be dying since a while ago, there was no sign of the main one. It was possible that it had escaped far from this place, but Dylan was confident that it wouldn't be the case.
"It's a hunter."
Moreover, a hunter capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the most lethal predators on this continent. Until all the pirates who entered this forest were dead, it wouldn't stop the massacre.
"Boss! Look over there!"
At that moment, one of the subordinates pointed to the trees. Expecting wood devils, Dylan raised his head, but what he saw was something worse.
"…This damn bastard."
Hanging from every tree were stripped corpses. It was a message—either a warning that they would be made the same way or a provocation that they were not worth more than this.
Reading the meaning behind the hanging corpses, Dylan gritted his teeth.
"Sir, shouldn't we retrieve the bodies?"
"…."
Whether it was Dylan or the pirates present, there was little consciousness among them regarding the corpses. The reason for bringing up the need to retrieve the bodies was the presence of other predators in this forest.
In the vicinity, there were no predators strong enough to threaten the pirates. However, due to the explosion and the movement of the Plant Lizards that occurred in the early morning, it couldn't be ruled out that predators from afar might have come here. For example, the 'Hond Gigrant.'
It is a bipedal carnivorous reptile with a body covered in scales as tough as the outer walls of a battleship, and jaw strength powerful enough to easily crush a heavy walker. Moreover, it always traveled in pairs, making it a difficult foe for the current group of pirates to confront.
"…They have a keen sense of smell."
Surely the monster that hung the corpses knew this fact and deliberately arranged them in that way. Those who were pursuing the missing deputy chief had to pass through this place, increasing the likelihood of encountering another predator attracted by the scent of the corpses.
"Immediately pull those bodies out… No, wait."
Dylan, who was about to order his subordinates to retrieve the bodies, closed his mouth.
"No. Would it act like that?"
It was the one who predicted the landing point of the transport ship and laid mines. The chance that such a cunning person did nothing to the corpses was slim.
"It hung the bodies low."
In the video sent by his subordinates, the corpses were hung high for a while, but now they weren't. It was a low enough position that even a pirate in reinforced armor could jump and grab them and pull them down.
It was as if it was tempting us to retrieve the bodies.
"Something's off."
Dylan aimed the purple spray gun at the bodies hanging on the trees. The violet flames spewing from the elongated barrel burned the corpses and trees.
The barely suspended body fell to the ground, and upon landing, it exploded with a loud noise.
"That bastard!"
He hid a bomb inside the corpse, which was rigged to explode upon impact. In other words, a double trap. Whether he removed the body or not, it would still be a problem.
"…Ugh, let's get out of here as soon as possible."
"Understood!"
Passing through the path with the bombs was certainly not a good choice, but it couldn't be helped. It was better than drawing the attention of other predators due to the explosion.
Dylan and the pirates swiftly moved away from the bodies.
"50 meters ahead, the deputy chief's movement has stopped!"
Although they were getting closer to the deputy chief, Dylan felt more uneasy. He had no idea what kind of scheme that monster might be planning this time.
"Everyone, stop."
It seems like he, who was wearing the indomitable mask, needs to inspect it personally.
"You, you, and you come with me. The rest wait."
"Yes."
Dylan, along with some subordinates, stepped forward. As they pushed through the dense grass, a wide clearing appeared in front of them. Beneath the trees in the clearing, the deputy chief was leaning against a tree trunk.
The reinforced armor he was wearing, whether torn apart by monsters or due to some other reason, was severely damaged. Except for the abdominal area, the rest was torn.
Dylan first scanned the surroundings with the indomitable mask. If it was concealing itself, it would appear as a violet light, but there was no sign of any creature in the vicinity.
Upon closer inspection of the deputy chief, his body was seen writhing. He was still alive.
"Damn, are you alive?"
"Uh…ugh! Ugh!"
He seemed to have suffered serious injuries, as he could only groan without being able to move. Dylan gestured to his subordinate.
One pirate cautiously approached the assistant chief.
"Deputy Chief?"
"Ugh! Ugh!"
As the pirate approached, the deputy chief's groans became more intense.
"Huh?"
Approaching closely, the pirate noticed that something was strange with the deputy chief. His abdomen was unnaturally swollen.
As the pirate was about to touch his abdomen, at that moment, the reinforced armor burst open, and black beetles attached to the inside rushed out, attacking the pirate.
***
'Alright.'
The hidden tooth fairies initiated their actions. Now it's my turn.
As a metal-eating being in stealth mode, I had crawled up to the top of the tree trunk, avoiding detection by the enemies.
'The leader over there seems to have made some calculations as well.'
Detecting the bomb trap was quite clever, but it was within my expected range. They were too focused on the corpses, and thanks to that, they didn't notice me hiding at the top of the tree trunk.
'It's in the palm of my hand.'
I leaped down from the tree trunk. The target was the walker preparing for combat from the rear.
My body, now significantly heavier due to the nightmare horizon effect, descended rapidly. Unaware of me falling, the walker, charging its plasma launcher, remained oblivious.
"Huh?!"
"Ah!"
The walker I collided with toppled forward. As it fell, the charging launcher fired, turning two nearby pirates into dust.
"It's the monster!"
A shout from inside the cockpit echoed. It was intended to wipe them out in one go, but unfortunately, it was a failure.
The thick steel gloves surrounding the cockpit were bent like a spoon due to my collision, but it seemed it wasn't enough to kill the pilot.
Other pirates and walkers turned back in response to the pilot's words.
I activated the Ghost Claws and reached into the cockpit. After manipulating my hand a few times, I silenced the pilot in one go and quickly leaped forward. Just in time, a plasma beam passed above my back.
[Activating Pain nullification!]
"Oh no!"
I thought I had escaped unharmed, but it wasn't the case. The beam had destroyed the dorsal plate on my back.
Until I recovered, the Electromagnetic interference was unavailable.
Following the beam, purple flames from the Purple Spray Gun erupted towards me from all directions.
'…It's incredibly hot.'
The flames of psychic origin seared my outer layer. The Purple Spray Gun had formidable destructive power, and the flames, made of unrefined psychic power, wouldn't easily extinguish. It continued to burn until a certain amount of time had passed.
Currently, I was in a state with Psychic Enhancement type, Psychic Immunity trait, and Pain Nullification trait. Thanks to these, I stopped feeling pain before it became unbearable; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to move properly.
'Even though I used Metal Absorption, it's a shame.'
The transparency was useless because of the purple flames sticking to my body.
'…But even in this state, there's a strategy I can use.'
With the flames still on my body, I rushed towards the remaining walker. The guy charging the launcher hurriedly activated the shoulder-mounted grenade launcher as I approached.
'How foolish.'
The grenade, packed with concentrated plasma energy, hit my head and bounced off. The rebounded grenade landed in front of the pirates pouring psychic flames at me.
"What the…!"
Ignoring the thunderous explosion from behind, I charged towards the walker. Unlike the walker helplessly attacked during the dawn, this one tilted his body to let my charge slide off.
Though the horn left an elongated mark on the external armor of the cockpit, it didn't pierce through. Dodging my horn, the walker kicked me and pushed me away.
Focused on the charge, I was greatly pushed back by the walker's kick.
'But it doesn't matter.'
Despite the walker aiming the launcher at me, his intention couldn't be fulfilled.
"Ugh…ughhh!"
This was because the psychic flames engulfing my body had transferred to the walker.
As the cockpit was engulfed in purple flames, the pilot hastily escaped from inside.
'Where are you going?'
I swung my tail at him as he attempted to flee.
Hit by the tail covered in sturdy scales, he flew far away and collided with a tree. The moment he collided with the tree, he turned into a mosquito-like shape, squashed against the palm of my hand.
"Shoot! Shoot and kill that thing!"
The pirate leader who had gone ahead for reconnaissance was now back, screaming. The auto-plasma gun on his shoulder was precisely aiming and shooting at me. I turned my head, aimed my arm, and blocked the incoming plasma bullets. It stung a bit, but it was still endurable.
'Should I change my position?'
Avoiding the psychic flames and plasma bullets, I leaped into the midst of the pirates. The Purple Spray Gun doesn't discriminate between friend and foe. Pirates wielding flamethrowers hesitated and stopped shooting.
"These idiots! Shoot him now!"
The cunning pirate leader shouted, but it was already too late. I pulled out all the weapons from my combat arm.
First, I struck the head of a pirate with a bone axe who seemed unsure of what to do.
"Kek!"
While his brain matter scattered, a blood-red blood-sucking tentacle grabbed another pirate's leg.
"Ugh?!"
The pirate entangled by the blood-sucking tentacle turned into a 1.9m-long club, used to beat down other pirates.
"Kkeuk!"
"Ah!"
Even for a pirate wearing sturdy reinforced armor, the club made from a pirate in the same attire was unbearable. Like bowling pins hit by a bowling ball, the pirates fell over.
Perhaps realizing their comrades were being abandoned, the other pirates once again attempted to activate the Purple Spray Gun.
I opened my mouth wide towards them.
A pouch with malicious fungi from the internal organs of my throat was expelled outward. The black masses flew in an arc and landed behind the pirates with flamethrowers. With the sound of bursting water balloons, the wicked fungi were released, clinging to the pirates.
"K…kyak!"
"A…agh…aghhh!"
The pirates screamed in a strange manner as they writhed. Thanks to the enhanced infection trait, the effects of space bacteria and contamination fungi were even more potent.
The contaminated fungi, now much more malicious than before, rapidly consumed the pirates' bodies.
"Th…this damn… Retreat! Retreat!"
The walkers were wiped out, and the remaining pirates had significantly dwindled.
At the retreat order from the pirate leader, other pirates turned around and started to run away.
I didn't chase after them. Instead, I gathered around the pirates who were still alive in the vicinity.
"S…stop… Kkek!"
'I should recover before chasing them.'
I carefully chewed on the head of a struggling pirate. The dorsal plate, which activates the jamming trait, was damaged, and the entire body suffered burns due to psychic flames.
Rather than hastily pursuing the enemy, it was preferable to recover from wounds and replenish energy before moving.
"I've already eliminated all the walkers and flamethrower troops anyway."
The one who seemed to be the leader was armed only with the Purple Spray Gun and an auto-plasma gun. In this perilous forest, they were like wounded deer.
'Now, I'm the pursuer.'
It's a bit disappointing that I won't be using the traps I had prepared, but it's okay. I love a good pursuit.
-x-X-x-
"Damn it! Screw this!"
Dylan cursed incessantly. His subordinates beside him cast uneasy glances as he muttered under his breath.
"I underestimated the enemy too much!"
After a prolonged escape, they were momentarily taking a break behind a rock, hidden from sight. Only six people, including Dylan, were able to survive. The fate of the other subordinates was uncertain. However, judging by the complete cessation of gunfire that was heard from afar just a few minutes ago, it was easy to imagine the grim outcome they might have faced.
"Damn it!"
Including Dylan and the Deputy chief, 32 people had come here, along with five heavy walkers. Now, only six people were left. Even if they managed to escape unscathed, it was inconceivable for Dylan, who had caused such chaos, go unpunished.
"…Contact the cruiser."
Despite the circumstances, Dylan chose to contact the cruiser, as it seemed to be the most viable option for his survival. Dylan believed that even enduring torture was better than dying.
Dylan disconnected the wire from the terminal attached to his wrist and connected it to a socket on a mask resembling a death mask at the corner.
Then, he pressed the button on the terminal, and communication with the cruiser was established. A short connection sound emanated from the terminal, and a communications soldier received his transmission.
"Dylan here. Where's the leader?"
[She left for the continent this morning. Apparently, she got information about a treasure from that sky mother of beasts we caught not long ago.]
"Oh, really?"
Upon hearing the communications soldier's words, Dylan breathed a sigh of relief. The pirates listening nearby also showed relieved expressions.
Without the leader, Dylan would become the top member of the Human Cartel. If they captured the monster with the forces of the cruiser before the leader returned, the severity of the punishment for them would likely be reduced.
"There's a top-grade danger creature here. I'll send the information, so record it in the ship's database."
[Sure, understood!]
As Dylan manipulated the terminal, the video information about the monster recorded by his mask was transmitted directly to the cruiser's computer.
[All information has been transmitted.]
"Good. Our lives are in danger, so we need to act right away…"
[zzz…zzz.zzz..zzz]
Dylan tried to request support, but suddenly, noise interfered, and the terminal became unresponsive.
"This bastard! Bring the cruiser here immediately!"
[zzz..zzzz…zz…zzz.z]
"Damn!"
In his anger, Dylan was about to strike the terminal, but then he heard the sound of trees breaking nearby.
When a colossal creature moved, the sound was something these pirates in this place were quite familiar with.
"...."
Everyone trembled, with their mouths agape in fear. It's not like they lacked the weapons to inflict harm on the creature. They had a grenade launcher, the purple spray gun Dylan was holding, and an auto-plasma gun. The problem was that using all of these they could only cause harm to the creature, but not kill it. Everyone knew what happened when that creature retaliated against other pirates. That's why they chose to hide and endure rather than confront it directly, hoping the creature would pass by without realizing they were there.
Thud, thud, thud.
The wet ground vibrated every time the creature's heavy footsteps were put on it. As the sound of footsteps grew louder, Dylan reached a point where he couldn't tell if the noise was the creature's footsteps or his own heartbeat.
The seemingly eternal sound of footsteps came to a stop. In contrast, Dylan's heartbeats reached their peak.
*Growl*
The creature growled. Hearing it so close, they could pinpoint its location. The creature was behind the rock where they were hiding.
\What the hell should I do? What's the best course of action? Damn, should I attack now? No, what if it goes wrong? Screw it! I don't want to die!\
Dylan, in an extreme state of tension, seemed on the verge of losing his mind. His subordinates beside him were similarly trembling visibly, with their arms and legs shaking.
"Grr"
The instigator who had terrified the pirates like this moved its steps again. With each step, the reverberation felt from the creature's heavy feet gradually subsided.
Only then did the pirates breathe a sigh of relief, visibly relaxing. Some pirates were so tense that they even vomited on the spot.
Despite the nauseating smell, Dylan didn't blame his subordinates. Even he, a powerful cultist with a strong mental will, wanted to vomit but managed to hold back.
The pirates hiding behind rocks started to stand up one by one, surveying the surroundings. Dylan, after a deep breath, also got up from his position.
The creature was nowhere in sight, perhaps it was already gone.
Thinking it was fortunate, as he stretched, tilting his head back.
"...."
Dylan realized the true meaning of the expression 'heart froze.' A purple mass was vividly glowing on a dead branch beside the rock.
"Fo..un..d…yo..u"
As soon as he grasped that fact, Dylan felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. A thorn, about the size of a kitchen knife, flew from the creature's tail and embedded itself in his shoulder. Another thorn pierced the auto-plasma gun mounted on his shoulder, causing it to malfunction.
"Ugh!"
"Cough!"
Not only did Dylan get hit, but the pirates nearby also emitted short screams. They stumbled backward without energy.
'Poison!'
[Co..me…o..n]
Seemingly unexpected, the creature smirked. Thanks to the unyielding mask, Dylan was not poisoned by the toxin. He quickly ran in the opposite direction. As he fled, thorns flew towards his back and stuck into the ground.
Dylan, reinforced by an enhancement drug in his reinforced suit, used every ounce of strength to run. Despite never using it before due to its side effects, now was not the time to consider such things. He had never witnessed such a vividly terrifying situation in his life. Even when he first met his leader, who massacred countless lives with a smile, it wasn't as terrifying.
The term 'monster' was too mild for the creature. It was the embodiment of the primal fear that all sentient beings possess.
"Heuk…heuk…heuk…heuk…"
Running breathlessly, Dylan realized there was no sound of footsteps behind him and glanced back. Although the creature was not visible, he didn't stop running. With his ears ringing from the mad dash, the sound of the wind seemed too faint to be a fighter jet, and there was no fluttering sound characteristic of a dragon.
Turning his head to identify the source of the sound, Dylan could finally make out the creature's form. Flying through the trees, it had four arms, thick legs, and a tail much longer than its body, connected by a membrane between its arms and tail.
"Damn, it can fly."
Dylan gave up the escape. While standing there dumbfounded and swearing, the creature landed in front of him.
***
'So it was because of this.'
I examined the mask in my hand, it was an equipment I obtained from the deceased pirate leader with folded waist. It was a silver mask resembling a human's death mask, and I knew the identity of this mask.
'It's the Cult Quest reward, but how did he manage to get it?'
Known as the Unyielding Mask, it grants immunity to poison and mental attacks to the wearer, as well as the ability to see hidden targets.
It's not a common piece of equipment, as it's a reward obtained from clearing a Cult Quest, though not of the unique grade. Obtaining the Unyielding Mask requires clearing a relatively complex dungeon.
'Are there other players here besides me?'
Players might naturally accept quests, but this is the real world. It was hard to imagine that the pirate in front of me fully understood the system of quests and obtained this equipment.
'If there are other players besides me, how did they come in?'
Until now, I thought I was the only one who entered the world of Space Survival, never considering the existence of other users. If there were, it would pose a significant problem.
'How should I deal with them?'
I don't have much to say after devouring countless people, but when the target is a player, it becomes a different matter. They grew up and lived in the same world as me. Frankly speaking, they are closer beings than those in this Space Survival world. So, if by any chance they declare hostility towards me, would I willingly fight against them?
The reason I ponder this is because I am Amorph. If they are players who have enjoyed the game for a long time, the likelihood of them trying to kill me is high. Moreover, for my ascension, I inevitably have to be hostile to other players.
'Because the conditions for ascension dictate so.'
Similar to Amorph's ascension, other species also include the subjugation of beings from different races in their ultimate goals. If other players aim for ascension, the possibility of having a friendly relation with them is very low.
'…No. The information is still too scarce.'
It's premature to decide how to deal with other players. It's much more productive to gather enough information and make a decision with a clear mind. I should probably ask the pirates I paralyzed earlier about it. Where and how they obtained the Unyielding Mask. If it was obtained through looting, then from whom, etc.
I grabbed the mask and devoured the body of the cult leader without leaving anything behind.
'Other players huh…'
If players exist somewhere in this world, I should meet them after becoming as strong as possible. Even if I decide not to be hostile towards them, they might be hostile towards me. If I meet them in a weakened state, I'll only become a slave or prey. The thought of becoming someone's slave or prey is intolerable for me.
So, I immediately did what only an Amorph can do: hunt, prey, and evolve.
'I must become more powerful than anyone to make decisions freely at the moment of choice.'
With that in mind, I retraced my steps. The paralyzed pirates are probably still eagerly waiting for me. However, what awaited me was not the pirates.
"Grrrrrr."
Seeing them, I quickly crouched down. The protective coloration effect activated, changing my body color to a shade similar to the nearby reddish deadwood.
"Grr?"
A large theropod with horns on its head, a 20-meter body length and a height of 9 meters to the hip, looked away from devouring pirates and glanced in my direction. It was a dangerous creature, a Hond Gigrant, positioned high in the food chain of this forest.
"Grrrrrr?"
Although it couldn't see me, it sensed a different scent coming from my direction. However, the scent of cult blood from my body seemed to mix with the scent of the pirates' blood, making it difficult to clearly distinguish.
While one focused on finding me in hiding, the other tried to secretly snatch a pirate.
"Grrrrrr."
"Graaaaaah!"
"Grrr…."
The one that had been staring at me finally stopped paying attention and roared at another, implying not to stare at me. They devoured all five pirates around the rocks and leisurely left.
'Oh no.'
Confirming their departure, I stood up.
'The Hond Gigrant came all the way here.'
I considered trying to confront them, but at my current level, it's challenging to deal with them.
'I could somehow kill one, but….'
Hond Gigrant is already a powerful predator, and it has a fearsome unique ability.
'It's difficult to deal with when it goes into Frenzy Mode.'
Hond Gigrant always travels in pairs, and if one of them dies, the remaining one's stats become significantly higher. It's already tough exterior becomes even tougher, making it nearly impossible to inflict damage with my psychokinesis breath. Its jaw strength also becomes so powerful that it can easily crush my head.
Even if I manage to win in a fight, if the injuries become too severe, it would be a loss. Because there are still enemies left for me to fight with.
'I should move again once they leave.'
Originally, the habitat of Hond Gigrant is far from here. They probably came here due to the bomb I used while hunting pirates, attracting their attention.
They will probably return to their habitat when they are satisfied with their meal.
'But seriously, they ate everything without leaving anything?'
Because Hond Gigrant devoured all the pirates, there's no one left to ask about the origin of the mask.
'However, there are dozens of nearby camps.'
If I roam around and hunt pirates, I can somehow gather information. If that's not enough, I might have to aim for a cruiser.
'Let's rest until the Hond Gigrant leaves.'
I've wiped out the pirates, and although I don't know how significant a stake they had in the Humanity Cartel, they are currently annihilated. It will take some more time until the enemies come looking for me again.
Climbing up a tree, I crouched down.
Confirming the activation of the protective coloration, I quietly closed my eyes.
Since entering this continent, I parted ways with the kids, hunted pirates with strange names, and obtained unexpected information about the player.
The jumbled thoughts inside my head gradually became blurry, and drowsiness started to overwhelm me.
'Come to think of it, it has been a long time since I slept alone.'
I've always had Number 26 by my side all this time. It's been a while since I've closed my eyes alone.
Feeling somewhat lonely for reasons unknown, I slowly drifted into sleep.
-x-X-x-
"Do you know who Rick is?"
"Rick the wanderer? Of course, I know. What about him?"
"They lost contact with him at the camp."
"What?"
Even in broad daylight, the pirates at the camp were on high alert. This was because orders had come from the battleship that served as their main base.
"I heard we have also lost contacts with the other camps, again"
"That's probably why we're on guard at this time too."
"…Hey, wasn't this surrounding area supposed to be safe?"
The pirate on guard froze at his colleague's ominous tone. In response, the colleague continued, reassuring him.
"Don't worry. The leader is supposed to return to the battleship in a day or two, according to the orders from above."
"Really? That's a relief. But why did she go out for so long in the first place?"
"They didn't tell me that. There were rumors that it's because of the prisoner she captured a while ago."
"I want to know more…"
"I'd love to tell you more, but I don't know… Huh?"
"…?"
The pirates chatting suddenly turned to the voice that had interjected.
There were only two people on guard at this spot.
Their gazes went upward.
There, a voice imitating a pirate's voice echoed – "it" was there.
It's been a week since I arrived in Utopia-02. During this time, I raided various camps in the forest to gather information about the player. One of the pirates at a camp mentioned that the indomitable mask I possess was originally bestowed by the pirate leader to the cult division leader, Dylan. In other words, the cultist pirate I killed before was the cult division leader of the Humanity Cartel.
Later, among the raided camps, there was a large camp where many pirates were stationed. There, I encountered someone wearing equipment similar to the cult's quest reward, just like the indomitable mask, which Dylan was wearing. With this, I was partially sure that the leader of the Humanity Cartel is either a player or closely related to s player.
This meant I was facing a serious threat. I interrogated the pirates for more information. Summing up their words, the leader had three main characteristics: She belonged to the cult, was female, and was continuously acquiring unique artifacts through unknown means. Despite being a pirate, the leader was a morally upright person and possessed battleships and various powerful equipment. Therefore, the power gap between me and the pirate leader was significant.
'Even if I'm skilled in combat in the wilderness, it won't be easy with such a huge power difference.'
And if the pirate leader is indeed the player, there's a high possibility that they know about me. In that case, a significant portion of the tactics I've used in the wilderness, like corpse bombs or skin-stripped corpses, is likely well-known among long-time players.
'Fortunately, she isn't here.'
For reasons unknown, according to the subordinates, the leader is currently away and will return to the battleship in two days. There was no indication of any response or preparation from the battleship regarding the leader's return.
As the pirates mentioned just now, I had only issued a warning through the raided camps about my attacks. The intention was to lure the leader in, gather as much information as possible before her arrival, and then prepare for a full-scale assault when she comes to capture me.
Of course, the situation wasn't entirely unfavorable to me.
'I have time until the leader arrives.'
Usually, time isn't on my side, but this time is an exception.
'I have to evolve into a Quasi-Saint within two days.'
Chewing on the loot acquired from the camp, I activated a semi-transparent text box.
[Evolution conditions for 'Quasi-Saint' have been partially met.
Species capable of transformation 20/20 (Achieved)
Sentient species 20/20 (Achieved)
Species using psychic powers 20/20 (Achieved)
Types owned 2/4 (Incomplete)]
'The conditions for devouring a playable species have been completed.'
The only thing left is the number of types. To evolve into a pre-ascendant, a total of four types are required. I already have the physical enhancement type and the psychic enhancement type, and there are three potential types to be acquired in the future.
[Available Types (3) –
Infection Enhancement Type (6/8), Special Defense Enhancement Type (4/4), Nest Enhancement Type (1/4)]
'There is one type available right now.'
'Do you want to unlock the 'Special Defense Enhancement Type'?]
For a week, I've intermittently devoured not only pirates but also various wild animals, securing two new traits. One related to special defense, which is 'Disease Resistance,' obtained from the Nightstalker, and another infection-related trait, which is 'Hallucinogenic Beetle,' obtained from a fungus-like carnivorous animal called the Red Clown.
Thanks to this, the Special Defense Enhancement Type has been unlockable since two days ago, but I'm still postponing the decision.
"If I acquire a type, the number of traits needed for acquiring other types will increase."
For example, if I obtain the Infection Enhancement Type now, the number of traits required to acquire both the Special Defense Enhancement Type and Nest Enhancement Type would increase to 8 each.
'So, acquiring the Infection Enhancement Type first is advantageous in the current situation.'
'Just looking at this, it may seem like a long way to evolution.'
But I have a trump card.
Today marks one week since I dominated the spaceship with my corrosive tentacles.
In other words, this is the day I can use the 'Symbol of Hunt'.
'I have to get as much predation effect as possible for the next 20 minutes.'
If this were a different planet or continent, collecting the essential genetic essence for evolution would not have been easy. But this is Utopia02, a continent teeming with creatures possessing rare genetic essence.
'Coincidentally, there's a suitable place to use the 'Symbol of Hunt'.
There's a place in this forest that I can explore. Honestly, it's a very dangerous area for me now, but it's a place where I can obtain the traits I need in abundance.
'The swamp.'
If I follow the river south from here, an immense swamp with terrifying creatures will appear. To be precise, it's not that each creature in the swamp is individually strong, but rather, it's due to the hostile environment and mutual symbiosis.
Monsters in the swamp commonly carry extremely potent toxins and viruses. Even experienced players would find it impossible to conquer it without extensive preparation against toxins and viruses.
I, too, wouldn't have considered entering the swamp especially when I am just a Pre-Saint, even if it were a game.
'That would have been the case originally.'
Having consumed the corpses of pirates, I left the camp. Currently, I have everything I need to conquer the swamp.
Firstly, I possess a disease resistance trait that grants immunity to all types of diseases.
'In the game, I would never have received it.'
Upon becoming a Pre-Saint, we get an automatic immunity to all biochemical attacks as a special evolutionary bonus. Although disease resistance may not seem like a useful trait, it becomes extremely valuable in situations where immediate entry into the swamp is necessary, as is the case now.
'If I use the symbol of the hunt here, the trait effects will be enhanced. So, even entering the swamp won't cause much harm.'
Moreover, the 'Symbol of Hunt' itself strengthens all my traits, making it relatively easy for me to fight against the creatures in the swamp. While they are powerful, their direct combat capabilities are lower compared to entities like Hond Gigrant.
'And this.'
In my small hand on my chest, there was a partially broken indomitable mask. This silver mask grants immunity to toxins and mental attacks, as well as the ability to detect concealed targets.
What's crucial is that this mask is made of metal.
"In other words, it means that I can absorb the abilities of the mask using metal absorption."
If I obtain the immunity effect of the mask, it will be a great help in conquering the swamp.
Having completed all preparations, today I will finally challenge the conquest of the swamp.
'It's almost done.'
The wide, blue riverbank gradually narrows, and yellowish moss and aquatic plants become noticeable on the water. The surroundings are filled with decaying and broken trees, mushrooms emitting poisonous mist, and colorful insects.
The air carries a strong smell and thick poison penetrates through the sturdy exterior.
'It's always a shocking space.'
I endured the stinging pain felt throughout my body and looked around.
"In this swamp, there aren't any imposing trees that stretch for hundreds of meters, but instead, there are mushrooms ranging from about 5 to 10 meters, adult-sized leeches, and leeches the size of buses roaming around."
There's a movie that came out before I came to this world, where giant humanoids are the protagonists. In that movie, there's a scene where explorers are trapped in a valley, and gruesome bugs attack them.
According to rumors circulating in the community, the swamp in Utopia-02 continent was inspired by the valley area in that scene. In other words, grotesque pests carrying toxins and viruses all over emerge from every space.
Thanks to this, even among high-level players, some avoid this place not only due to its difficulty but also because of its repulsive visuals.
'But for me, it's very advantageous.'
It could be considered a genetic essence buffet. After activating metal absorption, I took a bite of the indomitable mask.
A tingling sensation around the surface flowed once, and soon the stinging pain disappeared. To confirm, I grabbed a creature, a bug the size of a person's head, crawling nearby, and swallowed it.
The official name of this creature is the Itch-inducing Bug, which induces itching in its victims due to the toxin it carries.
Even after eating the Itch-inducing Bug, my insides were perfectly fine.
[Immunity to toxins has been applied.]
Having completed the confirmation, I removed the indomitable mask and activated the Symbol of Hunt. My body, already evolved once on the horizon of nightmares, transformed into a much more perfect predator.
Two new arms emerged from my thick and heavy back. The bone blades at their ends were extremely sturdy and sharp, capable of easily cutting through even tough metals.
Next, all six corrosion tentacles hidden inside my back came out. The tentacles didn't change much in size, but the attachments at their ends transformed into sharp claws, becoming menacing weapons on their own.
The once bulging back rapidly shrunk, now having a more agile figure compared to before. Of course, nests housing cute tooth fairies near the waist area still remained.
The physique itself had a more agile image compared to when the horizon of nightmares was applied, but overall size had increased significantly.
My current height is 12 meters, nearly reaching the height of a 4-story apartment building. In terms of size alone, it could be considered almost equivalent to Hond Gigrants.
Other details, as usual, were enhanced, including the armor attached to combat arms and legs. Spiky thorns grew on the armor of arms and legs, making them deadly enough to cause substantial damage when attacking enemies.
Finally, the armor on my head covered my eyes, completing all the changes.
*Growl*
.
An enormous body that rivals a 4-story apartment building is filled with immense power, truly feeling like a force capable of doing anything.
I casually swung my tail, smashing a decaying tree behind me.
Even though it had decayed, a tree with a diameter of 5 meters shattered like tree branches breaking. Large centipedes that had nested inside were startled and quickly scurried out.
'All right.'
I swung the corrosion tentacles to catch the fleeing bugs. The hook-shaped attachments sliced through the bugs' bodies.
As the corrosion tentacles absorbed the prey, a transparent text box continuously appeared.
Watching that, I took a deep breath and roared loudly.
*Roar*
The air burst out explosively, and the contaminated water in front of me split in an instant. Mosquito-like creatures, hovering over the swamp in front of me, vanished without a trace in mid-air due to my roar.
'Now, shall we begin?'
The goal is to obtain enough genetic essences to evolve in 20 minutes.
It's time to have a feast after a long while.
-x-X-x-
In the space survival, planets are classified as Earth-like if their ecosystems are not extreme, and the various environmental factors are evenly distributed.
PH-101, was such a planet, it boasts abundant water and diverse flora and fauna. While it may seem habitable on the surface, there are many traps in it. Despite having a well-established ecosystem, the inhabitants of PH-101 are formidable creatures, like the Plantlizards forming groups in the hundreds or thousands and the Hound Gentries with physical specs rivaling top players. Not only are there not easy-to-face creatures, but the planet also presents various environmental elements and events making human survival challenging, such as global magnetic storms or volcanic eruptions on the continent Utopia-01, which right now was very far from my current location.
Even the swamplands of Utopia-02, where I currently am, are considered one of the most dangerous environmental factors on the planet. Toxic spores emitted by relentless mushroom spewing deadly gases from decaying animals and a vicious cycle of swamp creatures absorbing these toxins, becoming more potent in poison attacks, make it a perilous place, even when wearing protective gear lasting five minutes.
'If it were a game, I would respawn, but this is reality, I won't get a second chance if I die.'
Reality forces me to evolve into a Quasi-Saint.
I thought, as a 4-meter tall carnivorous Smogpad, a lower-tier creature in the swamp's food chain but a significant threat, struggled in my tentacles. Smogpad can release acidic fluids like mist, synergizing well in the toxin-filled air of the swamp.
'It's irrelevant to me, though.'
My tentacles, with six appendages attached to Smogpad, forcefully suck it in. Its tough exoskeleton shatters, and its elongated body is drawn into my tentacles. Despite its toxic blood and fluids, my other tentacles eagerly absorbed every drop.
While my tentacles were feeding on the Smogpad, my body worked diligently, fending off insects with the combat arms and tail.
'With the Horizon of Nightmares present, this is quite convenient.'
Despite having many arms, Amorph has only one mouth, limiting its predatory activities. But with seven mouths now, eating becomes faster than hunting.
[Enhanced Infection Type (7/8), Special Defense Type (4/4), Nest Reinforcement Type (6/4).]
[Two available types for specialization.]
After entering the swamp, I acquired numerous traits, increasing the available specialization types to two.
'By acquiring one more infection-related trait and two more nest-related traits, I can fulfill all the types needed for evolution.'
Amorph's inherent nature made my strategy shift towards first acquiring the Infection Enhancement Type and then the Nest Reinforcement Type as an Amorph had an abundance of nest-related traits.
After a quick check of the text box, I ventured further into the swamp, aiming to obtain rare traits exclusive to this area. As the swamp's water level increased, the number of visible creatures decreased, replaced by scattered remains of large skeletons. The toxicity of the fog above the swamp intensified to a deadly level.
'If not for the enhancing effects of the Symbol of Hunt and the traits, I would have succumbed to poisoning by now.'
'It's time to ascend.'
The water level in the swamp reached my chest. Despite that, my body felt natural, as if on land, thanks to the new traits gained here.
'I never expected to gain claws and fins here.'
As the name suggests, claws appeared on my hands and feet, while thin but wide fins emerged near the wrists of the combat arm and the tail.
Normally, on land, it is tightly folded and in a dormant state, but when in water, it unfolds widely like it is now, assisting in underwater activities.
'Swimming in this state would be difficult.'
Due to my body's excessive weight, swimming in deep waters was impossible. I can only use it for rapid movement in the swamp as it is now. While swimming halfway through the swamp, my auxiliary organs detected movement up ahead.
In the midst of the silent swamp, a small will-o'-wisp emerged. The pale-glowing will-o'-wisp swayed gently and, upon noticing me, paused.
'It's coming.'
The will-o'-wisp, or rather the eye of a giant creature hiding beneath the swamp, turned towards me. Then, ripples surged, revealing its form.
First, elongated legs, resembling those of a spider, emerged from the swamp. Each leg was covered with a tough exoskeleton and was almost 10 meters long. Following that, two pincers rose from the water along with the legs.
No, can we really call those pincers? Each pincer was so massive, almost 2 meters in size, making it look horribly formidable. Even just the legs and pincers were enormous, but the torso was much larger and wider than the legs. While the legs resembled those of a spider, the torso was elliptical like a crab, with a thick carapace covering it.
Of course, seeing a creature with a carapace 15 meters wide might not immediately bring crabs to mind. On top of the carapace, thorns, the size of adult forearms, were densely embedded, and at the bottom, palm-sized holes were scattered.
On the front of the carapace, teeth resembling a catfish's mouth, arranged in a whirlpool pattern, and four eyes resembling the will-o'-wisp, were visible.
The creature, a combination of crab and spider, was named 'Swampking.' It is the most dangerous creature in the swamplands of the Utopia-02 continent.
Four eyes resembling the will-o'-wisp focus on me. The moment I felt its gaze, the two pincers flew towards my head at an unbelievable speed.
Sensing the attack in advance with my auxiliary organs, I bent my knees and submerged into the swamp. The massive pincer grazed my head, resembling a crown.
Before the creature's attack continued, I submerged into the mud on the swamp floor and leaped upwards. Although it wasn't exactly the ground but more like a swampy area, I couldn't jump high. Still, if I could get on top of the creature, that would be enough.
On top of the creature, I utilized my weapons to attack its carapace. I opened its tough eyes with my mouth wide, clawed with my combat arm, and hacked at the carapace with my bone axe. The thorns on the carapace were cut off each time I swung my arm.
"Giiiiii!"
As if annoyed, the creature shook its body. My body swayed like riding a rodeo machine.
To avoid falling, I stabbed the bone blade arm into the creature's carapace. Even though it shook violently, sticking close like a leech, I reversed some of its joints to directly counter me.
The target was me on top of its carapace. The claws at the end of its legs were as tough as the pincers and had an immensely high piercing power. Before the claws at the end of the legs could pierce me, I quickly jumped off its carapace.
However, due to the attack's incredibly fast speed, one of my corrosive tentacles was torn off by its attack.
"Pain nullification Activated!"
A sharp pain, like being struck on the back with a club, struck my head.
"Grrr"
The creature, surprised that the attack failed, made a short whimpering sound.
'It's strong.'
Perhaps because it occupies the apex of the food chain in the swamp, it's formidable. The creature is completely immune to infection type attack methods such as poison, parasites, and viruses. Therefore, the infection-related traits I acquired in the swamp do not affect it. Additionally, its carapace is resistant to all types of psychic powers.
Not long ago, the reason I didn't use the Ghost Claws when attacking its carapace with the combat arm is that it wouldn't make a difference anyway. Even if I shoot psychic breath at it, it would only cause minimal damage.
In other words, there's only one way to defeat it.
'I must overpower it solely with strength.'
The creature has a very fast attack speed and considerable strength. On top of that, it has a thick carapace, high psychic resistance, and immunity to poison and viruses.
At first glance, it may seem perfect, but it's not.
'I can win this.'
After a brief confrontation, the damage to its carapace was limited, while I lost one corrosive tentacle. At first glance, it may seem like I suffered a significant loss, but I was actually relieved.
'As expected. With my current state, I can penetrate its carapace.'
Surprisingly, the seemingly tough and thick carapace is the creature's most vulnerable spot. Creatures in the swamp, including the Swampking, are known for hunting their enemies in bizarre and unconventional ways.
This holds true for the Swampking as well. Although it has a crab-like appearance and thin legs resembling a spider, it's a misconception to think that targeting its legs or pincers would be effective. The creature's legs and pincers are so hard that they can withstand plasma heat beams.
On the other hand, the carapace is relatively less sturdy than the legs. With sufficient physical force, the carapace can be shattered. Fortunately, I possess strong physical strength.
"Giiii!"
The creature seemed to recognize me as a threat and only growled, not making any sudden moves.
I also circled around it slowly, waiting for an opportunity.
During this short standoff, the creature took the initiative to attack.
"Gi…gii…gii!"
White snake-like creatures emerged from the holes beneath the creature's carapace. They wriggled out slowly, resembling the corpse worms I had seen in the sewage system of the space city before.
'More precisely, these are its reinforced plates.'
The corpse worms emanating from the Swampking's body are different from the repulsive creatures seen in the sewage system. In the game, the Swampking's summoned corpse worms ignore the player's defense and inflict fixed damage, thanks to the corrosive acid that can dissolve even tough materials.
In reality, things might have changed.
"However, that doesn't mean I'll willingly let them hit me."
Swarm of corpse worms swam towards me, eager to devour me.
I swung my long tail, submerged beneath the swamp, to strike the corpse worms. Like a crimson sea parting, waves splashed vigorously, sending fragments of torn corpse worms into the air before the swamp's waves settled back into place.
Before the swamp's waves could fully return to normal, I flipped my body forward and charged.
"Gi…i…i…ik!"
The Swampking roared, swinging its two pincers to crush me.
At the moment when the pincers were about to fall on my head, a bone-bladed arm clashed against them. An almost unbelievable shattering sound, as if colliding with a living creature's body, echoed across the swamp.
'Ugh!'
While the bone blade was quite robust, it couldn't withstand holding onto the pincer for too long. The entire arm, strong enough to cut through a living creature's body, twisted grotesquely.
The bone blade was quickly neutralized, but it succeeded in modifying the trajectory of the pincers. The two pincers narrowly grazed by me and slammed into the ground, creating a significant impact.
And for a very brief moment, the Swampking was defenseless.
Focusing the force of my charge into my head, I struck the lower part of the Swampking's carapace. The two horns on my head pierced through the creature's carapace.
"Giiii,,,,gii..gi!"
Unexpectedly, the creature is greatly startled as acidic digestive fluid pours from its wounded area.
'I can endure this!'
The head carapace is the toughest part of my body. Now is the time to rely on that strength.
Rather than keeping a distance from the creature, I used my two legs to thrust the horns deep. The creature's reddish blood mixed with the digestive fluid, caressing my body.
"Giiik!"
When the creature realized I wasn't reacting, it extended its two pincers, grabbing my waist and legs.
It felt like a 2-meter press was tightening around my body.
One leg broke instantly, and my waist slowly contorted under the creature's tremendous force.
If I were an ordinary person, I would have died from suffocation before experiencing the pain.
Instead of keeping my distance from the creature, I wrapped my corrosive tentacle around its carapace, pressing my body against it. Thanks to this, the horns embedded in the creature's body dug deeper, stirring its organs.
"Kiririk!"
The creature screamed in pain as its internal organs tore.
The pressure from the gripping pincers slightly eased, and I used the lower combat arm to push them away.
Corpse worms clung to my body, determined to protect their master, but I stood firm without flinching.
I inserted the upper combat arm into the broken section of the creature's carapace.
Unlike the tough exoskeleton, the soft innards and flesh could be felt.
I grabbed them and pulled them out.
"Giiii!"
Part of the creature's leg moved to pierce me.
I released the corrosive tentacle wrapped around its carapace, grabbing the creature's leg.
Nevertheless, the strength in the creature's leg was anything but light. The creature tore apart the entwined tentacle and stabbed my back with the claws on its leg.
"Gii…gi…gi!"
"Grrrrrrr."
From now on, it's a battle of who can endure longer.
If I didn't have the regenerative ability.
If I didn't have a body significantly reinforced by the effects of Type and the symbolism of hunting.
The outcome might have been different.
"Giiii…."
The Swampking groaned, spilling dark red froth from its mouth. After spitting out the froth a few times, it stopped moving.
I raised my foot above the creature's head and roared loudly.
To announce that the ruler of the swamp has been killed by my hand.
And to proclaim that its corpse belongs to me.
The approaching residents of the swamp, who had been scared away, were shocked to see what had transpired.
Having driven away all intruders, I thrust my head into the Swampking's belly.
Although I could consume it with the corrosive tentacle, after capturing it so hard, I wanted to savor the taste a bit.
After tearing off the tender flesh inside the carapace with my teeth, I chewed a bit.
'Oh."'
Just putting it in my mouth already felt peculiar. Before the taste of Swampking's flesh melted on my tongue, I hurriedly swallowed it.
"Hmm."
The top-ranked prey I had eaten so far was Si-hyun Yujin, and that hadn't changed until now.
So, I thought.
The more evenly regulated the massive genetic essence, the better the taste.
But I was wrong.
Honestly, before eating, I thought it might taste like crab since it resembled one, but that was a terribly mistaken assumption.
It was almost sinful to have such disrespectful thoughts, but the taste of the Swampking was excellent.
'Above all, the best part is…'
Si-hyun Yujin tasted really good, but the quantity wasn't that much. Anyway, it's human-sized.
But the creature in front of me is a luxurious 15-meter King Crab.
'I've never tasted crab dishes when I was human, but here I am, trying them all.'
If I wasn't in a situation where I'm being pursued by the symbolism of hunting, I would have caught and leisurely enjoyed it for days.
'Sigh. It would have been nice if I had some kids.'
When I meet Number 26 and Adhai again later, I should consider returning to the swamp. It's not about aiming for genetic essence but purely for the sake of gastronomy.
I quickly scraped and consumed all the flesh and innards attached to the inside of the King Crab's carapace.
Since I couldn't break the exoskeleton of the leg part, I inserted the corrosive tentacle and blood-sucking tentacle inside to extract only the meat.
Finally, as I neatly devoured the creature's eye resembling a will-o'-the-wisp, a window popped up, notifying me of a predatory effect, just like when I devoured other creatures.
'It was good.'
Evolution was not far off.
Having acquired the genetic essence of the Swampking, I continued roaming the swamp, devouring other creatures.
Although the injuries were not light, there were no creatures left that could threaten me among the remaining ones.
Having safely obtained two types, I exited the swamp before the hunting symbolism effect, which had about three minutes left, ended.
Inside my combat arm and five corrosive tentacles were the corpses of various creatures.
I had previously checked and stored the prey in the cave.
'I shouldn't need to roam outside due to side effects.'
Before the symbolism ended, I checked the message I had seen in the swamp once again.
[Pre-Saint > Quasi-Saint evolution conditions have been met. Would you like to evolve?]
-x-X-x-
In the deep heart of the central forest of Utopia-02, there exists a place where various electronic devices and communication equipment cannot be used. This location is protected by powerful energy, making it invisible from outside the planet or from the sky. One can only reach it by walking through the maze of the jungle.
This place is known as the 'Forgotten Temple of the Lost Land.' Only the father of the land served by the wolves of Utopia-02 knows the way to the Forgotten Temple. Or at least, that's how it was supposed to be.
However, those standing in the Forgotten Temple now are not wolves. Inside and outside the temple, broken stone statues and corpses of humans and cult members were scattered. Inside the temple, a group of individuals moved around, tending to the bodies.
They were cultists with horns on their heads, young humans, but they all had two common features—they were males and exceptionally handsome males at that. These intruders belonged to a formidable pirate group, the Humanity Cartel.
All the pirates, busy with the aftermath of the battle, showed tension and fatigue on their faces, except for one. A cult girl with deer antlers on her temples had a broad smile on her face, holding a golden javelin in her hand.
"Hehe, there's nothing sweeter than getting the important loot before anyone else."
A voice as enchanting as her appearance flowed from her lips. Her name was Muriel, the leader of the Humanity Cartel.
Approaching her, a man spoke,
"Leader."
"What happened brother?"
"Well, there are some injured pirates here."
Her gaze turned towards the fallen pirates behind her subordinates. They had suffered serious injuries in the battle with the stone statues guarding the temple.
"Brothers, are you hurting a lot?"
"Oh, no! It's nothing! Just a scratch!"
"It's okay! Just a little scrape!"
The injured pirates reassured her, emphasizing that they were fine. Muriel approached them and casually scanned each one. Then, she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Brothers, you can't be ugly."
"Pl…please spare us! Keuk!"
"Even you, brother."
"Please… ack!"
Ignoring their pleas, Muriel lethally stabbed each injured pirate with her javelin. Strangely, the golden javelin's glow intensified with each kill, as if reveling in the blood.
"Thanks to you brothers, the experiment was a great success."
She nodded satisfactorily while looking at the dazzling javelin that illuminated the inside of the temple brightly. Muriel, having killed all the injured, led her subordinates and left the temple.
In a location away from the temple, there was a temporary camp set up by the Humanity Cartel. As she arrived, her subordinates waiting at the camp greeted her.
"Have you come?"
"How is the Mother of the Sky?"
"As you mentioned, she is in training."
Muriel entered the camp with her subordinates. In the center of the camp, a beast, 3 meters in size, was chained with iron shackles. The skeletal structure of the beast, with an eagle head on a lion's body, was truly gruesome. Its entire body was covered in hardened scabs, and the wounds were so severe that maggots were growing out from it.
All four legs had thick iron stakes driven into them, and a spiked iron collar was worn around its neck. Additionally, internal organs protruded from a wound on its side, tied up with a thick wire connected to a wheel.
Speaking in a cheerful voice to the beast in a state that seemed close to death, Muriel said,
"Hey, Choe-seo, ah, no. Mother of the sky. Have you been well?"
｢...｣
When the beast, addressed as the Mother of the Sky, didn't respond, Muriel gestured to one of the pirates. As the pirate turned the wheel, the wire was pulled, extracting the beast's internal organs.
｢Kraaaaack! You son of a bitch!｣
"If a person asks you something, you should answer."
｢Grrr… S…stop!｣
"Why are you cursing when I'm trying to thank you for getting the treasure? Am I still a joke to you?"
｢Aaaargh!｣
In extreme pain as its organs were torn apart, the Mother of the Sky even lost control of its bladder.
"Hehehe, it's impressive that the transformation hasn't been undone despite going this far."
｢Uuuu… You…｣
"But how much more can you endure?"
While Muriel mocked the pathetic sight, a subordinate approached with a communication pad.
"Leader, there's an urgent message from the cruiser."
"I'm busy right now."
"It's a very urgent matter."
"…Fine."
Muriel reluctantly took the pad. The displayed contents were video recordings transmitted from cameras on the reinforced suit.
***
'Phew.'
After recovering from the aftermath of the 'Symbol of Hunt', I looked around. Worried about the possibility of leaving the cave, I realized that it hadn't happened.'
'Bit messy, but…'
The cave walls and my body were covered in blood. Fingers hung with leftover entrails, and broken bone fragments and flesh scattered on the floor.
'Let's get ready then.'
Having processed all the prepared food in my stomach, I left the cave. Evolution can't happen immediately after completing all the evolution conditions. The best time for evolution is when Amorph is most incapacitated, during his recovery in the cave. If attacked during evolution, I wouldn't be able to resist and would die.
'The time it took for the last evolution was six hours.'
It would probably be similar or even longer when evolving into a Quasi-Saint. To safely stay in this jungle for at least six hours, preparations were necessary.
'Let's seal the cave entrance.'
I went outside and headed to the nearby pirate camp. Since the pirates had already been devoured, there was no one at the camp. Except for the fact that creatures like the Wooddevils had come out and took away the boxes containing Calibaga, the items at the camp remained untouched.
Grabbing a small bomb from the camp, I returned to the cave and installed it at the entrance. When the bomb exploded, the cave entrance collapsed, plunging the cave interior into darkness.
'Let's go then.'
Inside the cave, there was a spacious chamber large enough for me to evolve without any issues. I found a suitable spot deep inside the chamber along the wall.
[Pre-Saint > Quasi Saint evolution conditions have been met. Would you like to evolve?]
I had waited a long time. I spoke to the text box waiting for my response.
Yes, I would evolve. Instantly, an enormous amount of slime was secreted from my body. In the sticky sensation that enveloped my entire body, I lay down on the cool cave floor.
The slime spread not only around my body but throughout the entire chamber. Within the slowly solidifying slime taking the form of egg-shaped structures, I closed my eyes quietly.
And then,
'Huh?'
I opened my eyes in a familiar space.
'Where am I?'
The place I was standing was someone's room. A computer, VR headgear on a desk, posters of classic SF movies on the walls, and neatly arranged bedding on the floor.
I knew the identity of this space.
'My room?'
I looked down at my palm, wondering if I had returned to reality. What I saw there was Amorph's hand, familiar but now human-sized.
"What happened?"
It was too realistic to be a dream. The distinctive nauseating smell of a one-room apartment, the scent of kimchi stew wafting in from outside—it was hard to believe it was fake.
I approached the computer and turned on the VR headgear connected by a cable.
The screen reflected on the transparent visor inside the device was undoubtedly the login screen of Space Survival.
'It's different from when evolving into a Pre-Saint'
At that time, I speculated that the space I was in was a simulated world. It made sense, given that the space itself felt unreal.
But now, the boundary was extremely ambiguous. Judging whether this was reality or not was difficult, considering the weight of the device felt in my hands.
I put down the VR headgear and opened the door.
'Huh?'
The moment I opened the door, I found myself in another space. It was a home.
'Where is this?'
A framed picture hanging in the entrance caught my eye. The picture inside the frame was a drawing I had made in kindergarten. Stepping inside, I saw a middle-aged couple arguing on the porch.
Both of them had their faces painted with black paint, and their voices were distorted like machine-modulated noises, making it impossible to understand. They continued arguing as if they didn't know I was in the same space.
I passed by them and entered the innermost room. It was a room with only a bed, desk, and wardrobe, giving a desolate feeling compared to my apartment seen earlier.
Ignoring the bed and desk, I approached the wardrobe. With both hands, I opened the door.
"…"
Inside the wardrobe was a child with burned scars on half of the face, to be precise.
The child looked at me, tears welling up in round eyes. Without thinking, I reached out towards the child, and the child extended its hand in the same way.
As our hands touched, the child's expression changed. The moment I realized it was a smile, the environment around me changed into a deep darkness.
'I've returned.'
I extended my "sixth arm" to tear the bloody membrane covering my body. Slime that had filled the membrane poured out, and the cold, damp air of the cave enveloped my body.
It felt like the pleasant coolness after washing with warm water. I exerted strength on the "tail" and slowly stood up.
Since no light entered the cave, I couldn't see anything with my eyes, but I could feel it. The sensory organs under my jaw, now increased from 2 to 4, vividly conveyed the changes in my body.
'Is this the Quasi-Saint stage?'
A creature resembling a spider or scorpion, with bipedal locomotion similar to a human or a humanoid.
So, what animal does the Quasi-Saint Amorph resemble? I'd like to say it's a giant snake with eight arms. As for me, who has transformed, there's nothing resembling legs anymore. The arms that originally served as legs have been modified into new combat arms, so now I have a total of six combat arms.
'The upper arm, middle arm, and lower arm.'
Each combat arm is located around the shoulders, sides, and lower abdomen. With the transformation of the legs into arms, the upper body has become longer than before. And the lower half of my body, where the legs disappeared, has been replaced by a thick tail.
In other words, if we were to simplify my current form, it would be similar to the monster Naga from Indian mythology, which is described as half-human and half-snake. Despite losing legs, I haven't slowed down.
Now, movement is facilitated by the thick claws tightly embedded in the tail. The power of these tail claws is tremendous, allowing me to run much faster on land than before.
'And it's useful when wandering underground or swimming.'
Thanks to these changes, the Quasi-Saint can operate more easily in a variety of environments compared to before, whether burrowing into the ground for ambush or pursuing enemies fleeing into the water, and so on.
Additionally, the tail, now an important means of movement and support, has scales separated like those on the head. While these scales are finely divided for free movement, they are not so low in defense. Probably, swiping an enemy with my tail will yield a force equivalent to a full-on charge.
'In the past, I killed many enemies by entwining them with this tail.'
Even the Swamp King, whom I devoured before evolving, won't withstand having its armor tightened by this tail for more than a few minutes. Of course, I won't leave it in a state where it can easily resist.
With the overall change in body shape, the form of the enlarged armor due to the horizon effect of nightmares has also slightly changed. The robust and heavy armor, suited to the shape of a snake-like body, has transformed into a sleeker and less thick form.
'Let's see.' From now on, I won't walk on two legs but move while supporting my body with my tail. I moved my tail as a test.
Sssss!
'Huh?'
Honestly, I thought it would be difficult to adapt, but surprisingly, it wasn't. The sensation of moving the tail was similar to the feeling of bouncing around by giving strength to the waist.
'But it has grown a lot.'
The length of my previous body, including the tail, was 12m, and during the manifestation of the hunting emblem, it was 20m. However, now, without using the 'Symbol of Hunt', the length has surpassed 25m, possibly because the role of the tail has become more important.
Apart from the fact that reaching the Quasi-Saint stage has made me larger and the lower half of my body has been replaced by a tail, there is another mutation that occurred after I reached the Quasi-Saint stage.
Grrr!
I opened my mouth wide. The lower part of my jaw split into two, causing my mouth to open much wider than before. Inside the split jaw, sharp teeth were densely embedded.
'While the tail is powerful, the true strength of the Quasi-Saint lies in the newly acquired feature. And that's the jaws.'
[Essence Harvester's Jaw: You can activate the predation effect just by consuming the head of a target that possesses genetic essence.]
This means that by having the essence harvester's jaw, you can activate the predation effect by just eating the head without consuming the entire corpse. With the Jaw of the Genetic Harvester, you can quickly replenish the genetic essence of enemies during combat. This implies much faster growth than before.
'Because of this, other players tried to kill Amorphs by any means necessary.'
Having confirmed all the changes, there's no reason to stay in this narrow cave any longer. I lowered my body and crawled towards the cave entrance. As I moved, widening the walls with my six combat arms, the entrance, though narrow, didn't cause me any discomfort.
After easily breaking through the collapsed entrance, I climbed up the nearby redwood. Coiling my tail and pushing my body upward, along with using the combat arms, made the ascent incredibly fast.
Ssssss!
The best part is that it makes almost no sound. Similar to how a snake moves silently, my movements were equally quiet. As evidence, the Night Stalker, which was lying on a branch, had no awareness that I was right behind it. It yawned, apparently bored of waiting for prey.
I quickly bit off its head with my split jaw.
Kong?!
The Night Stalker's corpse, with its head lost in an instant, fell below.
"There's no being on this continent that can restrain me."
Once I've become a Quasi-Saint, even predators like the Hond Gigrant or the Swamp King can't be my opponents. The only remaining potential threat is the pirate player.
'As long as she's gone, there's no one to prevent my evolution.'
If negotiations break down, she will bear the responsibility. This is thanks to the genetic essence she possesses.
-x-X-x-
"...."
"Boss?"
Muriel, the leader of the Humanity Cartel, had reviewed all the videos. Initially, her expression, while the hologram was displayed, was unremarkable, but it gradually stiffened, now as cold as ice.
"When was this recorded?"
She always called the pirates "brother". The fact that she omitted the honorific indicated her anger was beyond measure. Swallowing his saliva, the subordinate answered.
"T…this was recorded a week ago."
"A week? Who's in charge of communications?"
"Ah…th…that would be me…!"
Mid-sentence, the subordinate's breath was cut off as Muriel grabbed his throat. In her eyes, burning violet flames were ablaze.
"You're only mentioning this now, such an important matter?"
"G…gaah…!"
Though Muriel herself had warned not to be a nuisance when entering the temple, she had forgotten this fact. In the end, the hapless communication officer met his demise with his throat twisted.
"Dispose of him."
"Yes, ma'am."
Instructing another subordinate to clear the body, she again displayed the hologram.
"Why is an Amorph here… could it be?"
Not only in the continent of Utopia-02, but Amorph itself doesn't reside on the planet PH-101. If it traversed through space and arrived on this planet, there's only one thing that could mean.
"He's a player."
Muriel knows that she's not the only one from other worlds in this Space world. The majority of players are also in extremely hostile relationships with each other. One of her reasons for coming to this planet was to capture players.
"But Amorph should be extinct, how is this possible?"
Though incomprehensible events unfolded in reality, that's not the important part now. If an Amorph player has arrived, preparations must be made to deal with him.
"The skinned corpse…"
As a player who ranked in the top 20 in Space Survival, Muriel knew what the corpse meant. There are hardly any Amorphs in the game that provoke or intimidate in such a way. Only one person does that.
"Surely, he was the 5th ranker."
Not long after becoming a ranker, that Amorph ranker quit the game. Thanks to that, they never met in person, but she roughly knew of his reputation.
"I don't know how someone who quit the game could have come here, but…"
Muriel herself is also a former ranker. Moreover, she has survived in this world for a whopping 3 years. On the other hand, the opponent, though a long-time player, quit the game midway.
She believed her skills would not be outmatched by that former Amorph ranker.
"The likelihood of losing to him is slim…"
Snicker!
At that moment, laughter that disturbed her mind echoed.
She glanced away from the hologram to see who emitted the laughter.
｢Hahh…ha…hah…pfft! I knew you were a stupid b***h, but I didn't expect you to be this dumb…!｣
The Mother of the Sky was mocking Muriel. In the midst of undergoing a gruesome torture, she couldn't help but laugh, as if she had heard something incredibly amusing.
"What's so funny?"
Heh, pfft, cough!
｢The likelihood of losing to him is slim? Do you even know who's in that video?｣
"…Isn't it the Amorph ranker from the 5th place?"
｢Even though you know that fact, you're so nonchalant. Truly impressive confidence.｣
"What?"
[He prepares and moves wherever he goes. He came here, killed the pirates? No matter what you think, no matter what plans you make, it doesn't matter. Whether you fight, try to escape, or beg for mercy, he'll kill you.｣
"…."
｢Rather than meeting him, it's much better to die right here before he comes. No matter what you do, you can't escape his grasp.｣
"…."
Up until now, the Mother of the Sky had never asked for death, even amidst any torture. She wanted to survive somehow and take revenge on Muriel. But now, in the face of Amorph, she said it's better to die than to meet him. This fact sent shivers down Muriel's spine.
"…Damn, what is this?"
Muriel gazed into the Mother of the Sky's eyes. The emotions within the eyes, resembling a bird of prey, were very unfamiliar.
Fear.
Even when she didn't lose her composure during torture, the Mother of the Sky was now scared of the Amorph. Muriel, deeming that she could no longer obtain useful information from the Mother of the Sky, called her subordinates.
"Contact the cruiser and have the defense level raised to the maximum until I arrive. If anyone approaches, even from the camp, eliminate them."
"Even people coming from the camp?"
"Yes. He can deceive and pretend to be human, so don't trust anyone. Don't even take any communication. Report immediately if anything happens."
"Got it."
Although what the Mother of the Sky said was quite concerning, Muriel deliberately ignored it. Fearing danger when facing a formidable opponent only puts one at a disadvantage.
'Calm down. Anyway, he's just an A-ranker.'
She, too, was a ranker, and she had not a few experiences fighting against Amorph. The point when Amorph rapidly grows stronger is after becoming a Quasi-saint or Saint.
Although the figure in the hologram looked significantly different from the in-game appearance, it still seemed to be in the Pre-saint stage.
No matter how formidable his skills might be, with numerous subordinates, a cruiser, and top-tier equipment, the probability of her losing was low.
'If he has any exceptions, it would be receiving some special benefits.'
Muriel herself received new benefits upon falling into this world.
The benefit effects were powerful, but that didn't mean she had some omnipotent tool like Amorph. Considering the gap between her and Amorph, it was impossible for him to defeat her no matter how good his benefits were.
"I'll have to return earlier than planned. Everyone, pack up."
"Understood."
Snicker!
｢Doing useless things. You're all already screwed! Hehe…cough!｣
Even as the camp members moved quickly, the mocking laughter of the Mother of the Sky echoed ominously.
***
'The time until the boss comes is just one day.'
I checked the time using the small terminal pad stolen from the pirates.
Now that I've evolved into a Quasi-Saint, I can say that the conditions necessary to confront the pirate leader are roughly met. However, it's not accurate to say that a Quasi-saint is overwhelmingly powerful. While becoming a Quasi-saint does enhance one's strength significantly, it's crucial not to rely solely on this fact, as the exact level of the pirate leader's abilities is unknown.
One of the reasons I considered evolution necessary is not only to enhance my specs for physical combat but also to avoid mistakes caused by acquiring incorrect information.
'They may think I'm at the Pre-saint stage.'
At this point, it's impossible to know the pirate leader's skill level. If she's a top-tier player, she should have an idea of how to fight against an Amorph. An Amorph's strength varies significantly based on the evolutionary stage, so she will assume that I am a Pre-Saint and prepare accordingly.
Grrrr!
'Believing in incorrect information and preparing can lead to significant consequences.'
I smiled faintly and brought up a semi-transparent text box.
[Species: Unidentified Aggressive Morph
Status: Quasi-Saint (Transcendent 1st Stage)
Objective: Survive (3rd evolution successful)
Possessed Traits (17 in physical-related / 7 in psychic related / Infection 8 / 5 in special defense-related / Nest 8 in nest-related):
① Physical Related (Type Applied): Metal Absorption, Complete Organic Being (Unique), Pheromone Enhancement, Gastric State, Bone Axe, Aerial Membrane, Reinforced Suction Pads, Robust Vitality, Aquatic Claws, Fins, Reinforced Large Tail, Essence Harvester's Jaw
Physical Fusion Traits: Regeneration, Neurotoxic Gland (Unavailable), Bloodsucking Tentacle, Spine Shooters
② Psychic Related (Type Applied): Humanoid, Insight
Psychic Fusion Traits: Predator Senses, Monster's Tentacle, Ghostly Claws, Watcher of Fear, Psychic Reflection Gloves
③ Infection Related (Type Applied): Space Bacteria, Enhanced Contagion, Illusion Beetles
Infection Fusion Traits: Parasitic Colony, Putrefying Fungal Organ, Tooth Fairy Nest, Gremlin Moss, Acidic Mycotic Gland
④ Special Defense Related: Pain Reduction, Resistance, Disease Immunity, Complete Immunization
Special Defense Fusion Traits: Protective Coloration
⑤ Nest Related (Type Applied): Horizon of Nightmares (Unique), Rapid Calcification Inducer, Enhanced Expansion, Sticky Suckers, Humanoid Cannibalism, Smog Tower, Water Wraith Nest
Nest Fusion Traits: Symbiotic Organ Spores
Possessed Types (4):
Physical Enhancement Type, Psychic Enhancement Type, Infection Enhancement Type, Nest Enhancement Type
Specialization Available Type (1):
Special Defense Enhancement Type (5/16)
*Incomplete Traits (3):
Energy Absorption, Diminutiveness, Gill]
'There are quite a few.'
Since becoming a Quasi-Saint, the number of new traits I gained was staggering.
'Especially in terms of special defense enhancements.'
Of course, there were also some new changes in physical and psychic traits.
Due to using the Infection Fusion trait 'Gremlin Moss' as a material for electronic interference, the plates on my back disappeared. Additionally, the color of my exoskeleton, originally close to dark brown, was now closer to a dark violet.
This was due to the effects of the 'Psychic Reflection Gloves,' created by combining the traits obtained from defeating the Swamp King with psychic resistance.
Both of these traits would be used countless times against opponents I would face from now on.
'Gremlin Moss is effective against machines, and the Psychic Reflection Gloves are useful against cultists.'
In addition to these, there are many traits that will continue to be useful in the future.
'Especially getting the Symbiotic Organ Spores was fortunate.'
The 'Symbiotic Organ Spores' were created using traits obtained from the swamp, and it had a very special ability. In nests where this trait was applied, it produced spores with the ability to heal the target that had undergone symbiosis with the organism.
'If I have the Symbiotic Organ Spores, it will be a great help to number 26 and Adhai.'
I've been worrying a lot about both of them getting hurt, but now I feel like I can breathe a little easier.
'Let's focus on the cruiser for now.'
Currently, I'm less than 50 meters away from the enemy cruiser. It seems they've been ordered to be on high alert by their leader, as they've set up all sorts of defenses around the ship.
Various mines, dozens of Stormgun units in auto-fire mode, Heavy Walkers numbering in dozens, reconnaissance drones made by StarUnion, and even plasma turrets mounted on the cruiser were all operational. Their defense level is truly formidable. If I were a Pre-Saint, even with number 26 and Adhai, it would have been impossible to breach this place. It's practically impenetrable from both land and air.
'I wonder if they know about the underground approach.'
The enemies have built a near-perfect defense against ground and aerial assaults. But they've overlooked one thing: underground.
Since earlier, I've been digging tunnels to infiltrate beneath the cruiser. When I evolved into a pseudo-entity, blunt claws emerged all over my exoskeleton except for my head. Most of them are concentrated on my tail, but there are also blunt claws on my wrists, waist, and chest. These claws can be used for offense, but more importantly, they're very effective for digging through soil. Thanks to these claws, I can move quickly and quietly underground.
'I think this should do.'
As I reached beneath the cruiser, I stopped digging. This space, slightly larger than my body, will serve as my new nest.
'Now that I've gained new traits, I should try using them.'
As I activated nest-building mode, black slime poured out from my body. The surrounding soil absorbed the slime like a sponge absorbing water. In the past, it would have taken quite a while for the slime to harden and form spores, but now the nest was completed incredibly quickly. It's all thanks to the reinforcement from my types and traits.
'That was fast. Very good.'
The completed nest automatically expanded its territory around the area without me needing to command it.
The walls of the tunnels I dug became solidified in an instant due to the slime, and the ground around felt as vibrant as my body.
Fruit-like spores reflecting my traits sprouted throughout the nest, and various pathogens such as toxins, viruses, fungi, and fungi crawled into the soil.
I wonder if the people on the cruiser are aware. Aware that beneath their feet, a kingdom of contagion is being constructed.
'Alright, hurry up and come up.'
The nest rapidly extended upwards.
The target is the cruiser guarded by the pirates. Since the cruiser also represents the power of the pirate leader, weakening it in advance wouldn't hurt.
'If we attack using the nest's traits, they won't stand a chance.'
The enemies above won't be facing just a single creature like Amorph.
This soil, this land, and everything else under my control, will become their enemy.