120
-x-X-x-
"Monster, it's a monster!"
"Kill that thing!"
The pirates screamed in horror as they saw me emerging in the middle of the fortified camp. Following that, merciless beams of light rained down. Over a hundred pirates, coupled with dozens of walkers and defense towers strategically positioned, created an overwhelming spectacle of destruction through coordinated gunfire.
If it were before my evolution into a Quasi-Saint, I might have suffered irreparable injuries from this attack.
'But not now'
As I thought, a rain of plasma bullets poured on my exoskeleton like a downpour on a bonnet, I heard a sound. Their attacks were futile against my bio-armor, and I needed to remind them of the futility of wasting bullets.
I pierced through the spectacle and leaped into the air, landing between them. Six combat-ready arms extended simultaneously, targeting the armed pirates. As a Quasi-Saint, my body had grown to over 20 meters in size, and my arms and claws had proportionally enlarged. Each swipe of my claws tore through the pirates' bodies, and when caught by the combat arms, they were thrown into the distant defensive barriers.
"Ah! Insane!"
"Ahh! We're all going to die!"
When the bone axe at the end of my combat arm beheaded someone, the corrosive tentacles consumed the head before it hit the ground. Some pirates, as a last-ditch effort, drew sonic blades from their waistbands and charged at me. The ultra-vibrating blades, capable of effortlessly cutting through thick wood and hard metals, shattered surprisingly easily against my strength.
"Uh?!"
Pirates wore dumbfounded expressions, as if they couldn't believe the reality unfolding before their eyes. Losing focus during combat is more fatal than anything else, and they paid the price as useless heads were separated from their bodies.
"Damn! Just crush them!"
"Damn it!"
Heavy walkers, armed with storm guns and plasma launchers on both arms, fired at me as I massacred my way through their comrades. The brutal heat of enriched uranium rounds and the destructive plasma beams turned the area where I stood into a chaotic battlefield. Pirates, already dying from my hand, were quickly incinerated by the blind projectiles.
'What a waste.'
As I regretted the senseless destruction, a powerful plasma energy, distinct from gauss rifles, struck my head.
'Grrrrrr'
If I were a monolithic entity, I would have been pushed back significantly by that attack. But now, it merely made my head tilt slightly.
"W…what?!"
"The plasma launcher isn't effective!"
The shocked exclamations of the heavy walker pilots echoed around me.
To be honest, it's not like I came out of this unscathed. The parts of my exterior hit by the intense heat are now reddened, and I, too, am feeling the pain.
But it's at a level I can endure and bear.
'I should give back, as much as I have taken'
I thought to myself. My jaw splits into two, and the two internal organs inside my body quickly activated.
The Acidic Mycotoxin Sac, a fusion trait created using the original acidic blood feature I had. The contaminated Fungus Organ, a gland that produces spores filled with contaminated fungus.
These diabolical mechanisms diligently prepare to inflict dreadful pain upon the enemies.
Next, a mix of emerald-green liquid and black spores passed through my throat and dispersed outside my mouth.
This acidic liquid, lethal to both machines and humans, flew towards the Heavy Walkers and the pirates nearby.
When the acidic mycotoxin, capable of easily melting alloys, corroded the Walker's gloves, the decay fungus infiltrated the gap, causing adverse effects on the human flesh within.
The operators could do nothing but scream as the thick gloves that once protected them from threatening environmental elements now become prisons.
Linked mentally to the operators, the Walkers cease firing and start leaping in place. The pirates who used to take cover behind the Walker, composed of thick metal blocks, are crushed under its powerful feet.
"We… We can't win!"
"We need the leader! We need the leader!"
As I continue my rampage, the remaining pirates lose their morale and flee.
There's no need to chase after them. The fog surrounding this fortress and the nests emerging from the ground below will take care of them.
"Huh?!"
"The fog is poisonous… cough!"
After just a few steps, they realize that their respiratory systems are compromised. The pirates forget about escaping and collapse on the spot, coughing up blood mixed with chunks of flesh.
All the pirates in the fortress wore reinforced suits. Their helmets provided gas masks, but when the effects of ten nests combine, even the enhanced smog tower emitting toxic fog falls short in protecting them.
"Ugh! G…ghost! It's a ghost!"
"Ha… Ha… The flowers…the flowers are so beautiful…"
The hallucinogenic beetles that emerged from the nests, as if nurtured by the pirates' blood, are now targeting them with their sticky tendrils. These creatures, also enhanced tenfold, make it challenging for the pirates to escape.
Despite thinking that this fortified camp was the safest, the pirates were wrong.
Even if they had to defy Muriel's orders, they should have left this planet.
'You've chosen the wrong path.'
My corrosive tendrils relentlessly harvested the heads of pirates, who were falling to the ground and dying, even in the midst of battle. It was like picking fallen fruit from a tree.
"All Walkers, retreat to the central plaza!"
"Fall back!"
The surviving Walkers ceased their attacks and hastily withdrew. I knew what they were expecting.
In the central plaza stood the most formidable presence in this camp, Muriel, the leader of the Humanity Cartel and the 20th-ranked player.
She was waiting for me.
I crawled after the Walkers, keeping my upper body close to the ground.
Heavy Walkers were specialized in unleashing firepower on the enemy while maintaining their formation, but they had no significant advantage in mobility. Although they moved much faster than humans, they were no match for me, moving like a train.
As I got closer to the Walkers, I attacked them from behind. Trapped in the dense toxic fog outside, they had no choice but to await death; leaving the cockpit was not an option.
When the remaining Walkers dwindled to just a handful, the fleeing ones reached the central plaza.
Silence.
There, a cultist with deer antlers, wielding a dazzling golden spear, stood.
She wore a cross-shaped headband emitting a subtle violet glow and a full-body suit resembling reinforced armor.
Muriel, fully prepared for battle, looked at me while puffing on an electronic cigarette.
I covered a fleeing Walker, grabbed the operator, and pulled her in front of Muriel. With my arms, I seized both her arms and legs, presenting her in front of the leader.
"Le…Leader! Please…save… Aaaargh!"
The strength in my combat arm could tear apart the outer wall of a spaceship barehanded. Even with reinforced armor, it was a force that an ordinary person couldn't withstand. The pirate I had caught desperately called for the leader but ended up separated into upper and lower halves, dead.
Seeing this, Muriel furrowed her brows.
"Tsk, savage."
"Surprising….isn't…. it?"
"Surprising? Pfft, that's what I'd say. Never thought you'd become a Protoform."
Muriel spoke with irritation, spitting out her words. She seemed neither shocked nor fearful knowing that I had become a Protoform.
The attitude Muriel displayed here was that of someone who believed they were in clear superiority.
"I…never…expected…you…wouldn't…run…away."
Hearing my words, she chuckled as if hearing an amusing joke.
"Run away? Me? Seems like there's some misunderstanding…."
Muriel, who spoke like that, held a lighter in her left hand. She pressed the switch on the lighter-shaped terminal.
Suddenly, eight small spider-like machines resembling spiders emerged from the dirt around me and clung to me simultaneously. They moved at such a rapid speed that it was difficult to detect with the auxiliary organ under my chin. I couldn't avoid them at all.
As the machines emitted a red light, my body began to feel heavy, as if soaking wet cotton. It felt like the machines were absorbing vitality from me.
'Blood Reaver!'
The name of the machine attached to my body is Blood Reaver. It's one of the top-tier combat weapons used by Star Union. It swiftly attaches to the victim during combat, rapidly absorbing life force. With exceptionally high durability, once attached to the body, breaking free from the machine is nearly impossible.
Moreover, detection is impossible, much like what I, as an auxiliary system, failed to notice. The surprise speed is also incredibly fast. Thanks to these features, the Blood Reaver was a deadly weapon against biological players or enemies in the game.
I couldn't resist, and I ended up with my head slammed into the ground. Even though I desperately wanted to get up, I couldn't even twitch a finger.
"I guess you weren't prepared to fight a monster like me?"
Muriel approached me with a triumphant smile. The moment she raised her spear high, I struck her side with my combat arm.
"What?!"
She narrowly avoided my attack by a hair's breadth. My sharp claws left a thin scratch on her side.
As she quickly stepped back, my corrosive tentacles erupted towards her from all six directions. She swiftly parried the attacks with her spear, and in the meantime, I pulled out a bone axe, aiming for her ankles.
"Where?!"
Her body shone purple, soaring into the air. While my bone axe swept over the ground, she landed lightly at a considerable distance.
Her suit hesitated for a moment but eventually healed the scratch on her side. In a matter of seconds, her body returned to its pre-battle state.
In contrast, her face seemed less composed than before, as if she had lost some composure compared to a moment ago.
"You have the Blood Reaver attached; how can you move?"
"Is…that…so?"
Instead of answering, I lifted myself up, tearing off the Blood Reavers attached all over my body.
On the black, spider-like machines, silver moss was intricately intertwined.
'I would have been in danger if I didn't know in advance.'
Even with just one attached, the Blood Reaver has an effect beyond injecting paralysis to biological enemies. Those who are affected by this machine not only have their life force drained but also become paralyzed, rendering defense impossible.
'It's not just any top-tier weapon.'
Mother of the Sky mentioned that Muriel had two Blood Reavers, and that she might use both when fighting me.
Given that Griffin Wolf heavily relied on physical performance, she must have fought Muriel in a considerably weakened state.
'To think she used eight of these on me?'
Contrary to Mother of the Sky's words, Muriel had eight of them. And she used all eight on me.
In the game, no player had ever used eight simultaneously. After all, being a top-tier weapon, it's not something one can easily obtain.
'If I would have been a Pre-Saint, I would have died instantly.'
Even as a Quasi-Saint, with eight attached at once, I would have been unable to move a finger, and my life force would have quickly depleted, leading to death.
'I did use my head a bit, but…'
Before I engaged in a battle with her, I had already activated the Gremlin Moss in anticipation of unexpected surprises. The silver mosses were prepared to exit through the pores on my external surface and exoskeleton at any moment, allowing me to effectively block the formidable attacks launched by the enemy.
'As long as the Gremlin Moss is active, the Blood Reaver is useless for the next 20 minutes.'
By the way, there's no need to worry about the life force drained by the Blood Reaver. Thanks to the cannibalistic effect, the corpses on the ground, or in other words, those who died on this campsite, are all equivalent to my energy.
Even at this moment, the tail in contact with the ground is steadily absorbing energy sent by the nest, so there's no need to worry.
I finally detached the spider-like machine attached to my head and threw it in front of her.
"Did…you…think…I wouldn't…be…prepared…to…fight…against…a…monster…like…you?"
Her face stiffened as I echoed the words she had just spoken.
"Unfortunate…for….you…my…dear…sister…I'm…tempted…to…open…up…my…abdomen and…show…you…my…internal…organs."
"Hmph, entertaining thought. I'll keep it in mind."
With a raised lance and a combat stance, Muriel seemed deep in thought, and I couldn't discern her plans. While I can make educated guesses about her psychology based on heartbeats and bodily responses using my auxiliary systems, it's not entirely accurate.
But it doesn't matter.
She may not know much about me, but I've acquired valuable information about her.
'The outcome of a battle lies in the difference in information.'
Before raiding the camp, I constructed a nest to create advantageous terrain for myself. I gathered as much information as possible about the enemies I would be hunting and devised strategies on how to deal with them.
In terms of both terrain and information, I have an advantage on both fronts.
And there is only one thing left for me.
'Victory.'
-x-X-x-
Darkness, and mist was everywhere.
Screams and blasts echoing faintly from serious places.
Everything is the result of my actions and decisions.
Despite the chaos surrounding us, Muriel and I, seated here, observed each other without the slightest hint of wavering.
When to strike, how to retreat.
How to uncover the enemy's numbers, and how to compensate if we fail.
She and I may be enemies, but we share the same thoughts.
Just before the raid on the campsite, I received information about the enemy from the Mother of the Sky.
'She's the type who fights while enhancing herself both with equipments and information.'
According to what I heard, Muriel had a combat style quite distinct from the typical cultists.
While Space Survival guarantees high freedom, deviating entirely from the gameplay presented by the game developers was impossible.
For instance, playing as a Megacorp player to collect essence like an Amorph by consuming people, or pursuing a vegetarian Amorph, would render the game progress impossible.
Hence, when reaching a higher rank, one could generally speculate about the tactics and strategies based on the opponent's race and faction.
If the opponent is a cyborg of the Star Union, there's a high possibility of fighting with various modules to enhance oneself or preparing various traps, while cultists often use psychic power techniques with diverse utilities to pressure.
Though exceptions exist, generally, they don't stray far from this framework.
So, if you draw the best card like the Antler Cult, the most effective approach would be to choose the "cultish" tactics, exploiting the enemy with over dozens of psychic power techniques.
'Normally, that's what you would do.'
As the Mother of the Sky said, Muriel was said to be more proficient in hand-to-hand combat than handling psychic power techniques.
Cultists in the setting are adept in psychic abilities but have physical abilities below humans.
Even if one enhances their physical abilities somehow in this reality, it would be almost impossible for a cultist like her who learned divinity to engage in close combat and emerge victorious against a Wolf who is close to divinity.
However, Muriel defied this common knowledge.
'The style of fighting by enhancing oneself is often chosen by cyborgs.'
For example, the navy-blue bodysuit she's wearing.
It closely resembled when the Nano Spartan module was activated.
The Nano Spartan module, as the name suggests, is an auxiliary device that equips a nano-reinforced suit over the entire body, dramatically enhancing physical abilities. It's mainly used by cyborg rankers when engaging in close combat, enhancing them slightly beyond Amorphs or Wolves.
'That's a cyborg-exclusive module. How did she use it?'
In some mysterious way, Muriel, along with other races including the cultists, openly wore equipment that was supposedly not usable by them.
'Even if I use insight, there's nothing coming out.'
[Name: Muriel (Real name ■■■)
Species: Contains unidentified information.
Status: Contains unidentified information.
Worn Equipment: Golden Spear of the High Priest (Unique), and others.
Skills: Contains unidentified information.]
Just in case, I tried using insight, but all that came out was the golden spear she was holding, the "Golden Spear of the High Priest."
'Is it a new technology that nullifies insight, or…'
Whether it's because Muriel is a player, or something else, it's currently impossible to know.
'There's a lot to ask.'
Having finished the brief contemplation in a matter of seconds, I withdrew the corroded tentacle from the hole in my back.
Just as I felt when I saw Muriel, she too frowned upon witnessing my abilities, which she had never seen in the game.
Muriel moved slowly to the side. It seems she has chosen her target.
Now, there's only one thing left.
A signal flare announcing the end of the exploration phase.
'Hot!'
The initiative was taken by Muriel. She unleashed a swift battle cry and struck the ground.
The moment she lifted her foot from the ground, my corroding tentacles shot towards her simultaneously.
Muriel wielded the spear to deflect the tentacles. Now, can my massive tail really block her?
I pressed my upper body tightly against the ground, raised my tail upward, and swung it fiercely.
Seemingly judging it as difficult to block, she rolled her foot in mid-air. Disregarding the laws of physics, she stepped on the air like solid ground and reached out her left hand towards me.
When her hand glowed violet, my movements significantly slowed down. It was the effect of the advanced psychic power technique called 'Distortion Field.'
The Distortion Field drastically impairs the movements of enemies within a certain space while greatly accelerating the caster's own movements. It would likely slow me down while simultaneously enhancing herself, but she overlooked one thing.
"I…have…a…psychic…power…reflection…glove."
"Annoying!"
Her floating demeanor crumpled. About 30% of the negative effects of the Distortion Field were reflected back onto her, applying to her as well.
Still, she could move much faster than me.
After evading my slowed tail, she counterattacked with the spear. The Golden Spear of the High Priest, stained with a considerable amount of blood, easily pierced through my tail armor.
Having successfully created small holes in my tail, Muriel thrust the spear repeatedly.
'I need to retreat.'
While the wounds on my body quickly healed thanks to the Nest's effect, it didn't mean I could afford to take any and all attacks.
I rotated my body, retracting my tail while simultaneously attempting to lash out at her with my horned head. In response, she swung the spear horizontally, aiming to sever my head along with the horn.
The moment the horn and the spear collided, a sound reminiscent of metal clashing echoed in the air as if a blacksmith had struck a sword with a hammer.
"What?!"
Muriel opened her eyes wide in surprise at the unexpected outcome.
My horn is structured similarly to the toughest part of my body, the head armor. So, even when it clashed with the High Priest's Golden Spear, it left only a scratch and did not cut through.
'Of course, if we clashed a few more times, it will likely break.'
Knowing this fact, she would attempt to strike with the spear again.
To prevent that, my corroding tentacles aimed for her from all directions.
'…Damn it!'
Even within the Distortion Field, avoiding both the approaching tentacles and the horns on my head would be challenging. Muriel retreated in mid-air, pushing backward.
In the meantime, I hurriedly crawled on the ground, moving out of the Distortion Field's range.
"Where are you going?!"
Muriel, attempting to resume the chase. I forcefully swept the ground with my tail.
Although she, capable of moving freely in the air, easily dodged my tail, my intention was not to strike her.
When the strong dust created by sweeping the tail covered the area between us, I vigorously dug the ground with my battle-ready arms.
In an instant, a pit was formed, and I swiftly crawled inside.
Despite the obscured visibility, Muriel seemed to have means to see me, as she targeted my tail tip.
"Annoying!"
As she tried to resume the pursuit, Muriel's irritated voice echoed from above. With detection technology, she could know my location, but it would be challenging for her to set up a Distortion Field while I was underground.
'I can only lay it where my line of sight reaches.'
Muriel followed me, thrusting the spear into the ground. The spear easily pierced through the ground like stabbing tofu, grazing my back and tail.
Fortunately, her detection technology seemed less than perfect, as it didn't inflict any fatal wounds on me.
'This should heal quickly.'
Ignoring Muriel's restraint, I fiercely traversed the underground of the central square at a rapid pace. As I dug through the ground, tunnels leading to the nests I had previously set up became visible. Those would prove useful in a decisive moment.
"But for now, this takes precedence."
Tooth fairy nests near my lower back started bursting open one by one. Enhanced bloodsucking fleas climbed up the earth, munching on it and emerging above ground.
While releasing the tooth fairies, I activated the acidic fungal glands, holding back the release of fungi into my mouth.
'This should be enough.'
Having prepared in just a few short minutes, I broke through the surface and leaped out. With my movements reaching a sizeable 20 meters, the ground trembled, and waves of sand, rocks, and dirt covered Muriel.
As her vision was obscured by the soil tsunami, I brought down a bone axe on her head, precisely as I planned.
Although it was a lightning-fast attack, she didn't panic and unfolded the Distortion Field.
At a distance where only a short time remained until her head, my body drastically slowed down.
Twisting my waist backward, I easily avoided her axe. The golden spear in her hand pierced through my side according to her will. Black blood spurted from my wound, and a smile appeared on her face.
But what I truly wanted to do was laugh.
"I've got you!"
My combat arms grabbed the spear lodged in my side, making it impossible for her to pull it out.
Muriel's expression froze in the same smile. The tooth fairies summoned from underground clung to her face and upper body.
"What a trick…!"
As the tooth fairies blocked her vision, Muriel let out an irritated scream. They were just tricks, as she said. Even with her sight obscured, the Distortion Field didn't cancel.
'That wasn't my intention.'
My jaw opened wide, and the contaminated fungus, waiting inside, shot out like a stream of water.
The Distortion Field only slowed down the movement of organisms within its area; it couldn't distort other physical laws.
"!"
Perhaps sensing the ominousness, even in her blind state, Muriel quickly turned her head. Thanks to that, most of the acid fungi missed her, and only some splattered on one side of her face.
However, the terror of the acidic fungus lay not just in its strong acidity but in its ability to spread rapidly even with a single droplet.
"Aaargh!"
As the fungus spread across her face and melted her horn, Muriel screamed in pain. The tooth fairies that had blocked her vision were also gloriously oxidized by the fungus.
'Now's the chance!'
Disturbed, perhaps due to my mental state, the effectiveness of the Distortion Field weakened.
Not missing this opportunity, I swung my tail forcefully.
"Ugh!"
Struck by my tail, she flew far away. She crashed onto the chaotic square.
'That was too shallow.'
Despite the pain of her face melting, Muriel used multiple defensive measures simultaneously to block my attack. From the psychic power technique, Ghost Skin, which allowed her to receive only 10% of physical damage while taking an additional 50% from psychic damage, to a circular shield that momentarily emerged from the suit's wrist.
While my attack hit, I probably couldn't inflict fatal damage on her.
'If she were a true Cultist, she would have been knocked down by now…'
"Damn it..Damn it…Damn it!"
As expected, she quickly stood up, having overturned the dirt. The suit, which had covered only her body except her head, extended like spider silk, healing her wounds.
"…As expected."
In her rapidly recovering face, things unseen in ordinary living beings were revealed. Inside her melted skin, instead of white bones, there was an ivory-colored alloy skeleton, along with small mechanical devices and chips nestled between her red muscles.
It had been a question from the start. According to my memory, Muriel in the game was a cyborg affiliated with Space Dogs, using equipment exclusive to cyborgs while freely utilizing the Cult's long-standing psychic power techniques. Even during the fight, she strangely preferred hand-to-hand combat like the Cult, which had raised suspicions. Now, all doubts were resolved.
'A fusion of a Cultist and a cyborg.'
It was a combination that all cyborg players in the game ardently wished for, yet it was an impossible combination for balance reasons. Now, it stood before me.
Having removed the melted horn and completed her recovery, the cyborg stared at me.
"How… can… this… be?"
Setting aside balance, Cultists, with fragile bodies by design, couldn't endure cyborg modification surgery due to the intense pain. Until now, none of the Cults I encountered had attempted to resist the parasite, simply because they couldn't endure the pain.
Considering this, the possibility that Muriel started as a Cult and was later modified into a cyborg seemed low.
'Rather, it might be the opposite.'
Starting as a cyborg and changing the base race to the Cult through 'some means.'
'It's somewhat similar to my Transcend System.'
Similar transformation abilities to Volph, dominance over spaceship capabilities unique to an Outspacer, and more. I transcended the limits of Amorph with the Transcend System. Muriel went beyond the limits of a cyborg to master psychic power as well. Somewhere, it felt strangely similar.
'…Alright. Ranked 5th, is it?'
Instead of answering my question, Muriel pressed her empty left hand firmly against her neck. A transparent button-like thing appeared and disappeared where her fingers passed.
Eventually, the effect of the button she pressed manifested. Muscles on her body swelled, her eyes emitted an intense purple glow, and her left arm, which hadn't held the Priest's golden spear, transformed into a mechanical arm integrated with the suit.
"She absorbed psionium."
Just as Amorph could draw upon the next stage of evolutionary abilities by consuming psionium, the same applied to Cults and Cyborgs. Cults, when unlocked through specific quests, gained the ability to use psychic power techniques, and Cyborgs had the limit on the number of modules they could equip lifted all at once.
'I wonder which race she upgraded to?'
Human-based cyborgs were treated as cyborgs due to the race classification, so unlocking module restrictions through psionium effects wasn't surprising. However, Muriel was a more complex being, a combination of a Cultist and a Cyborg.
'Perhaps she was influenced by both.'
The headband I was wearing turned into a violet halo, marking the end of her transformation.
"Because of you, I've used psionium and even the equipment I saved. I'll make you pay for that later."
With those words, she quickly approached me. It was a speed so fast that even me, an Amorph, who had heightened senses, could barely detect it.
'Danger!'
Instinctively turning my head, I immediately heard a threatening sound, the noise produced by the spear she thrust. If I hadn't avoided it, my head might have been pierced by the attack.
'Her physical abilities have risen unbelievably.'
Realizing this fact, I swung my tail.
Unlike before, she didn't evade my tail this time. Instead, she grabbed it with her mechanical arm. Then, she began exerting force on the hand that held my tail.
[Enduring Pain skill activated!]
Not only breaking the thick exoskeleton of my tail but also breaking the bones inside it. With this level of strength, she might be able to tear off my tail with her left hand.
I pulled out the bone axe from my combat arm and swung it at her.
She easily blocked my attack with the short spear. Although the spear's attack power remained the same, the force behind it was so strong that my attacking arm felt numb.
"You don't seem to get tired of this. Will this method work on me?"
"How…about… this?"
"What?"
She, with a disdainful smile, countered.
'I already know you have a troublesome personality.'
The hidden card isn't exclusive to her, and I've been waiting for her to use that card.
I restrained her with the combat arm and corrosive tentacles to prevent her from escaping. The parasite I had planted before signaled beneath our feet. The host is ascending now.
"No way?!"
As soon as Muriel exclaimed, the ground we stood on exploded.
｢Muriellll!｣
Emerging from the pierced ground was a lion's massive foreleg. Accompanied by a roaring sound resembling lightning striking from the sky, the lion's foreleg flew towards Muriel's legs.
"Damn it!"
When her calf was half severed, her body glowed purple and disappeared from my hand. Then, from a distance, she appeared intact.
"You damn son of a bitch! What kind of Amorph are you!?"
"What… are you…saying?"
"What kind of Amorph brings a companion along?!"
"Well, that's just game norms."
"Humph!"
While Muriel raged in anger, the Mother of the Sky crawled up from beneath the ground.
"Choi Seo-ah, this idiotic girl won't die…!"
｢Until I finish avenging my family, until I chew on each piece of your flesh, you can't die, even if you want to. Before ending the vengeance of my family, you can't.｣
Muriel, using psionium, vowed revenge with blood tears, and the Mother of the Sky, now a precursor, joined in. With all the main characters assembled, the second round begins.
-x-X-x-
In the game, the psionic effect lasts for 5 minutes. When used at the right moment, it can reverse unfavorable situations, making it a highly useful substance, but it comes with a fatal drawback.
'It means the duration decreases every time you use it.'
The decreasing time is randomly determined, ranging from a few seconds to a maximum of 1 minute. For unlucky individuals, it might be limited to only 5 uses.
Therefore, players either use it all early in the game or carefully save it for crucial moments later on. This characteristic of psionic holds true in reality as well. After becoming an Amorph, I've used the psionic drugs myself.
'I used it during the fight with Si-hyun Yujin.'
I enjoyed the effects for 5 minutes, so if I consume another psionic drug later, I should experience the effects for at least 4 minutes.
'But Muriel said otherwise.'
According to the Mother of the Sky, when Muriel fought herself, the psionic effects lasted for 8 minutes.
'Is it an improved version of the psionic effect or a module that enhances drug effects?'
With many differences from the game, it's not clear what the cause is.
'It doesn't matter. That part is not important.'
What is certain is that Muriel cannot enjoy the psionic effects indefinitely. If that were the case, she would have used it right away when fighting me.
'When she first fought me, she used an Ultra Controller.'
While she was waiting for me, she smoked a cigarette. The liquid inside was not a synthetic drug but an Ultra Controller that enhanced psychic abilities' output and precision.
'She played it off quite naturally, but the smoke didn't have the typical hazy drug smell, so I figured it out quickly.'
'Such an intelligent woman wants to avoid me, even though there's a way to overpower me?'
Presumably, the psionic drug she used, even if the duration was extended, couldn't eliminate the drawback of decreasing duration with each use.
'If you use it recklessly, it becomes difficult to use it when it really matters later on.'
So, she must have used psionic drugs when she deemed herself in dire straits.
'The maximum duration is less than 8 minutes. Assuming it has the same duration reduction rate as regular psionic drug, it should be less than 7 minutes.'
In reality, the possibility of our fight lasting from 7 to 8 minutes is slim. Both sides move at speeds far beyond human, so regardless of the winner, the combat time won't be very long.
"Originally, my plan wasn't to endure until the psionic effect wore off."
At the moment I was hearing from the Mother of the Sky, I thought about making sure she couldn't do what she needed with the psionic drugs.
'…Even if there are two, nothing will change!'
Following her ominous words, Muriel immediately launched an attack. As her foot left the ground, the golden spear approached me at lightning speed. I quickly raised my bone axe. When my bones and her spear collided, it sounded like an explosive blast.
The spear is pushed aside, and her stance crumbles. To engulf her entirely, my corrosive tentacles, with six appendages wide open, rush towards her.
"Hat!"
Muriel extends her mechanized left hand widely. Due to the distortion field, her body slips through the slowed tentacles like a mirage. Then, she clenches her fist with her left arm. In that brief moment, my auxiliary system detects a massive flow of energy transferring through her left arm.
It's the Thunder Arm Module, belonging to the superior combat modules that a cyborg can equip. With outstanding effects in terms of destructive power and penetrating quantum forces, it can pierce through the exoskeleton I've become.
"Where are you going?!"
"Kuk?!"
The Mother of the Sky leaped, colliding with Muriel's side using her entire body. Ignoring Muriel's enhanced physical abilities, it was impossible to dismiss the charge of the griffin wolf, with a size of over 4 meters and a body filled with muscles.
Muriel's posture is disrupted, and the direction her mechanical arm is pointing slightly changes. Thanks to this, the yellow lightning shot by Muriel only grazes my back.
Of course, it didn't end without any damage; I lost two corrosive tentacles, but it was still bearable.
"Don't interfere!"
"Ugh!"
After Muriel releases energy, she fiercely strikes the Mother of the Sky with her hot left arm.
The Mother of the Sky, with burns on her face and a broken beak, steped back.
"Good."
Now is the opportunity, with her attention on another enemy.
I put all my strength into the head and charged at Muriel.
"Kuk!"
My horn broke her rib cage and pierced her organs. Fortunately, she retreated in time, avoiding a complete penetration, but these injuries are severe enough to be fatal.
"No! It's not over yet!"
As expected, her body glowed violet, just as I predicted.
A violet halo floating behind her head. That's the halo-shaped headband she wore, the 'Harmonizer,' an effect bestowed by the Adjuster.
The Adjuster is one of the rewards for clearing the cult's mid-to-late quests, granting the wearer the ability to teleport five times a day in ethereal form.
The cult's quests are divided into 12 stages, and the Adjuster is unlocked as a reward for the 9th stage quest.
When she received the acidic fungal baptism I unleashed, she didn't use the Adjuster.
"She probably couldn't use it because she didn't meet the usage conditions."
Judging by how she utilized it after consuming psionic drug, it's certain she cleared up to the 8th stage quest.
"Whatever it is, she only has three uses left now."
So far, Muriel has used the Adjuster twice. Once when the Mother of the Sky surprised her by popping out of the ground and again when I stabbed her with my horn moments ago.
In other words, she only has three spare lives left.
I predict the point where she'll move and swiftly reposition myself. About 100 meters away, violet particles gather in the air.
"!"
Muriel, after dematerializing, opens her eyes wide as she sees me charging towards her.
She raised her left arm to activate the distortion field, but the Mother of the Sky couldn't just stand there and watch.
"Leave her alone!"
The Mother of the Sky, half of her face charred black, had suddenly caught up with Muriel. Her half-broken beak bit forcefully into Muriel's left shoulder.
"Kkek!"
Due to the dislocated shoulder bone, the manifestation of the distortion field was canceled midway. Muriel, who had come right up to me, hastily assumed a defensive stance with the priest's spear.
Squelch!
"Ugh!"
The spear and horn collided, resulting in one of my horns breaking. The pain surged as if someone had struck my head with a hard object.
However, the damage wasn't exclusive to me. Since Muriel also couldn't escape the impact, the right arm holding the spear extended unnaturally. It was thanks to the nano-Spartan module enveloping her body that her arm didn't detach; however, the inside must have been completely crushed.
"Eeek! Dieeee!"
Whether it was a scream or a battle cry, she activated the Thunder Arm Module again. As energy gathered in her left arm, the Mother of the Sky quickly let go of the beak she had been gripping.
I, too, quickly shifted my body to avoid the direction in which her arm was pointing. A yellow beam barely grazed my side, with only the thickness of a sheet of paper making the difference.
During that time, she disappeared by dematerializing and reappeared on top of the surveillance tower placed around the camp.
"This… this is impossible…!"
Thanks to the dematerialization effect, her body was unharmed, but her expression was different.
Blood stained her lips as they trembled, and her pupils were shaking.
Now, she was noticeably more shaken than before the fight.
"Way of Escape. Muriel."
If she fights passively or tries to prolong the battle, the psionic effect will wear off, rendering the Adjuster unusable. On the contrary, if she actively engages in combat, the likelihood of using the Adjuster increases.
Either way, if she can't use the Adjuster, she'll have to rely solely on the recovery ability of the nano-Spartan module to face us.
"She should have used it to escape from the beginning."
Engaging in combat with me, or rather, starting this battle in the first place, was the wrong choice.
I calmly informed her of the reality, knowing that she would understand what those two remaining chances meant for her.
"Two… left…"
"!"
She knows exactly what my words signify.
When those two chances run out, she'll know what awaits her.
Three years ago.
Muriel found herself alone in the world of space survival, possessing a member of the Space Cartel organization.
No matter if she was ranked 20th or the leader of a large clan in the game, it was all just a story within the game. In the harsh dystopian world, surviving as a mere college student from the real world was by no means an easy task for her. If Muriel hadn't been a robust cyborg or possessed an appearance beautiful enough to earn the love of the leader, she wouldn't have lasted even two days.
Muriel could guarantee her life thanks to the cult leader who cherished her. It had been a month since she became the lover of the leader.
Only after her survival was assured did she realize what she had received by coming to this world. It was a kind of blessing, a 'bonus' for those who crossed over to this world.
The bonus she received was the ability to change the base species that served as the foundation for her cyborg body into another species. While in the game, cyborgs were fixed to have a human base species, she could transform her base species into cyborg, wolf, cult, or other species.
It could be considered a bonus reflecting the characteristics of the pirate group, Space Dogs, which included various species. However, she couldn't change the base species without any constraints. Her original species was a cyborg. After plundering the symbols of other species and modifying them into 'modules,' she could wear them to use the bonus. This limitation remained unchanged even after changing the species.
Additionally, she could only switch to intelligent species that players could choose, and transformation into wild animals that were unplayable was not possible.
Regardless, realizing the potential of the bonus, she assassinated the cult leader to change her base species to cult.
Without any affection for him and considering him just an NPC in the game, she didn't feel much remorse for the murder. After converting the leader's horn into a module and changing her species to cult, she targeted the members of the Cartel organization.
Since the cartel she belonged to was a powerful one, it wasn't an easy fight, but she managed to win somehow. After that, while on her way to the cult's nature, she encountered other players and grew with their help.
Two years had passed since she came to this world, and Muriel had become strong. No one in the universe dared to treat her lightly. Moreover, with two rankers sponsoring her, crises were practically non-existent for Muriel.
That is, until now, before meeting Amorph in this SainTopia02.
"Kuk!"
Muriel raised her spear to block the arm of the damn powerful Amorph quasi-entity that came down on her. His attacks were not usually heavy, but Muriel bit her lip due to the unusual weight.
His strength hadn't decreased at all since the start of the fight. In fact, the longer the fight continued, the stronger he felt. To be precise, it wasn't that the enemy was getting stronger; it was Muriel who was getting weaker.
"No! I won't lose…!"
"Motherf***er!"
Though anxiety crept in, she shook it off with a curse-mixed battle cry. The Thunder Arm Module attached to her left arm activated, and a yellow lightning bolt pierced through Amorph's arm.
For a brief moment of joy at seeing the severed arm, the Mother of the Sky swung her foreleg towards Muriel's face.
"Ugh!"
She tried to dodge, tilting her head backward, but her right cheek was torn halfway by the brutal attacks of the beastly woman.
"…I can recover from this much!"
With only two uses left for the recalibration of the regulator, she had to use them sparingly. Trusting in the recovery power of the Nano Spartan module, she swung her spear while the golden spear of the priest sliced through the Mother of the Sky's side. Meanwhile, Amorph's tail unexpectedly flew towards her.
As it happened during the attack, she couldn't completely avoid it. She decided to trust in the solid Thunder Arm module's defense, but it turned out to be a poor choice.
"E-ek!"
Her mechanical arm twisted grotesquely due to the ignorant tail. As if that wasn't enough, she soared into the air and tumbled miserably to the ground.
"Cough?!"
Muriel, vomiting black blood from her mouth. Although she had fallen to the ground a few times during the fight, this was the first time she had spewed blood.
"That damn Amorph brat and his tricks…!"
Only then did she become aware of the presence of the mist that completely surrounded the campsite.
The mist was undoubtedly created by Amorph's nest. Having fought Amorph several times in the game, she quickly recognized it. However, she had disregarded the fear of the toxic mist since she hadn't fought Amorph for such a long time.
In fact, she hadn't made a foolish judgment. The recovery power of the Nano Spartan module was incredibly outstanding. No matter how powerful the toxicity of the mist was, as long as the module was operational, she could recover quickly.
"But the module's recovery can't keep up!"
If she could maintain a stable state for even a short time, the module's recovery function would normalize. However, the enemies didn't allow her even that "short time."
Mother of the Sky rushed towards the vomiting Muriel. Muriel leaped into the air to ward off the Mother's attack with both feet.
Although the enemy flew far away, another enemy attacked her. Muriel barely parried the thorny fur pouring down from the front with her spear.
"Oh, no! I can still endure this…!"
Just as she thought that, the enemy's tentacles lunged at her. She managed to deflect some, but she couldn't block them all. Due to the previous attack, half of her thigh was torn.
"I can solve this with another module!"
As she stood up, the Mother's foreleg swung towards her, suddenly coming close. It was an attack that took advantage of the narrowed right-side view of Muriel.
"I need to use the distortion field…!"
Hastily unfolding the distortion field with her recovering left arm, Muriel. Although the Mother of the Sky stopped in mid-air, Amorph's horn aimed at her from the opposite direction.
"Thunk!"
"The next one…!"
Once again, Muriel vomited blood while soaring through the air. Continuously thinking of the next move from her head.
Among the modules she possessed, there was something that could overcome this situation. Although it was a precious module and she hadn't used it much due to severe side effects, the situation was unavoidable.
"I can still win!"
Blocked. Both of her legs were completely shattered. Utilizing her Psychokinesis Power technique, she lifted her body into the air and quickly thought of the next move.
Among the Psychokinesis Power techniques she possessed, there was one that could incapacitate the enemy. She had been saving it, but now was the time for it to shine.
"With this…!"
However, she was blocked. Penetrating injuries were added to her shoulders and abdomen. With consecutive fatal injuries, the Nano Suit rapidly slowed down. Amidst the confusion caused by the bleeding, she continued to think.
"The next move… how should I handle this?"
It seemed like the creature knew everything about her, the modules she possessed, and the Psychokinesis Power techniques she could use, as if it knew her inside out. In front of it, she might as well have been naked.
As she thought about it, the monster in front of her began to grow larger. The creature, which had grown uncontrollably by consuming her blood, flesh, and emotions, now looked overwhelmingly gigantic and difficult to handle.
Facing such a creature, long-buried emotions in her chest resurfaced.
Desperation and fear of death.
"I… I don't want to die!"
Driven to the extreme, Muriel, with a determination to use the regulator she had vowed to save, used it once again. After her body dispersed into violet particles, she gathered again in a place as far away as possible from that monster.
"No, this can't be!"
As her body regenerated, she regretted it. Now, she only had one chance left.
At that moment, the creature spoke.
"…Once."
Even though the distance between her and the creature was more than a few hundred meters, Amorph's words resonated in her ears as if they were stuck in her mind.
-x-X-x-
'Is this the end?'
Muriel's body was immaculate, without a single scratch. However, her suit, wrapping around her body, told a different story. It had numerous holes, exposing her pristine white flesh.
The nano spartan modules were top-notch among defense modules, but they were not omnipotent. In a state as damaged as this, restoring her to her original state would require replenishing the nano machines.
'But she must have used up the spare ones already.'
I could tell by the trembling eyes. She had few cards left.
'I've already verified the equipment and techniques Mother of the Sky taught me.'
Before facing Muriel, I recalled my battles with the rankers one by one—their races, technologies, the strength of their equipment, and the strategies they primarily used. This allowed me to anticipate Muriel's modules, psychic power techniques, and actions in various situations.
'She fought reasonably well.'
Muriel's skills were not lacking. For some reason, she brought with her a deceptive combination of a cultist and cyborg hybrid, making her a formidable opponent. If she had known even a bit more about my condition and abilities, she wouldn't have fallen so easily.
'At least until she can use some trump card.'
If Muriel had intended to escape from the start, it wouldn't have been easy for me to chase her. The large-scale camp where we stood had long-distance transport ships. If she fled to another continent, I would never have caught up.
'But…'
She had several opportunities to escape but didn't take them. And now, the time for her to pay the price was approaching.
"Ugh!"
Muriel let out a short groan. The self-assured smile she had during our first fight was nowhere to be seen. As the Adjuster's opportunity dwindled to just one, she completely lost her fighting spirit.
Instead of a battle, there was only one path left for her to choose.
"Damn it! Just watch!"
Muriel shouted and pressed the buttons on the mechanical arm near her neck. Then, her body rapidly blurred like smoke and soon disappeared into the mist. It was a perfect stealth, as if she had never been there.
'I can't even see her in my sight.'
Not even auxiliary devices could detect her properly. If it weren't for the vibrations created by Muriel's breath, footsteps on the ground, and similar signs, I wouldn't have known which direction she had jumped.
Even the Mother of the Sky, far superior in vision to me, constantly turned her head to find Muriel.
｢That woman, there was still something left.｣
"I've…never…seen…that…level…of…stealth…module…in…the…game."
｢…For now, I can't see her with my eyes.｣
Seeing that she hasn't used such a high-level stealth module until now, there must be limitations for its use in combat or retrieval restrictions.
｢What are you going to do?｣
Mother of the Sky, who hasn't found Muriel, turns her head to me.
'What am I going to do?'
She's asking the obvious.
"I'll…capture…and…kill…her."
｢Alright.｣
No matter how excellent stealth equipment she possesses, in the end, she's within the palm of my hand.
'This is my territory.'
With just my auxiliary devices, it's difficult to directly spot her. But the traces she left behind, once linked with the nest, can easily lead me to her.
'How many times do I have to say it?'
Running away before fighting me is Muriel's only way to survive.
***
"Damn, damn, damn, damn…."
In a thick mist-covered forest, Muriel hides on the branches of Redwood trees, spanning over hundreds of meters. This module was an experimental one developed by a Mega Corp ranker who shared Muriel's intentions. Made using 'Giant Chameleon' as a material, the module provides advanced stealth capabilities to the wearer. It is naturally invisible to the naked eye and remains undetected by detection devices or technologies.
However, as it is not yet completed, it has many unstable aspects. While it works fine when moving cautiously, intense movements in combat or being attacked by enemies immediately cancel the stealth effect. The ranker who developed this module even suggested using it only for emergency escapes, given its unfinished state.
Although she succeeded in escaping from the enemy for now, there is still a problem. The possibility that the ruthless Amorph or the vengeful Mother of the Sky might give up tracking her is close to zero.
"…There's no time to wait for the Adjuster reset."
Time acts equally on both sides. She has no other option but to hide for 24 hours, but the other side doesn't.
"That Amorph bastard, he might burn down the entire forest."
If it's someone who hangs corpses on trees, there's that possibility. Thinking of the horrific sight of her subordinates, she shuddered unintentionally. The thought that a skinned corpse might be her future was strong.
"It won't work."
She observed the surroundings using the remaining reinforcement effect of Sionium. With enhanced senses, she felt there were no other enemies nearby.
"I didn't want to use this, but…"
Deciding that there were no enemies nearby, she firmly pressed the button on the side of her neck. Then, a slender tube protruded from her nano-suit and inserted itself into her ear.
The device she activated allowed communication between stars. Before fighting Amorph, she had fused the military communicator she kept in the safe with the nano spartan module. Originally, she planned to use it to order her subordinates on other planets to bring a spaceship after the battle. The reason she didn't use it during the battle is that interstellar communication consumes a lot of energy. Once this communication ends, there's a high chance the nano spartan module will automatically deactivate, consuming all remaining energy.
"Please answer!"
Amidst the short connection tone, a sudden strong wind sound echoed in her ear. When a giant bird flapped its wings, the sound briefly appeared and then disappeared.
"What's that?"
She looked up at the trees but saw nothing. Thinking she should move, she heard a beep from the communicator. Then, a beautiful male voice came through.
"My Honey? What's wrong with you, not mentioning the risk of eavesdropping when communicating?"
"Brother!"
The voice she always thought was annoying, right now felt unexpectedly comforting. Muriel barely held back tears.
"Brother, I'm in big trouble! Help me right away!"
"What?"
"My subordinates and I lost everything to those bastards, and we're being chased right now! Come quickly!"
"Damn, those bastards again? They talked about a ceasefire, and now this goddamn… Wait, huh? What about my request then? I asked you to save the Wolf females."
Muriel couldn't hide her irritation at the opponent's slave talk even in such an urgent situation.
"No, damn it! Brother! Your sister is in danger, isn't that more important? And it's not them, it's someone else! There are only two, but they're incredibly strong, so you need to prepare properly!"
"Two? You lost to just two?"
"One is a Wolf player who you wanted, and the other is an Amorph player!"
"…What? Amorph?"
"Yeah! I told you, he's the 5th ranker!"
When Muriel mentioned the enemy chasing her, the other side fell silent.
"Anyway, there's no time! Prepare as quickly as possible… Huh? Brother?"
"…"
"Brother?"
"Oh, shit… [Disconnected]"
"Brother? Brother? No way! It got cut off?!"
With the sudden communication cutoff, Muriel quickly tried to contact again. But only the connection tone continued to ring, with no response from the other side.
"Damn it! No, if I call my sister…"
She tried to request help somehow, but a red light flashed on her wrist. It was a sign that the nano spartan module was being deactivated. As the red light went out, the nano suit that enveloped her body disappeared, transforming into a small disc-shaped machine. With the suit gone, she was almost naked. Despite being a sturdy cyborg, she was helpless in front of the monsters tracking her.
The stealth effect by the experimental module was still active, but it wasn't permanent. When that effect ends, so does her life.
"Oh, no! No, no, no!"
Almost losing her mind, Muriel desperately tried to reactivate the module by shaking the disc. Even though there was no way the nano machines, whose energy had been depleted, would come out, she was too irrational to judge.
"This can't be happening… Huh?!"
As she tapped the tree with the disc, she heard the rustling of leaves in her ear. Some creature was approaching beneath the tree where she was hiding. In this toxic mist, there were only two animals that could casually walk around like that.
After a while, a creature appeared with the body of a flexible but muscular lioness and the head of an eagle.
Muriel, utilizing the exceptional vision typical of birds of prey, thoroughly scanned the surroundings and the trees above. She remained still, holding her breath. The griffon passed by the tree she was hiding in, disappearing into the mist beyond.
"Whew."
Confirming its departure, Muriel finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"…I need to move."
She couldn't predict when the griffon might return. Engaging in a melee with the griffon wolf without protective gear would be suicide.
"And that damn Amorph isn't in sight either."
She needed to leave this place immediately. With that determination, Muriel retrieved the disc she had used to hit the tree.
"Hmm?"
The disc was smeared with black mucus. Her gaze shifted to the wound on the tree where the sticky liquid was flowing instead of sap.
"…She knew what the black liquid was. It was a substance automatically secreted from Amorph's nest.
In other words, the tree she had been hiding in was contaminated by Amorph's nest.
"Come to think of it…,"
Suddenly, she remembered the flapping sound she heard before requesting help via the communicator. Except for the three in this forest, there were no other living creatures. So, who made that sound?
Muriel felt a chill running down her spine. It wasn't just a feeling; her body was trembling like she had been doused in cold water. She slowly lifted her head. Above her head, there were only lush branches and leaves.
Trembling like a possessed woman, Muriel threw the disc upwards. There was nothing there, yet the disc, as if colliding with something, fell back down from the empty air.
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
Trembling, Muriel watched as the creature slowly revealed itself above her head. With its snake-like long body coiled around the redwood, it looked down at her, concealed.
"Hee, hee-hee!"
She tried to escape, but the creature was faster. A tentacle emerged from its back, grabbing her leg.
"L…let go… Aaah!"
Six sharp appendages on the tentacle crushed her leg after seizing it. Subsequently, other tentacles grabbed her arms and legs.
"S…save me! Please, spare me!"
"As…you…said…I…will…cut…open…your…belly…and…show…you…my…insides."
"T…that's… Noooo!"
As her once intact limbs twisted slowly, Muriel's eyes, which had shone violet, lost their light due to the excruciating pain. The psychokinesis power technique was canceled mid-cast due to the terrible pain.
"No…until·now…I·haven't·met·any…one…who…escaped…death."
As the creature seemed ready to fulfill its words, Muriel desperately opened her mouth.
"W…wait! Let's talk! Just give me a moment to negotiate!"
"…Talk…?"
Amorph hesitated at her words.
Muriel, speaking with a submissive attitude as her life hung in the balance, said,
"I have many good cards! I'm sure it will be advantageous for you! So, let's negotiate!"
I withdrew my hand that had reached out to her. Negotiation. It was too late to mention the word now. She had threatened my life several times, and her subordinates had tried to kill 26 and Adhai. Moreover, she knew too much about me now.
"Handing me over to other players would be troublesome."
Although Muriel must die in my hands to prevent information leaks, the information about the other players seemed quite intriguing.
"Well, if you want, I'll serve you! You know, Amorph can do such things!"
Did she think I was tempted by her proposal since I remained quiet? Instead of answering, I lifted Muriel from the tree.
'She still doesn't know me well.'
Because she doesn't know me well, she recklessly makes arrogant statements.
"Whenever you want, as long as you spare me… Huh?!"
I raised the corroded tentacle that had been gripping her leg high, impaling her body on the ground.
"Urgh!"
"Don't…mis…under…stand."
Muriel, vomited black blood.
Ignoring her reaction, I swiftly raised the tentacle that had grabbed her again. Muriel's eyes reflected pain and fear, but I did not hesitate.
"Kkuek!"
"What…your…body…can…do…for…me…is."
"G…Gah! Gommaa, Kkuk!"
"Only…to…provide…flesh."
"E…Eooppian, Kkk!"
After striking more than ten times, bones, various mechanical parts, and modules sprang out from her body through pierced skin.
'Since she's a cyborg, she won't die from this.'
I didn't intend to kill her yet, so I only struck hard enough to break her spine.
"Kkuk, Kkureuk, Kkuyuk, Kkugeuk…."
Muriel, sprawled on the floor, groaned, resembling a dissected frog, barely alive with twitching nerves.
Only the grotesque mechanical doll remained, devoid of its pristine ivory-like skin, beautiful appearance, and magnificent horns.
"You…asked…for…negotiation, right? Fine, I'll listen."
Hearing my dry voice, she weakly raised her head.
"S…Save…me?"
"There…are…conditions."
"I'll do anything! Anything you say, I can do it!"
Even without saying so explicitly, she would unquestionably follow my orders.
I activated the parasitic organism attached to me in front of her. The parasite, strengthened by type enhancements, enjoyed the fresh air after a long time and stretched its body.
"T…That's! Wait, just a momennnt!"
I held Muriel's head to prevent her resistance and released the parasite. The black parasite wriggled its way into her nostrils.
"Keek! Kekkek! Kweeok!"
"Originally…I…would…interrogate…you…in…this…condition."
I hastily explained to her, who was coughing violently, what would happen next.
"I…will…scratch…your…spine…one…by…one…with…my..hands…"
"N..noo"
"Until…my…questions…are…satisfied."
"W…What?"
She looked at me with a stupid expression, seemingly unable to comprehend. She might not understand now, but she would involuntarily understand soon.
"The…number…of…times…until…my…questions…are…completely…answered."
"W…Wait, wait, wait, wait!"
"By…the…way…lying…is…useless."
Muriel's complexion turned ghastly pale at the sight of my hands with activated Ghost Claw properties.
She, being a cult member, should be well aware of what I can do with these claws.
"I'll…ask…Who…was…the…one…you…talked…to…a…little…while…ago?"
As the interrogation began, my sharp claws sparkled in violet.
About six hours into the deadly game between Muriel and me, I managed to extract all the valuable information from her.
'What an intense obsession.'
Despite her spine being scratched by Ghost Claws over a hundred times, Muriel remained sane. It revealed the tremendous desire she had for her own life.
'She almost died several times due to the parasite's sanction, distracted by wandering thoughts.'
Thanks to my symbiotic fungal spore trait, she didn't die. Whether it was good for Muriel or not, I couldn't say.
"There's…nothing…more…to…ask."
"…So, are you going to spare me…?"
"…No…"
"Wha—"
Muriel sent me a look questioning whether I was breaking our promise. I shook my head.
"My…interrogation…is…over…but…the…next…person…is…waiting."
"Next?"
As I stepped back, a griffin appeared behind me.
"Ch…Cho.."
"Ah, ah, aaaaah."
The clothes of a young wolf, once worn by her lover, were now worn by the mother of the sky. Seeing this, Muriel trembled like a reed in the wind.
｢You killed my family. When you cut my lover's throat, when you tortured me, I hesitated. Whether killing you is the right thing to do.｣
"W-Wait! Serah Unni! W-We were good, right? Yeah?"
｢Yeah. Two years ago, I saved you, thinking you were just another human. But…｣
Carefully putting down the clothing she had been holding, the mother of the sky continued, her eyes now filled with tears.
｢I was wrong. Players like you must go extinct.｣
While the sky mother spoke, I checked the symbiotic organism attached to Muriel's body.
｢Give me six hours, you can eat her, but II need to kill her, but don't say a word during this time, please.｣
"Got it."
"This is different from the promise! You said you'd spare me! You said you'd spare meeee!"
Muriel wailed as I left the scene.
Why don't I keep my promise? That's what her eyes seemed to say.
"I never made a promise in the first place. I said I would help you repay your debt and that I would let you live."
I don't need to point out that she was never promised salvation.
Six hours later.
I returned to where they had been.
"Hi, hiiik, hiiik, hiiik…."
Muriel remained, only her head and upper torso, with her breath clinging on. The mother of the sky was nowhere to be seen.
I'm not sure what their relationship was, but the mother of the sky didn't seem to want to see Muriel die.
'I probably don't need to call her by name.'
I picked up Muriel, who had fallen.
"Mom…."
She murmured her last words quietly.
Soon, my jaw widened, and I swallowed her whole.
With that, Space-Dog Ranker Muriel, who was ranked 20th, died.
[The predation effect is activated! Successful confiscation of 'Muriel (Han Soo-bin)' special reward!]
[The fusion of 'Metal Absorption,' previously held, is possible.]
[The special reward of 'Muriel (Han Soo-bin)and the 'Metal Absorption' trait are fused. Evolves into the 'Plunderer's Amorphous Polyhedron' trait!]
[Plunderer's Amorphous Polyhedron: Predates one piece of equipment to specialize its unique ability. Can only be done once per piece of equipment. When preying on a new piece of equipment, the effects of the previous equipment's trait are lost.]
[*Note: You are death, the destroyer of the universe. But beware, the whole universe will be watching you.]
What struck my head along with the taste of sweet gourmet cake was a new text box related to the new trait.
[The Irregular Polyhedron of Plunderers: Devour one equipment to specialize in the unique abilities of that equipment. It can only be done once per equipment, and when devouring a new equipment, the effects of the previous equipment's specialization are lost.]
'What's this?'
A new trait acquired after absorbing Muriel's essence.It was a type never seen before and did not exist.
'Absorbing equipment abilities?'
Although the ability gained from the fluid period was a trait not obtained in the game, this was completely different.
"It's a trait that completely goes beyond Amorph's common sense."
Amorph, Outspacer, and Metallic Gremlin, while having excellent physical abilities or powerful utility skills, had the handicap of not being able to wear equipment.
Even if one could use equipment abilities after some preparation, it was impossible for unique-grade equipment, limiting its utilization to regular equipment or consumables.
But with this trait, even though it's only one, it becomes possible to specialize and use unique-grade equipment.
'This is unprecedented.'
In the game, killing players never resulted in gaining new traits.
For genetically modified humans, obtaining the essence of biological genes within them and, in the case of cultists, obtaining traits related to psychic powers, were the only outcomes.
Despite consuming numerous players, obtaining a trait of this caliber was a first.
I checked the semi-transparent text box again.
[Nest-related Fusion Trait: Symbiotic Bio-Spores
Mark of Formidable Foe*: Irregular Polyhedron of Plunderers (X)]
Under the list of possessed traits, a new category and asterisk called "Mark of Formidable Foe" appeared.
'Mark of Formidable Foe?'
When I shifted my gaze to the asterisk, a new message popped up.
['Mark of Formidable Foe': A mark obtained after preying on a formidable foe. If there is a trait that resonates with the unique benefits possessed by the prey, it will be reconstructed into the Mark of Formidable Foe trait. Traits classified under the Mark of Formidable Foe cannot be used as fusion or transcendence system materials.]
From the explanation alone, the 'Mark of Formidable Foe' trait, which is part of the 'Irregular Polyhedron of Plunderers,' seemed to be a new classification different from general traits related to physical and psychic abilities.
'The formidable foe mentioned here is probably referring to players.'
When interrogating Muriel, I asked her if there were other players besides us.According to her, there were two players collaborating with her.
The players she knew included seven, including Mother of the Sky and me.
'There used to be more, but…'
It's unclear how many more are left now. Many died in the war among players that erupted a long time ago.
'The fact that killing other players grants special rewards must have spread during that time.'
When Muriel came to this world, the war had already ended, and the remaining players had formed factions.
While some tried to adapt and live in this world, others aimed to obtain traits by targeting other players, treating this place as a game and ruling like tyrants.
'It's different because we arrived at different times.'
Muriel came three years ago, and Mother of the Sky had been here for at least over ten years. Among the players Muriel knew, there were even those who had lived for more than a hundred years.
'They've survived in different ways, so it's not surprising that factions diverge.'
The only puzzling thing is that, despite being here for so long, no one who had seen the ending was found.
'The war that happened in the past was probably fought among players trying to see the ending.'
'If Amorph's ending is ascension, then it is said that other races also have unique endings of a similar classification.'
And to witness that ending, one must engage in battles against players of competing races at a similar level.
'To be precise, it involves assassinating the leaders of other races.'
For example, MegaCorp and StarUnion each have conditions in their respective ending triggers that include eliminating each other's leaders.
To witness the ending, a player who ascends to the position of MegaCorp CEO must fight and eliminate the Grandmaster of StarUnion.
Since players usually take control of the positions of CEOs or Grandmasters of each race in the game, the ultimate goal is undoubtedly to encourage conflict among players. Therefore, during the past war, someone undoubtedly achieved these conditions. However, based on Muriel's words and other sources, it seemed that someone who had witnessed the ending has not yet appeared.
'Is there something I don't know?'
Since this is reality, it cannot be ruled out that players have not reached high enough positions to unlock the ending triggers.
Unlike the game, here, once you die, it's over. Even if you are a player with a strong heart, you can only move by controlling a body.
'I need to ask Mother of the Sky about this.'
Since she has survived much longer than Muriel, she might know something.
'Regardless, there is a high probability of becoming hostile to other players in the future.'
Muriel sent a distress signal to her colleagues before I captured her. So, at least, it was confirmed that her colleagues would be hostile to me. Also, players in a hostile relationship with Muriel's colleagues will somehow learn about my actions.
Depending on their faction, they may either oppose me or try to exploit me.
*Note: You are death, the destroyer of the universe. But beware, the entire universe will pay attention to you."
As the note says, the entire universe will watch me. How players will approach me is unknown for now.
'In any case, I need to become stronger.'
That way, I can survive and avoid being used by someone. Upgrading to the transcendence system and even hunting players. It is ultimately necessary to understand the intentions and reasons of the one who sent me here to survive.
Finally, I checked if there were any new messages, but there was no additional explanation other than the note. Continuing to ponder with insufficient information would be a waste of time. Right now, it would be more productive to consider how to use the newly acquired abilities.
'The Irregular Polyhedron of Plunderers allows me to create abilities or traits from any equipment.'
And I can only specialize in the abilities of each equipment once. If it's a common-grade equipment, I can use its abilities multiple times, but not for unique-grade equipment.
'If it's Muriel's equipment….' I picked up the Priest's Golden Spear and the Harmonizer lying on the ground. In addition to these, the Brainshin and Blood River are at the campsite. I don't know how the unique abilities of the equipment will function when specialized.
At least, judging from the abilities of the equipment, all of them will be beneficial to me. The Golden Spear will greatly enhance my strength, and the Harmonizer will provide an absolute evasion ability up to five times.
The Brainshin can complement my lacking long-range and anti-air capabilities, while the Blood River will significantly enhance my battlefield domination abilities.
'Should I experiment with other equipment first?'
I need to confirm how they will be applied by consuming any equipment available at the campsite. I was about to leave with the spear and the harmonizer when a sudden thought crossed my mind.
'….'
I picked up a nearby rock and built a small stone mound in the spot where I had stood a while ago.
***
The sacred star of the cult, the 'Leader.'
This place is the spiritual homeland of the cults scattered throughout the galaxy. In reality, the leader is not in a livable place, as the entire planet turned into a desert a long time ago. If it weren't for the cult's exceptional psychic power technology, it would have been abandoned long ago.
On the red sands spread across the entire planet, there were ancient cities. Among these cities was one called the 'Prophet's Stone.' The Prophet's Stone, with ivory-colored outer walls adorned with violet decorations, was the oldest city, having stood for tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of years. Passing through buildings adorned with violet decorations along the road, a giant tower stood at the center of the city. The top floor of the tower, where the noblest members of the cult resided.
A male cultist with deer antlers walked through the long corridor and opened the door to the prayer room. Inside the prayer room, numerous diamond-shaped monuments connected by cables lay scattered on the floor.
"…."
The male cultist silently flicked his fingers. Upon doing so, light emerged from two of the diamond monuments that were lying there, and they floated into the air.
"Long time no see, everyone!"
A girl's voice flowed from one of the monuments. The voice resembled that of an animated character, bright and lively, not fitting the somber atmosphere of the prayer room.
"We're busy over here, so get to the point quickly, Jason."
On the other hand, the voice from this side conjured an image of a dignified middle-aged man. Jason waited for another monument to activate, but even after a few more seconds, there was no movement. Faced with only two active monuments, Jason, the male cultist, sighed.
"…I said it was urgent, and only two people showed up?"
"It's because Oppa spoke like an idiot. If he had explained properly, more people would have come."
"This idiot… No, wait a minute. Why didn't the one with middle school syndrome come in? He's the most important one."
"Oppa is busy these days because of the internal conflicts. I haven't contacted him for a long time either."
"Fuck. I should have joined MegaCorp at the end. It's too boring here, just fooling around with married women for a day or two."
When Jason only conversed with the monument where the girl's voice came from, the voice of the middle-aged man intervened.
"I don't have time. So stop chattering and explain in detail. Has a new player arrived?"
"Yes. Tell us in detail. Muriel, why did she die so suddenly? There shouldn't be anyone wandering around to hunt players besides us."
"She was killed by a player we don't know. To be precise an Amorph player."
When the word 'Amorph' came out of Jason's mouth, the chattering monuments quieted down.
"…Jason Oppa, that joke is not funny."
"Tsk, we wasted time for nothing, and the speech is coming up soon. Fuck, I hope it's a lie."
"Shit, I wish it were a lie."
"Really? Is it really Amorph?"
"It's ridiculous. Amorph is extinct."
"She said that before losing contact with Muriel. That the Wolf player and the Amorph player were targeting her."
Jason transmitted recorded communication logs to the figures beyond the monuments. After a while, their anger erupted from the monuments as they examined the communication logs.
"Fuck, this is unbelievable! Why did the bastards who became extinct ten years ago show up now?"
"Пиздец… Who was the last one to clean up? Probably Beom-Ho."
"Beom-ho, that son of a bitch, will never give up, so I told you to kill him in advance!"
"Shut the fuck up! It's already too late to blame anyone. Check who killed Muriel. If the one who killed her is Amorph, then the answer is clear."
"Alright. Since there's only one Amorph up to rank 40, it must be the Amorph with the skills to capture Muriel in the first place."
In response to Jason's words, light emerged from the monument where the girl's voice came from.
"Wait a minute! Th…that means, the 5th rank, b…but that guy has no friends. There's no way such a person would be with Seoa Unni…"
"Agreed. The possibility of an Amorph having a companion is close to zero."
"Muriel commissioned me to capture Choi Seoa. Perhaps that Amorph interfered while they were fighting?"
"Indeed. A typical Amorph move. A plausible explanation."
"Sigh… Is this for real? I thought my luck was good lately because equipment development has been going well."
Only now could the people beyond the monument understand why Jason had called them.
"Are you planning to punish him?"
"Of course. If we leave that guy alone, we'll all die."
"What if it's not me, but Beom-Ho? I don't count towards Amorph evolution conditions because I'm a Gaju."
"Did Muriel not talk about you before she died? If I were Amorph, wouldn't I try to catch you no matter what?"
"Ugh, that useless bitch Muriel… Quiet! So what's the plan?"
"How about we all go together and catch him? Sending subordinates is not preferable, and besides…"
Jason pondered. The people present here were truly individuals who could manipulate the universe in real-time. Calling them gods wouldn't be an exaggeration. Would it really be challenging for these individuals to catch one Amorph?
However, the thoughts of the people beyond the monument were quite different from Jason's.
"Are you crazy, Oppa? Going together to face that guy? Except for Beom-Ho, if only we go, we'll all get wiped out."
"I also oppose. If I die, Star Union will collapse as it is."
"Hey, both of you are talking nonsense. It's not like I want to be the only one to survive. With our power, we can easily…"
"Stop the bullshit. You might not know Oppa well, but do you know about the Amorph? He used to break the heads of Rankers while he was just a Pre-Saint."
"I heard that because of him, there were many cultists who couldn't see the ending, there are plenty of them. Jason, you must know. That's why. I don't plan on paying tribute to the wall of weeping."
"That's right. I absolutely have no intention of paying tribute to the wall of weeping. If you want to die, go ahead alone. If you want to leave a will, record it now. You won't be able to leave a will if you go there. That's for sure."
Jason's words were interrupted by the emerging monuments. Faced with their reactions, which seemed like people haunted by trauma, Jason could no longer say anything.