125
-x-X-x-
The Space Survival was a VR game released in its time, and it was particularly ambiguous in genre classification among VR games. Even though survival, competition, and evolution were the motifs, the methods to achieve them varied drastically from player to player. For some, it became a grand strategy simulation game, while for others, it transformed into an SF horror game.
Such complexity and ambiguity were reflected in the ranking system of the game.
The ranking system of Space Survival was based on scores. In simple terms, the higher the ranking, the higher the player's score. However, the factors contributing to the score were intricate and had numerous variables, making it challenging for individual players to calculate.
The player's influence in the universe, the extent to which they accomplished unique objectives related to their race, and their personal skills all played a role in determining the score. Everything a player experienced in the game contributed to the composition of their score.
One might wonder if the ranking merely indicated the longevity of a player enjoying the game. Indeed, the top 40 rankers were akin to fossilized beings who played the game since its early days. However, a distinct world unfolded from the 20th rank onwards.
In Space Survival, the most effective way to obtain the highest score through a single action was to achieve the final goal unique to each race, leading to the race-specific ending. The difficulty just before reaching the ending was extremely challenging regardless of the race, making it not just a walk in the park to earn the highest score. To witness the ending, players inevitably had to defeat rankers from their own race or competing races multiple times and conquer formidable raid bosses with immense power.
Even for players who enjoyed the game for a long time, overcoming these challenges was by no means easy, and those who successfully reached the ending were rare.
Therefore, rankers from 1st to 20th were inevitably special – they were the ones who had seen the ending of Space Survival. While there might not be a significant difference in playtime between the 20th and 40th ranks, an insurmountable gap existed in terms of experience.
They were the ones who had witnessed the end of this world. Simultaneously, they were the living legends of Space Survival.
Of course, since Space Survival is an online game, reaching the ending doesn't mark the end of the game. Afterward, a new goal named "Galactic Conqueror" awaits as a kind of epilogue, leading to another division in rankings.
Galactic Conqueror boasts a difficulty level crazier than the ending, and very few had achieved all of its objectives. All members of Jason's group were players who had witnessed the ending, ranking within the top 20. One of them had even accomplished more than half of the notoriously challenging Galactic Conqueror goal.
These were truly exceptional individuals.
Jason couldn't help but feel a headache at the fact that they were complaining about the difficulty posed by a single creature, Amorph.
"Think about it. If you leave it alone and let the 5th ranker grow stronger, can you imagine how tough it'll be then?"
"That's true, but it's difficult without the inspiration."
"I don't know the exact evolutionary stage of that bastard, but it's at least a pseudo-embryo. Plus, we need to consider the variable of special rewards."
"…Yeah. Looks like we overlooked the special rewards."
The middle-aged man's words were true. Up until now, every player Jason had encountered in the game known as "special rewards" possessed unique abilities not found in regular games. Jason, the entities communicating with him beyond the monolith, all held powerful special rewards.
"How about we leak the information to the Outspacer's side. They hate the 5th ranker as much as we do, right?"
The current group leader of those hostile to the Amorph belonged to the Outspacers, whose leader ranked 4th with skills comparable to the Amorph.
"I disagree. The risk is too great."
"Huh? Why?"
"Fucking cunt! Regardless of who wins it will be us who will be at the disadvantage, the Amorph will swallow up all the collected essence and grow stronger, are you okay with that? And if the Outspacers win? They'll just tell us to go fuck ourselves, right?"
"Well…"
At Jason's strong reaction, a voice of displeasure echoed from the girl's side of the monolith.
Among the final goals of the Outspacers is the conquest of the Cult. According to the setting, the Outspacers aim to gather immense psychic power and then conquer the Vortex Gate. Due to the Vortex Gate's prohibition, preventing the entire race from obtaining psychic power, they plan to compensate by offering countless members of the Cult as sacrifices.
So, as the Outspacer ranker becomes stronger, Jason, a member of the Cult, becomes more disadvantaged.
"So, what do you suggest? I'm a busy person too. If you have nothing to say, I'll leave."
"Wait. I thought of one way."
As Jason and the girl seemed ready to fight again, the middle-aged man intervened.
"…I heard recently that Mega Corp completed the Purification Weapon."
"Huh? Damn it, didn't I say not to send a spy!"
"You don't know anyone who doesn't know about it, so what's the point of a spy? Red agen… Uh, never mind. Are you suggesting we blow up a planet?"
At Jason's question, the middle-aged man, called Jubaka, agreed.
"Exactly. Mega Corp and the Cult both possess the planetary purification weapon, so why not use it?"
"..."
"...."
In the face of Jubaka's radical suggestion, the others and Jason fell silent.
The planet PH-101, where the Amorph resides, is designated as a sacred star protected by the Cult. Destroying such a place, no matter how much power they wielded, would pose significant political burdens. Even if an Amorph ranker is a formidable existence, burning a planet carries immense political consequences.
Amidst the silence, the first to speak up was the girl on the other side of the monolith.
"It's impossible from our side. We can't easily withdraw due to the internal conflict, and isn't that planet designated as a holy site? If I attack, won't it lead to war with the Cult and Mega Corp?"
"That's true. Jason? Is it also impossible on your end?"
"Sending an imperial flagship might work, but these days the atmosphere is quite…"
"Well, if big brother sends it, not only will the Reformists go crazy, but the Conservationists will also go berserk. It's a sacred site, what the hell is this nonsense?"
Though Jason held significant power within the Cult society, he found himself in a challenging position to purify the PH-101 designated as a sacred star.
"I'll handle that part."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll leak false information to the Conservationists. We'll say the planet is contaminated and needs purification. Since you control the Conservationists, there shouldn't be any worries."
"I'll take care of the Reformists. If we offer support with Nova Metal, would they dare to destroy their ancestors' graves?"
"…Damn, the Cult Council is a complete mess. Fine, let's go with using the imperial flagship."
At this point, players had established their own factions. There were no major upheavals like past wars or certain events anymore. Instead, conflicts were limited to individual player skirmishes.
With such mechanical peace persisting for a long time, many players, including Jason, felt a sense of boredom. Some aimed for the ending to escape this, but it had already been proven through numerous failures to be nothing but a futile delusion. Some clung to impossible goals, while others indulged in misplaced pleasures.
In such a situation, the emergence of Amorph rankers sparked new excitement in Jason's group after a long time.
"Still, it'll take some time to mobilize the imperial flagship. Even if it passes the Council, it needs deliberation in the Elder Council. It'll take at least three weeks, even if we're quick."
"I'll send surveillance satellites first. They might slip away in the meantime."
"Send them discreetly. If it becomes a diplomatic issue, it'll be a headache."
"We can cause some confusion on our end…."
The plan to subdue Amorph continued late into the night.
Arriving at Muriel's camp, there was the Sky Mother in the sky.
She returned in her humanoid form, gathering the clothes the young wolves had worn. There were no bodies left as they had been completely absorbed by me as sacrifices.
｢...｣
Her expression wasn't particularly expressive, as she held the head of an eagle. Instead, the emotions in her eyes were anything but small.
It was the profound sorrow felt by a mother who had lost her children.
'Did she say she married the Father of the Earth?'
As far as I know, the Father of the Earth was a Named Wolf that appeared fixedly on the Utopia-02 continent.
Being related to the Forgotten Earth Temple and being an NPC, if time passes, another Father of Earth will surely reappear somewhere on this continent.
'Of course, it's uncertain whether he's the same being as the husband she loved.'
She too must know that the one she loved may never return.
'So, she shows such a reaction.'
Even though Muriel mocked the Sky Mother in love with an NPC during interrogation, I could understand the Sky Mother.
I also care for number 26 and Adhai. If they were to die or be seriously injured, I would undoubtedly lose my sanity.
'It seems I need a bit more time to inquire.'
Leaving the grieving griffin behind, I searched for my weapon storage within the camp.
Muriel seemed to have visited this camp quite frequently, as makeshift structures were prevalent instead of tents. Among these buildings, the most significant and sturdy one was the weapon storage.
'Quite a variety.'
Upon entering the storage, various types of weapons were visible. Not only long-range weapons like plasma launchers, storm guns, and purple spray guns, but also explosives like pulse grenades and compressed plasma missiles were present.
Among the numerous weapons, the most outstanding one was the 'Brain God' placed in the center of the storage. The Brain God was a complex machinery with a diameter of 10m, resembling a mandala. It was made of the extremely rare metal called Novametal, which changed colors entirely depending on the direction of the light, depicting a mandala. This unique feature was due to Novametal, a metal that could only be extracted in regions with highly concentrated psychic power, like a dragon's nest.
'Would it be like the Cult version of shape memory alloy?'
Although the Brain God appeared small for a satellite weapon, injecting psychic power would change its story. When the Brain God absorbed psychic power, it transformed into an orbital weapon with a diameter of several hundred meters or more. Additionally, it was configured to automatically return to its owner after completing a mission.
'It was quite annoying equipment in the game.'
Despite being an orbital weapon, the Brain God had the tremendous advantage of being able to shrink its size, making it easy to conceal. I had been on the receiving end of the Brain God a couple of times.
'I'll take a closer look at the Brain God later.'
Near the Brain God, I picked up a plasma launcher rolling around.
'If I devour this, I should be able to use the power of the plasma launcher, right?'
With the launcher in hand, I activated the Absorption of Irregular Polyhedra, a characteristic of the looter.
Gurgle
When I activated metal absorption, there was no apparent change, but this time was different. It felt somewhat similar to when my stomach was slightly hungry.
'It seems to be activated, so why not taste it?'
I opened my jaws wide and inserted the launcher into my mouth. As I bit and chewed, the distinctive bitter and metallic taste of the alloy filled my mouth.
'Not tasty.'
Well, it couldn't be helped since it was metal.
As I forced the launcher pieces down my throat, changes occurred in my body and the semi-transparent text box.
[Mark of the Formidable Foe: Plunderer's Amorphous Polyhedron (Plasma Secretion Gland)]
Suddenly, a strong heat emanated from my chest. A warm, slightly tingling sensation, reminiscent of swallowing strong liquor, spread from my throat to my chest, stomach, and the area around my abdomen.
Furthermore, a faint green light circulated around the chest area.
'Seems like it worked.'
Just like when you take a sip of hot soup on a winter day and exhale deeply, I wanted to expel the heat within me.
I stepped out of the warehouse, raised my head towards the sky.
'Let's go then.'
With my jaws wide open, concentrating on the sensation in my chest, a hot feeling surged upwards.
In succession, a green light flickered gradually from the stomach, chest, esophagus, to the throat, soon emitting intense energy from my mouth. A much thicker and vivid green pillar, compared to the launcher, pierced through the toxic mist, soaring into the blue sky. With this thickness and length, it might be visible from tens of kilometers away.
Pouring out a considerable amount of energy, I felt a rush as if the heat and energy within my body were rapidly dissipating. Confirming that there was no more energy to expend, I closed my mouth.
'Seems like I inherited the launcher's basic function.'
However, there were some slight differences. While the output itself was far superior to the launcher, the time it took for the energy to recharge was longer. Subjectively, I felt that I would need about 10 minutes to wait before shooting again.
'This might be because my body doesn't have a separate energy source.'
I speculated that it was to replace the energy dispersed throughout the entire body with plasma energy.
'Unique abilities of top-tier equipment won't perfectly align with my body.'
It had to be experimented to be certain, but it seemed inevitable that the application of original abilities would differ in some ways.
Of course, it wasn't all drawbacks. My current plasma beam was much more powerful than the launcher's. While the launcher had limitations on firepower due to overheating or other stability issues, I didn't need to worry about that.
'The unique abilities of top-tier equipment will likely change according to my body.'
Some aspects might become stronger, while others might become weaker.
Afterward, I experimented with other supply-type equipment.
'You can only obtain the same ability from the same equipment.'
And those that consumed energy or ammunition had a cooldown after using the feature. The plasma launcher had a cooldown between 10 and 20 minutes, while the storm gun ranged from 30 to 40 minutes.
'Changes in the body parts after specializing the equipment's abilities also vary.'
When I ate the launcher, I shot heat rays directly from my mouth, and the storm gun caused a gun-shaped organ similar to the storm gun to grow on my left arm, the lowest combat arm.
By the way, all the depleted uranium rounds from the storm gun were replaced with bone fragments.
'The experiment seems to be enough…'
I lined up the top-tier equipment obtained from the Seintopia02 continent: the Regulator, the Golden Spear, the Brain God, and the small spider-shaped Blood Reaver picked up a while ago.
'Which one should I devour first?'
Since all of them were top-tier equipment, obtaining these items was not usually a straightforward task. Therefore, I had to carefully specialize them.
'Let's exclude the Golden Spear for now.'
The Priest's Golden Spear could only be obtained exclusively at the Forgotten Earth Temple. And one of the prerequisites for entering the temple was suppressing the Earth Father.
In other words, until the Earth Father was reborn somewhere on this continent, I couldn't obtain the Golden Spear.
'The chance to obtain the Golden Spear is rare, but…'
The remaining weapons were a different story. The Regulator could be obtained by anyone through a quest if they were part of the cult, and both the Brain God and Blood Reaver could be crafted.
Even if the Regulator was the only one, the Brain God and Blood Reaver, these two weapons, would undoubtedly be more than one or two.
'The production cost is astronomical, but…'
Anyway, multiple weapons that exist can be specialized through subsequent consumption.
So, it's advisable to prioritize devouring one of the remaining weapons, excluding the Priest's Golden Spear.
'What should I do?'
Contemplating what to eat, I once again looked at the three weapons laid out on the floor in a row.
Seeing them arranged like this, I was sure of it.
In the first place, it was a problem with a predetermined answer.
'There's no need to hesitate.'
Having decided what to choose, I reached out towards the equipment.
-x-X-x-
After devouring the unique-grade equipment, I thoroughly searched the campsite to see if there were any useful items left. Meanwhile, the Mother of the Sky remained motionless, paying her respects to the fallen kin.
A day passed, and the Mother of the Sky sought me out while I rested at the nest. She expressed her willingness to assist in player hunting. According to her, if not, such tragedies would likely repeat.
｢I'd be grateful if you let me accompany you.｣
She added. In truth, even if she had decided to stay, I had considered forcibly bringing her along. Her mature form might become necessary, and her combat skills would undoubtedly be valuable in supporting Number 26 and Adhai.
With the Mother of the Sky volunteering as a companion, I took the opportunity to inquire about the things I had been curious about. I spent a day gathering essential information from her, such as the number of players, the existence of groups like clans in the game, the circumstances of everyone's arrival in this world, and why no one had seen the ending yet.
The summary of what the Mother of the Sky revealed was as follows:
'There were gatherings of players.'
She had arrived in this world 15 years ago, but player gatherings had been happening long before. However, by the time she became aware of them, conflicts had already arisen among various player groups.
Their disputes stemmed from a single difference in perspective:
'Those who sought to see the ending and those who opposed it.'
According to the Mother of the Sky, a considerable number of players who attended the gatherings had already seen the ending, providing insight into what happened afterward.
'Before becoming the Galaxy Conqueror, a message appears asking if they want to continue the game.'
They claimed that, based on the message displayed after seeing the ending in Space Survival, they could escape this world. However, the method was problematic. To see the ending, they had to kill leaders or individuals of the competing races, such as MegaCorp CEOs and Cult High Priests.
There were players in the gatherings who had survived for decades, or even centuries, in this world. For them, life here was more precious than their real lives. Surprisingly, there had been a player in the early gatherings who attempted the ending challenge.
In the early days of the gatherings, the player who attempted the ending was a cyborg ranker who held the top spot. He persuaded others who opposed him to see the ending together and successfully executed the plan.
'He was the top ranker. Of course.'
The top ranker had an extraordinary sense of the game, and I had challenged him several times but never won. His player privilege was also on an unbelievable level, allowing him to add options related to equipment and module crafting that were otherwise impossible in the game.
Thanks to his abilities, the players in the gathering could bypass the condition of killing the leaders of hostile races. The remaining task was to subdue the raid boss, Vortex One.
The players in the gathering weren't overly concerned about this part. After all, those who had seen the ending had won the game at least once before. The top ranker, in particular, had single-handedly slain both Vortex Ones simultaneously.
However, they failed. What happened to them after the challenge remained unknown. Whether they were wiped out by the Vortex Ones, faced an unexpected enemy, or had survivors other than those excluded from the defeat, no one knew.
The undeniable fact is that most players who attempted to see the ending perished, including the top ranker. The few surviving players simply stated that seeing the ending was impossible. Regardless, with the top ranker gone, reaching the ending peacefully became impossible. Thus, conflict between those seeking the ending and those opposing it was inevitable.
And there was new information that exacerbated this conflict even further: the plundering of privileges. Everyone knew that each player had their own privileges, but they were unaware that these privileges could be obtained by killing and looting other players. After the top ranker's demise, this information spread throughout the gathering. What followed afterward can be inferred even without hearing about it: the players' war. Those seeking the ending sought to devour and grow stronger by preying on those who chose to stay. Conversely, those who stayed did the same, either for their own benefit or survival, attempting to kill other players.
'…In a way, perhaps the matter of seeing the ending or not might just be an excuse.'
In a different sense from the Mother of the Sky, they too may have become true residents of this world, divorced from reality. While the conflict had entered a state of relative calm a few years ago, it had been intense until then. So many players had died that those who barely survived numbered just over ten.
'Of course, there might be someone like me coming to this world later.'
Anyway, after hearing descriptions of the players, we briefly introduced ourselves. Only then could I truly understand who she was.
'She must have been the leader of the Savage Clan. I didn't recognize her at all because she looked completely different.'
It was to be expected; her in-game nickname was entirely different from the Mother of the Sky, and her appearance was based on a tiger wolf, while the transformed animal after ascension was not a griffin but a 'nue'*. Even though I suspected she might be someone I had seen before, I never imagined she was from the four major clans who fought in the jungle planet. The Savage Clan collapsed after fighting me, leaving only the clan leader as all the members quit the game. It's truly unpredictable how one can end up journeying alongside someone from such a different world than reality.
[*PR/N- Nue is a Japanese chimera having the head of a monkey, the limbs of a tiger, the body of a Japanese raccoon dog, and the front half of a snake for a tail.
｢So, where are we going now?｣
"[ZZZ (Coast)]"
[TL/N- Now he can communicate with the mother of the sky through telepathy.]
Currently, she was in her griffin form, and we were heading towards the sea from the campsite. I ran through the forest at full speed with a backpack filled with loot tied to my tail, while she gracefully raced across the ground and trees. Her body, previously covered in bloodstains, shimmered with smooth golden fur, freshly washed from the campsite. Even when dirty, her dense and sturdy muscles typical of a lion were impressive, but now, covered with beautiful fur, she certainly looked majestic as a griffin should. Like I carried a backpack, a pendant with a sapphire was hanging around the griffin's neck. It was a pendant that allowed communication with opponents, a tool that didn't exist in the game.
'There's someone among Muriel's comrades responsible for equipment.'
The improved psionic, nano-spartan module, blood reaver, and other equipment she used in our fight were all made by that comrade. According to the conversation between Muriel and the Mother of the Sky, that comrade belonged to MegaCorp. So, the opponent's identity is determined.
'Garamelda.'
A noble capital family responsible for reinforced armor development, and in the game, players from that side mainly handled supplies.
'Come to think of it…'
When I fought the armed police in the space city before, the reinforced armor they wore wasn't ordinary reinforced armor.
'It was intermediate reinforced armor with shields attached.'
Supply-type reinforced armor with shields attached was equipment that most MegaCorp players dreamed of. In the game, production was impossible due to balance issues, but here, in reality, if I were a MegaCorp player, I would try to make it somehow.
Even if there are no players in Garamelda, leaving such intelligent individuals alone would be disadvantageous for me in the long run.
'Let's deal with that side after the Dragon's Nest.'
If aiming for ascension, regardless of what happens, Earth and Mars must be conquered first. However, if a player responsible for equipment development is attached, the overall defense of the planet will endlessly increase, so it's necessary to tidy up in advance.
'Or should we clean up this side first before the Dragon's Nest?'
Lost in thought like that, the Mother of the Sky shot me a telepathic message.
｢The coast? I thought we'd go for the Hond Gigrant first, so it's unexpected.｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (There's something important)]
｢Something important? Are you aiming for the essence of the aquatic creatures first to move to another continent?｣
As far as I know, the Mother of the Sky is ranked 15th among the wolf rankers. So perhaps that's why she knew well what Amorph needed on this planet.
｢Unfortunately, you're wrong.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (No. We'll go to the other continent later.)]
"No?"
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ(We'll search for friends first.)]
Because we have to find Number 26 and Adhai first.
But as I was lost in thought, the Mother of the Sky interrupted my train of thought.
｢You have friends?｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Yes. We parted ways when we entered this planet.)]
Hearing that, the Mother of the Sky chuckled.
｢You have friends?｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Don't make me repeat it several times.)]
"Huh. It's hard to believe."
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (It's not because of Amorph. It's hard to believe that you have friendly creatures with you.)]
The Mother of the Sky said decisively. Hearing that, I was puzzled.
'Do you consider me a monster?'
Looking into her eyes, it seemed like she wasn't joking, but rather sincerely believed that. Of course, it's true that I had no friends, whether in reality or in the game. In reality, there were various reasons, and in the game, since it was Amorph, it was more efficient to eat than to make friends or allies.
[ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Having allies is beneficial.)]
｢…Indeed, I wonder who the 'friends' you're travelling with are.｣
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ(They are good fellows.)]
"..."
The Mother of the Sky opened her mouth wide but soon closed it again. She seemed to have a lot to say, but she didn't say anything more.
So, we just ran for a whole afternoon. We solved our meals by catching and eating wild creatures we found while moving. Neither she nor I needed to sleep, so it wouldn't be a big problem to endure for a few weeks.
She seemed to be half-doubting whether I was really going to meet allies, but she didn't bring up that topic again.
Anyway, as we kept moving without rest, the thick and giant redwoods around us began to thin out. Instead of red and green paints, what appeared was a canvas painted with blue paint scattered around.
I untied the backpack hanging from my tail and stood on the white sandy beach where the blue waves surged.
'I'm going to use the monster's tentacles for a Psychic Breath now. It's the first time since becoming a Quasi-Saint.'
Adhai, who is sensitive to psychic power, should be able to detect it even from a distance.
｢What are you doing?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Step back. I'm going to call it.)]
Though she still seemed skeptical of my words, the Mother of the Sky wasn't foolish enough to talk back to me.
Sensing the griffin stepping back, I prepared for the energy to come out.
Bundles of tentacles hanging under my head began to move after a long time. Sharp violet tentacles wriggled like the legs of an octopus, all pointing forward.
Next, I felt energy moving rapidly from my tail to my head. Unlike before, with each movement of energy, the patterns on my outer layer emitted a gradual violet light.
"..."
The Mother of the Sky, who was behind me, stepped back for a while, probably sensing the tremendous psychic power emanating from my body.
From tail to lower body, lower body to waist and chest, and then the tentacles near the head around the neck.
The monster's tentacles extracted all the psychic powers that were embedded in various parts of my body.
And then.
'It's quite big, isn't it?'
In front of me appeared a violet sun with a diameter of 6 meters. Considering my length of 20 meters, it wasn't large compared to my body, but it was ridiculously large compared to the psychic breath I used before.
'But it took a bit longer to charge.'
I raised my head in that state. The essence of the psychic powers brought forth by the monster's tentacles also rose in response to my movements.
'…It's too big to handle.'
Externally, it looked static, but inside the sphere, the breath of the dragon was surging.
Thinking that it was enough by now, I released the sealed energy.
Above my head, a cosmic dragon spread its wings and soared. With each flap of the dragon's wings, the white sands laid around fluttered, and the waves of the sea reversed.
The heat lines of the psychic power that made the auxiliary organ under my chin look heavy tore through the air and rose endlessly.
More and more.
It flew until it tore apart the white clouds floating in the blue sky above the blue sea.
After the dragon flew away, all that was left was a blue sky without a single cloud and violet particles falling like snow.
I judged it was enough and lowered my head that had been raised high.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (Now we wait.)]
"..."
The Mother of the Sky, who witnessed me shooting the Psychic Breath, was staring blankly at the sky.
"This is strange. It should definitely be a Quasi-Saint, but how is this possible? Could it be a special bonus effect? No, unless the species changes, this is…"
While I was lying on the beach waiting, the Mother of the Sky muttered indistinct words as she looked at the spot where the Psychic Breath passed.
After a while, the Mother of the Sky, who had been mumbling for a long time, somehow seemed to have convinced herself and lay down on the white sandy beach. However, seeing fear in her eyes, it didn't seem like she felt comfortable lying down like me.
Ignoring her, I picked up the insect that was crawling stealthily in front of me and put it in my mouth.
At that moment, the Mother of the Sky stood up, having seen something in the distance. With her superior eyesight, she peered beyond the orange-tinted sky.
"Amorph."
[ZZZ (What is it?)]
"…Is it possible that the allies you were talking about include a Green Gallagon?"
There is only one Green Galleon on this planet.
'Adhai has come.'
I, too, stood up and waited until the creatures arrived. After about 5 minutes of waiting, Adhai's figure began to appear to me.
'Huh?'
But something was off. Adhai's movements were much slower than usual, and somehow, it looked unnatural.
'What's going on? What happened?'
Above all, I couldn't feel the movement of Number 26, who should have followed from underwater.
'Could it be…'
I quickly spread a new nest on the beach.
If the size was enough for Adhai and Number 26 to lie down.
However, as I was building the nest, the situation changed abruptly. Adhai seemed unable to fly anymore and fell onto the sand.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Adhai!)]
The Mother of the Sky quickly flew up, grabbed Adhai with her beak, and landed smoothly on the ground.
It was difficult to describe Adhai's condition even in empty words. The griffin's beak holding him and the sand on the beach were dyed bright red in an instant.
I received Adhai from the Mother of the Sky, transplanted the symbiotic spores, and placed him on the nest.
As the symbiotic organism wriggled and injected healing fluid into his body, Adhai's breath became more relaxed. Although severe wounds that revealed organs and bones were slowly healing, they were still visible.
'What happened here?'
Adhai arrived with severe injuries. And No. 26, who couldn't be seen.
A dark unease descended upon my heart like a night sky.
-x-X-x-
"Kik?!"
Right now, I've entered the forest near the beach to find food. Adhai is lying in the nest, unconscious, while the Mother of the Sky is guarding him.
In reality, it would be proper to entrust hunting to the Mother of the Sky, but I didn't do so because I found it difficult to endure it myself. I can't shake off the unease when thinking about what happened to Adhai and Number 26.
What does it mean that only Adhai has returned? Could it be that Number 26 is already…
'Darn.'
I opened my fingers. Suddenly, due to the strong wind, the wood devil I was holding completely crumbled.
This way, Adhai won't be able to eat.
'…Let's stay calm.'
It's still uncertain. It's not like me to be so anxious.
After discarding the broken wood devil, I went to find other prey. In my mind, I thought about the situation Adhai and Number 26 might be in.
'There are two assumptions to consider.'
The first hypothesis is that remnants of the Humanity Cartel attacked them. The data stored on the battleship doesn't confirm the presence of camps near the sea or on the continental islands, but it's not certain. The camp that was originally on the mainland could have been moved due to my attack. The unclear part is whether they could capture Number 26 in the sea.
Even though Number 26 is not fully grown, it is a Sea Demon. Unless it was Muriel, capturing it with only the remnants seems impossible. Even if Adhai, who can only survive on land, was captured, it doesn't make sense that Number 26 was caught while Adhai escaped.
'The other assumption is an attack from unknown entities.'
Talking about the game, PH-101 is classified as a high-difficulty planet due to its dangerous environmental conditions, fierce predators, and hostile indigenous beings to outsiders.
I frequently visited this planet to collect rare genetic essences. Thanks to that, I know which areas are dangerous and which creatures to be cautious of.
However, this is all part of the game's story. I don't know if there are unknown dangers on this planet.
Afterwards, I returned to the nest with various types of prey. The Mother of the Sky was monitoring, making sure there were no enemies following Adhai behind me.
I approached the flickering pumpkin-colored eyes in the darkness and asked.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Are there any other enemies?)]
"There are no pursuers. No unusual movements in the water either."
The auxiliary device under the jaw agreed with the same opinion.
I looked at Adhai, who was unconscious. Despite the injuries, his once plump tail was now noticeably thinner. The wing membranes showed signs of tearing, and the area where the back and wings connected was red, possibly from prolonged flight.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Are there any dangerous creatures around here?)]
"Dangerous creatures? There are many that are stronger than Green Galleragon. But threatening Sea Demons? Well, there is an archipelago where Fishrians live if you go out to the sea."
"[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Are there any creatures that can threaten Sea Demons other than Gallagons?)]
｢Sea Demons? Wait, you said Sea Demons? Could it be that it's not just one companion?｣
[ZZ (Yes.)]
The griffin's gaze wavered as she listened to my words. Honestly, I was getting irritated by her behavior in the current situation, but I managed to hold it in. Venting my frustration to her would not only fail to alleviate the situation but might make it worse.
Even so, she quickly sensed that I was in a very bad mood. The griffin hurriedly replied.
｢There is an archipelago where Fishrians live if you go out to the sea, but…｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Fishrians? They live here?)]
Fishrians are an aquatic race that primarily inhabits ocean planets. In appearance, they closely resemble the mermaids commonly imagined by us. They have the body of a man with a fish head or the body of a woman with the lower half resembling fish, covered entirely in fish scales.
A distinctive feature is their strong cult-like aspect, inspired by devotees of malevolent entities in classic horror novels.
'Fishrians serve powerful marine creatures like Sea Demons.'
Sea Demons, similar to sub-boss-level marine creatures, also inhabit ocean planets, and Fishrians predominantly live on such planets.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (are there sub-boss-level creatures in the sea here?)]
'I haven't seen them personally, but there are legendary tales circulating among the Volfs. They speak of a demon in the sea that captures and devours gods.'
When thinking of sea demons, there was only one thing that came to mind.
'Sea demons in the abyss.'
I briefly considered if Number 26 and Adhai had encountered sea demons, but I shook my head. If they had fought sea demons, it wouldn't end with injuries like this. Considering their size, a creature as small as Adhai would turn into mincemeat the moment it got caught in the tentacles.
I re-examined Adhai's injuries. Although they had changed from when I first saw them, these traces were clearly abrasions and burns. Sea demons don't use inferior weapons like plasma or conventional weapons. This means these wounds were inflicted by others.
'Fishrians don't use firearms.'
Due to their religious beliefs, they adhere to primitive lifestyles and only use traditional weapons, such as firearms that use gunpowder at most.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (it seems like these injuries were caused by Fishrian harpoons. What do you think?)]
｢Let me see.｣
The sharp gaze of the Mother of the Sky swept over Adhai's injured areas. She nodded and shared her thoughts.
｢You're right. These wounds torn in a whirlpool pattern were indeed caused by Fishrian harpoons.｣
Next, the griffin extended her front paw and pointed at other wounded areas.
｢But this part wasn't caused by harpoons. It seems more like burns from laser or plasma weapons.｣
I also agreed with that assessment. The injuries Adhai sustained were not something that Fishrian weapons could create.
｢Humans are associated with Fishrians.｣
Fishrians are extremely hostile towards outsiders. Especially when encountering humans, they aggressively attack them as sacrifices to the marine creatures they worship. Unlike carnivorous animals that hunt for food, they are a species that actively attacks humans to sacrifice them.
How on earth are those creatures cooperating with humans? As I pondered the cause, Adhai suddenly opened his eyes.
His elliptical eyes resembling amethyst shook anxiously in various directions before settling on me. "Adult!" "Glad!" Despite his tentacles quivering, the resilient young one enthusiastically cried out. I cautiously stroked him with my combat arm.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ tell me what happened.]
｢Adult.｣ ｢Me.｣ ｢Sorry.｣
[ZZZ ZZ (It's okay.)]
Although Adhai's body trembled, she gradually regained composure as I gently comforted him.
"…"
I felt the bewildered gaze of the Mother of the Sky behind me, but I ignored it.
｢Little adult.｣ ｢Big trouble.｣ ｢Dwarf.｣ ｢Fish.｣ ｢Little adult.｣ ｢Attack.｣
"[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Humans and Fishrians attacked together?)]"
｢Fish.｣ ｢God.｣ ｢Dying.｣ ｢Alternative.｣ ｢Necessary.｣ ｢Dwarf.｣ ｢God｣｢Learning.｣｢Both.｣｢Cooperation.｣
Adhai's words are composed of words and concepts that make it difficult to understand. Still, I could roughly grasp what he meant.
'The god probably refers to Sea Demons, and Fishrians are trying to find a new Sea Demon because their god is dying.'
However, from what I know, Fishrians worship Sea Demons. They possess extreme devotion, to the point of giving up their lives if the entity they serve dies. So, why would such a race seek a new god when the existing one is dying? It's highly unlikely for a typical Fishrian to entertain such an idea.
The intervening factor here is the being Adhai refers to as a dwarf – the human. "The humans who came here are probably those who want to study Sea Demons." They likely persuaded the Fishrians for smooth research, offering the pretext of creating a new Sea Demon.
'If that's the case, there might be a research base near the Fishrian colony.'
Whether on land or in the deep sea. While I was contemplating, Adhai's telepathic communication continued.
｢Dwarf.｣ ｢Little adult.｣ ｢Me.｣ ｢Attack.｣ ｢Capture.｣ ｢Little adult.｣ ｢Me.｣｢Release.｣ ｢Me.｣｢Alone.｣｢"Escape.｣
'They fought, got captured together, but somehow Number 26 managed to free Adhai alone.'
And then Adhai, while escaping, faced attacks from both Fishrians and humans.
｢Me.｣ ｢Hurt.｣ ｢Hurt.｣ ｢Hurt.｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (It's okay. Eat this and rest.)]
｢Me.｣ ｢Wrong.｣ ｢Me.｣ ｢Should｣ ｢apologize.｣ ｢Meal.｣ ｢Impossible.｣
"[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Eat quickly; we need to go and rescue them.)]"
While comforting Adhai's self-blame, I handed over the prey I had caught. Although he initially resisted eating, he reluctantly extended his tentacles as I persisted.
As he began to eat, I slowly stood up. Adhai was feeling guilty about leaving Number 26 alone. Anticipating that he might not eat properly with me around, I moved a bit away from the nest.
"The only relief is that Number 26 probably didn't die."
Considering the capture of Number 26, the firepower possessed by the humans in the research base is likely substantial. It would surpass the level of remnants of pirate factions and be comparable to the elite forces of Mega Corp Prime Capital family. "Ezerton or the Jao family, perhaps." Ezerton clashed with me in the space city once, and the Jao family constantly harassed me in the game. Adding to the challenge, there's the savage Fishrian tribe.
In reality, whether it's Prime Capital or Fishrians, they aren't formidable adversaries for me, a semi-transcendent being. The problem lies in the location of the research base, especially if it's underwater.
"Given the existence of Sea Demons, there's no law that says other threatening marine creatures don't exist."
Among the abilities at my disposal, only a few are effective for underwater combat.
"It won't be easy if a fight breaks out."
The difficulty of the battle would significantly depend on the condition of Number 26, who excels in underwater combat. If Number 26 is severely injured, the difficulty would skyrocket because I would have to protect him while fighting.
While contemplating how to rescue Number 26, the Mother of the Sky approached. "It seems it was true. Your friend spoke about having companions, and I thought it was a distasteful joke."
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (I'm not in a good mood, so don't be annoying.)]
Even though I growled, she sat down beside me, ignoring my attitude. Her pumpkin-colored eyes stared towards the distant black horizon.
｢If you allow me, I want to help.｣
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZ (Help me? Why?)]
"I've also experienced the sadness of losing a family."
Nonchalantly stating it, her emotions were anything but insignificant, despite her tone.
'Sky Mother wants to help.'
The higher the level of divine transformation, the more the body can adapt to various environments for combat. However, breaking away from the basic transformation form is still challenging. While combat effectiveness may not significantly decrease in low-water areas, it's a different story in the deep sea.
"No, it's not a good situation. We need to use everything we can." When facing marine bosses, including Sea Demons, during the game, I often lured them to the land for the fight. Although it's difficult for the Amoph pseudo-entity to fight underwater, its swimming speed is not drastically slow. Even when encountering dangerous creatures, the plan is to somehow bring Number 26 to the surface. From there, I can engage in battle with Adhai, the Mother of the Sky, and the adversary.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (We depart when Adhai is ready.)]
'Adhai, then. And that Sea Demon? What's its name?'
"[ZZ (Number 26)]"
/…As expected from Amorph/
Ignoring the Griffin's dismissive reaction, I continued to ponder relentlessly on how to rescue Number 26. This contemplation persisted until Adhai regained his energy after consuming all the prey.
"Team Leader! Communication is finally restored!"
"Is it true? Why all of a sudden?"
"I don't know! When checking the hyper-speed communication network, it seems that the Garimelda family's military satellite is deployed nearby."
"Oh, really! I thought we'd have to stay like this for a few more years!"
PH-101, the Mega Corp research base located in the deep sea. Six months ago, researchers dispatched by the Jao family of Prime Capital established this base. Originally designated as a holy site by cults, anyone entering was strictly prohibited. However, the surveillance network began intermittently loosening at some point, noticed by the Jao family.
Jao Way Jao, the head of the family, knew through spies infiltrated into the cult society that various rare creatures inhabited this planet. Considering it a good opportunity, he secretly dispatched researchers.
Their goal was to conduct ecological research on dangerous deep-sea predators and collect their genetic material. As they set up the base on the ocean floor, their location remained undisclosed even after the planet's surveillance network was restored.
Usually, they conducted research in the underwater base and, during the periodic weakening of the surveillance, procured necessary supplies from the island.
However, not long ago, the surveillance network started failing to deactivate. Eventually, a colossal spaceship was attacked and crashed, which led to their current situation.
Realizing the severity of the situation, they tried to send a message to the Jao family, but the communication network was already completely blocked.
They were stranded in the middle of the dangerous deep sea on this planet.
"The Fishrians' attitude is getting worse, so every time we went up, it felt like they would attack."
"That's right. If we had stayed a few more days, those fishy bastards might have offered us as sacrifices."
"Team Leader, if the family hears that we caught a mutant Sea Demon, they'll be shocked, won't they?"
"Shock or not, you were Third Capital, right? When I return, use your influence to ensure that everyone here can ascend to Prime Capital."
"Oh!"
"Thank you!"
"When the rescue team from the family arrives, let's go catch that Galagon who fled."
"Of course. Speaking of which, who knew that Galagon would live on a planet like this? The academic world will be turned upside down."
Engaging in a lively conversation, the researchers walked through the corridor. Not far from them, there was a special prison made of black silver alloy. Inside, they couldn't use psychic powers.
In the cold, rigid prison, a creature resembling a pink balloon was huddled.
"■■■■…."
It continuously emitted unknown waves, but none of the researchers were aware of this fact.
-x-X-x-
After Adhai finished her meal, we set off for the island where the research base was located. Despite not having fully recovered from her injuries, Adhai knew there was no time to waste.
It had been 4 days since Adhai had escaped the research facility. Given the considerable length of time, it's uncertain what hardships Number 26 endured during that period.
'Since the fishrians are with Number 26, there shouldn't be any immediate threat to its life.'
However, just because there are no visible threats doesn't mean everything is fine. Researchers might administer painful substances to Number 26 for experiments.
'Considering its unpleasant memories of the laboratory.'
The longer Number 26 remains trapped, the worse it'll be for it. We must rescue it as soon as possible.
"Adhai mentioned that the research base seems to be underwater."
Though not precise, it appears Adhai escaped using some sort of underwater elevator-like mechanism. The 'intelligent' Green Gallagon wouldn't have operated the elevator alone; it must have been with Number 26's assistance.
'We'll know more when we arrive.'
At present, I am carrying Adhai and the Mother of the Sky on my back, swimming. Despite my considerable weight, I can float with the two beasts on my back thanks to my wing trait. The wing membrane, folded between my six battle arms, prevents me from completely submerging.
The claws between my fingers, the claws attached all over my body, serve as propellers. Adhai is carrying the loot backpack on his chest since I couldn't attach it to my tail.
I had acquired fin characteristics along with water claw traits in the previous marshlands. Hence, fins similar to wing membranes protruded on both sides of my tail. Although slower than when moving on land, I could swim at speeds surpassing most boats.
Of course, my swimming skills weren't perfect, so occasionally my body would sink underwater while moving. However, neither Adhai nor the Mother of the Sky had any problems, as they could both fly.
Swimming diligently, I asked Adhai,
'How much farther do we have to go?'
｢Me,｣ ｢Darkness,｣ ｢Once,｣ ｢Adult,｣ ｢Speed,｣ ｢Similar.｣
Adhai had been hiding on one of the many islands scattered around the military island after her escape. She had been hiding until she sensed the psychic breath I emitted and flew over for a whole day.
'According to Adhai, we should arrive tonight at the earliest, or by tomorrow morning at the latest.'
Thanks to swimming throughout the night, the sun was now rising in the middle of the sky. As I pondered how much longer we had left, Adhai called out to me.
｢Me,｣ ｢Adult,｣ ｢Question.｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What is it?)]
Adhai hesitated, finding it difficult to speak up first.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Don't apologize. It's not your fault.)]
Whether she understood and accepted my words or not, she remained silent the whole journey.
To comfort Adhai, I used my absorption tentacles to catch fish and offered them to her. Without refusing and seemingly aware of the need for a quick recovery, she accepted the fish eagerly, munching on them.
I also handed fish to the Mother of the Sky, our fellow traveler. Before departing, I had explained the rough plan to her. While I descended to the research base in the deep sea, she would oversee the Fishrian village.
"To do that, you need to gather strength."
"…"
Despite knowing the plan, it seemed challenging for her to adapt to receiving food from me. Awkwardly, she started eating the fish slowly.
After traveling for a while, we arrived when the sun in the sky had already disappeared below the horizon. On a lone island among many, artificial lights were visible. Water structures extending from the island's shore to the nearby sea – the village where Fishrians reside.
Next to the water structures, an alloy submarine was floating. Its appearance resembled an escape pod positioned on MegaCorp's spaceships.
Beside the submarine stood Fishrians with fish heads and spiky fins, alongside humans. After exchanging words with the Fishrians, the humans filled the submarine with what appeared to be fruits.
｢I can't believe they were actually conducting trades. Unbelievable.｣
[ZZZZ (Indeed)]
After concluding their trade, the humans boarded the submarine and departed from the water structures, heading somewhere.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (We should part ways here)]
Unlike the Mother of the Sky, Adhai is almost incapable of underwater combat. So, it's better for both of them to take charge of the Fishrian village.
"Yeah, me and the Green Gal… um, Adhai will take care of that village."
｢Adult,｣ ｢Little Adult,｣ ｢Help｣
[Zoom (Yes)]
Adhai, on my back, spread his wings wide. Though he slightly flinched, perhaps due to lingering pain, he soon vigorously flapped his wings.
Following him, the Mother of the Sky attempted to lift her body to follow Adhai. Before that happened, I called out to her.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Adhai is still not well, so please take care)]
"…Alright."
She nodded once and controlled the air to follow behind Adhai, flying over the sea.
Having sent them off, I submerged in the direction of the submarine. Since it was nighttime, there was almost nothing visible, but I have auxiliary devices. Four auxiliary organs extending beneath my jaw began sensing underwater vibrations, tracking the submarine's movement.
"It's this way."
Beyond a simple sensory device, I followed the guidance of the transcendental auxiliary organs through the darkness.
While swimming, I noticed a faint light in the distance. Initially thinking it was from the submarine's lights, it turned out to be different. The orderly arranged light, ascending from below, was the illumination from an underwater elevator.
Approaching the location of the elevator, I confirmed the submarine entering it. Sinking a bit lower, I wanted to explore the size and defensive structures of the research base.
Descending along the long and thin cylindrical underwater elevator, I discovered an underwater canyon leading to a deeper abyss. The research base was not inside the canyon but located on the outer part.
The research base had the appearance of a thin ring, and its length seemed to be roughly around 2km. In the center of the ring, there were corridors connected to the elevator.
'There's no detection of external defense systems.'
It's unlikely that those studying Sea Demons would build a base in a place like this without at least one defense system. I approached the base more closely and soon understood the reason.
'Insane. This is all Black Silver.'
Surprisingly, the material of this colossal advanced structure was Black Silver alloy. While Black Silver isn't the most expensive or rare metal, it is by no means a cheap one. Creating a structure of this magnitude would require astronomical investments.
'So, that's why Sea Demons couldn't affect it.'
Sea Demons are powerful psych power creatures. If the structure is coated with Black Silver, suppressing the effects of psych power, it could evade their threat. Additionally, there's a high probability of various equipment inside to suppress or defend against psych power.
'Now I understand why Number 26 and Adhai lost.'
Both of them primarily use psychic power. Against someone who has thoroughly prepared for dealing with it, they would be helpless. It's impressive that Number 26 managed to send Adhai away from such a place.
I swam around the research base, trying to grasp its rough structure. Somewhere, I felt faint vibrations.
'What's this?'
The vibrations were so weak that I almost overlooked them, thinking it might be a change in the underwater flow. However, I couldn't ignore it because the vibrations were very familiar to me.
[ZZZ ZZ (Number 26!)]
｢Big one…｣
I swiftly moved in the direction where the vibrations were coming from.
Approaching a certain part of the ring, I pressed my head against the outer wall.
[ZZZ ZZ (Number 26?)]
｢Big one… Little one?｣
[ZZZ ■ ZZZ ■ ZZ ZZ (Yeah.■ I'm here.)]
｢Big one!｣
Due to the pressure of the deep sea or the Black Silver, the waves sent by the monster's tentacles were abruptly cut off in the middle.
However, just like I immediately sensed it, Number 26 also recognized me and sent waves.
｢Long time no see!｣
[ZZ ZZZ ■ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ■ ZZZ (I'll get ■ out soon. Is there ■ inconvenience?)]
When I shot interrupted waves, the monster quickly responded.
｢I'm hungry.｣
Hearing that response, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. It felt deliberate to reply that way, knowing there must have been many hardships besides hunger.
I had promised Number 26.
[■ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ■ (I'll rescue ■ soon).]
"Yeah!"
After tapping my head against the outer wall, I withdrew for a while. Having distanced myself from the base, I vigorously shook my tail and combat arms.
My body quickly leaps forward. The black walls of the research base get closer and closer to my head. And then, the ring-shaped research base, spanning 2km, shook violently.
Chen Hai, a researcher of the Zhao family, opened his eyes in bed. There had been such a significant vibration that he could feel it even while asleep.
"An earthquake?"
There is an underwater canyon near the base. Occasionally, earthquakes like this happened because terrifying predators, including Sea Demons, lived beneath.
This research base is built robustly to withstand even harsh environments, and it remains unshaken by most impacts unless a group of marine predators tastes the base, which is highly unlikely.
"But this one seems stronger?"
He chuckled, shaking his head, and left the room. When he came out into the corridor, the vibrations weren't the only thing he felt. Several of his fellow researchers were also emerging.
A thunderous noise, similar to the sound of monsters battling outside the base, echoed.
"Hey, Hao. What's going on?"
"I don't know."
"If it's an earthquake, the alarms should be sounding."
As soon as these words were spoken, the alarms in the corridor blared loudly, as if there was no time to waste, startling everyone in the corridor.
"Let's evacuate for now."
"Alright. I'll wake up the people in the G sector corridor."
"I'll go to the F sector."
Having sent his colleagues on their way, Chen Hai walked down the corridor. On his way to the F sector, the alarms abruptly stopped.
"What's this? Is it over?"
If it's over, there should be an announcement. But there was no response from the speakers hanging on the corridor ceiling.
Nevertheless, just in case, Chen Hai kept walking.
While heading to the F sector, he felt the corridor's temperature drop abruptly.
"Did the temperature regulator break?"
The research base, where they are, has a system to adjust the internal environment to perform research without hindrance even in extreme conditions such as the deep sea, outer space, or volcanic areas. The temperature control device seemed to have malfunctioned, turning the previously warm corridor into a chilling one like a freezer.
Confirming his breath forming in front of his mouth, Chen Hai contemplated whether he should return to his room now. At that moment, the corridor's power went out all at once.
After a while, emergency power came in, and the entire corridor was bathed in a red light.
"Damn, what's going on all of a sudden?"
Now that it's like this, he must find out what happened. He decided to go to the B sector where the situation room is located, instead of the F sector.
Once he passes through this corridor and turns the corner, there's another corridor leading to the B sector. He walked, embracing both arms in the harsh cold.
The sound of a collision between solid alloy and indoor shoes echoed, making a crisp sound.
"Hmm? Sounds like water?"
Only then did Chen Hai feel something odd and looked down at the floor.
In no time, the corridor floor turned into an underwater sea. It was only recognized belatedly due to the darkness caused by the red light.
"What's this…?"
Only then did he realize the extremely dangerous situation. The thunderous noise resembling what he thought was thunder outside earlier was not the sound of monsters fighting.
"The base is flooding!"
It was the sound of water seeping into the base. However, his realization came too late. Water was pouring in from the corridor ahead, connected to the situation room.
"Ugh, aaaaah!"
He urgently turned and ran, but he couldn't possibly outrun the rapidly incoming seawater.
Colder than an ice sheet, the water engulfed Chen Hai's body.
"Aaargh!"
As he was being swept away by the water, Chen Hai grabbed the doorknob in the corridor. The vigorously pouring water reached up to his shoulders and then briefly eased in a moment of respite.
Perhaps the central computer of the research base automatically sealed off the flooded area.
"Damn! What a disaster!"
Having turned into a drowned rat, Chen Hai moved on to reach the situation room.
"I…I might lose? Damn, I won't give up just because of this small disaster especially when the Prime Capital is in my grasp!"
He grabbed the documents and laptop that had floated down during the flood. They were materials that could cause a commotion in academia, so he must not lose them.
Only armed with determination, Chen Hai endured the frigid temperature of the cold seawater in the deep sea, moving forward.
How long had he walked? The characters attached to the corridor wall changed to 'B.' Thinking that there wasn't much left, he increased his pace.
After walking like that, he saw the upper body of a person in front of him. Due to the red light, he couldn't see clearly, but instead of a white gown, the person wore a bluish work suit.
Thinking that the other person belonged to the facilities management team, Chen Hai called out.
"Hey! What's going on?"
Although he shouted loudly, there was no response. Since there was no sound other than the sound of water, there was no chance that the person hadn't heard.
"Hey, Middle Capital guy! What's happening!"
"…."
Chen Hai shouted again as he approached.
As he got closer, he could see the facilities management staff more clearly. Wearing what he thought was a blue work suit, his clothes were now dyed red with blood.
And behind that team member.
Under the red light, a giant creature was devouring a human head with gusto.
"Uh, uh, uh…."
Seeing that sight, Chen Hai felt his spine chill, and his trembling body couldn't be controlled.
The monster that had swallowed the entire head turned to face Chen Hai. Even in the darkness, its two eyes shone brightly.
"The… number… of… humans… inside… is… approximately… several… hundred."
"He, heehee!"
A deep male voice flowed from its mouth. Chen Hai screamed and threw away the laptop and documents he was holding.
"It" extended a tentacle-like appendage, capturing Chen Hai trying to escape.
"With… this… much… prey… he… should… be… satisfied… enough."
Observing Chen Hai trembling in fear, "it" leisurely murmured.
-x-X-x-
Life is unpredictable. That's the motto of Runan, the head of the research team at PH-101 Research Base. A native of Ganymede and a former Third Capital, he became a Prime Capital thanks to a fortunate marriage. Even though his wife belonged to the Zhao family, being a Prime Capital was a significant status. Marrying such a woman allowed him to secure a position within the Zhao family, which made it possible for him to take on the role of the head of a research team in a large research base.
Looking at it, life truly was unpredictable. Until he arrived at PH-101, he was thriving, but since the incident of being stranded in the depths of the ocean, he had been steadily descending into a downward spiral. However, after unexpectedly capturing a mutant sea demon, his mood soared. Despite losing many team members during the capture, he didn't consider it a significant issue. All the deceased were either Middle or Low Capitals, expendable human resources used to capture the sea demon. It was a profitable business, no matter how you looked at it.
That was a few hours ago. Now, any semblance of a bright future had disappeared, and whether he could survive until morning was uncertain.
"What on earth is happening? Was it an earthquake?"
The first situation room was located in Zone A. Runan, along with team members who had hastily woken up and gathered here, was actively trying to assess the situation.
"According to the central computer's report, it's due to external impact!"
"Could it be the sea demon? It shouldn't have the capacity for that."
"Or maybe it's the Dread Hydra or Pale Mask."
"That's unlikely. This isn't their territory."
The Dread Hydra is a massive, 50-meter-long ambush predator, and the Pale Mask is a giant predator that devours the Dread Hydra. Both are formidable marine creatures, though not as powerful as the sea demon. Their habitats are the deep-sea trenches beneath the base. Since the research base is located outside their territory, the likelihood of one of them attacking is low.
"Currently, Zones E and F are completely flooded, and water is continuously flowing into Zones C and D!"
"Flooding is a problem, but water pressure is the main issue."
"Agreed. Due to the strain on the devices regulating the internal environment, there's a risk of malfunction."
PH-101 Research Base is located in the depths of the ocean, several kilometers below the surface. Despite the harsh environment, it was designed to withstand immense underwater pressure. However, for the people inside, it's a different story. If there's a malfunction in the device stabilizing internal pressure, everyone inside is at risk of losing their lives.
"Sigh. We might have to abandon ship."
Listening silently to the opinions of the team members, Runan finally spoke.
"To stabilize the pressure, we need to separate Zones E and F from the ring. Forcefully disconnect them and assess the situation in Zones C and D later."
"Te…Team Leader?!"
The expressions of the team members darkened upon hearing the order.
Zones F and G house the sleeping quarters. Due to the incident occurring at night, there are easily over dozens of people remaining in Zone F. Despite the situation, the team leader chose to abandon all the individuals in Zone F.
"What is he doing? Can't he hear me?"
"No, sir!"
As the team members hesitated to abandon colleagues who might still be alive and awaiting rescue, Runan urged them forward.
As the team members moved to follow Runan's orders, the base shook violently. Everyone in the first situation room staggered due to the sudden impact.
"What is this?! Another attack?"
"No! This shock came from inside!"
"Could it be because of the water pressure?"
"Stop the pointless chatter and quickly confirm the situation!"
"Yes!"
Responding to Runan's command, the team members hurriedly sat in front of the computers in the situation room to assess the situation.
A little later, one of them grimaced.
"Uh, there, Team Leader?"
"What is it?"
"We seem to have found the cause."
At his pale-faced report, Runan approached and checked the monitor. Soon, he too had the same expression as the team members.
"An unidentified creature has breached the outer wall of Zone E and is currently moving towards Zone G?"
The research base is divided into eight zones, from A to H. Since it is configured in a circular ring, after G and H, the next zone is A.
While the appearance of an unknown monster invading the first situation room was a significant issue, the real problem lay elsewhere.
Zone H is where the biological research lab is located. In other words, the sea demon they painstakingly captured is trapped there.
"We need to separate Zone G immediately…!"
Kuooong!
At the moment he urgently shouted, an unprecedented shock engulfed the situation room.
'It seems they still don't know about my intrusion.'
From the moment I entered, I've been wandering around, pulling off human heads, but apart from the area being sealed off, no special measures were taken.
Thanks to the delayed response on their end, I could comfortably make my way to find Number 26.
Every time I crawled, the water level, rising halfway up the corridor, shook significantly. The entire corridor didn't flood because the inflow of seawater stopped when the area was sealed off.
Because of that, I had to crawl through the narrow corridor in an uncomfortable position. If I raised my waist even slightly, my head carapace would hit the ceiling immediately.
'If the corridor ceiling were lower, I wouldn't have been able to carry the prey.'
Currently, my six tentacles for predation were coiled around the bodies like a snake hunting for prey.
It didn't look good, resembling entwined eels, and it was uncomfortable to move, but there was no choice.
'Is it here?'
Passing a corridor labeled H, a thick metal bulkhead blocked the way. The one in front was already broken, but this one looked thicker than that.
Since it's a place researching dangerous marine creatures like the sea demon, the security level seemed higher than other places.
'Well, it's useless anyway.'
I pressed my auxiliary organ under my chin close to the bulkhead. There was another bulkhead inside, but it didn't matter.
No metal fragment like this could break my will.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (I'll get it out soon).]
｢Got it!｣
Having reassured Number 26, I stepped back.
The acid fungus's effectiveness was halved in water, so I had to break it with primitive methods.
I advanced, lowering my head to allow the horn to pierce the bulkhead. The six combat arms on my upper body whipped the floor and walls, pulling my body forward. The claws on the tail and lower body, submerged in water, moved fiercely, pushing the current aside to enable rapid forward movement.
The outer wall of the research base, designed to withstand the harsh environment of the deep sea, was easily pierced by me.
The thick bulkhead, collided with my horn, shattered into pieces. As if that wasn't enough, the second bulkhead behind it was crumpled into a paper-like shape by my charge and bounced out.
The seawater from the broken door in my rear corridor poured into the space behind the broken door.
'Hmm?'
"Growl?"
"Enemy. Growl."
Breaking through the bulkhead and entering, there were no humans, but instead, other beings were waiting for me.
'Fishrians?' I've seen humans and Fishrians trading on floating sea houses, but I didn't expect to find them in a research base. Judging by their work attire, it seemed like they were responsible for security and surveillance here.
"Growl. This human nest is a mess."
"Growl. Looks strong, offering it as a sacrifice will make God happy!"
"Sacrifice!"
They made eerie sounds while sharpening their claws. The glowing eyes that flashed in the darkness disappeared underwater. If they were human, they would have fled immediately, but these fanatics had no fear.
'I didn't expect to meet them here.'
In the game, Fishrians usually served as minions to powerful marine creatures. Matching their role as support for fearsome predators like Sea Demons and Pale Masks, they were irritating mosquitoes to players fighting formidable creatures like Sea Demons.
Honestly, to players facing mid-boss-level creatures like Sea Demons, Fishrians were nothing more than annoying pests. However, they couldn't be completely ignored.
'Fishrian males have venom in their claws and spikes.'
The colorful spikes resembling the venomous sting of sea creatures were not just decorations. Similar to the potent venom of marine animals in reality, Fishrian venom was exceptionally powerful.
Furthermore, Fishrians could control the potency of their venom, making them superior to the neurotoxin I possessed. Fortunately for them, they had the characteristic of being 'Fully Immune,' which provided near-perfect immunity to venom and diseases. Unless faced with a player specializing in poison, they weren't vulnerable to harm from venom.
"And…"
"Growl!"
Suddenly, the diving Fishrians approached me, leaping out of the water. Their claws scratched against my outer shell.
"Growl?!"
"It's tough!"
Since their claws didn't penetrate my exoskeleton, their venom was useless. Maybe if the enemies had used the venom glands in their spikes to release poison into the water, there might have been a different outcome.
I extended a combat arm and grabbed the waists of the Fishrians. The eyes of these creatures, caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, shook violently. When I exerted force, their waists snapped with a crisp sound.
"Monster! It's a monster!"
"Growl! Sacrifice is difficult!"
The Fishrians whose waists I didn't grab seemed to realize the situation and tried to escape. I had already thrown the lifeless Fishrian bodies aside and ambushed the others.
Observing the remaining corpses entwined by my tentacles, I contemplated whether it was worth carrying them.
'It's a bit awkward to carry them, but why not taste it once?'
I took a bite of the Fishrian head in one go. The distinctive flavor, including the fish's characteristic odor, the tingling and intense taste of the venom lingering in the venom gland, pleasantly tickled my palate.
'Tasty.'
As a genetically modified human, not quite heavenly in taste like a Swampking, but still, a very unique flavor was present. It didn't feel greasy due to the lack of fat, and the chewing taste was quite excellent, possibly due to the firm muscles. Moreover, the venom flowing from the venom gland between the brain and the spikes provided a thrilling pleasure, reminiscent of eating sushi with wasabi.
'I should give these to Number 26.'
I replaced some of the human corpses among the entwined bodies with Fishrians, using my tentacles. Since Number 26, the Sea Demon, had even stronger venom resistance than me, it could enjoy the Fishrian meat without any issues.
'When giving it to Adhai, I should avoid the venom gland area.'
With that thought in mind, as I entered the inner area of the zone, I encountered a sturdy-looking cage.
And inside, I saw a familiar face.
｢… Big guy?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZ (Long time no see)]
｢Big guy!｣
Number 26, seeing me, jumped up and expressed joy.
The creature's size had significantly reduced compared to before. It used to be around 5 meters, but now it was only about 2 to 3 meters. Its pinkish body, reminiscent of cat paws, looked dull without much vitality.
'It must have been under a lot of stress.'
The creature seemed to have gone through significant hardships, and it was evident, making me flinch unintentionally.
Contrary to my thoughts, Number 26, upon seeing me, emitted light and sent out waves in excitement.
｢Big guy, you've grown a lot! Much bigger than me!｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (I ate well, that's why)]
｢Eat well? you've done well, big guy!｣
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (I got food for you too).]
｢Yeah!｣
'Woah!'
Leaving the happy creature behind, I examined the prison.
'Indeed. It's a prison made by the Star Union.'
I now understood why Number 26 seemed so depleted. The prison bars were made of pure black silver, appearing pitch-black. Special devices resembling sprinklers were attached between the bars, on the floor, and the ceiling.
Those devices were energy-absorbing mechanisms, similar to a blood reaver, absorbing energy from other creatures. The absorbed energy was then used to power the device itself, allowing even powerful creatures to be confined for an extended period.
'There's water nearby, so Gremlin Moss won't work.'
I approached the computer that managed the prison, trying to operate it with my small chest arm. However, it didn't work properly, likely due to the water that had entered the entire area.
'I'll have to open it manually.'
Although the management computer would eventually break down, rendering the energy absorption devices useless, I had no intention of waiting until then.
I used all six combat arms to grab the prison bars tightly. As I seized them, energy drained from my body, but I paid it no mind, as the energy exerted to bend the bars was greater.
The bars I held twisted like licorice and, with a short tearing sound, were torn apart. After a few repetitions, I had broken enough bars for Number 26 to come out safely.
I also destroyed all the energy absorption devices attached to the broken bars, ensuring the creature's safe exit.
｢I can come out now, right?｣
[ZZ (Yes).]
｢Wow! Big guy, you're strong!｣
Finally free, Number 26 hopped over and embraced me. When we left the cosmic city, our sizes were similar, but now the creature had become much smaller.
'I remember the old times.'
Hugging the diminished creature, memories from when we first met on the meteoric spaceship and shortly after arriving at the cosmic city flashed back.
'Now, I can't carry you on my head anymore.'
Until I acquired the 'Giant Creature' trait, carrying it on my back would be the most I could manage.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZ (You've been through a lot).]
｢I'm fine. How about you, big guy?｣
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (As you can see).]
I patted its head a few times and released the hug. The creature still seemed in good spirits, so I handed it the prepared food.
｢Thank you! I really like it!｣
Apparently hungry, Number 26 immediately extracted tentacles from its body and swallowed the food. I continued to pet the creature, conveying gratitude for its efforts.
'The rescue was successful. Next is…'
Number 26 quickly finished eating the provided food. I didn't think it would be enough to satisfy its hunger.
｢Big guy! I have something to say!｣
Number 26, having finished the meal as I expected, called out to me.
[ZZZ ZZZZZZZZZ (Are you still hungry?)]
｢Yeah. But there's something more important.｣
[ZZZ (Oh?)]
｢The creatures with appendages here. They're very troublesome.｣
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Creatures with appendages, are you talking about humans?)]
｢Yeah! Humans are bad!｣
Number 26's body swelled significantly, and light flickered uncontrollably. It was the first time I had seen the creature express anger like this.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Don't worry. I'm going to give those humans a hard time.)]
｢Yeah! Let's give them a hard time!｣
[ZZZ (Sure)]
Number 26 waved its fins and tentacles threateningly.
Seeing that cute sight, I reaffirmed my decision.
Those who angered Number 26, I should make them pay with blood.
'I had that intention from the beginning, but…'
I realized it might not be as simple as just killing them. The people in this deep-sea research facility would likely suffer and die in agony.