The name of the drug in the ampoule I'm holding is Syonium. Instead of enhancing the user with each use, this drug randomly reduces its duration while providing a reinforcement effect.
I've used it before when fighting against Si-hyun Yujin, a genetically modified human from the Yujin family. Back then, in my fluid state, I consumed Syonium temporarily gaining the power of an astral being to confront her.
Anyway, I've already used it once. Originally, the duration should decrease.
'But this is an improved version used by Muriel'
She said, She enjoyed the reinforcement effect for a much longer time compared to regular Syonium. So, I can't predict how long the effect will last.
'Regardless, the duration won't be that long. At least 5 minutes, maybe 8 or 9 minutes at most should be assumed.'
In other words, Syonium's effect ends earlier than the maximum duration of the 'King of Monsters.' Logically, it would be correct to use the King of Monsters first, but there's a problem to consider before that.
'If you use up all your energy, the state will be released.'
According to the description of the 'Organic Evolution' trait, transforming into the King of Monsters consumes a considerable amount of energy.
'The Divine Scepter will probably consume a lot of energy too.'
Both 'Divine Scepter' and the King of Monsters consume the stored biological energy in my body.
'The total amount of energy shouldn't be a big problem.'
Before entering Transcendence Stage 2, I devoured the Swamp King and creatures in the swamp, and recently, I even swallowed the whole Hond Gigrant.
Both creatures are powerful predators reigning over the Sainthopia02 continent. Moreover, I believe Amorph's energy consumption is very efficient, so there shouldn't be a shortage of energy.
'Of course, I can't be 100% sure.'
Both traits are not present in the game. I haven't personally tried them. However, I've faced similar crises in the game a few times. I've faced massive onslaughts from Outspacers, participated in large-scale massacres, and even intercepted MegaCorp's planet-destroying weapon, 'Nova,' by flying into the stratosphere.
In fact, I now have more cards to play than I did back then, making the situation even better.
'With Amorph's excellent senses and my intuition…'
Just as I've overcome previous difficulties, I should be able to overcome this crisis as well.
'All that's left is when the Cosmic Bolt will fall.'
I don't have a way to find out in the current situation, but there's one method. The predator sense that informs me of my crisis. The moment a fleeting future flashes before my eyes is the time to strike.
After making the decision, I took out the Syonium ampoule from Muriel's kit and stored it in my mouth. Wrestling with the massively enlarged body to hold the ampoule was to avoid damage.
'Because it'll be hard to eat in the King of Monsters state.'
Although I was prepared, the predator sense hasn't sent any news yet. I activated the Organic Evolution trait and chose the King of Monsters. And then…
[Location not suitable. Please maintain distance from allies.]
'Huh?'
The transformation did not take place.
'Not here?'
While there were many trees around, the location I was in was a plain. The description of the special state only mentioned a required space within a radius of 100m, with no other specifics.
'Does it mean there shouldn't be obstacles… Wait, could it be?'
The distance from allies. In front of me were 26, Adhai, and the Mother of the Sky. [Zuzuzuzuz (Wait here for a moment)] After informing them, I left the location.
The direction I headed was straight to the riverside. There were no obstacles like trees there. I ran with all my power, utilizing all my body's organs to their muscular limits, including six combat arms, tail, and blunt claws.
Upon reaching the riverside, I activated the trait again.
'The location is not suitable.'
And inevitably, the unsuitable message appeared.
I looked around. Although this place was near the river, it was sparsely populated with trees, more like the edge of the forest. Since there was no mention of allies, it seemed that the obstacle part was omitted in the King of Monsters' description.
I quickly jumped into the river. Only after arriving at the center of the river did the message appear that transformation into the King of Monsters was possible.
'At this point, it should easily exceed 100 meters, right?'
The width of this river is not narrow. It should easily exceed 100m from the center of the river to the bank.
Just as I wondered how much larger it would become, something passed in front of my vision.
'It's here!'
The scene of the black flames, the Cosmic Bolt, tearing through the atmosphere and devouring everything in its path. As soon as I recognized that scene, I immediately transformed into the King of Monsters.
'Ugh?!'
[Pain nullification Activated!]
Unlike other evolutions, tremendous pain surged. It was an intense pain that I had never experienced before. Even with Pain nullification activated, it was this severe. If I didn't have the memory of childhood full-body burns, I would have instantly lost consciousness.
Moreover, it wasn't just the pain. Even in the midst of transformation, the energy consumption rate was enormous. It felt like the overwhelming force of releasing three consecutive psychic Breaths.
'Ugh, ugh! I have to eat now…!'
Somehow, I managed to hold onto my sanity and bit into what was inside my mouth. The small ampoule shattered, and the Syonium inside poured into my throat.
'Guh, guh, ■■■■■■■■■■!'
Unable to endure the pain any longer, I let out a loud scream. As the river evaporated and the trees on the bank were uprooted, a wave of intense energy obscured my vision.
***
"Cosmic Bolt launch ready."
"Energy output at 500%, charging complete. Dark Matter Regulator in operation. Purification process initiated."
"Coordinate input completed."
"Estimated damage assessment complete. Contrasting with purification mission."
In the situation room where the Cosmic Bolt launch was imminent, the captain secretly bit his lips.
In the end, his subordinates did not return until the launch. He didn't know whether they were alive or dead, what happened on planet PH-101, and he would probably never know.
"I'll never be able to know in the future."
Thinking about the fallen subordinates, the captain closed his eyes tightly. Meanwhile, the countdown continued quickly.
"Huh? Captain! Powerful energy waves detected!"
At that moment, a cult crew member observing the planet's energy flow shouted. The captain opened his eyes at his words.
"Energy waves? Is it a magnetic storm, perhaps?"
"I don't know! Th…this is?! It's not spread across the entire planet but concentrated at a specific point!"
"What?"
The crew member displayed an image using psychic power. The entire continent within the planet was covered by a massive energy storm. The cult members in the situation room were shocked to see that.
"Oh my goodness!"
"I've never seen such a flow of energy before!"
Magnetic storms occur in all directions across a planet, so it wouldn't concentrate at a specific point like this. In other words, that abnormal storm was undoubtedly created by some specific entity.
"Could it be the source of contamination?"
The command given to the Judicator of Damocles 08 was to purify the contaminated PH-101. That abnormal storm was undoubtedly created by entities that polluted the planet.
"Darn it! So, everyone has perished!"
That continent is where the Wolf natives reside. The extermination force must have gone to capture the Wolves but unfortunately encountered that source of contamination.
It's an entity that influences a continent. No matter how powerful the extermination force is, it is impossible to survive against such an unreasonable existence.
"Can we observe the source of contamination with the ship's camera?"
"Th…the energy flow is so intense that… I'll still give it a try!"
The cult crew operated the ship's computer using psychic power. A few seconds later, the observed image of the ground appeared in the center of the situation room.
Cult members who confirmed the appearance of the source of contamination screamed in unison. The captain didn't scold them because he himself almost screamed when he saw 'it'.
For an unknown reason, the image quality was not very good, but everyone present could easily confirm the appearance of 'it' at that moment.
The reason was that 'it' was extremely gigantic. When roughly comparing it to the surrounding trees, it was estimated to be well over 200 meters in length.
The source of contamination had a total of three heads. Except for the central head, the other two heads had the same appearance, resembling carnivorous dragons with pointed beaks, similar to Saegil08's native creature, 'Manuk Arma.' There were no visible visual organs in these heads. Instead, horns grew in those spots.
Instead of eyes, long and thin tentacles below the jaws seemed to serve as sensory organs. Even in the image on the screen, the two heads were constantly flicking the tentacles without rest.
In the center was the middle head. It possessed six large horns, a long and wide back head shell reminiscent of a crown. Unlike the heads on the sides, this one had eyes, constantly scanning the surroundings like sly serpents.
Horns, back head shell, and eyes. The captain believed that this head held the highest command.
The neck supporting the three heads was quite long and thick, resembling a snake. In the area where the long neck and head met, tentacle clusters that looked like hair hung down.
Even up to this point, the appearance was sufficiently repulsive, but it became even more grotesque when looking at the body. The creature's back was covered in a jet-black exoskeleton, resembling the dark matter used by the cult. Eight whirl-shaped cavities adorned its back, each housing pipes that extended in a row, connecting to the tail.
From the pipes, an unidentifiable gas constantly poured out, rising into the sky. It was probably these gases that caused the decrease in image quality observed by the ship's camera.
Descending from the exoskeleton on the back were six legs. More precisely, there were four front legs that seemed to serve as arms and were much larger than the other arms, and two significantly larger hind legs.
Perhaps the creature was crouching, making the arms look like legs. All the legs were wrapped in an exoskeleton similar to the back, and the joints appeared more numerous than those of ordinary organisms. The appearance was reminiscent of a spider, giving an instinctive sense of disgust.
Especially between the legs, there were folds of flesh, making it far from pleasant to look at. Although the purpose was unknown, if it was intended to evoke revulsion in the observer, it certainly achieved its goal.
After the horrifying legs, finally, the tail. The creature with three heads also had multiple tails. The tail, which accounted for about a third of the body's weight, was split into two branches from a certain point in the lower body.
In other words, it meant the tail was split into two. The right tail had a giant pincer at the end, and the left tail had a stinger resembling that of a scorpion.
"The devil with three heads…."
Someone muttered upon seeing the contamination source on the screen. The captain thought that expression was appropriate.
Its appearance was truly that of an evil dragon straight out of cult mythology—the contamination source threatening the security of the Cult Empire, the 'devil with three heads.'
The captain shouted until his throat tore apart,
"Immediately incinerate that blasphemous being!"
"Understood! Adjusting the coordinates!"
The Cosmic Bolt's cannons aimed at the blasphemous entity.
In a moment, that contamination source would be eliminated. As always.
No. It had to be that way.
Although I gained a new body, I couldn't observe the changes.
Thinking that there was no need to worry about the held energy was a complete misjudgment. An enormous amount of energy was currently being drained in real-time.
It was inevitable. After becoming the King of Monsters, the detection range of auxiliary sensors had become incredibly vast. I could monitor about a third of the Seintopia02 continent where I stood.
Along with energy consumption, I barely managed to keep my sanity amidst the vast amount of information. I filtered out as much irrelevant information as possible and focused only on the Cosmic Bolt descending through the planetary atmosphere.
Finally, I conveyed a message to them with the monster's tentacles.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Everyone, evade on your own!)]
If they were the Mothers of the Sky, they should understand what I meant. No, they had to understand.
I felt sorry for the kids, but I couldn't afford to pay attention to them. Even a slight distraction might cause them to collapse right away.
And finally, the time has come.
As if time had slowed down, the Cosmic Bolt descends slowly here. The sky splits, the air vibrates, and the ground beneath my feet ripples.
In the slowed spacetime, I lifted my head towards the sky.
'The Punishing Sceptre of the Gods!'
The jet-black, dark black back, where pipes are lined up in a row, begins to glow golden one by one. Waves of gold ascend through my long necks.
As the light passes through the monster's tentacles and reaches my throat holes,
Through me, the gods swing the scythe of punishment.
It was like lightning, and it looked like hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of thin filaments merging into one.
The important thing was that lightning-like filaments emanated from a total of three places.
The black flames descending to burn the ground and the golden lightning brilliantly collide.
In that moment.
The sky tore apart.
Not metaphorically, but literally, the atmosphere of this planet is tearing apart. The tremendous shockwave created as the lightning from the three heads collided with the Cosmic Bolt.
Clouds disappeared, and unexpectedly, auroras occurred in the sky, twisted by the distorted magnetic field. Along with the atmospheric changes, dozens of fiery vortexes descended from the sky to the ground.
The ground where I stand shakes as if in an earthquake, and the river evaporates at a rapid speed. Trees within a radius of several kilometers from where I stand burst into flames all at once.
"Kuk!"
The complete body of a King of Monsters, combined with the divine scythe infused with the power of the Brain God.
I thought this much would be possible, but it's not easy. While spewing lightning, I also gauged the remaining energy.
'Just a little more!'
The effect of Saionium wouldn't be released, but the King of Monsters and the divine scythe are different. It will be canceled as soon as the energy runs out.
'Just a bit more!'
Little by little, the lightning began to push back the black flames and the Cosmic Bolt. If I push a bit more here, the Imperial Flagship will overload, forcing the Cosmic Bolt to stop.
I thought I could endure a bit more, but suddenly, dozens of filaments rained down from the sky.
'Flagship Fleet!'
I hadn't noticed, as I was focused on the Cosmic Bolt, but the cult's warships were floating in the sky. Knowing that the Imperial Flagship was clashing with me, the warships of the Fleet Division came to support.
'It's challenging to attack separately from here!'
Thanks to the effect of the King of Monsters, the filaments they shot did not inflict fatal wounds on me. It hurt, but I could endure.
However, due to the continuous rain of filaments, it was challenging to maintain focus.
'Is there a way… Ah!'
Suddenly, a good idea crossed my mind, and I calculated the remaining energy.
'It's possible!'
Even while shooting the divine scythe, there is a way to deal with those annoying gnats-like ships. The drawback is that the duration of the King of Monsters will be slightly reduced.
The monstrous tentacle, accepting my will, moves. As there are three heads, the monstrous tentacles on the back of my head and neck are also generated in three places.
'So, Psychic Breath can be aimed in three directions.'
Until now, I haven't specifically controlled the direction of the Psychic Breath. There was no need to do so. There's only the constraint of maintaining focus; the direction itself should be controllable.
The only problem is that I've never actually tried it.
Once again, I don't like having to take risks, but there's no choice. This is my last stand. It's time to throw the decisive blow.
The golden pipes that were shining earlier are now flickering in violet. Similar to the whip of the gods, the violet light moves sequentially from the tip of the tail.
So far, I've been trying hard to aim the monster's tentacles towards the target. Controlling the monster's tentacles on the three heads simultaneously was never easy. It was a delicate operation to the point that, had it not been for Aymoph's exceptional senses, I would have failed. Unconsciously, blood flowed from my eyes and mouth, but I ignored it.
The excruciating pain, as if my brain were going to burn, attacked me, but I eventually succeeded. The monster's tentacles listened to my command, aiming at the direction of the enemy battleships.
'That's it!'
The monster's tentacle, absorbing all the violet Psychic power, sways smoothly like a conductor's baton.
In accordance with the command, a violet sphere rises in front of the dragon's head that spews lightning. Even when I used Psychic Breath before, the size was quite large, but now, tailored to my body, it was enormous, exceeding 200 meters.
Whether they sensed the essence of my Psychic Power or not, the enemy battleships hurriedly tried to retreat.
'Where are you going?'
The dragon's breath towards their fleeing rears erupted. In the place where the violet filaments, reaching several kilometers away, passed by the battleships, only a large-scale explosion remained.
The battleships that went beyond the range of my filaments quickly escaped beyond the planet's atmosphere. Those unable to do so became alloy rain, falling to the ground.
'Now, I have about two minutes left, no, maybe just a minute?'
Having repelled the battleships, I poured all my focus into shooting the scythe of the gods.
As the remaining energy approaches the bottom, my vision becomes blurry. Only the auxiliary organs under my chin, which have always accompanied me through life and death, continue to report my energy consumption.
'Please!'
[■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■!]
Finally, as if roaring a plea, I unleashed the lightning.
Did it work?
The Cosmic Bolt descending to annihilate everything.
The black filaments extending to a radius of several hundred meters blinked like malfunctioning lights and disappeared.
As if ascending to become a dragon, the lightning I shot soared into the sky without any obstacles.
Following that, a second sun rose high in the sky.
Confirming that it was the last flash emitted by the Imperial Flagship annihilated by the sceptre of the gods, I lost consciousness.
-x-X-x-
The battleships of the Cult are renowned for their elegant design. Especially, the Imperial Battleship deployed for purification missions is likened to the jewels of the universe, resembling processed diamonds.
Perhaps, it could be an accurate nickname. The production and maintenance costs of the Imperial Battleship are astronomical.
A beautiful jewel of the cosmos and a treasure of the Cult Empire, one of them being the 'Judicator of Damocles 08.'
The ship, dedicated to the security of the Cult Empire, faced a serious crisis.
"The flow of Space power is reversing! The overload has exceeded 200%!"
"At this rate, the ship will collapse!"
A chaotic situation, with the command center shaking as if it could shatter at any moment. Decorations that once illuminated the interior fell and shattered, sparks continuously flying from machinery and devices, including computers.
Amidst the turmoil, Cult crew members, desperately holding their ground in the chaos of the Abyssal Vortex, urgently relayed the situation.
"What happened to the battleship!"
"30% silenced due to enemy psychic power attack!"
"Just with one blow?! That's impossible!"
Even in the midst of the commotion, the captain, without losing composure, examined the images in the command center.
The dark substance manipulated by the Imperial Battleship is a delicate yet dangerous force. The advanced modules attached to the battleship are not just for charging and firing Space bolts. They are also a means to control and regulate the unpredictable beast, the dark substance.
Having scrutinized the status of the battleship, the captain made a decision. He spread psychic power throughout the ship, sending a message to the crew members on board.
"Alert the crew on board. Retreat through the escape pods."
"Captain!"
"But!"
The crew members were surprised, but the captain remained calm.
"I will stay here. You all leave this place."
"Yes?!"
"The device controlling the output of Space bolts is damaged. Someone has to hold it together until the crew escapes."
Having said that, the captain descended among the crew members and began manipulating the computer. He simultaneously controlled psychic power images and operated the ship's computer.
Seeing this, the crew members all fell silent.
"What are you doing? I said, leave quickly!"
"…."
Seeing the captain willing to sacrifice for his subordinates, the crew members exchanged glances.
"I will take care of this. Quickly, run away!"
"…Sorry!"
"Ugh?!"
One of the young crew members took out a gun from his pocket and struck the captain's neck.
With a short groan, the captain collapsed. The crew member carefully supported him from falling.
"We entrust the Captain to you."
"We will buy as much time as possible for you to reach the escape pods."
"Come on, time is running out. Everyone, to your positions!"
"That guy, always singing about wanting to be the captain."
"Hehehe."
Cheerful Cult crew members. Instead of sacrificing the captain they admired, they chose to sacrifice themselves.
After briefly capturing the scene of their backs, the young Cult member, with the captain on his back, left the command center.
Behind him, the chants of the Cult members echoed.
"Brave Cultists! May destiny harvest us!"
"May destiny harvest us!"
He silently vowed to convey their noble sacrifice to the Empire.
"May destiny harvest them…."
After a while, numerous escape pods were launched from the Imperial Battleship. Some were transferred to nearby battleships of the fleet, while others disappeared into the far reaches of space.
The Imperial Battleship, which had endured until the last escape pod was launched, finally began to collapse, unable to withstand the pressure.
The outer armor of the ship, which had maintained a perfect balance like refined diamonds, twisted and shattered, and the central command center, located at the top, oxidized with an explosion.
The Space Bolt launcher at the center of the ship warped rapidly, as if being sucked into something, through the gaps in the damaged armor. At that moment, dark substances began to ooze out.
A golden lightning bolt from Saigil 08 struck, striking the black energy.
Soon, an immense light reminiscent of a supernova enveloped both the battleship and the fleet.
***
'I've won.'
Having confirmed the explosion of the Imperial Battleship, I passed out. Although I thought it wasn't right to lose consciousness when there were still enemy ships remaining, it was unavoidable. It wasn't something I could control with my will.
'I'm still alive… it seems they've retreated over there… huh?'
Whether it was the aftermath of the 'King of Monsters' or the fact that my body lacked strength, something continued to enter my mouth persistently.
Waking up my dulled senses, I realized that the unidentified food was biological meat. Someone was feeding me various kinds of meat, including Hondo Gigants.
The well-cooked meats passed through my throat, quickly digesting, and vitality slowly, very slowly returned. The tentacles and auxiliary mechanisms of the monster, which had not reacted at all to external disturbances, gradually activated.
Only then could I roughly assess my physical condition. My body had returned to its original state after the effects of Saionium ended. The two supporting heads had disappeared, and the lower combat arm, which had served as a leg, returned to a similar appearance as the other arms.
Through Saionium, my body had temporarily evolved into a mature form, and now it had returned to its original state.
While my senses were recovering, the intake of the unknown food into my mouth continued. I explored my surroundings using the auxiliary mechanism located under my jaw.
Only then could I confirm who was feeding me.
｢The energy may be insufficient! Keep feeding!｣
｢Big one! You mustn't die!｣
｢Me｣ ｢Pray｣ ｢Big one｣ ｢Survive｣
Creatures gathered near my head. When the Mother of the Sky and Adhai brought food, Number 26 cut the food appropriately and pushed it into my mouth.
'Why are they bringing food so quickly?'
To find out what had happened, I opened my eyes. Number 26, which was tearing apart a completely blackened animal with its tentacles, and Adhai, who was carrying small animal corpses, were surprised when they saw me.
｢The big one is awake!｣
｢Big one｣ ｢Survive｣ ｢Confirmed!｣
Number 26 illuminated its body brightly, and Adhai threw aside the small animal carcasses held by the tentacles and ran towards me.
｢Don't stop! his stamina may not have fully recovered yet!｣
｢Yeah!｣
｢Affirmative.｣
To the creatures celebrating my survival, the Mother of the Sky sent a mental message.
In the distance, through the burning trees, I could see her figure. Covered in singed fur, she carried the large creature's meat on her back.
'Fire?'
I looked up, and there was a burning sky there.
After the destruction of the Imperial Battleship, its debris had turned into a meteor shower, still pouring onto the planet. Seeing that, not only this area but the entire continent of Utopia-02, or even the entire PH-101, would have turned into a sea of fire.
'Indeed.'
After a brief consideration, the taste of barbecue or charred meat from the food entering my mouth seemed strange. I now understood. They had brought me the meat of dead creatures burned in the forest.
Even after I regained consciousness, the three continued to feed me without a break. Although I wanted to tell them it was okay if they didn't, everyone here already knew that wasn't the case.
I quietly received and ate the food like a baby bird.
'It would have been dangerous if it was a situation where corpses couldn't be easily obtained.'
Although the effect of the 'King of Monsters' was excellent, the side effects were unusual. Psychic Breath, which would make you lose consciousness if fired beyond the limit, and the symbol of hunt, which would cause a rampage if there was insufficient residual energy, were as dangerous as the 'King of Monster' itself.
'To think this is the result of transforming just once.'
When Amorph became an adult, the efficiency of using the stored energy significantly increased. If I hadn't transformed into an adult, my energy would have quickly depleted due to the effects of the 'King of Monsters'.
'In the end, I survived thanks to the children and the Mother of the Sky.'
The reason I'm still breathing is because they made an effort to save me.
'They are allies.'
Although the situation was too urgent earlier for me to confirm properly, the message clearly said 'allies.'
I could figure out who those allies were without being told, but the important part is not that. Amorph cannot interact with other life forms according to the system. It's a race that repeats only hunting and killing, like a killing machine.
The fact that Amorph has been recognized by the system for creating comrades raises a question,
"What does it mean?"
'I, or rather, the Amorph is evolving.'
In most cases, sociability is advantageous for survival. Animals that live in groups can effectively defend against attacks from stronger enemies. Even in humans with many unfavorable factors for survival, prosperity is achieved thanks to sociability.
'Even when using the symbiotic spore, such messages didn't appear.'
This statement means that something fundamental has changed between then and now, and there's a point to be noted.
'Space Monster Type.'
I opened a translucent text box and confirmed the type at the bottom.
[⑥ Space Monster (Unique): Perfect Organism (Unique), Horizon of Nightmares (Unique), Organic Evolution (Unique)]
There, the previously classified 'Perfect Organism' and 'Horizon of Nightmares,' which were originally categorized as body-related types and nest-related types, were moved.
All were obtained through the transcendence system, utilizing the 'Unique Trait Synthesis' system.
'…I would have been in big trouble if I hadn't obtained nest-related traits in advance.'
The number of required traits to obtain a new type doubles each time a type is acquired.
For example, let's say the requirements for obtaining Nest Reinforcement Type and Special Defense Reinforcement Type are both 8 traits each. If you first acquire Nest Reinforcement Type, the number of traits needed to obtain Special Defense Reinforcement Type increases to 16.
The problem is that if traits related to a previously acquired type are lost, the type's enhancement effect is lost, considering it as not acquired. One must fill up to 16 traits to receive the type enhancement effect if the requirement has increased from the original 8 traits.
What needs attention is that the required number of traits does not revert to the previous state.
While it only took 8 traits to obtain the type, if the required number has increased to 16 after obtaining the type, you must fill up to 16 traits to receive the type enhancement effect.
'I'm not trying to mess with anyone. They're changing it freely without a single message.'
If by any chance, I had a small number of acquired traits, I would have suffered significant losses, such as losing Nest Reinforcement Type. Fortunately, before entering Transcendence 2, I spent 14 hours wandering through the swamp and obtained numerous miscellaneous traits.
At that time, I acquired several infection-related traits and nest-related traits, besides the 'Pincer' trait. Thanks to that, I didn't suffer any loss of type effects even when traits were moving around arbitrarily.
'At that time, I wondered if I could use them as materials. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.'
Anyway, moving only the traits obtained through the Unique Trait Synthesis system to the new type was significant in various ways.
Transforming into a more powerful monster with 'Perfect Organism,' dominating and corroding battleships with 'Horizon of Nightmares,' and the ability to use 'Organic Evolution' by exchanging the 'Giant Creature' trait and 'Dwarfing' trait.
'These traits go beyond Amorph's limits.'
Moreover, the 'Unique' type is unprecedented in the game.
'And there's no type with descriptions attached like it is now.'
For every type acquired by Amorph, there is no explanation of the effects or the types of characteristics involved. Players must personally confirm with their own eyes.
While that is the principle, it seemed that the 'Unique' level type like the Space monster type had descriptions available. I opened the attached text box that came with the Space monster type.
[Space Monster (Unique): The ultimate goal of evolution is to surpass the limits of the species. As additional characteristics acquired through the 'Transcend' system are added, this type progressively receives additional effects. This type ignores penalties resulting from acquiring types.]
[*1st stage (Required characteristic count: 3/4)]
[*2nd stage (Required characteristic count: 3/8)]
[*3rd stage (Required characteristic count: 3/??)]
[*4th stage (Required characteristic count: 3/??)"]
Reading the content, I could understand why an explanation was necessary. The type effect for Transcendence 2nd stage was quite unique.
'A type that strengthens progressively, I haven't seen one like this before.'
Typically, a type has no effect when unlocked, and it only comes into play after meeting the conditions and 'acquiring' it. There are no cases where, like the Space monster type, acquiring a certain number of characteristics gives a special effect.
'But there's no indication of what effect it gives… it's not written anywhere, as expected.'
Without any clues, it's premature to conclude, but I thought it might provide a very powerful effect.
"Now, what's left is the characteristic enhancement system…."
I want to check it immediately, but a severe fatigue rushes in. My stomach is gradually grumbling, and I feel warmth from the ground—perhaps due to the surrounding fires. The desire to sleep surges.
｢Big one, if you're sleepy, you can sleep.｣
｢Big one｣ ｢Tired?｣
'Even though the urgent fires are out, it's better to rest. Since it's a type not found in the game, you don't know what side effects might come.'
Even though they must be exhausted because of me, they recommend rest.
[ZZZ (Thanks…)]
I couldn't properly express my gratitude and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
***
Mercury.
The closest planet to the sun and the smallest in the solar system, officially under the dominion of Garamelda, one of MegaCorp's Noble Capital.
Various Noble Capitals, like the Yujin family owning the moon, the Garamelda family dominating Mercury, T&C exerting influence over Phobos and Deimos, competing for Ganymede with Prime Capital, and so on.
The seven Noble families of MegaCorp owned various satellites and planets in the solar system.
Usually, when a Noble Capital or Prime Capital purchases a planet from another star, they send a family member as governor to rule it in their stead. However, Garamelda was a bit different.
The current head of the Garamelda family, Cloe Garamelda. For the past decade or so, she had been confined to the weapon research facility located on Mercury.
So much so that her nickname is 'Queen of Mercury.'
With the head of the family not taking care of family matters, one might think her position would be precarious, but surprisingly, that wasn't the case. This was because the influence of the equipment she developed was tremendous.
From weapons to reinforced suits and special drugs enhancing soldiers—every year, thanks to her creation of new deadly weapons, Garamelda maintained the highest state of affluence in its history. So, despite her young age and disinterest in family affairs, she received strong support from the elders.
The Queen of Mercury, an outstanding weapons developer, had taken an uncommon vacation today.
"Lately, the head of the family takes vacations quite often. A few weeks ago too."
Bio-dome-shaped Garamelda weapons research facility researchers were strolling around, and their gaze was directed towards the center of the dome. In the central underground area lies Cloe's residence for the head of the family.
"It's good timing. She tends to be overly absorbed in her work. If she continues like that and falls ill, it'll be a big problem."
"While the head is away, let's test the new equipment once more on our own."
Cloe, supported by the sewage workers in the same facility, was currently in some space within the residence meant for the head.
In the dimly lit place, diamond-shaped steles with connected wires were toppled. Among them, only two steles had lights inside and were floating in the air.
Seated on a specially developed levitating chair, Cloe opened her mouth towards the two steles.
"Brother Jason, what happened to the Imperial Fleet dispatch? My satellites were split in the middle, so I couldn't grasp the situation."
"I'm curious about that too. The situation is impossible to assess due to the fleet vanguards."
Jason, Cloe, Jubaka. They, as the leaders of Cult, MegaCorp, and Star Union respectively, conspired a few weeks ago to eliminate the notorious 5th Ranker, Amorph.
They spread false information about the contamination of the planet they suspect as PH-101, referred to as Saigil 08 by the Cults, where the 5th Ranker is presumed to be hiding. This led to the Cult Council issuing a purification order. Consequently, the Imperial Fleet 'Judicator of Damocles 08.' headed to Saigil 08.
Due to the MegaCorp vanguards protecting the Imperial Fleet, causing devastation around Saigil 08's satellites of Star Union, Cloe and Jubaka have yet to grasp the situation.
Therefore, with considerable time elapsed since the purification order, they called Jason to confirm the results.
"It shouldn't have been too difficult since it's a Pre-Saint."
"It's Amorph, so who knows. The fleet vanguards might have suffered significant damage."
"Anyway, they're all just toys. If they break, we can replace them with others."
"A typical MegaCorp statement filled with disregard for human life."
"What are you talking about, dictator."
Cloe and Jubaka can joke like this because they firmly believe that Amorph has been dealt with.
Even if the 5th Ranker had exceptional skills, winning against the Imperial Fleet, capable of annihilating all life on a planet, is impossible. There might have been some resistance, but inevitably, the fleet's cosmic bolts would have turned him into a handful of ashes.
However,
Something they never expected might become a reality.
Suddenly, a clear female voice delivered a cruel reality to them.
"It's been a while, Lady Cloe, Lord Jubaka."
"Huh? Cynthia? Why are you using Brother Jason's stele…?"
"…."
Cloe, who was trimming her nails, was surprised to hear the woman's voice flowing from the stele. Jubaka, rather than being surprised, seemed to sense an ominous feeling and frowned.
"Under normal circumstances, I would have used my stele, but due to the urgency of the situation, I used Jason's stele as a substitute."
"Urgent? What's so urgent?"
"…Could it be?"
"Lord Jason's purification order completely failed. The Imperial Fleet and the vanguards were annihilated. Because of that, the Council is condemning Lord Jason for violating providence and planning to attack the sacred place. Lord Jason refused the attendance order and is currently in hiding."
"…."
"…."
"I, too, have been summoned to endless hearings due to misinterpreting the prophecy all day and barely managed to come here. Please understand."
The worst possible future they had imagined had become a reality.
Realizing this fact, Cloe involuntarily dropped the nail grinder she was holding.
-x-X-x-
The cult priests and prophets launched orbital bombardment on the 'sacred ground' prescribed by the cults.
It's not an impossible feat, but it's not something that typically happens. No, to put it bluntly, it's a very rare occurrence. This rarity stems from the fact that the sacred ground is a planet designated by the prophets after interpreting verses mentioned in the cults' revered 'doctrine' over an extended period.
The doctrine encompasses the past, present, and future of the cult, serving as a scripture and norm. Therefore, one cannot casually interfere with the sacred grounds mentioned in the doctrine, even if it poses a threat to the empire.
"Originally, it's like that."
No matter how devout a believer is, there are moments when compromises between faith and reality are inevitable. Cults are no exception.
There are exceptional cases where special measures are taken regarding the sacred grounds, one of which involves the entire planet corroding due to contamination.
Jason capitalized on this point, pressuring the Cult Council and Elders to enforce a purification mission. Cynthia, a member of the Prophecy Assembly, also supported this by claiming errors in the existing interpretation of the doctrine.
With the three major institutions of the Cult Empire – the Council, Elders, and Prophecy Assembly – in motion, a purification order contrary to the doctrine could be carried out. If the purification mission had succeeded, the current issues wouldn't have arisen. Removing the most dangerous contaminant in the Cult Empire would have deprived Jason's opposition of a basis for criticism.
However, the purification mission failed, and both the Empire's battleship and fleet were annihilated. Due to the immense losses suffered by the Empire, Jason and Cynthia's position became difficult, pushing them to pursue the purification mission at the risk of violating the doctrine.
Even if the pressure on Jason diminishes as things resolve, regaining the same level of power as before is almost impossible. Long-lived cults, due to their inherent conservatism, remember past mistakes, especially those of leaders like Jason.
"Moreover, there's a really big problem."
Cynthia mentioned that Jason went into hiding to avoid the Council's attendance order, but Clo easily guessed what he might be up to.
"Hiding is nonsense. He must be preparing to escape."
Anyone experienced in space survival knows that sending an empire fleet to the sacred ground is an action more fitting for players than cults.
The notorious 5th ranked, Amorph, is likely to know who attacked him or will find out soon. In other words, the next target he's aiming for is Jason.
"If it's him, he'll chase us to the end of the universe."
Clo, having experienced it herself, understands well. Not realizing that he was Rank 5, she had once interfered with his evolution, nearly quitting the game because of his retaliation.
Jason has had a similar experience. He was on the verge of posting an apology on the community board and likely suffered even more than her.
"…Should I run away too?"
While Clo is lost in thought, one of the previously silent monuments emanates light. It's the monument of Juvaka.
"What happened to the records if the battleship was destroyed?"
"What do you mean by 'records'?"
"Just because it's called total annihilation doesn't necessarily mean that everything perished."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The military concept of total annihilation is used when the combat capabilities are so compromised that the mission cannot be continued. Even if the entire fleet is lost, it's too early to say that there are absolutely no survivors."
Among those present, Juvaka is the only one directly involved in military affairs. He is the Grand Master of Star Union and the overall commander of the Mech Fleet. Therefore, he accurately understood what Cynthia's words meant. Cynthia replied to Juvaka's statement.
"Among the ships that returned from the fleet, only one out of fifty is operable. Even that one is severely damaged, with 80% of the crew dying, and it returned through automatic navigation. The captain of the Imperial battleship 'Judicator of Damocles 08.' perished, and only 20 survivors boarded the escape pod."
"What caused the severe damage?"
"According to the investigation, cosmic bolt's dark matter reversed and exploded due to an unidentified energy projectile."
"What about the surviving crew?"
"…"
To Clo's question, Cynthia suddenly fell silent. Cynthia, who had answered fluently until now, hesitated for the first time.
"What did they say?"
"…They said that it was a demon with three heads that spouted lightning from its mouth."
"What… seriously?"
"damn!"
A demon with three heads. Clo knows well what that nickname means.
"Has he already evolved into the ascendant stage?"
"If it's the ascendant stage, it's understandable that the entire fleet was annihilated."
As a perennial species, Amorph becomes significantly more powerful as it goes backward. The adult form of Amorph can contend with elite armies and fleets. Moreover, considering that he annihilated the Imperial battleship and fleet, he might have secured numerous unique traits.
"If it's the Amorph has reached ascendant, we're in danger too. You know that, right?"
"Tsk, I'll contact Inspire."
"And Cynthia, can you display the footage of him that you captured?"
"The image quality isn't great."
"It doesn't seem like a situation to complain about image quality right now."
"Understood. Just wait a moment… Huh?"
"Why, what's wrong… huh?"
During their conversation, one of the monuments lying on the ground suddenly floated into the air.
Soon, the monument shone, and the voice of an elderly man echoed in the dim space.
"It's been a while."
Like the proverbial tiger responding when spoken to, the new participant was the person Clo usually refers to as Inspire.
"Long time no see. Are you well, Akira Yujin?"
It was Akira Yujin, the CEO of MegaCorp and the long-standing king of Earth.
***
'Now I can finally live.'
It's the second day since I repelled the Imperial battleship's assault. I've recovered enough to move, barely like before.
On the first day, I didn't move at all and just slept. If I woke up in between, I ate the food brought by Number 26 and Adhai, and then went back to sleep to appease my hunger.
It was like recovering from a cold or flu, and thanks to the restless rest, I could finally get up.
Number 26 and Adhai, who dedicatedly nursed me all day, collapsed as soon as they confirmed my return to normal. Number 26 was exhausted, and Adhai was genuinely in critical condition. Despite being attacked by the Horned Gigrants last time, Adhai continued to hunt for food for me.
[TL/N: Changing Hond Gigrants to Horned Gigrants as it makes more sense.]
[PR/N: Pathetic condition, dear readers pls support hel so that we can take her to a mental asylum for checkup.]
I quickly attached symbiotic spores to them and moved them to an underground nest. Due to the confrontation with the Imperial battleship, more than 80% of the nest collapsed, but there was still enough space for Number 26 and Adhai to lie down.
With food placed to satisfy hunger upon waking up, I am currently moving with the Mother of the Sky.
"Among the crashed ships, this one seems to be the closest."
｢It seems so.｣
As she said, the smell of burnt alloy plates emanates faintly from beyond the forest. We are currently searching for crashed cult ships after being hit by my psychokinesis breath.
Most of the crashed ships fell into the sea or other continents, but a few ships crashed on our continent, Utopia-02.
'There's something I want to experiment with.'
It's about whether heavily damaged ships that have crashed can be dominated. If it's possible to dominate them, it might be worth considering them as targets for corrosion.
'I originally planned to leave on the research base in the abyss.'
The research base is made of black silver and is also very large. If the black silver effect still remains after my corrosion, it could be a significant force when fighting cults I might encounter in space. With its enormous size, it would be much easier to plunder the boarders who boarded it.
'Of course, there are downsides.'
Being large means that the hit area increases. During fleet battles, an increase in the hit area is more of a disadvantage than an advantage.
Of course, I can reinforce the ship's durability, but that doesn't mean I won't get hit at all.
Moreover, the material called black silver is a double-edged sword. I don't know how it will affect the limitations when I use my psychic breath.
'On the other hand, cult ships are more suitable for combat.'
I've already experienced this when I captured the Space pirate's ship last time.
I actively used the weapons on the ship to defend against the attack of the Metallic Gremlin.
Besides, that ship was not for combat but a trading ship. If I corrode the cult's battleships and dominate them, they will be much stronger.
'Well, I don't know how damaged this one is, or if corrosion is possible.'
The Mother of the Sky has better eyesight than me. She might already see the appearance of the crashed ship.
"Can you confirm the appearance of the ship?"
｢The wind during the crash makes it hard to see. From the parts above the ground, it doesn't seem to be too damaged.｣
"Thank goodness."
I glanced briefly at the Mother of the Sky running besides me.
The golden fur is reminiscent of ripe barley fields. Now, it's a clean and beautiful sight with a shining luster, but I remember her appearance covered in burns all over her body when she nursed me.
Like Number 26 and Adhai, she also did her best for my survival.
'Someday, I should repay her.'
I know her actions were due to the contract I made with her. However, that doesn't negate the fact that the Mother of the Sky took care of me.
Later, when the opportunity arises, I plan to give her an appropriate reward.
'Come to think of it, I haven't apologized yet.'
I tried to devour her, thinking she was responsible for Adhai's death. It was a misunderstanding. Adhai, feeling left behind by Number 26 and the Mother of the Sky, made an unexpected move. She was not at fault.
I wanted to apologize, but with consecutive events, I haven't been able to speak yet.
｢There's a ship ahead. You probably know, but it seems there are some survivors.｣
"Wait. I have something to say before that."
｢Something to say?｣
I quickly stopped my legs, which were moving fast, and stood in place. She also stopped running when I suddenly stopped. She, with an elegant eagle-like head, tilted her head. Looking into her pumpkin-colored eyes, I spoke.
"About what happened with Adhai last time."
｢Hmm?｣
"I misunderstood. So, I want to apologize."
｢Huh? Huh?｣
Having heard my apology, she blinked her eyes. As if she didn't understand what she heard, she asked again.
｢What did you say just now? Say it again.｣
"I'm sorry for not trusting you."
After apologizing again, the Mother of the Sky widened her mouth.
"I judged hastily. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."
｢Honestly, it's hard to believe you now, but say it once more.｣
"…I'm sorry. I'll be more careful in the future."
Whether she understood that I was sincere or not, she didn't tease me anymore. She looked into my eyes seriously.
｢Got it. I don't know if I'm in a position to accept an apology, but it was true that I couldn't protect Adhai, I'll apologize too.｣
"Hmm."
｢Then, that's the end of it.｣
"Fine."
As I nodded, she sighed.
｢Wow. To hear an apology from the famous Amorph, which I've never heard in the game. It's Unbelievable.｣
She shook her head, seemingly impressed at herself.
'Why did it sound like she was mocking me though.'
I considered pointing out that there had never been an incident in the game where I needed to apologize to her, but I refrained.
'Well, I was wrong.'
While thinking such thoughts, I detected movement from the auxiliary organs. Regularly repeating footsteps, tense heartbeats revealing anxiety, a unique smell of sweat and iron mixed together.
Combining all this, it wasn't difficult to figure out who the enemy was.
[ZZZ ZZ (Enemy)]
｢Right.｣
The Mother of the Sky, who realized later than me, turned her gaze through the trees.
｢Cult survivors. The number is…｣
[ZZZ (Six)]
｢Their weapons are rudimentary, except for the Purple Spray Gun.｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Shouldn't be difficult)]
It's a suitable opponent to loosen up my body, which rested for a day.
-x-X-x-
"Ah, Akira? I heard you were not on Earth. What happened?"
Cloe was taken aback by the sudden appearance of Akira Yujin. She knew Akira had been far away in another star system, mediating an internal conflict as the CEO.
In response to her inquiry, Akira nonchalantly replied,
"Jason sent a summon signal last time, didn't I miss it? It would be rude if it happened again."
"…Alright."
However, Cloe didn't trust Akira's words.
[TL/N- the name of the character Clo in the previous chapter will be changed to Cloe, it sounds much much better.]
'He planted a spy on me!'
Seeing him enter at the perfect moment, Cloe immediately understood. This summon was at her request, and she had taken a vacation to attend it. Information must have leaked from there.
'Damn it.'
Akira considered himself a challenger to every Noble Capital's head who could seize the CEO's position from him. While it was a trait unique to Noble Capital to view everyone else as competitors, Akira took it to an extreme.
His massacres and crimes to control the Yujin family were infamous even among players.
'…Fine, I need to clean up the entourage first.'
Despite her annoyance at dealing with unnecessary matters, she didn't express it.
While she remained silent, Jacob briefly explained the situation to Akira.
Akira's first reaction to the explanation was skepticism.
"Why is that here… well, it doesn't matter though. Now I understand how T&C presented such research results. Ha, no wonder I never get bored."
He continued mumbling words that no one could understand.
"Akira, what does that mean?"
"It's nothing. Anyway, Cynthia, share the hologram from the Pillar."
"Ok."
After a while, light emitted from Cynthia's Pillar and shot towards a point in the air. The scattered light converged into a hologram.
The revealed image was of PH-101, the planet known as Sigil 08, where the Rank 5 Amorph appeared.
"Sigil 08, ladies and gentlemen of Mega Corp and Star Union, this is the last video sent from the surveillance satellite managing the holy site on PH-101."
The being in the video had three heads and giant pipe-like structures on its back, resembling the Amorph entity but larger.
The creature raised all three heads to the sky, emitting a powerful light from its mouths.
The heat lines of that light, along with the darkness pouring from the sky, created a fierce battle of energies. The creature was facing off against the cosmic bolts shot by the 'Judge of Damos 08.'
During the battle, it began to use a new power. Purple energy gathered from its three heads and shot towards the sky.
The video ended at that point.
"Afterwards, a magnetic storm occurred on the planet, making it impossible to confirm through the satellite."
"Was there no video taken from the spaceship?"
"The only ship that returned is heavily damaged. We are trying to restore the video, but good results are unlikely."
"Hehe, this is tricky."
Despite the tense situation, Akira laughed calmly.
"Surprisingly, if that thing is the entity, Akira, you might be a target too."
"That's true. If it's really the entity, I might be next."
"What do you mean?"
Cloe and Jacob didn't understand, but Akira reacted as if he couldn't understand their reactions.
"Everyone knows that Amorph's strength doesn't come from evolution. It comes from acquiring traits to fulfill its evolution conditions.
"That's the true power of the Amorph."
"We understand that, Akira. Get to the point."
"If I had been the one to fight 5th rank, I would have managed the Imperial battleship more efficiently."
Among the present members, Akira Yujin had fought the 5th rank Amorph the most. While he did lose most of the time, he had also achieved some victories.
"He doesn't prefer confronting enemies directly. It's merely the last resort he takes when finishing them off or when self-defense is impossible."
Due to his extensive experience in battles with Rank 5 Amorphs, Akira knew the entity's preferred style well—strategies involving reverse-engineering through communication, aerial combat utilizing flight capabilities, biochemical terrorism using viruses and parasites, and tactics exploiting the enemy's fear for self-destruction.
According to Akira's judgement, the Rank 5 Amorph wasn't a warrior. It was a hunter.
"Perhaps he does it intentionally. to manipulate our judgement."
"I see it differently. The two types of heat lines in the current video. These are abilities not present in the game. There are other means to stop the Imperial battleship, so why use these abilities? Especially when it's clear that information would leak."
"A valid point."
Cloe now understood what Akira was trying to convey.
"…Did he go to such lengths to break the Imperial battleship?"
"It's the last resort. It means he's still weak."
"True. If he truly were at the ascendant stage, he would have ended the Imperial battleship before they fired the Cosmic Bolt. It's not like that."
"So, Akira-sama, are you suggesting that the Amorph hasn't fully evolved into the ascendant stage?"
As soon as Cynthia finished speaking, a thought crossed Cloe and Jacob's minds: how did it obtain that much power on the planet, and what was Muriel's role?
"Don't you all know? A means to experience that taste briefly without fulfilling evolution conditions."
"…Psyonicum."
Cloe realized that her developed Psyonicum had greatly aided the enemy's survival and clenched her teeth.
"Speculatively, he probably left the planet already to fulfill the evolution conditions. It's impossible to evolve into the ascendant stage on PH-101. And… it's troubling. We need to establish a countermeasure system."
"We should report this to the Prophets' Council. They may or may not listen to my words."
"Do that. I happen to know a place the entity might go, so I'll stop by on my way."
While Cloe internally expressed her frustration, players began discussing how to deal with Amorph.
***
"Kyaah… kek!"
'This should be the last one.'
Clearing out the Cult survivors wasn't a challenging task. Originally members of the Mothership battleship, the Cultists were all elite soldiers. However, due to the ship crash, they had lost most of their weapons.
Most of the crew had died from the crash, resulting in very few survivors near the ship we visited, and among them, four were injured.
｢…The features of that transcendence system of yours are truly overpowered.｣
"Oh, really?"
As I spoke with the voice of a female Cultist, the Mother of the Sky shuddered.
Upon reaching Transcendence Stage 2, the restrictions on the transcendence organ were completely lifted. Now, I could perfectly replicate the appearance of the last consumed individual using pheromones. The function to mimic the voice of the transcendence organ was also working properly.
'The problem is that my size has become too large.'
The effect of reaching transcendence level 2 didn't transform my body into that of a human. It deceived the senses of other organisms by emitting pheromones that made them perceive me as 'human-like.'
As my size increases, the discomfort felt by other creatures grows, making it challenging to deceive with pheromones alone.
'In the game, incomplete entities weren't this massive.'
With the application of three characteristics – 'Perfect organism,' 'Horizon of Nightmares,' and 'Organic Evolution' – my body is much larger than a typical incomplete entity. Utilizing organic evolution to transform into an 'intelligent weakling' state, deceiving enemies solely with the disguise function of the entity is not as easy as before.
'At least my voice has returned to normal.'
Due to the characteristics, I can now replicate the voice of my last consumed victim using pheromones. Although I find the comment from the Mother of the Sky about my choice of a girl's voice slightly disturbing, I plan to use this voice for a while.
'There's a possibility they'll come back.'
Considering the potential return of the cultists, I need to be prepared. Although it's unlikely that the cult will send an Imperial battleship to this planet again, as it's designated as a 'Holy Land,' I can't be too certain.
'The influence of doctrine in cult society is complex.'
For cultists, 'Doctrine' holds a significant status similar to the Quran in Islam, Geeta in Hinduism, Bible in Christianity, serving as a scripture and guiding principle for their lives. While most members strictly adhere to the doctrine, cultists, unlike religious individuals in reality, don't always adhere to it thoroughly.
'However, it's different in governmental institutions like the Council.'
Doctrine contains crucial prophecies related to the cult's future. Some guide the revival of the Cult Empire, while others are linked to its decline. The problem lies in the lack of clarity on which path leads to a better future.
'To violate or adhere to the doctrine is a crucial decision for cult players.'
The unique system of the cult race is a quest, but unifying cult society is also a major task. The most important factor in uniting cult society is the doctrine.
'However, exceptions exist where violating the doctrine is inevitable.'
For example, if there is an attack from the Outspacer or the emergence of the Vortex one, opinions may differ on whether to leave the Holy Land or engage in purification.
'I recently investigated the memories of cultists using the 'Human Face' characteristic.'
They came to this planet under the pretext of purifying the contamination, but the exact nature of the contamination remains unknown.
'The power of the opposing player is greater than anticipated.'
Among the deer antler cultists, there must be some in high-ranking positions. They may be members of the Council, leaders of the Elder Council, or even prophets affiliated with the Prophecy Society.
'To carry out the purification order, I need to convince the three power structures of the cult – the Council, the Elder Council, and the Prophecy Society.'
It seems the task was rushed. If the intention was manipulation, it would have been more effective to carry it out perfectly from start to finish.
'Perhaps the goal was to capture me as quickly as possible.'
Hence, they deployed the Imperial battleship without fully explaining what the contamination was. The high-ranking cult player who led this might have used their connections and power to hastily convince the cultists.
'His judgment isn't bad, assuming the purification operation was successful.'
Even if the purification operation was successful, significant damage occurred in the Cult Empire due to my actions. Already, the situation is complicated by an additional risk arising from the forced violation of doctrine.
Those who opposed the player's opinions will naturally resist, and those who followed the player's opinions might attempt to reinterpret the prophecies of the doctrine. Even if the player who led this is a formidable figure, enduring their political onslaught is by no means an easy task. By now, they might be facing considerable difficulties.
'Cultists tend to be conservative, so it will take quite some time to decide how to respond.'
While it's a fact that the Imperial battleship was destroyed, the opposing player might argue for increased surveillance over the Holy Land. They might even suggest sending numerous satellites to thoroughly scan the planet.
"The fortunate part is that the universe is helping me."
Due to the confrontation between me and the Imperial battleship, intermittent magnetic storms are occurring on the planet. This instability in the planetary atmosphere, resulting from the conflict between the Cosmic Bolt and the Divine Scepter, causes storms earlier than the usual cycle. Once the atmosphere stabilizes, the magnetic storms will cease, and I need to leave before that happens.
'I have five days left until I can use the Horizon of Nightmares.'
Although there are no immediate threats to my life, I can't be complacent. The situation is precarious, like a house built on sand.
'Let's focus on what we can do right now.'
I need to start by assessing whether I can corrode this battleship buried halfway in the ground.
"If you release me, I will provide detailed information, from the ship's operation to repairs!"
"I understand that better than you! I will take care of it!"
"Damn! You're not an engineer; you're a medical officer!"
"Shut up!"
"This battleship model is a new escort ship created by the technicians of the StarUnion. It is made of an alloy containing Moonsilver and is equipped with a reflection function. If you save me, I can give you a detailed explanation…"
The five faces near the top of my back, created using the Human Face characteristic, become noisy, prompting me to silence them forcibly. Extracting corroding tendrils from the holes in my back, I proceed to examine the partially buried warship.
'Let's check it out.'
The tendrils, following my will, start to investigate the sunken ship. They work diligently to provide the necessary information on whether the ship can corrode, how long corrosion can be sustained, and other essential details.
After a while, as always, the corroding tendrils did not betray my wishes. Satisfied with the report, I release control over the faces created by the Human Face characteristic.
"You. You seem to know a lot about this ship."
"Yes, yes! Ask me anything!"
"I also understand well! I will answer!"
"This ship is a new model not seen in the game before. Unlike the ships I've taken control of so far, I know nothing about its size, armament, or specifications. So, I'll have to utilize the collective intelligence of these cult faces."
｢…It's horrifying.｣
Though the Mother of the Sky, observing my actions from the side, muttered quietly, I ignored her.
-x-X-x-
The members of the Mothership Battle Group assigned to the Advance-class high-speed escort ship were relatively lucky. Five days ago, they crashed onto an island after being hit by a psychic power shockwave fired by three demonic heads. The place was like a treacherous maze where dangerous creatures roamed freely, far from an environment conducive to the survival of those with physical abilities no greater than humans.
Had they landed on the continent, they wouldn't have lasted a day.
"Will the rescue team really come?"
"When the magnetic storm subsides, we can communicate with satellites. Just hold on until then."
Various cult members with diverse horns gathered around a campfire, tearing apart and devouring grilled fish. Some had broken horns due to the impact of the crash, while others had bandages tightly wrapped around their bodies. Despite the perilous situation, the determination to endure filled the eyes of the 25 cult members.
"If we look at the sky, the magnetic storm seems to have weakened compared to yesterday."
"The communication equipment is roughly restored, but we're a bit short on parts."
"Let's try again tomorrow morning. The technicians will see if there's a way to get parts from the damaged spacecraft."
Cult members, under the guidance of a warrior with goat horns, nodded in agreement.
"It's going to be tough for everyone, but we have to endure somehow. Many have left guided by destiny, but it's not our time yet."
Despite being a race blessed with psychic power, it wasn't much help in this situation. Most Psychic Power techniques consumed a lot of energy. Using Psychic Power to catch fish or gather fruits would quickly deplete their energy, leading to a collapse.
Aware of this fact, the warrior focused on ensuring that the cult members moved within a limit where a crowd wouldn't form. The sailors also followed the warrior's intentions, understanding the situation, even if it was frustrating.
After finishing their meal, they moved to handle their respective tasks. The leader, a warrior, tirelessly went around assisting his comrades.
Time passed, and the sixth night arrived on the island. The warrior confirmed that there were no dangerous creatures on the island. However, unexpected events could still occur at midnight, so they decided to take turns keeping watch, excluding the three night guards.
All except the three night guards fell into a deep sleep.
"The fire is getting weaker."
"I'm going to check on something, pick it up if I'm not back."
One cult member entered the forest with a rifle.
"Oh, close call, almost ran out of rice."
He solved his business slightly away from the campfire. Adjusting his pants, he picked up twigs and branches around him, thinking it would be enough. Just as he was about to return, he heard a rustling sound in his ears.
The sound of leaves and branches being stepped on. Quickly dropping the gathered branches, he raised his rifle.
"Who's there?"
He shouted, but there was no reply. Another night guard heard his shout and hurriedly ran over.
"Why did you suddenly shout?"
"I heard footsteps from the forest just now."
"What?"
The two night guards aimed their rifles in the direction of the sound, but there were no more footsteps.
"Must have misheard."
"Maybe."
The two turned back towards the campfire. Then, once again, an unidentified sound stimulated their ears. This time, it wasn't just footsteps.
"Did you hear that just now?"
"…".
The two held their breath and listened. The faint sound of waves from beyond the forest, the rustling of leaves swaying in the wind. And then, a voice broke the silence.
"Is anyone there?"
Though small, the distinctly audible voice was undoubtedly that of a female cult member. It was clear that one of the cult survivors had made it to this island.
"Uh, what should we do? Should we help?"
"Wait a moment. Something's off."
It hadn't been more than a day or two since they arrived on this island. It wasn't large enough to be called a continent, and they could easily circle the island in half a day. It seemed implausible that there could be cult members they hadn't encountered.
"We've been here for a few days. There are no other ships here."
"Maybe they came from somewhere else? Perhaps they had better conditions and could fly in with a spacecraft."
"That's…"
The statement wasn't entirely false, but there was a crucial oversight. Despite it being midnight, they hadn't heard the sound of spacecraft flying.
"In times like this, we need to stick together! Hey, over here!"
"Wait!"
Before their comrade could point out the fact, the cult member had already rushed towards the direction of the voice, loudly shouting.
"What are they both doing?"
"A while ago, I heard a woman's voice from over there."
"What?"
Although the two night guards hesitated for a moment, they decided to wake up the warrior instead of following their rushing comrade. The voice seemed suspicious, no matter how they thought about it.
As they moved toward the campfire, the voice of their comrade who had rushed earlier came from behind the bushes.
"Hey! Help us a bit!"
"Huh?"
"They are friends from the escort ship JSB-02! Don't worry!"
"That's right! We ran into trouble while flying in with the spacecraft."
"Please come and help us."
The voice from beyond the bushes wasn't just one person's. Multiple voices echoed simultaneously, suggesting that a group had arrived.
There was no hint of threat in the rushed comrade's voice. Instead, there was only a sense of relief at meeting fellow cult members after a long time.
"This is strange. Why didn't we hear the sound of the spacecraft?"
"We might have missed it. Let's go and check."
So, the remaining two night guards relaxed. They pushed through the bushes, following the voices.
The trees on the island weren't particularly large, but it was an ambitious night. Even with flashlights attached to their rifles, it was not easy for them, non-combatants, to navigate through the darkness of the forest.
As if understanding such a situation, the voices of the cult members popped up timely.
"Over here!"
"Here! This way!"
"Just a bit more!"
As if putting in effort to prevent them from getting lost, the voices were guiding them.
At the end of their journey following the voices, they arrived not in the forest but on the beach. Standing alone in a spot where the sand was deep and well-trodden due to the waves was a female cult member wearing reinforced clothing.
"What's going on? Where are the others?"
Even to the night guard's question, the female cult member remained silent. She just stared at them with an expressionless face.
A moment ago, the voices that had echoed simultaneously were nowhere to be seen. Neither were the spacecraft they claimed to have arrived in.
At that moment, as they gazed towards the swaying waves.
"Hmm?"
The waves should have crashed onto the beach, but something unseen seemed to be blocking them in mid-air. The moment the cultist recognized the unnaturalness, they sensed a strange smell lingering in the air. There was a peculiar scent subtly woven into the air, fundamentally different from the salty sea smell—an unpleasant odor.
Not alone in feeling the strangeness, the cultist's companion took a step back. His gaze was fixed on the shadow of a woman standing alone on the sand with an eerie face.
Following his gaze, the cultist looking at the shadow felt a sensation of goosebumps all over their body. Initially, they thought the wet sand looked black, but that wasn't the case. All the black sands in front of them were shadows.
"Are you leaving?"
The figure of the female cultist wavered like an illusion. Simultaneously, the shadows twisted and moved.
And a voice echoed.
"Leaving us alone to go where?"
"Don't leave us."
"Join us."
Together with the voices of their kin, the shadows overwhelmed them.
The warrior of the Advanced-class high-speed escort ship opened his eyes in an unknown foreboding. Typically, goat-horned cultists were known for their proficiency in psychic Power techniques related to physical enhancement. He joined the warrior group by utilizing his innate abilities, but he had one special aspect.
An outstanding crisis detection ability.
Thanks to his faster perception of danger than his comrades, he had escaped death on the dangerous battlefield more than once. So, once this mission was over, he planned to retire from the warrior group and prepare for the Prophet's Test. While his ability was far inferior to true prophets, with talent, he believed he could overcome it with practice.
However, the ability to detect imminent danger like foresight suddenly activated.
Swiftly, the warrior grabbed the weapon he had placed beside him. He enhanced his senses with psychic Power.
His heightened ears caught faint sounds from outside the makeshift tent.
"So, if we detach this, it'll work?"
"Yes. When you combine it with these parts, it can be activated immediately after attachment."
"I see. Is there anything else needed?"
"If you're taking it with you, take this as well."
The voices were of a male and a female cultist.
'Night guards?'
Seeing fellow cult members casually conversing indicated that the situation was not critical. However, his brain, triggered by the crisis detection ability, still sounded alarms.
\Get out of here immediately.\
Moreover, there was an essential fact.
Among this group of survivors, there was no female cultist.
'….'
The warrior, who had been contemplating, finally decided to personally investigate the situation. With a pounding heart and trembling hands, he gently lifted the entrance of the tent.
And then, he regretted his actions.
***
"Alright. This should be fine."
Not far from the tent, there was a partially destroyed ship. Something enormous, almost too large to capture in one glance, was there. A horrifying, unprecedented monster was disassembling the elongated arms of the ship.
"W…will you spare me?"
"I…I worked hard too! Spare me, please!"
"Darn it! Me too!"
More horrifying was the 'something' on its back. Five cult faces, pallid and nauseating, were embedded like lesions, continuously crying for mercy. Among those faces, there was one that the warrior recognized.
"I've told you everything I know! Please…!"
"Quiet."
As the smooth voice of a woman flowed out of the monster's mouth, the faces that were screaming fell silent. The monster's white eyeballs moved, and it turned its gaze toward the warrior's tent.
"Saw that, huh?"
The warrior, meeting eyes with the creature, wished it was all just a dream.
\I've got everything I need.\
Until the cooldown of the nightmare horizon ends, there is plenty of time. So, I traveled around the crash sites checked by the Mother of the Sky, collecting parts to enhance the weaponry of the advanced escort ship.
\There's nothing wrong with having a high level of armament.\
The stronger the ship becomes, the more weapons can be utilized through corrosion.
\Today is the 6th day. I can depart tomorrow.\
I am on my way back to the continent of Utopia-02, carrying the newly acquired components and ship weapons.
This is the last target. The other ships crashed on entirely different continents, making them too far away.
\By the way, it's been a while since I used the metamorphosis and the face-changing combo.\
Both are abilities that I used as my main in the game. In reality, these two abilities have an unofficial but crucial synergy.
\With the face-changing ability, I can choose the victim to apply the metamorphosis organ.\
Originally, when using the metamorphosis organ, it would discard the stored genes and replace them with the new ones upon consuming a new gene. Therefore, the target for implementation changed every time I consumed a gene, controlled by pheromones.
\That's the weakness of the metamorphosis organ.\
The inability to change the target for implementation through will.
Due to the limitation of pretending to be a certain target and the feeling of disparity that comes with increasing size, the metamorphosis organ was challenging to use continuously until late in the game.
\Originally, that would be true, but…\
When the face-changing ability intervenes, everything changes completely.
The face-changing ability operates by copying the genes of the enemy and storing them in the body. It also allows me to retrieve some of their memory information when absorbing them, enabling me to question them and extract information.
The crucial point here is that the stored genetic information can be extracted and used by the metamorphosis organ.
It allows me to create pheromones that disguise me as one of the chosen targets from the stored genetic information.
\Almost no one knows about this fact.\
As far as I know, I'm the only one who has used both abilities simultaneously. Since very few people naturally acquire the metamorphosis organ, those who attempt to use both are exceptionally rare.
\I've fooled quite a few people with this.\
As I continued to trick many people using the metamorphosis organ, some of them started to figure out strategies. They would ask for a password known only to them or throw a bait by catching a new prey and making it impossible to disguise as the previously mimicked target, and so on.
However, they were unaware that I had a means of disguising myself in multiple forms through the metamorphosis organ.
\Of course, there are drawbacks to this as well.\
The face-changing ability can store genes from a maximum of five individuals. Therefore, I can disguise myself as the appearance of up to five different people at once.
\If only there was a way to increase this limit.\
In the game, there was no way to increase the limit, no matter how much I searched.
\It might be different in this world.\
In a place where elements not present in the game are emerging one after another, there might be a way to increase the limit of the face-changing ability.
With such thoughts in mind, while swimming, I felt a familiar ripple.
Number 26, which I hadn't noticed, approached me, fluttering its fins. In the distance, the figures of the Mother of the Sky and Adhai looked small on the moonlit sandy beach.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Why did you come all the way here?)]
The creature responded with a cheerful wave, perhaps enjoying swimming like a typical marine creature.
\I'll be leaving this planet tomorrow.\
The next destination might not offer many opportunities for swimming. It's better to let the creature enjoy its favorite activity to the fullest right now.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Sure, let's go together.)]
I enjoyed the last swim in the planet's night sea with Number 26.
***
In the pitch-black expanse of space, a small spaceship traversed the infinite cosmos. Those with an interest in spacecraft would quickly recognize that the ivory-colored elliptical design ship was the cultists' escape pod. Additionally, those more discerning might notice the severe damage near the rear, particularly around the superluminal engine.
The inability to perform Faster than light travel in this vast space was a serious problem. Moreover, for an escape pod with minimal provisions and medical supplies, entering the cultists' sphere of influence without the superluminal engine would take at least half a year. It was far from sufficient with only a week's worth of rations on the escape pod.
In other words, they were left with two choices: starvation or suicide.
"Captain, this is the last of our provisions."
"I'm not hungry; you eat."
"I cannot allow that. Haven't you gone without eating for three days already?"
The two inside the beautifully designed escape pod were the captain and crew who had escaped from the Imperial flagship Judicator of Damocles 08.'When they last escaped, the aftermath of the battleship's explosion severely damaged the superluminal engine. Currently, they were stranded in the vastness of space.
While the escape pod's flight speed was exceptionally fast, without the superluminal engine, it would take quite a long time to escape the cultists' influence. A week's worth of rations was nowhere near enough to reach safety.
In essence, they were left with two options: death by starvation or suicide.
"Captain, I made a promise with the others. I promised to ensure that you don't die in vain."
"…."
"Please, help me keep that promise."
"…Just give half."
As the crew member was about to hand over half of the combat rations to the captain, the ship suddenly came to a halt.
"What's going on? Is it a space anomaly?"
"I'll check!"
They quickly manipulated the controls to examine why the ship had stopped.
"Captain!"
"…Someone is forcibly pulling our ship."
While it could be that the cultist ship had luckily discovered them, the probability was low. The interstellar region they were passing through was an empty space where no faction had a presence – a suitable hiding place for a hostile space pirate.
"Haha, it seems fate is trying to claim us."
"…We'll fight to the end."
They gripped the weapons stored inside the escape pod. Soon, the sound of a plasma cutter operating near the door of the escape pod echoed.
Gulp.
"Now!"
As the door fell, they rushed out.
Though they had gone without food for several days, the captain, having experienced countless battlefields in the past, tried to use the last bit of psychic power to attack the enemy. However, the opponent was more agile than expected. The adversary, clad in a white suit with a sleek figure, effortlessly dodged the captain's attack and transformed its arm into a blade, aiming for the captain's neck.
"Ugh?!"
"Stop."
"Captain!"
Meanwhile, the other crew member had been subdued by another figure wearing an eerie suit that seemed like a fusion of a walker and reinforced clothing.
"We don't surrender to the Spacedogs."
"Spacedogs? Do I look like a Spacedog to you?"
The one who had subdued the captain retorted with a cold sneer. Only now could the captain thoroughly examine the opponent's appearance.
Surprisingly, the opponent with exceptional combat skills turned out to be a woman. A woman with elongated horns on the left side of her head.
"You are not a cultist… reveal your identity."
In response to the captain's words, she replied,
"My name is Si-hyun Yujin, The new captain of Judicator of Damocles 08 and 'I've come for you."
"Yujin? Could you be from the MegaCorp's Yujin family?"
Si-hyun Yujin, the former shadow of MegaCorp and the current captain of the Judicator of Damocles 08 had come to find those who had failed their purification mission.