Chapter 2361 - ESM 29

150

-x-X-x-

"Why did MegaCorp's Noble Capital come looking for me?"

This place is on the outskirts of the galaxy on which planet PH-101 is located. Though it is practically indistinguishable from the desolate mountains, it remains untouched by the influence of the Cult Empire, yet significantly distant from MegaCorp's jurisdiction.

Nerun quickly surveyed the surroundings. Not only were there Cult-style escape pods, but also various types of ships and spacecraft scattered across the docking bay of this colossal spaceship. From the dry white warship of Mars' Prime Capital to the rectangular frigate created by the renowned Noble Capital family, famous for space city construction, and even the spacecraft predominantly used by the Star Union.

As far as Nerun knew, MegaCorp's Noble Capitals were highly exclusive entities. Even if they operated ships of the same class, they went to the extent of customizing detailed armaments and internal structures.

"If you're truly of the Yujin family, you wouldn't be operating such a diverse fleet. It's suspicious."

"It seems you know quite a bit about my family."

"MegaCorp is a potential threat to the Cult empire, so it's only natural to be informed."

The words seemed to please Si-hyun Yujin as she slightly raised the corner of her mouth. She withdrew the knife pressed against Nerun's neck and, in an instant, her arm with the sharp blade returned to its original state.

The peculiar presence in the bizarre suit holding Nerun's subordinate on the side also released its hold.

"…What's going on?"

"We have something to discuss, so please follow me."

With no choice, Nerun obediently followed Si-hyun Yujin. The presence in the strange suit handed over control of the crew to another officer and stuck close behind Nerun.

"He'll be treated as a guest, so you don't need to worry about him."

Si-hyun Yujin assured Nerun, who kept glancing back.

Passing through a neat white corridor, Si-hyun Yujin led Nerun to an elegant reception room. She naturally went to the chair in front of the mahogany table and sat down. The presence in the strange suit, showing disinterest, leaned against one wall.

'I thought it was a subordinate.'

Wearing a peculiar suit that covered not only the body but also the face, it was impossible to determine the race or even the gender of this being.

"Please, have a seat, Captain Nerun."

Regardless of whatever relationship they had, it wasn't crucial at the moment. Nerun reluctantly sat on the opposite side of the table. Si-hyun Yujin pushed a cake plate towards him.

"You must be quite hungry. Have some of this first."

"…What do you want? There must be a reason for bringing me all the way here."

Nerun's question went unanswered. She just gestured towards a piece of cake.

Feeling the atmosphere that suggested no answers until after eating, Nerun reluctantly used a fork to cut a piece of cake and put it in his mouth.

And then, he was surprised.

"This is a high-calorie chocolate cake developed for both taste and energy supply. Someone who shares our intentions should be treated generously."

Si-hyun Yujin's gaze briefly shifted towards the presence in the strange suit, but Nerun couldn't pick up on that fact. As the soft cake crumbs slid down his throat, he suddenly felt a surge of vitality coursing through his body.

"There is only one reason why I brought you here. To acquire information that only you have."

As he absentmindedly ate the cake, she began to address the matter at hand.

"Information?"

"Captain Nerun, you led a battleship and prevented the invasion war by Outspacers in the past. For your valor, you were appointed as the captain of the Imperial battleship 'Judicator of Damocles 08.'"

"You seem to have done quite a thorough investigation. I don't see any obligation for me to answer."

"As I delved deeper, something peculiar caught my attention. How is it possible to defeat a massive Outspacer force with just a few battleships?"

"…"

"Even for a skilled strategist, it's no easy feat. So, I investigated further."

Nerun's eyebrows twitched upon hearing those words.

"There are records indicating that the Cultists aboard the battleship used an unidentified artifact during that time. The one who thwarted the Outspacer force disappeared immediately, leaving only the artifact with depleted energy behind."

"How do you know about that…?"

"How I know is not important, Captain Nerun. The crew of the battleship at that time deemed the artifact dangerous and decided to store it at a specific location on a very perilous planet. Am I correct?"

Upon hearing her words, Nerun understood why she had sought him out.

"You're after that artifact."

"Yes. You just need to tell us the location of the artifact."

"Do you think I'd just spill the beans?"

"Yes. I can provide you with what you desire."

"Hah, how do you, a human, know what I want?"

Nerun chuckled.

However, his expression stiffened at Si-hyun Yujin's following words.

"Perhaps the Council will decide not to send the Imperial battleship back to planet PH-101, fearing the consequences of the prophecy."

"What?"

"With no ship and no connections in the Council, you'll retire as you are. You'll have to live a lifetime harboring hatred for that monster."

"…"

Nerun did not deny her words.

"You know the power of that artifact. With it, you can reduce that so-called 'monsters' to dust."

"I could go find the artifact myself without helping you."

"Well, the location where the artifact is stored is very perilous. Even if you were the captain of an Imperial battleship, you cannot go there now."

"Damn it. You really know everything."

Nerun muttered a curse under his breath.

"If I reveal the location of the artifact, you'll take care of that creature?"

"Yes. I will seek revenge against that 'Three-Headed Devil.'"

"Hmph, I'll join you in killing that creature instead of letting you do it alone. I'll personally guide you to the location of the artifact."

Seeing his hatred-filled eyes, Si-hyun Yujin faintly smiled.

***

'What is it?'

Despite being connected to a metallic mass with sensory functions, this is the first time I've felt an itchy sensation in my ear.

'Come to think of it, Amorph doesn't have ears.'

Amorph lacks ears and a nose, but instead, it has slender tentacles hanging below its jaw, functioning as auxiliary organs.

This organ can detect the flow of air, allowing it to sense sound and smell simultaneously. Moreover, it can even detect intangible energy flows like electromagnetic waves or psychic powers, making it an almost universal sensory organ.

Perhaps thanks to these auxiliary organs.

Even while integrated with the Cult escort ship through the Nightmare Horizon attribute, I could monitor this elongated rhomboid hull in minute detail, much like my own body.

That's not all. This auxiliary organ, more precise than any detection sensor within a spaceship, didn't miss a single obstacle in space.

Even now, the corrosive tentacles attached to the outer hull are constantly sweeping away space debris and rocks flying towards us.

Currently, we are flying through the endless darkness, not the surface of a planet.

A few hours ago, the cooldown of the Nightmare Horizon ended. We, who had completed all preparations before that, finally left the Cult's sacred place, PH-101.

One left its family, while one left the sad memories of her deceased family members.

But no one expressed regret.

The Mother of the Sky wanted to be buried on the planet after completing all vengeance.

'She knows what my plan is, though.'

Being a Ranker, the Mother of the Sky has a vague understanding of Amorph's ascension conditions. That her own life could be the foundation for my evolution as well.

Nevertheless, her desire for revenge outweighed her will to live, so she chose to accompany me.

'Of course, I don't know what the future holds…'

If, by any chance, she has to be used as material for evolution, I will ask her again at that time.

Whether she wants to die for revenge.

Originally, I had no intention of asking, but now things are different. I owe her a favor..

'I expected her reaction, but Number 26's attitude was more unexpected.'

I know that it chose me over its kin.

Still, I thought it would be a bit melancholic when leaving the planet, but it seemed rather excited.

After taking control of the ship, I shot a pulse and asked, and it replied like this.

It would eat new prey, become stronger, and then inform its kin about it. Ot hoped for the prosperity of his kin in the planet's seas.

'It has a new dream, too.'

Dreams are a privilege of intelligent beings. Abstract yet long-term, a kind of future plan.

Not long after meeting Number 26, I hoped that it could meet his kin someday.

The goal was partially achieved. Number 26 inherited the power of the deceased Sea Demon and communicated with other bubble amoebas.

But this time, Number 26 announced its own ambitions to me first. It set a new goal for itself.

'It's not only growing physically but also mentally.'

Is this what it feels like to be like a parent raising a child?

During my days as a human, I didn't have many pleasant memories of a family or parental love. My childhood was filled with the scent of hospitals, disinfectants, and pain.

But now, whenever I see the growing Number 26, a lump of emotions swells in my chest. Perhaps this is the kind of emotion parents feel when raising their children.

｢Adult?｣

Lost in emotions, whether it's nostalgia or bitterness, I was awakened by a gentle touch of Adhai's tentacle.

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What is it?)]

｢I｣ ｢Explain?｣

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Sorry. I was thinking about something.)]

｢Adult｣ ｢Tired｣ ｢I｣ ｢Later｣ ｢Explain｣ ｢Possible｣

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (It's okay.)]

The reason we haven't set out on FTL* travel even after leaving the planet is that we need to figure out the route to our next destination. [*Faster than light]

Now, our destination is a place not recorded in the regular routes of ordinary spacecraft. It's an extremely remote and dangerous place, almost like the abyss of space.

'Gallagon's Nest.'

When I saved Adhai in the T&C Special Trade Hub, I made a deal with her. She promised to show me the way to the Gallagon's Nest if I kept her safe.

And now, it's time for her to keep that promise.

'Gallagon has an instinct to find its nest.'

Even if Gallagon's nest is far away, it quickly senses in which direction it is. Whether it knows through exceptional psychic power or through the instinct typical of beasts, the cause is unknown.

'It might take some time.'

We've stocked up on provisions on this ship. If necessary, we can hunt down another ship on the way and supply ourselves with food. There are plenty of ways to find food, so even if it takes time, it's not a big problem.

While thinking about this, Adhai's mental pulse touched my mind.

｢I｣ ｢Need｣ ｢Map｣

[ZZZ (A map?)]

｢Shiny｣ ｢Shiny｣ ｢Light｣ ｢Map｣

She raised her forepaw and drew a circle in the air.

'Is she talking about a hologram map?'

Before taking control of this ship, Adhai had explored the ship with me. I did it with the intention of finding survivors or useful tools, but it seems that Adhai saw the remnants of holograms in the situation room at that time.

'Let's try displaying it.'

This ship is almost like my body. A hologram composed of atoms identical to mine, accompanied by psychic power, appeared next to me.

｢There｣ ｢Enlarge｣ ｢Request｣

Adhai pointed to a certain point on the map. When I enlarged that point, she looked at it with round eyes and poked a specific spot with her forepaw.

'Could it be?'

Each time I enlarged and moved the map, Adhai pointed to new locations using her wings and forepaws.

After repeating this dozens of times, a certain sector appeared. Adhai flapped her wings towards the planet located on the outer edge of the sector.

｢Here｣ ｢Gallagon's Nest｣

'Huh.'

Actually, I'm not usually easily surprised, but this time is an exception. I had planned to use Adhai as a living navigation system using Gallagon's unique instinct, but she actually created a path from here to the Gallagon's Nest.

Even though I was watching in real-time, I couldn't believe it, so I asked him,

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (How did you make it?)]

｢I｣ ｢Constellation｣ ｢Remembered｣

｢Constellation?｣

｢Stars｣ ｢Location｣ ｢Map｣ ｢Comparison｣ ｢Easy｣

She responded as if it was nothing special.

"…I thought she was a dwarf mutation, but it seems like there's no mutation in intelligence, she is already very clever"

If other Gallagons in the Gallagon's Nest have this level of intelligence, I don't have confidence in facing them as opponents.

As I pondered silently, Adhai added an explanation.

｢Kin｣ ｢Constellation｣ ｢Don't know｣ ｢Interest｣ ｢None｣

[ZZZ ZZ ZZ (Is that so?)]

｢Kin｣ ｢Strength｣ ｢Strong｣ ｢Memory｣ ｢Needed｣ ｢None｣ ｢Head｣ ｢Needed｣ ｢None｣

From what Adhai said, it seemed that the Gallagons in the Nest were not as intelligent as her. In other words, Adhai was a living example of the saying that if the body is bad, the head suffers.

'Well, it's a relief.'

｢Adult｣ ｢Question｣

While feeling relieved, Adhai called me with her psychic power.

｢I｣ ｢Gallagon's Nest｣ ｢Explanation｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Contract｣ ｢End｣

'Huh?'

｢Adult｣ ｢I｣ ｢Abandon?｣

Although she was in a half-lying posture as before, her body was stiff. Judging from the slight trembling of her wings, she seemed tense.

'Of course, I contracted to save you in exchange for showing me the way to the nest.'

It seemed like Adhai thought that I might abandon her.

'Maybe I would have if it were the past.'

But not anymore.

Since I couldn't stroke her directly in the fused state, I extended the corrosion tentacles and gently caressed her head.

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZ (You are the most precious beings to me.)]

｢Really?｣

[ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (There will never be a day when I abandon you.)"

｢Thank goodness!｣ ｢Joy!｣ ｢Joy!｣ ｢Joy!｣

Feeling my emotions, Adhai happily flapped her wings. she wagged her tail around my surroundings, where it was attached to the atomic nucleus with a hint of white scales visible near the back of her neck.

'Thanks to Adhai, we'll arrive soon.'

Though the distance is considerable, it should only take a few months with superluminal travel, which is not a problem.

'Shall we depart, then?'

I entered the coordinates and route provided by Adhai into the corroded computer of the ship.

The next target to conquer is the 'Gallagon's Nest.'

-x-X-x-

Officially, MegaCorp and StarUnion are in a state of war. The conflict began when StarUnion instigated a rebellion in MegaCorp colonies, leading to a strained relationship between the two factions. While recent years have seen a decrease in the intensity of armed conflicts to localized skirmishes, the two powers were engaged in fierce battles until then.

MegaCorp employed a strategy involving massive deployment of human soldiers and Hulk mutants, utilizing overwhelming force to target StarUnion. In contrast, StarUnion predominantly employed terror tactics, such as self-destructing nanomachine bombs attached to androids like Gremlin torpedoes.

Despite the apparent irony of humans fighting against machines, there was a reason for this. The backbone of StarUnion consisted primarily of cyborgs, and to create them, initially healthy humans were required. While other races could serve as cyborg material, there were complications. Cults couldn't endure cyborg procedures due to weak bodies, humanoid races like Wolfen were scarce in numbers and lacked genetic enhancement research, resulting in lower cyborg success rates.

One might suggest creating clone humans, but this technology had serious flaws. Clones tended to be mentally unstable, making them unsuitable as cyborg material. Consequently, there was no race as suitable as a healthy "human" to be efficiently and cost-effectively turned into a cyborg. Therefore, StarUnion adopted a strategy involving a small number of cyborg commanders and a large number of drones.

In the early stages of the war, this strategy proved effective until MegaCorp deployed EMP weapons in space. While EMP weapons were equally devastating to either side in space, the majority of StarUnion's forces being mechanical meant they suffered more. MegaCorp, on the other hand, could use space-survivable Hulk mutants to mitigate the damage.

The introduction of EMP weapons seemed to indicate the end of the war, but surprisingly, that was not the case. Unbeknownst to the general public, there was a secret agreement between the leadership of MegaCorp and StarUnion. They realized that if they could coordinate the war, there would be substantial profits to gain.

StarUnion needed to capture numerous sentient beings to increase its population, while MegaCorp recognized the lucrative potential of human trafficking. The leaders knew each other's needs well, so they turned the inter-factional war into a business.

Since they couldn't openly conduct such affairs, they employed intermediaries. Space scavengers thriving on plunder and crime, and cults operating slave trades, acted as middlemen. The "business" involving the great powers has continued for centuries, and today, cargo ships carrying "human resources" swiftly move back and forth.

In the JP-99 system, situated on the outskirts of the Cult Empire, a cyborg freighter, having completed its trade with cult merchants, was heading towards its home.

"Have you completed the cargo check?"

"V100 has checked up to container 50. Everything is in order."

"Phew, just 50 containers."

StarUnion's cyborg, Conzay, disconnected the link cable attached to her head. With over 80% of her body modified by machines, she could interface with the ship's computer. While piloting the spaceship was beyond her due to insufficient brain-assist module performance, managing the cargo on board was well within her capabilities.

Inside the frozen containers of the cargo ship were individuals who had voluntarily agreed to become cyborgs. Although they belonged to diverse races, they would soon become one under the name of StarUnion.

"It seems we may not meet the quota this time. That's troublesome."

Conzay scratched her temple while looking at the data graphs displayed in her eyes. Originally, they planned to fill up to container 70, but the cult traders brought fewer slaves than expected.

"They claim that it is because of internal issues. Nonsense. When did they ever care about such things?"

If things continued like this, they would fail to meet the allocation set by the Population Management Department, resulting in severe penalties. That was something they had to avoid at all costs.

Conzay reconnected the link cable to her head.

"MacF, are there any cartels trafficking people nearby?"

"It's a cult area. Who the hell would dare to do business here?"

"Well, I guess you're right."

"There might be Space Dogs in the nearby system. Try going there and negotiating."

"Fine, I'll do that. Since there might be a deal, make sure the drones are heavily armed."

[Roger.]

After ending the communication, Conzay displayed data on the possible Space Dogs cartel in the surrounding systems for verification. While carefully examining the data, the fleet computer V sent her a notification message.

"Biometric signals?"

The area around here is an uncommon route for spacecraft. Star Union always emphasizes that citizens become cyborgs by 'voluntary choice.' It is strictly forbidden for ships carrying candidates for cyborg conversion to roam around conspicuously.

However, to ensure compliance, this ship was equipped with a high-performance detection system specially supported by the Mechanical Committee. It meant acquiring information ahead of the opponent and avoiding it automatically.

"Can we identify their identity?"

[Externally, it is presumed to be the escort ship JASBIL-02SAN JAMA-class. The level of armament is unknown.]

"Could it be an Outsplacer?"

[According to the Starlink database comparison, no match.]

"Phew, that's a relief. Is it a ship coated with special alloys? Just in case, upload the external appearance and biometric signals."

[Confirmed.]

While V uploaded data about the mysterious ship to the Star Union database, Conzay examined the virtually reconstructed image of the opponent's ship.

"At what level are the biometric signals being leaked?"

[Estimated to have over 700 occupants.]

"700?! Madness. What did they cram in there?"

Hearing that, Conzay suddenly had a different thought.

'It really looks like a slave ship over there.'

Although Conzay's cargo ship is about 1.5 times larger than the opponent, the number of occupants is surprisingly low. It consists of 500 cargo, 30 cyborgs, and 70 combat drones.

'Suspicious.'

Conzay contacted MacF again.

[Why do you keep interrupting the communication? I'm working.]

"Hey, prepare all the drones."

[What? Why?]

"If things go well, we might salvage something."

If the opponent's armament is at a high level, she plans to retreat without attacking. If not…

"V, activate the jamming and stealth systems."

[Systems activated.]

With 700 occupants, it should be more than enough to fill her quota.

Consecutive warp navigation wasn't as easy as one might think. Although she had previously used warp navigation to control MegaCorp spacecraft, she had never done it continuously for such an extended period.

Maintaining concentration for several weeks during warp navigation was challenging.

'Energy is not the issue, but…'

'Even though I have ample time due to various reasons, maintaining focus during this boring journey is not easy.'

Imagine driving a car without rest for over a month on a road where you don't know when a wild animal might jump out. Even with heightened senses and the support of auxiliary devices like the Amorph, it is a difficult task.

She had no choice but to stop warp navigation and take breaks at intervals.

***

I'm taking a break after a month.

'But I'm halfway there.'

In about another month, I'll arrive at the planet with the Galaagon's Nest.

I used the corrosive tentacles to consume the stored meat like rice cakes.

The thick and tough tentacles covered with a robust carapace instantly digested the prey, supplying the necessary energy to my body. As energy surged through my body, fatigue dissipated, and I felt slightly better.

'Nevertheless, I probably need more meat.'"

All systems of this ship are under my complete control. Therefore, I am currently paying attention to prevent the stored food from spoiling.

'Preventing it from rotting as it is is difficult.'

There isn't much left. Despite boasting an enormous meal capacity, even 26, which is close to maturity, is consuming much more food than before. Adhai, who sucks blood and body fluids, is not suitable for eating meat stored for a long time.

'Mother of the sky also eats a lot.'

It seems that there is a need to replenish the feed in the middle.

Here, in the JP-99 galaxy, where we are, it is known that spaceships do not frequently travel. Although it is the cult's territory, I have not seen any other ships while coming this far.

'If we go to the next galaxy, there will be many ships… Hmm?'

While planning the feed supply, something caught my senses.

I pretended not to notice the fact that there is an opponent and moved.

The mysterious ship approached without knowing that it had a spider web in front of it. The opponent, who was narrowing the distance, suddenly stopped moving.

They are probably trying to scan my ship. I, too, concentrated all my senses to detect the passengers on the other ship.

'Hmm.'

Hundreds of life forms showing faint movements, 30 humanoid organisms emitting a strong metallic smell, and 70 machines sending strong electrical signals are felt.

'Ah, I see.'

It's a Star Union supply line.

Star Union, a community of cyborgs, humanoids, androids, drones, and other machines. Due to the difficulty of leaving offspring, the Star Union emphasizes that citizens become cyborgs voluntarily. As a result, Star Union acquires slaves from other factions to increase its population.

'Most are targets for cyborgization, and a few are for human experimentation.'

The Star Union argues that since their physical bodies are weak, they must be replaced by machines. It's ironic that such a group secretly brings in humans to maintain the community.

Therefore, such supply lines are operated in strict secrecy. Transactions are also carried out clandestinely with third parties such as cults or space pirates.

'In this respect, MegaCorp and Star Union are similar.'

In space survival, the Star Union is classified as a neutral faction, but that doesn't mean there is no darkness. It's a place where a different form of devaluation of life and black humor prevails compared to MegaCorp.

At that moment, they began to send fighter jets.

Except for the fact that the outer wall of the ship is a dark purple color matching my exterior, and the weapons are not visible and hidden, the appearance of this escort ship is completely identical to the conventional model.

The fact that no plasma turrets or psychic power cannons were visible was confirmed through a scan a while ago. It was clear that they considered me an easy opponent.

'Are they targeting me?'

The reason for this is somewhat guessed. Perhaps they didn't meet the assigned quota, or they are preparing for the possibility of not meeting the quota later.

'But what should I do about this? This ship is not a cult-operated one.'

Like their show of force over there, I, too, have no intention of just letting the prey come to me.

'How should I handle this time?'

I could switch to a new ship using the Horizon of Nightmare as before, but it would be a waste of the escort ship I currently control. Modified based on the advice of the members of the Inmyeon, it is much faster than a regular ship and has a lower energy consumption rate for warp travel.

'Let's not just think about plundering but try to apply it.'

So far, I have only used the Horizon of Nightmare in a one-dimensional way. Aimed at when enemy crew members invade the ship or fought metallic gremlins by adding weapons to the ship, and so on.

'There was no other choice before.'

In the state of controlling a spaceship with the Horizon of Nightmare, I couldn't use any physical characteristics.

But now, I'm at Transcendence Level 2.

['Devouring Tentacles': Transform the spaceship into a composite organism controlled by the user's consciousness. You can use 'some physical characteristics' while connected to the spaceship. When the energy stored by the user is depleted, the characteristic effect is automatically canceled. Devouring Tentacles can be used once every 7 days and only once per spaceship.]

[*Available physical characteristics: Regeneration, Morphing Organs, Spiked Tail Projectile, Reinforced Large Tail, Jaws of Essence Extraction, Pincers]

'Now I can use physical characteristics even while controlling the spaceship.'

With the release of the restriction from Transcendence Level 1, there have been changes in the effect of the Horizon of Nightmare.

Originally, the use of physical characteristics was not allowed, but that sentence disappeared. Instead, a category called available physical characteristics has been added.

In other words, it means that I can attach body organs like pincers or a mouth to this ship.

'I used to envy the Outspacers who could swallow a whole spaceship.'

Now I can swallow the beings inside the spaceship in one bite.

'But before that, should I prepare to welcome the guests?'

The fighter jets circling around are trying to board the ship.

They're willing prey who volunteer to be eaten.

I should welcome them with joy.

-x-X-x-

[Entry complete.]

"Good. The defense systems of the ship are still inactive."

[Conzay? Visible? I've never seen a ship using this kind of bio-metal.]

Six cyborgs synchronized with walkers stepped into the mysterious ship. When they breached the door, they didn't know, but once inside, they could tell that this ship was anything but ordinary.

Apart from the fact that both the outer surface and inner walls of the ship were pitch black, it seemed similar to a standard cult escort vessel. However, when examined with the biosignal detection module attached to the walker, entirely different results emerged.

Faint life responses throughout the ship, warmth reminiscent of biological tissue, and unusually humid air for a spaceship – all deviated from the characteristics of a typical ship.

"The cult developing such metal is bizarre."

"Obtained from Outspacer?"

"We have time, let's examine it carefully."

Although the ship's interior was unexpectedly different, the cyborgs were not concerned. The walker they boarded was a heavily armored combat exosuit, the 'Sentinel' model. With an integrated reinforced shield, it was powerful enough to combat the cult warrior unit.

Not intended for weapons on a regular cargo ship, these walkers were all provided by the Star Union's Population Management Department to ensure smooth cargo transportation. They also came equipped with small drones and various weapons to support combat. While it might be challenging to achieve a complete victory against the cult warriors, defeat was certainly not an option.

Nevertheless, the heavily armed cyborgs, led by MacF, scattered exploration drones. Small spherical drones flew along the ship's corridors, disappearing into the interior.

According to V's analysis, the ship carried over 700 tons of cargo. Given that the cult boarding a ship of a similar class numbered 200, more than three times the personnel had boarded this ship.

With many people on board, it wouldn't take long to discover.

Just then, exploration drones began sending images of the hull from all directions. Examining the slowly forming interior map, they proceeded further inside.

"Hey, MacF. Take a look at this."

"What is it?"

"Looks like some kind of plant."

Completely black, they couldn't recognize it at first. It was only when a fellow cyborg pointed it out that MacF realized there were vine-like structures or stems covering the corridor.

"V checked it against the Starlink database, but there's no matching biological information."

"Not from Outspacer either. What is this?"

"I'll collect a sample for now."

Using the work arm attached to the walker, the cyborg tore off the vines attached to the corridor. From the torn stems, black mucus flowed down.

"…Luckily, it's a sealed walker. If it were a light walker, it might have been toast."

"Did you modify it all the way to the internals?"

"It might just vomit oil profusely."

"Stop talking nonsense. Once collected, let's move on."

"Yeah, just register it in the database."

Thus, they collected information while moving. The corridor gradually narrowed, and the walker's head barely touched the ceiling.

Yet, there was no sign of the cult. So far, the only living things they had seen were vines and seemingly impure spores.

But that wasn't the only strange thing.

"Next, to the right… huh?"

"Why?"

"There should be a fork in the road here."

"What are you talking about? It's a straight line here."

"The map is a bit strange. Everyone check."

Following MacF's words, they checked the maps created by the six exploration drones. The virtual maps they saw surprised them.

"The maps are different!"

If the ship's structure changes in real-time, could this happen? None of the six drone-created maps had a single matching section.

"Is there a problem with the drones? Perhaps they've been affected by radio interference."

"Then it shouldn't cause malfunctions like this."

"Conzay, did you see? The situation is strange."

"Well… for now, let's return to the ship…"

Upon hearing Conzay's words, the cyborgs attempted to retreat, but the ship suddenly shook.

"What's happening?"

"Hey, Conzay. What's going on?"

"The ship is moving, creaking, attention, creaking…"

"Conzay? Conzay… ugh!"

"Ugh?!"

As a powerful noise echoed from the linked walker's receiver, the cyborgs hastily blocked communication. Despite MacF rebooting the communication system to contact Conzay, only static was heard.

"Darn, it seems like the communication system is fried."

While communication between the walkers remained intact, communication with the cargo ship was lost. No contact with the cargo ship, a bizarrely structured ship, and not a soul in sight—only strange pods and stems filling the corridors.

Emotions locked away in the cyborgs' minds began to surface, emotions with the name of fear.

"Everyone, stay calm. Let's return to the shuttle."

The cyborgs started retracing their steps. MacF took the lead to reassure his uneasy companions.

The heavy sounds of walker footsteps echoed through the corridor. Each step made the black tendrils extending from the ship's structure quiver, as if alive. Though it was unlikely, MacF couldn't help but think that the ship resembled a living organism, digesting the cyborgs already inside.

'What a nonsensical thought.'

MacF forcefully dismissed the emerging thought. In times like these, one must stay focused.

However, cruel reality mercilessly trampled on his efforts.

"Damn, what is this?!"

"…."

Instead of the straight path they took before, a crossroads awaited them. One panicking cyborg shouted curses.

MacF even considered disconnecting from the synchronized walker, thinking he must have seen it wrong. But to his dismay, the crossroads still lay before them.

"Darn, what do we do?"

"Try the exploration drones again…"

"Yeah, as if it won't change again!"

"Calm down! Instead of complaining, how about breaking through the wall?"

"Break the wall?"

"Thanks to the Sentinel's oxygen supply function, we can survive in space. We can walk outside and make our way to the shuttle."

Though risky, it was not a bad idea. At least it seemed better than navigating the constantly changing ship interior.

The muzzle of the storm gun attached to the walker was aimed at the corridor wall. A barrage of firepower poured onto the alloy wall.

When the tendrils and pods attached to the wall turned into charred debris, a large hole appeared. Inside the hole, a new corridor awaited them. Despite the uncertainty, the cyborgs pressed on.

'Damn, whether you win or we win, let's find out.'

After breaking the wall several times, they finally reached the outer wall of the expected ship.

"Just need to get out here!"

"Alright!"

The depleted uranium rounds in the magazine carried the cyborgs' hopes and pierced into the wall.

They shot and breached until the storm gun overheated, forcibly stopping the firing. Only then were they able to step outside.

However, the scene beyond the outer wall was different from what they had imagined.

"What?"

The first thing they saw was the hull of a ship. A long, rectangular shape shimmering in the dim light, a familiar form of a ship. It was their cargo ship.

That cargo ship was now torn apart. A massive claw floated through space, meticulously tearing the cargo ship to shreds.

Countless containers from the cargo ship spilled out into space. Long, serpent-like tentacles resembling snakes harvested the debris floating around.

Witnessing the scene, all the cyborgs had the same thought.

The cargo ship they came on was now being devoured by this transformed monster of a ship.

***

'Indeed, as expected, there are clear advantages and disadvantages.'

The debris of a ship, torn in half, floated before me.

The supply ship, many times larger than the escort ship I controlled, had been completely demolished by claws over tens of meters long.

'Though the destructive power is unparalleled compared to normal conditions…'

There is a significant drawback.

When claws or harvesters were created on the outer walls of the ship, the movement speed decreased. Also, the implemented body parts moved considerably slower.

If the other ship wasn't a regular one but a combat warship, or if I had reacted a bit faster when approaching, it would have been impossible to tear it apart so easily.

'The enhancement of Number 26 comes in handy at times like this.'

Number 26, powered by the energy of sea demons, had become immensely powerful. Moreover, the cult escort ship I controlled was made of moonsilver alloy, enhancing the effects of the psychic power.

Thanks to these two conditions, Number 26 could showcase new strength.

'An EMP created by psychic power.'

Number 26 concentrated psychic power at specific points to create an area that disabled electronic devices. Although EMP technology existed in games, all of them were untraceable.

Thus, Number 26's technique of only disabling the supply ship's systems could be considered his original technique.

'It may take a few minutes, but…'

I had enough time to approach the supply ship.

They tried to keep their distance when they saw the giant jaws and claws forming on the escort ship I controlled, but by then, it was too late. As the supply ship retreated, it got caught in my jaws, and its hull was torn apart.

'I'd like to fight like this during fleet battles.'

If the opponent is a small group, it seems like it would be easy to handle this way.

Of course, when facing dozens of ships in a fleet battle, it would be impossible to resolve it with psychic whirlpools alone, so other methods would have to be devised.

'Still, it's convenient to have something to eat.'

The massive jaws protruding from the front of the escort ship swallowed all the cargo containers pouring from the broken ship. The jaws, made of moonsilver alloy and organic tissue, crushed the containers and absorbed their contents.

In an instant, hundreds of genetic essences seeped into my body, and multiple text boxes announcing the effects of predation appeared. Since they had entered frozen capsules in an anesthetized state, they wouldn't have felt any fear or pain.

'But it won't be like that for everyone.'

There are those who desperately try to escape from me and those who oppose me. They will find it difficult to meet their ends peacefully.

Several shuttles and numerous combat drones emerged from the exploding ship. Combat drones equipped with lightweight storm guns showered me with bullets.

Meanwhile, the shuttles tried to flee. They must have been trying to escape while the drones served as decoys.

'I can't let them escape.'

Dozens of erosion tendrils surged from the hull synchronized with my body. Like a snake with hundreds of heads from mythology, multiple tendrils attached themselves to the shuttles' tails.

The shuttles struggled to escape by any means necessary. However, there were too many tendrils covering them.

In the end, not a single shuttle managed to escape and all were caught by me.

Long and thin erosion tendrils wrapped around the shuttles and smashed the alloy glass encasing the control seats. Then, they tore apart the shuttles along with the cyborgs connected to them.

A small female cyborg, as small as distant stars, screams. In the vastness of space, no sound could be heard, but it was easy to guess she was pleading for her life or admitting a mistake.

'I'm sorry, but I can't allow that.'

They targeted me first in the first place. If I were weak, they would have tried to kill me from their end. They made the wrong choice in the wrong place.

So, the cyborgs who boarded the shuttles became nutrients for the erosion tendrils one by one.

'Hmm?'

At that moment, I felt someone's gaze.

I diverted my attention from the debris of the supply ship, checking what was happening inside and outside the ship.

'When did they show up again?'

Six walkers that had infiltrated my body tore through my side and observed the results I created. Although their expressions were hidden behind heavily armored walkers, they must have been quite surprised.

'Should I deal with them too?'

I commanded the erosion tendrils near them to capture all the walkers.

"■■■! ■■ ■■!"

"■■ ■!"

The walkers, seeing the approaching erosion tendrils, recoiled and crawled into my body. Only one walker at the back couldn't avoid my tendrils and got caught.

"■ ■■ ■■■! ■■!"

The struggling walker caught by the tendrils tried to cut them with the storm gun attached to its arm, but it was futile resistance. There were plenty of erosion tendrils besides that one.

The resisting walker was eventually torn apart by the tendrils, and its entire body was devoured.

'There are five left.'

I could change the ship's structure and crush them all, but I decided not to.

'One or two of them could be useful as informants.'

I had received enough information from the cultists. Introducing them to some new friends wouldn't hurt.

'Since Adhai seems to be bored.'

Adhai spent his time occasionally assisting with route settings besides playing with 26 and doing hunting training with the Mother of the Sky. Thanks to her teachings, Adhai became much more proficient in using 'hyperspeed' and 'purple lightning'.

'Shall I leave it to Adhai this time?'

I sent a wave of my will to him and focused on predation again.

Even as the supply lines emptied, the universe remained silent without a single sound.

-x-X-x-

"Curses! Big D took a hit! Conzay too!"

"Now's not the time to worry about that! Keep running!"

Five heavy walkers thundered through the corridor, creating a cacophony of noise. The hole behind them had disappeared long ago, and instead of relief, the realization seemed to drive them to madness.

The fear of losing power in this place gripped them suddenly.

"Right? Left? Where do we go?!"

[Where did everyone go? Where to, Chijik, Chijijik?]

"Don't scatter! Stick together, everyone!"

Countless intersections appeared suddenly, which weren't there just moments ago. One of the walkers trailing behind got left behind.

"This can't go on like this!"

The walker they were on, the 'Sentinel,' was suitable for combat but not ideal for survival in isolation. Its high power consumption made it difficult to operate for an extended period.

"The cargo ship is done for, and the carrier we came on must be in a similar state. How much longer do we have to stay in this monstrous vessel?"

"Everyone stop!"

MacF called the remaining three walkers to a halt.

"Check the energy levels! If the walkers stop, we're as good as dead."

The cyborgs quickly checked the remaining energy of the walkers upon hearing this.

"The remaining energy is fine, but… darn it!"

"What's the use of all this! We're going to die here anyway!"

"There's nowhere to run!"

The situation, as their colleagues had described, was far from favorable. In reality, they were essentially inside the belly of a giant beast.

Still, MacF had one thing he believed in.

"The Mechanical Committee will send a rescue team. We just need to hold on until then."

A month ago, the Mechanical Committee, the highest authority in Star Union, issued a notice to all departments and private spacecraft. It instructed them to register any encounters with unknown life forms or substances in the Starlink database. Moreover, every ship had to mandatory attach a special signal chip made by the Mechanical Committee.

Reporting encounters with the diverse life forms in space was nearly impossible, let alone having a signal chip. But for Star Union, it was feasible. The Mechanical Committee could issue mandatory orders to all androids and drones produced by Star Union.

This was why MacF and the cyborgs on the cargo ship had signal chips. Once the ship was destroyed, in an hour or two, Star Union would be informed of their situation.

"Just endure for one day. The Population Management Department's rescue team will come. We wait until then."

"What? How do they know where we are?"

"Don't worry about that. Our news will reach Star Union in a few hours."

The information about the ship's exterior, location, and internal structure had already been transmitted to the Starlink database. So, the only thing the survivors had to do was one.

"We need to buy time until the rescue fleet arrives."

"Time?"

"This monster can probably achieve superluminal navigation. If it moves to another star system, the search time for the rescue fleet will be longer."

The cyborgs nodded in agreement.

JP-99 Star System, despite being a frontier, was under the control of the Cult. If such a colossal monster had roamed without superluminal navigation, it would have been detected earlier.

"We must hinder it so it can't escape."

"What? That's absurd!"

"It's impossible! As we saw earlier, attacking this ship is useless. It recovers quickly."

"I know that. Shooting randomly will only waste ammunition. We need to choose our targets."

"Targets?"

Before MacF could respond, he shared a combined file of maps transmitted by reconnaissance drones with everyone.

"Take a look at this."

"?"

"Even though everything else has changed, there are a few identical parts."

"So, what's the point?"

"Whether this is a ship or a monster, if it's a living organism, it must have vital organs, right?"

"…Are you saying these identical parts indicate a space where its heart or something similar might be?"

"Yes. If we go there and destroy the organs, we might disrupt its superluminal navigation."

Upon hearing MacF's opinion, the cyborgs fell silent.

His argument had many flaws. If they followed his words and it turned out to be a trap, they would be in grave danger. The problem was, they had no better alternatives.

With lives at stake, they were caught in contemplation. But the harsh reality did not wait for them.

"The corridor is moving!"

"Damn! Everyone, run!"

While the four walkers were running, the corridor twisted significantly. The narrow space morphed into a massive room.

"Is this reality I'm seeing?"

"Sh*t, I think I'm losing my mind."

The height of the medium-sized walker, the Sentinel, was about 8 meters. Compared to such a walker, the suddenly spacious area was at least three times higher.

Even MacF found it difficult to maintain composure in the face of this unbelievable reality.

"Everyone, pull yourselves together!"

MacF encouraged his colleagues while activating the weapon systems. As he made a vow to shoot anyone in sight, a strange sound reached his ears.

"What was that?"

The sound was almost unheard of in space.

"The sound of wind?"

From somewhere above their heads, where nothing was visible, a peculiar sound echoed.

Whatever it was, MacF aimed his gun at the ceiling to shoot it, and at that moment, 'it' attacked them.

"Ah!"

Thud

A short scream followed by a thunderous noise. When MacF turned the camera to check, one of the walkers had fallen.

The walker, the Sentinel, had internal shields designed for spacecraft and a durable exoskeleton. Yet, a large hole, approximately 2 meters in size, pierced through the cockpit protected by shields and thick armor. The meticulously destroyed traces, as if cut by a plasma cutter, glowed with a faint purple color.

There was no sign of the pilot inside the walker that had been penetrated from front to back. Instead, droplets of blood falling between the broken machine parts indicated the fate of the pilot.

"What… what just happened?!"

Now, there were only three walkers left, including MacF.

Then, the sound of wind was heard again. Realizing that it was a precursor to an attack, MacF shouted urgently.

"It's coming…!"

"Huh?"

Thud

But before his words could finish, another walker fell. Similar to before, a 2-meter hole, a faint purple glow in the penetrated area, and only bloodstains and flesh remained of the pilot.

"Darn it!"

Not even a few minutes had passed since they entered this space, and they had already lost two walkers. Now, only MacF and one more colleague remained.

"Watch out for the sound of wind!"

"Holy… What kind of wind is there in space…"

Trembling with fear, MacF quickly examined the traces of destruction while keeping an eye on his wary colleagues. In the process, he noticed bloodstains on the floor. The cameras on MacF's synchronized walkers followed the bloodstains, which led to their fallen comrade.

"Heek?!"

"…."

Although they found their missing comrade, there was a problem. MacF wondered, 'Where is the other one?' The cameras on the two walkers moved upward, revealing 'it' near the corners of the wall and ceiling.

It was a green demon with tentacles, impaling the cyborg's face and sucking out its bodily fluids.

"Kkuk?!"

The tentacles, like straws, swelled every time they plunged into the holes on the face – eyes, nose, mouth, ears. The trapped cyborg emitted eerie moans and trembled.

Seeing this, MacF thought,

'I have to run.'

"Ugh!"

Just then, his comrade fired at the monster. In the blink of an eye, the monster disappeared.

Seizing the opportunity while the panicked comrade distracted it, MacF ran. His sole focus was the door in front of him. Opening that door was the only way to escape this nightmare.

"Kkuk?!"

Thud

Behind him, a short whimper and the sound of the walker falling again were heard. MacF's walker's hand touched the shield door.

The demon's thrashing sounds were absent. He opened the shield door and stepped outside. Thud.

"Whew…."

Only after closing the door, he could finally exhale. There was no sound from beyond the door.

Just as he began to relax, a voice came from behind.

"Looks like the prey walked right in?"

This horrific space and the flat tone of the voice did not match at all. Hearing the sound, MacF realized the truth. He thought he had escaped the nightmarish space, but it wasn't the case.

"You've done well."

The walker that had fled here to escape Adhai's attack trembled upon seeing me. Fusing with the reactor, I wielded numerous erosion tentacles like hands.

Even the cyborg, who seemed to shiver at the sight of the cute Adhai, would find me much more terrifying. The walker, initially shocked to see me, attempted to shoot me with a storm gun but failed. The erosion tentacles entwined around its arms and legs.

"But it seems there are more of them now."

Perhaps thanks to the teachings of the Heavenly Mother. Adhai skillfully used the 'Hyperspeed' ability even in relatively confined spaces.

While Superacceleration was the unique ability of the Galingallagon, primarily used for movement or evasion, using it aggressively in such a narrow space was unheard of.

\If it were like before, She would have suffered severe injuries.\

Adhai covered her entire body with purple lightning, using the tactic of melting enemies with psychic power at the moment of collision.

In simpler terms, it could be described as charging into enemies while covered in the psychic flame of the purple spray gun.

'Come to think of it, that's a technique many cult players used.'

Using psychic power to create a shield around the weapon before striking the enemy, or, like Adhai did, enveloping the body in psychic flames and charging forward, and so on. Thanks to these newly learned methods, Adhai could minimize damage upon collision. Considering she was a mutant with lesser physical abilities compared to other Gallagons, this technique suited her well.

Of course, this method is not flawless. The psychic power of the Green Gallagon is not particularly strong. Even if the body is enveloped in psychic flames due to psychic power, complete protection is impossible in a state where the output itself is insufficient.

While he can now be more aggressive, she still needs to be cautious until he becomes a White Gallagon.

'Let's find a way to evolve Adhai when we get to the Dragon's Nest.'

I must have filled up my energy sufficiently; I should prepare this cyborg and depart immediately. In my current state, merged with the reactor, I used erosion tentacles to break down the walker. As I dismantled the walker as if peeling an onion, a cyborg with cables attached inside fell out.

My erosion tentacles wrapped around the trembling male cyborg, who was pitifully less resistant.

'Shall I experiment with this guy once?'

In the case of harvesting jawbones for consumption on the ship, the materials could not be used for the genetic characteristics of the Incarnate. Even though I experimented with hundreds of people earlier, only the predatory effect appeared, and genetic information was not retained.

'Is it because it's in a state of fusion with the ship?'

In a state of fusion with the ship, only some of the physical traits related to the body can be utilized. Among them, the Incarnate trait may be unusable.

So, although I devoured hundreds of people until a while ago, the attached Incarnates still seemed to be based on cult principles.

'It works as a decoy organ, though.'

I have no idea how this massive ship can camouflage itself. I tried to test it, but it didn't apply properly, seemingly requiring certain conditions.

'That's done for now.'

My tentacles opened wide to swallow the entire cyborg. Seeing this, the cyborg laughed as if resigned.

"Kuk, kuk! I may die here, but you will die soon too."

Usually, I would hear pleas for mercy or admissions of wrongdoing, but this time, it was quite a different last word. Of course, that didn't mean I would spare him.

Ignoring him and about to devour him, a sentence from his mouth stopped me.

"Soon, the Star Union Fleet will come! You can't escape!"

"The Star Union Fleet?"

While they are an essential supply line for resources, from the perspective of the Star Union, they are a necessary evil. They maintain the community, but admitting this fact is an embarrassing element. Why would they come to seek such a presence, especially considering this is the territory of the cult?

'Wait a minute.'

Suddenly, a ominous thought crossed my mind, prompting me to search through the wreckage of the walker. Among them was a computer integrated into the walker. I activated the partially dismantled computer using small tentacles.

There, communication records sent to Starlink, the central database of the Star Union, were still present.

-x-X-x-

'Hmm.'

I meticulously reviewed the recent records stored in the computer embedded in my walker. Brief reports on unidentified giant creatures, collection of nest debris within the spaceship, and registration of information after communication – the list goes on. The cyborg I detained managed to send quite a bit of communication in a short time.

'Even if the signals didn't reach the outside…'

Currently, psychic powers causing intermittent communication disruptions emanate from the body of Number 26. It's nearly impossible for the information sent by the walker to reach the capital city Jax-01 of the StarUnion. Even if it somehow arrives, it would likely be severely damaged, rendering it unrecognizable.

'The issue is not that.'

'Supply line.'

Before that ship encountered me, it might have already registered information about me in the Starlink. The supply line, in fact, might have sensed my presence before arriving. There's a high possibility that it reported to the StarUnion that it encountered me even before the ship arrived.

"This complicates things."

The situation became troublesome. Even if I leave this place, the StarUnion's tracking devices will pursue me. Escaping through faster-than-light travel is on hold. Elite fleets of powerful factions like the StarUnion, Cult, or MegaCorp possess systems to track faster-than-light travel. Depending on how much they consider me a threat, fleeing is impossible if an elite fleet is after me.

'Changing the appearance of the ship won't hide us.'

The ship dominating the horizon of nightmares exists between the realms of biology and metal. If the supply line identified my features as a 'biological ship,' changing its appearance won't help – they would quickly recognize it.

"Hehehe, daring to touch a StarUnion ship. You'll never escape peacefu…lly?!"

'Quiet.'

Using corrosive tentacles, I silenced him and checked the cards I held.

'It's been a month since leaving the sanctuary. Most of the means at my disposal are usable.'

From controlling the nightmare horizon in space, organic evolution that can enlarge or shrink my body, long-range attack ability obtained as the irregular form of a marauder – the 'Divine Scepter of God,' and the ability to transform my physique into a combat-ready form, 'Symbol of Hunt.' Currently, I am in a perfect state, lacking nothing to fight formidable enemies.

'But a direct confrontation is still risky.'

The situation is different from when I fought the Imperial Battleship. The fact that the planet I was on was the politically complex 'sanctuary' played a crucial role.

If it weren't for the sanctuary, escaping smoothly like this would have been impossible. Even if I managed to escape, I would have been chased by cultists.

However, the StarUnion faces no such constraints. In the StarUnion, ruled by the autocratic Machine Council, concepts like 'politics,' 'competition,' or 'conflict' do not exist. Formally, there may be opinions coordinated between the Council and various departments, but in reality, they hold little meaning. If the Council commands, all cyborgs must obey.

Except for the supreme dignity, the members of the Machine Council are all highly intelligent androids. If they perceive me as an enemy, they would spare no expense to kill me.

'Androids don't let their guard down, annoyingly.'

Surely, they would dispatch an elite fleet with high firepower to kill me at once.

'Space warfare is still challenging.'

The majority of my physical characteristics are currently sealed, making it almost like fighting with a handicap. While there are "newly unlocked type-related traits" obtained by consuming the Supply Line, these traits are not useful in the current synchronized state with the ship.

I possess several attack abilities that can crush enemy ships, but they are also limited by time constraints and usage limits. It's not as if I have an advantage in defense and evasion maneuvers.

When facing a small number of ships, I can overpower them, but it's not easy to fight against a fleet consisting of hundreds of ships. The relatively better aspect is that this ship under my control has been modified. I attached weapons obtained by disassembling cult ships, so I won't be helpless against a large number of enemies like last time.

'The downside is not that I have infinite time.'

This is the cult's territory. If I fight here and get caught by the cult, I'll undoubtedly be caught in a crossfire between both sides. In the eyes of the cult, I'm no different from a biotic ship, an Outsider's flying monster.

'Wait? The Cult?'

As soon as the thought of the cult crossed my mind, I paused. This JP-99 star system is the cult's territory. Despite being a backwater with no significant resources, it's a place they won't tolerate others trespassing through their territory. If the elite fleet of the StarUnion, who invaded the star system, is discovered by the cult, a conflict between the two sides is inevitable.

'I can escape during that time.'

The crucial point here is how to refer to the cult, and, coincidentally, I have a means to address them.

'This is getting interesting.'

After organizing my thoughts, I planned how to escape this predicament. There are a few risky elements, but I decided to push through. This operation of deceiving the cult and cyborgs is something I excel at.

'Let's wrap up the plan here.'

Before explaining to the individuals on board the ship, there are things I need to take care of. I looked at the captured cyborg.

"Well, what is it?"

The cyborg meeting my gaze seemed to feel an uneasy premonition and trembled.

He is expected to play an important role on the stage I have set, not just as prey to replenish energy.

"It's your turn after a long time."

According to my will, small entities dormant in my body woke up. Small holes appeared in the ceiling of the fully integrated ship, and from them, something like thin and elongated rubbery tendrils fell onto the cyborg being held by the tentacles.

"Wait, what is this again… Stop it!"

Only then did the cyborg realize what he was about to experience and started glowing.

In order to assist the parasitic tendrils climbing up to fulfill their mission, the cyborg firmly held onto them.

"Hieekk…hiekkk!"

The cyborg resisted fiercely. No matter how much the body has been modified into a machine, there are limits. It is impossible to break free from the binding of the powerful corrosive tentacles that can warp the entire ship.

In the end, he will have to accept it once everything is over.

The harsh reality of becoming a minion of monsters.

The Nemea Fleet stationed in the ESS-22 star system received an urgent order. The order came from the head of the Nemea Fleet, Nemea Five, who also served as a senior member of the StarUnion's Machine Council.

"As soon as you confirm the information, deploy to JP-99 to exterminate the new life forms that have appeared. It's an extremely dangerous existence, so do not approach, but intercept and incinerate from a distance. This order is issued directly by Grand…"

"Grandmaster Jubakka?!"

Acting Fleet Commander Sanadaeff, who had been delegated command authority from Nemea Five, was taken aback.

It is rare for the Machine Council to issue direct orders to individual cyborgs, as they usually only communicate important matters through announcements. Furthermore, the fact that the leader of the Machine Council and the highest dignitary, Grandmaster Jubakka, is interested is unprecedented. Since his transformation into a machine, this was the first time Sanadaeff nearly lost his composure.

"Eff, is this not a lie?"

[Machine Council and Grandmaster's authentication marks confirmed. Zero percent chance of forgery.]

Sanadaeff scratched his chin, hearing the words from the ship's computer, Eff.

"JP-99 is cult territory. Does the Machine Council want war?"

ESS-22 is unusually close to JP-99 among the StarUnion's jurisdictional areas. The Nemea Fleet, the elite fleet of the StarUnion, is stationed here as a precaution.

'Surely not?'

Sanadaeff rechecked the Machine Council's order. There was no mention of invading the cult.

The Machine Council, being composed entirely of robots except for the Grandmaster, does not use metaphors or analogies. Perhaps his concerns were unfounded.

"What is the current force stationed there?"

"3 Menos-class battleships, 20 Cyan-class patrol ships."

"It's not that many, probably due to its remote location. No space fortresses or Imperial Battleship either."

After looking at the data screen floated by Eff, he made up his mind. The plan was to quickly complete the mission before the cult could gather and then depart.

"But why is the Machine Council in a frenzy over some life form?"

About a month ago, there was an announcement issued to all ships.

If a new life form is discovered, register the data immediately with Starlink. Also, each ship is to implant a signal chip made by the Machine Council. These were the two directives.

At that time, he didn't know why such an order was given.

"Is this creature so dangerous?"

"Confirmation of the data attached to the message from the council."

"Send it to my head."

Subsequently, biological data flowed into Sanadaeff's mind, connected by the ship's cables. Feeling a slight headache, he suppressed the pain and examined the information.

"Hmm. A giant monster with the ability to disguise itself as a battleship."

"The model is estimated to be a Jamah-class escort ship, possibly Jamavil-02 mountain."

"Jamah-class? The latest model escort ship, you mean? Hmm."

His initial thought was that it could be a secret weapon of the cult, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Creating and controlling artificial life forms is something Megacorp would do.

"Or it might be an Outspacer."

As far as he knew, the Outspacers didn't look like that.

They are grotesque monsters adorned with numerous organic turrets that shoot biochemical substances. Anyone claiming they resemble Cult escort ships must surely have severely impaired vision or distorted aesthetic senses. However, if described as a spacecraft composed of bio-metal, the Outspacers would come to mind first. Perhaps these creatures are newly evolved space assault monsters created by them.

Sanadaeff carefully examined the information provided by the Machine Council. Surprisingly, the quantity of information was not as much as he thought. Instead, annotations and hypotheses added by the Machine Council occupied a much higher percentage.

"Seems like a formidable opponent."

Having reviewed all the data, Sanadaeff contacted all the ships in the Nemea Fleet. He instructed them to prepare the directives issued by the Machine Council.

Two hours later, the entire Nemea Fleet of 101 ships entered preparations for faster-than-light travel. The intense blue light enveloped them to the extent that it could be seen even from the surface of a planet in the star system, and soon they left ESS-22 behind.

Thanks to faster-than-light travel, surpassing the speed of light, the Nemea Fleet led by Sanadaeff instantly reached JP-99.

"Faster-than-light travel complete. No lost ships confirmed."

"Good. Let's finish it before the cult notices. Release the reconnaissance drones and strike aircraft."

"Confirmed."

Drones and strike aircraft poured out from the StarUnion warships with rectangular-shaped hulls covered in spear-like elongated cannons. Because there were so many drones, it looked as if sand was pouring out of a burst sandbag.

"Search the surroundings carefully. Report immediately if you find anything suspicious."

"Confirmed."

Drones under the control of the ship's computer and strike aircraft piloted by androids meticulously searched the space for floating debris, asteroid piles, and other objects.

Soon, some strike aircraft discovered artificially synthesized metal fragments and reported to Sanadaeff, who was aboard the Battleship.

He quickly recognized where the fragments came from and also the source of the information sent by the Machine Council.

"Eff, is the trace of faster-than-light travel confirmed?"

"None detected in this star system."

"Good. Since it's nearby, everyone be on guard…."

"Urgent report! Energy concentration detected ahead!"

"What?"

Before he could finish his sentence, the ship's camera illuminated the front. In the empty space, blue energies converged, transforming into a massive structure in an instant.

"…Oh no."

Every time the blue light flashed, Cult battleships, both large and small, revealed themselves one after another in front of the Nemea Fleet. Seeing this, Sanadaeff muttered softly.

"Ah, damn. We're screwed."

Ordinary Cult battleships wouldn't be much of a problem. With the Nemea Fleet equipped with psychic defense measures, they could handle it.

The problem was the colossal structure firmly guarding behind those battleships.

"Message from the captain of 'Judicator of Gormos 03.' Urgently check."

A diamond-shaped structure adorned in ivory with golden decorations, no, a ship. The colossal ship that appeared before the Nemea Fleet was the Cult's pride,

The Imperial Battleship.

-x-X-x-

Admiral Sanadaeff Sanadaeff, acting commander of the Nemea Fleet, was reaching his limits. Here in the JP-99 star system, there were no planets ruled by the Cult. This was because the Cult had no resources here worth their interest.

However, that didn't make this place a crucial point for the Empire's security either. Apart from being close to StarUnion, there wasn't much of a threat.

"But why is an Imperial battleship here?"

It's not like they hadn't considered combat with the Cult at all. They had finished preparations to defend against psychic attacks before making the faster-than-light jump. However, they never dreamed an Imperial battleship would appear.

"If we fight it here, we'll suffer tremendous losses."

The Nemea Fleet was one of the 12 elite fleets of the StarUnion. With their power to lay waste to multiple planets, the odds of losing against an Imperial battleship were low.

However, given the opponent's strength, significant damage was inevitable. The Imperial battleship, equipped with the planet-destroying weapon Cosmic Bolt, possessed formidable firepower. Engaging such a monster recklessly would likely result in the destruction of at least a quarter of the fleet.

"…Let's try talking first."

They knew. They knew they couldn't win against the Star Union fleet on their own.

The fact that an elite fleet of a faction allied with them had intruded into their territory seemed to have caught them off guard. That's probably why they initiated the conversation first.

"Eff, establish communication."

[Affirmative.]

An image appeared in front of Sanadaeff, connected to the ship's computer. A middle-aged Cultist with yak horns adorned in a splendidly decorated room of ivory and jewels was glaring at him.

"I am Eshtha, captain of the 'Condemner of Gormos 03.' Cyborg. Identify yourself and your affiliation."

"I am Sanadaeff, acting commander of the Nemea five Fleet of the Star Union."

"The Nemea five? Isn't that one of the 12 elite fleets of the StarUnion?"

"Yes, you are correct."

Eshtha, widened his eyes. He had only considered the size of the fleet; he hadn't imagined an elite fleet would come here.

Sanadaeff thought he might get away with good negotiation skills, but that was a misconception. The surprised expression on Eshtha's face quickly turned into a grimace.

"How dare you! Should you, being a pillar of the StarUnion, stoop so low to do such despicable acts?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb! Do you not know the extent of the damage your cyborgs have inflicted on our Empire?"

"Damage? It's embarrassing to say this, but we've just arrived here."

"How audacious! Will you only acknowledge it if we show you evidence of what your lot has done?"

[A new communication log file has been detected.]

"Communication file?"

He examined the file sent by Eshtha. The communication records contained within were beyond his comprehension.

"I am MacF, affiliated with the Population Management Department of the Star Union. I, a cyborg, will bestow upon you the honor of becoming one with the Star Union."

"I, I am Koshei, a member of the Cult Warriors under the Judicators of Damas 08! If this is known to the Council…"

"Hmph, the Council? Relying on feeble races and inferior political institutions like that. We, who execute great deeds on behalf of our Mech fleet and the machine assembly to save worthless races like you, deserve your gratitude."

"Damn you! This message is the last to be delivered to the Cult fleet! The incident at the Holy Land is the work of cyborgs! The location is JP-2…"

"Shut up! Contacting in secret! You treacherous wench!"

"Aaaah!"

"What is this?!"

Sanadaeff was bewildered. No matter how many times he listened to the communication, he couldn't understand any of it.

"Why is the Population Management Department here… No, more importantly, what is the Holy Land?"

He momentarily pondered if the Machine Assembly hadn't spoken to him to humiliate him, but soon he shook his head. There was no way the Nemea five Fleet, responsible for one of the 12 elite fleets in the efficiency-focused Machine Assembly, would employ methods that would cause significant damage.

Yet, it didn't seem like Eshtha was lying either. Even if the Cult had hundreds of Imperial battleships, it wouldn't be wise to expend them in this manner.

In other words, the communication was manipulated. And there was a high likelihood that both Eshtha and he were being manipulated by someone else.

Having organized his thoughts, Sanadaeff spoke up.

"Listen, Captain Eshtha. Have you ever considered that this communication might be false?"

"Are you suggesting our warrior lied? That's impossible. Koshei used a unique communication network only known to the cult warriors."

"Think about it. If we truly intended to trap you, would we be having this conversation? We would have laid Gremlin mines before the Imperial battleship arrived via FTL travel."

"…"

As it wasn't a false statement, Eshtha fell silent. If the Nemea Fleet had indeed set a trap, they would have suffered significant losses as soon as they entered this system.

"In that case, how do you explain MacF's message from your side? We have full knowledge of MacF's affiliation, as well as the last location they were active in."

"That… Please wait a moment. I'll check it right away."

Though Eshtha clicked his tongue at his words, he said nothing further. It was clear they had no intention of starting a war from their end.

Realizing that missing this opportunity could lead to serious consequences, Sanadaeff hastily called for Eff.

"Immediately search for MacF's location using brainwave scans."

[Affirmative. Searching now.]

"Damn cyborgs, what are they up to…"

[Target located.]

"Already? Where?"

[Located near the Jonas Asteroid Belt in the JP-22 system.]

"The Jonas Asteroid Belt, that's nearby, isn't it?"

Upon receiving Eff's report, Sanadaeff had a foreboding feeling.

This situation was definitely abnormal. It was certain that someone unknown was pushing them into a trap.

"Could it be?"

"Captain Eshtha! Listen carefully! This is all a trap…"

Sanadaeff was about to hastily explain, but suddenly, the video communication abruptly cut off. Not only did the communication cease, but the cable connecting Sanadaeff to the ship's computer also stopped functioning.

"What's going on? Eff? Answer!"

[EMP detected, 1 minute until recovery.]

"EMP?"

After a minute, the communication was restored. As soon as Eshtha's face appeared, he hurriedly shouted.

"Captain! It's all a misunderstanding! Don't make rash judgments!"

But something was off.

Eshtha wasn't looking at him. He seemed to have forgotten that video communication had been restored and was staring blankly into space with hazy eyes.

"Why the sudden change?"

Even to him, a cyborg, Eshtha's face was alarmingly pale. He looked like he had seen something extremely frightening.

Finally, Eshtha let out a scream.

"Th-the enemy with three heads! Open fire on all!"

"What?"

[The main cannons of the Imperial battleship are activating. Dark matter detected.]

"Damn it, they're all… Argh!"

Sanadaeff attempted to give the order to scatter hastily, but at that moment, the entire ship shook violently. Along with it, Eff displayed the image of the enemy ship attacking them with psychic power.

[Psychic power attack detected from the enemy ship.]

"Damn it, I know! Initiate counterattack!"

Observing the black battleship on the screen, Sanadaeff cursed inwardly.

There's no turning back now. After subduing the enemies as quickly as possible, a report must be made to the Machine Assembly on what to do next.

And so, the elite forces of the two great powers of the universe, the Cult Empire and the Star Union, clashed in JP-22.

｢Big guy, is this enough?｣

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (You're doing great)]

｢Yes!｣

Number 26, concentrating hard, petted the tentacles of the grateful Dissolution with its pseudopods. The Dissolution seemed to enjoy being petted with the tentacles, as it emitted a reddish glow all over its body, trembling with pleasure.

[ZZZ ZZ (Concentrate)]

｢Oh. Right. Concentrate. Concentrate!｣

The creature, having read my wavelength, snapped out of its daze and smoothed out the erratic flow of psychic power.

Utilizing the terrifying nature of the Abyssal Terror, the Dissolution is currently creating a magnificent illusion. With the power of Number 26, our ship is engulfed in a massive hallucination. It's a hallucination of what the Cultists call the demon of three heads, the form taken by me when I consumed psionics and transformed into an adult.

'The Cultists would be utterly bamboozled if they saw this.'

As I anticipated, the Imperial battleship and the Cult fleet that came here are unable to regain their senses after seeing the illusion created by Number 26.

'This should gloss over any ambiguities.'

Among the Cult genetic data I've stored is a warrior from the Imperial battleship. She was a warrior hunted by the Mother of the Sky while I was in the process of advancing to transcendence stage 2.

Her voice has been useful in deceiving other Cultists before, and it's proving helpful here again.

'Contacting through the emergency line reserved for the warriors' use helped us avoid suspicion.'

Using the code only she knows, I connected to the emergency line and imitated her voice to stage a false scenario. In the process, the cyborg MacF, under my control, played the role of a villainous Star Union agent.

As a result, the fleet, including the Imperial battleship, came to this system to rescue the already deceased Koshei.

'Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't have come this far.'

The word "sanctuary" I mentioned and the communication from a survivor who was on the verge of annihilation while trying to remove the contamination from that sanctuary. These two elements triggered their overreaction.

And to reinforce their misconception, I instructed Number 26 to show an illusion designated as the Abyssal Terror.

Originally, the Abyssal Terror is about manifesting the image that the victim of a psychic attack fears the most. It's uncertain whether the Sea demon can directly reflect the desired image, but Number 26 managed to do it.

'It remembers my appearance well.'

I don't know how the eyeless creature knows, but anyway, it successfully recreated my adult form.

And the fear the Cult soldiers harbor towards me played a crucial role here. Thanks to their fear of the "demon of three heads" that destroyed the entire fleet, this deception operation was successful.

'The biggest concern is the Star Union.'

The Star Union's cyborgs include numerous androids, and their ships are heavily equipped with psychic defense measures. So, they have high defenses against various psychic attacks, including the Abyssal Terror.

Therefore, while urging the Cultists to prepare for battle by showing them the illusion of the "demon of three heads," I launched a preemptive strike on the Star Union fleet. Since I attacked with a ship resembling a Cult escort, they had no choice but to retaliate.

'If they run a detailed inspection, my identity will be exposed in no time.'

But, do they have the luxury to do that right now?

Having misunderstood my attack as coming from the Cult fleet, the Star Union initiated their counterattack. As a result, a space war is now unfolding between the two factions right in front of me.

'It's not over yet.'

I still have a trick up my sleeve prepared for the Star Union. I plan to use it when the battle heats up.

At that moment, the Mother of the Sky muttered beside me.

｢I can't believe this is actually working. Unbelievable.｣

She's watching what's happening outside through the reinforced glass I provided, along with Adhai.

"Human thoughts are simple."

｢…I've thought this before, but you're really good at acting.｣

She looked at me as if she were bored.

Considering her history with me, it's easy to guess her current feelings. What she must have thought seeing me imitate Koshei on the communicator. Quite a complex state of mind.

'Acting, huh.'

Given the family history, her thoughts would be close to the truth. Perhaps my skill at deceiving people was why I was good at games as well.

'…Let's get rid of unnecessary thoughts.'

We're in the middle of a battle now. Brushing away memories I'd rather not dwell on, I surveyed the situation outside.

The Cult's ships were arranged in a diamond formation around the Imperial battleship. From the cannons mounted on the ships, three violet beams were fired.

Streams of light flew, oxidizing the floating rocks and space debris in the black void.

The cyborg fleet hadn't been idle either.

From the large and small rectangular ships, white drones poured out like waterfalls. The drones moved swiftly and lined up neatly in front of the ships. It looked like waving a cloth in front of a charging bull, albeit in white instead of red.

Eventually, the violet beams clashed with the white drone swarm. Anyone would have thought the beams would obliterate the drones, but the result was different.

The drones launched from the Star Union's ships were called APD (Anti Psychic Drone).

These drones were made of black silver, a metal with strong psychic power resistance, and galenium alloy, which absorbs various energies. They are mainly used when fighting entities like the Cult, who primarily use psychic powers.

To an ordinary human observer, intense violet flashes occurred in space, blindingly bright. The Star Union's APDs prevented the immense shock caused by the "part" of the Cult's cannon barrage.

Why did I say "part"? Because the Cult's attack wasn't over yet.

The beams fired from the Cult's cannons appeared to be three in total, but in fact, they were fired three times rapidly. The time gap between the beams allowed the APDs to easily block the first attack, but they couldn't defend against the subsequent attacks adequately.

'APDs are vulnerable to staggered attacks.'

As I expected, some of the violet beams passed through the drone swarm, penetrating the cyborgs' battleships. Explosions occurred in their wake, and the ships shattered into pieces.

The Star Union fleet, having lost several ships, launched a counterattack without hesitation.

The appearance of Star Union vessels can be described simply as rectangular hulls with spiky cannons protruding from them. The cannons, arranged like thorns, are not decorative.

Countless cannons began to operate. Torpedoes precisely controlled by androids flew by the thousands towards the Cultists.

While maintaining their diamond formation, the Cult ships emitted violet light. The violet shields formed on the fronts of the ships connected, transforming into a massive diamond-shaped shield.

The torpedoes flying towards them were blocked by the enormous shield, exploding upon impact.

The Cultists maintained the shield without any damage. But it's too early to relax. Some of the torpedoes aimed at them abruptly changed direction, hitting the flanks or rear of the Cult ships.

With explosions, several Cult ships deviated from formation. As the shield shook slightly, other ships quickly filled the gaps left by their fallen comrades.

Seeing this, the Star Union attempted to launch torpedoes again to intensify the attack. If the Imperial battleship hadn't stepped in, the damage to the Cult would have been greater.

'Is this the beginning?'

A fracture appeared in the refined diamond-shaped Imperial battleship. A section corresponding to the edge opened up, revealing black gun turrets inside.

There were a total of eight turrets, the Black Cannons, integrated into the Imperial battleship. Like Cosmic Bolts, they are powerful weapons that use dark matter as an energy source.

The Star Union's ships quickly scattered, knowing the power of the Black Cannons. The cannons, moving smoothly, fired towards the scrambling ships.

Unlike other Cult ships, rather than beams, black spheres left the Black Cannons and flew towards the Star Union vessels.

The black spheres reached the ships that were slow to react. At that moment, the ships warped and were sucked into the spheres.

In less than a few seconds, the spheres consumed and destroyed several ships. They continued forward, swiftly swallowing other vessels.

'As expected.'

The Black Cannons create artificial black holes when fired.

When it hits, it's game over, making a mess of enemy formations and effectively sniping battleships.

However, the downside of the Black Hole Rounds is their short duration and inability to control them.

Seeing the Imperial battleship use the Black Hole Rounds, the scattered Star Union fleet approached the Cultists as they were.

The plan was to close the distance with the Imperial battleship and provoke a skirmish. Since the Black Hole Rounds don't discriminate targets, it was the appropriate response.

'Alright. Then I'll join in.'

There's something I need to do once the skirmish starts. If that task is completed safely, we can leave this sector without being pursued.

Leading the commandeered Cult escort ship, I swiftly advanced.

A skirmish between space fleets awaits me.