162
-x-X-x-
"Ha, Captain? Kuuaaack!"
"Shit, everyone retreat!"
"Hee…heeheek!"
As the captain's orders were heard, the cyborgs gathered in the situation room panicked and screamed as soon as they faced me. Unlike some of the other cyborgs, they hadn't modified their eyes, so they quickly recognized my presence.
'Sometimes ignorance is bliss.'
The reactions of the cyborgs upon seeing me were quite varied.
"Pl-please spare us…spare us…sp…"
Their pleas were cut short. They knelt, hands worn from begging, only to be silenced by a snap at my hands.
"Damn! You're like a traitor to the Star Union! I'll personally…"
Another group, expressing anger towards the betrayed captain, rushed towards him, only to have their upper bodies severed by the bone blade arms on my back.
And finally.
"Everyone, take cover behind the barricades!"
"We must subdue him!"
There were few but still courageous cyborgs who attacked me without losing their resolve. They hid behind computers and machinery in the situation room, launching their assault.
Pulse gunshots using Uranium-Tungsten rounds rained down upon me.
Each time, the scales, no, 'synthetic scales,' beneath my fur rippled, absorbing the impact of the bullets.
[Synthetic Scales: Replaces the outer layer with synthetic scales. Can harden specific areas using these scales.]
All the outer layers of my body had been replaced by tiny scales. A new trait gained from devouring a Screamer, 'Synthetic Scales,' was at play.
The true value of this trait lay in its ability to harden weaknesses in the body. By rearranging the scales in the affected area upon physical impact, temporary defense enhancement was possible.
'With this trait, I can protect appendages or auxiliary systems from monster tentacles.'
In the guise of a hunter, my auxiliary systems were now covered in armor, but not in ordinary circumstances.
I approached the cyborgs, bullets bouncing off my body.
"Fck! Our attacks are useless…urgh!"
"Everyone retreat! Retreat!"
Even as I closed in, a cyborg bravely firing bullets at me met his demise as my four bone blades under my jaw slashed through him.
The cyborgs nearby, realizing the futility of bullets against me, tried to flee while their comrades were being slaughtered. Those who turned their backs to flee were met with my tail.
"Argh!"
A cyborg relatively close by was struck by my tail and slammed into a wall. Fortunately, he died without much suffering.
"Le-let go!"
A cyborg caught in the pincer at the end of my tail struggled, but soon screamed as the pincer tightened.
The sturdy pincer was part of the hard metal exoskeleton of the Screamer. There was no way the cyborg could withstand it.
The cyborg, now a lifeless mass after vomiting a mix of organs and bodily fluids, was quickly discarded. I chased after the fleeing cyborgs.
"W-wait, wait, please!"
"Hee…heek, stop…ugh! Kuk…kuk!"
Before the hunt's end, most of the cyborgs within the hull had been dealt with, except for a few.
'I need to implant parasites.'
The maximum limit for the enhanced 'Parasitic Colony' via Type Effect was 10. With one already inside the sky mother, only 9 survivors remained.
"W-we will follow our new master."
The cyborgs, now dominated by the parasites, kneeled before me atop the bloodied situation room floor.
There were two reasons I spared them.
Currently, there are many androids and drones remaining on this ship. The goal is to neutralize them all. Although it's permissible for me and the kids to roam around and destroy them, there's no need to exert effort on those we can't obtain genetic essence from.
'And it could serve as insurance when the Star Union comes chasing after us.'
To deceive the pursuers, including the ship's command, such as the captain, must remain. They might attempt to scan the biosignals of our captain or senior crew members from their end.
'With this, preparations for taking over the ship are complete.'
Taking control of a military vessel seemed easier than before, perhaps because of increased strength. Aside from encountering the unexpected formidable opponent, the Screamer, it ended smoothly without major variables.
'Upon closer examination, the gains from the Screamer seem more substantial.'
Aside from obtaining clues about Star Union players, we were able to secure new genetic essences.
In the game, Screamers are classified as machines rather than biological entities, so we couldn't obtain genetic essences from them.
However, the upgraded Screamers on this ship were different. Being made from Hulk Mutants, we could obtain several types of genetic essences.
'Getting the Coldblooded trait here was lucky.'
Coldblood is a race with characteristics of reptiles mixed with those of insects, based on a humanoid reptilian base. Despite their frightening appearance, they have high intelligence and gained some cult popularity due to their tragic backstory.
According to the setting, Coldbloods once competed for dominance in the universe alongside the cult, but at this point, they're completely fallen. They gained power through a contract with the Vortex one, but in return, the fate of their entire race was sealed.
'Now they've descended to being sold as slaves to cultists or other races worshiping the Vortex one.'
Players who choose Coldblood aim to liberate and redeem their suffering brethren.
'I remember someone in the community called it the Dinosaur Exodus.'
Anyway, because of this setting, Coldbloods are scattered across the universe, often only seen in the late game if luck permits.
So, I thought it would be a while before I could acquire their traits.
'It's strange that there are so many Coldbloods on the labor supply ship.'
All the internal organ-related traits I acquired were from Coldblood.
Whether Coldblood genes played a significant role in Screamer development or if the labor supply ship I consumed had an unusually high number of Coldblood, I couldn't tell.
'Whatever the cause, it turned out to be beneficial for me.'
The ability to guard weaknesses with Synthetic Scales and the useful Revenant Organ for critical moments were unexpected gifts.
'Though there are slight regrets.'
While I gained several traits from consuming Screamers, the rest were all traits I already possessed.
Typically, Hulk Mutants are synthesized from various genes, but these Screamers were composed entirely of the same genes, like replicas.
'Perhaps they were deliberately standardized for use as Screamer material.'
Whether due to their identical genes or not, their appearance and taste were exactly the same.
'…Thinking about it, it feels somewhat disgusting.'
The taste of the Hulk Mutant used in the Screamers was truly awful. It was so repulsive that I felt an impulse to scratch the inside of my mouth with my nails.
Based on my past experiences, the taste of creatures with a combination of multiple genes was usually decent. Like Shiyeon Yujin and the Knights of the Egerdon Family.
But this time, that rule was broken.
'It was a disgusting taste.'
It was like when you accidentally put toothpaste on your toothbrush and then drank orange juice. More precisely, it was like adding salt on top of that.
'With this level of satiety, even when the hunting guise ends… Ah, it's about to end now.'
Just as the tiger always comes after its roar.
Smoke began to emanate from my body, and my physique started to change. It was the end of the guise of the hunt.
My body, which had grown to about 8 meters, including my tail, returned to 5 meters. The elongated fur shrank to fit my body size, and the bone blade arms protruding from my back quickly shrank.
Gradually, the bone blade arms became like calluses peeling off the skin, then crumbled. The same change occurred on the bone shell that enveloped the auxiliary organ under my chin.
After all the changes were complete, I quickly stuffed the cyborg corpses in the situation room into my mouth. It was to alleviate the hunger that always followed the end of the guise.
But something was off.
'My stomach doesn't feel that empty?'
While hunger felt stronger than usual, it wasn't to the point of losing reason. With this level of hunger, eating a few cyborg corpses would quickly satisfy me.
'Could this also be due to the astute weakling effect?'
As expected, after devouring three cyborg corpses, the side effects of the guise immediately subsided. Perhaps, as a specialized survival state, it also drastically reduced energy consumption.
'I thought the decrease in combat power was unfavorable, but….'
Being able to use the guise of the hunt without looking back was a merit. Furthermore, it seemed to match well with the characteristic of consuming massive amounts of stored energy.
'For instance, the Divine spectre.'
Feasting on the cult's orbital weapon, the "Brain God" to obtain the "Divine spectre" was my most powerful long-range attack method.
Unlike the original, there was no limitation of once every 14 days, but instead, there was a drawback of reducing power by two-thirds and tremendous energy consumption.
But what if I were to become an astute weakling here? Then, I could use the Divine spectre more freely than usual.
While it's impossible to go on a rampage, for me, lacking long-range attack methods, it could be a godsend.
It's regrettable that I can't operate in such a manner in my normal state yet.
'There's no need to regret it. I can obtain it later.'
Having alleviated the side effects of the guise of the hunt, I stood up. Just then, the Mother of the Sky entered the situation room with the kids.
｢You were quite rambunctious. How are the side effects?｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (They're unexpected boons.)]
She had hidden with the kids in a corner of the ship, possibly in preparation for my potential rampage.
I briefly explained the effect of the astute weakling to her. She nodded as if impressed.
｢It's certainly a good trait. It usually has quite a wide range of applications.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Many weaknesses for infiltration have been greatly improved.)]
｢It would be excellent for blindsiding players. They wouldn't know about this from their end.｣
She was right. In the game, there's no known trait that artificially changes Amorph's size. If I don't know, it's highly unlikely that others do.
Our enemies have built a formidable force, operating fleets and deploying orbital weapons. Since I'm still lacking in power to suppress them, I need to respond with infiltration and deception tactics.
While we were discussing her and my traits, Numbers 26 and Adhai approached.
｢Big guy, do you need more food?｣
[I'm full, so you two can eat.]
Understanding my signal, Number 26 extended its tentacles towards the corpses. Adhai, following Number 26, was about to join in the meal when she suddenly looked at me and approached.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (What's wrong?)]
｢Adult｣ ｢Before｣ ｢Different｣ ｢Now｣ ｢Charming｣ ｢Incomprehensible｣
Swishing her tail, Adhai sent telepathic signals. Her gaze was fixed on the scales inside my fur.
｢Now｣ ｢Good.｣
'It must be because of the scales.'
While Adhai usually compliments me, my appearance itself is quite different from a Gallagon. It's hard to call the flight membrane wings, and the carapace and scales on my body are quite distinct from Gallagon scales.
It seems that the change to scales fits Adhai's taste.
She glanced at me for a moment, then nodded satisfactorily and went over to Number 26.
The Mother of the Sky commented upon seeing me.
｢It's raining cats and dogs.｣
Meeting her crescent-shaped eyes, I felt somehow embarrassed.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Enough of the useless chatter. Are you not going to eat?)]
｢As you know, eating cyborgs doesn't help me. It's better for the kids to eat.｣
Like me, she also needs to consume the flesh of powerful enemies to grow. Perhaps until we reach the Gallagon's Nest, her growth will also stagnate.
｢Anyway, I've already taken care of all the annoying ones.｣
Now that the assessment of the astute weakling trait is almost finished, it's time to move on to the next step.
I nodded to the kids who were having their meal and left the situation room.
Finally, the time had come to swallow this Ship 98.
***
"What exactly is your problem?"
"What are you talking about?"
"This cult nonsense! There's a mountain of things to prepare for the sake of justice, but you're here listening to the ramblings of such a person and looking for treasure!"
Min-seok Yujin, the caretaker of Si-hyun Yujin's house, was not pleased with his nonchalant owner.
After the failed assassination of Akira Yujin, Si-hyun Yujin's actions were full of incomprehensible things to Min-seok.
They needed to quickly subdue the elders of the remaining Yujin family on Earth and build an anti-Akira faction. But instead, they were aimlessly wandering through space.
Originally, Akira Yujin wasn't very active externally. Apart from what the CEO must do, he spent most of his time on Earth.
The reason why he risked his life to plan the destruction of the T&C Special Trade Center was because it was rare for him to go out.
"With the ongoing civil war, it's easier to plan an assassination! But why isn't it working?"
"It's because with our current strength, we can't eliminate Akira."
Si-hyun Yujin casually remarked. She said the same thing every time Min-seok protested.
Killing Akira was impossible.
She had infiltrated the flagship of the Yujin family herself to assassinate Akira. Min-seok could believe that much. As evidence, she brought back the dagger of Code Blue.
But what followed was the problem.
"Are you still saying that Akira has subdued the Shadows? That's impossible!"
As a close aide to Si-hyun, Min-seok knew how powerful the Shadows were and how powerful Si-hyun was in her prime.
So he couldn't believe that she had been subdued by Akira and barely escaped.
"I don't believe it. There seems to be a reason I don't know."
Min-seok remained skeptical. Si-hyun's eyes narrowed as he continued to doubt.
"I am your master. You haven't forgotten that, have you?"
"…"
Min-seok remained silent. Si-hyun rose from her seat.
Though Min-seok flinched at her movement, he didn't avoid her gaze.
"I'll ask you one last time. Answer carefully."
"…"
For a brief moment, his hand moved towards his pocket, then stopped. Si-hyun didn't miss the gesture.
"Min-seok Yujin. Who do you serve?"
"… Si-hyun Yujin, the rightful heir of the Yujin family."
He remained loyal to Si-hyun Yujin, the rightful heir.
At first glance, it seemed like a sign of submission to her, but Si-hyun noticed that he deliberately chose an ambiguous expression.
That's because she was Si-hyun Yujin and at the same time, not Si-hyun Yujin.
In other words, Min-seok meant that the target he was loyal to was the "original" Si-hyun Yujin, not the "replica" in front of him.
Si-hyun understood that point but didn't bother to mention it. No, to be precise, she couldn't mention it.
"Go back. I have things to do."
"…Yes."
Min-seok also seemed to consider today not the right day to argue further. He made a gesture of farewell and began to leave the office.
As he reached for the doorknob to exit, he muttered to himself softly.
"…And having a competitor by your side. What's that about? Tsk."
After Min-seok left the office, Si-hyun, who remained alone, slumped into her chair. She murmured to the empty air.
"I showed a pitiful sight."
Then, the metal suit standing in the corner of the office moved. It was a suit with a bizarre design, a mix of reinforced armor and walker features, measuring a whopping 2.5 meters in size, and its color was as black as the space outside the spaceship.
Moreover, the metal suit was in the form of a full-body wrap like the reinforced armor worn by the Knights of Ezerton. Resembling an android of the Star Union rather than a human, it spoke in a mechanical voice.
"No, it was more informative than I expected. I gained a lot of information I didn't know."
"A cynic, as always. Laila Chembelin."
The identity of the person in the black metal suit was Laila Chembelin, the former administrator of the T&C Special Trade Center.
"It seems quite comfortable inside the suit if you have time to acquire information."
"Yes, indeed. Sleeping, eating, doing nothing… It's amazing not to have to do anything."
A stark contrast to her nonchalant tone was her mechanical voice. Currently, she was so severely infected with a lethal virus that she couldn't speak without the help of the machine itself.
Infecting her with such a deadly virus that even genetic manipulation couldn't cure, she wouldn't survive for more than a few seconds without that life support suit.
And Si-hyun, who provided her with the suit, was practically holding Laila's lifeline.
"I misspoke."
Nevertheless, it was Si-hyun who bowed her head instead. Seeing her reaction, Laila found it interesting and spoke as if amused.
"You're more interesting than I thought."
"What do you mean?"
"I've seen those who received Shadow's technique become lunatics, without exception. Bloodthirsty killers, warmongers, extreme obsessive patients, and so on. Of course, you're no exception."
"Thanks for the praise."
"I'd say I've seen you… how should I put it? You're less noble capitalist than Akira Yujin. Your attitude towards the butler earlier and your attitude towards me are the same."
"It was necessary. If you want something, you take it without hesitation. Isn't that the principle of the noble capital?"
"Hmm, indeed."
Though Laila seemed skeptical, Si-hyun was sincere. Within her heart, a goal that she couldn't tell others about was rapidly growing.
It wasn't Si-hyun Yujin or Min-seok's goal, but her own.
But there was no need to discuss it here. Si-hyun changed the subject.
"There must be a reason you came to see me."
"Ah, I forgot."
Laila opened the backpack attached to her suit and took out a white mechanical device. It was a partially damaged drone that had lost some of its functionality.
"I found this while scouting outside. It was almost destroyed, mixed with the rocky clouds."
"This is a Star Union drone. Why is it here?"
Seeing the number 98 engraved on the drone's surface, Si-hyun felt a strange sensation for some reason.
She had a strong intuition that there might be very important information inside that drone.
"Are there any other drones besides this one?"
"They all seem to have been destroyed after encountering the rocky clouds."
"I'll have to check if the data information is damaged."
"Is that okay?"
"There might be important information, so it should be fine."
She unplugged a cable from her office desk and connected it to the drone. Soon, shattered holograms began to float above the desk.
"!"
"What, what is this?"
And upon examining the contents, the two could only be astonished.
-x-X-x-
The data carried by the drones consisted of information analyzed and organized by the StarUnion's ship computer, along with recording from within the ship. However, due to collisions with fine particles of rock clouds, some of the stored data was lost.
Despite being encrypted and incomplete, the intricate data didn't hinder Si-hyun and Laila. Si-hyun, who played the role of Yujin's shadow, had mastered espionage techniques, while Laila, groomed as the family's promising heir, received special training and even wore advanced suits. Both being extraordinary individuals, they could easily decipher the data's contents.
"A soldier aboard the X2-class destroyer was killed by four unidentified life forms. How could this happen?"
"This information is recorded by the StarUnion's ship computer; the possibility of it being false is low."
"Well, it's still preserved in the footage, so it must be true."
The AI capabilities of the StarUnion far surpassed that of the MegaCorp's. While there wasn't much difference in terms of ship operations like route calculations or energy output calculations, the ability to analyze information based on given data was superior on the StarUnion's side.
Si-hyun wondered if even the Yujin family's flagship was utilizing the StarUnion's AI. Laila knew this fact, but it was such an unbelievable reality that she merely mentioned it in passing.
Currently, they were both reviewing the footage recorded by the drones. Cyborgs and androids were helpless against the assault of the four monsters, perishing without any defense.
"That D-type creature, could it be a Bubble Amoeba? It looks quite similar despite the size difference."
"I'm not sure. I've never heard of a Bubble Amoeba wielding such strong psychic power."
"Perhaps it's an experimental specimen from Eden or Zhao. They were known to be interested in Bubble Amoeba research."
Hearing Laila's casual remark, Si-hyun suddenly recalled something.
"Bubble Amoeba, psychic power, experiment…."
After awakening in the cloning facility, her first recollection was of her memories just before dying. She had been planning to eliminate Akira Yujin's granddaughter, Kisaragi Yujin.
Kisaragi Yujin had shown remarkable success in psionics and Hulk mutant research. Being crucial to Akira Yujin's grip on power through the Hulk mutant project, she had to be eliminated somehow.
Si-hyun had planned to attribute Kisaragi's demise to conspiracies from other families. She succeeded in killing Kisaragi, but everything went awry from that point.
The monster aboard the ship where Kisaragi died interfered with her plans. Si-hyun realized that the monster was far superior to the pinnacle of genetic manipulation, the Shadow. Hence, she attempted to capture it alive, but it proved much more formidable than expected. In the fierce battle, she fell victim to an unexpected variable.
"The Bubble Amoeba aboard the research vessel."
Initially disregarded as insignificant, its presence became crucial at a decisive moment, utilizing psychic power just as seen in the footage.
"Kisaragi's final research focus was the latent psychic potential from Bubble Amoebas."
Having gathered information to kill her, Si-hyun also remembered what she had studied.
"What are the chances of a Bubble Amoeba capable of using psychic power being aboard the ship?"
While watching Laila, Si-hyun double-checked the information on the drone. Information on both A and B type creatures among the four was particularly lacking. They seemed to possess concealment abilities, as they weren't recorded in the footage.
Among them, Si-hyun was interested in the A-type creature. She accessed the information left by the computer regarding the A-type.
In summary, the creature had exceptional physical abilities and could produce acidic bodily fluids capable of melting ships. It also exhibited high intelligence and a preference for ambushes.
Si-hyun recalled the monster that had killed her as she read the article. It was a creature that carried Bubble Amoebas, exuding acidic blood, and possessed high intelligence. Thinking about it, there were many similarities between the A-type creature that had annihilated the soldiers of the StarUnion and that monster. It seemed to have grown significantly since she last encountered it.
"That monster! It's still alive after all!"
In the Special Trade Center of T&C, she felt its presence. At that time, she was transporting bombs and couldn't confront it directly.
After the city collapsed, she was convinced that the monster hadn't died. With its high intelligence, she believed it would find a way to escape the city and hide somewhere in space. It was a judgment with some basis in fact.
After rescuing Laila's medical ship adrift in space following the city's collapse, Si-hyun learned detailed information about the monster from her. She learned about everything that happened in the city, Laila's research on the monster, and even her ambitions to develop a new type of Hulk mutant.
Si-hyun glanced briefly at Laila.
"There's no need to talk about it right now."
The reason why Laila, a Noble Capital, followed Si-hyun's words was because of vengeance and ambition. Vengeance against the monster that had destroyed her, and the ambition to become the head of T&C using the monster's body. Thanks to these two goals, she could stay alive even though half of her body was a corpse.
"…In that aspect, perhaps we're similar."
Having momentarily entertained that thought, Si-hyun checked the date the data was recorded. It was exactly ten days ago. It had been quite some time, so it would be difficult to find the ship that launched this drone.
"For now, I'll research this information."
She didn't know when she would encounter the monster again. Until then, it was necessary to acquire enough information about it.
"If only I could obtain that weapon…!"
The ancient relic they were currently searching for. If they could get their hands on it, no matter how intelligent the monster was, they would be able to hunt it down.
A quiet flame ignited in Si-hyun's eyes.
***
"We've found the the ship 98!"
Commander-in-Chief Sanadaeff of the Nemea Fleet shouted loudly, his voice filled with tension.
Normally seen wearing casual clothes while piloting his flagship, he was now dressed in a black military uniform. A red emblem was attached to his chest—a badge with a fist in the center surrounded by 12 stars, the symbol of the StarUnion.
[Search complete! Captain confirmed alive inside!]
The reason he wore the uniform, which he didn't even wear during combat, and even attached the emblem was because of the two entities watching him.
[Inquiry. Sanadaeff. Are there any other cyborgs present?]
"Um, yes! Nine other survivors have been confirmed!"
The one who asked him was Nemea Five, the top council member of the StarUnion and Sanadaeff's immediate superior, a high-performance android.
To Sanadaeff, Nemea Five was a difficult superior, but the presence that truly made him nervous was not that android.
[Report from Nemea Five received. Sir, shall we commence the operation?]
[Commence it.]
Grandmaster Jubaka, head of the Mechanical Assembly and the supreme ruler of the StarUnion, was observing Sanadaeff from the capital, Starks-01.
Just hearing the mythical presence and the voice of supreme dignity of the StarUnion made Sanadaeff nearly faint.
[Orders confirmed! Docking operations initiated! Combat units are ready for entry!]
"Orders. Prepare yourselves. Other ships."
[Deputy of Arrow Fleet! Ship's orders confirmed! Target locked!]
[Deputy of Redtail Fleet! Ship's orders confirmed! Target locked!]
He barely suppressed a sob as he gave the command. The captains of the other ships also responded with curses and acknowledgments over the comms, likely sharing Sanadaeff's sentiment.
Currently, they are conducting a search mission targeting ship 98, which lost contact ten days ago.
Ship 98, which was supposed to repair its FTL engines upon arrival at the AD-100 galaxy, began erratic behavior after communication was cut off. It was observed even using the damaged FTL engine, reported as broken, to conduct consecutive FTL jumps to other galaxies.
Normally, it would have been a problem solved by the Nemea Fleet's Commander-in-Chief Nemea Five, but this time was different.
Due to the interest shown by Grandmaster Jubaka in ship 98, three elite fleets pursued it.
And they found ship 98 in a neutral zone in the galaxy after ten days. Amidst the bustling trade routes, the 98th ship floated alone.
Ship 98, known to be infected by bio-ships, had the same appearance as the conventional X2-class destroyer but with a different color. The space around the ship had a dark color like the void, which seemed to indicate severe contamination to anyone's eyes.
[Docking complete! Initiating boarding!]
[Command confirmed. Permission granted.]
Sanadaeff's flagship was attached besides ship 98. Due to his failure to properly manage his subordinate ships, Sanadaeff's ship was tasked with directly searching the interior of the ship.
The other fleets, except for him, aimed at the 98th ship from a distance. If anything unusual happened, their cannons would fire immediately.
[All signals detected in the control room. Bio-signals are all stable. No special deviations.]
"Search thoroughly. We don't know what might come out."
"Yes Grand… um, alright! Sir!"
The real-time footage from the androids and walkers aboard ship 98 was transmitted to each flagship and the Grandmaster. Sanadaeff also monitored his subordinates' movements through cables connected to his neck.
Inside the ship, a gas containing hazardous chemicals was densely spread like mist. As the subordinates adjusted the cameras, moving biological tissues were visible throughout the ship.
Seeing this, Jubaka murmured,
"…Nemea Five. Save everything without exception."
[Nemea Five responding. Currently saving. Don't worry, Chairman.]
The subordinates at the scene, unable to hear their conversation, quickly searched the ship. Soon, they arrived at the control room.
"T…That…?!"
Seeing the scene inside the control room filmed by the subordinates, Sanadaeff was horrified.
The control room, with its rigid and rough design, was gone. In its place were tentacles resembling blood vessels, constantly swelling and bursting pods, and disgusting biological pipes emitting toxic mist.
It was less of a control room and more of a nest. A nest of horrifying and disgusting creatures.
In that abominable dwelling, there were Captain Cain and eight cyborgs from the 98th ship they had been looking for. They were firmly tied up by hardened tentacles, hanging from the walls and ceiling.
"We found Captain Cain and eight crew members! No casualties so far!"
[Command. Confirm.]
One walker approached Cain, who was stuck to the wall. But as the walker got closer, Cain started writhing.
"W-What's… suddenly, why…?"
"What's going on?"
"T-The heart rate of the ship's captain is increasing."
Even though his face was entwined with tentacles, he somehow managed to open his mouth wide and shouted.
"Get out of here right now! This ship…cough!"
He vomited blood profusely and then bowed his head deeply. At the same time, the bio-signal of Cain, being monitored by Sanadaeff, also turned black.
"The captain of ship 98 has died!"
"Dead? Why all of a sudden…Wait. Could it be?"
Having seen Cain's death, Jubaka urgently shouted as if something had occurred to him.
"Everyone retreat! Get away from ship 98…!"
Before Jubaka could finish his sentence, a massive light burst from the engine room of ship 98.
Sanadaeff could never know that it was because of a bomb installed in the engine room.
｢Big Guy, what's wrong?｣
Number 26 asked me as I suddenly moved my head.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (It's nothing. Don't worry)]
｢Yeah.｣
[ZZZ ZZZ (Is it uncomfortable because it's narrow?)]
｢No! I'm really happy being close to Big Guy, Middle Guy, and Little Guy all together!｣
[ZZZ ZZZ (That's fortunate)]
As Number 26 said, Adhai and Mother of the Sky were tightly attached to my gigantic body.
'It really is cramped.'
It was an unavoidable choice to escape from the StarUnion's pursuit.
Three days ago, I abandoned ship 98 of the StarUnion and switched to a new one.
The reason was that after scouring through the ship's computer records after corroding the ship, I discovered that Captain Cain had launched a rescue drone.
'Because of his pointless actions, things got complicated.'
To evade the StarUnion's pursuit, I had to switch ships as soon as the "Horizon of Nightmares" cooldown ended.
Since acquiring a new ship in the vastness of space was no easy task, I had no choice but to change plans and go to a galaxy with many trading ships to find a new one.
'Thanks to that, it's taking longer than originally planned.'
I wanted to kill Cain for practically wasting a week, but I held back. Instead, I thought of a suitable punishment for Cain, considering how to give him a punishment that would spread rumors of my vengeance.
The Parasitic Bait Trap operation.
I ordered the cyborgs to manufacture bombs, and I implanted sensors in their bodies. If their hearts stopped, the bombs would detonate automatically.
After abandoning the ship, I tied up all nine cyborgs in the control room and installed bombs in the engine room.
'If the StarUnion comes looking for me…'
The parasitized cyborgs would do anything to escape. Their actions would go against my intentions, but the reinforced parasites would exact revenge on them.
'And when the cyborgs die? Boom.'
Thanks to the Enhanced Infection Type, the parasites could survive without me for about five to six days. While the parasite replacement itself posed no problem, I attached symbiotic spores just in case they starved to death.
After completing all the tasks, I could finally leave the 98th ship with peace of mind.
And today, three days later, I felt the parasites regenerating inside my body again. The fact that all nine parasites died simultaneously meant that the bombs had exploded.
My plan had succeeded.
'They found me later than I thought. If I knew, I would have gotten a better ship.'
The ship I corroded was a cargo ship purchased from a neutral galaxy where no faction had a presence.
It was a ship Mother of the Sky, disguised as a wolf, went out and bought. Funds were obtained by selling the drones and androids installed on the ship.
I didn't bother capturing a passing ship because they would think of me as a bio-ship and never imagine that I would buy and move around in a ship.
Even if a player intervened in my pursuit, it wouldn't matter. In fact, as a player, they would have a harder time finding me.
'They'll know me as Amorph.'
Amorph is a species with which conversation and negotiations are impossible. They wouldn't even dream of me having three friends.
'Things went according to plan, but I'm a bit disappointed with the ship.'
At that time, I hastily acquired a ship because I didn't know when the pursuit team would arrive. As a result, the ship we boarded was barely over 60m in size.
'My body is well over 25m, so 60m is…'
Moreover, since we needed food while moving, I packed combat rations for cyborgs and energy drinks purchased from the neutral galaxy tightly.
As a result, there was hardly any space left, so we had to stick together tightly like this.
'I'm glad Number 26 can shrink its body.'
The little one, who had shrunk to about 50cm in size, was dozing off on top of my head.
｢Big one｣ ｢Me｣ ｢Hungry｣
[ZZZ ZZZ (Just wait a moment)]
Adhai, the Gallagon navigator of this ship, was lying on her stomach on top of my tail. I generated a suction tentacle and handed her the energy drinks.
｢Thank you.｣
With a brief thanks, she inserted the tentacle into the energy drink and sucked it up eagerly. Unlike the Calorie Banana flavored cyborg combat rations, the apple cider-flavored energy drink was quite palatable.
'I should have gotten a bigger ship.'
Lastly, Mother of the Sky. She returned in her Wolf form and was tightly attached to my side. She kept tossing and turning, making the claws and thorns on my carapace uncomfortable.
'I need to help her out a bit.'
I slightly adjusted the ship's structure to create space so that she could lie comfortably.
[ZZZ ZZZZ (How is it?)]
｢I appreciate it, but aren't you uncomfortable like this?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (I don't feel uncomfortable because I've merged with the ship)]
｢I envy that a bit.｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (It might be uncomfortable, but bear with it for a month and a half)]
She sighed softly at my words. With that, our conversation ended.
As I prepared to focus on superluminal navigation again, she spoke softly.
｢Thanks for caring.｣
[ZZ ZZZ (Mention not)]
Expressing her gratitude, she seemed to feel proud and soon closed her eyes. After a while, I heard her gentle breathing.
Leaving Mother of the Sky asleep, I continued with the superluminal navigation.
-x-X-x-
Capital of the StarUnion, Starks-01.
In a place characterized by densely packed factories, vast smog, and incessant acidic rain, there exists a peculiar structure. White and black spires intertwined with numerous pipes, batteries, and machines of all sizes adorned the exterior, forming an imposing pyramid of spikes when gathered together. This eerie and awe-inspiring structure is known as Prime Head, where the highest echelons of the StarUnion's power apparatus, the Machine Assembly, reside.
At the summit of the tallest spire, Prime Head, lies the office of the Grandmaster, the progenitor overseer of all cyborgs. Though typically a space of solemnity and austerity, today was different. Within the tightly sealed office, multiple voices could be heard speaking in succession.
"You've suffered considerable losses, but ultimately failed."
"That's correct."
A Caucasian man with one eye replaced by machinery conversed in front of four diamond obelisks. Adorned with a meticulously groomed moustache alongside a robust muscular physique, he was none other than the Patriarch of the StarUnion, Jubaka.
"So far, the known enhancements involve bodily modifications. And…"
"It seems the ability to integrate with ships is also present."
"It's fortunate we could confirm that this time. Jubaka, you've done a great job."
"…Akira. How did you come across this information?"
Jubaka had to suffer significant losses, all due to the ranked 5 Amorph and his friends. The Nemea Fleet was almost decimated, and the Arrow and Redtail Fleets that supported him suffered considerable damage too.
And that's not all.
Due to his meddling,StarUnion's relations with the Cult deteriorated significantly. It was only natural, considering his reckless invasion of Cult territory and the destruction of Imperial battleships. This incident often brought up talks of war between the StarUnion and the Cult.
To avoid a fruitless war, Jubaka had to send envoys to the Cult Council to apologize. Noble Capital Megacorp and Cloé Garmelda exerted pressure on the Cult Reformists to support Jubaka.
Thanks to them, an all-out war between the Cult and the StarUnion was averted.
However, this incident greatly tarnished the StarUnion's utmost dignity. Due to just one Amorph, Jubaka, who had been thoroughly humiliated, couldn't contain his irritation.
In response to his enraged words, Akira replied nonchalantly, "Did you really think it would be that easy to capture him? You still don't know him well. Be thankful the entire fleet wasn't annihilated."
"…Tch."
"Akira, could the enhancement of bodily modifications possibly be obtained from Muriel?"
"Well, I'm not sure. We should be cautious about that aspect. It's likely he possesses between two to three enhancements."
"What's the point of investigating his enhancements now when all traces of him have vanished?"
"Wasn't his biometric sample recorded in Starlink? We could track him based on that."
"It seems the data's been tampered with. Scanners can't confirm anything anymore. It was fine until we chased after ship 98."
Upon hearing rumors of suspicious organisms discovered by the StarUnion supply line, Jubaka immediately took action.
Syncing the Amorph sample registered in Starlink, the proprietary information processing system of the StarUnion, with a bioscanner, and additionally, with the Warp Finder, a superluminal navigation tracking system.
Thanks to utilizing all available means at the Patriarch's disposal, tracking the Amorph wasn't difficult. In fact, until the discovery of ship 98, the main concern was distance and time, as locating the entity itself was rather straightforward.
The issue lay in the trap it posed.
"It's likely due to the impure mixture related to the Nest's characteristics. It possesses the ability to randomly alter the Nest's composition, making tracking impossible."
"Damn it! You should've mentioned that earlier!"
"Heh heh heh, don't be angry. Didn't we learn something new because of it? We discovered that it's possible to create an environment identical to the Nest within a bioship."
"Then it's reasonable to assume it can utilize other abilities."
When Jubaka discovered the entity, he relayed the information to the other members. At that time, Akira merely laughed and said nothing.
But now, judging from his tone, it seemed he had anticipated this outcome. He likely used Jubaka as bait to verify his conjecture.
"It's not a situation to remain calm about, Akira. We've lost track of it. It means the next encounter with it could be even more perilous."
Indeed, the entity that departed from the 98th fleet seemed to vanish completely, like a ghost. Despite meticulously scouring neutral territories, no trace related to the entity remained.
"Is it difficult to locate it with the Warp Finder?"
"The last known location of ship 98 was within neutral territories. With ships zipping in and out at the speed of light, finding it there is impossible."
"Of course, it would be difficult if it doesn't know the model of the ship it boarded."
Based on the currently available information, the Amorph contaminated the ship and seems to possess dominating abilities. It might be able to modify ships, but it was still traceable with the Warp Finder, except for changes in the ship's type as Akira mentioned.
"We tried to find any attacked ships, but there was no information related to the entity."
"Could it be that the ranked 5 made a deal and purchased a ship? Whether it's for the essence collection or bringing along comrades…"
"Nonsense! To call such a personality a comrade? Hah, absurd."
"Hehehehe, it's been a while since Shinshia cracked an amusing joke."
All present had fought the rank 5 Amorph at least once. They were well acquainted with his dread, but there were discrepancies in the information they possessed. For instance, while Shinshia had only fought the ranked 5 twice, Jubaka had faced him about eight times. And Akira, with a higher rank than both, had faced him many more times.
As a result, Shinshia had relatively limited knowledge about Fifth.
"Heh, if it's him, he might use comrades as bait or dominate them like parasites."
"If the Amorph is with him, that's entirely plausible."
"In that case, he could control cyborgs as parasites to purchase a ship."
"Of course, we've considered and are investigating that as well. The problem is it takes a lot of time."
Currently, high-performance androids are thoroughly investigating all trade records within neutral territories. It might take a month to find out, but in the meantime, Fifth might switch ships again.
At that moment, Akira spoke up.
"Hmm, perhaps there's no need to chase after it relentlessly, is there?"
"What do you mean?"
"If we know where it'll go, can't we prepare in advance?"
"Because you don't know, that's why you're talking nonsense, Akira."
"Heh, no need to be so impatient. Listen. Just like in a game, he dislikes wasting time. If he's become a Larva, he'll want to evolve into an Adult as quickly as possible."
"…I see."
"The fastest way for him to fulfill his evolution conditions is to capture what's called an Apex, a special organism. Then he'll aim for places where many Apexes reside."
"Are you referring to the Gallagon's Nest?"
Akira didn't respond to Shinshia's question. Instead, a space map appeared from his obelisk, showing various projected routes from where the entity had moved.
"These are speculative routes and calculations based on the direction and path the entity took. It indicates that it continued in a certain direction until it abruptly changed course when it entered neutral territories."
"And what does that mean?"
"If it wasn't being pursued, it would have continued in this direction."
"Damn it! Get to the point. What are you trying to say?"
"If it continues in this direction, it'll lead to the Gallagon's Nest."
"What?"
A red marker appeared near the outer edges of the space map.
"It's where the Yujin family stores Gallagon genes and where my 'old subordinate' resides."
"But how does he know to go there when it's not even marked on the map?"
"I don't know either. But if it's him, he'll definitely target this planet."
Jubaka eyed the red marker. Since it wasn't a recorded planet, no information appeared at that location.
"If he's heading here…"
"Contact the old subordinate. A Larva like Amorph stands no chance against them."
"And who exactly are you so sure of?"
"Hehe, would it help if I said an aged Black Gallagon?"
"!"
Upon hearing that, Jubaka was taken aback.
Black Gallagon is the second-highest stage in the Gallagon growth hierarchy. Beyond that are the Red Gallagons, but they're so rare that they're hardly ever seen.
In other words, Black Gallagon is arguably the most formidable among wild Gallagons.
"If it's a Black Gallagon, then Amorph, no matter how powerful it has gotten, won't stand a chance against it. Not only is the Black Gallagon powerful itself, but it also has its entire Nest to contend with."
"Akira, may I inform Jason of the coordinates of that location? He expressed a strong desire to rectify this situation."
"Hehehe, then the certainty of his death will be even more assured. Go ahead."
And now, even Cult player Jason was involved.
Jason's ranking is 10th. Though lower in rank than Akira or Jubaka, he's a skilled player in his own right.
With the Black Gallagon and a 10th-ranked player involved, the fate of the Amorph and his party was practically sealed.
With a few more adjustments, the meeting concluded. Confirming that the obelisks were deactivated, Jubaka picked up the activated communication device.
"You've heard everything up to now, right?"
"…That damn inspiration. Always using others."
After learning about Akira's spy, Cloé made various excuses to avoid participating in the obelisk meeting. Instead, she relied on Jubaka's assistance to eavesdrop on the meeting.
"Cloé, I have a favor to ask."
"Hmm?"
"I'm thinking of sending Pirah 11's Screamer Unit."
"What?"
"We'll justify it as a clinical experiment to assess operational capabilities."
"Just a moment! Jubaka, they're still prototypes. They're in an incomplete state, so who knows what errors might occur."
"Anyway, don't you need Amorph genes to complete your 'plan'? It's not a bad condition, is it?"
"It would certainly be helpful, but…"
"Moreover, if that planet is where Gallagon genes are collected, it's even better. If the Gallagons 'accidentally die while fighting Amorph,' it could also deal a blow to Akira."
"Hmm, that does sound appealing?"
"Send the newly updated Hulk Mutants. Convert them into Screamers and send them immediately."
Jubaka had never let anyone who had attacked him go unpunished. Whether in the real world or in this dystopian world, he had no intention of forgiving Akira or his associates who had properly crossed him.
"Repay them all."
Jubaka's mechanical eyes flickered menacingly as he spoke to Cloé.
***
[ZZZ (There?)]
｢Blue｣ ｢Star｣ ｢Ring｣ ｢Confirmed｣ ｢Nest｣ ｢Affirmative.｣
Understanding Adhai's telepathic communication from outside the spacecraft, I was on the verge of cheering.
'It's been a long time.'
Thanks to traveling non-stop for a month and ten days on a cramped ship, we finally arrived at the planet where the Gallagon's Nest was located.
Before us lay a sky-blue planet reminiscent of the ocean. The planet had rings like Saturn, formed by rocky debris orbiting the planet due to its gravity.
Seeing the beautiful sky-blue planet and the pale rings orbiting it felt like admiring a well-decorated aqua marine ornament.
'I'd like to explore more, but…'
Both my companions and I were starving. We ran out of provisions two days ago. Since we hadn't seen any other ships or creatures for a long time, finding new food was impossible. In that situation, we had no choice but to continue onward.
'If Adhai had made even a small mistake in the coordinates, we could have been in big trouble.'
If he had miscalculated the coordinates, we might have wandered and starved to death in this remote place.
'Damn Amorph.'
I almost experienced a death that I had never encountered even in the game.
'Let's go down and replenish our supplies first.'
I prepared to enter the nameless blue planet. After bringing Adhai inside from outside, I increased the speed of our movement.
As the distance to the planet decreased, the appearance of the rings became clearer. From ordinary rocks and ice fragments to unidentified metal chunks and fragments of spacecraft from unknown origins, numerous objects were flying together in the same direction.
If it were a creature with intact skin, it would have been torn to shreds upon entering those rings, but I am not an ordinary creature. I effortlessly caught the fragments pouring over the outer wall, a mix of metallic and biological tissues. Passing through the rings without much difficulty, I quickly approached the planet's atmosphere.
Unlike Earth and the Moon, which have various colors such as blue seas, brown land, and white clouds, this planet was uniformly colored.
Sky-blue and white. That was all this planet had.
'An ice planet.'
Even in the game, regions where Gallagons inhabit are extreme, much like the planet before me. Constant volcanic activity creating a hellish landscape, or subzero temperatures plunging into an icy hell. Extreme environmental conditions were one of the factors that made it difficult to deal with Gallagons.
'It doesn't concern me, but I'm not sure about the others.'
According to Adhai, except for the Gallagon's Nest, the temperatures in the other areas of the planet were very low. Normally, she said she should have frozen to death not long after being abandoned by her kind.
Except for Number 26, which inhabited the deep sea, the journey ahead would be quite difficult for the others.
As I pondered these thoughts, my body was swiftly passing through the atmosphere. After pushing through the dense clouds, what came into my view was an endless expanse of ice.
-x-X-x-
｢Hey, isn't it too cold?｣
｢Cold｣ ｢Cold｣ ｢Cold.｣
As expected, Adhai and the Mother of the Sky began to shiver fiercely in the biting cold.And if that was not enough, currently, everyone was in a state of hunger as well.
'It will be difficult to maintain the temperature with this spaceship.'
After the corrosion tentacles were released, the spaceship was completely destroyed. Not only the engines but also the metal walls that made up the hull were completely corroded. If a storm were to hit in this state, the ship would be shattered into pieces.
'We need to hurry and find food and shelter.'
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Please help everyone)]
｢Just trust me!｣
I asked the most intact number 26 among them to take care of the others and stepped out of the spaceship.
The land covered in snow welcomed me. As I moved my combat arms, the thick layer of snow was swept away, revealing the ice underneath.
Smooth and shiny ice without a single crack. On its surface, the pristine state of me, without utilizing the characteristic of 'organic evolution', was reflected.
With six sturdy horns and a slender head reminiscent of a crocodile or a large cephalopod, beneath it, countless tentacles of monsters fluttered like fins.
Under the swaying tentacles in the wind, there were sturdy carapaces mixed with synthetic scales, wrapping around the body and six combat arms, two small arms near the chest.
Finally, beneath the ice, not reflected in it, a large, long tail that replaced my lower body was partially buried in the snow. Only the pincers at the end of the tail and the spikes attached inside them were poking out above the snow.
I sprinted across the snow-covered plain with a huge body ranging between 27m and 28m. The traces I left behind disappeared instantly thanks to the snow and hail constantly falling. If I didn't have auxiliary devices, I would have been lost in no time.
'The mountain range in the distance, should I go there? No, it's too far. Instead…'
I stopped running and looked down at my feet.
Among the creatures inhabiting the ice planet, there is a species that lives beneath the ice. Even under ice so thick that its thickness cannot be determined, life exists.
'There is a void under this ice.'
Confirming this fact through my auxiliary organs, I raised the pincers at the end of my tail upwards. I focused on the sensation of exerting strength on the muscles of my whole body.
Then, the scales and carapaces covering my body began to glow red. It was the effect of the 'heat emission' characteristic obtained from the previous Star Union supply line.
'Originally, it was a cold-blooded temperature regulation characteristic.'
Unlike the original characteristic that simply warms the body, when acquired by an Amorph, it can convert internal energy into heat to emit strong heat like now.
The thickness of this ice is over tens of meters, and it is incredibly hard. With my physical abilities, I could easily dig through it with my bare hands, but it would take a lot of time.
'Although the situation is energy deficient…'
Since I need to find shelter and food as soon as possible, investing energy now is the best option.
As the ice I stood on melted, steam rose. The thickest pincers and head carapace of the carapace on my body shone brightly like heated iron.
'I think this is enough.'
I struck the ice with the hot pincers of the golden tail. As the hot pincers collided with the ground, immense heat and steam spewed out.
With a grinding sound, the thick ice melted rapidly. Somehow, it sounded like when you put pork belly on a hot grill.
'Sigh. Seems like I'm really hungry.'
Having regained my appetite, I pulled out my tail from the ice hole. Inside the deep hole, there was only darkness.
Using the blunt claws scattered throughout my combat arms and body, I dug into the hole. Thanks to the heat emitted from my body and the melting ice, it wasn't difficult to enlarge the hole.
After digging several hundred meters further down, the space suddenly widened.
I finally arrived at the underground space under the ice. I hung on to the ice ceiling and looked down below.
Although nothing was visible due to the lack of light, thanks to the auxiliary devices, I could clearly feel the structure of this place. The temperature in the underground space was higher than above, and there was soil and ice on the common floor.
'There are living organisms here too.'
From the darkness beyond, the sounds of wriggling life could be heard. I utilized the suction cups attached to the fingertips to cling upside down to the ceiling and moved.
Not far from my position, there is a gathering of creatures. They are alert, emitting unique ultrasound waves to survey their surroundings.
'Cave Goyle.'
Cave Goyle are creatures that live in underground colonies or very deep caves. They look like a combination of bats and primates, enlarged to about 3 meters in size.
Their vision has completely degraded, so they use special ultrasonic waves like bats to identify objects. They probably realized by now that I am in this colony.
'They're extremely vigilant.'
With a massive monster looming around 30 meters, crawling on the ice ceiling, it's understandable they would be terrified. If I approach a little closer, they'll probably all flee.
'But…'
Right now, I have a way to deal with them.
Five faces dormant on my back..
I mainly use these faces to acquire and deceive enemy information, but the effect of this characteristic is also useful in combat. I can paralyze enemies by emitting powerful ultrasound waves.
'The more developed their hearing, the more lethal the damage.'
If they were without ears, it wouldn't affect them at all, but in this pitch-black space, creatures having bo ears are probably non-existent, henceI woke up all the Faces.
The five faces bound by my will all opened their eyes simultaneously. Black veins protruded on their pale, horrified faces.
Eventually, when they opened their mouths wide, a second mouth in the shape of a vortex protruded outward. From that mouth, equipped with tooth-like protrusions, powerful ultrasound waves were emitted.
Since the space was enclosed, the ultrasound attack was more effective than usual. My scales, emitting ultrasound, trembled, indicating its tremendous effect.
As I expected, chaos erupted among the Cave Goyles below.
"Cakek! Caeaeak!"
"Cakeung!"
"Caeaeak!"
The organs for detecting ultrasound must have all burst, as a strong smell of blood permeated the air.
In human terms, it's equivalent to losing both sight and hearing simultaneously. The Cave Goyle group fell into panic and started attacking each other.
Confirming that the enemies were in disarray, I leaped towards the ground. My body, nearly 30 meters long, soared through the air and fell onto them.
"Kwang?!"
"Kik!"
Six Cave Goyles lying on my body died instantly. The Cave Goyles that hadn't fallen on me rushed at me. Although I couldn't hear, it must have been due to the impact of my landing on the ground.
One Cave Goyle on my back swung its hands down, aiming for my carapace.
Cave Goyles are strong enough to tear apart intermediate reinforcement suits with their bare hands.
'So they're often used as Hulk mutant materials.'
For other creatures, it would be an attack that would instantly shatter their entire body. However, my carapace remained unscathed with only a few scratches.
"Cae, Caeaeak?"
They probably anticipated blood and flesh, but the sensation felt strange at their fingertips, so the Goyle tilted its head.
I bent my lower body and tail upwards. The pincer at the end of the tail grabbed the Goyle.
"Keung!"
When I applied force like that, the Goyle's body went limp. Its hot blood and entrails spilled onto my back.
After that, it was a breeze. Within a few minutes, ten Cave Goyles all met their demise.
Although the smell of blood spread throughout the underground space, there were no creatures revealing themselves.
Judging this place to be safe, I finally relaxed.
The scent of hot blood and fresh meat tickled my auxiliary devices in the chilly air. Feeling the delicious smell of meat in my hungry state, even I involuntarily salivated.
'Should I just eat one before leaving?'
Since no one is chasing me, it shouldn't matter if I eat and leave.
Many thoughts raced through my mind, but I deliberately turned away. I retraced my steps along the icy path.
As I traversed the long stretch of ice and ascended upwards, there was no difference from before. The incessant snowfall, hail, not figurative, but literally sharp winds that could cut through flesh.
In this world where everything remained the same, I relied on my auxiliary devices to find the direction of the spaceship.
Amidst the wind as sharp as blades, there was a hint of metal smell. I followed the scent emanating from the spaceship.
Before long, I spotted a bluntly protruding pile of snow. Even though not much time had passed, the snow had already piled up to the extent that the spaceship was almost invisible.
Approaching closer, I heard the transmission of Number 26 from inside the spaceship.
｢Big guy?｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (I have found food and shelter.)]
｢Wow! So fast! Amazing!｣
[ZZZ ZZ (Follow me)]
Shortly after, I heard the sound of metal crumpling from within the pile of snow, then the snow heap exploded as if blown apart. Revealed on the white snow was Number 26, enlarged to a size of 10 meters.
｢Ugh, please tell me we're not far.｣
｢Cold｣ ｢Hungry｣ ｢Cold!｣ ｢Hungry!｣
Upon closer inspection, I saw that both the Mother of the Sky and Adhai were tightly hugging Number 26, buried deep in the soft, slimy body, shivering except for their heads.
From my experience, 26's body temperature was always constant regardless of the surrounding temperature. So, placing it on my head or shoulder always gave a pleasantly cool sensation.
'Would it feel warmer in such a cold place like this?'
Seeing them shivering here, I wondered if it would feel warm instead. If we lingered here any longer, both of them might suffer. I guided them into the hole dug underground.
As Number 26 and I braved the snowstorm, suddenly, Adhai sent out a warning telepathic wave.
｢Adult!｣ ｢Young adult!｣ ｢Danger!｣
[ZZZ (Adhai?)]
｢I｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Detection｣ ｢Sky｣ ｢Flight｣ ｢Tracking｣
｢Huh? I sense something similar to the little one over there. Fascinating.｣
Trembling while emitting sense waves, Adhai. Then Number 26 also spoke similar words to Adhai's.
Kin?
I looked up and glanced at the sky. Beyond the incessant snow and hail, all I could see was thick gray clouds.
I urgently called out to the Mother of the Sky.
The Mother of the Sky also seemed to sense that something was amiss as she turned her head upward. Her pumpkin-colored pupils slowly moved and then rapidly expanded upon reaching the vicinity of the mountains.
｢It's a White Gallagon! It's flying in this direction!｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (Hurry up. Everyone, get on top of me!)]
Seeing the trembling Adhai, it didn't seem like they were coming here with good intentions. I placed Number 26, who was holding the children, on top of me.
Confirming that Number 26 had firmly grasped onto my body with its tentacles, I dashed at full speed.
[ZZZ ZZZZ (Hold on tight)]
｢Wow!｣
With all six of my combat arms and blunt claws scattered throughout my body, my body shot forward like a projectile from a cannon.
While running, I asked the Mother of the Sky.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Where could it have come to by now?)]
｢If it's at this speed, within 5 minutes? No, within 3 minutes, it'll pass over us.｣
Even while soaring high, the White Gallagon can still see us. Though it's still far away, it might not be long before it discovers our location while flying around this area.
'Traces will quickly disappear due to the snow, but…'
It's not the same for the hole. Since the entrance is so large, it will take a while for the snow to cover it up.
'I have to block it.'
Arriving at the hole leading underground in an instant, I first pushed 26 inside.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (When you go down below, start filling up the stomach first.)]
｢Isn't the big one coming down?｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (A series of affirmative responses indicating having tasks to do. I'll come down soon.)]
After reassuring Number 26, I covered the entrance of the hole with my body. Then, I extended my corroding tentacles to gather the piled-up snow around and scattered it over my body.
Only after the snow piled up on my body did I retract the corroding tentacles.
After finishing everything, I held my breath, and then I heard an alien sound of wind from above.
It was very faint and subtle, but it was clearly the sound of wings flapping.
The sound came and went slowly.
"He's here."
The great beast known as the Dragon of the Universe was circling around me.
-x-X-x-
Originally, Gallagon didn't flap its wings frequently. It only flapped its wings when flying from the ground like a bird or a dragon, and once it reached a certain altitude, it glided.
When it grows beyond the stage of a Green Gallagon, it becomes capable of flight using psychic power, lifting its body.
In the case of Adhai, its wings are well developed compared to its body, so it often uses its wings, but that doesn't mean it can't fly using psychic power. It can also fly at incredibly high speeds or even travel through space with its super-acceleration ability.
So, what does the sound of flapping wings overhead mean?
'Are you looking for me?'
The creature was currently flying low, circling the area.
As if searching for something.
'Do I need to fight?'
The only enemy within my cognitive range is the White Gallagon. With my transcendent abilities gained through the Junseed system, I could easily defeat a White Gallagon. Yet, I didn't move hastily.
'…Not yet.'
This is Gallagon's territory. A planet where numerous Gallagons form groups and live. Killing just one White Gallagon here wouldn't end everything.
Gallagons are highly aggressive creatures. While Adhai is unique, Gallagons in their original state, like dragons in mythology, are greedy and combative.
The fight doesn't end until either the entire group is wiped out or the leader of the group is defeated.
If I were to fight that White Gallagon, most likely other kin would come to its aid. If by chance a Black Gallagon were among the reinforcements, it would be nearly impossible for me to win.
'What if I could kill the White Gallagon in one strike?'
Gallagons have keen eyesight, but they're more sensitive to psychic power than anyone else. If I were to gather energy to use divine lashes or psychic breath, it would notice immediately.
Apart from these two characteristics, I have no means to deal with it in one blow.
So, after thorough preparation, I have to fight them.
I waited without moving, holding my breath.
The sound of flapping wings circling around me grew louder. Eventually, a faint vibration echoed from a nearby snowfield.
The average length of a White Gallagon is 20 meters. With its massive wings, it would appear much larger than me from a distance.
The landing of such a huge beast made an unbelievably small sound. Thanks to the psychic power flowing through its body, its weight felt light.
The creature that landed began to move.
'What's it doing?'
Since my body was hidden beneath the snow, I couldn't see it, but thanks to auxiliary devices, I could discern its movements.
It lowered its head and felt around with tentacles that extended like whiskers.
'Oh no.'
If it comes a bit closer, it'll notice I'm hiding under the snow. It would be much better to strike from here first.
'No, I need to assess the situation more carefully.'
Engaging in a fight with that White Gallagon would inevitably lead to a direct confrontation with other Gallagons. They would begin searching as soon as they realize their comrade is missing. With their excellent cognitive abilities and memory, they would quickly find me.
As I pondered, the creature was gradually drawing closer. The distance between it and me was barely 10 meters. My body was deeply buried in the snow, so the creature wouldn't know unless it stepped on me, but it would surely notice then.
'Darn it!'
There's no more time for hesitation. I'll ambush and kill it before it gets to me, then leave this place. If I move through the underground passage, I might buy some time.
With that decision made, I waited for the creature to come just one step closer. Just as its foot was about to touch the snow, it stopped dead in its tracks.
'Why's it acting like that?'
The creature remained motionless in the same posture, not making a move. I kept my focus on its movements, staying tense.
'Huh?'
Its tentacles swayed in a steady rhythm. Initially, I thought it was because of the wind, but it seemed otherwise.
'It looks like it's conversing, similar to Adhai.'
It seemed like the creature stopped its search upon hearing something from another Gallagon. I wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation using the monster's tentacles, but it was impossible.
'They must have a communication channel of their own.'
After a brief pause, the creature spread its wings wide and flew off into the sky. Even though it left, I stayed still for a while longer.
Gallagons are intelligent creatures. It might have been pretending to leave while preparing for an ambush.
After waiting for about 30 minutes, I finally felt confident that the area was safe.
'Phew.'
I got up and brushed the snow off, then scratched the ice next to the hole with my nails. It just needed to be big enough to cover the hole, thickness didn't matter. After cutting the ice into the right size, I placed it over the hole when going down.
'This should keep me safe.'
Flying creatures wouldn't bother digging through every patch of snow. After finishing up, I crawled down the ice tunnel.
As I descended underground, I felt the movements of three beings. The largest one, Number 26, greeted me and emitted waves.
｢Big guy, why did it take you so long?｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (I had a lot to do)]
｢I saved some food. Eat quickly since you'll be hungry.｣
[ZZZ (Thank you)]
The creature picked up some cave-goyle meat with its tentacles and offered it to me. Out of the ten pieces remaining, four were left. It was probably considerate of me, knowing that I would expend a lot of energy due to my movements.
I gratefully accepted the meat and took a bite. Despite being cold, the cave-goyle's meat was surprisingly tasty.
'It's a bit tougher in texture, like cold soy sauce chicken.'
The texture was similar to pork rinds, but the taste was like soy sauce chicken. It was a strange combination, but not unpleasant, so I enjoyed it.
As I chewed on the lower half of the cave-goyle, the voice of the Mother of the Sky called out to me.
｢What about the White Gallagon?｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (It left because another one called it)]
｢Thank goodness. I'm not ready yet, so it would've been tough to fight now.｣
The Mother of the Sky murmured earnestly. Having fought Gallagons herself, she knew well how to strategize against them.
｢You can ask Adhai about the characteristics and culture of the group. The problem lies with the leader.｣
[ZZZ (Got it)]
She spoke with sharp eyes.
Her appearance was the same as usual, as long as she wasn't sticking only her head out while cuddling with Number 26.
This underground space has a relatively high temperature, but it's still a harsh environment. Except for creatures that have undergone special evolution, it's not easy to adapt here.
'Adhai mentioned that their nest is located in some ice valley where geothermal heat rises. From his words alone, it seemed to be one of the few habitable places on this harsh planet.'
'So, intentionally landing away from the nest caused this problem.'
Before I could tackle the Gallagons, I had to figure out how to deal with the cold.
'The nest's location is over here, and the distance is considerable… '
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Looks like it's cold)]
｢Huh? Oh, yeah, kinda.｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Speaking only with your head sticking out like a chick)]
｢A chick?!｣
Whether my expression was offensive or not, the Mother of the Sky's feathers stood on end.
She squinted her pumpkin-colored eyes at me, but cuddling with the pink balloon as if it were a doll didn't pose any threat at all.
｢Big guy, what's a chick?｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (It means a baby bird)]
｢I don't know what a bird is, but I know what a baby is! Tiny creatures are babies!｣
[ZZZ ZZ (That's right)]
｢So, because the middle one is a baby, it's called that. Am I right?｣
[ZZZZ (Smart)]
After overhearing the conversation between me and Number 26, she shivered but soon sighed.
｢Phew, I thought it would be fine because of my griffin form, but I didn't expect it to be this cold.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (It's difficult for me to fight the Gallagon group alone. I need your help)]
｢…Yeah.｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (You're probably the one who knows there's a way)]
The Mother of the Sky nodded at my words.
All the players who visited this world received something that didn't exist in the game called a bonus. Just as Muriel could transform into other races as a cyborg, the Mother of the Sky also possessed a bonus that transcended the limits of her race.
'Could it be that she can transform into other mythical creatures?'
Originally, Wolfs are fixed as one type of animal capable of transformation after ascending to godhood. Their basic gameplay involves learning characteristics in that state and accumulating divine power.
However, the Mother of the Sky can surpass this limit due to the bonus she received. If certain conditions are met, she has the ability to transform into different animals.
'It seems similar to unlocking new abilities with each condition fulfilled.'
Like me, who gains unique characteristics by using traits as ingredients, she can transform into a new animal each time she hunts and consumes the target demanded in the text box.
Moreover, even without transforming, she can apply some of the abilities and passive effects of the respective animal to the griffin's body.
Currently, she can transform into another mythical creature besides the griffin. Her formidable close combat ability comes from the power received from that animal.
'Before meeting me, she used it when fighting Muriel.'
I already heard from her what animal she transforms into. It's a powerful transformation mode, but its long cooldown compared to its short duration is a major drawback.
'If it's that mythical beast, it makes sense.'
Anyway, it seems like I need to unlock a new animal for her at this opportunity. It's to be able to transform into an animal immune to the cold, considering the adverse condition.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (What animal can gain immunity to the cold?)]
｢As a reward for unlocking it, you can obtain the Frostbite attack and cold immunity traits.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Good. Let's unlock it here. I'll help you)]
｢Are you sure about this?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Right now, what I need is a companion)]
Even if the reason for contracting with the Mother of the Sky is for the reward for ascending, it's useless if she doesn't reach maturity. And if I really intend to use her as a sacrifice, her level of godhood needs to be higher now. To achieve that, her survival rate must be increased.
In short, her getting stronger is beneficial for me.
｢You've changed a lot too.｣
[zzzzzz (Have I?)]
She didn't say anything more, but judging by her eyes, it didn't seem like she meant it with negative intentions.
'Before tackling the Gallagons, there seem to be two goals.'
First, it's urgent to gather the traits and information necessary for dragon hunting. I need to examine if there's terrain suitable for luring enemies and launching ambushes, and understand the ecosystem here. Since this planet is not from the game, I lack a lot of information. Although I heard from Adhai before coming, I still need to see and confirm it myself.
'The second is to unlock the Mother of the Sky's transformation ability.'
I haven't played as a Volf before, but I've fought many. I know what ingredients are needed for the Wendigo transformation.
I'm not sure if it will be the same as the game, but judging by my precedent, I think the conditions for transforming into a Wendigo will be almost the same as in the game.
'Let's leave the planning at this point…'
I glanced around the dim surroundings once.
Before going outside, I need to remodel this underground space.
To become Amorph's nest.
-x-X-x-