I narrowly escaped fatal injury, just standing properly is a challenge for me. It's impossible for me to defeat the White Gallagon. Just like there's a significant difference between the Blue Gallagon and the Green Gallagon, the White Gallagon above them is a far superior being.
The claw sword of the Temple Guardians, and the claw characteristic used by Si-hyun Yujin, all stem from elements originating from the White Gallagon. But that's not all. A new ability in the game, the 'Tentacles of the Monster.' This ability to shoot Psychic Breath using tentacles is a unique trait of the White Gallagon. And unlike me, that creature can unleash that Psychic Breath limitlessly. Even though I might be stronger in my semi-bioformed state, that creature can shoot without constraints.
'If we fight, we'll lose.'
I turned towards Adhai.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (We need to flee)]
Adhai's wings were broken, so her flight speed was significantly reduced. I grabbed her tightly and dashed madly.
｢Adult｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Appearance｣ ｢I｣ ｢Tracking｣
[ZZZ (What?)]
As the voice ended, two Green Gallagons appeared in front of me. Unlike the small Adhai, these creatures, boasting a size close to 10 meters, blocked my path.
As I tried to move sideways, I felt a tremendous amount of energy concentrating behind me. Subsequently, a purple heatwave burned past right in front of me.
｢Ham Ort｣ Speaks｣ ｢Stop｣
When I looked back, the White Gallagon was leisurely following me. The tentacles, once deeply purple, gradually turned into a faint shade of red.
The White Gallagon precisely burned only the soil in front of my feet with Psychic Breath. It was a warning.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What do you want?)]
Adhai is peculiar, but Gallagons, in general, are extremely ferocious creatures. They hardly forgive intruders in their territory. Gallagon nests aren't classified as one of the most challenging hunting grounds for no reason.
In fact, the Green Gallagons were tensing their muscles, ready to attack at any moment.
The only reason they were staying calm was solely because of that oddly calm White Gallagon.
｢I want something.｣
I quickly observed the White Gallagon. Judging from the relatively short horns and the thick tail, it's a female.
Gallagons are sexually dimorphic creatures. Although males are slightly stronger than females, it doesn't matter in this situation.
Her body length is more than twice that of a typical White Gallagon. Although the wings are currently folded, they would be impressive when spread out.
Up to this point, it had all the typical features of a White Gallagon, but there were two differences.
I didn't notice at first, but upon closer inspection, there were black-scaled patches all over her body. Perhaps traces of dried blood from other creatures.
'Compared to other Gallagons, it's excessively thin.'
Both the Green Gallagon watching us and the White Gallagon in front of me were very skinny. Their ribs were visible.
Of course, just because they're starving doesn't mean I can defeat them. I'm significantly weakened.
'Let's start with a conversation.'
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What do you want?)]
As the tentacles of the monster trembled, creating waves, the White Gallagon chuckled.
｢It's fascinating｣ ｢kin｣ ｢Speech｣ ｢Possible?｣
[ZZZ (Yes)]
｢Bizarre kin｣ ｢I｣ ｢Introduce｣ ｢I｣ ｢Ham Ort｣
The White Gallagon, introducing itself as 'Ham Ort,' continued to emit its Psychic Waves.
｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Need｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What do you need?)]
Instead of replying, it lifted its foreleg, indicating Adhai nestled in my arms.
｢The Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Special｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Salvation｣ ｢Needed｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ (Adhai?)]
｢The Herd of Ham Ort｣ ｢Weak｣ ｢The Great Herd of Odd Grad｣ ｢Strong｣ ｢The Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Absolutely｣ ｢Needed｣
Due to the Gallagon's peculiar way of speaking, it was difficult to understand exactly, but to summarize it briefly, it goes as follows:
The Gallagon herd led by Ham Ort is competing with other Gallagon herd and is said to be at a disadvantage compared to them.
Naturally, this is expected. Since the leader of the Gallagon herd is invariably the Black Gallagon. The only case where another Gallagon becomes the leader is in events where a Red Gallagon appears as a raid boss.
'If it's a White Gallagon, it's in the lower ranks of Apex.'
Although stronger than Ice Horrors, it's weaker than Black Gallagons. With that level of weak power, it cannot protect its kin from other monsters aiming for the dragon's nest.
'Then what's even stranger?'
Since it's a herd led by the White Gallagon, it's only natural that it's weaker than the Black Gallagon herd. In such a situation, would Adhai make a difference?
'Is there anything special about Adhai?'
Despite observing him for a while, there didn't seem to be anything special about her other than her extraordinary intelligence.
The fact that she grew from a Blue Gallagon to a Green Gallagon during the time she was separated from me could be considered unusual. Whether that's special or not depends on understanding the Gallagon's growth process, which I'm not familiar with.
'…What should I do?'
If I refuse, they'll probably try to take her by force. Gallagons are inherently such creatures. It's almost safe to say that Gallagons never request 'civil' dialogues like this.
But that doesn't mean handing Adhai over is an option either.
Because I don't understand why the Gallagons, who usually despise the weak, suddenly need Adhai. Especially since she's been driven away due to her physical impairment.
'Moreover, if she's used in the war between herds, it'll be even more dangerous.'
Adhai is a precious companion until now. Until I understand exactly what they're thinking, I can't just hand her over.
Then, as if reading my mind, the timing was perfect as he emitted his Psychic waves.
｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Speaks｣ ｢The Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Preciousness｣ ｢Life｣ ｢Preserves｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ (Preserves?)]
｢Yes｣ ｢My Child｣ ｢I｣ ｢Child｣ ｢Preserve｣
'What?'
Among his Psychic waves, there was information that couldn't be ignored. I looked at Adhai nestled in my arms.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Is what you said true?)]
Adhai hesitated for a moment before nodding her head.
｢Kin｣ ｢Parents｣ ｢Match｣
｢The Great Odd Grad｣ ｢Herd Leader｣ ｢The Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Exiled｣ ｢I｣ ｢Couldn't Stop｣
Ham Ort said briefly. It seemed like there was more to it, but she didn't explain anything.
She seemed to have done his part, hoping to hand over Adhai, but I couldn't allow that.
Because Adhai's reaction wasn't at all like when she met her mother.
The occasional trembling of her body wasn't simply because of the cold.
There must have been something wrong when she was exiled.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Can you not abandon a child who was once abandoned?)]
｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Swears｣ ｢The Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Life｣ ｢Protects｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (And if I say no?)]
｢I｣ ｢Bizarre Kin｣ ｢Saved｣ ｢Reason Exists｣ ｢You｣ ｢The Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Guardian｣ ｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Thankful｣ ｢But｣
She bowed his long neck, bringing hers head close to the tip of my nose. With a distance of about one sheet of paper left, she spoke.
｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Fight｣ ｢Do Not Shed Blood｣ ｢Desire｣ ｢Accomplish｣
Her eyes, radiating a beautiful light like amethysts, flickered threateningly. The Green Gallagons behind us also growled loudly.
Judging by her reaction, it seems there's no choice but to hand over Adhai to survive.
In the past, I would have acted without hesitation. I might have even used Adhai as a bargaining chip to establish a friendly relationship with the Gallagons.
'But…'
An inexplicable strange emotion prevents it. My mind is filled only with the thought that I don't want to let her go like this.
It's incomprehensible. Emotions should never supersede survival instincts, yet here I am.
'…This is insane.'
Whether it's a side effect of the hunting symbol or my brain shutting down due to lack of energy, the reason remains unclear. But one thing is certain—I'm losing my mind.
Trying to divert what little energy remains towards divine intervention.
Just before negotiations broke down and we were about to charge at each other, Adhai suddenly wriggled out of my arms. Despite trembling, she stood bravely in front of Ham Ort with her broken front leg.
｢I｣ ｢Elder｣ ｢Contract Complete｣ ｢I｣ ｢Mother｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Return｣
[ZZZZ (Adhai?)]
Adhai maintained a confident posture despite trembling.
After briefly looking down at her, Ham Ort nodded slightly.
｢The Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Judgment｣ ｢Wise｣
She grabbed Adhai with her forepaws. It was not a tight grip, but rather a cautious touch as if handling a treasure. With Adhai in her grasp, he spread her wings wide.
The tangled forest was bathed in a white light. With wings shining like the sun, Ham Ort, carrying Adhai, disappeared. Following suit, the Green Gallagons vanished through the opening made by Ham Ort.
Where they had been, snowflakes fell one by one.
"…"
Adhai didn't look back until the very end.
But just before Ham Ort left,
A faint Psychic wave, as feeble as a falling snowflake, tickled my tentacles.
'Goodbye?'
Her final words were nothing other than a farewell.
The contract to take him to the Gallagon's nest was complete, so he was going back to his kin.
'…She's smarter than I thought, but also foolish.'
If she thought I could simply brush off her words with an "Ah, I see" she was sorely mistaken.
She acted in the way he thought was best, which was to follow the Gallagons. Otherwise, not only would I be in danger, but the others hiding in the forest as well.
I walked back the way I came, carrying the remains of the remaining Green Gallagons and the Screamer back to our temporary shelter.
｢Big one! Something's happened!｣
｢Adhai suddenly ran out and the Green Gallagons… huh?｣
Returning to the nest, Number 26 and Mother of the Sky greeted me. PS-111 was in a dormant state, perhaps due to depleted energy.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Eat this first)]
｢Big one, where's the little one?｣
｢…Could it be?｣
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (Adhai went away for a bit)]
｢Away?｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ (Family came)]
｢...｣
｢Then, are we not going to be together anymore?｣
I shook my head firmly.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (No. That will never happen)]
If Adhai went because she wanted to, there's nothing more I can do. And if it was her mother who came to take her away after the contract ended, even more so.
But I remember.
She said she wanted to stay together even after the contract was over.
It doesn't matter how the Gallagons treat Adhai. If she wants to be with us, it's my duty to accommodate that.
'To do that, recovery is a priority.'
I carved into the Green Gallagon's belly with my combat claws. Then, I tore out partially cooked innards and tossed them to Mother of the Sky.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Your beak's broken, so it might be hard for you to eat. This should help)]
｢…Alright.｣
Mother of the Sky glanced at me briefly before silently starting to tear into the innards. Number 26, watching cautiously from the side, carefully removed the Gallagon's wings.
'…Still, thanks to conversing with him, we obtained valuable information.'
The leader of the Gallagon pack holds immense authority. Usually, the oldest Gallagon in the pack takes up the leadership position, but that's not always the case.
If a young but powerful Gallagon emerges within the pack, they can aim for and challenge the leadership position. In other words, leadership within the pack can change hands at any time.
'When the challenger wins.'
And Ham Ort called me a "strange kin."
If they perceive me as something akin to a Gallagon, the answer is clear.
To become their leader.
'This time, I'll be thoroughly prepared.'
Being powerless like today is enough for one time. Once all preparations are complete, then I'll go to rescue Adhai.
I chewed on the Gallagon's forelegs meticulously as I made my vow.
-x-X-x-
"Whoa?!"
A blond man woke up on a bed. With impressive muscles, he wiped the sweat off his neck.
"Phew, thought I was dying… Wait, where am I?"
His relief at finding his throat intact was short-lived as he realized he was in an unfamiliar space. It was a room, adorned with posters of famous heavy metal bands on the walls and character posters received as gifts from Japanese animation Blu-rays.
On the desk below the posters sat an expensive computer and black headgear with futuristic design. Seeing the black futuristic headgear, he realized where he was.
"Home, I… I'm back home!"
The blond Caucasian man, or rather Jason Turningham, shouted with joy. This was his hometown. He had finally returned to reality.
"How long has it been? 10 years? No, 15?"
Jason looked down at his hands. Instead of the cult's characteristic fair hands, he saw dark-toned palms and hairy wrists. It felt awkward, considering he had spent more than half of his life in a game. Perhaps it was natural.
He cleared away the nostalgic-smelling blanket and got out of bed. His height, once close to 2 meters, was now just around 180cm.
"Jason! How long are you going to sleep?!"
It sounded like he'd turned into a dwarf overnight, hearing voices from outside.
"Mom!"
He had enjoyed a life more blessed than anyone else in the world of space survival, but there was one thing he regretted: his memories of his parents.
Jason quickly dressed and went outside. The smell of his mother's baked meatloaf filled the air up to his room on the second floor.
He stumbled down the stairs. In the living room connected to the kitchen, he shouted loudly.
"Mom!"
His mother, who was laying out food on the table, was startled and scolded him. How old was he to be causing a fuss since morning? She grumbled, telling him to hurry up and eat.
That was the image of his mother that Jason remembered.
It was supposed to be like that.
What he saw was completely different from what he expected. The neat kitchen was tainted red like uncooked meatloaf. There was a strong metallic smell emanating from the liquid staining the walls.
"Huh?"
Jason stared blankly at the tired kitchen. And there, holding what used to be his 'mother,' was an entity that shouldn't be there.
"Ah, no, no…."
With its dark purple exoskeleton and elongated head, the monster had six arms, two legs, and a tail as long as its body. It was the 'Amorph' that appeared in space survival.
The creature was chewing on Jason's mother in the kitchen.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
Jason screamed, tightly closing his eyes. If only all of this were just a dream.
And then, as if in a lie, he opened his eyes on the bed.
"A dream?"
Metal group posters, Japanese anime character posters, and a computer. It was the scene he had seen upon waking up a while ago.
He was in his own room, not in the world of the game.
"Jason! How long are you going to sleep?!"
"Mom!"
Without a moment to rejoice in his return, Jason quickly got up and headed out of the room. He practically flew down the stairs to the kitchen.
"Jason, I told you not to run in the house."
Hearing his beloved mother's voice, Jason gasped for breath. He could hardly breathe at all.
Out of happiness? No.
His mother wasn't supposed to be speaking. Especially not with only her throat remaining, unable to speak.
"..."
"Jason, come and have your meal."
The Amorph holding his mother's head muttered in his mother's voice.
"Jason? Why are you dawdling?"
"Jason?"
"Jason."
"JasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJasonJason…."
"Aaaah!"
In the living room, where his mother's voice echoed, he covered his ears. Tears of blood were now flowing from his eyes.
When his vision blurred with tears of blood, he opened his eyes again.
"Ah, no, no…."
Posters with metal group names printed in rough fonts on black backgrounds and posters depicting moe characters.
Seeing the familiar scenery, he realized.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
He cursed, flipping the blanket over.
Now he remembered.
The day he entered space survival, he wasn't at his hometown house. His last memory was wearing VR equipment in his cramped apartment for a broadcast.
The situation he was experiencing now was incredibly realistic but definitely not 'reality'.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Jason! How long are you going to sleep?!"
"..."
"Jason, I always sa… Aaaah!"
"Mom?"
He glanced at the door, startled by the piercing scream from outside. Moments later, red liquid began seeping in under the door.
"Ugh, ugh! Aaaah!"
Guilt for losing his mother drove Jason to tear at his hair frantically.
Then, the firmly closed door handle slowly turned.
"Gasp!"
Once again, Jason opened his eyes on the bed in the same position.
Where this was didn't matter.
What mattered was the fact that he had become a prisoner in this nightmare-like world.
"Jason! How long are you going to sleep?!"
His mother's voice from outside.
The voice he had always longed for now felt terrifying.
***
Thanks to devouring the green Gallagon, the urgent fire was extinguished. Number 26, who suffered the most severe injuries among us, ate more meat than usual. It devoured two wings, each almost reaching 10 meters in length, all by itself.
The creature, now with a full stomach, swelled up and promptly fell asleep. Thanks to it, we were able to inject psychic power into the dormant PS-111 to awaken it.
We handed over some debris of the screamer to the awakened PS-111. While biological tissues might not mean much, the metal parts wouldn't help with energy charging.
As a 'clever weakling' I could maintain my form with a small supply of food, gaining enough energy. The penetrating wound in my neck had almost healed, and the side effects of the hunt had disappeared.
So we spent the night in the pit I dug.
Quietly rising, I looked at the sleeping Number 26 and PS-111.
I wanted to examine the new gains obtained from devouring Jason in detail.
'It seems like it'll be noisy to check here.'
I planned to summon Jason's interface and ask him. Considering his personality, even as an interface, he would likely be quite noisy.
As I walked out of the pit and wandered among the trees, I heard footsteps behind me.
The Griffin, still recovering from her wounds, was the mother of the sky.
｢You're going to check the gains, right?｣
[ZZZ (Yes)]
｢I'll come with you.｣
I was about to say there was no need, but I relented when I looked into her eyes.
During the day, she was indifferent, but Jason was one of her enemies. He was the who Muriel to kill her family.
An interface inherits some memories from the original. Recent experiences and elements considered important by the original remain even after becoming an interface.
Perhaps Jason's interface remembers details about Muriel.
｢I suppose you have a lot to say.｣
Compared to Muriel, Jason met a relatively merciful death. We had no choice but to use unknown means to escape.
But she went as far as implanting parasites in his head to repay her family's grudge. It might be cruel to tell her to forget, given her circumstances.
'I'll need information on other colleagues anyway. It wouldn't hurt if she overhears.'
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (If that makes you feel better.)]
｢Thanks.｣
I moved away from the pit with the mother of the sky.
The pitch-black forest was quite eerie due to the relentless sound of the snowstorm, but none of us were scared by it.
'This should be enough.'
Finding a suitable spot, I half-turned my body and transformed my interface characteristics. One of the interfaces hidden in the fur was sucked into my body.
Then, a new face emerged from the sticky liquid. With smooth skin like a newborn baby, it was the face of Jason, the cult priest.
Moments later, Jason's eyes snapped open.
"Ugh, aaah!"
'Quiet.'
When I gestured with my finger to quiet him down, Jason closed his mouth.
An interface is one of my body parts. I have complete control over all his movements.
'Answer the questions I asked.'
"..."
Jason, still blinking his eyes absentmindedly, replied. I allowed him to speak.
'I-I'll tell you everything! S-so please, please don't send me back to that hell!'
Since becoming an interface usually means losing all control over one's body, he tends to listen to me. And for some unknown reason, as time passes, he seems to prefer being used as an interface rather than sleeping.
'He's surprisingly obedient for that.'
Jason, who used to be arrogant in life, showed a cooperative attitude beyond imagination. Even the mother of the sky watching beside me seemed bewildered.
'It's probably irrelevant to me.'
It's better if he acts high and mighty. I started asking him questions.
What perks he possessed, his influence, information about his colleagues, and so on.
Though I had only conversed with the interface for about an hour, the amount of information obtained was substantial. It was unprecedented to obtain such high-quality information recently.
'Let's think about that later.'
What's important now is the part about the perks.
Jason had three perks. One was the unique ability he gained when he came to this world, and the other two were obtained by killing players.
"Psychic technology synthesis, Coldblood's particle biocontrol ability, and Metalic Gremlin's warp ability."
The second ability was manifested as a golden shape hanging on his back, and the third ability was the one he intended to use for escape.
'…He really won this one.'
The decisive reason Jason lost was that he possessed such powerful strength unexpectedly. If he hadn't been intoxicated by his own power, we would have lost.
'I should be careful too.'
It's ultimately my fault for letting Ham Ort steal Adhai. After killing Jason, I made a reckless decision in haste.
I have a lot to lose now. The current situation is different from the game, where I only had to take care of my own life.
And in the game, even if you die, you respawn, but not here. It's game over if I, Number 26, Adhai, the Mother of the sky, or PS-111 die.
'It's not that there isn't a resurrection perk, but…'
I can never obtain it now. Even after becoming an adult, it's a perk that can only be obtained by risking your life, so it's faster to assume it doesn't exist.
'I need to be more careful to protect them.'
I gathered my thoughts again and reactivated the text box I checked during the day.
[Predation effect activated! Successfully seized the perk 'Jason (Jason Terningham)'!]
['Space Bacteria' and 'Hallucinogenic Flames' fusion possible. Please select a perk. The selection result is affected by the perks used as materials.]
[Note: You are at a critical juncture. Please choose carefully.]
[Time remaining until perk selection: 13:09:30]
[You are the target of the perk enhancement system. Do you want to use the system?]
'This is related to the second perk Jason had.'
It's the ability to control particle biology obtained from Coldblood, which dominated the golden form he used.
The remaining two perks are locked because there are no perks among the ones I have that can be used as materials. Jason doesn't know which perks are compatible. That part seems to require experimentation with various perks.
'It's probably related to the nature of the perks.'
The 'Trophy of the Strong Enemy' perk I obtained from killing the previous Muriel, and the 'Plunderer's Irregular Polyhedron' used 'Metal Absorption' as a material. Thanks to that, I gained the ability to eat weapons and specialize their properties.
'That means there are two perks I can use as materials.'
One is the infection-related perk 'Space Bacteria', and the other is the psychic-related perk 'Hallucinogenic Flames'. It's surprising that such different perks were selected for fusion.
'I have some idea of what it might be.'
Looking at the nature of the perk, it's not completely unrelated to compatible perks.
First, looking at the part about space bacteria, there's a similarity in producing and managing small particles.
Jason said the ability to control particle biology involves freely manipulating golden particle organisms through a special organ between the spinal cord and the brain. It also heavily relies on the host's senses because the particle organisms are attached to the special organ.
In short, it's like creating new arms and legs as needed.
'Maybe merging with space bacteria will make it similar to the ability he used.'
It's not certain, though.
'Anyway, let's move on.'
Next is the Hallucinogenic Flames.
Hallucinogenic Flames is like a downgraded version of the Purple Spray Gun. It's a perk that emits flames made of psychic power, as the name suggests.
'It would have been nice if the firepower was a bit stronger.'
The firepower of the Hallucinogenic Flames is truly dismal. It's so bad it might be called purple urine in the game.
However, considering the future, it's worth obtaining because it can be used as a powerful fusion material later on. Moreover, here, through the transcendental system, it could be used to create powerful perks.
The reason why a perk that doesn't seem particularly useful besides its potential is used as a material for the Trophy of the Strong Enemy perk can be speculated upon.
'This part is definitely related to the original owner.'
The original owner of the ability to control particle biology was a Coldblood player.
Coldblood, due to a misguided contract with the Vortex one, is a race that fell into bondage as a whole.
Therefore, Coldblood players often use abilities derived from the Vortex one. In fact, depending on the player's choice, there are events where they borrow the Vortex one's unique ability, 'Abyssal Power'.
Anyway, based on this, it can be speculated that using psychic-related technologies as materials may stem from the unique settings of Coldblood.
'The Vortex is the strongest psychic power creature.'
According to Jason, the Coldblood player who possessed this perk was a Vortex one.
In other words, if fused with psychic-related abilities, it could be implemented in a form similar to the abilities used by the original Vortex one.
'Let's summarize again.'
If Space Bacteria is used as a material to create the Trophy of the Strong Enemy, there's a possibility of obtaining a perk similar to the golden form that Jason used.
Conversely, if Hallucinogenic Flames are used as a material, it could be implemented as a perk similar to what the original Coldblood player used.
'Well, it's all just speculation anyway.'
In the world of Space Survival, there's never a case where players are taught anything directly. They have to figure everything out themselves.
'Should I postpone it?'
There are still 13 hours left. If by any chance, a mine perk comes out when the perk is specialized, the impact could be quite significant.
After a few minutes of deliberation, I shook my head.
'No, let's choose now.'
Spending all 13 hours pondering wouldn't likely lead to an answer. While it's important to move cautiously, it doesn't mean delaying decisions indefinitely.
Regardless of what perk comes out, it's far more productive to quickly grasp its characteristics and research how to use it.
With that decision made, I selected the perk to be used as the material for the Trophy of the Strong Enemy.
[Would you really choose the 'Hallucinogenic Flames' as your material? Once chosen, there's no turning back.]
The semi-transparent text box reappeared, almost as if questioning whether this was truly the best choice.
There were two reasons why I chose the Hallucinogenic Flames over the Cosmic Bacteria. Firstly, it was because of the adversaries I had to face on this planet. Gallagons are masters of psychic techniques. Just the White Gallagon alone was a monster capable of unleashing psychic breath. To fight them, I needed several weapons utilizing psychic power.
'But all my innate abilities are either supportive or defensive.'
While the Hallucinogenic Flames and the psychic breath usable as the monster's tentacles were both aggressive psychic techniques, they both had fatal flaws. The Hallucinogenic Flames were effective only against Blue Gallagon or lower, while the psychic breath, although powerful, had limited uses.
Given the lack of offensive psychic abilities, sacrificing the Hallucinogenic Flames to gain new skills was advantageous.
The second reason was my relationship with the Vortex One. If, as I anticipated, my psychic abilities and perks combined to manifest through the power of the Vortex One, it would become an incredibly potent ability.
'In the game, everything related to them was useful.'
The Vortex One possessed unique abilities. Therefore, capturing them and reaping the predation effect would invariably grant a unique ability.
'Of course, there are risks.'
To put it simply, the blessing bestowed by the Vortex One was high risk, high return. Power received from transcendent beings was never free. Like psionium, where the duration decreased with each use, using abilities weakened or the price to be paid increased.
Hence, players who followed the sociopath route would see a significant decrease in power after the mid-game.
'If it's related to the power of the Vortex One, it must be utilized as a trump card.'
It was like wielding the whip of the gods.
I selected 'confirm' in response to the semi-transparent textbox's question.
Then, a new message appeared.
[You are the target of the Ability Enhancement System. Will you use the system?]
The Ability Enhancement System.
This was the first time I'd used it. When I killed Muriel, the system hadn't been unlocked, and the new unique ability hadn't appeared on the system, possibly because the conditions hadn't been met yet.
Choosing abilities to create the Mark of the Adversary and using the Ability Enhancement System were both firsts for me.
'…This is definitely a crucial moment.'
I felt this way shortly after starting my space survival journey.
Curiosity about the unknown outcome, coupled with fear and anticipation of the butterfly effect this choice might cause, stirred within me.
With that strange feeling, I checked what abilities I had available as materials.
'The majority of my abilities are related to physical enhancements.'
There were a total of 18 physical-related abilities. Excluding the fusion abilities, which couldn't be used as enhancement materials, that left 13.
'To maintain the Physical Enhancement Type, I need 10 abilities.'
Thus, I could invest in up to 8 physical abilities as enhancement materials. Of course, I didn't plan to use all 8; I intended to select only a few from among them.
'Let's go with abilities related to underwater activities.'
Currently, abilities related to underwater activities wouldn't aid me in combat. While there was a high chance of water being present on the ice planet, the creatures I aimed to capture weren't heavily tied to water.
Therefore, I chose abilities that were not frequently used or easily obtainable.
'In the Physical category: Pheromone Enhancement, Robust Vitality, Aquatic Claws, Fins, Dexterity. Let's go with these five.'
The remaining ones were selected from characteristics of other types that weren't useful. I chose Memory Tracking for psychic-related abilities, Auditory Hallucination for infection-related abilities, Sticky Tendrils and Water Spirit for nest-related abilities.
Having selected a total of nine abilities, I double-checked to ensure there wouldn't be any issues.
'That should do.'
After confirming and selecting the nine abilities as enhancement materials, the Mark of the Adversary system finally started operating.
[The perks of 'Jason (Jason Turningham)' and the 'Hallucinogenic Flames' ability are merging. 'Involvement of the Chaos Emblem – Special Trait Enhancement System!']
[Trait enhancement in progress.]
['Colour of the Abyss' trait evolving!]
[Colour of the Abyss: When activated, indescribable Colours envelop the body. Automatically granted to psychic-type abilities.]
[*Target applications: Monster Tentacles, Observer of Terror, Psychic Reflection Gloves]
[*Note: Terror cannot be controlled. Similarly, the unknown Colours cannot be controlled.]
As the new Mark of the Adversary was completed, semi-transparent text boxes popped up everywhere. Suddenly, my head felt heavy, perhaps due to lack of energy. I steadied myself and checked the description of the new trait.
'What's this?'
The finished product was completely different from what I had expected.
'This isn't an offensive trait?'
Based on the description alone, this trait seemed more like a supportive one. Of course, I couldn't be sure until I tried it out.
More concerning were the notes. Unlike usual, the ominous implications in the note caught my attention.
'Cannot be controlled?'
In space survival, there were occasionally equipment or traits that players couldn't control. Some were very powerful, but others were difficult to utilize effectively. Overcoming this inability to control was crucial.
From my experience, traits that couldn't be controlled were as challenging to use as the 'Revenant Mechanism'.
'I'll have to experiment to see how to use it… Huh?'
Lost in thought about the new trait, I only then realized that something had changed around me.
'Where's Mother of the Sky?'
She, who had been with me during the interrogation of Jason, was nowhere to be seen. Focusing on the auxiliary systems, I sensed her presence from a small clearing nearby.
I stopped checking the 'Colour of the Abyss' trait and walked toward her location.
｢What are you doing… Ah.｣
In the clearing, she stood silently, gazing into the void. Tears filled her luminous pumpkin-Coloured eyes, even in the darkness.
As I approached, she wiped her eyes with her forepaw.
｢Are you done?｣
Seeing her forcibly maintain an appearance of calmness, I couldn't say anything.
'…I messed up.'
I heard why Jason targeted Mother of the Sky when questioning him. His motives were simple and selfish. He wanted to toy with Mother of the Sky. And if he got bored, he'd turn her into a perk.
If that were the case, there were two reasons why he specifically chose Mother of the Sky.
"He wants a Wolf slave, and…"
Playing with the same player held a special significance for him.
Mother of the Sky lost her loved ones and family because of Jason's petty desires.
'I shouldn't have brought her along for nothing.'
Thinking that knowing the reason might ease her mind a bit, I brought her along, but it only made things worse.
Quietly, I knelt beside her and leaned against her.
It didn't carry any special meaning. It's because she, who hasn't gained the power of Wendigo yet, finds it difficult to endure the cold. Normally, she would send awkward glances, but now, she just remained still, perhaps mentally exhausted.
So there we were, huddled together, maintaining silence.
I wished I could offer some words of comfort, but unfortunately, I lack the gift of speech. Moreover, I've never experienced the same pain as her, the experience of losing loved ones in an instant. If Number 26 and Adhai were to die at the hands of Jason, I wouldn't be able to keep my sanity.
Just imagining it makes my blood run cold, yet she actually went through that situation. Whatever I say wouldn't bring her any comfort.
All I can do is ensure she doesn't feel cold.
How much time had passed?
After a long silence, she sighed deeply.
｢I met him ten years ago. It was in the fifth year after I fell into this world.｣
The 'him' she mentioned is singular.
｢The Father of the Earth.｣
In the game, he's a fixed NPC related to the quest for the Divine Spectre. He has the appearance of a lion with metal scales and horns like a goat. He's not very big, but he has high defense and speed. To put it simply, he gives off a vibe like a downsized Ice Horror.
I've heard before that she married the Father of the Earth and took on the role of protector of the Wolfs. She made the decision to live with the family she found in this world.
｢To be honest, I didn't adapt well when I first came to this world.｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Is that so?)]
｢Yeah. If I hadn't met him, I wouldn't have survived in this world for so long.｣
With her words flowing, she began to talk about her experiences with her loved one.
｢Arguing, making up, even getting a Grey Centipede… Can you imagine how shocking it was? You know, he had a head just like that person.｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (Yeah. It was often used for terrorizing in the community.)]
｢What I mean is, even a love of a thousand years can fade away.｣
Memories of fighting and reconciling.
"The young Wolfs found it awkward when I tried to put flowers on them. It was the first time I realized that lions could make such expressions."
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (That's intriguing.)]
Memories of spending pleasant times together.
She recounted every memory that came to mind, leaving nothing out. Because of that, her story was chaotic and hard to follow.
But I quietly listened to her story, knowing that she was doing this to mourn the deceased.
｢Hehe, he was really an interesting fellow. But what about when he died? He said we'd be together forever, and then… tsk, that bastard…｣
Continuously rambling, she suddenly couldn't speak anymore. All she did was repeat the words 'bad guy' while sobbing.
Seeing her pitiful state, I unknowingly reached out with my small arm towards her chest.
My fingertips touched her plush and soft fur. I gently stroked her snowy white head like fur.
Mother of the Sky seemed too overwhelmed with emotions to notice that I was petting her.
'We don't have that kind of relationship, but…'
Perhaps it's because we've been through so much together. Now it's awkward to withdraw my hand, so I continued to pet her.
So she poured out all the tears she had been holding back for a long time. By the time the tears on her front paws froze, she was able to calm down.
Finally calming down, she awkwardly turned her head to the side. Following her reaction, I naturally withdrew my hand.
｢I didn't expect to cry like this at this age.｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (How old are you?)]
｢…Do you really have to ask that in this situation?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (I have nothing to say.)]
｢I have one request, would it be okay?｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What is it?)]
｢I want to destroy Jason's disguise.｣
I thought it was a joke to hide the awkwardness, but when I looked into her eyes, it was sincere. Looking at her front paws, I saw the vicious claws protruding, ready for action.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (No, you can't.)]
｢Please, just once. Huh? Can't I just hit him really hard, just once?｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (Consider it when your stamina is fully recovered.)]
In truth, even if she were to destroy Jason's face, he could regenerate it anytime. After all, it's part of my body. If that helps ease her burden even a little, it might be worth it.
Mother of the Sky was silent for a moment, then looked me straight in the eyes.
｢Thank you.｣
Her short but sincere words.
I nodded in response. Her smooth pumpkin-Coloured eyes still held traces of sadness, but they had improved a lot since earlier.
'Thank goodness.'
｢B-by the way, you've changed a lot in appearance, haven't you?｣
Perhaps feeling embarrassed to meet my gaze, she changed the subject.
'Is it because of the new traits?'
I came to find Mother of the Sky after reading about Colour of the Abyss. So I hadn't yet examined the changes in my body.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (Some traits may have disappeared, that could be why.)]
｢Really? But it feels like something has changed a lot.｣
Mother of the Sky chuckled and examined my body.
The claws between her fingers, the fins hidden in her tail, and various other traits had disappeared from my body due to the trait enhancement system.
However, it was true that there was a subtle change that couldn't be explained just by that. As I began to inspect my body, I quickly noticed what had changed.
'Monster tentacles?'
The tentacles of the monster that flowed from the back of the head like hair or sparse bristles down to the neck had changed slightly. The tentacles were longer and thicker than before, and the number of tentacles had increased, making them much fuller.
Now, the range of the monster's tentacles extended to the entire neck and jaw joint.
'Is it because Colour of the Abyss has psychic-related effects?'
Not only had the number of tentacle clusters increased, but the monster's tentacles on my body now emitted a dangerous light mixed with green and purple. In fact, it looked more eerie, like foam or mold, rather than light.
｢It seems to be because of the new traits.｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (It seems so.)]
｢I shouldn't be saying this, but those tentacles feel kind of unsettling. I don't know what kind of trait it is, but I feel like I should use it cautiously.｣
Whether it was her innate animalistic senses as a Wolf or the intuition of a Ranker, Mother of the Sky immediately pointed out the danger of the changed tentacles upon seeing them.
'Let's check in the morning.'
After all, I planned to go out to hunt for food in the morning anyway.
Colour of the Abyss, the trait obtained from Jason.
I'll need to spend tomorrow investigating this unknown power.
-x-X-x-
｢It feels like something's different.｣
Number 26 said as it woke up in the morning.
As usual, Number 26 immediately sensed the changes in me, likely because it considered me someone it needed to protect. Strictly speaking, it's more of a mutual protection relationship, but I don't really mind.
Whether in reality or in the game, it's rare to encounter someone like Number 26 who gives unconditional love to someone.
I explained briefly about my growth while picking the plants growing at the base of a tree.
[ZZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ (I grew bigger by consuming a bad guy)]
｢The big baby is growing so well!｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Thanks. Here, have this)]
｢Okay!｣
Number 26 extended its tendrils and swept up the mushroom-like plants in one go.
｢Grow quickly so we can bring the little one back.｣
[ZZZ (Alright)]
When I patted the well-behaved creature, its pink body glowed brightly.
At that moment, PS-111 awakened from dormancy to replenish itself. I generated tooth fairies and offered them to The Mother of the Sky and PS-111.
｢Oh, um, I'm fine.｣
Said The Mother of the Sky, shuddering at the sight of the tooth fairies and shaking her head. PS-111, however, took all of them, including The Mother of the Sky's share.
[Is this a new transformation state?]
Perhaps due to the psychic power imbued by Number 26, PS-111 also seemed curious about the appearance of my tendrils.
"No, this is a permanent change"
[The wavelength of an unregistered energy in the database is distorting light.]
After gulping down the tooth fairies in one go, PS-111's eyes gleamed with interest.
[If you could provide a sample…]
"No"
I don't know what kind of ability 'Color of the Abyss' is. I can't give it to PS-111, as it might have adverse effects on it or us. It would be troublesome if it became uncontrollable.
'It would be a headache if it goes wrong and becomes uncontrollable.'
When I flatly refused, PS-111 sulkily crunched on a tooth fairy.
After the simple breakfast, I explained the day's plan to the group. I mentioned that I would need to act alone to test the new trophy I had obtained from a formidable foe.
｢I want to go with the big baby.｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Sorry, but not this time)]
I still don't know how this trait operates. It's hard to determine whether such uncontrollable traits are safe without trying them out first. I don't want to put anyone at risk unnecessarily.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Instead, help the middle child)]
｢Why the middle child?｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (She will need to secure the nest and food while I'm gone)]
Yesterday, I had a brief conversation with The Mother of the Sky about what we would do in the morning. She said she would look for a suitable nesting spot while I conducted my experiment. Since she has the best vision among us, she believed she was perfect for the job.
'She's right.'
I thought.
The Mother of the Sky has considerable experience fighting alongside me in the game. She knows well the kind of locations Amorphs use for nesting. If anyone could find us a proper hideout, it would be her. Even if there were Gallagons roaming around, Number 26 and PS-111 could easily avoid them, as both can sense Gallagon's psychic power.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Be careful)]
I said.
｢Don't worry. I'll be as careful as possible｣
She replied.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (I'm counting on you)].
｢And, um, you be careful too｣
She added hesitantly, turning her gaze away. She still seemed awkward around me, likely due to yesterday's events.
Telling her not to worry would probably make things more awkward, so I just nodded in response.
With that, we parted ways to take care of our respective tasks.
I ran through the trees, which grew taller and more spread out the higher I climbed. The branches were so numerous and intertwined with other trees that almost no light penetrated through. All I could hear was the sound of the wind whistling through the branches, reminiscent of an animal's growl.
The combination of the dark forest and the relentless blizzard outside created a very eerie atmosphere. I ran through the desolate forest for quite some time, not just to put distance between myself and the others, but also because I was searching for traces of a particular creature.
'I'm sure it's around here somewhere.'
In the game, Gallagon nests are classified as difficult hunting grounds. They are typically found on planets with extreme temperatures, either frigid like this one or scorching with flowing lava, making them hard to access. Even if you manage to prepare well and get inside, there are still challenges to face.
'Because the area around a Gallagon's nest is a labyrinth.'
Many powerful creatures of Gallagon-level strength or higher roam around a Gallagon nest. These creatures either serve as Gallagon's prey or help control their population. Simply put, a planet with a Gallagon nest teems with apex-level creatures.
'Given that there are Ice Horrors and Snowwalkers, there must be other creatures here too.'
I'm well-versed in the monsters inhabiting ice planets with dragon nests, having tackled them numerous times in the game before.
As my four legs moved tirelessly, the sensory organs under my jaw diligently searched for traces. Soon, I sensed movement in the distance. I lowered my body and slowed my pace.
Since I hadn't disabled the 'Intelligent Weakling' state, my body, including my tail, was small, not even reaching 5 meters. I could easily hide behind a large rock or thick tree.
Using the terrain as cover, I cautiously approached the source of the movement.
After a while, I spotted it between the trees.
Standing at 4 meters tall with a gaunt frame, disproportionately long arms and legs, and a black face contrasting with its white body, it was the hunter of the snowfields, a Snowwalkers.
Despite its reputation as a hunter, its behavior seemed remarkably careless. Its white eyes were clouded as if shrouded in mist, and it paid no attention to my presence nearby.
Snowwalkers rank low in the food chain on this planet. They are typically vigilant about their surroundings, which makes its current strange behavior particularly unusual.
I caught a whiff of a distinct smell.
Like the enticing scent of a neighbor cooking pancakes on a rainy day, a delicious aroma permeated the air. The creature was following this delightful scent.
'Perfect.'
I maintained a safe distance and trailed the Snowwalkers. It moved with a hypnotized gait, its eyes fixed straight ahead.
'In a way, it might indeed be hypnotized.'
As I followed, the scenery began to change. The most noticeable difference was the color of the densely packed trees. The dark brown trunks were now covered with red moss, resembling bulging veins. The snow on the ground was also tinged red, as if syrup had been spilled on it, and it exuded a sweet smell, like actual syrup.
'I found it.'
The intensely appetizing smell emanated from the red moss, which was what I had been searching for. The Snowwalkers, drawn by the scent, licked the moss off the tree ravenously. Each time its tongue touched the moss, it shuddered with pleasure like an addict experiencing an orgasm from a drug hit.
This red moss is a toxic substance produced by a powerful apex-level monster. However, it's not a poison that causes pain or hallucinations.
'It's more akin to a drug.'
Just as a Venus flytrap lures insects with a sweet scent, this red moss attracts nearby creatures with its enticing odor. Even for someone like me, with the "Perfect Immunity" trait that provides immunity to toxins and viruses, the smell is almost irresistible. For a Snowwalkers, which lacks immunity to toxins, it would be impossible to resist.
'That alone won't satisfy it.'
As expected, the creature, which had been pressing its head against the tree, looked even more desperate. This is because the red moss has an incredibly potent narcotic effect. Consuming even a small amount turns one into a slave to this forest.
Suddenly energized, the Snowwalkers darted deeper into the forest filled with red moss. I kept my distance, just close enough to follow without losing it.
I couldn't afford to go too deep. Getting lost here would mean certain doom.
With my senses on high alert, I slowly followed until I saw other creatures starting to appear.
From weak creatures like Snowwalkers and Cavegoyles to stronger ones like Green Gallagons, they were all present.
Though varied in species, they shared the same appearance: bodies ensnared in the ground, encased in red cocoon-like structures, with only their heads exposed. The roots connecting them to the ground pulsated, injecting something into their bodies. Each time the roots twitched, the captive creatures drooled with blissful expressions.
This place was a food storage area. All those ensnared by the red roots were chosen meals by the master of the Red Forest.
'Glacier Fiend.'
The Glacier Fiend is a monster with an upper body resembling a stag beetle and a lower body in the form of a plant with numerous tendrils. Before it takes root, it uses the wings on its back to fly around and find areas rich in prey. Once it finds a suitable location, it anchors itself into the ground and produces a red substance to lure its prey. Beneath the frozen ground where I now stand, its roots must be spreading extensively.
[TL/N- I do not like the name glacier fiend as nothing in it reassembles a…glacier so do suggest the name you want me to give it.]
In essence, this entire vast red forest is its territory.
A Glacier Fiend that has successfully rooted itself in the ground becomes a formidable foe. It can control other creatures using the red substance.
'To be precise, it manipulates their behavior with a narcotic-like substance.'
The creatures trapped in those cocoons know well who provides the drug. So, when the Glacier Fiend targets someone, they will obey with a death wish.
If the Glacier Fiend decides to kill me, every creature in those cocoons will attack me.
'This should be far enough.'
I stopped trailing the Snowwalkers and moved to an area with fewer red tendrils. The master of this food storage is very slow, but it's enslaved creatures are not.
What I need to do now is something the master of this food storage will despise. I must secure an escape route in case things go wrong, ensuring I can flee quickly.
'I'm planning to test the Psychic Breath.'
My targets were the creatures hanging from the tendrils, experiencing orgasmic pleasure.
I positioned myself in a place where I could escape easily and activated the Abyssal Hue. The fur covering my body stood on end as if charged with static electricity.
'What's happening?'
When I raised my battle arm in surprise, I noticed strange colors within the fur. The hues appeared to be both purple and green, writhing as if alive. The mysterious lights surged not just on my arm but all over my body.
'It doesn't feel like a part of me. It's not detectable as energy either.'
Unlike the Demon Beast, the colors flowing through my body felt distinctly alien. It was as if I were wearing the skin of another entity.
I had a strong sense that maintaining this form for long would be dangerous.
I focused my senses on the tentacles covering my neck and jaw joint.
The writhing colors rapidly concentrated on the tentacles. The hues of purple and green became much more vivid. The once drooping tentacles defied gravity and floated in the air, their colors dispersing into the air like ink dropped in water.
If the sphere formed during a regular Psychic Breath was like a purple sun, the one before me now was entirely different. It was an orb barely containing a terrifying array of lights and colors.
I hurled the orb of chaos at the red cocoons. Unlike the previous purple beam of Psychic Breath, this attack took the form of a sphere.
The moment the orb hit its target, I was taken aback.
The numerous lights within the orb burst out, engulfing the red cocoons. The cocoons struck by the lights lost their original shape, transforming into the same chaotic orb I had fired.
The newly formed chaotic orbs then targeted nearby prey, repeating the process.
An uncontrollable chain reaction. This was the effect of the Psychic Breath infused with Abyssal Hue.
A guttural roar filled the air.
"Gwooooorrrrrrr!"
As the Psychic Breath spread and consumed all the red cocoons, a roar erupted from within. The master of the forest was enraged.
No sooner had the roar subsided than I sensed the movement of various creatures.
'I wonder how many more storage areas are around here.'
I relocated to avoid the Glacier Fiend's thralls. Unfortunately for the glacier fiend, my experiment isn't over yet.
-x-X-x-
The king of the Red Forest opened one of his six eyes. His roots sensed the intrusion of some creature. Despite their small size, the weight suggested they might be winged beings caught in his trap.
Winged beings, the arrogant tribesmen who roamed at the command of the "Black and Old King," wreaking havoc wherever they went. Yet the "Black and Old King" favoured them. They were delicious, after all. As he recalled their flavorful juices, he found himself unconsciously drooling. A single drop fell from his elongated jaw, causing the creatures scattered around to tremble.
The king knew well how the secretions from his body affected other creatures. Those who came to kill him, upon consuming the Red substance, immediately became his slaves. They desired only the red substance, even if it meant the king feasting on their heads.
Using this ability, he repeated the cycle of preying on all creatures inhabiting a certain area and then moving on. After hundreds of winters, his power had grown to the extent that even the "Black and Old King" was wary of him.
One day, he would devour that arrogant king too. With that determination, he awaited the approach of new slaves.
But as time passed, the unidentified intruders did not appear before him. Instead, what came to him was a discomforting sensation, a mixture of pain and loss. It resurrected feelings from his youth, poking at him relentlessly.
Someone was destroying his treasure trove. Realizing this fact, the king was enraged. Who dared to oppose the king of this Red Forest?
The first entity that came to mind was the "Black and Old King." It was said he had come himself, dragging his hefty posterior to seek revenge for his messengers being devoured. But the king soon dismissed this thought. The "Black and Old King" he had seen was a colossal being. If such a creature descended here, he would surely know.
Other candidates came to mind, residing underground, in the sky, or atop mountains. Yet none seemed fitting.
The intruder causing havoc in his territory seemed to have arrived here recently.
No, now the identity of the culprit hardly mattered.
The intruder who had dared to disrupt his carefully amassed prey deserved death.
The king sent signals through the roots embedded in the earth, commanding the intruder to be captured and brought here.
Several nearby creatures burst forth as some of the roots tore open, revealing the beings within.
Their appearances and races varied, but all were adorned with Red moss on their bodies. They were all his loyal slaves.
"Krrraaaaa!"
"Grrrrrr!"
"Kek! Kekkek!"
The slaves, obeying the king's command, dashed out to capture their target.
If he waited patiently, the slaves would bring back the wretched intruder as they always did.
However, this time, reality unfolded differently from his expectations. One by one, the senses of the slaves sent out to hunt began to fade away.
Until a moment ago, the noise that had been audible was now completely silent. An ominous stillness pervaded the entire forest. And the pain from the roots that I had been feeling since earlier, it was getting worse. At first, it felt like being pricked by thorns, but now it was agonizing, like being gnawed by a swarm of insects.
Now it wasn't just a problem confined to the food warehouse. His roots, spread across a wide area, were under simultaneous attack. Unable to bear the pain any longer, the king opened all six of his eyes.
In such situations, the king knew what to do. He focused his senses on his roots and systematically detached the areas where he felt pain. Although he felt considerable pain with each root severed, it was much better than being devoured alive by swarms of insects while still attached to the tree.
As he tidied up the sprawling roots, his territory shrank rapidly.
It was obvious that it would take a long time to reclaim the territory. The king intended to send more slaves to capture the intruder.
Just as he was about to send the signal, something caught his eye. He thought it was light filtering through the branches. Some of the tangled branches had broken, allowing light to enter.
But it wasn't. It was a multitude of foam bubbles shining in countless colors. The bubbles of light and color writhed like living creatures.
He couldn't tell where they came from or who created them. They just surged toward him like a dizzying wave of foam.
His heart started pounding fiercely as the approaching foam bubbles.
Alarm, and fear. Emotions long dormant in his memory.
Unknowingly, the king let out a scream. He urged his slaves to eradicate those bubbles immediately.
Just a while ago, the slaves had emerged to protect him, but not anymore. Even as he screamed, the creatures around him remained motionless, as if his command hadn't reached them.
Suddenly, the bubbles reached right in front of him. He hurriedly tried to retract his rooted lower half from the ground, but it was too late.
The bubbles began to creep onto his body. As they touched him, his tough exoskeleton began to crack.
He didn't particularly enjoy hunting prey himself, but that didn't mean he was weak. His exoskeleton was very tough, and his wings were sturdy enough to bear his heavyweight.
But against the bubbles, everything was futile.
The foam enveloped him like a snake constricting its prey. Memories of being attacked by underground snakes during his weaker days flooded back. As the most nightmare-like moments resurfaced, he writhed all over, resisting.
But just as he had been powerless against the memories, reality remained unchanged. The bubbles clung even more strongly, seeming to mock his resistance.
In the endless mass of colored foam and light, he slowly suffocated.
'…I didn't expect this.'
In front of me now is Glacier Fiend, the owner of the Red Forest. Various colored foam bubbles cling to the body of the guy who came out of the ground and collapsed.
He looks like he's drowning in water on a frozen planet, barely clinging to life.
'I thought only psychic breaths were powerful.'
The targets are the monster's tentacles, psychic reflection gloves, and the harbinger of terror.
For the monster's tentacles, the enhancement effect was applied to the psychic breath emitted by the tentacles rather than the tentacles themselves. The enhanced psychic breath changed from emitting heat rays to firing projectiles. When the projectiles hit the target, they generate bubbles of color that cause a destructive effect. These bubbles do not disappear when the target is destroyed but instead rush towards nearby new targets, disappearing only when there is nothing left to consume, much like locusts devouring all the grain. In their wake, only sticky bubbles remain.
In this way, the performance of the psychic breath was roughly verified by plundering the creature's food stores. I decided to try out other abilities while I was at it.
Next, I tried the psychic reflection gloves, but unfortunately, I couldn't find any special effects. I figured I would have to experience a psychic attack firsthand to properly assess it.
Lastly, there was the harbinger of terror. This ability induces terrifying hallucinations in sentient beings, driving them mad.
Earlier, I had decided to use the harbinger of terror on the creature while fleeing from its slaves. Frankly, I didn't have high expectations for this ability since its effect was limited to sentient beings. I just hoped it would immobilize them, so I used it.
However, the results far exceeded my expectations.
'It's different.'
Activating the harbinger of terror drained my strength, and simultaneously, a foam bubble, a mixture of green and purple, formed. The peculiar shimmering bubble flew leisurely and attached itself to the head of the Winterwalker, who had been pursuing me. As soon as it attached, the bubble that had inflated instantly swallowed the creature's head whole.
The creature, its head covered by the inverted foam bubble, glowed wildly for a moment before collapsing without lasting long.
The real horror occurred next. When the target fell, the foam pile exploded.
Foam bubbles that had attached to other slaves nearby engulfed their heads, just as they had with the Winterwalker. Physical force and contagion. The enhanced effect of the harbinger of terror spreads to the surroundings through the medium of foam.
Though the range was shortened, the power was vastly increased. Furthermore, the target range, previously limited to sentient beings, now applied to multiple creatures.
After dealing with the pursuing slaves, I immediately tested it on Glacier Fiend. If it works on him, hunting in the future will become incredibly easy.
I activated the harbinger of terror successively while darting through the forest. Countless foam bubbles passed through the trees and flew towards Glacier Fiend.
'This is an advantage.'
Although the range is reduced, being able to fire multiple times is invaluable. It's especially effective against stationary enemies like the one we encountered.
Ultimately, Glacier Fiend, overwhelmed by the harbinger of terror without realizing, fell before me, a much weaker being.
'I didn't expect it to be this easy.'
Glacier Fiend is a far more formidable opponent than the Ice Horror pushed by force. Without the Abyssal hue, I wouldn't have been able to deal with the slaves as easily as I did.
He may be addicted to drugs, but he still possesses his original abilities fully. Moreover, his immunity to death and inability to feel pain make him even more dangerous.
Furthermore, because the Red Forest is constantly visited by creatures wishing to become slaves, there seems to be no end to the killing.
However, that doesn't mean the main body is weak. With a tough exoskeleton, immunity to various attacks, and wings for swift movement, it's on par with a White Gallagon in terms of melee combat alone.
There may be the disadvantage of slow movement on land, but with wings, it's hard to see that as a flaw.
Having effortlessly dispatched such a dangerous predator without sustaining a single injury, I thought to myself.
'Let's think after we kill.'
Glacier Fiend had only lost consciousness; he wasn't dead yet. I approached him.
His head, resembling a stag beetle, was now covered in colorful foam. All six eyes were turned inside out, and blood foam continued to ooze from his mouth.
I swung the pincers of his tail to strike his neck. With a loud crunch, I hit the exoskeleton covering his throat.
Several more strikes shattered the exoskeleton, and I raised my tail high again to completely crush his throat.
'That should be it… Ugh?!'
[Pain Nullification Activated!]
An incredibly intense pain surged from the tip of my tail, unlike anything I had ever felt before. I involuntarily sank to the ground as strength drained from my legs.
'It's… It's burning!'
The pain felt like being engulfed in flames. Memories of childhood suddenly flooded back.
When I was young, I suffered severe burns in a traffic accident. As a result, I spent most of my childhood in the hospital.
The excruciating sensation I felt back then was now being vividly reenacted in my body.
'I… I need to regain consciousness!'
[Pain Nullification Activated!]
As if malfunctioning, a translucent text box appeared in front of me.
I checked to see if I was on fire.
There were no flames visible anywhere on my body. Even as my mind grew faint, I focused all my strength on my auxiliary systems.
The four auxiliary systems under my chin began to search for the cause of the pain. Eventually, they found something at the tip of my tail.
The surface of the pincers was covered in a mixture of colors of foam.
'The Abyssal hue!'
I immediately opened my jaw wide and snapped down on the middle of my tail. Flesh from the tail flew out, but there was no pain at all.
The overwhelming burning sensation dripping from the foam-covered area made it impossible to feel anything else.
I continued to bite my tail meticulously while checking the foam covering the pincers.
The foam, although slow, continued to grow in size. What had initially been a small patch now engulfed the entire pincer.
'Ugh…!'
[Pain Nullification Activated!]
The pain was so intense that my jaw weakened. Unable to bite any longer, I clenched my mouth shut and pulled the tail with my combat arms and legs.
As a result, a terrifying sound came from the tail. Muscles tore, and bones snapped. The exoskeleton and composite scales had long since been shattered.
The foam had already swallowed up the entire tail. The eerie foam mass now aimed to devour my tail.
My mind had reached its limit with the intense pain.
'Please!'
With all my strength, I finally tore the tail off with my combat arm.
Two-thirds of the tail fell to the ground. The foam attached to the fallen tail lost its characteristic luster in an instant.
With the cause removed, the burning sensation that had been pressing on my brain vanished as if it were a lie. Instead, pain arose from the severed area, but I had no strength to feel the pain.
Lying half-conscious on the ground, a new text box appeared before me.
[Evolution conditions for 'Quasi Saint' >'Saint' have been partially met. APEX 2/30 (Incomplete)]
With Glacier Fiend's death, the light disappeared from the foam attached to him.
Even though Glacier Fiend was dead and the foam had changed, I couldn't relax. The foam created by Psychic Breath didn't stop until the target disappeared. Just because the situation had changed didn't mean the foam's effect had actually dissipated.
"..."
Knowing that merely looking wouldn't change anything, I reached out with a finger and lightly pricked the foam.
I intended to cut off my finger as soon as the pain started, but even after waiting, I felt nothing.
'So the effect is lost upon death.'
The foam created as the Fearmonger seemed to affect the minds of living beings differently from Psychic Breath.
'It might be invoking the most terrifying pain for the target.'
As soon as the foam touched me, I felt the burning pain. Glacier Fiend and the slaves who were affected by the foam likely experienced a similar sensation.
'…I need to use it with caution.'
Having experienced it firsthand, I understood.
The newfound Abyssal hue was, quite literally, a double-edged sword.
-x-X-x-
Emerging from excruciating agony, my mind swiftly returned. As my mind stabilized, the bristled hairs, once stiff with tension, settled calmly.
Though the pain persisted from having the clawed tail torn off raw, it was incomparable to the trauma-inducing agony.
It was only after my body improved that I could objectively assess the depths of my abilities.
'The risk may be fatal, but…'
Should I describe it as high-risk, high-return? Apart from the pain I felt, I gained something substantial.
The enhanced Psychic Breath and the Watcher of Fear. The former consumed the opponent until their physical form vanished, while the latter awakened the most dreadful pain dormant in their memory.
Yet, the effects of the applied attributes are secondary. It depends on how proficiently I utilize them.
The real importance lies in the Abyssal hue.
'The ability to activate it at will is a great advantage.'
Being able to choose when to use it. This means enjoying two effects with one attribute.
For example, using Psychic Breath to snipe enemies as usual, then switching to shooting foam that devours them until they die during their moment of carelessness is operational.
The Watcher of Fear is similar. Unlike the original, the abyssal version affects multiple targets. Sprinkling it over a crowded space where enemies are clustered would be very effective.
If in the future, new superpower traits are acquired, and the abyssal essence is applied? It's akin to obtaining two traits at once.
'Could it also be reflected in the new abilities?'
According to the textbox, currently, only three traits are affected by the "abyssal hue."
Traits unrelated to combat, like humanity or predator sense, are not affected. "Superpower Reflection Gloves" are a subject, but they haven't been experimented with yet due to unmet activation conditions.
If the newly acquired superpower traits are also subject to the abyssal essence? It would significantly empower my lacking superpower combat abilities.
'I'll have to figure this out while hunting.'
Confirmation of the application of the abyssal essence seems likely with the acquisition of new psychic power traits.
Fortunately, the place I am in is a planet where Gallagon's Nest is located. It's one of the places where acquiring superpower-related traits is easy.
'That's settled. I need to leave here immediately.'
Though the forest's owner is dead, the danger still lingers.
There are still hundreds of various-sized cocoons around. Inside them are slaves of the red substance, waiting to awaken.
With Glacier Fiend, the provider of narcotics, dead, it's a given that they'll wake up soon.
'But before I go…'
I looked down at the decapitated body of Glacier Fiend.
Fresh meat, reaching up to 15 meters when combined with the lower half buried in the ground, lay sprawled on the floor.
Being in the state of "Cunning Weakling," my body cannot exceed 5 meters. So, taking the whole body is impossible, but it doesn't matter. Thanks to the "Essence Harvester's Jaw," I can obtain genetic essence by just eating the head.
I grabbed the head of Glacier Fiend, resembling a stag beetle.
After firmly securing it with one of the combat arms, I exerted force and pulled it sharply. Flesh around the neck, barely connected, tore as the head separated.
Thanks to the "Essence Harvester's Jaw" acquired upon becoming a juvenile, just eating the head allows me to exhibit the same digestive effect as if I had eaten the entire body. The size difference makes it difficult to carry the whole body. So, I plan to cut off only the head and take it with me.
"I can't let the drug dealers get away with it."
Glacier Fiend is a monster with many useful traits. As a type that hunts prey over vast territories, it's not something you come across often. If I miss this opportunity, who knows when I'll get another chance, so I must make sure to take its head at least.
As I tried to grab the creature's head and leave, the nearby cocoons began to wriggle.
The closest one burst open, and a creature emerged. A monster with elongated legs, resembling a slender dragon, charged at me.
Its name is Snow Banshee.
With its almost pallid skin and striking red tongue, it's a small carnivorous creature. It attacks by lying in wait with its body concealed in the snow, then snatching prey with its thick tongue when it approaches.
'But its terror lies in perfect concealment…'
The one in front of me is under the influence of drugs and is not in its right mind. Instead of hiding and fighting, it recklessly lunged its tongue at me.
I grabbed the tongue flying towards me with my arm near my chest.
When in the state of Inteligent Weakling, the body shrinks, but the muscles around the chest arm develop prominently. While not as strong as the combat arms, they can be useful when fighting enemies of similar size.
'Just like this.'
Gulp?
I exerted force on the arm holding the tongue and pulled the creature towards me with all my might. Perhaps not expecting to be pushed back, the creature stumbled forward lifelessly.
I swiftly approached the collapsed creature and bit its neck behind the head. With a gruesome sound of bones breaking, the creature's body slackened.
'I'll take this too.'
I placed the creature, measuring 1m 50cm, on top of Glacier Fiend's head on my back. In the meantime, other cocoons started bursting one by one.
Monsters awakened from the cocoons also intervened to eat Glacier Fiend's corpse.
Knowing where the red substance comes from, that's what they're up to.
'Let's get out of here quickly.'
While the others were distracted elsewhere, I quickly moved away from the center. There were no obstacles in the periphery since I destroyed all the cocoons with Psychic Breath earlier.
Except for one.
"Grrrr…"
With a bulky 4m physique, a gaunt body with disproportionately long arms and legs, and a black face contrasting with its white body.
The Snowwalker suddenly emerged from the forest, blocking my path.
'It's that guy from earlier.'
It was the Snowwalker I encountered before.
Its gaze was fixed precisely on my back, on Glacier Fiend's head.
It seems like it will chase me to death even if I run away. It's better to deal with it here and now.
'Better this way.'
The Snowwalker's heart is needed for The Mother of the Sky.
I laid the things on my back on the ground. As it seemed I wouldn't retreat easily, the creature growled threateningly.
The Snowwalker approached me step by step. It looks quite intimidating now, being about twice my size.
I lunged at the creature with all four legs.
At the right moment, the creature swung its abnormally long arms. My combat arm collided with its arm.
"Groooo…"
The Snowwalker has far more elbow joints compared to regular animals. As a result, its arms can move flexibly enough to appear whip-like.
Its arms slither over my combat arm like a snake. The sharp claws of the creature aim for one target: my eyes. It seeks to incapacitate me by attacking my vision.
True to its nickname as the hunter of the snow, it engages in cunning attacks right from the start.
But I expected the creature to come out like this.
With the weight on my hind legs, I swung my front leg upward. Like a horse kicking, my front leg struck the creature's lower abdomen forcefully.
"Ugh?!"
Receiving a blow to its groin, the creature staggered and released its arms. With the front leg back in place, I rolled my foot, rotating my body in place. Then, I swung my tail with force.
Although the pincers haven't regenerated yet, the tail, resembling a log, serves as a sufficient weapon. Its blunt end struck the creature's legs like a cudgel.
"Groooo…"
The creature leaped up. Its tail, which had been flying low, brushed past the underside of its feet.
The creature is more agile than it looks, but this too was within my expectations. My real intention wasn't the tail but the attack that followed.
Half-turned, my back faces the creature. And on my back are the faces of the Many-Faced Ones.
Five faces quickly emerged and opened wide. Ultrasound waves, inducing paralysis, poured towards the target.
"!"
The Snowwalker fell from the air, paralyzed, and landed with a thud. My jaws spread into a grin, covering its head.
My teeth relentlessly pierced the creature's black face. Then, as I exerted pressure on its jaw, its head slowly straightened.
"..."
Even in the agony of being crushed, the creature didn't flinch a finger. It's only act was a silent scream.
Shortly after, a sound of cracking walnut shells was heard, and a sweet liquid flowed into my mouth. It was thick yet smooth, reminiscent of chocolate pudding.
'Hmm, I'd like to have more, but…'
Now that there's not only me but also a mouth, I barely managed to resist. What The Mother of the Sky needs is just the heart, but it would be strange to just give her the heart.
So, carefully gathering the prey, I left the Red Forest. As I reached the outskirts, I saw that the red moss was already withering.
The forest, deprived of its owner, was returning to its original state. If even the beasts fighting inside leave, this place will quiet down just like before.
Focusing on the auxiliary organs, I followed the path I had taken. If I go to where I stayed until morning, there should still be traces of the creatures' movement.
I ran through the dark forest without resting, for hours after leaving the Red Forest.
Because of the branches, hardly any sunlight penetrated, and the trees were so similar that it was easy to get lost, but it didn't apply to me. My innate hyper-awareness is guiding me where to go.
I felt the presence of wild creatures, including Snow Banshees, a few times along the way, but they all avoided me. There were no creatures approaching me, perhaps due to the smell of Snowwalker's blood emanating from my body.
Continuing on, I suddenly arrived at the pit I dug yesterday. Stopping nearby, I bent down and brought the auxiliary organs closer to the ground.
A faint scent left by the kids was detected. The traces were sporadically following in one direction.
I followed the faint traces. Along the way, there were traces deliberately made, like small stone stacks or claw marks on trees. They seemed intentionally crafted to be so well hidden that without the auxiliary organs, I wouldn't have noticed them.
'Hmm.'
The entrance itself was narrow, and with trees surrounding it, it wasn't easy to see. It was a well-hidden place, so much so that even I wouldn't have noticed without the auxiliary organs.
'Looks okay.'
With so much baggage, I couldn't go in like this. I threw the items inside one by one and entered the burrow.
Inside, it smelled musty and nauseating, perhaps a place once used by other animals, instead of the usual earthy scent.
As I surveyed the entrance, someone appeared from inside.
'Sooner than expected, huh?'
A griffin with a lion's body covered in golden fur with an eagle's head, the Mother of the Sky. She greeted me with her amber eyes shining.
｢I thought it would take all day.｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (I've got all the necessary information.)]
I handed her the Snowwalker's torso.
｢What's this? A Snowwalker?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Yeah. You need the heart, right?)]
｢Oh? Ah, yes. Thank you.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (You managed to find such a good place.)]
｢Well, I didn't really did much…｣
[ZZ (Huh?)]
｢Once you go in, you'll see.｣
I divided the luggage with her and entered the burrow.
Inside, it was quite spacious. Would you call it a gallery shape? It seemed to be elongated towards the entrance and widened as it went inside.
｢Big guy!｣
At that moment, Number 26 flew towards me. Number 26, who had been waiting in the common area, approached me with a pink glow. The little one hopped onto my head.
[Hey, how have you been?]
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Fine. It was fun wandering around.)]
Seeing the welcoming creature, I couldn't help but feel good. As I petted it, something strange caught my eye in the dim cave interior.
'Huh?'
A creature of unknown identity lay in the corner of the common area. I thought the cave was old and smelled nauseating, but it wasn't. The source of the smell was that creature.
Seeing no signs of heartbeat or muscle movement, it was undoubtedly a corpse. Next to the large creature's body lay PS-111.
[Sub-controller Amorph. Have you arrived?]
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What's next to it?)]
｢It's a Shark Bear. I thought it was an unclaimed cave, but it wasn't.｣
Hearing what the Mother of the Sky said, I was slightly surprised. While not classified as an Apex, a Shark Bear is still a formidable creature.
The creature is a formidable fighter with exceptional combat skills, a mix of a shark's head and a bear's body. Its resistance to psychic powers is a weakness, though.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Oh, really?)]
Come to think of it, there was something strange about the Shark Bear's corpse. From what I know, it's quite large. If it stood up, it would be similar in size to the Snowwalker.
However, the body detected by the auxiliary organs wasn't that big. It was as if it had been compressed, like squeezed into a vice.
｢I was resting in the cave when it suddenly came in. That's when Number 26 caught it.｣
｢It's a troublemaker who came into the house where the babies live. I did a good job, right?｣
The culprit behind the creation of a cube steak made from a bear with a shark's head.
Sea Demon Number 26 smiled brightly from my head.