229
-x-X-x-
Under the light, I saw six Gallagons.
Three had green scales, along with the white Gallagon, Nel Germa, and Ham Ort, whose wings were nearly healed. And then there was Adhai, adorned in her red makeup.
Above the Gallagons were some familiar figures.
Perched on Ham Ort was the Mother of the Sky, transformed into a Wendigo, while the Mutant Screamer PS-111 rode on Nel Germa.
Ahead of them, on top of Adhai, was a small pink balloon. This was Number 26, known as the Sea Demon.
They all gathered here to assist me on this lonely journey.
｢Odd Grad!｣ ｢I command you!｣ ｢Attack!｣ ｢Attack!｣
The black dragon kept barking orders, but none of the others followed. Amid the confusion, the frail White Gallagon stepped forward.
｢Great Odd Grad｣ ｢Black｣ ｢Enemy｣ ｢Color of the stars｣ ｢Enemy｣ ｢Strength｣
｢No!｣ ｢Enemy｣ ｢Just a traitor｣ ｢It's a lie!｣
｢Kin｣ ｢Lie｣ ｢Impossible｣ ｢Color｣ ｢Lie｣ ｢Impossible｣
According to the lore, a red Gallagon is a mythical being that commands all Gallagons, one of the few creatures that can instil an instinctual fear in them, known as the dragon of the universe.
'Of course, Adhai hasn't fully grown yet.'
Her dragon power is pitifully weak compared to the Red Gallagon I've seen before, even weaker than Odd Grad.
Yet, the reason the Gallagon horde is in disarray is clear.
It's all because of Odd Grad's vile actions as the black tyrant.
He abused and starved his kin, ignored their strong sense of kinship, and killed the weaker offspring.
Had he behaved like a 'normal Gallagon,' they would have obeyed his commands, as he was their leader who had protected them until now.
But he was never a good king for the Gallagons.
｢Odd Grad｣ ｢Emotion｣ ｢Understanding｣ ｢Difficulty｣ ｢Explanation｣ ｢Request｣
｢!｣
And now, he's lost the means to control his kin.
His treasure, the ring that hides emotions, was torn from him along with his forepaw when I attacked him with my bone scythe arm.
That ring is now in my possession. I clenched it tightly with the small hand on my chest.
｢You!｣
Odd Grad snarled as he saw it.
He had always exploited the Gallagons' inability to lie, but that was no longer possible. It was easy to imagine how the other Gallagons would perceive him now that they knew his true intentions.
'They'll likely see him as completely insane.'
Or perhaps as a wicked tyrant who enslaved and massacred his kin.
The frail White Gallagon, who defied Odd Grad, continued to send out waves of thought.
｢Kin｣ ｢Stronger kin｣ ｢Follow｣ ｢New leader｣ ｢Decision｣ ｢Necessary｣
It clearly expressed its refusal to fight, then retreated. The other Gallagons followed suit, backing away.
Now, only Odd Grad's mates remained as enemies.
By coincidence, there were six of them left, as one had died in my previous attack.
It so happens that we also have six beings capable of flight on our side.
'Including those riding on our backs, we outnumber them.'
No more thinking or talking is necessary.
From here on, strength will determine everything.
I pushed off the ground and soared into the air.
Though my neck wound wasn't fully healed, the carapace formed by my 'Symbol of Hunt' transformation had stopped the bleeding. To fully recover, I needed nourishment.
The genetic essence of the black Gallagon should be sufficient.
I flapped my wings, which now gleamed with red veins, and flew towards Odd Grad.
Thanks to the Symbol of Hunt's effect, my wings were larger and stronger than before. Odd Grad was startled to see me approach so quickly.
｢Insignificant creature!｣
I pressed close to him, swinging my tail with all the force I could muster. The tip of my tail, like a colossal flail, hurtled towards him with a menacing sound.
Perhaps realizing that it was impossible to block my attack even with foresight, Odd Grad chose to evade. One of his black wings bent slightly, causing his body to lurch. My tail's pincer scraped against the horn on his head as it passed by.
Having narrowly avoided my attack, Odd Grad immediately fired a psychic breath from his position. Unlike me, who needed time to charge, his speed was undoubtedly faster.
However, his breath no longer posed a significant threat to me.
With my body reinforced by the Symbol and the Mimicry Scales' effect, I was now almost completely immune to psychic power.
Of course, I couldn't entirely ignore the physical force of his breath. The impact pushed me back, and Odd Grad quickly retreated.
While I fought Odd Grad, the battle between his mates and my allies began.
Nel Germa, who displayed above-average combat skills, dove into the midst of Odd Grad's mates. PS-111, riding atop her, relentlessly fired demolisher blue energy blasts from its mouth.
One of the mates was hit by a blast that disintegrated matter on the edge of its wing and urgently warned its kin. Just like in the fight against me, the enemies scattered quickly.
'Just as planned, the enemies have dispersed. Everyone, prepare yourselves.'
｢Understood｣
One of the scattered enemies flew towards the green Gallagons in Ham Ort's group. It seemed intent on tearing apart the weaker ones first and rejoining its kin swiftly.
But such a predictable attack wouldn't fool my allies. The still-recovering pure white queen blocked the white mate's path.
Riding on her back, the Mother of the Sky unleashed the 'Ice Wraith' she had prepared in advance. The white Gallagon, who had been flying perfectly fine, was suddenly infected with the Wendigo's madness and turned on her.
The crazed Gallagon fired a breath at her, but she boldly evaded the purple heat beam. She leaped into the air, grabbing onto Ham Ort's horn, narrowly avoiding the beam.
Though she fell to the ground according to the laws of nature, Ham Ort skillfully tilted her head to catch her.
｢Are you alright?｣
｢…Would you stop if I said yes?｣
｢Little one｣ ｢Knowing you can't｣ ｢Stop｣
｢Tch, let's finish this quickly!｣
The combination of the Ice Wraith and the pure white queen pulled the maddened mate away. Meanwhile, the other green Gallagons moved to support Nel Germa and PS-111.
'If you follow my instructions, your life will not be in danger.'
｢Adult｣ ｢Trust｣ ｢Me｣ ｢Trust｣
｢Me｣ ｢Pain｣ ｢Dislike｣
'The probability of only losing a tail or getting a hole in your wing is 63%, so you can trust me.'
｢Suddenly｣ ｢Uneasiness｣
｢Nel Germa｣ ｢Pointing out｣ ｢Facts｣ ｢All of it｣ ｢Unnecessary｣
The combination of Green, White Gallagons, and mechanical creatures was facing two of Odd Grad's mates.
Three of the enemy mates remained.
However, their situation was dire. They had to contend with my friends, Number 26 and Adhai, who had fought together frequently since the space city.
Perhaps because of their experience fighting together, they toyed with the three white Gallagon mates.
Adhai, who had always excelled in aerial combat, was now cutting across the battlefield at terrifying speeds. None of the Gallagons here could match her speed, which was as fast as a projectile fired from a railgun.
Failing to catch up with her, the mates tried to shoot her down with psychic breath. But riding atop her was Number 26, our best psychic power expert.
Every time Number 26 waved its tentacles from atop the glowing red comet, the direction of the heat beams veered off course, or the energy dissipated entirely.
With the mates' attacks nullified, Adhai pivoted and charged them in return. Activating her red armor, she rammed into one of the mates.
Her charge, combined with near-sonic speed and her indestructible horns, was nothing short of devastating. She completely pierced through the mate's abdomen.
It was as if a four-meter-long projectile had punched a hole in the White Gallagon's belly, killing it instantly. Number 26, who had been clinging tightly to her back, suddenly popped out.
｢Fun! Do it again!｣
｢No｣ ｢Too messy｣
Just as expected.
It seemed like they had discussed their battle plan before arriving here; their coordination was flawless.
｢You!｣ ｢Where are you looking!｣
While I briefly watched them fight, Odd Grad launched a sudden attack. He thrust his head forward, aiming to pierce my chest with his horn.
As a clever creature, he quickly realized that I hadn't died despite having my neck half-severed and immediately targeted a different spot.
Under normal circumstances, I might have commended his judgment, but not now.
The only way for him to survive was to flee from this place.
'Not that I'm going to let that happen.'
I slightly twisted my body to narrowly avoid his charge. His horn only managed to scratch the surface of my chest carapace.
Odd Grad tried to quickly pull his head back after the failed attack, but this time, I was faster. My combat arms grabbed hold of his horn.
｢!｣
The Predator Leech's hand activated, rapidly draining his energy through the horn.
Even a large creature like a White Gallagon wouldn't last long in my grasp before becoming a withered husk. Odd Grad knew this. In desperation, he fired a psychic breath with his horn still caught.
The force of the impact pushed me back sharply. I tried to maintain my grip, but the horn broke, and I lost my hold.
｢I'll kill you!｣ ｢I'll kill you!｣ ｢I will definitely｣ ｢kill you!｣
Having lost all the horns that a male Gallagon could take pride in, Odd Grad looked utterly pitiful. He watched as the horn in my hand crumbled into dust and began spewing waves of furious telepathy.
｢You, of all creatures!｣ ｢Never｣ ｢Never｣ ｢I will never forgive you!｣
Blinded by rage, he spread his wings wide and ascended into the sky.
'Is he running away?'
I could feel his presence rapidly receding.
I quickly checked on the others' battles. Unless the Gallagons observing us from afar decided to intervene, it didn't seem like my friends would lose.
In fact, the situation was tilting more in our favour. Confident, I pursued Odd Grad.
As I flew up, my black mantle with red patterns billowing behind me, I sensed his energy.
'What is he doing?'
A massive amount of energy was emanating from his body, similar to when he uses the 'Maelstrom' to create a localized psychic storm.
'He knows that won't work on me….'
As that thought crossed my mind, images rapidly flashed before my eyes.
In the Symbol of Hunt state, where my vision is obscured, the only time images appear is when one specific condition is met.
Predator Sense.
This ability, which synthesizes environmental factors to predict the future, was warning me. Thanks to the Symbols of Hunt's effect, the future images provided by Predator Sense were much more detailed.
The immense energy gathering within Odd Grad wasn't meant to create a psychic storm in the sky.
The sole purpose of that black dragon's power was to annihilate me.
The energy, aligning with his will, began to concentrate and soon transformed into a familiar form. Red diamond-like energy, Dragon Power.
'How is that possible?'
He's an aged Black Gallagon, not a Red Gallagon. He's not a special entity like Adhai.
Moreover, when I last observed him with Insight, he was definitely a Black Gallagon. This means something must have changed during our battle, but I can't pinpoint what caused it.
'Could it be because he drank my blood?'
My body contains a significant amount of the genetic essence of the White Gallagon. It's possible that Odd Grad, by consuming my blood, absorbed some of that essence.
'No, that's not the main issue right now.'
The Dragon Power he created was much more unstable than Adhai's. While Dragon Power should manifest as a bright red, like a red diamond, Odd Grad's energy was closer to a reddish-purple.
That means it was mixed with psychic power.
And that impure fusion took the form of a massive beam aimed directly at my head.
｢Odd Grad's attack has hit.｣
｢I am dead.｣
The last attack I saw through Predator Sense before it ended was a technique I recognized.
'…Starflame.'
A technique similar to an orbital weapon's bombardment, and one of the Red Gallagon's signature moves.
'But it's different in many ways.'
Since it's an attack based on Dragon Power, it should be purely red, but the Starflame I saw through Predator Sense was closer to purple.
'He's on the brink of a transformation.'
I don't know why Odd Grad is suddenly on the verge of this growth, but his attack remains incomplete.
A true Red Gallagon's Starflame would be unstoppable, but not yet.
I halted my advance towards him and began preparing a psychic breath.
'I have to push back with maximum firepower.'
I needed to channel the full effect of the Symbol of Hunt and the energy I absorbed from Odd Grad just moments ago.
For the first time since the battle with the Imperial Mothership, my body reached its limit. I converted all my remaining energy into psychic power, leaving only the minimum necessary to keep myself intact.
Perhaps because I was holding more psychic power than I should, my black scales and carapace began to emit a faint purple glow. The parts of my body that held the most energy, like the monster tentacles, glowed a vivid purple, brighter than any heat ray.
｢Insignificant creature!｣ ｢Face judgment!｣
The moment I fully charged my psychic power, Odd Grad struck.
The reddish-purple sphere elongated into a thin cylindrical shape and descended upon my head. My senses were so heightened that it seemed to move slowly, though it was actually as fast as light.
Just before the deep violet ray could touch my body.
I unleashed all my power into a psychic breath. The beam I fired collided with the Starflame, creating a massive recoil that crushed down on me.
[Pain Nullification Activated]
'No! I can endure this!'
As I suspected, his attack was incomplete. A proper Starflame would have overwhelmed me, reducing me to nothing.
Thanks to the Symbol effect, the thickness of my beam was on par with the Starflame. In fact, his imperfect Starflame was evenly matched with the psychic breath I was unleashing.
｢I am｣ ｢A being blessed by the stars!｣ ｢I will never｣ ｢be defeated!｣
Odd Grad knew he wasn't overpowering me, so he kept pouring energy into the Starflame.
The output was nearly equal. The outcome would depend on who had more energy left.
And in this moment, he held a slight advantage over me, even with the Symbol of Hunt.
'Grrr!'
The power struggle between us began to tilt in his favor. The intense heat from the Starflame started to burn my head carapace. Even with the Mimicry Scales, my carapace was slowly melting.
'Just a little more…!'
Odd Grad's energy was dwindling, likely because this was his first time using Dragon Power. Despite the agony of my melting carapace and scales, I gritted my teeth and maintained focus.
Then, in the spot where my scales had melted, I felt a strange sensation. It was like tiny creatures crawling over me, but oddly, it wasn't unpleasant. The feeling extended beyond my body, like fur blowing in the wind.
'What?'
And it wasn't just a sensation.
Within the molten carapace, wriggling, worm-like entities began to proliferate.
'What is this?'
It was peculiar. Even amidst the pain from the struggle with Starflame, I was concerned about the changes happening in my body.
These worm-like sensations weren't a natural growth or even physical matter. They were formed from incomprehensible energy, a mixture of psychic power and unknown energy. It was as if someone had refined chaos into delicate strands.
'Refining chaos… Could it be?'
As soon as I became aware of the transformation in my body, the worm-like entities began to coalesce. They merged from fine, hair-like strands into tendrils as large as my own assimilation tentacles.
The newly formed tentacle cluster shot out with the speed of an arrow released from a bow. It surged towards Odd Grad, who was now the target.
｢?!｣
As the tentacle attack approached, Odd Grad must have read the future, because he quickly ceased the Starflame. The energy that had been burning me vanished instantly, and my psychic breath blew off one of his legs.
Despite his injury, Odd Grad tried to dodge the incoming energy tendrils. He evaded most of them, but one energy tentacle pierced through his tail. The tentacles that had achieved their purpose dissolved into the air.
｢Kraaaak!｣
For the first time, Odd Grad screamed. Even though he had only lost a tail, the pain was so intense that he could not properly emit his psychic waves.
'No matter what, this is the chance.'
With my still-healthy wings fluttering, I flew towards him. Odd Grad, no longer in a state to maintain flight, began to slowly descend.
｢You!｣ ｢You!｣ ｢You!｣
The pain, hatred, and various resentments emanating from the black dragon seeped into me.
As I closed the distance, an additional emotion appeared in his psychic waves.
It was surely fear of death.
What could the black tyrant be seeing right now?
The sight of the Amorph approaching with its mouth open? Or perhaps the future shown by the precognitive abilities that had assisted him until now?
｢The great Odd Grad｣ ｢Will never｣ ｢Be defeated…｣
Odd Grad's psychic waves failed to continue to the end.
The headless black dragon's corpse disappeared beneath the clouds.
[ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Your future is over)]
With the sun at my back, I devoured Odd Grad's head in one bite.
——————
[Predation effect activated! Successfully acquired the gene essence of 'Dragon's Heart (Unique).]
[Stolen the 'Dragon's Heart (Unique)' from the biological traits of the 'Black Gallagon'.]
[Would you like to apply 'Dragon's Heart (Unique)'?]
As soon as I swallowed Odd Grad's head, the long-awaited text box appeared.
The 'Dragon's Heart,' a symbol of the Black Gallagon.
This is the first unique trait acquired through direct predation without using the Transcendence System. If you want to evolve into a specialization in psychic abilities, it's the best option.
Though I should be happy to have gained such a powerful trait, I felt a slight disappointment.
'I thought something different would come out since it's a special one.'
Perhaps a precognition ability or the Starflame it used before dying. Not that the Dragon's Heart is useless, but Odd Grad was a being of a different calibre compared to ordinary Black Gallagons. So I had a little hope.
'Well, it's a bit disappointing, but it can't be helped.'
I selected 'Confirm'. Then several translucent text boxes appeared, and my body began to change.
Imitation is another aspect of evolution.
There is no being better suited to this concept than The Amorph.
My organs and bodily systems began actively accepting the gene essence of the Black Gallagon, transforming in response.
The blood vessels connected to the heart on the right side expanded, split, and branched into new vessels. These new vessels converged on the opposite side of the heart, towards the left.
As organs like the lungs and intestines shifted, a new heart began to grow in the empty space left behind. Though smaller in size than the heart on the right, the strength of this Gallagon heart was no less.
'So this is how it feels.'
Could it be because I'm in the 'Symbol of Hunt' state that my senses are heightened? I could vividly feel the changes happening inside my body.
With two hearts in an instant, I took a deep breath. Even when I secured the Berserker Synapse before, I felt a strong vitality, but this time, it was on a different level.
Despite expending a considerable amount of energy in the fight with Odd Grad, the exhaustion completely disappeared. Instead, I felt a powerful energy, as if I were holding the sun within me.
With the Dragon's Heart, it's as if I'm always in the Symbol of Hunt state, at least concerning psychic abilities. The heart constantly pumps psychic power, allowing me to use techniques like Psychic Breath without restriction.
And that's not all. Even in situations that consume large amounts of energy, like superluminal navigation, I can substitute with psychic power.
"It'll go well with the Horizon of Nightmares."
The worry of energy consumption while towing the ship will decrease, after all.
"Come to think of it, this makes four unique traits now, doesn't it?"
I have three unique traits created through the Transcendence System. Adding the Dragon's Heart, which specializes in psychic abilities, brings the total to four.
'Only six more until I meet the evolution conditions.'
I already met the Apex condition while fighting Odd Grad's group. Now, only the requirements of acquiring ten unique traits and holding six types remain.
'I still have a long way to go.'
To gather ten unique traits, I'll need to continue hunting Black Gallagon-class Apexes or use the Transcendence System.
'It won't be easy to gain them through hunting.'
I might find more Black Gallagons, but there's no sign of any new Gallagon groups on this planet. And it seems there are no other Apex creatures with unique-level traits on this planet besides the Gallagons.
'There's a chance the Arcane Orca might come, but waiting for that would be too inefficient."
The Arcane Orca, a higher species of Skywhale, moves between planets, consuming massive amounts of energy. They might come to the black mountain where the Skywhales roam, but it's impossible to predict when they'll arrive.
At least the Crystalwing has a nest, but the Orca does not. Rather than waiting indefinitely, it might be better to consider other options.
'Perhaps it's time to leave.'
Thanks to the Gallagons, I met the Apex condition, and I killed the Black Gallagon Odd Grad. I've probably gotten everything I can from this planet.
'Though I don't plan to leave immediately.'
After capturing the Hellside Hornet, I gained new information about the materials needed for a new unique trait. To fuse that unique trait, I'll need the traits of both the Hellside Hornet and the Glacier Fiend.
'Even though Hellside Hornets are one thing, finding Glacier Fiends on another planet won't be easy. I need to either fuse a unique trait on this planet before leaving or at least gather the materials.'
'Not to mention, there are still unresolved issues with the Screechers that came with PS-111 and the gene obtained from the Human-Faced Insects. It'll take quite some time to check everything.'
'I'll think about that later.'
The battle is still raging below. Before descending, I checked my body's condition one last time.
The scales that were burned by the impact of the Starflame were almost completely restored. Although the head carapace, which took the most damage, is still healing, I don't need to worry since it can be repaired by absorbing more enemies.
'That attack just now, it was definitely the effect of the Psychic Reflection Armor.'
Not just any ordinary Psychic Reflection Armor, but one imbued with the Abyssal Hue.
A bizarre sensation, as if chaos itself had been refined, and it inflicted extreme pain on the opponent it struck. No trait other than the Abyssal Hue possesses such characteristics.
'Was it automatically activated because it's a passive trait?'
I can't deactivate or activate the Psychic Reflection Armor at will. It seems that the same characteristic is reflected in the Abyssal Hue version.
'There are probably two conditions for activation.'
Some traits of The Amorph do not stack or combine with others. In such cases, the more superior trait takes effect, while the less effective trait remains inactive.
For example, if I possess the 'Enhanced Wings of the Beast' and acquire a 'Wing' trait, it doesn't mean I get additional wings. The gene essence of the Wing trait is stored somewhere in my brain but doesn't actually change my body.
For the Wing trait to activate, the Enhanced Wings of the Beast must be deactivated. This could happen if I lose my winged arms or if the trait itself is lost.
Similarly, the Psychic Reflection Armor is inactive due to the high psychic resistance provided by the Mimicry Scales. If the psychic resistance effect of the Mimicry Scales is terminated, the Psychic Reflection Armor will reactivate.
'But the Mimicry Scales were severely damaged by the Starflame.'
The scales and carapace were stripped away, exposing the underlying muscles, causing the Mimicry Scales' effect to be lost. As a result, the Psychic Reflection Armor was temporarily triggered.
Of course, I've been hit by several psychic breaths while the Mimicry Scales were inactive, but the armor didn't activate then. This suggests that another condition is required for activation.
'The amount of psychic power must reach a certain threshold before it automatically activates.'
The regular Psychic Reflection Armor reflects any amount of psychic power, no matter how small. On the other hand, the Abyssal Hue version seems to activate automatically only when I suffer a truly devastating attack that could cause serious harm.
'The downside is that I can't activate it at will, but…'
It's still useful to deliver a powerful blow to psychic-heavy enemies like Cult Players or Gallagons.
'I'll research it further if I get the chance.'
After completing all checks, I folded my wings and accelerated toward the space beneath the clouds.
The battle with the Gallagons is now over.
---
After the Great Elder left, she couldn't move for a long time.
When he mentioned leaving, it brought back memories of being abandoned by her old pack.
By the time she regained her senses, her mother was beside her. Despite her own injuries not being fully healed, her mother was covering her with her wings, making her embrace uncomfortable.
She looked up at her mother, but her mother didn't meet her gaze. She was just covering her with her wings, telling her not to feel cold.
The emotions she felt at that moment were complex.
She wanted to shout, 'What are you doing now? How will you take responsibility for the Great Elder leaving because of you?'
But in the end, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Because her mother's wings were so warm, like a mother comforting her child.
With her keen memory, she recalled something from long ago.
She was born with a weak body and often shivered in the cold, even in the nest. Whenever that happened, her mother would spread her wings and hold her warmly.
Though her mother's eyes were indifferent and cold, her wings were always so comforting.
Perhaps it was because she was reminiscing about the past, or maybe it was because she had grown and broadened her thinking. She suddenly wondered if the Great Elder had really left her pack.
As they departed for her homeland, the Great Elder spoke.
The Great Elder had always said she was the most precious to him. He promised never to abandon her, and that promise was kept.
Moreover, right before leaving, hadn't he said so? He never lies to her. No matter how many times she thought back, he had never once lied to her.
She pondered.
Perhaps the Great Elder had a plan all along? He always came up with plans she had never seen or thought of before. Maybe, even now, he had a grand plan that only he knew about.
And this thought was not hers alone.
｢I found it! The Great Elder left this behind!｣
The Little Elder, who had been with the Great Elder the longest, pulled something out of a pit. It was a long, metallic object, unlike anything their kind used, with an energy that was different from theirs. The Great Elder had often lent this item to his unsightly friend.
When she saw it, she realized.
This was the trace the Great Elder had left behind.
The Great Elder hadn't abandoned them. He left, trusting them with his plan.
After that, everyone began searching for more traces left by the Great Elder. They revisited the places they had gone with him.
The vast icy plains, the black mountain where they had fought the sky serpent, even the cave midway up the mountain where she had hunted with him.
All of it was in vain, but she and her kin didn't give up. They were certain the Great Elder was waiting for them to come.
After searching for a long time, the last place left was one she had never visited. The Little Elder said it was where they went to catch 'the shiny, flying thing'.
And that place was the answer.
At that place, the Great Elder and the mighty Odd Grad were engaged in a battle that the sky and stars would remember.
As she flew, carrying the Little Elder, she vowed to scold the Great Elder when she met him.
He had no idea how shocked she was when the one she revered and loved the most said he was leaving. If she stabbed him a few times with her horn, maybe he wouldn't do such a thing again.
Seeing the injured Great Elder fighting Odd Grad nearly softened her anger, but she forced herself to stay resolute.
Though she downgraded her plan to scratching him with her claws instead of stabbing him, her resolve to reprimand him remained unchanged.
With the desire to scold the Great Elder firmly in her heart, she kept fighting.
Besides the white elder she killed in the initial ambush, the remaining two were surprisingly difficult.
After one elder died, the others kept their distance, evading her while waiting for Odd Grad to defeat the Great Elder and come to their aid.
Foolish.
The Great Elder is far superior to the deceitful Odd Grad. Those dumb elders are clinging to false hope, unable to see the truth.
At that moment, the light of the stars flashed above her head from within the clouds. A familiar wave of power shook the clouds several times before expelling something.
｢Traitor｣ ｢Black kin｣ ｢Dead｣
｢Mighty Odd Grad｣ ｢Victorious｣
The fall happened so quickly that she couldn't fully confirm it. Her opponents, too, seemed confused, and their companions mocked her.
But she knew instinctively.
Who the true victor was.
Of course, her thoughts were correct.
A black meteor fell upon the companion who had mocked her. As the stars shifted and a shadow swallowed the nest, the black star engulfed the white elder.
｢Impossible｣ ｢Impossible!｣
The so-called 'black kin' they shouted about lifted its head and looked at her. Meeting her gaze, it nodded and immediately flew to her side.
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (Let's wrap this up quickly and go back)]
｢Yes｣
His calm demeanor was incredibly infuriating, but she couldn't say a word.
Even that demeanor seemed endearing to her.
——————
Cha Lumera, Odd Grad's mate, could not believe it.
The great black male was an undefeated force. No matter what crisis arose, the leader always led the pack to victory. Though Cha Lumera was not particularly old, she had never seen Odd Grad lose.
So, she assumed today would be no different.
She believed they would crush the rebels and feast on their blood.
But reality took a different turn from what she had imagined.
The male she loved was nowhere to be seen, and instead, a black star appeared. The creature, with wings like a blizzard, stood beside a diminutive female.
Everyone present knew what this meant.
｢Liar Odd Grad｣｢Defeated!｣
The tiny leader, protected by the black slaughterer, shouted.
｢The great Odd Grad｣｢Defeated?｣｢Impossible!｣
｢Defeated?｣｢Impossible!｣
The other mates lunged, denying the female's words.
Even if all the mates joined forces, they could not defeat Odd Grad. The black slaughterer that had overpowered Odd Grad must be far stronger.
Unfortunately, this time, her prediction was correct.
One of the white mates exhaled towards the small female. The black slaughterer spread its wings to shield its leader.
The mate's attack left no mark on its wings. While it provided cover, the small leader turned around and charged at the mate.
The mate, who had been exhaling, tried to dodge at the last moment, but it was too late. The leader pierced through the mate before it could escape.
Meanwhile, the black slaughterer moved to capture a young mate who was struggling against two enemies alone.
The mate, fighting the slow-moving snow-white queen with a damaged wing and a small creature using ominous power, had no idea the black slaughterer had appeared.
Though originally a mate that enjoyed fighting, it now seemed half-crazed. Like a fledgling intoxicated by blood, it focused solely on attacking the snow-white queen, Ham Ort.
The young mate managed to get close to the snow-white queen and grasped Ham Ort tightly with its forepaws. As it exhaled while pressing its body against hers, Ham Ort twisted her flexible neck just enough to avoid the force.
Despite the failed attack, the young mate did not give up and began gathering its strength again.
｢Danger!｣
Cha Lumera urgently warned, but she did not listen. The price for ignoring the warning was severe.
The black slaughterer appeared behind the young mate like a shadow. Its many arms grabbed the young mate, scattering the force it had gathered around its mouth like snow blown by the wind.
Then, Ham Ort released the energy she had gathered toward the young mate's head. Though not particularly powerful for a snow-white queen, it was enough to blow off the young mate's head.
It hadn't been long since the black slaughterer reappeared, and already three had perished.
Only then did Cha Lumera realize.
Odd Grad's pack had lost the battle against this group.
Cha Lumera glanced at the mate she had been fighting alongside. Sharing the same thoughts, they nodded at each other.
"Probability of the enemy escaping: 93%."
The metal-scented creature riding atop the white compatriot, Nel Germa, emitted waves along with strange noises. It was undoubtedly commanding them to pursue. The two fled with all their might.
Cha Lumera was the fastest here, second only to the small leader. The green compatriots and Nel Germa couldn't keep up with her.
The mate fleeing beside her gradually fell behind, but Cha Lumera didn't care.
She had to escape to the stars above, far from home. Up there, they wouldn't be able to follow her.
At that moment, a serpent appeared and devoured the lagging mate.
Witnessing the mate disappear, leaving only the tip of its tail behind, she felt her heart stop.
A colossal serpent was there. With thousands, no, tens of thousands of heads writhing, it was a serpent so massive it covered the sky.
The moment she saw the end of the serpent's tail, she recognized its identity.
It was a being composed of an unimaginable amount of power.
No other compatriot could wield such an awe-inspiring force. Not even the one she loved most, the great Odd Grad.
The serpent that swallowed the sky flicked its tongue, aiming to devour her.
She fled with all her might, just as she had when breaking out of her egg.
The serpent closed in behind her, its presence growing closer with every beat of her wings.
Cha Lumera did not want to die. There were still so many things she wanted to do, so many things she wanted to eat. She couldn't die here.
As she flew with that thought, a sudden, powerful impact struck her chest.
A sharp, intense pain, as if she had been pierced by something small and metallic, drained the strength from her body.
That was her last memory.
---
'What the...?'
The white Gallagon fleeing from my psychic breath suddenly slowed down. I had no idea why the creature that had been desperately running away a moment ago suddenly seemed to give up on life.
'Because of that, I couldn't aim properly.'
After gaining the Dragon's Heart, the power of my psychic breath exceeded my expectations. Previously, it had taken the form of a refined energy beam, but now it had changed. Perhaps due to the sudden release of massive energy, it resembled more of a blazing inferno.
'The Horizon of Nightmares must have boosted its power.'
The Horizon of Nightmares enhances the effects of the unique trait it possesses. Seeing how much the breath's power had increased, it was clear that the Dragon's Heart was also benefiting from it. Not only does it supply nearly infinite energy, but it also boosts the firepower of psychic attacks. If I acquire a new trait that consumes psychic power in the future, it will likely benefit from the enhanced Dragon's Heart as well.
'The power might be about half that of the Divine Spectre?'
Even if the firepower is slightly weaker, this is much better. Unlike the Divine Spectre, I can fire this repeatedly.
'This will be great when fighting fleets.'
It's a shame that I lost the enemy's genetic essence, but I'll count it as a valuable experience.
The tentacle I had used to fire the breath drooped, and as I turned my head, Ham Ort approached me. Her amethyst-like eyes gleamed with interest. She was likely surprised, as she had never seen a psychic breath of such strength before.
｢Black kin, your strength is very, very impressive.｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (How's your body?)]
｢No issues. The small one, Ham Ort, helped.｣
Mother of the Sky peeked through the broken horn of Ham Ort.
｢What was that just now? It was a psychic breath, but why was it so powerful?｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ (I obtained the Dragon's Heart.)]
｢But can that alone make it so strong? Is it because it's combined with the Symbol of Hunt?｣
[ZZZZ (Maybe.)]
｢I thought so... But that's not the point. You insane Amorph!｣
She paused, letting out a short sigh, before bombarding me with a rapid stream of telepathic words.
｢You deliberately delayed your detection to avoid precognition, didn't you? Do you know how much trouble you caused us?｣
[ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZZZ (I would have left the spear behind.)]
｢How would we know just by you leaving the spear? We had to search the entire area to figure out where the battle would take place!｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (I thought you'd see it once I started fighting anyway.)]
｢Ugh, I should just stop talking.｣
Her amber eyes, nestled deep within her eye sockets, trembled slightly, reflecting her emotions. This was the first time she had reacted so emotionally since the battle with Muriel.
'...Maybe I went too far?'
There was no other way to catch Odd Grad. My strategy had worked, after all.
But regardless, it was clear that Mother of the Sky was upset by my actions. If she had done something similar, I would have been equally unsettled.
[ZZZZ ZZZZ (I'll be more careful next time.)]
She shook her birdlike skull, back and forth.
｢I understand why you did it, but please consider our feelings too. I can handle it, but it's not the same for them.｣
She pointed behind me with her finger. When I turned around, I saw Adhai and Number 26.
｢Great One｣｢That's cruel｣｢I｣｢Really｣｢Hate being abandoned｣
Hearing her sincere telepathic waves, I found myself at a loss for words. When I remained silent, it approached and scratched the shell of my head with its claw.
｢But｣｢I didn't really｣｢Abandon you｣
I suppose this was her way of letting me off the hook.
I wanted to convey my gratitude, but just then, Number 26 sprang up from her head.
｢Bad little one! Really, really bad little one!｣
Number 26 extended its tentacles, growing them to their original size, radiating an intensity I had never seen before. It then smacked me on the head with full force.
'Ack?!'
The blow was so strong that I thought my neck might snap. A message appeared before my eyes indicating that pain reduction had been activated, and a dent formed in the shell of my head.
｢Bad little ones who hurt their family and abandon them deserve punishment!｣
As it spoke, its body turned pale white.
The last time I saw it like this was long ago when it was forcibly injected with Salonium aboard the Megacorp research ship. My departure had been that much of a shock to it.
In the face of its fury, there was only one thing I could say.
[ZZZ (I'm sorry)]
Did it understand the sincerity in my apology? The tentacle poised to strike again paused mid-air.
After a moment, its body gradually returned to its usual pink hue. Shrinking its tentacles, it moved from Adhai's head to mine.
｢Are you going to stop doing bad things now?｣
[ZZZ (Yes)]
｢If you do bad things again, I'll punish you. I'll hit you hard.｣
[ZZZ (Okay)]
It curled the tip of its tentacle into a ball, shaking it as if to emphasize the warning.
'Mother of the Sky was right.'
They aren't my slaves, nor are they tools to be used at my convenience. They are beings who move alongside me of their own will. They are truly precious to me.
I've lived alone for most of my life, whether in the game or in reality, but not here.
The strategy I used this time involved manipulating their emotions. While it yielded the desired outcome, it also hurt them.
'In the long run, this isn't good.'
Not for me, and not for them.
Odd Grad was a peculiar opponent, but there's a good chance I'll face more enemies with foresight abilities in the future. When that happens, I'll reconsider the tactics I used yesterday. I've survived this long by using any means necessary.
However, this incident has made me aware of the risks associated with this strategy, so I won't repeat it. Maintaining a positive relationship with them is beneficial to me in the long term.
Having heard my apology, Number 26 no longer seemed angry. Though it still tapped my horn with its tentacle, a hint of lingering resentment remained.
"I don't have any particular objections. The Amorph's decision ultimately led to the best possible outcome. I believe there are things to be learned from this."
｢…Don't learn those things.｣
Odd Grad and his mates are all dead.
What remains now are the Gallagons who withdrew from the battle. When they felt our gaze, they flinched.
'What should I do with them?'
Devouring them all would be a significant gain for me, but I wasn't sure how Adhai would feel about it.
At that moment, a slender White Gallagon flew towards us.
｢I｣｢Sha Velmag｣｢Acknowledge｣｢Odd Grad｣｢Defeat｣
The one who introduced himself as Sha Velmag was the first Gallagon among Odd Grad's group to refuse to fight.
｢Sha Velmag｣｢Serve｣｢New Leader｣｢Request｣｢Mercy｣
As his telepathic waves of surrender gently spread, other Gallagons also relaxed their battle stances and approached us.
I surveyed the remaining Gallagons. There weren't many White Gallagons left; most of them were Green Gallagons.
I've already met all the Apex conditions. While I could obtain some decent traits from the White Gallagons, the Green Gallagons didn't offer anything particularly valuable.
'And there's not much time left on the Symbol of Hunt.'
Even if I took them down now, I wouldn't gain much genetic essence.
After contemplating, I turned to Adhai.
[ZZ ZZ (You decide.)]
｢Great one｣｢Stronger｣｢I｣｢No right｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (You've been struggling with your past ever since you were cast out of the pack. It's time to put those struggles to rest.)]
｢!｣
Adhai's eyes widened in understanding.
The reason I passed the decision to her was simple.
Even after joining me, Adhai occasionally struggled with memories of being cast out due to her disability.
I plan to keep her by my side in the future. Although her past pain hasn't directly caused problems yet, there's no guarantee it won't in the future.
So I'm giving her a chance to heal her wounds.
If she chooses war to release her resentment towards the pack, it wouldn't be a disadvantage to me. Although I won't fully benefit from the Symbol's effect, taking down that many Gallagons might still yield a couple of genetic essences.
But what if she chooses forgiveness?
That wouldn't be bad either. Gallagons are formidable combat creatures. While I can't take them with me everywhere, they'd be excellent allies in critical planetary invasions.
Adhai's gaze shifted from me to others. She looked at each member of our group.
Number 26 on my head, PS-111 and Nel Germa, the Green Gallagons behind them, and then Ham Ort and Mother of the Sky.
After meeting everyone's eyes, she finally made her decision, turning decisively to face Odd Grad's remnants.
｢I｣｢Daughter of Ham Ort｣｢Adhai｣｢Descendants of Odd Grad｣｢Submit!｣｢Submit!｣
｢Sha Velmag｣｢Great Adhai｣｢Serve｣
｢Zercapja｣｢Great Adhai｣｢Serve｣
｢Odd Zhiaga｣｢Great Adhai｣｢Serve…｣
Starting with Sha Velmag, all the Gallagons present bowed to Adhai. Their posture was similar to how Adhai had once bowed to me.
It was the posture of reverence toward a new queen.
-
"Subsection 2 confirms the loss of target life signals."
"Special Target A is confirmed to have subdued them. Combat with the dangerous species 'Gallagon' is concluded."
"According to logical analysis, Special Target A has merged with the 'Gallagon' group."
"Combat simulation results indicate a 17% probability of subjugating Special Target A if combat continues."
"Reporting the situation to Main Controller Pira Eleven."
In the dark forest, where sunlight barely penetrated, small lights flickered like fireflies. However, such a sight was anything but natural on this frozen planet.
It was certainly not a natural phenomenon for hundreds of blood-red lights to gleam and emit strange sounds.
"Confirmed: Main Controller Pira Eleven's revised orders. Preemptively strike the enemies' base."
"Secondary missions remain unchanged. After the strike, recover some of the necessary energy sources."
"Confirmed. Requesting order dissemination."
"Confirmed."
As if something had been decided, the cluster of lights vanished at once. The voices that had accompanied the flickering lights ceased abruptly.
In their place, sharp metallic sounds reverberated, and the undergrowth and trees began to shake.
The eerie and ominous movements deep within the forest were a sight that could never be seen from the sky.
——————
After the battle ended, the ones who were part of the Odd Grad's group were now part of the Adhai's group, and returned to their former nest. Nel Germa was assigned to lead them.
Since Ham Ort's injuries hadn't fully healed, she returned to the cave nest I created with Mother of the Sky. Once she finished her recovery there, she planned to gather the Blue Gallagons and join Odd Grad's nest.
The rest of us are currently scouring the forest near the Twin Peaks to retrieve the fallen Gallagons from the battle.
While searching for bodies, PS-111 approached me.
PS-111, being interested in biological genetics and energy supply, didn't go with Nel Germa but stayed here instead.
It had a Snow Banshee captured in its clawed hand.
"The analysis of the battle results indicates that body size has a significant correlation with combat effectiveness. May I use this creature as an energy source to recalibrate my form?"
"Kyik! Kyikikik!"
It seemed the Snow Banshee was coveting Gallagon's corpse before PS-111 caught it.
It hadn't been long since we descended into the forest, so the Symbol of Hunt effect had ended. The odds of me obtaining genetic essence from consuming the Snow Banshee now were low.
'There shouldn't be a problem if I hand it over.'
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Just leave the Gallagon's corpses behind.)]
"Understood."
"Kyik?!"
With my permission, it swung its scythe-shaped claws. An invisible wind blade shot out, slicing the Snow Banshee.
Warm blood and entrails spilled onto the cold ground, and the tantalizing smell spread throughout the dry forest. PS-111 devoured the fragmented corpse.
There weren't any threats to it nearby. Leaving it to its meal, I moved deeper into the forest.
｢Big one, aren't you hungry?｣
(Z ZZZ ZZZZ [I plan to eat something else.)]
A little further from the Twin Peaks, I saw broken trees. The wide-spreading branches had snapped, a clear sign of something falling from the sky and colliding with them.
At the end of the shattered branches lay a black mass.
It looked like a meteorite that had fallen from space, but it was actually the decapitated body of Odd Grad.
It wasn't just the head that was gone. The impact of the collision with the ground had completely crumpled his wings, and his torso was twisted into a grotesque shape.
This was the pitiful end of the black dragon who had overestimated his abilities and clung to the power of his former position.
｢Is he the bad flappy leader?｣
[ZZ (Yes)]
The meat of the Black Gallagon is an excellent source of nutrition. Even its forelimbs and head alone could provide a large amount of energy.
'And it tastes amazing too.'
The meat of apex creatures always had a deep flavor that brought me pleasure. And the Black Gallagon was the strongest of all the apex creatures I had consumed. The taste was overwhelmingly superb.
'I don't need to obsess over energy anymore…'
Thanks to the Berserker Synapse and the Dragon Heart, my energy supply had become more abundant than before. But that didn't mean I should pass up the chance to enjoy a delicious meal.
｢Are you going to eat the leader?｣
[Z (Yes)]
｢Enjoy your meal.｣
I was about to tear into the corpse when I suddenly remembered something.
Number 26, sitting on top of my head.
Though it had currently shrunk its body to just 50 cm, it originally measured nearly 10 meters. This was the result of absorbing the psychic power of an adult Sea Demon in the past, leading to its dramatic growth.
'If I eat the Black Gallagon, won't it have a similar effect?'
In the game, Gallagons and Sea Demons were renowned as high-tier psychic creatures. Although they differed in appearance, habitat, and behavior, they both wielded extremely powerful psychic powers.
Gallagons grew in nests where psychic power was abundant, accumulating vast amounts of energy in their bodies. On the other hand, Sea Demons maintained and passed on their accumulated psychic power by transferring it to another Sea Demon before their death.
'Their methods differ, but they both contain a massive amount of psychic power.'
In fact, Number 26 had once fed psychic power to the Blue Gallagons. This time, I would use the Gallagon's corpse to empower it.
I thrust my combat arms into the Black Gallagon's abdomen.
I could feel the warm organs and flesh at the tips of my fingers. Grabbing hold of its heart and other vital organs, I pulled them out.
The still-warm organs emitted a delicious aroma. I handed the freshly extracted meal to Number 26, perched on my head.
[ZZ ZZ ZZZZ (How about you try eating this?)]
｢Isn't this the prey you caught?｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZ (I'm too full to eat it all by myself. It's delicious, so give it a try.)]
Number 26 extended its tentacles to wrap around the food in my hand. Then, like stretching out a thin sheet of dough, it elongated its body and absorbed the meal through its tentacles.
Soon, its body began to glow in a vibrant array of colors.
[ZZ ZZZ (How is it? Tasty, right?)]
｢It's delicious!｣
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (There's still plenty left, so eat more.)]
As soon as I gave permission, Number 26 hopped off my head and started devouring Odd Grad's corpse.
It was always a voracious eater, but it seemed to particularly enjoy the organs of the Black Gallagon.
Not long after Number 26 started its meal, I sensed a presence from above.
It was Adhai, the Gallagon with four red wings. She entered through the gap in the branches and landed beside me.
｢Corpse｣ ｢Not far｣ ｢Arrived soon｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (I'll finish eating this and head over there.)]
｢Understood｣
[ZZZZZ ZZ ZZ(It's delicious, so you should try some too.)]
｢Big Kin｣ ｢Prey｣
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (We caught it together. We should share the spoils.)]
｢Is that so?｣
When I nodded, she joined in on the feast. She climbed onto the corpse, inserted her tentacles through the torn skin, and started drinking the blood.
｢Perfectly｣ ｢Satisfying｣
Shivering slightly in delight, she eagerly consumed the blood. True to her Gallagon nature—loyal to her kin but ruthless to her enemies—Adhai had no qualms about feasting on Odd Grad's corpse.
'Not that I, as an Amorph, have any right to talk.'
Worried there might be nothing left if I delayed any longer, I decided to join in the meal.
As I pondered where to start, I noticed the half-eaten forelimb. The clean cut at the joint was clearly my handiwork.
The ring that was once attached to that limb is now securely clutched by one of my smaller hands near my chest.
I had tried forcing the ring onto my finger after coming down to the ground, but it had no special effect. The ability to conceal my emotions didn't activate at all.
Whether it required specific conditions or was exclusive to Odd Grad remained unclear. For now, the ring was just a decorative gemstone without any apparent use.
'Oh well.'
It was rather disappointing for an item that didn't exist in the game. I considered discarding it, but there might still be something I don't know. I decided to keep carrying it with one of my smaller arms for the time being.
'Enough about the ring. It's time to eat.'
I tore my gaze away from the forelimb and grabbed onto one of the hind legs, ripping it off and taking a large bite.
'Nice.'
How could I describe the taste of Black Gallagon? It's a complex flavor that defies simple definition.
'It's like a blend of truffle oil and pepper.'
I had once tasted a dish with artificial truffle oil, and this was quite similar. The rich, oily scent of the meat was balanced by a sharp, spicy aroma from the blood.
Unlike other apex creatures, the Black Gallagon's meat had a unique characteristic—its skin.
The texture of the skin was like the crispy outer layer of roasted pork, crunchy and satisfying to bite into. The taste was even more extraordinary, with a deep, concentrated flavor seeping out.
The meat itself was fairly tough, but not so much that it strained my Amorph jaws. It was firm enough to chew on just the right amount before swallowing, allowing me to savor its rich taste.
'Once again, the rule holds: the stronger the enemy, the better the taste.'
I quickly finished off the hind leg and reached for its tail.
"Are you eating?"
Just as I was about to tear into the tail, I heard a voice behind me.
Turning around, I saw PS-111. It had returned with a white Gallagon corpse beside it, presumably after collecting it while we were eating.
[ZZZ ZZZZ (So, you've gathered the bodies?)]
"Yes."
It stared at me with its usual expressionless face.
Or more precisely, it was staring at the Black Gallagon's tail in my hand.
Screamers are controlled by devices connected to their brains. All of their physical activities are under the machine's command. The same applies to mutant screamers.
But at this moment, I could tell exactly what it wanted.
I tore off the tail and offered it to PS-111.
"That won't be necessary."
[ZZ ZZ (Take it when it's offered.)]
"Thank you."
As expected of a machine, it didn't refuse a second time.
After the brief feast, I headed to the location Adhai had indicated and retrieved the bodies.
We couldn't carry them all, so we processed all but four on the spot. These four would be used for Ham Ort's treatment and as food for the Gallagons.
Since I was larger, I carried three bodies, while Number 26 reverted to its original form and carried one. With our spoils in tow, we started back to the nest in the cave.
'I think it might have changed.'
The appearance of Number 26, now puffed up, didn't look much different from before. The fins that reminded me of a jellyfish and the tentacles protruding from its body were all familiar.
'Did it get bigger?'
Number 26 can freely adjust its size, so it's not easy to notice any changes.
The most accurate way to check would be to measure the amount of energy it was harbouring, but Number 26 is adept at concealing its psychic power. I wouldn't know how much stronger it had become until it entered battle.
'Well, it might not have grown at all, so there's no need to dwell on it.'
There are still a few things left to try out, like the dragon's nest where psychic power continuously wells up.
While pondering these thoughts as we made our way back to the nest, one of my sensory organs picked up on a scent.
'Huh?'
The scent was similar to fresh blood but slightly different. It was closer to the smell of metal. I couldn't identify it, but it felt oddly familiar.
I stopped in my tracks.
｢Big one, what's wrong?｣
"What's the matter?"
[ZZ (Quiet.)]
I lowered my head close to the ground. At first, I thought the metallic scent might be coming from something buried in the soil, but that didn't seem to be the case.
As I examined the scent, my gaze fell on PS-111. Its biomechanical body, a mix of metal and organic matter typical of Screamers, emitted a scent of metal and the chemicals necessary for sustaining life.
This was very similar to the scent my sensory organ had detected.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (Does this area fall within a Screamer's operating range?)]
"Not until my main controller was altered."
I've traversed this forest, which leads to the Twin Peaks, many times. If there had been a Screamer, I would have encountered it already.
[ZZZZ ZZZ Z ZZZZ (I smell a Screamer. Confirm it.)]
"Understood."
PS-111 extended detection equipment resembling snail antennae from its eyes. It lowered its body close to the ground, using its hose-like sensors to probe the traces left behind.
It wasn't long before it discovered tracks on the ground.
Three claw marks reminiscent of a bird's foot.
They were Screamer tracks.
——————
Shadows spread over countless branches as the clouds that had scattered returned to block the sunlight.
In the cool, ashen light, we followed the trail of the Screamers.
The once sporadic footprints were becoming increasingly frequent. Not just on the ground, but the surrounding trees and rocks were also covered with marks left by sharp alloy claws.
'It's not just one or two.'
Given that Screamers have eight legs, it's natural for there to be many footprints, but even taking that into account, there were far too many. There had to be at least several dozen of them.
"How many Screamers were deployed for this mission?"
I utilized stored genetic information to mimic a voice as I questioned PS-111.
"Three hundred units were deployed at the start of the mission."
"Three hundred? That's quite a lot."
Hearing its response, I was slightly surprised.
Considering that standard Screamers are almost treated like bio-drones in the Star Union, deploying 300 of them isn't particularly unusual. In large-scale ground battles in the game, thousands of Screamers would often be deployed.
But that was under the players' command. It's rare for the regular Star Union army to deploy Screamers alone.
Screamers possess formidable combat power, but they have a downside: a lack of strategic thinking and flexibility. So, when unexpected situations arise, they can't respond appropriately.
'Normally, you'd need something to make up for that shortcoming...'
The Mutant Screamers resolved the old models' flaws by categorizing them into standard models and commander models. The fact that Mutant Screamers' commander models possess superior strategic judgement is evident just by looking at PS-111.
When fighting Odd Grad, it quickly understood the signal I sent and brought in the cruiser. A regular Screamer would never have made such a decision.
'At least the good news is that their numbers should have significantly decreased by now.'
Given that the planet is teeming with dangerous creatures, it's unlikely that all 300 have survived unscathed. In fact, even PS-111 was nearly destroyed by an Ice Horror attack.
"How many do you think are left? Two hundred? Two hundred fifty?"
"I believe the total number hasn't decreased significantly from the original 300 units."
"Why is that?"
Although Mutant Screamers are powerful, they wouldn't come out unscathed after encountering Apex creatures like Ice Horrors or Glacier Fiends.
PS-111, which was searching for traces with its sensor protruding from its eye, responded.
"According to the data stored in my brain, the former main controller, 'Pyra Eleven', had facilities on its ship capable of producing Mutant Screamers."
"What?"
"As long as there is genetic information, a large energy source, and organic material to use as resources, it is possible to produce S-model Screamers."
In the lore, Screamers are often seen as expendable, so it's rare to provide support via ships. The most you might get is orbital bombardment support after deploying the Screamers.
But since Mutant Screamers are more strategically valuable than older models, it seems they've allocated a dedicated support ship.
"Considering the scale of a Screamer production line, it would likely require at least a Jamah-class warship to house the facilities. Even then, they'd have to replace all the ship's maintenance facilities with repair equipment."
"Due to data loss, I can't provide an exact answer, but that seems like a reasonable assumption."
The XAX01-class warship is named after the capital planet of the Star Union. Often called Jaks Alpha, this ship is the largest and most heavily armed of the Star Union's warships.
Of course, in this case, it would have been heavily modified as a Screamer support ship, so it would differ greatly from its original form. The internal facilities and equipment would all have been removed and replaced with Screamer-related facilities, leaving only the minimal systems necessary to keep the ship operational.
"Do you remember where it landed?"
"My apologies. Due to data loss, I cannot confirm that."
The Jamah-class warship is just under a kilometer in length. I haven't seen any signs of such a massive ship landing around here.
Furthermore, the Gallagons would never miss such a large ship entering the planet's atmosphere. If there's no mention of it, it must have top-tier stealth capabilities.
As I thought about it, something felt off.
"Your mission was to capture me, right?"
"If you're referring to the special objective A set by the former main controller, 'Pyra Eleven,' then yes."
"A Screamer that can self-repair and three hundred units at that. Why have they been lying low all this time, when they could produce even more?"
In retrospect, there were several opportunities for them to attack me. When I first arrived on the planet, when I was weakened after fighting Jason, when I was ambushed by Odd Grad, and so on.
However, they never gathered systematically to attack me, making the placement of a commander model to compensate for the Screamers' weaknesses seem pointless. So far, the only Screamers I've encountered have been stragglers.
That leaves only one explanation: something must have gone wrong with Pyra Eleven.
After a moment of silence, it replied to my question.
"I don't know about that."
"You don't know?"
"In the process of rebooting the system, memory data was damaged. However..."
It mechanically tilted its head. The movement resembled someone pressing their temple, trying to forcefully recall something they couldn't quite remember.
"In my last memory, Pyra Eleven was severely damaged and had entered a dormant state due to certain events."
"Dormant? Was it attacked by the Gallagons?"
"No. Pyra Eleven...error, excuse me. It was damaged after failing to perform actions necessary to achieve its objective."
Summarizing what it said, it was clear that Pyra Eleven had been unable to operate normally for some time.
'Now that I think about it, the one I encountered when I went after the Winter Walkers said something similar.'
That one definitely mentioned being in a delayed command state. The others I encountered in the forest after killing Jason said the same thing.
Considering all this, Pyra Eleven, their commander, must have been inactive until relatively recently.
"These traces are proof that it's active again."
"That is a reasonable assumption."
Though there was a high probability of encountering enemies, we had no useful information beyond knowing that there were many of them.
'Did PS-111 say it could control lower-tier units?'
When I first met it, it mentioned being able to physically connect to the circuits of lower models and take over their control. It would be great if it could do the same with commander-level units, but Pyra Eleven had improved the security of their control systems, making that impossible.
'I need to capture a few Screamers.'
Doing so would allow us to gather information about the ship's landing site, their plans, and other vital details.
After our conversation ended, we continued following the traces for quite some time.
At first, there were only footprints, but as time passed, other signs became apparent. Scattered around the footprints were the remains of creatures, torn to shreds.
"They've been replenishing their energy."
"Looks like it."
PS-111, which had the functions of the Blood Reaver implanted in it, could replenish its energy by absorbing bioenergy in addition to consuming meat with its mouth. It was an exception, regular Screamers absorbed nutrients by sucking up small prey through intake tubes attached to their mouths.
'The blood's been dry for a while.'
Given the dry, cool environment, the fragments of corpses had only begun to decay slowly. This allowed me to make a rough guess about how they hunted.
'So they've modified some of them after all, just like the ones equipped with production facilities.'
Just as PS-111 had upgraded itself by absorbing genes, some of the enemy Screamers had adapted to their environment.
'...For instance, by acquiring ranged attack capabilities.'
I pulled out a large bullet, about the size of my finger, from the pool of blood. It resembled a depleted uranium round used by a storm gun, but it was far more threatening.
"Do you know what this is?"
"It resembles a depleted uranium round used by the APDT, but upon inspecting the internal structure, it appears to have been modified into a cluster munition."
"Exactly. It's mixed with Black silver fragments."
As I shook the deformed bullet, a small amount of Blacksilver alloy shards fell out. It wasn't a large amount, but it was enough to be a lethal threat to certain species.
And on this planet, there's only one type of creature that could be significantly harmed by a cluster munition infused with Blacksilver.
'Gallagons!'
I think I know what they're targeting.
"Do you know where Odd Grad's nest is?"
"Yes. It's this way."
"There's no time, so get on top and guide me."
Time was of the essence, so I unloaded the corpses I was carrying and placed PS-111 on my head. I then called for Number 26 and Adhai.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (There's no time, get on my back.)]
｢Aren't you taking the prey?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (We'll come back for it later.)]
Number 26, sensing the gravity of the situation, didn't ask any more questions and quietly climbed onto my body. It shrank down and nestled into the small arms on my chest.
Holding it securely, I called out to Adhai.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (We're flying. Get ready.)]
｢Where are｣｢we going?｣
[ZZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (We're heading to Odd Grad's nest.)]
I spread out my folded wing-arms wide. The massive membranes extended, and my body soared upward rapidly, shattering branches as I ascended. Adhai followed closely behind me.
｢Is｣｢the nest｣｢in danger?｣
[ZZZ (Possibly.)]
"Just keep heading in this direction."
Adhai tensed up at the mention of potential danger to the nest. I flew at full speed in the direction PS-111 indicated.
While flying, I kept a vigilant watch below with my auxiliary sensors, wary of the possibility that Screamers might open fire from the forest. Despite my shadow and Adhai's passing over the area, there was no reaction from below.
'...The situation isn't good.'
There must be hundreds of Screamers swarming somewhere in that forest, yet it was eerily quiet. I couldn't decipher their intentions, but it was definitely not a good sign.
After nearly half a day of tense flight, the cliffs where PS-111 said the dragon's nest was located began to come into view.
There were no signs of Screamers or any other creatures near the cliffs.
'Wait, there's nothing visible?'
By now, Nel Germa, Adhai's deputy, should have returned. With the nest this close, at least one or two Gallagons should have shown themselves.
｢Great One｣｢something's wrong｣｢the group｣｢isn't on guard｣
Adhai seemed to have sensed the same thing, sending out a puzzled mental wave.
Gallagons always kept sentries at their nests because of predators like the Skywhales. Green Gallagons or White Gallagons would take turns guarding the nest, anticipating unexpected attacks.
The absence of such guards meant something was seriously wrong.
I was about to warn Adhai to be cautious when my auxiliary sensors detected movement in the forest below.
The forest, which had been completely silent until just moments ago, suddenly sprang to life. The movement was simultaneous and widespread, like an army of ants marching.
Realizing what this meant, I urgently sent a wave to Adhai.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Adhai! Use your power!)]
｢!｣
At the same time I sent out the wave, an overwhelming number of projectiles erupted from the forest.
A rain of death, blacker than the clouds above, was flying towards me and Adhai, intent on taking our lives. I shielded Number 26 with my combat arms and moved beneath Adhai.
The Blacksilver cluster rounds, so densely packed they obscured my vision, pelted my entire body. As I'm not a psychic creature, those anti-psychic rounds didn't deal much damage to me.
Moreover, with their lack of penetration power, those cluster munitions couldn't pierce my carapace and scales.
'But they can still hurt them.'
While the shots did nothing to me, it was a different story for Adhai and Number 26. Number 26, who heavily relied on psychic power, would be rendered completely incapacitated if hit by those Blacksilver cluster rounds.
Adhai was in a better position, thanks to her 'Red Armor' absolute defense technique, but even she could only protect her head and part of her forelimbs, leaving her vulnerable to their attack.
[ZZ ZZZ (Is everyone okay?)]
｢I'm fine.｣
｢Thanks to you,｣｢Great One.｣
Fortunately, my shielding had kept both Number 26 and Adhai from taking any damage.
"I took a few hits, but the injuries are minor."
The only exception was PS-111, who, being perched on my head, had been an easy target and took a few hits.
"I'll make sure you get some good prey later."
"Understood."
After a brief reloading period, the firing from the ground resumed. The Screamers were intent on killing Adhai and Number 26, even if they couldn't take me down, shooting wildly in a frenzy.
'This isn't a good place to fight.'
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Adhai, stick close to me and follow.)]
Taking hits from the Screamers' bullets, I flew toward the nest. Adhai clung to my back, following closely.
I then landed at a suitable spot near the Screamer positions. As soon as I touched down, the trees around us shook ominously.
A horde of Screamers was closing in on us.
————
The forest is moving. Amid the sound of wind rustling through the trees, an artificial metallic noise can be heard.
Hundreds of Screamers are approaching.
｢Big One｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Will it be okay?｣
Adhai, who was hiding behind me using my body as cover, asked with concern.
'Not all of them could have died.'
We are currently in the forest on the opposite side of the cliff where the nest is located, along with the Screamers.
If we leave the forest and reach the steep cliff, a massive river flows between us. It's the same path that the Mother of the Sky and Ham Ort used to escape.
On the cliff across that river, countless caves are carved into the rock. These caves are the entrance to the dragon's nest.
The terrain itself is a natural fortress, clearly difficult to breach. For Screamers without flight capability, breaking through there would come with considerable casualties.
'It's likely that the Gallagons are in a defensive position.'
It's probable that many Gallagons in the nest have already perished. Initially, they must have fought the Screamers outside, but as the damage grew severe, they likely changed their strategy to defend from within the nest.
If the Gallagons had been completely wiped out, the enemies would have ambushed us from the nest rather than here.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (Don't worry. We'll find an opportunity to head to the nest.)]
｢Understood｣
Given that Gallagons are sensitive to psychic power, Adhai's arrival would surely have been noticed. The fact that they haven't come out suggests the situation inside the nest isn't good. Perhaps something unfortunate has happened to Nel Germa, who was in charge of the nest.
'We need to join up with the nest soon.'
The distance from here to the nest isn't far. We'll need to fight and move when the opportunity arises.
Even while I'm lost in thought, the enemies keep advancing. The movements detected by the auxiliary organs under my chin increase exponentially.
As I'm contemplating the best moment to strike, Number 26, who was nestled in my chest, lightly tapped me.
｢Big Baby.｣
[ZZZ (What is it?)]
｢I feel something similar to a friend over there.｣
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (They are not friends but dangerous enemies.)]
PS-111 and other commander-class mutant Screamers contain Sea Demon genes. Because of this, Number 26 perceives PS-111 as a being similar to its kin.
'It should be fine since I scolded it last time, but…'
I was about to warn it again, worried that it might hesitate, but Number 26 spoke first.
｢The bad ones are talking to each other.｣
[ZZ ZZZZ (Talking to each other?)]
｢Yes. They're using difficult words, so I don't understand what they mean.｣
I focused on the auxiliary organs again, but apart from faint electromagnetic waves coming from a special machine, I couldn't sense any psychic signals.
'Is it a wavelength that only Bubble Amoebas or Sea Demons can detect?'
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZ(Number 26 has detected their conversation. Can you hear anything?)]
I asked, and a voice came from above. It was PS-111, perfectly camouflaged among the branches.
"The independent line has been reconstructed according to the new main controller, so it is impossible to use or detect the PS model's exclusive line."
"Really?"
If we could eavesdrop on their communications, we could effectively counter their plans. But since PS-111 said it's impossible, there's nothing we can do. I asked Number 26 if it could relay what it had heard.
｢Myonyong Uwaeng? Uwaeng Tayong?｣
[ZZ ZZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (It sounds like something about a flanking attack.)]
｢What's a flanking attack?｣
Unfortunately, although Number 26 could eavesdrop, it didn't understand the meaning of the conversation. If we had more time to slowly decipher the information it overheard, that would be ideal, but it's not possible.
'Wait, hold on.'
Just as I was feeling frustrated, an idea struck me.
Number 26 can spread its psychic power widely, creating an effect similar to an EMP. This power is strong enough to stop a spaceship in its tracks.
'If that's the case, couldn't it interfere with their communications?'
When I asked if it was possible, it responded that it could and began to glow.
｢I can silence them. Should I do it now?｣
[ZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (No, wait for my signal.)]
Using it right away might not be a bad idea, but I decided to wait a bit longer.
As seen with PS-111, mutant Screamers are bioweapons that learn through combat. Even if we block their communications, if one or two manage to slip away, it would be like throwing away a valuable card.
'We need to wait for the perfect moment to wipe them out.'
And here, there are far too many opportunities for them to escape.
At that moment, the figures of the enemies came into view through the trees.
Though their heads bore the pale faces of humans, beneath them were mechanical parts, tubes, and hard metallic skeletons intertwined.
Their biomechanical bodies had eight elongated legs. These legs, with exposed red muscle intertwined with metal tubes, ended in three alloy claws.
The creatures, resembling mechanical spiders with human heads, glowed with red eyes.
From those red eyes, there was no emotion except a single-minded intent to tear apart their enemies.
I opened my jaw wide and activated my acidic mycotic glands. An oval-shaped green mass shot from my mouth, striking the base of a tree far away.
The tree's roots quickly dissolved, and it toppled in the direction the Screamers were coming from. Some of the advancing Screamers leaped into the air.
And then, I unleashed a psychic breath toward those airborne. It was like the breath of a dragon from a movie, pouring out toward them.
"Bl, Black metal defense, un… unable…"
The airborne Screamers were reduced to dust before they could finish their sentence. The Screamers following behind them chattered as they witnessed this.
"Special Target A confirmed using high-risk psychic breath."
"Recording."
As expected, they were recording their battle with me. That information would likely be transmitted immediately to their leader, 'Pyra Eleven.'
'It doesn't matter.'
The number of abilities I possess isn't just one or two. And some of them, I can alter at will.
'Sometimes, knowing too much can be worse than knowing nothing.'
I deliberately allowed the enemies to gather information as I continued to unleash my psychic breath. The purple flames engulfed the densely packed trees, but the Screamers deftly dodged them.
"Confirmed that modified cluster munitions are ineffective. Switching to high-velocity shock rounds."
"Switch order confirmed."
Meanwhile, more Screamers approached our position. As they got close enough to be identified by the naked eye, they began preparing to fire. Their legs twisted, transforming into shapes resembling the barrel of an RPG-7.
The muzzles of their guns pointed directly at my head.
In the dark forest, a flash of light sparked like lightning, and I felt a sharp pain in my head.
'High-velocity shock rounds.'
Just as Megacorp would deploy plasma launchers against heavily armored enemies, Star Union has a similar weapon.
HSB (Heavy Shock Blaster), commonly known as the 'Shocker', is the equipment's nickname. It was developed to counter heavily armored bioweapons like Megacorp's Hulk mutants and boasts significant lethality.
The reason is that the Shocker's rounds, instead of penetrating the target, create a super-vibration upon impact, causing damage within the armor. For example, if a creature like a Mountain Crawler, clad in thick armor, is hit by a high-velocity shock round, the exterior may remain intact, but the interior is utterly destroyed.
That's why, even though there wasn't a scratch on the area I was hit, I felt a sharp pain.
'They responded cleverly, but...'
Unless they have thousands of high-velocity shock rounds stored inside them, killing me will be difficult. Even if my insides are shaken up, I have plenty of ways to quickly recover, including my regenerative abilities.
'Besides, the Shocker has a weakness.'
The Screamers fired another volley of high-velocity shock rounds. With thick smoke, alloy projectiles flew from all directions, aiming to shatter my head.
However, none of the high-velocity shock rounds reached my head.
"An incomprehensible situation has occurred."
"It is presumed that the massive psychic power has caused a distortion of physical laws. Analysis required."
The bullets were suspended in mid-air as if time had stopped. Those sensitive to psychic power would realize that the bullets were caught in an invisible web made of psychic threads.
｢I really hate it when they try to hurt Big Baby!｣
The owner of the invisible web shook its tendrils vigorously.
The high-velocity shock rounds changed direction and flew back toward their owners, exploding on impact. The Screamers, caught off guard, couldn't evade and were blown apart.
Meanwhile, I prepared two cards to further disrupt the enemies.
'It's time to work. Everyone, come out.'
The nest of Tooth Fairies, located just before the carapace on my tail, and the host of the Face Worms, who nest on my back when not in hunting mode, were both activated.
Large fleas with sharp teeth tore out of the nests on my body and fell to the ground. From my back, Face Worms, with the faces of intelligent beings and the bodies of insects, tore through the membranes resembling human faces and emerged.
'Tooth Fairies, create chaos among them. Face Worms, target the commander-class entities.'
The swarm of insects moved in response to my orders.
"Enemy entities are proliferating."
"Small size detected. High-velocity shock rounds ineffective."
The Tooth Fairies scuttled across the shallowly snow-covered battlefield, clinging to the Screamers' legs. Their powerful teeth, capable of destroying even carrier-based aircraft, gnawed through the metal skeletons.
"Disregard small entities. Engage in close combat instead—K-Kigik?!"
The commander-class PS models stationed in the rear flinched as they were ambushed by Face Worms. The sonic waves emitted by the Face Worms had paralyzed their entire bodies.
'If they were purely machines, it wouldn't have worked, but they aren't.'
Mutant Screamers are hybrids of organic and mechanical components. While they are controlled by machines, they still have auditory systems, making them susceptible to the paralyzing sonic waves.
"Suspected attack targeting auditory functions. Deactivating auditory systems—Kigik!"
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Target the paralyzed and fallen ones)]
The Mutant Screamers have the ability to self-destruct when necessary. If their systems remain functional, they could explode at any moment, causing us significant damage.
Hearing my signal, Adhai swiftly unleashed another psychic breath. Specializing in rapid-fire, she quickly dispatched the incapacitated Screamers.
"Special Target B confirmed to possess a unique barrier."
"Unable to deactivate with current equipment. Must target areas without the barrier."
The Screamers attempted to target Adhai when she exposed her head to unleash her breath, but it was in vain.
Adhai's head was protected by Red Armor. No weapon could shatter her head.
Naturally, some Screamers tried to target her body or wings, but each time, I extended my wing arms to shield her.
In other words, unless the Screamers could kill all of us at once, their chances of victory were slim.
'The same goes for us, though.'
When attacked from the sky, I expected around a few hundred of them, and as I suspected, their numbers were overwhelming.
Moreover, their responses were becoming more efficient as time passed.
While they were currently struggling to respond to our continuous barrage of unconventional attacks, that would only last for so long. Once they figured out a strategy, we would suffer significant losses.
'If they decide to self-destruct en masse, we won't be able to stop it.'
It was time to move to the nest.
I slowly manoeuvred while engaging the enemies. Some of the Screamers abandoned their guns and approached me.
Each time, I countered with my invasive tendrils. The serpent-like tendrils shot out from my back, striking the approaching enemies. One Screamer, however, managed to dodge the tendrils and got in close.
As it aimed a cluster round at Number 26, a navy-blue energy round shot from the trees above, severing the Screamer's head. It collapsed on the spot.
"Interfering with the Main Controller is unforgivable."
"Enemy in the trees, suppression required."
"Identified as a decommissioned PS model. Estimated series in the 100s. Weakness confirmed."
The Screamers, seemingly shifting their target to PS-111, began unloading their ammunition into the trees. In that moment, I seized the opportunity to grab Adhai with my tail and made a dash toward the nest.
"Predicting the enemy's route—likely heading to the Gallagon's nest."
"They must be stopped before—Kigik."
The Screamers, realizing my intention, attempted to intercept us. But they were hindered by the Tooth Fairies, Face Worms, and our allies' relentless attacks.
"Main Controller Pyra Eleven has issued a revised command. Retreat and regroup. Additional countermeasures are being devised."
"Confirmed."
Receiving the directive from their leader, the Screamers ceased their pursuit.
Taking advantage of the respite, PS-111 and I escaped toward the cliff where the nest was located.
As soon as we emerged from the forest and saw the cliff above, I unfurled my wings without hesitation. The Face Worms, their work done, clung to my back and returned to their respective nests.
"Thank you."
I gently grasped the trailing PS-111 with the pincer on my tail and glided into one of the nest's entrances.
Not long after we set foot inside the cave, a Gallagon emerged from the depths. It was Sha Velmag, the emaciated White Gallagon who had first rebelled during the battle against Odd Grad.
｢Sha Velmag｣ ｢Great Adhai｣ ｢Welcome｣
His condition was far from good. His wings were torn in several places, and all his hind legs were gone, forcing him to drag himself forward with his forelegs.
Seeing this, Adhai emitted a wave of psychic energy filled with dismay.
｢What happened?｣
｢Smelly enemies｣ ｢attacked｣ ｢White kin｣ ｢united strength｣ ｢barely repelled｣ ｢many kin｣ ｢dead｣
｢What about Nel Germa?｣
｢Nel Germa｣ ｢severely injured｣ ｢unable to fight｣
The Gallagons are crucial combatants. We can't afford to lose them all.
I grabbed Sha Velmag with my combat arm.
[ZZZ (Lead the way)]
｢This way｣ ｢follow｣
Following his guidance, we entered deeper into the dragon's nest.
The entire cliff seemed to be the dragon's lair. The cave was extensive, with many branching paths. The corridors were wide enough for me to move comfortably, and the walls were studded with minerals that absorbed psychic power, providing ample light.
Honestly, if it weren't for the urgency of the situation, I would have liked to take my time to observe the beauty of this place.
After navigating the long and complex natural maze, we arrived at a vast chamber. The shimmering light of the minerals, like starlight, illuminated the countless Gallagons lying wounded on the ground.
｢Everyone｣ ｢badly injured!｣
Adhai was right.
In the center of the chamber was a shallow lake, but it had turned into a lake of blood due to the Gallagons' wounds.
'This isn't good.'
With so many Gallagons to heal, there's only one way to do it. I gently set down Sha Velmag and crawled into the lake.
Soon, black, viscous fluid began pouring out of my body.