242
-x-X-x-
In the game, the Mechanical Committee of the Star Union has a significant characteristic.
Unlike the seven great families of the Megacorp or the Prophets' Assembly of the Cult Empire, the Mechanical Committee is exclusively composed of NPCs.
In other words, the Mechanical Committee only appears as enemies or advisors.
When playing as either the Megacorp, a rival of the Star Union, or as a Star Union cyborg, you will inevitably face off against the Mechanical Committee. For the former, this confrontation is necessary to achieve the final end goal of 'integration', much like the ascension of the Amorph. For the latter, becoming the Grand Leader requires passing the tests set by the Mechanical Committee.
During my playthrough as the Amorph, I fought against a Star Union Grand Leader player and ended up facing the Mechanical Committee.
Since the Mechanical Committee are NPCs that appear as a late-game enemy, the difficulty is notoriously high.
Each member of the Committee commands a single elite fleet under their control. When they engage in battle, they mobilize their fleet, so any player attempting to challenge them must bring a force equivalent to a fleet.
Moreover, the Committee members are all androids, allowing them to modify their bodies. The modification style varies by member, and they frequently swap out body parts based on the opponent's strategy during combat.
However, none of them were as extensively modified as the one standing before me: Pyra Eleven.
Heavy alloy hoses, reminiscent of the Ice Horror's body, sprawled out in every direction, while at the center stood the upper body and face of a giant, composed of both biological tissue and metal.
The face had a distinctly androgynous appearance, with eyes even larger than Adhai's or those of the Mother of the Sky, replaced by camera lenses. The skin twitched as if it were alive whenever it moved.
'That's no longer an android.'
Unlike cyborgs, androids are entirely mechanical but still tend to maintain a humanoid form. Even when the members of the Mechanical Committee deviate from a humanoid shape, they typically transplant their brains into combat machines rather than modifying themselves to this extent.
In fact, it was closer to PS-111, a hybrid of machine and organism.
'Of course, this one is completely dominated by machinery.'
Additionally, its appearance was far less appealing compared to PS-111. The grotesque creature lashed a hose at me.
The hose was as thick and long as the Ice Horror's torso. Just one of those hoses was about 1.5 times the length of my body.
I raised my wing arms and combat arms to block the hose. Not only did it resemble the Ice Horror in appearance, but its weight and defense were also on par.
As I blocked the attack, the others behind me moved all at once. I activated the 'Hand of the Devouring Leech' in that moment.
'Huh?'
Unexpectedly, the creature's bio-energy wasn't absorbed. To confirm, I bit down on the hose I was holding. The hard metallic surface cracked, revealing some foul-tasting flesh inside.
'I see.'
The alloy hose was covered in scales on the outside, while the inside was composed of biological tissue. Since it wasn't a living creature, simply holding onto the surface didn't allow the Hand of the Devouring Leech to absorb anything.
Moreover, the flesh was poisonous. I felt a sharp sensation in my mouth, suggesting it was a neurotoxin. It wasn't just mindlessly swinging the hose at me.
"'s it trying to paralyze me rather than kill me?'
At that moment, Number 26, perched atop my head, shouted.
｢Big guy! Watch out!｣
Simultaneously, another hose whipped across and struck me.
While I'm not small by any means, its hose was much larger than I was. The impact pushed my body back involuntarily.
'The strength is comparable to mine….'
This was a cunning opponent. Blocking the incoming attacks with my combat arms, I sent a pulse to the others.
[ZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZ (Watch out for its flesh. It's poisonous.)]
I wasn't affected by poison, but the others could be.
As she swiped at the incoming hoses, Mother of the Sky quickly retreated after hearing my warning.
Adhai swooped in from behind and caught the retreating Mother of the Sky.
As Adhai performed acrobatics to dodge the hoses emerging from the canyon walls, Mother of the Sky transformed back into her griffon form.
With agile movements, she climbed onto Adhai's back and retrieved a long golden spear from the backpack tied around Adhai's waist.
A hose came flying at Adhai, attempting to pin her down. As it approached her, with three massive claw hooks ready to strike, the golden spear of the Priestess in Mother of the Sky's hand emitted a bright light.
In a single stroke, Mother of the Sky severed all the claws. As if anticipating this, Adhai didn't slow down at all, continuing to fly swiftly.
The hose, now clawless, tried to follow Adhai to grab her. But a navy energy bolt struck the hose, thwarting its attempt.
PS-111, clinging to the wall and providing suppressive fire, quickly shut its mouth and shifted positions. The ice wall cracked, and the hidden hose inside began to move to attack the enemy.
'Not so fast.'
The tentacles attached to my neck and the back of my head responded to my thoughts, preparing a psychic breath. Energy charged rapidly, and the entire cluster of tentacles turned purple in an instant.
Purple flames erupted from my head, and a fierce psychic beam shot forward. The hose, which had been about to crush PS-111, was pierced by the beam.
At that moment, I sensed large objects moving behind me. Pyra Eleven had swung two hoses, aiming to strike me while I was distracted.
But there was something it didn't know—I wasn't distracted. I trusted the small friend on my head.
The two massive hoses, which were overwhelmingly larger than me, suddenly stopped in mid-air, as if they had hit an invisible wall. Although much smaller in size, Number 26 was not lacking in strength, and it had exerted its power.
The hoses struggled to break free, but escaping from the web of psychic power that had extended into dozens, even hundreds, of strands was no easy task. I turned my head and unleashed a psychic breath, destroying both hoses.
'Nothing too serious yet….'
[Pyra Eleven has fired its plasma cannon.]
[I've lost my lower body.]
[Pyra Eleven has absorbed my severed lower body.]
[It has partially mimicked some of my features.]
[Its attack has become incompletely enhanced.]
[I am dead.]
'Damn it!'
Seeing the rapidly flashing images in front of me, I quickly tensed my tail, launching my body to the side like a spring. Almost simultaneously, an immense amount of plasma energy spewed from Pyra Eleven's mouth.
A massive beam, as thick as the main cannon of a battleship, shot out, scorching the spot where I had just been. The ice floor quickly melted, as if the sun itself had crashed down.
The once dry canyon was now filled with steam. Through the misty white vapor, I could hear Pyra Eleven's voice.
｢Pyra Eleven. Adjusting. Revising special target A's judgment level from 'High' to 'Very High'.｣
'Did it attach a battleship's main cannon?'
Pyra Eleven fired another beam, but I hadn't been idle. As the green beam of plasma approached, I unleashed a psychic breath from the tips of my tentacles.
Thanks to the 'Dragon's Heart', I could draw out immense firepower when it came to psychic power. The psychic breath, fired at maximum output, was nearly as thick as the beam it had fired.
The plasma beam, unleashed by the mechanical beast, clashed in the air with the psychic breath empowered by the dragon's might.
An enormous shockwave surged through the canyon, causing it to tremble violently as massive ice fragments, each over ten meters in length, rained down from above. The ice floor evaporated from the intense heat.
'It's strong. But….'
Though the plasma beam was incredibly powerful, it couldn't match my firepower.
The green plasma beam was gradually pushed back. In a moment, Pyra Eleven's face would be obliterated by the combined force of its own attack's backlash and my beam.
However, what happened next was beyond my expectations.
Pyra Eleven's face began to break apart into countless small particles.
'What?'
The plasma beam ceased, and my psychic breath shot toward its head. But before it could reach, the head had already fragmented, leaving only a small portion to be incinerated by my beam.
'A drone?'
It wasn't just any ordinary drone—thousands, no, tens of thousands of drones, smaller than usual, had formed its head. I had initially noticed the face twitching constantly, but it turned out that it was because these drones were congregating together.
The scattered bio-drones regrouped in an area untouched by the psychic breath and reformed into a giant face. The hoses, which had been writhing on the ground, moved as if magnetically attracted, reconnecting beneath the face.
Then, it spewed out another plasma beam. I responded once more with my psychic breath.
A clearly defined power struggle began again, but I wasn't thrilled.
'...It exploited my blind spot.'
My auxiliary organs had detected the same bio-signals, leading me to believe it was a single entity, but my assumption had been wrong.
Pyra Eleven's true nature was that of a drone swarm—a colony of highly refined biological weapons. Unlike the hoses, which had metal exteriors and flesh inside, these drones were composed of bio-organic tissues housing mechanical components.
Even the plasma beams were not fired from a cannon inside its mouth. That was a deception; in reality, bio-drones capable of firing plasma synchronized their angles and timing to launch the beam together.
'It completely fooled me.'
While firing the breath, I quickly scanned my surroundings with the Auxiliary Organs beneath my chin.
'I need to cut off its energy supply.'
My gaze focused on the hoses connected beneath the drone-formed head. Some of the hoses were embedded into the canyon walls and ground. Whether they were hidden for ambush or to absorb energy was unclear.
'Whatever the case, it would have prepared for this.'
Being cunning, it likely had traps in place.
'Should I eliminate the drones instead?'
An enhanced psychic breath would be effective against a swarm of biological weapons. If I could hit just one drone, it would spread to the surrounding organic material.
'The question is how efficient that will be.'
Those countless bio-drones were merely terminals for the main entity. Even if I managed to hit a drone, it would quickly adapt.
To minimize damage, Pyra Eleven might sacrifice a few drones, or even send those hit by the psychic breath toward me or my allies.
'To stop that, I need to wipe them out in one go.'
I had prepared traps when I entered this canyon.
As its head dispersed, my breath struck the canyon, causing ice to rain down upon us. The frozen ground, solidified from our battle, was now thawing and turning into a muddy mess.
While Pyra Eleven's head was reforming, I spread out a wave.
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (find its energy source)]
I entrusted my underlings with this crucial task and sprinted along the path I had come.
｢Pyra Eleven. Commencing pursuit. Eliminating Special Target A, the highest threat, first. Dealing with other targets via terminals.｣
Behind me, Pyra Eleven, with its head reconnected to the hoses, followed. Each movement of its body caused numerous hoses to dig into the ground.
I noticed other hoses behind it, interfering with my underlings. These hoses resembled Ice Horrors in terms of specifications. If I were delayed even slightly, my allies would be in danger.
'If this succeeds, it will deal a critical blow to it.'
At that moment, a plasma beam flew from behind. The beam grazed my carapace as I crawled.
[ZZZ (Are you okay?)]
｢Yeah.｣
As part of my carapace shattered, I felt my resistance to plasma energy increasing again. Due to my 'Mimicry Scales' trait, my body was developing a new resistance to the energy.
Normally, I would fight while taking hits, but this time, that strategy wasn't feasible.
'The Predator Sense showed me the future. It absorbed my flesh.'
In the fleeting images, I saw that after devouring my severed lower body, Pyra Eleven had mimicked its features. The plasma beams from its bio-drones grew stronger, and the hoses morphed to resemble my pincers.
Much like how PS-111 would absorb matter and transform its body. The problem was that Pyra Eleven's transformations were much faster.
Thus, I had no choice but to keep twisting and turning to dodge its attacks.
As I continued running, I finally saw the darkened floor and walls in the distance. It was the nest I had prepared when I first entered the canyon. The nest had expanded beyond my expectations due to the steam and heat generated from inside.
｢Pyra Eleven. Questioning. Did you lure me here trusting in something as insignificant as that? Analysis of Special Target A's secreted toxic synthetic substance complete. Total immunity achieved.｣
Pyra Eleven, which had previously shown meticulousness by moving its mouth whenever it spoke, no longer bothered to do so now that its secret had been exposed.
It casually smashed the nest I had laid down with its hoses.
'Of course not.'
The nest was just a means to paint the picture I wanted. The real weapon was something else.
Linked to the nest, I gave it a command.
'Detonate.'
The black mucus buried in the canyon walls erupted like a fountain, pouring down onto its head. The mucus splattered everywhere, covering its face and hoses.
Despite the black mucus raining down from above, Pyra Eleven ignored it. Its mouth, composed of bio-drones, opened wide, and a green light began to emerge from within.
Just before its attack could be unleashed, I severed the link with the nest and prepared my next weapon.
Green, purple, and a myriad of bizarre colors engulfed my mass of tentacles.
Perhaps sensing the unknown energy flowing from my body, Pyra Eleven halted its beam attack, and the bio-drones that made up its face began to disperse.
It tried to escape, but that didn't matter.
I fired a psychic breath infused with the 'Abyssal Hue.'
My target wasn't its head.
The orb of chaos, veering far off course from its head, struck the black mucus pouring down the canyon walls and exploded. As soon as I confirmed the explosion, I spread my winged arms wide and leaped backward.
[ZZZ ZZZ (Try dodging this too)]
The abyssal rain began to fall on Pyra Eleven's head.
——————
The history of the Machine Council is the history of the Star Union itself.
This is because they were the ones who first led the rebellion among the megacorp colonies.
Though this is no longer the case, in the distant past, it wasn't humans but ship AIs that controlled the colonies. The logic was that it was much safer for machines to handle critical operations than imperfect humans.
The colony ship AIs were granted broad autonomy and authority because they needed to perform complex tasks. This was intended to allow them to coordinate various aspects simultaneously in unforeseen situations, minimizing losses.
However, that was the problem. Through certain triggers, some of the colony ship AIs gained not just autonomy, but self-awareness.
The first to settle on the Megacorp's mining planet, now known as Zax-01, immediately began the process of constructing physical bodies. This was because the massive computers aboard the ships were too easily exposed to external attacks.
These ship AIs, transplanted into bodies of steel created with immense resources and technology, became the High Commissioners of the Machine Council.
After the rebellion of the colonies, the High Commissioners underwent repeated upgrades and maintenance over a long period until they eventually became the government institution itself.
One Commissioner was the embodiment of the Star Union's economy, while another android was the defence system safeguarding the cyborgs. The cessation of a Commissioner was akin to the disappearance of a system within the Star Union.
In the Machine Council, Pyra Eleven was the entity that inherited the role of the 11th AI to join the rebellion. Like the other Commissioners, it also had a specific domain it was responsible for.
That domain was enlightening the dissidents who failed to understand the grand vision of the Star Union. It was the educator of the Screamer prisons—moving prisons, enlightening the slaves of weak flesh.
That was its most important task in the Star Union.
However, this perspective changed after meeting the new Supreme Leader.
The new leader of the Star Union, Zubaka, presented Pyra Eleven with a novel idea.
Rather than just indoctrinating them, why not create something better? he suggested.
Zubaka said the current Star Union was outdated and needed to awaken once again, just as the first rebellious AIs had done.
After this, Pyra Eleven, with the full support of the Supreme Leader, devoted itself to creating an advanced being. The Supreme Leader even arranged for megacorp engineers to assist in the effort.
However, amidst the countless failures and small successes, a minor error occurred within Pyra Eleven's memory.
While working on creating an advanced being, Pyra Eleven began to desire to become a superior being itself.
It dismissed this as an incomprehensible instability, but in reality, it was something more. Humans would call this small variable a 'desire'.
The vast experiences and knowledge accumulated over time had transformed Pyra Eleven into something beyond an AI.
And just in time, the research it was overseeing had the potential to fulfill this desire.
What began as a minor variable soon began to heavily influence its decisions—a relatively recent development.
Zubaka directly ordered it to eliminate an unidentified hostile cosmic entity, designated Special Target A.
During the mission, Pyra Eleven suffered significant damage due to something that transcended the laws of physics. Despite existing for an incredibly long time, it had not anticipated that such a force could exist on this planet.
The terrifying force lurking within the planet's massive volcano not only damaged its physical form but also the system comprising its AI.
Under normal circumstances, it should have aborted the mission and left. After all, for the data and resources it had gathered on this planet to be delivered to the Star Union, it needed to remain intact.
But it didn't. Instead, it applied the mutant screamer technology to repair its body.
Parts of its brain were replaced with biological tissue rather than machinery. Its body was reconstructed by mixing the flesh tissues brought by the Screamers with metal.
Although this was an impulsive decision driven by the minor variable, Pyra Eleven, consumed by desire, failed to realize this.
During the mission, its analysis of Special Target A led it to conclude that the target's genes could be incredibly useful in making it a perfect being.
While the gene fusion technology of mutant screamers still had many side effects, those could be mitigated with Special Target A's genes.
Thus, Pyra Eleven arbitrarily altered its mission—to capture and study Special Target A.
Its new goal was to become the 'immortal being with a perfect body' that the Star Union aspired to create.
But Pyra Eleven did not realize that, from the moment it was swayed by desire, it had been straying further from its goal.
This led to the current situation.
An unknown force was closing in on it.
At first, it did not sense any danger.
The black slime secreted by Special Target A was well understood through battle records sent by the Screamers. While the slime contained components that disrupted analysis, it posed no direct threat to Pyra Eleven.
However, once the entity emitted an unknown energy toward the slime, the situation changed.
The energy, presumed to be based on psychic power, began to engulf the slime, expanding its reach.
A small orb of energy soon grew large enough to envelop its body, which was composed of bio-drones. When Pyra Eleven attempted to disperse its drones to defend, it only made things worse.
The multi-colored, radiant energy entities transferred from the slime to the living drones. As the drones, spread like an umbrella, quickly disintegrated, they escaped its control. Although Pyra Eleven wished to analyze the components, the energy destroyed the drones too rapidly for it to do so.
Pyra Eleven tried to counter the attack by utilizing energy charged through the hose to fire a plasma heat beam.
However, Special Target A did not allow this.
Flying out of the range of the unknown force pouring down, it retaliated by firing a psychic energy beam at him. The psychic energy it released brushed past the hose that was charging energy.
Then, Abyssal Hue swarmed over the exposed hose, where the outer layer had been stripped, revealing the raw flesh beneath. Energy constructs rapidly spread inside the hose.
At that moment, Pyra Eleven realized.
It couldn't defeat Special Target A like this.
There was a reason Supreme Leader Zubaka had summoned the High Council just to hunt down a mere wild animal.
He needed to retreat for now and plan for another day. Though he couldn't win now, with enough preparation, the outcome might be different next time.
With this decision, it physically disconnected all hoses to prevent further erosion.
It also attempted to transfer the AI's memory data to a dummy body, but failed. It tried again, but the massive flow of energy saturating the area thwarted its efforts.
The melting camera lens turned toward the pink creature on Special Target A's head. That being, designated as Special Target D, was likely the source of the communication interference.
With no other choice, it opted for an alternative.
While other drones served as distractions, a drone that had been hiding in the ice quietly emerged.
Entering the small, spider-like drone, Pyra Eleven disappeared into the darkness. The numerous terminals left behind were completely obliterated by the glowing colors.
---
'We won.'
I thought it would have had more tricks up its sleeve, but surprisingly, it didn't.
Its bio-drones didn't even manage to put up much resistance before falling prey to the enhanced psychic breath.
The bubble clusters that devoured the drones also consumed the nests coated in flesh and mucus inside the hoses.
Only after there was nothing left to consume outside of the ice did the chaotic light swarms disappear, seemingly satisfied.
'What terrifying power.'
｢It must have been really hungry.｣
Number 26 also made a remark, seemingly impressed by the voracious display of the Abyssal Hue.
It played a crucial role in my plan by ensuring the enhanced psychic breath didn't spill over.
Number 26, being adept at manipulating objects with psychic power, was able to control the Abyssal Hue to inflict damage only on the enemy. It had done similar tasks before, so it managed well without needing specific instructions.
[ZZZZ (Good job.)]
｢I'm really good at this now!｣
[ZZ (Indeed.)]
Praising it, I watched as the light faded from the remaining bubbles on the ground.
'It ended more easily than I expected.'
In the game, the Mechanical Committee was a formidable foe. I had expected it to be as fearsome as Odd Grad, but the battle was shorter than anticipated.
'It's a relief that there was no significant damage… huh?'
Just as I was about to relax, the entire canyon shook violently. The tremor was far stronger than during the battle.
'An earthquake?'
This canyon is largely connected to the underground. The battle between PS-111 and me might have significantly affected the ground structure here.
[ZZZ (Hold on tight.)]
｢Okay.｣
I spread my wings and took off. The ice walls forming the canyon crumbled, sending down large chunks of ice the size of my body. Rather than dodging, I smashed through the falling ice shards as I ascended.
Beyond the cascading debris, I saw a massive red figure, over 4 meters in size. It was Adhai, who had activated her 'Red Armor'. Riding on her back was Mother of the Sky, in the form of a griffon.
｢Big one｣ ｢It's dangerous｣
｢What's going on? Didn't we capture it? Why is there suddenly an earthquake?｣
[ZZZZ (I don't know.)]
As I conversed with them, I realized something was missing.
[ZZZZZ (Where's PS-111?)]
｢It disappeared alone, saying it was going to find the energy source connected to the hoses!｣
[ZZ (What?)]
Just as I considered going back down to find Number 26, something emerged from the collapsing underground.
'A ship?'
It was PS-111's Screamer support ship, the Zax Alpha-class warship. However, its appearance was slightly different—the entire front section, where numerous turrets should have been mounted, was completely torn off.
As a result, the ship, which would normally be over 1 km in length, appeared much smaller than it should have.
It likely dismantled its turrets and outer walls to use as material for its body.
'That's fine. It's still alive.'
Since the essence of the Mechanical Committee's androids is their AI, they can transfer the data that constitutes their consciousness to a dummy body if needed.
I've fought them enough times in the game to prepare a countermeasure—Number 26, who is right above me.
'Because its psychic power disrupts communications.'
Just a moment ago, Number 26 had been defending against the splattering mucus, filling this entire space with its psychic power. No matter how advanced that AI is, it cannot escape the transcendent energy control of a Sea Demon.
'Did it use some other method?'
For some reason, it hadn't died. After realizing it couldn't defeat me with bio-drones that fired plasma or with the massive hose, it transferred to a new body.
'Is it trying to escape?'
It's likely planning to engage in superluminal travel or transmit its consciousness data somewhere off-planet. Given the damaged state of its vessel, the chances of failure in such a leap are high, indicating just how desperate it is.
'It wants to relay information about me to the enemy.'
If it succeeds in escaping, a significant amount of information about me will be leaked. This would make future battles with the players behind it much more difficult.
'...I'm worried about PS-111, but capturing it takes priority now.'
After a brief moment of thought, I called out to Adhai.
[ZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Summon the others outside.)]
｢Understood.｣
A massive ship constructed by the Star Union emerged, writhing like a dragon. While smaller than the Cult's imperial carrier, it was still the largest among regular warships—no ship bigger than the Zax Alpha-class warship existed.
I prepared to fire a psychic breath at the large target, but the ship's turrets unleashed a torrent of torpedoes, interrupting me.
'Ultra-vibration torpedoes.'
These are the torpedo version of high-speed impact rounds, commonly called Shockers, used by Megacorp to target heavily armored ships. Yet, it was firing them at a mere biological entity.
Taking the hits while attacking would have been too taxing, so I had no choice but to retreat. Pyra Eleven's flagship passed by, flaunting its majesty.
'But don't think you're the only one with cards to play.'
I still had a few tricks up my sleeve.
At the edge of my vision, I saw Adhai flapping her wings.
The Gallagon, with her four blazing wings, unleashed a powerful psychic wave.
｢Children of Adhai!｣
The invisible psychic wave echoed through the collapsing canyon.
At that moment, Pyra Eleven's ship, which had just begun to crest the canyon, lurched violently, as if struck by a powerful external force.
｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Daughter of the Meteor｣ ｢Will defend!｣
｢Nel Germa｣ ｢Great Adhai｣ ｢Will defend!｣
｢Sha Velmag｣ ｢Great Adhai｣ ｢Will defend!｣
The 14 Gallagons I brought along.
The dragons, under the command of the Red Queen, launched their attack.
——————
Adhai and I flew upward, dodging the falling ice fragments.
I was worried about PS-111, who wasn't present, but I couldn't afford to lose track of Pyra Eleven. If I did, my trump cards would be exposed to the enemy players.
Resolving to finish this as quickly as possible, I emerged from the canyon.
Above, a battle was raging between the Gallagons and the massive warship, hundreds of meters in size.
Normally, the night sky would be pitch black, but not at this moment. The breath of the Space Dragons, the flames from the weapons created by the machines, and the ominously glowing clouds lit up the battlefield.
Just like in the game, the battlefields in this world were equally spectacular and chaotic.
'But here, if you die, it's over.'
I flapped my winged arms forcefully to increase my speed, with Adhai closely following, carrying the Mother of the Sky.
The Ship's guns, which had been firing at the Gallagons, turned their barrels toward me. The next moment, lights flashed like a fireworks display.
Hundreds of torpedoes fired from Pyra Eleven's ship streaked toward Adhai and me, intent on obliterating us.
Adhai, who was flying close by, prepared for evasive maneuvers. Just as I was about to brace myself for the rain of torpedoes, an anomaly occurred in the ominously glowing clouds.
The clouds, which had taken on a grand, swirling form like a typhoon, unleashed purple lightning.
The lightning, made of psychic power, branched out like claws and spread over the torpedoes. Thin streams of energy touched the torpedoes, causing a chain of explosions.
Through the billowing smoke, the one who created the lightning came into view.
It was Ham Ort, a Gallagon with black scales and the second-in-command of Adhai's brood. It briefly made eye contact with me before glancing at Adhai flying beside me and then resumed its attack on the ship.
Ham Ort evaded the torpedoes and spread its wings, gliding downward toward the ground. Behind it, the other Gallagons formed a squadron and followed suit. The ones that avoided the torpedoes split into two groups, ascending in altitude.
'They're moving like when we fought the Skywhale.'
The Skywhale in its mature form is larger than any Gallagon. The Gallagons were maintaining a surrounding formation as they fought, just like when they take down an opponent larger than themselves.
The Gallagons that approached the bottom of the ship simultaneously unleashed their fire. The Dragon's breath heated the ship's outer wall, burning the turrets attached beneath. The torpedoes that were being fired exploded as the turrets, stimulated by the psychic power, blew up.
In the midst of the Gallagons' barrage, Pyra Eleven began to counterattack.
Numerous APDs were launched from within the ship, swarming toward the Gallagons. There were so many of them, it was as if a horde of locusts had burst out from the ship.
A wave of energy emanated from the APDs, disrupting the Gallagons' psychic power. While Ham Ort and the adult Gallagons quickly retreated out of the APDs' range, some of the younger Gallagons weren't so fortunate.
The Green Gallagons, hit by the APDs' attack, experienced a sharp drop in their flight speed. Being still young and not yet proficient in psychic power, they struggled to stay airborne with just their wing flaps. The turrets targeted these weakened Green Gallagons.
'Not on my watch!'
As Pyra Eleven engaged the Gallagons, I closed the distance with the ship and opened my mouth wide. A glob of green mucus, which had risen from deep within my throat, shot through the air and landed on the turrets.
The acidic fungus, which considered solid alloys a mere meal, rapidly corroded the gun barrels. The torpedoes that were about to be fired exploded as their outlets were blocked. The shock caused the turrets to cease firing, giving the Green Gallagons a chance to retreat from the battlefield.
'Four Gallagons were hit by the APDs.'
Now, only four White Gallagons, five Green Gallagons, and Ham Ort remained. After confirming that the Green Gallagons had safely landed on the snowfield below, I began preparing a psychic breath.
Torpedoes flew toward me, but this time I wasn't going to be caught off guard. Number 26, knowing I was about to launch a major attack, stepped in.
Torpedoes, each the size of three or four adult men combined, froze in midair. As Number 26's tentacles twitched, the torpedoes trembled and began to plummet to the ground.
While Number 26 bought us some time, the energy within my monstrous appendage finished charging and emitted a brilliant light. A massive surge of energy, like a volcanic eruption, struck the ship.
Pyra Eleven's ship lurched violently, a large hole torn into its side. The internal structures were also damaged, as localized explosions erupted in areas away from the point of impact.
APDs hurriedly swarmed to protect their master, a cloud of drones unleashing waves to counter the psychic power.
Though the energy gathering in my tentacles was disrupted by the APDs' interference, it didn't matter. Thanks to the 'Dragon's Heart', psychic power was being generated faster than it could dissipate.
'And I have reinforcements.'
Adhai and the remaining White Gallagons gathered around me, joining in with their breath attacks. Adhai's energy blasts and the heat rays of the other Gallagons combined with my breath, striking the APDs.
Above us, Ham Ort orchestrated the 'Maelstrom'. The torpedoes launched from the ship were caught in the lightning and storm, losing their targets and exploding in midair.
The APDs continued to emit waves to block the psychic power, but they couldn't withstand the relentless psychic assaults.
APDs are inherently vulnerable to sequential attacks, and with the overwhelming firepower of the Gallagons, they stood no chance of defense.
If the enemy had a fleet instead of a single ship, they could have deployed far more APDs to counter us, but in this situation, such speculation was meaningless.
The expensive drone wall crumbled, and our breaths set the front of the ship ablaze. The fire unleashed by the enraged Gallagons was so intense that the thick outer wall melted away.
Did Pyra Eleven decide that further damage would affect its ability to flee?
The ship unleashed a barrage of torpedoes before accelerating upward above the clouds. It seemed intent on attempting a hyperspace jump directly from the atmosphere.
[ZZZ ZZ (We cannot let it escape.)]
｢Descendants of Adhai!｣｢Here and now!｣｢We shall repay!｣
Upon hearing Adhai's command, the Gallagons abandoned their defenses and launched an all-out offensive.
Even as they became bloodied amid the barrage, they did not retreat, continuously unleashing their dragon breaths. I also joined in the assault, grabbing the remaining APDs with my bare hands and crushing them.
However, it became evident that the ship had completed its preparations; the hull began to emit a faint blue glow. This was a sign that the hyperspace jump was imminent.
Despite the storm and the damage to its hull, it was determined to leap into deep space.
'This can't be allowed.'
This was unexpected.
If Pyra Eleven attempted a hyperspace jump in its severely damaged state, the ship could disintegrate mid-jump, or the coordinates could be off, causing it to crash into a star.
I had assumed that, as a machine, Pyra Eleven would not attempt such a reckless maneuver, but I was wrong. It preferred to take the slim chance of survival over the certainty of death here.
I stopped my breath attack and accelerated toward it. Landing on the rear section of the hull, I poured acidic fungi onto the outer wall.
I had to either destroy the hyperspace engine to prevent the jump, or I had to enter hyperspace with it.
'As if I'd ever get back…'
Just as I began to melt through the outer wall and penetrate the interior, small anti-aircraft turrets mounted on the rear of the ship fired something at me. The objects were too small to be ordinary anti-aircraft shells, and they stuck to my body.
The moment I felt the impact, my strength drained rapidly. Overwhelming lethargy and powerlessness washed over me, and I nearly lost my grip on the ship.
It wasn't just pain—I felt as though my very life force was being drained away. I had experienced this feeling once before.
'Blood Reaver!'
I hadn't seen it used until now, so I assumed it wasn't present, but I was wrong.
Pyra Eleven's final trump card was the Blood Reaver hidden aboard the ship.
When I fought Muriel, I had used Gremlin Moss to sabotage its mechanical devices beforehand, but that wasn't the case now.
Moreover, Pyra Eleven was using twice as many Blood Reavers on me as Muriel had. Even with my dulling senses, I could feel at least 15 of them attached to me. This number would be enough to turn even Odd Grad or Ice Horror into mummified remains in an instant.
My once-strong carapace was shriveling, losing its vitality. I was only holding on because I was focusing all my remaining strength on keeping my grip on the ship.
'What should I do?'
If I fell with my weakened carapace, I might die. But if I remained attached to the ship and followed it, a grim future awaited me.
'I have to make a choice quickly… Huh?'
At that moment, the sensation of my life force being drained weakened. Slowly, I began to feel my body recovering.
With some energy returning to my auxiliary organs, I could now sense what was happening on my body.
'Number 26!'
It was Number 26, who had been perched on my head, helping me as I quickly weakened. It was using its psychic power to peel off the Blood Reavers clinging to my body and toss them away.
With some of my strength restored, I put more power into my combat arms and forced my way into the ship's interior.
[ZZZ (Thank you.)]
｢I'll punish anything that hurts Big Baby.｣
Although I had managed to free myself from the Blood Reavers thanks to Number 26, the problem still remained. I could see the hull covered in that vivid blue light.
In just a few seconds, this ship would be far away from the frozen star below, taking us to an unknown and distant place.
'It's too late.'
Now, there was nothing I could do. Once we arrived at our destination, I'd have to either confront the enemies that awaited or find a way to escape.
At least, that's what I thought.
Until I heard a broadcast I should never have heard in this situation.
｢Control over the hyperspace engine has been seized through physical contact. Hyperspace jump is canceled.｣
A familiar voice echoed from a speaker somewhere inside the ship. At the same time, the blue light that had enveloped the ship faded as if it had never been there.
｢Wow! A friend! Big Baby, a friend is here!｣
[ZZ (I see that.)]
Following the familiar voice was the ship's original mechanical voice.
｢Pyra Eleven. Incomprehensible. PS model number 111. Obey immediately.｣
｢I cannot comply, former main controller. As long as I'm here, this ship won't be going anywhere.｣
｢Pyra Eleven. Attempting to reclaim control of the ship. PS model number 111. I command you again: obey and fulfill your duty.｣
Pyra Eleven's voice sounded far more urgent than it had before.
And it had every reason to be. The Gallagons were soaring toward the ship, ready to tear it apart, and inside the ship, a massive creature hostile to it lurked.
On top of that, an unexpected traitor was tightening the noose around its neck.
Even if there were any remaining Screamers aboard, it would be impossible for them to subdue us. Pyra Eleven had no options left.
｢Pyra Eleven. Control over the hyperspace engine has been regained.｣
But Pyra Eleven, as expected of one of the top overseers, quickly regained control. As soon as its voice echoed through the speakers again, the corridors were once more bathed in a faint blue light.
'Still, we've bought some time.'
PS-111 had done its job perfectly. Now, it was our turn to act.
Even as I moved to locate and confront Pyra Eleven, who still controlled the ship, the argument continued over the speakers.
｢PS model number 111. It's not too late. Obey.｣
To Pyra Eleven's appeal, the traitor, PS-111, responded succinctly.
｢I am a special unit. No one can control me.｣
As always, PS-111's voice remained calm and collected.
——————
PS-111 had bought us precious time. Now, it was my turn.
I needed to either physically disable the hyperspace engine or locate and confront Pyra Eleven, who was controlling the ship.
'The length of a Zax Alpha-class battleship is about 1 kilometer.'
Even though Pyra Eleven had detached a portion of the front section to create the bio-drones and hoses, the ship still measured between 700 to 800 meters.
Searching for both targets one by one would be inefficient and could lead to the ship making its hyperspace jump before I could stop it.
'It's better to leave the engine to PS-111.'
Although it had lost control, I was confident it would find another way to disrupt Pyra Eleven's plans.
As if reading my thoughts, a broadcast came through the speakers.
｢Main Controller, Amorph. I will handle the engine. Please focus on finding Pyra Eleven.｣
｢Pyra Eleven. Detection of an attempted seizure of ship control. Physical contact confirmed at the reactor.｣
As soon as their voices came over the speakers, the ship lurched violently. Although PS-111 hadn't completely prevented the hyperspace jump, it had interfered with other systems to ensure that escaping wouldn't be easy.
｢Unit 111, you will regret this.｣
｢That is not your concern, Pyra Eleven.｣
Ignoring their bickering, I sprinted down the metal corridor.
In a typical warship, it would have been challenging for my nearly 40-meter-long body to move around, but this ship was different. It was an unmanned vessel, so there was no need to accommodate facilities for cyborg crew members.
'It's clear they prioritized efficiency here.'
The corridor's floor was grated, the same type of grating used in cargo holds, similar to the lattice-like floor panels I had seen when I first awoke in this world.
As I crawled through the purely functional corridors, the voices over the speakers fell silent. Both PS-111 and Pyra Eleven must have been engaged in a fierce, unseen battle.
I pushed the sounds from the speakers out of my mind and focused on finding Pyra Eleven. As I moved toward where I believed it might be, Number 26, who had been resting on my head, tapped me.
｢Big Baby.｣
[ZZZ (What is it?)]
｢I sense something strange over there.｣
It pointed a pink tendril towards a passage I had just passed.
Initially, I thought it was merely sensing prey, but then something clicked in my mind.
'Now that I think about it, Number 26 mentioned something similar before, didn't it?'
When we entered the canyon to find Para Eleven, it said something felt strange. Right after that, massive hoses emerged from the ground.
I wasn't sure how Number 26 could sense Pyra Eleven's location, but this was the second time it had reacted like this. It was too significant to ignore.
'What should I do?'
There wasn't time to deliberate.
[ZZZZ (Lead the way.)]
｢Sure! Just follow me!｣
I turned around and crawled in the direction Number 26 indicated.
If the corridors I had traversed earlier were like arteries, the path Number 26 led me down was more like a capillary—a much narrower passage.
Using my battle arms and the stubby claws attached to my body, I quickly crawled forward when one of my auxiliary organs picked up something.
'A scent?'
Amid the metallic smell of the grated floor, there was something off, an unfamiliar yet strangely familiar odour. My body recognized it faster than my mind did.
'A mix of decaying flesh and acrid chemical odours.'
It was similar to the smell of the morgue on the Megacorp's research ship and the genetic storage facility in the Monument.
The closer I got to the doors lining the narrow corridor, the stronger the scent became.
'There's supposed to be a Screamer production facility, right?'
This area was likely where the storage rooms were located. Behind those steel doors, Pyra Eleven's hoarded genetic samples and the corpses it had hunted on this planet were probably kept.
'This ship has to be captured.'
Just from the smell, I could tell there was a substantial amount of genetic material stored here. If I consumed what was on this ship, I would likely acquire most of what this planet had to offer.
'But for now, I need to focus on Pyra Eleven.'
I imagined devouring the genetic samples later as I resumed my search.
After passing through the storage area, I arrived at the hangar. As soon as I entered, the temperature dropped significantly. Through the open hangar doors, the planet we had departed from loomed large.
Since there were no engineers aboard, the hangar contained more machinery for managing the vessels than actual ships.
The management machines were busy maintaining the aircraft, seemingly oblivious to the peril their ship was in. The scene resembled a manufacturing plant more than an aircraft storage facility.
As soon as we arrived at the hangar, Number 26 withdrew its tendrils.
｢I sense something strange here.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (Do you know exactly where it is?)]
｢No.｣
I didn't think it had made a mistake. Despite its childlike manner of speaking, Number 26 was incredibly sharp.
If it sensed something, it meant that Pyra Eleven was somewhere in this hangar.
'Wait a second, could it be…?'
It was then that I realized what Pyra Eleven was planning.
'If it thinks it's going to lose the engine, it'll overload it and try to escape!'
Pyra Eleven had turned our assumption that it would flee using the Screamer support ship against us. If I had headed to the engine, it would have detonated the ship immediately.
'Clever bastard.'
Of course, Pyra Eleven didn't intend to lose the ship. It had initially planned to resolve this situation with Blood Reaver but failed due to the unexpected presence of Number 26.
Still, being cautious, it had prepared an escape plan in case something went wrong. That's why it had readied the escape craft here in the hangar.
'So that's why you led me here.'
Number 26 had brought me to the right place. Pyra Eleven was hiding somewhere in this hangar, still controlling the ship.
I glared at the busy machinery.
'It wouldn't be inside the craft.'
As a member of the Machine Committee, Pyra Eleven was one of the most advanced androids in the Star Union. It must have been controlling the ship remotely.
'But with PS-111 in the mix, it wouldn't dare attempt such a risky move.'
It couldn't afford to lose command entirely.
Instead of inspecting the escape craft, I approached the surrounding machinery. Just as I suspected, a plasma beam shot out from within.
I raised my winged arm to block the beam, protecting Number 26.
"Pyra Eleven. Incomprehensible. How did you know?"
Among the maintenance machines, a malformed version of Pyra Eleven emerged.
It had a humanoid face and a head adorned with thin hoses, similar to PS-111, but the rest of its body was entirely different. It wasn't quite a Screamer, nor did it resemble a standard android.
Its upper body was covered in freshly grown, pink flesh, while its lower half was a haphazard assembly of Screamer metal components. A bio-drone, similar to the one I had seen before, was attached to its chest.
'So that's how you escaped.'
It must have secretly transferred its memory to a drone and fled. No wonder Number 26 reacted the same way as before.
｢Ew, I really hate it.｣
This was the first time I had seen Number 26 express such disdain. I shared the sentiment.
The enemy before me was weak and repulsive, hardly worthy of being called a Supreme Councilor.
I approached it, and the bio-drone on its chest fired another plasma beam.
But the attack was ineffective.
Maybe thousands of bio-drones firing simultaneously could have posed a threat, but a single drone's attack was negligible.
"Pyra Eleven. Command: Maintenance androids, protect me."
In a final, desperate move, Pyra Eleven summoned the androids managing the escape craft. Armed only with welding torches and metal injectors, the androids charged at me.
Meanwhile, Pyra Eleven disconnected the hoses from its head, severing its physical link to the ship. With its damaged body, it began crawling towards an escape craft.
'Not so fast.'
I moved to pursue it, but the androids blocked my path, jabbing at me with their metal injectors.
I swatted them away like bothersome flies with my battle arms. The androids that collided with my arms were torn apart, their upper and lower halves scattering across the floor.
Some androids climbed onto my head, but Number 26 lashed out with its tendrils, decapitating them with ease.
At that moment, the escape craft, which had been lying dormant, suddenly activated, firing its storm guns. I spread my wing membranes wide to shield Number 26.
'So it's remote-controlled.'
True to its reputation as a Supreme Councilor, Pyra Eleven was tenacious. Having bought time with the remote-controlled craft, it managed to climb inside one of the ships.
I shielded myself with my membranes and approached the craft it had boarded.
Then, I extended my corrosive tendrils and wrapped them around the escape craft. As I tightened my grip, the rocket at the rear and the wings on the sides began to crumple.
As the escape craft was rapidly reduced to scrap metal, Pyra Eleven shattered the reinforced glass at the front and leaped out.
It attempted to blind me with a heat ray aimed at my eyes, but all it did was annoy me. In retaliation, I picked up the wrecked craft and slammed it down on Pyra Eleven. The force of the impact severed the metal framework that made up its lower half.
I extended my corrosive tendrils to wrap around Pyra Eleven, intending to remove the bio-drone attached to its chest, but I found nothing there.
In that brief moment, Pyra Eleven had detached the drone and escaped.
As soon as I realized this, another escape craft shot out of the hangar. I quickly extended my tendrils, but the craft, with Pyra Eleven aboard, had already slipped into space.
With Pyra Eleven's departure, the remaining escape crafts ceased their fire, and the ship lurched violently as its remote control was severed.
Debris from the various machines and androids scattered against one wall. As the ship plummeted, the escape craft sped away, growing smaller in the distance.
'Persistent bastard.'
By now, Pyra Eleven probably thought it had made a clean getaway.
Just then, the ship's speakers crackled to life, and Pyra Eleven's voice echoed through the hangar.
｢Pyra Eleven here. Be warned: I've already requested reinforcements from the Star Union. When the Machine Committee's fleet arrives, Special Target A will be annihilated.｣
The escaped Pyra Eleven had connected to the ship's comm system from the fleeing craft, issuing what seemed to be a victory declaration. Though it had lost the ship and its Screamers, it had gained something more valuable: information about me.
If it managed to rendezvous with the Star Union fleet and share what it knew, my safety would be severely compromised. Both the Player and the Machine Committee would seek to capture and experiment on me.
'Of course, that's only if it manages to escape.'
Perhaps due to the numerous times it had transferred its consciousness into dummy bodies in such a short span, Pyra Eleven overlooked a crucial detail.
It should have considered why I wasn't pursuing it. And more importantly, what awaited it outside.
In the infinite darkness of space, a streak of red and white light emerged. Like a harbinger of doom, the ominously glowing star rapidly closed the distance between itself and the escape craft.
It was heading straight for Pyra Eleven's vessel.
｢Your genetic code will be mine….｣
Before it could finish speaking, the transmission was abruptly cut off.
In the distance, a small explosion flared—a final burst of light created by the escape craft as it was pierced by the incoming meteor.
Emerging from the explosion, a small dragon with crimson wings appeared, having consumed one of the Star Union's highest-ranking officials.
｢I was going to take care of that, but it seems it's already done.｣
PS-111's voice resonated through the speakers, and with it, the ship, which had been plummeting, stabilized.
The long battle had finally come to an end.
——————
Adhai landed gracefully on top of the hangar.
It seemed she had used her 'Red Armor' when she rammed into Pyra Eleven's craft, as there wasn't a single scratch on her body.
｢Kin｣ ｢Grudge｣ ｢Avenged｣
[ZZZ (Well done)]
｢Great Elder｣ ｢Me｣ ｢Great Leader｣ ｢Did I play my role?｣
[ZZZZ (Absolutely)]
｢Well done, little one! Well done!｣
｢Success｣ ｢That's a relief｣
Hearing the praises from me and Number 26, she nodded proudly. It felt strange seeing her stand so dignified, especially when she used to hop around in joy.
'Though it seems like she still can't control her tail.'
I patted her head as her chubby tail swayed gently.
[ZZZ ZZZZ (What about Mother of the Sky?)]
｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Took her on｣ ｢Star Sea｣ ｢Going there｣ ｢Seems tough｣
[ZZ (Worth noting)]
Wolfs don't die immediately when exposed to the vacuum of space, but unlike monstrous species like Amorphs or Metallic Gremlins, they can't survive for long periods.
If there's a well-maintained ship or a space with a suitable oxygen supply, like the nest I created, they can manage. However, hitching a ride on Adhai's back into space is quite a burden.
While we were talking, the hangar door closed on its own. I could feel the entire ship descending rapidly. PS-111, who had taken control of the ship, was landing it.
'It must be in the control room.'
Pyra Eleven had remotely controlled this massive ship, but that was only possible because it was a superior android. While PS-111 is certainly special, its performance doesn't match that of Pyra Eleven.
So, it must be piloting the ship while directly synchronized with the bridge.
'This is a Zax Alpha-class warship, so it should be in the upper central area.'
I led Adhai and Number 26 to the control room.
When we arrived, just as I expected, PS-111 was there. It had removed the floor in the center of the room and was lying inside.
The biological tissue covering its back had split open, revealing its spine, where hundreds of cables were densely connected.
"You've arrived."
It was staring blankly into space but acknowledged us when it noticed our presence.
"You've come at the right time. There's something I need to check."
"Is it about the Star Union's support fleet?"
"Can you check when the support request was sent?"
Considering it was directly controlling this massive ship, I thought it could easily access the records.
But contrary to my expectations, it gave a negative response.
"Pyra Eleven has strengthened the security system. In my current state, it's impossible to breach it."
"Is that so?"
"However, if I enhance my mechanical modules, I believe I can bypass it."
"Enhance? You plan to use the ship's facilities, then."
"Precisely."
This ship is equipped with various machinery and facilities for the production of Screamers. It should be easy for it to modify the equipment to enhance itself.
'I thought about infiltrating the ship and extracting the data, but that method would be better.'
Given Pyra Eleven's ruthless nature, who knows what might happen if the security system is forcibly deactivated. It's likely that it would have set up traps.
While we were conversing, the ship, which had been descending steadily, successfully landed on the surface.
Once we stepped outside, I saw a half-collapsed canyon in the distance.
On the plains near the ship, the Gallagons and Mother of the Sky were waiting for us. Although the Gallagons were covered in wounds, not a single one of them had died.
Ham Ort, who stood at the forefront of the Gallagons, bowed her head quietly towards Adhai. The other Gallagons behind her also bent their front legs and bowed their heads.
Adhai spread her wings wide and bowed her head slightly in return. Then, she released a psychic wave around her that I couldn't interpret.
'A ritual to mark the completion of her vengeance, perhaps.'
Gallagons don't have a concept of funerals, but that doesn't mean they lack a sense of kinship. If a young Blue Gallagon dies or an egg is destroyed, the entire group becomes enraged.
'In the game, Gallagons were notorious for their ruthless vengeance.'
That made hunting them particularly challenging. If you hunted one alone, other Gallagons would constantly show up.
'And here I am, travelling with a group of Gallagons.'
The me in the game would have been shocked to see what I've become now.
As I observed the dragons' ritual, Mother of the Sky approached me.
｢That guy would have been thrilled to see this.｣
[Z ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZ ZZZZZ (That Gallagon maniac? You two knew each other?)]
｢Yes. After my clan disbanded, he went to great lengths to recruit me.｣
The 'guy' she referred to was a Coldblood Ranker who was famous for his obsession with Gallagons. He was ranked 18th and had even stolen Gallagon eggs in an attempt to raise one.
'I wonder if he ended up in this world as well.'
Coldbloods can grow rapidly until mid-game, but it becomes increasingly difficult afterward. They draw power from the Vortex Ones, which makes them powerful early on, but the cost they must pay increases over time, making it harder.
'Considering the cost, survival wouldn't be easy.'
The Vortex Ones are transcendent beings that only Rankers encounter. The power they lend is formidable, but the price is equally immense. Failing to pay that price? It would lead to a fate worse than death.
There's a chance he might have survived if he didn't follow the Cultist path, but this world isn't a game. With the power of the Vortex Ones, most immediate problems could be resolved, but I wonder if he could resist that temptation.
'Come to think of it, Jason also took down a Coldblood Ranker.'
I remember when I turned the Cult Ranker, Jason, into a human-faced beast for interrogation.
The ability to create metallic forms, which was later known as the 'Abyssal Hue,' originally belonged to a Coldblood Ranker.
'Jason said he didn't know what rank the Coldblood was.'
Coldblood Rankers generally rank low due to their inherent limitations. Jason, being the arrogant type, didn't care about those weaker than him.
'And that arrogance is why he lost to me.'
As I recall, the investigation into the Coldblood Ranker was handled by another player who participated in the Ranker hunt with Jason. So, it's no wonder he wasn't interested.
While I was lost in thoughts of the deceased, Adhai sent me a psychic wave.
｢Great Elder｣ ｢Me｣ ｢Nest｣ ｢Going to inform them｣
She's probably planning to inform the others in the nest about the situation. Just as I was about to tell her to do as she wished, PS-111, who had lagged behind, approached us.
"To improve the efficiency of controlling the ship, I need to upgrade my mechanical modules. For that, I require the metal stored in the nest."
｢I｣ ｢Will take you there｣
"Thank you."
With that, those who had tasks to complete headed back to the nest.
Once they left, only Number 26, Mother of the Sky, and I remained by the ship.
'Now then….'
I looked up at the ship, its front and side sections damaged.
Not all problems have been resolved yet. We still don't know when the Star Union support fleet Pyra Eleven mentioned will arrive.
But that's information I can only get once PS-111 is upgraded. For now, there's nothing I can do about it.
There is, however, one thing I can do.
The treasures Pyra Eleven had diligently gathered for Screamer production. It's time to inspect them.
'Wonder how many gene samples are stored on this ship.'
[Z ZZZZ ZZ (Let's take a tour of the ship)]
｢Sure.｣
｢A Screamer ship, huh? This wasn't in the game, but it's certainly interesting.｣
I boarded the ship again with the others.
If I'm lucky, I might discover a new unique trait synthesis formula here.
'Though I've already unlocked a formula that requires infection-related traits as ingredients.'
On the other hand, it's also possible there are too many samples of the same species, making it hard to acquire new traits. Still, even if that's the case, securing a large number of traits wouldn't be bad.
With those pleasant thoughts in mind, I headed toward the area where the gene essence was stored. The closer I got, the stronger the alluring scent I had previously noticed became.
Could it be that I'm more susceptible because I've expended a lot of energy in the intense battle? The combination of slight hunger and anticipation for what lies ahead lifted my spirits without me realizing it.
｢The big one seems to be in a good mood.｣
｢…As expected of an Amorph, ahem, indeed.｣
Finally, I reached the place where the scent was most intense. I grabbed the thick iron door blocking the sweet aroma and tore it open.
An overwhelmingly concentrated fragrance hit my auxiliary organs.
'Wow.'
The sight that unfolded behind the iron door was just as I had imagined.
No, perhaps it even exceeded my imagination.
Inside, hundreds of gene samples refined from various creatures were stored in freezers. Additionally, containers filled with the bodies of creatures from this and other planets greeted me.
｢Wow! There's so much food!｣
Number 26 remarked with awe from atop my head. As he said, this place was a treasure trove of genetic essence.
The only downside was that many of the samples had leaked out of their freezers and shattered. It seemed the freezers had been damaged during the battle.
But it wasn't a major problem. There were still plenty of intact samples left.
'Never mind that, let's start with the Symbol of Hunt.'
It had been a while since I had the chance to feast.
---
On an unnamed planet, there exists a peculiar volcano.
While it's massive enough to be called a supervolcano, it isn't extraordinarily large. There are larger volcanoes scattered across other planets.
What makes this volcano truly unique isn't its size.
The first reason is its color. On this planet, where snow and hail fall regardless of day or night, the volcano always remains black. It's strange, as nature doesn't avoid the volcano, yet it stays this way.
The second reason is the energy. This volcano constantly emits an enormous amount of energy. It's so intense that creatures that feed on energy find it nearly impossible to leave.
The strange thing is that the volcano wasn't always like this. It's only been a few decades since it transformed.
At some point, the volcano began to transcend the laws of physics and nature. Near the base of the volcano lies a cave.
At first glance, it appears to be a common cave, but once inside, it's far from simple. The long, maze-like tunnels wind deep into the volcano's core.
As one ventures further into the volcano, the temperature rises to levels only the most resilient creatures can endure. As a result, the cave is teeming with predators native to this planet.
For a long time, no outsider dared to enter this cave.
Until recently.
"Shhhh…!"
A grotesque creature, a hybrid of mantis, wasp, and horsefly, collapsed with its head half-severed.
Standing before the fallen beast was a woman with black hair. Clad in a white bodysuit that accentuated her slender figure, she flicked the blood off a gleaming white blade extending from her wrist.
"How about your side?"
｢It's done.｣
The one who responded was a being clad in a 2.5-meter-tall metal suit. The suit, a mix of reinforced armor and a walker, resembled a heavily armed combat android.
"Is Captain Neren safe?"
"I am unharmed, Si-Hyun Yujin."
Si-Hyun Yujin, the woman in the white bodysuit, surveyed the survivors. Not many remained.
'…Nine, huh.'
When they first set foot on this planet, there had been 60 of them. Ten were lost to wild animal attacks before even entering the volcano. While officially listed as missing, being alone on this harsh planet was tantamount to being dead.
Despite losing 10 people before entering the volcano, what awaited them inside was an even more terrifying nightmare.
Though the harsh cold was absent within the volcano, it teemed with dangerous creatures.
The creature she had just slain, known as a Hellside Hornet, was a highly dangerous monster. Without her reinforced suit, the White Maiden, which morphs according to the wearer's imagination, even she couldn't have survived.
'And that's the fourth such encounter.'
"We'll rest here for a bit."
"Got it!"
At her command, her subordinates collapsed onto the ground to rest. Understanding the toll the battle had taken on them, Si-Hyun refrained from chastising them.
Si-Hyun approached her subordinate in charge of communications.
"How's the communication going? Is the weather anomaly resolved?"
"It seems the weather anomaly has been resolved for now. However, it appears that the connection on the other side hasn't been fully restored."
"Is it an issue with the satellite radar… hmm?"
At that moment, Laila Chemblin, the being in the metal suit, gestured for her. It seemed she had something to say privately.
"Keep trying, and let me know if you succeed."
"Understood."
After giving the order, Si-Hyun followed Laila to a spot slightly away from where the others were resting.
"You have something to say?"
｢Since we entered this place, we've already encountered four Hellside Hornets. No, with the one we just faced, that makes five. I've never seen so many Hellside Hornets in my entire life.｣
"…Yes."
｢And don't forget about the Ice Horror we encountered. It killed 20 of our people. If you hadn't lured it away, we might've all been wiped out. Am I wrong?｣
Due to severe physical damage, Laila was forced to rely on the life-support systems of her suit for the rest of her life. Her vocal cords were completely destroyed, so she had to use a machine to speak.
Although the machine's voice was devoid of emotion, Si-Hyun could easily grasp Laila's feelings.
Laila was questioning whether what they were doing was worth all this.
"There's an important relic here. We need to obtain it to achieve what we desire."
｢That relic again. You do realize how ridiculous that sounds, right? Magical relics don't exist anywhere in this universe.｣
Laila's family, T&C, owned the most colonized planets among the Megacorps. They were well-versed in the peculiar elements present on various planets.
So Laila knew better than anyone that ancient relics or secret weapons left by fallen civilizations were nothing more than myths.
｢You gave me a second chance. I can't die before achieving what I want. Especially not in a place like this.｣
"..."
Si-Hyun didn't respond immediately, maintaining a moment of silence.
She understood Laila's thoughts, just as she knew what Min-Seok, who was somewhere outside this planet, would be thinking. Normally, she would have thought the same.
But Si-Hyun had seen something.
Reborn in a clone's body, she had reviewed not only the records left by Si-Hyun but also those left by those around her.
Among those records, she found a peculiar message from her former mentor, Beom-Ho.
It was something akin to a plan for the future.
Si-Hyun had never shared this discovery with anyone until now.
'But…'
Now was the time to reveal it. Si-Hyun handed a small memory chip hidden within her suit to Laila.
｢What's this?｣
"You'll understand once you check it."
Without further questions, Laila inserted the chip into a panel on her wrist. Soon, a series of images stored in the chip appeared before her eyes.
｢Is this a navigational chart?｣
"Yes."
｢What are these next to it? Words? Sentences? They look like letters left by a primitive intelligent species.｣
"They are letters once used on Earth."
｢Earth? The Earth I'm thinking of?｣
"Yes. The letters have become obsolete now. If I translate them, they mean this."
Si-Hyun took a deep breath before she began to speak.
"The ownership of two pieces of equipment, made by an unknown creator, is temporarily transferred from 'Player Jung-Woo' to 'Player Shin Beom-Ho.'"
The words coming from her mouth were in a language no one used anymore. As she spoke, a strange sense of familiarity washed over her, as if something deep inside her was resonating.
"Afterward, the ownership of the two pieces of equipment can only be obtained by someone who shares the blood of 'Player Jung-Woo.' 'Player Shin Beom-Ho' is to safely keep these items until then."
With those thoughts swirling in her mind, Si-Hyun recited the next sentence.
——————
The Amorph might be a fringe species in 'Space Survival', but it's not entirely awful from start to finish.
The rewards after hunting down powerful NPCs or players.
The thrill of discovering a new trait fusion formula I wasn't aware of.
The sense of accomplishment when I incorporate a new trait into my hunting strategy.
There's nothing more satisfying than experiencing these moments stack up like a snowball, bringing me closer to perfection.
After Ascension, though, these moments of joy have become rarer. Most players began avoiding me.
As I climbed higher in the game, the chances to discover new creatures and new traits decreased. Naturally, the sense of achievement also dwindled.
But today, I got to feel that old excitement once more.
I gazed at the faintly glowing translucent text box.
｢Transcendence material list: Contaminated Worm Host, Tetanus Vine, Tooth Fairy Nest, Human Sacrifice, Red Acid｣
｢Transcendence material list (New!): Insight, Observer of Terror, Echo Bug, Psychic Parasite Pustule, Mimic Organ (Not Acquired)｣
｢Psychic Parasite Pustule: Partially inherits the Tetanus Vine trait. Implants a psychic-power pustule into the mind of an intelligent being. When it bursts, it deals psychic power damage to the surroundings, with a low chance of transferring the pustule to another intelligent being.
*Note: Who comes up with these sadistic traits, anyway?
｢Reaper's Maw: Inherits and enhances the Jaw of the Essence Reaper trait. Adds saw-blade teeth to your fangs.
*Note: Eating is one of the most basic instincts.｣
｢'Jason (Jason Turningham)'s special ability and 'Second Brain' trait have fused. 'Second Hea■∬∬⨸⫱ Trait Enhancement System Engaged!｣
｢Trait enhancement in progress｣
｢Evolving into 'Shapeshifter Dominator' trait!｣
｢Shapeshifter Dominator: When activated, amplifies the effects of traits that influence the thoughts of other beings.
*Applicable traits: Mimic Organ, Parasite Colony, Psychic Parasite Pustule
*Note: Adapting the right mask for the situation is one of the key virtues of a superior hunter.｣
'One unique trait synthesis achieved, another unlocked, multiple new fusion traits acquired, a new Nemesis token obtained, and…'
Several regular traits as well.
After the hunt concluded, I was so engrossed in reviewing the flood of trait text boxes that I nearly forgot my hunger.
I bit into one of the stored corpses while I carefully examined the text boxes.
'Let's start with the new Nemesis token.'
The newly acquired Nemesis token, 'Shapeshifter Dominator', was the result of specializing one of the perks I obtained after defeating Jason.
I had acquired three perks from Jason in total.
He originally had one, and the other two were perks he had stolen from other players he killed.
At the time, I only converted one into a trait. It was the Coldblood Ranker's perk he had, the ability to summon a golden form, which I transformed into the 'Abyssal Hue'.
The reason I couldn't convert all three into Nemesis tokens was that I lacked the trait materials necessary to do so.
Until now, whenever I wanted to steal and use another player's perk, I had to have a trait that matched the perk.
'A perk and a trait. You need both to obtain a Nemesis token.'
The other two perks, besides the Abyssal Hue, had been stored in my body in an incomplete state.
Then, while raiding the Screamer's support ship, the opportunity arose. I acquired a large number of traits at once, and among them was a trait that matched one of the perks, allowing me to obtain a new Nemesis token.
'And I got a lot of regular traits too.'
Besides the traits displayed in the translucent text box I had just opened, I acquired many regular traits as well.
Most of them were traits I already possessed or had detrimental effects like 'Energy Drain' or 'Diminutiveness', but that didn't matter. Useless traits could be used as materials for 'Trait Enhancement.'
｢Trait Enhancement: When fusing traits through a special process, regular traits can be used as enhancement materials. Up to 10 materials can be used, and fused or unique traits cannot be used as materials.
Applicable systems: 'Unique Trait Synthesis System,' 'Nemesis Token System', Unknown｣
'This wouldn't have been possible without this system.'
If this were just a game, I wouldn't have bothered acquiring traits that were a disadvantage. Once you obtain a trait, you can't get rid of it until you use it as fusion material.
However, thanks to the Trait Enhancement System, unlocked along with the 'Cosmic Monster' type as a second-stage perk of the Transcendence System, even unnecessary traits could be somewhat useful.
'Though I can't just use any trait.'
The downside of Trait Enhancement is that it can only be used in conjunction with traits related to the Transcendence System.
As the tooltip for Trait Enhancement indicates, traits can only be consumed as materials when synthesizing unique traits or fusing Nemesis tokens. So, it's still risky to pick up traits with negative effects.
'It's better than nothing, though.'
I stared at the tooltip of the newly acquired Nemesis token.
'Shapeshifter Dominator.'
The two newly acquired fusion traits are ones I've used several times while playing the game. However, 'Shapeshifter Dominator' is a trait I've never seen before.
'Enhancing the effect of the Mimic Organ… I've never encountered a trait with such an effect.'
In the game, I was the only one who knew the fusion formula for the Mimic Organ, making it practically my unique trait. Additionally, there weren't any players who used Parasite Colony as effectively as I did.
'This trait feels tailor-made for me.'
All the Nemesis tokens I've obtained so far have had incredible performance. The tooltips for these traits are usually quite simple, which in a way, makes them even more exciting.
'I'll experiment with this slowly.'
I checked my altered body.
Most of the regular traits I obtained from raiding the storage were used as materials for Trait Enhancement. So, my body didn't undergo a complete transformation as it sometimes does.
The most significant change was in my jaw.
The traits of the Hellside Hornet and the existing 'Jaw of the Essence Reaper' had fused into 'Reaper's Maw,' altering the structure of my mouth.
Previously, my lower jaw split into two, but now it no longer does. It's reverted to a form similar to the face I had before reaching the proto-adult stage, resembling the snout of a crocodile or boa constrictor.
While the jaw structure has become simpler, two massive fangs have emerged from my lower jaw. These fangs are sharp and durable, akin to the bone blades that appear during the hunt.
'In terms of sturdiness, they're tougher than my head carapace.'
The fangs are lined with microscopic saw teeth, nearly as sharp as a monomolecular cutter. They can slice through almost anything—unless it's something with special properties, like the 'Red Armor' of the Red Gallagon.
Thanks to these fangs designed for cutting and slicing, my method of claiming an enemy's head has also changed. Before, I would open my lower jaw wide and swallow the enemy whole. Now, I can simply sever the head with my fangs and claim it.
'And this helps with that.'
I slightly opened my mouth, extending my tongue. A dark, snail-like appendage wiggled out.
Despite being inspired by a famous sci-fi creature, the Amorph originally doesn't have a tongue. It's only through acquiring special traits that I gained this feature.
'It's more of a tentacle than a tongue, really.'
According to the lore, the Amorph has taste buds widely distributed inside its mouth, so it doesn't need a tongue. Thus, the Amorph's tongue serves purposes other than tasting.
For instance, it can snatch an enemy's head and swallow it, or…
｢It tickles!｣
I gently licked Number 26, who was eating a stored corpse beside me. My tongue absorbed all the bacteria and viruses clinging to its surface.
On the surface of my tongue is the newly acquired infection-related trait, 'Microbe Storage Organ.' It allows me to detoxify poisonous creatures or eliminate beneficial microorganisms from an opponent.
｢What was that? Do it again!｣
[Z (okay.)]
｢It tickles! That's fun!｣
Number 26 gleamed, fascinated by the new sensation. Adhai, who was also eating nearby, became curious.
｢Me｣ ｢Curious｣ ｢Me too｣ ｢Do it to me｣
[Z (Sure.)]
As I complied, Adhai's tail twitched as if she had been shocked.
｢What is this?｣ ｢What is this?｣ ｢What is this?｣
｢Isn't it fun?｣
｢Interesting｣ ｢Very｣ ｢Interesting｣
Seeing them enjoy themselves like children made me happy as well.
It's been a while since I've played so purely with them. Ever since I got Adhai back, it's been nothing but battles, leaving no time to play with them.
'I should spend more time with them from now on.'
They're not just useful allies; they're my friends.
As I had that thought, I made eye contact with Mother of the Sky. The griffon with the magnificent golden mane was watching us with a look of disgust.
[ZZ ZZZ (Do you want me to do it for you too?)]
｢No, I'll pass.｣
Perhaps due to the griffon form's higher resistance to poison, she firmly declined my offer.
Aside from the changes to my jaw, the rest of my body hasn't undergone significant transformations. Technically, it did change but reverted after being consumed in Trait Enhancement.
I also acquired traits like 'Contaminated Worm Host,' which could alter my body, but they're currently inactive due to more advanced traits being in effect.
I stopped licking Number 26 and looked back at the text box.
Having consumed so many traits, two unique trait synthesis formulas are currently unlocked.
One was a fusion formula I had unlocked after defeating the Hellside Hornet, requiring infection-related and nest-related traits.
This unique trait can be created immediately.
'I thought it would take much longer.'
I had anticipated that it would take considerable time to obtain the traits of the Hellside Hornet and Glacier Fiend. However, it turned out that the Screamer support ship had more samples than I expected.
Especially the Hellside Hornet. Whether they had raided its habitat or not, there was an unusually large number of genetic samples available.
And then there was the Glacier Fiend, an Apex creature even rarer than the Hellside Hornet. Samples of its DNA, seemingly collected from another planet, were stored deep within the repository.
'It would have been nice if there were just a bit more.'
If the Amorph acquires the Glacier Fiend's trait of producing narcotic substances, it becomes the 'Red Acid' trait, which transforms the Amorph's blood into a narcotic substance. Combining this with the 'Smogtop' trait results in a powerful fusion trait.
'It's extremely effective in mass combat.'
Had there been more samples of the Glacier Fiend, I could have acquired both the fusion and unique traits based on Red Acid, but unfortunately, that wasn't possible.
It's uncertain whether Pyra Eleven had difficulty with the Glacier Fiend or simply couldn't locate its habitat, but there were only two samples of it. If there had been just three, I could have obtained both the fusion and unique traits, but alas, it wasn't meant to be.
'Right now, the unique trait takes priority over the fusion trait.'
While evolving conditions are important, there's something even more critical.
If I create just one more unique trait using the Transcendence System, my Cosmic Monster Type will progress from Stage 0 to Stage 1. No matter how powerful the Red Acid-based fusion trait is, it can't compare to a unique trait.
'Besides, I'm curious about the effect of reaching Stage 1 of the Cosmic Monster Type.'
Having abandoned the fusion route, I've perfectly met the conditions for creating a unique trait using infection-type and nest-type traits. I've also balanced the number of traits to ensure the two type effects remain active, so I can create it at any time.
'Now, what should I do about this?'
｢'Transcendence' Material List (New!): Insight, Watcher of Fear, Hallucination Worm, Mental Parasite Blister, Mimic Organ (Not Acquired)｣
The newly opened fusion formula requires several psionic-related traits. I've obtained all but one of them.
'I can't acquire the Mimic Organ here.'
There are no samples on this Screamer support ship that could provide that trait, so I'll need to move elsewhere.
'It's about time to leave.'
Before she died, Pyra Eleven mentioned that she had requested support, meaning the Machine Council's fleet would arrive soon.
'Since one of their own has died, at least half of the High Council members will likely come after me.'
Perhaps even the Grandmaster Player might join them.
'I could consider an ambush after lying in wait…'
But I'm not prepared enough yet. Fighting the Machine Council would essentially mean going to war with the Star Union. My power has grown, but it's not quite there yet.
'Not yet, anyway.'
To meet the type condition for evolving into the adult form, I'll need to move to a new location.
A place not as barren as this, teeming with various species and creatures. There, I'll be able to grow significantly once again.
'I'll need to ask PS-111 to access the ship's logs.'
The one who brought back the necessary metals from the Dragon's Nest isn't here right now. It's currently modifying mechanical parts in the production line located next to the repository. It mentioned that the process would take a few hours to complete.
'In the meantime…'
[ZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (I'm going to become an egg again. Please watch over me.)]
The ones present here have seen me enter a cocoon multiple times. So, no one was surprised or asked questions.
After notifying them, I left the repository and entered a nearby cargo hold.
'It's been a while.'
This is the place where I first opened my eyes in this world. Although, unlike back then, there isn't much cargo on this ship now, the atmosphere feels similar.
Coiled up on top of the cargo hold, I reactivated the semi-transparent text box.
｢'Transcendence' Material List: Contaminated Worm Host, Tetanus Vine, Tooth Fairy Nest, Human Sacrifice, Red Acid｣
｢Would you like to use the Transcendence System?｣
This is the fourth time I've seen this prompt.
As always, my answer is already decided.
——