248
-x-X-x-
What lay before me when I opened my eyes wasn't the cargo hold but a completely different place.
Numerous green glass tubes surrounded me. The air was filled with a stinging chemical scent that made even my auxiliary organs tingle.
The eerie atmosphere created by the glowing glass tubes made the place feel more like a catacomb from a distant future than a research facility.
'...What is this?'
It was a place with such a strange and unsettling aura that I could confidently say I'd never seen anything like it in my entire life.
Yet, somehow, it felt familiar. No, it was beyond familiarity—I even felt a sense of warmth and comfort.
Almost like I had returned home.
I crawled out from the glass tube.
'I remember now.'
I'd seen a vision when I entered Transcendence Stage 2 back on the Cult's holy planet. This was the exact place I'd seen back then.
'How could I have forgotten this?'
It felt like someone had sealed and then unsealed my memories and thoughts. The notion of an unknown force manipulating my consciousness brought a surge of anxiety and fear.
'…Stay calm.'
Based on my past experiences, it was highly likely that what I was seeing and feeling now was an illusion. In reality, I was probably still inside my cocoon, half-liquidated.
'Let's look around.'
Rather than trembling in fear, it was better to do something, anything. Clinging to a fragile sense of calm, I began to crawl forward.
The space around me was vast. It was so expansive that even my body, which stretched over dozens of meters, couldn't reach its end.
The green glass tubes filled the area not just on the floor but also on the walls and ceiling.
As I crawled past each tube, I gave them a cursory glance, but there was nothing inside. They were filled with some kind of green liquid of unknown purpose. Small terminals were attached to the glass tubes, but all were powered off.
As I continued past the glass tubes, which exuded a foul stench, I saw a door. It was a heavily rusted iron door. I raised one of my combat limbs and gently pushed against it.
At first, the door didn't budge, but gradually, it began to move. A bright light seeped through the gap.
Eventually, the door opened wide, and a white light engulfed me.
'Where is this?'
When the light faded, I found myself in a space that was very familiar to me.
'My home?'
It was the door to the room I used to live in before I entered the world of Space Survival. I could hear someone speaking from inside.
Almost entranced by the familiar voice, I reached for the doorknob with one of my small arms on my chest.
The moment the door opened, and I came face-to-face with the person inside—
I woke up.
My physical senses returned, and I felt the warmth of a liquid enveloping my entire body. Something soft and wall-like seemed to be constraining me.
'What was that just now?'
Last time, I had forgotten, but this time I hadn't. Although it was as hazy as morning fog, the things I had just seen lingered in my mind.
That strange facility filled with glass tubes and my old room.
The former was a place I'd never seen before, while the latter was a space all too familiar to me. There was no apparent connection between the two.
'Is it my body's memory?'
My consciousness is human, but my body is that of the Amorph. Perhaps the memories contained in the Amorph's flesh had manifested as an illusion.
'…If I consider the settings revealed after ascension, that might be possible.'
However, according to my memory, such a facility never appeared before or after ascension. After ascension, the place that appeared was where the Amorph was first born, that is, the planet where the ancient ruins were located.
I continued pondering inside the cocoon but couldn't figure out what the vision meant.
'But there's a clue.'
There was a common factor between the time I forgot and this time.
'Back then, it was when I entered Transcendence System Stage 2, and now…'
I had advanced my only unique traits through Transcendence, reaching a total of four, thereby raising my Cosmic Monster type to Stage 1. This meant that the mysterious place I saw could be related to the Transcendence System.
'If I reach Stage 2 of the Cosmic Monster, perhaps something else will emerge.'
Since I still lacked enough information, there wasn't much point in spending time guessing.
By now, my transformation had finished. I didn't know how much time had passed, but judging by how my liquidized body had solidified into a new form, my transformation was complete.
I extended my combat limb and tore through the cocoon.
Much like stabbing a soft-boiled egg with chopsticks, the fluid inside the cocoon spilled out in a rush. As I tore through the soft cocoon and emerged, the cold air brushed against my carapace.
Taking in the fresh air, I began to inspect the changes in my body.
The first unique trait I synthesized, "Perfect Organism", transformed my body into the shape of a large, agile predator. The second, "Horizon of Nightmares", gave me a heavy, massive image as it stored corrosive tendrils along my back.
The third, "Organic Evolution", was a trait that altered my body into a specific form, so it didn't cause any notable change to my overall appearance.
So, what about the fourth unique trait I synthesized?
In conclusion, just like with the first and second traits, my body changed quite a bit.
My overall form retained the massive, snake-like shape typical of a semi-adult. I still moved using my combat limbs and winged arms instead of legs.
However, the difference was that my body length had significantly decreased. I had previously reached nearly 40 meters, but now I barely surpassed 25 meters.
While my lower body and tail had shortened considerably, my combat limbs had grown remarkably large instead.
I pressed my combat limbs against the metallic floor and tried standing up. Before, my lower body and tail would drag along the ground, but not anymore.
To put it simply, my current form resembled a spider with a long, thick tail attached to it.
While the most noticeable change was in my overall shape, there were also alterations in specific areas.
Starting with my head, the head carapace and its shape hadn't changed much.
The traits created by "The Harvester's Maw"—the fangs, the four auxiliary organs under the jaw, the skull reminiscent of a crocodile or theropod dinosaur, the massive but incompletely grown horns, and the elegantly spread rear head carapace—remained intact.
The real change was not in the head but in the neck area. The "Monster's Tendrils", spread like a mane from the inner side of the head carapace to the neck, had received a significant upgrade.
Currently, the Monster's Tendrils were tucked away inside small holes along the neck and the inside of the head carapace.
Just as I had previously concealed the corrosive tendrils inside my carapace and let them emerge by tearing through a membrane when needed, the Monster's Tendrils had now adopted a similar form.
'This is an excellent change.'
Until now, my body had two major vulnerabilities: the auxiliary organs under my jaw and the Monster's Tendrils.
While the auxiliary organs could be covered with a carapace when I used the Symbol of the Hunt, the Monster's Tendrils had limited protection. Because of this, formidable foes would often target the bundle of tendrils dangling from my neck.
'Now, I don't have to worry about that anymore.'
In the middle of battle, I can retract the Monster's Tendrils whenever necessary.
I focused my strength on my neck, trying to extend the Monster's Tendrils. My neck stiffened as if preparing for a stretch, and the tendrils began to flow out from the small openings along the neck and the back of my head.
Next to the Monster's Tendrils, the most significant change was in my winged arms.
Since they were wings, they had always been larger and longer than the other combat limbs, but now they'd grown over a third longer than before. Additionally, the vertically folded carapace had developed a double-layered structure, making them more than twice as thick as the other limbs.
'The membrane now folds inside the carapace.'
When I moved my winged arms with the sensation of unfolding my wings, the folded carapace spread apart, and the membrane within gradually extended—much like a well-folded tent being opened.
Along with the enlarged winged arms, my other combat limbs had also grown considerably. With added joints similar to the winged arms, I could now perform a broader range of movements than before.
Apart from changes to my neck and arms, there was another small but significant modification: the blunt claws I previously had were gone. In their place were tiny biological tubes, like small pipes.
'If an average person saw me now, they'd faint on the spot.'
I looked intimidating before, but now, I seemed even more terrifying. I liked it.
'Now then, let's see how the text box has changed.'
Having checked all the changes to my body, I turned my attention to the text box.
｢The Great Infectant: You are both one and many. You can select and enhance up to three traits each from the Infection and Nest Reinforcement types.
* Enhancement Targets:
① Infection Type Traits: Unset, Unset, Unset
② Nest Type Traits: Unset, Unset, Unset
* Caution: Once all enhancement effects are set, you cannot assign effects to other traits until the enhanced traits are removed.
* P.S.: From certain perspectives, an individual can become a collective.｣
｢A new special status, 'Mutating Virus Host,' has been unlocked under 'Organic Evolution'!｣
｢Your 'Cosmic Monster (Unique)' type has reached Stage 1! Stage 1 rewards have been activated!｣
'As expected.'
I had suspected as much when it mentioned traits related to Infection and Nest types. The newly synthesized unique trait was designed to amplify the effects of these two types.
'Enhancing three traits each from the Infection and Nest types.'
Unlike other unique traits that would enhance an entire type across the board, this trait didn't show any signs of doing so.
'Does that mean it concentrates the effects even more?'
Considering that all the unique traits I've gained through the Transcendence System have been exceptional and beyond standard, my guess was likely correct.
'There's no need to set anything right away.'
Since it says I can't change it until the enhanced traits disappear, I need to be cautious and make my selections wisely.
'But there's something more important right now.'
Thanks to acquiring the "Great Infectant", my Cosmic Monster type reached Stage 1. Considering that it required four unique traits, each incredibly difficult to obtain, I wondered what kind of reward awaited me.
When I checked the reward message, my jaw dropped.
｢The Cosmic Monster (Unique) type has reached Stage 1.｣
｢As a Stage 1 reward, the 'Essence Reconfiguration' effect has been applied.｣
｢Essence Reconfiguration: Any types you have already unlocked and acquired are now unaffected by penalties. From now on, when you unlock new type information, any penalties will be reset for that type.
*P.S.: Evolution is like a puzzle. Remember that it is always incomplete until it's finished.｣
'No way!'
The Stage 1 reward for the Cosmic Monster type was more astonishing than anything I had ever seen.
-
"Captain Nern, how much farther until we reach the artifact?"
"We'll arrive soon. It's not far from here."
"That's a relief."
"…Damn, it wasn't like this back when the artifact was stored. I have no idea what changed."
Former Captain Nern of the Empire's mothership and Si-hyun Yujin were at the forefront of their travelling group, engaged in conversation.
Watching her, Lyla recalled the data chip she had seen earlier.
When she first heard Si-hyun's words, Lyla thought she'd lost her mind.
Maybe she'd gone mad after living in Akira Yujin's shadow for too long.
'If she really had gone insane, that'd be easier to understand…'
Regardless of Si-hyun's mental state, the data she'd handed over didn't seem to be fabricated.
In fact, there weren't that many visual images on the data chip—barely a dozen. However, the annotations, research papers, and supplementary notes attached to interpret the navigation charts and texts in the images were extensive.
As the general manager of the T&C Special Trade Center, Lyla received weekly reports on the city's overall affairs, so her knowledge and information were vast.
To her, the contents of Si-hyun's data chip didn't seem like the ramblings of a madwoman or something hastily pieced together.
'Which only makes it all the more baffling.'
The records left by Beom-ho, the cultist who was supposedly Si-hyun's former master, concerned two weapons.
One of them was merely an incomplete navigation chart and wasn't worth focusing on, but the other was different. About 60% of its details had been deciphered, and the weapon's effects were simply absurd.
'A weapon capable of selectively killing only certain organisms?'
According to Si-hyun's interpretation, the weapon fired a particle beam that was lethally effective against specific organic lifeforms, enabling mass slaughter. The weapon could be recalibrated to target different life forms by inputting new genetic data.
In simple terms, it was like the Star Union's Gremlin Torpedo nanoweapon, but instead of targeting metals, it targeted living beings.
Based on what Captain Nern had mentioned, many aspects of the weapon matched the descriptions in the records. They claimed that this single weapon wiped out the entire Outspeiser legion.
'The problem is that nobody knows how this weapon works.'
When they first met, Nern had told her this:
A mysterious crew member left the weapon behind and vanished, and nobody dared to use it. Despite its immense destructive power, no one understood how it worked or what powered it. Few people would dare to touch a weapon akin to a nano-nuclear bomb that selectively killed certain life forms.
So, they decided to hide it deep within the volcano of this remote planet.
'...There are too many incomprehensible elements.'
Even if I accept the weapon's existence as fact, there are still too many unresolved issues.
If Si-hyun's father, Jung-woo, was the original owner of the weapon, why didn't he use it when fighting Akira? If he had, he wouldn't have lost his life or been stripped of his patriarchal position.
And it's also unclear why this was left as a legacy for his descendants. If that were the case, Beom-ho should have personally handed the weapon over to Si-hyun.
Instead, she's only now beginning to search for it, long after Jung-woo Yujin's death, under the guidance of someone entirely unrelated to her family—Captain Nern.
'Just what is Beom-ho thinking?'
Si-hyun Yujin, Captain Nern.
It felt as though the upper echelons of the Megacorps and the elites of the Cult Empire were being toyed with by Beom-ho.
While Lyla was lost in her complex thoughts, the group reached a dead end.
"This path is blocked—what's going on?"
"Hmm, there should be a passage here…."
The moment Nern finished speaking, Si-hyun transformed her arm into a blade and slashed at the wall. The cave wall collapsed in an instant, revealing a large, open space.
"What is this…?"
"Good heavens. There are so many corpses."
As they shone their flashlights into the dim, hollow space, the first thing they saw were bodies. The carcasses of dangerous creatures they had encountered on their way here, along with unidentified organisms, were scattered everywhere.
"What kind of creature is this? I've never seen anything like it before."
Si-hyun's subordinates grimaced at the sight of monsters with eight sturdy legs mixed in among the corpses. These creatures, which they had never seen on their journey here, looked more mechanical than natural.
"Same with this one. These things seem to have died recently."
Unlike outside, it was relatively warm in this space. That meant it was an environment conducive to decomposition. Yet the corpses lying around here were still in the early stages of decay.
Why had they fought and killed each other in this place despite the abundance of prey outside? Faced with this incomprehensible scene, the subordinates were bewildered.
｢Was it like this the last time you were here?｣
"Of course not. There was nothing in this mountain when we were here."
｢What do you think… Si-hyun?｣
Lyla called out, but Si-hyun didn't respond. As if entranced, she walked through the pile of corpses.
Then, reaching into the mound of bodies in the far end of the cavern, she pulled something out.
｢What is that?｣
"That's it! The artifact we buried in this chamber!"
Lyla still reacted with suspicion, while Nern's face reflected a mix of astonishment and fear.
They didn't understand.
What Si-hyun Yujin was seeing at that moment.
｢Perk 'The Forge of the Omniscient' has produced 'Abyssal Destroyer.'｣
｢Current Owner: None (Temporary Holder: Shin Beom-ho)｣
｢Acquisition Condition: Genetic similarity to 'Player Jung-woo.'｣
｢New user 'Si-hyun Yujin.' Acquisition condition confirmed. Disabling barrier.｣
｢Ownership of 'Abyssal Destroyer' has transferred from 'Player Shin Beom-ho' to 'Si-hyun Yujin.'｣
The translucent text boxes felt as if they were directly piercing into her brain. Si-hyun couldn't comprehend even half of the contents displayed.
But there was one thing she was certain of.
This item would now serve a new master.
——————
The Amorph incurs a penalty each time it acquires a new type.
With every new type gained, the number of unique traits required for the next acquisition doubles.
Once a penalty is incurred, there's no way to remove it, which means that, over time, it becomes increasingly difficult for the Amorph to acquire new types.
That's why it needed to be cautious about which types to acquire first, and there were many times it had to collect unnecessary traits just to meet the quota.
This alone was problematic, but the real issue lay elsewhere.
It was the fact that the inherent drawback of unique traits synergized poorly with the type penalty.
Unique skills or traits disappear if the character dies. If a character has just enough traits to avoid incurring a type penalty but then dies, both the unique traits and the type are lost.
I've experienced losing a type multiple times due to unique traits vanishing after I died.
'But now it's saying that the penalty is mitigated.'
Thanks to this, I could freely fuse the traits of the types I'd already acquired. Moreover, obtaining new types in the future became easier.
The "Special Defense Enhancement Type" and "Internal Organ Enhancement Type," which I'd already unlocked, still required 16 traits each. But since they were already unlocked, the number required wouldn't change.
'At least now I don't have to obsess over the numbers anymore.'
I could use the traits I had as materials for fusion or trait enhancement as much as I wanted. From now on, I could combine unique traits as long as I had the necessary materials.
'I should be able to meet the evolution conditions more quickly.'
I'll reach full maturity after obtaining just five more unique traits and two more types.
Thanks to the reward from reaching Stage 1 of the Cosmic Monster, the penalty is reset for any new types acquired from now on, making it easier to gain new ones. If I'm lucky, I might even acquire a new type before enhancing the ones I already have, like the Special Defense or Internal Organ types.
'For that, I need to leave this place.'
If this were a game, I'd head to a tougher hunting ground to obtain more unique traits, but that's not the case now. Combining unique traits has become much easier. Instead, it's more advantageous to go somewhere where I can collect the genetic essences of a wide variety of creatures.
After confirming the type rewards, I dismissed the text box. By now, PS-111 should have finished its modifications. I should discuss with it when the best time to leave would be.
Moving my combat arms, which had elongated like a spider's legs, and my winged arms, I stepped out of the cargo hold. On the way, I peeked into the storage area where the others were kept.
Number 26, Mother of the Sky, and Adhai were, as always, sleeping together. They must have fallen asleep while waiting for me.
'They must've been exhausted from the battle… huh?'
I was about to leave when I noticed a red mark on Adhai's body. At first, I thought it might be a pattern from the Red Gallagon traits, but it looked different. Judging by the peeled scales, it seemed more like an impact wound.
'Could it be from the fight with Pyra Eleven?'
I thought she was fine when the ship landed, but maybe I missed it since the wound wasn't that big. It should heal in about a day, even without a nest.
'Tsk. I'll have to pay more attention next time.'
I quietly moved out of the storage area.
After gaining the "Great Infector" trait and transforming, my body had become much lighter. Combined with the effect of the "Silent Movement" trait, the synergy was quite impressive. Despite my 25-meter size, I walked across the alloy floor with barely a sound.
I silently moved toward the control room.
Just as before, I found PS-111 connected by numerous cables to its spine.
It seemed so focused on reading the ship's data that it didn't notice me approaching.
"PS-111?"
"You have arrived?"
It only noticed me after I called out. The red camera lens, which had replaced its eyes, blinked and fixed its gaze on me.
"There have been significant changes to your form compared to the previous 'Amorph' data."
"I've grown further."
"I see."
"What were you looking at that made you not notice me coming?"
At my question, PS-111 fell silent. The red camera lens that had been meeting my gaze wavered slightly.
'Huh?'
Although I knew it was a being mixed with machinery and biology, its behavior right now was clearly one of agitation.
Avoiding my gaze, it hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
"Please look at this."
The moment it finished speaking, a large hologram appeared in the center of the control room. It displayed a detailed mechanical structure and a 3D diagram of a creature with severed limbs.
"A mutant Screamer?"
"Yes. It's a blueprint left behind by Pyra Eleven for producing mutant Screamers."
The mechanical device appeared to be a life-support system for the Screamer, while the creature with severed limbs was a Hulk mutant used as its material.
Next to the creature, there were a few lines of small text. From the words, it seemed to be genetic information of the creatures used as ingredients for the Hulk mutant.
'The text is all scrambled and hard to decipher.'
There were only a few recognizable words; the rest were garbled, as if corrupted.
"What's with the scrambled parts?"
"The corrupted sections are protected by a defense system set up by an entity higher than Pyra Eleven. I cannot bypass it."
If it's someone above Pyra Eleven, it could only be the Grand Sovereign. He must have placed the lock.
As I was pondering what the scrambled text might contain, the holographic screen shifted. The newly displayed screen showed two video clips.
"I investigated to find out which organism or sentient being was responsible for my memories. As a result, I discovered the following records."
As PS-111 finished speaking, the first video began playing.
On the screen, reptilian humanoids with insect-like characteristics were shown inside multiple test tubes.
'Cold Blood?'
Since they all looked identical, they seemed to be clones. There was a small nameplate starting with "P" under the test tube, but it passed by quickly.
As the first video ended, the second one began.
Dozens of what appeared to be cloned Cold Blood bodies lay on a cold metal plate. A machine approached and extracted the brains from the bodies, transferring them into a Screamer machine behind them.
Of the dozens of Screamer machines, only one twitched and moved. The brain that activated the Screamer machine had various mechanical chips implanted in it. All the others were discarded.
A metal skull, imprinted with a single number, covered the half-mechanical brain.
The number was 111.
"That's you."
"Yes, I was an experiment. Out of the many clones, I was the only successful one."
Only then did I understand why PS-111 seemed so lost.
It was because it had directly witnessed how it was created, and that had shocked it.
'…It's understandable.'
This creature, a fusion of machine and biology, was in the process of developing a new sense of self. Declaring itself as special to Pyra Eleven was part of that transformation. But upon realizing it was no different from the ship, that sense of identity was deeply shaken.
'Hmm.'
There are countless sci-fi works where AIs become so advanced that they awaken to self-awareness. Many characters struggle with whether they're just programmed machines or autonomous, independent beings.
Although PS-111's case is a bit different, its dilemma resonates with the same theme. Who am I? It's a question about its essence.
'It's not a question I can answer, but…'
After a moment of thought, I spoke to it.
"Can you identify whose clone that Cold Blood is?"
"Due to the defense system, it's impossible to verify fully."
"Then let's start there."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean finding out who that Cold Blood clone is that makes up your brain. I'll help you."
If you're into monsters or creatures, you inevitably encounter various sci-fi works. My suggestion came from those inspirations.
'Subconsciously, it probably sees that brain as being closest to its essence.'
PS-111 has a significant amount of Sea Demon genetics, enough to even receive psychic powers from Number 26. It also carries genes from other creatures.
Yet, it's most interested in the owner of that brain—the Cold Blood clone. It must have concluded that this part heavily influences its own thoughts.
Tracking the original clone's footsteps wouldn't be a bad idea. If it learns about a significant part of what constitutes its self, it might gain a clearer understanding of itself.
'…Though I'm not certain.'
In reality, I'm not an expert in biology or neuroscience. I have no idea how its consciousness and thoughts are structured or how they function. I merely based my suggestion on what I've seen in various media.
Fortunately, my proposal seemed to intrigue it. Its camera lens zoomed in on me, indicating its interest.
After a moment, it gave a small nod.
"Your suggestion, Amorph, is an intriguing approach. I will seriously consider it."
"That's good to hear."
As always, it remained expressionless, but it seemed satisfied with our conversation.
Sending a signal through the cables connected to its spine, it deactivated the hologram and casually spoke.
"Is there anything you need? If you tell me, I'll do anything you ask."
His words reminded me of the reason I came to the control room.
"Check when Pyra Eleven sent a support request and what kind of response she received."
"A support request?"
"If a support fleet is coming, we need to know when they'll arrive."
"Please wait a moment."
At my request, PS-111 closed its eyes and began searching through the ship's computer.
The spine that had emerged from its back quivered, and light flickered every time electrical signals travelled through the multiple cables connected to it.
"The support request was made five weeks ago. It stated that Pyra Eleven had sustained significant damage, hindering her ability to carry out her mission and making communication difficult."
"Five weeks ago? What does it say about the cause of the damage?"
"Strangely, there is no record of that part. It appears Pyra Eleven concealed it."
The androids of the Mechanical Committee possess advanced intelligence and can deceive others with ease.
But to go as far as hiding such details from the highest-ranking members, especially when requesting support, doesn't make much sense.
"There were no further communications from Pyra Eleven until 32 hours ago when another support request was sent."
"That was during the battle at the Gallagon nest."
"Yes. She attached the data that was transmitted before the Screamers' communication was cut off."
Since I hadn't used my unique abilities back then, they shouldn't know the full extent of my power. However, they did learn about my relationship with the Gallagon—specifically, that I have allies. When they come to fight me next, they'll be well-prepared.
"Has there been any response from their side?"
"Please wait a moment."
Once again, PS-111 checked the records stored in the computer. Unlike outgoing messages, incoming ones were more difficult to access due to the defense system, and this time, it took longer.
About 30 minutes passed.
PS-111's eyes suddenly snapped open.
"This is bad, Amorph. Three weeks ago, Europa II departed with a support fleet en route to this planet."
"What?"
"The elite fleets of Nemea V, Redtail VIII, and Arrow IX are part of the support fleet."
My heart sank upon hearing that.
If they set out three weeks ago, they'll be here within a few days at most.
'They could even arrive as early as tomorrow!'
It's possible that a reconnaissance fleet under the support fleet could reach here by tomorrow. I urgently asked PS-111,
"How long do you think it will take?"
"Assuming they're using engines equivalent to this ship's, the vanguard will arrive in 18 hours."
"Check if this ship is capable of launching."
"Understood."
This time, I can't use the Nightmare Horizon. This ship is massive, and it takes quite some time to corrode it. If the enemy arrives early, I won't be able to respond.
Therefore, I need to leave the control of the ship to PS-111 and prepare for the worst-case scenario myself.
After giving the order, I rushed to the storage room to wake the others.
｢Big Baby, are you done already?｣
｢What is it?｣｢What is it?｣｢What is it?｣
｢What's with that look...? Oh, this must be your new form.｣
[ZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (That's not what's important right now.)]
Number 26 asked if my growth was complete, Adhai was groggy from just waking up, and Mother of the Sky seemed startled by my unfamiliar appearance.
I quickly explained the situation to them.
｢Four of the High Councilors are coming here?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZ (The Grand Sovereign might join them too.)]
Mother of the Sky quickly grasped the gravity of my words, her amber eyes widening.
"What will you do? If even a Player is involved, it'll be nearly impossible for us to win."
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (We won't fight this time.)]
I might manage against two High Councilors, but four is too much. And if a Player is involved, it's a guaranteed defeat.
'Even if I manage to survive…'
I'll lose everyone here, including the Gallagons we just gained. Losing them once was enough.
I turned my gaze to Adhai.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ (Go to the nest and gather all the Gallagons.)]
｢Fellow kin｣｢Together｣｢Leave?｣
｢Are you…?｣
[Z ZZZ ZZZZ (Yes. It's time to move out.)]
At last, it's time to leave this frozen planet.
——————
A single spaceship was orbiting the snow-white planet, drifting like a snowball.
It belonged to Si-Hyun Yujin, who was secretly working to overthrow the usurper of the Yujin family, Akira Yujin. Currently, Min-Seok Yujin, Si-Hyun's butler, was acting as the ship's captain in her stead since she had descended to the planet.
In Si-Hyun's office, Min-Seok was handling several tasks on her behalf.
He took his eyes off the terminal pad and pressed his temples with his fingers. A report he had received a few hours ago was weighing heavily on him.
'They've found the artifact, huh?'
Contact had been made by the exploration team that had lost communication due to radio interference until now.
They reported that Si-Hyun had recovered the artifacts yesterday and was currently returning to the exploration vessel. He had thought her pursuit of these artifacts was nothing more than a wild goose chase, but it turned out that he was mistaken.
'…We still can't be certain.'
When exploring new planets, objects that appear to be ancient relics are sometimes discovered. However, none of these artifacts ever possessed the incredible power that the media often glorified. Most were simply unique objects that ended up in museums or auction houses.
So, it was most likely that what Si-Hyun had found would turn out to be just another item you'd see in an auction. If that were the case, his master would have wasted a considerable amount of time on a pointless endeavor.
'Who would've thought cloning would have this kind of side effect.'
While the Megacorp prohibits the production of clones, the Star Union does not. Just as Megacorp modifies its employees into Hulk Mutants, the Star Union uses clones as raw material for their bio-weapon soldiers. It could be said that their clone manufacturing technology is quite advanced.
However, there are drawbacks to the Star Union's cloning technology, including issues with memory transfer, brain abnormalities, and mental instability.
Si-Hyun Yujin tried to minimize these side effects by applying Megacorp's genetic modification technology and the psychic power techniques she learned from a cult during her childhood.
In other words, the "Cloned Si-Hyun", who currently resides beneath that white star, is essentially a being that incorporates the most advanced technologies from the most intelligent beings in this universe. Yet, despite that, the fact that she was engrossed in some ridiculous legend or myth left Min-Seok feeling exasperated.
'If I use what she left behind…'
Min-Seok took out an item from his inner pocket.
The small, lighter-sized remote in his hand was something the original Si-Hyun Yujin had left for him.
If the clone ever deviated from the predetermined plan, this would be the tool to stop her.
"Sigh…"
He sighed, fiddling with the remote, when suddenly the terminal pad lit up. A call was coming from the situation room.
"This is Min-Seok. What's going on?"
｢S-sir, we have an emergency! The satellite positioned at the system's outer rim has detected a massive warp energy signature!｣
"What?!"
Min-Seok shot up from his seat at the urgency in his subordinate's voice.
"Where is it coming from? Can you identify it?"
｢According to the energy analysis, there's a 78% chance that it's the elite fleet of the Star Union! Judging by the energy flow, the vanguard should arrive within a few hours!｣
"Damn it! What about Jax-01? Why haven't we received any contact from them?!"
｢I-I'll check right away!｣
Cursing under his breath, Min-Seok hurriedly left the office. As he sprinted toward the situation room, he barked out another command to his subordinate.
"That can wait! For now, bringing Lady Si-Hyun back is the top priority. Track the exploration team's route and input the coordinates. Send a transport vessel to that location. Understood?"
｢Understood!｣
Si-Hyun had found the artifacts yesterday and was on her way back. Considering the distance, it would take at least a week, even if she hurried.
'If the Star Union catches her, we're done for!'
Thanks to numerous modifications, this ship was considerably armed, but it wasn't enough to face the elite fleet. It couldn't even guarantee victory against the elite fleet's reconnaissance unit.
By the time Min-Seok reached the situation room, a small spacecraft had already been launched toward the White Star.
---
[Z ZZ ZZ (Anything left?)]
In the now-empty cavern, I asked Adhai. She circled the cavern on her strong, deer-like legs.
｢That｣｢was the last one｣｢no more left｣
Knowing that the elite fleet was on its way, we had hurriedly begun preparations to leave. While PS-111 inspected the ship, Adhai and I headed to the Gallagon nest.
Upon arriving, we went around waking all the Gallagons and explained the situation. We told them that an incredibly powerful enemy was coming and that we needed to escape.
I expected the process of convincing them to take quite some time, so I purposely moved quickly, but surprisingly, the Gallagons offered little resistance. The moment they heard Adhai's words, they immediately began preparing to leave.
From that point, everything proceeded smoothly.
The Green and White Gallagons carried the young Blue Gallagons on their backs and flew to the ship. I, along with the Black Gallagon, Ham Ort, transported the Blue Gallagons as well.
After moving the Gallagons, the next task was to transport the eggs. More than 50 eggs were stored within the Dragon's nest.
Gallagon eggs cannot hatch if exposed to cold temperatures for too long, so Ham Ort and I, who were the largest and fastest fliers, took on the task of moving them.
Six hours had passed since we began the repeated trips back and forth, carrying the eggs.
Now, the only ones left were the seven eggs I currently held. I extended all my eroding tendrils, each gripping an egg tightly, while I used the smaller arms on my chest to clutch the remaining one.
[ZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (Since this is the last trip, let's check everywhere else too.)]
｢Big Elder｣｢Thank you｣
Adhai expressed her gratitude as I carefully checked to ensure that no eggs were left behind.
Once a Gallagon hatches from these eggs and matures, it would become an additional force. If we were lucky, one might even grow into a Red Gallagon, just like Adhai.
Although I was only being thorough to avoid missing even a single egg, Adhai seemed to misunderstand, thinking I was being considerate because I cared deeply for the Gallagons.
'No need to correct her.'
After leaving the egg storage nest, we decided to split up and check the surrounding caverns.
This area, being where the eggs were stored, was located in the deepest part of the dragon's nest. Aside from the indirect impressions I'd sensed through the nest, this was my first time visiting this place in person.
I walked along the natural pathway formed by hardened minerals, eggs still in my grasp. Entering a nearby cave chamber, I found only traces of where eggs had once been stored. It was clear that Ham Ort had already been here.
'Let's check just one more spot before heading out.'
The final destination was a massive cavern located deeper inside than the egg storage room. As I rounded the bend in the passageway, a brilliant light struck my eyes.
'What is this?'
The light was emanating from the depths of the large cavern. As I stepped inside, I was stunned.
There was a sea of jewels.
'…This is incredible.'
It was exactly what you'd expect from the Gallagons, who were modelled after Western Dragons.
This vast collection of precious metals clearly marked this place as Odd Grad's lair.
'Gallagons do have a fondness for rare minerals.'
In myths, dragons hoard jewels out of greed, but the Gallagons collect them for a slightly different reason.
They prefer metals with unique properties, such as Moonsilver, which amplifies psychic power, or Novametal, a key material used in the cores of the Thunder God or imperial warships. Their tendency to hoard these materials likely stems from their vulnerability to energy shortages during their youth, which developed into a kind of compulsion.
Anyway, the metals in Odd Grad's lair were all unrefined chunks of rare metals. Some still contained significant amounts of energy, while others had been drained, turning into ordinary gemstones.
'If I weren't an Amorph, I'd be losing my mind right now.'
Even selling just half of these metals would be enough to buy two or three planets. After admiring the sea of jewels for a moment, I picked up a few pieces of metal.
'Mother of the Sky might need these.'
The place we were heading to after leaving this planet was quite important for both Mother of the Sky and me. For me, it was about evolution, and for her, it was about ascending to the next stage of deification.
'We'll need all the resources we can get until we achieve our goal.'
Since I was already carrying the eggs, I couldn't pick up many. I used the pincers on my tail to firmly grip the metal chunks.
'Alright, time to head ou—huh?'
Just as I was about to leave, something caught my eye.
Nestled among the jewels was a diamond-shaped stone.
'What's that?'
The other metals were still rough and unrefined, but this stone was different. It looked exceptionally smooth, as if it had been meticulously crafted. Its surface was covered with tiny, intricate letters and patterns.
'A stele?'
I picked up the diamond-shaped stone—or rather, the stele. No matter how I looked at it, it appeared to be something created by a civilization.
'Why would Odd Grad have an item like this?'
Thinking about its artificial nature, I recalled something else.
The ring that concealed emotions which Odd Grad had possessed. That, too, wasn't something a Gallagon would typically have.
'I'll have to check it out once I return to the ship.'
Odd Grad's ring was currently stored in the sample preservation area on the ship. He had taken it off when consuming a genetic sample and hadn't paid any further attention to it since.
With the diamond-shaped stele in hand, I exited the cavern. As I did, I heard the sound of Adhai running from the passage ahead.
[ZZZZ (Adhai?)]
｢Big Elder!｣｢Something's wrong!｣
[ZZ (What is it?)]
｢Little Elder｣｢has come｣｢to this place｣
Number 26 had arrived?
Just as I was about to ask what she meant, a familiar wave touched the tendrils of my monstrous form.
｢Big Bro! Your friend says to hurry and come out!｣
It was unmistakably the psychic wave of Number 26. It had come near the Dragon's nest.
'Why all of a sudden?'
Something bad had clearly happened. I hurried out of the nest with Adhai.
As soon as we emerged, what greeted us was a massive hunk of steel—a colossal warship hovering over the cliffs surrounding the nest.
It was the Screamer support vessel, a Jax Alpha-class battleship seized from Pyra Eleven.
'Don't tell me…'
There was only one reason PS-111 would urgently bring the ship all the way here—the scouting fleet of the Star Union's elite task force had entered this star system.
'They arrived faster than expected!'
PS-111 had estimated that the vanguard would take about 18 hours to arrive, but that prediction was completely off.
'Great Elder!'
The Great Elder must have intervened. It was clear he took some measures to ensure the elite fleet moved as quickly as possible.
Adhai and I flew up and boarded the ship. As we entered the hangar, the Green Gallagons greeted us.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Deliver these eggs to Number 26.)]
｢Understood.｣
After handing over the items we had collected to the Green Gallagons, I quickly rushed to the command room.
Upon entering, I found PS-111, linked to the ship, waiting alongside Mother of the Sky.
"What's going on?"
"The scouting unit entered the star system sooner than I anticipated. They will encircle this planet within 10 minutes."
"Anything else unusual?"
This time, it was Mother of the Sky who answered instead of PS-111.
｢They brought a Warp Finder.｣
A Warp Finder is a device that can trace where someone has jumped to by tracking the residual energy left behind for a short period. Even if we entered faster-than-light travel right now, they would catch up to us in no time.
"How large is the enemy force?"
"Thirty X10-class medium destroyers, three XAX-5-class fast battleships, and numerous patrol ships."
That's quite a sizable force for a scouting unit. They're clearly well-prepared to finish me off.
'It would take quite a while to annihilate them all.'
If we deployed all the Gallagons at our disposal, it wouldn't be impossible to obliterate the scouting fleet. The problem, however, was the time it would take.
They arrived a third of the time sooner than PS-111 had estimated. It's highly possible the elite fleet might also arrive much earlier than anticipated.
'Maybe that scouting fleet is just meant to stall for time.'
They knew that I could corrode and take control of ships. They might even suspect that I've already gained spaceflight capabilities. If this were a game, that's the assumption they would make.
Thus, they might have assigned the Warp Finder to the scouting fleet, intending to lure me into a fight. I wouldn't know which ship carries the Warp Finder, so I would have to destroy all of them to avoid being tracked.
'And that would naturally cause a delay.'
Even if I managed to annihilate the enemy unit and escape afterward, if they gained enough time to track my traces, that alone would be beneficial for them.
'A Warp Finder can trace movements for up to 30 minutes.'
The elite fleet would likely arrive around that same timeframe.
In other words, we need to destroy the enemy fleet within 30 minutes if we're to escape their pursuit.
'Normally, that's how it would have to be….'
However, there's no PS-111, the genius mutant Screamer, on their side. And they have no idea how many Gallagons are packed aboard this ship.
I looked at PS-111.
"They brought a Warp Finder, you said?"
"Yes."
"Then, can you identify which ships have them?"
"I've confirmed that there are five ships carrying the device."
"Let me know before we engage with them."
"Understood."
｢You're not…?｣
Mother of the Sky, realizing the implication of my question, reacted in shock.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (We'll eliminate those five ships as quickly as possible and get out of here.)]
｢…Won't there be a shortage of time?｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZZ (We have no choice. If we don't deal with them here, it'll only get worse.)]
I've spent my life on the run, always chased by time.
So battles with time limits aren't anything new to me.
'I'll finish this within 25 minutes, at most.'
The target is the five ships carrying the Warp Finders. If I destroy them within 25 minutes, it's my victory.
With that in mind, I left the command room.
This will be the final battle before we leave this planet.
——————
Captain Valtazei of the 8th Fleet, previously part of the Redtail Fleet but now temporarily assigned to the scouting unit, was currently very excited.
Was it because of the impending battle? Or perhaps the fact that this was a massive operation involving four elite fleets?
No, none of those reasons applied. Valtazei was a veteran soldier who had fought through countless battles. He wasn't some rookie who'd get worked up over something like this.
The real reason for his excitement was that the Great Elder himself was participating in this battle.
There were very few instances where the highest authority of the Star Union personally stepped onto the battlefield. Even among the elite cyborgs more exceptional than Valtazei, there were almost no cases of them having fought alongside the Great Elder.
But today, Valtazei had the honor of treading the battlefield alongside that magnificent leader.
'Today is truly a glorious day.'
｢The planetary encirclement is being deployed.｣
"Good. Activate the Warp Finder first, and power up the system monitoring radar for the star system. Report any abnormalities immediately."
｢Confirmed.｣
Despite the thrill surging within him, his rational mind remained ice-cold. Failure was not an option, especially since this battle had the Great Elder himself involved.
With his consciousness linked to the ship's computer, he began his duties as part of the scouting fleet.
As he processed the data being transmitted through the cables and issued commands, something caught his eye.
On the 3D map of the star system, two unfamiliar red markers had appeared.
'What's this?'
He wondered if he was seeing things, but no—one marker remained stationary, distanced from the target planet.
And the other one was…
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! All units, prepare for battle!"
｢Confirmed. Orders relayed.｣
A crimson light rapidly approached the ship that had been initiating the encirclement.
Soon, that light began to split into many fragments.
---
[ZZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (Avoid unnecessary attacks.)]
｢Concern｣｢Unnecessary｣｢Comrades｣｢Strong｣
Beside me, Adhai radiated a wave of pride through her telepathic signal. The other Gallagons following behind us emitted a wave of agreement, scattering their thoughts in harmony.
[ZZZ ZZ (Focus only on the targets.)]
｢Yes.｣
｢Ham Ort｣｢Remembers｣
I was currently cutting through the vacuum of space, flying with fifteen Gallagons.
This was the same lineup that fought against Pyra Eleven: Adhai, now empowered by the Red Gallagon's strength; Ham Ort, the Black Gallagon; and thirteen White Gallagons, all following my lead.
And at the end of my trajectory, there were the enemy ships.
Thirty-three massive vessels, accompanied by numerous patrol ships protecting their perimeters. Their numbers were large enough to be considered a regular fleet rather than just a scouting unit.
The moment they spotted us, the enemy quickly formed a battle formation.
Among the dark expanse of space, dotted with starlight, flickers of light began to shine. Torpedoes and drones launched by the enemy raced toward us.
The Gallagons, including Adhai, instinctively moved behind me without needing any instructions. Normally, I wouldn't be able to conceal all fifteen Gallagons with my body, but that was only in my usual state.
The body I now used in this zero-gravity environment was far larger than normal.
After hunting down the Ice Horror in the past, I had acquired a fusion trait related to my body called "Bone Beast." This fusion trait allowed me to transform into a giant beast for 60 minutes.
Back when I fought against Jason, combining the Bone Beast with the special state of "King of Monsters" from the Organic Evolution trait had allowed my body to grow to nearly 300 meters in length.
Of course, my current form wasn't that large. The cooldown of the Organic Evolution trait hadn't ended, so I couldn't use it yet.
'Still, an 80-meter-long body is more than big enough.'
Unlike the battle against Jason, this time, I also had wings. My wingspan alone was well over 100 meters, making my breadth even greater than my length.
The black carapace that covered my body was now doubly reinforced with the white exoskeleton from the Bone Beast transformation. Anyone looking at me would probably think I was draped in the bones of a gigantic monster, like the Ice Horror.
'Alright, let's get started.'
I spread my massive wings, shielding the Gallagons as I turned my snout toward the incoming torpedoes and drones.
Even though there was no wind in this void, the tendrils sprouting from my neck swayed gently. It wasn't the wind moving them but the psychic power emanating from within me.
And then, the most powerful psychic breath I'd ever unleashed erupted toward the targets.
As the violet beam surged, it ignited a dazzling display of explosions. The torpedoes of the Star Union were rendered powerless before the flames of my amplified psychic power, boosted by both the Bone Beast and the "Heart of the Dragon" ability.
The Anti-Psycho Defense (APD) weapons managed to hold up for a moment, but they couldn't avoid the torpedoes detonating at point-blank range. Drones caught in the blast either exploded or malfunctioned, tumbling through space.
I nullified the first wave of attacks in a single strike and charged towards the enemy ships. The special wavelengths radiating from the membranes of my wings allowed me to maneuver with exceptional agility even in space.
The Gallagons followed, utilizing their psychic power as propulsion to keep pace with me.
The enemy attempted to barrage us with more firepower, but by then, I had already closed the distance between us and the scattered fleet.
The corvettes around the destroyers fired ultra-vibration torpedoes at me, but they were useless. Even as the vibrations seeped through, the layers of my carapace blocked them from reaching deeper.
Trusting in my defenses, I landed atop one of the corvettes. I could only imagine the panic inside. To them, a massive creature gripping their vessel would have been nightmarish.
I grabbed the corvette and hurled it toward another corvette that was launching torpedoes. The ship spun wildly through space before colliding with the other, and the ensuing impact created a flash of death.
The X10-class destroyer, which had been protected by the corvettes, tried to retreat upon witnessing this destruction.
"Where do you think you're going?"
I extended my corrosive tentacles. Enhanced by the 'Bone Beast' effect, the tentacles had grown to the same massive scale as my wings and body, reaching out to grasp the fleeing destroyer.
Compared to me, the destroyer was about five times larger, but that didn't deter me. As its turrets began aiming at my tentacles and body, I pulled myself flush against it.
"Is this where the bridge is?"
I pushed my head against a slight protrusion on the upper section of the ship, where dozens of small cameras stared back at me from the alloyed exterior.
Opening my maw wide, a torrent of green liquid gushed from my throat, flooding over the destroyer's outer hull.
The Star Union's ships were all heavily armored, but even they couldn't withstand such an overwhelming volume of acid. As my size increased, so did the amount of acidic fungi I could release.
In a matter of moments, the hull melted, revealing the half-ruined bridge. I saw the cyborgs within scream in terror. Whether it was from seeing me or from the vacuum exposure, I wasn't sure.
To end their suffering quickly, I unleashed a powerful psychic breath.
A massive bubble, nearly 10 meters in diameter, seeped into the ship. The cyborgs who were struggling to survive became prey to the greedy bubble.
As they melted in silent agony, I couldn't help but think of an old sci-fi creature feature from Earth. It depicted a pink ooze from outer space that destroyed an entire town—quite similar to what was unfolding here.
"Well then, let's…"
With the bridge destroyed, rendering the destroyer's controls useless, I tightened my grip on it with my tentacles and flung the ship toward other enemy vessels.
The destroyers rushing in to provide support collided with the incoming ship. The psychic breath I had injected into the first ship transferred to the others, consuming new prey in the process. This paralyzed the destroyers, making them unable to mount any effective attacks.
To finish things off, I released a regular psychic breath at the disoriented enemies.
"That's one down."
One of the destroyers I took down had a Warp Finder aboard.
According to PS-111, the five Warp Finders were spread across three XAX-5-class fast battleships and two destroyers. Now, with one destroyed, four remained.
As I battled the corvettes that attempted to swarm me, I observed how the others were fighting.
In the distance, red, black, and white stars were gliding across the sea of stars.
The red star, leading the meteor shower, streaked toward the corvettes. One by one, the ships pierced by this star exploded, decorating the black canvas of space.
Smaller corvettes fired torpedoes and drones to pin it down, but they were too slow. Like a true 'meteor,' the red star moved at incredible speed, cutting through the enemy ships.
To deal with the rampaging red star, a destroyer began aiming its turrets. But this was a trap. A black star, scales as dark as the universe itself, pounced on the destroyer.
Like a hunting hound gripping its prey's throat, the black star clung tightly to the destroyer and unleashed its violet breath.
No matter how sturdy the destroyer's hull was, there was no surviving a dragon's breath at such close range. The elongated vessel was torn in two.
Cyborgs and androids spilled out from the fractured ship, thrashing in the endless expanse before going still.
The other vessels tried to scatter and encircle the two dragons, but they wouldn't be granted such an easy victory. The 13 white dragons, vassals of the 'Daughter of the Great Meteor,' unleashed their psychic breaths to keep the enemies at bay.
"They're fighting well."
The destroyer Ham Ort just destroyed also contained a Warp Finder. That makes two down.
"Three left…"
At that moment, a torpedo far larger than any fired before shot toward me.
I quickly wrapped my tentacles around the debris of a nearby destroyer and hurled it to intercept the incoming torpedo. While the AI-guided projectile was clever, it hadn't expected me to use the Star Union's own ship as a shield. The powerful explosion rippled through the void, shaking the empty black space.
"Well, that worked out nicely."
Beyond the explosion, a series of enemy ships came into view. A massive vessel, larger than a destroyer, was aiming at me while being escorted by corvettes.
The ship that attacked me was one of the XAX-5-class battleships containing a Warp Finder.
Sensing my gaze, the enemy, now fully reloaded, fired another volley of torpedoes in my direction.
The torpedoes, massive and terrifying even at a glance, sped towards me. Even I would sustain considerable damage if one of those hit.
"If I hadn't used Bone Beast, that is."
Just before impact, I rammed the torpedo with my head carapace. The immense force and flames engulfed my body.
---
"H-Ha… hahaha! We did it! We killed that damn monster!"
Valtazei cheered as he watched the explosion through the battleship cameras mounted on the outer wall.
He had been horrified earlier when he saw the 'Operational Target' throwing a destroyer at his comrades. Even as a veteran soldier, he'd never seen such a monstrous display.
Especially when that creature had fixed its gaze on them after fending off the first attack, he had felt a chill run down his spine.
But none of that mattered now. The beast was finished, having been struck by the battleship's primary torpedoes.
"All remaining ships, maintain the Warp Finder and—those other monsters too—"
｢Warning: 'Operational Target' confirmed alive.｣
"What?!"
Valtazei's eyes widened at the ship's computer's urgent report. Real-time video feeds transmitted via cables directly to his eyes.
"No… no way?!"
From the black flames, long, slender arms emerged. Each time the membranes attached to the arms fluttered, the flames and smoke swayed violently.
Then, the elongated snout and large horns of the creature's head became faintly visible. Despite taking a direct hit from the torpedo, it appeared unscathed, save for some minor damage to its head.
Its eyes, dull like a dead fish, stared back at Valtazei—eyes of a demon.
"R-Reload the main guns! Kill it now!"
｢Acknowledged.｣
As Valtazei shouted, the 'Operational Target' moved again. Its black wings, absorbing all light, unfurled, and the creature's form grew rapidly larger. It approached with such speed that it seemed to magnify in an instant.
The Corvettes and destroyers assigned to protect Valtazei moved to intercept, hoping to buy some time.
Unfortunately, this was a fatal mistake. Six tentacles shot out from the creature's back, seizing the approaching corvettes. It swung them like blunt weapons, smashing the others that dared approach.
The destroyers attempted to keep their distance while firing, but it was futile. From the cluster of tentacles around the creature's neck, purple heat rays shot forth, obliterating the destroyers.
"I… I need to retreat…!"
Valtazei's orders were to stall until the main fleet arrived. But they still needed more time to get here.
"Fire the main cannon, then retreat at full speed—"
Before he could finish his command, the entire ship shook violently. It was a force that one might only expect from a direct hit by another battleship's main cannon.
Thrown forward in his chair, Valtazei looked up just in time to see the creature's head. It was pressing its face against the ship's camera, its jaws gaping wide.
"N-No! Please—!"
His overwhelming fear didn't last long.
The purple flames melted the entire bridge and Valtazei's frail, cybernetic body with it.
——————
As Si-Hyun Yujin's transport ship barely cleared the atmosphere, an urgent report arrived from the flagship.
"The Star Union fleet has already arrived?"
She had known about the incoming fleet through satellites positioned at the outskirts of the Star System. However, she didn't expect them to arrive this quickly.
Moreover, the enemies had brought with them a Warp Finder, a device capable of tracking faster-than-light movements. It was as if they had come to track down someone specific.
"Could it be that they've discovered the location of JAX-01?"
The MegaCorp and Star Union were officially at war. To the cyborgs, Si-Hyun's faction was just another enemy of the Star Union. The fact that a regular fleet had come to such an isolated location with a Warp Finder could only mean one thing.
'…This isn't good.'
As long as the Warp Finder was present, the flagship was as good as on borrowed time. Even if they tried to escape via faster-than-light travel, the enemy would immediately follow.
Her thoughts momentarily drifted to the 'artifacts' stored in the transport ship.
The weapon 'Abyssal Destroyer,' used by Beomho, her former mentor, to annihilate an Outspeiser, along with the Crystal Battery that provided it with immense energy.
'If I use that, I could break through without much difficulty.'
The urge to use the weapon welled up inside her, but she shook her head.
She still didn't fully understand the enemy's objectives or the current battle situation. There was no need to use the weapon until she had gathered more information.
"Any other notable details?"
"Uh, well…"
At Si-Hyun's question, her subordinate hesitated before replying.
"According to communications from the flagship, they're currently engaged in combat with a group of creatures presumed to be Gallagons!"
"Gallagons?"
The subordinate's answer was far beyond her expectations.
'Why Gallagons?'
"The Gallagons are attacking the fleet, so the flagship is currently just observing without engaging."
"…Hmm."
She had struggled with the Gallagons when she first set foot on the planet, as they appeared regularly. In fact, their presence was a significant reason for her delayed entry into the volcano. She had deliberately kept changing her travel route to avoid the Gallagons.
'I don't know how, but…'
The unpredictable movements of these creatures had actually turned into an advantage for her.
"For now, we'll take advantage of this situation. Return to the flagship carefully, and avoid getting caught in the battle."
"Understood."
Beyond the reinforced glass of the transport ship, she could see the twinkling of starlight.
Some of those twinkles weren't stars.
---
'What is that?'
I had just taken out the fourth Warp Finder. As I discarded the now useless chunk of metal into space, an unfamiliar ship caught my eye.
An oval-shaped vessel floated alone at a considerable distance from the battlefield. Judging by its design, it wasn't a Star Union ship but rather a MegaCorp vessel.
'Why is a Megacorp ship here… ah.'
Seeing the ship, something came to mind.
Before I captured Odd Grad, when I raided the Hellside Hornet's nest, there was a time I devoured a human. The one who had fused with a human-faced creature mentioned that he had come here following Si-Hyun Yujin.
'That must be her ship.'
Since Si-Hyun Yujin had died by my hand, that vessel likely belonged to the forces that followed her.
'What should I do?'
It had been 20 minutes since the battle began. One Warp Finder still remained.
The time I initially set for myself was 25 minutes. Although I'd like to learn more about the situation from the crew of that ship, I didn't have the luxury to spend time on side tasks.
'If there's time left, I'll deal with it.'
I tore my gaze away from the vessel and pursued the retreating fleet.
The XAX-5-class high-speed battleship carrying the last Warp Finder seemed determined to buy time, desperately fleeing.
'As expected of a high-speed battleship, it's pretty fast.'
It was just barely slower than Adhai. I prepared to finish it off with a psychic breath, but then the Gallagons began to move.
In the distance, the red-winged Adhai relentlessly pursued the battleship. The other Gallagons didn't follow but instead scattered in all directions.
Upon closer observation, it became clear that the Gallagons were spreading out, gradually closing in on the path the battleship was taking.
'They're herding it.'
Just as they did when fighting a formidable foe like the Skywhale, the Gallagons were engaging in a coordinated hunt against the battleship.
'Then I should help out too.'
Instead of targeting the battleship, I aimed my psychic breath at the patrol ships blocking Adhai's path. Focused on their immediate targets, the fleet of patrol ships fell to my breath, sinking into space.
Adhai, as if anticipating my attack, skillfully maneuvered to avoid the violet flames. She weaved through the debris of the burning patrol ships and accelerated even more.
The crimson-winged dragon streaked through the night sky like a comet, drawing closer to the battleship. Her form, now a beam of light, approached the vessel in an instant.
Anti-Psychic Disruptors (APD) spewed from the battleship, emitting waves that neutralized psychic power. However, Adhai's speed was far too great, and the waves failed to reach her.
She deftly dodged through the wave fields, unleashing a barrage of psychic breath. Each blast struck the ship's hull, forcing the battleship to retreat.
Adhai was pushing back a vessel hundreds, no, thousands of times her size. It was like watching David take down Goliath with a slingshot.
Meanwhile, the Gallagons surrounding the area steadily closed the distance.
The battleship carrying the Warp Finder desperately tried to escape, but the Gallagons had already drawn in close.
Then, in unison, all the Gallagons unleashed their dragon's breath upon the battleship. Even with the formidable defense of the Star Union's ships, it was impossible to withstand the combined attack from multiple Gallagons, all at least at the level of a White Gallagon.
'This is the end.'
The final Warp Finder was destroyed. Now, nothing stood in the way of our escape.
Just as I was about to instruct everyone to return to PS-111's ship, my secondary organs detected a powerful surge of energy.
'!'
My head instinctively turned to the source of the energy.
The previously empty void now contained a blue sun.
It resembled a sun, but it was actually a massive concentration of energy—enough to tear apart space and forcibly transport objects.
'Faster-than-light travel!'
Moments later, the blue sun disappeared, as if obscured by clouds.
In its place appeared a fleet. A fleet far larger than the one we had been fighting until now.
[ZZ ZZZ (Everyone fall back!)]
I withdrew, along with the Gallagons, avoiding the sudden appearance of enemies. The surviving reconnaissance fleet ships flew toward the newly arrived Star Union fleet.
'How?'
While PS-111 had missed the approach of the reconnaissance unit, the arrival of this massive fleet was an entirely different issue.
Faster-than-light travel requires an immense amount of energy. That's why tracking equipment, like the Warp Finder, can effectively detect such movements. Under normal circumstances, PS-111 would never have missed hundreds of ships moving simultaneously.
'…Have they developed new technology?'
Even in simulations, control of space battles often hinged on who could arrive via faster-than-light travel first. Those who arrived earlier had the advantage of monitoring where and when their enemies would appear.
It seemed the Grand Sovereign had recognized this weakness and had invested significant effort into improving their capabilities.
And now, the results of those efforts were right before us.
At that moment, a support ship controlled by PS-111 approached, and a telepathic wave from the Mother of the Sky reached me.
｢It looks like they've applied stealth technology that hides faster-than-light travel energy!｣
[ZZ ZZZ (It seems so.)]
｢PS-111 believes that not the entire fleet has arrived yet. This is the 5th Elite Fleet. The 2nd, 8th, and 9th Fleets haven't arrived.｣
Now that I looked closer, the fleet wasn't as large as it should be if all four elite fleets had gathered. Had they all arrived, there would have been hundreds of battleships, but their numbers didn't seem to reach that scale yet.
'Furthermore…'
I calmly observed the enemy fleet shifting its formation. Some of the ships bore significant damage to their outer hulls, as if they had been sliced cleanly by a blade. These were marks left behind by issues encountered during faster-than-light travel.
'It seems the technology isn't perfect yet.'
The reason they rushed in so urgently despite the side effects wasn't hard to guess.
The Grand Sovereign's plan was clear: to jump in sequence and prevent our escape, effectively trapping us.
[ZZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (How many Warp Finders are there?)]
｢…At least ten. Some of the ships are equipped with strong cloaking devices, making it impossible to get an accurate count.｣
Engaging in battle without knowing the exact number of Warp Finders was tantamount to suicide. Yet running away wasn't a great option either.
Just like the Gallagons had done, they would surely use their numerical advantage to chase us down.
'A checkmate, is it?'
I glanced back at the Gallagons and the ships behind me.
'There's only one option.'
The primary target the enemy, or rather, the Grand Sovereign's player, sought was obvious.
'Their goal is me. In that case…'
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Everyone, return to the ship.)]
｢Elder?｣
[ZZZZ Z ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (Don't worry. I have a good plan.)]
I sent a reassuring wave to Adhai, who looked concerned, and called out to the Mother of the Sky.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (You know where to go to advance the deification stage, right?)]
｢What? Don't tell me you're…｣
[ZZZ ZZ (Meet me there.)]
｢Are you insane? You plan to act as bait?｣
Strictly speaking, it wasn't just bait.
I intended to fight them off and then execute a faster-than-light jump toward the territory of the Cult or the Megacorp. That way, we could recreate a situation similar to when the Cult and Star Union clashed previously.
'It's true that we'll be vulnerable during the jump preparation phase, but it'll be fine.'
Thanks to my transformation into the "Bone Beast", my defensive capabilities have increased exponentially. It's already been proven that the enemy torpedoes can't inflict fatal damage on me. Additionally, the energy required for the jump can be substituted with the near-infinite supply of psychic power, pumped by my "Dragon's Heart" trait.
The only real concern is the Grand Sovereign.
My fate hinges on whatever weapon he brings.
'I've never been one to gamble.'
Still, it's better than losing everything in a fight with them.
Leaving everyone behind, I flew forward.
Since arriving in this world, I've constantly faced choices.
Some led to positive outcomes, while others didn't. Looking back, I've always had a mix of good and bad decisions.
But I've never regretted them.
Because I'm still alive. And I don't know how many more wrong choices I might make.
But even then, I'll keep living. Just as I have until now.
As I flew forward with those thoughts, a red star soared alongside me.
'Adhai?'
It wasn't just her. Other Gallagons had chosen not to return to the hangar and instead followed me.
The same was true for PS-111's ship. Rather than preparing for faster-than-light travel, the colossal battleship floated above me, its turrets extending outward.
｢If the big baby keeps saying bad things, she'll get scolded!｣
Number 26's telepathic wave reached me from the ship.
｢Adhai｣｢Kin｣｢Will not abandon｣
I sensed the telepathic wave Adhai sent as she flew beside me.
｢It's so like you Morphback, always trying to fight alone,｣ Mother of the Sky grumbled from aboard the ship.
｢PS-111 told me to relay a message: it'll locate the Warp Finders as quickly as possible, so hold on.｣
I was left speechless by their words.
Was my heart full? No.
Fighting alone here would've been a perfectly reasonable choice. I've always fought alone and emerged victorious.
But as I watched those following me, another thought emerged.
I've always won on my own, so if I fought alongside them, wouldn't it be even easier?
An Amorph, a Sea Demon, a host of Gallagons, a colossal battleship, and a Wolf Ranker.
With this force, we might stand a chance against over a hundred state-of-the-art enemy ships.
[ZZZ ZZZZZ (Start with torpedoes and breath attacks.)]
In the end, after a thoroughly rational thought process, my chosen path was to fight together.
——————