Chapter 2378 - ESM 47

253

-x-X-x-

The battle had resumed.

Ships under the control of cyborgs and androids rushed in like swarming ants. We pulled out all our weapons to respond.

As the APDs approached to contain the Gallagons, a support ship managed by PS-111 blocked their path. Torpedoes loaded into the ship's cannons were fired, disrupting the movements of the drones.

The patrol vessels maneuvered to evade the torpedo explosions and strike the support ship. The support ship had a limited supply of torpedoes, making it difficult to fire indiscriminately. As the support ship found itself in danger, a small craft emerged from the hangar.

The Mother of the Sky, transformed into a griffion beast, took to the skies to draw the attention of the patrol ships.

While the craft itself had ordinary specifications, its pilot was on another level. She expertly executed evasive maneuvers, breaking through the torrential barrage of torpedoes. Not only that, but she also opened fire with the storm gun mounted on the craft, targeting the bridge of the patrol ship.

Though the storm gun couldn't inflict significant damage on the patrol ship, it was enough to divert the enemies' focus. Some of the patrol ships strayed from formation to pursue the Mother of the Sky.

While the pilot's skills far surpassed those of the patrol vessels, the specs of the ships were overwhelmingly superior. With her tail in a precarious position, the small craft was getting increasingly dangerous, when suddenly, a savior appeared.

A red queen, adorned with red markings on her head and wings, accelerated like a comet and pierced through the patrol vessels. The surviving patrol ships fired their torpedoes, but the Mother of the Sky shot them all down with her storm gun.

While the patrol vessels were stalling for time, the destroyers had moved into effective firing range and attempted a concentrated attack.

I unleashed a psychic breath towards the clustered patrol ships near PS-111 before flying toward the destroyers.

The destroyers shifted their target to me, unleashing a torrent of torpedoes.

Thanks to the double and triple layers of my protective carapace, the pain wasn't severe. The explosions were bothersome, vibrating my auxiliary organs beneath my jaw. I charged forward, taking the barrage head-on.

Tentacles erupted from my back, reaching out to ensnare different destroyers. I pulled the tentacles forcefully. The destroyers, larger than me, shook violently and collided with one another. Some attempted to escape but crashed into another destroyer while accelerating recklessly.

The ships positioned at the rear launched torpedoes, but I used the destroyers as shields to absorb the attacks. The ships caught in my tentacles exploded, and cyborg crew members were ejected into space.

'They're holding their own.'

Everyone was showcasing combat skills that exceeded our expectations. None of the Gallagons had sustained injuries, and both PS-111 and the Mother of the Sky were fighting valiantly.

Moreover, we weren't the only ones fighting against the Star Union's fleet. I gazed toward the distant location of the white planet, where flickering lights danced.

The Megacorp battleships brought by Ji-Hyun Yujin were also engaging in combat against the Star Union's forces.

'Thanks to their distraction over there, our burden here is lighter.'

However, it was uncertain how long this reprieve would last.

While it seemed advantageous for us at the moment, the reality was different.

Over there, numerous ships were still operational, and even more were expected to join the fray. It was fortunate that the Grand Sovereign was not present; his arrival would drastically tilt the tide of battle against us.

'We need a breakthrough.'

Since the engagement with the Fifth Fleet began, I had destroyed four battleships carrying Warp Finders. There were still at least six confirmed left, along with several hidden Warp Finders.

'Destroying them with breaths won't be easy.'

The enemies weren't foolish. They had only been caught off-guard a few times; now, the moment they sensed I was preparing to unleash a breath, they immediately scattered.

Yet charging in as I had done until now, destroying one ship at a time, was time-consuming. The vessels carrying Warp Finders had begun to flee in every direction to evade me.

I thought as I hurled the half-destroyed destroyers toward the enemies. What weapons do I have that could be useful against their ships?

'The Abyssal Hue is out of the question.'

The psychic breath enhanced by the "Abyssal Hue" specialized in destroying organic matter, while the augmented "Watcher of Terror" was only effective against non-organic entities. The psychic reflective armor wouldn't hold up against their torpedoes, as the enemy primarily used projectile-based weaponry.

'Should I go back now and consume the Priest's Golden Spear?'

The Priest's Golden Spear becomes exponentially more powerful the more blood it absorbs. By utilizing the effect of the "Plunderer's Abnormal Polyhedron," I would likely acquire its unique characteristics.

If that were the case, I could gain devastating offensive capabilities in this battle, which was already producing mass casualties.

'But the downside is, if I do that, it'll become difficult to heal should I sustain serious injuries.'

Thanks to the "Dragon's Heart", energy wouldn't be an issue, but healing from wounds posed a separate problem. To heal quickly when injured, I would need the "Leech of Devouring Hands."

If I consumed the Priest's Golden Spear, I would have to forgo the Leech of Devouring Hands.

'The remaining option is…'

As I clamped my jaws around a nearby battleship, I checked the text box with my eyes.

'The Great Infector.'

The fourth space monster type trait, "The Great Infector", can enhance up to three effects among the infection and nesting categories, based on their type.

Since I hadn't experimented with it yet, I was unsure how much enhancement it would provide.

'Then now is the time to experiment.'

I selected the "Gremlin Moss" as the enhancement target, a fusion trait related to infection.

This trait secretes microorganisms that disrupt machines. The enhancement process began.

｢"Gremlin Moss" enhancement settings are complete.｣

'Is that it?'

Despite the message in the text box, I felt no significant change in my body.

I activated the enhanced Gremlin Moss, and the mutation occurred not within my body, but externally.

The blunt claws that had been on my body vanished entirely. In their place, cylindrical, bio-pipe-like organs sprouted.

From the holes in these pipes, something began to flow out.

It resembled smoke billowing from a factory chimney. Thick, smog-like clouds poured out from the pipes, spreading around my body and into the surrounding area.

'What is this?'

I had acquired a similar trait when I became an adult, where bio-tubes formed on my back, emitting smoke to protect the main body. This was to compensate for the increased target area resulting from my larger size upon becoming an adult.

However, the phenomenon occurring within my body now was on an entirely different level than the effects of the traits I gained upon maturation.

The wide-spread smoke clouds clung to the nearby ships, causing their lights to extinguish completely.

The ships, now devoid of light, ceased all movement and came to a complete stop. Even when I approached, there was no reaction from them.

'So this is the effect of spreading Gremlin Moss!'

The trait had been enhanced from temporarily incapacitating machines that touched my body to generating a cloud that disabled contacted machines.

'With this, things change significantly.'

In a situation where I was battling machines, this was the ultimate trait. The only downside was that I couldn't directly control the movement of the smoke clouds.

I smashed the immobilized ships and flew toward the battleships providing support fire from the rear.

They launched torpedoes at me, but it had little effect. The torpedoes, controlled by advanced technology, became inoperable the moment they made contact with the smoke clouds—or rather, the Gremlin clouds.

I gracefully evaded the torpedoes floating in space and dove into the area where the ships were clustered, accompanied by the deadly Gremlin clouds.

---

"Damage to the hull from torpedoes has surpassed 25%!"

"Switch the ship's movement program to the Peter Edgerton style and add 5% energy allocation to the thrusters."

"Understood!"

"Squad D of the fighters has been wiped out! Remaining units in Squad B: 5!"

"Squad B, return. For the remaining squads A, C, E, and F, also begin the sequential return of damaged fighters."

"Understood! This is the flagship…."

The crew moved in perfect unison under Ji-Hyun Yujin's commands.

In the central command room, the status of the ship and the attacking Star Union fleet were displayed in a 3D hologram.

While the subordinates busily carried out their tasks, Ji-Hyeon focused her cold gaze on the hologram.

'This is not an easy battle.'

The flagship's cloaking device, equipped with Edgerton's secret weapon, boasted considerable performance. However, the enemy had superior detection equipment. Additionally, they had brought numerous Warp Finders, making it impossible for us to hide or escape.

'If they fall….'

Currently, we were managing to hold against the Gallagons and an unidentified fleet, fighting the Fifth Elite Fleet, but that wouldn't last forever. If the Gallagons were annihilated, we would become their next target.

'Do I have to use that?'

Though her eyes were fixed on the hologram, her mind was focused on the object resting beneath her chair.

Her father, Jeong-Woo Yujin's legacy.

She had yet to use that weapon. However, she had sensed the potential danger when she acquired it.

The artifact found within a massive volcano was composed of two parts: the weapon known as "Abyssal Destroyer" and a crystal battery that supplied energy. It had a simple structure where the battery could be attached to the weapon for energy output, but the issue lay with the energy itself.

After recovering the battery from the volcano, strange occurrences began to unfold. The previously inoperative communication systems were restored shortly after, and during their escape, they encountered no beasts whatsoever. It was as if the monsters were avoiding her group.

This alone indicated that the weapon possessed incredible power.

Yet the reason for her hesitation remained. She interpreted the weapon as setting its lethal targets based on genetic information.

Cyborgs were humans equipped with machines. Attacking cyborgs was akin to attacking humans. If misused, even the pilots of the fighter crafts engaged in battle with the enemies could be killed instantly.

If no fighters remained but enemies were still alive, it would be the end for them. Therefore, Ji-Hyun had been waiting for an opportunity to arise.

Then, a subordinate's voice reached her ears.

"Emergency report! Large-scale energy concentration detected! The Star Union's additional support fleet is preparing for superluminal travel!"

"What?!"

At those words, her mind snapped back to attention. Behind her, her butler, Min-Seok Yujin, shouted urgently.

"What's the estimated time of arrival?"

"Within 5, 5 minutes!"

There was no time left for hesitation. She had to make a decision now.

Then, another subordinate reported in a hurry.

"Th-the enemy fleet is concentrating at one point!"

"Are they trying to protect the support fleet preparing for superluminal travel?"

"Y-yes, but it's strange! It's at a considerable distance from the energy concentration point…."

"A mysterious entity is gathering the ships! I will connect to the fighter craft cameras!"

Soon, a low-quality video appeared on the hologram.

A multitude of battleships and destroyers was gathered at a location quite far from the fighters. Even someone who had never witnessed space combat would find their formation odd.

Due to their size, the battleships had to maintain a distance from one another. Yet the ships shown in the footage were clustered together, close enough that collisions seemed imminent.

Moreover, there was something even stranger.

"Why are there no lights? Is it the effect of cloaking?"

No light could be seen from the ships as they huddled closer together, as if their power had been forcibly cut off.

"Um, it seems the ships' functions have been disabled."

"EMP? Who the hell did this?"

As Min-Seok and the crew were thrown into confusion, Ji-Hyun noticed something moving between the ships.

A cloud of smoke, whose composition was unknown, was rapidly weaving between the vessels. The moment a battleship touched the cloud, its lights went out, and like the others, it transformed into a hunk of scrap metal.

Seeing that, Ji-Hyun immediately stood up.

"Recall all fighter teams to the flagship! And prepare the superluminal engine for an immediate jump when I return!"

"Ji-Hyun, what are you—?"

"Minseok, I'm leaving you in charge of the operations."

After assigning the ship's command to Min-Seok, Ji-Hyun grabbed the artifact that had been beside her and exited the command room.

｢Ji-Hyun! What are you doing?! Come back right now!｣

Ignoring Min-Seok's voice echoing through the speakers, she quickly raced to the hangar.

'The opportunity is now!'

I didn't know the identity of the creature enveloped in the smoke cloud, but it had presented a fantastic chance.

Upon arriving at the hangar, instead of boarding a fighter, she opened the door and jumped straight into space.

As she entered the zero-gravity environment, the white exosuit she wore, "White Maiden", activated. A white helmet-like apparatus covered her face, and wings with thrusters protruded from her back. The thrusters kicked in, propelling her forward with great force.

Fighters returning to the flagship, debris from damaged spaceships, and torpedoes and energy beams darting everywhere—she navigated through numerous obstacles and activated the weapon in her hand.

The Crystal Battery within the weapon began to emit a chilling light and spun rapidly.

---

On the XAX01-class battleship piloted by the commander of the Fifth Elite Fleet, the Nemea Fleet, a member of the Machine Council, Nemea Five, sat upon a throne forged of steel.

His body, twice the size of a standard android, was adorned with numerous cables resembling flowing hair. Nemea Five, with his unusual appearance, had his eyes closed.

Currently, he controlled the entire fleet through the long cables draping around him. In this metal and machine-constructed mental world, vast amounts of information were flowing back and forth.

｢Nemea Five. Report from Arrow Nine. The 9th fleet is prepared for superluminal travel.｣

｢Report from Europa Two, Redtail Eight. Fleets 2 and 8 have achieved 80% energy charge.｣

｢Menebbo report! Failed to analyze the substance being ejected from special target A!｣

｢Kazansky reports. It is presumed to have an effect equivalent to EMP.｣

｢Shimurabi requests! Please allow the use of the ship's main cannon!｣

｢Nemea Five. Denied. Special target A possesses resistance to energy-type weapons. It is deemed effective to buy time until fleets 2, 8, and 9 arrive.｣

Nemea Five's focus was currently concentrated on special target A.

The fleet he commanded was being obliterated in real-time as if caught by metallic gremlins.

Or perhaps that was indeed the case. They were using EMP attacks to incapacitate the Star Union's ships. The moment a ship came into contact with the fine particles he dispersed, all its functions ceased immediately.

Whether it affected machines directly or not, even torpedoes controlled by AI could not hit him properly. The clouds of fine particles wrapped around his body caused them to halt mid-flight.

As a result, the losses for the Fifth Fleet were severe. If no other fleets were on their way, they would have had to retreat.

｢Report from Arrow Nine. The 9th fleet will enter superluminal travel in 1 minute and 12 seconds.｣

｢Report from Europa Two, Redtail Eight. Fleets 2 and 8 are prepared for superluminal travel.｣

In a few minutes, Nemea Five would achieve victory. If he could secure the corpse of special target A, deep research would become possible.

At that moment, a report came in from the cyborg captain of another ship.

An unidentified flying object was launched from a megacorp ship, and it was moving toward them.

Nemea Five concluded that it was an EMP torpedo. The patrol ships, having received his orders, moved to intercept the torpedoes.

They would be shot down, and the megacorp ships would be dealt with as soon as the other high-ranking officials arrived.

This reasoning seemed sufficiently logical, but what followed surpassed his calculations.

"Kazansky! Unidentified flying object emitting unknown wavelengths—"

The cyborg captain's report was abruptly cut off. Then, countless reports and messages ceased all at once.

It was as if there was an issue with auditory functions; only silence lingered. He issued another command to confirm the situation, but no one responded.

Something was wrong. Nemea Five urgently sent his consciousness into his dormant physical body.

Once the transfer was complete, he opened his eyes wide atop the steel throne. The situation captured by his camera-like eyes was entirely different from usual.

The Cyborgs meant to assist him lay sprawled on the command room floor. An analysis through the lenses confirmed that all had ceased functioning.

The command room was a grave for the Cyborgs.

No, perhaps this was not the only place like that.

He synchronized the ship's external cameras with his visual functions. All the cameras of the XAX01-class battleship became his eyes.

Thanks to that, he realized that this situation was not confined to his ship.

Numerous vessels under the Fifth Fleet were deviating from formation and moving erratically.

All this was due to the sudden deaths of the Cyborg Captains. With their commanders gone, the ship AIs were stuck repeating their previously issued orders. This behavior was exactly as reported by the Cyborg Captain. The Fifth Fleet suffered near-total devastation due to an unidentified weapon fired by the megacorp.

Nemea Five immediately contacted the other fleets. He ordered them to halt superluminal travel and remain on standby. Most importantly, he emphasized that the High Commander must not come here under any circumstances.

Then came a communication from the High Commander, who seemed confused.

"Me! What's going on?"

"Nemea Five reporting. Chairman, an unidentified wavelength has spread here. It is presumed to inflict fatal damage on cyborgs."

"What do you mean by that?! Who did this?!"

Nemea Five's gaze, connected through the cameras, caught a glimpse of special target A. The Creature paused for a moment at the chaos surrounding it, then unleashed an overwhelming amount of flames.

Was this what it felt like facing the sun? It poured forth nearly infinite psychic power, turning the ships into scrap metal. Nemea Five struggled to influence the ship AIs, but the clouds of fine particles emanating from the creature obstructed his efforts.

After incinerating most of the battleships, the creature ceased its attack, cleared the clouds of fine particles, and turned its body. The Gallagons, who had been battling with patrol ships elsewhere, retreated alongside special target A.

"Nemea Five. I recommend we first ascertain the cause. I propose we halt operations."

"Arrow Nine agrees."

"Redtail Eight agrees."

"Are you telling me to let it go when it's right in front of us? Do you really think that makes sense…!"

The High Commander Jubaka, expressing intense anger, fell silent after reviewing the video data shared by Nemea Five.

The second high-ranking official, Europa Two, quickly analyzed the footage and sent a communication.

"Europa Two agrees. Chairman, there are currently wavelengths present in this area that pose a lethal threat to cyborgs. I recommend that you ensure your safety before advancing."

In this place, there existed threats to both androids and cyborgs. Special target A had the capability to incapacitate both androids and ships, while the unidentified object fired by the megacorp had an instant-kill effect on cyborgs. With both present, proceeding with operations would incur excessive damage.

Thus, the four high-ranking officials effectively decided to suspend the mission.

They were machines that existed for the preservation of the Star Union. They had an obligation to protect Jubaka, the most important entity in the Star Union, at all costs.

Of course, if the High Commander insisted on proceeding, they would have no choice but to comply. However, none of the high-ranking officials believed Jubaka would act in such a reckless manner.

He wasn't a fool. He couldn't possibly be unaware that the issues arising here were far from ordinary. Moreover, he knew better than anyone what could happen if his safety were compromised.

"Damn it! That bastard Amorph is right there! Блять (Damn it)!"

With a shout that was either a roar or a scream, Jubaka's voice faded from communication.

Meanwhile, in Nemea Five's line of sight, special target A, the Gallagons, and the Megacorp battleship were engulfed in blue light.

Moments later, nothing remained at their previous location but blue particles.

—————

Several superluminal jumps had taken place, yet no pursuers followed. All that could be seen was a black velvet sky adorned with multicolored stars.

I returned to the ship through the open hangar bay.

Inside the hangar, Griffion Wolf, Mother of the Sky, was inspecting the aircraft. She was examining the storm gun mounted under the wing when she noticed me entering and spoke up.

｢Any signs of pursuit?｣

[ZZ (None)]

｢That 'wavelength' from before—could that be why they couldn't follow us?｣

[ZZ (Who knows?)]

Thanks to the sudden anomaly, we managed to escape from the Star Union.

An intangible wavelength had swept in from somewhere, decimating the enemy fleet. Since I was facing the enemy directly, I understood what had occurred right away.

'The Captains—all dead.'

Ships that halted mid-movement or repeated the same actions could mean only one thing: the cyborg captains who controlled them were dead.

After the wavelength swept through the area, the ships never returned to normal. In the Star Union, if a cyborg capable of connecting to the ship's computer with a cable, like PS-111, was on board, they could temporarily take over command.

In other words, the fact that the ships didn't recover despite the flames I breathed suggested that all the cyborgs aboard were dead.

｢There wasn't any event like this in the game, right?｣

[ZZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (I've never heard of a wavelength that kills only cyborgs)]

｢…Whatever caused it, we were lucky.｣

She was right.

What if that wavelength hadn't targeted just the cyborgs but all living beings? Or if it had occurred after we'd lost to the Star Union?

If that were the case, not everyone would have made it out unharmed like we did.

'But it wasn't entirely luck.'

The anomaly that had occurred at the right moment wasn't beneficial solely to us.

There was the fleet led by the remnant forces of Si-Hyun Yujin. They, too, had been engaged in battle with the Star Union fleet.

'The Nianmen Beast mentioned it before.'

The remnant forces of Si-Hyun Yujin had visited a frozen planet in search of a relic. Perhaps the wavelength that wiped out the cyborgs was related to the relic they found.

'It's uncertain, but…'

There's little chance we'll encounter them in the near future. Our ship is headed to a place beyond the control of the megacorps, the Star Union, or the Cult Empire.

'It's also a place where information is easy to obtain. Maybe I'll look into it.'

｢Anyway, now that you're back, I should take a break.｣

[ZZZZ (You've worked hard)]

｢Hardly.｣

Mother of the Sky and I left the hangar together. She seemed to be heading somewhere else to rest, not back to the storage area, and was about to head in the opposite direction.

[ZZZ ZZZ (Wait a moment)]

｢Hm?｣

I called out to her and headed into the storage area.

Inside, Number 26, having enlarged its body, was resting in front of the wall. It had fully extended its usually hidden fin-legs and was wrapping them around something.

'What's it doing?'

Between the fins, I could see Gallagon eggs. Much like a hen brooding her eggs, Number 26 was using its body and fins to protectively cover them.

The green Gallagons were fine, but the blue Gallagons and the eggs required psychic power for survival. That's why Number 26, capable of generating psychic power on its own, was ensuring the eggs wouldn't perish.

'That's another issue to address.'

I carefully entered the storage area, taking care not to wake it. A few green Gallagons were also lying between the frozen containers, sleeping.

Amidst them was the backpack filled with the items and equipment I'd taken from the Dragon's nest.

I extended my long, spider-like combat arm and picked up one of the mineral fragments.

When I emerged from the storage area, she, who had been yawning, promptly closed her mouth. I held the mineral out to her.

[ZZ (Take it)]

｢What's this?｣

[ZZZZ ZZZZZ (It's for your deification)]

She widened her eyes upon seeing the raw mineral in my hand.

The black mineral, speckled with white grains, was known as a "Star Pearl", It was used to craft the tools necessary for enhancing Wolf's deification.

'It's not something we can process right now, though.'

Star Pearls are extremely hard, making them impossible to process with ordinary equipment. But that didn't matter. The place we're headed would have the machinery and technicians needed to refine them.

As she took the beautiful mineral that resembled a pearl plucked from the stars, she gazed at it with a subtle expression.

｢Oh, I had already taken one of these before.｣

[ZZZZ (You took one?)]

｢Yes, when Ham Ort and I returned to the nest. I mentioned that we would be looking around with PS-111. I picked it up then. I stowed it in the backpack, but I guess you didn't see it.｣

Now that I thought about it, it had been quite a while since I'd carried the backpack myself. The last time I rummaged through it was when I was preparing to consume the Blood River.

Since then, Adhai and Mother of the Sky had been taking care of the backpack.

[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (Keep it, just in case)]

｢Sure. It can't hurt to have one more.｣

Having nothing more to say, I started heading back into the storage area, but she called out to me. She scratched her beak with her talon and spoke.

｢Thank you. I'll make good use of it.｣

She left behind a wave of gratitude before walking away.

'Star Pearls have other uses aside from deification.'

The mineral is also used in crafting the Cult's and Wolf's high-end equipment. As long as it can be processed, it would be more than beneficial for her.

After seeing her off, I reentered the storage area.

'Might as well check the backpack.'

Returning to the spot where I had pulled out the Star Pearl, I crouched down and picked up the backpack. As I did so, a diamond-shaped stone, which had been leaning against it, toppled over.

This stone was one of the items I had picked up from Odd Grad's lair. Along with the ring that conceals emotions, it was one of the artifacts influenced by civilization, so I had intentionally brought it along to investigate further.

'I'll check it later—huh?'

As I reached out to set the stone upright, I noticed something had changed. Unknown characters etched into the stone's surface were now emitting a faint glow.

'What's this?'

I touched the glowing characters with my finger, but nothing happened. They simply continued to emit light intermittently, as if this was how they always behaved.

'Hmm.'

I tried tapping it with the monster's tendrils, the auxiliary organs under my jaw, and even my erosion tentacles, but nothing changed. Meanwhile, the light gradually dimmed.

'Could it be?'

Odd Grad's ring came to mind. I picked up the ring lying near the backpack and slipped it onto the small arm on my chest.

Immediately, the stone reacted.

｢Temporary user 'Odd Grad' confirmed. Establishing connection with 'Akira Yujin'.｣

'What?'

A familiar-looking text box appeared before my eyes, and at the same time, the stone floated out of my hand.

From the suspended stone, a strange voice began to flow.

｢It's me. What took you so long? I was about to reach out later since there was no response for such a while.｣

'What's going on?'

｢Tch, since you've answered, I'll ask: What happened with the matter I mentioned earlier?｣

The voice belonged to a man whose age was difficult to discern. The voice itself sounded young, yet his tone and manner of speaking resembled that of an elderly person.

My attention shifted to the message displayed on the text box. There, the identity of the speaker was recorded.

'Akira Yujin.'

Jason had mentioned him before. A man with a Japanese-sounding name, behaving like an old man stuck in a delusional second adolescence, clinging to his "Chunibyou" tendencies even within the megacorps.

'There's only one guy that eccentric.'

Akira Yujin, a player ranked third overall, even more relentless in hunting down the Amorph than Jason. He's a Megacorp ranker I've fought countless times.

'I never thought he'd be connected to the Black Dragon.'

Now it all made sense.

The one who gave Odd Grad the ring was Akira Yujin.

Odd Grad had feared challenges from younger Gallagons or those like Adhai, who were born with the power of a Red Gallagon, due to his ability to read the future. Akira Yujin was the one who provided a solution to this dilemma.

'So, he was the one who made it.'

By giving Odd Grad the ring that concealed emotions, Akira Yujin ensured that the Black Dragon could oppress and rule over the other Gallagons.

And in return for this favor, what did Akira Yujin receive?

'Gallagons.'

Ham Ort once mentioned that Odd Grad regularly killed hatchlings or discarded eggs outside the nest, claiming that it was to reduce the strain on the group by eliminating weaker members.

When I first heard that, I thought he did it just to protect himself, but my assumption was only half correct.

Odd Grad was regularly supplying eggs and young Gallagons to Akira Yujin's faction.

This would explain why the Yujin family members I've fought, including Si-Hyun Yujin and the Shadows, all possessed Gallagon genes. It was all possible because Akira Yujin was receiving a supply of Gallagons from Odd Grad.

｢Why aren't you answering? Have you still not dealt with the Amorph?｣

Judging by his words, it seemed he had already spoken about me before I arrived. Most likely, he had ordered my capture or execution.

'The future-reading Black Dragon truly is a formidable opponent.'

If it weren't for the Unique Traits created by the Transcendence System and my allies, things would have gone just as he planned.

I stared at the stone for a moment before finally speaking. The voice of the Human-Faced Beast I had absorbed, Jason's voice, emerged from my throat.

"Long time no see, Number Three."

｢!｣

Perhaps because he had never anticipated hearing that voice, I heard him gasp on the other side of the stone.

"You didn't see this coming, did you?"

｢…この糞野郎が.(…You bastard.)｣

"Your pet is dead."

Even without seeing his face, I knew how furious he was. Not only had his plan to kill me failed, but he had also lost his route to acquire Gallagons.

In a detached tone, I declared his fate.

"The day we meet isn't far off."

｢Tch!｣

With a sharp click of his tongue, the light in the stone extinguished. A moment later, a crack spread across its surface, and it shattered in two.

Seeing this, I knew he understood exactly what I meant.

'It won't be right away, but it'll be when I reach maturity.'

I planned to meet the final conditions needed to mature at the places where this ship was headed—places prowled by the lawless of the universe.

Once I become fully mature, I'll no longer need to speak to him through this stone. I'll be meeting him face to face.

By then, he will only have two choices left.

To die fighting me.

Or to die running from me.

Thoughts of what to do next swirled endlessly in my mind.

But regardless of my inner deliberations, the iron cradle carrying all the monsters continued steadily toward its destination.

-

In a lavish office, Akira Yujin glared icily at the mahogany table in front of him. There lay a diamond-shaped stone etched with strange symbols.

"...."

He had immediately destroyed the stone he'd loaned to Odd Grad, but that didn't make things any better.

The conversation hadn't been long, but if that damned Amorph was involved, it would have extracted a wealth of information even from that brief exchange. It always did so in the game.

Knowing this, Akira's insides burned like a raging volcano.

'くそ!(Damn!) くそ!(Damn!) くそ!(Damn!)'

And then there was the Amorph's parting taunt. It had dared to declare that it would kill him.

Akira Yujin, the CEO of one of the most powerful factions in the universe, The Megacorp, and the ruler of Earth. If anyone else had said such a thing, he would have torn them limb from limb with a smile.

Even Joubacca, the Star Union's ranker, and Chloe Garmelda, the Megacorp ranker, would never dare speak to him that way. They knew he'd hunt them down and rip their mouths apart if they did.

But at this moment, he could do nothing to the Amorph. He wanted to hurl curses, but he couldn't—there was a chance that doing so might divulge more information to it.

As this realization sank in, Akira reached his breaking point.

"Grrraaaaah!"

His scream, half a wail and half a roar, filled the room as his arm twisted and mutated grotesquely. The monstrous limb lashed out, splintering the mahogany table into four pieces. Several other luxury items met the same fate under his frenzied assault.

"Odd Grad! Jaaaasoooon! You idiots! How dare you! Do you even know who I am! Aaaaargh!"

Inside the soundproofed office, Akira's frenzied rampage continued for some time.

—

｢Have you received the 'cargo' I sent, Chloe?｣

"Yes, of course. Thanks to Cynthia, I think the research is going to make significant progress."

｢Please don't forget to ensure my safety.｣

"Don't worry. That place is out of the old man's reach."

｢I suppose, seeing it for myself, I can believe that.｣

"I've already smoothed things over on that side, so there shouldn't be any issues. Let's talk again soon."

｢Understood, Chloe.｣

As the light on the diamond-shaped stone connected to the communicator dimmed, Chloe Garmelda, who had just ended her call with Cynthia, floated out of the room in her levitating chair.

"Cynthia's hidden safely, and that old bastard's got a taste of real trouble. I've lost contact with Joubacca, but he's always busy, so I'm sure he'll manage."

Chloe felt satisfied for the first time in a while, as things were finally going smoothly.

Previously, Akira Yujin, Cynthia, Joubacca, and Chloe herself had planned a hunt for the Amorph. Cynthia provided the location to the Cult ranker Jason, while Akira Yujin sent the Black Gallagon to kill the target.

After the meeting ended, Chloe had a private conversation with Cynthia. She'd made one specific request.

In the unlikely event that Jason succeeded or failed in the Amorph hunt, she wanted to be the first to know.

Currently, Chloe was independently conducting research into genetically synthesized organisms, or "Hulk Mutants", alongside Joubacca from the Star Union. And what she needed most for that were the genes of rankers.

If the Amorph were killed, Akira Yujin would undoubtedly demand the corpse. Unlike the surprisingly unsophisticated Jason, who'd be satisfied with obtaining a special trait, he would easily hand the body over to Akira.

That couldn't be allowed. So Chloe had asked Cynthia, who was in personal contact with Jason, for a favor.

The outcome of the battle was Jason's defeat. He returned to Cynthia with only his decapitated body.

Immediately, Cynthia informed Chloe of Jason's death, and it was then that Chloe made a deal with her.

She assured Cynthia that she would guarantee her safety, as long as she didn't inform Akira that Jason was dead.

If Akira Yujin learned of Jason's defeat, he would undoubtedly concoct another scheme to capture the Amorph. Not only that, but he would also try to claim Jason's corpse.

So, she delayed informing him about Jason's death by just a little.

'I didn't expect things to work out so perfectly.'

Under normal circumstances, Akira Yujin would have caught on. With the Black Gallagon stationed on the same planet, he could've easily verified Jason's defeat.

But this time, fate was on her side.

Akira Yujin had been preoccupied with negotiations to end the civil war and was too busy to grasp the full situation.

Thanks to that, Chloe accomplished her goal without much difficulty.

'Jason left so much behind, even in death. His body and all those samples.'

Her levitating chair halted in front of the laboratory door. From the terminal beside the door, a faint light scanned her entire body.

｢Welcome, Chloe Garmelda.｣

The familiar voice greeted her as the heavy metal door opened.

A pristine, monochromatic space lay beyond, as if the entire room had been bleached. The floor, walls, and ceiling were all a stark white.

The only splashes of color came from the researchers bustling about and the dozens of incubation chambers.

One of the researchers, noticing Chloe, bowed to her.

"Madam, the progress on the clone cultivation has reached 23%. It's far more stable compared to the previous specimen."

"That's good news. Once it reaches over 50%, initiate the gene fusion."

"Understood. But Madam, Chief Researcher Li Zhao has been wondering where you managed to obtain such materials."

As the researcher moved closer to her chair, Chloe placed a finger over her lips, gesturing that it was a secret.

"Tell him it's classified family information."

"Haha, of course. Ah, since we have a new specimen, perhaps you'd like to name it again?"

At this, Chloe tapped the armrest of her chair with her finger. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke.

"Let's go with JS this time."

"JS? Last time it was PS—does it have any special meaning?"

Instead of answering, Chloe responded with a faint smile. Seeing that she wasn't going to explain, the researcher shrugged and refrained from asking further.

'I wonder just how useful Jason will prove to be.'

With that thought, she gazed at the Cult clone within the incubation chamber.

Her eyes, beautiful as a young girl's, shimmered with a tranquil madness.

——————

The space was filled with cocoons.

She was used to seeing the Big One go into a cocoon to grow stronger; it wasn't the first time.

Extending one of her tendrils, she touched the cocoon.

The warmth on the surface, the rough, wave-like pulses—all familiar sensations. The chaotic blend of senses and elements were ones she'd experienced before.

She perceived the world around her through a mystical 'force', sensing movements and objects with her entire being. Unlike other animals, she didn't divide her senses into smelling, seeing, or hearing.

Yet, this didn't mean her perception was any less keen. When she focused, she could sense an area far beyond the giant stone that emitted a foul, unpleasant smell.

But what she felt now was different.

For the first time, she was sensing the thoughts of an entirely different creature—the one within the cocoon connected to her tendril, the Big One's thoughts.

She hadn't always had this ability.

It was only recently that she gained the power to read other creatures' thoughts and relay them, using the innate 'force' she'd been born with.

Her friend knew how to extract thoughts from the 'bad friends' and make them its own. When the Big One saw this, it rejoiced.

If she didn't know something, it was always best to learn from her friend. If her friend could do it, she believed she could too.

With this simple reasoning, she learned how her friend manipulated its powers. Though she wasn't as skilled yet, she believed she would improve as she grew.

Indeed, her abilities had greatly improved after helping the Little One and the Little One's mother share their thoughts. Now, she could sense the Big One's thoughts much more clearly.

The Big One inside the cocoon was walking through a place.

It was vast, similar to her homeland, but with a very strange scent. The stinging, unpleasant odor reminded her of when she was imprisoned long ago.

Though it made her uneasy, she endured it. The Big One must have been frightened being alone in such a strange place. She wanted to stay by its side to comfort it.

Fortunately, the Big One seemed to sense her intentions, gradually calming down. When it reached a dead end, it raised its long appendage and pressed it against the wall.

As the wall shifted away, revealing a space she had never seen before…

｢Little One?｣

The familiar mental wave startled her awake.

She quickly pulled her tendril away from the cocoon, her consciousness returning to the unpleasant-smelling stone's belly.

｢What are you doing?｣

｢Nothing.｣

｢?｣

The Little One tilted its protruding sensory organs in confusion at her strange answer. She hadn't done anything wrong, but she felt reluctant to speak about it, so she mumbled evasively.

Luckily, the Little One wasn't interested in her odd behavior. Instead, it was curious about something else.

｢Will the Big One change again?｣

｢Yes. It'll grow stronger.｣

In response, the Little One shook its sensory organs rapidly.

｢If it gets any bigger, it'll be a problem.｣

｢Why? It's good to be big and strong.｣

｢If it grows bigger, laying eggs will be difficult.｣

Suddenly, she felt incredibly displeased.

｢The Little One is not ready to lay eggs yet.｣

｢Why? You promised me that I could lay eggs once I became white and completed my growth.｣

｢You're still not an adult!｣

｢The Big One already acknowledged me as an adult.｣

The Little One's logical argument left her speechless.

｢Once the Big One's growth is complete, I will ask it to lay eggs with me.｣

｢The Little One and the Big One are both still children! Children can't make babies!｣

｢I'm not certain yet. I need to confirm it.｣

The Little One seemed determined this time, showing no sign of backing down.

As it had pointed out, she had no justification to stop their mating. She had promised not to interfere once it reached maturity.

Moreover, the Little One had protected its family, fulfilling the duties of a leader. Though small in size, it was already a full-fledged adult.

Yet, she didn't want to acknowledge this.

The thought of the Big One and the Little One mating filled her with intense displeasure—so much so that she felt she could destroy this foul-smelling stone entirely.

｢The Big One is busy. It won't have time to make babies.｣

｢Reproduction is important. The species must prosper. Eggs are necessary.｣

｢....｣

As she matured, she seemed to have become smarter. Each time Adhai spoke, the Little One immediately retorted. She tried to find something that could silence that impudent child, but nothing came to mind.

In the end, she turned to the Middle One.

｢Middle One, the Big One can't have children right now, can he?｣

｢Huh? Uh, well…｣

｢Friend｣ ｢I said｣ ｢I don't know｣ ｢Friend｣ ｢Talking｣ ｢Won't help｣

｢…It's not wrong, but something about it feels unpleasant.｣

She thought the Middle One would take her side.

However, the Middle One's response was different from what she expected.

｢I think it's possible, though….｣

｢I｣ ｢Heard｣ ｢Friend｣ ｢Said｣ ｢That｣

｢Really? The Big One can actually have children?｣

｢Listen until the end. The Big One can't, uh, lay eggs right now.｣

｢See? I was right, the Big One can't have children.｣

｢Incorrect｣ ｢Friend｣ ｢Said｣ ｢'Right now'｣ ｢Later｣ ｢Egg｣ ｢Production｣ ｢Possible｣

｢…You two are quite sharp. Or should I say you've grown?｣

The Middle One scratched its protruding sensory organ with one of its appendages. Considering their time together, the Middle One seemed to feel troubled by the questions from both her and the Little One.

｢What do you mean?｣

｢Well, it's a bit complicated to explain, but I guess you could say the Big One isn't fully mature yet, so it can't lay eggs.｣

｢I don't understand.｣

｢For details, ask the Big One directly.｣

｢Agreed｣ ｢Will check｣ ｢Directly｣

In the end, even the Middle One couldn't stop the Little One. There was no way left to restrain the Little One.

Now, the only option left was to stop it by force.

However, punishing it without a good reason didn't seem right. If the Little One was a bad child, it might be a different story, but it wasn't fair to hit it without cause.

As she thought about this, a memory surfaced in her mind.

She remembered how, when she connected the Little One's thoughts with its mother's, she saw how the Little One's mother mated.

｢Wait.｣

｢Still｣ ｢Have more｣ ｢To say?｣

｢Yes. If you want to mate with the Big One, you'll have to compete with me.｣

｢?｣

Both the Little One and the Middle One tilted their protruding sensory organs in confusion at her words.

｢Why｣ ｢Compete｣ ｢With me｣ ｢Little One｣?

｢Because I will also mate with the Big One.｣

The Little One's family had a different mating process than her own. Although both had a single head of the family and multiple partners, there was a specific order for mating in the Little One's family. The strongest or the longest-standing partner mated first.

Upon hearing her declaration, the Little One fell silent. It understood what she meant.

｢Little One｣ ｢You like｣ ｢The Big One?｣

｢Yes.｣

｢I｣ ｢Said I'd mate first｣ ｢Little One｣ ｢Next｣

｢No, I'm stronger than you, and I've been with the Big One longer.｣

｢Incorrect｣ ｢I've grown｣

She felt a familiar force emanating from the Little One.

It was a power similar to, yet different from, the one she possessed. The Little One used that power when catching prey or disciplining bad children.

The Little One intended to fight her.

She was about to unleash her power, but the Middle One stepped in between them.

｢Wait! It's not my place to say this, but if you're going to fight, do it outside! If you do it here, the Big One won't like it.｣

｢Agreed｣

Hearing those words, she withdrew her power immediately. The Little One did the same.

Together, they headed outside, leaving the smelly stone cave.

-

Adhai was more tense than ever.

She never imagined she'd be in a mating competition with a member of her own species. She had the most alluring tail, but her body was small.

She believed that only the Big One could truly cherish someone like her.

After all, finding a male as robust and wild-horned as the Big One was nearly impossible. Even though his tail was rather thick for a male, she could easily overlook that flaw.

Because she was an adult, after all.

Her kin knew her feelings, and so no one dared to vie for the Big One's attention.

Adhai never thought she would compete with anyone else for the Big One.

Least of all, against the Little One.

She glared at the figure standing in the distance on the white snow.

It appeared to be a small, fragile creature, unlike anything else found on this planet. But Adhai knew better.

The small creature she called the Little One possessed incredible strength. It was as powerful as her own mother.

Although facing such a formidable opponent alone was daunting, Adhai was confident.

Gifted with the power of the stars, she had grown immensely stronger than before. In her assessment, the only ones clearly stronger than her were the Big One and Odd Grad the Liar. All others were opponents she could handle.

As her thoughts reached that point, she began to feel her excitement rising. The blood of a fierce predator that lay dormant within her began to awaken.

She knew that strong males often mated with multiple females. It was only a matter of time before the Big One would do the same.

But she couldn't give up her place as the Big One's first mate. She respected the Little One but not enough to relinquish the position of being the Big One's first partner.

｢This isn't a hunt. We'll hold back our strength.｣

｢Got it.｣

｢Understood｣

Responding to the Middle One's words, Adhai began to draw on the power of the stars. In that moment, the Little One launched the first attack.

A long tentacle emerged from the Little One's body and struck her head. It was a familiar action, something the Little One did when disciplining her, but the force was on a whole other level.

If Adhai hadn't enveloped her head with the power of the stars, she would have lost consciousness from that blow.

Having blocked the initial strike, Adhai retaliated. Compressed energy shot from her mouth, aimed at the Little One.

However, the Little One casually waved a tentacle, nullifying Adhai's attack.

But this was within Adhai's expectations. The moment she fired her attack, she leaped forward, just as the Big One would.

In an instant, she closed the distance between them. She intended to ram into her opponent, but the Little One blocked her.

An invisible force bound her tightly, constricting her movements. But her wings, infused with the power of the stars, were still free.

Adhai did as the Big One would—she swung her wings as a weapon with all her might. The Little One, seemingly unprepared for this, hurriedly raised its tentacles to block the attack.

The sharp membrane of her wings sliced through the Little One's tentacle. It was the first time she had managed to wound the Little One, having never even dared to resist before.

A mix of exhilaration and guilt surged through her, but that was her mistake.

Without flinching, the Little One swung another tentacle. Adhai quickly enveloped her head with star power to block the attack.

The moment the tentacle struck, the air trembled, and her neck bones screamed in agony. The force was so intense that it overwhelmed the star power shielding her.

Still, she was fine. Her head remained unscathed.

As she thought this, the Little One's wavelength touched her tentacle.

｢You've grown a lot, Little One. I won't hold back anymore.｣

｢?｣

Before Adhai could comprehend the meaning, she felt herself being lifted high into the sky against her will. The Little One had taken control of the force that bound her.

And then she saw it.

All the ice around the Little One cracked and began to rise into the air.

｢Hey, hey! I told you to take it easy!｣

｢I said the Little One is grown up now, so this much is fine.｣

｢The ship will get caught up in this!｣

By then, the Little One had grown several times larger than Adhai. Countless tentacles sprouted from its body, and a powerful force radiated from it, akin to the strength felt from the Big One.

What happened next was hazy.

An overwhelming number of ice chunks flew toward Adhai, and she was too occupied with fending them off. Her latent star power was far from insignificant, but she wasn't capable of blocking an endless barrage of attacks without pause.

Eventually, drained of energy, Adhai was struck by one of the Little One's tentacles and collapsed.

｢I won, so that's the end of the baby talk! No more asking the Big One for eggs!｣

That was the last thing she heard before losing consciousness. All she could do was nod in agreement.

But deep inside, Adhai made up her mind.

She was born with unfavorable odds, yet she had become the queen of her kin.

The word "give up" wasn't in her vocabulary.

With a firm resolve to one day mate with the Big One, she passed out.

——————

Before humanity ventured into space, other intelligent beings had already done so.

These beings were frail in body but were blessed by the gods with extraordinary powers.

Guided by the "Providence" set by their gods, they ventured into space and called themselves the "Cult".

At first, they could barely travel between moons. The gods' blessings hadn't extended to aiding their journey into space.

But the Cult did not give up. Instead of relying solely on their innate psychic power, they devoted themselves to technological development.

Their lunar voyages eventually led to the exploration of planets and colonization within their star system. From a small planet, these intelligent beings eventually built an empire spanning multiple star systems.

In the grand scheme of the universe, however, this was but a fleeting moment. Countless civilizations had risen and fallen before them, and theirs would be no different.

The Cult Empire's prosperity was short-lived. Internal strife, corruption among the rulers, and ceaseless wars rapidly shortened the empire's lifespan. As a result, their former glory is now but a shadow of what it once was.

The Kesha Arma space fortress is one of the many remnants left behind by that once-luminous empire.

If translated into Megacorp terms, "Kesha Arma" means the "Wealthy King." This space fortress was established to protect a mining planet.

In the days of the empire's prosperity, mining ships from various races would frequently use this fortress. True to its name, this place was a center of the empire's wealth.

Had the mining planet's resources not been depleted, it might still be that way today.

Once the resources of the planet that justified the fortress's existence were exhausted, Kesha Arma's importance plummeted. In an era when the empire was in decline, it had no means to maintain a fortress that yielded no profit. What was once a key strategic point just a hundred years ago had now become a complete burden.

When the costs of maintaining the fortress far exceeded the benefits, the empire made a simple decision.

To abandon the space fortress that marked the end of their golden age.

With the withdrawal of the Cult's warships stationed there, the space fortress was left unclaimed. Technically, it still belonged to the Cult Empire, but in reality, it had no administrators or military presence.

Those who remained were the ones who made a living by catering to miners or those looking for an empty shelter. It was inevitable that an ownerless city would devolve into a slum.

Kesha Arma became another abyss within the cosmos.

The ones who took control of this fallen "King of Wealth" were the Marcio Cartel.

They're one of the top five most powerful cartels in the entire spacedock.

Typically, spacedock cartels avoid settling on planets or space cities. They have many enemies, and they never know when a punitive force might show up. Instead, they prefer to invest in heavily armed ships where their members can live.

However, the leaders of the Marcio Cartel have always taken a different approach.

They earned credits by "brokering" the crimes of other pirates. They set up black markets for cartels that mainly engaged in smuggling or connected those involved in human trafficking with the upper echelons of Megacorp, and so on.

Just as Kesha Arma once profited by acting as an intermediary between the mining planet and the mining ships, the Marcio Cartel profited by acting as a middleman for pirates and criminals.

Ironically, this business model was what allowed Kesha Arma and the Marcio Cartel to survive. Even Megacorp and the Star Union, who loathed spacedock, were their clients.

A lawless zone sanctioned by the universe's major powers—that was the Kesha Arma of today.

And today, as always, crime was rampant within the pirates' fortress.

"Shit! Go for the head! The head, dammit!"

"You're the only one I trust! I bet all my credits on you!"

"Argh! You bitch! Why are you cutting off his arm?!"

What was once known as the 5th Armory...

A place that had once been filled with all kinds of weapons was now packed with a frenzied crowd.

Humans, Cyborgs, Wolves, and Coldbloods—beings from different cultures and backgrounds—all shouted at a single sight.

Within the iron cage, two naked men were fighting.

Though their appearances, skin colors, and the weapons in their hands differed, they shared two things in common. Both wore heavy restraints around their necks, and both were covered in blood from head to toe.

This was a gladiator arena run by pirates, one of the many commonplace abysses in the city.

"Yeah! Just a bit more! You bastard, you can do it!"

"Huh?! What's wrong with that guy?! Argh! Damn it!"

"Woooo! He won! He won!"

"Aaaah! My credits! Nooooo!"

The brutal fight ended when the man wielding an axe beheaded the one armed with a spear.

The emotions of life and death weren't confined to the cage. The crowd around the arena was equally caught up in feelings of exhilaration and despair.

Gidque, a cyborg who had recently joined the Marcio Cartel, was among those cheering.

"Ha-ha, how much is this?"

He rarely bet against the odds, and now, he hit the jackpot.

Gidque plugged his terminal into the accounting machine set up in the arena. Seeing two extra zeros instantly added to his credits, he couldn't help but smirk.

"Wow, underdog bet, hell yeah."

"…Lucky bastard, I'm so damn jealous."

The looks directed at him were far from friendly, but no one dared to approach recklessly. Everyone knew he was a member of the Marcio Cartel.

Enjoying the mix of envy and resentment aimed his way, he left the arena.

The cyborg, whose body was half-machine, was greeted by an intensely blinding light.

It was an artificial symphony of neon signs from the entertainment shops. Red, blue, yellow, green—all sorts of lights filled the street, making it nearly impossible to discern what anyone passing by was wearing.

It wasn't just the advertisements that were a chaotic jumble. The buildings were as well. Some, like the arena that was once an armory, bore deep influences of cult architecture, while others were crudely built structures thrown together by outsiders.

In front of the dilapidated shops that seemed on the verge of collapse at any moment, pirates, vagrants, slaves, mercenaries, and all manner of characters loitered around.

In this slum-like place where nothing felt unified, if one wished to feel a fragment of the past, they only needed to look up.

Above their heads, "another ground" gazed down upon them.

Kesha Arma, a space fortress orbiting a planet, moved in sync with the celestial body. Through its transparent outer walls, the abandoned planet looked down upon the residents of the fortress. No matter where you were in Kesha Arma, you could always catch a glimpse of that desolate planet's landscape.

Despite being in the presence of the pinnacle of Cult civilization, Gidque felt nothing. He had seen it for too long, and besides, the credits displayed on his terminal mattered more to him.

"Guess I'll grab a drink."

He had enjoyed his entertainment, and now it was time to fuel up. He headed to a bar he frequented.

As he entered, others, who were similarly passing time while drinking synthetic alcohol, greeted him.

"A round of synth-booze for this table."

Gidque casually joined them at their table, prompting some of the pirates to give him surprised looks.

"Oh, what's up, tin can?"

"That bastard must've won some money. You usually lose, but did you hit a jackpot bet?"

"…Damn it, I was about to say that."

With a few rounds passed between them, the pirates, including Gidque, were quickly getting drunk.

"Tin can, gotta ask you something. They say in the Star Union, even jerking off by yourself isn't allowed—is that true?"

"Yeah. Because of the population control or reproduction policies, it's illegal. They conduct annual memory inspections, and if you're caught…"

Gidque spread his index and middle fingers into a scissor shape, causing the other pirates to recoil in horror.

"Damn, that's the scariest story I've heard yet."

"You can't have sex freely, and you can't even jerk off. The fact you lived in such a place for decades is terrifying, man. Fuck."

"Speaking of scary stuff, you guys hear the latest rumors? About the Satuah Cartel?"

"The Satuah? Those psychos? What about them?"

"A friend of mine knows some of the Satuah guys, and he said he lost contact with them completely two months ago."

"Ugh, shit. I'm more shocked that you know those Satuah bastards. Get the hell away from me."

The other pirates jeered at the fox-like Wolf pirate who claimed to know the Satuah Cartel. Then, a scarred human pirate chimed in.

"I heard something similar."

"What?"

"The Satuah Cartel's slave market vanished without a trace. I heard it wiped out their entire operation."

Gidque was taken aback by the human pirate's words.

The Satuah Cartel had a notorious reputation. Their primary trade involved capturing primitives from uncharted planets and selling them into slavery. They were big enough to set up massive slave markets on unclaimed planets, right alongside the Marcio Cartel. And the scale of their operations was said to be nearly as large as this space fortress.

"I don't care what happened to those Satuah bastards, but things have been getting really weird lately."

"Yeah, with the fall of the TNC space city, we've lost a major hangout."

"Idiot, that place went down ages ago. Get over it."

"I hear Outspacers have been getting rowdy again lately."

"Thanks to them, I've been raking in cash, though. There are tons of people hiring mercenaries now."

"You're talking shit because you've never fought an Outspacer, huh?"

"Are Outspacers tasty?"

"Bet your mom tastes better."

"Pfft. Is the whole universe really going to shit?"

The scarred pirate's low mutter shifted the mood at the table.

As pirates who sailed across dozens, even hundreds of star systems daily, they were often the first to notice changes in the universe.

And the scarred pirate was right. The universe was growing more chaotic than it had ever been before.

Gidque frowned at the mood-killing atmosphere. On a day as lucky as today, the last thing he wanted to hear was such ominous talk.

However, his comrades seemed quite entertained by the sudden ghost stories, eagerly starting to share tales they knew.

"Do you guys know why the Dvara Cartel fell apart? Turns out, they got caught by a ghost ship…"

"Nah, I heard from the Humanity guys that…"

Rumors about a black ghost ship that devoured spacecraft, secret stories about the downfall of space cities, and tales of demons that wore human skin and imitated people—it all seemed absurd.

The more Gidque listened to the pirates, the more he was dumbfounded.

It seemed they had forgotten where they were. This was a fortress built in the heart of space—a shrine to technology and science, and yet here they were spouting superstitions.

And mysterious monsters? Half the pirates visiting this fortress were in the business of capturing and selling those so-called "mysterious monsters".

Gidque couldn't understand what part of their stories was supposed to be enjoyable.

"I'm heading out."

He paid his tab to the android and left the bar.

"Monsters, my ass."

In this era of space exploration, monsters weren't mysterious creatures or ghost ships that swallowed starships.

As someone who had once been human, then a Star Union cyborg, and now a pirate, he knew what true monsters were.

"…Might as well get some sleep."

In a few hours, he'd have to go back to work.

And so, the lone cyborg disappeared into the crowd on the street.

---

While Gidque was wasting his life away at the bar, new visitors were arriving at the fortress's military port.

True to a city dominated by a chaotic spacedock, the visitors were equally varied.

Pirate assault ships bearing cartel emblems, sleek and efficient Megacorp warships, rugged Star Union freighters, and various other civilian vessels—an array of ships easily entered and exited the city. There was no need for intense inspections since everyone's purpose in visiting the pirate fortress was obvious. After all, it was laughable for a bunch of criminals to prevent others from committing crimes.

Hundreds of ships came and went from the military port. Among them, one stood out.

"Hey, that ship looks like it belongs to those Satuah bastards."

"Weren't they laying low? What are they doing here?"

The assault ship from the Satuah Cartel was notorious for its long, narrow hull and wide rear. It was an unusual design, modified from a decommissioned Megacorp vessel, making it a rare sight.

The anchor-shaped Satuah assault ship had just docked at the port. A few pirates disembarked and started talking to the port's guards.

Pirates watching from a distance scratched their heads in confusion.

"What the hell? There's a Wolf with the Satuah pirates?"

The Satuah Cartel was known for its all-human membership. They considered other sentient beings as potential kidnapping targets, making them outcasts even among the various races inhabiting the space docks.

Yet here was a white-feathered, amber-eyed Wolf standing among the crew. And not just standing—he appeared to be giving orders to the Satuah members.

This went against everything the pirates thought they knew.

The guards also seemed to find the assault ship suspicious. What should have been a cursory check turned into a full-on search of the ship's interior.

Watching the guards follow the Wolf into the assault ship, the pirates assumed this fake Satuah vessel would soon be expelled from the fortress.

But the results of the search were entirely unexpected.

The guards emerged from the ship and took no action against the crew. In fact, it looked as if they had accepted bribes; they treated the Wolf with the same respect they would show to a cartel boss.

The guards even went as far as to help the Satuah crew. It wasn't until two containers were unloaded from the ship onto the dock that the guards returned to their duties.

"…What the hell is going on?"

"What's on that ship that's making them act like that?"

The pirates had never seen the guards behave this way. Their gazes locked onto the assault ship.

Most were simply curious, but a few had something else in mind.

They were already thinking about finding out exactly what was on that ship.

And if it turned out to be something valuable, they were prepared to take it for themselves.

——————

After the Wolf who had been commanding the Satuah members left the port, five pirates approached the ship. Although they pretended to be looking elsewhere, their eyes kept glancing at the vessel.

"Am I right or what?"

"…It's definitely strange that there's not a single guard watching the ship."

While the ruling Marcio Cartel would never tolerate chaos within its territory, they didn't crack down on every minor crime. The guards at the port conducted only the most basic checks, not caring about each ship's security.

In other words, every ship had to take care of its own defenses. Looking around, pirates or mercenaries could be seen guarding their ships.

But there was no such thing around the Satuah Cartel's assault ship. There was no movement outside or inside the vessel.

It was as if the ship was completely deserted.

"Looks like we could go in."

The wide-open door beckoned the pirates, urging them to come in without worry.

After ensuring no one was watching, the five pirates climbed the steps leading to the entrance of the ship.

"Heh, this is going smoothly."

"We could just take this ship and leave, don't you think?"

"Don't get carried away, you idiot. How the hell would you even pilot such a huge piece of crap…"

As they exchanged banter, the pirates went silent the moment they stepped inside.

Only minimal lighting illuminated the corridor. As expected, there was no one inside, but none of the five expressed any joy.

There was something unnervingly unsettling about the dim-lit hallway.

"…Goddamn, this place is creepy."

"Are they nuts? They came here in this thing?"

If it had just been dark, none of them would have been afraid. They were, after all, space dock regulars who roamed the infinite darkness.

But this ship was different. There was an inexplicable sense of dread lurking within.

"Let's check things out quickly and get out."

The pirate with dyed green hair suggested, and the others nodded without a word.

They all felt the ominous air but couldn't bring themselves to leave empty-handed. They started moving down the shadowy corridor.

The temperature inside wasn't particularly low. The life-support systems were still running. Yet, the pirates felt an inexplicable chill, as if cold air seeped into their very bones with every breath.

The smell was another strange factor. It wasn't the unwashed stench of pirates or the odor of smuggled animals. There was an odd, unsettling scent pervading the entire ship.

It was the kind of smell that should have hit them the moment they set foot on the metal steps. Yet, none of them had covered their noses before crossing the doorway.

It felt as though the ship had been waiting for them to board. They didn't speak of it, but all shared the same thought.

Despite their instinctive fear, nothing actively threatened them. As they moved forward unhindered, they finally came upon a large iron door.

"This should be the cargo hold, right?"

"…Let's see what's in there."

A pirate with a cybernetic eye pulled out a terminal. Connecting it to the door's cables, he quickly hacked through the lock.

The heavy iron door creaked open, revealing a pitch-black cargo hold.

"Turn on the lights."

"Not sure we can do that without messing with the ship's computer."

"Damn it, really?"

Cursing, the pirates drew their laser pistols, each equipped with a small flashlight on the end.

"Damn, it's dark in here."

"Maybe it's the paint? That's probably where that smell is coming from."

"Quiet, both of you. Let's split up and search."

"Agreed."

If the flickering hallway lights had been unsettling, this room was much darker and far more disturbing. Staying here any longer would surely drive them mad. They spread out to search for valuables as quickly as possible.

'…It felt fine when I first came in.'

The green-haired pirate, relying on the light from his gun, regretted his decision as he moved between the iron cages.

It wasn't as if they were raiding a rich ship, and this vessel mainly dealt in slaves. Why had he thought it was worth checking out?

In hindsight, it was suspicious that the Satuah bastards didn't leave any guards behind. Those guys had visited this place more than once.

"Come on, there's got to be something… huh?!"

He gasped. His light had fallen on something inside one of the iron cages.

"A statue?"

At first, he thought it was a person and was startled, but upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't.

Inside the cell was a statue, a human figure sculpted from a translucent, crystalline mineral.

"Damn, thought it was a person."

The green-haired pirate stepped into the cell and touched the statue. It felt cold and solid, just like any inorganic mineral.

'It's incredibly well-made.'

The craftsmanship was so exquisite that the statue almost seemed alive. Especially the expression—it had its eyes and mouth wide open, as if it had witnessed something terrifying, making it look full of life.

It was as if a living person had been instantly turned into a statue.

'This could be worth a fortune.'

"Hey! Come over here, you guys!"

He wasn't the only one who had caught the scent of credits. He stepped out of the cell and ran to where his comrades were.

And thus, he failed to notice that the eyes of the statue were now fixed on his back.

-

"We could make a tidy profit even if we just take a few of these."

"Don't be greedy. If we take too many, they might notice. Let's just grab three for now."

Inside the scattered iron cages were statues that resembled humans. There had to be at least a hundred of them.

Their efforts in wandering through this creepy place had finally paid off. The five pirates stood in front of the statues, clearly satisfied.

The idiots who couldn't even maintain basic security wouldn't notice if a few statues disappeared. Confident in this, the pirates began moving the statues.

"We lift on three. One, two, three!"

"Ugh, damn, this is heavy."

"Come on, lift it properly... whoa, whoa!"

The statues were extremely heavy. Even with four adult men, moving them was a struggle. In the end, one pirate slipped, and the statue toppled over onto the floor.

"You stupid bastard!"

"Sorry."

"Shut up, all of you! If it gets damaged, the value will drop!"

The pirate with the cybernetic eye checked the fallen statue for any damage. Fortunately, there were no cracks. As he sighed in relief and looked at the statue, he suddenly had a strange feeling.

The human statue appeared as if it would scream at any moment, its expression dynamic and full of life. And that face—it seemed oddly familiar.

"…Does anyone here have contact with the Poncha crew?"

"Poncha? Weren't they wiped out by that cult?"

As the green-haired pirate mentioned, it had been about a month since all contact with the Poncha Cartel had been lost. The pirate with the cybernetic eye knew that, too.

But he asked because the fallen statue's appearance bore a striking resemblance to someone from the Poncha Cartel.

'It's definitely that guy from Poncha.'

Here, on a ship that had lost contact two months ago, they found a statue identical to a member of the Poncha Cartel who had supposedly been wiped out just a month ago. What could that mean?

'…What the hell is going on?'

Something had gone terribly wrong. His instincts screamed that they needed to leave immediately.

At that moment, the green-haired pirate called out to him.

"…Hey."

"What?"

"These statues… were they always looking this way?"

"Huh?"

All the pirates looked up at once.

The light from four flashlights illuminated the iron cages scattered throughout the cargo hold. The statues stood just as they had earlier, frozen in place.

Except for one difference—their eyes.

Every single statue was now staring directly at them.

"Holy shit!"

"Don't shoot, you idiot!"

"W-We need to get out of here now! This place is dangerous!"

"Wait! If we leave like this, we're not taking anything!"

"Damn it! Grab it quick… hey, where's the other guy?"

Come to think of it, there were five when they entered, but now there were only four.

"H-Huh? When did he disappear?"

"Who cares about that right now?"

"Screw the credits, let's just run for it!"

"He'll make it out on his own!"

Instead of searching for their missing comrade, they sprinted toward the door that led out of the cargo hold.

The cargo hold wasn't particularly large. It shouldn't have been difficult to escape outside.

It didn't take long for him to realize that assumption was wrong.

'It just keeps going?!'

He had been running long enough to be out of breath, yet there was still no door in sight. The pirate with the cybernetic eye switched his lens to night vision mode, but still, no door appeared.

'The others? Where did they all go?'

His comrades, who had been running alongside him just moments ago, had vanished. Panicking, he looked around. Instead of his companions, he found himself surrounded by the statues, all staring at him with an eerie, unyielding gaze.

His skin crawled under those chilling eyes. He tightened his grip around his handgun, though he wasn't sure how much it would help. But without it, he felt like he might just die from sheer terror.

"…Gulp."

Swallowing hard, he began to cautiously walk between the iron cages. With each step he took, the eyes beyond the bars followed him.

He had spent his life bathed in the hatred of those he had pillaged. But the eyes staring at him now filled him with a fear he had never felt before.

As he trembled and walked forward, a figure suddenly emerged before him. It was the green-haired pirate who had disappeared earlier during their attempted escape.

He nearly shot his comrade in his panic and yelled in frustration.

"Damn it, I almost shot you!"

"..."

The green-haired pirate stumbled toward him without a word.

As he got closer, the pirate with the cybernetic eye felt his blood freeze.

"...!...!...!"

The translucent crystal material he'd seen on the statues was now spreading over the green-haired pirate's neck and mouth.

It wasn't that the pirate wasn't responding on purpose; he simply couldn't speak anymore.

The green-haired pirate grabbed the other's collar, his eyes desperately pleading for help as his body continued to harden.

"Aaaaah!"

The pirate with the cybernetic eye shoved his comrade away and stepped back. Now he understood what these statues were made of.

This ship was cursed. He didn't know what kind of ritual the Sattua crew had performed, but it was clear this vessel had returned from a place darker than hell itself.

As he came to that realization, the eyes of all the statues surrounding him shifted upward. Even the fallen comrade's gaze turned to look above his head.

The pirate with the cybernetic eye sensed something hovering above him.

He was too terrified to look up, but his curiosity refused to obey his fear.

Slowly, he raised his head.

There, 'something from hell' was staring down at him.

-

｢You have a twisted hobby.｣

Mother of the Sky sighed as she observed the five newly added pirate figurines.

'Do I?'

I hadn't really done much to those who had boarded the ship. I ended things quickly, only using two of my recently acquired unique traits.

｢Herald of Chaos: Reality is dictated by perception. Spread psychic power to distort the senses of all sentient beings within a 500-meter radius. Randomly implant a 'Madness Bomb' in one of the affected beings.

*'Madness Bomb': Disrupts the target's senses and mind, turning them into a lunatic. When they die, the 'Madness Bomb' effect transfers to the nearest sentient being.

*Note: Effect is reduced on creatures with psychic resistance. Agility significantly decreases while using this trait.

*P.S.: Don't trust reality too much.｣

｢Medusa Engine: Injects silicon-based microorganisms into the target, altering their genetic makeup. The altered being crystallizes in stages over time.

*Note: This can only be used upon direct contact with the target.｣

One of these is a transcendent system trait, while the other falls under the 'Environmental Adaptation' category. There's another unique trait I've developed recently, but it's not something suitable for this situation.

'Obtaining the Medusa Engine was a real hassle.'

I had to face off against a Black Gallagon, one almost as strong as Odd Grad. The fight took two whole weeks.

But the reward was well worth it.

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZ ZZZ (You know they'll be useful.)]

｢…Yeah, I suppose you're right.｣

I wrapped one of the statues with an invasive tendril.

'This one should do.'

It was one of the pirates who had intruded into the cargo hold while I was resting.

After the others had fled, I stayed behind, using 'Herald of Chaos' to distort their senses, ensuring they couldn't escape.

The pirates, whose cognitive abilities had completely deteriorated, were either running in circles on the spot or wandering aimlessly along the walls of the cargo hold. They probably thought they were escaping effectively, but that wasn't the case at all.

'Once they're inside, they're trapped in the palm of my hand.'

Clinging to the ceiling, I used the tendrils equipped with the 'Medusa Engine' to turn the maddened pirates into quartz statues one by one.

The Medusa Engine worked by implanting silicon-based microorganisms into the target's body. These microorganisms would rapidly transform whatever they infected into a substance resembling crystal.

In other words, as the name implies, it turns the target into a mineral lump. The only way to prevent this was to remove the microorganisms before they could spread.

If they couldn't stop it? They'd be trapped forever in a prison of flesh, just like the statues in this cargo hold. This wasn't a trait that could be obtained from anything less than an apex predator stronger than even a Black Gallagon.

'It pairs well with my other traits.'

The opponents crystallized by the Medusa Engine became quite useful in various ways. For example, they could serve as raw materials for the Mimicry Organ.

I opened my mouth wide and bit into the crystallized pirate. The hard crystal shattered, and a sweet, juicy flavor spread through my mouth, much like biting into a candy with liquid inside.

The body of the pirate, who once had green hair, slid down my throat, past my digestive tract, and began to nourish me. During this process, my dormant Mimicry Organ awoke and absorbed his genetic information.

After dropping from the ceiling, I landed on the floor without making a sound and walked toward the pirate who had wet himself in terror.

"W-who are you…?!"

The pirate with the cybernetic eye was trembling with fear and confusion.

Right now, he would be seeing me as his green-haired comrade. His mind might recognize that I wasn't truly his companion, but his body would reject that interpretation.

Thanks to the 'Form Dominator' trait I acquired a few months ago, the efficiency of my Mimicry Organ had improved significantly.

Previously, I had to rely on pheromones to confuse the target's senses. But now, the psychic power seeping from my pores cloaked my body in a false image, using telekinetic energy as a sort of living optic camouflage.

It was as if I wore a psychic-powered optical device, making me nearly undetectable to cameras. Even if photographed, I'd only appear as a distorted shape, much like a ghostly image, but that's far better than being captured as a monstrous figure.

Ever since I left the Dragon's Nest, I had traveled across multiple star systems, devouring countless sentient beings. For the more important individuals, I preserved their genetic data using the Parasite Worm Organ within my body, while those of lesser value I turned into statues using the Medusa Engine, just like now.

These were all meant to be tools for future invasions of other planets or ships.

"What about the others?"

｢They're in the container. Number 26 is staying still, but Adhai seems hungry.｣

"I should bring her something to eat."

Using my wing-arms, I lifted the pirate with the cybernetic eye. Trembling, he started begging.

"P-please, spare me! Please, spare me! Please, I beg you…."

I had initially planned to offer him to Adhai as a snack, but a better idea suddenly struck me. I asked Mother of the Sky in a gentle tone.

"We're visiting this place in our reality for the first time, right?"

｢Yeah. Originally, this was a cult's space fortress. I'm not sure why it's changed like this.｣

"In that case, we'll need a guide."

"W-what?"

His eyes widened at my words.

Though I had used parasites to dominate the guards, I still had a few left.

The illusion covering my body wavered slightly, and a black, eel-like creature crawled out from my combat arm. The pirate's face turned ashen at the sight of the wriggling parasite slithering toward him.

"W-wait! Hold on! Wai—aaahhh!"

The parasite coiled around his face, and then, with a swift movement, burrowed into his throat. As it wriggled through his throat and toward his brain, the pirate's eyes and nose began to bleed.

A moment later, with a blissful smile, the pirate bowed his head to me.

"I serve my new m-m-master, master Amorph! I serve Amorph! Long live Amorph!"

｢…Wow.｣

Now that I had moved to a different fishing spot, it was time to change the bait as well.

Adhai's snack would be replaced with the fish we caught using this new lure.

——————