Chapter 2379 - ESM 48

In recent days, Gidequ had been in a good mood.

This was because the unexpected winnings from an underdog bet at the human fighting arena were now securely stored in his terminal.

Perhaps it was thanks to the sense of hope that he hadn't felt in a long time, but even on his way to work, he didn't feel burdened.

To be precise, he was on his way to work in an environment where it was impossible to feel burdened.

｢The next landing spot is 'Military Port'.｣

An announcement echoed through the hover bus that was carrying him. Normally, he would have taken the underground military train to work, mingling with the teeming masses and having his mood ruined.

Of course, the hover bus wasn't completely free of people either, but the smell was different.

Here, the stench of alcohol, sweat, and vomit that would often blend together wasn't present. Instead, the scent of expensive air fresheners installed in the vehicle and the perfumes of wealthy passengers filled the air.

Though both the train and the bus were crowded, the difference in smell inevitably changed the mood.

Considering Gidequ's usual earnings, taking a hover bus was quite an extravagance, but he didn't care. He thought it was worth spending credits on such things occasionally. With that in mind, he stared out the window, standing among the other passengers.

The hover bus had just left the chaotic city district and was nearing the Military Port. As it landed in front of the port, people spilled out in droves.

The main customers of the hover bus were outsiders visiting the fortress. After finishing their business, they would take the ships docked at the port to leave.

With people exiting, there was now a bit more room. Gidequ stretched his stiffened body lightly.

Just before the door closed, he caught sight of someone he knew outside.

It was a security officer from the port, someone he had shared a drink with before. The officer was smiling broadly, looking strangely delighted.

Though he appeared to be smiling, Gidequ sensed something odd about him.

It was because of his eyes.

The security officer's pupils were unwavering, fixed in place as he smiled only with his mouth while staring directly at the bus.

Seeing him like that, Gidequ was reminded of a Screamer he once saw during his time in the Star Union—those unfortunate beings, controlled by machines, not even allowed to breathe on their own.

As the unpleasant memory resurfaced, Gidequ looked away from the security officer.

But even then, he saw others with similar expressions. Among the bustling crowds at the port, there were people standing still with eerie faces.

Some were vagrants, others were cartel pirates. Despite having nothing in common, they all stood in the same posture.

'They must have taken a hell of a lot of drugs this morning.'

Kesha Arma was a space fortress sustained by crime. It wasn't unusual to see people high on drugs just about anywhere. Everyone knew this, which is why they ignored those strange individuals.

'Lucky bastards.'

Gidequ lost interest in the junkies. The door closed, and the bus took off again. The next stop was his workplace, the 2nd Command Center, where he worked as a security guard.

Even after the bus carrying Gidequ departed, the junkies remained in place. A moment later, they turned and started moving somewhere.

They were heading back to the one who had seized control of their minds.

---

It had been three days since I arrived at Kesha Arma, the abandoned cult fortress.

So far, I had spent my time gathering information, trying to understand how much this place had changed from what I remembered.

'The minerals have run dry, huh.'

According to the words of the prey I'd recently caught, the fortress had been abandoned because the planet it was supposed to protect had exhausted its mineral resources.

'Well, minerals might be unlimited in the game, but not in reality.'

Whether resources or living beings, it takes time for them to replenish.

In any case, with resources depleted and the star system no longer holding any military significance, there was no reason for the Empire to maintain an expensive orbital habitat.

'Officially, it's still an Imperial property…'

It seems that the cartel from the space dock had obtained management rights through lobbying.

It's not all that surprising. After all, Muriel, the first player I devoured, also infiltrated the sacred planet with Jason's backing.

'I should get more details from the next target.'

My underlings had just located members of the Marcio Cartel, the group that controls this fortress. Not just any low-level member, but someone working in the important 2nd Command Center of this city.

'I hope he's a smart one.'

There were two reasons why my followers and I came here.

The first was due to rumors that a massive auction would be taking place in the pirate fortress.

A lot had happened since I left the Dragon's Nest.

While hunting the rare apex creature known as the 'Gorgon Swarm', our means of transportation, a Screamer support ship, had been severely damaged. As a result, it became difficult to travel alongside the Gallagon pack.

'Fortunately, there was a suitable place nearby to serve as a new nest.'

In the star system where the Gorgon Swarm was found, there was a planet where the Gallagons could settle. The Gallagon pack had established a new nest there.

The unfortunate part was that, having lost my ship, I'd have to part ways with the Gallagon pack for a while.

Adhai stepped down temporarily from her position as the leader of her Gallagon pack to follow me. In her place, Ham Ort has taken over as the acting leader.

Hoping that we might meet again when the time is right, we left.

After leaving the star system in search of a new goal, we switched to a new ship. During that process, we were fortunate to obtain information about a slave market.

'I made quite a mess there.'

On the planet where the slave market was established, I had the chance to consume various creatures. Additionally, I managed to extract crucial information from smugglers, who kept spilling secrets one after another.

The information was that a large-scale auction for smuggled animals and slaves would take place at Kesha Arma.

'Only two more unique traits, and I'll be in my adult form.'

After experiencing numerous events, I've nearly completed the conditions for evolving into an adult form.

I activated the semi-transparent text box.

｢'Subadult' -> 'Adult' Evolution Conditions:

Apex (APEX) 30/30 (Achieved), Unique Traits Owned 8/10 (Not Achieved), Types Owned 6/6 (Achieved)｣

The eight unique traits I possess are as follows: six were created using the Transcendence System, and two were obtained by hunting Apex creatures. To complete my evolution, I need to either devour more rare creatures or gather a variety of traits and then use the Transcendence System.

'That's why I'm targeting the auction.'

The chances of a creature with a unique trait being available at the auction are close to zero. Hence, my plan focuses on the latter method: obtaining two more unique traits using the Transcendence System to complete my evolution.

The traits I currently possess are 'Perfect Organism,' 'Horizon of Nightmare,' 'Organic Evolution,' 'Great Infector,' 'Harbinger of Chaos,' and another unique trait I haven't used here yet.

Additionally, I have 'Heart of the Dragon,' obtained from the Black Gallagon, and the 'Medusa Organ, obtained from hunting the Gorgon Swarm.

Excluding the unique traits gained from hunting Apex creatures, six of my traits are classified as Cosmic Monster types. Once I acquire two more, it will make a total of eight, which will unlock the Cosmic Monster Type's second-tier reward.

'This way, I can evolve and obtain the second-tier reward simultaneously.'

This is the main reason I've come here, but there's another reason related to the Mother of the Sky.

Currently, the Mother of the Sky is in a similar state to mine. She's one step away from advancing in her deification process.

The only offering left is the 'Corrupted Wolf's Heart'.

Since we left the Dragon's Nest, we have finished refining the Star Pearl Ore at a pirate's slave market. Now, the only thing she has to do is consume the Wolf's Heart.

Although this might seem like an easy goal, it's not that simple. It requires extracting the heart of a Wolf player capable of transformation.

'If this were just a game, it'd be easy.'

But here, unlike in the game, finding a Wolf as powerful as the Mother of the Sky was challenging. Most Wolves were unaware of the concept of deification.

Had we not heard about a transformable Wolf on a space fortress from the slave market, we would've spent much longer searching.

'The underboss of the Marcio Cartel, which runs the auction, is said to be a Wolf.'

If we capture one of the Organization's members, we might get the information needed to lure out the underboss.

That's the main reason we're here.

This is the goal the Mother of the Sky and I set together, and the others didn't have any objections.

'They're such good companions.'

They may be terrifying when facing enemies, but to me, they're simply endearing.

My family is currently concealed in a container at the Military Port.

It's a container belonging to the previous owners of this ship, designed to shield various types of energy. While inside, not a single trace of the psychic power they emit can escape.

This place was originally a space fortress managed by a cult fleet. Though we arrived knowing it had turned into a pirate base, I hid them in the container just in case the military might still be around.

'Now that it's confirmed to be under the jurisdiction of Space Dock, there's no need for further caution.'

When it's time to invade the fortress, I plan to unleash them.

'Not just yet, though.'

The fruit isn't ripe. Now is the time to lay the groundwork. Once all preparations are complete, I intend to go to war with them by my side.

I rose from where I'd been lying in the cargo hold.

When I left the Dragon's Nest, my body took on a spider-like form. It was 25 meters in length, with a tail and wings resembling that of a spider.

Since then, I've acquired numerous traits, but my appearance hasn't changed significantly. The most notable differences are the larger head carapace due to the 'Harbinger of Chaos' and the longer monstrous tentacles.

"Come here."

Upon hearing my words, twenty subordinates approached me.

They, governed by parasites, were delighted to obey my orders. It was something that would be impossible in a game, but the enhancement effects of two specific traits made it achievable.

The Great Infector, which grants enhancement effects to three traits each from the Infection and Nest types, made this possible. With this trait, the 'Parasitic Colony' gained the ability to produce 20 parasites.

This meant that the number of beings I could control increased to 20.

And that wasn't all. One of the Marks of the Strong traits, 'Form Dominator', also enhanced the Parasitic Colony. It wasn't just an increase in numbers; the quality of the parasites themselves improved.

These parasites, now grown to the size of an eel, burrow into their victims' brains and replace that area entirely. Once infected, the victim's entire brain activity falls under the parasite's influence.

They don't just serve me; they view me as an essential part of their existence, as if I were a part of their very body. It's not forced obedience; they follow me with genuine devotion.

'The downside is when it's time to retrieve the parasites.'

I once ran an experiment to see what would happen. Even after the parasite was removed, the host didn't die immediately. They became a complete vegetable since part of their brain was missing.

In other words, unlike before, once a parasite takes root, that person is finished.

'It's fortunate I removed it from the Mother of the Sky beforehand.'

When she saw an eel-like parasite, covered in bits of brain matter, emerging from a victim's mouth, she avoided me for quite some time.

'Enough distractions. I need to focus.'

Facing the twenty individuals before me, I activated the 'Harbinger of Chaos'. From my back head carapace and neck, monstrous tentacles emerged.

The tentacles wriggled as if an octopus was swimming through water. Psychic power, capable of inflicting devastating effects on living beings' bodies and minds, traveled along the tentacles and spread through the air.

Anyone sensitive to energy would be able to see it—fine threads of psychic power wafting through the air like smoke rising from an incense burner.

As soon as the Harbinger of Chaos was activated, the twenty people before me reacted instantly.

"Slurp, hee-hee, slurp, slurp, hee-hee!"

"Huff, huff, huff, huff, huff, huff, huff."

"Ugh, oh, ahh, ehehehe!"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sor…"

A security guard, perhaps reliving childhood memories, sucked on his fingers.

A pirate with a prosthetic eye, seemingly encountering his past victims, kept apologizing.

One man, overwhelmed with intense pleasure, drooled while thrusting his hips wildly into the air. Another gasped, frantically licking the floor.

These slaves of sensation floundered in the psychic power that twisted and distorted their perceptions.

The Harbinger of Chaos is a unique trait I acquired when I raided a Screamer supply ship and obtained material information. As it contains numerous traits related to psychic abilities, it's specialized in mental manipulation and crowd control.

'The range is usually much broader…'

It can influence all sentient beings within a 500-meter radius, but I've restricted the range for now. I need to focus solely on these twenty individuals in this room.

As their behavior grew more erratic and animalistic, I noticed a faint purple glow appearing over some of their heads.

'Got it.'

That glow was a 'Madness Bomb,' a sort of additional effect triggered when using the Harbinger of Chaos.

Having confirmed this, I immediately deactivated the Harbinger of Chaos. The subordinates, now returned to reality, collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.

'Perhaps this is how I'll kick things off.'

If the Madness Bomb detonates, it's bound to create quite the commotion.

I commanded those with the purple glow surrounding them.

Find places where crowds gather.

——————

259

-x-X-x-

"Hey, did you hear about it? There was a huge commotion in the city district an hour ago."

"A commotion?"

"Some lunatic went after the Marcio Cartel and ended up dead."

"Damn, that's insane."

In the space fortress of Kesha Arma, the Marcio Cartel's influence was far beyond that of mere proprietors. Controlling the reactor, they essentially hold the life and death of everyone on this fortress in their hands

It's said that in the past, they once gathered rebels into a single district and cut off their oxygen supply.

That's why the name 'Marcio' is never taken lightly here. The idea that someone would be bold enough to challenge them—well, it's the kind of incident that would pique the interest of a nosy companion.

"So, who on our side got hit?"

"Jonas. The crazy bastard bit his neck, and he had to be taken to the hospital."

"…That powered armor fanatic got attacked? How does an ordinary person even manage to bite someone wearing powered armor?"

"Those who were with him said he seemed like a druggie. Might have been on Psionium or something, apparently his physical abilities were off the charts."

"A druggie, huh."

That word made Gidequ think about something from earlier in the morning.

The naval port guard, grinning bizarrely while staring at a hover bus. There wasn't just one person standing like that either.

'Well, the higher-ups will handle it.'

The Marcio Cartel had an important business coming up soon. In just a few days, there'd be an auction for smuggled animals and slaves. It's why different species' ships were flocking from all over the galaxy.

In such a situation, there's no way the cartel would allow a bunch of drug addicts to run rampant. They'll probably crack down hard on them.

It's ironic to think about criminals cracking down on drug addicts, but it wasn't Gidequ's concern. His role in the organization was far more important than simply busting a druggie's head.

"Looking at all this food makes me hungry."

"Freddy, you idiot, you wanna get jettisoned into space like your predecessors?"

"I was just saying, man. No need to be so prickly."

Before Gidequ and his companion Freddy was a feast so lavish, it's something one might only see once in a lifetime.

The place they were at was once called the Second Headquarters. Now, it functioned as a hotel accommodating the Marcio Cartel's most important clients.

Their job was to ensure that this food reached the VIPs staying upstairs without a hitch.

For that purpose, they were armed to an unusually high degree for low-ranking members—equipped with brand-new medium-class powered armor and Gauss rifles. In terms of equipment, they were on par with a megacorp's armored police force.

"Preparations complete. Proceeding with delivery."

An android, now loaded with all the food on a cart, began to move. As they boarded the elevator with the android, the two men fell silent.

The elevator quickly ascended and came to a stop on the 100th floor.

As the doors opened, they were greeted by a corridor as opulently decorated as the food the android carried. They followed it out of the elevator.

The hallway was lined with pirates clad in high-grade powered armor and fully armed androids. Feeling their gaze, Gidequ swallowed hard.

The guest staying on the 100th floor was of utmost importance. The cartel boss himself had given strict orders to treat this person with the same respect he would command.

"Pass."

After passing through the strict security and entering the room, they were greeted by the sound of laughter.

Even though it was a voice he only heard a few times a year, there was no mistaking its owner.

The master of Kesha Arma and the leader of the Marcio Cartel.

One of the elders who wielded the most power at Spacedock, Montana Marcio.

As they entered the enormous dining room with the android, they saw a giant with brown skin and a woman with antler-like horns.

"Hahaha, cultists are truly fascinating!"

"Fascinating, you say? That's an intriguing perspective."

The Colossal man, who would fill a sofa large enough to seat three grown men with room to spare, was none other than the ruler of the space fortress.

On the opposite side, despite her words, the Cult woman nodded with a calm expression. She was the VIP that Montana Marcio had invited.

This woman was an extraordinarily important figure who had been residing on this vast 100th floor for nearly half a year. Important enough that Montana Marcio himself had to flatter her like this.

"Ah! The meal has arrived just in time. Lady Cynthia."

"Thank you for your consideration, Montana."

"Consideration? No, this is hardly enough when I think of the grace you and he have shown us."

At his gesture, the android began setting up the meal.

From this point on, their job was done. Gidequ and Freddy bowed politely and retreated.

"Wow, did you see that cultist? You know who she is? I've never seen the boss act like that," Freddy muttered as soon as they got back into the elevator. Gidequ responded nonchalantly.

"She's obviously important, or she wouldn't be staying here for half a year."

"True. No one's ever stayed here for more than a month."

"Doesn't matter to us, so don't bother."

That was the evening meal they'd just delivered, so their duties were done for the day. Other members would handle the rest of the hospitality.

Gidequ and Freddy returned their equipment and exited the Second Headquarters building.

"Hey, I'll cover everything today. Let's live like kings for a night."

"You're spending like crazy after just one ride on the hover bus."

Both would have to report back to the headquarters again tomorrow. But true to their pirate nature, neither cared.

Whether they had credits or not, they had always lived without a plan, and they'd continue doing so.

--

"Ugh."

Drunk out of his mind, Gidequ stumbled out of the fancy bar. Freddy had long disappeared with a wolf courtesan.

He considered indulging in similar pleasures himself, but his dwindling credits held him back. Between riding buses the past few days and partying, his terminal was flashing warnings about his finances.

'I'll just earn more later.'

The first windfall is always the hardest. Now that he'd hit it big once, the next one would come even quicker—or so he optimistically thought as he walked down the street.

Unlike the usual bar near the arena, this area was packed with upscale entertainment facilities, making it quieter than the usual nightlife districts. Once the auction started, though, it would be as busy as any other zone.

'Should I walk?'

Low on credits, Gidequ decided against using the bus and instead headed toward the capsule housing district on foot.

Despite the late hour, there were still quite a few people on the streets. People here typically had two goals: to indulge in women like Freddy or to drink heavily like Gidequ.

But for some reason, the people on the street weren't entering any of the establishments. They just stood around as if waiting for something.

'What's going on?'

Even in his drunken haze, Gidequ found it odd but chose to ignore it. He didn't have the luxury to worry about the actions of those wealthier than himself.

After about thirty minutes of walking, he found himself in a street full of old, dilapidated buildings, marking the end of the nightlife district.

This area was where the fortress's shipyards and factories were located. In the days when the Cult managed it, the lights never went out here, but that was no longer the case. It only saw brief activity during auctions and remained a deserted, lifeless zone at all other times.

Despite the lack of electricity, it wasn't completely dark, thanks to the light shining down from the planet above.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have felt afraid, but tonight, something felt different.

'…What the hell is this?'

The street he walked every night on his way home looked more decrepit than usual, and there was an eerie sense that something lurked in the abandoned buildings. Even in his drunken state, he could feel the heavy, oppressive atmosphere that sent a shiver down his spine.

It was as if the entire street was alive, squirming in the darkness.

'Man, this atmosphere's seriously messed up.'

"I need to get home fast", Gidequ thought, bracing himself. His cyborg-modified body began forcibly accelerating his alcohol metabolism.

In an instant, his mind cleared, and he picked up on a faint sound.

It was the sound of footsteps. Multiple footsteps, coming from behind.

'What the…?'

As he turned his head, a chill ran down his spine.

Bathed in the light from the planet above, a group stood in the street.

Some wore ragged clothing, others the uniforms of security personnel, while a few were dressed in worn-out pirate jackets like Gidequ's.

Fifteen figures stood there, each in different attire, watching him. All of them had their lips twisted into eerie grins.

"Wh-who the hell are you?!" Gidequ shouted at the bizarre group staring at him. He quickly pulled out his laser pistol and aimed it at them.

'What kind of madness is this?!'

That deranged group was unmistakably the same junkies he'd seen this morning. Come to think of it, Freddy had mentioned that one of their members wearing power armor had been attacked by them.

He hadn't understood how they could've been overwhelmed at the time, but facing them now, it made sense. They didn't look normal. In fact, they appeared extremely dangerous.

'…I need to escape.'

These were the ones who had even injured someone in power armor. If he tried to fight, there was no telling what would happen. The only option seemed to be hiding in a building and calling for help from other members.

Gidequ fired his pistol at the one leading the group and took off running. He didn't bother checking if he'd hit; getting away took priority.

"Huff, huff, huff!"

It was the first time he'd run at full speed since escaping the Star Union. He ducked into a nearby abandoned building.

The place was a dilapidated ruin—windows, walls, and the ceiling were all caving in. But that made it easier to hide. He crouched behind some debris and used a broken mirror to check the street.

He saw the junkies pass by without noticing him. As expected, they hadn't seen where he went.

"Phew, damn it…"

"Are you alright?"

"!"

Just as he was about to relax, a voice from inside made him jump to his feet. He pointed his gun toward the sound, and a young man stepped out of the shadows.

"Shimura Cartel?"

"Please don't shoot."

"What's a damn hyena like you doing here?"

Gidequ recognized the young pirate with green hair instantly. He belonged to the Shimura Cartel, a small-time group surviving by petty theft around the military port.

The cartel had only five members, so even the Marcio Cartel ignored them.

"Wait, this isn't the time for that," Gidequ muttered, pulling out his terminal to request backup.

"Hey, it's me. There's a bunch of junkies crawling around the shipyard district. Get over here quick… What? You idiots! We're close to the Second Headquarters. Just contact them for help, you morons. Yeah, yeah, tell them I made the request."

Backup requested, he stowed his terminal. The green-haired pirate approached him.

"You seem to be affiliated with the Second Headquarters."

"Of course I know them; I work there."

"Is that so? Impressive."

The green-haired pirate nodded as if genuinely impressed.

It'd take about ten more minutes for Gidequ's comrades to arrive. Keeping an eye on the street with his mirror to spot any junkies, he started talking.

"What are you doing here so late? Got something to scavenge?" Gidequ asked.

"I came for something I needed," the green-haired pirate replied.

"You're nuts. Then why didn't you come during the day?"

"I had to avoid the surveillance cameras."

Hearing this, Gidequ let out a scoff. "What nonsense is that? The cameras here haven't worked in ages."

"Is that so?"

"You think we've got energy to waste on places like this? There are plenty of spots just like this one that don't get any power."

"That's true."

"Idiot", Gidequ muttered.

"I'm curious," the green-haired pirate continued, "what do you do at the Second Headquarters?"

"Security. I can't tell you more than that."

As they talked, Gidequ started to feel something was off.

The green-haired pirate claimed to have come looking for something in the middle of the night, in a place covered in debris. Normally, he'd bring search equipment, or at least a flashlight, but there was nothing of the sort on him.

"And you're just standing here instead of looking for whatever it is?"

"No need. I've already found it."

"You found it? What is it?"

Gidequ waited, but the green-haired pirate merely smiled, saying nothing. It could be that he didn't want to show a fellow pirate something valuable, but this felt different.

'Besides…'

Gidequ glanced outside at the junkies roaming around. They were searching other buildings thoroughly but avoiding this ruin. It was as if something in here was keeping them away.

He suddenly recalled a story he'd heard at a bar a few days ago—a rumor about a demon wearing human skin. It sounded uncomfortably similar to what he was experiencing now.

'D-Damn it…'

The conversation stopped. In the silence, only the sound of their breathing echoed within the ruins.

Judging by the breath alone, the green-haired pirate seemed human, but Gidequ couldn't shake his fear. What if that breath was really the sound of a demon savoring its prey?

With a trembling hand, he picked up the broken mirror piece again. His heart pounded as if he were running at full speed. He wanted to turn around and check with his own eyes, but fear rooted him in place.

Instead, he angled the mirror toward his shoulder, hoping to catch the reflection of the man behind him. If the pirate was really human, he should see him.

But Gidequ soon regretted his decision.

What he saw over his shoulder wasn't a man but a spider-like creature, crouching low and extending its jaws toward the back of his head.

——————

'A mirror, huh?'

I picked up the blood-stained mirror shard, watching the spider-like monster's form appear on the cracked surface before it turned blurry.

The 'Mimic Organ', enhanced by the 'Form Dominator', was designed to make sure I wouldn't be caught even by cameras. It emits pheromones and psychic power from micro-holes spread across my body, disrupting the sensors of advanced machinery.

Thanks to that, whenever a camera captures me, it ends up looking like the light's been distorted, resulting in a foggy image. But if needed, the 'Gremlin Moss'—something I could disperse in a mist-like form thanks to the 'Great Infector'—could fully disable those cameras.

'Of course, using it too often would eventually get me caught.'

But that's a problem I can manage by being careful. What's more troubling is the mirror itself. I can't hide how I look when reflected.

'Still, how often would anyone carry a mirror around?'

The Mimic Organ induces a sense of unease in those around me. It's only natural—after all, trying to mimic something one-tenth of my actual size, given my over 20-meter body, would raise suspicions.

But the Cyborg I just devoured, Gidequ, felt nothing off about my appearance. The pheromones and psychic power combined to perfectly replicate the image of the 'green-haired pirate' he knew.

'Too bad I can't mimic objects.'

While the Mimic Organ's capabilities have improved, it still can't mimic inanimate objects. During my earlier visit to the slave market before coming to Kesha Arma, I got away with many things, but when pretending to be a pirate, lacking weapons always gave me away.

This time, too, Gidequ realized something was off because I didn't have a flashlight. Claiming to search for something in the dark without proper equipment would naturally arouse suspicion.

In short, the two primary weaknesses of the enhanced Mimic Organ are: the foggy appearance on cameras and the inability to replicate objects perfectly.

That said, it's already far better than how it functioned in the game. Expecting it to improve further might be asking too much.

"Well, that was an interesting experiment. And I'm glad you turned out to be useful."

I licked the blood off the mirror, and the insect-like creature perched on my wing-arm twitched.

Six clawed legs, a body resembling a cross between a mantis and a fly, and two wings on its back. Nothing out of the ordinary for an insect monster—except for one key detail.

"■ ■■■!"

Instead of an insect's head, a human head was attached, uttering incomprehensible sounds. It bore a striking resemblance to the pirate I'd just devoured.

The Cyborg Gidequ had become a parasitic chimera under my control.

Initially, I'd considered letting him live as a host, but he'd gone and called for backup without my orders.

'No reason to keep him around then.'

The irony was palpable—he'd taken quick action to save his life, yet that's precisely what shortened it.

'It's about time his comrades arrived.'

I summoned my minions scattered around the area.

'Guests are coming. Get ready to welcome them.'

My loyal servants, who find happiness only in obeying my will, began hiding within the abandoned buildings to prepare for the ambush.

'I have five parasites left.'

Those who longed to serve me were already on their way.

"You have a task to complete," I said.

As the voice of the once-called Jason the Cultist emerged from my throat, the parasitic chimera bowed.

-

"Damn junkies. What kind of mess is this at night?"

"The higher-ups want this dealt with ASAP."

Ten pirates entered the Dockyard District.

Uncharacteristically well-equipped for outlaws, they wore mid-grade power armor, wielding gauss rifles or psychic rifles. Some even carried psychic shields and medical kits typically used by Cult Warrior squads.

The reason these pirates had such high-quality gear was that the Marcio Cartel had seized weapons left behind by the Cult Empire Army. Using credits earned from selling those weapons, Montana Marcio had bulk-purchased the power armor.

As a result, even common pirates now had access to mid-grade power armor, usually reserved for corporate enforcers or low-ranking officers.

"Where did Gidequ say he was?"

"Just a bit farther."

"Wasn't he a cyborg? He should be able to handle a bunch of junkies himself."

"Don't you remember what happened to Jonas? He got taken out even in power armor."

"Tch, that's just because he was an idiot. If it were me, I would've dodged like this when that bastard charged at—"

While exchanging idle chatter, the pirate at the forefront raised his hand, signaling that someone was approaching ahead.

The pirates immediately raised their weapons and scanned their surroundings. Being veterans of pillage and crime, if there was one thing they excelled at, it was combat experience.

In an instant, these pirates transformed into seasoned soldiers, focusing on the shadows cast by the abandoned buildings. Something was lurking there.

It certainly wasn't Gidequ. After all, that cyborg pirate was just one person, not the group now emerging from the shadows.

"It's them!"

As if the pirate's shout were a signal flare, figures hidden in the darkness rushed toward the armored pirates.

The lead pirate pulled the trigger on his gauss rifle. The expensive and immensely destructive tungsten rounds tore through the enemy's abdomen with ruthless force.

No human could survive with a fist-sized hole in their chest. Thinking he had dealt with the enemy, the pirate prepared to assist his comrades—but that was a mistake.

The junkie, who had staggered from the impact of the tungsten bullet, lunged at him again, still wearing that eerie grin.

"What the hell?!"

The pirate hastily swung his rifle, smashing it into the grinning madman's face. A sickening sound of flesh being crushed echoed as the assailant fell backward. The pirate fired multiple rounds into the enemy, ensuring he stayed down.

The others faced a similar situation. The enemies, despite losing limbs, continued their relentless assault, leaving the pirates unnerved.

"What the hell did these freaks take?!"

"Aim for the head!"

The only saving grace was that the junkies' physical abilities weren't particularly impressive. The pirates, maintaining their composure, quickly subdued them.

"Anyone injured?"

"I'm fine."

"Wait, hold on. Why are there only six of us?"

"What? W-wait, where did the others go? They were just behind us!"

There should have been ten of them, but now only six remained. Panic set in, and they quickly checked the corpses, wondering if they had accidentally shot their own. But none of the bodies belonged to their missing comrades.

"What's going on?"

"I'll try contacting them."

As one pirate reached for his communicator to send a transmission, he witnessed something unbelievable.

"What… is this?"

"It's fog, isn't it?"

Before they realized it, a thick mist had enveloped the area. Only the upper parts of the abandoned buildings were visible above the gray cloud.

"The life support system might've malfunctioned!"

"Damn it! Everyone, bite down on your oxygen capsules!"

The pirates swiftly bit into the oxygen capsules integrated into their armor. The capsules would gradually dissolve, providing them with enough air to last until they escaped the area.

"…I don't think we can handle this on our own."

"I'll report to HQ."

The four missing comrades had already faded from their minds. This was a space fortress orbiting a planet; a malfunctioning life support system was far more critical than a few junkies or missing allies.

As the pirate took out his device to report to the higher-ups, something emerged from beyond the mist.

"Huh?"

"What is that?"

He wasn't the only one who noticed it.

At first, they thought it was just another structure in the abandoned factory, but it didn't take long for them to realize how wrong they were.

Buildings don't move. But ｢that thing｣ did.

The spider-like creature approached them in utter silence.

-

"Damn it! Why the hell isn't this working?"

"Try again."

"Shit, why do you keep telling me to try again when it's not working?! You do it!"

"Do you have a death wish, you bastard?"

Four pirates, separated from their group, had taken refuge inside a nearby abandoned building. They'd been hunting down the junkies when the sudden fog rolled in, forcing them to take cover.

A malfunction in the life support system was a critical problem. They tried to report it using their devices, but for some reason, the equipment was completely unresponsive.

"Wouldn't it be better just to make a run for it?"

"What? And walk out into that fog without knowing what's mixed in it?"

"Both of you, shut up."

The pirate with the longest history in the organization issued a cold warning, and everyone fell silent.

"I heard something. Shut your mouths."

"A sound?"

"More of those junkies?"

All of them strained to look out through the shattered window. The fog was thick, as if some kind of gas leak had occurred. Just as the pirate said, they heard someone's voice coming from within the fog.

It was Gidequ, the one who had called them there, asking for help.

"That sounds like Gidequ, doesn't it?"

"What should we do?"

It wasn't a matter of camaraderie or rescuing him out of some sense of brotherhood. They needed to understand the strange phenomena occurring here, and Gidequ, who had requested their support, would be the one who knew best.

"Let's grab him first, then figure out the rest."

"Damn it, if things were going to turn out like this, he should've given us a heads-up."

The pirates cursed Gidequ under their breath as they moved cautiously. Following his voice, they reached a half-collapsed abandoned building.

"He was shouting from around here, but where did he go?"

"Over here!"

As if to respond, the Cyborg's voice rang out again. The pirates looked around, trying to locate where Gidequ might be.

"Over here!"

"Crazy bastard. Could you be more specific?!"

The voice was coming from the broken staircase, and all four of them climbed up to the next floor.

"This way! This way!"

"Look over here!"

There was no sign of Gidequ, only his voice echoing around them like some eerie chorus. Intermixed with his words was the faint buzzing of large insect wings.

That's when the pirates finally realized that something was seriously wrong.

The owner of that voice… it wasn't Gidequ.

"W-We need to get out of here! Now!"

"What the hell is going on?! This is messed up!"

"H-Hey, why are there only three of us? Where's the fourth guy?"

"What the hell are you talking abou—huh?"

"S-Shit!"

There were four of them when they climbed the stairs, but now only three remained.

"Why are you all acting weird?"

"I'm right here!"

Gidequ's voice continued to echo through the abandoned building, where no one else but them should have been. And the buzzing sound between the words grew steadily louder.

"Stick together!"

Thick fog, an unknown voice, and a missing comrade. The remaining three suppressed the urge to scream, raising their guns.

They stood back-to-back, their eyes darting around incessantly. Their fingers trembled slightly on the triggers.

As if aware of their wariness, the building fell into an eerie silence.

"I-Is it gone?"

"Get a grip, idiot!"

"It's still here."

The most timid among them swallowed nervously, and in that instant, the floor beneath them gave way.

They were so tense that they couldn't even muster a scream as they fell to the floor below.

"Everyone, be careful—!"

The veteran pirate, barely regaining his senses, tried to warn them, but before he could finish, a long, black arm shot out from the mist and snatched him up.

"H-Hiiiick!"

"Uwaaah!"

The two remaining pirates, who witnessed this, screamed in terror, their cries nearly turning into sobs. One of them raised his gauss rifle and began firing wildly into the fog.

The timid pirate, unlike his comrades, chose to flee rather than fight. In a panic, he stumbled out of the building, scrambling on all fours as he dashed through the streets.

"Aaaah... ah?!"

The sound of gunfire abruptly ceased behind him. He knew all too well what that meant.

Using every ounce of strength left in his body, the frightened pirate sprinted through the darkened streets.

Even when he'd faced the underboss of the Marcio Cartel, he hadn't felt fear like this. After all, that man was something he could comprehend—a source of terror within the limits of his understanding.

But the being lurking within this fog was different. It was an unnamable fear, an unholy, mud-like terror. Faced with such an incomprehensible presence, all he could do was run away, sobbing like a child.

As he continued to flee, he suddenly realized the fog was thinning. In the distance, he saw the boundary sign that marked the entrance to the entertainment district. Just beyond it lay the luxurious pleasure facilities—places where he could find other cartel members to help him.

A glimmer of hope pierced his fear-clouded mind. He took a determined step forward. If only his legs would move.

"...?"

Had fear paralyzed him completely? Confused, he tried to move his legs, but they wouldn't budge.

At the same time, a warm sensation began to spread inside his ear. He tried to reach up and touch it, but his arm refused to obey. He wanted to scream, but his mouth wouldn't open.

Completely immobilized, he could only listen as a familiar buzzing sound filled his ears. The creature that had mimicked Gidequ's voice landed before him.

Cold sweat poured from his entire body as he saw it.

Just moments ago, he thought the terror of the unknown was the true embodiment of fear, but he was wrong. The universe held things far beyond what he could even begin to imagine.

Like the insect standing before him, wearing his comrade Gidequ's head.

"Master, this one has connections with the life support system's administrator", the creature spoke in Gidequ's voice.

Then, a rifle fell from above, landing on the ground with a dull thud that echoed like thunder in his ears.

It was the gauss rifle his fellow pirate had used to fight off the monster.

And he could feel it—the sickening, warm breath on the back of his neck. Even paralyzed, his senses remained painfully sharp, allowing him to recognize the strong scent of blood mixed within that breath.

"You seem to have your uses."

The voice that followed was that of a man, calm and almost gentle.

But the timid pirate couldn't find any comfort in it.

He didn't know what awaited him next.

Yet he could imagine, even with his meager imagination, that what was about to happen to him would be something beyond the limits of horror—a nightmare so terrible that even the word "horrific" would be an understatement.

——————

Kesha Arma's 1st Command Headquarters.

The massive, cylindrical structure stood like a fortress within a fortress, with an imposing level of security. It had to be, as the 1st Command Headquarters was the only gateway to the space fortress's reactor. If the reactor was the heart, then the 1st Command Headquarters could be considered the brain.

And it was here that the ruler of the fortress, Montana Marcio, resided.

In his office, filled with precious treasures and rare taxidermy animals, two men were engaged in conversation.

"How are the preparations coming along?" Montana asked.

"The guests bringing items for the auction arrived at the military port an hour ago. All arrangements for their reception were completed 30 hours in advance, so there shouldn't be any issues," the other man replied.

"This time, there can't be any mistakes. You understand that, right?"

"Of course," the man affirmed.

Montana Marcio, an overwhelmingly large figure who could hardly be mistaken for an ordinary person, took out an elegantly designed cigar.

He offered a cigar to the male wolf beastkin he had been conversing with.

The beastkin, a white tiger with strikingly white fur, was named Kadun. He bore the moniker "Snow Claw", serving as the underboss of the Marcio Cartel.

"Thank you", Kadun responded respectfully, accepting the cigar but not lighting it. Montana, knowing Kadun wouldn't light his cigar, lit his own instead.

"The credits we earn this time will be used for a transaction with the Megacorp. With luck, we might be able to buy a suitable planet."

"Are you planning to purchase a planet?" Kadun asked.

"Yes. There's a noticeable shift in the Imperial Council's mood lately. The topic of strengthening the military for another Outspacer invasion has become a public concern."

"You mean there's a chance Kesha Arma could be mobilized," Kadun deduced.

Montana didn't reply and instead took another puff of his cigar.

Though the Marcio Cartel controlled Kesha Arma, the true owner of this city was the Cult Empire. Montana had managed to seize control through aggressive lobbying within the Imperial Council, but if the Empire's policies changed, they would be forced out.

Hence, Montana planned to use this opportunity to acquire a new planet and relocate the cartel's headquarters.

"It would be ideal if we could gain recognition from Megacorp Noble Capital, but that might be beyond reach."

"The Garmelda family prefers to keep their ties with us hidden", Kadun observed.

"Unfortunately, we'll have to settle for what we can this time."

The two men then continued discussing the fortress's operations and the cartel's businesses for some time.

Hours later, Kadun finally left the office. As he stepped outside, his subordinates, who had been waiting, quickly fell in line behind him.

"What's the status on the junkies?" he asked.

"Uh, well… it seems it's not drugs but an infectious disease. We're seeing a rapid increase in patients showing similar symptoms..."

"What?"

The subordinate fell silent as Kadun furrowed his brow.

Although the cartel's boss held the highest rank, Kadun, standing before him, was known as the 'most dangerous man' in the Marcio Cartel. He was notorious for never forgiving subordinates who made mistakes.

Kadun glared silently at the subordinate before speaking again.

"The boss is fully focused on this operation. We can't afford any slip-ups."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"You have 12 hours to handle it. Use whatever personnel and equipment you need."

"Uh, the thing is…"

Despite Kadun's assurance that he'd have the full backing of the underboss, the subordinate hesitated with a nervous expression.

"What's the problem?"

"W-Well, we've had an increasing number of deserters among our members over the past few days. Probably because they're afraid of getting infected... Erk!"

Once again, the subordinate couldn't finish his report, as Kadun had grabbed his face. The sickening sound of bones breaking filled the air, and the subordinate's body went limp.

"Growl… And you tell me this now?" Kadun snarled, but the subordinate, his skull crushed, could no longer respond. Kadun's gaze then swept over the remaining cartel members, who quickly bowed their heads in fear.

"Who's the next highest-ranking among you?" he demanded.

"T-That would be me, sir!"

"Take care of the deserters and anyone showing symptoms, whether it's from drugs or disease. As long as you don't touch the guests, I don't care how much blood is spilled. Kill anyone who seems suspicious."

"U-Understood!"

"You have 12 hours. Handle it within that time."

Leaving the corpse of the subordinate behind, Kadun vanished.

The pirate who had suddenly been promoted to an executive position immediately began issuing frantic orders to his underlings.

-

In space survival, the value of an orbital habitat is extremely high.

There are tens of thousands of star systems, with even more planets, yet the reason for possessing an orbital habitat is simple.

You can place it wherever you want.

By positioning a space fortress in a strategically important star system—or one you wish to make important—you can easily take control of it. That's why among high-ranking players and large clans, those without orbital habitats are the exception rather than the rule.

"Of course, I'm an exception."

I'm not one to set up orbital habitats; I'm an Amorph that infiltrates and destroys them. Countless space fortresses have turned to cosmic dust at my hands.

The fortress I currently reside in, Kesha Arma, is one of them. This fortress, like the TNC Special Trade Hub, is a space structure that exists within the system. Since it's not something created by a player, it will regenerate after being destroyed over time.

This means it can be tackled multiple times.

In fact, I've destroyed Kesha Arma three times before, each time using a different method.

"I was a bit worried since things have changed from the game."

But now that I'm here, it seems it'll be easier to conquer than in the game.

By successfully taking control of a few members of the Marcio Cartel that manage this fortress, I was able to obtain valuable intel.

Currently, the fortress isn't operating as efficiently as it did when it was under Imperial management.

Due to maintenance costs, the pirates have only kept life-support systems active in areas that are necessary. Only the profitable sections, like the military port and entertainment districts, as well as essential areas such as water purification and food production facilities, remain functional.

Other areas, like the sections occupied by the Cult's warrior battalions or zones with dense religious facilities, have been abandoned. Water and electricity supplies have been entirely cut off, and only the oxygen supply and gravity generation systems are running.

"In the game, there weren't any neglected areas like this."

The Cult's warriors patrolled everywhere to protect the fortress.

I picked up a metal plate lying on the ground.

On the metal plate was an emblem: a diamond within a circle, with two triangles inside the diamond. This symbol is one of the Cult's religious icons, primarily used by the Prophets' Association.

"The circle represents the world, the diamond is the eye, and the triangles symbolize wisdom and knowledge, right?"

I was currently in the zone where the Prophets of the Prophets' Association assigned to this fortress resided. All around me were metal structures of religious significance.

Although there were no collapsed buildings like in the factory district, the scattered emblems and the corroding surfaces of the structures suggested that they hadn't been maintained for quite some time.

"I heard that aside from the patrols, no one comes here."

That made it an ideal spot to hide.

At that moment, my auxiliary organs detected vibrations in the air. Someone was approaching.

"They're here."

The object flying toward me with all its exterior lights turned off was a patrol craft. It landed in the plaza nearby.

As the rear hatch of the patrol craft opened, two familiar figures leaped out. A pink jellyfish about 50 cm in size and a white dragon with four crimson wings came rushing toward me.

｢Big One!｣

｢Elder One｣ ｢Hello｣

It was Number 26 and Adhai, who had been inside the container since we arrived at the fortress.

Although it had only been a few days since I last saw them, they welcomed me as if it had been weeks. Number 26 climbed onto my head, and Adhai softly nuzzled her neck against my arm.

[ZZZZ (Were you alright?)]

｢Yes. I studied alone.｣

｢I｣ ｢was bored｣ ｢The sick one｣ ｢isn't fun｣

"I designed the humor program to be as entertaining as possible for a Gallagon. That assessment is unfair."

Then, the mutant Screamer, PS-111, crawled out.

"I request a reconsideration of that judgment based on reasonable analysis."

｢Look｣ ｢So｣ ｢Serious｣

Since leaving the dragon's nest, the one who's changed the most among us isn't me but PS-111.

Its basic shape, which looks like a fusion of a spider and a scorpion, remained the same, but many aspects of its form had changed.

First, it's grown considerably larger. Its body length alone reached 7 meters, and including its tail, it extended to 12 meters. Its eight legs had also lengthened and thickened accordingly. Previously, the legs exposed metal skeletons, muscular tissue, and flesh, but now, they were encased in a solid exoskeleton.

Not only the legs, but other parts of its body now had a layer of animal hide and exoskeleton covering the metallic framework. At a glance, it could easily be mistaken for a Hulk mutant or a genetically modified beast instead of a Screamer.

The head retained the appearance of a pale woman's face entwined with thick cables. Although it looked similar to before, a new feature had been added: a psychic power modulation function. Thanks to this, it could now emit waves in a manner similar to how I communicate with monstrous tendrils.

Another noticeable change was the addition of four thin cables beneath its chin. It had created this part to address the inconvenience of extracting cables from its back whenever it needed to link with a ship's computer.

"In a way, it's starting to resemble me."

｢I see. So, you intend to make this place your nest.｣

As I was pondering over PS-111, the Mother of the Sky approached and spoke to me after disembarking from the patrol ship.

Initially, the plan was to keep the family hidden inside the container until we attacked the fortress, but circumstances had changed. This place is rarely visited by pirates, making it the perfect hiding spot for them.

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZZ (It's an abandoned area, so it should be fine)]

｢Hiding in a religious zone... If this were a game, it would have been impossible.｣

She let out a dry laugh as she gazed upon the sight of the Empire's three great symbols of power lying in ruins.

As she mentioned, the Cult's belief system emphasizes the 'teachings of Providence' above all else. Even during the three invasions of Kesha Arma, I had never once attacked the religious sector first.

'Everything is always hardest the first time.'

After greeting everyone, I called over one of the pirates from the patrol ship. He knelt before me, wearing a joyful smile.

"What's changed since then?"

"Six hours ago, the items to be auctioned arrived, and some have already been transported to the 3rd Command Center."

"Is that so?"

This was welcome news. What I'm after are the rare genetic essences of the creatures slated to be auctioned at Kesha Arma's large-scale event.

"Is the inventory list also kept at the 3rd Command Center?"

"The complete list is currently held by the sub-boss of the 2nd Command Center."

"The sub-boss... Are you referring to the wolf, Kadun?"

"Yes, it's Sub-boss Kadun."

I glanced at the Mother of the Sky. She nodded in affirmation.

For her to ascend in her deification process, she requires the heart of a shape-shifting wolf. This Kadun fits the bill perfectly as the suitable sacrifice.

'This is convenient.'

Capturing the sub-boss means achieving two objectives at once.

'Especially since preparations are complete.'

The seeds I had sown in Kesha Arma were already starting to sprout.

'The Messenger of Mass Confusion is spreading rapidly.'

A pirate who had contracted the 'Madness Bomb' had already checked into a hospital. The authorities seem to be too preoccupied with the auction to respond effectively, allowing the Messenger of Mass Confusion to spread at an alarming rate.

In about three or four days, there will be a massive outbreak of deranged crowds rampaging everywhere.

If I target the life-support systems then, the damage will be even greater. One of the managers in that sector is already under the control of a parasite, so I can initiate an attack at any moment.

'But that's only after I've consumed all the rare creatures.'

"Any other reports?"

In response to my question, my loyal underling answered.

"There's one more thing. The authorities are currently organizing a large-scale search team to eradicate drug addicts. This area is expected to be included in their search route."

A search team, huh.

Using my abilities, I can easily hide, so it's not particularly concerning. Alternatively, I could capture a search team member and plant a parasite within them.

'Wait a minute? Instead of that….'

Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck me.

"Is there any chance you could have the sub-boss included in that search team?"

"I'm not certain, but it might be possible, depending on the situation."

Depending on the situation, huh.

In that case, all I need to do is create the 'right' situation.

I'll lure the wolf to this abandoned sector myself.

-x-X-x-

Kadun was once a slave.

Actually, it's not anything special. Because most Wolfs live as slaves.

Men are combat slaves and women are sex slaves. If you are unlucky, you may become a test subject for Megacorp Star Union and end up in the lab.

The only better life for Wolff would be to become a space pirate.

What crime have they committed that they are suffering like this? When young Kadun cried out to the chieftain of the tribe, the chieftain said:

It is said that they were once gods who ruled the planet, but they quarreled with each other due to their arrogance and violence. After an almost eternity of struggle, Wolf lost his godly power and fell into ruin. And God's descendants are paying for the sins of their ancestors.

It didn't take long for me to realize that the chieftain's story was nonsense.

The tribes are scattered somewhere in the universe where the chieftain has already died. They were all wrong.

The reason Wolf is persecuted is simple. Because they are weaker than cults.

The order of nature is a cruel law. Just as a predator is not morally reprehensible for eating its prey, it is natural for a powerful cult to trample on the weak Wolf.

In order to avoid being stepped on by the strong, you have no choice but to become strong yourself. Having traveled through countless arenas and soaked his hands in blood, he became stronger than any other Wolff.

Montana Marcio, a different kind of powerhouse from the cult, was the only one who could see his potential. He spared no effort in supporting Kadoon's continued growth.

Kadoon also obeyed Montana, knowing full well that serving him would benefit him.

It has been 10 years since Kadun became the deputy head of the Marcio Cartel. He even gained the 'body of god' that the chieftain had spoken of in the past.

Although he had tremendous power in his hands, he was not impressed. Because Wolf's myth was no longer an important factor to him.

Just as a cult follows providence, Kadoon served the order of the might of the jungle.

So, he was scheduled to train today at the private training center located at the headquarters. Unless a subordinate suddenly rushed into the training room.

"There's fog in the inactive area?"

"yes! "A pirate on patrol filmed this!"

A subordinate, full of energy, handed him a terminal. When I pressed the button, the recorded video was played.

"It's a religious area for cultists. "Did the life support manager say there was nothing wrong?"

"They say it is not a device problem, but someone artificially spread it."

"It's artificial. "What are the results of the analysis?"

"They say engineers are gathering together to investigate."

Although the spread of contaminants within the district was a serious matter, it was not something that Kadoon should be directly involved in. It is a question of expertise rather than authority, and it would be more reasonable to resolve it by talking to engineers.

Even the subordinate in front of him would not know that fact. The reason he came to report to Kadun was different.

"I guess that has something to do with the fog and the druggies. Before the wimps died, they talked about spiders in the fog."

"Spider in the fog?"

Kadun checked the video again.

It was hard to see what was in the fog. However, the flow was not natural and abnormal. As if to hide something inside.

'A creature that controls the fog that drives humans crazy.'

Several similar creatures come to mind. 'Angel Spider', which catches its prey with a web made of psychic power, 'Red Mist', a wild beast that neutralizes its prey by spraying hallucinogenic pheromones, etc. As the vice president of the Marcio Cartel, who relays pirate transactions, he has come into contact with many rare creatures.

"Bring the guys who took this video."

"The patrol unit that took the video showed symptoms similar to those of drug addicts…"

I don't know exactly what that creature was, but it didn't seem like an easy opponent. Well, that means his subordinate came to visit Kadun.

'What kind of bastard left something like that loose?'

Not all pirates who come to the fortress are successful in trading smuggled animals. There are many cases where transactions fail. Some pirates who fail in their transactions abandon rare animals in inactive areas and run away because they do not want to bear the cost of transportation.

Kadun saw this incident as a similar case.

The problem is that the damage is much greater than other times.

"I need to be there to catch that guy. I will dispatch. "Get everyone ready to go with you."

"All right!"

"Spray gas in the area before entering. "Even if we can't kill it, we can weaken it."

"yep."

Kadoon thought that today's training should be about catching that monster.

–

'The bait took bite.'

An hour ago now, a signal came from the parasite that my consciousness was connected to. Five minions sent to capture the enemy. Connection with them was lost.

'You must be preparing hard by now, right?'

After bringing all the children to the religious area, I threw bait to lure the dock leader away.

This means that I may be the source of the virus spreading throughout this fortress.

For the past few days, there have been people wandering around the fortress who have gone crazy because of me. Except for a few who are ruled by parasites, the rest are all driven to madness by the 'messenger of chaos'.

Some of them have mental parasites called 'madness bombs' lodged in their heads. When a person infected with the Insanity Bomb dies, it spreads to those nearby. Just as a dandelion spreads its seeds in the wind, the madness bomb is spreading quickly.

Now even pirates know that it is not because of drugs that an unspecified number of people suddenly go crazy. The problem is that we don't know why this happens.

They would have found out if they had a doctor investigate, but they chose another option instead. If any abnormal symptoms appear, incinerate immediately.

Although it may seem ignorant, from their perspective, there is a reason for their actions. Regardless of which cartel, the existence of a doctor is precious to Space Dog. If a doctor were to become infected with a virus of unknown origin, the damage would be severe.

Fortunately, the Marcio Cartel is a wealthy cartel that uses a space fortress as its base. Of course, there will be many doctors and researchers, but timing is the problem. Now they are preparing for a large-scale auction. Many distinguished guests will visit this place, so if you make a mistake and lose the doctor, it will be a big problem.

'Because it is better for hundreds of subordinates to die than to lose the doctor.'

If you were a space dog where the lives of your members were the same as the lives of flies, you would think so.

Of course, this is a temporary solution and the best way is to eliminate the factors causing the problem.

In such a situation, what would happen if I appeared wearing a suspicious fog? What if the people who filmed me even showed abnormal symptoms? Those over there will definitely think that I am a source of pollution.

'It's staged, though.'

The fog is due to the enhanced Gremlin Moss effect, and the people going crazy are due to the Herald of Chaos and the enhanced parasite effects.

Of course, they won't know they're being fooled. Even if they found out, the fortress would already be on the verge of collapse.

'huh?'

While I was waiting for them to arrive, I smelled a strange smell from somewhere.

I, who was lying face down in a church where one wall had collapsed, looked up. The auxiliary organ under the chin quickly read the changes that occurred in the entire space.

'Is this really how it comes out?'

There are toxic gases mixed in the air. The intention is probably to weaken me by spraying poisonous gas in the area before coming in to capture me.

'Well, it's no use.'

Unless it's the swampy area of the cult sacred planet we went to before, it can't cause fatal damage to us.

'No. 26 can endure this much, and Aadhai has grown stronger and stronger, so he is not addicted.'

Since PS-111 is a mechanical life form to begin with, it is free from addiction problems. I wonder if Heavenly Mother is a little worried.

I took out the monster's tentacles that I had hidden away and fired a wave at her.

[Zuzuz, zuzuzu, zuzu, zuzuzu (They are spreading poisonous gas)]

"Don't worry. "Because it has already transformed."

"A large amount of chemicals were confirmed in the air. "Please be careful with the 'middle baby'."

｢…I would have been very grateful if you hadn't called me a middle-aged baby.｣

｢What's going on｣｢What's wrong?｣ ｢

There's something strange in the sky.｣

｢Dogging?｣｢I don't understand｣｢I can't｣

｢I have to keep it up.｣

｢I｣｢I can't see｣｢Where are you?｣

"Gallagon's gas flow cannot be observed visually."

Everyone hid in different places and in their own way. Toxic gas spread throughout the area, but no one was in pain.

'It seemed like he used his brain to some extent, but…'

Unfortunately, the opponent wasn't very good.

I listened to the kids chatting and waited for them to come in.

After about an hour, the toxic gas in the area began to dissipate. They are also slowly preparing to rush in.

Soon, a slight vibration was felt in the air. Three patrol ships full of pirates entered the area.

'You're here.'

The pirates aboard the patrol ship are all wearing mid-level reinforced suits and armed with psychic rifles and Gauss rifles. In addition, the deputy chieftain came wearing a Wolff-style uniform and even a high-level reinforced uniform.

'That's an incredible amount of specs for a pirate subject.'

Muriel's subordinates weren't that bad either. Can we really say that he is a pirate running an orbital colony?

'The problem is that everything is being read.'

There are three minions who have not yet been discovered. They are sending me information, one person aboard each patrol ship.

They think the 5 people they threw as bait are the end. They have no idea that three spies are with them.

'Then let's get started.'

I organized the information I had obtained and sent it to the kids. We have fought together more than dozens of times so far. The guys quickly understood my wavelength and started moving.

Following the children's movements, I also crawled out of the church. My giant winged arms trampled the cult symbol on the ground, crushing it.

'The distance from them is 1km.'

One of the patrol ships is attempting to land in a square 1km away. Considering the speed at which I move, the distance is not far at all.

I moved my wing arms and fighting arms and ran in their direction.

Buildings made of alloy blocked me in the middle, but my body pierced through the obstacles. As I race, destroying buildings, I see a pirate ship.

There are dozens of meters left until the patrol ship lands. I pulled out the erosion tentacles hidden on my back.

Six huge tentacles fly towards the ship, like giant snakes that appear in mythology. The patrol ship's guns move quickly, as if they didn't know they would be attacked while landing.

But that choice is the wrong answer. They had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid my tentacles.

My tentacles wrapped around the stern of the corvette. The hull shook greatly and the ship's guns completely missed their target.

I captured the patrol ship and pulled its tentacles towards me. The pirates aboard the ship opened the hatch at the rear as if they thought it would not work. This is because you will not die if you jump from a few tens of meters since you are wearing a mid-level reinforced suit.

It's wrong. Because my eroding tentacles are holding on to the stern of the ship. Some of the tentacles swallowed the pirates floating in the air whole.

"be careful!"

"Fuck you baby!"

"Ugh!"

Unfortunately, the number of my erosion tentacles is not enough to devour all my enemies. Only four pirates were eaten by the tentacles, and the rest landed safely on the ground.

'It's not over yet.'

"Everyone scatter!"

"Crazy monster bird…uhhh?!"

"The ship is falling! damage!"

I dropped the corvette with its tentacles wrapped around them on their heads.

Heavy drinking, the smell of gunpowder and blood.

Elements familiar to Eimov announced the start of the hunt.

-x-X-x-

"What is that?"

A loud roar and smoke billowing from afar.

Ino, who had only been an executive for less than a day, was surprised to see the scene.

"What happened to that just now?"

"I can't contact them over there!"

"what? Try again!"

"yep!"

The operation to incinerate the pollutants was led by Deputy Chief Kadun, the most powerful member of the Marcio Cartel. So he wasn't too worried. I expected that any damage would end in the deaths of some of my subordinates.

But even before the battle, the signs were unusual.

Before entering, it was heavily seasoned with toxic gas to easily remove the source of contamination. Although the gas was removed from the area upon entering, toxic elements are still in the air. So much so that all pirates, including Ino, had to wear gas masks.

But even that didn't seem to be of much help in weakening him.

"What happened to the dock leader?"

The pirate shook his head at Ino's question.

'…there was only one explosion. The kids who went with Kadoon will be fine.'

Even though I couldn't contact him, it was hard to believe that something had happened to the vice president. No matter how strong the monster is, it is impossible to kill Kadun without making any noise. They're probably moving in the direction where the explosion occurred.

If you go in the direction where the pollution source is, you will be able to merge naturally.

"Let's move over there first. "They're going into battle, so we need to support them."

"…Shit. "I didn't know it would be like this."

The pirates grumbled but followed Ino's words. It's not because he has outstanding charisma. This was because he was afraid of the vice-minister Kadun behind him.

Ino and the pirates moved toward the direction from which the smoke was rising.

They all had experience sneaking into ships to plunder, so they were adept at moving secretly. They each loaded their weapons and paid attention to their steps. Everyone was wearing a gas mask, so I couldn't see their faces, but they all seemed nervous.

The pirates ran between the abandoned buildings with careful movements.

Cult symbols in the process of decay, neglected churches are watching them. Ino felt somehow intimidated by the girlish atmosphere.

I've flown over this area a few times on patrol, but this was the first time I felt anything like this. What was just a cool metal structure built on steel was now squeezing him like a living creature.

Ino wasn't the only one feeling this unknown pressure. The breathing sounds of the subordinates wearing gas masks are gradually becoming heavier.

"300m remaining distance to goal."

At that time, the voice of the pirate in the lead awakened Ino's spirit.

Just as they were about to turn the corner of the building, the lead pirate quickly raised his hand. Seeing that, other gang members tensed up.

"Is it a goal?"

"…an unknown creature is at the intersection."

An unknown creature? He stuck his head out slightly toward the street outside the corner.

"!"

When he saw it at the intersection, he felt his heart stop.

'What on earth is that?'

Would we dare call that a living thing?

The being he saw had eight legs and a tail. Its long legs were covered in a thick carapace, with black claws and ghastly white scythes. The body size was considerable, ranging from 6m to 7m, excluding the tail.

That alone was ugly enough, but what really shocked him was his head. It was hard to see because of the long, thick cable hair hanging down, but it was clearly a human head.

To put it as gently as possible, it was a scorpion with the head of a woman.

'Huh Hulk Mutant?'

Ino was a researcher at Megacorp before joining the Marcio Cartel. So, he was more knowledgeable about the Hulk mutant than others.

But even he and Ino had never seen such a hideous-looking Hulk mutant.

At that time, the guy lifted his head from his lowered position. Ino took a deep breath when she saw the guy's face.

As expected, its face was female. A beautiful woman with skin as white as snow and without any blemishes.

But Ino could guarantee it. No one would like a woman with blood-stained eyes.

Its red eyes slowly shake along its head. At the same time, the thin cable hanging under the chin also flutters.

Ino, who almost made eye contact with the guy for a moment, quickly put her head back. Cold sweat poured down the back of his neck.

"Fuck, everyone ready for battle…"

Before he could finish his words, a dark blue photon bomb flew into the building where they were hiding. No matter how unmaintained the buildings here are, they are made of special alloy and boast considerable durability. Nevertheless, the church hit by the blue energy bullet collapsed like a sand castle swept away by waves.

"What the fuck?! "Demolisher!"

Someone from the organization shouted.

Kesha Arma is a space fortress of a cult. Everyone has seen the Demolisher stored in the 1st Command Armory. I know not only its shape but also its power.

"Everyone scatter!"

"shit! "Why is Demolisher here?"

They cursed and dispersed.

A photon bomb flew again through the dust rising from the ruins. One of the gang members who was retreating was unable to dodge and was hit. He couldn't even scream and just turned into dust.

"Shit!"

"Bow your heads, you bastards!"

Ino and two gang members urgently fired back. Meanwhile, his subordinates lowered themselves and ran into a nearby building for cover.

"Coil gun! "I'll take my time, so I'll pierce that monster's head with the coil gun!"

"yep!"

The pirate next to him put down his Gauss rifle and pulled out a long coil gun strapped to his back. Meanwhile, Ino and the other pirates fired their psychic rifles at the dust behind the remaining wall.

At that moment, a pitch black claw emerged from the dust. The claws narrowly grazed the top of Ino's head. I lowered my head for a moment to check the remaining psychic energy, but thanks to that, I missed the mark.

"Huh?!"

Next, a red-eyed woman with pale skin revealed her face. Red eyes without any emotion were watching him, as if there were camera lenses attached to the eyes.

At that moment, the guy's neck suddenly turned. The pirate next to him had fired a coil gun from close range.

But no one cheered. Even though it was hit directly on the head, its legs were still moving.

"Get back!"

I don't know when he will come to his senses again. The three turned their backs and ran straight away.

"Where are the other cubs?"

"He was definitely hiding in the building…"

The gang member who was running with him stopped mid-sentence. His eyes were fixed on the building.

"it's crazy? Why did you stop…"

Ino's subordinate's strange behavior also focused her gaze on the rooftop of the building where her subordinate was looking. And he could understand why his subordinate was distraught.

There were men on top of the building.

No, to be precise, it was floating in the sky above the building.

Dozens of subordinates were all hanging in the air in bizarre positions. Something invisible is entangling them like flies caught in a spider's web.

And behind the men, a yellow cloud was floating. It looked very similar to the poisonous gas they sprayed before entering the area.

'What is that…?'

The bizarre phenomenon that caused Ino to freeze did not end there.

"It" appeared from the yellow cloud.

giant? no.

"It" is numerous eyes. Hundreds, if not thousands, of eyes are all watching Ino.

"It" is numerous snakes. Hundreds of gigantic tentacles wriggle like burning flames.

The eyes of an indescribable being watch the subordinates floating in the air. The gang members struggled to resist, but in front of that being, they were just pathetic squirms.

Long, huge tentacles get closer to the subordinates. And then they started taking off the gas masks one by one.

"Ke keek! "Keueeeeek…."

There is still toxic gas around here. What's more, the gas has condensed thickly around this unholy being. The members of the organization whose masks were removed began to tremble, with blood foaming at their mouths.

"Fuck you!"

The subordinate next to him raised his coil gun and shot at the guy. It's a coil gun that even a scorpion with a woman's head can't avoid. The bullet fired at incredible speed pierced its tentacles.

No, it almost pierced through.

The bullet stopped in the air almost before it reached. Just like other gang members floating above the building. A small bullet, crushed by an invisible force, fell to the bottom of the building.

"Nonsense!"

The subordinate who fired the coil gun was frightened by a sight that was incomprehensible to common sense. Then, all eyes of "it" were focused on him.

｢ ■■■ ■■■ ■■!｣

"Huh?"

｢■■!｣

Ino did not understand what happened right after that.

A strange feeling of wind swept past him. When I looked to the side, the subordinate holding the coil gun had disappeared before I knew it. Instead, only a red lump remained in its place.

The members of the gang who were captured by "it" were slowly showing what had become of him.

"Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!"

"Save me…!"

"Aaaahhh!"

"Eugh!"

The subordinates' entire bodies were twisted uncontrollably, like dolls hanging by invisible threads.

Some people began to turn counterclockwise from the tips of their fingers, while others had their limbs stretched by something as if they were snapping a rubber band.

Predation Rape Murder. The outlaws of the universe who committed all kinds of crimes were not there. There are only tiny beings that are overwhelmed by beings that cannot be understood.

"Hee hee hee!"

Ino, who saw the gang members dying horribly, took a step back.

You have to run away. He doesn't want to die here.

The only remaining subordinate seemed to think the same thing and started running along with him.

It was a mistake to take this job. When Kadun gave him a mission, he should have just ignored it and left the fortress.

'no. You can run away. There's still a chance.'

he thought. There is a chance to make up for your mistakes. As soon as we arrive at the patrol ship, we will immediately leave this fortress without returning to headquarters.

And I will run away to a planet somewhere in the universe. All you have to do is forget everything you have done and live quietly.

"Kaaak!"

Just as he was thinking that, his subordinate fell. There was a long white sickle-like object stuck on the subordinate's back.

As soon as she realized that, something hit Ino's leg. It was the same claw that had tried to slit his throat.

The owner of the claw grabbed his fallen leg and lifted it up. The claws were tearing at his legs, but he felt no pain. This was because the fear that took over his entire body was greater.

A white face approaches him as he hangs upside down.

"Don't do this! do not be like this!"

Did you understand what he said? Red eyes resembling camera lenses scanned his face once and then placed him on the floor. Instead of Ino, he caught a gang member with a hole in his back.

"Uh, uh, why am I…Kwaaaaaaaa!"

Ino's men did not survive. Now all that's left is him.

Of course, that didn't give me peace of mind. That monster probably didn't keep him alive because he thought he was pretty.

'The reason' slowly came to him.

"I believe this person's brain contains useful information."

｢■■ ■■■■?｣

"The human brain is a delicate organ. "If you don't open it carefully, you will die, so be careful."

｢!｣

Until now, it was as big as a building, but now "it" has shrunk to less than 1 meter. Long tentacles protrude from the pink, round body and get closer to him.

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Hahahahaha…."

A subordinate who died with his head crushed. A member of the organization who died with his whole body twisted. A subordinate who was poisoned by gas and suffocated. which.

Who has a better death?

Whatever it was, it didn't really matter to Ino.

Because he has no choice.

–

"Boss! "We must retreat!"

"Where the fuck are you attacking from…Aaaah!"

"crazy! "How can you match someone who's faster than a bullet?"

"Boss!"

Before being picked up by Montana Marcio, Kadun lived in the arena.

Sometimes he killed his own kind, and sometimes he killed beasts that were overwhelmingly stronger than him. I went through a crisis that bordered on death every time, and more than once I actually died and came back to life.

But now his senses are warning him.

This place will be his grave.

"…."

The subordinates' voices gradually become distant. The high-speed aircraft that the corvette encountered as soon as it landed was attracting them.

He should help his subordinates fight the high-speed aircraft right away, but there is a reason why he cannot move.

There was a Wolf standing tens of meters away from him.

The head of a white bird of prey with two horns. A female Wolff with beautiful amber eyes and a brilliant golden mane.

A being armed with a shining golden spear and a black dagger is blocking his movements.

'…strong.'

Thanks to his experience fighting numerous strong opponents, Kadun was able to predict his opponent's strength to some extent. But I couldn't guess that female Wolff at all.

It's one of two things. Either he is ridiculously weaker than Kadun, or on the contrary, he is overwhelmingly stronger.

He's only felt this way once recently. There was only a female cult that Montana held dear.

"gulp."

He swallowed without realizing it and activated the function of the advanced reinforced suit he was wearing. At the same time, all built-in reinforcers were administered.

He knows the side effects of strengthening drugs, but now is not the time to worry about them.

"Krrrrrrr."

Kadun, whose physical abilities had increased dramatically, growled. The opponent also took a fighting stance, swinging his golden javelin once.

I don't know how strong the unidentified female Wolf was. Still, he believed in his victory.

"Khuuuuuuu!"

Wolf, a white-furred tiger, roared loudly and kicked the ground.

As his tribal chief once said, 'A journey to regain the status of a god.'

The fight that Kadun dismissed as superstition began in the space fortress.