The 2nd Command Center's underground bunker has been there since the cult empire built Kesha Arma.
At the time of construction, it was just an ordinary shelter, but Montana paid special attention to prepare for any unexpected situation. Thanks to this, it was transformed into an ultra-luxury shelter with dozens of accommodations and amenities.
But the refugees being served in that luxurious underground bunker seemed very dissatisfied.
"How did this happen! "I'll go back right away, so open the door quickly!"
"Montana's orders. "You cannot leave until the fortress is secure."
"This is such a violent act against us! "The empire will never sit idly by and ignore this!"
Those who were in the banquet hall and hurriedly evacuated constantly poured out their complaints to the mercenaries who were in charge of security and the androids who were entertaining them.
"How dare you lock us in a place like this?"
"Hang in there." "I don't think the commotion above is normal, so you'll just have to wait a little longer."
"Doesn't that vibration just now mean it's going to be dangerous even here?"
"This is an air raid shelter made by the Empire, so it is durable at least. "You don't have to worry."
"I beg your pardon? What if it goes wrong? Are you going to take responsibility for that?"
"yes? "Oh, that's…"
People talking nonsense while drinking high-quality alcohol and snacks stored in the bunker. The security guards were suppressing their anger at their employers' behavior.
Because the situation was special, high-quality snacks were being distributed little by little to the mercenaries in charge of security. Thanks to that, we were able to endure. Otherwise, the division would have been formed a long time ago.
"hey."
"yes?"
"Don't eat or waste food unnecessarily; go outside and take a look."
"that's right. "I hired you for times like this, so come with me and check it out."
"…yep."
"And get rid of those damn robots."
The security guards felt like they would shoot their employers if they stayed here any longer, so they forced themselves out of the room. The androids also left, saying they would bring new snacks and alcohol.
"Pathetic things! "I didn't know that I got to this precious place with someone's credit!"
"That's right. "I thought Montana was okay, but I'm disappointed."
"Tsk, I wasn't going to trust someone who relied on androids in the first place."
"As expected, there is nothing we can do since our roots are pirates."
The VIPs, whose faces turned red from drinking high-quality liquor, began to gossip about the security guard and Montana.
The humans who came here are all Middle Capital, the upper middle class of Megacorp. He was merely an agent who came under orders from Noble Capital or Prime Capital.
Everyone here knew this, but no one pointed it out. They were venting their dissatisfaction even though they were receiving treatment they could never enjoy in their own capital.
On the one hand, while the Megacorp VIPs raised their voices, the cult customers talked among themselves about the state of the empire.
"I think it will take some time to leave, but let's continue what we talked about earlier."
"You mean the arms purchase business? well. "It was said in this Congress that total production is decreasing, but what can we do?"
"The atmosphere is chaotic these days, so shouldn't we at least be well prepared?"
"Our faction officially supports arms reduction."
"Huh, it's times like this that integration is important. What does the opinions of factions matter?…"
At that time, the room they were staying in shook. The light decorated with transparent jewels flickered and then went out. The room suddenly fell into darkness. Everyone screamed, regardless of the human cult.
"Aaaah!"
"Ughhhhh!"
After a while, they were finally able to calm down after the red emergency lights came on.
"What is this?"
"Android! "Where's the android!"
"Bodyguard!"
The humans who had been screaming and falling asleep just now stood up and screamed in anger. The sight of him swearing at the androids and bodyguards was nowhere to be seen.
"I understand that Kesha Arma's bomb shelter is very durable, is that correct?"
"I heard that it was created just before the empire fell…" "
…Whatever it was, the current vibration was heard quite close by."
Although the cult members remained relatively calm, they could not hide the anxiety on their faces. Then, one of the cult members stood up.
"You idiots! When on earth will you come…."
"Everyone, be quiet!"
The cult stood up and scolded the loudly shouting Megacorp personnel.
"I heard something."
"sound?"
"I can't hear anything."
The cult raised its hand to signal for everyone to be quiet and put their ears close to the wall. In the quiet room, the only sound was the shallow breathing of people.
No, except for one thing.
"…!"
The cult's ears perked up at the sound coming from beyond the wall.
He wasn't the only one who heard that sound. The others also heard it clearly.
That sound you hear outside, beyond the wall.
It was the sound of screams made by many humans.
Loud tremors, blackouts, and screams shook the bunker. What do these three things mean? The complexions of everyone in the room turned pale.
"crazy! "They say it's safe because it's made in the Empire!"
"There may be enemies out there! We need to evacuate quickly…."
"Don't open the fucking door!" What if you open the door and they come in? "Are you going to take responsibility?"
"what? Chew? "Which capital are you from?"
"I'm from Mars, you bastard!"
"Everyone stop! "Now is not the time to fight."
When the humans tried to grab him by the collar under the red light of the emergency lights, the cult members stopped him.
"If you hear screaming from the other room, it's dangerous here too."
"Well, if you go out and follow the hallway, there's an elevator, but…"
"Now wait! "Why don't we just wait for the guards and androids to come?"
"How stupid! Wouldn't you know if you heard a scream from the next room? "You could die before they come to save us!"
"Everyone, please calm down. "If you want to leave, please raise your hand."
At the words of the cult member who first noticed the abnormality, all the cult members in the room raised their hands. Among the humans, about half hesitated and raised their hands.
"it's crazy? "If you leave, everyone will die!"
"The cult is more trustworthy than waiting here for androids or mercenaries."
"that's right."
That's how the escape party was decided. The cult and humans approached the door, leaving those who decided to stay behind.
"I can't hear anything."
"I'll check it out."
The bearded cult member stepped forward and used his psychic power skills to scan the hallway outside the room for movement.
"I can't feel any movement."
"Aren't there any bodyguards?"
"…It looks like it has moved somewhere else."
They exchanged glances and pressed a button on the terminal next to the door. The thick iron door opened automatically with the sound of air escaping.
Carefully, the two cult members came out. The situation in the hallway was worse than the room. It was dark because there was a problem with the emergency lights.
"It's dark."
"I will solve that."
A thin female cult member from behind came to the front and lightly extended her hand toward the front. Then, a sphere of psychic power appeared and gave a faint light to the surroundings.
"It's a bunker, so there's probably a flashlight somewhere, but we don't have time."
"you're right. "Escape is more urgent."
"Let's just leave it like this for now."
"Joe is good."
Unlike the cults, the humans, who had nothing else to do, nodded with a sheepish expression. Cults, each with special abilities, came out into the hallway first, followed by humans. Those who remained quickly closed the door as soon as the last human left.
The group was led by two bearded cultists who sensed their surroundings with psychic powers, a female cult who created light with her hands.
"…It's quiet."
"Sniff, something smells strange?"
"Shh. The elevator is not far. "Everyone please be quiet."
A short walk takes you to the elevator that goes up to the headquarters building. Everyone here is the one who came down from the banquet hall to the bunker, so of course they must know.
However, that thought was a mistake.
"How did this happen?"
"…."
I think I walked for about 1km, but I couldn't see the elevator. They were still on the plush carpeted hallway.
And that wasn't the only problem.
The foreign smell in the hallway is getting stronger. As if they were following behind.
"…I think it would be a good idea to run."
"I agree."
"shit!"
The endless hallways don't kill them directly. What is truly dangerous here is the 'smell' itself that follows them.
The moment the cult and humans started running, an ominous smell wafted out from behind. Along with that, the sound of heavy footsteps.
"Heeeeeeeek?!"
"Aaaah!"
"Fuck! run!"
"Holy shit!"
A beast so large that it filled the hallway was following them. The humans who saw this ran forward, swearing and screaming. The cult members who were running away attacked with their psychic powers, but it was no use.
"The attack doesn't work!"
"Everyone get back…Kwaaak!"
"Aaaah!"
A short scream was followed by the sound of something being crushed and exploding. The cult and the humans didn't even dare to turn around and check due to the eerie sound of licking the back of their necks. They just focused on running towards the elevator.
Did the cultists' prayers reach providence? At the end of the hallway, a small terminal glowed lonely. It was a signal that there was an elevator.
But a monster is following closely behind them. No matter how you get to the elevator, you will all be killed by the monster before the door opens.
"We have to make time for poetry!"
The humans who were running away exchanged glances with each other.
Cults are skilled in psychic powers, but their physical abilities are inferior to humans. It may be noticeable if they wear reinforced clothing, but otherwise, even adult male cult members can be subdued by human women. So, it goes without saying that it is a female cult.
After a short period of deliberation, the humans made an extremely Megacorp-like decision. We decided to sacrifice the female cults that were slowly falling behind as sacrifices to the monster.
"Your sacrifice will not be forgotten!"
"what? "What are you doing…Aaaah!"
"Help… Ahhhh!"
The monster opened its elongated maw and swallowed the fallen female cultist. Another cult member who fell together tried to escape by crawling on the ground, but had no luck.
While the luxurious carpet was stained with blood, humans and cultists arrived in front of the elevator. They quickly operated the terminal, opened the elevator door, and jumped inside.
"Close it quickly! "Close it!"
The elevator doors closed as quickly as they opened. The moment the large iron door, several meters high, closed, a loud noise sounded and the door was slightly dented.
I thought it might be broken, but fortunately the elevator worked normally. A fast-moving elevator going up to the headquarters. As the surviving humans tried to take a breather, the angry cult captured them.
"How dare you!"
"The Empire will never overlook your actions!"
"Why are you like this? "If it weren't for us, everyone would have died down there!"
"Didn't you agree with that too? "If you wanted to save me, you should have stayed when we pushed you away!"
While they were arguing, the elevator arrived at the floor where the headquarters banquet room was located.
The door opened and the familiar sight of the banquet room greeted them.
The man who was grabbed by the collar by the bearded cult member strongly shook off his arm and walked out.
"That's your problem! "Everyone pretends to be noble about the same topic as us…"
The moment he turned his head and was about to scream at the cultists in the elevator.
All of the passengers disappeared from his sight.
"Doing…"
The one who appeared, tearing off the entire metal floor of the elevator and sending the humans and cultists crashing down, was the entity he least wanted to encounter.
Huge asymmetrical horns on the head. White eyes that shine dimly and without emotion. And a snout full of sharp teeth.
The mouth of the monster he had seen in the bunker opened and its large tongue approached him.
–
'Hmm. 'He's not good either.'
The humans in the underground bunker didn't taste as good as I thought. To be honest, I thought it would be okay since she was a VIP of Megacorp even though she wasn't at Sihyeon or Eugene's level, but it wasn't.
All of them were ordinary people who had not undergone any genetic modification. Is the only advantage that meat is rich in fat?
'The cults were okay overall, though.'
I threw my remaining leg up. Number 26, who was riding on my back, grabbed the leg I threw with its pink tentacles. The guy ate it quickly, wiggling around, and left a short comment.
"It's not good."
[Zuzu (right?)]
As the time he spent with me increased, he learned to evaluate taste in his own way.
There are three types: delicious and not very tasty.
In fact, since it is eaten by melting the food with its body, it is unclear how it tastes, but it seems to have its own standards.
'Now that I think about it, this is the banquet hall.'
Several long tables were seen in a space decorated with all kinds of gorgeous jewels, as if decorated by a wealthy father. There was food left on the table because they had to evacuate quickly because of my attack.
I handed the dishes on the table to No. 26 on a plate.
"It's delicious!"
[Zuzuzuzu (Thank goodness)]
The guy seemed to like it, stretched out his tentacles, wrapped around the remaining food, and stuffed it into his body. Seeing that image reminded me of the black monster from a Japanese animation I saw at a museum when I was young.
'That was before I got burned. 'It's a memory.'
Like him, I put an apple from the jeweled basket into my mouth and left the banquet hall.
Those above didn't seem to know that I had devastated the underground bunker. I crawled up the stairs to the first floor without any restraint.
The first floor lobby was full of pirates. They had set up barricades and were preparing in case the shield wall was breached.
One of them turned his head, wiping the sweat off the back of his neck, and saw me. His eyes widened as if they were about to tear out. It was as if a monster was coming out from behind.
My erosion tentacles decided to answer for me.
It took less than 5 minutes for there to be no living pirates left in the lobby.
I took out a terminal from the arms of a pirate with only his upper body remaining. As I gently pressed the button with my small arm near my chest, the shielding wall near the entrance began to move slowly.
"What kind of bastard is disabling the wall! "Stop it right now…!"
I trampled the blood-soaked communicator to prevent it from making noise. When the shielding wall near the entrance opened, familiar faces appeared.
"Gigigigiki"
"Gigigigig"
"I want to kill you! I want to bite your neck and drink your blood!."
Mutants and madmen cheer when they see me.
I decided to give them the answer they wanted.
Destroy this headquarters to your heart's content.
As soon as the order was given, a legion of madmen poured into the headquarters.
-x-X-x-
Where did it all go wrong?
It's not like he neglected security ahead of a big project, nor was he on bad terms with other cartels.
Montana, which is both illegal and legal, has worked hard to avoid making unnecessary enemies. He ran the cartel not like a pirate, but like a businessman.
As a result, he built a cartel so large that it was ranked among the top three in Space Dog. It would be safe to say that his method was sufficiently successful.
At least until today.
Montana, who had just entered the private elevator of the 2nd Command Center, could barely resist the urge to scream and run wild.
Even the beautiful music flowing from the speakers installed in the elevator could not calm him down. This is because the sound of gunfire mixed with the smooth piano melody made me aware of reality.
His fortress is falling.
"…Fuck."
In the current situation, I couldn't resist without cursing. As he muttered a low curse, the security guards behind him flinched.
It is not just the 2nd Command that is under attack now. Contact with the 3rd Command was completely lost, and the 1st Command's reinforcements were isolated by strange monsters everywhere.
'Now all that's left is…'
The only way is to escape this fortress.
On the 110th floor of each headquarters, there is an escape means to escape from the fortress. It is a personal transport aircraft created by the headquarters' officials a long time ago when they were managing a fortress in the Empire to inspect the planet.
It is a type of rocket that is launched directly at a specific point on the planet, so it can reach the planet at a very high speed. Additionally, the transport aircraft itself is protected by a reinforced shield similar to that used on battleships, making it safe.
However, there is a problem that it is impossible to control and can only land at designated points. After landing, the only way is to wait for another rescue team.
'It is unreasonable to ask other cartels for help.'
The decisive reason why he left the general management office was because he heard a report that the enemy had penetrated where the underground bunker was located. There was no way that ruthless monster would have left the VIPs there alone.
The fortress is collapsing and the VIPs who would look after him have disappeared. Other cartels will never help him.
'…no wait.'
Everyone in the banquet room was finished, but those staying upstairs were not.
Especially the female cult he held most dear.
She did not go down to the banquet hall due to personal reasons. The reason is unknown, but if she is reluctant to encounter others, she is probably still up there.
The female cult is something that the head of the Carmelda family directly mentioned to treat well. If you hide on the planet with her, Carmelda will surely send a rescue help.
When the number on the display had just entered the 90s, he pressed the number 100. That's where his last insurance policy rests.
–
"Duuuuuu!"
"Get back! Step back…Aaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Cursing and screaming interspersed with the sound of bullets raining down.
An auxiliary organ under the chin detects the vibrations produced by familiar sounds. And one more sweet scent is added to it.
The eroding tentacles pulled out the pirates who were taking cover behind a fork in the hallway. Before they could resist, the six appendages at the end of the tentacle dismembered the captured meat into small pieces.
Warm blood Internal organs and pieces of flesh that should not be exposed. If you were to compare that scent to music, it was like an elegant melody created by unique string instruments coming together.
'If I were human, I would be disgusted.'
In fact, the pirates who were covered in the blood of their comrades seemed to have difficulty maintaining their sanity. As I watched my comrades in a daze, they were torn to pieces by the hands of the mutants that protruded from between my legs.
"Gegigigigi"
A mutant roaring with its head and tentacles pulled out. The other guys rushed at the enemies to get their own trophies.
'Now that I think about it, what happened to him?'
Some time has passed since PS-111 began hacking against the Third Command. This guy went through several modifications before coming to the fortress. By now, they should have breached the 3rd Command's system defense wall.
'It will take 10 minutes to finish…'
The moment I thought that, I heard a very loud noise outside.
The sound, similar to a ship horn, was loud enough that anyone in this fortress could hear it anywhere. And the blood and flesh that had soaked the floor rose into the air and then poured down on the floor again.
'You succeeded!'
What is happening right now in front of me is a signal that something has gone wrong with the gravity maintained in the fortress. That means PS-111 has taken control of all of the fortress' life support systems.
Moreover, there was a loud noise that echoed throughout the fortress. That too is a signal to me.
'It's releasing oxygen.'
I know this because I did something similar in the game.
It's not just blocking the oxygen supply to the entire fortress, it's also leaking it to the outside. Even if the 1st and 2nd Commands try to prevent it by supplying excess oxygen, it will not be easy as the amount going out is greater than the amount coming in.
In about an hour, all living things in this fortress will collapse from lack of oxygen.
'There is no point in fighting pirate forces anymore.'
I'll leave the rest to the mutants and the mercenaries who diligently spread madness bombs, and I'll go on to other things.
'Arrangement of means of escape.'
The military port where large-scale ships are currently docked has been devastated. There is only one way for them to escape from this situation.
'Transport ship at headquarters.'
Kesha Arma is a space facility that moves periodically along the orbit of a mining planet. The command center is equipped with a high-speed transport plane that goes directly to the mining planet. It is a type of space rocket used by fortress officials to inspect the planets under their jurisdiction to see if there are any problems.
It is impossible to control the transport ship itself as it is launched from a long silo extending from the top of the cylindrical headquarters to the reinforced glass covering the fortress. Instead, if you use this, you can travel to the mining planet in less than a minute.
'If the survivors of the command center use it, it will be a nuisance.'
Because we have to follow them down to the planet and catch them. It's not difficult, but I'm currently on the verge of evolution. I want to avoid troublesome things happening for no reason.
'Was the location of the transport ship at the top?'
The top of the headquarters is the 110th floor. Where I am now is on the 3rd floor.
'I guess I'll have to climb up by breaking it down.'
[Zuzuzuzu (come this way)]
"Yes."
I moved the position of No. 26, who was sitting on top of my head. I gently held him in my chest and activated the bio-cannon that was reaching the ceiling.
As soon as the spores containing the explosive liquid left the gun barrel, they hit the ceiling and exploded. A third of the ceiling on the floor I was on collapsed. I felt a slight warm sensation on the carapace on my back and on my head, but there was no significant damage.
'I don't think there will be any problem.'
I started climbing up the inside of the building at high speed.
"What the fuck?!"
"Damage…ugh!"
The pirates who had set up a lot of cover in the hallway above and were fighting the mutants were destroyed by me, who burst out from the floor. Some fell down the hole, others struggled under the rubble and were torn to death by the mutants.
"Isn't it painful, big baby?"
Number 26 was worried when he saw the debris piled up on his head and back.
[Zuzuzzu zuzuzu (It's strong so it doesn't hurt)]
｢It's strong! "Sturdy!"
As I easily shake off the accumulated debris, he shines brightly and loves it.
After that, I climbed up, destroying the ceiling with explosive spores or striking it hard with my wing arms.
Sometimes it's a hallway occupied by pirates, sometimes it's a huge room decorated with extravagant decorations, sometimes it's a swimming pool with floating water. Holes exceeding 10 meters were created on each floor of the building, but the headquarters did not collapse. This is probably due to the shielding wall surrounding the exterior wall of the building.
As I climbed up, destroying the interior of the headquarters, I soon got closer to the top.
'Is it arriving soon?'
At the end of the luxuriously decorated 100th floor, there was no longer a space that smelled of people. Instead, the wall dividing the floors became more than twice as thick as other areas. This is because it is close to the floor where the transport ship is located.
'Well, it's meaningless in the face of acidic breath.'
Even though it is thick, it is not as hard as a shield wall. I opened my mouth and spewed out highly acidic fungal breath.
There was a large hole in the ceiling, like in a classic sci-fi horror movie when the creatures escape the laboratory with acid blood. It was not simply limited to one floor. There were traces of melting by the breath on the upper floor as well.
I continued upward through the molten wall and eventually reached the top.
A silo extending beyond the height of the headquarters greets me. It is not visible now due to the shielding wall, but originally, from here, you could see the entire view of the fortress and even the planet visible behind the tempered glass.
A small-sized transport ship can be seen beneath a silo surrounded by several layers of metal walls. Next to them, a few people who were just preparing to board were looking at me with surprised faces.
A pirate with a fairly fat body, three bodyguards protecting him, and a female cultist with deer antlers on her head.
'Antlers?'
I've fought the Staghorn Cult a few times, so it might seem common, but it's not like that at all. The Antler Cult is the most powerful psychic power user in the cult society and is also the highest noble class. Not only are their numbers small, but they do not engage in external activities often in the first place.
Among the people I dealt with, the cultists with deer antlers were Muriel and Jason. They were both players, so it can't be considered a typical cult.
'Are you a player by any chance?'
When you think about it, Kadun said. It is said that among Marcio Cartel's customers, there is a person with considerable power.
'Let's deal with the transport ships first.'
Whether the opponent is a player or not, blocking them from being eliminated is a priority. I immediately prepared my psychic breath.
The purple tentacles of the monster emit powerful energy. A purple heat ray imitating the enormous power granted only to dragons flies toward the transport ship.
It is a transport ship equipped with a powerful shield, but the shield is currently disabled. Of course, it is impossible to block my attack.
But what happened next was beyond my expectations.
As the Antler Cult raised its right arm upward, a circular mandala made of purple thread unfolded and blocked the psychic breath. No, the expression "blocked" was not appropriate.
As soon as the supernatural flame touched the mandala, it disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place.
The mandala curved into a dome shape, covering the transport and the group around her.
'What technology is it?'
Among the defensive techniques I know, there are few techniques that nullify an opponent's attack as smoothly as the current one.
Red Armor used by Red Gallagon or Vortex One's defense technology would be sufficient, but the enemy is only a cult. Among common psychic power techniques, there are techniques that can block psychic breath, but it is impossible to block it so easily.
'Besides, I didn't feel any semi-elasticity.'
In the case of Aadhai, apart from defending against attacks with red armor, it is inevitable that the body will be pushed back due to impact.
On the other hand, the opponent seemed to be manipulating and nullifying the nature of my breath. Just like when I wrote 'complex spectral body'.
'no way?'
A staghorn cult roaming the fortress of technological pirates I don't know about.
Considering these two factors, there is only one answer.
'Cult ranker.'
"…5th place."
A cultist with a cold expression looked at me and chanted in a cold voice.
The enemy I encountered in an unexpected place and unexpected situation was a ranker like me.
Intense psychic power came towards me from her wide open left hand.
-x-X-x-
The psychic power emanating from the Antler Cult pressed heavily on my body.
'Gravity Control', an advanced 'binding' psychic technique commonly used by No. 26, was performed one after another in a short period of time. The intention is to block my movements and then launch a strong attack technique.
Of course, there is no need to match the other person's intentions. I tried to respond, but No. 26, who was in my arms near my chest, stepped forward before me.
The Sea Demon's psychic power was released explosively, removing the psychic power that had enveloped me. Feeling that my body became lighter in an instant, I spread my wings and arms wide and flew up to the silo.
Almost simultaneously, rainbow-colored orbs passed beneath my tail. The spheres that narrowly missed hit the shielding wall surrounding the headquarters and disappeared.
The technique the opponent used was Color Bomb. It is a technique that randomly causes negative effects and causes great damage to the opponent it hits.
Hanging upside down in the middle of the silo, I adjusted the angle of the biocannon on my back. The targets are cult rankers and transport ships. Two spores filled with explosive ooze fell down.
But this time too, my attack was ineffective. The spores disappeared as soon as they hit the purple mandala unfolded by the opponent. The sight of a sand castle collapsing after being swept away by waves was similar to when the psychic breath disappeared.
'It's not just about blocking energy.'
After exchanging one attack, we fell into a lull.
The other person knows my identity. That's why he's probably trying to carefully review the information he can get from the fight just now.
I am also like her. I hung in the silo and watched her closely.
'Why is the cult ranker here?'
According to the rumors I heard before coming to Kesha Arma, a considerable amount of time has passed since this fortress fell into the hands of pirates. If it were a cult stronghold like the game, it would be unnatural to have a cult ranker in the current situation.
'I don't look like a pirate like Muriel.'
If that were the case, Kadoon would have said that his leader was a cult pirate.
'Or is it one of the colleagues Jason mentioned?'
There are a total of two cult rankers that Jason remembers. One was from a different faction, so he didn't know the details, and the other was said to be active within the empire.
Coincidentally, the other party is also a deer antler cult. There is a high possibility that Jason knows.
'I said her name was Cynthia.'
Antler Cult Cynthia has strong defense abilities that are even better than Jason. So, whenever we moved together, I mainly played the role of supporter.
Not all rankers have excellent direct combat skills. While there are players like Jason who enjoy using offensive skills, there are also those who specialize in supporting and protecting allies.
'A ranker specializing in defense.'
A purple mandala covers her and the pirate transport ship behind her.
Jason said that this ability was superior to his own defensive skills.
In fact, the purple mandala not only blocked the energy-type attack, Psychic Breath, but also nullified explosive spores. According to the information I heard, it is said that it can prevent other types of attacks.
In addition, the mandala can be adjusted by the user to easily defend against attacks coming from various angles. Even now, she is protecting herself and those around her by forming a mandala into a dome shape.
'Is it an installed technology like a complex spectrometer?'
In games, there are very few technologies or characteristics that are installed and have a defensive effect. Even so, most of them are exclusive planes for boss-level creatures. It is not that there are no installed defense technologies and characteristics that players can use, but most of them have very strict restrictions or are very ineffective.
'The problem is its weakness…'
Unfortunately, Jason was not fully aware of the privileges of that female cult.
There was a problem with his memory when he became a human being, and there was also the fact that he was so arrogant that he didn't pay attention to those weaker than him, so he didn't know much about it. Given his personality, it's possible that he viewed the Antler Cult as a convenient buff vending machine.
'I have no choice but to see it with my own eyes.'
I quickly gathered my thoughts and started by examining the enemy's clothing.
'The armor is ordinary.'
She was wearing clothes that resembled a wide stola. That's the clothing that cult nobles usually wear in their daily lives.
It seemed that, apart from knowing my identity, they didn't think I would come here.
It's not particularly strange. In the game, Kesha Arma wasn't very helpful in Amorph's evolution. I wouldn't have even thought of coming here if I hadn't gotten the information from the slave market.
'I'm glad I encountered the enemy when he was weak.'
"Big baby. "That kid is scary."
At that time, No. 26, who was being held in my arms, sent out a shallow wave as if whispering in my ear. Number 26 is more sensitive than me when it comes to detecting and operating psychic powers.
Actually, I am thinking similarly to him. You can't feel safe just because your clothes are shabby. Even if the opponent specializes in auxiliary classes, a ranker is a ranker. It is never an easy enemy.
I asked No. 26 while being wary of the enemy.
[Zuzu zuz zuzuz zuz zuzuz zuzuzu (Can you catch him like you catch other kids?)]
｢I'll try.｣
The guy's psychic power secretly radiates out and seeps into the metal wall of the silo. Like a predator lurking in a field of reeds, stalking its prey, the psychic powers that had been creeping all at once attacked the dome of the mandala.
However, like the previous two cases, No. 26's psychic power was blocked by the dome and disappeared.
[Zuzuzu (It doesn't work)]
"That beeping thing is bothering me."
I patted the sullen guy with my small arm.
'Even though it's the same attack, it can't be fired from the inside, but it can't be fired from the outside.'
The only difference between the restraints used by No. 26 and the restraints used by them is the total amount of psychic power, but the mechanism itself is the same. However, seeing as it doesn't work, it appears to be a method that only allows user attacks to pass through.
'Nothing is perfect in this world.'
This headquarters alone is protected by a shield wall that can withstand my psychic breath, but it was eventually breached. The same goes for that defense technique. Even if it has incredible performance, there are bound to be loopholes somewhere.
I spread the flaps of my folded wings wide again. My body fell from the metal wall and glided through the silo.
I need to take a look and see if there are any loopholes in the fortress Cynthia built.
–
"What is that?"
"…the monster that attacked this fortress."
"Damn the rain! Where did that monster come from…"
"It is a very powerful enemy. "You must never leave this energy field."
"Is there anything we can do to help?"
"It helps me to stay still."
Contrary to reassuring Montana, who was shocked behind her, Cynthia was not feeling well.
'Damn it…'
Even though I tried to keep my cool, it was difficult to calm down because the situation was so serious.
She has competed against the 5th ranked Aimov ranker only twice. In other words, this is the third time.
Although I have little experience competing directly with Aimov, I have heard of his legendary notoriety.
Jason, who was killed every single day for several months for interfering with evolution, eventually posted an apology to the community.
Akira lost three colony planets while fighting against him.
Zubaka was not promoted to Grand Leader for two weeks due to the annihilation of the Mechanical Committee.
All members of the 'dominant faction' harbor a grudge bordering on fear towards Aimov.
The problem is that it is not just the ruling faction members who are afraid. A member of the 'Return Faction', the real faction she belonged to, also warned her.
Don't ever run into that guy.
If you feel like you're going to fight, just run away.
The member who left that warning was the one who competed with Amorph more than anyone else. Although he is ranked lower than 5th, he defeated the guy several times with his genius brain play.
Even such a talented person told me to run away at all costs.
'If I could run away, I would have done so a long time ago.'
As soon as it appeared, it immediately targeted the transport ship. I don't know who the opponent is, but they were trying to block him from leaving.
If it weren't for her special 'Phase Defense Mantra', she wouldn't have been able to easily block it.
The phase defense mantra, which installs a protective shield made up of a purple mandala in a certain area, is a very powerful defensive technique. It defends against not only physical attacks, but also energy-based attacks and attacks that cannot be defended, such as Vortex One.
Thanks to this ability, Cynthia mainly participated in a support role when members of the ruling faction hunted players. The range of the shield is not very wide, with a maximum radius of 10m, but it was enough to protect a few members.
Of course, it is not completely without drawbacks. Aside from its narrow range, the phase defense mantra has one fatal weakness.
Of course she wasn't worried about that. This is because it was a weakness that even players who worked with her realized much later. It was unlikely that Eimoff would notice this, as it had only been a few minutes since the encounter.
If anything, right now we have to worry about something other than the mantra of phase defense.
In her hands is the strongest shield, but her weapons are poor. It's not easy to kill him with her powers.
'Plus, the pet he has with him.'
A small pink creature held on Aimorph's chest. The identity of that creature resembling a bubble amoeba is a Sea Demon.
There is nothing more foolish than waging a supernatural battle against a semi-boss level creature that is good at controlling psychic power.
In fact, she is constantly using psychic techniques on Aimorph, but all of them are neutralized by the Sea Demon.
Meanwhile, the guy was using all kinds of characteristics to attack her shield.
The biological bomb launched from the cannon on its back, and the thorns fired from inside the tail's claws were features that were familiar to the game.
However, the foam ball fired while its body turned an unpleasant color sent chills to her stomach. Fortunately, the ominous bubble was blocked by a protective shield and dissipated.
The guy didn't give up and continued his next attack, as if he had already expected it. As soon as the sphere effect wore off, it flew into her close range. One of the many arms, instead of wings, clawed at her shield.
｢Grrrr｣
Amorph's claws that touched the protective shield disappeared like ice cream melting.
I fought him and injured him for the first time, but it is still too early to feel relieved. She quickly extended her left hand towards him. A huge scythe made of purple energy fell on the guy's head.
The name of that scythe is 'Ripper's Hand'. It is a psychic technique specialized for cutting heavily armored enemies, easily cutting through the front armor of a battleship. With this, I could easily break its carapace.
Just as the scythe was about to cut the guy's head in two, the guy turned his head slightly to the side. The scythe disintegrated as soon as it collided with its asymmetrical horn.
'Horn of Gallagon!'
I thought it only neutralized defensive techniques among psychic techniques, but I had no idea it could be applied in that way. Embarrassed, she tried to fight back, but he was one step faster.
Its hideous maw opened wide and green liquid poured out like a fountain. She flinched for a moment as she saw a lump of pus dripping onto her head.
"What the fuck is that?!"
"…disgusting."
Regardless of the physiological disgust they felt, the mantra of phase defense was alive and well. Not a single drop of liquid reached her and spilled onto the floor around her.
The metal floor, which was not protected by the mantra, melted, emitting toxic smoke.
'…It's an acidic liquid.'
Acid Breath is an attribute Cynthia has also seen for the first time. While taking note of his new characteristics, she struck the Ripper's Hand again.
The target this time is his legs. A purple scythe flies, cutting through the thick smoke. It spread its huge wings and flew backwards to avoid the attack.
'good!'
I predicted that it would retreat. As soon as she fired the Ripper's Hand, she threw the prepared color bomb at him. I tried to avoid it, but it was so big that I couldn't dodge it completely. The colored bomb hit its abdomen and destroyed part of its carapace.
｢Grrr!｣
"Well done!"
"That bastard!"
Amov's short groan and the voices of those cheering behind him rang out at the same time. The one hit by the color bomb stumbled slightly and clung to the silo.
'good. If you just do this….'
For a moment, I was happy about being hit. She realized that he looked different than before.
'No Mr. Demon?'
The pink creature I was holding on my chest suddenly disappeared.
The moment she noticed that, the floor she was standing on began to shake violently.
'no way?!'
The Sea Demon disappeared from the melted hole.
There was no doubt that it was targeting areas that the shield could not protect.
After realizing his intentions, she quickly readjusted her phase defense mantra. In just a few seconds, the floor cracked and debris flew upward.
Several holes the size of a human head appear, and pink tentacles emerge from them. The adjustment of the shield was completed just before they wrapped around her legs.
The tentacle lost its strength and fell to the floor, accompanied by an eerie sound of flesh being torn apart. The dome-shaped protective film changed into a sphere shape, cutting off the tentacles that had invaded the inside.
'It was almost dangerous…'
Just as she was trying to reassure herself, she felt a strong pain in her abdomen. When I lowered my head, I saw that the cloth covering my stomach was stained red.
"crazy! "What are you doing now?"
"Oh, I have to kill the lord, but I have to kill the lord!"
As she looks back blankly, Montana and her bodyguard come into view.
The bodyguard is holding a Gauss rifle tightly and making strange noises, and Montana is having a hard time blocking the bodyguard.
When she saw that, she used restraint techniques without hesitation and pushed the bodyguard out of the shield.
"I'm going to kill you! Kill me? I'm going to kill you! Hi-Hi! ha ha ha!"
The frantic bodyguard rushed into the shield and disappeared.
Cynthia paid attention to the bodyguard and quickly used her recovery technique. As the bleeding stopped and the puncture wound healed, the pain gradually subsided.
"What on earth is happening now?"
"…It looks like this guy did it."
Gritting her teeth, she glared at the monster hanging from the silo.
The mane-like tentacles around the back of the monster's head and neck fluttered as if the wind was blowing, then stopped.
"It's a shame."
The voice I heard for the first time since the battle began.
Cynthia knows that the voice that seems to be heard everywhere was stolen from someone, because she experienced it once while fighting that bastard.
But the moment she heard it in person, a feeling quickly grew in her heart.
It was 'fear'.
-x-X-x-
'Is it visual impairment?'
Hanging on the silo, I checked my physical condition.
Color Bomb inflicts strong damage to the opponent while also causing random negative effects. Of these, the more annoying part is the latter than the former. It weakens bodily organs such as sensory muscles, disrupts concentration, etc.
Because I was hit with a rainbow-colored energy bullet in my abdomen, my visual function was greatly impaired. To the point where everything around you appears blurry.
'It would have been quite difficult without the auxiliary institutions.'
The largest part of Aimorph's sensing organs is the auxiliary organ located under the chin. Even if you can't see it with your eyes, you can clearly sense what's going on inside this silo.
I clung to the silo wall and watched the opponent's movements with my auxiliary organ.
Currently, Cynthia is focusing on recovering from her wounds. The smell of blood flowing from the wound and the cold sweat flowing from the pain is getting weaker.
In the meantime, I organized the important newly acquired information.
I did some experiments while fighting her.
I tried hitting it with my hand to see if it was only protecting against projectiles, and I also tried using the 'predatory leech hand' to see if it could eat away the shield.
As you can see, the result was a failure. In return, the fingers and the inside of the palm of one of his fighting arms were blown off.
The next thing I tried was a joint operation with No. 26.
The protective shield she installed is in the form of a dome laid on the floor. In that case, attacking through the floor would also be effective.
I poured acid breath onto the shield. Cynthia thought I was trying to attack the shield, but in reality, I was trying to make a hole in the floor.
Number 26 went downstairs safely, hiding from the toxic smoke generated when the floor melted. There, it struck the floor beneath the shield with its gigantic tentacles.
Meanwhile, I wasn't playing either. I used 'Messenger of Chaos' just in time for him to destroy the floor, and it sent one pirate into a frenzy.
Unfortunately, Cynthia responded by changing the shield into a sphere, blocking the effect of the Herald of Chaos. Because of this, the pirate failed to kill Cynthia.
'Still, I got some important information.'
The shield cannot block attacks originating from within. She was injured after being shot by a security guard.
Among the installed defense techniques used by boss-level creatures, there is a type that never takes damage within the protected area. Her skills are not of that type.
'However, I don't think it will be easy to induce an attack from within.'
Cynthia, who was unexpectedly attacked inside the shield, pushed the bodyguard out and eliminated the threat. As a ranker, I thought I was infected with something and reacted quickly.
If the bodyguard had died inside the shield, there would have been a slight chance of the madness bomb spreading, so it was a bit disappointing.
They've been hit hard once too, so they'll be on high alert. My opponent is also a ranker like me. Unless you go crazy, you can't fall for the same trick twice.
'Or should we try to use this in reverse?'
It's been a while since I fought Cynthia. At this point, she probably knows that I have no means of breaking through the shield. Therefore, it is natural for me to try different methods to attack.
The weakness of the shield revealed so far is that it is vulnerable to attacks from within. Since both she and I know this, this part becomes the key to the strategy.
'You'd think…'
While she is deluded, I plan to aim elsewhere.
My auxiliary organ wriggled to see Cynthia's reaction.
I can feel her exhaled breath leaving the protective shield. The pain was relieved thanks to the treatment techniques, and the panting was becoming less frequent.
'good.'
I figured out how to attack it.
Lastly, after checking the most important time for this plan, I sent a message to number 26, who was waiting downstairs.
[Zuzuzuzu(Are you okay?)]
｢Yes! It's okay!｣
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (I'm sorry, but I'll ask for one)]
｢What? What is it?｣
[
Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
The guy didn't seem to want to leave this place, but eventually agreed.
"Big baby, don't get hurt anymore!"
[Zuzuzuzu (Don't worry)] After
reassuring him, I fired a psychic breath with the monster's tentacles. The target is not her shield, but the space around it.
"Tch!"
When she realized that I was about to destroy the floor around her, she clicked her tongue briefly. The supernatural scythe under her will came out of the air and struck me down.
Did I actually become more sensitive because I couldn't see? Sensing in advance that psychic power was concentrated in the air, I spread my wings and flew up. After easily dodging the Rippers Hand, I flew to the wall on the other side and tried to hang on to it.
As I was flying through the center of the large silo, my body suddenly became heavier. I felt strong psychic power concentrated in Cynthia's left hand below.
She grabbed me with 'binding' and pulled my left arm back. My body jerked downward and collided with the floor.
It didn't really hurt, but it didn't feel good. The biocannon on my back fired a cannonball filled with my annoyance. Two explosive spores flew in a parabola and passed over the shield.
The spores burst and a shallow vibration echoes through the floor where we stand. Cynthia reaches out her hand towards me without any hesitation.
Psychic techniques that caused various negative effects rained down on my body.
My body slows down, like I'm stuck in a quicksand. The girl who tied me up is shooting out colored bombs.
In response, I activated 'Complex Spectral Body'.
The smoke flowing from my body quickly gathered in the air. The complex spectral object, which changed into a tray shape so large that it covered not only my body but also the walls behind it, defended against the color bomb fired by Cynthia.
"!"
The reflected colored chestnuts bounced in all directions like popcorn popping out of a pot. Scratches began to appear in the floor around her as well as in the walls of the silo. When she saw that, her heart rate went up compared to before.
You're probably wondering how many hidden abilities that guy has.
After that, a passive battle continued.
After confirming the complex spectral body, she attacked me mainly with techniques that tied and hindered my movements rather than techniques with powerful destructive power.
Certainly, as Jason said, his skills were outstanding as a ranker specializing in rear support. Because there was only one decisive blow, and they were hindering me with the necessary skills at the right time.
After the complex spectral object disappeared, I was hit by Cynthia's colored bomb a few more times. Once I destroyed it with a horn so I didn't receive any negative effects, but the rest caused damage to my body without much effect.
One of his fighting arms was numb, and the acidic fungal glands inside his throat had a severely reduced ability to produce fungi.
And the gravity manipulated by psychic power pressed down on me. Cynthia prepares a color balm for me, who can't move properly with my head down on the floor.
'You're aiming for the right wing arm.'
I read the flow of psychic power with an auxiliary organ instead of my eyes, which I cannot see well, and prepared to block it by forcing my body, which was not moving well, to move.
Soon, the rainbow-colored energy bullet she shot flies. The colored bomb, which flew at breakneck speed with the intention of taking away my ability to fly, flew in a completely different direction instead of my wing arm.
"…shit!"
About ten minutes into the fight, her attack missed for the first time. There was a deep sense of embarrassment in her short swear words.
Meanwhile, I crawled out of the area of her gravity control. Behind me, she shot the color bomb again, but this time it flew in the wrong direction.
"Why like this…"
She lets out a question-filled complaint. Even though he wanted to think about why he kept going astray, it seemed like his head wasn't working properly.
I know why she is like that. I kindly pointed behind her with the finger of my wing arm.
She turns her head to follow the direction my finger points.
The pirates behind them. Their talkativeness had drastically decreased from earlier, and their complexions were very pale. In particular, the pirate, who boasted a considerable size, was panting while squeezing his chest with his hands.
"no way?"
She turns her head and glares at me with bloodshot eyes. Her red eyes aren't just because of anger.
The weapon I chose to pierce the protective shield she had spread was no different.
'hour.'
The oxygen level in this fortress is falling in real time due to PS-111's operations. After an hour, there will not be a single human left inside this fortress who will be able to stand upright.
Normally, each command center would have its own oxygen supply facility for such situations. But it's not working properly now. Because I came up destroying the headquarters, the amount of oxygen escaping outside was greater than the amount supplied inside.
Now, more than 20 minutes have passed since it started releasing oxygen into space. It's time for her and the pirates to react.
"If you can't breathe, you die. "It's the same with cults."
In this respect, Amorph is really good. Because you can last for a long time without breathing.
"…Go inside Mr. Montana."
"Are you sure that's okay?"
Instead of responding to me, she put the pirates behind her on the transport ship. A small amount of oxygen is supplied on board, so you can endure a little longer.
Of course, Cynthia is an exception because she has to deal with me.
As I was getting ready to fight again, she opened her mouth.
"I have something to say about number 5."
It's surprising that she won't know that if she waits, the odds will be worse for her than for me.
'Has proper thinking become impossible?'
Looking at the non-stop cold sweat and unstable breathing, it was easy to see that she was in a very desperate situation.
"You might not know it from a game, but this is reality. "There's no need to avoid it when we can talk, right?"
It's not wrong, but there's no need to talk about it now. She and I were fighting to kill each other, and this conversation could give her a chance to fight back.
"Are you so immersed in Aimov's life that you refuse to even talk to fellow humans?"
The moment I heard that, I paused without realizing it.
"Same human being?"
"yes."
"I don't think that's what you would say after hunting down other players."
She is one of Jason's companions. They tried to enslave the Mother of Heaven and kill other players to steal their perks.
"That had something to do with why I asked to talk to you."
"What do you mean?"
"I do not agree with their wishes at all. In fact, I didn't receive any special benefits."
One of the things she said was something I also heard from Jason. Cynthia said that while working with Jason, she never tried to take advantage of it herself.
In my experience, perks can only be taken away by directly killing the opponent. All of Muriel Jason's perks were also robbed in that manner.
"Such excuses mean nothing. "It is true that you contributed to the death of another player."
"It was to achieve the goals of my faction. "The reason I hung out with them was for intelligence."
"Spy?"
Cynthia put her hand near the chest of her clothes as if she had trouble breathing.
"5th place. "Isn't the reason you prey on others to see the end of evolution, that is, ascension?"
"okay."
Since it wasn't anything to hide, I answered simply.
Then she continued speaking in a more stable voice than before.
"My colleagues and I aim to clear the game and return home."
The moment I heard those words, I remembered what Heavenly Mother had said before.
There was a fight between players trying to see the ending and players trying to dominate the world.
And I am closer to the former.
"Would you like to cooperate with us?"
Therefore, the words that came out of Cynthia's mouth were quite predictable.
'It's cooperation.'
Even without thinking too deeply, her proposal is quite attractive.
Cynthia's faction will also know that the players once tried to cooperate with each other to reach the ending, but failed for some reason. Nevertheless, those who are aiming for the ending are likely to know a lot of information that I do not know.
Now that the game has changed a lot, there is a huge gap between knowing in advance and moving without knowing. Especially if the difficulty of the ending mission has risen sharply, it will definitely be advantageous to cooperate with them.
'Of course, but…'
But there is a catch to her suggestion. After thinking for a moment, I made a choice.
"I refuse."
"Think about it…yes?"
Of course Cynthia thought I would accept.
She looked at me in disbelief when she heard my refusal.
-x-X-x-
"…Did you reject me because I was a spy? "If so, I can explain in more detail."
These were the words she managed to get out as she was taken aback by the unexpected answer.
I still seem to misunderstand, but I didn't reject her because she was a spy for another faction.
Space Survival is a cruel dystopian world. No matter how good the conditions and perks are, it is not easy to survive. If you think about it as a game, it's like running to the ending with just one life.
You've survived so far in these harsh conditions without such deception? That is a lie.
The reason I refused was for a very simple reason.
Her faction is a gathering of those who aim for the ending. And the ending conditions for the cult include hunting down Eimoff.
The final quest that the cult must accomplish before seeing the ending is 'killing the monster that threatens the universe.' You must catch one of the Outspacers who command the 10 queens of the highest level Aimorph Adult Metallic Gremlin.
Conversely, similar to cults, Aimorphs can only ascend to heaven by preying on the leaders of races that fall into 'three major categories'. For example, a high priest who is considered a potential emperor in a cult society.
I don't know how powerful and powerful the faction Cynthia belongs to is. However, it may not be great enough to solve these difficult conditions.
'If that were the case, I would have seen the ending a long time ago.'
If not, are you recruiting me as a colleague? I can't help but think they're looking at me like a pig to be slaughtered.
It's not that I don't understand. Because I did something similar to them.
When I decided to save Heavenly Mother, I thought of her as insurance. This is because Wolff also falls into one of the 'three categories' that Aimov must hunt.
Of course, my thoughts have changed a lot now. By finding another way instead of using her as a sacrifice for ascension. So the parasites were also removed.
But I changed my mind because I continued to interact with her. If my heart hadn't changed, her ending wouldn't have changed.
So what about them and me?
At this point, there is no mental interaction between them and I. The power they have is superior to mine.
Cooperation is something that is done on an equal footing with each other. If you join this faction, there is a high possibility that you will end up as a slave.
In fact, it is the same when you look at Cynthia.
It seemed clear that she wasn't happy about killing other players. However, he is acting as a spy among the player hunters. Looking at that, you can get an idea of what the atmosphere is like in that faction.
"Do you think you can see the ending on your own? Even number one in the rankings failed…."
"You won't know unless you try it yourself."
"Are you crazy because you became Amorph?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm being perfectly rational right now."
"Sane? Hey, the opposite sex. "You don't know anything."
"okay. that's right. I don't know anything. Not yet."
From now on, you can find out. Because there is a good source of information.
Cynthia's expression became extremely cold as she understood what I meant.
"That's disgusting. You are no different from Jason. "Murderers who are so immersed in this game world that they have forgotten reality."
I didn't reply.
Me, who took countless lives for survival, and Jason and Muriel, who killed others for their personal desires. Even if the motivation is different, the result is the same. If I were to see 'me now' in real life, I would think I was a crazy, murderous monster.
However, at least I don't treat the guys who are with me like objects.
No. 26 Aadhai Mother of Heaven and PS-111, who joined relatively later.
Regardless of whether this world is a real game or reality, they are precious to me and something I must protect.
'Negotiations are broken.'
I checked Cynthia's condition with an auxiliary organ.
Her breathing is becoming increasingly unstable due to lack of oxygen.
Cults' physical abilities are lower than those of humans. Judging by her failed attempt to attack me, her perception is already messed up.
There is no way she can escape me.
"…I admit it. I can't beat you. "I have no means or strategy to kill you."
Cynthia glares at me with red eyes.
"But it could get you into trouble." 'Huh?'
With those words, she withdrew her arms from the chest of her clothes. In his hand was a small silver orb.
'what?'
As soon as I saw something I had never seen before, I spread my wings and arms and jumped back.
It's unlikely she'll pull out a lethal weapon now. If I had it, I would have used it a long time ago. But just in case, I kept my distance from Cynthia.
"It wasn't originally something I would use, but…"
Her voice and the silver orb matched. A small sphere the size of three fingers briefly glowed, but soon turned dull black.
It was clear that something had been done, but no change occurred. The moment I thought that, an alarm rang throughout the fortress.
'Alarm sound? no way?'
There are two cases where that sound can be heard from the space fortress.
A group of outspacers attacked, or…
"In the next five minutes, a group of metallic gremlins will arrive here."
"what?"
You can hear that alarm sound when a large group of metallic gremlins appears.
The orb she is holding. That item seems to be the culprit that brought about the metallic gremlin.
'Are you planning to blow yourself up with me?'
When the Metallic Gremlin attacks Kesha Arma, it's Cynthia who becomes more dangerous than me. I can survive without dying if I fall into outer space, but not over there.
But her face did not belong to someone who had given up. When I saw that, I realized.
'You're targeting the kids I have with me!'
"You probably don't have time for that. "If you don't want to see the 'pet' you care so much about die, hurry up."
She is laughing at me as she dies in real time from lack of oxygen.
Unfortunately, for now she is right.
No. 26 or PS-111 are not suitable for fighting Metallic Gremlins with their bare bodies, even if they are on board a ship.
Moreover, the Heavenly Mother has not yet completed her ascension to the level of deification. If you are attacked before growth is complete, you will 100% die.
In the end, I had no choice but to postpone catching Cynthia.
But that doesn't mean I have any intention of just suffering like this.
I poured out my psychic breath towards the floor that was not protected by the shield. Due to the continued battle, the floor that was barely holding on eventually collapsed.
"!"
As the floor collapsed, the transporter and she began to fall downstairs.
Since there is a shield, neither the transport ship nor she will take any damage. However, it is impossible to escape using the silo. If we want to leave this fortress, we have no choice but to find another means.
"You'll have to hope I don't come back."
I warned her, whose expression was completely distorted, and spread my wings. My body quickly ascended and flew up the long silo above the command center.
As soon as the cold steel track ends, a sea of stars welcomes me. Below my feet, I see a panoramic view of Kesha Armah, a huge space building built by a cult.
Originally, the city should be clearly visible thanks to the tempered glass. But now the entire fortress was covered with a shield wall in preparation for battle. The huge turrets at the bottom and top of the fortress were also moving diligently to prepare for the imminent enemy.
One of the turrets, as big as my body, was aimed at me and moved up and down. Looking at the turret moving as if it was nodding, I could see who was in control.
'It's PS-111.'
The 2nd Command was destroyed by my hands, so there is no command authority. The 1st Command is going to be busy because of No. 26, which I sent away earlier.
'Because I asked you to go with Aadhai and occupy it.'
Mutants and madmen wandering everywhere, including Sea Demon and Gallagon. The 1st Command Center will have a hard time stopping them. PS-111 may have taken advantage of this time to take control of the entire fortress' defense facilities.
I left the rear to him and kept my eyes on the dark front.
A black space where you don't know what will be at the end. A blue flame ignited there.
It started as a small flame and grew so large that it spread over entire mountains and engulfed entire cities.
After the wildly burning blue fire died down, what remained was not ash but countless particles.
That thing that looked like raw rice scattered on black paper was a group of metallic gremlins.
A large flock, probably numbering thousands or at least 10,000, is flying towards Kesha Arma.
–
'Damn it…'
Cynthia cursed inwardly.
The plan was completely ruined because of Eimoff, who was screwed until the end.
The name of the Orb used as a last resort is 'Orb of Savagery.' It is an item that allows you to give orders to a 'specific monster' when the conditions are met.
This item, created by a space survival powerhouse in the past, was owned by Cynthia. It was to achieve the conditions of use of the product.
'I barely succeeded in taking control of a group of metallic gremlins!'
Because of that, she was willing to kill the player. But to be consumed like this. The relics that were supposed to be used for the great succession of the 'returned faction' were wasted in vain.
Originally, the Savage Orb was an object to be used by 'those who received guidance from the Returned Sect'.
While Cynthia waited at Kesha Arma, her colleagues were trying to get the rightful users of this item to come here.
If he had waited a few more days, he or she would have followed the return party's lead and participated in the auction held at the fortress. At that time, Cynthia was scheduled to hand 'her' the Savage Orb and take on the role of guiding her to find new artifacts.
That was the scenario of the returning group, but it was ruined when they encountered an unexpected scalper. To reactivate the orb that has turned black, you must get your hands dirty again.
'…Right now, the priority is to get out of here.'
The good news is that he chose to attack the Metallic Gremlin rather than her.
It seemed like he cherished the Sea Demon he had with him. This is because when a tentacle is injured by her shield, it immediately retreats.
Moreover, even when the word 'pet' came out of her mouth, it was visible that she got upset.
'Dirty pervert.'
Anyway, thanks to him leaving, her life was extended a little longer.
However, we cannot be completely reassured yet.
He is the most infamous being in space survival. The number of metallic gremlins here is not small, but you never know. If he returns after slaughtering everyone, she will definitely be dead.
If you want to survive, you must somehow escape this fortress.
"Si Cynthia. "Has he gone?"
Then a familiar voice called to her from behind. When I turned around, Montana and his bodyguard were getting off the transport ship.
"I'm not completely gone."
"Then what should I do?"
Who would have thought that this panicky, trembling man was the one who ruled the space fortress just a few tens of minutes ago?
Cynthia said to the half-disappeared Montana.
"We'd better go to First Command. "The transport ship there will be fine."
"okay! "A great choice!"
Cynthia used a psychic skill that allowed Montana and the bodyguard to float in the air, then jumped down into the hole made by Aimorph.
She came down to the first floor at once and searched for the reinforced clothing submerged in the sea of blood. She took out oxygen capsules and put one in her mouth.
"Phew."
This slightly delayed the time before I died. Cynthia gave a capsule to Montana and the bodyguards and came out of the command center.
There was deep darkness inside the fortress due to the shielding walls covered to combat the metallic gremlins. The only light was the flames rising from everywhere.
Literally the end of the century. Kesha Arma, the symbol of glory, is no more. There are only fallen and collapsed ruins.
"I can't believe it…"
Montana, who lost everything in an instant, let out a deep sigh.
"I don't have time to stay like this. "You have to live now to get revenge later."
"Okay, that's right."
Cynthia gritted her teeth and boarded a nearby hover bus with Montana. The inside of the bus was a complete mess. All the glass was broken and the floor was full of corpses with their limbs torn off. And the engine's energy was all gone.
If she were human, she wouldn't have been able to do anything, but she is a cult. It is also a deer antler cult with great power.
She put her hand on the engine and the hover bus rose into the air.
"It's dangerous because there are enemies on the road, so I'll take this and go."
"Can't we just protect it with that special membrane or something?"
"If you use that ability, you will not be able to move."
After briefly answering Montana's question, she piloted the hover bus and began flying to First Command Center. Because the speed was deliberately slowed down, the sound was barely audible. Instead, I could faintly hear something exploding below and the sound of people screaming.
Look at what this guy who said he was immersed in this world did. Isn't this no different from a mass murderer?
What's scarier is that a guy with this kind of mentality also has good skills. Cynthia, who had fought in person, felt that fact keenly. If there wasn't an orb and the guy didn't have a pet, she would definitely have died.
'…we need to change our plan.'
The members of the Returning Sect seemed to be considering the 5th place as part of their plan, but that was too reckless. It would never be easy to control a being as dangerous as Akira, the leader of the ruling faction.
As Cynthia's mind became more and more complicated, the First Command Center was visible through the broken window. When seen from a distance, the cylindrical shield wall was still intact.
"Can it be disarmed from outside the shielding wall at the entrance?"
"of course. "I've made it so that I can pass through major facilities in this city using eye recognition."
"We will arrive soon. "When you get off, everyone be ready to run."
At that time, everyone who heard those words became nervous.
The hover bus collided with something and was destroyed. The body of the bus was torn in two, and the three people inside the bus were thrown out.
'this!'
She fell sharply to the floor and quickly used the levitation technique. Her body stopped in midair just before colliding with the floor.
Unlike her, the other two had no abilities. They fell from dozens of meters in the air and their bodies were shattered.
In particular, in the case of Montana, who boasted a body that was larger than that of the average person, her appearance became indescribably hideous. The end of the powerful leader of the Space Dog cartel was truly miserable.
"…."
There are more important issues right now than Montana's death.
The entity that attacked the bus is nearby. She quickly deployed the 'mantra of phase protection'. A purple mandala spread out in a dome shape covered the metal floor she was standing on.
'Who is it? 'Who did this?'
Her eyes wandered frantically around.
The floor around it was a mess, as if there had been an earthquake. All the buildings had collapsed to the ground and the roads were all overturned.
The corpses of human monsters were strewn across the messed up area.
I felt an eerie feeling when flying on the hover bus, but when I stepped foot on it, the feeling was completely different. She had seen people die many times before, but this was the first time she felt as horrified as this.
'Okay, it's still a game. 'There's nothing to be afraid of.'
While Cynthia was comforting herself, a red light passed quickly over her head. It was so fast that I couldn't see it clearly.
She hastily prepared color balm. In the meantime, something flies in again. The sound of wings flapping reached her ears.
'Aimorph?'
A thought like that suddenly occurred to her, but she quickly denied it. The sound it made when it flew around was louder than this. What flies is something smaller than that.
And the sound of wings flapping rapidly grew louder. The red light got closer to her at incredible speed. The colored bomb in her left hand was launched towards the enemy, but it was too late.
It had red horns and wings and struck the shield she had spread with its horns.
Originally, not only the opponent's horns but also the head itself should have disappeared, but surprisingly, the guy was fine.
"Gallagon?"
The four-winged snake-like monster tilted its head and disappeared before my eyes. The moment she realized the identity of the monster that had ambushed her, she felt a strong pain in her right hand.
"uh?"
A thin pink vine sprouted from the floor and pierced her right hand.
She habitually used her right hand when unfolding the mantra of phase protection.
So, due to the fact that my right hand was hit, the adjustment of the shield became slower than usual. Yes, it only takes a moment to see. The error was enough to make you blink once.
But was that error enough time for someone? The pink vine that pierced her right hand pierced her eye with lightning speed.
"!"
She tried to scream as the pain felt like a needle pricking the center of her eye. But the pain didn't last long.
Cynthia thought that the world she was seeing was rapidly becoming darker.
It wasn't the light going out in the fortress, it was a sign that a life was going out, but she never realized it.
–
While taking the younger child to fulfill the request of the older child, she saw a bad guy in her eyes.
The bad guy who was tormenting the older baby was wearing a strange shell and was heading towards a large lump of rock.
When I told him that there was a bad guy inside that shell who was mistreating the older one, the younger one got angry and hit the ground with his chubby appendage.
Anyone who harasses an older child should be scolded.
Anyone.
So I scolded him.
She transformed the tentacle into a very thin one and hid it in the ground, then pulled the tentacle out of the bad guy's body. The bad guy with a hole in his body didn't move with his appendages hanging out.
"Thanks to me" "I won"
The little baby landed next to the bad guy.
Because he's young, he often says things wrong, but this time he was right. If it weren't for the little baby, I wouldn't have been able to scold the bad guy so easily.
So she decided to give it up to the little one this time. She wrapped her tentacles around the bad guy and handed him to the little one.
"It's a little baby. This time, you eat it.'
'Really?'
'Yes.'
The little baby bobbed the part with many tentacles. After a while, the little baby said.
"Enemy" "Strong" "I" "Alone" "It's hard" "So" "Let's eat together" "It's
okay."
"Little adult" "Strength" "Thanks to you," "I won" "Big adult" Meal ｣｢ "I like doing it together" and "I like it",
the little baby said and gently pushed her tentacles away with the area where there were many tentacles.
Even though she was young, seeing her proudly giving in made her feel good. So, I gently stroked the little baby with my tentacles, just like a big baby would.
｢Good job!｣
｢I don't like it｣｢Don't do it｣
I liked it when my older child did it.
She almost felt a little offended, but she held back. She's more of an adult than a little baby, so it's right to be patient at times like this.
So the two started eating the food they hunted together.
｢Delicious!｣
｢It's okay｣
｢I feel good when I eat it.｣
｢Agree｣｢Star power｣｢I've become stronger.｣
The bad guy's meat was pretty good even by her standards. Every time she ate, her body felt full of strength. The little baby also seemed to like it and shook it vigorously.
While eating, something round and hard entered her body, but she didn't pay much attention to it. Once it entered the stomach, it was digested.
"Let's go when we've finished eating."
"Yes."
After eating all the food, she and the little baby set off again toward the large rock.
There was nothing to indicate that there was a bad guy there.