Pure white clouds are settling in a space that should be pitch black.
This is what they usually look like when a large number of silver-skinned metallic gremlins gather together.
'There are a lot.'
Looking at the size of the cloud, it is more than twice as large as the group of metallic gremlins I encountered before it became a subadult. It was a medium-sized group at the time, but if you look at the ones flying now, it's an even larger group.
'Now that I look at it, it looks like it's over 20,000.'
Maybe there are more. Because if it is a large group, the number is never small.
And unlike medium-sized flocks led by a single 'warp boy', large flocks contain several types of higher-level species. 'Wolfram Goblin', a higher species specialized in warpboy combat, etc.
A large group moves systematically as its members are segmented. Could it be said that the majority feels like army ants who form a camp and move around? Don't think about fighting a medium-sized group.
The infamous legions of space marauders are closing in to devour Kesha Arma.
In response, the space fortress also began intercepting the enemy.
The huge fortress guns placed behind me spewed fire one by one.
Psychic heat rays that are as thick as the psychic breath I fire cut through the sea of stars. The group of metallic gremlins quickly disperses. Some slow-moving guys were hit by the heat rays and disappeared without a trace.
Unfortunately, the first shot was a failure. The super-large fortress guns went on standby, and in their place, hundreds of anti-aircraft guns for intercepting ship-based aircraft prepared for battle.
Meanwhile, the wide spread metallic gremlins quickly gathered together and rushed towards the fortress.
Now it's my turn to step forward.
The color bomb he received while fighting Cynthia weakened not only his vision, but also the fungal glands inside his neck and one of his fighting arms, but there were no major problems.
What you need when fighting against a large number of people in space is agile maneuvering ability and…
'long-distance shooting ability.'
Psychic Breath with a spoonful of 'Color of the Abyss' would fully meet the requirements.
I advanced toward the approaching enemy forces, keeping my wings spread out to their limits horizontally. At the same time, the color of the black carapace that protects my body changed.
Purple, green and all kinds of colors are mixed together. Chaotic colors dance and move on the stage called the carapace.
At the end is a monster's tentacle. The mane-like tentacles on the neck and occipital carapace glow in strange colors and flutter. An ominous and indescribable force escaping from the tentacles condenses in front of my snout.
The metallic gremlins, whose distance from me is gradually narrowing, have not yet sensed the crisis. What used to be like small dust that makes up clouds is now starting to look as big as the fingernail of your little finger.
Tens of thousands of monsters open their hideous maws wide and rush towards me.
I threw a ball of foam at them, filled with chaos and malice. Bubbles that are ridiculously small compared to this universe or even me. The metallic gremlins were not alert.
And then the sphere collided with an unlucky marauder. Like a glass sphere breaking, the bubble burst and covered the looter's body.
That was the beginning.
｢■■?!｣
The psychic breath strengthened by the color of the abyss is a greedier predator than I am. Those bubbles, driven by an unknown force, never stop until they eat up all the organic matter nearby.
｢■■■■■!｣
｢■■■!｣
The first metallic gremlin hit was already eaten by the psychic breath without leaving a single finger. The life-consuming bubbles also clung to his companions.
They were embarrassed and tried to shake off the foam, but that was foolish. If you shake it off with your finger, the foam will grab your finger and tear it off, and if you try to remove it with your teeth, it will go inside your body and eat away at your internal organs.
The number of victims that started with one animal soon increased to dozens or hundreds. Then, the bodies of those suffering from the bubbles began to glow blue.
'It's Warp Boy.'
Warp Boy is trying to send his bubble-covered compatriots to another space with his unique technology, 'War Guide'. My auxiliary organs detected strong energy flowing from the bodies of two warp boys in the distance.
I immediately fired a regular psychic breath in that direction. A huge purple flame filled the empty, weightless world.
One warp boy who was preparing for faster-than-light sailing canceled his warguide and quickly dodged to the side. Thanks to his quick judgment of the situation, he was able to survive. The other one could not escape and was oxidized along with the rest of his compatriots in the dragon's breath.
However, thanks to his sacrifice, the metallic gremlins that were hit by the bubbles disappeared somewhere far away so that I couldn't detect them.
｢■■■■｣
｢■■■｣
Their camp changed quickly as if they were avoiding the fortress guns. This time, it was similar to a net laid to catch fish. By widening the gap between entities, we have built a network that can surround the fortress at the same time.
'This is why large groups are so annoying.'
Just as the leader of a medium group is a warp boy, a large group also has an individual in charge of command.
'Taitabos.'
Taitabos specializes in supporting the group as it continuously secretes special substances that strengthen its allies. Also, since it is an individual that commands tens of thousands of animals, its intelligence is quite high.
'We have to find him as quickly as possible.'
You never know when Cynthia inside the fortress might escape. They destroyed the silo to prevent the transport ship from launching, so they should be looking for another way by now.
It is not only impossible to catch and kill tens of thousands of metallic gremlins one by one, but it also takes a long time. The only way is to hit the enemy's head and disintegrate it.
I fired an enhanced psychic breath at the scattered guys. Those who saw the breath flying in the form of bubbles quickly dispersed.
'Whenever the camp changes drastically, he will show up too.'
In the game, Taitabos hides among his compatriots to protect himself during battle. To take him out, we have to break up the group like we are doing now.
While the auxiliary agency was looking for the titarbos that emits fine substances, they also prepared a counterattack. Individuals that were three times larger than regular metallic gremlins and had both arms dyed black appeared in front.
The name of that big monster is Wolfram Goblin. When they raised their black arms, a rock-like object was launched from the end. The breath I fired exploded after being hit by a chunk of rock that flew in the middle.
'…Tsk.'
Wolfram Goblin is a superior species of Metallic Gremlin and is responsible for long-distance control during war. That chunk of rock that was just launched is the excrement they digested after eating the ship.
The rocks they shoot are made of metal that has hardened through a special chemical reaction, so they are very hard and contain many microorganisms that corrode the metal.
'It doesn't matter to me, but it's still annoying.'
As Taitabos responded smartly, the strengthened psychic breath was neutralized. They seemed to be planning to win the game in close combat, so they increased their flying speed as much as possible.
As a monster that eats ships, the Metallic Gremlin also has hard and sharp teeth. Even if you get bitten by just one or two, it will only cause a scratch, but if you get bitten by tens of thousands, it's a different story. Even if they stick to me and chew me just once, I'm bound to get quite a few injuries.
'And you also have to take care of the fort behind you.'
Currently, they have set up a siege camp targeting me and the fortress. Those who returned to the rear also began fighting against the fortress's defenses.
'I need to use that.'
The trait 'Bone Beast' transforms my body into a huge monster.
It was a card I had been saving in case something unexpected happened while conquering the fortress.
'Now is the time to write.'
A horde of metallic gremlins attacks me.
It had no eyes or nose and its ugly mouth, reminiscent of a lamprey, stuck to the carapace like a sucker. They clung to me like hungry mosquitoes with their teeth sunk into my body.
I caught some of them hanging on their backs with my fighting arms. When the 'Predatory Leech's Hand' effect was activated, its body shrunk like a mummy. As I repeated the same action over and over again, the wounds on my carapace increased.
Even after seeing their compatriot turned into a mummy right next to them, they continued to chew on me relentlessly. If I do that, I guess they believe that one day I will die.
But that's wrong.
'good.'
Absorbing a large amount of energy made me feel like my stomach was full without me even realizing it. Feeling that feeling, I activated the Bone Beast.
｢?!｣
｢■■!｣
｢!｣
It is said that if you apply force to the area where the mosquito is sucking blood, the blood will rush out at once and the mosquito will explode. I've never actually tried it, so I don't know what the sight was like, but I felt like I knew the feeling.
Because that's what the metallic gremlins that were clinging to my body were like right now.
My body, which was about 25 meters tall, grows rapidly. Carapace thickness Tail length Wings and arms Head carapace Tentacles. All elements that make up Aimorph are magnified several times.
｢■■■■!｣
Seeing me changing, they try to retreat. I completed the change in an instant and caught those who were trying to run away.
No, the expression "caught" is not appropriate. The erosion tentacles sticking out from my back just struck the air like I was waving my palm at a flying insect.
However, the destructive power created by the erosion tentacle, which was 3 meters thick, was truly enormous. Because where the tentacle passed, only an unrecognizable piece of flesh remained.
The group of metallic gremlins hastily retreated at the gruesome death of their compatriot. Tens of thousands of space marauders were tensed at the sight of me.
Of course, if a 25m tall creature were to turn into an 80m tall monster in an instant, anyone would react that way.
'It's been a while since I wrote this.'
When I fought Jason before, it was over 300m, but now it's not that big. At that time, it was because 'King of Monsters' and Bone Beast were used together, and now this state is the normal transformation state of Bone Beast.
Seeing that I had suddenly become so large, Taitabos seemed to have decided that I had to move cautiously. Except for those attacking the fortress, the rest changed positions. The metallic gremlins kept their distance from me. Instead, the Wolfram goblins came out in front to shoot me.
'Did you think you would win if you fought at a wide distance?'
Now that I have become gigantic, it would be a big mistake to judge that the firepower of my breath is the same as before.
I was also preparing my psychic breath, but the heads of the Wolfram Goblins in front were crushed. It wasn't just him. Those around them also began to have their heads and bodies crushed as if they had been put in a transparent press.
｢■■■!｣
｢■■■■■!｣
'This?'
While the confused Wolfram Goblins were shouting and retreating, something small flew next to me.
"You look like you're having a hard time. Would you like me to help you?"
The owner of the amber eyes, with conflicting emotions of playfulness and warlike intent, sent a wave of thought to me.
Why does it sound so welcoming even though I've only seen it for a few hours? I answered her briefly.
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (Does this look difficult?)]
"Didn't you use Bone Beast because it was difficult?"
Since it wasn't a mistake, I changed the topic.
[Zuzuzuz zuzuzuz zuz zu zuz zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (Are you sure you'll be okay? You've just finished moving up the level)]
｢Don't worry. "Because it is so strong that it can fly."
The Gryphon Sky Mother said so and spread out her brilliant agate-colored wings. The sight of the jewel light gently swaying along the feathers reminded me of desert sand being shaken by the wind.
Those wings with a mysterious atmosphere that had never existed before were proof that one had reached the advanced level of deification.
'I'm glad.'
If you have her by your side, you will never lose. I'm a little worried about whether she'll be able to use her newly acquired powers well, but I'm sure she'll adapt quickly.
I flicked my giant head carapace and turned my attention to the metallic gremlins.
They were perplexed when they saw their new enemy, but they did not retreat.
'It's a good attitude, but…'
A leader who is responsible for the lives of many people must also know how to step down when necessary.
The monster's tentacles spewed flames again at those who made a foolish decision.
Now it's the second round.
-x-X-x-
In space survival, Wolff is a fairly unique race.
When they start out in beast form, they progress in a similar way to humans or cyborgs. Work as a mercenary, buy a ship, look for good weapons and equipment, etc. It follows a similar route as the humanoid race.
Then, when you reach deification and can transform into a phantom beast, the play style becomes much more diverse. When in a state of phantom water, you gain excellent physical abilities and powerful unique characteristics, so you can crush enemies without a special weapon.
Normally, he fights in beastman mode, but when necessary, he transforms into a phantom beast and overwhelms the enemy.
In short, Wolff can be seen as a hybrid race that has the characteristics of both humanoid and monster-type races.
In other games, hybrid races usually become either one or the other towards the end, but Wolff is relatively less like this.
This is thanks to Wolff's unique system, 'The Primitive Path'.
When the conditions of this so-called deification system are achieved, the ability to return water becomes stronger. Wolff players often fight in a state of phantom water in the late stages.
It goes without saying, but at that point, the level of weapons and equipment used during beastman mode also improves. Defeat strong enemies with the strengthened phantom mode, and process the precious materials obtained in return into powerful equipment. Wolf's biggest advantage is that these two modes, human and monster, work in synergy to become stronger.
Of course, there is also the downside of having more things to worry about. Wolff must be good at both fighting in a prisoner state and in a phantom state to perform well. If you are not able to master either one, you will end up with a disappointing character in all aspects.
In any case, the Mother of Heaven raised the level of deification to the upper level. Compared to Aimorph, it is between sub-adult and adult. My combat power is slightly lower than it was right before I arrived at the dragon's nest.
There is only one thing that makes it superior to Aimorph.
Space flight is possible without restrictions.
Mysterious wings with agate light constantly shaking like sand blowing in the wind. Thanks to wings with the charm of jewels, the Mother of Heaven was able to come this far.
'It sure looks cool.'
Even though her level of deification rose, her appearance did not change dramatically like Aimorph. Except for the wings, other parts, including the head of a bald eagle and the body of a lion with golden fur, were almost the same.
But one thing can be said for sure.
The sight of her flying with her beautiful wings and fighting enemies is amazingly beautiful.
A griffon with wings of agate flies amidst a flock of metallic gremlins. The silver gremlins rushed at their enemies to bite them, but failed to touch even a single hair.
｢■■■!｣
Several metallic gremlins predicted her trajectory and jumped out in front. Without the slightest embarrassment, she swung the golden javelin in her beak.
｢?!｣
There was no way for someone like him to withstand the 'priest's golden spear' that contained the blood of countless people. She cut three metallic gremlins in two with a single blow and easily escaped the siege of enemies.
｢■■!｣
At that time, the Wolfram Goblins who had fallen behind raised their arms in the direction she was flying.
'That doesn't work.'
I stretched out my wing arms to both ends. The slightly folded film unfolded wide, like the sails of a sailing ship were unfolded. With one swing of my wings, which had become more than three times as large, my body moved forward at a frightening speed.
The size of the metallic gremlin is between 30cm and 80cm. Currently, my body is close to 100 times the size. If you spread its wings, it becomes several times larger.
What if it overlaps with the thrust coming from the wings? It truly has destructive power beyond imagination.
My body, which closed the distance in an instant, collided with the group of silver lights.
My carapace shines silver, as if silver paint was poured on black drawing paper. It's all their blood. The impact of colliding with me shattered his body.
The horns on the head and the tusks on either side of the mouth were shaken by Wolfram goblins like skewers. Some of it caught on the tusk and flowed into my mouth.
Since it was a Wolfram Goblin with a defensive characteristic called 'superalloy skin', this was the end of it. Otherwise, I would have been reduced to a handful of blood like a sub-species metallic gremlin.
｢■■■■■!｣
Warp Boy, who saw his compatriots being turned to mush, hurriedly prepared a 'War Guide'. The erosion tentacles hiding on my back immediately responded to that guy. Erosion tentacles longer than my body appeared and flew towards Warp Boy.
｢■■?!｣
If there was a mistake he made, it was that he overlooked the fact that my body size was much larger than before using 'Bone Beast'. The erosion tentacle swallowed up not only the warp boy who had measured the range incorrectly, but also the silver monsters next to him.
｢■■■■!｣
｢■■■!｣
｢■■■■■!｣
The silver-colored marauders who barely survived climbed on top of my body. Hundreds of metallic gremlins clung to my body and bit me.
I was shaking my body to shake them off, but the ones on top of me suddenly started exploding like mosquitoes hit in the palm of my hand. When they saw their compatriot being crushed by an unknown force next to them, they stopped biting and fell from my body.
But the intangible force did not leave the fugitives alone. One by one, the guys who had been hiding their entire bodies twisted and shriveled.
'You are the mother of heaven.'
I glanced at her fighting enemies not far away. Microscopic particles are being released into space from the tips of her wings.
This is a new ability that the Mother of Heaven gained as she reached the level of deification.
'The ability to manipulate pressure.'
Within the area in which those particles spread, she can create or manipulate the pressure exerted on objects. The reason why metallic gremlins' bodies are crushed or distorted is because they come into contact with those particles or swallow them unknowingly.
Even if they can survive without oxygen, they cannot survive even in situations where the pressure inside their body is extremely distorted. Even Wolfram Goblin's tough skin is useless in front of those particles.
'It didn't have a particularly good reputation among players.'
It is true that it is a powerful ability, but the fact that the particles are visible is a major drawback. All you have to do is not enter the area where the particles are spread. Therefore, the key for Wolff, who has gained the ability to control pressure, is how to hide it well and lure the enemy.
But those metallic gremlins don't know that. They died without knowing that particles were the problem.
The Mother of Heaven, who destroyed the gremlins that had attacked me, flew to my side, scattering particles.
｢Was it a needless interruption?｣
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (No. It was appropriate support)]
She shrugged her head with her eyes fixed on the silver marauders.
"It doesn't stop even after this. After all, we have to find the leader, right?"
[Zuz zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu (Yes, we have to catch him as quickly as possible)]
"Because of the fortress?"
Behind us, Kesha Arma, under the control of PS-111, is fighting the metallic gremlins.. She seems worried that the fortress will collapse, but that's not what I'm worried about.
[Zuzuzu Zuzu Zuzu (There's a ranker in the fortress)]
｢What?｣
[Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzu Zuzuzu Zuzu (I left after suppressing them, but I don't know when they'll run away)] ｢
… We have to chase them out before that. A beggar?'
Her vivid amber eyes narrow. She was treated harshly by the player. I know better than anyone else what would happen if Cynthia ran away.
"I don't know who it is, but I can't just leave it like that."
[Zuzu (That's right)]
"But if it's Taitabos, he won't show himself easily. Do you have any thoughts?｣
[zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (I'll scatter them. You focus on finding them)]
Heavenly Mother has the best eyesight among us. She might be able to find Taitabos, which my auxiliary organs couldn't find.
She understood my intention and nodded. I, who was slightly ahead of her, prepared a means to greatly agitate the enemies.
Meanwhile, they changed their camp. They changed from a siege camp to a snake-long camp and flew past us into the fortress. They must have decided that the damage would be too great if they fought with us.
'You can't just leave it as you want.'
I fired the prepared psychic breath at the tail of the gremlin snake. A breath of energy emitted by a gigantic 80m tall monster. It was far beyond the 'fire spit by the dragon of space.'
It was like a prominence emitted by the sun.
'As expected, the energy consumption is enormous.'
I felt dizzy as a huge amount of energy was lost. The only time I consumed this much energy in a short period of time after obtaining the Dragon's Heart was when I fought the 'Gorgon Swarm'.
Gyeongcheon Comrade. A huge psychic breath that made those words come true was unleashed in front of Kesha Arma.
Like a purple prominence, it follows the silver snake closely.
Even a body strong enough to fight against a fleet has no meaning in front of that mythical flame. As soon as the snake's tail touched the overwhelming force, it disappeared.
｢■■■!｣
｢■■■■!｣
｢!｣
No matter how fearless the Metallic Gremlin was, the deaths of thousands of its brethren must have been a shock. The panic-stricken people left the camp one after another.
There were some who maintained their positions, but they also felt fear. The body of the snake with its tail cut off was dyed blue. The plan is to reorganize the battle line after moving to faster-than-light navigation.
I urgently called my heavenly mother.
[Zuzuzu (Did you find it?)]
"I'm looking for it!"
I think I need to get closer. I grabbed her with my fighting arms and charged towards the group.
[Zuzuzu zuz (There is no time)]
"I know!"
Even when I approached, no one barged their teeth at me like before. This is because Taitabos' control over the group was greatly lost due to the shock from the psychic breath.
'But it will get back to normal soon.'
As their bodies are different from those of ordinary creatures, the mental world of metallic gremlins is relatively simple. Even if thousands die, there are still tens of thousands left. Since there are more living compatriots than dead ones, you will quickly overcome your fear.
As I was flying among the scattered creatures that surrounded me, the Heavenly Mother tapped my fighting arm with her forepaw.
"Over there!"
In the direction she pointed, there was a small monster the same color as the darkness of space. Unlike its kin, it is a metallic gremlin with skin as black as a black hole. This guy is Taitabos, the leader of a large group.
After letting go of the Mother of Heaven, I stretched out my tentacles in the direction where it was. The tentacle advanced, crushing the silver monsters blocking its path, and tried to grab it with its six appendages.
｢■■■■!｣
Just as I was about to grab the guy, his body glowed blue and disappeared. The warp boy behind him had quickly evacuated the leader. The erosion tentacle swallowed Warp Boy instead of its original target.
｢Predation effect activated!｣
'Where did he go?'
A text box announcing predation came to mind, but now is not the time to worry about that. He's the leader of the group. It's probably somewhere around here, so we need to find it quickly.
An auxiliary organ under the chin detected the movement of a specific target among numerous odors and body reactions. There is a guy about 200 meters behind me.
The erosion tentacle responded to my will, but there was someone moving faster than it.
The Mother of Heaven, which had escaped from my hands, was already flying toward where it was.
And the javelin she was holding slashed him.
｢■■■!｣
｢Tch! "It was shallow!"
Her attack aimed at the neck was a failure. Taitabos, who had been cut in the chest, disappeared again. Not only he, but all the metallic gremlins around us also disappeared.
And then they appeared with a blue light from a long distance away.
"…My mistake. I should have moved a little faster.」
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzu (no, not really)]
Heavenly Mother, who predicted the teleportation point, moved faster than me. She has no reason to blame herself.
'It's getting tiresome.'
Since I was lucky enough to survive, it is obvious that it will be more difficult to attack. If Taitabos moves passively, it will take much longer to catch him.
'A different strategy this time…'
While I was trying to figure out how to lure him out, the movements of the group of metallic gremlins became strange.
'huh?'
"Why are they doing that?"
Their movements were so strange that even the Mother of Heaven tilted her head.
Even under the shock of the psychic breath, they were moving smoothly, but now they were completely different.
'Are you scared?'
It is true that Taitabos, who leads the group, was seriously injured, but was still in good health.
So, that movement was ultimately due to his intention. For a short period of time, they showed completely different movements than before, as if their leader's personality had changed. If the group we fought so far had resembled an army, now they were more like a collection of ferocious animals.
'It worked out better.'
If you attack them while they are struggling, you can cause great damage.
As I was about to attack again, an irregularly moving silver cloud glowed blue. After the blue light that colored the clouds disappeared, there was nothing.
Those who were attacking the fortress behind us all disappeared.
"They're gone."
A group of metallic gremlins attacked Kesha Arma. They finally retreated.
With that, the long fight that began inside the fortress came to an end.
'No, there's still one left.'
Cynthia, a cult ranker in the fortress.
There is still a fight left with her.
-x-X-x-
After the metallic gremlin retreated, the shielding wall protecting the fortress was lifted. My Heavenly Mother and I returned to the fortress through the military port.
"Where should I go?"
After entering the fortress, the Heavenly Mother returned from her winged griffon form to a beast doll.
Wings sprouted from its back, which was made up of dense muscles. It was much smaller than when it was in its griffon form, so that when folded it only reached around the thighs. Of course, the movement of the agate color was still there.
she asked me, holding the priest's golden spear on her shoulder.
'Originally, I would have gone to the 2nd Command Center, but…'
It doesn't look like Cynthia is floating around on the broken silo. It is highly likely that he has already moved to board a transport ship belonging to another headquarters.
'He must have gone to First Command.'
She's a cult ranker, so she probably knows Kesha Arma's structure as well as I do. There is no way he doesn't know what the lack of oxygen he experienced means. He must have judged that the 3rd Command, which oversees the fortress' life support facilities, had already fallen into my hands.
So, they would have moved to the 1st Command Headquarters, which was deemed safe.
'I might be fighting with the kids by now.'
During the battle, I asked No. 26 to take Adhai with him and attack the 1st headquarters. If Cynthia had headed to the 1st Command Center, she would have already encountered them.
'If the two of us are together, we may not win, but we will not lose.'
Both No. 26 and A'Dhai are the Sea Demon Red Gallagon, infamous for being powerful psychic creatures. From a cult perspective, it would be safe to say that it is literally the worst in terms of compatibility.
If Cynthia had a strong attack ability like Jason, it would have been dangerous, but she doesn't have that level of attack power.
[Zuzuzu Zuzu (Let's go to the 1st Command Headquarters)]
After sending a wave to the Mother of Heaven, I took out the membrane hidden inside the carapace of the wing arm. Since the 'Bone Beast' has not been released, my body is still gigantic. As the film spread wide like the sails of a sailing ship, the objects around me were pushed away.
"It's really big."
She also slightly admired and spread her wings. Although she was smaller than the Griffon, she still spread her beautiful wings and flew up before me.
I followed her and waved my wings too. As the two huge wings, each 100 meters long, flapped, everything beneath me was swept away.
With each wave of its wings, abandoned buildings were destroyed and corpses lying on the ground were swept up into the air. Among the numerous wrecks was a hover bus. What happened was that the half-left remains of the bus were blown away by the wind and landed on top of a building.
Not long after I started flying over the ruined areas, I saw a long, cylindrical building. We landed in front of 1st Command Center, surrounded by a shield wall.
"I see they're already fighting?"
Just as she said, there was a hole in the shield wall that looked like it had been drilled with a very large drill. From inside, the screams of pirates and the sounds of guns could be faintly heard.
'First, we have to widen the entrance…'
The moment I grabbed the hole in the shield wall with my wing arm to widen it, the sound coming from inside stopped. And familiar waves and thought waves flowed out, tickling the tentacles of my monster.
｢I feel like a big baby!｣
｢Big adult｣｢That's right｣｢Let's go out｣
｢Yes! Let's go out!"
After a while, they appeared. No. 26 must have been in battle, and his body had grown significantly, and Adhai's head and front legs were dyed red.
｢Big baby, big!｣
｢Big adult｣｢Transformation?｣
[Zu (Yes)]
They had seen me use the Bone Beast a few times, so they weren't surprised to see me at such an enormous size.
However, since this was their first time seeing Mother Sky with wings, they both reacted in surprise.
"Is the middle baby also fluttering? "It happens when you grow up?"
"Yes. As you said, I grew and gained wings."
"It's amazing! I want one too!"
"Ugly friend" "A little bit" "It's gotten better"
"Then shouldn't we leave out the word ugly?"
"Tail" "Thin" "Ugly"
"… You said you'd protect me, but you just said Are you going to leave and say that?"
"Anyway" "Growing up" "Almost" "It's over" "I know" "That's why" "I left""
I won't say a word."
The two were quite impressed by the new look of the Mother of Heaven. It seemed deep. Number 26 was amazed as he gently touched her wing with the tip of his tentacle. Contrary to what he said, Adhai also seemed to think that her wings were fine, so he walked near her and nodded.
'I thought you were fighting?'
When I looked behind them, there were a lot of corpses whose original appearance was difficult to recognize. Cynthia couldn't have already died, so it seemed like she hadn't arrived here yet.
Even if I focused on the auxiliary organs, I could not feel any movement of a living being.
'Where did it go? Could it be that he went somewhere else?'
[Zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu (Have you seen any strong enemies on the way here?)]
｢A strong enemy?｣
[Zu zuzu zuzuzuzu (Yes, the enemy that was fighting with me)]
No. 26 was also fighting with me, but left halfway, so let's take Cynthia. I will remember. If she is hiding somewhere other than here, it will be difficult to find her.
But his answer went far beyond my imagination.
｢Me and the little baby scolded the bad guy!｣
[Z(huh?)]
｢The little baby beat up the bad guy who was fluttering around in his hard shell!｣
｢Agree｣｢The Power of the Stars｣｢Use｣｢Horned Man ｣｢Attack｣｢But｣｢Horned Man｣｢Strange Power｣｢Use｣｢Not Dead｣
｢So I defeated it with this! "Papak!"
No. 26 changed the shape of one of the thick tentacles. A sharp sound rang out as a thin tentacle, like a needle tied to a thread, pierced the air.
[Zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (They killed Cynthia together?)]
An unbelievable answer came from the two and I asked again.
"huh. I ate it after scolding you."
"Taste" "Stable"
"That's right! It was delicious!"
"Wait. The two of you killed and ate the ranker?」
[Z(Wow)]
Looking at their reactions, it seems like they really killed Cynthia. It's not just about suppressing or wasting time. It was clear that they had killed it and eaten every last bit of the body.
'Come to think of it, Metallic Gremlin.'
The guys who were running like crazy made strange movements before running away. I thought it was because I was afraid of psychic breath.
But looking at it now, it seems like it was due to something else rather than that being the cause. When Cynthia died, there was a problem with the tool she used to summon the Metallic Gremlin.
'What a mess.'
Even though the Sea Demon Red Gallagon combination is cult and extreme, the opponent is a ranker. Since they have hunted boss-level creatures many times in the game, they are naturally well-versed in strategy.
I also knew that they would be holding Cynthia captive, but I had no idea that they would easily beat her to death and eat her body.
'under. 'The two of you are catching a ranker.'
Thinking like that, a strange feeling rose up from within my heart.
Because they preyed on rankers and lost their perks? Because we lost the source of information we needed?
Not everything. This feeling that touches my heart has nothing to do with negative things like anger or regret.
[Zuz zuzuzu zuzu zuzuzu (Good job, both of you. Really great)]
It was a joy.
"and! The big baby praised me!」
「Me」 「Amazing」 「Great Aadhai!」
The guys who sensed my emotions through the waves created by the monster's tentacles are happy. No. 26 jumped up and down in place without even thinking about how big he had grown, and Adhai also jumped on my back and jumped up and down.
To be honest, Cynthia's perks and information were disappointing, but their growth was worth it.
They organized their own operation and captured Cynthia without my help or command. What it means is by no means small.
I don't know how many more rankers I'll have to fight with in the future. Even now, two factions are hostile to me: the faction that Jason belonged to, and the 'return faction' that Cynthia belonged to. I don't know yet how many people belong to each faction, but it's probably not a small number.
'If they have ranker-level skills, it will be much easier to fight enemies in the future.'
While I had such practical thoughts, there were also feelings that were difficult to explain in words.
Once upon a time, when I was very young, I pretended to be an actor in front of my parents.
My mother, who was a famous actress at the time, was always a strict person, but it was different that day.
My mother, who usually had little emotional ups and downs, looked at me and smiled silently. When meeting reporters, it was a sincere smile, not the actor's smile he used when standing on set.
'…I was really happy at that time.'
Why does my mother's smile, which I have never seen again since, come to mind now?
Maybe this feeling I feel is the same feeling my mother felt when she saw me as a child.
"So there are no more threats?"
It was a thought sent by the Mother of Heaven that woke me up from a state of emotion that I couldn't tell if it was a thought or emotion.
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (Yes, because the ranker is dead)]
｢Seeing as the fortress is in this state, the part where we went to get the genetic essences must have already been dealt with. You just need to catch the rest of the pirates
.
' Did you do it here too?」
[Zuzzuzuzuzu (That's efficient)]
The pirates and survivors remaining in the fortress are in fact in a limited time. If you are wearing a reinforced suit, you will be able to hold out a little longer since you have an oxygen capsule, but that will only prolong your life by a few tens of minutes.
Once we get rid of them, there is no need to stay here anymore.
'The conditions for adult evolution have already been achieved.'
Thanks to the underground storage, I collected all the material properties needed to synthesize the two unique properties. Once these are completed, it can immediately evolve into an adult.
'Oh, now that I think about it, there was a trait of being predatory.'
While thinking about the characteristics, a forgotten memory came to mind.
The predation effect appeared on Warp Boy, who tried to catch Taitabos but ate it instead.
I haven't checked yet because I'm preoccupied with Cynthia. There will only be a few minutes left until automatic cancellation.
I immediately popped up a text box.
"Predation effect activated! Successfully acquired the 'Warp Creature' genetic essence.｣
｢Takeover 'Warp Creature' among the creature characteristics of 'Warp Boy'.｣
｢Do you want to apply 'Warp Creature'?｣
'Oh?'
I can't believe something unexpected happened twice in a short period of time.
The 'Warp Creature' trait is so useful that it is no exaggeration to say that it is semi-essential for Aimorph. If you possess that characteristic, the speed of preparing for faster-than-light navigation increases dramatically.
'It's a pretty good ability when running away.'
Now that I have acquired the 'Monster's Reinforced Wings', I can use faster-than-light sailing alone. However, the reason it is not used during battle is because the preparation speed for faster-than-light navigation is very slow. Since you have to remain still for more than 5 minutes, you become vulnerable to enemy attacks.
If you obtain the Warp Creature trait here, you can cut the time until you start traveling at faster than light speed by half.
'I can't believe I got such good traits from here.'
The chance of getting a warp creature from Warp Boy is very low, so I didn't expect much, but I'm glad I did.
I happily chose to accept.
And….
｢The perks of 'Jason (Jason Turningham)' stored in the token storage facility can be fused with 'Warp Creatures.' ｢It
is subject to use of the characteristic enhancement system. Do you want to use the system?"
The text box again displayed a message that was different from what I expected.
-x-X-x-
'What about this?'
The message in the text box was about the sign of a new powerful enemy.
There are a total of 3 perks taken from Jason before. Two of them were combined with the characteristics I possessed, becoming 'Color of the Abyss' and 'Shape Ruler' respectively.
Since it did not have the material properties to synthesize just one, it remained as an imperfect sign of a powerful enemy. Before coming to the fortress, I had acquired numerous characteristics, but there was not a single characteristic that suited me.
So I forgot, but I never thought I could get it here.
'If you ask for a warp creature, that is?'
There is one thing I can guess.
Jason's teleportation ability.
The guy's head was cut off by me while he was using his ability, so only his body moved.
Among psychic power techniques, there is no technique that can move long distances at once. It either strengthens the body to move faster or is limited to moving a friendly target to a nearby point.
And, as far as I know, there is no long-distance teleportation equipment among the equipment worn by individuals rather than ships. At most, will there be a 'Coordinator' obtained as quest reward equipment?
Unless Jason created new equipment that did not exist, it would be reasonable to assume that this perk is closely related to the ability to teleport. Coincidentally, the characteristic that responds is the 'Warp Creature', which shortens the preparation time for faster-than-light navigation.
'Whatever it is, it would be quicker to see it in person.'
The mark of a strong enemy is also subject to attribute enhancement. You can consume up to 10 material properties to create a stronger 'Token of a Strong Enemy'.
'It just so happened.'
Before getting the internal organ type, I just got whatever I could to increase the number of traits as much as possible. Thanks to this, I have accumulated many characteristics.
Thanks to the 'Essence Rearrangement' effect, which is the first stage reward for the space monster type, the type once acquired is maintained permanently. So, it would be okay to consume unnecessary characteristics here.
'But we can't write them all, let's just write about five.'
There is still a need to combine the two unique characteristics, so there is no need to invest all of them here.
'There is no need for heat dissipation secretion and heat dissipation. Also, strengthening digestive juice secretion is easy to obtain, so let's add this as well, and add muscle strengthening and bone density strengthening.'
After setting the five material properties and selecting OK, the Strong Enemy Mark system was immediately activated.
｢The perk of 'Jason (Jason Turningham)' and the characteristics of 'warp creature' are combined. 'Intervention of Warp's ■⫯⪿⨕∬attribute enhancement system!｣
｢Evolve with the 'Starlight Coordinates' attribute!｣
｢Starlight Coordinates: You can teleport ordinary objects and friendly creatures to specific coordinates or make them travel at faster than light speeds.
*Caution: You cannot move for at least 1 minute after using the trait. The larger the object, the longer it will be unable to move.
*PS: Even those who decided on the constellations would never have imagined that there would be a being that travels directly between the stars.
"Starlight coordinates?"
Although it is a trait related to teleportation, it was slightly different from what I expected.
'It's a trait that allows other creatures to move.'
In Space Survival, there are only two creatures that can move other beings alone. The newly acquired strong enemy's token characteristic had a similar effect to the ability possessed only by the two.
'I need to experiment right now.'
Since it is impossible to confirm if you request faster-than-light navigation, we need to check teleportation first. I looked around and picked up the broken gun.
'But how should I use it?'
I've decided on what to move, but I don't know how to move it.
Similar to 'Nightmare Horizon', I pulled out the tentacle to see if it was moving with the erosion tentacle, but there was no response. I tried to spread the wing membrane like I did when traveling at faster than light speed, but again nothing happened.
'How should I move it…'
While I was wondering, as I got closer to the gun I was holding with my fingers, the auxiliary organ under my chin twitched against my will. As the end of the auxiliary organ pointed toward the gun, a text box appeared.
｢Confirmed as a movable 'item'. After moving, activity is suspended for '1 minute.'
'You are designating it as an auxiliary organization.'
The role of a delicate sense organ, following its role in detecting future danger, has created a third role. I designated the object to be moved to the auxiliary organ and raised my head up.
'It'll be fine over there.'
The place to move items is the upper part of the command center covered with a shielding wall.
I memorized the image and concentrated as if I were sailing at the speed of light. Then the auxiliary organ began to glow blue. As if in resonance with the auxiliary organ, the gun glowed blue and soon disappeared between my fingers.
'Confirmation…oops.'
I tried to raise my head to check if I had moved properly, but my body didn't listen. It was like I was being held down by scissors, and even though my mind was fine, I couldn't lift a finger.
A moment later, the sound of a gun hitting the ground was heard nearby.
｢Hmm?｣
｢Big adult｣｢Dwarf｣｢Thing｣｢Disappeared｣
｢Big baby, are you sleepy? "Why are you still?"
"It looks like they are experimenting with something. "Let's wait a moment."
"Yes."
The kids think it's strange that I stay still. It seems that Mother Heaven sensed that I was experimenting with my newly acquired powers.
After a minute while everyone waited quietly, control of my body quickly returned. I shook my head once.
'There's still a little time left in one minute.'
You can't move for a minute, and even after that time passes, it takes a few more seconds for your frozen body to recover.
'If I'm going to use it during battle, I'll have to use it with good judgment.'
'Starlight Coordinates' was a very useful feature when used well, but it was also a very risky feature.
'Shall we experiment with something other than guns?'
Looking at the text box, it is said that as the size of the object increases, the time it cannot move becomes longer. Other than that, there were no particular restrictions.
'Is it possible to move this fortress as well?'
I bent down and placed the assistive organ close to the floor.
｢Confirmed as a movable 'item'. After the move, activity was halted for '6872 hours.'
'This isn't going to work.'
When I saw the message that I couldn't move for more than 6,000 hours, I gave up. Time is time, but not being able to move with a sound mind for 6,000 hours is no different from hell.
Unless a way to save time is found, moving large objects is on hold.
'Next are friendly creatures.'
Due to the setting and system, there can be no beings that are friendly to Amorph. Except for one exception.
'You probably mean the object to which the symbiotic spores were implanted.'
It's not clearly explained in the text box, but it's probably correct. I used the assistive device under the chin to get close to the kids.
｢Itchy!｣
｢What is it?｣｢What is it?｣
｢…Hey, wait a minute. "What's wrong with you all of a sudden?"
Just as each person reacted differently, the messages in the text box were also different.
No. 26 and Adhai were classified as friendly creatures, but they were not the Mother of Heaven. This may be because the symbiotic spores were forcibly released as the level of deification was raised.
[Zuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzu (Help me for a moment. I have something to experiment with)]
"If you're going to do that, tell me in advance."
I transplanted the symbiotic spores back to the Heavenly Mother and prepared the starlight coordinates. A blue light fell on the golden fur that covered her body, and her figure disappeared in front of her.
At the same time, a blue light flashed like when traveling at faster than light speed on top of a collapsed building in the distance, and she jumped out.
｢This seems similar to the warguide, but is it a little different?｣
｢Wow! "How did you do it?"
"Ugly Friend" "Star Power" "Can I use it?" "Amazing"
She spread her wings on top of the building and flew towards me. No. 26 and Adhai chattered about how amazing teleportation was.
"It looks like there are some restrictions."
She frowned slightly as I was not moving due to a penalty. The penalty was lifted a minute later, and I belatedly nodded.
[zuzuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (It's a trait that allows you to teleport creatures or objects. They say it's possible to travel at faster than light speeds)] ｢In return, you can't move after using it?｣
[
Zu Zuzu (exactly)]
｢Hmm. I think it would be useful when there are no ships or during a raid."
As expected of a ranker, he quickly picks up the pros and cons.
I was about to exchange opinions with her about starlight coordinates when No. 26 tapped me with a tentacle.
"Big baby. me too. "I want to do it too."
[Zu (Huh?)]
"I want to do it too. Ta-da!」
"I" "I'm curious" "Me too"
Looking at his reaction, I think I need to do more starlight coordinate experiments.
after that.
Experimentation with the new talent ended after the Bone Beast effect ended.
The guys played to their heart's content and seemed quite satisfied with the results of the experiment.
'It's okay if you like it.'
Thanks to this, I learned about parts that were not written in the text box.
For example, the penalty received after moving an object was affected by my body size. There was a difference in penalty time when comparing when the bone beast increased its length to 80m and when it returned to its original size.
'Should I find a way to bulk up?'
When they become adults, their bodies will be larger than they are now. Still, moving a huge structure like a fortress must be daunting. If we want to drastically shorten the penalty time, we will have to find another way.
For now, I decided to end my analysis of the newly acquired token of a powerful enemy.
'There's still work to be done.'
I crawled into the shield wall with my small body again.
[Zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu(Is there anyone left inside?)]
｢Dwarf｣｢Still｣｢｢｣
[Zuz zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu(Let's clean up here and go pick up PS-111)]
｢Yes! My friend might be hungry, so let's bring some food!」
[Zuzuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu (It's food. There will be a food warehouse here too, so let's look for it)]
｢Food warehouse?｣｢What does it mean?｣
｢Me know! "It's a place full of delicious food!"
"Phew. It's been a while since I've eaten some human food."
[Zuz, zuzu, zuzu, zuzu (let's put the rest on the boat)]
"Thank you."
We chatted with each other and looked around the headquarters.
Hidden pirates and survivors attacked us, but the outcome did not change. It didn't matter whether it was the 1st or 3rd Command. Every moving being other than us has been purified.
Kesha Arma, who once exalted the glory of a cult empire.
It took less than a day until there was not a single human left in the great space fortress.
After cleaning up, my kids and I boarded the ship and left the fortress.
Shortly after we left, the fortress crashed onto a nearby mining planet. Before leaving, PS-111 damaged the fortress' nuclear reactor, rendering it unable to remain in orbit.
All traces of me have disappeared, so no matter who comes, they won't be able to find the culprit that caused Kesha Arma's collapse.
Leaving the exploding fortress behind, the pirate ship under PS-111's control entered super-light travel.
I fell to the floor of the cargo hold, feeling the energy flowing inside the ship.
The view from the cargo bay was much different than when we arrived at Kesha Armah. This is because new containers that were previously unseen were added. That huge frozen container is filled with ingredients brought from the headquarters. As a result, the hardened human stone statues were pushed to a corner.
'Now then, all that's left is…'
I ate one of the statues like it was candy and opened the translucent text box.
｢'Semi-Adult' – >'Adult'
Apex 30/30 (achieved)
Unique characteristic possessed 8/10 (not achieved)
Type possessed 6/6 (achieved completed)｣
｢'Transcendence' Material List: Reinforced Skull Gallagon's Horn Thorn Hair Projection Tail Protein Assimilation Cluster Skin Tissue｣
｢'Transcendence' Material List: Reinforced Large Tail Bioelectricity Discharge Tube Explosive Body Fluid Launcher Destruction Sonic Spore Cannon｣
Completing these two characteristics will achieve all adult evolution conditions..
'The Eucharist is just around the corner.'
It is the last remaining gateway before evolution. After adding the two unique properties and the strengthening material properties, I chose synthesis.
Mucus pours out of the body.
My consciousness gradually sank into the pouring mucus.
–
Huge flames rise from the dead planet. The metal star that orbited the planet had met its fate.
Hundreds of sensing organs that were watching this suddenly turned their sights.
Those who killed Sky Star left behind only a small blue light in the endless darkness.
Hundreds of sensing organs looking at the blue remnants. The being with a bunch of thin external organs did not move at all.
Unlike its appearance, which seemed as calm as a rock fragment floating in space, the being's mind was complex. This is because a large amount of opinions were exchanged through their own communication system that only they used.
[His squire died.]
[He who kills a squire is dangerous.]
['Predator'?]
['Predator'.]
[Don't you chase 'predator'?]
['The Empress' said. 'Predator' is stronger than 'Queen'. So do not chase it.]
[Report the death of the squire to the Empress.]
[The Queen is important to the colony. Come back.]
After getting the answer she wanted, the 'Queen' retrieved the 'hundreds of eyes', the sense organs that protruded from the top of the outer shell, into her body. When all the eyes were put in, the Queen's body began to glow blue.
Her people come from beyond the infinite universe.
Humans call them 'outspacers', meaning those who exist outside.
Only a halo of blue light remained where the Outspacer Queen left.
-x-X-x-
"■■, what's wrong?"
uh?
A familiar voice woke me up. In front of you, you see a table with delicious food and white plates on it.
Along with that, a cold sensation felt from the palm of my hand. When I look at the fork I am holding in my hand, I feel something unfamiliar.
"…Do you not like it? "It's been a while since I made this, so I'm honestly not confident."
"I used expensive Korean beef, but if you don't like it, it's a problem."
"Child, do I really have to say things like that until a day like this? "I did that before…"
"No! dad! "I was just thinking about something else for a moment!"
Again, father and mother start fighting like before.
I quickly stabbed the bread on the table with the fork I was holding. With a crunching sound, a hole appeared in the bread, and thick meat juice flowed out through the gap.
Attracted by that strong smell, I tore off the bread with my bare hands and put it in my mouth. It was so hot it felt like it would burn me, but it tasted so great that I couldn't feel the heat at all.
"Are you obscene and eating with your bare hands? "What are you going to use the fork for?"
"how is it? delicious? Isn't it awesome?"
After chewing furiously and swallowing, I silently raised my thumb.
My father smiled brightly when he saw that.
"I already received my gift. "Now it's mom's turn."
"I know."
"A gift?"
I was shocked as I was sucking on my finger to make sure no juice was left behind.
It was very rare for my mother to give me a gift. In the first place, after I was admitted to the hospital, it was difficult to even see my face. Because he was a famous actor, he was always busy.
"Mom gave me a gift?"
"That's right. I have fun too…oh my. "I'll go out for a moment."
My father took his cell phone and left, leaving only my mother and I in the kitchen. My mother hesitated for a moment and then took something out from under the table.
The large box with an illustration of a machine resembling headgear was something I was familiar with. It was a VR device that was advertised everywhere. I absentmindedly accepted the gift my mother gave me.
"I asked the manager what was popular these days and bought it."
My mother spoke in a slightly awkward voice, unlike usual. I couldn't say anything.
"Things that aren't even good are expensive…Are you crying now?"
"yes?"
Just as my mother said, I felt warm liquid flowing from the corner of my eyes. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, but the tears did not stop.
It's true that I'm happy to receive a gift, but it's not enough to make me cry. Why on earth are you doing this?
"Hey!"
I put down the gift and quickly ran to the bathroom. I could hear my mother's voice sounding embarrassed, but I couldn't turn around.
I locked the bathroom door and turned on the faucet.
Perhaps thanks to the sound of pouring water, my racing emotions gradually calmed down.
I think I know why you just reacted like that.
Having spent my childhood in the hospital, I dreamed of spending happy times with my family. Everyone sits at the table and eats in a friendly atmosphere. When that dream came true, I probably shed tears without realizing it.
I washed my face with water and looked in the mirror.
"huh?"
There was a small post-it note stuck to the corner of the mirror. You see a three-letter word written on a post-it note.
The moment my unconsciously extended finger touched the post-it note, the bathroom was plunged into darkness.
The water on my face turned into sticky mucus, and the clothes I was wearing became a stuffy cocoon, constricting my body.
'What was that just now?'
All the visions I had seen through the cocoon so far were fragments of memories from the past.
But something was different this time.
In my memory, there has never been a time when the whole family ate together and laughed together. This is because both my father and mother were always busy. By the time I entered college, we were separated.
'And the last one.'
That post-it note.
It definitely seemed like an important word, but I can't remember it. It felt like that part had been completely erased, leaving out everything else.
'…Will we be able to check again when it evolves into an adult?'
Every time I enter the cocoon, I see a vision and will be able to see it again later.
I tore the cocoon and came out.
As soon as I felt the cool air, what I saw was a container with its door wide open and a gryphon beast standing in front of it.
Heaven's Mother was just biting into the apple in her hand when she made eye contact with me.
"…what? Why?"
She chewed on the apple, reacting like someone who had been caught trying to secretly cook and eat ramen in the early morning.
[Zuzuzuzu (Say it earlier)]
"I know what you're thinking, so how can you do that? "You wanted to evolve as quickly as possible."
She's right.
After leaving the Dragon's Nest, I traveled to various places and collected genetic essence. Now that the Megacorp Star Union rankers are aware of my existence, I don't know when they will come after me.
Moreover, those who oppose me are all those who have the highest power in their own power. To confront them, I also have to become a Eucharist.
It was true that there was a sense of haste, so I couldn't deny what she said.
[Zuzuzu (kids?)]
｢I went outside with PS-111. "I want to watch it eat metal."
[Zuzu zuzu zuzuzuzuzu (as expected, we've already arrived)]
For some reason, I couldn't feel the slightest vibration from the inner walls of the ship.
The place where the ship landed is an unknown dwarf planet. Before going to attack Kesha Arma, I looked for a place where I could evolve into an adult without being checked by others.
This is a planet so far away from its star that little light reaches it. The planet's crust is made up of ice and metal, and the atmosphere is so shallow that ordinary life does not exist.
Before going to Kesha Armah, I searched carefully to see if it was a suitable place for fire extinguishing.
And the result was passing.
On this small, dark planet, I will become an adult.
[Zuzu zuzu zuzuzu (Tell me when the kids come)]
｢Without waiting?｣
[Zuz zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzu (I'll be in the cocoon soon, so there's no need to do that)]
I shake off the sticky slime. He got up from his seat. Its body size became larger than before, and its two long tails dragged along the floor. My body changed as I gained new unique characteristics.
'It will become an adult soon anyway, so we can check it then.'
[Zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (Take care of the kids while I sleep)]
"Don't worry."
She had already eaten all the apples and was taking out the frozen grapes.
As I was about to leave her behind, I impulsively sent a wave to her.
[Zuzzuzu zuzu (I have something to ask)]
｢Huh? What is it?｣
[zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu (Did you see anything when you raised the level of apotheosis? An illusion or something)]
｢An illusion?｣
When I actually asked her a question, I felt regret. There is no guarantee that others will go through the same thing I went through, so why did I ask? Moreover, the races are also different.
I was about to add that I didn't have to answer, but she answered first.
"I saw it."
[Zuzuzu (saw it?)]
"Yes. Memories of my time as a human. I guess you saw it too.」
[Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzuzu (Yes, I see it every time I enter the cocoon)] To be
exact, except when it evolves into a fluid. I don't remember seeing a fantasy like that before. It's unclear whether I don't remember or if it was just an exceptional case.
Anyway, just like me, she seems to see illusions every time she grows up. If so, other players may have had similar experiences.
"It won't be a very pleasant experience. Oh, could it be different for you?」
[Zuzu zuzuzu (What does it mean?)]
She closed her mouth to my question.
She was fiddling with grapes with her golden fur-covered hands, and after a moment she opened her mouth.
"I've only had two visions so far. The contents were all the same."
[Zuzuzuzuzu (same?)]
"Yes. I remember being bullied in middle school. "I tried to forget it, but it kept popping up."
Her answer was unexpected.
Among the players I know, Heaven's Mother was the only player who came to this world, adapted well, and even got married. Compared to me and other players, his personality and social skills were pretty good, with no flaws. Of course, I assumed that I would have lived a smooth life in real life, but I had no idea that this kind of pain would exist.
"There's nothing to look at with eyes like that. Because it happened a long time ago."
[Zuzuzu (I see)]
"What about you? "Seeing as you're asking this, I guess your memory isn't very good either."
I didn't answer her question right away.
When I was a human, I was asked countless times why my face looked like that. Every time, I had to explain why this was the case.
At most, the reaction I got after explaining it was always the same. awkwardness. distrust. Cheap sympathy.
Heavenly Mother might also react similarly to them.
'no. She spoke of her pain first.'
So it would be fair for me to be honest with her too.
I explained to her about the visions I had seen and the major accidents I had experienced in the past. She listened to me all the way in silence.
When I finished my story, Heavenly Mother sighed briefly.
"…I didn't know there was such pain."
[Z(Yes)]
"Take this at least."
She cut the grape branch she was holding and handed half to me. And he swallowed the remaining half in one go.
'Is it a substitute for a drinking glass?'
Knowing what the intention was, I put the grape in my mouth just like she did. Regardless of the atmosphere, the refreshing yet sour taste tickled my entire mouth.
The moment of silence created by eating grapes was broken when she opened her mouth.
"I didn't know that your mother was a great actress. Before I came here, I heard that you even won awards at foreign film festivals."
[Zuzuzuzu (Well, right)]
"I guess being good at acting runs in your family?"
[Zuzuzuzu (Maybe)]
She told a short joke, but then her eyes turned serious. looked at me.
"This is my guess. Maybe the fantasy changes depending on the goal we set?"
[Zuzu Zuzuzu (What does it mean?)]
"You were aiming for ascension from the beginning. I was a little different. Because I liked this world more than 'reality'."
[Zuzuzu (right)]
"Unlike me, you saw an ideal future instead of negative memories. If so, wouldn't you naturally become more 'motivated' than before?"
What she means is that the fantasy you see changes depending on the goal you set.
'Illusions are related to goals.'
There are too few cases to say for sure, but her opinion was quite interesting.
A vision I saw while entering the cocoon to create the unique trait.
It was an ideal family that had never been experienced before. How to get that happiness in your hands? We need to return to reality.
'Then why are you showing me this illusion?'
She said it's for motivation, but that's not all. There must be a reason why she and I had visions.
'…I need to find out about this too.'
An illusion made up of memories. Maybe it has something to do with why we fell into this world. Apart from the final goal of ascension.
Since there was nothing more to know, the conversation with her ended there. Still, it was true that it was helpful, so I expressed my gratitude to her.
[Zuzuzu (Thank you)]
｢You're welcome. Just saying a few words is the big deal.｣
[Zuz, zuzuzu, zuzuzuzu, zuzu, zuzuzuzu, zuzu, zuzuzuzu, zuzuzuzu (I always thought that. You don't know how grateful I am to have you)] ｢… Don't say
nonsense. "Go out and get ready to be the Eucharist."
She turned her head away, as if my sincere gratitude seemed awkward. I bowed my head towards her as she turned and crawled out of the ship.
A barren metal landmark greeted me. There was almost no light, so it was no different from the darkness of space, but I had an auxiliary organ.
I crawled towards the place I had known in advance. There is a crater not far away. I went into a huge hole created by a meteorite collision a long time ago and found a suitable spot.
'then.'
｢'Semi-adult' – >'Adult' evolution conditions have been met. Do you want to evolve?
I've waited a long time.
A semi-transparent text box that always asks for opinions using the same tone of voice.
My answer was always the same.
Even before the mucus that got in and out of the cocoon dries, my body prepares to move on to the next step.
I closed my eyes.
And when I opened my eyes, the sight I saw was a space filled with light and color instead of a black abyss.
What was in front of me was a familiar-looking iron gate.
'Where?'
An old door with rusty hinges and a shabby handle. That was the door to my bedroom.
I could hear someone yelling loudly from inside.
"Fuck you! How dare you interfere with my evolution? "Know how to kill gracefully!"
That voice is very familiar.
As if possessed by something, I stretched out my hand and grabbed the doorknob. I feel a sense of déjà vu somehow. I think it's been like this before, but I don't remember.
The doorknob turns and the door opens.
On a bed in a corner of a studio with a bathroom. A man wearing headgear is lying there.
The physique looked normal, but the body was not. Perhaps because it was at home, he was comfortably wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts, so he was clearly visible. There were long burn marks starting from the right leg to the forearm, shoulder, and neck.
"How many times is this! Why do you always follow me around? "Am I that easy?"
He was yelling hard, as if he was not aware of my presence at all.
A man's appearance and his actions. Everything is familiar.
'Something is wrong.'
We need to get out of here right now. Contrary to my thoughts, my body moved as it pleases. The long wing arm took off the VR device he was wearing.
"Hey, what is this…huh?"
He escapes from the world of space survival and sees me. His eyes widen as if torn apart.
'…crazy.'
He had burn marks on the right side of his face.
That's the face I always see in the bathroom mirror every morning.
"Ugh! It's a monster!"
The identity of the person screaming to be torn apart was 'me'.
-x-X-x-
There was something like that in a classic movie I saw a while ago.
It was a thriller genre film with the setting that there are clones of humans inside the Earth who look exactly like humans on the ground.
The results of the encounter between humans on the ground and clones underground were not good. Just like the doppelganger legend, where people die when they meet someone who looks exactly like them.
That's the situation I'm in right now.
A man screaming at me. He was 'me' when he was human.
'…I'll have to start talking first.'
I tried to calm him down by imitating human voices with my mimicry organ characteristics.
But the sound that came out of my mouth was completely different from what I expected.
｢Grrr?｣
'What is it?'
A beastly growl came out from my snout, where sharp tusks protruded. 'I' must have judged it to be a threat and held my breath.
'The trait doesn't activate, right?'
Is it because it's an illusion? Or is it because the body is transforming in the cocoon? The mimicry organs were not activated at all.
Besides, my body right now is only about the size of a human. The reason I could easily fit into my small living room was because my body became smaller.
Another 'me' probably thought my embarrassment was an opportunity and kicked my head.
｢Really?!｣
'Ugh?!'
If it had been my original body, it wouldn't have moved, but now it doesn't. An intense pain dominated my head, as if I had been hit by the main guns fired by multiple battleships.
I fell onto the desk where my computer was sitting, struggling in unexpected pain. While I fell, 'I' quickly ran out of my room.
'What is this?'
I rubbed my head with my wing arm to relieve the pain.
'Isn't it an illusion?'
The head that had been hit by the kick kept throbbing, as if to prove that this was real. I have never felt such pain as I do now when I see visions in the cocoon.
The more I stroked my head, the less pain I felt, but on the contrary, my anger grew stronger. The desire to destroy the computer in front of me and chase down the runaway prey arose.
｢Grrrrrr｣
'…No, let's calm down.'
I forced my rapidly burning anger to subside.
When I think about it, there were elements in my previous fantasies that stimulated my senses. Things like the strong chemical smells I smelled in hospitals and unidentified facilities.
If you can smell, you can also feel pain. I guess I didn't know because there was no one attacking me at the time.
The problem is that the first person to harm me in the fantasy was 'me'.
'I have to hold on.'
'I' in human form could not have appeared for no reason. I need him to know why this vision appeared. Even though we don't understand each other, we have to catch him and ask him somehow.
I followed 'I' who had run away and went out of my room.
Gray hallways and tightly closed doors welcomed me.
I grabbed the doorknob of the room across from me just in case, but the door wouldn't open. It didn't just feel like the door was locked and couldn't be opened. It felt like there was a doorknob attached to the wall.
'I went to the stairs.'
Unless he goes into another house, there is only one place for him to go. The hallway rang every time the six long arms touched the hard floor.
As expected, the door leading to the stairs was slightly open. Inside, there was a staircase illuminated by electric lights.
'Did he go there?'
If you see that it is turned on by the detection sensor, 'I' must have gone down there.
The moment I was about to go down the stairs, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
If that being is really 'me', how will I respond when I encounter this unavoidable monster?
Should I just get scared and run away like I do now?
Or…
'Back!'
"die!"
The elevator door on the other side of the stairs opens. I quickly lowered my head without turning around. The broken straw bag flew out and pierced the back of my head.
'shit!'
"shit!"
I pulled my head back to hide it and swung my tail at the enemy. The claws at the end of the tail flew away, sweeping up the dust on the floor. However, 'I' was already throwing myself away when the attack failed.
The claws of the tail intersect with the thing floating in the air. The soles of his shoes made a sharp sound as they were rubbed by the claws. The guy who avoided the low-flying attack by floating his body went down the stairs on the other side.
While the guy disappeared, I grabbed the handle of the pushing stick that pierced the back of the head and pulled it out.
The hardest parts of my body are a total of three: the head, carapace, thorax, and tail pincers. The part that was resistant to being hit by a battleship's main gun was barely punctured by this flimsy spear.
｢Grrrrrrr｣
Fierce anger boils to the limit that can be tolerated. Without realizing it, I bit into the broken wheat sack, chewed it, and spit it out.
The anger that had been disturbing my mind ever since. It was now difficult to control. I wanted to grab another 'me' right now and rip off my head.
'…stay calm. composure.'
I tried to control my anger and replayed what had just happened.
'I read my reaction to that action.'
Now I feel confident. 'I' am not just the same as myself in appearance. My thoughts are the same as mine.
'I' predicted that I would check the stairs and hid in the elevator at the back and made a surprise attack. If I were human and met Amov in real life, I would act like I do now.
Since I am someone who is fascinated by monsters, I know very well what Amorph is. Amorph is a man-eating monster that cannot communicate or compromise due to its setting. There's no way he doesn't know that it's not easy to run away when targeted by such a being.
Then there is only one way left. It's about fighting back.
'I aimed for the head.'
Aimorph dies when its heart or brain is destroyed. If I hadn't noticed his attack and lowered my head, the handle of the rolling pin would have pierced my brain.
'Grr, next time I see you, I'll have to subdue you first.'
Just as he can read my thoughts, I can tell what he is thinking. He's probably waiting for me somewhere down the stairs with a weapon.
'I probably should have brought an ax for fire extinguishing.'
If you go downstairs to the hallway, there is an ax and a fire extinguisher placed there. My head carapace is weak enough to be pierced by a push spear. The fire ax cannot withstand it.
Mine is much superior in size, but in this case, it's hard to say it's an advantage. This means that the area hit becomes wider.
The guy with the weapon is most likely hiding behind the door leading to the hallway, not the stairs. There are sensors on the stairs, so it's not a good idea to hide yourself. The space is small, so it's inefficient to fight a big enemy like me.
I looked at the stairs he ran from. Then I turned my gaze towards the elevator from which the guy had come out.
I stretched out my wing arm and pressed the elevator button, and the door opened with a ding sound. Inside the brightly lit elevator, there was a broken mop of a push pin.
I had a good idea.
I got into the elevator, hooked my tail to the door, and pushed the stainless steel ceiling with my wing arms. The stainless steel was separated with a rattling sound.
I climbed through the elevator ceiling and into the passageway. Of course, don't forget to press the downstairs button with the tip of your tail.
'The place where he waits is probably behind the door that leads to the stairs and hallway.'
The elevator beneath my feet descended with a clanging sound. I moved the separated stainless steel back to its original location.
'There are sensors on the stairs that detect movement, so they will see that and respond.'
And on the other side of the stairs, you can see the elevator right away. Even if I use the elevator, I can see it right away. No matter which side I go down, he'll be ready to immediately chop my head off with an axe.
'But you don't know this.'
"Grrrrr"
I wiped the drool that was flowing down with my hand. A strange sense of elation is taking over my body, and I don't know if it's hunger or anticipation before the battle.
The elevator stops with a light sound. The moment the door opened, there was a thumping sound from below.
The fire ax must have been swung just in time for the door to open.
"what?"
His actions were in vain. I hit the stainless steel with my tail as hard as I could. A strong pin pierced the middle of the thin elevator ceiling.
"!"
The embarrassed guy steps back. I grabbed the fire extinguisher he left on the floor with my tail.
The bright red ax blade he was holding cut through the surface of my tail.
"…Tch!"
The guy running away towards the hallway. I crawled down from the ceiling and grabbed the fire extinguisher with my small arms against my chest.
And I did what he was trying to do. Spraying a lot of fire extinguishing agent in the hallway.
"Cough?! "Holy crap!"
Powdered fire extinguishing agents filled the hallway like a fog. The guy was coughing violently, as if he couldn't help it because of his physiology.
I took advantage of the guy being neutralized and ran out into the hallway.
"go away!"
The ax cleaved the fire extinguishing agent powder with a violent sound. His target was slightly above my head. If I had gone upside down on the ceiling, the ax blade would have stuck straight into my head. Actually, I did that a lot when I played as Amorph.
However, on the contrary, I was moving so low that my lower jaw was touching the floor. The ax he swung struck the back of my head.
Because it is so deeply embedded, it is impossible to remove it easily. The guy flinches for a moment. I'm wondering whether I should pull it out with force or retreat.
The important thing is that worrying about it itself is a mistake. I swung my wing arm and hit the guy.
"evil!"
The thing lets out a short scream and falls against the wall.
The moment I smelled that guy's blood, only one thought filled my head.
I want to kill that guy. I want to drink the blood that flows from its body. I want to stick my snout into its stomach and chew its intestines. I want to swallow everything, even the tips of his toes.
You must obtain the genetic essence by eating 'me'.
"Save me! Someone please help me! please!"
The guy is bleeding on the floor. I raised my nails and stabbed him in the thigh.
"Aaaahhh!"
'I' screams pathetically. That sweet singing voice whets the appetite.
'Grrrrr'
I held him tightly with my wing arms and opened my mouth.
I see his face soaked with tears, snot, and blood. Soon its head will be finely chopped and become food for my body.
｢■Child■! An■!｣
｢■■■ ■■!｣
The moment I was about to bite the guy's head off with my teeth.
Unknown messages and uninterpretable waves took hold of my body.
'What did you just do?'
The message and the waves disappeared in an instant, but the shock continued to linger in my head like an echo.
'what?'
I let go of my enemy, not another 'me'.
'Why did I do that?'
It finally comes to mind now. My plan was to get him to talk about what this vision meant. It wasn't an attempt to eat 'me'.
"Hee hee! monster! die! "Die!"
He's trying to pull the ax out of my carapace. I pushed his hand away and instead pulled out a fire ax and threw it away.
'It's not like this. We need to talk.'
I caught the running 'me' with my wing arms and wiped away his blood with my small arms on my chest. And wrote on the floor.
"What is it?"
'conversation'. My eyes shake when I see the two letters. But soon it started screaming.
"Fuck you! lie! What kind of conversation is Aimorph! There's a monster here! Please someone help me!"
I felt annoyed again, but I suppressed my emotions. I was also careful with my wing arms because I was afraid I might accidentally apply more force and cause him pain.
I persevered and kept writing. To convey that you have no intention of harming 'me'.
How many minutes have passed since then? 'I' have suddenly become calmer.
'Is it real now?'
I asked him a question as he lowered his head.
Who are you?
"Who am I?"
'I' saw that and raised my head.
"You idiot. "You know that best, right?"
'what?'
There was no expression on his blood-covered face.
Eventually, he raised the corners of his mouth and chuckled, as if replaying programmed emotions.
"Does it seem like you are embracing all the misfortune in the world? How many people are suffering in the world? You are just trash. What about just one burn? Do you need a family? "You are the one who abandoned your parents who devoted themselves to you."
When I heard those words, I unconsciously lost strength in my wing arms.
Once free, he stood tall in place like a wooden doll hanging by a thread.
"You like monsters? There's only one reason you like monsters. Because the kids made fun of me and called me a monster. 'You guys made fun of me for being a monster, so I'm going to turn you into a real monster,' you know?"
｢Grrrrrrr｣
"It's not your taste, it's embarrassing to even call it a taste, it's just a miserable act of masturbation."
He lashed out at me and picked up an ax that had fallen in the hallway.
"The reason you fell in love with the game. It's the same too. You just couldn't overcome reality and escaped into the game world. Even now, in that world, people are being killed with a game-like sensibility. So, you can't kill 'real me' either. "It's because I'm scared that it might actually be a murder."
He raises both hands holding an axe. The blade of the ax shines coolly with the light of the electric lamp.
"You're such an asshole, but I'm also 'you'. I will help you. So that we can live in reality."
｢….｣
"Then goodbye. coward."
After he finished speaking, blood splattered in the hallway. My body suddenly cringed due to the excruciating pain.
The ax blade stuck in the 'wing arm' was quite painful.
"you…?"
[Zuzzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu (You're not completely wrong. Except for two things)]
My monster's tentacles tremble to convey my message. After all, he's human so he won't understand my wavelength, but it doesn't matter.
I grabbed his wrist with my other arm.
[Zuz zuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zu zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (I cherish all the experiences I had in the 'other world'. It wasn't an escape or anything like that)] It might have been like that at first
.
I made the excuse that I was achieving my goal of returning to reality due to a life-threatening situation, but somewhere in my heart, I was using the 'world of space survival' as an escape.
But not anymore. If you were to ask me now whether 'the other world' is still a place of refuge, I would firmly deny it.
When I reach Ascension, I may have to separate from my children. Or you might lose them before you get there. Or, I may lose while fighting another ranker, or I may die fighting a strong enemy before I meet the conditions.
However, I don't think that what I experienced with them was worthless. No matter how my journey ends, I want to help them live a happy life.
So until then, no matter what happens, you can never die.
'And…'
The reason I don't kill 'me' here isn't simply because I'm afraid of murder.
[Zuz, zuzu, zuzu, zuzuzu, zuzuzu (because I decided you needed it)]
"You bastard! "Let go!"
[Zuz Zuzuz Zuzuz (You do not kill)]
'I' will not die until I determine what this fantasy wants from me. It's just that he's been suppressed by Eimoff.
He was grabbed by me and ran wild with a devil-like face, but it was impossible for him to escape from Aimov's arms.
"You idiot! There is no time for this! Kill me! Or did you fall for me…?!"
He said something incomprehensible and his body stiffened as if he had been paralyzed. Then my body started convulsing wildly. As the creature began to tremble, the colors of the surrounding hallway faded.
'Space is disappearing?'
Outside, in reality, it seems like my evolution has been completed.
The body of 'my' being held in my hands became blurred, just like the hallway. He, who had had an ugly expression just now, had an expressionless face.
"Oh■ ■life ■water■ body∬⫱⪿…."
He disappeared, leaving behind unintelligible words.
As soon as 'I' disappeared, my senses were also immersed in darkness.
I fell asleep for a while and when I woke up, I was submerged in sticky mucus.
I stretched out my arms and tore open the cocoon, revealing a familiar pink body.
｢Hello big baby!｣
Number 26, who waited by my side until my growth was complete.
My new family welcomed me.