Water Fortress is the most prosperous city in Berzan 02.
Unlike other cities, the water fortress was built solely for strategic reasons and served as a defense base until the empire's heyday.
Even after the war abated, the fortress did not collapse. The wealth and infrastructure it had accumulated while functioning as the planet's center was enormous. 30% of the profits earned on the entire planet came from the water fortress.
Because it was so wealthy, it was able to continue to prosper regardless of the decline of the empire. Although it was only a fortress in name, it surpassed Berzan 02 and became one of the major cities representing the empire. Thanks to this, many spaceships still visit the water fortress today.
There were many stores that were as old as their long history, where various types of customers came and went. Decades are the norm, and some stores have been in operation for several generations.
Of course, even though it is old, it does not feel old because it has been managed by more than the government offices of most planets.
The same goes for the buildings next to the artificial waterfall, which were built with cutting-edge engineering. Although each building was built hundreds of years ago, it still retains its beauty.
Just like a waterfall that has continued to flow water for hundreds of years, the residents inside the building also spent time there for a long time. Cult, Heinry, whose main business was selling information and miscellaneous goods and renting warehouses, was one of those cases.
It has already been over 100 years since he ran a store in a building near the waterfall. There were countless customers who passed through him over a long period of time.
But he dared to assert.
He said he had never had a guest as strange as today.
"…Did you say you were a Coldblood slave?" "yes. "Everyone told me to come here if I needed any information."
In front of him, sitting at the counter, was a Wolf with an unusual appearance. Wolff, with his impressive white bird of prey head and amber eyes, wore a Megacopsan reinforced suit.
Wolfs with bird heads are rare, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. The clothes the other person is wearing are illegally modified high-grade reinforced clothing, but they are common clothes found here. Because there are cults that dress their slaves like that.
"And we need a large warehouse to store the goods for a few days. "There are a lot of creatures to store, so the size is…"
The person Heinley feels strange about is not Wolff, who is talking about business earlier.
Now all his senses were focused on the presence behind Wolff.
This is the cult woman looking around the store.
Judging from the fact that it had goat horns on its head, it looked like an ordinary cult, but the opponent was actually a knowledge manager. Because on her shoulder hung the cult's eye badge, the symbol of a knowledge manager.
I've seen the knowledge manager many times, so it wasn't particularly awkward. But Heinley couldn't shake off the uncomfortable feeling.
He has met guests from various groups for a long time. You can tell whether someone is a criminal or a dangerous person just by looking at their appearance.
In his opinion, that woman was ordinary. Both appearance and behavior were natural.
That's the problem.
'He's clearly an ordinary person, so why are he so anxious?'
Reason is telling him there is no problem, but instinct is warning him. I need to get out of here right away.
'Plus this smell….'
A strange smell that I have never smelled before flows under my nose.
At first I thought it came from Wolf. Wolffs have a unique body odor due to their body fur.
But when I looked again, it wasn't the case. It was the smell coming from that woman looking at the products on display.
'We have to get it out quickly.' "First of all, I know what you're talking about. "The warehouse has products that meet the requirements, so I don't think there will be any problems." "What about Cold Blood?" "I'm sorry, but I can't help you with that part. "Because I don't treat slaves."
As soon as the word "difficult" came out of his mouth, the knowledge manager's eyes turned to him. I just made eye contact, but cold sweat started rolling down my back. Heinli hurriedly continued speaking.
"instead! I know someone who handles coldblood slaves. "If you go and put my name on it, we'll be able to do business with you easily." "Where is that store?" "If you go east from here, there is a building with an inverted triangle structure."
Wolf seemed satisfied with his answer, but she was not a cult woman. She slowly approached him.
"Okay, maybe the price can be reduced because of my name. And for warehouse rental, if you tell us the price you want, we will rent it at a cheaper price! Well, so…"
A cult woman who has become closer than Wolff.
The unknown fear also boiled even more. The moment she raised her hand, he flinched.
"I will cover the cost with this." "…."
What the strange woman placed on the counter was a black-sized piece of mineral. Heinri, who almost fell backwards, managed to calm himself down and pick up the mineral.
"…It's Moon Silver. "It's small in size, but its purity is quite high." "Is it okay to rent a warehouse with this?" "No problem."
The woman nodded as if she was satisfied and stepped back. Instead, the Wolf she brought with her came to the forefront again.
So the contract was concluded smoothly.
Now all that remains is for the suspicious customers to leave the store.
'Once this transaction is over, let's get out of here.'
Recently, an unfortunate incident occurred where the city was blocked. And with such a strange guest there, I didn't feel like I wanted to stay here anymore.
I have to leave Berzan 02 while I'm on vacation. While I was thinking that, the cult woman who was about to leave the store suddenly stopped. She turned and approached the counter.
'Fuck it! 'What else?'
Just as I was trying to calm down, the strange guest returned and my heart rate went up.
"Why, why are you doing that?"
The cult approached in silence and picked up a small package displayed in front of the counter.
"I will buy this too." "Well, that's for those who are inexperienced with psychic powers. "Isn't this something a knowledge manager would use?" "It's not something I'll use, but I'm giving it to a friend as a gift."
From a cult's perspective, it is not very common to gift a comprehensive program kit that teaches psychic power.
Of course, Heinli was not at all curious about the other person's intentions and purposes.
"Just take it." "Are you okay?" "It's okay! "In addition to that, that one next to it has good reviews, so take it with you."
After receiving several items as a bonus, the customers left the store in a strange mood.
｢What is that again?｣ "A gift for No. 26. "I'll take care of the next part, so go first." ｢Are you okay?｣ "Check the security level here…"
As the voices outside the store faded away, he quickly cleaned up the store.
"…let's go on a trip."
It has been here for 100 years. It wouldn't be a bad idea to take a short break.
Heinri, who quickly closed the store, moved to the airport as if running away.
'Oh, just in case you don't know before you go….'
While traveling by airship, he sent a message to a business associate he had arranged to be careful.
His colleague has dealt with dangerous clients like this one many times. I'll take care of it when I get his message.
Believing so, he left the water fortress.
–
"huh?"
Lovetz, a well-known slave trader in the Water Fortress, opened his eyes wide when he saw the terminal.
'Why Heinli?'
A short message from her business colleague was floating on the screen of the small terminal. The message was to be careful because suspicious people would come looking for you.
"The atmosphere has been a bit chaotic these days. "Tell the guards to be more careful than usual." "yes. Mr. Lovetz."
She called her bodyguards and got them ready. Since it was a store that specialized only in slaves, it had a significant number of surveillance personnel. With this many armed personnel, there won't be a big problem no matter how suspicious someone comes.
In this way, Lovetz's store was operated in a stricter atmosphere than usual.
But the suspicious guest Heinley mentioned did not come. The customers she entertained were only regulars she had previously dealt with.
'They said a suspicious person would come, but what happened?'
I have done business with Heinley several times. They didn't like the slave trade very much, so they didn't trade often. Still, I know that I am not the type of person to send a message like this as a joke.
Despite her belief, the strange cult customer did not appear until the store closed.
'Still, I need to be careful just in case.'
As the day sun set and the night sun rose, Lovetz called his secretary.
"Someone could break into the store." "Are you trying to escape slaves?" "I do not know yet. "Be sure to double the defenses of the slave barns." "All right." "Oh, and if there is even the slightest danger, notify the fortress immediately. "They will come to protect you." "I'll pass it on to the guards."
After asking his secretary to follow him, Lovetz headed to the parking lot where his personal airship was located.
The open parking lot was filled with dark red light. Due to the night sun, the waterfall near the building also looked like a river flowing with wine instead of water. It was a sight that would have been amazing to someone who wasn't in the cult, but it was familiar to her.
She walked on the parking lot under the red chestnuts she always sees.
'huh?'
When she was only a short distance away from the personal airship, she smelled an unknown scent. A strange smell faintly hanging in the air. It seemed similar to the iron smell of blood that had just flowed out, and it also felt like airship fuel.
'Where is this disgusting smell coming from?'
While she was wondering if there was a problem with one of the airships parked nearby, the figure of a stranger came into her field of vision.
There was a woman standing at the end of the parking lot. I couldn't see it in detail because it was far away, but I could see its head sticking out and it was a cult.
'what?'
Although it was just a woman standing there with nothing special about her, Lovetz felt a strange sense of pressure.
I had a strong feeling that this entity was not a cult.
"Do you have any business?"
Lovetz shouted, but the opponent did not respond. The strange cult just looked at her, remaining silent. When she felt the gaze on the other side, a shiver ran down her spine.
The author must be the suspicious customer Heinley was talking about. She took out the terminal with trembling hands.
"hey." "?!"
An ordinary voice reached her ears as she struggled to immediately call security. When she looked up, she saw a strange cult member raising his hand and calling out to her.
"Where should I go to Mr. Lovetz's store?" "…Just enter the building and go to the 42nd floor."
She didn't tell him she was Lovetz. She pointed at the building with her finger and hurriedly moved to her airship.
At that time, I ran at a fast pace and was about to board the airship.
I heard the other person's voice behind me.
"Don't you know about Mr. Lovetz?" "…."
She didn't answer and quickly closed the door. And I sent a message to my secretary.
There is a suspicious person here, so send a security guard immediately.
Without checking the answer from her secretary, she immediately set off on the airship. This was because I had the feeling that if things continued like this, that being would get on the airship.
Just as the airship was about to float over the parking lot, the hull shook slightly.
"Heek?!"
Could it be that this ominous premonition has come true? She shivered and checked the external camera.
Nothing was visible on the screen captured by the camera. It only illuminates the exterior wall of the airship with its luxurious decorations.
After checking dozens more times, she finally calmed down and set off the airship.
Through the cameras of the high-flying airship, a number of cults were seen appearing on the parking lot. They were all security guards who received orders from the secretary. They began to search the parking lot thoroughly.
"Phew."
I don't know what the other person is, but it's impossible to leave the parking lot without so many guards.
After sending a message to his secretary to report the results of his investigation, Lovetz set the airship's destination as a private residence.
'I'll have to have a drink when I get back.'
If you drink a sip of fine wine while lying in a hot tub, your frightened mind will easily calm down.
Lovetz's airship, whether aware of its owner's fears or not, just silently passed through the red curtain that had descended on the city.
-x-X-x-
Lovetz's private residence is located on the outskirts of the fortress.
Just because she is on the edge rather than the center does not mean she is poor.
Even though its status as a military base has faded, the level of security inside the fortress is very high. A city where warriors roam the streets and large warships frequently fly overhead. There aren't many idiots who would commit crimes in a place like that.
In addition, the water fortress is a city that has accumulated wealth for a long time, so its residents are quite wealthy. In most cases, there is no problem in living even if you do not engage in crime.
Since safety is guaranteed no matter where you go, there are many people like Lovetz who choose to live in outlying areas. It can be said that they chose a house with a quiet atmosphere rather than a noisy center.
Lovetz's airship passed several houses and stopped above a mansion.
There is a small artificial lake in the center of the mansion, and pentagon-shaped houses surround it. Plants brought from other planets are planted between the house and the lake.
The airship landed on a platform in the lake. The moment we landed, the surface of the lake shook greatly.
"what?"
Startled, Lovetz checked the airship's cameras. There must have been a problem when landing, and there were a lot of water droplets on the lens. Other than water splashing, no other damage was visible.
"I'm really out of luck."
She got off with a grumble and crossed over to the garden where plants were planted through the bridge connected to the scaffolding. Every time she walked, the sensors and cameras inside the mansion responded.
"Are you here?" "Yes. "I'm going to take a bath, so please take out some suitable wine from the storage room." "I understand." "And it looks like there is a problem with the airship landing system, so let's take a look." "I will check."
After ordering the slave behind the camera, she headed to the bathroom.
The mansion's bathroom was large enough to accommodate dozens of people. She took off her clothes and placed herself in the hot bath.
"Whoa."
Thanks to the heat rising from the hot water, my white and delicate skin turned pink. As the tension in my body eased, I let out a groan mixed with fatigue without my knowledge.
'It's a little better.'
I was in a bad mood when I arrived at the mansion, but I quickly relaxed. I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to fall asleep for a bit before the wine arrived. She closed her eyes and surrendered her body and mind to the warm water.
Just before falling asleep like that.
Bibibbibibi
A loud noise struck her ears. When Lovetz stood up in shock, the water in the bathtub shook violently.
"…Alarm sound?"
It was a sound I had rarely heard before, so I didn't recognize it right away.
That sound ringing outside the bathroom was an alarm that sounds when someone from the outside breaks in.
That means someone came into her house without permission.
"What's going on outside?"
Her voice echoed throughout the bathroom. As if in response, the alarm sound from outside suddenly stopped.
"…."
It became quiet again, but I couldn't feel relieved.
There are no slaves in charge of security in this mansion. Instead, speakers are installed in every location so that the slaves can hear and follow her commands.
So, since she gave an order, it was normal for a reply to come back. It was not common to just turn off the alarm without saying anything.
She suddenly fell asleep and got out of the bathtub. Without even wiping my wet body, I took the terminal pad first.
'You have to report it first!'
It may not be a big deal, but you never know. She quickly reported to the fortress's warriors and put on her robe.
The warriors will be here within 5 minutes. You must hide in the mansion's evacuation room until they arrive.
As she came out of the bathroom, a bright light greeted her. The atmosphere inside the mansion was no different from usual.
Except for one difference.
"Where has everyone gone?"
There was no sign of popularity in the mansion at all. Aside from the intruder, the slaves were also nowhere to be seen.
The situation was unusual. The reason her body was shaking wasn't just because of the cool air conditioning.
'Quick, we have to go to the evacuation room quickly….'
Lovetz walked trembling. The house that had felt comfortable just a few minutes ago felt extremely unfamiliar.
After leaving the building where the bathroom was located and entering the corridor, she found traces of an intruder entering.
"What about this?"
Water-soaked footprints were clearly imprinted on the high-quality stone floor. Looking at its size and shape, it did not appear to be human at all. Moreover, the footprints were bigger than her head.
The direction the footprints were heading was outside the corridor, that is, towards the wine cellar.
"…shit."
Lovetz created a whip with psychic power and held it in his hand. I never dreamed that something like this would happen in the water fortress. She vowed that once this was over, she would place her war slaves in the mansion.
The good news is that the wine cellar and the evacuation room are quite far away. Now that an unknown beast is chasing the slave, they must quickly escape to the shelter.
She ran half naked. There was no sign of anyone following.
Arriving safely in the evacuation room, she first looked at the surveillance cameras installed in the mansion. Here, you can check all the spaces inside the mansion, just like in the management office.
The cult-style computer worked and output images and videos taken by the camera in the air. She moved her eyes diligently, searching for intruders.
'doesn't exist?'
But the intruder was nowhere to be seen. There was even no trace of the slave who was presumed to have been attacked by the beast.
"What is this…."
As she was looking at the camera in confusion, she suddenly heard a sound outside.
Bibibbibibbibi
This is the alarm sound I heard in the bathroom. What sounded small at first gradually became louder. It means that the intruder is getting closer to this place.
She quickly checked the camera in the hallway where the alarm was sounding.
"What happened? What about him? "Where the hell is he?"
The hallway is empty, but the security system loudly shouts that someone is there.
As I was checking the video to find the cause of the alarm sound, something caught my eye.
Bibibbibibbibibbibibi
She brought her face closer to the image floating in the air.
"…."
At first, I thought it was just a stain or pattern. It's a geometric decoration commonly seen in hallways.
It wasn't.
It was a wet stain.
Something that wasn't captured on camera was walking down the hallway, leaving footprints.
Bibi beep
And the mark ended exactly in front of the door of the evacuation room.
Her head slowly turned back.
The alarm sound stopped and another sound was heard instead.
A noise made when something heavy is dragged.
It was similar to the sound made when a thick alloy door opens.
–
"Hmm, then there is no problem?" "yes. I think the security system is outdated and malfunctioning. "I'm really sorry for causing you trouble even though it's nothing special." "Do you mind if we don't look into it separately?" "I think that would be okay. As you can see, I am in this state."
The armed warriors glanced sideways at my body and then quickly turned their faces away.
"Oh, ok, I see. All right." "Let's go then. "Go in and rest." "thank you."
They greeted each other with awkward faces and walked away.
"I never thought you would come out while taking a bath. "Just make me a slave." "I guess you were having a good time with your slave? When I looked at it, it seemed like that kind of atmosphere." "Stop talking nonsense."
The voices heard beyond the closed door of the mansion quickly quieted down. Eventually, a small fighter jet parked outside took off and left the mansion.
Since there were no more signs of outsiders coming, I went back into the mansion.
'I was surprised.'
I wasn't too worried until I first got on the airship and arrived at the mansion.
Unlike Alkadi's mansion, the water fortress had no armed guards. Perhaps because the city itself was safe, only a small number of slaves resided in the mansion.
As I was diving in the lake where the airship had landed, I used my auxiliary equipment to roughly determine the number of people inside the mansion and took action.
First, we tried to quickly deal with the slave who was carrying the wine and then the owner of the mansion.
'If it weren't for that loud bell sound, it probably would have happened.'
Transformed into a 'clever weakling', I am immune to various detection systems thanks to the 'unknown creature fur' effect. This is because the wavelengths generated by fur confuse various detection equipment. Vibration monitoring systems are no exception.
However, the reason it got caught was because of the water.
Perhaps the fur became wet and malfunctioned, or the effect that neutralized the detection system did not work properly.
Moreover, although my appearance itself was not caught on camera, my water-soaked footprints were captured. If you have a sharp eye, you will immediately notice that there is something that is not captured in the video.
'It's an unexpected weakness.'
I knew that the fur of unknown organisms was not all-purpose. Even so, I never thought it would have such a simple yet fatal weakness.
'It's a desert planet, but this is a water fortress. I have to be careful.'
I went back to the shelter, remembering that I had to be careful with water when I was a smart weakling. There, they recovered a pad-type terminal left behind by the previous owner of the mansion.
'good. Now all that's left is…'
I have something to check with Lovetz, the slave trader I captured. At other times, I would have used parasites, but currently, the 'parasite colony' trait has been sealed.
So now it's time to use human worms instead of parasites. I called in the person who replaced the existing member.
A bug with the face of a cult woman tore open its nest on my back and jumped out. Perhaps because it was summoned from the state of a smart weakling with a greatly reduced body size, the size of Inmyeonchung was also greatly reduced.
The human insect, which had shrunk to approximately the length of an adult male, fluttered its wings and landed in front of me. The slave trader noticed a change in his body and his complexion turned pale.
"I have something to ask you."
Her eyes widened as a voice identical to hers came from my mouth.
However, there is only one thing she can do as all authority over her body is vested in me.
"…Please speak."
Just doing my duty as a servant.
–
Sihyeon Eugene realized that he was dreaming the same dream.
White room.
Myself sitting in the middle.
Faceless people whispering something to themselves next to them.
The recurring dream I saw every time I fell asleep has now become a part of my life.
Rather, recently, I felt like I couldn't live without this dream.
"You ■■ are ■■■."
'She' sitting in the chair speaks. As usual, I couldn't understand anything at all.
Sihyeon thought.
How would I feel if I sat there?
It was a thought that had never occurred to her before, but she didn't find it strange.
Her consciousness slowly narrows to the chair. The faceless ones stop whispering and look at her. Obviously, the facial expression shouldn't be visible, but for some reason, it feels like he's smiling.
Everything was so strange, but she didn't realize it. The thought of having to sit in that chair right away invaded my mind.
"You ■■■ ■■■."
Just before she sat down on the chair, paying no heed to 'her' cries, her eyes suddenly turned to one of the faceless people.
When I got closer, I could see it.
His body was cracked like a broken mirror.
The moment she recognized that fact, she woke up.
"…."
Aside from the familiar dream, the sensation of waking up in a cold sweat was quite unpleasant. She roughly pushed the glass wall to get out of the biocapsule and lifted the pad out of habit.
She frowned when she saw the long message that appeared on the pad screen. Both eyes were fixed on just one word in the message: 'Analysis failure.'
"…is it a failure?"
Although he succeeded in slaying the monster, which was one of his long-held dreams, it was difficult to enjoy the joy of victory. This is because the damage she suffered was not insignificant.
I lost my crystal battery while fighting it. Now, there are only two doses of energy left to use 'Abyss Destroyer'.
'I can't kill Akira with this.'
Megacorp CEO Akira Yujin, like Sihyeon, is a genetically modified being. Perhaps as many genes were transferred as the monsters she killed.
That means that even the Abyss Destroyer may not be able to kill it in one go.
Akira is more than a monster, he is a cunning enemy. If something similar to this happens when she fights him, she will be defeated.
"So I had high hopes for this… wow."
She put down the pad and sighed.
Now that relics can no longer be used carelessly, a new alternative is needed.
What she had new hopes for was the blood on the 'White Maiden' armored suit. The monster was completely incinerated by Raijin's attack, but the dried blood on the armored suit still remained.
Sihyeon ordered the laboratory on the flagship to analyze the blood. If you can transplant the monster's genes into your body, you will be able to obtain great power.
But contrary to her thoughts, the blood analysis continued to fail.
This is because there are so many different types of genes in the blood, and there are also many foreign substances mixed in.
To solve this problem, more samples were needed, but the thing evaporated without leaving a body. Of course, it was an impossible request.
Ultimately, the research team concluded that analysis was impossible at this point. At least the flagship's equipment could not analyze the monster's genes.
'It would be possible if it were a Megacorp database, but…'
The Megacorp database on the Moon is equipped with the best research facilities. There, we might be able to analyze the monster's genes.
The problem is that it is not easy to infiltrate the Megacorp database.
This place, which can be said to be the heart of Megacorp's information, has such strict security that even Eugene's shadow has to risk his life several times.
If you lose your life while infiltrating, that would be the end of the story. Unless there is absolutely no hope, you should hold off on infiltrating the Megacorp database.
'Is that the only way left?'
Si-hyeon recalled the unfinished map Beom-ho left behind.
The situation she was currently in was not much different from before she came to Berzan 02. Although the power was restored to some extent, the hidden card called a relic was lost.
A new weapon is needed to fight a powerful enemy named Akira. In the current situation, we can only hope that the map produces meaningful results.
The problem is that there are no clues needed to complete that map.
You might not know if you have a lot of time, but you don't. Megacorp's civil war is also in the process of ending. When the war is over, Akira will go in to sort out Sihyeon Eugene's forces.
We must somehow complete the map before Akira's pursuit fleet moves.
"…I have a headache."
Is it because the nightmares I have every day are overlaid with real problems?
I guess I need to cool my head. As a bonus, I also wipe off my cold sweaty body.
She stumbled and headed to the bathroom.
-x-X-x-
"How about this? "It feels similar to me." ｢….｣
At my question, Gryphon Wolf, the Mother of Heaven, wearing a reinforced suit, narrowed her eyes. Amber eyes stared at the screen of the terminal pad.
PS-111 next to him also bent down and looked at the pad together. The red camera lens that replaced the eyeball repeatedly contracted and expanded.
I am not the only one in this mansion right now. After getting information about the Coldblood slaves from Lovetz, I called the kids.
"After comparing the growth prediction simulation of the search target, it was 78% consistent with the characteristics described by 'Middle Baby'." "…wait. "It gets even more confusing when you say it like that."
As you can see, Heavenly Mother and PS-111 are checking out the slaves I have selected. No. 26 and Adhai went to look inside the mansion.
"My impression has changed a little, but I think it's true." "Really?" "Because it's been a while since I've seen you. In fact, I would say that it has changed less than expected."
Sky's mother looked at the screen in silence for a moment and nodded slightly.
'I'm glad.'
The search for the 22nd ranker, which started on the Streets of Gwangmyeong, is now nearing its end.
About two months ago, Alkadi sold Coldblood, estimated to be ranked 22nd, to Lovetz, a slave trader in the Water Fortress.
And Lovetz rented the slaves he purchased to luxury hotels.
Due to the setting, the cult does not view Cold Blood very positively. They are considered cultists or criminals, so they are not suitable to work as employees in luxury hotels.
When I asked Inmyeonchung, he said that the hotel deliberately requested it to be used for entertaining other races. For a coldblood, he doesn't look bad, and he's obedient to customers, so he gets quite good reviews.
'When I just heard the story, he seemed like a player.'
It's unusual to work at a cult's luxury hotel while being Cold Blood. However, it is difficult to view it as conclusive evidence that he is a player.
Also, 22nd place is being chased by the dominant rankers. Since hiding secretly wasn't enough, what were they thinking when they went to the place where the upper class of each faction frequented?
'Or did you collude with another player?'
I thought it was possible until I came here. However, when I actually got here, it was ambiguous.
If he colluded with a faction other than the ruling faction, why would he be a slave?
Just because the cult is more humane than Megacorp or Star Union does not mean it is kinder to slaves. If that were the case in the first place, we wouldn't even use the word slave. It won't be easy to enslave a player unless you promise them a fairly good reward.
Although it is difficult to see him as a semi-forced slave, Lovetz said he was evaluated as a good slave. Although methods such as mind control and parasites can physically oppress the opponent, they cannot make them do their job well.
'Of course, you have to see the face in person.'
Unless it has been confirmed that the opponent is really ranked 22nd, there is no point in worrying any further.
"Still, I think I'll have to see you in person to know for sure."
Heavenly Mother added that she thought the same thing as me. I also nodded in agreement.
｢Big Adult｣
Then Aadhai called me.
The dog, who was running around like a large dog excited about coming to a new home, came up to me. Its long, plump tail can be seen wrapping around the wooden barrel.
｢This｣｢Eat｣ [Zu (huh?)]
He put down the wooden barrel next to me and tapped my leg with his tail. A sweet scent came from the barrel and the guy's body.
'alcohol?'
While processing Lovetz's slaves, I saw a place where there were a lot of items that looked like oak barrels piled up. One of the slaves came out holding a bottle of wine, so I thought it was a liquor store, but it turns out it was real.
"Isn't that alcohol?" "I think so." ｢Delicious｣｢Together｣｢Eat｣
It's alcohol. I have never drank alcohol since coming to this world.
In fact, I didn't enjoy drinking in the real world either. To be exact, it's not that I didn't like it, it's that I couldn't like it.
Whenever I drank alcohol, the burn marks on my face and body turned red. What happens is that, like a zombie, it becomes ugly, as if skin has been added to the body. Because of that, I couldn't imagine drinking with anyone, let alone myself.
"I'm curious since you said it's delicious."
Unlike me, who was in a subtle mood, Heavenly Mother seemed quite welcoming.
"Do you like alcohol?" "It's not even something I like. "I haven't had many opportunities to eat it either here or there." "I'm interested in the idea of a drink mixed with alcohol."
We have already confirmed where the slave estimated to be number 22 is. All that's left is to find the right opportunity and meet him. Everything I have to do today is done, so it's okay to rest here.
'Would you like to try it?'
Heavenly Mother, PS-111 Since both of them want to taste alcohol, I am also slightly attracted to it.
I bent down and held the wooden barrel with my small arms near my chest. When the tusks on either side of the mouth made a hole in the barrel, caramel-colored liquid came out with a sloshing sound.
The alcohol, which had a scent as sweet as its color, flowed into my mouth. The thrill was short-lived, and the aged flavor, like boiled sugar, spread through my mouth and throat.
｢This｣｢Isn't it delicious?｣ "So?" ｢Me｣｢Dwarf Nest｣｢Search｣｢Discovery｣｢Success｣ "Good job."
Aadhai shrugged, raising his long neck high with his wings slightly spread. The taste of the alcohol was good enough for the guy to take on a confident attitude. This is my first time tasting a drink this delicious since Hellside Hornet's Cocoon.
'Is it because they are both aged drinks?'
In terms of flavor, Kochi has a deeper flavor, but this one feels closer to a well-made product. There are various flavors based on sweetness, but it feels well distributed and not confusing.
"I want to taste it too, but I don't have a glass. "Where did you get this?" "Over there" "The other nest" "Just drink it." ｢Hey, you still need a glass.｣ ｢Here's a glass!｣ ｢Thanks…huh?｣
Sky's mother paused as she accepted the glass handed to her by the pink tentacle.
'No. 26?' ｢Accept big children and friends!｣
Number 26 approached me before I knew it and handed me a plate. Because he was acting so naturally, I noticed it too late.
[Zuzuzu zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu (Did you bring it here for me to drink?)] ｢Yes. They say that human food should be eaten in a 'cup'! "Isn't it amazing?"
It was holding various objects, including wine bottles, jars, and decorative vases, with its tentacles. Among the items was a psychic training kit that I gave to the guy who came to the mansion.
'Did you just learn something from that?'
While Aadhai was tasting the liquor, he must have checked the gift kit. Like a smart guy, he seems to have quickly acquired knowledge and put it into action.
'It's alcohol on a plate.' "It's like a fox and a crane." "Don't talk nonsense because I'm scared." "I'm kidding."
I put down the wooden bucket and patted No. 26. When he received a compliment from me, his body glowed brightly as if he was happy.
[Zuz, zuzu, zuzuzuzu (Shall we eat it together in a glass?] "Yeah! Sounds fun."
I filled the vase he brought with alcohol. The guy stuck his tentacle into the vase like a straw and sucked it up.
｢Delicious!｣ ｢Me too｣｢I want to eat it｣
While the two tentacled people were enjoying a drink, Heaven's Mother also held a full glass to her beak.
"Are you okay? It feels similar to whiskey, but has a stronger sweetness and aroma." "That's right. "It seems like the alcohol content is weaker as well." ｢I think I like this much.｣ ｢Ugly Friend｣｢Taste｣｢How do you like it?｣｢Good?｣ ｢I think it would have been better if you hadn't said that.｣ ｢It's delicious!｣
While the three of us were giving and receiving drinks, I also poured drinks for PS-111.
"PS-111, take it too." "thank you."
PS-111 held a bottle of alcohol with its claws and stuck out its tongue, which was a mix of biological tissue and machinery, to lick the liquid inside. The taste of the alcohol was quite impressive, so the corners of his eyes fluttered.
"how is it?" "As a result of the analysis, 75% cactus from Berzan 02, 11% heavenfruit from Gormos 03, 10% agave syrup from Amoria 09, and 4% other. "It's an interesting flavor." "I'm glad you like it."
The guy was about to nod his head at what I said, but suddenly tilted his head.
"I don't know if this expression is appropriate, but it feels somehow familiar." "Familiar?" "The moment I inhaled the liquid, similar ingredient combination data that I remembered was printed out. "I have never entered data like this before."
Although it has eaten a variety of foods in the past, this is the first time it has reacted the way it does now. The situation itself, in which he recalled memories he didn't know about, seemed quite unfamiliar.
'It's data I don't remember entering.'
PS-111 is a mutant screamer created by the joint efforts of several rankers of the ruling faction. And one of those materials is the head of an intelligent being, that is, the brain.
I've previously seen a video of PS-111 being created on the ship of Pyrrha Eleven, one of the Star Union's Mechanical Committee. The process of transplanting the cloned Coldblood's brain into the Screamer machine.
'Is this a memory from the past?'
The current PS-111 is a new being created by the power of No. 26 after its body was severely damaged. The damaged brain was also restored in a different form from the original, so most of the man's memories were lost.
'But not everything is lost.'
The reason he said he was familiar with it may be because while drinking, he recalled memories from before he became a screamer.
"Maybe you drank this before becoming a screamer?" "Do you mean me?" "okay. "The only memories that 'the present you' cannot recognize are memories of the past."
The guy who heard me didn't respond and just looked down at the bottle blankly. The guy's red lenses were reflected in the caramel-colored liquid left at the bottom of the bottle.
The guy who was silent for a moment slowly nodded.
"That's a valid point. "There is a 51% chance that this drink and my past are related." "After this is over, let's look into this alcohol." "thank you."
It is difficult to see the expression on his face because his skin is made of metal. His face is as expressionless as usual, but is it because he knows what's going on? He looked very distraught.
"Would you like some more? "If you drink it, more memories may come to mind." "please."
When I held the wooden barrel to pour him a drink, he put his face close to the barrel. Then, just like me, he stuck out his tongue and licked the liquid flowing from the container and drank it.
"It's interesting that it tastes completely different from the main ingredient."
The guy said that while licking the alcohol off his cold lips with his tongue.
At that time, number 26, who saw us, came bouncing up and got between us.
"Friend, you shouldn't eat like that. "You have to eat human food." "I'm not a human, so I can do it this way." "No, you shouldn't eat human food like that."
No. 26 intervened and that was the end of the conversation with him.
Afterwards, the drinking party at the cult's mansion ended only when the cellar was empty.
-x-X-x-
"Are you going to leave here?"
The drawing room of a cult-style mansion.
Sihyeon Eugene nodded to the question of the older cultist Kissos.
"yes. Thanks to you, Senator, we have secured enough equipment and slaves. "You invested in me, so I should show you the results." "The Emperor of Megacorp will not be an easy opponent. "Wouldn't that be enough?" "Currently, Megacorp is nearing the end of the war. The entire society is in a state of chaos as the long-maintained wartime regime is lifted. "Now is the opportunity to kill the CEO." "Hmm."
What Sihyeon said was true.
As the leader of the innovative faction that emphasizes exchanges with other races, Kissos had many connections in Megacorp. Thanks to this, I knew that Megacorp's power had weakened significantly.
"I heard that one of the seven nobles who supported Megacorp fell and a recession struck. "They say the emperor and nobles have a lot of trouble because of that." "That's right." "Hogira."
After saying those words, Kisos closed his mouth and calculated in his head.
It didn't take long for her to decide that it was better for her to leave.
"Vision of the Eugene family. "May Providence fulfill your will." "thank you."
After politely saying hello, Sihyeon left the reception room.
As she walked down the hallway, she soon fell and leaned against the wall. Recently, I could barely sleep due to nightmares and headaches.
I tested it to see if it was a side effect of genetic modification, but nothing came out. The research team leader in charge of the test said it appeared to be a mental problem.
Even if I took the medicine as they said, the nightmares and headaches did not go away. At least I was able to sleep while in the bio capsule, but the time was getting shorter and shorter.
"…after."
My headache subsided slightly as I leaned my head against the cool wall. She sighed softly and walked again. As I left the hallway and was walking down the corridor, a familiar person walked towards me from the other side.
"Sihyeon Eugene? "Why are you here?" "hello. Alshas."
The opponent was Alshas, a cult woman with shining silver hair. She opened her eyes wide as if Sihyeon's presence was unexpected.
"I came to say hello to Kisos before leaving Berzan 02." "okay. Are you finally leaving?" "Thanks for connecting me with Mr. Kissos, it was a great help. "I will come to you later to say hello."
The fact that Alshas appeared at Chisos' mansion probably means that she also has a promise. After giving a light greeting to the other person, Sihyeon tried to leave the place.
"Wait." "yes?"
Alshas caught Si-hyeon as she was about to leave and took out a small data chip from her arms.
"Take it." "This?" "I heard from my senior that you were looking for mysterious artifacts. "This is a map I got some time ago."
As soon as the word "map" came out of her mouth, Sihyeon's heart pounded loudly. Her black eyes were fixed on the data chip in her palm.
"Did you say map?" "Actually, it's embarrassing to even call it a map. "It's an unfinished map." "Incomplete…." "I had an acquaintance at the Society of Prophets, so I asked about it. "It seems to be a map to an altar where a mysterious weapon is hidden, but they said it is impossible to confirm further details."
In fact, the probability that the data chip given by Alshas and the map left by Beomho would respond was extremely low. Unless someone intended it, there's no way something like that would happen.
However, her senses responded differently. I had a strong belief that this data chip might be the key to restoring the damaged map.
Sihyeon asked Alshas, barely suppressing his emotions with reason.
"Why are you giving me a map that leads to where the weapons are hidden?" "Honestly, I'm interested, but I am the captain of an imperial carrier. You cannot move carelessly by following uncertain information. But unlike me, Sihyeon doesn't have such limitations." "That's true." "Like the elders, I am also invested in Sihyeon. Sihyeon achieving his goal is also beneficial to me. So please take it."
Sihyeon met Alshas's gaze and felt the other person's sincerity. That female cult really wanted her to have this map. Other than that, I felt no other emotions.
"You are an important element in the great plan. "You don't have to worry about anything." "…thank you."
In the end, Sihyeon decided to receive the data chip.
–
Once an Amorph reaches sub-adult form, it becomes immune to most poisons. This is thanks to the characteristic 'complete immunity' obtained as a semi-adult perk.
Even though I drank a huge amount of alcohol, my body did not change at all.
'I haven't felt drunk at all since I started drinking.'
In fact, if it were Amorph's body, he wouldn't get drunk or anything even if he didn't have the perfect immunity trait. Since their overall metabolism is excellent, they will break down alcohol quickly.
This was similar to other kids besides me. No. 26 and PS-111 showed no change at all even after dozens of wooden barrels were emptied.
Of course, not everyone was completely sober. In Aadhai's case, it was noticeable that the more he drank, the better he felt.
'I had a similar reaction when I ate the cocoon of a Hellside Hornet.'
The other gallagons that were drinking the cocoon liquid at the time also looked happier than usual. Could it be said to be close to the feeling that wild animals get intoxicated by eating fermented fruit?
However, it seems that Aadhai did not know that he had a body that could be taken. The guy who was very drunk ran around the room and fell asleep in my arms.
'And now he's sleeping in the room that the owner of the mansion used.' "It looks like Aadhai is still sleeping." "Yes."
Heavenly Mother, with a towel draped over her shoulder, looked into the room and said.
There were a lot of water droplets on her fur, as if she had taken a bath as soon as she woke up. The wet fur stuck closely to the body, leaving the body exposed.
'Even if the level of deification increases, nothing much has changed.'
There was a tattoo of agate-colored wings on her naked back. When there is no battle, wings are cumbersome to move, so I often turn them into tattoos and store them. I think they changed it to a tattoo on purpose because if the wings get wet, it becomes a hassle to dry them.
Anyway, except for the wing tattoo, not much has changed from his previous appearance.
"So when do you plan on meeting the slave you presumed to be?"
Wolf, a griffon with a beautiful body, asked as he wiped his fur with a towel. I looked away from her body and said what I was thinking.
"If possible, I'd like to check it from afar today." "today? That quickly?" "Because there is a possibility that the opponent is not ranked 22nd. "Just confirm before talking face to face." "but. "It makes sense." "Once we get everything sorted out about Lovetz, we will move right away. "I also checked the large warehouse on the way." "It would be nice if I didn't have to use the warehouse."
Before going to look for Lovetz, there were two reasons why I rented a large warehouse.
Nominally we entered the fortress to sell rare creatures. There are no document problems if the warehouse is rented in Charas' name.
And the second is to prepare for a longer search for No. 22. When the clever underdog's duration ends, I return to being a giant monster measuring 60 meters in length. Since I needed a safe place to hide with my original body, I rented a large warehouse in advance.
'Simply put, it's for insurance purposes.'
It would be nice to get it done before the warehouse is used, but isn't that the way the world works? There is no guarantee that things will happen the way you want, so you must prepare in advance.
"Unless something special happens, I plan to move as I said. If there is anything you would like to point out, please let me know." "Something you want to point out?"
She squinted her eyes slightly and pointed her finger at my chest.
"That body." "Huh?" "Do you look like a cult member wearing a bathrobe?"
When I heard that, it came to mind.
Lovetz, the last person to be eaten, was almost naked. The 'mimetic organ' uses pheromones to make others recognize me as the 'intellectual body I have eaten'.
It is a trait that is excellent for camouflage and infiltration, but it has a fatal drawback. It does not work on machines or creatures that cannot detect pheromones, and you cannot arbitrarily change your appearance to others.
'I don't know anything else, but it's annoying not being able to change your appearance.'
The good news is that this shortcoming can be offset to some extent with the 'human insect host' characteristic. If there is a human host, the genetic information of up to five people can be stored in the body. The mimicry organ is a characteristic that analyzes the genetic information of a captured sapling and implements it as a pheromone. If necessary, the information stored by the host can be retrieved and used.
Only Jason, who is an important source of information, is fixed, and the other four have changed from time to time. I wore the skin of 'Charas' that I used to infiltrate this fortress.
"Is this okay?" "…I get really creepy every time I see that. "I'm even more scared because my voice has completely changed."
She stuck out her tongue as she looked at me, who clearly felt like I was Charas, the knowledge manager.
'The outfit is ready.'
After changing my appearance, I used the terminal pad to contact Lovetz's secretary.
｢Master?｣ "Suddenly, something has to be done. "So I can't go out to the store for a while." "yes? Uh, that's what you said yesterday…" "Yesterday?" "You said that a suspicious person might break into that store, so you asked me to strengthen the security. Slave Wolf said he smelled a strange smell. " I solved that, so you don't have to worry. Lift all security. Oh, and. Deduct the allowance from the ledger and give it to those who stood guard yesterday. "Especially give extra to that Wolff slave." "ah! "I understand!" "You had a hard time."
That's how the call ended with Lovetz's voice. Sky's mother, who was watching this, shook her head as if she was dumbfounded.
"Isn't it so natural?" "I haven't done it once or twice." "It's not an acting skill that can be achieved by practicing it many times. "I guess it's because of the bloodline…"
After leaving her muttering to herself, I started organizing things so that Lovetz wouldn't die. All remaining camera footage in the surveillance room and evacuation room was removed, and a cancellation request was submitted to invalidate the report to the fortress's warriors.
No one in the Water Fortress will know that a slave trader is dead.
After everything was cleaned up, I left the mansion with MPS-05 and Heavenly Mother.
The mansion was decided to be guarded by No. 26 and PS-111. No. 26, who can imitate voices like me, and PS-111, who has knowledge of cult society, will handle it well even if a problem arises.
"Let's stop by the large warehouse first."
We flew to the place where the warehouse was located using Charas' airship brought by the Heavenly Mother.
At a time when the sun was still shining, the fortress was crowded with people. The waterfall, which looked like wine flowing, found its own color and radiated blue light. In the waterway connected to the waterfall, a colorful hover bus moved around, shaking the water.
As I passed the buildings shining brightly reflecting the sun, I saw a huge pyramid-shaped structure. As I got closer, I realized that each and every block that made up the pyramid was a warehouse.
"There are a lot of them." "Even if someone searches them, they won't get caught."
The warehouse that had been contracted in advance was located at the bottom of the pyramid, perhaps because of its size.
When I entered using Charas' terminal pad, I found that Lovetz's mansion was large enough to fit into the entire house.
'But the height isn't that high.'
It was lower than the tunnel where we fought the cultists before entering the fortress. It's to the point where I have to lie face down for my body to return to its original state.
Well, if you think about it, unless you are putting in a very large creature like a Sea Demon or Giganterium, there is no need for it to be that tall.
"We need to find that kid as quickly as possible." "Small! height! littleness!" "I know."
I left the warehouse hoping that the slave I would check today was number 22.
'The warehouse is done. Next time…'
I entered the new destination with my small arm on my chest.
"The hotel where the Cold Blood slaves are located is on the north side?" "Going to the hotel directly is risky. Instead, it would be better to go to the slave quarters and wait."
After completing the input, the airship went straight in the opposite direction from the center.
The warehouse pyramid is a place where customers and merchants store their products. It is not far from the streets where luxury hotels are located.
As soon as I left the huge warehouse pyramid in an open area, buildings of a very different shape from those in the center caught my eye.
A large lake that appears to be a water source. Buildings in various shapes are floating above it. These are expensive buildings incorporating magnetic levitation technology that can only be used on large ships, that is, larger aircraft than hoverboards. The sight of hotels floating above the lake was reminiscent of lotus flowers blooming on the water.
'That's similar to what I saw in the game.'
Among the cult planets, if you go to an old planet like the capital city, you can see levitation facilities. This is because the cult culture, which prefers living above ground and in the air rather than underground, and the characteristics of the entire race being able to control psychic power, have combined to create many buildings that float above ground.
'Of course, the players' reviews were not good.'
If the flotation device fails, the building is doomed. Unless it was a concept play, there were almost no players living in buildings like that.
Anyway, the place we are going this time is not those fancy hotels. The airship crossed the lake quietly.
Lovetz said that the hotel where Coldblood slaves worked had a dormitory exclusively for slaves. And the accommodation is not far from the hotel.
The place where the airship was headed was a place where buildings that were beautiful but had an old-fashioned feel were gathered together. In that area, facilities were placed for slaves working in the hotel.
After landing at an airfield near the district, I and Heavenly Mother headed to the lodgings that Lovetz had told us about.
"Looking at them, they all seem to be living as well as Megacorp Middle Capital." "I guess they are treated differently because they are slaves working at a luxury hotel."
Perhaps because it was the city with the most concentrated wealth in Berzan 02, the cult's slaves also had a fairly high standard of living.
The expressions on the faces of the slaves walking around the streets could not be said to be good, but their behavior itself was so neat that it could hardly be considered slaves. Other than the fact that the building was old, it seemed to be well maintained.
'Plus, there's a watchtower.'
The area itself was mainly filled with low-rise buildings, but tall watchtowers like the buildings in the center could be seen here and there. The main goal is to monitor slaves, but it will also perform the function of stabilizing public order. If a fight breaks out in the area, they will respond immediately.
'If you're going to fight, you have to avoid the watchtower…' ｢!｣
While I was looking at the watchtower and thinking about how to fight, Heavenly Mother suddenly tapped me.
"what's the matter?" "I found it." "What? where?"
She pointed to a store that sold fruit. There was a familiar figure standing in front of the store.
They were Coldbloods, a race that seemed to have the characteristics of three different animals: reptiles, humans, and scarab insects. The guy looked similar to the photo I saw in Lovetz's file.
"That kid is right." "Are you sure?"
When I asked, she nodded with confident eyes.
At least Heaven's Mother is confident that the opponent is ranked 22nd. Her amber eyes were fixed firmly on the short Coldblood.
'how will we do it.'
The original plan for today was to check the face of the slave that Lovetz sold to see if it was really number 22. Looking at the reaction shown by the Mother of Heaven, it would be safe to say that the goal itself was achieved.
"There's no need to rush, so let's wait and see."
Still, just in case, I decided to keep looking at Coldblood, which is estimated to be ranked 22nd. Sky Mother and I followed him while keeping our distance.
The guy bought some fruits and then moved to another place. After buying a few more items at the store next door, I just looked through the products on display in the store.
'I heard you're short, but you're really short.'
Perhaps because he was born with dwarfism like Aadhai, he had a particularly short stature. It was so small that it almost looked like a child dressed up rather than Coldblood.
'huh?'
A few minutes had passed since I started chasing him, but something was strange. The guy stopped buying anything and kept moving somewhere. At first, I pretended to watch, but now I don't.
'I'm not even going to the dorm.'
The moment I thought things were going wrong, he went into a deserted alley.
'no way?' "…I think I noticed that kid was following me."
Even though I moved while maintaining a distance of hundreds of meters, I had no idea that I would get caught.
Even while I was chasing him, I kept checking with my auxiliary agency to see if there was any detection technology implemented nearby. They absolutely did not discover us through psychic technology.
'Did you bring any detection equipment?' "It's a change of plan. "We need to talk about it today."
I don't know what means they used, but since the other side has already recognized our existence, we can't go back like this. A deal needs to be made here.
Heavenly Mother also tensed, understanding what I meant.
She and I followed the alley where the guy disappeared into.
As expected, the short Coldblood was waiting for us, standing among the old buildings.
"Seo-ah."
Coldblood recited the real name of the colleague standing next to me. The reptile's eyes rested on Mother Heaven for a moment and then turned to me, who was next to me.
"…Moffak. "It's your doing."
This time it was completely different from when I called my old colleague's name. A dark light appeared in the eyes of the 22nd person who spat out the derogatory name for me as if chewing it up.
"uh? for a moment! "Isabel!" "…."
Sky's mother, embarrassed, tried to stop him, but it was no use. The 22nd place, or rather the cold blood ranker called Isabel, had already taken out an object that appeared to be a weapon.
'this.'
Judging by the atmosphere, it was unlikely to be resolved easily.
As if there was no need for further conversation, Isabel rushed towards me.
-x-X-x-
An alley located between old buildings.
Isabel approaches me in one leap. The curved sword in my hand flies toward my head with the agility of a wild beast on the hunt.
I kicked the ground with all four legs, pulled my upper body back, and swung my two tails at the same time. While targeting the curved sword with the pincer attached to the end of the right tail, it aimed at the enemy's wrist with the left tail without the 'Black Devourer Cannon'.
Because of the 'clever weakling' status, the size of the claw has been reduced, but it is still much larger than the curved sword that Isabel is holding.
'I don't know how much cutting power the curved blade has, but the size difference cannot be ignored.'
The width of the curved sword blade is at most about two finger joints. If the two collide, it will be difficult to avoid damage on the other side.
The hand holding the curved sword took a sharp turn, as if the other person was thinking the same thing. The sharp blade swept across the rough surface of the tongs, making an eerie cracking sound.
Meanwhile, my left tail moved to wrap around the opponent's arms like a snake that had caught its prey. Just as the tip of the tail was about to touch the opponent's wrist, Isabel's waist bent into a bizarre shape. In the air, his ankle rose to almost the same position as his wrist and he kicked the tip of my tail.
The two tails' attack ended in failure. She took a step back using the kick of her tail.
However, I also predicted that it would be difficult to inflict a meaningful hit with the tail. I kicked the floor with all four legs.
"Tch!"
A clicking sound is heard from the enemy who has just landed on the ground. The guy rolled to the side to avoid me charging at him like a bull. He kicked her with her hind legs as if talking to a horse, but she avoided it with her agile movements.
Not only that, but he climbed on my back like an insect or a lizard clinging to a wall.
'Where.'
On my back, covered in shaggy fur, there is a nest of insects hiding. The insects that received my command prepared paralyzing sound waves from inside their fur.
Just as the five man-eating bugs were about to spit out deadly sound waves, Isabel took out another tool. He threw a tool that looked like a small hexagonal plate into my fur, then jumped off my back.
An intense noise like a scream spreads through the air from the Inmyeonchung. But that sound never reached him.
This is because a shield was formed from the hexagonal plate he threw and covered my entire body. The sound waves of the Inmyeonchung were blocked by an intangible barrier and disappeared in vain.
The tool he threw was a device that creates a psychic shield. It was thrown above me to block the sonic attack.
I smashed the shield with the claw attached to my right tail and broke it. A curved sword flew in through a gap in the protective shield that was torn like a piece of paper.
'I knew so.'
I didn't dodge his attack.
As expected, the curved sword stuck in the horn of my head. The thin blade was stuck in the horn, creating a momentary gap from the creature.
Now that he's so close to me, it's time for the heads on both sides to come into play. The head on the left, which was close to the guy, opened its mouth wide.
"!"
The guy's eyes widen as if he didn't know that the heads on both sides would move. She ultimately chose to throw away the curved sword. My teeth barely grazed its scaly arm.
While the left head was moving, the waiting right head rained a pile of rot-inducing fungus at it. It would hurt quite a bit if he got hit, but he brought it on himself.
The guy quickly rolled over to avoid the flying fungus. Still, I couldn't completely avoid it this time, so I got a little bit of it on the tip of my toe.
"Tsk!"
The guy mercilessly cut off his toes with his fingernails. My toes, stained black with mold, were rolling around on the floor.
'It's pretty good.'
The fight went into a brief lull because the guy cut off his toe and took a long step back.
I lowered my head in the middle and pulled out the curved sword embedded in the horn with my small arm near my chest.
'Is this your first weapon?'
I thought it was a super vibration weapon of the same type as Sonic Blade, but it wasn't. It was just a simple curved sword without any buttons or mechanical devices.
'It's sharpness and durability are terrifying.'
I don't know what metal it's made of, but it has considerable durability. Like the claws on my tail, the horns on my head are strong. I had no idea that no matter how good the cutting power of the weapon was, it would collide with my horns and tongs without causing any damage.
'I have to be careful because there are things I don't know about.'
I threw the curved sword behind me and stared at Isabelle, the 22nd ranked ranker.
There is no need to worry much about damaged horns themselves. It will play soon anyway.
The problem is that they are not showing their true skills.
'Which Vortex One's power did they borrow?'
If the core of Aimorph is how to acquire and use its characteristics, the core of Cold Blood play is the relationship with Vortex One.
Coldblood, whose entire race's life has been mortgaged by Vortex One, has a greatly different fighting style depending on which entity it borrows power from.
Some increase hand-to-hand combat capabilities to the limit, while others grant powerful psychic power abilities. As long as you pay the price of the contract, you can use the power of the highest level being in Apex at will.
However, this is cult territory. Just like me, it's difficult for him to use his power carelessly.
By the way, the cult absolutely hates Vortex One. That's why Coldblood is despised.
If Vortex One's power is used here, all of Berzan 02's military power will be concentrated on him.
'Or there may be other intentions that I don't know about.'
Since he knows my notoriety, there is a possibility that he hid it on purpose. Not only Vortex One's power but also its unique perks were not used. Just as this side did not show its cards, the same goes for that side.
'Compete a little more….' ｢Wait! "Both of you wait!"
I was about to move again when the Heavenly Mother stepped in between me and Isabelle.
"I'm sorry, but give me a chance!" [Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzuzuzu Zuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzuzuzu (If they attack from over there, I would have said I would respond, right?)] "I told you I would give you time to talk before that!"
She even pulled out her agate-colored wings, which had been hidden by tattoos, and looked at me earnestly. I can see the desperation in her eyes.
'Conversation.'
I looked around with my assistive device, keeping my eyes on her and Isabelle. I already checked when chasing Isabelle, but this is a blind spot where the watchtower's line of sight cannot reach. Unless there is a big fight, there is a low chance of being caught by a warrior group, but that does not mean there is no risk.
'It's true that fighting here is not a good idea.'
Aside from the possibility of being caught by a cult, this is the place where he lured us. Since it is no different from their home ground, there is no way to know what will happen during the fight.
'Right now, it's better to build a positive relationship than to try to subdue Isabel.'
Currently, the 'parasitic colony' is sealed because of Sihyeon Eugene's relic weapon. If you want to omit the information you want, the only way to do it is to make it a personal rumor.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing since eating Isabelle can rob you of a perk, but the problem is the process of getting there. Not only did he not see the ending, he was also a ranker with the title of 22nd place. He is by no means an easy opponent.
'But while you're talking, you have the opportunity to explore.'
While Heavenly Mother takes her time, you can get information about Isabel and her surroundings. You might get a clue about his weaknesses from the conversation. Giving her another chance is a pretty good option.
[Zuzu (Okay)] "Thank you."
She nodded with gratitude.
I took a few steps back to watch their conversation.
I didn't pay much attention to Isabelle's appearance because I got into a fight right away after meeting her, but now I was able to take a good look at Isabelle's appearance.
It had the appearance of a typical Coldblood, with a head that was a mixture of a lizard and a human face, antennae on the head, and scales covering the entire body. The scales of the body were bright blue, and only the snout was a pale sky blue. As I had already heard, her height was quite short, and her arms and legs were thin, giving an overall impression of frailty.
Instead of the hotel maid's uniform for hospitality, she was wearing old cloth clothes. Looking at his clearly exposed arms, thighs, and abdomen, it did not seem like he was hiding any other weapons.
'Coldblood is not a race that relies on weapons.'
A fragile-looking body, short stature, and shabby clothes.
Looking at it again, he looks like a pitiful slave, but it's all a trick. Considering what he showed in the exploration battle, this is an opponent you should never let down your guard against.
I did not lose sight of the strings of vigilance and focused on surveillance as an auxiliary agency.
"Just in case it's not Morph Park, you're doing the same things here that you do in the game." "no. "Isabel."
Isabelle, like me, was giving all her attention to me. Although I was talking to my heavenly mother, my eyes were only fixed on me.
"He saved me from almost dying." "He saved me? Morph Park?" "It may be hard to believe, but it's true. No parasites were planted. "I'm not in a relationship where I'm being dominated by him, but I'm with him as a colleague." "…."
Isabel was taken aback by what Heavenly Mother said.
'Strictly speaking, half of it is a lie.'
The reason I originally saved her was to use her as insurance. That's why I planted parasites.
Of course, Isabel does not know the inside story and has no need to know.
"…Then why did you come here?"
The guy who had been silent, perhaps because he heard something unexpected, opened his mouth again.
"I came because I have something to ask you." "Ask something?" "huh. As Aimov and I grew up, we saw illusions about reality. "I'm investigating the meaning of that illusion." "Illusion…."
The moment she heard the word 'fantasy', Isabel's eyes for the first time turned not to me but to her heavenly mother.
"Have you seen 'Memories' too?" "memory? "Did you also see a vision of your time as a human?"
Instead of answering her question, Isabel asked the question back.
"What choice did you make in the face of your memories?" ｢Me?｣ "Did you get eaten by the memory? Or did you swallow your memories?" "Neither. "I only glimpsed memories."
After hearing her answer, Isabel's eyes turned to me again. It seemed like he wanted to ask me what choice I made, but I stayed silent.
"That guy is similar to me. "I only glimpsed the memories."
To be precise, I only fought and won against the 'real me' embodied in fantasy, but did not kill it. According to Isabelle's expression, it would be said that the illusion did not work or did not eat.
Heavenly Mother knows this too, but I think she intentionally brushed it off because she didn't know how Isabel would react.
"We want to hear about what choice you made." "…."
Isabel watched us in silence and then closed her eyes.
After a while, the guy opened his eyes and opened his mouth.
"Seo-ah. "Do you remember how long we haven't been in touch with each other?" "It's been a little more than 8 years." "8 years and 2 months. "A lot has happened since you left." ｢Isabel?｣
When I looked again, I felt no emotion in the reptile's eyes. There was no longing shown when she saw her heavenly mother, nor was there any anger shown when she fought with me.
She took a small breath as she met eyes full of emptiness.
"They trampled all my friends and the home we built." ｢!｣
Isabel said it in passing, but the Mother of Heaven seemed to understand what it meant. I can feel her heartbeat getting stronger.
"don't mind. "Too much time has passed now to blame anyone." ｢….｣ "I'll give you the answer you want. Instead, please listen to my request first."
Eyes resembling burned ashes spoke to us.
-x-X-x-