Chapter 2392 - ESM 61

329

-x-X-x-

The bio dome covering the water fortress turns dark red.

Isabelle still didn't show up.

"…I think something happened."

Amber eyes glowed uneasily in the dark alley.

'Why all of a sudden?'

When I met him yesterday, I didn't see anything strange. Even though he went back earlier than other times, he is a slave. This is quite possible since there are restrictions on free action.

It may be that I couldn't come out today because something came up, but for some reason, I have a bad feeling.

I'm not the only one who feels that way. Heavenly Mother and the MPS-05 in her backpack think similarly.

'I can't do this.'

It is pointless to continue waiting here.

[Zuzuzu zuzuzu (let's go to the warehouse)]

Maybe he's in an old warehouse where Coldblood slaves are hiding. I moved to the warehouse with Heavenly Mother.

When we arrived at the warehouse, the entrance to the warehouse was blocked with a barrier, just like any other time. I put my head down on the floor. This is to find traces of Isabelle using the auxiliary organ under the chin.

While scanning the fine footprints left on the floor and fingerprints near the terminal with an auxiliary device, something unusual was detected. Some traces seemed much clearer than others. This means that only those traces were created recently.

[Zuzzuzuzuzu (I have to open it)] ｢Did you find something?｣ [Zuzzu zuzuzuzu Zuzu (Probably. Takes out MPS-05)]

After looking around, Heavenly Mother took out MPS-05 from her backpack.

"check. check."

It climbed up the wall using its pointed metal legs. Then, I pulled out the cable attached to my head and body and plugged it into a small terminal on the terminal.

"Password, enter. request." ｢Password?｣ "Password. necessary!"

At the word password, Heavenly Mother and I looked at each other at the same time. She is thinking the same thing as me.

｢'Penelope'.｣ "Confirmed."

This warehouse protects the legacy left behind by Isabel's twin sister. There is only one password required in such a place.

When MPS-05 entered the password, the shield was lifted as expected.

When I entered the warehouse, the first thing I saw was a pad-type terminal placed on the floor.

"It's Isabelle."

The terminal was neatly placed on top of the door of the stairs leading down to the basement. It's as if they are asking us to look at them.

I picked up the thin pad with my small arms near my chest. As soon as my finger touched it, it started working and displayed various information on the screen.

'This?'

After scrolling through the screen and checking the information, I was able to guess why Isabelle didn't come. And what are you thinking?

Isabel will no longer appear before us. Even the coldbloods hiding underground won't come to see it.

"What is it about? "What is it?"

Instead of answering, I gave the pad to Heavenly Mother. Her eyes grew bigger each time her furry fingers brushed across the screen.

There were two main types of data contained in Isabel's terminal.

One is personal information about the 10 high-ranking members of the cult that exist in the water fortress. Important information was well organized, such as when they came in and when they left, what position they held, how powerful they were, and what to pay attention to.

Another is a list of trading ships. We only collected things that are on the border between legal and illegal, making it difficult to receive protection from the empire. At first glance, it seemed useful for evacuating Coldblood. At the end of the list, there was a locked file. It was automatically canceled 7 days from now.

"Is this really possible?" [Z (yes)]

List of trade ships and files locked for 7 days.

Isabelle is thinking of leaving Cold Blood to us. I won't be coming back to the warehouse. If you are asking what happens to the contract made with the Mother of Heaven, the locked file is the key.

It's not hard to guess what's inside that file. You must have organized the fantasy you decided to tell me.

"That girl, I don't plan on coming back!"

I think Heavenly Mother thought similarly to me. Because my perplexed feelings were clearly expressed in the Thought Wave.

[Zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (I think I know why)]

Why did Isabel, a slave, create a list of high-ranking cult members? The answer is not difficult. Among those organized here is a ranker.

However, Isabel did not describe who the ranker was. All I had to do was record the personal information of 10 people in detail.

It is unlikely that it was because they did not know who the ranker was. Because he has the power to read information.

The reason why I did not pinpoint the rankers and organize them is simple.

[Zuzuzu zuzuzu (I signed a contract)]

It was clear that Vortex One had signed a contract with another ranker, just as he had signed a contract with the Mother of Heaven.

｢If you're not Coldblood, you can't sign a contract.｣ [Zuzuzuzuzuzu (usually so)]

It is nearly impossible for any other race other than Coldblood to establish friendly relations with Vortex One. In particular, Outspacer and Cult cannot enter into a contract with Vortex One because they are very hostile to Vortex One.

So in this case there is only one answer.

"…That kid was threatened."

It is unclear what card the enemy used to pressure Isabel. The important thing is that Isabel entered into an unfair contract because of him.

I don't know the exact contents of the contract, but if you look at the data he left behind, you can get a rough idea. Most likely, it is to prevent harm to the ranker. Additionally, this includes not being able to leave Berzan 02.

'That's why they tried to get Coldblood out through us.'

Looking at the amount of data, I could see that this had been planned for a long time. It just couldn't be implemented because there was no helper to help him.

"I can't leave it like this."

The Heavenly Mother spoke firmly.

'That goes for me too.'

I put in a lot of time and effort to get my hands on Isabel. You can't miss it here. It is difficult to find a helper who is good at collecting information. Even if it means fighting a ranker, you have to take him with you.

'Anyway, since we signed a contract, we will have to fight no matter what.'

If you want to leave Berzan 02 with him, you have to deal with the contract first.

In order to cancel a Vortex One contract midway, all contractees must have the same intention. So, we have to get the enemy to cancel the contract so we can escape the planet together.

'The question is who is the ranker.'

I went through the list of pads with my Heavenly Mother.

｢Here it says 'Kisos' banquet guest list.' ｣ [Zuz, zuzuzu, zuzuzu, zuzu, zuzuzu, zuzuzu (I couldn't mention it directly, so I chose another method)] ｢…Which of these is a ranker?'

Of course, not all 10 people will be rankers. If there were that many people, the end would have already been over by the time I got caught. There will be at least one enemy ranker, and at most two or three.

｢Planetary Governor, Director of the Surveillance Agency… They are all the highest power figures on this planet, no, in the star system.｣ [Zuzuz zuzuzuzu zuzu zuzuzuzu (It must be difficult to check them all)]

If you start messing with even one person, you will be fighting the entire Berzan 02 from then on.

[Zuzuzuzu zzuzuzu zuzzu (Is there anyone suspicious or caught?)] ｢….｣

Sky's mother, who was watching the pad screen with narrowed eyes, stretched out her fur-covered fingers. She pointed to a spot on the list.

｢Alshas, the captain of 'Defender of Berzan 02'. This person is suspicious. ｣ [Zuzuzu (Really? What is the basis?)] ｢Compared to the people on this list, his status is ambiguous. The governor and the head of the surveillance office are key figures of power in the empire, but the captain of an imperial carrier falls short of that level."

That's a valid point.

Imperial Carrier Captain is a very important position in the Empire, but is slightly inferior to the other members on this list.

"There is one more reason. Doesn't this name Alshas look familiar?"

I remember hearing those words.

Alkadi, the most influential slave trader on the Streets of Light.

I planted a parasite in its head to find a Coldblood slave. Thanks to this, I was able to find out that Isabelle had gone to the water fortress.

Although he was a useful servant, he died suddenly while participating in a meeting with his younger brother.

[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu (Alkadi's younger brother)] ｢Yes.｣

Alshas is also on the list compiled by Isabel, and was in the same position on the day Alkadi died. He was someone who could be suspected of being a ranker.

[Zuzuzuzuzzuzuzuzuzu (I'm suspicious, so let's check first)] "Do you have any doubts?"

In response to her question, I chose the person at the front of the list. The host of the banquet, Representative Kitsos.

"indeed. Cult players benefit the better they run their political parties."

If I were a cult player, I would have become friends with talented people in various fields. This is because relationships and social networks can also be powerful weapons for intelligent races such as cults and humans. Especially in the real world, not a game.

When actually fighting underground, the enemy mobilized various types of units and equipment in a short period of time. This would have been impossible if he had not been connected to many powerful people.

The only position that can satisfy these conditions is Rep. Kissos, who is close to those in power in various fields.

After deciding on two people, I continued to look through the list, but I couldn't find anyone as suspicious as these two.

｢Kisos and Alshas. These two are the most suspicious." [Zuzzuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzu Zuzu (It could be one of the two, or maybe both)] "One is the captain of an imperial carrier, and the other is an influential member of the Imperial Council. "Who should I aim for first?"

Both are quite difficult enemies.

After much thought about who to check first, I made a decision.

[Zuzzuzuzu zuzu (let's start with the key sauce)]

There is a reason why they want to attack this side before Alshas. Kissos has established friendly relations with those in power in Berzan 02. If there is a problem with someone on the list, they are likely to immediately notify others.

'Once you start attacking, you can't stop. In that case, it's right to hit the head first.'

Even among those in power, he functions as a kind of commanding tower. Regardless of whether you are a ranker or not, it is better to hit first.

[Zuzuzzu zuzuz (this time we'll all move together)]

Since there is a high possibility that there are multiple enemy rankers, everyone must move together to reduce damage.

We took Isabel's terminal and left the old warehouse.

'I tried to leave quietly.'

I was bombarded from above my head, and a trait I used well was banned, but I persevered to achieve my desired goal.

However, just as I was trying to achieve that goal, I failed because of the annoying things the enemies did.

'Very unpleasant.'

We still don't know who the ranker who signed Isabelle's contract is.

If I could hold it in my hand.

I will let you know that there is something more fearful in the world than Vortex One.

-x-X-x-

"Has Sihyeon Eugene left?" "yes. "I left in the morning."

Kisos nodded at what Alshas said.

In the mansion's office, he was talking to Alshas, who was embodied as a translucent hologram.

"He was a very useful person. "It's unfortunate, but I can't help it." "I heard that the funds you provided were significant."

When the topic of money came up, Kissos snorted softly.

"It's a small cost. If you replace the emperor of Megacorp with that, there's nothing left for burial. Even if it fails, it is not a bad outcome if infighting occurs among the empire's rivals." "That is correct." "It is unfortunate that we lost a warrior skilled in fighting monsters. "It's a situation where one person is missing." "…You're talking about the Temple Guardians."

Kisos clicked his tongue and brought the glass in his hand to his lips. A strong drink with a sweet, fruity scent filled my mouth and throat.

"When Jason of the Providence faction went missing, many of the temple guardians disappeared along with him. I can't believe something like that happens when the security of the empire is at stake. Because of that, each and every warrior is in a disappointing situation." "you're right. " There are more than one warrior who has recently witnessed Outspacer's bio-ship in the borderlands." "I investigated a human named Sihyeon Eugene. I found out that he has a reputation for eliminating the emperor's political enemies or hunting monsters." "Is that so?"

Kissos' connections are not limited to within the empire. They have informants from various quarters, including upper class people like Noble Capital and pirates like Space Dog.

Thanks to this, it was not difficult to see how infamous Shihyeon, Akira's shadow, was.

"I thought it was just a rumor. As expected, Alshas, you have eyes to see." "thank you. Actually, I also learned about it because Senior Nern introduced it to me." "He's Captain Nern." I was hoping he would stay, but I never thought we would leave together. "It's such a shame." "He said he wanted to watch more of Sihyeon Eugene's journey. He said he would return to the empire when it was over. " He seems like he would be a good source of information, so keep in touch."

Kisos had a few more brief words with Alshas and then ended the communication.

'The universe will become chaotic again.'

The last major offensive by Outspacers occurred just 30 years ago. Alshas and Nern, who had just contacted him, were active as mere warriors at the time.

Usually, an outspacer's offensive is carried out with a break of 200 years or more. Originally, the next offensive should have taken place after 170 years.

Of course, in previous records, we can often see cases where outspacers appear during breaks. However, in this case, since it was an attack by a small number of entities, it is insufficient to call it a major offensive.

'They say this queen is a unique individual. It's a big deal.'

This is something that the Temple Guardians and the Priests of the Eye of Revelation commonly pointed out. The new leader who appeared after the death of the Great King 30 years ago is said to be a mutant with extremely high intelligence. It has already been reported to Congress several times that it is capable of strategic thinking, unlike other entities.

'If the great offensive happens again, the empire will suffer great damage.'

Considering the current power of the empire, it will not be easy to endure if a large-scale war breaks out. I may not lose, but it is a foregone conclusion that there will be a major downfall.

'Until other powers become a shield.'

That's why he supports Sihyeon to replace the emperor of Megacorp, that is, the CEO. The intention was to reduce the burden caused by the security crisis by forming a federation with those friendly to the empire.

'I hope it works out well.'

In the quiet office, he drank the alcohol in his glass. As the strong liquor flowed into the cult's uniquely fragile body, the fever suddenly rose.

Kissos went out to the balcony outside his office to get some air.

A panoramic view of the city under the night sun caught his eye. Thanks to the dreamy light created by nature, some people call Berzan 02 a red gem.

A landscape that can truly be called a gem. The only way to protect this would be for his plan to come true. Kisos looked at the night view and reflected on his resolve.

"huh?"

While looking at the red sky, as dark as the color of wine, something strange caught his eye.

In the sky, which should have been spotless, there was a small dot that looked like a star. At first I thought it was an airship, but it wasn't. If it can be seen from here, it means that its size is comparable to a small to medium-sized destroyer.

The problem is that this place is a water fortress.

It is impossible for a destroyer to move around inside a biodome.

"!"

Kisos lowered his head without realizing it at the sudden loud noise.

The defensive guns installed inside the dome fired fire all at once.

Thousands and tens of thousands of shooting stars decorating the red night sky.

They flew towards the suspicious aircraft.

–

According to the records left by Isabel, Kissos was the head of a faction with great power in the Imperial Diet. There was also a brief explanation about the faction he belonged to, and it was said that there was a strong tendency to emphasize trade and diplomacy.

Although the cult has a strong tendency to be exclusive, it does not mean that there are factions with internationalist tendencies. In the game, factions that unconditionally value diplomacy were randomly generated in the council.

The characteristic of these types of factions is that they have a lot of money. This is especially true if you are the leader of that faction. He has so much money that he can invite the governor, the most powerful person on the planet, to a banquet. If I had to pick the person with the most money in Berzan 02, it would probably be Kissos.

So where would the richest person live?

The water fortress is a structure where the entire city is covered with a hemispherical dome, similar to an orbital structure.

In the center is the old headquarters. In the past, it served as a defense headquarters, but now it has become an official residence where the governor and high-ranking officials stay.

There is an artificial waterfall flowing on the side of the tower, which is high enough to be visible from anywhere in the city. Water located deep underground was brought in and made to flow along the outside of the tower. It is a miracle created thanks to the gravity control device.

A luxurious floating mansion is floating in the sky above the old command tower, which is wrapped in a stream of water. A structure located in a position overlooking the water fortress. That is the residence of Chisos.

Like the luxury hotel on the lake, Kissos' mansion can only be accessed by airship.

Of course, not just any airship can enter. Only invited powerful figures and their servants can enter.

In other times, we would have taken a careful approach using 'mimetic organs' and 'parasitic colonies', but that is not possible now.

Since you can't use parasites, you'll have to spend a lot more time sneaking in. If you get caught midway, the same situation will happen as when you got caught by Alkadi before.

So this time we decided to take the lead here.

｢Are you going to scold bad people?｣ ｢Together｣｢Hunting｣｢Long time no see｣ "I have to save my little brother."

After taking the kids out of the mansion, I immediately removed my 'clever weakling' status. The energy densely stored within the body was released and spread outward.

My body, which was only a few meters long, reverted to a gigantic monster measuring 40 meters in height and 60 meters in length. I returned from a centaur-like body to a bipedal body and stood tall on the ground with two legs.

The mansion that seemed infinitely large now looks like a miniature. None of the buildings in this area are higher than my eye level.

｢Grrrrrrrr' ｢Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

The free heads on both sides shake their necks and take in the panoramic view of the city. The right tail with pincers and the left tail with biocannons pass over the mansion.

'Good.'

The fighting arms were ruined due to the parasitic colony being sealed away, but fortunately there was no problem with the wing arms.

I lowered my head so that No. 26 and PS-111 could climb on.

"and! big! "High!" "I will do my best to help."

After picking up the kids, I spread my wings wide. The air vibrated as if millions of wild beasts were roaring.

[Zuzuz (Hold on tight)]

As I waved my wings in that state, my body soared upward with tremendous force. The outer wall of the dome, which transmits light, quickly got closer enough to be visible.

When I looked beneath my feet, I saw a mansion that had been destroyed without a trace. Due to the aftereffects of the flapping wings, not only Lovetz's mansion but also other nearby houses were destroyed.

"It's amazing!"

The excited waves of No. 26 tickled the monster's tentacles. It spread its tentacles like a net and held on tightly to my horn.

Adhai and the Heavenly Mother followed behind me as I was floating in the air.

"As expected" "A grown man" "That look" "I like it"

A gallagon with harmonious white and red colors flies gracefully, flapping its four wings. It seems quite happy to fly freely in the wide sky.

"It's been a while since you and I flew."

The Mother of Heaven, who had returned to Gryphon mode after a long time, let out a wave of thought. The hidden agate-colored wings regained freedom and cut through the red darkness.

'Everyone seems fine.'

After checking on the kids' condition, I looked towards the center of the city. A small mansion is floating above the waterfall that flows backwards along the old command tower.

'Let's finish it as quickly as possible.'

Now that his true face has been revealed, he must move as quickly as possible. As each minute and second passes, the probability that the enemy ranker will respond perfectly also increases. When the enemies are not yet aware of my survival, I need to inflict as much damage as possible.

I decided on a direction and waved my wings. Every time my wings struck the air, my body shot forward like lightning. A black mist-like substance continued to spew out from biological pipes located throughout the body.

If someone were to see me surrounded by a 'curtain of darkness', it would look like dark clouds were moving.

As soon as my body was sucked into the black cloud, I heard a loud noise coming from the ground. As sirens rang out throughout the city, tens of thousands of energy balls could be felt flying from afar.

'The defense system activated.'

The reaction speed is exactly as expected. The cult in charge of defending the city recognized my presence and began firing in response.

A heat ray made of psychic power tears the dark clouds apart. Each one is comparable to the psychic breath fired by Green Gallagon, but it is only useful if it hits the target properly. No heat rays could reach my body due to the veil of darkness that disabled the detection system.

Aadhai and I, the Heavenly Mother, deftly walked through the pouring rain of psychic power.

｢Flapping fun!｣ ｢This｣｢Easy｣ ｢If there wasn't a curtain of darkness, it would have been annoying.｣ "The enemies are getting closer. "Everyone please be careful."

As PS-111 warned, I can feel defense fighter jets and patrol ships approaching.

'You can remove the gremlin moss by spraying it, but there's no need to do that.'

I extended my eroding tentacles towards the approaching patrol ships ahead. Six tentacles that were much longer than my body were shot out like arrows that had left the protest.

Enemies flying through the dark clouds are startled when they see tentacles suddenly sticking out. I tried to urgently change direction, but it was too late. The pointed appendages at the end of the tentacles tightly grasped the target.

After feeling the sensation at the tip of the tentacle, I threw the corvettes down. Ships with damaged wings or engines fell onto the skyscrapers without even a single attempt to resist.

An explosion is heard in the distance, followed by the sound of something collapsing. The earth is probably in a state of complete chaos by now.

Fighters that could move much more nimbly than patrol ships avoided my tentacles. Some of them were stupid enough to try to avoid the tentacles and got caught on either side of my head. The left and right heads, which were closer to beasts than me, bit the fighters mercilessly.

"Kwaaah…!"

A small scream was heard, but it was drowned out by the heavy drinking.

The other ships, seeing their comrades dying miserably, began to form a line with their distance widened. It was a fairly skilled move for soldiers living in an era of peace, but there was something they overlooked.

That means I'm not the only monster in the clouds.

Adhai, who was faster than any of us, jumped among the enemies wearing 'Red Armor', an absolute defense technique. Since it is not fully skilled yet, it can only protect the wings, head, and upper body, but that is enough to block enemy attacks.

It used the wings on its back like a shield to block the incoming heat rays. Then, he straightened his head and neck, made it look like a spear, and rushed towards other ships. The sight of it blowing holes in the ship and moving around in that state was like an indestructible missile.

The Mother of the Sky, in Gryphon form, could not move as fast as him, but she eliminated the enemies step by step. The front paws, which are three or four times larger than the head of an adult male, are threatening enough on their own.

Moreover, it had a long spear in its beak. The ship's defensive walls have no meaning in front of the 'Priest's Golden Spear', which becomes sharper as it gets covered in blood. The fighter jets were destroyed as soon as they caught up with the Mother of Heaven, and the patrol ship could not survive for more than a few minutes.

No. 26 and PS-111 riding on my back also actively participated in the battle. No. 26 controlled the incoming energy bullets and heat rays to deflect them, and PS-111 intercepted the enemy ship with the Demolisher implanted in its body.

'good.'

Everyone is fighting very well.

We moved forward, cutting down the mountain of enemies.

As it became clear where I was aiming, the enemy's counterattack also intensified. The anti-aircraft battery on the ground was activated and fired heat rays, but it was of little significance.

The distance to the target is short. It's time to take out my useful weapon.

The monster's three-headed tentacles begin to suck up power. The power of a dragon, or even more power, vibrates behind my head. Tentacles that have absorbed enormous power move to aim for their respective targets.

When everything was ready, I let out all my strength.

Psychic breath fired in three directions flew towards the target I designated. At the end is a gravity control device that maintains the large-scale waterfall.

As always, my psychic breath never went astray.

The explosion that occurred when the device was destroyed was not that large. This is because the sound that followed swallowed up the binge.

We have entered an era where everyone is entering space, but we cannot surpass natural phenomena. Water flowing along buildings several kilometers high now follows the laws of physics.

Like the Biblical Flood, massive amounts of water poured down on the cult's city. The waterfall that used to be a wonder to visitors to the city has now become a huge disaster. Buildings, cults, hover boats, and even anti-aircraft guns. None of them could survive the sudden flood.

Having disabled the enemy's defense system, I landed safely on top of the floating mansion.

As soon as it landed, the defense facilities in the mansion activated and fired a barrage of fire. I defended myself with my wings, just like Aadhai did.

In that state, my auxiliary organs were busy checking the movement inside the mansion.

'It's not moving yet.'

To be precise, it was moving, but it was different from what I expected. If the enemy were a ranker, they would have already come out and prepared to intercept me.

'Are you preparing some kind of weapon?'

If so, you should never leave it alone.

I immediately prepared my psychic breath. And as soon as preparations were completed, they fired straight towards the mansion.

The power of the breath fired by three heads at the same time was truly amazing. The mansion melted without a trace, and the ground that was floating in the air thanks to the gravity control device fell down.

I landed on top of where the floating mansion crashed. As soon as it landed on the ground, the current split significantly due to the wind pressure of the wings. It was an added bonus that the old headquarters building next to it, barely holding on, collapsed.

'Is this not happening?'

I put my head in the water, but I couldn't feel the presence that was supposed to be Ranker. Among those in the mansion, the one with the strongest psychic power completely disappeared.

What it means is clear.

'No way.'

I guess Kissos is not a ranker.

[Zuzzu Zuzuzu (Not here)] ｢Then?｣ [Zuzzu Zuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu (Let's go to Alshas you mentioned)]

The moment I was about to fly again, numerous life forms were detected from above.

When I looked up, I saw small shining particles.

'this.'

I know what those tiny particles, or rather living things, are. And what was on top of it.

｢King of the Sky｣｢Similar｣

Adhai, who was flying next to me, gave off a thought wave.

'It looks similar, but it's very different.' ｢…That's Star Shark. It's a subspecies of Skywhale." "What's a subspecies?" "Starshark. It grows up to 5m in size and can move quickly by absorbing energy. "It is believed to follow Sky Whale and eat its remaining energy." ｢King of the Sky｣｢Subordinate｣｢Dangerous｣ ｢Bad flutter!｣

In the Cult Empire, there is only one legion that tames and rides Starshark.

[Zuzuzu Zuzuzu (Eye of Revelation Priests)]

The 'Slayer' has stronger firepower than the Demolisher but is very heavy, and the 'Inquisition Suit' is equally heavy but has excellent defense. For these two to be effective, excellent mobility is essential.

The means to effectively provide this is their vehicle, the 'Star Shark', a subspecies of Sky Whale.

"Priests!"

The man at the head of the group shouts in a loud voice. The priest's cries, amplified by mechanical devices, ring out over the submerged city.

Soon after, the cavalry riding on space sharks began its descent.

-x-X-x-

Starshark, nicknamed the space shark, is one of the subspecies of Skywhale.

However, even if it is a subspecies, it is much weaker than Skywhale, which is classified as an Apex creature.

Comparing its size, the Starshark cannot exceed 5m. It is a world away from Sky Whale, whose body length exceeds tens of meters on average. Likewise, its combat power is very low. If Starshark was an Apex-class creature, it would have been impossible to tame it with weapons.

The appearance is also very different. Skywhale looks like a whale with 6 wings and 8 eyes, but it is not a Starshark. They resemble a marlin with transparent skin and two wings.

Because the skin is transparent, the internal organs are clearly visible, and the bones even contain luminescent substances. Thanks to this, the fish bones appear to be floating when viewed from a distance.

These two creatures, different in every way, have one thing in common: they feed on energy.

Star sharks do not obtain nutrients by eating organic matter like ordinary creatures, but live by inhaling various types of energy.

However, like space whales, they do not have the ability to convert the consumed energy into photon cannons. Instead, it stores the energy it eats in its wings and uses it to move its body quickly. Thanks to this, it is much more agile than Sky Whale.

And Starshark has one more important advantage that space whales do not have.

They have a 'herd mentality' like outspacers or metallic gremlins.

What this means is that the entire group follows the leader's control. It is thanks to this feature that the Eye of Revelation priests tamed the ferocious space sharks. A number of Star Sharks can be easily controlled through a thoroughly trained leader.

And now, hundreds of ghost fish are standing in line and attacking me.

I prepared an enhanced 'Acid Fungal Gland', or Acid Breath. A thick liquid welled up from inside the three-pronged throat. Without daring to block that feeling, he vomited it towards the enemies descending to the ground.

Three acidic heat rays with terrifying destructive power tore through the air. The buildings blocking my path were hit by the heat rays and split in two.

The Star Sharks quickly widened the gap. They skillfully avoided the heat rays and falling building debris.

The priests riding the 5m bio-fighter paid no heed and pointed their material decomposition weapon 'Slayer' at me. Hundreds of dark blue energy bullets rained down on me.

I spread my wings wide to protect them from getting hit. Every time the Slayer's light bullet hit me, the carapace and scales disappeared in clumps.

I was thinking of using a 'complex spectral object' that can reflect attacks, but I plan to save that for when I fight rankers.

I didn't block the enemy's attack and just took the hit. The Slayer's attack, which decomposes matter, caused quite a bit of damage to me, but it didn't matter. This level of injury can be covered by the regenerative ability.

'Anyway, you have to take a fair amount of damage for it to be effective.'

After firing once, the priests tried to circle over my head and into the sky, like birds of prey catching prey in the river.

At that moment, the children who were protected by my wings ran out.

Adhai was the first to fly and penetrated the group of priests.

｢King of the Sky｣｢Similar｣｢Die｣ "Oh no! Everyone's bleeding…!"

The guy swung his wings covered in 'Red Armor' towards the space sharks. Wings with absolute defensive power even gained acceleration? It's literally like a flying guillotine. Starshark, whose leather was not as strong as Skywhale's but was quite hard, was cut like paper.

The Mother of Heaven appeared behind Aadhai, who had gone ahead. She followed closely behind the enemies who were gaining altitude. Every time the griffon, which was a combination of a lion and an eagle, flapped its wings, agate-colored particles spread into the air.

"Keuok?!" "Knock!"

The ability she gained as she rose to the level of deification is to spray particles that can manipulate pressure. The bodies of the members who were touched by the particles were crushed like crumpled paper.

The Star Sharks that lost their pilots were dealt with directly by Heavenly Mother and Adhai.

"Priests! Switch to the long-distance shooting camp!"

The person in the lead shouts in a loud voice. Except for a few to kill time, the rest quickly slipped out of our attack range.

Other warships can be seen flying behind those who have widened the distance. Seeing a few battleships sparsely visible among the patrol ships, it seems that all nearby ships have come here.

"Bad people!"

Number 26, who was hiding inside the carapace on the back of my head, also recognized that a new enemy had appeared. He launched himself onto the water that filled the center of the city.

The guy fell and the turbulent water rippled slightly.

And then a huge pink tentacle popped out through the water. Tentacles reminiscent of octopus legs, except for their color, wrapped around the remains of collapsed buildings and other buildings.

Among the numerous tentacles, there was a body tens of meters long in the center. The appearance was reminiscent of a sea monster crawling up from the deep sea.

Countless eyes were floating on the purple and pink body.

Hundreds or thousands of eyes emit an eerie light and look at the enemies. The psychic power flowing through No. 26's now gigantic body swelled like a balloon.

Sea Demon's unique skill, 'Terror of the Deep', unfolds in the middle of a water fortress. Thanks to the auxiliary organs attached to each head, the form of the energy aggregate is clearly visible.

"A large amount of psychic power is converging." ｢…Is that really made by No. 26?｣ ｢Yes｣｢Little Adult｣｢Full Power｣

The psychic illusion created by No. 26 was a 'me' so large that it reached the end of the bio-dome. In addition, it had numerous eyes all over its body, making it look even more sinister than the original.

Fear of the Deep Sea is a trait that drives multiple enemies crazy by showing them scary illusions. Even just looking at it makes me think it's scary, but the enemy must be terrifying. The Star Sharks under the control of the priesthood became frightened and began to leave their ranks.

You'll be lucky if you just run away. Some became confused and attacked their owners or other sharks. The orderly camp suddenly became a mess.

But none of the pilots blamed this. They too must have been gripped by quite a bit of fear. If they hadn't received advanced training, they would have ended up like those animals.

Those who did not lose their senses fell to the rear to avoid the rampaging Star Sharks. And prepared to fire with the battleships.

The members on the space shark aimed the Slayer at me and No. 26. The battleships and patrol ships also turned their main guns in our direction.

After a short preparation time, large and small weapons opened fire.

A meteor shower of dark blue and purple colors covers the sky. I stood in front of number 26 with my wings spread wide.

A halo of light that was as deadly as it was beautiful struck my entire body. The Slayer's energy bullets turned my carapace into dust, and the battleship's main guns tore the flesh and muscles inside the shattered carapace to shreds.

｢Pain reduction activated!｣

A familiar message came to mind, but it was more of a wishful thinking. My body is breaking down faster than it can be recovered by my regenerative properties.

｢Big baby!｣ [Zuzuzuzuzzuzuzu (don't worry, it's okay)]

Currently, I have a characteristic that my energy output and strength become stronger as my injury gets worse. Traits obtained from Apex creatures hunted on planets inhabited by Aadhai's horde.

'Tyrantroid.'

The fruit has ripened.

I no longer feel the pain that came from being mercilessly broken. Two hearts within the chest pump sadistically, producing enormous amounts of energy. If I was feeling the way I am now, it would be okay if all my limbs were torn off and only my head and torso remained.

I can feel the current covering my lower body shaking. It's not because of No. 26 or other factors that are causing it to waver. The water is shaking because energy is leaking through the body's biological pipes.

Heads imbued with great power move slowly.

If only there was someone who could see psychic power with their own eyes.

My appearance now will appear to be wrapped in purple radiance.

The moment the three heads wielded their power, the sky shattered.

–

A dark warehouse.

The miscellaneous items on the floor were slightly dusty. Among them was an interstellar communication device resembling a 1-meter obelisk.

It looked like a warehouse rarely visited by outsiders, but there was one unusual element.

The walls and ceiling are covered in bizarre patterns. The pattern itself was creepy, but what was truly bizarre was the color.

Sometimes purple, sometimes green, sometimes golden. All kinds of colors were intertwined and shining.

The light of the pattern begins to flow like waves.

Light that moves slowly as if hundreds of millions of ants are moving around.

What was at the end was a curved sword.

As the light touched the blade, the warehouse became dark. This is because the pattern has lost its shine. All that remained of the warehouse was an unpleasant-looking mural.

In the darkness, Isabelle, the short Coldblood, stood up.

She watched the scene from beginning to end and held the curved sword on the floor in her hand.

"…preparations are complete."

To others, it was just a curved sword with a little dust on it, but to her, it looked different.

The planned ceremony is a success. Now she is like a grenade with the safety pin pulled out. If you let your guard down even for a moment, it explodes.

The relief that comes from achieving a goal, and the fear of the future ahead. While I was in a complicated mood due to ambivalent feelings, the basement suddenly shook violently.

"What about that now?"

With the curved sword on her waist, she hurried out of the warehouse.

The first thing she saw outside was warships flying in the sky inside the biodome. The direction the warship was heading was towards the center of the water fortress.

And the destinations of those countless ships looked completely different from usual. The artificial waterfall, the landmark of the fortress, was nowhere to be found, and most of the skyscrapers surrounding the waterfall were also collapsed.

"no way?"

While I was concentrating on my ritual in the basement, the water fortress became a battlefield.

It was very clear who caused this situation.

'Goofy! 'Just leave!'

Now that the ritual is complete, this city, no, this planet cannot avoid destruction.

I made arrangements to leave in advance, but I had no idea it would turn out this way.

'First of all…'

The slave district where Isabel is located is quite far from the center that became the battlefield.

But no one knows when the fire of war will hit this place. We must somehow quickly evacuate the hidden Coldblood slaves.

"Where are you going?"

The moment she was about to move quickly, a voice from behind called her out. Knowing who the owner of the voice was, she stiffened.

The person you most want to meet in this situation is behind you.

"I bet you haven't forgotten our contract."

She was troubled by the words of the being who communicated with her every day through the tombstone.

To prepare for this situation, we have prepared a trump card, but there is one problem. If I played that card here, the legacy my sister left behind would evaporate.

"…I haven't forgotten."

In the end, Isabel decided to aim for the right timing.

"good. "I'm glad you have a good memory." "…." "Follow me. "I think Moppak, who runs wild without fear, needs some proper discipline." "I will follow your orders."

She obediently followed what the other person said.

The other person is a bastard who is good at doing dirty tricks. Even though the water fortress has become a battlefield, it is clear that they are up to something.

'I don't know what you're thinking…'

This time things won't go as planned.

Just before boarding the private airship, the curved sword hanging from my waist briefly glowed.

It was similar to the eerie light that colored the warehouse.

-x-X-x-

The airship carrying Isabelle and the cult ranker flies to the outskirts of the city.

Despite being protected by shields, the hull shook constantly. In fact, considering what was happening outside the ship, this level of vibration was nothing.

Not long after the airship surfaced, a tremendous shock struck the entire biodome surrounding the city.

Is this what it feels like to be in the middle of the crater of an exploding volcano?

Isabelle had never experienced such an intense burst of energy before. Also the results.

Beyond the airship's glass window, a large hole can be seen in the biodome.

The wall that makes up that dome is not a single wall, but rather an overlapping structure of multiple layers. And the gap between walls ranges from tens to hundreds of meters. Even when bombarded with orbital weapons such as Thunder God, it is rare for the dome wall to be penetrated.

However, it was safe to say that the current dome was literally half destroyed.

Walls collapsed and buildings burned. The city became a complete hell as numerous ships crashed due to the energy explosion.

The image of the beautiful city that represents Berzan 02 could not be found anywhere else.

"Crazy guy. "You are determined to destroy the city."

Cult muttered as he looked at the devastation reflected behind the glass. Contrary to the content of the words, no particular emotion was felt in the voice.

'What on earth are you thinking?'

The other person lived longer than Isabelle in this world. Not only does the individual have a lot of power, but the power he possesses is also considerable.

But it means nothing in front of that infamous ranker, Eimov. In the game, he hunted down rankers even before they were ranked.

Moreover, seeing as he destroyed the bio dome, it was clear that he was much stronger than in the game. Maybe you've acquired a feature that didn't exist in the game.

The other person won't know that. I couldn't understand how he could take such a relaxed attitude when running away right away wouldn't be enough.

"I guess you're wondering why I'm doing this." "…." "Well, he's not just any other guy, he's 'that Amorph', so you'd think he's taking it easy. "Especially the 14th place babbler." "…No matter what you prepare, it will be difficult to defeat him."

From Isabel's point of view, it was beneficial for her enemy to be defeated by Eimov, but she could not say it honestly.

She must protect those she hates most. This is because of the contract Cynthia made in the past when she saved her life. Therefore, I hid my true feelings and responded obediently.

"I guess so. "If you're alone." "alone?"

While the two were talking, the airship reached its destination.

'Where?'

When I got down, I saw that it was a place I knew.

"Are you planning on staging a sit-in protest at home?" "It's similar, but a little different."

The other person kept saying vague things that seemed incomprehensible or incomprehensible.

The two entered a relatively simple-looking mansion. Originally, the slaves who managed the mansion were supposed to come out to meet them, but no one was seen as they had all run away.

No, except for one person.

"You're here."

A cult with a familiar face greeted visitors to the mansion.

Two cultists standing facing each other.

Strangely, the two were identical, as if they were reflected in a mirror. Smooth, silver-shining hair, right down to the tips of the yak horns rising from his temples.

It's not just the appearance that resembles each other. The voice was exactly the same as if it had been recorded.

Isabel also looks exactly like her twin sister Penelope, but she does not resemble her to that extent. The two cults she was looking at were identical, as if they had been printed in a factory.

"Isabelle, there is no need to explain this further." "Because you will see the privileges I have."

Isabel nodded at their words.

'Simulacrum'.

The ability to create identical copies of oneself by consuming a large amount of energy.

This is the unique ability of Alshas, who once ranked 14th in the rankings and currently commands the imperial carrier 'Defender of Berzan 02′.

Although there was no psychic technique to create an alter ego in the game, Alshas' ability was truly outside the standard. This is because it is copied with the same identity, same abilities, and same equipment as the original. If someone says they are fighting Alshas, it must be seen that they are fighting multiple rankers.

Of course, there are some fatal shortcomings, but they are not big problems as the advantages outweigh them.

'But that alone won't be enough to defeat Aimov.'

It is true that Simulacrum is a powerful perk, but it is not enough to overpower Aimorph. There was no doubt that he would be able to figure out Alshas's weaknesses just by competing with him a few times.

"Are you ready?" "It's all over." "good. Guide us." "Isabelle too?" "Isabel will fight with us anyway. yes?"

Isabel nodded silently in response to the question of 'Alshas who brought the airship.'

"Well, it's 'my' decision, so there won't be a problem. Follow me."

'Alshas, who was in the mansion', guided the two to the elevator inside the mansion. Once the three boarded, the elevator began to descend quickly.

"What about over there? "They came up with this plan." "You would know even if I didn't say it. How much that friend hates Moffak. "There's so much unnecessary enthusiasm that it's embarrassing." "It may be a memory from decades ago, but it's still strong. "A very timid person." "That's not what we're talking about." "I guess so."

The elevator that was going down endlessly stopped.

As the door opened, a strong smell enveloped Isabelle's antennae. It was similar to the smell of melted asphalt. It was so bad it made my antennae tingle.

Alshas and the clone got off the elevator as if nothing had happened. The first thing she saw when she got off behind them was an enormous underground cavity.

"This is a space dug up under the pretext of building a hover bus center." "Well, the project collapsed in the middle." "It doesn't matter because this was the intention from the beginning." "If we had gone according to the original plan, we should have dug more." "There is nothing we can do because the situation has changed. "If it's this size, there won't be any problem."

A space large enough to accommodate several battleships.

There was a structure in the center.

Organic tissue was aggregated into a 200m-sized ring, and a translucent film covered the inside of the ring. The vertical ring touched the ceiling and floor, and the part it touched was tangled with sticky mucous membrane.

She knows what those bio-structures are.

Its name is 'Bio Portal'. It is a means of transportation mainly used by outspacers.

Alshas was planning to bring in a large number of Outspacers to fight Aimorph.

–

Metal rain falls from the sky. Molten steel frames and lumps of various materials and metals pour down like heavy rain.

Who would believe me if I told you that those were the outer walls of the biodome or a cult battleship just a few minutes ago?

Here, where I am standing, there is an enormous hole in the bio-dome surrounding the water fortress. These are all the results of the psychic breath I fired.

Thanks to 'Tyrantroid' being activated, energy output has increased several times more than usual. Thanks to this, the result was different from what was intended.

'I was only planning to organize the battleship and the Eye of Revelation priests.'

I had no idea that the biodome, which boasts powerful defense power, would be destroyed. I've destroyed it many times in the game, but this is the first time I've destroyed it entirely with my own strength. My favorite method was to destroy the dome by crashing the imperial carrier floating in orbit around the planet.

'It was different from what I expected, but it turned out well.'

The effects of Tyrantroid become stronger as my injuries become more severe. So the power of Psychic Breath does not end there.

'It's perfect except that it's difficult to use as I wish.'

The overwhelming power I felt just before I fired my breath at the monster's tentacles was no longer felt. The vitality that permeated my entire body is rapidly decreasing.

Due to its regenerative properties, the Tyrantroid effect decreases as the body recovers.

"and! count!"

At that time, I felt a familiar yet strong wave from behind me. It was a wave sent by No. 26, who had enlarged his body.

｢Big baby, it's going to hurt, but it's strong!｣

It stroked my damaged body with its large tentacles.

Currently, I have become much larger due to the Tyrantroid's strengthening effect. Although it may not be as extreme as the 'Bone Beast', it should be considered at least 1.5 times larger.

The size of No. 26's tentacles caressing my wounds was no less than that of my changed body. It wasn't because of the 'fear of the deep' effect, but the size of the guy was actually quite high.

By default, the Sea Demon's size is between 20m and 30m, but when it enters battle, it can temporarily inflate its body to a larger size. Thanks to that, the current guy was so majestic that he could be called the Sea Devil.

'Of course, the behavior is still the same.' ｢Does your injury hurt?｣ [zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzu (It's okay because it will heal quickly)] "Due to the rapidly improved metabolism, damaged cells and tissues are being repaired at a very fast rate."

It's just as PS-111 on my carapace said. The shells shattered by the Slayer and the main gun are slowly regenerating, although not very quickly.

I stretched out my wing arm and petted the guy who was in battle mode. Every time my gigantic body moved, the surrounding buildings shook violently.

As the enemy was incinerated in an instant, Adhai and the Heavenly Mother also flew near me.

｢Big adult｣｢So much｣｢So much｣｢Big adult!｣

Adhai seemed very pleased with my changed appearance and the acts of destruction I had shown. Watching him jump on my back gave me a good idea of how he was feeling.

"Is it because you shot it while enhanced with Tyrantroid? His breath is almost at the level of Red Gallagon." [Zuzuz Zuzuz (Not that bad)] "No, no. "Make a water fortress like this."

The Mother of Heaven looked at the messed up dome and stuck out her tongue. She also takes that attitude because she knows very well how difficult it is to destroy the biodome.

'For now, it looks like the enemies inside the fortress have been roughly eliminated.'

There was still time until the fleet stationed outside the planet came down.

Before that, you need to check the enemies who are presumed to be rankers.

[Zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (Is Alshas next?)] ｢Probably.｣

The Vice-Captain of the Eye of Revelation Priests was also a strong candidate for rank, but he disappeared without a trace due to my breath.

"Before you go, I would like to ask you to check the Coldblood that 'little brother' brought with you." 'ah. That's right.'

I forgot.

The area where the slaves were housed was far from the center and was not affected by flooding. But now that the dome has largely collapsed, I don't know if the crypt they're hiding in will be okay.

'If those guys die, it's a mess.' [Zuzuzu zuzuzu zu (get on because it's moving)] ｢Yes!｣

Number 26 shrank its body to approximately 20 meters and climbed on top of me. It felt quite strange as it felt like a very large water balloon was wrapping around my back.

｢Narrow｣｢Body｣｢More｣｢Reduced｣ ｢Not good because a bad person might come out.｣ "If you don't wrap it around with tentacles, it may fall. Please stick closer." "…It's not something to say at a time like this, but it looks a bit like that."

After picking up the kids, I spread my wings wide. Although the movement has been slowed down by the Tyrantroid effect, it does not mean that it cannot fly. Even in this state, it is much faster than a personal airship.

I flapped my wings a few times and my body floated upward. I flapped my wings vigorously and headed toward the warehouse where the slaves were hiding.

Within a few minutes, I arrived at the area where the slaves' quarters were gathered and landed carefully on the ground.

"It's a monster!" "Aaaah!"

The residents of the city who saw me ran around screaming. Among them were warriors and priests.

Heads left and right rushed over those fleeing between the buildings with their mouths wide open. And he attracted dozens of cult members.

While replenishing the energy wasted, the wing arms were brought closer to the ground to help MPS-05 get off easily.

[Zuz zuzu zuzu (Go and help them)] "OK. check." "If a crisis occurs, we will notify you immediately."

The woman's head with metal legs quickly disappeared from my sight. PS-111, synchronized with the mini screamer, will relay the status of MPS-05.

'This is enough.'

I decided to leave the slave part to MPS-05, and headed back to Alshas' mansion.

As we crossed the chaotic streets and approached the outskirts of the city, an old mansion came into view. Also, the appearance of those standing in front of the mansion.

I slowed down and landed on the garden in front of the mansion. The ground shook greatly due to the impact of the landing, but the opponent was not shaken at all.

That could be because one of them is someone I know. Because it was Isabel, a short cold blood ranker.

The problem is the other person.

A female cultist with smooth silver hair and yak horns on her temples. I immediately recognized who she was because I saw it in a photo.

Imperial Carrier Captain Alshas.

Berzan 02's cult ranker was waiting for me.

-x-X-x-

"You bug-like bastard. "I thought he was dead, but he was hiding well."

Cult Ranker Alshas clicked his tongue when he saw me sitting on the ground.

Instead of responding, I looked to see if there was anything that could threaten me.

'If there are other rankers or reinforcements, it's a pain.'

The auxiliary organ under the chin twitched and collected information floating in the air.

'It looks like there's no one in the mansion.'

Not only that, but there was no sign of popularity anywhere nearby.

Of course, you can't let down your guard because you may be hiding using concealment technology. Or, he could activate Thunder God from a very long distance and bombard me.

'Besides, there's something strange about that mansion.'

From the outside it looks like it's just an old, small mansion, but there's something strange about it.

The faint sound of wind heard through open doors and windows, and the subtle smell of earth mixed in. These are elements that cannot exist in a normally built mansion.

'I have to be careful.'

Both you and me are rankers. Just as I am hiding my secret, the same goes for my enemies.

I quickly checked the environment and also looked at the enemy's clothing.

Like Jason we met before, Alshas was wearing a dragon slayer set made from the corpse of Black Gallagon.

However, it was slightly different from the typical configuration I know.

The dragon slayer set consists of the energy blade-shaped weapon Purification, the tomahawk-like 'Condemn', and a reinforced suit made of Gallagon's scales. Among them, Alshas was holding only two bags. I couldn't see where Jeonghwa had gone.

The appearance of the reinforced suit was also subtly different from what I knew. The armor she wears is made for men.

'Did you get it from another ranker?'

Maybe he received it from a comrade in his faction.

'Other than that, there's nothing special about him.'

Actually, that's the problem.

This situation is too advantageous for me right now.

When fighting the cults underground, I didn't go all out and hid my strength as much as possible. They even pretended to be dead.

Alshas, the captain of the imperial carrier, would have been deeply involved in the operations of the punitive force. So you will know better than anyone else what it means for me to reappear. They probably think they've launched an attack because there's no need to hide anymore.

Nevertheless, no matter how I look at it, it is absurd for him to appear in front of me without any preparation.

'Do you believe Isabel?'

I focused my attention on the small Coldblood standing next to Alshas.

I know very well that there is no way he would betray me. Because I did my best to help me and the kids avoid danger.

'I'm here because of the contract.'

We already know that he signed an unfair contract. There was also a contract stating that 'you must obey the ranker's orders'.

'I wasn't expecting this, but…'

I already expected that I might end up fighting two people, Isabelle and an enemy ranker.

And I know what to do to solve it.

'Those involved in the contract must be eliminated first.'

Of course, that will not invalidate the contract itself. Because it won't disappear until you kill Vortex One and break the contract.

But that's a problem that can be dealt with later. The first priority is to immediately remove the object of protection from Isabelle. That way, she can move more freely than now.

'What's surprising is that even though he knew about it, he revealed it openly.'

Maybe he made that choice because he didn't know the relationship between me and Isabelle.

I'm not saying this, but all the rankers in the game hated me. From the perspective of Alshas, who knows nothing, it is natural to believe that Isabel will be hostile to me.

To be honest, it was hard to say that Alshas was a good colleague, even with empty words, but he was probably a better opponent than me, who sees everything as a genetic essence. In fact, Isabel didn't hate me until I brought PS-111.

"Morph Park and a pet. What an incredible combination. "Did you suddenly gain a humanity that wasn't there before?"

Alshas mocks me with a sarcastic tone. My eyes keep moving as if I'm calculating my power.

'Now you know that I am not an easy opponent.'

Sea Demon and Red Gallagon riding on my back, and Gryphon Wolff flying with me. Even if we exclude PS-111, this force consists of two raid boss-level creatures and two rankers.

However, there was no sign of nervousness in Alshas's appearance. Even Isabelle, who I knew, flinched when I appeared.

'I think there's a hidden card…'

Any further analysis is meaningless. If you attack it directly, it will become clear.

"If you have a pet, you can have a conversation…."

Before he finished speaking, I took out my tentacle and struck him. While he was talking, he hurriedly lifted the ax he was holding, probably because he didn't know I was going to attack him.

The two pieces of punishment crossed each other in an X shape and collided with the appendages of the tentacle that had flown ahead. Because the size difference between the two was so great, Alshas was left floating in the air due to the impact of the collision.

As she flies away with her posture broken, another erosion tentacle quickly approaches. The sharp appendage at the end of the tentacle nipped the tip of her ankle.

"What?!"

Alshas's face becomes tinged with embarrassment. He probably thought it was strange because his body suddenly stopped moving as it wanted.

'good.'

When I cut off the guy's ankles, I activated the unique trait that I had kept completely hidden. The 'Medusa organ' is an attribute that turns enemies it touches into quartz statues.

She quickly crystallized down to her knees and landed on the garden behind her. I took out all my remaining tentacles and attacked her.

"…."

She couldn't even moan because more than half of her body had turned into stone. The head on my left opened its maw and swallowed her whole.

'It's over.'

I can feel the body being digested as it passes through its long neck. Since you got the ranker, you will get a perk, a characteristic, or something else. I waited for the textbox to appear.

'huh?'

But even after waiting, there was no response.

I looked at Isabel because I thought something was strange. The guy's expression was the same as when he was standing next to Alshas. I didn't feel like I could breathe at all with this.

'What is this?' "You crazy bastard, you're attacking me so deliberately."

At that time, a familiar voice was heard from inside the mansion. The owner of the voice slowly walked out from the entrance of the mansion.

'Aren't you dead?'

The being that walked out of the mansion was Alshas, whom I had just eaten. From their faces and voices to the equipment they were wearing, they were completely identical.

"As expected, the Empress was right. "You can't communicate."

The guy scratched his forehead with the ax handle as if what had just happened was nothing.

'what? 'No, because I'm not wearing a tuner.'

A 'facilitator' who grants the user the ability to teleport in times of crisis might be able to escape me, but that's probably not the case. Because I confirmed with my own eyes that there was nothing on my head.

Worst of all, his corpse was completely digested in my stomach. There was no sign of it disappearing along the way or anything like that.

Therefore, Alshas, who appeared before me, is a different being from the one I killed, with only the same appearance.

'It's strange to see him as a clone.'

Even though it is a clone that has just woken up, something is not clear. Even if the body is like that, it doesn't explain the fact that the men's enhancement suit and the two pieces of condemnation were copied.

It's not that there wasn't a psychic technique to create an alter ego in the game, but it's not that natural. It may be a technique I don't know about, but if it were, the cult rankers I fought with would have also used it.

Then there is only one answer.

'This guy's perk.'

Each of the rankers I have fought so far had perks that did not exist in the game.

Presumably, Alshas's privilege may be to create identical copies of himself as he does now.

'If my guess is true, that guy too…'

There's a high possibility that that guy talking calmly in front of me isn't even real. The original from which the duplicate was made must be somewhere other than here.

'It's becoming annoying.'

I thought he was coming off confidently for someone who knew my notoriety, but I never thought he would pull a trick like this.

"I guess cloning yourself is your special trait."

When I spoke in Lovetz's voice, Alshas snorted.

"Ha, I thought you were dumb because you've been keeping quiet until now."

It is the power to create identical alter egos. It is a very desirable ability. One more reason for him to die.

'Before I find the original, I need to check the clone's abilities more.' "The attack just now was unexpected. Oh, to be exact, I expected it, but I should say it was much faster."

As I stayed still and did not attack, Alshas criticized me. It was a composure that only those who were confident that they would not fall into crisis could show it.

'Muscle movements, heart sounds, and even the condition of the armor. 'It's exactly the same.' "Moffak, you must be curious about this right now. "I guess you wonder what kind of confidence I have when I can't beat you even if Isabelle and I work together."

The guy who said that gestured to Isabelle.

For a split second, I made eye contact with Isabelle. There were many emotions in those eyes. Feeling sorry, resentment, and even worry.

The guy who conveyed various emotions to me immediately looked away and went to stand behind Alshas.

"Do you know why humans are the lord of all creation? "It's because we work together to overcome difficulties."

The earth's surface shook greatly as she spoke. At the same time, I felt a powerful energy that made my auxiliary organs tingle.

Something is coming quickly from underground to the surface.

"Empress. help."

As soon as she finished speaking, the old mansion exploded.

[Zuz zuzuzu (everyone be careful)]

I spread my wings wide and quickly gained altitude. In a split second, dozens of stakes measuring about 3 meters flew out and pierced the skin of the wing.

"Big baby! are you okay?"

The pain from the injury struck my mind, but that wasn't what mattered right now.

The being that threw the stake at me crawls out of the ground. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that it comes out by lifting the ground rather than crawling out.

As expected, the size of the being that rose from the ground easily exceeded 30 meters. A giant monster that resembles a rhinoceros beetle but is equipped with multiple biological cannons on its back. The remains of the collapsed mansion fell into the hole from which it emerged.

｢Big Adult｣｢Enemy｣｢Be Careful｣ "Many life reactions detected. Please be careful."

In the area below me, and throughout the city, similar creatures were appearing on the ground.

"Amorph, that can't be right…." [Z (yes)]

The Mother of Heaven, flying next to me, is astonished as she sees monsters popping out here and there.

I fully understand her feelings.

I also never thought I would see them in the cult's territory.

And then something appeared that drove a wedge between my thoughts and hers.

A huge creature with hundreds of eyes appeared from the pit where the mansion used to be. The being with countless sensing organs rose into the air after carrying Alshas and Isabelle on top of its body.

"It's a real shame to lose Berzan 02, but the Empress strongly wants it, so there's nothing we can do." ｢'■■'■ you ■■■. I ordered you to kill your friend ■■ '■■■'." "I know. I know. "Then let's get started."

As soon as Alshas finished speaking, they appeared from the pit.

Thousands of monsters measuring 5 meters in size and looking like a mix of wasps, snakes, and scorpions flew into the sky at the same time. The sky of the collapsed dome was instantly filled with the loud sound of flapping wings.

While the flying monsters surrounded me, the 30m tall monsters on the ground also pointed the tips of their bio-cannons at me.

Those monsters have no name.

Because being an individual has no meaning to them.

Many exist for one.

A being from a completely different place than this universe.

A group of outspacers summoned by Alshas attacked me.

-x-X-x-

A word from the author (author review) The end of the previous episode, Contract (4), has been slightly modified.

Previously, it was stated that Alshas was aiming an ax at Isabelle's neck, but that part was deleted.

-x-X-x-

A surveillance office in the Aur star system located close to the red jewel Berzan 02.

The Surveillance Office is an organization that oversees the safety of the entire star system. As a result, it is always busy without any downtime.

But not like today.

The entire surveillance office was put on alert due to an urgent report that came out of nowhere.

"Be, check for traces of bars and bio portals throughout Berzan 02!" "Outspacers are pouring in!" "We lost contact with the water fortress!" "Gu, rescue calls are flooding in! How do I do this?"

All situation rooms in the surveillance office were busy with reports coming in. The inside of the situation room was filled with psychic images created by the cult, so much so that it was difficult to even see the faces of the opponents.

The director of the surveillance office, who was receiving reports from his subordinates in the situation room, thought it would be nice if this situation were just a dream.

Although he had held important positions within the empire for a long time, this was the first time he had encountered a situation as serious as this.

Outspacer's invasion of Berzan 02. It was a catastrophe that will be remembered in history.

"Director of surveillance! How do I do this?" "Give me instructions!" "…."

The knowledge managers were waiting for orders, but the director of the surveillance office could not open his mouth hastily.

Currently, there is a sharp conflict between the Providentist faction and the Innovation faction in the Imperial Diet. If he, who supports the innovative faction, reacts poorly here, it could be a big problem.

Of course, that doesn't mean you can keep your mouth shut forever.

"Well, first of all, the safety of His Excellency the Governor…." "Please wait a moment."

Then a familiar voice stopped him. He turned his head and saw a silver-haired female cult member he had met not long ago.

"Captain Alshas?"

The person who appeared in the situation room was Alshas, the captain of the imperial carrier 'Defender of Berzan 02'.

"I barely escaped just before disaster struck the water fortress." "Your Excellency the Governor-General? Or rather, is the elder Kisos okay?" "sorry. "Providence itself took them from them." "Unbelievable!"

When the director of the surveillance office heard the sad news, he almost collapsed on the spot. Kisos, the leader of the innovation faction, is the political mentor of the Director of the Surveillance Office. When we hear that such a being has left Providence, we cannot help but feel greatly shaken.

"Director of Surveillance, now is not the time to be like this. "If you make a mistake, you may lose Berzan 02." "Well, that's right! "We must quickly assemble the fleet…!"

Just as the Director of Monitoring, who had somehow gathered his composure, was about to give an order, Alshas came close to him.

"It looks like you're having a hard time, but I'll help you." "what…?"

She suddenly whispers in my ear.

He was embarrassed and tried to push Alshas, but his body did not move.

At the same time, the scene inside the situation room in front of me suddenly darkened. The busy cultists seemed completely oblivious to the sudden darkness.

When the surveillance director saw that, he realized.

That Alshas had applied 'Ultra Control', a technique that controls one's mind, to oneself.

'Why on earth?'

He didn't understand the situation, but there was no one here who could answer his questions.

"good. "It's easy to get caught because it catches you off guard."

Alshas raised the corners of his mouth when he saw the Director of the Surveillance Office who had become a living puppet.

Ultra Control does not work well on those with strong psychic powers. If the director of the surveillance office had not been in a state of confusion like he is now, he would not have been caught.

'Then let's deploy the elite fleet.' "Prepare for the sortie of the Observatory's elite fleet. "We will strike the enemies in the water fortress." "All right!"

Alshas began issuing orders to the knowledge managers through the mouth of the Director of the Surveillance Office.

'Moffak. You are done now.'

In addition to the 4th rank Empress's legion, the elite fleet and imperial carriers belonging to the Observatory.

Even if there was someone in first place, they would never win.

Confident of victory, she laughed quietly.

–

In Space Survival, there are only two races that use 'genetic essence' as a resource.

Outspacer, which absorbs genetic essence and grows as a colony, and Aimorph, which preys on essence and evolves itself endlessly.

The former is based on the motif of the monster race 'Jeo

In fact, if you only look at the motif, you might think that they are not very different since both are branched off from the insect-type alien race of a famous science fiction novel.

However, not many people see the two races in the game and feel that they are similar. This is because the characteristics created by genetic essence are different, and the play style is also different.

Unlike Aimorphs, who fight and evolve alone, it is important for Outspacers to upgrade their corps, not individuals. The strength of a colony is determined by how its components are designed.

For example, an entity that goes directly into battle evolves so that it can inflict more damage to the opponent even if its survivability is slightly lower. The individual in command is poor at combat, but specializes in supporting his fellow creatures well.

The same goes for the flying monsters and 'collecting bugs' that look similar to wasps that are flying towards me right now. Their role is to collect essence under the queen's orders. It specializes in moving quickly around the battlefield, taking the lives of enemies and taking their essence.

｢Sussssss｣ ｢ssssss｣

Countless collecting bugs cling to my body. Then, it started to melt my carapace by spewing out very powerful gastric acid from its mouth.

Due to the settings, Outspacers cannot use psychic power. A queen or royal guard would have evolved to be able to use energy, but it is impossible to make collecting bugs that way.

However, that doesn't mean you should feel reassured. This is because there are no restrictions on evolving body parts.

Even now, holes are forming in my carapace due to the stomach acid attack from the collecting bugs. This is a carapace that is not particularly damaged by plasma weapons.

'I mixed the genes of a metallic gremlin with the genes of a creature that vomits acid.'

Just looking at the power, it is much weaker than the acid breath I fire. However, because there were so many individuals vomiting stomach acid, it was quite threatening.

'I can't leave it like this.'

I took a spin in the air with hundreds of collecting bugs hanging from my body. The impact caused the insects to fall off the rainwater tree.

｢Go away!｣ ｢Suss?!｣

No. 26's tentacles fly toward the collecting bugs that fell from my body. Tentacles with pointed ends like the thorns of a chestnut pierced through the collecting bugs.

Dozens of animals lost their lives in an instant, but the number remaining was much higher than that. Newly appeared insects took the place of their dead colleagues.

They must have thought that No. 26 was more dangerous than me, so they attacked its tentacles.

｢Ah, come on!｣ [Zuzu zuzu (shorten your body)]

Sea Demon, which has raid boss-level strength, also has very high defense. However, they melt my shell, which has a higher defense than No. 26. It's not easy for him to hold on.

Moreover, since they are like biological machines with no ego, they are not greatly affected by the 'terror of the deep sea'. There is no reason for him to grow bigger.

The guy who heard me shortened his body to 10m. Meanwhile, I used my tentacles to swat away the collecting bugs that were sticking around him. Some were eaten by my tentacles, and some were turned into chunks of quartz due to their 'Medusa organs'.

｢Flies｣｢A lot｣ ｢More like wasps than flies!｣ "Wasps. Presumed to be the ancestor of the terrestrial carnivorous insect 'devil bee'. "The last record of it was discovered 400 years ago."

Not only me, but also Adhai, Heavenly Mother, and PS-111 are diligently moving around and reducing the number of enemies.

Adhai used his wings reinforced with 'Red Armor' like dual swords to cut down the collecting bugs. Those who were lucky enough to avoid the attack followed behind Adhai. The goal is to target the hind legs or tail where Red Armor is not activated.

That's when they open their sharp-toothed mouths and shoot out stomach acid. Agate-colored particles appeared from nowhere and surrounded them. Enemies that touched the particles were crushed in the air like cans in a press.

Behind them was the Mother of Heaven, with her agate-colored wings in full bloom. After rescuing Aadhai from danger, she lured her enemies to the other side.

｢Sussssu｣ ｢Suss｣

Hundreds of flying monsters keep their distance from the flying griffon and shoot stomach acid.

No matter how ranker you are, it is impossible to completely avoid the acid coming from all directions. The golden fur that had been hit by stomach acid was tanned black.

It was PS-111 above my head that helped her in crisis. It swung its claws implanted with Gallagon's claw swords and launched a sword blast, while firing a material decomposition bomb from the muzzle at the end of its long tail.

Outspacers cannot use psychic power, but all entities have a certain level of resistance to psychic power. As a result, it was difficult to inflict significant damage with sword wind alone.

Of course, he knew that well, so he aimed for the thin wings instead of the less effective body.

Collecting insects, which have a body similar to a wasp, become extremely slow if even one of their wings is damaged. The slow enemy was handled by Nana No. 26.

My big tentacles and his pink tentacles dance on the ball called the sky. Sometimes the appendages of the eroding tentacles cut the insects in pieces, and sometimes the pink serrated tentacles grabbed and crushed the enemies.

'The breathing itself is fine, but…'

We are killing dozens of them every second. Despite this, the number of enemies showed no sign of decreasing.

'That pit.'

I glared at the hole that had formed where Alshas' mansion was. Even now, insects are constantly pouring out from there. There's probably a bio portal down there that summons them.

'Either break the portal or…'

That monster flying around with Alshas and Isabelle on board. I've been worried about that guy ever since.

'It's my first time seeing this design.'

Its body was wrapped in small, thin tentacles. There were eyes at the ends of the numerous tentacles. Each eye blinked and moved non-stop, perhaps acting as a sense organ.

It is a type of object that has never been seen in a game. It is unclear what genetic essence was applied and what abilities it has.

Considering that it has developed detection organs and that it stays in the rear, there is a high possibility that that individual is the queen.

As I was looking at him for a moment, 3m piles flew towards me from the ground.

The 'Pilebugs', 30m tall monsters that appeared after destroying the mansion, are diligently firing at me.

Pilebugs are one of the few organisms in the swarm that utilize energy. However, he doesn't vomit out that energy directly like I do.

Instead, it circulates a huge amount of energy in the body without stopping. Using the power generated there, it fires biological bullets called 'bio files' out of the body. In that respect, it can be seen as similar to the principle of firing a firearm.

The problem is that the penetration power of those living piles is very high. It is useful when dealing with heavily armored enemies or battleships.

In other words, from my point of view, flying around in heavy armor, it is a very annoying enemy.

'It won't work.'

As time passes, more entities will come through the bio portal. You have to do something, whether it's eliminating the queen or destroying the bio portal.

And I have a weapon that is optimal for dealing with enemies made of organic matter.

'I need to use the colors of the abyss.'

Outspacers, whose entire race is like biological weapons. There is no weapon more deadly to them than this.

[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzu (Everyone go to the ground and take care of those guys)] ｢What about you?｣ [Zu zuzuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzuzu (I'm going to wipe out the collecting bugs)]

Since there are so many collecting bugs around, if we make a mistake, our side may get involved. Since I didn't have to worry about being alone, I decided to send all the kids to the ground.

"good. "I'll see if the cold bloods are okay on the way." "Big adult" "Be careful."

Immediately after the two left, I activated the color of the abyss.