The inside of the Surveillance Office, one of the essences of cult technology, was a complete mess.
Because the power system was damaged, the entire structure was bathed in the red light of emergency lights. The interior floor was littered with the remains of broken exterior walls.
These were all works created by me and Vortex One.
The moment I reached out to grab the airship Alshas was on, the 'Ring of Agony' moved. Numerous arms on the surface of the ring grabbed me and pulled me back.
Not only was he big, but his strength was also terrifying. My body was kicked out of the surveillance office against my will.
I took out the erosion tentacles and grabbed hold of the outer wall of the surveillance office, while activating the 'variable biological weapon'.
The deformed part is the head. The central head carapace mutates into a shape similar to that of the Apex creature 'Ice Horror'.
I changed my head and applied more force to the tentacles holding the outer wall. Like an arrow leaving a bowstring, my body was shot into the structure.
The intense shock that follows. My head hit the ring of agony.
All Vortex Ones boast incredible durability as their bodies are composed of the power of the abyss and organic matter. However, that does not mean that it is an immortal being that can never be damaged.
The numerous arms attached to the surface of the ring were crushed by my carapace. Both heads bit the black rings as hard as they could.
In that state, I planted both my legs into the floor of the surveillance office and pushed the guy with all my strength.
The ring-shaped body is pushed in one direction due to my force. In the process, the control tower and ships were crushed and exploded.
The erosion tentacles on its back picked up ship debris floating in the air. Then he swung it like a club and hit the devil. Every time the enemy collided with the debris carried by the tentacles, a loud explosion made the structure vibrate.
'It's time for a counterattack.'
Right now its arms are tearing at my carapace, but you'll soon realize that's not having much effect.
｢-｣
At that moment, the arms of the guys who were playing separately stopped at the same time. Each pair of arms gathered together and clapped their hands in my direction.
Immediately, an enormous pressure came upon me.
｢Pain reduction activated!｣
Not only the tentacles but also the neck and torso were twisted wildly by an invisible force. My body turned into a squeezed dishcloth.
The structure surrounding me also began to crumble and make friction noises. The anchored ships were twisted like taffy sticks, and various facilities, including the control tower, were in the shape of compressed cans.
'As expected, it's strong!'
The ability to use the Ring of Anguish varies depending on the posture of the arms. The clapping posture is the posture used when using the ability to manipulate gravity.
Of course, I got hit in the game too. It's an incredible amount of pressure to actually experience something that you only saw in numbers. Even after being hit by the battleship's main gun, the intact bone armor cracked and shattered in an instant.
Even though it is in an imperfect state, it has this level of destructive power. If he had been normal, he might have lost at least a head.
'but…!'
No matter what, attacks that don't kill me only make me stronger.
As 'Tyrantroid' is activated, my body grows again. My strength becomes stronger as my body changes.
I returned the central head wearing Ice Horror's carapace to its original state and mutated the fighting arms.
The skeleton inside the arm stretched, making a creepy sound. As the bone deformed, the part that originally served as a hand mutated into the shape of a sickle with a saw blade. The four fingers quickly decreased in size and soon degenerated into jagged claws.
The main weapon of the mantis-like Apex creature 'Hellside Hornet' is now in my hands.
I swung my transformed combat arm wildly. The sharp biological scythe was stuck in the black ring. This was possible thanks to the Tyrantroid's strengthening effect as well as the unique sharpness of Hellside Hornet's arms.
｢–｣
When there was a direct wound on the ring, it moved again. The arms that had been holding their palms together after clapping this time took the posture of putting their palms together.
Immediately afterwards, it gave off a tremendous amount of rebound. My head, which was biting the thing, and the biological scythe that I had embedded in the surface of the ring were popped out. Black liquid gushed out like a fountain from the wounded body.
I wasn't the only one who was thrown away after being close to it. The airship that Alshas was riding was also swept up there, crashing into various places, and then being sucked out of space.
'You won't be able to escape like that.'
When captured by Vortex One, the rear rocket was already significantly damaged. Not only is it impossible to sail at faster than light speed, but it is also impossible to go down to nearby Berzan 02.
So, in effect, it's like being trapped in a metal prison and floating around in space.
'For now, let's end the cycle of agony first.'
Putting aside my attention on Alshas, I focused on the enemy in front of me.
The guy who pushed me is trying to use his gravity manipulation ability like before. The moment the arms with their palms pressed against each other fell apart and were about to come back together, I pointed the tip of the center head at the guy.
When I opened my mouth wide, No. 26, hidden inside, came out. The guy who jumped and grew bigger ran towards Gori of Agony. Thousands of serrated tentacles growing from its body wrapped around its arms.
｢-｣
The arms that No. 26 could not hold clapped. An intangible force came upon me and No. 26, but it was much weaker than before. Because all of the arms did not move, the power was weakened. Thanks to this, No. 26 was holding up well.
While No. 26 held on, I prepared my psychic breath. Psychic power gathered in the monster's tentacles attached to each head. Tentacles filled with enormous energy flicker like burning flames.
As soon as I gathered the right amount of power, I immediately fired my breath. Number 26 knew that I was gathering energy and quickly shrunk to avoid it.
Purple heat rays originating from the three heads struck the black ring. The impact of the breath staggered Gori and pushed him back significantly. The arms that were clasped together moved to assume different positions even as they burned.
At that time, a small light twinkled behind him. The identity of the light mixed with red and white was Aadhai.
While I rushed in first and caught Vortex One's attention, he and Sky's Mother decided to sneak in.
While the Ring of Anguish recognized me as an intruder and attacked, the guy who had bypassed the enemy's rear finally launched an attack.
Red lightning strikes the black ring so fast that it is difficult to even follow its movement with the eye.
No matter how strong Vortex One is, it is useless in front of the best defense technology, 'Red Armor'. Adhai, wearing red armor, pierced the enemy's torso.
The ring of agony must have been unable to withstand the current attack, so it stopped before trying to counterattack.
I didn't miss the opportunity and rushed at him. The moment it collided with the creature, a short shock wave was generated, and its body slightly floated upward.
'Goes!'
I grabbed the guy in the air with my tentacles and wing arms and pushed him up to the wall opposite the surveillance office. Various obstacles, including the high command tower in the center and a large ship anchored nearby, collided with the object and exploded.
｢—｣
A guy who has received damage in succession twists his body.
'It's finally starting.'
I'm not doing that because I'm in pain. This is a signal that, unlike before, we will fight properly from now on.
The half-circular ring-shaped body bent and changed into a shape where the ends of the rings intersect. Originally, it should have been shaped like a figure 8, that is, a Möbius strip, but since only half of the body was present, it ended up looking like that.
"—-" 'danger!'
Its arms were crossed in an X shape with the palms facing out.
When I saw that, I quickly took my hand away from him. Immediately after I fell, black rays of light spread out from its body in all directions.
It was a simple attack that spewed out the power of the abyss through the mouth on the palm, but the results were not light. Since it shoots the mass of energy that makes up Vortex One's body through thousands or tens of thousands of mouths, it is bound to be like that.
Black energy bullets poured down like rain, destroying everything around them. Regardless of whether it was a ship covered in hard armor or an exterior wall that was dozens of times thicker, everything was shattered.
Other than me, No. 26 and Adhai actively used their respective abilities to avoid the barrage of energy bullets. Adhai easily avoided the incoming attack using his unique quick mobility. Number 26 shrunk his body so small that he could not be hit by energy bullets.
But since I'm big, I couldn't avoid it like they did.
Countless energy bullets passed through my body. Even the shells strengthened with special characteristics were not enough to block Vortex One's attacks. There were holes all over the body, including the wings, arms, back, and abdomen.
｢Pain reduction activated!｣
Blood pours out from the broken and pierced wound. The pain-relieving properties repeatedly send warning messages telling you to be careful.
'I can endure this much!'
If your head and heart are not damaged, you can recover at any time. For now, we must trust in Aimov's strong vitality.
I endured the rain of death and prepared my next weapon.
'There are still many cults left here.'
Cults are hiding inside ships or defense facilities docked at the Observatory. They are unable to move because they are in panic because of the giant monsters that suddenly appear and destroy the building.
'If you can't come to your senses, I'll help you.' ｢-｣
The Ring of Anguish stops firing energy bullets and tries to use its gravity manipulation ability again. Since it is used while changing the shape of the body, its destructive power and intensity will be much higher than before.
"Don't bother the big baby!"
At that time, No. 26 extended its tentacles and aimed at him. The purple stream flowing from the end of the tentacle turned into a huge membrane and tried to cover the ring.
｢–｣
Gori's arms changed from applauding to putting their hands together. It evaded No. 26's curtain by using its semi-elasticity to float.
In the meantime, I used the powerful mind control talent 'Messenger of Chaos'. When the trait was activated, an invisible psychic wave erupted from my body.
The Herald of Chaos can distort the cognitive abilities of all intelligent beings within a maximum radius of 500m. It would be difficult to control the opponent if they were a cult that was skilled at using psychic power, but now they were in a state of fear and had lost their reason.
Now, we can easily drive them into a state of recklessness bordering on insanity.
As I expected, some of the anchored ships moved. The only thought in their minds would be to kill the devil right away. The ship batteries of the ships that took off immediately burst into flames.
The target, of course, is the ring of agony, a giant monster floating in the air.
As several ships came forward and attacked, other ships began to gain courage and join in. Defensive batteries installed inside the surveillance office also supported the ships.
｢–｣
When even the ships that were standing still as if dead attacked him, the enemy began a defense and counterattack. Psychic heat rays fired from the ships bounced off the guy's body. Some crashed into other ships and some crashed into the walls inside the surveillance office.
While he was paying attention to the ship, I lowered myself and crawled behind him.
'Is this enough?'
Standing at the appropriate point, I planted my wing arms, fighting arms, and both legs into the floor of the structure. After fixing the body tightly so that it wouldn't shake, I pulled out the tentacles and grabbed the guy.
｢-｣ 'It's already too late!'
He tried to manipulate gravity on me, but this time I was one step faster. I gave strength to the limbs embedded in the surveillance office and at the same time pulled the tentacles.
A monster 1.5 times bigger than me is pulled towards me helplessly. A figure-eight ring broken in half flies over my head and into the wall opposite where the tip of my tail is pointing.
The moment it hit the wall, there was a loud roar and the structure itself tilted significantly. When I turned my head, I saw the thing break through the outer wall of the surveillance office and fall out into outer space.
'good.'
First of all, the first goal planned is to be achieved.
I pulled out my arms and legs from the floor of the surveillance office. And I quickly caught No. 26, which rolled along the slanted floor.
[Zuzuzu(Are you okay?)] ｢I almost got into big trouble!｣ ｢Me｣｢I'm okay｣
Aadhai also flew towards me and landed on the center's head.
I came out of the devastated surveillance office with the guys.
｢—-｣
The guy is very angry and prepares to fire energy bullets at us.
Just when the arms attached to the surface were about to cross in an X shape.
The black heat ray that flew from the other side of the universe burned his body.
The name of the weapon that attacked Vortex One is 'Black Cannon'.
Like the 'Cosmic Bolt', it is one of the secondary weapons of the Imperial Mothership that uses dark matter as an energy source.
Imperial carriers who received rescue requests from Berzan 02 and the Surveillance Office gathered here to subdue the 'main enemy'.
'good. Now it's time to move on to the next plan.' [Zuzuzu (please)] ｢Yes｣｢I｣｢Little Adult｣｢I can protect you｣
I handed over number 26 to Aadhai and unlocked the bone beast whose duration was running out.
My body, which had grown more than three times, suddenly shrunk. The white carapace that covered the entire body also lost its vitality and crumbled.
A considerable sense of exhaustion hit me, but it was not the time to rest.
I turned around once and took out the next card.
'Symbol of hunting.'
Immediately after the transformation was completed.
The body of the Aimorph adult evolves again.
-x-X-x-
｢Bone Beast: Inherits and strengthens the characteristics of existing giant creatures. Once a week, you can transform into a very powerful 'Bone Beast'. The transformation lasts 60 minutes.
*Caution: Cannot be used with 'Emble of Hunting'.
*P.S.: Exoskeletons are not exclusive to certain species.]
[Variable biological weapons: Imitation is the mother of creation:— Transforms the body to mimic the physical characteristics of the Apex creature it has already consumed. Transformable Body Parts: Head, Arms, Right Tail, Erosion Tentacle List of imitation targets (results): Ice Horror (carapace), Gallagon (horns, wings), Glacier Fiend (claws), Crystalwing (auxiliaries), Skywhale (eyes), Hellside Hornet (arms), Gorgon Swarm (tail), Gigantherium (arms)
*PS: The perception that the original is superior is an illusion. ]
[Herald of Chaos: Reality depends on the senses.. Spreads psychic power to distort the senses of all intelligent beings within a 500m radius. Plants a 'Insanity Bomb' at random among affected creatures. *'Insanity Bomb': Shakes the target's senses and mind and turns them into crazy cannibals. When you die, the 'Insanity Bomb' effect is transmitted to the nearest intelligent being.
*Caution: The effect is halved for creatures with resistance to psychic power. When using the attribute, agility is significantly reduced.
*P.S.: Please don't believe in reality too much.]
-x-X-x-
There were a total of two imperial carrier ships firing at the 'Ring of Agony'.
One is probably Alshath's mothership, 'Defender of Berzan 02', and the other is believed to be an imperial mothership that protects other planets in the Aur star system.
Originally, when an imperial carrier moved, a carrier battle group was always mobilized, but now there were only a very small number of destroyers. This is because when fighting in Berzan 02, Alshas included a carrier battle group in the Observatory's elite fleet.
It may have been done with the intention of adding strength to the attack on me, but in the end it ended up being a handshake. Not only the elite fleet but also the carrier group was destroyed by the Black Devourer cannons. Several additional imperial carriers that had been deployed along with it also disappeared.
Since his strategy has failed, the two imperial carriers are the last resort. If those ships are destroyed, the Aur star system will literally become Muju Gongsan.
'So far, it's still as planned.'
While the Imperial Carrier was biding its time against Vortex One, I checked on my evolved body.
This is not the first time he has used the symbol of hunting since becoming an adult.
It was written several times when Aadhai's compatriots visited the Dragon's Nest where they had previously migrated. At the time, the symbol of hunting was actively used to transfer characteristics to the mini screamers created by PS-111.
'However, this is my first time using it when fighting a strong enemy.'
Moreover, it has been a long time since I transformed to use it directly in battle. I used the symbol of hunting to obtain fixed characteristics every time.
'So, I need to check my physical condition.'
First, if you look at the head, the eyes have disappeared as before and the power of the auxiliary organ under the chin has increased. The head in the center, like the right and left heads, had a carapace covering where the eyes were, and sharp horns grew on top of it.
The auxiliary organ under the chin is no longer in the form of a thin tentacle, but is now a structure protected by sharp, blade-like bones like tusks on both sides of the mouth.
In addition, the size of the carapace and horns on the back of the head have also grown to an extent that is difficult to compare with before. The sense felt through the auxiliary organs was that the carapace and horns were mixed together and had a sharply raised shape. Would you say it feels like you're wearing a throne made of swords from a classic fantasy novel?
The heads on both sides, which were simpler than the center head, also became more flashy and vicious.
Another big difference is that the head shape and oral structure of all three heads have changed. The jaw, which was shaped like a snake or a crocodile, changed to resemble the mouth of a subadult.
Of course, it wasn't completely the same. This is because another chin was created inside the lower jaw.
｢Grrr｣
When the mouth was opened, the second jaw, the pharyngeal jaw, located between the jaw and throat, protruded. As the 'Reaper's Jaw' trait was acquired, the new tentacle-shaped tongue was replaced with a jaw.
Would you say that not only the motif was copied, but the appearance also got closer to a true X-X-X-X?
'It's closer to a moray eel than an x-one, though.'
Next, if you look at the body, it has become larger overall, just like the head. My body length without any strengthening effect is only 60m, but now it easily exceeds 100m. I guess it's probably around 120m.
Aside from the growing body and disappearing eyes, there is still one more trademark of hunting.
Bone sickle arms that form right on the back.
Previously, in humans, bone sickle arms appeared near the wing bones. Thanks to this, it was easy to attack when biting the enemy in the mouth or during a power struggle.
But is it because the body structure changes as it becomes an adult? The part where the bone sickle arm appears has changed.
Bone scythe arms protruded from near the waist, below the fighting arms, rather than from the back. The length also became very long, almost similar to 'normal wing arms'.
The reason why I said it was a normal wing arm is because the wings became bigger as it became a symbol of hunting.
Wings so gigantic that I thought they were part of my body were shaking on the black sea. A bright red wave pattern stood out on the inner membrane of the wing, reminiscent of a constellation shining in the night sky.
As his head, arms, and the rest of his body became bigger overall, his muscles also increased tremendously.
Even though the length increased by about twice its normal size, the body itself became so thick thanks to the muscles that there was no significant difference in proportions. No, it actually felt like I had gained weight.
As muscle mass increased explosively, weight also increased significantly. If you were inside the surveillance office building, the floor would have collapsed just by standing still.
'Overflowing power, I like it.'
Since we had been fighting non-stop since Berzan 02, a lot of our stamina was used up. In addition, the injuries sustained while attempting to activate the Tylantroid and the energy consumed by the Black Devourer Cannon have not yet fully recovered.
However, as my body was temporarily upgraded through the symbol of hunting, I felt as if some of my lost strength had returned.
｢Big adult｣｢Horns｣｢A lot｣｢Very｣｢Big｣｢As expected｣｢Cool｣ ｢ Big babies are cute.｣
This was the first time they saw the two transform from an adult to a symbol of hunting. In the Dragon's Lair, Aadhai was busy performing his role as leader, and Number 26 was busy taking care of Gallagon Hatchling.
｢Negative｣｢Cool thing｣｢Cute thing｣｢Different｣ ｢Cool and cute!｣ ｢That'｣｢Acknowledge｣
As always, Aadhai made an evaluation based on Gallagon's instincts. On the other hand, No. 26 gave a surprising evaluation.
'It's cute. Is it because of the shape of this mouth?'
My guess is that it was evaluated that way because of its snout that resembles a moray eel. If you go down to the deep sea, you can meet creatures with an oral structure similar to mine. He may have said it was cute because he saw my changed hair and thought of the animals he saw in his hometown.
'Well, that's okay. There's nothing wrong with my body.'
After completing a short inspection, I raised my head.
Now is the time to hunt down the demon in front of you.
I vigorously waved my wide-open wings. The energy emitted by the wings helped my body move easily even in the weightless space of space.
My body moves as fast as a battleship moving with all its might. Aadhai and No. 26 follow closely behind me.
Even while I was evolving, the Ring of Anguish and the Imperial Mothership were in full swing. The relatively poorly armed destroyers were completely destroyed long ago, and only the imperial carriers remained and were fighting hard.
Meanwhile, when we appeared, an imperial carrier turned some of the muzzles of the ship's secondary armament, the 'Black Cannon', towards me. The other imperial carriers followed suit and prepared to attack me.
The Black Cannon, which only has 8 batteries installed per Imperial Carrier, is a very powerful weapon even compared to the Cosmic Bolt.
The Black Cannon has two modes: it fires a black heat ray when fighting small numbers of enemies, and it fires a sphere that forms an artificial black hole when fighting a fleet.
Although the forms are different, both use dark matter, the same energy source as the Cosmic Bolt, so their power itself cannot be compared to that of a regular battleship. In fact, when the cult fleet and the Star Union fleet fought before, the imperial carrier fired black hole bullets from the black cannon, causing enormous damage.
Soon, four anti-ship naval guns, black cannons, spewed fire. Heat rays so black that they remind me of a black hole are flying towards me to burn me.
'Of course, it's useless if it doesn't fit.'
I folded my wings at the right time during flight. Four black heat rays flew in as if to surround me, passing over my body just in the nick of time.
Adhai, who was following behind, also freely changed his trajectory and skillfully avoided the heat rays.
Meanwhile, the other Black Cannons were pouring fire on the Ring of Anguish.
｢-｣
Arms burning with heat rays clap silently.
Its firepower is more than twice as strong when it is twisted into an 8 shape than when it is in a regular ring shape. This is the same even now that only half of the original body has been summoned.
As the power to manipulate gravity is unleashed, outer space flutters like paper swaying in the wind. The power that distorts the physical laws of reality spreads and reaches Berzan 02's defender.
Then, the imperial carrier began to twist like a twist from the tip. Completely ignoring the thick armor and shield created by the mother ship.
The other imperial carriers saw this and stopped shooting at me, focusing all their black cannons on Vortex One. Cracks appeared on the outer wall of the ship, which was as smooth as a cut diamond, and the corners opened. The battery that came out of it fired black spheres, black hole bullets.
｢-｣
The ring of agony applauds again.
Then the black sphere stopped in the middle of space, as if blocked by an invisible wall. The space around the sphere was distorted and all the light was sucked in.
Why are you shooting a black hole bullet at Vortex One, who can manipulate gravity? It was an unwise decision.
Black hole bullets that create small black holes are impossible to identify as enemies. The unknown imperial carrier who set out to rescue his comrades was caught up in the weapon he fired. The huge ship shrank rapidly and soon disappeared into the abyss of space.
Meanwhile, I approached the ring of agony and slashed at its body with my fighting arm and bone scythe arm.
Its body size is smaller than when it became a bone beast, but its strength has become stronger. A bone scythe as cold as starlight in space tore apart the arms that covered the ring. And it bit the creature mercilessly with its three double-chinned heads.
Flesh created by fusing organic matter and energy seeps into my body. Aimorph's excellent digestive system absorbed Vortex One's body and converted it into nutrients.
He also realized that I was stronger than before and immediately began to respond. As the arms on the surface crossed in an X shape, numerous energy bullets hit my body.
'It's an energy bullet.'
The damage would have been less if they had created a counter-resilience and pushed me away. He chose the wrong option.
My body quickly became tattered after being hit by the rain of death at close range, but my strength actually grew stronger.
Additionally, body size.
My head and arms, which I had inserted into his body, grew rapidly due to the Tyrantroid effect. From his perspective, it would be no different from stuffing dozens of hemostasis sponges into the wound.
This pain must have been on a completely different level, so he stopped moving for a moment. I shook the heads embedded in Gori's body and pierced the enemy's body.
There's work to be done while he can't move.
'Where is the core?'
Vortex One, a being that transcends ordinary living things, has no limbs or even digestive organs such as intestines.
However, there are conceptual organs such as the heart and brain that are necessary for maintaining and operating the body. It is an organ called 'Avisual Core', and if it is destroyed, the summoned Vortex One dies.
If Amorph wants to steal Vortex One's genetic essence, he must feast on this Avital Core.
｢–｣
It must have realized that I was eating its meat and searching for its core, so it reacted immediately. My arms joined together, and an overwhelming rebound force occurred, attacking my body. My body was thrown backwards, but I wasn't pushed back as helplessly as before.
Now my arms and heads are stuck in its body, acting as anchors. It may have been on the surface of the body, but it was able to withstand it because the semi-elastic force did not apply to the inside.
"Pain reduction activated!" "Pain reduction activated!"
Of course, it can only withstand it, but it does not cancel out the shock caused by the semi-elasticity. The wounds inflicted by the energy bullet were wide open, and the thick carapace was completely broken.
After the carapace was broken, it was time for the muscles and bones. Due to the semi-elastic force created by Vortex One, exposed muscles were torn and bones were broken. The fountain of blood spurting from my body filled the weightless space.
'…strong!'
Even though it is simply a self-protection ability, it has tremendous power. If the ability to manipulate gravity is revealed here, even I won't be safe.
'It's about time…'
He must have been thinking the same thing as me, so he put his hands together to clap.
At that moment, the guy's body shook slightly. The defenders of Berzan 02, who were not completely destroyed, attacked it.
｢—-｣
The guy's arms crossed in the shape of an X rather than applauding. The intention is probably to clean up the relatively less troublesome enemy, the Imperial Mothership, first and then kill me.
After the arms changed position, I felt a strong but short wave. After that, the movement of the imperial carrier was no longer felt.
｢-｣
The guy who sank the imperial carrier with an energy bomb is trying to change his stance. The moment those countless palms touch each other, my body will be completely crushed.
But it's not just me and the Imperial Mothership here.
The guy's body suddenly trembles. This is because Adhai, carrying No. 26 on his back, flew in and pierced him.
The arms move to destroy the pesky enemy that clings to them.
'Is that really possible?'
No. 26, who creates a shield that blocks anything, and Aadhai, who can protect himself with red armor. No matter how Vortex One it is, it is impossible to kill them both easily.
And my auxiliary organs finally detected something foreign. A large clump of organic matter measuring 10 meters is nearby.
'Avial Core!'
After confirming the location of the core, I pulled out the erosion tentacles from its back. Then, the surface of the ring where the core was was torn off with tentacles.
｢—–｣
Realizing that Core was discovered, the guy took a new stance. All arms were stretched out in front with clenched fists.
Then, the figure-8 shaped body was cut in half into small pieces. The parts where my head and arms were stuck were separated, like a lizard cutting off its tail when in danger.
'I knew it.'
The area where the core is hidden is far away, but this was also planned.
The ring of agony returns to its half-shaped figure 8 as the split ring parts come back together again. Because of me, part of its body was removed, so its size has shrunk compared to before.
I put my head down on the owner's body and immediately prepared the next card.
The one who joined forces far away from me is moving to finish me off.
Just before he started clapping, a wave of light came from somewhere and touched the tip of my monster's tentacles.
"and! The new house is coming!｣ ｢Not yet｣｢It hasn't arrived｣ 'It's finally here!'
The new house that No. 26 talks about.
There is only one thing that can be called a new home for him.
A cloud of blue light is concentrated in the middle of an empty universe. A structure with enormous mass appeared, tearing through the light.
This is Megacorp's super weapon with a diameter of 2km, Gigacracker.
I asked for this while sending away the Mother of Heaven in Berzan 02.
Once the dangers in the Aur star system have been sorted out, bring Gigacracker in.
Now that the imperial carriers have been destroyed, a super weapon carrying the Heavenly Mother, PS-111, and Isabelle has appeared here.
A word from the author (author's afterword) At the beginning, the symbol of hunting was described as if it were written for the first time in the adult state, but that part has been corrected. This is because in Chapter 297, Rest (4), the symbol of hunting in the adult state was used several times.
Instead, I decided that the main character should check his physical condition before facing a strong enemy, so I modified it to describe his appearance. In relation to this, we have also revised the evaluations made by No. 26 and Aadhai based on the symbolism of hunting.
｢Perfect organism: Your body is optimized for slaughter and evolution. Strengthens the effect of the type you have. It is intimidating to all kinds of intelligent beings. It can evolve into 'Hunting Symbol' once a day. *'Symbol of the Hunt': When applied, the probability of the predation effect increases significantly. The effects of all possessed characteristics are strengthened. Resistant to all types of attacks. Lasts 20 minutes. *P.S.: There is no end to evolution. ]
-x-X-x-
Vortex One stopped its attack upon seeing the huge mining ship flying through space.
He's thinking about whether to attack first, me or the mining ship.
Taking advantage of that opportunity, I took out the last card I had prepared.
'It's time to write King of the Monsters.'
'King of Monsters', one of the special states of 'organic evolution'. Using this trait transforms my body into a gigantic creature.
Before, after consuming psionium, I became an adult and wrote the King of Monsters. At the time, the symbol of hunting had a cooldown so it could not be used together.
In other words, this is the first time that the king of monsters is used as a symbol of hunting.
My body grows with terrifying force in the empty universe. The ring of agony, which had once been much larger than me, suddenly became smaller than me. If I compare my current body to Giga Cracker, I think it would be about a third of the size.
Of course, growing to such an enormous size came with a price. Due to the enormous amount of energy consumed, I felt energy draining from my body in real time. If it weren't for the dragon's heart, which pumps out as much psychic power as the energy consumed, I wouldn't have been able to last even a few minutes.
Currently, my body is maintained in a delicate state of balance.
'good. It ends here.'
A symbol of hunting and the king of monsters.
I wrapped myself in the strongest cards I had and rushed at Vortex One.
｢-｣
Vortex One applauds as he sees me rushing in at an overwhelming size. The force that manipulates gravity grabbed and twisted my body. The carapace crumbled, and pipes all over the body were broken. The arms and legs were twisted in bizarre directions and the bones were shattered.
｢-｣ ｢-｣
The cycle of agony didn't stop there, but they clapped twice in a row. The left head and right tail make an eerie sound as they are crushed by an intangible force.
'You can still do it!'
I moved forward without stopping.
Just as the guy was about to clap again, Aadhai, who had taken a detour to the other side, pierced him.
The force that was weighing down my body disappeared, and instead, energy bullets composed of the power of the abyss were fired from the numerous hands on the surface of the ring.
In the pouring black meteor shower, the red afterimage left behind by Adhai glows faintly. The guy skillfully avoided the barrage of energy bullets, which had almost no gaps.
It was the same in Berzan 02, but his flying skills have now reached the peak. Even dogfighting with rankers from Megacorp and Star Union was not difficult.
Perhaps because he judged that the Ring of Anguish could not be captured with energy bullets, he changed his posture. I'm trying to crush him with my gravity manipulation abilities.
At that time, No. 26, who was riding on Aadhai's back, came out. A purple stream flowed from the end of the pink tentacle and wrapped around him and Aadhai like a skein of thread.
The sight of them being protected by a sphere made up of a vivid purple mandala reminded me of the protective shield Cynthia used to protect herself in the past.
｢-｣
Soon, an intangible power descended on the protective shield created by No. 26. Even if they were Vortex One, the shield could not be easily broken, so the two were holding on well.
Taking advantage of that opportunity, I approached the enemy.
Before the guy clapped once more, I slammed into him with all my strength. The guy's posture collapsed because he collided with me, who was bigger than him.
｢—-｣ ｢-｣ ｢-｣ ｢–｣
The posture of the arms changed three times in succession. Energy bullets, gravity manipulation, and anti-elasticity blasted at me in quick succession.
Mind-numbing pain shakes my head, and I keep getting messages telling me that pain relief has been activated. I was barely able to survive thanks to Amorph's unique strong vitality and the strengthening effects of various characteristics.
'You can't be pushed out of here.'
Withstanding the barrage of attacks, it wrapped around Vortex One with its elongated neck and back tentacles. Now that I was bigger than him, wrapping around an enemy with a thin body wasn't a problem.
｢—–｣ 'Where are you going?'
It tried to run away by splitting its body, but this was also expected. When its body was about to split, its tentacles grabbed the parts where the core was hidden and prevented it from escaping.
｢— —｣
When I didn't give up, it tried to change its body shape into a new shape. The intention is probably to maximize the destructive power by twisting the body once more in the half-remaining figure 8 shape.
It's not a bad decision. It would have been a good decision if he had changed his form about 5 minutes ago instead of now.
A place quite far away from the space where he and I are floating.
Energy gathers at the center of a huge structure resembling a flower in full bloom.
Heavenly Mother and the MPS series decided to operate the ion cannon on behalf of PS-111, who was busy with Isabel. While I was using the King of Monsters to get his attention, Gigacracker's ion cannon was ready to go.
｢–｣
He realized that too and quickly tried to throw me off. I relaxed my neck and tentacles just in time for the creature's anti-elasticity to erupt. My body, with no intact parts, be it wings or limbs, was thrown out of the thing.
'now!'
At the same time, the ion cannon was fired.
The heat ray, which can split an asteroid in one blow, quickly approaches me and it. Its arms tried to distort gravity and change the direction of the heat rays, but it was already too late.
Because the turquoise death burned my whole body.
All the arms on the surface of the ring burned away, and the body supported by the power of the abyss collapsed like a sand castle.
The heat ray that dealt a fatal blow to Vortex One flew far past its original target and all the way to Berzan 02 behind it.
Gigacracker is one of the super weapons, but its essence is a mining ship. It is impossible to destroy a planet as large as Berzan02.
However, that doesn't mean it can't cause any damage. At least it's enough to clean up the civilizations built on the planet.
As the ion cannon's super-massive beam hits, the red planet's clouds disperse. Crustal debris and sand generated by the explosion rose into the atmosphere at the point where the heat ray hit and then fell to the ground.
Of course, there will be no trace of the city hit by the heat ray, and cities far away will also be swept away by the falling debris.
Now the 'Red Jewel' of the cult empire no longer exists. All that remains is a barren star covered in sand.
After the heat ray was fired, Gigacracker returned to its spherical form.
｢·｣
The condition of Vortex One, which had been hit directly by the ion cannon, was not good. There were many cracks on the torso, and there were almost no arms left. Black liquid continued to flow out into space from the cracked area.
That's a sign that he's reached a point where he can no longer maintain his body.
I flew towards him with my completely battered body.
I tried to resist the ring of agony by moving my arms, but it was just a meaningless hand gesture. I wrapped him around the neck right and center.
I held on to him tightly and bit his body with my double jaw. If your arm was struggling, it would grab it and rip it off, and if you twisted your body to escape, it would entangle you tightly with its tentacles.
Like a snake coiling around its prey, it slowly devoured it.
And soon, the 'Avisual Core' reached the tip of my snout.
'This is the end.'
Without hesitation, I swallowed the core whole.
"Predation effect activated!"
A space demon incompletely summoned in Berzan 02.
The message announcing Vortex One's death was not much different from any other message.
–
"Please do it! Please do it! please!"
Alshas struggled to contact his colleagues.
Her airship was completely damaged when she got caught up in the fight between Vortex One and Aimorph. The rocket thrusters located at the rear of the airship were damaged, making it impossible to even land on a very nearby planet.
That was unfortunate enough, but something even more terrible happened.
The communication stone, which was a tool for her to communicate with her fellow returnees, was broken by impact.
'This can't be happening! 'Why should I have to go through this!'
Alshas felt like he was going crazy as he was faced with a series of unbearable misfortunes. Doesn't it seem as if the entire universe was determined to torment her?
I already know that I am not a good person. On the other hand, is he a wicked person who deserves to suffer such misery?
She thought no.
Most people live like her, exploiting others to a moderate degree. If she is a sinner, then everyone in this world, or even the real world, is a sinner.
In addition, the Returning Party, the faction to which Alshas belongs, moves to help 'everyone'. If their great plan succeeds, everyone can be saved.
Although she does not completely agree with its noble meaning, she feels that it is necessary. That's why I dedicated myself to the cause.
'Just contact us! As soon as I get in touch, he'll come save me!'
Alshas tried his best to fix the monument. His fingers were covered in blood from being pricked by wires or metal fragments, but he didn't care.
It looked more like an ugly monster than a beautiful cult.
In fact, her fate was already decided from the moment Outspacer retreated.
But she couldn't admit it.
Because she has always been an important person, whether in reality or in this world. Although she could use others like tools, she never imagined that others would abandon her.
"Just a little more…."
As I was trying to connect the wire to the tombstone, the ship trembled violently.
She froze in shock, as if something had collided outside the airship.
"Bah, what just happened?"
She hurriedly turned her gaze to the windshield.
Until a moment ago, I could see white grains the size of millet stuck together on a black background. But now, what was reflected in the glass was complete darkness.
'Would you rather jump out of space?'
If you protect yourself with a psychic shield and move your body with levitation skills, you may be able to escape somehow. It wasn't an absurd method at all since she had a superior psychic power output than anyone else.
The problem was oxygen.
Even if you escape after wearing a mask and protective clothing, you would need a large amount of oxygen to travel to another planet or ship. Otherwise, you will most likely die from oxygen running out before your psychic power.
'I don't want to die!'
Her selfish personality, which had been inherited from the real world, had a negative impact on her judgment. I only thought about what would be advantageous for survival, but it did not lead to action.
And time did not wait any longer for her indecisiveness.
"Heek?!"
The hull shook greatly. Surprised, Alshas dropped the tombstone he was holding.
Previously, it ended with a shake-up, but not this time. With a sharp noise, a part of the airship's inner wall began to cave.
"Oh, no…!"
The wall is torn apart like an aluminum can being crushed. If it were outer space, the air would have escaped due to the pressure difference, but that did not happen.
What lay beyond the torn wall was not space, but a dark hangar.
Only then did she realize what had hit, or rather caught, the airship. The cult's uniquely slender body began to tremble like an aspen tree.
The head of 'it', which surrounded the entire airship, came down.
"It would be nice to eat it right away, but we'll have to wait our turn."
'That', when Alsath saw Aimov's white eyes, he wanted to faint.
Of course, fainting won't change anything.
From now on, it's Amov's time.
A word from the author (author's review) ｢Organic evolution: It is not the strong who survive, but the survivors who become strong. You can transform into one of several special states. * King of Monsters: Grows and strengthens his body into a super-sized creature. The space required to use the feature is at least 100m radius. Because it is a special state that consumes a huge amount of energy, the state is canceled when all energy is used up. The maximum duration is 10 minutes and the cooldown is 30 days. (omitted) * Cancellation and changes cannot be made during transformation. Special states share a cooldown. * Afterwards, new special states can be acquired depending on the acquired characteristics. *PS: Evolution and circulation.]
-x-X-x-
'omg?!'
Alshas opened his eyes.
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the white ceiling. The design had marble blocks arranged neatly, creating a luxurious atmosphere.
But I couldn't feel its beauty at all because of the terrible stench coming from somewhere.
'W-Where are you?'
White ceiling and terrible smell. I had no idea where I was.
I tried to turn my head to check my surroundings, but my body didn't move. I had no feeling in my whole body and could barely blink my eyes.
'Now that I think about it, back then…'
She recalled what happened before she lost consciousness.
When she encountered Aimorph, she immediately used 'Simulacrum' without any hesitation. The intention was to run away while buying time with the clone.
It wasn't a bad idea, and the result was pretty good. While he was tearing the clone to death, she was able to safely climb out of the airship.
I ran toward the door of the hangar, leaving behind the clones that were shrinking in real time. But along the way, something unknown pricked the back of her neck. By the time I felt the sting, I had already fallen to the floor.
My current physical condition was like that, and I felt like I had been poisoned with paralyzing poison. He must have moved her collapsed body to this room.
'…You need to recover quickly.'
I don't know why he was kept alive, but he is the infamous Aimorph. If I don't quickly regain my senses, I don't know what will happen.
"Are you awake?"
Then she heard a woman's voice in her ears. It was a familiar yet strangely different voice.
'Who is it?' "I am PS-111. He serves the main controller 'Sea Demon' and the sub-controller 'Aimorph'." 'Amorph? Wait, how did you know what I was thinking?' "Eimov spoke. The subject had the ability to create clones using his voice. So I made it so I couldn't speak." 'what?' "But don't worry. "I can confirm all the thoughts of the test subject."
The condition for activating the simulacrum is to bleed from your hand and then shout a command into the blood.
Looking at the unidentified voice speaking, it seemed like they didn't even know that blood was needed.
However, if she thought about it in her head, the other person would notice, so she quickly thought of something else.
'Where is this place?' "This is the 'Giga Cracker' built by Megacorp Noble Capital St. K. "I am managing it under the command of the sub-controller." '…Giga cracker?' "yes. Please note that this is a remodeling factory. "It was created by consolidating unnecessary facilities."
If what he says is true, escaping will be very difficult. There is no way that Aimorph, who has obtained a super weapon, will be lax in managing it.
The good news is that the owner of the familiar voice answers the questions she asks. If you lure him out well, you might be able to get out of here safely.
'PS-111. Can you help me? I am a person without any sin. Having to fight with him and Eimoff is not what I wanted. It was planned by those above me.' "Is that so?" 'yes. 'You can read what I'm thinking, so you know what I'm saying is true, right?'
She is adept at deceiving others, whether in reality or in this world. Managing your thoughts is very easy.
"It cannot be confirmed as false based on the body's reaction."
The other person was silent for a moment and then affirmed. She gained confidence and got straight to the point.
'You don't need to help me with much. Just one thing, please tell me where the hangar is. I'll take care of the rest.' "The hangar is at the end of corridor 51." 'thank you! What a kind person you are!' "Thank you for the compliment."
Once you know where the hangar is, the rest is easy. Once your paralyzed body is relieved, you can overpower your opponent and run right away.
As she was trying to hide her joy at finding hope, the other person's voice continued.
"But even if I know the location, I can't go there." 'yes?' "This is because the subject's body is not suitable for movement."
For someone telling us not to run away, the content was strange.
If the captor tries to escape, they usually threaten to kill him or tell him not to go because it is dangerous. It is rare to be told not to go because it is not suitable for transportation.
Moreover, he has been calling her a test subject since a while ago.
"Now that I think about it, in the current state, it is impossible for the test subject to check the body on its own. "I will help you."
As soon as the other person finished speaking, I heard the sound of friction between metal and my vision shifted. The bed she was lying on was raised like a chair.
Thanks to this, she clearly knew where she was. I wonder where the bad smell that has been bothering me ever since came from.
The only thing in the space surrounding her that could be described as clean was the ceiling. The walls had exposed steel frames and wires, like a building with little interior work, and the floor was littered with large and small machines and equipment connected to cables.
The machines were filled with corpses of cult members and unidentifiable chunks of black meat. There was a lot of red blood and black liquid underneath.
'What is this?!' "To create a new body for 'little brother', a significant amount of organic matter is needed, but Gigacracker does not have cultivation facilities. "Those are organic substances supplied by Amorph."
The other person spoke as if to answer her question.
"But when it came time to transplant your brother's brain, fresh organic matter was not available. "There were frozen test subjects, but that wasn't enough."
Next, the owner of the voice appeared.
'!'
Above the bloody slaughterhouse stood a spider with several metal legs on the head of a human woman. It was holding something dearly with its skeletal legs.
"So, I reused the organic matter that makes up my body to create a temporary body capable of minimal life activities."
The monster that introduced itself as PS-111 was holding another 'monster'.
A face that is a mixture of human, cold blood, and mechanical parts, and even an elongated torso made by splicing together body parts of cult members underneath. If the being talking to her was a spider with a human head, then that monster was closer to a centipede with an intelligent body grafted onto it at random.
'A monster made by knitting together intelligent beings? no way?'
Only then did she realize what the being was talking to her.
Chimera, a mixture of living things and machines, is the only one in Space Survival. The Star Union's cursed biological weapon, Screamer.
"There is an error in my thinking, so I am correcting it. My brother is not a monster. "We have obtained all the necessary materials, so it will be completed with an excellent and efficient body."
After saying that, PS-111 pulled out a hand mirror from the blood-soaked clothes. And Alshas's appearance was reflected in the mirror.
'uh?' "The test subject's arms, legs, and various organs were used to manufacture and experiment with my brother's body."
When she saw her reflection in the mirror, she felt her blood run cold.
There is a cult with only the head and body remaining on a chair-shaped bed.
Arms and legs, alluring silver hair, all gone. Not only that, there were cables and wires stuck to his head, and a thick oxygen tube stuck to his neck.
The cult member who was in such a miserable state was none other than Alshas himself.
"Aimov said that as long as you don't die, it's okay if only the head remains, so do whatever you want with the rest." 'Wait a minute, wait a minute!' "Currently, the arms are used to complement this area, and the legs are used to complement this area here. Since the compatibility is excellent, we will remove the organ parts next."
PS-111 kindly explained, pointing to this and that part of the terrible monster's body with his sharp claws.
Seeing that, she immediately understood what he was trying to do. That monster was going to use her as material for that screamer.
'Si, I hate it! 'I don't want to be like a screamer!' "Only the body will be used by me, and the brain and head will be consumed by Amorph, so there is no need to worry." 'If that's the case, kill me! 'I don't want to live as a slave forever!'
Alshas begged with tears and snot running down his face.
PS-111 carefully laid down the upper body of the artificial life form he had created and approached her. Then he bent down and brought his pale metal-covered face close to hers.
"Eimov spoke. "The reason your brother's body is collapsing due to an unidentified virus is because of the experiment subject, no, you." 'Is it because of me? 'What on earth have I done!'
Alshas didn't know who said the monster was his younger brother. I felt unfair because I didn't know why I had to suffer like this.
But PS-111 had no intention of explaining this in detail. The monster put down the mirror and raised its claws.
"You don't need to know. "The explanation ends here and we move on to the next step." 'All right, next step? Heehee?!' "Thanks to the neurotoxin I injected, there will be no pain."
Even as his body was disintegrating alive, Alshas's eyes continued to waver.
It was only the eyes of PS-111, the red camera lens, that watched her silent screams.
–
｢Fluffy and delicious!｣ ｢Taste｣｢Unique｣｢First time｣｢Eat it｣ ｢I never imagined that Vortex One would taste like this.｣
Above the hangar, three monsters are eating while chatting.
In front of them was the enormous corpse of Vortex One.
｢It would be good for older children to eat too.｣ ｢Agree｣｢Older adults｣｢Food｣｢I like it｣ ｢I'm tired, so it's better to let it rest now.｣
The golden-furred griffon turned his head to appease the other two monsters.
Where their amber eyes were directed, a beast as large as the corpse in front of them lay prone.
A space monster that won against 'Ring of Agony', one of the demons of the universe.
Aimorph, loved by the Sea Demon and Red Gallagon, was currently in a deep sleep.
'It was hard.'
Even though he was covered in wounds from a series of battles with powerful enemies, he couldn't rest right away.
Because there was still some urgent work left for him to help with.
In Berzan 02, he sent PS-111 to Gigacracker first to save Isabel, the 22nd ranker. Then, she was sent to use Gigacracker as the Joker.
Thanks to Amorph, she returned to Gigacracker and checked PS-111 and Isabelle's situation.
And I realized that Eimov's predictions were very wrong.
'I never thought we'd run out of organic matter.'
Because Gigacracker was not a research ship, there were no separate cell culture facilities on board. Still, the reason Amov wasn't particularly worried was because the bodies of No. 26, Adhai, and the crew members she hunted were quite stored.
However, PS-111 said that a human corpse alone could not create a suitable body for Isabelle. Mutant Screamer can operate without problems if several genes are mixed and made to complement each other.
Come to think of it, I've heard it from Amov before. It seems like the rankers who created the mutant screamer also went through a lot of trial and error.
Because of this, when she arrived at Gigacracker, PS-111 had already removed her body and used it to create Isabelle's body. Thanks to his sacrifice, Isabel was able to overcome a great crisis.
'I don't know if it's right to say that we've passed the turning point.'
Isabel's former body completely collapsed as a result of summoning Vortex One. All that PS-111 saved was his twin brother's brain, eyes, and a very few other organs. Of course, thanks to his quick response, he was able to protect at least those parts.
First of all, he says that since he has somehow prevented brain damage, there will be no problems with his intelligence even if he is resurrected in a new body.
Actually, that part was the problem.
Even if she were to be resurrected in a new body in that state, the question is whether she should be considered Isabel or not, whether she would be able to adapt well in the new body. If you're not careful, you might end up blaming PS-111 for resurrecting you as a monster.
'still….'
Only by living can you hate someone and resolve that hatred.
It would be a waste to send it away like this. Having worked hard for her sister, she deserves to enjoy happiness with her family.
In any case, a large number of corpses had to be rescued quickly, so she relayed this information to Aimov as soon as the Ring of Anguish died. He also recognized that the situation was urgent and moved immediately.
'Still, I never thought you'd ask me to use Vortex One's corpse.'
As soon as he heard her words, he removed parts of Vortex One's body and moved them to the hangar. The reason was that having Vortex One's body would help create Isabel's new body.
'Besides, he said I would need it too.'
As Aimov said, among Wolff's exclusive equipment, there is an item that requires Vortex One's body as a material. If you obtain that equipment, you can obtain a similar effect as raising the deification level by half.
'I heard he secretly cares about me.'
They say it's insurance, but both he and she know that they don't actually think of it that way.
'…Well, the fact that they brought in so many cult corpses was a bit disappointing.'
The next thing he brought after Vortex One's body was the corpse of a cult member from the surveillance office.
In the aftermath of the fight between Aimorph and the Ring of Agony, there were massive casualties within the Observatory. It came with intact arms and tentacles full of corpses and poured them into the hangar. Most of them were cults, but there were quite a few slaves, so PS-111 was satisfied.
Immediately after retrieving a bunch of corpses, he returned to his original form. Since the strengthening effect was over, I thought I would collapse right away like before, but surprisingly, I endured it.
This is because Alshas still remained.
Using Aimorph's unique extra senses, he found the airship that was wandering around the Observatory and brought it back. Alshas, who was inside, tried to escape somehow, but failed.
'If I had decided to fight, it would have been quite annoying.'
The panicked guy was beaten by PS-111 who came to get the body. Eimov left Alshas's treatment to PS-111 and immediately fell asleep.
Since he fell asleep, she took care of the rest.
40 Coldblood slaves saved by Isabel and MPS-05. The airship they were on was wandering in the orbit of Berzan 02, so they had to be brought in.
Since it wasn't a particularly difficult task, it was over quickly, and the Cold Bloods are currently resting in the cabin used by the Giga Cracker crew.
After everything was over, they left the Aur system. Gigacracker, which traveled at faster than light speeds, is currently wandering in an unclaimed star system.
'Then we should think about the treatment of slaves.'
The battle is over, but there is still a lot of work to be done. She glanced at Eimov, who was sleeping as if dead.
'You can think about it later.'
We can discuss the rest together when he wakes up.
'Discuss with Eimov. If it were a game, you'd think I was crazy.' ｢Ugly friend｣｢Big adult｣｢Why｣｢Are you looking at me?｣ ｢Huh?｣ ｢From before｣｢Continued｣｢Did you see｣ ｢Huh? Uh, that's…"
The unexpected question brought a feeling of confusion into her thoughts.
｢Ugly Friend｣｢Big Adult｣｢Do you care?｣ ｢Care? I? Nonsense. Why do you care about me?" "Is the middle child worried about the older one?" Do you care?" "No. "Not at all." "Really? Really?｣ ｢Emotions｣｢Suspicious｣｢Suspicious｣
The guys, who usually bickered over trivial things, somehow got along well.
｢Oh, that's not it. Actually, I think the big baby is hungry. '
I shot it with random thoughts, and surprisingly, it worked.
｢Cut the delicious fluffy pieces and give them to you!｣ ｢Agree｣｢Eat｣｢Strength｣｢Become strong｣
The two monsters stopped questioning her and prepared to feed Aimorph some Vortex One meat.
'phew.'
Seeing that, she sighed softly and took a bite of Vortex One's flesh.
The taste of meat that the amber-eyed griffon felt was a rich chocolate taste.
-x-X-x-
The first thing I felt when I woke up was sweetness.
The taste of chocolate so rich that it made my jaw ache filled my mouth.
｢There are still left, so eat a lot.｣ ｢Grrrr｣ ｢Big adult｣｢Young compatriot｣｢Similar｣ ｢Grrrr?｣ ｢Praise｣
The next thing I noticed after the tongue-melting sweetness was that the heads on either side of me were moving.
I slowly opened my eyes.
｢Big adult｣｢I'm awake｣ ｢Big baby also eat this｣
As soon as I opened my eyes, a lump of black flesh was pushed into my mouth. It was a piece of Vortex One's flesh that I brought with me before going to sleep.
No. 26 and Adhai were diligently pushing food into my sleeping mouth.
Seeing that there were almost no Vortex One corpses left piled up in the hangar, it seemed like they kept adding them to me even when I was asleep.
'It reminds me of the old days.'
Even when I fainted after shooting down the Imperial Carrier, they fed me this way. They are the same guys then and now.
'I guess I should just accept what is given to me.'
When I was fighting it, I had already bitten it several times and even swallowed the core myself. However, at the time, I was so busy fighting that it was difficult to fully enjoy the taste.
I leisurely chewed the 'ring of agony' meat the kids gave me.
'As expected, it's okay.'
The shell is hard, but the flesh inside is softer than jelly, so the texture of each is very different. If the outside feels like chewing hardened chocolate, the inside is closer to a chocolate fudge cake. The taste is sweet but also has a deep flavor, so you won't get tired of it even if you eat a lot.
'Both heads deserve it.'
The heads on the left and right ate meat among themselves even before I got up. Even when I looked at them, the two heads paid no heed and ate the food given to them by No. 26 and Adhai.
Thanks to these guys, I was supplied with enough energy. The injuries sustained during the battle have almost completely recovered, leaving only a few scars.
[Zuzu Zuzuzu (What about the other kids?)] ｢I'm staying with my friend's family because they're sick. My friend's family must be very sick." "Ugly Friend" "Scale Dwarf" "Together" "Stay"
It appears that PS-111 has not finished tuning in to Isabel. It's been a day since I fell asleep, but it's taking longer than expected.
'It seems like it's more difficult than making your own body.'
Although the PS-111 created the MPS series, it was just a terminal without any unique thinking ability. Since this is the first time creating a screamer with an independent identity, it seems to be difficult.
'I handed over Alshas just in case…'
Before going to sleep, I entrusted him with the care of Alshas. He told me that I could do whatever I wanted as long as I didn't touch his head and kept him alive somehow.
'The body of a ranker was used in the PS-111 model, the Mutant Screamer.'
To be exact, a clone of 18th ranker Penelope was the material for the Mutant Screamer. Those who designed it are in a position to save as many cold bloods as possible. However, there must be a reason for duplicating the ranker.
'I don't think he understood.'
By his standards, there is no difference between a regular cult and Alshas. Also, I don't know much about the existence of rankers.
However, since he was a guy who was trying his best to understand what I was saying, he calmly accepted Alshas. He would be able to put the ranker's body to good use.
I plan to start interrogating him when his utility value drops.
'There's nothing to do right now, so I'll have to wait.'
There are quite a few newly acquired characteristics, so I'll check them out during my break.
I opened a translucent text box while chewing the meat that No. 26 and Aadhai handed me.
｢Multidimensional organisms: Bio-plasma synthesis (new!), Hive consciousness terminal (new!) – Multidimensional organism-related fusion characteristics: Deep space plague (new!)｣
｢*Incomplete characteristics (8) Gills, Giant Creature, Natural Healing, Radio Interference, Saw Blade Tentacle, Mimicry, Catfish House, Demon Machine (New!)｣
｢Some of the evolution conditions for 'Estellate' -> 'Ascension' have been met. Essence of Spirit: Vortex One (0.5) (Not achieved)
｢'Transcendence' Material List (New!): Demon Machine, Tyrantroid, Unconfirmed, Unconfirmed, Unconfirmed｣
In addition to this, several other characteristics have been acquired, but the most important ones are unlocking new type information and unlocking new unique characteristic synthesis formulas.
The characteristics of the 'Multidimensional Creature' series can mainly be obtained when preying on Outspacers and Vortex Ones.
The number of characteristics required to acquire the type is 4. If you get just one more, the type will be in your hands.
'It would have been better if I had gotten it earlier.'
I'm a little disappointed with the timing of acquiring the trait. Actually, all three are good characteristics, but it is difficult to see them as being very useful at this point.
'Bioplasma synthesis' is a characteristic that absorbs external energy such as plasma or psychic power and converts it into bioenergy. It is one of the means to help outspacers who participate in battles fight for a long time.
If it has this trait, it can absorb and use the energy flowing from the ship's nuclear reactor. It's not a bad trait, but I have Dragon's Heart, which is upwardly compatible. Since there are organs that pump energy on their own, the need for them is reduced.
'Deep space plague. This is good too, but…'
'Deep Space Plague', obtained using 'Space Bacteria', an infection-related trait, is a trait that applies a random debuff to those who come into contact with it. Because the virus is constantly mutating to adapt to the universe, the debuff effects keep changing.
Because the nature of the virus continues to change, treatment is difficult. So, once I got this trait, I would run straight to the enemy planet's water source.
If I had acquired this trait before going to Berzan 02, it would have been quite useful. Now that the attack is over and we have left the planet, can we say that the light has faded?
If you ever need to attack a megacorp or cult planet, you can have some fun with this trait.
'Next is the hive consciousness terminal.'
Contrary to its grandiose name, it is a passive secondary trait.
The effect is to help read conversations between outspacers. They communicate using unique bio-electrical signals, so without this feature or special tools, it is impossible to understand what they are saying.
'It's an essential trait if you're going to fight an outspacer.'
There's a good chance you'll run into them again, so it'll be well worth it if you keep it.
All three are useful, but have limited uses. Of course, it's better than nothing.
'Actually, it's a shame I couldn't eat this devil machine rather than these.'
I liked the predation effect when I caught the ring of agony, but unfortunately the result was only half-decent.
Perhaps because it is not a complete summoner, the 'Demon Machine' is displayed as an incomplete trait, as when a genetic sample was ingested.
Demon Machine is an attribute that allows the use of Vortex One's unique ability, 'Power of the Abyss'-related technology. Only by obtaining this characteristic can you eat other Vortex Ones and then use their characteristics.
Just as other intelligent beings, excluding cults, can only use psychic power if they possess a 'superpower organ', using the power of Vortex One requires the characteristic of being a demonic machine.
For example, with the Ring of Anguish, you can only use it by possessing a demon machine and feasting on it to gain the ability to manipulate gravity or fire the power of the abyss as characteristics. Otherwise, even if you obtain the characteristic, you cannot use it.
It doesn't look that good up to this point, but among other races, there is no one other than Coldblood that can use Vortex One's abilities. In addition, Amorph can be used without cost as long as you acquire the characteristics, so it is much more advantageous from a long-term perspective.
Of course, the probability of obtaining Vortex One's characteristics is extremely low, but I have a symbol of hunting. If you get the Demon Machine and catch other Vortex Ones, getting the trait won't be difficult at all.
'Tsk. It would have been nice to get a demon machine here.'
It's such a waste, but there's nothing we can do.
Anyway, I plan on fighting Vortex One again. Because the evolution condition is 0.5, it remains in a strange state of not being achieved. To turn this into an achievement, you must capture and kill the complete Vortex One.
'I've never fought in an incomplete state, so exceptional cases just pop out.'
The last thing left is the part about new unique characteristics.
A new unique attribute combination formula was opened as Demon Machine was the key attribute.
'The Tyrantroid already exists, and the Demon Machine is only half acquired due to incomplete characteristics.'
Of the remaining ingredients, 3 are marked as 'unidentified'.
'…I think I know roughly what goes into it.'
What 'Tyrantroids' and demonic machines have in common is that they are 'normal' characteristics obtained from Apex creatures. The remaining three characteristics are also likely to be general characteristics obtained from Apex.
'It's not a regular Apex either, but a top Apex.'
It didn't open when I got the Tyrantroid, but it opened after I got the Demon Machine. If you kill Apex at the top, more information may be released.
'It's the only characteristic combined with Apex characteristics.'
So far, the unique characteristics created using the transcendence system have been influenced to some extent by the material. I can't imagine how powerful the result of Apex's characteristics will be.
If I get information from Isabelle and Alshas, I will consider targeting Apex as my next target.
'for a moment.'
As I thought about Apex, my mind suddenly wandered to the little monsters in front of me.
'You both probably ate Vortex One, right?'
No. 26 and Aadhai eagerly put food into my mouth. They must have also consumed the Ring of Anguish, so wouldn't something have changed?
I closed the text box and asked the kids.
[Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzuzu Zuzuzu (Is it okay if you guys don't eat?)] "I ate a lot, a lot!" "Food" "Too much" "There's a lot" "I'm full"
Looking at it now, it certainly looks like Aadhai ate more than usual. This is because the guy who used to boast a slim body has a belly that looks like a tail. As usual with No. 26, there was no change in appearance.
'It looks the same, but…'
In the game, it is almost impossible for Sea Demons and Gallagons to eat Vortex One. Because the environments they live in are different in the first place, they never encounter each other.
The only exceptions are when events coincidentally overlap and Red Gallagon and Vortex One appear at the same time, and when Coldblood summons Vortex One during the Sea Demon and Gallagon raids.
Even if there is a low probability of an encounter, it is Vortex One who usually wins. I've only seen one instance where a fully-powered Red Gallagon fought a Vortex One, and that time it was a draw.
In other words, No. 26 and Aadhai are the first Sea Demons and Gallagons to catch and kill a cosmic demon and eat its meat.
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzu (Has anything changed in either of you?)]
There is no change in appearance, but you never know. When I asked for details, No. 26 and Adhai responded as if they had been waiting.
"me! Something has changed in me!｣ "Me too!" "Me too!" [Zuzuzu zuzuz (Something has changed?)] "Yes! I'll show!"
After saying that, No. 26 bounced and walked away from me. As the distance increased, its body began to grow.
'Battle mode?'
When it enters battle, it turns into a giant pink jellyfish with numerous eyes all over its body. But what he looked like now was different from what I knew.
The body changed from an inflated balloon to a hemispherical body lying on top of a ring, with long fins and tentacles extending from the center of the ring.
The fins were the same, but the appearance of the tentacles was quite different from before. Small tentacles stretched out like branches at the end, resembling human arms.
Moreover, the change was not only in appearance.
'You're flying?'
The guy who changed into a new form was floating in the air. Seeing that I couldn't feel any psychic power, it seemed like he was floating by a principle I couldn't understand.
It's like a ring of agony.
-x-X-x-
A word from the author (author's review)
｢Species: Unidentified hostile space creature Status: Adult (transcendence level 2)
Goal: Survive (successfully evolve 4 times).
Possessed characteristics (12 body series / 6 psychic series / 5 infection series / 9 special defense series / 8 nest series / 7 internal organ series / 3 environmental adaptation series / 3 multidimensional organism series / space monster series)
8) ① Flesh-related (type in effect): Claws, three heads, teeth grip strength, chitinous shell, wings (inactive) (new!), beast's claws (new!) – Flesh-related fusion characteristics: Regenerative power, mimicry organ, Bone Beast, Monster's Reinforced Wings, Human Insect Host, Harvester's Maw
② Superpower-related (type being applied): Humanity, Dragon's Heart (only), Clairvoyance – Superpower-related fusion traits: Predator Sense, Monster's Tentacle, Dark Veil
③ Infection-related (type in effect): Contaminated Blood – Infection-related fusion characteristics: Parasitic Colony, Gremlin Moss, Acidic Fungal Gland, Corrupt Fungal Organ
④ Special Defense-related: Pain Reduction, Resistance, Disease Resistance, Full Immunity, Mental Defense, Stealth Mobility, Gamma Ray Resistance -Special Defense Fusion Characteristics: Protective Color, Refracting Carapace ⑤ Nest-related (type in effect): Expansion Enhancement, Smog Tower, Master of the Environment, Swamp Creation, Unclean Mixture, Miasma Enhancement (New!) -Nest-related fusion characteristics: Symbiotic spores, ghost nest.
⑥ Internal organ-related (types being applied): Enhanced endoskeleton, improved salivary glands, strengthened toxic substance secretion glands, strengthened digestive juice secretion (new!) – Fusion characteristics related to internal organs: Revenant organ, Berserker synapse, Ultra Jelly
⑦ Environmental adaptation-related (type applied): Inorganic digestion, Medusa organ (unique), Tyrantroid
⑧ Multidimensional organism: Bio-plasma synthesis (new!), Hive consciousness terminal (new!) – Multidimensional organism-related fusion characteristics: Deep space Plague (New!)
⑨ Space Monster (Unique): Perfect Organism, Nightmare Horizon, Organic Evolution, Great Infector, Herald of Chaos, Complex Spectral Body, Variable Bioweapon, Black Devourer Cannon Mark of a Powerful Enemy: Marauder's Irregular Polyhedron (Dice of the Void), color of the abyss, shape ruler, starlight coordinate possession type (6) – Body enhancement type, superpower enhancement type, infection enhancement type, nest enhancement type, internal organ enhancement type, environmental adaptation enhancement type Specialization possible type ( 1) -Special Defense Enhancement Type (9/16), Multidimensional Creature Enhancement Type (3/4) Space Monster (Unique) Type Stage: Stage 2 (Number of characteristics required to achieve stage 3 8/12) (Reward: Essence rearrangement, Double Helix Monolith) *Incomplete characteristics (7) Gills, Giant Creature, Natural Healing, Radio Interference, Saw Blade Tentacle, Mimicry, Catfish House, Demon Machine (New!) **Incomplete Strong Enemy Token (0) – Target of acquisition: None Available system: Unique characteristic synthesis, characteristic strengthening｣
Evolution conditions
｢'Adult'->'Ascension' Essence of body: Choose 1 of Megacorp CEO/Wolf incarnation (not achieved) Essence of spirit: Vortex Won (0.5) (Not achieved) Essence of Wildness: Choose 1 of Aimorph Adult/Outspacer High King (Not achieved) Test of Ascension (Not achieved) Unique attribute possessed 10/15 (Not achieved) Type possessed 6/9 ( Not achieved) Not achieved)｣]