"Six 'Pileflies' are approaching from the rear."
"okay!"
At PS-111's words, the Heavenly Mother struck the air hard with her large wings. Her body accelerated and rushed forward.
After that, dragonfly monsters with wide wings followed.
Their identity is 'Pilefly'.
It is a carnivorous insect that mainly lives on volcanic or rocky planets. It flies by riding rising air currents like a glider, and when it finds prey, it has the habit of catching it by shooting a large living stake attached to its abdomen. It is thanks to the living pile that the Pilefly, which is only 3 or 4 meters in size, can survive on this planet infested with all kinds of monsters.
The biological stakes they shoot have very high throwing speed and penetration power.
Therefore, it can kill even heavily armored creatures such as Vulkarox.
Biotic stakes with such terrifying power rained down on the black-winged thunderbird.
The Heavenly Mother descended to the ground to avoid being bombarded with 70cm projectiles.
The stakes narrowly passed over the black feathers covering its back.
If I flew faster here, I could avoid their pursuit, but the situation was not easy.
That's because of PS-111 hanging from her hind legs. PS-111, which was holding on to its hind legs with its claws, moved its long tail and pointed backwards.
The demolisher attached to the end of the tail activated and began shooting material decomposition bombs.
"Keeek!"
A giant dragonfly that was following the air current lost one of its wings and fell. The navy blue energy bullet that flew next hit the wings or heads of the three birds.
Of the six that followed, four fell to the ground.
Even though more than half of their fellow countrymen were dead, the pursuers had no intention of retreating.
They just kept shooting stakes and getting rid of them. It is clearly abnormal for a predator at the bottom of the food chain to move like that.
"There is no end to this."
｢I know…tsk!｣
At that moment, three or four of the living stakes flew toward the wing. It is already too late to avoid or intercept. Just as the flying stake was about to hit the wing, a black arm grew out of the feathers and bounced the stake away.
It was defended using the function of 'Obsidian Arms', the equipment worn by the Mother of Heaven.
While she concentrated on controlling the black arm, PS-111 used the Demolisher to intercept the remaining enemies.
But I couldn't rest assured.
The real threat still remains.
The Mother of Heaven looked down at the earth. There, animals with their instincts completely destroyed were gathered there.
A strange-looking being was floating above their heads. This is Salman, Wolf Ranker, who transformed into the phantom beast 'Simurgh'.
His current appearance was different from when he fought earlier. The basic characteristics, such as the head of a canine and the body of a peacock, remained the same, but the wings became abnormally large. Its 10-meter-long body grew to the point where it looked small, giving it a body shape similar to that of a butterfly or moth.
In addition, the emerald and lapis lazuli colored feathers that covered its wings and tail continued to disintegrate and disappear.
What replaced it were light particles and lumps of energy.
The gigantic wings had already disappeared and were replaced by a variety of lights.
It still maintained its wing shape, but the light inside was constantly fluctuating, making it look very unstable.
Eventually, the confusingly tangled stream of light became more intense and began to erupt into the surroundings.
'Dangerous!'
The Mother of Heaven saw this and quickly spread her wings to increase altitude.
At the same time, hundreds of heat rays extending out in the form of stems flew towards her. Heat rays as thick as the waist of an adult man pour down like rain.
She performed a brilliant evasive maneuver and avoided the pursuing barrage of light.
However, with PS-111 in hand, it was difficult to completely avoid enemy attacks like before. In the end, PS-111, which was hanging on its hind legs, was grazed by the heat ray.
'Tch!'
PS-111's body was also quite durable, but it was not strong enough to withstand the Simurgh's energy attacks.
This is especially true if the attack is strengthened by unknown factors. The Mother of Heaven hid in the clouds and got as far away from where he was as possible.
The enemy, who had been firing heat rays at her, stopped attacking her when she retreated. Instead, he just sent a new subordinate.
"■■■■■■!"
"Kiriririk!"
No matter how you look at it, it's a loud noise that doesn't sound normal.
As Salman howled like an animal, the pileflies that were wandering around him took off. The Mother of Heaven raised her altitude and hid in the dark clouds nearby.
"Are you okay?"
"Two arms were damaged by highly accelerated, unidentified particle energy. It is quite useful to analyze the properties and acceleration conditions of the particle in question…."
'…I think it's okay for now.'
If a normal creature lost two of its eight legs, it would be seriously injured, but most of PS-111's body is made of machinery.
Losing the weapon was painful, but it didn't seem like there was much trouble moving. While the battle was in a lull, she quickly reviewed the situation.
'What on earth happened?'
After being hit by a spear and falling, he suddenly changed like that. The characteristic of the priest's golden spear is that the more blood it contains, the sharper and more lethal it becomes.
If you kill the opponent, you kill him, you don't mutate him like that. The armor he wears also has nothing to do with mutation.
'Then there is only one answer.'
An improved form of psionium that he is believed to have taken.
That is most likely the cause. PS-111 said.
The problem arose after taking a stimulant similar to Psionium. Psionium Ampoule takes the user to a higher level in a short period of time.
For example, if Wolff takes this, his level of deification increases by one. If you use the ampoule at a stage where you can no longer go up, it will not work.
In other words, you cannot enjoy the strengthening effect if you eat it in the stage before the final mission or in the incarnation state.
This is the first time she has seen the phenomenon of the body collapsing and twisting due to taking drugs.
'If it wasn't for that armor, I would have died a long time ago.' The Mother of Heaven glared at Salman, who looked as small as a fingernail.
The eyesight of a thunderbird is much higher than that of a griffon.
Thanks to this, she could clearly see what state he was in. While the entire body was strangely mutated, the only intact part was the golden armor covering the torso and head.
The 'priest's golden spear' that she had thrown was stuck in the chest of the armor. This equipment allows the wearer to recover quickly when injured.
Even with a hole in his chest and his body collapsing, he is still alive thanks to that armor.
'If the physical breakdown he's experiencing is due to the side effects of the drug…'
Once the effects of psionium are over, your body will return to normal. It is unclear whether his spirit will return as well, but the possibility of recovery cannot be ruled out. Whatever it is, if it takes longer than this, the chances of him escaping will increase.
"We exposed too many cards. We have to catch him here somehow."
"How about this method?"
"While I am the bait and attract attention, the 'middle child' approaches and subdues the target."
"I thought about that too, but it doesn't work either. If you do that, it will be too dangerous for you."
Even if Mountain Crawler is defeated, there are many monsters on the ground protecting Salman. Moreover, guys like Lavalaptor are much faster than PS-111. If she fails to catch Salman, he could die.
"The potential risk of targeting is very high. If suppression fails, the unobservable risk factor increases significantly."
｢….｣
"Even if it costs me my body, it is beneficial to subdue the target."
After hearing his harsh words, she recalled a memory from the past.
On the day I fought Muriel, my husband Earth's father said something similar. While she is being attacked by the enemy, she must step forward and suffocate the enemy. At the time, she expected Muriel to have brought a dangerous weapon.
I didn't know it was a Thunder God, but there was a weapon equivalent to it in the hands of the enemy. No matter how strong my husband was, I thought it would be difficult to withstand the firepower of an orbital weapon-level weapon.
'It's the same as then.'
Her choice was to move with her husband. And that was the wrong decision. Earth's father suffered great damage while protecting her from the fire of the Thunder God, which led to his defeat.
Would the outcome have been different if she had made a different choice?
'…I don't know.'
The moment of choice has come again, but is it because of memories of the past? I couldn't make a decision hastily..
As their worries deepened, the pile flies got closer to where they were.
"There is no time. Please make a decision quickly."
"I know."
"I don't have time."
"Why?"
"I know I have to do something before he runs away!"
"But…huh?"
The Mother of Heaven, who was streaming thoughts mixed with worry, sensed a familiar thought caught in the middle.
The tip of the elongated snout, resembling a pterosaur, pointed upward. At the front, a group of pileflies were preparing to attack.
The bio-stakes growing in their stomachs were aimed squarely at her and PS-111. The moment the pile is about to leave the ship.
A flash of red appeared, tearing through the dark clouds above them.
"Keeek?!"
"Kyaak!"
The pile flies that collided with the red light shattered into pieces like bugs hit by an electric fly swatter. In an instant, a being that dyed the gray clouds red flew in front of her.
｢Ugly Friend｣｢Worried?｣
Little Gallagon called her with a strange nickname as he always did.
But now, I felt very welcomed by that obnoxious school of thought. Aadhai, the red rascal, came to help her.
-x-X-x-
"omg?!"
Salman opened his eyes, breathing heavily. When he woke up, he urgently looked down at his hands. Instead of wings covered with colorful feathers, a familiar hand covered with fine fur caught my eye.
"Cough, wow, how did this happen?"
Just a few seconds ago, the body was decomposing. However, no wounds were visible on his clean hands.
'No, rather, these are my hands, right?'
Good-looking skin that is moderately tanned by the sun, muscles toned through exercise, and well-maintained nails.
The hand was that of a human male. His hand, which he lost a long time ago.
He quickly looked around to see if he had returned to reality.
The place he was in was a pure white room. In a room without any objects or decorations, Salman was sitting on a chair.
And in one corner of the room stood a short cult boy.
The boy, who looked human because of his severed horns, muttered to himself. Every time I opened my mouth, there was noise and I couldn't understand properly.
However, I was able to understand a few parts.
"I didn't know that the psionium they made had that effect." "You, what about you?" "Thanks to you, I got important information. Since there is no ■■■■ this time, I will help you."
As soon as the other person finished speaking, Salman felt a burning pain throughout his body. A familiar power restored his spirit from madness.
I've received help like this before. He gritted his teeth and tried to somehow stay sane.
'Say, to Psionium, ugh! 'I never thought there would be such a side effect!'
When the spear thrown by the enemy pierced the chest, all of the psionium ampoules contained within were shattered. The reinforced psionium in the ampoule seeped into the wound all at once.
Originally, Psionium's effect does not activate on those who have reached the end of the growth stage or those whose duration has become 0 after using it multiple times. There is no harm or harm from overdosing.
However, it was not the reinforced psionium he used. After a large amount of drugs were administered, the body began to change. His body was converted into energy particles against his will.
As a Simurgh skilled in energy manipulation, he was able to control the mass of energy that replaced his body, but this was only possible if his brain remained. If it weren't for the equipment he wore, the 'Golden Salamander', his body would have collapsed long ago.
'If it weren't for the regeneration effect, I would have died.'
The Golden Salamander, called 'Gecko Gap' in the community, is equipment specialized for defense against energy attacks and body regeneration. While the armor regenerates the body, the energy must be controlled somehow to prevent collapse.
He looked down at the golden javelin pinned to his chest.
'Starting from this window…'
I was about to pull it out because it was interfering with my recovery, but I felt a cool sensation in the back of my neck. The animals under his control had sent a signal.
'You bastards! 'There's still some left!'
Slaves sent by Eimov. They are targeting Salman's life.
Salman focused his attention on the beasts he ruled. As a result of connecting his senses with each animal, the sensations they saw and felt were transmitted to his mind.
Everyone here is looking into the dark clouds. A moment later, the enemy appeared through the clouds.
'huh?'
The enemies he fought before losing his temper were the Mutant Screamer and the Black Thunderbird. However, the being that appeared from hiding was not the Thunderbird.
There was a being there with red wings that glowed brightly in the darkness.
"…Gallagon?"
Salman, who has the power to control wild beasts, immediately figured out its identity. It was much smaller than a regular Gallagon and had a mixture of red and white scales, but it was definitely a Gallagon.
And gallagons do not inhabit this planet.
'…Amorph!'
The guy also appeared here to target Salman.
Gallagon, whose red wings shine in the surroundings, moves. Flying creatures near Salman also started to intercept the enemy.
But Salman didn't expect much from them. Of course, the opponent is Gallagon. It's a relief to just succeed in wasting time.
'doesn't care.' "Just taking time is enough. Catch him."
All creatures that can fly, including pileflies, rush towards Gallagon. A swarm of flying creatures as small as a small cloud and the enemy quickly get closer.
The guy, who was smaller than a regular Gallagon, seemed to have no intention of avoiding it at all. The moment the head with sharp horns turned red like wings, Salman's group and the creature collided.
The opponent is one, here are hundreds. It was clear who had the upper hand. The result of the two sides clashing was as Salman expected.
Gallagon flew in like a shooting star and tore his slaves apart. No monster could block his path.
'good!'
The sight of a bastard sprinkling blood and flesh on a cloud filled with volcanic ash. It was exactly what he expected.
Salman released all the energy flowing through his body at once. All the energy concentrated in the shape of wings turned into heat rays. Since the energy was created by sacrificing even the body, its size was truly enormous.
A huge heat ray raced towards the sky beyond the bombardment of the cult's orbital weapon 'Rain God'. At the end was Gallagon, who was distracted by Salman's men.
As the heat ray hit its target, an intense flash of light obscured his vision. The links with the creatures he was ruling with were cut off all at once.
Looking through the eyes of another animal on the ground, I saw clouds of fire covering the sky.
The regular Simurgh's energy bullet attack has more firepower than the Green Gallagon's psychic breath. Energy bullets fired while in a strong state are much more powerful than that.
The heat ray he fired this time was much stronger than the one he fired in his previous strong body state. It wasn't for nothing that he reminded me of the Thunder God.
Even Magmasaur, which has tremendous defense power, will suffer fatal damage if hit by this heat ray. That little Gallagon wouldn't have a single piece of flesh left.
'Now that he's dead, I guess I'll have to find another one.'
Mutant Screamer and Thunderbird are also probably hiding somewhere. As my eyesight slowly returned, the creatures on the ground looked to see if there were any enemies.
But one of them discovered something strange.
There was a small flame in the burning sky. With flames everywhere, the flames could be seen incredibly clearly.
｢No way!｣
Until just now, it was a mixture of red and white. But now most of the body has been dyed ruby red.
Among the rankers, there is no one who does not know what those red scales symbolize.
'no! 'You must have seen it wrong!'
Salman hurried to gather his energy again. He was so embarrassed that he even forgot the pain of his body collapsing.
So he was late to recognize the object falling on his head.
｢?!｣
When Salman looked up, he saw a mutant Screamer that looked like a mixture of a spider and a scorpion.
A dark blue light flashes from the tail of something falling from the sky. Salman, realizing that it was a signal to fire, quickly turned his head to the side. The energy bullet grazed one side of his face and landed on his shoulder.
However, the enemy's attack was not just one. This is because an enemy about 8 meters in size climbed on his body.
"Boarding successful. Let's move on to the next step." "This damn guy…!"
It clawed at his armor with its sharp claws. The claws dug into the smooth surface, tearing holes here and there. The opponent is trying to destroy the Golden Salamander.
'dare!'
As long as Gallagon is alive, running upward is suicidal. There are still many of his slaves left on earth. Salman descended with the Mutant Screamer on his back.
And just before his body touched the ground, he turned around and crushed the enemy on his back to the ground. The impact caused the Mutant Screamer to fall away from him.
Vulkarox rushed at the guy lying on the black ground. The guy who was just about to get up was hit by the bronze bull's charge and fell down. Besides Vulkarox, other monsters also rushed to attack the enemy.
In the meantime, he checked the condition of his armor. Due to repeated damage, the Golden Salamander was on the verge of destruction.
｢Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! You…!"
As the armor's recovery effect wore off, pain came flooding back. Salman cried out in anger and pain.
'This window! Because of this window!'
Salman, who lost his temper, lowered his head and put the golden javelin in his mouth. And then he forcefully pulled out the window.
"On the subject of Aimov's slave!"
He threw the spear carelessly and let out a thought wave filled with hatred. The enemy, who was pushing Vulkarox's head away with his claws, looked at him.
"Do you think a monster like you could kill me?" "There are two errors, so I'd like to correct them. First, Eimov and I are not in the relationship of owner and property."
The monster with the face of a human woman continued speaking as it stabbed Vulkarox's vitals with its bladed legs.
"Second, my mission has already been accomplished. "It's not me who eliminates goals." "what?"
Just as he was about to ask what that meant, he felt an intense pain in his stomach.
Two jewel-like eyes slowly looked downward. A blood-covered spear blade was sticking out of the lower abdomen. At the same time, cracks appeared in the armor covering the entire body, and it soon stopped working.
"Ugh!"
When the spear was pulled out, blood poured out from the wound. Salman, who no longer had the strength to stand, fell to the floor.
Wolf Ranker, who had stabbed him with the priest's golden spear, stood before him.
"Successful suppression of target." "It was close." "Yes, you…!"
The opponent was not in the form of a thunderbird, but in the form of a griffon beast. After dropping the Mutant Screamer, they probably prepared a surprise attack.
Actually, now that I think about it, I think it's a good thing. As the Golden Salamander breaks down, the collapse of his body is accelerating. His death was a foregone conclusion.
There wasn't much time left for him. Less than ten seconds at most.
'Is this the end? 'To die at the hands of insignificant people like them?'
Salman was the chosen one. In reality, he was a famous wealthy man, and in this world, he was a strong man with great power. In other words, he is a being of important value in both worlds.
"The target's biological response is rapidly decreasing." "…what? "Why suddenly?" "It's because the body's decay is accelerating." "Is the collapse accelerating? Could it be that the Golden Salamander is broken?" "Yes. "Life support equipment is currently disabled." "wait! You can't let me die like this!" "What is it?" "Hunting" "It's not over?"
It was never destined to end miserably like this.
'okay! 'If you're a fan, you'll help me, right?'
The leader of the returnee faction is one who knows his value well. Didn't you actually help him in his madness this time?
There is no way Beomho will abandon him.
'Beomho! There is no time! hurry! Help me quickly! Beomhooooo!'
Salman shouted Beomho's name right before he died.
But there was no answer back.
-x-X-x-
"I have to survive somehow. "Isn't there a way?" "Auxiliary facilities are needed to control deterioration and collapse at the cellular level." "How to even preserve the head?" "It's impossible."
The Mother of Heaven looked down at the dying Salman.
His entire body was simultaneously disintegrating into light particles. Parts like wings and legs have long since disappeared. About a quarter of the head was blown off, and the skin on the torso was gone, exposing the muscles and organs.
Her original idea was to subdue Salman and wait for Amov to come.
This guy is in charge of the returning faction's equipment. There must be a lot of information in your head. As for the returning faction, there is a high possibility that they know more information than Alshas.
'Plus, there are perks.'
The ability to subjugate wild animals, the 'Beast God's Lasso', is a power so powerful that it is hard to miss. It is an excellent ability for Aimorph, who gains strength from the genetic essence of living things.
But then things took a strange turn.
If this continues, his entire body will collapse before Amorph arrives. Not only does it provide information, but it also goes beyond obtaining special benefits.
'In that case, it would be better…'
She took her eyes off Salman and looked around.
Numerous creatures are standing motionless. This is because the privilege of Salman, who is not dead, is still strangling them.
There isn't much time left until that powerful force is lost.
'I need strength.'
In the past, she made a certain choice. As a result, she lost her husband and family.
In this fight too, she had to choose. While PS-111 is the bait, will you attack the enemy or retreat?
At that crossroads, she ultimately couldn't choose anything. No, in fact, it was as if I had made the worst choice, worse than before. Without Aadhai, the situation would have been much worse than it is now.
Past and present, I have continued to make wrong choices. The reason is clear.
It was because there was a lack of power.
Rather than being forced to make a choice, it's about creating a situation where you don't have to make a choice in the first place. To do that, you need strength.
Besides, she still has work to do.
plural.
Those who killed my family still roam this world.
The reason she decided to cooperate with that Amorph in the first place was for revenge.
Regardless of her affection for Eimov's friends, she never gave up on revenge. Even more so, I needed strength to protect those little monsters I had become new friends with.
'Will alone is insufficient.'
I gained new transformation abilities and powerful equipment, but it's still not enough.
She tightened her grip on the short spear.
'I've never taken away someone else's privileges, but…'
I've heard stories in the past about other players fighting over perks. I wasn't told exactly how to obtain it, but I was able to get a rough idea by looking at Amov's example.
"Help me." "Please speak." "I'm going to rip out his heart. If there is any interference coming from around you, block it. "It's okay, even if it's just for a little while."
When Wolf increases his level of deification, he needs the heart of another creature. Looking at Amorph's example, the same thing would apply when acquiring other players' perks.
The Heavenly Mother made up her mind and approached Salman.
–
'huh?'
While flying to the location where Salman's base was located, the auxiliary organ under his chin trembled. A strange signal came from the 'left head' and 'right head' clones.
'what?'
Although it is a dangerous situation, there is no sense of urgency. Instead, it seems like a fairly exceptional situation has occurred, even by my standards.
"Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"
Isabel asked as I stopped mid-flight. I guess it's because I'm worried that something is wrong with my sister PS-111.
I said I would check for a moment and got down on the ground. As I lay face down on the ground and focused my senses on my auxiliary organs, I felt my consciousness slipping away.
After the connection was completed, I began to feel environmental elements that were different from this place.
There is a faint smell of blood in the air. At the same time, a weak wave of energy is detected.
Energy waves were unusually felt in the corpse of a certain creature. Most of the body was damaged, so there were no intact parts. In particular, the chest area was severely cracked as if someone had torn it apart.
And the smell of blood came from the hill behind the creature.
No, I thought it was a small rocky mountain, but it wasn't. Because there is no mountain in the world with four eyes.
Four narrowed eyes watched my clones.
'Mountain Crawler?'
This is my first time seeing a mountain crawler that big. They grow infinitely until they die, and to grow to that level, they would have to live for thousands of years or more.
'I don't know why that guy is here…'
An individual that has grown to that level may have had some beneficial characteristics. First, I'll have to subdue it with a duplicate and then eat it with the main body.
I was about to attack by moving my left and right head, but a familiar face popped out from above the guy's back.
It was Aadhai, a gallagon with snow-white scales and red horns.
'I guess they came here after destroying the satellite?'
They probably came here after seeing the explosion of the anti-matter bomb.
"Some of the wounds were sutured, but only temporarily…"
PS-111 and Heavenly Mother, who were trying to get off the back with him, also spotted my clone.
The Mother of Heaven, who returned to her griffon beast form, had her entire body glowing black, unlike before. It's because I'm wearing the newly made Wolff-specific equipment.
PS-111, who was with me, got off the Mountain Crawler's body and approached me. Two of his arms were broken, probably due to damage suffered during the battle.
"82% similar to the sub-controller 'Amorph'. Is it a duplicate?" "huh. What happened?" "Due to unavoidable circumstances, we failed to suppress the target." "Unavoidable circumstances?" "The target overdosed on psionium-type drugs, causing genetic structural alteration and cell collapse in the body. "We couldn't keep it alive until Eimoff arrived."
While he was explaining, I felt a subtle psychic power from the Mother of Heaven next to me. She was looking at me with serious eyes and trying to convey something.
'Are you shooting a thought wave?'
Unfortunately, I can't understand right now. This is because the clones do not have the monster's tentacles, so it is impossible to understand the thought waves embodied by psychic power.
In addition to communicating by voice, PS-111 can express its intentions using special, subtle wavelengths, similar to No. 26. So, as long as you have a mimicry organ and an auxiliary organ under the chin, you can talk to him and Isabelle.
But neither the Heavenly Mother nor Adhai have such power. You must also have the monster's tentacles in order to talk to them.
'Let's come to the main body and talk.' "I need to check something. "There are no more enemies around, right?" "With the new ability the middle baby acquired, it chased away hostile creatures around it."
After listening to what he said, it turned out that the Mother of Heaven had obtained Salman's special privilege, the Lasso of the Beast God.
'I thought you'd keep him alive until I came.'
I did not convey my intention to her directly. However, there is no way she would not know the value that Salman has. Because he is a person who can give us more information than Alshas.
However, looking at the corpse with its chest cut open, the damage was so severe that it seemed difficult to obtain information.
Obtaining information became uncertain, and privileges could not be obtained. This is quite a disappointing result considering the result of trusting in Heavenly Mother and PS-111.
'Still, it seems like there's something going on, so I'll have to listen closely.'
I released the link saying I would come to the main body. As I moved my body, Isabel hurriedly approached me.
"What about your sister? "Is your sister okay?" [Zuzzuzu zuzu zuzuzu zu (You're fine, you don't have to worry)]
I saw that two of his eight arms were shattered, but that wasn't a serious injury to him. If you have the right materials, you can repair it yourself.
I flew up into the sky again with No. 26 and Isabelle.
After continuing to fly like that for some time, we arrived at the place where the three were.
"sister? "What about that leg?" "It was damaged in combat. "We plan to improve that part using useful materials, so you don't have to worry." "Please take care of yourself. Just because it's a machine doesn't mean it won't die."
Immediately after arriving, Isabel saw her sister's damaged state and began nagging her.
｢Big adult?｣｢Appearance｣｢Has it changed?｣ ｢Big baby changed after eating big and different food!｣
Aadhai glanced at me with eyes that resembled amethyst. Then No. 26 raised its tentacles and imitated a magmasaur.
｢Horn｣｢Big｣｢A lot｣｢Good｣
Eventually, the guy waved his tail as if he liked the changed appearance of his body. Looking at his tastes, I could see that he would like my appearance with the 'Destroyer Upper' applied.
At other times, I would have explained to him about the changes in my body, but now there are more important things to do than that.
"I thought I had something to say earlier. "Please explain what happened."
Heavenly Mother nodded and began to explain. What happened when she fought with Salman, why she had no choice but to take advantage, etc.
'indeed.'
The explanation wasn't very long. But I could completely understand why she did what she did. How hard I tried to avoid the worst outcome.
In addition, the side effects of the improved version of Psionium were unexpected.
'Besides, the privileges she received are considered income in their own way.'
It's a pity that I didn't get it, but I must be satisfied that Heavenly Mother did.
"I know what happened." "…sorry. "If I had been stronger, I would have had better results." "This much is enough. "Don't blame yourself."
I decided to end the part about Salman with that. I picked up the ranker's lying corpse and put it in my mouth.
PS-111 said that its genes were mutated. It seems to be true. As soon as I chewed it, a horrible texture, like an eraser, greeted me. This is the first time he has eaten such tasteless food since becoming an Amorph.
It was so tasteless that I just chewed it and passed it down my throat. I waited for a while, but no reaction occurred from my body.
'I tried it just in case, but it didn't work.'
The mimicry organ and the host are organs that operate based on the other's genes. It was impossible to obtain information from enemy meat that was damaged at the genetic level.
After appeasing my regret by savoring my appetite, I looked at the new friend that Heavenly Mother had brought.
"Is that mountain crawler the one Salman brought with him?" "uh? huh."
She looked back as if she had just remembered my question.
"Seeing how calm you are, I guess you took control." "Actually, it's a bit ambiguous to call it dominance. "The perk effect has changed a bit." "Really?" "Should I call it a vice principal? "In addition to simply controlling him, he can also read his emotions and memories."
She placed her hand on the mountaincrawler's head. Then the giant beast quietly closed its eyes. It was exactly like a pet dog feeling its owner's touch.
"It's a vice principal." "I can still feel his pain and fear. "The painful memories I experienced here."
Her amber eyes fluttered as if sensing the mountain crawler's senses. When I only heard about it, it seemed like it was close to being compatible with the parasitic colony I had.
'for a moment.'
There is something about her words that bothers me.
"You said you can feel the memories now, right?" "Yes." "How much detail can I know?" "That's… ah!"
Her eyes widened as she realized what the question meant.
That giant mountain crawler was brought by Salman. There is a high probability that the owner has been watching what he is doing here.
'good.'
To get information, you have to first treat his wounds.
I implanted symbiotic spores into a wounded animal that was interacting with its new owner.
'The next thing you need is a nest.'
The situation is different from what I expected, but there is no problem.
If I do well, I think I can achieve all my goals on this planet.
-x-X-x-
– A huge star burns like a bonfire illuminating the pitch-black darkness.
While the old celestial body named 'Olga', a red giant star, was emitting its own light, a spacecraft appeared with a blue light.
"Superlight voyage completed. Red giant star 'Olga' confirmed."
"We arrived safely in the Dorane star system."
The situation room has a clean atmosphere as if it was made of white marble. Humans in military uniforms are operating computers in front of a hologram of a star map floating in the center.
The people in the situation room were so orderly in their clothing and behavior that they were reminiscent of soldiers. However, their identities are not soldiers.
"hey. Now that you've arrived, please contact your employer again."
"yes. Captain."
The name of the man called captain by the sailors was Sechan Hamilton.
This is Space Dog from Megacorp.
At one time, he was a soldier working in a crisis management team on a warship or a space city security team. After retiring from work, he became a pirate. In Megacorp, piracy is a serious crime, but many soldiers engage in corruption by interacting with pirate cartels.
Most of them are caught by Megacorp and meet a miserable end, but there are cases where they are lucky and retire without being caught. Se-chan and his subordinates were also such a lucky case.
Sechan's faction, the Hamilton Cartel, is comprised of all members who are former military veterans. Is that why? Unlike regular pirates, they tended to pursue activities in sunny areas.
Instead of serious crimes such as smuggling or human trafficking, credits were earned through security-related activities such as guarding key figures and transporting important goods.
Of course, if they had only engaged in legal activities, they would not have been called pirates. I was often tasked with dirty work, such as guarding criminals or secretly transporting terrorist objects.
This kind of illegal work was something that had to be done because it made a decent profit. Anyway, Se-chan did a pretty good job.
The Hamilton Cartel has never been pursued by Megacorp or any other major force. His relationship with other pirates was also good. This is because he is well versed in network management.
Continuing to do business by maintaining friendly relationships with profitable customers and relationships established in the past while in the military. He thoroughly managed those he deemed important.
Thanks to this, the Hamilton Cartel was able to safely engage in piracy while avoiding the pursuit of large powers.
Customers in Asuka 44 in the Dorane star system were also one of Sechan's main management targets. What the customer asked was very simple. Regular procurement of large numbers of slaves, luxuries and other necessities. The request itself was simple, and the compensation was very generous.
In fact, this contract with good terms has been going on for several years already. There was no better customer than this in this fierce situation.
So, whenever a transaction was made, he would visit the planet in person. I was planning on doing that this time too, but a problem arose.
Usually, you will get a reply if you contact us 3 days before arrival, but this time there was no reply. Even though I kept sending messages until yesterday, there was still no response.
"Captain, we still can't contact you."
"what? Go ahead."
"yep."
Se-chan frowned as he gave orders to his subordinates.
'What the hell is happening all of a sudden?'
We already finished talking about the transaction with them 7 days ago, and received a portion of the transaction amount as an advance deposit.
In such a situation, there is no way they would suddenly cancel the deal.
'Could it be that they made a deal with other bastards other than us?'
Recently, there was talk of a pirate with a strange name wandering around the Dorane star system. They call themselves the Shino Alliance, and I heard that their power is formidable.
'…no. If that were the case, I wouldn't have given credit in the first place.'
Moreover, the customer he met, 'S', was cautious and suspicious of everything. The odds of becoming friendly with pirates who had just appeared here were low.
'Then something is wrong.'
"Can't you still contact me?"
"yes. It appears that there is a problem with the satellite, as the signal itself is not going through."
"Are there any traces of faster-than-light sailing around?"
"Not detected."
The Dorane star system is a land without an owner. Those who stay at Asuka 44 are actually the only intelligent beings here. It would be safe to say that there was no chance of being attacked by someone in such a situation.
'It's a good thing if there's a problem with the satellite and it's being repaired.'
Just looking at it that way, the atmosphere wasn't very good. If it had been any other customer, I would have backed out right away, but the person I was dealing with was customer S.
If the contract is canceled here, it will be difficult to meet a customer like that again in the future.
"What would you like to do?"
"hmm."
The second captain standing next to the captain's seat asked him. Se-chan, who was staring at the hologram without answering, finally made a decision.
"Approach Asuka 44 and send communication once again. Even if there are no communication satellites, if you get close to the planet, a signal will be sent."
"All right."
Once the destination was set, the rocket thrusters on the sides and rear of the hull spouted fire.
As the ship moved, the hologram map changed moment by moment. The ship printed in the shape of a triangle gradually got closer to Asuka 44. No other structures are shown.
"Communication satellites are not detected. Hasn't something happened?"
"You'll find out when you get there."
"…You must move carefully."
Se-chan slightly nodded his head at the advice of his vice-captain. After about an hour, Sechan's boat arrived near Asuka 44.
"good. Try again."
"yep."
A sailor who received Se-chan's instructions attempted to communicate. If there is a communication facility on the planet, whether a ship or a structure, the signal sent by them will be received.
Everyone remained silent and watched the message 'Attempting communication' printed as a hologram.
And after a while, the message changed. "Communication has been established with the ground."
"Whew. Good. Where is it connected? The sailor in charge of communications tilted his head while operating the computer."
"Uh, well, it's connected to the ship's communications network, not the base."
"Ship communications network? No, where is the base going and do I get a call from the ship? No, more than that, why aren't you doing a video connection?"
"I'll check."
The sailor typed the message and delivered it to the other party. Then a new message was printed at the bottom of the hologram.
"Due to the abnormal activity of the supervolcano, the base collapsed and volcanic ash covered the atmosphere, causing radio interference. Please understand… What kind of bullshit is this?"
"It is certainly true that Asuka 44's volcanic activity is intense…"
"No, that's still true. I've been there and it's not at a level where it would collapse like that."
Se-chan visited Asuka 44's base several times before for business purposes. So he knew very well how strong the base was. It was at a level where it would never collapse unless a bomb exploded inside.
The message arrived again, and the sailor confirmed it.
"Currently, personnel at the base are said to be taking refuge in a safe location with the remaining ships."
"Evacuating? Activate the detection system and check if what I said is true."
"yes."
This ship is an improved version of the Edgerton family's large destroyer. As it is a ship that is actively used on the battlefield, it is on a different level from the scrap metal ships used by ordinary pirates.
The detection system is also much more high-performance. An external camera mounted outside the hull was activated and filmed the point where communication was connected.
Eventually, the results captured by the camera were transmitted as holographic images. Several ivory ships were anchored on the black ground.
Most of the exterior walls were charred black, and some showed signs of slight damage to the guns or propellers.
And in front of it were small structures that appeared to be temporarily installed.
"What is the condition? Is it because of a volcanic eruption like I said?"
"There are traces of changes in the metal structure caused by high-temperature heat."
"That area appears to be damage from a collision."
"What is the creature's reaction?"
"Response to life confirmed within a 10 km radius from the connected ship. It appears that the error occurred due to radio wave interference."
"We tried various detection systems, but other than the cameras that captured the ship and simple structure, all came out wrong."
As they said, it was clear that a problem had arisen when a supervolcano on the planet exploded. 'No, that's still true.'
Se-chan didn't understand.
These are people who dared to come and reside on a volcanic planet in this remote star system. I don't know if it's true that a few volcanoes explode and completely collapse like that.
While he was still suspicious, another message arrived.
"Captain, since the situation is like this, I will come here directly from over there and receive the goods."
"You're coming to my boat?"
"How do I do this?"
"…."
As soon as he heard those words, he was convinced. 'This chewy, something is decorating.'
Customer S has never once sent anyone to his ship. He only dealt with his base. It was suspicious to anyone that such a person would suddenly do business on the other party's ship under such circumstances.
He was silent for a moment and looked at the hologram with narrowed eyes.
"Say you'll go from here. Vice-captain. Recruit people to come down, and prepare the equipment I will use."
"It's dangerous!"
The vice-captain also felt that this situation was suspicious and tried to stop Se-chan. But he had already made up his mind. His eyes turned to the ships captured on camera.
'I don't know what kind of trick it is, but…'
As a former soldier, he knows how valuable those ships lying around are. 'The base over there has been destroyed and there are few ships. There won't be many survivors.'
In this case, it is unclear whether we will be able to continue trading in the future. In that case, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take this opportunity to end the relationship.
"From now on, the vice-captain will assume the position of temporary captain. The period is until I return."
"Captain!"
Se-chan left the command to the vice-captain and left the situation room. Customer S is a customer who has left a lot of profit to him so far.
I appreciate that, but he is a pirate. I have no intention of paying attention when I can extract more from the opponent. 'Let's keep the ships as souvenirs of the end of the deal.' Ten minutes later, a transport from Sechan's ship descended through the planet's atmosphere.
-x-X-x-
"What is the estimated time of arrival?" "Expected to be a 20-minute walk." "Make sure all life support functions are working properly. "Don't forget to check the spare oxygen capsules and medical kit." "yep!"
Inside a transport ship that landed dozens of kilometers away from its destination.
The 21 pirates checked their equipment one last time before departing.
"The wild animals that live here have fucking thick skin. So penetrating bullets and armor-piercing bullets are the basics. "Replace them all." "All right!"
The members of the Hamilton Cartel are all former Megacorp soldiers. Even before becoming a pirate, he participated in several battles. Is that why? The sight of them checking their reinforced clothing and Gauss rifles looked very familiar.
"Power, power suit activated. depart."
At the command of their leader, Strong Hamilton, 20 pirates activated the bio-helmets they wore on their heads.
This place is like a hellish planet, boiling with high heat. That's why everyone prepared special reinforced suits mainly used for battles in outer space.
The reinforced clothing worn by pirates is a new product released by the Garmelda family.
Unlike regular mid-level reinforced suits, it completely protects the entire body like a space suit. Not only defense but also strength support functions have been greatly enhanced, allowing operations to be performed even in harsh environments.
The door of the transport opened, and Se-chan got out ahead of him. Pirates wearing thick reinforced clothing followed suit.
"It's really shitty weather. "Captain." "It's like this no matter where you go on a volcanic planet. "If the helmet comes off, it will fall off, so everyone be careful."
Contrary to what he told his subordinates, Se-chan did not wear a helmet. Although he was wearing specially designed goggles, most of his face was exposed.
The air outside the transport ship was hot enough to burn the skin of an ordinary human in an instant.
However, it is thanks to his skin that he was able to appear with a bare face. His face, not protected by the goggles, was covered with leather that was as rough and hard as a rock.
Se-chan underwent a gene transfer procedure that only high-ranking members of Megacorp could receive. The scorching heat and toxic air pose no threat to him.
In fact, he casually checked the communication status.
"Vice Captain, can you hear clearly from above?" ｢Communication status is smooth. "No problem." "Okay. Then move." "yes!"
21 people armed with high-tech mechanical equipment started running.
Strangers race through a desolate land covered in fire and ash. The footprints left on the black ground quickly disappeared due to the volcanic ash blowing away with the hot wind.
Since they were running wearing reinforced suits, their speed was surprisingly fast. Every time I took a step, the massive body jumped several meters into the air.
Even while running, my eyes were constantly moving. The purpose was to check whether there were any dangerous elements nearby. Various information related to the surrounding environment was continuously displayed on the visor attached to the helmet to support the user.
｢Confirm movement 150m away at 2 o'clock!｣ ｢Confirmed by gas erupting from underground! The movement of living things is not detected." "Hey you idiot, are you out of your mind?" "I'm sorry!"
Ten minutes had passed since departure, but no dangerous elements were found.
Everyone was relieved that they didn't encounter any enemies, but it wasn't too cold.
'…Something is strange.'
Planets with extreme natural environments, such as volcanic planets, ice-type planets, and ocean-type planets, have something in common.
It is a threat not only to the environment but also to native creatures.
As befits monsters adapted to a harsh environment, their physical specifications are enormous and their belligerence is extremely high. So, Se-chan predicted that he would encounter wild animals at least once while traveling to where customer S was.
'But I didn't see any living things for 10 minutes.'
To be precise, no 'living things' were found during the move.
There was no such thing as seeing an animal moving in the distance or capturing a monster in the sky. There were no traces of predators or traces of animals wandering around.
It seemed as if no living thing lived in this area.
"Vice-captain, it's Se-chan. What happened to vital response detection?" "There are still signs of life everywhere. "I can't understand it properly because of radio interference." "What about customer S?" "I understand they will be visiting in two hours from there. "There has been no response since the communication ended." "I understand. Keep trying to detect vital signs. "If you get the right results, contact us right away."
Anxiety crept up like black smoke, but I had no intention of canceling the operation.
'Maybe I was lucky and didn't encounter any monsters.'
You may not have encountered predators by chance. Or maybe this area itself was originally uninhabited by life.
'Let's get this sorted out as quickly as possible and leave here.'
In this way, he forced himself to calm down the anxiety in his heart.
Ten more minutes after terminating communication with the second captain, they arrived at their destination.
The pirates hid behind a tall rock hill and watched the movement.
Three cult-style ships were parked haphazardly on the black ground. I already checked it above, but when I saw it in person, it was clear that it had landed in a hurry.
In front of the ships was a simple structure that appeared to be a temporary camp. The structure was in an unfinished state, so it was quite unsightly.
"As I already said, there are six people on each boat. "The remaining three search inside the temporary camp." "Yes." "We will move as quickly and quietly as possible to prevent them from reacting. Do you understand?" ｢Yes!｣ "Then let's begin."
After Sechan's words, the pirates jumped out from the rocky hill. In an instant, they entered the ships and structures they were searching for.
If there was anyone among them who was even slightly behind, they would have seen that scene.
The rocky hill that had been standing still crawled under the ground.
–
｢What the fuck?｣ ｢…What on earth are these bastards doing here?｣
The pirates in charge of searching the simple structure were embarrassed.
The inside of the structure was a mess beyond imagination.
It's not because of the wires, cables, and large pieces of metal littering the floor.
What caught them off guard was the ceiling. Animal skins were hanging from the ceiling.
"Let's take a look and see what kind of psychopath created something like this."
The pirates activated the infrared vision on their helmet visors. After confirming that I could clearly see the inside of the dark facility, I walked inside.
"Nimi, one of the floors is so dirty." "It must be because of the blood that fell from above."
The floor of the facility was filled with sticky liquid, probably because the blood that had fallen from the hanging flesh had hardened. The pirates cursed at the discomfort they felt every time they walked.
"There may be information left on the computer. "I'll check it out."
One of the pirates entered the facility to inspect a computer. The remaining two looked at the pieces of meat hanging from the ceiling.
｢Did you bring it while cleaning up the surroundings?｣ ｢For some reason, no one could be seen on the way, so it was all taken down.｣ ｢This looks like Lavalaptor leather. It was peeled off very cleanly." "Captain, I heard that customer S once requested transport of a rare creature." "Really?"
The being who created this facility seemed to have decent workmanship, despite having a bizarre sensibility. This is because there were almost no scratches on the peeled leather.
While I was looking around, something unusual caught my eye.
"Hey, look at this. Doesn't this corpse look like a person?" "Look at it." "For a moment, I thought it was real and was shocked." "That's right. This part is the arm, and this part is the chest…"
The two people who were looking at the mysterious leather gradually became less talkative.
｢Hey, is this really possible?｣ ｢Fucking crazy….｣
Although there was no head part, they quickly recognized who the skin belonged to.
And now I see that there are more than one leather similar to that.
"The blood hasn't hardened yet. It hasn't been long since I took it off." "What on earth are these bastards doing?" "It's dangerous out here, so let's get out."
But contrary to what they said, the two could not leave right away.
A colleague went inside to check the computer. Even when I tried to contact him through the communicator, there was no answer.
"what. "Where did this guy go?" "Hey?" Answer me."
All I could hear on the other end of the communicator was silence.
They ran to the spot where their colleague was before he disappeared. Only the computer pad used by a colleague remained in its place.
The size of this facility is not very large. If one of the three disappears, there is no way for the remaining two to know.
There is someone else in here besides them.
Recognizing that fact, the two tightened their grip on the Gauss rifle and guarded their surroundings.
"Captain, the situation here is very shitty. We have to retreat quickly…Captain?」 ｢Chijijijijijik｣ ｢Damn it! Hey, try contacting the ship." "Wrong. "This one is working too."
Since they were both soldiers, they knew very well how bad the situation was. They turned their backs to each other and slowly moved towards the entrance.
While passing by the corpse skins hanging from the ceiling, something foreign caught the pirate's eyes.
A human female head lay in a pile of metal fragments. You might wonder if there were a lot of human heads in this place full of corpses, but all the skins here were headless.
Therefore, the head lying alone could not help but be more noticeable. This is especially true if it is the head of a beautiful woman who is presumed to have been quite beautiful when she was alive.
'Fuck, what kind of crazy bastard would do something like this…'
The woman's head even had its eyes wide open. It was very eerie because it looked as if it was alive.
At that time, I thought pirates were a bad thing.
The woman's eyes moved.
"uh?"
Eyes that move slowly as if a camera is turning. When the pirate saw that, he felt the back of his neck becoming wet.
Then the pile of metal began to move. The pirate's head gradually moved upward as it met the woman's eyes.
I thought I had placed the severed head on a metal pile, but I was mistaken.
'It' was a giant spider with the head of a human woman.
"Where are you going?"
'It', which felt no emotions, grotesquely bent its neck and looked down at the pirates.
The moment they saw their comrade in the guy's hands, they vaguely understood.
Why is there only leather hanging from the ceiling?
However, the pirates, overwhelmed by the sight beyond common sense, were unable to move.
"I needed more muscles and bones to tone my body, and you came to the right place."
A moment later, a scream came from outside the mysterious structure.
The victims' deaths were soon buried in the fierce heat.
-x-X-x-
｢Did you just hear that?｣ ｢What?｣ ｢I think I heard a scream outside.｣ ｢What bullshit. "It's just quiet."
Heavy footsteps and voices echoed in the quiet hallways of the ship.
They were pirates who came in to take control of the ship under Se-chan's orders.
"By the way, is there no one on this ship?" "If you see the life support system and cameras working, it means that someone is taking care of it."
One pirate pointed to the wall. As expected from a cult-style ship, the hallways were full of geometric patterns. Among the numerous patterns, only the part the pirate pointed to was shining slightly. This meant that the surveillance camera in the hallway was operating.
"So you're saying they're filming us? But why are you still?" "I guess I'll have to go to the situation room to find out."
Since infiltrating the ship, I have not encountered any living creatures. If you check the computer in the situation room, you will quickly find out where the survivors have gone.
The six pirates started moving again. A dull metallic sound as I walked broke the silence in the hallway.
"You mean this ship will soon be ours?" "Don't you know the captain's personality? Most likely, they will sell it to other pirates." "Tsk, that's a shame." The cult style ship was also very sexy. Although the performance is poor." "What about the new warship introduced by Edgerton in this civil war…"
As they were chatting and moving around, the pirate in the lead suddenly raised his right arm. At the hand signal to stop, all the pirates stood in place.
｢Did you hear that?｣ ｢Shit, what else?｣
The veteran pirate became irritated, asking if this was the beginning again. However, the lead pirate reacted differently than before.
｢Please listen for a moment!｣ ｢I can't hear anything, so what else should I listen to….｣
The veteran pirate who was grumbling closed his mouth. Because I really heard something.
All six people closed their mouths and listened.
At first, I thought it was the sound of the wind blowing outside the ship. You can hear the sound of intense heat waves raging across the planet.
But no. That sound, faint but clearly audible, was much more terrifying than that.
｢…this is crazy.｣
It was the sound of a baby crying.
｢Is what I heard correct?｣ ｢Fuck, why is the baby crying here….｣
The pirates of the Hamilton Cartel are veterans of numerous battles. Of course, I saw all kinds of terrible scenes.
However, this was the first time I encountered a situation like this where a baby could be heard crying in an empty ship hallway.
"…There's no way there's a baby in a place like this. Someone must have played a recording." "Really?" "So, let's catch the crazy pervert who is doing this shit first."
At the words of the senior pirate, the other five barely calmed down and nodded.
The pirates walked towards the source of the sound in a tense state.
The hallway that had been described as beautiful just moments ago now felt eerie. Patterns tangled on the ceiling and walls, noises every time you walk and the baby's voice. There was nothing ominous about it.
I passed through several areas without encountering anyone. It was clearly moving in the direction the voice was heading, but it still sounded the same.
Not only that, but the pitch and pronunciation of the cries were different every time, so no matter how much I listened to them, it didn't feel like they were recorded.
That voice was not recorded.
Everyone here thought so, but no one said it out loud.
The strange journey soon ended. A door with a luxurious pattern was blocking them.
｢This is the last one.｣ ｢Restaurant?｣ ｢It's probably in here. "Open." "Yep."
The pirate in the lead connected the mechanical device on his forearm to the terminal next to the door. As I was preparing to open the door with hacking, I heard a voice from inside again.
"are you okay?" "Please help me… I don't want to die." "hi." "I'm hungry. Let's eat."
In addition to the cries of children, the voices of men, women, the elderly, and several other human beings could be clearly heard. Just counting the voices that can be heard, there are at least 10 people inside.
"I wondered where everyone had gone." "Fuck, it's all gone."
Only then did the pirates feel relieved and show their fighting spirit. My body, damp with cold sweat, became excited with anticipation of the upcoming murder.
Soon, the door to the dining car opened. The six people jumped inside with Gauss rifles pointed forward.
The inside of the restaurant was not in good condition. Most of the tables were overturned, and the lights here and there were broken and blinking.
｢If you see anything, shoot right away.｣ ｢Yes!｣ "Wow, really?" "come fast." "Hey, there. If you have a cigarette, give it a try." "are you okay?"
The owners of the voices were still conversing peacefully.
They seemed to have no idea how much danger they were in.
The pirates moved in perfect order under the frantically blinking lights. After passing the fallen table, they reached a place in front of the freezer in the kitchen.
"I'm starving." "It's here. here." "What is this?" "Ha ha ha ha ha!" "Get ready."
While the five people were aiming with their guns, the pirate in the lead grabbed the doorknob. And opened the door wide.
"what? "There isn't one, right?"
The freezer with the light off was empty. Not only were there no ingredients, but no people were visible.
"hey! Above your head!"
When the pirate who opened the door was taken aback, the senior pirate behind him urgently shouted. Before he could react, something pink wrapped around his upper body.
"uh?"
After saying a short word, the pirate's body disappeared into the darkness. And tentacles that looked exactly like the ones I had just seen popped out of the freezer.
｢W-What is that?!｣｣ ｢Everyone shooting… ugh?!｣ ｢Sa, help me! Tduduk" ｢Kwaaaa…chijijijik｣
The panicked pirates tried to open fire, but the tentacles were faster. Tentacles the size of adult male thighs grabbed the pirates one by one and dragged them into the freezer.
"Fuck you!"
While his colleagues were being slaughtered, the veteran pirate quickly escaped from the kitchen and ran towards the wide open restaurant door.
It was clear that everyone on this ship had been attacked by that monster. This fact must be conveyed to everyone.
Just as he thought that and was about to leave the restaurant, his legs stopped.
"What the hell?!" "Why is this like this?"
No matter how much strength I put on my legs, they wouldn't move. Not only my legs but my entire body became as if turned to stone.
As he struggled to escape from the unknown force, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"I guess I'll have to go to the situation room to find out." "This ship will soon be ours, right?" "Where?" "I. What is that." "buy. help me."
The old pirate realized that his voice was included in the chattering of countless people. Not only that, but also the voices of my colleagues.
The being that bound him with intangible power slowly approached from behind. Pink tentacles wrapped around his arms and legs.
In the face of this overwhelming presence, there was only one thing he could do.
"Gotcha."
It was silence.
–
"There are no records?" "yes. "There are no records left, as if someone came and erased them." "What about communication records? "You sent a message 20 minutes ago?" "When I checked, it was also completely blown away."
Immediately after infiltrating the ship, Se-chan went straight to the situation room and could not help but be embarrassed by the unexpected situation.
'What's going on?'
There is not even a single person visible on the ship, and communication records from just a few dozen minutes ago have been erased. I couldn't understand what Customer S was thinking.
'trap? In that case, it should have already been attacked.' ｢Who are you!｣
At that time, one of his subordinates shouted loudly. Se-chan and the other pirates also reacted and urgently raised their weapons.
"I saw a shadow moving in the hallway." "It must be a person." "I will chase after you."
There was nothing more to be gained from the situation room. Se-chan and the pirates got out. Just as the subordinate said, a human with scattered hair was seen running away.
"Don't kill them, capture them alive." "yes!"
Currently, all of them are wearing reinforced clothing. It was very easy to catch an unarmed survivor.
A moment later, the fugitive knelt in front of Se-chan.
"There is no use running away. "As you know, the atmosphere here is not at a level where you can go out bare-handed." "…." "Where are all your colleagues?" "…."
The fugitive did not react to Se-chan's words. All I could do was just stare at his face.
Then the pirate behind him stepped on his thigh.
"Keuuuu?!" "Isn't this fucking bastard answering?" "Stop."
An opponent struggling in pain. Se-chan stopped him just before his leg broke. The fugitive heaved a sigh of relief as his subordinate put his foot away.
"I'll ask you one last question. "Where are your colleagues and superiors?" "Are you their leader?" ｢You bastard, you answer questions with questions?｣ "Quiet. "My name is Sechan Hamilton, and I am the leader of the Hamilton Cartel who has come to do business with you guys."
The fugitive who heard his words opened his eyes wide.
"Is it really Se-chan?" "okay." "…If you are the one I serve, it is below. "Please follow me."
After saying that, the fugitive staggered to his feet. When his subordinate tried to subdue him, Se-chan raised his hand to stop him.
By looking at the fugitive's movements, one could tell what condition the people hiding on this ship were in.
The tanned clothes, slanted face, and skinny body could never have been created artificially. Customer S and his companions must be seen as being on the verge of death.
If he wants to survive, he must get help from the Hamilton Cartel, whether he likes it or not.
"I will follow him."
Se-chan and his group moved under the guidance of the fugitive.
The fugitive, who was walking with a limp, stopped in front of the cargo bay. When he opened the door, a thick darkness with not a single glimmer of light greeted the visitor from outside.
"Are you in here?" "no. He is down there." "under?"
The fugitive did not answer and walked away. The pirates also activated their infrared surveillance sights and followed suit.
"?!" "Captain, is this…?"
As soon as they entered, the pirates immediately realized that the cargo hold was not normal.
Everything inside, including cargo, containers, ceilings, and walls, was covered in strange slime. And except for the area near the entrance, the entire floor disappeared. There was a large pit where the bottom of the ship had been.
A pit that appears to be made of the same material as the slime that covers everything. It was so deep that I couldn't see the end.
"What is all this?" "It is His creation." "You've been saying it's him since a while ago. His name is Salman, right?" "If you want to know the name, please ask directly." "what?" The moment Se-chan asked, the space where they were standing shook violently.
It's not an earthquake. Something very large is moving inside the pit.
Something scary beyond his imagination is happening on this planet.
'This situation is not normal!'
Feeling a shiver run down his spine, Se-chan hurriedly connected the communication.
"Vice captain! It's blustery here! Come here right now…." ｢Captain, crackle, crackle, monster, crackle, invade the ship, crackle, we all die, crackle, ahhh!｣ "Vice-captain? Vice captain! "Holy shit!" "Captain, I can't contact the others either!"
Likewise, his subordinates who attempted to communicate with other colleagues also shouted in trembling voices. Se-chan gritted his teeth and grabbed the fugitive by the collar.
"You damn bastard! "What on earth have you done!" "I serve a great man. He wants your wisdom." "Crazy guy!"
Se-chan hit the fugitive hard with his fist. Because of the strengthened fist, the opponent's face was crushed. The body, with its face smashed, stumbled and fell into the pit.
'We have to get out of here right now!'
There are still men left on other ships to search, but there is no time to take care of them. If there is a problem with the ship, it is truly the end. We must return to the transport ship as quickly as possible.
"Leave here immediately and jump to the transport ship!"
Se-chan ordered, but his men did not move. They were staring blankly in the direction of the strong wind.
"You guys, are you out of your mind?" "Ha, Captain. Behind…" "What?"
The subordinate pointed behind him with a trembling hand.
Se-chan turned his head and could see why his men could not move.
Behind him, there was a 'thing' of enormous size.
｢Geuggeuggu｣ "…."
The being stuck out its long neck from the pit and moved its jaw to lightly swallow the corpse that had fallen earlier. Even after seeing that, Se-chan and the pirates couldn't move.
No matter how genetically modified or equipped with very strong weapons and reinforced clothing, the being in front of me could not be defeated. No matter how strong the human body becomes, it cannot walk on the stars.
The same goes for the being in front of them. 'It' was something that far surpassed human understanding.
"You are the carrier."
The voice of a just-dead fugitive flowed from 'it"s mouth.
"I hope what's in your brain is useful."
Only then did Se-chan understand what the words he said before his death meant.
He will not die.
At that fact, I could only open my mouth and shed tears.
-x-X-x-