"Amorph? What's wrong?"
I was dazed, but snapped out of it when I heard Isabel's voice.
"Is something the matter?"
"…That person, Kisaragi Yujin, are they a Ranker by any chance?"
Both of them seemed surprised to find me just staring blankly at the hologram. I shook my head.
"No. It's just, seeing that name after such a long time was unexpected."
I hadn't thought I'd encounter it here, at the underground base in Edgerton, so I was just momentarily taken aback.
"Kisaragi Yujin. Born on Earth, a Nobel Capital, and an authority in genetic engineering. She has experience participating in projects related to Hulk Mutants and artificial organism creation."
"You know someone like that? How?"
Now that I thought about it, neither of them knows about my past.
'There's not really a reason to hide it.'
Given the circumstances, the chance that the Screamer mutant sisters would become hostile to me and leave is extremely low. It should be fine to talk about what I've been through.
I briefly explained what happened: how I woke up from stasis aboard a megacorp spaceship as a hatchling, met Number 26, Kisaragi Yujin's death, and the battles with the Spacedog swarm and Si-Hyun Yujin.
I didn't mention anything afterward since it wasn't relevant to the current situation. There would be plenty of opportunities to talk about it later anyway.
"I figured you might have eaten people before, but to think you devoured a Nobel Capital right after hatching…"
Having heard the whole story, Isabel shook her head in disbelief.
"Should've expected it. Incredible ability to adapt."
"The strategies exploiting the weaknesses of androids and AIs were rather fascinating. Would you elaborate with a detailed explanation?"
"I'll tell you the details later. Right now, I want to check the experimental records, if that's alright?"
"Understood."
PS-111 blinked its camera lens eyes in disappointment but didn't push any further.
As it manipulated the computer, the letter-filled hologram flickered to show a video from the experiments.
｢This is Kisaragi Yujin. I am preparing to present my research on 'Inducing Radical Evolution through Extraction of the Genetic Mutation Potential in Marine Life.'｣
There was some noise and the video quality wasn't great, but the woman's face was still recognizable: a sharp-featured beauty, Kisaragi Yujin herself.
'That background looks familiar?'
She continued speaking in a businesslike tone. Looking at the background, I realized it was a place I'd seen before.
'It's the room where I ate the pet cat.'
Given the video quality and the fact that marine bubble amoeba experiments were being discussed, this must have been recorded aboard the ship where I first woke up not long after I'd met Number 26.
｢Currently, I'm using the primitive marine organism, bubble amoeba, as a specimen to promote radical evolution…｣
The video was soon filled with a series of graphs and figures, appearing and disappearing rapidly results from experimental work on the bubble amoeba. I supposed Number 26 was among those specimens.
｢As you can see, the only specimen showing significant results was number 26. Thus, further research was narrowed to focus solely on this specimen.｣
"Is 'number 26' a reference to the main controller?"
"Probably. The containment cell it was in was labeled as number 26."
"So that's why it's named number 26? They could've given it a better name."
Honestly, back then I never thought things would turn out like this. I only let it out because I judged it would increase my chances of survival. There was even a moment when I considered eating it myself.
In the end, I missed my opportunity to give it a different name.
'…It feels awkward to change it now.'
I glanced at Number 26. The subject in question was sound asleep, soaking in warmth from the storage unit.
The name 'Number 26' carries the weight of everything we've been through together. Maybe that's why, but I don't feel right about replacing it.
'It's just my own sentimentality, isn't it?'
Not something worth saying out loud, so I didn't respond to Isabel's comment.
"..."
She, who'd been looking at me, soon turned her eyes to the hologram.
｢Though specimen 26 has shown 'remarkable achievements,' unfortunately our research team currently suffers from a shortage of experimental specimens. Additional time will be needed to produce further results…｣
The video was nearing its end.
'Well, that ended anticlimactically.'
Hearing a familiar name in an unfamiliar place, I'd hoped there might be a clue to something important, but that seems not to be the case.
'Did the research stop because I devoured her?'
Possibly. If I hadn't, maybe she would've sent Number 26 here or worked on other projects.
Then, Kisaragi Yujin said something strange.
｢However, considering the results so far, it appears specimen 26 fits your research team's definition of an 'Abnormal Superior Species, PS Model.'｣
'Huh?'
｢It displays abnormal reactions to psionium, unusual growth curves, and superior adaptability to its environment all traits aligning with the PS Model. For precise comparison, I propose joint research with Edgerton's team…｣
Soon after, the video ended.
I'd expected an ordinary ending, but the final term caught me off guard. I called PS-111.
"Search the stored records for 'Abnormal Superior Species' and 'PS Model'."
"Already searching."
"PS? Do you think it's related to your sister?"
"Most likely."
The term, 'Abnormal Superior Species, PS Model,' mentioned in the video, undoubtedly refers to PS-111's original, Penelope.
'This lab participated in the Screamers' development.'
No wonder it was hidden beneath the sea on a resort planet. Who would imagine there'd be a Screamer cloning facility for Rankers stashed away in a place like this?
It was only by coincidence, with several improbable factors aligned, that I made it here at all. Otherwise, I'd never have found it.
'Anyway, that aside…'
The word I hadn't expected to hear in this video was:
'Abnormal Superior Species.'
I've scoured dozens of research institutes and databases until now, and I've never come across that term.
'It seems this world's researchers use it to refer to Ranker clones.'
What's surprising is that Number 26, who isn't a Ranker, was also labeled an Abnormal Superior Species.
'Could it be because Number 26 possesses sea demon genes?'
PS-111's body contains a small amount of sea demon genetic material. That's why Number 26 calls it a friend.
Kisaragi Yujin may have accidentally discovered this fact during her research and misunderstood it.
'Or maybe there's something I don't know.'
Even I don't fully understand what makes it special.
At first, I thought Number 26 was just a bubble amoeba with the potential to grow into a sea demon. And that was true, to some extent.
But now, looking at Number 26, it's very different from an ordinary sea demon. It's much smarter and stronger. Above all, it continues to grow beyond the limits of its species,
Almost like a player.
"I found it. A total of 32 records have been located."
While I was contemplating this new term and Number 26, PS-111 spoke up.
The hologram filled with letters and numbers vanished, replaced by dozens of listings occupying the empty space.
When I saw it, I couldn't help but feel disappointed.
"However, there is a problem. All these records have been marked as deleted."
True to its words, only the titles and dates of the experiments remained. Unlike the records left by Kisaragi Yujin, these were marked in red, indicating they were inaccessible.
"Is there any chance to recover them?"
"They were deleted by physical methods. Recovery is impossible."
'Damn.'
Though spoken in its usual dry tone, I sensed a faint hint of disappointment.
PS-111 was the one who suggested coming here. We came to uncover the secrets left by Pyra Eleven, so this must be frustrating.
'No. It's too soon to give up.'
If Kisaragi Yujin's footage mentioned clues midway through the experiments, then some leads might still exist.
I conveyed my thoughts to the machine.
"That's definitely a possibility. I'll check once more."
"If you try to verify everything on your own, it will take a long time. I'll help too."
Even for PS-111, it would take a while to comb through all the records. Before Isabel and the others helped, I had some things to do first.
"Where are the samples stored?"
"There's a freezer at the end of the C line. Although the facility has been shut down, it appears to still be operational. We assume genetic samples are stored there."
"Got it. I'll deal with the samples first, then help you."
"We appreciate both of your dedication."
Leaving PS-111 to express its gratitude, I stepped outside the data center.
'Since this is the F line, maybe I should head left to get out.'
I moved back down the corridor opposite the way I'd come. Not long after entering a hallway marked with a C, I spotted a door that wasn't patched up.
Opening it, a cool breeze greeted me.
'It's been a while since I last saw this.'
Test tubes containing biological parts and a freezer holding genetic samples chilled with cold air. All things I liked.
Standing before the evidence that would fatten me up, I smiled.
***
In the starless void, deep in the heart of space.
A place nestled between star systems, like a gap in the cosmos, where only the occasional spacecraft piloted by intelligent beings wanders.
But now, the five presences in this empty expanse are not ships.
｢Rrrr. The waiting drags on.｣
A massive, nearly 100-meter-long red monster, resembling a giant pill bug, emits resonant waves. Next to it, a monster shaped like a black bat answers the signal.
｢The Mother has commanded. We must wait. We must obey.｣
｢Krrk! I am strong. No need to wait.｣
｢We agree.｣
Annoyed, the red monster grumbles, while a white, semi-transparent monster affirms quietly.
On the other hand, the blue-yellow jellyfish-like monster watching the conversation disagrees.
｢The Empress instructed us. There are too many variables. We must ensure the safety of the Grand Queen.｣
The four monsters gathered in this place are all powerful creations, forged by the one known as the Empress.
Different appearances, abilities, and personalities, but with one common trait: high intelligence, autonomy, and immense power.
They exist for a single purpose: to serve and protect the Empress' beloved, the Grand Queen.
However, perhaps because of their intellect, even with one goal, their opinions sometimes differ as now.
The red monster, growling at its siblings who didn't share its view, shifts its gaze elsewhere.
Where it looks, a unique figure floats a being much smaller than the four monsters, looking like a beautiful human woman with features of various other creatures blended in.
｢Rrrr. Grand Queen, what do you think?｣
This appearance neither wholly human nor entirely monstrous belongs to me, the Outspace Grand Queen.
｢....｣
Endowed with both overwhelming power and astonishing beauty, She stared at her terminal screen in boredom.
｢Grand Queen?｣
｢Tsk. This show is boring too.｣
She clicked her tongue and threw the device away.
｢Right. What were we talking about again?｣
｢We must obey the Mother's command.｣
｢We disagree.｣
｢The Empress said to move cautiously.｣
｢Rrrr. I ignore the cowards. We attack now.｣
｢Alright, I get it, enough.｣
She raised her hand and silenced the monsters, drifting quietly through the void, pondering.
｢How many Gigacrackers are out there?｣
｢Krrk. Displeasing steel ones. There were two.｣
｢Well, I can handle up to three of them by myself, so even if reinforcements arrive it shouldn't matter. Nothing wrong with moving forward, right?｣
As she seems to agree with the red monster, the blue-yellow jellyfish hastily sends out its signal.
｢I respect the Grand Queen's decision. However, caution is needed.｣
｢I've thought it through. There are so many places still to subdue if I wait around forever, it won't help her the Empress. Gotta get this over with quickly.｣
｢The uncertainty the Empress worries about has not been resolved.｣
｢Even if you call it uncertainty, it's just a few parasites getting killed. They'll be back to normal in a day or so, anyway.｣
｢I request you reconsider. The Empress' will…｣
｢Ugh, enough. Quiet.｣
When they keep objecting, her patience runs dry. Her eyes glint pitch black, and not just the jellyfish but all the others let out cries and cower.
｢My will is the Empress' will. Do I need to explain this again?｣
｢The Grand Queen is the Mother's beloved. I will obey your will.｣
｢We follow.｣
｢Rrrr. Grand Queen is strong. I submit to the strong.｣
｢We'll wait one more day, and if she says nothing, we move. Understood?｣
｢…We obey the Grand Queen.｣
Having cowed the monsters into submission, She turned her gaze to the dark universe.
Beyond the veil of deep shadow lies the prey her monsters crave.
Humans call that star system NEO-3.
｢We've already scouted once. Nothing big will have changed since then, right?｣
She is certain NEO-3 will soon join the many conquests of our legion.
And that's something she does not doubt.
——————
｢Grrrk.｣
The left head purred in contentment, apparently pleased from being full. The right head flicked its tongue, also showing satisfaction.
The freezer, which had been intact when I entered, was now half-destroyed.
'I really shouldn't use my Hunting Form in confined buildings.'
I thought I had more space, but I was wrong. With my body suddenly expanding, the whole freezer nearly collapsed.
Anywhere else, it wouldn't matter, but this place lies tens of kilometers beneath the ocean. If the facility were to collapse and seawater rushed in, all the samples would be lost at the bottom.
'Good thing the facility is sturdy.'
Despite the unexpected mishap, I managed to secure the genetic samples without much trouble.
'There was a surprising variety of samples, too.'
Normally, bioweapons like Hulk Mutants and Screamers are made for very specific purposes: what missions they'll perform, what kind of enemies they face, and so on.
The Screamers created from Rankers are no different. For example, PS-111 was developed as a command unit, and the Psychic Screamer I fought against with Akira Yujin played a specific operational role. You inject and fuse the optimal genes to match the intended role that's the foundation of bioweapon design.
But here, there was a mix of rare genetic samples one hardly ever sees, as well as offbeat, seldom-used organisms. Especially with the latter group, it was mostly prey-type marine species with group behavior.
'No wonder the experiment footage for Number 26 was here.'
Looking at the marine life samples, they ranged from bottom-feeders like bubble amoeba up to deadly types like Pale Masks and Dreadhydras.
It's obvious the goal must have been to create an aquatic-specialized Screamer.
'The real question is, why make a Screamer like that…?'
In a spacefaring game, being good at underwater activities isn't much of an advantage. If you need to explore the ocean, using a submersible or advanced mechanical equipment is much cheaper and more efficient.
'Is there some other intention I'm unaware of?'
To answer that, I'll need to check the experimental records PS-111 and Isabel are reviewing.
'Well, whatever their goal was, I've ended up with a lot of useful traits because of it.'
I checked the textbox.
｢④ Special Defense: Resistance, Disease Immunity, Complete Immunity, Psychic Defense, Stealth Maneuvering (Limited), Gamma Ray Resistance, Hell's Mirage, Aquatic Adaptation (Limited), Corrosion Shelter (New!), Bio-Mirror (New!) (Limited)
-Special Defense Fusion Traits: Camouflage, Refractive Carapace (Limited), Fortification, Feedback (New!), Accelerated Cognition (New!)
...
⑨ Warp Related: Warp Sensitivity (New!), Blink Bomb (New!)｣
Starting with the "type" category, I'd made significant progress.
Most notably, the special defense enhancement type that had been stuck for so long was now almost complete. With just one more trait, I'd be able to fully unlock a new type.
'A bit disappointing I didn't finish it this time…'
Of the new special defense traits acquired here, two were especially notable:
'Corrosion Shelter and Feedback. I used both quite a bit in the game.'
First, Corrosion Shelter is a countermeasure trait specifically for Vortex Ones. There are certain Vortex Ones you simply must have this trait to fight it's so essential, you can't even engage them without it.
But against enemies other than Vortex Ones, it has no effect at all. Still, I intend to hunt them eventually, so it's worth obtaining in advance.
'Getting Feedback is also a plus.'
It's a fusion trait made from the pre-existing 'Pain Reduction'.
Feedback activates under the same conditions as Pain Reduction when I take massive damage in a short time. When active, it allows me to ignore damage from enemy attacks for a set duration. Unless it's a fatal, single-strike attack, my HP doesn't decrease at all.
'To be precise, the damage gets deferred and delivered in a burst later.'
Once Feedback ends, all the accumulated damage during its effect gets applied in several waves, though the total damage is reduced to around two-thirds of what it would have been.
'It's a useful trait, if I can manage the timing well.'
Moreover, here I can feel the pain vividly. Being able to ignore pain at a critical moment and keep fighting is hugely beneficial.
Corrosion Shelter and Feedback these two can certainly be considered valuable traits. On the other hand, 'Bio-Mirror' and 'Accelerated Cognition' are, honestly, almost useless. Bio-Mirror performs poorly and is further limited by the 'Warped Abomination' trait. Accelerated Cognition doesn't even suit Amorph, since it already has superb auxiliary organs.
'I should just treat these as padding for my trait count.'
With special defense almost completed, I've now unlocked information about a brand-new type:
The Warp Enhancement type.
'I never thought I'd get this here.'
As its name suggests, traits in this type are closely tied to the silver raiders who roam the cosmos. When you hunt higher-tier Metallic Gremlins, you can acquire Warp-type traits.
Judging by the conditions, it seems easy, but it's not. Even in large packs, higher-tier Metallic Gremlins are extremely rare. Actually acquiring this type is no small feat.
'Now that I think about it, Jason once killed a Metallic Gremlin Ranker, didn't he?'
I suspect that the samples kept here might be trophies harvested from Ranker hunts.
'Well, that's at least one weight off my mind.'
Warp-type traits are typically highly useful. Since they relate to faster-than-light travel, they help out in all sorts of situations.
Take 'Warp Sensitivity' as an example. It serves much like a warpship's warp finder, making it easy to track ships traveling at superluminal speeds.
'It also comes with a bonus: my body color shifts.'
Now, the secondary organs beneath my jaws and at the end of my snout are shaded silver, due to the active Warp Sensitivity.
In-game, it was a great special effect, contrasting with Amorph's dark carapace. But right now, thanks to 'Sinister Mimic', my entire body has turned white so unless you look closely, the effect is nearly invisible.
Next up is 'Blink Bomb', a trait that doesn't show any external change.
'More precisely, the change is internal.'
Now, inside my throat, branching in three directions, is a new organ resembling a pouch. If I consume hard, metal-like substances, part of them is stored inside these pouches. They're then expelled outside when needed.
It's the same mechanism as a standard breath weapon, but Blink Bomb has a crucial difference:
It's fired in short, pseudo-superluminal jumps. The stored metals are dispersed in an instant from the throat-pouches the moment the nervous system issues the command.
'If only I could aim them more precisely.'
With Blink Bomb, the projectiles erupt randomly within my perceptual range. Once used, all stored metal is expended and has to be replenished. To actually damage a target, you have to worry about variables like distance and aim.
In short, it's like a low-tier version of the powerful 'Star Coordinates' trait.
'Still, better to have it than not.'
That concludes the new warp-related traits.
Between special defense, warp, and more, I've obtained a lot of new traits and now the textbox is even more convoluted because of it.
Most samples I ate here came from rare, exotic creatures not easily found elsewhere. Thanks to that, some unique trait synthesis recipes have opened up that I never imagined possible.
｢'Transcendence' Ingredient List: Inorganic Digestion, Reaper's Maw, Bone Beast, Infernal Illusions, Ultra Control｣
｢'Transcendence' Ingredient List (New!): Parasitic Humanoid Host, Hive Parasite, Predatory Nest, Zombie Fly, Horror Stalker｣
The unique traits made with the transcendence system always need a specific mix of ingredients. I'm always anxious about what I might get, but this time there's less uncertainty.
'Is this a unique trait related to summons?'
Each required trait for the newly unlocked recipe is a different type, but they all have something in common
They're all fusion traits that create and control minions from inside my body, a summoning ability, put simply.
For a lone survivor like Amorph, summoning is at best a supplemental strategy; it's hard to use solo, and usually it just supports main traits.
But a unique trait is another matter. Every transcendent trait I've created so far has had fearsome performance. If I could get a unique summoning trait, it'd be a huge help.
'The only problem is the materials…'
Some of the ingredients required are traits I use all the time, such as 'Parasitic Faceworm Host' and 'Hive Parasite'. It's risky to use up traits I rely on.
'…Sure, I can reacquire most traits, but there's a real issue.'
Namely: if the gene information stored in the Parasitic Faceworm Host disappears, I might lose it forever.
Every Ranker I've ever devoured resides inside me as a parasite; I've often exploited the info they retained while fighting the Domination Faction and the Returnees.
'If I lose the trait, I lose that method of extracting info.'
Unless the new trait replicates the gene storage function of Parasitic Faceworm Host.
Of course, there's a chance the function will carry over.
From the transcendent traits I've synthesized before, the new unique trait will sometimes inherit functions of the materials. If that happens, I'll probably retain the gene library too.
'Though honestly, that's probably just wishful thinking.'
This world has betrayed my expectations before, sometimes the resulting trait turns out to have nothing to do with summons at all. The odds are about fifty-fifty that it'll turn out as I hope.
'Just like that previous recipe I unlocked the dilemma repeats.'
The last one, 'Reaper's Maw', is still unsynthesized because I haven't replenished its materials.
This case is similar; it's not easy to just use up rare traits for synthesis.
'…But I can't keep putting things off forever.'
I currently have a total of ten unique space monster traits. Completing two more means reaching twelve, which would advance my type to tier three. The rewards from such an advancement far outweigh any potential loss.
'And really, there's no better time for synthesis than now.'
This star system will soon face another Outspacer invasion. The Fourth Seat doesn't know I'm at NEO-3, so the invaders are likely to include creatures or queens made with rare genes.
That makes this a perfect window to synthesize a new unique trait, and then, if I lose any by doing so, simply devour the Outspacer army to reclaim them.
In fact, that was my entire reason for coming to NEO-3 in the first place.
What's the most optimal course of action?
After considerable deliberation, I made my decision.
——————
'Let's start by merging that synthesis formula I unlocked a while ago.'
After much deliberation, The Amorph settled on combining the synthesis formula obtained in the past first.
There were two reasons for this.
The "Jaw of the Reaper," which is a material for the "Reaper's Maw," can only be harvested from Outspacer queen-class entities or beings above the Amorph proto-form. The difficulty of obtaining it is extremely high, which is why the synthesis had been put off until now.
But conveniently, the system NEO-3, where The Amorph currently was, was about to face an invasion by the Outspacer legion. Before long, the Outspacer forces would descend.
'If I take down a queen-class entity mixed in with the invaders, I can get one.'
And if the Symbol of the Hunt is used, reclaiming the Reaper's Jaw wouldn't be an issue.
The second reason was to break the seal that had arisen because of the "Twisted Abomination."
After obtaining the Warped Abomination, The Amorph had become unable to use certain physical traits. Humanoid Parasite was among them. Because of this, the knowledge and information the Amorph had gained from devoured rankers were also sealed off.
'I need to extract all the information before using them as material.'
To do that, the seal must be removed.
So far, whenever The Amorph used the Transcendence System to create a new unique trait, its body went through a reconfiguration process. The plan was to take advantage of this step.
'Maybe the seal will be released while my body is transformed.'
There was no telling how things would go, but it was worth attempting.
With a rough plan set, The Amorph moved a tentacle and sent a wave toward the data room.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Wait, I have something to say)]
Moments later, the freezer's speaker activated, and a familiar female voice came through.
｢Big sister's busy analyzing footage right now. What is it?｣
It wasn't PS-111 responding to the wave, it was Isabel.
The Amorph briefly explained its thoughts and plan.
｢You're after a new trait, huh. Then you're going to enter a cocoon, just like last time?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Yeah. I should handle this while there's no special threat.)]
｢Didn't you just say you'd help big sister earlier?｣
She was right. As she pointed out, The Amorph had originally planned to help PS-111 after consuming everything.
'…It's true there's no urgent need to synthesize right away.'
The deep-sea base was under the control of PS-111 and the gremlin moss. It would take the former master of the base, Edgerton, at least a few days to notice. The same went for the Outspacer invasion.
Helping check the records first, before going into the cocoon, wouldn't really be a problem. The Amorph was about to send out another wave, but Isabel's voice cut in first.
｢Just kidding. I'll help big sister myself. Amorph, you go ahead as planned.｣
[ZZ ZZZ (Are you sure?)]
｢Yeah. There's nothing more important than you getting stronger. Oh, also…｣
As she was talking, she suddenly went silent.
｢…I'll tell you after you come out of the cocoon. See you later.｣
Just as she seemed about to say something, Isabel only left those words and cut off the speaker connection.
'What was that?'
Her tone sounded the same as always, but something felt off. It seemed like she had a worry that hadn't been shared yet.
'Is it about her big sister?'
This place was deeply connected to the creation of the mutant Screamer. Even PS-111, who was always utterly calm, would find it hard to stay unshaken here.
For someone like Isabel, who cherished her sister, it was only natural to be concerned.
'I should prepare a gift for her when I fight the Outspacers.'
From what The Amorph recalled, PS-111 felt joy when upgrading herself or creating a mini-Screamer. Rather than offering empty words of comfort, it would be better to give her something she'd actually like.
'Well, I've said my piece.'
The Amorph sprawled out in the middle of the trashed freezer.
｢'Transcendence' material list: Inorganic Digestion, Reaper's Maw, Bone Beast, Infernal Illusion, Ultra Control｣
｢Would you like to activate the Transcendence System?｣
'Let's get started, then.'
As soon as consent was given, an immense volume of mucus poured out and enveloped the entire body.
The preparations for acquiring the eleventh cosmic monster trait had begun.
***
"…Goddamn it!"
A sharp noise rang out in the room's pristine atmosphere.
Jacob, the supreme ruler of the NEO-3 system, glared furiously at the shattered remains of his wine glass.
"What? We're low on fuel, so it'll take longer to arrive? You decrepit old man!"
He'd been relaxing with fine wine when an urgent message arrived from his subordinate.
A communication had come from Walter Saint Kei's side, who was supposed to bring Giga-Cracker to NEO-3. The message informed him that the lord's health was poor, so the schedule would be delayed.
Jacob knew exactly what that meant.
'Is this your way of saying you don't trust me?'
Recently, Jacob had suffered immense losses.
One of NEO-3's entryways, Neo First Gateway City, had collapsed. And this wasn't even from an Outspacer attack; it was caused by a single, mysterious ship.
Of course, the mastermind behind the city's destruction wasn't a simple spaceship. That vessel was superior to any weapon Edgerton had ever built. Countless warships were sent to stop it, but all were annihilated.
Playing the Giga-Cracker card as a last resort only made things worse. He lost both the enemy and the space fortress.
Because of this, Jacob's political standing had deteriorated almost to the point of no return.
On Mars, there were daily summons for him to return, and even members of the Old Faction, to which he belonged, were questioning his leadership one after another.
The bad reputation didn't stop within the family. Walter's passive attitude toward supporting him was also tied to Jacob's blunders.
"Damn it, if only those bug bastards were still around…"
Since the last invasion, the monsters had become eerily quiet—as if their aggression had been a lie. Even though one of the system's bastions had fallen, there was no sign of movement from them.
Yet, the cessation of attacks brought little comfort. In fact, it was exactly this lull that had cooled Walter's interest.
The only thing the Lord of Saint Kei wanted was the heads of the four unique entities that attacked NEO-3. If the Outspacers weren't appearing, he had no reason left to support Jacob.
That's why the old man was dragging things out, citing preposterous excuses.
"Aaaaargh! Dammit!"
With a cry bordering on a wail, he slumped into his chair.
There were two ways for him to restore his fallen prestige and damaged political influence.
Successfully defending NEO-3, or completing the anti-Outspacer weapon development he had been planning for some time.
Of these, the path he had to choose was the latter.
Jacob activated the communicator on his desk. Soon, the familiar face of a man appeared as a hologram.
｢Jacob, sir?｣
"Joel. Are the ship's supplies fully loaded?"
The hologram's owner was Joel, who had caught an Outspacer parasite. Having barely escaped Gateway City before it was destroyed, Joel was now resupplying at the oceanic planet NOX-02.
It had been nearly eight hours since Joel's ship landed. Jacob had ordered the planet-side team to spare nothing in supporting him, so he expected all maintenance to be done by now.
But what came out of Joel's mouth was not what Jacob hoped for.
｢Uh, there's a bit of a problem.｣
"Problem?"
｢During the escape from Gateway City, ahem, the hull took some serious damage. Especially the superluminal engine…｣
"What?"
At the mention of a broken engine, Jacob's expression instantly darkened.
Clearly bothered, Joel pressed his forehead with his fingers even while reporting.
｢They say it'll take at least two days to fix, even just the engine.｣
"...."
That cursed time, again. Hearing yet another delay, Jacob nearly lost his composure. Forcing down his anger, he quickly began thinking.
'I can't waste any more time.'
The Outspacers who attacked the system were highly intelligent. Jacob didn't know why their offensive had paused, but there was no way to predict when they might strike again.
Walter arriving on time would resolve things, but that possibility seemed more and more remote. If the Outspacers returned before Walter did, NEO-3 would suffer catastrophic losses.
And that would all be on Jacob.
To prevent such a disaster, he would have to complete the anti-Outspacer weapon as quickly as possible.
'If I have the parasite, they said I could get a weapon made in two or three days.'
Ship repairs, then receiving and researching the parasite—combined, that would take four or five days. If any unexpected variables cropped up, it could be even longer.
He needed to find a way to shorten the timeline.
'Should I send the research team directly to NOX-02? Wait, no, there aren't any facilities there—Hold on.'
At that moment, an important, forgotten fact surfaced in Jacob's mind.
The previous Lord, Denver Edgerton, had secretly overseen the Hulk Mutant development project. And there's a research facility on NOX-02 related to that project.
Though the lab was shuttered after Edgerton's death, the equipment and materials were left behind. If they could use those, the research could be completed there.
｢Jacob, sir?｣
"Wait on the planet after the ship's fixed. I'll send the researchers to you."
｢Uh, pardon?｣
"There's a sealed research base in NOX-02's deep sea. That's where you'll work on the parasite."
｢Uh, but—cough, if we expose the sample to such a contaminated environment, there could be problems…｣
Joel coughed nervously throughout the call, possibly from anxiety. Normally, Jacob would have reprimanded such rudeness, but his mind was elsewhere.
"It's the best facility in the system, so don't worry. Rest until the researchers arrive."
｢Understood.｣
As soon as the call ended, Jacob started contacting knights and researchers, ordering them to prepare to relocate the project to NOX-02.
'I'll have to make preparations as well.'
The secret lab was guarded by a complicated security system and only accessible to registered project members—people like Jacob himself.
To let the researchers in, Jacob would have to go, too.
'Hmm. I was planning to take every precaution anyway. Finishing the research there shouldn't be a bad move.'
The base enjoyed the protection of the sea—nature's own barrier. Its location and security were flawless, so the odds of trouble arising mid-research were slim.
'Maybe it's even worth considering reviving the secret base entirely while I'm at it.'
Amid an onslaught of hurdles, a small light of hope was starting to show. With that hope in his heart, Jacob left the room.
——————
A freezer filled with a massive, black cocoon.
In front of it stood a pink balloon-like creature and a red-scaled dragon. It was Number 26, freshly awakened from a deep sleep, and Adhai.
Number 26 extended a slender tentacle and gently tapped the cocoon. The slime-drenched shell pulsed slowly.
｢The Big Baby is sleeping.｣
The one they cherished most, the Amorph, would sometimes construct a gigantic cocoon like this and slumber for long stretches. Having seen this many times before, neither of them was surprised.
｢We were going to swim together.｣
｢Together｣ ｢Play｣ ｢Talk｣ ｢Not possible｣ ｢Disappointing｣
It was simply disappointing that they couldn't spend time with the Amorph.
Looking glum, Number 26 withdrew its tentacle from the cocoon.
｢Let's go back to the Little Friend.｣
｢There｣ ｢Boring｣ ｢Elsewhere｣ ｢More｣ ｢Fun｣
｢No. The Big Kid told us to listen to the Friend and the Little Friend. Bad people might come.｣
In response to Number 26's suggestion, Adhai shook her head.
All that was there were human-made tools. Nothing there piqued Adhai's interest.
｢Tiny one｣ ｢Weak｣ ｢I'm｣ ｢Stronger｣
｢No, with the Big Kid asleep, if bad people attack—BOOM!—it's major trouble!｣
｢That's｣ ｢Definitely｣ ｢A problem｣
Number 26 waggled its tentacle, mimicking an explosion.
It was true. The one moment when the Amorph was noticeably vulnerable was inside the cocoon.
The Amorph had repeatedly said so: while in cocoon form, even weak human weapons could inflict fatal injuries. That's why it had asked them to protect it.
｢The Friend can sense if bad people come. That's why we have to stay close to the Friend.｣
｢Agreed.｣
Though they argued often, on matters involving the Amorph, they could always find consensus.
The two monsters returned to the data center, where PS-111 and Isabel waited.
"See? I told you."
｢Yeah.｣
Isabel, who was working while watching a hologram, gave a little wave as if she'd expected this.
"I doubt there'll be any trouble, but just in case, stay nearby."
｢This place｣ ｢Is boring｣ ｢Not fun｣
"If you're really that bored, you can roam around the area."
｢That would｣ ｢Be better｣
"Just don't wander too far."
With Isabel's permission, Adhai left again. Number 26, however, didn't leave and instead approached Isabel.
｢Little Friend, what are you doing?｣
"Hm? I'm helping big sister."
｢Watching a movie with your friend? I want to watch, too.｣
Unlike the proud Red Gallagon, this small pink Sea Demon was more curious about the trappings of intelligent life. When Number 26 twinkled its body with curiosity, Isabel was caught off-guard.
She was in the middle of checking whether there were any records among the many experiment logs connected to PS-111. Some of these logs might be about the Bubble Amoeba—things not really suitable for Number 26 to see.
"Instead of that, could you help with this first?"
｢What is it?｣
Isabel opened a steel panel in her chest and pulled out a mechanical device—a secondary memory unit discarded in the data center.
"There are gadgets that look like this hidden all around. Could you look for them and bring them back?"
｢Okay! I'm really good at finding things that are hidden!｣
Taking hold of the memory unit, Number 26 flicked its fins and headed deeper into the forest of the data archive.
'They said it couldn't be recovered, but you never know.'
The unit contained experiment records from the facility. According to PS-111, the device itself was damaged beyond repair, so recovery shouldn't have been possible.
But Isabel thought differently.
She believed it was worth holding on to—just in case a solution was found someday.
'It contains the past of my big sister. I can't give up on it.'
PS-111 was her only blood relative, whether back in reality or in this world. At the same time, PS-111 was also the being she cherished and trusted most here. Isabel couldn't even imagine giving up on her precious sister.
Resolving herself, she refocused on her work.
After reviewing about ten more hologram logs, just as she was about to open a new record, PS-111 approached.
"Little sister."
"Big sis? You're done already?"
"I'm not finished yet. More importantly, there's a problem."
"Huh?"
Instead of answering, PS-111 operated a terminal. A new screen popped up on the hologram before Isabel.
It was a message, short and simple.
"A human infected by the Amorph sent this message using the MPS."
As Isabel read the message, her eyes widened with shock.
'The Silver Lion Knights are planning a visit to NOX-02?'
Trouble was brewing on that distant water's surface—and at the exact moment when the Amorph had entered its cocoon.
'Why would Edgerton's knights come here now?'
She already knew that the Silver Lion Knights operated in the system—the rescue ship the Amorph hijacked had belonged to them.
The problem was, they really had no good reason to come here.
"Do you think there's a risk they'll find us?"
"There is a 24% chance the Silver Lion Knights know our position. However, there's a 61% chance that they are visiting to utilize the research facility."
It wasn't a baseless theory.
The knights wanted a live Outspacer to develop their new weapon. The rescue ship's original mission had been to secure an Outspacer parasite and deliver it to the NEO-3 system's weapon factory.
Even when the Amorph deceived Edgerton's leadership, this was the angle it used—pretending there were technical issues with the ship so maintenance was needed while carrying a parasite. That was how they'd made it safely to Nox.
'But now the knights have changed their approach.'
Instead of waiting for the rescue ship carrying the parasite to finish repairs, they'd decided to do everything right here. They'd take the parasite in Nox and immediately start using the deep-sea research base.
But even with that theory, some things didn't add up.
'A secret base, and yet they're just openly sending people in?'
This place was an experimental lab for studying rankers. It was so secretive that nearly all records were wiped during the shutdown. Yet now, they were sending in a whole team. It didn't make sense.
'…No. Right now, their intentions aren't what matters.'
If the knights reached Nox, they would soon realize they'd been tricked. They'd also learn about the attack on the research base.
And that could endanger the Amorph.
'If they attack while it's in the cocoon, it's over.'
She knew exactly how vulnerable the Amorph was during cocooning. If a battle broke out now, it would be disastrous.
"Do you know when this was sent?"
"The communication was disrupted, so it's hard to pinpoint the exact time. It's estimated to have been sent about an hour ago."
Which meant there wasn't much time left.
Isabel sent out a psychic wave to summon Number 26 and Adhai.
｢Little friend, why did you call?｣
｢Did you find｣｢something fun?｣
"There's a problem. The Amorph could be put in danger."
As soon as she mentioned the Amorph, the two monsters' demeanors changed dramatically. The cheerful pink glow of Number 26 faded to darkness, while crimson flames burned in the jewel-like eyes of Adhai.
As both gave off an ominous aura, Isabel explained the situation.
｢The bad people are trying to hurt the Big Kid again!｣
｢These runts｣｢so arrogant｣｢Unforgivable!｣
As soon as the conversation ended, the floor beneath them began to tremble ever so slightly. The psychic power radiating from the Sea Demon and Red Gallagon was shaking the entire sector.
Even if they were intelligent, both were apex predators in their natural habitats. Standing before a furious Number 26 and Adhai, Isabel felt a touch of apprehension.
"Both of you—calm down."
But with the Amorph absent, Isabel would have to lead them against the enemy herself.
"Listen carefully to everything I say from now on."
｢The bad people move in groups—it's annoying. No calling for backup!｣
｢I｣｢can generate a storm｣｢isolate the runts｣｢possible｣
"First, we block their communications… huh?"
｢Friend, you and the Little Kid use zzzzt-zzzzt so no one else can come!｣
｢Agreed｣｢The sick one｣｢the runts｣｢block communication｣｢excellent｣
"Are you suggesting we jam their comms? Understood."
｢I'm going to break the human house. Little Friend, check if there are any dangerous people.｣
"Uh, what?"
Even before she could walk them through a plan, Number 26 and Adhai had already jumped into discussing their strategy for the fight, acting as if this wasn't their first time. It was instinctive.
"There are plenty of floating bases around here. If we act rashly, we could expose our movements."
｢I'll make 'waves' and destroy them! If it's just waves, humans won't suspect—it's natural.｣
"You plan to disguise a pseudo-storm as a natural event? If so, the station staff will likely just think it's bad weather."
｢Exactly! Natural phenomenon! Saw it in a movie.｣
｢Small adults｣｢big houses｣｢destroy｣｢I｣｢move fast｣｢hunt moving houses｣
｢Good. Without their houses, the humans will be too anxious to fight.｣
"What do you think, little sister?"
"…With a bit of tweaking, this could actually work."
Even from her perspective, it was a solid plan. Disabling communications, using environmental disruption, and leveraging each one's abilities to take down the enemy swiftly—rough phrasing aside, it was highly systematic.
It dawned on Isabel, then, who must have taught them these tactics.
｢Let's catch all the scared people and punish them!｣
｢Agreed!｣｢Never let any escape.｣
No matter how uncertain the situation was, Isabel was certain of one thing:
For the Silver Lion Knights coming to Nox, and for all the humans at the floating bases…
They would never leave this place alive.
——————
Above the blackness of space thick as tar a single blue-tinged sphere drifted.
It shone as beautifully as a polished lapis lazuli; the object was a planet, its surface entirely covered by ocean.
The humans of Megacorp called this planet NOX-02.
Near NOX-02, as it slowly orbited its star, blue flames flared into existence. Accompanied by dazzling flashes of light, a warship of strikingly streamlined design materialized.
"Superluminal transit complete. Commencing engine stabilization procedures."
"No error in the jump coordinates."
On the ship's bridge.
White marble tiled the floors; walls and ceiling were fitted with display panels. The main screen, linked to external cameras, projected a real-time feed of the void outside, making it seem as if the bridge itself floated in deep space.
The crew's attire was as exotic as the mythic atmosphere: everyone on the bridge wore heavy power armor reminiscent of something from an epic film.
Within Megacorp, there was only one group that dressed like this on duty, the Silver Lion Knights of Prime Capital Edgerton.
"We've arrived, Lord Jacob."
"Hm."
Jacob, dressed in ornate armor, sat in the captain's chair, gazing at the blue world on the screen.
"Are the landing teams ready?"
"All knights and researchers are standing by, sir."
"Good. Vice-Commander, you have the bridge."
"Yes, my lord."
Having transferred command to his vice-commander, Jacob left the bridge.
When he reached the hangar, some 200 fully armed knights and power-armored researchers stood at attention, awaiting orders.
"Let's move."
Jacob led the waiting detachment to a prepped multipurpose transport craft.
Soon the transport launch was underway and the vessel rapidly descended toward the planet.
Not long after atmospheric entry, Jacob's craft started to shake. A deep droning echoed from outside the hull.
'A storm.'
This planet was covered in water naturally, its weather was violent and unpredictable. Jacob thought little of it.
A few minutes later, the transport reached NOX-02's main sea base, Aqua State.
As they disembarked, howling rain and wind lashed at them. The harbor's city managers scurried out to meet them, getting drenched in the torrential downpour.
"Ehem, welcome! Welcome to Aqua State!"
"Welcome!"
Perhaps it was the deafening wind, but the greetings came at a shout.
｢My apologies for visiting in such weather.｣
"No, no! This strange weather cropped up suddenly we're investigating! Please don't worry about anything!"
｢Is that so…｣
While talking to the chief administrator, Jacob looked around. One person, who should have been there, was missing.
｢Where's Joel?｣
"Joel… Oh, do you mean the rescue ship's captain?"
｢Yes. I told him to come out and meet us before our arrival.｣
One manager raised a hand.
"I saw him at the repair dock about ninety minutes ago!"
｢Repair dock?｣
"Yes! Said he had something to do on the ship under maintenance—boarded it, and we haven't seen him since!"
Jacob frowned.
'What's going on?'
He'd messaged Joel before arrival, instructing him to prep the parasite sample for immediate transfer to the research base as soon as the Knights landed.
And Joel had replied all preparations were complete.
'Why lie… Wait, could it be?'
An ominous thought struck him.
'If something happened to the parasite Joel brought…?'
If it was just a problem, that was one thing. But there was a real risk the parasite could've died during handling.
There was no need to explain the value of a live Outspacer parasite to anyone. Joel knew that too hence, maybe, the lie.
Jacob called a subordinate right away.
｢Get in touch with Joel immediately.｣
｢Underst...｣
But the subordinate trailed off, his body going rigid.
He wasn't alone. The knights and researchers behind him, the city staff as well—all stared, mouths agape, over Jacob's shoulder.
Their gazes pointed directly behind Jacob.
'What…?'
He turned to follow their line of sight and beyond the city, far outside, something rose.
Between the gray clouds and the indigo sea, a mountain range towered skyward.
'Mountains?'
NOX-02's surface was uniformly ocean. There shouldn't be land—let alone mountains.
Especially not mountains that were still visibly growing, right before their eyes.
Unless… it wasn't a mountain at all, but a wave towering as high as a mountain range.
｢Impossible!｣
"R-Run awaaay!"
"Screeeam!"
｢Everyone evacuate to the transports!｣
Shortly after Jacob's shout, a tsunami of overwhelming height hit the Aqua State.
***
"The transport lost all signals!"
"What?"
The vice-commander jolted at the sudden report.
"Is it a network issue?"
"No sir! We checked with the detection system there's no signal at all!"
"That's impossible! Are you saying the whole ship just vanished?"
Unless there was a war breaking out on the planet, a transport disappearing this quickly was unthinkable.
The panicked vice-commander immediately tried to contact Jacob, but there was no response. Comms to any of the team members who had gone down with him were also dead.
"What about Aqua State?"
"…No response there either."
Even stranger, there was no contact from the base where the survey ship had landed.
'Just what is happening down there?'
The vice-commander glared at the panel on the front of the bridge.
A white-clouded planet was displayed. A massive typhoon now raged across its entire surface.
When they had arrived, there hadn't been a single cloud in sight. Now, not even an hour later, it was like this.
"…This is bad. Prepare for planetary descent immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
The ship's highest-ranking officer barked out the order, and the crew moved with practiced precision. Their battlecruiser, which had been idling, accelerated toward the planet.
"Any detection hits?"
"Still nothing… Wait unidentified signal detected!"
"What?"
Just as they entered the atmosphere, the detection systems picked up something.
"Is it the commander?"
"I'll check!"
A subordinate traced the new signal. Moments later, the results appeared on the main hologram.
"…What? Is this certain?"
"Yes, absolutely."
Staring at the projected readout, the vice-commander frowned. The newly detected signal was extremely strange.
'An energy signature?'
Signals like this only showed up during superluminal jumps or when the plasma cannons fired. Either way, it shouldn't appear here.
Worse, the signal was moving—fast enough that the detection systems could barely track it.
Beep.
"S-Sir, the signal is approaching us!"
"Damn! I don't know what it is, but prepare for combat!"
Everyone on the bridge powered up their armor and donned their helmets.
The warship halted and shifted into battle mode, main plasma cannons and hundreds of secondary turrets coming online.
｢Fire as soon as the signal enters effective range.｣
All eyes on the bridge locked onto the hologram.
Beep.
The mysterious signal closed in at breakneck speed. The waiting batteries opened fire.
A lance of heat carved through the planet's upper atmosphere, closing on the target.
｢Target hit!｣
｢Status of the signal?｣
｢Confirming now.｣
A direct hit from the main cannons. Any normal vessel would have been vaporized many times over. No one present considered survival possible.
Beep.
"Wha…?"
But the telltale beep persisted in the detection system.
｢Signal remains! Still inbound toward the ship!｣
｢Impossible! Keep firing!｣
Even before the vice-commander's order, a torrent of plasma erupted from every gun, but nothing seemed able to stop that unidentified signal.
Beep.
Soon, the approaching signal was close enough to see.
The vice-commander's eyes drifted to the main screen on the bridge.
The external cams showed a sky dark with storm clouds. Through the flashing lightning, an otherworldly luminous object moved.
Like a small star streaking through the night, it flared with vivid red light—a comet, wreathed in color.
The warship's plasma beam slammed into it, the explosion blotting the cameras with searing light.
Beep-beep!
Through the burning black flames, a streak of red gleamed. Even surrounded by fire and light, the figure remained, undeterred.
As the smoke cleared, the entity on the far side revealed itself.
It was a being with four wings fanned out like the tail of a comet.
At that instant, the vice-commander was reminded of a creature he'd seen once in the lab.
｢A…Gallagon?｣
In truth, it had little in common with the specimen he remembered—the color of its scales, the number of its wings, everything was different. Only one feature matched: those amethyst-violet eyes.
He couldn't say why it made him think of a Gallagon.
｢Energy spike from the signal! D-danger imminent!｣
Not that it mattered anymore.
The last thing the vice-commander saw was the flash of crimson light unleashed by the red Gallagon, swallowing the entire ship and everyone on board.
—————
｢Any survivors?｣
｢We've confirmed 77 knights and 11 researchers. The rest are still…｣
Hearing the grim report, Jacob clenched his rain-soaked fist.
'Damn it!'
Everyone Jacob had brought was outfitted with advanced power armor, but not the kind they'd wear marching onto a battlefield.
The plan had simply been to reach the deep-sea base safely. Unless an Outspacer attack was expected, there was no reason to bring their absolute best gear.
Because of that, over a hundred were lost in an instant. The wave that capsized Aqua State a wall of water hundreds of meters high swallowed Jacob's men along with it.
Jacob and the survivors had only escaped because they'd dashed straight for the transport at the first sight of the wave.
The multipurpose transport was built to support friendlies in all environments. That much saved them, but it was hardly a situation for relief.
Most of the researchers Jacob had brought were dead.
'Only eleven left…'
These weren't just any researchers. Everyone lost had been deeply involved in anti-Outspacer weapon development.
He'd brought them to shorten the project timeline instead, the project itself now teetered on the edge of collapse.
'Why did this happen…? No, the parasite!'
It was too late to question how this disaster came about. More urgent was how to deal with the consequences.
'At this point, the parasite absolutely must be secured!'
The project was ruined, so his only play was to secure the newly acquired parasite.
With Outspacer incursions suddenly erupting throughout Megacorp's territory, a parasite sample had become exponentially more valuable. If he could sell it to other families, he'd fetch a fortune in credits.
｢Lord Jacob, shall we return to the ship?｣
｢No. There's something to do first.｣
Jacob activated the transport's detection system. On the hologram, the sinking Aqua State and the debris scattered by the waves marked the locations of various vessels.
｢All knights, your first task is to find the rescue ship. Use the transport's scouting pods, swap out your module packs whatever you need. Just find it. Understood?｣
｢Yes, sir!｣
｢Researchers, remain here and request support from the flagship.｣
｢Understood.｣
Jacob synced the detection data to his power armor, grabbed his gear, and exited the transport.
His suit was designed for operation in outer space; with added jet packs, underwater maneuvering was not an issue.
Slipping into the dark water, Jacob headed toward the signal of the nearest ship. The other knights joined the search.
｢Lord Jacob, we're picking up distress calls. What should we do?｣
｢Did you not hear my orders? Ignore everything else just find the rescue ship.｣
｢Yes, sir! Understood!｣
He ignored every call for rescue on the way. The rescue ship was sinking deeper as they spoke. He wouldn't waste time or supplies on replaceable assets.
'…Tch. So, where exactly is the ship? Supposed to be right here.'
According to the detector, there was a long, oval structure nearby not debris from Aqua State, that much was clear. NOX-02 had no local megafauna this size. The only candidate was the rescue ship.
'Guess I'll have to go even deeper.'
Just then, the map display inside his helmet suddenly disappeared.
｢Huh?｣
｢What's going on?｣
He heard his subordinates' confused voices. It wasn't just him; everyone was experiencing it.
'Something's wrong with the detection system?'
All their helmets were synced with the transport's system. If the map vanished, there was a transmission issue with the data.
Jacob tried to hail the transport for clarification, but there was no response.
｢Anyone able to reach the transport?｣
｢Sorry, the scouts can't connect either.｣
｢There must be a problem with the comm network.｣
It seemed only those relatively near Jacob could still communicate.
｢Someone go back to the trans—｣
BZZZT
Just as he started to order a check, a burst of static came from his helmet's comm.
｢Jo…el… bzzzt… help… me…｣
｢Joel?｣
｢Please… help… bzzt, Joel… it's me…｣
The mention of Joel made Jacob's eyes widen. So the rescue ship they'd been searching for was sending a transmission.
｢Joel, is that you? Where are you?｣
｢Down… below… please… bzzt… bzzzt…｣
｢Lord Jacob, what's that—?｣
Instead of replying, Jacob fired up his jet pack and shot downward, into the depths where the transmission came from. Baffled, his subordinates quickly followed.
How far did they descend?
When the pressure was high enough that he needed to raise his shield, the faint outline of a large object loomed in the headlight beam. Only a small part was visible, but Jacob instantly recognized Egerton's rescue ship.
｢This way… bzzt… please…｣
Yes, the transmissions were coming from there.
｢Those in scouting pods, ready plasma cutters.｣
｢Yes, sir.｣
The scouting pod team moved in on the sinking metal hulk, their pod's cutter glowing a bright green.
While they watched from a distance, the pod's lights suddenly swept out and died.
｢?!｣
｢What the—?｣
Shocked, the knights quickly aimed their helmet lights at the last location of the scouting pod.
Only the scars left on the hatch where the pod had tried to cut through remained. There was nothing else to be seen.
｢What happened? Where's the scouting pod?｣
｢Well, um, we lost all contact with the pod.｣
｢If you can't make contact, then go check it out directly!｣
｢We'll… check immediately!｣
Hearing Jacob's stern command, three knights swam toward the rescue ship's last known location.
When they arrived where the pod had disappeared, one of them spotted something.
It was the plasma cutter that had been attached to the scouting pod—heavily damaged, ripped apart as if by some tremendous force.
｢Lord Jacob, take a look at this.｣
Holding up the shattered cutter, he spoke—but all eyes were elsewhere.
｢Behind you!｣
｢Huh?｣
Turning around, he realized what drew his comrades' attention.
In the darkness covering the ship's hull, eyes glowed. Larger than the lost pod, burning bright like flames.
The moment they met that gaze, the knights froze—not just from fear, but as if an invisible force gripped them tight.
｢Wh-what is that?!｣
｢I… I can't move!｣
And that strange phenomenon affected everyone nearby.
The chaotic noise rattling inside their helmets soon faded.
As all stood immobilized, the darkened rescue ship began to glow.
Or rather, it wasn't the ship itself, but something coiling around its hull shining.
They'd assumed only the ship was there, but no the thick, cylindrical tentacles were wrapped around the outer walls. Like lights flickering on in a dim corridor, the large eyes attached to the tentacles gradually lit up one after another.
｢Got them all. Bzzzt, got them all.｣
Joel's voice came again.
Hearing the recorded, repeating voice, Jacob realized he'd made a grave mistake.
The one sending the message was not Joel. He might never have brought the parasite sample here at all. Their greed for the sample had caused this calamity.
Though regretting it now changed nothing.
The tentacles cut through the knights nearby with ease.
***
Beep.
"Hmm?"
At NEO Third Gateway City's command center, the interstellar transit monitoring team sat in front of dozens of terminals, watching for movement throughout the system.
One member squinted at a holographic map's signal.
"Unidentified energy signature at NOX-02? Hey, how many ships were cleared to enter NOX-02 today?"
"Uh, just one? Lord Jacob's flagship."
"Really? Then what's this?"
"What is it?"
Curious, a colleague from another department approached.
"About thirty minutes ago, there was an energy signal that vanished almost immediately."
"Error maybe? Sometimes planetary volcanic activity causes energy spikes."
"I'm pretty sure that's never happened on NOX-02. Plus, this signal's energy matches what's generated by a fleet moving. Such enormous energy just disappeared."
"Hm, that is weird."
Scratching his horns, Cult scrutinized the hologram and nodded.
"We should report this upstairs."
"Agreed."
"Maybe the defense fleet too…."
Beep.
Before they finished talking, an alert sounded on the console.
"Huh?"
Casually checking the hologram, they suddenly stared with wide eyes.
Beep beep beep beep bzzzt beep beep.
"What the heck is this?"
"Huh? What's going on?"
Moments later, alarms began blaring across other consoles.
"I—this has to be reported right now! You've got to see this!"
"On it!"
"Defense team, where are you?!"
"Damn it! This is a monitoring team! Gateway City's unresponsive…."
A colleague jumped up and rushed out. Chaos spread as the mysterious anomaly unfolded.
Cult stared blankly at the now-empty station beside him, the hologram above glowing ominously.
Countless unidentified signals dotted the miniaturized system map.
And those signals kept multiplying with each passing moment.
"…It's begun."
After days of calm, the Outspacer assault had resumed.
That nightmare had returned.
——————
NEO-3 holds an incredibly important position for Prime Capital Edgerton.
It's the system where essential business next-generation weapons development, new warship construction, critical resource mining all takes place.
Because of its value, the quantity and quality of its stationed military are far above any other Megacorp colonies.
That's how it endured catastrophic events like the Outspacer invasion and the destruction of the Gateway City over the past few days and still managed to hold strong until now.
But now, even this mighty fleet and its defenses were buckling before overwhelming disaster.
Just minutes ago, the void of space had been empty. Suddenly, Outspacers appeared and pressed their assault forward.
Their target was the Gateway City, that bulwark of the system. The city's titanic fortress guns, designed to repel any attack, roared ceaselessly at the merciless invaders.
The main batteries on the space fortress dwarfed the firepower of even a battleship no matter how tough the creatures' carapaces, surviving a direct hit was nearly impossible.
Of course, that required actually hitting them. Not a single fortress shot found its mark among the Outspacers.
The reason was clear: a monstrous entity, like a blue-gold jellyfish, at the center of the swarm.
｢A child of the Empress. None may touch her.｣
Every time the jellyfish-beast waved its elongated tentacles, the fortress's energy beams veered wildly, as if yanked by invisible strings flying clear of their original targets. The city's defenses were rendered useless.
That wasn't the only problem.
The red pillbug monster, which had devastated the fleet in the last invasion, and two other unique beings who'd previously kept to the fringes, were now leading the slaughter.
｢Krrrk! Pathetic wretches!｣
The 100-meter pillbug monster accelerated at terrifying speed, smashing into ships. None survived its ramming intact.
Fast patrol ships and strike craft attempted to intercept, but other threats intervened.
Monstrous tropical fish with translucent scales swarmed the ships.
Even when struck by plasma fire, these creatures seemed unharmed; in fact, they moved even more vigorously with each attack, as if feeding on the energy.
The small ships and strike craft that tried to contain them were soon wiped out. When their work was done, the fish-beasts gathered, merging into a single, colossal white serpent.
｢We are one.｣
Every small ship was destroyed, and only a few large warships remained. Even the city's defenses were effectively neutralized.
As Megacorp's side faced annihilation, a flash of blue flared near Gateway City. Reinforcements from another fortress fleet had arrived by superluminal jump.
｢The Grand Empress's safety is at risk. We must defend her.｣
｢No fear. Victory stands with Mother.｣
A black bat monster, which had been waiting for the jellyfish beast, now took flight.
With wings spread wide, it aimed at the just-arrived reinforcements. Its jaws split into four like a starfish discharged black lightning.
The pitch-black thunderbolts forked into tens of thousands of branches, slashing through the night like celestial wrath, tearing the armored bows of warships as if they were mere paper.
Everywhere the black lightning struck, it left an explosion and death in its wake. Half the reinforcements were rendered combat-ineffective in a single devastating blow.
｢Krrrk! Arrogant wretch! That one's my prey!｣
｢We are united.｣
But even for those not hit by the lightning, safety was an illusion the predators and white beasts closed in on the survivors.
The remaining reinforcements were blown to cosmic dust in no time, and Gateway City shared their fate, hope flickering out.
｢Grand Empress. It's done.｣
｢Yawn… Really?｣
Lying atop the blue-gold jellyfish, "Grand Empress" stretched and sat up.
｢See? Told you. It'd be easy.｣
｢Never grow complacent. Human weapons are dangerous even for the Grand Empress.｣
｢I said, I can handle up to three by myself. Relax.｣
Normally she'd have brushed off the caution, but this time she didn't.
She knew two Giga-Crackers were stationed in the NEO-2 system. The fact that neither superweapon had appeared even as Gateway City fell was highly suspicious.
｢Still, it's odd we haven't seen a Giga-Cracker. And none of our parasites have died lately, right?｣
｢None.｣
｢Maybe I should go check for myself. Everyone stop.｣
Her psychic wave pulsed outward across the Outspacers laying waste to the city, who instantly ceased their attack.
｢Krrrk. Grand Empress. Why stop us?｣
｢We have questions.｣
｢Mother's lover. Explain, now.｣
The special entities who had been leading the carnage returned to the Grand Empress.
｢I'm heading into that city. Meanwhile, you four have jobs to do. Todes, you remember the Empress's order?｣
The blue-gold jellyfish, Todes, answered:
｢The Empress commanded: Absorb the Essence stored on land with water.｣
｢That's right. There's a hidden base on Nox with gene samples. Go eat everything inside with Tyrann.｣
｢We comply.｣
｢And what about me?｣
｢Hungersnot, take the Outspacers and sweep through the system's weapons factories. If you see a Giga-Cracker, avoid it.｣
The half-transparent, white-scaled serpent Tyrann and the bat-winged Hungersnot dark as the night sky bowed their heads in obedience.
｢Krrrk. What should I do?｣
｢Kriege, you're coming with me. Stay close.｣
At her words, the red pillbug Kriege bared its teeth, growling.
｢Krrrk. I want to fight!｣
｢No. With your temper, you'd never pull back once things got bad.｣
｢Krrrr!｣
｢None of you were authorized to come here, so watch yourselves. Understood?｣
Ignoring Kriege's protest, she leaped off Todes the jellyfish.
｢All right. Let's begin.｣
Her will radiated in a psychic wave across the system.
The four monstrous beasts scattered to carry out their orders. The Outspacers, besieging the city, leaned down towards the approaching Queen.
She saw it, she thought.
No human on NEO-3 would be able to stop her and her army.
***
｢No more bad people?｣
On the rolling waves, a pink balloon the size of a small island drifted Number 26, who had stretched to her maximum size for the first time in a while.
"None left. None at all."
｢Yay!｣
Number 26 gave off a delighted pulse at the words of the mini Screamer perched atop her pink surface.
Isabel, who sat beside the mini Screamer on 26's back, was quietly impressed.
'I expected her to smash cities with tidal waves, but…'
It was never practical to build forward bases when fighting a Sea Demon on an ocean planet. Anything constructed would just be wiped away by the massive tsunamis she could create.
So Number 26 washing out cities with monstrous waves was unsurprising. What happened next, however, caught Isabel off guard.
'To think it'd mimic a voice and lure in the Knight Order…'
Number 26 could re-shape its tentacle tips to resemble human vocal organs, producing voices. It'd gained this "Mimicry" trait from the Amorph.
Shifting its tentacle into vocal cord form, it used the mini Screamer's comm device to contact the knights. And it didn't just imitate anyone it reproduced the voice of Joel, a former knight.
The enemy, clueless, fell for it completely.
'The Amorph used to pull these exact tricks.'
Number 26 usually disguised itself as someone's most cherished or obsessed-over figure, which even fooled rankers at times.
Seeing Number 26 Amorph's protégé employing such deception made Isabel feel strangely nostalgic.
｢I caught everyone that tried to run! Did I do good? Did I do good?｣
"You sure did. Amazing work."
｢Yup!｣
Number 26's innocent joy at the praise shone all over, down to the tentacles and fins glowing beneath the water's surface.
'A Sea Demon apprentice of the Amorph… Thank goodness it's on our side.'
With several arms, Isabel patted Number 26 before picking up her communicator.
"Big sis, is everything handled on your end?"
｢The warship was neutralized by the Little One. But there's a problem.｣
"A problem?"
｢The energy output was higher than I calculated. There's a possibility it was detected from another planet.｣
"Energy? Oh."
Isabel immediately understood.
Right after Number 26's wave swept the city, she'd sensed a burst of energy from far above strong enough to be felt even deep underwater.
As she suspected, it was Adhai's doing.
"Someone might come investigate?"
｢Probability of another ship arriving for confirmation: 61%. I'll remain on standby just in case.｣
"Alright."
｢When are you and Friend and the Little One coming?｣
After finishing the call, Number 26 pulsed towards her.
"They have other things to do, so they'll join us later."
｢Because the Little One went boom again?｣
"Oh? You noticed too?"
｢Yup.｣
Number 26 explained eagerly, waving her tentacles.
｢If you go boom too hard, people always show up. That's why the Big Kid says to go easy, nobody notices then. But the Little One probably forgot.｣
It was understandable.
Creatures as strong as a Red Gallagon were incredibly rare. Among the so-called "Vortex Ones" the devils of space even fewer could surpass a Red Gallagon in power. At best, the Arcane Orca might tie that rank.
Adhai might be small, but she was a true Red Gallagon. She'd played a pivotal role on their second Arcane Orca hunt before coming here.
It was only natural she felt little need for caution.
'But…'
No matter how powerful, a Red Gallagon wasn't invincible. There had been rankers who'd managed to kill one before. The Amorph, and even the absent Mother of the Sky, had succeeded in subduing them.
If Adhai grew complacent, disaster could await.
"I'll talk to the Amorph when it wakes up."
｢Right! The Big Kid will know how to set the Little One straight!｣
"Alright. Let's head down for now."
｢Okay!｣
With an excited pulse, Number 26 dove beneath the surface. Isabel, hugging the mini Screamer, followed her.
Where a submerged city once stood, only gentle, wind-blown ripples now remained.
——————
｢Why｣｢not｣｢going down?｣
"The support fleet could be tracking the energy signature. To disrupt their operations, we must remain here."
In the thin, cloudy atmosphere so thin even light and darkness seemed to blur Adhai tilted her head.
｢Runts｣｢number｣｢irrelevant｣｢I'm｣｢much｣｢stronger｣
"I agree. But if their reinforcements were to head toward where the Amorph is, it could put us at risk."
｢I｣｢fly｣｢very｣｢fast｣
Adhai spread her four wings wide and made a circuit through the area. Even a casual flight was so swift it left flashing traces of red.
｢Runts｣｢are slow｣｢I can hunt｣｢them all｣
"Your movements are faster than any ship, but there are physical limits. The more enemies there are, the higher the chance of a defensive failure. My goal is to remove any possibility of the Amorph being threatened."
She didn't like it, but couldn't protest that PS-111 was right. So all Adhai could do was swipe her hind leg in the empty air.
｢I've finished growing｣｢I'm much stronger now｣｢I want to protect everyone｣
"Is that so?"
｢Still｣｢not enough｣｢Weakness is disappointing｣
It was the first time PS-111 had seen Adhai so dejected. She blinked her red camera-eye softly.
"The total energy you generate is the highest I've observed in any organism."
After a brief pause, PS-111 continued.
"Strength and weakness are relative, but if measured by energy alone, it's fair to call you strong."
｢But｣｢it's still true that I'm weak｣
"Your shortcoming is not strength, but experience. Because you grew so fast, you haven't had time to develop responses to various emergencies."
｢I don't understand｣
"In short: you lack experience."
It was a fair point.
Adhai's overwhelming power was a recent development. In time, she'd become even better at wielding it.
｢Takes｣｢far too long｣
But how long that would take was anyone's guess. Adhai shrank her neck in frustration.
｢Right now, the Big One is weak. Strength is needed.｣
"That's nothing to worry about. The Amorph trusted you were strong and reliable enough to take the guard."
Adhai flinched at that.
｢Really?｣
"Yes."
｢Really? Really?｣
"As far as I can tell."
To know that her favorite being believed in her, Adhai's posture uncoiled.
It wasn't as if the Amorph had actually said such things, but by all appearances, there was deep trust. Of course, it was clear the Amorph cared about Number 26 and the Mother of the Sky just as much, but PS-111 tactfully skipped that part.
｢I'll repay that trust. I'll train, gain more and more experience.｣
Bolstered by hope, Adhai stretched her neck, feeling much better.
"If you'd like, I can prepare a training curriculum."
｢Training? Isn't that just studying?｣
"It will include learning, so technically yes…"
PS-111 stopped mid-sentence, suddenly glancing toward the emptiness beyond the atmosphere.
At the same time, Adhai also sensed something and looked in the same direction.
Where there had been nothing, now hovered two enormous, blue-glowing creatures.
One resembled a blue-gold jellyfish, the other a huge serpent clad in translucent white scales. Both far surpassed the scale of any Megacorp gene-weapon, even any mutant Screamer the Star Union had ever created.
｢Are those runts' weapons?｣
"No."
｢Feels｣｢familiar｣｢Strange｣｢Also pretty strong｣
The tendrils of Adhai's head quivered as she pointed at the two.
PS-111 too was puzzled by their sudden appearance.
Thanks to her upgrades, PS-111 now had vastly improved detection skills. If something attempted an FTL jump within range, she'd spot it well before arrival.
But these two unidentified life forms arrived undetected.
These strangers descended toward the planet then paused, as if they too had noticed Adhai and PS-111.
｢Ajacnjfk. Tntkdgks Shaemfdlek.｣
｢Dnflsms Qowpgksek.｣
The two beings exchanged pulses, sounding like a conversation.
At that moment, PS-111 realized what they were.
"Those are Outspacers."
｢What does that mean?｣
"They're the ones we fought when the Little One was injured. They're likely higher subspecies that command lower-ranked Outspacers."
｢So they're enemies?｣
"Yes. They're here for the Amorph."
At those words, the creatures' mood shifted. The translucent serpent swelled its body and lunged.
"We must stop them here."
｢Agreed.｣
Adhai, already prepared, charged forward.
At the edge of the atmosphere, a crimson comet and a 100-meter-long serpent hurtled toward each other.
The moment they collided, Adhai pierced straight through the serpent's body. The massive beast exploded into fragments, utterly annihilated by a beam of red energy.
｢?｣
Even having obliterated her foe, Adhai stayed alert. It didn't feel like her usual victories.
And her instinct was right.
Fragments that had scattered and tumbled through the air suddenly began moving, converging midair. What looked like shredded flesh was actually countless small, fish-like monsters.
Tens of thousands of these fish creatures clustered together and reformed into the very serpent beast that had just exploded.
｢What the…?｣
｢Dnflsms Wnrwl Dksgsmsek.｣
The resurrected enemy swung its tail at Adhai. The tremendous impact shattered the tail and sent Adhai flying back.
Taking advantage of losing its tail, the serpent created distance and retreated toward its comrade. The dismembered tail no, the mass of fish monsters followed and reattached to the main body.
｢Dnflsms DPtkdgkwl AhtgoTek.｣
｢Wndmlgodi Gksek. Wjremf Aodn Rkdgkek.｣
Adhai, hurled backward by the tail strike, quickly stabilized herself. PS-111 flew over to her side.
"Are you alright?"
｢No｣｢problem｣
Adhai gave her wings a light shake. Thanks to the protective 'Red Armor,' not a single scale was scratched.
"That serpent-type entity appears to be a colony of numerous small organisms. The lesser damage it suffered in the collision suggests it can disperse incoming impact to lessen the damage."
｢But there's｣｢something strange｣
"Strange?"
｢That last tail attack it got stronger.｣
Even with an impenetrable armor, sensation was not dulled. Though there had only been two collisions, Adhai could clearly feel the increase in the enemy's strength.
"You say its attack grew stronger?"
｢Yes｣｢Different from the first hit｣｢Weaker before｣
"I detected no special energy change."
Arriving by FTL without being noticed, and the inscrutability of the colony creature's energy use both meant only one thing.
"One enemy is interfering with my detection abilities."
PS-111 turned toward the likely culprit.
From the huge blue-gold jellyfish next to the serpent, a faint jamming signal emanated.
"I'll analyze and break down that interference signal. Please, keep them from descending."
Suddenly, cracks appeared in the serpent beast's body and it exploded.
Thousands of fish monsters scattered in all directions, swarming toward Adhai and PS-111.
｢No need to worry｣
Seeing this, Adhai spread her wings wide.
Red Gallagon, Mutant Screamer, and Outspacer
Above the jewel-blue NOX-02, the battle of apex predators had begun.
——————