One of the Empress's finest creations, Todes, had never known fear.
Deep within the swarm in ages past, the Empress had used the finest gene-essence to craft her and her sisters.
The Four Queens, hunting in the Empress's name, had slain countless worthy foes and consumed entire planets. Their power rivaled the deadliest predators in the cosmos. None had ever stopped them.
Naturally, Todes had never experienced panic or fear in battle. The only ones that could instill any dread in her were her creator and the Grand Empress herself.
At least, that's what she'd thought until today.
Now, on the boundary between planet and open space, crimson beams and white light tangled violently. Todes's sister, Tyrann, was locked in a ferocious struggle with a mysterious foe.
Tyrann was a colonial organism, her "body" composed of swarms of miniature creatures sharing a single consciousness.
Her snake-like shape was simply the configuration her components favored; in combat, they could disperse like a cloud or restructure to match the situation.
Now, too giant fish formed from the little entities blocked the advance of the red intruder.
Right before collision, Tyrann's form shattered into many pieces.
The fragments quickly reformed, this time as clusters of spikes narrow, sharp, with serrated edges like drillbits.
｢We pierce.｣
Spiky projections spread out in all directions, then spun rapidly and stabbed in at the target.
They aimed for wing membranes, the thin abdomen Todes had observed that this creature looked much like a Gallagon. If so, perhaps the weaknesses were the same.
｢!｣
But this was no ordinary Gallagon. None of the spikes so much as scratched their foe; in fact, some were shattered on impact, damaged by their own attack.
All because of the barrier around their opponent. An energy shield coating the crimson scales blocked Tyrann's every assault.
Todes, a master of energy manipulation, tried to disrupt it, but it wasn't easy. The shield wasn't psychic power but some unknown energy.
And the Gallagon's speed was absurd before Todes could even try to break the barrier, she struggled to even keep up with its position. Of all the creatures she knew, only her sister Kriege was as fast as this and perhaps not even her.
With a flick of its wings, the Gallagon flung the spikes away, then fixed its violet gaze on Todes. It was as if it was announcing that she was its next target.
Tyrann dove back in, but nothing changed. The two of them together simply could not stop this being.
｢We are in danger.｣
｢Retreat is impossible. Movement is being blocked.｣
Todes aimed her sensors at a distant spot on the battlefield, far behind the Gallagon.
There was something there: a composite organism, part living tissue, part metal, with an intricate mechanism. The being had been scattering special microparticles since the fight started.
Todes recognized them: the kind the Empress loathed, manufactured by the 'metal puppets', a warp-jamming field that shuts down FTL travel.
｢Dispel it for us.｣
｢Impossible.｣
｢?｣
When the Empress made her, Todes was given a power specifically to disrupt those particles to jam their movements and break their field.
So Tyrann had demanded she use it, but Todes shook her head.
｢I've been trying since the battle began. But that being counters me faster every time.｣
Every time Todes tried to disrupt the particles, that being meticulously recalibrated each one, correcting their movement individually.
This, even Todes with transcendent intellect could barely fathom. Whoever she faced now was her equal in calculation power, if not her superior.
She had fought countless enemies, but never one whose abilities so closely matched hers and never had she been so thoroughly outclassed.
｢We did not understand.｣
｢That one surpasses me. So I'll give my power to you.｣
But the gift from the Empress didn't end there. Tyrann was startled; she knew what this "power" meant.
｢Really?｣
｢Yes.｣
Of the Four Queens, Todes was weakest in raw fighting strength. She couldn't split and morph her body like Tyrann, nor race at lightning speeds like Kriege.
But she had been given a unique power her sisters did not possess.
｢Use that power to break the obstacle.｣
With those words, Todes began to prepare her trump card.
***
White flashes barraged from every side. The spiky swarm surged in on Adhai, even more menacing their surfaces bristling with thousands of tiny vibrating blades.
Thousands of monsters lunged. Yet in the storm's eye, Adhai was calm. The crimson-armored Gallagon faced the oncoming throng with unshakable composure.
From her tentacled "mouth," a psychic breath burst forth a violet globe, edged in red, that struck the incoming horde. With a roaring blaze, she vaporized a swath of foes in a single blast.
Those lucky enough to escape swung around to attack from behind and the flanks.
Adhai simply spun with her four outstretched wings; her "Red Armor"-coated wings sliced through the attackers like razor-sharp blades.
｢Almost done…｣
Just then, a fragmented mental wave arrived from faraway PS-111.
｢Don't go... too far...｣
｢Don't worry. I know my range.｣
As the faint message reached her, Adhai smashed another spike-monster with her tail.
｢What's unique about these enemies?｣
｢Opponent... you're fighting... can absorb energy.｣
｢Absorb?｣
｢Steals strength, uses it to fuel and maintain the colony.｣
For a creature to not only survive colliding with her Red Armor but remain unscathed it was unheard of, especially for such small beings.
Just as PS-111 predicted, those swarming monsters were stealing Gallagon's strength to empower themselves. That was how they had survived crashing against her Red Armor.
｢Enemy like Little One｣｢What's their trait?｣
｢Interference, manipulation of force. They're even jamming our conversation.｣
｢Annoying.｣
Adhai glared past the swarming spike creatures at the other monster, one who watched the battle languidly, and closely resembled Little One, Number 26.
Not just the appearance, but the powers were similar too. Every time Adhai tried to attack, it missed her psychic breath's trajectory twisted invisible, just like the tricks Number 26 had shown before.
｢Enemy｣｢Weakness｣｢Tell me｣
｢Current opponent… absorbs power, but has limits.｣
｢Limits? It's not infinite?｣
｢Restriction…｣
Suddenly, PS-111's psychic wave was cut off. At the same moment, all the spike creatures stopped and began merging together.
｢?｣
Thousands of creatures fused into one, growing larger not just in size, but in the amount of energy that radiated from them.
Something was wrong. Sensing the danger, Adhai tried to retreat. But a massive tentacle from the fusing creature shot out and wrapped around her foreleg.
｢Let go!｣
She slashed at it with her Red Armor-coated wing as before, but the result was completely different this time. All it left was a tiny scratch; the tentacle was untouched.
Other tentacles seized her in no time, binding her tightly. Adhai's body was pinned, completely immobilized.
｢So strong! Why?｣
No matter how she struggled, she couldn't break free. Even her psychic breath had no effect. It was as if the enemy now possessed Red Armor too.
｢Danger｣｢Stay calm｣
Imprisoned in a living cage of tentacles, Adhai forced herself to stay collected. She focused her sensory tendrils outside the cocoon.
The first thing she felt was an alien energy: tendrils of power extending from the monster holding her.
These streams all led straight to the spectating creature like Number 26. Clearly, that one was orchestrating things.
But there was something even more important.
From the opposite direction, she sensed a familiar movement: small spike creatures were heading straight toward PS-111.
｢Bad!｣
PS-111 was a bad match for those creatures; they could even absorb Adhai's power. She wouldn't last long alone.
Adhai fired off a frantic psychic warning, but no answer came, just brief bursts of energy that suggested her friend was still fighting and refusing to run.
PS-111 was smart. She had to know her disadvantage; it had to be that the other monster was actively interfering.
With their communication jammed, asking for help was impossible.
It was a true crisis. Only Adhai herself could break this deadlock.
｢Problem｣｢Enemy｣｢Solution｣｢Think｣｢Think｣
Pressed by the translucent tentacles, Adhai thought desperately. PS-111 had said the enemy could only absorb so much power there was a limit.
If she used her strongest weapon, she might be able to shatter this cage.
But if she did, she'd get caught in it herself. Red Armor or not, even she wasn't invincible against the true power of stars.
Just then, a memory sparked something from long ago. The friend she called Ugly, Mother of the Sky, once taught her a technique: how to turn a small body into an advantage.
After Adhai finished growing, she never used it; she thought it pointless now that she was strong. But now, that forgotten past offered a way out.
Maintaining her Red Armor, Adhai now gathered her latent energy. The dragon power Gallagon's name "star force" responded to her will and awakened.
Normally, it would form in her mouth and blast outward. But this time, it spread through her entire body.
The Red Armor fused with it. Her scales and hide tore and shuddered as the tidal dragon power met her crimson outer shell.
｢No problem｣｢Nothing's impossible!｣
Blood welled from her wounds, but she kept focus.
In the past, she used psychic power for body-shrouded hyper-acceleration; now, only the energy type has changed.
And the true master of the star's power was herself, Adhai, daughter of the falling star. In her mind, she commanded it: Obey.
A moment later, Adhai's whole body glowed as red as a burning star. Her trembling Red Armor stabilized in the brilliance.
｢You like eating power?｣
｢?!｣
The captor finally reacted, realizing too late what prey it had dared to target.
｢Then eat till you burst.｣
Adhai unleashed all her hoarded energy at the entity trying to spit her out.
Every scale blazed, red lightning surging out a storm, a star-slaying force, erupting against the tentacle prison from every direction.
The star power dyed the translucent tentacles in pink and crimson. Whatever energy they absorbed, it was futile.
For the rage of the queen of space dragons cannot be quenched so easily.
The monster's body melted away, like a sandcastle swept apart by the tide. No fish-monster fragments broke away and swam off; nothing remained at all.
The creature that bound Adhai was completely annihilated, its form lost within a storm of red lightning surging into space.
——————
Freed from her restraints, Adhai accelerated at full speed, flying to where her companions waited.
The spined monsters had already ceased their attack and fled. PS-111, battered and alone, was the only one left behind.
｢Thank… you… for the help.｣
Perhaps it was thanks to the decreasing distance; their telepathic waves managed to connect, albeit weakly. PS-111 expressed its gratitude.
｢Your｣｢body…｣｢Are you｣｢okay?｣｢You're｣｢hurt a lot.｣
｢Core components, undamaged.｣
Though much of it was damaged, it wasn't enough to hinder PS-111's ability to fight. Its camera-lens eye rolled as it studied Adhai carefully.
｢I… notice scales, wings damaged.｣
｢No problem.｣
Adhai spun lightly on the spot, half a turn. The red lightning flowing across her body flashed with the movement.
This was unlike any defensive ability PS-111 had seen before. It realized this little gallagon had upgraded her power to a new form.
PS-111 found itself curious about her exact capabilities, but the battle was far from over. It turned its gaze to the remaining enemies.
Most of the swarming entities had been slain by Adhai. Only a handful of fish-like monsters remained.
But the real problem was the creature resembling a blue-yellow jellyfish. It possessed some mysterious force that enhanced the swarm entities, and it was still there.
｢The enemy, the one like a Little Adult, made the small ones stronger.｣
｢That… is correct.｣
｢What's｣｢its weakness?｣
PS-111 fixed its lens on the distant enemy.
This place seemed empty, as if nothing existed here. But that wasn't true.
A fierce struggle was underway between the energy field released by the foe and the warp particles PS-111 emitted.
In the process, PS-111 managed to analyze part of the enemy's ability.
｢The enemy is an Outspacer Queen. Its weapon is an energy wave.｣
｢Energy wave?｣
Higher-ranking Outsparcer entities can emit their own unique bio-energy frequencies. These are primarily used for commanding subordinates or communicating within their swarm.
But this entity's wave went beyond mere communication. Through these energy waves, it could manipulate other organisms' metabolism or control and block various energies.
It was with this wave that it altered the path of a psychic breath attack, enhanced its allies, and performed all manner of feats.
｢But I feel nothing.｣
｢That wave. It doesn't affect the little ones.｣
Yet, this power came with a fatal flaw.
To forcibly empower or weaken other organisms, and control energy at will, the queen needed its energy wave. That meant, in any scenario where the wave failed to function properly, it would be seriously weakened.
In fact, the enemy was unable to manipulate the bodily functions of either Adhai or PS-111.
In Adhai's case, her signature red barrier blocked all attacks. PS-111 defended itself by using Prometheus-class warp particles to disrupt the wave's activity.
The queen tried various ways to break through, but PS-111's swift countermeasures blocked them all.
Of course, their situation wasn't exactly secure, either. PS-111 had a slight advantage, but only barely. The queen was also jamming their telepathic communications, making dialogue difficult.
Thus, both sides became deadlocked. But with the swarm entities neutralized, only the jellyfish queen remained. If Adhai could reach the queen, the fight would end there. No energy wave could make the queen a match for Adhai.
｢That's why, I have to approach directly…｣
Adhai was about to explain her fighting strategy when something unexpected happened.
The Outspacer Queen resembling Number 26 suddenly lashed out its tentacles, seizing the fish monsters and devoured them whole.
｢?｣｢Aren't they allies?｣
｢They are.｣
｢Then why eat them?｣
According to PS-111's data, Outsparcers like Amorphs could assimilate other organisms, incorporating their strengths and traits into the swarm. The genetic information inside each creature served as a kind of resource.
The swarm creatures were now critically weakened. To preserve vital genetic traits, the queen appeared to have eaten her own kind.
｢The enemy seeks the power of living beings, much like the Amorph.｣
｢Like the Big Adult?｣
｢Yes. Gaining power by consuming organisms. Eating weak kin to conserve strength.｣
｢No! Big Adult wouldn't eat allies!｣
Adhai, annoyed by the comparison, shook her head furiously.
｢Eating allies is bad! That's why I'll destroy this enemy!｣
｢Direct approach. I will destroy it.｣
｢Understood.｣
With those words, Adhai tensed her body and launched forward.
The speed was so intense she looked like a streak of red lightning. In an instant, the little gallagon closed the gap.
Just before the two collided, the queen's tentacles flared open. The energy wave released was twice as powerful as any before.
A force strong enough to bend light itself blocked Adhai's path. For the first time, the rapidly flying gallagon came to a halt.
The tentacles unleashing the wave trembled, as did the slender body of the gallagon. An invisible clash shook the very space, a contest of strength between a gigantic specter and a red dwarf.
｢Dlrjs Qnfrksmdgkek!｣
Outwardly, the winner seemed clear. But reality was different.
Slowly, Adhai pushed forward. The tremor in the tentacles grew more frantic, yet it changed nothing.
Eventually, the tentacles reached their limit snapping one by one. Energy waves and flesh scattered into the void. Freed from her shackles, Adhai flashed like a thunderbolt, driving herself through the enemy.
Only thanks to a desperate dodge did the queen survive, though now more than half of its body was tattered and torn.
Crippled, the queen tried desperately to flee, stirring its few remaining tentacles. Pointless PS-111 was blocking any attempt at superluminal escape.
All that awaited the queen now was death.
｢It's over.｣
Just as Adhai was about to strike the final blow
She froze. Something strange was spreading through the dark void, a formless, sinister sensation.
｢?｣
It scraped at the tentacle-clusters by her lips, a feeling both dreadful and familiar.
This time, however, it was more than twice as powerful as before.
Abandoning her attack, Adhai rushed back to PS-111.
｢Something's wrong. Danger over there.｣
PS-111 sensed it, too.
For some unknown reason, the warp particles it had spread throughout the void were vanishing.
And from the place where those warp particles disappeared, a small figure emerged.
｢A dwarf?｣
The entity that appeared suddenly was a strange mix of human and animal features.
Adhai wondered aloud, but neither she nor PS-111 believed it was truly human.
As if to answer their doubts, the human-shaped figure began to change.
The scaly skin cracked open, limbs twisting grotesquely. From the crushed flesh, black bones sprouted instead of blood or tissue. Ripping through the skin, the bones fanned out into thin, feather-like spikes.
In seconds, the bony feathers covered everything but its face and continued to grow.
Soon, dozens of wings made of bone crowded the space, and the transformation started from a human-sized form ended only when it reached about half the queen's size. At the center of the wings was the head of a human girl, child-sized.
The mutated creature approached the queen. As if they were old acquaintances, the battered queen stumbled to stand behind the monster.
｢Those two, they're allies too.｣
｢Agreed.｣
No one knew how that thing had come here. One thing was certain: it was on the queen's side.
In other words, it was their enemy.
｢It appeared｣｢out of nowhere｣
｢Yes, that's correct. Not an ordinary enemy.｣
Adhai also knew that, thanks to PS-111's power, superluminal navigation could be blocked and that power was in effect even here.
Even the Amorph, whom Adhai deeply respected, could not escape that rule.
But this monster had just materialized here, as if scoffing at such absolute law. Despite PS-111's limits, it had arrived.
｢The new enemy｣｢is strong｣｢Be careful｣
｢Understood. But it's all right.｣
｢?｣
Instead of answering further, PS-111 turned its body away. Adhai also turned to follow its gaze.
Its red-lensed eye looked toward the planet behind them, a world that, thanks to its endless seas, was painted blue. On its surface, a tiny, glowing dot was quickly growing larger, pink light shining.
｢We, too, have reinforcements.｣
Just earlier, when Adhai unveiled her new technique, an enormous surge of energy was released. The resulting shockwave swept through the upper atmosphere and reached deep beneath the planet's oceans.
｢It's the little one!｣
Now, having received that silent message, Number 26 arrived together with Isabel.
｢Sister, why did communications….wait, what's going on?｣
｢Enemy attack.｣
｢Bad one.｣｢Strong.｣｢We need to combine our strength.｣
｢Right!｣
Now, to face the newly arrived foe, all of the Amorph's family had gathered.
The second round was about to begin.
***
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in someone's living room.
Golden sunlight filled the space; the room felt gentle and cozy.
I was sitting on the sofa in that place.
'A hallucination…'
Ever since I met that being who called itself an 'information function entity', illusions had stopped appearing. The last time I saw one was when I cocooned myself after capturing the Arcane Orca back then, nothing appeared.
So I thought nothing would come this time, either. Yet here it was, unexpectedly.
'… May as well look around.'
There was surely a reason why the hallucination had returned after a pause. I stood up, scanning the living room.
This was neither my childhood home nor the apartment I remembered last before coming to this world. This place didn't exist in my memories.
Yet for all that, it felt entirely natural. Not only was there no sense of strangeness, but instead a deep familiarity, as if I'd spent a long time here.
Then I noticed the photos on the living room wall.
Pictures of a young couple at places that looked like mountain resorts or seaside locations. One showed the woman with a swollen belly clearly, a married pair living here.
Curiously, their faces were blurred out, as if pixelated. Every photo was the same.
'Why do they seem so familiar…?'
I felt sure I knew these two people. Especially the woman with the man I'd seen her recently.
'I can't see their faces, but still…'
As confusion grew while I stared at the photos, I heard the sound of the door opening.
"Oh? Daddy must be home early."
A woman's voice followed.
Turning, I saw a lady holding a child. Perhaps because the sun was streaming in, their faces were hidden from view.
Yet I could sense what expressions they wore: surprise, happiness, joy swirling together. With those feelings, the woman's lips moved.
She called my name.
And in that instant, I opened my eyes again.
｢Grk?｣
I could feel mucus flowing over my carapace and the chill that hung in the air sensations I'd experienced countless times before.
Yet another evolution had finished.
——————
The hallucination after so long was surprisingly brief. At least, that's how it felt though in real time, a considerable amount may have passed.
'What was that scene at the end?'
The faceless woman, and the child she held in her arms. I had never seen either of them, yet somehow they felt familiar.
'And that last thing she said…'
Just before waking from the illusion, the woman said something. It seemed important, but I can't recall it. My mind is hazy, like trying to force myself to remember a half-forgotten dream.
What's odd is that, while I have no memory of what was said, the feeling I had when I heard it remains vivid.
It was a clear sense of closeness. Even now, just awakened from the cocoon, residual feelings about them linger.
As if someone had secretly implanted those emotions in me.
'Could it have been the work of the information function entity?'
It's possible. Instead of appearing directly, maybe it was trying to communicate something.
'Though I have no idea what it was trying to say.'
These hallucinations were always difficult to understand, but this one was more inscrutable than usual.
'No leads at all. There's no point in dwelling on it further.'
It seems I'll need to wait for my next evolution. Maybe then, if I hallucinate again, I'll get a new clue.
'For now, I should check what's changed about my body.'
Cutting off pointless thoughts, I examined my transformed form.
'My shape's changed a lot.'
My skin and carapace were still a pale white, but my physique had completely altered. I was almost like an entirely different species.
The once snake-like body had shortened and grown wider. Except for the tail, my torso was as short as my head.
Unlike the shrunken torso, my neck, which supports three heads, had grown much thicker.
｢Grrr?｣
｢Grr｣
The two freshly awakened heads smacked their lips. Looking beneath their jaws, I saw large sacs attached.
Likewise, a sac had appeared under the central head too. Formed from patched-together small carapace plates, it extended down from my jaw, past my neck, and along my torso.
'It's like a pelican's pouch.'
I examined my throat pouch, and gently inhaled a bit of air.
It puffed up slightly. The carapace plates clicked together.
'Is this an organ for storing food?'
The pouch connected to the mouth; when I ate something, it flowed in here as well.
'So it's a storage organ.'
Being able to store food for later is an advantage, except that it's almost excessively large.
'It also seems weak defensively.'
With the pouch's formation, the carapace that once protected my chest and abdomen was gone.
Even if the pouch is tough, it's surely not as sturdy as thick carapace. My defenses are definitely lower now.
'Still, there's some improvements too.'
Apart from the change in shape and the new throat pouch, the biggest difference was my arms. Former vestigial battle arms had grown much larger.
'But can I even call these arms?'
I put strength into the arms no, tentacles sprawled on the floor. Six thick, long tentacles, reminiscent of tree trunks, slowly moved at my will.
Aside from a small pair at the chest, all my former battle arms had turned into tentacles. At each tip were four fingers ending in sharp claws.
I curled one tentacle and flexed the fingers.
'Similar to my erosive tentacles, but feels different.'
Comparing how they move, these are easier and more natural to control.
The erosive tentacles feel awkward, like intricately manipulating wing bones. But these are closer in sensation to moving arms or legs.
'At least it's not difficult.'
Just as I felt relieved, one testing tentacle smashed through some test tubes and punched right through the wall.
'…Clearly I'll need to get better at using them.'
Even if they're not as tricky as the erosive tentacles, these new tentacle-arms are still hard to control. I'll need some time to get proficient.
The last major change was the tail. After getting the "Twisted Abomination" applied, the pincer that was previously sealed by a taboo had returned.
Amid the tentacles sprawled on the floor, my right tail now ended in a hefty claw. On the left, I saw the 'Black Glutton Cannon' mounted.
'They look longer…'
Maybe they just look large compared to my shrunken body, but in reality, they haven't grown much longer. The tails are about 15 meters long, shorter than my erosive and tentacle arms.
'That's about it for major changes.'
Big transformations were always the norm when fusing unique traits, but this one was pretty extreme.
A body even shorter than my head, a massive throat pouch, six erosive tentacles, six tentacle-arms, and two long tails dangling down.
How can I even describe this form? With all these limbs right under the heads, it's almost like a cephalopod.
'A giant octopus monster, several dozen meters long.'
It brings to mind the eldritch gods of classic horror stories a giant with an octopus head and bat wings.
Of course, my overall shape is only octopus-like; my heads haven't changed into anything like that.
Multiple horns, bio-pipes, monstrous tentacles, and the auxiliary parts below my jaws all the same.
'My body color's different, and I don't have wings, either.'
Unlike its clawed tail, the wings and arms did not return. The bindings that had been placed earlier were not completely released.
I'll have to check the text box directly to confirm this.
'Wait a moment.'
As I tried to check the changed text box, something felt off. It was like I had forgotten something important.
'What was it… Ah.'
I realized why I felt this way.
'Parasite signal.'
On this planet Nox, where the secret base is located, there was a human infected intentionally for safe infiltration. When coming down here, the infected were left in the floating city on the water's surface.
But the parasite that should be on the infected's head is not detected.
That means the host is dead.
And that's not the only problem.
I am not the only one at this secret deep-sea base. The others came with me this time.
Just now, the noise from smashing the wall with my tentacle arms was loud. At least Number 26 and Adhai should have rushed over immediately.
But there was no sound at all. It was as if no one was here.
[ZZZ (Hey, guys?)]
｢Grrr｣
｢Grrk｣
The wave generated by the monster's tentacles spread outside the laboratory. No answer returned.
'Could it be?'
Everyone knows that I become very weak when inside the cocoon.
Even knowing that, the fact they left me behind means they must have had a good reason.
The others aren't here, and the infected who should be above water is dead.
What these two things mean is obvious.
'Someone tried to enter this planet, this secret base.'
They must have detected it and gone to intercept the enemy. By now, a fierce battle must be raging up there.
'Now isn't the time to waste.'
Only a select few would come looking for the secret base on Nox.
The leadership of Prime Capital Edgerton, or the ranking elites of the Dominion faction.
'If it's the former, that's better; if the latter, it's dangerous.'
Rankers can create various unexpected variables. I have to get to where they are as fast as possible.
The bio-pipes on my head, which received my command, began emitting an energy field.
An invisible, intangible energy field spread across the floor, supporting my massive body. The tangled tentacles and the lab's debris floated in midair.
If not for the emergency, I would have turned back the way I came, but there's no time.
'Let's break through as is.'
I can guess why the enemy wants to come here. They want to recover the genetic samples and research data stored in the base.
All the former is already inside me, but the latter remains.
'Better to destroy it than let them get their hands on it.'
PS-111 must have backed up important data.
I released the energy field while preparing my psychic breath.
The white tentacles floating as if swimming in the energy field darkened to purple. A purple psychic power flowed like a river, gathering beneath the carapace of my head.
｢Grrr｣
｢Grr｣
The left and right heads did the same. In the dark center of the lab, three purple suns rose.
All the monster's tentacles shining brightly under each head pointed their tips upward at once.
Then, they released all the power they had stored.
A purple flash lit up as the ashen ceiling vanished. The concentrated force, my psychic breath, crushed every obstacle ahead into dust as it surged forward.
Soon, a roaring sound echoed through the base, shaking the building violently. The entire base was rapidly collapsing due to pressure changes and incoming seawater. I slipped through the hole I had made and escaped outside.
Leaving the crumbling secret base behind, I cut through the water's flow using my twelve tentacles and tail fin.
How long had I been out? A faint light spread around. I swam upward with all my strength and reached the surface far faster than when I descended.
When my head broke the surface, the dark sky greeted me. On the black canvas-like sky, blinking lights flickered and vanished.
'The battle's still raging, after all.'
I rose out of the sea and soared toward the sky.
The infinite space as dark as the deep sea quickly approached.
Wreckage of broken warships drifted in space. Some passed by me and crashed onto the water-covered planet.
'Has a Megacorp Ranker come?'
They had to arrive just as I infiltrated the base. If the timing had been even slightly off, it could have been dangerous.
'Where are the others?'
I looked around.
In the middle of the battlefield where green plasma heat rays rained down, a figure shone red alone. Adhai, clad in her Red Armor. She fought fiercely between the ships, taking on enemies one after another.
Not far from her was Number 26, the Sea Demon, transformed into battle mode. It wrapped PS-111 and Isabel in its fins while swiping approaching ships with its tentacles.
'Huh? What's that?'
Among the enemies, there were some ships that weren't Megacorp's. Monsters with biological cannons on their backs, or terrible claws and teeth, swooped on nearby ships.
Outspacers, Megacorps, and the kids, all three factions were tangled in a chaotic brawl.
'What is going on?'
Megacorps I can understand, but Outspacers coming here?
Their 4th-ranked master is an extremely cautious person. He never launches an offensive unless things go his way.
Before coming to Nox, I killed the parasites he had planted in the gateway city of the star system.
So I assumed they wouldn't enter for a while. This is unexpected.
'No. Worries can wait.'
Right now, joining up with the kids is a priority.
As I flew toward where they were, something strange happened.
The space where Adhai had been shimmered like a heat haze. A being who detected it slightly later accelerated like lightning. Right after, the entire space folded up like crumpled paper.
Adhai barely escaped, but the ones chasing her did not.
A long warship's middle section vanished without a trace, splitting it in half, and smaller destroyers lost either their front or rear sections cleanly.
It looked as if invisible scissors had cut those parts out.
On the other hand, the Outspacers caught between the fleets were all unharmed. Some of them attacked the surviving ships, while the rest retreated to the rear.
In the place the monsters had withdrawn from, there stood a bizarre being.
It had countless black wings, an image resembling an angel from religious scriptures.
Of course, this is no angel. If this is the being I know, it's quite the opposite.
'…Why the hell is that here?'
Its name is 'Wings of the Heavens'.
One of the two creatures possessing large-scale teleportation abilities in Space Survival, it's a Vortex One that controls space.
A powerful cosmic demon now moves alongside the Outspacer mob.
———
If you were to pick the species that hates the Vortex One the most in Space Survival, it would definitely be the Outspacers.
It makes sense they only crossed over into this universe because of the Vortex One.
The Outspacers came here after having their home taken by the demons of the universe. Even their ending condition is deeply tied to the Vortex One.
For two species of deadly enemies to move together like that it's not normal.
'Come to think of it, their appearance is a bit different too.'
Just like its name, the Wings of the Heavens has an immense number of wings, with a torso covered in countless eyes at their center.
But this one has a human woman's face in place of the many eyes on its torso.
｢Amorph?｣
At the moment I was observing the distant enemies, a familiar energy signature was detected.
｢Amorph, it's you, right?｣
｢Have you finished growing?｣
｢Big baby!｣
Number 26 flew over holding the Screamer sisters with its fins.
｢Big Adult?｣
Just then, Adhai, who had been fighting alone, spotted me. The ones who had separated while I was sleeping gathered once again.
｢Wow! Big baby's so cute!｣
｢You say it's cute?｣
｢Yeah! Cute!｣
As soon as Number 26 came near, it gently caressed my tentacle arms with its own tentacles. It seemed very pleased and repeatedly glowed brightly. It clearly liked my octopus-like new appearance.
｢Interesting. Worth imitating.｣
PS-111 also showed interest in my greatly changed form.
Of course, not all feedback was positive.
｢Now you can't be Amorph anymore.｣
｢Really?｣
Isabel is the only one among the three who knows what I looked like in the game. Seeing how drastically I changed, she shook her head in disbelief.
In contrast, Adhai had a strong reaction. She rubbed her amethyst-like eyes with her front paws as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She seemed quite shocked.
｢Big Adult｣｢weird｣｢Ugly.｣
｢No, big baby became cute.｣
｢Denial. Big Adult. Cocoon. When? Enter?｣
As she said, synthesizing the unique trait does change the body, but how the form turns out afterward is unpredictable. It's possible I might transform into something Adhai wouldn't like.
'Of course, if I tell the truth, she won't like it.'
Just as I was about to say I'd try, the surroundings began to shimmer like a heat haze.
I quickly gathered the others with my tentacles and retreated.
Soon cracks like broken glass veins appeared in the space where we were. It was an attack from the Wings of the Heavens. If caught in those cracks, your body gets shredded like the ships did.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZ (Let's talk later)]
｢Yeah!｣
｢Agreed.｣
Behind me, as I moved holding the kids, the space crushed repeatedly.
But none of the attacks touched me. I could see all incoming attacks beforehand.
'Thanks to the auxiliary organ.'
The auxiliary organ under my jaw has gone through multiple evolutions, greatly improving its performance. Because of it, the otherwise imperceptible attacks from the Vortex One can be clearly sensed.
An attack that cut a warship in half doesn't matter if it doesn't hit me. I easily dodged the Vortex One's assaults.
｢Detection ability, excellent.｣
｢Be careful. The enemy is not alone.｣
No sooner had Isabel finished speaking than the Outspacer group near the Vortex One disappeared. From the shimmering space around me, they suddenly popped out.
'Annoying.'
That too is a power of the Wings of the Heavens. Both splitting the warship and instantly moving the Outspacers come from one ability.
'It connects specific coordinates to an unknown dimension.'
Simply put, it creates a small, short-lived wormhole. The sudden splitting of Megacorp ships happened because it sent parts of their hulls into another dimension.
'This can't even be blocked by defense.'
Adhai in Red Armor dodged instinctively, knowing it can't be stopped.
Anyway, the objects sucked in can be released again when the Wings of the Heavens wants. It's how it sent Outspacers toward me.
'It's a bit different from how it was used in the game.'
Intelligent beings who return from the dimension get a debuff called 'Dimensional Madness.' When inflicted, they lose their minds and attack nearby lifeforms.
In the game, the Wings of the Heavens used this to divide players attacking it.
However, lower-level Outspacers without intelligence and android-like drones following orders don't get Dimensional Madness. That's why the Outspacers chasing me aren't mad.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Why are the Outspacers obeying the Vortex One's orders?)]
｢That's not the Vortex One.｣
Isabel wrapped the approaching Outspacer and crushed it, replying:
[ZZZZ (It's not true?)]
｢It's a female king with Vortex One genes applied.｣
'A queen?'
Isabel possesses the special ability Omnipresent Clairvoyance, allowing her to read the opponent's information. Her assessment must be correct. Yet one question remains.
'Even so, she shouldn't be able to use the exact same abilities.'
Amorph and Outspacers absorb genetic essences from other creatures to imitate their traits. But there are limits to that imitation.
For example, just because I devour the Red Gallagon several times doesn't mean I become exactly like Adhai. The Dragon Power is unique to the Red Gallagon and cannot be obtained, and techniques like Red Armor are weakened or distorted.
The same applies to the Vortex One. Acquiring the prior trait Demon Machine doesn't mean they can use all of its abilities unchanged. The ability to create wormholes, which the Wings of the Heavens possesses, is an identity trait it's impossible to perfectly reproduce it.
But that queen escaped those limitations and wields Vortex One power at will.
What this means is obvious.
[ZZZ ZZ (It's a special ability)]
｢Exactly.｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZ (Could that be the 4th ranker?)]
｢No. Different ranker.｣
Now that I think about it, I've heard before that the Outspacer return faction has another ranker besides the 4th. It seems this one came to raid the secret base instead of the 4th.
[ZZZZ ZZ (What about the others?)]
｢Ranker alone. But there's a strong queen.｣
｢Right! There's a strong bad friend!｣
Number 26 answered the question, pointing its tentacles toward where the Wings of the Heavens was.
Behind the widely spread black wings was an Outspacer with teal skin.
'So that's the one.'
Judging by the appearance, it's clear why Number 26 called it a friend. It's an Outspacer created by inserting the Sea Demon's genetic essence.
｢Enemy｣｢Attack｣｢Keep missing.｣
"When the little one was exploding, I tried to catch it so it couldn't escape, but it was electrified and I couldn't grab it."
"Prometheus-like ability confirmed. Uses bio-signals to control energy. The control level matches mine."
"The planetary defense fleet was quickly overwhelmed because of that."
An energy manipulation ability.
That teal individual has a pretty troublesome power.
'It complements the ranker's weakness well.'
The Wings of the Heavens' weakness is low defense. Its only defense is the Vortex One's tough carapace.
So as long as we deal damage, it's an opponent that can be taken down. But the energy-manipulating Outspacer covers that weakness.
'We need to handle that one first…'
The problem is it surely knows that. It will do everything to protect itself.
That will probably drag the fight out unnecessarily.
'A prolonged battle isn't good right now.'
We're in enemy territory. PS-111 currently blocks faster-than-light travel, so reinforcements can't come, but we can't be complacent.
'Even if Megacorp doesn't come, more Outspacers will.'
Using wormhole creation, they can infinitely supply low-level Outspacers. Long fights favor them, so it must end quickly.
'For now, seal off energy traits. Need to go for melee.'
Approaching isn't a good choice either. The wormhole generation speed of the Wings of the Heavens is linked to perception range. The closer it is, the faster wormholes form.
Wormholes are already forming rapidly now. Getting closer makes evading harder.
'If I get caught, it's over.'
Unless I have a way to disrupt the ranker's perception, I can't get close like this.
'What to do?'
While dodging attacks and thinking, something occurred to me.
A newly acquired unique trait. I hadn't yet checked it in the rush here.
'Let's see.'
I activated the semi-transparent text box. The moment I read it, my eyes unconsciously widened.
'What's this?'
A new unique trait, a complex battle situation, and a tricky opponent.
I suddenly thought of a way to connect and use these elements together.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (I just got a good idea)]
｢Good strategy?｣
｢Please share.｣
I explained the plan I just thought of to everyone, while my gaze remained locked on the text box:
｢Gluttonous Maw Pouch: You are a true predator who can eat everything. After greatly inflating your body, you suck in and swallow objects in front of you. Anything swallowed is immediately digested. The size and number of objects you can swallow is proportional to your own size.
Larger Maw: When using the trait to increase body size, the growth effect doubles.
PS: Eating is the most basic instinct of all life.｣
The eleventh synthesized unique trait, Gluttonous Maw Pouch.
It's the key to overcoming the current crisis.
——————
The Outspacers' Great Queen was once human.
Back when she was human, her name was Joy Spencer.
Her lover, the Empress of the Outspacers, calls her 'Joyra'. The name 'Joy' is one of the few things that remind her of her human past.
But now, a new being connected to that past has appeared.
'An Amorph ranker…'
Joy narrowed her eyes at the monstrosity rampaging across the battlefield.
The sole Amorph ranker from the game Space Survival. The most evil ranker, contemptuously called 'Amorph' who holds the 5th rank, was standing before her.
｢New entity. Dangerous. Be cautious.｣
｢I know.｣
Three heads with unnaturally developed carapaces, grotesque pouches dangling on its neck, and multiple long legs its form was nothing like that in the game. But that's to be expected; an Amorph's appearance changes depending on which genetic essences it absorbs.
In fact, the 5th ranker is notorious for disguising itself with all sorts of bizarre forms to deceive others. This form was clearly intentional.
'Tch! Why the hell is that thing here?'
NEO-3 star system is considered a strategic hub, but it's not a place attractive to the Amorph.
It's famous as a munitions factory producing high-performance warships. There are plenty of other places to find genetic essence.
Her lover had warned her to watch out for Megacorp's rankers but never mentioned the Amorph.
'Could it be after that research lab?'
Joy had come to raid the secret research lab on planet NOX-02, also known as Nox. Maybe the Amorph came with the same intention.
'…No. It wouldn't know that much.'
She quickly dismissed her speculation.
Only a handful in Megacorp knew the research lab's significance. Even her lover learned about it only accidentally while spreading parasites.
The Amorph may be formidable, but it's not omniscient. Very few knew the lab's location. How could it?
It was probably just rotten bad timing.
'The lab is screwed because of that thing.'
Though Joy's power was immense, her opponent was that infamous "Mopfaki." As long as it blocked the path to the lab, her lover's mission was impossible.
Yet she didn't leave. There was still something she wanted to accomplish.
'I have to bring something back for him.'
This large-scale invasion was extremely important to the Empress. She despised variables; if plans fell through, it would greatly disappoint her.
As much as the 4th-ranked loves Joy, she held a deep affection for him as well. She didn't want to let him down.
'Instead…'
Joy's gaze shifted to the Red Gallagon ridden by the Amorph. Its size was like a Blue Gallagon's, but it possessed the abilities of a Red Gallagon, a mutant.
'The swarm still didn't have the essence of the Red Gallagon, right?'
If she could take that Red Gallagon, her lover would be very pleased.
The Gallagon's owner wouldn't stand by and watch, but there was no need to worry. Using the power of the Wings of the Heavens, capturing or escaping the enemy wouldn't be difficult.
Joy focused her mind on the Amorph in flight. The Vortex One's power that controls space activated, tearing a hole in the empty void.
But the Amorph danced skillfully around the black pit, as if sensing where the force acted in advance.
｢Tch. Annoying.｣
The Vortex One transcends physical laws and logic. Its powers cannot be detected by normal means. It seemed the Amorph had prepared special detection traits in case of a fight with the Vortex One.
'I can't help it.'
Fortunately, its flight speed wasn't very fast. Joy decided to exploit that.
｢Todres. Trap it with the swarm.｣
At the Great Queen's order, the teal Outspacer Todres responded silently. The queen's controlled swarm spread out like a net. The mesh tightened rapidly, closing distance on the Amorph.
For now, the lower-level units could only serve as meat shields, but that was sufficient. Even holding it for a moment would help.
Outspacers hemmed in the Amorph from all sides. There was no way out.
The Amorph swung its grotesque tentacles and struck down the lower units blocking its path. Blood and flesh flew, and holes tore open in the encirclement. The Amorph succeeded in making a path and aimed to slip through.
'Gotcha.'
A massive rift leading to another dimension opened before the Amorph's tentacles.
Once caught in the wormhole created by the Wings of the Heavens, escape was impossible. Knowing this, the Amorph hurriedly retracted its tentacles.
But that was exactly what she had planned.
Normally, the Wings of the Heavens can only open one wormhole at a time, but she was different. Her activation range was shorter than the original's, but she could create more wormholes.
Joy concentrated on the Amorph's head specifically, on the Red Gallagon perched atop.
The Red Gallagon tried to escape belatedly. But Joy was one step faster.
At the moment the new wormhole began to trap the Gallagon's wing, interference occurred. The Amorph shoved the Red Gallagon away with tentacles growing from its back.
The smaller Gallagon bounced off, and the tentacle instead touched the edge of the wormhole. Simultaneously, the Sea Demon embraced by the Amorph transformed its pink tentacles into blades and swung, cutting the tentacle caught in the wormhole.
'What the…?'
The severed limb was sucked into the wormhole. Joy immediately created another wormhole, but the Amorph had already fled with the Red Gallagon.
'Damn! Another mutant?'
She knew the Sea Demon could use psychic power to mutate itself. But she had never seen tentacles weaponized like that.
'Did it just collect mutants or what?'
Like other Outspacers, she had devoured countless creatures but had met mutants only a handful of times. Yet that thing brought mutated apex organisms as its slaves.
'Does it expect to get a rare genetic essence?'
No mutant had ever produced previously unknown traits by being eaten.
Of course, the opponent was that infamous Amorph surely it had some sinister plan.
'I need to kill that mutant.'
Unlike the Gallagon, the Sea Demon's genetic essence was plentiful. That troublesome pink monster was useless.
Afterward, Joy kept attacking the Amorph. Wherever it fled, wormholes born of the Vortex One repeatedly appeared and vanished.
Contrary to her hopes, the Amorph was hard to catch. Having been hit once, it moved more cautiously than before.
｢Todres, how are the other queens doing?｣
｢They need more time.｣
Seeing the Amorph commanding subordinates made her feel the absence of the other queens more keenly. The situation would be very different if they were all here.
'Turan is dead, and only Todres, specialized in auxiliary support, remains.'
Todres excels in energy manipulation and ally enhancement but shows the weakest direct combat power among the four queens.
Moreover, interference from a Prometheus-like robot made it difficult to use energy manipulation effectively.
｢Great Queen, I will support with power.｣
｢No. That's a last resort.｣
Todres's support was powerful but had a fatal flaw: they had to share control of their bodies. If surprises happened in battle, responding quickly was difficult.
｢For now, focus on pressure with the lower units.｣
｢Understood. Hm?｣
Suddenly, Todres emitted a puzzled energy wave.
｢Why?｣
｢The entity blocking movement has stopped responding.｣
｢What did you say?｣
Hearing those words, Joy checked the Amorph's status.
It was still dodging at high speed, but somehow it looked anxious. Seeing that, she thought she understood the creature's intention.
'It's trying to use humans.'
The ruler of this star system was Megacorp. To them, the Outspacers and the Amorph were nothing but invaders alike. Their plan was to lure them into the battlefield and provoke a chaotic fight.
The Wings of the Heavens had no special defensive techniques. The standard strategy was to distract it with numerous troops and attack its core during the opening.
'Ha. How foolish.'
That was just the original's weakness. Joy's body did not contain only the essence of the Vortex One. She had long since compensated for her weak defenses with genetic essences from other creatures.
｢Good. Summon all queens.｣
Whether or not the Amorph knew, there were humans here, not only them.
As Todres waved her tentacles, blue sparks flashed in all directions. Moments later, the reinforcements Joy awaited crossed into the battlefield in a blaze of light.
｢Krrk! Great Queen! How dare you leave me behind to go first!｣
｢I sensed the death of a brother born of Mother. What is the matter?｣
A red monster called Krieger growled fiercely as soon as it arrived, accompanied by the bat-monstrous Hungersnot, which had doubled in size since they last met. Behind them, Outspacers scattered across the star system began to appear one by one.
｢Those down there are the enemies the Empress hates most. Krieger and Hungersnot, focus on fighting them.｣
｢Grrrr. I smell a strong one.｣
｢Those who harmed Mother shall be repaid with death.｣
｢Todres, boost those two immediately.｣
｢I obey the Great Queen's orders.｣
While Joy issued commands to the newly arrived Outspacers, Megacorp's ships also leapt into the fray. Bright light engulfed the battlefield as when they approached the star.
The light faded quickly, revealing countless ships.
Human-made alloy vessels and biological weapons created solely for battle charged at each other.
As green heat rays and thorn-shaped projectiles tangled chaotically, the Amorph darted into the fray. Its form was quickly obscured by ships and Outspacers.
｢Go and capture it.｣
The moment Joy gave the order, the enhanced Krieger and Hungersnot lunged forward.
Krieger was the fastest and most heavily armored of the four queens. Now strengthened, it was essentially a sentient superweapon.
Flying at terrifying speed, Krieger slammed into Megacorp's fleet, shaking their formation violently. Ships struck directly vanished without a trace, and others caught in the shock were instantly disabled.
But Krieger was stopped by another red comet the Red Gallagon controlled by the Amorph clashed with it.
｢Krrk?! Strong!｣
Since its creation, Krieger had never been wounded. Yet now, a fine crack appeared on its nearly immortal carapace.
The surprise wasn't limited to Krieger. The Red Gallagon, shielded by an indomitable defense, was also stunned to see its opponent relatively intact.
Of course, since it hadn't been hurt badly, it quickly recovered and fled among other ships.
｢I will assist.｣
｢Grrrr! This is my prey! Don't interfere!｣
Hungersnot ignored Krieger's words and opened its mouth toward where the Gallagon had hidden.
Just as a powerful black lightning was about to be unleashed, a fighter suddenly crashed into its maw.
｢How dare you!｣
Hungersnot crushed the fighter and turned its head.
Nearby, a pink Sea Demon clung to a warship's hull. It had captured and thrown the fighter that launched at it.
｢Enemy of Mother!｣
The enraged bat beast spewed black lightning. Not only the warship but other nearby vessels turned to dust. Among them, there was no sign of the Sea Demon's body.
Realizing this, a Sea Demon bathed in blue light emerged from afar.
｢I won't let you escape!｣
Hungersnot spread massive wings and began the pursuit.
Meanwhile, Joy observed the entire scene from the rear.
Her goal was to capture the Red Gallagon. Additionally, this was a perfect opportunity to kill the Sea Demon.
Yet she didn't move and the reason was clear.
'The Amorph is gone.'
A smart Amorph wouldn't recklessly release the Gallagon and Sea Demon. They were bait. The real threat was hidden somewhere amid the chaotic battlefield, waiting for her to make a move.
｢Great Queen.｣
Just then, Todres called her without lowering her guard.
｢Two dangerous Giga Crackers are preparing to attack.｣
｢Giga Crackers? How many?｣
｢Two.｣
Right after, two teal heat rays shot from a distance.
One alone could easily slice through an asteroid. Two could erase all Outspacers here.
Of course, powerful heat rays meant nothing if they missed. Joy created two wormholes in their path. The unknown space born of the Vortex One swallowed the energy completely.
At that moment, the hidden Amorph appeared. As if waiting for this, it charged toward her at high speed.
'Just as I thought!'
Prepared for the Amorph's ambush, Joy responded instantly.
A large wormhole appeared above Joy, from which the teal heat rays fired by the Giga Crackers emerged.
The Amorph hurried to dodge but was stopped by Todres.
Though the Amorph was protected by an unknown energy field, it wasn't as dense as the Red Gallagon's.
In a very brief instant, Todres's interference succeeded in trapping the mighty enemy.
The duration was less than a second, but it was enough. The Giga Crackers' heat rays blew off the Amorph's head.
'Captured!'
The Amorph doesn't die immediately without its head. It erased the wormhole above and recreated it behind.
The headless monster writhed its tentacles grotesquely and was sucked into the wormhole.
'Huh?'
Finally, Joy had killed the Amorph. Achieving something even her lover struggled with she felt joy for a moment, then saw something strange.
Earlier, the Sea Demon had cut one of the Amorph's tentacles. Yet all the tentacles of the headless Amorph remained intact.
'No way?'
｢Great Queen!｣
Joy suddenly looked up.
Where the wormhole had blocked vision until just now, the Amorph was there. It carried a snake-like robot on its back, looking down at her.
'The wormholes…'
Joy could create up to four wormholes at most. To lay a new one, she had to erase a previous wormhole, a process that naturally took longer than simply opening one.
While she erased an existing wormhole, the Amorph opened its mouth wide, two huge maws tearing open.
The instant she faced that abyss within its jaws, endless darkness engulfed Joy's vision.
—————
Joy, born into a prominent business family, had never once experienced a sense of lack throughout her childhood.
Her parents provided her with everything necessary for a comfortable life: the best education, influential acquaintances, and money.
In the human world of Joy, deprivation simply didn't exist.
But at some point, she began to grow weary of this perfect life. Walking the tracks her parents had laid down – so safe, and yet so monotonous – soon became a burden.
That's why she became obsessed with Space Survival.
In the virtual world, she didn't have to play the good daughter or strategically manage relationships.
Especially the Outspacers, this collective species from another universe fit her desires perfectly.
These hive-mind beings could adapt freely to the player's will, unhindered by the rules of humanity.
Besides, from birth Joy belonged to the upper echelons, one accustomed to ruling over others. The queen standing at the center of the hive felt only natural to her.
Of course, it wasn't as if she wanted to abandon life as a human entirely to become an Outspacer.
The feeling of freedom and the game itself remained merely entertainment. Even lost in immersion, she never forgot that fact.
Even after coming to this world, that conviction never wavered.
Despite gaining a loving partner, despite wielding power that could shake the universe, her goal remained unchanged:
To return to the real world.
Until that dream was achieved, she would never let herself die. She had survived on that belief all this time.
'Where…?'
Joy rolled her eyes, scanning her surroundings.
A pitch-black space, without even the faintest glimmer of light. At first glance, it resembled the cosmos.
Yet she could tell: this place was fundamentally different from the universe she knew.
The darkness seemed to writhe, as though the space itself were alive.
'What trick is this?'
Right after she saw the Amorph's mouth, the entire space had shifted in an instant. She was certain: the Amorph had sent her here.
'Hmph. Foolish.'
It was a place designated by the Amorph probably not ordinary, and yet she felt no fear.
With the power of the Wings of the Heavens, she could fly to any corner of the universe in a heartbeat.
'No, this might work out.'
Now that she was separated from the Amorph, this was her chance to ask the Empress for help.
If she went to her lover and explained everything, she could call for reinforcements to hunt the Amorph.
'Then I just need to move quickly…'
She tried opening a wormhole, as she always did. Soon enough, she realized there was a problem.
'Huh?'
Up until she entered this space, she created wormholes freely.
But now she couldn't recall how she'd ever done it, as if that part of her mind had been erased.
'What is this?'
Unable to recover the memory, Joy tried to escape the place by another means.
The many wings on her back weren't just for show; she could fly far faster than the original Wings of the Heavens.
And yet her body wouldn't budge. She was frozen in place.
'How did I fly…?'
Ever since the genetic essence of Vortex-One was transplanted into her, her wings had become as natural as her own limbs. For her, flight was as instinctive as walking; it wasn't something she could just forget.
Only then did Joy realize: something was fundamentally wrong with her.
This space… was devouring her memories.
'No! T-there must be a way…!'
Her body held more than just the essence of Vortex-One she had the essences of many other beings, too. If only she could use them, she could break out of here.
That is, if those memories hadn't disappeared from her mind.
'No! Please, I want to live…!'
With every memory of her abilities consumed by this space, its next target became the components that made Joy human:
Her comrades of the Returners.
Her beloved lover.
Her home and parents in reality.
'...'
Eventually, even her name.
The Empress of the Outspacers, once called 'Joy,' vanished and only a hollow shell remained.
And then, even that empty shell slowly dissolved into the darkness.
***
｢I… I didn't expect it to be like this.｣
Isabel, sitting on my back, sent out a thoughtwave tinged with shock. She was reacting to the scene that had just unfolded.
I could sympathize because I felt much the same.
｢Binding digestive fluid being secreted. Time remaining until complete natural digestion: 1 hour 29 minutes.｣
Right now, both my eyes are focused on the system textbox related to the newly acquired unique trait, "Gluttonous Maw Pouch."
'So that's how it works.'
With the Gluttonous Maw Pouch activated, I opened my mouth, and the ranker standing in front of me was sucked in at once down the gullet, straight into the pouch.
After swallowing such a large prey, the pouch swelled massively at least three times bigger than before, enough to obscure my entire torso.
'Still, it got eaten alive, but isn't putting up any resistance?'
Locked up inside the pouch, anyone would be expected to thrash about, but there was no reaction. It was as quiet as if it had fallen asleep.
'Enhanced digestive fluid secretion? Is that the reason?'
A digestive fluid that could immobilize even a creature with the body of Vortex-One impressive.
If it worked solely by physical restraint, that would be overpowered, but I doubt that's it; it's probably a substance that negatively affects the prey's mind, perhaps forcibly putting it to sleep so escape is impossible.
'This is better than I hoped for.'
I worried, since the rare "Reaper's Maw" trait was a key material, but the result was more than satisfactory.
Even prey larger than my own body could be swallowed whole, so there's no need to only aim for the head. Swallowing is swift too, no wasted time eating, and cutting off resistance is a nice bonus.
'Thanks to that, victory was easier than expected.'
Ordinarily, this opponent shouldn't have been defeated so easily.
The enemy ranker possessed a powerful special privilege. Its body having transformed, similar to the Wings of the Heavens, was thanks to that trait.
It was a ranker with the body of the ultimate Apex Vortex-One, and was receiving support from an Outspacer legion as well. Definitely no trivial foe.
I even had to sacrifice my right head to lull it into complacency. If not for falling for my plan or if I lacked my new trait, the outcome could've been far different.
'But, those are meaningless what-ifs.'
In the end, the Outspacer ranker made the wrong choice and is now paying for it inside the pouch.
｢Empress!｣
At that moment, my monster's tentacles detected a strange signal. The hive-mind device trait, "Hive Consciousness Terminal," activated, delivering the Outspacer's psychic broadcast directly to my brain.
｢The Empress's consort has been destroyed!｣
A blue-gold Outspacer, barely escaping the reach of the Gluttonous Maw Pouch the queen, who resembled a sea demon, was sending out a wailing psychic wave.
｢Grrrr…｣
I opened my mouth with my sole remaining left head, aiming to swallow her next. Just as I was about to activate the trait, a black bolt of lightning struck and crashed into me.
｢Grrk?!｣
｢Feedback activated!｣
My left head's horn snapped, and my entire snout was singed; the mouth snapped shut. In that moment, the Outspacer queen used the opportunity to dart away, creating distance.
The special defensive fusion trait "Feedback" only triggers when massive damage is received in a short time. To activate it in a single blow, it'd take something like a gigacracker-class superweapon.
｢You killed not only my sibling, but even Mother's beloved!｣
And then the black bat beast that unleashed that powerful attack swooped in, radiating waves of fury.
｢The Amorph.｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (I know, it's Ion Lightning.)]
That bolt just now was almost identical to Ion Lightning, the signature move of the magma saur, an apex-tier creature. That black bat monster must have the genetic essence of a magmasaur.
But it's even stronger than the original. I've been struck by it before, but this is at least twice as powerful.
｢Don't hurt the big baby!｣
｢You!｣
Suddenly, Number 26 appeared behind the bat beast as it prepared another lightning strike, its tentacles wrapping around the creature's snout to disrupt it.
｢Annoying thing!｣
Furious, the enemy threw Number 26 off and immediately discharged another bolt of lightning.
But Number 26 instantly shrank its body to dodge the attack. With a flash of blue, it disappeared, reappearing right above my head.
｢Operation… success… right?｣
｢Sister.｣
Right after that, PS-111, who had moved Number 26, arrived at my side too. I gently gathered both of them with my tentacles and began to move. No sooner had I done so than black lightning crashed down where I'd been.
｢Everyone, we need to capture that entity!｣
｢Krieger! Stop playing around and help us!｣
The blue-gold queen and the black bat beast barked psychic commands. Immediately, all the Outspacers fighting the Megacorp fleet started flocking in our direction.
｢That form… I'm glad… it worked.｣
｢The big baby's tummy is all puffed up! So cute!｣
｢So, what next?｣
[ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (We need to finish off the remaining enemies.)]
｢Please, wait a moment. I have something to report.｣
[ZZZ ZZ (Hm? What is it?)]
｢A large fleet is approaching, including five giga-crackers.｣
｢What? Giga-crackers?!｣
Five giga-crackers? Isabel's reaction at Sister's words was one of clear bewilderment.
I was pretty shocked myself; this was beyond what I'd anticipated.
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (But they shouldn't be able to enter here at superluminal speed, right?)]
｢They arrived before the battle even began. They'd been waiting and just now made their move.｣
｢But Sister, why didn't you notice?｣
｢Stealth technology. New model. It's highly effective against detection.｣
It seemed the giga-crackers and their escort fleet had entered the star system before the fighting started, bringing stealth equipment capable of evading even PS-111's surveillance net.
Megacorp had clearly come thoroughly prepared to hunt down the Outspacers.
[ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (How long until they're in range?)]
｢Giga-cracker ion cannons, time to firing range: three minutes, thirteen seconds left.｣
Altogether, counting the giga-crackers here, that made a total of seven. A formidable force.
And fighting here would mean considering not just the superweapon's escort fleet but all these Outspacers as well. Remaining in this location was to our disadvantage.
'No, wait.'
The Outspacers still seemed focused solely on attacking me, totally unaware the enemy was almost upon us.
'If I disappear now, they'll probably start fighting each other.'
There was no need for me to keep up the battle with them. I'd already gotten most of what I came for.
I didn't get Reaper's Maw, but the Gluttonous Maw Pouch performed even better. No need to strain myself to get the former.
Everything accomplished now it was time to leave.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (I'm pulling out of here. Everyone, get ready.)]
Gathering everyone close, I headed toward where Adhai was.
The Outspacers gave chase, while the Megacorp warships, apparently anticipating orders from the giga-crackers, started to fall back and open up distance.
Across the now open battlefield, countless red streaks flashed the afterimages carved out by Adhai and the monstrous Outspacer in their duel.
Two red lights cut across the darkness of space, racing straight at one another.
[ZZZ (Adhai!)]
Just before they collided, the smaller light suddenly swerved aside, accelerating instead toward me.
｢Krrk! The little menace! She's running!｣
｢Negative｣｢Big Elder｣｢Me｣｢Summoned｣
｢Krrrr!｣
The huge red beast pursuing Adhai was as massive as one of Mother of the Sky's giant mountain-crawlers. I opened my mouth wide, facing it.
｢Krieger! Don't get in front of her!｣
｢Krrk?!｣
Hearing its ally, the red beast Krieger veered off in alarm just before colliding.
'Caught you.'
Sorry, but that was a bluff.
The red beast was at least three times larger than me. Unless my body got even bigger, I couldn't swallow it with the Gluttonous Maw Pouch. Of course, the enemy didn't know that.
With it out of the way, Adhai flew into my arms.
｢Ready for jump.｣
｢Hungernote! Don't let it escape!｣
PS-111's thoughtwave crossed paths with the pale blue queen's psychic signal.
From far behind, the black bat beast fired a bolt of lightning, this one even stronger than before, evidently no longer holding back its strength.
But this time, I had no intention of simply taking the hit.
At my will, the power pooled through my entire body spilled outward. The shimmer condensed in the void, focused into a single point.
The gathered haze instantly solidified an octahedron of solidified power encased my entire body: the newly evolved "Complex Spectral Body," thanks to the "Warped Abomination."
Countless bolts of black lightning converged into a single spear and slammed into the semi-transparent octahedron, lashing wildly at the barrier as if to tear the cosmos apart.
Anyone would have thought the lightning would win easily, but reality was the opposite: the bolts bounced off harmlessly in every direction.
The effect of the Complex Spectral Body is to reflect energy attacks that have hit it multiple times before.
I'd taken Ion Lightning once already in the previous battle with a magma saur, and now I'd been struck again so the prism could now reflect Ion Lightning.
The reflected bolts scattered and struck other Outspacers; those without my defenses were pulverized instantly.
｢Jump preparations complete.｣
｢That shield's reflecting energy!｣
｢Krieger! Catch Mother's enemy!｣
Krieger, the red beast, came hurtling forward at terrifying speed clearly intending to barrel straight into us.
But PS-111 had already finished preparing for a spatial leap. Enclosed in the octahedron, our bodies began to glow a brilliant blue.
｢Krrrr! Little menace! I will…!｣
Krieger's psychic roar was cut short. Instead of finding only Outspacers crowded in front, he was met with a flood of blue light filling the world.
When the light faded, there was no one left nearby.
A silent cosmos, bearing no trace of the battle.
It was the first sight to greet us after leaving the Edgerton munitions factory star system NEO-3.