Chapter 2417 - ESM 84

Even after successfully escaping from NEO-3, we made several more jumps.

PS-111, empowered by Prometheus, could prevent any other ships from following but still, one never knows. There was always the risk of enemies trying to track us even belatedly, so we decided to remain as cautious as possible.

We finally arrived at a quiet planet.

[ZZZ (Any pursuit?)]

"No signs detected."

While PS-111 spoke, loud mechanical noises sounded in the background. Behind it, I saw a container belt hundreds of meters long and all sorts of machines in motion.

The planet we'd landed on was a Megacorp Calorie Bar production outpost. This facility was an unmanned plant processing raw materials for use in Calorie Bar.

[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Not even the system defense fleet has responded.)]

"It's likely the air defense network has a gap; they probably pulled away troops due to the Outspacer incident."

[ZZZ (That makes sense.)]

Megacorp operates countless Calorie Bar production bases. Losing one or two wouldn't affect supply at all.

As PS-111 suggested, they'd likely redirected the system defense fleet to more strategic locations. Thanks to that, infiltration was easy for us.

"In that case, I'll begin recharging now."

PS-111 had expended a lot of energy during the journey here. It would need to refuel from what was available in the factory.

Unfurling several arms, it ripped open the floor and pulled up beneath it the buried cables, plugging them into a socket inside its palm.

The facility, which had bustled just a moment earlier, began to slow, then stopped altogether. The plant's entire power supply was being diverted directly into PS-111.

Switching into hibernation for recharging, PS-111 was about to collapse where it stood, so I caught it carefully in my tentacle-arms and set it down gently.

Shortly after, as it lay there, a hatch opened on its abdomen and two MPS emerged.

"Resupply!"

"Resupply!"

The mini-Screamers, each a woman's head with metallic legs, scurried rapidly across the container belt on their stilt-like limbs.

Their mission was to secure organic material for feeding the Creator's power source: they intended to haul processed food supplies directly into PS-111's mouth for energy storage.

'Guess I should help?'

Just as I started to extend a tentacle to assist the mini-Screamers, the ones who'd gone out to check for humans returned.

｢Big Baby, look at this!｣

Number 26, holding in its tentacle a Calorie block as big as a small car, burst in. If you sliced and packed that down, it would become the same Calorie Bar you see everywhere in spaceships.

｢That｣｢Tastes｣｢Bad｣

Perched on Number 26's back, Adhai was clutching a canister shaped like an oxygen tank. Her mouth-tentacles were plugged into it, slurping up the contents.

'That's probably meat juice.'

Meat juice was a high-calorie, gene-spliced liquefied protein, made by grinding up all kinds of bioengineered creatures. Its energy density was so high that only a little would be added to Calorie Bar or to power-armor stimulants.

｢This one｣｢Tastes｣｢Better｣

She seemed pleased with the liquid's massive energy payload.

'They both left with nothing and came back loaded.'

For what was supposed to be a simple recon, they certainly came back well supplied.

"Amorph. Is Sister recharging?"

[ZZ (Yeah.)]

Isabel, who'd gone with them, immediately checked on her sibling's status after returning.

[ZZZ ZZZ (Anyone else around?)]

"No. I checked the control room and no logs have been written for several days. All the equipment here just keeps repeating the same cycles."

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZ (Guess they ran off because of the Outspacers.)]

"Most likely."

Truthfully, the odds of the Fourth ranker targeting this place were slim but humans wouldn't know that. With even the defense forces gone, of course they'd want to run away.

Which means we should be safe for a while.

'Perfect timing.'

Soon, any pain and fatigue I'd ignored thanks to the "Feedback" trait would start returning. It was time to recover from my wounds at a leisurely pace.

'And there are some things I need to check over as well.'

｢Big Baby, eat this!｣

Lost in thought, I was surprised as Number 26 held out the Calori block.

[ZZZ (Thanks.)]

Extra energy is always welcome. I opened my mouth to swallow the block when I suddenly felt someone's gaze on me.

"...."

"...."

The mini-Screamers, struggling as they carried the Calori blocks, all turned to look at me more precisely, at the Calori block held in my tentacle-arm.

Without a word, I handed it over.

"Thanks!"

"Thanks!"

The MPS expressing their gratitude poked the Calori block with their sharp metal legs, breaking it into small pieces.

｢Why aren't you eating?｣

[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (They say they're hungrier than me.)]

｢Are the little friends hungry too?｣

"Resupply! Need!"

"Resupply! Need!"

Hearing that, Number 26 flashed briefly, as if to say "Leave this to me!"

｢I'll help the hungry friends!｣

It transformed one of its tentacles into a hammer shape and started tapping the block. The little Screamers gathered the broken crumbs and carried them to PS-111's mouth.

"This alone won't be enough. I'll go to the freezer and bring some back."

｢Wait｣

Adhai, who had been sitting like a famous drink company's polar bear mascot, sipping meat juice on Number 26's back, climbed down.

｢I'm coming｣

｢I need more juice to drink｣

"But I have to give some to Sister, so not all of it. Leave half."

｢Half｣

｢Too much｣

"Then a third."

｢Agreed｣

Without delay, the two headed right back out again.

'Maybe I should get to work too.'

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (I'm going out again.)]

｢Where are you going? Come with us.｣

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (Trying to make a nest nearby. Helping the kids.)]

｢Okay!｣

I waved a tentacle in farewell to Number 26 and stepped outside the factory. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on Novᴇ(l)Fɪre.ɴᴇt

Unlike the interior crowded with container belts, outside stretched a vast, huge farm. It looked like one of those cornfields often seen in American movies; this was where the raw ingredients for the Calorie bars were grown.

'Maybe it's time to build here.'

｢Grrr…｣

As the Feedback effect wore off, my wounds began to reopen. Pain surged in waves like anesthesia wearing off after surgery. My left head, hit directly by Ion Lightning, groaned in agony.

I spat out black mucus over the field. The slime quickly engulfed the surrounding crops and spread out. Lying low in the newly made nest, I began to feel the injured parts slowly heal.

｢Gluttonous Maw Pouch digestion complete!｣

'Oh?'

Just as my wounds were almost healed, a welcome notification appeared. I checked the textbox.

｢Some of the evolution conditions for 'Adult' -> 'Ascension' have been met.

Essence of Mind (Vortex-One) achieved, Essence of Wild (Outspacer Empress) achieved.｣

｢Devouring effect triggered! 'Essence Reaper's Maw' gene essence successfully acquired.｣

｢Devouring effect triggered! 'Joy (Joy Spencer)' privileges successfully stolen!｣

｢Can be fused with possessed 'Biological Garden.'｣

｢Target for trait enhancement system. Would you like to use the system?｣

After digesting the entire Outspacer ranker, several changes appeared in the textbox.

The Ascension conditions caught my eye first.

Thanks to the luck of capturing the Outspacer Empress who possessed Vortex-One's gene essence, I fulfilled two of the evolution requirements.

'Usually these conditions are met later.'

To obtain the three major essences flesh, mind, and wild one must inevitably fight ranker-level enemies. It's not easy, but I cleared it faster than expected.

Of course, many conditions remain. The Essence of Flesh, acquisition of 15 unique traits and 9 types are still unmet. Also, the final battle of Space Survival and the Ascension test still lie ahead.

'No need to rush.'

There's something related to Ascension I need to verify anyway.

The Info Function Entity I met before in the cocoon a being deeply connected with this world's secrets, said the Ascension test had changed. And that someone on Earth knows about it.

To learn the details, we are currently on our way to capture Akira Yujin. If we catch him, not only will we get information about the Ascension test, but also the Essence of Flesh.

As for traits and types, I'll keep collecting them as opportunities arise, like always.

After organizing my thoughts, I checked the message that appeared following the update on my Ascension conditions.

'I didn't expect to get the Essence Reaper's Maw.'

In this fight, I couldn't use the "Symbol of the Hunt." I had used it during the secret base raid, so it was still on cooldown. I had practically given up on it, but an unexpected outcome emerged.

'Good.'

At this point, I already have a better trait called the "Gluttonous Maw Pouch," so the need for the Reaper's Jaw is lessened but it's still better to have it than not. I accepted the new trait immediately.

Normally, when the Essence Reaper's Jaw applies, two physical changes occur. The jaw joint develops, and when opening the mouth, the lower jaw splits into two parts. Like a snake or crocodile, the mouth can open wide, allowing large prey to be swallowed with ease.

However, my current body already has the more advanced Gluttonous Maw Pouch trait applied. Perhaps because the jaw is already highly developed, there was no significant change to the joint area, only the lower jaw split.

｢Grrk?｣

The left head beside me, curious about the split jaw, kept opening and closing its mouth repeatedly.

｢Additional trait compatible for fusion with the Mark of Formidable Foe!｣

｢Can be fused with possessed 'Biological Garden' and 'Essence Reaper's Jaw.' Please select a trait. The outcome depends on the traits used as material.｣

｢P.S.: You stand at a critical crossroads. Choose wisely.｣

｢Time left to choose trait: 23:59:55｣

'Huh?'

Upon completion of the body alteration, a new message arrived. The Essence Reaper's Jaw was added as a candidate trait for fusion with the Mark of Formidable Foe.

'Biological Garden and Essence Reaper's Jaw, huh.'

I have a rough idea what the latter might produce. It might create a trait similar to the privileges held by the ranker named Joy.

His privilege was to flawlessly apply the powers and characteristics of other beings directly to his body. His body resembling the Wings of the Heavens was also due to that privilege. It was literally a trait made for the Amorph.

'Except for one major drawback.'

Joy lost the Outspacer's unique hive control system as the cost of obtaining that privilege. He became a one-man legion. The Outspacer we fought was, after all, under the dominion of the Fourth rank.

Of course, for an Amorph who doesn't form a hive, this is not a weakness. Unlike the former owner of the privilege, I only gain the advantages.

'I wish it were that simple.'

Of course, it is not.

No trait in Space Survival exists without drawbacks. Any trait with power strong enough to shake a planet carries a corresponding risk. The Mark of Formidable Foe makes no exception.

What worries me here is the part about "losing the unique system as a cost."

For Outspacers, the hive is the symbol of their species' identity and individuality. For the Amorph, the ability to fuse gene essences occupies a similar position.

If the risk the enemy ranker had because of the privilege fully transfers to me, it could be a serious problem. If there's any disadvantage affecting gene essence fusion, I'd have to completely change all my strategies.

'It's an extreme high-risk, high-return situation.'

Then how about a Biological Garden?

I have no clue what result it might bring.

'Since Biological Garden belongs to the nest category, I imagine it would be a supportive trait.'

This is just speculation, though not certain.

One choice promises powerful but dangerous traits; the other an unpredictable unknown.

Choosing between the two isn't easy.

While I pondered over this, three hours passed.

After long deliberation, I reached a decision.

｢Are you sure you want to select 'Biological Garden' as the material? This choice is irreversible.｣

｢Trait Enhancement System ready for use. Would you like to proceed?｣

The choice I made was Biological Garden, the path leading into an unknown future.

——————

The bio-garden is a trait that lets me manipulate the nest's mucus to create structures into any form I want.

The reason I chose this trait, which had been so useful when hunting Space Dogs back in the MegaCorp colonies, was simple.

'This side has less risk.'

Being able to fully wield another creature's abilities is already an incredible advantage. But the potential and benefits of the Essence Fusion System far exceed that.

I don't know how many more traits I'll gain in the future, and I have no intention of throwing that away.

Besides, unlike Joy who could balance out her weaknesses thanks to Fourth ranker's help I have no such means. If I gain a weakness, I have to live with it.

This world is a dangerous place where life-threatening crises strike frequently. In a game, if you die because of a weakness, you just try again. Here, you don't get that luxury.

So, this time, I chose the path that seemed safer.

'Let's merge them, then.'

I slotted my unnecessary traits in as enhancement material and confirmed the selection.

｢Merging Joy (Joy Spencer)'s perk with the Bio-Garden trait. Movement^ꂈ⦶⍝ Trait Enhancement System intervention!｣

｢Trait refinement in progress｣

｢Evolved into the Terramorph trait!｣

｢Terramorph: You may use a sufficiently grown nest as a secondary body the "Terramorph" form. This form automatically deactivates once all energy is consumed.

*Warning: While using this trait, the main body is rendered completely immobile.｣

The trait I'd just obtained was… subtly different from what I had expected.

'I thought it'd be some kind of support trait for the nest…'

From the description, it could be a trait to strengthen the nest… or it might be closer to Hydra Fission, creating copies of myself. Or maybe it was a mix of both.

'Guess I should try it directly.'

Judging by the explanation, there didn't seem to be any re-use cooldown risks like traits such as Symbol of Hunt. As long as I had a nest and energy, using it itself shouldn't be a problem.

'Alright, let's see then.'

I had just built a nest anyway, so this was the perfect chance to test it.

'I'll probably have to use it while linked, right?'

I pressed the sub-organ under my jaw against the nest. Familiar sensations spread, my senses fanning out through the black mucus.

Link with the nest complete. I immediately activated Terramorph.

｢Nest is not sufficiently grown.｣

'Huh?'

An unexpected alert. Instead of activating, the trait failed.

'You're kidding me?'

This nest had been around for over three hours, grown large enough to swallow a tenth of the giant farmland. I hadn't expected failure at all.

Thinking the location might be the issue, I tried again elsewhere same result.

'So only almost fully matured nests work, huh.'

An Amorph's nest expands rapidly for three to four days, then slows. I can shorten the time to peak growth, but I'll still need to wait at least a full day.

'Tch.'

I had thought the risk was low, but of course there's a catch. I'll need more time to verify the trait.

'For now, I'll just focus on building the nest.'

Just as I was about to spew more mucus, I sensed someone entering the nest vibrations, as if dozens of people were walking in unison. It was Isabel, the mutant Screamer shaped like a snake and centipede.

"Amorph."

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (What is it? Do you need food?)]

She shook her head at my question.

"I have something important to tell you."

[ZZZ ZZ (What is it? Tell me)]

"First, promise me one thing."

[ZZZ (A promise?)]

"No matter what happens, protect my sister. Like you do for Number 26 and Adhai."

Her face of beautiful sculpted metal was expressionless. Even the blue eyes, the only thing that remained from when she was alive looked the same as always.

The difference was… this time I could feel emotion. Faint, but seeping up from beneath her hard, metallic skin.

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (Why are you asking me this?)]

"Just answer me, can you promise or not?"

She pressed me for an answer, looking genuinely uneasy.

Since becoming a mutant Screamer, she had never shown herself like this. I knew I had to consider my words carefully.

"Be honest with me."

After a brief pause, I spoke in a human voice.

"PS-111 is worth protecting at any cost. But… not as much as those two."

"…You mean…."

"Number 26 and Adhai are special to me. If I absolutely had to sacrifice one of the three, I'd choose your sister."

"..."

"Of course, that's not going to happen. I'll make sure of it. I'll intervene before it even comes to that. As long as I'm alive, I'll protect her. That's my promise."

Isabel fell silent at that.

I knew it wasn't the answer she wanted. But she didn't want me to lie either and so I told her the truth.

"…As I thought. Alright."

It was a long while before she spoke again.

"Then… pretend I said nothing important."

"Alright."

"…Huh?"

She looked like she'd expected me to be angry, but instead I was… grateful.

"You're still telling me your sister's next after those two, right? Important enough for you to resolve to protect her."

"That's right."

"That's good enough for me."

"I thought you'd dislike me for 'playing favorites.'"

"I understand how you feel."

The short reply carried a lot of weight.

"Anyway… since you've humored me, I'll tell you what I came to say."

'What on earth is she about to say that makes her so cautious?'

I fixed my attention on her lips.

"It's about Beomho, the leader of the returners. More precisely… a clue about his perk."

"…What?"

The Seventh's perk? The words came out of nowhere, and I was caught off guard.

"Before, when I asked you about him, you said you didn't know that you couldn't find out without seeing him in person."

"I never have seen him directly. Whenever he needed to meet me or Alshas, he always sent a proxy."

Thanks to her perk, All-Seeing Eyes, Isabel could check a target's information. The catch was that she had to see them with her own two eyes for it to work.

"So… there was something about the proxy?"

"Yeah. Their text box wasn't like a normal person's. In all my time, I've only seen something that strange three times."

It's not like traits or equipment that hide information are unheard of but as far as I know, there aren't any that can replace the text outright.

"What was different about it?"

"The proxy I met wasn't a Ranker… but they had two names. Above their real name, there was another written 'Shin Beomho.'"

"…Two names overlapping?"

"Mm. The real name was translucent, faint enough it was barely visible, while the name Beomho was bold and clear."

An overwritten name, huh. Definitely unusual.

"And aside from that?"

"All other fields besides the name were faded out… replaced with a single word: 'Dominated.'"

"Overwritten names, a 'domination' message… sounds a lot like some kind of mind control ability."

At my guess, she gave a small nod.

"Probably. When the name goes completely transparent, that person has fallen entirely under Beomho's control."

"You make it sound like you've seen that happen firsthand."

"There was a human in Water Fortress who was in the middle of that process. Someone you know, actually."

"…That I know?"

"Si-Hyun Yujin. A clone of hers stayed briefly at the hotel where I worked."

The sudden mention of that familiar name made me flinch slightly.

Thinking about it, it wasn't impossible after all, I'd fought Si-Hyun Yujin back on Verzan-02.

Still, of all places, I hadn't expected her to show up at Water Fortress… let alone in the hotel Isabel worked at.

"Yujin's text box also had two overlapping names but hers was much clearer. And the rest of her stats were untouched, with no 'Dominated' tag."

"…So he was trying to make her his next proxy?"

Yujin's combat sense ranked among the top even among Megacorp's players. She'd make an appealing pawn for Beomho.

'That strange weapon of hers… must have come from him, too.'

A weapon capable of destroying the essence of a specific species I'd wondered where she'd gotten it. Looks like the answer's Beomho.

"So… how do you think the perk works?"

"It seemed linked to sleep or dreams. Every time they woke up, their condition worsened."

"No strange equipment or supernatural phenomena?"

"Nothing like that."

If Isabel hadn't seen anything like that, it meant he wasn't relying on weapons, energy tools, or other external aids to seize control of someone's mind.

'I'll have to keep digging into this…'

Even from what Isabel had just told me, Beomho's perk sounded extremely dangerous.

Chances were high I'd end up fighting him at some point.

Once I took care of Akira Yujin, I'd have to start tracing leads on him.

"That's as far as my intel goes."

That was Isabel's entire piece. And from what she'd told me, I could understand why she'd been so hesitant at first.

"Yeah… definitely important information. But…"

There was still one thing bothering me.

"…why bring it up only now?"

We'd traveled together for quite some time, sharing all sorts of stories. And we had talked about the Returners before, especially Beomho.

But she had never once told me anything like this until today.

'So… she'd been deceiving me all this time.'

Not for a day or two, but for quite a long while.

"When I was still a Coldblood, there was a restriction on me I couldn't reveal anything about Beomho's proxies."

"And after that? Once you became a Screamer, you could've told me."

"I originally planned to tell you back in Nox. I thought it'd be the perfect time, since you'd mentioned meeting Si-Hyun Yujin. But the timing just never lined up… and here we are."

She spoke in a calm voice, as though she'd already anticipated my question.

But she still hadn't answered the most important part.

"You're still avoiding the real question: why hide it at all?"

As I spoke, I slowly raised one of my tentacle-arms.

If Isabel had deceived me for some ulterior motive… then she was no longer an ally.

I wouldn't necessarily kill her here and now but I would subdue her on the spot.

"To be honest, I needed certainty."

"Certainty?"

My sharp claws reflected in her blue eyes.

Even under that threat, neither her gaze nor her voice wavered.

"You overwhelmed Vortex-One, that infamous demon of the cosmos. There aren't many single lifeforms in this universe stronger than you. And…"

Her words paused, and she turned her head toward the factory.

"…There are also those who truly follow you. Adhai and Number 26. The Gallagons who follow them. The Metallic Gremlin packs. The Wolves. If you gave the order, they would all stand by you."

"…And your point is?"

Her bright blue eyes turned back to meet mine.

"Your strength already rivals that of the Returners and the Dominion Faction. If you grow further, no one will be able to touch you. Not even those under your protection like my sister."

"That sounds like you're saying you'll cozy up to me because I'm now strong enough."

"That's exactly right. I'm ready to invest everything I have into you."

She lowered herself almost bowing in deference.

"If you want, I'll even hand over my perk to you."

For a Ranker, there's only one way to pass on a perk: dying to another Ranker.

In other words, she was saying I could consume her if I wished.

I looked down at Isabel without a word.

Honestly, it disgusted me.

If she were anyone else, I would have killed her immediately.

Even now, a faint urge to crush that small, delicate head was creeping up from the back of my mind.

And yet I didn't.

Because I understood why she had deceived me.

Her twin sister's safety.

She was willing to stake her life for that.

Family, huh…

I have no siblings.

Even before I came to this world, I'd been estranged from my parents and our relationship long soured.

Living a severed, solitary life… I couldn't truly understand Isabel's devotion.

But… even I have beings I hold dear here.

'Maybe that's why I could understand… at least a little.'

And besides…

I'd made a promise to PS-111 before to help it recover its memories from its human days.

And the Screamer before me… is the one who occupies the largest space in those memories.

"You're saying you'll give me everything?"

Seeing my claws draw closer, Isabel quietly closed her eyes.

My tentacled fingers stopped just short of seizing her beautiful face.

Instead, I moved a single finger.

The tip of my claw touched her metallic skin and sparks danced in the air.

"…Then I guess that's not much different from how things already are."

I left only a tiny scar on her forehead and withdrew my tentacle.

Killing Isabel here would bring me far more loss than gain.

I could even lose PS-111 in the process.

And now… she'd never be able to deceive me again.

Because there is no one else here who can protect her sister like I can.

"Whew…"

Realizing that my anger had subsided, Isabel let out a deep sigh.

Her hardened torso and arms loosened, the tension melting away.

"…Thank you."

"Don't thank me. I plan to wring every bit of use out of you from here on."

Beomho was the kind of man who even sent proxies to his own faction members.

He'd be hiding somewhere far out of reach.

Even Isabel would have to work hard to track him down.

After I deal with Akira, I'll make sure PS-111 helps me follow Beomho's trail.

The best place to start will be Yujin… and his proxy.

Especially Yujin, she had people under her command, which would make finding her far easier.

I was about to wrap up the conversation there when a thought suddenly struck me.

"Come to think of it… you mentioned you've only seen three people with that kind of strange text box, right? The proxy, Si-Hyun Yujin… and who's the third?"

Isabel tilted her head.

"Why, you, of course."

"…What?"

She replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're the only Ranker I've ever seen who can hide their own name."

Her words were nothing like I'd expected.

——————

The rankers I've devoured until now always had their names clearly shown.

Two names, in fact the one they were called by in this world, and the one they'd been called in the real world.

But I am different from them.

｢Race: Unidentified Hostile Extraterrestrial Lifeform｣

Only my race is written in the text box. There's no name.

'Why am I only realizing this now?'

I clearly remember what my name is. I can vividly recall how I lived in reality.

And yet, until Isabel pointed it out, I hadn't noticed the difference at all as if my thoughts had been blocked from going in that direction.

"Amorph?"

Isabel pulled me out from my confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"I never hid my name."

"Huh? I thought you hid it as a perk."

"No."

None of my abilities have any effect that hides my text box.

From the moment I first opened my eyes in this world, that field has never changed.

The "Race" entry has always been at the very top, unshifting.

"Really? No way."

Finally realizing why I was so startled, Isabel tilted her head.

"I thought you were hiding your name on purpose. You tricked people with that plenty of times in games."

She's not wrong. In the past, I often hid information while using traits like Mimicry Organ or Symbiotic Parasite.

"You do remember your name though, right?"

"Of course. I clearly remember my past."

In fact, I'd told the Mother of the Sky who I was a long time ago.

I'd also told Isabel my name and everything about my past.

"Your mother… she's that famous actress, right?"

"The one you're thinking of, yes."

"I always thought you were good at acting. Now it makes sense."

Isabel gave a small murmur of admiration the exact same reaction the Mother of the Sky had when I'd told her.

"So you're saying you've been like this since you first woke up in this world?"

"That's right."

"What if… something happened before you hatched from the egg?"

She's right. The time I spent inside the Amorph egg is the only part I can't remember.

'It's possible… but'

"Probably not. When I devoured the human who had moved the egg onto the spaceship, I didn't sense anything unusual."

If that human had been a ranker, or connected to one, I would have known immediately.

No, I wouldn't have even made it out of the egg in the first place whether they were Dominion Faction or Returner Faction, they all desperately want me dead.

Even if I'm wrong, it's not like I can track that clue now. The spaceship disappeared a long time ago and everyone connected to it is dead.

"Can't you use your perk to check what happened?"

"All-Seeing Eye only lets me read the text box as it is. If I can't see it directly, I can't confirm it."

Unfortunately, my perk is no help here. I'll have to find some other ability with a similar effect.

'…Wait.'

I was staring at the nest spread out beneath me when an idea struck.

One of the rewards for the Space Monster type is the Double Helix Monolith it lets me transfer one of my traits to an allied being.

'If I use that to boost a perk's performance…'

I'd tried something similar with the Mother of the Sky before, and it had worked rather well. She'd received Superior Homeostasis and Revenant Organ, which she uses to reset her perk cooldowns.

The principle would be the same this time. I explained the thought to Isabel.

"You mean, like you did for Sister Seoha?"

"Exactly."

"Sounds like a good idea. If it synergizes with the All-Seeing Eye, it could work great."

Among psychic-type traits are ones that can peer into past events or track another creature's traces.

If I gave her something like that, maybe she could uncover the text box's secret. Fresh chapters posted on novel※fire.net

Of course, for now, there's no clear way to investigate the text box. That brought our discussion to an end.

Isabel left to check on her sister, leaving me alone in the nest.

'...'

Since coming to this world, I've faced countless problems.

I've almost died from severe injuries, and at times my movements were heavily restricted by bans and seals.

Yet through every hardship, I've survived and made it this far.

But somehow… this problem feels different.

I can't shake the feeling that this won't end with a simple text box glitch.

'…No. No need to get pessimistic already.'

Worrying now won't solve anything. For the moment, it's better to focus on expanding the nest.

Suppressing the muddle of thoughts, I sprawled on the sticky floor, closed my eyes, and connected the secondary organ under my jaw to the nest.

At my command, the black mucus began consuming the harvest from the fields at an accelerated pace.

While I buried myself in work to forget the frustration, Number 26 and Adhai came to find me.

｢Big one's sleeping.｣

｢Food｣ ｢we have｣

I caught the scent of meat juice and calorie blocks from them. They must've brought it for me.

｢Sleeping face cute!｣

｢Disagree｣ ｢Before｣ ｢form｣ ｢better｣

｢If you don't like it, little one can go away. I'm sleeping with big one.｣

Something small and soft touched one of the tentacle arms sprawled on the floor.

Number 26 climbed up my arm and settled down beside my head.

｢I also｣ ｢want to sleep｣ ｢together｣

Adhai clambered up onto my back. Through my carapace, I felt a soft, warm weight, different from Number 26's.

Once they each found a spot, both soon went quiet.

I missed the chance to open my eyes.

Maybe it was their warmth; the heaviness in my chest eased a little.

'Well… no reason to wake them.'

I remained still and continued to tend to the nest. After finishing the task, I fell asleep, feeling the comfort created by Number 26 and Adhai.

***

"Lord Walter, the hunt is over."

"Damage report?"

"One Giga-Cracker-class ship completely destroyed, two others with engine and ion cannon damage…"

The captain's quarters were filled with all manner of weaponry and preserved beast trophies.

It evoked the image of a spacefaring poacher's vessel but the owner of this ship wasn't a pirate.

Walter Saint-K, head of the Saint K family, one of the Seven Great Houses of Megacorp, and known throughout Noble Capital as its resident eccentric.

The old madman sat in this strange, atmospheric room, listening to his subordinate's report.

"That concludes the damage report."

"How's the trail on the prey?"

"The pursuit squad is tracking the blue and red specimens, but it's proving difficult. It seems we may have to abandon any target other than the black specimen."

"Hmph. One out of three, then."

Walter, arms folded, scowled.

To hunt high-grade Outspacer specimens, he'd deployed five Gigacrackers and an array of experimental weaponry. Such a force was rarely mobilized.

The results, however, were grim. The damage sustained exceeded expectations, and only one target had been successfully killed.

Originally, the goal had been to take down four. One had never even shown itself and now this was the outcome. They had completely underestimated the enemy's power.

This hunt was, for all intents and purposes, a failure.

"I can't even remember the last time I failed like this."

"My apologies."

"Tsk. Regrettable, but unavoidable. Pay the bereaved families of the dead hunters the full hazardous duty allowance."

"Yes, we're already processing payments for the confirmed cases."

"If others are later recognized for merit, give them performance bonuses as well."

Walter issued a string of instructions regarding how to handle casualties.

Compared to other Noble Capital leaders, he paid far more attention to the welfare of his subordinates because of his own… hobby.

Walter wasn't just a family head; he was also a hunter of exceptional skill, famed enough that even the Cult Empire knew his name.

And any seasoned hunter knows: you take care of your hounds.

Walter never hesitated to invest in anything or anyone that could aid the hunt.

"As you command."

"Good. Now, the next reportour spoils."

The subordinate keyed a command into his terminal, projecting a hologram into the room.

A massive beast's corpse, stored in a Gigacracker's hold, appeared in the captain's quarters.

"As you can see, the outer shell is heavily damaged. The wing membranes are also badly torn and will only be usable in a limited capacity."

"And the insides?"

"Fortunately, relatively intact. About sixty percent of the primary organs are in good condition."

"Hmph. Small mercies."

For the first time since the report began, Walter showed interest.

Unfolding his arms, he examined the black specimen's internal scan.

The bat-like monster possessed the ability to unleash energy on par with a superheavy ion cannon.

Which meant it had internal organs capable of generating and channeling that energy.

If secured and researched, those organs could be used to upgrade the Gigacrackers' performance beyond their current capabilities.

"Share all dissection data with Garmelda."

"You're sure?"

"That little lady on their side will make something fun out of this."

It was a rare and hard-earned prey. Another Noble Capital house would have immediately looked to monopolize it, but Walter shook his head.

Eccentric or not, no one knew the Saint K's better than Walter himself. With their resources, they couldn't fully exploit such an Outspacer on their own.

Better to collaborate with those who could turn a 'precious resource' into the best possible weapon.

"And one more thing…"

Walter tapped at his own terminal.

Above the hologram appeared new footage of battlefield imagery recorded hours earlier by another warship.

Amidst the chaotic clash of numerous ships and Outspacers, one monster stood out two-headed, bristling with writhing tentacles, striking indiscriminately at everything around it.

Neither a warship's main batteries nor the black specimen's attacks could bring it down.

Even a Gigacracker's ion cannon might not be able to destroy it.

Such was the sheer might and resilience of the creature.

"To take down bigger prey… you need better weapons."

A monster equal to or greater than the high-grade specimen they'd barely managed to kill.

The old hunter's eyes gleamed with hunger as he fixed on his next target.

——————

When I woke from my nap, the nest had expanded considerably.

The broad farmland spread in front of the factory had turned pitch‑black, and the once‑clear air was now tinted gray with toxic particulates.

A human could never survive in such a lethal environment but to me, it was nothing short of comfortable.

'At this rate, I'll only have to wait another ten minutes.'

By then, the nest would hit its growth limit. That would be my chance to test Terramorph.

'Come to think of it… where are Number 26 and Adhai?'

They usually stay by my side after we fall asleep together, right until I wake up. This is unusual.

'Out for breakfast, maybe'

｢Big one's awake.｣

Speak of the devil, the two of them appeared in the distance.

｢Look, look! I made this!｣

Number 26 swam toward me, its fins each the size of a small car working furiously. Balanced on its back was a two‑meter‑wide calorie block, studded like a candelabrum with genetically‑modified plants.

It must have gone to the factory to make this.

｢Here! You eat!｣

[ZZZ (Thanks.)]

Number 26 presented the calorie block with a proud, triumphant air.

Appearance‑wise, it was… less than appetizing like a giant's lopsided cake molded from dirt and wood.

It didn't look delicious at all, but it probably served its purpose as fuel. I bit into half the "cake" in one go.

'…Not bad?'

The corn‑shaped modified plants tasted like strongly spiced cinnamon biscuits, which mellowed the otherwise foul taste of the calorie block enough to make it edible.

[ZZZ (This is good.)]

｢Really? Wow!｣

｢Big one, this｣ ｢tastes｣ ｢even better｣

At that, Adhai barged in and shoved a metal can of meat juice straight into my mouth.

The moment I bit down on the container, savory liquid spilled out across my tongue.

[ZZZ ZZZ (This one's nice too.)]

｢There's more, so drink up!｣

Before I could even swallow, another calorie block was shoved into my mouth, this one with chunks of meat embedded inside.

｢Taste｣ ｢good, so｣ ｢eat｣ ｢more｣

I didn't have time to savor the texture before another can of meat juice came flying in.

Was it just me, or did it feel like they were competing to feed me?

'Well, I am hungry, so… works for me.'

I'd expelled a lot of black mucus before sleeping, so the hunger was already gnawing at me. I accepted whatever they gave, gulping it down without hesitation.

'Once I check the Terramorph, we should probably get moving.'

We were only here for a short rest.

Our destination wasn't this place, it was Megacorp's scrapyard.

I'd heard from Shinobu, a Space Dock ranker of the Dominion Faction, that Akira made regular visits to the scrapyard in secret.

The plan was to slip in and prepare an ambush before he noticed. That was the whole purpose of this trip.

Along the way, I'd learned something else: the Returner Faction's top combatant, an Outspacer ranked fourth overall, had launched an all‑out offensive against Megacorp.

Which meant Akira was too busy with Outspacer threats to focus on anything else.

In other words, right now was the perfect time for a covert entry into the scrapyard.

While I mulled over the next steps, the nest finally reached its growth limit.

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (I want to try something. Can you step back?)]

｢What? What is it?｣

｢?｣

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (I'm going to make something with the nest.)]

Before beginning the experiment, I sent them out of the nest entirely, then connected the secondary organ beneath my jaw to it.

｢Transformation to Terramorph possible.｣

'Good.'

A welcome message appeared. I activated the trait immediately. The ground around me began to quake the entire nest trembling, along with the soil beyond it.

Black mucus surged upward like water from a fountain, towering pillars rising on all sides to coil tightly around my body.

Vision vanished behind solid walls of black like being inside a cocoon only this time, the link to everything outside remained intact.

I could sense everything happening beyond the darkness.

The vast nest dominating the farmland was rapidly contracting toward me, thickening at its core. Mucus piled beneath, lifting my position higher and higher off the ground.

Within minutes, the sprawling nest was gone. In its place, on the barren land, stood a massive black sphere.

Larger than a Gigacracker-class warship, this organic structure was my new body.

Inside its vast bulk were organs reshaped into strange, alien forms lungs crammed with stacks of smog towers, a stomach where black mucus and acid pooled like a swamp, a circulatory network pumping the pitch‑black fluid through every vein.

And amid those colossal organs sat a single chamber in my chamber.

This was the Terramorph's heart and brain.

'…Enormous.'

It was so massive that I could barely recognize it as part of myself.

Although… Perhaps because of that size, just existing drains an immense amount of energy in real time. If not for Dragon's Heart, I wouldn't have been able to hold the form stable.

'I wonder… Can this even move?'

Externally, for all its internal complexity, the structure was nothing more than a featureless sphere with no visible limbs.

The moment I thought that, my second body, the Terramorph, began to shift. The Twisted Abhorrence field lifted the giant sphere into the air.

'The field's stronger than before…'

Strictly speaking, the Terramorph reinforced the control of the energy field surrounding my core body. As long as the field didn't dissipate, I wouldn't have to focus consciously to keep it aloft.

Still… given the energy cost, direct combat in this form was something best avoided.

The Terramorph's duration was tied directly to my energy reserves.

For now, Dragon's Heart was barely keeping it stable.

If that balance broke, it would collapse in short order.

"An earthquake? All of a sudden what the… is that?"

"Observation confirms it's a substance similar to Amorph's secretions."

｢Big one made it! Huge, right?｣

｢Agree｣

Their voices carried through the energy field reached me from below.

It wasn't just the Screamer sisters from the factory; even the ones who had been watching me looked shaken.

A natural reaction after all, from the outside, my new form was so massive it couldn't be taken in at a single glance.

'I wonder… Can I bring them inside?'

Since the Terramorph had been created using the nest as raw material, altering its shape should be possible.

Instead of focusing on the energy field, I focused my consciousness on the body itself.

Immediately, the surface responded.

From beneath the sphere, three hook‑shaped pillars thrust downward into the ground. Original content can be found at n0velfire.net

At the end of each hook was an opening ringed with sharp, thorn‑like spikes.

'So that's a mouth.'

I called it that because those openings were linked directly to the internal organs inside.

｢Terramorph 'Harvest Mode' activating. Commence harvest?｣

'…Huh?'

A text box appeared without warning. I hurriedly chose Cancel.

I didn't know exactly what "Harvest Mode" meant, but I did know it wasn't something to try while the others were standing right under me.

The pillars halted their advance toward the ground; the array of spikes folded down flat.

｢Let me in!｣

Reading my intent, Number 26 leapt into the air and slipped into the mouth, with the others following close behind.

I adjusted the Terramorph's interior to speed their approach it wasn't as freely malleable as a standard nest or an assimilated vessel, but I could at least reshape its web‑like corridors at will.

I linked a direct passage from the mouth to my chamber.

Thanks to that, everyone reached the heart in short order.

"So, this is the new power you've gained. An ability that strengthens your nest almost the opposite of your original function."

Isabel, scanning as she came in, sounded intrigued.

"I thought it would be an ability tied to Gene Essence acquisition."

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (Don't know yet. Need more testing.)]

"That 'Harvest Mode' notification you got just now?"

If the Terramorph now had a mouth, that meant it could consume things.

It was possible, perhaps even likely that Harvest Mode was related to the Essence Collection.

Still, the mouth's massive size made it ill‑suited to ordinary predation; it was far too large to catch small prey.

'Since everyone's inside safely… maybe I should find out now.'

Like before, I manipulated the Terramorph's form.

The modified passage reverted to its original layout, and the halted hook‑pillars began moving again.

They descended until they struck the desert‑like earth, then bit deep into it with their great mouths.

The densely packed teeth crushed huge rocks without pause, while fine grains of soil were carried along mucus channels into the digestive tract.

｢New house is shaking. Wobblyfun!｣

"This bio‑structure is extremely fascinating. The Amorph's secretions are being organically reshaped to sustain the structure itself."

The motion of the organs sent vibrations through the heart chamber.

Number 26 rode the streaming mucus like a surfer, while PS‑111 followed, diligently collecting samples.

｢Feels｣ ｢weird｣ ｢too｣ ｢sticky｣

Adhai, unlike the others, seemed annoyed by the constant shaking, flicking her wings.

'So that's… all Harvest Mode does?'

A rather dull result for such an imposing name.

And since the soil here had already been drained of nutrients, the energy payoff was minimal.

I was just starting to feel underwhelmed when a new text box appeared:

｢Harvest effect triggered! Extracted Gene Essence: 'Pollution Organ' from terrain type 'Contaminated Wasteland'｣

｢Harvest Mode entering dormancy. Time until reactivation: 23:59:59｣

'Oh?'

The moment the message showed, the mouths went still and the three hook‑pillars retracted back into the sphere.

'I got a trait without eating a living creature?'

My earlier disappointment evaporated; it was a startling result.

In Space Survival, there's only one known way to gain a trait without consuming a living organism: ingesting a Gene Sample. There has never been an alternative.

'Is that the Terramorph's true ability?'

To consume minerals or soil and draw out the Gene Essence mixed within.

A once‑per‑24‑hours limit was a drawback but the potential was enormous.

[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (PS‑111, have you finished resupplying?)]

The Screamer paused in its sampling of the chamber wall and nodded.

"Yes. I've absorbed all the energy the factory's reactor produced. We can make the jump to our destination without issue."

[ZZZ ZZZ Z ZZZ (Then… could you move something large?)]

"Large object…?"

It blinked, understanding what I meant.

No sense using it just once, then dismissing it. I wanted to test it more before the energy ran out.

"I cannot confirm if this bio‑structure can withstand a jump."

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (No need to worry. It's plenty durable.)]

"We will have to stop mid‑voyage to rest and resupply."

[ZZZZ (That's fine.)]

I'd have to pause anyway for testing and during those breaks, feeding PS‑111 more mucus would resolve the energy issue.

"In that case, it's possible."

[ZZZ (Good.)]

"Shall we depart now?"

[ZZZZ (Please do.)]

Receiving my request, PS‑111 rose into the air.

The twin circular wings mounted on the back of its head began scattering warp particles.

Moments later, blue light swallowed the entire Terramorph.

-x-X-x-

Since the dawn of human history, one thing has never changed.

That is territorial consciousness. Even after humanity expanded into space and nations vanished, the notion of territory remained the same.

In the past, people claimed land ownership to farm crops or raise livestock.

Now, they lay claim to entire planets to extract resources and to herd humans.

On the boundless ocean of space, sliced apart by invisible lines, there floated a single spacecraft.

It was a MegaCorp-manufactured mining vessel, having just succeeded in a warp jump.

"Jump successful. Entering engine stabilization phase."

"Any Outsiders nearby?"

"None detected, Captain."

Even though the faster-than-light jump had been completed without incident, tension lingered on the bridge.

"Surveillance Chief?"

"I'll check."

The one called the Surveillance Chief wore a specially-made helmet and waved her hand. The cables trailing from the back of the helmet swayed like living snakes.

"...Hmm. Nothing that looks particularly dangerous."

A moment later, the Surveillance Chief removed her helmet, revealing two horns atop her head unlike the other crew.

"Phew."

At her words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good news. Mining team and material management team, get ready."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Captain Hanseong Samyuel finally allowed herself to relax and issued the mining order to her crew.

"And the Surveillance Chief did good work again this time."

At the captain's commendation, she only nodded in reply instead of speaking.

It was a rather arrogant attitude, but Hanseong paid it no mind. The horned woman, Heinri, was worth it.

About a month ago, Hanseong had captured a civilian ship of the Cult that had drifted into MegaCorp territory. That vessel carried refugees fleeing from the Outsider offensive Heinri among them.

'So it's true she's from Verzan-02. She's been very useful.'

As a Third Capital native from Titan's satellite, Hanseong knew well what Verzan-02 had been like.

Once one of the Empire's economic pillars, the place had mysteriously fallen to ruin.

Heinri had been an information broker in that world. Thanks to that background, she was well-versed in alien machinery and weaponry.

The Cult-style surveillance radar mounted on the mining vessel was entirely her doing.

Because of it, the ship was able to travel relatively safely even amidst the height of Outsider incursions.

Han had been exploiting that dual detection system to illegally mine in safe star systems.

'Heh. While everyone else hides, I'll make a killing.'

She smiled faintly as she watched her crew working hard.

"Mining complete."

"Hmm."

Minutes later, the results of the operation appeared as a hologram on the bridge. Hanseong nodded.

"Just as predicted. Good. Let's move to the coordinates of our next target."

The resting engines roared back to life. The hull shivered faintly under the strain of faster-than-light travel.

The next mining target was located in the same stellar system just a few minutes away, barring any unexpected trouble.

"Uh? Captain... the target's gone."

"What?"

"Instead, a new celestial body has appeared at that location."

The crew member operating the console brought up a holographic map.

The marked mining target had vanished, its place taken by the signal of an unfamiliar asteroid.

"I think this calls for a closer look. Stop the ship."

"Yes, ma'am!"

The crew hurriedly disengaged from the faster-than-light drive, and soon the mining vessel came to a halt.

"Where did that thing come from?"

"No idea. It's an unregistered object with no record of it in this system's charts."

"Hmm. Let's run a mineral scan to see what it is."

"Mineral scanner ready." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI~Fire.net

"Begin scan."

The mining vessel's detection arrays began to analyze the composition of the unidentified asteroid.

The information detected began to flicker onto the hologram one by one.

"...Huh?"

But the readings were strange. Other than its size and shape, everything else came back as unreadable.

"Uh... I've never seen that happen before. I'll try again."

The flustered crewman reinitiated the scan but the results were identical.

'What the hell is that?'

The object was a perfect sphere. And with its properties unreadable, it could hardly be considered a natural celestial body.

'From the size... it's definitely not a vessel.'

It was larger than a GigaCracker, and MegaCorp owned nothing above that scale.

After some thought, Hanseong issued a command.

"If the scanner isn't working, we'll do it the old-fashioned way. Send a mining team for reconnaissance."

"Should they collect a sample?"

"No. Just observe from a distance no closer."

Moments later, a small probe left the main vessel.

｢Approaching target.｣

"Anything unusual detected?"

｢Negative. No irregularities visible.｣

The video feed from the probe appeared on the hologram. At its center floated the target a black sphere, no larger than a fingernail from this distance.

"Captain. I have something to say."

Like the others, Hanseong was watching the hologram when Heinri approached her.

"Surveillance Chief?"

｢It's very important. Please spare me a moment.｣

Hanseong was slightly taken aback; Heinri's face was as pale as a corpse.

"Navigation Chief. I'll be stepping out for a moment when you have the bridge."

"Yes, Captain."

Leaving command in her subordinate's hands, Hanseong stepped out of the bridge alongside Heinri.

｢Recall that probe at once. Immediately.｣

The moment they were outside, Heinri spoke in a trembling voice thick with urgency.

"What?"

｢We need to get out of here this instant even a second counts. There's no time.｣

"Where's this coming from? Did the Outsiders?"

｢Damn it! What's out there is more dangerous than they are!｣

More dangerous than the Outsiders? The sudden claim left Hanseong momentarily at a loss.

"What do you mean by that? Explain yourself."

｢…The day I escaped from Verzan-02, I met a customer at my shop.｣

Heinri's words faltered, and suddenly her face looked a decade older under the weight of memory.

｢It was… something, wearing the shape of a Cultist. In all my years, I had never met a presence so utterly dangerous. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to get off that planet immediately.｣

"And what does that have to do with this?"

｢The fear I felt back then… I'm feeling it again.｣

Han simply could not fully grasp what the aged Cultist was speaking of.

But there was one thing she understood without question

The same terror that had devoured Verzan-02 was close.

"Captain? You'd better come take a look at this."

A crewman from the bridge emerged and called to her.

"Captain! Believe me we must"

"That's enough. I understand you. Once we're inside, we'll deal with it."

｢Please! I'm begging you remember my words!｣

Leaving the desperate Surveillance Chief behind, Hanseong followed the crewman back into the bridge.

"This is the bridge. The probe is too close to the target. Repeat the probe is"

"Communications are unstable, Captain."

"Idiots! I told them not to get any closer. What the hell are they doing?!"

In the short time she'd been gone, the atmosphere had shifted sharply.

"Navigation Chief, what's going on?"

"The mining team disobeyed orders they're approaching the target."

As the Nav Chief spoke, he pointed toward the holographic display.

The asteroid that had been no larger than a fingernail moments ago now loomed massive, filling the entire projection.

The probe's feed showed it closing in on the strange, black sphere.

"Tell them to stop immediately!"

"Impossible we've got an unknown comms interference!"

"What do you mean, comms inter"

｢crkkhereMining Teamcrkk｣

The sudden transmissions froze the bridge in silence.

"Mining Team, return at once. Repeat, abort and return immediately."

｢Capcrkkun…derstoodcrkkbeginning sample collection..crkk｣

"Sample collection? Did you authorize this, Navigation Chief?"

"No, Captain!"

"Mining Team! Do not approach, return to the ship immediately!"

｢crkkNocrkkmust gocrkkthe starsare calling...crkkit...uscrkk｣

"What the hell is that nonsense?! Mining Team! Return now!"

｢Negative. We… crkk… must go… crkk… must go…｣

The voice from the long-range comms had changed repeating the same words over and over, each syllable dripping with a mad, feverish devotion.

Everyone on the bridge felt the creeping dread envelop the air.

Then Hanseong's eyes, almost against her will, turned to the hologram

And what she saw made them go wide, almost tearing at the corners.

"E–Engage warp right now! Hurry!"

"W–What? But we haven't"

"Out of the way!"

She shoved aside the hesitant crewman and slammed her hands on the controls herself.

The probe's feed was abruptly cut off, replaced by blank space the ship had entered FTL transit.

"Captain! Compose yourself!"

"It's dangerous!"

｢It might follow us!｣

"Follow us? What do you mean by?"

"We have to get as far away as farther farther"

"Damn it! Restrain the Captain!"

"Reset the course to the nearest safe zone!"

The crew scrambled, wrestling her away from the controls.

An FTL jump without a properly set destination was suicide Hanseong knew that well as captain.

But right now, she didn't care; she had no room in her mind for anything but escape.

Just before the feed cut out, the last thing she saw… was a mouth.

A vast, gaping maw rising from the "surface" of the black sphere, closing in to devour its prey.

"Course input error! Engaging emergency drop from warp!"

"Sh! Everyone, brace for impact! Brace!"

｢Emergency! Attention all hands! Emergency!｣

Shouts from every corner of the ship.

Red warning lights bathing the bridge in blood-colored urgency.

The chaos was deafening but Hanseong, buried in her panic, barely registered any of it.

"We have to run. We have to run. We have to"

"Fortress ahead! Collision in five seconds!"

"Captain! Watch ou...!"

"AAAHHH!"

Mercifully, the fear didn't last long.

The screech of tearing metal was the last thing Hanseong ever heard.

——————

"The Megacorp mining vessel has left the system. Unfortunately, your attempt has failed this time."

[ZZ (Really?)]

I stopped manipulating the energy field.

The slender, thread-like stream of formless force, which had been stretching outward, recoiled back around the Terramorph.

My secondary body, the Terramorph, greatly enhances my ability to wield the energy field. When I compress the field into threads, I can cast them across truly vast distances.

Just like I did moments ago, when I dragged in the survey ship.

'Though, its efficiency is terrible.'

The farther the thread extends, the harder it is to control. Its speed also diminishes over distance.

The survey ship happened to drift close enough to touch the thread before it weakened, that's why I succeeded. But the more distant mining ship slipped away.

'Even with more time, it would've been a problem.'

Maintaining the energy thread consumes power at an alarming rate. If I exhaust my reserves, the Terramorph form vanishes. That would defeat the entire purpose.

"There needs to be some sort of anchor, an intermediary for the field."

[ZZZZ (That makes sense.)]

That was PS-111, watching my attempts via warp particles, offering its advice.

I thought the same myself, though sadly the Amorph has no such ability.

The energy field is a side effect, a kind of perk I gained from applying the 'Warped Abomination' trait. It's something that doesn't even exist in the original game, so no related specialties exist either.

'Maybe I should look for unique-grade equipment or devices that could help.'

"But if you get any stronger here, what happens to Sister Seoha?"

That was Isabel, speaking from the side.

"Wouldn't it be better to focus on controlling it properly instead of just ramping up power?"

[ZZZ ZZ (That's true, too.)]

The Mother of the Sky can't stay here with me because of my energy field.

Unlike the others, she is extremely vulnerable to its effects. If she falls asleep within its range, she's plagued with relentless nightmares.

The field is emitted constantly, regardless of my will. I can widen its range or strengthen its force but I can't turn it off. That's why she had to separate from us.

At present, she's searching for a way to block out my field. She's even making use of the Dominion-rank Shinobu, whom we captured earlier.

As a Spacedock-ranked entity, Shinobu has numerous ties with powerful factions. That's the reason I spared him instead of consuming him. The Mother of the Sky decided to exploit that network.

But there was a problem controlling him. Namely, the parasite issue.

My parasitic control has a lifespan. It requires regular replacement, which simply isn't feasible for long-term separation.

So PS-111 performed a special procedure on him.

It embedded a Screamer bio-management device into his brain. That way, the Mother of the Sky can control him at her own discretion.

"I could minimize the energy field's effect if I implant a defense unit of my design directly into the brain."

"I'll tell you right now the moment you mention that, Sister Seoha will stab you with her spear."

Isabel shuddered at the thought. Her twin sisters looked like they wanted to add something, but then fell silent.

'She's probably right.'

The Mother of the Sky was present for Shinobu's operation from beginning to end. After witnessing that, asking to have a machine buried in her own brain would not come easy.

That closed my experiment with the energy field in Terramorph form. I'd already tested the other abilities earlier.

After repeated trials, I realized the Terramorph is less a second body and more akin to a biological exosuit. A living nest, yes, though that image fits the "Horizon of Nightmares" far more accurately.

Its capacity for bodily alteration is extremely limited, unlike an ordinary Nest. At best, it can shift the positions of vascular channels or form hook-pillars with mouths. That's all.

'But it does possess one fascinating ability that no Nest has the so-called Harvest Mode.'

When activated, and if I devour a selected kind of prey, I not only gain energy but also permanently absorb one of its traits.

During the past four days of travel through here, I've consumed the surfaces of multiple planets, and even swallowed small asteroids whole.

From these I've derived three traits: Pollution Organ, Oxygen Storage, and Sonic Rupture.

The meager count compared to what I devoured comes down to Harvest Mode's mechanism.

My three hook-pillars draw out genetic matter when they consume soil or minerals. The digestion process distills that into a usable trait.

Which traits manifest depend heavily on the organismal environment of the food source.

The Pollution Organ came from the wastelands ravaged by Amorph corruption. Oxygen Storage from a colonial world where Megacorp laborers lived. Sonic Rupture from a desert planet.

All of them are the kind of traits local fauna would evolve naturally.

'The sample size is small, so I can't be certain just yet.'

Harvest Mode doesn't trigger at all if the material has no viable traits.

Indeed, I ate plenty of wandering rocks and asteroids, yet never gained a single trait from them. All the useful ones came only from worlds that harbored full ecosystems.

And after each successful harvest, a 24-hour dormancy follows, during which the hook-pillars vanish. No feeding, no trait absorption possible.

That's why I obtained so little despite four days of effort. Confirming whether hidden conditions exist will take far longer.

'Still, harvesting traits without combat that's an outstanding advantage.'

If my assumption is right, I could even acquire Apex-lifeform traits this way. Their habitats should follow the same rules.

'I'll test it later in the Gallagon Valley.'

Just then, the Terramorph's stomach relayed a signal the survey ship I had swallowed earlier was fully digested.

'Living beings don't work, huh.'

I had hoped to extract the genetic essence of its crew as well, but as suspected, the attempt failed. The method of extraction must be entirely different.

'Maybe eating a "sample" would trigger a different reaction.'

Refined genetic essence might yield another result. I'll need to confirm that once I reach a lab.

'That should be enough for now.'

We had uncovered most of the vital details, and the destination was no longer far. If not for being in Terramorph form, a single jump would have sufficed to cross the distance.

Where we were headed was a system-wide junk field, debris scattered everywhere. Among the countless fragments drifted unstable wreckage shattered ship engines, discarded torpedoes, and worse.

'If we crashed into one of those and triggered an explosion, that would be troublesome.' ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel⦿fire.net

Not that such an explosion could harm me. The real problem was the chain reaction debris shifting far out of place. If Akira arrived later and noticed, suspicion might arise.

Better to dispel the Terramorph before entering.

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (The experiment's finished. I'll release the Terramorph now.)]

"Understood. As soon as you release it, I'll initiate the jump."

While PS-111 prepared the warp sequence, I called Number 26 and Adhai, who had gone off wandering to other chambers. At the same time, I redirected the internal passages to lead closer to where they were.

Moments later, thick mucus cascaded from ceiling conduits like a crashing waterfall. Riding the torrent emerged the Sea Demon and the Red Gallagon, sliding down the black wave.

｢That was fun!｣

｢It was okay.｣ ｢Not bad.｣

｢Do it again!｣

Number 26's vast body shimmered brightly as it bounced happily, apparently enjoying the hundred-meter-long water slide.

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Sorry, not now. I'm going to remove this thing.)]

｢Really? Why remove it?｣

[ZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Because we have to sneak into our destination. I need to reduce my size.)]

At once, its glowing body darkened.

[ZZ ZZZ (We can play again later.)]

｢Promise?｣

[Z ZZZ (Yes. I promise.)]

｢Yay! A promise with Big One!｣

With that, Number 26 leapt onto my head, tapping my horns with its antlers and shouting with boundless joy:

｢Me｣ ｢Big One｣ ｢Together｣ ｢Better｣ ｢Like｣

Adhai, who had descended with it, soon pressed her body warmly against my side.

With everyone gathered, I dispelled the Terramorph.

The vast sensory range I had grown used to contracted abruptly. Back was the narrower, familiar perception of my main body.

Regaining my ordinary senses, I gently coiled my tendril-arms around Number 26 and Isabel.

Separated from me, the Terramorph began to collapse. Flowing black slime froze in place as great cracks split apart the walls and ceiling.

The sight was cue enough for PS-111 it triggered the jump instantly. Warp particles surged, seizing us and hauling us into a realm beyond light itself.

Immense pressure bore down on us as our bodies tore through star and space. My vision filled with chaos: lights of every color, tangled and flooding together.

And then the pressure was gone. In its place, filling my view, was not light but endless clouds of derelict metal.

'We've arrived.'

Beyond the vast storm of cosmic junk loomed a grey, lifeless planet.

An artificial world, cobbled from compacted industrial refuse, derelict ships, abandoned station parts, Megacorp's dumping ground.

We pierced through the orbiting ring of debris and drew closer to the sphere itself.

As the swirling toxic atmosphere came into sight, I broadcast to the others:

[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (We'll proceed just as we planned earlier.)]

｢If you see something strange, don't touch it, just avoid it!｣

｢Also｣ ｢Living things｣ ｢Be extra careful｣

PS-111 and Isabel simply nodded, no words needed.

We had already discussed the movement plan before arriving.

This so-called garbage planet was moon-sized, and far more than sheer mass its interior structure was remarkably intricate.

We had to confirm whether any unknown threats lurked inside, and whether it offered terrain advantageous for ambush.

'If we all traveled together, it would take far too long to check everything.'

So we chose to split into three parties.

Number 26 and PS-111 would scout the surface.

Adhai and Isabel would enter through the opposite aperture, exploring the interior.

And I would take another route, checking for threats and ambush sites within the planetary shell.

To make sure we could reach each other immediately if anything went wrong, Isabel and I each received an MPS unit.

[ZZZ (Let's begin.)]

｢Yes! See you later!｣

｢Child｣ ｢This way｣ ｢Follow me｣

We descended to the surface of the trash-world and split apart to survey our assigned areas.

I tucked a mini-Screamer inside my mouth and moved down into a gaping crater below.

'It's been a long time since I came here.'

This trash planet had once been one of my hidden nests. A place no one ever discovered until the end of the game.

'I suppose people always think alike.'

The filthy walls were crusted with unidentifiable, rust-red muck. Corridors contracted and widened unpredictably, their dimensions uneven. All of it is so familiar.

The only difference now was the overwhelming number of defense systems.

Plasma turrets, motion-triggered mines, psychotronic bombs, traps of every kind were hidden throughout. Even at the entrance zone, the density was extreme.

So thorough a defense line that even a high-ranked player would struggle to break through.

'Looks like they invested a great deal here… but it won't matter.'

From my body spilled glowing motes, like drifting fireflies, which clung to the walls. Gremlin Moss the bane of machines spread in eager hunger.

Every turret and mine dissolved the moment the sparkling moss touched them, neutralized instantly. With the defenses disarmed, I strolled unimpeded, following the ruined installations deeper in.

Time passed hours, perhaps with no threat other than the disabled defenses. The others contacted me periodically, reporting that their own explorations were proceeding safely too.

At length the tunnel opened into a cavernous space. Construction modules of the kind used in building orbital cities braced the chamber. Immense metal scaffolding wrapped in fused wreckage and garbage supported this hollow like flesh clinging to bone.

'Empty. Nothing here?'

Unlike the other areas packed with weapons, this chamber was vacant.

I spread my energy field throughout the space, probing.

A faint but decidedly deliberate current emerged. It was ordered, not random static from discarded electronics.

Tracing the interwoven streams of energy, I found the nexus where they converged upon a single point.

'There. That must be it.'

A massive container, wedged into the wall. Energy pulsed throughout, flowing in and out of it.

Then, without warning, the container doors ground open.

'What?'

From within stepped a figure I had not expected to ever see here.

The one ranked third in power. Leader of the Dominion faction.

And if the world were still as it should be the Megacorp CEO who should be on Earth at this very moment, holding back the Outspacer invasion.

[ZZZ (Akira Yujin?)]

"At last, the prodigal returns."

The creature wearing a human face smiled at me.

——————

The Empress' greatest creation, Kriger, was the strongest in physical ability among her sisters.

Her entire body was encased in a red carapace that could endure the blazing heat of a star itself, and her strength was formidable.

In the world of Outspacers, where the strength of the collective mattered more than the strength of the individual, such things were often meaningless. But Kriger had another ability.

An unrivaled gift for tracking.

Her sensory organs were superior to any other Outspacer's capable of detecting the faint traces left by a jump through faster-than-light travel long after they had vanished.

For this reason, she sometimes commanded scout detachments for the collective. Just like now.

A rocky stretch of drifting stone, littered with fragments both large and small.

Kriger drifted among the countless shards. Her massive body moved slowly, but her antennae-like sense organs twitched and writhed ceaselessly.

And then, those restless organs suddenly froze in place.

｢Krrrk? Found you.｣

Someone had attempted a warp jump here.

Kriger confirmed the evidence. Now she only had to determine where the enemy had jumped to.

The one who had leapt from this point was powerful. Terrifyingly so. A monster strong enough to devour the Empress' consort in an instant.

Normally, Kriger's pride made her never avoid a battle against such prey. On any other day, she would have ignored caution and thrown herself into the fight.

But not this time.

｢Krrrr. It moves.｣

｢We follow command.｣

Kriger chose a destination and, along with the queens she had brought with her, initiated a jump.

They tore across space emerging into the emptiness of the void.

It was far from the actual warp site of the enemy, but distance was part of the plan. The foe had within its kin a being with abilities similar to Todhus. If they approached carelessly, they would be detected immediately.

｢Krrrk. Where have we come?｣

In response to Kriger's query, the queens released their bio-waves.

｢All the queens within the 'human' domain have gathered.｣

｢We follow the will of the Empress' great creation.｣

｢We stand ready to strike at the 'Predator.'｣

｢Krrrr!｣

Hearing this report, Kriger growled with satisfaction.

The moment the Empress learned of her consort's death, she had given her command:

'Mobilize every legion assaulting humanity. Repay this blood debt.'

While Todhus worked to unify the scattered legions, Kriger had tirelessly pursued the great enemy's trail.

And now, the mission was complete. All that remained was the reward.

｢Krrrk. From here we move onward.｣

｢We obey the command of the Great Creation.｣

｢Gather at this place.｣

Behind them, a radiance the color of blue flame spread—like the birth of a newborn supernova.

***

Last time I fought Akira Yujin, his appearance was nothing like a human. He had used a privilege code to transform into a misshapen monstrosity, not unlike an Amorph.

The black-haired man standing before me now bore not a trace of that former visage.

If this weren't the trash-world, I never would have even guessed it was him.

'Why is he here?'

Akira was leader of both the Dominion faction and Megacorp. By rights, he should have been on Earth, commanding the defense.

'Did he run away? Impossible.'

Megacorp was not yet so cornered that such a retreat would make sense. And even if they were, nowhere was safer than Earth itself.

"You wonder why I'm here, don't you?"

Akira finally spoke.

"I was moving the treasure hidden here."

'Treasure?'

He nodded toward the containers behind him.

Ever since the moment they had opened, cold vapor and electromagnetic waves had seeped out. Within had been a collection of machinery, data-cores, and a line of frost-lined stasis pods empty.

"Leaving them here would've been a waste."

His tone was curious. As if condemning himself for his own decision, despite being the very one who had hidden them here so long ago.

'…Doesn't matter.'

Why he had finally chosen to move this 'treasure' was irrelevant.

There was only one thing for me to do now: strip him of the knowledge he carried.

"Wait. I didn't come here to fight you."

Just as I was about to unleash the Glutton Maw Pouch, he raised both hands. No hostility emanated from him not even the faintest trace.

'What?'

For someone who had once been utterly defeated by me, this behavior was bizarre. Suspicious to the extreme.

I stopped my attack and asked with my human voice:

"Are you trying to stall for time?"

"If I came here to fight, don't you think I would have attacked already? Do you think I'd willingly take the risk of facing an Amorph head-on?"

He wasn't the type to play bait for someone else's scheme, certainly not when confronting a being he feared.

And yet, his composure was unsettling.

"And it's the same for you, isn't it?"

As my suspicion tightened, he pressed on ceaselessly:

"You didn't come here for battle either. That's not your objective."

"You… know my objective?"

"The information in my head."

With that, Akira tapped his temple with one finger.

My original plan had been to turn Akira into a Faceworm and extract his information that way. Alive, he'd never answer my questions; it would've been better to kill him outright and take what fragments I needed.

But then—

｢Ask me anything. I'll answer as much as I know.｣

｢You're suggesting… we talk this out?｣

｢It benefits you as well, doesn't it?｣

He wasn't wrong.

The memories of a Faceworm were incomplete. Entire portions could simply vanish. If he volunteered to directly answer my key questions, it would save me the risk of ending up with nothing.

｢Fine. Then I'll ask.｣

Suspicious, yes but the potential gain was too great. I aimed directly for the question I most desperately wanted answered.

｢Explain the altered ending mission.｣

｢The ending mission? Ah… so that's why you're here. Very well, I'll tell you.｣

He nodded.

｢Right now, the one who controls the Altar of Ascension isn't the 'Observing Shadow' it's an Amorph.｣

For all my long searching, the answer was almost too simple.

｢But of course, it's no normal Amorph. It can freely shift its traits, without restriction.｣

｢What?｣

｢It holds so many traits I couldn't even begin to count.｣

His words shocked me.

In the earlier illusion shown by the Info-Construct, I'd glimpsed a monster resembling an Amorph. I had already suspected the Rankers had fallen to something like that.

But I hadn't imagined it wielded this level of power.

'An Amorph that can swap traits at will…'

Traits that were normally unusable due to deadly risks, or poor compatibility with others—this being could select and swap them freely.

It was the very concept I dreamed of: the ultimate form of the Amorph. The perfect monster.

'So that's why they lost…'

Measured purely by raw power, the Rankers may have had the advantage especially with their overwhelming Privilege Codes.

But differences in strength can be overturned.

｢It divided the Rankers. Turned them against one another in ways impossible in the game.｣

｢As I thought you noticed immediately.｣

Even as he spoke, ideas flickered in my mind alternate tactics and combinations of traits I'd never attempted. Including strategies that could drive Rankers into fighting each other.

After all, the new boss was still, at its core, an Amorph. It might very well improvise using the same tactics I was imagining.

｢Exactly. They were toyed with and, in the end, defeated. Only by barely managing to seal it away did they avoid extermination.｣

｢Seal it…?｣

A term I hadn't expected.

The previous boss, the Observing Shadow, could act only within the Altar itself. Naturally, so too should the new one.

｢The Amorph tried to use the Rankers to escape the Altar. Fortunately, it failed.｣

｢So it's still there?｣

｢Yes. Trapped, waiting for a visitor. Waiting for prey to come and break its bindings.｣

Unwelcome news.

That meant if I wished to ascend, I would have to face this Amorph boss. Worse, retreat would be impossible. If the seal broke mid-battle, the boss would pursue me beyond the Altar.

｢Who… gave the Amorph such power?｣

｢Isn't it obvious?｣

Akira shrugged and looked upward.

｢A force that allowed it to surpass the limits of its species, mysterious and overwhelming. Doesn't that sound familiar?｣

｢You're saying… the same ones who granted Privileges also created this new boss?｣

｢Exactly. And they are the very ones who summoned us into this world.｣

His pitch-black eyes were not staring at the ceiling of scrap above us but at what lay beyond it.

｢Then who are they really? And what's their purpose?｣

｢Other than their possession of godlike power, I don't know much. But their purpose? That, I do know. They want us divided. They want us to fight one another.｣

And he was right.

The illusions that struck near the ending of the game, the impossible outside-standard bosses that blocked united Rankers both bore their mark. The will of "those beings" lurked behind it all.

'I don't know why they're doing this…'

But one truth was clear.

Whoever "they" were, they weren't all-powerful.

If they were, they wouldn't need cheap tricks like illusions or throwing in a new boss. The fact that they resorted to these means proved one thing—they had their own limits.

Then Akira turned his gaze on me.

｢Amorph. I'll make my one and only proposal.｣

I froze.

｢Join me. With your experience as an Amorph, and the knowledge and strength I carry… together, we can clear this world and reach them.｣

He extended his hand toward me.

'He wants me… to join him?'

In both the game and this world, Akira was my enemy. We had never even spoken this long without fighting—and now he sought cooperation?

And he was saying this not for conquest, but to reach the ending itself. Those words did not belong to the leader of a faction that had supposedly abandoned the ending in favor of dominance.

'And besides… this situation—'

Something was wrong.

The only reason Akira had to remain here was that this place had been the hiding spot of his "treasure." Yet he had already moved it elsewhere.

Meaning—he had no reason to still be here. Not unless a new one had arisen.

｢…Are you really Akira Yujin?｣

For the first time, his empty expression cracked. He bared his teeth and grinned.

｢Ah, I almost forgot my manners. I should introduce myself. My name is Shin Beom-Ho. Perhaps you'll recognize me as Rank #7.｣

Not Akira—but the one who had stolen his body.

Beom-Ho smiled with a face that didn't suit him… and bowed low.

—————