"KP-04 jump successful."
"Planet encirclement complete. The surveillance net is now activated."
Bridge of the Gigacracker.
The crew, who had just finished the jump, moved quickly to prepare for the next operation.
Walter Saint K., owner of the Gigacracker, sat in his chair, stroking his chin.
"This is the sixth time, isn't it?"
He murmured quietly while watching the hologram projected at the center of the bridge.
At the moment, six Gigacrackers and their escort fleets were stationed near planet KP-04. These forces were mobilized by Walter to hunt the 'Three-Headed Demon'.
Before coming here, they'd searched five other planets but hadn't been able to find the Three-Headed Demon. Now, only two suspected hideouts remained.
One of them was KP-04, an ocean planet owned by the Yujin family to obtain marine life samples.
"A planet owned by Yujin. I guess bombarding it like the previous planets would be difficult?"
Akira's butler, who stood behind the chair, shook his head in negation.
"No issue, sir. The family head said success in the hunt is all that matters."
"Is there any problem with acquiring samples?"
"No. That planet has been extensively researched already. Similar samples can be sourced elsewhere."
"Is that so? Then that's a relief."
It was a satisfactory answer. Smiling, Walter flicked his hand.
His officers immediately began preparations — they'd ready the superweapon mounted on the Gigacracker, the massive ion cannon.
Of the six Gigacrackers encircling the planet, two moved into position. Like a lotus blooming, their spheres parted and the central ion cannon was exposed to the outside.
Twin beams of blue light struck the sapphire-colored planet.
The planet's surface, depicted on the hologram, shook violently. The shockwaves generated at two points were reverberating across the entire star.
In reality, if all six ships fired at once, a planet of this size could easily be destroyed. But Walter didn't do that.
The Three-Headed Demon possessed the ability to reflect energy attacks. During the last battle, an energy field created by the demon had bounced the Outspacer's attack right back, resulting in heavy losses.
Whether it could also reflect ion cannon bombardment was still unknown. Until that was determined, firepower needed to be kept in check.
"Bombardment complete. Ion cannons recharging."
"Four ships have finished recharging and are standing by."
"Any response from our target?"
"None detected."
"So, is it hiding, or simply not there?"
There was only one way to find out.
"Deploy the recon drones and android army."
"Understood."
The creature could drive sentient beings mad or even control them. Sending in humans was too risky — machines were preferable.
Battle androids and drone squads airlifted from the Star Union descended to KP-04.
Dozens of minutes passed. Hundreds of markers landed on the holographic surface of the planet. The robots roamed their assigned sectors, conducting exhaustive searches.
KP-04 was quite large, so it would take at least three or four hours to survey it all. Yet, no one on the bridge appeared relaxed.
They were all master hunters. Waiting was second nature. Walter kept his focus locked on the hologram.
Three hours ticked by.
The android army's search area narrowed toward the ocean trenches.
The Yujin family's geological survey data indicated that the seabed was riddled with troughs and canyons, forming a complicated topography. It meant extra caution was now essential.
"Hmm?"
At that moment, Walter spotted something unusual.
"Wait. The H32 squad's recon route has changed. Why was it altered?"
"Um…near the canyon, ocean currents suddenly shifted, so the route was temporarily changed."
The crew member brought up environmental data above the H32 squad's activity radius.
"In that area, abrupt differences in elevation and multiple trenches cause the currents to be highly irregular."
"Are there any lifeforms there?"
"Originally, it was home to bubble amoebas, but they've since been wiped out."
"Ah, to live hidden in such a place…perhaps to avoid predators."
The environmental data recorded that all the bubble amoebas previously inhabiting the area had been captured for experiments.
Walter recalled a report he'd read before.
'The Three-Headed Demon always drags around mutant Sea Demons.'
He'd hunted Sea Demons before. They were known as the ocean's demons, savagely dangerous, but he'd never laid a hand on bubble amoebas. Even the weakest bubble amoeba could linger near a Sea Demon to avoid other predators.
'The two species are supposedly relatives.'
From the perspective of a mutant Sea Demon, this was unfamiliar territory; its instincts would likely drive it to hide somewhere familiar.
'Now that I remember, that brat from Edgerton disappeared after heading to NOX-02.'
Jacob had visited the ocean planet, only to be swept away by a sudden, massive tsunami.
No one ruling a star system would be unfamiliar with their own planet's environment. It was reasonable to assume the wave had been caused by some external force.
Sea Demons, sudden current changes, complex terrain — piecing together the clues, Walter reached a conclusion.
"That's the hideout. Prepare an assault."
"Got it!"
Walter issued the order and exited the bridge with Akira's butler.
From now on, he would move not as the head of Saint K, but as the hunter Walter.
***
｢The bad ones are coming.｣
Deep beneath the dark ocean, Number 26, concealed within the churning waves, watched as the glimmering lights faded into the distance.
With her power, she could have easily destroyed every one of them. The only reason she let them go was that those ominous beings had reinforcements.
Moments ago, an intense shock unlike anything she'd ever felt shook the entire sea. If she hadn't set up a barrier beforehand, even her hiding place would have been obliterated.
She realized right away the bad people were trailing after them.
With Big One unable to move because of pain, she would have to face this alone.
Number 26 knew all too well how dangerous humans were. There were simply too many of them; even if she killed some, more would take their place. It was better not to fight at all. That's why she whipped up a strong current, steering her enemies off course—and that plan succeeded.
If they failed to find her and simply left, it would be her victory.
Number 26 let the currents carry her deeper into the canyon.
But enemies could come back at any moment. She needed to prepare a decoy hiding place, just in case.
She used to do this all the time in the past dumb predators would wear themselves out searching the wrong places and eventually give up the hunt. She carved deceptive tunnels leading to traps along the cliffs.
That's when a familiar vibration rippled through the water, quickly intensifying. Along with it came a nasty metallic taste.
Its meaning was clear a group of bad humans was approaching her.
She had no idea how they'd figured it out, but that was beside the point—the time for avoiding conflict had passed. Number 26 grew to a gigantic size and rose above the canyon.
No sooner had she surfaced than she was bombarded from every direction by familiar lumps of metal—torpedoes, as people called them.
In the past, weapons like those had wiped out her entire family. But this time was different. Number 26 unleashed the power of the Sea Demon.
Her enormous psychic net snatched the incoming torpedoes with a single sweep, hurling them right back at their owners.
A series of deep explosions rang out in the distance as metal constructs carrying humans scattered rapidly.
Naturally, it wasn't over yet—they had more weapons, designed to maximize destruction.
On her massive pink body, eyes of many colors sprouted—eyeballs formed from highly concentrated psychic energy, scrutinizing the enemy.
Soon a horrifying apparition was cast through the depths. When humans saw it, they'd be paralyzed with fear. If the enemies panicked and fled, she would hunt them down one by one.
｢?｣
That's what she thought—until something unexpected happened. The cylinder-like structures didn't flee at the sight of the apparition. Instead of retreating, they started firing torpedoes again.
There was no time to ponder why. Immediately, she forged another psychic net.
Just as she released it, a foreign presence crept in silently—human-sized intruders firing sharp, spear-like projectiles.
｢Ouch!｣
As soon as she was hit, her strength drained, and her concentration wavered. She reacted swiftly, severing the tentacles struck by the spears.
A sharp pain radiated, but the draining of strength ceased. However, that left a hole in her carefully woven net, allowing a volley of torpedoes to break through.
She was about to be hit. Rather than shield herself, she shrank her body, causing the torpedoes to lose their target and explode elsewhere.
The underwater blasts churned up the sea. She rode the surge to get far away from her previous position.
Number 26 swiftly distanced herself, pursued by intruders brandishing spear-like weapons.
From the fight, it was clear—these humans understood her well.
The spears that sapped her strength were the same kind that once tormented Little One. For some reason, even her apparitions didn't work against them.
They'd studied her powers and developed countermeasures. For the first time since growing stronger, she faced a real challenge.
But they didn't know everything.
Number 26's power was more than what they'd seen.
She'd spent her whole life running from predators and surviving. She was used to situations like this.
Besides, Big One had taught her how to toy with and hunt prey stronger than herself.
Her life, and what mattered most to her, taught invaluable lessons. The humans, oblivious, would pay a terrible price called death.
——————
｢The target is fleeing in a miniaturized state.｣
｢Running away, is it.｣
Walter tracked the fleeing enemy with his eyes. Through the goggles of his helmet, he saw the creature shaped like a pink balloon receding into the distance.
'To shrink its body that much...'
He already knew that sea demons could alter parts of their bodies sprouting extra tentacles, inflating themselves, and so on.
But to warp itself as extremely as that monster just had he'd never seen anything like it before.
'So it really is a mutant, then?'
He'd heard it was a mutant, so he had factored in unpredictable behaviors like this. The real thing to watch out for was its temperament and intelligence.
'It shrank itself to evade the attack, and even cut off the area struck by the APNC.'
For this hunt, he had prepared harpoons loaded with APNC (Anti Psychic Nanite Cartridge).
Normally, nanomachines that eroded psychic power would have continuously sapped a sea demon's strength. But the creature had minimized its damage by immediately severing the area struck by the harpoon.
'It's clever no doubt about it.'
Deciding to be even more cautious, Walter halted his pursuit.
｢Let's regroup and resupply for a moment.｣
｢Roger!｣
Now that the cordon was complete, escape was impossible. Walter gathered the hunters in the area.
His team was made up of humans, Cult, cyborgs, a mix of races. Species aside, every one of them was a veteran hunter.
And that's not all. Each had been outfitted with gear perfect for this hunt: reinforced suits to withstand the intense pressure of the deep sea, dive helmets equipped with breathing apparatus, and even jetpacks modified for underwater use.
Everyone except Akira's butler wore the equipment required for underwater combat. Thanks to it, they moved through the water as skillfully as they would on land.
｢Still no sign of the three-headed demon?｣
｢No. The unmanned submarines are searching continuously, but it hasn't shown up on radar.｣
At the Cult communications officer's report, the wrinkles at the corners of Walter's eyes deepened.
'Still nothing, even after all this?'
The three-headed demon was a formidable hunter. The other monsters were basically attack dogs.
Just as Walter valued his team, that creature likely cared for its monsters. Sending only a single sea demon out alone was out of character.
'Don't tell me… It can't come out to fight?'
According to Akira's dossier, the three-headed demon sometimes entered a chrysalis to grow. That was the only time a monster could truly be rendered harmless.
If it really was in a chrysalis, keeping hidden would make sense. And without its leader, the other monsters wouldn't appear either.
'…A golden opportunity.'
Success in hunting sometimes came down to luck. This was a rare chance to capture both the three-headed demon and the sea demon with relative ease. Walter grinned, baring his teeth.
｢It seems likely the creature is in its chrysalis. For now, focus on taking down the sea demon.｣
｢Roger!｣
｢Cyborg hunters, ready your APNC cartridges so they can be used as scattershot.｣
｢But that will drastically reduce effective range.｣
｢The creature can detach any area struck by a harpoon. If you use scattershot to hit a wide area, it won't be able to do that. While the others provide cover, the scattershot team will move in and unleash their firepower up close.｣
｢Walter, I'll assist the scattershot team,｣ said Akira's butler, who now looked like a blend of shark, human, and octopus.
Walter nodded.
｢Agreed. If the butler wounds it, focus your attacks there. The creature won't last long.｣
｢Understood!｣
｢One last thing: I'll check everyone's psychic resistance stats. Report in.｣
｢All members holding at seventy-five percent.｣
｢Good. Cult and cyborgs, don't let it fall below fifty percent. Humans, stay above seventy.｣
APNC harpoons weren't their only preparation for the psychic war. They also carried drugs to resist mental attacks: the same medicine used by the Eye of Revelation priesthood against the Vortex One cult.
By taking this, they would gain temporary resistance to disorientation, panic, and other psychic effects. It was all in preparation for the illusions used by the sea demon and the three-headed demon.
｢All right, move in and keep up the pursuit.｣
With the checks finished, the hunting team and their drone submarine fleet set off again.
The cordon was already complete. It was obvious where the sea demon was fleeing; a signal from the target had been picked up deep below in a narrow ravine.
'Trying to hide, are you?'
Apex predators of the ocean, reduced to hiding their bodies to escape this was almost laughable.
Of course, there was no room for carelessness. The hunters kept alert as they descended along the sheer cliffs of the ravine.
The cliff faces, sculpted by nature's own hand, were steep. Countless caves riddled their surfaces.
'As expected.'
Even at a glance, the structure looked extremely complex. If they hadn't captured the creature's biosignals, the search would have been next to impossible.
｢The signal is getting closer.｣
The moment of battle was approaching. Walter signaled his team silently to be ready for attack.
Tension peaked then, the communications officer shouted.
｢Multiple biosignals detected from the submarine!｣
｢Multiple? Where are they coming from?｣
｢Inside the cliffs! The biosignals are within the cliff caves!｣
No sooner had those words left their mouth than monstrous lifeforms burst from the cliffside caves.
｢Shadowhooks!｣
｢Everyone, respond!｣
Shadowhooks, with bodies like small whales and teeth shaped like hooks, were mid-tier predators in the ecosystem's food chain.
These beasts stalked their prey in silence, using camouflage-like wave patterns, then snatched victims with hooked teeth to devour them.
Because of this, they typically moved quietly and alone. Charging en masse, as they were now, was highly unusual.
It was certain that the sea demon had driven the shadowhooks out of their burrows.
Its intent was obvious: exhaust the hunters' ammunition.
Their stock of APNC harpoons was not unlimited. Use too many, and they might not have enough left when it came time to actually fight the sea demon.
｢Submarines, intercept the Shadowhooks.｣
Torpedoes fired from the android-controlled submarines slammed into the Shadowhooks. Though those creatures were tough, they didn't stand a chance against a torpedo's impact each one struck simply burst apart.
In an instant, the ravine was filled with flesh, blood, and swirling dirt.
｢Where is the Sea Demon?｣
｢It hasn't moved from the bottom of the ravine.｣
It was practically daring them to come down, likely having prepared a trap.
'There's no need to play by its rules.'
The submarines were loaded with Epsilon-class bombs from the Star Union. Normally, these would be set up before use, but underwater, it was simple: just drop one directly above the creature and detonate.
｢Drop all the Epsilon-class bombs—｣
｢W-Walter!｣
The communications officer's urgent shout cut off his order.
｢Message coming in from above! The cliff is about to collapse!｣
｢What?!｣
Even before the words were finished, the cliff crumbled.
｢Damn it! Everyone, take cover!｣
Boulders the size of houses rained down overhead. The hunters scattered quickly to evade, but the larger submarines weren't so lucky. Struck by a merciless barrage of stone, they began to sink one by one.
The subs were as sturdy as spaceships—being buried by rocks wouldn't destroy or sink them. The problem was that, until those rocks were cleared, they couldn't move.
And that was exactly the enemy's aim: to trap the submarines beneath the collapsed cliff.
｢The Sea Demon's signal is approaching!｣
Through the falling rocks, swirling dust, and rampaging Shadowhooks, a pink blur darted past. The miniaturized Sea Demon was now right behind a hunter, jabbing its slender tentacle at the hunter's goggle.
｢Urgk!｣
｢Kovek's down!｣
｢Damn it!｣
With a brief scream, the hunter's comms went dead. After killing one person in a flash, the creature instantly moved toward its next victim.
Walter offered a wry, disbelieving laugh.
An assassination in the chaos of battle–it was a level of tactical thinking far removed from that of any wild animal.
｢…How interesting.｣
He re-evaluated the enemy.
The one before him was every bit as worthy a quarry as the three-headed demon.
｢We're switching to close combat. Maximize your jetpacks and shield output.｣
｢Yes, sir!｣
Walter readied a harpoon and charged at the creature that had just appeared behind a hunter.
The hunter turned and fired an APNC harpoon. The creature contorted its body into a donut shape, letting the harpoon pass right through.
Startled, the hunter hesitated for a split second. The creature didn't miss the opening, thrusting a tentacle at the hunter's head just as it had before.
｢Ah?!｣
Thanks to the heightened shield output, the result was different this time—the hunter narrowly escaped with his life.
At that moment, Walter closed in and stabbed his harpoon hard. The tip lodged in the tentacle, and the creature convulsed in pain.
｢Now!｣
As Walter held it, the cyborg hunters opened fire.
A rain of APNC scattershot fell upon the creature. No matter how skilled it was with psychic powers, stopping that onslaught wasn't easy.
But the creature had another means of defense: it manipulated the floating rocks all around to form a shield.
Then it detached the impaled tentacle and quickly retreated.
As a living being, it couldn't keep sacrificing tentacles forever. With time, it would be at a disadvantage.
｢Keep pressing in. Comm officer, keep track of any submarines that can be recovered.｣
They pursued the fleeing creature, descending deeper.
At the bottom of the abyss, the creature was waiting for them.
It stood tall among the rocks that had fallen to the seabed. Its body had grown huge again, signaling it intended to settle things here.
'Just what I was hoping for.'
Silently, Walter gave the hand signal to attack.
The cyborg hunters, having landed on the sand, charged at it. Those wielding harpoon guns spread out in all directions, seeking the best angles for their shots.
The moment the cyborgs entered scattershot range, the rocks embedded in the ground all moved at once. The same boulders that had blocked APNC rounds now toppled toward the hunters.
They had already encountered this tactic once before, so everyone dodged the falling rocks with ease. While this distraction played out, the harpooners completed their formation and fired a volley.
The Sea Demon intercepted one harpoon with a tentacle, then struck the sand hard with its fin. A thick cloud of sediment exploded, obscuring vision.
Of course, the helmet's detection system still worked perfectly. Obstacles like this were meaningless. Even through the murk, the hunters fired accurately at the creature's tentacles.
As a result, the once-dominant predator started to falter. Severed tentacles littered the seafloor, increasing in number.
Perhaps sensing the danger, the enemy stopped manipulating the rocks and, instead, produced an immense number of tentacles from its entire body—whipping them so fast the water seemed to split.
｢Look out!｣
Tentacles thick as building columns lashed in every direction. Walter and a few others flattened themselves to the ground just in time to dodge.
Not everyone was so lucky. The cyborgs locked in close combat couldn't escape in time.
The tentacle storm instantly shattered their shields. Their armor, made lighter for underwater battle, couldn't withstand deep-sea pressure on its own. Without shields, they vanished without even a scream.
｢It's reaching its limit! All firepower—!｣
Just as Walter was about to shout for everyone to unleash everything, something shot out from the sand and struck his abdomen hard.
｢Gah?!｣
｢Walter!｣
Walter tumbled across the sand, coughing blood. Through the blood-smeared goggles, he glimpsed a pink tentacle erupting from the ground.
That was the real reason the Sea Demon had stayed still at the bottom—laying down assassin tentacles in advance and waiting for the right moment.
'But how did it target me?'
So many here were armed and equipped identically. And yet, it had singled out the leader with uncanny precision.
'No—there's one difference.'
Walter's distinguishing trait was his hand signals. The creature had noticed him giving orders with gestures.
He had never imagined, after hunting only wild monsters until now, that something like this could become a weakness.
｢…Impressive.｣
Even in pain, Walter couldn't help but admire the creature.
His shield was shattered from the latest attack. In a few seconds, the deep-sea pressure would crush him.
'But it would be no fun to end like this.'
The old hunter prepared for one last desperate move.
Rising to his feet, he grabbed a small bomb strapped to his waist. Activating the timer, he charged straight at the enemy.
If the creature noticed, it didn't show—it just swept its fin at him.
Moments before the fin struck, a powerful explosion engulfed the Sea Demon.
***
"Hyun-seo."
"…Yes?"
The fragrant scent from the coffee on the mahogany table wakes me.
"Congratulations."
The counselor sitting across from me smiles warmly and continues.
"As a result of our sessions over the past six months, your condition has improved remarkably. You've restored your relationships with your family, and your social life has made great progress. The world you perceive now is richer than ever before."
The more I listen to his voice, the more at ease I feel.
'That's wrong.'
"Of course, the accompanying stress has also increased sharply, but that too is a good sign. It means you're adapting to reality."
"Stress?"
'A lie.'
"Yes. The tension headaches you've frequently mentioned, the mild depression these are minor side effects that come with adapting. There's no need to worry."
He says it with certainty, as if his answer is definitive and all I need to do is listen.
"In any case, since you've made a complete return to reality, today will be our last session. Ah but you should continue your medication a bit longer."
"Yes. Thank you."
The session ends as uneventfully as always.
Stepping out of the hospital, I am greeted by an icy chill, but the street feels warm in contrast red stocking decorations and green trees are visible in every shop window.
Today is Christmas Eve.
"Hyun-seo!"
Someone calls out to me at the bus stop where I'm waiting. It's Yu Si-hyun—my junior at university, leader in my club, and my girlfriend.
She looks prettier than usual, dressed up as she comes over.
"Did you wait long?"
"No, I just got here too."
"Hehe, then shall we go?"
Today is our date. As always, we walk arm in arm down the street.
"That movie that came out a few days ago, I heard it's really good—what do you think?"
"That one? The club was talking about it too, so I've been looking forward to it. Sounds great!"
"Okay. I've already got the tickets, so let's see the movie, then grab dinner."
"Then I'll buy popcorn and drinks."
We watch a movie I've been excited about with the person I love.
"Where's this?"
"I came here once with my dad, while exploring hidden restaurants. It was really good."
"…Let's not. This place looks too expensive."
"And for my second reason it's not just delicious, it's affordable."
We have dinner at a restaurant full of old memories.
"Whew, that was a great meal."
"Right? You know all the good spots. Share them with me from now on."
"Nope. I have to save them for special occasions."
"Fine, then from here on, I'll do the escorting. Come on, follow me."
We take a slow, peaceful walk through the park.
No big events, no jaw-dropping gifts just an ordinary date. But it feels perfect. And I know it's not just me; we both enjoy Christmas Eve together.
'No, that's not it.'
Before I know it, the fun is over and it's time to part.
"It's getting late. We should head back."
"Hyun-seo."
"Yeah?"
"I told you, I'm supposed to escort you tonight."
As we wait for the bus at the stop, she takes my hand and gets on a different bus not the one to my apartment.
"Huh?"
"I made a reservation. Let's go."
The destination turns out to be an upscale hotel.
"Ever since I started seeing you, I've been so happy. So I want to spend tonight together."
Her cheeks flush as she confesses. My heart pounds so loudly I can't speak, only nod.
Later, after showering first, I wait for her in the room. The quiet sound of water, the soft bed everything feels unreal. I never thought a day like this would come for me.
'It's a lie.'
I'd never been able to form a deep relationship with anyone. I always believed I'd spend my whole life alone and die that way.
'That's not true.'
Then Si-hyun, wrapped in a white towel, comes out. Is it because of the hot water, or her shyness? Skin not covered by the towel is blushing peaches.
My heartbeat is so loud I can hear it in my ears. She sits next to me, offering a faint smile, and gently closes her eyes.
She wants me. And I want her just as much.
'Get a grip.'
As I put my arm around her waist, I can feel her trembling a mix of excitement and nerves.
'Don't fall for it.'
The thought flashes through my mind.
Maybe this moment is a turning point in my life. To love my partner, get a job, build a family.
If I just take one more step, I can leave behind everything from before I woke up. I'm certain of it.
'This isn't real.'
I lean down toward her. Her beautiful face draws near.
At that moment, a thought sparks through my mind like lightning.
Water all around, cave walls shaking as if about to collapse, and in the darkness, a lone shining presence. Scenes flash by as if someone pressed fast-forward.
I remember.
What those images meant, who the real 'me' is, how many times I've been in 'this situation' before all of it comes rushing back.
"I'm sorry."
Instead of pressing my lips to hers, I kiss her forehead lightly, then rise.
"I don't think I'll ever forget the kindness and love you've shown me."
"Hyun-seo?"
She looks up at me, startled and confused.
"What do you mean…?"
"But I have to go now."
It was truly a sweet dream. But now, it's time to return.
To the place where my first friend and most cherished one waits for me.
——————
He quickly grasped the situation. The Amorph stepped out of the hotel and caught a bus heading home.
Now he knew who had orchestrated all of this. He also understood just how hard it would be to escape.
'…It wasn't the first time.'
The world he was in was an exquisitely designed illusion. Everything was so identical to reality that it was nearly impossible to recognize it as fake.
Even if he became aware it was an illusion, breaking free was an entirely different problem.
It wasn't the first time he had realized the truth. And yet, he was still trapped here. That alone proved how fortified this prison was.
'This is my last chance.'
He had that sinking intuition that if he failed to wake up now, he would be imprisoned here forever.
Almost reaching his house, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a call from the 'counselor'.
"Hello."
｢Good evening, Mr. Hyun-seo. Merry Christmas. You mentioned going on a date yesterday how did it go?｣
The sound of that voice made his body react on instinct. His anxiety dulled, his thoughts blurred. In panic, he slammed his forehead hard against the bus window.
Blood trickled down his brow. The pain was sharp enough to scream, but his mind cleared.
"Shouldn't you already know that better than anyone, Counselor?"
｢Huh? What do you mean…?｣
The always cheerful voice now carried hesitation.
Every time he sensed something wrong, every time he recognized the fakeness, his consciousness always returned to the same place: a room filled with the aroma of coffee, decorated with elegant mahogany furniture. There, a kindly faced counselor would wake him.
Knowing nothing, he had confessed everything to him, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
And always at the end of the session came the same prescription: a single purple pill. Whenever he swallowed it, the headaches, the visions, and the voices would vanish.
｢Mr. Hyun-seo, this isn't the real you speaking. Please take the medication I prescribed, right now.｣
"That pill doesn't eliminate the hallucinations or stop the voices. It just severs me from reality and cuts me off from the truths I need to hear."
｢Mr. Hyun-seo!｣
"My name isn't Hyun-seo. And you're not a counselor."
The one who always lurked at the root of the illusion, the one who constantly monitored his mental state.
"Isn't that right, Beom-ho?"
｢...｣
The counselor's true identity: the creator of this false world, and the jailer of the prison.
Silence hung on the line.
Then came a heavy sigh through the speaker.
｢Hmph. I don't understand.｣
He muttered as though baffled.
｢Happy campus life, a pretty aspiring-actress girlfriend, even therapy for your rotten trauma. I gave you everything you wanted, so why aren't you satisfied?｣
"Because what you made is pathetic."
｢Bullshit. Everyone else loved the worlds I built. You're the only one who's ever complained.｣
His voice clicked in irritation, a faint tut of his tongue.
｢Tch. Whatever. Nothing has changed.｣
By then, The Amorph had reached the officetel. He hurried to his room, grabbed what he needed, and headed straight for the rooftop.
｢I am the creator of this world. The building you're standing in, the clothes on your back, the air in your lungs I made them all. No one leaves here without my permission. Not even you.｣
"Is that so? We'll see."
｢Ha. You think I don't know what you're up to? You're planning to kill yourself on that roof, aren't you?｣
As the master of the illusion, Beom-ho saw through his every move.
｢Go ahead. Dying isn't new to you.｣
"By your tone, it sounds like it's happened multiple times."
｢Exactly. I've seen you fail and break down in tears more than once with my own eyes.｣
He sneered, mocking him.
The Amorph had already suspected as much. If escaping could be done easily, he would have achieved it long ago.
But just like the world itself, Beom-ho was not flawless. Suicide alone wouldn't end the cycle but there was a weakness he intended to exploit.
This method he had in mind was probably his first time trying it. Even to him, it felt insane.
｢Good. This time, the new world I'll build for you won't be a paradise, it'll be a hell. You won't even think of rebelling.｣
"We'll see about that."
The rooftop at last. He had heard enough. The Amorph tossed the phone aside and sprinted toward the railing.
Standing on the ledge, he saw people and cars below, mere dots in motion. Even knowing it was fake made no difference his knees trembled.
'What a joke. Scared of this?'
As an Amorph, he had flown through skies far higher than this. This kind of height should mean nothing.
But now his body and his mind was adapting to this place.
'I've stayed in this world too long…'
To him it felt like half a year, but who could say how much real time had passed? The illusions had been rebuilt over and over; his sense of time was unreliable.
Still, plenty of time had passed. That much was undeniable.
And so, he had to return. Clutching tightly the item he had grabbed from his room, The Amorph leapt from the rooftop.
Wind blasted against his body, the brick pavement below rising sharply in his vision.
A thought crossed his mind.
He had scoffed at Beom-ho, called this world worthless. Yet that wasn't entirely true.
The human life of 'Hyun-seo'… it had been fulfilling. Fulfilling enough to feel regret knowing he would never return. Just because the world was fake didn't mean the emotions he felt were false.
But there was something he valued far more: the life he had lived with his own choices, his own experiences, the bonds he had created for himself.
The ground rose close enough now for him to make out human faces. The world's collapse was only seconds away.
'Maybe I'll think of it sometimes.'
Even the clumsy yet earnest efforts of his parents, even the face of Yu Si-hyeon smiling as she whispered words of love… He would not let himself long for them.
Then came the crash. Instead of his body shattering, the entire world burst apart. Its fragments fell with him into a boundless white void.
At some point, The Amorph found himself standing in a stark white room.
"You've arrived."
He wasn't alone. Waiting for him was Beom-ho, in the form of the counselor.
"This is the space where new worlds are prepared. You could call it a blank canvas, before the painting begins."
With a snap of his fingers, the room reshaped itself into the familiar counseling chamber. The aroma of coffee drifted in the air, the mahogany furniture gleamed—exactly as always. The only difference: the bookshelves no longer held medical texts, but grotesque torture devices instead.
"So you're done pretending to be a doctor?"
"Pretending? I was always a doctor. And I still am. I'm about to treat a raving lunatic who thinks he's a monster and refuses proper care."
Glancing at the wall, Beom-ho selected a tool resembling an iron pike.
"Calling torture 'treatment' says enough about how skilled you were."
"I was quite skilled, actually. One jab with this tool and most patients came to their senses. You did, too."
He whistled cheerfully as he approached, only to stop when he noticed the object in The Amorph's hand.
"What's that? A VR device?"
It was the headset used to connect to Space Survival. Beom-ho sneered.
"You think that'll help you escape?"
"Yes."
"Pathetic. No wonder, considering the original owner of this body was a gaming addict with a stunted brain."
Another snap of his fingers and just like sand washed away by the tide, the VR headset dissolved into nothing.
"Oh no, your one and only hope is gone. Anything else up your sleeve?"
"Gone, is it? Are you sure about that?"
"What?"
Beom-ho had always drugged him with pills to block his memories not directly, but to prevent the messages from reaching him. Specifically, from Number 26.
And yet wasn't that strange? Beom-ho could twist the entire world at will. If he really wanted, he could have erased Number 26's influence with a snap of his fingers just like he had done to the headset.
But he hadn't. No he couldn't. His influence reached only within The Amorph himself. Anything coming in from outside from actual reality was beyond his power to block.
That's why The Amorph had brought it here: an external ally, one Beom-ho had no control over. Number 26.
'Every time I entered, it always appeared near the headset…'
He had a good idea why. In his consciousness, the headset was the anchor point linking both worlds.
Even if the device itself vanished, the pathway Number 26 created would remain. Beom-ho didn't have enough power to erase that.
The only risk was if Number 26 hadn't stayed close to him in reality. Its powers required proximity. If it wasn't nearby, the plan would fail.
"Still bluffing? Don't you ever get tired of it?"
Beom-ho advanced with the cruel tool raised high.
'No. That won't happen. It's always at my side in moments of danger. This time will be no different.'
"This is the last time I'll indulge your little performance, wretch."
The moment he thrust forward, The Amorph cried out:
"Number 26! Come to me!"
The pike froze just short of piercing his torso. Not from hesitation—something had grabbed him. Pink tentacles wrapped tightly around Beom-ho's arm.
"What—what is this?!"
｢What are you?!｣
The familiar pulse of energy radiated as its owner emerged above his head. Beom-ho's face hardened at the sight.
"H-how did it get here…?"
｢Why are you hurting Big One!｣
In fury, Number 26 yanked back hard. The pike clattered away as Beom-ho's arm ripped off entirely.
"Gaaaaaahhh!"
He writhed on the ground, shrieking. No blood spilled—the wound was unreal—but the pain was clearly real enough.
｢Big One, are you okay?｣
"Thanks to you."
He reached up to gently stroke the creature perched on his head. After so long apart, its soft body felt almost unreal—so impossibly gentle that he couldn't believe he'd ever forgotten the sensation.
'There's so much I want to say…'
But the reunion would have to wait.
He stooped, retrieving the fallen pike.
"You know what they say?"
Number 26's tentacles coiled around Beom-ho's disintegrating lower body, holding him fast.
"Creators who treat their creations as refuse never end well."
"You bastard mor—!"
Before Beom-ho could finish, The Amorph smashed the pike down onto his head. At the same time, Number 26 crushed his lower body with its tentacles.
Beom-ho let out a silent scream—and then dissolved entirely.
｢He's gone.｣
"He escaped."
Knowing he was outmatched, Beom-ho had relinquished control of the illusion.
Just as The Amorph expected, cracks spread across the chamber the moment Beom-ho vanished. Like all his manufactured realities, this world too was now collapsing.
"Don't worry. This means I'm waking up."
｢Really?｣
"Yes. So, wait for me outside."
｢Will it take long?｣
"No. I'll see you soon."
｢You better come quickly!｣
"I will."
Number 26, too, blurred and dissipated.
Left alone in the crumbling void, The Amorph closed his eyes.
***
After severing its link with The Amorph, Number 26 slumped down on top of his head.
Right now, it had lost nearly all of its power. The battles against the hunters had drained it far too much.
The real blow had come at the very end, when their leader, just before dying, unleashed an attack: an energy-draining bomb that detonated right in front of it, inflicting a devastating wound.
It had consumed much of its remaining strength just to heal that injury—so much that it could no longer maintain combat form.
The problem was that many enemies still remained.
Those men wielding their unsettling rods. And the metallic giants that hurled explosive charges. All still intact.
It had to choose:
To form a barrier and buy time, or to keep fighting until every shred of energy was gone.
Defending someone precious required immense strength—but how long could a shield last on what little power remained? Nor was fighting a better solution. If it burned too much of itself and died here, then no one would remain to protect The Amorph. That outcome was unacceptable.
So it chose a third option. It would use all that it had left to awaken him.
Every attempt so far had failed—but Number 26 believed. This time, he would answer. The one it called Big One had never once turned away from its cries.
And the intuition was right.
The cavernous hideout began to rumble, the collapsed entrance shattering as intruders forced their way inside.
Vibrations spread through the water. The reek of metal thickened in the current. They were following its trail and closing in fast.
And yet, it felt no fear. The Amorph would wake soon.
The first figures appeared—men armed with the dreadful spears that drained strength. They hurled them all at once.
But not a single tip reached Number 26. A massive boulder abruptly surged upward, blocking the path, scattering the weapons aside.
｢Grrrrrr…｣
The boulder growled. In truth, it was no stone—it was the armored headplate of some monstrous beast.
The invaders staggered back, panicked, fumbling for other weapons. Too late. Behind them, another massive head slowly rose from the depths, and both closed in at once on the exposed enemy ranks.
The stench of scorched metal gave way to the copper-sweet scent of blood.
And then, at last, the master of those colossal heads opened his eyes.
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ (You've waited long enough, haven't you?)]
Overcome by the pulse she knew too well, Number 26's body trembled.
It had so much it wanted to say—but instead, it simply reached out a single tentacle. The Amorph lowered his head to meet it without a word.
Sometimes words were needless. Sometimes the simplest gestures carried the deepest meaning.
Through that brief contact, their communion was more profound than ever before.
—————
'Good thing I wasn't too late.'
The moment The Amorph regained consciousness, he was startled.
Expensively armored humans in top-class psychic-resistant combat suits, wielding weapons designed specifically for anti-psychic warfare, were attacking them.
'So that's why I suddenly woke up, this danger triggered the instinct.'
Back in the hotel, he had briefly glimpsed an illusion of water-filled caves, Number 26's shape flashing past like a fast-forwarded reel. That was his Predator Sense, warning him of approaching danger. Thanks to it, he had stayed lucid even inside the illusion.
'And I'm glad it helped me.'
The one who tore apart that false world and pulled him out was right there, perched on his head.
Number 26 sat tightly attached to his carapace, hungrily devouring its meal. It had burned a huge amount of energy to protect him.
It ate with every bit of its body, breaking down corpses matter-of-factly, looking to him as cute as ever.
But inside, The Amorph couldn't help feeling conflicted because of what had happened when it touched him with a small tendril.
At that contact, he'd felt something foreign, alien emotions washing into him:
Embarrassment. Relief. Joy. And… love.
Number 26 had poured its feelings directly into him.
'Love, huh.'
He already knew it cared for him; he had always thought of it as a familial bond, something like kinship. But this was deeper, more serious, more intimate than that.
'No... saying I didn't know would be a lie.'
The truth was, he had always sensed it. He just couldn't bring himself to accept it. Because, one way or another, he believed he'd have to leave someday to return to reality.
It had never said anything, but surely, deep down, it knew too. Yet still it chose to wait, in silence.
'…It makes me happy.'
A being that loved him this much…
'I need to answer that love someday.'
But now was not the time. His Predator Sense had warned him the danger was far from over.
'The confession will have to wait until everything is over.'
He picked up one of the floating cyborg corpses.
The gear it wore was all too familiar: APNC-forged weapons, cult-manufactured psychic-resistant armor, custom jetpacks refitted for underwater combat. It was the standard kit players used when hunting Sea Demons.
'So Akira sent these troops…'
Now that The Amorph had become the next target for Beom-ho, Akira was free to act. To both of them, Akira was just as much an enemy. For him to dispatch raid troops was hardly surprising.
And apparently they had tracked him down right before he awakened.
'And this can't be all of them.'
Above the waters, there would be reinforcements and many more soldiers prepared to kill not just Number 26, but him as well. Likely even super-weapons, Gigacrackers by the look of it.
'At least there aren't any Rankers among them.'
He guessed the ruling faction's elites weren't involved. They likely knew too well about Beom-ho's powers. The army they'd sent was prepared and dangerous, but not perfect. Not impossible to counter.
'Still, we do have our own problems…'
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (It's just us here, right?)]
｢Yeah!｣
A spark of light flickered above his carapace where Number 26 clung.
｢A friend sent me home to help Big One!｣
[ZZ? (Home?)]
｢Yes! If we keep going straight from here, my home's right there.｣
So this place… it was likely Number 26's homeworld.
He recalled how in Nox's secret base, PS-111 had collected research data linked to Number 26. That must have been how it traced things here.
[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (Then what about the others?)]
｢Bad swarm chased too close. Couldn't bring them. Friend said they'll keep following. Annoying swarm!｣
As it spoke, anger trembled through its tentacles, flapping furiously at the thought.
If they weren't described as humans, then they weren't megacorp troops nor cyborgs. Which left only one possibility
The Outspacer horde he had fought near Nox. Rank 4 had dispatched a pursuit unit.
'So they've created a specialized tracker variant.'
He had moved while leaving as few traces as possible and yet they had followed. Impossible in the game version, but achievable with a tailored creature. No doubt they had burned one of their privileges to design it.
And this wasn't the end of it. If the goal was to kill him, then other powerful types had been sent as well. That explained why PS-111 had hastily relocated them elsewhere.
'…I hope the others are safe.'
He had been asleep for quite some time, yet none of them had shown up. Whether that meant they were caught in equal peril or simply trapped elsewhere, he couldn't say.
'Either way, it's not good.'
They weren't weaklings, far from it, but still he worried. Once he escaped this place, he would go straight to Adhai's homeworld to check on her.
'Looks like I'll need to borrow a ship.'
Because of the interdiction, he couldn't make faster-than-light jumps on his own. He needed a vessel. Fortunately, there were plenty of ships here he could use.
[ZZZ (Let's go.)]
｢Are we going to punish the bad people?｣
[ZZZ ZZ Z ZZZZ (Yes. We'll crush them, then meet the others.)]
｢Yeah!｣
Number 26 sparkled with joy, glowing brightly atop his head.
Before leaving the hideout, The Amorph picked up another corpse besides the one already in his grasp.
｢Snacks?｣
[ZZZZ (Sort of.)]
These bodies were more important than just for feeding a ship. He had intentionally chosen intact ones with limbs still attached, storing both inside the right head's maw.
'Good. Next step…'
He prepared to reveal his hidden card, the trait known as Symbol of Hunt. The ability that turned him into an even greater apex.
The moment he invoked it, his body swelled to several times its normal size, filling the hideout to the brink.
Simultaneously, parts of his body shifted, organs and structures reshaping.
His cranial carapace thickened and extended, covering his eyes. Secondary organs were encased in blade-like carapaces.
So far, it seemed the same as the last time he had entered this form. But then came the real change.
Previously, when in the Symbol of Hunt state, he had always grown bony, blade‑bearing arms. This time, no such arms sprouted. Instead, his combat limbs transformed into tentacles and both those tentacle arms and his invasive tendrils changed drastically.
At the ends of six invasive tendrils and six tentacle arms, elongated maws emerged, each armored in horned carapace, resembling his true heads.
'It's basically twelve new heads.'
Counting his originals, he now bore fifteen. His form was nothing short of a mythical hydra.
And it wasn't mere appearance. Inside the tentacles no, now more like neck organs had formed: esophagus-like tracts, able to consume prey, expel matter, or more.
'Just like we confirmed during the Terramorph experiments.'
But without brains, they couldn't act independently. They were more like extended limbs with mouths, given sensory ability but no command.
｢Hi, Pointy-Tooth! Hi, Spiky-Head!｣
｢■■■｣
｢■■■｣
Excited, Number 26 waved its tendrils, greeting the new heads cheerfully. In earlier experiments, it had given every one of the twelve extra heads a name.
'Feels like I'm performing a puppet show…'
It was as though he wore puppet gloves and played along with Number 26.
He wanted to indulge it, seeing how happy it was. But he couldn't. The trait's duration was finite.
Once his transformation was completed, he began to move. Tearing through the cavern, his enormous body shattered rock as easily as dried clay. Boulders the size of cars fell in clumps, none hindering him.
Smashing through the collapsed tunnel, he emerged outside where squads of submarines and armored humans awaited.
They froze, startled. They had expected something else entirely. This was not what they had prepared for.
'Surprised, are you?'
They hadn't yet seen everything he was capable of. To be so rattled this early was almost disappointing.
The right head opened wide, spewing a mass of acidic fungal spores.
The spores struck one submarine, its hull corroding instantly. Divers and nearby vessels scrambled away, panic rippling through their ranks.
The twelve new heads swiveled toward the scattering enemy.
A single head was already strong enough to shred a human into meat pulp. What would happen when twelve of them howled together?
｢■■■■■■!｣
The shockwave tore through the water in violent ripples. Divers caught in the blast zone were instantly pulverized beyond recognition.
Even those farther away were not spared the vibrations overloaded their helmet comm-systems, shattering their only lifeline. Stripped of communication, their formation collapsed into chaos.
With most of the divers neutralized in an instant, The Amorph surged in among the submarines, belching corrosive fungal masses from multiple heads at once.
The enemy tried to fight back, spitting APNC torpedoes in counterattack. But they were useless.
Yes, his body powered by psychic energies was theoretically vulnerable to APNC. But only if the torpedoes could pierce his flesh and detonate inside him.
Thanks to Symbol of Hunt, his carapace was now thicker than the forward armor of a battleship. No torpedo could breach it. Expensive nanomachines writhed impotently over its surface before being washed away in the current.
｢I'll help too!｣
[ZZZ (No need.)]
Perched atop his armored head, Number 26 trembled with eagerness, tentacles waving. The Amorph felt grateful, but he didn't need its intervention here. These enemies were meaningless obstacles, nothing more. The true enemy was outside the planet.
And Number 26 hadn't fully recovered; there was no need to waste its remaining energy.
'They must have noticed by now, up above.'
Additional forces or orbital bombardment would surely be on the way. Ordinarily, he would have concealed himself from their sight. Not this time. His plan was the opposite to draw every gaze to himself.
Discarding a half-crushed submarine, he propelled his body upwards, tentacles writhing like an enormous octopus swimming to the surface.
Behind him, submarines closed in pursuit, but he ignored them, surging toward the light above.
He broke the surface where a fleet of starships was already waiting, suspended in the sky overhead. Distant and minuscule, yet unmistakable, he saw countless specks falling from them like scattered sand.
They weren't missiles. They weren't strike craft.
'Star Union bombs.'
He had expected a Gigacracker's ion cannons. Instead, they'd chosen bombs, wary of his reflective abilities.
These were designed for one purpose alone: to kill him. At minimum, gamma-class warheads capable of erasing an entire city, of sundering continents. And here came hundreds.
'That quantity could wipe out the planet itself.'
Even for him, surviving amidst a planet-scale annihilation was impossible.
'Of course, that's only if they all detonate.'
His choice was not evasion. He lifted himself with his energy field, watching the falling bombs close in fast.
Now he could see them clearly, every sleek cylinder, every glowing seam.
'Now!'
With the exception of his right head, all fourteen jaws opened wide.
The Symbol of Hunt roared to life, and the trait known as Gluttonous Maw Pouch activated.
Air warped violently into vortices, sucked toward those gaping maws. The bombs themselves, dragged helplessly, vanished into his throats.
The trait placed no value judgments. If the conditions were correct, it consumed indiscriminately. Whether an Alpha-Boy capable of cracking worlds, or gamma-class antimatter bombs built to incinerate entire metropolises inside the maw-pouch, all were just food.
His current colossal size only amplified its capacity nearly 80 meters from head to tail, his subordinate organs swollen in proportion. Hundreds of two-to-three meter bombs fit with room to spare.
｢Grrrk.｣
His swollen pouch bulged taut. One of his leftward heads rumbled in deep, satisfied growls.
No bombs remained before him now. Only the fleet, confused and panicking at what they had just witnessed.
But the feast of his heads was far from over.
——————
Akira's butler, Gotō Yujin, had served the same master for a very long time.
His duties went far beyond assisting the head of the family. He carried out assassinations, commanded shadow operatives, and performed tasks that could never be made public. More than once, he had barely survived situations where his life hung by a thread.
So when he witnessed the death of the Saint K family head, he did not panic.
Right after Walter self-destructed in battle against the Sea Demon, Gotō immediately withdrew from the battlefield and made his way to the temporary base at the ocean's surface. On the way, he issued bombardment orders to the fleet stationed outside the planet.
He hadn't even seen the true objective yet the Three-Headed Demon and already the commander of the entire operation was dead. His given orders had been absolute: no matter the cost, kill that three-headed monster. Even if it meant sacrificing their lives, at least that creature had to be destroyed.
And the Giga Cracker wasn't the only weapon they had prepared for killing it. They had stockpiled hundreds of bombs acquired from the Star Union. If all of them were detonated, the resulting destruction would be enough to wipe out three or four entire planets.
No living being could possibly survive within a planet tearing itself apart. Not even a demon.
But it did not take long for Gotō to realize this belief was mistaken.
By the time he reached the base, not a single explosion had occurred.
"Why is it still silent after I gave the bombardment order?"
"We already dropped all of the bombs. But on the way down, every single signal disappeared."
"What?"
Gotō could not understand what the sea-base administrator was saying.
"You mean the bombs didn't malfunction or fail to trigger… they literally vanished?"
"It's true. Look here."
The administrator replayed a recorded map showing the tracking signals. A holographic projection appeared above the command room.
The signals marking the bombs advanced toward the designated target point, and then vanished all at once. They did not explode prematurely, nor did any machinery malfunction. The signals simply ceased to exist without reason.
"Signals disappeared? No way… could it be…?"
Gotō knew only one being capable of such a feat.
"The Three-Headed Demon!"
According to the data Akira had provided, the creature could manipulate detection systems and disrupt machinery. It was clear the monster had used that power to cut off the bombs' signals.
"…The Three-Headed Demon has appeared."
"What?"
"It can interfere with detection networks. If the bomb signals vanished, it was undoubtedly its doing."
Gotō's words sent a wave of unease through everyone present.
"We'll...we'll confirm the overhead! This is the temporary base calling command! Requesting orders! Temporary base requesting orders!"
The communications officer urgently attempted to reach the fleet.
But the only reply was static, indistinguishable from garbled human voices or meaningless noise.
"We need to move the base immediately."
"B-but, we must first report to the family head"
"With communications unstable, if we wait around for Walter's instructions, we may fail to respond in time."
Walter was already dead, but Gotō deliberately withheld that fact. Revealing it now would only throw the command structure into chaos.
The administrator, unaware, gave a grim nod.
"…You're right. Everyone, prepare for relocation!"
"Switching to flight mode!"
Whenever Walter hunted, this temporary base was deployed precisely for its mobility. Originally an exploratory research facility, it had been modified to land on and lift from planetary surfaces under its own power.
As the control room staff entered commands, the entire structure trembled. The modular sections began shifting into new configurations, adapting for the next mission.
The temporary base transformed into a colossal warship and rose into the skies.
"There's a strong chance our fleet is already engaging the monster. We must assist."
"Though we lack defensive installations, the base carries squadrons of aircraft. I'll see that they are combat-ready."
"We might also utilize the Epsilon-class bombs in storage."
"Good idea. I'll have them loaded onto our aircraft."
In the bridge formerly the control room the staff moved frantically, preparing for the imminent battle.
"As you've seen, that creature thrives on trickery. If we equip our fighter craft with combat androids, it will help counter its deceptions."
"Hmm. Sensible. Replace the pilots with androids."
"And furthermore"
In the middle of their planning, the base shuddered violently.
"What happened?"
"An explosion outside!"
A live feed flickered into the hologram display. Missiles, plasma beams, and fighter squadrons clashed chaotically across the starry void. The base had already entered the battlefield.
"Th-there! It's there!"
Someone pointed to a corner of the projection.
Against the black backdrop of space, a glaring white mass drifted like a phantom. Hundreds of writhing heads spread from its grotesque form as it effortlessly tore apart fighter craft.
"That's the Three-Headed Demon…"
"Horrifying. No wonder they call it a demon."
Even through video, a chilling dread radiated from the entity.
Yet its shape was not exactly as Akira had once described. It was far larger than the original records, its body several times the documented size and instead of merely three heads, it now bore countless more.
"Has it evolved again?"
Through evolution, the demon could strengthen itself endlessly. The one before them was clearly something much more powerful than the version Gotō had known.
"…But in the end, it's still a living creature. It isn't immortal."
They had six Giga Crackers at the ready, protected by thousands of escort ships. Tracking arrays ensured there would be no escape.
And beyond that, reinforcements hovered nearby, prepared to answer at any summons.
All of its resources had been arranged by Walter Saint K and Akira Yujin.
Two noble houses of Noble Capital had committed their full strength to putting down this single monster. No matter how powerful it became, surviving this encirclement was impossible.
"Energy reaction from the rear! Output spiking!"
"A Giga Cracker?"
Of the six colossal cannons stationed to the rear, two had already begun priming to fire. The escort fleet tightened formation around them, shields linked to ward off harm.
And then breaking from the lines an entire squadron peeled away and surged directly toward the demon.
"Unarmed transport ships and numerous patrol craft are closing in on it."
"They must be trying to load bombs onto the transports to break its shield."
"A simultaneous attack, then."
The demon's barrier reflected all energy-based attacks. Worse, its structure enveloped its entire form, making it an exceptionally difficult target.
But if it were truly invincible, there would have been no reason for it to keep running all this time.
Walter had anticipated that some weakness must exist, and devised a number of strategies. One of them was precisely this: a dual assault combining bombs and plasma beams.
In the projection, the Giga Crackers shifted shape, opening like colossal flower buds. They would soon fire their ion cannons. At the same time, the transports prepped for self-detonation had safely infiltrated the enemy lines under cover of patrol craft.
Just then, the Three-Headed Demon halted all movement. It raised two long appendages its tails and aimed them directly at the Giga Crackers' position.
"What's it doing?"
"Using its barrier? But what's with the tails?"
One of its tails ended in a massive pincer, which it had been swinging like a mace to crush ships that drew too near. The creature hadn't shown any signs of being able to strike over long distances.
But the weapon it chose this time was its other tail.
That tail bore a long, rod-like appendage. Weak-looking, almost flimsy compared to the armored pincer tail. Walter had once theorized it was just a vestigial organ something left behind by its erratic path of evolution. Gotō had thought much the same. During the entire battle, that tail had done little besides hang limply, giving the impression of uselessness.
But what if that wasn't the case?
What if the highly intelligent beast had simply been waiting waiting for the perfect opportunity when the fleet massed together, like right now?
Unfortunately, this time, Gotō's suspicions proved right.
"…What?"
From the tip of the rod-tail, something suddenly emerged something impossibly black. A sphere darker than the void of space itself. Not reflecting light but swallowing it, the orb shot outward at incredible speed.
"What is that thing?"
"A projectile? Can we analyze its composition, its elements?"
"We… we keep trying, but every system throws errors."
As the base's sensors scrambled fruitlessly, the unidentified sphere drew close to the fleet.
At the same moment, the Giga Crackers unleashed their ion cannons. Turquoise lances powerful enough to shatter planets surged forward to obliterate the demon.
But then the unthinkable happened.
The beams, which should have struck true, slowed mid-flight and twisted off course. And not only the beams the nearby ships themselves distorted and bent unnaturally. It was as though space itself had been torn and warped.
At the center of the distortion was the black sphere.
Vessels, though many times larger, were dragged helplessly into its grasp. From nimble aircraft to kilometer-long warships everything collapsed into the orb and vanished inside. Even the mighty ion beam of the Giga Cracker, warped grotesquely like strands of thread, was consumed as well.
The sphere devoured everything close, and with every meal, it grew. Its reach expanded with terrifying speed.
And thus, the massacre began.
Endless darkness rolled over the fleet. Some ships fired desperately at it. Others broke formation and fled at maximum acceleration.
None of it mattered. The ravenous blackness swallowed all without pause.
Even the pride of House Saint K, the Giga Crackers, were not spared. Their thick alloy shells, their gun crews, and their engines stretched, mangled like strands of spaghetti vanished into the dark beyond.
The slaughter did not relent until one-third of the entire fleet had been annihilated. Only then did the black sphere begin to shrink rapidly, collapsing in on itself until finally disappearing completely.
"..."
Silence consumed the bridge.
Every person who had witnessed the footage sat frozen, stiff as stone.
Terror suffocated them.
All of them had been through Walter's hunts before. They had faced more brushes with death than they could count.
But nothing like this. Not even hardened veterans could endure a sight like what had just unfolded.
Gotō too felt the same horror.
'This… This is impossible!'
Humanity had long since commercialized faster-than-light travel. Yet there remained vast domains of nature still unconquered.
One of them was the monstrous phenomenon that devoured all things the black hole.
Until now, the only power ever known to have successfully harnessed black holes was the Cult Empire. A few mega-corporate houses had been researching them in secret, but no useful results had been achieved.
Gotō knew this well, being close to Akira. He understood just how extraordinary and horrifying the demon's display had been. The black orb that erupted from its tail and slaughtered the fleet was undeniably a black hole. The most awe-inspiring, most dangerous phenomenon in the universe, weaponized as though it were nothing.
Such a creature can't exist…
"We…we have to run, now!"
A voice, splitting with terror, shattered the silence of the bridge.
"You want us to fight that thing?! We came here just to die like dogs?!"
"Th-that's right!"
"This base is just a mobile platform, not a warship. Fighting it here would be suicide!"
"It'd be better to hide on a planet and wait for reinforcements!"
Others chimed in desperately, their commander Walter's orders already forgotten under the crushing weight of fear.
"Wait! We can't run now!"
Gotō cut them off, firmly.
"What are you saying? That we should fight this monster?"
"It's a living organism. There's no way it can unleash such power repeatedly. That black hole must have cost it a vast amount of energy. Right now, when it's weakened we have our chance!"
"B-but…"
"I'm not the only one who thinks so."
He pointed to the hologram. As he said, despite the grievous losses, the fleet was choosing to press the attack instead of retreating.
Every gun turned on the demon. And Gotō's theory seemed true that the monster did not raise its barrier. It did not counterattack, barely able to dodge the incoming fire.
"You see? It's weakened. If even a single Giga Cracker lands a clean hit, victory will be ours."
"Y-you mean…?"
"Wait, it's moving toward us!"
"What?!"
Just as the crew began to relax at his words, the monster shifted course heading straight for the mobile base.
"We...we have to leave right away!"
"…No. We can't outrun it anyway. Let's use the bombs."
"Bombs?"
"If we deploy all the Epsilon-class bombs stored here, even that monster will feel it."
Gotō knew killing it outright was unlikely. What he wanted was to draw its attention long enough for the Giga Crackers to take their shot.
"D-damn it! Launch all craft, prepare for deployment!"
There was no choice. The mobile base lacked faster-than-light jump capability. Any attempt to escape at normal flight speed would only get them caught.
Every single fighter in the base launched at once. Aircraft carrying the bombs dove straight toward the demon. Explosions lit space, consuming its grotesque form in searing flame.
"Please, let it work…"
Someone whispered. Everyone silently echoed the plea.
Through the inferno, the monster drew closer its enormous neck reaching forward until its maw filled the hologram. Jagged fangs, glistening, almost closed around the base's cameras and outer hull.
But just before it struck, a turquoise flare burst behind it. The Giga Cracker's particle lance surged through the void at the demon.
Moments later, the relay feed cut off, and the entire base shuddered violently.
"Waaaah!"
"Kyahhh!"
People screamed and toppled amid sirens and alarms. Only Gotō, his body enhanced, remained standing and composed.
"Central computer! Status report!"
｢Outer hull at communications chamber: 32% structural damage. Target 'Three-Headed Demon': signal lost.｣
"The demon… disappeared?"
Quickly, Gotō switched to other camera feeds.
The projection showed only wreckage and flames drifting across empty space. The many-headed abomination was gone.
"Any traces of a jump signature?"
｢Residual warp particles not detected.｣
No. It hadn't warped away to another star system. It had simply vanished, right there as though annihilated by the Giga Cracker's beam.
"Could it be… did we succeed?"
"We...we survived! We're alive!"
"Wooooo!"
The survivors, sprawled on the floor moments ago, now leapt up in wild celebration.
"…Any craft that saw what happened to the creature up close?"
｢No reports, none detected.｣
"Gotō! Sir, we...we killed that accursed monster!"
"This has to be reported to Lord Walter immediately"
The bridge swelled with relief and exultation.
But Gotō still felt a knot of unease in his chest as he kept checking the data.
Yet no trace of the demon could be found.
***
"…Hah, just look at the state of this place. Completely screwed."
Inside the communications control room of the mobile base.
Two technicians in space suits let out weary sighs as they surveyed the gaping hole torn into the outer wall.
"It'll take forever to patch this mess up."
"That's not all. The entire communications array's been melted."
"Melted? What the hell hits hard enough to melt the inside too?"
"They say a Giga Cracker's shot grazed us. If a weapon that shatters planets glances off, this much damage is nothing."
"This is gonna be a nightmare… can it even be fixed?"
"I'll do what I can, but honestly, it'll be hard. Swapping in a whole replacement module would probably be faster."
"Anything else busted that needs priority repairs?"
"I'll have to check further wait, huh?"
One of them trailed off, eyes going wide. In the corner, two figures in deep-sea combat exosuits lay collapsed on the floor.
"Those exosuits… aren't those hunters?"
The technicians rushed over to the fallen hunters. One fiddled with the wrist display on the armor, rerouting the comm system.
"Hello, can you hear my voice?"
"Yes. I hear you."
"You were part of the operation, weren't you? What are you doing here?"
The conscious hunter staggered to his feet, swaying.
"My partner was injured, so I came back. On the way to the infirmary, the whole base suddenly moved."
"The infirmary? But isn't that far from here?"
"Is it? I don't really know this facility's layout."
"This place is the communications control room. Getting to the infirmary means taking a long detour."
"I see."
"But… is your partner alright? He doesn't seem responsive at all."
Unlike the coherent one, the other hunter lay unnaturally silent.
"We'll help you carry him."
"That won't be necessary."
"It's no trouble at all. If we take him on our transport, it won't take long to get to the infirmary."
They reached out to support the figure.
"Huh?"
"What the what is this?"
The body under their hands felt disturbingly pliant, as if the exosuit were filled with water or some kind of soft-bodied creature.
As the technicians froze in confusion, the other hunter's helmet hissed and opened.
"You've already helped us more than enough."
What looked back at them inside was not a human face.
——————