Babies in the incubator
Babies in the incubator
However, battle preparations weren't something that could be solved in a snap.
Because that monster was standing as if guarding the door, it didn't rush at us immediately, and thanks to that, we were able to have enough time to scout the thing.
"......."
Incubator.
A machine for premature babies who couldn't finish growing and come out.
"...I don't know who named it, but it's truly nasty. To give such a name to that monster."
Orc Mister said that.
Kkumul-kkumul.
The monster that inherited the name Incubator didn't move, guarding the emergency exit.
However, that doesn't mean it didn't move an inch at all.
Perhaps because it couldn't keep its body still for even a moment, its reddish flesh was rippling like waves.
'...A device for premature babies, huh.'
That is a Colony formed by dozens of small Mimic Beasts tangled together.
However, it is organically connected to the point where you'd think it's one, even though it's many.
Like tangled human blood vessels, it had become an existence that couldn't be separated no matter how hard you tried.
"...I-it's not just tangled together."
Yoo In-ha suddenly said that.
"If you look closely... the flesh is attached as if it's fused together. Slowly, as if melting into each other......."
"...Your insight is better than I thought."
Her unexpected insight shone through.
At those words, something suddenly occurred to me, and I asked Captain Kim.
"...What happened with the testimony of the soldiers who came last time?"
"According to the testimony, it felt a bit sloppy back then. Of course, due to the darkness, they couldn't grasp its proper appearance, but... they said there were moments when the Colony would split apart."
It meant it was closer to a precise gear. Moving as if they had become one, but also breaking apart when struck.
But look at its current form.
It looked like it had a level of cohesion where it wouldn't break no matter how much you struck it.
Besides, as Yoo In-ha said, the flesh is pressing and sticking together as if fusing.......
"...It looks like it's evolving, doesn't it?"
"...Yes. That is correct."
Captain Kim agreed with my words.
I don't know who named it, but I thought they really picked a good identification name.
A pupa right before metamorphosing into a higher-level monster.
Because that was the true identity of the Incubator.
"...If that thing fuses completely, what will it become?"
Owl Bear Elder asked that in a trembling voice.
In fact, it is self-evident that whatever it becomes, it will be beyond our common sense and imagination.
But it could be expressed in one word. Whatever it becomes, it will surely be blasphemous.
However, the important thing is not what it evolves into.
"...If it eventually fuses completely and becomes one, can you turn it back even then?"
The miracle I can wield.
The power to turn a Mimic Beast back into a human, even if just a corpse.
Of course, although my Holy Power holds infinite possibilities to the point where I don't know the extent of what it can do.......
'I can't know. Even if I purify an Incubator that has already become one, I don't know if it will return to the hundreds of children that make up its body.'
Everyone froze at that possibility.
This isn't good.
To break that atmosphere, I took a step forward and.......
Jjak-!
With a clap, I focused everyone's attention.
"Now, now. Let's all pull ourselves together. There's no need to think about possibilities that haven't happened yet, right?"
The Incubator will someday kick out of that incubator and metamorphose into a higher existence.
But the important thing is, that's not today.
And.......
"That it might become irreversible if it becomes one? That's a meaningless assumption. Because, today, I am here."
That I am here.
Before even predicting that ominous possibility, I will turn those children back.
"...Yes, that's right."
At those words, everyone pulled themselves together one by one and grabbed their weapons.
Now the scouting is over.
"Throw all the grenades you have!"
Captain Kim's shout became the signal flare.
As soon as his order fell, the few grenades remaining in our possession had their safety pins pulled simultaneously and cut through the air.
Kka-ang-! Degureureu.
The chunks of metal poured down in a heap at the feet of the giant meat tower.
And a moment of silence.
Kwaaaaaang-!
A tremendous explosion erupted, as if the narrow 4th-floor hallway and the entire intensive care unit were about to collapse.
Fierce flames and a storm of shrapnel swirled, ruthlessly tearing into the Incubator's massive wall of flesh.
Black blood and charred pieces of flesh poured down like rain in all directions.
Until now, grenades have never failed our expectations.
No matter how huge a Colony is, could it possibly withstand a chain explosion at close range?
"......Did we get it?"
In the rising smoke, Owl Bear Elder swallowed dryly and muttered.
"Elder...! Why did you have to say that...!"
The resurrection spell was, as always, incredibly effective.
Uuuung-!
Tearing through the thick dust cloud, a bizarre sound wave that vibrated the space itself stretched out.
"Kieeeeek-!"
A lump of meat that had been half-destroyed by the explosion, spilling out grotesque entrails.
Yet, it did not die.
Instead, the body that had been nearly half-blown away rippled red, and it began to repair its wounds at a terrifying speed, sucking up its own flesh and blood scattered around like a vacuum cleaner.
Overwhelming regenerative power that tramples common sense.
As hundreds of distorted baby faces staring at us from beyond the smoke unleashed a scream in unison, a massive sense of oppression that choked the breath out of us rushed over like a tidal wave.
"Ugh......!"
If they were ordinary soldiers, their sanity would have collapsed just from that sound and the crushing presence.
However, the Halo shining above my head emitted a subtle wave, firmly protecting the team members' minds.
"Open fire! We must push it before it regenerates!"
Captain Kim shouted with veins bulging and pulled the trigger at the same time.
Tadadadang-! Kwaaang-!
The first to breathe fire was Mister Seo Do-yoon's K3 machine gun.
The 5.56mm bullets poured out while perfectly suppressing the recoil with the heavy Orc's muscular strength began to mercilessly tear apart the Incubator's not-yet-healed wall of flesh once again.
Captain Kim and Yoo In-ha also dug into the blind spots and fired.
Owl Bear Elder held his shield firmly, preparing for the monster's counterattack that could pop out at any moment.
However, the situation did not improve at all.
The speed at which it gathered blood and fused was much faster than the speed at which we tore off its flesh.
No matter how much we poured bullets into it, the massive wall of flesh wriggled and immediately returned to its original form.
At this rate, we'd run out of prepared ammunition first.
"Damn it! The previous engagement record clearly stated that it was suppressed with concentrated firepower! Why isn't it dying!"
Captain Kim shouted urgently while changing his magazine.
He was right.
According to the advance team's records, it said the thing lost its form and collapsed before overwhelming firepower.
'Suppressed with firepower?'
I paused the hand that was pulling the trigger.
Look at that overwhelming regenerative power. It's a thing that repairs even a chain explosion of grenades in the blink of an eye.
There was no way it could be suppressed by mere rifle fire from the advance team.
Then the conclusion is one. Coincidence.
I thought of the possibility that they didn't suppress the thing with overwhelming firepower.
The possibility that while pouring out countless blind bullets, one lucky bullet accidentally hit a fatal weakness that could bring the thing down.
'There is a weakness. Definitely somewhere.'
I calmed my breathing and opened my eyes wide.
The Halo above my head beat violently as if responding to my will.
'It was like this in the elevator too.'
The world began to slow down.
My dynamic visual acuity was pulled to the limit, and every movement before my eyes was clearly decomposed as if connected by dotted lines.
The trajectories of K3 bullets cutting through the air. The movement of blood droplets bursting upon being hit by bullets.
And even the muscle fibers of the Incubator, bizarrely repeating contraction and relaxation amidst those fragments.
'...I see it.'
The very moment Mister Seo Do-yoon's machine gun tears off a large chunk of the thing's right flesh.
Through that narrow gap where the skin of other Mimic Beasts was wriggling to fuse, something like a very small dot beating dark red flashed into view.
Something so small, revealing itself only for a brief moment of less than 0.1 seconds.
That is clearly the weakness.
Someone from the advance team accidentally hitting that spot must have been a truly miraculous probability.
Because it was hidden so cleverly that no one could even notice its existence.
But for me, it was different.
A moment that wouldn't even be visible to others. Furthermore, a target so small it was merely a dot.
But to my eyes, it was as clear as if the center of a target had been painted.
The only gap that only I can see through, and only I can hit.
"Mister, 3 o'clock direction! One more crossfire!"
At my shout, Mister Seo Do-yoon immediately turned his muzzle and concentrated firepower toward the center of the thing's right side.
Tadadadadak-!
Flesh being torn off in droves.
And once again, through a very narrow and minute gap like a needle's eye, a small dark red core revealed itself as if playing peek-a-boo.
I raised the Glock without a moment's hesitation and pulled the trigger.
Tang-!
A single 9mm bullet flew, drawing a perfect trajectory.
The bullet passed through that narrow gap in the flesh created by Mister Seo Do-yoon's gunfire like a needle, and lodged precisely into the center of the core that hadn't yet fused.
"Kieeeeek-!"
Dozens, hundreds of mouths screamed.
And then, hududuk.
As if a landslide were occurring, the Incubator's form collapsed.