Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Ep. 1
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'No use pondering it.'
I decided to put an end to my despair right here.
It's not that I'm more optimistic than others and can just brush it off.
Aimorphs are a combat species with robust vitality, but not in the hatchling stage.
They come packed with potential and possibilities, but right now, I'm nothing more than a fragile thing that will die if I don't eat something within the hour.
So, I need to hustle before my remaining stamina hits zero.
The place I'm in now is the interior of a massive metal structure.
I know full well that this alloy beast swimming through the ocean called space is a spaceship.
'Judging by the cargo, it looks like Mega Corp or Star Union.'
Either way, they're factions I don't welcome.
Looking around, I spotted containers stacked about three people high. Between the layers of containers, plastic crates came into view.
My sub-organ under my jaw twitched, and all sorts of information flooded into my brain.
'What an amazing sense.'
Experiencing the 'Super Sense' that was implemented as a minimap in the game feels completely different in the flesh.
It's like smells ring in my ears like sounds, and sounds appear before my eyes—my senses blend together to convey information. Everything within my sensing range hits me all at once.
From my claw tips, I feel the pulsations of the fusion engine. The sub-organ at the end tingles from the faint scents of phosphorus, carbon, and various other elements mixed in the air.
Among the myriad scents, the sub-organ pulled out the fact that edible stuff was present and sent it straight to my brain.
My top priority right now is nutritional intake. Knowing food isn't far away is encouraging.
My three pairs of legs scurried toward the food, stepping onto the cold metal plates.
Every time my claws met the grating floor, they clinked with a clang-clang.
Passing through the forest of containers, I reached the plastic crates and used my claws to clamber up onto one. Sure enough, it had a lock requiring a password.
'Good thing it's a password lock. Let's see.'
I brought my jaw close to the keypad. As my sub-organ wriggled over it, fingerprints embedded on the surface flowed into my mind.
'1234? For real?'
Even in the space age, this level of security. Astonished, I pressed the buttons firmly with my front legs.
A click sounded from inside the crate as the lock released.
Lifting the lid revealed stacks of vacuum-packed calorie bars. I pulled out the one on top.
I tore the packaging with my claws and took a bite. The chewy texture felt like gnawing on an eraser. The game tooltip had said it was designed purely for nutrition, and that seemed spot on.
'Tch, but at least I got my nutrients.'
No taste, but the high calories made power surge all the way to the tip of my tail.
As I reached for another with my leg, my senses picked something up. My tail shot out like a fired arrow, piercing the unidentified thing.
'A cockroach?'
'Oh?'
Getting gene essence this quickly? Pretty lucky.
Gene essence is the alpha and omega of Aimorph operation. The more diverse ones you acquire, the stronger the creature you can evolve into.
'Wings, huh.'
In a space-setting game, wings don't hold much special meaning on their own. But this is reality, not a game. Considering I'm a feeble larva, it's more useful than not. Gives air superiority in hunts and helps with escapes.
'Accept.'
'Nice.'
I decided to test the wings out.
'How do I even move them?'
Unlike legs, wings aren't a familiar body part to humans.
Still, since they're on my back, I tried flexing the muscles around my trapezius area. Bingo—they flapped slowly.
'Energy consumption's higher than I thought.'
A few flaps and I could tell right away. Flight guzzles energy.
I stopped moving the wings and cracked open another calorie bar.
'To use these wings properly, I need something else.'
Getting wings was great, but the key ability from cockroaches was something else.
It's essential for smooth, comfortable survival.
'First goal's set.'
I chewed on the calorie bar as I thought it over.
First things first, I need to become a cockroach exterminator.
I remember reading a story like this as a kid.
A guy named Jonah tried to flee God's command and ended up swallowed by a whale in the sea. Any normal person would've died, but Jonah was blessed by God, survived inside the whale's belly for three days, and escaped. After cheating death, he faithfully followed God's word thereafter.
Why bring up an old tale out of nowhere? Because my situation resembles Jonah in the whale's gut. Here I am, wandering a steel whale's belly in zero gravity, hunting cockroaches.
Stuck to the wall, waiting motionless, a cockroach passed below me. My tail hooked it like a fishing line with a barb.
Pfshk
Careful yet forceful, like a fisherman hauling in a net, my tail reeled up. The thing at the end sensed its fate and struggled desperately to escape.
'Not happening.'
My sharp teeth sank into its head. My small but razor-sharp chompers worked tirelessly, mincing the tough exoskeleton and thick flesh into digestible bits. Only after it was practically blendered into pulp did it slide down my throat.
Nutritionally, the calorie bar wins hands down, but flavor-wise, cockroach takes the cake. Thanks to that, I could do something unimaginable as a human without hesitation.
'Sounds crazy, but it kinda tastes like pupa.'
The kind that calls for soju.
'That's 20 with this one. Another dud?'
Old human habit—picking my teeth with a front leg as I summoned the text window. At my will, it appeared before my eyes.
Getting wings first must've been beginner's luck. Ate 19 more after, but only snagged one other gene essence.
'Chitinous Exoskeleton isn't bad, but...'
Chitinous Exoskeleton greatly boosts defense based on growth level—a powerful trait that shines late-game. But right now? Useless.
Bumping defense from near-zero in hatchling stage changes nothing. Other abilities matter more.
'Need to secure Robust Vitality, but it's not dropping.'
Robust Vitality is a common trait in most insect- or plant-type creatures. Its effect is straightforward, too.
'Reduces energy consumption to slow aging.'
In a game without lifespan, it was just for concept-focused players. But now that it's reality, its value skyrockets.
'With Robust Vitality, I won't be so tied to food.'
Can't stay in this cargo hold forever. Vibrations beyond the walls, faint footsteps echoing. Each one reminds me time's running out.
This ship's owners—humanity—are my enemies.
Even without game lore, no way they'd react kindly to seeing me.
They'll notice cargo dwindling and come hunting. If caught? Death, or worse, specimen duty.
To dodge that grim fate, I need to meet evolution conditions ASAP and shed this hatchling skin. That means expanding beyond the cargo hold.
Long story short: Want to live? Hunt cockroaches like mad.
'Time to switch spots.'
Cockroaches are smart, wary bugs—they never return to where a comrade died. Knew danger lurks. Wasted 30 minutes camping one spot before figuring that out.
'Here goes!'
I bent my eight legs tight against the wall, then exploded outward in one burst.
My body sprang elastically into the air.
Mid-flight, my back wings unfurled wide. Muscles around my trapezius equivalent tensed. Flapping began, and my plummeting body slowly rose.
A desert-spider monster flapping wings? Heart patients might faint.
Even in flight, my eyes and sub-organ scanned nonstop for cockroaches.
'At this point, I'm an honorary Aimorph.'
Lost in silly thoughts, I detected cockroaches.
One on the wall, one scurrying atop a plastic crate.
I targeted the nearer wall one first. Adjusted wing angle, body turning toward it.
The cockroach, lost in its own world, never saw my dive coming. I snatched it with my front legs like an eagle grabbing fish.
Before it slipped my claws, I shoved it in my mouth. Its glossy shoe-like shell cracked, guts and juices spurting from its side.
One more to go—I kept it in my jaws and eyed the next.
'Damn.'
The floor one spotted me and fled under the crate.
Its tiny legs headed for a floor seam. If it squeezes through the alloy plates, hunt over.
'Can't let it escape!'
I pushed off the wall with four legs for thrust, arrowing toward it like a bowstring released. Its antennae and head already poked into the gap.
Halves visible, I slammed down onto the floor. The unyielding metal jarred my whole body in agony, but my focus locked on its rear.
My tail lashed out like a rattlesnake striking prey. It sliced air, stinger plunging into the plate crevice.
The cockroach, sighing relief, freaked. Its brain, scheming escape, split in two by my spike.
'Whew.'
By a hair, I bagged both. My tail elegantly retracted, trophy dangling proudly from the tip.
I finished the one in my mouth, then started on the tailed one. Near the end, the message I'd awaited popped up.
'Of course accept.'
A qualitatively different vigor surged through my body.
My long, skinny legs bulked up with muscle; the chitin covering my back and belly gleamed brighter.
Now it really begins.
This cargo hold—vast compared to me, but a mere fraction of the ship.
Time to break out of the world where I took my first steps.