Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Blue Hell
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"I-I've told you everything I know! Please, spare me!"
The human pilot, controlled by the parasite, begged me desperately.
I, who had been gnawing on the Cult pilot's arm, gave a glance to the swarm of Tooth Fairies.
At that signal, the carnivorous fleas surrounding the pilots joyfully pounced on their prey.
"N-No, don't do thiiiis!"
With that, all the pilots from the crashed carrier were taken care of.
The place I was currently at was the Sainutopia 02 continent on the planet PH-101. Its ecosystem resembled primitive Earth, with conditions perfect for life to thrive.
But this planet was far from the beautiful paradise it appeared to be on the surface.
'It's the Blue Hell.'
Every creature inhabiting this planet possessed tremendous power, making it a death trap for average-level players—they weren't hunters here; they were the hunted.
Around the areas rich with valuable resources lived hostile Wolf NPCs, and among them, named Wolves occasionally appeared.
'They're on a whole different level from the ones I ate.'
These rare named Wolves were extraordinarily powerful. Even I couldn't guarantee an easy victory against them right now.
This made conquering the planet nearly impossible without ranker-level skills or a major clan's support.
On the flip side, even top-tier players or large clans who could handle the planet couldn't monopolize it.
Because PH-101 was, by lore, a planet protected by the Cult for religious reasons.
Other factions couldn't build structures or establish bases due to game mechanics. Even Cult players could only stay for limited periods.
'That's why I chose this planet.'
PH-101 let me avoid interference from other factions and stockpile high-quality genetic essences freely.
'That's how it was supposed to be.'
Interrogating the pirate pilot revealed changes from the game.
A powerful cartel among the Space Dogs had taken over the area.
The cartel's name was 'Humanity'.
Considering most Space Dog cartels were named after their leader's surname, this was unusual.
'And Humanity, of all things.'
Before quitting Space Survival, there was a clan with a similar name led by a ranker.
Oddly, the leader was a woman who only recruited men, earning her flak in the community as the "queen bee clan" or worse.
'...Not that I, the community's arch-nemesis, have room to talk.'
Anyway, I could guess why the Humanity cartel held this place.
As seen with the Cult pilot I was eating, most of Humanity's members were Cultists.
That allowed the cartel to come and go openly. Impossible in the game, but reality bred loopholes.
'Plus, their boss has connections to the Cult's ruling class.'
Meaning the leader was at least a high-ranking Cultist like a Yak Horn Cultist or above.
I didn't care why such a figure turned to piracy.
'Thanks to them, I can gather genetic essences and meet evolution conditions in one go.'
I finished devouring the remaining Cult remnants and recalled the Tooth Fairies.
According to the pilot, Humanity left periodically for smuggling runs.
'If I can snag their ship, getting out will be easier.'
About 14 days until they departed.
I had to seize a ship before then.
'First things first.'
Species: Unidentified Hostile Space Creature
Status: Subadult (Transcendence Stage 1)
Objective: Survive (2 Evolutions Successful)
Possessed Traits (Physical: 14 / Psionic: 7 / Infection: 5 / Special Defense: 3 / Nest: 1)
Possessed Types (2): Physical Enhancement Type, Psionic Enhancement Type
Specializable Types (3): Infection Enhancement Type (5/8), Special Defense Enhancement Type (3/4), Nest Enhancement Type (1/4)
* Incomplete Traits (5): Energy Absorption, Robust Vitality, Dwarfism, Gills, Fins
From hunting the Calvin ship's Hulk mutants and the Metallic Gremlins in I-97 sector, I'd secured a bunch of useful traits.
For instance, the 'Camouflage' trait fused from the rhino-like Hulk mutant and Metallic Gremlin.
My exoskeleton and shell were now covered in tiny scales that blended in unless viewed up close. If I crouched motionless for 10 seconds, the scales shifted to match the surroundings.
That's how the carrier failed to spot me when I hid under a fallen giant tree.
'It doesn't change my body, so detection gear might still pick it up...'
But with my Radio Jamming trait, enemies nearby wouldn't find me easily unless scanning from afar beyond its range.
Besides that, I had the bone blade and Enhanced Infectivity from the gorilla-like Hulk mutant, plus Reinforced Suction Cups from the Metallic Gremlin.
I flexed the upper right combat arm. Instead of the bloodsucking tentacle from the palm, a curved bone blade emerged in a bizarre shape.
Similar to the arms that sprouted during Hunt visualization, but different.
The back arms' bone blades were thin and sharp for slashing and stabbing, while the Bone Axe was thick and heavy, optimized for smashing like a kukri or axe.
'As always.'
New weapons were always welcome.
Retracting the Bone Axe, I climbed the giant tree using my combat arms and legs.
Aimorphs naturally had suction pad-like organs on their feet soles, like insects on walls.
But Nightmare Horizon's weight made wall-crawling tough—until this perfect trait.
The tiny suction cups let me scale the tree effortlessly.
This continent teemed with trees dwarfing Earth's redwoods, so this one easily bore my weight.
Reaching the top revealed an endless jungle canopy.
Pterosaur-like creatures soared in the cloudless sky, while beast roars echoed from the jungle below.
A depression where green met blue sky marked the cruiser that fired the main guns—definitely over there.
Looking opposite, the horizon brimmed with blue.
Specimen 026 and Adhai were down there in the sea.
'...I'll pick them up once it's safe.'
There was a reason I wasn't fetching them for this fight.
PH-101 crawled with dangers; traveling with me risked injury.
I needed focus on pirates and beasts—protecting them could backfire.
'I'd have used them as bait before...'
Now, I'd grown attached.
If 026 or Adhai got badly hurt or died, I doubted I'd stay rational.
'In jungle fights, patience wins.'
Emotional swings led to defeat.
'The sea's 026's home turf—safer than here.'
Adhai would prefer open beaches or islands over obstacle-filled jungle skies.
'...They're both smart.'
After clearing the pirates, I'd retrieve them.
Decision made, I descended.
Nearby was the pirates' small camp.
Halfway down, I extended erosion tentacles to swing to another tree.
Using erosion tentacles and suction cups, I traversed the giants—sensing creatures below.
From dog-sized bugs to massive, dozens-of-meters dinosaurs, monsters roamed freely.
Monsters was no exaggeration. Even PH-101's tiniest critters could kill armed soldiers easily.
'Eating those should cover me till next evolution.'
Even in-game, I'd farmed here often, knowing every creature and strategy.
Mid-swing, a monkey-bat hybrid ambushed from above.
A Wood Devil—camouflaged high, dropping on passersby to devour.
Low on the food chain but nicknamed newbie killer for speed, strength, and smarts.
'Problem is, I'm no newbie.'
I'd sensed it coming.
Without turning, I whipped my tail, firing spines.
"Kiek?!"
Frozen mid-leap, it plummeted. My back erosion tentacle snagged it.
Then, bloodsucking tentacle from a combat arm swung me to the opposite tree.
"Keeek!"
The leaf-camouflaged Wood Devil thrashed in the tentacle's grip. Squeezing crushed its bones grotesquely.
One eroded leisurely, the other drained of blood—yet I stayed vigilant.
'One more lurking.'
Wood Devils hunted in threes. Sure enough, the diagonal tree's one fled.
"Kikek!"
Clutching two, I kicked off, gliding between trees toward it.
"Keeik?!"
It shrieked at my speed.
My upper right hand's axe bone smashed its skull. Tail coiled the headless falling body.
'Easy.'
Mouth agape, I crunched the headless Wood Devil.
Chewing power dropped since using Chewing Force as fusion material, but this was fine.
'...Tastes healthy.'
Its meat had cheap soy-meat flavor.
Like Plant Lizard from space cities—grass/tree-named critters all tasted grassy.
'Wood Devil's carnivorous, though. Why soy-meat?'
Soy-meat had no real meat anyway.
Musing idly, I devoured the rest.
Finishing, about to eat the tentacle's—blood scent drew another predator.
Black panther body, spider legs: Night Stalker.
Source of my Spiked Fur Launching Tail trait.
It charged on eight legs.
'Poison won't work on it.'
Unlike spine-paralyzed Wood Devils, different approach needed.
I stood still. It lunged, fangs bared for my neck.
Or tried.
Without my tough exoskeleton, those fangs would've doomed me.
Night Stalker's venom outdid my neurotoxin—spreads too fast for antidotes.
No immunity? Death inevitable.
'But potent poison needs entry.'
Its teeth couldn't pierce my ship-hull-tough shell.
"Grung?"
Realizing too late, it tried retreating—my four combat arms had it pinned.
I crushed. It crumpled like an empty bottle, guts spilling.
Erosion tentacles slurped every bit.
'No rest since arriving.'
While tentacles fed on guts, my mouth chewed the body.
Curiously, croissant flavor.
No taste buds on tentacles, but guts probably tasted croissant sandwich.
Licking splattered blood clean, I moved on.
After repelling more ambushes, the pirate camp appeared.
Just as the jungle sun set.