Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Ep. 114
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"……."
"Boss?"
Muriel, the boss of the Humanity Cartel, had reviewed all the reported footage.
At first, her face had been nonchalant as she brought up the hologram, but it had gradually hardened. Now, it was as cold as a block of ice.
"...When was this filmed?"
She always called for her pirates using "bro," but the fact that she'd dropped the term now meant her rage was beyond words.
Her subordinate swallowed hard and answered.
"Th-that was a week ago today."
"A week? Who's been handling comms?"
"Ah, that would be me... Gah?!"
Mid-sentence, the subordinate clutched his throat as his breath cut off. Purple flames flickered in Muriel's eyes as she stood before him.
"You wait until now to report something this important?"
"G-guhk... ."
It had been Muriel herself who'd told him not to bother her when she entered the shrine, but she wasn't remembering that now.
In the end, the innocent comms officer died with his neck snapped.
"Get rid of it."
"Yes, ma'am."
She ordered another subordinate to remove the body, then brought up the hologram footage again.
'Why is an Aimorph here...? No way.'
Not just on Saintopia-02 continent—there weren't supposed to be any Aimorphs on Planet PH-101 at all.
If the thing had crossed through space to enter this planet, there was only one thing it could mean.
'It's a Player.'
Muriel knew that in this dystopian world, she wasn't the only one who'd crossed over from another realm. Most Players were deeply hostile to each other as well.
One reason she'd come to this planet was to hunt Players, after all.
'But Aimorphs are extinct. How is this possible?'
It was incomprehensible, but that wasn't what mattered right now.
If an Aimorph Player had come here, she needed to prepare countermeasures.
"That skinned corpse..."
As a Player who'd reached rank 20 in Space Survival, Muriel knew exactly what that body signified.
There were hardly any Aimorphs in the game that provoked or intimidated opponents that way.
Only one did.
The most infamous Player in the Space Survival world—one of the top-ranked Aimorphs, the only one of its kind.
"Rank 5, right."
Not long after she'd become a ranker herself, that Aimorph ranker had quit the game. They'd never met in person, but its notoriety was so widespread that she knew the basics.
'No idea how a guy who quit came back... .'
Muriel was a ranker too. Plus, she'd survived in this world for a full three years.
Her opponent was a ranker who'd played a long time but quit midway.
She was confident her skills were in no way inferior to that Aimorph ranker's.
"The odds of me losing to it are slim..."
A laugh that grated on her nerves echoed out.
She tore her eyes from the hologram and glared at the source.
The Mother of the Sky was mocking Muriel.
Even amid the horrific torture of having her guts pulled out, she laughed uncontrollably, as if she'd heard the funniest joke.
"What's so funny?"
"...Rank 5 Aimorph ranker, right?"
"What?"
"Ha? You've lost it from the torture. Ridiculous."
Muriel shook her head in disbelief, but the Mother of the Sky continued as if explaining a law of nature.
"……."
Until now, no matter the torture, the Mother of the Sky had never begged for death. She'd wanted to survive and get revenge on Muriel.
For such a being to say death was preferable to meeting that Aimorph...
It sent chills down Muriel's spine.
'...What the fuck?'
Muriel stared into the Mother of the Sky's eyes.
Within those raptor-like eyes was an unfamiliar emotion.
Fear.
The woman who'd never lost her will even while pissing herself in agony feared the Aimorph.
Judging she could get no more useful info from the Mother of the Sky, Muriel summoned a subordinate.
"Contact the cruiser. Raise defenses to maximum before I arrive. Shoot anything that approaches that isn't me."
"Even people coming from the camp?"
"Yes. It can disguise itself as human, so trust no one. Don't even take calls. Report anything suspicious immediately."
"Got it."
The Mother of the Sky's words gnawed at her, but Muriel pushed them aside.
Fearing a dangerous foe in advance would only disadvantage her.
'Stay calm. It's just a Subadult anyway.'
As a ranker herself, she'd fought Aimorphs plenty. They got truly strong at Near-Adult or Adult stages.
The one in the hologram looked different from game versions but still seemed Subadult.
No matter how skilled it was, with her numerous subordinates, cruiser, and Unique-grade gear, defeat was unlikely.
'Unless it got some cheat perk.'
Muriel had received a new perk upon arriving here.
Powerful as perks were, they weren't omnipotent tools. Given the gap between her and that Aimorph, no perk could bridge it.
"Gotta head back early. Pack up, everyone."
"Understood."
As the camp scrambled to move, the Mother of the Sky's mocking laughter echoed ominously.
'One day left until the boss is due to arrive.'
I checked the time on the small terminal pad I'd taken from the pirates.
Having evolved to Near-Adult, I had the bare minimum specs to face the pirate boss.
Not that Near-Adult was that strong. It was a big power-up, but without knowing the boss's level, I couldn't rely on it alone.
One reason I'd prioritized evolution was to boost physical specs for direct combat, but there was another.
To bait them with misinformation.
'They think I'm still a Subadult.'
I had no clue about the pirate boss's strength yet. If it was a top Player, it'd know how to fight Aimorphs.
Aimorph power scaled heavily by stage, so they'd prepare assuming Subadult.
'Bet on bad intel, and they'll get burned.'
I chuckled softly and summoned the translucent text box.
Race: Unidentified Hostile Space Creature Status: Near-Adult (Transcendence Stage 1) Objective: Survive (3 Evolutions Successful) Traits (17 Physical / 7 Psionic / 8 Infection / 5 Special Defense / 8 Nest):
'Quite a list.'
Since evolving to Near-Adult, I'd gained a ton of new traits.
'Utility got a major boost.'
Physical and psionic traits had new additions too.
Using electronic disruption as material for the infection fusion 'Gremlin Moss' had removed the bone plates on my back.
My exoskeleton, once dark brown, was now a deep purple-black, thanks to the 'Psionic Reflection Armor' from fusing Swamp King's trait and psionic resistance.
Both would see endless use against my upcoming foes.
'Gremlin Moss shreds machines, Psionic Reflection Armor handles Cults.'
Plenty more traits for long-term utility.
'Symbiotic Spores was lucky.'
'Symbiotic Spores,' made from swamp traits.
Nests with this produce special spores that heal symbiote hosts.
'Huge help for No. 26 and Adhai.'
No more fretting over their injuries.
'Later for that. Time to deal with the cruiser first.'
I'm less than 50m from the enemy cruiser now. They'd gotten strict orders—the perimeter was loaded: mines of all types, dozens of stormguns on auto-fire, scores of heavy walkers, Star Union recon drones, even the plasma batteries—all active.
Impregnable fortress.
If I were Subadult, even with No. 26 and Adhai, breaching it would've been impossible. Ground and air were sealed tight.
'Do they know about the Maginot Line?'
Perfect against ground and air assaults.
But they missed one path.
Underground.
I'd been tunneling beneath the cruiser.
Near-Adult evolution added blunt claws everywhere except my head carapace—mostly on the tail, but also wrists, waist, thorax.
Great for digging. Lets me move fast and silent underground.
'This should do.'
Under the cruiser, I stopped digging.
This slightly-larger-than-me cavity would be my new nest.
'Time to test the new traits.'
Activating nest creation, black slime poured from my body. The surrounding soil absorbed it like a sponge.
Used to take ages to harden and form spores; now it's instant, thanks to types and traits.
'Fast. Perfect.'
The finished nest expanded on its own.
Tunnel walls hardened instantly; the ground felt alive like my body.
Spores bearing my traits fruited everywhere; toxins, viruses, fungi, mycelia burrowed into the soil.
Did those above know?
A kingdom of plague was rising beneath their feet.
'Up we go.'
The nest shot upward at tremendous speed.
Targeting the pirate-guarded cruiser.
Weakening the boss's asset first? Smart move.
'Nest traits mean no detection.'
The pirates wouldn't face a single Aimorph monster.
The soil, the earth itself—under my will—would be their enemy.