Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: Ep. 118
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Night had fallen once more over the dense jungle blanketed in redwoods stretching hundreds of meters tall.
The deep green leaves intertwined with the crimson trunks, casting the forest shadows in a bruised indigo hue.
In that dim, chilling expanse, six Heavy Walkers pressed forward with their lights blazing.
'Let's see.'
I peered down at them from my perch atop a tree.
Honestly, now that I'd reached Near-Adult stage, I could just drop down and crush them all. But I held back for a reason.
'Can't let them spot what I look like.'
If they discovered I was a Near-Adult, Muriel would adapt her plans accordingly—or worse, she'd try to flee into space to escape me.
There didn't seem to be any other ships besides the cruiser, but if she had some hidden means of escaping to the stars, I couldn't stop her.
To prevent that, I had to destroy all six in an instant, before they could capture me on camera.
And I was biding my time for that perfect opening.
"What a nightmare. Can't even get a wink of sleep."
"Hey, you sure that thing's around here?"
｢It is. He's close.｣
"Damn it, the bastard's injured and still scampering around like this."
"At least it's nearby. Let's bag it quick and head back."
The pilots grumbled, bored from chasing traces all day.
'Perfect.'
With everyone letting their guard down for a moment, it was time to strike.
I'd been lurking in position for a surprise attack, tail coiled tightly around the tree trunk. Now I thrust my upper body out over their heads.
Conveniently, there were exactly six Walkers—matching my number of Erosion Tendrils. I activated them in a flash.
The razor-sharp appendages shot out like a volley of arrows, spearing straight for the cockpits of the Heavy Walkers.
They pierced the tops, yanking out or smashing the pilots' heads inside.
｢…!｣
The Griffon Wolf, who'd sensed me earlier, lunged forward. My Bloodsucking Tendril lashed out but missed, slamming harmlessly into the dirt.
The beast leaped into the air.
Defying gravity, it soared upward as if climbing invisible stairs, kicking off the air with blinding speed.
A chain linked its neck to the Walkers, but it clearly had no intention of fleeing.
Like an eagle spotting fish, the Griffon dove at me—not my torso, but my tail, the part gripping the tree.
I uncoiled swiftly, spreading my gliding membranes to soar to another tree. In that split second, its forepaw smashed the redwood.
Crack!
The sturdy trunk cratered under the blow.
｢?!｣
Its eyes widened—it hadn't expected me to take flight.
Settling on the new branch, I flicked my tail tip hard.
Massive spines, bigger than kitchen knives, hurtled toward the airborne foe.
With eyes like a raptor, it read their trajectories in an instant and dodged.
The moment it landed, the pilotless Walkers toppled forward one by one.
｢What the hell? Why are all the signals cut? Mother of the Skies? What's going on?｣
｢The Walkers fell to him.｣
Muriel's panicked voice crackled from the Walkers' comms. The Griffon replied in a shrill, bird-of-prey screech.
｢What? You said it was injured!｣
｢It recovered in the meantime.｣
｢This fucking—?! What bullshit is that? Hey! Pull up the Walker cams! I need to see this myself!｣
Couldn't let that happen.
I triggered my Acidic Fungus Gland. Fungal matter bubbled up from near my esophagus and spewed onto the cockpits.
The acidic fungus splattered, spreading to all six machines.
｢I'm engaging it right now.｣
｢Cut the crap and pull those cams... zzzt-zzzt!｣
｢……｣
The cockpits melted away entirely, taking cameras and comms with them. The Griffon snapped the chain on its neck against the fungus.
Watching that, I was certain.
It was a Player, too.
"You... a... Play... er?"
｢Yes.｣
The Griffon met my gaze steadily, answering flatly. Then it grimaced.
｢...Damn it. Just when I thought I'd found some peace, I run into a psycho bitch and a morph bastard back-to-back.｣
From their pre-death chatter and her demeanor, the Griffon Wolf and Muriel clearly weren't on good terms.
'Two Players already.'
More had come to this world than I'd thought.
'Deal with that later.'
First, handle the Griffon Wolf before Muriel arrived.
Its ambiguous attitude was suspicious enough—once bitten by Muriel was enough.
Sensing my hostility, it sidestepped slowly.
Like a lion stalking prey, it crouched low and circled. I trailed my long tail, hunting for an opening.
'Wound on its belly.'
Griffons had incredible regeneration, but this cut looked deep. Blood still seeped through its fur.
As I scanned it, its eyes roamed my form. Those eyes held an 'Insight'-like trait, pinpointing weaknesses.
'Won't help you.'
The gap between us was vast—me heavily favored. And it was still healing.
If I were any other Aimorph, maybe. But it knew what I was, which must frustrate it no end.
Proof: its heart pounded wildly from tension and fear.
｢Kyao!｣
After a brief standoff, it struck first with a short roar, charging me.
Its forepaw aimed for my arm.
'Knows my head's tough.'
From smashing the redwood, severing my arm might be impossible, but breaking it? Possible. Better dodge than tank.
I twisted like a dancing cobra, evading the swipe.
Its paw cratered the ground, exploding like a grenade.
Missed attack, off-balance. I summoned a bone axe from my hand and swung for its back.
But like its failed strike, mine whiffed too. It contorted mid-motion, dodging by a hair.
Using the twist's momentum, it kicked backward with hind legs—for my neck, precisely the cluster of monster tendrils.
'Damn!'
I recoiled just in time; the tendrils grazed, but pain flared sharply.
'Not bad.'
Monster tendrils relied on my Psionic Organ—a trait no game Player Aimorph ever took.
Yet it spotted the weak point in a glance.
As I retreated in admiration, it held back follow-ups.
Couldn't, really. Dodging my sprouting Erosion Tendrils kept it busy.
Tendrils stabbed earth and sky; it kicked air acrobatically, barely evading.
But I had more. Eyes on my head glowed in unison.
Fearful Gaze crushed its mind.
Its eyes glazed for a heartbeat. Griffon resistance shook it off quick—but too late.
｢Kuh!｣
My Bloodsucking Tendril raked its flank. It gritted teeth, retreating, but my combat arm clamped its forepaw.
Phantom Claw activated. As my hand met bone and muscle inside, I released the trait.
My hand dwarfed its paw; it exploded from within.
｢Kraaaang!｣
It couldn't endure the inward rupture, howling in agony.
My other arm seized its throat. I slammed it into the ground.
No resistance—it cratered helplessly.
For the finisher, my massive tail crushed down.
｢Guh!｣
Blood spewed. That blow shattered its spine and leg bones.
Any lesser Griffon would've died instantly.
'Good instincts, wrong matchup.'
Bad timing, too.
Subdued. I hoisted the barely-breathing beast.
"Won't... kill... you... yet."
｢……｣
"Spill... every... thing... you... know."
I didn't know its tie to Muriel, but they'd worked together. It knew plenty about her.
Eat it after extracting info.
But it reacted unexpectedly.
｢Heh, heh... cough... Just like always. Nothing changes.｣
It laughed through bloodied coughs. Among those I'd killed, only one type laughed in my face.
"In... sane?"
｢Cough! Heh, heh... Not wrong. About to do something crazy.｣
It locked eyes with me.
Pumpkin-orange irises boiled with emotion.
Not fear of death, nor despair at being devoured.
My sub-organ pegged it: seething rage.
｢I'll tell you everything I know. Cooperate? Fine. Enslave me? Whatever. Eat me? Go ahead.｣
"What...?"
｢Just promise me one thing.｣
Blood-soaked jaws clenched.
｢Give Muriel the deepest despair you can muster—you, the 'morph bastard' she calls you. Promise that, and you get everything you want.｣
Clearly bad blood between them. Its grudge rang true even to me.
"You're... in... no... po... si... tion... to... bar... gain."
｢I know. Cough. My position sucks. But you know parasites' weakness.｣
Its gaze flicked to my arm—the one housing the Parasitic Swarm.
"You... know... it?"
｢Heh, after all I've suffered from them... cough. Reality changes things, gurk!cough... but it's not perfect.｣
Sharp eyes. No foe I'd fought grasped me so fast.
Infection Enhancement upped my parasites to ten.
Full focus let me puppet one host for ten minutes. In-game, Mimic Organ and Swarm wrecked clans often.
'But it has flaws.'
Great for sowing discord, less for interrogation.
Like William: pain didn't force truth, or they'd scheme.
'And it knows me inside out.'
Seemed we'd clashed multiple times in-game. Vague Wolf memories, though.
'Hmm.'
Silence. It closed its eyes, as if to say do what you want.
This dying Griffon Wolf was intriguing.
'What to do.'
More thought ideal, but time pressed.
Decision made, I reached for its head.