Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Ep. 130
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‘So, where should I start?’
There were countless ways to hunt the survivors of the research base. I could smash through the outer walls to wreck the internal air pressure and kill them all, or destroy the underwater elevator to slowly let them wither away.
The first option wasn’t bad, but it had its risks. If I accidentally brought the whole base down, Specimen 026 might get hurt.
‘I need to eat anyway, so let’s go with the classic method.’
Track the survivors down, torment them, and finish them off. It was the same way I’d been doing things all along.
‘But first, I should seal off their escape routes.’
Having decided how to cook up the researchers, I set off with Specimen 026.
The section we were in had no passages connected to the elevators. To reach the central area where the underwater elevator and submersibles were stationed, we’d have to cross into another sector.
‘I need to destroy the underwater elevator and submersibles before the survivors get there.’
Once those were wrecked, this base wouldn’t be a haven for humans anymore—it’d become a prison trapping them inside.
‘It’d be different if they were Fishrians, but the humans haven’t been modified or anything.’
Without an escape route, humans only had two choices left.
Die in my grasp, or end it themselves.
Even if they got lucky and slipped out on another submersible, there was no future for them.
The Fishrian village in a cooperative relationship with the base’s humans was currently being assaulted by Sky Mother and Adhai. A Griffon who had reached a high level of deification could easily wipe out a village that size.
On top of that, she was a Ranker. She must have some experience fighting Fishrians, regardless of scale.
‘They pop up endlessly when you’re battling sea monsters.’
Quasi-boss-level sea creatures like Sea Demons or Pale Masks offered great rewards, so top players hunted them often. If Sky Mother, a clan leader, had done it solo prep work, she’d have plenty of experience against Fishrians.
‘She must’ve suffered a lot preparing those raids alone.’
Sea bosses possessed tons of useful traits, making them must-hunts for Aimorphs.
That’s why I’d often snipe them after other players had worn them down—take out the boss and the hunters in one go.
It was unavoidable since I had to solo what others tackled in groups, but man, did I catch a lot of hate for it.
Anyway, one of those terrifying raid bosses that commanded disgusting fishmen as minions was right beside me, chattering away nonstop via psionic waves.
｢Big Baby. Big Baby. Did you meet Little Baby?｣
[Zuzuzu zu zu zuzu zu zuzuzuzu (Of course. Thanks to her, I made it here.)]
｢Little Baby got hurt bad. Is she okay?｣
[Zuoooo zu zu zuzu zu zu zuzu (Adhai’s fine now. I healed her.)]
｢Healing? What’s that?｣
[Zu zu zuzu zu zuzu (It means making the pain go away.)]
｢Whoa, cool! Big Baby’s awesome!｣
Specimen 026 had been chattering nonstop ever since we reunited, clearly thrilled. I didn’t mind the conversation—it wasn’t a burden—so I kept responding.
｢Humans who bully Little Baby are bad.｣
[Zu zu (Yeah.)]
｢Ugly humans killed lots of our kind.｣
[Zu (Huh?)]
｢Tried to help strongest friend before he died, but humans caught me. Couldn’t help.｣
Specimen 026’s next words caught me off guard.
｢Friend died, so his family’s in big trouble. Bad guy’s tormenting them!｣
Specimen 026 called me and Adhai “babies.” The only beings it would call family or kin was one group.
‘Kin must mean the Bubble Amoebas.’
Bubble Amoebas weren’t that strong, so “strongest friend” had to refer to the Sea Demon.
‘The Sea Demon’s dead?’
Limited to this planet, not many could hunt a Sea Demon.
‘Muriel, maybe?’
The thought flashed through my mind, but no. From what Specimen 026 said, it happened after we arrived on this planet.
‘Weird. I didn’t see any weapons strong enough to kill a Sea Demon.’
Even if they had some weapon I missed, the odds they attacked the Sea Demon first were low. The Fishrians wouldn’t have cooperated if so.
‘…Wait a second.’
Let me rethink this.
Before Adhai came to find me, the ones who’d badly wounded her were the human-Fishrian alliance.
I’d assumed the Fishrians worshipped the Sea Demon.
That humans were using Sea Demon Specimen 026 as a hostage to force their cooperation.
That Specimen 026 had been lured into this Black Silver base and subdued.
But I was wrong from the start.
‘I buttoned the first one wrong.’
Fishrians, who revere sea predators as sacred, wouldn’t just stand by guarding while Specimen 026 was imprisoned. Especially not overlook it weakened and caged.
In other words, the Fishrian village on this atoll didn’t serve the Sea Demon.
‘They’ve allied against a common enemy—humans and Fishrians working together.’
But questions remained.
Fishrians were an extremely aggressive species. Their first thought upon seeing another creature was to sacrifice it.
‘How the hell did they pull those bastards to their side?’
Weapons or gear as bribes? Unlikely. Sharing Sea Demon weaknesses was more plausible, but those dumb fish wouldn’t buy it that easily.
Even if humans told Fishrians the Sea Demon’s weaknesses, the Fishrians couldn’t have killed it—they had nothing. No clue how they took down such a massive monster.
‘…Too little info. Stay cautious for now.’
The clear fact: Besides the Sea Demon, there was another sea monster the Fishrians worshipped, lurking somewhere in these depths.
‘If not Sea Demon, highest chance it’s a Pale Mask.’
Dread Heads were Sea Demon-tier, but they never left their territory. Their body structure made movement in water tough, and they dwelled in the deepest abyss, far from Fishrians.
Pale Masks were different.
They actively hunted across vast areas, from abyss to near-surface waters, often clashing with Fishrians.
‘If it’s Pale Mask, that’s actually good news.’
Pale Masks ranked a step below Sea Demons as deep-sea predators. Even I, lacking aquatic combat traits, could take one on.
‘And I’ve got Specimen 026 with me.’
Sky Mother might be stronger overall, but Specimen 026 had tons of experience fighting alongside me. With its support, I could dominate a Pale Mask.
[Zuzuzu zu zu zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (Let’s punish the humans tormenting your family, then investigate.)]
｢Yeah. Sounds good.｣
When I dealt with the humans, I’d leave one alive.
With my thoughts sorted, Specimen 026 and I dove into the pitch-black waters.
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｢How much damage to the base do you predict?｣
｢Water’s reached Sector A, so additional damage in Sector H, I’d guess.｣
｢Checked the elevator sector—it’s operating normally for now.｣
｢Phew, that’s a relief.｣
In a corridor in Sector B.
Twenty researchers were moving through the flooded passage.
After the massive impact, water had poured endlessly into the primary situation room, making it untenable. They’d abandoned it and donned emergency reinforced suits for evacuation.
The suits resembled spacesuits but were optimized for survival in harsh environments, letting them endure the frigid water.
Still, it was too early to relax.
Temperature wasn’t the biggest threat here.
｢But massive water inflow has destabilized internal pressure. Central sector with the elevator is holding for now, but no telling how long.｣
Sectors A and B, overseeing the whole base, were already flooded. Ordering the central computer to pump it out was impossible now.
‘…Damn it all!’
The mutant Sea Demon was MIA, and this priceless research base was flooding.
Runan, the chief research director and “captain,” knew exactly how expensive the base was and all its “special features.”
No matter his past achievements, screwing up this badly meant he’d be lucky to avoid severe reprimand.
｢Which sectors haven’t flooded yet?｣
｢C and D.｣
｢We’re in B, so head there and take the central elevator out.｣
｢Not a bad plan.｣
While Runan racked his brain over losses, the team had already decided their next move.
｢What’s the call?｣
｢……｣
｢Director?｣
Runan finally spoke after the team pressed him amid his silence.
｢…Head to Sector C first. Recharge oxygen there, then go.｣
｢Got it.｣
｢And manually seal any open bulkheads on the way. That’ll buy us time.｣
You could only worry about profits if you survived. Water was flooding in relentlessly across the base.
And it wasn’t just seawater chasing them.
｢Sealed.｣
｢Good. Move out.｣
Navigating Sector B’s corridors meant stopping to seal every unsealed door, delaying them, but no choice.
The monster that caused this was tailing them.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
｢Damn, that noise again.｣
｢…Sounds closer than before.｣
｢Fuck, don’t jinx it.｣
Proof: The deep booms had started after the initial collision and came periodically.
Everyone knew what it was.
Something slamming into the sealed bulkheads.
As one team member muttered, it was getting closer.
｢……｣
｢…Gulp.｣
Each boom made their hearts clench. Like a condemned man climbing the gallows.
And something else fueled their dread.
｢Eek!｣
｢W-what?｣
｢B-bodies…｣
One researcher stumbled back after spotting drowned corpses floating in the flooded corridor.
Colleagues he’d eaten and met with yesterday were now pale, drifting corpses.
｢You moron! What are the rest of you doing? Help him up!｣
Runan nearly blasted his subordinate with the Gauss rifle in his grip. Barely restraining himself, he chewed out the team.
｢Director, the body has marks…｣
Another spotted something odd. Bite marks from small creatures—maybe deep-sea fish that got in.
｢Shut it! No time to dawdle! Move, now!｣
｢Y-yes, sir!｣
Runan, mind frayed to the limit, ignored it.
‘What sin did I commit to deserve this shit!’
He muttered curses inwardly.
Cults said defiers of providence went to hell— one with icy waters torturing sinners. His situation fit perfectly.
Maybe the nonstop march in the grim mood helped. The end was in sight. A team member shouted.
｢Director! 20 meters to Sector C! Almost there!｣
｢Oh, thank god!｣
｢Whew, finally a break.｣
Hope spurred them on. The suits boosted their strength, letting them push through the high pressure.
Mid-stride through the water, the rearmost felt an itch at his waist.
｢Huh?｣
His legs had itched since the fall earlier, but now it intensified.
Like something crawling up his back. Probably just an itch—but not for long.
｢W-what? Wh-what the—!｣
｢Hey, what’s wrong?｣
The scream made the other nineteen whirl around.
｢S-something’s in my suit!｣
｢What?｣
｢Get it out! Get it oooout! Aaaah! They’re eating me!｣
The researcher thrashed, screaming bloody murder.
To an outsider, it’d look comical, but no one laughed.
｢Damn it! Hold on!｣
｢Gah?! W-what is that?｣
Two checked his wrist terminal. Seeing the intruders inside his suit, they recoiled.
Palm-sized creatures clung to his waist, dozens of them.
The unknowns kept crawling upward, biting through the reinforced suit.
｢Gack!｣
Splat.
Blood from his vomit soaked the helmet. The interior flashed red as he went limp.
｢W-wait! Hey! No way, right?｣
｢Ch-checking status!｣
｢You idiots! Don’t open it!｣
Too late—Runan’s shout came as another pried the helmet. Inside, five or six black flea-like bugs writhed in gore.
｢Aaaah!｣
｢Eeeek!｣
As researchers panicked, the bugs leaped out, vanishing into the dark water.
For the survivors, it was tragic—but just the opening act. Right after, a massive boom echoed.
The bulkhead they’d passed was breached.
｢Everyone, run!｣
Runan bellowed. The team snapped awake, sprinting madly.
｢Huff, huff, huff!｣
｢Heh, heh!｣
Only panting filled the suit comms as “it” closed in fast.
｢Gasp?!｣
｢Hngh!｣
Short gasps from the rear two cut through the comms. Their last words.
Crack. Snap.
Bones breaking, then comms cut. Everyone heard.
Silent, they reached Sector C’s bulkhead.
｢Open it! Fast!｣
｢N-no time!｣
｢Damn it! You, you, you three! Go block it now!｣
｢What? Fuck no, you’re insane!｣
｢Block that? How?｣
Runan aimed his Gauss rifle at the protesting trio.
｢I won’t forget your sacrifice for your comrades. Go stop it.｣
｢That fucking bastard director!｣
｢That gun won’t even…｣
｢Last warning. Go block it. Now.｣
As Runan sacrificed them, another opened the bulkhead.
The airlock-like isolation chamber filled instantly with the sixteen in bulky suits.
‘Knew it’d be tight, so three bait.’
Runan patted himself on the back for the savvy call, even in crisis.
The others sighed in relief.
But their misfortune wasn’t over.
｢D-Director!｣
｢What?｣
｢Th-that…｣
A team member pointed, making Runan swallow hard.
Beyond the reinforced glass porthole in the airlock.
“Its” eye stared in.
The white orb slowly scanned the chamber, memorizing every face inside.
Shocked by its obsession, Runan screamed.
｢D-drain the water! Drain it now!｣
｢Yes!｣
The team member rushed the terminal. Once the water drained, they entered Sector C.
｢What? It’s flooded here too?｣
｢Director, what now?｣
Thud.
｢Shit! It’s coming!｣
｢Run!｣
They bolted down Sector C’s half-flooded corridor, suits still on.