Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Into the Web
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"Damn it! Snap out of it!"
"Ughhh..."
"Shock in A3! Injecting treatment!"
"Injecting now!"
A2 fiddled with the terminal on A3's wrist. A hiss of escaping air came from the powered suit he wore, and treatment fluid flooded into the wearer. A3's condition eased somewhat—he'd been foaming at the mouth and rolling his eyes back just moments ago.
But this was only emergency first aid. The powered suit's built-in treatment only sustained basic life functions and dulled pain; it had no real detox capabilities.
They had to wrap up the mission fast and get A3 to a doctor.
A1 and A2 exchanged a glance, their thoughts aligned.
"A1 here. Treatment injected into A3. Proceeding with mission."
｢Control room. Permission granted.｣
After reporting in, they stood, leaving the downed A3 behind. That goddamn monster bastard had killed three of their comrades. They wouldn't sleep until they'd caught the thing and ripped its head clean off.
"A1. Requesting booster injection for efficient takedown."
｢...Permission granted.｣
The moment approval came through, A1 and A2 slammed the buttons on their terminals. Booster fluid surged in, veins bulging on their faces and necks.
The powered suit's strengths went beyond its AI assisting physical movements. One key feature was the special solutions that enhanced a soldier's combat prowess.
Low-grade suits carried painkillers. Mid-grade ones like theirs had two chemicals: a treatment that healed wounds and boosted natural recovery, and a booster that temporarily amped up muscles and senses.
For a civilian, the booster turned them into a wall-punching beast. For a soldier in a powered suit? It was overkill.
The tradeoff was brutal: permanent muscle loss after the effect wore off, plus a week of debilitating lethargy. Soldiers hated using boosters unless they had no choice—but with their blood boiling, side effects were the last thing on their minds.
"I'll kill that fucking thing myself."
"No, me first."
Their orders were to capture the mystery biohazard alive. But with comrades dead, their heads were filled with visions of tearing it apart with bare hands.
Grinding their teeth, they advanced down the passage. Following the direction the monster had fled, they spotted odd traces: sporadic patches where the floor had melted.
"Looks like the bastard's hurt too."
"Crazy. Acidic blood... What the hell even is this thing?"
Realizing the enemy was no ordinary menace, they tracked the melted spots in tense silence. Soon, they knew they had to steel themselves for real.
A low, narrow duct barely wide enough for a hunched adult male greeted them.
"...Tight fit."
"What now?"
"We go in."
Boosters already injected, retreat wasn't an option. The two soldiers crammed themselves into the duct.
'They're coming.'
Auxiliary organs picked up faint vibrations rippling through the air, like prey snared in a web. An intruder had set foot in my domain. Their heartbeats were far rougher and faster than a civilian's, ragged beast-like breaths scattering into the air.
'They've used boosters.'
Mid-grade powered suits had nasty side effects, so the enemy must be pissed. No matter. Boosted physicals meant squat in this dank, maze-like space.
'Time to start.'
Lured the prey in—now for the trap.
I tore open my wound wide, spilling blood across the floor. Acidic blood pooled, belching thick toxic fumes. Through the gas filling the duct, I could see the corridor below. Not content with melting the vent, the acid bored into the ceiling, widening the hole relentlessly.
'This should do it.'
I stanched the wound and scurried away, melting into the shadows to wait.
They appeared soon enough, clad in special helmets attached to their powered suits. The helmets' filters let them navigate the toxin-choked duct with ease.
They seemed rattled by the sudden gas but acted like seasoned pros, advancing warily. Spotting the gas's source, one peered out where corridor lights faintly illuminated the duct.
"A1 here. Major hole in the vent duct. No signs of the target nearby. Looks like it dropped into the corridor."
｢Control room. We'll sweep the corridor—give us the location.｣
"Near the agriculture sector..."
A1 focused on comms. The other scanned the corridor below.
Perfect distraction.
Hunched in the duct's corner, I pounced like a leopard on a gazelle. Six legs made the narrow space no obstacle.
"!"
Booster-sharpened senses let A2 react fast. His muzzle snapped toward my head, spitting light.
The energy bolt zipped past, grazing a tentacle tip on my head's rear. I saw A2's shock at the miss.
No surprise there. Why else pick this cramped hellhole as my battlefield?
The confined space threw off their shouldering just enough. Meanwhile, my dark chitinous exoskeleton blended seamlessly into the shadows, perfect camouflage.
A disadvantage for them, an edge for me.
That was why I'd chosen this hunting ground.
"Guh?!"
He realigned and aimed again—quick, but I was already on him. Before his finger could squeeze the trigger, my upper arms clamped his head.
Did he sense death? Through the helmet's translucent visor, his dilated pupils stared back.
Powered suits boosted superhuman strength, but they couldn't guard every fluid, precise motion like the neck. I squeezed, and A2's neck snapped like dry twigs.
"Aaaargh!"
A1 registered me a beat late, roaring as he hosed me with laser fire. I hoisted A2's limp body as a shield.
The scent of searing meat tickled my auxiliary organs amid the battle's tension and gnawing hunger. I hurled A2's charred corpse at A1.
"You fuckiiiing bastard!"
He lost it, spraying laser rounds wildly. At close range, a few struck home.
The sting ignited battle fury I hadn't expected. My tail's stinger whipped out. It looked set to impale his shoulder, but the vet blocked with his boosted left arm.
My tail slammed the wall; he lunged, swinging a fist.
I considered parrying with combat arms, but he was suited up and boosted—combat power skyrocketed. No need for risks.
I backpedaled, dodging. His alloy-plated fist crumpled the wall in one blow.
'Stronger than expected?'
Not like this in the game. Fighting on like this could rack up needless damage.
'Change tactics.'
I lashed my tail wide to force him back, then fled. Lasers rained behind, but nothing hit.
'One enemy left.'
I'd used every trick. No simple ruse would fool A1 now.
His enraged shouts echoed from afar. Even a sneak attack might flop against that rage.
'Oh. One more thing?'
As I pondered, inspiration struck.
Two lifeforms in my senses.
Frenzied A1 and paralyzed A3.
A1 was blasting shadows. While distracted, I crawled toward A3.
Exiting the narrow duct, the ceiling soared up. Walking upright on two legs, I spotted A3 sprawled mid-passage.
"Ugh... ughh..."
Emergency treatment had barely saved A3 from death, but he looked far from fine. Paralysis lingered; he could only groan.
I approached from outside his camera's view. A few meters out, he sensed me.
His pained groans turned terrified—easy to spot.
"Ughh... uaaah!"
Desperate to alert control, but limbs unresponsive, he writhed like a maggot fleeing ants. I closed in and pinned his back with a foot.
｢Grrrrr｣
"Uh! Uaa! Aaah!"
Fine hairs stood on A3's nape. Sweat plastered his hair. He panted like a terror-stricken beast.
Face-down, eyes hidden, but surely shaking uncontrollably.
Coincidentally, A3 had only been hit from behind so far. He had no clue what I looked like. Maybe that's why the fear gripped him harder—the greatest terror comes from the unknown.
'Doesn't matter. He's dead anyway.'
I rammed four combat arms into his unguarded flank. They pierced flesh easily. My pinning claw felt his final breath.
One-shot kill on A3. I gripped and yanked his elongated guts with all four hands.
Organs dangling from my grasp, I shoved them into my maw. No time to savor—I gulped them down roughly and dug back in.
Time was short. To use his corpse as a shield, I needed it hollowed out. I scraped out more innards.
'This should work.'
His weight halved, I flipped the husk.
Its camera lens glowed red, as if welcoming me. I smashed the camera and comms gear.
Control would know A3 was hit now.
I shoved my head into the flank cavity. Sticky blood and lingering body heat enveloped me. The emptied shell now cradled an invading predator instead of life-sustaining organs. My protruding tail coiled and tucked into the lower husk.
Moments later, A1's footsteps approached from outside.
"A3! You okay? Respond!"
Dead men tell no tales. The near-mummified A3 stayed silent.
I felt his hand reach for a pulse check. Utterly off-guard. He suspected A3 might be dead but never dreamed what lurked beneath the skin.
Close enough—my arm burst from the abdomen. A1, knee bent for the pulse, took the hit full-on. My claws raked his thigh.
"Guh?!"
Too late to rise. Deadly neurotoxin raced upward, paralyzing his lower body.
His body toppled like a felled log. He strained to stand, but his central nerves were shredded. Like Troy fallen to the wooden horse, A1 crumbled from within.
"Uh... uaa... aaah!"
Shuddering A1. Shock? Or impending doom?
Either way, his fate was sealed. Like prey in a web, he had one role left.
Wait for death.
Emerging from the husk, I licked blood from my hands. A primal sweetness pierced my brain, like condensed sugar syrup.
Tempting to savor, but work remained. I approached trembling A1.
Lower arms near ribs gripped his shoulders; upper ones yanked off the helmet. His face was younger than expected, but scars around the eyes marked him a battle-hardened warrior.
Even this hero of reversals feared death. Tears and snot streaked his face.
Upper arms cradled his head. Sensing what came, he squeezed his eyes shut. Obliging him, I squeezed. A crack like a tree uprooted in a storm—and his neck tore slowly.
No scream. Neurotoxin denied even that, or any twitch. Agony of live decapitation shook his pupils wildly.
As white vertebrae gleamed, A1 died.
Head in hand—tongue lolling—I glared at the camera. No sounds from comms, but I knew.
They're afraid.
Message delivered. I smashed the camera.
The web doesn't end in the vents.
You're next.