Chapter 178
Chapter 178
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Faces in the Bone
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"What the hell was that just now?!"
"There wasn't just one three-headed demon?!"
In a short span, two of their members had fallen to unidentified enemies. These people had prepared specifically to target just the one three-headed demon, so they couldn't help but panic.
'...You saved the data on that thing, right?'
One of the squad members silently nodded in response to Alya's telepathy.
The Temple Guardians fought mainly against colossal monsters far larger than Cults or regular forces from other factions—evil beings like Vortex One cultists. When battling non-human entities, it was commonplace for the dead to leave no bodies or traces behind.
That was why Temple Guardian members mastered a special psychic technique.
A skill called "Memory Storage," similar to imprinting, that digitized memories of what they saw or sensed. Even if someone fell to a sudden ambush, a squad mate trained in Memory Storage could record it and share it with the others, preventing the same scenario from repeating.
'Everyone, hold position.'
'Transmitting the stored memory.'
While the other members maintained vigilance, the one skilled in Memory Storage sent Alya the images from when Brents had been attacked.
Before Alya, the recent events unfolded like a video through the telepathic link.
Brents picking up the hatchling monster's corpse from the floor. Between his legs, amid the fog blanketing the cavern floor, something pale and indistinct appeared.
It looked like a drop of white paint on black paper—a woman's face.
But it wasn't the form of any ordinary human she knew. The pupils and sclera were an undifferentiated black, and the lips were blood-red.
Apart from the eyes, it was undoubtedly a beautiful face, but the only sensations Alya felt were chills and disgust.
The head was still somewhat human-like, but below the neck, it was not. It resembled a spider in form, though that was just a metaphor—the reality was utterly grotesque.
She—no, it—had clearly been hiding beneath the low-lying fog in the icy cavern floor. It had lain in ambush, waiting for the squad to let their guard down.
The monster's snow-white face erupts from the ground, racing up to Brents' ear from behind. Brents, still oblivious to its presence.
Then the monster opens its scarlet mouth.
Its jaw unhinges, stretching wider than the length of its own face. Inside were rows of triangular teeth like saw blades.
The creature, gaping its hideous maw, bites into Brents' nape.
Blood spurts, and his neck is severed with ease. The monster grabs the severed head and swiftly retreats.
The squad members belatedly aim their weapons. Amid the frantic movement of the Memory Storage user's gaze, Alya noticed something.
Villone was nowhere to be seen.
While the spider monster drew attention by killing Brents, another had snatched Villone.
Afterward, the spider monster blocked the squad's onslaught with its body and vanished into the darkness of the passage—Brents' severed head in tow.
The footage ends there.
Alya pondered, nursing the headache from accessing the Memory Storage data.
'Those ambushers aren't pushovers.'
The two monsters had displayed clear teamwork. While the hatchlings distracted, the human-headed one lurked silently, striking the moment their vigilance slipped.
Another waited for the squad's eyes to turn away.
In short, the intelligence of these monsters rivaled those the Temple Guardians typically faced. Their physical prowess was just icing on the cake.
"This is a fragment that broke off its body during the attack."
"This is..."
What the squad member brought looked too bizarre to call flesh. It resembled metal shards fused with black flesh to red metal.
'A fusion of metal and organics.'
Few factions could produce such things.
'Star Union.'
Before coming here, she'd heard rumors that the three-headed demon might be tied to the Star Union.
Whispers that it was a next-gen bioweapon from the Star Union that escaped control during testing and hid in Cult territory. Even the recent skirmish between the Empire and Star Union was supposedly over it.
'No, that's jumping to conclusions.'
Alya shook her head to dispel the speculation.
'We'll figure out what it is after we capture it.'
She shared the Memory Storage data with the squad, then reported to Jason via telepathy.
｢...That thing killed Brents and Villone?｣
'Brents fell in battle. Villone was captured and is being transported. If we track them now...'
｢No. Tracking forbidden. Villone's as good as dead anyway. Chasing could wipe us all out.｣
'What?'
｢Just learning it's not alone is huge intel. Return here.｣
Villone was still linked via soul link. They couldn't abandon her while she awaited rescue.
'She's our comrade! We know she's alive—we can't just leave!'
｢I don't want to lose you too, Alya.｣
'What the hell is that thing? You know, don't you, High Priest? Why won't you tell us?'
｢...｣
Jason fell silent amid Alya's fervent telepathy. His lover's conflicted emotions flooded her.
｢Sigh. Thought it'd just sap morale, but fine. Listen, then withdraw immediately.｣
Alya could only gasp at the telepathy he sent next.
｢Big baby, friends are here.｣ "Good work. How's the body?"
"Kirik. Far more organic movement than the base model, kirik. But durability is low."
"You'll need to supplement that by consuming metal."
"Blood River, kirik. If you provide more, it's possible."
"No."
I flatly rejected PS-111's request. With one already used, only seven Blood Rivers remained. Even as the only mass-producible top-tier gear, they weren't something I could just grab anywhere. Not until we hit a core Star Union planet. 'Plenty of tough foes on this planet. Gotta ration them.' Two days in, and I'd already faced an Apex and a Cult with Black Galleron-level power. No matter how many trump cards, it wasn't enough.
"Requesting Main Controller to persuade 'Aimorph'..." ｢If big baby says no, it's no.｣ Even the attempt to ask Specimen 026 on its behalf failed. PS-111 drooped its head. 'Still, gaining a useful ally is a win.' I eyed the dejected creature. PS-111 looked vastly different from our first encounter. The human woman's snow-white face remained, but below the neck was entirely new. Red tubes and machinery evoking Blood River, black flesh from devouring the tooth fairy. Metal and organics intertwined into fresh flesh. Simply put, a human-headed spider. Eight legs—four pairs per side—protruded from the body, with Blood River energy absorbers peeking through black skin gaps on the torso. But few would think "spider" seeing it. The eight legs varied wildly in length and shape—more like grotesquely elongated human arms and legs than spider limbs. Each leg ended differently. Two types dominated: one with five hook-like fingers, the other with sickle claws long as greatswords. Either way, perfect for shredding foes. Despite mismatched lengths, it moved with innate grace, as if born that way. 'Like a critter from an SF flick or horror game.' By my monster-loving standards, its form scored high. Way better than screamer jumpscares or Hulk mutants from amateur effects teams. 'Cults probably didn't agree.' Nine times out of ten, they freaked seeing PS-111 burst from hiding. The wounds on its body showed they'd unleashed hell in those brief seconds.
"Predating Ice Horror remains might boost defense?"
"Kirik. 72% chance."
"Good."
I nodded and took the Cult head it offered.
"Why the head?"
"You'll find a use for it."
I shoved the goat-horned head into my mouth and crunched. The Cult's signature fruity aroma filled my palate—orange base with lemon notes. Skin, facial muscles, horns, skull, and brain pulverized down my throat. Along with them, the genetic essence absorbed rapidly. Suddenly, one humanoid face on my rear carapace shriveled. A new one sprouted in its place. The fresh face mirrored the Cult I'd eaten—pale as the others, but identical otherwise. It opened its eyes, instantly grasping its situation, and widened them in shock.
"Wh-what the...?!"
"Quiet."
"!"
All five humanoid faces on my head were bound to my will. Silence if I commanded, speech if I allowed. 'You'll yap plenty soon enough.' That was the point of bringing it. I pulsed to Adhai, hidden nearby. [Zzzt (Enemies?)] ｢Coming｣ ｢Number｣ ｢Twelve｣ [Zzzzt zzzzt zzzt zzzzt (No foes as strong as adults?)] ｢Foes｣ ｢Strength｣ ｢Small adults｣ ｢Comparison｣ ｢Low｣ The Black Galleron-tier leader's group halted when others were hit. It lingered rearward, gauging before resuming. The group attacked by PS-111 and Mother of the Sky had veered off, heading to the rear group instead of my nest. Only independents were incoming—right to us. 'Plan holding so far.' Mother of the Sky should've reached the nest with her prisoner by now. While PS-111 took one Cult's head, she snatched another off-guard. 'Response decides our play.' [Zzzzt zzzt zzzzt (Good work. Stand by for signal)] ｢Understood｣ Conversation with Adhai done, I turned to Specimen 026 beside me. It was freely venting the massive psychic power stockpiled within. The Seed Demon's outpour disrupted other psychics. Telepathy and soul links—needing fine control—were jammed. Post-underground split, one group headed here to clear the obstruction. 'A trap, of course.' They didn't know the plan shifted, thanks to 026's interference blocking telepathy. 'Wipe this group, and it'll move.' Two options: rescue the prisoner from Mother of the Sky, or... 'Come personally to remove the psychic jammer.' Either way, same end. Here, amid Ice Horror's sturdy carapace and bones, I'd fight it. [Zzzt zzzzt (Time to prepare)] ｢Yes.｣ "Kirik, understood." [Zzzzt zzzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzt (If they improvise, stick to plan)] "Confirmed. No worries."
I slipped inside the Ice Horror's skeletal frame with 026 and PS-111. Intruders charging in blindly. Their futures: genetic essence fodder, or my slaves. 'Either way.' Their essence becomes mine.
"This it? Looks like beast bones."
Crisian, leading the third Temple Guardian squad, admired the colossal skeleton. Their spot: a half-collapsed underground cavern spanning hundreds of meters. Yet the monster's bones dominated.
"Psychic power flows from inside the bones. Investigating."
"Selene, keep pinging High Priest Jason and Alya."
"Got it."
Local Cults couldn't use telepathy or soul links properly. The bones emitted overwhelming psychic power. Without direct pings from powerhouses Jason and Alya, no external contact. Not until they neutralized the source.
"What creature pumps out this much psychic power?"
"Arcane Orca corpse?"
"Flying through space, dead under ice?"
"Doesn't look fossilized."
While squad worked, Crisian inspected bones and carapace. Glowing gem lights illuminated the dark. Bones gleamed white, flawlessly smooth—no flesh remnants. 'Weird. A beast this size dying should've altered the ecosystem.' No predator scavengers, no decay gases or bacteria. Bones picked utterly clean. 'And these marks. Clear fierce battle.' Crisian touched broken bones. Too odd for three-headed demon predation. It dwarfed this giant, yet no entry/exit traces in cavern or passages. 'No contact with others... tch.' Frustrated tongue-click, then voices from inside the bones.
"Crisian! Come see this!"
"What?"
Following, Crisian gaped at the sight. Amid white bones: a dark purple wall. Covered in geometric runes, uneven and rugged. Before it, unlike other bones, matching purple spines protruded. More carapace than wall. And five pallid faces embedded.
"Ughhh, s-save me!"
"Kyaaaaah! It hurts hurts hurts!"
"Ow! Too much pain! Help!"
"Waaaaah..."
"Get us out!"
Incredibly, all Cult faces—alive. Tears and snot streaming as they begged. Even battle-hardened Crisian had never seen wall-embedded faces. Nightmare fuel.
"Wh-what the hell is this?!"
"S-psychic power flows from behind the wall."
"Damn it! Smash the wall—wait, that face looks familiar."
Crisian recognized one among five.
"You—Brents?"
"Hah?! C-Crisian! It's me, Brents!"
So pale at first he missed it. Wall-embedded: squad mate Brents.
"Weren't you with Alya? How...?"
"No idea! Damn it... blacked out, woke up here!"
"We'll extract you now!"
Crisian approached the faces' wall. Then Selene's voice from outside.
"Crisian! Telepathy from Alya! Brents and Villone KIA!"
"Huh?"
Crisian and squad exchanged looks. Brents was right there. Head protruding from purple wall.
"I-ignore that! Alya messed up! I'm alive! Alive!"
Alya held third-highest rank in Temple Guardians. Elite like her misjudge a comrade's death? Crisian and squad edged from the wall. Brents shrieked.
"Damn Cult rat bastards! Think you'll survive?!"
Blood tears, curse like a demon. Crisian knew: not Brents, something wearing his face.
"Everyone, careful..."
"C-Crisian!"
Shocked squad voice—Crisian turned. Veterans gaped, as if seeing horror. Then sharp pain. Eyes dropped.
"Eh?"
Spine meant grounded pierced his gut. Purple shaft dripped blood and viscera. Legs buckled. Wavering gaze to front wall. Faces visible. Grinning ear-to-ear.
"Hehe, gotcha."
Realization dawned. No Brents. No wall before him. The thing that impaled him with horns rose from the ground.