Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Physical Enhancement Type
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'Lucky me.'
I'd acquired a total of three traits from the lab.
With over 500 samples devoured, the Predation Effect had only triggered three times. By any measure, that was rotten luck—but I was still satisfied.
'I met the type acquisition conditions too, and on top of that...'
I'd secured some seriously useful traits. Not just fillers, but ones I could actively use in combat.
The new traits were Natural Recovery, Sawblade Tentacles, and Contamination Organ.
Of these, Natural Recovery had fused with Robust Vitality to become the Regeneration (Fusion) trait.
'Right after psionic traits, this was my next target. Perfect.'
Aimorphs couldn't wear armor or shield themselves, so healing traits were invaluable. They let you bounce back fast from major injuries.
'As long as I have Regeneration, I won't die unless my brain gets destroyed. It takes time depending on the damage, but I'll recover eventually.'
The exceptions were psionic attacks or special weapons.
'Sawblade Tentacles and Contamination Organ are solid traits too.'
I flexed the upper arms of my combat limbs.
A thin, whip-like tentacle shot out from my palm. Its surface bristled with sawblade protrusions that could shred anyone it wrapped around.
'Normally, it'd be too fragile to use much.'
But acquiring a type changed everything. Upgraded by the Physical Enhancement Type, those sawblade edges could pierce even a ship's hull. No regular soldier could block it.
I retracted the tentacle from my hand.
'Last up, Contamination Organ.'
This time, it was the lower arms' turn.
I crouched and pressed my palm to the floor. Dark brown slime and clumps of spores oozed from the hole in my palm.
'Contamination Organ' essentially turned me into a walking nest. Whenever I wanted, I could expel things identical to the nest's spores.
The key difference? I could imbue them with some of my traits.
That meant creating spores that spat neurotoxin, oozed acid, or boosted my body's regeneration.
With this alone, turning the entire ship into my fortress wasn't out of the question. Perfect for battling tough foes.
Tentacles and spores—abilities that would horrify any sane human. But I was thrilled. After inspecting my new traits, I set 26 down from my shoulder for a moment.
Upon acceptance, changes rippled through my body.
Bones twisted inside, piercing through my chitinous exoskeleton. The outer shell swelled massively, like a sponge soaking up water.
It was all natural, so no blood sprayed or pain flared. Just a pulling sensation in my skin and muscles, like a good stretch.
Unlike evolving to Juvenile, the type-induced shift finished quickly. Once the mutation completed, the translucent text window reappeared before me.
🧬 Species:Unidentified Hostile Space Creature
📊 Status:Juvenile
🎯 Goal:Survive (1 successful evolution)
Possessed Traits
🛡️ Type:Physical Enhancement Type
Acquiring my first type had reclassified all traits to fit type conditions. Thanks to the Physical Enhancement Type, 'Type applying' showed next to physical traits.
The Psionic Enhancement Type now required 6 traits instead of 3.
'Tch. Type penalty.'
I knew it was coming, but seeing it stung a bit. Aimorphs had no limit on types, but each new one doubled the trait requirement for the next.
If I'd gotten Psionic first, Physical would've jumped from 10 to 20 traits. Or unlocking another type now would bump Psionic to 12.
'That's why some delay type unlocks on purpose.'
Blithely grabbing inefficient types could lock you out of key ones.
In a game, I'd have timed it carefully. Hard-to-get psionic traits jumping to 6 was a drag.
But this was reality, with pirates closing in. Delaying to get stronger just to die was pointless.
'Anyway, let's see what's changed.'
I'd rely on Physical Enhancement for a while, so time to test the upgrades.
The first sensation was weight.
I'd felt nimble and flexible before. Now? My whole body felt massive and solid.
Like shifting from leopard to rhino.
'Makes sense. Look at all this.'
My head was now sheathed in thick plating like my thorax exoskeleton. Arms and legs wore heavy bio-armor everywhere but joints.
To support the bulk, I'd grown taller—from under 1m to over 1.5m. My Leg Strength Enhancement legs were disproportionately thick.
Hand to the wall: still climbable, walls and ceilings fine. But the heavy thuds were unavoidable. Stealth ambushes? Off the table.
Finally, my tail—one of my main weapons—had grown under the type's influence.
Now nearly 2m long. Almost doubled.
'Mid-range attacks covered. Excellent.'
Several close calls in ambushes due to distance. Tentacles and tail were a godsend.
｢Big! Big!｣
As I checked myself, 26 piped up in surprise. To it, I'd ballooned overnight.
[I've grown.]
｢Grown? What’s that mean?｣
[From hatchling to adult.]
｢Hatchling? Baby! Baby big! Baby!｣
26 kept calling me 'baby.'
'Me, a baby.'
Not wrong, biologically. Juveniles counted as immature.
Though any Aimorph parents would want to die.
I wanted to explain, but 26's vocab was too limited. Once it learned language, maybe.
I scooped up the hopping 26 onto my shoulder and headed for the next stop.
｢Baby. Where go?｣
[Armory.]
Heavy footfalls echoed down the hall: thud, thud. If crew were here, would they cry? Flee to escapes?
'Time to find out.'
One thing was certain.
They'd witness the nightmare of the cosmos and regret ever boarding this ship.
A day had passed since the bridge situation room massacre.
Normally, the crew would mourn the dead. But no time now.
Rumors of the Metallic Gremlin—or something far worse—were devouring lives ship-wide.
Humans are resilient, but break under the unbearable.
Less than a day later, another attack: the monster hit the mess hall, slaughtering over 50 unarmed soldiers.
With over half the guard force gone, Captain Yuseong Samuel holed up in his quarters with remaining troops and brass.
Concentrating defenses for a siege, they called it. Really, abandoning everyone else. The left-behind were dropping fast.
This unidentified horror—from space or the lab?—had turned the research ship into hell.
Medical bay recovery room.
Acting Research Team Leader Way was there.
Mega Corp's advanced tech revived him quickly. Forcing him to face his hellish reality.
Permanent vision and smell loss, half his face scarred, neurotoxin aftereffects: no taste, severe speech impairment.
Way wished it was a dream. What sin earned this?
He was just a decent Mega Corp human. Sure, plenty died by his hand climbing to senior researcher—but that's how it worked. Losers died.
He wanted suicide, but life support wouldn't let him. All he could do was stare at his ruined reflection.
Enduring agony second by second, he noticed changes late. Doctors' footsteps gone. No sounds but machine beeps.
'What? What's happening?'
Such silence in a ward full of criticals? Bad sign.
The oppressive quiet shattered by footsteps. Way thought military boots.
No. Far heavier.
Thud, thud, thud—vibrations shaking the whole bay.
Each shake jolted Way's body.
Something hostile approached. He wanted to run, but painkillers from life support paralyzed him.
Footsteps stopped.
Blind, Way still sensed it beside him.
Its breath, growls. Instinct screamed: the bridge attacker.
Here to finish him.
Something climbed atop his trembling head. Death? No.
It was soft, fluffy. Like chocolate syrup poured on bread, flowing over his head.
Confusion at the odd texture fled as agony exploded across his face. Like fire branding flesh. Head melting.
He screamed internally.
'Gah, aaaagh! Someone! Kill me!'
Without the oxygen mask, he'd have choked in minutes.
Without painkillers and restoratives, shock death.
The Bubble Amoeba—what Way called 'Specimen 026'—slightly grown, could've ended him faster.
But fate denied easy death. All elements prolonged it.
Way got his eternal rest after an hour.
[All eaten?]
｢Yeah.｣
I placed 26, fresh from its meal and revenge, on my palm. After a day's gorging, it looked plump and healthy.
[How's revenge feel?]
｢Revenge? What's that?｣
[Eating your tormentor.]
｢Food. Tasty.｣
Seemed 26 lacked complex emotions like revenge. Unlearned or innate blind spot?
'Reality's weird, though.'
A speechless blob now chatted casually. And researchers' obsession with it hinted at something special.
'Not evolving into a Sea Demon, right?'
Sea Demons lived only on ocean planets, like oversized Bubble Amoebas—30m+, hiding tentacles inside.
Communities speculated links due to looks, but tons of similar critters made it moot.
Oblivious to my thoughts, 26 pulsed at me.
｢Baby. Belly full.｣
Its body glowed faintly—tired signal, I knew.
'Puffed up' fit better than 'chubby' now. I set it on my shoulder and left the med bay.
The hallway outside was no longer pristine and futuristic.
Filthy dark-brown fungal stems clogged it. Spores from ceiling and walls sprayed slime like watering a cursed garden. More rotten log crawling with bugs than metal corridor.
Deep in the nest claiming half the ship, I hunted my next prey.