Chapter 219
Chapter 219
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 219
Chapter Title: Ep. 219
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Ordgrad sneered at me before immediately retreating. Unlike his triumphant attitude, he flew straight toward the direction where his kin were coming from.
'He won't leave even the slightest risk behind.'
He's the type who doesn't mind looking ugly if it means victory. It seemed his claim of overcoming any trial wasn't just empty words.
The number of Gallerons I sensed with my auxiliary organs was steadily increasing. Most of the ones from the nest must have rushed out. Winning in this situation was next to impossible.
'I need to change tactics.'
To be honest, killing Ordgrad right here didn't look easy. He possessed a crisis detection ability superior to my Predator Sense. Fighting while gathering info would be ideal, but with us in such absolute disadvantage, that wasn't feasible either.
So, I had only one option.
'Retreat and regroup.'
But I had no intention of fleeing powerlessly like he wanted.
'I'll smash as many of his weapons here as possible.'
For instance, the minions flying toward me now. Reducing those Gallerons would make facing Ordgrad again far easier.
'To do that, I need allies too.'
To safely thin out the enemy without falling prey to his precognition, that was the only way.
My Predator Sense collects and calculates various surrounding factors to depict 'likely futures.' I didn't know exactly how his crisis detection worked. Assuming it was similar, the more unfavorable variables for him, the better for me.
And those unfavorable variables were ultimately my abilities—and my allies.
'At the very least, I need to call PS-111.'
He could pilot the cruiser, which would be a huge help in escaping this place.
The question was how to summon him here...
'I've got just the thing.'
Just as he called his allies with Maelstrom, I had the power to unleash a weather phenomenon. The thunder god's might that twists the atmosphere and shatters the sky.
'PS-111 will notice my signal.'
He's stationed on the cruiser. He'd already confirmed the sky acting strange due to Ordgrad's Maelstrom. If I used God's Lash here, he'd recognize my crisis and move immediately.
I lifted my head toward the direction Ordgrad was retreating—the direction his horde was coming from.
At my will, the powers spread throughout my body began to boil. In response, my black carapace and scales turned golden. A golden wave started from the pincer at my tail tip, my fingertip ends, and the tips of my fully spread wings, flowing into my chest.
Amid the swirling dragon vortices in the heavens, my body shone brilliantly.
I knew without thinking that Ordgrad would dodge my strike. But his supporting Gallerons wouldn't.
To inflict proper damage on them, I gathered more energy than usual.
It had been since the imperial mothership battle that I'd amassed this much energy. The firepower was about a tenth of that time.
Of course, that didn't make it weak at all. No enemy on this planet except a Sky Whale could survive this attack.
With all preparations complete, I opened my mouth. My upper jaw rose, and my lower jaw split wide open. Like a snake swallowing prey, my maw stretched to its limit.
Then, the energy gathered in my chest erupted like a volcano, unleashing the god's power. True to its name, the thunder god's lash shot from my mouth.
God's Lash
Thunder god's devastating beam
Like the chariot drawing the sun across the sky in ancient myths, a golden beam tore through the atmosphere.
Dragon vortices, lightning, blizzards followed. An immense roar beyond any natural phenomenon shook the planet's atmosphere.
Even Adhai and Nel Germa, without ears, trembled at the supernatural vibrations from the divine power.
Ordgrad, retreating with his tail between his legs, sensed the crisis and urgently dodged. God's Lash passed over him, extending beyond the horizon. Golden webs spread across the black clouds blanketing the planet's sky due to the thunder god's power.
As expected, the Gallerons couldn't properly evade the attack from out of sight. I dismissed the translucent text box floating before me and spread my wings wide.
｢Got it! I'll punish those meanies bullying the babies!｣
｢Black kin｣ ｢Strong｣ ｢Acknowledge｣ ｢Order｣ ｢Obey｣
｢Big one｣ ｢Cool｣
Nel Germa's thought waves grew even more deferential, which seemed to please Adhai. They'd both been terrified moments ago, but now there was no fear. The presence of a transcendent being at their side invigorated them.
'Good.'
Flying ahead of them, I checked the remaining energy in my body.
I'd consumed far more than usual, but I still had reserves. Thanks to Berserker Synapse, which efficiently managed my internal energy.
'I can use it two more times.'
I could fire weaker shots more often, but I had no intention of doing so.
Flying at high speed, the enemies came into view.
Seven large White Gallerons, nine relatively small and lean White Gallerons, and fifteen Green Gallerons. Behind them was the Black Galleron, Ordgrad.
They were conversing via thought waves among themselves. I didn't know the content, but one thing was clear.
The Green Gallerons and small White Gallerons were afraid. They'd just seen their kin turn to ash mid-air.
'Without a leader, they'd retreat...'
One large White Galleron whipped a nearby Green Galleron with its tail. The others reluctantly prepared to fight.
'Those are Ordgrad's favorites.'
Rumor had it they grew strong from his favor, and it seemed true. Their emitted psychic power wasn't Ham Ort level, but far superior to normal White Gallerons.
'I should target those seven if possible.'
With my target set, I charged toward their cluster. The Gallerons, under Ordgrad's command, unleashed psionic breaths in unison.
Dozens of purple beams flew at me.
Attacks made of destructive psychic power. I adjusted my wings' angle to dodge most, but even I couldn't evade all. Some struck my scales and carapace.
Each time, a text box appeared, and heat beams reflected by my psionic reflex armor shot out beyond the clouds.
A stinging pain rose from the hit areas, but I ignored it. To gain Mimic Scales' effects, I needed to concentrate enemy attacks.
My current task: Fight while taking hits enough to avoid lethal wounds or instant death. Focus on the battle while calculating accumulated damage to my body.
'This is where Aimorph's Super Sense shines.'
If I had to worry about everything, my head would've exploded before the fight even started properly.
Dodging what I could, taking what I must, Adhai and Nel Germa followed closely behind me, using me as a shield.
No matter how fast Adhai or Nel Germa were, they couldn't dodge breaths from dozens of Gallerons. Hiding behind my larger, tougher body was natural.
When I judged the distance sufficiently closed.
Facing Ordgrad's horde head-on, I prepared a psionic breath—not ordinary, but the Abyss Colors version.
The monster tentacles dangling from the back of my head and neck writhed ominously. Seeing this, Ordgrad urgently fired thought waves.
His favorites retreated swiftly at the command, but the others reacted slowly. I unleashed the enhanced psionic breath toward them.
Bubbles of destruction dripped from the tentacles like water droplets, moving to devour their targets. Tiny compared to Gallerons, but their power was not to be underestimated.
And one ignorant Green Galleron proved it personally. The one that had fired a beam at me and couldn't move was startled when a bubble touched its tail.
The small bubble spread like ink in water, instantly engulfing its tail and aiming for the lower body.
Gallerons can't scream due to their oral structure. Instead, its waves of agony echoed in the air.
I charged at it while the bubble still melted its body. Mouth wide, targeting the neck near the head. In pain from its entire lower half dissolving, it couldn't properly react.
Clamping the thin Galleron's neck firmly with my jaws, I yanked. With the sound of bones snapping and flesh tearing, its head came off.
Along with it, the unpleasant thought waves like scraping metal ceased. The dead Galleron's corpse plummeted to the surface.
Seeing this, I called 26.
｢Okay!｣
As it waved its tentacles like a conductor, the bubbles devouring the Galleron corpse floated up. They then rushed toward the other Gallerons.
26's controlled bubbles enveloped a sluggish Galleron. I ended its pain just like before.
At Ordgrad's bellow, the Gallerons spread out widely. With the enemies distancing again, the psionic breath combo tactic with 26 ended there.
'Shame, I could've killed more.'
I gulped down the Galleron head I held. In better circumstances, I'd have savored it, but alas.
Ordgrad, having pulled back his minions, attacked again. The strongest dark purple breath here aimed to impale me. I dodged upward, kicking the air with my wings, and closed in on his minions.
'This way, he can't attack... damn!'
Ordgrad fired his breath heedless of hitting his own. The psychic-powered exhalation grazed below my tail. The young White Galleron behind me took it, a hole punched in its wing.
｢Great Ordgrad!｣ ｢Young kin｣ ｢In danger!｣
｢Black traitor｣ ｢More dangerous｣ ｢Sacrifice｣ ｢Unavoidable｣
One favorite urgently sent thought waves to its leader, but they fell on deaf ears. I grabbed the falling White Galleron with its holed wing and bit its head. It thrashed in resistance until its skull shattered, going still.
At that moment, an unexpected message appeared.
'What? Check it!'
Normally I'd rejoice at the luck, but this was mid-battle. Quickly scanning the content, I called Adhai.
｢Understood｣
He was fighting other Gallerons with Nel Germa but raced to me like white lightning.
To grow, he needed to devour a White Galleron. But in this situation, eating a whole one was tough.
'Not sure if sharing counts.'
Considering the Ship of Theseus paradox, probably not, but it was the only option now.
Holding him and the White Galleron corpse, I dove into a nearby dragon vortex.
Intense enough to erase a human instantly, but my hull-tougher body shrugged it off.
｢Insolent whelp!｣ ｢How dare!｣
Hiding in the vortex to feed Adhai, Ordgrad's rage-filled thought waves seeped in from outside. Along with them, I felt a massive energy flow approaching at tremendous speed.
Adhai and I dodged urgently. His breath vaporized the Galleron corpse I held without trace.
'He knows.'
He clearly knew the secret to Galleron growth. His neurotic reaction suggested he was extremely wary of it.
'...Wary of Adhai's growth.'
Important info, so I memorized it. Wrapping Adhai, I exited the vortex. A purple light cluster greeted me immediately.
｢Big one｣ ｢Okay?｣
Adhai worried after seeing my carapace and scales shatter and peel from enemy attacks.
Truthfully, saying it didn't hurt would be a lie, but I had to endure.
'Almost there.'
Positive sign: Pain from breaths was decreasing. Proof that Mimic Scales' immunity was activating.
Taking beams, I closed on nearby Gallerons. They halted attacks and retreated the moment I neared.
In that gap, releasing Adhai, I spewed a fungal mass into the air. The green slime clump fell toward the ground, then defied physics mid-way, flying off somewhere.
26's psychic power guided the fungal mass forward. Its target: A large White Galleron favorite.
It tried backing away, but 26 was slightly faster. The flying fungus exploded like a Claymore, showering its wings.
The white wings quickly became bloodied by the acidic fungus. It irritably fired purple lightning, burning them off.
Not a bad counter, but it missed one thing. Prioritize the enemy in front over the fungus.
Noticing me too late up close, it fired a psionic breath. Almost simultaneously, I swung the pincer on my tail tip.
Part of the incoming breath reflected, striking its body. Confused by what happened, the White Galleron hesitated. Meanwhile, my natural flail kept flying toward it.
As the pincer was about to smash its abdomen, a black dragon appeared above my head.
Ordgrad, luring me with the favorite as bait, smashed my head with his massive forepaw.
Even aged, the force was terrifying—nearly matching an Ice Horror's charge. I barely avoided a broken neck.
Retreating, I used Dread Stare on him. No time for Abyss Colors.
For a brief instant, his eyes clouded, then cleared. It landed, but as a Black Galleron with immense psychic resistance, he shook it off quickly.
Images flooded my vision. Predator Sense foreseeing my death had activated.
He instantly fired a psionic breath. Though brief, Predator Sense let me anticipate and duck under it.
'Ugh!'
So close, I barely survived but couldn't prevent severe injury. The dark purple breath obliterated my lower tail, erasing the pincer at the end without trace.
His tentacle cluster glowed dark purple. Too late to dodge now.
｢Big baby!｣
I felt 26's waves. No matter how great, defending against such a close, powerful breath was impossible.
｢Big one!｣
Adhai, seeing my crisis from afar, flew to help but was blocked by another Galleron.
Time slowed. I felt power concentrating in his tentacles.
As his attack was about to launch.
A bright light appeared opposite Ordgrad's head.
'Sun? No, that's...'
This planet had life, so a star existed. But that light wasn't the sun.
Because the sun wouldn't fly here.
Psychic power familiar like ours, but mixed with crude impurities.
I knew its identity.
Ordgrad, blinded by the thrill of killing me directly, realized late.
As he turned, I folded my wings and dropped. Less than a second later, a massive explosion erupted above my head.
Falling to the ground, I spotted a familiar craft.
"Sub-controller 'Aimorph' signal received. Providing support."
｢Yay! Friend's here!｣
The broadcast from the ivory diamond-shaped cruiser. The mechanical, stiff voice belonged to someone 26 and I knew well.
Star Union's mutant screamer, PS-111.
He'd arrived here guided by the golden beam.