Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 241
Chapter Title: Ep. 241
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Space Survival boasted the largest number of NPC species among all the VR games released in its era.
Its diverse NPCs, born from cleverly blending traits of real-world animals with alien creatures from various SF media, were seen as the game's unique charm.
That was why some players focused on studying the in-game ecosystems and the habits of its creatures. From cute little ones like the Bubble Amoeba to cosmic behemoths like the Skywhale, players had uncovered the lore on countless species.
But no one had ever flown side by side with the Gallerons, the ones called space dragons.
I'm doing what no one else has.
Beside me flies a Galleron that looks like it's draped in a red dress over pale white skin. Adhai, the red-and-white hybrid, beats its four wings furiously as it keeps pace with me.
Trailing behind us at the same speed is a single female Black Galleron. Ham Ort, who evolved into one this morning, evoked the image of a storm god herding thunderclouds across the sky.
Flanking Ham Ort are four White Gallerons and nine Green Gallerons, all flying in tight formation. Fifteen Gallerons and I form a squadron soaring over an endless snowfield.
If I tilt my head down just a bit, the vast white expanse below comes into view. It's the same ice plain we first encountered when we arrived on this planet.
Back then, we'd snuck around to avoid enemies. Not anymore.
｢Big baby, big baby. Look over there.｣
No. 26, perched on my head, sent me a psychic pulse. In the direction its tentacle pointed, a massive crater gaped where the ice had caved in deep.
The spot where I'd shattered the thick ice sheet battling Jason. Time had passed, piling up snow, but traces of our fight lingered.
We flew past the crater and on for quite a while longer.
By the time the edge of the snow-and-ice-filled plain came into sight, evening was closing in.
'That's the place.'
Opposite the mountain range lay a colossal canyon. At that scale, it was probably visible even from orbit.
Its shape suggested a deep subterranean chasm—even peering down from above, the bottom was lost in shadow.
'Yeah, it'd have to be that huge to hide a ship.'
The Waks Alpha battleship measured well over a kilometer long. The canyon was immense and profound enough to conceal such a monstrosity.
Since arriving in this world, I'd never fought on a battlefield this expansive. And this time, we weren't luring the enemy out—we were the ones launching a surprise assault. Unless it was an idiot, it would've fortified the place.
'But...'
I signaled Ham Ort. It lifted its head and gazed skyward.
Its six black horns glimmered purple, and the clouds overhead churned into motion. Swirling wildly, they coalesced into a massive waterspout that plummeted earthward.
A psychic technique unique to Black Gallerons: Maelstrom. Power rivaling a natural disaster, now in Ham Ort's grasp.
No matter what traps it had laid, the Maelstrom would neuter most of them.
The waterspout slammed down around the canyon's rim, psychic lightning forking deep into its heart.
Purple bolts raced along the floor and walls. A web of violet electricity sprawled across the lightless abyss.
Then, explosions boomed from the inner walls and unseen depths, thick smoke billowing up.
'Drones, as expected.'
｢APD.｣
The Mother of the Sky, riding Ham Ort, broadcast a thought wave.
APDs were drones deployed by Star Union warships against Gallerons or Cults. They absorbed psychic energy and other forms, serving primarily as countermeasures to energy weapons.
Galleron flight relied on wingbeats fused with psychic power. APDs crippled that power, slashing speeds to a crawl.
'Then the Screamers would swarm.'
It had clearly programmed them to strike the moment we entered. With APDs disabled, the hidden Screamers should emerge.
I waited for the attack.
But even as psychic lightning hammered relentlessly, the canyon depths stayed silent. My auxiliary senses strained—no movement whatsoever.
[Zzuzzuz zuz (Anything visible?)]
｢No. Nothing.｣
The Mother of the Sky shook her head at my query.
True to her griffon heritage with its eagle head, she spotted distant objects regardless of light. And like me, she was a top ranker. No enemy could hide from her that well.
'What's going on?'
The observable threats in range boiled down to APDs.
Placing them screamed preparation for a Galleron raid. But it couldn't ignore that drones alone wouldn't subdue us.
"Chance they've lost every Screamer?"
"Unlikely. Pyra Eleven would classify it a mission failure and withdraw."
Machine Committee androids knew their worth. They dodged damage ruthlessly.
Pyra Eleven would bail if outmatched—and leave no APDs behind.
Meaning it hadn't fled. It wanted us inside.
'Hmm.'
The lightning illuminated the interior: wider at the base than the rim.
Like a gourd—easy entry, hellish exit.
'Time to switch plans.'
Waiting them out was wasteful and risky. Time let Pyra Eleven spawn fresh Screamers.
Smashing the canyon? Too massive. Days of nonstop psychic breath to collapse it fully—exhausting and slow.
'Gotta go in.'
I'd faced this in-game plenty.
Solo Aimorphs infiltrated bases like this. Weaker foes on their turf? Worst odds imaginable.
Yet I always won. Simple reason.
'Flip their advantages against them.'
It figured this glacial underworld favored it. Fair, but it overlooked one thing.
I had a tool to weaponize its edge. An ace unused even on the Screamers.
[Zzuz zuzuzzuz zuzuzzuz zuzuzz zuzuzzuz (Find a walkable entrance)]
｢You have a way?｣
[Zz (Yeah)]
We wheeled airborne toward the ice plain. A maw-like gap marked the canyon's fringe.
The frozen mouth narrowed skyward, yawning wide below—like a monster's lair or dungeon cave, less canyon proper.
I landed on the ice, surveying the Gallerons.
My scheme thrived on minimal numbers. Risk of friendly fire otherwise.
[Zzuzzuz zuzuzzuz zuzuzzuz zuzuzz zuzuzzuz (Just us inside. Rest wait out)]
｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Daughter of Stars｣ ｢Guard｣ ｢No solo｣ ｢Won't allow｣
[Zzuz zuzuzzuz zuzuzzuz zuzuzz zuz (No. Ham Ort's got duties)]
Only it could strafe foes unbound from above. Best for external fire support.
[Zzuzzuzz zzuuuuu zuzuzzuz zuzuzzuz (No worries. Adhai stays safe)]
It wavered, then complied. Gallerons ascended anew; No. 26, Adhai, Mother of the Sky, and PS-111 joined me into the chasm.
The upward taper and sunken base blocked nearly all light. Night made it void-black.
Wind whistling through rents overhead wailed ceaselessly—like beast roars or a thousand murmurs.
Good thing none of us spooked easy.
I halted short of the entry point. There, I rigged a trap for Pyra Eleven's counter.
'Prior setup's obsolete anyway.'
Two cards for Pyra Eleven. First: the nest.
I roamed, spraying black slime. Droplets hit white ice, hardening into tumors that fouled the sheet.
Not ideal nesting ground, but fine. Spread wide enough, it'd land a killing stroke mid-fight.
｢Planning that 4th-place game strat?｣
[Zz (Yep)]
The Mother of the Sky clocked it instantly.
｢No traits—how?｣
[Zzuz zuzuzzuz zuz zuzuzz (Adapt to the sitch)]
｢...Gonna own it.｣
｢What? Spill.｣
｢Me｣ ｢Curious｣ ｢Me｣ ｢Tell｣
｢Watch and learn.｣
Work done, we pressed on.
Deeper, the floor pitched steeply inward—a tunnel to the underworld more than canyon. Evoked icy hell-lakes from old lit.
｢Creepy vibe.｣
｢Creepy?｣ ｢Me｣ ｢Nada｣
｢Dunno exactly.｣
｢Murky here, murky there. Dull feel.｣
Midway, No. 26 soured—its usual bright pink dulling to cherry-dark.
｢See zilch.｣
We and the Mother scoured, but nada. Just ice and snaking stalactite clumps.
'No baseless gripe from it.'
Sea Demon senses tuned to energies and more. Its unease had cause.
Mulling that, PS-111 chimed.
"Faint EM signature 1.5km ahead. XAX01-class battleship probable."
"What?"
Ship's nose-close, yet no foes. Should've swarmed by now.
'Impossible. Something's... hold up.'
Mother's Outspacer clash, No. 26's mood, now this.
Insight struck—eyes locked on serpentine rock heap.
A fossilized Ice Horror giant. Mere stone before; not anymore.
I rushed it, brushing auxiliary organ to the surface.
Cold bit first, then earthy whiff.
Then...
'Metal tang!'
I yanked back, glaring at the walls. Knew why I'd missed it now.
The enclosing canyon reeked faintly of metal throughout.
Kids read my vibe—combat ready pre-warning.
[Zzuz zuzuzz (Gear up, all)]
Wave rippled from my tentacle—the lead snake-rock shuddered violently.
Ice and soil encrusting the interior fractured. Beneath writhed snakes—no, colossal alloy hoses.
Like lake-bound fiends rearing, metal hoses erupted floorward. Tips fused synth-metal tubes and biotech into grotesque faces.
A mechanical titan's visage awoke. Red camera eyes glared down.
｢Pyra Eleven. Assessment: Special Target A detected intrusion sooner than projected. Plan altered. Mission proceeds.｣
Its maw gaped—an ear-numbing mechanical roar blasted my auxiliaries numb.