Chapter 246
Chapter 246
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 246
Chapter Title: qiqi iykow gkk-246i
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 246
Chapter Title: Adhai's Triumph
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Adhai landed lightly atop the hangar.
Whether it had used Red Armor when slamming into Pira Eleven's fighter craft, there wasn't a single scratch on its body.
｢Kin... Grudge... Avenged.｣
[Zuzuzu (Good job)]
｢Great One... Did I... Perform my role... As the mighty leader?｣
[Zuzuzu (Of course)]
｢Little one's all grown up! Good job! Good job!｣
｢Success... What a relief.｣
Hearing the praise from me and No. 26, it nodded proudly. Seeing the creature that used to bounce around joyfully now standing so composed felt strangely off.
'Though it seems like it still can't control its tail.'
I stroked the head of the plump-tailed one as it wagged its tail side to side.
[Zuzuzu (Where's Sky Mother?)]
｢Staying with the ship Ort... Heading to the sea of stars... Must be tough.｣
[Zuzu (Yeah, I suppose)]
Volf wouldn't die immediately if tossed into space unprotected. However, unlike monster races such as Aimorphs or Metallic Gremlins, long-term survival was impossible.
There were no issues in well-maintained ships or nests I'd built where oxygen was adequately supplied, but clinging to Adhai and coming through space would be quite burdensome.
As we conversed, the hangar doors closed on their own. The entire ship began a rapid descent. PS-111, having seized control of the vessel, was landing it.
'Probably in the situation room.'
Pira Eleven had remotely piloted this massive ship, but that was possible only because it was a superior android. PS-111 was special, but its performance didn't match Pira Eleven's.
So it was likely controlling the ship while directly synced with the bridge.
'It's a Waks Alpha-class battleship, so probably in the central upper section.'
I headed to the situation room with Adhai and No. 26 in tow.
As expected, PS-111 was there upon arrival. It lay prone in a floor panel it had pried open in the center of the room.
The biorganic tissue covering its back had split in half, exposing its spine, to which hundreds of cables were densely connected.
"You've arrived?"
It greeted us nonchalantly, having been staring blankly into space.
"Perfect timing. There's something I need to check."
"Regarding Star Union's reinforcement fleet?"
"Can you confirm when the support request was sent?"
It was directly controlling the massive ship, so I figured accessing the logs would be easy.
But contrary to my expectations, it gave a negative response.
"Pira Eleven reinforced the security systems. In my current state, breaching them is impossible."
"I see."
"However, if my mechanical modules are upgraded, I should be able to break through."
"Upgraded, huh. Using the ship's facilities, I take it."
"Precisely."
This ship carried all sorts of machinery and equipment for producing Screamer units. It could easily repurpose them to enhance itself.
'I was thinking of infiltrating the ship to peek at the data, but that method sounds better.'
Considering Pira Eleven's vicious nature, forcibly cracking the security might trigger unknown issues. It would have surely set traps.
While conversing with it, the steadily descending ship landed safely on the surface.
Stepping outside, a half-collapsed canyon was visible in the distance.
Gallerons and Sky Mother awaited us on the plains near the ship. The Gallerons were covered in wounds, but none had died.
Ort, the lead Galleron, quietly bowed its head toward Adhai. The others behind it bent their forelegs and lowered their heads as well.
Adhai spread its wings wide and dipped its head slightly in response. Then it emitted psionic waves I couldn't interpret to those around it.
'A rite signifying vengeance achieved.'
Gallerons had no concept of funerals, but they weren't devoid of kinship. If a young Blue Galleron died or an egg was destroyed, the entire herd would rage.
'Even in the game, Galleron revenge was infamous for its tenacity.'
That made hunting them a real pain. Others kept showing up endlessly if you hunted solo.
'And now here I am, traveling with a Galleron herd.'
The me from the game would be shocked to see my current self.
As I watched the dragons' ritual, Sky Mother approached me.
｢That guy would have loved to see this.｣
[Zu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zu Zuzu Zuzuzuzu (That Galleron maniac? Were you two acquainted?)]
｢Yeah. After the clan disbanded, he tried really hard to recruit me when I was on my own.｣
The "guy" she mentioned was the 18th-ranked Cold Blood ranker, famously known as a Galleron maniac. Rumor had it he'd even stolen eggs to raise them.
'Did that one come to this world too, being a ranker?'
Cold Bloods grew quickly until mid-game due to racial traits, but stalled afterward. They borrowed Vortex One's power, which was potent early on, but the costs mounted over time.
'Considering the price, survival won't be easy.'
Vortex Ones, cosmic demons, were transcendent beings rankers barely encountered. The power they lent was fearsome, but so were the prices. Fail to pay up? A fate worse than death awaited.
If it hadn't gone the cultist route, survival odds were decent, but this was reality, not a game. Vortex power could solve most issues, but could it resist that temptation?
'Come to think of it, Jason caught a Cold Blood ranker too.'
I'd heard during the interrogation after turning the Cult ranker Jason into a human swine.
One of his perks, the metal-shaping ability now evolved into Abyssal Hues, had originally belonged to that Cold Blood ranker.
'Jason said he didn't know its rank.'
Cold Blood rankers all ranked low due to their limitations. Arrogant as expected, it ignored the weak.
'That recklessness is why it lost to me.'
Apparently, another player who'd joined the ranker hunt had handled the investigation on Cold Bloods, so no reason for it to care.
Lost in thoughts of the dead, Adhai sent me psionic waves.
｢Great One... I'll go... To the nest.｣
It probably wanted to inform the kin at the nest as well. As I prepared to tell it to do as it wished, PS-111 belatedly emerged from the ship and approached us.
"To improve ship control efficiency, I need to upgrade my mechanical modules. For that, I require the metals at the nest."
｢I'll take you.｣
"Thank you."
With that, those with business there headed off to the nest.
Left by the ship were just me, No. 26, and Sky Mother.
'Well then...'
I looked up at the ship, its bow and flanks damaged.
Not all problems were resolved yet. We didn't know when Star Union's reinforcements Pira Eleven mentioned would arrive.
But that was info only graspable after its upgrade. Nothing to do now.
Right now, there was only one thing I could do.
Check out the treasures Pira Eleven had diligently hoarded for Screamer production.
'Wonder how many gene samples are aboard.'
[Zu Zuzuzuzu Zu (Let's tour the ship)]
｢Sounds good.｣
｢Screamer ship, huh. Wasn't in the game. Intriguing.｣
I reboarded the ship with my companions.
If lucky, a new unique trait synthesis formula might unlock here.
'Though infection-related traits have already opened synthesis formulas.'
On the flip side, if mostly duplicate samples, few new traits. Still, securing masses of traits wouldn't be bad.
Entertaining such pleasant thoughts, I headed to the gene essence storage. The enticing scent I'd passed earlier grew thicker the closer I got.
'Maybe because I burned so much energy in the fierce battle.'
A fitting hunger, anticipation for what lay ahead—my mood lifted unbeknownst.
｢Big baby's in a good mood, huh.｣
｢...Yeah, Morphbak, ahem, sure is.｣
Finally reaching the source of the strongest aroma, I gripped and ripped off the thick steel door blocking the sweet fragrance.
An overwhelmingly concentrated wave assaulted my auxiliary organs.
'Whoa.'
The sight beyond matched my imagination.
No—surpassed it, in a way.
Hundreds of refined gene samples from countless species filled the freezers. Not just that—cryo containers with creature corpses from this planet and others greeted me.
｢Whoa! So much food!｣
No. 26 exclaimed in awe from atop my head. As it said, this was a veritable treasure trove of gene essences.
The only downside: many samples meant for freezers had spilled out and shattered. Likely from battle impacts damaging the freezers.
Still, no big issue. Plenty remained intact.
'Forget the rest—start with Hunting Exemplar.'
Predation time had come at last.
On that unnamed planet stood a peculiar volcano.
Vast enough for "super-massive," yet not exceptionally so—larger ones dotted other worlds.
What made it truly unique wasn't size.
First, its color. Amid constant snow and hail day and night, the volcano stayed pitch black. Nature shunned it not, yet an eerie sight.
Second, the energy. It spewed immense power ceaselessly. So intense, energy-devouring creatures struggled to leave.
Curiously, it hadn't always been thus. The change was mere decades old.
A volcano transcending physics and nature from some point. At its base lay a cave.
Ordinary from outside, but delving in revealed complexity. Maze-like tunnels delved to the volcano's heart.
Deep inside, temperatures rose lethally, drawing planetary predators aplenty.
Thus, no strangers had entered the cave in ages.
Until recently.
"Ssk...!"
A loathsome hybrid of mantis, wasp, and blowfly crumpled, head half-severed.
Before the fallen monster stood a black-haired woman. Slender in a white bodysuit, she flicked blood from the pristine blade protruding from her wrist.
"That side?"
｢Done.｣
Responding was a 2.5-meter figure in metallic armor. A hefty suit blending powered exosuit and walker traits, evoking a fully armed combat android.
"Is Captain Neurn and everyone safe?"
"I'm fine. Sihyun Yujin."
The white-bodysuited woman, Sihyun Yujin, surveyed the survivors. Few remained.
'...Nine, huh.'
Sixty had set foot on this planet initially. Ten vanished to wild beasts before entering the volcano—effectively dead in this harsh world.
Even after losing those ten, the interior proved a more nightmarish hellscape than outside.
No bitter cold, but teeming with deadly lifeforms.
The one she'd just slain, Hellside Hornet, was profoundly dangerous. Without her shape-shifting powered suit White Maiden, even she couldn't guarantee survival.
'Fourth such encounter already.'
"Short break here."
"Yes, ma'am!"
At her order, subordinates collapsed for rest. Knowing their exhaustion from tough foes, Sihyun spared rebukes.
She approached her comms subordinate.
"Comms status? Weather anomalies resolved?"
"Anomalies seem cleared. But their end isn't fully restored either."
"Satellite radar issue... Hm?"
Then, the armored figure, Laila Chemberlin, beckoned. A sign of private words.
"Retry and report success."
"Yes, ma'am."
Sihyun followed Laila to a spot away from the resting group.
"Something to say?"
｢Four Hellside Hornets since entering. Ah, five including that one. First time seeing this many in my life.｣
"...Yes."
｢Plus an Ice Horror. Twenty died to it. Only escaped minimal losses because you lured it—could've been wipeout. Am I wrong?｣
Severely injured, Laila depended on her suit's life support forever. Ruined vocal cords required mechanical aid to speak.
The machine-gun monotone held no emotion, but Sihyun grasped Laila's feelings easily.
Questioning if this venture was worthwhile.
"A vital relic lies here. Securing it lets us achieve our goal."
｢That damn relic. You know how ridiculous you sound? Magical artifacts don't exist anywhere in this universe.｣
Laila's family, T&C, held the most colonies in Mega Corp. They knew every oddity across planets.
Thus, she knew best: ancient relics, lost civs' secret weapons—pure fiction.
｢You gave me a chance. I won't die till I get what I want. Especially not here.｣
"......"
Sihyun fell silent at Laila's words, not replying immediately.
She understood Laila's thoughts, and those of Minseok somewhere beyond this planet.
Originally, she'd have thought the same.
But she'd seen.
Reborn in a clone body, Sihyun reviewed not just her records, but those of her associates.
Among scant logs from her past mentor, Beomho, lay an extraordinary message.
A sort of provision for the future.
No one had shared that record till now.
'But...'
Time to reveal it. Sihyun handed Laila a small memory chip hidden in her suit.
｢What's this?｣
"See for yourself."
Laila inserted it into her wrist panel without further questions. Copied images from the chip projected before her.
｢A star chart?｣
"Yes."
｢And these beside it? Words? Sentences? Primitive intellect script.｣
"Characters once used on old Earth."
｢Earth? The one I know?｣
"Yes. Dead language now. Deciphered, it reads thus."
Sihyun took a deep breath and spoke.
"Ownership of two pieces of equipment, created via the 'Unknown Creator's' 'Perk,' temporarily transferred from 'Player Jeongwoo' to 'Player Shin Beomho.'"
The words from her lips were archaic, unused now. Even speaking them felt oddly familiar.
As if the blood in her veins resonated.
"Thereafter, ownership of the two pieces of equipment may only be claimed by one bearing 'Player Jeongwoo's' blood. 'Player Shin Beomho' safeguards them until then."
Harboring such thoughts, she recited the next line.
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