Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Ep. 25
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"Hey, shouldn't we go help too?"
"The boss told us to guard Garlic."
"Fuck, I was thrilled thinking we'd make a killing, but damn..."
Bridge situation room.
The pirates were fiercely debating whether to go aid their boss or not. Amid their grumbling, the cyborg pirate's eyes caught sight of Garlic diligently at work.
She was tinkering with the main computer housing the central AI.
"Hey, Garlic. How much longer?"
"Al-almost done."
"Why's this scrap heap taking so damn long?"
It was amusing, but the cyborg pirate—half machine himself—knew next to nothing about computers or advanced tech.
He didn't even suspect anything off about some stranger's code running flawlessly without a single bug.
He was one who'd been forcibly turned cyborg by the Star Union.
Like most of the Union's underclass, his interests lay in worldly matters, not lofty fields like robotics or nano-computing.
"It's old-gen, but it's Mega Corp's battleship AI. The pinnacle of space and computer engineering—how could it be that simple..."
"Agh, I don't get fancy words. Just hack it quick so we can go help the boss."
The cyborg waved her off as she started explaining. Ignoring her, the pirates resumed their pointless chatter. Garlic gave them an awkward smile and refocused on her work.
Or pretended to.
The bewildered look from moments ago was gone from her face as she turned away.
Behind her round glasses, her eyes gleamed colder than the inorganic mass encasing them.
'Arnold's gone and done something big.'
Thanks to her minions' sacrifice, she'd spotted it: the thing was evolving.
It had been caught on camera in the situation room twice. Slyly, it'd deployed smoke both times to hide, but she'd easily read its changes.
Her eyes and spatial awareness, enhanced by genetic mods, far surpassed human limits.
Among the gene samples implanted in her was one from a creature called the Terror Devil.
The Terror Devil was a pterosaur species native to desert planets.
Its harsh habitat had evolved its senses in unique ways.
It could detect prey buried in sand by synthesizing terrain shifts, subtle vibrations on the surface, and more—pinpointing exactly what hid beneath.
Nearly 100% accurate, the planet's natives called it 'x-ray vision.'
Of course, it wasn't truly 'seeing' through obstacles but reconstructing the hidden object from surrounding data in its mind.
Mega Corp scientists concluded it stemmed from innate psychic powers.
Anyway, using that ability, she'd discerned the monster in the footage was an evolver.
The first time, it'd flinched from the plasma pistol. By its second appearance, it sported much thicker armor.
Her estimate: it could tank two more hits at most.
'It raided the lab mid-way and absorbed the gene samples.'
She was now accessing lab data via the ship's main computer.
The tech-illiterate pirates had no clue she'd finished the checks ages ago and chattered on obliviously.
'Not just smart—something else.'
The lab's control AI reported all samples lost. It'd scraped every last one clean.
It'd targeted only gene samples, ignoring chemicals and materials.
Meaning it knew exactly what it had, and how to use it.
'A monster that absorbs genes and evolves...'
She knew something similar.
'Kin to me.'
Her conclusion.
It was like her: a monster stealing other creatures' genes for its own.
'Elchen can't win.'
He was just a freak bolstered by others' will, ignorant of what lurked in his own body. Pathetic.
No way trash like Elchen could beat a life-shaper toying with biology's essence.
She shut down the computer. A smile crept onto her lips.
She'd never know it, but it mirrored the enigmatic foe's occasional grin.
The predator's smirk upon spying prey.
'That old coot in the closet was annoying me, but this is an unexpected bonus.'
When talking to her loyal servant Arnold, she'd never dreamed of such intrigue.
Noble Capital's demise, Akira Yujin's orders to her, the Dvbara Cartel boarding this research ship—all per her plan.
But this thing? A wild card.
"Garlic, you done?"
"If you're done, let's go."
The pirates called, but she didn't answer.
No more business with these pirates. Mission over, she'd infiltrate whatever group came to C-08 next.
'And trim the gene samples it can grab, too?'
As a devourer of life's origins herself, she understood.
She didn't know its exact method for gene theft. But if corpses vanished traceless, it couldn't harvest genes even if it wanted.
She rose from her seat.
The timidity that'd hung about her was gone.
Like a chameleon shifting hues, the woman standing there was utterly different. In timidity's place bloomed the ferocity and allure of a great feline predator.
"Huh?"
Her former comrades flinched, sensing their doom.
She slowly removed her non-prescription glasses.
The one called Garlic in the Dvbara Cartel bore many names.
Mega Corp's foes dubbed her the Spiral Witch.
Her clan revered her as Shadow.
Patriarch Akira Yujin called her Code White.
Once, her father had named her Sihyun.
The Yujin Family's pinnacle of genetic engineering—the sole heir to its forgotten bloodline.
Shing.
Sihyun Yujin drew a white blade from her hand's back and smiled at her 'sheep'.
I quietly observed the beast before me. The boss, too, held back from rash charges, scrutinizing my movements from afar.
Beast's duel.
Before baring fangs and claws, we waged a probing war.
Like human battles decided by superior tactics or deadlier arms.
Tension? Or battle-lust? My acidic blood boiled, exoskeleton heating.
'So this is the thrill.'
A high games could never give.
In human form, I'd have licked parched lips.
Opponent's muscles tensed. One ground-shattering stomp, and it surged to me. Massive yet unnaturally swift.
Its fist cratered the floor, metal shards flying like blizzard flurries amid rising white debris.
I twisted aside, slipping inside its guard.
Surprised by my agility? Retracting that floor-smashing fist was sluggish.
No mercy planned—I thrust my combat arm into its gut.
"Hah!"
Not just me predicting. It kneed my arm, nullifying the strike.
My tail whipped its shoulder, but it dodged over blocking.
It stomped the alloy plate, leaving prints. The 3m hulk soared back far.
Not mere retreat.
In our exchange, it'd secretly laid pulse grenades unbeknownst to me.
I'd thought its stiffened pose after the miss was shock—a feint for tossing bombs.
Realizing too late, they detonated. A fierce EMP swept my body.
'Ugh.'
Body fine, but my psionic organ at the head's rear stung like spicy food.
Wrong guess—assuming combat android—but solid instinct. A pro like this had few equals.
"Tch. Not some Star Union prototype, huh."
The boss clicked his tongue, displeased. Our brief clash confirmed I wasn't easy prey.
"...Fuck. Where'd this monster crawl from?"
Spitting curses, he reached for the shotgun at his waist. Modified laser rifle, but his bulk made it look like a long pistol.
He hesitated, then let go.
Wise. Stronger than standard rifles, but still laser-based.
His men had charged with lasers and lost. No damage on me from our skirmish meant they figured lasers useless.
He roughly swept back his mane. A switch gleamed on his neck's right.
'Rage mode switch.'
Trusting fists over weapons. But as his beer-can finger neared the switch, he paused.
"Hey. You understand me?"
Unexpected.
None but Specimen 026 had spoken to me before. Just pleas to live or spare them.
Unclear intent, but it piqued my interest. I lowered my threatening tail slightly; he smirked.
"Planted a bomb in the reactor. Controller synced to my heart. Kill me, this ship blows—everyone dies."
'Bomb?'
I glanced at the medical team leader behind him. Pale face, sleeve-wiping sweat—proof he wasn't bluffing.
Bomb real, but would he detonate?
'Clings to life hard.'
High intellect, transcendent physique, arrogance. Nothing dimming survival drive.
"......"
He'd spoken yet offered no details, silently flipping the switch.
That triggered the Hulk mutant's signature transformation.
Genes rearranged within cells, flesh warping.
Bones tore through skin, protruding; blood meant for veins spilled out.
Inner energies steamed the surface, muscles ballooned—ripping his clothes.
"G-g-grrr..."
The monster growled through transformation agony.
Artificially wrought Hulk mutant—its shift was unnatural. Surely excruciating.
Transformation complete in moments, it slammed the floor with both hands. The ship shuddered violently.
Already inhuman normally, full rage made it a true monster.
Its arms had lengthened dramatically.
Bones protruded, forming arm-guards like small shields.
Not just arms—head, legs bore bony armor too.
More armored gorilla than man.
Chest gained exoskeleton like mine, guarding vitals.
Difference: alloy material. From back, it wrapped the torso like a steel spider clutching his chest.
Bone shards piercing skin, fresh bloody alloy exoskeleton, freakishly long arms.
True to Hulk mutant form, it reeked of a creator's cruel jest—pure ugliness.
'Slapping genes together ain't enough.'
Viewing this Aimorph knockoff, I guessed its gene makeup.
Those arm bones? Obvious source.
'Mountain Crawler.'
Mountain Crawler shared habitats with Rockwalkers—like a 10m Armored Skink pumped up.
Rock Dragon nickname for its rock-hard hide; infamous in-game.
Boss had cherry-picked the best from Rock Dragon genes.
He tore off rag-like clothing shreds.
Straddling savagery and reason, the Hulk mutant pounded its chest and roared.
"GRRAAAAAHHH!"
｢Grrr...｣
Did its destruction-lust cry resonate with this Aimorph body? Mine quivered, skin tingling at the impending blood festival.
'Come on.'
In cosmic darkness, monsters bellowed—the battle begun.