Chapter 265
Chapter 265
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 265
Chapter Title: Ep. 265
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As expected, Kadun, the vice leader of the Marcio Cartel, knew a great deal.
The defenses inside the fortress, the number of pirates and their level of armament, the specs of the ships brought by the guests—everything. Controlled by the parasite, he spilled information helpful for assaulting the fortress without hesitation.
'This might actually be doable.'
The defenses to watch out for matched my memories perfectly, but they sorely lacked the people who could make use of them.
Kessha Arma was a space fortress built by the Cults. Its facilities for repelling intruders were designed for ease of use by Cults.
'But the core of the Marcio Cartel is humans.'
There wasn't a single Cult among the organization's members. Because of that, the fortress's weapons lay abandoned and unused. Apparently, the only facilities operating properly were the massive turrets mounted on the command buildings.
'Sure, there are a lot of pirates, but they're all a ragtag bunch.'
Regular pirates couldn't defeat us. More numbers just meant more food.
'However...'
There was one piece of information that bothered me.
A Cult guest staying on the 100th floor of the Second Command. An important client hired by the Marcio Cartel half a year ago, said to be a formidable powerhouse. Kadun, who hadn't retreated even after clashing with the Mother of the Sky, had lost the will to fight just thinking about her.
'From the description, it sounds like a Temple Guardian or maybe an Oracle's Eye priest.'
Probably not an 'Oracle's Eye' priest. They rode around on their specially tamed 'unique beasts.' According to Kadun, she had come with only a small entourage, no animals.
That didn't quite fit a Temple Guardian either. They were hunters who roamed the Empire slaying evil entities and monsters for national security. Not the type to hole up in a pirate den for half a year.
'Better stay cautious.'
Whoever she was, she was undoubtedly a powerful enemy.
I etched the mystery Cult deep into my mind and rose to my feet.
I'd already learned where the auction items were kept. I'd extracted all the other useful intel Kadun possessed as well.
'Now for the last piece...'
I glanced at the Mother of the Sky.
Under normal circumstances, I'd have devoured her by now, but not today. Kadun's heart was meant to be her offering for growth.
Still, I couldn't extract it right here. Elevating the deification stage for the Wolf, much like an Aimorph's growth, took time. During that process, she would be extremely vulnerable to external attacks.
[Zuzuzuzu. Zuzuzuzu (Problem here?)]
"Yeah. Last time I raised my deification stage, I couldn't move for two hours."
[Zuzuzu. Zu. Zuzuzu. Zuzuzuzu (Two hours? Wasn't it thirty minutes before?)]
"Seems different from the game."
[Zuzuzuzu. Zuzuzuzuzu (We should head back to the ship.)]
There, we could afford a few hours safely. I'd had the parasite-controlled guards falsify records the moment we arrived at Kessha Arma, so no worries about searches.
'The thieves are the issue.'
Since arriving, we'd been robbed three times total. Back then, slaves suitable for parasitism had come knocking, which was convenient. But now the situation had changed slightly.
'I need someone to guard the Mother of the Sky.'
I'd be off looting smuggled creatures from now on, so I couldn't protect her. Even PS-111, skilled in machine operation, needed to come with me.
One of 26 or Adhai had to stay on the ship to watch her.
That's when Adhai tapped my back.
"Ugly friend." "Hurt?"
[Zu. Zuzuzuzu. Zu (No. Growing.)]
"Growing?" "Like big adult?"
[Zu (Yes.)]
Adhai pondered for a moment, then sent more thought waves.
"Me." "Ugly friend." "Help."
[Zuzu (You?)]
"Friend." "Me." "Many times." "Helped." "Repay." "Favor."
Unexpectedly, Adhai volunteered to guard the Mother of the Sky. As it said, we'd traveled together often, so it seemed intentional.
'Should be fine.'
26 had the edge in shipboard combat, but Adhai was a Galleron. A Red Galleron at that, with its power. The odds of a mere thief threatening it were near zero.
"What's this? You offering to help me?"
"Ugly friend." "Helped." "Repay."
"If you're doing that, shouldn't you change how you address me first? Try it. 'Pretty friend.'"
"Lie." "Friend." "Good." "Looks." "Bad."
"...Hah, I really want to smack you."
"Violence." "No hurt." "Me." "Star power." "Block."
"Want to test if it hurts or not?"
While the two bantered amiably, I picked up Kadun's shed reinforced suit and detached the communicator. I handed the communicator to Kadun. Before ripping out his heart, one last task remained.
"One patrol ship. Requesting support."
"Understood!"
I needed a vessel to carry the Mother of the Sky and Adhai.
"Need troops too."
"Pardon? Ah, yes sir!"
Of course, with many minions expended, fresh recruits would be nice.
Thirty minutes after luring new victims using Kadun, a new patrol ship flew toward us.
Dealing with those who arrived oblivious, following the vice leader's orders, wasn't difficult.
"See you then."
The Mother of the Sky and Adhai boarded the patrol ship. My new minions loaded the battered Kadun aboard as well.
'Deification issue resolved for now.'
Time to gather my meals.
'Underground storage near the naval port, right?'
Kessha Arma was a space fortress built to protect mining and trade ships. Thus, it housed facilities for storing extracted resources. The underground storage was one such place.
'In the game, it was like an underground bunker.'
According to Kadun, it was currently under tight guard by numerous pirates and mercenaries hired by the item owners. The pirates' armament was similar to those we'd just eaten, and even he didn't know what the mercenaries were armed with.
'Better than pirates, but not enough to threaten us.'
No need to worry unless it was Mega Corp elite defense teams from Earth or Cult Temple Guardians.
'Originally planned to get the list first...'
Ironically, the list's storage had better security than the underground depot. It was kept in the Third Command, guarded by defenses. Easier to breach the pirate-held area.
'Guess I'll check what's there myself.'
I placed 26 on my head and headed toward the underground storage. PS-111 stuck close by my side.
"Where we going?"
"Subcontroller 'Aimorph' heads to obtain nutrients for growth."
"Big baby growing?"
[Zu (Yes.)]
"Lucky. I wanna grow big too."
26 spoke enviously. It seemed dissatisfied that only it remained unchanged amid our growth.
'Not exactly.'
26's form hadn't changed, but it was still developing steadily.
Its true strength lay not in combat power, but intelligence.
It always adapted new, useful things in its own way. Like turning 'Binding' into a psionic drill, or spreading psychic power to machines for an EMP-like effect. Its ingenuity rivaled players'.
'Owe it a lot.'
Without 26, I wouldn't have reached this point.
"Wanna grow more like big baby."
"Correct. That would balance things better."
[Zuzu (Balance?)]
Perplexed, I asked back, but PS-111 didn't respond. 26 stopped emitting waves too, clearly sulking.
I'd thought it didn't care since we hadn't discussed it, but I'd been wrong.
'Need to find ways to evolve it more.'
Even after feeding it a Black Galleron, no major changes. Except linking memories between Adhai and its parent ship Ort.
It had consumed Gorgon Swarm flesh too, but lacking psychic power, it only slightly hardened 26's tentacles and fins. Hardly a combat boost.
'Look for something suitable in the underground storage.'
Kessha Arma's rare animal auction drew pirates from distant star systems. Plenty chance of finding something helpful for 26. That's why I'd come here originally.
Feeding 26 various things should yield satisfying results eventually.
[Zuzu. Zuzuzu. Zu. Zuzuzuzu (Eat together, grow together.)]
"Really? I'll grow fast like the others?"
[Zu. Zuzuzu (Yes. Probably.)]
I hedged uncertainly, but it cheered 26 up. It withdrew a tentacle to tap my head.
"Excited! Hurry!"
[Zuzu (Yeah.)]
I activated my mimicry organ and walked toward the target near the naval port.
Behind us, the abandoned city continued burning.
"Yawwwn, smack. So damn boring."
"Anything unusual?"
"Nada."
In the A guard room inside the underground storage.
Five pirates yawned hugely amid dozens of camera feeds.
"That's why I said let's do some drugs."
"Mommy, what if Kadun catches us?"
"Everyone else does it."
"Those 'everyone elses' die together too, dumbass."
Rebuked, the skinny pirate grumbled and grabbed the radio.
"This is Chew A guard room. Anything elsewhere?"
"B guard room. All clear."
"C guard room. All clear... Stop moving. Cheating? Selling drugs wher—"
"D guard room. All clear. Recording, so behave. Please."
"E guard room. Clear here. Outside okay?"
The underground storage divided into five sectors, each with a guard room. They monitored sectors, sealed them on anomalies, and oversaw patrolling androids.
A guard room oversaw A sector and entrance posts.
"No issues... Huh?"
The skinny pirate froze mid-reply to the radio, staring at a camera. His neighbor tilted his head at the feed too.
"Fog?"
"Contact the watchpost."
"Yeah. This is A guard room. Fog on cameras. Check it."
"Watchpost here, static, nothing unusual, static, visible, static, huh? Static, person, static, click."
"Watchpost? Respond. Watchpost, this is A."
Others tried the radio, but only static replied. Eyes turned to the watchpost interior feed.
A guard smacked his communicator. Others stood alert, as if spotting something.
Suddenly, entrance-linked monitors blacked out one by one.
"What the—?"
"Contact other sectors now."
"A guard room here. Issue with entrance cameras in our zone."
"Staticstaticstatic."
"A guard room. This is... What now?"
"Huh?"
"Mine's out too."
"What? Everyone, check radios."
"Hold on."
"Hey hey."
Four pirates pulled radios to test comms. The one still staring blankly at monitors suddenly yelled.
"Hey! Everyone look at this!"
"No time for—Huh?"
The four glanced back and fell silent.
The camera-linked monitors were winking out one by one in real time.