Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Temporary Subadult
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‘Damn bastards...!’
The pile of twisted steel beams from the collapsed cargo hold.
Elchen lay buried inside it. His auxiliary heart had been destroyed by Garlic, but since he had another one, he hadn’t died.
The problem was that his current state was barely clinging to life.
The auxiliary heart’s role was to stabilize the Hulk mutant injected with all sorts of genes. Without it, a Hulk mutant wouldn’t last long before dying.
If he hadn’t been an improved specimen, his body would have already collapsed.
‘Dare to betray me? That bitch... I’ll make her beg for death.’
What enraged him even more than the brush with death was the existence of the traitor.
He wanted to grab her right now and rip her limbs off, but there was something more pressing to do first.
‘Fuck. Of all things, the device gets smashed.’
That smart-ass Garlic must have known it was a shock-triggered detonator, yet she smashed it without hesitation.
Thanks to her, the timer on the reactor had already activated. In exactly ten minutes, everyone on this ship would be reduced to dust.
‘Me, dying here? Don’t make me laugh! Do you know who I am? I’m Elchen Dvbara!’
Even with his body still paralyzed, he crawled desperately.
All for the single-minded determination to survive somehow.
“Baby, does it hurt?”
No. 26 spoke up while we were on the move. I could feel the little guy trembling in her small hand.
[Zuzuzuzu (Already healed up)]
“Really?”
I have the ‘Regeneration’ trait, so a bit of torn exoskeleton is nothing—I can fix it in no time. There’s still a wound on my leg, but the bleeding has stopped.
I stroked No. 26 with a small hand as I pondered how to attack Sihyun.
‘A sneak attack’s probably out.’
The eye she has, the Terror Devil’s orb, has x-ray vision. Even if I hide, she’ll see right through me. And if my guess is right, beyond sight, she likely has other ways to detect invisible enemies.
Plus, I’m on a timer right now. In that situation, hiding and stalling would just backfire.
The detonator the boss had was impact-triggered. The moment Sihyun’s blade pierced it and his heart, the timer must have started.
‘Doesn’t seem like the time limit’s too short, though.’
The bomb was the boss’s bluff card. Even if it went off independently of his will, he’d have set it with enough leeway to handle it himself somehow.
I’d love to go defuse the bomb first, but that’s not easy either.
Sihyun pierced both the detonator and the boss’s heart to set it off. She must have known about the bomb on board long ago. And yet she took that risky action? Obvious.
‘She’s herding my actions.’
Me worrying about the bomb is probably within her calculations too. She’s likely expecting me to head for an escape pod.
‘...Feels like déjà vu.’
Just like how I manipulated the pirates’ moves when fighting them, Sihyun’s using the same strategy. Fighting a player really does feel like this.
Either way, there’s only one outcome she gains from cornering me like this.
‘Straight-up confrontation.’
Overwhelm me with superior power at the location she intends.
That’s Sihyun Yujin’s strategy.
Since she’s pushing me that way, I have no choice but to follow.
If I were a ‘normal’ player, anyway.
‘Let’s first sort out the elements that are a minus for me.’
The disadvantages against me right now: three of them.
Time limit, weaker attack and defense compared to the enemy, lack of info.
The one I can’t fix right away is the time limit. This isn’t a fight where I can babysit the bomb. I need to ignore it and focus solely on killing the enemy.
‘Lack of info, I’ll have to handle as I clash directly.’
If I were a player who favored other races, she might’ve crushed me, but I’m an Aimorph player. In the game, nobody knew genes and traits better than me—except maybe the devs.
‘That leaves attack and defense power...’
I even considered heading to the control room now to eat the cyborg, but that has issues too. Evolving to the next stage leaves my body completely immobilized for hours at least. If the bomb goes off or I get spotted midway, it’s game over.
‘Hold off on evolution... Ah.’
Pondering evolution sparked an idea.
That thing in the lab. With it, I might turn this unfavorable battle around.
‘Psionium!’
I turned my steps toward the lab.
Eating Psionium lets me use Subadult abilities for a short time.
Sihyun Yujin has the Galleron claw trait. That lets her unleash blade winds mixed with psychic power and other energies—what gamers call sword aura. I have zero resistance to psychic power right now, so I can’t counter Galleron claws.
But what if I become a Subadult? Evolution perk gives me Psychic Resistance trait. If she’s not a true Galleron—just grafted claws—my exoskeleton can withstand it.
‘Plus, I’d get a ranged attack option.’
I have serrated tentacles, but they’re only good for mid-range checks. Not enough against the Galleron claws on her arms. And since sensation links to them, blindly thrusting one out and getting sliced would be disastrous.
‘Subadult ranged attacks have no such drawbacks.’
If I had to nitpick, heavy energy drain? I have to end it before the Psionium wears off anyway. No time to worry about energy.
Arriving at the lab nest, I set No. 26 down.
[Zuzu zuzuzuzu (Wait here a sec)]
“Where you going?”
[Zuzuzu zuzu (Gotta grab something)]
“Baby, no.”
[Zuzuzu (Don’t worry)]
No. 26 wouldn’t budge, even if I said it was no big deal. She seemed to have something to say but couldn’t quite get it out—her body flickered anxiously.
[Zuzuzuzu (What’s wrong?)]
After hesitating, she didn’t speak up. Normally I’d wait till she spilled whatever she was holding back, but no time now.
I left her and approached the lab fridge. The purple liquid stored inside. I pulled it out and chugged it in one go.
‘Ugh!’
My body burned like fire. When No. 26 got force-fed drugs, I’d imagined it hurt, but this was beyond.
In-game, it just popped a buff on-screen. Here in reality, I had to endure the full forced mutation process.
Pain surged like someone yanking my skeleton longer. Muscles swelled like overinflated balloons till they tore. The exoskeleton covering me grew heavier rapidly.
The agony buckled my knees before I knew it. Barely bit back a scream, grinding my teeth.
‘...Can’t pass out from this.’
How much time passed? The mind-numbing pain slowly ebbed. Felt like compressing years of growth pains into a minute.
Transformation complete, I rose. As always, the translucent text window greeted me without fail.
Species:Unidentified Hostile Space Creature
Status:Subadult (Temporary)
Goal:Survive (1 Evolution Success)
‘Success.’
A few changed parts stood out in the traits. The Reinforced Exoskeleton from Juvenile perk upgraded to Monster Skeleton. With type effect layered on Chitinous Exoskeleton, I’d grown a lot taller than before. Roughly just over 2 meters? Tail nearly hit 4 meters.
‘And horns too.’
Cool yak-horn-like horns sprouted from the head exoskeleton. Chitin material like the rest, reinforced—super tough and sharp. Before, head exo was just defense; now with horns, I can ram or gore enemies.
Checking arms and legs, they’d thickened way more. One standout: faint purple sheen on the exo surface.
‘Psionic shield. Been a while.’
While traits are active, it’s like a psychic barrier coats my body. Blocks Sihyun’s Galleron claws.
‘Finally, Spine Launch Organ.’
Left forearm changed shape. Below wrist, four fingers replaced by long rod-like organ. Looked like a gun barrel—exactly a bio-gun part.
‘Shoots spines instead of bullets.’
Auto-generates spines inside, launches from tiny hole at barrel tip. Seems meh at first, but advantages are huge.
‘Spine penetration beats a Plasma Pistol.’
Raw power’s low, but insane piercing—perfect for heavy armor. If I’d fought the boss as Subadult, he’d be Swiss cheese at start.
‘And I can imbue trait effects on spines.’
Like Pollution Organ, acid spines or venom spines. Means I pick my ammo—like a customizable gun.
Pollution Organs down to one via nest spec, but for non-nest build, it’s a win.
New ability check done. Last, confirm time limit.
‘About 5 minutes left.’
In-game, Psionium lasted 5 minutes.
Not long at all. Gotta end it fast.
Prep complete—then Sihyun entered my sensory range.
I linked to the nest, activating all spores on her path. Gotta wear her down max before clash. Luckily as Subadult, activation was way faster and precise than before.
‘She’s here.’
A boom rocked the ship. Slime threat in corridor meant she wrecked them all at once.
I unlinked, scooped up No. 26 beside me. She’d been lost in worry moments ago; now blinked lights at my sudden growth, fascinated.
“Whoa! Baby got bigger again!”
[Zuzu zuzuzuzu (Gonna run—hold tight)]
“Wheee!”
Destination: bomb site, the reactor.
Super sensitive—touch wrong, boom. No matter how many genes she absorbed, nuclear blast’s impossible to survive. Around reactor, even she’d struggle to fight properly.
Leaping with No. 26 hugged tight, she appeared ahead in the corridor.
“Where you headed?”
Drenched in acid slime, clothes melted—near-nude, but unscratched. She glared, drawing Galleron claws from both hands.
‘Danger!’
I hurled No. 26 behind me quick.
No time for guilt. Her assault already began.
White blade slashed air—crescent sword aura formed midair. Homing missile-like, dead-on hit. Purple sparks on shield, then scrape on struck spot.
‘Ugh.’
Shield helps but doesn’t fully block—slight pain. Good thing not deep; Regeneration handles it.
“Huh?”
Sihyun tilted head. Surprised I’m fine despite her intent?
I was shocked too.
‘Shouldn’t see it normally.’
Galleron claws scary not just psychic, but invisible paths. Predict from swing only—tricky.
But I tracked her attack perfectly. Wondered why—then it hit.
‘No way, Psionic Organ?’
Never got one in-game, never imagined this function.
Unexpected intel, but mid-fight now. Save pondering; I charged her.
Enhanced legs blasted corridor. Type + traits + evolution = explosive dash.
Missile-launched from silo, straight at Sihyun. Faster than expected—her pupils dilated slightly.
Aimed horns to gut her, but she’s no pushover. Drew claws from other arm, deflected my horn.
‘Kuh!’
“Faster than before, huh?”
She got strength-boost genes? Insane power—surpassed big Hulk mutant easily. Without Subadult, my neck snaps on counter.
Her slim leg flashed lightning-like at my gut. I twisted aside dodging, half-prone swung massive 4m tail sweeping floor into her thigh.
“Hahaha! That won’t do!”
I know. Her stance wobbled a bit, but no pain on face.
Attack not over. Tail coiled fixing her; left forearm locked on her head.
“Hm?”
‘Fire.’
Piano-string pluck sound—barrel-end spat spine. Before piercing skull, she whipped claw up blocking.
“Not bad? Pushing me like this.”
She slashed my tail with claw. Expected counter—I’d already released.
Then her black hair glowed red.
‘Red hair? Wait, no way?’
I retreated fast, but a tad late. Brief haze—like flu hit whole body, under a second. Snapped out—horrid pain from tail.
Regained senses, retracted tail: third sliced off, injury severe.
‘That was Red Mist’s power!’
Red Mist: top jungle-planet predator. Red-maned jaguar-like, mane emits hallucinogenic pheromones. Sounds meh, but once hit, can’t escape alone—super threatening. Only fix: distance to minimize effect.
Rare as White Galleron—where’d she get those genes?
“Backing off? You know Red Mist well? Getting interested.”
She smiled, pleased.
‘Tough opponent as expected.’
With Red Mist hallucinations too, must win before Psionium ends. Juvenile loses ranged.
‘Stay calm now.’
Panic changes nothing. Calmly wait for opening—only path to victory.
Tail somewhat recovered, I charged again.
“Kyahaha! That’s the spirit!”
She laughed, kicked my arm. Arm whiffed air; claw dove into my chest.
Gut-rip thwarted as I arched waist. Lower arm hadn’t idled: slime shot from toe-gaps at her eyes.
“Ugh!”
Even strong, instinctual disgust made her shut eyes. Seized momentary disable.
Horns at shoulder—shallow miss. She yanked back; just a scrape.
“Keep making it boring?”
Hair glowed red again—I retreated firing check spines.
“Tch!”
She clicked tongue, halted transform, clawed spines aside.
‘That just now?’
She fired sword aura counter. I hugged floor dodging, glared back.
‘As I thought.’
She acted nonchalant. But I sensed unnatural strain under her face.
Figured her issue.
‘Can’t use two abilities at once, huh?’
Finally, clue to beat her.