Chapter 279
Chapter 279
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 279
Chapter Title: Collapse (4)
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"...Is it because I'm a spy that you're refusing? If so, I can explain in more detail."
It was the response she barely managed to squeeze out after being caught off guard by the unexpected reply.
She still seemed to be misunderstanding. I hadn't refused her because she'd been acting as a spy for some other faction.
Space Survival was a brutal dystopian world. No matter how good the conditions or perks, survival was never easy. In game terms, it was like reaching the ending with just one life.
In such harsh circumstances, surviving this long without any deception? That itself was the real lie.
The reason I'd refused was extremely simple.
Her faction was a group aiming for the ending. And the Cult's ending conditions included hunting Aimorphs.
Before reaching the ending, the final quest the Cult had to complete was 'slaying a monster threatening the universe.' That meant taking down an Aimorph Adult, a top-tier Metallic Gremlin, or one of the Outspacers commanding ten Queens.
On the flip side, an Aimorph could only achieve ascension by preying on leaders from three major categories of species, much like the Cult. Things like the High Priest, seen as a candidate for emperor in Cult society.
I didn't know how much power or influence Cynthia's faction wielded. But it surely wasn't enough to tackle such demanding conditions.
'If it was, they'd have seen the ending by now.'
Recruiting me as a comrade in that situation? It only felt like they saw me as a pig to slaughter.
I understood it, though. I'd done something similar myself.
Back when I'd decided to save Heavenly Mother, I'd viewed her as insurance. Since Volpf fell into one of the three categories Aimorphs needed to hunt.
Of course, my thinking had changed a lot since then. Instead of using her as a sacrifice for ascension, I'd looked for another way. That's why I'd removed the parasite too.
But that change came from ongoing interactions with her. If my feelings hadn't shifted, her fate would have remained the same.
So, what was the difference between them and me?
Right now, there was no mental connection whatsoever between us. And their power outstripped mine.
True cooperation happened from equal footing. Joining that faction would likely just turn me into a slave.
You could see it with Cynthia herself.
It was clear she didn't enjoy killing other players. Yet here she was, embedded as a spy among player hunters. That gave a pretty good idea of the faction's atmosphere.
"Do you think you can reach the ending alone? Even the rank one failed..."
"You won't know until you try."
"Has becoming an Aimorph driven you insane?"
"Sorry, but I'm perfectly rational right now."
"Rational? Ha, rational. You don't know a damn thing."
"Yeah. You're right. I don't know anything. Not yet."
I'd learn from here on out. And conveniently, I had a good source of info.
Cynthia's expression turned ice-cold as she grasped my meaning.
"Disgusting. You're no different from Jason. Murderers lost in this shitty game world, forgetting reality."
I didn't respond.
Me, who'd taken countless lives for survival. Jason and Muriel, who'd killed for personal desires. Motives aside, the results were the same. If my real-world self saw 'me now,' they'd think I was a psychotic killer monster.
But at least I didn't treat my companions like objects.
Specimen 026, Adhai, Heavenly Mother, and PS-111, who joined relatively later.
Whether this world was a real game or reality didn't matter. They were precious to me, beings I had to protect.
'Negotiations are off.'
I checked Cynthia's status with my auxiliary organ.
Her breathing was growing unstable from oxygen deprivation.
Cult physical abilities were inferior to humans'. Given her failed attack on me, her senses were already a mess.
She had no way out.
"...Fine. I admit it. I can't beat you. No means or strategy to kill you."
Cynthia glared at me with bloodshot eyes.
"But I can make things difficult for you."
'Huh?'
With those words, she pulled her hand from her chest pocket. In it was a small silver orb.
'What the hell?'
The moment I saw the unfamiliar item, I spread my wing arms and leaped back.
It was unlikely she'd pull out a lethal weapon now. If she had it, she'd have used it already. But just in case, I put distance between us.
"It wasn't meant for me originally, but..."
Her voice resonated with the silver orb. The small sphere, about three fingers wide, flashed briefly before turning a dull black.
Something had definitely happened, but no changes occurred. The instant I thought that, an alarm blared throughout the fortress.
'Alarm? No way.'
The space fortress only sounded that for two reasons.
An Outspacer swarm attack, or...
"In five minutes, a Metallic Gremlin horde will crash this place."
"What?"
You heard that alarm for massive Metallic Gremlin swarms.
The orb she held. That thing must be what summoned them.
'Planning to blow us both up?'
When Metallic Gremlins attacked Kessha Arma before, Cynthia's side was more at risk. I could survive dropping into space, but she couldn't.
But her face didn't show resignation. Realizing that, it hit me.
'She's targeting the ones I'm with!'
"No time to dawdle, right? If you don't want to watch your precious 'pets' die, you'd better hurry."
She mocked me, dying in real time from oxygen loss.
Unfortunately, she was right this time.
Specimen 026 or PS-111 might hold if aboard the ship, but naked against Metallic Gremlins? Not suited.
Plus, Heavenly Mother hadn't finished her divine ascension yet. An attack before growth completed meant certain death.
In the end, I had to put off capturing Cynthia.
But I wasn't planning to just take this lying down.
I unleashed a psychic breath at the floor lacking shield protection. The already strained section from prolonged combat finally gave way.
"!"
As the floor collapsed, the shuttle and she plummeted to the level below.
With shields, neither the shuttle nor she would take damage. But silo escape was impossible now. Leaving the fortress required other means.
"You'd better hope I don't come back."
I warned her twisted face and spread my wings. My body shot upward, soaring past the command center toward the long silo extending above.
As the cold steel track ended, a sea of stars greeted me. Beneath my feet lay the full view of Kessha Arma, the massive space structure built by the Cult.
Normally, reinforced glass would reveal the city's interior. But now, battle shields covered the entire fortress. The massive turrets at top and bottom bustled in preparation for the incoming enemy.
One turret as big as me swiveled toward me, nodding up and down. Seeing that, I knew who controlled it.
'PS-111.'
With the second command center smashed by me, command was vacant. The first was chaotic from Specimen 026, whom I'd sent there.
'I asked Adhai to take it with her.'
Mutants, fanatics everywhere, plus Seed Demons and Gallerons. The first command center would be overwhelmed blocking them. In that gap, PS-111 had seized all defensive systems.
Leaving the rear to it, I focused on the pitch-black front.
An unknown void. There, a blue flame ignited.
Starting small, it grew, engulfing the entire city beyond the mountains.
As the raging blue fire died down, ashes weren't left behind—instead, countless grains scattered like uncooked rice on black paper.
That was the Metallic Gremlin horde.
Thousands—no, at least ten thousand—flying straight for Kessha Arma.
-
'Damn it...'
Cynthia cursed inwardly.
The Aimorph had screwed her over to the end, ruining the entire plan.
Her last resort, the orb called 'Orb of Savagery,' allowed commanding a 'specific monster' upon meeting conditions.
Crafted by a past Space Survival powerhouse, she'd held it to fulfill its usage requirements.
'I barely managed to dominate the Metallic Gremlin horde!'
For that, she'd even resorted to player killing. Wasting it like this? The relic meant for the Return Faction's grand scheme, squandered.
Originally, the Orb of Savagery was for one 'guided by the Return Faction.'
While Cynthia waited in Kessha Arma, comrades lured its rightful user here.
A few more days, and under Return Faction guidance, that person—no, 'her'—would join the fortress auction. Cynthia was to hand over the orb then, guiding her to a new relic.
That was the plan, botched by the surprise black ticket. Reactivating the blackened orb meant more blood on her hands.
'...For now, escaping takes priority.'
At least the bastard chose attacking the Gremlins over her.
He seemed to cherish his Seed Demon companion. He'd retreated its tentacles immediately when they risked her shield.
And when she called them 'pets,' his irritation was obvious.
'Filthy pervert.'
Anyway, him leaving extended her life a bit.
But she couldn't relax fully.
He was Space Survival's most infamous. The Gremlin horde was huge, but who knew. If he massacred them all and returned, she was dead.
To survive, she had to escape the fortress somehow.
"C-Cynthia, ma'am. Did it leave?"
A familiar voice called from behind. Montana and his bodyguard disembarked the shuttle.
"Not completely."
"Th-then what do we do?"
Who'd believe this trembling, panicked man had ruled the space fortress minutes ago?
Cynthia told the half-broken Montana.
"Head to first command. Their shuttles should be intact."
"Brilliant! Excellent choice!"
Cynthia cast psychic levitation on Montana and the bodyguard, then leaped through the hole the Aimorph made.
Dropping straight to the first floor, she rummaged through armored suits submerged in blood seas, pulling oxygen capsules. She popped one in her mouth.
"Hoo."
This bought time before death. She gave one each to Montana and the bodyguard, then exited the command center.
Battle shields for Gremlin defense plunged the interior into thick darkness. Only rising flames provided light.
Post-apocalypse. Kessha Arma, symbol of glory, was gone. Only ruins of collapse remained.
"How...?"
Montana sighed deeply, having lost everything in an instant.
"No time for this. To avenge later, survive now."
"Tch, right."
Cynthia boarded a nearby hover bus with the grinding Montana. Inside was wrecked: glass shattered, floors littered with dismembered bodies, engines drained.
A human couldn't fix it, but she was Cult. A stag-horn Cult with immense power.
Placing her hand on the engine, the hover bus lifted into the air.
"Enemies on paths, too dangerous. We'll take this."
"Can't your special barrier protect us?"
"That skill prevents movement."
Short answer to Montana's question, then she piloted toward first command, slowing deliberately—explosions and screams faint below.
Look at what that game-obsessed bastard did. No different from a mass murderer.
Worse, he was skilled with that twisted mind. Cynthia felt it bone-deep fighting him. Without the orb, without his pets, she'd be dead.
'...Need to revise the plan.'
Return Faction seemed to include rank five in plans, but that was reckless. Controlling a threat like Akira, Dominion Faction head, wouldn't be easy.
As her mind grew tangled, first command appeared through broken windows. The cylindrical shield wall intact from afar.
"Entrance shield, releasable externally?"
"Of course. Key facilities recognize my ocular scan."
"Arriving soon. Prep to run on landing."
All tensed at her words.
Then the hover bus smashed into something, splitting in two. The three inside were flung out.
'Damn!'
Plummeting, she hastily used levitation. Her body halted just before impact.
Unlike her, the other two lacked abilities. Falling dozens of meters, they splattered.
Montana, especially with his bulky frame, ended grotesquely. The cartel boss, finger-count powerful among Space Dogs, met a pathetic demise.
"......"
Montana's death wasn't priority.
The bus attacker was nearby. She swiftly deployed 'Mantra of Phase Protection.' A purple mandala dome covered her metal floor spot.
'Who? Who did this?'
Her eyes darted wildly.
The area was earthquake-ravaged: buildings sunk, roads flipped.
Bodies of people, monsters littered the mess.
Even flying the bus felt eerie; stepping here was chilling. She'd seen deaths aplenty, but never this creepy.
'It's just a game. No need to fear.'
As she calmed herself, red light streaked overhead. Too fast to see clearly.
She prepped color bomb hastily. Something approached again. Wing flaps reached her ears.
'Aimorph?'
The thought crossed, but she dismissed. His wingbeats were louder. This was smaller.
Wing sounds swelled. Red light closed at insane speed. Her left color bomb fired late at the foe.
The red-horned, winged thing rammed her shield with its horn.
Normally, its head would've vanished, but it was fine.
"Gal...leron?"
The four-winged snake-like monster tilted its head, then vanished before her.
Realizing the ambusher's identity, pain stabbed her right hand.
"Huh?"
A thin pink vine from the floor pierced her right hand.
She habitually used her right hand for the mantra.
Thus, adjustment lagged. A split-second error, blink-fast.
But enough for someone? The pink vine lanced her eye like lightning.
"!"
Needle-to-eye pain made her scream. But agony was brief.
She thought her world darkening rapidly.
Not fortress lights dying—a life extinguishing. But she never realized.
-
While heading to help big baby with little baby, she spotted a bad guy in her eyes.
The bad guy tormenting big baby wore weird shell, heading to big rock lump.
Telling that bad guy was inside, little baby stomped chubby appendages in rage.
Anyone bullying big baby must be punished.
Anyone.
So she punished.
Thinly morphing tentacle hidden underground, she yanked from bad guy's body. Hole-punched bad guy dangled appendages, unmoving.
｢Me｣｢Thanks｣｢to｣｢win｣
Little baby landed beside bad guy.
Young, often wrong words, but right this time. Without little baby, couldn't punish so easy.
So she yielded to little baby this once. Wrapped bad guy in tentacle, handed over.
｢Little right. You eat this time.｣
｢Really?｣
｢Yes.｣
Little baby wagged tentacle-heavy part. Soon said.
｢Enemy｣｢strong｣｢me｣｢alone｣｢hard｣｢so｣｢together｣｢eat｣
｢Fine.｣
｢Little grownup｣｢power｣｢thanks｣｢win｣｢big grownup｣｢meal｣｢together｣｢like｣
Saying so, little baby nudged her tentacle with its tentacle part.
Young but admirable yielding made her happy. Like big baby, gently stroked little baby with tentacle.
｢Good job!｣
｢Hate｣｢don't｣
Liked from big baby though.
Almost upset, but she endured. She was grownup, more than little baby—endure such times.
Thus, they began eating hunted prey together.
｢Yummy!｣
｢Okay.｣
｢Eating｣｢feel good.｣
｢Agree｣｢star power｣｢stronger｣
Bad guy's meat decent even by her standards. Eating filled her with power. Little baby flapped happily too.
Something round hard entered during eating, but she ignored. Stomach would digest anyway.
｢Done eating, go.｣
｢Yes｣
Devouring all, she and little baby headed back to big rock lump.
No clues anyone knew bad guys were there.