Chapter 310
Chapter 310
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 310
Chapter Title: Monster Hunt (1)
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Five days had passed since Alcadi, the family of Alshas, captain of the Imperial Mothership Defender of Berzan 02, was killed.
The entire planet mobilized in response to the unprecedented incident of an imperial mothership captain's kin being slain. Knowledge keepers from the Surveillance Bureau, Cults skilled in tracking, warrior squads from various agencies, and more. On top of that, even the Priests of the Eye of Revelation and the Prophets' Council, who guarded Berzan 02, were deployed.
It wouldn't be unusual for others, but the involvement of the priestly order and the prophets' council in the investigation was anything but ordinary.
Both groups existed to eliminate entities that defied the natural order. They handled issues arising from within the empire itself, such as rooting out Vortex One cults or spies.
Yet their reason for intervening in Alcadi's death was singular.
Though not publicly known, the Outspacers had recently begun infiltrating the empire using a bizarre new method.
Until now, their assaults had followed a predictable pattern: creating a 'Bio Portal' on an empty planet and summoning massive hordes. Once the portal formed, it emitted enormous energy, allowing the empire to prepare in advance.
But the situation had changed.
The enemy had modified parasites that dwelled within 'Worker Drones' and forcibly implanted them into captured Cults or other intelligent beings. The infected became slaves, infiltrating various planets to prepare assaults.
The silver lining was that the infected's intelligence dropped drastically, resulting in zero successful cases so far.
Of course, there was no guarantee this would last forever.
Since learning of the parasites, the priestly order had prepared countermeasures against infiltration. They distributed parasite-tracking devices and psychic techniques to identify infected traits among their members.
This was why the vice-commander had 'dealt with' Alcadi and why they were now involved in the investigation.
Despite the large-scale effort, the one who implanted the parasite proved elusive.
Alcadi's behavior had deviated sharply from typical infected patterns. Up until his death at Kisos's mansion, he had acted completely normal. Pinpointing anything suspicious in his movements was no easy task.
Moreover, his business dealings extended into gray areas beyond the legal realm. Many transactions were handled secretly without leaving evidence, hampering the probe.
It wasn't until the fourth day of the investigation that they finally uncovered a lead on the parasite's implanter.
For about three weeks before his death, Alcadi had sent containers carrying creatures to an abandoned building on 'Glory Street' every three days. His obsessive collecting habits were well-known; there was no reason for him to ship his prized specimens to a rundown street.
Furthermore, creating an Outspacer Bio Portal required vast amounts of organic matter. The priests and prophets declared the abandoned building—the 'Hover Bus Center'—as the enemy's hideout.
However, Alshas and other veterans of past major offensives rejected the notion of an Outspacer plot. Many captains and warriors had witnessed Outspacer parasites firsthand. The entity from Alcadi's body differed vastly in appearance and possessed far superior abilities.
Instead, they suspected the Vortex One priestly cults.
The issue was that the subjugation team's composition had to change depending on the foe.
Outspacers resisted psychic powers but couldn't wield them, requiring high-firepower psychic weapons and physically durable gear to counter.
Vortex One cultists, however, were wildly unpredictable. Combat styles shifted entirely based on which Vortex One they served. Standard procedure was preliminary scouting followed by tailored equipment.
With opinions divided from the start, Kisos stepped in to mediate.
He persuaded Alshas while requesting the Prophets' Council to prepare for any cultist activity. If suspicions arose during the purge, reserves could be deployed immediately.
He agreed to cover half the reserve operation costs, so the prophets accepted.
Some priests grumbled about splitting forces, but defying higher authority was impossible. In the end, Kisos's plan proceeded.
And on the fifth day...
The subjugation team entered Glory Street for the monster hunt.
｢Subjugation Team. En route to the 'hideout'.｣
"It's finally starting."
Nern muttered at the transmission from the imperial mothership hovering overhead.
He was currently in a command room at a defense facility in the 'Fortress of Water', watching the operation alongside Alshas and various soldiers.
"...I should have gone myself."
"You know better than anyone why that couldn't happen. Lord Kisos was being considerate toward you."
Alshas's imperial mothership, Defender of Berzan 02, was sitting out this op.
She was directly affected, having lost family to this unknown entity.
A regular soldier might be overlooked, but a mothership captain succumbing to vengeance mid-operation spelled disaster. Another imperial mothership filled in for her.
Nern had pointed this out, but Alshas shook her head.
"That's not it. What concerns me is that the enemy might not be simple Outspacers. You know that too, right, Senior?"
In truth, Nern shared her suspicions.
Even if it was Outspacers as the priests claimed, too many things didn't add up.
The war with them wasn't a recent affair. They surely knew Berzan 02 was a tough nut to crack. It'd be far more efficient to target remote imperial planets first.
'And targeting Alcadi of all people is suspicious.'
Her sibling was a mothership captain; she herself was a power player on Light's Street. Infecting someone so exposed to scrutiny was foolish.
'They're monsters, but not idiots.'
The priests pushed their case vigorously, but Nern found their explanations lacking.
To him, the enemy was hiding something the priests didn't know—or it was a third party unrelated to Outspacers.
But he kept it to himself.
"Nothing for it. You'll just have to point out the suspicious bits directly."
"Will those proud priests even listen to me?"
"They'll have to. You're the one who's fought them countless times."
Embarrassed by Nern's straightforward praise, she averted her gaze slightly.
Alshas was participating as an advisor with council and planetary governor approval. She couldn't join the op or fighting directly but could relay advice to the on-site team.
The priests didn't object; they knew she was the Hero of Reversal, laden with battle experience.
"That goes for you too, Senior."
"More importantly, you're not even fighting, yet you brought weapons."
Nern's eyes drifted under her chair. Alshas gripped two black axes propped at her feet.
"One of these was given to me by a friend from the Prophets' Council."
"Uses an axe, yet in the Prophets' Council? Quite the unique friend."
"It wasn't her personal weapon. To be precise, it was something she received from someone else and passed to me."
Her eyes held complex emotions, hinting at a story behind it.
"If your friend's with the prophets, didn't she offer any advice on this op?"
"Sadly, no. Providence took her recently."
"...Sorry."
Nern realized the emotion was grief. He apologized quickly; she nodded it was fine.
"She gave her life for the greater cause. I've sent off many kin, but I believe their sacrifices will one day bear fruit."
"...You."
"Now it's my turn to carry her legacy. I hope the cause is fulfilled without further loss."
"You'll bring peace to the empire for sure. Trust me."
She gave Nern an odd look at his words. After locking eyes briefly, she spoke.
"I'd like for you to share in that peace too, Senior."
"Me?"
"Yes. You're vital to the cause. You can't die until it's achieved."
"Thanks, even if just words. Don't worry. Providence sent me back to protect the empire. I won't join Her until that's done."
Only then did she smile, satisfied.
At that moment, a Cult projecting the team's movements shouted.
"Subjugation Team. Entering the center!"
Their conversation ended.
All eyes fixed on the central hologram.
The team had just stepped into the hover bus center.
"Residual parasite pheromones confirmed."
"Leading further inside."
"Container tracks confirmed."
Two hundred combatants from diverse fields—warrior squads, knowledge keepers, tracker-trained hunters, medics, priests—entered the abandoned building.
Outside, two thousand support troops waited for contingencies, with mothership squadrons overhead.
Leaving the impenetrable encirclement, the team followed the trail.
The sand inside bore massive traces intact. Veteran hunters pegged the owner as a bipedal beast at least forty meters tall.
"Minimum forty meters? Enormous."
"Size suggests a Queen's Guard."
"Or a hybrid specimen."
"Either way, no pushover. Relay to the ships."
"Yes."
Knowledge keepers beamed the intel to the overhead squadrons while others scanned surroundings.
Numerous personnel, unknown traps possible—no one slacked.
The team resumed after the keepers finished.
Following traces led to underground stairs. The mightiest, Eye of Revelation priests, took point. They descended slowly, pressing five-pronged rods into the dark.
Bright light erupted, illuminating a vast cavern.
"Traces everywhere."
"Odd. Traces but no Outspacer contamination."
"Too early to judge. Source might be deeper."
Senior priests eyed passages riddling the cavern.
"Traces scattered evenly."
"Trap. Ship status?"
"Sensors detect similar-sized entity two klicks out."
"Good. Split into four teams of fifty, spaced out—in case passages collapse."
"Request extra personnel and sensors for the cavern from surface reserves."
"Check center computers too."
The team reformed and entered a large tunnel.
Initially maintained despite age, it devolved deeper—clawed digs everywhere from a massive beast.
"Comms check?"
"Good."
"Report any anomaly immediately."
"Strange. No Bio Portal signs."
"No contamination or energy detected."
The tunnel silent save footsteps unnerved senior priests.
Something should have appeared by now.
Outspacers needed nests for activity—portals, breeding, evolution, feeding all hive-based.
No nests here. Lone non-queen wanderers? Rare.
Nor cultists hiding, as some claimed.
Those possessed by evil committed human sacrifice, orgies, torture—unhidden, minds gone.
Five minutes in; bones, corpses, blood should show.
'What the hell is this thing?'
Same thought hit seniors as tension peaked—then the comms warrior yelled.
"Comms disrupted!"
"Here it comes! Attack imminent!"
"Defense formation!"
Team prepped seamlessly, weapons drawn, staring ahead. Priests' and warriors' lights pierced dark.
Something loomed in the lit tunnel ahead. As if demanding darkness, it gaped wide.
Green beam lanced toward them.
"All shields up!"
"Priests!"
Frontline warriors activated shields; priests unleashed 'Reflection'.
Thermal ray clashed with layered barriers, rebounding. Splintered beam reversed or hit walls.
Tunnel walls and ceiling melted rapidly where struck.
"Acidic effect."
"Neutralizer bearers, prep!"
"Seal helmets' life support!"
Prepped for cultist toxins, team donned poison masks.
Meanwhile, acid bored through ceiling above, sunlight piercing—vicious stuff.
Seniors stayed calm, assessing.
"Can't move while spewing acid."
"Unaffected by reflected acid."
"Hard shell or other reason? Verify."
"All fire!"
Weapons blazed; deafening blasts shook ceiling down, debris mixing in.
Collapse rippled surface ruins.
It just took hits, spewing till ceiling caved.
Motionless minutes, then it ceased and vanished inward.
"Gods. Incredibly tough."
"Current arms insufficient. Need more firepower."
"Comms?"
"Normalized."
Seniors exchanged glances.
"Disrupts comms with acid. First time seeing this."
"...New hybrid. Trouble."
"Report and request support."
"Leave rest to ships?"
"Comms jammer? Ships might struggle tracking. Pursue cautiously."
Team tailed anew.
Unexpectedly quick recontact. Narrow tunnel; head only emerged.
"Toxic mold!"
"Priests, Air Impact! Contain airborne spread!"
Not acid this time—virulent fungal mass. It gulped throat, hurling globs.
"Ah, it hurts... hurts...!"
"Ugh... ugh..."
"Disinfectant spray! Hang on!"
Contact rotted flesh fast. Lucky few survived first aid; others didn't.
Sudden shift caused casualties. It attacked minutes like before, fled.
Comms restored identically, but casualties meant longer stay.
While aiding wounded, seniors discussed second foe.
"...Saw it?"
"Yes. Head different."
"Yeah. No eyes, horns altered. Head shape changed from acid."
"Shapeshifting?"
"Dunno. Report."
Confirmed: size, jamming, multiple attack types.
Reported, resumed.
Third clash: more dead.
Not cavern-scale but spacious area. Ambush there.
Not fungi or acid—simpler: ramming at unseen speeds.
Shell insanely hard as first noted. Collided warriors shattered.
Counter tough; it blended into walls.
Ten warriors pulped sequentially, then fled tunnelward.
"Damn... Too fast, barely saw. Anyone?"
"I did. Smaller."
"Smaller?"
"Yeah. Not forty—under ten meters."
"What? Another beast?"
"Support requested. Move with them."
~180 left, but playing safe. Unpredictable foe too risky.
Before support...
Fourth strike, silent.
Voice from passed tunnel called. Claimed moving wounded first; come.
None suspicious initially—thought support arrived. Carried injured toward voice.
Senior absent, no comms check? Trapped.
It was there.
Mid-tunnel debris; head/neck out, mimicking. Head similar first but pink.
Crushed wounded, hid in rubble.
Late real support scoured: nothing. Tiny holes found—too small for behemoth.
Returned, minus wounded.
"Mimics voices? Possible?"
"...Clear now."
"Yes. Changes head, changes ability."
"What monster did the queen make?"
"Not sure Outspacers anymore. Maybe cult-related."
"If 'Masquerade', catastrophe already."
250 total with support, but seniors uneasy.
Unknown lurking, watching—chilling.
Overhead comms nailed it.
"Repeat. What?"
｢Advisor opines your foe resembles the 'Three-Headed Demon'.｣
"We know it too. Shapeshifting? How'd it get he—"
｢Advisor consulting Prophets and Temple Guardians. Results soon, static, retreat, static｣
"Comms unstable!"
"......"
Clue gained, no joy.
The demon's fifth assault loomed.