Chapter 323
Chapter 323
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 323
Chapter Title: The Vortex One Contract
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Just as I was about to move again, the Mother of the Sky wedged herself between me and Isabel.
"Sorry, but give him a chance!"
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu zu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (I would've said I'd fight back if you attacked from over there?)]
"I told you I'd give us time to talk first!"
She unfurled even the agate-colored wings she'd kept hidden beneath her tattoos, gazing at me with desperate eyes. I could feel the raw desperation in her stare.
'A conversation, huh.'
I kept my eyes on her and Isabel while scanning the surroundings with my auxiliary organs. I'd already confirmed it while chasing Isabel—this was a surveillance blind spot, out of the watchtowers' line of sight. The odds of alerting the warrior unit were low unless we made a huge racket, but that didn't mean it was risk-free.
'Fighting here isn't ideal.'
Setting aside the risk of drawing Cult attention, this was the spot she'd lured us to. It was basically her home turf, so who knew what tricks she might pull mid-battle.
'For now, building a positive connection beats subduing Isabel.'
Right now, my 'Parasite Swarm' was sealed thanks to Sihyun Yujin's relic weapon. If I wanted her info without force, turning her into a facehugger was the only option.
Eating Isabel would let me steal her perks, so it wasn't all bad—but getting there was the problem. She hadn't shown her endgame, but she was still Rank 22. No pushover.
'Talking buys me time to probe.'
While the Mother of the Sky stalled, I could gather intel on Isabel and the area. Maybe even glean a weakness from their chat. Giving her another shot wasn't a bad play.
[Zu (Fine)]
"Thank you."
She nodded gratefully.
I stepped back a few paces to watch their exchange.
We'd jumped straight into combat upon meeting, so I hadn't paid much mind to her looks. Now I could finally take in Isabel properly.
A head blending lizard and human features just right, antennae sprouting from her scalp, scales covering her body—the classic Coldblood look. Her scales were a bright blue, save for her lighter sky-hued snout. She was as short as I'd heard, with slender arms and legs that gave off a frail vibe overall.
Instead of the hotel's greeting maid outfit, she wore ragged cloth scraps draped over her frame. Her exposed arms, thighs, and belly didn't seem to hide any extra weapons.
'Coldbloods don't rely on weapons anyway.'
Frail build, tiny stature, shabby clothes.
She looked every bit the pitiful slave—but it was all a ruse. Recalling her moves from the skirmish, I knew better than to drop my guard.
I kept my vigilance sharp, focusing my auxiliary organs on surveillance.
"Typical Aimorph—pulling the same game bullshit here too."
"No, Isabel."
Isabel was just as fixated on me, pouring all her focus my way. She was talking to the Mother of the Sky, but her eyes never left me.
"He saved my life when I was about to die."
"Saved you? That Aimorph bastard?"
"Hard to believe, I know. But it's true. No parasite implanted in me. I'm not under his control—I'm here as his ally."
"......"
Isabel faltered at the Mother of the Sky's words.
'Strictly speaking, half a lie.'
I'd saved her originally as insurance. That's why I implanted the parasite.
Of course, Isabel didn't know that—and she didn't need to.
"...So why are you here, sis?"
After a surprised silence, she spoke up again.
"I came to ask you something."
"Ask me?"
"Yeah. The Aimorph and I saw visions of reality as we grew. We're investigating what they mean."
"Visions..."
At the word 'visions,' Isabel's gaze finally shifted from me to the Mother of the Sky for the first time.
"You saw 'memories' too, sis?"
"Memories? You saw visions from your human days?"
Instead of answering, Isabel fired back a question.
"What choice did you make before the memories?"
"Me?"
"Did the memories consume you? Or did you consume them?"
"Neither. I just peeked at them."
Isabel's eyes flicked back to me at her answer. She wanted to know my choice, but I stayed silent.
"He's like me. He just peeked too."
Precisely, I'd fought and beaten the 'me from reality' manifested in the vision—but I didn't kill it. In Isabel's terms, neither consumed nor was consumed.
The Mother of the Sky knew that but kept it vague, unsure of Isabel's reaction.
"We want to hear what choice you made."
"......"
Isabel stared at us wordlessly, then closed her eyes.
A moment later, she opened them and spoke.
"Sis. Remember how long it's been since we last talked?"
"A bit over eight years."
"Eight years and two months. A lot happened after you left."
"Isabel?"
Her reptilian eyes showed no emotion now—no longing like when she saw the Mother of the Sky, no rage like when she fought me.
They were utterly hollow. The Mother of the Sky swallowed hard as they met hers.
"They trampled my friends, our home—everything."
"!"
Isabel said it casually, but the Mother of the Sky seemed to grasp the weight. Her heartbeat quickened.
"Don't sweat it. Too much time's passed to blame anyone now."
"......."
"I'll give you the answer you want. But hear my request first."
Her ash-like eyes—remnants of a fire long burned—fixed on us.
'A request?'
"...What do you want? If I—we—can do it, we will."
The Mother of the Sky asked, but Isabel shook her head.
"Promise you'll hear me out first. Then I'll tell you what it is."
With that, Isabel clammed up.
She wouldn't speak until we agreed.
'She seems to know quite a bit.'
Didn't feel like bluffing to escape a bad spot. If so, she'd have spun lies or acted differently.
'Her vitals say it's not a lie.'
My auxiliary organs on each head monitored her every twitch. Eye movements, heartbeat, breathing rhythm, muscle tremors—all fed to the ones under my jaw.
No signs of tension or panic. Just her leg muscles quivering from the missing toes.
Unless she was a pathological liar, she definitely knew something about the visions.
'Might as well talk more.'
I stepped beside the Mother of the Sky on my four legs. She flinched, still dazed from Isabel's words.
"Didn't expect a counteroffer from you. Surprising."
"An Aimorph choosing 'talk' is more shocking."
"Cut the crap. I have questions."
She snapped back, but I ignored it and got to the point.
"You said you'd share your knowledge if we grant your request?"
"Yeah."
"Any guarantee you won't lie once it's done?"
The biggest issue was whether Isabel would actually tell the truth. If she lied or omitted key details? All downside for me.
Isabel twitched her antennae irritably at my words.
"Don't lump me in with you."
"Can't grant requests without trusting you'll tell the truth."
"Don't trust me? Then forget it."
"Isabel!"
The Mother of the Sky sent a telepathic plea to stop, but Isabel brushed it off.
"If talk fails, we'll try other methods."
"You think I'm here with no way out?"
Of course not.
I already knew she was hiding her powers. The Vortex One force true to Coldbloods, plus her player perks from arriving in this world.
Unknown specifics, but enough to survive this mess. Otherwise, she'd be dead already.
But I was holding back too.
No intention of letting her walk. She had info I needed, and the surest way was devouring her for a facehugger. Capture her, and it'd be teeth, not words, doing the convincing.
'Big risk, though...'
If Cults joined while fighting her, it'd be a headache. The Cult ranker here thought I was dead. If he learned otherwise, he'd come gunning—and I'd face both at once.
'Priorities say securing her matters more.'
I came to Verzan-02 for her intel. Finding her checked half my box. Fighting might expose me to Cults, but better than letting her slip away.
"Wait."
As I was about to decide, the Mother of the Sky intervened.
"The issue is she might lie, right?"
[Zu (Yeah)]
"Right."
"Then I have a solution."
She stepped forward between us.
"Isabel, make a Vortex One contract. I'll pay the penalty if it's broken."
"What?"
[Zu (What?)]
Isabel's eyes twitched at her old friend's sudden proposal. Her heartbeat spiked for the first time—major agitation.
I was shocked too.
Vortex One, the space devils.
True to the name, all their dealings ran through contracts. Coldbloods could wield Vortex One power only via contracts.
Borrowing power to enhance yourself or unleash massive destruction—effects varied by what you took.
Naturally, stronger power meant steeper costs. Fail to pay, and risks skyrocketed.
Penalties varied wildly by power's scale and type, but breach risks were another beast. Death plus permanent player damage.
Coldbloods had one racial trick to mitigate breach risks: sacrifices. Shift the penalty to a proxy, minimize your hit.
Of course, unpaid debts piling up overwhelmed proxies eventually—but that wasn't the point.
Even minor contracts carried brutal risks. The Mother of the Sky knew that.
Yet she offered to shoulder them if Isabel lied.
"If I lie, you die."
"Then don't lie."
"Why pull this pointless stunt now?"
"You two fighting here is the real pointless stunt."
"......"
Isabel fell silent. The Mother of the Sky turned to me, her eyes steady amber pools—resolution absolute.
"This work for you, Aimorph?"
[Zu (Yeah)]
I agreed curtly.
Not because I wanted her dead.
By now, she'd become a key ally. Not quite on par with Specimen 026 or Adhiboy, whom I saw as family, but precious all the same.
I agreed because Isabel's reaction was intense. She'd seemed detached from everything, yet this shook her hard.