Chapter 332
Chapter 332
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 332
Chapter Title: Simulacrum and Bio Portal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'I don't know what he's thinking....'
This time, their plan wouldn't go as expected.
Just before boarding the personal shuttle, the curved sword hanging from his waist flashed briefly.
It resembled the eerie glow that had tainted the warehouse.
-
The shuttle carrying Isabel and the Cult ranker flew toward the city's outskirts.
Even under the shield's protection, the hull shook incessantly. Considering what was happening outside, this level of vibration was nothing.
Not long after liftoff, an enormous shockwave hit the entire Bio Dome enveloping the city.
It must feel like this in the crater of an erupting volcano.
Isabel had never experienced an energy explosion this intense. Nor its aftermath.
Beyond the shuttle's glass window, a massive hole gaped in the Bio Dome.
The dome's walls weren't a single layer but multiple overlapping ones, with gaps spanning tens to hundreds of meters. Even orbital weapons like thunder gods rarely penetrated them.
Yet the current dome could be called half-destroyed without exaggeration.
Walls had crumbled, buildings burned, and countless ships crashed from the energy blast, turning the city into complete hell.
There was no trace of Berzan 02's signature beautiful cityscape.
"Crazy bastard. He really meant to smash the city."
The Cult muttered while gazing at the devastation reflected in the glass. Contrary to his words, his voice held no real emotion.
'What the hell is he thinking?'
His opponent had lived in this world longer than Isabel. He wielded not only personal power but also considerable forces.
But it meant nothing against the infamous ranker, the Aimorph. Even before entering the rankings in the game, he'd hunted rankers relentlessly.
Moreover, destroying the Bio Dome proved he was far stronger than in the game. He'd likely acquired traits that didn't exist there.
The opponent surely knew this. It made no sense for him to act so relaxed when he should be fleeing for his life.
"Wondering why I'm doing this, huh."
"......"
"Well, it's 'that Aimorph,' so you figure I'm just acting cocky. Especially a rank-14 small fry like me."
"...No matter what we prepare, beating him will be difficult."
From Isabel's perspective, the enemy losing to the Aimorph benefited her, but she couldn't say it outright.
She had to protect those she hated most due to the contract Cynthia had made when sparing her life. So she hid her true feelings and responded obediently.
"Probably. If it were just me."
"Just you?"
While they talked, the shuttle reached its destination.
'This place?'
Landing revealed a familiar location.
"Planning to hole up at home?"
"Something like that, but a bit different."
He kept spouting words that were frustratingly vague.
The two entered a mansion that gave a relatively modest impression. Slaves should have come out to greet them, but none appeared—likely all fled.
Except for exactly one.
"You're here."
A Cult with a familiar face welcomed the mansion's visitors.
Two Cults stood facing each other.
Strangely, they were identical, like mirror images. From their smooth, shining silver hair to the tips of the yak horns protruding from their temples.
It wasn't just their appearances. Their voices were perfectly identical, as if one were a recording.
Isabel looked exactly like her twin sister Penelope, but not to this degree. The two Cults she stared at were identical down to factory precision.
"Isabel, no need to explain this one, right."
"You'll see my privilege."
At their words, Isabel nodded.
'Simulacrum'.
The ability to create an identical copy of oneself at massive energy cost.
It belonged to Alshas, once rank 14 and now commander of the imperial mothership 'Berzan 02's Guardian'.
The game had psychic techniques for creating clones, but Alshas's was utterly beyond spec. The duplicate possessed the original's same ego, abilities, and equipment. Fighting him meant facing multiple rankers.
Of course, it had fatal drawbacks, but the advantages overwhelmed them.
'But even that won't beat the Aimorph.'
Simulacrum was a powerful privilege, but insufficient to subdue the Aimorph. He'd pinpoint Alshas's weaknesses after a few clashes.
"Preparations?"
"All done."
"Good. Guide us."
"Isabel too?"
"She'll fight with us anyway. Right?"
Isabel silently nodded at the question from the 'Alshas who'd brought the shuttle'.
"What 'I' decided, so no issue. Follow."
The 'Alshas in the mansion' led them to an elevator deeper inside. Once aboard, it plunged downward rapidly.
"How's your side? This plan was his idea."
"You know without me saying. How much that guy hates the Morph bastard. Overly enthusiastic—it's a hassle."
"Memory from decades ago, and still so venomous. What a coward."
"Not our place."
"True enough."
The endlessly descending elevator finally stopped.
When the doors opened, a pungent smell enveloped Isabel's antennae. It resembled the odor of melting asphalt—acrid enough to sting.
Alshas and his duplicate stepped out unfazed. Following behind, the first thing she saw was an enormous underground cavern.
"Space dug under pretense of building a hover bus center."
"Project got scrapped midway."
"Intended from the start anyway."
"Should've dug more per original plan."
"Situation changed—no choice. This size should suffice."
A colossal space that could house several battleships.
At its center stood a structure.
Organic tissue massed into a 200-meter ring shape, covered inside by a translucent membrane. The vertical ring touched ceiling and floor, bound by sticky, haphazard mucosa.
She knew exactly what that biomechanical construct was.
Its name was 'Bio Portal'. The primary means of transport used by Outspacers.
Alshas intended to summon a massive horde of Outspacers to battle the Aimorph.
-
Metal rain poured from the sky. Melted girders and clumps of materials and metal cascaded like a downpour.
Who would believe those were the Bio Dome's outer walls or Cult ships just minutes ago?
Where I stood, the Bio Dome surrounding Water Fortress had a colossal hole blasted through it. All results of my psychic breath.
Thanks to 'Tyrantroid' activating, my energy output surged several times beyond normal. Leading to unintended results.
'Meant to just clear the battleships and the Oracle's Eye priest corps.'
I hadn't expected the vaunted indestructible Bio Dome to shatter. I'd destroyed it multiple times in the game, but never purely with my own power—this was the first. My usual method involved crashing the imperial mothership from planetary orbit.
'Different from plan, but actually better.'
Tyrantroid's effect grows stronger the graver my injuries. So the breath's power wasn't even at its peak yet.
'Minus the part where it's hard to wield at will.'
The overwhelming force I'd felt just before firing the breath through the monster's tentacle was gone. The vitality that had enveloped my body was rapidly waning.
My Regeneration trait was restoring my body, weakening the Tyrantroid effect.
｢Whoa! Strong!｣
Then a familiar, intense wave came from behind. No. 26's, with its massively enlarged body.
｢Big guy's hurt but so strong!｣
It stroked my damaged body with a huge tentacle.
Currently, Tyrantroid's boost had enlarged me considerably. Not as extreme as 'Bone Beast' form, but at least 1.5 times bigger.
No. 26's tentacles caressing my wounds were just as proportionally massive. Not due to 'Terror of the Deep' effect—it was genuinely that big now.
Seed Demons canonically measured 20-30 meters, but could temporarily inflate further in combat. It now exuded the majesty of a sea demon.
'Behavior's the same as ever, though.'
｢Doesn't hurt?｣
[Zzuzz zuzzuzz zuzz(Fine, heals quick)]
"Due to sharply enhanced metabolism, damaged cells and tissues are regenerating at very high speed."
Just as PS-111 on my head carapace said. The shattered sections from the slayer and main gun impacts were regenerating steadily, if not lightning-fast.
I extended my wing arms to stroke No. 26 in combat mode. Nearby buildings shook with each movement of my enlarged body.
With enemies incinerated in an instant, Adhai and Sky Mother flew over.
｢Big adult｣ ｢Huge｣ ｢Huge｣ ｢Big adult!｣
Adhai was thrilled by my transformed appearance and destructive feat, bouncing across my back—a clear sign of its mood.
｢Tyrantroid boost made the breath near Red Galleron level?｣
[Zuzzuz zuzz(Not that much)]
｢What do you mean not. You turned Water Fortress into this.｣
Sky Mother clucked her tongue at the wrecked dome. She knew well how difficult it was to destroy one.
'Fortress interior enemies seem mostly cleared.'
Time remained before the orbital fleet descended.
I needed to scout suspected rankers first.
[Zuzz zuzzuzz(Alshas next?)]
｢Probably.｣
The Oracle's Eye vice captain had been a prime ranker suspect, but it vanished without trace in my breath.
"Before departing, requesting confirmation of the Coldbloods 'little brother' brought."
'Ah. Right.'
Forgotten.
Slave quarters were distant from the center, spared the flood. But with the dome's massive collapse, their hidden burrows might not hold.
'If those guys die, it's all over.'
[Zuzz zuzz z(Get moving, hop on)]
｢Yeah!｣
No. 26 shrank to about 20 meters and climbed atop me. Felt like a giant water balloon draped over my back—quite the odd sensation.
｢Tight｣ ｢Body｣ ｢Shrink｣ ｢More｣
｢Can't. Bad humans might show.｣
"Without tentacles wrapping, risk of falling. Please press closer."
｢...Not the time, but this looks kinda weird.｣
With the kids aboard, I spread my wings wide. Tyrantroid slowed my movements, but I could still fly—and faster than any personal shuttle.
A few flaps lifted me skyward. I beat my wings powerfully toward the slaves' hiding warehouse.
Minutes later, I arrived at the slave quarters sector and landed carefully.
"M-Monster!"
"Gaaaaaah!"
City residents screamed and fled at my sight. Warriors and priests among them.
My left and right heads gaped wide, charging between buildings to inhale dozens of Cults.
Replenishing spent energy that way, I also lowered my wing arms to let MPS-05 dismount easily.
[Zuz zuzz zuzz(Go help them)]
"Confirmed. Confirmed."