Chapter 338
Chapter 338
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 338
Chapter Title: Ring of Agony
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From my mouth, saliva-like fluids gathered together, forming a tiny lump. Tiny, that is, but still about the size of an adult man's upper torso.
No time to feed it bit by bit, so I simply poured it straight onto Isabel. The half-liquidized, squishy ultra jelly seeped into the creature's wounds.
...Not good.
But its wounds showed no improvement. The ultra jelly could barely hold the condition steady.
PS-111, who had been watching my treatment efforts, spoke up.
It was telling the truth. Isabel's body was on the verge of collapse. No treatment could save it.
"S-Sis..."
Hearing her twin sister's voice, Isabel called out to her sole remaining kin. I picked up PS-111 from atop my head and set it down beside her.
"Little Sister. You mustn't give up."
"S-Sorry... I... abandoned you... sis... I'm sorry."
"I have great expectations for you. You are an essential existence to me."
"Aimorph... sis... please..."
With those final words, Isabel lost consciousness.
Should I just eat her like this?
If things continue like this, I'll really lose her. All her knowledge and perks will vanish. Failing to devour Isabel here would be an even greater loss.
The problem is the risks are just as severe.
I've never eaten a Coldblood in the midst of performing a ritual. One wrong move, and the Vortex One could rip through my gut from the inside.
Based solely on what Isabel said, it might be fine, but I can't be 100% sure. She probably never experienced something like this either.
What should I do... Wait.
Just as I was about to swallow the dying Coldblood in one gulp, an idea suddenly struck me.
"PS-111, doesn't Gigacracker have medical facilities?"
"Affirmative. However, those facilities cannot remove the unidentified substance that has infested Little Sister's body."
"What if we make her a new body?"
PS-111, grasping my intent, blinked its red camera lens.
"You already know how to transfer her."
"Estimated success rate: 10%. High probability of failure."
"If we do nothing, Isabel dies. And I plan to eat her before that happens."
Hearing my blunt words, PS-111 lowered its head. It stood utterly still, but inside that head, it was no doubt calculating countless scenarios.
"Think about what you want."
"What I want?"
At those words, it raised its head. The red lens glimmered, brimming with light.
"I want Little Sister to survive. So please, assist me."
"Fine."
I immediately used Starlight Coordinates to send PS-111 to Gigacracker.
Starlight Coordinates imposes a movement penalty proportional to the size of the target and myself. Before, transporting PS-111 would have left me immobile for dozens of minutes, but not now. In Bone Beast state, my body had grown over three times larger.
One minute passed, and my body regained mobility. I promptly applied Starlight Coordinates to Isabel as well.
PS-111 will pull it off.
It estimated a low success rate, but I didn't agree.
Having repaired and upgraded its own body, and created multiple mini screamers, how many mutant screamers could claim that? Aside from its creator, no one knew screamers better than it did.
So it would surely succeed.
Leave Isabel to it. Now for what's left...
I looked up at the sky.
The Vortex One, wandering after losing its Coldblood vessel mid-summoning. The coalesced black liquid had dispersed into a massive fog. Vast enough to dwarf even me in Bone Beast form.
Who did it summon?
I had a few suspects, but nothing certain.
While I focused on Isabel, the incomplete summoning ritual had nearly concluded.
Something writhed within the vast black fog. Whatever lurked inside twisted and slowly crawled out.
It's coming.
What burst from the fog was a black ring. An enormous black ring.
Countless arms protruded from its toroidal body. Black like the ring itself, each pair of hands was clasped in prayer.
Its overall form evoked the halos from religious paintings. Except a perfect ring should be intact, and this one had half its body missing.
...Ring of Agony.
The Vortex One, called demons of the universe.
One of them had descended upon Berzan-02 in incomplete form.
Among the NPCs in Space Survival, what single entity possessed the most overwhelming power?
Most players would name the ultra-powerful Apex creatures that appeared as raid bosses. The Red Galleron uniting all Gallerons, the Vortex One stripped of psychic powers by the Outspacer, the Sea Demons inhabiting ocean planets, the Arcane Orca dwelling in giant gas giants, and so on.
These foes combined hostile environments with top-tier specs, making them exceedingly difficult to conquer.
But let's rephrase the question.
What species wields the most potent power?
The answer is unanimous.
Beings known by many names: demons of the universe, denizens of the abyss.
Vortex Ones.
However, Vortex Ones—settings describe them as crossing from other universes—aren't easily classified as a single species. Their forms, powers, and habits all differ wildly.
The only common thread is their bodies composed of the unidentified energy called "power of the abyss." That's what binds them together.
Every Vortex One classified entity demonstrates apex-top-tier strength. Even the weakest surpasses a Black Galleron by leaps and bounds.
Moreover, each has unique pitfalls; charging in blind spells disaster nine times out of ten.
I myself had fallen to Vortex Ones multiple times before—even as an Adult with numerous unique traits.
One such perilous existence now loomed before me.
A black ring, 1.5 times larger than me in Bone Beast state despite being bisected. The freshly manifested Ring of Agony floated motionless in the sky.
...At least it's not the Masquerade. Small mercies.
After witnessing Isabel's summoning, I had two Vortex One candidates in mind.
The more dangerous was the Masquerade.
Specializing in mental domination, it's a nightmare to face. It can impose my unique trait Herald of Great Chaos on a planetary scale.
The Ring of Agony is weaker by comparison. And incompletely summoned, it couldn't unleash its full might.
That said, it's no pushover.
Facing a Ring of Agony demands caution in two areas: the myriad arms coating its surface, and the ring itself.
Each of those countless arms is a weapon. Their movements dictate its attacks and maneuvers.
The ring itself is the next concern, but fortunately shattered and halved, so less worrisome now.
Normally, it fires energy blasts from that ring.
It spins the ring at high speed to gather and launch energy.
The power could casually cleave a planet. It nullifies most defenses—save rare exceptions like Red Armor—making it immensely threatening. In-game, you had to kill it before the ring spun.
No time limit here, so that's a relief...
Then, the Ring of Agony, hovering silently in the sky, began to move.
｢Big baby, big baby. Look over there.｣
[Be careful.]
No. 26 and I braced for the imminent assault.
But its actions defied my expectations. The arms on the ring's surface extended downward, hands clasped behind its back.
What?
That pose signaled rapid movement.
Sure enough, the entire ring's altitude surged. Its massive form shrank rapidly in the distance.
Where's it going?
I'd assumed it would attack me first. Unexpected.
Ascending in travel mode meant its target wasn't on the surface. Beyond the atmosphere—something in space outside the planet.
What's out there in orbit... Wait.
A recent scene flashed in my mind.
Isabel performing the ritual, Alshas watching in fear. I'd guessed it wasn't his command. Even I struggled against a Vortex One; Alshas couldn't win.
But current events suggested I misjudged.
Alshas's reaction wasn't due to Isabel's improvisation.
Isabel sacrificed herself to have Alshas killed.
Why summon such a dangerous monster, then?
Because of Alshas's perk.
He can create identical clones. I tasted one before; nearly indistinguishable from other Cults. Even an Aimorph with transcendent senses would struggle to differentiate.
But a Vortex One changes everything.
As their form suggests, their perception transcends physical laws. They pinpoint targets flawlessly, no matter the distance, stealth tech, or sealed bunkers.
That must be what Isabel aimed for. A Vortex One wouldn't be fooled by clones; it'd hunt the original.
Dodged a bullet by not fighting right away.
While I pondered, it had already vanished into the distance. It wouldn't attack until its goal was met.
But I can't just let it be.
Letting Alshas die to the Ring means losing the clone perk. I covet it badly; I want it for myself.
Plus, it has info.
Since Isabel gambled, I need insurance too. Alshas, seeming long acquainted with this world, would make a fine intel source.
So I must devour him before the Vortex One.
Following it will reveal the original's location quickly, so that's no issue.
The real problem comes after: killing Alshas myself, or interfering with the Vortex One's hunt. Cosmic demons never forgive interferers.
Could I win a fight here?
In-game, absolutely not. But circumstances differ now.
Incomplete summoning sealed its strongest attack. Low risk of a one-shot. If I aim to take it down, now's the chance.
What about my side?
By game standards, I'm not ready for a Vortex One. Rot Mold or Acid Breath barely scratches it; Medusa Organ struggles for lethal hits.
Melee's tough too—the Ring excels up close. Those arms aren't for show.
However.
I have a key variable now.
Unique traits from the Transcendent System.
'Space Monster' type traits didn't exist in-game. Using them should give me the edge.
And I'm not alone.
In-game, I prepped and hunted Vortex Ones solo.
Here, allies aid me: Sea Demon No. 26, Red Galleron Adhai, and the ranker-turned Mother of the Sky.
With full power unleashed, victory's within reach.
Good.
[We're taking it down.]
｢Big flyby dangerous.｣
[The riskier, the tastier it'll be.]