Chapter 353
Chapter 353
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 353
Chapter Title: qiqi iykow gkk-353i
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 353
Chapter Title: Gathering of Rankers
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From the two newly activated tombstones emanated a majestic male voice and a frivolous young man's voice. Both belonged to people she knew.
"What the hell? It's Jubaka and the kid? Who called them?"
｢Jubaka and Sino-kun are the ones I called. Chloe.｣
｢Oh, Chloe. Long time no see. How many years has it been? Two? Three? Time sense gets so hazy out here in space. Speaking of which, I just remembered—I stopped by some planet a while back and...｣
｢...Hey, rookie. Shut your mouth. Akira, why'd you suddenly call the members?｣
｢Don't be so impatient. There are still more people coming.｣
As soon as he finished speaking, a dust-covered tombstone floated up into the air.
Chloe was startled when a stone that had never lit up before suddenly activated.
'That tombstone... could it be?'
｢How dare you summon me. You've got guts, Number 3.｣
｢Heh heh, it's been a while. Number 4.｣
The final participant was the top force of the Return Faction, hostile to the Dominion Faction—the 4th-ranked Outspacer ranker.
Thanks to my conversation with Isabelle, I had a new goal.
But there was still unfinished business, so we were currently on the planet where Adhai's herd resided.
This planet, called the 'White Stone' by the Gallerons, was blanketed in thick ice layers ranging from tens to hundreds of kilometers. It looked utterly lifeless, but piercing through the ice revealed a unique ecosystem below.
Beneath the frozen sky sprawled plants resembling gigantic mushrooms and rainbow grass. Near them scurried animals adapted to underground life.
Beyond the vast underground plant colonies lay a long, jagged canyon. In its center flowed an acidic river, shrouded in steam—that was where the Gallerons dwelled.
Near the canyon, amid a cluster of plants resembling oyster mushrooms.
There, Adhai introduced the new settlers to the herd.
｢Cute dwarves｣ ｢Eggs｣ ｢Protect｣ ｢Will help｣
The 40 Coldbloods, sensing Adhai's thought waves, bowed to Ham Ort.
Though all the Coldbloods wore Mega Corp-made reinforced suits that made them fairly tall, to the dozens-of-meters-tall Gallerons, they still looked like dwarves. The female with beautiful obsidian scales, Ham Ort, gazed down at the new visitors with cool eyes.
｢Dwarves｣ ｢Raiders｣ ｢All｣ ｢Must kill｣
｢Reject｣ ｢Cute dwarves｣ ｢Kind｣
｢Dwarves｣ ｢Lying｣ ｢Cunning｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Dangerous｣
｢Deny｣ ｢Cute dwarves｣ ｢Family｣ ｢Will protect｣ ｢Swore it｣
｢Family?｣
Ham Ort's gaze turned to me. In response, I nodded to her jewel-like glowing purple eyes.
｢Dwarf｣ ｢Adhai's mate｣ ｢Offspring?｣
｢Deny!｣ ｢Absolutely｣ ｢Deny!｣
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (They're the family of my new friends)]
Ham Ort tilted her head, looking back and forth between me and Adhai. Then, seeming convinced, she nodded.
｢Adhai's mate｣ ｢Friends｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Friends｣
[Zu (Yeah)]
With the proxy leader Ham Ort's approval, there was no longer any worry of the Gallerons attacking the Coldbloods recklessly.
The prostrated Coldbloods cautiously rose. The Mother of the Sky, now in her griffon subhuman form, approached them and handed over shoulder-bag-sized mechanical devices.
｢PS-111 analyzed Adhai's thought waves to make these translators. I taught you how to use them before, but if you don't remember, ask now.｣
"Friend of the Savior. We remember perfectly." ｢If any problems arise...｣
The Mother of the Sky taught the Coldbloods how to survive in the Galleron nest.
Over the four days since arriving, we'd prepared to ensure the Coldbloods could settle safely.
'Strictly speaking, PS-111 did almost all of it.'
While its main body handled Isabelle's coordination, MPS-01—which had stayed to manage the planet—produced gear for the Coldbloods. Unlike the comms-and-hacking-specialized MPS-05, MPS-01 was a mini-Screamer specialized in facility maintenance and modification.
Synced with the main body, MPS-01 repaired damaged shuttles left on the Screamer support ship or crafted Galleron thought-wave translators. With 26 and me pitching in diligently, it didn't take long.
'Isabelle's coordination is about wrapped up too.'
｢Everyone's brimming with enthusiasm, so I think we're good.｣
I was thinking it was time to head out to our new destination when the Mother of the Sky approached me.
｢Communication's an issue, but Ham Ort said she'd help with that, so one worry down.｣
[Zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (It'd be nice if you had more of those necklaces)]
｢This one?｣
Hearing me, she pointed to the sapphire necklace around her neck.
The necklace Muriel had forced on her during the past assault didn't exist in the game. Thanks to it, she could communicate via thought waves like a Galleron even in her divine beast form.
｢As you know, this is something Su-bin... no, Muriel brought. If it's player-made, mass production's probably tough.｣
[Zuzuzu (Too bad)]
｢Maybe that Return Faction gear manager has more.｣
[Zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (That'd be great)]
My next stop was Aska 44, where the Return Faction's equipment manager was hiding.
'Volcanic planet, right?'
Apex creatures could be found on volcanic planets. Perfect chance to grab traits while hunting that Return Faction ranker.
[Zuzu zuzuzuzu (Then let's head back)]
｢Great One｣ ｢I｣ ｢Nest｣ ｢Will visit｣
[Zuzuzu (Got it)]
Adhai headed to the canyon with Ham Ort, probably to check on the nest kin. I loaded the Coldbloods and spread my wing arms wide.
My massive body lifted into the air. I felt the Coldbloods gripping my scales on my back tense up. The eldest among them, trembling yet grateful, offered thanks.
"Great Three-Headed Dragon. We thank you for granting us sanctuary."
[Zu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu (Sure. But can we change that nickname?)]
"If you command it, we shall correct it."
[Zu zuzuzuzu (Just call me Aimorph)]
"We obey. Great Aimorph."
Embarrassed by the nickname, I smacked my lips. My two side heads, pleased with the new title, held their necks stiff even mid-flight.
｢Why? It's a good one. Way better than 'Morph Boy'—don't you think 'Great Three-Headed Dragon' suits you?｣
[Zuzu zu (No. Not at all)]
The griffon flying beside me with wings spread wide clacked her beak excitedly at my flustered reaction.
'Tch. Better wrap this up and go.'
With that thought, I headed to the Screamer support ship with the Mother of the Sky.
"Empress?"
｢Calling an Outspacer here? Akira, are you sane?｣
｢Whoa, what? First time seeing Number 4. Uh, sorry about killing that queen last time. I needed the cash, you know?｣
The 4th-ranked Outspacer ranker, nicknamed 'Empress'.
An arrogant title if there ever was one, but Chloe didn't see it that way. The Empress was known to dominate about 80% of all Outspacers. If she willed it, toppling the Cult Empire wouldn't be hard.
She and Jubaka, who profited massively from Empire trade, would try to stop her, but it'd be tough. Even if they won by some miracle, the casualties would be immense.
Yet the Empress refrained from war because the Dominion Faction had powerhouses of their own.
｢Hmm, even Beomho doesn't respond when called, huh.｣
｢Would you answer if your mortal enemy called?｣
｢Fair point.｣
Amid everyone's shock, Dominion Faction leader Akira Yujin calmly conversed with the Empress.
｢Akira, calling Return Faction members too? What's your game?｣
｢You're not seriously suggesting we merge factions? I have zero interest in going back to that dogshit reality.｣
Of course, Akira was the only one reacting calmly.
'Why the Empress all of a sudden... wait, could it be?'
Suddenly, Chloe recalled the recent uproar in the Cult Empire. One of its economic pillars, Bersan 02, had been utterly destroyed. The Empire suppressed info to prevent panic, but no Dominion ranker was unaware.
Though what others knew differed slightly from Chloe's intel.
｢Heh heh, nonsense. With the world tilting our way, why bother?｣
｢Calling us to condemn that recent airstrike? Heard Bersan 02 got vaporized.｣
｢Ha, had some good routes there. Ow, my head hurts thinking about it.｣
The Garmelda Family had ties across the Cult Empire, including the Innovation Faction—one of the Imperial Assembly's two major factions.
That faction's leader, Kisos, had died on Bersan 02. Not killed by some Outspacer.
Surviving spies from the catastrophe all said the same: a massive three-headed creature had smashed his mansion.
The destroyer of Bersan 02 was the 5th-ranked ranker, 'Aimorph'.
｢You called me here for something that petty? To condemn me?｣
｢No. It wasn't you anyway.｣
｢What?｣
｢What do you mean?｣
｢Tsk tsk, your intel's so slow. The culprit this time is Aimorph.｣
"...Tch."
Chloe clicked her tongue softly at Akira's words. The Innovation Faction controlled Bersan 02, and as their closest ally, she had the edge in intel.
Yet Akira knowing meant there was a hole in her spy network somewhere.
'Damn old bastard.'
｢Huh? Wasn't Aimorph extinct? You don't mean 'that shitmorph,' do you?｣
｢Hmm, Sino-kun wasn't there, so you wouldn't know. Aimorph came to this world too. Someone did something stupid.｣
｢Don't insult Beomho. It was all calculated.｣
｢...I think I get why you called us.｣
Chloe and Jubaka could guess why Akira—who knew it was Aimorph—had summoned them. Something similar had happened in the game.
"You're issuing a subjugation order for Aimorph."
｢Exactly, Chloe.｣
The 5th rank was the most infamous player in Space Survival. Veterans had lost to him at least once.
Thus, rankers and clans often banded together to hunt Aimorph. The rankers here had joined such parties multiple times.
｢Can't let weeds ruin the garden. We've used tools before, but results were poor. So this time, I'll handle it personally.｣
｢Fight Aimorph or not, doesn't matter to me. Not sure you can even pull it off.｣
｢Good point, Number 4. Alone, I might fail. But...｣
Akira paused before continuing.
｢What if you helped?｣
"Old man?"
｢...Akira. After Return Faction meddling caused this, you think she'll comply?｣
｢Jubaka, words matter. Not Return Faction—Beomho acted alone. Right, Empress?｣
The Empress's tombstone fell silent at Akira's question. Likely because it was true.
｢We compete because our goals differ, but this is different. Letting him run wild— who knows the damage later.｣
｢He's part of Beomho's plan.｣
｢You really think he intended Bersan 02's fall? I don't. He's human too, Empress. Frail, breakable human.｣
｢That's...｣
｢If Beomho's involved, we could spare him. What do you say to my proposal?｣
Akira rarely made polite offers. His 'Tyrant' nickname fit his temperament.
As everyone held their breath.
｢What do you need?｣
The Return Faction ranker's tombstone glowed quietly.
"The Dorane Star System, where Aska 44 is located, is presumed to be the one centered around the red supergiant 'Olga.'"
"Y-yes! Th-the sun visible from that planet looks just like that!"
The faceworm nodded frantically at the massive star image projected on the frozen bulkhead. With the answer from Alshas—the now-faceworm—I glanced at PS-111.
"Considering 'Aimorph's' speed, it should take 3 to 7 days from here to the Dorane System."
[Zuzuzu (Perfect)]
As PS-111 shut off the situation room's hologram projector, I beckoned Alshas.
[Zu zuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu (Your role ends here)]
"N-no! I don't want to go back there! Please! Don't send me back!"
Maybe because it hadn't been long as a faceworm, but Alshas freaked out. Not that its protests mattered—its body was inching closer to me anyway.
'Jason did the same, and now this one.'
Parasites loved living inside me, but faceworms always reacted like this. Jason had thrown a fit at first too but quieted down lately.
'Not that I'll toss it.'
Like Jason, I'd keep Alshas around. Plenty of useful info left in its head.
"N-nooooo!"
With that final wail, the faceworm slithered into the nest near my back and tail. A membrane formed over it, encasing its body. It'd stay there until I called it again.
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