Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Persistent Nemeses
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‘What a persistent grudge.’
Even on the research ship, Arnold Russell had tried to kill Kisaragi Yujin, but I devoured him first.
Now here, this Jade Russell character had brought a Galleron for some terrorist plot, but that Galleron was currently traveling with me.
‘They must have spotted me with the Galleron and decided to target me.’
Adhai was always riding on my head, so it wasn’t strange for enemies to assume that.
Anyway, the enemy assault was already underway. It was time for me to prepare a counter.
There were four foes approaching right now, but the sniper wasn’t among them.
‘The sniper’s coilgun has an effective range of 1.5 km. They probably fired from atop a building outside the Earth District.’
It wasn’t particularly impressive compared to standard sniper rifles, but it excelled in firepower and penetration—enough to punch right through my incredibly tough skull.
Unlike other sniper weapons, the coilgun played to its strengths by engaging at relatively close range. The enemy had likely shot from some elevated spot about a kilometer away.
‘The problem is I can’t pinpoint the sniper’s exact position.’
Excluding the sniper, my senses picked up four others: three relatively close, and one lagging behind at the rear.
None of the approaching presences carried the scent of synthetic skin or the faint electrical hum of androids.
One moved with mechanical precision, but the thick smell of blood rather than rubber confirmed it was a cyborg.
‘And there’s a Cult member too.’
From the one at the rear, I detected faint flows of psychic power—slightly stronger than Adhai’s, but its true potency was anyone’s guess.
The terror of Cult abilities lay in their diversity and uniqueness. They were one of the few species with potential for every kind of psychic power technique. Charge one blindly, and you’d get toyed with by some outlandish esper attack.
‘I need to see their appearance first to gauge their power.’
The auxiliary organs analyzed states via scents, sounds, vibrations, and more. Pinning down fine details like looks was tough, so if I wanted visuals, I had to look with my own eyes. Normally, I’d rely on the auxiliaries, but Cults were different.
‘Their horns determine their specialized psychic powers.’
Unlike humans, a Cult’s appearance was crucial. You could tell if they were aggressive types or support specialists just by their horns.
In other words, horns were one of the few glaring weaknesses for the otherwise advantage-packed Cults.
Cult players knew this flaw well and usually shaved or disguised them to deceive foes, but I was certain this one hadn’t.
‘By their lore, Cults revere their horns.’
In Cult society, horn shape dictated profession, so damaging them was a grave crime. Unless it was a player, they’d never touch their own.
Even if altered, it’d be mere ornamentation.
As I analyzed from cover, something small streaked in from afar.
‘Grenade!’
I bolted from the spot. An instant later, a ferocious blast erupted where I’d been. The explosive’s power was insane—hurling multi-ton containers skyward.
The enemies clearly had no qualms about rampaging through the city. Otherwise, they wouldn’t fire a grenade that lit up the view from outside Earth District.
‘Tch. This is gonna be a headache.’
I was already being hunted by armed police. William was disrupting them on my orders, but this level of chaos would draw attention for sure.
‘Gotta wrap this up fast.’
I had no intention of sparing the ones who’d put me in peril anyway.
‘Detected so far: Cult, cyborg, heavy weapons guy, sniper… one’s missing?’
There had definitely been five, but one had vanished. My auxiliaries couldn’t sense them either, so they’d likely pulled back far to stalk me.
‘Four on-site, excluding the missing one.’
Time to decide who to eliminate first.
‘Sniper would be ideal, but not feasible under current conditions.’
My ranged options were two: spine launcher and monster tentacles.
Tentacles guzzled energy, so off the table. That left the spine launcher as my sole distance weapon.
‘Spines could match the sniper… but…’
The issue: they were high up, I was low. Plus, spines’ effective range was 500m—half the enemy’s weapon. To fight properly, I needed to close the gap.
No way idiots like them would let me approach unchallenged. The heavy weapons guy would block me.
‘Gotta find a way in… damn.’
Auxiliaries reported a reinforced alloy round piercing containers and hurtling my way.
I leaped forward briefly. The shot aimed at my head harmlessly cratered the ground again.
‘From their position, they shouldn’t see me?’
This defied logic. I’d been plastered flat behind a container.
To spot me, they’d need to creep right up or climb somewhere overlooking the entire harbor district.
‘No way…’
Figuring how they tracked me, I charged ahead.
Seconds later, two grenades rained onto my former container. A moment longer there, and I’d have been blasted.
As expected, they were coordinating via my invisible movements. I knew the source of this ability.
‘The Cult’s Soul Link technique.’
One of the Cult’s psychic powers was Soul Link, connecting senses with allies for support. Say players A, B, C: A links vision to B and C, all share the view.
In-game, it showed as a minimap overlay—popular with support mains.
‘Soul Link means support type.’
Then their horns would resemble goat horns. Deer antlers would be bad news, but unlikely.
‘Assume all enemies share vision.’
Soul Link’s range was 700m around the caster. Beyond that, it dropped. So the sniper was within range of the Cult.
‘Can estimate sniper position now… progress.’
Dodging between containers, enemy fire didn’t let up. Their barrage was shredding the containers with my smuggled gene essence prey.
‘Gotta deal with that heavy weapons first.’
At this rate, I’d have nothing left to eat.
Mid-stride, I fired spines backward. Ice-pick-like bone projectiles hurtled at the enemy’s head.
No body armor on them. No dodging my spines.
Or so I thought—my prediction failed.
“Heh heh, can’t let that happen.”
The thickly armored cyborg swatted the spine with a hammer. I was stunned less by the hammer’s solidity than their insane reflexes.
‘Deflected that?’
To wield that strength, most of their body had to be mechanical—Star Union-grade, rare outside their turf. Never expected it here.
‘These guys aren’t pushovers.’
Who’d have thought I’d run into heavy hitters like this out of nowhere.
‘Need to regroup.’
Charge ahead blindly, and I’d get dropped without a counter. Sure enough, under cyborg cover, the heavy fired a grenade my way.
‘…Tch.’
Dodging a beat late, the blast caught me. My exoskeleton resisted fire, dulling the pain but not erasing it. Gritting through the burning agony, I kept moving.
“Fuckin’ bug bastard won’t die!”
I took cover behind another container as curses flew. While they reloaded, I quickly reviewed my traits.
‘Cyborg and Cult make spines tricky. Serrated tentacles? Sniper’d cripple me mid-fight. Melee’s no good either.’
Spines and close-range out, neurotoxin was sealed too. Wings risky with a sniper about.
‘There’s gotta be a way… ah.’
An idea sparked. Conveniently, that container was nearby.
I dashed to a large container box. No time to fiddle with terminals—I ripped the door off with teeth and combat arms.
As expected, beyond the inner iron bars slumbered a massive beast.
Including tail, it was 6m long, its bulk sheathed in an exoskeleton like hammered steel greatsword blades. Six legs, each elephant-foot thick.
The creature from cyborg Russ’s ledger—the second I’d eaten in this city. A baby Mountain Crawler.
Bending the bars with combat arms, I slipped in and activated my parasite swarm. Parasites from my fingertips wormed into the Mountain Crawler’s ear.
｢Grrruk?｣
Sensing the intrusion, it opened its eyes. Four massive orbs swiveled, locking on me.
｢Grrrr｣
Instinct or parasites, it didn’t resist.
Its carapace was way tougher than mine. As a juvenile, the underbelly was soft, but still a living tank.
Via parasites, I commanded it: rampage freely outside.
｢GRRRRLING!｣
Roaring like a tank engine, it burst through the bent bars.
Alloy rounds flew instantly, but failed to pierce the dreadfully armored back.
“What the fuck! What’s this?!”
“Mountain Crawler!”
The sudden beast panicked them. Buying time with it, I bolted the opposite way from the container.
｢You okay?｣
[Zz zz zz (And you?)]
｢Me and little one fine. Prey fine too.｣
[Zz zz zz zz (Good.)]
26’s wave hit mid-run. Sounded like none had taken hits.
Since they’d come hunting Galleron, they were holding off on Adhai for now.
‘Problem’s 26 and William.’
They wouldn’t ignore others besides Adhai. Once I was down, they’d move in.
William aside, 26 was useful to me.
Protecting 26 now was tough. It’d have to fight alongside me.
‘It’s grown, so stronger for sure.’
Hard to gauge its level, but better than before.
I’d love to watch from safety, but no such luxury. Battle would test its power.
‘And with that, handle their vision first.’
Refocusing auxiliaries: only three sensed. Sniper too far, fine—but one still missing.
‘Vision handler. Definitely more than one.’
The linking Cult.
And the one providing a wide field of vision to all.
Two vision roles among my attackers.
‘Sniper and three are focused on the Mountain Crawler now.’
Meaning the remaining one’s defenses were thin. They might have an ace, but no choice.
Decision made, I pulsed to 26.
[Zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz (Help that one, not me)]
｢The big lumpy one?｣
[Zz (Yes)]
｢Big one?｣
[Zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz (Has business)]
I sent 26 to aid the Mountain Crawler, then charged where the hidden enemy lurked.
Guessing their spot was easy. My position between giant containers was trackable, but inside? Blind spot.
They overlooked us from extreme height.
And in this harbor district, only one such perch.
Container crane.
Someone up there shared vision, surveying the field.
‘Could send Adhai and 26… but.’
Reason I didn’t: unknown aces aside, I was the one seasoned in such fights.
In-game, vision-sharing swarms had hounded me plenty.
Fighting them taught me one trick.
A perfect way to school foes reliant on shared sight.
‘Using Galleron to trash this city, huh?’
Terrorists here to sow fear and chaos in the space city.
Guess it’s time to show them what real terror looks like.