Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Psychic Enhancement Unlocked
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All traits and skills in Space Survival belong to specific categories.
For example, traits like the Wings or Chitinous Exoskeleton that I acquired first are in the Physical category, while the Psionic Organ I got from devouring Kisaragi falls under the Psionic category.
So, which category holds the most powerful traits concentrated together?
If you asked me or any of the top rankers, we'd answer without hesitation.
The Abyss Power category, home to Vortex One exclusive traits.
And the Dragon Power category, exclusive to Red Gallerons. Those two.
There's a reason these categories are so dominant.
Vortex Ones are the boss species that appears in the final Outspacer mission. As a boss-exclusive, it naturally boasts overwhelming power.
The Red Galleron is one of the game's most formidable creatures, an NPC even rankers struggle against.
That's why ordinary players can't access their powers.
At best, Cults can tap into Red Galleron's Dragon Power through specific relics, but that's limited. Even then, those relics are rare drops from late-game Cult quests, so only a tiny fraction have ever used them.
Let's tweak the question slightly.
Among the categories of traits and skills that players can actually use, which is the strongest?
Answers might vary among rankers, but most would point to the Psionic category, which handles psychic powers.
The Psionic category offers a wealth of versatile traits and skills adaptable to any situation.
The Physical category is similar, but physical traits and skills have a critical weakness: they focus on physical attacks and defense, leaving them vulnerable to non-physical assaults.
Psychic powers, on the other hand, wield immense physical force while also devastating minds and souls.
This unbalanced game design put Outspacers—who can't acquire psychic abilities at all—and Star Union cyborgs, who rely solely on gear for countermeasures and are half-machine, at a severe disadvantage in the late game.
Players who chose biological species like Mega Corp could acquire psychic powers postnatally through genetic mods. Competing without them was naturally grueling.
The main drawback of Psionic traits and skills is how hard they are to obtain, but playing Cult solves that.
'Around 30% of players went Cult, right?'
Among rankers, the Cult proportion is much higher. Nine out of twenty were Cults. Falling just short of half shows their popularity.
For reference, one of those nine Cults was Korean. I know because I fought him directly.
'A tough opponent.'
I expected him to be strong as a ranker, but he fought way better than I'd anticipated.
'Cults have great specs, but few players truly master them.'
Psychic powers draw inspiration from things like telekinesis or telepathy.
As such, they're often abstract rather than intuitive, requiring high user comprehension and complex control.
In other words, their power varies wildly based on how creatively the player wields them.
That Korean Cult was one of the creative types.
'Old-school, like a fossil.'
He showed me psychic applications I'd never imagined, forcing me to rack my brain for counters during our fight. I thought my hair would fall out.
'Learned a lot from it, though.'
I won in the end, but I gained tons of new knowledge from clashing with him.
I already used a lot of Psionic traits, but after fighting that Korean Cult, my understanding of psychic powers skyrocketed.
Anyway, it's time to put those lessons to use.
'To properly leverage Psionic traits, I need a type.'
Securing the Psionic Enhancement type makes me a perfect organic host for it. The Perfect Organism effect amplifies the effects of traits matching my type.
In short, all my Psychic Power traits get doubled boosts. I don't have enough Psionic traits yet, so for now, I'll rely on raw output.
'Finally. Unlocking type.'
With my approval, the text box dissolved into the air, and mutations began in my body.
I have two external organs for channeling psychic power: the auxiliary organ under my jaw and the tentacle cluster at the back of my head. The auxiliary organ showed no major changes, but the tentacle cluster tied to the "Monster's Tentacles" trait—and the surrounding area—underwent massive transformation.
First, the shape of the carapace covering my head shifted.
Previously, aside from the horns, it was smooth and plain. Not anymore.
The rear head carapace expanded to better shield the tentacles.
Curves and patterns emerged on its surface, creating a far more intricate design.
If the old one was like a horned helmet, this is a crown. A massive one.
It'll shrink once Hunting Icon ends, but it's undeniably cooler now.
As the head carapace changed, the tentacle cluster transformed too.
The once hair-thin, elongated tentacles thickened and lengthened. Now they cascade over my shoulders.
The color shifted from matching my exoskeleton's dark brown to vivid purple, infused with psychic power.
As soon as the tentacles finished mutating, my whole body itched. Psionic Resistance enhancement manifested on my exoskeleton.
Purple tattoos now etched my previously uniform dark brown shell, tracing my veins across my body.
Hunting Icon's effect blinds me right now. But my advanced auxiliary organ let me sense the changes as vividly as if I were watching.
And with that, all mutations concluded.
'Something's different.'
My perceptions have sharpened. The auxiliary organ's expanded range and precision stem from the type effect.
Now I can detect psychic power even if a Cult isn't actively using it.
Faint purple energies flowing through this hospital, this space. Invisible before.
'So this is it.'
In-game, it just marked psychic users purple on the minimap. Is reality just more nuanced?
I recaptured the awe and freshness of my first moments as a hatchling.
'This sensitivity means I can sense Cult attacks before they launch.'
I could already detect psychic flows with the auxiliary organ, but not this precisely. Future fights against Cults or psychic foes will be much easier.
Satisfied with my new type, I headed back to the hospital's first floor.
Metal Absorption still active. Time to return to the nest where the kids wait.
Just as I stepped into the lobby—
My senses caught something odd.
With those words, the fast-forward vision snapped off.
'Predator Sense?'
The rapid playback style matches, but everything else differs.
Predator Sense only triggers for mortal threats and shows fragmented glimpses of impending doom, not reality verbatim.
This was far more detailed than usual. Who spoke, where they came from—everything laid bare.
'Did Predator Sense get boosted by Hunting Icon too?'
Hunting Icon amplifies all my traits.
Likely, Psionic Enhancement Type and Hunting Icon tripled up, letting Predator Sense render a precise future crisis.
'If so, they've got time before reaching here.'
Someone might say just flee, but then Predator Sense wouldn't have activated.
'The station's near their approach route.'
Stealth still holds, but they'll detect me. Going out now risks instant exposure.
'Fighting isn't the issue, but...'
Too many foes. Even wiping them out, time's short. Battle might end Stealth prematurely.
'Detour? Still got the waiting squad.'
Six knights at the station block all paths. Fight's inevitable.
'Time's the problem.'
Hunting Icon lets me crush six easily, but silently? That's the trick.
I came here to avoid exposing myself to the city. Flaunting after vowing a clean exit defeats the purpose.
'Call the kids?'
It's 10:30 PM now.
This hour means station checks for the board meeting. Pre-meeting, so likely tonight too.
'Devoured the last reporter around this time.'
Told 026 before coming: if the station goes dark when I signal, come out.
Sea Demons are deep-sea dwellers, light-sensitive. 026 likely senses broader spectra than me, so it'll follow the plan fine.
'But words and reality differ. I need perfect timing on the signal.'
Our pincer maneuver's solid, but my cue is key to success.
'Auxiliary organ's upgraded, so grasping the station's status with focus should be... wait.'
A new idea struck.
I pulsed my usual wavelength at 026.
[Zz·zzzt·zz (Hear, me?)]
[Zzzt·zz·zz (It's, me, hear?)]
'Bingo!'
I tried on a whim despite doubts. Success.
My link to 026 comes from these back-head tentacles, the Psionic Organ.
Without it, I could hear 026 but not reply.
Now fused into Monster's Tentacles, comms persist. I've used it smoothly with 026.
Forgot it was so natural.
The function aiding communication with 026 falls under Psionic Enhancement Type too.
[Zzzt·zzzt·zz (No, something, else)]
No need to time a call to 026 now. Direct talk suffices.
I told 026 a signal's coming soon—prepare. While it readies, I must too.
'Check all new traits just in case.'
I skipped ones like Insight needing no rush. Plenty of time till nest.
Circumstances changed. Might be late to nest—claim now.
Five traits from hospital, excluding William. Three knights, two civilians.
Hunting Icon boosts predation odds, not 100% guarantee.
More devoured doesn't ensure full triggers. Still, way more than usual in short time.
'Apply fast, then full throttle.'
I summoned the text boxes and scanned quickly.
'No questions. Apply all.'
When I gained Perfect Organism, the text box left me this message.
Evolution has no end.
New gene essences triggered yet another evolution in my body.