Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Clash with Code Black
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A translucent purple whip sliced across the surface of the marble-block city.
I rolled my feet and leaped back greatly.
The whip cut through the air, passing right beneath my feet.
I retreated as well, shaking my tail in retaliation.
Spines rained down like arrows.
The whip she wielded twisted on its own, as if possessed by free will, sweeping away the spines.
In the meantime, having landed on the ground, I drew a bloodsucking tentacle from my unscathed upper left arm.
The tentacle shot out like a spear, stabbing into the ground at her feet.
As if she had anticipated my attack, she had already dodged to the side.
Before she could sever the tentacle with her whip, I swiftly retracted it.
She's strong.
Even after exchanging blows several times in this short span, it was clear she was no pushover.
She has more than one or two abilities.
She'd only shown two so far, but that couldn't be all.
Saw Yak horns growing earlier, so not a Cult.
Cult members had no way to hide their horns other than artificially shaving them off.
In other words, the enemy was a genetically modified human implanted with Cult genes.
I knew someone similar to her.
The woman who had raided the research ship alongside the Space Dogs and tried to terrorize this space city.
Sihyun Yujin.
She had died and become nourishment for my body, but now the Yujin Family had appeared to attack me.
Well, the board meeting is underway right now.
It wasn't particularly strange for Yujin Family members from Noble Capital to be here.
Of course, I hadn't expected to encounter them in this vast city, in a regular residential district no less, far from the Monument.
She said she was going to capture me.
I didn't know why they were targeting me, but I could guess.
Coming to the dissection team leader's house was probably to gather info on me.
Should've been more careful.
Regret flickered briefly, but I shook my head to clear it.
Now was the time to focus on the fight.
Confirmed so far: transformation ability, Psychic Whip. And unknown additional abilities.
I glanced at the cross-section of my severed arm.
Thanks to the Regeneration trait, the wound itself was clotting, but regrowing the arm would take considerable time.
Psychic Whip is way too powerful for what it is.
The Psychic Whip trait, used in my Ghost Claws, was typically a mid-range harasser.
It wasn't supposed to slice off my arm from dozens of meters away or shred the road like rags.
She has a support ability that enhances traits and skills.
And its level rivaled my sole unique trait.
No ordinary support ability could amplify it this much.
This won't do.
Seemed like I'd have to use Insight.
The Insight trait I'd gained from capturing William randomly revealed some of the target's equipment, skills, traits, and such.
Limited to five times a day, so I'd been saving it, but this opponent was a formidable foe.
I activated Insight.
Purple light gleamed from my eyes, and info on the enemy compiled into translucent text boxes floating before me.
As the information appeared, a purple whip flew from the enemy—no, Code Black.
I flattened myself to the ground to dodge it, then gaped my mouth wide in that position.
The ignition organ inside my throat activated, spewing a massive blaze.
"Fire, is it? Such things cannot harm me."
Her voice came from beyond the flames scorching the road.
I know that.
The fire and smoke were a feint.
I fired spines into the pitch-black smoke, then bolted without looking back.
I had to escape quickly while her whip deflected the spines.
As I ran, I thought.
Code Black received Galleron genes, just like Sihyun Yujin.
Not White Galleron, but from a superior being: Black Galleron.
Among her skills, Dragon's Heart was a special technique unique to Black Gallerons and above.
Possessing Dragon's Heart granted the special state "Draconization," with effects similar to my Hunter's Manifestation.
Enhances held Psychic Power skills, rapid charge.
At first glance, it seemed inferior to Hunter's Manifestation since it only boosted Psychic Power skills, but the key was rapid charge.
With Dragon's Heart, she could spam high-cost Psychic techniques like Psychic Breath.
Psychic Master plus Draconization. No wonder she's overwhelmingly strong.
Psychic Master was a passive effect automatically granted to Cult with Yak horns.
It enhanced close-range, ranged, buff, and crowd control Psychic Power traits and skills.
Double-enhanced by two skills, her absurd power made sense.
Plus, Black was using multiple skills simultaneously.
Because she's using Psychic Power skills in Draconization state.
When fighting Sihyun Yujin, I'd exploited her inability to use multiple abilities at once to win.
That strategy wouldn't work on Black.
And Insight missed an enhancement state, plus Unique-grade gear.
I didn't know the enhancement, but I could guess the Unique gear.
Black mourning dress-shaped Unique equipment? Only one fit.
Black Shroud.
One of the relic-grade reinforcement suits exclusive to Cults. The wearer could evade death once every three days.
Even if reduced to dust, as long as cooldown was up, they'd survive unscathed.
So to beat Black, I need to kill her twice.
With her skills and gear, this body couldn't win.
If I had Psionium like against Sihyun Yujin, maybe, but none here.
Need Hunter's Manifestation.
No time to worry about aftereffects.
I broke into a nearby house and hurriedly activated Hunter's Manifestation.
Insight didn't show it, but she has tracking too.
Even as my body shifted to combat-optimized form, I constantly scanned surroundings with auxiliary organs.
She's coming.
I sensed Black approaching beyond the wall.
And intense Psychic Power emanating from her body.
Damn!
The whip lashed the wall, and the house began collapsing. The Psychic Whip didn't stop there, smashing furniture to pieces as it surged toward me.
Ugh!
The whip struck my barely completed mutation head.
Impact like taking a Plasma Launcher hit.
Difference: last time, no Hunter's Manifestation.
Now, yes.
I can endure.
Exoskeleton tore where hit, but not fatal. Enhanced Regeneration would heal it quickly.
I tensed my legs and kicked the floor hard.
My body burst through the collapsing house, flying at the enemy.
Faster than expected—her eyebrow twitched.
Her right hand waved elegantly; the whip targeted my side.
I blocked the Psychic Whip with the shield-like exoskeleton on my wrist from Hunter's Manifestation.
Metal scraping rang out, sparks flying.
Even enhanced Psychic Whip couldn't pierce my exoskeleton boosted by Type, traits, and Hunter's Manifestation.
"...Not bad."
Just before my horns pierced her abdomen, her left hand spread wide.
Simultaneously, my body froze midair, then flung back hard.
Even rebounding from the intangible force, I lashed out with a tentacle.
Anticipating retaliation, she floated aside, dodging by a hair.
After the clash, I took the loss.
I crashed into the collapsing house.
Shattered wooden furniture and ceiling concrete poured onto my head.
Tch.
Guessed from her Yak horns, but she had defensive Psychic skills too.
What she just used: Reflection.
A Psychic Power skill reflecting attacks from her line of sight.
Not all attacks—couldn't block Psychic Power ones.
Problem: she likely knew that too.
This won't be easy.
To break Reflection, target front with Psychic Power or hit blind spots.
My only offensive Psychic trait: Psychic Breath via Monster's Tentacle.
Not easy, but...
Not impossible.
I rose from the rubble. At that instant, Black whipped precisely at my position.
Confirming her tracking, I dodged, grabbed a wooden table from the debris, and hurled it at her.
"Tricks with debris are futile."
The table split in two with her cold voice.
Tricks, huh.
All necessary.
I fled the building ruins, running. She pursued, whip summoned.
Black Shroud enhancement or speed skill? She kept up effortlessly.
The long whip slithered snake-like, lashing my back.
Even maxing auxiliary senses while fleeing, couldn't fully evade.
Exoskeleton shattered, blood streaming, but I gritted and endured.
...Must hold.
To lure, seem weak. As long as not fatal or debilitating.
Still, back-tearing pain was hard to bear sane.
Thank goodness for Pain Reduction.
Without it, I'd have screamed pathetically.
"Is this not enough?"
Black drew Psychic Whip from her left hand too.
Two-headed snake hissed threateningly.
Damn.
Didn't expect that.
Planned to run to subway station.
But consecutive hits would trash me before lure began.
Basement instead.
I veered into a nearby house.
Cults inside screamed at me.
Ignoring them, headed to basement.
Behind, screaming Cults shredded by Black's Psychic Power.
Blood dripped down stairs, followed by her footsteps.
"In the end, a beast is a beast? Fleeing into a dead end."
Her voice from stairs. I shook tail, firing spines upward.
"Futile."
She reflected incoming spines.
They embedded in ceiling above her and elsewhere.
"Before capture, some education seems necessary."
She descended stairs.
In dim basement, her purple horns gleamed vividly.
As if nothing could harm her, exuding confidence.
That arrogance—how far will it go?
From basement corner, pre-positioned, I fired prepared Psychic Breath.
"?!"
Purple sun gathered from Monster's Tentacle flashed.
Pure Psychic Power essence stretched from sphere to beam.
A beam destroying all.
"Kgh!"
She released Psychic Whip, raising hands hastily toward beam.
Black sphere formed in her hands, matching my Psychic Breath beam.
Purple dragon power clashed with black in basement.
Not just basement—entire administrative district shook.
Immense Psychic concentration pulverized surrounding concrete and rebar to dust.
Ugh!
Clash shockwave alone peeling my exoskeleton. Acidic Blood evaporated on contact with Psychic Power; tentacle tip cracked to powder.
"Grk!"
Not just me—her face twisted in agony. Black Shroud protected body, but beam-firing hands bloodied.
Our Psychic Breaths mutually annihilated without victor.
But anyone seeing us atop ruined basement would think she won.
My exoskeleton nearly gone vs. her intact save palms.
Obvious winner: her.
"Unexpected, but seems my victory."
She spoke leisurely. Ignoring, I hurled debris at her.
It hit remaining ceiling above her head.
Ceiling shook, dust cascading onto her shoulders.
"Blind now? Though you barely have eyes anyway."
Blind? No way.
Hunter's Manifestation hyper-enhanced senses beyond vision.
That attack: intentional.
Spines precariously hung above her dropped onto her neck.
Reflection's flaw: can't reflect non-line-of-sight attacks.
So hit blind spots.
Spines pierced her unguarded neck.
Stinging as descending stairs, she touched nape.
Touching spine, eyes widened.
"Uh, ugh? Th-this...?"
Many enemies lately bundled up like Ezerton knights, but my spines' true power elsewhere.
Irresistible neurotoxin spread rapidly, binding her.
Staggering, she reached for wall—useless. Limbs defied her; she tumbled unceremoniously down stairs.
"......"
Soon speechless.
I approached to finish.
Need to kill twice.
As combat arm swung for head, her body glowed purple.
Light? No way?
I twisted away urgently.
Purple spear grazed my waist edge as I dodged.
Ugh!
Had I not, Psychic blade would've pierced organs and heart.
Clutching bleeding side, I retreated.
Behind me stood unscathed Black.
"Impressive. Without Code Red, I'd have fallen."
I spewed fire at her.
Smoke screen deployed, I escaped basement via ceiling gap.
What happened to Black: effect of "Astral Tuning" skill.
Astral Tuning: support Psychic Power skill caster applies to one target. Very potent.
Caster can teleport target at will.
Target temporarily ethereal from Psychic, purging debuffs like poison.
Short range, caster immobilized during active— but perfect for stabbing foes unaware.
Two enemies!
Suspected from Insight's locked enhancement: Astral Tuning state.
High-tier Psychic skill, rarity matching Dragon's Heart.
And...
Fleeing, I checked bleeding side.
Black's stab skill: "Pain Spear."
High-pierce Psychic with recovery debuff for duration.
Thus, wound healing slower than usual.
Trouble.
Black alone tough; equal foe nearby.
Astral Tuning max 1km radius. Caster helpless while active.
Guess where caster hiding, but...
Black won't let me reach.
Fleeing isn't ideal.
Just buys time. Black tracks instantly; she'll find me easy.
Once Hunter's Manifestation ends, truly over.
Their goal capture, not kill. For kill, spam Psychic Breath.
They're wary too.
Already burned once; they'll fight passively short-term.
But not long. Once my cards shown, done.
How to break through?
As pondering, Monster's Tentacle at head back tingled.
｢■■baby.｣
How to counter...
｢Big baby!｣
Familiar wave—I snapped head up.
Tingling from Monster's Tentacle: from No. 26.
Ground beneath shook.
Road concrete cracked; dozens long thick tentacles erupted.
｢We're here.｣
From exploded concrete hole burst massive pink jellyfish, over 5m.