Cosmic Insect Swarm - (5)
[Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster smiles.]
Whoosh—
"Urgh... Aaaargh!!!"
I poured Cosmic Power into the avatar's body. A mere fragment by my standards—barely a speck of dust—but for a mortal, it was an overwhelming surplus.
The mortal's body transformed. From the form of an ordinary carbon-based lifeform, with blood, flesh, and bone...
To the shape of the universe sculpted into human likeness.
Yes. Aside from manifesting in a feminine form... it resembled my true body almost perfectly.
Whoosh—
The light pouring from her illuminated the insect's innards in blinding brilliance. Sensing the anomaly, the colossal cosmic insect halted its movements.
Kieeeeh?!
The monster tried to dig into its own head with its legs, attempting to extract the foreign intruder. But it was too late. What had entered through the wound wasn't a helpless worm, but a bomb laced with deadly venom.
"Uuuuuaaaargh!!!"
The human—no, the half-divine avatar shrouded in light swung her arm ferociously. A torrent of power erupted in its wake.
Boooom!!!!
The insect's innards, which had cramped around her, burst apart in unison, spewing fluids—but even those were obliterated by the overwhelming force. Through the medium of a mortal apostle, the power of the universe engulfed the area.
Silver light swirled around Yuna in a spiral formation. An immense power too vast for human hands to wield, yet it formed a breathtaking spiral galaxy.
It erased the cosmic insect's head in its entirety.
"Its movements have stopped... No, what's that...?"
"What the hell is that?!"
"...A person?"
The planet's residents evacuating from the insect. The soldiers of Ratan Planet locked in fierce battle. The embedded reporters broadcasting the fight live. The galaxy tube users huddled in basements, filming the insect.
Most stared in stunned silence at the sight.
A woman floating obliquely in midair, enveloped in spiraling light. Was it her mesmerizing presence? Or the fact that the cosmic insect threatening their lives had its head blown off in an instant?
What snapped them back to reality was the insect's body crashing sideways.
Thud—
No matter its regenerative abilities, no insect could survive without its head.
A brief silence fell, then cheers flooded the battlefield.
"W-Woaaaah!!!"
"We're saved! We're alive!"
"F-Fuck... Hah... Haah..."
Men collapsing in relief with faint smiles. Others screaming in joy at the monster's fall. Youths shedding tears of happiness. Students frantically recording on portable terminals.
In this moment, everyone felt the same overwhelming relief.
The pilots transporting the antimatter weapon meant to kill the cosmic insect were bewildered, but the planet's residents cheered for their newly born hero.
Yuna, who had accomplished a feat beyond mortal limits, looked up at the sky and spoke to me.
"Ha... Haha... My lord Constellation... I..."
[Constellation, Whispering Star Cluster praises the achievements of its first avatar.]
She slipped into unconsciousness.
"Avatar! Yuna Avatar!"
"Call the rescue team! She seems to have passed out!"
"Bring the superpower suppressants and body stabilizers!"
Unable to control the Cosmic Power's waves, she reverted to her human form. But this was undoubtedly an epic feat.
Toppling a city-sized monster with human strength... as a conduit borrowing a constellation's power, no less.
Even those meager Single Planet Restricted Spirit Bodies—too weak to even call gods, barely influencing a tiny island—if they descended in person and struck directly, it might amount to something like that.
"That person just now... that was..."
"Yeah, you saw it too? Wasn't it shaped like a galaxy? A spiral galaxy, just like I've heard."
"Her body changed too, temporarily. Covered in light, like she wasn't even human..."
Hmm. If things played out like this, would I be breaking my promise with the Federation?
"Come to think of it, didn't they say Yuna the avatar contracted with some other-dimensional constellation?"
"I heard she kept failing the descent ritual. But still..."
"Can a human really beat a cosmic insect with their own power?! Unless she contracted with a Galaxy Spirit constellation or something..."
I hadn't said it myself, but the atmosphere made it all but confirmed.
Ratan Planet Planetary Governance Complex. Where the people called presidents, congressmen, or 'higher-ups' ruling continents and regions gathered—the planetary leadership convened here.
A briefing on the cosmic insect's impact was underway.
A military officer stepped forward in the circular conference room.
"Confirmed analysis: The insect that appeared in Delta-4 Sector is estimated to be a Ability-Variant-7 hybrid mutant. It possessed multiple superpowers, including wave absorption barriers, resonance suppression, thermal signature absorption, and more. Of the planetary defense forces dispatched to neutralize it, four squads..."
The hologram screen showed the cosmic insect rampaging through the city.
"Current threats are eliminated. On-site cleanup and fragment analysis are in progress."
Another screen showed the avatar who had repelled it, now collapsed.
"The planet's sole resident avatar entered the insect's head and is estimated to have caused a superpower overload, which..."
"Hold on."
"Yes?"
The planetary president—the highest authority here—interrupted the officer.
"So, did you send antimatter bombs with that avatar? Was it a suicide mission?"
"No, Mr. President. Yuna the avatar carried no weapons beyond her personal gear."
"What are you saying? So she warped gravity with her superpower?!"
When the insect's head vanished, localized gravity distortions and anomalies occurred nearby. Everyone had assumed it was a sacrificial special forces op with antimatter bombs.
"Yes. More precisely, it's presumed to be the power of her constellation."
"Killing a cosmic insect with personal power is shocking enough. But what was that form she showed afterward?"
"We have analysis on that. According to the Information Strategy Office, the other-dimensional constellation contracted with avatar Yuna is estimated to be a Galaxy Spirit..."
"Heh."
The officer's five-minute explanation continued. The meeting then decided the planetary government's stance.
"We should comfort the people's pain and divert attention. Conveniently, we have a hero who slew the insect single-handedly..."
"By any means, we need to secure a resident contract for next year too."
"The military barely scratched it, but if it gets out that Yuna the avatar took it down alone, support for the government might..."
"We have no intention of antagonizing the avatar anyway, so let's disclose it honestly. She's Ratan's hero, isn't she? Just emphasize that securing her resident contract is this government's achievement."
The next day, Ratan Planet was turned upside down.
Central Avatar Research Institute. The Super Galactic Empire Federation's premier superpower research facility.
A woman poked at the air repeatedly with a bored expression. As if something invisible hung there, her index finger danced busily.
Anyone else might have asked what was wrong, but here at the Central Avatar Research Institute, it was commonplace.
The culprit was Vivian, the director courted by countless constellations.
The Federation's top genius. Unrivaled in analyzing and researching superpowers, avatars, and constellations.
[Constellation, Master of Endless Nightmares proposes an avatar contract to you.]
[Avatar contract with Constellation, Master of Endless Nightmares has been rejected.]
[Constellation, Twisted Dream Striker proposes an avatar contract to you.]
[Avatar contract with Constellation, Twisted Dream Striker has been rejected.]
[Constellation, Unstable Lantern proposes an avatar contract to you.]
[Avatar contract with Constellation, Unstable Lantern has been rejected.]
Waking up each day to a pile of avatar contracts in the corner of her vision was routine. The title of humanity's greatest intellect wasn't empty flattery.
Mechanically rejecting them, Vivian paused when senior researcher John-Jerard entered.
"Director Vivian. Have you seen the report on the latest cosmic insect swarm outbreak?"
"Hm? You mean that newly submitted paper? Haven't looked yet. I'll read them in bulk at year-end."
"Isn't this a bit peculiar?"
At John-Jerard's gesture, a translucent hologram document appeared.
"The insects discovered in the early space age differ greatly from these new ones. Especially look at the superpower detection section."
"Hmm."
"We can call slight genetic variations evolution. But how do we explain superpowers?"
Superpowers. Vivian's interest piqued at the word.
"Early cosmic insects were disasters a mere five warships could contain. But now? These cunning things have stealth to evade detection, and the number rampaging on planets is steadily rising."
Vivian pondered, skimming the report.
"Hmm..."
"Any guesses, Director? As the foremost authority on superpowers, regarding the increasing trend in monster ability manifestations..."
Monsters using strange powers alongside human history wasn't odd. But if those manifesting abilities kept growing? Especially with signs of something brewing beyond Federation space.
Something unknown was happening in this galaxy and the Super Galactic Empire Federation—enough to stir a genius's curiosity.
The top researcher in supernatural fields, yet to gain deeper knowledge, she felt the need to wield superpowers herself.
"...Maybe I should try an avatar contract."