I Became a Baby Outer God. Now What?
………… Seoul at 7:23 a.m. The subway on the morning commute was packed with people, just like always. Some dozed off, some stared at their smartphones, and others blankly gazed out the window at the passing scenery. The massive gear called everyday life was turning precisely today as well.
――At least until three minutes ago.
“Gaaaaah!”
The first scream erupted from Gangnam Station Exit 8. And that was just the beginning.
The sky tore open. Space itself crumpled like paper and split apart, and something poured out from the rift. A viscous, tar-like yet fluid, mercury-esque unidentified mass spread into the air, defying gravity. And then――
It began to take form.
The tentacles came first. Dozens, hundreds of millions of them writhed and tangled together. Tiny tendrils sprouted from the surface of each one, and at their tips, mouths lined with teeth opened and closed repeatedly. Eyes followed next. Human eyes, reptilian ones, insect compound eyes, and bizarre orbs from unknown creatures sprouted irregularly. Some bled, some melted, and others split and multiplied.
“Again? Another commute-time attack?”
“Third one this month already……”
As office workers slumped in the middle of the road muttering to themselves, a Threat Management Agency drone circled overhead, blaring its alarm.
Citizens, evacuate immediately. Repeat. An unidentified threat entity designated Form of Madness has appeared. Estimated threat grade――approximately 897 Giga.
“897 Giga!? That's almost Tera grade!”
“First Tera grade since last year's monster invasion off Incheon's coast, right?”
“Where's the S-rank Awakener? When's the S-rank getting here?”
The thing named Form of Madness continued to swell in the meantime, already surpassing the height of a ten-story building. One of its tentacles twitched indifferently, and a nearby building's outer wall crumbled like tofu, concrete debris raining down like a storm.
And――
…………
……Huh?
Feels like I just got smacked on the back by Mom. For real. Something slapped me pretty hard. I can't even tell where my head ends and my back begins, but anyway. Thanks to that, my mind snapped into focus.
Where am I? Who am I?
I try to think, but it feels like I have tens of thousands of heads. One question splinters into thousands of branches, answers flooding in simultaneously. Just asking “where am I” triggers responses on latitude, longitude, altitude, air pressure, gravitational constant, rotational velocity, angular distance to the sun, position within the galaxy――all at once.
……Is this normal? No idea. Anyway, quiet down. I want to think alone.
The peanut gallery piping up with [You'll be at it all day if you think alone] gets the death penalty.
Hmm. Right. I remember. [It]. A lifeform outside the observable universe, larger than the observable universe itself. I observed [It], made contact with [It]――and got absorbed.
Like the fate of a human observing a quantum particle. No memories from the moment of absorption onward. More precisely, since the “me” that got absorbed ceased to exist, there was no ego left to store memories.
But here I am, thinking. I've reclaimed the first-person “I.” Why?
One of the thoughts that had been gagging me provided the answer soon enough.
This is……an emotional afterimage flowing in from [It]――the main body.
Sorry. Mistake.
……Mistake?
So the main body [It] thinks contacting me was a mistake? Hmm……no clue why. From [It]'s perspective, I must've been smaller than a quantum particle to a human.
No human apologizes for accidentally bumping a single quantum, right? Normally, when I got absorbed by [It], its appendage should've reached this planet, merging the whole thing into [It].
But for some reason, the main body severed the connection, cutting me loose. So I'm left in this state. A single severed nerve bundle from an anemone. Still twitching, alive and moving independently……that's me now, apparently.
Anyway, feels like I've been dumped alone in unknown territory. I used to be human, but now I'm not. Getting absorbed and spat out by the main body [It] distanced me too far from Homo sapiens.
Yet my connection to the main body [It] is completely severed. Suddenly an orphan lost in the universe.
Hmm. The main body seems to have abandoned me entirely. No psychic link or anything. So……how do I live from here?
Let's think it over. Live like the main body? Just exist. Do nothing. Huddle in a cosmic corner, contemplating the birth and death of stars for tens or hundreds of billions of years. That work?
As I pondered, one thought barged in.
[Just absorb it.]
……Absorb what?
[This planet. Absorb it all. That's how it's done. Mom……oops, the main body started that way too.]
The other thoughts chimed in agreement.
[Yeah. Eat, grow. Head to another planet. Eat that one too. Devour every organic and inorganic thing in this galaxy.]
[You could grow as big as Mom.]
[Maybe even bigger than Mom.]
Heat boiled among the thoughts. Some were already simulating predation paths. Start with this planet's organics, then move to the nearest reptilian star system――huh, apparently the reptilians went extinct. News to me.
I listened quietly to their heated debate, then suddenly asked.
……So, what next?
The thoughts fell silent. After that. After growing as big as Mom, or bigger. No one had an answer.
Hmm, honestly. I'm not even hungry, so do I need to eat? I don't feel hunger at all.
I don't want to eat people――intelligent Homo sapiens. No reason. Just don't. Back when I was human, and even now that I'm not, eating them feels off――that about sums it up.
Actually, that's not precise. I just don't like it. Adding reasons would make it a lie, so “just” is accurate.
The thoughts plunged into confusion.
[If we don't ingest and multiply, what's the point of “me” existing?]
[What meaning is there in purposeless vital activity?]
[If you hate contemplating like Mom and hate eating too, then what the hell……]
Feeling their turmoil stirred a strange defiance in me.
I don't want to live like Mom.
The thoughts recoiled in shock.
[!?]
[Whoooaaa!?]
A wave of pure emotional shock burst out simultaneously. Wait, somehow I've started calling [It] Mom like the thoughts do. But thinking about it, she kinda is. She accidentally made me, then ditched me――classic irresponsible single mom.
Anyway, Mom lives too boring a life. Just existing without doing anything? Way too dull. Merely watching stars birth and die isn't a desirable way to live.
Most memories from my human days are hazy, but this one's clear: I hated being bored. So now, no more boredom.
How to avoid boredom? Obviously, hang out with this planet's dominant species, Homo sapiens. Watch the stories clever humans create, their tragedies and comedies, and sometimes join in.
Decided. I'll live with humans. You all cooperate too.
The thoughts stirred uneasily.
[……Humans? This planet's dominant species?]
Ah, from the perspective of thoughts closer to the main body than me, this must seem incomprehensible. If I analogize to humans……like trying to befriend your red blood cells.
But I ignored their opinions. This body is mine to rule. I am the law and order.
At that moment, I realized something. My body can become anything with just my will. Decompose cells, reassemble, reshape as desired. As easy as breathing for a human.
How? Hard to explain. Like a fish understanding lungs.
Anyway, if I can transform, blending in as a human is a breeze. Gotta look harmless first. Can't get a convenience store job looking like a tentacle-eye-tooth blob.
What form? Rifled through faint human memories. The type humans befriend easiest, lowest threat――search complete.
Humans lower guards around small things. Big eyes better. Pale skin, long hair, petite build――classified as non-threat.
Perfect. Decided.
The moment transformation began, tentacles folded inward en masse. Bones inside cracked and compressed. Compressing 30-meter mass to human size spikes density.
Now, face. Merged reptilian eyes, insect compounds, mystery orbs into two big ones. Skin: pure white, flawless. Finally, hair. Split purple tentacles finer, finer, let them cascade. Flowing locks complete.
Two big eyes instead of millions. Two arms, two legs instead of tens of thousands of tentacles. One small pursed-lip mouth instead of hundreds of thousands of teeth. Short stature, pale skin, long purple hair. Bonus: white dress. Can't wander naked――that's a nuisance and misdemeanor.
Good. Almost done. Finally――
Raised both hands beside my face, extended index and middle fingers into a V-sign.
Ta-da. Humanity's friend, alien loli complete.
…………
A massive crater looms. Hundreds of meters across, maybe. Crater fits better.
My body sits in its center. Surroundings wrecked. Asphalt melted into glass, building debris scattered, smoke rising. No lifeforms visible. Where'd everyone go?
Anyway……where is this? Who wrecked it like this? So much to learn. Where I am, why it's like this, what to do next.
Huh? Something's inside my body. Totally missed it. And not just one. Several. Hard ones, soft ones, hot ones. Most bigger than my current body.
How can things bigger than me be inside? Human logic says impossible, but now it feels normal.
Let's list what's inside. Hard to distinguish at first. Took time to recall “metal.” Dredged up foggy human memories, concepts from the mist.
This: drone. Four propellers, central explosive. Kamikaze drone. This: bigger, pointier. Missile warhead. When'd that sneak in? And this――oh, a lifeform. Warm, pulsing, encased in something hard. Armor?
……Ah, this lifeform smacked my back. Thanks to it, I woke up. A benefactor, maybe.
First, melt and absorb inorganics――feels like dissolving sugar back when human――the lifeform……
Cautiously poked with an internal tentacle tip. No reaction. Heavy sleeper? Poke poke.
Oh, faint flicker in its neural net. Unconscious, but nerves alive. Info flowed in on the ripples: images, memory fragments, words.
Seoul. Right, this is Seoul. I lived here.
More info on the red guy. Famous Awakener. Memories hazy, but S-rank. No idea what that means. Dig deeper.
Got it. S-rank: top-tier Awakener. Beyond-spec existence. They wield unimaginable gear, tech, bodies. How? Personal stories vary.
Anyway, this red guy was attacking an ugly monster in Seoul. Oops. Must've ended up in my mouth mid-fight with some evil beast. Last memory seems fight-related.
Hmm, what to do. Pondered deeply. They say even brushing clothes means fate. Ending up in my mouth? Massive fate.
From a humanitarian view, obviously help. Nickname Masked Warrior Red? Kinda retro. I'll call him Red Armor Guy.
Impressive though. Packs antimatter blasts into leg kicks. Signature: “Warrior Kick.” Over 180 cm, muscular. Handsome face, probably. But now sleeping like a log inside me.
Hey, wake up. Can't freeload without paying board.
……No stirring. To wake sleepers, slap cheeks. Tap head at 10,000 times per second.
Tap tap tap, tap tap tap.
……Huh? Red guy's surface softening, gooey.
Uh……wait. This like the missile? Wait wait wait.
Is he……getting digested? Wasn't trying to eat him. Sorry, mistake.
Sheesh, hold on. Melting inside me is bad. Tough to fix solo.
No choice, rouse the thoughts. You reconnect nerves. You keep heart pumping. You restore circulation. You weave DNA strands. Me? Watch you work.
[………]
Didn't hear their grumbling. I'm in charge.
After hard work――success, sorta. Checked repair status. Eyes, ears: two each. Perky nose. Mouth, teeth: all there. Plump pink lips. Makeup? Maybe.
Breasts bigger than head. Could nurse ten babies. Slim firm waist. Plump hips. Perfect for easy birth. Armor too: semi-transparent, skin-visible cling.
Hmm. But the baby-maker……wasn't there a thick pillar and pouch before? Nah, imagination.
Perfect. I don't fail. Ironclad law.
But no more tinkering. Might melt again. Better find people, take to hospital.
But……who carries? No one's around.
Guess find kind folks. Or ambulance.