Chapter 337
–
Alshas couldn’t believe the reality that was coming before his eyes.
I heard a long time ago that Aimoff killed Jason. There was also news that her old colleague, Cynthia, was also affected.
So I prepared thoroughly. In order to be able to operate an elite fleet, influential people on the planet were recruited a long time ago. As if that wasn’t enough, he contacted the Empress and placed the Outspacer Corps on standby.
Is that all there is to it? She also prepared insurance in case her plan didn’t work out as she hoped. In other words, it should be seen as double or triple preparation.
I was confident that even if it came unexpectedly, I would be able to stop it.
But now her expectations were completely wrong.
The Observatory’s elite fleet was annihilated, and not much of the Outspacer Corps remained.
Now all that’s left is the prepared insurance and the Imperial Mothership that protects the surveillance office.
“The Empress gave an order. He ordered us to step down because we failed to hunt the ‘predator.’
“No! wait! “It can’t end like this!”
“The Empress warns you. It is dangerous if your friend is eaten by a ‘predator’. Run away.」
“Run away.”
“Run away.”
“Shut up! “Shut up!”
It was already difficult to maintain my senses, but the Queen’s voice kept ringing in my head and it was hard to bear.
‘insurance! ‘I still have insurance!’
She glared at Isabel next to her with bloodshot eyes.
‘If you ask me to call Vortex One…’
The more contracts Coldblood makes, the deeper their relationship with their ruler becomes. When the relationship reaches a certain level, the contract to directly summon Vortex One is unlocked.
The summoned Vortex One grants one wish in exchange for a certain price. You can start by assassinating enemies, burning planets, or destroying fleets.
Of course, as the difficulty of the wish increases, the price increases exponentially. If you don’t prepare the right reward, you won’t respond to the summons in the first place.
Moreover, the cost of summoning Vortex One includes the summoner’s life. It wasn’t a big issue in the game, but not here. If Isabel calls Vortex One, she will definitely die.
‘Originally, I was planning to use it more sparingly!’
Isabelle’s special ‘Heavenly Eyes of All Heaven’ is a very powerful ability. I can’t believe I have to throw away such a precious tool here. Alshas was disappointed about that.
Of course, it’s still better than dying. Here, she must successfully kill Eimoff so that her position within the Returned Sect will not be shaken.
‘I’ll have to run away while Isabelle summons me.’
Alshas here is a clone. Her main body is not here, but at the Monitoring Office. This is because the distance a replica made from a simulacrum can be maintained is limited.
‘But no one knows that.’
Once the duplicate disappears, the main body plans to escape to another star system with the imperial carrier in tow. She can create up to five duplicates, so if she decides to run away, no one will be able to track her down. Even if Amorph tries to chase you, it will be in vain because he doesn’t know what’s real.
After organizing all his thoughts, Alshas called Isabel.
“Isabel. It’s time to fulfill the contract.”
Then Isabel slowly turned her head.
The face of the lizard-faced guy with antennae showed no emotion.
“Summon Vortex One.”
Isabel keeps her mouth shut and does not respond.
This is probably because he knows what that command means. But Alshas was confident.
“Don’t worry about your missing sister. “Not long ago, Cynthia received an important clue.”
“shut up.”
“Rescue coming soon…what?”
For a moment, Alshas thought he had heard wrong.
“What did you say just now?”
Before I knew it, scars appeared on his face, reminiscent of a cracked mirror. The wound was dripping with black liquid, not blood.
Isabel signed a contract not to be hostile to the returning members, including Alshas. The scars that kept forming on his body were penalties for violating the contract.
Coldblood, covered in wounds, spoke with difficulty.
“Yes, I know they tricked me. “Sister, you’re already dead.”
“Are you crazy because of Eimoff?”
“Mi, you are the ones who hit. Now, all the way, you deceived me, you wicked, cluck! Seeds!”
Isabel vomited black liquid and pulled out a curved sword from her belt.
“You guys, the original, it’s somewhere else, right? “You will never be able to run away.”
Gokdo, which was thought to be a simple self-defense weapon.
Only then did she realize that it was something she had never seen before. I wonder what Isabel prepared that curved sword for.
“Wait, you?!”
“A word to the dweller of the abyss, Cluck, the dweller.”
When the guy tried to stab himself in the abdomen, Alshas quickly raised his hand. The psychic technique of bondage unfolded and bound Isabelle’s body.
“To track down and destroy the cult ‘Alshas’…”
“Crazy! stop!”
But the guy didn’t give up. Even as his entire body was bent abnormally and he was vomiting blood and black liquid, he tried to stab himself with the curved sword.
When Alshas saw that, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“shit! Queen! “Send him somewhere else!”
Isabelle, whose whole body was twisted, was enveloped in blue light. But soon after, the light faded out as if something had interrupted it.
Meanwhile, Isabel finished her ‘speech’.
“I offer up my blood and life.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the curved sword pierced his abdomen.
After everything was done, Isabel fell on top of the queen’s body.
–
‘huh?’
The movements of the group of outspacers protecting the queen are strange. The sudden confusion was similar to when the Black Devourer cannon was fired.
‘Did you lose control?’
「Big baby.」
At that time, the waves sent by No. 26 from above flowed into me.
「I’m scared over there.」
[Zuzuzuzu(Scared?)]
「Yes.」
The scary words of No. 26. This is an expression used when encountering a very dangerous enemy.
‘Are there still hidden cards left?’
I wondered if they had called an outspacer ranker or another ranker, but I guess that wasn’t the case. If that were the case, the waves of faster-than-light sailing should have been felt, but they were not.
‘You have to see for yourself.’
I flapped my wings and kicked the air. My body quickly becomes closer to the crowd surrounding the queen. The collecting bugs that got out of control were busy running away instead of attacking me.
Beyond the scattered crowd was a queen in confusion.
And on top of that….
‘Isabel?’
Coldblood, with a small and delicate body, had collapsed.
Isabelle’s body, lying on top of the queen’s body, trembles as if she has epilepsy. A thick black liquid was constantly pouring out of the mouth of the trembling guy.
It looks like dead blood, but it’s not blood.
The black liquid began to move on its own, as if it had an identity, and gathered to a point in the air.
I know what that is.
‘Vortex One!’
There is only one person in this place who can call him that. I’m talking about Cold Blood Ranker Isabel.
‘Could it be that Alshas ordered it?’
When I first saw it, I thought Alshas had forced Isabelle to order. But looking back, I think I misjudged.
This is because Alshas’ condition next to Isabel was not good. The guy was so frightened that he was shaking.
Looking at it, it is clear who led this summons. Isabel summoned Vortex One of her own will.
‘…I don’t know why this happened, but it’s not the time to be like this.’
Isabel was constantly shaking and vomiting black liquid. It’s in the process of being summoned, so it hasn’t died yet.
‘If it were a game, I would have been declared dead.’
This is reality. If you pull it out during the ritual, your life may be saved. The basis for thinking that way is because of the summoning method that takes place right before your eyes.
Like Outspacer, Vortex One, which is said to have come from another universe, is an entity that deviates greatly from the laws of this universe.
For example, Vortex One’s body is composed of a small amount of organic matter and a special energy called ‘abyss power’. Simply put, it can be thought of as an energy life form with an ego.
Since a large amount of organic matter is needed to maintain a body composed of energy, it usually divides its body into several parts and remains in a dormant state.
And Coldblood is a being optimized to protect the split Vortex One, that is, a kind of living storage device.
‘That’s why you die if you call Vortex One.’
The cosmic demons that have come out to the material world prey on the contractees. This is to obtain energy sources necessary to maintain the body while disposing of unnecessary storage devices.
Therefore, Isabel must be separated before Vortex One is completely summoned. That’s the only way to save him.
[Zuzuzzu zuzuzzu (I’m going to get Isabel out)]
“I’ll help.”
“huh! Let’s save our friend’s family!”
I closed the distance to the queen and pulled out the erosion tentacle. Six tentacles protruding from its back headed towards the black liquid gathered in the air.
「Attack of ‘■literate’. It’s the room.”
Outspacers’ unique wavelength tickled my monster’s tentacles. The collecting bugs that had received his orders blocked the tentacles. Like moths that cling to a light in the middle of the night, the collecting bugs clung to my tentacles and made it impossible for me to move.
Only one tentacle managed to pass through the meat shields and hit the black liquid.
The moment I came into contact with the black liquid, which was infinitely smaller than my tentacles, I felt a tremendous repulsive force. Not only that, but the area that hit the liquid was deeply dented as if it had been hit by a material-disintegrating bomb.
「Pain reduction activated!」
For the first time in a long time, the ‘Pain Reduction’ feature was activated. Intense pain struck my brain, but I was unfazed. Because it was expected and intended that this would happen.
‘good. Now that it has been fed, its obsession with the summoner has probably decreased a bit.’
Some Vortex Ones attack their summoners during the summoning ritual, or during the process of body reorganization. Since we gave her food instead of the summoner’s body, Isabel’s life will be extended a little longer.
Next, I approached the queen again to personally separate Isabel. As I approach, the queen attempts faster-than-light sailing.
「You can’t go!」
「!」
At that time, No. 26 pulled out its saw blade tentacles and grabbed the queen. Like when a giant octopus eats a shark or a whale, numerous tentacles entangled the queen’s body. The queen, who used to glow blue, has returned to her original state.
“shit! Because of you, Moffak…!”
Alshas, who saw this, roared in anger and struck No. 26’s tentacle with the ‘condemnation’ in his hand. Since it was smelted from Black Gallagon’s horn, the saw blade tentacles were cut off without a hitch.
「Ouch!」
‘How dare you!’
Seeing No. 26 in pain, both heads were engulfed in anger. Heads with their mouths wide open pounced on Alshas.
“What the fuck…!”
Alshas couldn’t even scream and was crushed by my head. At the same time, the queen’s body also suffered major wounds.
The queen fell to the ground, screaming in pain. The collecting bugs that were attacking me followed the injured queen.
The queen, who was stuck on the desert sand, glowed blue and soon disappeared.
Any other time I would have tracked down the queen, but now I couldn’t.
This is because Isabelle is floating in the air.
‘The tremors of my body are getting weaker.’
The black liquid that came out of the guy’s body had already spread bigger than the size of the guy and the queen. I’ve survived so far thanks to buying time, and in a few minutes, that black liquid will be completed into Vortex One.
‘I’ll have to find some way.’
Although I have killed the summoner before summoning him, I have never interrupted him mid-way like now. Even though he tried to pull Isabelle out with his eroding tentacles and fighting arms, the black liquid blocked him.
There are many problems with using Psychic Breath or Black Devourer Cannon. Not only is there not enough time, but if I make a mistake, Isabel will also die.
Just as I was thinking about it, No. 26 on my back moved. It crawled up to my center head using the fins under its body.
‘huh?’
“I will protect my friend’s family.”
What he did next went beyond my expectations.
When it stretched out one of its tentacles, a purple stem appeared. The stem, shaking like the waves of the night sea, stretched out toward the space where Isabelle was floating.
‘What about that?’
Like a spider turning its prey into a cocoon, the purple stem spread wide like a membrane and wrapped around Isabelle. On top of the membrane, purple stems were intertwined to create geometric patterns.
A suddenly formed energy shield covered Isabelle’s entire body, blocking the black liquid flowing from Coldblood’s body. The black liquid rushed to take Isabel’s body again, but it was all blocked by No. 26’s purple wave.
After the black liquid and Isabel were completely separated, the purple stem created by No. 26 disappeared. Isabel’s body also fell to the ground like a kite with a broken string.
‘this!’
I descended quickly, following Isabelle as she fell. Just before it collided with the sand, I barely caught it with my fighting arms.
‘phew.’
Separating them before they die is a success.
Of course, there are elements that are not understood throughout the process, but there are more important things to do now.
After landing on the sand, I stretched out my fingers and checked for him.
The condition of Coldblood, who was short in stature, was truly miserable. His entire body was covered in wounds that looked as if he had been cut with a blade, and a curved sword that I had seen before was stuck in his abdomen. A mixture of black liquid, blood, and flesh flowed from the wound.
The injuries are so severe that it would not be surprising if he died at any time, even if he was just breathing. I urgently activated the internal organ-related fusion trait ‘Ultra Jelly’.
Ultra Jelly is a trait that consumes stamina to create high-calorie nutrients.
In the game, it was made in advance and eaten whenever needed to restore stamina. When you infiltrate enemy territory and engage in a prolonged battle, or when you spend a lot of stamina building a nest, etc. Simply put, it can be said to be Aimorph’s potion.
Saliva-like things gathered in my mouth and formed a very small lump. Although it is small, it is about the size of the upper body of an adult man.
Since I didn’t have time to feed her little by little, I just poured it on Isabel. Soft, semi-liquified ultra jelly seeped into his wound.
‘…not good.’
But his wounds did not improve. Ultra Jelly barely managed to maintain the status quo.
“My ‘little brother’ is in very bad condition. “It is believed that life will cease within the next five minutes.”
PS-111, who was watching my treatment activities, said:
It’s just as he said. Isabel’s body is on the verge of collapse. It cannot be treated with anything.
“Uh, sister….”
After hearing her twin sister’s voice, Isabel called her only blood relative. I picked up PS-111 from above my head and put it down next to him.
“Little brother. “You must not give up.”
“sorry. “I, my sister, am sorry for what I threw away.”
“I expect a lot from you. “You are what I need.”
“Aimov, sister, please.”
With those words, Isabel lost her mind.
‘Should I just eat it like this?’
If we continue like this, we will really lose him. All the knowledge and privileges he has disappears. If you don’t eat Isabelle here, the loss will be greater.
‘The problem is that the disadvantages are also significant.’
I have never eaten cold blood during a ritual. If I’m not careful, the Vortex One may rip open my stomach and pop out.
Based on what Isabelle said, I think it will be okay, but I’m not 100% sure. He probably has never experienced anything like this before.
‘What should I do…wait.’
As I was about to swallow the dying cold blood in one mouthful, an idea suddenly occurred to me.
“PS-111, there are medical facilities on Gigacracker, right?”
“yes. However, that facility cannot remove the unidentified substance that has invaded your body.”
“What if I create a new body?”
PS-111 understood what I meant and blinked its red camera lens.
“You already know how to move it.”
“The probability of success is estimated at 10%. There is a high possibility of failure.”
“If this continues, Isabel will die. And I plan on eating it before he dies.”
After hearing my honest words, PS-111 lowers his head. Although he is still and not moving, he is probably calculating countless possibilities in his head.
“Think about what you want.”
“You mean what I want?”
The guy who heard those words raised his head. The red lens shines brightly.
“I want to keep my brother alive. So please help.”
“good.”
I immediately sent PS-111 to Gigacracker using ‘starlight coordinates’.
Starlight coordinates give a penalty that limits movement in proportion to the size of the moving object and your size. If it had been like before, I would have moved PS-111 and been stuck for tens of minutes, but not now. This is because my body has grown more than three times in size due to my ‘bone beast’ status.
A minute passed and the body moved again. I immediately used the starlight coordinates for Isabel as well.
‘PS-111 will succeed.’
He put the odds of success low, but I don’t think so.
How many mutant screamers have been able to repair and improve their own bodies and even create several mini screamers? Except for its creator, no one knows more about Screamer than he does.
So, it will definitely succeed.
‘Leave Isabel to him, now all that’s left is…’
I looked up at the sky.
A wandering Vortex One who lost Coldblood during summoning. The black liquid that had been congealed was now in the form of a mist and was expanding to an enormous size. To some extent, it was much bigger than me, who was already in my bone beast form.
‘Who did they summon?’
I have a few guesses, but I’m not 100% sure.
While I was paying attention to Isabel, the incomplete summoning ritual was almost completed.
Something stirs in the wide black fog. Something in the fog wriggles and slowly crawls out.
‘come.’
What stuck out from the fog was a black ring. A very large black ring.
Countless arms were attached to the body of the ring. The arms, which were black like the rings, were putting their hands together as if they were praying.
The overall appearance was reminiscent of the halo usually seen in religious paintings. However, it was originally supposed to maintain a perfect ring shape, but the one that appeared here now had half of its body missing.
‘…Ring of agony.’
Vortex One, called the devil of the universe.
One of them descended on Berzan 02 in an incomplete state.
A word from the author (author review) Please take care of zakuti.
From now on, if there are any characteristics that have appeared before or are not that important in the development of the story, I will leave them in the author’s words like I did today.
Of course, if it is an important characteristic, we will discuss it directly in the text.
「Ultra Jelly: Consumes a certain amount of stamina to produce high-calorie organic mass. When you consume the lump, your energy is restored and the effect of regeneration-related characteristics increases.
*PS: In order to hunt larger prey, you must be able to take small losses.”
“Starlight Coordinates: You can teleport ordinary objects and friendly creatures to specific coordinates, or make them sail at faster than light speeds.
*Caution: After using the attribute, you cannot move for at least 1 minute. The larger the object, the longer the time you cannot move. 」Watch next episode”