Report
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 227
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"It wasn't an Outspacer. How unexpected."
The situation was dire.
Si-Hyun had anticipated that the creature might not be a pure Outspacer. After all, no records of such a form existed in the Megacorp Data Archive.
Even so, she assumed it to be a variant akin to a queen or perhaps an entirely new type of Outspacer.
But it turned out to be neither.
The Abyss Destroyer a relic designed to target and destroy specific genetic material should have been fatal if it were truly an Outspacer.
Yet, despite being struck by the Abyss Destroyer’s waves, the creature didn’t die. It merely sustained injuries.
The fact that this monstrosity enhanced itself through advanced genetic manipulation was already known. Its collapse under the Abyss Destroyer’s assault likely resulted from the destruction of the Outspacer genes composing its body.
While that alone would typically spell a critical wound, a bigger issue remained.
"That terrifying being is now a wounded beast."
That cunning creature undoubtedly understood the danger posed by the Abyss Destroyer. It would chase after her before she could escape.
Though numerous cultists roamed these underground chambers, their chances of killing the creature were slim. If anything, they might end up as sacrifices, hastening its recovery.
That was why she hadn’t brought her subordinates. Bringing untrained fighters here would only serve to feed the beast.
Ultimately, she had to confront it herself. Leaving such a monster unchecked posed an unacceptable risk. She had to settle this here and now.
"To kill it, I need its genetic data."
If she could collect samples flesh or blood from the creature, the Abyss Destroyer would analyze its genetic makeup. Once the analysis was complete, it could deliver a truly fatal blow.
"The problem is how to harvest its flesh…"
Despite sustaining genetic-level damage, the creature had only collapsed to the ground. With incredible durability and sharp intelligence, wounding it further and collecting genetic samples would be no easy task.
At that moment, a mechanical, static-laden groan reached her ears.
｢Ugh… where am I?｣
The sound came from Laila, who was lying on the ground.
Her life-support suit, which had entered a temporary recovery state after a heavy impact, began functioning again. With effort, she managed to sit up and lean against the wall.
｢What happened? Did you deal with that monster?｣
“It was a failure. I managed to wound it, but killing it was beyond me.”
｢…...｣
Laila fell silent at Si-Hyun’s words.
After a moment of quiet, a modulated voice emerged from her life-support suit.
｢Then, what do you plan to do?｣
“It will come after me before I can escape. I’m well aware of that.”
｢What about informing the cultists and working with them?｣
The day before, when Si-Hyun was preparing to descend into the underground, Nern had contacted her.
He suggested that if she planned to fight the creature, she should join forces with the cultists. He even offered to inform Alsas to ensure their support.
“That won’t work. They won’t leave my relic alone.”
｢Fair point.｣
Si-Hyun had rejected Nern’s proposal.
If the cultists saw the Abyss Destroyer, they would undoubtedly try to claim it for themselves even Kisos, who had promised to support her.
The Abyss Destroyer was an artifact she alone could wield, but would that stop them? It was all too easy to imagine how the cultists would treat her.
"But if things continue as they are, death is inevitable."
She looked down at the crystal battery installed in the Abyss Destroyer.
This battery, obtained along with the artifact, had been analyzed for its components and structure, but no information came out. What it was made of and how it worked remained a complete mystery. However, just like the main body, this device contained transcendent power.
The crystal battery's role was to charge the Abyss Destroyer, allowing it to continue firing its genetic destruction waves.
Of course, the absence of the battery wouldn't stop the main body from functioning. Before arriving at Verzan 02, experiments showed that even with the battery removed, the remaining energy in the weapon would still be available.
However, the only way to supply energy to the Abyss Destroyer was by installing the crystal battery. Despite trying every possible method, charging had failed.
This meant that without the crystal battery, the Abyss Destroyer would essentially become a one-time-use weapon. If she wanted to continue using the main body, this battery was essential.
‘The battery has 60% energy left.’
Once this energy is used up, it would require recharging. Though not for long, it would still take about a day to fully recharge, so it couldn't be used recklessly.
‘Two chances left.’
Each shot consumed about 30% of the energy, meaning she had two more chances to strike the enemy. In those two chances, she would have to harvest its flesh and then prepare to use the weapon again.
However, the enemy would also be expecting her to use the weapon again. The tactics of her and Laila acting as bait would no longer work.
With all conditions except the artifact being disadvantageous, she bit her lip.
‘Is there really no other way?’
Joining the cults underground and waiting for an opportunity was the only choice. She would have to wait for the enemy to fight the cults, then harvest its flesh, and only then could she wait for the situation to allow her to use the weapon again.
‘It's like feeding it…’
A monster that absorbs genes and strengthens its body. If it fought the cults, it would quickly recover from any injuries, but there was no other way.
Just as she was about to speak, Laila spoke first.
｢Hold on a moment. We’ve received a message from Captain Nern. He says there's now a way to support us alone, and he’s offering help.｣
Thanks to the communication device embedded in her life support suit, she was able to receive a simple message.
‘Nern is helping us?’
There were many cult warriors underground, so there was no reason for him to specifically help the group led by Si-Hyun. Si-Hyun’s doubt was evident, and Laila continued to explain.
｢According to the cult advisor with Nern, there’s a plan from above to capture the enemy alive.｣
"Capture it alive? Are they out of their minds?"
At one point, both of them had considered that idea. As a result, one had died, and the other could no longer live without the suit.
｢It seems they concluded that the only way to kill it is through the artifact. Nern said the advisor also lost family, so they have a deep grudge.｣
"Looks like they received support from Alsas."
Currently, Alsas was not directly involved in the operation but was acting as an advisor. Still, as the captain of the Imperial flagship, it was possible for her to provide powerful weapons to Nern.
｢They've sent the coordinates, so they’re asking us to head there...｣
Before Laila could finish her sentence, the corridor trembled slightly. Both of them, knowing what that meant, flinched in surprise.
"It’s the enemy. Lead us to the coordinates."
｢Understood.｣
The vibrations in the underground tunnel grew stronger, signaling that the enemy was getting closer.
The two of them ran towards the coordinates sent by Nern.
---
‘Not joining the cults?’
Contrary to my expectations, Si-Hyun and her companions were moving in a completely different direction. The traces they left behind indicated that they were far from the cult’s location.
‘There was no communication disruption.’
Neither 26 nor I had used the ‘Dark Veil,’ so it was hard to consider that they had fled to a strange place due to communication issues.
‘Do they have an intention?’
If she was just trying to buy time, there would be no reason for her to move away from where the cults were located.
She could simply use the cults as bait to keep me occupied and use the weapon. Why would she discard such a good bait and act like this?
‘If they’re heading in this direction, they’re getting closer to the surface.’
At first glance, it seemed like they had given up on the fight and were trying to escape, but that couldn't be assumed for certain. Si-Hyun Yujin was the one who had struck me once. It was highly probable that she had set up a trap I wasn’t aware of.
Perhaps there were followers of hers preparing a trap on the surface.
‘A trap.’
It was worrisome, but the immediate goal was to destroy her weapon. Even knowing that it might be a trap, now was the time to move.
I assigned the two heads beside me to keep watch and increased my pursuit speed.
Though my opponent was also a human in powered armor, they couldn’t be faster than a 60-meter tall Amorph.
Soon, I started hearing the sound of their footsteps. By now, they must have realized I was following them.
As I ran, I summoned the Humanoid Parasite.
Small, insect-like monsters resembling human heads crawled out of the nests located beneath the armored backplates of my body. Five Humanoid Parasites quickly attached themselves upside down to the ceiling of the tunnel and began to scuttle forward.
“!”
From a distance, Si-Hyun swung her left arm widely. The gallagon claws protruding from her hand sent a psychic-powered wind blade flying toward me.
I charged straight into the wind blade. The weapon that had attacked me was now hanging from her waist.
‘Good.’
I had been keeping watch with both heads, just in case she had hidden anything else, but that wasn’t necessary.
From my back, the erosion tentacles erupted simultaneously and shot toward her waist.
The powered armor-wearing ally following her pointed the barrel of a Slayer gun at my tentacles. A flash of navy blue light flickered, and I felt a sharp pain in one of my tentacles. The powered armor seemed quite good, as despite shooting while running, it still managed to hit one of my tentacle’s attachments.
It didn’t matter much. The remaining five tentacles were still heading toward Si-Hyun.
“Cheh!”
Wings sprouted from her back, and she quickly soared into the air. Some of my tentacles were buried in the ground where she had been standing, while others followed after her.
As the sharp appendages of the tentacles reached out to seize Si-Hyun, she folded her wings to minimize her body’s volume or created shields with her arms to deflect them. When it became difficult to block, she used my size against me, deliberately flying between my tentacles to cause them to tangle.
She darted skillfully between the tentacles, which filled the entire underground cavern. I could feel once again how sharp her combat sense was, almost reminding me of fighting a player.
‘But the tentacles aren’t all I have.’
While my tentacles were attacking, my body was closing the distance to the enemy. My right head moved in to engulf Si-Hyun whole.
｢Not so fast!｣
Just as I was about to open my mouth wide and swallow her whole, a mechanical sound came from below. The ally in powered armor slammed both hands into the ground where I was standing. The ground slightly caved in, causing my legs to stagger.
‘How annoying.’
I swung my winged arm, which had replaced my disabled combat arm, and struck the opponent hard. The enemy flew like a fly hit by a newspaper and crashed into the wall.
Immediately, my left head unleashed an acidic breath toward the wall where the enemy had been slammed. Unfortunately, the enemy, still conscious, hastily dodged the breath.
｢Ghh, grr…!｣
However, they hadn’t completely avoided it, and one of their legs dissolved. It wasn’t just the powered armor that melted; even the protected flesh underneath vanished entirely.
“Damn it!”
Seeing her ally being taken down, Si-Hyun drew her weapon again.
Until now, I hadn't used it, but seeing that it's finally being deployed, there must be some kind of limitation.
‘I guess it's the type with a usage limit.’
Moreover, the remaining uses aren't many. At most, two or three more? There aren't many chances left to attack, which is likely why it acted this way.
The crystal mounted on the weapon spins, emitting a chilling light.
I know there's no escaping the waves in this narrow underground space. But this time, unlike earlier, preparations had been made in advance.
‘Now!’
“What?!”
Five humanoid parasites, who had been hiding on the ceiling, flew towards her. Distracted by me, she was caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the humanoid parasites.
One of the humanoid parasites shot a paralyzing sonic wave at her. For a very brief moment, her body froze before moving again.
However, even that short moment was enough for the humanoid parasite. It used its sharp forelimbs to strike down her weapon-bearing arm.
“Ugh!”
With a soft groan, she dropped her weapon. As soon as the weapon fell from her hand, the crystal stopped spinning.
Another humanoid parasite tried to destroy the weapon, but Si-Hyun reached out her hand toward the falling weapon.
A psychic whip made of psychic power shot out from her palm, wrapping around the weapon just as it fell. The weapon was about to be struck by the humanoid parasite’s forelimb.
In that split second, I gave the humanoid parasite a new command. Its forelimb’s trajectory slightly shifted in response.
The whip wrapped around the weapon just in time, and the humanoid parasite's forelimb hit the weapon's surface with a brief impact. The weapon, now wrapped in the whip, returned to its owner.
“…!”
Si-Hyun, having regained her weapon, was about to activate it, but hesitated. She had noticed something wrong with the vacuum-like weapon.
Her gaze fixed on the ground.
There, a crystal that had lost its light lay fallen. The Humanoid Parasite, following my order, had struck the crystal on the weapon, separating it from the weapon rather than striking it down.
By the time she realized this, my head was already in motion.
With my mouth wide open, I slammed my head into the ground. The earth, sand, and the crystal weapon inside it were sucked into my long neck and pulled into my body.
“You!”
She, having cut through the surrounding humanoid parasites, turned towards me as I flew at her. As my tentacles and heads interfered, she responded with Reflection.
My heads and tentacles withdrew, and the Gallagon's claws struck my neck. But that alone was not enough to force out what I had just swallowed.
Had she had more time, perhaps, but my right and left heads were preparing for another strike.
Thus, she could only satisfy herself by being drenched in the blood that spurted from my neck. She defended with Reflection against my right head and used her shield to block the left one as she retreated.
Meanwhile, everything I had swallowed had been digested. A fierce heat surged inside my body.
「Acquisition condition: Genetic similarity with 'Player ■■'」
「Acquisition condition confirmed. Defensive barrier deactivated.」
「The symbol of a formidable foe, 'Plunderer’s Irregular Polyhedron,' is now resonating.」
「'Plunderer’s Amorphous Polyhedron (Void Dice)' is in effect.」
‘What is this?’
It felt completely different from the last time the Plunderer's Amorphous Polyhedron activated. It wasn't just a part of my body changing; it felt like the very cells that make up my body were being reborn.
It felt like an evolution.
「Hey, we’ve received contact! Yo, the, the enemy in space…」
“Tell them to attack now!”
While I was frozen by the sudden change, I sensed the enemies pulling back. At the same time, I felt a powerful energy gathering above my head.
And then, an overwhelming heat and light poured down on me.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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