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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Thala]
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Chapter 194
Emerging from excruciating agony, my mind swiftly returned. As my mind stabilized, the bristled hairs, once stiff with tension, settled calmly.
Though the pain persisted from having the clawed tail torn off raw, it was incomparable to the trauma-inducing agony.
It was only after my body improved that I could objectively assess the depths of my abilities.
‘The risk may be fatal, but…’
Should I describe it as high-risk, high-return? Apart from the pain I felt, I gained something substantial.
The enhanced Psychic Breath and the Watcher of Fear. The former consumed the opponent until their physical form vanished, while the latter awakened the most dreadful pain dormant in their memory.
Yet, the effects of the applied attributes are secondary. It depends on how proficiently I utilize them.
The real importance lies in the Abyssal hue.
‘The ability to activate it at will is a great advantage.’
Being able to choose when to use it. This means enjoying two effects with one attribute.
For example, using Psychic Breath to snipe enemies as usual, then switching to shooting foam that devours them until they die during their moment of carelessness is operational.
The Watcher of Fear is similar. Unlike the original, the abyssal version affects multiple targets. Sprinkling it over a crowded space where enemies are clustered would be very effective.
If in the future, new superpower traits are acquired, and the abyssal essence is applied? It’s akin to obtaining two traits at once.
‘Could it also be reflected in the new abilities?’
According to the textbox, currently, only three traits are affected by the “abyssal hue.”
Traits unrelated to combat, like humanity or predator sense, are not affected. “Superpower Reflection Gloves” are a subject, but they haven’t been experimented with yet due to unmet activation conditions.
If the newly acquired superpower traits are also subject to the abyssal essence? It would significantly empower my lacking superpower combat abilities.
‘I’ll have to figure this out while hunting.’
Confirmation of the application of the abyssal essence seems likely with the acquisition of new psychic power traits.
Fortunately, the place I am in is a planet where Gallagon’s Nest is located. It’s one of the places where acquiring superpower-related traits is easy.
‘That’s settled. I need to leave here immediately.’
Though the forest’s owner is dead, the danger still lingers.
There are still hundreds of various-sized cocoons around. Inside them are slaves of the red substance, waiting to awaken.
With Glacier Fiend, the provider of narcotics, dead, it’s a given that they’ll wake up soon.
‘But before I go…’
I looked down at the decapitated body of Glacier Fiend.
Fresh meat, reaching up to 15 meters when combined with the lower half buried in the ground, lay sprawled on the floor.
Being in the state of “Cunning Weakling,” my body cannot exceed 5 meters. So, taking the whole body is impossible, but it doesn’t matter. Thanks to the “Essence Harvester’s Jaw,” I can obtain genetic essence by just eating the head.
I grabbed the head of Glacier Fiend, resembling a stag beetle.
After firmly securing it with one of the combat arms, I exerted force and pulled it sharply. Flesh around the neck, barely connected, tore as the head separated.
Thanks to the “Essence Harvester’s Jaw” acquired upon becoming a juvenile, just eating the head allows me to exhibit the same digestive effect as if I had eaten the entire body. The size difference makes it difficult to carry the whole body. So, I plan to cut off only the head and take it with me.
“I can’t let the drug dealers get away with it.”
Glacier Fiend is a monster with many useful traits. As a type that hunts prey over vast territories, it’s not something you come across often. If I miss this opportunity, who knows when I’ll get another chance, so I must make sure to take its head at least.
As I tried to grab the creature’s head and leave, the nearby cocoons began to wriggle.
The closest one burst open, and a creature emerged. A monster with elongated legs, resembling a slender dragon, charged at me.
Its name is Snow Banshee.
With its almost pallid skin and striking red tongue, it’s a small carnivorous creature. It attacks by lying in wait with its body concealed in the snow, then snatching prey with its thick tongue when it approaches.
‘But its terror lies in perfect concealment…’
The one in front of me is under the influence of drugs and is not in its right mind. Instead of hiding and fighting, it recklessly lunged its tongue at me.
I grabbed the tongue flying towards me with my arm near my chest.
When in the state of Inteligent Weakling, the body shrinks, but the muscles around the chest arm develop prominently. While not as strong as the combat arms, they can be useful when fighting enemies of similar size.
‘Just like this.’
Gulp?
I exerted force on the arm holding the tongue and pulled the creature towards me with all my might. Perhaps not expecting to be pushed back, the creature stumbled forward lifelessly.
I swiftly approached the collapsed creature and bit its neck behind the head. With a gruesome sound of bones breaking, the creature’s body slackened.
‘I’ll take this too.’
I placed the creature, measuring 1m 50cm, on top of Glacier Fiend’s head on my back. In the meantime, other cocoons started bursting one by one.
Monsters awakened from the cocoons also intervened to eat Glacier Fiend’s corpse.
Knowing where the red substance comes from, that’s what they’re up to.
‘Let’s get out of here quickly.’
While the others were distracted elsewhere, I quickly moved away from the center. There were no obstacles in the periphery since I destroyed all the cocoons with Psychic Breath earlier.
Except for one.
“Grrrr…”
With a bulky 4m physique, a gaunt body with disproportionately long arms and legs, and a black face contrasting with its white body.
The Snowwalker suddenly emerged from the forest, blocking my path.
‘It’s that guy from earlier.’
It was the Snowwalker I encountered before.
Its gaze was fixed precisely on my back, on Glacier Fiend’s head.
It seems like it will chase me to death even if I run away. It’s better to deal with it here and now.
‘Better this way.’
The Snowwalker’s heart is needed for The Mother of the Sky.
I laid the things on my back on the ground. As it seemed I wouldn’t retreat easily, the creature growled threateningly.
The Snowwalker approached me step by step. It looks quite intimidating now, being about twice my size.
I lunged at the creature with all four legs.
At the right moment, the creature swung its abnormally long arms. My combat arm collided with its arm.
“Groooo…”
The Snowwalker has far more elbow joints compared to regular animals. As a result, its arms can move flexibly enough to appear whip-like.
Its arms slither over my combat arm like a snake. The sharp claws of the creature aim for one target: my eyes. It seeks to incapacitate me by attacking my vision.
True to its nickname as the hunter of the snow, it engages in cunning attacks right from the start.
But I expected the creature to come out like this.
With the weight on my hind legs, I swung my front leg upward. Like a horse kicking, my front leg struck the creature’s lower abdomen forcefully.
“Ugh?!”
Receiving a blow to its groin, the creature staggered and released its arms. With the front leg back in place, I rolled my foot, rotating my body in place. Then, I swung my tail with force.
Although the pincers haven’t regenerated yet, the tail, resembling a log, serves as a sufficient weapon. Its blunt end struck the creature’s legs like a cudgel.
“Groooo…”
The creature leaped up. Its tail, which had been flying low, brushed past the underside of its feet.
The creature is more agile than it looks, but this too was within my expectations. My real intention wasn’t the tail but the attack that followed.
Half-turned, my back faces the creature. And on my back are the faces of the Many-Faced Ones.
Five faces quickly emerged and opened wide. Ultrasound waves, inducing paralysis, poured towards the target.
“!”
The Snowwalker fell from the air, paralyzed, and landed with a thud. My jaws spread into a grin, covering its head.
My teeth relentlessly pierced the creature’s black face. Then, as I exerted pressure on its jaw, its head slowly straightened.
“……”
Even in the agony of being crushed, the creature didn’t flinch a finger. It’s only act was a silent scream.
Shortly after, a sound of cracking walnut shells was heard, and a sweet liquid flowed into my mouth. It was thick yet smooth, reminiscent of chocolate pudding.
‘Hmm, I’d like to have more, but…’
Now that there’s not only me but also a mouth, I barely managed to resist. What The Mother of the Sky needs is just the heart, but it would be strange to just give her the heart.
So, carefully gathering the prey, I left the Red Forest. As I reached the outskirts, I saw that the red moss was already withering.
The forest, deprived of its owner, was returning to its original state. If even the beasts fighting inside leave, this place will quiet down just like before.
Focusing on the auxiliary organs, I followed the path I had taken. If I go to where I stayed until morning, there should still be traces of the creatures’ movement.
I ran through the dark forest without resting, for hours after leaving the Red Forest.
Because of the branches, hardly any sunlight penetrated, and the trees were so similar that it was easy to get lost, but it didn’t apply to me. My innate hyper-awareness is guiding me where to go.
I felt the presence of wild creatures, including Snow Banshees, a few times along the way, but they all avoided me. There were no creatures approaching me, perhaps due to the smell of Snowwalker’s blood emanating from my body.
Continuing on, I suddenly arrived at the pit I dug yesterday. Stopping nearby, I bent down and brought the auxiliary organs closer to the ground.
A faint scent left by the kids was detected. The traces were sporadically following in one direction.
I followed the faint traces. Along the way, there were traces deliberately made, like small stone stacks or claw marks on trees. They seemed intentionally crafted to be so well hidden that without the auxiliary organs, I wouldn’t have noticed them.
‘Hmm.’
The entrance itself was narrow, and with trees surrounding it, it wasn’t easy to see. It was a well-hidden place, so much so that even I wouldn’t have noticed without the auxiliary organs.
‘Looks okay.’
With so much baggage, I couldn’t go in like this. I threw the items inside one by one and entered the burrow.
Inside, it smelled musty and nauseating, perhaps a place once used by other animals, instead of the usual earthy scent.
As I surveyed the entrance, someone appeared from inside.
‘Sooner than expected, huh?’
A griffin with a lion’s body covered in golden fur with an eagle’s head, the Mother of the Sky. She greeted me with her amber eyes shining.
｢I thought it would take all day.｣
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (I’ve got all the necessary information.)]
I handed her the Snowwalker’s torso.
｢What’s this? A Snowwalker?｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Yeah. You need the heart, right?)]
｢Oh? Ah, yes. Thank you.｣
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (You managed to find such a good place.)]
｢Well, I didn’t really did much…｣
[ZZ (Huh?)]
｢Once you go in, you’ll see.｣
I divided the luggage with her and entered the burrow.
Inside, it was quite spacious. Would you call it a gallery shape? It seemed to be elongated towards the entrance and widened as it went inside.
｢Big guy!｣
At that moment, Number 26 flew towards me. Number 26, who had been waiting in the common area, approached me with a pink glow. The little one hopped onto my head.
[Hey, how have you been?]
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Fine. It was fun wandering around.)]
Seeing the welcoming creature, I couldn’t help but feel good. As I petted it, something strange caught my eye in the dim cave interior.
‘Huh?’
A creature of unknown identity lay in the corner of the common area. I thought the cave was old and smelled nauseating, but it wasn’t. The source of the smell was that creature.
Seeing no signs of heartbeat or muscle movement, it was undoubtedly a corpse. Next to the large creature’s body lay PS-111.
[Sub-controller Amorph. Have you arrived?]
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (What’s next to it?)]
｢It’s a Shark Bear. I thought it was an unclaimed cave, but it wasn’t.｣
Hearing what the Mother of the Sky said, I was slightly surprised. While not classified as an Apex, a Shark Bear is still a formidable creature.
The creature is a formidable fighter with exceptional combat skills, a mix of a shark’s head and a bear’s body. Its resistance to psychic powers is a weakness, though.
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (Oh, really?)]
Come to think of it, there was something strange about the Shark Bear’s corpse. From what I know, it’s quite large. If it stood up, it would be similar in size to the Snowwalker.
However, the body detected by the auxiliary organs wasn’t that big. It was as if it had been compressed, like squeezed into a vice.
｢I was resting in the cave when it suddenly came in. That’s when Number 26 caught it.｣
｢It’s a troublemaker who came into the house where the babies live. I did a good job, right?｣
The culprit behind the creation of a cube steak made from a bear with a shark’s head.
Sea Demon Number 26 smiled brightly from my head.
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Thala]
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