Ch.1212. Nina Series

As the Hive Scout returned to the base, I dispatched monsters to that location and recovered the 7-meter Giant Armor.

Of course, due to its enormous size, the recovery took nearly all day, but eventually, I managed to drag the Giant Armor into the main base.

‘Open the hatch.’

Immediately after, I opened the cockpit cover and examined the interior—as expected, the pilot inside was already dead.

The pilot was a brown-haired woman wearing blue tights (a body synchronization suit). While the corpse appeared intact externally, a detailed examination (digestive gland splash) revealed that her brain had been completely crushed.

It was impressive how only her brain had been pulverized while the machine remained intact—I was curious what kind of monster could touch someone in a way that would leave the machine undamaged but completely crush a human brain.

Anyway, while analyzing the segmented genes of a human for the first time, I began the restoration work on this Giant Armor.

I filled the artificial muscles that had crumbled from age with monster muscle fibers using Monstrous Strength (E), and meticulously restored the mostly damaged joints using flexible exoskeletons.

Additionally, I absorbed some of the monster organs and neural tissues used in the armor’s construction, and as a result, I gained a total of four genes and their corresponding physical organs.

[Acquired trait ‘Psychic Core (C)’]

[Acquired trait ‘Miniature Fusion Reactor (C)’]

[Acquired trait ‘Barrier Generator (C)’]

[Acquired trait ‘Bio-Core (C)’]

The Psychic Core produces nearly unlimited psychic energy as long as there’s sufficient bio-energy. The Miniature Fusion Reactor, a biological nuclear fusion organ, supplies that bio-energy.

The Barrier Generator forms defensive shields or barriers that are constantly deployed using the produced psychic energy, and the Bio-Core—a monster’s heart that combines all three of these organs into one.

With information about the three organs essential for producing mid-tier monsters now in my head, I thought I might even be ready to aim for a Grade 4 evolution soon.

[Acquired biological weapon ‘Energy Shooter (C)’]

In addition, the energy cannons (shooters) mounted on both arms also became my spoils. Since this weapon, typically used as a main gun on tanks, was modified from monster parts, reverse engineering was possible without much difficulty.

The structure of the Giant Armor was also quite informative for me. The system for distributing produced psychic energy throughout the body and the principles for maintaining and focusing barriers were recorded in the internal nervous system.

After thoroughly dismantling and modifying the Giant Armor, I managed to restore its combat capability to about 70% of the original.

With repairs complete, I connected to the custom monster inside the Giant Armor used for piloting, moved it myself, and learned how to use this Giant Armor.

‘One short energy cannon on each arm, three medium machine guns as secondary weapons, and restraining claws… This is the hunting-specialized combination that was popular back then.’

Suppress small, low-grade monsters with medium machine guns, and when encountering mid-grade monsters, fire the short energy cannons on both arms in rapid-fire mode to keep them at bay while stripping away their armor.

Once the enemy’s barrier is destroyed, quickly close in, step on them, fix them in place with the claws, and finish them with a single maximum-output shot from the energy cannon to the head.

It has absolute superiority against smaller specimens, and despite being specialized for hunting, it can still hold its own in close-quarters combat—I even remember using it as a field hunting setup before.

‘Good, this should work…!’

Although I lack maintenance facilities and have to replace damaged parts with biological components each time I use it, inevitably reducing its combat effectiveness with each repair cycle.

But even considering that, it’s not much different from having a Grade 5-6 monster-level fighting force join us, so for now, I’m just happy to have a way to deal with mid-grade monsters.

※ ※ ※

While I was excitedly testing the Giant Armor, my Split Consciousness (D) informed me that the analysis of the human body and genes from the pilot had just been completed.

‘Already?’

Feeling both surprised and pleased that it was completed so quickly despite being a completely different structure, I immediately began studying the genetic map—and was able to determine this human’s approximate condition.

‘Brain damage and destruction due to psychic waves, over 60% of internal organs non-functional… Yes, definitely dead.’

While the last tiny bit of humanity in me was relieved that I hadn’t killed a living person, I could draw one conclusion from the completed genetic and physical analysis.

‘A human body… let’s give up on that.’

Although the genetic structure itself matches reasonably well, the components that make up the structure are fundamentally different from monsters, making it completely impossible to regain a proper human body for the time being.

Well, that doesn’t mean I don’t need a humanoid body at all. Making the best of what I have, since I already had the genetic map, I decided to try creating a monster that at least looked human on the outside.

And the result was this monstrosity before me.

‘………..’

Creeeeak… Creeeeeeeak.

When I made only the exterior in the image of that pilot and filled the interior with Hive Commander parts, the joints didn’t synchronize properly, causing it to writhe with strange noises.

It could only move like a ghost chasing a player in a horror game—in other words, its movements were bizarre and inefficient.

Splash!

Hisssssssss…

‘Sorry, Nina No. 1. Live well in heaven.’

So I immediately discarded this model. Then I began trying various methods to create a monster with a human appearance.

I tried maintaining the exterior while linking it with other monsters, or creating a custom body from scratch.

At times I questioned what I was doing, but eventually, I managed to create a somewhat usable result.

This alien monster was built on completely new base genes that couldn’t synchronize with any monster I could currently produce.

On the outside, it perfectly mimicked a human female body, with biological responses, heartbeat, breathing, brain waves, and psychic flow indistinguishable from a human’s.

But in reality, it only “simulated” these functions—it couldn’t speak, its heart only pretended to beat, and none of the external functions operated normally. It was a monster that was human only in appearance.

Additionally, I embedded various biological weapons throughout this humanoid monster’s body, intending to use it for infiltration and assassination if combat with humans ever occurred.

It has spikes that protrude from the bottom of both wrists, and if necessary, its arms can split open to deploy the Hunter Claws (D) folded inside for combat.

It can move quickly in urban areas using the Spine Tentacles (D) crammed where intestines should be, and in emergencies, it can self-destruct by detonating the built-in externally-shielded psychic storage.

Nina No. 7

Grade :: 7

Level :: 32

Stats

Strength :: 10

Agility :: 25

Vitality :: 10

Intelligence :: 5

Resistance :: 10

Energy :: 10

Leadership :: 0

Traits

Monster Gene (E), Predator (E), Hive Mind (E), Subjugation (EX), Close Combat Expert (D), Human Mimicry (D), Psychic Storage (D)

Skills

Wave Blocking (E), High-Speed Maneuver (E)

Biological Weapons

Spine Tentacles (D), Hunter Claws (D)

And this is the completed Grade 7 monster, Nina No. 7.

Named after an animation character who caused great trauma to my childhood, and as you can see, it’s the seventh model I’ve created.

Although it has the disadvantages of low intelligence and inability to retract its biological weapons once engaged in combat, I was still very happy to have obtained the humanoid body I wanted.

…Not that I have any immediate use for it.

※ ※ ※

After processing the Giant Armor trophy and the corpse, the base returned to its normal routine.

I spent busy days expanding the cave area, dispatching scouts, and sending out monsters to hunt wild animal-type monsters to collect nutrients and genes.

There were occasional incidents—caves collapsing during excavation, monsters from outside invading the ant nest, or my dispatched monsters being hunted instead—but nothing serious enough to endanger my main body.

And after spending about two weeks in such a monotonous manner—

‘…It’s done.’

Finally, I’ve gathered enough energy to evolve into a higher species.