Ch.225Memory (2)

The effect of ‘Mimicry Scales’ is to provide a high level of resistance against specific energy.

Now that I’ve secured resistance against psychic power, Odd Grad’s breath won’t be much of a problem.

‘It will be painful, but I can handle it.’

His breath is overwhelmingly stronger than other Gallergorn’s. When hit, the chance of perfectly absorbing the impact is low.

But it’s not enough to threaten my life. I no longer need to run around trying to avoid his breath.

‘The problem is his danger detection ability…’

I’ve prepared ways to disrupt his pack and withstand his attacks, but there’s just one problem.

How to attack an enemy who can see the future.

I kept thinking about this as I returned to the nest with Adhigh Orr and No. 26.

In Space Survival, there are no techniques or traits that can read the future. It’s an online VR game with countless players participating, so that’s naturally impossible.

They’re only named ‘Future Sight’ or ‘Prophecy,’ but in reality, they just upgrade evasion abilities or display enemy movement patterns on the mini-map.

So Odd Grad could be called the first incomprehensible enemy I’ve encountered in this world.

‘No. There are still clues.’

I have experienced future sight abilities before. My ‘Predator Sense,’ that is.

Thanks to this crisis detection trait that’s close to precognition, I’ve escaped from danger many times. Without this trait, I probably wouldn’t have made it this far.

From what I remember, the future range that Predator Sense shows me isn’t very long. It shows me what will happen to my body within a few minutes.

The only exception is when I used ‘Symbol of the Hunt.’

‘In the Symbol of the Hunt state, the area where I could see the future expanded.’

I first felt this when escaping from the hospital at the T&C Special Trade Center. At that time, the Egerton knights were moving to surround the hospital, but I detected them in advance and was able to avoid them safely.

This is probably because Symbol of the Hunt amplifies the traits and type effects it possesses.

‘Thinking about it that way, his ability is peculiar.’

His ability is definitely to foresee dangerous futures. However, the range is quite ambiguous.

Because he predicted that I would attack the White Gallergorn I was hunting and came to attack me in advance.

On the other hand, he somehow detected whenever I used ‘Color of the Deep.’ Even though he had never seen it before, he tried to avoid it somehow.

‘That means he can see beyond immediate dangers…’

In the long term, my hunting of White Gallergorn could be harmful to him. After all, my goal was to kill him.

That explains why he didn’t attack me right away when I arrived on this planet. I came to this planet to hunt Gallergorn and Apex, but not specifically to kill Odd Grad.

‘…Let’s change our thinking for a moment.’

He’s already far beyond a game entity. So I need to broaden my perspective.

‘What if he can see multiple types of futures?’

For instance, similar to me, he might see different futures depending on his state – futures he can see in specific states versus futures he can see normally.

To summarize simply, there are two types of futures he can see.

‘Immediate dangers and dangerous futures that will come in the distant future.’

Based on the information available, this assumption seems reasonable.

And there’s an important point here.

Odd Grad set a trap to kill me because I ‘could harm’ his life. Caught in his scheme, I had to fight in an imperfect state. Because of that, I exposed most of my trump cards.

However, he didn’t know that he could die fighting me. In fact, he nearly died because of the Color of the Deep and God’s Whip.

Considering this point, I can form a new hypothesis.

‘The futures he sees have limitations.’

First, let’s look at his ability to detect dangers that will occur in the long term.

This can probably only be seen during specific cycles or situations, and likely can’t be seen frequently in normal times. That’s why he couldn’t reflect changes in the future that occurred in between.

‘Second, the ability to detect dangers approaching in a short time.’

Since it has a similar effect to my Predator Sense, it probably has similar limitations. It helps deal with specific situations when they arise, but it’s impossible to avoid ‘dangerous situations’ themselves.

Therefore, to kill him, I need to target the gap between these two types of futures.

‘If I move carelessly, he’ll catch on.’

Ham Oort’s escape, Adhigh’s growth, information about the ring he possesses, and the Mimicry Scales. I have many cards, but if I use them recklessly, he’ll detect it in advance.

‘If I make a mistake, he might run away.’

Odd Grad is the only Black Gallergorn on this planet. If I lose him here, I’ll also lose one of the unique traits.

‘I need to create and induce a future that isn’t unfavorable to him.’

While I was pondering how to strike him, we arrived at the nest.

I could see the Sky Mother sitting at the entrance of the nest and an injured White Gallergorn lying beside her.

“Ham Oort?”

Adhigh sent out a thought wave. Ham Oort, who detected her thought wave, raised her head to look at her.

The mother’s purple eyes filled with bewilderment at the sight of her daughter.

“Daughter of the Meteor” “Savior” “Did you fail?” “Why?” “Why?”

“I” “Savior” “Rejected it”

Upon hearing Adhigh’s answer, Ham Oort abruptly stood up. The Sky Mother beside her also rose.

“Be careful. Your wounds haven’t fully healed yet.”

“Why?” “You” “Choice” “Wrong!” “Odd Grad” “Cannot be stopped!”

Ham Oort seemed shocked that her daughter had refused to transform into a Red Gallergorn. Even though she had maintained her composure during battle, now she was openly displaying anger.

Adhigh, responding to Ham Oort’s passionate thought waves, fired back with her own.

“I” “New kin” “Chose” “Past kin” “Important but” “This side” “More” “Important!”

“Odd Grad” “Young kin” “Adult kin” “All” “Kills!”

“Worry” “Unnecessary” “Big adult” “Small adult” “Ugly friend” “Sick child” “Kin” “All” “Power” “Fight together”

“Odd Grad” “Power” “Mighty” “Black kin” “Victory” “Impossible” “Odd Grad” “Black kin” “Kills”

“Big adult” “Not weak” “Ham Oort” “Don’t insult!”

“Ham Oort! Calm down!”

Ham Oort looked ready to lunge at Adhigh. If her wings and body had been intact, if the Sky Mother hadn’t been restraining her from the side, she undoubtedly would have.

“Disappointment” “Disappointment” “Disappointed!” “Daughter of the Meteor” “Blessing” “Thrown away!” “Kin’s expectations” “Thrown away!”

“Disappointment?” “I” “More” “Disappointed” “Ham Oort” “Kin” “Me” “Weak” “Abandoned!”

“Deny!” “Weak kin” “Never abandoned!”

“Lies!” “Ham Oort” “Liar” “Me” “Abandoned” “Savior” “Kin” “Salvation” “Force” “Disgusting!”

“!”

As their emotions intensified, their thought waves gradually transformed into more primal forms. The mixture of Ham Oort’s disappointment and anger, and Adhigh’s resentment and grudge made my monster tentacles ache.

No. 26, sensitive to wave detection, also seemed affected as her body color changed to dark pink.

“I” “Will go out for a while”

In the end, Adhigh was the first to back down. She kicked the ground fiercely with her hind legs and flew into the forest.

“What happened?”

PS-111, who had been taking care of a Blue Gallergorn with symbiotic spores inside the nest, walked out.

“Little baby and flapping mama fought.”

“After analyzing the environmental factors, there are no signs of combat between ‘little baby’ and ‘Ham Oort’.”

“Friend’s words are too difficult, I don’t understand.”

While PS-111 and No. 26 engaged in an untimely banter, Ham Oort stared blankly in the direction where her daughter had disappeared. She seemed to have received a great shock, as unrestrained emotions flowed from her body.

“The forest is safe, but just in case. No. 26 and PS-111, please go bring Adhigh back.”

“Okay. I’ll protect the little baby. Let’s go, friend.”

“Understood.”

No. 26 reduced her size and climbed onto PS-111’s back. A Seed Demon and a Mutant Screamer disappeared into the forest.

Only after watching them leave did Ham Oort seem to regain her senses, lowering her head. The emotions that had been spreading in disordered thought forms gradually subsided.

Having finally calmed down, Ham Oort raised her head to look at me.

“You” “Black kin?”

[Yes]

“Daughter of the Meteor” “You” “Talk” “Much” “Did” “You” “Daughter of the Meteor” “Taught”

Since it was true, I nodded, and Ham Oort bent her forelegs slightly and lowered her head before me.

“Ham Oort” “Grateful” “Daughter of the Meteor” “Saved” “Cared for”

After briefly expressing her gratitude, she straightened her body. Complex emotions could be felt from the amethyst eyes looking at me.

“But” “Daughter of the Meteor” “Because of you” “Savior” “Gave up” “Odd Grad” “Kin” “All” “Will kill”

[Such a thing won’t happen]

Because I’ll stop him before he can do such a thing.

Ham Oort shook her head, denying my words.

“Odd Grad” “Lies” “Kin” “Deceives” “Companions” “Young kin” “Deceived” “Kin” “Odd Grad” “Orders” “Follow” “Ham Oort” “Black kin” “Power” “Insufficient”

[Really?]

“Black kin” “Strong” “But” “Odd Grad” “Pack” “More numerous”

Having fought with me, she must know how strong I am. She probably wants to point out the numerical advantage of the enemy forces.

Of course, she’s not wrong. If I had fought Odd Grad when I first encountered her, I would have lost.

‘But not now.’

However, Ham Oort, unaware of this fact, seemed to want to persuade me to avoid the fight. She sent thought waves filled with desperation.

“Odd Grad” “Strong” “Daughter of the Meteor” “You” “Precious” “Thinks” “If so” “Survival” “More” “Important”

[To save Adhigh, we must kill Odd Grad]

“Black kin” “Give up” “Won’t?”

[Yes. Odd Grad dies by my hand]

“…”

Ham Oort stopped sending thought waves and glared at me.

I can feel her anxiety. But my resolve remains unchanged. I intend to kill the black dragon who humiliated me by any means necessary.

“Understood” “Ham Oort” “Black kin” “Trusts”

[Good. Tell me about the situation when you fought him]

“Curious points” “Ask”

After staring at me for a long time, she finally gave up trying to persuade me. I carefully brought up the questions I wanted to ask her.

–

Beyond the frozen plains lies a massive canyon.

Hundreds of meters, no, it would be faster to count in kilometers – as you approach this deep canyon, you hear bizarre sounds. Similar to the screams of animals in agony, these sounds are actually the wind passing through the massive ice canyon.

Although it’s a natural phenomenon, the eerie sound makes other creatures reluctant to approach the canyon. The only being that freely enters and exits this canyon is the beast king who rules this area.

However, recently even the beast king hasn’t been showing himself. Whether he’s in seclusion or has left the canyon is unknown.

Instead, beings of alien form occasionally pass through the canyon. They seem unaware that this is the king’s territory, slaughtering surrounding creatures indiscriminately. They kill anything that moves, whether animal or plant. Because of this, the canyon, which already had few inhabitants, has become a completely dead land.

Today too, after finishing their slaughter, these bizarre beings led chunks of meat into the canyon.

Inside the canyon, which should be filled with dense darkness due to its depth, red lights began to flicker one by one from the darkness as they descended.

After descending for a long time, they finally reached what could be called the bottom. They threw down the chunks of meat they had brought while suspended in the canyon.

Then, a red light incomparably larger than before opened its eyes and instantly devoured the chunks of meat.

“Perimeter reconnaissance and energy source acquisition mission complete.”

“Hazard existing within the super-large volcano interior is currently unidentifiable. Investigation continues.”

“Traces of humanoid creatures active on this planet discovered. Identity presumed to be humans belonging to ‘Megacorp’. Confirmed to have moved to investigate the super-large volcano.”

“Abnormal air current occurred on the planet 2 days ago. Comparative analysis with accumulated meteorological data indicates weather anomaly caused by combat between indigenous creatures of this planet.”

“Discovered during surveillance of indigenous creature’s nest…”

They, or rather the Mutant Screamers, continued their reports in mechanical tones. Normally, they would exchange information they had collected among themselves after the regular report, but today was different.

The red light that had swallowed the chunks of meat flickered again.

“Pyrrha Eleven. Order.”

When the red light murmured, everyone fell silent.

“The entity that created the weather anomaly. Comparison with Starlink database shows 82% similarity to Special Target A.”

The red light, or rather, an android undergoing modifications due to severe damage.

Pyrrha Eleven, one of the highest officials of the Star Union Machine Committee, spoke.

“Pyrrha Eleven. Announcing highest priority order. 189 S-model units and 20 PS-model units remaining in the canyon, destroy Special Target A.”

“Order confirmed.”

“Order confirmed.”

“Order confirmed.”

“Order…”

At Pyrrha Eleven’s words, numerous red lights that had been sleeping opened their eyes.

An eerie sound mixed with the wind-filled canyon.