Ch.281Divine Beast and Wild Beast (2)

Volf is a unique race among the many races in Space Survival.

When you first start the game, the gameplay style is similar to humans or cyborgs. Working as a mercenary, buying ships, searching for good weapons and equipment, and so on.

But when you reach Incarnate level and can transform into a Mythical Beast, the gameplay becomes more diverse. As a Mythical Beast, you gain exceptional physical abilities and powerful unique characteristics that allow you to destroy enemies even without high-end equipment.

Usually, you operate in beast-human mode, but bring out the Mythical Beast for combat. In short, it’s a hybrid race that has the advantages of both humanoid races and monster races.

In other games, hybrid races tend to become mediocre in the late game, but Volf suffers less from this issue.

This is thanks to the Volf-exclusive system called ‘Path of the Primal.’

By fulfilling the conditions of this system, the Mythical Beast’s abilities become stronger. Thanks to this, you can continue using the beast form even into the mid and late game.

Naturally, by the late game, the weapons and equipment in beast-human mode also improve. You defeat powerful enemies with your strengthened beast mode, and process the valuable materials obtained as rewards into powerful equipment. It’s a mechanism where these two forms—humanoid and monster—create synergy to become progressively stronger.

The downside is that there’s a lot to manage. You need to be proficient in both beast-human and Mythical Beast forms to be effective. If you fail to master either one, you end up with a character of disappointing performance.

Anyway, Sky Mother had raised her Incarnate level to advanced. Compared to AMorph, she’s between Subadult and Adult. Her combat power is similar to my level before I arrived at the dragon’s nest.

It’s not just her combat power that has improved.

Right now, she’s flying through space without any restrictions.

Mysterious wings with agate-colored light that constantly shimmers like sand blown in the wind. Thanks to these wings with the charm of jewels, she was able to come this far.

‘It’s definitely impressive.’

Even though her Incarnate level had risen, her appearance hadn’t changed drastically like AMorph’s. Except for the wings, other parts remained largely the same—a white eagle’s head and a lion’s body with golden fur.

But as she fluttered her beautiful wings while fighting enemies, she was so captivating that I couldn’t even recall her previous appearance.

A Griffon with agate wings flies through a swarm of Metallic Gremlins. The silver gremlins rushed to bite their enemy but couldn’t even touch a single hair.

“■■■!”

Several Metallic Gremlins jumped out in front of her, predicting her trajectory. She didn’t panic at all and swung the golden short spear she was holding in her beak.

“■?!”

There was no way such creatures could withstand the “Golden Spear of Shaman” that had absorbed the blood of countless beings. With one strike, she cut three Metallic Gremlins in half and gracefully escaped the enemies’ encirclement.

“■■!”

At that moment, the Volfram Goblins who had fallen back raised both arms toward the direction she was flying.

‘That won’t do.’

I stretched my wing arms out to both sides. The membrane that had been slightly folded opened wide like a sailing ship’s sail. When I swung the wings, now three times larger, once forcefully, my body moved forward at a terrifying speed.

The Metallic Gremlins range from 30cm to 80cm in size. I’m more than 100 times larger.

Add to that the propulsion power emitted from my wings? The destructive power is truly beyond imagination.

I quickly closed the distance and collided with the silver swarm.

Their carapaces gleam with silver blood, like silver paint splashed on a black canvas. Their bodies were shattered by the impact of colliding with me.

The Volfram Goblins impaled on my horns and fangs on both sides of my mouth shake. It’s only because Volfram Goblins have the defensive trait “Ultra-alloy Skin” that they ended up like this. Otherwise, they would have been reduced to a puddle of blood like the lower-ranked Metallic Gremlins.

“■■■■■!”

Seeing their comrades turned to mush, a Warp Boy hurriedly prepared a “Warp Guide.” The corrosive tentacles hidden on his back reacted immediately. Tentacles longer than my body emerged and flew toward the Warp Boy.

“■■?!”

If he made a mistake, it was overlooking the fact that my body had grown much larger than before using “Bone Beast.” The corrosive tentacles swallowed the Warp Boy who had misjudged the range, along with the silver monsters beside him.

“■■■■!”

“■■■!”

“■■■■■!”

The silver raiders who barely survived climbed onto me. Hundreds of Metallic Gremlins bit at my carapace.

As I tried to shake them off, they suddenly started bursting like mosquitoes hit by a palm. Seeing their comrades crushed by an invisible force, they stopped biting and fell off me.

But the formless power didn’t leave the escapees alone. Those who were running away also had their bodies twisted and shriveled one by one.

‘It’s Sky Mother.’

I glanced at her fighting enemies not far away. Tiny particles were being emitted from the tips of her wings into space.

This is the new ability Sky Mother gained upon reaching advanced Incarnate level.

‘The ability to manipulate pressure.’

Within the area covered by those particles, she can create or manipulate the pressure applied to objects. The reason the Metallic Gremlins are being crushed or twisted is because they’ve touched those particles or unconsciously inhaled them.

Even the tough skin of Volfram Goblins is useless against those particles.

‘Though it wasn’t well-received among players.’

While it’s a powerful ability, the fact that the particles are visible was considered a major drawback. You just need to avoid entering the area where the particles are spread.

However, the Metallic Gremlins don’t know this. They died without realizing the particles were the problem.

Sky Mother, who had destroyed the gremlins that attacked me, flew to my side while spreading particles.

“Was that unnecessary interference?”

[No. It was appropriate support.]

“They still won’t decrease. We need to find the leader, right?”

[Yes. We need to catch it as quickly as possible.]

“Because of the fortress?”

Behind us, Kesha Arma, under PS-111’s control, is fighting the Metallic Gremlins. She was worried about the fortress collapsing, but that’s not what I’m concerned about.

[There’s a ranker in the fortress.]

“What?”

[I subdued her and came out, but I don’t know when she might escape.]

“…So we need to drive them away before that happens?”

Her clear amber eyes narrowed. She’s been harshly treated by players. She knows better than anyone what might happen if Cynthia escapes.

“I don’t know who it is, but we can’t leave them be.”

[Right.]

“But a Titaboss won’t show itself easily. Do you have something in mind?”

[I’ll scatter them. You focus on finding it.]

Sky Mother has the best eyesight among us. She might be able to find the Titaboss that my auxiliary organs couldn’t detect.

Understanding my intention, she nodded. Positioning myself slightly ahead of her, I prepared a means to greatly agitate the enemies.

Meanwhile, they had changed their formation. Changing from an encirclement to a snake-like extended formation, they flew past us toward the fortress. They must have decided to attack the fortress first rather than dealing with difficult enemies.

‘I can’t let them do as they please.’

I fired the prepared psychic breath toward the tail of the snake made of Metallic Gremlins. The energy breath exhaled by an 80m giant monster. It far transcended the “fire breathed by the dragon of space.”

‘The energy consumption is indeed enormous.’

I felt dizzy as a massive amount of energy drained from me. Since obtaining the dragon’s heart, the only time I had consumed this much energy in such a short period was when fighting the “Gorgon Swarm.”

Earth-shattering. That’s the feeling evoked by the super-sized psychic breath that unfolded in front of Kesha Arma.

Purple flames closely pursued the silver snake.

Even physical conditions tough enough to fight against a fleet are meaningless before this mythical fire. The tail of the snake was annihilated the moment it touched this overwhelming power.

“■■■!”

“■■■■!”

“■!”

No matter how fearless Metallic Gremlins are, the death of thousands of their comrades must have been shocking. Those who panicked began to leave the formation one after another.

Some maintained their positions, but they too felt the same fear. The body of the tailless snake turned blue. They were trying to regroup after moving via FTL navigation.

[Did you find it?]

“I’m looking!”

It seems I need to get closer. I grabbed her with my combat arm and charged toward the swarm.

[We don’t have time.]

“I know!”

Even as I approached, none of them bared their teeth like before. The Titaboss’s control over the swarm had greatly diminished due to the shock from the psychic breath.

‘But it will return to normal soon.’

As much as their bodies differ from ordinary creatures, the mental world of Metallic Gremlins is relatively simple. Even if thousands die, there are still tens of thousands remaining. Since there are more living comrades than dead ones, they will soon overcome their fear.

As I was flying through the scattered enemies that were just surrounding me, Sky Mother tapped my combat arm with her front paw.

“Over there!”

In the direction she pointed, there was a small monster the same color as the darkness of space. A Metallic Gremlin with skin as black as a black hole. This was the Titaboss leading the large swarm.

After releasing Sky Mother, I extended my corrosive tentacles toward where it was. The tentacles, smashing through the silver monsters blocking the way, tried to grab it with six appendages.

“■■■■!”

Just as I was about to grab it, its body glowed blue and disappeared. A Warp Boy behind it had quickly evacuated the leader. Instead of the original target, the corrosive tentacles swallowed the Warp Boy.

“Predation effect activated!”

‘Where did it go?’

A text box announcing predation appeared, but now is not the time to worry about that. It’s the leader of the swarm. It must be somewhere nearby, so I need to find it quickly.

The auxiliary organ under my jaw detected the movement of a specific target among numerous smells and physical reactions. It’s about 200m behind me.

The corrosive tentacles responded to my will, but there was something that moved faster.

Sky Mother, who had escaped from my hand, was already flying toward where it was.

And the short spear she was holding in her beak slashed at it.

“■■■!”

“Tch! Too shallow!”

Her attack aimed at its neck failed. The Titaboss, with its chest slashed, disappeared again. Not just it, but all the Metallic Gremlins around us vanished as well.

And then they appeared with a blue light far away.

“…My mistake. I should have moved faster.”

[No, that’s not true.]

Sky Mother, who had predicted the teleportation point, moved faster than I did. She has no reason to blame herself.

‘This has become annoying.’

Having barely survived by luck, it’s clear that it will be more difficult to capture now. If the Titaboss moves cautiously, it will take much longer to catch.

‘I need a different strategy this time…’

As I was thinking about how to lure it out, the movement of the Metallic Gremlin swarm became strange.

‘Huh?’

“Why are those guys acting like that?”

Even Sky Mother tilted her head at their peculiar movements.

They had been moving in a somewhat orderly fashion despite the shock of the psychic breath, but now they were completely different.

‘Are they scared?’

It’s true that the Titaboss controlling the swarm was severely injured, but it was still intact. Yet they showed completely different movements from before. If the swarm we had been fighting until now was like an army, now they were like a collection of fierce animals.

‘This might be better.’

We could inflict significant damage if we attack while they’re in disarray.

As I was about to launch another attack, the irregularly moving silver cloud glowed blue. After the blue light that colored the cloud disappeared, there was nothing left. All the creatures attacking the fortress had vanished as well.

“They’re gone.”

The swarm of Metallic Gremlins that had attacked Kesha Arma. Finally, they had retreated.

With that, the long battle that had started inside the fortress also came to an end.

‘No, there’s still one left.’

The Cult ranker Cynthia.

The fight with her still remains.