Ch.294Rest (1)

The Sky Mother came to this world 15 years ago.

And she first met her late husband, the “Father Land,” 10 years ago.

After forming a bond with the Father Land, she continued to interact with players for some time.

But she was already growing weary of the endless struggles between players. That relationship didn’t last long. Perhaps this was inevitable from the moment she decided to share the fate of this world’s inhabitants.

However, that doesn’t mean she didn’t form close relationships with any players.

Specifically, she had a connection with the 22nd-ranked Coldblood player. Someone who didn’t make it into the top 20, thus never seeing the ending.

The Sky Mother met the 22nd-ranked player shortly after meeting the Father Land.

At that time, she reportedly struggled with whether to help the still-inexperienced 22nd-ranked player or to stay with the Father Land.

So even after her marriage, while she cut off contact with other players, she continued communicating with the 22nd-ranked player for about another year. At some point, the relationship ended because the other party stopped reaching out.

She said she had abandoned the device she used to contact the 22nd-ranked player in a location only she knew. The Sky Mother returned alone to planet PH-101 to retrieve the communication device.

This was possible because she gained FTL navigation abilities upon reaching the advanced Incarnate level. Being small in size, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to evade the Cult’s surveillance network.

Before leaving, she said it would take about a week. Meanwhile, we agreed to wait on the planet where the Gallergorn herd was staying.

This place, which Adhigh Orr calls the “White Stone,” was once a planet within the Gorgon Swarm’s territory.

Since the wandering Gorgon Swarm was a terror to spaceships, no one deliberately came here. With no visitors to the star system, few even knew this planet existed.

‘Even if they knew, they couldn’t easily enter anyway.’

As its nickname suggests, the planet’s entire surface is covered in ice. The average temperature is even lower than Adhigh’s homeland, making it seem uninhabitable for organisms.

However, if you drill through the thick ice layer and go below, a completely different world unfolds.

Thanks to geothermal heat rising from the ground, a life-sustaining ecosystem has formed. There’s a lake large enough to be called a small sea, and species that can survive on ice planets inhabit the area.

In the areas where geothermal energy is released, quality psychic power flows out as well. These are optimal conditions for a Gallergorn herd to adapt to.

As a result, this underground world has become Adhigh’s herd’s new kingdom.

And now the kingdom’s master is moving to defeat external threats.

“Groooooooooo!”

A massive creature with a mammoth’s head and a body mixing bear and gorilla features roars.

Two pairs of 6-meter-long giant tusks fly toward my abdomen with lightning speed. My wing arms and combat arms quickly react to grab the beast’s tusks.

This brutish predator I’m fighting is not only massively heavy but also incredibly strong. Utilizing its strengths, it tries to push me back by putting weight on its tusks.

But there’s something it doesn’t realize. My strength exceeds its own.

I applied force to the four arms holding its tusks. The muscles in my arms writhed and swelled significantly.

Eventually, the creature’s body slowly began to rise.

“Groo?”

It becomes confused as its body lifts while its tusks are held captive. Naturally, it would react this way, having never encountered an opponent with greater strength in this underground world.

“Grooooo!”

It cannot escape because my arms firmly grip its tusks. The creature swings its developed forelegs widely.

Those forelegs, resembling a bear’s front limbs, are like living siege hammers. Just as that monstrous weapon was about to strike my wing arm, two of my necks wrapped around the creature’s arms.

The heads at the ends of my long necks opened their mouths wide and bit into the enemy’s shoulder and nape.

“Grooooooo!”

“Grrrrrrrr”

The beast howls, unable to endure the pain of its flesh being torn. Its flesh and blood flow into my mouth.

Not getting intoxicated by that sweetness, I issued the next command. The tentacles on my central head waved, emitting a familiar wavelength.

[Zzzzz (Now!)]

The widely spreading wavelength reached the ice ceiling above us. The Gallergorns hiding on the ceiling, clinging to it, simultaneously spread their wings.

Sha Belmarg, a White Gallergorn with a lean, long build, struck the beast’s back with her breath. The purple heat ray scorched the creature’s back, though the wound wasn’t severe.

Following this, breaths from green-scaled Gallergorns poured from various directions, attacking the beast.

“Grooooo! Grooooooooo!”

The creature facing me roars in anger. At the same time, its body rapidly swelled.

‘Oh no.’

The teeth I had embedded in its shoulder and nape were gradually pushed outward. Due to the swelling muscles and thickening skin, I could no longer maintain my bite.

The beast, now doubled in size in an instant. Now large enough to meet my eyes, it tried to push me again with renewed strength. This time, my foot was forced one step back.

‘I thought it would be strong because of its size, but this is…’

I knew it was an apex creature, but this exceeds my expectations. Its size, strength, and fighting spirit are all stronger than I anticipated.

Just like the “Ice Horror” I caught earlier in the dragon’s nest.

‘Should I use the Hunt’s Emblem?’

While I was considering whether to use my unused card, a red flash appeared behind the enemy. Adhigh, flying like a bolt of lightning, rammed into the creature’s right leg.

The destructive power was truly formidable when acceleration was added to his horn protected by ‘Red Armor.’ The beast’s leg, as thick as my tail, was completely shredded.

“Gok!”

The furry predator let out a short cry and collapsed to the ground.

But its eyes still showed no sign of diminished aggression. It swung its elephant-like trunk to target Adhigh.

The sharp teeth at the end of its trunk flew toward the Red Gallergorn’s attractive tail, intending to shred it. However, two of my heads intercepted its trunk.

“Grooooo!”

Missing Adhigh by a narrow margin, the creature became greatly enraged. It raised its two front legs high and then slammed them down hard on the ground. The earth shook like an earthquake, and my body was thrown off balance.

Because of this, the strength in my arms holding the tusks weakened, and the creature’s tusks pierced my thorax unimpeded.

Or rather, they almost did.

“Gru?”

If the tusks had grown proportionally to its body size, it might have been dangerous. As they hadn’t, they only damaged the surface of my thoracic carapace.

Regaining my posture, I pushed the creature with all the strength in my arms. The gigantic monster, standing at a height of 40 meters, was pushed back significantly.

Taking advantage of that opening, I used ‘Morphing Bio-weapon’.

The part to change was my head. The carapaces of my head transformed into a form similar to the Ice Horror’s head.

Three heavy, solid bio-hammers struck the creature forcefully.

“Gwak?!”

After being hit on its left leg, abdomen, and head, the creature violently spat blood. Having lost its sense of direction, it staggered and fell backward.

“Herd!” “Attack!”

Hearing Adhigh’s thought wave from behind, I quickly ducked down. I could see dozens of psychic breaths flying over my back. At their end was a living target board.

“Grooooooo!”

“Power” “More” “More!” “More!”

Adhigh’s encouragement seemed effective as the purple breaths gradually grew thicker. The Green Gallergorns, White Gallergorns, and Adhigh himself all unleashed dragon’s breath with full force.

And then.

“G-groo…”

The beast that had given me and the Gallergorns such trouble groaned in a miserable state.

Its name is Giganterium. It’s an apex creature that excels in close combat.

It’s immune to various poisons, mind control, and body restraints, and its physical abilities are exceptionally outstanding. Moreover, it has the characteristic of growing larger when angered, increasing its strength, defense, and speed.

‘It’s especially notorious among the Cult.’

With no means to block its movements, close combat is forced, and as you can see, it’s an apex specialized in close combat. It can’t be defeated with ordinary combat skills.

Even trying to catch it with psychic attacks from a distance is difficult because its skin is so tough. As we just saw, attacks that fail to kill it only provoke its anger.

So even from a Gallergorn’s perspective, it’s a troublesome opponent.

Before Adhigh and I returned, the Gallergorns were struggling because of this creature. Ham Oort tried to drive it away himself, but failed to kill it each time.

‘That’s inevitable.’

As far as I know, a Giganterium’s size ranges from 8 to 10 meters. Even when enraged, I’ve never seen one exceed 20 meters.

But this monster is 20 meters tall before even getting angry. Its tusks are also more than three times the normal length.

When enraged, it grows so large that its eye level matches mine.

Even Ham Oort would find it difficult to defeat such an opponent easily.

‘The location isn’t good either.’

Being an underground space beneath the ice layer, it’s an unfavorable environment for Gallergorns. It’s difficult to fly, and the Black Gallergorn’s unique ability, ‘Maelstrom,’ is also sealed.

‘Still, we managed to win somehow.’

I looked at Adhigh and the Gallergorns gathering around the Giganterium.

This operation wasn’t planned by me but by Adhigh. I merely played the role of bait. The victors are not me but the dragons of the underground kingdom.

‘Impressive kid.’

I notice one creature holding its head high and spreading its wings among the Gallergorns. Seeing it now planning operations on its own and hunting powerful enemies with its kind gives me a strange feeling.

At that moment, my eyes met with Adhigh. He flew over to me.

“Great One” “I” “Did well?”

[Zz zz zzzz (Very excellent)]

“Yes” “I” “Star’s daughter” “Excellent”

Pleased with my praise, he wagged his tail busily. Looking at that smooth, flawless tail, I felt the urge to poke it with my finger.

“Great One”

[Zz (Yes?)]

Just then, he called out to me.

“Great One” “Hunt” “Contribution” “Made” “Bait” “Very” “Important”

[Zz zz zz zz zzzzz zzzzz (It was you all who caught it)]

“Great One” “Without” “Kin” “Hurt” “So” “Reward”

As he slightly nodded his head, the Gallergorns around the Giganterium unanimously retreated.

“Great One” “Head” “Need” “Will give”

[Zzz zzz zzz (You’re giving me the head?)]

“Yes”

This hunt was for them. I deliberately focused only on playing the bait role, but I didn’t expect him to do this.

‘Well, since he’s offering…’

With dozens of purple eyes shining brightly at me, it was hard to refuse. I stroked Adhigh and then approached the Giganterium.

“Gr…”

Its tenacious vitality had now become a curse. The battered Giganterium was gasping for breath, wishing for a quick death.

I bit its head with my central head. My jaw tightened, and my teeth pierced through skin and flesh into the skull. The creature convulsed once and then went limp.

After killing the Giganterium, I applied force to my neck and pulled back the head I was holding. The creature’s head was torn off along with part of its spine.

The other Gallergorns, seemingly very interested in my meal, fixed their gaze on my heads and mouth.

‘Well then.’

Under the Gallergorns’ watchful eyes, I swallowed the steaming head in one gulp. The spine and flesh fragments were eaten by my side heads.

‘It’s not like I’ll get any traits anyway…’

“Predation effect activated!”

“Grr?”

A semi-transparent text box appeared as soon as the prey went down my throat.

The head beside me, licking the falling blood, vividly expressed the emotion I felt.