Ch.383Wanderers (3)

The metallic gremlin’s strange behavior wasn’t temporary.

The ones clinging to No. 26’s body, as well as the rest, were circling around him. Among them was the leader of the pack, the “Titaboss.”

Whether it was the leader or the lower species, none of them showed any hostility.

Who would ever associate them with their infamous reputation as space raiders?

‘I don’t know what’s happening, but…’

These creatures aren’t in their right mind. Even if they’re not hostile now, there’s no telling when they might go berserk.

I approached to extract No. 26 from them.

“■■■!”

“■■■!”

The previously docile pack’s reaction became violent. They seemed ready to attack me if I came any closer. The Titaboss also began secreting substances that strengthened the pack again.

“Don’t hit them!”

Seeing this, No. 26 struck them with his tentacles. Several of the gathered creatures instantly became corpses floating in the zero-gravity space.

Surprisingly, the metallic gremlins didn’t retaliate. Despite witnessing their kind being smashed right before their eyes, they maintained their docile attitude without attacking.

Moreover, they stopped being wary of me. Even as I approached, they simply remained still.

As if they were following No. 26’s orders.

In the game, Sea Demons and Metallic Gremlins never encounter each other because their habitats are completely different. The two species have no common characteristics and communication between them is impossible.

‘Even if they could communicate, there’s no reason they would listen to No. 26.’

If that were the case, I would have known it when fighting the metallic gremlin pack earlier. This pack here is unusual.

‘Let’s get No. 26 out first.’

[Zzzzzz zzzz (It’s dangerous, come here)]

“Okay.”

Hearing my words, No. 26 moved his fins and approached me. The creatures attached to him and the rest of the pack followed behind like baby birds following their mother.

No matter how many times I looked, they were clearly following No. 26.

“Enemy” “Off guard” “Now” “Opportunity”

[Zzzzzz zzzz (Wait a moment)]

I stopped Adhigh Orr as he emitted ominous thought waves, trying to resume the attack.

I’m not sure exactly how this happened, but at least one thing has become clear.

‘It’s not related to a ranker.’

Neither the Return faction nor the Domination faction would have any reason to do this.

“AMorph, wait a moment.”

Just then, the Sky Mother called me.

[Zz (What?)]

“That Titaboss looks like the one we fought at Kesha Arma.”

[Zz (What?)]

“Looking at the scar on its neck, I’m certain. It’s a mark from the Golden Spear of Shaman.”

She had climbed onto the ship and was watching the Titaboss with her amber eyes.

‘Is this pack the same one we fought back then?’

The metallic gremlin pack summoned by the Return faction’s ranker Cynthia with an unknown tool retreated during the battle. That was because Adhigh and No. 26 killed the person who summoned them.

At the time, I assumed the enemies retreated because the summoning tool was broken. I thought the tool would naturally have been shattered to pieces.

‘They definitely said they killed and ate the enemy.’

Adhigh’s body structure isn’t suitable for swallowing large objects. He probably sucked out the blood or bodily fluids first, and No. 26 consumed the remaining remains.

In that process, they might have interacted with the tool that summoned the metallic gremlins.

‘Let’s check.’

I moved my tail with its pincers and grabbed the Titaboss. Unlike when tearing apart enemies, I held it gently. It didn’t resist at all, and the pack it controlled didn’t react either.

[Zzzz zzzzzz (Everyone come in)]

I called in all the others who were outside. Including the Titaboss. The remaining pack slowly rotated around me like a ring orbiting a planet.

“Comparison with stored biological data confirms it as the metallic gremlin subspecies ‘Titaboss’.”

“You brought a Titaboss?”

Isabelle expressed surprise at seeing the Titaboss that had entered the ship. PS-111 also blinked its red camera lens, observing the entity that was its natural enemy.

“Did you capture it with the ‘Middling’s’ power?”

“No. This wasn’t my doing.”

“If it wasn’t Seo-ah unnie, was it AMorph?”

[Zzzz zzzzzz zzzzzzzz (That’s what I’m trying to find out)]

Isabelle blinked her eyes, then soon understood my meaning and nodded.

“You want to check with my perk.”

[Zz (Yes)]

Isabelle’s perk, ‘All-Seeing Eye of Myriad Forms,’ can read detailed information about others.

“So I should check the Titaboss?”

[Zz zzzz zzzz zzzz (Yes. Then No. 26 too, please)]

“No. 26?”

[Zzzz zzzzzz zzzz zeeeeee (And if there’s nothing unusual, Adhigh too)]

“I don’t mind. Alright.”

Actually, Adhigh probably has nothing to do with this situation, but just to be sure.

Isabelle turned her head toward No. 26 after hearing my request.

Currently, his body is an artificial one newly created by PS-111. However, his brain and eyes were transplanted from the original, that is, from the Coldblood. Thanks to PS-111’s meticulous care, his eyes function properly without any issues.

His sky-blue eyes shine brightly. The eyes that collect secrets and knowledge begin to move.

After scanning No. 26, the Titaboss, and Adhigh in order, her eyes returned to normal.

“I’ve checked everything. First of all, it’s clear that the Titaboss is not in a normal state.”

[Zzzzzz zzzzzz zzzz zzzz (It seems to be under some kind of control)]

“Yes. It’s in a state of subordination to an object called the ‘Orb of Barbarism’.”

[Zzzz zzzz (Orb of Barbarism?)]

“I’ve never heard of such a thing before.”

I feel the same as the Sky Mother. I’ve never seen an object called the Orb of Barbarism.

It must be a tool created in this world, like modified Psyonium or Mutant Screamer.

“What’s interesting is No. 26.”

[Zzzz zz (Why No. 26?)]

“According to the All-Seeing Eye, No. 26 has activated the Orb of Barbarism.”

“Wait, are you saying the Sea Demon is currently using an item?”

My main body and the Sky Mother simultaneously looked at No. 26.

He was in the middle of pushing away the Titaboss with his tentacles, seemingly annoyed by its attempts to get close.

Isabelle shook her head at our question.

“Well, he’s very different from us. He’s not equipping and using gear like a player would.”

[Zzzz (True)]

No. 26 always runs to me excitedly to tell me about everything new he sees and learns. There’s no way he would have obtained something called the Orb of Barbarism and kept quiet about it.

I called him as he was bickering with the Titaboss.

[Zzzzzz zzzz zzzzzz (Can you come here for a moment?)]

“Okay.”

He bounced his body and came in front of my main body.

From the outside, he looks like a pink balloon with a round body. There are no tools or equipment visible on his body.

‘Could it be inside his body?’

When No. 26 consumes prey, he uses his tentacles to put it into his body and slowly dissolves it. The tool that Cynthia had might have entered his body through that process.

[Zzzz zzzzzz zzzzzzzz zzzzzz zzzzzz (Do you remember when we fought that scary human?)]

“Scary human?”

[Zzzz zeeeee zzzzzz zzzz (The human you and Adhigh hunted)]

“Yes! I remember! Bad human with appendages on head! We punished bad human by smashing!”

“I” “Remember”

Adhigh, who was listening nearby, also seemed to remember and joined the conversation.

“Horned dwarf” “Small adult” “I” “Together” “Killed”

“That’s right! I punished with small baby!”

“Agree”

[Zzzzzz zzzzzz zzzzzz zzzzzzzz zzzzzz (Was there anything special when you two ate that person?)]

“Special” “Thing” “Was” “Taste” “Stable” “Excellent”

“Yes! It was delicious!”

[Zzzzzzzz (Besides the taste?)]

Since there was nothing else particularly impressive, Adhigh didn’t emit any thought waves. No. 26 also remained still without sending any wavelengths.

Just as I thought it might be too much to expect them to remember, No. 26 suddenly emitted light from his body.

“I remember! I ate something hard and round then!”

[Zzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz (Something hard and round?)]

“Yes. I left it alone because eating it would make me full.”

That reminds me.

When Cynthia summoned the metallic gremlins, what was she holding in her hand?

‘It was a silver orb.’

Now I understand what the Orb of Barbarism controlling the Titaboss refers to.

[Zzzzzz zzzz zzzz (Is it still in your body?)]

“The hard and round thing?”

[Zzzzzzzzz zzzzzz zzzz (If it’s still there, can you take it out?)]

If it hasn’t been digested and is still in his body, he should be able to take it out.

“I’ll try!”

He strained with effort. A faint silver light could be seen inside his trembling pink body.

Eventually, a silver tentacle emerged from his body.

‘Huh?’

“It changed like this from what it was before!”

A tentacle with a bright silver color like metallic gremlin skin. Its tip was clumped into a spherical shape. It looked as if the silver orb that Cynthia had been holding had fused with his tentacle.

‘Did it get incorporated into his body as a trait while being digested?’

“AMorph, wait.”

Just then, Isabelle spoke to me.

“That tentacle is the Orb of Barbarism. But it says ‘mutating’ next to its name.”

[Zzzz (Mutating?)]

She continued, emitting blue light from her eyes.

“Yes. It seems the equipment’s properties changed during No. 26’s digestive process.”

Seeing the orb-shaped object transform into a tentacle, it seems to have indeed become a different object, or rather, a different entity.

[Zzzzzz zzzzzz zzzzzz (Can you check its abilities too?)]

In response to my question, Isabelle looked at the sphere again and slightly furrowed her brow.

“Since it’s not in a normal state, the tool isn’t functioning properly.”

[Zzzz zzzzzz (I see)]

“One thing for certain is that as long as that tentacle exists, he can control the metallic gremlin pack.”

I’ve already confirmed that. The entire pack was treating No. 26 like their leader.

Now I understand why they gnawed at me frantically even knowing they couldn’t win. They must have misunderstood that No. 26 was trapped inside the ship.

[Zzzzzz zzzzzz zzzzzzzzz (Is there a possibility they might suddenly turn?)]

“We’d need to check the specimens outside too, but I think that possibility is low. They probably wouldn’t resist even if you killed the Titaboss.”

[Zzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz zzzzzz (That object isn’t dangerous, is it?)]

“Since it’s fused with his body, it should be fine.”

While I was talking with Isabelle, No. 26 retracted the tentacle back into his body.

I was slightly tempted to see what would happen if I cut off the sphere at the end of the tentacle, but I didn’t act on it.

Isabelle said that tool wasn’t normal. If separating it caused functional problems, I’d be wasting a valuable weapon.

Besides, there’s not much difference between controlling those silver monsters through him or taking the item and controlling them directly.

‘An army of metallic gremlins.’

Either way, the pack of space raiders has become mine. If used well, they could be a great help when invading Megacorp or Star Union territories.

‘Good.’

Now that I’ve confirmed they’re not dangerous, I’ll stop thinking about this issue here.

There are two remaining tasks in this star system.

Checking the traits gained from eating metallic gremlins and bringing drifting space rocks to feed the Mountain Crawler.

‘Oh, come to think of it…’

I forgot while fighting, but we’re not alone here.

Three ships with broken thrusters are drifting outside, waiting for us.