Ch.392Offensive (4)

When I enter the Hunting Emblem state, my vision disappears, but my other sensory organs become greatly enhanced.

In the case of AMorph, who lacks a nose and ears, the tentacle-like auxiliary organs located under the jaw are intensively strengthened.

Thanks to this, even without sight, I can accurately perceive what opponents look like or sense energy flows invisible to the eye.

The Outspacer I confirmed with my auxiliary organs was a specimen I had never seen before.

‘It looks like a modified queen.’

Just like when I fought at Beryan02 before, the queens controlled by No. 4 looked very different from what I knew. Because of that, it was difficult to determine which genetic essence was used as material to create it.

‘Or it might be because of the Perk he possesses.’

Anyway, it was clear that this special specimen was blocking my retreat path.

Around it were three flying monsters, each 20m in size. They probably served as escorts for the unidentified Outspacer.

Isabelle, who was observing the enemy with the All-Seeing Eye, sent a thought wave.

“Saw, enemy, characteristics. Flying, monsters, energy absorption.”

[Zzzz zzz zzz(What about the one in the middle?)]

“Navigation, energy, blocking. Range, very, wide. And, energy detection, high-speed, FTL navigation, possible.”

[Zzz(High-speed?)]

“Almost, Warpboy, level.”

After hearing this, I understood what those four Outspacers were designed to counter.

‘Counters for Psychic Breath and Black Devourer Cannon.’

The flying monsters with energy absorption abilities are meant to counter Psychic Breath, while the unique specimen in the middle is designed to block the ‘Black Devourer Cannon.’

‘Since it can’t block the Black Devourer Cannon, it plans to avoid it entirely.’

It probably intends to release FTL navigation control and escape immediately if it detects signs of the cannon being fired.

At that moment, two small projectiles flew from between the clustered ships. Two Shadows initiated the attack with gunfire, and other enemies followed suit.

‘At least now I know what kind of power the opponent has.’

And how to fight them.

I also began to move in response to the enemy’s offensive.

The Megacorp ships fired not only with their main guns mounted on the front but also with auxiliary cannons positioned on the sides. Star Union vessels launched guided torpedoes from the cannons densely embedded in their outer walls.

Due to the close distance, the enemies’ attacks continued without pause. My carapace, directly hit by plasma heat rays and torpedoes, repeatedly suffered damage and regenerated.

The fire network is too dense for me to avoid with my bulk. PS-111 and Isabelle are busy just countering the “jamming shells.”

From here on, it’s time to trust my auxiliary organs. The auxiliary organs covered with bone blades move fiercely, collecting information.

After narrowing the distance to the enemy fleet, I extended all my infection tentacles toward a nearby ship. The battleship tried to increase the distance too late, but it was already too late. The massive ship, more than twice my size, was caught by my tentacles.

The jamming shell from the Giant Gun, cutting through the black space, lodged into the ship’s outer wall instead of me. Other enemies’ attacks were also blocked by the battleship held by my tentacles. They showed no mercy despite their comrade being caught by me.

‘That only works to my advantage.’

I used the battleship as a shield while simultaneously tearing at the ship’s outer wall with my mouth. Each time I digested chunks of alloy, the effect of ‘Destroyer Carapace’ activated throughout my body. My wounded carapace healed, and my body size increased very slightly.

Conversely, the captured ship quickly turned to rags. Crew members in spacesuits tried to resist somehow, but it was meaningless. They either entered my mouth along with alloy fragments or were hit by PS-111’s fire and disintegrated.

“Predation effect activated!”

Thanks to this, I also gained several traits obtainable from humans, such as ‘Dexterity’ or ‘Grip Strength.’ I immediately fused Dexterity with ‘Radio Interference’ to create ‘Hijacking.’

‘Just what I needed.’

After quickly finishing off one ship, I charged at the battleships. The clustered ships quickly dispersed to avoid me.

They responded quite nimbly, but the situation just changed. I used Hijacking on a torpedo that was about to strike me. I controlled the guidance chip inside the torpedo and sent it toward a fleeing Star Union battleship.

The propulsion engine attached to the rear of the battleship exploded, and its speed dropped sharply. Dozens of cannons on the ship’s outer wall spewed fire frantically, but nothing changed. I used the damaged battleship as a shield, just as I had done earlier.

‘The preparations are complete.’

I need several items to destroy the cards prepared by No. 4. The large cover I’m holding now is one of them.

‘Next is…’

Hidden behind the ship, I prepared to deliver a major blow to the enemy. Since I couldn’t afford to be late or make mistakes, I poured all my concentration into preparation.

“Dangerous, but, effective. Will, help.”

“Sister, 8 o’clock direction.”

Isabelle and PS-111 moved busily to block Giant Gun bullets, torpedoes, and swarms of collector bugs trying to circle around to my rear.

Meanwhile, having completed all preparations, I used my final attack method, the Black Devourer Cannon.

Energy spread throughout my body converges toward my left tail. My body shakes as if floating on a stormy sea.

No, it’s not just my body that’s shaking. The faint light existing in the middle of space refracts, and space itself fluctuates.

The enemies also detect the anomaly and move urgently. The ships, which have narrowed the gaps between them, are enveloped in blue light. In the center was the Outspacer that No. 4 had created to counter me.

The energy that had been flowing gently now became so intense that it could be easily detected from a distance. It was trying to release control and attempt FTL navigation with the fleet.

Just as the Outspacer and fleet were about to disappear, a black shell was fired from my tail.

I couldn’t feel any elements typically sensed on a battlefield—explosions created by ships, screams of dying life forms—nothing.

All my auxiliary organs detected was absolute silence.

A moment later, energy concentrated in a space far away. Before they could emerge, I used ‘Starlight Coordinates’ on the “item” I had prepared in advance.

Eventually, the enemies who had jumped through space revealed themselves. Among them were the Outspacers.

The enemy’s damage wasn’t that significant. Judging by the number of remaining ships, roughly 10% to 20% had been sucked into the Devourer’s maw.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

I wasn’t targeting the enemy fleet anyway.

As the distance from the fleet increased, swarms of Outspacers including collector bugs tried to attack me again.

After using Starlight Coordinates, I can’t take any action for at least one minute. From the enemy’s perspective, it would be difficult to miss such an opportunity.

But they suddenly stopped. The collector bugs that had been about to tear me apart froze in place. It was as if something had happened to their minds.

‘Of course that would happen.’

Lower Outspacer entities move according to the commands of higher entities. If something happens to a higher entity, those below are also affected.

And now, a major problem had occurred to the entity with the highest command authority among the higher entities.

“Success.”

Isabelle, who confirmed the enemy’s condition, told me.

The object I just teleported was one of the Star Union debris I had used as cover.

‘To be precise, it was debris with Psychic Foam enhanced by the color of the abyss.’

The Black Devourer Cannon was just bait.

Anticipating that it would avoid it, I secretly prepared alloy fragments coated with enhanced Psychic Breath while devouring the ship. I exploited the fact that ‘this unholy foam doesn’t activate on inorganic materials.’

I kept the foam-coated fragments and used Starlight Coordinates when it moved. The enemy, who momentarily paused FTL navigation control to escape, was directly hit by the weapon I launched.

‘No matter how well No. 4 analyzed me…’

He can’t know better than me, the owner of the trait.

The collector bugs that had stopped surrounding me began to flee. No systematic movement was visible from them after losing their commander.

The Megacorp and Star Union battleships approached me, ignoring the fleeing Outspacer swarms. They seemed to have judged that increasing distance would be disadvantageous due to the Black Devourer Cannon.

‘So they want to finish this no matter what?’

Currently, my body cannot move for one minute due to the Starlight Coordinates penalty. Hundreds of ships approach while continuously bombarding me.

Among them were Shadows. Shadows with Giant Guns moved to the side to position themselves for attack. Isabelle and PS-111 continuously fired covering shots, but the two Shadows skillfully avoided the attacks.

Just as they were about to fire their Giant Guns, a large object rapidly approached from behind me.

It was my split form, ‘Right Head,’ which had been fighting Outspacers. Blood covered the mouth of the creature that had successfully killed a 40m Outspacer. The blood-covered AMorph passed by me and leaped into the enemy fleet.

Sky Mother, who had been fighting Outspacers with it, wasn’t there. Her target wasn’t the ships.

One of the Shadows trying to snipe me flinched and stopped. A primitive blade protruded from his abdomen.

Sky Mother, who had approached stealthily, had stabbed him with the Golden Spear of Shaman. In that state, she raised the spear and sliced upward.

Seeing his comrade split vertically, the other Shadow immediately stopped aiming and tried to escape.

‘Where do you think you’re going?’

“Cannot, let, him, escape.”

I can’t let him go after being such a nuisance. As if reading my mind, PS-111 swung its arm equipped with Gallergorn’s claw blade.

Psychic power erupted from the tip of the long blade and flew toward the fleeing enemy. Soon after, the enemy’s body was bisected, and hot liquid spurted from the cross-section of his waist.

“This, time, no, mistake.”

[Z zzzz(Good. Well done)]

Just as my penalty ended, I threw away the ship fragment I had used as cover and approached him. The Shadow with the severed waist tried to activate his shield to protect himself, but my infection tentacles were faster.

The mouth attached to my tentacle swallowed the bisected body whole.

“Predation effect activated! Successfully acquired ‘Ultra Control’ genetic essence.”

“Stole ‘Ultra Control’ from Code Black’s biological traits.”

The new trait stolen from the flesh of the Shadow, or rather the newly appointed Code Black, seeped into my body.

‘Ultra Control! Great…’

I was fortunate to obtain a trait that could be used as transcendence material. Just as I was about to rejoice, liquid suddenly flowed from my mouth.

The moment I realized it was my blood, not the Shadow’s, I felt extreme pain in my chest.

“What’s, wrong?”

“A, Morph?”

PS-111 and Isabelle sent thought waves sensing my abnormality, but I couldn’t answer.

Because an even bigger problem than the chest pain had occurred.

The carapace damaged by heat rays stopped regenerating, and the energy consumed by the Black Devourer Cannon did not recover.

‘Why suddenly… could it be?’

I think I know the cause of the abnormality occurring in me.

The Shadow I just ate and digested.

The Megacorp ranker must have implanted something in the Shadow’s body.

As soon as I realized this, a blue cloud appeared far away in space.

What emerged through the light were spaceships. Numerous warships joined the enemy side.

The enemies’ offensive was not over yet.