Ch.431Arcane Orca (3)

Among rankers, Arcane Orca is rated as top-tier among Apex creatures, alongside Red Gallergorn and Voltex One.

However, there’s a difference between it and other monsters of the same rank. It has fewer techniques.

‘Only three.’

Unlike Voltex One with its physics-defying special abilities, or Red Gallergorn with its diverse combat techniques, Arcane Orca has significantly fewer skills. Even among all Apex creatures, having so few is rare.

Does having fewer techniques make it easier to defeat? Absolutely not. All three techniques are overwhelmingly powerful and have high synergy with each other.

First technique: energy manipulation and control.

The white energy spheres I’ve been hit with on my way here, and that intense sun-like energy radiating from afar, all originate from this ability.

Arcane Orca feeds on energy produced by nuclear fusion in stars. Having to handle such immense energy has naturally enhanced its energy detection and control abilities. This is why all its attacks become guided missiles.

The second technique is energy absorption.

Arcane Orca’s body consists of its true form, which can be considered its actual flesh, and a pseudo-skin protecting it. The skin is made from a mixture of energy and unidentified material, tasked with absorbing energy transmitted from outside.

The problem is there’s no limit to the types of energy it can absorb. It absorbs not only psychic power but also powerful energy attacks like the Imperial Mothership’s Cosmic Bolt or the Gigacracker’s ion cannon.

‘That’s why I left No. 26 behind.’

Arcane Orca is a perfect counter to No. 26, who fights by controlling psychic power. Its attacks simply don’t work against it.

And finally, the third technique is “Quantum Shift.”

Having mastered energy manipulation, Arcane Orca can disassemble its body at the particle level and reassemble it at a desired location. It’s similar to the effect of the “Tuner,” a Cult quest reward equipment.

‘Unlike the Tuner, it has no usage limit, so it’s practically superior.’

It can use Quantum Shift infinitely as long as it has absorbed enough energy. The only weakness, if any, is that it’s momentarily neutralized during the reassembly process.

‘…Thinking about it again, these are insane specs.’

Superior in attack, defense, and evasion. No wonder it’s called the apex of the food chain.

‘It took me a really long time to succeed in my first hunt.’

Of course, thanks to that struggle, I learned exactly how to win.

I approached the brilliant mass of light.

That white light, resembling a pseudo-sun, is residual energy left by Arcane Orca during digestion. Its true body is deep inside.

Don’t be careless just because it’s residual. That light is pure energy. It’s safe to assume the entire area where the light lingers is under its control.

Due to its low aggression, it spreads energy widely like this as a deterrent.

‘First I need to break through that and get inside.’

Then it will recognize me as a formidable opponent and absorb all the energy it has spread. The real fight begins only after all the white light disappears.

As I approached to eliminate the energy field like I did in the game, the light suddenly wavered. The widely spread light began to condense rapidly.

‘Huh?’

This was unexpected. I stopped flying and observed the situation.

Moments later, only a strange being that had swallowed both the darkness of space and light remained.

About 40m long. A golden skeleton in the shape of whale bones covered with transparent skin emitting a soft blue-green light. Star-like patterns moved slowly across the surface of the skin.

More like a divine entity than a creature. This is Arcane Orca.

‘I haven’t even gotten close yet, but it’s already in combat mode.’

It seems to be in a berserk state due to the 25th rank perk.

Then energy spheres formed in the empty space. There was no doubt who those energy masses were targeting.

‘Well, it’s actually better that the tedious stage is skipped.’

I charged at the exposed main body. Simultaneously, the spheres of light moved.

Guided missiles with powerful destructive force swarmed in. I tried to avoid them somehow in the game, but it was impossible. It would probably be the same here.

‘But there’s another way.’

Just before the light spheres struck my body, I played the card I had prepared.

A monster with a human head and an insect body, a human-faced bug, tore through the membrane and emerged. Following my command, it flew diligently in the opposite direction.

Half of the light spheres changed course and headed toward the human-faced bug.

‘It worked.’

I was worried it might be different from the game, but fortunately not.

Arcane Orca, which only lives in space, has no sensory organs like eyes or ears. Instead, it perceives objects using its unique sensing ability. When distinguishing targets, it judges by the properties and energy that make up the body rather than appearance.

‘And the human-faced bug originated from my body.’

The components making up the human-faced bug are identical to my flesh. Perhaps that’s why Arcane Orca couldn’t distinguish between the two in the game either. When I released the human-faced bug like now, it immediately took the bait.

‘Being intelligent, it won’t be fooled more than two or three times.’

But that’s fine. The goal is to minimize damage until I can approach.

I released all the human-faced bugs dormant in my body and accelerated. The light spheres dispersed in all directions following the decoys. Thanks to this, I could close the distance while minimizing damage.

Seeing me approach quickly, it reacts. The constellation patterns flowing on its body darken like dying flames. It’s concentrating energy for another attack.

‘Not so fast!’

After attacking freely until now, it’s my turn. Having approached it closely, I plunged my corrosive tentacles and combat arms into its transparent blue-green skin.

My claws and tentacles penetrated without any resistance. And heat much hotter than the light spheres began to scorch my body.

「Pain Reduction activated!」

Its body is a combination of thermal energy and unknown material. It’s like immersing myself in a living sun.

‘I must endure!’

I can’t back down now. All my recovery traits are working at full capacity to maintain my body’s balance precariously. I need to attack Arcane Orca’s true flesh, the golden bones, as quickly as possible.

It’s a crude method, but there’s no choice. Energy attacks like Psychic Breath would be like feeding the enemy. Attacking with physical force like this at least steals less energy.

I moved my tentacles and arms, which were melting and regenerating repeatedly, to grab its spine. In that position, I thrust my central head and right head in.

「Pain Reduction activated!」

「Pain Reduction activated!」

The tip of my snout that went in first, and the relatively thin horns, melted away due to the heat. Still, the thick head carapace was holding up.

Trusting in the AMorph’s excellent defense, I bit down hard on its bones with my teeth.

Sensing danger, it thrashed violently. Instantly, large and small white spheres formed all around.

In the midst of the merciless barrage of light, I pulled my neck back with all my might. As my head came out, fragments of the enemy’s bones came with it.

At that moment, Arcane Orca, with its damaged spine, released all its energy at once.

Immense heat swept over my entire body. The membrane of my wings melted away in an instant, and all the tentacles sprouting from my body were seared onto the carapace. My body was pushed back greatly after being hit by the energy.

Fortunately, the energy storm that burned me didn’t last long. Because the one who caused the storm had disappeared.

In the middle of empty space, golden particles can be seen gathering. The scattered light quickly condensed and transformed into whale bones. After pushing me away, it had used Quantum Shift.

‘Now it begins.’

It uses Quantum Shift when injured. The energy consumed to heal wounds is greater than the energy gained from fighting me. Therefore, the amount of stored energy inevitably decreases with each shift.

‘If this keeps repeating, eventually it will run out of energy.’

The strategy for defeating Arcane Orca is to endure until it can no longer use Quantum Shift, then kill it.

‘I still have plenty left.’

Thanks to its berserk state, I took less damage than expected. Otherwise, I would have already used “Superior Homeostasis,” which is fortunate.

This hunt is a long battle. I need to save recovery methods to use at critical moments.

The real issue is pain. Until it dies, I’ll have to repeatedly experience my entire body melting. Though reduced thanks to the “Pain Reduction” trait, it’s still not easy to endure.

‘…Well, it’s less painful than being hit by the Deep’s color bubbles.’

I can endure this much.

I moved again with my regenerating body. Matching my movement, Arcane Orca also initiated its attack.

Energy bullets that never miss tear my flesh to shreds. Carapace shatters, and melted flesh flows out from within.

It’s not a minor injury, but thanks to it, I was able to approach it again this time.

I grabbed its skull with the pincer at the end of my tail. Applying force in that position, the bone easily crumbled.

In response, Arcane Orca released energy to push me away and retreated. Another cycle of the hunt ended.

How much time passed after that?

By the time I repeated the same process for the 11th time, my body was completely battered.

I lost all my corrosive tentacles, and only two wing arms remained. The right head’s carapace was so torn that bones were visible. With injuries continuously accumulating, recovery was getting slower.

Conversely, Arcane Orca looked almost the same as when we first encountered. Its energy had definitely decreased, but it was still far from being subdued.

‘It’s about time I recover too.’

Instead of charging at it, I changed direction toward the planet. Glowing guided missiles followed from behind, but I ignored them. Even as my tails were devastated by the barrage of energy bullets, I didn’t slow down.

Descending rapidly as if about to crash onto the surface, I landed like a meteor in my nest. I immediately linked with the nest and gave an order.

For 30% of the Hiveformers to commit suicide immediately.

A large hole forms in my widely expanded sensory world. A void created by the nest’s gardeners fulfilling their duty.

However, that emptiness didn’t last long.

Soon after, a massive wave of energy, more than enough to fill the gaps in my consciousness, surged in.

This is the effect of the nest-related trait “Human Sacrifice.” A nest with this trait absorbs corpses and transfers the created energy to its master.

Tens of thousands of corpses are converted into nutrients and flow into me. My severed combat arms and tentacles regrow, and broken carapace is replaced with new ones.

‘Phew, good.’

Though not perfectly recovered, this is enough. I spread my wings wide and took flight.

Arcane Orca, which had pursued me all the way to the planet’s blue sky, stops upon seeing me restored. Judging by the subtle wavering of the light enveloping its skin, it seemed quite perplexed.

‘Shall we begin again?’

Who will be the hunted one here? The battle to determine this is not over yet.