Ch.435Choice and Consequence (3)

A familiar smell.

The harsh antiseptic scent I’d grown sick of during childhood.

When I open my eyes, I see a familiar scene.

Nurses bustling about between thin white curtains, an IV line connected to my arm. As expected, I’m in a hospital.

Just then, the curtain parts and a nurse approaches. She calls out something when our eyes meet.

I wanted to ask what was happening, but no voice comes out. I can’t hear anything either, making it feel like watching a silent film.

Other people arrive after hearing the soundless cry and busily check my body.

Though the scene is familiar, something feels strange.

I sense it instinctively.

This situation is wrong. I need to get out of here immediately.

That’s when someone grabs my hand.

The person holding my hand and the one beside them both have blurry faces I can’t recognize.

Yet the moment I see them, all wariness within me completely vanishes. As if someone forcibly switched off my instincts. And filling the void is the emotion of longing.

The moment I realize who they are, I wake up.

–

“Gruk?”

When I open my eyes, the harsh antiseptic smell from moments ago instantly disappears.

The warm heat rising from the floor, Adhigh Orr and No. 26 sleeping against me. Seeing them reminds me where I am. This isn’t a hospital but Gallergorn’s Nest.

‘What was that just now?’

I feel like I saw something important in my dream, but I can’t remember. Even trying to recall it, my mind is foggy like it’s covered in mist.

Plus, I feel an inexplicable discomfort. How to describe it? It’s similar to the instinctive hostility felt when facing an overwhelming enemy.

‘Was it a nightmare?’

“Big one?”

No. 26, who had been sleeping beside me, wakes up.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

[Zzzzz zzz zzz (I think I had a nightmare)]

“What’s a nightmare?”

[Zzz zzzzz zzzzz zzzzz zzzzz (When bad thoughts come while sleeping)]

After receiving my wavelength, No. 26 lit up as if understanding.

“Bad person thoughts. I don’t like bad person thoughts either.”

[Zzzzz (Right)]

“I’ll make bad person thoughts go away!”

Saying that, it extended a tentacle and gently stroked my head.

Strangely, it made me feel better. I still couldn’t remember what dream I had, but all the discomfort disappeared.

‘I think my digestion is complete too, maybe I should just get up.’

I’m fully awake anyway. I should go check on the ranker I captured earlier who’s on Jax Beta.

As I raised my head to get up, my eyes met Adhigh’s.

[Zzzzz (You’re awake?)]

“What” “are you” “doing?”

Is it because he’s become a Red Gallergorn? I feel a strange pressure from those purple eyes glowing in the darkness.

[Zzzzzz zzz zzzzz zzz (I had a nightmare and they comforted me)]

“I can” “comfort” “too”

[Zzzzz zzzzzzzz (I’m fine now)]

Rising up, I stroked No. 26 and Adhigh with my wing arms.

[Zzz z zzzzzz zzzzz (Thank you both for always caring)]

“Yes!”

No. 26 brightened its body and withdrew its tentacles. Adhigh also lowered his head obediently when I started stroking him.

‘The kids seem awake too, should I take them along?’

I left Adhigh’s throne with them.

On our way out of the nest, we encountered several Gallergorns. More precisely, deeply sleeping Gallergorns.

All the Gallergorns who had gone hunting shortly after Adhigh awoke had returned.

They seemed to have sensed the birth of the Red Gallergorn even before arriving. That’s why they weren’t particularly surprised to see Adhigh.

Instead, their attitude changed significantly. Every Gallergorn lowered their body and spread their wings when facing Adhigh. They offered their prey with respectful attitudes, as if addressing an absolute ruler.

‘Adhigh actually felt awkward about it.’

Anyway, the amount of food was enormous, so Adhigh shared it with everyone. Thanks to that, the Gallergorns who had been struggling could eat their fill and rest. Even now, the ones lying down sleeping have visibly swollen bellies.

After leaving the nest, I headed straight for where Jax Beta was located.

“Great one” “look” “pretty?”

[Zz (Yes)]

Adhigh, flying alongside me, spun once in the air to show off his four wings.

Compared to before, they’ve grown several times larger. Plus, like the Arcane Orca’s energy skin, the wings emit their own light, making them look even bigger. The sight of those wings, resembling a red nebula fluttering in the frozen underground, was truly overwhelming.

[Zzzzzz zzzzzz zzzzz zzzzz (The word ‘pretty’ doesn’t do them justice)]

“Really?” “Really?”

At my sincere admiration, he flapped his wings joyfully and circled in front of me.

Suddenly, my vision filled with pink. No. 26, who had been riding on top of my head, inflated its body.

“I want to fly too.”

No. 26 flew right up against the tip of my snout. Its plump body completely blocked my view.

‘You must have felt very confined.’

According to Isabelle, it didn’t move a single step while caring for the babies until we arrived. Must have been quite a painful time.

‘Let’s just let it fly freely for now.’

Even though I can’t see ahead because of it, it’s not particularly inconvenient.

Just then, I caught a glimpse of Adhigh’s head through No. 26’s fins. He was looking at No. 26.

‘Huh?’

I thought it was an annoyed look, but looking again, it wasn’t. He was focused on flying with his usual expression.

‘Must have seen wrong.’

We arrived at the passage connected to the surface. Below the hole in the massive ice sheet, the support ship was stuck at an angle like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Judging by the lights flickering inside, PS-111 and Isabelle seemed to be working hard. They must be busy with plenty to research, like Pyrrha Eleven’s data and the new drones the ranker brought.

I continued on without stopping at the support ship. Passing through the corridor and across the frozen land devoid of life, we exited the planet.

In the distance, the massive spaceship Gigacracker looking like a moon, and the rod-shaped warship Jax Beta came into view.

Originally, the warship resembled a trident thanks to three main cannons attached to the front, but they were damaged in the battle with the Arcane Orca. After removing all the damaged cannons, it now has this ridiculous shape.

Of course, it still moves without any problems.

As we approached, the ship’s hangar door opened. We safely boarded Jax Beta.

“I thought you’d sleep longer, but you’re early.”

Sky Mother, who opened the door from inside, greeted us.

[Zzz zzzzz zzz (I woke up early. You too?)]

“I have something to do.”

She pointed to one corner of the hangar.

There were sturdy metal containers neatly arranged. A faint smell of blood emanated from them.

“These are containers holding the Volfs who were kidnapped and killed by pirates. I’m going to bury them on this planet.”

[Zz (I see?)]

“Those children will live here too. It’s better to have family graves nearby.”

The ten young Volfs rescued by Sky Mother ultimately decided to stay with us.

It wasn’t exactly for humanitarian reasons. They knew too much about me to be sent back.

“They’re smart and kind children. If you take good care of them, they’ll be a great help to you.”

[Zzzzz zzzzz (That would be nice)]

Though I didn’t say it, I thought it would be better to just eat and dispose of them. She probably knows that, which is why she’s saying this.

Gallergorns, Coldblood, and now Volfs. The number of those accompanying me keeps growing.

‘In the game, I was always alone.’

Looking at this, I seem to have changed a lot. Just as AMorphs evolve to adapt to their environment, perhaps I’m doing the same.

“By the way, I heard from Isabelle, but Adhigh has changed into quite a magnificent form, hasn’t he?”

Sky Mother, seeing Adhigh’s transformed appearance for the first time, expressed admiration.

“Am I” “magnificent?”

“Yes. Your hard work paid off. No. 26 worked hard too.”

“Yes!”

Adhigh spread his wings wide to show off his beauty. No. 26, also praised, brightened its body to express joy.

“Anyway, you came here early because of that bastard, right?”

[Zz zzz zzzzzzzz (Yes. I’m going to interrogate him now)]

“Good. He’s in the prison now, I’ll bring him.”

About 10 minutes later.

Sky Mother, who had left the hangar, returned with the 25th-ranked Shinobu.

“AMorph-nim. You called, for me.”

The man controlled by the parasite bowed with a servile smile.

“I have questions.”

“Please ask anything. AMorph-nim, I will answer as sincerely as possible…”

“Stop with the insincere talk. You made a deal with Akira Yujin, right?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“Tell me everything you know about contacting him or luring him outside the solar system.”

Hearing my question, he rolled his eyes nervously and answered.

“Well, sir, I mean, Akira doesn’t leave the solar system unless it’s an extremely exceptional case. Usually, he sends proxies or shadows to handle matters.”

“Tell me about those exceptional cases first.”

“Uh, as far as I know, commanding the united fleet to capture you, AMorph-nim, was the last time.”

“What else?”

“Before that, he went to the A-11 system just once to attend the Megacorp Dispute Resolution Conference.”

“He went to handle the civil war that broke out before.”

The A-11 system is a place both Sky Mother and I know well.

When civil wars break out or disputes arise between houses, the seven houses of Megacorp gather in that system. There, representatives from each house discuss how to resolve the issues.

Unless another civil war breaks out, Akira would have no reason to go there.

“Anything else besides the dispute resolution conference?”

“That’s all I know… Ah! Come to think of it, there’s one thing, though I’m not sure if it will help…”

“Speak.”

“Yes, yes. There’s some information I heard from a shadow supported by Akira.”

“Shadow?”

“Yes. Siheyon Yujin, a strange woman who’s both from Noble Capital and became a shadow.”

The unexpected familiar name surprised me.