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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 334
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The Surveillance Office of the Aur sector, located near the red jewel, Verzan-02, is responsible for overseeing the safety of the entire sector. Due to this, it is always busy, with no moments of quiet.
However, today was different.
An urgent report suddenly arrived, and the entire Surveillance Office went into emergency mode.
"Traces of a bio-portal detected all over Verzan-02!"
"Outspacers are pouring out!"
"We've lost contact with the Fortress of Water!"
"Rescue requests are flooding in! What do we do?"
All the control rooms within the Surveillance Office were in disarray due to the incoming reports. The room was so filled with psychic images created by the cults that it was nearly impossible to even see the faces of the people.
The director of the Surveillance Office, receiving reports from his subordinates, wished that this situation were just a dream.
Although he had held many key positions in the Empire over a long period of time, this was the first time he had faced such a serious crisis.
The invasion of Verzan-02 by the Outspacers was a disaster that would be recorded in history.
"Director! What should we do?"
"Please give us orders!"
"......"
The knowledge managers were waiting for instructions, but the director could not open his mouth hastily.
At this moment, the Empire's council was sharply divided between the Providence faction and the Reform faction. As a supporter of the Reform faction, making the wrong move here could cause significant political problems.
Of course, that didn't mean he could remain silent forever.
"F-First, we need to ensure the safety of the governor..."
"Please wait for a moment."
At that moment, a familiar voice stopped him. When he turned his head, he saw the silver-haired woman from the cult whom he had met not long ago.
"Captain Alshas?"
The person who appeared in the control room was Captain Alshas, commander of the Imperial battleship Defender of Verzan-02.
"I barely escaped just before the Fortress of Water was about to face a catastrophe."
"What about the governor? No, more importantly, is Elder Kisos safe?"
"I am sorry. They were taken by Providence directly."
"This can't be!"
Upon hearing this terrible news, the director nearly collapsed on the spot. Kisos, the leader of the Reform faction, was his political mentor. The loss of such a person to Providence was a blow he could hardly bear.
"Director, this is not the time to be stuck in shock. If we aren't careful, we might lose Verzan-02."
"Y-You're right! We need to call in the fleet immediately…!"
Just as the director was about to issue the order, Alshas moved closer to him.
"You look exhausted. Let me help."
"W-What...?"
She whispered in his ear suddenly.
He tried to push her away in confusion, but his body wouldn't move.
At the same time, the scenery in the control room darkened rapidly. The cult members, who were running around frantically, seemed unaware of the sudden darkness.
The director realized at that moment.
Alshas had placed him under a mental control technique known as ‘Ultra Control’.
‘Why?’
Though he didn't understand the situation, there was no one there to answer his question.
"Perfect. You fell for it because I caught you off guard."
Seeing the director now a living puppet, Alshas smirked.
‘Ultra Control’ doesn't work on those with powerful psychic abilities, but in a situation like this, with the director thrown into chaos, it was effective.
‘Then maybe I should deploy the elite fleet.’
"Prepare the elite fleet of the Surveillance Office for deployment. We will strike the enemies at the Fortress of Water."
"Understood!"
Using the director’s voice, Alshas began issuing orders to the knowledge managers.
‘Amorph. You're finished now.’
With the addition of the 4th-ranked Empress's legion, the elite fleet of the Surveillance Office, and the Imperial battleships, there was no chance even the top-ranked would win against them.
Confident in victory, she smiled silently.
-
In space survival, there are only two species that use ‘genetic essence’ as a resource.
The Outspacers, which absorb genetic essence to grow in swarms, and the Amorphs, which consume essence and endlessly evolve.
The former is inspired by the monstrous species ‘ZerX’ from classic strategy simulations, while the latter draws inspiration from the space monster ‘ExRiX’ from classic creature films.
If we consider only the motifs, both species are not so different they both stem from insect-like alien races in famous science fiction novels.
However, when you look at the two species in the game, very few would say they are alike. Their traits created from genetic essence are different, and their playstyles also vary.
Unlike the Amorphs, which fight alone and evolve, Outspacers focus on upgrading the swarm rather than individual units. The strength of the swarm depends on how its components are designed.
For example, individual units directly engaging in combat are evolved to deal more damage, even if they have lower survival rates. Meanwhile, the commanding units, though poor at combat, are specialized in supporting their kin.
The flying monsters, ‘Collector Bugs’, which resemble wasps, are the same. Their role is to collect genetic essence by the queen’s command. They specialize in quickly moving around the battlefield, stealing the essence of fallen enemies.
｢Sssssss｣
｢Sssssss｣
Hundreds of Collector Bugs attach themselves to my body. They begin emitting powerful stomach acid from their mouths, starting to corrode my exoskeleton.
In terms of the setting, Outspacers cannot use psychic power. While queens or the imperial guard may have evolved the ability to use energy, it would be impossible to make the Collector Bugs capable of such powers.
That said, I can't afford to relax. There are no limitations to evolving body parts.
Even now, the acid attacks from the Collector Bugs are creating holes in my exoskeleton, which is resistant even to plasma weapons.
‘I combined the genes of a metallic gremlin and an acidic creature.’
While my acidic breath may be stronger, the sheer number of creatures that can spit acid makes the Collector Bugs much more dangerous.
‘I can’t let this go on.’
I spun in the air, shaking off the hundreds of Collector Bugs attached to my body. The shock sent the bugs scattering to the ground.
｢Get away!｣
｢Ssss?!｣
Tentacles from Number 26 lashed out at the Collector Bugs that had fallen from me. The spiked ends of the tentacles pierced through the bugs like the thorns of a chestnut.
In an instant, dozens were killed, but the number remaining was far greater. New bugs appeared to replace their fallen comrades.
The bugs seemed to recognize Number 26 as the bigger threat, and they began attacking its tentacles.
｢Ouch!｣
[ZZ ZZ (shrink the body)]
The Sea Demon with raid boss-level strength has extremely high defense. However, even my exoskeleton, which resists powerful attacks, is being corroded by their acidic attacks. It won’t be easy for Number 26 to hold out.
Moreover, since the Collector Bugs are like biological machines without a sense of self, they aren’t significantly affected by ‘Deep Sea Fear’. Number 26 has no reason to increase its size.
Upon hearing this, it shrank its body to 10 meters. In the meantime, I used my corrosive tentacles to strike the Collector Bugs clinging to its surroundings. Some were devoured by my tentacles, while others turned into quartz chunks due to my ‘Medusa Organs’.
｢Flies｣｢Too many.｣
｢Rather than flies, they are more like wasps!｣
"Wasp. Presumed to be the ancestor of Earth’s carnivorous insect ‘Demon Wasp’. Last seen in records from 400 years ago."
Not only me, but Adhai, the Mother of the Sky, and PS-111 are all busily moving around, eliminating enemies.
Adhai uses her ‘Red Armor’ enhanced wings as dual swords to slice through the Collector Bugs. The ones fortunate enough to avoid her attacks tried to latch onto her unactivated back legs or tail.
Just as the bugs opened their sharp jaws to shoot their stomach acid, particles of agate-colored light appeared from somewhere and surrounded them. The bugs that came into contact with the particles were crushed in midair like cans in a compactor.
Behind them was the Mother of the Sky, with her agate-colored wings spread wide. She had saved Adhai from danger and lured the enemies away.
｢Sssssss｣
｢Sss｣
Hundreds of flying monsters are firing acid at the Griffons while keeping their distance.
Even as a top ranker, it’s impossible to completely dodge the acidic attacks coming from all directions. The golden fur of the Griffons scorched black where it was hit by the acid.
It was PS-111, riding above me, who helped her out of the predicament. It swung its claw, now enhanced with a Gallagon’s talon sword, to generate wind slashes, while firing molecular disintegration grenades from the tip of its long tail.
Outspacers can't use psychic powers, but every individual has a certain level of resistance to them. Because of this, wind slashes alone can't cause significant damage.
Knowing this, PS-111 targeted the thinner wing parts, as they would be more vulnerable than the thicker body.
The Collector Bugs, with their wasp-like appearance, become slow and sluggish if even one of their wings is damaged. The slowed bugs were easily dealt with by either me or Number 26.
My large tentacles and its pink-tipped tentacles danced in the sky like they were in a ballroom. Sometimes my corrosive tentacles sliced the bugs in two, while sometimes the pink sawtooth tentacles captured and crushed them.
‘Our rhythms are well-matched…’
We are killing dozens of them every second. Yet, there seems to be no sign of the enemy's numbers decreasing.
That pit.’
I glared at the pit where Alshas' mansion once stood. Even now, bugs continue to pour out endlessly from there. There must be a bio-portal down below summoning them.
‘Either destroy the portal or…’
The monster flying around with Alshas and Isabel on board has been bothering me since earlier.
‘I’ve never seen a design like that before.’
Its body was wrapped in small, thin tentacles. Each tentacle had an eye at the tip. Whether these eyes functioned as sensory organs or not, each one was blinking and moving without rest.
This was a form I had never encountered in the game before. It was unclear what kind of genetic essence had been applied to it or what abilities it possessed.
Considering its developed sensory organs and its position at the rear, it’s likely that creature is the queen.
As I observed the creature for a moment, large 3-meter-long stakes suddenly came flying at me from the ground.
The 30-meter-tall giant monsters, ‘Stake Bugs’, which had emerged from the mansion’s destruction, were busily bombarding me.
Stake Bugs are one of the few creatures in the swarm that utilize energy. However, unlike me, they don’t expel energy directly.
Instead, they circulate massive amounts of energy constantly within their bodies. Using the force generated from this, they fire biological projectiles known as ‘Biofiles’, which are living bio-bullets. In a way, this is similar to how firearms work.
The problem is, these biological stakes have a very high penetration power. They’re useful against heavily armored enemies or warships.
In other words, as a flying entity with heavy armor, these bugs are quite troublesome for me.
‘This won’t do.’
Given time, even more creatures will come through the bio-portal. Whether I eliminate the queen or destroy the portal, I have to do something.
Fortunately, I have the perfect weapon for dealing with organic enemies.
‘I’ll use the Abyssal Hue.’
As a species made up of living weapons, the Outspacers are the perfect targets for this kind of weapon. There’s no more lethal weapon for them.
[ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (Everyone, go to the ground and take care of them)]
｢You're going?｣
[Z ZZZZZZ ZZZZZZ (I’m going to sweep up the Collector Bugs)]
Since there are so many Collector Bugs around, there’s a risk that our side might get caught up in the chaos. If I go alone, I won’t have to worry about that, so I decided to send everyone to the ground.
｢Alright. While you're at it, check if the Coldbloods are okay.｣
｢Great Elder.｣｢Be careful.｣
Right after they left, I activated the Abyssal Hue.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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