Became an Evolving Space Monster - Chapter 284
Only Noblemtl
Episode 284 – Fable (1)
“■■, what’s wrong?”
uh?
A familiar voice woke me up. I saw a table with delicious food and white plates in front of me.
The cold sensation felt from the palm of his hand along with it. Looking at the fork in his hand, he feels somehow unfamiliar.
“… Do you not like it? To be honest, I’m not confident since it’s been a while since I made it.”
“It would be a problem if I didn’t like the expensive Korean beef I used.”
“Kid, do you really have to say something like that on a day like this? You’ve said that before too… .”
“No! Dad! I was just thinking about something else!”
Again, father and mother are fighting like before.
I quickly stabbed the bread on the table with the fork I was holding. With a crunchy sound, a hole was made in the bread, and rich meat juice flowed out through the gap.
Drawn to the intense smell, I grabbed the bread with my bare hands and tore it open, putting it in my mouth. It was so hot that I thought I would get burned, but it was so delicious that I couldn’t even feel the heat.
“Are you eating with your bare hands like that? What are you going to do with the fork?”
“How is it? Is it delicious? Is it amazing?”
I chewed and swallowed it furiously and silently raised my thumb.
My father laughed heartily when he saw that.
“I already got my present. Now it’s Mom’s turn.”
“I know.”
“A gift?”
I was so shocked that I was licking my fingers to make sure not to leave a single bit of juice behind.
It was very rare for my mother to give me a gift. In the first place, after I was admitted to the hospital, it was difficult to even see her face. She was a famous actress and was always busy.
“Mom gave me a present?”
“That’s right. I’m going to play too… Oh, no. I’ll just go out for a bit.”
My father took his cell phone and went out, leaving only my mother and I in the kitchen. My mother hesitated for a moment and then took something out from under the table.
The large box with the illustration of a machine that resembled a headgear was something I knew well. It was a VR device that was advertised everywhere. I absentmindedly accepted the gift my mother gave me.
“I asked my manager what was popular these days and bought it.”
My mother spoke in a slightly awkward voice, unlike usual. I couldn’t say anything.
“Good stuff is expensive… Are you crying now?”
“yes?”
Just as my mother had said, I felt warm liquid flowing from the corner of my eyes. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, but the tears did not stop.
I’m happy to receive the gift, but it’s not enough to make me cry. Why on earth am I doing this?
“Hey!”
I put down the gift and ran to the bathroom in a hurry. I heard my mother’s panicked voice, but I couldn’t turn around.
I locked the bathroom door and turned on the faucet.
Perhaps it was the sound of the pouring water that gradually calmed my racing emotions.
I think I know why you reacted that way just now.
Having spent my childhood in a hospital, I dreamed of spending happy times with my family. Everyone sitting at the table eating in a harmonious atmosphere. When that dream came true, I must have shed tears without realizing it.
I washed my face with water and looked in the mirror.
“huh?”
There was a small post-it note stuck to the corner of the mirror. You can see the three-letter word written on the post-it note.
The moment my outstretched finger unconsciously touched the Post-it note, the bathroom was plunged into darkness.
The water on my face turned into a sticky mucus, and the clothes I was wearing became a stuffy cocoon, constricting my body.
‘What was that just now?’
All the illusions I’ve seen through Gochi so far were fragments of memories from the past.
But this time something was different.
I don’t remember a single time when my family all laughed and ate together in harmony. My father and mother were both always busy. By the time I entered college, they were completely separated.
‘And lastly.’
That post-it note.
It seemed like it was definitely an important word, but I can’t remember it. It seemed like everything else was removed and only that part was erased.
‘… Will we be able to check it again when it evolves into an adult?’
Every time I go into the cocoon, I see a vision, so I can see it again later.
I tore the mortar and came out.
As I felt the cool air, the sight I saw was a container with its door wide open and a griffon man standing in front of it.
The Heavenly Mother was about to take a bite of the apple she was holding when she met my gaze.
“… What? Why?”
She chewed on the apple, acting like someone who got caught trying to secretly boil ramen in the middle of the night.
[Zuzu zuzuzu (I told you earlier)]
“I know what you’re thinking, so how can you do that? You just wanted to evolve as quickly as possible.”
She is right.
Since leaving the Dragon’s Nest, I’ve been going around to all sorts of places to collect genetic essences. Since the Megacorp and Star Union rankers have become aware of my existence, I don’t know when they’ll come after me.
Moreover, those who oppose me are all the most powerful in their own power. In order to confront them, I too must become a saint.
I couldn’t deny what she said, because it was true that she definitely felt rushed.
[Zuzuzu (the kids?)]
“I went outside with PS-111. I wanted to watch him eat metal.”
[Zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu (They’ve already arrived)]
He said that he somehow felt no slight vibration from the inner walls of the ship.
The ship landed on an unknown dwarf planet. Before going to attack Kesha Arma, I looked for a place where I could evolve into an adult without being checked by others.
This is a planet so far from its star that light barely reaches it. The planet’s crust is made of ice and metal, and the atmosphere is so shallow that normal life does not exist there.
Before going to Kesha Arma, I searched the area thoroughly to see if it was a suitable place to evolve.
And the result was a pass.
On this small, dark planet I will become an adult.
[Zuz …
“Without waiting?”
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu (You’ll get into Gochi soon, so there’s no need to do that)]
I stood up, shaking off the sticky mucus. My body had grown larger than before, and my ‘two’ long tails were dragging on the floor. My body had changed as I gained a new unique trait.
‘He’ll be an adult soon anyway, so we can check then.’
[Zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu (Take care of the kids while I sleep)]
“Don’t worry.”
She had already finished eating the apples and was taking out some frozen grapes.
I was about to leave her behind, but I impulsively sent her a ripple.
[Zuzuzuzuzuzuzuz (I have a question)]
“Huh? What is it?”
[Zuzuzu zuuzu zuuzu zuuzu zuuzu zuuzu zuuzu zuuzu (Haven’t you seen anything when you leveled up to divinization? Like an illusion)]
“vision?”
After asking her, I regretted it. Why did I ask her when there was no guarantee that someone else would experience the same thing I was experiencing? Especially when they were of a different race.
I was about to add that she didn’t have to answer, but she answered first.
“I saw it.”
[Zuzuzu (Did you see it?)]
“Yeah. Memories from my time as a human. I see you saw them too.”
[Z zu zu zu zu zu zu zu zu zu (Yeah. I see it every time I go to Kochi)]
To be exact, except when it evolves into a fluid, I don’t remember having any illusions at that time. It’s unclear whether I don’t remember or if it was an exceptional case.
Anyway, she seems to have visions every time she grows up, just like me. So maybe other players have had similar experiences.
“That doesn’t sound like a very pleasant experience. Oh, maybe you’re different?”
[Zuzu zuzuzu (what does it mean?)]
She remained silent in response to my question.
She fiddled with the grapes with her golden-furred hands, and after a while she opened her mouth.
“I’ve only had two visions so far. The content was exactly the same.”
[Zuuuuuuuu (It was the same?)]
“Yeah. I remember being bullied in middle school. I tried to forget it, but it kept coming back to me.”
Her answer was unexpected.
Heavenly Mother was the only player I knew who had come to this world and adapted well and even gotten married. Her personality and social skills were pretty good compared to me and other players. I assumed that she would have lived a smooth life in real life, but I didn’t know that she would suffer like this.
“Don’t look at me like that. That happened a long time ago.”
[Zuzuzu (I see)]
“What about you? I guess your memory isn’t all that good since you’re asking me this.”
I didn’t answer her question right away.
When I was a human, I was asked countless times why my face was like that. Every time, I had to explain at length why it was like that.
After all the explaining, the reaction was always the same. Awkwardness. Distrust. Cheap pity.
Our Heavenly Mother might have reacted similarly to them.
‘No. She spoke of her pain first.’
So it would only be right for me to be honest with her.
I told her about the visions I had seen and the great accidents I had experienced in the past. She listened to my story in silence.
When I finished my story, the Heavenly Mother let out a short sigh.
“I didn’t know there was such pain.”
[Z (Yeah)]
“Take this.”
She cut off the grapes she was holding and handed half to me. Then she swallowed the remaining half in one go.
‘Instead of a glass of wine.’
Knowing what her intention was, I put the grapes in my mouth just like she did. Aside from the atmosphere, the refreshing yet sour taste tickled my entire mouth.
The brief silence created by eating grapes was broken when she opened her mouth.
“I didn’t know your mother was such a great actress. I heard she even won an award at a foreign film festival before I came here.”
[Z zu zu zu (well, that’s right)]
“Is acting something that runs in the family?”
[Zuuuuuuu (maybe so)]
She made a short joke and then looked at me with serious eyes.
“This is just my guess. Maybe the illusions change depending on the goals we set?”
[Zuzu zuzuzu (what does it mean?)]
“You were aiming for ascension from the beginning. I was a little different. I liked this world more than ‘reality’.”
[Zuzuzu (right)]
“Unlike me, you saw an ideal future instead of negative memories. So wouldn’t you be more ‘motivated’ than before?”
What she means is that the illusions you see change depending on the goals you set for yourself.
‘Illusion is related to the goal.’
There are too few cases to say for sure, but her opinions are quite interesting.
A vision I had as I entered Kochi to create a unique trait.
It was an ideal family image that had never been experienced in the past. To get that happiness? You have to go back to reality.
‘Then why are you showing me this illusion?’
She said it was for motivation, but that can’t be all. There must be a reason why she or I had the illusion.
‘… I need to find out about this too.’
An illusion made of memories. Perhaps it has something to do with why we fell into this world. Aside from our ultimate goal of ascension.
The conversation with her ended there, as there was nothing more I could learn. Still, I was grateful to her, as it was indeed helpful.
[Thank you]
“You’re welcome. Just exchanging a few words is a big deal.”
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (I always thought so. You don’t know how thankful I am for you)]
“…Stop talking nonsense. Go out and prepare to become a saint.”
She turned her head away, feeling awkward about my sincere gratitude. I bowed my head once to her, who had turned away, and crawled out of the ship.
The barren metal surface greeted me. It was a place with little light, not much different from the darkness of space, but I had an auxiliary organ.
I crawled toward the place I had known in advance. There was a crater not far away. I went into a huge hole created by a meteorite collision long ago and settled down in a suitable place.
‘then.’
“The evolution condition from ‘Semi-adult’ to ‘adult’ has been met. Would you like to evolve? ”
I’ve been waiting for a long time.
A semi-transparent text box that asks for your opinion in the same tone every time.
My answer was always the same.
Before the mucus that accumulates as I enter and exit the chamber has even dried, my body prepares itself for the next stage.
I closed my eyes.
And when I opened my eyes, instead of a black abyss, what I saw was a space filled with light and color.
What stood before me was a familiar-looking iron gate.
‘Here?’
An old door with rusty hinges and a rough handle. That was the door to my studio apartment.
Inside, someone could be heard shouting loudly.
“Hey! You dare interfere with my evolution? You know how to kill me gracefully!”
That voice sounds very familiar.
I reached out and grabbed the doorknob as if possessed by something. I felt a strange sense of foreboding. I felt like I had done this before, but I couldn’t remember.
The doorknob turns and the door opens.
On a bed in a corner of a studio apartment with an attached bathroom, a man wearing headgear is lying there.
His physique looked normal, but his body wasn’t. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, probably because he was at home, so he was clearly visible. There were long burn marks that started from his right leg and extended to his forearms, shoulders, and neck.
“How many times has this happened! Why do you always follow me around? Am I that easy?”
He was screaming loudly, as if he was completely unaware of my presence.
The man’s appearance, his actions, everything is familiar.
‘Something’s wrong.’
I need to get out of here right now. Contrary to my thoughts, my body moved on its own. The long winged arms took off the VR device he was wearing.
“Hey, what is this… Huh?”
He looks at me as he emerges from the world of space survival. His eyes widen to the point of tearing.
‘…crazy.’
He had a burn scar on the right side of his face.
That’s the face I always see in the bathroom mirror every morning.
“Ugh, euaaaah! It’s a monster aaaaah!”
The identity of the man screaming as if he was going to be torn apart was none other than ‘me’.