Became an Evolving Space Monster - Chapter 401



Only Noblemtl

“All right!”

The captain hurriedly lowered his head at the angry master’s stern order.

“And did you find out who called Gigacracker?”

“That, that too is under investigation! It seems like someone involved in the operation requested assistance, so we’ll have it confirmed soon.”

Akira suppressed his anger, even though he didn’t like anything the captain said.

If it were normal, I would have torn it apart with my bare hands and killed it, but I can’t do that now.

He is currently so weak that he must remain in the special liquid of the tank. Going out of the tank and killing the captain will only delay the time it takes for his body to reconstruct.

“Go away.”

“Yes, yep!”

The captain, who had read Akira’s discomfort, hurriedly left the room.

Inside the quiet tank, Akira thought about who had called Giga Cracker.

‘I said I wouldn’t mobilize any superweapon other than Alpha Boy.’

However, someone disobeyed his orders and secretly sent a rescue request to Gigacracker. This was at a point when Akira’s defeat was looking certain.

If it weren’t for this ship, Akira would have been killed by the ion cannon.

‘Are you trying to kill me?’

Did another ranker take advantage of his weakness and do something? If that’s true, he needs to be purged immediately after he returns.

‘We don’t need them anymore anyway. We need more specials to catch Aimov, so we’d rather stay here… .’

At that moment, the sound of a door opening was heard. A researcher in a white gown approached the tank.

“Adjustment is unnecessary, so step back.”

This tank was designed by Akira. He knows it best, so he doesn’t need anyone else’s tuning.

‘huh?

The researcher didn’t leave even after Akira’s order to leave. He was staring at the tank with an unknown smile.

“Is it because your body has changed? Or is it because it’s been a long time since we last met? Don’t you remember me?”

“what?”

A researcher who speaks as if he knows himself well.

Akira flinched at the uncomfortably familiar tone of voice.

“Ku, what is a tiger?”

“When I panic, Japanese comes out first. That’s really interesting. I’m not very good at Korean, but I have a good memory.”

The researcher’s identity was someone Akira knew well.

The leader of the Returners and a strong man ranked 7th, ‘Shin Beom-ho’.

He came to Akira now with an unfamiliar face and a body of an unfamiliar race.

–

In a tank filled with a specially treated chemical solution, Akira glared at his long-lost nemesis.

It had already been several decades since I last met Beom-ho.

The opponent was very different from what he remembered. It wasn’t just that he had aged, but that his species had changed. He had been a young cult member, but now he was a middle-aged researcher.

But Akira quickly accepted his change, which wasn’t particularly surprising considering the privileges that Beomho had.

“Why are you here? Are you after Aimov too?”

As far as he knew, Beomho was the ranker who attacked Aimoff the most in the game. There were quite a few people in the community who saw Beomho and Aimoff as fated rivals.

It’s a meaningless assumption since it’s impossible, but if Beomho and Akira had worked together in this operation, they could have killed Aimov.

However, Beomho’s answer was different from what Akira expected.

“The Empress thought so too, but she was wrong. The reason I came here is not because of Aimov. It is to stop you and that guy from fighting.”

“what?”

“To be exact, that guy shouldn’t die yet.”

When Akira heard that, a memory came to mind.

The plan I heard from Beom-ho before our relationship fell apart.

“That’s foolish. That plan is impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible before the human will.”

“It’s outrageous to hear such words coming from your own mouth.”

“I worked hard to save your life, but this is your reaction. I’m disappointed. If Giga Cracker hadn’t come here, you would have been killed by that guy.”

At Beomho’s words, Akira clenched his teeth that were just starting to grow.

The one who called Giga Cracker was not a traitor, but Beom-ho.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we can assume that there are no traitors within the ruling faction. I don’t know when Beom-ho infiltrated Megacorp, but there must have been someone who helped him.

To find out, we need to catch that human outside the tank.

“Is that all you have to say?”

Akira has a secret weapon that he can use even in his weakened state. The conditions for its use are strict, so he couldn’t use it when fighting Aimov, but not now. With this ability, he can also capture Pan-ho.

As he gathered his strength, determined to subdue his opponent, the liquid inside the tank began to shake.

“The plan went awry because of you. You’ll have to pay the price.”

“You’re really annoying. You lose every game. You can’t beat that guy.”

Akira paused at the sight of his opponent’s still calm appearance.

Akira knows a lot about Beomho’s abilities because they’ve worked together in the past. Beomho is no exception. He can’t help but know how difficult an opponent Akira is.

But the fact that he shows this attitude is clearly because he is confident.

“Do you think I can’t kill you?”

“Well, you could probably tear me to pieces even in that state.”

“Are you still provoking me even though you know that?”

In front of the shaking tank, Beom-ho calmly raised his arm. His hand touched the glass wall of the tank.

“You’re always the problem. You know why you can’t beat that guy?”

“what?”

“You have so much, but your imagination is so poor.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Beomho’s eyes began to glow purple. The purple light that had been lingering in his eyes slowly moved down his face and to his shoulders as if it had its own ego.

Akira was surprised, knowing what it meant.

｢プレーヤーにもできるだと? くそ虎! 僕をだましたんだな! (You can do it to players too? Kusotora! You fooled me!)

“To be exact, I didn’t lie, I just didn’t say anything.”

Akira quickly activated his ability as he saw the light passing through his arm and reaching his hand seep into the glass wall.

The target was not Beom-ho, but himself. The liquids that had been sloshing around his body froze as if they had been rapidly cooled. The monitor connected to the tank and the lights illuminating the room flickered uneasily.

But the purple light was just a little bit faster than that. The light reached Akira’s body before the liquid completely solidified. Then, a purple line appeared between Akira and Beomho.

“Environmental control and formation of a stationary field? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

Beom-ho took his hand away as he looked at the heavily damaged tank due to the hardened liquid.

“It’ll take some time to settle in, but I expected this. I’ve prepared for everything, so it’ll be okay.”

With the ‘ability’ applied, Akira’s ‘body’ was in his hands. Beomho smiled as he looked at the thread that was becoming transparent.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get out when the time comes.”

As the thread completely disappeared, Beom-ho’s body collapsed on the white floor like a doll whose strings had been cut.

A few minutes later, he woke up again.

“Ugh, my head… .”

He looked somewhat dazed, unlike before he collapsed, as he rubbed his temples and groaned.

He slowly got up from his seat and looked at the tank in front of him.

“Why am I here… Huh? Huh, huh?”

His face turned pale as he stared blankly at the tank. He reached out to the monitor in an urgent manner.

“T, why did it suddenly become like this? Who would do something like this… Damn it!”

After seeing the monitor go dead, he hurriedly went out of the room.

A white room where silence has come.

A purple light flashed and disappeared inside the broken tank in the room.

–

[Zuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuz (No one is chasing you, right?)]

“Yeah. Don’t follow me, you bad piece of metal.”

Number 26 answered my question by waving his silver tentacles.

I checked one last time because the enemy might catch up, even if it was late. Fortunately, the enemy didn’t send a pursuit team, as if they were planning to attack next.

‘It’s been about an hour, so let’s get moving.’

The effects of the contaminated genes that were consumed by eating Akira’s subordinates have long since ended. Thanks to this, his recovery characteristics have also returned to normal.

‘I’m worried about Adhai too.’

It is certain that the creature is alive, as the spores planted on it are still alive. However, the exact condition is too far away to be determined.

‘Wait a minute, before you go….’

There is something to check.

I looked down at Akira’s head, which I was holding with my small arms against my chest.

Until an hour ago, it was fine, but now it was not in such good condition. The hardened shell that resembled Aimov’s was visibly becoming brittle.

[Zuzuzu zuuzuzu zuuzuzu zuuzuzu (You said there are no contaminated genes?)]

“Yeah. From what I’ve seen, it looks like that.”

Isabel, who received the request, checked with Mansang’s Heavenly Eye several times, but said that she could not see any contaminated genes.

The abnormal rate of decay of the head seems to be a special trait of Akira, a characteristic of the fake body itself.

‘I should eat it before it’s too late.’

Originally, I was planning on waiting until I could use the symbol of hunting. However, the condition of my head is rapidly deteriorating. I need to eat it before it gets damaged any further.

‘There’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to obtain the genetic essence anyway.’

What I’m holding is not Akira’s real body, but just a part of a fake body. It may not have a predatory effect when consumed.

‘It would be a real shame if there was no compensation.’

I put Akira’s head in my mouth, hoping to salvage something.

As the hard shell and teeth collided, there was a short, loud cracking sound like when you chew candy. The contents inside flowed down my tongue and into my throat. And a sweet, intense flavor, like chocolate, caramel, and butter melted together in a hot frying pan, spread throughout my mouth.

‘Well, it definitely tastes okay… .’

The moment I tried to savor the taste and aroma that spread in an instant.

A translucent text box suddenly appeared in front of me.

“Predation effect activated! ‘Hiveformer’ genetic essence acquired successfully.”

“Steal ‘Hiveformer’ from ‘Akira Eugene’s’ biological trait.”

“Would you like to apply ‘Hiveformer’?”

I almost screamed when I saw the contents of the text box.

‘Hiveformer?’

Hiveformer is a general trait related to nests, and is a very good trait for races that can build nests. It is considered a virtually essential trait for outspacers who rely heavily on nests.

However, this trait is extremely difficult to obtain, as creatures with the trait are very rare.

‘I thought this was something we’d only see when we conquered the solar system.’

I never expected to get what I got from Akira’s head here.

“Big baby, smile! Looks like it’s delicious and feels good!”

“I think it’s because of the other things, rather than the taste.”

Number 26 and Isabel are talking to me from the side. I guess I was smiling without realizing it.

I tried to calm my heart and looked at the text box again.

‘The predation effect only appeared once, but it’s still a pretty good result.’

Hiveformer is a good trait on its own, but what makes it even better is that it is one of the materials needed to craft the unique trait.

｢’Transcendence’ Material List: Demon Machine, Tyrantroid, Destroyer Carapace, Ether Core (Not Obtained), Hiveformer (Not Obtained)｣