Chapter 394
Metallic Gremlin is not very tall. The largest specimens reach about 80cm, so most of them can be considered to be about the size of children.
However, you should not ignore it just because it is small.
These little demons with metal skin are the natural enemies of ships. The nickname ‘Plunder of the Universe’ is by no means a lie.
The fearful beings wandering the sea called the universe advance.
Even though No. 26 did not say otherwise, they moved towards the enemy fleet on their own.
Metallic Gremlins can detect energy emitted by ships through microscopic protrusions inside their mouths. Because the performance of the protuberance is quite excellent, it can easily find even small spacecraft in the distance. There is no way we will miss the fleet that is pouring fire on us from afar.
Warships that look like small stars move in the distance. Switching sides to deal with the Metallic Gremlin.
And some battleships began firing ultra-long range shots. If a flock of up to 10,000 animals approaches, the damage will be very significant, so the intention is to reduce it in advance.
Just before the incoming heat ray touched the silver cloud, they disappeared like smoke.
Next, a metallic gremlin with a blue radiance on its body jumped out near the enemy fleet. This is a large-scale teleportation performed by warp boys. They immediately closed the distance and immediately entered close combat against the ships that were changing positions.
[Zuzzu zuzuzu (let’s move too)]
Afterwards, I and the kids approached the enemy fleet.
Unlike before, no check fire was fired. This was because they were busy dealing with marauders who suddenly appeared and ambushed them.
The silver monsters were extremely hungry and clung to nearby ships. The auxiliary guns of each ship were constantly moving to drop them. Heat rays and energy bullets fired from naval guns littered the black space.
One of them moves its main gun and aims at me. Just before the heat ray was fired, the hull shook significantly. This is because the alter ego, ‘Right Head’, born from ‘Hydra Split’, hit the body.
The collision caused the ship to stumble greatly, and the heat beam fired by the main gun hit another battleship behind me. The battleship hit by the heat ray had a large hole in its hull, but did not sink.
But there is no need for me to finish it. This is because a flock of hungry monkfish nearby will take care of the cleanup.
At that time, the five destroyers ahead exploded almost simultaneously. Red stars and black storms emerged from the silently spreading flames and rushed towards the other ship.
It was Adhai wearing ‘red armor’ and the mother of heaven who transformed into a griffon. The two fastest and most agile members among us are toying with the enemy through flying combat. The two literally became living torpedoes, piercing through various ships.
The ships that were not completely destroyed due to their large weight were finished off by my alter ego ‘Left Head’ and the Metallic Gremlin.
The left head stuck to the ship and used its sharp teeth and claws to rip off the ship’s guns and thrusters. A ship with its attack and transportation capabilities disabled is nothing more than bulky scrap metal. The well-groomed prey entered the bellies of the silver demons that followed.
Like the other kids, No. 26 was actively using his unique abilities to go on the offensive. Using psychic power, he distorted the trajectory of the incoming torpedo and crushed the battleship’s guns.
While everyone was fighting hard, I was looking for a command ship or a ship that seemed to have an enemy ranker on board.
‘If it continues to be a war of attrition, there will be no end.’
The current chaos will never last long. When the enemy starts to respond, this side becomes at a disadvantage.
Before that, we need to shake it up by causing as much damage as possible. Either catch and kill the ranker, or neutralize the command center.
[Zuzuzu zuzuzu (Have you found anything?)]
「Ranker, I don’t see it. A special ship, I have to find it.”
“Command, looking for it.” “There is nothing nearby.”
Isabel’s special privilege, ‘The Heavenly Eye of All Things’, allows her to read only information about creatures and objects she has seen directly. It is impossible to confirm the people on board the ship. So, we are looking for a ship with characteristics that are different from regular ships. PS-111 was also assisting Isabelle in checking for ships that had undergone unusual modifications.
‘I will use the Void Dice only when the goal is set.’
The duration of ‘Void Dice’ is 3 minutes. The maintenance time is quite short. Therefore, it should be used when you are confident that you can achieve the highest efficiency.
As I continued to look at the numerous ships, there was a change in their movements.
The ships carrying the Metallic Gremlin broke away from the formation and widened the distance between them and the fleet. After some distance, other battleships attacked the ship. The ship that was hit by three or four heat rays exploded.
Then other ships did the same. After ordering the ship with the Metallic Gremlin to move away from the fleet, the ship is left to other ships to deal with it.
‘What you do in the game, you do here too.’
It is very difficult to remove the metallic gremlin that has stuck to your stomach. So players who operate fleets often eliminate enemies in this way, taking some losses.
‘But if you do that, the backlash will be quite severe.’
This may not be a problem in games, but this is reality. If a ranker wastes the lives of his subordinates, side effects are bound to occur.
‘furthermore….’
Coincidentally, Star Union and Megacorp are conducting a joint operation here to catch me. Originally, the two powers were hostile to each other. If it weren’t for the rankers’ orders, there would be no such cooperation.
As I thought about it, an idea came to mind.
If it goes well, this is a method that can cause quite a lot of damage to enemies.
‘Should we try an experiment?’
I approached where the enemies were gathered.
A mixture of Megacorp and Star Union ships are attacking the ship with the Metallic Gremlins. Some of them spotted me and opened fire with their auxiliary guns. I continued to move forward while being hit by flying energy bullets.
And when the distance between them became close enough, ‘Messenger of Chaos’ was activated.
A thin line of psychic power rose from the monster’s tentacles on its head. Deadly smoke, distorting cognitive abilities and driving people into madness, seeped into nearby ships.
Herald of Chaos is the only talent that specializes in manipulating the minds of large numbers of people and controlling crowds. If the range is maximized, it can affect intelligent entities within a radius of 500m.
‘It’s not an appropriate trait to use in space warfare, though.’
The average size of the battleships I fight is hundreds of meters or more. Even if you approach closely like now, only two or three ships will be within the range of influence.
But it still doesn’t matter. The crew on board the ship will take care of everything after this.
With Herald of Chaos activated, I continued to approach the area where enemies were concentrated. There was no attack. Even if the aircraft carriers stuck to us and became a nuisance, we left them all alone.
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (Don’t attack those fighters)]
「What?」
「Hey, morph. Between, kick power, detected. Enemy, spirit, pollution, are you ordering it?”
“Jeong, new pollution?”
Isabel, the only one among the children who had never seen the messenger of chaos, expressed doubt.
‘This should be enough.’
The time has come for the seeds that were slowly sown to ripen. It would be better to show it in person rather than explain it in words. I stopped the harbinger of mayhem and took a step back.
After a while, enemy ships that showed strange movements began to appear. The batteries mounted on the outer walls targeted nearby friendly forces, especially Star Union ships, instead of the enemy.
The ships carrying the cyborgs were unaware of anything and were concentrating on attacking us. That is, until the Megacorp ships nearby attacked them.
‘It’s a success.’
Star Union ships are hit by plasma heat rays and sink one after another. As allies die one after another, the cyborg warships also show signs of agitation.
The cyborgs of the Star Union were not the only ones who felt embarrassed by the alliance’s unexpected actions. The humans were equally confused.
‘It has to be that way.’
The ships and aircraft that were fighting together were suddenly rushing towards them.
Two destroyers hit a battleship at the same time. A white battleship as if made of marble is engulfed in an explosion.
The ship that collided with the aircraft carrier had no major problems other than damage to the outer wall. I can guarantee you that only the outside is fine, but the inside is a mess right now.
‘It must be crazy because people suddenly start going crazy.’
Those affected by the Herald of Chaos are randomly given the ‘Insanity Bomb’ effect. The subject with the bomb planted becomes a crazy cannibal, obsessed only with eating other people.
However, if you hastily eliminate the person carrying the bomb, the problem becomes more serious. This is because when the host dies, the madness bomb is transmitted to the nearest intelligent being.
‘If it were a small space like a spaceship, it would spread quickly.’
It’s only a matter of time before hell opens up inside that battleship.
As the Megacorp warships continued to make unexpected moves, the enemy’s offensive was halted.
The same was true for Star Union’s ships. The black, crude, rectangular-shaped ships were gradually increasing their distance from the white, streamlined design ships. Looking at his appearance, it was clear that he was wary of his allies.
While confusion was increasing among the enemies, Isabel, who was on my back, sent a thought wave to me.
“Teukgi, I found one. 2 o’clock ahead, direction.”
Where he pointed, there was a white spaceship that looked a little different from a regular warship. The shape of the elongated hull and the tapered front part was reminiscent of a large knife.
‘Where do you think I’ve seen you before?’
Despite its unusual appearance, it looks vaguely familiar. I had a strong feeling that this was a ship I had seen before.
「Super Mu, Gi Yi, On Cannon, similar weapons, equipped.」
[Zuzu Zuzuzuzu (Ion Cannon)]
Ion cannons, which are located at a higher level than plasma weapons, are mainly used as the main weapon of megacorp superweapons such as Gigacracker.
Of course, that ship is so small that it can’t be compared to the Giga Cracker. It is unlikely that it will show as much power as a super weapon.
‘It’s a ship equipped with an ion cannon.’
In the game, ion cannons could not be mounted on regular warships for balance reasons.
[Zuzu Zuzuzu (Anything else than that?)]
There is a device called ‘go, quick response war, pn, jin’. Super light, fast sailing, is faster. There are many other devices besides that.”
Then I suddenly remembered where I had seen that ship.
When I was leaving the T&C Special Trade Center, my predatory senses suddenly activated at the port. Unlike usual, I saw a future full of noise.
‘That’s why I chose a different escape ship.’
The ship I was avoiding at the time looked very similar to the ship over there now.
「The target, Eugene, the family’s flagship, ‘Heavenly Sword’ has been confirmed. Head, probability of boarding, over 80%.”
PS-111 put a dent in my guess.
The 3rd ranker, Akira Yujin, is on that ship.
‘good.’
Now that you have found your goal, there is no more hesitation. I immediately used ‘Void Dice’.
The moment I threw the dice, I felt a shallow flame blooming in my chest.
At first, it was a small ember, but it grew bigger and bigger, and before I knew it, it became a flame that burned the whole body. As if it wasn’t just a simple feeling, the silver pattern on his chest also spread out in all directions.
「This?」
「The energy released from the membrane inside Amorph’s body was confirmed.」
The Screamer sisters were puzzled by the changes that occurred in my body.
I know what happens when this pattern covers your entire body. Because I’ve experienced it once before.
As a silver pattern reminiscent of the Milky Way completely engulfed my entire body, a strange sensation captured my consciousness.
A strange feeling of vitality, liveliness, and liberation mixed together. As long as this state lasts, all the characteristics you have can be used freely without cooldown or restrictions.
Among the numerous weapons stored in my body, the first two I chose were.
‘Bone beast and symbol of hunting.’
Two characteristics that are inherently incompatible.
‘Giantness’ and ‘perfection’ are fused in my body.
A word from the author (author’s review) 「Messenger of chaos: Reality depends on the senses. Spreads psychic power to distort the senses of all intelligent beings within a 500m radius. Plants a ‘Insanity Bomb’ at random among affected creatures.
*’Insanity Bomb’: Shakes the target’s senses and mind and turns them into crazy cannibals. When you die, the ‘Insanity Bomb’ effect is transmitted to the nearest intelligent being.
*Caution: The effect is halved for creatures with psychic power resistance. Agility decreases significantly when using the attribute.
*P.S.: Please don’t trust reality too much.”
“Predator’s Irregular Polyhedron: Devours a piece of equipment and specializes its unique abilities. This can only be done once per piece of equipment, and when you feast on another piece of equipment, the characteristic effects of the previous piece of equipment are lost.
-Dice of Void: Obtained after feasting on ‘Abyss Destroyer’. When activated, all attribute cooldowns are reset. There are other unconfirmed additional effects and restrictions. 」
「Bone Beast: Inherits and strengthens the existing giant creature characteristics. Once a week, you can transform into a very powerful ‘Bone Beast’. The transformation lasts 60 minutes.
*Caution: Cannot be used with ‘Emble of Hunting’.
*P.S.: Exoskeletons are not exclusive to certain species. “See next episode”