Chapter 61
In the world of Space Survival, there are over thousands of different traits. Some are so powerful that they can completely change the situation, and there are traits whose approval through the review process raises questions. With various effects, traits related to physical transformation are naturally present.
Among them are traits like body transformation, which I acquired from the wolf I devoured earlier. They are beings reminiscent of space-age werewolves who have the ability to transform into beastly form for a limited time duration. In fact when the players used to play as wolves, their primary objective was to unlock its beastly form.
In pursuit of better existence and evolution, they might be somewhat similar to Amorph.
The reason I’m mentioning this is that my current body changes resemble the transformation of the wolves. Although my original form was already monstrous, the new transformation was more akin to a beast than a monster.
The outer covering that covered my head grew rapidly, covering my eyes obscuring my eyes, and the horns became long and massive just like spears. The originally 3m tall body became much larger, making it impossible for me to fit inside the room.
Thanks to the effect of Perfect Organism, the muscles attached to the reinforced combat arms became thicker and more powerful, totally reshaping them. Only the covering at the wrist grew unevenly, resembling small shields with tiny thorns that could be used not only for defense but also for offense.
The Spine Projectile Organ of the lower left arm also changed significantly.The original rifle-like shape changed to that of a cannon.
‘Moreover, it has three barrels?’
That means it can shoot three rounds at once, consecutively or simultaneously. Thanks to this, there was now no shortage of long-range firepower.
Even up to this point, it was shocking, but the most significant change occurred on my back.‘My arms have elongated?’
Two additional arms emerged from my back which unlike my other arms had four joints with crescent-shaped, elongated bone blades designed exclusively for combat and killing.
‘Was this the reason why I was not able to use my wings?’
Given that the sensation while moving the arms was almost identical to the feeling of moving wings, the arms on the back were undoubtedly devices replacing wings.
I swung the arms on my back a few times. Every time I swung the bone blade attached to the end of the arm, there was a threatening sound as the air was cut.
Certainly, the ‘Symbol of the Hunt’ was a change that lived up to its name.
‘And even though I can’t see it, this vivid feeling explains it all.’
‘The enhanced auxiliary organ compensated for my lack of vision, so I don’t regret losing it for now.’
Thanks to them, I could not only sense the changes in my body but also read the movements and appearances of people throughout the entire building. I could even hear the heartbeats of the four individuals in reinforced suits.
Powerful traits come with a cost, and such dramatic changes in my body inevitably demand immense energy, risking starvation as a post-effect if not managed carefully. As I contemplated stepping out, a plasma bolter-wielding knight aimed at my room, unleashing its destructive force— the plasma energy.
‘I need to get out of here first…’
“This way!”
And…
“What?!”
A voice distorted by mechanical sounds reached my ears. The emotions within it were filled with confusion. Surprisingly, despite the impact, my outer skin remained largely intact, merely scorched. Sensations akin to a slight tongue burn from hot coffee was what I felt.
‘Is it okay?’
I brushed off the soot on my outer covering with the combat arm, then crawled out of the room. Due to my large size, I was unable to bend my waist, so I moved in a semi-leaning position, sticking the combat arms to the ground. Even then, my massive frame filled the corridor completely, and unlike before, the enemies seemed overwhelmed by my increased size, staggering back.
Grrrr
“Pl-Plasma bolter doesn’t work on him!”
“E-Everyone retreat!”
When I growled, the enemies quickly began to retreat. The situation was quite amusing.
I put strength into my tail and swung it forcefully. The tail not only broke the corridor wall but also struck the knight at the back of the enemies. The reinforced suit, which was easily able to destroy concrete walls earlier, crumpled at the impact.
‘Crack!’
The waist of the knight hit by my tail bent unnaturally. It was a fatal injury that should have resulted in instant death, but he didn’t die, perhaps he was equipped with a life support system as an option.
“Fifeild!”
“Damn it, it’s too late! We need to retreat and regroup!”
“Shit!”
Instead of chasing the other knights, I approached the injured one called Fifield.
‘Since my jaws are now reinforced, there should be no problem in eating him as it is.’
I activated the metal absorption effect, and with the thought of returning to the nest, I left the current ongoing stealth function intact.
I grabbed the knight with my combat arms. The superior reinforced suit he wore was a thing close to an armor suit. Therefore, despite being nearly 3m tall, he still had to look up at me as my height was even more than him.
“Cough, our Silver Lion Knights, you…”
Though his voice was modulated by machinery, the cough couldn’t be concealed. Blood pulsated within his armor as if he had coughed up blood.
I stopped attacking for a moment.
Not to save him but because one word in his sentence caught my attention.
‘Silver Lion Knights.’
The only faction in Megacorp that uses the term ‘Knights’ is the Eden family.
‘They sent someone here.’
If you play as the Eden family, you will be provided with mercenaries called the Eden family’s knights as a perk when you become the head of the family. In the game, the name is determined randomly, but in real life, it seems to be called the Silver Lion Knights.
Well since the board meeting is going to be held soon all the seven must have sent their representatives.
It was highly likely that individuals from other families would also bring a substantial number of escort forces, similar to these Silver Lion Knights.
Some of the noble families have mercenaries whose existence is fixed in the system, as the Eden family have the Silver Lion Knights. However, not all families have such mercenaries, so I need to confirm that myself. Anyway, since there was no more information to extract from the prey. I swung my tail at the knight’s head.
The sharp and sturdy bone blade pierced through the visor helmet of the advanced reinforced suit, lodging into the guy’s forehead. As the blade was pulled out, blood and brain matter splattered, and the reinforced suit stopped functioning upon the owner’s death.
Inside the destroyed helmet, the face of a young and handsome Caucasian man appeared. He might have been quite popular In his lifetime, but now he was nothing more than a corpse with brain matter oozing from the hole in his forehead.
I opened my mouth wide and bit into the knight’s corpse. Due to my enlarged body and flexible jaw, I could fit his entire chest into my mouth at once.
Applying force to my jaw caused the advanced reinforced suit to shatter immediately. Flesh, blood, and organs spilled out, flowing into my body.
It felt similar to chewing on a piece of candy with a delicious filling.
‘Looks like this guy underwent some modifications too.’
The taste was truly exceptional.
Although the reinforced suit, nearly indistinguishable from a chunk of metal, was a minus factor, the interesting texture made it somewhat palatable.
The knight in the reinforced suit became nutrient for my body in just a few minutes. With my enlarged body, I easily consumed the 3m tall prey.
After finishing the meal, a semi-transparent text box appeared, but I ignored it.
‘Now is still the time for hunting.’
I need to diligently catch the prey that’s running around until the effects of the symbol of hunt disappear.
***
“Your Excellency, Chief Administrator Laila has prepared a bouquet for you.”
“Huh, when did she prepare that?”
“As you may know, she is Samdam Chemblin’s daughter. Her resourcefulness shouldn’t surprise us..”
“Tch, Samdams got a lot of luck.”
Denver praised the now-adult Laila Chamblin’s skills.
Currently, he is staying in the top-notch room located within a luxurious room in the Monument skyscraper, a high-rise building in the administrative district. There seemed nothing special about it until he entered the room.
Every facility and decoration in the room matched precisely with how it was in Denver’s office. It wasn’t just the appearance; even the materials and vintage of the furniture were identical.
‘He’s a well-organized guy with his kids.’
Unbeknownst to the public, a clandestine alliance existed between Prime Capital’s Eden family and Noble Capital’s T&C, ever since Denver had ascended as the head of the T&C, which provided funds for Denver’s ambitious project, the Hulk Mutant development, securing Eden’s votes in return. Denver had conversed with Samdam beforehand, sealing this deal.
In return for the money, Denver was required to vote for Samdam Chemblin of T&C in the board meeting. Laila might not know, but Denver had already finished negotiating with Samdam and had come here for another purpose.
‘Anyways, I was thinking of calling William, whom I haven’t seen in a long time, but I didn’t expect such an incident to occur.’
Upon witnessing an old subordinate attempting suicide right in front of him, Denver was quite surprised. The William in his memory wasn’t someone who would contemplate taking their own life.
[Please…]
Denver mulled over William’s last words. What could the old subordinate of his have requested from him? In the past, when the first project concluded in an unfortunate manner, Denver had ensured substantial compensation for the project team members.
‘It can’t be because of credits.’
Even if credits were urgently needed, would it be more urgent than one’s life? Denver didn’t think William would resort to self-harm for such trivial reasons.
‘A problem he couldn’t solve on his own. And a very urgent matter.’
Unfortunately, Denver wasn’t well-versed in the affairs of the T&C Special Trade Center. While he had intricate knowledge of the political issues within the T&C, understanding what kind of problem would drive a regular police officer to risk their life seeking help was challenging.
‘I need to gather information about William.’
Having organized his thoughts, Denver inquired of the Vice Commander, “What happened to the one who attempted suicide?”
“He is currently at the hospital in the commercial district. The surgery went well, and he’s currently in a recovery capsule.”
“Hmm. Since he’s an old friend and subordinate of mine, be considerate in your dealings with him.”
“I have assigned four members of the Silver Lion Knights to his security. They’re all veterans, so you don’t need to worry.”
“If it’s you, I can be rest assured.”
True to the deputy commander’s affirmation, it was a neatly handled matter. Denver, nodding in approval, issued additional instructions to the deputy commander.
“Also, look into the recent public safety issues in the city for me.”
“Public safety issues? Is there anything specific you’re curious about?”
“Yeah. I have some questions.”
“Understood. I’ll investigate and report back by tomorrow.”
Denver nodded and as he had to prepare for the banquet, the Vice Commander stepped outside the room. While he couldn’t understand why Denver was so concerned about a police officer who had disrupted the welcoming ceremony, the deputy commander didn’t question it. As he was familiar with his unpredictable commands.
Similar to the Silver Lion Knights, they were merely the eyes and arms of the monarch. It was not their place to doubt the one wielding the black blade*.
[*PR/N – prolly a weapon used by the soon to be head of the Eden family]
Back in his quarters, the deputy commander summoned another knight. This was to fulfill Denver’s instructions.
“I will investigate along with the members.”
“I appreciate it.”
After dispatching his subordinates to fulfill Denver’s orders, the deputy commander took out an elegantly decorated communication device.
“I should double-check the situation in the hospital as well.”
The Silver Lion Knights were one of the top special forces in the city of Eden, composed of seasoned veteran warriors armed with advanced reinforced armor and various deadly weapons. Given their status, the deputy commander wasn’t particularly concerned. He only intended to verify that everything was proceeding as usual.
However, today’s operation didn’t go as planned.
[Aargh!]
[Damn it! Milburn is down!]
“Deputy Commander! We need reinforcements! Fifield and Milburn are already down… aghh!”
From the other end of the communication device, hell was unfolding.
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