278

Episode 278 – Collapse (3)

'Is it visual impairment?'

Hanging on the silo, I checked my physical condition.

Color Bomb inflicts strong damage to the opponent while also causing random negative effects. Of these, the more annoying part is the latter than the former. It weakens bodily organs such as sensory muscles, disrupts concentration, etc.

Because I was hit with a rainbow-colored energy bullet in my abdomen, my visual function was greatly impaired. To the point where everything around you appears blurry.

'It would have been quite difficult without the auxiliary institutions.'

The largest part of Aimorph's sensing organs is the auxiliary organ located under the chin. Even if you can't see it with your eyes, you can clearly sense what's going on inside this silo.

I clung to the silo wall and watched the opponent's movements with my auxiliary organ.

Currently, Cynthia is focusing on recovering from her wounds. The smell of blood flowing from the wound and the cold sweat flowing from the pain is getting weaker.

In the meantime, I organized the important newly acquired information.

I did some experiments while fighting her.

I tried hitting it with my hand to see if it was only protecting against projectiles, and I also tried using the 'predatory leech hand' to see if it could eat away the shield.

As you can see, the result was a failure. In return, the fingers and the inside of the palm of one of his fighting arms were blown off.

The next thing I tried was a joint operation with No. 26.

The protective shield she installed is in the form of a dome laid on the floor. In that case, attacking through the floor would also be effective.

I poured acid breath onto the shield. Cynthia thought I was trying to attack the shield, but in reality, I was trying to make a hole in the floor.

Number 26 went downstairs safely, hiding from the toxic smoke generated when the floor melted. There, it struck the floor beneath the shield with its gigantic tentacles.

Meanwhile, I wasn't playing either. I used 'Messenger of Chaos' just in time for him to destroy the floor, and it sent one pirate into a frenzy.

Unfortunately, Cynthia responded by changing the shield into a sphere, blocking the effect of the Herald of Chaos. Because of this, the pirate failed to kill Cynthia.

'Still, I got some important information.'

The shield cannot block attacks originating from within. She was injured after being shot by a security guard.

Among the installed defense techniques used by boss-level creatures, there is a type that never takes damage within the protected area. Her skills are not of that type.

'However, I don't think it will be easy to induce an attack from within.'

Cynthia, who was unexpectedly attacked inside the shield, pushed the bodyguard out and eliminated the threat. As a ranker, I thought I was infected with something and reacted quickly.

If the bodyguard had died inside the shield, there would have been a slight chance of the madness bomb spreading, so it was a bit disappointing.

They've been hit hard once too, so they'll be on high alert. My opponent is also a ranker like me. Unless you go crazy, you can't fall for the same trick twice.

'Or should we try to use this in reverse?'

It's been a while since I fought Cynthia. At this point, she probably knows that I have no means of breaking through the shield. Therefore, it is natural for me to try different methods to attack.

The weakness of the shield revealed so far is that it is vulnerable to attacks from within. Since both she and I know this, this part becomes the key to the strategy.

'You'd think…'

While she is deluded, I plan to aim elsewhere.

My auxiliary organ wriggled to see Cynthia's reaction.

I can feel her exhaled breath leaving the protective shield. The pain was relieved thanks to the treatment techniques, and the panting was becoming less frequent.

'good.'

I figured out how to attack it.

Lastly, after checking the most important time for this plan, I sent a message to number 26, who was waiting downstairs.

[Zuzuzuzu(Are you okay?)]

｢Yes! It's okay!｣

[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (I'm sorry, but I'll ask for one)]

｢What? What is it?｣

[

Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

The guy didn't seem to want to leave this place, but eventually agreed.

"Big baby, don't get hurt anymore!"

[Zuzuzuzu (Don't worry)] After

reassuring him, I fired a psychic breath with the monster's tentacles. The target is not her shield, but the space around it.

"Tch!"

When she realized that I was about to destroy the floor around her, she clicked her tongue briefly. The supernatural scythe under her will came out of the air and struck me down.

Did I actually become more sensitive because I couldn't see? Sensing in advance that psychic power was concentrated in the air, I spread my wings and flew up. After easily dodging the Rippers Hand, I flew to the wall on the other side and tried to hang on to it.

As I was flying through the center of the large silo, my body suddenly became heavier. I felt strong psychic power concentrated in Cynthia's left hand below.

She grabbed me with 'binding' and pulled my left arm back. My body jerked downward and collided with the floor.

It didn't really hurt, but it didn't feel good. The biocannon on my back fired a cannonball filled with my annoyance. Two explosive spores flew in a parabola and passed over the shield.

The spores burst and a shallow vibration echoes through the floor where we stand. Cynthia reaches out her hand towards me without any hesitation.

Psychic techniques that caused various negative effects rained down on my body.

My body slows down, like I'm stuck in a quicksand. The girl who tied me up is shooting out colored bombs.

In response, I activated 'Complex Spectral Body'.

The smoke flowing from my body quickly gathered in the air. The complex spectral object, which changed into a tray shape so large that it covered not only my body but also the walls behind it, defended against the color bomb fired by Cynthia.

"!"

The reflected colored chestnuts bounced in all directions like popcorn popping out of a pot. Scratches began to appear in the floor around her as well as in the walls of the silo. When she saw that, her heart rate went up compared to before.

You're probably wondering how many hidden abilities that guy has.

After that, a passive battle continued.

After confirming the complex spectral body, she attacked me mainly with techniques that tied and hindered my movements rather than techniques with powerful destructive power.

Certainly, as Jason said, his skills were outstanding as a ranker specializing in rear support. Because there was only one decisive blow, and they were hindering me with the necessary skills at the right time.

After the complex spectral object disappeared, I was hit by Cynthia's colored bomb a few more times. Once I destroyed it with a horn so I didn't receive any negative effects, but the rest caused damage to my body without much effect.

One of his fighting arms was numb, and the acidic fungal glands inside his throat had a severely reduced ability to produce fungi.

And the gravity manipulated by psychic power pressed down on me. Cynthia prepares a color balm for me, who can't move properly with my head down on the floor.

'You're aiming for the right wing arm.'

I read the flow of psychic power with an auxiliary organ instead of my eyes, which I cannot see well, and prepared to block it by forcing my body, which was not moving well, to move.

Soon, the rainbow-colored energy bullet she shot flies. The colored bomb, which flew at breakneck speed with the intention of taking away my ability to fly, flew in a completely different direction instead of my wing arm.

"…shit!"

About ten minutes into the fight, her attack missed for the first time. There was a deep sense of embarrassment in her short swear words.

Meanwhile, I crawled out of the area of her gravity control. Behind me, she shot the color bomb again, but this time it flew in the wrong direction.

"Why like this…"

She lets out a question-filled complaint. Even though he wanted to think about why he kept going astray, it seemed like his head wasn't working properly.

I know why she is like that. I kindly pointed behind her with the finger of my wing arm.

She turns her head to follow the direction my finger points.

The pirates behind them. Their talkativeness had drastically decreased from earlier, and their complexions were very pale. In particular, the pirate, who boasted a considerable size, was panting while squeezing his chest with his hands.

"no way?"

She turns her head and glares at me with bloodshot eyes. Her red eyes aren't just because of anger.

The weapon I chose to pierce the protective shield she had spread was no different.

'hour.'

The oxygen level in this fortress is falling in real time due to PS-111's operations. After an hour, there will not be a single human left inside this fortress who will be able to stand upright.

Normally, each command center would have its own oxygen supply facility for such situations. But it's not working properly now. Because I came up destroying the headquarters, the amount of oxygen escaping outside was greater than the amount supplied inside.

Now, more than 20 minutes have passed since it started releasing oxygen into space. It's time for her and the pirates to react.

"If you can't breathe, you die. "It's the same with cults."

In this respect, Amorph is really good. Because you can last for a long time without breathing.

"…Go inside Mr. Montana."

"Are you sure that's okay?"

Instead of responding to me, she put the pirates behind her on the transport ship. A small amount of oxygen is supplied on board, so you can endure a little longer.

Of course, Cynthia is an exception because she has to deal with me.

As I was getting ready to fight again, she opened her mouth.

"I have something to say about number 5."

It's surprising that she won't know that if she waits, the odds will be worse for her than for me.

'Has proper thinking become impossible?'

Looking at the non-stop cold sweat and unstable breathing, it was easy to see that she was in a very desperate situation.

"You might not know it from a game, but this is reality. "There's no need to avoid it when we can talk, right?"

It's not wrong, but there's no need to talk about it now. She and I were fighting to kill each other, and this conversation could give her a chance to fight back.

"Are you so immersed in Aimov's life that you refuse to even talk to fellow humans?"

The moment I heard that, I paused without realizing it.

"Same human being?"

"yes."

"I don't think that's what you would say after hunting down other players."

She is one of Jason's companions. They tried to enslave the Mother of Heaven and kill other players to steal their perks.

"That had something to do with why I asked to talk to you."

"What do you mean?"

"I do not agree with their wishes at all. In fact, I didn't receive any special benefits."

One of the things she said was something I also heard from Jason. Cynthia said that while working with Jason, she never tried to take advantage of it herself.

In my experience, perks can only be taken away by directly killing the opponent. All of Muriel Jason's perks were also robbed in that manner.

"Such excuses mean nothing. "It is true that you contributed to the death of another player."

"It was to achieve the goals of my faction. "The reason I hung out with them was for intelligence."

"Spy?"

Cynthia put her hand near the chest of her clothes as if she had trouble breathing.

"5th place. "Isn't the reason you prey on others to see the end of evolution, that is, ascension?"

"okay."

Since it wasn't anything to hide, I answered simply.

Then she continued speaking in a more stable voice than before.

"My colleagues and I aim to clear the game and return home."

The moment I heard those words, I remembered what Heavenly Mother had said before.

There was a fight between players trying to see the ending and players trying to dominate the world.

And I am closer to the former.

"Would you like to cooperate with us?"

Therefore, the words that came out of Cynthia's mouth were quite predictable.

'It's cooperation.'

Even without thinking too deeply, her proposal is quite attractive.

Cynthia's faction will also know that the players once tried to cooperate with each other to reach the ending, but failed for some reason. Nevertheless, those who are aiming for the ending are likely to know a lot of information that I do not know.

Now that the game has changed a lot, there is a huge gap between knowing in advance and moving without knowing. Especially if the difficulty of the ending mission has risen sharply, it will definitely be advantageous to cooperate with them.

'Of course, but…'

But there is a catch to her suggestion. After thinking for a moment, I made a choice.

"I refuse."

"Think about it…yes?"

Of course Cynthia thought I would accept.

She looked at me in disbelief when she heard my refusal.