267

Episode 267 – Harvest (1)

–

"Yes. She hasn't come yet. Hmm. I will prepare. then."

The light went out on the diamond-shaped tombstone that was floating in the air, and it slowly fell to the ground. After confirming that it had stopped working, Cynthia disconnected the wires connected to the tombstone.

"Phew."

She sighed briefly and picked up an apple on the luxurious table.

apologize. The fruit, which is native to Earth, is currently grown only in biodomes on Mars. It was a common fruit in the distant past, but now it is a fruit that cannot be easily tasted unless you are rich.

Cynthia casually took a bite of such a precious fruit. The sweetness that fills your mouth, the sourness and freshness that makes your tongue tingle slightly. If you have never eaten an apple before, you might be quite impressed.

But what she felt was different.

Cynthia comes from a world where it is common to see red fruits held in one's hands. When she was in her hometown, unable to return, she enjoyed eating this fruit.

This sweetness I am tasting now was the taste of longing.

'…It's not far.'

There are people in this world who share the same experience as her. It is said that there were once dozens of strangers, but now there are only a few strangers left. As a result, most of the factions that existed have disappeared, and currently only three factions remain.

She belongs to the 'dominant faction', a faction of foreigners who remain here and seek to rule over inferior beings. It is a faction centered on intelligent beings with advanced civilization, such as the Megacorp Star Union Cult.

However, Cynthia harbors a secret that not even her comrades in the same faction know about.

'Once the person he has arranged comes here, this role will end.'

Since coming to this world, she has never once thought about wanting to remain. I could do anything as long as I could return to my hometown.

Even if it means killing other strangers, or 'human' players, or deceiving them.

Holding the apple, she went out onto the richly decorated terrace. A panoramic view of the space fortress unfolded beneath her feet.

On one side, the artificial light created by numerous stores was almost blinding, and on the other side, it was covered in black without a single ray of light. Above her, a fallen mining planet looked down upon the fortress, reflecting its light.

Cynthia could not feel any emotion even after seeing Kesha Arma's scenery, which seemed to be better described as amazing rather than beautiful.

'Piece of data…'

The name of the real faction that Cynthia belongs to is the 'Return Faction'. This is a force whose goal is to clear the game and return to their hometown.

After looking at the city for a moment, she clicked her tongue and went inside.

If she had stayed there a little longer, she would have definitely noticed.

Black smoke is rising from a dark area with no light.

–

'It's over.'

I picked up the anklet left by someone I didn't know and put it in my mouth.

'I didn't know there was a means of communication that operates in a closed circuit.'

Due to the psychic power laid down by No. 26, all means of wireless communication in this underground cellar were completely blocked. So I was relieved, but I didn't know that pirates had installed a wired communication network to prevent EMP.

'It would have been bothersome if there had been contact from the outside.'

Fortunately, it was installed so that communication could only be done between the five areas inside the cellar. It seemed that communication lines were not connected to the outside due to cost issues.

'I don't think they would have thought that this place would be robbed.'

This is a space protected by over 100 mercenaries, hundreds of androids, and double shielded doors over 1 meter thick. Unless a war breaks out, no pirate would think that this place would be breached.

'Unless it's a monster that easily exceeds 20 meters in length.'

Who would have imagined that a giant monster would break through the 1m thick doors one by one to rob the storage room?

In fact, I personally broke down the storage entrance and the shielding doors in Area A before coming here. Currently, I have the ability to easily break through even the thickest doors.

'Strengthened acidic fungal glands.'

The infection-type fusion characteristic I currently possess, 'Acidic Fungal Gland', is the third characteristic to receive the strengthening effect of 'Great Infection', following 'Gremlin Moss' and 'Parasite Colony'.

As you can see from the parasitic colony that increases the number of gremlin moss parasites sprayed in the form of a mist to 20, the strengthening effect of the great infection is relatively intuitive. Similarly, acidic fungal glands have also been transformed into simple, strong properties.

'Because it has been changed to go out in breath form.'

Originally, it was a form that spewed fungal lumps from the body in the form of projectiles, but now it has changed into a form that liquefies the acidic fungus and shoots it like a water cannon. It goes without saying, but firepower has also increased incomparably compared to before.

'It was a very useful trait when fighting the Gorgon Swarm, but I didn't know it would be used again here.'

However, it has not improved all that much, and new unexpected drawbacks have emerged.

Since the fungal glands located inside the throat vomit out the fungal fluid produced, the acidic breath can only be fired for a few seconds at most. If you run out of fungal fluid, you will need to rest for a few minutes to recharge.

'You can use it again now, but…'

There is no need to do so since you have taken control of all the storage.

I leaned inside the security room where the ceiling had been blown out. And with his small arm near his chest, he operated the computer in front of the blood-covered monitor.

'Open sesame.'

The sound of a beast growling is heard from afar. It is the sound of the shielded doors between areas and passageways being opened.

At that time, a familiar voice came from the speaker hanging on the wall of the broken security office.

"Seeing as the door was open, I guess everything was taken care of."

"huh. "I'll go to area B."

"yes. "The firewall in the cellar has been breached, so you can check the archived list right away when you come."

I brought PS-111 with me because I thought it would be helpful in this matter, and it was definitely the answer. I told him I knew and moved to Area B.

After passing through a large storage room and several passages so narrow that my head touched the ceiling when I stretched out my legs, I arrived at Area B and saw them.

Unit 26 and PS-111 were in front of a management computer in front of a container.

"Hello big baby."

"Are you here?"

Number 26, who was disassembling an android using his tentacles, saw me and waved his tentacles in greeting. Beside him, PS-111 was lying face down, connected to a computer port with a cable hanging under his chin.

[Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu (Wasn't it difficult to break through the firewall?)]

"For me, who also hacked Pyrrha Eleven's ship, it's a very easy task."

"that's right! "Your friend is amazing!"

No. 26 praised, and PS-111 raised its clawed legs and made a V sign. The man's hands were covered in mangled human blood.

I stuck out my tongue, licked his hand, and asked.

[Zuzuz zuzuzu (pop up the list)]

"Yep. "I will bring up the screen."

The guy lowered his arm with an expression that said nothing was wrong and started operating the computer. As the cable under his chin twitched, a list of numerous names appeared on the computer monitor.

With the guy's help, I briefly skimmed through the list.

'hmm.'

There are two areas where the smuggled creatures are stored: BC. The remaining areas have nothing to do with me because they store luxury items, drugs, confidential documents, etc.

'It may not be as many as you think, but it will be enough to collect the ingredients to create unique characteristics.'

From the looks of it, if you clear all of this, you will be able to obtain enough material properties to create at least one unique property.

If you're lucky, you might be able to obtain two unique characteristics and satisfy all evolution conditions.

I opened the unique attribute synthesis formula I had opened before coming to the fortress.

｢'Transcendence' Material List: Reinforced Skull Gallagon's Horn Thorn Hair Projection Tail Protein Assimilation Cluster Skin Tissue (Not Obtained)｣ ｢'

Transcendence' Material List: Mineral Digestion Harvester's Maw Bone Beast Vision of Hell (Not Obtained) ) Ultra Control (not obtained) ｣

'I think you can get the first fusion formula here.'

There is no big problem if the first fusion formula is made a unique characteristic, but the problem is with the second fusion formula. Since it requires characteristics that are difficult to obtain as materials, it seems difficult to use it carelessly in the transcendence system.

'That reaper's maw is especially problematic.'

Thanks to the 'Harvester's Maw', I can obtain genetic essence just by eating the head. In such a situation, if that characteristic is lost, it becomes quite difficult to obtain the genetic essence.

You can try to get it again, but that isn't easy either. This is because 'Essence Reaper's Jaw', the material for the Harvester's Maw, can only be obtained by eating a semi-adult Aimorph or Outspacer.

Aside from that, 'mineral digestion' and 'bone beast' are also ingredients that are difficult to obtain. Looking at this alone, it seems like it will be an extremely powerful unique characteristic when combined, but since materials are materials, they cannot be combined carelessly.

'Well, it's not something to think about now.'

There is no need to worry because you can just collect the ingredients and synthesize unique characteristics later. I had a similar experience before.

Moreover, now the genetic essence contained in numerous containers is waiting for me. Who knows, maybe a new fusion food will pop out while eating them?

'Now that I think about it, I should also take care of number 26.'

I have already checked all the things I will eat, so now I have food left to give to No. 26. In fact, the number of creatures stored here was considerable, but the number of creatures that could strengthen the Sea Demon was not large.

Still, I'm glad to see a few things that seem to have the potential to make meaningful changes.

'There's marine life too?'

I don't know how they caught it, but I also saw several creatures that live in the deep sea. Of course, there were no large monsters like Pale Mask, but small and medium-sized rare creatures less than 10 meters stood out.

Until now, I have never fed No. 26 any deep-sea creatures other than Pale Mask. It wouldn't be a bad idea to try it once at this opportunity.

'I'll have to try this and this and this too.'

After carefully checking the list more than 10 times, I decided what to feast on and what to give to No. 26.

'Then let's start from Area B…'

"I believe you haven't forgotten mine either."

"that's right. My friend is hungry too!」

'Ah.'

I was about to get up, but when I heard that, I fell down again.

After 10 minutes, I decided on all the creatures I wanted to give to the two guys.

[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzu (Then let's go eat)]

｢Okay!｣

"I will save the selected list in my data."

[Zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (Start from Area B)]

With those words, I began the ritual I always do before harvesting delicious food.

It is now a natural trait, as if it had been there from the beginning.

A trait that made me grow up so quickly that it's impossible in games.

It is a 'symbol of hunting'.