I Became an Evolving Space Monster - Chapter 362
We stayed in our new shelter for 24 hours without going out.
‘I originally planned to stay for a while.’
Surprisingly, the structure of the pit was complex, so it seemed like it could be used as a base. So I rested and made a nest.
The huge tunnel formed naturally as lava passed through and was covered with black slime. The walls and ceiling were covered in hardened mucus that resembled veins, and the floor was filled with liquid. The tunnel was thick with steam, making it reminiscent of an old swamp.
Although the steam was thick, the temperature was not that high. This is thanks to the ‘master of the environment’ characteristic, which can control the temperature and environment inside the nest. The air throughout the nest was cool, so everyone was able to rest comfortably.
After everyone took a break together, I started talking about what to do next.
「Hunt advanced Apex, eliminate ‘Salman’, the equipment manager of the Returned faction, and create my own equipment. “I think there are three main goals you mentioned.”
Heavenly Mother summarized what I said in three simple words.
“The point is, you want to talk about what to do first?”
[Zu (yes)]
She thought for a moment and spoke.
「I think it would be better for me and PS-111 to move separately.」
[Zuzu (separately?)]
「I need tools to make my equipment.」
[Zuzuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (that part is PS-111 I can help you)]
“If there is any equipment you want, I will make it for you.”
PS-111 flicked his claws, showing confidence. But Heavenly Mother shook her head.
「The material processing itself can be done by PS-111 as you said, but assembly and manufacturing require equipment that operates precisely.’
[Zuzu (Really?)]
「Salman is in charge of managing the returning wave’s equipment, so it is necessary for maintenance. It will also have facilities. So me and PS-111 can sneak in and use it.”
After hearing it, it wasn’t a bad idea.
They still don’t know that we snuck in here. The current situation where the enemy is not on guard may actually be advantageous for infiltration.
Moreover, she is Wolff’s ranker who freely moves between phantom beasts and beasts. You must have tried infiltrating enemy territory and carrying out operations several times.
She wouldn’t have much trouble carrying out operations with PS-111.
[Zuzuzuzu(Are you going to be okay?)]
“Don’t worry, I once infiltrated a patrol ship with a heavy walker.”
So, Heavenly Mother and PS-111 were chosen as the infiltration team.
[Zuzuzuzu Zuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu (The rest will hunt with me)]
「I like hunting with my big baby.」
「Bird food」「Taste」「I don’t know」「I’m curious」
Number 26, floating above the swamp, expressed joy by shining its body like a lamp.
As Aadhai had a curious personality, he seemed more interested in eating creatures he had never seen in an unfamiliar place rather than in the hunting itself.
Isabelle, who was curled up next to me and listening, asked me a question.
“Are you going to aim for Magmasaur right away?”
[Zuz, zuzu, zuzuzu, zuzuzu (no, I’m going to catch another creature)]
“It’s a different creature. “Are you planning on targeting ‘Elemental Porcupine’ and ‘Pyromancer’?”
[Z (right)]
As she said, I planned to target those two creatures before catching the Magmasaur. Both are dangerous Apex creatures and have useful traits.
I was a little surprised that he knew this well even though he wasn’t an Amorph player.
Isabel saw my reaction and slightly frowned her blue eyes.
“I’ve been to volcanic planets several times because of my sister.”
When I heard that, I immediately understood.
‘Because Gallagons also live on volcanic planets.’
His twin sister, Penelope, is a self-proclaimed Gallagon enthusiast. As far as I know, he studied the ecology of gallagons and also analyzed their prey and natural enemies. Much of what is known about Gallagon in the game was revealed by Penelope.
‘You must have had a hard time.’
Even though I don’t particularly like Gallagon, I must have traveled to all kinds of dangerous planets because of my sister.
As if my guess was correct, Isabel glanced at PS-111 with beautiful sapphire-like eyes. Since the eyes were transplanted from Coldblood, not from a machine, I could feel complex and subtle emotions in those eyes.
The guy looked at the sisters, who were now in a completely different form, then turned his gaze back to me.
“What are you going to catch first?”
[Zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzu (to target the Pyromancer first)]
“It’s the Pyromancer. When do you plan to hit ranker?”
[Zuz zuzu zuzu (the guy is last)]
Salman thinks he should organize it together when he hits Magmasaur. Isabel said, placing her head on top of the coiled body.
“You’re planning to invade in the middle of the fight. Just like we did in the game.”
Currently, he is aiming for the same goal as me, so it is a good situation to aim for. Let it attack the Magmasaur first, and then surprise attack at the right time.
‘Besides, it’s even better because you can observe the perks in advance.’
Anyway, I figured out how to move with this.
I got out of the nest with the kids. The sweltering heat and hot volcanic ash welcomed us.
“You said that’s the direction the base is located, right?”
“That’s right.”
Mother of Heaven about to leave with PS-111.
Just as I was about to tell him to be careful, something suddenly occurred to me.
[Zuzuzu (wait a minute)]
「?」
I called her over and held out my fighting arms. A strengthened parasite escaped from a hole in my arm and crawled up my finger.
When she saw that, her amber eyes widened.
“helminth? Why is this happening all of a sudden?”
[Zuzuzu (for communication)]
It is difficult to communicate smoothly when you are far away from others. Even if a problem arises with her, there is no way for me to fully know.
‘But if you have parasites, you don’t have to worry about that.’
If you carry around a strengthened parasite and need to deliver news, you can plant it on a human at the base. When she tells an infected human her business, this is how the parasite relays the signal to me.
Or what if the situation is so dangerous that it is impossible? At that time, you just have to kill the parasite.
[Zuzuzuzu zuzuzu (Not a bad idea, right?)]
「…That’s exactly what you think.」
When I explained my idea to her, she sighed heavily. And I received the parasite in a hesitant manner.
[Zuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu (He’s delicate, so handle him with care)]
「….」
The parasite on the arm of the griffon beast wriggles.
A black bug that looked like an eel moved around and gently touched the hair near my collarbone. Her hair stood on end at his charming gesture.
“If you find it uncomfortable, I will keep it.”
“I think that would be good.”
I hoped that Heavenly Mother would take care of it, but as soon as she heard PS-111’s words, she immediately handed over the parasite.
“Please don’t worry. “I would be much safer inside my body.”
PS-111 gently grasped the parasite with its claws and guided it down its body. A metallic sound was heard, and the plate under the body opened, revealing a storage space about 70 cm long.
Inside was Vortex One’s flesh and Dradsong’s skin. Between the objects, I could see the guy’s digestive system writhing.
[Zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (I already have a lot of things, so wouldn’t it be inconvenient?)]
“It is possible to store parasitic organisms.”
The guy calmly put the parasite in the stomach and closed the metal plate.
‘I guess it’ll be okay.’
Unless the creature’s body is cut in half, the parasite is unlikely to die.
With that, Heavenly Mother and PS-111 left for Salman’s base.
I moved with the remaining kids to a place where the Pyromancer might be.
‘Let’s start by looking for the lava lake.’
In fact, Pyromancers are wandering predators. They do not stay in one place for long and constantly move around to hunt.
However, the reason you want to go to the lava lake is because its food roams around there.
Vulkarox, which hardens its body by rolling over lava and rocks, and Lavalaptor, which hides in the lava for that purpose. These are all creatures that he enjoys eating.
There’s no way he would just pass by a place that’s almost like a buffet, so I think I’ll wait there and catch him.
I flew low along the path of lava on the black earth. Isabel, who was flying next to me at that time, asked me.
“I was going to ask you earlier, but isn’t the elemental porcupine easier to find?”
[Zuzu zuzuzuzu (Because they are territorial animals?)]
“Yes. “Those hedgehogs usually live in volcanic craters.”
[Zuz, zuzu, zuzu (that’s why)]
“?”
[Zuzzu zuzuzuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzuzu (Because Salman’s men are searching for Magmasaur)]
“Aha.”
Isabel, who understood what I meant, nodded in agreement.
If you wander around a volcano and get caught, it becomes a hassle.
「Big baby, what is a hedgehog?」
[Zuz zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzuzu (It’s a small creature with thorns on its body)]
「Thorns?」
[Zuzuz zuzuzu zuzu zu zuzuzuzu (It’s similar to this one, but thinner and smaller) )]
When he pointed to the horns on his head, No. 26 brightened as if he understood.
“It’s got sharp appendages! “It’s similar to a human!”
There are many other things, but they are complicated to explain, so I decided to stay silent.
“This” “Appendix” “No” “Horn” “Appendix” “Different”
“Horn? What are horns?”
“Horn” “Male” “Symbol” “Horn” “Size” “Important”
“Is it good if the appendages are big?”
Aadhai, who was flying with me, came close to my head in the middle. Then he gently stroked my horn with the tip of his tail and let go.
「Very」「Very」「Important」
“….”
I feel Isabel looking at me with strange eyes. This time too, I didn’t have anything to say.
While chatting like that, we continued following the lava. What at first was as thin as a prominent vein on the skin, soon became so wide that it could be called a river.
And at the end of the river, there was a vast lake of fire.
The lake was constantly boiling due to heat and gas rising from below. I saw a group of Lavalaptors hiding at the edge, with only their two-pronged tail sticking out.
Outside the boiling lava, the Vulkarox they were targeting was wandering around.
Vulkarox do not form groups except when mating. So the large bronze bulls moved at a sparse distance from each other.
And around the bull, there were rats that were about 60 to 70 cm in size and had their entire bodies covered in scales. They circled around the bronze bull, climbed on top of it, and gnawed at the sharp protruding rock.
The name of that little monster is Stoner. It mainly feeds on rare minerals and rocks. Thanks to its habits, it has a symbiotic relationship with creatures that surround themselves with lava and stones.
For example, if lava and rocks accumulate excessively on Vulkarox’s body, it becomes an obstacle to movement, and Stoner removes this on a regular basis. Vulkaroxes also know this, so they don’t react much even when Stoner bothers them.
‘It looks like there are no pyromancers.’
If he were here, the area around the lake wouldn’t be this peaceful.
‘It looks like there’s plenty of food. ‘Let’s wait here.’
I put them in each head’s mouth just like I did in Asuka 44. And then he jumped right into the middle of the lava.
The lake was deep enough to submerge my body while lying face down. I lifted my head slightly above the lake, feeling the heat engulf my whole body. If there were a crocodile living in fire and magma, it would look similar to me now.
‘good. then….’
There is only one thing to do now.
Waiting for ‘new food’ to arrive.
A word from the author (author’s review) In the previous episode, Burning Star (5), we have strengthened and revised the explanation of the fusion formula using ‘Harvester’s Maw’ as an ingredient.
Previously, it was stated that it was unlocked at the Space Fortress. I corrected this by saying that I obtained ‘Inorganic Digestion’ and unlocked the fusion formula when I was hunting Gorgon Swarm before going to the Space Fortress, but forgot about it because I could not solve the material problem.
There are no major changes in the development. Watch the next episode.”