Became an Evolving Space Monster

｢What just happened?｣

[ZZZ ZZZZZ (I’m not sure either.)]

Adhai, who was perched on my back, poked her head out and asked.

As we approached the nest, something suddenly leaped out. Without even checking, I instinctively swiped at it with my winged arm. The impact was so strong that the thing was completely destroyed..

When I checked the corpse, I realized it was a human.

‘Why would a person be here?’

He was wearing a specially designed reinforced suit, not so much for combat but more focused on survival functions like insulation and temperature regulation.

Judging by his outfit, he didn’t seem to be a soldier but more like a researcher or part of an expedition team, which raised more questions. He couldn’t have come here alone, meaning there must be a group or an organization that brought him.

‘This planet isn’t even on any known routes.’

Jason was only able to find this planet because his fellow players shared its location with him. Even the Cult Empire’s routes didn’t record this planet. I, too, was only able to come here thanks to Adhai's detailed guidance. Without it, finding this place would have been almost impossible.

In this remote part of the universe, which hardly anyone knows, there’s already been the appearance of the StarUnion's Screamers, and now an unidentified human group has shown up.

‘Could they have come to capture me?’

Jason mentioned that no other players besides him would come here. He believed he could defeat me on his own.

But that’s just his assumption. It’s uncertain what his allies truly think. They might have set up a contingency plan in case Jason fails.

If I’m unlucky, I might have to face not only Gallagon but also a new player.

‘Let's find out.’

I shoved the mangled corpse into my mouth. As I chewed through the tasteless meat, I activated the ‘Faceworm Host’ trait.

The genetic information contained in the corpse was transmitted to the organ managing the faceworms. Upon receiving the new data, the organ discarded one of the five previously stored gene sequences. The nest on my back also instantly dissolved the old faceworm, allowing a new one to be born.

‘Come out.’

Following my command, the faceworm tore through the membrane of its tumour-like nest and emerged. The creature, with a face identical to the corpse I just consumed, looked around as if it couldn’t comprehend its situation.

“What?!”

Realizing it had become a worm, the creature started to panic. I sent a brainwave to control the faceworm, forcing it to calm down.

“I have questions. Answer them.”

As my voice, now human, flowed out, the fly-like monster with a human head began to tremble.

“Who are you, and what group are you with?”

“■■ ■son… I-I’m Colin Russell.”

The fly monster, now able to speak human language thanks to my permission. Initially it struggled to form words but gradually became more fluent under my control.

“I serve Lady Si-hyun Yujin.”

“Si-hyun Yujin?”

“Yes. She came here to fulfil her great mission.”

What it said was completely unexpected.

"Si-hyun Yujin?"

It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name. She was the first formidable opponent I faced after arriving in this world.

‘She should be dead.’

Two of my main traits were gained by devouring her: the ‘Mimicry Organ’ and the ‘Monster’s Tentacles.’

Now, thanks to the Essence Harvester's Jaw, I only need to consume the head, but back then, I had to eat every bit of my opponent to extract their genetic essence.

‘She’s definitely dead. So either this is a clone or someone impersonating her.’

When I encountered Si-hyun Yujin, she was disguised as a member of the Space Dock Cartel. As her name suggests, her true identity was a member of the Yujin family, one of the noble capitals of MegaCorp. It's unlikely that they stole the cloning technology from StarUnion, their rival.

‘Besides, clones come with a lot of side effects.’

The StarUnion’s clones have unstable minds. They’re obsessed with their identity and refuse to be controlled by anyone. In fact, in the game, clones are the main enemies of the StarUnion.

Would a noble capital with an ego as huge as theirs invest in something so unreliable? It’s highly doubtful.

‘So that leaves...’

“She died at my hands a few months ago.”

"No, that's impossible. She hasn't taken a single day off since the day she vowed to achieve her great mission."

"Great mission?"

"To reclaim the name of Yujin. To punish the traitor who usurped the head of the family. That is Si-hyun Yujin's destiny."

Hearing this, a thought began to form. Jason had mentioned one of the players was the head of the Yujin family.

‘Was it Akira Yujin?’

He insists on using a Japanese name and according to Jason, acts like an old man stuck in a teenager’s rebellious phase.

There’s only one high-ranking player with those characteristics. If he’s the same ‘Megacorp ranker’ I know, then there must have been a bloody struggle when he took over the family.

‘He’s skilled but has a truly vile personality.’

Even in the community, people called him a sociopath, so it’s likely even worse here.

‘I think I’m getting a clear picture of what’s going on.’

Before being devoured by me, Si-hyun Yujin was likely the leader of a faction that Akira Yujin purged. The Russell family name is probably a fake name used by the remnants to hide their identity.

Since she died fighting me, it must have been quite difficult for the purged faction.

‘So they set up a double.’

The Si-hyun Yujin he’s talking about is probably just a stand-in for the dead leader. It seems this impersonator has led her followers to this place.

I asked why they came here.

"Lady Si-hyun Yujin said there is an important relic here."

"A relic? What kind of relic?"

"I don’t know. I was only told that it’s somewhere in the Black Mountains and that we need to find it."

I asked a few more questions, but nothing else of significance came up. He didn’t know anything about the Screamers either.

‘That’s fine. I got the information I needed.’

Fortunately, it seems there’s little connection to the other players. In fact, Si-hyun Yujin’s faction, or rather her impersonator’s faction, seems to be more aligned with those who oppose the players.

‘I’ll look into it after I deal with Odd Grad.’

There’s one crucial piece of information he didn’t mention but I can deduce. To explore this barren planet, a lot of preparation is required—like weapons, equipment, and various supplies needed for survival.

It goes without saying that to transport all this, they would need a ship. And not just any ship, but a fairly large one.

‘They’re probably just outside the planet, nearby.’

If I can locate their ship, I’ll know exactly what Si-hyun Yujin’s faction is up to and where they are.

With my thoughts in order, I sent the faceworm back to its nest. Adhai, who had been bored on my back, perked up instantly.

｢Finished?｣

[ZZZ ZZZZ (Sorry, it must have been dull for you.)]

｢It’s fine.｣

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (Let’s just take what’s inside and get going.)]

I had stumbled upon some interesting information in an unexpected place.

Afterward, Adhai and I raided the food storage of the Hellside Hornet. Thanks to the clues left by Colin Russell, we didn’t have to wander through the maze and headed straight for the storage.

I checked to see if there were any other potential informants in the storage, but nothing alive remained. The sealed space was filled only with cocoons brimming with rotting, fermented liquid.

｢This stuff｣｢tastes｣｢good.｣

Adhai stuck a tentacle into one of the cocoons for a taste and immediately grinned from ear to ear. It was the first time I’d seen such an expression on Adhai.

‘Is it really that good?’

I plucked one of the dozens of cocoons hanging from the ceiling and took a sip. My eyes involuntarily curled into the same crescent shape as Adhai’s.

‘This is amazing.’

It tasted somewhat like mojito, but with an even sharper kick. The aroma was exquisite, spreading a refreshing sensation throughout my throat and body. It was so delicious that it made me forget the injuries I had sustained in battle.

[ZZZ ZZZZZ (Should we take some with us?)]

｢Agreed｣｢Agreed｣｢Agreed!｣

I gathered as many cocoons as I could carry. With all my battle arms and corrosive tentacles, I managed to grab about 15 of them. The rest went into Adhai’s stomach and mine.

With the Hellside Hornet’s storage thoroughly cleaned out, we headed outside.

[ZZZ ZZZZZ (Let’s head back.)]

Adhai and I spread our wings wide and soared into the sky. By the time we reach the nest, Odd Grad’s forces would likely be making their move.

‘I’ll recover from my wounds at the nest.’

Then, I’ll target the White Gallagon that has gone out to hunt.

‘The real question is how to hunt them….’

Even as we flew through the clouds, I kept strategizing about how to battle Odd Grad’s forces.

***

The forest, filled with trees boasting countless branches, was ancient. Even the youngest of these trees had lifespans spanning centuries. A beast lay low in this dense woodland.

Its amber eyes, glowing like lanterns, pierced through the thick darkness. The creature had the head of a bird of prey, four legs, and a slender tail, with two sharp horns protruding from its head.

The beast plucked a mushroom-like plant from the ground with its thick front paws and chewed it with its beak.

Even while satisfying its hunger, the beast’s gaze remained fixed on one spot.

It was staring at the edge of the forest, where steep rock cliffs and numerous caves could be seen. Most cliffs on this planet were more like crevasses formed by the splitting ice, but this one was different.

Instead of cold air, a warm heat emanated from beneath the rocky cliffs. If anyone with psychic powers were present, they would have sensed the swirling vortex of energy rising from below.

The rocky cliffs the beast was watching was the lair of the Gallagons, the dragon's nest.

"......"

After finishing the plant, the beast Mother of the Sky remained still, focusing on her surveillance. For the past two days, she hadn’t moved at all, except for brief moments to eat. She knew how dangerous it was to deal with the Gallagons, so she exercised extreme caution.

Moreover, it wasn’t just her, she had companions to protect at her rear.

‘Companions...’

Sea Demon, Gallagon, Screamer, and then...

‘Amorph.’

She wondered what her real-world self, Choi Seo-ah, would think if she knew she was now moving alongside the Amorph, the 5th-ranked player. She’d probably be furious and tell her not to talk nonsense.

Choi Seo-ah never liked Amorph. To be honest, she was closer to hating him. If she had met him shortly after arriving in this world, she might have tried to kill him.

‘Because of that guy, our clan was torn apart.’

It was then that she realized how fragile relationships in the game world could be.

Her clan, Savage Clan, never had many members due to its unique concept. But after the battle with Amorph, she was the only one left. Her friends either quit the game in disgust or joined other clans.

As a result, she was almost forced back into the real world. At the time, Choi Seo-ah was trying to escape reality for various reasons, so she deeply resented Amorph.

‘…Isn’t it ironic?’

She had nearly quit the game and returned to reality because of him, yet now they were comrades who had survived life-or-death battles together. The most surprising part was that her relationship with Amorph had become even closer than with her former Savage Clan comrades.

Ever since she confided in him recently, she felt much more at ease. He probably doesn’t even realize it, though.

‘He seems so oblivious.’

If he weren’t, he would surely know what Number 26 or Adhai were thinking. Even in the game, his relationships with others seemed very limited.

‘Or maybe not?’

Neither Mother of the Sky nor Amorph knew who the other was in reality. Despite growing close, neither had brought up their real-life identities.

‘I guess that’s only natural.’

She might be strong, agile, and majestic in this world, but the real ‘Choi Seo-ah’ was nothing special—in fact, she was below average. She had no desire to reveal her true self to anyone. Amorph might feel the same way.

‘Judging by his personality, he probably doesn’t have any friends… Hm?’

In the middle of mentally criticizing Amorph, she noticed movement in the nest and stopped her idle thoughts.

She focused her gaze. Several Gallagons were emerging from one of the caves in the cliff.

‘What’s that?’

Two green-scaled Gallagons were carrying another Gallagon to a different cave. The one they were carrying was covered in blood, with not a single limb left unscathed.

‘Ham Ort?’

Even in its battered state, she recognized the Gallagon.

The critically injured White Gallagon, with its broken horn and torn wings, was undoubtedly Adhai's mother, Ham Ort. The nearby Green Gallagons roughly dragged Ham Ort into another cave.

‘What’s going on? Wasn’t she supposed to be dead?’

Given the severity of her injuries, it seemed she could die at any moment. The fact that the other Gallagons were treating her so harshly, it did not seem like a late betrayal.

‘Was she taken prisoner?’

As she made a mental note of this critical information, something else caught her attention.

Twelve White Gallagons suddenly burst out of another cave. They spread their wings, flew up the cliff, and disappeared into the sky.

‘It’s begun!’

Seeing them head out for the hunt, she waited quietly for a while. Only when there was no more movement did she cautiously begin to move.

The black sky above the forest trembled.

As if in response, a dense shadow surged from the depths of a cave beneath the cliff. The shadow that rose silently, quickly disappeared into the clouds.

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