Became an Evolving Space Monster

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[Translator – Seraph]

[Proofreader – Draxx]

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Until now, I've lost several parasites, but most of those were intentional on my part.

Parasites are expendable tools used to deceive or control enemies. Once their purpose is fulfilled, their loss doesn't pose a significant problem.

However, there was one time when a parasite brought me to the brink of disaster.

The enforcer I controlled at the T&C orbital city, William, injured himself to expose my existence. His actions derailed my plans significantly.

And now, something similar has happened here.

No, it's worse this time.

Today, Arcadi went to an important gathering. From what I've heard, it was a meeting with high-ranking officials like a fleet commander or the director of surveillance. One could say he went to the safest place on this planet.

Because of that, I wasn't concerned. Yet, he suddenly died.

That's not the only problem.

I don't even know why he died.

Parasites send me signals if their host faces a significant threat or acts against my will. In William's case, the parasite emitted a wave that alerted me to his self-harm.

But this time, there were no such warnings.

This means that the parasite within Arcadi was killed instantly, in a situation it couldn't anticipate.

The safest place. An unexpected situation. A parasite killed before sending a signal. What does this all imply?

…A Ranker.

Finding a parasite created by the Parasitic Colony isn't particularly difficult. Scanners or internal examination techniques can detect them easily.

In other words, parasites are most effective when their existence is entirely unknown. The more people who know about them, the harder it becomes to use them for espionage or deception.

That's why I've taken every measure to ensure the existence of my parasites remains a secret. When William harmed himself, I even went to the hospital to mitigate suspicions.

In Arcadi's case, he didn't undergo any parasite-detecting tests at the gathering. Nor did he engage in any behavior that might arouse suspicion.

Yet he was discovered, which means the person who killed him had the ability or means to detect parasites. And judging by how swiftly the host was killed, they knew how dangerous it was.

Someone aware of parasites and with significant experience dealing with them it's impossible for anyone else to act like this. The culprit is likely a Ranker.

I expected to encounter one eventually, but not this soon.

Even before infiltrating this place, I anticipated the presence of Cult Rankers.

Verzan-02 is a strategic stronghold for the Cult, both in the game and in reality. As an Amorph, I understand what traits are useful and what creatures I should hunt. The Cult is no different.

That's why I snuck onto the planet in secret to avoid the Rankers.

Despite my precautions, I've been caught in an unexpected situation.

…What's done is done.

Now, instead of panicking, I need to focus on what to do next.

It's only a matter of time before they find my hideout.

By investigating the infected host's movements, they'll track me down. At best, I have a few days; at worst, a week.

｢Are you alright? What happened?｣

Sensing something was wrong, the Mother of the Sky leapt off my back, her voice laced with concern.

[ZZZZ ZZZ (Arcadi is dead.)]

｢What? When?｣

[ZZ ZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Just now. It happened so fast the parasite couldn't even send proper information.)]

｢Didn't you say he was attending the gathering at the Water Fortress today? And now he's dead?｣

[ZZ (Yes.)]

She recognized the gravity of the situation and stiffened.

｢Could there really be a Ranker here?｣

[ZZ ZZZ ZZ (It's highly likely.)]

｢…This is getting troublesome. What will you do?｣

[ZZ ZZ ZZZ (I'm still thinking.)]

With my parasites exposed, there's only one viable course of action.

I must infiltrate the Water Fortress, where the Coldblood Ranker is hiding, as quickly as possible before they begin their pursuit.

However, sneaking past their watchful eyes in my current adult form is incredibly difficult. There's a reason I waited 30 days to revert to the Clever Weakling form.

Maybe I should just fight them instead?

My primary reason for seeking out the 22nd-ranked Coldblood Ranker was to gather information about the Illusions. While not as ancient as the Mother of the Sky, the Ranker has been in this world for a considerable time and is one of the few likely to engage with us amicably.

But now, I've become aware of a new Ranker's presence. It might be worthwhile to target this Cult Ranker before I meet the 22nd.

Adjusting objectives, then.

The Ranker who killed my parasite must have been active in this world for a long time. After all, they were formally invited to a gathering of Verzan-02's elite. That makes them a suitable interrogation target.

…No.

After deliberating, I concluded that an all-out confrontation is not a good idea.

They know nothing about me, but the reverse is also true. I can only speculate that the Cult Ranker is a high-ranking official, but beyond that, I have no information. If the Ranker targeting me happens to be the 7th-ranked one, things could get very complicated.

The 7th-ranked Cult Ranker, Beomho, uses unpredictable strategies similar to mine. If they've realized my existence, they've probably set traps already.

Even if it's not Beomho, there's no guarantee the enemy is alone. The likelihood of other Ranker allies joining them is high, so recklessly fighting is a dangerous gamble.

And if the 22nd aligns with them, things will get worse.

Whenever I fought Rankers in the past, other players almost always sided with my opponents. This is because I've developed animosities with most Rankers over time.

If I consider that, the 22nd might act similarly to how they did in the game. Even if the Mother of the Sky tries to intervene later, changing their mind won't be easy. They might even believe she's under the control of my parasites.

It's not like I can deny having done that before.

In any case, if I want to avoid misunderstandings with the Coldblood Ranker, our first meeting must be peaceful.

So, the real question is: what kind of battle strategy do I use?

A direct confrontation is out, but baiting them into a trap isn't easy either.

This is their home turf. Luring them underground to take them down will likely cause more losses than gains. Even if I manage to annihilate them, reinforcements will keep coming. This isn't like the situation with Jason.

｢How much time is left until you can transform again?｣

The Mother of the Sky broke her silence, posing the question.

In response, I checked how long remained until Organic Evolution's cooldown ended. Less than seven days. That's plenty of time for the Cult to find me.

[ZZ ZZ (Less than seven days.)]

｢They'll locate our hideout before then, won't they?｣

[ZZ (Yes.)]

｢Then how about I infiltrate the Water Fortress?｣

[ZZZ (Alone?)]

｢Yes. It'll take them a few days to find this place anyway. I'll use that time to locate the Ranker. If I find them early, I'll bring them here, and we can leave together.｣

Her suggestion to meet the 22nd Ranker alone wasn't a bad idea.

But it came with risks. What if the 22nd doesn't agree to follow her? Time is already against us, and resistance would only complicate matters.

Resistance would be the least of our worries.

If they betray her and attack, things will escalate.

I don't doubt the Mother of the Sky's strength, but the opponent is still a Ranker. Unless one side completely overwhelms the other, the battle won't end quietly.

If she ends up encountering the Cult Ranker during the fight, we'll be in serious trouble.

Not only will the Coldblood Ranker's forces react, but even her life will be at risk.

Her amber eyes glimmered brightly in the darkness, locking onto mine. She was fully aware of the danger she would face, yet her resolve remained firm. She must have spoken up knowing the risks, fully prepared to endure them given our dire circumstances.

I can't abandon her here.

The Mother of the Sky is a vital ally to my survival. Losing her now would be squandering a resource far too valuable.

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZ (We can't, because there's no guarantee we'll find the 22nd before the pursuers arrive.)]

｢Fighting them is just as dangerous. If you end up clashing with the Cult Ranker, that one will likely side with them. Honestly, your reputation isn't great, you know.｣

[ZZ ZZ (I know.)]

Though I was aware, hearing her bluntly point out my image felt oddly unpleasant. It wasn't as if she was joking, either. The seriousness in her gaze made her words cut deeper.

Is my reputation really that trashed...? Wait. My image?

An idea suddenly struck me.

Just as I don't know everything about the enemy, they don't know everything about me either. They're likely trying to predict my capabilities just as I'm speculating about theirs. But perfect predictions are impossible.

For example, sending the Mother of the Sky into the Water Fortress is something I'd never have even attempted in the game.

The gap between who I was in the game and who I am now...

This discrepancy might be the key to breaking through.

[ZZ ZZZZZ ZZZZ (I just thought of something. How about this?)]

｢Hmm?｣

I began explaining the idea that had formed in my head. At first, she listened with a puzzled tilt of her head. By the time I finished, she stared at me with an incredulous expression, as if questioning my sanity.

[ZZ (What do you think?)]

｢...Honestly, it sounds completely absurd, but it might actually work.｣

[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (It's something I would never have done in the game.)]

｢That's true. You'd never do something like this.｣

She nodded, clearly agreeing with my assessment.

｢Still, there are some parts that seem too reliant on luck. We'll need to fine-tune those.｣

[ZZZZ (Of course.)]

The time before the enemy arrived was already tight. Without further delay, I carried her on my back and hastened toward the center.

In the game, I had overcome challenges that everyone else deemed impossible. I hunted Rankers when I wasn't even one myself and devoured entire clans when I was just a semi-adult form.

Even in this world, I'd faced death more than once—and survived every time.

This would be no different.

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[Translator – Seraph]

[Proofreader – Draxx]

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