Chapter 253:


    The battle had resumed.


    Ships under the control of cyborgs and androids rushed in like swarming ants. We pulled out all our weapons to respond.


    As the APDs approached to contain the Gagons, a support ship managed by PS-111 blocked their path. Torpedoes loaded into the ship’s cannons were fired, disrupting the movements of the drones.


    The patrol vessels maneuvered to evade the torpedo explosions and strike the support ship. The support ship had a limited supply of torpedoes, making it difficult to fire indiscriminately. As the support ship found itself in danger, a small craft emerged from the hangar.


    The Mother of the Sky, transformed into a griffion beast, took to the skies to draw the attention of the patrol ships.


    While the craft itself had ordinary specifications, its pilot was on another level. She expertly executed evasive maneuvers, breaking through the torrential barrage of torpedoes. Not only that, but she also opened fire with the storm gun mounted on the craft, targeting the bridge of the patrol ship.


    Though the storm gun couldn''t inflict significant damage on the patrol ship, it was enough to divert the enemies'' focus. Some of the patrol ships strayed from formation to pursue the Mother of the Sky.


    While the pilot''s skills far surpassed those of the patrol vessels, the specs of the ships were overwhelmingly superior. With her tail in a precarious position, the small craft was getting increasingly dangerous, when suddenly, a savior appeared.


    A red queen, adorned with red markings on her head and wings, elerated like aet and pierced through the patrol vessels. The surviving patrol ships fired their torpedoes, but the Mother of the Sky shot them all down with her storm gun.While the patrol vessels were stalling for time, the destroyers had moved into effective firing range and attempted a concentrated attack.


    I unleashed a psychic breath towards the clustered patrol ships near PS-111 before flying toward the destroyers.


    The destroyers shifted their target to me, unleashing a torrent of torpedoes.


    Thanks to the double and tripleyers of my protective carapace, the pain wasn’t severe. The explosions were bothersome, vibrating my auxiliary organs beneath my jaw. I charged forward, taking the barrage head-on.


    Tentacles erupted from my back, reaching out to ensnare different destroyers. I pulled the tentacles forcefully. The destroyers,rger than me, shook violently and collided with one another. Some attempted to escape but crashed into another destroyer while elerating recklessly.


    The ships positioned at the rearunched torpedoes, but I used the destroyers as shields to absorb the attacks. The ships caught in my tentacles exploded, and cyborg crew members were ejected into space.


    ‘They’re holding their own.’


    Everyone was showcasingbat skills that exceeded our expectations. None of the Gagons had sustained injuries, and both PS-111 and the Mother of the Sky were fighting valiantly.


    Moreover, we weren''t the only ones fighting against the Star Union''s fleet. I gazed toward the distant location of the white, where flickering lights danced.


    The Megacorp battleships brought by Ji-Hyun Yujin were also engaging inbat against the Star Union''s forces.


    ‘Thanks to their distraction over there, our burden here is lighter.’


    However, it was uncertain how long this reprieve wouldst.


    While it seemed advantageous for us at the moment, the reality was different.


    Over there, numerous ships were still operational, and even more were expected to join the fray. It was fortunate that the Grand Sovereign was not present; his arrival would drastically tilt the tide of battle against us.


    ‘We need a breakthrough.’


    Since the engagement with the Fifth Fleet began, I had destroyed four battleships carrying Warp Finders. There were still at least six confirmed left, along with several hidden Warp Finders.


    ‘Destroying them with breaths won’t be easy.’


    The enemies weren''t foolish. They had only been caught off-guard a few times; now, the moment they sensed I was preparing to unleash a breath, they immediately scattered.


    Yet charging in as I had done until now, destroying one ship at a time, was time-consuming. The vessels carrying Warp Finders had begun to flee in every direction to evade me.


    I thought as I hurled the half-destroyed destroyers toward the enemies. What weapons do I have that could be useful against their ships?


    ‘The Abyssal Hue is out of the question.’


    The psychic breath enhanced by the "Abyssal Hue" specialized in destroying organic matter, while the augmented "Watcher of Terror" was only effective against non-organic entities. The psychic reflective armor wouldn’t hold up against their torpedoes, as the enemy primarily used projectile-based weaponry.


    ‘Should I go back now and consume the Priest’s Golden Spear?’


    The Priest’s Golden Spear bes exponentially more powerful the more blood it absorbs. By utilizing the effect of the "Plunderer''s Abnormal Polyhedron," I would likely acquire its unique characteristics.


    If that were the case, I could gain devastating offensive capabilities in this battle, which was already producing mass casualties.


    ‘But the downside is, if I do that, it’ll be difficult to heal should I sustain serious injuries.’


    Thanks to the "Dragon’s Heart", energy wouldn’t be an issue, but healing from wounds posed a separate problem. To heal quickly when injured, I would need the "Leech of Devouring Hands."


    If I consumed the Priest’s Golden Spear, I would have to forgo the Leech of Devouring Hands.


    ‘The remaining option is…’


    As I mped my jaws around a nearby battleship, I checked the text box with my eyes.


    ‘The Great Infector.’


    The fourth space monster type trait, "The Great Infector", can enhance up to three effects among the infection and nesting categories, based on their type.


    Since I hadn''t experimented with it yet, I was unsure how much enhancement it would provide.


    ‘Then now is the time to experiment.’


    I selected the "Gremlin Moss" as the enhancement target, a fusion trait rted to infection.


    This trait secretes microorganisms that disrupt machines. The enhancement process began.


    ?"Gremlin Moss" enhancement settings areplete.?


    ‘Is that it?’


    Despite the message in the text box, I felt no significant change in my body.


    I activated the enhanced Gremlin Moss, and the mutation urred not within my body, but externally.


    The blunt ws that had been on my body vanished entirely. In their ce, cylindrical, bio-pipe-like organs sprouted.


    From the holes in these pipes, something began to flow out.


    It resembled smoke billowing from a factory chimney. Thick, smog-like clouds poured out from the pipes, spreading around my body and into the surrounding area.


    ‘What is this?’


    I had acquired a simr trait when I became an adult, where bio-tubes formed on my back, emitting smoke to protect the main body. This was topensate for the increased target area resulting from myrger size upon bing an adult.


    However, the phenomenon urring within my body now was on an entirely different level than the effects of the traits I gained upon maturation.


    The wide-spread smoke clouds clung to the nearby ships, causing their lights to extinguishpletely.


    The ships, now devoid of light, ceased all movement and came to aplete stop. Even when I approached, there was no reaction from them.


    ‘So this is the effect of spreading Gremlin Moss!’


    The trait had been enhanced from temporarily incapacitating machines that touched my body to generating a cloud that disabled contacted machines.


    ‘With this, things change significantly.’


    In a situation where I was battling machines, this was the ultimate trait. The only downside was that I couldn’t directly control the movement of the smoke clouds.


    I smashed the immobilized ships and flew toward the battleships providing support fire from the rear.


    Theyunched torpedoes at me, but it had little effect. The torpedoes, controlled by advanced technology, became inoperable the moment they made contact with the smoke clouds—or rather, the Gremlin clouds.


    I gracefully evaded the torpedoes floating in space and dove into the area where the ships were clustered, apanied by the deadly Gremlin clouds.


    ---


    “Damage to the hull from torpedoes has surpassed 25%!”


    “Switch the ship''s movement program to the Peter Edgerton style and add 5% energy allocation to the thrusters.”


    “Understood!”


    “Squad D of the fighters has been wiped out! Remaining units in Squad B: 5!”


    “Squad B, return. For the remaining squads A, C, E, and F, also begin the sequential return of damaged fighters.”


    “Understood! This is the gship….”


    The crew moved in perfect unison under Ji-Hyun Yujin''smands.


    In the centralmand room, the status of the ship and the attacking Star Union fleet were disyed in a 3D hologram.


    While the subordinates busily carried out their tasks, Ji-Hyeon focused her cold gaze on the hologram.


    ‘This is not an easy battle.’


    The gship''s cloaking device, equipped with Edgerton''s secret weapon, boasted considerable performance. However, the enemy had superior detection equipment. Additionally, they had brought numerous Warp Finders, making it impossible for us to hide or escape.


    ‘If they fall….’


    Currently, we were managing to hold against the Gagons and an unidentified fleet, fighting the Fifth Elite Fleet, but that wouldn''tst forever. If the Gagons were annihted, we would be their next target.


    ‘Do I have to use that?’


    Though her eyes were fixed on the hologram, her mind was focused on the object resting beneath her chair.


    Her father, Jeong-Woo Yujin''s legacy.


    She had yet to use that weapon. However, she had sensed the potential danger when she acquired it.


    The artifact found within a massive volcano wasposed of two parts: the weapon known as "Abyssal Destroyer" and a crystal battery that supplied energy. It had a simple structure where the battery could be attached to the weapon for energy output, but the issuey with the energy itself.


    After recovering the battery from the volcano, strange urrences began to unfold. The previously inoperativemunication systems were restored shortly after, and during their escape, they encountered no beasts whatsoever. It was as if the monsters were avoiding her group.


    This alone indicated that the weapon possessed incredible power.


    Yet the reason for her hesitation remained. She interpreted the weapon as setting its lethal targets based on gic information.


    Cyborgs were humans equipped with machines. Attacking cyborgs was akin to attacking humans. If misused, even the pilots of the fighter crafts engaged in battle with the enemies could be killed instantly.


    If no fighters remained but enemies were still alive, it would be the end for them. Therefore, Ji-Hyun had been waiting for an opportunity to arise.


    Then, a subordinate''s voice reached her ears.


    “Emergency report! Large-scale energy concentration detected! The Star Union''s additional support fleet is preparing for superluminal travel!”


    “What?!”


    At those words, her mind snapped back to attention. Behind her, her butler, Min-Seok Yujin, shouted urgently.


    “What’s the estimated time of arrival?”


    “Within 5, 5 minutes!”


    There was no time left for hesitation. She had to make a decision now.


    Then, another subordinate reported in a hurry.


    “Th-the enemy fleet is concentrating at one point!”


    “Are they trying to protect the support fleet preparing for superluminal travel?”


    “Y-yes, but it’s strange! It’s at a considerable distance from the energy concentration point….”


    “A mysterious entity is gathering the ships! I will connect to the fighter craft cameras!”


    Soon, a low-quality video appeared on the hologram.


    A multitude of battleships and destroyers was gathered at a location quite far from the fighters. Even someone who had never witnessed spacebat would find their formation odd.


    Due to their size, the battleships had to maintain a distance from one another. Yet the ships shown in the footage were clustered together, close enough that collisions seemed imminent.


    Moreover, there was something even stranger.


    “Why are there no lights? Is it the effect of cloaking?”


    No light could be seen from the ships as they huddled closer together, as if their power had been forcibly cut off.


    “Um, it seems the ships’ functions have been disabled.”


    “EMP? Who the hell did this?”


    As Min-Seok and the crew were thrown into confusion, Ji-Hyun noticed something moving between the ships.


    A cloud of smoke, whoseposition was unknown, was rapidly weaving between the vessels. The moment a battleship touched the cloud, its lights went out, and like the others, it transformed into a hunk of scrap metal.


    Seeing that, Ji-Hyun immediately stood up.


    “Recall all fighter teams to the gship! And prepare the superluminal engine for an immediate jump when I return!”


    “Ji-Hyun, what are you—?”


    “Minseok, I’m leaving you in charge of the operations.”


    After assigning the ship''smand to Min-Seok, Ji-Hyun grabbed the artifact that had been beside her and exited themand room.


    ?Ji-Hyun! What are you doing?! Come back right now!?


    Ignoring Min-Seok''s voice echoing through the speakers, she quickly raced to the hangar.


    ‘The opportunity is now!’


    I didn''t know the identity of the creature enveloped in the smoke cloud, but it had presented a fantastic chance.


    Upon arriving at the hangar, instead of boarding a fighter, she opened the door and jumped straight into space.


    As she entered the zero-gravity environment, the white exosuit she wore, “White Maiden”, activated. A white helmet-like apparatus covered her face, and wings with thrusters protruded from her back. The thrusters kicked in, propelling her forward with great force.


    Fighters returning to the gship, debris from damaged spaceships, and torpedoes and energy beams darting everywhere—she navigated through numerous obstacles and activated the weapon in her hand.


    The Crystal Battery within the weapon began to emit a chilling light and spun rapidly.


    ---


    On the XAX01-ss battleship piloted by themander of the Fifth Elite Fleet, the Nemea Fleet, a member of the Machine Council, Nemea Five, sat upon a throne forged of steel.


    His body, twice the size of a standard android, was adorned with numerous cables resembling flowing hair. Nemea Five, with his unusual appearance, had his eyes closed.


    Currently, he controlled the entire fleet through the long cables draping around him. In this metal and machine-constructed mental world, vast amounts of information were flowing back and forth.


    ?Nemea Five. Report from Arrow Nine. The 9th fleet is prepared for superluminal travel.?


    ?Report from Europa Two, Redtail Eight. Fleets 2 and 8 have achieved 80% energy charge.?


    ?Menebbo report! Failed to analyze the substance being ejected from special target A!?


    ?Kazansky reports. It is presumed to have an effect equivalent to EMP.?


    ?Shimurabi requests! Please allow the use of the ship''s main cannon!?


    ?Nemea Five. Denied. Special target A possesses resistance to energy-type weapons. It is deemed effective to buy time until fleets 2, 8, and 9 arrive.?


    Nemea Five''s focus was currently concentrated on special target A.


    The fleet hemanded was being obliterated in real-time as if caught by metallic gremlins.


    Or perhaps that was indeed the case. They were using EMP attacks to incapacitate the Star Union''s ships. The moment a ship came into contact with the fine particles he dispersed, all its functions ceased immediately.


    Whether it affected machines directly or not, even torpedoes controlled by AI could not hit him properly. The clouds of fine particles wrapped around his body caused them to halt mid-flight.


    As a result, the losses for the Fifth Fleet were severe. If no other fleets were on their way, they would have had to retreat.


    ?Report from Arrow Nine. The 9th fleet will enter superluminal travel in 1 minute and 12 seconds.?


    ?Report from Europa Two, Redtail Eight. Fleets 2 and 8 are prepared for superluminal travel.?


    In a few minutes, Nemea Five would achieve victory. If he could secure the corpse of special target A, deep research would be possible.


    At that moment, a report came in from the cyborg captain of another ship.


    An unidentified flying object wasunched from a megacorp ship, and it was moving toward them.


    Nemea Five concluded that it was an EMP torpedo. The patrol ships, having received his orders, moved to intercept the torpedoes.


    They would be shot down, and the megacorp ships would be dealt with as soon as the other high-ranking officials arrived.


    This reasoning seemed sufficiently logical, but what followed surpassed his calctions.


    “Kazansky! Unidentified flying object emitting unknown wavelengths—”


    The cyborg captain’s report was abruptly cut off. Then, countless reports and messages ceased all at once.


    It was as if there was an issue with auditory functions; only silence lingered. He issued anothermand to confirm the situation, but no one responded.


    Something was wrong. Nemea Five urgently sent his consciousness into his dormant physical body.


    Once the transfer wasplete, he opened his eyes wide atop the steel throne. The situation captured by his camera-like eyes was entirely different from usual.


    The Cyborgs meant to assist himy sprawled on themand room floor. An analysis through the lenses confirmed that all had ceased functioning.


    Themand room was a grave for the Cyborgs.


    No, perhaps this was not the only ce like that.


    He synchronized the ship’s external cameras with his visual functions. All the cameras of the XAX01-ss battleship became his eyes.


    Thanks to that, he realized that this situation was not confined to his ship.


    Numerous vessels under the Fifth Fleet were deviating from formation and moving erratically.


    All this was due to the sudden deaths of the Cyborg Captains. With theirmanders gone, the ship AIs were stuck repeating their previously issued orders. This behavior was exactly as reported by the Cyborg Captain. The Fifth Fleet suffered near-total devastation due to an unidentified weapon fired by the megacorp.


    Nemea Five immediately contacted the other fleets. He ordered them to halt superluminal travel and remain on standby. Most importantly, he emphasized that the High Commander must note here under any circumstances.


    Then came amunication from the High Commander, who seemed confused.


    “Me! What’s going on?”


    “Nemea Five reporting. Chairman, an unidentified wavelength has spread here. It is presumed to inflict fatal damage on cyborgs.”


    “What do you mean by that?! Who did this?!”


    Nemea Five’s gaze, connected through the cameras, caught a glimpse of special target A. The Creature paused for a moment at the chaos surrounding it, then unleashed an overwhelming amount of mes.


    Was this what it felt like facing the sun? It poured forth nearly infinite psychic power, turning the ships into scrap metal. Nemea Five struggled to influence the ship AIs, but the clouds of fine particles emanating from the creature obstructed his efforts.


    After incinerating most of the battleships, the creature ceased its attack, cleared the clouds of fine particles, and turned its body. The Gagons, who had been battling with patrol ships elsewhere, retreated alongside special target A.


    “Nemea Five. I rmend we first ascertain the cause. I propose we halt operations.”


    “Arrow Nine agrees.”


    “Redtail Eight agrees.”


    “Are you telling me to let it go when it’s right in front of us? Do you really think that makes sense…!”


    The High Commander Jubaka, expressing intense anger, fell silent after reviewing the video data shared by Nemea Five.


    The second high-ranking official, Europa Two, quickly analyzed the footage and sent amunication.


    “Europa Two agrees. Chairman, there are currently wavelengths present in this area that pose a lethal threat to cyborgs. I rmend that you ensure your safety before advancing.”


    In this ce, there existed threats to both androids and cyborgs. Special target A had the capability to incapacitate both androids and ships, while the unidentified object fired by the megacorp had an instant-kill effect on cyborgs. With both present, proceeding with operations would incur excessive damage.


    Thus, the four high-ranking officials effectively decided to suspend the mission.


    They were machines that existed for the preservation of the Star Union. They had an obligation to protect Jubaka, the most important entity in the Star Union, at all costs.


    Of course, if the High Commander insisted on proceeding, they would have no choice but toply. However, none of the high-ranking officials believed Jubaka would act in such a reckless manner.


    He wasn’t a fool. He couldn’t possibly be unaware that the issues arising here were far from ordinary. Moreover, he knew better than anyone what could happen if his safety werepromised.


    “Damn it! That bastard Amorph is right there! Блять (Damn it)!”


    With a shout that was either a roar or a scream, Jubaka''s voice faded frommunication.


    Meanwhile, in Nemea Five''s line of sight, special target A, the Gagons, and the Megacorp battleship were engulfed in blue light.


    Momentster, nothing remained at their previous location but blue particles.