Chapter 379

During the three days I waited for the cold weather, I did many things.

In addition to treating mountain crawlers, I created my own nests all over the planet. This is to prepare for the possibility of another enemy infiltrating.

Additionally, in the process of preparing to prevent an attack by external enemies, they preyed on several additional creatures. Thanks to this, I was able to acquire one more useful trait after ‘Destroyer Carapace’.

「Destroyer Carapace: Protects the body by creating leather made of bio-metallic material. “Every time you digest refined metal, your carapace and body grow.”

「Heat-heating spine: Thorns that generate high heat grow on the back. The thorns can be fired toward a specific target.”

Both are general characteristics related to the body, and they are characteristics that greatly transform the body. So, my appearance now is quite different from when I arrived on the planet.

As the destruction water upper was applied, various body parts such as arms, legs, and torso became thicker overall. And red patterns that looked like lava flowing appeared all over the body. It had a carapace reminiscent of a fiery furnace, giving it a similar feel to its previous owner, Magmasaur.

‘It was a trait I liked in games as well.’

Destroyer Carapace is an attribute that must be obtained at some point even if it is not a transcendence system. This is because it is so effective that it can be said to be at the top among general characteristics.

‘The more you fight, the stronger you become.’

As written in the tooltip, the effect of Destroyer Carapace is simple.

The body continues to grow every time it eats and digests artificially created alloys, such as ships or buildings.

Since the growth effect is applied as soon as it is digested, its body grows a little each time it devours an enemy ship during battle.

The growth range is equivalent to about 0.1 cm of growth if a large battleship were eaten as a whole. You might think it’s low, but by the time you get this trait, you’ll most likely be fighting hundreds or thousands of ships. Therefore, each time a battle ends, its body grows to the point where it can be seen.

As the body grows, the thickness of the carapace also increases, increasing survivability. The increased hand-to-hand combat ability is a bonus.

Moreover, in theory, there is no limit to the size that a destroyer carapace can grow to. Unless you have acquired a characteristic that limits your body’s growth, such as ‘dwarfing’, you can grow infinitely.

‘Actually, this is both an advantage and a disadvantage.’

Although this trait is powerful, it is not completely without weaknesses.

If you pick up a lump of alloy without thinking and eat it, its size will grow uncontrollably.

If the body becomes too large, the area hit increases, so it cannot be said to be a good thing. There are many fearsome weapons in the world of space survival.

Therefore, from the time you acquire this characteristic, you must also consider eating alloys. Or maybe they intentionally acquired characteristics like dwarfing and forcibly shrunk their bodies.

‘Well, I’ve experienced trial and error in the game, so I need to be careful about this part.’

The next thing to look at is ‘heated thorn armor’. This is a trait obtained by catching an elemental porcupine.

Currently, there is a row of thorns with a complex structure growing on my back. These thorns are made to imitate the elemental porcupine’s defense mechanism.

Of course, it is not completely identical to the original and there are some differences.

Aimorph’s spines have a simpler structure than those of the elemental porcupine. The original thorn had the power to freely control temperature. On the other hand, Aimorph’s spines only have the function of emitting high heat using internal heat rays.

‘It doesn’t have the ability to control temperature, but there is one good thing about it.’

Unlike the original, Aimorph can fire these spikes. The thorn itself is large and sharp, and contains high heat, so its killing power is very high. As soon as a human is hit, it immediately melts, and if a ship is hit, a hole is created.

‘I needed an attack method with moderate destructive power, and it worked out well.’

Psychic Breath and ‘Black Devourer Cannon’ are so powerful that the situations in which they can be used are limited. The heated thorn armor does not have that burden, so it can be used at any time.

Of the newly acquired characteristics, this is all that is useful.

In fact, other than this, I also gained one trait that is not useful, and that must be seen in conjunction with the newly updated transcendence system.

「’Transcendence’ material list: Inorganic Digestion, Harvester’s Maw, Bone Beast, Infernal Vision, Ultra Control (not obtained)」

「’Transcendence’ material list: Demon Machine, Tyrantroid, Destroyer Carapace, Ether Core (not obtained), Hiveformer (not obtained)」

「’Transcendence’ ingredient list (new!): Dwarfism (not acquired), Starvation, Sensory Deprivation (not acquired), Slow Life (not acquired), Hermit Orientation (not acquired).

However, there are no large-scale mining facilities or factories on this planet. There are also no traces of terraforming.

‘What he was doing was not trade.’

Salman’s ability is to control wild animals. He must have used that ability to deliver Asuka 44’s rare creature to his colleague, Number 4. For this, a large ship and many crew members were needed.

And the pirate Se-chan had the ability to carry out this task. With his connections within Megacorp, he has been siphoning off employees and ships to supply to his customers.

As the transaction continued for a long time, Se-chan learned where the ships he had procured were going. I was also vaguely aware that it wasn’t for trade.

Of course, I didn’t know that it was an outspacer’s nest.

Anyway, there is no doubt that the ship Salman sent was an important place for the 4th place.

So what should we do here?

‘At this point, Outspacer’s nest is dangerous.’

After Salman died, his colleagues stopped coming here.

Because I destroyed the base so quickly that I missed the opportunity to contact them? it could be.

‘But what if not?’

Maybe the enemies didn’t come here on purpose.

Let’s say I killed and ate Salman like I did other times.

Number 4, a colleague from the same faction, must have realized that the information Salman knew was leaked when he could not be contacted. Things like the 4th-ranked ability, the location of the planet where rare creatures are delivered, etc.

So what action can he take there?

‘It’s not about hitting Asuka 44, but on the contrary, it’s about pulling me into its territory.’

Because of Salman, his weaknesses have been exposed. He’s planning to take advantage of that and make me jump into the trap on my own.

‘By now, all areas it controls will be completely fortified.’

In the game, I fought a lot with 4th place as well. Just as I read his thoughts, so does he. It is clear that Amorph has prepared all possible means and methods of infiltration in mind.

‘There is no need to crawl into the enemy’s trap.’

The fight against 4th place requires a lot of preparation. I want to fight after securing at least two more unique characteristics.

Therefore, what I am aiming for here is the latter.

‘Megacorp colony’s research facility.’

Se-chan did not only deal with Salman. Among his clients was a research facility responsible for improving the colony’s human resources.

It is not easy to infiltrate a research facility located in the solar system, but it is a different story if it is a research facility attached to a colony. Even if I am alone, it is not difficult to overcome.

‘First, let’s solve the synthesis equation using imperfect properties as a material.’

The materials required are of non-mainstream nature, but obtaining them is easy. It can be completed quickly by robbing the colony research facility.

Next, I would like to create a unique trait that uses the Apex trait as a material. This is because ether core and hiveformer are not easy to obtain.

As I was checking the changes and plans in the text box, an hour had already passed.

PS-111, which collected important data stored on the ship, and No. 26 carrying a bag-sized kit came out.

“We collected all the data that seemed useful.”

「Me too!」

[Zuzu zuzuzu (good job, both of you)]

“Do you want to check right now?”

[Z (yes)]

Over the next few hours, I talked about the data PS-111 had culled.

As a result, it was decided where to go once we left this planet.

“Watch next episode”