Became an Evolving Space Monster

Chapter 8

The Airship’s conference room.

This is where the senior leadership of the ship gathers for meetings when something important comes up.

Life inside the ship is usually static. So, when something important happens, it undoubtedly means a serious problem. Everyone in this room was aware of that, but no one could have imagined that a nuclear bomb would go off.

“What… should we do?”

The one asking the question was the The Chief Medical Officer responsible for the crew’s health. His gaze was directed toward the empty chair.

In any other seat, perhaps, but that one should never remain empty.

The empty chair belonged to The Chief Research Officer.

“Damn it. I don’t know.”

“…”

Samuel muttered a curse, but no one in the room pointed it out because they all felt the same way.

Samuel splashed his face with cold water.

It was bewildering to think about how to handle this situation. He wanted to take drugs or get beaten to forget everything, but Samuel was the captain of this ship. Everyone was waiting for him to say something.

“Uh, have you identified the cause?”

“When I looked with my naked eye, it seemed the Research Officer was attacked and killed. It looks like she was slashed with a small saw, but we’ll need a detailed examination to be sure.”

“A detailed examination… Does that mean an autopsy?”

In response to Samuel’s question, the medical Officer nodded.

They both knew that the word “autopsy” had been mentioned, but it was impossible to carry out an autopsy on the Noble Capital.

Regardless of the family, the Noble Capital did not like anyone touching a corpse. They were people who cherished their own bodies and did treat others’ bodies as playthings.

If even the slightest trace of a scalpel were found on the corpse, the Noble Capital would not leave the medical officer, who led the autopsy, alone.

“Security officer. How far has the suspect search progressed?”

“We’ve checked all the surveillance cameras on board, but there was nothing unusual. The primary suspect, the security guard, is currently being interrogated.”

“Do you think he’s the culprit?”

“Based on the information we have so far, it’s unlikely.”

“…Report as soon as the search results come in.”

The most important person on the ship had died, and the culprit was unknown.

Samuel barely suppressed the urge to abandon the ship and run away. He knew what had become of the researcher who didn’t listen to Keisaragi’s words.

The researcher had his brain extracted while still alive and became an experimental subject. A promising talent had suddenly become nothing more than a brain floating in a test tube.

The same fate awaited anyone who didn’t listen. It was hard to imagine what punishment those involved in Noble Capital’s death would receive.

“Everyone knows what happened in the lab.”

“…”

“…Ugh.”

“If you don’t want to end up with just your brain and subjected to electro-torture, you have to come up with some kind of plan.”

The word “brain” and “electro-torture” made everyone in the room shudder. To avoid the worst possible outcome, they all desperately put their heads together.

“Accident during the experiment? What are you talking about?”

“Think before you speak, Navigation officer. We’re not talking about just one or two researchers here. How do you expect us to handle this?”

“Sigh, you talk tough. But we’re still a Middle Capital, you know?”

“What did you say?”

“Then how about this? Food poisoning….”

“Then we’re screwed upside down! If you want to die, do it alone, Tech officer!”

“What did you say? Those who can’t do anything besides eating shouldn’t dare speak up! Which Capital are you from?”

In a state where anxiety filled their minds, the meeting was not going well at all. The conference room quickly turned chaotic.

Amidst the shouting and bickering, someone slammed their desk forcefully.

“Quiet!”

He was the Crisis Management officer who commanded the soldiers.

“All this internal squabbling only complicates the situation.”

After calming everyone down in an instant, he paused for a moment and then spoke.

“Captain, our current location is near Planet C-08.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“C-08 is in the territory of the Space Dogs.”

Samuel raised an eyebrow, trying to understand what the Crisis Management officer was trying to say.

“Are you telling me this because of those pirate bastards?”

“Yes. They attacked us, and I couldn’t figure it out sooner because there were no alarms.”

Samuel stroked his chin.

The Space Dogs were marauders who roamed space, looting and pillaging. They were one of MegaCorp’s enemies.

In battles between fleets, they were always a nuisance, often causing damage even to battleships led by veteran soldiers.

If a battleship could suffer damage, what about a research vessel like this one? It was only natural that significant damage would occur.

In the process, ‘unfortunate accidents’ could easily happen.

“If we report that we were attacked by them, we can probably mitigate the death of the research officer.”

Of course, Samuel, who was responsible for the crew’s safety, would have a hard time avoiding responsibility, but there was a high chance that it would be settled with fines, considering the danger of the Space Dogs.

The Noble Capital would also aim their revenge at the Space Dogs rather than Samuel.

“It’s not a bad idea, but there’s a problem. With our weapons, we can’t really stand up against the Space Dogs.”

“Don’t worry about that. I have some friends from way back; I’ll contact them.”

The atmosphere in the conference room became strange at his words. Among the senior officers in MegaCorp, there were hardly any who hadn’t been corrupt. Most of them created slush funds to receive bribes from the top.

Even so, Samuel didn’t expect the Crisis Management officer, who seemed strict, to have such connections.

‘This nobleman, he may not look like it, but he’s got ties to pirates.’

Like the thoughts of the others, Samuel also didn’t like the Space Dogs. But there was no other way.

“How much do you need?”

“At least one million credits.”

“….”

Samuel wanted to curse at the amount, which was nearly half of the ship’s value, but he held back. It wasn’t an unreasonable cost.

Dealing with the Noble Capital was just as difficult as dealing with the Space Dogs. Considering the risk they took, this amount seemed reasonable.

“Darn it. Spending precious credits like this.”

Samuel knew this fact, but unexpected expenses were never good. If there were no other options, he had to accept it for now.

“Alright, I’ll get it ready.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“In exchange, you must handle the job thoroughly.”

“No problem.”

In the end, the responsibility for this matter was delegated to the Crisis Management officer.

Samuel was about to conclude the meeting when the medical officer raised his hand.

“What should we do with the body?”

“We’ll keep it in storage until the Space Dogs arrive. Make sure no one else touches it.”

“Understood.”

With nothing more to discuss, the meeting was adjourned.

Samuel left the conference room, hoping he wouldn’t have to gather here again.

***

‘So, this is the metamorphosis.’

Seeing and experiencing something first hand that he had only seen in games was a completely different sensation.

I looked down at my feet, or rather, hands.

When I was a Hatchling, I had all four pairs of legs to support myself. But now, it is different.

Except for one pair of legs at the very back, the rest had evolved into what looked like arms.

Let’s take a closer look at the four arms.

One pair near my ribs, and one pair near my shoulders.

They appeared as if human arm bones were attached to muscles. At the end of the arms, there were hands resembling eagle’s talons, with two pairs of fingers each arranged vertically.

Judging by the sharp claws, it seemed like I could easily tear through human flesh.

‘Combat arms.’

They were like weapons and shields used to attack or protect against enemies.

Of course, I could still do what I used to do before. Small, knob-like protrusions remained between the fingers, allowing them to grip walls or cling to ceilings.

It was truly a transformation that suited the terms ‘enhancement’ or ‘evolution.’

‘Let’s see.’

I moved the four arms at once.

The upper arms had a sense of moving the shoulders, so they felt somewhat familiar, but the lower arms were very alien.

‘Using human terms, it’s like the sensation you get in your trapezius when doing chin-ups. If there were some complex mechanism attached to that area, it might feel something like this.’

‘It’s a fresh sensation.’

The initial awkwardness was brief, and since it was my own body, after a few movements, I began to get the hang of it.

‘Battle arms are set. Next is this little guy.’

There were small arms around my chest area. If we consider only their length, they were shorter than the legs during the Hatchling stage. Their hands were different from the battle arms, having thumbs like those of primates.

‘They seem to be here for delicate tasks.’

Based on the presence of thumbs, the smaller arms seemed to handle intricate tasks such as operating computers or terminals, using weapons, and tools, among other things.

But the changes didn’t stop at the arms.

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My previous reptilian-like body, which moved on land, had evolved into a bipedal form. In accordance with the change in body structure, the outer covering that had encased my back and abdomen had evolved into an armor-like exoskeleton.

Around my chest and below the waist, human-like pelvis and digitigrade legs had emerged.

These legs were thicker than the arms and had highly developed musculature. The region that was once my fourth leg had transformed into the present-day bipedal structure.

The tail, which had been at my tailbone, had become long and thick, much like a dinosaur’s tail. This change likely happened to maintain balance.

Together with the tail, the stinger had also grown larger, reaching almost the size of a short sword.

‘I’ve grown quite a bit in size.’

When standing, I was just under 1 meter in height. Judging by the length, including the tail, it was almost 2 meters in total. It was a tremendous growth compared to before.

‘Now that I’ve become a Metamorph, I need to change my strategy.’

Until now, avoiding the enemy’s gaze had been the key to survival. But now, things are different.

The emphasis on hunting and survival had nearly reached a fifty-fifty balance.

‘Now that survival is more or less sorted, it’s time to think about what’s next.’

Although I planned to loot all the genetic essence within the ship, I needed to plan ahead. What would be my goal moving forward?

[Race: Unidentified Aggressive Space Morph

Status: Metamorph

Objective: Survive (1st Evolution Successful)

Special Traits: Predator Sense (Fusion), Wings, Chitinous Exoskeleton, Robust Vitality, Paralyzing Stinger, Enhanced Exoskeleton, Acidic Blood.

Type: Undetermined]

When I displayed the text box, there was new text next to the objective.

‘1st Evolution Successful must refer to becoming a Metamorph, right?’

Amorph’s status was divided into six stages, and it underwent five evolutions:-

Hatchling, Metamorph, Pre-Saint, Quasi-Saint, Saint, and finally Ascendant.

Reaching Ascendant status is considered as clearing Space Survival. In other words, it’s equivalent to achieving Amorph’s ending.

‘The problem is, reaching the ending is incredibly difficult.’

‘Very few players have seen the species ending in Space Survival. I can check the list of players who have cleared it in the game, and there are only about 20, including me.’

Among all the Amorphs, I was the only one to achieve the ending, which is ascendant.

‘Ascendant…’

In the game, when an Amorph ascends, the secrets of their species’ origins are revealed.

Where they came from, what their identity is, and other hidden clues are unveiled.

‘It’s likely that reality is similar.’

If I succeed in ascending, I might learn how I became an Amorph and why I ended up in the world of Space Survival.

‘The problem is how to get there.’

I checked the newly added category in the text box, which was ‘Type.’

[Unlockable ‘types’ do not exist.]

[Would you like to view the list of potential specialized ‘types’?]

Becoming a Metamorph marked a significant turning point for Amorphs. It was the moment when they determined their ‘Type’. In comparison to other species, you could think of a Type as a profession. The difference was that when you obtained a profession, related abilities were unlocked. However, for Amorphs, it worked the opposite way. If you met the conditions, your Type would be unlocked, and it would synergize with related abilities.

For example, if you had many physical enhancement attributes, you might unlock the Physical Enhancement Type. In that case, your existing physical combat-related attributes would become much stronger.

‘Considering my attributes, I might become the Physical Enhancement Type.’

I personally liked that Type. Especially if the chitinous exoskeleton was enhanced by the Type, it would practically turn me into a living tank. Just charging at the enemy could turn them into minced meat.

‘But let’s see what’s available. View the list.’

[Currently, there are two potential specialized Types.]

[Physical Enhancement Type (6/10), Psychic Enhancement Type (1.5/3)]

As I expected, the Physical Enhancement Type had almost fulfilled the conditions. Thanks to the enhanced exoskeleton and acidic blood traits that resulted from becoming a Metamorph, I could secure a total of six attributes related to physical abilities.

‘But what’s this?’

The number next to the Psychic Enhancement Type was unusual.

‘One has to be the Predator Senses, but what’s the 0.5 for? None of the attributes I have can explain that.’

To obtain genetic essence, you had to consume almost the entire corpse. Judging by the 0.5 designation, it was probably due to leftovers or failed acquisitions for some reason.

I recalled the things I had eaten so far.

Spiders, cockroaches, cat. Among them, there was no creature capable of having psychic abilities.

‘I never left any leftovers before… Oh.’ I remembered.

Keisaragi Yujin.

She was the only one I left behind.

‘I noticed she had a strong sixth sense… Could it be because of psychic powers?’

In the game, while individuals with psychic powers were rare among humans in MegaCorp, they were not non-existent. Perhaps she had latent abilities she herself was unaware of.

‘I definitely have to consume psychic powers.’

The Physical Enhancement Type was a matter of personal preference, but psychic powers were a different story. Having them or not made an enormous difference.

‘Let’s find the corpse.’

I used my jaw’s auxiliary system to check the airflow. Considering the temperature, humidity, and the condition of the dried-up nest, I estimated that I had been in the repair state for about a day. By now, post-mortem rigidity should be in progress, and I needed to consume the body quickly before it began to decay. The more damage to the corpse, the harder it would be for me to acquire the genetic essence intact.

‘Let’s start with the corpse.’

I decided to leave the nest recovery for later and prioritize obtaining the traits. I exited the refrigeration room.

‘The first place to go is the bathroom.’

There should be traces of where Keisaragi went in that direction. I followed those.

As I headed toward the bathroom, I found myself detouring into the hallway. There were areas where I couldn’t navigate with my enlarged body.

‘Maybe it’s because it’s nighttime, but there’s no one around.’

The auxiliary systems that had grown to tentacle-like proportions were not just longer but had also become more intricate. Although the range hadn’t expanded, they had become more detailed. No human presence was detected within a 50-meter radius. The only movement was the mumbling of people sleeping soundly in their beds in the bedrooms.

Beyond a fork in the hallway, my auxiliary systems alerted me that guards were stationed in front of the bathroom. I could sense the vibrations in the air they created with their yawning. The guards who had been on duty all night showed signs of fatigue.

‘Not the right time now.’

The fact that the enemy’s condition wasn’t normal was an advantage for me, but their numbers were too many. Besides, I had already traced the traces of the corpse. I decided to save dinner for later and moved in a different direction.

I continued down the corridor, following the traces. Except for the hallway in front of key facilities, there were no surveillance cameras, so I could proceed without being monitored.

As I walked, I entered an area where the ventilation duct expanded. I crawled up toward the ceiling.

Even as the location changed, my senses didn’t miss the scent of the body. While I was crawling, the smell of meat wafted up from below.

The mortuary.

The place where the deceased were laid to rest. The space where the dead found their final peace was right below me.

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