“The Cosmic Bolt charging is 25% complete!”
Situation room of the ‘Judicator of Damocles 08.’- The imperial battleship
The main gun, ‘Cosmic Bolt,’ on the Imperial battleship was in the midst of preparations for firing. In the center of the situation room, various information such as the charging status of the Cosmic Bolt and the targets to be hit were visualized and floating.
The cultists in the situation room used psychic powers to output or modify the information they needed for their missions as images. Unlike humans, cultists were proficient in the use of psychic powers, enabling them to swiftly handle tasks that were difficult to solve with computers alone.
“Stand by after charging is complete.”
The captain clenched his fist while observing the reinforced glass in front of the situation room. Beyond the glass was the blue planet, Saigel-08.
The sacred place designated by the Cult Council was unbelievably beautiful, considering the contamination it supposedly suffered. Perhaps it was not too late.
‘But we cannot ignore it.’
Contamination, as regulated by the Cult Council, comes in various forms: nests of the Outspacers, secret gatherings of Vortex One followers, and more. Though each has a different form, they pose lethal threats to the security of the Cult Empire.
‘That’s why we came here.’
The Cosmic Bolt, the absolute weapon embedded in the Imperial battleship, is highly effective in such purification operations. This weapon, utilizing dark matter and the heart of the Black Gallagon as an energy source, can incinerate the entire surface of a planet in a short period.
The atmosphere inside the planet disappears, and all water, including the oceans, evaporates. In short, any planet, no matter how lush, becomes an uninhabitable wasteland in an instant if struck by the Cosmic Bolt.
‘There’s about four hours left until the launch.’
Currently, the battleship is deploying ground forces to Saigel-08. The mission is to capture the Wolf natives on the captain’s orders.
“Captain, a communication from the battleship fleet. No traces of Megacorp or Star Union in the vicinity.”
“We destroyed the Megacorp satellite, but we can’t be sure. Maintain maximum vigilance until the purification mission is completed.”
Upon the subordinate’s report, the captain began issuing instructions again, delaying thoughts about the ground forces for a moment.
“Commander Race! Telepathy is not working!”
Race urgently pressed the button on his helmet to activate the telepathy function. However, no matter how long he waited, there was no connection. Not only with the battleship but also with other ground forces on the same continent.
He tried several times, but all attempts failed.
Psychic power technology, including telepathy, may seem all-powerful, but it is not. There are ways to neutralize various psychic power technologies, including telepathy. For example, jamming devices commonly used by cult warships.
Large warships like the Imperial battleship are equipped with devices that interfere with the enemy’s telepathy or psychic power usage. Using Black Silver, a material resistant to superhuman abilities, these devices can temporarily neutralize the cult’s psychic powers.
‘Jamming? No, if that were the case, chaos would have erupted outside the planet by now. The battleship has equipment to detect and counteract jamming devices. If it’s not jamming equipment, then there’s only one possibility.’
“There’s a psychic organism among the enemies!”
Powerful psychic beings like Black Gallagons or Red Gallagons, proficient in psychic abilities, can disrupt psychic powers even more effectively than jamming devices.
“But there shouldn’t be psychic organisms on this continent…”
Of course, looking at the entire planet, there are predators known as ‘Lama Volteksion,’ which humans call Sea Demons.
However, this is the middle of the continent. It’s unlikely that deep-sea monsters would come up this far.
“Commander, what should we do?”
“Hama, is Memory Sight possible?”
“I’ll try. Just wait… Huh? Oh, why isn’t it working?”
‘Memory Sight’ is a support-type psychic power that can read the past of a location. Hama, a cult member with goat horns among the warriors, was a specialist in Memory Sight, but even she was of no help now.
‘Not just telepathy…’
Races ordered his subordinates to conduct a few experiments. It was to confirm whether the use of psychic power techniques was entirely impossible for all of them.
Unfortunately or fortunately, only support-type techniques like telepathy and Memory Sight were unusable.
Their weapons and reinforced suits still worked well, unlike when they were jammed.
However, fighting against mysterious enemies immune to specific psychic power techniques posed many problems. Information about the enemies was scarce, and they had a limited time.
In a few hours, the planet would turn into a sea of flames, and they needed to leave before that.
In the end, Races chose to abandon the mission.
“It’s dangerous to move forward without knowing the identity of the enemy. Everyone, retreat to the transport ship.”
He knows why the captain ordered them to capture Wolff. If a large number of casualties occurred during the mission, it would go against the captain’s intentions.
“Isabel, cover the rear. Jenner, support Gary, and Hamine, get the Purple Spray gun.”
Eight members of the warrior squad moved swiftly at Races’ command. There was no wasted movement, typical of those accustomed to combat.
However, they also knew.
One member missing, and another mentally unstable. Two casualties even before encountering the enemy.
Despite their agile movements, a sense of unease lingered in their eyes.
Having exchanged positions with the formation, the warrior squad began to retreat toward the transport ship.
The distance to the transport ship would take about an hour to cover at a slow pace. If they ran halfway, they could reach it in about 30 minutes.
Races and the warrior squad moved at a rapid pace while remaining vigilant of their surroundings.
Reality betrayed Races’ expectations.
“What, what is this?!”
The cult warriors were trained to maintain composure at all times. Since psychic powers were greatly influenced by mental states, maintaining stable mental conditions was crucial.
However, the warriors were half-heartedly shouting and panicking.
But Races couldn’t blame them. He wanted to scream too but barely held back.
In front of them was a burnt tree.
An hour ago, it was the tree Gary shot with the Purple Spray gun.
They had moved for an hour toward the transport ship, only to return to the initial escape location.
“Isabel, is there a possibility of a malfunction in the direction detection system?”
“As you may know, it’s impossible. The chance of simultaneous failure of all systems here is very low.”
Races bit his lip to calm himself down. Was it the stench of blood and the sharp pain filling his mouth that helped him? He struggled to understand the situation somehow.
‘Let’s think calmly.’
The warrior squad is experts in pursuit. Isabel’s level is exceptionally high. Even if a machine is malfunctioning, the probability of her getting lost is very slim.
“So, is there a possibility that we are experiencing hallucinations?”
“I believe the likelihood is low. There is no creature on this continent capable of inducing hallucinations simultaneously in nine cult members.”
Isabel denied it, but Races had a different opinion. He thought it was impossible to deceive nine experienced warriors unless it was a hallucination.
As he looked at the faces of the warriors, he felt his hair stand on end.
Behind the warrior facing him,
There were two pumpkin-colored lanterns.
The moment she turned her head, the beak of an eagle with pumpkin-colored eyes bit her neck. The creature that instantly broke her neck carried Hamine and leaped into the opposite thicket.
“Damn! What is that?!”
The warriors, belatedly aiming their weapons at the creature, unleashed a barrage. Purple spray gun flames and psychic rifle projectiles rained down on the thicket.
The merciless assault of the warriors ceased as soon as Races raised his hand. At his gesture, Isabel approached the chaotic thicket.
Contrary to expectations, there were no enemy bodies or even bloodstains.
The creature had disappeared without a trace, without any sign of injury.
Seeing Isabel’s dark expression, Races gritted his teeth. Two casualties had already occurred due to an ambush by an unknown creature.
“No. Let’s consider encountering it as a comfort.”
He had seen the opponent’s appearance a while ago. It was a very brief moment, but Races remembered the creature’s appearance accurately.
The creature resembled a bird of prey with golden fur on its head. It was about 3 to 4 meters in size, with pumpkin-colored eyes.
“It has well-developed front legs and is very agile compared to its size. Its beak is sharp enough to tear through reinforced suits.”
“Hmm. It’s an unfamiliar creature. Its specs seem similar to ‘Red Mist,’ but…”
“Yes. It might possess hallucination abilities like ‘Red Mist.’ If we pay attention to that aspect, we should be fine.”
“Agreed. I fought with ‘Red Mist’ before with Jenner.”
“Isabel, Warrior of the Subjugation Squad, is correct.”
In this situation, Races deliberately laid out information he knew as if listing them. Isabel also understood the chief’s intention and played along.
Fear comes from the unknown. Just knowing what kind of enemy they are facing can provide significant comfort to allies.
According to Races’ judgment, the expressions of the warriors improved significantly compared to a while ago. Where fear had retreated, the spirit had taken its place.
“If we capture that creature, the hallucination plaguing us should be lifted. Let’s track it down.”
Races, accompanied by energized warriors, followed the traces left by the monster with an eagle head.
Surprisingly, for a large predator, the creature left almost no traces. There were no footprints, and tracking using psychic power techniques like Memory Sight was impossible.
Fortunately, among the warriors, there was Isabel, a master tracker. Through the direction of fallen weeds and the shallow scent left by the creature, she determined where it had gone.
The warriors moved along with Isabel’s guidance. Everyone was tense, and when she suddenly raised her hand, they all held their breath and lowered their waists.
In her sight shared through Soul Link, the creature appeared. The creature lay on a large tree branch. Hamine’s body was not visible, and it was unclear where she had put it.
Races felt a surge of anger inside him at the nonchalant attitude of killing one cult member. Of course, he wasn’t an infant to express his anger openly.
Instead, he carefully pulled a compound bow from his back.
Resembling a compound bow, the bow was a special device that shot arrows made of psychic power. It didn’t require separate arrows but consumed the user’s psychic power. Unlike a sniper rifle, it made almost no sound, making it highly efficient for surprise attacks or sniping.
He quietly pulled the bowstring. Just as he was about to release his fingers, the creature turned its head, meeting his gaze.
The look that chased so quickly was unexpected. Races, who judged that the creature was confused, inwardly called for a triumph.
Fingers dropped, and an invisible arrow was fired. Races believed that the arrow made of psychic power would pierce the creature’s eyes without a doubt.
However, once again, reality disappointed his expectations.
The invisible arrow couldn’t reach the creature and disintegrated midway. It was because an invisible shield, like the arrow, enveloped the creature’s body.
The creature didn’t react even though it was attacked. It just stared at Races and his group.
From the creature’s eyes, he read some emotion. It wasn’t surprise or a sense of danger.
Instead, it was a feeling of pity, compassion, or sympathy, as if saying, ‘Now you’re in big trouble.’
In a series of incomprehensible events, something happened that defied his understanding.
“Chief, in front of… there…”
Through Isabel’s vision, he could see what she was seeing.
Under the tree where the eagle-headed monster lay.
A balloon appeared in a place where there was none just moments ago.
It was the pink balloon Races had seen before the noise incident. Garyshi, supported by Jenner, screamed in horror when he saw the balloon.
“It’s, it’s that! He’s back!”
Uninterpretable waves emanated from the balloon that was there a moment ago.
Along with the ominous waves like a stormy sea, the balloon, or whatever it was, began to squirm and change.
The warriors’ heads, focused below, gradually lifted upward. At the same time, their eyes widened to the point of tearing.
As much as the position where the eagle-headed monster lay, what had become as huge as that began to observe them with countless eyes.
A pink balloon? It was absurd. What was in front of Races wasn’t a creature that could be described with such a cute word.
He knew a similar being to that creature. He hadn’t encountered it directly, only seen it in the creature data provided during combat simulations—the legendary monster.
Originally, the creature, similar to that being, was called “Rama Volteksion” in the cult’s language, meaning the devil of the sea. It was also known as the sea demon in Megacorp and StarUnion, revered and feared.
The presence, which should never be seen here, disguised itself in the form of a balloon in this deep forest.
Only now did Races realize everything, and the only words he could utter were:
“It’s using camouflage!”
The moment he shouted, the giant tentacles wielded by the sea devil covered the Subjugation Squad.