Chapter 15: 015
–
"Holy Nimmi! Wake!"
"Ugh…."
"A3 is in shock! Inject the cure!"
"I'll inject you!"
A2 operated the terminal on A3's wrist. Then, the sound of air escaping was heard from the reinforced suit he was wearing, and the treatment fluid was injected into the wearer. A3's condition, which had been foaming at the mouth and rolling his eyes, has eased slightly.
But this was only emergency treatment. The treatment solution built into the reinforced suit had only a minimal life-sustaining analgesic function and had a poor detoxification function.
You must complete the mission as quickly as possible and take A3 to the doctor.
A1 and A2, who had the same thoughts, exchanged glances.
"A1. The treatment was injected into A3. "I will continue with my mission."
"This is the situation room. "Permission is given."
After completing the above report, they left A3 lying down and stood up. Three of my comrades died because of that damn monster. I couldn't sleep well without catching it and ripping off its head.
"A1. "We request the injection of reinforcement for effective suppression."
"…Permitted."
As soon as permission was given, A1 and A2 pressed the buttons on the terminal. The strengthening fluid was injected and veins popped out on their faces and necks.
The strengths of the reinforcement suit are many other than the built-in AI that assists physical activity. One of them is a special solution that improves a soldier's combat ability.
The low-level reinforcement suit is equipped with painkillers and the intermediate reinforcement suit is equipped with two chemical solutions. A therapeutic agent that treats injuries and aids natural recovery. It is a strengthening agent that temporarily strengthens muscles and senses.
When a strengthening agent is injected into an ordinary person, their physical abilities are enhanced to the point where they can punch a hole in a concrete wall with their fist. What if you were a soldier wearing reinforced clothing? There is nothing more to say.
Instead, once the strengthening effect was over, there was a fatal side effect of permanent muscle loss and lethargy for up to a week. So, most of the soldiers were reluctant to administer the strengthening agent, but they had already turned their heads and paid no attention to the side effects.
"I will kill that fucking bastard."
"I come first."
The order they received was to capture a mysterious and dangerous creature. However, the minds of the two who lost their comrade were filled with the thought of wanting to tear him apart with their bare hands.
The two walked down the aisle, gritting their teeth. As they followed the direction in which he had disappeared, their eyes saw a peculiar trace. There were traces of something melting the floor.
"I guess he was injured too."
"crazy. "Acid blood… I don't know what kind of monster it is."
Realizing that the enemy was not an ordinary, murderous being, the two nervously chased after the molten marks. It wasn't long before they realized that they really had to prepare their hearts.
This is because they were greeted by a low, narrow passageway that an adult man could only move through by bending over.
"…It's narrow."
"How do I do this?"
"Going in."
Reinforcers have already been added. There was no option for them to retreat. The two soldiers squeezed themselves into the passage.
–
'It's coming.'
The auxiliary organ picked up the subtle vibrations flowing in the air, as if prey were caught in a spider's web. An intruder has stepped into my territory. The intruder's heartbeat was much rougher and faster than that of an ordinary person. Rough breath, like the panting of an animal, came out of their mouths and dispersed in the air.
'You used a strengthening agent.'
The mid-level reinforced suit must have severe side effects, and the enemy must have been quite angry. It doesn't matter either. In this dark, maze-like space, physical abilities enhanced by enhancers are of little use.
'Then let's get started.'
Now that you've succeeded in luring the prey, you need a trap.
I opened the wound wide and a lot of blood poured out on the floor. As the acidic blood pooled, a cloud of toxic gas rose up. I could see the corridor beyond the aircraft that filled the passage. The acid blood, which was not enough to just melt the ventilation shaft, pierced the ceiling of the hallway and continued to enlarge the hole without losing its momentum.
'Is this enough?'
I cleaned up my wounds and quickly left the place. I hid in the dark and waited for them to come.
Not long after, they appeared. They were wearing special helmets attached to reinforced suits. Thanks to the gas-proof effect provided by the helmet, I was able to move without difficulty even in passages filled with toxic gas.
They seemed to be taken aback by the gas that suddenly attacked them, but acted calmly like seasoned soldiers. As they walked without hesitation, they eventually discovered the epicenter of the gas.
Seeing the hallway light softly illuminating the passage, a soldier stepped forward.
"This is A1. There was a large hole in the ventilation shaft. There are no traces of him around. "I think he went down the hallway."
"This is the situation room. "I will search the hallway, so tell me the location."
"This is near the agricultural area…"
A1 concentrating on communication. Another soldier investigating the hallway below the floor.
Now that everyone was preoccupied with something else was an opportunity.
I was crouching in the corner of the passage and jumped out like a leopard targeting a gazelle. For me, who crawls on six legs, the narrow passage was not an obstacle at all.
"!"
A2, which has developed a sensitive sense thanks to the reinforcer, responds immediately. The muzzle quickly points towards my head and emits light.
A lump of energy flying at the speed of light lightly passes by the tip of the tentacle behind my head. A2 is seen panicking after seeing that the shot missed.
It has to be that way. Why would I choose this cramped and uncomfortable place as the battlefield?
Due to the influence of the uncomfortable space, the shoulder attachment was also slightly distorted. On the other hand, my black-brown chitinous shell did an excellent job of protecting me in this dark place without any light.
To the disadvantage of the enemy, to the advantage of the allies.
That was the reason I decided to make this my hunting ground.
"Huh?!"
He straightens up and aims at me again. It was fast enough, but I was already close to him. Before his finger could pull the trigger, both hands near my shoulders grabbed his head.
Did he sense death? His dilated pupils are visible through the translucent visor on his helmet.
Although it was a reinforced suit that helped people develop strength that surpassed that of humans, it could not protect areas that required fluid and delicate movements, such as the neck. When I applied strength to my hand, A2's neck easily broke like a weak tree branch.
"Aaaah!"
A1, who recognized me one step late, screamed and pointed his laser at me. I lifted A2, whose neck was shaking, to protect myself.
The delicious smell created by burning meat gently tickles the ends of the auxiliary organs. In the stress of battle and hunger, I threw A2's ember corpse at A1.
"Ssivaaaaaal!"
He lost his temper and fired his laser rifle. Because it was close range, several of the shots he fired hit me.
Perhaps because of the not-so-small pain, my will to fight boiled over without me even realizing it. A sharp dagger from the end of the tail was shot at him. I thought it would just hit his shoulder, but the enemy was a veteran. His strengthened left arm swatted away my tail.
My tail loses its aim and hits the passage, and he lunges at me, swinging his fist.
I tried to block it with my fighting arms, but my opponent wore reinforced clothing. In addition, there was no need to take unnecessary risks since the combat power had increased dramatically by injecting reinforcements.
I dodged A1's fist by taking a few steps back. The hard alloy plate was crushed by a single punch.
'It's stronger than expected?'
It wasn't like this in the game. If we continue to fight like this, we may incur unnecessary losses.
'Let's change our strategy.'
I swung my tail sharply to make him back away and then ran away. Laser bullets rained down from behind, but none of them hit anything.
'There is only one enemy left.'
I used everything that could be used. Now you won't be able to fool A1 with any trick.
A1's shout is heard from afar. It is questionable whether a surprise attack will be effective as the poison is so intense.
'ah. 'Is there still one thing left?'
While I was thinking about it, a good idea suddenly occurred to me.
There are currently a total of two creatures that can be caught by my senses.
A1 is running wild and A3 is paralyzed.
A1 was shooting a laser in the wrong place. While he was distracted somewhere else, I crawled towards A3.
As I left the narrow passage, the ceiling rose significantly. As I stood on my feet, I saw A3 lying in the middle of the aisle.
"Ugh…"
A3, who received emergency treatment, barely escaped death, but he didn't look very well. He was unable to speak because his paralysis had not completely resolved and he was only moaning.
I approached from a direction that wouldn't be caught by his camera. When I was only a few meters away from him, he became aware of my presence.
It was easy to recognize because there was fear in the painful moans.
"Uuuuuuu!"
He tried to somehow report the situation to the situation room, but his limbs were already paralyzed. He wriggled like a slug avoiding an ant. I walked up to the scared slug and stepped on his back with my foot.
「Grrrrrrr」
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"
The fur on the back of A3's neck can be seen standing up. My hair is already covered in cold sweat. It exhales harshly, like a frightened animal howling.
I couldn't see his eyes because he was lying down, but he must have been shaking like crazy.
Coincidentally, the A3 has only been attacked from behind so far. So he doesn't know what I look like. Maybe that's why they're more scared? They say the greatest fear is the fear of the unknown.
'I'm going to die anyway, so what does it matter?'
I shoved my four fighting arms into his sides. Since there was no protection, my hands easily got into his body. I felt him breathe his last breath with the tips of his claws on my back.
After killing A3 in one go, I strengthened my hand that was stuck in my side. The long intestines were grabbed with four hands and roughly pulled out.
I quickly put the intestines hanging in my hand into my mouth. Without even having time to savor the taste, I just chewed it and put my hand back into his body.
There is not much time left. In order to use A3's body as a shield, his body had to be emptied. I continued to scrape out his internal organs.
'I think this will be enough.'
When A3's weight was reduced by about half, I flipped him over.
The camera lens illuminated me with a red light, as if welcoming me. I destroyed the cameras and communicators on A3's body.
With this, they would have realized that A3 was attacked from over there.
I stuck my head into A3's side. The sticky blood and the warmth still remaining on the corpse enveloped my entire body. The inside of A3, which was only a shell, was filled with predators from outside instead of organs for life support. The tail that was sticking out before it could get in was rolled up and hidden under the body.
After a while, A1's footsteps were heard outside.
"A3! Are you okay? Answer me!"
The dead don't speak. A3, who was already a mummy, remained silent.
I feel him reach out to take my pulse. He is completely caught off guard. I think A3 may be dead, but I have no idea what is lurking beyond the skin.
When I got close enough to the other person, my arm stuck out through A3's abdomen. A1, who was bending one knee to check his pulse, allowed my attack to continue. My sharp nails scratched his thighs.
"Huh?!"
He belatedly tried to get up, but it was no use. The deadly neurotoxin that had paralyzed his lower body was advancing upwards.
His body falls to the floor like a piece of wood. He fell and tried his best to get up, but his central nervous system had already become a mess. Like Troy, which fell due to the wooden horse that entered its walls, A1 was being destroyed from within.
"Uh huh huh!"
A1's trembling body. Is it because of shock or because of impending doom?
Whatever it was, his future was decided. Like prey caught in a spider's web, there was only one thing he could do.
waiting for death.
After tearing the body apart, I licked the blood from my hands. A primal sweetness penetrated my mind, as if sugar had been condensed into syrup.
I wanted to enjoy it more, but there's still work left to do. I approached A1, who was trembling.
I grabbed his shoulder with my lower arm near his ribs and removed his helmet with my upper arm. The revealed face was younger than expected. However, the scars around his eyes revealed that he was a warrior who had fought through many battlefields.
Even the hero of such a reversal seemed to be afraid of death. Because his face was a mess of tears and snot.
The two upper arms wrapped around his head. He had a premonition of what was about to happen and closed his eyes tightly. My hands were strained to meet his expectations. His neck was slowly torn off with the sound of a tree being uprooted by the typhoon.
There was no screaming. The neurotoxin did not allow him to scream or move at all. His pupils shook violently from the pain of having his throat ripped out while he was still alive.
By the time the white cervical vertebrae emerged from his neck, A1 was dead.
I lifted his head, sticking out his tongue, and glared at the camera. There was no sound coming from the other end of the communicator, but I could tell.
They are afraid.
Deciding that this was enough to get my point across, I broke the camera.
Spider webs aren't just spread in ventilation shafts.
Next is their turn.