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[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 443
Humanity's history of space exploration is long.
Even before the rise of the Megacorps back when nations and governments still existed humans had already pushed beyond the Solar System and begun colonizing other star systems.
NEO-3 is one such star system, developed before the Megacorps came to power.
Now under the ownership of Prime Capital Edgerton, the entire NEO-3 system functions as a military-industrial complex and weapons research facility. Most of the Edgerton family’s experimental weapons are developed here.
It’s essentially the backbone of the family’s military might, and as such, security is extremely tight. Entry into NEO-3 requires prior authorization from the Prime Capital, and even internal travel within the system must be reported at every step.
The fleet stationed in the system accounts for roughly 30% of Edgerton’s total forces, massive enough that many consider it Edgerton’s second capital, just behind Mars.
But now, a shadow looms over this colossal armory that has forged countless weapons of war.
In the pitch-black void of deep space, a flicker of blue light blooms.
Like the flare of a struck match, the tiny spark rapidly expands, illuminating the surrounding vacuum in a soft nebula-like glow. Behind it appear dozens of monstrous shapes.
Some of them are the size of warships, their bodies lined with rows of pulsating biological artillery. Others are leaner, built for close combat, with serrated claws and razor-like fangs. Despite their differing forms and sizes, the galaxy’s sentient races classify them as one:
Outspacers. The ancient enemies of the Cult Empire.
And now, they’ve invaded Megacorp territory.
After executing a faster-than-light leap into the NEO-3 system, the Outspacer assault fleet quickly formed into attack positions.
That’s when a turquoise light flashed in the distance.
A beam of immense power surged through the void, slamming into the newly formed Outspacer ranks. Everything it touched regardless of size disintegrated instantly into cosmic dust.
From the direction the beam had come, fleets of alloy-clad warships emerged, heavy cannons trained on the intruders. A torrent of green plasma fire burst forth in the next instant.
Already weakened by the first beam, the Outspacer vanguard began to fall rapidly under the barrage. It was clear that the invaders were outgunned and outmatched but they did not retreat.
Not because they lacked intelligence. Their mission wasn’t to win.
Their goal was to draw attention.
The queen who had sent this initial wave had more cards to play.
While the vanguard fulfilled its role as a distraction, the real strike force leapt into NEO-3 space.
Around the main fleet, still focused on its bombardment, space shimmered with blue distortion. More Outspacers erupted from the fractured void and surged toward the warships.
In response, the ships turned their auxiliary turrets and began launching onboard fighters.
Many of the charging creatures were shot down mid-approach. But even more survived the barrage and closed the distance. A chaotic dogfight erupted between warships, fighter craft, and Outspacer drones.
Amid a storm of plasma beams and massive spear-sized projectiles, the swarm pressed in.
Corrosive digestive fluids rained down. Monstrous claws tore into turrets and armored hulls. Behind them, fighter craft darted in pursuit, lighting up the vacuum with their engines and weapons fire.
It was a brutal, disordered melee ships and creatures locked in a deadly ballet.
Then came something new.
Four massive Outspacers appeared at once, entering the fray.
Their numbers were small, but their forms were unlike the rest far larger and more alien in appearance. Clearly, these were not standard units.
Several ships quickly pivoted their main cannons toward the new threats. Columns of plasma streaked through space, targeting the newcomers.
And that’s when the largest of the four, a creature resembling a bioluminescent jellyfish, tinged in bluish-yellow lifted its many tendrils toward the oncoming beams.
Then something extraordinary happened.
The plasma beams bent mid-flight.
Rather than strike true, the energy twisted unnaturally in the void, veering off course and slamming into allied warships nearby. Friendly fire erupted across the fleet.
While chaos bloomed, another of the four made its move.
It looked like a red-shelled pill bug only scaled up to nearly 100 meters. It curled into a tight sphere, then launched itself like a railgun shot toward the warships.
It was a living projectile with a mind of its own.
Not even the heaviest armor plating could withstand the force. Ship after ship was punctured clean through, torn in half by the sheer momentum.
The fleet was in disarray. Several ships went down in flames. The rest of those still functional were forced to retreat in a hurry.
The tide of battle, once favoring the fleet, shifted in an instant.
If no new variables emerged, victory would soon fall to the Outspacers.
But humanity had yet to play its trump card.
While the fleet held the line, the Gigacracker, its main cannon charged and ready fired once more. Sensing the approaching energy surge, the four large Outspacer units hastily disengaged from the battlefield.
A massive teal beam ripped through space, instantly annihilating scores of creatures in its path. Even the retreating four were consumed by the blue light and vanished without a trace.
“Ion cannon strike confirmed. 80% of enemy forces eliminated.”
“No additional FTL jumps detected.”
“Phew…”
In the flagship's command room, Jacob exhaled deeply as he watched the battlefield unfold via a massive holographic projection.
“Dispatch Fourth and Fifth Fleets to mop up the remaining hostiles. Pursuit is limited to within system range if the targets flee beyond that, pull back immediately.”
“Understood.”
“…Lord Walter. Thank you for your support. Your assistance minimized the damage significantly.”
Having issued post-battle orders, Jacob turned and bowed toward the man whose weapons had turned the tide.
An elderly figure appeared on the bottom corner of the hologram, brushing off the gratitude with a casual wave of his hand.
｢No need to thank me. It's not like I did it for free.｣
Walter Saint-Kei.
Patriarch of the Saint-Kei family, one of the Noble Capitals.
And more importantly, the owner of the Gigacrackers currently deployed in the NEO-3 system.
“We've already transferred the payment as discussed. As for the promised genetic samples, final approval from the family head will take a bit more ”
｢You don’t need to tell me that. My underlings will handle it.｣
“Ah, y-yes, of course.”
Walter cut him off with a look of mild boredom. Jacob didn’t push the issue; he simply bowed again and fell silent.
After all, the man was a Noble Capital patriarch.
Even if Jacob was the commanding officer of NEO-3’s defenses, he wasn’t in a position to object to anything the old man said.
Besides, the Gigacrackers superweapons that had just saved the day were Walter’s personal assets. Jacob couldn’t afford to offend the man, no matter how curt he was.
｢More importantly, did you see those four larger Outspacer units that showed up at the end?｣
“Yes, I saw them. They were unlike anything we’ve encountered before.”
At Jacob’s cue, his adjutant quickly pulled up the footage recorded by the fleet and relayed it to Walter’s end, also displaying it on the flagship’s main holoscreen.
Walter stroked his chin thoughtfully.
｢Hmph… strange creatures. Doesn’t look like they’re royal guards there’s no queen present to protect.｣
｢But they don’t seem to be under any other high-tier unit’s command either. What’s your take?｣
“As you may know, there have been increasing reports of Outspacer queens using FTL to deploy subunits throughout Megacorp space. It’s possible the queen responsible for this assault is a combat-adapted variant.”
｢A queen specialized for battle, huh? That would explain why this assault is so different.｣
Indeed, Walter was right.
This latest invasion was fundamentally different from past attacks.
This queen was using strategy.
It wasn’t just a brute-force swarm it was a coordinated strike that included specialized units tailored to the evolving battle conditions.
And all the targets so far had one thing in common: they were either militarily or economically vital systems.
In other words, this queen understood the concept of strategic strongholds and was acting accordingly.
｢A true army, then. Not just a hive.｣
“Exactly.”
Walter grinned sharp and wolfish.
｢How delightful. It’s been a while since I’ve had such worthy prey.｣
His voice was calm, but there was a fire in his eyes.
And then came the words Jacob didn’t expect:
｢I’ve changed my mind.｣
“Sir?”
｢Forget the sample rewards. I want the heads of those four monsters. Personally.｣
“Are… are you saying you’ll be joining us here directly?”
Walter nodded.
Jacob stiffened.
Things were about to get a lot more complicated… or a lot more interesting.
｢Akira’s still not awake, and Saddam’s watching over the Solar System… A little stroll shouldn’t hurt.｣
“If you do decide to come, you’ll always be welcome, sir.”
｢Hunting strong prey requires proper etiquette. I’ll be in touch once I’m ready.｣
With that, the transmission cut off.
Jacob let out a short sigh and dropped into his chair.
‘Thank goodness Walter’s an eccentric.’
Had it been a different noble patriarch or someone else from the upper echelons he would’ve never secured that kind of backup so easily.
‘At least I won’t have to worry about reinforcements for a while.’
Outspacers with high intelligence were never easy opponents. As seen from the emergence of these new enhanced types, their offensives would only grow more dangerous over time.
No matter how formidable NEO-3’s defenses and fleets were, maintaining a prolonged campaign would require direct support from the Martian headquarters.
The problem?
Jacob was at odds with the current acting patriarch stationed on Mars who was clearly waiting for an excuse to get rid of him.
A single misstep during this defense, any sign of weakness, and they would pounce on the opportunity to have him replaced.
‘But with support from Saint-Kei...’
The situation would be different.
‘Even the acting patriarch will have to ease up on his leash.’
No matter how powerful he was politically, it would be difficult to justify ousting someone who had the backing of a Noble Capital and had successfully defended a vital system.
At the very least, Jacob would be untouchable as long as he held this front.
‘And in the meantime, I need to finish developing the new weapon.’
If he could safeguard the system and complete development of anti-Outspacer weaponry, Jacob’s prestige would skyrocket.
From there, even toppling the acting patriarch might not be out of reach.
Just then, his personal terminal lit up.
“Hm? Blair?”
A report had just arrived from the subordinate he'd sent to gather intel on the Outspacers. It confirmed mission success.
“Faster than expected.”
He replied with a short acknowledgment and instructions to return, then leaned back with a satisfied smile.
Everything was going according to plan.
Unless some unforeseen wildcard emerged, there was no reason for his strategy to fail.
He would be the one to win this war.
***
‘Promising me a big reward, are you? How sweet of you.’
I chuckled as a message from the superior I’d been impersonating lit up my screen.
‘You sent me to investigate the parasites, and yet you don’t suspect a thing.’
The true purpose of this rescue ship was to identify and collect individuals infected with Outspacer parasites.
The captain’s logs were full of clues pointing to a broader infiltration effort involving parasite-based espionage.
‘Definitely the handiwork of Rank 4.’
The fourth-ranked Outspacer, a top predator among their kind, was a specialist in parasite warfare.
That said, his method was a bit different from mine.
Outspacer parasites couldn’t control their hosts as completely as I could.
At best, they could inhibit certain abilities or restrict access to equipment.
But in exchange, they had no upper limit on how many targets they could infect.
That’s why Rank 4 preferred to scatter dormant parasites across enemy territory long in advance.
Then, once combat broke out, he’d activate them all at once, crippling his enemies mid-fight.
He’d use them as surveillance tools during peacetime, and as softening agents during war.
‘The parasites already spread across Megacorp must’ve been planted ages ago.’
Either way, the message I’d received from “my superior” Jacob was an order to return to his location, now that the mission was “complete.”
And that location?
One of the most infamous systems in the game: NEO-3.
“NEO-3, huh…”
In the lore, many of the star systems and space cities under Megacorp's control were originally developed back in the era when nation-states and formal governments still existed. The Solar System, the heart of the faction and the T&C Special Trade Hub we visited earlier are classic examples.
NEO-3 is another one of those early settlements, pioneered long before Megacorp was ever formed.
“So it’s finally been claimed. That star system never had a fixed owner. Looks like Prime Capital took it this time.”
“Is it somewhere you're familiar with?”
PS-111, who was in the bridge with me, picked up on my muttering and asked a question.
“Not too familiar. I just know a bit.”
“I see.”
Owning NEO-3 meant tapping into the massive arms factories buried throughout the system. The profit margins were so high that many players would venture there just to try and seize control of it.
In my case, I only ever went to NEO-3 for one reason: to hunt those players down.
‘Aside from that, I never had a real reason to go.’
Since NEO-3 isn’t home to any rare fauna or Apex creatures, there was no real incentive for Amorphs or Outspacers to go there either.
For us, there are really only two reasons to target the place:
Either ambush the incoming players… or cut off Megacorp’s supply lines.
‘Either way, this works out.’
From the logs the captain left behind, it looked like NEO-3 was currently under attack by Outspacers. If I head there now, I might be able to run into some higher-order units, maybe even a Queen.
That’d be killing two birds with one stone:
Crippling Megacorp and harvesting Outspacer essence.
“Set course for NEO-3.”
“Understood. Adjusting navigation parameters.”
PS-111 connected a cable tucked beneath its chin to the ship’s computer, recalibrating our route.
“Estimated time to arrival: within four days.”
“Good.”
“Um, Amorph. I have a request.”
“Yeah?”
I’d just been about to send a reply to Jacob when the machine cut in.
“There’s a location in NEO-3 I’d like to visit.”
“A location?”
“Yes. While analyzing Pyra Eleven’s data, I found records of exchanges with a weapons research facility on NEO-3. I’d like to investigate.”
Back when we looted the remains of Adhai’s old homeland, we’d recovered Pyra Eleven’s flagship. Later, while hunting the Arcane Orca, PS-111 also managed to secure the brain of another High Councilor, which allowed it to decode much of the data stored onboard.
From that trove, we uncovered files tied to a new Screamer development project Pyra Eleven had been part of. Among them were references to a laboratory that had collaborated on the project.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. Pyra Eleven routinely sent test subjects to NEO-3.”
As far as I knew, there weren’t any gene research facilities on NEO-3.
‘Then again, that might just be information limited to the game version I played.’
There’s nothing stopping the Edgerton family from building a genetics lab there in this timeline. I met its gaze and gave a small nod.
“Alright. We’ll check it out once we arrive.”
“Thank you.”
The mechanical lens that served as its eye contracted slightly, then returned to normal.
Its face was made of polished alloy, so it was hard to read emotions but I could tell it was pleased.
‘A genetics lab, huh? This could be fun.’
If that research facility really was part of the Screamer project, then it’s likely to be storing all kinds of juicy genetic samples. I can’t wait to see what we’ll find.
And with that, we set a course for Megacorp’s grand armory.
Our next stop: NEO-3.
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[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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