Chapter 258:

Chapter 258:

-

In recent days, Gidequ had been in a good mood.

This was because the unexpected winnings from an underdog bet at the human fighting arena were now securely stored in his terminal.

Perhaps it was thanks to the sense of hope that he hadn’t felt in a long time, but even on his way to work, he didn’t feel burdened.

To be precise, he was on his way to work in an environment where it was impossible to feel burdened.

「The next landing spot is 'Military Port'.」

An announcement echoed through the hover bus that was carrying him. Normally, he would have taken the underground military train to work, mingling with the teeming masses and having his mood ruined.

Of course, the hover bus wasn't completely free of people either, but the smell was different.

Here, the stench of alcohol, sweat, and vomit that would often blend together wasn’t present. Instead, the scent of expensive air fresheners installed in the vehicle and the perfumes of wealthy passengers filled the air.

Though both the train and the bus were crowded, the difference in smell inevitably changed the mood.

Considering Gidequ's usual earnings, taking a hover bus was quite an extravagance, but he didn’t care. He thought it was worth spending credits on such things occasionally. With that in mind, he stared out the window, standing among the other passengers.

The hover bus had just left the chaotic city district and was nearing the Military Port. As it landed in front of the port, people spilled out in droves.

The main customers of the hover bus were outsiders visiting the fortress. After finishing their business, they would take the ships docked at the port to leave.

With people exiting, there was now a bit more room. Gidequ stretched his stiffened body lightly.

Just before the door closed, he caught sight of someone he knew outside.

It was a security officer from the port, someone he had shared a drink with before. The officer was smiling broadly, looking strangely delighted.

Though he appeared to be smiling, Gidequ sensed something odd about him.

It was because of his eyes.

The security officer's pupils were unwavering, fixed in place as he smiled only with his mouth while staring directly at the bus.

Seeing him like that, Gidequ was reminded of a Screamer he once saw during his time in the Star Union—those unfortunate beings, controlled by machines, not even allowed to breathe on their own.

As the unpleasant memory resurfaced, Gidequ looked away from the security officer.

But even then, he saw others with similar expressions. Among the bustling crowds at the port, there were people standing still with eerie faces.

Some were vagrants, others were cartel pirates. Despite having nothing in common, they all stood in the same posture.

‘They must have taken a hell of a lot of drugs this morning.’

Kesha Arma was a space fortress sustained by crime. It wasn’t unusual to see people high on drugs just about anywhere. Everyone knew this, which is why they ignored those strange individuals.

‘Lucky bastards.’

Gidequ lost interest in the junkies. The door closed, and the bus took off again. The next stop was his workplace, the 2nd Command Center, where he worked as a security guard.

Even after the bus carrying Gidequ departed, the junkies remained in place. A moment later, they turned and started moving somewhere.

They were heading back to the one who had seized control of their minds.

---

It had been three days since I arrived at Kesha Arma, the abandoned cult fortress.

So far, I had spent my time gathering information, trying to understand how much this place had changed from what I remembered.

‘The minerals have run dry, huh.’

According to the words of the prey I’d recently caught, the fortress had been abandoned because the planet it was supposed to protect had exhausted its mineral resources.

‘Well, minerals might be unlimited in the game, but not in reality.’

Whether resources or living beings, it takes time for them to replenish.

In any case, with resources depleted and the star system no longer holding any military significance, there was no reason for the Empire to maintain an expensive orbital habitat.

‘Officially, it’s still an Imperial property...’

It seems that the cartel from the space dock had obtained management rights through lobbying.

It’s not all that surprising. After all, Muriel, the first player I devoured, also infiltrated the sacred planet with Jason’s backing.

‘I should get more details from the next target.’

My underlings had just located members of the Marcio Cartel, the group that controls this fortress. Not just any low-level member, but someone working in the important 2nd Command Center of this city.

‘I hope he’s a smart one.’

When it’s time to invade the fortress, I plan to unleash them.

‘Not just yet, though.’

The fruit isn't ripe. Now is the time to lay the groundwork. Once all preparations are complete, I intend to go to war with them by my side.

I rose from where I’d been lying in the cargo hold.

When I left the Dragon’s Nest, my body took on a spider-like form. It was 25 meters in length, with a tail and wings resembling that of a spider.

Since then, I’ve acquired numerous traits, but my appearance hasn’t changed significantly. The most notable differences are the larger head carapace due to the ‘Harbinger of Chaos’ and the longer monstrous tentacles.

“Come here.”

Upon hearing my words, twenty subordinates approached me.

They, governed by parasites, were delighted to obey my orders. It was something that would be impossible in a game, but the enhancement effects of two specific traits made it achievable.

The Great Infector, which grants enhancement effects to three traits each from the Infection and Nest types, made this possible. With this trait, the ‘Parasitic Colony’ gained the ability to produce 20 parasites.

This meant that the number of beings I could control increased to 20.

And that wasn't all. One of the Marks of the Strong traits, ‘Form Dominator’, also enhanced the Parasitic Colony. It wasn’t just an increase in numbers; the quality of the parasites themselves improved.

These parasites, now grown to the size of an eel, burrow into their victims' brains and replace that area entirely. Once infected, the victim’s entire brain activity falls under the parasite's influence.

They don’t just serve me; they view me as an essential part of their existence, as if I were a part of their very body. It’s not forced obedience; they follow me with genuine devotion.

‘The downside is when it’s time to retrieve the parasites.’

I once ran an experiment to see what would happen. Even after the parasite was removed, the host didn’t die immediately. They became a complete vegetable since part of their brain was missing.

In other words, unlike before, once a parasite takes root, that person is finished.

‘It's fortunate I removed it from the Mother of the Sky beforehand.’

When she saw an eel-like parasite, covered in bits of brain matter, emerging from a victim’s mouth, she avoided me for quite some time.

‘Enough distractions. I need to focus.’

Facing the twenty individuals before me, I activated the ‘Harbinger of Chaos’. From my back head carapace and neck, monstrous tentacles emerged.

The tentacles wriggled as if an octopus was swimming through water. Psychic power, capable of inflicting devastating effects on living beings' bodies and minds, traveled along the tentacles and spread through the air.

Anyone sensitive to energy would be able to see it—fine threads of psychic power wafting through the air like smoke rising from an incense burner.

As soon as the Harbinger of Chaos was activated, the twenty people before me reacted instantly.

“Slurp, hee-hee, slurp, slurp, hee-hee!”

“Huff, huff, huff, huff, huff, huff, huff.”

“Ugh, oh, ahh, ehehehe!”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sor...”

A security guard, perhaps reliving childhood memories, sucked on his fingers.

A pirate with a prosthetic eye, seemingly encountering his past victims, kept apologizing.

One man, overwhelmed with intense pleasure, drooled while thrusting his hips wildly into the air. Another gasped, frantically licking the floor.

These slaves of sensation floundered in the psychic power that twisted and distorted their perceptions.

The Harbinger of Chaos is a unique trait I acquired when I raided a Screamer supply ship and obtained material information. As it contains numerous traits related to psychic abilities, it’s specialized in mental manipulation and crowd control.

‘The range is usually much broader...’

It can influence all sentient beings within a 500-meter radius, but I’ve restricted the range for now. I need to focus solely on these twenty individuals in this room.

As their behavior grew more erratic and animalistic, I noticed a faint purple glow appearing over some of their heads.

‘Got it.’

That glow was a ‘Madness Bomb,’ a sort of additional effect triggered when using the Harbinger of Chaos.

Having confirmed this, I immediately deactivated the Harbinger of Chaos. The subordinates, now returned to reality, collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.

‘Perhaps this is how I’ll kick things off.’

If the Madness Bomb detonates, it’s bound to create quite the commotion.

I commanded those with the purple glow surrounding them.

Find places where crowds gather.