Ep 1 Survive (1)
‘There is no use thinking about it.’
I have decided to stop here with my Frustration.
It’s not that I pass things off lightly because I’m more optimistic than others.
A-morph is a combat species with strong vitality, but the same can’t be said about their hatchling.
Although I may have a bundle of potential and possibility, but as of
now, I am nothing but a weak creature who will die if I don’t eat
anything within an hour.
And, I have to be diligent and move before my remaining stamina runs out.
Where I am now is the interior of a massive metal structure.
I am well aware that it is a spaceship, made of alloy, that navigates the sea of space under the name of the universe.
‘From its appearance alone, it looks like something made by either Megacorp or Star Union.’
Either way, they are forces that I don’t want to mess with.
Looking around, I saw containers stacked three people high, and plastic boxes could be seen between the stacked containers.
As the sub-processor under my neck twitched, various information was implanted into my mind.
‘It’s a fascinating sensation.’
Experiencing the ‘Hyper-sensitivity’ directly in my body, which was
previously implemented in the form of a mini-map through game mechanics,
feels completely different.
It’s a sensation that mixes the senses, like smells sounding like
noises and sounds appearing as if they’re visible, conveying information
in such a way that you could say it detects everything within the range
of perception simultaneously.
At the tips of my claws, I can feel the vibration caused by the
operation of the fusion engine. The smell of various substances, such as
nitrogen, carbon, and others that are mixed finely in the air,
stimulate the tip of the sub-processor.
My sub-processor discovered the fact that there is something edible among the various scents and transmitted it to my brain.
My top priority right now is to replenish my nutrition. The fact that there is food nearby is reassuring.
My three pairs of legs moved diligently towards the food, running on the cold metal plates.
Whenever my claws touched the grating-style floor, it made a clanging sound.
T/L Note – The meaning of “Grating-style floor” A grating can also be a type of flooring made of interlocking metal or plastic bars or slats. These types of gratings are commonly used in industrial settings or outdoor locations where drainage or ventilation is required.
I crawled up the plastic box using my claws after passing through the
forest of containers. When I got up, I saw that the box had a lock that
required a password to open it.
‘It’s lucky that it’s a password. Let’s see.’
I leaned my neck close to the license plate. As the sub-processor
device wriggled and hover over the license plate, the fingerprints on
the surface flowed into my mind.
‘1234, is this for real?’
Even in the space age, such a high level of security is impressive. I
exclaimed in disbelief as I pressed the button with my front hand.
Then I heard the sound of a lock being unlocked inside the box.
As I opened the lid, I saw that there were many vacuum-sealed calorie
bars stacked inside. I took out one of the calorie bars from the top.
I tore open the packaging with my claws and took a bite. The texture
was chewy and rubbery, almost like chewing on an eraser. The in-game
tooltip mentioned that the food was designed solely for nutrition, and
it seemed to be true.
‘Well, at least I succeeded in supplementing my nutrition.’
Although it doesn’t have much taste, the high calorie content makes you feel energized all the way to the tips of your toes.
The moment I tried to lift my claw to take another bite, something
caught my senses. My tail moved swiftly like a shot arrow, piercing
through the unidentified object.
‘Is it a cockroach?’
It is a cockroach with a sharp stinger. The creature wriggled in an attempt to escape, but soon went limp.
As if possessed, I bit into the cockroach and its exoskeleton
shattered under my teeth, releasing its juices. It was surprisingly
juicy and seemed to have lived and eaten well.
As I ate him up, a text window with a different content popped up.
｢Plundering effect activated! Successfully acquired ‘wing’ gene essence.｣
｢Extracted the ‘wing’ biological trait from the Attribute of the ‘cockroach’.｣
｢‘Would you like to apply the trait ‘Wings’?｣
‘Oh?’
It’s quite lucky to obtain genetic data so quickly.
Genetic data is a critical element, so much so that it can be called
the alpha and omega of genome operations. Obtaining various genetic data
enables the evolution into a stronger organism.
‘Wings.’
In a game set in space, wings themselves may not have a special
meaning. However, this is not a game but reality. Considering the fact
that I am a vulnerable hatchling, wings are a characteristic that is
more useful than harmful. They can help me dominate the airspace while
hunting, and can also be advantageous in escaping from predators.
‘Accept.’
｢Applying characteristics.｣
I felt a sensation of wriggling on my back, and then wings with the characteristic of smooth and elastic texture of chitin grew.
｢Wings characteristic applied successfully.｣
‘Nice.’
I decided to use my wings to test them out.
‘How should I use them?’
Unlike legs, wings are not a familiar body part to humans.
Still, since they are located on my back, I tried to give them a
little push by imagining the feeling of moving the muscles around my
upper back and shoulders. I wasn’t sure if it was the correct way, but
my wings slowly flapped up and down.
‘Stamina consumption is more severe than I thought.’
After moving them a few times, I realized that flying consumes a tremendous amount of stamina.
I stopped moving my wings and checked the stamina.
‘To properly utilize my wings, there is something else I need.’
While obtaining wings is a welcome development, there is a separate key ability that I needed to acquire from the cockroach.
It is an essential ability that must be obtained for a smooth and pleasant survival.
‘My first goal has been set.’
I thought while chewing on the calorie bar.
Well, I guess I need to become a cockroach slayer first!
