Chapter 13 – Mutant (3)
[The growth of the Auxiliary Brain is complete.]
“I don’t find this as disgusting as I used to.”
The Auxiliary Brain is literally a brain. Right before my eyes, an enormous brain was squirming.
Tentacles from various points supply nutrients to the Auxiliary Brain, allowing it to maximize its computational power.
And if I connect it to myself…
“Gah!?”
The moment a tentacle from the Auxiliary Brain connected to my body, I was almost overcome by an utterly strange sensation I’d never experienced in my life.
An indescribable feeling, almost like my very consciousness was expanding. It was even stronger than the first time I used the Queen’s power.
At the same time, I realized something now. The collective consciousness I had been aware of until now was merely a fraction of a vast ocean.
It was unsettling to think that I could easily be swept away and lost in this massive surge of awareness.
‘If Soldiers had their own sense of self as well…’
I couldn’t be sure. The Soldiers under my command barely possess any sense of self, but if islands of individuality were to start forming in this vast ocean, conflicts or collapses could arise at any time.
“This is insane…why am I the one they’re asking to handle something this dangerous?”
[However, its performance is undeniable.]
As the bulging eyes I didn’t realize I’d been making returned to normal, my vision also recovered.
I was incredulous, staring at the floating system message in front of me after barely regaining my senses.
[Connecting the Auxiliary Brain has dramatically increased computational power, making it much easier to command the collective entity.]
The system calmly only mentioned the good news.
Of course, I didn’t deny it. As I’m now directly connected to the Auxiliary Brain, I can feel its effectiveness more than anyone.
‘It feels like an extension of my own body.’
During the time when I possessed other beings or commanded troops, there was always a peculiar delay or disconnection happening.
It was like using a low-performance computer struggling to handle tasks. But now, that awkwardness has completely disappeared.
“This means I can control even more entities. Not several times, but tens of times more.”
The first thought that came to mind was increasing the number of entities. The reason I couldn’t scale up despite having enough nutrients was precisely because of this limitation.
With this restriction now gone, if I continue to grow and upgrade the Auxiliary Brain while increasing the number of entities, having an army of tens or even hundreds of thousands might not just be a dream anymore.
And to explosively increase the number of entities, I would need a new method of reproduction.
[Genetic replication is a trait that allows the duplication of your genes and enables the means of reproduction to reproduce independently, even if you are not involved.]
Genetic Replication, the new trait obtained alongside the Auxiliary Brain, had the power to break beyond the limits of reproduction.
Until now, our method of increasing the number of entities involved injecting artificially manipulated genes created from my universal cells into eggs developed in artificial wombs.
In other words, there was the disadvantage that I had to be directly involved in the process in artificial wombs. However, with Genetic Replication, reproduction is possible without my direct involvement.
That meant that even without me, a distant nest could spawn Soldiers on its own.
‘They’re telling me to go multi-threaded.’
To exponentially increase the number of entities by several times, I would need several times more artificial wombs—and the artificial digestive organs required to supply nutrients to these wombs.
Even if I can expand the space by digging underground, this nest is running out of physical space. It was time to build new nests in a new location.
“By the way, there are a few suitable places nearby.”
Constructing a nest on the surface was still too risky. However, the cave-like place where we’ve established our current nest is not uncommon around here.
I dispatched Workers to those locations stored vividly in my memory.
The enhanced memory was also a result of the Auxiliary Brain’s capabilities. Even though they are goblin brains, they’re already much bigger—about the size of a two-ton truck. Human brains were long surpassed a long time ago.
‘There’s only one thing left: mana.’
After the extremely profitable first war with the goblins, the last thing that needed to be addressed was the new nutrient obtained from the death of special goblins.
*
[In order to break down, absorb, and reuse mana, certain conditions are required.]
I couldn’t use the nutrient right away. However, I focused on the fact that it was still possible to utilize it.
Mana, a force given only to the superior Demon race. In other civilizations, it is also known by names like ether or inner energy.
Even among the lower demons such as goblins, only a few special entities could possess this force.
And yet, despite being mere insect-origin creatures, we could somehow utilize it despite being mutants.
“So, it’s certain? Can we use it? Can we cast magic and perform rituals like other demons?”
[It’s certain.]
I double-checked, just in case. Though it had somewhat obscure aspects, it wouldn’t lie to me in this form, so there was no reason to doubt it.
‘As for the conditions, they’re probably about the trait points, right?’
That answer was enough for me now. Whatever it is, I would naturally acquire the ability as I continued my endeavors.
[The Workers have reached the places chosen for the new nests. There are other creatures living there.]
“They’re trespassing on our property now. Hunt them all.”
[The Scouts exploring the designated path have discovered traces of other goblins.]
“It seems the map wasn’t wrong. Identify their base and their numbers. I might need to give those scouts flight abilities.”
With my newfound ability to handle multiple tasks at once and operate at breakneck speed, I kept the collective moving without rest.
It wasn’t just me. We never rest. While some entities take necessary breaks, others immediately take over their roles.
On one side, we were constructing new nests, hunting, and scavenging. On the other side, our scouts were actively searching for our next targets for an attack.
“Not bad. They’re quite large.”
[Based on current observations, there are over 500 entities.]
Another goblin village had been found, but it was almost more like a city than a village or settlement.
Thick wooden palisades and mud-built walls were set up, and armed guards in high watchtowers stood vigilant with bows and crossbows.
It was obvious there were many special entities from a distance.
We couldn’t observe too closely without being detected, but the sight of the mountain slopes being terraced for farming spoke volumes about how advanced they were.
“…Wait.”
Right then, I noticed something.
A red-skinned goblin was leading a mana beast resembling a large black beetle and using it to plow the fields.
For a moment, I was speechless. That red-skinned goblin was an unnatural creature that would never exist in the natural habitat.
[Achievement: Encounter with Another Player (1). Reward: 1 Trait Point.]
“What’s going on here?”
Without thinking, I asked aloud, even though I knew there would be no answer.
[The possibilities have always been open.]
As usual, the system didn’t give me a direct reply.
Even though I had doubted without proof until now, at the moment I found this evidence, it kindly stamped the confirmation mark.
The red-skinned goblin I just saw was an upper-tier goblin that could only be created through the traits of players who chose the goblins as their faction.
In other words, those goblins were a faction directly cultivated by another player, just like my Soldiers.
[The game continues. This is a condition equally applied to all players.]
“This makes no sense! So, the player controlling those goblins is somewhere in this world just like me?!”
[That is not the case.]
“??? What is this supposed to mean?”
The conversation was happening, but it was difficult to comprehend fully. So, is everyone else playing the game comfortably at home while only I am struggling here?
[All truths will be revealed as the game progresses.]
Though I had much to say, seeing the text floating before me left me speechless.
After all, even if I knew the truth now, the only path ahead of me remained unchanged: to continue growing and evolving my own faction.
“…If they’re a player’s faction, I can’t just leave them be.”
I’m no stranger to multiplayer modes. From the start, it was clear that if I wasn’t aiming for collaboration, any nearby players were only competition standing in my way.
Dealing with them early on was the best course of action. The longer we all develop and grow, the bigger the damage would be when a clash became inevitable.
“I need to move faster. First, we need new scouts.”
I clenched my teeth and gripped the armrest of my chair.
I was set on nothing but victory, come whatever may. I had no intention of giving up after coming this far.
