Chapter 130

A white battleship slicing through the skies.

The clouds seen from the command bridge rapidly passing by indicate the ship is moving forward.

“Standing right here—”

With a whirring noise, a cover opens and the chair shaped like a capsule tilts forward, lowering its height.

That adjusted position fits perfectly as if one only needs to sit down.

“Oh—”

“Is it okay? Would you like to try sitting in it?”

“Yes!”

I check behind me as I sit down.

Unlike the rather hard chairs of the alien ship, this one is made of soft material.

“Wow, it’s really comfortable!”

“Hmm, since this is a warship, and you might have to sit for long periods, we used materials that cause the least strain on the body.”

While answering like that, Miss Banetta points beside me with her finger.

“You can see there’s a cover on the armrest? Inside is a manual control panel for the chair.”

Sure enough, when I lift the cover as Miss Banetta explained, the control panel attached inside becomes visible.

“Ho, it really is.”

“Although the chair should adjust itself to most things, you might as well press each button to check in advance.”

“Yes.”

I press the button facing forward among the buttons arranged in a cross shape.

Wiiing…

“Ooo?”

With a noise, the chair tilts forward and fixes itself when I let go.

Wow, the tilt can be adjusted too?

After finding out the button’s function, I press the button pointed inward.

The tilted chair returns to its original position.

While playing around with various buttons like this, an unexpected voice comes from the side.

“Whaa? Taaa!”

“Seoli? What’s wrong?”

“Auu!”

Seoli stretches her hand toward me.

At the same time, by swiftly turning her head, she examines the chair, implying her curiosity has been piqued by my examination of the seat’s functions.

“Nisia, can you bring Seoli over here?”

“Hmm? Why?”

“Seoli seems to find this chair interesting.”

“Ah, that could be.”

Nisia carefully lifts Seoli from her bosom and moves her to my side.

After securely holding Seoli’s small body, I operate the control panel.

Wiiing…

“Auu?! Taaa!!”

Seoli’s eyes widen at the moving chair, and soon she bursts out laughing in a loud voice.

When I tilt the chair forward, Seoli’s head leans forward slightly; when I move it backward, her head also tilts back.

“Taaa, taaa!”

Seoli happily pats my chest while bursting into cheerful laughter.

While indulging her like this for quite some time, it happens then.

“Auu?”

“Hmm? Seoli, what is it?”

“Auuu, taaa!”

Suddenly turning her head, Seoli points somewhere with her finger.

“Jason! Can you halt the ship for a moment?”

[Noted, Captain Edu. We will halt the ship and standby in this airspace.]

The changing scenery becomes fixed, and the ship promptly stops.

Nisia approaches and carries Seoli, while I climb onto Miss Banetta’s back.

“Seoli, what is it?”

“Taaa!”

Seoli continues pointing at the same place.

Nisia follows her finger and heads toward the front of the command bridge, with Miss Banetta walking along after them.

“Auu!”

As we near the window, Seoli’s finger gradually moves downward until she is finally pointing at the ground.

“Eh? Edu, isn’t that….”

Nisia speaks with a perplexed tone, leaving her words hanging.

Wondering what’s going on, I follow the tip of Seoli’s finger toward an unexpected scene.

“?”

That’s when I realize why Nisia trailed off.

“Hmm? That cave… isn’t that a Cryptid colony?”

I nod in agreement with Miss Banetta’s question.

“Yes, it is.”

Cryptid Colony.

Literally interpreted as a habitat for a large number of Cryptids, this nest is a sacred ground for leveling up while unpredictably raising the blood pressure of players across multiple playthroughs. It’s a place characterized like two sides of a coin.

“Taaa! Auu!”

Then, Seoli points at the Cryptid Colony, raising her voice.

While sometimes easy to forget because aside from hatching, she looks no different from an ordinary baby, Seoli is not human but a Cryptid child.

“Ed, what should we do?”

“Umm….”

I take a brief moment to gather my thoughts based on Nisia’s words.

The best course of action would be to inform Principal or Miss Freya of the situation and seek their advice or support.

However, my gamer instincts prod me in the back.

“Let’s go down and check it out once?”

“There?”

“Yes, since Seoli’s reacting, I think it’d be fine to go check it out.”

“Isn’t it dangerous though…?”

Nisia’s cautious question.

“It’s not entirely safe, but judging by the size of the cave, it doesn’t seem too different from the colony we went to before. Plus, I have my summons, so we should be okay.”

“Hmm….”

Nisia’s deliberation.

While pondering with a furrowed brow, her little hand touches her cheek.

“Seoli?”

“Taaa!”

Seoli, encouraging Nisia like this, pats her cheek and points at the colony.

Looking alternately between Seoli’s face and mine, she finally sighs.

“There’s no helping it seems. Let’s do what Edu says.”

“Yes, then let’s go right away! Jason, please lower the ship near that cave.”

[Noted, Captain Edu. I will land the ship on the ground.]

…

“Then, Miss Banetta, I’ll be going!”

“Yes, come back carefully!”

After waving goodbye, Miss Banetta returns inside the Jason.

The ship slowly ascends and settles into a proper position shortly afterward.

This is as a safety measure for Miss Banetta.

While tightly holding onto the head of the Marionettes summoned for transportation, I look toward Nisia.

“Shall we go in?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, take the lead, everyone!”

At my command, all my summoned creatures that were waiting react in unison.

The four teams of fully armed Marionettes adjust their aiming sights and take their positions, while Baby, Girl, and Guy are already placed in front of them.

The advancing group of summoned beings moves steadily into the colony.

After observing them for a moment, I issue an instruction toward the Marionettes set aside on one side.

“You’ll move with us and guard us.”

[Understood.]

Immediately encircling us are the Marionettes.

“Alright, let’s go!”

With the summoned beings escorting us, we step into the Cryptid colony.

The tactical lighting illuminating the darkness.

The familiar, sticky, and subtle heat in the air is felt again, and soon, the colony inside the cave reveals itself.

The sticky, green slime assaults the nose with a pungent smell.

Checking to see if Nisia and Seoli are okay, I find Nisia frowning and Seoli giggling.

“Taaa! Auu!”

Seoli, using her little hands and perhaps thanks to her baby gas mask, vocalizes while pointing toward the inside of the colony.

Continuing further in from the entrance.

The temperature drops, evoking an eerie feeling, and at the same time, a noise becomes audible from deeper inside the colony.

– Kreee! Kyaaaaa!

– Krurrrk! Shaahaa!!

Like the cries of beasts, the masters of the colony rush out chasing intruders.

Even without an order, the Marionettes are already aiming their guns toward the inside corridor of the colony.

The vibrations caused by the countless monsters travel through the ground, and the army of monsters appears.

– Kyaaaaa!!!

– Shaahaaa!!!

The cries filling the room.

[Threat detected, eliminating.]

The Marionettes quietly growl, and flames erupt simultaneously from the aimed barrels.

Tat-tat-tat-tat!

The rapid fire mercilessly sweeps away the army of Cryptids.

As monsters hit by bullets quickly dissolve into blood and die, the exceptional numbers allow individuals to escape the firepower and rush toward us.

Baby extends her small hands forward.

Circular gun barrels suddenly protrude from her round hands, drenching the advancing enemies with a torrent of bullets.

– Kyaahhh?!

– Krrrr….

Monsters being torn apart into pieces and dying.

At that moment, a many-legged monster emerges from within the Cryptid group, taking heavy steps forward.

Acid Spider.

As the name suggests, these creatures have the appearance of spiders and carry caustic pods on their torso, making them part of the Cryptid’s lower artillery.

Lowering their heads and straightening their backs and shoulders, packs of Acid Spiders prepare for an attack.

“Girl!”

In response to my call, Girl leaps high and dives right into the center of the group.

She softly lands in front of the Acid Spiders and lifts her legs high before bringing them forcefully down.

Kwooshijik!!

– Creee!

An Acid Spider with a shattered head falls lifeless.

As other creatures turn their weapons toward Girl, her legs keep striking them down.

Snap, Grrack!

The Cryptid artillery force rendered powerless one by one.

Encouraged by her allies’ actions, Guy raises both his arms to look impressive.

At that moment, Edu’s command comes from behind.

“Hold on, Guy. Since you’re big and your destructive power is quite strong, don’t attack directly. Just block the enemies’ attacks.”

Guy, startled, slowly lowers his arms.

His once sturdy shoulders seem slightly narrower somehow.

Meanwhile, the gun barrels of the Marionettes and Baby keep spewing flames, and Girl uses her whole body and the terrain to dismantle the enemies.

One-sided combat.

The number of Cryptids in the colony quickly decreases.

…

Tat-tat-tat!

The synchronized firing of the Marionettes’ gun barrels.

5.56mm bullets shower the colony’s core, where a moth-like Cryptid—the one emitting pheromones—was stationed. With a bleeding wound, it falls dead.

– Kreeeek….

The creature gives a short death cry and stops moving.

The Marionettes’ gun barrels point downward.

The bodies of the Cryptids fill the spacious cavity.

“Replenish ammunition!”

At my command, mana flows out of my body, and the empty shells of the Marionettes get filled with bullets.

Having reorganized, the Marionettes and three summoned beings look around.

“Roughly dealt with.”

Even without high-ranking creatures, the Cryptid group was never a match for my summoned beings, and the battle ended more anticlimactically than expected as I survey the surroundings.

Hmm, nothing unusual.

“Edu, that was amazing…!”

“Since it’s a lower-grade colony, Nisia can probably handle colonies like this alone, right?”

“Eh, is that so?”

“Yes, you can trust yourself.”

At my words, Nisia scratches her cheek awkwardly.

“By the way, how’s Seoli? Is she showing any strange reactions?”

“Uh, she doesn’t seem to be scared or reacting to the killing of the Cryptids. And, the corpses too.”

“Taaa!”

Like responding to Nisia’s words, Seoli raises her voice.

Even though Seoli is smiling happily amidst the scattered dead bodies of the Cryptids, it feels correct given the impracticality of cleaning up hundreds of corpses.

Also, for practical reasons and because there’s much we don’t know about Seoli, there was a purpose to see how she reacted—but—

‘Seems she doesn’t recognize them as her kin.’

Seoli giggling.

“Auu? Taaa!”

Then, as if remembering something forgotten, Seoli stretches her hand and points at the pheromone-emitting Cryptid.

Danger level 4 Cryptid, Pheromone.

While powerless in direct combat, it is a commander individual, often acting as the battlefield commander of the Cryptid army due to its core enemy characteristics.

As I think about this, a sudden question arises in my mind.

‘Come to think of it, in this colony, it’s not the Queen but the Pheromone that’s acting as the boss?’

A sight never before seen in AOE (Assault on the Outer Edge).

No matter how small the group, the leader of the swarm was always a Queen-type entity.

Though slightly unnerving to see this common sense broken, given the many rule violations AOE has recently faced, it doesn’t come as a shock.

“Looks like the monster interests her.”

“Exactly, shall we go check it out closer?”

“Yes.”

We approach the Pheromone together.

A massive moth-like monster lies dead with holes all over its body.

It didn’t seem something to show to a child, but Seoli extends her hand toward the creature as if it doesn’t bother her.

Flash.

A sudden light illuminates as a round something flies from the Pheromone, with Seoli glowing stark white.

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

Momentarily startled at that change, the glow from Seoli’s body returns to normal.

“Wow! Taaa!”

Though Seoli doesn’t appear much different from before, her appearance seems slightly altered.

“Uh, Edu, Seoli’s hair and body… haven’t they grown a little?”

“Is that so? It does seem that way…”

The two of us carefully examine Seoli’s state, but she keeps squeaking and laughing happily, seemingly unfazed herself.

“Hmm, not sure here. Once we get back to the ship, let’s ask Miss Banetta to take a look.”

“Yes, that would be better.”

“Guys! Let’s go back!”

We return to the surface.

The summoned army moves forward.

Having ascended to the surface, it should have been like that for our group—but—

“Hmm?”

Waiting for us on the surface where we returned was an unexpected visitor.

– Gurrrrrr…

The low growl reverberating from the creature’s throat.

Its humanoid but subtly off-shaped form and colossal size radiate intimidation.

Its thick exoskeleton is akin to armor covering the entire body, and at the end of its extended tail is a sharp wedge.

Beast Knight.

The creature knelt before us.

[Threat detected.]

The barrels of the guns, aimed collectively at the creature.

“Hold on, don’t attack!”

At my shout, the actions of the summoned beings halt, and their combat readiness subsides.

“Uh? Edu, isn’t that the one from back then—”

“That’s right, it’s the Beast Knight.”

With a strangely friendly demeanor, moving slightly forward, the creature extends its hands toward us, presenting something.

In its hands lie several round orbs.

Not just one or two but five of them, all varying in size.

“Auu!”

Seoli reacts.

Her voice rises as she stretches her hand toward them.

The trembling orbs then glow white before being drawn into Seoli.

Even the orbs larger than Seoli’s body instantly merge into hers.

“Huh?”

Nisia is startled.

During this time, Seoli’s body glows again before slowly fading.

Clearly longer, Seoli’s hair.

It carried an all-white color reminiscent of the White Queen.

Her large eyes look toward us as a wide smile spreads across her face while she opens her mouth.

“Hehe. Mom, Mom! Can talk now!”

Seoli giggles, filled with affection.

“Mommy! Super happy!!”