205: The Awakening of the Malevolent Eye

"I think it's better if I don't interfere here."

"Yes, I agree."

Watching the footage of the Imperial Army unit holding their ground at the Sixth Prime Colony, locked in battle with Magatsu and Suumeree, my first thought was this.

Yeah, there are casualties, but the front line hasn't collapsed. If I jumped in now, I'd only be in the way.

And after seeing the thorough attack on the port and the damage it caused, I couldn't help but say:

"Imperial Army, scary."

"Seriously... I don't want to be on their enemies' side at all."

"Agreed, Lord Sata, Lord Johalis."

"Wait, all three of you? I don't think the entire Imperial Army would turn against us, not even at the unit level. Really."

Perhaps, as Vilijanira said, they wouldn't turn against us.

After all, Vilijanira is the Emperor's illegitimate child, and their relationship isn't exactly hostile.

But that's a separate matter entirely.

Fear is fear, no matter what.

Considering the Imperial Army's size, production capacity, creativity, and strategic planning abilities, they could probably do something similar even if they faced my main body.

The difference in scale is enormous—each soldier currently fighting Magatsuki could be replaced by a battleship, but that's precisely what it comes down to.

They'll definitely find a way to deal with it.

Yeah, I might be able to escape from the Imperial Army with my current strength, but fighting them head-on? That's still impossible.

"Ugh... escaping... caught."

"We've confirmed the transfer on the memo. They've fled into the interior of the 'Jichikane to' ship."

And just then, Magatsuki attempted to teleport, only to be perfectly caught in the ink net I'd set up.

Though he couldn't be held or eliminated on the spot, I could clearly feel that I'd managed to wound him.

Moreover, thanks to the Hekyo Moryu mixed into the net, he now bore a scent that couldn't be erased without a specific mod.

Thanks to that, his whereabouts were now unmistakable.

"Going in."

"Satu. I'll prepare on my end as well."

"We'll support from here, you and Memokushi."

So I teleport the puppet right next to Magatsuki.

Vilijanira heads toward the greenhouse, preparing to operate my powered suit at any moment.

Joharis and Memokushi handle communications from here.

"Alright, here... there's no sign of anyone."

The place I ended up in... seems to be a corridor fairly close to the central area of 'Jichikane-to.'

Still, it's clearly still under construction.

There are parts without outer shells, exposing the outside space of the cosmos, and large machines that look like they're in the middle of being assembled.

Hmm, I'd prefer not to damage this place too much, if possible.

"Gah... hah... ugh... what's... happening...?"

Magatsuuki and Suumree are also there, in that corridor.

Yet, due to the poison I've embedded in my net, Suumree's skin is burned beyond just her face, and Magatsuuki's blade is emitting smoke in places, as if corroding.

Given how visibly damaged they are, it's no surprise they can't even stand, writhing in agony and coughing up blood.

Hmm, I've finally figured out the effect contained within the Hekyomoruyu bulb.

For now, let's try engaging in conversation—buying time until Imperial forces arrive.

"This is my special poison. Though, I suppose the Hekyomoruyu poison is particularly effective."

"Poison... that's..."

Got a reaction.

Maga tsuki never once showed any interest in responding to conversation before.

Yet if he suddenly decides to respond, is he merely buying time until he recovers... or is he also attempting to find a cure by gathering information about the poison?

Straining to stand despite the pain... well, it doesn't matter—let's keep going.

"Yeah, it's poison. From what I've gathered, there's a plant called Heikyo Moruryu that contains a toxin—let's call it a dissolving agent—targeting mods designed on operating systems other than 'VanillaOS.' That said, at low concentrations and in small amounts, it's harmless; the body can easily metabolize it without causing any temporary issues... But judging by your current state, that's clearly not the case anymore."

"Guh... Impossible... There's no way something like that exists..."

"Such is the mystery of the world. I only recently learned of its existence."

The substance contained within the Hekyomorulyu's bulb.

After research, it became clear that this was a toxin capable of dissolving mods—so to speak.

That said, its target was exclusively operating systems other than 'Vanilla OS,' meaning it could be considered a toxin effective only against cosmic monsters.

Moreover, since the toxin is present in such minute amounts—barely perceptible even as unpleasantly bitter per bulb—it likely serves no greater purpose in the wild than preventing cosmic monsters from directly devouring Heikyo Morelyu plants on their native planets.

That’s why I’m currently having such a powerful effect on Magatsuki—it’s simply because I’ve concentrated the components through diligent work, and Magatsuki is an extremely small entity, no larger than a single blade’s worth.

Also, since research is still ongoing, there’s likely still quite a bit hidden away that hasn’t been uncovered yet.

But more importantly, right now, what matters most is this:

“Now then, in your current poisoned state, how much control can you exert over your body-mod?”

“……!?”

If the poison disables Magatsuki's body-mod control, even manipulating Suumerēe will become impossible.

That is the reality.

"Damn it... my revenge... at a moment like this..."

The poison spreads through Magatsuki.

It seems this will end here, as it is.

Though careful handling will be required for the aftermath, thanks to Magatsuki's abilities, it should be manageable as long as I handle it myself.

Even as I thought such thoughts, I continued to gaze.

Soon, Sumuree's body, holding Magatsuki, toppled forward...

The noise-covered ring glowing above Suumerē's head faded away...

"No, no. Revenge is..."

"Wha—!?"

Stepped forward one pace, then halted.

"It won't end. This is just the beginning of my revenge against humanity."

...

Magatsuki straightened her spine—no, not under someone else's control, but by her own will—and lifted her face.

The glowing ring, influenced by SW, reappeared and began taking on a different shape.

Revenge against those who call such beasts humans, revenge against the scoundrels who stole and defiled my remains, revenge against the fools who don’t even realize they’re impostors—none of it is over. I cannot give up. I cannot stop...

...

I realized I was breaking out in cold sweat.

This is terror.

I'm terrified by the fact that something utterly abnormal is happening.

And the oppressive presence of an OS—neither this 'Vanilla OS,' nor my own, nor Magatsuki's.

There's no doubt about it.

But could it really be now...? Or perhaps precisely because it's now?

There's one thing I can say for certain.

"Tell the high-ranking official from the Shibrausmith system that 'Jichikane-to' should give up on me. Something far worse than Magatsuki has appeared."

Every human we recognize will be cut down. That is our nature... Shu Suumere's way of being. We ourselves...

Even if it meant risking the destruction of our main body, we should have smashed it without hesitation.

This is the kind of opponent we're dealing with.

"We ourselves decided this."

A crimson tattered cloak and blood mist enveloped her entire body, her skin marked with wounds as if burned beyond recognition, wielding transformed weapons in each hand, and bearing above her head a radiant red ring formed by multiple distorted arcs—once an elf girl, now a new cosmic monster, Shuu Suumeree.

Shuu Suumeree spoke thus, then casually swung her blade, Magatsuki, at the spot where she stood...

"!?"

My body was cleaved in two, despite being at a distance where I could absolutely assert the blade could never have reached me.