316: Red Sea Moon

Today's update consists of four chapters.

This is the third chapter.

"Satā!"

I move forward in sync with Vilijanira's shout.

At the same time, observation and analysis continue.

Considering that there exists a cosmic monster with a unique space containing its true body and puppet-like entities operating in the real space, it's by no means strange that other cosmic monsters could perform similar feats.

And if there are cosmic monsters capable of such tricks, it's hardly surprising that one might operate among ordinary people just like me.

So the fact that Funaqa is like that... well, now that you mention it, it's only natural.

Indeed, this is certainly arrogance.

"Haha, hahaha! Ahaha HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

The core of Funaqa herself... in terms of size, she's only slightly larger than my main body—essentially larger than an average battleship.

In appearance... from a full view, she resembles a massive, blood-red umbrella, from which countless tentacles of various sizes sprout out.

Along the rim and center of the umbrella, tens of thousands of eyeball-like eyes are lined up, glaring down at everything around her.

The tentacles growing from it include two especially thick and long ones, countless others slightly shorter but still easily capable of ensnaring an ordinary spaceship, and then... tentacles so fine they appear thread-like in comparison to the main body, numbering several times more than the first two types.

As a result, despite clearly resembling a jellyfish in overall appearance, it looks as if something red were rising up from a surface that should be empty and invisible.

"I get it. There's no way I can handle this in my powered suit."

"Sorry, but I'm asking for your help. I'll do everything I can to support from my end."

With that, the immediate crisis was handled.

I pulled my powered suit into the Ether Space, then transferred both 'Shake Border' and my true self into Real Space.

We appeared at a safe distance from Funak.

Of course, the Viridianiola had already moved aboard the 'Shake Border' vessel.

"The Imperial fleet's attack is..."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! HoRoBiRo!灭BiTeSiMaE! DiscordNoSpeciesNiFullTiTeCollapseReGo!!"

"It seems ineffective. Everything is disintegrating before it even touches Funak."

As we moved into position, the Imperial warships that had reached a vantage point capable of attacking Funak began launching their assaults one after another.

But it had no effect.

Not because the attacks failed to land, but because they were disintegrated before they could even make contact.

Not only that, but if the tentacles were struck back, the battleship—supposedly positioned far enough to avoid contact—was cleaved in two, destroyed outright, including its shield.

It seems the Funaka OS has spread itself around its surroundings and extends as needed, turning it into a seamless offensive and defensive system.

"Sata, prepare the event horizon disruption cannon. But I believe it must be fired at zero range."

"That goes without saying."

Some of Funaqa's eyes are turned toward us.

Although the distance should be several minutes at light speed, they are precisely targeting our position.

Perhaps Funaqa uses the same faster-than-light perception technology we do.

If that's the case, firing the event horizon disruption cannon from this position would only be evaded.

Not just evaded—worst case, the energy generated by the event horizon collapse cannon might actually be absorbed and used to restore it.

"…I'll fire a modified version of the event horizon collapse cannon."

"Please do. I'll activate Satan's golden ring to ensure only Funa is affected."

So I immediately begin improvising modifications to the event horizon collapse cannon right here on the spot.

To ensure Funa-chan is definitely taken down.

Viljaniira activates the 'Satan's Golden Ring' and fine-tunes it to prevent the shockwave from my event horizon collapse cannon from affecting the surroundings.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Fall, TiRo! Collapse, ReRo! All of you, the traitorous soldiers, shall be annihilated without mercy—no survivors, no escape!"

Still, there doesn't seem to be time to slowly charge from a distance.

Funaqa was raging, knocking over surrounding ships one after another, and emitting red orbs like blood, causing anything that touched them to disintegrate and vanish.

The number of these orbs was gradually increasing.

If this continued, the entire Siltrilich system would vanish, and then Funaqa would disappear as well.

"There's no choice but to do it—come on!"

"Come at me!!"

I teleported directly above Funaqa.

Meanwhile, I continued preparing the phenomenon rupture cannon with four arms, while using the remaining four to strike Funaqa's umbrella.

The effect was minimal.

Of course, I had deployed the Funaqa-specific mod, but even so, the sheer difference in size made it ineffective.

Worse still, the automatic counterattack melted the surface of my arms, and Funaqa's countless tentacles reached out to entangle me.

But conversely, that was all it could do...

"Satya. Do as I instructed."

"Got it."

Vilijanira's command reaches me.

Following her instruction, I move my body as if slipping through the gaps between Funaqa's tentacles, avoiding them as if coming from Funaqa's side.

"Green-blue No Priestess Ka!!"

"Vee!"

"Don't worry, Satya. That won't hit you."

"This is where my arms shine."

Realizing that her evasion was due to Vilijanira's command, Funaqa immediately launched an attack toward the 'Shake Border.'

But it missed.

Every attack was effortlessly dodged by the 'Shake Border,' controlled by Joharis.

"Support me. Even if we don't land a hit, just disrupt their processing ability a little—anything helps. That way, Satya-sama and Vee-sama will be safe."

Whether Meqoxi was doing something to the fleet or the surviving forces of the Siltrilich System, attacks were flying toward Funaka.

Even if the effect was minor, it forced Funaka to slow their counterattacks.

"Satya. I'm ready."

"Good. I'm all set too. The distance is short anyway."

"!?"

By the time we finished preparing, the four arms we had readied were placed against the center of Funaka's umbrella...

"Phenomenon Collapse Cannon・500・Error Sepia. Fire!!"

"!?"

The phenomenon collapse cannon was fired straight through the center of Funaka's body.

06/16 Correction of typo