My Children Swarm the Cosmos – Chapter 91

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟗𝟏: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐧, 𝐖𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨 (2)

➖Something gigantic exists. . . .

It was about the same size as a major colony planet. But for a planet it was too dark and gloomy in color, and its surface texture looked complicated and sticky, covered in Xenotera and biotissues.

It’s not a planet, it’s a living being.

Kreion realized it the moment he set his eyes upon it.

‘Of my kind?’

An immense undulation, comparable to the combined waves of all the colonies in the Hecartra constellation, revolved around the planet-like creature. If it wasn’t for the realization that it was indeed a Chimeraz, they would have been overwhelmed by the cosmic sense of horror.

➖You have come. Master.

It was Berne’s wave.

‘Berne. What is that?’

➖Anima Selas has returned.

🔷🔷🔷

Pale skin, white hair, red eyes.

She was waiting in the throne room when he returned.

“Long time no see. Kreion. Ludwig and Gats too.”

“Greetings. . . . Anima-nim. . . .”

“Welcome back.”

Standing next to her, smiling, was a Chimeraz they’d never seen before.

It was a creature with a head resembling the short jaws of a female stag beetle, a human skull-like face, a body that looked like an upside-down bamboo shoot, long arms and legs, and an unidentified cane-like object and a Levitation Weapon floating behind it.

“Say hello.”

The creature got down on one knee before Kreion and bowed its head deeply.

“It was a child included in the auto-reproducing protein satellite of the Aooa, and sent to the Small Magellanic Cloud.”

“It’s an unspeakable honor to finally meet you. Master.”

Kreion stared at the creature kneeling before him, and slowly opened his mouth.

“Looks like you’ve evolved.”

“Anima-nim took me in when I was being abused by the Crolr, and gave me the name ‘Gorgo’.”

“So you’re Anima’s adjutant-like leader?”

“. . . .”

Gorgo glanced at Anima.

“That’s right. The planet I’ve currently left in the distant orbit is my colony, and the Gorgo troop. It’s called ‘Gorgo’s Star’.”

“To have evolved enough to govern such a colony and come find me like this, well done. Gorgo.”

“It’s Anima-nim’s help that made me what I am today.”

“Enough with the modesty. I had hoped that the aspiration within you would lead you to evolve, and that’s exactly what happened. I had no idea you’d grow to become such a great leader. . . .Rise.”

Gorgo rose to its feet and Kreion walked over to the throne and sat down.

“The Crolr of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Were you able to achieve victory against them?”

“Yeah. . . .You?”

“I obtained truth and freedom. Many things happened, but to put it simply, it looks like we’ll be establishing a truce with mankind. And on February 1st, a conference will be held between mankind, the Chimeraz, the Vehlpciaarct, and the Crolr.”

“I heard that the Crolr army had come to the Human Galaxy as well. But why the Vehlpciaarct?”

“The Nanozator Fleet helped mankind and fought the Crolr.”

Nanozator Fleet.

Anima smiled upon hearing that they had come to the Human Galaxy and done such a thing.

“Did the Nanozator Fleet attack you too?”

“No. The Nanozator Fleet fought the Crolr alongside the Solar System Union Army. Fortunately, there were no clashes with the Vehlpciaarct.”

“There were clashes.”

“. . .?”

“We killed each other.”

“What are you talking about?”

She tilted her head strangely, and faintly revealed an animosity that she couldn’t hide.

“Right after the Crolr surrendered, the Nanozator Fleet got in the way. They had been waiting for the perfect opportunity, and after the Crolr, they tried to weaken the Chimeraz forces of the Large Magellanic Cloud too.”

“So the Nanozator Fleet that was fighting you abandoned their battle and came to the Human Galaxy?”

“I retreated.”

“Why is that?”

“Kreion, have you seen how the Nanozator Fleet fights?”

“I’m not sure. About the Nanozator Fleet.”

“They’re dangerous creatures. Without the brakes that mankind provides, they could become a force that threatens us at any moment. They’re a threat not just to us, but to many races. Except for mankind, that is.”

“I plan on talking to the leader of mankind who can control them.”

“Lopez? That human was behind everything in the end?”

“That’s right.”

“Why didn’t you kill him? How much did you. . . . Why a truce?”

“Wasn’t it you who stopped me when I was blinded by anger and said I would annihilate all of mankind?”

“That’s right.”

“But I don’t understand why you seem so dissatisfied at the mention of a truce. Isn’t it what we need, to end the war and achieve peace?”

“. . .That’s when we were powerless.”

“What about when we have power?”

When he asked her that, she ran her fingers through her bangs with a complex expression.

Silence flowed for a while.

“Let’s talk things out first.”

“. . .Ludwig.”

“Yes. . . .”

Ludwig, Gorgo, Gats, and the Elite troop left the room.

Kreion sat on the throne and looked down at Anima, and Anima looked up at him from before the throne.

The difference in their eye levels felt strange.

And the two could tell from each other’s faces, even without waves.

“It’s nothing like that.”

“I’d like to believe it’s not.”

“Just because my forces have grown doesn’t mean I plan on doing anything to you. Never. Even in the future.”

“I don’t have an ounce of distrust for you. So if, by any chance, you were to betray me someday, I’ll probably just take it. And if you eliminate the forces under Ludwig, you’ll become the first ruler of our race. Have you ever imagined that?”

“I have. But I’ll never do that. You’re the one who saved me. You made me the second ruler, and you gave me what I needed, and you trusted me enough to send me out from your shadow.”

“Yes.”

“There may be some conflicts in our opinions, but in the end, you’ll make the decision.”

“I’ll make the decision, but I plan on listening to everyone’s opinions.”

“That’s how you are.”

“That’s right.”

She smiled again and Kreion nodded.

“Come closer.”

He rose from the throne and reached out to her.

“I had a late realization. I should have done this sooner.”

“It was the same for me. I only realized after you left.”

“I want to know more about you.”

“Me too.”

Kreion placed his hand on Anima’s forehead.

“Wait, I need to receive some from you too.”

“. . .Oh.”

“Just sit back down.”

Kreion sat back on the throne.

Anima moved her face closer to Kreion.

They had never looked into each other’s eyes from this close before.

At that moment, Kreion thought as he looked into Anima’s red eyes.

Ludwig, Cresecter, and the red dwarf star where they’d first settled.

For some reason, the red eyes, like those things, felt symbolic as they approached. Maybe that was why.

‘They’re beautiful eyes.’

Finally, Kreion and Anima’s foreheads touched.

Between the two skins and two skulls, their minds began an astounding exchange of information through electrical signals. The psychic powers and troop control of the two ruler creatures realized an exchange of information so vast and complex that it couldn’t be quantified as data.

At a distance so close that their breaths met, they traveled through each other’s minds with their eyes closed. They shared each other’s values, beliefs, wills, memories, experiences, emotions, unforgettable memories, and incurable wounds.

This was the same for everyone.

When you experience someone’s memories as they are, you’re bound to understand them.

And at the same time, the two opened their eyes.

The exchange of memories had ended, but their foreheads were still touching. They continued to face each other at a distance where their breaths met.

“What are we. . . .going to do now. . .?”

The question she asked with one breath was a question that stopped time and made hearts beat.

It wasn’t just one question, but contained a vast variety of meanings.

That’s why Kreion gave many answers to her many questions.

“We won’t run away.”

🔷🔷🔷

Berne, whose troop control was the next largest after Kreion and Ludwig in this territory, had spread its troop widely across the surrounding space.

➖The ultra-small signal amplifiers are in those dense, low areas. They’re in stealth mode, so spread out your waves. And find them and bring them back.

Lemegeton, Asotus, Cresecter each led their small troops and traveled around the Hecartra constellation.

➖There are still 41 left. This job’s not over until we retrieve all 64 of the ultra-small signal amplifiers.

At that same moment, Kreion confirmed the thing called an ultra-small signal amplifier in Gnox’s room.

It was a machine about half the size of a pinky fingernail and as thin as a piece of paper. No, maybe it wasn’t a machine, but a metal plate. Or maybe a packaged circuit board.

“According to Lopez’s memories, this arrived here through the star shot cabling method.”

“What’s the principle behind that?”

Gnox had eyes full of curiosity.

“The coordinates of the dimensional passageway were set, and the thrust of dimensional gravity acceleration constructed a gravity wave cable. Within the successive flow of that accelerated space, the ultra-small signal amplifier, propelled by radiation pressure to the speed of light, was caught by the gravity of this star system and began to orbit. In stealth mode.”

“How on earth did they put this small circuit board in stealth mode. . . . Anyway, I’d like to eventually enhance the Mind Repeater and Mind Advocate so that we can create gravity wave cabling that can’t be pushed away by dimensional passageways.”

“You’ll be able to do it.”

“Are you giving me homework again? Hehe.”

Now, even without human machines, Gnox was able to use the bio-computer he’d created to handle the tasks that human machines could do.

However, it seemed that output devices like holograms or monitors still required human machines.

“All the data inside has been erased. It stopped working a long time ago.”

“Did it stop on its own?”

“Yes. Lopez must have ordered it to stop working. Unless Berne detonated a nuclear bomb or something.”

As Gnox said that, he realized something else.

“There are some strings of text left in the memory. I’ll encode them and put them up now.”

After the complex command window in the hologram was neatly emptied, several lines of text appeared.

【When I get back, I’ll find these and get rid of them.】

【I thought you would, so I got rid of them.】

【No one will be watching you anymore, so don’t worry.】

【February 1st. I’ll be waiting.】

🔷🔷🔷

The red dwarf star that eternally gave off a sunset glow was painting the sky red.

The reddish-brown, black Chimeraz structures rose high, resembling a strange civilization, and the shadows of the Chimeraz aircraft darting through the sky below and beyond the sky were dynamic.

The leader, with the appearance of a butterfly larva, brought its round head up to Anima.

“Don’t hug me, and look into my mind instead. Master.”

She caressed the head of the leader, Linnea, that she had created, with an affectionate hand.

“I love you. I missed you so much. . . . I really love you.”

“The leaders think highly of you. You’re doing great. You’ve even risen to the 17th rank.”

Linnea felt her master’s hand to the fullest.

“Niing. . . .”

“Thanks to the bio-barrier you researched, our race has benefited greatly.”

“I missed you master, so I delved into the genes you left behind. I thought that if I analyzed them and made them a reality, you’d praise me.”

“If praise was your goal, then you succeeded.”

“Thank youu. . . .”

The ability called bio-barrier originated from Anima, and its hint was left to Linnea. Linnea studied the bio-barrier out of longing for Anima, and thanks to those efforts, the bio-barrier was now applied to the entire race, starting with the Mindrocker.

“. . .Are you leaving again?”

“Not right away, but yes. I have to go to the Large Magellanic Cloud after the race meeting.”

“I want to go with you. Take me with you. . . .”

“You’ve established your place here.”

“Niing. . . .”

“It’s not good for me to leave the Large Magellanic Cloud unattended, and it’s not good for you to leave here unattended.”

“I know that. . . . But I still like you, master. . . .”

“And it’ll be safer under Kreion.”

“Why?”

“The Milky Way is unusually peaceful. I guess you could say that other galaxies feel barbaric compared to the Milky Way.”

Linnea touched her neck, ears, and cheeks with the feelers that could best sense waves.

“I’ve been focusing my activities on things like our race’s reputation and diplomatic standing.”

“I really respect you for defeating the Crolr and creating Gorgo-nim.”

“We need forces that can take out their swords with us when humans or other races draw their swords at us.”

“That’s right. If we have forces that are on our side, they won’t be able to treat us so carelessly.”

“I’ve made a lot of allies. I’ve also gained quite a lot of benefits. That’s why I thought I could stand up to the humans. The Vehlpciaarct too. . . .”

“The Vehlpciaarct. Those mean machines suddenly interfered.”

“I thought I could handle the humans or the Vehlpciaarct. That’s why I prepared so many things in case of such a situation. . . . But then suddenly there was a ceasefire. I only got hurt by the Vehlpciaarct.”

“That must be confusing. . . .”

“It’s been like that since the beginning. I want to beat up the humans right away, but if I do, things won’t end with just the humans versus the Chimeraz. That’s why Kreion put up with a lot, and I prepared a lot of things in my own way.”

“. . . .”

“This makes me regret it for no reason. Looking at Kreion’s memories, this is right.”

“Now the Chimeraz won’t be defeated. . . . Because if you mess with us, we’ll tear you to shreds.”

“. . .We’ve decided not to run away.”

“We won’t yield either. And we won’t put up with injustice.”

“Right. Of course.”

“I’m so happy.”

“I’ll take Gorgo with me to the Solar System on February 1st.”

“What about me?”

“You’re too cute. Sorry.”

Linnea drooped her feelers.

“It’ll be reassuring to have something you can see with your own eyes. Gorgo’s Star is the best for that.”

“Gorgo-nim is. . . . big.”

Next to the red dwarf star in the red sky, a round shadow that appeared slightly larger showed off its giant tentacles.

“Those guys will be terrified when they see that child.”