Origin (7)

Kiiiiing—

The crane installed on the deck was moving. The station's crane looked different from ordinary cranes.

That was because the sizes of incoming shuttles were so varied and even the angles of the armor were all different.

If only shuttles from the transport company directly operated by SSTC were allowed to land, there would be no need for differences, but life's not that simple. Therefore, the cranes here had to handle multiple standards.

Everyone openly knew that the budget set aside for equipment upgrades ended up slipped into all kinds of pockets. Yet, the cranes turned out to be pretty good quality. That was thanks to squeezing more out of engineers instead of money.

As the crane operated, the deck would rise, and hooks would pop out underneath and form a circle. When the multi-layered rings unfurled at regular intervals, the anchor would be fired. If this failed to be perfectly symmetrical with the rings on the other side, the shuttle wouldn't be properly fixed and risked getting damaged.

Naturally, this work wasn't easy. Right now, the job Nadia was doing might have looked like nothing more than simply adjusting, pulling, twisting, and pushing a lever, but that illusion only appeared because she was so skilled.

While checking every corner together with Eric for any ghouls that might have been left behind, I eventually returned on my own after concluding that we could finally catch our breath. Only then did I use the medical supplies I had tucked in my belt bag to do some first aid treatment.

While I hadn't broken any bones, my suit had been torn in several places, so I sprayed foam to seal the gaps. With a gurgling sound, foamy gel spurted out. It soon solidified with elasticity, resealing the suit to make it functional again.

There were more torn spots than I thought, and before I knew it, I'd used the entire can. No matter how much I shook it, all I heard was the rattling of the empty can. Even though there'd been quite a lot.

After roughly finishing my first aid, I ignored the throbbing pain and looked over at Nadia, who was managing the crane with a concentrated expression.

She was so focused that her lips were pursed, jutting out slightly. Even her soda-milk-fuzzy tail was paused halfway between relaxed and bristling. I wondered if Nadia knew her mouth was on the verge of turning into a duckbill.

"Nadia."

"Oh, Hyun-woo."

Nadia's previously still tail began to sway. She called out to Carry, who was assisting beside the crane, and spoke to me.

"This is the last shuttle we need to get rid of. Once this one's out, you can call Roxy."

"Thanks to you, it was quick."

"Ugh... This was so hard. To be honest, the workload was way too much. The shuttle exploded, so there was twice the wreckage to clear out."

Lowering her voice so Carry wouldn't hear, Nadia perked her ears, as if waiting for me to praise her efforts. I obliged and complimented her for her hard work.

Just as she'd said, the job was pretty grueling. The debris was too big to simply push away with the crane, and too small to move piece by piece, making it even more labor-intensive.

"I'll brush your tail when we get back."

"You already said you would."

"Then I'll add a scalp massage too."

"... N-no, I'll just take the brushing."

I'd thought she would like it, but at my suggestion, Nadia was briefly flustered, her small lips working as she blushed. It seemed the sensation from the scalp massager last time had left a big impression.

Cheering her on, I waited for the work to be finished. Not long after, when she finally completed the deck cleaning, I radioed Roxy, who was on standby.

"Roxy, you can come down now."

— For me, you cleaned so thoroughly! I'm so moved, my friend. Should I bring a housewarming gift?

"I didn't do it for you, you know? Stop talking and get down here. We need to save time."

I let out a quiet sigh at Roxy's voice, which didn't bother hiding his amusement. I knew why he was laughing, so I wasn't thrilled with the conversation.

With the intention to tease me as much as possible, Roxy blithely ignored my wish and continued.

— Can I be honest? What really moved me was the flashy explosion show you put on. You're just like me, my friend. Hot-blooded people really get along well."

"Don't say that. It really ticks me off."

Treating me like a dopamine addict—unacceptable. And it wasn't like I was the one who caused the explosion anyway.

— Oh, are you gonna blow something up again? If you're gonna play with fire, let me join.

"Ah, geez."

As I recoiled with disgust, Roxy chuckled. How could someone laugh in such an infuriating way? My fist clenched automatically.

Despite his playful demeanor, Roxy's shuttle was already making its landing attempt on the deck.

The reason Roxy had survived until now must have been entirely due to his piloting skills. Otherwise, he'd have met his end before ever drifting all the way to Titan—by his own hand, no less.

Finally, with a safe landing, Roxy stepped out of his shuttle and whistled as he surveyed the station.

Scorched marks left on the walls like murals, shuttle wreckage embedded in odd places, patches of mysterious flesh that tripped you with every step, and an acrid air strong enough to numb your sense of smell.

Thanks to simultaneous isolation, no additional hordes of ghouls had swarmed in, so it could have been far worse. The isolation of the maintenance sector hadn't been lifted yet; if it had, we'd have had to forget about cargo and just run for our lives.

Roxy gave a brief review.

"This place is a total mess. I love it. This is just my thing."

"I don't care about your tastes. Also, don't call it a mess. Say 'chaos' instead."

"It means the same thing, so why?"

"Nadia doesn't like it."

"Oh, if it's for that reason, fine."

Seeing Nadia pout, Roxy shrugged his shoulders and corrected his words to 'chaos'. At that, Nadia's protruding lips immediately drew back.

Nadia, who couldn't speak as bluntly as I'd given up on formalities, nonetheless was clear in expressing her emotions.

"Where did everyone else go? Why is it just the two—no, three of us?"

"Where else? They went to the control room to extract the cargo manifest data. We need to know what's here so we can quickly load up what we need."

Eric, Alpha, and the nameless man had headed to the control room, which managed the station and warehouse. Time was tight. We never knew when the seal on the ghouls we'd stashed in the maintenance sector's repair platform would suddenly break and unleash them like a plague.

So our top priority was to grab what we needed and get out before that happened. Looking at Roxy, who was taking in the surroundings as if out for a stroll, I asked,

"More importantly, you don't have anything particular to do right now, so why did you get off?"

"To see if there are any intact shuttles. Or, more precisely, spare parts."

"... Here?"

"Yep, here."

"....."

Nadia and I met eyes for a moment. There were still some shuttles left at the station—specifically, those we hadn't bothered to move because they didn't need to be. Those were the ones that had crash-landed, slamming their heads into a station corner and breaking their backs.

"I don't think the ones over there will function..."

"My friend, usefulness all depends on perspective. What looks like trash with no value to others is a treasure trove to me."

With his flamboyant appearance, Roxy explained that he'd had a lot of experience repairing shuttles himself, so he was pretty good at picking out spare parts.

When I asked why, then, he hadn't helped Kyle during the last shuttle repair, Roxy just shrugged and said, "How could I do anything when my dear sibling left me a wreck?"

I felt that was a bit of a stretch. His injuries weren't even severe enough to last a day, and shuttle repairs had gone on for several.

I had plenty to say, but didn't want to waste time bickering, so I just sighed. When I thought of how Kyle had acted, I realized he probably didn't know what Roxy was capable of.

If Roxy could successfully collect the parts this time as he said, I decided I'd discreetly pass the word along. New workers were always welcome.

"... Then wait a bit and go with Nadia. We've cleared the area, but just to be safe, no solo wandering."

"Can I take that cute friend along too? I need a helper."

"Carry? Fine. The three of you can go together. Just don't do anything too risky."

"When it comes to following my friend's orders, I'm as good as gold."

The words, 'Then why don't you listen to your own sibling?' nearly slipped past my lips but I held them back. Besides, Eric was headed this way now, and for all his talk, Roxy didn't really listen to me either. Roxy's behavior always depended on whether he found something interesting or not.

"You said no solo action, but the captain is coming alone, you know?"

"Eric's the exception because he can fight."

"How convenient, that rule."

When I sent him a silent glare to pipe down, Roxy mimed zipping his lips. As I told Nadia and Carry to take Roxy along, Eric came close enough for conversation.

"Hyun-woo."

"Eric, were you able to find the data in the control room— ... What's wrong?"

I had to stop mid-sentence. Eric's expression was beyond grim; it was positively twisted.

He wasn't the type to lose control of his face, so if he looked like that, the news had to be really bad.

I couldn't help but worry that maybe they'd found nothing in the control room or there'd been a problem with securing the warehouse containers.

Silently, Eric held out what he was carrying in his hand. It was a bracelet, once worn by someone who had been human.

"There's something you need to see."

"... It's not good, is it."

"Unfortunately, yes."

I sighed again. Somehow, each day only seemed to add new depths to my sighs.

Knowing Eric wasn't the type to make a fuss needlessly, I accepted the bracelet. When I pressed it, a now-familiar hologram window popped up, showing a recorded message.

【Most recent voice and video logs: 2 items. Would you like to review them?】

"... Two?"

Usually, there was only one log. The fact that there were two was already unusual. As always, I pressed the "Yes" button, and immediately the bracelet activated and cast the hologram around us.

「— Playback Records —

"Run!"

A group of people were sprinting through a dark corridor. The stretching beam of light ahead forced back the oppressive darkness.

Their panting—hyperventilation from panic and the limits of their stamina—sounded as if they could collapse at any moment.

The echo of splashing water surrounded them. Seeing pools on the ground, it seemed they were in a subterranean wastewater facility.

The people compulsively turned to look behind them, as if something were chasing them.

【Kiaaaaaaak!】

A chilling scream rushed past, faster than the runners themselves, passing them by. The one at the very rear sensed something; despair filled his eyes.

He gritted his teeth in a desperate bid to run faster, but that didn't last long. An unnaturally long arm darted in from offscreen, grabbing the man. In an instant, he was pulled out of frame, leaving behind only a bloodcurdling scream.

A sickening crunching sound thumped against my eardrums. The faces of the fleeing survivors darkened rapidly.

As the failing lights flickered madly, glimpses of emblems showed they were members of Nexus. The emblems flashed in and out with every strobe.

"We should never have come here! Rika, you bastard!"

"You rotten son of a...! Don't dump all the blame on me! We all agreed to this! I told the truth!"

"If I'd known there was something like that, I never would've come! Damn it! We're all gonna die! We're gonna end here in this shithole!"

"Shut up! We can't run forever! We have to kill it! We can't let it reach the communications sector!"

Of the original five, four remained, but they were being swallowed by fear. Instead of working together, they spat their resentment at one another.

The monster chasing them made hissing, whistling sounds, as if it found their plight amusing—a spectator enjoying a play.

Eventually, one man, unable to withstand the pressure any longer, grabbed a baton sparking with electricity and turned to face the monster.

"I'll kill you, you damned monster! Come on! Let's see what you've got!"

Though he braced himself and turned, in the end, he was as paralyzed by terror as the others—when actually facing the creature, he couldn't swing his weapon even once.

When prey meets its natural predator and can run no further, there can be only one end. The monster, with its freakishly long limbs, slowly opened its maw and swallowed the man whole.

Crunch—crunch-crunch—

Each time that grotesquely split jaw opened and closed, steaming blood dripped down its chin.

【Heeeeee...】

It didn't seem like the monster chewed people up out of hunger. Strangely, that was just the impression I got.

"Ahhhhhh! Ahhhhhh!"

Seemingly irked by the terrified man's screams, the monster absently swung its arm. So fast it left only afterimages, the blow sent the man flying to slam into the wall, and he never got up again.

One of those left, cursing non-stop, collapsed as if emptied out after losing two comrades in vain. His companion grabbed his arm, urging him to get up and run.

But the man couldn't move anymore. He just coughed up bloody sputum—cough-cough.

"... Just go. I'm done for anyway. Earlier, those pureblood supremacist bastards shot me. I tried to hang in there, but now I'm out of strength."

"God damn it..."

The man called Rika spat curses as he saw blood gushing from his companion's wounds like a broken faucet.

"Go, you idiot. Unless you want to die with me. If the smell of blood thins, maybe you'll be able to escape."

He mumbled that at least the other should survive long enough to send a distress signal. Picking up the weapon dropped nearby, he aimed it at the monster. After a charging sound, a fist-sized blue sphere let off sparks and shot out.

His trembling hands wrecked his aim. The sparks scattered, but not one touched the monster.

Reluctantly, Rika muttered a small apology for his comrade's sacrifice and then started running again.

Between the sounds of running, stifled sobs leaked through. And soon, with a sick snap, the sound fell silent.

As the bracelet's owner moved away, the camera view shifted. The log had started with five people. Now, only one remained.

And before long, as if no one was left, the footage gradually faded to black.

— End of log — 」

One log ended, one remained. When I looked at Eric, he replied with a gaze that I should keep viewing.

「— Playback Records —

The screen shifted. Rika was now forcibly kneeling, restrained by several others armed with guns. They were pureblood supremacists.

It was in the entryway to the communications sector. He'd almost reached his goal, leveraging a comrade's sacrifice, only to fail at the final stretch.

Blood was gushing from his abdomen and thigh, his face swollen and battered as if he'd taken a huge beating.

"Why are you doing this?! Why?! We only—!"

He wanted to beg for his life, but before he could finish, one supremacist walked up and put a finger to his lips. A gesture for silence.

"Shhhh— Don't raise your voice. The first blossom is preparing to bloom."

"Blossom? ... You crazy bastards, don't tell me you're— that monster—"

As Rika glared furiously at them, SLAM! The supremacist behind him struck him with the butt of his rifle.

Silenced in a single blow, Rika could barely breathe, sprawled on the floor. One supremacist tried to hit him further, but another stopped him—he'd already lost the ability to resist.

"Rejoice. We will not kill you. Circumstances have become complicated and we're short on hands. You are to receive a blessing."

"What...?"

"We're giving you the chance to become a pure being. Prove your worth."

"S...stop. Stop...! Please, just stop—kurgh..."

As one supremacist pressed something to Rika, his desperate pleas turned to choking as he spewed blackened blood. Despite having been dying a moment ago, he suddenly convulsed with wild spasms.

Whatever was happening inside his body, his skin bulged as if something within would burst out at any moment.

The supremacists no longer held him down. They watched the event without a hint of alarm—if anything, they acted with the reverence of people witnessing a sacred ritual.

"The second bud that entered the nest will soon recover from its injuries and begin blooming. Watch carefully so there's no unnecessary commotion before then."

"We've confirmed another group of survivors nearby. Should we organize a team to eliminate those impurities?"

"No. All available personnel will focus on finding the First Root. That's more important. The ones still here will meet a fitting end as impurities anyway."

"Understood."

"When we find the First Root and the buds achieve perfect bloom and bear fruit, we'll have no more business here."

As the seeds sprout and new shoots spring forth, the age of purity will dawn.

"When the time comes, we'll release the satellite's lockdown and joyfully welcome the new era with our brothers on the other satellites."

At these words, the rest of the supremacists chanted in low voices.

"All is the will of the Holy Tree."

They left the now-monstrous, unrecognizable mutant that had been Rika, disappearing offscreen.

By the time the mutated being, no longer Rika, began rampaging and shrieking grotesquely, the supremacists were all gone.

— End of log — 」

When the second recording finished, I had an even grimmer expression than Eric. I had a lot of thoughts, but only one clear feeling.

Fucking pureblood supremacist bastards.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=【(⌐■_■)-︻╦╤─】

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