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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Ep. 4
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Way, originally from Ganymede Colony, was dying inside over the shitty situation he was stuck in.
When he'd first joined the project, he'd been thrilled to hear that his superior was a Noble Capital straight from Earth—the elite of the elite. A member of Mega Corp's ruling class, and from Earth no less; she was practically royalty. If he could forge ties with her, even his pipe dream of immigrating to Mars could become reality.
But those hopes had shattered not long after boarding the ship.
'That crazy bitch. Isn't today supposed to be a day off?'
Way wiped the sweat dripping from his half-bald head as he stole a glance at the young, competent superior standing beside him.
Her name was Kisaragi Eugene—his boss, and a Noble Capital affiliated with the Eugene Family, one of Earth's five ruling houses.
Since it wasn't a work day, she wasn't wearing her white lab coat but casual clothes instead, with a cat cradled in her arms.
'Damn it. Why the hell does a cat need a walk?'
Way cursed himself for heading to the garden just to get some fresh air.
Kisaragi repeated the same question she'd probably asked hundreds of times before arriving at the lab.
"So, when exactly is Subject No. 26 going to produce results?"
"There are definitely reactions right now. If you just give it a bit more time..."
"Time is credits. If we don't have reportable results for the company by the time we reach our destination, they might reconsider your 'employment' status."
"Kgh?! P-Please, anything but that...!"
The word 'employment' from her lips sent cold sweat pouring down Way's head like a waterfall. As a senior researcher at Mega Corp, he knew exactly what that meant.
His eyes flicked briefly to the brain floating in the nearby observation tank. It felt like his predecessor was beckoning him to join.
"Senior Researcher—no, Mr. Way."
"Y-Yes?"
Eugene, who had been glaring at him with a cold expression, suddenly softened her face and comforted him in a gentle voice.
"I don't want that outcome either. I'm counting on you, Senior Researcher. If you can draw out that 'aptitude' from Subject No. 26, promotion to chief researcher would be a breeze."
"R-Really?"
"Yes. At minimum, chief researcher. If things go well, you might even build connections on Mars. They're very interested in this project, after all."
Way's eyes lit up at her words.
He decided to tell her about the method he'd only theorized about but never tried.
"Th-There's one method left..."
"What is it?"
"Administering Psionium."
"Psionium? You mean the drug made by Star Union?"
"That's right."
Kisaragi Eugene silently stroked her cat's head. The cat purred contentedly under its owner's affectionate touch.
"Psionium has awakening effects..."
"I know what it does. I've won projects with it before. Psionium, huh. A drug we haven't tried yet."
"There are a few others, actually."
"We've tried everything chemically similar. Psionium's the only one left."
Kisaragi's gaze shifted to the No. 26 tank. It wasn't the soft look she gave her cat. When she eyed the subject, she resembled a machine sorting products on an assembly line.
"Fine. Administer it right now."
"Pardon? B-But without the neutralizer, it could threaten its life support..."
"That would mean waiting until tomorrow. We don't have much time left."
Time was running out—not just for Way.
As the project lead, she would face consequences if the experiment failed. She was far higher up the ladder than him; a blemish on her record would hit her hard.
Besides, she'd never failed once in her life. With her first defeat looming, she had every reason to be on edge.
"As you know, we should have results already."
"Th-That's true, but..."
"We should be finalizing the presentation report by now, yet we haven't drawn any meaningful response from the subject. You understand how serious this is."
Since she was speaking facts, Way couldn't argue.
"...Understood. I'll administer it now."
Way retrieved a purple test tube from the refrigerator.
"Starting with 0.01mg."
He connected the tube to the hose and operated the terminal. A small amount of the drug from the tube injected into the tank.
Bubble Amoeba showed no reaction. The graph on the terminal screen remained flat.
Way wiped away the sweat pouring like rain and pressed the button again.
"Now 0.05mg."
This time, there was a response. Bubble Amoeba twitched in apparent agony.
Way, who'd just inflicted pain on the subject, couldn't hide his joy at the expected reaction. Interest flickered across Kisaragi's face as she watched.
"Next, 0.07mg..."
"Hold on. Since it's reacting, let's increase the dose."
"Pardon?"
"Administer it all."
"Th-That might be..."
"Move."
As Way hesitated, Kisaragi shoved him aside and hit the administration button herself.
The liquid in the tube drained entirely into the tank.
Suddenly, Bubble Amoeba's body ballooned as if inflated by wind. Lights flashed wildly across its surface, and its skin tore under the strain of expansion. Anyone could see it was in extreme agony, but no one present cared.
'Please! Just a little more!'
Way clenched his fists as the graph on the terminal skyrocketed.
About five minutes passed.
The graph plummeted to the bottom. Way felt it mirrored his own future.
The No. 26 subject in the tank no longer glowed pink. It lay motionless, bleached white as if forcibly decolorized.
"Wake it up."
"Yes."
Unlike the despairing Way, Kisaragi's voice held no emotion. With a heavy heart, he pressed the electric shock button.
Bubbles rose in the tank, and Bubble Amoeba jolted. It twitched faintly, but its color remained white—barely alive, just breathing.
"Intriguing result. Keep experimenting with No. 26."
"Is that okay?"
"If you get meaningful results, report to me."
Way's face brightened like a condemned prisoner granted a reprieve. Kisaragi, who could send a man between heaven and hell with a single word, suddenly sensed a gaze and looked toward the vent.
'That feeling again.'
Nothing was visible beyond the vent.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The experiment I'd just witnessed held meaning for me too.
The Psionium they'd injected into No. 26 was a drug I knew well.
'An awakening agent that temporarily unlocks unreleased racial traits.'
In the game, consuming Psionium reduced max health but unlocked locked racial traits for a limited time.
For example, if I took it now in the Hatchling stage, I could briefly use abilities unavailable until later. Things like the Acidic Blood or Reinforced Exoskeleton traits from the Juvenile stage. Of course, once the effect wore off, even permanently acquired traits reverted.
A powerful item if used right, but as a narcotic, its duration shortened with each use. That made it more for early-to-mid game than late.
'Does Bubble Amoeba have hidden traits I don't know about?'
I'd devoured thousands before, but never saw hidden ones. No community talk of it either. Maybe No. 26 was a special specimen, or reality diverged from the game.
'Either way, learning Psionium exists is a win.'
It could prove useful in an all-out war with the ship's humans.
Back in my nest, I lay down again. As my body relaxed, thoughts I'd deliberately avoided resurfaced.
'It called out to me for help.'
After the massive Psionium dose, No. 26 had begged me for salvation. Its screams still echoed vividly.
It pleaded to stop the pain, to be spared, but the researchers hadn't detected the signal. Even if they had, they wouldn't have stopped.
The horrific torture wasn't over yet. Mega Corp's researcher would keep dosing it with Psionium until Bubble Amoeba died.
I knew its future held only darkness. I'd spared it because its genetic essence seemed useless; otherwise, it'd be prey.
Yet even knowing that, why did unease creep from a corner of my mind?
Why did its cries still reverberate in my head?
'Unpleasant. I hate this.'
This proved I wasn't a full 'honorary Aemorph' yet. I wanted to rush in and rip them apart right now.
I'd planned a leisurely hunt, but that changed. Half emotional, sure.
I was furious, yet coldly rational too. It was a calculated judgment: I had grounds to target her.
Besides Psionium, today's gains included useful intel on Kisaragi Eugene.
'She has a cat.'
Through Super Sense, I'd gauged how much she cherished it. A woman with blood like ice, yet human warmth showed only when petting her cat.
Auxiliary organs picked up her heartbeat, breathing, and upper body movements while holding it—clear signs of deep attachment. Imagining her reaction if it died wasn't hard.
'She'll expose plenty of openings.'
Obviously, the cat had no separate guards. It roamed alone unless called. No one on the ship considered how its death would devastate Kisaragi Eugene.
Thus, bait the cat to lure the prey—that was my plan's core.
'Kisaragi Eugene. You'll die within days.'
Amid blazing rage and icy resolve, I sentenced her to death.