Chapter 71
Bunker and Climb
Alexander North
Seriously? Is he fucking serious?
Now I can't go to Planet Hall without my damned terminal locking up for disobeying a direct order!
The events of what happened aren't that hard to guess. After all, the plan was for them to meet me at Planet Hall with anyone they gathered. But with that intelligent frozen one there, it'd be more surprising if they managed to get away from Planet Hall again. At most I can see them being stuck inside the building with the others after using a secret entrance or something.
I can't help but reach up and tug on my own hair in frustration while groaning.
What the heck am I supposed to do now?!
Who knows how long passes in silence as I pace back and forth across the street in front of a very confused Snow and a still unconscious Alexia before I eventually just decide to go back to the base. Without Snow and the girl.
Because there shouldn't be many frozen ones left around the city now, what with them all heading towards the Planet Hall. So the bunkers around the city should be safe for them.
The problem is just finding an empty bunker that doesn't already have people in it. But even that shouldn't be too big an issue, seeing as I can just see their heat signatures through the bunker door. Plus there's the fact that the door will be shut if someone's inside.
I look around for a few seconds before nodding, waving at Snow, and saying, "Let's go," while walking in the opposite direction of the Planet Hall. Once more.
As it turns out, it only takes me three mostly empty but not fully empty bunkers to find an empty and open one on the fourth try. What that says for the survival rate in this city, I would rather not think about. But at the same time, it makes my job easier.
I enter the bunker with Snow and the girl in tow before looking around and finding a piece of paper and a pen. I then write a note with them, which I stick on the door to the bunker.
"Alright, girl," I tell Snow while kneeling down to pet her. "I'm gonna be gone for a while. You stay here and keep Alexia safe, alright?"
Snow lets out a short little chuff and actually nods her head up and down once in a show of agreement.
I chuckle and continue petting her for a few seconds before getting up and walking out of the bunker, shutting the door behind me.
After making sure that it's sealed with the only way to open it being from the inside, or a key from the outside, I nod my head and begin walking away from the bunker, outside of the building, and through the streets towards the entrance that I had originally gone through.
Now it's time to go get those parasites.
A shiver runs through my body at the thought of eating them. But at the same time, it's power. And I need power right now.
I just hope that whoever the victor of that battle between the worm and the infected symbiont host was didn't eat them for themselves. Because if they did, then not only am I out of hope for getting strong enough to deal with the frozen ones at Planet Hall, I'm probably gonna be killed by the victor who would then be boosted up on symbionts.
And that would be bad.
Inside of Planet Hall
Loud screaming echoes through the halls of the massive building as waves and waves of frozen ones swarm through the entrance, filling the building all the way up to the thirteenth floor out of nearly a hundred floors. Meanwhile, the soldiers stationed at Planet Hall prior to the Eternal Winter's appearance stay holding the line on the stairs to the fourteenth floor. The ones that aren't already inside of a bunker at this point at least.
However, despite the soldier's efforts, the 'line' continues to be pushed back further and further into the fourteenth floor. All the way until they are left at the staircase to the fifteenth floor of the building.
Meanwhile, on the second floor, a group of soldiers from the main base on the planet can be seen climbing up the main stairwell connecting the first through tenth floors of the building.
"Warrant Officer Inverno!" Captain Andrew shouts while tearing his blade through the body of a large cockroach. "Help me clear a path!"
She nods her head and charges ahead with him, leaving the others behind them protected from the frozen ones in front.
Amongst the others, one of them can be seen with an amputated leg, and another completely missing his hand. However, outside of those two, the others of Alex's squad are all alive and relatively uninjured as they help the two injured up the stairs.
The captain and princess continue cleaving their way through the frozen ones, the princess's dormant symbiont – a safety procedure in case of a national emergency – having awakened at the united request of the Emperor and the council, leaving her as a Tier 1 Symbiont Host. However, despite her massive boost in physical ability, having only awakened her symbiont recently, she is still nowhere near as effective as the captain, who is long used to the strength that the creature grants him. So eventually, the captain ends up going too far ahead based on the assumption that she would be able to keep up with him, allowing one frozen one cockroach to slip by them and attack the others.
Right as it's about to strike though, Cynthia barely manages to throw a dagger at it, catching it in the eye and sending it falling down the center of the stairs with her dagger still in its eyes.
She grimaces at the loss of a dagger, but nonetheless continues slaughtering her way through the other frozen ones in their path to the twentieth floor, where the lower tier governor of the planet resides.
Chapter 72
Back to the Base
Alexander North
It only takes me about a couple of hours of navigating my way through the city to reach the entrance, where the water is. Less time than the last time I navigated my way through. But that's likely due to the lack of frozen ones currently around the city.
I do have the issue of barely avoiding becoming fish food when I cross the river though. Which was annoying.
After getting to the other side again, it becomes a much easier trip. I barely find any frozen ones throughout the first half of the trip to the base. Which makes me question just how far out the frozen ones were drawn from towards Planet Hall.
After that point though, I soon run into some bees. A couple of whom appear to be wounded, likely implying that they could be the same bees that attacked us before. But in a much smaller and less organized group of only six or so bees.
And what's rather startling is that the moment they see me, they immediately try to get away.
I narrow my eyes at the creatures before jumping up to grab one while tearing my claws into its chest, grasping at its glowing heart, and absorbing its energy. Then I repeat the process a couple more times, draining the energy out of three total bees, whereas the others manage to escape.
Okay, they were easier to kill this time. Probably because of that powerful wraith I killed and absorbed the energy of, along with the other frozen ones of the city. Not to mention their lacking numbers.
I wipe my claws on the snow-covered ground before retracting them again and continuing through the snowstorm towards the base.
It doesn't take me much longer to find the base, which is basically just a pile of rubble for the upper levels. Even the walls are all collapsed, and there are quite a few fissures in the ground that weren't there before we left. Which doesn't bode well.
"Terminal, I give you permission to read my thoughts only if I say Terminal in them with the intention of contacting you," I mutter quietly while kneeling at the edge of one of the cliffs overlooking the base.
|Change has been confirmed. Permissions for Evolved Terminal have been updated|
Good. Wait, evolved terminal?
The thing changed its own classification?
That's... actually, it's not that surprising.
Terminal, help me search the area for energy signatures.
|Command confirmed. Searching area...|
At the same time, I close my eyes and begin doing the same thing. But
I don't manage to sense much until I reach the entrance to the underground portion of the base, where I find-
|Powerful energy signature sensed beneath the ground. The particular signature is difficult to determine at this distance, but an estimate has been made for it to be around 4.0 points in energy|
Okay. That's not too bad.
Its energy is only a little bit above my own, so I should be able to take the creature on. Especially if I manage to get the symbionts before fighting with it.
The symbionts themselves should be in enhanced containers. Ones that should contain any sort of signature they give off.
I should be proof enough that it works, since I never felt any desire to eat those despite being in a room full of a few dozen symbionts. Which likely means the infected symbiont host doesn't know about them either.
So, all I have to do is get down to that floor.
But considering the state of the stairs, I'll likely have to take the executive staircase again. And to get there, I'll have to pass by the spot I last saw the infected symbiont host in.
I frown at the thought before shaking my head.
No point worrying about what may not come about.
Terminal, can you pinpoint the location of the powerful energy source
if we got closer?
|Affirmative|
Good.
Also, maybe the terminal's evolution wasn't a bad thing after all. After all, it lets me silently communicate with it. And that's incredibly useful.
My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a loud explosion sound followed by a horn blowing from the direction of the city. But when I turn to look at it, a loud roar echoes from inside of the base under me.
Okay, what's going on?
The horn continues to sound for several seconds before the blizzard around me begins to move in the direction of the city itself, making my eyes widen in shock. Then, a loud crashing sound comes from the base, drawing my eye down there to see the infected symbiont host jumping out from the lower floors of the base.
|Source of the powerful energy signature has been located. It is standing on top of the base and running past us towards the city|
Seriously?
Well, I guess I asked it to do that. But that couldn't have been more obvious...
Guess even if it's awoken sapience, it still has a long way to go. But putting that aside, what does that horn signal? And why is the infected symbiont host and the storm itself rushing off in its direction?
I watch the creature run off into the distance for a few seconds before my eyes widen.
If powerful frozen ones like the infected symbiont host rush over there, won't the others be overwhelmed?!
Without any hesitation, I jump down from the cliff, landing with a grunt on the ground before rushing over to the base. Then I decide to follow the path created by the infected symbiont host by jumping into the hole it made down to BF1.
I need to get the symbionts before everything goes to hell over there!
The walls of the base practically fly by as I run through the halls, occasionally running into a weak frozen one that immediately runs in terror at the first sight of me. Or likely my energy.
After just a couple minutes of running, I find myself at the executive stairs, climbing down them towards the symbiont storage.
Almost there!
Chapter 73
A Meal
Alexander North
It doesn't take me long to climb down the stairs, and fortunately all of the symbionts still seem to be inside of their containers. So I rush up to the closest one – the one that was originally hiding the executive stairs before I opened it – and smash the window open, not bothering with the safety procedures since they likely don't work anyways. And when the window shatters to reveal an inner one, I smash that one as well, revealing the symbiont in all of its gory glory.
The blob of red goo that looks like solid melted flesh or something starts going crazy the moment it's exposed. But whether that's due to the cold air or the fact that it's no longer enclosed from the space around it, I'm not sure.
Either way, the instant the scent of the symbiont enters my nose, I feel a strong hunger for it.
|Requesting Alexander devour the Symbiont. Should you do that, your statistics will drastically increase|
And this time, it doesn't have to tell me twice.
I immediately reach in, to the apparent horror of the creature, before grabbing it and bringing the glob to my mouth where I take a bite. It actually lets out a screech-like sound of pain, which I didn't realize was possible as I start chewing the thing.
Then instinct begins to take over and the rest of it goes down practically in an instant, making a very strong warm feeling spread through my entire body, followed by the pleasant sensation I always got from absorbing energy.
Seconds pass. Then the seconds turn into an entire minute before it begins to fade away and the terminal shows me the results of the 'nourishment'.
/ Notice \
The following user statistics have updated: Strength: 2.39 - 2.56
Agility: 2.83 - 3.01 Reflexes: 2.67 - 2.78 Constitution: 2.48 - 2.61 Senses: 2.70 - 2.82 Energy: 3.64 - 3.72
\End of Notice/
My eyes widen in shock at the drastic changes.
"Holy. Fucking. Shit." I mutter rather slowly.
|Requesting Alexander devour more Symbionts. Should you do
that, your statistics will drastically increase|
No shit.
But it can't just be that easy to get stronger. Can it?
Terminal, do these Symbionts give diminishing returns for each one I
devour?
I hear the buzzing sensation in my head for a few seconds before it
responds.
|Answer unknown. Requesting Alexander devour more to get more information|
Hmm, okay.
I walk over to the next container before smashing it as well and eating the poor creature. Then the same process repeats itself and I get another statistics update.
/ Notice \
The following user statistics have updated: Strength: 2.56 - 2.60
Agility: 3.01 - 3.16 Reflexes: 2.78 - 2.88 Constitution: 2.61 - 2.71 Senses: 2.82 - 2.92 Energy: 3.72 - 3.80
\End of Notice/
Okay, looks like they either aren't all as effective as the others, or-
|Answer confirmed. Each symbiont gives approximately 10-20% less nourishment for your body than the last|
Okay, do you know why that is, terminal?
|Your body retains less of the nourishment and expels the rest|
Expels? Do I want to know how?
Probably not.
Looking around the storage unit, there should be about thirty or so
symbionts left. Which means bon appétit I guess.
It's obvious from those diminishing effects that I won't be getting as
much from all of this as I'd originally thought, but it'll still be a hell of a large boost. Maybe enough to fight that elite wraith thing from before on equal terms.
I immediately set about to eating the rest of the symbionts, and by the time I finish, I have trouble controlling my strength so as to not put my foot through the floor when I step. Which makes things awkward.
Terminal, show me my body analysis.
/ Current Analysis of user Alexander North \
Strength: 3.02 Agility: 3.83
Reflexes: 3.25 Constitution: 3.21 Immunity: ? Senses: 3.29 Energy: 5/5
Body Malfunctions: N/A
Error: Cannot determine Immunity of user's current species without the
user getting sick to collect data.
The average of a human being without a symbiont is a 1 across all stats except for Energy.
The Energy statistic is determined with a 1 being set as the user's original starting statistic for Energy.
\End of Analysis/
My mouth drops open as I stare at the new statistics of my body. Especially my energy, which apparently – unlike the other stats – didn't
have diminishing returns for each symbiont. So it just kept going up by about 0.08 for every symbiont I ate.
I really should have gone back for the symbionts earlier on...
"I'm actually stronger than a Tier 2 Symbiont Host now..." I can't help but mutter aloud as I stare at the analysis.
And that's not even mentioning my energy now. Which is actually stronger than that infected symbiont host from earlier.
My eyes widen as I remember the monster currently charging its way towards the city.
Shit.
Without a moment of hesitation, I immediately take off up the stairs, then through the building until I get to the hole that the frozen one created when it left. Then I simply jump straight out of it, my body practically sailing through the air until I land wobbly on my feet outside.
Okay, I should probably get used to my strength a little bit before I head over there.
With that thought in mind, I walk up to a wall and pull my fist back, only to send it flying forward straight into the armored plating. And surprisingly – or rather unsurprisingly considering how strong I am now – my fist breaks straight through the plate. Armored plating. Something that normally only bullets can break through.
Wow.
I stare at my handiwork for a few seconds before breaking out of my stupor and doing several stretches and even more exercises that I learned a while back for when I originally planned to become a Symbiont Host. Ones meant to adjust an individual to a sudden shift in personal physical abilities.
And after spending a few minutes doing that, I head out for the city as quickly as possible.
Chapter 74
The Infected Symbiont Host
Alexander North
Along the way back to the city, I realize just how big a jump in power I've had from those symbionts. Because what would've taken me hours to catch up with the infected symbiont host only ends up taking me around twenty minutes before I find it running through the blizzard towards the city.
I narrow my eyes at it for a second, pondering if I should waste time dealing with it, only to decide that if I don't do it now, I'll just be doing it at Planet Hall anyways. Assuming I don't die immediately to the intelligent frozen one that is.
As soon as I get within a couple dozen meters of the creature, it stops in its tracks and turns around to face me, unlike all of the other frozen ones along the way that just ran at the sight of me. As if I were some monster, which I may just be.
Terminal, check again how much energy this frozen one has.
|Answer to user's query is approximately 4.02 points of Energy. It also appears to have more intelligence than the average frozen one|
My eyes narrow at that second part.
More intelligence, you say?
I slow down to a stop several meters in front of it where we both just
stare at each other. But eventually, the infected symbiont host begins to growl at me. Then the growling turns into full on snarling, but in patterns that would suggest it were trying to speak.
Interesting.
Regardless of its capacity to attempt to speak, it still doesn't appear very friendly. And as if hearing my thoughts, the creature bursts forward, no longer snarling any more with its claws spread out on either side of it and waves of icy mist coming off of it. I quickly back up, trying to avoid the strike before maneuvering around it and striking at its back instead.
It lets out a loud roar of pain as my claws dig straight through its armor and into its skin beneath. But I can't help but notice that the frost touch aspect that my physical contact brings doesn't actually do anything to it, making me wonder if its little frost expulsion power gives it some sort of immunity. Or it could just have a different power aside from that.
|Alexander is advised to back away from the creature now|
Albeit vaguely surprised by its sudden advice, I jump back, following which another wave of ice shoots out of it. But this wave is much more dangerous than the last and likely would've impaled me as it's formed into various spikes instead of a thin mist.
I narrow my eyes before slowly circling around the infected symbiont host.
Terminal, how were you able to tell it was about to attack?
|A buildup of energy stronger than the last one detected from the creature was sensed seconds before the attack and used to determine its actions|
Hmm. Okay, that could be useful.
Terminal, tell me if it does something like that again. In fact, warn me of attacks that might be dangerous to me from now on.
|Request confirmed|
The horn from the city bellows out its tone again, making both me and the infected symbiont host turn to look. But I quickly return my gaze to the frozen one.
What I find though surprises me. Instead of simply returning its attention to me, it gets what appears to be a conflicted look on its face, with various parts of its body twitching. As if it has a major urge to run away but is suppressing it.
Very interesting.
Deciding to make use of this opportunity, I rush towards it when it glances back at the city again. And it doesn't see me until a split second too late, after I already have my hand tearing a large gash across its chest, sending it stumbling backwards with a look of both pain and rage on its face. But this only seems to intensify the conflict also shown there.
I jump in again but this time sending a kick towards its side, launching it several meters to land on the snow over there. Then I jump over after it, repeatedly clawing at the creature and tearing streak after streak out of it.
|Warning. Attack incoming|
As soon as I hear the terminal, I jump back, only for half a dozen spears of ice to pass straight through where I was just standing, making me feel incredibly relieved that I have this new and improved terminal.
The infected symbiont host roars its anger, a cloud of icy mist building up around it to block my view for several seconds. Then it suddenly clears, revealing the creature without a single scratch on it.
But that isn't really what shocks me.
What really shocks me is the sight of its armor having been repaired as well. As if the armor was a part of the creature's body.
Terminal, do you know what just happened?
|It would appear that this particular frozen one has somehow merged with its armor, making it a part of its biological body and transforming the armor itself|
And how is that possible?
|If it were any other metal, it wouldn't be possible. However, a specific type of metal located within that armor set seems to be having a reaction to the energy. A similar reaction towards the one the girl known as Alexia had with you before|
My eyes narrow.
Does that mean that whatever metal in there is inside of the girls body too? Or what?
|Insufficient information to answer that query|
Damn it.
That's just... damn it!
I'll deal with the implications of that later. For now, I have to deal with
this thing.
And it looks like the only realistic way of doing that is constantly
dealing it damage until it runs out of energy needed to heal itself and its 'armor'.
Right as the creature turns to look at the city again, I burst into action, sprinting straight to it with my claws raised to attack.
Seconds pass before the seconds turn into minutes, and throughout every one of my attacks, the infected symbiont host doesn't put up much of a struggle. Instead, it simply continues trying to escape towards the city,
eventually abandoning the idea of fighting back. And honestly, at this point it's starting to feel like I'm bullying it instead of killing it.
Over time our 'fight' proceeds to get closer and closer to the city until it finally begins to slow down, its wounds no longer healing at which point its survival instinct seems to snap it out of whatever stupor the horn put it in. The creature just stops running and turns around, sending a fist straight towards my own. But despite that, mine wins, both due to me being stronger in general, but also because of its current wounded state.
The tradeoff sends the creature sprawling on its back and I jump on top of it before digging my claws around the symbiont visible on its chest and trying once again to rip it out. But unlike the other times where the creature instinctively managed to move out of the way, with the symbiont itself somehow helping, this time it doesn't manage to gather the strength, and the symbiont itself remains inert as I tear it straight out of the creature's chest. Then, just like with the other symbionts I've touched, I feel a powerful urge to eat it after it's disconnected from the frozen one. Despite it being a bonded symbiont, which is quite different from an unbonded one.
A surge of strength runs through my body. One stronger than the surge from the other symbionts I've devoured till now, quickly making me realize that a bonded one gives more benefits than an unbonded one. A rather scary thought, to be honest.
After a second, I reach down to the corpse again, only to pause as I realize that there isn't an energy source left in it. Which means that the energy source in this frozen one was in its symbiont and not in the heart.
My eyes narrow as I consider the possible reasons for that, only to shake my head and stand up again, turning towards the city.
I can think about that later. For now, I need to get back to the city.
Right when I'm about to step off of the frozen one's corpse, I feel a prickling sensation in the bottom of my foot as if something had just poked a needle through my foot or something. Which shouldn't be possible considering that I'm wearing armored boots. Then the terminal's voice echoes in my head.
|A small amount of energy has transferred from the inert armor on the deceased frozen one's corpse into your body. The effects of this are unknown but do not seem to be doing anything negative at this moment in time|
I grimace at that.
Seriously?
That can't be good. But you say it's not doing anything negative to me at the moment, terminal? How can you know that if its effects are unknown?
|To answer your query, the energy that has entered your body is merging with your own energy source with your energy source as the dominating power. Furthermore, the alteration to your current energy source caused by this is incredibly miniscule. If an estimation must be made, then it is assumed that it is waiting for something else to happen|
My grimace turns into a frown.
That... doesn't sound good.
Terminal, can you make an assumption as to what it's waiting for?
|If an estimation had to be made, then it is most likely that the
energy is waiting for the same metal that the creature was wearing to be adorned by you. However, this is an assumption made off of estimations and unconfirmed theories|
So it's waiting to merge metal into my own body like the infected symbiont host? That's... huh.
My thoughts cut off when I see the armor around the infected symbiont host vanishing completely into its skin, leaving the thing in what's basically rags. Rags that used to be the under armor it was wearing.
I stare at it for a few seconds before turning back to the city and beginning to make my way there.
These questions can be answered later. For now, the others need my help.
Since our fight dragged out for miles and miles, it doesn't take too long to get to the point where the city is visible. And when it is? I can't help but gape at it.
At the sight of thousands of flying frozen ones around the city, each heading towards the center. Not to mention the large frozen ones – mostly wraiths and wendigos – jumping from building to building towards the center. All of which I can see from a cliff several kilometers from the city itself.
"Holy shit..." I mutter, just staring at the sight.
How the hell am I going to save them all from that?!
Amongst the frozen ones, I see flocks of what look like pigeons twice
the size of normal ones but with wings of ice and pale blue feathers, along
with some hawks that are quite similar to them but even larger and, well, hawks, and more insects. Like giant mosquitos, which is just disturbing to look at.
I shiver at the sight of it all, truly wondering how humanity is going to survive this.
|Thousands of incredibly weak energy sources detected flying above the city|
Wait, incredibly weak?
Terminal, tell me their energy level.
|The average energy level between the smaller frozen ones is about
0.2|
That makes it a little bit better, I guess. But a swarm of them would still kill someone in an instant. Or at least a normal person.
Although I'm a little surprised that the terminal can actually scan them from this distance. Is it because of the massive amount of them? Because I guess that would make some sense. I think.
I watch them for a few more seconds before breaking into a sprint towards the city.
Let's hope I get there in time. And I need to pass by the bunker to check on Snow and the girl while making my way through. Just to make sure they're okay and still inside.
Oh. So, they're weak as hell.
Chapter 75
Arriving at the Planet Hall
Alexander North
Getting across the body of water is much easier this time thanks to my improved body. And it also helps that most of the frozen ones near it are all still rushing towards the center of the city.
The thought of that makes me run faster, rushing into the city and through the streets in the direction of where Snow and Alexia are at. Because the slower I am, the higher the chance that everyone at Planet Hall will already be dead.
It ends up taking me only ten minutes to clear the distance to the bunker, where I fortunately find both Snow and the girl in the bunker. Although she doesn't look very happy, and it's obvious she's been crying.
"You left..." she says, tears beginning to emerge from her eyes. Meanwhile Snow just barks.
I frown before saying, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. But I'm going to have to leave again. Something dangerous is happening outside, so can you please stay in there until I get back?"
The tears just begin coming even faster after hearing my words.
Well, shit. I really don't have the time for this.
Alexia stares at the screen while crying from pitch black eyes ringed
with the same blue ring mine have, which is a little off-putting, before eventually saying, "Okay..." surprising me in the process.
Wait. She agreed?
Huh. That was easier than I thought.
"Remember, don't open the door unless it's me or someone you
know," I warn her, making her nod her head in understanding with a short sniffle. Then I turn around and begin making my way towards the Planet Hall.
I'm really glad Snow is there with her. She's always made for good company. Even if she now looks like a monster.
Although, even as I run I can't help but worry about the kid. After all, I've apparently accidentally turned her into something like me. And I can't help but feel a little responsible for her because of that.
The poor kid.
I glance up at the massive swarm of flying frozen ones heading towards the Planet Hall for a second before facing forwards and speeding up my running pace.
Then again. I can't exactly look after her as I am, and especially not if I die. I'm not really the parenting type.
The most I can do is try to keep her alive.
I continue running, eventually resorting to climbing a building and going from roof to roof after catching up with the flood of frozen ones traveling across the ground. And in the middle of that, I also kill all of the frozen ones near me, simply absorbing their energy in the process without breaking my stride. Since I'll need all the help I can get.
Most of the frozen ones I'm running across are rather weak and stand no chance against me and give me very little energy in general. But I guess that makes some sense since most of the stronger ones are likely already close to the Planet Hall. If they're not already at it.
It isn't until I get within the inner parts of the city that I begin finding stronger frozen ones. Ones strong enough that I actually have to take a second to pause in killing them. But still none strong enough to pose a threat to me anymore.
So I continue tearing my way through the frozen ones towards the center of the city, not stopping along the way until I finally reach the line of buildings overlooking Planet Hall. And what I find is rather terrifying.
All around the Planet Hall, frozen ones are rushing into the massive building's main entrance in droves. And while most of them are incredibly weak, I also find quite a few with higher energy levels according to the terminal. Especially the intelligent frozen one.
Terminal, you're sure you can't read the intelligent frozen one's energy level?
|Affirmative. The intelligent frozen one's energy level is too powerful for the senses of your body to read and would overload you if you tried|
That... doesn't bode well. Especially considering how much stronger I am now than before.
Wait, doesn't that mean that if the intelligent frozen one tried when I first saw it, the thing would've been able to catch me almost instantly? Without any struggle at all?
Which means the only reason I am still alive and free is because it didn't, leaving the question of why it didn't. Was it just too arrogant to go after me personally? Too busy conducting the attack? Or just didn't care enough?
Regardless of why, the creature is just standing there watching the frozen ones enter the Planet Hall. It's not doing anything at all to assist them. Just simply standing there and staring with its arms held out to either side of it.
Meanwhile the gate to the Planet Hall – which used to be in one piece – is now just in frozen pieces lying scattered across the ground. And I also can't help but notice the various frozen statues of frozen ones located in between it and the frozen gate.
I narrow my eyes at that before searching for any other entrances to the building. Eventually though I give up on that and ask the terminal to connect me to dad, who I haven't talked with since I called him back after the emergency hold before.
And this time he answers right away.
"What is it?" he asks, his face appearing in my vision thanks to my terminal.
I whisper in response, "The frozen ones have an intelligent leader and are currently assaulting the Planet Hall." This doesn't seem to surprise him, which makes sense considering that the others have likely already sent an emergency message, even if none of them have a direct port to him. "I'm trying to find a way inside to save the others. Do you know any other ways in?"
Dad looks conflicted for a moment, likely wondering if he should tell me as he knows it'll lead me into a massive monster infested building, but he eventually gives in and tells me after seeing the determined look on my face.
"There are secret entrances scattered about the building, but to open them you first need to..."