14-Intermission 3: Satou's Research (1)
Satou's here. In this world, there are people who are puzzled to hear that doing research needs money. Do they think that you can research things with just a pen and paper?
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"Satou speaking. I've collected the void sky's probe."
『Saze of Beriunan Clan speaking. Is it possible to reuse the probe?』
"Yes, the Ether Drive is just dented, the Mana Accumulator Branch is fine."
While having a long distance talk with no lag with the high elf of Beriunan Clan through [World Phone] magic, I repair the void sky probe.
This void sky probe has been deployed by Beriunan Clan's initiative in order to investigate the jellyfish's nest.
I was asked to investigate probes whose communication had been cut, and then I found one of them stuck between the inner and outer planetary debris when I searched with Flash Drive and visual-based Unit Arrangement.
Since I've come this far, I might as well create several space houses with earth magic from several debris and put carved seals for teleport magic inside.
Next I shot the debris toward the deep space, each with different velocity while only leaving one here.
Now I don't need to repeat visual-based Unit Arrangement to go around.
After finishing the extra work, I replenish the void sky's probe magic power and put it back to its planned course.
"Satou speaking. The void sky probe has departed. I've checked the beacon deployment, so you should be able to receive the signal by tomorrow."
『Thanks Satou. Come to Beriunan Forest after this, we'll have a party to show our gratitude.』
"Thank you, Saze-sama."
It seems the research about preserved food is currently getting popular amongst the elves of Beriunan Clan so I'd like to bring Echigoya Firm's new products and talk about various research.
According to the info from the map, there are a lot of large debris on the brink of the current map, so I'm going there to see.
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"Ooh, it's a mountain of treasures."
There's a lot of rock debris, but around 30% have iron mixed within. There's even pure iron lumps among them.
Inquiring the map, a lot are alloys, but I also found marble blocks and gold lump.
It's as if they were discarded into the space on purpose.
I was slightly suspicious, but since they're undoubtedly useful, I put the debris I found en route into my Storage.
Every one of them is as big as a small island, so it's quite a profit even if they were all just iron.
--Crisis perception.
"Geh, aren't these radioactive material."
I erase the radioactive material with space magic [Space Disintegrate] while being surprised with the information on the AR.
Even though it's usable even in time of peace, there's no need for nuclear substance in a fantasy world.
Corpse said that, [Gods used their miracle to turn every radioactive material into lead], but it seems it didn't reach the void sky.
And anyway, when the time comes for me to need it, I can just use space magic or force magic to create nuclear fusion magic.
Further, even though there are cosmic ray in the void sky, there's no problem as long as I use [Astro Suit] magic since the density is low.
I found an especially big lump of iron when I was loitering around the group of debris.
It's shaped like a sword, but there's no way you can swing such a huge sword like this. There's no point to it unless the opponent is as big as the moon.
When I tried to put it into my storage, I was able to without problem. Looks like my storage's size really is infinite.
I thought of using the iron as a base for the floating continent, but it's too big.
I want something a bit smaller. Thinking the damage possibility if it crashed, perhaps I should make it a floating island instead of continent.
The candidates increased when I lowered the size I wanted.
I found a huge crystal of hard quartz so I put it into the list of candidates.
I also found lumps of corundum and topaz which were even harder, but since they were only as big as the solitary island palace, I wrote them off the list.
Let's make a floating island using this as the base.
The solitary island palace is better as our base camp, but I couldn't resist the appeal of floating island.
Due to my pondering, I forgot to consider the danger in the void sky.
Without realizing it, I had crossed the map and entered the next map.
◇
"Woooo"
'Zuin, zuin', metal-like sounds reached my ears who was protected by [Astro Suit] magic.
The barrier created by the automatic defensive item repelled some silver spears.
The spears look like spear squids.
Apparently, I was attacked by mysterious creatures in the vein of the jellyfish.
They're accelerating in the void sky while leaving red light behind on their paths.
The spear squids which failed its attack disappear into a huge black body I could see in the distant. It's huge enough to be an asteroid.
I did not chase them carelessly and collected information with [All Map Information].
It seems the ones in this are are only 100 of the [Spear Squids] like the ones earlier and the black body ahead.
That's right, that black body is also a mysterious creature read as [Unconfirmed Object].
The [White Ball Space Kaijuu] and [Dark Grey Space Kaijuu] I saw back then were also [Unconfirmed Objects] weren't they.
When I got a certain distance closer, the black body spread itself.
At first it looked like a black starfish, but then its eight tentacles stretched toward me.
--It's a Black Octopus Space Kaijuu!
The tentacles whose tips are divided into small string-shaped things stretched.
The thin strings on the tips look like feathers, but I know that each one of them is as big as a skyscraper.
--Huge.
The diameter of the main body alone might be around 100 kilometers.
No no, that's way too big.
Even the moon is only around 3500 kilometers in diameter.
What's up with its astronomical size.
Even the biggest one yet, the dark gray space Kaijuu's diameter was only about 3 kilometers....
However, it'll be bad if this thing comes to the planet orbit.
I take out an Orichalcum wand and use a forbidden spell suited for long-distance attack.
--Divine Banishing Laser.
The light of the forbidden spell that's been said to cut a continent burns the void sky.
The spear squids that were trying to make a surprise attack on me from behind the tentacles were evaporated in an instant.
When I had cut two of its huge tentacles, it dealt with the laser quickly.
Jet black spheres that are floating around the other tentacles and the main body curved the laser that should have flown straight and absorbed it.
Don't tell me, are those black things black holes?
The octopus that should have been 60 kilometers away got close to me in a straight line like dropped frames.
I managed to escape since I reflexively used Unit Arrangement, but its acceleration is odd.
....Come to think of it the White Ball Space Kaijuu also accelerated like this eh.
The octopus suddenly accelerated again without taking a breather.
Would love to have this inertia-canceling acceleration to be more moderate.
I tried looking for points of attack using advanced light magic [Photon Laser] which only consumed a little magic power, but unfortunately it ended in vain.
It seems the main black body surface can also absorb magic power like the jet black spheres as the [Photon Laser]'s composition loosened when it hit it.
With the help of [Parallel Thought (Thread Think)], I keep thinking while keeping a distance away from the octopus.
There were too many notices from Crisis Perception it's blocking my thought, so I temporarily put them into the log.
Since the combination attacks of the octopus and the spear squids were too annoying, I created a void sky artificial spirit Full Burnern 4 to play with them.
It's the artificial spirit I remodeled from Beriunan and Burainan clans' research result, on top of being furnished with high powered laser, it's also highly mobile.
It has short operating time, but that's a fair trade-off for its performance.
Even though it's a big artificial spirit that's more than 500 meter long, it looks small since the surrounding scale is just too big.
I'll record the anime-like dogfight of the artificial spirit's fight to enjoy it later, while I myself will fight the octopus.
I repeat several Unit Arrangement and fly about on the center of the map.
--Chiiiii.
It looks like it had read my pattern, the black body waited ahead of me on the teleport point.
With its size, its speed is like a short-range teleport.
My magic power is being absorbed at far higher force than the weaselkin's [Magic Eater] machinery whom I repaired.
If this keeps up my magic power will be exhausted--.
An idea flashed on my mind suddenly.
I landed on the black ground with Unit Arrangement.
It's the octopus's body surface.
Just as I thought, the octopus's body surface can also absorb magic power, my [Astro Suit] has been canceled.
However, don't think you're the only one that can absorb magic power you know?
I execute mid level force magic [Mana Drain].
Unfortunately, there's no advanced or forbidden spell that's more efficient than this one. Of course that's only if I use it.
As its magic power got tremendously absorbed, it's losing its black color, turning white.
--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.
The octopus's scream is transmitted on the black body.
It tried to escape from me in panic, but it's useless no matter what inertia-canceling movement it uses. My [Magic Arm] is firmly wedged on the octopus's white body.
I use the fire magic forbidden spell [<>] on its defenseless body.
The white flame scoops out the octopus without even leaving an ash.
The spell created a crater several hundred meter wide, but it seems its fat could also absorb magic power so the destructive power of the spell wasn't as high as I hoped.
Even my forbidden spell can't instantly kill this one due to its unrealistic size huh....
--The stars over my head suddenly disappear.
The jet black spheres are approaching to wrap me up.
It seems the octopus wants to kill me using the jet black spheres even if it means injuring its body.
The white liquid from the gouged octopus spews into the void sky.
◇
I look down at it from the void sky.
I was able to somehow escape with the little chance I had. After repeating Unit Arrangement and getting separated around 1000 kilometers away, I wait for the replenishment of my magic power that has been used up on the forbidden spell.
The sword-shaped lump of iron that looks like it can even pierce the moon flashes on my mind.
"If magic is useless, then I can just hit it physically."
The difference in size is too extreme, but I'll do something about it.
I summon the void sky artificial spirit Full Burnern 3. Unlike the Full Burnern 4 earlier, this one cannot shoot laser. Instead, it has long whip-like feelers.
It's an artificial spirit created to launch and carry things into the void sky.
I link eight artificial spirits and make it accelerate toward the octopus.
With speed that can tear one's body, even 1000 kilometer distance is over in an instant.
The octopus ran away in a hurry, but this time its gigantic body becomes its undoing.
I take out a lump of rock from my Storage and fling them to the octopus's body.
The lump of rock broke on the octopus's body surface, but the broken pieces gouged the octopus.
The suicide attack of the artificial spirits expands that wound even bigger.
--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.
The octopus's scream echoes in the void sky that can't transmit sound.
It's probably transmitted through Ether.
"The way to exterminate a gigantic creature like this is by--"
I plunge into the huge hole opened by the rock buckshot and the artificial spirits.
The wound is closing at great speed, but there's quite enough gap for me to enter.
--Moreover, my velocity isn't slowing down.
I throw a second lump of iron toward the meat wall of the octopus that's closing in.
--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.
The meat wall that's not as tough as the outer skin was pierced by the iron lump.
The lump seems to have arrived at the gastric region of the octopus--in the huge space of the central part. The gastric region is shaped like tear drops, even the shorter ones are several kilometer long.
Jet black spheres appear inside the stomach.
Creatures that looked like the White Ball Space Kaijuu also appeared inside the octopus's body.
I'm amazed to see that it also has ways to attack inside the body.
--However, it's too late.
I take out an item from my Storage.
The sword of iron lump that can even pierce the moon.
Since it's bothersome, let's just call it Moon Piercer Sword.
--ＶＯＷＶＯＯＯＯＯＷＷＷＮ.
Torn by a foreign object from inside, the octopus's scream reverberates in the stomach.
I repeat storing and taking out the Moon Piercer Sword, shaving off the seemingly unlimited HP of the octopus.
The mock-White Ball Space Kaijuu and the Jet Black Spheres come attacking to stop me.
The White Ball Space Kaijuu which boasted high mobility couldn't show its potential inside the stomach with the limited space and got easily mowed down by my advanced light magic [Photon Laser].
The jet black spheres were a bit tough, but once I knew that it could be annihilated with [Mana Drain] by robbing its magic power, it was easy.
More of them came after that, but it was simply a work once you knew how to handle them.
After more than one hour, it finally ends.
>Defeated [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu: Cast-off Skin]!
--Huh? Cast-off Skin?
I store the Black Octopus Space Kaijuu's body into the storage and return to the void sky.
Thousands of White Ball Space Kaijuu that were living as parasites inside the Black Octopus Space Kaijuu are floating in the surrounding void sky, they all simultaneously run away toward the outer space.
An object that looks like the [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu] is escaping ahead of them while leaving a trail like a meteor.
--I won't let you run you know?
I put a marker on the [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu Small].
All set.
I start to chant without chasing it.
It's a magic that I haven't had the opportunity to use even after its completion and has been left sitting on the Magic Column since it's dangerous to use it near the planet.
Once the long spell is over, the [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu] has left the map's edge.
It'll be difficult if I chase after it now.
Therefore, I'll pull it.
I pick the forbidden spell of space magic [<>]
Even though I have completed the chant, I'm only able to choose the second magic from the Menu thanks to [Parallel Thought (Thread Think)] skill.
The [Black Octopus Space Kaijuu] that appeared in front of me is floating in the void sky in blank amazement after losing its velocity.
Then I execute the original forbidden spell that's on stand by.
The Flame of Genesis overflows in the void sky, thoroughly burning the octopus that was trying to leave again. Unlike before, the direction is perfect this time.
The octopus reveals its black body to try to absorb it, but it's meaningless.
It'd be a different story if it was a black hole, but a technique that can only absorb magic can't go against this flame.
Because, even though it's invoked by using large amount of magic power, the flame is thoroughly a physical phenomenon
"Is it over?"
After the octopus has burned out, something is floating.
I thought it was a small octopus or an egg, but I was mistaken.
"--Sacred Tree Stone?"
The color is black, but the Sacred Tree Stone--a huge object equaling the so called [Philosopher's Stone] is floating.
Did the enormous mana contained within the Flame of Genesis condensed and crystallized the jet black body of the octopus?
I put it into my Storage since it looks useful for many things.
It seems usable as the power source of the floating island.
Since the octopus's cast-off skin has the ability to absorb magic power, using it to make a [Magic Eater]-like tool might also be a good idea.
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"Takoyaki yummy."
"This akashiyaki is good too."
The crispy takoyaki with sauce is good, but I also can't leave the dashi-dashed limp-textured akashiyaki alone.
I made them not with the Black Octopus Space Kaijuu's body, but the normal octopus I caught in the sea of the solitary island's archipelago.
"Both are very good it's hard to say which one won."
"Delish~"
"Trivia nanodesu."
"Nn, tasty."
The princess, Sera and Zena-san were repulsed by the strange appearance of octopus so they didn't come to the octopus meet, but Lady Karina was delightfully eating it.
Looks like Mia can eat octopus normally.
I'll retort for once, Pochi, it's très bien, not trivia.
"Putting jerky inside instead octopus would be delicious too wouldn't it."
"Ufufu, would you like to try one?"
Lulu smiles at Liza who said some meat-lover remark.
"Lulu, I also want the prototype, so I inform."
"Tama too~"
"Pochi too, nanodesu!"
Nana, Tama and Pochi were also eager.
Lady Karina looks like she's in agreement, but she doesn't seem to have time to mind it while putting the piping-hot takoyaki into her mouth.
Relaxedly eating snacks with everyone really is a special time isn't it.
I'll have to think of menu that can be enjoyed by Zena-san and the others too next time.
◇
"It sure is big~"
"It can only float yet though."
I put the debris island installed with floating engine from space into my storage and then carried it into the desert sub-space.
It's far smaller than the Moon Piercer Sword that defeated the black octopus, so it was easy.
The floating engine which makes this island floats isn't using the Darkness Stone manufactured in the elemental stone factory in the void sky, but the lump of Darkness Crystal Orb I found in the black octopus's body.
The Darkness Cystal Orb is a high-purity crystal that's rarely created during the darkness stone production.
I also found some high-purity metal crystal, lumps of corundum and topaz and many others inside the octopus.
Looking at its structure, they were all near its excretion hole.
The lump of crystals in the group of debris were probably the octopus's excrement which were processed and not needed inside its body.
The figure of the black octopus gnawing planets flashes on my mind.
"Must've been my imagination."
"What is?"
"--It's nothing."
I smile at Arisa who looks worried.
"Oh right, I've created some new gravity control magic and inertia control magic. Do you want to try flying together?"
"Really? I want to fly--you've tested it before right?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
I immediately denied Arisa's remark.
Using it on my companions without testing first is too dangerous after all.
I invoke gravity magic's [<>] and force magic's [<>].
In case anything happened, I could just use [<>].
I fly with Arisa and look at the dolls that are working to shave off the surface of the floating island.
"It looks like it'll become a seedling ship that flies off into the outer space. Master and me like Adam and Eve, oh how wonderful."
I heard some thoughtless words from Arisa, but I lightly ignore it.
Moreover, the void sky is a danger zone worse than this world you know. Normally it'd be straight path to the bad end in nightmare mode.
It's totally not possible until I've conquered the whole map of this star system.
Moreover, the floating engine can only absorb gravity, it has no way to move in the void sky.
If I can put the magic I used just now to practical use and make the gravity control engine, the island should be able to move in the space.
First, maybe I should make an artificial spirit graviton version to investigate out of the system.
I smile complacently, having got a new idea for my research.