Chapter 38: Apocalypse on the Sea of Dimensions

“What the hell are they doing.”

Choi Kangjoong, on his way to the fishermen’s coordinates, was watching everything through magnified vision.

He saw Joo Eun-jong fighting desperately, and one Dimension Ship attacking another.

As the distance closed, he summoned a Titan Class and a Light Titan and sent them toward the Sirens.

The giant Apocalids glided forward, firing Mana Cannons and Kitin Cannons indiscriminately.

The Siren group was effortlessly crushed, all of them sucked into the digestion pool to become nutrients and Evolution Points.

[Decoding Rate of Siren Evolution Code: 100%]

“Go and catch those.”

Choi Kangjoong sent the Fighter Giants.

The Fighter Giants chased after the fleeing Dimension Ship and fired their Kitin Cannons.

Long kitin spikes pierced the Mana Engine, and the Dimension Ship turned into a drifting heap of scrap metal.

The Crew locked the doors.

They thought the Apocalids were just other dimensional monsters and chose to barricade themselves.

“You bastards!”

Do Seung-cheol piloted his Dimension Ship over to the ship that had fired the harpoon.

Joo Eun-jong and his guild members followed with deadly intent.

They kicked open the locked door and dragged out the Crew, who were trembling in hiding.

“Are you even human? Huh?”

Nobody stopped them as they laid into the traitors.

The Crew from the other Dimension Ship joined in.

For those who fired the harpoon, getting beaten was a blessing compared to what could have happened.

Who would ever know if they just dumped them in the Sea of Dimensions and claimed they were killed by Sirens?

“Tie them up and lock them in the Warehouse.”

With the traitors imprisoned, the incident came to a close.

Choi Kangjoong descended to the deck where Joo Eun-jong stood.

“Captain! Thank you!”

Joo Eun-jong bowed deeply.

The Hunters and Crew also expressed their gratitude.

“What brings you all the way out here? Don’t tell me you came to rescue us?”

“No.”

“Ah… Then why are you here…?”

“To catch Sirens.”

“Aren’t they too weak for you to bother with, Captain?”

“There’s a reason.”

“I see!”

Joo Eun-jong seemed ready to believe Choi Kangjoong wanted to open a seafood restaurant with the Sirens he’d caught.

“So why are you here?”

“My father told me to catch a hundred Sirens. If you need more, shall I give you those too?”

Joo Eun-jong pointed to the Sirens in the net.

They belonged to the fishermen, but he was willing to hand them over if the Outer Mind asked.

But Choi Kangjoong had no interest in them.

Swallowing those Sirens in the net wouldn’t yield much in the way of nutrients or Evolution Points.

For them, it was their livelihood—better to let them keep it.

“Don’t need them.”

“See? That’s the kind of person Captain is! Hurry up and say thank you!”

“Th-thank you!”

Do Seung-cheol bowed his head in thanks.

Choi Kangjoong felt it was a bit over the top, but he didn’t mind.

“Where are you headed now? If you’re not busy, how about heading back to Earth with us?”

“No.”

“Ah… Are you busy then?”

“You talk too much.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut!”

Choi Kangjoong shook his head.

He was eager to create an Apocalid capable of telepathy.

“Alright! Take care on your way!”

Joo Eun-jong said his farewell, and Choi Kangjoong vanished into the Sea of Dimensions.

Straightening his back, Joo Eun-jong went back to his rowdy self.

“What are you waiting for? Aren’t you going home?”

Even with the nagging, Do Seung-cheol didn’t feel any annoyance.

It just sounded like a joke from an old friend.

“I’ll gather up the nets and the wrecked Dimension Ship and then we’ll head out.”

“Hurry it up! We need to get back quickly!”

“It won’t take long, just head inside.”

Do Seung-cheol pushed Joo Eun-jong into the cabin and shook his head.

There’s an old saying, “You can read ten fathoms into water, but not one into a person’s heart,” and today it felt especially true.

“Let’s go home quickly.”

He piloted the Dimension Ship, retrieved the nets and the wrecked ship, and headed for the nearest Gate.

When Choi Kangjoong returned home, he washed up and went to his room.

He wanted nothing more than to collapse onto his comfy bed, but his dawn-phone was blinking.

“Another check-in text?”

Han Junghwa would send messages just to ask how he was doing at the drop of a hat.

Still, Choi Kangjoong was more pleased than annoyed and quickly grabbed his phone.

[Han Junghwa: What are you up to?]

[Han Junghwa: I found out who hired those Dark Elf pirates we caught before.]

[Han Junghwa: It’s Senjo Count, a demon from the Chaos Legion.]

[Han Junghwa: He’s also the one who hired Disorder and orchestrated the feint operation.]

“So it was all Senjo Count?”

Choi Kangjoong typed on his dawn-phone.

[Choi Kangjoong: Why?]

The reply came almost instantly.

[Han Junghwa: His goal must be the 6th Dimension Fortress.]

[Han Junghwa: If this place falls, they’d have to retreat far back.]

[Choi Kangjoong: Senjo Count is trying to get a Gate Stone.]

[Han Junghwa: How do you know that?]

[Choi Kangjoong: We captured Gratis, who was going to hand the Gate Stone to Senjo Count.]

[Han Junghwa: There’s only one reason anyone would want a Gate Stone.]

[Han Junghwa: Now it’s clear why Senjo Count did all that.]

[Han Junghwa: Thanks.]

[Han Junghwa: I’ll treat you to a big meal later.]

“She’ll figure something out. Yoonseo should be safe too.”

Feeling a sense of accomplishment for what he’d done, Choi Kangjoong entered the Evolution Chamber.

Since he’d obtained the Psychic Resonance Evolution Code, he intended to create a command Apocalid.

With psychic-type Evolution Codes, the number and range of controllable entities increased.

“I’ll need both a Warrior base and a Giant base.”

Warrior bases could be deployed in large numbers, so even if a few were killed, there’d be no gap in command.

They were useful against races like Elves or Gratis that could target command Apocalids.

Giant bases were larger and more efficient than Warrior bases, but losing just one was a major blow.

Still, against races like Orcs, they boasted the presence of a floating fortress.

“Let’s start with the Giant base.”

A Giant’s form appeared on the table.

“Reduce the muscle mass and increase the brain size.”

The torso and leg thickness shrank, while the head grew larger.

That way, psychic resonance would be stronger, and the number and range of Apocalids that could be commanded would increase.

It also allowed for tactics like those Lutal used to catch the enemy off guard or deceive them.

“Speed isn’t important for this one, so it doesn’t need wings—just let it use wind gliding. Make it fifty meters tall.”

That was more than three times the size of a normal Giant.

It would be an easy target, but with bodyguards and the ability to deploy a Psychic Field, it would be hard to kill.

“Add a vision-related Evolution Code, too.”

That would require more nutrients to produce, but since he was making it, he decided to go all in.

“If I don’t need them much, I can always scrap them later.”

It still had the standard combat muscles and acid sacs that were basic for Giants.

“Done.”

[A new Giant Class has been created.]

[Would you like to name it?]

“Apocalid Command Giant.”

[Apocalid Command Giant has been saved.]

[Apocalid Command Giant is being produced.]

From the digestion pool in the Apocalid dimension, a Command Giant emerged.

It could also be called a relay entity, linking the Outer Mind with the Apocalids.

“Feed it nutrients and make it a Central Unit.”

From within the Apocalid dimension, a bio-tube extended and connected with the Command Giant.

While it was being supplied with nutrients, he turned to the Warrior Class.

[A new Warrior Class has been created.]

[Would you like to name it?]

“Apocalid Command Warrior.”

[Apocalid Command Warrior has been saved.]

“Let’s make five Command Warriors and turn them into Central Units too.”

Five Command Warriors appeared and were supplied with nutrients from the Apocalid dimension.

A little later, the Command Giant evolved into the Central Command Giant.

Upon becoming a Central Unit, its size increased to 80 meters in length.

[Central Command Giant has acquired .]

“Apocalid Field? What’s this ability?”

Thanks to psionic specialization, source power evolution, and mana development, it was a skill not found in Dimension War.

“Let’s try out Apocalid Field.”

The Central Command Giant deployed the Apocalid Field.

Mana and faint source power merged and spread out in all directions.

“Krrrk.”

Lutal’s physical abilities increased under its influence.

Not only that, but any enemies entering the field could be affected and thrown into confusion.

“So it’s a mix of a wide-range buff and debuff.”

Choi Kangjoong was satisfied.

Now he didn’t need to hunt down a Psychic Field Evolution Code.

The Command Warriors, when evolved into Central Units, acquired the same skill.

He had consumed all the nutrients gained from devouring Gratis’s City, but it was well worth it.

“Now that I’ve got an Apocalid capable of telepathy, it’s time to get serious.”

“Krrrk.”

“Kiiik.”

“Kueong.”

He didn’t even need to search for the nearest dimension.

By heading in the direction Selic indicated, he reached a city-dimension.

He devoured the city and consumed the Farm as well.

Nutrients and Evolution Points soared.

He increased the number of Apocalids with the nutrients, and when his Evolution Points surpassed ten million, he evolved Enhanced Psionics.

“When I hit another ten million points, I’ll unlock the Supertitan Class.”

Stage 6 psionic bioweapons could only be used by Apocalids of the Supertitan Class, so evolving now would be pointless.

“Already grown this much, huh. Hehehe.”

He had started with just one Worker and one Warrior, and now the Supertitan Class was just within reach.

“How’s Selic doing?”

“Kiiik!”

Choi Kangjoong loosened Selic’s surveillance so it could roam freely.

Whenever there were no Apocalids around to foil their plans, Senjo Count, the Dark Elf, and Rik contacted Gratis to coordinate.

Senjo Count and the Dark Elf were chasing Gate Stones, while Gratis was after food, and they eagerly headed for the coordinates Selic provided.

Choi Kangjoong watched it all through Kai and pretended not to notice.

“Maybe I should try talking through the Central Command Giant.”

He sent a scout to bring Selic before the Central Command Giant.

When the enormous creature over eighty meters tall loomed overhead, Selic prostrated himself.

“Selic.”

“Hiiiiiik!”

The Apocalid’s telepathy was like a heavy will pounding directly into his brain.

Thinking his soul was about to be sucked out, Selic clutched his head with both hands.

“I didn’t do anything! I swear, I didn’t do anything!”

Selic, full of backstabbing thoughts, could only tremble, making Choi Kangjoong chuckle.

“What about Senjo Count?”

“You’re not going to kill him… right?”

“Just answer.”

“Yes! Yes! He’s coming! He said he’d come in person!”

“To where?”

“There’s a dimension about ten days from here where there’s nothing at all. He heard there’s a Gate Stone there, so he’s racing over!”

“Guide us.”

“Yes! Of course, I’ll guide you!”

Selic returned to the Dimension Ship, checked the charts, and pointed in one direction.

“It’s over there. If you go that way, you’ll see it soon.”

Choi Kangjoong moved the Apocalids in that direction.

Just as Selic said, after ten days, an empty dimension appeared.

“Senjo Count will arrive tomorrow!”

Selic announced.

Choi Kangjoong decided to dig into the ground of the dimension and hide.

He left the giant Apocalids about thirty minutes away.