The system is four years ahead of schedule, but Weird is still a cub.

The cooperation agreement was quickly put into action.

"The supreme being."

Inside a root cave illuminated by giant glowing mushrooms, the caretaker led Shen Ge there, pointing ahead: "This is where the harvester last ate."

Shen Ge looked up.

A huge gap, over a hundred meters in diameter, was visible at the top of the cave. The edges of the gap still bore traces of being burned and corroded by some kind of terrifying energy, and had not yet fully healed.

Shen Ge said to the caregiver, "I need a sample of it, the more active the cells and tissues, the more intact the better."

“…As you wish.”

The caretaker stretched out his withered arm made of vines and pressed it against the edge of the gap. Accompanied by a soft green light, the [Root of the World] in that area was awakened.

Countless tiny roots extended from the edge of the gap, probing into the corrosive wounds that still retained the aura of malevolent energy.

A moment later, the roots slowly retracted.

At their front ends were several dark red crystals, no bigger than grains of sand, yet radiating an extremely chaotic, corrosive energy.

"These are all we can collect; they contain highly toxic substances that we cannot handle."

“That’s enough.” Shen Ge stretched out his hand and used an invisible barrier to envelop the dangerous crystal samples before returning to the “frontline research station” established on the Root Continent.

In just two days, Hephaestus and his team used standard modular building materials brought in by Iron Heart to build a "biological and mechanical interdisciplinary laboratory" with independent energy supply and high-level protection measures.

Shen Ge returned to the laboratory and placed the collected cell tissue sample into the highest-precision "biological sequence analyzer" in the center of the laboratory.

"Activate 'Hermes' deep analysis mode!" Hephaestus commanded.

Inside the isolation chamber, several beams of light and energy probes of different wavelengths began to perform a comprehensive scan of the dark red crystals.

Countless complex and dazzling energy structure models flashed across the screen.

At first, everything was still within their comprehension, but soon, Hephaestus discovered that this data was not mentioned in any of their previous research, not even in the databases of the Forerunners.

"The cell structure is unusually tough, and its energy conduction efficiency is more than three hundred times that of ordinary high-level monsters," a researcher explained the preliminary analysis data.

“The gene sequence is ancient and extremely aggressive,” another biologist added.

As the analysis progressed, Hephaestus was the first to notice something amiss when Hermes' computational level reached its limit.

“What is this?” Hephaestus pointed to a magnified microscopic image of the inside of a cell on the screen.

Inside that seemingly normal cell nucleus, brimming with the texture of life, an extremely tiny structure, as precise as a clock gear and made entirely of an unknown metal… “machine,” was entangled and fused together with the cell’s own DNA double helix structure!
It's like a perfect "parasite," having become an inseparable part of this cell!

Analysis complete.

[Sample analysis: Not a single organism, but a "biological and mechanical fusion of the bizarre."]

After finding a breakthrough, Hephaestus and his team began to research something that could break the corrupting power of the Demon King, buying time for Shen Ge and creating an opportunity to destroy the Demon King's heart.

Shen Ge then used the characteristics of the invisible ghost domain to try to enter the [Root of the World] to find a way to remove the internal ghost energy erosion.

Kyle and Roca, on the other hand, need to lead the combat forces to deal with the Reapers' upcoming "Feeding Day" and defend the [Root of the World].

According to the Guardians, whenever the "Feeding Day" arrives, a large number of parasitic monsters will appear on the surface of the Reaper's body and around the huge gap.

"At three o'clock ahead, there's that 'plasma coral colony'."

Inside the command center of "Ark One," Kyle is directing the operation.

"According to the intelligence provided by the caretaker, that is one of the areas with the densest defenses on the Reaper's body. Those corals are its surface immune cells, capable of firing energy balls with power comparable to our plasma cannons."

“Roca,” Kyle called out.

"Yes!" Roca's steady voice came through the communicator.

"Your team is responsible for a frontal assault to draw their attention. I need you to force their energy cores out of the main coral reef within five minutes."

"Roger that!"

At a command, five specially modified "Raider-II Bulwark" mechs, equipped with thicker armor and more powerful shields, activated all their thrusters and charged toward the treacherous coral reef.

Boom boom boom!
Countless blue plasma balls burst forth from the coral reefs, slamming into the heavy shield of the "Barrier" mech and sending up violent energy ripples.

Despite the terrifying firepower, Roca's squad used their giant alloy shields to carve a path through the barrage of gunfire.

Similar "cleanup operations" continued day after day for the next ten days or so.

Finally, on the twentieth day of the operation.

After the last remaining "flesh moss" colony with "regeneration" abilities that had inhabited the area around the breach was cleared by the raider squad, the Root Continent passed through "Feeding Day".

Meanwhile, the research team also made progress in close combat. With the help of "Hermes", they designed a substance that could contaminate those parasitic and bizarre flesh-and-blood fusion materials.

The task at hand is to find a way to implant this into the body of the Demon King "The Reaper".

But at this time, Shen Ge, who was best suited to do this, was still in the [Root of the World] clearing away the evil energy corruption, so Hephaestus had to find another way.

After discussing it with his caregiver, he decided to borrow the power of the [Root of the World].

The Caretaker Reaper continuously draws life force from the [Root of the World], injecting a life essence with "paralyzing" and "soothing" properties into the Reaper's straw.

Hephaestus, who had been waiting for a long time, pressed the launch button.

A specially designed piercing bullet, carrying "flesh-blood fusion material," trailed a blue contrail and pierced the Reaper's massive maw, which was hidden in the thick fog.

"The 'flesh-blood fusion substance' has been successfully deployed! Tracking the signal!" a researcher in charge of monitoring shouted.

On the main control screen, a red dot was rapidly traversing the vast and complex internal structure diagram of the Demon King. It followed the "blood vessel" path of least resistance, pre-planned by the flesh-and-blood fusion material, heading straight for the "main nerve center" where the parasite's main nest was located.

"Thirty seconds to reach the designated location!"

"Ten! Nine! Eight..."

At the very moment the countdown reached zero! "Detonate!"

The flesh-and-blood fusion material, which was used as a "virus carrier," exploded near the main nest!

It did not release destructive energy, but rather a strange energy shock that was carefully modified by the fusion of flesh and blood, and was full of aggression and devouring power.

In Shen Ge's words, to deal with this kind of high-level anomaly, it is better to use a powerful missile than a powerful missile, which can cause an anomaly storm and create two different anomalies that are distorted.

If a storm of strange energy can be stirred up inside the Demon King's belly, even a god would be powerless to save him!

"A breach has been detected near the 'nest'!" the monitor reported.

Kyle, Roca, and the other raider warriors were already waiting at the launch pad. Once the "flesh-blood fusion substance" successfully tore apart the Ghost King's flesh, they would storm into the nests of those parasitic monsters.

Upon receiving the order, Kyle and the others immediately activated their combat mechs.

But they were no longer piloting the cumbersome "Raider-II," but rather a streamlined, agile unit with defensive components and heavy offensive weapons removed.

"nightingale"!
Ten black "Nightingales" jets, their thrusters blasting blue flames, plunged into the gaping wounds in the Reaper's body.

"Activate the environmental simulation combat interface!" Kyle calmly commanded.

Before the words were finished, at the end of the "blood vessels" ahead, several translucent parasitic creatures, as big as trucks and resembling giant amoebas, were attracted to them and wriggled around them!
"Leave it to me!" Kyle roared and was the first to charge forward!
The weapon in his hand was no longer a cutting spear, but a sonic gun that could emit high-frequency infrasound waves.

"Buzz!"

An invisible sound wave struck a "parasitic monster," causing the giant beast's body to tremble violently. Countless cracks instantly appeared on its semi-gelatinous surface, before it finally exploded into a pool of disgusting liquid with a "bang."

“Once you pass through the cardia muscle ring, you’ll reach the digestive gland area. Be careful of corrosion!” Roca warned.

They flew swiftly in their mechs and soon arrived at a "nest" that resembled a giant beehive.

A bizarre scene unfolded: the fungal carpet in the "nest" began to bubble and gurgle, and then something seemed to be trying to squeeze out of it.

With a "poof," the disgusting, viscous fungal carpet exploded, and a fleshy monster, remarkably similar in size to a nightingale, rose from it.

“This is…” Roca was stunned.

“It stole our appearance and ‘copied’ us. Be careful, they might…imitate us!” Kyle shouted.

Sure enough, the next second those fleshy monsters didn't make any unnecessary movements; they simply mimicked their actions and launched their attack.

"boom!"

Kyle's mech collided with his own "copy," a flesh-and-blood monster. Although the other was made of "flesh and blood," its hardness was not much less than that of Nightingale.

Soon, Roca and his teammates found themselves in the same difficult situation.

They discovered that their most proficient attack angles and most habitual evasive maneuvers had all been anticipated, or rather, imitated, by their opponents!

This battle is no longer a contest of pure skill and strength, but more of a test of "reaction." They must kill these flesh-and-blood monsters before they can "imitate" them.

Soon, they reached the center of the "nest".

Kyle gritted his teeth, glanced at Roca who was desperately covering him, and immediately piloted his Nightingale away from the battle, rushing towards the enormous "Hive"!
"Hermes! Link me!"

Kyle crashed directly into the "hive" and began secretly releasing custom-made psychic explosive bombs.

"Installation complete, remove!"

Kyle shouted, and everyone immediately retreated along the planned route.

But there were too many flesh and blood monsters. The two warriors rushed into the monster horde without hesitation, shouting, "Captain, you guys run!" Then, without hesitation, they detonated Nightingale!
"No!"

The massive explosion created a wave of fire that halted the monster's advance, and Kyle and Roca watched helplessly as their teammate died before their eyes.

But they can't stop yet; the "nest" hasn't been detonated!
"Run!" Kyle's eyes were bloodshot.

He dared not turn back, nor could he turn back.

He pushed the thrusters to their limit and followed Roca and the other surviving team members, fleeing towards the gap torn open by the "flesh-and-blood fusion substance".

The explosions behind them, and the sound of blood vessel walls being torn apart by the shockwaves, acted like death knells, forcing them to rush forward headlong.

"We've arrived!" Roca's voice rang out.

The faintly glowing gap was right in front of us!
As Kyle piloted the last mech out and rejoined the others at a safe distance, he pressed the detonator in his hand that connected all the "psychic explosive bombs".

"Rest in peace, brothers."

A surge of strange energy originating from deep within the Reaper's body suddenly erupted, and two different strange energies intertwined, creating a violent strange energy storm!

Huge "muscle bulges" began to appear on the reaper's incredibly tough body.

Those tendons were writhing and expanding wildly, and finally, with a "bang," they exploded, creating bottomless holes in the flesh!
Countless "blood" mixed with fragments of partially digested organs and scorching hot energy gushed wildly from those holes.
[Warning! A massive amount of weird energy has been detected and is spiraling out of control!]

The alarm of "Hermes" sounded continuously.

This means they succeeded!

The results were met in the frontline laboratory, which erupted in cheers, and the researchers who remained behind embraced each other in excitement.

Their creation of the psychic explosive bombs and the flesh-and-blood fusion that resembled a "virus" successfully wounded a psychic king from the inside.

That's the King of Demons!

A year ago, when "Iron Heart" was still a sea fortress made of scrap metal, let alone the Ghost King, even a sixth-tier Ghost could only avoid its attacks.

And now, they are actually able to severely injure a Ghost King with the combat power they have cultivated!
All of this is thanks to that man; his appearance changed them, and he single-handedly created the "Iron Heart," a sea castle.

Meanwhile, the man revered as a god by everyone successfully entered the deepest part of the [Root of the World] by "collapse" the invisible barrier, and found the source of the rampaging evil energy: a... gigantic, monstrous heart!

"Good heavens, if this had happened a few years later, no, a few months later, the [Root of the World] would probably have been merged with that guy in the sky!" (End of Chapter)