Chapter Became A Space Alien Chapter 2
002: Became a Space Castaway
Karek guided me to his dwelling.
Karek’s dwelling was essentially the interior of a ruined spaceship.
There, Karek, who had comfortably removed his helmet, said to me,
“Sit anywhere comfortable.”
When I sat on what was more like a box than a chair and looked at Karek.
I was a little surprised.
Naturally, because Karek wasn’t human.
Karek’s face with his helmet removed.
Red skin, yellow eyes.
An alien with a very small lower jaw and a slightly triangular-shaped skull.
“So, how did you end up here? Tell me.”
Karek sat in front of me.
I calmly nodded and opened my mouth.
“Well….”
The black hole that suddenly appeared on Earth.
After entering that black hole, when I came to my senses, I was here.
When I told him the whole story.
Karek scratched his head and said.
“What… An unlucky friend. Of all places to come here. No, you were sucked into a black hole and survived, so should I say you’re lucky instead?”
Why is he saying such things about this place, this planet?
I asked with a voice tinged with slight anxiety.
“Where is this place?”
“Planet Aketulak. A planet occupied by the Rayvex.”
“Rayvex?”
“Those bugs you saw earlier.”
The alien monsters resemble praying mantises.
Are those monsters called Rayvex?
When I nodded to show I understood, Karek continued speaking.
“They’re powerful bugs that can operate in space, occupying various planets and using spacers as food. The universe has been at war with the Rayvex for a very long time…. This planet here is deep within Rayvex territory.”
“Then….”
With a calm expression.
And in a composed voice, Karek said.
“Actually, I’m in no different situation than you.”
The meaning of being in a situation no different than mine.
Probably Karek also can’t escape from here.
“We call them ‘Space Castaways’. Those who face situations where they can’t return to their home planets due to various circumstances.”
“….”
“Well, you’re a somewhat unique case of becoming a Space Castaway.”
Space Castaway.
Can I never return to Earth now?
What about my parents, who lost both me and Ha-yeon?
When my thoughts reached Ha-yeon like that.
Thud!
I stood up from my seat.
Ha-yeon.
Right, I had to go look for Ha-yeon.
However, if I go out like this, I’ll be done for by the Rayvex.
“Weapons… Could I borrow some weapons?”
At my request, Karek crossed his arms and looked at me.
After thinking for a moment, he asked me.
“Hmm…. Why weapons?”
“My younger sister…. My younger sister might have fallen into this place.”
Ha-yeon, who entered the black hole with me.
Just like I came to this planet.
My sister might have also fallen on this planet.
If so, I need to find her before the Rayvex gets her.
Then Karek calmly shook his head.
“That won’t be the case.”
“I need to check first….”
Then a hologram appeared with a flash in front of me.
The screen shown in that hologram.
An image of something like a map with holes being punched through it.
“What… Is this?”
“The spatial distortion phenomenon that appeared before you fell to this place.”
I checked the image again.
I can see that the spatial distortion phenomenon Karek mentioned occurred a total of 2 times.
“It occurred… Twice?”
“Right. Each spatial distortion phenomenon transported one living entity. One time was you. The other time…. You know without me saying, right?”
The man who was killed by the Rayvex.
That man is the protagonist of the second spatial distortion phenomenon.
“No spatial distortion phenomenon has occurred since then. So, your sister can’t be here.”
I slumped down in my seat.
Should I say it’s rather fortunate?
When I was pondering the situation I’m currently in.
Despair rising from deep within my heart.
“Can I… Return to Earth?”
I became a Space Castaway.
I don’t know where my sister is either.
There’s no way to return to Earth.
Actually, even surviving on this planet is uncertain.
Can I… Return to Earth?
While I was swimming in endless despair.
Karek spoke to me.
“Well, if you survive.”
When I looked at Karek.
He said in a matter-of-fact voice.
“Someday you might be able to go, don’t you think?”
And he extended his hand to me.
While I was looking at him with a blank expression.
“I’ll help you survive. Of course, if you want.”
I looked at Karek’s hand.
The meaning was to grab that hand if I wanted to survive.
And, my choice was….
Grab!
Only one.
Right, if I survive.
Then, the hope that someday I might be able to return to Earth.
I wanted to hold onto that hope.
***
Karek taught me many things.
Combat-related skills, information necessary for survival.
He taught me everything from scientific theories to cosmic civilization technology.
“Oh! Found it. This is it.”
“Is this that thing? The computer that’s implanted in the body?”
“Precisely, it’s a device called Macron.”
The syringe Karek was holding.
He approached me with that syringe and said.
“Billions of microscopic devices, Macrons, will circulate through your bloodstream and perform various functions. The biggest one is the translation function, wound healing, strength enhancement, mentally, it also alleviates things like fear and terror, and improves memory and learning ability too. By the way, it also has identification and account functions, so it’ll be useful even when you leave here.”
A nearly omnipotent device that does everything.
Karek, who brought the syringe to my arm, said as if warning.
“It’ll sting a little.”
“It’s okay.”
And the moment Karek inserted the syringe into my arm.
Pshing!
Along with the sound, intense pain was felt in my arm.
I cried out in shock.
“Agh! That’s not a little!”
“You’re quite a complainer. First check if the Macron is operating normally.”
“Just a moment.”
Then, information became visible in my field of vision.
[Macron updating. 30% …40% …55% …100%.]
[Macron update complete.]
[Macron is operating normally.]
[Outputting Macron user information.]
[Name: Kim Chan-hyeok
Species: Human (Unregistered species)
Planet: Earth (Unregistered planet)
Status: Normal
Physical Power: 0.5
Saper Grade: 0.2
Saper Code: None]
It appears to be operating normally.
I nodded to Karek beside me and said.
“It’s operating normally.”
“What about the user information?”
“It appeared. But what are Physical Power and Saper Grade?”
“Let me see it on screen.”
“Just a moment.”
I displayed my user information in hologram form in front of Karek.
Karek, who saw the user information, said with a bitter expression.
“As expected, it’s terrible.”
Right, I don’t know what it is, but my stats are low.
I said to Karek with a voice containing a slight complaint.
“…Could you explain first before criticizing?”
“Physical Power is energy that strengthens the body. When Physical Power becomes strong, you can move stronger and faster, going beyond that to surpass the limits of your species. If you know the method, it’s possible for any species to increase their Physical Power.”
Beyond physical enhancement, can you surpass the limits of your species?
Is it some kind of fundamental energy for living beings?
I nodded and asked Karek.
“What about Saper Grade?”
“It’s a quantification of Saper energy that allows you to use superpowers. The higher the grade, the more and stronger energy you possess. Usually, it’s mostly innate. Unlike Physical Power, it’s extremely difficult to increase it artificially.”
“Then what is Saper Code?”
“It’s a device that allows you to use specific superpowers based on Saper energy. For example, if you equip a code containing a spatial movement superpower and inject Saper energy into this code, you can use the spatial movement ability.”
I’d need to see the real thing to understand 100%.
Well, if I compare it to fantasy, I could understand it like an artifact imbued with magic.
It would be like injecting mana into a bracelet with built-in fireball magic to shoot out a fireball.
Now, to summarize what I’ve heard so far.
I’m at a level with almost no Physical Power or superpowers.
However.
“Since you said Physical Power can be increased artificially, I should do training to increase Physical Power, right?”
The hint in Karek’s words.
He definitely said that any species can increase Physical Power if they know the method.
Then, to survive here, I need to train in Physical Power.
“Right. You’re quick to catch on. You need to do Physical Power training.”
I need to become strong.
Only then won’t I be defeated by the Rayvex.
“Then how do I train Physical Power?”
Physical Power training that can increase Physical Power.
To my question, Karek said.
“Shall we run first?”
“Pardon?”
“Run.”
“How… Much?”
To my anxious question.
Karek said in a calm voice.
“Until just before you die.”
***
The method to increase Physical Power.
Basically, Physical Power increases when it’s consumed and then replenished.
Then, it increases the most when all Physical Power is consumed.
But in a state where you can’t even feel Physical Power and don’t know how to use it?
It’s very simple.
You just need to exhaust your stamina to the limit.
A body that reaches its limits naturally draws upon and uses Physical Power too.
Macron helps consume and recover Physical Power.
Moreover, if you wear equipment for Physical Power training.
When Physical Power recovers, you can increase even more Physical Power.
Right, that’s the reason I’m running now.
“Ugh! Huff… Huff, …Damn it!”
“You’re still far off. Run more.”
“I’m going to die at this rate!”
“It’s better than actually dying, isn’t it?”
“….”
I had nothing to say.
Because it really was better than actually dying.
“Hurry up and run, you need to use your stamina to the limit. If you rest and recover stamina, you’ll have to run even more.”
“Damn it….”
Especially in the early stages, stamina consumption is even more important.
Because the only way to consume Physical Power is to move the body to its limits.
Still, if there’s something somewhat gratifying
[Name: Kim Chan-hyeok
Planet: Earth (Unregistered planet)
Status: Exhausted
Physical Power: 0.9
Saper Grade: 0.2
Possessed Saper: None]
Physical Power that was 0.5.
Not many days have passed, but it has increased to 0.9.
Since my Physical Power was so low, the increase rate was also fast.
Increasing this was quite a gratifying task.
***
“Today we’re going out to explore a crashed spaceship.”
“Spaceship exploration?”
Then Karek showed me a hologram.
That hologram was showing a location with wreckage of spaceships.
What I see in that location.
“It looks to be in better condition than other spaceships?”
The exterior looks surprisingly intact, and there don’t seem to be many damaged areas.
Karek nodded at my words.
“It’s the most recently crashed spaceship. I haven’t been able to check what’s inside yet.”
“When did this spaceship crash?”
“About 300 days by this planet’s standard?”
“300 days is… Not recent, though?”
By Earth standards, it’s been over almost a year since the spaceship crashed from space without being able to explore it.
When I made a puzzled sound, Karek said in a voice as if it couldn’t be helped.
“When spaceships crash, the Rayvex swarm to them. They use everything alive inside as food.”
“That’s… Quite horrifying.”
“Whether they think there might be spacers hiding inside, they even keep watch for quite a long time.”
When I nodded to show I understood, Karek looked at me and continued speaking.
“Anyway, recently, the surveillance has become lax. Since there are no Rayvex around, we should be able to explore it sufficiently by ourselves. If there are necessary things, let’s bring them out.”
“Are there any items we should bring out? Like food?”
“Food? Just what’s piled up there would feed you alone for 200 years, do you need more?”
Supply rations brought from the spaceship.
Beyond filling the warehouse, they’re piled up to mountain level.
Right, in space where technology is so advanced, creating food and water was inferior technology.
Naturally, food and water were plentiful.
“Food is… Unnecessary. Then what should we bring?”
“We’ll have to see when we get there, but it would be good to find something like this.”
Flash!
A transparent device reminiscent of a battery.
A stone contained within it.
White aurora spreads like waves from that stone.
“What… Is that?”
Beyond mysteriousness to the point where admiration bursts forth.
It was an extraordinary stone at first glance.
What exactly is the identity of this stone?
Karek answered my words.
“Heranite. It’s used as power for spaceships, and especially essential power for spatial movement.”
“Spatial movement means… We might be able to escape this planet?”
“If there are many of these stones, it’s not impossible.”
Power that can escape this place.
When I was making a surprised expression, Karek said.
“Now you understand why I explore spaceship interiors?”
“Yes. I think I understand.”
Karek must be planning to escape this place by collecting many of those stones.
That’s why he explores spaceship interiors.
Karek, who handed me a gun, said.
“You haven’t forgotten how to shoot, have you?”
“Of course not.”
Karek taught me how to shoot and operate guns.
It is actually a laser gun.
The method of shooting a laser gun that doesn’t exist on Earth was so fascinating and fun that I could never forget it.
“Then let’s go.”
I moved to the spaceship with Karek.
We moved while being as vigilant as possible.
But no Rayvex were visible until we arrived near the spaceship.
Thus, arriving at the spaceship to explore.
When I surveyed the surroundings.
“…It’s a Rayvex.”
A Rayvex near the spaceship.
Moving around, surveying the surroundings as if sniffing for scents.
“What should we do?”
“It’s not one guarding the spaceship; it seems to have come out on patrol around the area. Let’s deal with it quickly.”
Karek quietly raised his gun.
Then, suddenly thinking of something, he lowered his gun and looked at me.
“Want to try it?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. You’ll have to deal with disgustingly many of them from now on, so it’s right to get experience quickly.”
I nodded and raised my gun.
Then aiming at the Rayvex.
Very slowly….
I carefully pulled the trigger.
At that moment.
Boom!
The Rayvex’s head exploded in one shot.
I looked at Karek and said.
“That was clean, right?”
“Not bad.”
That’s when it was.
A message appeared in my field of vision.
[Saper Grade has been adjusted.]
“Huh?”
Why was my Saper Grade suddenly adjusted?
When I made a puzzled sound, Karek asked me.
“What’s suddenly wrong?”
“Well, …A notification appeared saying Saper Grade was adjusted.”
“From Macron?”
“Yes. Let me check for a moment.”
Checking my status with Macron.
[Name: Kim Chan-hyeok
Physical Power: 0.9
Saper Grade: 0.5
Possessed Saper: None]
The Saper Grade that was originally 0.2 has been changed to 0.5.
“Uh…. My Saper Grade went up.”
“Suddenly? By how much?”
“It increased from 0.2 to 0.5. Why is this happening?”
When I looked at Karek, there was a very flustered expression and reaction.
Right, I could tell from that reaction.
Karek also doesn’t know why my Saper Grade went up.
What… Is going on here?