KILL ALL KAIJU Chapter 29 : Chapter 29 - Black Hole

If there was one nice thing about growing larger and larger as a Kaiju, it was how traveling got asurably easier the bigger Ryker grew. Stepping forward over a small stream that would have impeded any human, the Kaiju’s foot sank deep into the mud on the other side. Undeterred by the deep muck, he left terrifyingly large imprints of his clawed tread in his wake and casually brushed aside the lowest hanging green leaves of tree crowns like they were errant branches. It was almost surreal to rember that his new body after rebirth had been shorter than the average person. Not much ti had passed since then, yet he was already over three tis his original size. Instead of being forced to weave his way around rocks and stray shrubs, he simply plowed forward. Entire bushes scraped against his ankles and calves as he trudged through without pausing, not a single scratch on his scales to show for it. The man turned monster treated the curve of the land more like a suggestion to be ignored rather than a rule to be followed.

Radio static buzzed in Ryker’s ears as he finally tuned out of the news station he was listening to. He’d wanted to be up-to-date with the news regarding other Kaiju appearing or any military responses to them, but he could only sigh at the lack of concrete updates beyond a generic and repeating “Wildlife Warning,” which irritated him the more he heard it.

Probably the most warning they can give normal people without freaking everyone out. Ryker admitted sourly. If only he didn’t have to worry about causing a butterfly effect, getting captured and experinted on by the governnt, or accidentally jump-starting Kaiju cults by revealing himself, maybe he’d be shouting news about Kaiju from the rooftops—well, roaring to be more accurate, since words were beyond him at the mont.

Then again, even if I could speak, what would I say? “Hey, everyone, monster eggs are gonna start popping up in random places. Don’t know where or why, but please don’t get eaten by them. My job is already hard enough as it is without you feeding the enemy right after they spawn. Also, they’re gonna grow big enough to stomp your houses flat, so sell everything you have and move into the cities when you can, okay? Large cities are more defensible than suburbs and condos.” Ryker thought whimsically, a sharp-toothed smile on his muzzle.

The Kaiju was about to tune back into the radio waves and find sothing nice to listen to while he walked, when suddenly his control over the airwaves slipped, his concentration broken as he stumbled forward and caught himself on a tree that creaked in protest. For a brief mont, as he pulled himself up, he stopped. For the first ti in hours, Ryker stood still and let the natural sounds of the forest brush over his scales along with the wind. Taking a few steady but deep breaths, in and out, the Kaiju let his aching muscles recover for a mont. A slight grimace followed suit as he removed his claws from the bark of the tree he’d bent, rolling his shoulder to work out the familiar feeling of a pulled muscle in an unfamiliar body. The monstrous strength and stamina of his new body were things Ryker hadn’t just taken for granted; they were traits he’d used and abused repeatedly from the mont he hatched. Despite knowing he was driving an organic body instead of the machines he used to pilot, it was still nearly a surprise when he felt genuine soreness in his muscles. “Tired” was simply a word he’d never thought would apply to Kaiju until he beca one.

I’ve been going for what? Five, maybe six hours? Or has it been more? Ryker pondered as he looked up through the tree canopy. The view was instantly familiar—a near-perfect replica of the one he had upon waking from his sleeping spot under a tree. He’d found it so ti after he’d raided the warehouse to gain his Capstone—well, after fleeing out of the large town it was in. At that ti, he’d slept twice as long as he would have liked, nearly ten whole hours. Ryker hadn’t been happy about it in the slightest when he’d first woken up. But it made sense in hindsight; the combination of his own fatigue and the strain of gaining a Capstone ability must have done a number on his body.

Blinking at an annoyingly accurate sunbeam that hit his eye, Ryker took a small step back, only about five feet. No longer rushing to head north, he couldn’t help but pause and properly look at his surroundings and the things he’d been trying to blur by.

The clearing was picturesque, like the last scene of a dream before you opened your eyes. Always reached for even as it was forgotten. Clung to even as it slipped away.

Through a gallery of leaves, the yellowing light of the afternoon sun poured through, appearing to cascade downward in streaks of pale gold. The Kaiju’s reptilian gaze followed the soft light to the ground, where it t the earth in brushes large and small. It was like watching sunlight be painted across the speckled green canvas making up the forest floor, every stroke seemingly guided by the gentle hand of the wind moving through the leaves.

For a mont, albeit short, Ryker forgot the crushing weight of responsibility on his shoulders and the burning need in his chest to push further and further. Standing at the edge of the clearing, Ryker’s large form held still, taking slow breaths as he allowed himself a mont to stare. Even his tail refused to move lest it shatter the stillness in the air.

Truthfully, he was reluctant to give himself any kind of break when he knew he could keep going. He’d made great progress journeying north, even taking into account the half dozen detours he’d inevitably taken around busy highways, towns, and suburbs. Not to ntion, he moved partway into the Appalachian Mountains to avoid any pockets of humanity that might bar his path. He should keep going, but maybe…

Just a short rest. Ryker thought tiredly with a small nod to himself. Then I’ll get back to it.

His first step forward into the clearing was tentative: more like a shy guest at an open door, hesitating before entering, and less like a monster claiming territory. So part of him hunched, fearing that the tranquility in the air might reject him. But there was nothing—only the coolness of the shaded grass under his pads as his claws curled to furrow into the earth.

Just a little break. Ryker promised ‌himself as he moved forward. Before he knew it, he stood at the clearing’s center, standing right over the softest bit of ground he’d ever seen.

Should keep listening for any chatter on Kaiju. Could be… updates on the news. Ryker thought chanically as he made to sit down on the grass, the Kaiju sagging toward the ground with as much grace as manageable, succeeded by his legs folding under him. His body followed quickly, and the monster soon sprawled bonelessly across the grass with a heavy thud, eyes fluttering close as the coolness of the earth and the warmth of the sun pressed against his scales. A puff of air sent a smattering of leaves gusting away from his face as he let out a sigh that was part grateful relief and part simple satisfaction.

Even as he lay on the ground, so relaxed that even his tail lay limp and unmoving, a piece of Ryker wanted to get up imdiately and continue north, his tiredness be damned. He knew more than anyone what was at stake and on the line every mont he wasn’t pushing to get stronger or working on stopping the monsters that would bring about the end of the world. That knowledge was like a constant pressure at the back of his mind; he could almost hear it chastising him for not making better use of his ti.

Just five minutes. Ryker promised himself as he nestled his head against the grass and leaves. I won’t be long. Then I’ll… keep going.

Internally, Ryker waged a small battle within his mind over allowing himself this small mont of peace. His relentless drive gave way after a mont, after part of him pointed out that—if five minutes was the difference between Storm Breaker being stopped before it grew too powerful and it ascending into Stage Two or beyond, then at that point, humanity would be screwed no matter what he did.

For a blessed few minutes, Ryker was content to not move at all. Or think as he watched sunlight dance across the fallen leaves. They moved as one with the wind in disparate patterns, the branches above swaying fast and slow. I forgot how much I missed the wind. Ryker thought absently as he breathed in, low and deep. Feeling the coolness of the breeze across his scales, the Kaiju was almost glad for once that his lack of clothing ant he could feel more of sothing across his whole body. Almost. To say nothing of which, his hide was now thick enough for him to rest comfortably while lying out in the open without being bothered by the sticks and rocks under his back, as well as bruising or shivering uncontrollably.

There was never any wind in Typhon, was there... Not like this. The closest to it was standing below one of the air recycling vents, and it was never fresh like this. Ryker thought appreciatively.

Gauging how much ti had passed was impossible without a more tangible ans to asure it, but Ryker appreciated that particular difficulty. Without clocks to asure his break, he could rest with no anxiety from any kind of countdown looming over him, ready to blare once ti was up.

Man,I’m actually kinda tired for once. Ryker admitted as he felt his tail rise slightly before it gave up and drooped on the ground behind him. The forrly awkward appendage now mirrored his mood and fatigue like he’d been born to it.

Wouldn’t be this tired if I’d gone with Slow Twitch Muscle Fibers as a modifier instead of the Fast Twitch epigenetic mod, but that’s the price you pay for wanting to hit fast and hard. Lose a bit of endurance in the process. Ryker thought with a slight nod that rustled the dirt under his head, not regretting his choice even if part of him wished he could have the utility it offered. If he’d gone with the Slow Twitch mod instead, he’d likely see a noticeable increase in endurance. It would’ve been extrely useful, considering his need to make longer treks from one world-ending Kaiju to another. That benefit wasn’t flashy, but sotis, it was the simple things that made the most difference. Even considering the lack of combat applications, it might have shone had he taken it. Admittedly, he was still the type to end fights as fast as possible, but sotis the most brutal fights were decided by exhausting and outlasting an opponent.

At the brief thought of his choice of epigenetic modifiers for his abilities, Ryker sighed. Old instincts welled up inside him, prompting a brief brainstorm about what he had to do next. He had so ti to spare after all, so why not?

Systems check. Ryker thought as he smiled slightly. Biological body or not, it was still sothing his brain was piloting. Back when he was still training with his Armor, he’d often forget to run the drill, too focused on increasing his score in the simulators to rember. Thankfully, his superiors had been kind enough to beat this habit—and so many others—into him until it stuck.

Let’s see… Vision? Check. Hearing? Check. Taste, touch, sll? Check, check, check. The Kaiju thought as he made sure none of his senses were impaired. Then ca a deep breath of air for the lungs, check. A claw held up to his neck to check his heart rate. A little fast, but maybe that’s a feature, not a bug. I feel fine. No pain or anything, so… check.

Ryker shifted slightly from where he lay on the ground, kind of glad about having sothing he could put his mind to. He ntally examined his body by feel, and with practically chanical interest, he relaxed and tensed different parts of his body as he moved them. Starting from his head and neck, he tested their range of motion before moving down to his shoulders, rotating the ball joints in their sockets.

Even for a standard systems check, Ryker’s thod was a bit over the top, but he didn’t mind. It was an old habit he’d learned to like back in the day. When he was piloting the early first-gen series of Armors, it had been an essential step to gauge the level of strain in the gears and hydraulics since the Armor’s computers then couldn’t asure anything accurately. A part of him wanted so kind of system to work off of; so numbers and graphs would have been helpful—but it was just the small pilot part of him longing for old things speaking. If anything, he was almost too aware of how his body felt. The tired, aching feeling radiating out of his lower body was a clear ssage from his thighs and calves that they didn’t appreciate being worked so hard for so long. He barely had to tense those to tell how they felt.

Legs? Stupidly sore. Probably strained from overusing the Capstone. I didn’t even turn the thing off until I got clear of that town. Though maybe I can do sothing about the aches. Ryker thought as he grimaced. Wincing slightly at the unpleasant ache he could feel in his muscles and bones, Ryker did his best to stretch his legs out as he lay on the ground. He wasn’t sure if Kaiju cramps were a thing, but he wasn’t about to tempt fate with such an easy win if he could help it.

The monster slowly shifted his position on the ground, then drew his leg to his chest, kneading his thighs and calves. If it were only sore muscles like one would get from an intense workout, it would've been manageable. To his misfortune, the literal bone-deep pain in his leg persisted despite his clawed fingers’ attempt to soothe it.

Rrgh—damn vibrations! Using that shit in my legs so much makes it feel like I turned my bones into subwoofers. Damnit, I just wanted to make sure I was quiet, not turn my bones into a pair of fucking femur maracas—guhh, that stings. Ryker complained as he firmly pressed into a knot of muscle with a clawed thumb. The scales under his fingers visibly dimpled under the force he had to apply to get past their bulletproof durability as he switched legs.

Despite increasing in size after pilfering the warehouse, he found it easier to make his way out of the small city compared to sneaking in. The increased efficacy of his Shock Absorbing Muscle Fibers post-Capstone had helped significantly reduce the sound and impact of his footsteps, even more so after he combined it with Glacier Fang’s trick to emit counter vibrations into the ground. Ryker had been able to move stealthily to a downright spooky degree, which was all the more frightening given that his entire body was built for terror and destruction.

Beck did say that the Capstone improved every ability that ca before, but man was he underselling it. Ryker thought absently, his body putting up a moderate protest through aches and pains as he worked past the worst of the soreness. I should check each ability, too, just to be thorough: pinpoint what modifiers they’re missing and put together a proper build.

It was high ti he did sothing like that. By locking in the entire Musculoskeletal segnt, he could finally focus on the other two gene segnts and have one less thing to worry about. He should’ve done this earlier, but it was hard to stick to plans when life kept on throwing curveballs. It was just a never-ending series of little things: like waking up in a body that was the wrong species, overly worrying about the butterfly effects of his every action, thus causing a catastrophe in this new tiline, and… being unable to secure a steady stream of coffee or caffeine of any kind.

After finally massaging the worst of the ultrasonic ache out of his calves, Ryker flopped onto his back with a long sigh of relief. Arms and legs splayed bonelessly outward as he gave himself a mont to recover from his ordeal.

What’s next, my tail? How’s that feeling… like crap. Damnit. Why is my tail so damn sore all of a… Ah, right. Tail acts as a counterbalance. Makes sense with all the uneven terrain I traveled over. It might have worked overti a bit. Ryker mused, intentionally not reminding himself of every test he’d put it under on the way here; like how he’d used it on stray branches to gauge its range, how he'd tested his control by trying to strike leaves while leaving others untouched, and that one ti he’d used it full force on the trunk of a tree to see how deep a dent he could make.

Ryker tried to curl his tail to the front to see what he could do about it, but the bulk of it was trapped under his own weight. The thin end of its length flailed around, trying but failing to follow Ryker’s intention.

Ishould probably move. As the unmoving Kaiju thought to himself, refusing to budge for his own abused tail, the uncovered part of the tail gave up on signaling for help. It vainly fought to push a scaled thigh off a bigger part of itself, freeing that part bit by bit as Ryker refused to move his tired legs at all costs. What followed was an exercise in peak laziness as Ryker shifted his body one part at a ti, gradually freeing his trapped tail. Determined to topple its oppressor, the tail worked until it had enough leverage to force its way under its tyrant’s back, coiling itself into a powerful spring. With a heave of imnse effort, Ryker’s tail pushed up and up, at last managing to overthrow the very being that kept them down and lifting the monster slightly above the ground…

…rolling Ryker onto his side as he yawned.

After that nightmare-inducing display of teeth—supposedly a yawn—Ryker gave in. He let his victorious tail slip into his grip to care for it, intending to make up for all the abuse he put it through. Though utterly clueless about soothing the aches out of a creature’s tail, the little bit he was doing seed to kinda help at least.

Am I supposed to start rubbing at the base and work my way up toward the tip, or is it the other way around? Ryker thought, perplexed, his claws freezing on his tail. His inhuman face showed a pained grimace as he released his hold, shaking his head at himself for what just passed through his thoughts.

Ugh.That sounded better in my head before I said it… thought it… acted on it? Ah, hell. Screw it. No one’s ever gonna know what I’m saying or thinking. I can be as stupid in my head as I want, damnit. Ryker thought as he gripped his sore tail again and resud caring for it.

Yep…Nothing wrong with stroking your tail after a long day.Nothing at all. Ryker thought, chuckling softly to himself at the absurd scene he must have made while working the sores out of the last part of his body.

As much as Ryker genuinely felt sore, he had yet to approach the level of strain or weariness a human body would have felt after covering such a distance nonstop—especially over complex terrain. Had he been like any other human, exhaustion would’ve knocked him out a couple dozen miles back. Fortunately for him, he was now a Kaiju, so he only felt moderately fatigued. It wasn’t even the long walk that drained him, but his overuse of a Capstone ability. If he hadn’t pressed the bones in his legs so hard trying to stay quiet, he might not be in pain at all. Maybe next ti he could sneak around without almost shaking the marrow right out of them.

After a minute of trying to work the soreness out of his tail—sothing he wasn’t sure if actually effective or just the result of a placebo—Ryker released his grip and let it spool behind him, taking a deep breath in. Content to simply exist for a mont without moving, he lay upon the ground with eyes closed. Even the patch of grass under his head felt extra comfortable.

No rest for the wicked, co on, you. We’re not done yet—there’s more to check. Ryker groaned as hespurred himself to action… slowly. He almost felt like a cadet again, forcing himself out of the comfort of his bed to prepare for the strictly scheduled suffering of pilot school.

And so, the slayer of monsters and lone hero of mankind found himself in a clearing, locked in a minute-long ntal struggle to achieve the basic act of standing as he rocked back and forth, trying to generate enough montum to rise from his position on the ridiculously comfy grass that constantly tempted him to just stay down.

The odds stacked against him, and he very nearly gave in to the pressure of those soft green blades brushing his scales. But once again, Ryker prevailed.

Ahhh, alright! I’m up. I’m up. Ryker complained as he finally rolled onto all fours. He was too worn out to even be annoyed at how naturally his body moved into the stance. His limbs stretched out, filling most of the clearing as his back arched like a giant house cat. A bone-deep shiver traveled from his core out to his limbs, finally passing through the length of his tail, making it convulse like a spasming eel before the whole of him relaxed with a deep, settling sigh.

Hmm. That’s better. Ryker nodded to himself as he took a few tentative steps forward, almost rising onto two legs before realizing sothing, then sighing and retaining his original position. He didn’t need to stand on two legs for the next part. If anything, this was the best position to begin checking his abilities and their modifiers.

Don’t like to let stuff like this just slide. I want to get as good a grasp as possible on the changes that might have occurred due to the Capstone. Ryker thought to himself as he lifted his head, then ntally cataloged how many abilities he’d be checking overall. If he only wanted a clearer picture of what was happening in his body, looking at the Musculoskeletal Segnt for changes would be enough—it had five abilities, including the Capstone, with only four modifiers unlocked across the whole segnt.

It was slightly surprising that he had yet to unlock so many modifiers, not only there but also in the other Gene Segnts. But after so thought, Ryker decided it made sense. From the beginning, he hadn’t focused on any individual Gene Segnt. Instead, he spread himself razor-thin, acquiring abilities from different segnts to beco as adaptable as possible. Though sowhat out of sync with his usual style and philosophy for combat, he deed it very necessary. As much as he would love to force his Kaiju body to grow guns, on guns, on guns to pick up where he’d left off in his old life, reality was far more limiting.

Too unfocused.I’ve got to change things up. If I’m not careful, by the ti I’m ready to evolve to Stage Two, I’ll be bouncing around my entire geno, trying to unlock mods for abilities that could have been more useful had I stopped a mont to think about getting them. Ryker chided himself as he subconsciously listed the alarmingly large number of epigenetic modifiers he could still unlock to further enhance his abilities.

Test the abilities first, then the changes to their modifiers. I can go back and try unlocking more after I see what the Capstone’s done to . Starting with… Increased Muscle Fiber Density.

Nodding his head, still on all fours, Ryker started moving in circles around the clearing at a slow pace, trying to gauge if any additional changes were affecting his movent—ones he didn’t notice during his hike or when he worked out the soreness in his legs.

A full minute passed. Then another. Until five full minutes had gone by. Ryker stopped before he accidentally embedded a circle-shaped trench into the ground with his heavy steps. Though he found it difficult to feel the change at first, there was definitely sothing there.

An increase in strength? Or maybe it’s efficiency?Hm…both? Ryker pondered as he rose to his two legs. Moving at a snail’s speed, he tried to feel out the alterations made by the Capstone. The improvent to his muscles wasn’t focused in a single area, nor was it substantial enough to be considered a flat multiplier or addition to his existing strength. It was small—a single-digit increase in performance, the kind any Armor would get from a routine software update. No matter how little, Ryker was more than willing to welco them as he tested the modifiers he’d gained for it.

And he knew the best way to do just that.

Off in the distance was a sizable boulder that could be seen through the trees. The thing less rounded and more of a giant slab than a proper boulder. The sight of it making Ryker wince internally as he rembered exactly how many tries it had taken to force his body to gain his Fast Twitch and Shock Absorbing Muscle Fibers. The resulting groaning growl that left Ryker’s throat was almost enough to shake the leaves above his head off their branches as he let himself fall forward. Catching himself with his hands on the ground as he shifted his legs into position, halfway between a sprinter’s crouch and a monster preparing to pounce.

Best get this out of the way before I think of a better way to test this. Ryker thought, resigned to his fate as he dug his claws into the earth. Letting a little ultrasonic shiver pulse into his hind claws so they’d sink in deep for so extra grip. Grass and dirt gave way until he felt the hard packed cool damp of soil unward by the sun. Ryker allowed himself a mont to breathe deep as he stared ahead as unbidden thoughts swirled in his head. Would asphalt feel like that one day? Once when he was as big as the kinds of Kaiju he fought to keep out of cities? Warm on top but cool underneath if he dug his claws into it?

Life was easier when I got paid to get in giant robots and kill monsters. Ryker thought, dismissing his questions as he snorted out a puff of air through his nostrils like a bull. Right before he charged like one too.

The ground thundered apart as Ryker exploded forwards. Covering the entire distance of the clearing in seconds as he ran into the forest branches breaking apart as he ran into them gaining speed. Heralding his arrival as he launched himself at the boulder with his entire body weight behind his charge. Ryker was ready for the the pain of the rock forcing him to account for all the kinetic force he’d thrown against it. What he wasn’t prepared for was the rock breaking apart as he hit it.

Crackoom!

What followed was a rather undignified squawk of surprise as a Kaiju fell into and through what should have been the immovable object to his unstoppable force. A small cloud of dust and dirt clouded the air as Ryker rose to sit among the rubble and large pieces of surviving boulder. Using one of the biggest pieces to serve as back support as his embarrassing tumble fought against his self-satisfied pride at besting one of his greatest foes. He shook his head as he brushed the small rocks from his head.

Ughh. If I’d have known that was going to happen I would have found a bigger rock. Ryker complained. Tossing a few hundred pounds of rock off his tail where it had been montarily pinned as he reviewed his performance. It had been a good while since he’d had an all out sprint. Sa for a good test of how well he absorbed blunt force trauma. But the results spoke for themselves. Alright, testing for first Musculoskeletal ability is done.Small but asurable improvent to muscular efficiency and strength overall. Sa for both modifiers. Check. Now onto the good stuff or rather the mod that makes up the good stuff.

Standing to his feet, tail lashing curiously behind him Ryker examined the white ends of bone lying flush against his forearms.

Don’t feel anything different off the bat. They feel about the sa as they did before. Ryker thought as he lifted his arms above his head and rotated them around as though he could find visible evidence of the Capstone’s effects on them.

Increased Bone Density wasn’t the kind of ability Ryker could test, since testing the limits of it would likely involve breaking a bone or two. But the Bone Needle modifier that was a part of it was easy to test.

Raising his right arm towards the nearest tree Ryker flexed his arm, feeling all the bone needles flare outward as one of them disappeared from sight as it was drawn into the hollow of his forearm. Ryker braced his left claw along the at of his right arm to help with his accuracy as he sighted on the trunk of the tree between his fingers. Shifting targets to a tree farther away as he frowned slightly, wondering what target would be the best to use for testing.

While he was considering Ryker’s eyes landed on an old log a few steps away. The thing looked old but not completely rotten and was about half the size of his leg. The Kaiju paused staring at the log with his arm still raised for an extra half second before deciding it would make for an excellent target.

Pull. Ryker thought with a smile as his tail whipped back to coil around the log and pulled on it with monstrous strength. The log only holding onto the ground for a split second as the moss and green that had grown on it tore apart as Ryker flung the log into the air like it was a clay pigeon for target practice.

Fwik!

Before the wood could reach the zenith of its arc a bone needle speared through it. The white bone nearly piercing through the log as it spun from the force of the shot. It’s trajectory altering by a noticeable margin as Ryker forced another needle to shunt into his arm as he fired again and again.

Fwik! Fwik!

With a crash of cracking wood the log finally impacted the ground. Skewered by three needles of bone across its length. The first shot had been dead center while the second had been thrown off center by the spin the log in the air. The final needle was piercing the log at a weird angle, almost on the end of the log as Ryker had barely gotten that shot off before the target had hit the ground.

Tch. Damn single shot Kaiju needle launcher. Ryker cursed as he curled his claw into a fist and walked towards the log with lumbering steps. Grumbling about Kaiju not having belt fed ammo feeders or more accurate targeting systems. Crouching down and looming over the large log made tiny compared to Ryker’s larger fra, the Kaiju turned it over and examined the Bone Needles in more detail. Pulling the worst aid one out to examine as he held it up before his face.

I’ll be damned that is a bit bigger isn’t it. Ryker confird as he held out the needle to compare against a nearby tree branch. asuring it more by feel and sight rather than a more accurate asurent. The needle looked about the sa size to Ryker as it had always been but it was about six inches bigger than it had been when he’d first gotten the modifier.

About three feet in length now. Nice. Nice, but I don’t think that’s the Capstone at work. Ryker furrowing his brow as he fiddled with the bone needle between his claws while he thought. It was more likely the larger bone needles were more due to his increasing size than anything the Capstone had done. Staring down at the white bone as he held it in a green scaled palm. Ryker ran a claw over it and imagined what it would look like once it was big enough to do so real damage. Then he rembered that he didn’t have to imagine that at all. He’d seen what Spike Jackal was capable of first hand with these very bone needles as well as Blade Wolf. Let alone the heavily mutated versions created by Stage Two Kaiju like Ri Raven, Dust Devil, or Jade Viper.

Or Searing Havoc, or Silent Night, andPrismatic Nail. Broken Queen… and Wicked Halcyon... Ryker continued with a sigh as he brought his mind back to the present as he looked down at the Bone Needle in his claws. All too aware of the kinds of destructive potential it could gain in ti. His own Armor had been capable of great destruction as well but he’d never been ard with projectiles that leaked burning or corrosive bone marrow long after they’d been fired.

I’ll have to be extra careful once I hit Stage Two. Make sure any mutations these needles gain aren’t the kind that can harm people or infrastructure if they miss a target or get left on the field after a fight. Ryker thought as he looked at the bone needle he was holding one last ti before tossing it into the dirt and standing up to his full height. Ready to move onto the next modifier he had, or rather what modifier he was going to lock in for his Second Musculoskeletal Ability.

Bone Spikes. Ryker paused as he focused on the modifier in his mind’s eye. He’d already thought out his reasoning for it over the Bone Armor a while ago. He didn’t need to weigh himself down with a cumberso bone exoskeleton that slowed him down and incentivized crushing attacks. Not when he was clearly moving towards a build that was better tailored for striking fast and hard.

This will grow spikes out from my spine. If I recall they should continue down the base of my… yup.They will. Ryker thought as he checked the feeling the locked modifier gave him and the other changes it would bring. One of his claws simultaneously tracing the places where he could feel they would erupt as he dragged a claw down his back to the base of his tail. The appendage slipping through his grip as he moved along its length a ways before the spikes petered out. Getting spikes along his tail would reduce its utility he supposed but it would more than make up for it by increasing its lethality against his opponents. And if there was one thing Ryker was always in favor of, it was increased lethality.

The spikes here will be facing backwards since they’ll be forming on the ends of my elbows. Ryker thought as he ran a claw over the back of each elbow. Imagining the spikes of bone that would form on each as he paced at a slow walk that brought him back to that familiar clearing, the increased length of his stride eating up the distance. Hrm, I might want to think about sharpening them manually after they form. Simple bladed spikes will limit what I can do withthem in combat. Maybe I can shorten and sharpen them? I’ll think on it after I get them and get a feel for them.

His choice decided the only thing left to do was gain the modifier itself. All it would take was a mont to put his mind in the right ntal space to gain the ability… and break his finger again.

Ryker looked down at his claw with mild resignation. Almost sighing as he rembered how much it had sucked to break his own finger and wait out the pain until it healed. He could still feel a phantom pain throbbing in that finger he’d broken to gain his Bone Needle modifier. He wasn’t sure if it was because it was still healing so residual damage or if it was just protesting how he’d abused it.

Grabbing the finger next to the one he’d broken so recently, Ryker grimaced as he stared at his claws .

I should probably use the sa finger as last ti right?The one I broke before? The Kaiju thought hesitantly. Thinking back to his pilot training and how they’d drilled into him how they should keep damage to their Armor contained and localized to noncritical areas. Better to sacrifice a hand or limb than allow an attack to hit the armored torso.

Gotta keep the damage contained and localized… yeah. Ryker thought as he groaned slightly. Repositioning his claw to grip his recently broken finger. He took a breath and then another. Five seconds passed, then ten. Twenty.

You know what? I can wait on this until I finish System Checks. Ryker nodded to himself convincingly. After all it might get in the way of testing things if I break a finger now.

Secure in the knowledge he was postponing the pain until later. Ryker was about to begin examining his third ability to check for any noticeable changes to his scales when he paused. Staring at his right arm as he noticed the regrowing Bone Needles replacing the ones he’d fired.

They were definitely growing in a touch faster than they usually did. That was a bonus Ryker had been hoping for but it wasn’t what made him stop in place and close his eyes as he tried to feel out the needle growing in his arm.

That feels… different. Ryker thought as he felt along his arm gently. Pressing in lightly with the sa finger he’d considered breaking a mont ago as he tried to sus out what he was feeling as the white end of it started extending out of his forearm.

Ryker waited patiently, focusing intently as he let the three needles grow back in until finally he was looking at the tips of three asurably thicker bone needles flush against his forearm. Standing out compared to the others, the new needles he’d regrown had clear improvents over the old ones.

Smiling in approval Ryker admired the new needles as he stepped out of the clearing. And promptly mag dumped both arms of their inferior bone ammunition into the log he’d shot earlier.

The log, once resting contentedly under the shade of a tree with two bone needles lodged inside it was imdiately pin cushioned by a storm of three foot bone projectiles. Shuddering in place from each shot piercing it until the storm of needles finally ended. The log partially broken in half as it was pinned to the ground by the rciless assault.

Probably could have gone for so extra target practice instead but whatever.Upgraded ammo let’s go! Ryker thought as his tail swished happily behind him as his body slowly reloaded his supply of ammunition with the improved needles.

Flexing his right arm experintally and tired of being unable to see the changes to his only ranged weapon. Ryker waited with an almost giddy impatience as the first of the upgraded Needles finally grew into place. The Kaiju not even waiting a mont before he loaded it into his arm to test fire it.

Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Ryker thought excitedly as he felt the imdiate difference. The newly grown bone needle like the others that were growing in now, felt like they had a slightly tighter fit under his scales. Not painfully so, just more snug.

Looking around for a fresh target Ryker spent all of five seconds searching before simply turning to slap his palm against a thick tree branch. Firing into it and seeing the satisfying sight of a bone needle erupt out the other end of the thick branch. Piercing the entire way through the two feet of hard wood to stick out on both ends.

Gotta admit, still hate Kaiju. Still not happy that I am one, but this? This is aweso. Ryker thought as he examined the needle. Taking a mont to appreciate the wicked arrow-like tip on the thicker needle as he curled his fingers. Feeling the sa shape of barbed bone forming within his forearms on the end of each regrowing needle with every conscious and unconscious flex of muscle that both held them in place and readied them to fire.

The new Needles weren’t flat and wide like typical broadhead arrows were, they were still very much needles. Narrow, thin, and wicked sharp. Only difference now was that they were better shaped to deal damage going in and do even more going out.

The improvent was greatly appreciated, but honestly confused Ryker for a mont since he couldn’t figure out how a Capstone focused on generating kinetic vibrations could make better bone ammo for him to fire. Then he rembered how those vibrations were made in the first place, with a combination of muscle and bone working together. And felt almost glad Beck wasn’t around to gently correct him in that special way he had. Managing to make you embarrassed for not understanding a subject just because the man was so patient and understanding it made you feel bad wasting his ti for being stupid.

I still miss my old guns damnit.Especially the railgun, my beloved. Ryker sighed wistfully before frowning slightly. Only having ten shots is absurd even if they do grow in faster. But this is definitelya change I can get behind.

Even if the increased lethality of the piercing tips couldn’t be seen hidden in his arm, the white pointed ends of the needles extending partway out of his forearm marked the difference in their own way. As more needled grew in, the white dashes of his old needles had gone from light accents to the green on his arms to stark white highlights that added an extra bit of flair to his appearance. Ryker never really concerned himself with looks when it ca to killing Kaiju like other pilots had but violence was a style all its own. One he found quite in fashion.

Second Ability, N/A. Can’t test directly for improvents. Bone Needle modifier though?Improved piercing tips, increased density, even the amount of force when firing them got a bit of a boost.Check. Ryker thought as he pulled the needle he’d fired out of the branch to better examine. Not like they’ve beco the end all, be all. They’re still far from a normal Armor’s AP rounds in terms of raw piercing power or damage output. Definitely nowhere near close to an AK round either but that’s expected. If Stage One Kaiju could grow themselves the equivalent of Anti-Kaiju munitions we would have been well and truly fucked before the war ever started. Regardless a small asurable improvent to my only ranged capability with no downsides was sothing I didn’t expect but I’ll gladly take.

It was still off-putting to not have anywhere near the ranged firepower he’d been so used to having when engaging Kaiju but the absence was sothing he’d grown well accustod to at this point. He wouldn’t have hesitated in his Armor to mix it up with Kaiju in lee but now he was more than accustod to it. In fact he almost preferred it at this point. The blood, the thrill of the fight, the feeling of triumph and power that ca from seeing his enemies broken before him before feasting on their-

Ryker shook his head at the swell of those primal instincts crowding his head as he groaned in annoyance. Laying an arm over his eyes as he focused on not feeding the emotions that would make him spiral if he let them. He wasn’t about to put himself into a situation where he had to fight for control of himself again like he’d had to back in that alley. With steady breaths, Ryker guided himself back away from the wild desire within him to rush off in search of a fight or sothing warm he could sink his teeth into.

Not doing that. Not doing that right now. Ryker thought pointedly as he centered himself and his emotions. It helped, it didn’t make the feeling go away entirely but it allowed him to retain his humanity without giving into the monstrous urges he had. Or at least live with them.

Later. I’ll go kill and eat sothing later. Ryker thought with a nod as he refocused on his self imposed System Check of his body. Third ability’s next, Scale Formation Enhancent. One mod unlocked, one locked.

Ryker walked over to a small rock- a small rock to him, in the clearing to sit on as he fiddled with the bone needled he fired into the branch a mont ago. Treating the enhanced projectile like a fidget toy as he looked down at his scales. It was such a normal sight to him now that he almost had to remind himself that he hadn’t always been covered in scales. Bulletproof scales no less.

Well bulletproof to small arms fire at least. Ryker anded as he casually poked at the parts of his torso where he’d been shot by the police. Rembering vividly the sensation of bullets striking him and bouncing off as he examined himself. Starting with the prominent red scales that covered his chest and the green that was his body’s primary color. He hadn’t really taken the ti to notice before since he was always moving or focused on sothing else but his scales were a shade darker than he rembered. Was that a result of the Capstone or the modifier he’d gained before it?

Doesn’t matter I guess. Real question is though… how do I test my scales? Ryker frowned as he leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees as he repeatedly tapped the tip of the needle against his temple. It was the opposite case here than it was with his second ability and its modifier. He could test the durability of his scales easily but he couldn’t test how effective his Adaptive Armor modifier was without sothing to hit himself with they could adapt to… right?

I don’t have different types of damage available like fire, ice, or acid to use to test their adaptability. But maybe I’m thinking about this wrong. Ryker thought as he turned the bone needle around in his claws and poked at his thigh with the pointy end. Starting with a light amount of force and gradually escalating the strength of his pokes as he focused on the defensiveness of his scales and his body’s reaction to the damage.

Ryker was almost stabbing his legs by the end of his tests but stopped before he actually did harm to himself. Feeling both a light ache in his thigh’s scales and a tingling sensation as his Adaptive Armor shivered slightly in response to the damage. His scales were about as durable as they’d been before he’d reckon. Which made sense considering the Capstone primarily functioned off of the interplay between specialized muscles and bones. The Capstone might have improved every ability that ca before but if it improved his scales, it didn’t feel like it had improved them by much. Maybe just barely enough to keep any kinetic energy from being lost as it traveled through his body as vibrations to empower his claws and fangs but nothing more.

This is interesting though. Ryker paused as he looked at the spot where he’d viciously poked himself. He’d felt the durability of his Enhanced Scale Formation, sure. The improvent there was plain to see but his Adaptive Armor was still reacting strangely to the damage he was inflicting on himself. It was a sight that might have made him slightly queazy if he hadn’t already seen and done so many weird things as a Kaiju. The scales of his thigh where he’d been poking were shifting in place. Rippling to bunch up underneath the point of the Needle he was stabbing into himself.

Why are Kaiju so fucking weird man? Ryker thought as he stabbed the hardened portion of his scales repeatedly. His Adaptive Armor had increased in toughness but it felt less like a flat increase in defensiveness and more of an increase in resistance. Was the resistance temporary? Specific to piercing damage and not slashing? Ryker paused his assault on his scales and let his arms drop to his sides so he could glare accusingly at the part of his scales he was testing for withholding answers from him. As if the hardened portion of his body could explain why it was the way that it was or why Kaiju were... well why there were weird.

After a mont without further damage being inflicted upon it, the scales seed to relax and move back into their original positions. Leaving his green thigh with only a few scrapes to mark where he’d stabbed himself. The defense they’d ford wasn’t much if Ryker compared it to the bone exoskeletons so Kaiju gained but it was a noticeable enough difference that it was worth looking into further.

At least I know that they’re not limited to adapting to elental or acid attacks. Having so versatility to tank physical strikes is good, even if getting hit isn’t sothing I plan on making a habit. Ryker thought as he turned his attention inward. Focusing on the part of his DNA responsible for his Enhanced Scales until he could feel the blank spot on one side of it. The empty spot putting a smile on his face as he knew he still had more work to do.

Ryker’s tail curled through the air behind him as he stood up from his rock and turned his head around to examine the thing in motion. Trying to determine if there were any changes to it as drastic as the enhancents to the Bone Needles in his forearms that had all fully grown into place.

Can’t feel any imdiate change. Nothing major has changed on the surface as far as I can tell. Ryker thought as he casually turned and whipped out his tail in a blur of motion that severed a tree branch with a sharp crack of noise. Once the branch had fallen to the ground the thin end of Ryker’s tail fumbled for a mont with the branch before getting a good enough grip on it he could twirl the branch around like a leafy pom-pom.

Still effective as a whip. I’m getting a better hang of that. Dexterity has improved a fair bit too. Don’t think there’s any enhancents added onto it by the Capstone though. That makes sense I suppose. The Capstone dealt with enhancing the body. Adding new muscle and bones. I doubt there was much reason to do any extra work with the tail. Ryker pondered as he tossed the branch aside and curled his tail around his front. Rembering how strange it had felt to have a tail at first, even one that was only good for balancing his new body and not much else. Now he was practically an adept at using it.

As he examined his tail Ryker let his mind wander as he gripped different parts of its length. Testing how flexible it was when part of it was restrained. He frowned slightly when he rembered how easy it was to bite through the tail of another Kaiju with the sa Whip Tail though. There was definitely a trade off for having the ability to strike at range.

I’m almost positive there’s no enhancents to this thing from the Capstone itself. But I haven’t even unlocked any of the modifiers for this thing yet. Could be a chance those get affected by the Capstone… but I doubt it. Ryker pondered as he absently wound his tail around his arm to test its grip strength and how well it could restrain an opponent.

He was starting to notice a trend with the Capstone and how it affected his abilities. It’s effects were primarily focused on the first two abilities he’d gained and not so much the other ones like his Divergence Point or Enhanced Scales. If he were to use Beck’s analogy as to what a Capstone did, it was really like the figurative Capstone of an arch. Not simply strengthening what ca before but strengthening the weakest parts of his Musculoskeletal Segnt.

The thought might have made Ryker red with anger at how perfectly Kaiju seed to be optimized for killing. But now that he was one of those very monsters he despised it made him bare his teeth in a grim smile. Everything he hated about Kaiju that made them better killers would also make him better too.

On that pleasant thought… Ryker paused as he relaxed his tail’s restraining grip on his arm as he folded his arms together. Tapping his claws rhythmically on his bicep as he slouched in place lost in thought.

What modifiers should I get for this thing? I almost don’t know what to pick. Ryker complained as he thought over his options.

Since he’d gained his Whip Tail it had remained unchanged and unmodified as his focus was constantly split between finding enough food to gain his Capstone, testing out new abilities and modifiers he’d acquired, and avoiding attention from the world at large. This was the first ti in a good while he’d allowed himself enough of a break to stop and properly check over his body’s growth and abilities so far to plan a proper build for himself.

I know I want that Bone Spikes mod, I know I want that Ablative Tissue mod. I just don’t wanna break my finger yet and don’t have access to high powered energy weapons to gain those things. The mods for this tail though… what do I want to do here? Ryker thought slightly agonized at his choices. Lashing his tail around the trunk of a thick tree until it was tight enough it could bear his weight as he leaned his body forwards. Causing the whole tree to shake and his tail to go tight with tension as he held himself at an angle to the ground. Still crossing his arms as he let himself sway side to side while considering the tail that was holding him up.

There were four modifiers for each of the Divergence Point abilities available to Kaiju. He didn’t know what kind of options the Charger Horn had but each of the modifiers for the Whip Tail had been on his mind for so ti.

There was the Envenod Pincer, a mod that would add a scorpion-like barb at the end capable of injecting venom into enemies. Taking that would an forgoing the Densified Tail, which thickened up his tail with weighty muscle and hard points that would make it stronger and more durable at the cost of dexterity and speed. There was the Razored Tail mod was exactly what it said on the tin, it grew out bone like razors along his tail. But taking that would co at the cost of giving up the Bone Maul. Which would grow a mass of bone that could hamr into enemies with devastating bludgeoning force.

Decisions, decisions. Ryker frowned absently as he shifted his weight slightly. Making him lean to the right enough he had to take a half step side ways to not lose his footing. The tree he was hanging onto with his tail groaned in protest as he let out a snort of frustration that blew against the grass next to his head, suspended only a few feet above the ground.

On the one hand I could go all in on striking speed. Get the Envenod Pincer and the Razored Tail modifiers. That would probably be really effective against a number of Kaiju. But… Ryker trailed off as he pulled his weight to the left. Making the Kaiju shift in the opposite direction until he had to take two steps to adjust his stance as he leaned hard to the left. Letting out a sigh that blew lightly over the grass and weeds his hanging head was suspended over.

The other shit is good too. Densified Tail is a bit boring on its own but would let put more force and weight behind attacks with it, even letting use it for defense without having to worry about the thing getting cut in half. Combined with the Bone Maul though, I’d have a killer finisher that could finally make up for my lack of raw firepower. Ryker thoughtas he relaxed his arms and let them hang towards the ground. Setting them to lightly swing back and forth above the grass as they vibrated softly with raw cutting force. Each of his claws reaping errant weeds and blades of grass like wheat before a scythe.

The Capstone has done a lot for so far, in more ways that one. But Vibroblade Claws won’t be as effective against Kaiju with high density scales or armor. I should know, thicker armor saved my ass from claws just like these. So does that an I should go for mods that make my tail into a heavy finisher or a blade that tries to soften them up to pierce their hides and deliver so poison? Ryker mused. Stumped with his choice as he swayed back and forth over the ground. Mowing lines of cut grass under him as he worked out what the best options would be for him so he could start working towards it. Like the other two modifiers he’d decided on.

Specialize his tail to make up for his lack of high damage attacks? Or switch it around and double down into his already agile fighting style?

Ughhh. Ryker groaned as he let his head fall forward and hit the cleanly cut grass. If modifiers weren’t permanent choices I wouldn’t have to agonize over every decision like this. Piloting Armor I could switch out whatever didn’t work for sothing better. But I just know a bad choice here is gonna haunt . I can feel it in my bones… not that feeling, the other one. Ryker added as he deliberately forced his bones to stop vibrating in response to his own frustration.

With a sigh that that sent out a small cloud of freshly cut grass Ryker uncoiled his tail from the tree he’d ripped out by the roots. Folding his arms under his head as he let himself think about what he should do.

What I… should do? Ryker paused as he grabbed onto the question. He should be planning to take the best weapon to arm himself with for the future. Either going all in on a razored tail with a venom pincer on the end or a heavily muscled tail with an even heavier bone maul on the end. But should he force himself to choose one or the other for the sake of optimizing his build?

My build. I’m still thinking about this like I’m still a pilot aren’t I? Like I’m arming up before a mission.But this isn’t just a build I’m putting together during an ordinary Systems Check, at least not just that. This is my body now. I’ll have to live with whatever I pick until I can either change it with mutations in Stage Two, win the war, or die trying. Ryker thought as he tentatively approached the idea he wanted to embrace but was afraid to na.

Was it okay if he chose the changes to his body he wanted instead of what he felt like he should take instead?

The future of the entire world might well depend on him. Was he still allowed to pick any options besides what was most optimal, even if he didn’t want them at all? Would he willingly make himself into a Kaiju monstrosity like Spore Tyrant that could barely move just for that one percent chance that it let him finish the mission?

Damnit, this wasn’t a problem before now. I chose to take the best modifiers for each ability I could. But I already wanted those things in the first place. A ranged weapon with Bone Needles instead of Bone Gauntlets, Hyper-coagulating Platelets instead of Acidic Blood. They all felt like no-brainers. But with my tail… Ryker buried his face under his arms. Hoping to God that his scales were green enough to hide any flush of red in his face.

I kinda like my tail. Ryker thought, thoroughly embarrassed. The tail in question keeping a low profile at his back as he lay on the ground. Every minute shift in it clearly felt even as it lay still.

It feels like an arm or a leg to now. And even if they are good I don’t want to add a pincer on the end or a big bone thing that weighs down. Getting a mod that let fire bone needles out of my arms was fine but it didn’t require to give up my hands or replace them with a weighty bone hamr. I like my tail the way it is. And even if its not optimal I want to take modifiers that keep it mostly the sa. Both Densified and Razored Tail mods will let do that. I feel like those aren’t what I should want, but they’re what I want regardless. Ryker sighed as he pushed himself up and shifted to sit, tail rapidly adjusting behind him to keep his balance as he sat with the small of his back against the trunk of the tree he’d accidentally pulled down. Winding his tail through the branches of the tree with casual ease as he rested his arms on raised knees. Distracting himself as he watched his tail bend and snap branches, Ryker nodded.

Good grip strength, high flexibility and dexterity still. No sign of obvious changes. Check. Ryker thought as he focused on the last ability he was going to check. Capstone, oh Capstone. Our check is nearly done.

With a low hum Ryker built up the pressure in his chest until his Vibroblade Claws sprang to life. The shiver of their song both sothing felt and heard with the body as Ryker openly admired his newest weapons. A ghost of the neurochemical high he felt first gaining the Capstone passing through his fra as he grinned big and wide.

I rember just how much it hurt for and the other pilots to wait for the first batch of Armor sized Vibroblades to roll out into the field. That and how much more it hurt to get my eardrums destroyed by the C.O. whenever I snapped off a blade in a Kaiju’s skull or that one ti I lost it in one of Glacier Fang’s blizzards. Ryker thought to himself almost fondly as he reminisced. Those might not have been better days but it was hard not to pine for them a little bit when thinking of being above the surface instead of under it.

Even though he had no reason to test the Capstone itself, since he’d already used it to cut his way out of a building and effectively quiet his steps. Ryker let the Capstone continue to hum through him as his claws practically slid through the branches of the tree he could reach. Severing them in record ti and leaving him nothing to use them on except the trunk of the tree. Tallying up all the Kaiju he’d killed so far with deep lines in the bark as his Vibroblade talons curled into the soil. Ryker only realized he’d begun humming along to the tune his claws were making when the distorted sound that left his throat caught him off guard.

The hell is- oh. Right, right. Forgot for a minute there it works in my teeth too. Ryker thought a bit chagrinned as he ran his tongue over his fangs and rembered how he’d basically announced his presence to everyone in the warehouse with it enhancing his growl. At least the intense vibrations channeled through his teeth didn’t seem to rattle his skull even if it did make him sound ten tis more terrifying than he already was.

I should stop playing around and move onto the modifiers for this thing. Ryker thought as he tapped a claw into the trunk of the tree, unable to bring himself to stop the constant flow of kinetic energy into his claws and fangs.

Alright enough playing around.Ti for the grand finale. Ryker thought with a bit of glee as he closed his eyes and visualized his geno. The Musculoskeletal Segnt of his DNA glowing a warm red in his mind’s eye dotted with points of light he knew were all the modifiers he’d unlocked so far for his abilities. It was good to see the results of all his efforts bearing so much fruit.

The Capstone portion of the segnt itself was clear in his mind’s eye and he focused in on the modifiers. Already itching with anticipation to see what modifiers he could get. He knew they were good, because they had been so of the things that had given him the most trouble as a pilot once Stage 2 Kaiju were more commonplace in the war.

At least they’re rare for a Kaiju to have... well. Rare for Kaiju other than . Ryker mused to himself as he searched for the feeling they gave off, unused to having to focus that much to feel out what epigenetic modifiers did. A slight frown ford on his face as he found himself pushing harder and harder to feel out the functions of his Capstone’s modifiers. Part of the reason he had waited until now to try and push for these modifiers in the first place was that after escaping the town’s notice he’d done a cursory scan of them. Chalking up the lacking ability to feel them to nerves after what transpired gaining his Capstone. Now that he had the ti to finally feel them out, now they were being elusive?

Co on… Co on… Ryker thought as he pinched his eyes shut a bit tighter. Hoping he’d be able to see what he was looking for in the dark behind his eyes. Evolving with these modifiers was crucial if he hoped to Evolve into a Stage Two capable of winning his one man war on Kaiju. The military would only just begin ramping up their offensive and active defenses by that ti.

Stop hiding you bastard. I already know what you do. Ryker growled softly as he ntally reached out to grab a hold of the place in his DNA where the Capstone’s modifiers were. These mods weren’t just mods like the others after all, they were-

Blank.

Ryker recoiled as his eyes snapped awake. The shift from mind to body so jarring it nearly sent him tipping sideways as he caught himself. Standing in the clearing he’d once considered so peaceful all of the comfort it had given him seed absent as the monster stood frozen. As if moving an inch would alert the fear he’d buried deep but had never nad.

A gap in the mind. A Black Hole in the void between thoughts. Like the mory that he should have felt had simply been consud and forever lost. Even as it felt like the thought, his mory was one that still felt known even as his focused, searching thoughts just now discovered an utter absence of mory.

No…no the transfer worked. Beck’s machine was perfect.It didn’t… Ryker thought with a pang of dread. Heartrate rising as his breathing quickened unable to keep those final monts of his human life rising to the surface. So clear that they cut into him sharp as crystal.

Twenty Five feet of tempered Monomolecular Carbonite burning with plasma, stabbed into the neck of the Kaiju Drill Maw.

A wave of scorching red spilling from the wound that crashed like a tide over the room, burning Beck alive as he flipped a switch and breathed his final words.

The Blood. A rain of ruby crimson acid spattering machine and the space above his head. Where every color was ripped away from the world on the atomic level.

His friend’s greatest triumph ruined by an insignificant Kaiju and its filthy blood as the the black/white of space/ti twisted and tore open a wound in the world. The quantum tunnel to humanity’s last salvation stained a putrid red, bleeding into the black and weeping white.

Then… he died, cast alone into the dark to deliver the world from the dying of the light.

Ryker flinched back at the strength of those recollections in his mind as his eyes darted around. The forest that ringed the clearing every side of him suddenly constricting. The wall of trees all too tall and too close.

He’d reconciled that he’d been born changed and utterly inhuman. Understood he was inadequate for the mission and tried to make up for it through pure power and overwhelming strength. But what were you supposed to do when the one thing you’ve been holding onto this entire ti, the only thing you have left is…

Ryker hunched over and grit his teeth in a pained snarl as he fought back the surge of animal panic fighting for control of him. Fighting down the hot spike of fear that the person he was wasn’t whole.

Minutes passed as Ryker swayed on his feet and forced himself to breathe. Years of resolve forged in the most desperate of conditions stood its ground against every emotion clawing at him. He fought it all down one by one. Quelling and subduing every doubt and fear with force of will rather than reason.

No. Ryker growled, deep and low. As if he could threaten himself to stay calm and collected when he might not be complete as a person. When he might not even realize what mories might be corrupted or forever forgotten.

No! Ryker growled. Itching for sothing to bite as he shut his eyes. Touching upon that blank in his mory had been visceral. Like stepping down on a stair only to find nothing there to hold you up as you fell forward. He didn’t want to feel that- that absence in his mind again. But he had to. If he didn’t force himself to look at it, to see what it was and what it felt like then he’d forever be afraid of it and unable to move on. Worse he might never recognize the signs of other blanks in his mind and put himself into situations where he acts on information he doesn’t rember.

Just one step at a ti.Work your way back to it. Ryker thought to himself as he kept his eyes shut and breathed out the slowest breathe he could.

Ryker felt his ntal image of the Musculoskeleal segnt of his DNA unfurl before him as he rechecked each ability and modifier he’d gained. From his first ability to his Divergence Point. The edge of tension within Ryker eased sowhat going over everything again. There were no other blanks in his mory concealed there at least. Being able to confirm he rembered those was a comfort to him as he edged towards the Capstone.

He felt out the feeling of it in his body as well as searched for mories of it in his mind. Like most tis before he could clearly sense what the ability did in his body, not in the way of neatly ordered information or text boxes like he was used to as a pilot. Its information was all felt sense and instinct. A tug in his chest natural as breathing that started the process of quickly contracting muscle fibers that set hollowed bones to vibrating to generate the kinetic energy necessary for his Vibroblade Claws. A ripple in his teeth that he just knew would let him bite deep into at and tal.

The modifier though…

Ryker ntally circled the place in his geno that was supposed to contain the modifier and felt the sa thing he’d felt before. It wasn’t just inactive or not revealing information to him, it was genuinely empty. There was no burst of instinctual info he could work off of to figure out what it did. No feeling in his body that told him what would be changing if he was able to gain the modifier. He could still feel sothing was there, but it was inert. Like it had the batteries removed that made it work in the first place.

Within his mory it was a different story. He could swear he rembered what it should do. Not just that but exactly what it was, like it was on the tip of his tongue. Except instead of being just a word he was trying to speak that he knew he rembered it was a feeling that encompassed the entire modifier. The mont he tried to connect the thing he was trying to rember to the empty modifier in his geno he hit-

Blank.

Ryker flinched back from the blank in his mind like it had struck him but he was able to keep his eyes closed and maintain his focus. Swallowing uncomfortably Ryker circled the gap in his mory like it was a thing with teeth. Patient and waiting to strike out at him the mont he drew near enough for it to strike.

This doesn’t make any sense! Ryker told himself as he tried to both search for the mory and keep himself from reaching for it. If he hadn’t stumbled into the blank himself he’d never have thought or considered he was forgetting anything at all from his past life. Even now after literally stumbling into the void in his mind, his every thought and instinct told him that the Capstone modifier was sothing he knew and rembered. If he just ca at it from a different angle he could clearly recall that-

Blank.

It was sothing Beck had told him! He hadn’t forgotten that after all. He said-

Blank.

No. No he knew he rembered! The modifier was-

Blank.

The science behind it was beyond him but it was still so stupidly simple! It made so much sense because what made it work was-

Blank.

Again and again. Ryker tried to think his way around the blank in his mory but no matter what angle he tried to co at it from he could never prevent himself from falling into the void of a thing he’d sworn he’d always known.

When Ryker finally opened his eyes again they were bloodshot from how hard he’d been squeezing his eyes shut. And for the first ti since waking up in his new body Ryker felt weak. Vulnerable.

Because there was a hole in his mind he couldn’t ignore. And everything he thought he knew might be lost to him forever. Without him even knowing about it. A slow creeping dread welled up within Ryker that was too heavy to push back and too deep to force back down inside himself. Like the ocean rising up along the shore with the tide until it could drag him under.

Why is this happening? What if there’s more I don’t rember? Ryker forced himself into a desperate calm as he stalked around the clearing like a beast in a cage. Looking for a way out between the bars that would set him free from the worry inside him.

I don’t feel like I forgot anything else but would I even know or rember what I might be missing? Was it during the transfer this happened? Was it sothing else? Damnit! Am I even completely myself right now? Or just what’s left of my own dying psyche? Ryker thought spiraling. Asking questions he couldn’t answer as he dredged his mind for proof that he was still whole.

I rember all the abilities there are for Stage One Kaiju. Of course I do. In every segnt, Musculoskeletal, Neurosensory, and Cardiopulmonary.Not just the ones I have but the ones I don’t. The other Divergence Points and Capstones too. Ryker thought with relief as he searched himself for more blanks in his mory as stark and unforgiving as the ones he found. His past life. His piloting experience. History as it would soon unfold. He tried looking through it all and found no more gaps. But what if there were more and he didn’t realize they were there? Questions heaped upon questions in Ryker’s mind as he finally asked himself one that made him stop dead in his tracks. Like an animal finally cornered.

Why… why didn’t I feel any urge to eat humans until I entered a city? Ryker asked himselfsuddenly. Thinking back he had been in close proximity with people on multiple occasions and hadn’t even felt a hint of bloodlust or hunger towards them. The family he’d saved in the cabin, the restaurant employee who fainted at the sight of him, the gas station where he fought and bled to save two reporters from Kaiju and the resulting explosion that ended the fight. He’d had those two dead to rights on multiple occasions and hadn’t felt any desire to eat them. Hell, back in that tiny rest stop off the highway he’d literally gotten locked in a building sized box with a mother and her vulnerable children right in front of him.

No, it was before I entered the city. Ryker thought to himself as he thought back to the mont he flipped the switch on his Adrenal Trigger. How it nearly drove him mad enough with bloodlust that he had to partially restrain himself so he didn’t get close to any people. Was that the only reason? Would he have been fine if he simply hadn’t chosen to flip the switch on it at all?

Why would it be able to cause such a drastic change in ? Unless… it… Ryker paused as he stopped breathing for a mont. The possibility he’d just considered sounding all too real and far too likely.

From the mont he’d woken up inside that egg he’d been himself. If anything it had been the days right after he was reborn that he’d felt the most like the person he’d been. No violent instincts to kill innocent people intruding upon his thoughts. No blanks in his mory deep enough to drop a truck into. Despite the alien nature of his new existence. He’d felt whole then, full of purpose, and without doubt in himself or his mission.

The blanks, the urges, the bloodlust mixed with feral instincts. Even his newfound familiarity with his body that made him feel more comfortable than ever in his scaled skin. Those weren’t signs of him deteriorating.

His body was healing. Healing from Him. Repairing the psychic wound that was his own consciousness and mory.

The early days where his skin felt wrong and the instincts were all but gone? All explained if he just considered those early days as the ti when the “wound” was freshest. Cut deep enough into the mind of the monster who’s body he’d taken that it hadn’t had a chance to fight back, not until more ti had passed. Not until he’d flipped the switch on his own Adrenal Trigger that flooded his mind with the “right” neurochemicals. A self administered dose of the most potent dicine his body could produce to help his brain realign with what it was supposed to feel and want.

Claws rose to hold Ryker’s head in his hands as he considered the possibility and tried to reject it but it only made more and more sense as the idea festered in his mind. This wouldn’t be happening if Beck’s experint hadn’t gone untainted by that Kaiju. He’d be in his own younger self’s body. And however Beck’s machine worked he was positive that he wouldn’t be experiencing this level of deterioration in his original body. The human body might have been resilient but it had no way to prevent or heal Ryker’s imprinted consciousness. But a Kaiju’s brain could. He knew just how tough they were, how important it was to finish every fight with a double tap to the head to prevent any chance of a mortally wounded Kaiju being allowed to heal from its wounds.

Am I… am I still ? Ryker thought quietly. The idea sounding like a whisper in his mind as all thoughts cald to hear it.

Or am I fading right now? Lessening with every passing second until there isn’t enough of left to rember what I’m fighting for? Oh God,what if the Synaptic Defrag makes it worse? An ability that only reinforces Kaiju instincts and heals away the “wound” I am until there’s nothing left but a scar. Ryker thought with dread as his thoughts spiraled. The monster shaking his head as though he could fend off the attacks by his own intrusive thoughts.

No. Ryker thought angrily as he snarled at the air. No, no, no! I won’t believe that! I won’t believe its all for nothing or that the Synaptic Defrag might erase . I need that ability in order to get the Neurosensory Capstone and I don’t dare evolve into Stage Two unless I have every single advantage I can get my claws on. I won’t be able to win against Storm Breaker, Glacier Fang, or any of the others unless I give myself the strongest head start possible.

Ryker nodded his head shakily. Pushing himself to latch onto the idea even as he felt the doubt swirling within him the more he thought about it.

I won’t let it happen again. I WON’T. Ryker shivered with the intensity of his will as he forced himself to stand tall. Dragging in deep breaths instead of the more rapid shallow ones he’d been unconsciously taking.

I’ll get through this. I’ll get the Synaptic Defrag and every other ability with their modifiers too. I’ll evolve to Stage Two, then Three, then Four and by the end of it all… I’ll still be .I know I will be. Ryker thought fiercely as he looked up at the sky through the tree canopy. Feeling a tiny spark of hope for himself that he hadn’t had a mont ago. Despite the blanks in his mory, despite the encroaching spread of his instincts into his mind, and despite the now unsettling ease with which he moved in a body that had never been human. Ryker clung to that small spark in his chest. Willing himself to hope that he’d have a future in the world he was willing to give everything to save.

“YoU…LiAr-”

Ryker spun with a roar of both shock and rage as his claws thrumd to life. Whipping his tail around in a tight arc that sheared branches from their trees as he leapt backwards to land in a ready crouch. Eyes wide and ready as he faced the line of trees before him as he scanned the world around him for threats.

Where?! Who just said that? Ryker’s growl vibrated out of his chest as he tried to place where the voice had co from. Had that been him? Sothing in his own mind fracturing and turning against him? What if-

Bzzt.

“TaKe iT… BaCk YoU-”

Bzzt.

“WhAt tHe… FrIcK RiChaRd-”

Bzzt.

“Not… CoOl MaN-”

The voices threw Ryker for a loop as he stood ready to fend off attackers of any kind. They sounded warped but young. Like kids even. Then Ryker made the connection that he wasn’t hearing these voices near him at all. They were radio signals.

Kids? With… what are those? Walkie Talkies? Ryker asked himself. Utterly bewildered by the voices that seed to have surprised him, even though the ability to hear radio waves was sothing he’d known he could do. This was the first ti since he’d activated the ability that he’d been surprised by stray radio signals.

Just so… just so random fucking kids goofing around… Ryker thought to himself. For an instant Ryker wanted to get angry at them. Figure out where the hell those kids were coming from and give them a piece of his mind and the biggest scare of their lives. He tried to hold onto the idea but the more he thought on it the more he had to picture it. And the more he had to picture it the more outlandish it seed until the sheer absurdity of it was enough to make Ryker laugh out loud. Not in the human kind of way but that didn’t diminish the effect of it in the slightest.

It wasn’t enough to completely make Ryker forget his worries, but it did allow him to get out of that doom spiral of thoughts circling round his head. And for that the Kaiju was grateful. Whoever those kids were they’d done him a service, and they probably would never know about it.

I’m guessing that the reason the signal ca in all jumbled up was because of the mountain. Ryker thought as he looked up at the expanse of land rising above him visible through the trees. He was definitely entering the part of Tennessee that marked the start of the Appalachians. The source of the signal was probably so distance away but managed to bounce off the rock in a way so Ryker could get an earful of it.

Still, I hope those kids aren’t going anywhere too far from their hos. Too dangerous with Kaiju hatching and roaming around. Ryker paused and thought on the possible risk to the kids before shaking his head as he dismissed it.

Nah, they’re probably just playing with those Walkie Talkies. I was a kid once. They’re they’re probably just goofing around with those things and playing video gas. Safe and sound. Ryker thought as he craned his ear to try and tune into the radio chatter. Just to check and make sure. The feel of their signals definitely weaker than those he was used to from radio stations and the like. It still had a bit more distortion than he’d liked but it was imdiately improved from what he heard earlier.

“-O oN William. This sucks. I wasn’t built for this kinda stuff.”

“Your mom was built for this kinda stuff.”

“Oh! He got you dude! Ha ha, over.”

“Ah, shut up Richard. Hey are we still doing that ‘Over’ thing? Like you’re supposed to on radio?”

“Nope. Over.”

“Touch grass William. Over.”

“I- over. Am- over. Literally- over. Outside- over… over.”

“No, I’m touching grass, trying not to tuch any stupid bushes in case they’re Poision Ivy. Caleb is looking for sticks-”

“Yup and over-”

“-and I see you are standing on that rock up ahead, and not grass! Listen man we’ve been out here for over an hour, my feet hurt, and if I don’t get ho soon Dad’s probably gonna eat the last of the leftover pizza and leave with my Aunt’s Casserole for dinner. So hop down off that rock and get your Bronze Three lookin’ ass back here so we can get this over with and go ho.”

“…Bro I told you those matches had hackers. What the frick-”

“Guys I found a stick! And it looks just like the Chronosword!”

“Cool! I wanna- wait. Is it a Pre-Armageddon Chronosword or Armageddon Ultima?”

“Its not Negative Elysium is it? I like Golden Phantasmagoria and its wielder more.”

“Which ones were those again? Aren’t there like… seven swords? How many were-”

“Oh my God Richard, why are we even friends? There can only be one Chronosword in existance at any ti, but there are seven because each is tied to its own tiline after the Vanquished shattered reality and started the first Ti War. Literally everyone knows that. Pre-Armageddon is from-”

Bzzt.

Ryker pulled out of the conversation as he drew back out of the world of radio waves. Blinking owlishly as he reoriented on the world around him.

Well… they’re safe.I don’t know what I was expecting but man I did not understand that at all. Did kids really talk like that when I was a teenager? Did I talk like that when I was a kid? Ryker stared at his claws as thought they might reveal the answer… and found no guidance.

Oh God, am I old? The Kaiju thought worriedly as he put his hand on a hip and stared at a spot on the ground in front of him. He’d been in his forties when Typhon had been attacked by Kaiju, but forty wasn’t old. Was it?

Whatever. Ryker thought dismissively as he thought towards the kids again. Expression tightening as he took a half step towards where he thought the signal was coming from. Those kids were in the forest right now. It could be that they were far removed from any roaming packs of hatchlings but could Ryker really take that chance if he was wrong?

I should scare them back to their hos. Make sure they stay out of the forest… Ryker thought sourly as he weighed the idea. Find the kids and scare them back to safety, risking him being discovered by the military? Or continue on his path north no matter what, whether if they’re safe or not? He couldn’t afford to take detours every ti soone might be in danger. Hard choices would have to be made sooner or later.

Ryker closed his eyes and let out a sigh as he pulled back and took a step away from the signal’s direction. Pointing himself north once again with the rising mountains on his right.

Ryker started moving along through the trees. Shoulders low set and determined to keep moving forwards. The tail lashing behind him the only sign of his inner conflict as he cast his mind out to listen to those short wave signals again before he left them behind.

Bzzt.

“-re we looking for again over?”

“I dunno man. This was William’s idea. I just wanted to hang out.”

“Guys I swear I’m telling the truth on this! It’s the coolest thing ever. The whole place is empty and spooky as heck!”

“Is it haunted? Please don’t tell its haunted.”

“It’s not haunted just cool! Like for real, last ti I was there I went all the way into that back…”

Goodbye you three. Ryker sent out like a prayer. Stay safe. Thanks for distracting from my problems. I promise I’ll make it up to you, give you a chance to grow up under the sun instead of under the surface okay?

“-just oozing from the walls and stuff. It’s been days since I’ve been back but I swear you guys, they’re starting to look like eggs!”

With the precision of a predator Ryker froze mid step as he turned his head back towards the source of the signal. Eyes widening in mute horror as the kids excitent only grew.

No! Ryker thought as he turned on a di and bolted through the trees. Every thought about his inner struggles and the need to move north cast aside so he could focus on the imdiate threat. All the while listening in as the three children chatted frivolously with each other, unknowingly walking right towards their own ends.

“Seriously?”

“No way!”

“Yes way! I shined the flash on my phone into the biggest ones and they all have living things growing inside! They look like-”

Damnit! Damnit! Where the hell are you? Ryker fud as he rushed down the mountain. Hoping against hope that he could save them in ti, but the further Ryker moved towards where he thought the signal was coming from it started breaking up in his mind.

“-At’S sO… cOoL!”

“MaYbE… HaTcH… dRaGoNn-”

Bzzt.

Shit! Fucking shit! Ryker skidded to a stop on the downward slope. His weight and montum causing him to dig small trenches into the dirt as pald a small tree trunk for balance. Making the entire thing sway as Ryker swiveled his head from side to side. Searching.

The mountains. Rykerturned back and stared up at the land rising above him. It wasn’t as sharp an incline as so other mountains were in Tennessee but it was more than enough to bounce a shortwave radio sowhere it shouldn’t reach.

If I can get high enough I can pinpoint the real source of the signal and save those kids before they get slaughtered by hatchlings. Ryker thought decisively as he nearly uprooted the tree was holding onto as he used it for leverage. Launching himself back up the slope towards the mountain’s heights at speed. He knew he might already be too late to save them, but he knew damn well he could avenge them if the worst had already occurred. More than that though, the mont a Kaiju nest was discovered his choice had already been made.

In the future it would beco a non-negotiable fact of life that if you found a nest, you destroyed it. Every hatchling killed in the egg was one less Kaiju killing the world. One less monster taking the lives of hundreds or thousands as it grew in power.

It would beco written into law soday soon that any able bodied person capable of destroying the eggs of a nest they discovered was compelled to do so or else face severe criminal charges. No exceptions. Civilians, the non-critically wounded, and every child above fourteen. Even military personnel were explicitly allowed to abandon or disobey orders if it directly resulted in the destruction of a Kaiju nest. The consequences of failing to eliminate a nest were too dire for anyone to ignore. Too dire for anyone to make allowances for people’s fears or preservation instincts.

There would be a morial built about a year or two from now. Honoring the nas of those who couldn’t call for aid but found a Kaiju nest and died in the attempt of destroying it. There were always fresh flowers on the steps. Even when the world started to die, people had always managed to find flowers to honor the fallen. Folding written letters into paper petals, scrap tal soldered into sunflowers, painted roses in the rows between nas.

The mory burned in Ryker’s mind as he hurled himself up a steepening incline. Voices cutting in and out sporadically as he let himself fall forwards so he could use all four limbs to climb upwards instead of only two.

Higher, just a bit higher. Ryker growled as he stopped to turn around. Looking down on the world from his perch on the side of a cliff as he scanned the ground for the building the kids were supposedly heading towards. Nothing. Practically hissing with frustration Ryker dug his claws deeper into the cliff he was cutting into for extra grip as he moved up. Almost forgetting he needed to hide his silhouette among the sparse boulders and trees lest he be seen by any military patrol moving by helicopter.

Moving hard with worry twisting in his chest Ryker hoped the kids would keep talking long enough for him to lock onto their signal. Silently dreading the mont their banter would cut out all at once or he’d hear them cry for help and be too far away to save them.