The Augment Suit increases Phillip’s fist size and gathered mass by vacuuming dust and dirt around him.

[Augment Suit Exoskeleton frame formation detected and archived.]

“Brace for impact!”

[Command not recognized.]

Ignoring Gray’s reply, in one swing, Phillip destroys the steel door with using a fist that has the size twice his head and the strength of a speeding truck. His punch was so powerful that it tossed the door and made it bounce into the hallway.

[Strength amplification multiplied original strength by 1254%]

“That strong huh…”

While muttering so, he swings his hand a bit and the size returns to normal and the dust and dirt that was used to increase his weight falls off his hand.

However, because of that, he felt his stomach grumble. He was hungry.

Despite that, he still continued to tread into the hallway.

[Energy spent on amplification also increases metabolism.]

“Do we have any emergency rations or anything?”

[Lab Vault rations have expired 56 years ago. All emergency rations across the ship have also expired. Suggestion: hunting outside the ship.]

“Is there any edible creatures outside though?”

[I cannot detect anything with damaged sensors, but judging from the terrain that has claimed the ship’s interior, there is a valid chance that there are also life-forms that live in this planet.]

“I hope so. I mean, I’ve been suspended for over a century. Even after taking those pain-killers, I can still feel a bit of pain. And the pain is making me hungry.”

[Even if you ask for more Acetaminophen, my medical precepts do not allow overdosing my patients.]

“Well, I guess it’s good to know that your precepts are still working properly.”

[If requested, I will give a detailed rundown of every system precepts.]

“Please, spare me.”

While following the ship layout map, Phillip reached what seemingly, was an elevator. Since it was already in ruins, using it was not part of his plan.

“Just above this elevator is the B3 compartment…”

[Elevator route, not viable… Rerouting…]

“No, we don’t need to.”

After taking a few steps back, Phillip runs and then jumps into the elevator shaft. And just when he was about to hit the wall, his fingers become metal claws and the soles of his iron boots grew spikes. Using them, he was able to pin himself on the steel wall.

Immediately, he claws his way up by jumping and pinning himself higher in the elevator shaft.

After reaching a specific door, he forces open the closed elevator doors and then enters through it.

[I will now take into calculation the captain’s abilities in the future.]

“Were you impressed?”

[I do not feel.]

Though Gray was an AI, Phillip could tell something that was running through Gray’s system was annoyance.

While treading through the hallway towards compartment B3, the hallways were claimed by the local environment. It had mosses and mysterious plants growing here and there. However, on the iron walls, there was something that was obviously not something nature could do.

The halls had holes on them. Though they were already quite aged and rusty, these holes were not something plants or animals could make.

After seeing them, sound of gunshots echoes inside Phillip’s head as if it was a fresh memory. He couldn’t remember what was happening, but all he remembers is the noise.

[Stress Detected]

“I’m alright… Anyway, Gray, does your memory log have any records of battles inside the Gondola?”

[Reviewing Memory Logs]

[Memory Logs outside the Vaulted Lab are unreachable. They are either destroyed or too damaged to retrieve.]

“Why is it that the things I remember are sounds?”

[Probable cause may be related to your cryo-stasis. From the remaining data logs I have, you were stored inside the lab vault unconscious.]

“Wait, so you have data logs prior to my transfer to the lab?”

[Yes, but most of them are research Data regarding cross-species DNA synthesis. The rest are stored in different Memory Cores across the ship. The main core is in the Command Bridge.]

“Do you think the bridge can still operate?”

[Probability is less than 30%.]

“I’ll take those chances.”

Phillip finally reached the door to Compartment B3, but for some reason, something felt a bit off.

“Something’s here.”

[Sensors are still unresponsive. Please proceed with caution, captain.]

With a flick of his arms, the claws he used to climb with came back. But this time, the claws’ blades were sharper and longer. He sticks his back on the wall while brandishing his claws as he slowly slides towards the door.

He takes a peek inside the room, and to his surprise, there was something moving inside. It was big and long, it was something familiar, but the size and its head was something completely something different.

It had a head similar to a snake, but it had three sets of eyes with jaws divided into three parts, and on the base of its head was like an iguana’s that expanded when it noticed Phillip’s presence.

Rather than a large hiss, it made a gargling muffled growl to let him know that it already noticed his presence.

[Retrieving visuals from captain’s retinal scan…]

[Creature: Test subject code B5-032]

“Test subject? Does that mean that that thing is from this ship?”

[Records indicate that B5-032 was a hatchling created from successfully synthesizing DNA multiple reptilian species.]

“How did it grow so big?”

[Cause: Unknown]

Without warning, the giant snake-like creature suddenly darts out of the door, nearly hitting Phillip’s head.

Due to its sheer size, it nearly filled the hall with just half of its body.

[Caution: Aggression Detected]

“Yeah, no shit!”

Using a dive attack with its open jaws, it tries to chomp down Phillip in one go. But Phillip was faster and was able to immediately evading by jumping and pinning himself on the ceiling with his claws.

Before the giant snake could react, Phillip kicks the roof and dives down to the creature’s head and immediately stabs it with his sharp claw. When he pierced its skull, he grabs what seems to be its brain and crushes it.

[Life signs undetected]

After Gray’s confirmation, Phillip lets out a sigh of relief and pulls back his arm.

And to his surprise, the blood that got on him was absorbed by the suit. And at the same time, his hunger subsided.

“What the hell…”

-End of Chapter-