The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 791: Mk II

A brief hesitation preceded Phoebe's statement. "That organic holds no value to us. We do not utilize living beings as a foundation for our armor. You are permitted to claim it as spoils of war. I am certain the rest of us concur."

The surrounding Nymphs offered sounds of agreement, and the trembling subsided. I then turned to them, gave a nod, and proceeded to grasp the creature's body with one hand and its head with the other, channeling all my Gyrokinesis into the action.

"Very well, thank you. I shall remove this from your path, allowing you to concentrate on the crystals."

With that, I leaped upward, the colossal creature trailing behind me towards what appeared to be its dwelling.

After maneuvering the dismembered parts to a stable and secure location, I gazed upward through one of the large openings in the ceiling and released a sigh.

The instant I exhaled, I commanded my armor to retract and emerged, clutching my head.

"Damn, that hurt... Hell, Jewel, you might have given me a heads-up about what your will would feel like directly through deep telepathy. I'm astonished my eyes are still in their sockets." I grumbled, rubbing them.

Recalling the moments that had just passed. The very instant the creature met its end, my armor, which was a bio-form hive mind lacking independent thought, suddenly... it gained sentience. It wasn't a coherent consciousness like Onyx or Orchid. It wasn't even akin to a drone possessing minimal self-awareness when not engaged in a task.

It was pure intent. Unadulterated hunger and a solitary word that I could decipher.

"Devour!"

The utterance violently reverberated within my Mindspace, nearly shattering it.

I took a few more moments to regain my composure before rising to my feet and observing the creature. Extending my bare hand, I stroked its thick, natural armor.

"Ughhhhhahahaha." A shudder ran through me as I found myself chuckling. I then materialized the Stick in my hand and raised it above myself.

*Bonk*

The stick did not inflict its judgment upon me as it had my companions, but I could sense its approval of my action before I returned it to its place.

"Bad Apollo. You can indulge the Hive, but not other insects... I believe I'll be alright... I'll simply attribute this to not having seen her for a few months. It's not as though walking into a restaurant and spotting a lobster would give me... It's just the exo-plate's formidable strength and durability... I hope so. My word, I truly hope so."

I gave the beast one final assessment... before turning my attention back to my armor. When Phoebe bestowed the insect upon me, the overwhelming urge to consume had dissipated entirely. The predatory instinct to protect the prey had ceased, as it was now unequivocally mine.

Re-entering the armor, I took a deep breath, feeling the telepathic link re-establish. As usual, only silence remained, so I approached the insect, closing my eyes to concentrate.

The crimson orb situated on my chest. A manifestation of Jewel's boundless hunger began to pulse with my resolve to consume such a potent being. I could immediately feel its passive power escalating rapidly.

The sheer force and might at my disposal proved challenging to manage. It demanded my complete focus to reach its zenith, at which point I could barely stand. Yet, slowly, I took one step, then another. Followed by a few more before pressing my chest against the creature.

The resilient chitin and... The exo-plate began to disintegrate and break down. A smile spread across my face as I gently caressed my armor while it fed. That was precisely what I was doing. I was nourishing my armor, I was providing my mate with sustenance it clearly desired.

...

"What do you suppose he's doing up there? It's been several hours," Marnes inquired, setting down a crate brimming with Praedoxite.

"Perhaps he's consuming the creature? It's possible he possesses a power that allows him to grow stronger from the beings he devours. That would account for his unusual might. Hey, Ness, does he have such an ability?" Aeteos questioned.

"No. To my knowledge, Apollo does not possess such a power. However, he has mentioned to me previously that he has a propensity for acquiring abilities in rather unconventional ways," Nerissa replied, materializing another crate.

"Should we venture up to investigate? My curiosity is nearly overwhelming; I'm practically perishing from the desire to know what's transpiring. "Rhapso declared, gazing upward with a crestfallen expression.

"You shall do no such thing," Phoebe stated firmly as she entered the cavern. "Apollo is at liberty to do as he pleases for as long as he wishes. You, on the other hand, have a duty to perform, so attend to it."

"Do we have support from above, Phoebe?" Nerissa asked, and Phoebe gave a nod.

"Indeed. I've just concluded a communication with Commander Hyllus. She is dispatching a reinforcement drop in a few hours, comprising elite forces and knights. Accompanying them will be some of their scarce sub-orbit craft for extraction purposes. The Phalanx are also preparing to advance en masse towards this sector, as our allies were less than pleased to discover the Drakoshi were mining Redoxuite. Now, enough dawdling. We still have a significant amount to pack... The others will be overjoyed to find so much-"

*Thud*

Not far from the Nymphs' current position, a substantial mass abruptly impacted the earth, kicking up a significant cloud of dust and fragments.

A few moments passed, and as the debris began to settle, a silhouette became visible. It was humanoid, standing at approximately eight feet tall, possessing a bulky frame. Following this, a vibrant purple hue emerged through the dissipating mist. Spots of this glowing purple began to materialize, with the eyes being the most striking feature, fixed directly upon them. A secondary glow emanated from the chest area.

As the obscuring dust continued to clear, the Nymphs' eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before them. They recognized the entity, knew who was encased within, but what they were witnessing… it was unlike anything they had ever encountered.

Apollo's armor, even before this transformation, was of an alien design and operation. It contained no discernible technology, a fact confirmed by numerous scans. Yet, now… it appeared truly extraterrestrial, resembling a bipedal insectoid.

The armor, originally black and tan, was now adorned with streaks of amber coloring around the torso, as well as circular patterns on his forearms and pauldrons. Spikes had now become visible across the entire suit, most prominently protruding from the pauldrons – sharp, jagged, and undeniably deadly.

His gauntlets and sabatons had themselves become formidable weapons, culminating in sharp claws capable of rending flesh with effortless ease. In specific areas around his body, a purple, cloth-like material now draped, though it was clearly not fragile. It seemed to be fashioned from the same chitinous material as the insect that had been present earlier.

The helmet had also undergone a significant alteration. Previously, it appeared as a single, cohesive piece with a bulky visor. Now, it was streamlined, closely fitted, and featured sharp contours, presenting an intimidating visage. It exuded an even stronger sense of xeno-technology. Furthermore, the addition of three sets of horns atop the head, along with a small pentagonal crest, amplified this impression.

Three of the Nymphs suddenly felt a sense of unease as they gazed upon the motionless figure. A tense stalemate commenced, the atmosphere growing heavier with each passing second.

"Why are you all looking at me like that? Does it look bad? I thought armor mark two looked pretty cool."

The palpable tension instantly dissolved with the utterance of that same light-hearted voice, washing away the unease it had previously held.

"Apollo!!! What is happening right now! Your armor looks so… Wow!" Rhapso suddenly exclaimed, rushing towards him and spinning around him, scrutinizing every detail. "Haha! Look! A purple cape! Aww, Apollo. Have you found interacting with us so inspiring that you have adopted our color as your own? Isn’t that just so sweet!"

"Oh, I didn’t design the suit at all. After the suit began to devour the insect, it just started creating. This is the final result. And I am not disappointed. My durability is insane now, I can tell just by being inside of it. I feel like a juggernaut."

Rhapso’s boldness and her playful prodding at all my joint locations encouraged the others to approach and begin their own inspection. I had no objections, having already seen the armor's appearance, which struck me as both badass and terrifying. 'Just like the hive.'

"Apollo?" Nerissa began. "Did your armor devour the entire creature? The thing was massive, how have-"

I interrupted her. "I weigh a shitload right now. When I came down, I used the same force I usually do to just float, and I dropped like a lead balloon. Seriously. Gyrokinesis is the best. You should try it sometime."

Marnes and Aeteos then exchanged glances, and a moment later, I felt myself lift a mere quarter of an inch off the ground.

"Nnnghhhh!!"

"Aaagggghhh!"

The two Nymphs cried out before hastily collapsing backward. I then moved aside to give them space to rise safely. Once they were up, the pair looked at me once more before speaking in unison.

"Gyrokinesis apparently is the best..."