Alexander Becking walked across the dark corridor of ORIGIN's module with a frown on his old, scarred face.
"Peter. Anything?" he asked.
Behind him, holding a tablet in his hand, Peter shook his head. "The entire lighting, fuel, and communication system is fried, Sir. Only the Artificial Gravity System is working fine…"
Alex's frown deepened. "Parker…" he asked again, "… can you turn it off?"
Parker, holding another tablet as he rapidly typed codes, also shook his head.
Alex tsked.
Someone had activated the Artificial Gravity System only 15-20 minutes ago. Someone who wasn't one of ORIGIN's crew. Someone who had the knowledge and ability to hack into the most sophisticated piece of machinery the world had ever created.
And that was the most troubling mystery of this mission.
Why was this person inside ORIGIN? What was this person's purpose? Did this person know about Star? If yes, then what did this person intend to do with it?
An even greater question was whether this person knew of the overarching consequences of what was happening here.
Yes or no… either answer would go against Alex's liking.
For now, the most immediate thing he needed to take care of was the Artificial Gravity System, which was already turning out to be a headache.
He was the last person suited for this mission, Alex knew.
First, his Gravity Crusher Quirk was the nemesis of sophisticated machinery, like the Space Station. Even if he were to spread only 100% of his accumulated weight, that was still a 180kg increase in load. That, too, instantly. Such sudden loads could easily cause delicate parts to experience mechanical failure. Given the state of ORIGIN, there was no doubt that the possibility would come true.
Second, even if he were to risk spreading the weight, it would still cover the entire Space Station.
Who knew in what condition Star, that kid, and the others were?
With Alex having no control over that distance, they were bound to experience that increase in weight.
Third, his fighting style heavily depended upon accumulating weight and spreading it over a large area, gaining an upper hand over his enemies.
But anything above 100% weight accumulation would literally turn him into a walking hazard.
Even after all that, Alex had forced his way into the mission.
It wasn't like he had any choice, either.
Only he knew what was at stake on this mission.
Only he knew what would be the consequence of a result that wasn't in his favor.
Only he knew what step he must take if he were to find… the entire crew compromised.
So, in all this, the lack of the Artificial Gravity System would have helped him, as it wouldn't have overly burdened either the machinery or the people.
But someone had…
Hisssssssss…
"What was that?!" Parker gasped, his entire body gaining a layer of ruby-like crystal.
Peter, standing next to Parker, sprouted two more arms from his back, all his nails lengthening simultaneously, becoming claws.
Even then, the two men inched closer to the Captain, remaining in his shadow.
Meanwhile, Alex stared ahead, narrowing his eyes to see past the darkness, the electric sparks doing more harm than they helped.
The attack… came from behind.
A chill ran down Alex's spine.
Time stilled.
Alex spun around, accumulating a hundred percent of his weight, and threw the punch.
From the darkness, strands of darkness rushed toward them, slithering on the floor, walls, and ceiling.
Instantly, Alex realized his punch wouldn't be enough.
If he wanted to stop whatever was coming for him, for his men, then he must spread the accumulated weight.
But that needed time.
At 100%? He needed only one second.
That one second felt like an eternity to Alex, though.
A low grunt escaped his throat as he pushed his Quirk, both his hands now reaching to grab the two men who had taken refuge in his shadow.
Then, with a BAM, around 180kg of weight landed on all and everything within a spherical zone of a thousand-meter radius.
Hisses of the vilest nature echoed across the corridor as the creature in the darkness squirmed.
Alex pulled the two men back, jumped backward, and instantly canceled the spread weight.
With a creak, the tubes running down the wall broke, bundles of wire catching fire.
And, in the light of that fire, Alex eyed the most hideous creature he had seen in his entire life.
It was a massive, worm-like thing, with exposed flesh.
On its body, there were holes, tiny rope-like strands of flesh lashing out of them, all holding a fanged mouth at their ends.
Then there was the face attached to the top of the flesh worm.
It was upside down, lacking eyes, its frowning lips seemingly smiling at him.
"What the…" Alex cursed.
"Sir…"
Alex looked over his shoulder, and his heart skipped a beat.
Parker had planted his armored back against the wall, getting as far away from his fellow crew member as possible.
Peter, on the other hand, was lying on the floor with… a strand of flesh wrapped around his leg, the fangs of the mouth at its end plunged deep into his flesh.
With an indescribable urgency, Alex crouched and ripped that strand of flesh off Peter.
But something was wrong.
Peter's eyes had rolled back, his skin rippling as if worms were slithering under it.
Then, even as Alex asked for Singularity's help, strands of flesh began ripping out of Peter's skin, his entire body convulsing.
From behind, the monster hissed again, sending hundreds of worms slithering toward them.
From ahead, Peter… or whatever he was now, growled like a beast and lunged upward, his pus-filled claws going straight for Alex's throat.
Time stilled again.
In that stilled time, Alex found himself realizing that he truly wasn't suited for this mission.
He had barely entered the space station, and he had already lost one of his men… a good man… to an enemy he didn't even understand.
Rage filled Alex's bones.
Before he could let that rage explode, spreading the accumulated weight once again, the small fire behind him burgeoned…
… and a man walked out of it, holding on to his hat, wielding a gun.
Bang!