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Chapter 52: The Only Way

From their previous experience on the -Tyl- Planet, they knew that bullets couldn’t hurt Graniliths.

The plasma weapons had to be used, which is why a large portion of the fuel recovered on the Planet so far had been reserved for them.

“If it steps forward, we shoot-”

“Ugh…” Raya interrupted as she waved her hand. “What would you guys do without me.” She shook her head for a moment and chuckled. “Seriously…”

“What do you-”

Raya suddenly placed her hands around her mouth.

“DO A CARTWHEEL!” She shouted.

Roka, Liz, Rea, and the males immediately furrowed their brows.

‘What the hell is she-‘

Every one of them had their thought interrupted as…

“See?” Raya pointed with her thumb. “That was a bad cartwheel, but still counts. Doesn’t it?”

The crewmates stared at the Granilith, dumbfounded.

‘This is embarrassing… Hope they don’t ask for a bunch of acrobatic figures. I’m not a dog…’ The Paru shook his head. ‘Still, it’s the fastest way to show them that I can understand them so…’

“We complained about it, didn’t we?” Raya walked forward until she joined Roka’s side. “The fact that they can’t understand us. That they try to kill us right away, despite standing on two legs.”

“What’s your point?”

“There’s one who understands us.”

Roka remained silent for a bit, deep in thought.

“You’re saying that… That… Is the Paru you talked about?”

“That’s right!” Raya clapped her hands. “You remember the Species name! Good for you!”

Roka’s eyebrow twitched from anger, but she let it slide.

“That’s impossible. How can something change so much? It doesn’t seem plausible.”

“Ugh.” Raya rolled her eyes. “I should be the one saying that. As the scientist, don’t you think?”

“You would but…” Roka scratched her head. “The way your eyes are sparkling. You seem more amazed than in doubt.”

“Because I don’t doubt it at all.” Raya shrugged, before playing her hands around her mouth again. “Show them to us!” She shouted.

‘Them?’

There only seemed to be one possible thing she could be referring to so…

“See? Graniliths don’t have those either.”

“You mean that’s…” Kris whispered, his voice full of doubt. “That’s what…”

Seeing the cute Pet change this way was more than confusing.

But the tentacles that had appeared from below its shell… They were the exact same.

Still, doubts couldn’t be shrugged off. Especially not the fear of Graniliths, which had annihilated half of the fleet.

“I’ll go talk to him.” Raya declared as she stepped forward.

A second later,

“What are you doing?” She asked without turning around.

Roka tightened her grip around Raya’s shoulder.

“Talking to it? Have you gone mad?”

Raya scratched her cheek with the tip of her index finger.

“Scared for me? Well, isn’t this nice…”

“I’m the Commander. I’m responsible for everyone here.”

“So, Commander. Tell me…” Raya slowly turned around. “What are we going to do about the Tsero Crystal?”

“We’ll look for it.” Roka answered confidently. “It can’t have just vanished. It must be-”

“I think it did vanish.” Raya interrupted. “I think it vanished, and while fingers can be pointed, that brings us back to square one.”

Roka’s eyes narrowed as she listened.

“Everything we’ve done was for nothing. We struggled to get there, and lost people on the way. Once we were there, we struggled to get the Tsero Crystal, and even had to use people as bait to survive those creatures. Remember? I was part of the group that managed to grab the Crystal. I only survived because of luck. Just like every single one of us left. We managed to get the Crystal, but it cost too much. In people, in fuel, in everything… It cost more than we thought it would. No, more than we wanted it to. It was an impossible mission from the get-go, wasn’t it? A desperate one.”

“What’s your point?”

“We have to get another Tsero Crystal. And there’s no way I’m going back to that hell…” Her gaze moved over to the Paru. “Without a strong weapon and shield.”

“Not only do you assume it won’t kill us, but you assume it will help us?”

“It owes us that much, don’t you think?”

“Why is that?”

Raya had her suspicions, but she hadn’t shared them with Roka.

The suspicions about the Paru having devoured the Tsero Crystal remained a secret.

“Well, the only reason it managed to change this much is thanks to us. Thanks to us bringing it here.” Raya argued. “Those nightmarish creatures guarding the Tsero Crystals… I would bet that this Paru will use them the same way he has used Graniliths.”

“In other words, going there benefits it as well?”

“Yes. So, let go of my shoulder, and let me talk to him.”

“Why do you refer to it as -him-?”

“Well… We gotta show respect if we want him to help us, don’t you think?”

Roka’s gaze repeatedly alternated between Raya and the Granilith standing dozens of meters away.

No matter how much she tried, that’s all she could think of it as.

Perhaps it was easier for Raya as she hadn’t fought against Graniliths, or witnessed the massacre they had inflicted upon the troops.

“Don’t get too close.” Roka let go of Raya’s shoulder. “We’ll keep aiming at it, but it will be able to move for a bit even if we pierce its chest.”

Raya nodded, and walked forward.

She took a deep breath in.

Despite having talked that way to Roka, Raya had doubts of her own. And fear.

Still, it was their only chance.

“You… You’re still the same inside, right?” Raya asked once about seven steps separated her from the Paru.

The latter slowly nodded.

“You want to stay with us, right? Cause if you’re planning on staying on this Planet, then I guess I shouldn’t bother.” Raya scratched her head. Since he can’t communicate, it’s important to end with a question. “You’ll stay with us?”

The Paru nodded.

Raya stared.

“You’ll stay here?”

The Paru shook its head.

“Alright. In that case, I thought of a way that could make everyone okay with you…”