Chapter 161
Chapter 161
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Love Triangle
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Amy and I stood before Jenny's cocoon, waiting for what felt like an eternity.
To prepare for any potential accidents, I'd strictly instructed everyone else to stay out of the hideout—no one except the two of us was allowed inside.
"How's Jenny? Think she'll come out soon?"
"Compared to two days ago, her weight has increased by about 35 percent, but the sharp rate of growth has slowed dramatically. I estimate she'll break out of the cocoon within the next fifteen minutes or so."
Normally, when someone mentions a sudden weight gain, you'd think of fat accumulation—but Jenny's total transformation was far beyond common sense.
Muscle mass growth.
Her body already outweighed mine by a huge margin, and this creature kept pushing endless muscle development and bizarre new protrusions.
"Not gonna lie, I'm kinda nervous. But it'll be fine, right…"
I took a deep breath and placed my hand on the wriggling cocoon.
Like a human fetus, Jenny was mumbling in her sleep inside, preparing for her rebirth.
If I said I wasn't scared, that'd be a lie.
No matter how many battles I'd fought or close calls with death I'd survived, I wasn't broken enough to shake off that primal fear of living creatures.
"Dr."
Amy placed her hand on my shoulder. Today, it felt heavier than usual.
"I can protect you sufficiently against the other natives, but Jenny is dangerous. This creature has a high probability of disabling my functions and will continuously challenge your authority, posing a real threat."
Amy shared the results of her calculations with me immediately.
There was no emotion in her words, no intent to deceive me.
"Enough. That's all."
"…"
But I couldn't let her say any more. I couldn't shake the ominous feeling that Jenny was listening to every word.
"Understood."
Amy didn't mention it again. The laser sight she'd been aiming at Jenny's cocoon drooped limply toward the floor.
But her blue eyes never wavered. She was replaying every encounter with Jenny so far—and all the events yet to come—in her mind, steeling her resolve once more.
"It's okay. No matter what happens, I'll protect you, Dr."
"…Yeah."
I knew it, too.
This might be our last chance.
The one and only opportunity to cleanly eliminate the monster called Jenny…
"It'll be fine. Let's have some faith in her. Got it?"
"Yes."
But I had no intention of killing Jenny.
If she had to die, I should've done it the moment I first saw her.
I didn't regret the pity I'd felt for that small, pathetic immature specimen. The image of that tiny girl—whose very existence had overshadowed my revulsion at Dan's death—still lingered vividly before my eyes.
Damn it.
She was too small and fragile to dump all my vengeful fury for losing a friend on her.
Just as Jenny had imprinted me as her father,
I had accepted her as someone I needed to protect.
Today, more than ever, I missed Dan.
If I were the one who died,
and Dan had survived to face Jenny,
would he have snapped her neck without hesitation to avenge me?
Kwachuk-!
The top of the cocoon split open, and an arm burst out from within. Black, razor-sharp claws were smeared with the sticky nutrient fluid that had filled the inside.
I hurriedly backed away to put distance between me and the cocoon, while Amy stepped forward to brace for any accidents.
Over Amy's shoulder, Jenny's metamorphosis came into hazy view—a sight that inspired awe and terror in equal measure. The only word to describe this scene was descent.
Keyeek-
It had been a while since I'd heard that ominous cry. Aggressive hisses from Jenny's mouth echoed through the cave, mingled with the squelching of fluids.
"Haa…"
The torn cocoon sagged like a fully bloomed flower. From its midst, Jenny strode out with the poise of a queen.
No, not a queen.
No such paltry word could capture Jenny's overwhelming aura.
Even without digesting the Guide's Fruit, every being she'd devoured up to now had been massive, legendary monsters from myth.
Having consumed and grown from all of them, Jenny returned to my side, radiating a complex presence beyond human language.
"Daddy."
She'd always called me that—it was so familiar. A title I'd heard so often my ears should have blistered.
But now she towered over me,
her gaze even a bit higher than Amy's as she looked down on us both.
"It's been a while, but why the long face? You missed me, right?"
I could no longer see her as my little girl. Back then, she was small enough to act cute and clingy, so I'd pat her head…
"…Yeah. Glad you're unhurt. I was worried sick when you said your stomach hurt."
Now her head was too high to reach.
She brushed past Amy, approaching me until her arm draped over my shoulder like a handrest.
Jet-black hair cascaded down to her hips. Glossy black chitin covered her chest and limbs.
Keyit-
She bent her knees slightly to meet my eyes. The fact that she had to do this to match our heights stirred an inexplicable dread.
"So… Joo-ho, what do you think? Do I look different?"
This was different from her old playful self.
Jenny was still teasing me, as always,
but in her eyes, there was no cheeky provocation or mockery toward her father…
"Don't call me Joo-ho… It's rude."
"Oh, right. My daddy hates rudeness."
Instead, the fierce hunger of a predator eyeing its prey.
"Don't get mad, Father. You're so cute, I just want to take a bite."
Jenny smirked and pressed her lips to my cheek.
A daughter kissing her father's cheek isn't a big deal—but ours was different.
Tooth marks remained on my cheek. A dull pain followed, and a trickle of blood.
"Jenny, step away from the Dr."
Amy wedged herself between us, deeming it intolerable any longer, but Jenny lightly patted her shoulder.
"Relax. Don't be scared. Why would I eat my own daddy? If you overreact like that, it just makes me want to tease you more."
Jenny was an ally.
But conversely, she was the most dangerous of all.
"Daddy, don't just stand there—want to take a walk with me? It's been ages since I saw my little girl; you won't even go for a stroll?"
The hand Jenny extended toward me terrified me.
I remembered her as a hatchling,
the playful child,
the ticking-time-bomb teen girl…
But who was extending this hand to me now?
With her womanly gaze and subtle allure fully bloomed, she escorted me. Unable to refuse, I left the cave with Jenny.
"Dr…"
Amy followed, her gaze filled with concern. The glow in her blue eyes began to spread again.
The phenomenon called [Anomaly]—Amy's companion—seemed to whisper unexpected advice.
Perhaps this very moment was the pivotal instant that would decide our fates? Why else would it reappear in Amy now?
"Jenny, let go of the Dr."
Once more,
Amy mustered her courage and grabbed my hand.
My other hand was held by Jenny.
Trapped between them, I couldn't move my arms and swallowed hard.
The atmosphere grew strangely tense, as if the center of the universe had shifted right here.
"Jenny, this is your final warning."
"Why should I listen to you, Amy?"
All three of us halted at once.
Amy and Jenny locked eyes, calling each other's names. Jenny's sharp tail and Amy's threatening laser aimed to pierce each other's skulls.
"Stop! Both of you, stop!"
But I was in between.
"My arms are gonna rip off…! Let go first, then talk!"
I yelled, alternating glances between the back of Jenny's head and Amy's blue eyes. In this situation, I had to take control. Fail to mediate properly, and everything we'd built would crumble.
"Yeah, it'd hurt if they ripped off."
But Jenny…
was more aggressive than we'd thought.
"…!"
Kwachuk!
Jenny yanked me suddenly with immense force.
If Amy had held on, my body would've surely been torn in two.
"Dr!"
Amy had no choice but to release me to avoid injury.
I stumbled into Jenny's side, ending up cradled in her arms like a child.
"So stop interfering. We're busy. We have so much to catch up on."
Within that ample bosom,
in that firm, sturdy embrace,
I stared deeply into Jenny's eyes from up close.
Amy's lenses were surely peering into them too, seeing the same thing I did.
"Right, Daddy? We gotta hurry and rescue your friends. If we don't, they'll all die."
Unlike Amy's eyes brimming with light,
Jenny's were filled with thick, dense darkness.