Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Eve of Transcendence Stage 2
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'It took a while, but I've finally gathered all the materials.'
I'd caught two more Swamp Kings, but neither dropped the traits I wanted. In the end, I had no choice but to roam the swamps, hunting whatever crossed my path to collect the fusion traits needed for the nest-related one.
'Which is why it took a full 14 hours.'
At least I'd scored some nice traits like those pincers for consolation.
｢Big guy, you sure it's okay for us to eat all this ourselves?｣
[Zzz zuzz zzuzuz zzuzuz (I've eaten plenty, so it's fine)]
I nodded to Number 26, who asked cautiously.
With preparations complete for entering Transcendence Stage 2, I'd returned to the nest—carrying three Swamp King corpses, no less.
'No point hogging all this delicious food.'
Even while apart, I'd been determined to let them taste Swamp King meat.
｢Swamp King, huh. Been a while.｣
｢I｣｢Curious｣｢This｣｢Tasty?｣
｢It suits my tastes.｣
Surprisingly, the Mother of the Sky had preyed on Swamp Kings before. From what I knew, her stage couldn't defend against swamp toxins.
Not without someone's help, anyway.
'She's got a story behind it.'
The griffin gazed at the corpse with bitter eyes.
Her expression gave me a rough idea of what happened. Probably shared a hunt with her late husband, the Father of the Earth.
'Tragic, but...'
She had to eat it. Swamp King flesh was key to advancing Volf deification.
The Mother of the Sky was cooperating with me now, but ours was fundamentally a contract. She'd pledged everything in exchange for revenge.
And I needed a fully deified Volf. Not immediately, but as insurance after reaching adulthood.
I tore a chunk of meat from inside the tough carapace and offered it to her.
She glanced at me, then took the meat in her beak.
'Good.'
Earlier, while treating her, I'd implanted a parasite in her head. After killing Muriel, I'd judged her betrayal risk minimal. So I'd dialed the parasite's interference to the lowest, letting her act freely.
That said, the parasite was there. One command, and she'd obey.
But that would ruin our relationship. She was a capable fighter—wasting her would be foolish.
I needed her cooperation at least until I reached adulthood, or Adhai grew into a White Galleron.
｢Tasty?｣
｢Eh, it's decent. Don't ask—just eat.｣
｢Affirmative｣
She seemed to understand, chewing and swallowing quietly.
Remembering her lost family? Her amber eyes held inscrutable emotions.
But no resentment toward me.
Starting with the Mother of the Sky, Adhai and Number 26 each claimed a corpse and dug in.
｢Tasty!｣
｢Yeah!｣
Adhai slurped blood through mouth tentacles like straws; Number 26 tore flesh with tentacles and fins. Their enthusiasm suggested they loved Swamp King meat.
'Glad it suits their tastes.'
As they started eating, I shared something important.
I was about to enter Transcendence Stage 2. They needed to guard me.
'Not sure if Stage 2 requires the cocoon.'
Activating my sole transcendence traits, 'Perfect Organism' and 'Nightmare Horizon,' had taken nearly as long as growth evolutions. Stage 2 would likely be similar.
｢Big guy's growing again?｣
｢I｣｢Jealous｣｢Adult｣｢Grows｣｢Fast｣
[Zuuuuu zuzz zzuzuz zzuz zzuzuz (Eat plenty, Adhai, and you'll grow fast too)]
｢Affirmative｣｢I｣｢Eat lots｣｢Eat｣
Having seen me use transcendence before, Number 26 and Adhai asked no more.
｢Evolving already? You haven't met adult conditions yet.｣
The Mother of the Sky, however, had never witnessed it.
'Come to think of it, I never explained.'
Transcendence wasn't in the game. Even a ranker like her wouldn't know.
I gave her a brief rundown: a new ability fusing multiple traits into one.
She nodded.
｢I see. Aimorphs and Outspacers often complain about too many traits later on.｣
[Zz (Yeah)]
｢Maybe that's your perk.｣
[Zzuzzu (Could be)]
All players crossing to this world got a perk. I'd stolen Muriel's; the Mother had one too—I knew what it was.
'Useful for Volf, not so much for me.'
Hers didn't synergize well. A downgraded Aimorph perk, really.
Like Muriel's, it might adapt if I ate her. Tempting, but keeping her alive was more profitable now.
Anyway, she took it as an Aimorph perk. I half-suspected the same.
'Nothing else from the system fits.'
'Predator Sense' and 'Monster's Tentacles' came closest to perk-level, maybe.
'Probably not.'
Despite power, they were predation gains—too vague for perks. Muriel and the Mother said perks came as messages.
[Zz zzuzzu zzuz zzuzuzuzz zzuzz zzuzuzz (I enter the cocoon for this)]
｢Like evolution? Weaknesses similar, then.｣
[Zz (Yes)]
｢...Explains dragging Seed Demons and Gallerons around.｣
The griffin gave a wry smile. As a ranker, she knew Aimorph vulnerabilities.
Honestly, I couldn't deny intending it.
Saving Number 26 was kindness at first, but suspecting Seed Demon shifted plans. Raising it for my survival? Fact.
Adhai was pure profit.
'Not anymore.'
Brushing death together forged deep bonds. Could I sacrifice them for my life? Tough call now.
But I didn't tell her.
Too embarrassing to say; she seemed to sense it anyway.
After petting their heads, I crawled into the burrow at the nest's center.
First thing after returning from the island: secure a home.
Found nest-worthy soil, dug a massive chamber below. Excavating enough for me created dirt hills nearby.
Then lined it to prevent collapse. Hardened mucus held against all but extreme shocks.
A nest for Transcendence Stage 2.
I lay atop it and activated the translucent text box.
‘Transcendence (Stage 2)’: Fuse 5 fusion traits to unlock a new type-related trait. All material traits must relate to different types. Unlocks info on the new type. Available traits: Vampire Tentacle (Fusion), Ghost Claw (Fusion), Decay Fungus Organ (Fusion), Camouflage (Fusion), Variant Promotion Virus (Fusion) Bonus: Restriction from Transcendence Stage 1 lifted.
*P.S.: Materials for breakthrough can be swapped with others. FYI.
'Perfect.'
As described, Stage 2 needed fusion traits from different types. I could pick from my stock.
'Vampire Tentacle for body traits.'
Post-Nightmare Horizon, I barely used it. Erosion Tentacles outclassed for mid-range. Ideal fodder.
'Hate to lose Ghost Claw, but competition's fierce.'
Rivals: Predator Sense, Monster's Tentacles, Horror Stare, Psionic Reflex Armor. All battle MVPs—Ghost Claw bites the dust.
Decay Fungus Organ was least versatile among infection traits.
'Only works on organics.'
Camouflage (special defense) too situational.
Last: Variant Promotion Virus.
As named, forces mutations in targets.
Long nest stays randomly, permanently alter one trait.
'Random box, basically.'
Sounds okay, but as bad as Dwarfism.
Random changes affect even me. Bad luck: Predator Sense or Monster's Tentacles gone, swapped for Robust Vitality or junk.
'Wish I could target specifics.'
Can't. Once ignorant, scrapped characters over it.
In-game, used only vs. stronger players, especially Outspacer rankers. Seals key traits.
But makes eternal enemies.
'Gotta burn it as fodder.'
Final material check done.
'Unlock.'
The moment I confirmed, consciousness faded.
-
Two hours since Morphark entered evolution. Unlike Aimorphs needing quick nutrition, no one here was desperate.
So the trio leisurely feasted.
｢Middle kid, not eating more?｣
｢Got all I can, so fine.｣
｢?｣
｢Means I'm full.｣
｢Ugly friend｣｢Eats less｣｢Growth｣｢Slows｣｢Problem｣｢Ugliness｣｢Worsens｣｢[Regret]｣
｢.......｣
The Mother of the Sky barely suppressed urge to smack the snarky lizard. Number 26's presence stopped her.
Whatever happened underwater, the little Seed Demon returned insanely strong. One-on-one? She'd take heavy losses.
Staying meek, Number 26 whipped a tentacle at Adhai's head.
｢Don't tease middle kid.｣
｢I｣｢Truth｣｢Said｣｢Ugliness｣｢Fact｣
Adhai sassed back; Number 26 swung again.
This hit a nearby redwood. The meters-thick trunk split like tofu.
Centuries-old giant felled by tiny tentacle. Mother and Adhai gaped; Number 26 quipped.
｢Quiet.｣
｢Agree｣｢I｣｢No wrong｣｢Silence｣
｢.......｣
Adhai meekened fast.
Mother upped Number 26's threat: fatal injury risk, not just bleeding.
'Thought it tame for Seed Demon.'
Seed Demons treated quasi-boss despite intelligence due to ferocity. Invade territory? Slaughter nonstop. Marked? Ocean trips mean attacks.
Number 26 saintly by comparison, but not soft. Strict on hierarchy.
Lost in thought, Number 26 called her.
｢Middle kid. Question.｣
｢Hm?｣
｢Has middle kid been a mom?｣
Griffin head tilted at Seed Demon's query.
Her name honored her late husband.
Continent Volfs called them Mother of Sky/Father of Earth—Parents of All.
'How to answer?'
Married, family-built, yet childless. No clue why.
So she raised natives as kin. Hence "mother" and "children."
｢...Embarrassing, but yes. Played the mom role.｣
｢Wow! Middle kid amazing!｣
Number 26 sparkled. Pure reaction embarrassed her; gaze averted.
Next question worse.
｢Curious!｣
｢What?｣
｢How babies made?｣
｢What?｣
She figured pink slime joked. But Number 26 dead serious.
Stunned silent, Adhai chimed.
｢I｣｢Curious｣｢I｣｢Big adult｣｢Egg｣｢Want｣
Telepathy conveyed pure intent: 100% sincere.
Number 26 dimmed at interruption.
｢Little kid needs egg. That's why asking.｣
Looked grumpy, but she didn't know Seed Demon moods that well.
Too flustered for that anyway.
'Me give sex ed to Seed Demon and Galleron?'
Game unknown reproduction. Juvenile Seed Demon newsflash via Number 26.
'Adhai female-ish... Wait, can Seed Demons breed?'
｢Th-that's...｣
｢That's?｣
｢I｣｢Curious｣｢Curious｣
Serious duo dizzied her. How explain? Then senses pinged.
Superb eyes pierced dense forest. Ears/nose followed, scanning fiercely.
｢Hold.｣
｢Hold?｣
｢Damn! Enemies!｣
Sensing her alarm, Number 26 and Adhai reacted. Scattered behind trees/rocks.
｢Enemies? Bad guys?｣
｢I｣｢No see｣｣Enemy｣｢Where?｣
｢...Far, but heading here maybe.｣
Best scout sans underground Aimorph.
KMs away: fully armed Cult warriors, combing woods searching.
｢You'll sense too. Focus.｣
｢Got it. Trying.｣
｢Focus｣
Cult radiated psychic power racially. Seed Demon/Galleron hyper-sensitive. Detectable even afar.
As predicted, they sensed mystery Cults quick.
｢Morphark... er, big guy can't move. Evolving.｣
｢Right. Big guy said no touching during growth.｣
｢Affirmative｣｢We｣｢Enemy｣｢Invade｣｢Defend｣
Mother eyed them seriously.
｢Yes. We stop them.｣
Short words, but little monsters grasped meaning.
Their beloved was in danger.
Violet flames roared in Number 26's body, Adhai's eyes.