Became an Evolving Space Monster

What would be a good Apex for Adhai and me to hunt together?

The Sky Whale, which absorbs all kinds of energy, is out of the question. To fight it, we would have to rely purely on physical abilities, which would be very disadvantageous for Adhai, who is much smaller than her kind.

The Crystal Wing is a suitable opponent to improve Adhai’s skills, but there’s a problem. It would take at least several days to catch them, and we don’t have that much time.

So, the Crystal Wing is also excluded.

Another candidate to consider is the Glacier Fiend, but this is also ambiguous. The narcotic substance of the Glacier Fiend can also allure Gallagons. Although White Gallagons have a high resistance to poison, it would still be difficult to avoid aftereffects. Since the fight with Odd Grad is not far away, it is not good to fight an enemy that leaves aftereffects.

What about the Ice Horror?

Not very good. In the case of the Ice Horror, it has eaten it twice. The one I caught and the one Ham Ort caught, making it two times. Having eaten it multiple times, it is unlikely to have a new impact.

Excluding the Ice Horror, we are left with the Gallagon. A good opponent, but apart from Odd Grad and Ham Ort’s group, it doesn’t exist on this planet. Ultimately, the Gallagon is also a no-go.

With five types of Apexes excluded, there are three other Apexes that inhabit the ice planet, according to my memory. One of them, the Arcane Orca, is a higher species of the Sky Whale, so it’s out. That leaves two.

One of them has no flying ability at all. It is not suitable as a training target for Adhai, who needs to get used to aerial combat.

Naturally, only one Apex remains.

I am now moving with Adhai to capture it.

We are currently in a place far from the forest where the nest is located. Although it’s closer to the giant mountain where we caught the Sky Whale, it still takes quite some time to get there.

We have come a little farther out since there have been no special movements from the Odd Grad group. It’s dangerous to take too long, so I plan to look around for a day and then return.

Considering Adhai’s stamina, we landed on the mountain from time to time to rest or have meals.

[ZZZ (Eat)]

｢Thank you｣

I handed a small animal carcass to Adhai. Watching her suck the blood with her tentacles, I also swallowed an animal carcass in one gulp.

‘The creature we are going to catch this time is difficult to find, so I mustn’t be impatient.’

Although not as troublesome as the Crystal Wing, it is still a hassle to find.

This time, the prey is a stealth-type Apex. Like the Ice Horror, it is a type that makes its own home and hides.

‘It’s more of a food storage than a home, though.’

It has a peculiar habit of catching prey, storing it in a suitable place, letting it rot, and then eating it. Its nickname is Gourmet for a reason.

Just as it picks its food, the prey we are going to hunt this time is very intelligent. Although it does not possess the high sociality and advanced conversation system of the Gallagon, this is because they move alone.

In a way, it is similar to the Amorph.

After a short meal and rest, we resumed our search.

Below our wings, we left the forest full of trees and saw the ridges of the mountains stretching widely.

Even during the flight, my auxiliary organs were fixed on the mid-mountain area. This is because it mainly makes its hiding place in the middle of the mountain, so we need to examine that area carefully.

As it is very smart, it hides its nest well, but there is one distinctive feature. I have already informed Adhai about this.

｢Great Elder｣ ｢Question｣

While meticulously examining the mountains, Adhai called me.

｢Great Elder｣ ｢Knowledge｣ ｢Many｣ ｢Kin｣ ｢Me｣ ｢Not know｣ ｢All｣ ｢Know｣ ｢Amazing｣

[ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Is that so?)]

｢Ham Ort｣ ｢Odd Grad｣ ｢Both｣ ｢All｣ ｢Do not know｣ ｢Great Elder｣ ｢Only｣

She seemed amazed that I had so much information. From my perspective, it’s more impressive that she remembers every movement of the stars.

｢Great Elder｣ ｢Every｣ ｢Prey｣ ｢All｣ ｢Know?｣

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZ (No, not to that extent)]

I have memorized about 80% of the creature information from Space Survival. For an Amorph, knowing more about creatures is beneficial because traits translate to power.

‘There weren’t many players who knew as much as I did.’

Probably, only the 4th rank Outspacer and the 1st rank Cyborg knew as much or more than I did.

However, this place is reality, so there are quite a few differences from the game. Number 26, who evolved from a Bubble Amoeba to a Sea Demon, and Adhai, a mutant Gallagon, are entities not seen in the game.

This also applies to the Ice Horror we first encountered on this planet. It was much larger than its game counterpart. Even the White Gallagon, Ham Ort, possessed skills far superior to its kin.

‘For now, my knowledge is still useful.’

But who knows how long that will last. The only way to minimize the risk of discrepancies between my knowledge and reality is one thing.

‘To grow stronger so I won’t die.’

[ZZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZz (There’s still much I don’t know. I’m still weak.)]

｢Great One｣ ｢Body｣ ｢Resembles black kin｣ ｢Strength｣ ｢Strong｣

[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (You will be stronger than me when you grow.)]

｢Truth?｣

It is true. Even an ordinary Black Gallagon has superior specs compared to mine. If Adhai becomes a Red Gallagon, she will be the most powerful among my companions.

‘Though, due to her small body, she won’t be as strong as the original.’

Adhai, hearing my words, wagged her tail happily while flying.

｢I｣ ｢Growth｣ ｢Complete｣ ｢After｣ ｢Wish｣ ｢Have｣

[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (Okay. If you have a wish, I will grant it.)]

｢Promise｣

Like Adhai, I also need to continue gathering genetic essence beyond evolution. If she has a preferred prey, hunting together wouldn’t be bad.

As we continued exploring the mountains, I spotted traces of our target.

[ZZZ (Found it.)]

｢Where?｣

[ZZZ (There.)]

Adhai and I landed on a snow-covered mountainside. It wasn’t rocky but had abundant trees and plants.

‘They transplant trees and plants to hide the nest entrance.’

Anyone unaware of this behavior or an ordinary animal would simply pass by.

｢There｣ ｢Nest?｣

[ZZ (Yes.)]

I led Adhai to a place thick with trees, vines, moss, and various plants.

The reason I was sure this was the nest and food storage was simple. I pulled out a vine growing from the ground.

‘This plant species doesn’t grow here.’

The creature with flying ability always goes far to get its prey. Each time, it brings back seeds or roots from the area where it found food and plants them at the hideout entrance.

So, if you see plants that don’t naturally grow in the area, it’s a sign of the creature’s hideout.

I plucked a berry from the vine and swallowed it, tossing one to Adhai, who began eating it. I told her:

[ZZZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZ (Wait here for a moment.)]

｢I｣ ｢Together｣ ｢Enter｣

[ZZZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ (No. I will lure it out and we will fight outside.)]

The opponent we will face prefers highly unconventional tactics, often ambushing or deceiving its prey for a counterattack. Its attacks are very powerful, and if not careful, it could seriously injure Adhai.

‘It’s better if I go in and draw it out.’

I tore through the vines and trees. Using my wing arms and combat arms to clear the obstacles, a large cave entrance appeared.

From inside, faint smells of blood and rotting corpses wafted out. Smelling this, I was certain.

‘I found it.’

The creature I was searching for wouldn’t leave its nest until it had finished its meal.

I crawled into the entrance on my stomach. The entrance was narrow, but the tunnel widened as I moved deeper. It wasn’t just the tunnel that expanded; it branched into numerous pathways like an ant colony.

But I didn’t need to venture further in. My goal was to lure it out.

‘It might be waiting for me, but…’

I stopped in a suitably wide corridor.

Fortunately, the cooldown for the Hunter’s Mark had just ended a few minutes ago. I activated my latent bio-weapon.

As the form of my head carapace changed, my vision disappeared, and my other senses became highly sensitive. My body twisted, relocating my face-like structure to the head carapace, and a pair of bone-scythe arms emerged from my back. My wings now bore red vein-like patterns. The transformation extended my body length, filling the corridor.

Raising my body even slightly caused my head to touch the ceiling. This was exactly what I wanted. I began to slam my head against the corridor walls and ceiling.

‘Come out quickly.’

The creature wouldn’t die from the tunnel collapsing. However, its precious food supplies would be ruined.

“Saaahhh! Shaaa!”

Just as I intended, I heard an enraged roar from within. Following that, a sound like rapidly flipping through a book echoed through the tunnel. The creature was charging.

Having successfully lured it out, I began to retreat.

The smell of mold and darkness of the cave grew more intense as the creature approached. I could sense its strong animosity in its footsteps.

When my tail pincers finally emerged from the nest, the creature’s mantis-like arm slashed through the air. Its powerful forelegs severed one of my horns.

I had anticipated its approach, so I quickly retracted my head to avoid a fatal wound.

With one horn lost, I hastily exited the nest.

｢Big One｣｢Horn｣｢Where go?｣

[ZZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ (It will come out. Get ready)]

Adhai, who had been using her tendrils like straws to eat berries, tensed up upon hearing my warning. Seconds after I exited, the creature emerged.

Its forelegs aimed another slash at me, but I was prepared. Utilizing the open space, I twisted my body to dodge the attack, then used the momentum to swing my tail.

The pincer at the end of my tail struck the creature like a flail, sending it flying onto the snow piled in front of the cave.

‘That was weak.’

Although it seemed like a direct hit, it wasn’t. The creature had folded its forelegs to minimize damage.

As expected, it rose unharmed.

Its name was ‘Hellside Hornet.’ True to its name, it resembled an insect, an apex predator.

‘Though no insect like that exists in reality.’

The Hellside Hornet had features resembling a mantis, wasp, and horsefly. Unlike regular insects with six legs, it had eight. Two forelegs similar to a mantis’s arms on its upper body and six legs on its lower body.

It had an upright upper body and folding scythe-like forelegs, reminiscent of a mantis.

However, unlike a slender mantis, its upper body was bulked up. Underneath its thick carapace lay muscles that seemed impossible for an insect.

‘Its speed and strength come from those muscles.’

Atop its solid upper body was a head similar to a wasp’s. Just as a wasp’s bite is painful, the creature’s mandibles were formidable weapons.

Its back bore large wings that covered its entire body. While its upper body resembled a mantis, its lower body was like a horsefly, complete with a long, bio-duct near its rear.

[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ (Be careful not to get hit by that tail)]

｢Understood｣

I compared it to a horsefly for a reason. If attacked by its tail, one gets infected with parasites.

While these parasites don’t control their host like mine or Out Spacers, or drive them insane like the narcotic substances of the Glacier Fiend, they do cause hundreds, even thousands, of maggots to erupt from the wound. It’s akin to the effect of the ‘Tetanus Vine’ I used to incapacitate a temple guard before.

‘In some ways, it’s even more horrifying than the vine.’

Imagine hundreds of maggots, each the size of an adult man’s finger, burrowing through the wound and body. Visually shocking, and above all, excruciatingly painful. Adhai would be incapacitated immediately upon infection.

The only consolation is that due to its large body structure, it’s difficult for the creature to infect Adhai with its tail.

‘It’s a big one.’

The Hellside Hornet before us stood about 10 meters tall and 15 meters long. To infect Adhai, its body would need to be quite flexible.

The Hellside Hornet, with its dark military green base color and thick brown stripes, glared at us with its repulsive compound eyes.

Shaaa, Saaah.

Its gaze was fixed on our wings, assessing our maneuverability.

Then, its wings spread wide. Simultaneously, Adhai and I unfurled ours.

‘It’s starting.’

All three of us ascended into the dark sky together.

The aerial battle between me and the two apex predators had just begun.

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