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Chapter 137

However, my speculation is that the original purpose of the ‘Symbol of Hunt’ is not about predation probability. It is all about hunting and slaughter, specializing in driving enemies, smashing them, and killing them.

If you look at the description of the perfect organism organism, there is a sentence:

‘My body is optimized for hunting slaughter.’

In fact, my current body is subtly different from the appearance of a perfect organism in the game. It has a lifestyle where I have to crawl using my lower body and tail since I don’t have six combat arms and legs. The blunt claws attached all over my body are the same as in the game.

However, the size of my body and the head armor are slightly larger than in the game, and the combat arms are quite long. Overall, it seems to have changed to be much more advantageous in combat compared to the game.

What if I further enhance my hunting and predation abilities?

Although temporary, my mutated form into a better being is significantly different from before.

Firstly, the size of my body. It seemed to have almost doubled in length compared to before. As evidence, even my line of sight has changed.

After becoming a prepared organism, my eye level hasn’t changed much since I moved with my lower body and tail on the ground. It’s roughly between 7m and 10m.

However, now it feels like looking down from a height of 15m or more. I wonder if the Mother of the Sky in front of me might be covered by my shadow.

‘Considering the length of the body, it might be similar to the Pale Mask.’

Although the change in size is the most noticeable, there were not insignificant detailed changes.

Starting with the head, the jaw, which used to split on both sides, has become much thicker and stronger. There was now space between the jaw and the neck, allowing me to open my mouth wide like a snake. With such a large mouth, I could probably swallow a human in one gulp.

As the jaw strengthened, the teeth also became harder, making it easier to bite through thick skin, similar to a Sea Demon.

One significant change is that auxiliary mechanisms under the jaw are now covered with armor, providing protection.

The auxiliary mechanisms under the jaw are considered the most vulnerable part of my body. Since they are delicate organs responsible for detection, they were not protected by outer skin or armor.

‘Even in the game, this part was a major weakness.’

The armor covering the auxiliary mechanisms at the ends of the arms that emerge from my back, which looks like bone scythes, seemed to be made of the same material. It appeared shockingly sharp.

The four blades under my jaw reminded me of the appearance of the sea monster Makara in classic SF strategy games. The blade-covered auxiliary mechanisms could move freely as I wished. I could swing the blades when turning my head to harvest the enemy’s neck, or when facing a large enemy, I could attack by biting and cutting at the same time.

Although the auxiliary mechanisms became a new means of attack, the detection function did not decrease at all. The reason was the tiny holes scattered throughout the blades of the armor.

These were not just simple holes; they seemed to have further enhanced my already outstanding cognitive abilities. I could read the humidity in the air and even detect when it would rain.

The eyes, covered by the head armor as before, were not visible. However, the performance of the auxiliary mechanisms had improved enough to compensate for this.

‘The head armor has changed a lot too.’

Before becoming a prepared organism, the back of my head had transformed spectacularly, spreading out like a crown. Although the shape of the head spreading out was still the same, there were elongated spikes and sharp plates emerging sporadically on the layered armor.

The armor covering the head seemed to be at least three layers, greatly increasing its defense. Moreover, the addition of spikes and plates allowed me to maximize the destructive power of the previously used horn-piercing tactics and the so-called charge tactics.

‘Overall, the appearance has become more menacing.’

It may not have the majestic appearance like the Mkahara, but in terms of efficiency, it wasn’t bad.

If the changes in the head were a drastic transformation, how had the body changed?

Firstly, the back evolved in a double-covered armor similar to the head, and spikes and plates emerged between them.

If I were to use a strategy where enemies press down on me with their weight, just like when the Pale Mask attacked me, I would undoubtedly be pierced by the spikes and plates, leading to instant death.

And, as expected from before, a new arm with bone scythes has grown on my back. Among the eight holes covered by the whirlpool-shaped membrane, where the tentacles did not emerge, two holes were the ones where the bone scythe arms came out.

The overall shape of the protruding bone scythe arm was similar to before. Unlike a regular arm with one joint between the humerus and radius bones, mine was longer and had an additional joint in the middle, allowing for greater freedom of movement.

The main difference from before was that, apart from the increased size, the bone scythe attached to the end of the arm had split into two. Like pincers, bone blades protruded above and below, and I could freely move them according to my will. With the length of each bone scythe exceeding 3m, the intimidation factor was overwhelming. The sharpness and hardness had also improved significantly compared to before.

The changes in the bone scythe arm were quite interesting, but personally, the biggest change among the transformations in my body was in the lower body.

Since becoming a prepared organism, claws mainly used for digging into the ground or moving in water when crawling or swimming have appeared all over my body.

Those claws have turned extremely gruesome.

If I were to grow Genie to about 50m, would it look like this? The claws that used to be a blunt and rounded shape have transformed into short leg-like forms. Thanks to numerous legs, my lower body and tail were slightly elevated from the ground.

‘At this rate, my movements should be much faster.’

Moreover, the wing membrane originally only between the arms seemed to be present between the small legs as well, so I might be able to float on the water like this.

Lastly, the upper body.

Unlike the distinctly transformed head, back, and lower body, there were no significant changes in the upper body. Except for the fact that the combat arms had become thicker and longer. The membrane hidden between the arms had also grown, right?

After checking the newly mutated body by moving around, the Mother of the Sky, who was in front of me, trembled.

｢Evolved… but you are still a Quasi-saint. What ability is this exactly?｣

[ZZZ ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZ (It’s my secret weapon, I can’t tell you)]

“A secret weapon. Perhaps a special trait. If it’s a special trait, it’s not unreasonable to become this strong, but…”

Even though there was no response, the Mother of the Sky understood on her own. She was visibly overwhelmed by my majestic appearance.

Her neatly arranged fur stood taut, probably due to tension, and her eyes shook slightly. Additionally, I could feel her heart beating strongly through the auxiliary mechanisms.

Even when we first met and when fighting Muriel, she never lost her dignity, but now, she seemed to fear me.

At that moment, Numbers 26 and Adhai approached.

｢The big one got even bigger?｣

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Just grew a bit)]

“The big one can also change its body, so it’s just like me.”

Number 26 liked that we had something in common. On the other hand, Adhai just stared at me blankly.

｢I｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Question｣

[ZZZ ZZ (What is it?)]

｢I｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Tail｣ ｢Female｣ ｢Judgment｣

[ZZZ (Huh?)]

The little one pointed towards the back with the tip of its wings. There, my giant tail was located.

Then, the little one pointed at my horn with its wings.

｢I｣ ｢Judgment｣ ｢Error｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Horn｣ ｢Many｣ ｢Cool｣ ｢I｣ ｢Question｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Male?｣ ｢Female?｣

[ZZZ (Huh?)]

‘Well.’

Gallagon is an animal with sexual dimorphism, so the appearance differs between males and females. In males, the horns are thick and long, while in females, the tail is plump instead of horns.

The biggest change for me since becoming a prepared organism was, without a doubt, the tail.

I probably tried to ask whether I am male or female at that time.

After using the symbol of hunt, my horn has grown considerably. It’s about 2m long now. With this size, I surpass the Black Gallagon. It’s safe to say that Adhai belongs to the upper class among its kin.

In other words, from the perspective of Gallagon, my appearance is quite peculiar. The horn is large, and even the tail is thick.

Still contemplating how to respond to such an absurd question, Mother of the Sky answered first.

｢This one is undoubtedly a male. This transformation… ahem, there’s no way this one could be a female.｣

｢A male?｣

｢Yes, a male.｣

[ZZZ ZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (I am a male)]

In response to my and Mother of the Sky’s words, Adhai nodded with a mischievous expression. The little one, who had been looking at my horn for a moment, sent a sign that it understood my words.

｢I｣ ｢Understand｣ ｢Adult｣ ｢Male｣ ｢Certain｣

[ZZZ ZZ ZZ (That’s right)]

｢Adult｣ ｢Most｣ ｢Cool｣ ｢Group｣ ｢Leader｣ ｢Possible｣

[ZZZZ (Thanks)]

｢…Ha.｣

I expressed gratitude for Adhai’s praise. Of course, I ignored Mother of the Sky’s forced laughter.

Seems like the explanation to them is complete, so I finished the inspection I was doing.

Now it’s time to carry out my original intention.

That is, the Pale Mask predation.

‘Sigh. It’s a shame to use such a good skill only when predating.’

I know that the symbol of hunt is a powerful card, but it’s hard to avoid feeling regret every time I transform. If only it didn’t have a duration of 20 minutes and a cooldown of one week, I would have actively used it in battles. It’s quite disappointing.

‘Maybe things will get better when I enter Transcendence Stage 2.’

The conditions for Transcendence Stage 2 are to use five fusion traits related to different types as ingredients. Thanks to the traits I’ve already acquired while exploring the swamp, I’ve cleared the conditions for Transcendence Stage 2. I’m just waiting for the new nest-related fusion trait, ‘Symbiotic Spores,’ to be obtained before I can proceed.

‘Let’s get the new nest-related fusion trait before leaving this planet.’

Despite being in a somewhat damaged state, the spaceship is ready, and Numbers 26 and Adhai have all gathered. I should aim to obtain the nest-related fusion trait until I can use ‘Horizon of Nightmare’ again.

‘I’ll think about that later.’

For now, it’s time to enjoy predation. I approached the corpses with Number 26.

｢Where.｣

I opened my jaw wide and bit the head of the Pale Mask. My mouth, as large as that of a whale or a boa constrictor, tore off a large piece of Pale Mask’s flesh.

｢Hmm.｣

Is it because my jaw is reinforced, or have my teeth become stronger? When fighting this creature, it felt tough, but now, I feel the flesh melting softly in my mouth.

｢This is an interesting taste.｣

The marine organisms I ate here were two: Fishrian and Sea Demon. Both had unique flavors, but in any case, the taste itself did not deviate from the category of seafood.

However, the male Pale Mask meat here is different. It has a different flavor, as if it’s closer to lamb.

｢Moreover, the taste comes in stages.｣

When I chewed it for the first time, the fat and juiciness burst forth, dominating the intense meaty flavor in my mouth. As I continued to chew, unlike the beginning, it gradually changed into a smooth taste mixed with oil. Finally, it turned into a warm and sweet taste, like melted ice cream, disappearing behind my throat.

｢Compared to the Sea Demon, which had a strong and natural feeling, Pale Mask’s meat is more straightforward. It’s like the difference between a high-end seafood buffet and an American steakhouse.｣

｢Thankfully, it tastes good even though it was difficult to catch.｣

That way, Number 26 and I thoroughly enjoyed the Pale Mask meat.

It took roughly 10 minutes to consume the creature’s entire head. At the moment when I licked up the last remaining drop of brain matter, the expected text box appeared.

[Predation effect activated! Successfully acquired the ‘Humanoid Beast’ trait.]

‘Stolen the ‘Humanoid Beast’ trait from ‘Pale Mask.”

[Do you want to apply the ‘Humanoid Beast’ trait?]

The acquired trait was ‘Humanoid Beast.’ It involved generating a parasitic creature resembling the pale face, which served as the mascot of Pale Mask. While personally useful and somewhat satisfying to obtain, there was also a sense of regret.

‘I aimed for a giant creature.’

The ‘Giant Creature’ trait is shared among creatures with a size of 50m or more. Acquiring the ‘Giant Creature’ trait allows the use of the giant transformation ability. If I use both the Symbol of Hunt and the giant transformation, my physical abilities would be practically invincible.

It might sound childish, but I wanted to see it at least once—the appearance of myself transformed into a giant while using the Symbol of Hunt. Since I have to hunt the creatures belonging to Apex to evolve, and most Apex creatures are large, there will be plenty of opportunities to obtain the Giant Creature trait in the future.

I shrugged off the disappointment and applied the inheritance of Pale Mask’s legacy, the ‘Humanoid Beast’ trait.

In the vast universe spread out with infinite darkness, there were massive structures floating tens, hundreds of light-years away, emitting the only light in that space. The shape of these structures resembled refined diamonds. With a diameter of 3 km, the structure, decorated with ivory-colored hulls and gold and special metals, was astonishingly a spaceship.

Its identity was the Imperial Battleship, a mass-produced weapon of ancient technology from the Cult Empire, known as ‘Judicator of Damocles 08.’

Just a few thousand years ago, the Imperial Battleship was actively patrolling numerous battlefields. To uphold the ‘Doctrine,’ the foundation of the cult, and enlighten countless planets and natives, the battleship had no time to rest.

Of course, that was all in the past. For over a thousand years, the Cult Empire had been entangled in internal conflicts. Even at this moment, numerous factions were engaging in meaningless skirmishes for their political gain within the Empire’s assembly.

In other words, the external wars had ceased, and internal struggles had begun.

Since the era had changed, powerful weapons like the Empire Battleship were no longer needed. Some were retired, while others were stationed on the outskirts of the empire to perform defensive duties.

The Empire Battleship here, ‘Judicator of Damocles 08,’ was one such vessel that had avoided retirement and been driven to the periphery.

In this remote corner where no one approached, not even monsters like Metallic Gremlins or Outsphacers, the battleship’s captain was repeating the usual course calculations.

If the cult aide hadn’t rushed over, it would have been just another day.

“Captain, communication from the assembly!”

“If it’s a faction joining request, tell them we’ve already declined.”

“No, it’s not that! A purification order has been passed by the assembly, and it’s under consideration by the Elders’ Council. It’s expected to come down within a week at the latest, and possibly even in a few days.”

The Cult Battleship Captain, with horns resembling a yak, turned his head abruptly at the aide’s words.

“Purification order? Could it be an Outsphacer attack? When did this happen? Which sector is under attack? Is it such a serious issue that the entire fleet needs to be mobilized?”

“Uh, no, it seems not. The Intelligence Department received information while monitoring the Star Union that the Holy Land has been contaminated. We don’t know which species is responsible.”

“Holy Land?”

“Holy Land of Utopia 02 in planet of Saigil.”

“Saigil, huh…”

The captain was interested in various exchanges with lower intelligences and even maintained interactions with inferior intellects. Therefore, he was well aware that humans and cyborgs referred to Saigil 08 as PH-101.

“The machines knew about the contamination of the Holy Land before we did? Has the assembly also decayed to the point where they are not informed properly? Perhaps some factions are involved in filthy dealings, making money through piracy or smuggling.”

“…It’s a disgusting smell.”

“How would you like to proceed?”

In response to the assistant’s question, he shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, we’re warriors. Sacred warriors who follow the doctrine and pledge allegiance to the Cult, not a mere faction. If it’s an order from the Council, we’ll have to follow it.”

“Captain…”

“Inform all crew members. Prepare in advance.”

“Understood.”

As the assistant left, the captain resumed plotting the course. In front of him, a simulated space, manifested through psychic power, reappeared. However, its appearance was slightly different from before. The space in front of the captain resembled the stellar system to which the PH-101 planet belonged.