BXBX NOVEL Chapter 232
[Proofreader – Draxx]
Chapter 232
After the battle ended, the ones who were part of the Odd Grad’s group were now part of the Adhai’s group, and returned to their former nest. Nel Germa was assigned to lead them.
Since Ham Ort’s injuries hadn\'t fully healed, she returned to the cave nest I created with Mother of the Sky. Once she finished her recovery there, she planned to gather the Blue Gallagons and join Odd Grad’s nest.
The rest of us are currently scouring the forest near the Twin Peaks to retrieve the fallen Gallagons from the battle.
While searching for bodies, PS-111 approached me.
PS-111, being interested in biological genetics and energy supply, didn’t go with Nel Germa but stayed here instead.
It had a Snow Banshee captured in its clawed hand.
“The analysis of the battle results indicates that body size has a significant correlation with combat effectiveness. May I use this creature as an energy source to recalibrate my form?”
“Kyik! Kyikikik!”
It seemed the Snow Banshee was coveting Gallagon\'s corpse before PS-111 caught it.
It hadn’t been long since we descended into the forest, so the Symbol of Hunt effect had ended. The odds of me obtaining genetic essence from consuming the Snow Banshee now were low.
‘There shouldn’t be a problem if I hand it over.’
[ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZ (Just leave the Gallagon’s corpses behind.)]
“Understood.”
“Kyik?!”
With my permission, it swung its scythe-shaped claws. An invisible wind blade shot out, slicing the Snow Banshee.
Warm blood and entrails spilled onto the cold ground, and the tantalizing smell spread throughout the dry forest. PS-111 devoured the fragmented corpse.
There weren’t any threats to it nearby. Leaving it to its meal, I moved deeper into the forest.
｢Big one, aren’t you hungry?｣
(Z ZZZ ZZZZ [I plan to eat something else.)]
A little further from the Twin Peaks, I saw broken trees. The wide-spreading branches had snapped, a clear sign of something falling from the sky and colliding with them.
At the end of the shattered branches lay a black mass.
It looked like a meteorite that had fallen from space, but it was actually the decapitated body of Odd Grad.
It wasn’t just the head that was gone. The impact of the collision with the ground had completely crumpled his wings, and his torso was twisted into a grotesque shape.
This was the pitiful end of the black dragon who had overestimated his abilities and clung to the power of his former position.
｢Is he the bad flappy leader?｣
[ZZ (Yes)]
The meat of the Black Gallagon is an excellent source of nutrition. Even its forelimbs and head alone could provide a large amount of energy.
‘And it tastes amazing too.’
The meat of apex creatures always had a deep flavor that brought me pleasure. And the Black Gallagon was the strongest of all the apex creatures I had consumed. The taste was overwhelmingly superb.
‘I don’t need to obsess over energy anymore…’
Thanks to the Berserker Synapse and the Dragon Heart, my energy supply had become more abundant than before. But that didn’t mean I should pass up the chance to enjoy a delicious meal.
｢Are you going to eat the leader?｣
[Z (Yes)]
｢Enjoy your meal.｣
I was about to tear into the corpse when I suddenly remembered something.
Number 26, sitting on top of my head.
Though it had currently shrunk its body to just 50 cm, it originally measured nearly 10 meters. This was the result of absorbing the psychic power of an adult Sea Demon in the past, leading to its dramatic growth.
‘If I eat the Black Gallagon, won’t it have a similar effect?’
In the game, Gallagons and Sea Demons were renowned as high-tier psychic creatures. Although they differed in appearance, habitat, and behavior, they both wielded extremely powerful psychic powers.
Gallagons grew in nests where psychic power was abundant, accumulating vast amounts of energy in their bodies. On the other hand, Sea Demons maintained and passed on their accumulated psychic power by transferring it to another Sea Demon before their death.
‘Their methods differ, but they both contain a massive amount of psychic power.’
In fact, Number 26 had once fed psychic power to the Blue Gallagons. This time, I would use the Gallagon’s corpse to empower it.
I thrust my combat arms into the Black Gallagon’s abdomen.
I could feel the warm organs and flesh at the tips of my fingers. Grabbing hold of its heart and other vital organs, I pulled them out.
The still-warm organs emitted a delicious aroma. I handed the freshly extracted meal to Number 26, perched on my head.
[ZZ ZZ ZZZZ (How about you try eating this?)]
｢Isn\'t this the prey you caught?｣
[ZZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZZZ ZZZ (I\'m too full to eat it all by myself. It\'s delicious, so give it a try.)]
Number 26 extended its tentacles to wrap around the food in my hand. Then, like stretching out a thin sheet of dough, it elongated its body and absorbed the meal through its tentacles.
Soon, its body began to glow in a vibrant array of colors.
[ZZ ZZZ (How is it? Tasty, right?)]
｢It\'s delicious!｣
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (There\'s still plenty left, so eat more.)]
As soon as I gave permission, Number 26 hopped off my head and started devouring Odd Grad\'s corpse.
It was always a voracious eater, but it seemed to particularly enjoy the organs of the Black Gallagon.
Not long after Number 26 started its meal, I sensed a presence from above.
It was Adhai, the Gallagon with four red wings. She entered through the gap in the branches and landed beside me.
｢Corpse｣ ｢Not far｣ ｢Arrived soon｣
[ZZZ ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ (I\'ll finish eating this and head over there.)]
｢Understood｣
[ZZZZZ ZZ ZZ(It\'s delicious, so you should try some too.)]
｢Big Kin｣ ｢Prey｣
[ZZ ZZZZ ZZZ ZZZZ (We caught it together. We should share the spoils.)]
｢Is that so?｣
When I nodded, she joined in on the feast. She climbed onto the corpse, inserted her tentacles through the torn skin, and started drinking the blood.
｢Perfectly｣ ｢Satisfying｣
Shivering slightly in delight, she eagerly consumed the blood. True to her Gallagon nature—loyal to her kin but ruthless to her enemies—Adhai had no qualms about feasting on Odd Grad’s corpse.
‘Not that I, as an Amorph, have any right to talk.’
Worried there might be nothing left if I delayed any longer, I decided to join in the meal.
As I pondered where to start, I noticed the half-eaten forelimb. The clean cut at the joint was clearly my handiwork.
The ring that was once attached to that limb is now securely clutched by one of my smaller hands near my chest.
I had tried forcing the ring onto my finger after coming down to the ground, but it had no special effect. The ability to conceal my emotions didn’t activate at all.
Whether it required specific conditions or was exclusive to Odd Grad remained unclear. For now, the ring was just a decorative gemstone without any apparent use.
‘Oh well.’
It was rather disappointing for an item that didn’t exist in the game. I considered discarding it, but there might still be something I don’t know. I decided to keep carrying it with one of my smaller arms for the time being.
‘Enough about the ring. It’s time to eat.’
I tore my gaze away from the forelimb and grabbed onto one of the hind legs, ripping it off and taking a large bite.
‘Nice.’
How could I describe the taste of Black Gallagon? It’s a complex flavor that defies simple definition.
‘It’s like a blend of truffle oil and pepper.’
I had once tasted a dish with artificial truffle oil, and this was quite similar. The rich, oily scent of the meat was balanced by a sharp, spicy aroma from the blood.
Unlike other apex creatures, the Black Gallagon’s meat had a unique characteristic—its skin.
The texture of the skin was like the crispy outer layer of roasted pork, crunchy and satisfying to bite into. The taste was even more extraordinary, with a deep, concentrated flavor seeping out.
The meat itself was fairly tough, but not so much that it strained my Amorph jaws. It was firm enough to chew on just the right amount before swallowing, allowing me to savor its rich taste.
‘Once again, the rule holds: the stronger the enemy, the better the taste.’
I quickly finished off the hind leg and reached for its tail.
“Are you eating?”
Just as I was about to tear into the tail, I heard a voice behind me.
Turning around, I saw PS-111. It had returned with a white Gallagon corpse beside it, presumably after collecting it while we were eating.
[ZZZ ZZZZ (So, you’ve gathered the bodies?)]
“Yes.”
It stared at me with its usual expressionless face.
Or more precisely, it was staring at the Black Gallagon’s tail in my hand.
Screamers are controlled by devices connected to their brains. All of their physical activities are under the machine’s command. The same applies to mutant screamers.
But at this moment, I could tell exactly what it wanted.
I tore off the tail and offered it to PS-111.
“That won’t be necessary.”
[ZZ ZZ (Take it when it\'s offered.)]
“Thank you.”
As expected of a machine, it didn’t refuse a second time.
After the brief feast, I headed to the location Adhai had indicated and retrieved the bodies.
We couldn’t carry them all, so we processed all but four on the spot. These four would be used for Ham Ort’s treatment and as food for the Gallagons.
Since I was larger, I carried three bodies, while Number 26 reverted to its original form and carried one. With our spoils in tow, we started back to the nest in the cave.
‘I think it might have changed.’
The appearance of Number 26, now puffed up, didn’t look much different from before. The fins that reminded me of a jellyfish and the tentacles protruding from its body were all familiar.
‘Did it get bigger?’
Number 26 can freely adjust its size, so it’s not easy to notice any changes.
The most accurate way to check would be to measure the amount of energy it was harbouring, but Number 26 is adept at concealing its psychic power. I wouldn’t know how much stronger it had become until it entered battle.
‘Well, it might not have grown at all, so there\'s no need to dwell on it.’
There are still a few things left to try out, like the dragon’s nest where psychic power continuously wells up.
While pondering these thoughts as we made our way back to the nest, one of my sensory organs picked up on a scent.
‘Huh?’
The scent was similar to fresh blood but slightly different. It was closer to the smell of metal. I couldn’t identify it, but it felt oddly familiar.
I stopped in my tracks.
｢Big one, what’s wrong?｣
“What’s the matter?”
[ZZ (Quiet.)]
I lowered my head close to the ground. At first, I thought the metallic scent might be coming from something buried in the soil, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
As I examined the scent, my gaze fell on PS-111. Its biomechanical body, a mix of metal and organic matter typical of Screamers, emitted a scent of metal and the chemicals necessary for sustaining life.
This was very similar to the scent my sensory organ had detected.
[ZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ ZZZZ (Does this area fall within a Screamer’s operating range?)]
“Not until my main controller was altered.”
I’ve traversed this forest, which leads to the Twin Peaks, many times. If there had been a Screamer, I would have encountered it already.
[ZZZZ ZZZ Z ZZZZ (I smell a Screamer. Confirm it.)]
“Understood.”
PS-111 extended detection equipment resembling snail antennae from its eyes. It lowered its body close to the ground, using its hose-like sensors to probe the traces left behind.
It wasn’t long before it discovered tracks on the ground.
Three claw marks reminiscent of a bird’s foot.
They were Screamer tracks.
[Proofreader – Draxx]