Ch.200Jewel Wings (3)

“That’s the fourth Apex.”

Thanks to the combined efforts of the kids, we took down the female Crystal Wing without much difficulty. It’s much faster than when I played the game.

‘Back then, I was working alone.’

If I had faced two Crystal Wings simultaneously by myself, it wouldn’t have been easy. Not to mention having to worry about other player competitors targeting them.

I probably would have spent several weeks just to hunt two of them.

But today the situation was favorable. I had the kids helping me, and there were no other competitors. Finding them after just two days was also lucky.

‘And confirming No. 26’s potential is another achievement.’

As I expected, he could only manipulate “attacks formed as projectiles.”

“Watcher of Fear” enhanced with the “Power of Deep,” and “Acidic Fungal Gland,” a trait that fires fungal masses that dissolve objects.

No. 26 could control these two abilities without much difficulty. He could make flying spheres burst mid-air like scatter shots or adjust their flight speed.

However, he couldn’t control the regular psychic breath that fires as a heat ray. “God’s Whip,” which has a similar attack method, would likely be impossible to control as well.

‘I haven’t tested the enhanced psychic breath yet.’

In this case, I deliberately avoided using it because we needed to leave the corpse intact. Since it’s similar to the Watcher of Fear attack, I think it might be possible.

Besides No. 26, Sky Mother and PS-111 fought as well as I had hoped.

Sky Mother, who had unlocked the Wendigo transformation ability, could use some of the Wendigo’s traits.

One of them is the “Ice Demon” ability.

Just like the legend of the Wendigo driving humans insane, the Wendigo in Space Survival can also interfere with other creatures’ minds.

Creatures affected by the Ice Demon ability lose their reason and become obsessed with devouring other creatures. They cannot use techniques requiring concentration or traits that the owner consciously activates.

For instance, if I were affected by Ice Demon, I would become a cannibalistic monster craving genetic essence with all my abilities sealed.

‘Wendigo is a PK-exclusive phantom beast.’

It’s an extremely powerful single-target debuff ability, but it has significant limitations. The duration varies wildly depending on the opponent, and while Ice Demon is active, the caster also cannot use other skills or abilities.

So if your physical abilities are inferior to your enemy’s, the technique actually becomes disadvantageous to the one who cast it.

To summarize simply, it’s an ability that forces enemies into physical combat.

Thanks to that effect, the female Crystal Wing was defeated without being able to properly counterattack even once.

‘This would work well with the Golden Spear of Shaman.’

Today I left all my equipment at the nest, but I should bring it next time we hunt.

“I thought you were strong, but you’re amazing. I didn’t know a seed demon had such abilities.”

“Am I amazing? Amazing?”

“Your psychic power proficiency has increased by 42% from before. Congratulations.”

“I don’t know what that means, but thank you!”

The kids were rejoicing in front of the Crystal Wing corpse. I dragged the male’s corpse and approached them.

[Zzzzzz (Good job)]

“A fascinating transformation as always. I request samples for genetic analysis.”

[Zzz (No)]

“Can I eat some of the female’s heart and internal organs?”

[Zzzzzz zzzz (For unlocking conditions?)]

“No. This is necessary to raise the Griffon’s incarnate level.”

Now that I hear it, I remember. Like AMorph’s growth, Volf’s incarnation also has levels. According to the setting, the higher their incarnation level, the closer they get to the Volf gods.

Griffon is a hybrid creature combining an eagle and a lion. While specialized for ground combat, it also possesses short gliding abilities. That’s why it needs the power of strong flying creatures to raise its incarnation level.

Her growth is also advantageous for my survival. I nodded.

[Z (Good)]

“Thank you.”

‘Well then, let’s start eating.’

While Sky Mother was doing the dismantling work, I decided to eat the male’s corpse first.

Its head was so large it would be faster to measure in meters. I tore off the beak and crest attached to its head. Then I put the crest with muscle fibers and skin tissue into my mouth first.

‘……’

My jaw, which splits into two parts, moved busily chewing the crest. The unique texture, somewhere between bone and cartilage, made my mouth happy. With each chew, the sticky meat juice flowing down my throat unconsciously made me feel good.

‘It’s like doganitang.’

It was similar to cartilage soaked in bone broth, dipped in sour soy sauce. To be more precise, it’s like that but with a more intense taste and flavor.

Unlike the Ice Horror with its impressively spicy taste, this had a different kind of earthy feeling.

After quickly devouring the crest, I tried chewing on the beak. Perhaps because the previous food had such a strong taste, the beak didn’t have any particular flavor.

‘But the texture feels refreshing and good.’

The creature’s beak had a crisp texture like biting into a ripe cucumber. While chewing the beak, I tore off the entire head. As soon as I finished chewing and swallowing the beak, I started eating the head with its dangling tongue.

‘Hmm, good.’

Based on the texture of the crest and beak, I expected it to be very tough, but it wasn’t.

‘This feels like boiled meat.’

Unlike the crest with its strong meat flavor and richness, the head overall had a more plain and soft feeling. If I had eaten them together without separating them, it probably would have been much better.

‘But the tongue is the highlight.’

I’ve heard that pig and cow tongues have unique tastes too. I’ve never tried them myself so I can’t directly compare, but the Crystal Wing’s tongue had quite a distinctive flavor. It was appropriately chewy with a rich, greasy taste that really called for alcohol.

After eating the entire head, I waited for the predation effect to appear.

‘Huh?’

Even after waiting, no semi-transparent text box appeared. Wondering if I might have missed it, I opened the text box menu, but everything was the same.

‘No way?’

Thinking I might not have eaten enough, I devoured the Crystal Wing’s long neck as well, but the expected text box didn’t appear.

‘Damn it!’

After the Glacier Fiend, this is the second time the predation effect hasn’t appeared due to low probability. I considered eating the remaining parts too, but I need to save those for after the hunt’s manifestation ends, to alleviate the side effects.

‘…Is this for real?’

I thought I was lucky, but I wasn’t. The goddess of fortune betrayed me again at a crucial moment. The happy feeling from the delicious meal quickly plummeted.

I turned my gaze to the female’s corpse.

‘Now I only have one chance left.’

The trait I was most aiming for was the “Space Flight” trait. Next would be concealment and detection abilities that manipulate radio waves, or super regeneration ability. Getting the former, the Space Flight trait, would be the best scenario, but the latter abilities wouldn’t be bad either.

The problem is that among the creature’s other traits, there are also duds. For example, “Strong Vitality” or “Enhanced Vision.”

‘…I didn’t even consider this possibility.’

Everything went smoothly during the fight with them, but an unexpected obstacle was waiting for me.

At that moment, Sky Mother approached me holding something covered in blood.

“I just found something… Huh? What’s wrong?”

[Zzzzzz zzzz (I failed again)]

“What?”

She opened her eyes wide when she heard I hadn’t gained any traits.

“…Don’t you need to eat the entire corpse?”

[Zzzzzz zzzzzz zzzz (That probably doesn’t matter)]

“But since you failed once, the predation effect will appear the second time.”

Her words reminded me of the gambler’s fallacy, but I didn’t point it out. She was just trying to comfort me.

‘Tsk. What’s done is done.’

I’ve done everything I could. There’s no point in being frustrated here. It’s more efficient to prepare for what comes next in case of failure.

‘If I don’t get it this time either, let’s prepare other abilities first.’

Going after the Shark Bear’s “Enhanced Endocrine Gland” wouldn’t be a bad idea.

I tore off the female Crystal Wing’s head. Instead of separating and eating the beak first, I chewed it whole.

It still tasted good like the male, but I was more tense than anything. The hard beak was crushed, and the skull encasing the brain was shattered by my powerful jaws. The contents quickly passed through my throat into my stomach.

‘Please!’

The only part left was the section connected to the creature’s neck. I swallowed it without chewing.

After completely digesting the head…

“Predation effect activated! Successfully acquired ‘Space Flight’ genetic essence.”

“Stole the biological trait ‘Space Flight’ from ‘Crystal Wing’.”

“Would you like to apply ‘Space Flight’?”

“Grrrr!”

‘Yes!’

As soon as the text box appeared before my eyes, I shouted out loud. When I raised both arms while growling, No. 26 beside me was startled.

“Big guy, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“He’s not in pain, he’s happy.”

“Is it that delicious?”

“He’d probably find anything delicious right now.”

There was a hint of amusement in Sky Mother’s telepathic message, but I didn’t have the luxury to care about that right now.

‘How can something like this make a person struggle so much? Accept!’

Looking at the trait I had been desperately wanting, I accepted the trait application.

“The ‘Space Flight’ trait has been applied.”

“Can be merged with the existing ‘Gliding Membrane’.”

“‘Space Flight’ and ‘Gliding Membrane’ traits have merged. Evolved into ‘Monster’s Enhanced Wings’ trait!”

“Monster’s Enhanced Wings: Inherits and enhances the ‘Space Flight’ trait.

*P.S.: Countless prey in space await you.”

Born in a spaceship’s cargo hold, I first walked on alloy plates.

On the Cult’s sacred planet, I swam with fins deep under the sea.

Land, sea, and sky.

On this frozen planet, I have gained a new power.

The power to travel through that infinite world filled with darkness.

–

“Ugh… Is everyone alright?”

“Y-yes, sir!”

“Captain! Are you okay?”

“D-damn it! Administrator, report!”

“Major damage to the ship’s guns! Damage to the stern’s outer wall too! Fortunately, minimal damage to the engine section!”

“Casualties?”

“…Five fighter pilots and seven gunners are missing.”

The Cult captain who had thought they were fortunate that engine damage was minimal immediately frowned.

‘This cursed planet!’

It had been five days since their young shaman Jason Tunningham went missing. And now this attack. With so many complicated issues, the captain felt like his head was about to explode.

Despite a recent major failure, a promising talent had gone missing during disciplinary probation, and on an unregistered suspicious planet at that. It was truly an unprecedented crisis for the Empire.

At any other time, they would have continued waiting for the shaman’s contact, but this time they couldn’t.

The being who had permitted them to set up camp had issued an eviction order.

When Jason didn’t return after several days, the cunning Black Gallergorn immediately drove them away, saying he had business to attend to and no time to worry about insignificant beings.

Others might think differently, but the captain personally felt grateful to the Black Gallergorn. The Gallergorn’s attitude had visibly changed with each passing day.

If they had stayed even one more day, they all would have had their blood sucked by the hungry Gallergorn.

Leaving the nest was good, but the real problem occurred afterward.

Some creature attacked them as they were trying to board their ship outside the nest to leave.

“…Just answer this one question. Do you think the Garan Mino will leave us alone?”

“Considering the nature of those cowardly creatures, they won’t target us now that they’ve gotten what they wanted.”

Everyone knew without saying that “what they wanted” referred to the 12 missing crew members.

‘Why did Garan Mino target us of all people…’

Garan Mino, a giant pterosaur whose name means “shining wings,” is an extremely rare creature. Unless you’re part of the Temple Guardians who specialize in hunting monsters, or a Cult smuggler, it’s not easy to encounter one in your lifetime.

When two of these creatures, which he had only heard of, rammed into the ship just as it was taking off, the captain thought he was dreaming. He only came to his senses after the ship’s outer wall was breached and crew members were sacrificed.

Thanks to the efforts of the 12 Temple Guardians remaining on board, they were barely able to drive away the Garan Mino.

“Captain, forgive my boldness, but we need to deliver news to the council as soon as possible.”

“I know that.”

The captain was annoyed at the Temple Guardian’s urging but managed to answer calmly. If it weren’t for that guardian, everyone on this ship would have become a meal for those violent pterosaurs.

“How long will the engine repairs take?”

“We’ll need to work on it to know for sure, but it seems like it will take quite some time.”

“I won’t spare any support, so repair the engine quickly. We’ll close off and separate the outer wall area, so move important supplies to other sections.”

“Understood.”

The one fortunate thing was that the engine wasn’t damaged. This planet is in a remote location not even recorded in navigation routes. If they were to be stranded, it would be difficult to expect a rescue team.

‘We’d all be dead before the rescue team arrived anyway!’

On this planet teeming with Gallergorn, Garan Mino, and all sorts of monsters, it’s difficult to survive even for a day. Not only that, but the climate is also terribly harsh—without reinforced suits, one couldn’t last even a few minutes.

“We’ll take charge of external surveillance. Please complete the repairs as quickly as possible.”

“…Please do.”

All Temple Guardians wear special reinforced suits called dragon scale suits. Thanks to those ivory-colored suits, they can withstand the brutal cold outside.

If the captain or ordinary Cult crew members went out, they would most likely freeze to death.

‘Providence! Please let nothing happen!’

The captain prayed inwardly as he watched the crew members busily running around the situation room.