Ch.208Black and White (1)

The Space Whale Skywhale is a popular hunting target.

Its wings, capable of firing photon cannons, are used as weapon materials by Megacorps, while internal organs like the gallbladder are utilized in Cult ceremonies and rituals. The oil accumulated in its body is said to be useful for cleaning delicate mechanical devices such as android mechanical brains or ship computers.

Because it benefits various species, places where Skywhales are discovered are always filled with endless conflict.

Moreover, Skywhales are appetizing prey for species that grow stronger according to their characteristics, like AMorphs or Outspacers. This is because there are few useless traits among the space whale’s characteristics. Space flight, giant creature, the ability to create and fire photon cannons—each one is a useful trait.

Perhaps “energy absorption” could be considered useless? Actually, even this trait has its uses under the right conditions. If one has already acquired enough useful traits and no longer needs new ones, the advantages would outweigh the disadvantages.

Anyway, the Skywhale is like a Christmas gift box for all players. The trait it gave me wasn’t energy absorption. Nor was it space flight or giant creature.

‘I didn’t expect that trait to appear.’

What I had actually wanted was the Skywhale’s photon cannon attack trait, but this one isn’t bad either. Thanks to it, I was able to fuse it with a trait I already possessed, creating a new fusion trait.

But what’s surprising me right now isn’t about traits at all.

The Gallergorn, whose species ecology remains mostly veiled in mystery, is currently molting right in front of me.

While eating the Skywhale, scales began to fall off Adhigh’s body bit by bit. At first, I thought it was just old scales shedding, but that wasn’t it.

What started with one or two scales soon became clumps falling off, revealing milk-white scales growing underneath.

That was just the beginning.

The creature stopped eating and spread its folded wings to wrap around its body. Though its wings were large enough to envelop its body completely, I could infer the changes happening through the sounds I heard. The popping sounds, like popcorn bursting, were the sounds of joints growing.

The wings also grew larger to match the body’s growth. The green scales on the outer wings peeled off like dead skin and fell to the ground, with new scales taking their place. The thin membrane turned completely white, as if dyed with white paint.

“Big baby, little baby is acting strange.”

[Zzzzzz (It’s growing)]

“Is little baby getting bigger too?”

[Zz (Yes)]

“Little baby’s energy levels are rapidly increasing.”

As we all watched, Adhigh continued to grow. Despite its intact body suddenly expanding, the creature didn’t seem to be in much pain.

‘Is some special substance being secreted?’

In the case of AMorphs, the entire body is reconstructed in a cocoon state. Thanks to the mucus filling the cocoon, they don’t feel pain from the transformation.

Perhaps Gallergorn goes through a similar process. Perhaps by secreting substances in the brain that alleviate growing pains.

‘First the Sea Demon, and now a Gallergorn.’

I must be the only player who has directly witnessed the growth of these two rare creatures up close.

And after some time had passed…

A white lotus bloomed fully above the bloody water. All transformation was complete.

The freshly molted wings were like perfectly crafted diamonds. That beautiful and presumably that hard.

‘Is this evolution?’

Adhigh, now grown into a White Gallergorn. Its body length had increased considerably, but it was still much smaller than others of its kind. It was smaller than not only other White Gallergorn but even ordinary Green Gallergorn.

‘4m? Slightly smaller than Sky Mother.’

Its body length is smaller than Sky Mother in her griffon form. Of course, if you include the wings, Adhigh would be larger.

‘It feels very different now that its body has changed.’

Previously, it had a delicate feel like a young deer. But now it felt much more mature than before. Perhaps it’s because its head remained the same size while its body grew larger.

Below the small head, its slender body had developed just enough muscle to give it a healthy appearance, and the elegant curves of its long neck and waist were much more pronounced. The cute, chubby tail had grown longer and more voluptuous. Of course, I mean it filled out nicely, not that it looks fat.

Though small in stature, it boasted beauty far surpassing other Gallergorn. Moreover, it had a feature not seen in others of its kind.

‘There are red patterns on its body?’

From the crown of its head to the back of its neck, back, inner wing membranes, and tail, there were distinct red wave patterns. These bright red markings stood out vividly against the pure white scales.

‘It’s a special being.’

Seeing Ham Oort’s mention of a savior and these red patterns, something came to mind.

The Red Gallergorn, the strongest of all Gallergorn and an ultimate creature on par with Voltex One.

‘…No, that can’t be right?’

I’ve hunted Red Gallergorn in the game before. In my memory, its size was more massive than any other Gallergorn. It’s quite different from Adhigh with its naturally small build.

Moreover, Red Gallergorn, like Voltex One, uses its own unique energy system. No such mysterious power could be felt from the Adhigh before us.

‘And in this state, it couldn’t defeat a Black Gallergorn.’

No matter how special Adhigh might be as a White Gallergorn, the difference in class between them is too great. Additionally, Adhigh has just grown and hasn’t even learned how to fight as a White Gallergorn. Whatever Ham Oort was thinking, fighting like this would be certain defeat.

‘I can just ask directly.’

I’ll know for sure about Adhigh when I capture Ham Oort.

“I never thought I’d see a Gallergorn’s growth firsthand.”

“Little baby, you’ve changed somehow.”

“Comparing with registered sub-controller2 ‘Little baby’, compatibility 72%. Updating target characteristics.”

Perhaps sensing our gaze, Adhigh slowly folded its fully spread wings. The way it neatly folded those long wings on its back was incomparably more elegant than other Gallergorn.

To make a slightly exaggerated comparison, it reminded me of a young bride in a wedding dress.

“How” “do I” “look?”

“You look great.”

“Yes. Little baby grew up, I’m proud!”

“Thank you”

Seemingly pleased with the shower of compliments, it leaked a thought wave of satisfaction. Then it looked at me. I sent a wave toward those amethyst eyes reflecting my image.

[Zzzz Zzzzz Zzzz (You’ve grown up beautifully)]

“Really?”

[Zz (Yes)]

Pleased with my compliment, it wagged the tip of its tail back and forth.

After Adhigh’s growth was complete, we finished processing the remaining Skywhale meat. It seemed to have used a lot of energy for growth, as it continued to drink large amounts of blood afterward.

As a result, I had to chew on dry, juiceless flesh, but it didn’t matter much. None of the apex creatures had disappointed me, and the Skywhale was no exception.

‘It had a very unique taste.’

To describe it, it was like firm jelly made from Blue Hawaii drink with intensified lemon flavor. The texture was almost like gum, making it fun to chew.

‘Though it didn’t really feel like a meal.’

Anyway, after the feast ended, I called Adhigh. I wanted to ask it to guide us to the nest.

“I” “know” “the location” “of the nest”

[Zzzz (That’s good)]

Just as I thought things were going smoothly, it cautiously sent out a thought wave.

“Great one” “I” “have” “a request”

[Zz (Yes?)]

“Nest” “many young ones” “blue kin” “possible” “to spare?”

Adhigh looked up at me with slightly trembling eyes. I didn’t answer immediately.

‘…Hmm.’

Previously, No. 26 had shown compassion for its kind several times. Not only for the Bubble Amoebas but also for PS-111, which it cared for because it smelled like kin.

So I had thought that Adhigh might act similarly someday. Though abandoned by its kind, Adhigh had delicate emotions, even if its sense of kinship was less than No. 26’s.

‘Blue Gallergorn, huh.’

All Gallergorn belong to the apex category. That’s why when I first contracted with it, I had planned to wipe out the entire nest.

‘Of course, I didn’t expect to become this attached back then.’

Now I feel some affection, big or small, for everyone by my side. No matter how many times I reconsider, this much is certain. Within limits that don’t endanger my survival, I want to grant their requests.

But this case is different.

Whether to exterminate the Gallergorn or not is related to my survival. I need to kill Gallergorn to acquire traits and fulfill evolution conditions.

Even if I only kill adults to meet the evolution conditions, that’s no reason to spare the young ones. There are still traits to be gained from Blue Gallergorn.

It has spent considerable time with me. It probably already knows what I’m thinking. It’s a very intelligent creature. That’s why it proposed a compromise—kill the rest if necessary, but spare the young ones.

From its perspective, it’s a reasonable proposal. Unlike the kin that abandoned it, the newly born offspring are innocent.

‘What if I refuse here?’

It has decided to become my kin, and with our contract binding us, it won’t refuse my request to take me to the nest.

However, the shock would be unavoidable. If I exterminate the Gallergorn, my relationship with it would be completely ruined. It would be unreasonable to expect it to perform well in battle as before.

‘Which option is more beneficial?’

Should I sacrifice my relationship with Adhigh and kill the Gallergorn?

Or should I listen to its request and just fulfill the evolution conditions?

Just as I was about to make a decision after much deliberation, Adhigh, who had been in front of me, suddenly widened its eyes and flew up into the sky.

‘What’s going on?’

It flew so high that it quickly became just a small dot. Shortly after it took off, No. 26 came hopping over.

“Big baby! Bad guys are here!”

[Zzzz (Bad guys?)]

“Yes! The flapping bad guys!”

After receiving its wave, my auxiliary organs belatedly reported the anomaly occurring in the surroundings.

A powerful psychic power was echoing in the sky above.

[Zzzz Zzzzzz Zzzz (I’ll go up for a moment and come back)]

“Huh? Hey, where…!”

I put No. 26 on my back and immediately took flight. Only after flying high could I see what was happening above.

‘Gallergorn!’

The sky was beginning to cloud over again.

Above the ashen battlefield, one white Gallergorn and ten green Gallergorn were waging war.

–

The old black dragon, the great Odd Grad, was in quite a good mood.

He had removed a thorn that had been irritating him for a long time. The group that had rebelled against him had fallen, and those who had fled would soon be dealt with by his subordinates.

The leader of the traitors, Ham Oort, would never see the outside world again. She would spend the rest of her life laying eggs in a dark cave.

Finally, everything had returned to normal. Now Odd Grad’s group would move again according to the perfect natural order he had established.

He lay down on the glittering minerals covering the cave floor. Just as he was about to fall asleep filled with pleasant emotions, a vision appeared before his eyes.

A black kin rushed at him and severed his neck. He couldn’t resist at all. All he could do was helplessly fall to the ground.

The vision ended with his collision with the hard floor.

Sleep completely gone, Odd Grad quickly rose to his feet.

“Future?” “Why?”

Odd Grad glimpses the future through dreams or visions. That future usually appears as dreams. Cases like this, where it appears as a vision, are very rare.

The future that appears as a vision was a very dangerous one. From his experience, he only saw visions of the future like this when death was very near.

“Traitors” “not” “finished?”

There are no more kin who can grow into black kin. At most, Ham Oort was close to being a black kin, but she is now dying, imprisoned in a cave.

While he was pondering this incomprehensible situation, a subordinate hurriedly entered from outside.

“Great Odd Grad” “report”

“Speak”

“Black kin” “discovered”

“!”

The report from a kin with green scales.

The vision he saw was not false at all.

The ominous death had taken one step closer to him.