Ch.230Dragon Mythology (2)

｢Predation Effect activated! Successfully acquired ‘Dragon’s Heart (Unique)’ gene essence.｣

｢Stole ‘Dragon’s Heart (Unique)’ from the biological traits of ‘Black Gallergorn’.｣

｢Would you like to apply ‘Dragon’s Heart (Unique)’?｣

The moment I swallowed Odd Grad’s head down my throat, the text box I had been waiting for appeared.

‘Dragon’s Heart’, the symbol of Black Gallergorn.

This is the first unique trait I’ve obtained through direct predation without using the transcendence system. It’s the best choice if I want to evolve with a specialization in psychic abilities.

I should be happy to have acquired such a powerful trait, but I felt slightly disappointed.

‘I thought something different would emerge since it was a special one.’

Like precognition abilities, or perhaps the Star Flame it used before dying. It’s not that Dragon’s Heart is useless, but Odd Grad was a being far superior to ordinary Black Gallergorn. So I had slightly higher expectations.

‘Disappointing, but nothing can be done about it.’

I selected confirm. Several translucent text boxes appeared, and my body began to change.

Mimicry is another aspect of evolution.

No creature embodies this expression better than AMorph.

The organs and bodily systems in my body actively accepted the Black Gallergorn’s gene essence and began to transform.

Blood vessels connected to my heart on the right side expanded, split, and divided into new vessels. These newly formed vessels gathered on the opposite side, to the left.

A new heart grew in the empty space created as my lungs, intestines, and other organs shifted. Though smaller than my right heart, this was the Gallergorn’s heart, with power no less formidable.

‘So this is what it feels like.’

Perhaps due to my enhanced senses in the ‘Symbol of Hunt’ state, I could vividly feel the changes occurring within my body.

With two hearts now, I took a deep breath. I had felt strong vitality after securing the Berserker Synapse before, but this was on a completely different level.

The fatigue from consuming significant energy while fighting Odd Grad had completely disappeared. Instead, I felt powerful energy as if I were containing the sun itself.

Possessing Dragon’s Heart puts you in a state similar to using Symbol of Hunt specifically for psychic abilities. With the heart constantly pumping psychic power, you can use techniques like Psychic Breath without limitations.

That’s not all. In situations that consume massive amounts of energy, like superluminal navigation, you can use psychic power as a substitute.

‘This will work well with Nightmare Horizon too.’

It will reduce concerns about energy consumption while towing the ship.

‘Come to think of it, does this make four unique traits now?’

I have three unique traits created through the transcendence system: ‘Perfect Organism’, plus a psychic-type unique trait, and now Dragon’s Heart is added.

‘Six more to go until I reach the evolution condition.’

I already achieved the Apex condition during the fight with Odd Grad’s group. Only the conditions of acquiring 10 unique traits and possessing 6 types remain.

‘Still a long way to go.’

To reach 10 unique traits, I need to either hunt Black Gallergorn-level Apex creatures like this, or use the transcendence system.

‘Obtaining them through hunting won’t be easy.’

There might be more Black Gallergorn somewhere, but no new Gallergorn groups were visible on this planet. And there don’t seem to be any other Apex creatures with unique traits on this planet.

‘There’s a possibility that Arcane Orca might come, but waiting for them would be too inefficient.’

Arcane Orca, a higher species of Skywhale, travels between planets consuming massive amounts of energy. They might come to the black mountains where Skywhales roamed, but there’s no way to know exactly when.

At least Crystalwings have nests, but they don’t. Rather than waiting indefinitely for them, it’s better to choose another method.

‘Perhaps it’s time to leave.’

Thanks to the Gallergorn, I’ve fulfilled the Apex condition and killed Black Gallergorn Odd Grad. I should consider that I’ve gained enough from this planet.

‘Though I don’t plan to leave immediately.’

Previously, after catching the Hellside Hornet, I obtained information about materials for a new unique trait. To fuse that unique trait, I need traits from both Hellside Hornet and Glacier Fiend.

While Hellside Hornets might be found elsewhere, Glacier Fiends won’t be easy to find on other planets. I should either complete the unique trait fusion on this planet before leaving, or at least gather the materials.

Moreover, there are still unresolved issues with the Screamers who came with PS-111, and the matter of Siheyon Yujin obtained from the face parasites. Checking everything will take quite some time.

‘I’ll think about that later.’

The battle is still raging below. Before descending, I did a final check of my body condition.

The scales that were burned by the Star Flame’s aftermath have almost recovered. The head carapace, which suffered the most damage, is still healing, but I don’t need to worry since I can absorb enemies to recover.

‘That attack just now was definitely the effect of psychic reflection armor.’

And not just any psychic reflection armor, but one with the Deep’s color applied.

That bizarre feeling like refined chaos, and the extreme pain inflicted on the target—these characteristics can only belong to the Deep’s color.

‘Did it activate automatically because it’s a passive trait?’

I can’t deactivate or activate psychic reflection armor at will. This characteristic seems to be reflected in the Deep’s color version as well.

‘The activation conditions are probably two things.’

Among AMorph traits, there are often cases where effects overlap. In such cases, the trait with the superior effect is applied, and the trait with the inferior effect is deactivated.

For example, if I possess ‘Monster’s Enhanced Wings’ and acquire the ‘Wings’ trait, I don’t grow additional wings. The gene essence of the Wings trait is just stored somewhere in my brain but doesn’t actually change my body.

For the Wings trait to activate, the Monster’s Enhanced Wings must be in a deactivated state. This applies when I lose my wing arms or the trait itself.

By the same logic, psychic reflection armor is deactivated due to mimicry scales providing high resistance to psychics. If the psychic resistance effect of mimicry scales ends, then psychic reflection armor will activate again.

‘But my mimicry scales were severely damaged when hit by Star Flame.’

As scales and carapace were scraped away exposing the muscles underneath, the effect of mimicry scales was lost, consequently causing psychic reflection armor to temporarily activate.

Of course, I’ve been hit by breath attacks several times before when mimicry scales were deactivated, but it didn’t activate then. This suggests there’s one more condition needed for activation.

‘It probably activates automatically only when the damaging psychic power exceeds a certain threshold.’

Psychic reflection armor reflects any amount of psychic power, no matter how small. In contrast, the Deep’s color version seems to activate only when I’m subjected to an overwhelming attack that could cause fatal damage.

‘Not being able to activate it at will is a disadvantage, but…’

Still, it’s not bad for delivering a solid blow against enemies who focus on psychic attacks, like Cult players or Gallergorn.

‘I’ll research it more when I get the chance.’

After completing all checks, I folded my wings and accelerated toward the clouds below.

The battle with the Gallergorn is now coming to an end.

–

After the Great One left, she couldn’t move for a long time.

When he said he was leaving, memories of being abandoned by her old group came flooding back.

By the time she regained her senses, her mother was beside her. Despite her wounds not fully healed, her mother was wrapping her with her uncomfortable wings.

She looked up, but her indifferent mother didn’t meet her gaze. She was just covering her with wings so she wouldn’t be cold.

Seeing this, her emotions were complex.

She wanted to shout, what are you doing now, the Great One left because of you, how will you take responsibility?

She wanted to cry out but ultimately couldn’t.

Because her mother’s wings were so warm. A warmth like a mother embracing and comforting her child.

With her good memory, she recalled something from long ago.

Born with a weak body, she used to shiver with cold even in the nest. At those times, her mother would spread her wings and warmly embrace her.

Unlike her cold, indifferent eyes, her wings were truly comforting.

Was it because she was recalling past memories, or because her thinking had broadened as she grew? Suddenly, she doubted whether the Great One had really left her group.

When departing for her homeland, the Great One had said:

The Great One said she was his most precious being. He said he wouldn’t abandon her, and that promise was kept.

Moreover, just before leaving, didn’t he say so? He doesn’t lie to her. No matter how many times she recalled, he had never lied to her.

She thought.

Perhaps the Great One actually had a plan? He always came up with plans she had never seen or thought of. Maybe this time too, he had a grand plan that only he knew.

And this thought wasn’t hers alone.

｢Found it! It’s what Big Baby left behind!｣

The Little One, who had been with the Great One the longest, pulled something out of a hole. A long metal object with power different from their kind. It was something the Great One often lent to his ugly friend.

Seeing that, she realized.

That was the trace the Great One had left behind.

The Great One hadn’t abandoned them. He had trusted them and left for his plan.

After that, everyone began searching for traces left by the Great One. They revisited places they had been to with him.

The vast ice fields, the black mountains where they fought the sky serpent, even the cave on the mountainside where she and he hunted prey together.

Though all efforts were in vain, she and her kin didn’t give up. Surely the Great One was waiting for them to come.

After searching for a long time, the last place left was somewhere she had never been. According to the Little One, it was where they went to catch the “sparkling flying thing.”

And that place was the answer.

There, the Great One and the great Odd Grad were engaged in a battle that the sky and stars would remember.

When flying with the Little One, she had resolved to scold the Great One when she met him.

He wouldn’t know how shocked she was when the adult she most revered and loved said he was leaving. A few jabs with her horns would teach him not to do such things again.

Seeing the Great One injured from fighting Odd Grad, her anger almost subsided, but she forcibly composed herself.

Instead of stabbing with horns, she decided to scratch with claws, but her will to scold him remained unchanged.

Holding onto her desire to hit the Great One, she continued fighting.

Apart from the white adult she killed in the initial surprise attack, the remaining two were unexpectedly difficult.

After one adult died, they just ran around and kept her at bay. They were probably waiting for Odd Grad to finish off the Great One and come help them.

What a foolish thought.

The Great One is far more impressive than the lying Odd Grad. Those adults are too stupid to realize that and harbor false hopes.

Just as she thought that.

From within the clouds above her head, the light of a star flashed. The familiar wave of power shook the clouds several times and then spat something out.

｢Traitor｣｢Black kin｣｢Dead｣

｢Great Odd Grad｣｢Victorious｣

It fell so suddenly that she couldn’t see it clearly. The enemies seemed to be in the same situation, as their companions mocked her.

But she could instinctively tell.

Who the real winner was.

Of course, her intuition was right.

The black meteor fell on the companion who was mocking her. Like when the movement of stars changes and shadows engulf the nest, the black star swallowed the white adult.

｢Impossible｣｢Impossible!｣

The “black kin” they were shouting about raised its head and looked at her. Meeting her gaze, he nodded and immediately flew to her side.

[Zz zz zzzz zzzzzz (Let’s finish this quickly and go back)]

｢Yes｣

His nonchalant attitude was truly annoying, but she couldn’t say anything.

Because even that appearance looked lovable to her.