Ch.360Burning Star (4)

“Mr. Salman, the cargo has departed. Expected arrival in 7 days.”

“Good.”

Salman nodded as the head butler delivered the message during his meal.

“Keep checking on it regularly. We can’t afford any problems along the way.”

“Understood.”

After giving his order, Salman returned to cutting the meat on his plate. It was a steak made from the meat of a Bulkarox, a beast he had dominated. Even after butchering the large bronze bull, only enough edible portions for a single plate were available.

He pierced a piece of the precious meat with his fork and put it in his mouth. The texture was somewhat tough, which was a drawback, but the flavor itself wasn’t bad. With expensive spices generously added, it couldn’t possibly taste bad.

However, it was insufficient to satisfy his palate, which had grown accustomed to all sorts of delicacies in the real world.

‘Tsk.’

There was no ice cream lavished with saffron and vanilla here, nor Iberico ham sourced from his own farm. That fact made things difficult for him.

‘Everyone is really amazing. Even I’m struggling after just a few years, but how did they endure for such a long time?’

He had only spent three years in this world. Yet he was already suffering this much, so he couldn’t even imagine how difficult it must have been for members who had lived here longer.

Salman sighed and took a sip of Cult wine. While the meat was merely passable, the wine had a raspberry-like aroma that made it quite drinkable.

Just as he was about to finish his meal, a strange sensation came over him. A sudden chill on the back of his neck, like a cold wind. It was a signal sent when one of the animals he dominated detected danger.

‘Bulkarox?’

Askha44 had a different type of surveillance system compared to other planets. This was because of Salman, who could dominate all kinds of animals.

He had scattered animals under his control throughout the planet. These living surveillance cameras moved around, monitoring for intruders.

And when these animals discovered an intruder, they sent a signal to Salman.

Just like now.

‘Who could it be?’

According to the signal from the Bulkarox, a massive creature it had never seen before was lurking near Dreadsong’s territory. Since Salman had previously ordered it not to fight strong opponents, the beast had fled to avoid the mysterious monster.

‘Damn, I deliberately avoided syncing vision because it’s tiring.’

Salman’s Perk, “Beast God’s Noose,” allowed him to synchronize bodily functions with the monsters he dominated. However, due to the many restrictions when connected, it wasn’t a feature he used often.

‘Still, I should check just to be safe.’

Salman gestured for the head butler.

“Send a ship to check Dreadsong’s territory.”

“Understood.”

Thinking it was probably a mistake made by the stupid Bulkarox, he finished the remaining wine.

–

[Zzzz zzzzzz(Is everyone okay?)]

“Whew, I thought I was going to be crushed to death.”

“I’m fine!”

“Except for 11% damage to my tail, there are no issues.”

I used my three heads and six corrosive tentacles to clear away the rocks piled on my back.

The fragments of ground that had shot high into the sky had fallen directly on top of us. As soon as I saw the rain of falling rocks, I grabbed the kids with my multiple arms and ran.

The range of the massive explosion created by No. 26 and Sky Mother working together was truly enormous. If I didn’t have the “Enhanced Hind Legs” trait, we would have been buried under the falling rocks.

While that level of impact wouldn’t harm me, the same couldn’t be said for the kids. If I had been even slightly delayed, Sky Mother or PS-111 might have been injured.

‘In fact, PS-111 did get hurt.’

While running, his tail was hit by falling rocks and lava, causing some damage. Fortunately, the Demolisher attached to the end of his tail wasn’t damaged.

[Zzzzzz zzzzzzz(Can you heal yourself?)]

“I can repair it if I have appropriate organic material.”

After saying that, he turned his head upward.

Isabelle was descending with her prey. She had dozens of arms on her body embedded into the large toad-like monster.

Every time the Dreadsong struggled, her arms moved slightly. She was probably tearing apart its insides with her sharp claws.

“I” “found” “it” “first” “cutting” “unfair”

“It’s not about who found it first, but who got their hands on it first.”

“Denial” “pretty one” “disappointed” “disappointed!”

“When you let your guard down, you lose things, just like now.”

Behind us, Adhigh Orr was following, projecting thoughts full of complaints. Of course, Isabelle didn’t care at all.

By the time they descended, the Dreadsong was barely clinging to life. Isabelle approached me while holding the monster.

“You need to kill it to get the trait, right? Is that how it works here too?”

When I nodded, she handed over the trophy.

For Coldblood, unlocking advanced contracts requires achieving various objectives. This includes hunting Apex creatures.

‘Though Dreadsong isn’t necessary.’

While it is an Apex, it’s not included in the targets Coldblood needs to hunt.

After receiving the Dreadsong, I prepared to consume its genetic essence. I mean the “Hunter’s Emblem,” which increases the probability of acquiring traits when consuming.

The trait effect activated, and my body began to transform.

Carapace covered the eyes on my central head, darkening my vision. Instead, my auxiliary organs were greatly enhanced, allowing me to vividly feel the changes occurring in my body. A second jaw, a pharyngeal jaw, protruded from each of my heads, and the carapace and horns covering my heads became thicker.

The heads weren’t the only parts undergoing structural changes. My body size doubled compared to before, and new bone scythe arms sprouted from around my waist.

“What is…?”

“Oh, I guess this is Isabelle’s first time seeing this?”

When my appearance suddenly changed, she opened her eyes wide. Beside her, Sky Mother nodded as if she understood.

“In that form, the probability of acquiring genetic essence increases.”

“…What? Isn’t that cheating?”

“You can’t transform whenever you want. There are various restrictions.”

Isabelle muttered blankly. To think that an AMorph would be called a cheater—how times have changed.

After completing my transformation, I picked up the Dreadsong that Isabelle had given me. With my body now well over 100 meters, this giant carnivorous toad looked like a hamburger.

‘I need to eat carefully.’

The creature’s corpse had many uses. It would be troublesome if I accidentally ate parts other than the head. I extended my double jaw and bit into its flat head. Its skull was crushed, and viscous liquid, flesh, and brain flowed out.

‘This has a unique taste.’

The brain tasted like curry I’d eaten at an Indian restaurant. A spicy flavor that pleasantly stimulated my tongue hit first, followed by fatty flesh that neutralized the taste.

When I ate the Lava Raptor, it also had a slightly spicy taste. It seems that lava and various acidic substances create this flavor.

‘I’d like to eat more, but…’

I couldn’t, since friends were waiting.

I put down the Apex creature, now missing its head. Sky Mother, who had returned to her therianthrope form, stepped forward first. She began skinning the Dreadsong’s exterior with the Golden Spear of Shaman.

“If it’s skinning, I can help.”

“Thank you. Take care of the rear area.”

“Understood.”

While they worked on the carcass, I swallowed what I had been chewing. Then I waited for the expected text box to appear.

‘Huh?’

Thanks to the AMorph’s exceptional digestive abilities, the Dreadsong’s meat quickly turned into energy and disappeared. However, no text box appeared to indicate successful consumption.

‘What? Don’t tell me…’

Something similar had happened before. When hunting the Crystal Wing couple on the frozen planet, the consumption effect only appeared for one of them.

Hunter’s Emblem greatly increases the probability of successful consumption, but it doesn’t guarantee trait acquisition. I was happy that we caught it more easily than expected, but I didn’t anticipate this outcome.

“Hmm? AMorph, did it not work again?”

Sky Mother tilted her head when she saw my lack of reaction.

[Zzzzzz zzzz zzzz(It seems that way)]

“I thought it was cheating, but I guess not.”

Isabelle’s sympathetic response made the situation even more painful.

“Do you want to look for another one?”

[Zzzzzz(That would be difficult)]

It was also quite disappointing to have wasted Hunter’s Emblem after transforming. One might think we could just find another Dreadsong as Sky Mother suggested, but it wouldn’t be easy. Finding a creature that hides underground within our time limit would be nearly impossible.

Just as I was about to give up, PS-111, who had been quietly skinning, spoke up.

“I obtained complete ecological information about the Dreadsongs inhabiting this planet from the airship. Including this specimen, a total of three individuals are under surveillance.”

[Z(What?)]

“If you wish, I can provide the locations of the remaining two.”

PS-111 spoke in his usual rigid manner.

But at this moment, his words sounded incredibly warm. Like an angel’s voice.

[Zzzzzz zzzz zzzzzz zzzz zzzzzzzz zzzzzz(Tell me the location of the closest one first)]

Nineteen minutes after the unexpected savior appeared.

With exactly two seconds remaining before Hunter’s Emblem expired, I successfully consumed a Dreadsong.