Ch.62Basilisk Hunt (5)

The dream world filled with darkness, now so familiar that it had become etched into my eyes.

As I arrived there as I always had, I immediately moved my consciousness to solidify my sense of self… while recalling the taste of the meat I had been chewing before entering this dream world of pure darkness.

‘It was tangy. ….And tastier than I expected.’

To be precise, I’m talking about the flesh of the basilisk that I had hunted myself.

Normally, chewing such a thing would have dissolved everything from my tongue to my esophagus and entire digestive system, but I had a certain confidence.

As long as I recognized it as food while eating it, that food would never harm me… what should I call this? Some kind of power related to gluttony.

Thanks to this, I was able to devour the meat without worrying about acidic fluids, and before falling asleep, I had successfully consumed all of that basilisk’s meat.

Of course, if we were to strictly follow the laws of physics, it would be impossible for me to eat all of a 10-meter-long creature, especially in less than half a day.

But I can do it. More precisely, as someone who was unintentionally born as a child of ‘Gluttony,’ it’s entirely possible for me.

For me, eating is both an ordinary biological act of consuming food to obtain nutrition and energy to move my body, and simultaneously a kind of spiritual offering to my own soul.

Ah, of course, this is completely separate from anything demonic, despite the strong demonic aura it might give off. If I had to explain, it was connected to my gene absorption ability.

Thanks to this, I could consume that enormous amount of meat in such a short time without experiencing any physical or spiritual abnormalities.

Anyway, after briefly reminiscing about the past, I now began to focus on the green fruit before me.

To describe the fruit’s appearance in my own words… it was probably a deep green fruit shaped like a pineapple, with something resembling reptilian scales growing on its surface.

It gave a clean and delicate impression, clearly different from the distinctive mottled green of goblins, but honestly, such details weren’t particularly important to me right now.

Rather, I was relieved that no matter how much I extended my hyper-intuition, I couldn’t detect that unique, gloomy and disgusting feeling possessed by ‘Gluttony’ and its minions.

Anyway, after observing the situation for a moment, I realized there were no traps attached to this fruit and moved my ‘mouth’ toward it….

Perhaps as a result, three ‘genes’ appeared before my eyes as usual, introducing themselves.

[This is deadly blood and bodily fluid.

It is the embodiment of acidic substance that fills the entire body.

If you choose this, all liquids and blood in your body will become lethal due to the influence of acid produced by your organs.]

The first whisper that reached my ears introduced “Acidic Body Fluid.” This is a constitution where powerful acidic fluid—the fundamental reason why the mutant basilisk I hunted became a mutant—mixes with the body’s fluids.

If I were to choose this gene, my entire body would be filled with highly acidic liquid capable of dissolving anything it touches, and furthermore, my flesh would likely adapt to this high acidity to avoid taking damage.

Considering all the hardships I faced when dealing with that basilisk yesterday, the benefits this would bring me are quite clear….

But in reality, the disadvantages of this ability were just as obvious as its advantages.

The first drawback that came to mind was that this constitution would seriously interfere with equipment usage.

Blood seeping from wounds would dissolve not only enemy flesh but also my equipment, likely affecting both armor and weapons indiscriminately.

Additionally, having acidic body fluids means that sweat, saliva, and even tears would become strong acids capable of dissolving even metal….

Just looking at it, doesn’t it seem incredibly inconvenient?

Moreover, for this ability to truly shine, I would need some way to expel the acidic fluid from my body, but I completely lack such means.

I have no bodily structure to breathe out acid, no acid glands to store it, not even acidic claws or teeth… or even spines.

So it’s an ability that would clearly disrupt daily life and is easy to hesitate over, with no guarantee I could utilize it properly like its original user….

‘This… doesn’t seem right.’

Naturally, I pushed this option aside and immediately focused on the next genes.

[This is an eyeball containing magical power.

A malevolent magical eye harboring a curse that petrifies.

Those who possess this power can attempt to bestow the curse of petrification upon beings captured in their gaze.]

The second gene was “Petrifying Magical Eye.” A type of special ability, its power is naturally equivalent to the basilisk’s petrifying gaze.

It’s a powerful ability that consumes a certain amount of magical power to cast a petrification curse on targets within sight, and unlike other magical eyes that are often uncontrollable, this one can be sufficiently regulated.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an ideal primary technique due to its considerable mana consumption and the existence of clear countermeasures….

But if you consider it as adding a utility skill that warriors typically lack, the choice seemed almost predetermined.

And the final gene… completely defied my expectation that it would be some ordinary physical attribute.

[This is the proof of one who was once a master.

A power that has lost its qualification and declined, leaving only traces.

However, if you who gain this power possess your own land, this power will shine as it once did.]

‘….Former Master of Another World?’

Both the name and description were ambiguous, and the conveyed content was somewhat vague, but somehow my intuition was telling me this special ability would be good.

Of course, normally one would choose the versatile “Petrifying Magical Eye” rather than such an ambiguous and uncertain ability….

But I didn’t need to agonize over this choice.

‘….As I thought, eating a certain amount of what I directly killed allows me to choose additional genes.’

After devouring the enormous amount of meat from the basilisk’s body.

Recognizing that multiple gene absorption (2 types) was possible, just as when I consumed the ogre warrior before, I speculated that the method to obtain all three genes would be to completely consume the corpse.

‘Then…. if I eat the entire corpse….’

Of course, since this fact couldn’t have any immediate impact right now, I shook off these idle thoughts and chose the remaining two genes, excluding the high-risk “Acidic Body Fluid”—

※ ※ ※

That night after the basilisk subjugation.

“Gretel, good night.”

“Yes, good night to you too, sister….”

In the house temporarily assigned to them before Gretel’s workshop was built, the two pureblooded werewolf sisters exchanged good night greetings before lying down in bed.

Of course, the temporary mattress made of cloth stuffed with straw wasn’t particularly comfortable, but for Hanna, who possessed what could only be described as nerves of steel, it was a different story.

“Khueoeo…. Pishuuu…. Khueoeo…. Pishuuu….”

Hanna fell asleep instantly, snoring deeply with her mind at complete ease, but Gretel, who lacked such mental fortitude, was quite the opposite.

Of course, even someone as timid as her wouldn’t be unable to sleep just because the bed was a bit uncomfortable.

While that factor couldn’t be completely ruled out, if one had to name a reason, it would probably be the fascination dominating Gretel’s mind.

‘Sir Camille… was so cool.’

Her first encounter with a member of the opposite sex who wasn’t family. Moreover, a strong one who had sacrificed what appeared to be an extraordinary weapon to save her life from the basilisk’s attack.

Even though Gretel’s criteria differed slightly from most werewolves who go into heat at the sight of a strong, fertile individual, she wasn’t just a timid doll who wouldn’t develop feelings in such a situation.

And although Gretel possessed a timid, even faint-hearted spirit—rare for werewolves who typically follow their wild and aggressive instincts faithfully….

Nevertheless, she held her own firm values and judgment criteria.

‘Sister… probably feels the same….’

For instance, she could sufficiently detect the emotions her sister, with her somewhat excessive fighting spirit, harbored toward her first love, both as family and as a fellow woman.

‘I’ll work hard to m-a-k-e….’

After continuing her contemplations filled with fascination and personal attachments for quite some time, Gretel eventually succumbed to drowsiness and fell asleep.

At the end of mentally planning the details of equipment she would make for a certain knight who had become the object of her innocent affection.