Chapter 6 – Remodeling and Evolution (1)
[Achievement, Hunting (1) completed. As a reward, 1 Attribute Point is granted.]
[Achievement, Hunting (2) completed. As a reward, 1 Attribute Point is granted.]
Using our size and organizational strength beyond the ordinary Black Rot Insects, we are hunting so actively that it qualifies as an achievement.
Thanks to this, we have hunted down many preys that we wouldn’t have been able to catch in the past, dismembering them and bringing them back to the nest.
However, our aggressive hunting isn’t simply about filling ourselves with high-protein food.
[Mass acquisition of physical data. Using the Flesh Remodeling Attribute, individual remodeling is possible.]
“Since you’re suggesting to make a Chimera, I’ll make one.”
This was the actual purpose. It was about securing ‘raw materials’ for us to grow stronger.
I possess the authority of a queen who can control the entire race. I also have omni-cells capable of manipulating each cell individually.
Using these, we don’t have to act and grow according to set genes.
I can now build and nurture warriors exactly as I want, forming our community.
“First, let’s divide into warriors and workers.”
The first action I took was to further subdivide the generic classification of ‘workers.’
The average Black Rot Insect group consists of one queen, a few males, and numerous workers, with the workers handling almost all tasks.
They handle combat, nest repair, raising larvae and the queen, exploration, and even food collection.
All the queen and the males do from start to finish is mate.
Our intended path is entirely different from the path of normal Black Rot Insects, so I decided to overhaul this inefficient and rudimentary structure.
The combat units, corresponding to soldier ants, must be given the greatest attention.
“The workers will strictly do the work, and all combat-related matters will be solely managed by the soldiers.”
Opening the Attribute Page visible only to me, I entered the ‘Flesh Remodeling’ page and attempted the best modification possible with what I currently have.
This is an important task because the resource consumption — that is, the nutrients — vary.
Nutrients are not infinite. I must find the most efficient way to use them.
“The workers should disarm. They need to be as light as possible but still capable of handling various tasks.”
To reduce the nutrients being used on workers who are excluded from combat, we removed their heavy and nutrient-intensive carapace. Instead of their sharp jaws for killing enemies, we gave them tougher jaws for digging the ground and carrying objects more efficiently.
Their body shapes became more slender, and their sizes shrank to the level before molting.
When I looked at the results, they appeared similar to an oversized version of Earth’s ants.
“To the soldiers, give a tougher carapace and venomous mandibles.”
Conversely, the soldiers were made using a greater amount of nutrients, producing stronger bodies than those of the standard workers.
Specimens from other hunted Mana Beasts were helpful. A more durable carapace than that of the Black Carapace Beetles used the carapace from Magic Realm Beetles, and stronger, agile legs to enhance mobility were borrowed from Spider Beasts.
We produced glands within the body and equipped venomous fangs borrowed from the spiders.
Additionally, one pair of the six legs transformed into thick, sharp pickaxes.
The intent was to use the ‘pickaxe’ limbs to pin or smash the enemy and destroy them with the venomous mandibles placed on the jaw.
“Currently, this should suffice.”
[The design is complete. Please inject the newly combined genetic pattern into the newborn beings.]
We carefully prepared everything, considering all the data we currently have.
After a sigh, the system instructed me to apply the finished pattern to the newborn entities.
Injecting the pattern isn’t difficult. All I had to do was inject the genes created in my body into the artificial uterus.
“…Hurry up and grow. So I can see how well they’ve turned out in real combat.”
I smiled wryly as I stared blankly at countless eggs wriggling around in the womb.
Then I slowly opened my mouth, letting the black saliva gathered at the tip of my tongue drip inside.
The genes mixed in the saliva permeated the eggs, rewriting them at their core. From this point forward, the ones born will be my newly remodeled individuals.
Strangely, despite the sticky mucus and wriggling eggs, I didn’t feel disgusted in the slightest.
I just wished for them to grow quickly and evolve into the soldiers who will support our colony.
「Consciousness Enhancement Level 2」
「Reproduction Enhancement Level 2-1」
While waiting for the newly remodeled soldiers, I invested the points earned through hunting achievements into Consciousness Enhancement and Reproduction Enhancement.
Consciousness Enhancement has now entered stage 2.
The change at stage 2 allows me to split my consciousness into two.
“Ugh, what is this…”
The first time I tried it, I felt nausea.
It was like my right and left eyes were seeing different things and showing them simultaneously in front of me.
With these divided streams of consciousness, I could process two tasks simultaneously.
It seemed to be a skill worth getting comfortable with.
[Due to Reproduction Enhancement, the reproduction speed has increased.]
The reason I invested in Reproduction Enhancement was to expedite soldier production.
The artificial uterus became stronger and produced and matured eggs at a faster rate.
To give you an idea, now the time taken for fertilized eggs to hatch into larvae in the artificial uterus is less than two days.
Considering the time for larvae to grow into adult insects, the entire process takes nearly a week from a single cell to an adult.
“Should I make another uterus?”
The males, who are dying from continuously mating without rest, notwithstanding, I am planning to increase the artificial uteri.
Since I don’t even need males later on, there’s no problem with increasing it.
If the uterus doubles, the number of soldiers produced also doubles, and the population increases twice as fast.
“Very good…”
Investing in a vast amount of nutrients, I added another artificial uterus inside the nest.
Satisfied with what I saw, I grinned. The stronger and more numerous the soldiers are, the more nutrients we can secure.
By repeating this cycle, we can make stronger and more soldiers.
When I first awoke here, I was overwhelmed, but now it feels like a doable task.
“What is it?”
[One worker has discovered the burrow of a Swamp Toad.]
Something registered in my consciousness, connected to the other entities, at that moment.
*
“That monstrous toad? That’s a Tier 2 monster…”
I was deep in thought.
The monster tier chart mostly used by players of Demon Realm civilization.
I’ve merged that knowledge with the real-time data I’m acquiring here to create a new tier chart.
The weakest enemies we can hunt and use their genes for modifications are placed at Tier 1, and I’ve ranked them accordingly.
The toad discovered this time is Tier 2 according to the chart. Even if we mobilized our full force, it means we still cannot digest and analyze its body with our current level.
“Let’s keep it in mind for a later hunt.”
Though there are plenty of Tier 1 hunting opportunities around us, it’s unnecessary to engage Tier 2 preys prematurely.
I’ll keep the location in mind and dispatch more scouts to explore other hunting grounds.
There are already other nests of our kind that we can attack right away and an abundant supply of Tier 1 prey to hunt.
“Let’s take them all.”
My eyes gleamed and I gave the command to the ones outside to hunt down and attack those who would dare challenge us.
Who could possibly stop us?
Our actions, meticulously hunting only the possible targets, gradually dried up the prey population near our nest.
A war with our own race yields the tastiest food compared to any prey.
“I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do.”
Among those, the queens of our own species are especially a delicacy to me, because every time I eliminate a rival queen, I gain achievement points.
Since they give greater rewards than others, why shouldn’t I be greedy?
“Hmm… Is it a good thing? Or…”
A strange emotion welled up when I personally executed a rival queen who was dragged to the front of our nest in a horrifyingly bloated state, ready to burst.
It was a mixture of regret and exhilaration from growth.
Of course, we suffered losses in the process, but the larvae and eggs that were still growing quickly replenished the void.
[Enemies are approaching.]
“Those bastards…”
Whether it was because they didn’t like our actions or for some other reason, they started coming just before the soldiers I remodeled for the first time were about to emerge from the pupae.
The massive centipedes that I classified as Tier 2 and had killed me in one blow when I possessed a body previously, were now advancing straight toward our nest in no less than three.
When I confirmed this through the eyes of the workers, my face naturally twisted into a grimace.
