83. Potential of a New Species
[Truly a long-awaited taste of meat. And in the midst of this, if the meat in question happens to be from a white ice bison. Do you catch my drift?]
“I, I see.”
After a brief silence.
The system soon added.
[Currently, the Green Dragon ‘Muamuah’ is thinking of the white ice bison. More precisely, recalling its taste.]
…I see.
So, it was just because he wanted to eat that more.
[It could also be described as a kind of nostalgia for meat.]
“There’s a lot going on.”
[It’s advisable not to take this lightly. Please observe Muamuah’s expression.]
At those words, Han looked at Muamuah.
“……”
He remained silent.
Well, now he understood.
That fellow’s expression wasn’t sad.
It was just wistful.
It was a taste that couldn’t be ignored.
Indeed, just glancing at the direction of the refrigerator where the beef was stored was enough to stimulate his salivary glands.
If that was the case, with Muamuah being a dragon, there was no need to say more.
[If possible, we recommend retrieving the hidden white ice bison for distribution. The individual ‘Muamuah’s gaze is starting to change slightly.]
“I, I’ll do that. His gaze does seem a bit dangerous.”
Muamuah’s gaze towards the elves was gradually becoming hazy.
Perhaps his pupils were now fixated on an illusion of a white ice bison, not the elves.
Han retrieved the white ice bison that had been buried under the snow nearby.
Thud!
With a heavy sound, a large chunk fell to the ground.
“…Hm?”
Muamuah’s eyes widened.
“Oh! This is!”
***
He might have prevented the incident that could have happened in the future.
However, he wasn’t easily relieved.
Instead, he decided to take this as a lesson.
“I should think about a stable meat supply. Even if Muahmuah can’t eat to their heart’s content, at least to the extent of not losing their sanity.”
Did dragons even have such instincts?
Well, the idea that one loses their sanity when hungry applied universally to any creature.
Humans were no exception.
When starving, anyone tended to lose sight of everything.
Even if Muahmuah preferred certain potatoes, in the end, a dragon was a carnivorous monster.
Suppressing instincts alone wouldn’t solve the issue.
Instincts existed due to the need for certain elements for physical survival and the urge to strive.
So, another solution had to be found.
“Hmm… This is serious.”
However, even though Han thought about it, no good solution came to mind.
“Raising creatures like White Frost Bison is realistically impossible. We don’t have the means to keep those strong beings in check, nor the ability. Of course, if it’s Yumina, it might be possible.”
Yumina is an Elemental Sorceress.
With the potential to handle all creatures in the world.
“However, the problem is that it doesn’t apply at the moment.”
Because.
[Handling monsters with a certain level of wildness requires more than the current abilities possessed by the character ‘Yumina.’ At least the minimum requirement is to engage in continuous interaction and emotional exchange for a significant amount of time, similar to the case of the Dadelbo Mouse.]
There was a clear response from the system.
Anyway, it was a difficult problem.
An immediate answer wouldn’t come just from thinking about it.
“At least for now, we need to seriously ponder over this issue.”
According to the system’s mention, they had gained at least a month’s time.
The urgent fire was temporarily extinguished.
Meanwhile, Han’s gaze was directed towards the Elven Square.
Boom!
At that moment, a yellow bee flew leisurely across the sky of the square with relaxed flapping wings.
It was the third night bee.
“Heh.”
A natural smile formed on Han’s lips as he watched the bee.
“I see it’s doing well, full of energy.”
Flying leisurely with strong wing flaps.
The sound of vigorous wing flapping clearly indicated the bee’s health.
The baby bee had grown into a worker bee, starting its role, and naturally, Han had more time on his hands.
It felt good, but at the same time, a bit bittersweet.
Perhaps this was what a parent’s heart felt like.
That was the situation at that time.
Clatter!
There was a young one who ran swiftly towards Han.
[Thud! Thud thud!]
“…Hm?”
It was Mia.
Among the young wolves, Mia, the only girl, vigorously wagged her tail and expressed joy towards Han.
“Alright. Alright.”
Han gently patted Mia’s head.
Although now gradually resembling the appearance of a fierce monster, to him, they were always just adorable youngsters, especially Mia, whom he had seen grow every day.
[Whine-]
The gentle and smart young wolf turned in circles a couple of times in front of Han.
This was a common behavior among them when they wanted to express something.
“Do you have something to say?”
“Hm?”
While this was happening, Han’s gaze shifted to the corner of Mia’s mouth.
There, Mia had something white and round in her mouth.
“What’s this, Mia?”
As Han directed his gaze there, Mia obediently presented it, as if she had been waiting for this moment.
At this point, even she seemed to have some realization.
“…Are you giving this to me?”
[Thud!]
Mia barked once as if affirming.
“What is this, exactly?”
Han looked at the object in his hand.
It was a very bright yellow, almost glowing, small sphere.
[It’s an egg.]
“An egg?”
[It’s the egg of the Longevity Beetle, a species of Longevity Beetle from the ancient forests.]
“Longevity Beetle? Why would that suddenly appear here?”
It was an unexpected development.
Moreover, the fact that Mia was the one holding it made it even more peculiar.
“Do you remember the young wolves digging up the hole until recently?”
“…!”
Han’s eyes widened slightly.
“Are these youngsters really so tirelessly digging up the ground all this time to find this?”
[That is correct. I believe you are aware of the keen sense of smell of wolves.]
So that’s what it was.
Han finally understood the reason.
It explained why these youngsters, despite the repeated warnings from the elves, had been so persistent in their actions.
Not only did they not swallow the snacks, but they brought them to Han.
“Could it be that they had this in mind from the beginning?”
Indeed, these guys.
They were not your average quick-witted individuals.
A moment of laughter escaped him.
“You did really well, Mia.”
[Rumble-]
Han once again praised these guys’ excellent performance and patted their heads.
No matter what, they were these guys.
Now, Han turned his gaze down at the egg.
Was it truly because of the fragmentary information about the egg?
As he stared intently, a brief mark floated up.
[Egg of the Sulin Caucasus Longhorn Beetle.]
“Wow. By the way, the egg is quite big.”
It was an egg larger than a fist.
It wasn’t just an ordinary insect egg.
Crack.
That moment.
Just as it seemed like a short crack was forming on the egg, it split open.
“…?”
Thud. Thud.
The yellow shell began to crack and fall off.
He wondered if the shock was so strong that the egg was breaking.
[Whoo-!]
After breaking the egg, a small, fluid-covered horned beetle popped out.
Staring blankly at the scene for a moment, Han soon showed signs of confusion.
“… Hatched?”
Why?
He didn’t do anything.
Was it just a coincidence in timing?
The system’s response to that was as follows.
“There is a faint divine power imbued in your hands. Creatures will hatch prematurely by using it as nourishment.”
“…I see.”
It couldn’t be anything but a bewildering sight.
Could it be that Han’s hands were equipped with an artificial hatching function?
From Noble mtl dot com
It’s a reality beyond imagination.
However, upon reflection, this wasn’t the first time in such a situation.
“…Well, even back in the oak tree days, seeds sprouted unexpectedly.”
The night-flying rabbit beetles were the same.
In the process of growing up, didn’t he slowly accept his sanctity and evolve into a completely different species?
[To the god of species, there is a power that guides all earthly beings toward new possibilities. Even the flora and fauna existing on Earth at present. Also, the ancient dinosaurs that may have existed in the past but have now disappeared, they are the results of evolution led and fostered by the gods of any planet, any universe.]
“All those countless species?”
“That is the potential held by gods. In your hands, the evolution and birth of species are given. Of course, their decline is also included.”
＜Growl-!＞
Han looked up at the Caucasus longhorn beetle, which raised its horns towards him.
Soon, a small mark appeared above this small insect.
Sulim Caucasus Longhorn Beetle
• A rare type of longhorn beetle that inhabits warm tropical forests. It possesses a modest intelligence and engages in interactions.
***
The Guardian of the Tower, Muamuah.
The figure standing in front of the gate, after glancing at the elves, asked, “Is everyone ready?”
“Y-yes.”
The elves seemed tense.
Idnis nodded.
The figure, who had suddenly regained composure, turned to the elves and shouted, “Alright! I will open the gate now!”
Creak-!
Muamuah raised his hand, and the stone gate of the tower, which had been tightly closed until now, began to open.
“I will go in first! Follow me!”
Muamuah didn’t even glance at the others and hopped inside first.
The other elves, one by one, picked up the weapons and backpacks they had prepared and followed suit.
“Just a moment!”
At that moment, someone came running urgently from behind.
“…Hm?”
“I want to go too! I want to go!”
The footsteps of those trying to enter the tower halted.
Turning around, they widened their eyes in surprise.
“Pafona…?”
“Hah. Hah. I, I’ve also prepared for this! Look, I have a spear!”
Pafona showed the spear she held in her hand.
However, the tip seemed oddly blunt for some reason.
Even to the untrained eye, it was clear that the blade was not properly sharpened.
“…Pafona.”
Idnis knelt in front of his daughter.
“It’s dangerous beyond this point. Monsters are waiting. They might be bigger and more dangerous than the fierce and terrifying orcs we encountered.”
“I can do it too. I made this weapon, so I can do it!”
“My daughter. It’s better to stay in the safe square.”
“Y-yes, but what about Yumina unnie? She’s going into the tower, right? A-and Zion oppa too…!”
However, it was a completely different story.
Yumina was strong.
Despite her own will being weak, Yumina, filled with powerful magic and accompanying beasts, was already strong enough.
Her strength could be considered the greatest among the elves.