Crafting Gear From Monster Genes

Kreyn couldn’t get the gene of the Blue Beast. After all, all Hunters needed those genes to become stronger. But since everyone’s evolutionary path was different, they needed different genes, of varying quality, and not all the time.

Perhaps if some other monster of the same caliber were in the Blue Beast’s place, Hargod would leave it behind. This time, Kreyn was out of luck.

However, since there were many Rahta Beasts here, he still got what he wanted:

[Mutation Saturation - Eye of the Hungry Scar.]

[Progress: 100%.]

Ding!

Another message appeared.

[The first stage has been completed. You can proceed to the second stage at any time.]

Kreyn nodded but didn’t rush. He felt that the second stage - Monster Nature, would be a challenge for him. He didn’t want to take any chances and reveal it right now.

Tap.

A heavy hand fell on Kreyn’s shoulder, forcing him to look up.

"What’s wrong?" Hargod asked with an eager smile. "Thinking about something, or did you finally chicken out?"

"Nah, I’m ready to move on. With you here, we’ve got nothing to fear."

"Ha! You’re flattering me, you rascal, but it’s true, so I’ll let it slide."

Leora walked alongside Hargod while Kreyn and Groza followed behind, keeping their distance. They had things to discuss.

"What do you think? Do you like your new armor?" Kreyn asked in a whisper.

"Good. I’ve never seen anything like it at any workshop. The instincts from the Cell make all the difference and use very little energy, and the spider imprint is a weapon and shield all on its own."

Kreyn’s gaze fell on Leora’s gauntlets. He had long noticed a certain resemblance between the two of them, but now an idea had occurred to him.

’Yes. I’ll have to start with her. Given Groza’s ability, these gauntlets will suit her perfectly. I can only hope she doesn’t back out at the last moment.’

The path out of the chamber was a long passage that sloped slightly upward. There were no tunnels nearby, nor even any cracks where the Rahta Beasts might be hiding.

Still, they did not find the main source of Orazit Ore, which meant the core of the nest had to be somewhere nearby.

But a tense atmosphere hung in the air and grew heavier by the moment. Even Hargod’s cheerful smirk disappeared.

Step.

Taking one more step, they reached a cliff’s edge, and the view they’d been waiting for so eagerly came before them.

"Hell..." Hargod’s grin quickly returned. "Looks like we’ve finally made it!"

In the distance, on either side, were passages just like theirs, but what deserved attention was below.

The main cave was divided into six sectors: five of them were chambers just like the one they’d just been in, while right in the center was something special.

A Rahta Beast stood before a vein of pure Orazit. The green crystal line extended forward in a wide cone, reaching a wall that consisted entirely of rich Orazit ore.

In fact, Orazit ore was everywhere here. Light emanated from cracks in the ground, the columns in the chambers were full of it, and so were the cave walls. But the Orazit within the cone possessed a distinctive bright glow and rich color.

’This is the purest Orazit we’ve seen so far, not counting those two crystals...’ Kreyn thought as his gaze drifted downward; he frowned. ’But what the hell is that?’

The Rahta Beast in front of the crystal cone was different from all the others. Its body wasn’t as muscular and bulky as the others’, being longer and more agile with slender legs. Its head somewhat resembled an ant’s but had four eyes, while four mirror-like wings, similar to those of a dragonfly, grew from its back.

Surrounding this unusual Rahta Beast were flesh-like pods with a faint red glow emanating from within.

"What kind of monster is this?" Leora whispered. "Could it be that this beast is stronger than the blue one?"

If that were true, they’d be in trouble even with Hargod on their side.

"No."

Kreyn said sharply.

"I doubt this monster is even equipped to fight. It has a different purpose."

"Hmm?" Leora frowned. "What does that mean? How can you know anything about this?"

"Well, just look at its legs."

No sooner did he say this than all eyes turned to a single point.

True, there was indeed something wrong with this monster’s legs. They were one with the floor, or more precisely, with thick veins running along the ground straight to the flesh pods.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Suddenly came a loud crunch as that Rahta Beast began devouring the crystals from the cone. Soon enough, a green pulse ran through its body and legs, moving straight toward the pods.

At the same moment, several flesh pods began to tremble.

The long paws with sharp claws tore through the flesh, creating an exit for themselves as three new Rahta Beasts came into the world. While their bodies were still wet and they struggled to move, they already headed toward the chambers to draw strength from pure Orazit.

Kreyn’s gaze grew colder.

"These aren’t just any Rahta Beasts, this is their queen: weak, solitary, and forced to endlessly expend resources just to create new members of the colony."

"It seems you’re right, but..." Leora faltered. "If this really is their queen and she’s weak, then there must be others here protecting her."

Immediately, everyone looked in different directions, some toward the chambers, others at the ceiling.

But they saw no one. Still, every single one of them was certain that something must be protecting the Rahta Beast Queen.

"Most likely, both the black ones and the blue ones are hiding somewhere. Even if there are only five of them... Given the total number of all the monsters..."

Leora bit her lip as she came to a grim conclusion.

"We won’t make it. There are too many of them. We have to go back, gather people, and take all the explosives we have. Only then will we have even the slightest chance."

Strangely enough, even Hargod didn’t argue or rush into battle. He wasn’t suicidal and understood that he couldn’t defeat an army of monsters on his own.

"No."

Kreyn turned to them, pointing at the Rahta Queen.

"We can win, right now."

"Huh?" Leora frowned. "Another one of your ridiculous plans?"

Groza looked at him cautiously. "Kreyn... If we attack the queen, we’ll just be setting ourselves up for a strike."

Kreyn nodded.

"Sure. If we just attack her, all the beasts will try to protect their queen. That’s exactly why we have to kill her before they get a chance to do it. Without the Queen, their nest is doomed.

"I don’t know if they’ll die or flee in search of a new Queen, but I doubt they’ll waste their strength on us in such a crisis."

Leora crossed her arms over her chest, looking at him suspiciously.

"And? How the hell are you going to do that? The queen’s pretty far away."

In response, Kreyn pointed at Groza, or rather, almost at her.

"Hargod, you’re strong, aren’t you?"

Hargod flexed his muscles. "What do you think?"

"Good." Kreyn glared at him. "In that case, I want you to throw Groza’s sword straight at the queen with enough force to make it a crushing thunderbolt at the very least."

While Groza and Leora exchanged glances, trying to figure out how realistic this plan actually was, Hargod had already made up his mind.

"Huh, you sure know how to liven things up, buddy. I’m in. Tell me what to do!"

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