…

I can feel the pup pawing against my body, whining.

Annoyed.

Sighing, I shake myself awake. Sniff the air.

It’s unpleasant. Death-smell lingers in the area, as micro-structures are already beginning to eat the remains in the area.

I sense vibrations, and send an eye covered tentacle to survey the area outside of the den.

Big birds are surrounding the bodies I hadn’t devoured yet, dark black in the bright light of the sun.

Mmm…

Already, a quarter of the biomass preserved biomass in my stomach has been consumed. My complex brain depletes biomass at almost double the pace the developed brain did. Worrying, but if it comes to it, I can consume the grass if there’s not enough prey.

Thinking of…

For now, I send more tentacles to slither along the grass. Grab two of the big birds, who struggle fiercely.

Constrict.

Crack crack.

Both of the bigger birds go still, and I drag them back to me. The rest of the birds… expel biomass back onto the ground? Weird. Regardless, they flee, landing on the branches of taller trees and looking at the tentacles dragging their kin back inside of the den warily.

So they’re not completely giving up on the remains? Interesting.

Consume.

The pup continues to paw at my body, its whining growing more insistent.

Sigh.

Alright, I’ll feed you more biomass.

The pup’s whines once again become contented whimpers as they suckle on the tentacle.

I’ve gained the Vulture anatomy from the two birds, which is… not optimized for the way I hunt. Interesting though, they can expel biomass at will to lighten their bodies. Seems inefficient, but in a danger rich environment I can appreciate its uses. They also have a locking structure in their wings, which allow them to glide in the air without consuming biomass like normal flying does. That is the only superior design they seem to have though.

Which reminds me, the Human anatomy!

This is the design that the interferers use. It must have a lot of superior structures.

The human anatomy has a lot of designs that are similar to the ones I’ve developed, but they all seem to be centered around its complex brain. Which I can’t find fault with, it is a vastly superior structure compared to any of the brains I’ve used before.

I’ll have to develop the anatomy to analyze it further.

Before I do so, I send another eye tentacle outside of the den, to keep an eye on the vultures. Just in case any of them decide to come back down.

And… the two Cores I was able to gather from the humans!

…

Hmm… Incompatible with my Core? Instinct assures me that I’ll still be able to combine them, but… I won’t gain any new Core abilities.

Which is fine. I’m still struggling to incorporate my existing Core abilities into my fighting. So for now...

Develop the human anatomy!

…

Oh no.

Human anatomy incorporates and RELIES ON TRICHROMATIC OCULAR SYSTEM! NOOOOOOO!

PAIIINNN!

PAINN.

PAIN.

Relief.

The pain doesn’t last nearly as long as when I first developed my other sensory systems. Maybe because my new brain is designed to utilize it?

I blink open my eyes.

…

…

Strange.

For a few breaths, thoughts escaped my mind.

Colors. Bright and vibrant, far more so than the black, grey, and white I was used to seeing, are on absolutely everything. The ground, the trees, the leaves outside. The eyes on my tentacles were also changed to incorporate this new system. Even the sky is a different color.

And then… a new sensation.

Taste.

The previous anatomy had taste, but it was dull, unrefined. This one though… the olfactory system is not as developed in the human anatomy, but it is still superior to others, and it adds to this… taste.

Curious. What do things taste like?

Send tentacles to the grass, develop tongue on tentacles.

…

Not much. Bitter? But just slightly.

One of the vultures has landed again.

Grab with my tentacle, kill it with a quick pierce to its head. The rest of the vultures fly away. Disappointing, but to be expected.

Consume with tentacles.

…

The feathers and skin don’t taste like much, but the flesh…

Delicious.

Wiggle.

Crunch on the bones.

Also delicious.

A new feeling wells up within me. A purpose, a drive, besides simply growing and evolving.

I MUST TASTE ALL OF THE DELICIOUS THINGS!

The pup grows quiet, spitting out my tentacle from its mouth and curling up to stasis, and for the first time I feel…

Pity.

Pity for the lifeforms of this forest.

They will never understand the joy of taste.

I stand up. Must find more tastes!

…

Strange. I’ve fallen back down.

My balance is unsteady in this new form. Bring my… hands to the front of my face. Analyze the new anatomy.

…

The bipedal structure has been completed, but it doesn’t utilize a tail. Even though it has the supporting designs for it.

Sweat glands, to conserve biomass consumption and reduce heat buildup. Inferior designs when compared to my original heat transfer design, but it is still a superior design to the other anatomies.

And, most importantly…

The hands.

Opposable thumbs! Allows for grabbing things far more efficiently than tentacles or paws. This is how they utilized the structures that caused so much damage and pain, like the poking instruments and the shooting instruments. Now claws, which would be beneficial for combat, but their instruments make up for that inferior design.

More importantly, from the hormone production system (which is very heavily insisting me to mate, I may have to remove it in the refined design) I can infer that this is a juvenile human. It’s muscle density is less than other anatomies, but to compensate for that…

Mmm…

Even with lack of balance, the legs appear to be superior design for combat. They allow for rapid changes in direction when needed. Inferior designs for long-distance or singular direction travel, but… still efficient. Very efficient.

This shall be the new primary anatomy!

Develop tail, to help with stability. Develop partial wolf olfactory and auditory nervous systems, to improve senses. Develop claws and teeth, for combat. Tentacles will primarily emerge from the lower back, but develop a tract for them to emerge from any point in my body in case of emergencies.

Mmm…

Good. Superior design.

Now, to hunt. To taste!

I stand up, my tail helping to stabilize and maintain balance, as my tentacles wave around my body.

The wolf pup comes out of stasis, whining again. Frustration flushes through my body..

If it will prove a hindrance, I could always kill it. Maybe even now…

No. I promised Star-Reader I would care for it. It would be cowardice to not uphold that deal.

Thinking of…

Wrap some of my tentacles around Star-Reader’s body, and drag it with me as I walk out of the den. I’ll devour it as I move.

For now, I push my tentacle against it, and then secrete biomass onto the ground for it to consume if it becomes hungry again. But I must leave, pup.

I emerge from the den, ducking my head underneath it as I emerge back into the forest.

So many colors! All bright and vibrant.

Sniff.

Past the dead scents, which cover the area and make my mouth salivate, there are fresh prey scents.

Grab three more of the remaining wolves and devour them as I move.

Onwards! To discover new tastes!