Chapter 116
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Chapter 116: Pander Fish Super Evolution!
【Current Shape: Pander Fish】
【Status: Not Hungry】
【Magic Power: 3300/3300 (Recovers 50 per minute)】
【Chaos Energy: 67057/1000 (Can enter evolution interface)】
【Skill 1: Flip the World Off (100 Magic Power cost)】
【Skill 2: Ball Joint Armor (100 Magic Power cost)】
【Skill 3: Dance of Bacteria and Archaea (Magic Power cost Varies)】
【Skill 4: Unavailable】
【Special Skill: Whale Fall Aura】
【Held Item: Geological magnetic field characteristic (Themis)】
【Symbiotic Creature No. 1: Trilobite (Equipped Smashing Claw, True Social Insect Colony Pheromones)】
【Symbiotic Creature No. 2: Spiny Fish (Blank)】
“Not bad, not bad.”
The system panel shimmered within Trilobite’s soul, bringing him some pleasant surprises.
Besides the new “Symbiotic Creature No. 2” Spiny Fish, he got an extra skill slot.
“Having more skill slots might be because I grew larger?”
“No, maybe I grew larger and my Ecological Niche moved up, so I got an extra slot?”
“Does the number of skills link to the Ecological Niche?”
“Hmm, that sounds right.”
A higher Ecological Niche meant more need to handle tricky situations; hunting was usually active, needing checking the surroundings and timing, and predators were often smarter than herbivores for that reason.
“Now, I can use four skills.”
“It’s better to have an empty slot than skills with no place to put them.”
“Well…”
Trilobite saw the over sixty thousand Chaos Energy and felt happy.
“Now, I can buy a lot… wait, no way!”
“Is the system causing inflation?”
He faintly recalled that when he was a trilobite, one vertebrae cost only 1000?
The whole Myelin Sheath seemed to cost just 2000?
But now…
“Wow, hardening the fish fin’s bone costs ten thousand, and that’s not even starting over—it’s an upgrade DLC from the original.”
“Making a neck costs forty thousand.”
"Reinforcing the ribs would cost ten thousand."
"Reinforcing digestive capability would also cost ten thousand."
"The entire saber teeth… damn, sixty thousand!"
"Look how these prices surge…"
【Ahem… My apologies…】
The soft, gentle voice of the system sister echoed again in Trilobite’s mind.
"Ah, no worries. I was just venting a bit."
Truthfully, he understood most things well enough.
"After all, I’ve Grown Bigger."
"And while neck differentiation seems pricey, it’s actually a major overhaul with far-reaching implications."
Trilobite remained fundamentally a fish. Developing a neck meant dismantling the bony plate restricting head movement behind the gills, rerouting the esophagus and trachea, installing entirely new muscles…
In short, countless systems needed recalibration and refinement. Forty thousand felt steep, yet not unreasonable.
"Complex behaviors demand complex body structures. More complexity means more tissues to rebuild during evolution."
"That’s bound to cost extra."
Trilobite figured similar logic explained the steep price for reinforcing ribs and digestive tract.
As for why saber teeth devoured more Chaos Energy than growing a neck…
"Probably because these fangs evolved from my lower jawbone, inherited from Duncker’s fish."
"Uh… biology never recorded saber teeth this long."
"Is this an ‘unforeseen path’?"
Unforeseen paths prove treacherous. Any historically persistent trait represents a "lucky mutation" refined by time and natural selection—a ready-made blueprint.
Trilobite’s evolutionary strategy boiled down to three words: copy the mother!
But unexplored paths offered no templates.
They represented untested traits demanding painstaking trial and error.
Forcing such traits onto a living creature…
"True enough. That demands massive Chaos Energy."
【Ahem… Truly worthy of my host.】
【Grateful for your understanding.】
【You’re the most reasonable, kindest, and mightiest person I’ve ever known.】
The customer service young lady’s voice trembled with weak gratitude.
Her words flowed sweet as honey, making Trilobite wonder how that mouth might taste.
"Ah, you flatter me too much."
"Anyway, mutual understanding makes everything work."
【So host, have you decided?】
【I was going to suggest…】
【Hmm, never mind.】
【Compared to you, I’m just an amateur who should learn more from you, host.】
See? That’s how you talk properly!
Now that’s knowing your place!
If Miss Themis had been this sensible earlier, she wouldn’t have been reduced to tears by Trilobite’s retorts.
"Now…"
"A long neck is essential. Otherwise I couldn’t even perform the classic crocodile maneuver at water’s edge, seriously affecting hunting efficiency."
【You purchased "neck differentiation" and related components for 40,000 Chaos Energy.】
"Next, advance the ossification of my fin limbs."
"That should slightly improve my land mobility."
【You purchased "fin bone reinforcement and internal fin bone extension (stage one)" for 10,000 Chaos Energy.】
"Finally, upgrade my digestion."
"Can’t have me spraying everywhere after eating mushrooms."
"Ah, this should also give me a better appetite."
【You purchased "overall digestive tract expansion and digestive liquid system enhancement (stage one)" for 10,000 Chaos Energy.】
"Chaos Energy drains too fast! Practically gone already."
"Wanted to fix my eyes too, but no energy left…"
"Guess I’ll just…"
"Hey! My species changed!"
Indeed, the "current form" section on the panel had updated.
Now displaying…
【Current Form: Tiktaalik Fish】
"Finally became Tiktaalik!"
"Yep, this should be correct."
Tiktaalik lived during the Devonian period. Though classified as fish, it undeniably possessed more four-legged creature features than Pander Fish.
Its most notable trait? Tiktaalik was likely Earth’s first neck-bearing organism.
This breakthrough allowed four-legged creatures to freely move their heads, significantly boosting behavioral complexity and evolutionary potential.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
Trilobite twisted his head underwater, testing his newfound cervical vertebrae.
"Haha!"
"Now I can swing my head like a crocodile to drag shoreline prey underwater!"
"But currently…"
"Uh…"
Checking his status bar, Trilobite noticed his condition had shifted from "not hungry" to "hungry."
"Evolution really burns energy. Gotta eat!"
"Guess I’ll…"
"Whoa…"
With his new neck, Trilobite found he could first protrude his head, then squeeze out one fin limb and half his body, followed by the other fin limb and remaining half…
Through this segmented approach, he forced himself through the narrow cave crevice directly into the lake!
"Seems necks really upgrade flexibility."
"Alright! Food hunt begins!"
"Better start with easy prey, like…"
"Mushrooms!"
"Swish—!"
Trilobite swam off cheerfully.
