"There are currently several hypotheses within the Wycademy regarding why Zinogre performs these specific movements.
However, the most prevalent theory is that it represents a vestigial link between Fanged Wyverns and Flying Wyverns. The so-called Fanged Wyverns actually evolved from a group of ancient Flying Wyverns that lost their ability to fly. The Zinogre's habit of slightly lifting its foreclaws in that delicate, 'orchid-like' gesture is proof that its ancestors once possessed wings."
"But if they can't fly, isn't that actually a regression?" a hunter asked, raising his hand. "Can you really call that evolution?"
"If this mainstream view holds true, it means the Zinogre's ancestors chose to live on the ground and evolved corresponding predatory organs for that purpose. That is, by definition, evolution," the Wyverian scholar said, adjusting his glasses. "This kind of evolution doesn't happen in a day, or even a year or two. It is a slow change over generations that eventually formed the Zinogre we see today."
"Understood. Evolution makes sense when you put it that way, but what does this have to do with today's meeting?" another hunter asked, scratching his head. "I don't really get all this complex stuff. I failed the entrance exam for the Wycademy back in the day... Ugh, there was just too much to memorize. Way too many words."
His words sparked a wave of good-natured laughter among the surrounding hunters. After all, most hunters specialized in combat; the mountain of books scholars had to memorize was enough to give them a headache just looking at it.
"Don't worry, it is definitely related," the Wyverian scholar said with a smile. "After more than two years of continuous investigation, and thanks to your tireless efforts, we have finally discovered a shocking fact: the so-called 'Azure Phenomenon' is, in essence, a phenomenon of evolution."
"However, unlike the evolution I just described—which requires vast amounts of time, generations of breeding, mutations, and slow progress—the Azure Phenomenon is a form of intense, high-speed evolution. It allows an organism to take on an appearance thousands or even tens of thousands of years in the future within a very short period of time."
The scholar's words caused an immediate uproar. In reality, the hunters had developed their own perceptions of the Azure Phenomenon.
To them, the blue-tinted plants or animals were similar to the monsters, Subspecies, or Deviants they had hunted before; they were simply different in appearance, possessed new traits, or mastered new abilities. It was common knowledge to every hunter that the same creature would change differently in different environments, but the "high-speed evolution" the Wyverian scholar was describing was a bit... too abstract.
"Fascinating, isn't it? This New World," the scholar continued, seeing the hunters whispering among themselves. "When we first reached this conclusion, we thought we had made a mistake. But studies of multiple blue-shifted plants and animals have only further proven the correctness of this theory."
As he spoke, the scholar pulled a palm-length crystal from his pocket. It was a regular hexagonal prism, nearly opaque, and a deep, haunting blue. It pulsed with light inside the wooden cabin.
"Is that... an Abyssal-attribute energy crystal?" the Commander asked with curiosity. "Is the purity that high? The color is much richer than the ones we've seen before."
"Correct. This is a high-concentration Abyssal energy crystal refined directly from the body of a blue-shifted monster. I suggest you don't touch it with your bare hands like I am. After all, I've already turned blue," the Wyverian scholar said with a wry smile.
"What?!" The Commander grabbed the scholar's shoulder, his expression grim. "Why didn't you say so sooner? You need treatment immediately. Don't forget how that Thunderlord Zinogre died."
"I'm fine," the scholar said, gently patting the Commander's hand and shaking his head. "Don't worry. As a scholar, I have a thorough understanding of my own body. Let's get back to the crystal. This Abyssal energy—a special energy independent of the five main attributes—is extremely corrosive."
"But this 'corrosiveness' isn't simply rotting flesh or destroying things. It's more like a higher-level life form infecting and assimilating a lower-level one. So far, no plant or animal has been found that can resist the erosion of this energy. We originally thought large monsters might be immune, but we didn't expect that through their daily predatory activities, they would accumulate massive amounts of Abyssal energy from their prey. Eventually, they too undergo the Azure Phenomenon. That Espinas was not an isolated case."
"First, it invades the body. Then, the Abyssal energy forces the organism to integrate with it and begin evolving," the scholar said solemnly. "It's incredible. Evolution usually takes ages and countless generations to complete, yet these blue-shifted plants and animals have bridged the barrier of time in just over two years to evolve into a new form."
"Through our research of numerous specimens and environmental surveys, we can confirm that the Abyssal energy tries its best to push the infected life form toward a beneficial evolution. It is a powerful catalyst that strengthens an organism's existing traits or gives birth to new ones with similar effects. Both original and new traits often become quite aggressive. During this process, the organism's latent potential is completely squeezed out."
"Take the Azure-veined Herb as an example. You should all be familiar with this new herb by now. In addition to its original healing properties, it can also boost a person's stamina."
"But aren't some of the plants and animals becoming quite hideous?" a hunter asked. "Especially the animals. They seem to be suffering quite a bit from the Abyssal energy, looking like they're in a lot of pain."
"That's because the Abyssal energy hasn't completely permeated their bodies yet. Think about it—didn't most of the cases you're describing happen when we first discovered the Azure Phenomenon? As time passes, these instances are becoming rarer," the scholar explained.
"Hmm... now that you mention it, that does seem to be the case," the hunter said, stroking his chin. "So you're saying those plants and animals have already finished their new evolution? Is it the large monsters' turn next?"
"Most likely," a nearby hunter added with a bitter smile. "Isn't the carcass of that blue-shifted Espinas sitting right there in the base? If that Thunderlord Zinogre had been able to adapt to the Abyssal energy in its body, it probably would have become an Azure Thunderlord Zinogre, right?"
"That's one way to look at it," the Wyverian scholar nodded to the two men. "Nature's changes usually happen from the bottom up. The collapse of the lower ecology often leads to the destruction of higher ecological niches, and this process takes time to manifest. First, the lower-tier life forms turn blue. As the higher-tier monsters prey on them, the Abyssal energy continuously transfers and accumulates. Once it reaches a certain level, the higher-tier monsters turn blue and evolve into a new form."
"It's like a virus. Does this Abyssal energy really have no consciousness of its own?" the Field Team Leader asked, his brow furrowed. "Given this speed and trend, will every living thing in the New World eventually turn blue one day?"
"Who knows?" another scholar nearby shrugged. "If blue-shifted Humans, Wyverians, or Palicoes actually appear... haha, we'd suddenly have a lot more human subspecies. It would be completely different from the Old World then."
The hypothesis was intriguing. Instead of being panicked or afraid, many hunters were actually excited, discussing with those next to them what they might look like if they turned blue—whether they'd be covered in Abyssal crystals and spikes, and what new traits they might gain.
"High-speed evolution..." a gray-haired hunter said, lost in thought. "For some reason, I can't help but think of Boss Glavenus... He's the same way. He disappears for years or even a decade at a time, and when he reappears, he's often completely changed his look."
Snap!
"Excellent point," the Wyverian scholar said, snapping his fingers. "I actually thought of that as well. Regarding the Dragon God worshipped by the Glavenus Tribe, we currently have two main theories. First, Boss Glavenus is actually an unknown Elder Dragon species, and the reason he looks different every time he appears is simply because he's growing up. This is the most widely accepted theory."
"The second theory has only gradually emerged in the last two years. Some scholars believe Boss Glavenus isn't an Elder Dragon at all, but rather he just evolves very quickly. He might be the first monster in the New World to have turned blue... Though, this theory is easy to debunk. After all, over the past few decades, no Abyssal energy crystals have ever appeared on the surface of Boss Glavenus's body," the scholar said with a shrug.
"No one knows which of these theories is correct, and you can choose to believe whichever you like. But that's not the point. The point is what I discovered when I followed the second line of reasoning." Taking a deep breath, the scholar solemnly gestured for his assistant to bring forward a large wooden board.
"Please hang up the map. Alright, everyone, take a look here. This is the map of the areas we have explored so far. Here is the Ancient Forest, separated by high rock walls in the middle, and on the other side is the Wildspire Waste."
The scholar's explanation was clear, and the map was detailed. The explored areas of the southwestern Wildspire Waste and the southeastern Ancient Forest were marked out, forming an irregular, vertical inverted fan shape. Regions further out were simply marked as "Unknown."
"The Wildspire Waste hasn't shown the Azure Phenomenon yet. But in the Ancient Forest, we have sent out at least fifty exploration teams to date, dedicated to determining which areas are affected and how far the phenomenon reaches."
"Wait, didn't the entire Ancient Forest change at the same time?" a hunter asked in shock.
"Unfortunately, no." The scholar took a pen and began marking the map. "Look closely. The areas I'm coloring now are the regions where the Azure Phenomenon has appeared... This point is our current location, and this other point is where the Glavenus Tribe is located. Do you see anything?"
As the area the scholar circled on the map grew larger, the positions of those two points became increasingly obvious.
"Leaving the Wildspire Waste aside... aren't we right in the middle of it?!" a hunter exclaimed. "Especially the Glavenus Tribe! It's basically the epicenter!"
"Fascinating, isn't it?" The Wyverian scholar grew increasingly excited, tapping the map on the board as his voice rose. "Each 'X' mark represents a Giant Tree that forms its own forest. The Azure Phenomenon seems to be spreading outward with these Giant Trees as the centers. What happened in our living area two years ago is happening right now in the more distant forests."
The 'X' marks on the map weren't random; they were remarkably regular, like the veins of a leaf. Many of the marks could be connected to form smooth curves.
"Are these... Leylines?" Being a man of vast experience, the Commander realized the underlying cause after a careful look.
"Exactly!" The scholar snapped his fingers again. "The Leylines! Given the height of these Giant Trees, their root systems have undoubtedly penetrated countless meters underground. For all these trees to undergo such massive changes almost simultaneously, I suspect something might have gone wrong with the Bio-energy Vein Corridor at the very base of this corner of the Ancient Forest!"
"And most importantly, I found the Grimalkyne who first discovered the blue-shifted leaves in the Glavenus Tribe. According to him, before that, the Grimalkyne hunting and gathering parties had been out many times and hadn't found a single blue leaf. This means the Azure Phenomenon likely didn't appear on all the Giant Trees at once, but started with the one where the Glavenus Tribe is located!"
The Wyverian scholar shouted with fanatical intensity. He didn't even need to say it; a single name jumped into everyone's mind at the same time.
"Boss Glavenus!"
"Intriguing, isn't it? But my discoveries don't end there." Pushing his glasses up, the scholar suppressed his trembling voice and suddenly called out toward the meeting cabin door, "Blackberry? Could you please come in?"
"Coming, meow~"
Accompanied by a cheerful meow, the Grimalkyne who was the first to turn blue years ago pushed the door open and walked in.
Today's Blackberry was already nearly as tall as the Dragon-Chosen Warriors, though his physique was nowhere near as robust. He was simply waiting for Asterion to appear again to acknowledge and name his kind of 'New Grimalkyne.'
But that wasn't the point. The point was the change in Blackberry's tail—that tail, which when held upright, was even taller than Blackberry's head!
The end of the tail was covered in a beautiful layer of deep blue crystals, sharp as a blade and shining brilliantly!
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