Chapter 89: Snow Lion
Time flowed like a trickling stream, silent and unceasing. In the blink of an eye, another half-month had passed.
Inside a massive cavern formed by layers of naturally growing coral, two giant beasts lay prone, sleeping soundly. One of them was nearly eighteen meters long, its body covered in scales as white as pure jade. Only its claws, wrist blades, and the blade at the tip of its tail gleamed with a deep azure luster, looking like gemstones embedded in white jade.
The other beast was nearly eleven meters long, covered in deep blue scales and golden plating. The pair of horns atop its head looked as if they were cast from solid gold, shining with a brilliant, heavy texture.
These two behemoths were Logan and Zhu Peiniang. Beside them, a peculiar-looking Grimalkyne was busily cleaning the cave.
Over the past two weeks, this Grimalkyne had completely let go of its wariness. Simultaneously, under the regulation of hormone secretions within its body, it had developed a powerful sense of closeness and dependence toward Logan. Even though Logan had removed all its restraints, it didn't have the slightest thought of running away.
Beyond its internal emotional shifts, its physical transformation was equally striking. Originally less than a meter tall, it had grown to one and a half meters. Its fur—previously a mix of green, white, and red—had entirely molted into a pure, snow-white coat. The cat-paw print on its belly remained, but its color had changed to sky blue, surrounded by a ring of radiating, bolt-like patterns that added a touch of mystery.
Meanwhile, its skeletal structure had undergone adjustments. While it could still move on all fours, its spine and pelvis had become more flexible, allowing it to stand upright without the permanent slouch it once had.
In this Grimalkyne, Logan saw four abilities he had previously evolved: Rapid Growth, Size Increase, Silk-Keratin Fur, and Electric Organs. Since only a short time had passed, some deeper changes hadn't fully manifested; there might be even greater transformations in the future.
Undoubtedly, this Grimalkyne could be considered an entirely new race. Compared to ordinary Grimalkynes, it shared very few similarities. Although it could now easily understand Logan's intent—just as he had expected—Logan wondered if it could still fit in if sent back to its original tribe.
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Logan slowly opened his eyes. His golden vertical pupils shimmered like molten gold in the dim light of the cave. He looked at the white-furred, "Snow Lion-like" Grimalkyne and thought it was time to send it back to its tribe as a test. Even if it couldn't reintegrate, having it stay by his side to handle chores seemed like a good option.
After all, a giant beast's massive body was inconvenient for delicate, tedious tasks. Having such a helper would solve many problems.
With this thought, he let out a low growl. The busy Grimalkyne stopped immediately and ran over quickly, meowing in response to Logan's low huff. Despite being two completely different languages, they shared a silent understanding; communication was seamless.
"Boss, do you have orders for me, meow?"
Logan nodded slowly. "Have you thought about returning to your old tribe?"
The snowy-white Grimalkyne looked down at its now-massive frame and then at its flexible forepaws. While these changes made it stronger, they undoubtedly set it apart from ordinary Grimalkynes.
It looked up blankly at Logan's face—an "iron mask" forged of scales. This giant beast was the "culprit" behind its transformation, yet it couldn't bring itself to feel any hatred. It was merely confused about whether it could go back, and deep down, it didn't want to leave.
"I don't know. If possible, I want to follow Boss forever, meow!"
This answer didn't surprise Logan. His own blood, fused into the Grimalkyne's body, acted as a secondary central nervous system, regulating its hormones and nutrient supply.
Ultimately, all emotions in a biological organism are just sensations brought about by hormone secretions. So-called "love" is nothing more than the work of substances like dopamine and oxytocin. When one controls the secretion of these hormones, changing a creature's perception of oneself is as easy as turning a hand.
If Logan wished, he could spread this method of altering biology on a massive scale—but how would that be different from a cult? It ran contrary to his understanding of ecology.
"It doesn't matter; where you go is your choice. I only wanted you to help me convey some information, which is why I used somewhat extreme methods before. From now on, I won't restrict you..."
Logan explained his plan to the Grimalkyne. After listening, the white creature agreed readily.
"Okay, Boss! Mission guaranteed, meow!"
As soon as it finished speaking, it couldn't wait to dash out. As tiny electrical currents flickered, its fur fluffed up like needles. Its four paws moved in a rapid blur, and it instantly turned into a distant white shadow, vanishing from the cave.
This speed was much faster than before. Because of its small size, its sprint left behind afterimages, appearing like a bolt of white lightning.
Logan found the scene strangely familiar. He vaguely recalled an anime from his life as a human called Claymore; there was a villain named "The Lion" who looked somewhat like this Grimalkyne, though the villain was nowhere near as cute.
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The Grimalkyne settlement in the Coral Highlands was located deep within a semi-open cavern. Surrounded by rock walls and rushing water, it was only connected to the outside by hidden tunnels and cracks in the ceiling—an extremely secure location.
Even the hunters in the game could only reach this place by diving.
Under normal circumstances, no other creatures would appear here. However, a pack of Shamos had discovered a hidden passage by chance. These scavengers had excellent vision but hated bright light; the secluded interior of the cave was a perfect habitat for them.
Once they began a large-scale invasion, they inevitably clashed with the native Grimalkynes.
When the white Grimalkyne squeezed through a crack in the stone wall into the cavern, the first thing it heard was a flurry of intense cat shrieks and monster roars.
By the sunlight filtering through small holes in the ceiling and the faint glow emitted by the surrounding coral, one could see a large number of Grimalkynes armed with spears and bows, locked in a fierce battle with a group of red-headed monsters.
Relying on simple fortifications, the Grimalkynes pelted the Shamos with arrows and spears. However, these small monsters were extremely agile; it often took a dozen arrows to land one hit, and even then, it wasn't always fatal.
On the other hand, the Shamos had sharp claws and teeth and were larger than the Grimalkynes. A single swipe could inflict severe injury.
For a moment, the battle fell into a stalemate.
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