Chapter 11
Why does evolution happen?
This is my theory: mutations accumulate in ways that benefit the individual.
When it has to endure hunger, it gets better at doing so.
When it struggles to survive, it gets faster.
When it searches for food, its eyesight improves.
When it eats all sorts of things, it develops resistance to poison.
Those changes accumulate over generations.
I think that's the essence of evolution.
Because it pursues what it needs, it's more likely to evolve in that direction.
Carnivore.
Herbivore.
Omnivore.
Or photosynthesis.
This is the same.
As it keeps looking for food that suits it, it evolves in ways that benefit it.
Maybe that's why.
“Uh… now it's eating rocks?”
Crunch!
Little Squirmy crunched down on a mana stone.
Mana Devouring lets it absorb mana by eating living creatures, but perhaps that wasn't enough, because it had evolved to be able to crunch raw mana stones.
A bite force that had grown absurdly powerful.
A more efficient mana-absorption organ.
It had evolved this way on its own, without any guidance from World Power.
Even more surprising was—
Whooom!!!
It was instinctively using mana.
It swam rapidly across the ocean, using mana for bursts of acceleration. It had already drawn on mana's power to strengthen its body.
What's more, Little Squirmy was an omnivore by nature.
Mana stones were just dessert.
It stuffed all sorts of fish and seaweed into its mouth as fast as it could find them.
Whoosh, whoosh!!~
It moved too fast for my eyes to follow.
As it devoured everything in its path at that speed, it grew plumper and plumper.
Its body kept getting bigger.
Its speed never diminished.
“You little thing. Now you're growing like a weed all by yourself.”
The one I'd had to help every time because it was so weak was now preying on fish. Whenever it spotted a stronger creature, it somehow managed to dodge it perfectly on its own.
“You really are intelligent.”
It avoided danger in advance.
It found what it needed on its own.
It had already surpassed the intelligence of an ordinary fish. Just how much smarter was it going to get?
What a good little thing.
[Projecting telekinesis and light.]
“Little Squirmy!”
“Pip!?”
I created an avatar and appeared for the first time in a while. I was just so proud and happy that I wanted to give it a little pet.
“Pip, pipyu?….”
Startled, it flinched, then stared at me without moving.
Our eyes met.
“Hehe. You're way too cute for a fish. Even your little cry is adorable.”
Little Squirmy was different from ordinary fish.
Its upper half was black.
Its underside was white.
It had two colors and smooth skin.
If I had to compare it to something, it looked like an orca.
“Pipyu!”
Had it remembered me?
It came closer with a cry that sounded happy to see me. When I held out my hand, it bumped against it repeatedly, checking my reaction.
Soon, apparently satisfied, it nestled into my arms and rubbed its face against me.
“You like that? I do, too.”
Rub, rub.
I stroked the little thing.
It used to be so tiny that I could only brush it with one finger, but now it had grown enough for me to hold and pet it.
[The individual's perception develops.]
[The individual's hippocampal tissue develops.]
Press, press~
It clung to me with all its might.
It was a little heavy, which felt pretty nice.
If I had enough World Power, I'd show up often to pet it. So I should cherish this brief moment all the more.
“Little Squirmy, want to swim together?”
“Pipyu?”
Petting it and dancing in circles were nice, but that alone wasn't enough for me.
Whoosh~
I swam around Little Squirmy once, then headed forward. Little Squirmy followed me, and we swam through the sea together.
“All right, it's a race!”
Whoom!!
I picked up the pace.
My body was an avatar made of telekinesis and light. If I wanted, I could alter it to make swimming easier.
For example, I could make a tail.
Like this.
For a while, I swam at high speed.
Little Squirmy kept following me. Sometimes I swam while holding it, and other times I went forward with it clinging to me like a float.
It was fine that we couldn't understand each other.
I reveled in the moment of connection.
[The individual thinks highly of you.]
[The individual recognizes you as its parent.]
[4pt of World Power has been generated.]
Ah.
It was a fun day.
*
Somewhere in Seoul.
“Haa~ How did I end up coming all the way here?”
Swish.
Kang Nari raised her head slightly.
Before her stood a building with a huge sign that read ‘Shinseok Guild.’
The Shinseok Guild was famous for mana stones and items, and many artisans worked there.
“I never meant to come all the way here.”
Here's how it happened.
To get the five processed mana stones Yeoul had given her appraised, Nari had gone to a colleague knowledgeable about mana stones, but…
‘This… is beyond my ability to appraise!!’
Though they looked different from ordinary processed mana stones, they showed no signs of having been carved incorrectly, so the colleague had advised Nari to find a true expert.
So Nari, who'd thought it was just a child's game, had come to the reputable Shinseok Guild with mixed feelings.
And that brings us to the present.
“Are these really that impressive?”
It was time to find out.
Whether the mana stones Yeoul had carved were a joke or proof of real skill.
“I'd like to have these mana stones appraised.”
As soon as Nari entered the guild, Nari presented the stones at the reception desk and asked for an appraisal.
The employee glanced at the mana stones and handed Nari a waiting ticket with little interest.
“Looks like some greenhorn came to get the mana stones they carved appraised.”
“Hey, Nari can hear you.”
A few people behind Nari spoke with barely concealed contempt.
Nari was a little intimidated, but kept it to herself and waited for her turn.
“Ms. Kang Nari, please come in.”
The moment of truth.
Nari carried the small, precious mana stones to where the expert was waiting.
*
Mana stone expert Min Jeong-woo.
Min was a veteran with over ten years in the mana stone industry. Min's passion for learning was so great that Min carved mana stones and even tasted them.
Min had also conducted research and written many papers to improve the efficiency of mana stone processing.
A high-level mana stone expert.
That was Min Jeong-woo.
“Please appraise these mana stones.”
“Let me see.”
An authoritative expression and gestures had become second nature to Min. At least in this field, there were few people who could challenge Min.
‘What is this mana stone?’
But the mana stones Nari had brought…
They looked shabby on the outside, but examining them directly revealed something more surprising than expected.
“Oh-ho. Not bad. Looks like you happened to carve a decent mana stone once.”
“What?….”
Min exclaimed in genuine admiration.
Judging by the analysis alone, the mana stone was carved well enough that even an experienced processor might only manage one like it by chance.
The processing quality was an astounding S rank.
But that was all.
“They're low-grade by nature, so I can't give them a high final grade. Don't settle for a lucky carving; use better raw stones from now on.”
“Ah… yes, I understand. Could you appraise these as well?”
Min gave Nari the advice in a practiced manner.
Slightly discouraged, Nari took the rest of the mana stones out of her bag. At least they had some value.
The unusual turn of events began here.
Min's gaze froze.
“How did you carve these?”
“Pardon?”
Grab!
Min stood up, expression stiff, and grabbed Kang Nari by both shoulders.
Most of them were similar.
All the mana stones Nari had just taken out were translucent and evenly carved.
The carving method was unusual, and someone had processed several mana stones of this quality?
That was more than enough to pique the studious Min's interest.
“Did you carve these?”
“I-I didn't.”
“John Edward, the American who processed mana stones at an SS rank level, had a similar grain. Is he in Korea, by any chance?”
“N-no?”
How could Min not be excited?
Knowledge.
Technique.
Sensory perception.
And intense concentration.
Only when all four aligned perfectly could someone produce a single decent mana stone.
After that, the processing grade was measured using the latest equipment and an expert eye.
How many impurities had been removed.
How well the arrangement had been preserved.
Whether any gaps had formed and let mana leak out.
Whether the crystal structure had cracked.
Whether the crystal structure was conducive to mana conduction.
And so on.
Taken together,
the grades ranged from SSS+ to D rank,
divided into fourteen levels in total. But Yeoul's processing grade was among them…
“They all seem to be S rank. Even I only get a grade like this once in a while after carving dozens. If you brought this many, it can't have been luck.”
“Ahaha… but could you let go of me now?”
“Oh.”
Only then did Min realize what Min was doing and release Nari's shoulders.
“Ahem. I got a little carried away. My apologies. So who carved these?”
“Just someone I know.”
“Huh?? Then what's their experience?”
“I think it was their first time carving…”
“You expect me to believe that!!”
“Eek, you startled me.”
At least an S-rank processing grade.
The reason they didn't shine much was that there were few or no gaps for mana to leak through.
Their translucence was a property mana stones displayed when they formed a particular crystal structure.
They wouldn't be worth much since they were low-grade mana stones, but if someone had carved all of them this way in one go, that changed things.
Technique.
A processor's technical skill was extremely valuable.
That was why Dr. Min Jeong-woo seemed even more excited than before.
“Who on earth is that person!?”
“Well…”
Nari was quite flustered by this.
Yeoul's mana stones were actually such coveted pieces of work that an expert was desperate to get their hands on them?
But Nari had no intention of casually giving away Yeoul's information or drawing attention to Yeoul.
Nari didn't like giving out someone else's information without permission, and if Yeoul really was talented, others might take advantage of Yeoul.
Still just a child.
Yeoul needed to be protected.
Once Nari made up her mind, her timid demeanor vanished, replaced by a firm air.
“Could you stop shouting?”
“Ah… ahem. I got carried away again.”
“Could you finish the appraisal? I have somewhere to be, so I need to leave soon.”
“I-I will.”
After that, Nari took control of the situation.
While they waited for the appraisal results, Dr. Min Jeong-woo asked Nari all sorts of questions, but Nari drew out her answers and gave him no information.
Perhaps Min was growing impatient.
After the appraisal results came out…
“Ugh… would you please just stop already!!”
“Please!! Please, just tell me!! A tremendous talent has emerged!!”
Drag, drag, drag.
Nari barely managed to shake off Jeong-woo, who had forgotten all dignity and chased after Nari outside, clinging to Nari, before escaping.
“Was that the person who came in for a mana stone appraisal?”
“If that doctor was practically begging them, how well must the stones have been carved?”
Nari also drew the attention of everyone around her.
But perhaps that wasn't entirely a bad thing.
For the first time in her life, Nari had received awe and attention. Her cheeks flushed, but she returned home with her shoulders unconsciously puffed out.
At that moment, Nari sensed it.
That a lot of things were about to change.