The captain of the ship reached out.

Chapter 2, Serial Number B-007: Gene Integration

Enveloped in tentacles.

Alice's mind was in such a state of confusion that she forgot all about her panic and anxiety.

The Carnivorous Mushroom, a low-level monster used as food, also possesses its own intelligence.

How can I communicate with her without any problems?

Is something wrong with this world?

"Are you... really these mushrooms?"

"You can understand it that way."

"When did you become so smart? Or were you... from the very beginning?"

"Who knows? Probably when you landed on that island?"

[Mysterious Island!]

Alice suddenly realized.

This is the general term used by navigators to refer to uncharted islands at sea.

These islands are often home to terrifying monsters, lost ancient ruins, and various strange phenomena that defy common sense.

Legend has it that on certain mysterious islands, there are even miracles that can bring the dead back to life!

"So, you became like this under the influence of [Mysterious Island]?"

Horn: "Yes, yes."

This is a lie.

In fact.

Horn wasn't a "Carnivorous Mushroom" at all; he was a stowaway from that "Mysterious Island," a genuine foreign tentacle.

To be precise.

What was smuggled onto this ship was actually just a fragment of Horn.

His true form is currently hiding somewhere on [Mysterious Island]!

Perhaps realizing that she had been parasitized, Alice became bolder and asked in a reckless manner.

"Mr. Monster...may I call you that?"

"Call me Horn, that's my name."

"Yes, Mr. Horn."

Alice glanced cautiously at the tentacles beside her: "Could you please let me go?"

"I don't have enough meat, so I don't taste good."

"Once I get out, I'll feed you delicious food every day! I'll raise you to be fair-skinned... and chubby, dark-skinned!"

"no."

Horn's decisive answer shattered Alice's illusions.

"First of all, you were the one who lay down inside me; I was just passively receiving it."

"Even if I bear 1% of the responsibility, don't you bear the remaining 99%?"

"Secondly, what if you get someone to wipe me out after you get out?"

"—Even tentacles have lives!"

"at last……"

Horn paused, then continued, "Do you really think... you can survive on this ship without me?"

Alice's face turned pale instantly.

Yes.

The Golden Sun has been taken over by the traitor Bazel, and the crew members who were loyal to their father have certainly been purged.

The rest were either Bazel's confidants or opportunists.

Once she left the cabin, she was discovered by the sailors.

What awaits her is an end worse than death.

Thinking of her deceased father, the fear and grief she had been suppressing suddenly surged into her heart.

"Waaaaah..."

Alice felt a lump in her throat, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Huh? You really cried?

Horn originally just wanted to give Alice a little cues to prevent her from revealing her existence.

I didn't expect to be so scared!

However, Horn is not exactly a caring male mother.

If the child cries, just let her cry for a while.

There will always come a time when you're tired of crying.

Besides, Horn also has his own things to do.

With a thought, his perspective shifted from the enclosed cabin to his main body on the [Mysterious Island].

……

……

This is a small swamp.

The afternoon sun filtered through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the marshland.

Horn's true form—currently just a tiny tentacle—is lurking in the dark, damp mud, quietly observing its surroundings.

hum-

A sound of flapping wings rang out.

Immediately afterwards, a dark swarm of bees swept low over the swamp.

It's like a proud lion surveying its territory.

Actually.

These monsters, known as the "Vulture Poison Bees," are indeed one of the overlords of this swamp forest.

Each of them is at least level 20, which is what humans call a second-tier monster.

The key is.

They are also social monsters.

Even third- or fourth-tier monsters would not want to be enemies with a swarm of [Vulture Poison Bees].

Now, Horn is even more someone you can't afford to mess with.

Until the sound of the bees completely faded away.

Horn finally snapped out of his feigned death act and muttered to himself.

"Where did you give me this to?"

"Is this even a beginner's dungeon?!"

This swamp is indeed fraught with danger, but it is much safer than Horn's original "spawn point".

The danger of this island is beyond imagination.

In fact, the place where Horn was at the beginning was full of monsters level 50 and above!

Each of them has its own unique strengths and special skills.

The captain of the Golden Sun, Alice's father, a dignified sixth-order transcendent being, was forced to return empty-handed before even venturing into the deepest part of the island.

However, Horn must thank the exploration team for their contributions.

If it weren't for the commotion they caused, he would still be locked up in that tiny petri dish!

Open the panel that I've had since I transmigrated.

【Serial Number B-007: Gene Integration】

[Rank: Two (Lv23)]

[Physical Fitness: 7]

【Magic Power: 22】

【Spirit: 10】

[Talent: Split Body - The body can split, and the resulting offspring share all abilities and memories with the parent body;]

Current number of divisible bodies: (2/2)

[Gene Integration - Extracts gene fragments from corpses and converts them into experience points or abilities;]

[When encountering a monster with genes similar to your own, you can directly assimilate it.]

[Note: The success rate of assimilation depends on the levels and attributes of both parties.]

[Skills: Creep Lv6, Mimicry Lv3, Parasitism Lv1, Tentacle Lash Lv5...]

If Horn is not mistaken.

This "mysterious island" is actually a huge experimental field.

For some reason, the regulators have disappeared.

This turned the entire island into a paradise for monsters.

Above B-rank, there are A-rank and S-rank super monsters.

Horn was initially puzzled. His title seemed so impressive, so why was he only a B-level?

It wasn't until later that he saw the comments below the petri dish.

[—An entity formed from the fusion of genes from fungi, slimes, algae, sea anemones, octopuses, and other monsters.]

[In theory, it possesses unlimited potential and possibilities.]

However, after hundreds of tests, the integrated entity failed to develop intelligence, possessing only rudimentary instincts, and easily reached the limits of its current level.

[Like shackles set by the gods, impossible to break free from.]

Therefore, it is classified as a level B sequence.

The experimenter who wrote the comments probably never imagined that a soul from another world would descend upon this tiny tentacle.

That's how Horn came to be who he is today.

"It's time to try out the new abilities of the Carnivorous Mushroom."

Suppressing his distracting thoughts, Horn activated the [Willow Lv6] skill.

All that could be seen around him was a dark, creeping fungus that spread outwards along the edge of the swamp.

It quickly occupied an area of ​​about ten square meters.

Horn could feel the fungal carpet absorbing the swamp's nutrients and magic, and transmitting them into his body.

And then, immediately afterward.

...It's so itchy!

Something is about to grow!

A soft "pop" sound.

A thing that looked like a mushroom or a tentacle emerged from the fungal carpet and stared blankly at Horn.