Sumatra's Greatest Fan

Chapter 162: Family Nest

Sumatra followed the rule of the survival of the fittest. A fit existence, in essence, adapts to the challenges imposed upon it, whether it be environmental, societal, resource, and power.

If it continues to survive and create more of its kind over time, causing the race’s population to either expand steadily or ensure it gets maintained consistently through the test of time, then the race is termed ’Fit.’

There were races that took advantage of this survival of the fittest to push themselves to the extreme, until they adapt to the extremity. This is how Mutated Pranic Beasts appear.

Of course, the extremity they subject themselves towards should be on a path that they could tread upon.

For example, a fresh water fish could try to adapt to salt water. It’ll have a small chance of success. However, if it tried to adapt to lava, that was pure foolishness. It had no means or genetic traits that could morph in any means whatsoever to reach the level necessary to live in lava.

So, the extremity had to be within their genetically changeable means.

The Centinger Race were experts in this regard, having become the Race capable of consistently Mutating to produce Millingers.

The Celestial Boar was a predator, devouring anything it fancied. It had the digestive means to consume whatever it wanted, with absolutely no issues, and a fearsome rate of digestion that allowed it to rapidly eat through an Empyrean Snapper.

This digestion was its most powerful trait. It was why during the Depraved Human Major Disaster, when nothing seemed capable of killing a Depraved Human, Yoribu chose to consume Raefrag instead.

Technically, Yoribu would have succeeded, since she had already trained her body’s resistance beforehand and calculated her survival. She would have had to suffer through decades before her strength reached a level where she was digesting Raefrag faster than the Quill could regenerate his flesh.

She failed only because a second Depraved Human entered her stomach.

’And in the book, the Celestial Boar has repeatedly displayed absurd feats of digestion.’ Torq thought and patted his stomach. The Spectral Boar was the existence that was closest to the Celestial Boar’s characteristics.

Hence, upon superimposing the presence of multiple Pets of himself within the small world of his stomach, Torq lived through the terrifying influence in a state of extremity for seven years, until his stomach morphed to handle a higher volume.

Technically, three Tangible Natures were living in his stomach, and as the stomach adapted to the resulting influence, it caused the respective characteristic to gain the capability to express itself through its interaction with Prana.

That ’expression’ resulted in the birth of a Nature.

Tertiary Nature–Spectral Shell!

It granted Torq two superpowers. First was in allowing him to nurture two Tangible Natures in his stomach. And second was the removal of the consumption limit. Now, whether it be a regular Pranic Beast or a Mutated Pranic Beast, Torq could consume it.

Upon consumption, the respective Pranic Beast will appear in his stomach as a Tangible Nature, bearing all the Natures it held when alive.

Basically, Spectral Shell allowed Torq to become a miniature version of the Celestial Boar, an existence capable of nurturing 100 Tangible Natures.

And while the Celestial Boar had the same limits, being able to only make Tangible Natures out of Pranic Beasts with one Nature, Torq could freely consume any creature of his choice and make a Tangible Nature out of it.

That was why the Celestial Boar asked him to name any creature he wanted to eat.

As Torq and the gruff man exited the station and walked towards the tree where their house was situated, he asked, "Grandfather...!"

"Yes?" The gruff man peered down at the child who had reached his shoulder in height.

"Can I get something to eat?" He patted his stomach, "I’m hungry."

"Is it a hunger for food?" The gruff man asked, "Or is it a hunger for power?"

"Both," Torq laughed awkwardly. "Can’t I?"

"No, you can." The gruff man nodded, "You would have started nurturing a Tangible Nature long ago if it weren’t for the issue you faced. But it’s good that you gained a Nature from it."

"I’ll bring you somewhere fun. But first," The gruff man said, "Aren’t you curious as to what happened in the time you were unconscious?"

"I am," Torq nodded.

"I’ll brief you on major events while we head to the Nest managed by our family." Saying so, the gruff man changed their direction and began walking towards the station once again.

"This already happened before you fell unconscious. The information just took time to reach all this way." The gruff man said, "You can later brush up your knowledge on what all these forces are at the Academy"

"The Dralh Sea has become a dead region, and the Mystic Human Council that used to exist there has been wiped out." The gruff man continued, "A third of the Quip Clan got annihilated for reasons unknown, but their population exploded past their original numbers this year. Half the Brimgan Empire got wiped out, and finally,"

"An Empyrean Snapper by the name of Runthral is rampaging across various regions." He finished, "These are just the major events that happened."

"Now," The gruff man addressed Torq, "I’ll give you books about each of these Forces, their primary means of strength, the terrain of their settlement, etc."

"In about six months, I need you to understand everything." A pause later, he uttered, "Probably in a year or so, the number of attempts on your life will increase to ridiculous levels."

"Why?" Torq asked, "Why will it increase after a year?"

"The Ancestor intends to make a trip to an enemy Continent in a year." The gruff man sighed, "It’ll be a two year expedition."

"The moment he leaves, the Varahan Empire will wage a war against us with all their might." He made eye contact with Torq, "Understand why they are intent on warring against us, even when multiple enemies are banking at our doorsteps and many powerful forces on the Continent have suffered huge losses."

"Yes, Grandfather." Torq nodded, "I’ll learn everything."

"Good," The gruff man patted Torq on the head, "Now that you’re eight years old, your brain development has already exceeded most Free Humans. You’ll start having responsibilities soon."

As he spoke, the duo exited a pod and walked to the foot of a giant ’U’ shaped vessel constructed out of stone. A glance at it, and Torq recognised the Nature used to create it, ’It’s the Rockatrice’s power!’

The structure reached a height of 120 metres, and extended close to a depth of 400 metres. Spanning a radius of three kilometres, the cylindrical structure was a giant nest home to a million Pranic Beasts.

"This is the Nest I created when I was young. Now, following the efforts of myself and your grandmother, and then the generation of my children, it has grown to such size." He then patted Torq on the shoulder, "This Mud Viper Nest is something you will inherit in the future."

"I want you to spend time familiarising yourself with it." The gruff man said, "You are the first of my grandchildren, and will also be the leader of the Spectral Boar Branch once you reach maturity."

"It’s time you pull your weight."