Chapter 120: Choice for evolution made.

Hunter, who had followed her in, leaned casually against the glass wall of Spice’s abode. "What’s got you looking so stressed?" he asked, watching her pace.

Zyra sighed and turned to him. "Since you already know some of my greatest secrets, I might as well share one more. I’m at a crossroads." She quickly explained her dilemma, weighing the destructive fire of the squirrel against the lethal potential of the snake.

Hunter’s eyes widened by the end. "You are serious! You can help your beasts evolve!"

She nodded.

He stumbled back, touching his temples. "This is big Zyra. I thought you just got lucky with Snowy." He laughed and screamed for joy. If she could help her beasts evolve, then what was to stop her from helping others do the same? Snowy had eaten a special mushroom. It meant with the right herb, Tyrant could also evolve. And only Zyra knew what was needed.

What kind of magical wife had he married? He grabbed her by the waist and spun her around. Hunter had just found another reason not to divorce.

"I am about to puke." She complained.

Hunter set her down, made sure she was okay, and let out a loud, dramatic sigh. He shook his head as if the answer was staring her right in the face. "If the choice were mine to make, I’d choose the squirrel without a second thought."

"Why?" Zyra asked.

"Because," Hunter said, a dark gleam in his eyes, "if that thing evolves to its peak, it could burn a Somnivore knight to ashes with lightning strikes. It could set the Somnivore world beyond the veil on fire if needed. Hell, maybe it could kill a Somnivore."

Zyra’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. Her heart did a little flutter.

Mentally, she called out, "Beauty, is that actually possible?"

A crisp, sweet voice rang in her mind. [Yes, Host. As long as you feed the squirrel the right treasures and spiritual herbs, it can indeed become a walking, furry time bomb capable of widespread destruction.]

Zyra’s eyes lit up. "Wow. If we have that, it would have been so much easier to get rid of the alien problem back on Earth right from the beginning!" They could have sent an army of Squirrels like Squirrel and some of Snowy’s assassin ants to get the job done.

Beauty’s voice turned instantly dry and mocking. [It is never that simple, Host.]

Zyra rolled her eyes. "Of course. It’s never simple with you."

She turned back to Hunter, crossing her arms. "Wait a minute. I thought you wanted to go to the Somnivore world. If my squirrel burns the whole place to ashes, you won’t be able to find whatever it is you’re looking for."

A low, rumbling growl vibrated from Hunter’s chest. He looked away, slightly annoyed. "I didn’t say you had to burn it down right now."

Zyra stepped closer. She looked at him_ really, deeply looked at him. There was a shadow in his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before. "What is it you’re actually hoping to find over there anyway, Hunter?"

The silence stretched between them for several seconds. Hunter stared at the sleeping snake, his expression softening into something raw and vulnerable. Honestly, he didn’t really know the full answer himself.

"I’m looking for my past, you could say." he said quietly.

Zyra frowned, confusion clouding her mind. "Your past? Beyond the veil!" She opened her mouth to ask what on earth he meant, but before a single word could escape her lips, Hunter turned on his heel. He walked away quickly, his broad shoulders tense, clearly avoiding any follow-up questions.

Zyra watched his retreating back until he vanished past the doorway of the pavilion. She let out a long, heavy sigh, looking first at the squirrel, and then back at Spice.

"Beauty," Zyra sighed, "help me out here."

[Host, whichever beast you choose, you should know that unlike the Snow Ant, their evolution will happen in stages,] Beauty explained, her voice resuming its business-like tone. [To continue evolving to a higher level, you will have to find some treasures and herbs yourself. I cannot spoon feed you all the time.]

Zyra blinked. "What exactly does an evolving beast need?"

In her head, Beauty let out a dramatic, ear-piercing shriek. The image of a tiny, frustrated fairy snake shaking her head in despair flashed on the screen. [Now I truly pity your former schoolteachers, Host! Keep up! I literally just said it: spiritual treasures, beast eggs or cores, rare energy stones from powerful beasts_ like the ones you found in the frozen wild land, specific herbs.]

Zyra flipped her hands in the air, completely unfazed by the attitude. "Alright, alright, I get it! No need to yell." She took one last look at the glass cages. "I’ve made my decision. I choose Spice."

Beauty paused, sounding genuinely curious. [Oh? Any specific reason, if I may ask?]

Zyra pouted her lips, shrugged her shoulders, and mumbled, "Because Hunter chose the squirrel."

[What?]

"Because Spice was my first half-life beast, it is only fair that the opportunity goes to her." Zyra changed her answer.

Beauty let out a long, long sigh of pure defeat. [Fine. Common Green Snake evolution protocol accepted. Stage 1: Build a larger poisonous sac. To do this, the Host must feed the snake poisonous herbs and live creatures, such as spiders, rats, insects, scorpions, and centipedes. Evolution will take ten hours, be patient.]

A heavy crate and several small jars suddenly materialized right near Zyra’s feet. She looked down at the wriggling, creepy crawlies inside the glass jars and shuddered. Steeling her nerves, she pulled on a pair of thick, heavy-duty leather gloves. Very carefully, she opened the jars one by one and began transferring the terrifying insects into Spice’s enclosure.

"Need some help?"

Zyra jumped slightly, turning to see Scotty walking over. He looked tired but satisfied. "I just finished feeding the other animals," he said, wiping his brow.

He looked down at the crate of herbs sitting next to Zyra, which contained a mix of leafy greens. Scotty reached down and picked up a bundle of the fresh grass. "Go on, Divine maiden. Go get some rest. You’ve had a long day. I can handle the feeding from here."

Zyra smiled warmly, peeling off her heavy gloves. "Thanks, Scotty. Just... be careful with those crawling things, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know my way around little beasts," Scotty nodded confidently, waving her off.

Compared to sitting and waiting for all ten hours, it was best to rest herself and maybe convince Hunter to get an update on the wedding of the most hateful shrew to ever live.