"Once this stage is complete, it’s time to head to land."

Quietly approaching the small patch of sandy ground, the area was as peaceful as before. Although the leisurely soft-bodied worms were gone, occasionally a few creatures still swam overhead.

"That Thunder Beast is really a heavy sleeper."

Ensuring his companions refrained from discharging electricity and provoking the Thunder Beast, Thunder Bug cautiously approached the edge of the sandy area. Swallowing a small amount of the grayish-white sand near the rocks on the periphery, Thunder Bug quickly returned to his companions.

Ignorance is bliss; Thunder Bug did not share the carefree attitude of the creatures swimming casually over the sandy area.

Instructing a few Thunder Bugs to guard him, Thunder Bug focused his mental strength, sensing the ingested sand with his tactile perception, and released a tiny electrical current. The current dispersed the sand, attracting and aggregating the conductive minerals within.

Slowly separating the conductive minerals from the impurities and secreting them out, Thunder Bug used mental abilities and lens eyes to observe the tiny minerals, finding their semi-transparent and crystalline texture rather appealing to his already nearly transparent self.

"I don’t know if this is the right approach, but could these minerals contribute to the Thunder Beast’s strength? Otherwise, why would it linger in this sandy area?"

Adhering the minerals to his back with a special mucus, made possible by the soft-bodied visceral system from snails, Thunder Bug reflected, "This mucus seems to have properties of its own."

Feeling the conductive minerals on his back, Thunder Bug was somewhat uncomfortable with the foreign substance, but accepted it cheerfully for the sake of evolution. Instructing his companions to avoid the sandy area and forage in the nearby rocky area, Thunder Bug himself swam back to the sandy ground for more minerals for experimentation. Once successful, his companions could safely follow the same process.

"I don’t know what this mineral is, but since it seems useful and conductive, let’s call it 'electric stone,' haha."

※※※

"Ugh, so heavy."

Carrying the shell gradually forming on his back, Thunder Bug felt no joy.

"Although 'electric stone' can form part of a shell, being fairly pure after electrical refinement and seemingly quite hard, accumulating it on my back only creates a shell akin to that of a snail or a turtle. For me, that’s practically a coffin."

The surrounding Thunder Bugs curiously examined their odd leader. Since his visit to the sandy area, a thin shell had started forming on his back, slowing his movements until he struggled to keep pace with them.

"This won't do. I must devise a better method. I refuse to become an electric snail or turtle—death would be preferable."

Catching up to his waiting companions, Thunder Bug felt their mocking stares.

"Damn, another intruder."

With his eyes raised to glare ahead, Thunder Bug regrettably spotted a large predator charging toward him, while he stood vulnerably in an open area.

"Hide, all of you!"

Burdened by his back shell, Thunder Bug’s speed had drastically decreased, rendering escape out of the question. He ordered nearby companions to hide by the rocks while he concentrated his energy, hoping to scare off the predator.

The predator moved faster than Thunder Bug anticipated. As Thunder Bug gathered electricity, the predator’s jaws clamped onto him, lifting him from the seabed.

Seeing the seabed recede, Thunder Bug had no time to gather more energy and instinctively discharged his full electrical capacity. His back shell partly resisted the predator’s bite, concentrating the electrical discharge onto it.

The over-35-point electrical burst, focused on his back and affecting the predator’s mouth, overwhelmed the predator’s resistance. Its mouth released Thunder Bug, and it rapidly swam upward.

Falling to the seabed, Thunder Bug endured the severe pain and quickly instructed two Thunder Bugs to drag him to the safety of the rocks.

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Though initially resigned to his fate against the predator, surviving the attack shattered Thunder Bug’s courage for further confrontation.

As the predator's mouth sensation returned, it turned back to find Thunder Bug, who was already hidden within rock crevices with his companions, leaving the predator aimlessly patrolling outside.

“Ah—”

Forcibly peeling away the shattered shell embedded deeply in his soft body, Thunder Bug, numbed by previous injuries, still could hardly endure the pain. Blood flowed freely from the wounds; shreds of tissue from the shell drifted away.

Thunder Bug looked at the fragmented shell he had shed, feeling life ebbing with the blood. The natural healing seemed inadequate.

"Am I to die from blood loss this time? How ironic."

Thunder Bug despairingly mused on his impending demise.

If not for the shell concentrating the electrical attack, he wouldn’t have managed the powerful electric discharge hurting the predator’s mouth.

If not for the shell’s cushioning, he wouldn’t have had time to unleash electricity before being bitten to death.

But without the shell’s encumbrance, he might have evaded the attack or avoided detection altogether.

Unable to repair the broken shell or cope with the additional bodily stress, Thunder Bug resolved to reconsider mineral accumulation forming a shell on his back.

"The shell wouldn't form before my repeated deaths and mental exhaustion, and any more force from the predator would’ve been fatal. It's nearly so even now."

Turning to the Thunder Bugs around him, Thunder Bug felt his life slipping.

"This must be the slowest death I’ve faced." He gave a rueful smile as darkness descended.

[Primary organism has died.]

[Detected multicellular organism of the same species with mental imprint, main consciousness transferring to that organism.]

…

Peering up at the predator lingering above, Thunder Bug, newly reborn, saw the lifeless corpse of his former body and several perplexed Thunder Bugs, shaking his head morosely.

"Seems I revived too quickly."

Accepting the harmless truth of his quick revival, he pushed his previous body into a hidden rock crevice and reconsidered his situation.

"I concede the shell's defensive and offensive amplification benefits, but lacking mobility components to support it, even with muscle fibers, its weight and repair challenges are untenable."

"Now, about this persistent predator—it sure holds a grudge."

Seeing the predator continue its vigil, Thunder Bug internally marveled at the system's quick resurrection response and set aside shell contemplation, guiding his companions toward the Thunder Beast’s sandy resting spot. The predator, in turn, pursued them.

"Feeling a bit hungry, but I’ll let the Thunder Beast deal with the predator. Might end up as the fisherman reaping benefits."

Of course, the latter was just wishful thinking by Thunder Bug.

He and his companions knew the route well by now. Using their speed to lure the predator to the sand’s edge, it followed above, poised for a “fatal strike.”

"You’re so cooperative, but I won’t be stupid enough to play along."

Reaching the sand’s conductive edge, Thunder Bug instructed his companions to hide, then released an electric shock. The faint blue current vanished into the sand, and the predator seemed bemused and skeptical, hovering over the sand, waiting for Thunder Bug to emerge.

"Soon you won’t be laughing."

After a brief calm, the sandy area erupted with an electrical intensity that blinded Thunder Bug, even in daylight.

“Here comes Thunder Beast. Sorry to disturb your slumber.”

Safely hidden, Thunder Bug awaited the showdown between Thunder Beast and predator.

The situation didn’t unfold as Thunder Bug planned. At the electrical burst sensing danger, the predator fled quickly despite some stiffness, distancing itself from the sandy trap.

“Coward!”

Cursing the distant predator, Thunder Bug reluctantly gathered his energy, huddled by the rocks, and reevaluated his predicament.

Whether Thunder Bugs evolved a “foolish” trait or “timid” one due to brain evolution, or merely gained slight immunity to Thunder Beast’s intimidation, the calamity came unexpectedly.

A Thunder Bug near Thunder Bug inadvertently released a slight current, attracting the Thunder Beast who’d emerged, ready to dismantle the disturbance.

Before Thunder Bug could express outrage or flee, the Thunder Beast’s two upper appendages launched directed electric bursts, paralyzing him and the nearby Thunder Bug. The expanding maw, filled with teeth and electricity, became the final memory of his newly fused, unfamiliar body.

[Primary organism has died.]

[Detected multicellular organism of the same species with mental imprint, main consciousness transferring to that organism.]

[System warning: Due to excessive non-standard deaths in this stage, revival interval will be extended going forward.]

...

A group of Thunder Bugs leisurely feeding on plants were startled when their leader halted, prompting several to hide in nearby rock cracks.

After the leader’s swift electrical discharge, the waters resumed their calm.

...

Watching the few Thunder Bugs emerge from crevices, Thunder Bug, still shaken by memories of the Thunder Beast’s jaws, gradually regained composure.

“The system’s displeased with my frequent deaths. I’m quite the inadequate main consciousness.”

Surveying his surroundings—rocks near the nest cluster—Thunder Bug noted, "Looks like that group of Thunder Bugs is all gone."

"It’s not the formidable foes you fear, but teammates like pigs."

Observing the Thunder Bugs resuming their feeding from the cracks, Thunder Bug sighed internally.

“I should’ve cautioned them against discharging electricity. The Thunder Bugs, newly evolved, largely act on instinct. Had I been more vigilant, this wouldn't have happened; I’m well aware of Thunder Beast’s sensitivity to electricity.”

“Sigh—”

Feeling nearly full from nutrients, Thunder Bug noted the dimming sunlight. After ensuring they were sated, he led his few companions through rock gaps back to the Thunder Bug nest cluster.

Other Thunder Bugs also returned, save those in Thunder Bug’s former nest, entirely vacant now. The concealing stones outside would remain unsealed until new inhabitants arrived.