[From your memories. 8051 replied cautiously.]
"You've read my memories?" Gar was taken aback but quickly regained his composure.
[Yes, because I was bored, so I read your memories.]
"Oh."
[Aren't you angry? From your memories, I learned that humans highly value their memories and resist others understanding them.]
"You knew that and still read them?"
[Because I found out after reading them, 8051 clarified.]
"Ah, that's true."
"Well, it's no big deal, anyway. There's nothing in there that can't be shared with others." Reflecting on it, Gar realized that his life as a human was extremely simple. He had forgotten any memories before school, and after starting school, it was just school, home, eating, sleeping, doing homework, etc. Aside from a few adventures with friends—climbing mountains, watching movies (only to find the cinema closed), unsuccessfully trying to steal money from home to buy snacks, narrowly avoiding an oil tanker explosion, and almost starting a forest fire while trying to barbecue—there wasn't much of note. "A simple, sad life..."
[...Quite a sim-ple life.]
"But 8051."
[What? 8051 asked cautiously.]
"Why are you so defensive? I'm not going to sell you."
[Someone would have to be bold enough to buy an 8051 subordinate to the system, 8051 replied proudly.]
"Uh, true."
"Since you read my memories to pass the time, shouldn't there be some compensation for me, in the spirit of equivalent exchange?" At this point, Gar recalled the extortion technique from his predecessors in transmigration stories—thinking he could even extort a god!
[Equivalent exchange?]
"Yes, equivalent exchange." Gar recalled details from his extensive transmigration novel readings, searching for extortion techniques.
[8051 believes it's best for the main consciousness not to follow the so-called principle of equivalent exchange, 8051 stated seriously.]
"What?" It seemed the technique failed.
[The principle of equivalent exchange is narrow in scope and merely a rational principle. Insisting on it excessively in the real world can bring unnecessary trouble, 8051 explained, suggesting this explanation as compensation for accessing main consciousness memories.]
Gar, initially solemn from 8051's serious tone, found himself amused by the conclusion. "Didn't expect my memories to only be worth that explanation." The technique had decisively failed, or rather, he felt extorted in return. "I really am a tragic figure..."
"But that's okay, I didn't really expect to get anything."
Not a conspiracy theorist, nor a persecution delusionist, Gar is straightforward, even naive, deeply detesting intrigue, which perhaps fueled his desire for transmigration.
"Why am I not that smart?"
Gar figured if one spent all day scheming, life would lose meaning. Such naivety brought Gar much trouble in the past, but he stubbornly refused to change. Now, in a new world where he could develop a civilization, Gar was even more resistant to changing.
[What's your IQ? 8051 asked out of curiosity.]
"I took some random tests—think it was 125." Gar considered himself decisively ordinary.
[Then you're not a fool, 8051 sighed slightly in relief.]
"Not being a fool is lucky, huh?" Angry—#
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
[Now, name the new species, Gar.]
Quickly diverted, the tragic Gar focused on the troubling task of naming. Glancing at the unicorn on the holographic image’s head, a name appeared in his mind.
"Let’s call it Monoceros, as the last marine species before landing." Okay, Gar's naming skills hadn't improved at all.
[Monoceros
Aquatic Organism Fish
Evolution Points: 12
Health: 130/130
Attack: Electric Unicorn (40), Electric Fins (10)×6, Sharp-Toothed Mouth (35), Electric Burst (170) (Area)
Defense: Scaled Armor (60) (Enhanced Electric Resistance)
Speed: 25–40
Vision: Lens Eyes ×2
Reproduction: Sexually Reproductive Egg-Laying Fish
Body Information: Fish Internal System, Electric Stone Skeletal System, Muscle Fibers, Memory Brain, Olfactory, Gustatory.
Individual Evaluation: Leader
Group Evaluation: Military Unit
Fish evolution has reached a high level; perhaps it's time to head to land. But the road ahead is long—can you establish a foothold on land?]
"So it’s still a 'Leader'? Doesn't seem fitting anymore."
[Though Monoceros has strong attack power, your defense is ordinary, unlike shellfish. The electric attacks, while powerful, lack endurance and are high energy-consuming; ordinary attacks have high endurance but limited strength; only the speed is decent. Thus, the evaluation remains 'Leader,' 8051 explained carefully.]
"Really? Hearing it like that, it feels like my evolution isn’t that great." Gar felt discouraged. His confident results seemed ordinary in 8051's eyes.
[After all, you're a collective organism; individuals need not be overly versatile, 8051 continued explaining.]
"Yeah, I know, hehe."
"Now, Monoceros is probably an assassin-like creature, excelling in short bursts of speed for assault."
"Then, let's continue the journey, Monoceros."
[……]
"Alright, 8051, editing complete."
[Species editing complete, exiting biological editing space.]
...
"Oh."
Gar was speechless...
"Wow, my luck really isn’t great, is it?"
Just emerged from the editing space, Monoceros sighed as a dark shadow flashed before him—a long body darting past.
Not a tentacle, not a fish, but a... snake!
Either way, this was undoubtedly a real snake.
"Dang it, bad luck this time—right out and encounter this! Since when did snakes appear?"
The suddenly startled Monoceros cursed his perpetually low hidden attribute—luck—while quickly seeking refuge in a nearby crevice, keeping an eye on external developments.
However, this time the situation seemed not to require main consciousness intervention.
The following is the footage from just before Monoceros exited the space (never mind where it came from =.=):
A massive serpent burst from the ocean depths, launching an attack on the newly evolved Monoceros school.
However, it seemed the serpent was deceived by Monoceros’s ordinary appearance.
As it rushed into the school, intending to enjoy a feast from the newfound group, swallowing one Monoceros whole, the school reacted like sulfuric acid meeting water, erupting into chaos.
Upon detecting the enemy intrusion, the school reflexively unleashed electric bursts.
Hundreds of Monoceros connected in the electric surge, enveloping the entire space in unimaginable light. The serpent, amidst the school, was obviously targeted by the electric bursts transmitted through water and nearby Monoceros.
But the serpent, emboldened enough to enter the school, had some basis for its courage.
Even amidst intense electric burst network attacks, the serpent showed no significant harm beyond slightly scorched skin.
However, the more effective assault came from within.
The Monoceros swallowed by the serpent unleashed its dying electric burst, wreaking havoc on its vulnerable innards, the heart contracting intensely, pushing the serpent to near death.
“This one's tricky, retreat!”
Thus, the tearful serpent, realizing the formidable nature of its target, retreated rapidly, escaping before another round of electric bursts, vanishing into the boundless ocean.
Footage ends.
Such was the event just before Monoceros exited the biological editing space.
Now, hiding in a rock crevice, Monoceros felt unsatisfied with the depth, surrounded by the hundreds of Monoceros that confirmed safety upon the enemy's retreat, and spotting the main consciousness.
"Why are you all staring? I was scared because I just got out and saw that pesky snake pass by."
Angry and embarrassed, Monoceros burst from the crevice, electrocuting the nearest Monoceros, which had no independent consciousness, merely awaiting orders upon spotting the main consciousness.
"Go do what you need to, no point staying here!"
The Monoceros, inexplicably shocked and electrocuted, shook off the harmless impact, joining the rest to hunt and replenish the energy spent on the earlier electric burst. Meanwhile, the juvenile Monoceros angrily charged an innocent octopus below.
...
"This is the taste of seawater."
The tiny nose twitched slightly, and Monoceros couldn’t help but reflect.
"Maybe there's a fishy scent, but being a marine creature too, it smells nice."
Twitching the small nose again, Monoceros elegantly flicked its tail, rejoining the prepared school in the ocean.
Although being a fish, Monoceros felt its essence was not merely an ordinary fish, at least not without appreciation of life beyond the monotonous animal world.
Thus, with time to spare, Monoceros temporarily set aside various matters, enjoying the diverse prehistoric ocean world, savoring different flavors, honing its taste and smell.
"Hmm, the scent of food, hehe."
Swinging its tail, using its body’s momentum, Monoceros pierced a lone fish below with its horn, delivering a focused electric burst, leaving the prey lifeless and ready for its meal.
Meanwhile, the school, under Monoceros's command, was forming into a newly organized group.
Leaving behind the old and weak, some juveniles, and a number of adults, the remaining two hundred Monoceros, primarily adults and juveniles, were prepared to embark towards land.
"Then, destination: the Great Route’s end—shore. Monoceros Pirate Crew, onward!"
"Wait, what nonsense, a pirate crew?"
...