The current status of the Gah-Gah Beasts is somewhat ambiguous.

This conclusion came to Gah-Gah as he observed them effortlessly fishing in the water to meet their needs without much consumption, yet facing larger aquatic creatures like the dragonfish, even groups of ten or more would be driven away. Physically, they couldn’t venture into the forest either.

It's not that a dozen Gah-Gah Beasts couldn't defeat dragonfish-like creatures, but the issue was the fear that individual consciousnesses experienced when confronting creatures several times their size in independent hunting parties.

Of course, they didn't factor in loss calculations, which Gah-Gah Beasts naturally wouldn't consider.

Unlike the previous piranhas, which attacked any food greedily and fearlessly when hungry, today's Gah-Gah Beasts possess fairly developed individual consciousnesses. Fear was one of the earliest to develop, so they chose to avoid confronting creatures that could severely harm them or their group.

"This is a good habit," Gah-Gah judged them, "at least under the current circumstances, where they can advance or retreat as needed."

This led to the current scene.

Perched atop a rock, Gah-Gah observed a gigantic shadow darting toward the Gah-Gah Beasts in the clear river. The Gah-Gah Beasts quickly abandoned their prey and fled to the riverbank. The slower predator reluctantly circled the bank a few times before turning away to seek other food.

Lazily stretching his mouth, which was beginning to feel numb, Gah-Gah rose and called a dozen robust Gah-Gah Beasts, slowly crawling towards the riverbank.

"Better not to leave threats hanging around." While there’s a saying about needing pressure to drive progress—like having a "pear" for motivation—Gah-Gah wasn’t quite inclined to put it to the test.

"But why do pears provide motivation?" This idle curiosity was Gah-Gah’s way of indulging in a bit of light-hearted musing.

This is the natural world, the animal kingdom, not the civilized world, where the basic law is survival of the fittest. Of course, as an intelligent principal consciousness, Gah-Gah couldn’t stoop to accepting animal laws. "With intelligence, we can develop much better, so why should we endure that nonsensical law of the jungle?"

Thus, Gah-Gah had an awakening, a super saiyan moment...

Well, ignore that bit.

In short, Gah-Gah felt that the large creatures in the water were hindering the Gah-Gah Beasts' development, and since they weren't invincible, they were deemed terrorists. For the peace and progress of the Gah-Gah Beasts, these threats needed to be eliminated—"beastly" eliminated.

Spreading out the dozen or so Gah-Gah Beasts at a certain distance, they quietly plunged into the water, where their vision instantly shortened. Wary of their surroundings, they exposed only their eyes above the surface, waiting for their quarry.

Why not use mental perception?

Gah-Gah had checked right after exiting the Biological Editing Space.

Having learned from 8051 that his species had begun feeding consciousness back to him, Gah-Gah eagerly assessed his current mental perception range.

While mental perception excelled in accuracy and comprehensiveness compared to the naked eye, in terms of distance, it was incomparable. If mental perception exceeded eyesight, Gah-Gah's strength would vastly surpass that of ordinary Gah-Gah Beasts. At that point, only mysterious attacks or epic creatures might pose a threat to Gah-Gah.

Filled with anticipation, Gah-Gah extended his mental perception, expanding and expanding further until...

He couldn’t go any further.

Reflecting on his current mental perception range, Gah-Gah could only smile wryly. The range had indeed increased—about 10% more than before entering the Biological Editing Space. Not a large gain, but an advancement nonetheless. Currently, Gah-Gah Beasts' perception extended only about twice their body length.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Assuming a Gah-Gah Beast's length is about a meter, its mental perception forms a sphere with a radius between 1.7 to 2 meters in unobstructed space, while its visual range in water was over seven meters, and far greater on land.

"Well, having it is better than having nothing, and this is only the beginning of growth. The future is bright and full of hope." Thus, planning to use mental perception akin to a ship's close-in weapon system, Gah-Gah maintained a certain mental perception spread while approaching a large shadow visible from the surface.

Not excluding the possibility that maintaining mental spread was influenced by some mental training methods from human memories, Gah-Gah was open to trying whatever seemed harmless, just in case.

Facing such a giant creature, guaranteed to rank higher individually, the Gah-Gah Beasts couldn’t just rush it haphazardly; they’d risk annihilation even if victorious.

Gah-Gah devised a plan using his slightly superior physical traits, due to being the principal consciousness, to lure the enemy into the rudimentary ambush set earlier.

Given the observed lack of intelligence in the creature, which charged blindly at any detected prey, it might well have starved in some desolate corner if not for its physique.

That said, it seemed no one inhabited the entire planet anymore. (Gar had transcended humanity, no explanation needed.)

Without its physique, the creature wouldn't have pursued Gah-Gah aggressively, blundering into such a basic ambush—and thus, the cycle of cause and effect.

...

Gah– Gah–

"Oh my, never again with this heart-pounding game." Desperately flapping his tail and limbs, Gah-Gah mused as he swam toward the ambush spot. (That was more of an exclamation ==)

Chasing doggedly behind was a creature about six meters long. Its writhing form filled every observer with an overwhelming sense of oppression, moving rapidly with three pairs of massive fins. Its wide-open mouth brimmed with four rows of sharp teeth, many barbed.

But don’t expect Gah-Gah to analyze these; as Gah-Gah neared, both he and the predator reacted simultaneously: the predator lunged at Gah-Gah, who turned to flee. "Damn it, so those others were running more from instinctive fear than rational calculation, understood now—just one reason: desperation."

The distance between them shrank as the ambush drew near.

"Home run!"

Obsessed with its prey, the predator ignored the surrounding Gah-Gah Beasts, plunging into the ambush after Gah-Gah. "Not bad, a focused one. I’ll be generous and claim your life... Ah—!"

Gah– Gah–

Commanding the Gah-Gah Beasts to launch an attack upon entry, Gah-Gah grew a bit overconfident as the single-minded predator, Four-Jaw Fish (named for its four rows of teeth), clamped down on Gah-Gah’s flailing tail, the barbed teeth piercing through scale gaps into tender flesh, prompting a wide-mouthed silent scream from Gah-Gah.

Simultaneously, the surrounding Gah-Gah Beasts delivered their charging attacks, piercing Four-Jaw Fish with their horns and unleashing their signature electric burst, now dubbed Focused Electric Attack.

The sudden onslaught astounded Four-Jaw Fish, who hadn’t anticipated such a potent counterattack from prey. Writhing in agony, it involuntarily released Gah-Gah from its mouth.

However, Gah-Gah's ordeal didn’t end there, thanks to the barbs embedded within—no further explanation required.

Thus, as Four-Jaw Fish thrashed, Gah-Gah, tail stuck upon the barbs, was flung helplessly to and fro.

"Been ages since I rode a roller coaster this wild, Gah—" Gah-Gah began to feel dazed.

Meanwhile, as Four-Jaw Fish flailed, only five Gah-Gah Beasts managed to cling to its body, while the rest, struggling for a second strike, found their horns slipping from punctured holes. Two hapless Gah-Gah Beasts were swatted meters away by a massive fin swipe.

The surface roiled with the violent battle below.

Hundreds of sunbathing Gah-Gah Beasts had plunged into the water upon seeing Gah-Gah bitten. Perhaps the violent thrashing freed Gah-Gah's battered tail from the barbs, launching him skyward to land heavily on a loyal Gah-Gah Beast (or just an unlucky onlooker).

Despite the ordeal, Gah-Gah miraculously avoided blacking out.

Gradually regaining composure, Four-Jaw Fish smacked a rear-approaching Gah-Gah Beast with its tail, then twisted to tear the hind leg from a nearby one, leaving the wounded Gah-Gah spilling blood. At this point, the Gah-Gah Beasts, recharged, struck again.

Electric burst.

Two fast-swimming Gah-Gah Beasts coming from the shore even clamped down on Four-Jaw Fish's fins.

With life ebbing away under relentless assault, Four-Jaw Fish cast a final regretful glance skyward, its vitality slipping with each Gah-Gah attack. One last, desperate thrash flung the remaining attackers, and succumbing to blood loss and electricity, it finally fell silent.

[50 Evolution Points Gained]

[New Component Acquired]

The massive fish carcass floated to the surface, and hundreds of Gah-Gah Beasts descended greedily upon the feast. The chaotic battle startled many nearby creatures, yet none dared approach, even the giant fish that had hovered nearby, lured by the blood scent, held back.

This was Gah-Gah Beast territory.

"In the end, it's still survival of the fittest, heh." Exhausted, Gah-Gah lay on the riverbank, watching the feasting Gah-Gah Beasts, waving his tail, which looked fearsome but caused little harm. It was the unforeseen collision upon landing, leaving him a bit dizzy.

"Seems I haven’t quite grasped the wisdom to break the rules yet."

"Darn it, don't finish it all, save some for me."

Gah–