"So next, I'll use the Miner Seeker ability to locate the direction of an electric mineral deposit and lead everyone toward the mining area. Hmm, over here..."

GaGa carefully controlled its legs and tail, taking its first step towards a nearby mound of earth. Just as it was about to step out of its modest little nest, the adult female Tentacle GaGa Beast, which had been observing the surroundings, lowered its head to block GaGa's path.

"..."

"I'm the primary consciousness, not just some kid. Move aside."

Clearly, the mother heard the primary consciousness's command, but after curiously looking around, she turned her puzzled gaze to the small beast beneath her.

"Yes, it's me." As the mother finally glanced at it, GaGa wiggled its limbs and tentacles. However, the mother seemed unconvinced by the wiggling, undersized creature lacking in any imposing presence and thus promptly ushered it back into the nest with the other two young Tentacle GaGa Beasts.

This time, the Tentacle GaGa Beast bent down, using its long tail to encircle the three lively little creatures.

"My dignity as the primary consciousness, being ignored like this, get out of the way." Frustrated, GaGa compared its body, which was not even as tall as the mother’s leg, and vented its annoyance on another young beast that accidentally bumped into it. At least amongst its peers, the primary consciousness still held sway—the startled creature quickly retreated to a safe distance.

"What’s going on?"

GaGa looked despondently at its small, weak body.

Perhaps because all the healthy eggs had hatched, apart from the young and one guarding female per nest, all the Tentacle GaGa Beasts began leaving the area to hunt.

Lying impotently on the ground, GaGa felt a bit of defeat, "Where is my authority as the primary consciousness?"

The guarding adult noticed GaGa, initially the most restless of the young ones, now motionless unlike the others who roamed about, and glanced curiously at GaGa. But finding nothing amiss, it continued to vigilantly oversee the surroundings.

"Forget it, maybe I'll only be acknowledged once I grow enough to have a say. Is this deliberate from the system, or is it how things will always be?"

Listlessly gazing at the tail of the Tentacle GaGa Beast, towering like a wall around them, the other two young ones didn't seem to mind at all; full of energy, they played and chased each other.

"I suppose I should take the time to perceive some things."

Closing its eyes and relaxing its entire body, GaGa gathered its mental energy, enhancing its sensory sensitivity.

Gradually, it began to sense something.

From the left front to the right rear, like a breeze brushing by, yet without a hint of coolness, it flowed across its entire body. "Is this magnetic sense? So if the left front is north according to typical planetary magnetic fields, then the right rear would be south."

Shifting its body slightly, so its head was pointing north and its tail south, "This way, to the left..." Looking to the left, not far away lay the long river, "Further left would be the ocean, I suppose, which would be west."

Turning its head to the right, GaGa could vaguely make out the outline of mountains in the distance, beyond the vast desert and away from the greening riverbanks where the tribe resided.

"Yay, I’m the first to confirm direction on this planet (self-proclaimed), haha."

GaGa then drew its mental energy back in, from initially spreading all around to just the skin’s surface, and now fully internalizing it. This mental assistance seemed to enhance its senses again. The planetary magnetic field perception grew clearer, as did its own faint magnetic field, but no matter how much GaGa gathered or released a bit of current, that was all it could sense.

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"Seems like I still lack sufficient mental control and body energy, I’ll figure it out slowly." Swinging its slender tail around, GaGa continued pondering its future. Behind it, unaware of GaGa's intimidating presence, the two young ones playfully jumped around as GaGa's tail swung. With mental energy retracted and no danger sensed, GaGa remained oblivious that its tail had become a toy for them.

※※※

Ga—Ga—

"Hmm?"

The noisy roar awoke GaGa from sleep, "What's happening?"

Startled, GaGa jumped up, turned toward the river, and saw a Tentacle GaGa Beast being dragged by the neck into the river by an amphibious predator, while the two young ones in its nest cried helplessly. Even though they had grown nearly twice their size since hatching, they hadn't learned hunting or survival skills and didn't know what to do when unprotected.

Every Tentacle GaGa Beast in the tribe was roaring, but with each beast guarding a nest, they were unable to leave to help the young ones.

"Damn it!"

GaGa turned its gaze from the rippling river to see quick-moving, small-bodied creatures approaching the unguarded young ones.

"Hurry and save them!" GaGa kept issuing commands via the primary consciousness to the nearby adult Tentacle GaGa Beasts, but they only grew more anxious, alternately watching their young and warily eyeing the approaching predators.

Realizing its commands were only causing chaos among the unthreatened Tentacle GaGa Beasts, GaGa reluctantly ceased its disruptive orders as the predators neared the tribe's edge.

GaGa!

Even the young ones in the same nest were excitedly jumping around at the threat, accidentally knocking over a panicked and helpless GaGa.

"Get off..." Watching the young Tentacle GaGa Beast quickly retreat to a corner at its command, GaGa suddenly remembered that while it couldn't yet direct the adult Tentacle GaGa Beasts to retaliate, it could at least instruct the two unprotected young ones to seek refuge with nearby adults.

The predators' forms became clear: quadrupedal reptiles whose eyes vigilantly darted between the increasingly agitated adult Tentacle GaGa Beasts around them.

"Why didn’t I think of this earlier?"

With no time to waste, GaGa moved closer to the young ones, expanding its mental field. It knew from long ago that within this mental range, it could issue clearer commands. While this no longer worked on adult Tentacle GaGa Beasts, it still held sway over the young.

Seeing GaGa about to dart out of the nest while it was distracted, the guarding beast immediately pulled it back with its tentacles, flipping GaGa once more to the ground.

"Focus!"

With no time to lament the protector's actions, as the predators were closing in, GaGa calmed down slightly under pressure. Remembering how to compress its mental energy into a single beam to widen its scanning range, GaGa, despite being on its side, connected with the two terrified young ones being stalked by the predators.

Suddenly invigorated, the two young ones' eyes cleared, and they stepped aside with still-pliable legs, narrowly dodging the snapping jaws, as flickers of electricity danced in their limbs.

They ran with all their might, each heading toward a responsible adult Tentacle GaGa Beast that was urgently calling. Seeing their quarry escaping, the predators hesitated, then pursued the fleeing young ones, splitting to chase each.

GaGa!

"Faster!"

Completely focused, GaGa issued commands to the young ones. Having controlled four entities simultaneously from the single-cell stage, now GaGa wished it could fully command the two young ones' movements.

The adult Tentacle GaGa Beasts, knowing they couldn't abandon their charges, lifted their tails to allow the young ones to slip into safety.

One faster young one neared a protective adult, and seeing this gap, the pursuing predators halted, confused by the proximity of the threatening adult.

Having secured the first young one within protective bounds, the predators, growling, faced off with the adult Tentacle GaGa Beasts.

Meanwhile, the gap between the remaining predator and young one was rapidly closing in pursuit.

GaGa, feeling dizzy with tension, continued directing the fleeing young one to evade another lunge, getting even closer to its goal.

The destination adult Tentacle GaGa Beast poised its electric tentacle claws and tail, swinging its long back tentacles.

The predator leapt once more, aiming at the young one, which stumbled in panic. In the nick of time, the adult Tentacle GaGa Beast's tail intervened, launching the predator with a crack, sending it flying to the side of the other two predators.

Seeing the futility, the three predators retreated begrudgingly, remaining at a distance, biding their time for another chance.

Ga—

As the whole tribe breathed a collective sigh of relief, their attention on the previous attack, another cry sounded from a different direction.

"Damn it!"

Taking advantage of the tribe's lull, a quadrupedal beast with broad, fan-like back ridges clamped onto an adult Tentacle GaGa Beast, attempting to drag it away.

Unable to command the adult Tentacle GaGa Beasts, GaGa immediately instructed all young ones to remain vigilant as dusk settled, yelling for their guardians' attention if they sensed danger.

Meanwhile, GaGa wholly focused on the four vulnerable young ones.

Though they were still somewhat undeveloped, their growing bodies faced just one cumbersome attacker. Against it, they weren't powerless.