Ga Ga preferred to think of consciousness as the soul. While it hadn't encountered the so-called three souls and seven spirits, neither had Ga Ga seen them. So, after securing the leader position, Ga Ga calmed the herd using a combination of roaring and the now less potent primary consciousness commands, eventually getting all individuals to gather closely and rest before their next move.

Resuming its interrupted contemplation, Ga Ga realized—or remembered—that the seeds sown by the farmer were, in fact, parts of its own consciousness or soul. When Ga Ga considered its initial 100 consciousness points, now reduced to a base of 70, it realized the remaining 30 points had become these consciousness seeds.

If so, could these independently grown consciousnesses, sprouted from Ga Ga's seeds, truly serve only to return a fraction of consciousness to itself?

Perhaps Ga Ga was a bit greedy, but it wasn't satisfied with mere consciousness feedback.

Thus, Ga Ga concentrated its increasingly familiar psychic energy upon a nearby herd member.

Next, the brain.

The brain, a mystery to humans, was vital for all animals. To prevent harm, Ga Ga lightly encased the outer layer of a fellow creature's brain with its psychic energy, intertwining with their fragile psychic aura.

Ga Ga didn't know if the other sensed anything, but it found its own psychic energy merging seamlessly with their psyche, as though they were meant to be one.

Ga Ga's psyche trembled.

This is... resonance?

Within the brain of the other arose rhythmic oscillations, seemingly following a law, ever-changing.

At this moment, Ga Ga dared to synchronize these detected oscillations with its own brain, while consciously avoiding action on its thoughts.

Then, Ga Ga experienced simple thoughts; their consciousnesses synchronized almost entirely at that moment.

Excitement surged, breaking the sync. The brain was fragile and mysterious, and such acts risked mutual harm. Yet, Ga Ga, fearless in its ignorance, inadvertently touched something profound.

Had Ga Ga not been the primary consciousness, it might have become a fool.

Ga Ga documented the emotional state and form of oscillations during sync.

At that time, it felt confusion; thus, these oscillations likely depicted the brain's pattern during confusion.

Thus began a quest for richer emotional perception...

※※※

The main task at present was establishing ten breeding sites for the herd. Ga Ga didn't find this especially challenging.

"Previously, two hundred tentacle Ga Ga Beasts easily set up this breeding point, so with over six hundred, it'll be even simpler."

Therefore, Ga Ga could ponder other matters—like tasks left from the last main mission phase.

Removing numerous low-reward, high-quantity ordinary animal hunting tasks, only the Infernal Moth pupation component task seemed worthwhile.

"Pupation component, not very useful. However, building breeding points on the way and looking for Infernal Moths there seems like a good plan. After all, it’s still a component task."

Ga~~

Now, roaring to assemble surpassed system-assisted primary consciousness commands. Though frustrating, Ga Ga had to accept this reality.

"By recording emotional oscillations through psychic sync and listing them in memory, comparison later reveals these creatures' emotions and thoughts. Quite an advancement, hehe."

Using increasingly skilled psychic control, Ga Ga sensed the tentacle Ga Ga Beasts, gathering not by primary consciousness, but as their leader.

Testing over time, Ga Ga noted these creatures' self-awareness remained basic—waiting (as Ga Ga stared), puzzlement (if Ga Ga kept staring), alertness (if stared at too long), killing intent (spotted prey), joy (captured food), satisfaction (full and resting)...

Ga Ga assumed fear existed, emerging in dangerous situations. Not comprehensive, but good enough for now, this period yielded various emotional oscillation examples, which proved consistent across individuals. Minor differences didn't hinder Ga Ga, aiding its research and record-keeping.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Now, Ga Ga prepared to build breeding points.

Drawing more than a hundred nearby tentacle Ga Ga Beasts together, Ga Ga corralled them into the nest, calming their bewilderment and even dejection, through roars, primary consciousness commands, and unwitting psychic influence.

These would remain and survive in this nest, while the others, led by Ga Ga, would build additional breeding sites.

Once the herd moved away, these left behind would choose a new leader, and Ga Ga wasn't sure they'd heed it upon return. Troublesome future, indeed.

"So, was vying for leader among so many tentacle Ga Ga Beasts really necessary, damn it."

Weaving through forests, Ga Ga grumbled about the earlier primary consciousness authority task.

"Be careful."

Now at the herd's cleared safety zone edge, breeding points mustn't be too close to avoid food conflict, so Ga Ga aimed for flatland beneath a hill crossed en route to the electro-stone mine by a river nearby.

The intended site was near where some isolated tentacle Ga Ga Beasts were attacked.

As individuals matured, their consciousnesses stabilized, and Ga Ga's own awareness rose. Maintaining psychic spread like a flat circle, it kept a squad of eight ahead, yet within Ga Ga's sensory range, with the main herd following.

Large herds scared off small groups of animals, so Ga Ga directed the tentacle Ga Ga Beasts to move in squads.

While pondering, Ga Ga's outward psychic field, covering the perimeter Beasts, detected strong confusion from one ahead.

"Something's wrong!" Ga Ga halted the herd, preparing to sprint toward the front Beasts.

Confusion and alertness grew, all were scanning their surroundings.

Then one seemed to spot something, charged with killing intent, moving beyond Ga Ga's psychic reach.

"Damn, don't act suddenly."

As all advanced beyond its sensing, Ga Ga led three squads in pursuit, while the rest rested. Rushing the whole herd would scare everything besides legendary creatures or oddities like Greenification Seeds, ruining the bait plan.

When the eight Beasts reappeared in psychic view, they were corpses, surrounded by butterflies fluttering around.

"What happened? Eight boss-level tentacle Ga Ga Beasts eliminated silently, and judging by the task, these butterflies should be equally strong, right?" Frustrated, Ga Ga couldn't understand.

"So, maybe they aren't Infernal Moths, or these Infernal Moths exploit weaknesses against tentacle Ga Ga Beasts."

Recalling encountered attack types, Ga Ga thought ordinary attacks wouldn't suffice, except by massive legendary creatures. For special attacks, Ga Ga first thought of...

Poison and psychic.

"Like Greenification Seeds' alluring gas, poison could incapacitate these Beasts, as they lack poison defenses. Psychic, facing ordinary creatures, Ga Ga as primary consciousness had overwhelming dominance."

"Of course, other unknown attack methods aren't ruled out."

Hidden by trees, neither the tentacle Ga Ga Beasts nor the butterflies saw each other.

"So, what now?"

As they feasted, Ga Ga hesitated—eight Beasts lost, should it give up?

Nature is balanced, all things interconnected, leaving the tentacle Ga Ga Beasts susceptible to Infernal Moth poison.

"Follow them; unaware of me, they must have weaknesses!"

Using its several-meter psychic radius and tree cover, Ga Ga, with a small group, began tailing the Infernal Moths.

First day, butterflies wandered aimlessly, apparently satiated;

Second day, still aimless;

Third day, still idle;

Fourth day, still wandering;

Fifth, sixth, seventh...

On the eleventh day, bored Ga Ga noticed the butterflies split directions.

Choosing the larger group, Ga Ga continued shadowing.

…

Fourteenth day, observing the attack pattern: unfairly effective.

They emitted surrounding poison, seemingly irritant or aromatic, affecting animals' sense of smell, yet potent enough to kill swiftly, allowing the butterflies to feast.

Even after they departed, a faint scent lingered. Ga Ga courageously sniffed, resulting in a day-long headache.

Moths paused, Ga Ga and its group halted; moths hunted, Ga Ga observed (mostly alone); moths rested, Ga Ga rested.

To avoid detection when feeding, Ga Ga's group relied on previously stored fat for nutrition. The human habit of three meals a day faded from Ga Ga's memory (perhaps never adopted from the start =.=).

"How long can we sustain? How to combat toxin-emitting flyers?"

On the twentieth day, Ga Ga noticed them avoiding rivers, waterfalls—water sources mainly from fern dew.

Twenty-third sunrise, clouds gathered, air thickened, raindrops fell, thunder rumbled, drumming earth.

Relishing the rain's freshness, Ga Ga found the eight Infernal Moths sheltered under tall trees.

"Naturally, flyers dislike gloomy weather, and rain dilutes their poison, seizing the chance!"

Revitalized, Ga Ga saw hope to end twenty-plus days of pursuit, crouching and growling for its companions to be vigilant before advancing.

Lightning streaked, growing rain masked all sounds, including Ga Ga's faint footsteps.

"You're doomed now, hehe."

Sensing trembling moths huddled under trees, Ga Ga felt inexplicable pity.

"Nonsense, they're foes. Foes to be eliminated!"

Withdrawing, Ga Ga charged electricity, preparing.

"Heh, don't know the danger of sheltering in a thunderstorm, big butterflies?"

Charge!

Ordered the tentacle Ga Ga Beasts to follow, leading a charge against the butterflies.

Spotted, the moths reflexively released poison, trying to flee.

Too late.

Avoiding bites to avoid poisoning, Ga Ga aimed to disable their flight by slashing wings.

Then, a tail flick sent them crashing into the rainforest.

"Ha, let the storm rage!" Rain nullified moth poison, leaving fragile bodies crushed by tentacle Ga Ga Beasts' tails. "Haha, countered, you can only surrender in the rain."

[Infernal Moth Hunt Task Complete, Reward Received.]

"Twenty-plus days, finally ended you."

Crushing a helpless moth, Ga Ga enveloped it in electricity, gazing skyward. Who could guess these seemingly fragile moths wielded near-invincible fair-weather power?

Flashing electricity reduced the moth to ash, reclaimed by nature's cycle.

"Dammit, forgot electric discharge in rain invites disaster."

Standing numb, Ga Ga narrowly escaped, flinging the moth as it discharged. As an electric creature avoiding direct thunder hits, Ga Ga survived miraculously.

Feeling electricity seep into the ground, Ga Ga acknowledged thunderstorms countered itself too.