I Became an Ancient All-Host Lifeform - Chapter 3

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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003 What are you?

“Why? What’s wrong?”

The senior researcher turned at the junior’s remark, his interest piqued.
Damn it. If they catch me now, I’ll have to shoulder all the blame for this disaster.
My involvement in the decay of the Ancient Dragon’s egg isn’t insignificant—no, honestly, there’s a pretty good chance it’s all my fault.
Why would a perfectly intact Dragon Egg have spoiled? Because there’s a parasite in it, that’s why.

And now, instead of the Ancient Dragon, they might make me their new research subject under the name of Ancient Parasite.
With an Ancient Dragon, at least I’d have a chance to escape once it matured. But an Ancient Parasite? Even when fully grown, it’s still just a parasite. I’d rot away in the Research Laboratory for the rest of my life.

After organizing my thoughts, I stopped all movement at once, drawing my limbs inward. Like this, from a distance, I’d just look like a tiny impurity.
I absolutely could not appear alive.
As the senior approached the junior researcher, the younger man opened his mouth.

“Here, sir. There’s something red here.”

He pointed directly at where I was hiding.
Damn. The bastard spotted me. This is bad.
I repeated to myself with desperate conviction.
I am inanimate.
I am nothing.
I’m just an impurity drifting inside an egg….

Fortunately, my self-hypnosis seemed to work. The senior researcher, glancing at me briefly, soon lost interest.

“Just a dead blood spot. Haven’t you ever fried an egg? You get these sometimes when you crack one open.”

Yes, that’s right!
Of course—the man had that typical sergeant’s mindset, jaded by military life and overlooked for promotion. Exactly the kind of thinking I need! A blessing in disguise.
But the wet-behind-the-ears youngster wouldn’t give up so easily.

“A blood spot? Shouldn’t we at least take a sample? It’s still Ancient Dragon genetic material….”

No, kid, please don’t. Let’s just take it easy here.
That kind of thinking is only going to make organizational life harder for you down the road.
But as always, our senior researcher, who’d seen a bit of real workplace life, didn’t let me down.

“Are you insane? If you document that, it leaves a trail that we opened the egg! Do you actually want to die that badly?”

Now that’s what I call true senior-level insight.
At this, the junior bowed his head deeply.

“Ah… yes. I’m sorry.”
“And keep control of your Mana so nothing leaks onto the floor. The second a single drop leaves a trace, we’re finished. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”

After that, the two of them did their best to cover up the incident and destroy the evidence.
If I could, I’d visit them during the holidays with beef in hand to thank them properly.

Despite our different species, we were bound together by a kind of shared fate, weren’t we? In the sense that if this incident came to light, we’d all go down together.

In any case, the moment the external threat subsided, I resumed swallowing.
The yolk of the half-rotten Dragon Egg….

Gulp, gulp…. Cough. Cough!
Eating mindlessly like that, I suddenly felt a gag reflex rising.
I hadn’t noticed it when I swallowed the white, but… this stuff is really rotten.

To be honest, the egg white was quite tasty? It had a slightly nutty flavor, a faint sweetness, and a delicate texture that was absolutely exquisite.
But the yolk was thoroughly rotten. That nutty aroma I’d noticed while eating the egg white? It turned out to be aged, or something like that.
The pleasant fragrance from before had returned now amplified a millionfold, absolutely overwhelming.
So… ugh, it was just completely putrid.

If I were still human, I could never have swallowed it.
But now, as I am, I somehow managed to force it down. Perhaps becoming an insect improves one’s stomach.

Regardless, it was hellishly difficult, but I had to push through!
A chance like this would never come again.
Where else would I ever obtain dragon genetics? Based on my current circumstances, an opportunity like this is absolutely not coming twice.
If I ever stumbled across a dragon’s corpse, that would be the luckiest break imaginable.

Just as I reached the absolute limits of my endurance, the Status Window message I’d been desperately waiting for finally appeared.

[You have consumed a large quantity of spoiled food. Your stomach is adapting to spoiled food. You have acquired the skill “Hardtack Tolerance Lv. 1”.]

What? I don’t need something like this….
Wait? No, actually, I do need it!
There’s good reason for this sudden change of heart.
The moment I acquired “Hardtack Tolerance Lv. 1”, eating the rotten yolk became far more manageable.
As soon as I obtained the skill, the nausea stopped and the stench became bearable.

The yolk had finally crossed the threshold from ‘absolutely impossible to eat’ to ‘manageable if I grit my teeth’.
With the foul odor now relatively tolerable, I began eating the yolk with renewed enthusiasm.
And as a result, I finally obtained what I’d been after.

[You have acquired the “Ancient Dragon’s Draconic Blood Factor”.]
[First genetic factor bonus! Apply directly to your body?]

Excellent! All that forced eating paid off.
Of course I’m applying it!

[The “Ancient Dragon’s Draconic Blood Factor” is now being applied to your genetic structure.]

Ha! Now I have dragon genetics too. So I’m basically a dragon now, aren’t I?
An ancient dragon, no less! Now that I can harness the power of draconic blood, I can finally realize that “absurdly op fantasy life” dream….

That was when it happened.
My rear end began to burn.
Ugh…. Experiencing your body transform in real-time was genuinely bizarre.
If I had to describe the sensation, it was rather like the morning after eating ghost pepper chicken and visiting the bathroom.
Oh, but considering I just ate way too much spoiled yolk, there’s a real possibility of actual disaster here.
No! Absolutely not! I have to stay in this flask!

[Your external form is changing due to the influence of the “Ancient Dragon’s Draconic Blood Factor”.]

Along with the Status Window notification, something began sprouting from my rear end.
I panicked thinking the worst had happened, but mercifully it hadn’t.
Once the transformation finished and I examined my reflection in the glass, I saw a thin tail had grown from my rear.
So my body now consisted of a round form with legs extending from front and back, and a long tail.
Like a tadpole before it becomes a frog.
Now with a tail, I finally looked like a proper heir to the ancient dragon bloodline.
Heh heh, so now all that’s left is becoming “the incredibly strong supreme dragon”, right?

[Your body lacks sufficient Mana to fully activate the “Ancient Dragon’s Draconic Blood Factor”. The remaining components are being deactivated and stored in the Genome Archive.]

What? I endured eating that rotten yolk to get this, and now I’m told I can’t use it right away?
It appears some genetic factors simply cannot be utilized unless the necessary conditions are met.
Sure enough, my Status Window started hammering away at me relentlessly: my main body was running dangerously low on Mana.

[Insufficient Mana! The trait “Dragon Heart” is being downgraded to “Lizard Tail”.]
[Insufficient Mana! The skill “Dragon’s Fear” is being downgraded to “Invisible Presence”.]
[Insufficient Mana! The skill “Dragon’s Eye” is being downgraded to “Meager Insight”.]
[Insufficient Mana! The skill “Dragon’s Word” is being deactivated. Mana Resonance is increasing instead.]
…….

Ugh, this is driving me crazy. Please, just stop!
But the messages kept pouring in, one after another, all screaming about Mana shortage.

With Mana this depleted, there’s barely anything I can actually use properly.
At best, I’ve got “Lizard Tail” and “Invisible Presence” left, I guess?
The Status Window didn’t have detailed descriptions of what each does, but I could piece it together well enough. I’ve read enough web novels to know these tropes inside and out — the names speak for themselves.
In any case, I’m getting a crystal-clear sense of just how absurdly broken dragons are in this world.

The moment my Status Window finally stopped being plastered with shortage warnings, exhaustion flooded through my entire body and a deep lethargy began to set in.
After stuffing myself to bursting in such a short span of time, drowsiness was pulling at me hard.
That’s when I heard the senior researcher’s voice from outside.

“That’s good. Seal it.”
“Yes, sir.”

The transfer of the Dragon Egg’s contents seemed complete — the mouth of the Large Flask was now plugged with a dark rubber stopper.
Looks like I’m not going anywhere for a while.
My whole body felt heavy with fatigue, and my belly was more than full, so I figured I might as well get some rest.
And so I sank, willingly, into deep sleep.

* * *

The researchers had successfully transferred all the contents of the corrupted Dragon Egg into the Large Flask.
They ventilated the interior of the Research Laboratory thoroughly and magically erased every trace from the floor and walls.
Now all that remained before them was the putrid remains of the Dragon Egg sealed inside the Large Flask.
The junior researcher pointed at the Large Flask and asked a question.

“What should we do with this?”
“Just dump it at the Demonic Organic Waste Disposal Site.”

The junior researcher responded to the senior’s instruction with an anxious look.

“But… will that really be okay? It’s the remains of a dragon, after all.”

The senior researcher shook his head firmly.

“No, that’s the cleanest way. Once it’s mixed in with other organic waste, nobody will notice a thing. And if it gets processed into beast feed later and distributed across thousands of demonic creatures, how’s anyone going to trace it back? The whole thing dissolves into the mix.”
“Right. That does make sense.”

The junior researcher, keeping away from prying eyes, picked up the large flask and headed toward the Demonic Waste Treatment Plant.
Shortly after arriving at the facility, he hesitated for a moment in front of the Demonic Organic Waste Collection bin.

“Hmm… something still feels off about this…”

After a brief moment of doubt, he muttered “Oh well, never mind” and popped open the rubber stopper on the flask.
Then he started pouring the contents into the bin.

“Ugh… the stench…”

He tilted the flask, enduring the foul odor that pierced through his mask.
Once he’d emptied it completely — not a drop left — he closed the lid of the collection bin and muttered to himself.

“Well, if things go wrong later, I’ll just say a senior told me to do it and I had no choice.”

Having gleaned yet another small lesson about organizational life, he turned back with a light heart.

* * *

Splash, splash, splash.
What the—?
I jolted awake from a deep sleep, seized by a vertiginous falling sensation.
I cascaded downward along with the remnants of a rotted Dragon Egg, then suddenly plunged into something with a wet thud.
And at once, I knew where I was.
The indescribable stench welcomed me like an old acquaintance.
This place, where the reek of decay vibrated from every direction, was unmistakably a swill vat.

Ah, so after parasites, now it’s a swill vat? These bastards never run out of surprises.
I swear I will never forgive whoever forced me into this place. They deserve to be bound hand and foot and force-fed this slop three times a day for the rest of their lives!

As I clawed my way to the surface, fuming with rage, a new thought suddenly occurred to me.
If I looked at this situation from a positive angle, couldn’t it actually be a good opportunity?
Honestly, where else could I acquire such a diverse range of genetic factors? It seems like all the organic waste from this Research Institute gets dumped here.
So this is actually an opportunity to secure a wide variety of genetic factors! And it looks like they’re researching rare creatures here too.
So isn’t this a ‘treasure trove’ for me, not just a ‘swill vat’?
The moment I steeled myself and went to take a bite of the slop, I immediately abandoned that idea.

Ugh! Damn it, it should at least rot properly! Argh!
That’s right. The contents of this vat were completely putrefied. It wasn’t just ‘slop’—it was genuine ‘waste’ in every sense.

Corpses and secretions from who knows where were all mixed together, and the stench was so overwhelming that even with my Hardtack Tolerance, I couldn’t bring myself to take a bite.
Moreover, the whole of me burned painfully wherever it touched the slop—whether from toxins or decay.
Thanks to the stench and toxicity of the swill, I was able to refrain from crossing the line. My last shred of human dignity, as it were.
Yes, I’m a person too! How could I eat this? And on top of everything, it’s toxic.

Ah, it stings terribly. It feels like my whole body is being coated in spicy fire chicken sauce.
I pressed myself against the vat’s wall to minimize my surface area of contact with the filth.
On top of that, I activated the Hardening skill.
Once I curled my body into a ball and hardened my shell, the pain eased somewhat.
It definitely hurt less… but it still stung!
Ugh. Please, someone, anyone, get me out of here!
After huddling in that position for what felt like forever, the entire vat was lifted up and transported somewhere.
After about an hour of movement, I was poured out downward once more.

Thud.

At least I could see light again, which was a relief. The problem came after that.

A low rumble—!

I heard machinery activating from below.

Crash, roar, bang!

Countless volumes of swill began forming a vortex and were sucked downward.
And beneath that whirlpool… an enormous grinder was spinning!
Not only was the sound deafening, but the machine itself was enormous.
Could my Hardening skill possibly withstand that?

Crash, boom, bang!

No, definitely not. A massive demonic bone got sucked in and was shredded to fragments in an instant.
Oh, Lord. I thrashed with every ounce of strength, desperately trying to distance myself from it.

Whirrrrr—!

I’d barely reached the wall, but the crusher was still pulling everything toward its center.
If I didn’t escape somehow, I’d be pulverized. Or maybe worse—ground into paste? Either way, dead is dead.

That’s when I spotted a rectangular opening above. It looked like some kind of ventilation shaft.
If I could reach it, there might be a way out.
I decided to climb up along the seams in the wall.
Being small actually came in handy for once—I could use the gaps between the crusher’s panels to pull myself upward.

I scrambled up into the vent shaft and squeezed inside.
That’s when I came face to face with something large moving in the darkness.
What… what is that?
In the same moment, it noticed me. And then—

Squeak?

You… what are you… why are you making such a cute sound?
As my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I could make out the creature’s true form: a small rat.
Its gray fur was matted and unkempt, its two eyes gleaming like black pebbles embedded in a dusty ball of fluff.
Ugh, a rat scaring me like that.
Though I suppose calling it a “rat” is generous when I’m barely bigger myself.
If I’m the size of half an adult’s fingernail, this thing is smaller than a child’s fist.
Either way, we’re both equally tiny.
The creature tilted its head in confusion, then opened its mouth dumbly with a ‘heeee~’ and stared at me blankly.

I moved straight toward it without hesitation.
So it’s bigger than me—it’s still just a rat. There’s no reason to be afraid.
Besides, with a body this small, there’s little it could do to me. Those tiny teeth won’t pierce through my Hardening.
Speaking of which, I did get those Ancient Dragon genetic factors recently—and a new skill with them. Something about presence, wasn’t it?
Let me try it out.

[Activating “Invisible Presence.”]

I glared at the creature.
It flinched in surprise.
Its already-round eyes went wide.

That’s it?
The effect is so subtle it’s barely noticeable.
The confused little rat quickly lost interest and turned back to the wall, resuming its methodical licking of the grime caked there.
I crept closer to the creature that was so absorbed in its meal. I got right beside it, but it paid me no attention at all.
Hmm, I think I misunderstood how this skill works.
It doesn’t project minimal presence—it makes my own existence fade away. It’s a genuine loner’s skill, tailor-made for someone like me who’s always been invisible anyway.
Though honestly, when you’re naturally antisocial to begin with, I’m not sure you need a skill like this. Still, having it is better than nothing.

Watching the creature closely, I noticed it had a nimble body—small enough to squeeze into tight spaces, and its movements looked quick and practiced.
It’s probably far more mobile than I am right now, tiny as a flea.
Hmm, actually—this could make for a pretty decent host. And besides, I’m not exactly in a position to be picky about hosts right now.
Alright. I’ve decided. You’re my first host!

[Activating “Parasitism lv1” on “Sewer Rat lv2.”]

While the creature was still distracted by its feast, I instinctively dove into its open mouth.

Squeak! Cough cough cough!

The small rat finally understood what was happening and thrashed frantically, trying to spit me out.
Tch. Too late now.

[Parasitism successful.]

Excellent. Sewer Rat! You’re mine now!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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