I Became an Ancient All-Host Lifeform - Chapter 4

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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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004 That’s not food

[Successfully established Gyu-sik lv2 as your host.]
[You have acquired the genetic code of the Sewer Rat.]

The moment Parasitism succeeded, the scale of the world before my eyes shifted entirely. My field of vision had transformed simply because the body I now inhabited was larger.
Though I was inhabiting nothing more than a rat smaller than a fist, for a being whose original form was rice-grain sized, this made an enormous difference.

Still, I’d need to be cautious about Parasitism in the future.
My original body was so fragile that I had to venture directly into a host’s body myself, which carried considerable risk.
It would be wise to strike when my target was completely defenseless.
Fortunately, this Sewer Rat was somewhat dim-witted, which made the process relatively straightforward.
Now then, let me examine my first host’s Status Window.

【Sewer Rat lv2 (Host)】
【Traits】
「Salt Food Resistance MAX」, 「Survival Instinct lv1」
【Skills】
「Plague Fang lv1」

…the stats were utterly pathetic.
I hadn’t harbored great expectations to begin with, but this was so meager that calling it a “Magical Beast” felt generous—it was essentially just an ordinary rat.
And “Salt Food Resistance MAX” of all things. How much salt rations had this creature consumed over time?
Considering it actively came to eat toxic salt food that burned the skin on mere contact, the answer was clear enough.
At least I didn’t need to worry about this one starving to death anywhere.

Moreover, the skill called “Plague Fang” was equally underwhelming.
Wouldn’t it be strange if something didn’t get infected after being bitten by a mouth that had been gorging on toxic salt rations? There wasn’t even anything remarkable about the skill itself.
Of course, moving around in this creature’s body was infinitely better than crawling about on my original form’s stubby legs, so I’d have to count my blessings with what I had.

While I was lost in these thoughts, the dazed Sewer Rat gradually came to its senses. It tilted its head once, then began moving in some direction.
Hmm. So it appeared that Parasitism didn’t mean I had complete dominion over the host’s body at all times. Since the creature could act freely on its own when I wasn’t actively controlling it.
Actually, this was convenient and rather nice in its own way. A kind of autopilot mode, you might say?

But the Sewer Rat soon turned its direction back toward the Salt Container and began frantically licking at the salt caked on the wall.
The nauseating taste of salt came through to my own palate instantly.

Ugh! Stop. No. That’s not food!
I forcibly brought the creature to a halt. The Sewer Rat trembled and ceased its movement.
Insane. If you love salt that much, I’ll just plant you here as a statue!

Squeak…

The creature let out a whimpering sound.
I turned its head away from the salt it kept craving.
After that, I managed to lead the creature away from the Salt Container.
But the real problem came next.
What was this, some kind of maze? The interior of the Ventilation Duct was dark and its structure confusing—I couldn’t make sense of where anything was.

What should I do? Since I don’t know the way anyway, should I just let this creature move as it pleases?
It lives here, so it certainly knows the path better than I do.
Having made my decision, I issued an instruction to the creature. Whether it would understand properly remained to be seen, but there was no harm in trying.

‘Get us out of here!’
Squeak?

The moment I released control, the creature cocked its head once, then began wandering freely again.
I worried it might head straight back to the Salt Container, but fortunately it skillfully navigated its way out of the labyrinthine Ventilation Duct.
Interesting. Does it understand my commands? Well, my nerves are linked to the host’s nervous system, so to some degree communication seems to work.
That was a relief. Controlling the host’s body required far more mental energy than I’d expected.
Even maintaining control for just two or three minutes left my head throbbing and exhaustion creeping in.
That’s when a message appeared before my eyes.

[The Parasitism skill has leveled up. Level 1 → Level 2]

Oh, now that’s welcome news. It seems skill levels increase the more you use them.
Anyway, I’m utterly exhausted, so I should take a rest while I’m at it, especially with the skill level bump.
I’ve been through so much today. Who accumulates this much chaos in one lifetime?
I hatched from an egg, ate rotten dragon flesh, fell into a Salt Container, clawed my way to survival, and now the host won’t stop eating salt. Sigh. Looking back, it’s really pathetic.

When the mind is this drained, Mindfulness Meditation is just the thing. After all, mental care is an essential part of self-management for anyone walking the path to success.
Even Steve Jobs practiced mindfulness meditation every day, didn’t he? The greater the person, the better they know how to preserve inner peace!

Breathe in… and… out….
Breathe in… and—
Then—
Ugh! Spit-spit!

A revolting taste assaulted my senses, shattering my fragile inner peace.
Damn this rodent. The moment I turned my attention inward, it snuck right back to the Salt Container and started eating again.
Unbelievable. The host’s only Level 2, but Salt Food Resistance is maxed out.
This rat is nothing but a salt addict incarnate.

[Salt Food Resistance has leveled up. (Level 1 → Level 2)]

No more salt! How much have you eaten to push my Salt Food Resistance up? Keep this up and I’m calling you ‘Salt Rat’ from now on, got it?

Squeak?
The Sewer Rat tilted its head in confusion.
That’s when a message appeared in the Status Window.

[Would you like to rename your host as ‘Gyu-sik’?]

What’s this? I can name the host? That’s oddly specific.
Well, this is my first host, so I suppose I should give it a proper name. Calling it “this rat” and “that rat” all the time isn’t good for the psyche.

Though “Salt Rat”… that’s not really ideal for a name. Let’s just skip that one.
What would be better?
Since it’s a rat, maybe “Rocky”? “Squeaky”? Or perhaps “Salt-stone”?

Squeak?

The Sewer Rat made another indecipherable squeaking sound and tilted its head again.
Wait, that’s it! Since it keeps going “squeak, squeak,” I’ll call it “Gyu-sik.”

[Your host’s name has been changed to ‘Gyu-sik.’]

‘There. You’re Gyu-sik now. Understood?’
Squeak!

It’s a hastily chosen name, but the host seems pleased. That’ll do.
Come to think of it, when Gyu-sik ate the salt earlier, my Salt Food Resistance went up too, which means the host’s experience points are shared with me as well.
Then I’m not just sharing skill experience. All experience points are probably distributed to both of us through this system.
If that’s the case, leveling up is the priority! Growth means strength, and strength means survival!
And the most straightforward path to leveling up is hunting, isn’t it?

Squeak, squeak….

We’ve rested enough. Now it’s time to develop ourselves.
I dragged the trembling Gyu-sik deeper into the Ventilation Duct against his will.

* * *

3rd Magic Tower, 33rd Floor.
This was the highest level of the 3rd Magic Tower, from which one could overlook all its dominion.
Yet the floor itself held only a handful of ventilation ducts for minimal airflow; there were no grand windows that might afford a sweeping view of the landscape beyond the tower’s walls.
Instead, the walls were lined entirely with Formaldehyde Specimen Jars.
Venus flytraps with razor-sharp teeth, mummified sprites, fish with horns upon their heads, and the grotesque skulls of magical beasts—
A space that seemed better suited to a cellar than a tower’s apex: this was the office of the 3rd Magic Tower’s Master.
Cornelius, Master of the 3rd Magic Tower, sat at his desk and tore open an elegant envelope, muttering to himself.

“Blast, what foolish pretext are these germaphobic zealots grasping for now?”

The envelope was sealed with a crimson seal bearing the sign of a cross.
He furrowed his weathered brow and opened the sealed letter.

……

As his eyes moved across the page, they narrowed steadily.
His face, already creased from the weight of years, contorted into something yet more grotesque.

“A Divine Revelation? What manner of absurd drivel is this?”

The letter contained nothing short of outrageous claims.
The Holy Emperor, who led the Central Church, had suddenly received a ‘Divine Revelation’—and this revelation had explicitly mentioned the 3rd Magic Tower’s dominion.
The Holy Church notified him that they would dispatch an investigative team to examine the revelation as soon as possible.
Cornelius let out a bitter laugh.

“Ha—a ‘Divine Revelation’? As though plucked from some ancient chronicle.”

It was absurd.
Divine Revelations do appear frequently in ancient histories, certainly—usually warnings of foreign invasion or great calamity. The Divine Revelation tended to surface at pivotal junctures throughout human history.
But had there ever truly been a genuine Divine Revelation in all of mankind’s recorded age?
Cornelius remained skeptical.

Whether divination or revelation, regardless of form, those who believed it genuine did so purely through faith—wilfully denying truth itself.
It was nothing more than a political instrument of the Holy Church.
And this time, the Holy Church had a clear reason to wield such political means against the 3rd Magic Tower.

“Blast these sanctimonious fanatics, hellbent on obstructing human progress!”

After spewing curses at the Holy Church for some moments, Cornelius drew a deep breath. He then extended his hand toward the Crystal Orb on his desk.
The Crystal Orb illuminated, and the face of another mage appeared within it.

“Listen, First Research Team Leader.”

The Team Leader startled at the Master’s summons and responded.

“Yes, Master!”
“An investigative team from the Holy Church will arrive soon.”
“Suddenly… you say?”

Cornelius nodded and issued his orders.

“Indeed. So see that anything these dogs might use against us is hidden away.”
“Understood, Master.”

This matter was almost certainly connected to ‘it’.
That is to say: the Ancient Dragon Egg.
It was a dragon’s fossil older than humanity’s most ancient historical records.
Its very existence would crack the Holy Church’s authority, and if that fossil were restored and hatched?
Should an Ancient Dragon from before the Central Church’s official scriptures hatch, it would clearly pose a grave threat to the Holy Church’s standing.
Cornelius asked in a low voice.

“Well then, what is the current condition of the dragon egg?”
“All is well, sir.”

The First Research Team Leader’s confident reply made Cornelius nod.

“Good. I’ll go down and examine it myself, so have everything prepared.”
“Yes, sir. Understood.”
“Then. See you shortly.”

The moment Cornelius waved his hand, the light from the Crystal Orb went out.
The Holy Church’s investigation this time was almost certainly intended to put a halt to the Ancient Dragon Egg research.

“Humanity’s great progress cannot be obstructed by an ignorant mob of fanatics. Absolutely not!”

He rose from his desk and made ready to depart.
To personally examine the condition of the Ancient Dragon’s egg.

* * *

The interior of the Ventilation Duct was like a labyrinth tangled as intricately as a spider’s web.
Narrow passages sealed tight on all sides by cold steel plates twisted and turned in every direction, and the endless branching paths made it impossible to tell which way led forward and which was a dead end.
Enough to make one wonder about the sanity of whoever had designed this place.

But for Gyu-sik, who had grown up here, it felt like nothing more than a neighborhood basement arcade.
With that ease, Gyu-sik navigated expertly through the impossibly complex Ventilation Duct.

Pitter-patter-patter….

After running for some time, bright light finally began to seep in ahead.
The bastard had done it! Gyu-sik had finally found the exit.

‘Nice work! This dopey-looking rat—turns out to be a genius mouse after all, huh?’
Squeak?

In that instant, a dark shadow flickered near the exit. Gyu-sik immediately tensed and held his breath.
Sensing our presence, the thing that had been lurking near the exit froze in place as well.
Lord. What cursed creature is this?
It was a massive wheel the size of an adult’s fist.
Its very appearance was repulsive, and on top of that, its entire body was a livid crimson.

Shriek!

The moment Gyu-sik locked eyes with it, he went rigid.
I immediately used Insignificant Insight to peek at its Status Window.

【Goerroach Level 4】
【Traits】
Tenacious Vitality, Killing Instinct
【Skills】
Carapace Level 3, Biting Level 2, Instant Acceleration Level 3
【Status】
Hungry, Ferocious

Ugh, a Status Window as violent as its appearance.
With a Level as high as 4 and combat-specialized skills plastered all over, this thing was dangerous.
It seemed clear that there was no way this creature would simply let me pass with a cheerful “Let’s get along, two sewers rats living in the same gutter.” Not a chance.

Screeeech!

Sure enough, it shrieked that grotesque cry and charged straight at me without hesitation.

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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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