Chapter 100: Evolution (Part Two)

The little goldfish hid among the water plants, tensely holding its body still, fearful of being noticed by the larger fish engaged in a predatory dance in the distance.

It felt its luck was particularly bad today, encountering predatory fish three times while out foraging, narrowly escaping detection twice.

Yet, it was still hungry. It feared that without sufficient food today, it might devolve, now being such a tiny fish.

To devolve further would mean becoming a tiny shrimp, at which point survival would become untenable.

But it was determined to survive and return home. Home, wasn’t it just within a shell in the nearby silt? Easily reachable, so why did the journey feel so daunting?

The little goldfish was puzzled.

But then again, what use is a fine brain to a fish? All it needs is to avoid being devoured.

Of course, if the opportunity arises... Its black eyes glimmered with a faint light, peering through the aquatic plants at the scene ahead.

Gradually gathering strength in its tail, and then, as one of the two larger fish fighting ahead was fatally bitten and devoured, it darted forward like an arrow.

Its golden tail thrashed wildly, its mouth agape, swiftly seizing a piece of the larger fish’s flesh.

The victorious fish, momentarily dazzled and not quite understanding what had happened, saw that the piece of fish flesh hadn’t disappeared; it paused briefly before continuing to consume its prey.

Clutching a piece of the larger fish’s flesh in its mouth, the little goldfish quickly ingested it, feeling its energy replenished.

Then, with a happy flick of its golden tail, the little goldfish knew it wouldn't devolve today with this piece of flesh; theoretically, it could go home. But…

But.

The goldfish's instincts were screaming that it couldn't return yet; it needed to keep eating, to find energy, to become the biggest fish! Otherwise, it would never be able to go back.

The little goldfish flicked its tail.

Well, in that case, it decided to continue seeking energy.

Big fish eat little fish, and the little fish noticed a group of shrimp ahead.

So, the little goldfish quickly shook its head and tail, utilizing its speed advantage to dart forward like an arrow.

It targeted a smaller shrimp lagging at the back of the group; too big a shrimp wouldn't be swallowed in one bite and might waste time, which could lead to danger.

Hence, it needed to be quick and decisive!

With its swift speed and clear target, the little goldfish bit the chosen shrimp at the first opportunity, swallowing the shrimp's body in one gulp and then, with a flick of its tail, consumed the remaining head.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

It was delightfully smooth and bouncy, tasting absolutely fantastic!

Hmm, but it felt like something was still missing, some kind of seasoning perhaps. Yet, it couldn't figure out what that was.

In any case, having eaten a shrimp, the little goldfish felt its energy grow. The sudden rush had caused some chaos, but not all had fled far; it could take advantage of the turmoil to devour another shrimp.

But with a swift flick of its tail, the little goldfish darted off, hiding once again among the seagrass in the sandy seabed, with only its big black eyes peeking out to continue surveying its surroundings.

Then, the little goldfish felt a sense of pride in its wise decision—

It was only moments ago that a massive fish, monstrous in size with a gaping maw, had discovered the group of shrimp and devoured them whole in a single gulp.

The little goldfish shivered, realizing that had it given into gluttony just then, it would have met its end within the fish's jaws!

Indeed, as a fish, it shouldn't be greedy; it's best to make a quick escape after feeding.

The little goldfish flicked its tail, considering itself among the most intelligent of fish in these waters.

Then, to the little goldfish's delight, it felt its body grow a bit larger thanks to the abundance of energy.

It burst from the sand, wagging its head and tail, wishing to see its new appearance in a mirror.

But then it paused, puzzled. What was a mirror?

Why could one see their appearance in a mirror?

Never mind, never mind. It didn't matter as long as it was growing!

It needed to continue foraging, to grow even more!

The little goldfish, with a wag of its tail, continued to navigate through this stretch of the sea.

And then it encountered the biggest crisis of the day!

Suddenly, a slender tentacle stretched out from the sandy seabed and coiled around it in an instant!

In a panic, the little goldfish began to frantically wiggle its body, desperately swimming forward.

But soon, a second and third tentacle from the muddy bottom wound around it.

Despite its vigorous efforts to shake free, dragging the small octopus out from the mud, it couldn't escape the tenacious grip of the tentacles.

The tentacles tightened further.

The little goldfish was starting to struggle to move.

But it refused to give in, it wouldn't accept dying like this!

Think of something! Think of something!

Think, think of a way out!

You're the smartest fish in these seas!

Then, the little goldfish spotted a giant clam with its shell agape.

Inside the clam was a beautiful pearl, but the pearl wasn't the point.

Suddenly determined, the goldfish mustered all its strength, dragging the small octopus towards the clam. It darted into the clam at full speed, striking the pearl, then swiftly turned and shot out, flinging the octopus into the clamshell.

Bang!

The clam snapped shut, stirring up the surrounding water and mud, and trapped the small octopus, slightly bigger than the goldfish but much smaller than the clam, inside.

As it clamped down, the tentacles wrapped around the little goldfish were severed.

Exhausted, the little goldfish lay on the sandy bottom but still managed a smug flick of its tail—the tentacles no longer held any power. After resting, it turned and eagerly devoured the severed tentacles.

Its body grew another size larger.

Hmph, thinking of eating me? They clearly don't realize how fierce I am.

Huh? Why am I referring to myself as "young master"? What even is a "young master"? I'm clearly a little goldfish.

Never mind, keep eating! Keep eating!

There's another group of shrimp ahead! This time, I must eat more to make it worth my while!

Thus, the speedy little goldfish hustled all day and finally grew from the size of a palm to as big as an arm.

It was thrilled, wagging its head and tail, ready to return to its shell home to sleep, when it saw a horrifying sight that nearly made its scales explode—

My goodness! What is that?!

Right there in the sea ahead was an incredibly strange fish with a shell, lots of legs, huge fins, and even tentacles, devouring a fish as big as a hundred large goldfish!

While it's normal for big fish to eat little fish and for big fish to devour each other, that bizarre fish was anything but normal!

The large goldfish was certain it had never seen such a deformed fish before!

Yet, in this devouring battle, the victor was undoubtedly that bizarre, large fish.

Initially, the large goldfish thought it was witnessing a mere act of predation.

But, as if possessed, it hid in the water grass, motionless, and waited a long time.

Then, it witnessed a scene that chilled it to the bone!

That monstrous fish actually kept the head of the large fish it had devoured, eerily sliced off the sharp teeth with its tentacles, and then stuffed them into its own mouth!!!

My God.

Now, in addition to a crab's large shell, sharp fins, and eight large octopus legs, that monstrous fish had acquired a set of sharp teeth!

So, is the monstrous fish gradually turning itself into a monster?

Because it makes it stronger?

Only when the monster silently roared and left did the large goldfish dare to swim out, trembling with fear.

It pondered its fishy existence, watching the strange fish's retreating figure—should it, next time it devours, also attach octopus legs to its body?

It seemed like that would make it stronger.

The large goldfish thought hard about it all night, feeling as if it hadn't slept well at all.

But in the end, it decided to aim to be the mightiest large fish, or the fastest goldfish, rather than a monstrous fish.

That piecemeal appearance somehow didn't seem very sturdy.

Thus, the large goldfish resumed its happy and cautious devouring the next day.

Because the large goldfish was swift, with clear targets, and never dallied in battle, it grew from the size of an arm to a massive fish two meters long in just three days!

However, the large goldfish felt a bit gloomy that, aside from getting longer, it also became much fatter, its scales smaller and denser. Although more robust, it felt it had lost its previously cute appearance.

But no matter, now with large, powerful fins, a sharp mouth equipped with razor teeth, and scales exceptionally resistant to bruising and biting, as long as it avoided that damned, black-and-white patterned, despicable street thug of the sea that loved to chase and flip it, it was quite safe.

Because apart from that sea thug, none of the same size could beat it, ultimately being devoured by it, and those larger in size couldn't catch it, only able to sigh at its golden tail from a distance.

The goldfish believed it would eventually become the supreme ruler of the seas!

Although it wasn't the biggest fish right now.

"Whimper~"

Suddenly, a familiar, scale-rattling sonar wave echoed through the sea.

The goldfish shuddered and, without a second thought, flicked its tail and sped away.

Cursed be! That sea thug, always aiming to slap it sky-high, was back!

That guy seemed to seek it out almost daily. Didn't it ever need to hunt to grow?!!

Thus, the sea witnessed a scene of a golden large fish swiftly swimming forward, chased excitedly by a black-and-white patterned chubby fish.

Just as the black-and-white chubby fish was about to catch the golden fish, preparing to slap it skywards, the seabed began to tremble slightly.

Both the golden fish and the black-and-white sea thug halted.

Feeling the seabed's tremors.

Smoke and scalding lava burst from the sea floor, rapidly increasing the temperature of the area!

Danger! Flee this place! Or face death!

The golden fish and the black-and-white sea thug paused only for a moment before turning tail to flee.

Behind them, scalding lava and a massive whirlpool began to form.

The entire marine area turned into a terrifying hell.