Chapter 270 - Wilderness Kobold

Druids could renounce their current animal companion through a special ceremony.However, the problem was that, for animal companions that had been by their side day and night for dozens or even hundreds of years, deep emotional bonds had been formed, and they were even considered family.

This was not something that could be given up just because it was said to be so.

This was also a reason why some druids had no animal companions—they might adhere to the principle of preferring a void to an unworthy filling, or they were still immersed in the sorrow of losing their previous animal companion.

Seven exchanged for seven.

It was indeed merely theoretical data.

When it came to actual implementation, various situations arose.

Firstly, although these carrier bug nymphs were of the same litter from one mother and were raised in the same manner, their conditions varied.

For the first experiment, naturally, the strongest and most likely to succeed was chosen.

The remaining carrier bug nymphs were generally weaker than this one, with the weakest having only four Life Dice.

Some of the weaker ones didn’t even give Gaven and the others the chance to use healing spells on them; they either petrified on the spot or turned into barbeque.

Secondly, not all the carrier bug nymphs were willing to become animal companions; some, even on the brink of death, not only didn’t beg for mercy but became extremely vicious, ramming themselves to death.

In the end, Nectar Village and Dragon Oak Territory each got three dragonized carrier bugs with a three-for-three swap.

Mayor Atwood didn’t even use up all the druids he had found, let alone seek assistance from Lord Virginia.

But by the time the second dragonized carrier bug started the experiment, Lord Virginia had already arrived.

She was very clear about the unique value of such creatures as carrier bugs on the battlefield.

Gaven was very satisfied with this result.

According to the original estimates, obtaining five dragonized carrier bugs would have been a great success; he had even prepared himself for the possibility of gaining nothing at all. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs ɴovᴇl(F)ɪre.ɴet

Now, not only had they acquired three dragonized carrier bugs, but also earned the century-long loyalty of one level eight and two level seven Pikespirit druids.

For the Pikespirit of the Everlasting Kind, a century was just one phase of life, but for Gaven, a century was enough for him to do countless things.

Both Atwood and Virginia felt that they had struck an incredibly good deal.

The dragonized carrier bugs had been painstakingly raised and nurtured by Gaven leading the Gnolls from the beginning, and in the end, they merely dispatched a few druids and traded for three to take back home. There was no business more profitable than this in the world.

Things were looking doubly good for Gaven’s side.

No sooner had the dragonized carrier bugs completed their transformation than the Gnoll Hatching Area welcomed the long-awaited collective hatching event.

The Gnoll Hatching Area was a separate, gigantic cave spanning thousands of square meters.

For Gaven, however, the cave was a bit too low-ceilinged; in many places, he could bump his head just by standing straight.

This was intentional.

The purpose was to reduce the three-dimensional area.

Because the elemental fluctuations that filled the air here were the highest in the entire Dragon Oak Dragon Nest.

Especially the emerald green Life Force, which here directly converged into a thick fog. Although not to the point of being unable to see one’s hand in front of one’s face, the furthest line of sight would not exceed five meters.

This place was not innately special; before excavation, it was no different from other parts of the Dragon Oak Dragon Nest.

Its present appearance was completely man-made.

In order to cultivate superior Gnolls, Gaven had spared no expense, investing most of the recently mined Spirit Crystal Stones from Pitfall Town here.

A gigantic Dragon Seeking Array was laid out directly in the Hatching Zone.

The goal was simple: to use more elements and Life Energy to nourish these Gnoll eggs, giving them a head start.

Even if they did not evolve, mutate, or undergo dragonization while still in their egg state, this would pave the way for an easier transformation later.

The significance of this batch of eggs was extraordinary.

They had experienced the outpouring of Life Force during the Dragon Oak Mother Tree’s transformation into a war form.

The Gnolls on guard here said that at that time, an overwhelming force came rushing in and was absorbed by the eggs in this place.

The eggs that absorbed such power became somewhat different, not only did circles of emerald green stripes appear on their shells, but even the insides glowed with a faint green light.

These Emerald-Striped Eggs, no matter when they were laid, seemed to be spurred by the green energy to hatch on the same day.

They were carefully selected out and gathered together, totaling three hundred twenty-one.

Gnoll eggs resembled pebbles and were about the size of an adult’s fist.

The reason they were called eggs and not ’eggs’.

Was because the Gnoll eggs were soft for the first three days after being laid and only began to harden on the fourth day, becoming as hard as stones.

Moreover, their shapes were not particularly regular, with a variety of patterns and speckles and often looked rather nondescript.

If tossed into some corner without care, one might even mistake them for a rock.

Once laid, they needed no special care or temperature; just left there, they would naturally hatch when the time came.

Easy to raise, equipped with natural camouflage, and stubbornly alive.

These were the primary characteristics of the Gnoll eggs.

And they were the treasures upon which their survival depended.

After many Gnoll lairs had been decimated, it wouldn’t take long before new Gnolls would emerge.

Most scavengers didn’t understand the physiological characteristics of gnolls and only focused on the living ones, failing to notice that the lumps of earth and stone casually discarded by the roadside were actually gnoll eggs.

Someone like Gaven, who treasured gnoll eggs like a precious gem, was truly unique in the Rocklands and across Felen.

Craack! Craack! Craack!

Amid the delicate cracking and rustling sounds, under the gaze of many hopeful eyes, these emerald-striped eggs cracked open one by one. Little heads poked out, and then they feasted on their own eggs.

These shells, as hard as rocks, had begun to soften the day before; now they were not much harder than a biscuit, just the right consistency for the little gnolls’ mouths.

After birth, eating their own eggshells as the first source of energy was a tradition passed down from the Giant Dragon lineage.

"So cute!" Gaven couldn’t help but exclaim sincerely.

Even through the eyes of humans, these little ones could be considered cute.

They still looked like gnolls, but with slight tweaks: larger eyes, shorter mouths, rounder ears, and their bodies covered in fine green dragon scales. Light on the back and pale on the belly, each one had a pair of little wings behind.

But these wings were not the leathery wings of Erde; they were miniature dragon wings.

Once they had finished eating their eggshells, their miniature dragon wings were mostly dry, and they beat them vigorously, wobbling as they attempted to take flight.

Effort brings rewards.

Even when it comes to a bunch of gnoll eggs.

Under meticulous care, all three hundred and twenty-one emerald-striped eggs were successfully hatched.

Compared to those hatched outside, these gnoll younglings were unimaginably sturdy. Just a few hours after birth, they not only had the ability to fend for themselves but also possessed the capability to fly.

They fluttered around Gaven, displaying an unbelievable level of affection toward him.

It wasn’t that they were clever enough to know that Gaven was their unique creator; rather, the strong scent of the Dragon Oak Mother Tree he carried made them feel cordial.

"Congratulations, Lord," Susie said from the heart, "You’ve gained another unprecedented breed of gnolls. Entrusting these children to you was the wisest decision we’ve made."

This affair, so critical to the gnolls’ future, wasn’t just closely watched by Gaven; other gnoll leaders were also extremely concerned, especially those like Susie who had benefitted from a unique bloodline inheritance and valued it greatly.

"The effort Lord has put into these children leaves us gnolls feeling ashamed," Zack couldn’t help but lament.

"Lord, should we give these children unique names?" Chester asked.

"They indeed should have unique names," Susie agreed, "Only then can their extraordinariness be highlighted."

Gaven, enjoying the rough and candid compliments of these gnoll leaders, could feel their sincerity. Hearing the last question, he immediately responded with a smile, "I’ve already thought of that. Since they were born in the Fairy Wilderness, let’s call them Wilderness Gnolls."

Gaven had originally wanted to name them Fairy Gnolls or Fae Gnolls, but he felt those names didn’t quite fit with gnolls. Eventually, he settled on Wilderness. Although this term was much less profound, it was meaningful enough.

"That name is good, very befitting of their origins."

"I also find it very appropriate."

"Then let’s call them Wilderness Gnolls from now on."

"The task of raising them, let’s leave it to Lord to arrange."

"There’s no need to say it; Lord has already arranged everything. The nursery is upstairs."

"In these matters, Lord always thinks ahead of us."

Compared to Gaven, the other gnoll leaders lacked naming abilities and readily agreed to the name Gaven had chosen.

Gaven laughed and said, "Everyone has their own expertise. Compared to Zack in demolition and mining, I’m certainly no match. In making traps, I believe no one here can compete with Mayor Susie. And when it comes to planning development, no one surpasses Chester. The only thing I can do better is to think a little bit more than you all. As long as each of us does our job well, Dragon Oak Territory will continue to thrive and improve."

"Lord makes a very good point."

"Doing our job well is what we should strive for most."

"We will definitely heed Lord’s teachings."

The gnoll leaders present all turned into yes-men, echoing each other, heavily influenced by Gos.

Gaven waved his hand and said, "That’s enough for today. If you have no other business, go attend to your own tasks. Just remember to keep a low profile during this time, with the primary goal of avoiding attention."

"By your command," the gnoll leaders answered in unison once more.

Over the following twenty days, Gaven spent most of his time in the gnoll nursery.

On one hand, he closely observed these Wilderness Gnolls to confirm some of his conjectures and to see if they would develop in the direction he hoped.

On the other hand, it was to foster bonds. Compared to gnolls who joined the Dragon Oak Territory halfway through, those raised from the egg were his own soldiers. It was vital to ensure their loyalty was absolute by the time they could be of use.

This was just the beginning. No matter if he was busy or not, he had to set aside time to visit and interact with the newborn gnolls.

At the very least, he wanted to ensure that all of them knew who he was and to whom they owed their loyalty.

Lastly, he was determined to implement the educational system he had crafted specifically for gnolls.

Initially, he thought this educational model, designed to be a closed military-style one, would take at least a year or more to initiate, waiting until the gnolls grew a bit.

But having witnessed the state of the newborn gnolls firsthand,

he realized he had fallen into conventional thinking again. The reproductive methods of these monstrous species couldn’t be measured by human standards.

They didn’t have an infancy period.

More accurately, they had already spent their infancy inside the eggs.

When they hatched, they were already in their childhood, capable of running, jumping, eating, drinking, playing, and laughing within hours.

Gnolls like these were considered quite normal. For creatures like the Giant Dragon, they could hunt independently using their survival instincts within half a day of hatching.

The educational model Gaven had tailor-made for gnolls was a closed military-style education.