Transforming Kanna on Terra

After observing with curiosity for a moment, she quietly withdrew, not wanting to disturb the scene that resembled Sleeping Beauty from a fairy tale.

Lena, who woke up shortly after, rubbed her eyes. She sniffed lightly and frowned slightly, detecting an unusual scent in the air.

Worried that a child might come in to pick flowers, she quickly stood up and headed outside.

Upon exiting, she found nothing out of the ordinary. Apart from the faint, distinct scent in the air that hinted at someone having been there, everything was exactly as it had been before.

"This scent... was it a child? Good thing they didn't damage the plants here. But I have security settings in place; no one should be able to open this main gate without my permission, except for official Operators!"

Lena walked to the door and looked outside. Kanna had already left long ago, so naturally, she found no trace of her.

Meanwhile, after leaving the greenhouse, Kanna continued walking deeper into Rhodes Island. Outside a large gate, she saw many automatic robots moving in and out. Peeking inside, she saw over a dozen staff members sorting and packing items delivered by a conveyor belt. Kanna immediately recognized them: they were packing boxes of white sugar.

Watching the boxes of white sugar being packaged together, she guessed this must be the processing station, the place in the game where Operators combine materials to break through and learn skills.

She glanced at the shift schedule not far away. It displayed a standard three-shift rotating schedule. Kanna couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. An eight-hour workday was acceptable. Although she didn't know if there were holidays, compared to the "996" and "007" work schedules, this was already quite conscientious. Not to mention certain "black-hearted" Doctors whose infrastructure management was perpetually in the red.

Quickly passing by the entrance of the processing station, Kanna continued further inside.

Inside the processing station at this moment.

"Did something just pass by the door? Did you guys see it?"

"Huh? You saw something?"

"Impossible. Besides those little robotic carts, the only ones coming and going on this path are us working here. Are you seeing things from working too long? Maybe you should take a break..."

"Hahaha, that's possible. But I don't need a break. This work isn't strenuous. It's rare to find a place willing to accept us Infected, and they even pay us. If I were to slack off now, would that be fair to their trust?"

The few of them chatted while their hands didn't stop working. However, after this conversation, their spirits were significantly lifted.

"Sniff~ It smells like the sea." Standing at an intersection, Kanna hesitated for a moment before heading into a passage with a faint, salty scent of the sea.

Not long after entering, she noticed that the environment here was vastly different from other areas. The most significant difference, of course, was the humidity.

As a medical institution, most of Rhodes Island was kept clean and tidy, with excellent ventilation.

But here... Kanna frowned, looking at the thin layer of water on the floor. This passage must have been specially modified, with humidity and temperature different from the outside. It was likely where the Sarkaz and other amphibious races who resided on Rhodes Island lived.

Chapter 28, Chapter 24: Pink Frog Meets Young Dragon

Just then, a door suddenly opened, and a young girl with pink hair walked out from inside.

Upon seeing Kanna not far from the door, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Ah~"

This was a relatively secluded area within Rhodes Island, mostly inhabited by residents who preferred water and quiet. Children on the island rarely came here. This child seemed unfamiliar. Had she gotten lost after arriving on the island?

She reached out, intending to call out to Kanna, but suddenly stopped as if remembering something. She then walked to a "suitable" distance and crouched down to Kanna's eye level.

"Little one, are you lost? Do you need me to take you out?"

At this moment, Kanna was incredibly excited. Blue Poison, her little angel! She hadn't expected to see her on the island.

As one of the figures in Rhodes Island's famous painting, Blue Poison, Ptilopsis, and Doctor, Blue Poison had attracted a large number of Doctors with her excellent appearance and character design. Coupled with her decent combat prowess, her popularity had always been high.

She couldn't believe she was meeting the real person today. Kanna had to admit her luck was amazing.

Before Blue Poison could react, Kanna rushed forward and grabbed her hand.

"Eh? Ah? Hey! Wait, I..."

"Hello sister, I'm Kanna. Kanna is great, and I'm a newly recruited Operator!"

As she spoke, Kanna puffed out her chest so the person in front of her would notice her Operator ID card.

Although her "talents" made many people afraid of her, she was, in reality, just a girl who hoped to chat and interact with others. However, her efforts had always yielded little success.

Suddenly being approached by someone made her feel a bit flustered.

After a moment of panic, Blue Poison calmed down and noticed the Operator ID card hanging on the girl's chest, with her own portrait on it.

She recalled that not long ago, she had heard someone passing by mention that Rhodes Island had recruited a new young girl Operator. She knew most of the Operators and children on Rhodes Island, so an unfamiliar one like this must be the one they were talking about.

"Your name is Kanna... that's a lovely name. Just call me Blue Poison. Although Kanna-chan is an Operator, this isn't a suitable place for playing. Would you like me to take you to the resting area? There are quite a few children there."

Although Kanna in front of her was indeed an Operator, her appearance made it hard not to see her as a child.

"Nope, nope, nope!" Kanna raised her hands above her head in an X shape, rejecting her offer.

"But there are many patients here. If Kanna is too noisy, it will affect their rest, and they won't get better. Kanna doesn't want to be a bad child, right!" Failing in her first attempt, Blue Poison tried another strategy.

"Kanna won't be noisy. Kanna just wants to explore. If you don't believe me, sister, come on an adventure with Kanna!" Knowing that the Blue Poison angel in front of her was only concerned for her safety, Kanna wasn't impatient. Instead, she took her hand and walked further inside.

Finding it impossible to persuade her, and realizing she couldn't break free from the hand holding hers, Blue Poison had no choice but to walk beside Kanna, heading deeper into the passage.

The deeper they went, the quieter it became, and the atmosphere grew more oppressive. Coupled with the unusually humid environment compared to the outside, it made people feel quite stifled. It was no wonder that apart from the residents, very few Operators or people were willing to come here.

Chapter 29, Chapter 25: The Passing Pink Moby Dick

However, this oppressive feeling did not affect the two people inside the passage.

Perhaps due to their earlier conversation, Kanna, despite looking around curiously the entire way, did not ask questions or speak loudly.

This made Blue Poison feel much more relaxed. Of course, it would be even better if Kanna would let go of her hand...

As they walked, the two finally reached the other end of the passage. Just as they were about to leave, a huge (tall) figure suddenly blocked their path.

Kanna looked up. With its giant greatsword, indifferent expression, and perfect figure, it was the happy orca Skadi, whom she had been thinking about on her way here.

Skadi looked at the little one in front of her, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Though small, Skadi felt as if a Great Beast stood before her. The peculiar sensation, detached from reality, almost made her reach for her greatsword.

Fortunately, in the next moment, Kanna extended her hand. "Hello, I'm Kanna Kamui, a new Operator joining Rhodes Island. You can call me Kanna!"

Skadi blinked, then extended her hand and said seriously, "Skadi, an Abyssal Hunter."

The instant she made contact with Kanna, Skadi felt as if many Terror Fish were surrounding her. Just as she grew annoyed and wanted to draw her weapon to clear them all away, a dragon's roar echoed in her ears. The Terror Fish around her vanished, and her body felt incredibly light.

When she came to her senses, she found Kanna looking at her with a sweet smile.

Skadi nodded. "It's nice to meet you."

"Kanna is happy to meet you too! You look like you have something to do, so Kanna won't bother you. See you next time, bye-bye!" Kanna said as she moved aside to clear the path.

"Thank you, see you next time."

After Skadi left, Blue Poison, standing nearby, let out an involuntary sigh.

Though not well-acquainted, she knew about Skadi and the Abyssal Hunters. So, when Kanna stood before Skadi and extended her hand, Blue Poison feared Skadi might do something strange. Fortunately, while their interaction seemed odd, it ended without incident.

"You really scared me! I'm glad Skadi didn't mind. Next time, be careful about talking to strangers casually. What if you met a bad person?" Blue Poison said to Kanna after patting her chest, which felt slightly tight from nervousness.

"Skadi is a good person," Kanna replied, turning to look at Skadi walking into the alley. Although she knew there was likely a mysterious creature from the abyss parasitizing the other party, she couldn't expel it, so she simply greeted her.

After leaving the alley, Blue Poison worried Kanna might run into more strange people (and there were quite a few of them on Rhodes Island). So, she had an idea.

"Kanna, do you want to eat cake? I have connections in the cafeteria and can make delicious cake!"

Hearing "eat," Kanna's spirits immediately lifted.

She recalled that Blue Poison had a talent for making pastries. Her mouth watered, and she couldn't help but swallow.

Seeing her reaction, Blue Poison smiled inwardly. Children were indeed children; there was always a way to capture their attention.

Holding Kanna's hand, she led her familiarly to the pastry room in the Rhodes Island cafeteria and stretched, ready to show off her skills.

Before starting, she had Kanna sit at a small table nearby. Seeing the little dragon sitting quietly, she smiled slightly and began making the pastry.

Chapter 30, Chapter 26: The Cake Was Terribly Frightening But Delicious. Will a Brave Warrior Taste It?

As Blue Poison turned away to focus on making the cake, Kanna's eyes drifted to the display shelf nearby.

Although pastry chefs liked to make their creations look beautiful to attract attention, the purpose of pastries was to be eaten. Especially on Terra, wasting food was a shameful act.

Therefore, after the Rhodes Island pastry chefs finished their cakes, they would place them on the display shelf. If someone liked a particular cake upon arrival, they could take it directly. And in the early hours of the morning, someone would collect the leftover pastries and deliver them to the Operators still working.

At this moment, several pastries were displayed on the shelf. However, it wasn't afternoon tea time yet, so unless one was an extreme dessert enthusiast, they wouldn't dine at this hour.

Seeing no one around and the pastries openly displayed, Kanna couldn't resist the temptation. She poked her head out.

"Awooo~"

Sensing something, Blue Poison looked up and saw Kanna sitting properly. Although her back was to her, which was a bit strange, the cake was at a crucial stage. As long as Kanna remained seated properly, Blue Poison didn't care how she sat.

Meanwhile, Kanna subtly wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth and savored the sweetness. Indeed, sweets were the best.

A short while later, Blue Poison walked over with two small plates.

"Here, try them. I'm quite confident in my dessert-making skills."

Kanna looked at the desserts before her. If Blue Poison hadn't said anything, she would have absolutely believed they were poison. The mixed blue and purple colors resembled some strange creature coiled on the pastry, and the other colorful little particles dotted on top looked like countless eyes at first glance, severely damaging sanity.

No wonder her Operator file mentioned her unique pastry color schemes; they were indeed very distinctive. Kanna could almost hear the voice in her ears saying, "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!"

However, even the terrifying "Deep Sea" couldn't escape the young dragon's maw.

Not intending to add any faith, Kanna swallowed the dessert in one bite, startling Blue Poison, who feared she would choke.

The taste of Blue Poison's cake exceeded Kanna's expectations. Like the glowing dishes in Chūka Ichiban! or the dishes seasoned with countless♂ ingredients by Yukihira Soma, it was filled with "magic." Overjoyed, Kanna's tail began to crackle and pop uncontrollably (definitely not an electrical short).

After finishing her own portion, Kanna set her sights on the one in front of Blue Poison.

Seeing Kanna's intense gaze, Blue Poison was also very happy. She often made pastries and placed them on the display shelf, secretly observing. However, most people were put off by the appearance of her pastries, and only a few would take them, which made her a little sad.

But Kanna's gluttonous appearance undoubtedly gave her encouragement. It seemed her cakes were indeed fine; it was just that those people didn't know how to appreciate them. It was their loss.

Blue Poison offered the cake to Kanna. "Kanna, eat more if you want! But good food needs to be savored to get more joy and happiness from it!"

Worried that Kanna might eat too much too quickly and get a stomachache, Blue Poison cut the cake into several pieces, put them on a fork, and brought them to Kanna's mouth.

Chapter 31, Chapter 27: How Can the Disappearing Food Be Blamed on a Passing Young Dragon?

Kanna happily opened her mouth to accept Blue Poison's feeding.

While eating in big bites was satisfying, savoring it bit by bit was a rare enjoyment, especially when a beautiful girl was feeding you.

After finishing, the two left the pastry room hand in hand.

...During tea time, several Operators walked into the pastry room and scratched their heads looking at the empty display shelf. Had the chefs taking a day off?

Then, the mysterious disappearance of cakes from the Rhodes Island pastry room became a topic of discussion. By the time the incident reached Amiya's ears, nearly a week had passed.

Curious, she investigated the security footage from that day and discovered the culprit behind the cake disappearance: Comrade Kanna Kamui, who had been deceiving many Operators out of their snacks by using her appearance, earning her the title "Extreme Hunger."

However, considering that Blue Poison was unaware of the dragon's dangerous nature at the time, she did not reprimand her for making a mistake. Instead, Rhodes Island posted a notice at the entrance of all cafeterias: "Youngsters and Dragons require adult supervision to enter the cafeteria."

Although upon hearing this announcement, a certain dragon attempted to incite the children on the island to revolt, she overestimated her abilities. The children she lured with food were quickly discovered by the little donkey through the island's cameras, and their parents or teachers were notified to intercept them halfway. By the time they reached the command center's entrance, only she remained alone.

Faced with Outcast's feigned heartbroken gaze and the sweets in Blue Poison's hand, she promptly declared surrender. This also marked the first "rebellion" on Rhodes Island to be easily suppressed by the "Demon King"—historically known as the "Sweets Rebellion."

Speaking of the present, after leaving the cafeteria, Kanna wanted to visit the bridge. Blue Poison thought about it and agreed, taking her onto the elevator heading to the bridge.

"Whew~ It feels a bit uncomfortable in this hot wind, but the magnificent view from the bridge is truly exhilarating. What do you think, Kanna... Kanna?... Kanna!"

Taking a deep breath, Blue Poison stretched her body and gazed at the endless wilderness around her, unable to help but sigh in admiration.

When she finished sighing, she realized the child was gone. Her face showed panic as she looked around, asking, "Where's Kanna? Where's the big Kanna? She was right here a moment ago!"

"Blue~ Poi~son~" Just then, Kanna's voice reached her ears, but it wasn't from around her—it was from above.

Following the sound, she almost jumped out of her skin.

On the observation deck atop the bridge, dozens of meters above her head, Kanna was standing at the edge of the platform, waving at her.

"When... when did you get up there... Come down quickly."

Ms. Blue Poison, who had never encountered such a situation, was close to tears from fright.

With a whoosh, a purple cursor flew from Kanna's hand and landed beside her, emitting faint electrical currents. Then, Kanna abruptly appeared where the cursor was.

Seeing Blue Poison on the verge of tears, Kanna quickly ran to her.

"Don't cry, Blue Poison Sister. It's my fault. Kanna promises not to be naughty."

Previously, it was a rare opportunity to have such a high vantage point, so Kanna, on a whim, used the effect of Star Alignment to throw a Lightning Wedge to the top, then rapidly displaced herself to that location and canceled the previous Lightning Wedge.

Blue Poison hadn't witnessed Kanna's previous test, so when she turned her head, she discovered that Kanna wasn't beside her but in such a dangerous spot on the edge of the observation deck.