Xiao Ba's Unbearable Hunger

Octopus Xiao Ba had never imagined that a casual glance would become the moment he witnessed history in the making.

Early the next morning, while Xiao Ba was still sound asleep, frantic knocking from his kin woke him. Without ceremony, they dragged him toward the "Elemental Embryo Reception Point" directly across the way.

This was the first time he had seen what an Elemental Embryo truly was.

It was red all over, its skin like tomato juice had been smeared across it. Its tender little head wore a giggling smile, with two tiger fangs peeking out, making it look rather adorable. Yet its pair of crimson slanted eyes carried a trace of eeriness. Its hawthorn-like red eyeballs rolled about, and a layer of pink mist formed around it.

The mist flickered in and out of sight, sometimes bright and sometimes dim. Whenever it became clear, tiny red motes could be seen within. These motes resembled aphids sprouting tender buds, swimming back and forth inside the barrier.

Xiao Ba was not narrow-minded. He had seen quite a few rare things, so he naturally recognized the swimming bugs as solidified Elemental Bugs. The flickering mist was precisely the Elemental Barrier the Sea Folk excelled at most.

By gathering elemental power into a specific structure, one could form a protective shield capable of resisting elemental attacks.

This was considered a unique art of the Sea Folk. Part of it came from maternal inheritance, while another part came through later study.

Many Sea Folk needed arduous training before they could master it. This embryo clearly had not undergone training, and the flickering barrier was the best proof. Yet this little fellow had been able to trigger a barrier and gather Elemental Bugs the moment it was born.

Talent!

A single word flashed through his