Although the alhamera had developed a significant civilization, their influence on the vast Antroseda ecosystem ultimately remained on a micro-scale.
Predators that wandered into alhamera territory were essentially carnivores cast out from their packs. They were too weak to compete in the brutal dynamics of the bloodthirsty beasts.
However, beyond that area was a completely different world. And the alhamera would soon face one of the most ferocious dinosaurs.
Their first encounter occurred during a hunt led personally by the albino alhamera.
Unaware of what they were up against, dozens of alhamera were instantly wiped out. And when "wiped out" was mentioned, it meant their limbs were torn apart to the smallest fragments, completely unrecognizable.
Only the albino alhamera survived, though he lost one of his arms. Driven by fury, he mobilized a larger hunting force.
They even deployed the most advanced trapping devices, aided by enhancement magic.
It was a fierce battle, and the alhamera managed to injure the T-rex's eye. However, they were gravely wounded and lost too many warriors, forcing them to retreat.
At that moment, the albino alhamera could no longer even stand. Both of his legs were broken, and his head had struck something so hard that he could no longer move.
A stroke. The severe impact must have damaged the nerves responsible for his motor functions, leaving him bedridden.
However, the other alhamera seemed to think differently.
Who knew what they were discussing, but their expressions showed deep concern.
"I wonder if I can hear them?"
Unfortunately, this full observation feature was not equipped with audio.
And even if it were, would he even understand them? Just by looking at their lip movements, Lucas already suspected it was a completely foreign language.
[You can unlock the <All-Hearing> feature. This hearing ability allows you to perceive all sounds in the universe, from the tiniest to the loudest. Sound frequency sources can be customized.]
[You can unlock <The Understood> feature. This ability grants understanding of every language in the universe, including verbal, non-verbal, text, and similar forms.]
[Unlocking these features will consume 2 Divine Intervention tokens.]
[Would you like to proceed?]
Was this a joke?
Lucas couldn't believe it. Some abilities he'd obtained earlier were given freely, so why was this one different?
[The previous abilities were starter gifts. Think of them as free features commonly offered to new players in a game.]
"A game?"
Did Lucas just hear a sigh? "Wait, did you just imply I'm a hassle?"
[Do you need the concept of a game explained?]
Lucas could feel the sarcasm in every word, yet he was also curious about what a game really was.
He had been born as a result of advanced genetic engineering, raised in an intellectual environment focused only on uplifting humanity from its decline.
The concept of a game was something he had vaguely come across on the internet but quickly forgot overnight.
Yet, beneath his curiosity, Lucas noticed something strange.
Hearing?
Did he... just hear the system speak?
[A game is an activity played by one or more individuals with the goal of entertainment, often involving engaging media.]
[Games exist in various forms, including physical, digital, and virtual formats.]
[The history of games dates back to—]
"Okay, okay, I get it now. But isn't there something more important to discuss?"
There was a brief pause before the system responded again.
[What you heard was a demo of the <All-Hearing> feature.]
[Essentially, <All-Hearing> will make you feel less lonely.]
"W-Who said I was lonely?"
It had responded robotically earlier, yet now it suddenly felt like it was teasing him with such annoying words.
The truth was, this <All-Hearing> ability seemed fascinating. Beyond merely understanding his creations, Lucas would finally have a companion—one who was informative and could understand him.
Even if it was just a system that resembled artificial intelligence.
That sparked a question in his mind: could this Overseer System actually be a highly advanced AI created by beings far superior to him?
That was a mystery for another time, as what was happening among the alhamera was still unfolding, and he couldn't miss even a second of it.
"Alright, I'll purchase the <The Understood> and <All-Hearing> features."