Intelligent Design: A Monster Evolution LitRPG

David and Claire stood at the edge of the swamp, gazing out over the mist-shrouded landscape. The last time they'd ventured through it from Redfield, it had taken days of slogging through mud and battling oversized insects. Now, with David's enhanced abilities and Claire's imposing presence, they knew the journey would be swifter.

David perched atop Claire's head, nestled comfortably behind her bony frills. Her massive eyes flicked back and forth, head twitching in quick, birdlike motions as she surveyed the swamp before them. David opened his mouth to speak, but a sudden ping against his consciousness made him pause. Another followed moments later.

"Hold up, Claire," David said, tapping her scales lightly. "The fuzzy nightmares need my attention for a sec."

Claire nodded, the motion barely perceptible. "Go ahead, check in on your bat-ellite network," she rumbled, amusement coloring her voice.

David rolled his eyes at the pun but closed them to focus. He reached out with his mind, connecting to the swarm of Cuddlebugs he'd sent to spy on the approaching nomads. The mental images that flooded back were fascinating.

The nomadic group moved with a precision that spoke of long practice and careful organization. From his aerial spies, David saw the loose ring of flyers circling the main group. These airborne sentinels maintained a constant vigil, their varied forms not seeming to hinder their ability to cooperate in the slightest. Some resembled great birds of prey, while others were more akin to flying squirrels or even vaguely reptilian creatures. David even saw a bat, though it looked very different from himself, all bright parrot-like colors with a chunky body.

Within this protective ring, smaller groups of nimble flyers zipped back and forth. These appeared to be relaying messages or performing more focused scouting missions. Their movements were purposeful, not wasting energy on unnecessary maneuvers.

On the ground, the bulk of the nomads moved in a formation that was both efficient and flexible. At the forefront, a group of muscular, quadrupedal creatures with keen senses acted as scouts, sniffing the air and scanning for potential threats or resources. Behind them, the main body of the group was arranged in a rough diamond formation.

At the center of this formation, David spotted what appeared to be the more vulnerable members of the group - the small, the heavily specialized, and those who seemed to be in the process of doing odd-jobs, perched atop the backs of larger members. These were surrounded by a protective ring of formidable-looking guards, their bodies a mix of chitinous armor and rippling muscle.

Hey, see! I'm not the only one that hitches rides sometimes!

Interspersed throughout the group were gatherers, their forms clearly adapted for harvesting and carrying various resources. Some had multiple limbs ending in specialized appendages, while others sported expandable throat sacks or pouches. They moved with purpose, occasionally darting off to collect something before seamlessly rejoining the group.

Medics, identifiable by the glowing patterns on their bodies, weaved through the crowd. They checked on individuals, administering treatments that ranged from the familiar - clearly using abilities of some kind - to the fantastical, like secreting faintly glowing substances. In one bizarre case David witnessed a creature covered in mushrooms allowing other members to eat the fungi off its body.

As David's consciousness bounced between his spies, he noticed a pattern emerging. Many of the nomads would periodically approach a central figure, conferring briefly before dashing off with renewed purpose. This individual, the apparent leader of this section of the caravan, was a sight to behold.

The creature stood on six legs, its body low to the ground and covered in a mosaic of scales and fur. Its head was elongated, reminiscent of an anteater, but with multiple eyes arranged in a crown-like pattern. Two pairs of ears sprouted from its head, and all of them seemed to swivel independently of the others, though David couldn't guess what advantage that provided over two regular ears. Despite its bizarre appearance, it moved with grace and authority, efficiently directing those who approached it.

David's most evolved Cuddlebug, the one with the fluffy tail, sent him a particularly clear image of this leader. It was currently perched on a nearby branch, its purple eyes fixed intently on the six-legged commander.

Keep an eye on that one. Follow it if it goes to report to someone else.

He received a crisp mental affirmative in response.

Pulling his consciousness back, David blinked, reorienting himself. Claire had begun to move, her massive form pushing through the swamp's undergrowth with surprising delicacy. Water sloshed around her feet, and the occasional snap of a branch punctuated their progress.

"So," David began, absently stroking the pendant hanging from his neck, "our new friends are something else. They've got this whole mobile society thing down to a science."

He described what he'd seen - the aerial patrols, the efficient ground movement, the specialized roles. As he spoke, Claire continued her careful navigation of the swamp, occasionally pausing to test the stability of the ground before proceeding.

"Their leader, at least the one I could see, is this wild-looking six-legged thing," David concluded. "Looks like it's coordinating a big chunk of their operation. I've got my best guy keeping tabs on it."

Claire rumbled thoughtfully. "Sounds like they've been at this a while. Any sign of hostility?"

David shook his head. "Not that I could see. They seem more focused on survival and efficiency than anything else. But we'll keep watching."

As they pushed deeper into the swamp, the familiar sounds of alien insect life and the occasional splash of something large moving through water surrounded them. David found himself continuously splitting his attention between their immediate surroundings and the distant nomad group, marveling at how quickly people had adapted to their new circumstances.

A thoughtful hiss escaped David's snout as he lounged atop Claire's head, idly twirling the peace sign pendant between his claws as they trudged through the swamp. Only the occasional splash and gurgle of unseen creatures punctuated their progress.

"So," David mused after a few minutes, "how do we introduce ourselves to the horde without ending up as dinner or a punching bag?"

Claire's rumbling voice vibrated through David's perch. "I still like the 'find some scouts and say hi' plan. Simple, direct, and probably going to happen anyway."

"Hmm," David flicked his wings thoughtfully. "What if we use the Cuddlebugs to lure some people away? They're pretty adorable."

Claire snorted, a gust of warm air ruffling David's fur. "Would you follow a bunch of cute-but-savage looking critters in this day and age?"

"Absolutely," David grinned.

Claire's exasperated snort this time nearly dislodged David from his perch. "Okay, smartass. What if it was a swarm of cat-sized wasps?"

David's grin vanished. "Hell no. That's clearly a trap for nefarious insect purposes."

"Exactly," Claire nodded, nearly bucking David off again. "And while I think your little team is adorable now, they're actually pretty scary-looking. They take after you, after all."

David whined, "Bullshit! The Team is absolutely lovable!"

"To us, sure," Claire conceded. "But to strangers? They probably look like tiny furry nightmares."

David sighed, reluctantly agreeing. "Fine, we'll nix the Cuddlebug lure idea. Your turn, big brain."

Claire hummed thoughtfully, the sound sending ripples across nearby puddles. Several unseen creatures dove for cover with alarmed splashes.

"How about we just signal the next group of flyers we spot then?" Claire suggested. "How far out are they, anyway?"

David closed his eyes, focusing on his distant spies. After a moment of mental calculations, he said, "The main group? Probably an hour and change. Maybe ten or fifteen minutes in the air. They're moving at a steady clip, but not rushing. It's like a relentless power-walk."

Claire nodded. "Interesting. They're pacing themselves for the long haul."

"Yeah," David agreed. "Honestly, I'm pretty sure if they were attacked, only enough people to handle it would break off. They'd probably drag the corpses back to eat later."

"Waste not, want not," Claire muttered. She fell silent for a while, still moving steadily through the swamp. Finally, she spoke. "They're going to spot me no matter what. I'm too damn big, and there's not enough cover. We could go around through the forest, but we'd never beat them to Riverport that way."

David nodded, absently scratching behind one of Claire's bony protrusions. "So, make nice before they decide to turn you into dino steaks?"

"Exactly," Claire rumbled. "I'd rather not have to fight off a harvesting party."

David snorted. "I'd like to see them try. Most of them don't even look like they have special Evolutions. We could probably talk or fight our way out of any misunderstanding."

"Maybe," Claire conceded, "but I'd rather avoid hurting anyone if we can help it."

"Fair enough," David agreed. He paused, then added, "You know, it might not be a bad idea to send a couple of my little spies out towards the convoy. Keep an eye out for any scouts we can't see."

Claire's muscles tensed slightly under David. "Good thinking. After that electric weasel stalked us for so long, I'm not taking any chances."

David nodded, closing his eyes to focus. He sent out a mental command, and two of his remaining Cuddlebugs took flight, darting off towards the distant convoy.

As they continued their trek through the swamp, David found himself marveling at how quickly they'd adapted to this new world. Just a few weeks ago, the idea of casually discussing how to approach a horde of transformed humans would have seemed insane. Now, it was just another Tuesday.

"You know," David mused aloud, "I'm starting to think we might be getting a little too comfortable with all this weirdness."

Claire's rumbling chuckle sent vibrations through David's body. "What gave it away? The fact that we're casually planning first contact while trudging through a monster-infested swamp?"

David grinned. "That, and the fact that I'm seriously considering how to accessorize this necklace with some swamp bling. Think I could pull off a vine bracelet?"

"Only if you want to look like a fuzzy, airborne swamp…thing," Claire retorted.

Their banter was interrupted by a sudden mental ping from one of David's scouts. He closed his eyes, focusing on the incoming information. After a moment, his eyes snapped open, a mix of excitement and apprehension in his voice.

"Heads up, Claire. We've got company coming our way. Fast."

Claire's muscles tensed beneath him. "Hostile?"

David shook his head. "Don't think so. Looks like a small scouting party. Three flyers, moving in a search pattern. I think... I think they might have spotted us."

Claire's pace slowed slightly. "Well," she rumbled, "looks like we're about to make some new friends. You ready for this?"

David stood up on Claire's head, stretching his wings wide. The peace sign pendant glinted in the filtered sunlight. "As ready as I'll ever be. Let's hope they're in a chatty mood."

As the distant shapes of the approaching scouts grew larger, David couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and nervousness. This was it – their first contact with the nomad group.

"Hey, Claire?" David said softly.

"Yeah?"

"No matter what happens... I'm glad you're here."

Claire's rumble was warm and affectionate. "Wouldn't want to be anywhere else, bat boy. Now, let's go make some monster magic happen."

As the three scouts closed the distance, David felt an unfamiliar tension coil in his gut. He was used to being the one swooping down on others, not the other way around. The scouts hovered a fair distance in front of them, their eyes fixed on Claire with obvious apprehension. David had to consciously stop his mane and fur from bristling threateningly, the urge to puff up and look scary almost overwhelming.

To his surprise, the scouts barely seemed to notice him.

Well, that's a new one. Usually, I'm the one getting the 'oh god, what is that thing' stares. On the other wing, at least they're not looking at me like I'm about to eat their faces, babies, and souls. Maybe I've just been unlucky... or a big baby about my looks. Could be they've got a few scary-ass friends of their own. Huh. Might not be so bad after all.

The head scout, a creature with the body of a large stork but with iridescent scales instead of feathers, seemed to be considering hard. David's sensitive ears picked up snatches of their rapid-fire conversation.

"...some sort of Boss?"

"...no System Warning..."

"...territory?"

David quickly relayed this to Claire, who tensed hugely under him. Then, in a move that could only be described as hilariously awkward, she threw out a wave with one of her stubby arms.

The scouts reacted with surprise but quickly drifted lower, approaching to within a dozen yards. The head scout called down, "Are you friendly?"

Claire rumbled back, "Yeah, I'm chill." The scouts seemed to settle a bit but continued to hover, their eyes glued to Claire's cavernous maw full of snaggly teeth.

One of the smaller scouts, a hawkish creature with white wings, called out, "Of course the only badass out here alone is a god-damned dinosaur! Fuck you're cool looking! What's your name?"

Claire clacked her jaws a bit, then cocked her head curiously. "Claire. I'm not alone, though. Are all flying things going blind these days? Thought that was a bat thing."

The scouts exchanged a few confused glances. "What the hell are you talking about?"

David, puzzled, looked down at himself. His fur had shifted to almost entirely conceal him behind Claire's head. He'd unconsciously shifted his body like a cat hiding behind a fence, with only the top of his head and eyes visible over Claire's frill. Even his ears were pinned back to minimize his profile.

Dammit, David. No need to go full lurk mode here. Way to make a first impression, you paranoid weirdo.

He straightened up, forcing himself to relax. His fur slowly shifting to reveal his silhouette. Hopping up, he balanced on Claire's frill, giving the scouts a friendly smile and wave.

The reaction was instantaneous.

The stork-scout screeched, accidentally thumping the hawk-thing with its wing. The man tumbled, wings flailing wildly as if each one was trying to flee in a different direction. The third scout, a creature resembling a flying squirrel, let out a high-pitched scream that seemed to go on forever as it bolted away at top speed, the sound dopplering into the distance like a retreating ambulance siren.

Damn, those detection range effects don't fuck around.

The white winged bird crashed to the ground, quickly becoming tangled in vines. "It's got me! Save yourself! Avenge meee!"

David, irritated, flared his Wildsoul. "Rude! Haven't you ever seen a bat before?"

The stork-scout did a quintuple-take, then timidly called out, "Are... are you a person?"

"Duh! Of course I am. That's why I'm talking and wearing such exquisite finery." David tapped his pendant pointedly, the peace sign swinging mockingly.

A muffled, embarrassed "Sorry, dude" came from the vine-tangled scout after a few moments of confused silence.

David sighed dramatically. "Need some help there, Tarzan?"

"...that'd be dope."

As David glided over to help, Claire tried her hardest not to explode with laughter. "David is definitely a bit... Spooky."

David shot her a withering glance before severing the vines with a few quick slices of his wing-blades. The avians eyes widened, clearly impressed by the casual display of lethality.

The stork landed nearby, huge wings furling with a scaly rustle, before fixing David with an intense gaze. "Wait…Are you the bat that knows the Overseers?"

David's jaw dropped. "How the hell do you know that?"

The scout gave what passed for a grin on its beaked face. "A lot of us know who you are. Actually, we owe you one. You did us a solid, offed a guy that attacked one of our elite scouting parties."

David's eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Sparky the Wonderweasel is one of you guys?"

The stork went blank for a moment, then started snickering. "Wonderweasel... heheheh. Oh man, Azanah's gonna love that one I bet. I can't wait to see her face when she hears it, heh. She’s been…a bit wordy about the incident."

Claire rumbled with laughter. "Looks like you've got yourself a fan club, bat boy. Who knew your habit of stumbling into trouble would actually pay off?"

David grinned, striking a heroic pose as the hawk clambered to its feet and ruffled its feathers violently. "What can I say? I'm a bat of the people. Saving damsels in distress, slaying evil cultists, and apparently, coining nicknames for electric rodents. It's all in a day's work."

As the scouts chuckled and Claire rolled her eyes, David couldn't help but feel a surge of optimism. Maybe this whole 'first contact' thing wouldn't be so bad after all. And hey, if things went south, he could always sic Sparky the Wonderweasel on them.