Prime Evolver System

Not too long after the liquefied remains of the strange monkey-like creature entered his body and got absolved, the expected dark-tinted, holographic screen appeared in front of Lucien's eyes once more.

He looked at it with great interest, already expecting a couple of the notifications he would receive after witnessing their dexterousness and speed.

[…::: Stone-Hurdler Marmoset (Lvl 1 - Category: Magical Beasts) mass has been found! :::…]

[…::: Absorbing Essence… :::…]

Although the name and category surprised him slightly, they weren't completely unexpected either. The fact that the little mischievous creature was only a level 1 was surprising, he could still accept it. After all, he did manage to take it down with only one slice.

No matter how unexpected it was, no matter how much momentum he carried, he would be shocked if he were to be able to deal fatal damage to something that was considerably stronger.

As he pondered about the creature's primary information, the messages continued.

[…::: Absorbing Essence… Completed! :::…]

[…::: Stone-Hurdler Marmoset (Lvl 1 - Category: Magical Beasts) - Creature Page has been created! :::…]

[…::: Through the absorption, the following updates has been granted to the host:

+ 1.20 Agility

+ 0.15 Stamina

+ 2 EP (1 Base + 1 First time, Full consumption Bonus)

+ 1.5% Power Increase

Note: All updates are not in the stabilized state. Cultivation is required for complete assimilation. :::…]

Reading through the details he was surprised by the amount of extra agility that he gained from a single creature. Although he wasn't completely certain about it, the fact that the defeated creature was roughly matching his own capabilities, he was not expecting any additional rewards.

Reading through and acknowledging the gains he received from the little furry beast, his eyes widened with surprise when suddenly another line appeared in his line of sight, soon followed by a familiar sensation of newfound knowledge spreading through the back of his head.

[…::: A New Skill has been synthesized! The passive skill: Heightened Reflexes (Rank 1) has been created! :::…]

His surprise formed into a satisfied smile as he dismissed the screen and returned his attention to the path ahead. He didn't need nor did he want to waste time navigating through the system for more details, at least not now.

His time was strictly limited, he needed to exercise more, and for that, he needed to resume his journey before Sera would come to take him back.

Still, he couldn't hide the satisfaction completely from his face. He gained so much, and this was merely his first battle! Each and every victory was bringing him one step closer to the level of power he hoped to achieve to truly regain freedom.

Once again turning towards the east, he hesitated. After this first victory, he felt an even greater call, a pull further into the depths of this magical forest.

The gentle river stream that his enhanced hearing could pick up, carried a strange mystery, something that was increasingly harder to resist. There was something he felt he needed to see… Something that was calling him.

Lucien wasn't even sure if this was truly the reality or it was merely the actions, the suggestive whispers of the Other One, the one that the system still couldn't name, that lived inside him.

Still, even if this was just a trick to convince him to go towards the north instead, Lucien couldn't deny that whatever the other side was sensing, feeling, it was strong enough for such a desire to flare up.

It was at this time that he thought about the other side without hatred or any disdain. For the first time, he was thinking that it would probably be better if they could somehow converse… communicate.

Pondering, wishing about this fact, he was startled when the familiar dark, translucent window appeared once more in front of him, and its characteristic blood-dripping letters appeared one after another, swiftly formulating a message.

As the message appeared, it finally dawned on Lucien what was clearly obvious from some time now. The whole system, the strange, eerie messages was already the other side's means of communication! They were working together the whole time! Whilst he was dreading to rely on that monster, at the same time, he was enjoying all the positive effects, changes it provided.

[…::: New Task Received! :::…]

[…::: 3) Journey towards the North, deeper into the Eden-N03's Magical Forest and find the Hidden Cave by the creek :::…]

[…::: 3) Get inside and ???? :::…]

[…::: 3) Rewards: ???? :::…]

As the new task appeared in front of his vision, Lucien looked bewildered at it. What was this? What did it want?

'Are you there?' He couldn't help but mentally call out, thinking about the system itself for a lack of a better way.

Seeing as there was no response, Lucien didn't give up. Instead, he asked out again.

'System, are you the other entity inside me? Are you the other half that saved me in the Facility?' He asked again, rephrasing his question.

To his surprise, the floating screen reacted, formulating a curt response.

[…::: No. We are not the same. Albeit connected we are all separate entities. :::…]

Reading the message, Lucien wasn't really disappointed. While his first conjecture was denied, he still gained a crucial piece of information.

"Separate Entities, huh? Interesting…" He smirked, shelving the thought for the time being and dismissing the system screens to clear his sight.

Looking and focusing his senses in both directions for a bit longer in the end, he decided to forgo his first idea and instead turned towards the dark depths of the forest, and chose to investigate the stream.

At the same time, he wanted to explore what the system wanted. What was so important? What did it sense? What does it need him to do? Get inside? For what reason?

Unfortunately, knowing the system by now, the only way to get answers to these questions would be to acquiesce to its whims and go where he was guided towards.

With a sigh escaping his lips, he stood up from his spot, turned towards the north, and began pacing towards the trickling, gentle sounds.

He didn't know what was awaiting him there, nor was he prepared for the lurking danger that he was guided towards. His mind was filled with questions that he wished nothing but to find answers to.

Apart from trying to understand his own fate, his own destiny in this whole mess he was born into, he also wished to learn more about this other side of him. Was he really born with this monstrous entity? Or did they got fused together at some point?

Although he couldn't explain it, he was leaning towards the latter, however, incredulous it sounded. Maybe he was just dreading the consequences if the first were to be true. After all, then he would have to accept the fact that he himself was the monster. That there was no other entity, it would be just another personality of him.

'Wait… Could this mean that…' A fearsome thought came to his mind, he stopped in his tracks.

Thinking about it a bit more, he managed to calm down in the next second and shake his head. That would be impossible, not to mention paradoxical, it wouldn't even make sense.

No. Something must have happened during the birth that ended him with this monstrous entity sharing a body and mind with him.

Still, that didn't explain the existence of this strange system… If it wasn't the other one, who did it belong to? Who controlled it, and consequently, who was playing with his life and fate?