The night in the western outskirts of the Red Wood City was quiet. This part of the city was where the poor people lived. Joshua walked the familiar alleys as he let the new memories in his head led him.
As he continued to walk, Joshua reached the part where a creek could be seen. This creek was connected from the river south of the city and flowed to the west. The poor people used this creek as a source of water. Those living near the creek even used it as their toilet.
Joshua walked near the creek and saw a familiar but unfamiliar reflection of a man. He said with a weak smile. "Hey there, Yeshua."
Yeshua had dark green eyes and brown hair that reached his nape. He stood almost six feet tall with a lean but hard body obviously from lack of food and laboring. He could be considered handsome with a high nose and angular jaw but his poor condition marred his face.
Remembering the youth with black eyes and black hair full of cheerfulness in his memory, Joshua could not help but sigh at the different face staring at him right now. He continued on his way back home, on Yeshua's home.
…
"It is really small."
Although Joshua expected it, there was still a part of him that could still not get used to the memories, so seeing the small house made him realize how Yeshua worked hard to live. It was a house enough for a single bed, a drawer, and a small table.
Sitting on the bed, Joshua felt relief and safety for the first time tonight. Like how people found their houses as their safe haven, he instinctively rested his tired mind.
As he walked home, Joshua's mind was filled with lots of things. His transmigration, this dangerous world, the shard in his heart, and the request of Yeshua reminded Joshua of the undeniable fate he would face from now on.
Yeshua Solus wanted to walk the path to Eden.
Although he was already an Alterer, Joshua was only at the starting line.
The path to Eden was a journey that only the brave would walk. It was a pilgrimage that would test one's will and determination. It was a path that would be filled with tears and blood! The Alterers who walked this path gambled their life to reach their dreams!
This was not simple traveling. If Alterers wanted to go to Eden, there were easy ways of traveling that would let them reach Eden. But when an Alterer said that he would walk the path to Eden, he meant the trials of the wildlands and the dangers of the spirit beasts.
After the human domain was established, the Human Council initiated an event that gathered Alterers in Eden. This event's purpose was to instill the values of unity and protection in Alterers. As time passed, the journey became a tradition.
In this journey, what they sought was recognition, honor, and glory that would be given to them as they reached Eden. This path would forge their will to become strong and qualify to enter the hall of champions!
In Eden, there was a place that would erect statues of human champions. Humans who reigned supreme among their peers and braved through the trials would be glorified and honored as the champions of humanity.
For Joshua who had an obsession for living, walking the path to Eden was out of his character! But what else he could do? He already accepted the request of Yeshua and after all the things he experienced since he transmigrated, being weak was tantamount to giving up!
Indeed, traveling through the wilderness was very risky even for Alterers. Lots of Alterers died in the wilderness because of searching for the resources they needed to advance their strength. But only those who were brave would still forge ahead with determination and will to triumph the challenges. That was why Level 1 Alterers had the same title.
They were called Brave!
Level 1 Brave Alterer was the entrance of the path of strength. If a person chose to become an Alterer, he should have a brave heart to pursue strength. If not, then they did not have the qualification to advance.
Joshua already accepted that he would not be able to go back to his original world. He asked the AI about the remnant energy in his soul and he learned that it was completely consumed during the attack that killed Wendel. That was his only hope to go back but only the incomplete data regarding it remained in the database of the AI.
Joshua already realized that he did not only accept Yeshua's request but also the risk in living in this world. If Joshua came to this world in a different situation, maybe he would consider a different way of life.
But like what happened to Yeshua, since he was weak he was randomly kidnapped and forced to become a monster. Thinking that being weak would make him a prey from the predators of this world Joshua wanted strength to also become a predator.
Since he already had the shard in his heart and the AI in his soul, Joshua decided to walk the path to Eden. It was not only for Yeshua but also for himself.
Closing his eyes, Joshua wallowed in his memories. "Dad, Mom. I promise I will live. I will not give up on living."
With determination and acceptance, Joshua said in his mind. "Since I am in this world, I will be Yeshua from on."
By saying this, Joshua accepted his fate in this world.
[Detected User Joshua's command.]
[Changing user name Joshua to Yeshua.]
[Confirm?]
With a smile free from confusion, Yeshua said.
"Yes, AI."
[Affirmative. User Yeshua.]
…
Yeshua wanted to rest when he remembered something.
"I'm still naked!"
Remembering that he only covered himself with a cloak, Yeshua opened the drawer to find some clothes. While rummaging the drawer, he found a simple box. Looking at the box, memories of its content appeared in his mind.
Before his father faced the mob of beasts, he gave Yeshua a box. He said that the answers to all his questions were inside the box.
When Yeshua was still a child, he was wondering why he did not have a mother. When he asked his father about her, he only said that she was already dead. Maybe remembering his mother hurt his father, so he did not talk much about her.
Yeshua also wondered why his father knew a lot of things. When he asked him, his father said that he once walked the path to Eden but his injured body was the price for his dreams.
Yeshua remembered his father's words back then. He said, "If you have a dream, you should be prepared to pay the price. To do whatever it takes even if you have to give your life."
Those words were etched in Yeshua's heart that he ignored what he learned from the content of the box and strived hard to become strong.
Seeing the box, Yeshua could not help but open it. There were three things inside the box. A letter, a genome crystal, and a token with a wolf head.
The letter talked about what happened to his father in Eden.
His father, Remus Solus, was an orphan. He did not know his parents. It was said that he was a survivor of a city destroyed by a beast tide. That was why he chose the surname Solus. When he had the chance to walk the path to Eden, he did his best and fought hard until he reached Eden. However, he was defeated in a battle. That battle also made him lose his wife.
The token was the identity token of Yeshua's mother. If he used that token, maybe he would be able to reach Eden and not have to labor himself just to buy a genome potion. But for the true Yeshua, using the token was like giving up.
Seeing the token in the box, Yeshua could not help but sigh. "Since you're so adamant in not using it, then I won't use it."
Yeshua reached for the genome crystal inside the box. This genome crystal was his mother's according to the letter. When she died, it was given to his father.
The genome crystals of Alterers could also be used to create genome potions. Usually, when Alterers died, their family would keep their genome crystals. They would be kept as mementos or turned into potions.
Looking at the red crystal with a glowing double helix inside, Yeshua was thinking of testing something using the AI.
"AI, scan the genome crystal and analyze it. Try if you can construct a genome sequence using this crystal."
[Task received. Scanning…]
The AI was scanning the genome crystal as Yeshua held it in his hand. After a while, the AI was done scanning.
[Scanning completed.]
[Analyzing…]
Yeshua was thinking if the AI could construct a genome sequence that he could use as his Alter Beast. Since he already accepted his undeniable fate, Yeshua was thinking of a way to become stronger. Having an Alter Beast was like having a weapon that could protect him.
[Analysis completed.]
[The genome crystal cannot be analyzed completely because of the lack of data. It is possible that the genome crystal is a high level genome crystal. It is advised to gather more data to completely analyze the genome crystal.]
[Constructing a genome sequence is not possible. User Yeshua is advised to collect low level genome crystals to facilitate a good framework for constructing a genome sequence.]
Hearing the results of the analysis of the AI disappointed Yeshua.
"It seems that the AI cannot construct just any genome sequence, especially high level genome sequence. So, starting from a low level is the only thing I can do. Anyway, it's not like my soul temperance can take a high level sequence."
Yeshua only tried if the AI could analyze the genome sequence inside the genome crystal and use it as a reference to construct a genome sequence for him but it seemed that the level of genome sequence was too high for the AI to analyze.
Yeshua planned to go to the Trade Association the next day to buy level 1 genome crystals. Genome crystals of spirit beasts were cheaper than buying genome potions.
"Maybe I can buy enough with the money I got from Wendel's house and my own savings so that the AI can construct a level 1 genome sequence and I will have my first Alter Beast!"
With expectations in his voice, Yeshua lied down on his hard bed to rest.