「You have earned the title 'Survivor'」
「Attribute 'Absorption' is activating」
「You have obtained the skill 'Tough Skin Lv.1'」
「Attribute 'Assimilation' is activating」
「Because of evolution, attribute 'Assimilation' is currently being enhanced」
「You have obtained the skill 'Tough Skin Lv.1'」
Mn, I wake up to the messages of the 「system」 ringing in my ears. Getting up, my eyes widened at the foreign landscape. I was currently in a lumber -covered room, just big enough for me to spread my arms without touching the walls.
Though the room didn't have much, I decided to look around. The walls were smooth to the touch, the walls were covered in large symbols. One of the symbols was a fish's tail splashing against water. I instantly knew what it meant.
The siren, I thought with curiosity and wonder. Looking further I saw a fanged beast's head – the wolves' – on the rough-hewn walls. The third and final one was a single eye, it looked ominous and gloomy, more lonely than scary.
Then I turned around. Waiting for me was two doors. One was covered in crystalline shards, casting a multi-color shine on it's side of the room. The other was the clear opposite, a dark-grey door, black miasma constantly oozing from the space underneath it.
I took a step towards the doors to inspect them more closely. When I did, a wave of intent washed over me, trying to take me over.
PickmePickmePickmePickme, the voice told me in a seemingly never-ending chorus. I took multiple deep breaths, trying to calm myself. It helped to alleviate my anxiety–even if just a little bit. It was only after repeating this routine that I managed to get my bearings.
Once again looking at the doors with renewed calmness, their incessant nagging still clawing at the back of my head, that I was able to make sense of what just happened.
The doors were the 「paths」 that the 「system」 had told me about. I was preoccupied at the time, so I didn't have the time to check. From what I can tell, each door represented the possible evolutionary routes I can take based on my absorbed and assimilated skills–maybe even my attributes and titles too.
I once again approached the doors, grasping the crystal-like doorknob. Suddenly, a stream of information found it's way into my head.
「Race: Unknown
Available Skills: Advance Hydro Navigation, Pressure Resistance, Electric Weakness」
It would seem this door was going to give me the ability to breathe underwater, along with a few extra skills such as: 「Advanced Hydro Navigation」 and 「Pressure Resistance」.While the first would come in handy with beating the water dragon, I honestly doubted that I could beat such a mighty existence like that with better swimming. The second on the other hand, was much more appealing. The skill was probably taken from deep-sea creatures living hundreds of meters underwater. The skill seemed interesting enough, it's vague description only attracting me more to it. The third was nothing more than a bother.
Reluctantly, I let go of the handle, turning my attention to the bland, mysterious door. Like it's counterpart, I gripped the handle, information flowing into me once again.
「Race: Unknown
Available Skills: Conjuration, Reinforcement」
What?!, my entire body jerked. I didn't expect this. I expected the door to be a 「path」 related to speed and close-combat, something that the wolves were likely to learn. Thinking it over more carefully, I traced it back to the leader wolf. That guy was using something different from skills.
In my time here, I came to know more about the 「system」 that helped it's inhabitants. Everybody had it. From a monster on the verge of death–to a creature of gigantic proportions. Looking back, I recalled the feats I had seen since arriving here: the small beast that could see through the never-ending darkness, the beautiful maiden that could serenade a man into submitting to her will, the grim wolf capable of manipulating something beyond my imagination. All of this pointed to one thing:
Somebody did this, I thought with unnatural clarity. The puzzle-pieces were starting to fit together, forming the ominous image of a single being controlling everything, like a marionette to it's puppet.
I fell silent for a short while, the reality sinking in. I looked around the room, panicked.
Is it watching me?, I thought desperately, afraid that my own mind might not be my own. Taking long breaths, I calmed myself. If the mastermind wanted me dead, I would have been long gone. I looked back at the drab door, it's plain, simple design somehow comforting me. I turned the doorknob, entering into the deep darkness behind it. Even this lonesome darkness was calming me down as it enveloped me.
I needed to get stronger if I'm going to have a chance at defending myself from the mastermind, and this power was a necessary step to that. Letting the darkness envelope me, I plan my next move. I would need use my attributes to get even stronger, defeating powerful opponents for more powerful skills.
Starting with that dragon
As the boundless darkness surrounded me, I once again ascertain my goals.