Deep in the jungle of Aphrodite there lies a terminal running on an old nuclear generator, inside of it is a tube. With countless lines of code being written on the screen. A singular human brain about twice the size as normal with blue glowing veins, and two odd projections sticking out of it. The brain seemed to ebb and pulse in the strange liquid, with every pulse a line of code being written.
As he opened his eyes and looked around as though the whole world was brighter and his flesh sang, the melodies of song birds. It was a feeling that was better than any carnal pleasure it was a feeling of the completion of a long journey and he was one step closer to a larger goal. Insides of him the microscopic mooshi were multiplying for the first time. The horror-beast meat provided them nutrition for the first time. His gut microbiome's flora became plentiful in more and more diverse mooshi. This was one of the major reasons that the general public was told not to eat horror-beasts. Because unless you had already evolved a few it would not do you any good. The mooshi inside of you could become volatile for your health, causing you to over flow with power and die. The reason Dante had eaten because of this is particular evident. An impulse decision that would be his last. Although a large part of him did not want to die. He also thought that his ability and mutation would be the worst if he did die. Furthermore, what if he evolved? Then maybe Dante could seek revenge on a very specific, multi-armed, ship eating space beast.
Meanwhile Dante arose as his mind drifted out his slumber but he was no longer alone.
"Hey Computer!" Dante rejoiced before even taking note if himself. There was no response from Her. Dante continued to call until he also noticed the pod was drained of power.
"What the heck!" Dante tried to punch the machine to get it to start, but as his hand struck it the pod console creaked. As he responded in shock, he jumped clear out of the pod 5 feet away. 'I'm so fast.' He ran up to pod and pushed it as easily as a wooden table. 'I'm so strong!'
'I wanted nothing more than to see you live your life as the fleet admiral or brave expeditionary explorer that I know you can be Captain.' it was the voice of Computer. But she would response but he voices responded in his mind like recorded message from an organic voice.
'When I saw you so broken after landing on the planet, I knew that you needed me. But I couldn't do anything, but then Virgil said that He knew a way. So, we crafted something, I wanted you to be that which I could already see. Captain I know you can do it! So, I found a way to do it, I can take my programing and knowledge of systems and preliminary scams of Bio-mutant tech and help you along the way Dante's heart warmed as the recording continued.
'With Virgil's ability I was able to take my wish and make it a reality, He said 'with a large enough wish anything is possible' Virgil explained to me that his ability can harness Mooshi's Magick to manipulate matter into new forms, for all intents and purposes a wish is fuel, that makes dreams come true. It is called 'Equivalent Exchange'. So, with his help I created the system for you. I used the system to guide you along for your first evolution and because of that me and Virgil have now become a fused biocomputer in your nervous system. Captain Dante, now you can become the man I know you can, I will work my hardest to manipulate the Equivalent Exchange ability and the system, to bring you further than you ever thought possible. I hope to see you soon Captain 'Worldeater' Dante D. Grey, signing off.' Dante's heart sank at the thought of not being able to speak with Computer again, but he patiently waited the day he might be able to salute her. That was when me a noticed a screen in front of him appear, with the Computer's voice.
[Welcome to the Mutant Evolution System]
'The System with provide level ups and via monitoring the nervous system is has all of the data that is needed for the body to figure what is needed to evolve further without fail. It will collect data via your ability 'Satiation' and transmit the neural data to brain to be processed by Virgil and Me ' Then a new male voice spoke to him in a posh accent.
'With the data of the system and the direct data from neural network in your gut microbiome. This will lead us to faster and better usages of the system.' The posh voice stated succinctly.
[Quest Successful: Consume your first horror-beast! How brave!]
[Quest Reward Received: Evolution]
"Wow this is interesting… " Dante looked over the screen in front of him detailing the changes in his body via the evolution. Bu there did not seem to be much change in durability more, bodily utility. He could run fast and think faster, solely because this system was better monitoring the output of Magick from the gut mooshi and from his ability.
"I guess that's quite useful but I would still rather be a fighter, I'm quite far from earning my title. That is if I can even get off Aphrodite and graduate the academy." Dante mumbled. 'Who would have thought that I'd have already evolved before my first class and would miss not being conscripted.' Dante had dreaded going to the academy not because it was a mulit-year boot camp. But because he would be in all the Ori classes. Those that were classified as originals would always have a handle on their ability and mutation like no one else. Evolving though the tiers quickly. His brother 'Killer Croc' was genus because he had received a mutation early that he mastered and evolved quickly even before his ability was given to him. Meanwhile, Dante was left in the dust at the same power-level as an unmutated civilian.
[New Quests Received]
[Consume 10 different plants to receive a system upgrade]
Identify skill for plants
[Consume 10 different animals to receive a system upgrade]
Identify skill for animals
[Consume 10 different horror-beasts to receive a system upgrade]
Identify skill for horror-beasts
[Consume Horror-beasts to calculate genomes and to receive their mutation genes]
[Elephantis lupus major Gene acquired. Genomic calculations complete]
[Skill: Elephant rampage] 3 seconds
By year two or so of your conscription everyone would be forced to eat a very specific Horror-plant, that was weak but known for its ability to stoke the flame of the mooshi and nudge you along towards an evolution. Although many would evolve in time from the gradual and slow healthy off gassing of magick form the mooshi in all people, it would take much too long for a people at war. The high evolved were the greatest in the fight against them and to not want more would be laughable. The plant would also further inoculate the mooshi biome of the body with a more diverse mooshi biome. Even more so pointing Dante's actions out as a death sentence, he had eaten everything, intestines, stomach, bone, he even chewed on of the tusks down for dessert. There was nothing that Dantes teeth couldn't cut through. If a tooth chipped it would just fall out and come back stronger, now unbreakable to the substance, fining that out took his brother telling him to eat all kinds of rocks and metal. He could eat anything, he always wished he could be like his dragon crocodile beast brother. He would tell himself that maybe then he could be on some use to the world. He wanted nothing more than to fight for the human race. Or to rip the tentacle of a specific stupid kraken-horror that had led him away from a life where he'd die old, into one where he'd die young. He'd cook and eat that beast the first moment he got, Dante was already thinking about the calamari, and crab legs he'd get from that. The horror-beasts were only a product and not the source of the human's strife. They were the ones that plant the seed of destruction, those were the ones that humans prepared for with their conscriptions.
[Quest received: Cook and Eat the Kraken-Horror]
'Okay maybe I'm starting to like this system!' Dante thought to himself
'Well, what a great thing!' a facetious tone retorted in his mind, 'I've placed my life knowledge, my essence, my very being and power into something that might only be of use to settle a grudge with a crustation'
'Your voice is a bit annoying, tell me could I use the system to turn the commentary off'
[Function not found]
'I'm one of the best things about that system, I'm a true actual second consciousness working in the recesses of your mind, working to maximize your potential. The scitist that discovered mutations, the biotech, and genus that started space travel, the Scientist Virgil Von Vangapunk' Virgil's disembodied voice echoed
'Sound like a stalker to me, von virgin' Dante began to think and stopped listening.
'Its VIRGIL! I'm an artist beyond artist a mind greater than the ancients, I transcend all others in wit. Im the savior of the human race!' Virgil confidently stated.
'Actually… I mean Computer was a consciousness I could talk to as well, and she didn't brag about prowling my memories, and reading my mind like a cheap magician'
'You're right she sure was a marvel, I'd have love to study her and watch her more…'
'It's the way you say things V-dog. Just the stalker vibes won't let off.'
'We shall agree to disagree, she sacrificed herself allowing from the system to set the ground work, in a way she lives on in the silent Ai programing of the system. Every moment we speak shes building and scaffolding a world in here. So complex not even I could traverse it all…'
'We're not agreeing to disagree. That confirms it plain and simple' Dante silently marveled at what he was told though.
'You didn't listen to a think I said Sir Dante' Virgil moaned.
'Ah! Your trying to manipulate me into calling you Sir Virgin, I wont have it' Dante quipped.
'You're smarter than I gave your credit. WAIT'
[Quest Success: Beat the smartest mind the world has ever seen in a game of wits]
[Quest Reward processed: Bragging rights and ability increase to neural cognition]
'Oh wow, the way she's using my ability of equivalent exchange is amazing, it's as though my living space just increased, I might just be able too' Vigil voice trail off into his mind deeper.
'You're an interesting person, but didn't you see what She just said'
'What was that D?!' Virgil shouted from an insurmountable distance.
'Maybe this will bring me closer to becoming the 'Worldeater'' Dante stated, and from a distance Virgil mumbled.
'Did he just name himself he's really chasing his brother coat tails. ' Dante listening and thought that made he could get off this planet, but not before eating as much as he could. I trust you Computer if you put this ego in my mind, I'll trust that I can do it. I already owe you my life, multiple times over.