As Asumi slowly regained consciousness, he felt a warm glow enveloping him. Blinking through blurry vision, he struggled to make out his surroundings. "Where... where am I?" he muttered, his voice echoing softly.
Gradually, his vision began to clear, revealing an unfamiliar landscape, a hole it was dimly lit. Peering down at himself, he gasped in shock as he realized his body was different—pale, almost translucent, and distinctly not his own. "This isn't my body... what's happening?" he wondered aloud, confusion evident in his tone.
Then, a disembodied voice echoed in his mind, [System: integrating, host trasfar... Complete]
Asumi mused that voice I've heard it before. triggering a memory Asumi added "You're the voice I heard when I died," Asumi exclaimed as recognition dawned on him.
The voice responded, manifesting as a System window before him. [Sytem: you're correct host]
Asumi crawled out of a hatch, his movements cautious and uncertain. "So, what are you? Some kind of Angel of Death?" he asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
The System's response was swift. "No, I am simply the beetle evolution system, a program designed to aid you in survival and evolution through leveling up," it explained matter-of-factly.
Asumi's heart raced as he absorbed the System's revelation. "Wait, beetle? Are you saying I'm a beetle?" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief as he moved towards a nearby wall, seeking solace in the dimly lit surroundings.
The System's response confirmed his worst fears. "That is correct. You have been transferred to Ariel, a fantasy world."
Asumi recoiled in horror, his mind reeling with denial. "No, no, no! You have to send me back right now!" he pleaded desperately, his voice echoing off the walls of the cavern.
But the System's reply offered no solace. "Sorry, Host. You died in the previous world and cannot be transferred," it stated bluntly.
Frustration and fear welled up inside Asumi, and he screamed silently within his mind. "And you think I don't know that!" he raged, his mind in panic and despair.
With no where else to turn, Asumi sank to the ground next to the wall, curling up into a ball. His movements were frantic, his hands clutching at his beetle-like form as if trying to hold onto a reality slipping away. "I can't... I can't leave them like this," he murmured to himself, his voice choked with emotion, as tears welled up in his eye.
Asumi's heart sank as he wrestled with his options, his mind filled with thoughts of those he cared about. "How can I leave them knowing I won't come back... Catherine, Mr. Sparkles, you two were all I had," he murmured, his voice tinged with despair.
His gaze drifted to the System, which presented him with two choices.
[System: Host you must make a decision. You can either chose to quit or chose to stay].
[Yes] [No]
[System: Choosing No, you heart will immediately stop beating and you will die librating you form this body]
[System: Choosing Yes, Host will continue with the system going on the path of evolution till you reach the peak]
Asumi's hand trembled as he hovered over the "No" button, his resolve wavering.
"What's the point of getting a second chance if I'm not even human... it's all over. I'd rather be dead," he lamented, his movements sluggish.
But then, a glimmer of hope emerged as he read the message accompanying end of the "Yes" option. "Once you reach the peak of evolution, you can get whatever you desire," it promised.
A surge of motivation coursed through Asumi's translucent form as he reconsidered his decision. "A chance to get back what I've lost... I can see them again, but I'm no longer human," he realized, his antennae still quivering toward the No button.
Then a memory from his past echoed in his mind, urging him to reconsider. "Asumi, I love you, please come back home," Catherine's voice echoed in his thoughts, her words soft yet soothing.
With decisive movement, Asumi withdrew his antenna from the "No" button and pressed firmly on the "Yes" option.
As the System acknowledged his decision, Asumi felt a surge of anticipation mixed with apprehension. "[System: Host, congratulations for picking the right decision. The first trial will now begin]," the System announced.
Asumi furrowed his brow in confusion. "Wait, first trial? What do you mean?" he questioned, his voice tinged with uncertainty. His attention then shifted back to the dimly lit hole, where beetle eggs littered the ground, ready to hatch.
Suddenly, one by one, the eggs began to crack open, releasing tiny beetles that scurried out in a frenzy, desperate for sustenance. Asumi watched in astonishment as they rushed toward the meager food supply scattered around the cave, biting and chewing with fervor.
Perplexed, Asumi turned to the System for answers. "Hey, what's going on? Why are they all in such a hurry?" he demanded, his movements jittery with concern.
"[System: Host, you must move quickly. Out of the 200 hatchlings in the hole, there is only enough food for twenty to eat and develop themselves. The rest will die]," the System explained, its tone matter-of-fact yet tinged with urgency.
Asumi observed the chaotic scene unfolding before him, his heart heavy with concern as each hatchling fought for survival. He watched as they bit and chewed on roots and decaying food with a sense of urgency, some even resorting to butting heads in a desperate bid for sustenance.
As he witnessed the competition for resources intensify, a wave of insecurity washed over Asumi. "[System: Generating quest]," the System announced, breaking through his thoughts.
"[System Quest: Host, consume enough food to reach level two. Current number 0/20. Win condition: Survive. Failure condition: Death]," the System prompted, its voice echoing in Asumi's mind.
Feeling the weight of the task ahead, Asumi took a deep breath, steeling himself for the challenge that lay ahead. With a fire kindled in his heart, he scanned the cave for any available food, then he rushd after it, his movements deliberate as he began his quest for survival.