[Grey, wake up!]
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Kesha's worried voice faintly resounded in Grey's mind, whose consciousness was returning towards sobriety.
Opening his lone eye as though he was a mythical monster from a forgotten myth named [Cyclops], Grey began floating, a testament to his passive skill, [Floater's Float].
He then heard another familiar voice,
"Cutesy head, you're awake. Can you understand me?"
Kruuu?
[Grey, this Deicand named Natasha seems to have taken an interest in you.]
'K–Kesha, where are we? Wh–what happened to me?' Grey asked, feeling lost.
[Grey, your mind has experienced information overload, leading to the burden of your existence.] Kesha's words were like lightning, jolting his mind awake in recalling the earlier circumstances.
'T–That–' Grey's mind abruptly stopped thinking, neglecting Natasha's fading words.
If a person was suddenly thrown in an unprecedented situation and was told with assurance that his homeworld was a mere Cosmic Data generally known as simulation globe...
If a person heard from an alien race attached to his soul called Deicand, which was known as God Candidate, that his homeworld, because of the absence of divine ruler, was treading towards destruction...
Would that person easily and truly grasp the gravity of these truths?
[Grey... Calm down.] Kesha said serenely. [Remember your reason, okay?]
When the ruined humanity thrived with the development and assistance of Artificial Intelligence, and because of the cutting-edge technologies including DNA Modification, the average lifespan of a human turned from seventy (70) to two-hundred (200), at the very least.
What's more, if someone was truly rich, it was entirely possible to live forever with [Soul Preservation], passing the average lifespan set by its own species.
With that said, concerning Grey's mentality by living in this futuristic society, the remaining ten years of Earthroid Fanthoaxim towards its annihilation sounded so short and fast approaching with every tick of nonexistent clock.
'K–Kesha...' Grey addressed the one tied to his soul. 'H–help me, o–okay?'
It was too genuine and sounded helpless; something that Kesha heard for the first time, seeing the young man having a mental breakdown.
[I will, Grey. Okay, cheer up! So, you should address the curious Deicand in front of you!]
Being reminded that another presence was in this place, Grey tried his best to confront the said existence.
***
'Why does this Floater seems to be having a mental breakdown all the time? Is it designed to be like that?'
Hovering midair similar to that of an astral spirit, Natasha observed the Floater, which was slowly drifting around the Serum Factory's storage.
"Hey, cutesy head. Are you fine now?"
Kruuu? Grey responded naturally as a puny Floater.
"Oh, finally responding properly? It also seems like you're understanding me. I'm glad then. I thought my heart's going to be ignored for eternity." Natasha mumbled.
[This sly fox!] Kesha raised her voice, though Grey remained to be her sole listener.
'Kesha, are we in trouble? And if you don't mind me asking this very moment, what language are we speaking? It feels strange since I'm understanding her yet I don't even know the language itself.' Grey queried.
[She's curious about your existence. After all, being a dimensional merchant, you could say that you could become gold in her eyes.] Kesha replied, which indicated trouble before she added, [On the other hand, everyone in the Pyrusverse apart from few exceptions are speaking the same cosmic language, Pyrian.]
Grey began assessing the situation as his lone eye darted around while being followed by a ghost-like figure.
Ignoring Natasha's scrutinizing gaze, as though every part of his existence was being observed, Grey muttered inwardly, 'Kesha, let me browse the Cosmic Store, but also filter it just like before.'
Without asking for Grey's reason, Kesha sensed his questioning voice and obeyed the command.
Looking at the Serums with displayed images, Grey had a dawn of realization.
'Kesha, we're in some sort of serum storage, I guess. Maybe... Maybe we can use this for our advantage!'
Hearing his delighted internal monologue, Kesha assessed Grey's intention.
[Let's try it then, Grey.]
***
Thump.
Clang.
Thump.
"Hoh? What's with this cutesy head? Are you perhaps telling me to give you a different kind of Serum? Heh." Natasha quering playfully.
Since Grey had yet to be bestowed and be injected by the Serum of Humansil Biology, what he did was to deliberately bounce and float to certain direction where these serums were positioned.
Within this Serum Factory, there were Pyrium Steel Crates, a combination of black and dark green; high-sealing storage. What's more, there were dark robotic hands quickly and diligently assorting the unstored serums, which were magically floating midair similar to those simulation globes.
Thump.
By bouncing off another solid object, from one place to another, Grey persistently reached for a serum filled with glimmering crimson despite his slow rate of movement, which was roughly the same image display shown in Cosmic Store.
After some time, the hovering dimensional merchant picked one of these serums before waving it to the Floater arousing her curiousity.
"You want this thing, cutesy head? How about you convince me then?" Natasha teased.
'This bitch! Help your goddamn Slave Head to evolve! How the fuck would I convince you if I cannot speak?! Do every Deicand have all the time in the universe?!' Grey's patience easily reached rock bottom upon witnessing the provocation of this woman, whose appearance was something he couldn't discern yet.
Hearing the outburst within, the seemingly emotional Kesha proposed a suggestion, eerily so.
[Grey, use Jelly Hop.]
Knowing the power of propulsion based on experience, Grey entertained the ludicrous idea.
***
"Huh? About to use something? Jelly Hop perhaps?" Noticing the emanation of grey aura from its head-body, Natasha amusingly muttered.
"You will die; not in my hands, but rather to your own foolishness."
Hearing this, Grey paused his plan to propel himself and destroyed the serums.
[Sigh, sorry Grey! My suggestion's too terrible because if these serums cracked, its contents will spread to your body simultaneously. There will be side effects, at the very least.]
However, Grey ignored her for a moment as the Pyrus Heart detected his will.
[Activating the Active Skill: Jelly Hop.]
At that moment...
"Ah, you finally stopped being a cutesy head. Stay still." Natasha's power to command put an abrupt stop to Grey's unwavering conviction.
'Did it know that I value these serums and wouldn't let it destroy them? No, that's utterly ridiculous.' Natasha chuckled, dismissing the idea.
Even though simulation globes were among the best commodities, a dimensional merchant would remain a merchant; ready to protect any valuable product at any cost.
"It seems we need to have a talk, little head."
Grey's intriguing existence hit the first mile amidst these mentally tiring circumstances.
***
[Serum of Humansil Biology enters your soul.]
[Serum of Humansil Biology reshapes your existence.]
[You have developed the "Humansil Neck."]
[You have developed the "Humansil Arms."]
[You have developed the "Humansil Hands."]
[You have developed the "Humansil Body."]
[You have developed...]
[You have developed...]
[Floater Skill: Jelly-O Storage has been obtained.]
[Floater Skill: Jelly-xibility has been obtained.]
"Hoh? Look at this joyful head, truly an abomination of an appearance."
Because of the absence of another particular serum, Grey's reshaped existence was a mess; his head-body was being held by a pair of jelly-like hands as though he was a decoration. In other words, the entire body was depicted to be a severed one, holding his own head like everything sprouted from the very back of his head.
"Let me fix you, dear." Natasha grinned before she continued with injecting Grey's body with another type of serum.
Poke.
[Serum of Symmetry enters your soul.]
[Serum of Symmetry stabilizes your imbalance existence.]
[The state of equilibrium has been achieved.]
This time around, Grey's entire body transformed similar to that of a human, with only a noticeable difference of his skin being gray-hued, which was one of the characteristics of cosmic material, Jellyner.
Observing his newly formed existence, Grey slowly moved his hands and feet as though he was in his own world for a short while. But then, Natasha's words froze him on his spot.
"Heh? I thought it's just my imagination, but I clearly see it now... You truly have a Pyrus Heart, do you?"
***
'Kesha, are we in trouble?' For the first time since acquiring a human-like physique, Grey thought inwardly.
[I don't think so. Even though a Pyrus Heart's an object of covetousness, it's only for low-tiered civilizations. However, considering that Natasha is a dimensional merchant, you cannot expect her to give everything for free.]
"I don't care about your circumstances or how you got ahold of a Pyrus Heart since such a thing is trivial for me, but I want you to do something from me." Natasha cut off the two's thoughts.
Tilting his head, Grey cast a questioning look.
"Help me repair my goddamn ship! The self-repair has malfunctioned since it was targeted just some time ago. Those Simulathefs!
"Anyway, here's what you are going to do, my Slave Head."
Natasha began to command Grey; this time without forcing her will upon him.
***
'Kesha, what are those so-called Simulathefs?' Walking outside the Deicand pod with a pickaxe and shovel exuding grey aura, Grey couldn't help but ask.
[Thief of Simulation, Grey. They are plunderers from Type-3 Civilization, whose aim was to steal simulation globes; to modify them before selling them at a higher price.]
'Modify? For what?' Grey thought.
[Well, you remember the simulation globes in Natasha's ownership? There are different colors, right? Each color signifies the theme of the simulated world, you could say.
[For example, a raven-colored simulation globe means that this simulated world has the theme of (holy) and (unholy), which means that if a Deicand decides to evoke the Divine Deployment, he or she will begin to rule that world according to the theme.]
'Sigh, why do I feel like I understand it yet not at the same time? What's the so-called Divine Deployment, anyway?' Grey asked, still feeling himself of having human-like body despite the fact that he's now an extraterrestrial species.
Instead of answering him directly, Kesha showed him the information about Divine Deployment based on the Pyrus Archive.
[Divine Deployment]
Pyrus Archive Description (via. Cosmic Feather): It is the process of deployment when a Type-4 Species, at the very least, known as Deicand or God Candidate has been permitted by the will of Pyrusverse. Through this process, the said God Candidate will become a ruler of the selected simulation globe according to the theme chosen.
[Benefits of Divine Deployment]
Pyrus Archive Description (via. Cosmic Feather): For one's domain to be stronger, or for one's domain to be the cosmos' cannon fodder.
'I see. Does this mean that you, Kesha, as a Deicand became the ruler of my homeworld? Wait. That's not right. Was it perhaps Naya's mother, Krishna?' Grey asked.
[Grey, just like how the buried world of Earthroid Fanthoaxim depicted the existence of divine beings through countless divine records, it's entirely possible for multiple Deicands to evoke the Divine Deployment towards a single simulation globe.
[On the other hand, about the Deicand's benefits... Sigh, you are aware of Dark Forest Theory, right? Well, coming from my own mouth, I can assure that such a thing was not a theory.]
Hearing this, Grey had chills running down his new spine.
As someone who was born to a considered advanced civilization, Grey was heavily aware of humanity's seemingly endless attempts to search for alien life. However, throughout those thousands of years, alien life other than itself was never found.
This then raised the question, 'Kesha, you clearly said that my homeworld's only a product called simulation globe, is it still included to Dark Forest?'
[Yes, in the past when divine beings were known. But since it's in the Simulacrum Zone – Red Region, wherever Krishna hid it, there's no need to worry apart from its timed ruination.] Kesha said objectively.
'So, as far as I know, we are just simulated beings, and yet humanity's still included with the possibility of being preyed upon by high-tiered civilizations? Sigh, we're not even real.'
Hearing this mumblings, Kesha responded,
[Grey, how do humans exactly define 'real'?]