The Soul Space was said to resemble the vastness of space itself.
A pitch-black expanse filled with nothing but countless tiny golden stars and an Empty Core Area.
The thousands of tiny stars floated serenely, emitting a golden mist commonly known as Soul Force.
It was said to be an awe-inspiring sight, capable of moving even the most indifferent of souls.
This had been the norm since the dawn of the New Age, and it was believed to remain so.
Neo knew this fact as well as the back of his hand.
Which is why, when he viewed his own Soul Space for the first time, the shock he felt was beyond words.
Neo knew he wasn't human anymore, but matters of the soul weren't defined solely by species.
It had been confirmed that the Soul Space was the same for every sentient being, and nothing was ever different or abnormal.
'So what the f*ck is this?'
Neo's Soul Space resembled an expanse of space, just like the others.
He had no issue with this.
It was also filled with thousands of tiny golden stars, just like the others.
No problem there either.
There was the Empty Core Area, destined to house his future celestial bodies, just like the others.
Nothing unusual there.
Golden mist emanated from the stars, signifying his ability to produce Soul Force.
Still no problem.
But Neo did have one major issue: Why was there another type of mist in his Soul Space?
A thick cloud of purple, chaotic mist billowed endlessly in his Soul Space!
This was definitely not normal!
Neo tried to calm down and study the chaotic purple mist carefully.
There was no other way to describe it but chaotic.
It surged randomly, a storm of purple that made his otherwise serene Soul Space look utterly disorderly.
Neo surmised it was a force equivalent to Soul Force, as their quality seemed remarkably similar.
Although he didn't know what he could use this force for, or what implications it might hold, Neo had no choice but to accept it as it was.
There was nothing he could do, anyway.
He tried to control the purple mist but failed.
It was as though it didn't exist in his Soul Space at all, leaving Neo uneasy about having such a mysterious force lurking in the most personal space he had.
'I suppose I'll call it Chaos Force.'
He named it simply, based on its characteristics. It was chaotic, so Chaos Force it was.
With that matter shoved to the back of his mind, Neo exited the Soul Space with a thought and opened his eyes to the underground world once again.
Though some things hadn't gone as expected, Neo was happy nonetheless.
He now had a Common Grade physique!
Neo was eager to test his new power in an actual fight. He hoped that with this breakthrough, he'd be able to go toe-to-toe with a Common Grade beast, perhaps even defeat one in a fair fight.
He picked up his black spear and proceeded into the forest, marching with a newfound calm.
There was less fear in his heart as he entered the dark forest. He wasn't afraid to encounter a beast—in fact, he hoped he would.
After walking for a few minutes, Neo heard the unmistakable sound of leaves crunching and hurriedly hid.
Just in case the beast proved too much for him to handle.
Even among Common Grade beasts, some were a tier above their class in strength.
They were called the Evolved Tier and were comparable to a higher grade.
As the hulking frame of a gorilla came into view, Neo smiled coldly and readied his spear.
'It will be you!'
Neo was determined to battle this gorilla!
The moment he took his first step, the gorilla whipped its head towards Neo instantly.
Its red eyes glowed with fury and bloodlust as it stared down the puny mortal approaching.
Neo charged at the beast with a palpable seriousness and thrust his spear.
His thrust was quick, cutting through the air like a bullet.
A yellow aura bloomed around the gorilla's body, and it threw a simple punch.
Boom!
Neo's spear and the gorilla's massive fist collided midway, a loud boom echoing in the air.
The clash of strength between man and beast ended instantly.
Neo was flung away like a broken kite, the black spear in his grip nearly slipping free.
He was stunned!
Was the disparity in their strength so vast that a single punch could send him flying?
Even at the same stage, was a gorilla truly that much stronger than a human?
Neo realised the answer was yes. Beasts couldn't be compared to humans. If he wanted to defeat this beast, he had to outsmart it, not overpower it!
Whoosh!!
A ferocious punch barrelled towards Neo like a speeding train. The power in that strike would leave him wounded with the slightest contact.
Neo buried the end of his spear into the ground, performing a grounded block.
The punch slammed into the spear shaft, sending Neo skidding backwards, but this time, he managed to regain control quickly.
As the huge gorilla lunged at him again, Neo shuffled to the left, barely sidestepping the attack.
He had just regained his footing when the beast swatted at him from the side.
Neo hadn't expected such a move and barely reacted in time.
He leapt away at the last moment, narrowly evading the blow.
But the gorilla gave him no chance to breathe. It stayed close, overwhelming Neo with a relentless barrage of powerful attacks.
All Neo could do was evade. He'd come perilously close to taking one of those heavy punches several times and was barely holding on.
The fight wasn't going as expected.
Whoosh!
A heavy slap sailed over Neo's head by mere inches, his hair fluttering from the intense wind as his wide eyes burned with determination.
Neo swept his spear in a wide arc, hoping to force the beast to leap away, but...
The beast merely kicked the spear's shaft, halting the attack instantly.
Just like that?!
Another slap headed for Neo's chest, and he hurriedly rolled away, his instincts flaring as a deep sense of danger overwhelmed him.
As he rose from his roll, his vision abruptly darkened. All he saw in that split second was a hairy blackness, then...
Boom!
Neo's mind rattled, his body shuddering. That kick had broken his nose and caved in his face!
Neo made up his mind on the spot.
Run!!
He turned and bolted. He'd learned his lesson the hard way!
Common Grade beasts were too powerful!
He wasn't ready yet!
Though the gorilla was incredibly strong, it wasn't nearly as fast as Neo, who soon left it in the dust.
Panting heavily, Neo replayed the battle in his mind like a broken cassette.
He couldn't help but lament.
'Fights are harder from the protagonist's perspective!'
That fight was too intense!
He'd had his arse handed to him by a mere gorilla!
Neo sighed.
Suddenly, he noticed a pure white, fluffy ball in the distance. It was vibrating wildly, and a cackling sound escaped from it.
It took Neo a moment to realise... Wasn't that the demonic rabbit?
And was it laughing at him?
Mocking him?!!
Neo's fury erupted. His eyes grew bloodshot, and steam seemed to rise from his ears.
He was going to kill that rabbit today, or he wouldn't be able to rest easy!
As soon as he had this thought, the rabbit turned tail and fled.
Once again, Neo was shocked at its speed.
Even after achieving a Common Grade physique, it was still faster than him!
Neo chased the rabbit in fury for a few minutes before giving up.
He realised it was pointless and wouldn't lead to anything but more danger.
Just as he was about to turn around and head home, something caught his eye.
Wait a minute! Wasn't this the way to the gorilla settlement?
Why was this rabbit always leading him here?
Should he scout?
Neo didn't know what to do.